Greg Norman's, "The Secret"

Okay ya'll, I've read this thread through and am still not clear. I am new to the game and have evolved from 140+ strokes down to a best of 105 mainly by playing a lot, and I do mean a lot, over the past 3 to 4 months (i.e. 45 holes in a day on a couple of occassions, playing 3 to 4 times a week and practicing swings in my yard in between as well as going to the range.)

I've recieved instruction from a highschool golf coach on a couple of occassions and from my "seller" in his tryout room. Also doing a lot of reading and am amazed at the contradictory and lacking info that is out there.

Once again if you don't mind. What is cupping ones wrist as opposed to cocking? And how does that change from right hand to left at address to backswing to impact? I have been told to rotate my wrists on the backswing and at the handshake position, 90 degree angle, to cock my wrists. This brings the clubhead behind my head and then I just swing. I am making contact more consistently on fairway shots and hitting straighter shots more often, but still tend to push and pull my shots, especially with my driver out of the tee box.

Also I have adopted (not developed a bad habit, yet, because I do this consciously) the routine of following the club head back with my eyes to about handshake position to ensure better upper body rotation (I am 59 yrs old.) It works and results in straighter shots, when I do it as practiced, though I know ya'll may find this idea appalling . Those with whom I play seem to, however don't say too much about it since I seem to play pretty well for a newbie. I tend not to follow the clubhead as far back when playing with others, only about half that distance, because I am very self conscious about their reaction to it.

After all I have seen players who have been at it for years making some of the most incredibly ugly swings with some of the wierdest stances,yet getting pretty d**ned good results. I do not want to be one of those, however, and other than the head movement my swing has generally nice form.

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I would suggest that any golfer who says they've never thrown a club is either a liar or a poser. To all of you "gentlemen golfers" out there, respectively..
Jim

stand up, put right hand out in hand shake position. move back of the right hand to the right, that is cupped. now go back to hand shake position and move hand up, that is cocked

Ah, that was simple enough, thanx.. I have a restriciton in my right wrist, can't move my hand back with out bending my fingers, but assume since my fingers are curled around the club grip it isn't causing a problem. Thanx s4par..

you are welcome,
study my other post about the cup and waggle and try that drill and report back

Will do, thanx

I started this huge thread and am still some what confused after reading some 80 post, and have read your other thread about the waggle as well. Let me say what I think I am hearing:

1. Waggle at address: Is cupping the right wrist by using #1 in the hand shake drill you talk about. This move is with the WRIST only. No forearm rotation, shoulder turn etc. Do this three or 4 times, what ever is your routine. This would probably move the club head 18 inches or so away from the ball, and to the inside.

2. On the take away, or start of the backswing, you simple do the the first part of the waggle drill. I.E. cup the right wrist as much as possible, and take the club on back with your shoulder rotation and body turn.

Is this correct?

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SneakyShort

I read your "cup and waggle" post just before leaving work last night. I did not go to the range but instead got out my "Birdie Balls" at home last night. It took about 45 mins to an hour to get used to waggling since this is not something that I had adopted as a part of my routine previously. I also noticed that cupping right does place the clubhead well back from the ball at the beginning of my swing which was also a bit discomforting. However, having said all that, after working at it for a while I found the waggle (in and out of cupped position) came easier and the cupped position at the beginning of the swing was not as bothersome. When I made good contact with the ball, which I began to do about 8-10 out of 12 strokes I was truly impressed with the straight ball flight. At one point I laid 4 balls in succession right on top of one another. They followed the same path for the same distance and landed within inches of one another. Even on the balls that I "duffed" the ball still followed the same straight path. I also stopped following the clubhead back with my head and tried rolling my upper body without the cheat. When I did this well and locked the wrist in cupped position it worked. Needless to say I am excited (kept at it for 2 1/2 hours till the street lights came on. I'm a nut). Can't wait to take it to the range hopefully today.

I followed my hands back in slow motion once to see what they looked like at the top of my swing and noticed a tendency for my right hand to still push against my left as if to free itself from the cup (may be due to the restriction in my right wrist), so am now trying to ensure that the left hand remains straight through the arm. Is this correct? Anymore you can tell me about this technique that will help me make it a part of my swing will be appreciated. For now I'm going to keep working on it till It is
comfortable. Thanx much s4par.

__________________
I would suggest that any golfer who says they've never thrown a club is either a liar or a poser. To all of you "gentlemen golfers" out there, respectively..
Jim

wow, you worked at the waggle for 45 minutes, GREAT JOB. when you ask about the left hand, do you mean a flat left wrist, if so a flat left wrist at the top is what most want. do you normally hit birdie balls this well? as far as other advice about this, just make sure that the left wrist at address HAS NO COCK AT ALL, and that the grip is good.

Thanx,, Like I said, I'm a nut. Yes, flat left wrist. absolutely not. I could get them in the air but sprayed them here and there and everywhere. Got it.. I'll keep check on that. When you say "grip is good", I tend to strive for very loose grip from all I've heard and read. What do you mean when you say this??

thumbs should NOT point straight down the shaft, v of left hand pointing to the right cheek or further right, NOT IN THE FINGERS OF THE LEFT HAND.

All right all ready, what does that mean? NOT IN THE FINGERS OF THE LEFT HAND

Hyper:

The left hand grip is a combination of the fingers and very top portion of the palm holding the handle. If there was a marked line running directly down the middle of the underside of the grip (imagine a reminder rib in the grip) that line would go directly where your fingers meet the the hand. Half the diameter of the grip is in the fingers the other directed toward the palm.

The right hand grip is as important as you can tell by all the time and attention devoted in this one thread to the right hand. It should be primarily in the fingers (slightly more so than the left) and the hand should never be rotated under the club. It is better to error toward neutral (on top of the handle) than the hand clawing the grip underneath. By adopting the correct right hand position you can perform the correct cocking action.

Grip tension should always be monitored as part of the pre-shot routine. Light or 4 on a scale of 10 (10 being death grip) seems to be the best functioning pressure. Make sure that you do not have a tendency to re-grip the handle with the right hand before take-away as this is a common error usually occuring unconsiously due to nerves.

Thanx TS, I understand abot the V of both hands pointing to my right cheek/ear, I will re-check my finger grip on right hand. I've started assuming my grip is right since first learning but never hurts to check myself from time to time.

if you are carrying a bucket of water, you hold the handle in the fingers. In the golf grip the left hand is diagonal, if you were to draw a line on your hand where the grip should go, it goes from the middle knuckle of the pointer finger to under to just under the heal pad