Originally Posted by Yoda

The photo has been mislabeled by the editors, mcflog. It is not a Backswing photo. It is a Start Down photo.

View Stroke sequences critically: Such an error is not as rare as you might think. Also, it is not unusual for one Sequence to be constructed from two or more Strokes.

Originally Posted by Yoda

Sorry for the temporary hijack of this 'One Piece' thread, but I couldn't help myself. Plate #45 above may the all-time great model for a correct Start Down. The Sweetspot, the Clubface, the Clubshaft, the Hands and the Flat Left Wrist, the Right Shoulder all aligned perfectly with the Baseline of the Inclined Plane. And the Right Forearm Flying Wedge is supporting that Action beautifully. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Thanks for posting, Colonel!

Originally Posted by EdZ

Those who can not feel the 'room' for the right arm to extend through impact should take special note of plate #43.

Nearly every hacker has moved the hands away from their body and club well inside at this point. Instantly off, and above plane - yet appearing to the eye of most to be below plane (because the shaft is).

Keeping the clubhead "outside the hands" and staying on plane such as this excellent example at #43 is the cure. Split grip drills can help a lot to really 'get' this feel. Especially from impact to both arms straight. You will have "room" to extend the right arm from the 'inside', downplane. You will really be able to feel that "magic" - the right forearm.

I most certainly agree with Lynn. #45 is about as good as it gets.

Study 43, 44,45 closely ;)

Originally Posted by lagster

Mr. Nelson has a little Rope Drag(where he starts the handle back first, then the clubhead catches up)to start the TAKEAWAY.
Do any of you use this?

It is a good way to get the FEEL for Swinging, but don't overdo it. TGMers, if they wish to employ this, should probably execute the ROPE DRAG as part of their RIGHT FOREARM TAKEAWAY. It's very subtle, and should just be a part of the total Right Forearm Takeaway along with a slight FANNING and gradual UPWARD MOTION. The LEFT ARM, is simultaneously doing it't selected WRIST ACTION.

It is also one way to help people that whip the club inside!

Originally Posted by Yoda

Powerdraw and Colonel 12 Piece,

Have ye no faith in 'ol Yoda? :)

What I said was that Plate 45 is a model Start Down, and that is exactly what I meant. Clearly, it is a Start Down with the leading Downstroke Body Turn having already Loaded the Power Package Lag. It is not a Backswing, despite the label erroneously applied by the editor and the accompanying analysis by, presumably, the author. As proof, compare the left thigh pant creases in Plate 43 ("Start of the Backswing") with those of Plate 45. As they do in other sequences in the book, the creases should have become more 'slack' as the Hip Turn increased and the Knee moved further into the Backstroke. Instead, the creases were stretched out in Plate 45 by the leading Hips and Left Leg in the Downstroke. [These photos are not of the same Stroke but the principle is the same.]

Colonel, please scan in Plate 35. That is a Backswing photo. Then, put Plates 35 and 45 side-by-side in comparison mode. The Top (long iron) and the Start Down (mid-iron) will be obvious.

Also scan in Plate 37, which is a front view of this exact alignment. Here the Hands similarly have already re-traced from the End of the Stroke to the Top (Hands Right Shoulder High and On Plane). It is with a long iron, but the comparison is still relevant. Especially with regards to the Pivot Lag -- Hips leading Shoulders and the Loaded Power Package in the Downstroke.

By the way, how about that Ball Boy out in the distance (just under Byron's forehead)? A forgotten part of the Game. I used to love watching the legends at Augusta -- Snead, Hogan, Demaret and Nelson -- firing directly at their caddies. In the case of that group, the caddies deserved Hazardous Duty Pay!