Vijay's 'Wrong' Move -- the Infamous Flat Right Wrist
 

I think we can all agree that you don't win nine tournaments on the toughest professional tour in the world -- not to mention over ten million dollars! -- by doing it wrong! So what is Vijay doing right?

For starters, Matt has it nailed: The First Imperative is the Flat Left Wrist. The Sweetspot is never permitted to pass the Hands during the Impact Interval (1-L-#8 ). It is the Number One Alignment in G.O.L.F., and nobody does it better than Vijay (despite the unique simultaneous Flattening of his Right Wrist).

The Second Imperative is the Clubhead Lag Pressure Point. A glance at any of Vijay's Impact photos will prove that, despite his unusual Flat Right Wrist alignment, the #3 Pressure Point (Right Forefinger) is dead behind the Shaft and definitely doing its job. Importantly, it is getting a lot of support from its most faithful ally...the On Plane Right Forearm.

Finally, the Third Imperative is Tracing the Straight Plane Line. This conscious direction of the On Plane Clubhead Lag Pressure through Impact is the responsibility of the #3 Pressure Point and Right Forearm. You can rest assured that Vijay is taking care of business here because he spends hours every week -- even at his level -- making that happen. Homer Kelley called the Inclined Plane the "heart and soul of the Golf Swing." And this last Imperative -- maintaining its Straight Line Baseline through Impact -- is what Vijay's famous practice routine is all about.

You want to 'be like Mike?' Then do what 'Mike' does: Establish the Plane Line by putting two shafts on the ground a few inches apart and aligned to the Target. Then stick another in the ground behind you to establish the Plane Angle. Finally, position a water bottle just in front and to the right of the Ball (which is located between the two shafts on the ground). This is your visual 'Gateway to Golfing Perfection' through which the Arc of Approach -- the curved path of the Clubhead Blur through Impact -- must pass. Your mission is to swing Through the Ball -- and through this 'mine field' -- without disturbing any of the deliberately placed obstructions.

Do that a couple of times a week for a few weeks and watch those wayward shots 'get religion!'

Re: Vijay's 'Wrong' Move -- the Infamous Flat Right Wrist
 

Thats a great explanation. Still I do not fully understand the positioning of the two first shafts and how that "Gateway" appears. I'd be very grateful if someone would be able to provide a link to a photo of the entire setup.

He usually uses his speedstik for an aiming aid. He puts it in front of his feet to aim at the target.

He then uses some other straight bar and puts it outside the ball and this represents the plane line.

He then puts the ball in the middle.

then he puts the water bottle to the northwest corner of the ball outside the straight bar acting as his plane line.

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The idea is to hit the ball without distrubing either "gate" this means you are coming in correctly on the inside path and going back inside and up on the correct path.

The water bottle is there so he doesn't "over do it" and goes too much inside out. If he does, with his overrolling problem is what gives Veej the big ole' hooker.

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All of the above is why all of Vj's divots are almost perfectly straight or even curving a little to the left.

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One last note...Phil M is similar in his left wrist is flattening as well (remember he's a lefty so our right is his left). However i would say Phil's left wrist is flat while VJ's is actually arching through impact.
Hope no one got confused on that one!

Thanks! Now I get it. One final thing: I never really understood how he positions the leaning "plane angle stick" behind him.

How does he make sure that he does not catch it on the downswing? He'd make a mess if he did. Maybe he has good-enough margin between the shaft and the plane - or its long enough that his plane-shift will end up well down the shaft - ensuring that he can not catch it.

Thanks, bambam!

It just looks close to him because of the camera angle...kinda like when an instructor is 5 feet behind the golfer but when a camera is on him it looks like he is 2" away and is going to get smacked dead square in the face.

The shaft is place well outside his swing, its there for a reference

Also, as Yoda pointed out to me once before, since Vijay is a Swinger, he will not use Pressure Point #1, so it's not a concern if the cup of his Right Hand comes off his left thumb.

As a sports photographer let me just say this- any picture of VJ with his right hand coming off the club will always be chosen by an editor. Watch VJ on TV when he is in the last group and you may not see that right hand leave the club even once. He does this far less then people think.

And in the pictures when he does- that right hand is still behind the shaft.

Here's another angle just after impact: