[Matt]

This is something that I've really come to understand in my own stroke this season. I used to get very - even overly - concerned with what was pulling at startdown. However, I came to realize that what everybody was saying was true..."it doesn't matter what you pull with, just pull."

I now personally like to feel that at the top my hands are about shoulder height. I practice mentally constructing the Turned Shoulder Plane angle when I'm at the top. Everything lines up right on it - the right shoulder, PP3, and the ball. Then I simply thrust my right shoulder downplane and allow it to drag my hands into impact. As my hands approach release point, my pivot must respond by moving out of the way to make room for my hands.

It really helps to teach yourself at least a basic Hitting pattern. This will help you differentiate between pushing and pulling to start the downstroke. When you get the top with Hitting, it's right arm thrust all the way down. Now simply make a stroke and don't thrust your right arm. If you know you're not pushing your right arm, what else could you be doing to start the downstroke? Pulling.