I've read both Ernie Els and Nick Faldo say the left shoulder is the primary driver of their downswing. I'm sure they've said and felt other things at times, but Faldo is in his book and Els is in a Golf Digest article. Whether they were being truthful or not. . .

Matt

#4 Power Accumulator Power -- Feel And Real
 

In my post you've quoted, I said that, in practice and drill, the player should be aware of the return of the Left Shoulder to its Impact Fix Location. In fact, establishing the Stroke's Radius and the precision Left Shoulder-to-Ball Location is the primary purpose of the Address Routine of 2-J-1. If the Feel of that return assists the player in his Expanded Translation (of precision Mechanics to Feel per 3-E) -- that is, if it becomes a "key factor" in producing a "simplified Feel" of his Total Motion -- then, by all means, he should use it. But...

Regardless of Feel, it is the Start-Down Thrust of the Lagging Right Shoulder -- the "fastest and farthest moving component of the Pivot" that "actually transmits the Pivot motion to the Arms" (7-13). It is the Lagging Right Shoulder that reconciles both Pivot and Power Package by "moving with great precision of thrust, speed, direction and distance (2-H). It is the Lagging Right Shoulder that is "thrown" by the Hip Action (7-15) and thus "supplies the initial acceleration of the Downstroke" and the drive of the Left Arm and Club toward Impact. This is the very basic #4 Power Accumulator of 6-B-4-0/A/B/C.

And its Maximum Power and Maximum Trigger Delay are produced by using the Hip Action (7-15) of either the Standard or Delayed Pivot. This Action increases the Right Shoulder Turn's Pivot Lag, thus enabling its Maximum Thrust against Pressure Point #4 (where the Left Arm contacts the side of the Chest).

It is this last #4 Pressure Point that the good player Feels as he unwinds into the Ball. You mention Nick Faldo. Just recently he was featured on The Golf Channel in their program Playing Lessons With the Pros. I heard him repeatedly talk of "turning his chest" through the Ball. Now, whether he felt he was actuating this Rotation (Body Power per 2-M-4) with his Left Shoulder or his Right -- or with his Feet or his Knees or his Hips -- matters little...as long as that Rotation is accomplished. But the last thing to move in that Pivot Train (6-M-1) is the Right Shoulder, and that is what is producing the Pressure he is 'Feeling' when its 'from behind' Thrust welds his Left Arm against his Chest.

So, it is this #4 Pressure Point (10-11-0-4) that constitutes the Active Direct Drive of the Left Arm and Club, and it is Loaded by the Right Shoulder Turn's Thrust -- not the Left's -- per 6-B-4 and 7-19-3. In fact, in earlier editions, Homer Kelley specifically advised players seeking Maximum Power and Trigger Delay (of the #4 Accumulator) to "discourage any tendency toward an Arm Swing by either inactivating the muscles of the Left Shoulder or by temporarily overpowering them with the Thrust of the [right] Shoulder Turn." [Bold emphasis added.]

Now, Matt, you have stated that both Faldo (in his book) and Els (in a Golf Digest article) "say the left shoulder is the primary driver of their downswing." I am always interested in what the great players Feel in their Golf Strokes, and I would very much appreciate it if you would supply those specific references.

Pulling left shoulder back
 

Don't get me wrong. I certainly do not disagree with what
has been said. What I would like to present is a lesson that
I once took from a leading Instructor with TGM insight.

We were trying to determine which would be better for me,
Hitting or Swinging. The idea was that in either Hitting or
Swinging, that the right shoulder should be closer to the
target than the left shoulder at follow through. First, I was
to try hitting and see if I could get the right shoulder
closer to the target. I had trouble. Then the second step
was to try and get the right shoulder closer to the target
by pulling the left shoulder back to pull the right shoulder
through. This worked and I hit the ball 20 yards further.
Interest lesson.

Party of Two
 

Donn and I exchanged PMs on this subject. I asked him to give me more detail about his experience with this remarkable instructor. With his express permission, I am reprinting here what he had to say:

"Lynn, the instructor was Fran Deschaine. I have been trying to get him on line with your website. Fran was one of Anikan Skywalker's first instructors. Fran was the head of the Ben Sutton Golf School in Sun City, Florida, where he introduced the concept of differences in Hitting and Swinging. Fran also gave many PGA Instructor clinics to PGA Instructors. He would separate the group into Hitters and Swingers.

Before the lesson that I took, Fran asked me how familiar was I with Homer Kelley. The lesson was after a round we played years ago on a mini-tour. Fran won the Florida Open at age 50 and played some on the tour and Senior tour. Sure would be interesting to get him involved in your forums. Anikan probably more about Fran than I do.

My favorite quote is when the guy with you on the audio tape said to Homer Kelley, "Lynn just doesn't read The Golfing Machine, he lives it." I feel that I do the same with your website."

****************************

Thank you, Donn, for sharing your experience with us. There are many different ways of skinning the TGM cat. With regards to 'Body Power,' the key is sustaining Pivot Lag -- from the left little toe nail to the tip of the Right Shoulder! :) Together, you and Fran accomplished exactly that, a testament to your respective skills.

Thanks, Matt. I appreciate the time you took to research these quotes and to type them out for us all. This is the kind of dedication and sharing that takes everybody to a new level of understanding.

Left shoulder thingie.
 

Pardon my shallow knowledge of TGM and my english.

Right shoulder and left shoulder thing, I read alot of post here and another site. I personally think , left shoulder up is a Band Aid. This is why.

Lets leave TGM on one side and NO TGM. and do not think golf. put them aside.

If you throw a ball or anything forward , Would u throw more accurately , powerfully and further if u throw them;

1. Forehand Pitching
2. Backhand flat wrist disc throw?

Would you think of

1. your hand and right arms.
2. your right shoulder
3. Your left shoulder

So when you throw something forward for instance , you think about your left shoulder clearing so that your right shoulder so that your right hand can do the work? You can ! But do you prefer to think like that, and is it a better way to think like that?

Or your would think of your right hand and arm, and the rest will provide the best support and momentum to do the job? And your Body will Naturally tilt so that your right shoulder provide the best support. Thats how your body will react to power. Do you think about it? Maybe yes maybe not.


back to TGM mode;

Since golf involved 2 arms. One can argue is different, but if one could never understand the role of the right shoulder, would not it be harder to have Out 4ward down 3 dimensional impact? I find it harder. And I notice something, I easily lose Extensor Action on the throughswing if i concentrate on the left shoulder up .

I too gained alot of yardage s just by understanding about the right shoulder. I think the keyword here is potential and efficiency here. Not just hitting straight and hitting balls everybody can do that.

Thats why 5-0 2-H is there for us to understand. One chapter alone do not really make sense. I think you need at least 2 chapters . Therefore, I stand behind Masters of LGB on this one firmly!



From a Jedi Wannabe.

Your welcome Yoda, I apologize for the mix-up.

The Grail
 

Matt,

Again I thank you for your contribution. At a very young age, your initiative has led you to the principles and procedures of the great Champions of our time...and of all time.

I only wish I had been so fortunate (or so innovative) when I was your age. Back in my own 20s and 30s, the rage was to 'drive the Legs' from the Top. And to keep the Head way back 'behind the ball' through Impact. And to end up in a big 'Reverse C' at the Finish.

Well, it didn't work. At least not for me. And not for many others, either. Look at the photographs from that time. Most of the guys either left the Game hurt or else radically changed their procedure (view Tom Kite as the Poster Boy here). Many had a lot of very personal stuff replaced as they struggled to compete in their 40s. And those without a superior short game never had much of a chance anyway, because the procedure I've described rarely results in a superior GIR stat.

It was all so sad...and so very unnecessary.

By my early-30s, not only was a worse player than in my early-20s...

I was a virtual cripple on Mondays.

I can't tell you how much business I conducted from the floor of my office on Monday through Thursday because of my golfing activities on Friday through Sunday.

And now, as I approach my 60th birthday next month, there is no pain. It's all gone. Not only do I hit balls as long as I like...and teach as long as I like...and shop (as long as my wife likes :))...I do so without pain.

I cannot tell everybody enough just how important it is to know exactly WHAT drives WHAT in the Golf Stroke. And how important it is to know just what are the true relationships among the various Components. You simply cannot rely on FEEL as articulated by the great players. You MUST know the precise Mechanic involved and then be able to reproduce it with your own Feel.

I write all this so that you don't spend precious years -- as I did -- chasing the wil-'o-the-wisp of conventional golf instruction (though it's much better now) -- and forego, in that selfsame moment, The Truth.

Life is short...

Play hard.

But also play smart.

The information is there.

Don't run from it.

Embrace it.

And with access to such great knowledge comes great responsibility! Just 5 years ago, shortly after high school graduation I set out to transform my 4 handicap game into something I might be able to take on the road. Turns out I didn't have a back that could handle the strain and I lacked the proper information. Now I have access to the information I need, I merely have to develop a pattern with it. And what a fine journey it will turn out to be afterall. Because a blind struggle just isn't fun.

Matt

Answer me this ONE QUESTION, please.

If you REALLY REALLY wanted to throw a frisbee as far as you could, which shoulder would predominately think about? The lead shoulder or the trail shoulder.

;)

The fact of the matter is this:

If the right shoulder is moving DOWNPLANE it is moving down/out/foward which makes the left shoulder do what? The left shoulder moves UP/IN/BACK.