Coil and other such nonsense

I was thinking about this thing called coil in our swings. Yes, I think it is a necessary part of the swing and I further think it will work for us if we let coil do its work.

What happens when we wind a coil? I mean one in which we have to do the work to wind it. We have to actively grasp the coiling mechanism and turn it imparting using our work to store energy in the coil. If we let go of the coil it unwinds freely until it dissipates the potential energy is stored. We don't keep our hand on the coiling mechanism and guide it back around, we let it uncoil freely.

Now our swings are not exactly like a coil, but there are some similarities I think that we should consider. Let's look at it simply. We set up to the ball and from that set up position, using our spine as the axis; we turn our body about that axis to the top of our backswing. If we turn fully back we create this tension or coil that we can feel in the muscles of our back, in our hips and mostly at that point down through our right leg to the ground. We have built up potential energy. A little lifting of the arms also adds to the potential energy.

Now what if, in keeping the same spine angle and it's relation to the ground we were to completely relax the shoulders, arms, hands, hips, basically let go of that tension that was build up. No bumping or active turning of the hips or active turning of the shoulders. Just let them go. Roughly the arms, shoulders, hands and of course the club that is attached to them, drop to the ground and pretty much gets us back to the address position. Actually it may go a little past because of some of the tension built up or momentum of the club head but not much.

My point, look how little effort it takes to get the club head back to the address position; Very small effort to get to the point where club head makes contact with the ball. The shoulder doesn't cast out; it pretty much drops straight down the target line. Arms stretch out towards the ground. This seems to get us in a pretty good hitting position.

Well the ball is not going to go very far if this is all we do, so we do have to add another engine or force. For me that is where actively bumping and turning the hips come in. The lower body adds the extra power to send the ball down the fairway. But we have to do little else with our arms, shoulders and hands. If we let the arms swing freely momentum should carry us all the way to the follow through.

Now am I saying we have absolutely no activity from the upper body in the forward swing? I think that would be nigh impossible. But it would be much less conscious. Sure we could say to ourselves: "I am going to rotate my wrists into the swing to square the club" and do so or some other small thought. But it is not necessary. And I would say that unconsciously we may force our shoulders around a bit, but is just happens.

Now I am a two plane swinger but I think this works for one planers too. The exception is that one planers basically wrap the club around their bodies and turn the hips straight around rather than bumping then turning.

So there is my thesis which I am sure will be continually updated. Like many of you I find that one has to have an understanding of golf instruction that is somewhat unique to one's self. It is not that I didn't get good advice from pros and others, some parts just didn't sink in. I highly recommend to everyone to get lessons. It will really help you start you journey in the right direction. If it is good enough for the pro's it should be good enough for you. Then do some independent study until one day some things will begin to click.

Hi Jamb,

Phew this could be a big one!

I think I agree with that. Rotating and raising the arms to the top then letting them fall will create some speed through gravity and the natural release of tendons and muscles will add a bit more but together I doubt if the it would be enough to get the ball in the air.

To get the average driver head moving at around 100 MPH it has been calculated that you will need 4.5 horse power of energy. The arms and upper torso working together can produce around 1.5 HP, the other 3 Hp has to be generated through the large muscle groups of the legs, hips and lower torso.

What is very important to be a powerful striker of the ball is that all this power is transmitted to the ball in the most effective manner that eliminates power leaks and poor contact.

Ultimately the ball does not know what our hips, shoulders or arms are doing, it just gets a twatting from the clubface that will send it on its destination. It may seem that it has a particular liking for trees, water, sand and rough but it is quite impartial actually

__________________
Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

Oh yes. Luckily I'm off on a sabbatical this evening for 3 months contemplation of the golf swing with the Dalai Lama.

On my return I will be writing, hopefully the best selling, "Buddhism in the Impact Zone - How to play Scratch Golf through inner thought alone."

In the meantime I'll be checking my emails from time to time and if someone could let me know when this one has run its course I'd be eternally (how else) grateful.

Peace

Robin

Now Now Robin. That Hurts!!

EDIT:
Actually I am off on a sabbatical to Chicago to visit my Son and new Grandson all next week so you will be spared my drivel for a bit.

Have a great time Brian and remember that a Grandparent's chief and primary role in life is to spoil the Grandchildren.

In the meantime I shall store up my golfing problems for your return.

Don't stay away too long, you may miss when this thread becomes part of the global golf consciousness and my immediate call to appear on the Golf Channel to explain it all.

True.. also keeping the upper left arm glued to the chest will enable the power from your body to transfer to your arms and hands and finally to the clubface.. there is no way you can use your lower body power if your arms are seperated from your body and too far apart

Are you differing with me or totally agreeing with me? Kind of hard to tell since you didn't really contradict anything I wrote that I can see.

I don't think about keeping my left arm glued to the body. I try to let the arms hang naturally. I think they stay pretty close to my body but not glued. The arms will eventually separate in the follow through. I think you would have no problems powering the arms with the lower body if you held or let them hang away from your torso without much problem. It would probably not be as efficient though.

Just curious, do you consider yourself a one or two-plane swinger?

Jamb

Oh! I think it will be still around when I get back and I think I am agreeing with you? You know, once I used to be indecisive but now I am not so sure.

Will spoil him to bits. He already has his first golf club, a Louisville golf personalised wooden headed putter, how spoiled is that?