Squish n turn

[Squish]

I am getting a lot of PM's and email.
The swings I view are of folks trying to time a rapid horizontal hip turn, while trying to drop the arms vertically in the slot.
They are trying to swing around a vertical spine that is sliding target ward. Timing is involved marrying those two actions.

If one can imagine the center of the top of the spine as the center of the swing, that all will disappear.
The swing then can be blended into one motion as the upper and lower have a common apex or pivot point and apply leverage
and punch to the stroke.

[eventdriven]

[quote name='Squish' timestamp='1344344727' post='5422246']
Yes,

Flopper demonstration of freewheeling is good.
Controlling the throw, via not controlling it, and Letting the forearms release, it will get one more distance.
But one must control the pivot to direct that blow.
That is done by the coordinated action of the ankles knees and hips.
That's where the contraction of the Ql brings out the left hip in the upswing, and the right hip in the downswing.
That keeps the stroke level and maintains the shoulder plane.
The posting of the tibias and fibulas, keeping them erect via torquing, supplying resistance going back and going through
will allow you to have something to swing against and turn around.

It is the COG that must be directed via the ankles and knees to allow the proper transference of weight.
It cannot be done in sequentially, it is a parallel unified action.
The inward torquing of the left leg, at the start, from the top, accompanies the compression of the right side.
This right side compression hip hike, raises, brings out the hip, and frees it to rotate around the left leg post.
The inward torquing pulls the tailbone target ward, along the closed heel line. The head stays back as the right hip rotates,
when this occurs. The unified action brings the torso leg and hip to impact position. One cannot get "stuck".

The freewheeling throw of the club head becomes an outward motion.
The arms are and must remain absolutely passive.
That is to say, once that framework of the shoulders elbows and wrists are wound to the top, the pivot takes over.
They are neither held nor driving. They are let go or thrown out via the weight transference.

Does this mean there is a lateral slide target ward? No, it is a lateral swing of the hips.
But it must have a limit of swing to post. That is controlled by the inward torque of the left knee.
It pulls the tailbone heel to heel (target ward), posts, then allows the right hip to swing and turn around it, in one blended motion.
The shoulders elbows and wrists are going for the ride.
[/quote]

Hey Squish, a couple follow on questions.

First off, I had a pretty good 36 last week. I put that in large part to your help and guidance. Thanks much! My short game and putting were nothing to be desired, and didn't score that well as a result, but my ball striking was pretty darn good considering.

1. You have mentioned feeling the hands swing under the head on the downswing, yet also refer to the freewheeling throw of the club head becoming an outward motion. I am missing something here as these would seem contradictory to me?


2. You also draw a distinction between a lateral slide to the target versus a swing of the hips. What is the real difference in the two motions? Is it that the actual hip motion is the same, but in the latter you are keeping the upper body back via the right QL crunch?

3. One last one just for my own benefit, can you explain what exactly the QL crunch is? I have read the reference to touching the 12 floating rib to the iliac crest of the pelvis, but as someone who relies on google to understand that, I don't really know what that motion actually is. Is it purely a side bend, or by crunch are you saying there is also an abdominal crunch motion that bends you over more at the waist?

[Squish]

Good stuff,

1. The arms are extending out, but you are bent over 30* to the ball, therefore that action is then directed down to the ball under out and up.
If you were to stand up and swing it would be an out motion. Bent to the ball with the head held back one is then freewheeling under the head.
The arms extend only because the head is held back. You are not extending the arms, they are extending.
They will snap at the same place every time depending on how still, and back, one keeps their head.

2. A lateral slide is when the top of the spine gets ahead of the tailbone in the downswing.
Hogan, as an example, does this to the top at the transition against his left knee. But it is all turn from there.
He never lets his Head get ahead of the COG in the up take or the down swing, that would be over the top.
The purpose of the hip swing is the transfer the weight of the upper body, (the low left shoulder) to the right side in the downswing.
This causes the left shoulder to abruptly rise, with the extension of the left leg, as the weight tears from the left side, sending it to the right.
The leverage brings the left arm to the ball at impact position with compression. That powers the swing, as the arms are thrown to extension.

3 That is a real good question and cannot be put into words as I have tried.
It is a single sided hump with a side bend as the heel detaches with the flexing of the knee,
as the left hip swings to the target against the inward torquing of the left knee.
Which causes the left knee to extend. That allows the right hip crash into the left hip then rotate around a solid left post.

[cjaguirre74]

[quote name='eventdriven' timestamp='1344347961' post='5422572']
[quote name='Squish' timestamp='1344344727' post='5422246']
Yes,

Flopper demonstration of freewheeling is good.
Controlling the throw, via not controlling it, and Letting the forearms release, it will get one more distance.
But one must control the pivot to direct that blow.
That is done by the coordinated action of the ankles knees and hips.
That's where the contraction of the Ql brings out the left hip in the upswing, and the right hip in the downswing.
That keeps the stroke level and maintains the shoulder plane.
The posting of the tibias and fibulas, keeping them erect via torquing, supplying resistance going back and going through
will allow you to have something to swing against and turn around.

It is the COG that must be directed via the ankles and knees to allow the proper transference of weight.
It cannot be done in sequentially, it is a parallel unified action.
The inward torquing of the left leg, at the start, from the top, accompanies the compression of the right side.
This right side compression hip hike, raises, brings out the hip, and frees it to rotate around the left leg post.
The inward torquing pulls the tailbone target ward, along the closed heel line. The head stays back as the right hip rotates,
when this occurs. The unified action brings the torso leg and hip to impact position. One cannot get "stuck".

The freewheeling throw of the club head becomes an outward motion.
The arms are and must remain absolutely passive.
That is to say, once that framework of the shoulders elbows and wrists are wound to the top, the pivot takes over.
They are neither held nor driving. They are let go or thrown out via the weight transference.

Does this mean there is a lateral slide target ward? No, it is a lateral swing of the hips.
But it must have a limit of swing to post. That is controlled by the inward torque of the left knee.
It pulls the tailbone heel to heel (target ward), posts, then allows the right hip to swing and turn around it, in one blended motion.
The shoulders elbows and wrists are going for the ride.
[/quote]

Hey Squish, a couple follow on questions.

First off, I had a pretty good 36 last week. I put that in large part to your help and guidance. Thanks much! My short game and putting were nothing to be desired, and didn't score that well as a result, but my ball striking was pretty darn good considering.

1. You have mentioned feeling the hands swing under the head on the downswing, yet also refer to the freewheeling throw of the club head becoming an outward motion. I am missing something here as these would seem contradictory to me?


2. You also draw a distinction between a lateral slide to the target versus a swing of the hips. What is the real difference in the two motions? Is it that the actual hip motion is the same, but in the latter you are keeping the upper body back via the right QL crunch?

3. One last one just for my own benefit, can you explain what exactly the QL crunch is? I have read the reference to touching the 12 floating rib to the iliac crest of the pelvis, but as someone who relies on google to understand that, I don't really know what that motion actually is. Is it purely a side bend, or by crunch are you saying there is also an abdominal crunch motion that bends you over more at the waist?
[/quote]

I don't know if you saw it but there is a post in this thread that describes the "Squish" as being very similar to a "Hip Hike". I have not tried implementing it since I'm getting ready for a tourny in 2 weeks, hope this helps.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EySzETVShlk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EySzETVShlk[/url]

[Squish]

WOW! CJ,


Anyway, you have to keep the right hip high. if you simply side bend you will hit fat.
The plane has to be above to start down.

[cjaguirre74]

[quote name='Squish' timestamp='1344353301' post='5423180']
WOW! CJ,


Anyway, you have to keep the right hip high. if you simply side bend you will hit fat.
The plane has to be above to start down.
[/quote]

LOL...didn't know that simply copying the url into the body would actually imbed the video into my reply. Well at least it's something nice to look at, reading and posting will be especially nice while on this page.

[Squish]

eventdriven,

You mentioned side bending.
It is exactly opposite of side bending it is raising the hip to touch the rib.
So as the left leg extends causing the tailbone to swing to the left heel, The right side QL crunch is keeping the right hip high.
The head is over the right foot as you do this.

[marte]

"3. One last one just for my own benefit, can you explain what exactly the QL crunch is? I have read the reference to touching the 12 floating rib to the iliac crest of the pelvis, but as someone who relies on google to understand that, I don't really know what that motion actually is. Is it purely a side bend, or by crunch are you saying there is also an abdominal crunch motion that bends you over more at the waist?"

Yeah..since discovering this thread I've spent more time on Google than in all the time I've previously owned a computer lol.

Here are 3 thoughts, feelings, versions of what I think[b] the QL crunch is[/b]. [b]Squish, when you get time, could you please comment as to whether these feelings are correct or not.[/b]
In all 3, start off by standing straight with head in line with spine. Sorry, this would apply to right handers.

1) Imagine the area between the bottom of the right rib cage and top of the hip on your side (it's sort of a softer area) is the letter I. Put your right thumb into the middle of this soft area and push your thumb towards your belly button so the pushing of the thumb into the letter I changes the I into the letter C.
2) Put your hands on the outsides of your legs. Slide your right hand down your leg a bit. Again you'll feel that soft area between bottom rib and hip squishing.
3) Put the fingers of the left hand onto the soft area between the right rib and hip and pull that area with fingers towards belly button.
As you are doing any of these three-simultaneously roll (pull) the right inside ankle bone down towards the ground.
You should feel your right hip is staying high and the bottom of the rib cage is moving down towards the right hip.
You will notice the left hip moves a little to the left and head moves a little to the right > when you do these exercises.
My version of the squish. [b]Hope someone will confirm [/b]these make sense or correct me if I'm wrong-and I'll have to start over.

So took the Squish (as best I understand it) to the course for the first time last Tuesday (first time hitting real golf balls). Not bad but just basically hitting a few balls between thunderstorms and a ladies tournament so wasn't real focused. Thursday, played my first 18 in 2 weeks- first time using the Squish. Front 9 was terrible ball striking with 8 horrible (for me) shots (push, pull, fat). Now I hadn't played for 2 weeks so that may have contributed to the poor ball striking but normally, even with this much time off I don't hit THAT many bad shots. [b]Then on 10[/b] I remembered Squish saying a few posts back that the squish was [u][i][b]SUBTLE[/b][/i][/u]. Hit the ball much better on the back 9 once I started squishing subtley instead of violently. Didn't see any increase in distance or accuracy compared to my usual but hopefully it'll come. Think it was Flopper a few posts back who said it took him about 7 months before he had his breakthrough???

So I'm going to continue with my version of the squish and turn the rest of the year as see how it plays out...I'll be thrilled to gain even a few yards if I can continue to hit it as straight as I normally do.

Thanks SQUISH for all the time and information you are giving us. Appreciate it.

[Breeves85]

Head is still moving too much but striking is improving

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BImm6Et99nQ&feature=plcp


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHtMk97bRpI&feature=plcp

[Breeves85]

Driver


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSjR8cJPl0I&feature=plcp



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdddjmLC8f4&feature=plcp

[Squish]

Yeah.. the head.
Keep it back and swing under it.
It's like your chest wants to dive in at it.
But you crush it and it's a pleasure to watch you swing.

Check what Al Barkow has to say:

I had my own experience with Hogan in regard to his putting people on about his technique. When the Hogan Tour was getting started—that was the first title of what is now the Nationwide Tour—Hogan agreed to a long interview, portions of which would be used to promote the new circuit. I was designated to ask him the questions. Afterwards, over lunch, I got a little feisty and told Hogan that I had figured out how he got the club into that backswing position of his. He said he’d give me the secret. Well now! Ben Hogan is going to give me the secret!

Some time passes, lunch is over, and Hogan and I are walking down the hallway at his hangout club, Shady Oaks. I still hadn’t gotten the secret, and asked him when it was coming. At that he steered me through the swinging doors of the kitchen, saying he didn’t want anyone else to hear. Fine. “Take your stance,” he commanded. I did. “Now turn your head to the right,” he said. I did. I waited for the next phase. It wasn’t coming. I asked if that was it, he said yes, and I said it was a gimmick. He said it wasn’t. The lesson was over. Hogan had given me a piece of swing business that went back to Bobby Jones, at least.
[color=#FFFFFF]I had my own experience with Hogan in regard to his putting people on about his technique. When the Hogan Tour was getting started—that was the first title of what is now the Nationwide Tour—Hogan agreed to a long interview, portions of which would be used to promote the new circuit. I was designated to ask him the questions. Afterwards, over lunch, I got a little feisty and told Hogan that I had figured out how he got the club into that backswing position of his. He said he’d give me the secret. Well now! [i]Ben Hogan is going to give me the secret[/i]![/color]
[color=#FFFFFF]Some time passes, lunch is over, and Hogan and I are walking down the hallway at his hangout club, Shady Oaks. I still hadn’t gotten the secret, and asked him when it was coming. At that he steered me through the swinging doors of the kitchen, saying he didn’t want anyone else to hear. Fine. “Take your stance,” he commanded. I did. “Now turn your head to the right,” he said. I did. I waited for the next phase. It wasn’t coming. I asked if that was it, he said yes, and I said it was a gimmick. He said it wasn’t. The lesson was over. Hogan had given me a piece of swing business that went back to Bobby Jones, at least.[/color]

[color=#FFFFFF]I had my own experience with Hogan in regard to his putting people on about his technique. When the Hogan Tour was getting started—that was the first title of what is now the Nationwide Tour—Hogan agreed to a long interview, portions of which would be used to promote the new circuit. I was designated to ask him the questions. Afterwards, over lunch, I got a little feisty and told Hogan that I had figured out how he got the club into that backswing position of his. He said he’d give me the secret. Well now! [i]Ben Hogan is going to give me the secret[/i]![/color]
[color=#FFFFFF]Some time passes, lunch is over, and Hogan and I are walking down the hallway at his hangout club, Shady Oaks. I still hadn’t gotten the secret, and asked him when it was coming. At that he steered me through the swinging doors of the kitchen, saying he didn’t want anyone else to hear. Fine. “Take your stance,” he commanded. I did. “Now turn your head to the right,” he said. I did. I waited for the next phase. It wasn’t coming. I asked if that was it, he said yes, and I said it was a gimmick. He said it wasn’t. The lesson was over. Hogan had given me a piece of swing business that went back to Bobby Jones, at least.[/color]

[Breeves85]

I wish I would've recorded today when I shot my 75. I kept it back today. Irons were very solid but I struggled with the driver.

[Squish]

Makes sense Breeves.

At setup I get ahead with the irons by having more weight more toward the ball of the left foot.
For the long irons balls of both feet.
For the driver ball of the right foot.
I feel this at impact.

Good score.

[Breeves85]

This video hit me like a ton of bricks. I just said, "OH MY GOODNESS! That is what Squish is talking about concerning the head". Set the head at address and just pivot the legs. I have to learn how to control the shape of my shots all over again because now everything is a draw, straight shot, a hook, block, cut or knuckle-fade. Love the fact that I can hit all of them, I just don't know when its going to happen. Got work to do. Here is the video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gE6giC96ew


Hey Squish, is this essentially the essence of the throw from the rotator cuff?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QNRlVowtUw&feature=youtube_gdata_player



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xprAT-R1rSc&feature=youtube_gdata_player



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21_uOUFmjQk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Squish]

Yes,
When he drops his right shoulder he is crunching the QL.
The right hip swings out. The left leg is drawn into extension.

No bump, every thing happens triggered by that one move.

The right shoulder brings him up out of it.

Second part of the video, Tom doesn't release the head of the club.
You will lose a lot of distance without that snap. I prove that to myself on the range.
Without the snap I am about 275 yards. on the fly.
With it 290, 300 C&R. I hit the inside quadrant of the ball.
Keep the head back to cause the snap.

BTW
I use a SMT Nemesis 7*loft, 0* square face, with an extra stiff Basalt wound shaft butted 2 inches.
The Nemesis isn't the longest head, but it with the basalt shaft is extremely workable.

I work the ball at impact by feel. For a draw I hood it through.
Fade, I chop it through. Straight I backhand it.

[Breeves85]

Hey Squish,

I know you have probably already been asked but what are so great drills to ingrain the pivot, the throw and how to blend them? I may do a video of myself doing the drills and then posting them on here so that others can see how to do them.

[Squish]

For the pivot I have one called draw the boat ashore. It requires a single imaginary rope pointed at impact.
It's like the rope drill but instead of drawing the knees back you alternately draw the knees in.
This is much better to ingrain a vertically driven pivot motion.
Start by drawing the right knee inward forcing it to extension.
At the same time allow the left hip and thigh to swing out by contracting the left QL to hip hike letting the heel rise.
The left hip will turn (index) around the extended right leg 70*.
Pretend you are pulling the boat in drawing the right arm in, as the right leg extends.

If you just straight the right leg, like in the rope drill, the hip will tend to swing behind the right heel, sending the COG
to swing out and behind, having no boundary.
Doing it like you are pulling a pirogue ashore, you are extending the leg inward on the instep, torquing.
It is way better than bracing the right knee because the inward torquing causes the leg to extend as well as brace.
It keeps in its proper space, and stabilizes C7 as well.
The swing of the left hip and the drawing of the right leg to extension is the take away complete.
The arms and hands do nothing till 3:00 o'clock position.
The arms rise due to the swing out of the hiked left hip.
The left shoulder drops due to the extension of the right leg.

Repeat for the left leg, allowing the (and this is really important) right hip to hike with the Ql crunch.
If the arms are to be allowed to extend, the height and position must be controlled by the inward extension of the left leg and
the flexion of the right femur.
If you don't, you will be forced to extend the arms vs allowing them to extend.
That is a huge power loss as one will retard the snap forcing it. That is a deceleration.

When one throws, one is throwing the hands arms and the club.
Do not try to throw the club head only using the hands.
The entire arm hand club assembly is thrown out with the transference of weight tearing from the left side to the right upon the downswing.
This is not passive arms, in fact they play the most active part, but supple, and creating the snap.

The leverage of the pivot directs the blow.

[Breeves85]

Squish I am trying to understand correctly. When you say the leg should go in are you saying internal rotation of the hip to keep the hip from turning behind the foot?

[Squish]

The internal rotation of the leg to the heel. It's an inversion of the foot.
That posts the leg. The hips can now rotate atop the femur head in front of the leg

Austin was animate in that you move heel to heel as the hip moves on the diagonal.

The take away, the right leg is posted, the left hip internally rotates around the left post.
Downswing, the right hip internally rotates around the left posted leg.

[blind as a bat]

I have made even more progress of late. Watching Martin Ayers' video made me realize I was holding too much tension in my wrists and not getting much of a snap at all. I also felt myself not standing tall in my posture, but sluffing a bit in my spine. While working on bending solely from the hips and relaxing the wrists, I shocked myself by hitting my 9 iron 150 yards. The ball took off and I just stood there and watched it sail.. I had to double check to make certain I had indeed grabbed my 9 iron and not my 6! I hit several more shots and had the same result. I shifted my weight a bit more to the left side and hit a stinger that rolled out to nearly 200. Thanks again Squish and Breeves for your input. Sure wish I had learned this swing years ago!

[Squish]

Yes, supple arms and wrists, snap it.
A bit more upper weight to the ball of the left foot at impact de-lofts the face and applies punch.
You make quick progress.

[Breeves85]

Hey squish,

How do you hit a stinger? I am not talking about a knockdown, I am talking about the one that you can hit low but you don't have to cutoff your followthrough that much if at all.

I am going to work on that pivot drill. Hopefully I will have the video by the weekend. I will also have some new swing video for you to analyze where my head doesn't move forward.

[Squish]

The back swing is automatically shortened if you keep more weight on the ball of the left foot at take away with C7 still.
That method is used for the short irons and approach shots.
If you do that with the mid or long irons, you are d-lofting an already low lofted club. You are hitting a knockdown or stinger.
You are buying length vs altitude. This is how some can hit a 150 yd wedge.
If you simply play it back, it will not work, as you you are playing the optimal loft of the club.
But if you keep the weight left at the up take, you steepen the arc, d-lofting the face.
For a draw stinger, the release is like hogans described on page 102 in five fundamentals.
In addition, the sole of the club will mirror or face the ground longer as you brush through impact.
This is due to the delayed weight transfer from left side to right.
The hand ulna deviates with the palm facing the sky as it releases low and around.

[attachment=1307334:hands.png]

Braid hit stingers, he delayed his weight transference by staying a bit more left till impact.
He kept it low, buying length vs altitude, the ball having wider lower arc for the windy courses.

[Squish]

This release keeps it low.


[attachment=1307336:Ben-Hogan.png]

[Breeves85]

You have confirmed my suspicions. Ever since I joined this thread and worked on the pivot and release from the shoulders, i noticed that I felt like I could hit it low while hitting it hard. It really hit me one day when on the range I tried to hit a stinger with driver. What I learned was that I could use the same ball position as a normal drive and the traj wouldn't get higher than 30 feet. I had to change the way I thought about the shot. With the driver I wanted to hit the ball with the back of my hand facing down(in theory) but I still wanted to hit it on the upswing. It kept spin off and didn't rise, so I moved through all my clubs and it feels like I have to think hit or swing flat with a delay in the wrists and it just shoots out there like a jet fighter and like I said, I don't have to cut off the release that much if at all to hit it low.

[Squish]

Watch how tiger keeps COG more on his left side.

The up take and the release.

[media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGrmo9Y9XrI[/media]

[Squish]

[quote name='Breeves85' timestamp='1345120027' post='5481616']
You have confirmed my suspicions. Ever since I joined this thread and worked on the pivot and release from the shoulders, i noticed that I felt like I could hit it low while hitting it hard. It really hit me one day when on the range I tried to hit a stinger with driver. What I learned was that I could use the same ball position as a normal drive and the traj wouldn't get higher than 30 feet. I had to change the way I thought about the shot. With the driver I wanted to hit the ball with the back of my hand facing down(in theory) but I still wanted to hit it on the upswing. It kept spin off and didn't rise, so I moved through all my clubs and it feels like I have to think hit or swing flat with a delay in the wrists and it just shoots out there like a jet fighter and like I said, I don't have to cut off the release that much if at all to hit it low.
[/quote]

Yes sir, once I discovered a stable 7C, everything started to fall in place.
It's like all of the "tips'' from over the years I have read, began to make sense.

[eventdriven]

[quote name='Squish' timestamp='1345068280' post='5478890']
The internal rotation of the leg to the heel. It's an inversion of the foot.
That posts the leg. The hips can now rotate atop the femur head in front of the leg

Austin was animate in that you move heel to heel as the hip moves on the diagonal.

The take away, the right leg is posted, the left hip internally rotates around the left post.
Downswing, the right hip internally rotates around the left posted leg.
[/quote]

Hi Squish, I'm struggling to understand this as well. Which direction is "'in" for the right knee. Are you saying that keeping the direction the knee facing forward of the body is done via some torquing of the lower leg; and as the left hip internally rotates on the backswing that the forward(natural) knee position in effect becomes an "inward torque" against the hip? Also, do you mean an [i]eversion[/i] of the foot? I read that inversion is a movement to the outside of the foot, and that seems counter to what you are describing.

[Squish]

It is a internal rotation, an inversion on the instep moving from the ball of the foot to the heel.
You want to turn or index the left hip around that CCW posted tibia to the top.
That supplies a resistance as the right leg is drawn vertically to extension.

So in this diagram [b]have the right foot on the instep like the everted position,[/b]

[attachment=1307424:foottwst.gif]



but, [b]use the inward inverted twist to draw the knee in.[/b]
You will find the left hip releasing as you do that motion.

Do it with the left foot from the top to pace the downswing,
to gather the entire right side, upper and lower, into impact as as the left leg vertically extends.

[Squish]

This is what I feel at take away, as the right leg extends.
This way you are using the inside muscles of the right leg, to the top.
[attachment=1307474:foottwst.gif]
The inside muscles of the left leg, to start the downswing.
[attachment=1307476:foottwst.gif]
C7 is then stabilized, back and through.

These two motions transfer the tailbone, COG, from heel to heel.
The lateral swing of the spine.
From address it only swings back six inches.
From the top it swings 12 inches.
So it feels less pronounced at take away as it does through impact.
But the inward torquing of the legs governs it and makes it repeatable.

You are not pushing the body back, nor pulling the right side through.
You are controlling the swing of the COG's direction by way of the vertical
extension and flexion of the legs via torque, utilizing the force of gravity.
The hips will naturally index, due to the way the knees are constructed, naturally.
They are built to swing the hips as we walk, or run, transferring the weight without any conscious thought.



.
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