Well its been 3 months since I visited Marietta and 6 months since I first learned about TGM and I am still a believer. I still have weekly "light bulb moments" when I finally understand something that I read from Homer, Yoda, YodasLuke or others. IMO, TGM is not something that you just read and fully understand in a week, or even a month...even if you visit a AI, not to say you wont see some immediate improvements, but it is more like a journey towards greater understanding that will happen over time.
I started working with a local AI -- I would love to visit Yoda and YodasLuke on a regular basis, but the geography prevents that -- even though I tried convincing my wife to move to Georgia! I read in some posts to somebody else that Yoda recommended a AI that is in Maryland, and I thought I should go and check him out. I went in April to see Tom Reynolds -- which is only a 1/2 hour away from where I work. He talked very highly of Yoda so I knew that I like him right away.
We went over a lot of the information that I had gone over with Yoda when I visited him in February. After the 3rd time meeting with Tom I finally had some breakthroughs in understanding that really helped me out on the course. First was the importance of retaining the allignments of the flying wedges. I finally fully understand what Homer was referring to and what Yoda/YodasLuke was talking about when I visited Marietta. I was breaking the allignment of the left arm flying wedge by turning my left hand and wrist in the takeaway and putting me way below plane. Tom showed me how far off this put clubhead from where it should be. I think I finally understood what Yoda has been talking about all along -- FLAT VERTICAL LEFT WRIST and BENT VERTICAL RIGHT WRIST. You keep these allignments throughout the stroke and you will keep the wedges alligned.
For me this meant that I had to feel like the wrists were locked in place and that I would just concentrate on feeling my right forearm pickup. This is where I finally understood what the right forearm pickup is about. The keyword is "UP". Instead of steering or directing the club with my hands now I just lift up with the right forearm keeping the wrists vertical as I go up plane -- when you do this the inside portion of the backstroke takes care of itself (you don't have to steer the club inside). LET ME TELL YOU THIS FELT WEIRD AT FIRST. Now with irons I just think UP PLANE DOWN PLANE which keeps things simple.
The next big thing that really helped in both understanding and out on the course is difference between loading for hitting and swinging. Yoda and YodasLuke had told me that I was loading for swinging, and I thought that this just meant that I had to shorten my backswing (which is part of it but not all of it). I heard several posts from Yoda and YodasLuke talking about loading the right elbow for hitting and loading the left wrist for swinging and it wasn't until 2 weeks ago that I finally understood the difference. Tom mentioned that at the top of the backswing I had my right elbow "tucked in" like a swinger. I processed that information and went and looked at videos of Yoda and YodasLuke and even Craig Stadler (a known hitter) and with all I saw that the elbow is supportive at the top of the backswing for a hitter. When I started loading the elbow correctly amazing things started happening!
For starters the elbow really keeps your backstroke on plane if you load it correctly and it sets you up perfectly for going directly at the ball from the top. If you load the elbow correctly it is really hard to take your hands higher than shoulder height on the backstroke -- it lets you know when you have reached the top.
The final discovery I have made relates to something that Yoda has been telling me for months about the importance of hip bump that "loads the lag and takes out the slack". He has told me over and over about doing downswing waggles. I was reading YodasLuke reply to a post about "Driver Leaking Badly to the Right" when it dawned on me why Yoda was stressing the downswing waggles to me. My main problem with the driver is the direct right path of the ball (I WOULD WAVE TO THE BALL LIKE YODASLUKE DOES, BUT THE DIFFERENCE WAS I WOULD BE WAVING A PERMANENT GOODBYE TO IT AS IT SAILED OB). Not only does the hip bump get your right shoulder moving down plane, but it DELAYS THE PIVOT TURN. If you just turn from the top (especially with the longer clubs like the driver) your body will have gotten way out in front of your arms and your right forearm will not overtake your line of sight (as YodasLuke mentioned). I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THIS!! This is why if you really try to pound a drive with your pivot the ball will go even futher right.
Anyway, the point of this post is that it takes time to process information and even then you won't get a lot of the stuff until it is presented over and over again in different ways and something clicks. It is amazing how everything ties together with TGM -- for instance, I just realized that the piston putting approach Yoda taught me is really the same motion through impact that a hitter makes with the right arm straightening. I am sure there will be many more discoveries over the coming months.
Sorry for the long post. I had been meaning to post some updates for awhile, but have been busy so when I finally did get a chance to post it was for a lot of stuff!
Now for the update on how this stuff has been working on the course. Last week I got out for 9 during an extended lunch and shot a 41 which is an all time low for me for 9 (had 4 pars). Last Sunday I went out and had 3 pars on the front 9 and should have had a 4th but 3 putted on a par 5. Last year was the first year that I broke 100 and rarely had more than 1 par per nine and almost always on par 3's.
My main struggle is off the tee now, even though I am better this year than ever. If I can get the driver going consistently straight and over 200 out then I feel I can really start posting some good numbers.
TGM works...especially if you keep at it and view it as a journey and not a quick fix.
Tnanks for sharing krpainter. I always find it VERY interesting to read about the early phases of taking the TGM road.
I am myself about to see a few AI's (for the first time) the next week or so & will follow your example, posting any experiences I consider worth sharing.
I am SURE my swing has a few severe flaws that I am yet totally unaware of. Can't wait to get the AI guidance to start the process of eliminating them - whatever they may be.
This is why if you really try to pound a drive with your pivot the ball will go even futher right.
If you don't allow the hip bump to take out the slack yes....however if you allow the hip bump to take the slack, you can hit the ball as hard/fast as that spinning flywheel wants to (pivot) and you'll watch the ball sail far far away
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I'm not a TGM or PGA certified Pro, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night
I found your insights quite instructive. One of the best win-win situations around occurs when someone learning a new system instructs others. It consolidates their knowledge, while aidiing the upcoming students as well.
I like Yoda's pilgrim analogy. Keep us informed of your progress along the trail.
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