[innercityteacher]

Paying careful attention to right foot/left foot/right foot set-up and stance width tonight in 37 degree temp. Impact Fix on the drag lag spot right forearm on plane. Tracing back/stepping back to inside of right foot and shifting the belly button left. Thrust/lag drag in front of short irons-110 yard 52 degree wedge, 130 yard pw, 141 + yard 9 iron all straight with narrow stance and very high/soft landing, drag lag of middle irons and hybrids to back of ball- 6 iron 170 yards plus carry 3 hybrid 180 yards 2 hybrid inch in front of ball for almost 200 yards carry (have to retrain my stance to get wider!) and the driver, choked down an inch, teed low floats very high past 230. Drive works best with feeling of dragging the lag to the middle of my stance. Have to keep my hands back and let the weight shift throw the club head at the Base line of the plane.

ICT

The Right Forearm Angle of Approach and Bucket Drills provided by Daryl have led me to a lot of new insights based on TGM. I have a driving range buddy Anthony, who is a huge fan of Ben Hogan and has read every book, purchased rare volumes and films and hits the ball a ton. I showed Anthony the Bucket Drill and he was blown away and then I explained the term "Right Forearm Angle of Approach" (RFAA) and Anthony says "well Hogan used that but you don't do it as far as he did!" and so we go on and on...

http://youtu.be/NeFBj3361i8

I knew I wanted to do it, carry the right forearm laid off down and stay connected, that is. Anthony said that he had noticed a "hitch" in my swing that seemed to disrupt my swing. I said "you mean my line of compression?" "I was off-plane?" So I explained "line of compression." Anthony did not realize there was a term of that, again.

Anthony explained how Hogan said that any shot below a 5 iron needed an open stance so the hips would be pre-turned since the clubs were so short that they straightened earlier (came into line). So, I started opening my stance and shortening it. The hitch disappeared! The RFAA and elbow connection was sustained. I felt the ball compress as I have since Daryl suggested I shorten my stance weeks ago.

Anthony said it was the first time he saw my left shoulder work up and my swing look "smooth" He explained how in his study Hogan and pros create a huge space between their front hip and front shoulder so the club can stay on plane, but that the foot work has to be good. I told him about the "both arms straight position" being necessary for full extension and power and again he was surprised that there was golfing language for that.

So I shortened and opened my stance for every club including my # 2 hybrid ( 200 yards high and straight despite the cold and wind) and driver ( old Adams Red Line 9.5 senior shaft ) where I actually saw the ball "double accelerate" off the face of the club time and again !

For each shot, I knew I would go through "both arms straight" compressing the ball, hitting through the ball and either drawing or fading the ball based on ball position. I had been watching a lot of Mike Austin and his "step and throw" which like Hogan's had kept his right Elbow attached to his side for a long time.

http://youtu.be/962X9A1oQsI

So by stepping left and keeping my right elbow connected or using the RFAA Bucket drill, I was able to sustain the Lag on plane and in balance! I am not throwing as Mike Austin did but simply dragging the mop through by stepping left. The balls left the driver shooting like bb's and went high and straight or any way I determined based on ball position. As narrow as my stance was, I was able to reach full extension through the both arms straight position and finish with the "arrow through the ear " finish fully facing the target with my chest and with both knees almost touching.

Daryl had told me that the RFAA would result in much straighter ball flight and better compression. By opening and narrowing my stance and stepping left, I am now able to carry my right elbow and Power Package through strongly gaining both power and precision.

Thanks guys!

ICT