Forgive me if I'm asking something that TGM answers on page 1 but I have yet to receive the book.
If the lead arm (lead/trail vs right/left-cuz I'm a left swinger) employs a flat wrist at address what orientation does the elbow have i.e. does the pit (where one would draw blood) face the ball or more away from the target? Is it possible to rotate this part of the arm while maiantaining the flat wrist?
I'm struggling with this, when I turn the pit more away from the target I seem to keep the arm straighter through the swing but it doesn't feel quite right yet.
I feel directing the lead arm blood drain nozzle became much less an issue once I got a hold of Extensor Action. So my short answer would be Wherever your extensor action does to its orientation. And I'd say that the EA will put it in your natural position - i.e. no concious rotation need be - or should be - applied.
Another thing I'd check up would be the lead arm Flying Wedge.
But more can be said on this subject. And it can be said better.
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When James Durham recorded 94 at the Old Course at St Andrews in 1767, he set a course record that lasted 86 years. Golf: A curious sport whose object is to put a very small ball in a very small hole with implements ill desiged for the purpose - Sir Winston Churchill
Forgive me if I'm asking something that TGM answers on page 1 but I have yet to receive the book.
If the lead arm (lead/trail vs right/left-cuz I'm a left swinger) employs a flat wrist at address what orientation does the elbow have i.e. does the pit (where one would draw blood) face the ball or more away from the target? Is it possible to rotate this part of the arm while maiantaining the flat wrist?
I'm struggling with this, when I turn the pit more away from the target I seem to keep the arm straighter through the swing but it doesn't feel quite right yet.
Take your left hand grip, then right hand(lead/trail) at IMPACT POSITION. Now, just let your arms relax a little, and go to a CLASSIC ADDRESS POSITION(hands fairly centered). Notice where your elbows are pointing, with NO TWISTING of the arms at all.
The left arm(lead) should be hanging down like an INERT ROPE. It is stretched straight, ONLY through what TGM calls, EXTENSOR ACTION. Here, the RIGHT(trail) arm stretches the the INERT left arm(lead) rope.
There is plenty of information on the site on EXTENSOR ACTION.
No idea what IMA is, but I probably tend to agree. LOL.
But still.
I sometimes wonder if there were no southpaws in Homers days...
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When James Durham recorded 94 at the Old Course at St Andrews in 1767, he set a course record that lasted 86 years. Golf: A curious sport whose object is to put a very small ball in a very small hole with implements ill desiged for the purpose - Sir Winston Churchill
Not sure what IMA is either. Sorry to mix-up the terms but its confusing enough for me to grasp the concepts of TGM without having to convert all the references to left and right.
Take your left hand grip, then right hand(lead/trail) at IMPACT POSITION. Now, just let your arms relax a little, and go to a CLASSIC ADDRESS POSITION(hands fairly centered). Notice where your elbows are pointing, with NO TWISTING of the arms at all.
The left arm(lead) should be hanging down like an INERT ROPE. It is stretched straight, ONLY through what TGM calls, EXTENSOR ACTION. Here, the RIGHT(trail) arm stretches the the INERT left arm(lead) rope.
There is plenty of information on the site on EXTENSOR ACTION.
Thanks for the reply. I feel like I understand the idea of extensor action however I need to reference the different positions you mention that I assume are in the book (which I dont yet have).
Is there any picture on the site of IMPACT FIX? I am really trying to understand this concept. Does this mean setting up (rehearsing)your body positions prior to swinging, to mimic the positions one would be in at impact?
Sorry to mix-up the terms but its confusing enough for me to grasp the concepts of TGM without having to convert all the references to left and right.
With love in my heart -- -- I strongly discourage the use of 'Lead' and 'Trail' as a substitute for 'Left' and 'Right' on this site.
One of the first problems Homer Kelley encountered in seeking the universal solution to the Golf Stroke was the lack of a common Golf Vocabulary with agreed upon definititons. So, he set out to give us that Vocabulary. And one of the early stumbling blocks had to be this issue of 'Right or Left'. I don't know his actual thought process, but it is not hard to imagine why he chose the solution he did.
His System for removing forever the Mystery of Golf was based on the "construction, operation and adjustment" of a Machine -- a Golfing Machine. And the choice of operating perspective -- from either the Left side or the Right -- is the designer's choice. The Machine itself is indifferent. Homer chose to use the Right side perspective for his Golfing Machine because it applies to the overwhelming majority of golfers.
Then, for consistency and simplicity in presenting his concepts, he chose to use the terms 'Right' and 'Left' -- as defined in the dictionary -- in describing the functioning Components of his Golfing Machine. In my opinion, he rejected the terms 'Lead' and 'Trail' -- assuming he considered them at all -- because their descriptive definitions can be much more ambiguous, especially when applied to the various Components during the Golf Stroke. Had he chosen to use those terms, we would have had to agree on our own definitions not found in the dictionary. For example, which Arm 'leads' on the Backstroke? And which Arm 'trails'? Does the situation reverse on the Downstroke? Similar decisions must be made for the various Body parts and the Hands. For example, does the Right Shoulder 'trail' going back? Does the Right Wrist?
My point is that the use of substitute terms can easily lead to unforeseen complications when considering their dictionary definitions. And in developing his Universal Golf Language, Homer's primary concern was that his own Vocabulary defintions be found readily in a standard dictionary.
Bottom Line: Whatever the terminology, the decision of 'Right versus Left' cannot be avoided, and Homer chose the simplest possible solution.
I, for one, am glad he did. Anatomically, we each have a left and right side of our body (left and right foot, knee, hip and shoulder). We each have arms (left and right arm, forearm and elbow). And we each have hands (right and left hand and wrist and fingers). The 'lead' and 'trail' adjective applied to all the operating components of The Golfing Machine -- particularly given their respective functions on the Backstroke and the Downstroke -- would have been both 'too much' and often an oxymoron (a contradiction in terms), e.g., when the 'trail' side 'leads' in the Backstroke and the 'lead' side 'trails'.
Now, admittedly, the arbitrary decision to define the Machine in 'Right Hand' terms can make things initially a bit more difficult for Left Handers. But the problem shouldn't be insurmountable. After all, they have been dealing with 'right hand bias' all their lives.
A similar situation exists in the world of music. Most music is written for instruments tuned to the key of 'C'. But trumpets come tuned to the key of E Flat, and that is three 'flats' away from 'C'. So what do the trumpet players do? Demand that the music be re-written? No...
They learn to transpose -- on the fly.
And that is what 'Lefties' must do if they are to discover the treasure that lies within the covers of The Golfing Machine.
Homer Kelley gave much to the Golf World and asked little in return. In fact, I know of only two requests he made of others regarding the study of his book:
First, if you disagree with any Principle or Procedure found therein, prove your point. In this he asked nothing more than adherence to the standard he applied to himself.
Second, use the Terminology that he so laboriously created. Describe it and amplify it any way you wish. But...
Don't replace it.
On this site, I ask that you honor that request.
I understand that, on other sites, there are often miscommunications between Right-Handed and Left-Handed players.
Hey Lefty!!!!Look into a mirror..then you 've got the right perspective we right handers have to learn to translate with mirrors..you fortunatley do not!!!
-- I strongly discourage the use of 'Lead' and 'Trail' as a substitute for 'Left' and 'Right' on this site. 
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