Effects of Posture and Joint Articulation

[YodasLuke]

I'll do my best to explain my feelings, but understand that I was not TGM trained in putting. Many of my feelings have just been substantiated by Homer and Lynn. Putting has always been a 'natural' thing for me to do, as it's always been my greatest asset.

From what I gather in reading rwh’s post, it’s about finding a “place without wobble” (Ted’s words). The head of the humerus has the ability to move in many directions and is at the discretion of the surrounding muscle groups. In our strokes, we have the ability to remove wobble with extensor action. In my stroke, I have the equivalent of extensor action, which is arms frozen and bent (paw). The angles in my elbows and wrists never change, and both forearms are on plane. But, my shoulders are protracted with the help of the pectorals, removing wobble. I guess retraction is also possible, but the shoulders would be in the opposite direction compared to ‘normal’.

I posted something similar in the 9-1-5 posts, and as a small aside:

"The second is the ability for the head of the humerus (the top of the upper arm bone) to protract (to extend forward or the feeling of making your shoulders touch in front of your sternum). The shoulder is also on a concentric circle with the head or spine as the axis, which would be measurably further than the nose or face from the center of rotation. A common myth in golf instruction is that the shoulders turn as if they are a steel bar across the spine. It is NOT the case. Simply measuring an angle created by the movement (turning) of the left shoulder includes no portion for range of motion (protraction) created through extensor action.”

I use a “shoulders only” stroke once these alignments are set, and it’s the exception to all strokes going to both arms straight. If I was using an “arms only” stroke, extensor action would be irreplaceable. My stroke is controlled steering with the clubhead covering the plane line and the clubface remaining square to it. It’s pure vertical hinging.

I think an additional case could be made that poor posture (additional curvature) could make the shoulder motion operate on a more vertical plane (about the top of the axis).