[coophitter]

Two crucial concepts to understand and differentiate are Delivery and Release.

In Pivot Strokes, the Power Package (6-0) -- Assembled with its Power Accumulated (6-B-0), Loaded (6-C-0) and Stored (6-D-0) -- is Delivered (6-E-0) by the Pivot (7-12) to its Release Point. Only then does the independent action of the Arms (the straightening of the Right Elbow) continue the Delivery of the Lever Assembly (Left Arm and Club) into Impact (6-K-0). In other words, only then does Arm Action -- versus Pivot Action -- "actuate" the Power Package. So . . .

First the Pivot.

Then, the Arms.





[This cries out for a video.]



It is this delayed extension ("uncocking") of the Right Arm -- the third side of the Triangle Assembly (6-A-1) -- that Triggers the Release (6-M-0) and drives the Club through Impact (1-L #10).

Tom Tomasello understood these concepts, as evidenced in his quotes from a video just sent me by our own Delaware Golf:

Demonstrating the Start Down and its Pivot Action, Tommy says:

"Lower the right shoulder . . . we know we don't do this [with the arms] . . .. this is what the body does, not the arms."

Then, demonstrating the Start Down Waggle (a pumping motion training the initial move from the Top), he says:

"Rock the shoulders. . . rock the shoulders."

"Now" he says, having delivered the Club well into the Downstroke via the 'rocking' Right Shoulder (Shoulder Turn Acceleration per 8-7), "uncock the arm" (Release per 8-9).

Tom's video will be in our Gallery ASAP. Thanks, Dave.

Bottom line: Only in Non-Pivot Strokes does the Arm action begin immediately (6-L-0). Otherwise, the Downstroke Sequence (6-M-1) is broken, the Right Shoulder remains 'high' and the Elbow becomes straight prior to (or during) Impact. This "running out of Right Arm" triggers an automatic Throwaway (6-D-0), and unless done intentionally and for a purpose, the shot is lost.

The legs plant and the lower part of the spine pivots a bit and changes directions a split second before the upper spine, arms, and club have finished their backswing. This leg/lower spine action serves two purposes: It puts the brakes on the upper spine-arms-club backswing and it pushes into the ground to create the groundforce that the arms and hands can then transmit in a different direction, if desired, by lowering, forming, and aiming a harness or "power package". The initial leg plant and slight lower spine pivot to effect the braking action and groundforce production then slows down so that energy can flow into the prepared arms, hands, and club. The arms, hands, and club then swing through the ball past the pivot and then reaccelerate the slowed pivot to the finish. Horizontal hinge action typically accelerates the pivot to a fuller more rotateded finish than angled or vertical hinge action.

Based on the above, one could convincingly argue that the pivot precedes and sets up the start down, storage, delivery, and release of the power package, but one could also convincingly argue that start down, storage, delivery, and release are muscularly handled by the arms once the plant and pivot have supplied the braking action, groundforce production, and subsequent slow down necessary for the arms and hands to then muscularly form a harness and transmit the groundforce. Until the force is transmitted by the arms and hands, a golfer has not swung to hit the ball yet. So the arms harness and transmit the force on the downswing and the slowed pivot reaccelerates and follows thereafter. Arms initiate downswing force transmission and the pivot follows, but the pivot has already accelerated a bit and then slowed to facilitate this.

First pivot then arms to initiate, generate, and complete the actual strike of the ball or the other way around? Either explanation works for me. I just need to know someone's definitions of when the backswing stops, when the downswing begins, and when the actual muscular force to strike the ball is transmitted. I usually prefer to say that the legs and pivot stop the backswing and create the groundforce that the arms can then harness and transmit to initiate the strike of the ball. Since I can check my swing and decide not to strike the ball after my downswing leg and pivot action has occurred, then I really do feel that my bent right arm receives the ultimate message from my brain to initiate the strike of the ball.

I predict that there will always be two sides to this argument and both are right, but I do believe that the legs are the engine and the arms and hands are the transmission. The muscularly active and reactive pivot is necessary for both the engine and the transmission to be effective.

Einstein said that answers to complex questions like this are usually simple, elegant, and predictable, but in this case I believe in HL Mencken who said that "For every complex problem there is a simple solution. And it's always wrong." Both sides in this debate should be prepared to be wrong, right, or neither wrong nor right depending on the premises and context of the argument.