KMeloney

Why do you need shaft lean? (Where's the logical correlation there?)

In light of a recent thread that turned into a swinging-vs-hitting thread, I walked a few holes yesterday with the intention of applying [what I know to be] a pure hitting-style swing. I slowed down my back swing, and started my down swing slow at first, and everything was about hitting down through the ball hard from there. I hit some great shots, and reminded myself that this is how I'm most effective. The idea of letting the ball "get in the way" of the swing never worked consistently for me.

What about those videos are at odds with the discussion here? I don't see the influences involved with creating a "flat spot" in the swing as coming from manipulation of the hands or putting a side-force on the grip. Using the playground swing analogy, it seems to me that the efficient way to create a flat spot at the bottom of a playground swing arc would be by moving the crossbar that the swing hangs from, and not by manipulating the chains in any way. The flat spot in the golf swing would be achieved by moving the upper body (shoulders?) differently while otherwise maintaining the "taut" tr

I understood prior to those videos -- but I'm glad he used the playground swing analogy and visuals to better explain it to those who don't really understand it. Thanks for adding those vids!

Dropping your right foot back in a right-handed stroke sounds like it would close your shoulders, not open them. Me, I've opened my stance up 45°, which has really freed me up, putting me in a good position to make sure the face is square and stroke the ball on my intended line. To be clear, despite the fact that my feet and hips are open to the target, I play the ball back toward my right foot with most of my weight on my right side, and I'm still able to get over the ball and keep my shoulders just as square. There's no right or wrong -- just good strokes and bad str

Nail_It -- This has been a very enlightening discussion for me. In my round this past weekend, the shots where I concentrated on (and was able to achieve) "gathering up the slack" of the club to start the downswing by way of "pulling" on the grip were easily the best. When I didn't achieve that feel, it was obvious to me, and the strike suffered. Incidentally, I think the Dan Martin videos are useful in introducing a different concept to everyone who otherwise pressures the side of the shaft. However, in none of the videos does he actually discuss how to do what he's promoting. May

To be clear, the main idea that I took from the Hughes vid (that made it relevant to this conversation, I thought) was the idea that with the hands going "out" more, he's maintaining the pull on the grip end, right? The shaft is shallowed, and his hands are maintaining a wide arc, and there's a clear roll-release promoted... Or so it appears to me. Otherwise, with the hands in close to the body, I think the club would be too steep, and the release would have to be manufactured, right?

Thank you.

Nail_It -- Are you familiar with this video from Bradley Hughes? In my mind, this goes hand-in-hand with what you've written above about "swinging" [properly] -- but I'm interested to know if you agree with that. Seems to me that the hand path causes the release (in the video above), and there's no pressure on the side of the grip per se. Thoughts?

When folks speak (negatively) about "dragging the handle," are they talking about the action of moving the handle in a way that drives the very butt-end of the grip forward, or applying side-pressure to the handle (or... something else)?

Which one cost me the most? Or which is the most costly? ?

From the USGA website just now: "An object used to raise a ball above the ground to play it from the teeing area. It must be no longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) and conform with the Equipment Rules." Where are you getting "designed" or "manufactured" from?

WHAT issue?

Between your extreme reverse-K set-up with an iron, and the fact that you appear to get your upper body over and even outside of your left foot on the way back (not to mention your arms incredibly deep behind you, but with no real wrist set at the top), it looks like if you didn't make that move forward, you'd hit the ground 2 feet behind the ball.

Go graphite to mitigate elbow pain. There are lots of options, and undoubtedly at least one that will behave like the steel shafts you like.