Re: Pro's Easy Iron Swing

Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 08:33:28 -0400
Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf
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I have finished reading Nick Price's book and have had some successes so far
at the range. He talks about his quest to build an "Efficient Swing".
He, like many other pros, has figured out several things we do in our swing
that do nothing to help add power to ball striking.
In one part of the book, he analyses swing sequences of his early days. He
says things like, "Look there, my left foot is practically lifted up of the
ground, look at my hips, they've rotated all around, etc. etc. etc.
Video swing analysis has been an awesome tool and we're just now seeing
players that have grown up with it from the beginning.
It used to be, you had to look at swing sequence photo's instead of high
quality video.
Now, the efficient swing calls for being extremely "quiet" from the waist
down. So, when the swing is executed, it looks incredibly relaxed, and
sometimes nonchalant.
When you talk of how fast they swing. Well, this varies. How about Kenny
Perry's backswing? Very slow.
Also, Price discusses the downswing. It's really hard to get it like this.
I'll try and explain here in my words, but this is from his book.
The Downswing:
The down swing starts with the hips, with a caveat. Basically, the hips
"set" the downswing but turning just a little, then, we squat on our right
legs. So, that's what I mean by "set". You start, then stop the hips. Next, it's shoulders. For just a little more.
then once your shoulders have basically turned enough to get out of the way
of your arms....
All hell breaks loose. Your entire right side can unleash as hard as it
possibly can.
Here are some excerpts:
"The rotation of your upper body to 90 degrees will also have pulled your
left hip to where it is rotated appox. 40 to 45 degrees (again, depending on
your suppleness). I mention this again because while the efficient swing is
one in which the upper body turns against the resistance of the lower body,
still there is movement in the lower body....
Now it is time to unwind the elasticity you have created. You initiate the
downswing by making a slight lateral move toward your target. Be careful
not to do thie violently, because it will lead to many complications, as I
will explain. this is a smooth continuous motion that takes you from
backswing to downswing and causes the chain reaction. Your torso will now
respond, thereby pulling your shoulders at the start of the downswing. This
is natural, and you need not think about the shoulder motion at this stage.
...
As I mentioned, the left hip initiates the downswing with a slight lateral
move. But the hip slows down after this first move and allows the hands and
arms to drop into a position where the right elbow is in front of the right
hip. You must feel a slight squatting or sitting onto the right knee in
this first part, as it is this sitting or squatting that slows the hip
rotation momentarily and allows the hands to catch up. Sam Snead did this
so beautifully in his downswing.
You want to get your left hip back to a square or seisquare position to
allow you hands to catch up. The left hip then rotates, and the hands
release. If I turn my left hip all the way right from the top of my swing,
my hands cannot catch up.
In the late 1960's and early 1970's it was fashionable to use the hips and
legs more than what I believe is required in the swing, and a player had to
flip the club over with his wrists in order to make square contact with the
ball.
This is not really called "speed". This is "Tempo". Tempo typically has
more to do with what is right for the golfer. Some guys miss their wrist
cock with slow swings. And some the opposite. Also, some say, slower tempo
is the way to hit the ball harder, while, faster tempo is better for
control.... Hmmm...
"hkguy" <email-address-deleted> wrote in message
news:email-address-deleted...
> I have 2 mpgs of Ernie Els's tee off swing. I played the mpgs on my
> computer while I swinged a club at the same time, trying to immitate his
> temple and speed. I can tell you, his swing is NOT slow at all. Its just
> that it is so well synchronized that the swing actually looks slow because
> no part of his body is rushed.
>
> "Richard Strickland" <email-address-deleted> wrote in message
> news:RT8Ja.7204$email-address-deleted...
> > I am constantly amazed how easy the pro's swing their irons when they
are
> on
> > the fairway within 160 yards of the green. Is this some sort of
television
> > camera fake out or is that the way it really is? I realize that they all
> > have a great hip turn but jeeze, they make it look so easy, and the ball
> > spins! Here is Els 90 yards out, with a sand wedge and he just takes
this
> > nice easy 3/4 swing and snick, nice divot, ball right there. Why can't
I
> do
> > that? Rich
> >
> >
>
>