Yoda Swing Sequence

[hg]

... With my 1.4 index and decidedly rusty action, I figured the best I could do was to keep us from having the big 'blow up' that so often happens when high handicappers just can't finish a hole. To my surprise, I shot an even par 72 and was able to cut the team three shots (including a birdie 3 on the #1 handicap hole, one of only two holes I stroked on )

Great round of golf Yoda...you must have been using the full motion swing as sequenced below. This sequence was captured from an action clip on the soon to be released VJ-Yoda DVD.

[okie]

Decent move! I love the flat left foot at the finish...no over rotation. since learning the penny drill I have been looking at this particular component. Rarely does a good player splay the left foot in the follow through (exceptions excluded.) does this suggest more down and out? When I get the down right my left foot stays put. Tommy T did this particulary well. TGM does not deal in "tips" but this is a worthwhile suggestion for some.

What did Joe Norwood say about over rotation?

Pleasing to the eye and laden with precision, Yoda!

[hg]

Yoda

There seems to be no questions regarding your sequence...so I will take the lead and begin with observations regarding your setup as shown in the 1st frame above. It appears that the head is centered relative to your stance and that the hips are a little in front of center with your right knee in a slightly kicked in forward position. Your hips appear slightly forward of center and the shoulders which is creating a bit of spine tilt. The hands appear to be slightly forward of center placing the shaft more in line with the left arm. Is this an accurate assessment of your setup alignments?

HG

[Yoda]

Yoda

It appears that the head is centered relative to your stance and that the hips are a little in front of center with your right knee in a slightly kicked in forward position. Your hips appear slightly forward of center and the shoulders which is creating a bit of spine tilt. The hands appear to be slightly forward of center placing the shaft more in line with the left arm. Is this an accurate assessment of your setup alignments?

A very good assessment, hg. Thanks!



With regards to the Right Knee, note that there has been no deliberate effort to 'kick' it in with independent Knee Action. The Knee simply has been pulled into this alignment by the slight Hip Slide:

"Weight Shift is strictly a HIP MOTION. Substituting a Head Motion and/or a Knee Motion will make Swaying inevitable."

-- Homer Kelley (7-14)

Also, as you have correctly noted, the slight Axis (spine) tilt is the result of the Hip Slide forward -- the base of the spine moves toward the Target while the Head (and the top of the spine) remains Centered and fixed -- and not the Head (and with it, the top of the spine) being dropped backward! This is an important point that is missed by so many, and while the 'Head back' location can (and must) be compensated, that positioning affects the Left Shoulder Location and thus disrupts the basic geometry of the entire Stroke.

That same Hip Slide is also responsible for the slightly forward Hand Location (note that they remain 'mid-Body'). The appearance is somewhat exaggerated by a centered Ball Location (I am hitting a 7-Iron and emphasizing the Downward strike).

By the way, I call this 'Standard Address with an attitude!' -- -- because of the 'set' left and the slight Forward Lean of the Clubshaft (instead of the classic right angled to the Line). Actually, this Address is probably closer to the Half-and-Half (10-9-C), i.e., Body in Impact Position and Hands in Address Condition (Bent Left Wrist). Compare the postions at Address (Frame 1) and Impact (Frames 12-14), and you be the judge!

But, please be gentle. Remember:

"Few . . . components will exactly fit any of the Catalog Variations but they can and should be adjusted to the nearest orthodox Variation most compatible with the rest of the proposed Basic Pattern."

-- Homer Kelley (12-0)

[alojoo]

A very good assessment, hg. Thanks!



Also, as you have correctly noted, the slight Axis (spine) tilt is the result of the Hip Slide forward -- the base of the spine moves toward the Target while the Head (and the top of the spine) remains Centered and fixed -- and not the Head (and with it, the top of the spine) being dropped backward! This is an important point that is missed by so many, and while the 'Head back' location can (and must) be compensated, that positioning affects the Left Shoulder Location and thus disrupts the basic geometry of the entire Stroke.

Hi Yoda and everyone !

I'm not sure if you mean by the "head and the top of the spine" (the green text), the neck and the head (the cervical curve),

or this section of the spine: somewhere in the thoracic curve, and from that point, to the head, this longer section of the spine remains fixed, motionless, having as an indicator: a fixed chest or shoulders, while the hips slide forward parallel to the plane line. At startdown.

[12 piece bucket]

Somebody find a sequence of Leadbetter's move or one of them other dingleberry top 100 cats . . . bet that lil' green freak's move will out shine them. . . .

[Yoda]

I'm not sure if you mean by the "head and the top of the spine" (the green text), the neck and the head (the cervical curve), or this section of the spine: somewhere in the thoracic curve, and from that point, to the head, this longer section of the spine remains fixed, motionless, having as an indicator: a fixed chest or shoulders, while the hips slide forward parallel to the plane line. At startdown.

Visualize the spine as the pendulum of a grandfather clock. It swings to and fro from a fixed center. That's the idea, and it is the way the golfer's Pivot operates (with respect to lateral motion). In accomplishing this objective, the Hips must move independently of the Head and Shoulders ('Hula Hula flexibility' per 7-14) in order for the Pivot to remain Centered.

Whether you choose to use the Head as the Pivot Center (Homer Kelley's recommendation as the First Essential / 2-0) or the point 'between the shoulders' (the alternative offered in The Glossary) is immaterial. Just keep something 'up top' stationary, and you will achieve your objective: Namely, a Centered Arc. It is no accident that the first two items in The Machine (1-L #1 and #2) deal with precisely this point.

By the way, stabilizing the lower part of the Pivot -- the Feet, Knees and Waist Bend -- goes a long way toward stabilizing the upper part. In fact, that is their major function (7-16).

[mrodock]

Somebody find a sequence of Leadbetter's move or one of them other dingleberry top 100 cats . . . bet that lil' green freak's move will out shine them. . . .

Have you seen Haney's driver swing lately? In a word, inspiring. As in, inspiring me to vomit uncontrollably.

Love to see the Green guy swing it.

[hg]

Yoda

How would you describe your start of the backswing...there doesn't appear to be any forward press to initiate the backswing. It appears to be more of a hands, arms and shoulder turn (maybe in that sequence) that begins and brings your arms back to parallel to ground at the half way point in your backswing. Although what is difficult to see is that it may actually start from the ground up. Am I close?

[alojoo]

we can see constant extensor action in his backswing