[innercityteacher]

Hitting for power and effect

Remember the Horizontal Hinge!

Originally posted by Yoda

The Golf Stroke is always a Left Arm Stroke as long as the Left Shoulder serves as the Center of the Clubhead Arc. In that sense, both Hitters and Swingers must 'Pull' from the Top (8-6) of the Stroke. However, the Swinger's long Backstroke typically goes to the End (10-21-C), and then he Pulls the Club down like it was a piece of string trailing behind him. Then, having cranked up the Gyroscope of the orbiting Clubhead, he 'hangs on' as Centrifugal Force Powers the Club through Impact. The Hitter's Backstroke, on the other hand, typically ends at the Top (10-21-A) when his Right Elbow has become completely Bent. Then, after the initial Downstroke Shoulder Acceleration (8-7), he accelerates the Club by Pushing against the Clubshaft as if it was an Axe Handle.

At the Top then, the Hitter resists the Inertia of the moving Club (which wants to continue On Plane Up, Back and In). This resistance to the Clubhead Inertia causes the Lag Pressure to Load against the No. 3 Pressure Point and is called Drive Loading (10-19-A). Once the Right Shoulder has provided the initial Downstroke Acceleration (2-M-4), the Hitter begins his Right Arm Pushing, Driving Motion through Impact. The Swinger, on the other hand, with his longer End Backstroke, allows the Club to come to rest against the first knuckle of the Right Hand. He then Loads the Lag Pressure against that Point by Pulling the Club down lengthwise -- Drag Loading (10-19-C).

At the Top then, the Hitter has not changed in the slightest his Impact Fix alignments, i.e., Left Wrist Flat and Right Wrist Bent. Therefore, the Clubshaft has maintained its position against the No. 3 Pressure Point, and the Shaft is still pointing skyward. The Swinger, on the other hand, Turns (4-C-2) his Left Hand against the Plane in the Backstroke (Standard Left Wrist Action of 10-18-A). He typically goes to parallel (and perhaps beyond), and this has caused the Clubshaft to Load down against the first knuckle of the Right Hand. This Action gives the Swinger the Feel of having Rotated the Left Wrist and Lag Pressure Point one-quarter Turn in the Backstroke.

The Hitter, on the other hand, feels no such Rotation. Instead, he senses Homer's "Hitter's Guiding Principle:"

"At the Top, you should feel that absolutely nothing has changed in your Impact Fix Wrist alignments and that you are in perfect postion to Slap the Ball with the palm of your Right Hand."

The Swinger, having Rotated his Left Wrist in the Backstroke, then maintains that position through the Start Down, Downstroke and Release. This is the Swinger's 'Left Hand Karate Chop' to the Ball. The Action of this Left Hand 'Palm Down' to the Plane' surface actually overrides the 'natural action' of the Hitter's constant On Plane Rolling from the Top (caused by the Turning of the Body and the Swinging of the Arms and Hands). The Swinger's Rotation must ultimately be reversed -- this is the function of the Swivel -- in order to restore the Impact Fix alignments.

The Hitter needs no such Swivel because his Left Hand has been Closing from the time it left the Top in Start Down. From Release, he simply Drives his Right Arm through Impact in a Straight Line Motion.

If you are thinking that there is a lot more going on with Swinging than with Hitting, you are right. If you are thinking that Hitting, once mastered, can be the superior alternative, you may be right there, too. It's all about personal preference. I, for one, feel more far more in control and am decidedly more accurate Hitting. The reason is that you are never out of your Impact Fix Alignments. And as for Homer:

"You'll all become Hitting Nuts."

I'm still needing the perfect picture looking over the top of my right shoulder and down to see the visual cues to know my right elbow has bent perfectly and then I can plant and Drive that axe into the tree!

I need a lot of things, but I GET BY WITH THE HELP OF MY LBG FRIENDS!

ICT