The Arm Swing Illusion / Jim Waldron's Swing Philosophy

[Jim Waldron]

Jim

 

What plane do you like to see impact in, relative to the original shaft plane at address? How much higher, if atall do you see the hands being at impact as ideal?

 

The Ideal would be exact same shaft angle as at Address, but really hard to do that - Hogan and Trevino did mostly with a conventional Address, and Moe Norman with his very upright plane at Address. But doing so would require a very late in the downswing lever angle release point, which requires very strong Core, fast Tempo, and some other things that make it basically impossible for almost every human golfer.

 

The earlier the lever angles start to release and the faster they release, the more momentum is pulling the shaft angle into a higher or steeper plane at impact.

 

So the practical matter is that the handle end will be a little higher at impact than Address, more so for longer clubs compared to shorter ones. You can check out the impact photos of current top Tour pros to see how much. Maybe 2 inches on a driver and a half inch or so on a wedge. Again - it depends on their Release style and how much right am angle they have at P6 and how fast it opens up, also how big a lead arm to chest angle at P6 or their SuperConnection point, maybe a little bit past P6 will result in a shaft angle at impact that is just a little steeper than Address.

 

Faster Tempos tend to delay the lever angle release point and speed of release so that is certainly a factor.

 

If your club lie angles fit you well, you will have the toe up a bit at Address, and then the sole ideally will be level at impact, taking away that toe up "space" you started with by impact due to shaft plane angle steepening.

 

Thanks for that Jim

 

I'm sure some of the toe up at address is accommodated by shaft bend also?

 

I've found that by increasing flexion in transition I can now get the hands a lot lower and match the original shaft plane . This is up to about 75% speed as I am trying to learn the transition move starting slow and working up speed wise

 

I always thought when you mention using the "core" in the swing that it was mostly a rotational move , but actually using the core to increase flexion really uses those core muscles and has totally changed my release .... You prescribe increasing in flexion by about 1" if I remember correctly ? Or was that knee flexion ?

 

Yes, shaft bend also accounts for some off that toe up space being used up.

 

My model is one inch increase in hip flexion past where you started at Setup during Transition and also one inch increase in knee flex as well.

 

Yes on your Core comment, includes hip flexors/extensors as well as rotational muscles, spine stabilizers, glutes, transverse abdominus, rectus and obliques.

[Grayback1973]

Jim,Is it possible to implement Joe Dante's wrist set in the take away and not suck the club too far inside?I can see how people using that wrist set would get into that but wouldn't that be more of a premature forearm rotation move?

[Jim Waldron]

Jim,Is it possible to implement Joe Dante's wrist set in the take away and not suck the club too far inside?I can see how people using that wrist set would get into that but wouldn't that be more of a premature forearm rotation move?

 

Yes - I don't recommend the Dante move, it tends to create too much inside path as you suggested, and clubface angle issues as well.

 

I like a micro-version where you only hinge back until left wrist flattens, but that move is happening same time as the arm pushaway and upward c0cking of both wrists, which tend to offset any too much inside from the wrist hinging action.

[garbud]

I recently had the pleasure of spending 3 days with Jim in Oregon at Quail Valley where he has his school.. The first day was all one on one with Jim and the next 2 days I did his Great Shot Program. As this is my first post here allow me to leave a little backround. I've been playing golf for over 30 years. At one time I had a handicap as low as a 7.3 but I could not consistently play to it. My initial education on the golf swing was basically self taught with tons of tips from everyone. I had occasional lessons but nothing ever seemed to stick. Most of my time was spent being a range rat, reading golf magazines, watching videos and experiencing the biggest addiction known to man, namely "The Golf Channel". I grew up thinking that the hands started the swing by pulling the arms then shoulders etc. much like everyone was trying to learn 30+ years ago. It worked for some but for me it never worked consistently no matter how many new sets of clubs I bought seemingly every year or so :wacko: . I had totally bought into the arm swing illusion and for the next 30 years I struggled with it through 2 shoulder surgeries and countless frustrations.

 

A little over a year ago I was done with golf. I couldn't take the frustrations anymore and at 64 years old I didn't feel like routinely hitting 200 plus balls trying to develop bandaids just to make it through a round. One day I stumbled on Jim's YouTube video on The Arm Swing Illusion and I was totally blown away. Never in over 30 years had anyone ever described the swing to me that way. I bought some of Jim's videos and his manual and for the next 7 months I just spent time on the range trying to understand and learn this new skill set. Occasionally I would get it but I was so contaminated with all these other ideas it was hard to stick with it. I ended up working with a highly regarded teaching pro and after a few lessons I realized I was just getting more of the old stuff that I was trying to get away from. So earlier this summer I made the commitment to go to Jim's school and it was by far the best move I could have ever made.

 

The overall approach Jim takes is so thorough and positive. The man is the "Ultimate Swing Nerd" but his understanding of the art of teaching is what makes his program so successful. The 2nd day I was there I was hitting the ball better than I ever have by far. Nicely drawing 6 irons 180-185 yards and in balance. Not only hitting it better but mentally I had a totally new approach and mental skill set. Jim's passion is seeing others succeed, and I was succeeding in getting my desire and passion to play golf again. Over the course of the 3 days my back started to tighten up from 3 days of new swings and drills, and I wasn't swinging as well, but my new sense of focus and awareness allowed me to realize how I was being affected with the tight back, and the swing compensations I was making because of it, but what the heck I'm now 65 too.

 

So here's the reality. Upon returning home and not having Jim there to catch me when I'm doing something wrong, I have had really good days and some frustrating days. 30+ years of contamination and dominant swing habits don't go away overnight. The cool thing is now my body knows what to do and what it can do and friends don't recognize my swing anymore. The mental training skills from Jim allow me to focus on getting back to the feelings I developed at the school. In particular the Jugs McSpadden drill brings me right back to where I need to be in feel channel. It took a few days to find what worked best but now thankfully I have something to believe in.

 

I've read through this entire thread and it should be pretty obvious to all that Jim is the real deal. A friend of mine is a former LPGA tour pro who has previously worked with Jim doing some PGA program training. When I told her that I had just spent 3 days with Jim at his school her comment to me was "OMG he is totally brilliant". To me Jim is more than the ultimate swing nerd. He's the ultimate teaching nerd. This was a wonderful experience for me and I just wanted to share it with others.

 

Garbud

[Jim Waldron]

I recently had the pleasure of spending 3 days with Jim in Oregon at Quail Valley where he has his school.. The first day was all one on one with Jim and the next 2 days I did his Great Shot Program. As this is my first post here allow me to leave a little backround. I've been playing golf for over 30 years. At one time I had a handicap as low as a 7.3 but I could not consistently play to it. My initial education on the golf swing was basically self taught with tons of tips from everyone. I had occasional lessons but nothing ever seemed to stick. Most of my time was spent being a range rat, reading golf magazines, watching videos and experiencing the biggest addiction known to man, namely "The Golf Channel". I grew up thinking that the hands started the swing by pulling the arms then shoulders etc. much like everyone was trying to learn 30+ years ago. It worked for some but for me it never worked consistently no matter how many new sets of clubs I bought seemingly every year or so :wacko: . I had totally bought into the arm swing illusion and for the next 30 years I struggled with it through 2 shoulder surgeries and countless frustrations.

 

A little over a year ago I was done with golf. I couldn't take the frustrations anymore and at 64 years old I didn't feel like routinely hitting 200 plus balls trying to develop bandaids just to make it through a round. One day I stumbled on Jim's YouTube video on The Arm Swing Illusion and I was totally blown away. Never in over 30 years had anyone ever described the swing to me that way. I bought some of Jim's videos and his manual and for the next 7 months I just spent time on the range trying to understand and learn this new skill set. Occasionally I would get it but I was so contaminated with all these other ideas it was hard to stick with it. I ended up working with a highly regarded teaching pro and after a few lessons I realized I was just getting more of the old stuff that I was trying to get away from. So earlier this summer I made the commitment to go to Jim's school and it was by far the best move I could have ever made.

 

The overall approach Jim takes is so thorough and positive. The man is the "Ultimate Swing Nerd" but his understanding of the art of teaching is what makes his program so successful. The 2nd day I was there I was hitting the ball better than I ever have by far. Nicely drawing 6 irons 180-185 yards and in balance. Not only hitting it better but mentally I had a totally new approach and mental skill set. Jim's passion is seeing others succeed, and I was succeeding in getting my desire and passion to play golf again. Over the course of the 3 days my back started to tighten up from 3 days of new swings and drills, and I wasn't swinging as well, but my new sense of focus and awareness allowed me to realize how I was being affected with the tight back, and the swing compensations I was making because of it, but what the heck I'm now 65 too.

 

So here's the reality. Upon returning home and not having Jim there to catch me when I'm doing something wrong, I have had really good days and some frustrating days. 30+ years of contamination and dominant swing habits don't go away overnight. The cool thing is now my body knows what to do and what it can do and friends don't recognize my swing anymore. The mental training skills from Jim allow me to focus on getting back to the feelings I developed at the school. In particular the Jugs McSpadden drill brings me right back to where I need to be in feel channel. It took a few days to find what worked best but now thankfully I have something to believe in.

 

I've read through this entire thread and it should be pretty obvious to all that Jim is the real deal. A friend of mine is a former LPGA tour pro who has previously worked with Jim doing some PGA program training. When I told her that I had just spent 3 days with Jim at his school her comment to me was "OMG he is totally brilliant". To me Jim is more than the ultimate swing nerd. He's the ultimate teaching nerd. This was a wonderful experience for me and I just wanted to share it with others.

 

Garbud

 

Thanks for your kind feedback, G!

 

The thing about your experience that members here might find interesting and useful, is that on our first day together, we worked mainly on three things that combined had an immediate and dramatic improvement to your ballstriking: de-contamination, ie shutting down your thinking mind and switching to feel with one single focus; better Balance during the swing; starting with the proper Setup.

 

G was standing way too close to the ball and so all of his body postural angles, and balance points were way off. So even though mentally he understood the ASI, his body was not able to carry out the proper blend of pivot with arm pushaway. He had no "space" to move into.

 

We also worked on better lower body mechanics so that he could swing in rock solid Balance.

[Milkers]

Jim I have a question which (I think) is about left arm rotation in the backswing. Am I right in saying that your pushaway drill where you practice the independent arm and hand movement without a pivot should send the club shaft away on a 45 degree angle to the body? If so I am curious as to how this relates to the Faldo drill where the club is positioned at a 90 degree angle to the body (i.e. 45 degrees extra left arm rotation?) before then executing a "shoulder turn" (as an aside I don't like the term shoulder term as I have extremely mobile shoulders and can move the club a long way using them without turning my torso at all... but I digress). I recall you mentioning you don't like the Faldo drill for pure mechanics but do use it for some people with specific release issues. Could you talk a little about what you do and don't like about the Faldo drill or why the Faldo preset position + Turn does not actually put you in the right position at the top of the backswing? As always your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[Jim Waldron]

Jim I have a question which (I think) is about left arm rotation in the backswing. Am I right in saying that your pushaway drill where you practice the independent arm and hand movement without a pivot should send the club shaft away on a 45 degree angle to the body? If so I am curious as to how this relates to the Faldo drill where the club is positioned at a 90 degree angle to the body (i.e. 45 degrees extra left arm rotation?) before then executing a "shoulder turn" (as an aside I don't like the term shoulder term as I have extremely mobile shoulders and can move the club a long way using them without turning my torso at all... but I digress). I recall you mentioning you don't like the Faldo drill for pure mechanics but do use it for some people with specific release issues. Could you talk a little about what you do and don't like about the Faldo drill or why the Faldo preset position + Turn does not actually put you in the right position at the top of the backswing? As always your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

Pretty tough to answer with true clarity using just words but here goes. First, the left arm pushaway attains a 45 degree angle of lead arm to chest - whether you pivot or not pivot.

 

Second, faldo drill does not have lead arm at 90 degrees to the body. Closer to that 45 degree angle. But the chest is closed about 15 degrees and the upper arms are pre-rotated clockwise, a move that happens near the Top of backswing and again during Transition. You also are tilted to the right in the drill and your right elbow is bent 45 degrees and the right elbow is closer to torso mid-line than at end of takeaway. And you have a bit more left wrist bowing than you would have at end of takeaway.

 

Basically the Faldo drill is just starting your swing already at the P6 position.

 

It is a Release drill that just gets you started from the right body positions and angles. Not at all a backswing or Top of backswing drill. And not a takeaway drill either.

 

I dislike "shoulder turn" as well since there is individual range of motion in the scapula, which is not part of the Pivot. Shoulder girdle is better as it involves the Core and upper Torso as a Unit moving through space.

[Milkers]

Sorry Jim maybe I wasn't clear enough. I wasn't talking about the angle of the arm I was talking about the angle of the club (shaft) relative to the body (as if you were looking from overhead).

[Milkers]

This is the Faldo preset drill I am talking about. As I said the club (not the lead arm) is set at 90 degrees to the body, or you could say parallel to the chest as opposed to perpendicular as it is at address.

 

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[Jim Waldron]

Ok, now I understand, slightly different drill. Not a big fan of this version, at least as he showed it, as a way of reaching the model Top position.

 

I think the basic idea is to help golfers who struggle with getting the two types of wrist angles set properly and early enough and who struggle with getting some amount of clockwise arm rotation towards end of backswing. So fine for those golfers - just not an objectively accurate depiction of the whole puzzle.

 

But not correct to say that you just take that position to the Top with nothing else moving. He is moving his arms independently of his Pivot upwards when he does it. His hands would be much lower if he truly did nothing more than pivot. So I would classify this drill as more of an Exagerrated Intention type of drill as opposed to a Swing Model drill, or what is objectively happening.

 

Right arm folding raises left arm in the vertical or upwards dimension. If he started with a 75-90 degree angle in his right arm, would ve closer to an accurate depiction.

[millerman]

Jim,

 

Hi I recently bought you great shot manual and whilst very technical I am working my way through slowly, however can you explain what you mean on the down swing by the hogan loop, I struggled with the explanation

 

Regards

[Jim Waldron]

Jim,

 

Hi I recently bought you great shot manual and whilst very technical I am working my way through slowly, however can you explain what you mean on the down swing by the hogan loop, I struggled with the explanation

 

Regards

 

I sent you a PM with a more detailed response.

 

In general, it just means that on Transition, you need to flatten the shaft, and a few ways to do that are moving right elbow closer to left elbow along with clockwise arm rotation, what Hogan called "dropping onto the Power Plane".

[lsh]

I am interested in studying / learning this swing model and if possible at some time I hope to see Jim for a lesson or clinic. I am looking for suggestions as to how to study / learn. Should I buy the Great Shot in hard cover or E-book? One or more of the numerous videos?

 

Thank You

Steve

[Jim Waldron]

I am interested in studying / learning this swing model and if possible at some time I hope to see Jim for a lesson or clinic. I am looking for suggestions as to how to study / learn. Should I buy the Great Shot in hard cover or E-book? One or more of the numerous videos?

 

Thank You

Steve

 

Hi Steve - I get this question a lot. I guess the answer depends on your motivation: are you a "swing nerd" who loves to learn/explore in the realm of swing theory? Or are you a person who just wants to get better at golf, as fast as possible, and by any means necessary?

 

If you are a swing nerd on a budget - then the book is the way to go. If you are a swing nerd with some disposable income, then the videos are a better choice. If you can afford both the book and the videos, that is an even better option.

 

If you are a golfer who just wants to get better using my methods, then we really need to add a third choice to the mix: "remote lessons"via live webcam.

 

I would rank the three options in order of effectiveness - meaning swing/ballstriking improvement - like this: #1- remote lesson, #2 - video, #3 the book.

 

My usual new student remote lesson is 90 minutes, and the cost is about equal to the price of two videos. In the remote lesson format, the student sends me swing video to study prior to the lesson. Then we "meet" via Skype or Hangouts to review my findings. I can demo a swing segment or position or drill, then watch you do the swing segment or position or drill, with my feedback. So almost as good as an in person lesson.

[GoStars]

I don't have the book (yet). I do have the videos for ASI, Arm Mechanics, Pivot Mechanics, and Swing Map Drills. All are very good and quite comprehensive. I'd probably start with the E-Book and possibly the ASI or Swing Map Drills videos. I'm sure Jim will respond with a better answer than mine.

[lsh]

I am interested in studying / learning this swing model and if possible at some time I hope to see Jim for a lesson or clinic. I am looking for suggestions as to how to study / learn. Should I buy the Great Shot in hard cover or E-book? One or more of the numerous videos?

 

Thank You

Steve

 

Hi Steve - I get this question a lot. I guess the answer depends on your motivation: are you a "swing nerd" who loves to learn/explore in the realm of swing theory? Or are you a person who just wants to get better at golf, as fast as possible, and by any means necessary?

 

If you are a swing nerd on a budget - then the book is the way to go. If you are a swing nerd with some disposable income, then the videos are a better choice. If you can afford both the book and the videos, that is an even better option.

 

If you are a golfer who just wants to get better using my methods, then we really need to add a third choice to the mix: "remote lessons"via live webcam.

 

I would rank the three options in order of effectiveness - meaning swing/ballstriking improvement - like this: #1- remote lesson, #2 - video, #3 the book.

 

My usual new student remote lesson is 90 minutes, and the cost is about equal to the price of two videos. In the remote lesson format, the student sends me swing video to study prior to the lesson. Then we "meet" via Skype or Hangouts to review my findings. I can demo a swing segment or position or drill, then watch you do the swing segment or position or drill, with my feedback. So almost as good as an in person lesson.

 

 

Thanks for the reply. Remote lessons are not an option at this time. I do not have a computer with a camera to video chat with. At $69. each I don't have disposable income at this time for all the videos. While I have read several golf books I am not sure I would call myself a golf nerd.

I believe I wold learn better from videos than a book. If I was to start with maybe 2 videos do you have a suggestion? Should the progression be Module A: then - B: then -C:- then D: ?

I am 62 and an inconsistent 6 hdcp on my home course.

Thanks

[Jim Waldron]

I am interested in studying / learning this swing model and if possible at some time I hope to see Jim for a lesson or clinic. I am looking for suggestions as to how to study / learn. Should I buy the Great Shot in hard cover or E-book? One or more of the numerous videos?

 

Thank You

Steve

 

Hi Steve - I get this question a lot. I guess the answer depends on your motivation: are you a "swing nerd" who loves to learn/explore in the realm of swing theory? Or are you a person who just wants to get better at golf, as fast as possible, and by any means necessary?

 

If you are a swing nerd on a budget - then the book is the way to go. If you are a swing nerd with some disposable income, then the videos are a better choice. If you can afford both the book and the videos, that is an even better option.

 

If you are a golfer who just wants to get better using my methods, then we really need to add a third choice to the mix: "remote lessons"via live webcam.

 

I would rank the three options in order of effectiveness - meaning swing/ballstriking improvement - like this: #1- remote lesson, #2 - video, #3 the book.

 

My usual new student remote lesson is 90 minutes, and the cost is about equal to the price of two videos. In the remote lesson format, the student sends me swing video to study prior to the lesson. Then we "meet" via Skype or Hangouts to review my findings. I can demo a swing segment or position or drill, then watch you do the swing segment or position or drill, with my feedback. So almost as good as an in person lesson.

 

 

Thanks for the reply. Remote lessons are not an option at this time. I do not have a computer with a camera to video chat with. At $69. each I don't have disposable income at this time for all the videos. While I have read several golf books I am not sure I would call myself a golf nerd.

I believe I wold learn better from videos than a book. If I was to start with maybe 2 videos do you have a suggestion? Should the progression be Module A: then - B: then -C:- then D: ?

I am 62 and an inconsistent 6 hdcp on my home course.

Thanks

 

As a six index, you very likely already have in place some of the fundamentals covered in the four Module One videos. I think Module Two on the arm swing illusion material and Module Four on the Pivot Mechanics would likely benefit you the most.

[lsh]

Order placed, Thanks Jim

[beutelwomb]

Great view on ASI ;)

 

[Jim Waldron]

Great view on ASI ;)

 

 

I happened to be watching the telecast live yesterday and was thinking to myself when they showed that overhead shot "Wouldn't it be great to post that clip in the ASI thread!".

 

I recommend playing it over and over and slow it down with your DVR and notice how is left arm angle to shoulder girdle looks to be the perfect 68-70 range in degrees at the Top and how much to the right of mid-line his left arm is at impact and even after impact.

 

If you can "think in 3D" you will notice how his really fast uncoiling motion in his Core, torso and shoulder girdle move the sides of the Triangle - the arms- down, out and forward during the forward swing. As opposed to the arms moving themselves independently of the Pivot, which is exactly how the arm swing illusion tricks you into perceiving that same motion.

 

One of the truly profound paradoxes in golf is that to strike a ball long and straight and solid, you are using the same muscles, and the same effort, that you would use to swing a sledge hammer into the bottom of a brick wall, but in golf you are swinging a tool that weighs less than a pound at tiny little plastic ball that weighs next to nothing.

[games]

Great view on ASI ;)

 

 

I happened to be watching the telecast live yesterday and was thinking to myself when they showed that overhead shot "Wouldn't it be great to post that clip in the ASI thread!".

 

I recommend playing it over and over and slow it down with your DVR and notice how is left arm angle to shoulder girdle looks to be the perfect 68-70 range in degrees at the Top and how much to the right of mid-line his left arm is at impact and even after impact.

 

If you can "think in 3D" you will notice how his really fast uncoiling motion in his Core, torso and shoulder girdle move the sides of the Triangle - the arms- down, out and forward during the forward swing. As opposed to the arms moving themselves independently of the Pivot, which is exactly how the arm swing illusion tricks you into perceiving that same motion.

 

One of the truly profound paradoxes in golf is that to strike a ball long and straight and solid, you are using the same muscles, and the same effort, that you would use to swing a sledge hammer into the bottom of a brick wall, but in golf you are swinging a tool that weighs less than a pound at tiny little plastic ball that weighs next to nothing.

 

Wow Jim. Stopped right at 0:37. Complete validation of ASI. Also proof that McIlroy's spine must be made of rubber.

[Jim Waldron]

Great view on ASI ;)

 

 

I happened to be watching the telecast live yesterday and was thinking to myself when they showed that overhead shot "Wouldn't it be great to post that clip in the ASI thread!".

 

I recommend playing it over and over and slow it down with your DVR and notice how is left arm angle to shoulder girdle looks to be the perfect 68-70 range in degrees at the Top and how much to the right of mid-line his left arm is at impact and even after impact.

 

If you can "think in 3D" you will notice how his really fast uncoiling motion in his Core, torso and shoulder girdle move the sides of the Triangle - the arms- down, out and forward during the forward swing. As opposed to the arms moving themselves independently of the Pivot, which is exactly how the arm swing illusion tricks you into perceiving that same motion.

 

One of the truly profound paradoxes in golf is that to strike a ball long and straight and solid, you are using the same muscles, and the same effort, that you would use to swing a sledge hammer into the bottom of a brick wall, but in golf you are swinging a tool that weighs less than a pound at tiny little plastic ball that weighs next to nothing.

 

Wow Jim. Stopped right at 0:37. Complete validation of ASI. Also proof that McIlroy's spine must be made of rubber.

 

Yes it is a "complete validation". I have said for a long time now that only from an overhead view can you truly see through the arm swing illusion. It is really that powerful a perception, shocking to every golfer when they first see through the illusion.

 

I like how he rehearses his takeaway, and you can clearly see his arm pushaway, although he is less than ideal in the angle of the left arm to the chest in the pushaway, he gets to more like 35-40 degree angle instead of the ideal of 45 degrees, a flaw he has struggled with for most of his career. It means he takes the shaft plane a little outside and then has to loop it in on Transition. Although he is much better lately than he used to be with that issue.

[Jim Waldron]

I had a student recently who had never heard of the ASI, with a severe inside takeaway. He either hit a severe push - and sometimes a shank - when he stayed "stuck", or he compensated by throwing his arms out in front of him on Transition, which created a huge out to in path and a big pull.

 

He had been playing for ten years with this horrible two way miss, and stuck at a 20 handicap for the past 7 years. And had quit the game three times in frustration.

 

Showed him the ASI - which totally blew his mind. He actually thought I was kidding him at first!

 

We did some of the ASI Swing Map drills without a ball, some mirror work on the takeaway and Top of backswing, and the the Jug McSpaden ballstriking drills. It took about four hours but at the end of that time he was able to his really consistent golf shots to his target. His path was basically neutral - no more two way miss.

 

It was really cool to see the look on his face at the end of our half day school. He told me "Jim - if I had only known about this stuff ten years ago, I could have been a low single digit by now!"

[Jim Waldron]

I recently had a long conversation with three students over lunch. Two were long-time students (15 and 20 years) and one was brand new.

 

The topic was how to make swing changes, what is required, and how the process unfolds.

 

I always tell my students that you can think of creating a better golf game as a little bit like building a house. First thing you need is some good tools, and a clear plan. The "plan" is simply the teacher's swing model that he imparts to the student, or some portion of that model. You are paying for the "plan" - but if he or she is an effective teacher, you need and deserve a lot more than just purely intellectual swing or short game or putting theory.

 

And that takes us the second part, the "tools". What kind of tools are required? A basic understanding of how the human mind-brain best learns motor or movement skills is the most important tool to "own" because with that tool in place, you have the chance to create all the other tools - swing, short game, and putting mechanics, mental game skills - that you need to play well.

 

Most of my new students arrive at my golf schools or lessons, with not only little to no understanding of what the motor skills learning process is all about, but with a set of beliefs about how to learn golf skills that is almost guaranteed to produce failed learning outcomes.

 

At the heart of that failed set of beliefs is the notion that your conscious mind is actively engaged in creating a golf shot.

 

You are either playing this game consciously trying to "make good stuff happen" during your swing or stroke, or you are doing the opposite - letting go of conscious control and allowing your subconscious mind to be in charge of your body and club motion.

 

Only one of those strategies will work effectively....

[Jim Waldron]

Obviously you want your body to be controlled by your subconscious mind, just like any other physical skill you use in life.

 

But we have a dilemma - which is that if you are like most golfers, (not advanced ballstriker), your present day subconscious mind/body does not understand how to hit a golf ball effectively. Your subconscious mind swing creates terrible golf shots.

 

So what is the answer? For most, it is to embrace conscious mind golf, which is at the heart of traditional golf culture including the instruction culture. I say that is a fatal mistake. There is no other sport in the world - or any craft, or music - that is taught to the level of conscious mind execution. Only golf.....that should tell you something.

 

The only effective answer is to learn how to directly train your subconscious mind with better understanding of how the body and club should move. Once that information is installed in your SM, then your body will effortlessly perform the new movement pattern.

 

No "swing thoughts" or "effort" required!

[Jim Waldron]

So what is required in order to be successful in "programming" into your golfing subconscious mind "computer" the proper "instructions" for the body motion to be more like a pro? I am referring specifically to how individual body parts move in the swing.

 

First, your conscious mind needs to be open to new information about what it takes to strike a golf ball well. With true open-ness and a sincere desire to learn, there is a space in your mind for new understanding. Mere intellectual understanding will help only a little bit in learning new body movement patterns. You need to have a flash of deep insight into whatever aspect of the golf swing you are attempting to learn. If you skip over that first essential step of Deep Insight, you are wasting your time doing the second step.

 

The second step is doing slow motion mirror work training - and lots of reps! The mirror gives you objective feedback as to what your body and club are truly doing. Once you know - from information gleaned from your teacher - how you are supposed to 'look" - what I call the Outer Form - then you simply move slowly and match your body to that Ideal body motion and/or position. When you can do that easily and well, you take it to a deeper level by closing your eyes as you do the slow motion movement, and feel what your body is doing. Meaning pure Feel - no internal visual images or talking to body parts. You are training to feel what the body is doing at this point, meaning a passive Awareness for that motion. You are not trying to "feel your way" to the new motion, rather you are trusting that your body already knows how to execute the new motion slowly, (the mirror work proved that to you) so you just learn to associate a Feel for the swing segment or body part you are training.

 

Then you repeats this visual first/then feel process at half speed Tempo. The feel will change due to speed change.

 

Then you hit balls on the range at half speed, with your mind engaged in holding onto the feel memory for the proper motion.

 

Eventually, you can hit balls at full speed Tempo, with your mind engaged on the feel of the motion.

 

The feel memory is engaged right before the swing starts, and then during the swing you are passively feeling your body motion, meaning your mind is in the present moment and "noticing" through Feel Channel what your body is doing. Being human, sometimes your old swing pattern will return, but if your Feel has been trained as I am describing here, you will instantly notice it.

[rteach1]

Jim,

 

Of course, I have seen and heard these words before from you and they make perfect sense to me. However, I have three sincere questions:

 

1. Have there ever been any studies from motor learning experts, neuroscientists, etc. proving that this sequence is the best way to learn a motor skill? Again, your sequence (and I have seen similar views expressed by other instructors) makes sense to me, but I have a questioning mind. For example, it makes sense to learn the correct movements in slow motion, but I wonder about the lack of dynamism when working in slow motion. I'm pretty certain that you have mentioned that certain looks are an effect of earlier dynamic forces and actions. That being the case, how would one achieve the effect without the dynamic (i.e. full speed) motion?

 

2. Would it make sense to start with a "holistic" model for the swing, so that the student knows how the parts fit together? An architect starts with a blueprint of the entire building; jigsaw puzzle makers show a picture of what the finished puzzle should look look, etc. Then, one can put the parts together more readily.

 

3. There has been quite a bit of scientific research recently on the relative efficiency of external focus vs. internal focus in motor learning. I have read several articles and one book that would seem to provide strong evidence that concentrating on something outside the body (the actions of the club, the target, etc.) results in more efficient learning and retention than does focusing on what the body parts must do. In essence, focusing on the club would provide the mechanics "for free." What is your view of this debate?

 

Thank you. I'm not looking for a fight, just an intelligent discussion. I know that I'll get that from you. By the way, I don't think that any motor learning scientist would disagree with the importance of deep insight.

[Jim Waldron]

Jim,

 

Of course, I have seen and heard these words before from you and they make perfect sense to me. However, I have three sincere questions:

 

1. Have there ever been any studies from motor learning experts, neuroscientists, etc. proving that this sequence is the best way to learn a motor skill? Again, your sequence (and I have seen similar views expressed by other instructors) makes sense to me, but I have a questioning mind. For example, it makes sense to learn the correct movements in slow motion, but I wonder about the lack of dynamism when working in slow motion. I'm pretty certain that you have mentioned that certain looks are an effect of earlier dynamic forces and actions. That being the case, how would one achieve the effect without the dynamic (i.e. full speed) motion?

 

2. Would it make sense to start with a "holistic" model for the swing, so that the student knows how the parts fit together? An architect starts with a blueprint of the entire building; jigsaw puzzle makers show a picture of what the finished puzzle should look look, etc. Then, one can put the parts together more readily.

 

3. There has been quite a bit of scientific research recently on the relative efficiency of external focus vs. internal focus in motor learning. I have read several articles and one book that would seem to provide strong evidence that concentrating on something outside the body (the actions of the club, the target, etc.) results in more efficient learning and retention than does focusing on what the body parts must do. In essence, focusing on the club would provide the mechanics "for free." What is your view of this debate?

 

Thank you. I'm not looking for a fight, just an intelligent discussion. I know that I'll get that from you. By the way, I don't think that any motor learning scientist would disagree with the importance of deep insight.

 

Hi R - thanks for your interest in the current topic!

 

It is an important one for sure. There are lots of academic studies devoted to motor learning and to the relative contributions of vision and feel or more specifically proprioception.

 

The sequence of vision first and then feel has been used in Asia for centuries and has produced many thousands of skilled martial artists. It is where I first encountered it when I was eleven years old. The proven track record is unmatched for sports learning. Russian tennis teachers also use it as a few recent best-selling books discussed. South Korean golf program as well.

 

It also matches with an empirical approach and a pragmatic understanding of how the conscious mind functions. Which can be directly observed in your own mind and by asking the right questions to experts, and in my case, to several thousand students over the years.

 

We tend to approach learning a new skill by first intellectual understanding it (assuming you are a well-educated person to start with) which is mainly word-based learning. Works great for things like science, philosophy, most academic disciplines. But only a tiny baby step for movement or motor skills, by definition, meaning a movement pattern is all about sensing how your body moves, and is not at all about a theory about how your body should be moving. There is a huge gap between words/theory and how your body is really moving.

 

It's why if you go to a good martial arts school, there will be very little discussion of analysis of how the body parts should be moving and a ton of actual physical exercises designed to help you to feel/sense how your body is moving, along with mirror work.

 

It is an accepted premise in the Asian martial arts tradition that "thinking" is not only not helpful, but actually a hindrance to good execution.

 

 

Slow motion training does not in any way exclude full speed training. You need to do both. The distinction in my system is that you NEVER do any training of moving body parts in the early and mid stages, at normal full speed Tempo. Only at slow motion or later half speed.

 

You do need to do full speed training for Balance, Tempo, Rhythm, mantaining the Three Triangle Arm pressures, Release timing, grip pressure and a few other issues like Steady Head. The basic idea is that you simply do not have ANY precision conscious mind control of moving body parts when swinging at normal speeds. So that is why those moving body parts are ONLY trained at slow motion speed in the early stages. Because only when moving slowly does your conscious thinking mind have precision control over your body. I understand that likely 99.9% of golf teachers do not know this to be true. Does not matter, it is true, and has been known in the West since late 19th century.

 

Yes to your second point, one that I make explicitly at every one of my golf swing "boot camp's". Tons of research on this, sometimes called "whole-part-whole" learning. And I do use the jigsaw puzzle you mentioned. I ask my students to imagine a puzzle building contest between myself and them. Two piles of puzzles on the floor. But since its just me against ten students, I get a little bit of a help by viewing the puzzle in it's completed form. It is Justin Rose at his Finish. Guess who wins the contest? Me, an its because my mind has a bit of a "roadmap" since I know the destination, what it looks like.

 

Your third point, I am not a fan of that belief, I know the studies behind it. I just think the basic premise is lacking. Easy to conflate learning a motor skill with performing a motor skill - not the same thing!. And a big difference between feeling the club weight and motion (which has a proven track record in golf) with internally picturing it, the latter is what most golfers do anyhow, ie visually/mentally "tracking" the clubhead - which is really just engaging in fantasy.

 

Picturing the clubhead in your mind has no causal relationship to where your club actually is in space. I work with new students all the time who are constantly "picturing" the club swinging round their body (in 2D which is chock full of illusions!) and when I ask them where they "thought" their clubhead was in space, 99% of their time they are not even close to being accurate.

 

If you are "picturing" the clubhead then you are actually paying attention to a fantasy image that your mind literally made up, you are NOT paying attention to the actual clubhead moving through 3D space. And actually knowing where that clubhead is in space is very important, especially for beginners and high cappers. You can train your Feel channel to give a pretty accurate assessment of where it is, because you are feeling the real weight of the clubhead in your fingers.

 

My view of those studies is that they stumbled upon something already widely known in martial arts (where there are many books written about it) in acting, music and other crafts. Which is simply that when your mind dissociates from your body, ie projects itself outside to "look" or "monitor" what the body is doing from an external perspective looking back to the body (what they call internal focus) , and doing that "monitoring" from visual or auditory channel (default is visual for most golfers) that this creates a breakdown in the brain-mind/body connection and makes your body flinch. So compared to that approach, getting your mind off of focusing on your body in that dysfunctional dissociated kind of way, and thinking target or clubhead to ball to target will certainly create better shots.

 

I think the study would have had far different results if they used another group of golfers already trained in Feel Chanel, and asked them to feel a body part or just the whole motion feel, from first person perspective (no focusing inward) and especially a passive awareness, meaning not actively trying to "make" a body part do something.

 

Many Tour events and top amateur events have been won where the golfers was in first person Feel channel, sensing how their body moved during the swing.

 

I think embracing the Target and the intention to send the ball there is vitally important, but not necessary to hold in your mind consciously to hit great shots. It can be programmed in and trusted, then let go into the background of your awareness.

[Jim Waldron]

As for the sequence, clearly vision had to come first, since you cannot "feel" your way to new mechanics. Why? How can you feel something that does not in fact exist? You can certainly feel - as an average golfer in this example - your current bad motion golf swing, since it is indeed objectively happening. But how could you "feel" a new and better motion if in fact you are not doing it in the first place?

 

Feel can only reflect what is happening in your body motion reality, or it can be a memory in Feel Channel for a body motion you felt at some time in the past. The two are not the same thing, even though both involve the sensory feedback from Feel.

 

So that is why the slow motion mirror work is so effective. You can "think" you way with real-time visual feedback to a body and club motion closer to a tour pro. Then you associate a "feel" with that better motion. After enough reps, your feel sense memory for the proper motion has a very good chance of causing your body to create that proper motion.

[rteach1]

Thank you for your detailed response. I will give it a lot of thought. Much to mull over.