The QATSPY Golf Sports Page: Simple Golf Swing Tips
By: Charles W. Boatright
Establishing the Golf Swing Mechanics and Maintain the Golfer’s Swing Plane
I usually don’t present principles in physics versus an opinion of others, particularly about the golf swing plane. It takes the majority of my time just to promote the golf swing mechanics, ideas, principles, and fundamentals behind my book, The ESPY Golf Swing Coach. But there have been statements made that SWING PLANE DOES NOT MATTER for a consistent golf swing; IMPACT IS ALL THAT MATTERS. I take exception with this statement.
One person I quote more than anyone is former UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden in my blogs, because of his sound philosophy in life and athletics. Coach John Wooden’s second fundamental of his Seven Fundamentals states that “Effort is more important than Results.”
In the golf swing, IMPACT is the results, while SWING PLANE and LOW APPROACH are the effort. The swing plane is a very important part of the golf swing fundamentals and golf swing mechanics to produce power, speed, and control in your golf swing.
A great example of this is a carpenter who is framing a house with a 24-oz. framing hammer. A master carpenter understands the importance of alignment by driving a 16d. coated nail, without bending the nail. The carpenter’s swing arc is on the same plane as the nail axis. I don’t see too many carpenters rerouting their swing arch, off plane of the nail, then right before impact, re-align the head of the hammer. This realignment with the hammer, or in this case clubface, will lead to inefficient golf shots, resulting in loss of power, speed, and control.
I enjoy reading the research about general topics and about the game of golf, and one article written by Kiel Alderink about determining the proper swing plane I found interesting and a great golf tip to pass along to others. The proper swing plane is based on the comparison between the forearm (knuckles to the elbow) and the arm (the upper arm, between the elbow and the shoulder) as follows:
RED AREA (A):
If the forearm is longer than the upper arm, the target point is the shoulder.
(This is my case)
BLUE AREA (B):
If the forearm and upper arm are equal, the target point is just below the shoulder.
Developing a Proactive Golf Swing by Locking and Loading to the top of the Swing
To assist the golfer in locking the handle of the golf club onto the proper swing plane, the golfer needs to preset their lower forearms and wrists into the starting point. The starting point is the LOCK Position. This is a more of a baseball-style golf swing than a conventional golf swing. Most batters start their baseball swing from this LOCK Position which is more of a proactive swing than what the conventional golf swing that starts from a static position.
The sync/preset element in the ESPY Golf Swing allows the golfer to preset their wrists and forearms (called the wristbands) in my book. The reason the wristbands are significant is the location of the key muscle called the Pronator Quadratus muscle. This muscle is located under the inside part of the wristbands like what are on a pair of boxing gloves. This muscle in indicated in the figure below.
SYNC and PRESET Golf Swing Technique to Place the Handle of the Club onto the Swing Plane
The wrists are set (SYNC/Preset) using the Pronator Quadratus Muscle at the top and bottom of the wristbands. The figure of the boxing gloves hanging down are arranged as if the right-handed golfer was gripping the handle of a golf club. The orientation line, the green dashed line, indicate the reason for how the Sync element for the right wristband and the Preset for the left wristband is significant golf swing technique used to preset the wrists. DO NOT over look this small but critical technique in the ESPY Golf Swing.
After the golfer has preset their wrists, or wristbands in this case, the handle of the golf club is in the LOCK Position and established on the bottom part of the swing plane. The left thumb, for the right-hander, will indicate the initial swing plane to take the handle of the club up to the top of the golfer’s swing. The second point for final alignment is the shoulder Area (A) or just below the shoulder Area (B) for the proper swing plane. This flatter swing plane will allow the golfer to naturally incorporate the incredible power generated by the upper and lower body.
Importance of Applying the Kiel Alderink Technique
One tendencies for golfers that has played baseball is to get too steep in the swing plane, as shown in the above photograph. This tendency is an element picked up from playing baseball or softball. If the golfer could use the Kiel Alderink technique the golfer would recognize why the swing plane matters. I thinking not properly applying Kiel Alderink Technique to one’s golf swing where the golfer would compare the length of the forearm with that of the arm (upper arm) is why some golf coaches incorrectly believe that the golfer’s swing plane doesn’t matter. I don’t think they understand how biomechanics impact the golf swing.
The Kinesiology Project where I discovers the importance of PRESETTING the wrists, determining the correct swing plane and the KEY Muscle to initiate the golfer’s swing.
From my Kinesiology research Project looking at the classic golf swing mechanics, I discovered that the golf swing has three parts, the Sync/Preset, the Take-Up (swing plane), and the Drop. The Sync/Preset element is important to the golfer because it takes the golfer from a static address position where the golfer will experience freezing-up into a more proactive position like the baseball batter is in the batter box above.
The golfer can still take the baseball-style golf swing from the batter’s box to the tee box just by tweaking some of the mechanics between the two swings.
The Sync/Preset element accomplishes an important function, it allows the golfer to FOCUS and initiate their MUSCLE MEMORY instead of THINKING. If the golfer wants to ruin a good golf swing, just let the golfer start thinking. Remember the Be the Ball Quote from the movie Caddyshack listed below. The golfer’s mind used in the golf swing consist of two parts, the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. The conscious mind can either FOCUS or THINK. The golfer wants to FOCUS on the objective, either the ball or the target area, your choice. This allows the golfer’s subconscious mind to automatically engage their muscle memory. The KEY Muscle to set up the golfer’s muscle memory is the Pronator Quadratus Muscle. This and setting the correct swing plane will result in more consistent golf swing with greater distance and control.
Caddyshack– Be the Ball quote: (Ty Webb- played by Chevy Chase mentioned to Danny Noonan- played by Michael O’Keefe) I’m going to give you a little advice. There’s a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.
Learn how to determine the correct golf swing plane and engage your muscle memory, purchase your copy of The ESPY Golf Swing Coach from the links below, or visit your local bookstore:
My book can also be purchased at Edwin Watts Golf Store in Jackson, Mississippi. Phone No. 601-956-8784
820 East County Line Road, Ridgeland, MS 39157
My book can also be purchased on-line at:
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Health and Fitness Program Golf Exercise for Power
This book is based on a self-coaching forum (ASPEN Pyramid) that provides the beginner and advance single-digit handicap golfer with safe ergonomic classic golf swing for more power and control without debilitating injuries that are common with some modern-day golf swings. As part of the ESPY Golf Swing Coach is a workout program designed especially for golfers and a effective diet program detailed below:
Please include an exercise routine in your weekly schedule.
ESPY Golf Swing Coach- (ESPY App) Developing the golfer’s Rhythm w/o creating the golfer’s Blues.
Also, learning The ESPY Golf Swing Coach process is an excellent way to develop Rhythm without experiencing the Blues in your golf game for confidence; learn how to take your baseball-style swing from the batter’s box to the tee box.
Golfer’s Locker Room for learning and applying Simple Golf Swing Tips.
Please visit “The Locker Room” for an Index of all my golf articles to improve your golf game and life. Discover how you can take your baseball swing from the batter’s box to the tee box.
Learn How to take your baseball-style golf swing from the batter’s box to the tee box.
For Comments or questions please contact me at 1-888-514-1228 Mon – Fri from 9 am to 4 pm CT Zone.
A Recommendation for your Golf Game:
I would like to recommend an interesting radio program that I regularly listen to from my home state Arkansas on my I-Heart Radio app on KARN 102.9 FM station, out of Little Rock, AR. They air a golf show called Arkansas Fairways and Greens, at 7:00 AM CT each Saturday morning, hosted by Bob Steel, and co-hosted by Jay Fox and Charles Crowson. Bob occasionally as has his guess Alex Myers with Golf Digest and Ron Sirak with Golf Channel. I was interviewed on his show about my book, The ESPY Golf Swing Coach. This show is worth tuning into for golf news and information.
Jay Fox is an Administrator with Arkansas State Golf Association that discuss amateur golf and rules of the game.
Check out my full library of BLOGS @ www.espygolfapp.com/blog or purchase your copy of “The ESPY Golf Swing Coach” @ www.espygolfapp.com/store.
Facebook – The QATSPY Golf Approach
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YouTube – ESPY Golf Swing Coach
Once you learn WHY, you don’t forget HOW!
YouTube Videos:
https://youtu.be/ZGVNrIw_wlo (Cam & Cam-over elements)
https://youtu.be/K2FDHZ3AX9w (Figuring your proper swing plane)
https://youtu.be/TO82PMO6G8M (Developing muscle memory)
Two decisions that you can make for yourself and your kids are to get a copy of my book and place the book and a golf club into their hands. You will never look back, but only forward. You will not miss with this for yourself and/or your kids.