The bump is one of the most important aspects of the Peak Performance Golf Swing. I've also found that it's one of the things that people have the most trouble with. Some students bump too much or have no bump at all. But, the biggest issue I see is that many of you are starting your bump with a turn instead of a lateral shift.
Jim S. sent in a question regarding the lateral shift as he was concerned this movement would cause the path of the club to swing out to the right. But, as long as you're aligned correctly and bumping the right way, you shouldn't have any problems with hitting the ball to the right.
Surge,
I have been reading your daily lessons for a number of years and have learned alot and my game has improved. I am 69 years old, in excellent health, and no physical issues. One persistent problem is the right slice, fade, block. I have seen your many lessons on this problem and am very aware of alignment and ball position. However, I believe one of my problems is the initial bump/hip motion at the start of the downswing. I took your advice to do a lateral hip bump, however since the hips are approximately 35 degrees counterclockwise to the swing channel target line at the top of the backswing, doesn't a true lateral hip movement at that point cause a club path off to the right and therefore ball flight to the right?Have you noticed or encountered this issue before? It seems to me that the correct initial movement is to rotate the hips back to the starting position at the setup and then move laterally along the target line or the swing channel. Look forward to your response.
Remember, the first thing that we have to realize is that we're dealing with the laws of physics. One of the laws we're dealing with states that bodies in motion stay in motion the direction they were put in motion until otherwise acted on by an outside source. So, if we start parallel left, our body is at a 90 degree angle. If we turn our arms over the toe line and up, we're going to have approximately a 70 degree shoulder turn and about a 35 degree hip turn as Jim accurately stated. We have a limited hip turn because we're keeping the outward pressure in the knees.
The key of the bump is to start the transition with the lower body going before the arms. There's a slight moment in time when the lower body (knees/hips) is going towards the target and the arms are still going up. This causes stretch. You will reach a point of maximum stretch. At that point, you need to maintatin a firm left wrist because it will try and break down, which will cause the club to become laid off. But, how much do you bump?
The bump is not a violent action of thrusting your hips. It's just a little movement caused by your right leg pushing off. The hips probably go no more than two inches at the max. If your stance is too wide you'll force yourself into a longer bump just based on where your legs are. So, make sure that you've got a narrow stance with wide knees outward pressure.
If you turn from the top, you will come outside and over the top. But, if you stand and bump, everything should fall straight down. You've got to have that little, lateral shift or slide before you start turning.
You have to understand that the body is a connected network of muscles and bones, so any incorrect motion will have an effect on the rest of the swing and body. The bump has to have a lateral left shift first because it's the only move that will bring the hands straight down.
It all starts with wide knees outward pressure. You can only truly bump if you're aligned properly, so please be aware of your alignment and ball position as well. The bump is a critical part to a nice, well timed PPGS.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
This is IT
Surge, This is the single, most enlightening, video that addresses the mystery of the ppgs for me. Even with every epiphany I have had with this swing, I have not been able to consistently shake the rotational swing tendency. It is completely in my head from day one. This is the swing thought that will make the difference. I know it, I feel it, even before I implement it. This is IT. Thank you.
Thanks Surge
Thanks Surge you have answered a big question for me. Too many times I have been either too much lateral movement or none at all. I have be working very hard lately on making sure that I am using gravity to drop my hands and arms and not using the body. However, I have still found that on the through swing my upper body is sometimes getting ahead of the arms, worse it is initiating it.
I have just practised this routine on my front porch (tonight with the lights on) using my driver. Focusing on that small bump when getting to the bell position as you call it, feels great. Now the club is dropping more natural and I see the club head (got one of those white headed drivers, so saw it clearly) swing through and up with my upper body following up and on down the target line.
What's more the swing feels so much better and easier to swing the club. It has been really hard work to make sure that in the forward swing the club is being swung back with my hands and arms instead of my upper body dominating the movement.
Many thanks Surge - keep the daily's coming.
Things that go Bump
I am amazed at times just how many things make up a decent golf swing, and how many can go wrong. Perfection is unattainable, yet we continue to strive for it. The bump is such an integral part of our swing and one I find easy to become lazy with. I look forward to each Spring for another chance to continue this journey. Wish I could afford to live in two places and golf all year round.
Robert, enjoyed reading your club building process. Seems you are going pretty much through all the steps I took when I switched my irons from senior graphite to lightweight L-flex steel. I need to take some winter time and re-do all my lofts and lies again. I also have another old set of irons I'm thinking of doing similar to, and perhaps some re shafting of an old driver or two. I just rediscovered an old King Cobra off set driver from about 20yrs back. It was the first name brand driver I'd ever purchased. Found it hiding in the back of my club cabinet. It's a small head 10.5* which looks close to the tight-lies styles. Don't know the CC, but about the avg low profile 3w I'd guess. S/W of D-1 with a midsize grip. It has a face height of 1 7/8" and face length of about 2 7/8". It needs shortened or re-shafted and an Enlow put on it for a spring trial. Even if I keep the shaft I think I'll want to FLO and reinstall it.
PS: If you ever need to remove a sensicore insert, I found a good tool which works from the butt end.
Terry, sometimes those older
Terry, sometimes those older drivers are great to revisit. I have several that I may retrofit too. I can't afford anything right now after my latest Christmas spending spree but on my some day list is a better quality upgrade on a loft/lie machine. Actually going to just keep using the one I have but I really need a better working set up. It sits too high on my current work bench and I strugle to get the needed leverage. I actually used my heat gun on a couple of the iron heads to make them easier to bend. I'll figure out a better way eventually. Meanwhile I really had fun with this last project. I do feel like I'm getting better at it.
Now if I can improve my swing :) Never ending work in progress.
Oh and I will like to hear about the sensicore remover, thanks.
Heating
I don't know how much heat you are using or what metal you have or what it's properties are, like is it annealed or not, but there are a whole lot of variables in changes to metal structure with heating and cooling.
It doesn't take a whole lot of heat to be enough to cause certain changes.
http://www.sweethaven.com/sweethaven/BldgConst/Welding/lessonmain.asp?lesNum=2&modNum=4
I would stay away from anything over 212 degrees for sure unless I really knew what I was doing (and probably less than that). I don't know much about golf clubs but I have changed the properties of metal plenty of times.
Heat application
Having worked 30 years in steel mill maintenance, and doing a whole lot of welding cutting and fabrication work, I understand you concern with the heat aspect. It is however standard practice to use both Propane burners and heat guns on golf club hosels, primarily for shaft extractions, to break the epoxy bonds. Here's a short vid on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjU7DrYb1qc
Hosels
Yeah I have suspicions that some of the people in the golf shops get carried away with the heat to melt that glue.
My son used to get his lie angles checked pretty often and most of the time they didn't change much, until he had the shafts removed for some reason that I can't remember. After that the lie angles changed a lot more from play than before.
Could be a coincidence but I figure they heated them too much and softened the metal. Of course I don't know that for a fact but that's what I think. ;-)
Sensicore Inserts
Here's the short version. Tried a lot of other things not worth mention.
I had already put the inserts into the older graphite shafts I was removing and wanted to find a way to extract them without having to cut the shafts, and reuse them in the steel shafts. I tried a lot of different rod items to try and push them out from the tip end, but nothing worked. I then tried all of the long needle nose pliers I have, none were long enough, so I decided to check on ebay for some with a small needle nose at least 8" long that would fit inside a 580 butt. Wasn't having any luck so checked a couple tool outlets, still nothing. I then had tweezers flash into my mind and switched gears. I found a nice pair of sturdy 12" tweezers on ebay for 6.00. I thought, I'll get the tweezers, grind down the width do they'll fit 8" into the shaft and ureka. They came in a few days and I decided to try them as is with no luck, they would not go far enough in and open up at the point needed. Then I decided to try just one prong of the set. I inserted just one prong fully into the butt with the claw/tip grip side against the sensicore, applied a little leverage and it slid right out with very little effort. I was able to extract the entire set with no damage to any.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HANDY-12-INCH-LONG-STAINLESS-TWEEZERS-NEW-BRAND-/190462792260?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5...
Tweezers?
Terry,
The proper nomenclature for your "tweezers", are, "Forceps, Dissecting, Plain [ie, Non toothed] 12"inch." They are surgical instruments like the others the seller is advertising.
The finer ones are most likely Opthalmic or eye instruments. Part of our training way back included a "Cutler's Course". We had to correctly identify surgical instruments at random. This included 120 eye instruments. The pass mark was 100% or nothing. Care, maintenance and sterilization of the same, was another part of the course. Recently a buddy gave me a couple of curved 5" artery forceps, which have a ratchet on them. One of the most versatile 'tools' for DIY ; - )
This afternoon I was having trouble getting 2 small, circular batteries into a laser putting aid. My wife used her tools and had it done in a jiffy. What tools? Chopsticks hahahaha! It got the job done.
On an earlier comment you made, about being able to live in two countries, to be able to play year round? Try New Zealand, best of both worlds ; - ) Here in Winter, you can snow ski in the morning, drive down to the volcanic, thermal hotsprings, for a good soak. Then drive a short distance, have a game of golf and then go surfing on the beach. How about that?
Keep on hitting them longer and straighter [in your mind if not for real] and succeed, and you will. DH in NZ where New Year's Eve is tomorrow. Intend to play then and on New Years Day.
Thanks for the education DH
Tweezers, forceps, whatever. how you doing ol chap? Ah NZ, been dreaming of visiting there some day:) Saw a documentary the other day that said imported cats, rats and possums have been bad news for the exotic bird population. But on your many out islands many of these varieties of birds and wild life still thrive because of isolation from humans.
Any how would love to come visit your bit of paradise some day.
Thanks for the education DH
Robert,
Not meant as edification hahaha! Just shows you can't forget somethings even after 50years! And important things like 'the bump' vanishes in milliseconds hahaha.
For nature lovers and golfers, NZ is a paradise[other things too]. A country 1 1/2 times the size of UK with a population of just over 4million. Auckland the largest city with around a quarter of the population, has over 50 golf courses within spitting distance.
A very interesting place indeed.
One day you may see for yourself ; - ) DH
Tweezers for geezers
Potato, Patato, All I know is they look just like a giant set of regular Tweezers, but I'll take your word for it. If it wasn't for family, I'd have moved to more climate friendly location 3yrs ago when I retired from the steel mill. It would be nice to live in a place where you could golf all year round, provided the summer months were pleasant and not like the Philippines were. I loved Hawaii, should have stayed there when my Military service was over. Hindsight!!!!!!!
Got another couple inches of white stuff today and supposed to get 2-4 more tomorrow. Hate it, Hate it, but love my family and friends.
Tweezers for geezers
Terry,
Geyser for geezers haha! New Zealand on the whole has very pleasant Summer months. In the north of the north island it is called, "The winterless north". In the south island, you do have extremes,ie, quite cold and sometimes snowy winters and HOT summers. As in most cases, you pays your money and make your choice.
Hawaii? Only spent an hour there in transit many moons ago. I liked the ozone and atmosphere there. Lots of US Marines were stationed in NZ between 1942-1943 before going north to places now part of history. There is a memorial to these same marines close to the entrance of my golf club, commemorating their stay. There are still small parts of the camp's structure visible on a couple of holes. Debris from it after it was demolished and returned to being a golf course after the War. We pass it every time we play : - ) Semper Fi.
Family and Friends over snow anytime.
Keep on swinging and have a Happy New Year and more success with the PPGS swing. New Year's Eve here and the New Year just 14hrs away ; - )
DH NZ
Hosel Heat
I didn't catch the heat application the first time through until seeing Steve's post. I know heat is required in the shaft removal process to break the epoxy bond, so weren't you worried about breaking down the epoxy bond by applying heat during the bending process. Being the worrying type, I would probably have to re-epoxy all the ones I heated.
Another thought for better leverage, is what we always referred to as cheater pipes. In other words find a length of sturdy pipe with a dia large enough to fit over the original pry bar, and enough added length for good leverage. Remember Archimedes, Give me a lever long enough and I will move the world. You may just need a long cheater pipe.
Cheater pipes
One time we had a nut stuck on a 6 inch diameter bolt that we couldn't get loose even when heated. We put the bolt in the big lathe and welded a 3' piece of 2" round stock to it, held on to it and turned on the lathe (pretty stupid). It jerked the roundstock right out of our hands.
So then we got a really brilliant idea. We put a 20' section of pipe over the round stock and got the dumbest guy we had to hold the pipe at the end. Like the idiot he was, he put his body over the pipe and laid his stomach on the pipe. When we turned the lathe on it turned 1/2 a turn and threw him 20' up into the rafters of the building. LOL
While I'm at it, a tip for anyone that may work with rusty nuts and bolts:
Everyone knows to heat the nut to cherry red so it expands and try to take it off. What everyone doesn't know is that it works better (and easier) to heat the nut to cherry red and quickly cool it in water, liquid nitrogen, or freon. Then you can usually take the nut off very easily and usually by hand without a wrench.
Thanks for the laugh
I have so many similar stories. Lost count of the times we would weld a bar to a nut or stuck object and use the over head crane hook to pull on it. When things start creaking take cover and hope nothing goes flying. When you start snapping 1" cables it gets hairy real quick. I don't miss those times a bit.
Thanks Terry and Steve
I appreciate all your thoughts and glad you can identify with my triumphs and trials in club building. First I agree that heating may not be an optimal idea to assist bending. Though I must say I have grown vary cautious and proceed carefully as I work. You may remember I reported that I burned my hand with the same heat gun a year ago when I moved it without a glove. Oh it was off and had been sitting there for a good 15 minutes but let me promise you it was still really hot! A moment without gloves at the wrong time. Live and learn! Actually I don't plan on using heat to bend any hosels in the future (Doc, you can stop cringing!) I just need to have a lower angle and more secure leverage. A better machine and a lower table and perhaps even a better bar. What I have works it's just that when you gain experience you learn that it is much better to go ahead and buy the more sturdy quality tool for the long run. Actually I don't think I used enough heat to effect it much anyhow. Yes I was keeping the epoxy in mind and kept the gun aimed at the lowest points around the hosel where it takes the turn to the head. Is that a clear visual? Any how I know heat travels so I was a tad concerned it may melt the epoxy so I backed off fairly quickly. Again, it's not something I plan on making a common part of the bending process. I already have some ideas how to set it up better for leverage. That will fix the challenge I'm sure. Thanks for your input guys.
BTW the tweezer idea sounds fab. Cool breeze pal, thanks again:)
Perfecting the bump
One thought that has helped me perform the bump effectively is to move onto my left side without pushing off my right foot. When I think about pushing with my right foot, I have a tendency to to spin my hips, which destroys the kinetic sequencing between my lower body, upper body and arms. Dave Seeman has an excellent video on "kenimatic sequencing," which illustrates exactly what Don is talking about.
Part of the conept on sequencing that Don explained in the daily tip that resonates with me is that in the 3/4 backswing, the hips turn about 35 degrees going back. Then on the downswing the lateral move squares the hips to the target line and actually starts the hands coming down, squaring the shoulders to the target line at impact.
If you stand in your living room in your set up position without a club and with your left arm, make your 3/4 limited turn back swing and as you reach the top of your backswing move your weight to your left side, you can't stop your hands from coming down. The hips are transmitting their kinetic energy to the shoulders, which are squaring up to the target line. As the shoulders square up, they are transmitting the stored up (kinetic) energy to the arms and POW! I marvel at the effortless power generated by this sequencing. Every time the daily video opens and Don makes that first swing; there it is - effortless power. Get the bump right and the whole game gets alot more fun.
Thought to ponder..............
Okay, I'd like to open this up for thoughtful consideration. What do you all think, is it best to feel ourselves push off a little bit (an inch or two) off our right (back) foot as we start the bump? Do we feel that or do we feel the hips moving laterally all be it only an inch or two? Those who feel they are getting the bump right, which do you 'feel' the most happening between the two feelings or actions? Which do you see as the important key from your understanding of Surge and your trial experience?
Or is it actually the arm drop you feel most, or something else? I have some answers in mind but I am open for your experience and results...............
Drop
Personally, I've found the most useful and successful technique to be only thinking about letting my hands drop from the top. In order for that to happen, my hips and weight have to shift forward to create the room for the drop, but if I focus on shifting the weight by pushing off, the move becomes too violent and tends to spin me out, leading to a big push-fade, or a nasty snap hook if I overcompensate with my hands to try to save the shot.
Bump
All I can say is what I feel.
When I feel I am pushing off with my back foot first it gets me in trouble, even though I can generate a lot of power that way. The extra power is not worth the drawback of loss of control.
When I feel the lateral bump of the hips first I am much more in control of the swing.
I'm pretty sure that technically there has to be a certain amount of pushoff before the hips move but it's nothing that I can feel, more like a very, very slight roll of the weight on my right foot to the inside of the foot as the hips move.
Having the discipline to not push too much and too soon is, and always has been, my biggest challenge anytime I have a need for maximum power.
It's a tightrope I walk between the two.
2nd Edit: It looks like I would learn my lesson. The last time I played I hooked a 3 wood second shot on a par 5 and the ball ended up on the side of an elevated tee box for another hole, leaving me with 155 yards against the wind with the ball well below my feet. I had to accordion down very low and keep my lower body extremely still throughout the shot. Hit a 9 iron to 5 feet and made the birdie. If I had been on level ground I would have probably put more into the shot because of the wind, and would have probably missed left and long (my normal miss against the wind).
Edit P.S. Another point: My bump is much closer to the time my hands start to fall than Surge's bump. His hands are clearly still going up when the bump happens but my hands are very close to the top and even at the top when the bump happens. Of course another variable is that Surge takes his hands higher than I do which could account for the difference in timing.
Unrelated but funny:
http://www.facebook.com/AlabamaFTBL?fref=ts#!/photo.php?fbid=605048539521220&set=a.486647461361329.130301.48663774469563...
Good stuff................
Thanks gentlemen....
I appreciate your honesty. That's what I'm looking for here, just straight forward observations of what really works for us. What we think we are doing and or what we are hoping happens from the top or as we start the transition from BUS to FUS. Is it a 'feeling', is it something we 'visualize', Or is it more cognizant? Is it a swing thought or something we keep in mind pre swing or during the swing?
So far we have;
DROP - of the arms
Hips first - more control
Any other observations on what we feel, see or think in the transition when the bump is suppose to happen? And then if you have video taped your swing, what really starts moving from the top in your swing?
What moves first
With the Zi8 at 60 fps my hips move one frame before my hands start to drop when I make a good swing. If the frames come out just wrong and the bump is in between frames it appears to happen at the same time.
If I make longer swings like I used to make the bump happens much sooner in relation to seeing the hands drop (similar to what Surge does). I just have more luck with a lower top position and I can't see a loss of power from it. You know me, if it caused me to lose power I wouldn't do it, no matter what. LOL
Of course when I get undisciplined (as is often the case) the bump happens much sooner and is a much more drastic action and at times can start before the hands are even half way back (not recommended at all).
Edit: BTW for anyone that doesn't know: I am talking about things that actually happen. Not things I necessarily want to happen.
Brief personal observations
I fall more into the 'drop the arms' category. I'd like to think I can bump correctly and start the lateral shift with my hips and then everything follows as prescribed by Surge but I must admit that even when I spent months working on the door jamb drill and even after Dave Seeman's excellent drill for starting the bump before we reach the top along with all the other excellent dailies Surge has done on the subject- I still can't do it right. Does that mean I have given up trying? No. I'll likely have a fresh go at it in the coming months. I have to agree with Robert F. that for me it seems to come out better more often if I keep the knees steady and quiet and just let the arms drop into the best position in the FUS transition. If I have my shoulders properly aligned and let the arms start down gradually my weight seems to automatically shift onto my front side and foot. Was interesting (I thought) that Surge did mention the beginning of the bump as "my right foots starting to push off" if you watch it again and notice the 6:05-6:15 segment. Though not conscious of it, I likely do that more than any lateral shift of the hips. Video tape has shown that I often still start the swing with the upper body and the lower at about the same time. Not the correct kinetic sequence but it seems to work out okay as long as I keep the swing 3/4's and along with quiet body and a maintained posture and head. Less is better, fewer angles fits my success. It never ceases to amaze me that bump or not if I can keep it compact and quiet and just get square contact off the center of the club head how far the ball flies! It has been mentioned before and I am convinced that being able to start the swing from the ground up is what separates the pros and better players from the average players.
Bump Visualization
I just try to visualize the butt of the club moving toward the start of the rear toeline to trigger the FUS. I find it too easy to overdo and poorly time any deliberate move of the rear foot, the front knee, the hips or the arms to activate the bump. Visualizing this small and controlled move helps to take the violence out of the bump. I just trust that the body will do what it has to do to start the butt of the club on the correct path to start the FUS, if I let it.
The ball is going much farther and straighter with this simple swing thought, so I guess that trusting the body to do what it has to do, is working.
Shovel or Raise
If it's my house, I vote for a 3rd option. Toss in a match and let her burn. I've shoveled a bit of crap before, but that's an appalling picture. Thanks for the appropriate laugh though, really put's it into perspective.
PS: Better make sure it passes for an accident though. Insurance wise and criminal wise.
huh?
Lost you with that one T.
Vertical Swing
i am on the heavy side and getting the back swing vertical is a little uncomfortable at my 79 years. I started golf without a lesson and have probably adapted some pretty gross habits in the process, but I at one time was down to a 9 handicap. In the last 5 years I have really lost distance and in trying to get it back find myself hitting most of my shots to the left with a pull or hook. Any help you can give me would probably help.
Pulls & hooks
You could try a senior or softer flex shaft, & a softer ball for a bit more distance. I find for myself, if I swing too hard from the top of the back swing, instead of letting the club drop into the slot, I get a snap hook. Best not to rush or over power your swing. Pulls I normally get from hitting off the back foot. May not be your problem, but something to check out
Thanks for your faith in me
Just wanted to say I got a chuckle when reading your response to the little troll yesterday, when you said just wait till Dick gets home. Thanks for your faith in me. Hope you have had a great weekend and are getting ready for a great new year.
Dick
Trolls
No worries Dick. I dont like trolls either & that one was a real piece of work. Some people seem to carry a lot of hate around with them & are only to happy to share it. I would bet that he's been on here before, but probably under a different name. Enough about trolls already. Wishing you a happy new year Dick
Same to you my friend
Russty
Here is wishing you and all our brothers and sisters down under a very Happy New Year.
God bless,
Dick
House full of crap
It was in response to the attachment post from Steve as regards the National Debt.
Gotcha T.
Okay dokie
The T finnish
Hi Surge I'm from Perth in Western Australia, and have been using your swing for about 3/4 years now I don,t have a problem other than not hitting it far enough, dont we all,and I don't really have a problem with my driving exept to achieve a straight drive I have to finnish further left with the club angeling over rather than a straight up T finnish. This is only the case with the driver,my other clubs are okay, ps I have taken 2 inches off my wilson staff 12 deg ofset driver. Do I need to make any changes to my swing?
Driver
Have you added any weight to the head of your driver after cutting it down, & what is the offset for ? It may not suit your new swing