The Arm Swing Illusion / Jim Waldron's Swing Philosophy

[Jim Waldron]

Jim, any advice on overcoming the hit impulse with the fairway woods, and driver? I have confidence in my mid irons and hybrids but due to a lack of distance with my woods I try and crush it to get it out there. This always results in an over the top move starting with my shoulders instead of my lower body. And since my backswing is no longer as inside as it was, this OTT is even worse. I think the problem stems from not being able to hit my 3w or driver that far past my 18 degree hybrid. Even on good shots with my driver, I’m not more than 20 yards past my 18 hybrid and it’s extremely frustrating. In all honesty I’m having a little trouble with my 6i and 5i as well, but weird that I’m not having any issues with the hybrids. My pw-7i, those are money, I’m hitting those clubs better than I ever have. They are about a club length farther and much more consistent shot shape that what they used to be.

 

Based on your excellent and detailed description, my best recommendation is to take a remote lesson via Skype or Hangouts with me. There is no general "theoretical" approach that can help you. I would need to closely study your driver swing video in slow motion and then compare it to your other clubs.

 

There are several varieties of Hit Impulse and easily ten different mechanical causes your driver to lack distance, plus factors like Balance and Tempo, tension in the wrong body parts that is killing your Release speed, etc.

[trilerian]

I may very well take you up on that Jim. I'll be honest, I'm a little hesitant about a lesson over Skype, buy hey, it can't be as bad as the last couple I've had.

[Jim Waldron]

I may very well take you up on that Jim. I'll be honest, I'm a little hesitant about a lesson over Skype, buy hey, it can't be as bad as the last couple I've had.

 

I can guarantee you that Skype or Hangouts both work very well for a lesson. The only two drawbacks vs an actual in person lesson is that I cannot see the ball flight (easily remedied by you describing it to me in your pre-lesson videos that you send to me for evaluation or in real time on the range Skype by just speaking loud enough into your phone for me to hear your description) and that I cannot put my hands on your body and move you into the proper positions. Every other aspect of the lesson is the same as in person.

[4pillars]

Jim,

 

Who would be the LGPA player who best shows your swing. I can't remember you mentioning a name.

[Jim Waldron]

Jim,

 

Who would be the LGPA player who best shows your swing. I can't remember you mentioning a name.

 

There are quite a few really good swings now on the LPGA tour. Virtually all of them use the Leveraged Spin model that I advocate.

 

Hard to pick just one. I like Suzanne Pettersons swing a lot though. And Ms. Munoz from Spain also.

[4pillars]

Jim,

 

Who would be the LGPA player who best shows your swing. I can't remember you mentioning a name.

 

There are quite a few really good swings now on the LPGA tour. Virtually all of them use the Leveraged Spin model that I advocate.

 

Hard to pick just one. I like Suzanne Pettersons swing a lot though. And Ms. Munoz from Spain also.

 

just had a look.

 

A lot of sideways head movement?

[Jim Waldron]

Jim,

 

Who would be the LGPA player who best shows your swing. I can't remember you mentioning a name.

 

There are quite a few really good swings now on the LPGA tour. Virtually all of them use the Leveraged Spin model that I advocate.

 

Hard to pick just one. I like Suzanne Pettersons swing a lot though. And Ms. Munoz from Spain also.

 

just had a look.

 

A lot of sideways head movement?

 

Some, but in Suzannes' case it is mostly rotational. Munoz has a bit of that body forward press shift to the right move like Stenson uses. They shift as a trigger and then almost pause before starting again.

[mj6234]

Quick reply here. I am late to the game. 6hcp, but my critical fault is pulling the club inside on the takeaway. Honestly if you saw my swing, you'd have a conflicted natural instinct to either vomit or laugh.

 

I have had the thought in the past to have my arms move 45 degrees to the 'north east' during the backswing and everything seemed easier. I discarded that approach because I thought it was irrationally outside.

 

After reading the posts, I didn't consider the the other body movements and how it relates to the arm 'motion'. At this point, I am pretty skeptical if everything, but never have gotten away from the overly inside takeaway. I really can't wait to get back out and hit balls. Just reading everything really seems to make the backswing make sense, and wayyyyyyyy simpler than I was making it. I guess I will see if I have it right soon.

[Jim Waldron]

Quick reply here. I am late to the game. 6hcp, but my critical fault is pulling the club inside on the takeaway. Honestly if you saw my swing, you'd have a conflicted natural instinct to either vomit or laugh.

 

I have had the thought in the past to have my arms move 45 degrees to the 'north east' during the backswing and everything seemed easier. I discarded that approach because I thought it was irrationally outside.

 

After reading the posts, I didn't consider the the other body movements and how it relates to the arm 'motion'. At this point, I am pretty skeptical if everything, but never have gotten away from the overly inside takeaway. I really can't wait to get back out and hit balls. Just reading everything really seems to make the backswing make sense, and wayyyyyyyy simpler than I was making it. I guess I will see if I have it right soon.

 

It is essential to avoid bringing the ASI to the range for "testing" before you have gone through the earlier stages of mirror work and hopefully actually watching/studying my new video on the subject first. You need to actually start to make some ASI-based changes in your subconscious mind Swing Map first, which is easily done through studying the video and then trying out some of the actual drills that are in that video, ie non-ball drills first.

 

This is a common error that many golfers make, and we see it everyday here on wrx in posts about someone "trying out" some new move they saw online or read about online, and then concluding "but I saw no real improvement in ball flight when I tested it for a half hour on the range".

 

My point being that ball flight improvement only has the possibility of happening until and unless you are actually objectively making the new move that you are "thinking about". Most golfers only "think about the new move" and in fact are NOT actually making that new move in their real body motion. Very easy to conflate the two very different states.

 

Especially so when working on removing a very strong Fatal Flaw in one's swing, and inside takeaway is one of the Big Ones.

[Jim Waldron]

Module Four: Mechanics of the Pivot video is now up for purchase/download from our website here:http://www.balancepointgolf.com/index.php/pro-shop/golf-videos/product/38-great-shot-module-four-mechanics-of-the-pivot.

 

This is the eighth video in my Great Shot! Mastering the Craft of Ballstriking video instruction series. Total viewing time is two hours and forty-two minutes.

 

I think this one might be the best of the bunch so far, and is also certainly the most information-dense of all the videos. Topics covered are: Tilt Illusion, lateral weight shift, centered Pivot, fixing a lateral sway flaw, Pivot influence on stability and Balance, steady head and upper swing center, action of the lower swing center, lower body Pivot, side bend or tilt both backswing and forward swing, Upper Body Pivot, , Spine Angle, hip flexion/extension, Power sources, Pivot Thrust and trigger, the mechanics of the proper Transition move, Tilt Switch, knee action, hip, Core and torso rotation, and several other Pivot-related topics

 

We divided this Module into two separate video files to make download times more reasonable.

 

We will post a trailer for Module Four later this week.

 

My view is that the Pivot is the foundation of the golf swing, the most important "puzzle piece" with the most influence on ball flight.

[ofortuna]

Module Four: Mechanics of the Pivot video is now up for purchase/download from our website here:http://www.balancepointgolf.com/index.php/pro-shop/golf-videos/product/38-great-shot-module-four-mechanics-of-the-pivot.

 

This is the eighth video in my Great Shot! Mastering the Craft of Ballstriking video instruction series. Total viewing time is two hours and forty-two minutes.

 

I think this one might be the best of the bunch so far, and is also certainly the most information-dense of all the videos. Topics covered are: Tilt Illusion, lateral weight shift, centered Pivot, fixing a lateral sway flaw, Pivot influence on stability and Balance, steady head and upper swing center, action of the lower swing center, lower body Pivot, side bend or tilt both backswing and forward swing, Upper Body Pivot, , Spine Angle, hip flexion/extension, Power sources, Pivot Thrust and trigger, the mechanics of the proper Transition move, Tilt Switch, knee action, hip, Core and torso rotation, and several other Pivot-related topics

 

We divided this Module into two separate video files to make download times more reasonable.

 

We will post a trailer for Module Four later this week.

 

My view is that the Pivot is the foundation of the golf swing, the most important "puzzle piece" with the most influence on ball flight.

 

 

YES!!! My bogey days have finally come to an end!!!

[GoStars]

I've purchased and downloaded the Pivot videos. Excited to watch them, I've been eagerly anticipating them!

[Jim Waldron]

I've purchased and downloaded the Pivot videos. Excited to watch them, I've been eagerly anticipating them!

 

Thanks! Module Four has only been out for a couple of days, but I have already heard from four people who bought them, and the response has been very positive. One told the information was "as good, maybe better" than Module Two on the Arm Swing Illusion.

[GoStars]

I'll have made the first viewing pass through the two videos tonight. Great stuff so far. Interested in left tilt on backswing to start with, then tilt switch/release.

[4pillars]

I found an interesting article on the web by someone who knew Earl Woods, that earl used karate training with Tiger. http://theaposition.com/peterandraes/golf/personalities/131/how-did-tiger-get-his-mojo-part-3

 

Golf is a form of martial arts, so you teach and learn the golf swing the same way you do martial arts. Earl Woods

 

From Karate Earl learned punching and kicking, the use of small weapons, and a method of kata training in a mirror to build Tiger’s swing. Karate teaches position before motion. ... kata in Japan .. mean: ‘to shape, form, mold, or model’, and ‘that which gives form and defines shape’. Kata, the primary method of Eastern classical arts training for 5,000 years, is the foundation of the Green Beret’s E.D.I.P. (explain, demonstrate, imitate and practice) methodology of ingraining techniques.

In a March 27, 1995, Sports Illustrated article, Rick Reilly wrote of Tiger at age 6: “swinging in front of a mirror.” By practicing his golf swing in a mirror, taking it apart in position-by-position in slow motion, then putting it back together, Tiger grooved his swing into his muscle memory as an unconscious automatic reflex action. Kata training united Tiger’s mind, body, and swing.

 

I wonder if one day Tiger will tell us exactly what he to develop his technical and mental game.

[Jim Waldron]

I found an interesting article on the web by someone who knew Earl Woods, that earl used karate training with Tiger. http://theaposition....his-mojo-part-3

 

Golf is a form of martial arts, so you teach and learn the golf swing the same way you do martial arts. Earl Woods

 

From Karate Earl learned punching and kicking, the use of small weapons, and a method of kata training in a mirror to build Tiger’s swing. Karate teaches position before motion. ... kata in Japan .. mean: ‘to shape, form, mold, or model’, and ‘that which gives form and defines shape’. Kata, the primary method of Eastern classical arts training for 5,000 years, is the foundation of the Green Beret’s E.D.I.P. (explain, demonstrate, imitate and practice) methodology of ingraining techniques.

In a March 27, 1995, Sports Illustrated article, Rick Reilly wrote of Tiger at age 6: “swinging in front of a mirror.” By practicing his golf swing in a mirror, taking it apart in position-by-position in slow motion, then putting it back together, Tiger grooved his swing into his muscle memory as an unconscious automatic reflex action. Kata training united Tiger’s mind, body, and swing.

 

I wonder if one day Tiger will tell us exactly what he to develop his technical and mental game.

 

Great find! I had heard through the Tour grapevine back in the late 90's that Earl had exposed TIger to martial arts training principles, and certainly slow motion mirror work was a huge part of that process. The first time - one of several - that Tiger "froze" at P6 in his downswing due to a photographer's camera click, all the TV commentators were amazed. I said to my wife "...its no doubt due to the fact that he has done thousands of hours of slow motion mirror work since age 3".

 

Tiger also worked with a sport psychologist from a young age, which had to have a huge influence on his mental game approach.

[4pillars]

I found an interesting article on the web by someone who knew Earl Woods, that earl used karate training with Tiger. http://theaposition....his-mojo-part-3

 

Golf is a form of martial arts, so you teach and learn the golf swing the same way you do martial arts. Earl Woods

 

From Karate Earl learned punching and kicking, the use of small weapons, and a method of kata training in a mirror to build Tiger’s swing. Karate teaches position before motion. ... kata in Japan .. mean: ‘to shape, form, mold, or model’, and ‘that which gives form and defines shape’. Kata, the primary method of Eastern classical arts training for 5,000 years, is the foundation of the Green Beret’s E.D.I.P. (explain, demonstrate, imitate and practice) methodology of ingraining techniques.

In a March 27, 1995, Sports Illustrated article, Rick Reilly wrote of Tiger at age 6: “swinging in front of a mirror.” By practicing his golf swing in a mirror, taking it apart in position-by-position in slow motion, then putting it back together, Tiger grooved his swing into his muscle memory as an unconscious automatic reflex action. Kata training united Tiger’s mind, body, and swing.

 

I wonder if one day Tiger will tell us exactly what he to develop his technical and mental game.

 

Great find! I had heard through the Tour grapevine back in the late 90's that Earl had exposed TIger to martial arts training principles, and certainly slow motion mirror work was a huge part of that process. The first time - one of several - that Tiger "froze" at P6 in his downswing due to a photographer's camera click, all the TV commentators were amazed. I said to my wife "...its no doubt due to the fact that he has done thousands of hours of slow motion mirror work since age 3".

 

Tiger also worked with a sport psychologist from a young age, which had to have a huge influence on his mental game approach.

 

Actually he was an ex US Navy Psychologist based in San Diego, so he may have had something to do with the SEALs.

 

Butch Harmon says that he taught Tiger how to control his breathing after a shot to regain his mental/emotional state.Something the SEALs are taught to do. Butch says he has never seen anything like it.

 

I actually include the technique in my Red Golf Blue Golf book, but didn't know when i wrote it that it was something Tiger did.

[Jim Waldron]

I'll have made the first viewing pass through the two videos tonight. Great stuff so far. Interested in left tilt on backswing to start with, then tilt switch/release.

 

I think the long, detailed section on the Tilt Illusion is the best part of the video. It is one area where average golfers and even a lot of low handicap players suffer. It is nearly as powerful as the ASI and for a lot of my students, much harder to see through. The two illusions reinforce each other in a very toxic way.

 

When you have one operating in your Swing Map, you tend to have the other as well.

[GoStars]

I was thinking the same thing aka tilt switch. It's more mind blowing and was harder to accept for me than the ASI was. It does answer a lot questions though. I have wondered why turning without the switch resulted in such odd positions/awkward turn. I hope to practice tomorrow and try it out. Swinging at home, it definitely feels better making the switch, and I've picked up speed.

[Jim Waldron]

I was thinking the same thing aka tilt switch. It's more mind blowing and was harder to accept for me than the ASI was. It does answer a lot questions though. I have wondered why turning without the switch resulted in such odd positions/awkward turn. I hope to practice tomorrow and try it out. Swinging at home, it definitely feels better making the switch, and I've picked up speed.

 

Make sure to do plenty of mirror work in slow motion before taking it to the range. As I said on the video, working on Tilt Switch is a waste of time if you dont already have a really good Setup, Balance and stability in the lower body.

 

There is literally no point in space from which to observe the Tilt Switch happening, ie the Tilt Illusion cannot be seen through like the ASI can from overhead camera view.

 

Yes - tilting is a secondary power source and the Key Move element during Release is using the rocking of the shoulder girdle to create more CH speed.

[borker]

 

ie the Tilt Illusion

 

Is this a good explanation of what the Tilt Illusion is? Side bend?

 

[Millbrook]

ie the Tilt Illusion

 

Is this a good explanation of what the Tilt Illusion is? Side bend?

 

 

His Windmill Drill is the same movement Tathata use.

[4pillars]

ie the Tilt Illusion

 

Is this a good explanation of what the Tilt Illusion is? Side bend?

 

 

His Windmill Drill is the same movement Tathata use.

 

Actually it was early this year when looking at the Tahatha stuff, and the camera angles they used, that I realized the importance of the sidebend, and that I wasn't really doing it.

 

For some reason - I think because of early emphasis on ending in a balanced upright position - I seem to have skipped that bit in my swing.

 

But as Jim points out, when you you see it, you wonder how you missed it before.

[Jim Waldron]

The Tilt Illusion has three main elements. One is the simultaneous hip/flexion and left/right tilt, which has the effect of "hiding" the torso lifting up and down, another is the fact of left and right tilt, ie it "looks like" (in 2D) that the torso simply rotates on a forward Spine Angle with no tilting at all. The third is the DTL view of torso maintaining (or nearly so) the original Setup forward tilt toward the ball. That part is actually NOT an illusion, ie you do in fact need to maintain a "level" (or nearly so) Spine Angle in the forward toward the ground/ball dimension, but the SOURCE of that forward bend changes 100% from hip flexion to left and right tilt.

 

It's a tough concept to understand, even for my in person students. Almost everyone, when first shown the Tilt Illusion, will shake their head and say "...there is no way that can be correct!"

[DrOptimtor]

Jim,

 

Just finished watching the pivot video. I found the tilt switch concept quite eye opening. I thought I understood what you were talking about previously, but I was wrong. Watching the Open today, now every swing I look at shows left and right tilt plain as day. It's really confusing how I didn't notice it before.

 

With this in mind and looking at my own swing, I'm not really tilting left on my backswing and I was DEFINITELY not tilt-switching in transition. Thanks again for great video.

[Jim Waldron]

Jim,

 

Just finished watching the pivot video. I found the tilt switch concept quite eye opening. I thought I understood what you were talking about previously, but I was wrong. Watching the Open today, now every swing I look at shows left and right tilt plain as day. It's really confusing how I didn't notice it before.

 

With this in mind and looking at my own swing, I'm not really tilting left on my backswing and I was DEFINITELY not tilt-switching in transition. Thanks again for great video.

 

Your welcome! My team put a ton of time, energy and effort into putting that video - Module Four on Pivot Mechanics - out and we are very happy with how it turned out in the end. (even thought it take WAY longer to finish than we expected!).

 

Your experience is quite typical. The golf swing as viewed through conventional 2D biased "lens" has numerous illusions and mis-perceptions. Tilt Illusion is a big one. It "looks like " certain things are happening in how a tour pro moves his or here body and club. And so we base our swing improvement plan on a fundamentally incorrect understanding of what is objectively occurring in a good golf swing.

[Jn76]

Jim, you should consider making an index at a beginning of the videos. Or at least make the "segment title" show up longer on the bottom so finding stuff would be easier.

 

I edited my module C to have an index in the beginning, but of course can not share it. For those with module C, see below.

 

Great Shot! Module One C: Swing Map Drills

 

00:01:42 Rotation Drill

00:04:46 V Shape triangle drill

00:08:14 The Mold Drill

00:18:48 The Power Source Drill

00:26:59 The Finish Drill

00:33:32 Impact Drill

00:44:55 The Door Drill

00:53:14 Statue Drill

00:58:56 Baseline Tempo Drill

01:04:06 Wrist Drill

01:10:19 Get Ready, Get Set, Go Drill

01:13:36 Upper Body, Pivot motion and Arms Drills

01:20:16 2 club Drill

01:24:37 5 Levers Down Drill

01:28:48 2 Cheeks Drill

01:34:49 Going East Drill

01:41:49 The Woodchop Drill

01:50:29 The Smith Drill

[Jim Waldron]

Jim, you should consider making an index at a beginning of the videos. Or at least make the "segment title" show up longer on the bottom so finding stuff would be easier.

 

I edited my module C to have an index in the beginning, but of course can not share it. For those with module C, see below.

 

Great Shot! Module One C: Swing Map Drills

 

00:01:42 Rotation Drill

00:04:46 V Shape triangle drill

00:08:14 The Mold Drill

00:18:48 The Power Source Drill

00:26:59 The Finish Drill

00:33:32 Impact Drill

00:44:55 The Door Drill

00:53:14 Statue Drill

00:58:56 Baseline Tempo Drill

01:04:06 Wrist Drill

01:10:19 Get Ready, Get Set, Go Drill

01:13:36 Upper Body, Pivot motion and Arms Drills

01:20:16 2 club Drill

01:24:37 5 Levers Down Drill

01:28:48 2 Cheeks Drill

01:34:49 Going East Drill

01:41:49 The Woodchop Drill

01:50:29 The Smith Drill

 

Thanks for sharing that list! And we will consider your suggestion for future videos.

[Kiwi2]

Module 4 The Pivot

 

Trailer

 

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[ofortuna]

Jim, I've been re-watching the pivot video in segments and although most of this isn't new to me since I've had several Skype lessons with you, it is really helping to make the material sink in. You best video yet by far!

 

The deconstruction of what the body actually does instead of trying to make your body behave like an automobile axle is really hitting home. I'm seeing through a lot of illusions, even ones you don't cover in the video!! For example, I've always had a problem with my head rotating towards the target on the downswing. I just realized it's because it's an illusion that the head stays still. If you isolate the head movement without moving your body, it actually rotates over your left shoulder on the backswing, then rapidly rotates right over your right shoulder on the downswing. The net effect visually is that it stays still. I've always tried to keep the head still which results in it turning with my shoulders on the downswing.