1-L THE MACHINE CONCEPT #1 The Stationary Post
 

There is no Reverse Pivot in The Golfing Machine. There is only the correct Pivot. That Pivot is kept Centered by the Stationary Head, in turn kept Centered between the Stationary Feet (9-1-1 #1; 9-1-3; 9-2-1 #1; 9-2-2 #1).

Many 'authorities' believe the Head should -- indeed must -- move to the right on the Backstroke. Not surprisingly, the Position Golf, Pivot-Controlled-Hands procedures they teach exacerbate that tendency. In contrast, Golfers who embrace Alignment Golf and its Hand-Controlled-Pivot procedures soon learn that the proper Right Forearm Pickup eliminates any urge to move the Stationary Head.

The Body moves only as necessary to accomodate and support the On Plane assignments of the Hands. That includes the Downstroke Right Shoulder function -- Momentum Transfer (Left Arm Thrust) for Swingers and Launching Pad (of Right Arm Thrust) for Hitters. The Legs -- the Feet and Knees -- stabilize that motion as they pull the Shoulder Downplane via the Hip Action. Basically, Machine Golfers learn to just stand there...take it up...

And rip it! :oops:

1-L THE MACHINE CONCEPT #1 The Stationary Post GM#145
 

Watch Fred Couples.

He stands there...his Stationary Head centered between his Stationary Feet.

He picks the Club almost straight up to the Top. His Head remains Stationary and his Left Foot remains Flat. He is in perfect Balance.

He delivers the Club almost straight down into Impact. [Talk about your small Pulley Wheel encounters (2-K #6)!] His Head remains Stationary and his Feet maintain his perfect Balance.

He remains, at the age of 44, one of the longest Drivers of the Ball on the PGA TOUR and has won $1,820,495 year-to-date.

No 'move to the right.'

No Heel lift on the Backstroke.

No exaggerated 'leg drive.'

Just the smoothest Swing in Golf producing some of the longest Shots and lowest scores in Golf.

Go figure. :oops:

The Stationary Head GM#182
 

DG,

An ominous "Hmmmm..." indeed.

There have been few great players in history who have not suffered reasonably severe back problems at some point (or more likely, several points) during their career. A very short list of such notables would include Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman, Seve Ballesteros, Davis Love, Larry Nelson, Hal Sutton, Jim Colbert, Chi Chi Rodriquez, George Archer, Bert Yancey, Hale Irwin and Fuzzy Zoeller. There are at least three spinal fusions in that group, plus one new set of hips. And, of course, the ladies are not exempt: Consider Babe Didrickson Zaharias, Jo Anne Carner, Betsy King, Beth Daniel, Amy Alcott and Nancy Lopez.

So, to no small extent, a bad back is a Tour Player's occupational hazard, the toll that must be paid to travel Golf's storied road to glory. To be sure, some techniques are less forgiving than others, and there are several bones I could pick in Freddie's Swing. But since you're "Hmmm"-ing...

Why don't you 'have a go at it?' :oops:

Stationary Head GM#240
 

Great stuff, Ed.

Funny how this stuff works together. You mention your new success with the Flying Wedges (6-B-3-0-1) and Right Forearm Takeaway (2-F and 7-3).

One of the reasons people have such a hard time keeping their Head Stationary is that their Head isn't properly positioned in the first place. And even if it is, their Shoulder Turn Takeaway tends to pull it out of position. This also tends to disrupt the Wedges and delay until too late the Right Arm's assignment of taking the Club immediately Up, In and Back (On Plane) in a true Three-Dimensional Start-Up.

However, with the commitment to properly position your Head between the Feet at Impact Fix and then keep it Stationary added to your existing focus on the Flying Wedge alignments and the simple Right Forearm Start Up, suddenly there is no inclination to move the Head! Except, of course, habit (executing its ignorance) and that is easily overcome with the look, Look, LOOK approach of 3-B. The bottom line is that a good Start Up requires a properly positioned and Stationary Head and a precision Flying Wedge Assembly and a Right Forearm Pick Up. It doesn't really matter which of these you acquire first -- I'd recommend the Stationary Head! -- or last. Just as long as you ultimately get all three. Because, at least in this instance, "it takes three to tango!"

So, stay with it. And stay patient. Sometimes things take a while to gell, and then...boom, you make a big breakthrough and...just like that!...you're suddenly better for the rest of your life!

Yoda ----Was Homer wrong about anything? GM#243
 

1. I know of no factual error in The Golfing Machine. A few printer's errors and a few things that could definitely be worded better, but again, no factual error.

2. Regarding the Stationary Head, study the Head Position (in relation to the Feet and the Centered white reference marker) in photos 9-1-1 through 9-1-12. Also photos 9-2-1 #1 and 9-2-2 #1. Notice that you could drop a plumb line from the chin and it would fall in the middle of the Feet. In the as yet unpublished 7th edition of TGM, Homer calls this the Pivot Swing Center Tripod. The teaching of the Head over the Right Knee encourages -- in fact, demands -- an exaggerated Tilt of the Upper Body. This position puts the Left Shoulder (and therefore also the Low Point) well behind its proper location and makes achieving the proper Stroke Geometry through Impact extremely difficult.

3. The Hip Shift is the Weight Shift. Hula girls shift their weight from left to right and back again quite nicely -- beautifully, too! -- and never move their head. You may not have their flexibility, but you have more than enough to Pivot properly, i.e., Turn and Shift your Weight -- and not move your Head. To do otherwise is to Sway -- the Fourth Snare (3-F-7-E).
Topic:Yoda What have you discovered?

Pivot Center BM#10
 

The center of the Left Arm Flying Wedge Rotation -- in both directions
-- is its Left Shoulder Hinge Pin. The center of the Pivot Motion is
the Stationary Head or, alternatively the described 'shirt label'
point 'between the Shoulders.'

Pros and Cons BM#104
 

Pro: It works.

Basic Essential #1 BM#109
 

Yep, sorry about that.... I don't have the book memorized like some.


flat left wrist.... but then if you really ensure lag pressure points, you
would have a flat left wrist. A stable swing center is indeed imperative in
my view





This is important, so let's get it right:

The Stationary Head is the first of the Three Basic Essentials (2-0-A-1).



Also, the Stationary Head Pivot Center is not the same as the 'Between-the-Shoulders'
PivotCenter. It is its alternative (Glossary). :oops:

Essential but Not Imperative . . . BM#110
 

Homer Kelley was careful to differentiate the Imperatives from the Essentials.
You cannot deviate from the Three Imperatives -- Flat Left Wrist,
Clubhead Lag Pressure Point and Straight Plane Line -- and play high level
golf. Deviating from the Three Essentials -- Stationary Head, Balance and
Rhythm (close call!) -- makes high level golf far more difficult, but not
impossible. As an example, recall Curtis Strange winning two U.S. Opens with
a very visible lateral Head movement.

Center Between the Feet BM#299
 

The Head is centered precisely between the Feet, i.e., the Head and Feet form
an isosceles triangle.