You’ll all by now be familiar with the concept upon which I’ve been working with regards to swing modeling – that is, swinging in a manner that emulates the Iron Byron or any other swinging machine or robot.
What this would entail is in reaching the optimal in three processes (the setup, back pivot and down swing) with maximum stability in the leading foot and head positions throughout.
It is now becoming evident to me that, out of all of the issues that people investigate with regards to swing modelling (ball position, stance, etc.), the grip is most overlooked part of it all.
I have spent years believing simply because he set the standard over a century ago that Harry Vardon’s grip was the correct one to employ.
I found a swing from a session back in July of 2021 and am looking forward to comparing how my mechanical action looks down the line in comparison to now.
I’ve made the complete transition to a right-dominant throwing action and, although the swing below is a very passable action, driving the ball past 300 yards, it was still very “pulling” with the left arm.
I have talked about how rotation is the enemy of gravity, and for some this may seem strange, as the popular opinion is that one must rotate in the golf swing.
That opinion is wrong, mechanically-speaking, and I’ll show you an example in the extreme to illustrate the difference between a proper rotation around the supporting leg over rotating in place during a swing.
If this analogy works for anyone, consider the moment of impact in the golf swing as the moment a door swings closed.
At impact, the door has swung shut, so one must ask oneself, “from which point is the door shutting?”
I would love nothing more than to have figured out what made the old Classic Golf Swing grip so effective and to at the same time stick a dagger in the Modern Golf Swing instruction scam.
To wit: Imagine that the grip change from the old Classic era along with the restricted-hip pivot are why people have so much difficulty making a proper and athletic swing at the ball.
I have been discussing Jack Nicklaus’ 1963 setup, swing and grip for some time as you all know, and I concluded that his grip in this setup was optimal.
The question however would be, is it optimal, period? Or was it optimal because of the way he set up over the ball, and would a stronger grip than his work as well in a slightly different setup?
WAX Golf 