Lee Trevino On the Right Forearm Flying Wedge

[Yoda]

Interesting segment yesterday on The Golf Channel's Champions Learning Center.

Lee Trevino was giving Jerry Pate a lesson on the practice tee of the Ford Senior Players Championship, and as Jerry addressed the ball, Lee had this to say:

"This elbow" -- Lee punched Jerry's right elbow with the butt end of a driver -- "should be broken a little...inside...just a tiny bit. Then you can go from there. That's where your power comes from."

Despite the focus on the subject on this site, very few students come to me with this alignment in place. It is given scant attention elsewhere, and most advice, e.g., "let the arms hang naturally," totally ignores it.

So, the handicap golfer labors on in the ignorance of either omission or misconception.

But not Lee.

As I watched Lee punch Jerry's right elbow, I was transported back to January 1982, a public range in Seattle, and the lesson I took from Homer Kelley. With me in my address position, Homer leaned over, took his hand and forcibly bent my right elbow.

"Your arm's too straight, Lynn. Put some bend in it."

Good advice then.

Good advice now.

[blehnhard]

Given that the impact hand location for almost everyone is higher than at standard (or adjusted) address and that the goal is the have the RF on plane with the shaft at impact, does the RF have to match the shaft plane at standard or adjusted address, or just get it as close as possible.

Thanks

Bruce

[glcoach]

I saw that spot too...thought it was pretty interesting. Trevino had some pure impact alignments in his day, and I would say he still does.

[Weightshift]

I missed that Lynn but what I did see was where he stuck an iron in the ground (clubhead toe in the ground) opposite the ball with the shaft pointing towards him and said "That's a cannon and it's going to fire at impact". He then swung and demonstrated that all of his upper body passed by the ball at impact. "The cannon now just shoots into air, just behind my right leg". (hope I quoted it correctly).

[Yoda]

Given that the impact hand location for almost everyone is higher than at standard (or adjusted) address and that the goal is the have the RF on plane with the shaft at impact, does the RF have to match the shaft plane at standard or adjusted address, or just get it as close as possible.

Bruce

Bruce,

You are right that most everyone comes in with their Hands higher than in their Address Position, even the "good players." But it doesn't have to be that way.

If you follow the Address Routine in 2-J-1 -- with the Clubhead either 'hovered' behind the Ball or else soled properly (toward the Toe of the Club) and with Extensor Action applied -- you will have set your Hands at exactly the same height they should return at Impact. Of course, almost nobody does this, so assuming a proper On Plane Downstroke without Throwaway, the Hands cannot possibly return to their Address Position. Nor should they.

Regarding the Right Forearm, it will not be at its full Bend until the Hip Turn and Axis Tilt have lowered Right Shoulder. Hence, unless the Address is taken in a full Impact Fix, there typically will be "less Right Arm" at Address than at Impact. So, I recommend getting the Forearm as close to in-line with the Clubshaft as possible at Address, without contorting the Body or artificially creating an extreme Right Arm Bend. However, in any case, the Right Forearm will be definitely below the Left (when viewed from 'down the line').

Study Photos 9-2-1 #2 (Address) and 9-2-2 #2 (Impact Fix) in The Golfing Machine. Those wishing to improve (or verify) their current Arm and Hand alignments will find them worthy objectives.

[tongzilla]

Why does the Right Wrist Position in 9-2-1 #2 (Address) look like 4-B-3 (Uncocked)?

Could it be because Diane is trying to use the same Clubshaft Angle at Impact with the Right Forearm in-line with the Clubshaft, but without the Right Shoulder being On Plane (like it is at Impact in 9-2-2 #2)?

[EdZ]

Interesting segment yesterday on The Golf Channel's Champions Learning Center.

Lee Trevino was giving Jerry Pate a lesson on the practice tee of the Ford Senior Players Championship, and as Jerry addressed the ball, Lee had this to say:

"This elbow" -- Lee punched Jerry's right elbow with the butt end of a driver -- "should be broken a little...inside...just a tiny bit. Then you can go from there. That's where your power comes from."

Despite the focus on the subject on this site, very few students come to me with this alignment in place. It is given scant attention elsewhere, and most advice, e.g., "let the arms hang naturally," totally ignores it.

So, the handicap golfer labors on in the ignorance of either omission or misconception.

But not Lee.

As I watched Lee punch Jerry's right elbow, I was transported back to January 1982, a public range in Seattle, and the lesson I took from Homer Kelley. With me in my address position, Homer leaned over, took his hand and forcibly bent my right elbow.

"Your arm's too straight, Lynn. Put some bend in it."

Good advice then.

Good advice now.

It is basically impossible IMO to feel the proper plane, the 'slot', without this critical right elbow position at address.

When you get this correct, in combination with properly set flying wedges, the plane 'staying between your arms' feeling is very clear, as is the feel of straight up the plane, straight down the plane motion of a zero shift. The right forearm 'magic'. The left thumb becomes a very clear 'guide' as well.

As I write the Open is on, and I see that even the greatest, Tiger, has an issue here. In fact, the biggest thing keeping him from winning every single event is his right forearm postion and his grip. His current grip has him fighting his alignments, which he manages to 'save' often, but which fails him on his wild right shots (ironically, those have his right forearm in a better impact position, but due to his grip it goes wide right)

[blehnhard]

Ed - do you feel that Tiger's right hand is too much "on top" and not enought to the side?

thanks - Bruce

[EdZ]

Ed - do you feel that Tiger's right hand is too much "on top" and not enought to the side?

thanks - Bruce

yes - both hands, IMO, are on the 'weak' side, which forces him to 'do' something to square up. He does this in two ways, by getting into an arched position at the top at times, and by effectively moving clubface control to his right hand (especially on iron play).

In 2000, he was keeping his flying wedges in place, both of them.

Now, he either keeps his left wedge and goes right, or keeps his right wedge and 'blocks' his irons (with some left side breakdown)

A very slight adjustment to his left thumb and a slight strengthening of his right hand would allow him to keep both his wedges.

With his current motion, he would do best always playing a fade and/or adding FULL roll. Either of which would be a compensation for not taking his grip at impact fix.

The rest of his motion is so outstanding that he can compensate, but the long term issue needs to be addressed before he is back on 'auto'. He is stuck between his natural trend towards using his right arm, and a grip that requires giving up control to CF and using full roll.


Get his wedges back and grip from impact fix and watch out world!

[BlackjackNY]

Bruce,

You are right that most everyone comes in with their Hands higher than in their Address Position, even the "good players." But it doesn't have to be that way.

If you follow the Address Routine in 2-J-1 -- with the Clubhead either 'hovered' behind the Ball or else soled properly (toward the Toe of the Club) and with Extensor Action applied -- you will have set your Hands at exactly the same height they should return at Impact. Of course, almost nobody does this, so assuming a proper On Plane Downstroke without Throwaway, the Hands cannot possibly return to their Address Position. Nor should they.

Regarding the Right Forearm, it will not be at its full Bend until the Hip Turn and Axis Tilt have lowered Right Shoulder. Hence, unless the Address is taken in a full Impact Fix, there typically will be "less Right Arm" at Address than at Impact. So, I recommend getting the Forearm as close to in-line with the Clubshaft as possible at Address, without contorting the Body or artificially creating an extreme Right Arm Bend. However, in any case, the Right Forearm will be definitely below the Left (when viewed from 'down the line').

Study Photos 9-2-1 #2 (Address) and 9-2-2 #2 (Impact Fix) in The Golfing Machine. Those wishing to improve (or verify) their current Arm and Hand alignments will find them worthy objectives.

Lordy be, Yoda- I had never noticed that paragraph before. Genius. I always felt uncomfortable adding extensior action because my club was soled. I can't wait to try this out!