Braced vs Flexed

[BrettSmith]

If you're looking for more distance or experience periods of loss- give this a try......

Brett

"The right knee should be broken a shade more in to the left, if anything, than the left knee is to the right. if the right knee is pointed in, then it's "in business" all the time. It helps brace the right leg on the backswing, and the right leg must be sturdily braced to prevent the golfer from swaying his body laterally to the right as he swings the club back. For another thing, the right kneee will then be in the correct positiion for the downswing when the power of the right hip and leg is released torward the target. IF THE GOLER'S RIGHT KNEE IS POINTED STRAIGHT AHEAD OR OUT TO BEGIN WITH, HE CAN BRING IT IN WITH A SEPARATE ACTION ON THE DOWNSWING, BUT HE IS MAKING THE KNEE DO DOUBLE WORK, AND THERE'S NO SENSE IN THAT"...

words from the great one- Mr. Hogan. On page 75 he depicts retaining the angle of the right with a golf club. As mentioned above there, MOST people have "flex" or a bent knee, but this is a far cry from what we speak of with retaining the angle or bracing.

For 15 years, I've watched people be in a supportive position with knee flex, but not braced and maintaining..... which creates resistance for your resevoir of coil. In the supportive position, your right leg funtions like a leg to a table--

which creates more complications.

(a) It requires the knee to make a larger orbit and it creates an extra move as pointed out above- and in effect "business" gets interrupted. Ultimately this is less efficient and repeatable. Athletic people create leg drive with a kick off the instep, but the definition of coiling movement becomes muddled.

(b) Most people never fully harness the ground-up torque that the resistance provides.... resorting to that purgatory of "shift and lift" or "turn". In higher handicaps this is lots of lifting and with the better player, you see "turn" but not enough coil because the resistance is faux or prone to buckling.

[BrettSmith]

.... take some time to create MORE right leg angle and KEEP IT! Even if you feel braced, chances are you can create a more defined angle as Mr. Hogan depicts on page 75 in "FIVE LESSONS".

[charlatan]

.... take some time to create MORE right leg angle and KEEP IT! Even if you feel braced, chances are you can create a more defined angle as Mr. Hogan depicts on page 75 in "FIVE LESSONS".

I worked on a more "rigid" right leg last year, and it felt a little weird for a while. A year later, it feels normal, but fter reading Mr. Hogan's book, I have to say that I still need to work on the angle a bit. I think I sometimes sway a little, even with my right leg pushing forward a bit to stabilize.

Brett, is it the case that the head should remain in the same spot through the entire swing, or does the head (and torso to a degree) sway ever so slightly as the hips remain in the same spot (but turning)? I really cling to the "visualization" of the swing, but lately I've been watching my shadow to see my head move a little. Does that mean my right leg is not bent in enough?

Thanks for all the help!

Charlatan

Edited June 23, 2008 by charlatan

[Bombardier Smith]

Hi Brett

I spent most of 2005 studying hogans book.

It changed my game to some extent instead of having a slight fade with the driver(badshot slice)

I now draw the ball slightly and on my bad shot hit a low hook!

Would this be a sign of being to handsy in the release of the club? or are the shafts to weak or strong?

Im a consistant striker of the ball

Thanks G

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Thanks Brett!

Keeping the right leg braced and slightly pointed to the left has helped me create more torque and resistance from the right side. That combined with keeping the big muscles working with the triangle together I have seen a huge improvement in the amount of Torque/Resistance produced. It reduces the amount I am able to pick the club up which usually equals the club passing parallel at the top and ton's of extra movement. After practicing this a lot I am slowly training myself to get some push power off the right instep as well.

Baby steps for now until I see Mr. Smith again.

[Blader-X]

This is the exact thing that I struggled with for years after my two ACL surgeries. While I've gotten a lot better the fact that I've got some secondary laxity in my right knee has really limited me. I've worked very hard on this exact thing for so long. I'm glad you've written about this because as someone who knows first hand exactly what you're talking about I can tell you that this is probably the key element in the golf swing. When my right knee is working well, golf can be pretty easy, but when its not, it can be nightmare.

In fact, when I first tore my ACL way back when, I didn't really know I tore. It was sore for a couple weeks but after that I had absolutely no pain. At that time my game was starting to get pretty good and then after that injury all of sudden, my shots were weak and out to right. It was night and day. Subsequently that started me off on the first of two ACL surgeries and many rehab months thereafter. Going through it all I've learned so much about the golf swing. At this point in time I'm hitting the ball better than I ever have but it hasn't come without a few oddities in my setup. Nothing really drastic but I do a couple of things to allow me to swing as Brett has described above. The one thing I do kind of do is I will also flex my left knee in a little as well. Doing this allows me to stay grounded and be able to just "turn and turn".

[BrettSmith]

I worked on a more "rigid" right leg last year, and it felt a little weird for a while. A year later, it feels normal, but fter reading Mr. Hogan's book, I have to say that I still need to work on the angle a bit. I think I sometimes sway a little, even with my right leg pushing forward a bit to stabilize.

Brett, is it the case that the head should remain in the same spot through the entire swing, or does the head (and torso to a degree) sway ever so slightly as the hips remain in the same spot (but turning)? I really cling to the "visualization" of the swing, but lately I've been watching my shadow to see my head move a little. Does that mean my right leg is not bent in enough?

Thanks for all the help!

Charlatan

In the gospel of Jimmy Ballard, who is without question the Godfather of the Modern Move- he has a chapter in "How to Perfect Your Golf Swing"... which along with Mr. Hogan, are the absolute staple bibles in my teachings.

Jimmy breaks down first and foremost all of the faulty establishment propaganda. In the chapter "Misleading Terms", he specifically addresses how keeping the head "still" so "steady" is an absolute killer. The head and spine must load behind the ball and every great ballstriker does this. He makes reference to the visible lateral drift with Curtis Strange and others he coached, but also to Mr. Nicklaus who used the swivel of his head to the right to initiate the underneath rotary lateral drift. SO.... LET ME BE VERY CLEAR... believe in Mr. Ballard. Absolutely not should you put emphasis on the head fixation.

In fact, in my training I coach people to release off the ball, by shifting your optic fixation. Do this by first by making a half move and releasing your head and eyes down your target line to the right. Then the next step is to rotate the torso cylinder as far as possible while letting your head revolve on the spinal axis.... like looking at an airplane in the sky behind you. It's going to feel crazy, but work with it. A student of mine showed me last year that Jim Hardy talks about this in one of his books, but I came up with the idea years ago after a couple margaritas... so I'm laying dibs on it as having this idea first.

also got to address the term "turn" as well, but that's another time

hope this helps,

Brett

[BrettSmith]

In the gospel of Jimmy Ballard, who is without question the Godfather of the Modern Move- he has a chapter in "How to Perfect Your Golf Swing"... which along with Mr. Hogan, are the absolute staple bibles in my teachings.

Jimmy breaks down first and foremost all of the faulty establishment propaganda. In the chapter "Misleading Terms", he specifically addresses how keeping the head "still" so "steady" is an absolute killer. The head and spine must load behind the ball and every great ballstriker does this. He makes reference to the visible lateral drift with Curtis Strange and others he coached, but also to Mr. Nicklaus who used the swivel of his head to the right to initiate the underneath rotary lateral drift. SO.... LET ME BE VERY CLEAR... believe in Mr. Ballard. Absolutely not should you put emphasis on the head fixation.

In fact, in my training I coach people to release off the ball, by shifting your optic fixation. Do this by first by making a half move and releasing your head and eyes down your target line to the right. Then the next step is to rotate the torso cylinder as far as possible while letting your head revolve on the spinal axis.... like looking at an airplane in the sky behind you. It's going to feel crazy, but work with it. A student of mine showed me last year that Jim Hardy talks about this in one of his books, but I came up with the idea years ago after a couple margaritas... so I'm laying dibs on it as having this idea first.

also got to address the term "turn" as well, but that's another time

hope this helps,

Brett

and.... if you look at that picture again on page 75- one of the things Mr. Hogan left for discovery in my opinion is that when you look at that pic, there is the feeling that the hand is pressing the club with some serious press into the outer right hip to lock it down.... a sharper right leg angle if you will, but also not letting the right hip socket get too far from the inside of the ball so that the core engages more underneath resistance earlier. Yes, consider a more aggressive brace in your staging.

[BrettSmith]

Hi Brett

I spent most of 2005 studying hogans book.

It changed my game to some extent instead of having a slight fade with the driver(badshot slice)

I now draw the ball slightly and on my bad shot hit a low hook!

Would this be a sign of being to handsy in the release of the club? or are the shafts to weak or strong?

Im a consistant striker of the ball

Thanks G

Hey G,

A Draw with good trajectory is a slightly closed clubface working on a shallow, rounded approach. The hook is a slightly closed clubface coming in on a steeper, more sharp angle of approach. The hook is all about a "closed" presentation and the degree of it is accelerated by the rate and the angles.

If you are a consistent striker, I'd like to see you consider fortifying your connection. Put a glove underneath your LEFT arm socket and weld it to the torso cyliner.... the under part of the upper left arm. The more over the left chest it is, the better. You have to verify that the left elbow is pointing down. FOREWARNING: this is misreble to the uninitiated, so start off with chips and pitches. The connected left will get the right side working more underneath and supporting... which is my first thought for you- the right side has to work more under coming into the ball before working 'round.

btw... when i say start with chips and pitches- I mean like a couple hundred before even thinking of hitting the driver... if you're able to work the big muscle set with improved connection, graduate yourself to some mid-iron punches in the first week. Then gradually temper in some fairway woods off a tee. If those results are showing good signs- work the driver. Work this over for a couple weeks and let me know how it's going. Look at Mr. Hogan in the early 100 pages there and you will read him speaking of supination and pronation.... you will see this motion of the left elbow pointing down that I speak of.... supination.

Brett

[BrettSmith]

Thanks Brett!

Keeping the right leg braced and slightly pointed to the left has helped me create more torque and resistance from the right side. That combined with keeping the big muscles working with the triangle together I have seen a huge improvement in the amount of Torque/Resistance produced. It reduces the amount I am able to pick the club up which usually equals the club passing parallel at the top and ton's of extra movement. After practicing this a lot I am slowly training myself to get some push power off the right instep as well.

Baby steps for now until I see Mr. Smith again.

Hello maestro!

This really applies to everybody too- remember from our work that dynamically the body feels different every day? When we are activated or more springy on one particular day vs the next where one may be fatigued or slightly deflated- rearing into the right brace can also take on the feeling of sinking into a shock absorber or trampoline. Whatever it takes to get that right side to fire! Looking forward to more time in the trenches.

Brett

[BrettSmith]

This is the exact thing that I struggled with for years after my two ACL surgeries. While I've gotten a lot better the fact that I've got some secondary laxity in my right knee has really limited me. I've worked very hard on this exact thing for so long. I'm glad you've written about this because as someone who knows first hand exactly what you're talking about I can tell you that this is probably the key element in the golf swing. When my right knee is working well, golf can be pretty easy, but when its not, it can be nightmare.

In fact, when I first tore my ACL way back when, I didn't really know I tore. It was sore for a couple weeks but after that I had absolutely no pain. At that time my game was starting to get pretty good and then after that injury all of sudden, my shots were weak and out to right. It was night and day. Subsequently that started me off on the first of two ACL surgeries and many rehab months thereafter. Going through it all I've learned so much about the golf swing. At this point in time I'm hitting the ball better than I ever have but it hasn't come without a few oddities in my setup. Nothing really drastic but I do a couple of things to allow me to swing as Brett has described above. The one thing I do kind of do is I will also flex my left knee in a little as well. Doing this allows me to stay grounded and be able to just "turn and turn".

blade,

thanks for your feedback- as you know from a serious players perspective,.... man, that brace is the absolute hub! Basically the brace is to the golf motion as the stick is to the sling.

keep your eyes peeled for one of the new vids coming out on the TSG wire with the LeaderBoard Trainer. It's a device that I'm really a big fan of that lets you incrementally increase ground-up resistance in the right side. One thing that's really cool about training with this is that there is an incorporation of the correct position and function through dynamic motion instead of the traditional fixed braced set. I also like the earlier core underneath rotary set it encourages- the Appleby move.

One of the pros I frequently spend time with was working with TOUR player Bill Glasson who has had numerous operations on both knees. What they were trying to do was get that core rotation working harder earlier so he can get inside it quickly and then just blast it. LeaderBoard encourages exactly that move and would be something to think about in your training arsenal.

Brett

[Bombardier Smith]

Thanks brett for your time and knowledge!!!!!

I was out their in the evening practising your sugestions........What great informative advice!!! firstly my iron shots flew much higher which was a great surprise!!!! i couldnt resist getting the driver envolved and on the 9th hole,i left my drive 20 yards short of the green in wet humid conditions ball had very little run if any!!

Many thanks i will keep up the work and hopfully get my game back where it was before i ripped my right shoulder of the collar bone in a motorcycle accident a few years ago!

ON the 3rd hole which is a very short par 4 of 320 yards i knocked my 3 iron past my playing partners 3 wood,i know it all aint about distance but the ball flew true straight arrow like and fizzed straight down the middle

Their is a saying here in england when your realyy happy about something and its "smiling like a chesire cat"

Well i hope when the weather clears up i can get out their again and put these new moves in to practice again.

many thanks brett one very happy

G smith

Edited June 29, 2008 by Bombardier Smith

[BrettSmith]

Thanks brett for your time and knowledge!!!!!

I was out their in the evening practising your sugestions........What great informative advice!!! firstly my iron shots flew much higher which was a great surprise!!!! i couldnt resist getting the driver envolved and on the 9th hole,i left my drive 20 yards short of the green in wet humid conditions ball had very little run if any!!

Many thanks i will keep up the work and hopfully get my game back where it was before i ripped my right shoulder of the collar bone in a motorcycle accident a few years ago!

ON the 3rd hole which is a very short par 4 of 320 yards i knocked my 3 iron past my playing partners 3 wood,i know it all aint about distance but the ball flew true straight arrow like and fizzed straight down the middle

Their is a saying here in england when your realyy happy about something and its "smiling like a chesire cat"

Well i hope when the weather clears up i can get out their again and put these new moves in to practice again.

many thanks brett one very happy

G smith

G smith... let change your name to G-$$$.... that's what i'm talkin' about!

Keep me posted. hey, it's all about the smack-down. Whether you want a leg-up on that weekend nassau against your partners or chase the dream with the TOURS, I live to hear that kind of feedback.

Cheers!

b.smith

p.s.- hey, the advice is on me... but when me and the TSG posse roll into the UK- fish and chips are on the G!

[Bombardier Smith]

Hey brett

I,m sure i could stretch to some good old english fish and chips!!!

If you every visit the uk let me know in advance and we could eat fish and chips.And play some golf!!!

my area is ram jam packed with golf course theirs even a Mckenzie course on the other side of town about 2 miles away!!. its not a long course but is it is a beautiful,small greens and challenging approach shots!.you also get lots of wildlife on their too.Deer,foxes,etc but leave the guns at home hehe.they arent allowed here in the uk!!!

Thanks again Brett

[Bombardier Smith]

With every swing I,m loving this game more and more!!

After crashing my motorbike and wrecking my shoulder its been an up hill struggle for the past few years.....Ive stuck in there worked at it through the pain the good days and the bad ones too!!

I can honestly say im swinging it like a trooper!!!!! total domination of the golf ball!! as you can tell.....I,m really happy!!

Ive never driven the short par 4,s since the accident and to be honest thought i never would but hehe hard work has seen me get there........and great advice from the meastro Brett Smith Thanks again!

[BrettSmith]

Hey brett

I,m sure i could stretch to some good old english fish and chips!!!

If you every visit the uk let me know in advance and we could eat fish and chips.And play some golf!!!

my area is ram jam packed with golf course theirs even a Mckenzie course on the other side of town about 2 miles away!!. its not a long course but is it is a beautiful,small greens and challenging approach shots!.you also get lots of wildlife on their too.Deer,foxes,etc but leave the guns at home hehe.they arent allowed here in the uk!!!

Thanks again Brett

hey G!

Thanks for the killer feedback.

McKenzie designs are tops on my list. That is really cool you have one so close. Psyched to hear how well it's going!

[Bombardier Smith]

Hey Brett

I live in a very small town here in lancashire uk.

Its based a valley of about 5 square miles.The ribble valley.

i live on oneside of the valley between a 9 hole golf course with very small greens.and on the other side of me is the 18 hole course these both being parkland style courses.

Now on the top of oneside of the valley is the mackensie course.Nelson Golf Club.which is again parkland and a real peach!

Now on the top of the otherside of the valley is a heath course that really gets the weather,strong winds hard rain etc,

this is called Burnley Golf Club and has been used as on open qualifing venue in the past.Its a short course but believe me it plays alot longer due to the eliments.One particular par 3 may require a pitching wedge oneday and the following day you could be pulling out the driver!!!!!

I took an old friend out up there in 2004 as a birthday treat for him.I placed a pitching wedge on the front of the green at 184 yards!!! windy!!!!!!!

Tony doesnt play that often so he played a 5 iron which he topped caught the edge of the rough gorse realising the ball and rolling in to the hole!! YES he still reminds me everytime he see,s me!!!!

So basically their is lots of golf to play in this area although the sun doesnt really show its face to often!!

but we all get out their anyway!!

G

Edited July 5, 2008 by Bombardier Smith

[Richmond Golfer]

I checked and it seems, Jimmy Ballards book, "How to perfect your golf swing", is out of print and used copies are $$$. It got rave reviews, too bad its not still readily available.

[Richmond Golfer]

I checked and it seems, Jimmy Ballards book, "How to perfect your golf swing", is out of print and used copies are $$$. It got rave reviews, too bad its not still readily available.

I obtained a copy quite reasonably. Looking forward to the read!