Importance of the Right Hand

Hi Surge, thanks for explaining the use of the right hand,I hope it is the key to improving my swing.I understand now that it is a guide to assist the clubhead up the tree whereas my error was to think of power and hitting with the right hand.Hopefully this will cure the slice I have been getting with my driver and 3 wood.

Chuck, it depends on how long his arms are relative to his height. However, at that age, his proportions are likely to change by the week.

For reference, though, here's Doc's chart for starting driver lengths (guideline, not rule) based on wrist-to-floor measurment:
WTF.......Driver length
29-32.......42.5
32-34.......43
34-36.......43.5
36-37.......44
37-38.......44.25
38-39.......44.5
39-40.......44.75

Siltz, "Release, timing and speed" that is the title of the article you need to look up. Are you familiar with our search tool? You'll find it near the top right side of this page. Put in the word 'release' and several articles will come up. Basically, you are releasing too soon. In these articals you 'll get some good ideas. Of course one of them is to get the 'SwingRite' which will teach you to hold off your release and create proper lag.-as Doc suggests :)

My exact thoughts just over five hours ago, you gazummped me! Hahahahaha I could click liked but not comment razzle,frazzle,razzle "or words to that effect" and I didn't know that was the one they chose either. Well done Robert.
Liked your explanations of the Grip etc too. We are indeed Blessed as Dick says.

Looks like you here now! Welcome aboard. If you can, edit out your personal e-mail from the blog before you start getting spammed. R2

UkPhil, you might want to double check your grip.... maybe too weak with the left hand. I had a similar problem about 2 months ago. I went back to the PPGS Manual and re-read the section on grip. I thought you were not suppose to go past 1 o'clock with your left thumb (for right hander), but noted that Surge said 1 to 2 o'clock. When I strengthen my left hand grip to putting my thumb at 2 o'clock on the grip my slice with my long clubs disappeared. Anyway that is what worked for me. Good luck.

Jerry

Kevin

You are killing me pal. Sorry, but I was laughing so hard I probably hurt myself more than you did in your fall.

There are a lot of ways to prove the Surge Swing is body friendly. You don't have to wreck yourself to prove it.

Give it a day and see how every thing moves and feels.

Did you have cake and ice cream at the party? I just got home from working at the course, had dinner with my loving wife, and am now trying to decide what to have for desert.

Keep us posted on your condition,

Dick

Maybe you and your son should trade drivers and see if you both hit better? ;-)

On the downswing are u turning your body into the shot on a vertical plane or is it strictly and arm swing?

Gary, you have the videos, right? Be sure and review the ones on stance. The wide knees and flared feet contrbute to a stable base along with the other advice to be centered int the ballas of your feet. Too, swinging only 3/4's and staying vertical and avoiding swing behind you body into the sacred barial ground will all help your balance.

Don,
the comments about the amount of grip pressure concerns me as I have very large hands, I'm 6' 2".
Would it be an idea to have grips fitted that are equal in thickness, not tapered, to help in holding onto the club with the right hand? I have always had trouble with grip pressure.
Ted Murphy, UK.
PS
Your system is, to me, the only valid teaching method and practical style available, in which to use your body efficiently and effectively, to play golf.

Surge, Please tell us how much "stuff" we should carry in out bags. I just cleaned mine out and found eighteen balls and four towels. Especially, how many extra balls. All that stuff is distracting and it might be good to gives us some suggestions. I stopped caring my rain gear and what a difference. Little things mean a lot in golf.
John Holter

In my mind weak is the same as neutral, so neutral to me would be the thumb at 12 o'clock. That is the grip (neutral) that I use for chipping........ however, I am a newbie, so maybe my terminology is dead wrong........ however, when I changed my grip by putting my left thumb at 2 o'oclock instead of 1 my slicing stopped period! In fact on some shots I actually have a bit of a draw. So as far as I am concerned it was not a "short term" solution. When looking down on my left hand I can see 4 knuckles.

dragonhead,

Thanks for the well-wishes. I have the mind of an 18-year-old in a 62-year-old body. I have to keep up with the grandson because he doesn't have any other decent male role model in his life. I'm doing okay the day after. It only hurts to laugh, cough, or sneeze. I am very fortunate that the Lord loves me and grants me the grace to heal quickly. I still get to suffer like everyone. So, all I do is keep on doing.

When I was in Germany in the early '80's, an old woman (I think she was a gypsy, but I'm not sure) walked up to me on the street in a little town north of Munich and told me that I was going to live to be 150 and suffer every minute of it. Then, she walked away. One of the strangest encounters I ever had.

Kevin

Very interesting, I was on the site this morning looking for DJ's swing example video and it was still PPGS........ now this afternoon it has change as per your comment.

It's called a SwingRite.

Gary, check out Bruce Chaffin's site http://www.therolfergolfer.com...
He has great stuff about maintaining fitness, limberness, and balance specifically geared toward golfing and the Swing Surgeon Swing.

Surge & fellow Surgites,
thanks for the great videos this week, good stuff. Nice to see everyone seems to have had some great golf moments this week while I was working. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on this job finally and this 10th week should be the last. Hurray!!! I get a couple of days off next week then start prep work for my summer jig at the local with apprentice classes.
I did do more chipping and practice ball shots in front of the lodge this week, hard to say how it went, what with the wind knocking those sponge balls back in my face more than not but I seemed to be making solid contact. I did realize that I was missing a small something in my swing this week but couldn't put my finger on it until I caught up on all the blogs of the week. Not that I saw it mentioned per say, but it dawned on me in this last vid about the right hand that I wasn't getting my right elbow rolled under like I should but I was almost there without thinking about it.
I hope you all have a great week and see you all when I get back home next week.
~Boog~

In China they call someone who eats a lot Fan Tong or Rice bucket, some of the guys on here are La ji tong, ie, rubbish buckets when it comes to food, hahahaha. Turkey burgers and sweet potato fries. Sounds alright to me Steve.Some of the things I eat here in China, I would never have eaten previously. Now love them.
Chattanooga is where my ex-sister in law did her first year house surgeon's job after finishing her training at Dunedin Medical School in New Zealand.She said folk in the hospital thought that New Zealand was a place near the Lake District in England ROTFLMAO!
Your experience on the course should be a salutory lesson to all of us SUPPOSED Golfers!
So keen to abuse the wee white [sometimes yellow] pills, we skip the basics, usually to our misfortune.
Honesty with ourselves is the problem ahahahaha. Loved my old ping wooden woods, great distance and accuracy. Then technology ill suited to me took over. NO more, Surge and Doc have been an inspiration. Bless them and all those who take the time to give us information, which unlike some "Pros", kept us frustrated for decades in some cases.
Have a great next round Steve. Long and straight in Tennessee.

Good post again Surge, I actually started using the right arm more in the lift to get vertical a couple of months ago as I thought may be my right side was too passive and it felt very strange so I stopped practising this, now you have comfirmed this I will start to put it in to practise and see what happens.
By the way, the machette and tree quote made me chuckle out loud!
keep it up.
Regards Keith

According to the Surge and his manual the left thumb can be placed anywhere from 1 to 2 o'clock, so I just moved my thumb from 1 to 2 to get rid of the slice. This is hardly a grip "change", more like a slight re-alignment in keeping with the PPGS manual.

Dick,

It hurt going down and it hurts a bit getting up. Being down there isn't too bad ;-)

Kevin

I will try what you said, as I continue to slice 1/2 the time even bringing my right hand to neutral (seems I get strong unconsciously in the downswing) but I did not pay attention to the left hand. If I move my right hand to the left (stopping at center), then my left hand needs to move left more (that would be stronger for the left?). Mistakenly went to try a rotational swing for a few days, lower back hurt for the first time, no more trying to blend the Surge method with the rotational hip and back turn for me! Straighter is better than farther. Always, appreciate the tips to augment the purchased videos.

Doc

You guys all ok over there? Seems like the Carolinas might just blow out to sea.

How close were the storms to you and to Surge?

Dick

You start the transition with a bump of the hips and knees laterally forward, then your body turn back the way it came so that your chest and arms are relatively similar to where they were at address, with the knees and hips forward as you've shifted your weight that way. The hips will be turned a bit ahead of the body, but not excessively as they are in a rotational swing. You're not just swinging your arms, but they're most of the power. The body needs to turn in such a way that it supports the movement of the arms. Watch the videos of Don and DJ swinging to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... DJ slo mo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... Don

Kevin

You my friend know how to live. I want to be just like you if I ever grow up.

Dick

My NZ golf mate calls me a 'Foodie', compared to you and Kevin I am a neophyte ; - ) On your comments on Work-eat, don't work-Don't eat. Totally agree.
See, that in UK David Cameron is going to make it more difficult for those on benefits. He is going to have all the forms printed only in ENGLISH! [a spoof a friend sent this very day, but I like it]. PS get the biggest labour force out on the roads in Chain gangs,ie, Jail inmates. NO WORK=NO FOOD. No free lunches. With the worlds diminishing resources and the burgeoning world population, perhaps it is the time to go back to mush, bread and water?
Feel better after that hahahaha.
Keep it vertical and watch that right hand. I am particularly thankful for the tip:
GBSAPS prior to playing,ie, Grip/Ball[posn]/Stance/Alignment/Posture/Swing keeps me ever vigilant prior to swinging.
Take care good luck with the possible military moves closer to you and the wife. Stay safe, stay well and above all stay your irascible, crazy self, don't change ever ; - )
This nutjob is off to...................what else?...................eat hahahaha!

I would imagine this is based on personel choice and not written in stone. I need more balls than some as I am still losing a few, I carry 1-2 towels, 6 ish balls, various tees and the usual stuff. You don't need to take the kitchen sink with you, so only take with you what you need personelly.

thanks for input.

Jackoz and dragonhead,

You guys are amazing. Those are the sort of things that would ruin my golf game. I can hurt any other part of my body (almost) and still play golf, but if I do anything to my hands, my game is ruined. I once had a splinter deep in the heel of my left hand and couldn't hit any balls until I had it dug out. I never got cut as bad as you have.

Thanks for the tip Jerry,I will look at the dvd on grip and give it a go at the range tomorrow night.I know alot of my problems in grasping the Surge swing comes from being a long time rotational golf swinger.Old habits die hard and know there is no quick fix so will just persist and hopefully will come good.

Where would neutral be then? The correct grip, neutral has the left thumb at 1 and the right thumb at 11. However, even with your thumbs in the correct postion it is still possible to have your left hand on top of the club too much making it a very strong grip.

But, Dick, I'm one of Peter Pan's lost boys - I'll never grow up ROFLMAO.

Kevin

Ad JR:

Just to let you know; I play right handed myself though I'm left handed. The Surge Swing works well for me (Shot 80 Yesterday on 6600 yard par 72 course).

My advise to you would be to make sure you avoid a strong left hand grip at all times ( I have a tendency to do that if I feel uncomfortable and don't pay attention).

Moreover, I focus on the thumb and index finger of my right hand to make sure the club is lifted properly. This suffices as the left hand does take care of itself (we don't want too many swing thoughts, right?).

By the way, is the right foot your preferred weapon of choice in soccer? If so, then your left leg is the dominant one in terms of stability and you're are perfectly set to play golf like a right handed person (i.e. having a well balanced finished resting on that left foot)

Keep thoughts simple and your swing vertical.
Kind regards from Germany
K-Man

I am hitting the ball to freaking HIGH with this swing........................
Straight but way to HIGH>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Any help??????????????????????????????

When you open your hands with the club squeezed only between your two palms, are they facing each other and perpendicular to the ground, your body, and the target line? If not, then it is not in line with the Foundations Manual. The location of the thumb as Surge discusses it there has more to do with differences in peoples' hands.

Now, if it's working for you, fine. It's not like it's illegal to play with your hands not in a neutral, palms perpendicular grip. However, if that slice starts to come back, turning your hands further over is not the answer. Get video of your swing and examine what's actually happening to find a cure, not just treat the symptom.

Me too, ok with the direction of the irons (maybe even pulling left with them), but woods slicing. Isn't it fun trying to find the answer to the puzzle of the golf game?