[O.B.Left]

Have you got Lynn's DVD? On the second disc you'll find a lot of material on the Pivot, Zone 1. As well as the Arms, Zone 2 and Hands, Zone 3.

So much terminology I know. But suffice it say that you must have a good Pivot or anything else built on top of it in Zone 2 or 3 is suspect. Like what good is a nice Horizontal Hinge Action if your hitting off your back foot? To further confuse matters it is Zone 3 that directs everything. "The Hands are not educated until they control the Pivot." Weird at first but so amazing when its sinks in. Hands to Pivot. The brain and Hands work together all the time in every day life and in such a complex, fast manner. Why not in golf?

Most people have it the other way around. Pivot to Hands. One of things about this that is so injurious to your alignments and game is that ideally the Arms as directed by the Hands are going "Up" while the Pivot or Shoulders and Hips are going "Back". Putting the Pivot in control of things normally sends the Pivot as well as the Arms and Hands "Back" with the club going under the Plane. Like you describe in your own swing when you are over doing it with the hips, perhaps. The opposite extreme is a "Frozen" Right Hip that is not cleared that sets up a collision course between the Right Elbow and Right Hip which is reconciled when the golfer unknowingly directs the Right Arm and Elbow "Out" and above plane. "Roundhousing".

So you must have a pivot. Too much is too much and too little is too little. Hands to Pivot doesnt mean there is zero pivot, it only describes who is directing things. The Hands are like an outpost for the Brian, sensing, feeling, aligning etc. The brain and hands work together all the time, tying our shoes, catching, typing etc. Amazing stuff we dont think too much about , a special ability we humans have and a shame to turn off when golfing.

Sorry for rambling but its hard to just give you a yes or no answer. There are options but it should help you to know that Mr Kelley prescribed a Cleared Right Hip as a prevention for "Roundhousing" both on the backswing and on the downswing. So sure lateral shift if you want but clear the right hip well before your right elbow gets there. What I do personally is clear the darn thing as early I can and leave it back in transition. I clear, then slide all with a centered head, like a Hula Dancer that only sways to one side. But with a beer belly and its my Hands that are keeping things on plane, Aligned.

I dont know if they're Educated Hands yet but if they quit school they can get the heck outa my house.

Thanks for that great video from the range at Houston. I love watching those guys practice.

OB

PS As for erect, goat humping, Id suggest you not allow them in the bedroom and consider whether or not your left arm and club (Primary Lever) is slack at Fix. This relates to Lukes note about the Level Left Wrist. The hump can sometimes be an effort to move the Left Shoulder further from the ball to compensate for a dynamically stretched Primary Lever that is longer than planned. The cure being to preview Impact at Fix and align things accordingly. Just a thought.