Left Shoulder
 

Can anyone shed some light on the purpose of the left shoulder during a full swing. If the geometry of the circle puts Low Point under the left shoulder, shouldn't we try to make sure the left shoulder is in front of the ball at impact to assure ball turf impact?

Yes.

But don't start lunging forward man...never never....it may happen the slightest slightest bit......but not because you have tried to, really.

...

Setup with ball inside left shoulder some.

Keep head back (and experiment with where it should be at Address too...not always in centre of stance IMO....although there ARE varying opinions on this....Yoda likes it centered at all times, I believe...pesonally I like it to vary with club choice/shot trajectory).

Sustain Lag Pressure.

Ball-divot (automatically).

There is no left shoulder control itself - there is a stationary point on the spine inorder to stablise its motion - ideally the head for its visual advantages, centered between directly between the feet which is the ideal - and the real control comes from your right shoulder which moves with great precision during the stroke.

I just remember years ago when I took lessons from Ben Doyle, he would say that the left shoulder is a great "leader" since it had to travel so far from address to finish. But I can't really find this in TGM so it must have been one of Ben's personal tips.:)

Does the spinning Flywheel of a swinger automatically move the left shoulder in front of the ball at impact, provided he cleared the right hip with some hip slide, insuring Low Point to be after impact?

Not from the book, but the 'feel' of "hitting the ball with the back of the lead shoulder" can be very helpful to many swingers. Gets you to turn more fully and helps keep you from opening up the shoulders too soon on the downswing. One of my key images when I am lacking a good turn.

John,
I believe, and I could be wrong, that Homer preferred using the right shoulder as a reference point (give the accumulator power as well as the guide for the hands, so I personally would not get stuck on it. As long as your ball placement is not forward of low point (the only usefullness I believe Homer used the left shoulder for), you should be good.

I think.

I hope.

:)

Patrick

Fran Dechaine, use to be the head of the golf school in Sun City
FL. He had a method of seperating hitters from swingers. One
idea was to look at the right shoulder on the finish of the swing. It should be closer to the target than the left shoulder. He would get a student to try to hit with the right
side and try to get the right shoulder closer to the target
than the left shoulder. He would then have the student try to
get the right shoulder closer to the target by pulling the left
shoulder back and out of the way. Sometimes a student could add
20 yards by pulling the left should back. You have great post.
Thanks, Donn

Fran was my first mentor with TGM..like a father figure....very bright...is he still kickin or what's up with him...lost contact with him over the years???

Fran Deschaine
 

Annakin, About three years ago, Fran had moved to Lake Placid
Florida. My computer crashed and I lost his email address. I
cannot find a telephone number for him. I will send a letter
via Moonlight Golf Tour to him. He would be a great asset to
the Forum. Donn