Mr. Whippy

[Yoda]

A primary skill needed to hit the Whippy straight is the ability to lead with the forward side. He insists that the student first develop the ability to competently hit balls with left hand only (for right handed players). Then subsequent drills continue to emphasize strong left side lead and dominance-- "get out of the way."

As you know, Bobby Jones was a strong advocate of left hand and arm dominance of the golf swing, so the two seem to square.

What do you think?

Larry

Bobby Jones' views and The Golfing Machine are entirely consistent. Jones' Left Side Dominance concept and The Golfing Machine's Swinging Procedure (2-K) -- the Left Arm Stroke (1-F) with its Centrifugally-Powered Secondary Lever Assembly (the Clubshaft 6-A-3) -- are one and the same.

As far as 'Swinging the Whippy' -- hold all the poor taste jokes! -- the problem is Clubface Alignment. Or, better said, misalignment. Mr. Whippy's soft Shaft -- please hold those jokes! -- has so little inertia of its own that it cannot prevent the Clubface from coming in 'Hooked.' That's because the Shaft can't keep up with the Sweetspot as it strives to maintain its 'Line of Centrifugal Pull' with the No. 3 Pressure Point.

So, it is quite possible -- even probable -- that you can skillfully apply the wonderful Flat Left Wrist Horizontal Hinge Motion that is consistent with the Swinging Procedure -- and still Hook the Ball off the world. And the more Power applied -- such as with the Automatic Snap Release (10-24-E) -- the further left the Ball will go. That is because the greater the Power, the greater the torque in the Shaft, and hence, the greater the misalignment of the Clubface.

The key to Mr. Whippy is a S-L-O-W Pace and the Low Clubhead Speed of the Full Sweep Release (10-24-A). These will help avoid any powerful stressing of the Shaft. Remember, the more Clubhead speed you generate and the better you are at executing the Closing Only Clubface of a pure Horizontal Hinge Action, the more problems you are going to have with Mr. Whippy.

In fact, good players may find themselves having to forego -- consciously or unconsciously -- the Full Roll of the Horizontal Hinge Action. Instead, they may start applying the No Roll Angled Hinge Action with its uncentered, Slice-producing, Simultaneous Clubface Close and Lay Back. And they will have to abandon (or at least 'rev down') their Automatic Snap Release. Not exactly the Component Variations that a good player wants to gain "Squatter's Rights" on his Computer.

Interestingly, poor players -- who are mostly Short-Hitting Slicers -- can grow to love Mr. Whippy! That's because they may find the Ball going straighter than their normal shots and perhaps just as far. But, other than smoothing out their normal 'jerk,' Mr. Whippy is not improving their Swing. Naah. He just loves their Low Clubhead Speed, Throw-from-the-Top, Full Sweep Release. And, their Open-Open Stance Line and Plane Line (10-5-D in any combination). And their No-Roll, Bending Left Wrist Procedure. Ahh, the Joy of Short and Sliced!

Perhaps in gratitude for the Sweep Release, the Open Plane Line and the Bending Left Wrist, Mr. Whippy obligingly closes their Clubface! The player may now experience a Pulled Shot, but -- lo! -- his Slice has now become a gentle Fade or even disappeared completely.

All of which, of course, the Slicer finds out on his next links tour with his 'regular' Clubs. Without the dutiful assistance of Mr. Whippy, it's...

Fore right!