tempo myth

hi edshaw
one of the things i noticed most was the the pros start the hip movement when there clubhead is still going back and it put a bend in the club at the start of the down swing, us highter handicap player dont seem to do that. the pros have the bend at the start and it gets bigger as there right elbow pulls into ther right hip. it results in much more bent on the shaft and i think thats where they get so much club head speed, have a look frame by frame at and pro, i have not seen one yet that dont do that, clips of med-higher handicaper dont have this bend or clubhead lag at start of downswing, the bend onlt starts with them about 10/11 oclock in the swing. i watched sandy lyle other week and he only swings to 11 oclock at full swing but the bend he gets on the club as his hips move is huge and he does hit a long 1 iron even now.
bill

I think you are seeing a whip action
that begins at the initiation of the
power loading sequence, where
there is a visible bend (see the Tiger
Slo-motion video) and at the
top, when the action reverses.

he edshaw
yes its a whip action but its caused by the hips moving before the hands reach the full backswing, its like they try and start the downswing when hands still moving back a fraction, you need to watck in in a frame by frame to see it but it happens with all the pros i have watched and thats about 40 now, when you look at handicapers its so diffrent, i think its like it said in the tour tempo book where you have to swing faster and get into that 2/1 swing tempo, i am trying to do same but no much luck so far it just messes up my swing but i'm going to keep trying to see if i can do same if i stick at it. i'm a swing speed of 96 so its avg,
bill

IMO, the advantage of this type of transition move is two-fold. First, it keeps a nice taut connection along the whole left side during the change in direction. The movements in the lower body are transmitted quickly and directly to the upper body, without having to take any "slack" out of the system. The first movement of the hips forces the hands to drop, from the top, into the correct position. Second, it gives the hips a head start.....more time to rotate, open up, and build speed before the upper body catches up at impact.

Hi Edshaw
I saw today, Tigers stokes the ball on the club house roof (I9 for 160 yds), Do you think his swing was too fast?
I have noticed that I need to change to a shorter club in the last two or three holes of the round, Am I speeding the tempo at the end of the round?
Best regards.

hi kbp
you make a lot of sense and i do now understand why you would want to start with your hips before hands are fully swung back, thanks for making thet clear to me.
bill

There are certain things about Tiger's
swing that, as the saying goes, "I'm a
professional; don't try this at home."
One of those things could be trying to
imitate his speed and power. Tiger has conceded
in interviews that the only way he is ever
going to hit the ball further is to swing
faster.
My mechanics aren't bad -- I'm working
on posting a video -- and my distance
is adequate. If I hit the ball on the center
of the club face, it's an improvement.
Obviously, Tiger Woods isn't too worried
about hitting the ball on the sweet spot.
He just does.
Now, one of the things that Tiger does
that I'm not about to try is whip the club
back with force. He wants the club itself
to help him load power to the upper body.
If you are 29 years old, that probably sounds
like a swell idea. When you're 62 and play
in the summer, it doesn't.