Athletically Ready Arms

Good to hear. Thanks for the update.

This goes back to Surge's basic regarding the flat and firm left wrist. I find that if I relax too much, the weight of the club causes my wrists to cock down making the club not sole flat on the ground. If I have it correct, the forearm should be in a neutral position (not rotated) and the left wrist should also be in a neutral position, not cocked up or down and not hinged forward or backward (bowing/cupping). The right wrist would, of necessity, be hinged backward.

The non-cocking of the left wrist gets to Surge's point on not being too relaxed, and having the firmness to lift the clubhead with the fingers. This sets the angle between the forearm and the shaft, which should be maintained throughout the swing. Unfortunately, knowing what to do and actually doing it are often two different things. This is one of the areas in which I am very inconsistent.

Robert F:

  It would be -- except for the 30 degree hip rotation

   Amos

Looking forward to seeing these new clubs in action sometime soon.

Wishing, DJ, a speedy recovery!

R2,  Thanks for the thoughts,,, I will let you know how my "face on" results go in a few weeks.  The idea of little bending and not twisting around a bunch of angles is what attracted me to the Surge Swing in the first place. 

CJ

Hi Don
I,ve watch a few of your videos & this is a very different wuestion.
I had a youg man name Don Trahan who worked for me years ago & who prefered golf to work would you be one and the same?
Roger Pelletier
696 Ashley Blvd.
New Bedford mass.
Real Estate

Just as long as he keeps it away from ceiling fans & sloped greatroom ceilings :)

Golfol, If I didn't use a cart, I wouldn't be able to play 36 consecutive holes, Beer helps a lot too!

Great progress, Keith. We all get frustrated with this game and think we should just pitch it all in from time to time. That's when we need to go back to the basics and work through them again. Something new that we missed or forgot always pops out and we find, for a time, that joy of a well-struck shot.

Today on the range I was really working myself on palms perpendicular, as my videos from previous session showed me letting the arms roll too far and get the shaft well into the SBG, particularly with the driver. I also really focused on activating the muscles under the forearms and up using the last few fingers of each hand. I hit some real beauties today, and my Doc-made driver really did some beautiful work.

Awesome Steve. For most of us mortals a 3 iron no longer is even in the bag. My new 21 degree will be the Adams Redline hybrid iron. I tried it against the Adams v3 hybrid( a true hybrid 21*) and I actually liked the flight and distance of the Redline iron better. So where as I thought I would go the other direction before my fitting and add hybrids to my bag, I'll actually have no true hybrids any more. However I have to say that the redlines have all the technology of a hybrid, They'll be my 21*-31*'s the 4,5,6, and 7 irons all each one club strong (so really the 3-6 irons). Got off on a tangent. Anyhow glad you got to enjoy 36 holes today. I'll play my 9 holes before work tomorrow at 6am.

Robert F:

   Except for my weakened left ankle, I really would prefer to walk the course, regardless of the weather.  On most courses, with a cart, I can get around in aobut 3 to 3 1/2 hours, gropus ahead permitting .
 
    Walking the same course, with a pull or trolley cart, would probalby take me at least 5 or maybe 6 hours.  The front nine maight go almost like "normal" people, but by the 13th or 14th hole, it would be a S-L-O-W pace indeed.

   Keep hitting them STRAIGTH and LONG

   Amos

Robert, I know what mean, I lost my parents 10 & 11 years ago, I can relate to every moment being precious. Josh is doing well, his game is improving, he now grips relatively nice for someone his age and begs to let me at least putt in the greatroom as we are watching television. He has finally grasp the concept of a putting stroke and alleviated my fears of a lynx putter head taking out my television. I let him enjoy the driving range feature on my TW11 Masters x-box and that also seems to help him grasp the concept of the game and swing more. So I see, hopefully, many years of golf enjoyment for the both of us. As footnote we will be filing the paperwork for him one day early next, when we can find a time suitable for all parties involved.
 I checked out some of your new sticks, impressive.
 Boog

Robert, like you, I found at my fitting, I was not nearly as vertical as I thought I was. I'm not sure I should be recommending this to anyone, but, for me, it helps to FEEL as though I am taking the club back and over my head, instead of my shoulder. It of course does not actually go over my head, but it feels very vertical and almost as though it does. I guess I have a disconnect between actual vertical and sensory perception of vertical. Anyway, feeling or sensing that the club is going over my head actually put's it over my inner shoulder neck area, when done correctly.

Aargh, I was dealing with some problems and missed DJ's former playing partners (Teater and DiMarco, who also happen to be leader and one of the guys tied for second) go through the first Live@ hole so I didn't hear if they talked about what happened with DJ. Did anybody catch it?

Surge: I have been trying to implement your swing technique for a year and a half now and still
          struggle with PLHR ( pre load heavy right)  I am 6 foot 2 inches tall and thin and the PLHR
           has been working with my driver but when I go to irons I am very inconsistant.  When
           you have a spot open in your daily lessons could you shed some light on my problem.
Jerry S.

If you want to go to the head of the line, be sure to include chest pains in your symptoms.

Kim

Thanks for the update.  Hope he feels better soon

Lynn42

CJ:  I'm 6'0" and have been using a custom-built 51", dual grip side-saddle (face-on) putter for about 2 years now.  Best move I ever made!  No bending, stooping, and I use a narrow "ride the skinny-horse" stance with the lower hand in it's natural hanging position on the grip and the upper hand locked into my armpit.  By simply "squaring-up" and facing the target,  all the odd angles are eliminated and my stroke is tension-free and very simple; straight back and straight forward.  My putting has greatly improved, and I will never, ever go back to the old style putter.  Good luck and putt 'em straight!  R2

Terry, I have the swingtech set up on a tree in my back yard. The othe trainer, the swingrite is the one that may help with my early release.(Still don't have that one). My challenges are both not being as vertical as I will be and releasing way to early from the top. Being more aware of it now than I ever has given me a desire for a "do over" in my golf life. A determination that I'm going to start fresh by doing several corrections. Certainly drills like the butt on the wall should help along with the swing tech and the swingrite (or something similar). Saw that 'whoosh' club while in California. It is similar in that it teaches a later release. Leith pointed out that I am loosing alot of potential speed and distance because of my early release. That  along with a serious grip flaw I noticed that I am adjusting are going to make a difference. At address I had my right hand cranked down alomost in an opposite of a wristcock position. This also caused my right wrist and forarm to be too high and above my left looking down the line from behind. This made it impossible to properly get into the "master set up". I have already noticed it becoming easier to get vertical with this adjustment of grip and right arm. That properly timed release is why we see these 'old' guys on the course still getting the ball a long ways out there. I appreciate any other thoughts, reminders and advice you have Terry. I'm really going to get back to basics.

You lost me with your last sentence. It might equal 70* of difference between the hips and shoulders, but it certainly is still a 100* shoulder turn, which is 30* TOO MUCH. Generally speaking, your hips will turn approx 1/2 the degree of your shoulders, which would be in the realm of the 30* mentioned, but you certainly do not want to try and exceed the 3/4 shoulder turn at approx 70*. Unless I'm missing something with your intent here, your last sentence is well beyond the SSGS limits.

Thanks for the update, Kim, I noticed he wasn't the only one so a tour virus came to mind.

Same number of putts Steve Stricker used on his first nine yesterday.

I know the "drink massive quantities of water and never have to pee" effect of our wonderful weather all too well. You hardly even notice the sweat in that weather because it evaporates straight from your pores. I remind all friends who visit in the summer to limit their alcohol and drink a LOT of water or they'll have problems. We're not only crazy hot, but we're 2000 feet above sea level here in Vegas. It really causes trouble for people who are not acclimated. Personally, I drove around for most of my first 10 years here in a car basically no air conditioning (1980 280ZX with a T-roof--beautiful car, but the A/C was designed to cool 88 degrees down to 80, not to deal with 120+). Always keep a bottle of water or some other "clean" liquid (Gatorade, etc for the electrolytes) in the car. Fortunately, in the summer many of the courses here automatically put free bottles of water on the carts or hand them too you when you tee off if you're walking and the drink carts make very regular passes. It really interferes with people's rounds when you have to send paramedics out to get some tourist off the course because he didn't realize he was about to have heat stroke.

Surge & others,
When I am at the Practice Range and warm up by hitting balls with my feet togrther.  I can hit balls high and straight all day like this.  When I proceed to widen my feet my direction and ball flight starts to wander, not always.   Does anybody experience this too and is there any relationship between the " feet together drill " and what Surge teaches?

Amos, Im looking forward to meeting you and playing some golf then.

I talked a bit about this on another comment from yesterday's video. I think this would be a great topic for a full-on Surge back porch video, though: What Is Lag and What Do We Do About It? We're a couple of thoughtful amateurs. This is really a subject in need of a professional opinion. :)

Personally, I don't think about specifics like that in the course of a swing. I don't think about the ball, or the club head or anything other than moving my hands along my imaginary wheel around my neck as quickly as possible while keeping my palms perpendicular to the ground. I know if I've set up properly and I can do that, I will hit the ball well. My body does all of the rest of the swing--bump, lag, release--automatically. Which, I know, makes me a very annoying kind of guy to thinkers like you and Steve Smith. The one thing I'm working on now following thoughts on an older Surge video and some comments from Short Game Wizard yesterday (which had nothing directly to do with what I'm about to say, but by trying what he was talking about it pointed me to a place I was falling down in my performance of the swing) is to lift more with my right arm from the get-go. I've always spent a lot of time focused on my left hand and arm, and I think I was letting my right be too passive. In practice swings, remembering to lift with my right arm all the way to the bell seems to get me into a more vertical position and keeps my palms more perpendicular. I had a tendency for the left to overpower the right and get myself laid off. The proof of the pudding will come when I get to the range in a few hours and give it a go with actual balls.

Surge Nation:

    I just KNOW that y'all are breathlessly awaiting my lated "action report" LOL -- but here goes anyway!

    10 of 14 fairways, 168 yard Driving average, 3 misses left, 1 right
     only 3 GIR, but a LOT of "near misses" resulting in 7 pars, 1 Birdy ( a hole out from a greenside bunker) -- wonders never cease!! LOL and 6 bogies,
     The putting and chipping returned from vacation -- 7 one putts and the hole out from the sand resulted in 27 putting strokes actually "used"
      Longest made putts -- 21 feet, 16 feet, 15 feet and 9 feet.  What can I say? "when it works, it works!"  and perhaps best of all -- 0 three putts!

       Here's one for Steve Smith : on the 4th hole, the ongest par 4 at San Marcos, I pulled my drive into trees -- got all of 166 yards, came to rest between to trees, but on bare ground. With no direct path to the green, I selected a 5 iron, set up for a low draw and swung away.  What I got was high shot taht grazed the leaves of an offending tree limb, but the ball did draw a little - maybe a yard or two at most.  Then it hit the cener of the fairway and turned hard left and running. According to my GPS, it went 159 yrds total. I can not ever remeber hitting a 5 iron that far -- it would have fit nicely between my normal 5w and 3w.
   From that point, I selected my 7w, hit a solid but slightly pulled shot, with a touch of fade on it. the ball came to rest about a foot short of the hole and maybe 3 feet ot the right. resulted in a very rare (for me) par on that hole.
 
     All of this resulted in a  44 + 42 = 86

     Keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG

     Amos

Hi Robert,
I recently torn my upper bicept and rotator cuff lagaments in an accident.  I am 70 years old and was operated on by an Othopedic Surgen who I sometimes golf with.  He told me I would not be able to golf for about 6 - 9 months.  I know that the left shoulder muscles are used in the swing and once witnessed a golfer throw his shoulder out of joint in a painful display.  My question is this: Are there exercises I can do to gently condition my shoulder into the golf swing again.  I don't want to swing away an throw out my shoulder when I start golfing again.

SGW:

   good wedges, good chipping and a "hot" putter is how you keep the "long knockers" at bay.

    Amos

BTW Boog. Congrates on Surge recognising you and covering the arm subject. Very cool my friend :)

I have played in Vegas on several occasions, and have walked, not easy to do because of course restrictions. It's hot, I'll give you that, but not as hilly as my course here in North Carolina. I walk at least 9 holes whenever the course is open for play, and up to today (6/5) I have played 105 times since January 1. I enjoy my daily walk, as it allows for contemplative time as well as the exercise I need every day. Walking was how the game was meant to be played, the invention of the golf cart has destroyed the serenity of the course.

lol, true for all of us, I think, Steve

Thanks for the update, Robert, I was hanging on every word! I share in your excitement, my friend.

Please, and a Vanilla shake, shaken not stirred.

RELEASE TROUBLES?  You've seen us talk about it, it's time to consider it.  The SWINGRITE.

Yea, The something else is what happens when it all goes wrong. It all turns to S------------omething else.

Posted an update on the front page in the same spot the link the DJ's stats usually are located.

Still sounds painful to me, and well outside the SSGS allowable limits.

Regardless of how things turn out you gotta already know I'm going to have some fun. It'll come with the tools to quick gange 'em out and all. I can't wait. Hey at our age Steve it's kinda nice not to have to settle on one. Hmmmn... I'm liking that decision more and more. Yeeeehaaaa!

I concur with all said. For me, it happens naturally with the associated bump actions, and my struggle is to not let it get too laid off in the transition. Mine might be slightly more, because, I do not just let my arm return to the side, but, return my elbow to the front pocket hip bone area, which adds to the slightly laid off inside approach. Without this as a conscience or unconscience effort I tend to come over the top with a left shoulder start to the FUS.

it's good but not good enough.. something is missing.

Dick - You have my sympathy and prayers.

Dick H

Thanks for that. Emergency room visits are enough to make a person sick anyway. Hope he's feeling better quickly.

Uh, that would be correctomundo Chaci.

Surge Nation

Hey folks.  I was just catching up on the blog posts.  I needed to unwind and put life out of my mind for a few minutes.  I am going to hit the rack.  Tomorrow will come early and stay late.

We are all doing ok. 

KP said thanks for all the prayers.  I know he is trying to be strong for his sister and mom.  I hope when this has all settled down he and I can spend some one on one time to talk.

He is a fine young man, and I am blessed to be able to call him my son.

Please continue to bring my family before the Lord in prayer.

Good night my brothers and sisters.
Dick