A true sweep load would have the right elbow starting to cock at the beginning of the backstroke....Els is not doing that....I'm looking at a picture of Els in his book "How to Build a Classic Golf Swing" and his hands are not set at the half stroke position (with a 2 iron). Text in the book has Els saying..."wrists hinge naturally"....I would consider that comment to indicate that Els is snap loading or the very least random loading....Ernie is going away from the ball with an extensor action takeaway (full sweep has the loading starting at the beginning of the backstroke)....the real arguement should be whether or not it's a snap load or random load....
I use snap loading....with some clubs, especially with the short clubs, it may appear to look like sweep loading but I can feel the left wrist complete it's cocking motion at the end assembly point.
Dave there's a superb video of Els below with the driver, it is the 44 second vid link on the page. I may get educated here but i really cannot see how he could be snap loading. It's random sweep for mine. The video also has a superb inset of impact showing that per TGM the driver definitely isn't on the upswing!!
Go to Advanced, Scroll Down, to Full Sweep Loading, Find Annikan Skywalker...It might help...it might NOT!!!
Annikan,
Thanks for the reminder of your post. It is loaded with Grade A fog busting points of light.
Sweep has so many advantages as you pointed out.
1- For me snap loading had little control of the impact fix flying wedge formation so late in the back swing.
2- I think Sweep loading is the only way to use the right forearm takeaway. The RFT with Flying Wedges pretty much rules the golf swing for me.
Can you follow up on what Lynn and Chuck told you about random sweep on the down stroke?