Martinez19696

[gazgolf1]

Setting up slighty open and then resisting the turn with your left side is a big part of it too. Then you take the club inside ala Elk and then roll it to the top trying to get your right arm in that position on the video. Downswing is about lag created by your right shoulder turning thru high and ahead of your hands until impact when the smash happens. Thats my take, I think I understand it but as a once a week golfer who might hit 1 bucket a week as well I can't do it, I will continue to try to do it primarily because I have met Martin and had the clinic with him and have seen how he hits the ball using this method.

[razaar]

Razaar let me know when you are up at the club and ill try and show you, I can show people how it works but cant put it in my swing, I was working on the range the other day with Alan the trainee pro, and he was going over it aswell as he has seen it and it just doesnt seem to suit me.

It is pretty much what I do, Bro. If you look up Ricky Fowler's swing on youtube you will see it in action. All it is is a one piece takeaway without fanning the clubface,with open hips and square shoulders, resisting with the lower body. The left forearm rotates at the mid point in the backswing to keep the club on plane, otherwise the right elbow would fly out to the right and behind the body. It is very similar to the arm takeaway that was taught when hickory shafts were the norm, the only difference is that the resistance with the lower left side. The Hickory era had the resistance in the right arm. Martin has admitted incorporating some aspects of the old teachers in his swing concepts. The open hips and square shoulders at address is another swing element that Abe MIchell taught in the early 1900's.

[razaar]

I find this video on the take away pretty crucial to getting to the right position.

Thanks Dave, I understand what he is about. Only because I seem to have read the same books on swing technique that Martin got some of his swing keys from (Abe Mitchell).

[Jarro]

It all sounds too complicated

[razaar]

Setting up slighty open and then resisting the turn with your left side is a big part of it too. Then you take the club inside ala Elk and then roll it to the top trying to get your right arm in that position on the video. Downswing is about lag created by your right shoulder turning thru high and ahead of your hands until impact when the smash happens. Thats my take, I think I understand it but as a once a week golfer who might hit 1 bucket a week as well I can't do it, I will continue to try to do it primarily because I have met Martin and had the clinic with him and have seen how he hits the ball using this method.

Gaz, I would be surprised if Martin taught your interpretation of the right shoulder's role in the forward swing. It has no role other than to cover the ball position as it is pulled through when the right arm straightens. Think of driving a nail into a wall (against your left side) with a hammer in your right hand....same action.

[Hogan's Bogan]

Downswing is about lag created by your right shoulder turning thru high and ahead of your hands until impact when the smash happens. Thats my take, I think I understand it but as a once a week golfer who might hit 1 bucket a week as well I can't do it, I will continue to try to do it primarily because I have met Martin and had the clinic with him and have seen how he hits the ball using this method.

That downswing lag occurs naturally when the downswing is initiated by the hips. That's where the power (and lag) in a swing comes from - the hips starting the turn back towards the target, creating torque against a loaded upper body. Every guy I've ever played with who tried to belt the dimples off a ball does it from the top, using the arms or shoulders. They usually flub the ball. The Pros make it look effortless because the power is located in the torgue between hips and upper body. Plus they beat balls all week long and rarely miss the middle of the clubface.

Like you, I think I understand the things that go into a good swing, but realistically, as weekend or even more irregular golfers, it's hard to put them into practice, and repeating them when you do them well, even harder.

This is why I ignore most of this positions and analysis stuff and work on maintaining good fundamentals, because while swings change from person to person, basics don't. Fundamentals can get away from you all too easily when you start focussing on something else - often the stuff that happens naturally as a result of good fundamentals.

While I can't play a lot of golf, I can get to a range regularly and my attitude now is to just enjoy beating balls and work on the process and technique as best my time allows. If it ain't fun it's not worth playing.

[markTHEblake]

I can't do it.

I had a long session trying to do it today, after a self taught lesson in front of the windows while watching the movie.
If i did not have Doug with me on the practice fairway I would have been doing it completely wrong, and i missed some important stuff

I havent quite got my head (and body) wrapped around it yet, but I think its pretty hard for anyone to go it alone. Several times i thought i had pulled it off, only to be told that i had fallen back to my old way.

[BroKar]

I had a long session trying to do it today, after a self taught lesson in front of the windows while watching the movie.
If i did not have Doug with me on the practice fairway I would have been doing it completely wrong, and i missed some important stuff

I havent quite got my head (and body) wrapped around it yet, but I think its pretty hard for anyone to go it alone. Several times i thought i had pulled it off, only to be told that i had fallen back to my old way.

I think this is my issue, Mark, I need to find someone to practice with that understands the teachings, I have got my pro Tom to watch the DVD so he can understand what I am trying to achieve, will have a chat to him once he has had a look, the left foot open and resisting the turn I have been doing for sometime just by watching Elk and other Martin clips, but I do need more range time

[ddasey]

I think this is my issue, Mark, I need to find someone to practice with that understands the teachings, I have got my pro Tom to watch the DVD so he can understand what I am trying to achieve, will have a chat to him once he has had a look, the left foot open and resisting the turn I have been doing for sometime just by watching Elk and other Martin clips, but I do need more range time

Just give me a bell if you want company at the range and I'll see what if I can make it.

[Iain]

...The left forearm rotates at the mid point in the backswing....

Nope, if it happens, it's not because you do it on purpose (in martins swing). Martin certainly doesn't advocate consciously rotating the forearms. That almost goes entirely against what he does say.

[Iain]

Just give me a bell if you want company at the range and I'll see what if I can make it.

I'll try and help out as well. I've been trying to get to the range more regularly. Same to you as well Gaz.

[ddasey]

I'll try and help out as well. I've been trying to get to the range more regularly. Same to you as well Gaz.

[razaar]

Nope, if it happens, it's not because you do it on purpose (in martins swing). Martin certainly doesn't advocate consciously rotating the forearms. That almost goes entirely against what he does say.

The whole point of Martin's method is to stop the club head getting behind the hands in the takeaway. The important thing to get out of this method is for the shaft and left forearm to stay in the one plane. If the left forearm didn't rotate it would be impossible to keep the club in plane in the backswing. That is the reason why most people are having difficulty with the concept. The reason for taking a backswing is to set the plane for the downswing and through swing and to eliminate slack so that the large muscles of the legs and core can generate the initial power which is transferred through the smaller muscles and the club shaft. Setting up with the hips open with square shoulders is aimed at eliminating slack from the swing for the average player. Advanced players eliminate slack by a tight coil and uncoiling the lower body in the final stages of the backswing which tightens the coil further for more body torque producing a faster uncoiling of the upper body and arms with more club lag resulting in increased clubhead speed.

[timah!]

Sounds like we'll have enough interest for a clinic upon Martin's return!

[timah!]

I'll try and help out as well. I've been trying to get to the range more regularly. Same to you as well Gaz.

Do you go to the range at Helensvale often Iain? I'll be keen to get another lesson with Martin at some point when he is back, but maybe we could help each other out?

[BroKar]

Razaar I can see you providing a lesson at Wantima Practice Facility in the near future!

Ddasey more than happy for some range time practice, we may both get it quicker if we can see what we are doing

[markTHEblake]

back next week i think

[timah!]

Will find out.

I think:

Watch the "wall" video;
Then watch the "LA clinic Part 1" video;
Then add plough on the ball...

[Iain]

Do you go to the range at Helensvale often Iain? I'll be keen to get another lesson with Martin at some point when he is back, but maybe we could help each other out?

Not Helensvale, I only go there when I've got a lesson. But I only live at Slacks Ck, so we can meet up for range session sometime.

[timah!]

Not Helensvale, I only go there when I've got a lesson. But I only live at Slacks Ck, so we can meet up for range session sometime.

Sounds good, Loganholme close enough? Or is there one close to you? I'm at Mt Warren Park.

[Iain]

Loganholme is fine. Haven't been there for a while. Logan city is shithouse

[markTHEblake]

Has someone bought Loganholme range yet?

[martinez]

I'm back in Aus tonight.....good to see all the discussion.
Razzar I know that we have read some of the same books etc, but Iain is right about the left forearm. The reason I don't advocate ever rotating that is that it HAS to rotate if the mass of the club goes behind you.

@Jarro
Give me an hour and you wont find the whole thing that complicated. Just through teaching this to a lot of people I have been able to pare it down to a few essentials and a very simple overall concept that you can continue to work toward. I do agree that my videos, if you watch them all....could make it appear complicated, but that was me trying to satisy questions from people....the act of going through that has made it a more simple process now.

[Jarro]

Sounds fair to me Martin.

I'll try and find an hour i can give you and you can show me in person what all this is about

[BroKar]

Well aslong as the better half doesnt have something organised I am keen on a clinic or 1 on 1 lesson, I went to the range today and I think I am starting to get some of it.