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Ross Jul 30, 2020
If you read a comment about left upper arm attached… it was made by someone else and I may have commented on it. I don’t teach that. I do mention keeping your elbows towards each other, forming a kind of Template that the shoulders can move. As far as the shaft in line goes… starting with the shaft in line with the front arm, helps return it back to impact, where it is crucial that it be “in line with the front arm” for a solid golf shot. Sometimes for different shots you’ll want to continue past impact with the shaft still in line with the front arm, but in most cases, after impact the shaft will line up with the back arm and eventually (when the wrists hinge at the finish of a full swing) the shaft is not in line with either arm.Ross Aug 15, 2020
“They” used to say… like a dollar bill. Ideally very thin, if you get everything working correctly. When you achieve an Athletic setup (centered and balanced), you should be able to swing every time and just barely brush the ground. When you get the ball in the correct position for “your” swing and the club you’re using, you should be meeting the ball at or just before the bottom of the swing arc. Play around with ball positions. You might have the ball too far back and when you make contact, your club head is still descending and continues its path downward, gouging out a thick divot. Sometimes, golfers drop their chest* on the downswing causing the club head to dig deeper than they originally had setup.* Many times this is due to the fact that they raised up on the backswing, so (for every action – opposite and = or more reaction), they drop their chest on the downswing causing radius issues with their swing.
Ross Aug 19, 2020
Here are some Lesson Videos that will help… “The Elbows” in the Setup section. “The Squeeze Squeeze Drill” in the Drills section. “Constant Elbows Pressure” in the Swing section.I’d like to offer advise, but unless I see all of your swing and what is going with your total body, I’d be speculating. A straight arm is a result of other actions (not something you do). One thing I can tell you, is that after impact, your front arm elbow (left arm elbow for a right hander) will point towards the ground and fold for the back arm to straighten out. If your elbow is pointing out, more than likely you have the “chicken wing” action. Many times this if from the body not rotating all the way to the finish and the arms try to help by and pull across the body. This can cause your toe hit… but keep in mind, there are other reasons for a toe hit too.
Ross Aug 22, 2020
Yes, the arms (except for a little bit of tension at the elbows towards each other), are relaxed and simply whip through to the finish. One other “feeling” of tension is the wrists “holding” the shape of flat to slightly bowed out front wrist* and the bent-in back wrist. There are no control/directing movements. Ideally, if you’ve taken your grip with a square club face**, you can freely swing the arms/club as fast as you want. It is not good to have any tension in the upper arms, into the shoulders. That will choke off the freedom of the body moving the arms/club. As for you last comment. There is a fine line between controlling the club face square, with the shaft in line with the front arm vs. flipping or throwing the club head. I did spend many years trying to just maintain even, equal grip pressure with very good results, but found there is more control holding the shape (lightly).* In theory, the back of the front wrist would point towards the target coming through impact.
** If you setup with the club face aligned square with the back of the front wrist, … in theory the ball would go were the back of the front wrist is pointing at impact. I believe that back-of-the-front-wrist saying came from Lee Trevino (and I agree).
Ross Aug 24, 2020
This subject has been discussed here a lot. Everyone looking for the “perfect” golf swing. The “perfect” golf swing is the one that works for you (on any given day). If there were perfect golf swings, you would not see the best players in the world win one week then miss the cut the next… so, in my search for a more “reliable” golf swing (over fifty years now), I discovered many things about reliability vs perceived gains. What I mean is… what do you gain in hinging? maybe a little distance (maybe)? You will definitely lower your reliability with hinging. Here is a post I wrote as I was questioning hinging and removing variables in the golf swing. Please read and then you can experiment for your own game. https://movelessgetgood.com/to-hinge-or-not-to-hinge/Ross Sep 11, 2020
If you start the backswing, moving the arms/club using the shoulders only (shoulders get ahead start while lower body resists), you’ll windup the backswing from Top Down. This takes the “slack” out of your back Muscles (like winding a rubber band). Then on the downswing, the hips can’t race ahead. because everything is connected. Also, if you are lifting the arms on the backswing, there will be tension at the top of the backswing, restricting the arms from coming back down, as the body starts the downswing, due to momentum of the lift. The arms/club must feel totally submissive to the shoulders/body control, for them to be moved by Large Muscles. It is like you’re slinging the arms/club “template”.Ross Sep 10, 2020
Not seeing a video I’d be speculating, but it sounds like you’re lifting your arms vs. turning your shoulders around your spine, so the shoulders don’t really get a chance to move the arms/club slightly to the inside. It also sounds like you’re not focused on what the duplessisgolf method is all about, and are trying to direct your arms/club. If you allow the large muscles to take control and not worry about path (in this case the shoulders turning around the spine, and also the shoulders turning the hips a bit at the end of the backswing)… the arms/club will go where they go on the backswing for your swing. Then, on the downswing, if you just unwind your body and turn through, all should return to impact as you started (unless you change something during the swing, like letting the hands or arms get involved.)The elbows coming back down in front of your body is a “dynamic” moment that just happens as the body unwinds and the arms are free to be brought back down and around to the left (right hander). If you try to focus on returning your elbows back down in front of your body, more that likely, the body will stop and wait for that to happen. It is not something you “do”, it is just an understanding of where the body parts are during the swing. Focus on Large Muscles … Shoulders on the backswing… entire body unwinding and accelerating for the downswing, all the way to the finish. The ball just gets in the way.
Ross Sep 14, 2020
It is a term to roughly describe the extension of the arms/club ‘away’ from the body*. Some of it has to do with the amount each elbow bends. The term has some merit based on geometry. The idea is … the longer the radius … the potential for more distance and the more consistent the result. A full extension (front arm straight) at impact, would will help maintain a consistent radius thus helping to create a more reliable swing. It is only one factor. If the body tilt changes, great extension does not matter… the club head goes into the ground, or hits the top of the ball… or other.* In my experience, width is often used to describe the moment in the backswing, when the front arm is roughly parallel to the ground as a “checking” point or “sign” of a potentially good shot or more advanced player.
Ross Sep 17, 2020
Yes, with the elbows slightly pinching towards each other. It does feel heave since the Shoulders are moving the arms/club. This arms/club template is passive to the shoulders control.Ross Sep 22, 2020
The hands and arms are not pulling the club down. The body starts unwinding and the hands and arms are brought down by gravity and by the body turn, unwinding and accelerating. You’re kind of “slinging” them using your body turn. The body turn is bringing them down and around to the left (if this makes sense).Ross Sep 17, 2020
There is no difference between Drive and Irons except ball position… same swing and mechanics. If you tell me more about the specific struggles you’re having with irons, I can help direct you to Lesson Videos for help.Ross Oct 07, 2020
At the range, when you practice, you can think of the wrist, unwinding etc., but you want to forget about those things when it is time to take a shot. You want to practice your Pre-shot routine, that is not about making swing changes. When you play, you want your swing to be automatic and you get what you get. Then work on specific issues at the range. Your Routine is critical for playing the game with consistency.Ross Oct 06, 2020
I think if you could visualize 2 things (Keywords) just before you start your backswing (watch the Pre-shot Routine series “Keywords”). The 1st, using your shoulders for the backswing… and then facing the target for the 2nd. You can take the thought of trying to hit at the ball out of the swing. The Pre-shot Routine uses 3 keywords… 2 keywords works just fine. You want to get away from thinking too much before and during the swing. Backswing visualization… Finish visualization.