Keeping shoulders "connected"

[RoyalMustang]

I was watching the Masters warm-up (I don't usually watch pro golf-Augusta is obviously the exception) and my wife pointed out that Morikawa was warming up with a towel under his left/lead arm. It got me thinking about keeping that shoulder connected.

 

I realized that I was playing really "loose" with my shoulders and focused not really on connecting them. I thought about keeping tension in those shoulders (imagine a triangle with my shoulders and hands). That way, I was coming through the swing with my left shoulder and not focusing so much on my hands or hips.  My coach was telling me to "throw" the club back with my arms, but I think in doing so, it was causing me to drift away from the target instead of staying solid, connected, and turning well around that back hip. Is this a good swing thought? I haven't gotten much time with it outside of 9 holes (which was probably the best 9 of my life off the tee) as I hurt myself goofing around with my son on a trampoline right afterward. 

[me05501]

The Porzak Golf channel on YouTube has a lot of great info on this topic. They sometimes recommend a longer towel under both armpits and other times a small headcover under one arm or the other. 

 

Porzak's primary swing "feel" is keeping the hands/club in front of the sternum. In other words, the best way to stay connected is to never get disconnected. Obviously in a full swing you're going to overrun this idea a little, but the more you focus on keeping your hands in front of your chest the better. 

Edited May 3, 2023 by me05501

[RoyalMustang]

1 hour ago, me05501 said:

The Porzak Golf channel on YouTube has a lot of great info on this topic. They sometimes recommend a longer towel under both armpits and other times a small headcover under one arm or the other. 

 

Porzak's primary swing "feel" is keeping the hands/club in front of the sternum. In other words, the best way to stay connected is to never get disconnected. Obviously in a full swing you're going to overrun this idea a little, but the more you focus on keeping your hands in front of your chest the better. 

 

Thanks-I'll check it out. It's obviously tough to keep towels under my shoulders on a full swing due to lift and drop of the club, but on a half swing, it feels great and like I am moving as one unit. I just hit some 100 yard wedges at the park and every one felt square and solid. 

[golfarb1]

On Instagram Gary Player has emphasized the left shoulder connection going back as being the key to consistency .

Jimmy Ballard use to sell the “Swing  Connector “ training aid to achieve the same feeling 

Geoff Jones suggested using an old credit card and placing it deep inside ones left armpit . This has the advantage of keeping the upper left arm connected to the torso without the restriction caused by too much connection of the entire upper left arm 

[Jeselnik]

I have no idea what Morikawa was working on.  I feel very connected with both arms during the downswing and past impact. The BS not so much.

 

JNIK

[jonsnow]

23 hours ago, RoyalMustang said:

I was watching the Masters warm-up (I don't usually watch pro golf-Augusta is obviously the exception) and my wife pointed out that Morikawa was warming up with a towel under his left/lead arm. It got me thinking about keeping that shoulder connected.

 

I realized that I was playing really "loose" with my shoulders and focused not really on connecting them. I thought about keeping tension in those shoulders (imagine a triangle with my shoulders and hands). That way, I was coming through the swing with my left shoulder and not focusing so much on my hands or hips.  My coach was telling me to "throw" the club back with my arms, but I think in doing so, it was causing me to drift away from the target instead of staying solid, connected, and turning well around that back hip. Is this a good swing thought? I haven't gotten much time with it outside of 9 holes (which was probably the best 9 of my life off the tee) as I hurt myself goofing around with my son on a trampoline right afterward. 

I think Max Homa hits a lot of punch shots with towel under his upper arms. I've read that Mark Blackburn told Max he needed to get rid of the idea of getting his hands as high as he used to due to some shoulder flexibility issues. The towel under the upper arms would seem to reinforce that as if the arms lift the towel will fall

[RoyalMustang]

On 5/3/2023 at 11:34 AM, me05501 said:

The Porzak Golf channel on YouTube has a lot of great info on this topic. They sometimes recommend a longer towel under both armpits and other times a small headcover under one arm or the other. 

 

Porzak's primary swing "feel" is keeping the hands/club in front of the sternum. In other words, the best way to stay connected is to never get disconnected. Obviously in a full swing you're going to overrun this idea a little, but the more you focus on keeping your hands in front of your chest the better. 

 

Thanks! I found this video: it really describes what I am feeling when things aren't going well on the backswing. When my shoulders are connected, I am turning away from the ball a bit more while staying more centered; if I lift my arms too much, it feels disconnected, like I am drifting backwards, and then I have to recover. Staying connected through the top makes it super easy to balanced and feel a lot more relaxed. Great video!  

 

 

[Nels55]

The towel or whatever under the lead arm can be a good training aid, Jimmy Ballard was a big proponent of that drill.  However, if you are a two plane swinger it will be a very bad idea.  Here is an explanation of two vs. one plane swinging:

 

[RoyalTroon]

KISS

 

 

 

[BigEx44]

Piggybacking on what Nels55 said.  For many golfers staying "connected" would kill their golf swing.  Here's a Larry Rinker video explaining why he believes a good golf swing (for most, not all) IS DISCONNECTED!

 

 

[Ghostwedge]

Just added trampolines to my "avoid" list of things for golf longevity.

Already included certain wives, chainsaws and ladders.  ✅