All through my college playing days I would always be trying to find the flattest clubs possible. All stock clubs felt so upright. Drivers would always sit way on the heel. I always thought my flat swing (which was the only way I could hit it straight) was because I had long arms and was just weird. Thanks for giving me the best explanation as to why it worked so well (at least for me).
Thanks for sharing your content. I found this video on transition and the video on release (Swinger vs Hitter) to be very helpful when trying to duplicate Hogan's, Trevino, & Snead's swing. I played yesterday and to get into the slot I just kept telling myself to throw the medicine ball and release the forearm.
Pure gold. You have just help explain the feeling of when I produce a good swing. Now I can focus on producing that feeling more consistently..Thanks again John, the word genius best describes your understanding of the mechanics of the swing and your ability to teach it. Your tips have been helping me figure out how best to reproduce good technique as well as countless others I’d presume.
Hi John, your stuff is great. There is a question that I have asked numerous teachers, including top flight (or at least famous) teachers (Hank Haney, Jim Hardy, etc.), but to which I have never received a good answer. Why wouldn't we just teach the backswing to end in the post-transition position, that is, the "shallowed" position that is necessitated by the traditional backswing positions taught by everyone. Wouldn't this just remove one variable and eliminate the necessary transition, shallowing move? I ask this because I have been and am a good player (US AM) and have a flat laid off position at the top of my backswing (which I have never changed because I have not understood this issue) that closely resembles the "shallowed" position after the transition moves you discuss. Really would love your take on this. I don't think the transition shallowing move adds speed, so trying to find an answer to this, and would love your two cents on this topic! Thanks and I love your stuff. Jon
A few things... first...there are quite a few different ways to shallow the shaft through transition. Some prefer a loopy out to in...others trip the shaft like Hogan, Knudson.... or even Raymond Floyd. Then there are those who use an arched wrist to lay it back (Rahm). Regardless of the method, the reason for doing this is to allow the shaft to be leveraged properly at right angles to the torso rotation... in other words, you can rotate more level without fear of OTT. It guarantees the player will be entering along the 4:30 line nicely and gives the green light to really hit hard without fear of a pull OTT shot. It does also increase the range of motion of the clubhead for more power. If you took a tape measure and compared the two... the flatter laid off version would allow the clubhead to travel a greater distance without having to take the hands and arms back farther. I like this a lot... That being said.. this is all within the framework of a pivot driven swing, and not just a hand and arm slap... so it has to be done correctly.
@@lagpressure Thanks for the reply, I would love to discuss this with you or show you... do you have any interest in this, and if so what would be the best vehicle to do this? Thanks again for the reply!
@@lagpressure Hi John, well in trying to understand your response (to the question of why not just have the goal to end the backswing in the transitioned, shallower position), I THINK we are on the same page that the transition to the "shallowed" position at the beginning of the downswing really doesn't add any speed to the swing, then the question remains as to why not just aim to end the backswing in this "shallowed" position, and eliminate the need for a shallowing move at the beginning of the downswing. Obviously I agree that most if not all have a shallowing move (may be different ways to get there, as you point out), and I agree and love your and Bradley's discovery and commitment to the 4:30 position, but I believe that my original question (re: why not just aim to finish the backswing to this shallowed position) remains, and I do not read that your reply addressed this. As I stated in my first comment, noone has that I can find in the golf literature. That is why I suggested a discussion may be easier. And, if you have interest, would love to discuss it via the appropriate channel. Anyway I love your stuff and think it is revolutionary in understanding the downswing. Thanks again for your replies! Jon
@@noopynutmeg Ok, well, certainly there is an advantage to the swing being a motion of continuity... or never really stopping. For example, loops keep things moving and easier to keep something "on track". If you stop abruptly, you then have to restart and that can be quite problematic. Think of a baseball pitcher and how their throwing arm is in constant motion. Gives them much more time to find and feel their path into their final throwing plane. There is also a muscular tension or "coiling up" a stretching that adds a bit of compression into the body that would be more difficult to create in a purely stagnant frozen position. Bottom line is... it's easier to feel and repeat something that is in constant motion from start to finish than to take a backswing, stop completely then restart... so this would be an argument for some kind of looping, along with a greater range of motion that some speed can help with get into a deeper slotting from the momentum into a position that wouldn't be as accessible if you just tried to get there and then freeze. It's a good question, and I have thought a lot about this over the years. That being said, there have been some players who have kinda paused at the top with good success, but I don't see that in the greatest strikers.
thanks. Great explanation. I recently discovered that more actively throwing the club head back in the first part of my swing helps find the slot better for me. Is that something you suggest? volume on all your videos tends to be low, I agree
When I experimented with a cross-handed or cack-handed grip, it helped me feel the shallowing of the club in transition. I don’t think it’s possible to go OTT.
Hey John, I had an epiphany and I’m wondering if this is the “slot” feeling. Essentially i get the FEELING that at some point in my back swing between my rib cage and right shoulder, i feel like my right knuckles are almost facing down and continues under my right shoulder. Is this a similar feeling you experience?
Hi John. Please correct my understanding of the 4:30 approach. The club and clubface will be at 4 o'clock on the watch and what will be on the 30 minutes on the watch? Thanks for your informative instructions
