Virge's Swing.

[virge666]

There's an opening for you Virge. Sunny Perth, plenty of fresh meat to teach the GE ways to... a new career beckons!

But I would have to live in Perth. (Bit to hard to commute) And while it is a nice place to visit, nay, a friggin great place to visit. i could think of little worse than living there. (Not WA's fault of course... must be the Eastern States. )

[henno]

I could live there in a heart-beat. Lovely city.

I'd move there before Melbourne, Adelaide and Shitney without question.

[virge666]

I could live there in a heart-beat. Lovely city.

Top idea, we could get together and do . . . ummm . . .

[razaar]

Let me play devils advocate....

"But i have to keep my head still and shift my weight to my right side." says the student.

Depends on his size, width & height etc, how he stands at address - very upright with little hip angle, bent over with a high butt, or in between. If it is very upright with little hip angle it shouldn't be a problem because he doesn't need a counter balance to maintain balance and centre of gravity to retain his posture and address angles back through the address position. If he is bent over he will need a counter balance which is his butt.

The important part is retaining the spine and hip angles set up at address until past the ball position; otherwise why have an address position.

[virge666]

The important part is retaining the spine and hip angles set up at address until past the ball position; otherwise why have an address position.

You and I both know this... now try answering the question.

My student here is not going to do anything because he has been told that he has to keep his head still and shift his weight to the right.

You have to figure out a way to explain to said student who probably plays in the mid teens how to shift his weight without moving his head. This guy hits his irons OK - but just wants some more consistancy with his driver.

So the question is . . . What is "Weight" and how do you shift it ?

This is not about what is right or wrong, what is physically correct and using diagrams and lines on a picture. It is about communication.

You have a guy in front of you like most guys on this site, have a half decent swing but will never get any better because what they think is right is totally wrong, and what is right doesn't "feel" powerful and they can't take it to the course on Saturday.

You can try and talk to these guys/girls but as soon as you mention angles, balance, plane or anything that they haven't heard of - the walls go up and they go back to bashing driver on the range.

I maintain that you cannot teach weight shift because it is the result of a good turn. Not the other way around.

[razaar]

Weight is anything that is governed by the laws of gravity which means anything that is not vertical in a golf swing. Show him a video of Colin Montgomerie's swing and say "imitate that".

[virge666]

Show him a video of Colin Montgomerie's swing and say "imitate that".

Don't think he/she will pay money for this.

Everything you say is true... but it makes little sense to a mid-handicapper.

It is much easier to get someone to do a couple of baseball swings and ask them to explain to me what they feel their weight is doing, rather than tell them what their weight should be doing.

You have just proven that you cannot teach the weight shift simply. You can describe it - but you cannot teach it.

[razaar]

Thank God for that. At least I know enough to fix my own swing when it strays, which is all I care about. Oh by the way, two of my sons were national baseball representatives, Rick (shortstop) & Shane (catcher) both played for the Brisbane Bandits, Rick also played at Tampa with the Devil Rays and then in Chicago. If you want to discus the baseball swing I'm up for it.

[virge666]

Nice tantrum, but there is no need to puff out the chest and tell me how good your family is. I really just don't care. (liked the little "dig" too, nice touch)

The question is straight forward and I have asked many many teachers and high level players exactly the same question.

I offer the question again.

What is weight shift and how do I teach it to a mid marker ?

[razaar]

Why not use the drill I pm'd to you last Sat. as under -

I see. This is a rotational weight transfer drill that Greg Norman used in the 90's which may interest you - according to his fitness instructor Pete Draovitch.

1. Assume a golf stance in front of a mirror with a club.
2. Shift approx 80 percent of your weight to the rear foot keeping 20 percent on the ball of the left foot.
3. Now rotate segments approx 45 degrees in a clockwise direction (loaded position). Start with the hips - trunk segment, then the trunk - shoulders, and finally the shoulders - arms.
4. Feel and hold the position.
5. Transfer weight slowly from the rear foot to the front foot (left heel) and rotate in a counterclockwise direction. End with about 90 percent of the weight on the left heel directly under the left hip.

Tips

1. Always keep the shoulders directly above the hips.
2. Make sure you are hinging at the hips.
3. Make sure rotation and weight transfer occur simultaneously.

Nothing new here but it may help you feel the positions you are searching for.

[razaar]

The question is straight forward and I have asked many many teachers and high level players exactly the same question.

I offer the question again.

What is weight shift and how do I teach it to a mid marker ?

I had to look this weight issue up for some sort of clarity; its something that I have taken for granted and never thought to define. Anyway this may be of use for your purposes.

“The weight shift is a combination of two forces – normal forces and shear forces. Your feet generate forces when they push against the ground. These forces act to propel your body and create motion. Normal forces are illustrated in the linear component of the swing, and shear forces are illustrated in the rotational components of the swing.

Normal forces are applied by the feet downward or perpendicular to the ground. Weight is transferred to the back foot during the backswing and to the front foot during the downswing. When weight is shifted to one foot, the amount of force supplied by the foot increases while the normal force applied by the other foot decreases. This action defines the linear component of the movement. The linear movement of the body during the downswing is is very important because it is from this movement that the body develops momentum that enhances the rotational speed and power of the hips.

Shear force is applied by the feet along the surface of, or parallel to, the ground. Through the swing, shear forces are applied by both feet. These shear forces create torque that turns the hips around the axis of the trunk. This defines the rotational component of the lower body movement. The rotational component can be related most directly to the ultimate club head speed attained in the swing.

When faults occur in lower body mechanics, the effect on the golf swing is analogous to cracks in the foundations of a house. When a stable base is lost, swing efficiency erodes. The most common fault in lower body mechanics is sliding. When a golfer slides, the interaction between the linear and rotational components breaks down, weight transfer is diminished, and rotation is lost.”

[adlo]

Virge, any tips on this right sided swing business other than what I can find around the traps?

I have had a look around, haven't signed up for the website yet.

Anything specific to keep in mind?

I have seen a good Pamps video that shows the address position and swing. A bit unsure about the downswing. Should it be a piston action or just swing and hit the ball?

When I saw Lamby at The Vines he had a interesting follow through. Very abbreviated.
I seem to get a similar result if I mess around with a piston action. If I just think more about swinging through my follow through is very similar to a normal swing. Any thoughts or tips to fuel my desire to mess around with the GE swing?

[virge666]

I had to look this weight issue up for some sort of clarity;

. . . stuff . . . lots and lots of "stuff"

and rotational components breaks down, weight transfer is diminished, and rotation is lost.”

Razaar, I appreciate your efforts, I really do. But you seem to be missing the point. I don't need it defined, i don't need it explained technically, physically, mentally or bio-physically.

I want it in a manner that I can take to a 15 marker and explain it to him/her.

I want to take it to a person who has no understanding of trunk rotation, upper body torque, sliding or anything technical at all.

This is for a person who plays golf with social group on Friday, watches Tiger and Adam Scott on TV and reckons he knows a bit about golf because he turns his shoulders to 90 degrees and has a straight left arm.

I don't want regurgitated facts out of a book nor a breakdown of percentages of what each foot does. Just a simple method . . . to teach a mid marker or a clinic or a corporate day about weight shift.

I did like what you said about weight being two forces, and your drill is good for someone who is technically minded - but I cannot give that drill to a bunch of cadets, nor a group of women in a clinic.

[virge666]

Virge, any tips on this right sided swing business other than what I can find around the traps?

Adlo - it's $40, blow the dust out of your wallet and get access to the video vault.

The live lessons are worth it alone.

[henno]

Adlo - it's $40, blow the dust out of your wallet and get access to the video vault.

The live lessons are worth it alone.

You mean... pay... for something... on the INTERNET???

[adlo]

Adlo - it's $40, blow the dust out of your wallet and get access to the video vault.

The live lessons are worth it alone.

Fair enough.

[virge666]

Latest Swings are up on the server

Rather happy with it. Still got too much slide on the down swing and the right hip isn't high enough through impact - but hey, it is a game of mishits.

Front and back together.

http://happybandits.com/virge/Virge/Swings110309.wmv

Be brutal.

[mike]

Worst swing I've ever seen

[adlo]

Worst swing I've ever seen

He said be brutal. Not lovey dovey.

[mike]

Not brutal enough ?

[adlo]

Nope

Virge, that swing looks as ugly as a hat full of arseholes.

Along those lines Mike....

[PeteyD]

Coloured balls are kinda ghey.

[razaar]

Razaar, I appreciate your efforts, I really do. But you seem to be missing the point. I don't need it defined, i don't need it explained technically, physically, mentally or bio-physically.

I want it in a manner that I can take to a 15 marker and explain it to him/her.

I want to take it to a person who has no understanding of trunk rotation, upper body torque, sliding or anything technical at all.

This is for a person who plays golf with social group on Friday, watches Tiger and Adam Scott on TV and reckons he knows a bit about golf because he turns his shoulders to 90 degrees and has a straight left arm.

I don't want regurgitated facts out of a book nor a breakdown of percentages of what each foot does. Just a simple method . . . to teach a mid marker or a clinic or a corporate day about weight shift.

I did like what you said about weight being two forces, and your drill is good for someone who is technically minded - but I cannot give that drill to a bunch of cadets, nor a group of women in a clinic.

No worries mate. Acouple of weeks ago I was hitting balls on the practice range and our new pro was giving a lesson to a very good golfer from another club. This guy could really get it out there but he didn't have any control. He had a big hip turn on the back swing and a hip turn that didn't look right in the throughswing. To me it looked like his right moved back to the left at the start of the downswing. Anyway the pro produces a stance board which has the rear foot position fixed and the front foot position on rails that slides back to the rear foot section. Because it is off the ground it has a separate board covered in artificial grass at the same height for a ball.

The pupil gets on the board and starts swinging. I was a very interested spectator because I could see the benefits of this device in teaching the rotational weight transference technique. The pupil quickly adapted to using his abductors to keep the feet sections from sliding but lost the rotation. The pro seemed happy with this and never once explained to him the real purpose of the stance board. That might be in the next lesson. I believe this device sells for $360. Next time I see him I will get the details if you are interested.

[sms316]

How much paralysis by analysis can be posted in one thread? My brain hurts.

[Sydney Hacker]

Virge, how do you hit of those spongy mats at Pirates (or whatever the range is called).

I went their once and it felt like I was bouncing when wearing sneakers.