George Groskopf from Jefferson, Wisconsin sent a note to me a week or two ago asking to clarify whether there are actually two Bumps in the Peak Performance Golf Swing.
"Surge,
"Would you please clarify The Bump for me? Just before you ring the bell on the
backswing, your forward hip moves laterally forward to initiate The Bump.In one of your previous instructions, you talked about standing up AFAP, like a pop tart out of a toaster and no one did it as fast as you wanted. You went on to say one day while watching a TV broadcast the announcer said "look how he hits down on the ball". The light bulb went on as the PPGS swing is all about up -- the FUS the Forward Up Swing. The bump is automatic. How good is that ! We get the bump for free! Are the two "bumps" the same?
Please keep up your daily video tips from the backyard driving range! Thanks, Surge, for making golf fun again."
George, I can clear this up quickly-there is only one Bump and it is characterized as a lateral forward shift of your hips, no more than 1-2 inches, and this move is absolutely essential to start your FUS. The key to a successful Bump is that it starts a split second before your hands arrive at the top of the backswing, at a spot I call the Bell Position. At this instant, your lower body and your upper body are actually moving in opposite directions as the hips need to clear out so that you can swing down and approach the aiming line from slightly inside. This will allow you to square the club for a good solid strike.
Here's a good way to find your own personal Bell Position, as it is different for everyone. You can do this with or without a club--get into your normal address position and take your rear arm and move it across your chest to support your forward arm, grabbing it just underneath your elbow. Then turn your shoulders and hips as you would do in your swing until the forward arm is over the toe line. Use your rear hand to lift the forward arm up to its highest point that feels natural and doesn't stretch your torso at all. While keeping your forward arm at that point, remove your rear hand and place it on top of the forward hand--and presto!-that's your Bell Position. Since this is an imaginary place in space, do spend some time trying to burn that spot into your mental memory.
I like to imagine a desk bell, the kind you often see on a teacher's desk or at a hotel. I imagine that bell inverted, with the plunger right at the top-most point of my backswing. So when I mentally hear the "Bing", then "Bang!", I fire my hips and do The Bump. From that point, I allow my hands and arms to free fall down so that they can explode at Impact and then I Pop Up AFAP to a perfect T-Finish before I Recoil & Relax, with my body and club pointing right at the target.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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