The 160-yard chip...
 

With a 5-iron, that is...

With my layman's knowledge of The Golfing Machine, coupled with Tomasello's "hit" video sequence, I am now able to punch low trajectory "chips" with scary accuracy. At most it's a 60-70% effort motion - simply curling the right arm, slight lead wrist cock, incidental shoulder turn, slight counter-rotation of club face, and simply transporting the flying wedges via body pivot, thinking "down and out" with trail arm thrust. Feeling is that the body leads and the hands lag behind. Low finish. Pure striking.

Now what? I'm leaving a lot on the table with only 70% effort. I certainly can take a 5-iron further than 160. But if I conciously try to increase shoulder turn, increase backswing height, hit harder, etc. - it all falls apart. I feel throw-away and I physically see and feel the lead wrist collapse, and the clubhead whips in front of my body and yuck.

Can a fellow hitter out there tell me how to amp it up a notch without losing it all? I feel I'm close...

First post - great forum fellas.

wicker1000

Thanks For Your First Post,, Wicker1000, and...
 

Wicker, can give us some background info on your experience with TGM, you seem to understand the basic concepts of TGM fairly well for a first time poster.

I know Yoda is the master, but i don't feel finish swivel is THAT important in hitting.

Just make sure you get to both arms straight and just the momemtum of you thrusting to both arms straight will take you into whatever finish your "finish" is.

Ya I don't get it in Hitting either....I think it's kinda weird actually.....I like to hold the FLWrist.

Yoda,
Regarding "finish swivel"...

I use club-face counter-rotation, with layback occurring through and past impact. IMHO this is one of the reasons I am getting the lazer chip-like accuracy. The feeling is very much trail shoulder "under", with my trail wrist actually slightly supinated at the "arms straight" post impact position - counter rotation. This would not seem to lend itself to a swivel (as in 4-D-0) as I understand the motion. Perhaps this is why I am not able to amp it up a notch - or perhaps I just need some fog cleared. Should I dump the counter-rotation?

Delaware Golf: To answer your question, I've been "in and around" TGM for a couple years - either studying folks like Evershed, Doyle, Tomasello, etc. - or in trying to grasp the yellow book directly. Recently I've started to see some tangible results with hitting, and I'm eager to take it to the next level.

Thanks folks.
wicker1000

Homer Kelley's $5 Swivel Lesson
 

Hitting or Swinging, the Finish Swivel is the bridge between the end of the Follow-Through (Both Arms Straight position) and the Finish. In my experience, it is a huge missing piece in the action of most players. Homer Kelley thought so, too, and that is why he included it in the 45 mission-critical items in the Mechanical Checklist For All Strokes (12-3).

In fact, Homer related this story of how he worked with a student to achieve a sufficient amount of the correct Finish Swivel.

Homer: More Swivel.

Student: More?

Homer: More.

Student: More?

Homer: More!

Finally the student was able to complete the assigned task, and both the student and Homer were delighted. Of the session, Homer said:

"I learned more about golf on that day than on any other...he paid me five dollars, too!"

The Finish Swivel After Vertical Hinging
 

The TGM term for your "counter-rotation" is Vertical Hinging. Its Clubface Layback does promote accuracy, but at the expense of distance (as you have discovered). In essence, it is controlled Steering (3-F-7-A).

When you have reached the end of the Follow-Through and desire a longer Finish, it is important to Finish Swivel. This is true regardless of the Hinge Action employed. Check out my free video Yoda of Arabia in The Gallery and see how it's done. In this clip, I demonstrate from a target-view how the proper Swivel after a Vertical Hinge Action is accomplished. While this demonstration is done in the Sand, the principle holds true for the longer Shots from turf that you have described.

can some one please explain the advantages of the finish swivel? is it an anti-steering or just a reroute on plane? or a means to keep that wet mop dragging through?

Challenge for Yoda
 

How do you get a 'flipper' to perform the Finish Swivel and at the same time having them sustain their Clubhead Lag Pressure all the way to the Finish (Clubhead Lag is never 'Released' intentionally)?