My Swamp Experience

[krpainter]

My problem was that I would step up to the ball with my right foot first and then move the left foot higher than the right and then move the right foot directly back which would point directly right of the target. I thought for sure that I was parallel to the target line, but when Yoda stepped where my feet were and I stepped back, sure enough I was pointing right of the target. I think Martee had a similair problem that was on that Martee makeover CD and was discussed on other posts.

Took me awhile to get used to the new feet allignment since it felt like I was pointing way left of the target...

Keith

[Yoda]

What's the purpose of setting the left foot at address first then the right foot?

Actually, I teach stepping in first with the Right Foot with the Club in the Right Hand (and aligned with the Right Forearm to set up the Plane). And we had worked on that earlier. But, as we used to say in the church downhome, Keith had 'back-slid.'

At the close of the lesson, I was satisfied that he had worked out his own way to set his Feet and align his Stance. Also, he was now using his Right Forearm beautifully to set up his Plane and Impact Hand Location.

[rangerover]

Yoda,
Thanks for the clarity. I use the right foot first and club in my right hand in my address/setup as well. But like Keith i have tendency to aim right, so would that drill of stepping in with the left foot first correct the alignment problems.

[krpainter]

Ooops, now I see what you were talking about. After I saw Yoda's reply I watched the tape again and sure enough I was stepping into it with my left foot -- which is definitely a lapse on my part. We spent many, many times practising looking at the target from behind, walking up to the ball while staying open, stepping first with my right foot , then placing the left and then moving the right directly back....this didn't show up on that video clip though!

Keith

[Yoda]

Yoda,

Thanks for the clarity. I use the right foot first and club in my right hand in my address/setup as well. But like Keith i have tendency to aim right, so would that drill of stepping in with the left foot first correct the alignment problems.

No, rangerover: Stay with the Right Foot / Right Forearm formula. There was no 'Left Foot first' drill. There was only Keith executing an old habit but nevertheless achieving a new dead-on alignment! This happy circumstance was due largely to his growing sense of his Right Forearm Flying Wedge and its alignment with the Plane Angle and its Line. Also, we made liberal use of the dowel as an alignment aid in the earlier hours of the lesson.

Getting back to your problem: The long-term cure is to realize why you aim to the right and then to correct that root cause. And the reason is that your Computer has figured out that you (a) Bend your Left Wrist through Impact; or (b) Bend your Plane Line (usually at the Start Down); or (c) fail to grip the Club (at Impact Fix) with a slightly open Clubface when using Horizontal Hinging; or (d) do all three.

Any one of this incomplete list of malfunctions will cause the Ball to go left. And not just some of the time...but every time. Hence your Computer 'helps you out' by aiming right. And now the always Pulled Shot appears to go 'straight.'

But it isn't going straight: It's going left.

And that is what you need to fix in order to effect a permanent change in your Address alignments.

[wanole]

what is the alignment process? I do the exact same thing. Just curious about how you corrected this aiming to the right.

Thanks

[rangerover]

Yoda,
How would I figure out which one that I doing. I understand (A) & (C) but
(B) is the one I'm not clear on. Looks like I need to make an appointment
to visit the swamp.

[Yoda]

Yoda,
How would I figure out which one that I doing. I understand (A) & (C) but
(B) is the one I'm not clear on. Looks like I need to make an appointment
to visit the swamp.

Rangerover,

The Bent Plane Line means that instead of Tracing the original Plane Line through Impact, you Trace Outside-In (from above the Plane) or Inside-Out (from below the Plane). In other words, you are now Tracing an entirely new Plane Line and, in effect, have 'Bent' the original (either to the left or to the right).

Most high handicappers Bend the Plane Line to the left. In other words, they swing Outside-In and come in with the Right Forearm too 'high' (and pointing beyond the Plane Line instead of driving toward it). This usually results from the Flat Downstroke Right Shoulder Turn (see Photo 10-13-B-#3) that inevitably lifts the Hands Off Plane as well.

In turn, this Right Shoulder 'Spin-Out' is the product of faulty Hip Control, namely failure to lead the Downstroke with a slight Hip Slide parallel to the Plane Line. It is this move that both Loads the Lag and allows the Right Shoulder -- and with it the Hands and the Loaded Lag Pressure Point -- to be pulled Down Plane toward the Ball. Only when this is done can the Right Forearm return to its mandatory Impact Fix alignment through Impact.

The cure?

The Downstoke Waggle (3-F-5).

We do a lot of that down here in The Swamp. Y'all come!