Shoulder Tilt At Address

  Back in the late '70's I played in a league at the Columbus (Oh) Airport Municipal GC. One landing strip started right across the road from the course and when the wind was right, we could count on a steady stream of  commercial jets descending right over our heads. Then there was George AFB where I took up golf. I recall at least one external F4 fuel tank being accidentally jettisoned on the golf course.

Doc:
I looked at your video from 1/4/12 about cutting the driver and swing weight.  I cut mine 2" but did not do anything about the swing weight.  I think in the video you said that cutting the shaft would make the shaft have more flex?  I have hit this driver good except that it is only 10 degrees loft, sometimes I hit it too low.  I am thinking of getting another driver soon -want to make sure if I need to get weight or not - I think my swing speed is 88-92 so I think more flex would be good. 
Also you said in the past that 5-5" tall and 33in wrist to floor I would need to cut down 1/2" t or f.  Would 1/2 cut down have a big effect on the other clubs. I am thinking about cutting down all of my clubs when regripping.
Thanks for your excellent info as always.
Jerry from Warren MI

Some days you get the bounce. Some days you get bounced. ;-)

This is like calling the doctor and telling him symptoms and him trying to diagnose your ailment without seeing you.  Cutting length has a minimal effect on flex.  Adding weight has more of a softening effect.  Cutting 2" off the driver may have been good.  It may have been bad.  Don't know what the beginning length was.  Don't know what you are physically able to handle.  That is the point of a fitting.  If the weight was right to begin with, then with cutting two inches off, you would have needed to add back about 24 grams of weight.  Adding the much back would have a very softening effect on the shaft.  It would take it down about 2 flexes.  If I was adding that much weight back, I'd have pulled the shaft and made a cut at the tip to handle the weight.  What you would in essence be doing is adding enough weight that the head would be close to what a 5 wood weighs so the shaft would have to be tip trimmed to what the manufacturer suggest for a 5 wood.  This could be anywhere from .5" to as much as 1.5 to 2 inches.  Just don't know without knowing the make of shaft.  My advice, get to a fitter or use our long distance fitting form.

Jerry,
Cutting legth off the shaft normally adds a fraction of stffness to the shaft not more flex. You do loose just a bit of weight too. This may not be a bad thing. Solid contact and better results tell the tale. You may have to experiment with adding some weight back to the club. it can be accomplished many different ways but if you are a bit of a do it yourselfer you can add weight by adding lead tape, what Surge calls magic dust to the clubhead. Add a little at a time until you start hitting the shorter driver with centered contact.
Read the following atricle:

http://www.swingsurgeon.com/Ho...

Steve:
well put.

Pager....for me it is not looking up...even though that is what it feels like ...it is swaying back on the bs and then swaying forward on the up swing...my solution for that is to attemt to remember watching the ball on both..if you do that the ball will move if you are not staying over the ball.  Especally important on the b.s.

Hi Surge...Love your daily lessons...Have been playing golf for several years and now 76 years old and still enjoy the game.  For some reason the past year or so, I have been having the mistake of looking up during the swing and not making good contact with the ball and this causing me to not have a good finish up.  Any thoughts as to what I can do to keep from looking up at contact.  Paul in Oho.

For the irons, I don't know that 1/2" would be enough on the long irons.  Don't know what your longest iron is.  The short irons are probably a good length at your current WTF.  Cutting 1/2" off also changes the clubs approximately 3 swing weights.  To bring them back to pre-cut conditions, you'd need to add about 6 grams of weight back.  Again, I just don't recommend this work being done by the player.  Just my opinion for what it's worth.

Thanks-that helps.

Even more important is the Surgism that you use the same swing for every club, because the ball doesn't know what club you're holding and the club doesn't know who's holding it.

Hi Surge,   Looking up, that is me for sure.   But this afternoon, I had a par using my 8 iron only!!!  I have been doing better this spring, well, I should, this is my 5th spring!!!  Yesterday I played thirty four holes, didn't get over the water the last time, I think maybe to tired, but, did good early on, on most of the holes...just hate to give up such a nice day!!  Playing tired is not a good thing either.   I really try hard and try  to remember every thing the Surge says, but, best for me is, heavy right, tilt shoulder, stay down and skip a rock! Back, inside and up!!!

thanks for ALL help
Marilyn

Cindy and I played at Los Prados Thursday and I scored my second 78. I had some really good things happen and again it was one of those days wher it could have been much better if I had a stronger finish. Fun though. I had a chip in from 20 yards and made two putts in the 25 foot range. Final tally included two birdies and nine pars. The scoring was 38 on the front and 40 on the back. Funny thing was I usually have a harder tme on the front and sc.ore better on the back.
One hole I was real proud of was the 170 yard par 3 #12 where we are always against a head wind (even on calm days) and I have a challenge picking and hitting the right club. I was determined to hit my 22* Adams hybrid well and have been practicing with it having this hole in mind. There is a yawning trap that gaurds the entire front of this green that sits up about 20 feet higher than the fairway so a precise shot is required. I hit a straight shot that appeared to land over or near the pin from the tee. Sure enough it was just 18 feet past and right of the hole. I missed the putt but tapping in for par gave me the first par I've had there in weeks. It normally requires a nifty lofted wedge and a one putt from off the green so getting conventionally was a good feeling:)
I was actually only 2 over after that 12th hole so finishing with a 40 on the back messed up what could have been my best score ever. Oh well, still feel I am getting better control of my game lately. With a 38 on the front I have more hope than ever of finally scoring an elusive 36 for nine. I'll be back at muni for nine in the coming mornings so it may happen there first.
PMG

Good job!

Robert

I do not dispute and agree cutting off the butt of the shaft adds stiffness. I have been reading some different articles on this subject that others claim that is not necessarily always true. They are saying when butt cutting you are cutting from the stiffest part of the shaft the butt which would make it play weaker. Maybe it has something to do with the kick point and were it is located.

This peaked my curiosity maybe DOC will way in on this again.

When we rebuilt my Ping G10 last week I ordered the shaft from Golfworks and had them cut it to 44" playing length and tip prep it and pure it. When we dry fitted it together to check the SW we added  8 grams tip weight to get to D2 and the driver plays great.

Heh. Checking for airplanes reminds me of the 9 hole cow pasture course I used to practice at after classes in college. It was right next to a small airport, with the landing strip starting 40 yards right of the first fairway, a little short of the green. We used to occasionally see if we could launch our tee shots into the flight path (Bubba could these days, but with the equipment we had then, not really possible).

Cutting at the butt end will cause it to vibrate faster which would indicate stiffer flex,but............the shaft is now shorter so the corresponding vibration at the shorter length does not alter the flex appreciably.

The bigger problem is not so much "looking up" as moving your upper body up and forward before contact. A result of wanting to crush the ball and wanting to see how well you crushed the ball before you actually finish swinging. Your upper body gets ahead of the lower body and bad contact results every time.

Yes, but with weight distribution and spine tilt we can adjust how much the right shoulder is below the left. That's part of how we control the trajectory of the shots. 

Surge:  Thanks for the great reminder about shoulder tilt!  Sometimes it is so easy to miss this simple step of the master set-up, then wonder why our shot turns out bad. R2

Hey, Surge,

Arn't the shoulders tilted because we grip the club with one hand beneath the other? And if we are relaxed and athletically ready, doesn't that make the shoulders automatically tilt. This dosn't seem to be something one does, but a consequence of doing something else (gripping the club with one hand lower).

Doc: Thanks for both replies & opinions.  My longest iron is a 5 - I have a 3 & 4 hybrid.  I think the driver was 47" now is 45".  I hit it pretty good but not long and sometimes too low.  I would like to do a fitting - but right now not possible financially.
Thanks again,
Jerry from Warren,MI

After playing with a variety of shafts and dynamics of the many driver option I now have it has only peaked my interest in tinkering and becoming more able to try more combinations.
I am going to get the rest of the equipment needed to remove and replace shafts. I also want to have the same ability to switch out shafts in a matter of seconds without the need for heat and pull extraction. Completely mobile and nothing permanent. It's the future of shafting in my humble opinion.
I already have this with my Nickent drivers. Golfworks offers the tools for this set up. Money is a factor along with education and practice.
I am budgeting both time and money to my favorite new fitting hobbie. Fun.

Hi Don-  Just a note to thank you for the "bloggies" which are so valuable to our continuing quest for Peak Performance perfection.  Obviously, performance is going to be at perfection level, but it doesn't hurt to attempt achieving it.  So far in the last month alone your  back yarders have helped me get scores of 71, several 76's, a 77 and 78.  One dudski, an 89 on my home course that I loathe and have lousy luck on---and we all experience one of those from time to time.  Your swing is the real deal.  When it's done correctly the results are terrific---whenever I hit a really good shot my thought usually is "Surge would be proud of that one."  Many thanks again for your frequent swing tips.
Regards,
Ray

 I went through a similar process last year with my Ping G15 once I got up enough guts up to whack a $300 club. It sits in the corner now as I never did find a length and weight that I liked. Funny, my story has the same moral as yours. Some day I'll make the 70 mile drive for a fitting, or give Doc a call.

 I never tried that weight thing, just a former member of the driver of the month club. Right now playing an old Ping Si3 and a Callaway Warbird titanium Duece. 25$ for both of them and have sold or in the process of selling all newer drivers save for a 983 K and a Sonartec.

Surge,

Your should tilt tip was very helpful because I had long thought that was the set up only when using the driver. I should have known better since you always remind us to be "preloaded right" when setting up for almost every shot.

Surge--I have the same issue as Glen in the shoulder tilt video.  I have had to start addressing the ball and swinging with my left heel off the ground.  This keeps my right shoulder lower and results in much better shots as well as almost no topped balls.  I think I got this raised heel idea from one of your videos, but I am not certain.  Any comments re the raised left heel for a right handed golfer?  Thanks for the videos.  Don Briskey

Hey Surge, have you or Doc Griffin ever discussed the size of the grip and the effect it has on the swing?

Good luck Joe.  Weather in Michigan has been great.  Last year my 1st round was May 4th - so far this year I have played 4 times!  Playing OK - short game has been rusty, ball striking has been pretty good. Again - keep it vertical friend.
Jerry from Warren MI

That picture looks just like ME!!!!!

Too funny!

Thanks,
m

Where is DJ this week.....what is his next tournament?  We feel for him...Ed Hiebert