If I told you that the percentage of players on the PGA Tour who use the Classic Golf Swing principle of performing a free hip turn by allowing the leading heel to release on the back swing pivot is pretty low, you’d likely agree with me.
I like to use the term “release” or “floating” rather than “lifting,” because those two terms compared to the latter connote a passive action rather than a deliberate one.
A while back, Jim asked a question about the “hip stall” he noticed in Mickey Wright’s swing, and which everyone talks about in Rory McIlroy’s impact phase, and I had answered back then that it is part of an efficient transfer of power to the ball (“cracking the whip”) that anyone can do with a proper down swing sequence.
You may have heard some things regarding the tendency of Modern Golf Swingers to do what I call “losing one’s level,” which is also called the “harpoon” by some and which is actually praised in modern analysis.
Even worse, you will hear some analysts calling this losing of one’s level on the down swing (where the head precipitously drops) as “getting ready to jump” at the impact stage, which is absurd – if you lose your level on the down swing and don’t react to it before impact, you’ll hit the ground about a foot behind the ball.
I don’t really have anything swing-wise to say that is overly pertinent, so I thought I’d make this thread a grab-bag and Open Thread for anyone to share their thoughts on this, the PGA Championship’s “Moving Day” at Quail Hollow.
I am wondering myself if it’s Hideki Matsuyama’s time – he’s already won 3 events this season, is coming hot off the win at the WGC at Bridgestone last week and he’s tied for the lead going off on Day 3.
Seems he’s in great position to make history as the first Japanese major champion on Tour and I believe, the 3rd Asian (after VJ Singh and YE Yang) to bag one.
That’s got to be what happened, because the only other explanation for showing a Rory McIlroy drive carrying 365 yards on Wednesday at the range would be that there’s some fraudulent representation going on somewhere.
I will admit that my initial thought when I saw a 365 yard carry with 181 mph ball launch speed was, “My God, the balls are going way too far!”
Of course, that would be anyone’s initial thought if you figured everything was on the up and up, right? But then… I thought a bit and…
**Update At Bottom
If the Modern Golf Swing doesn’t…
I heard all of the uproar about Rory McIlroy’s drive at the PGA Championship venue Quail Hollow this week – a 365 yard carry with the driver is impressive!
I couldn’t wait to get a look at his numbers – I mean, the winning long drive distances from the 90’s were in the 360-380 yard range, and these guys had 135 mph club and 195-200 mph ball speed to get those distances in total, meaning carry and roll, not just carry.
Well, it seems no one will have an excuse after today – anyone who is trying to play a power game or hit the ball a long distance (which is, in essence, the “power game”) with a modern golf swing model is putting themselves at risk of back injuries.
The article I’m going to quote here from a Golf Channel online piece by Matt Adams describes the doctor I’m about to reference as:
Continue reading
It looks like Rory McIlroy is finally getting some proper equipment (I mean, who really plays Nike clubs without being paid to do it?), and the results are spectacular.
Rory Mac is one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour, and he’ll be moving up on that list, if these numbers below carry out… and if you want to know how he’s doing it – athletic talent counts for a lot, but if you haven’t noticed this, you haven’t been paying attention!
Update #1 at Bottom, Update #2 beneath the first picture of Rory @ the top**
Rant Alert.
My first choice of title for this posting was “Who Is This Clown?” but prudence prevailed.
This, my friends, is why you can’t learn proper golf mechanics from the modern swing guys, whether they’re teaching it or announcing the pro events.
They have no clue what they’re talking about. Either that or they’re deliberately misleading people.
There is a way to swing with a planted leading heel, as I’ve said.
I’ve also pointed out someone with a passable planted-heel swing model (one Dustin Johnson, for example), but hold the phone a minute…
Has Rory McIlroy found “the secret” to the modern golf swing’s planted heel pivot?
