Air-time

[airair]

McHatton feels that gravity is all you need. He says you can't add any more speed beyond what the forces of gravity provide. A ball thrown down from a tall building won't go any faster than one that is dropped.! So swinging, I guess putting effort into it might not be a good thing. Perhaps that is why a relaxed swing will often go over the green! So snapping the kinetic chain suggests effort. Trying to hit it further remains a mystery for me. I would give up on distance cept that bunker on no 4 and 18 keeps catching me. If only I had 5 more yards I could clear it and I would save 2 to 3 shots a round. Then if I could eliminate the inconsistency and perhaps make one more putt I would be scratch. I know that Ben Doyle says to plant the left heel with the force you would use to set off the silent alarm if the bank was being robbed. So perhaps the swinger can only maximize his effort in this move.

It's not supposed to be easy - or if it is - it's not quite working ...

[BerntR]

McHatton feels that gravity is all you need.

Gravity is earth pulling the club. Like a magnet pulling another magnet.

The higher you lift the clubhead in the back swing the more potential energy you create. Some of this potential energy will be transformed to swing speed as the clubhead drops towards the ground.

Let's assume that you lift the clubhead 2 meters above the ground in the back swing. And that your motion is so efficient that all the kinetic energy you've created by this lift transforms to swing speed. That will give you a mind blowing speed at impact of 14 MPH. If you stretch it and lift the clubhead 3 meters up you might get you up to 21 MPH.

My advice is to stick to TGM.

[airair]

Gravity is earth pulling the club. Like a magnet pulling another magnet.

The higher you lift the clubhead in the back swing the more potential energy you create. Some of this potential energy will be transformed to swing speed as the clubhead drops towards the ground.

Let's assume that you lift the clubhead 2 meters above the ground in the back swing. And that your motion is so efficient that all the kinetic energy you've created by this lift transforms to swing speed. That will give you a mind blowing speed at impact of 14 MPH. If you stretch it and lift the clubhead 3 meters up you might get you up to 21 MPH.

My advice is to stick to TGM.

The way you explain it here - it seems like gravity is overrated with regards to the golf swing? Sure - I'll stick to TGM and their instructors.

[airair]

Is it true that at some point the turning of the torso in the downswing/release has to stop accelerating to get the best result at impact?
If so, why?

[Daryl]

Is it true that at some point the turning of the torso in the downswing/release has to stop accelerating to get the best result at impact?
If so, why?

False. If the Leading component slows, then the lagging component slows.

6-C-0 GENERAL “Loading” means establishment of the Lag, Drag and Thrust – at the selected Assembly Point (10-21) by the selected Loading Action (10-22) – calculated to produce the necessary Downstroke Thrust and Impact Force for the situation at hand. “Lag” defines the condition of “trailing,” or “following,” and can, and usually should, exist to some degree at every point in the Stroke from feet to Clubhead. Every Lagging Component places a Drag on its preceding Component, which is proportional to the Rate of Acceleration of the leading component.

[airair]

False. If the Leading component slows, then the lagging component slows.

Makes sense. Thanks.

[airair]

In contrast to November and Desember it has actually been rather mild this January. Today I have done a lot of swinging on the veranda in the sunshine (without a ball). I'm much better without the white hard little ball. Made some snowballs though and blasted them to pieces in some total motions. It was almost spring like outside. But it's back to colder weather tomorrow.

On Friday we (me and my wife) are taking a 14 days trip back to the same place we were in November - on Grand Canaria, The Canary Islands. Looking forward to it - golf wise as well.

On a personal note - we will also visit my parents who already are there on a 3 month stay. My dad will be 90 years old in May. He got his green card in 1990 with flying colors and a birdie on his 6th hole of his first round, but gave up golf one year later when he had begun hacking. Then it wasn't fun any more. Oh well ...he never experienced being a hacker for 20 years..

[BerntR]

Is it true that at some point the turning of the torso in the downswing/release has to stop accelerating to get the best result at impact?
If so, why?

It doesn't have to stop. It doesn't have to slow down. But it will tend to be slowed down.

I think of this as a gear shift. When you shift from 2nd to 3rd gear the engine will rotate on a lower RPM. But you should still step on the gas.

When the club is being released it will have significant slowing down effect on the hands. When accumulator #4 (the arms swing) is released it will slow down the pivot. So yes, the preceeding component does slow down. But the more you can prevent the slowing down, the better you will strike the ball.

[Daryl]

AirAir, that sounds like another great trip.

[airair]

It doesn't have to stop. It doesn't have to slow down. But it will tend to be slowed down.

I think of this as a gear shift. When you shift from 2nd to 3rd gear the engine will rotate on a lower RPM. But you should still step on the gas.

When the club is being released it will have significant slowing down effect on the hands. When accumulator #4 (the arms swing) is released it will slow down the pivot. So yes, the preceeding component does slow down. But the more you can prevent the slowing down, the better you will strike the ball.

Ok, no deliberate effort to slow it down - on the contrary. Good to know. Thanks.