Coming Attraction -- The Address Routine

[BlackjackNY]

This afternoon, I will be filming a new series of LBG videos with my co-stars, Ted Fort, PGA, GSEB and Jeff Hull, PGA, GSEB. We will focus on the three-part Address Routine, its actions and alignments. We will examine the final assumed Address Position and its effect on the Loading Action and Release for both Swingers and Hitters.

Bagger will then work his magic, and if all goes as planned, we'll have them up late next week. Stay tuned!

Lynn,
I hope you have a nice long section on either you or Ted showing impact fix for hitters, because after two LI sessions with you guys, I am still so confused!

[YodasLuke]

Lynn,
I hope you have a nice long section on either you or Ted showing impact fix for hitters, because after two LI sessions with you guys, I am still so confused!

What can I help to explain, my friend?

[Bagger Lance]

I've got the ball. There is a lot of editing because as you will see, a front was blowing through the swamp during the filming. I'll get focused on getting some of these done.

[BlackjackNY]

What can I help to explain, my friend?

I just have to read what Lynn wrote about a thousand times, Ted. I have no problems with my hands, it's my body I'm not sure what to do with.

[Yoda]

Lynn,

I hope you have a nice long section on either you or Ted showing impact fix for hitters, because after two LI sessions with you guys, I am still so confused!

Look at my avatar, Blackjack. This is Impact Address of the Hands and Arms. The Left Wrist is Flat and the Right Wrist is Bent. The Clubshaft Leans Forward. The Right Forearm is On Plane. The Body -- not visible -- is comparatively Squared Away, i.e., rotated slightly left of Target with the Shoulders lagging the Hips somewhat. The weight is slightly left. The Hands lead the Club into Impact.

Standard Address features the Left Wrist Bent and Right Wrist Flat. The Clubshaft is at right angles to the Line, i.e., no Forward Lean. The Right Forearm is On Plane. The Body is Squared Away, and the Weight is equally distributed between the Feet. The Hands lead the Club into Start Up.

Players have the option of using either the Standard or Impact Address. Standard Address is especially useful for Swingers. Impact Address is especially useful for Hitters.

From either Address Position, Swingers must set up a 'Swing Back' motion (to Load the Left Wrist and Secondary Lever, i.e., the Golf Club). Hitters must set up a 'Carry Back' Motion (to Load the Right Elbow and the entire Primary Lever, i.e., the Left Arm and Club).

[Trane]

Oh great master, I have a question if I may. I'm sure the video will help clear this stuff up for me, but since we are talking about here goes....

This is what I'm doing....

#1. Hold the club in my right hand out horizontal to the ground, bending my right wrist...setting up right flying wedge.

#2. Bend from my hips while not disturbing my wedge.

#3. This puts the club into impact fix

#4. Grip the club with my left as well.

#5. Lean the handle of the club back to center, thus straigtening my right hand, and bending my left hand.

Here is my question....should my club face be closed after doing all of these steps? did I do something incorrectly? optical illusions? Jedi mind tricks? Help me left the boxes while standing on my hand Yoda...TY

[Yoda]

This is what I'm doing....

#1. Hold the club in my right hand out horizontal to the ground, bending my right wrist...setting up right flying wedge.

#2. Bend from my hips while not disturbing my wedge.

#3. This puts the club into impact fix

#4. Grip the club with my left as well.

#5. Lean the handle of the club back to center, thus straigtening my right hand, and bending my left hand.

Here is my question....should my club face be closed after doing all of these steps? did I do something incorrectly? optical illusions? Jedi mind tricks? Help me left the boxes while standing on my hand Yoda...TY

[Bold emphasis added.]

Specifically, the answer to your question is: "Not if the Clubshaft is at a right angle to the Line."

But extending your question to encompass more than just the machinations you have described, the question of Clubface alignment a Standard Address (10-9-A) is more complicated than one might think. In fact, a definitive answer would necessarily differentiate a number of contingencies:

1. Hitting versus Swinging, specifically their 'normal' Hinge Actions -- Angled for Hitting and Horizontal for Swinging -- and the respective Impact Fix Clubface Alignments employed (2-J-1).

2. In turn, these alignments are affected by Shot Length.

3. Also, 'No Roll' procedures (Cut and Lob Shots) must be considered.

4. Finally, from a central Hand Position, Ball Location will determine the amount of Wrist Bend and also, the amount and direction of Shaft Lean. Obviously, these are critical components of the ultimate Clubface alignment.

In general, though, with the Shaft Right Angled to the Line, the Clubface will be Square. Only if there is sufficient Left Wrist Bend to produce a Backward Lean of the Clubshaft will the Clubface be Closed.

[Mike O]

Oh great master, I have a question if I may. I'm sure the video will help clear this stuff up for me, but since we are talking about here goes....

This is what I'm doing....

#1. Hold the club in my right hand out horizontal to the ground, bending my right wrist...setting up right flying wedge.

#2. Bend from my hips while not disturbing my wedge.

#3. This puts the club into impact fix

#4. Grip the club with my left as well.

#5. Lean the handle of the club back to center, thus straigtening my right hand, and bending my left hand.

Here is my question....should my club face be closed after doing all of these steps? did I do something incorrectly? optical illusions? Jedi mind tricks? Help me left the boxes while standing on my hand Yoda...TY

Lynn,
I think Trane is addressing the following situation.

When going from impact fix to address- If you keep the leading edge in the same location- say square for simplicity sake- then the shaft will have to rotate- and you will have a stronger looking grip.

If you don't rotate the shaft - to have the stronger looking grip- then yes the clubface will close in relation to your plane line but that won't matter in that you set up for impact fix - so that's the important alignments that you've established.

You kind of have to look at that yourself to see what's going on.
Here's the basics to check this out.
1) Set the clubface down perpendicular to the plane line- holding it with your right hand only, and the clubshaft also perpendicular to the plane line - soled at it's appropriate lie.
2) Imagine a tee or some straight stick coming out of the grip- on the plane of the shaft- merely so that you can see more clearly the rotation of the shaft as you move the shaft around.
3) As you lean the shaft forward- keeping the leading edge perpendicular to the plane line- you will notice how the shaft rotates and affects the look of the grip at impact versus address.

Bottom line - if two grips look the same "strength" and one is at impact fix and another is at address- then the player with the grip at impact fix - has a "stonger" grip (left hand more on top- right hand more under)

[Yoda]

Lynn,

I think Trane is addressing the following situation.

When going from impact fix to address- If you keep the leading edge in the same location- say square for simplicity sake- then the shaft will have to rotate- and you will have a stronger looking grip.

[Bold emphasis added by Yoda.]

But to my mind, Mike, 'there's the rub.'

At Fix and with the Clubshaft in Forward Lean, the Clubface is not Square, i.e., looking "toward the Target." Along with the back of the Flat Left Wrist and the Clubhead Lag Pressure Point, it is Square to the Arc of Approach and accordingly, looks down the Inside-Out Angle of Approach (2-C-1 #3 / 7-2-#3).

Upon the return to Standard Address, the Left Wrist Bends, the Clubshaft loses its Forward Lean and the Clubface now looks Square (to the Target Line).

[Mike O]

Yes,
The important point(s) are that impact fix is the key element- depending on how you want to hit the ball you set up accordingly at impact (certainly as you're learning/ingraining or re-verifying)

and

things do change when you move from impact fix to address. One of those changes is that the face will close - if you don't let the shaft roll back (rotate)- that's really unrelated to the bending of the wrist- of course as you move the shaft back to address you would bend the wrist. But it's not really like the downswing in reverse where bending the left wrist closes the clubface- there's more going on- than just that one issue.

My other point was that the clubface doesn't have to close going from impact fix to address- you can keep the face where it was - which as you move the shaft back to address -will require that you basically have a stronger looking grip - since you're not rotating the leading edge closed- you are fixing the leading edge- what happens is the shaft rotates around that fixed point.