I'm going to spend today discussing the location of the catcher's mitt. If you're new to the site, today's daily video will also serve as an introduction to the proper takeaway of the Peak Performance Golf Swing. When I refer to the "catcher's mitt," it's meant to describe where the clubhead first goes before being lifted vertically.
George Snyder sent in a comment that asked me to go over this part of the swing. He felt as though it was one of the more confusing parts of the swing because he had been wrongly interpreting where the catcher's mitt actually is.
Hi Surge,
Just to follow up this daily with a note to you that it took me 18 months of slicing the ball before I learned that when you say "back into the catcher's mitt" the catcher's mitt is not being held as if I were playing baseball (center of home plate); it is held for a close inside pitch right inline with the toe line (please tell me if I am wrong). What a difference when I turned my shoulders first (limited turn) as a one piece move and then up the tree, my slice was no longer a problem.
Please, let the Surgites know that back into the mitt does not refer to a catcher's mitt held behind home plate. I never read this anywhere in your materials for clarification.
Thanks for all your effort to make the dailies.
George Snyder (now a 3 year Surgite)
You don't want to have the catcher's mitt be too close to your toe line, because you might start sucking it inside and taking too much turn. It's all about being able to get the right amount of lift. The PPGS is a little bit of turn and a lot of lift, so make sure you're not taking the club back and to the inside before going vertical.
Check out the video and you'll see exactly where the catcher's mitt is located.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
Catchers mitt
In today's video you said that the mitt should be a few inches inside of your toe line , but you are pointing at the target line, not toe line. Also you don't want the mitt inside of your toe line as it would way to far inside. Thank you
Target line
Sagolf,
I caught that too. I know he meant to say target line. Simple word switch mistake. I have seen him teach this maybe hundreds of times now so it was an easy mistake. You'll note that both before that and after he again states correctly that it is just a couple inches inside the target line.
One of the reminders I appreciated about today's lesson is that the lift starts immediately along with the "little bit of turn" of 70 degrees and then when we reach the toe line it is all lift and no more turn. This point is often misinterpreted to mean we turn then lift. Actually the turn and the lift happen at the same time but only the lift should continue after we reach the toe line.
Catchers mitt
Surge,
Thankyou for clarifying the mitt position for George Snyder. It certainly helped to remind me once again where it MUST BE!
An interesting two days before the weekend just gone. While playing a very early round last Thursday here, my wife, caddy, golden retriever ball finder....etc, said, "Can I try a shot?" Stunned was I! Certainly was my reply. She set up 'her way' and hit quite a nice 9iron about 60-70yards!!! Hello! This from someone who has never played a hole of golf in her life!!! Later after hitting the odd shot, she said, "Maybe I should join the club"~! On finishing the round, I approached the club secretary and checked on the possibility and cost. I relayed the info to her. She pondered it and some time after getting home, she said, she would like to join.
Early next morning I replaced several of my clubs with her clubs of choice,ie, A putter-SW-9 and 7irons and a 5W. Again as we trailed a 5player group and no one behind us she again hit the odd shot. On arriving at the 7th tee 'The Drop' she went to the yellow tee marker position and took the 5W. She hit the ball and it seemed to clear the bushes and rough in the direction of the hole. Didn't see the ball finish-I went forward to the white markers and hit my usual easy 8iron. My ball ended up just off the green's right hand front quarter [the pin being in the left hand front quarter of the green]. On walking down the zig-zag path on the side of the steep slope, we noticed a ball, or what looked like a ball on the green. On arriving at the green I went forward and identified it as my wife's ball!!!!! 5'ft 10" inches from the centre of the hole!!! [exactly 2xmy 35" putters length] and she putted it in for a BIRDIE!!! WOW! and during the round her chipping was good and on the 9th hole, her chip ran through onto the back fringe of the green-from 20 paces she putted it straight in the hole!!!!! Now as said she has never played a hole of golf in her life. She has tiny hands and her grip is strange, but it works for her! She is now a member and our next round will be her first full 9holes of golf ever.
Now the above is a spin-off [IMO] of my devotion to the PPGS swing. She has never been a fan of sports of any description, until now! On a couple of shots she made, I commented her backswing was too long and she was flicking at the ball. She then hit her ball out of the rough about 120 yds or so with the 5W! So now I have a full time opponent, who in her own words, will be chasing my derierre!!! Couldn't be more happy about that.
Before I viewed the catcher's mitt video of today after checking on something on a previous topic and comments from Robert Meade, I asked
her to take her stance with a 9iron and told her to set up with it lined against the floorboard edge [not on the skirting board, but on the floor]. I then did the same thing and had her view my rear arm position in my setup, telling her to not it's position, which was above my lead or left forearm. I then demonstrated the 'elbow tuck' as I call it. She seemed to have grasped the necessity for doing so, when she noted the difference when she set up and then did it! So we have another Surgite in the making.
Roll on tomorrow and see how we go : - ] No expectations and no being over picky with her by interfering or changing her.
So thanks again to Surge, the Surge team and all the Surgites who have given me tips which have improved my joy and pleasure in the game with a spin-off I had never imagined! Yeeeeeha! A Happy DH in NZ [as I wrote that the sun came out. An omen perhaps? ; - )
He's alive and well!
With your warming weather and caddie becoming golfing partner keeping you so busy you nearly forgot about us for a while DH. Nice to see a post from you and a happy story at that! Wow first time out and your lady gets a birdie?!! Crazy talk!:) great stuff. Tell her I said congratulations and keep on playing! That's too cool DH. Don't know if you'll want to but one of the things that made golf more enjoyable for my Cindy was letting her tee it up any time and anywhere. She did that way for most of her first year playing and now with her skill and confidence she only tees it on the tee box now. I think this is a great way to help newbies have fun and get the ball air born while learning. Too bad you couldn't hop over to the big island and see Surge while he was down there (think he still is). Lots of Australian golf seen here on the Golf channel as of late. Adam's looking good.
Do enjoy your good weather and the inspired company of your dear wife:)
Is fun isn't it?!!
Play On!!
He's alive and well!
Hi Robert, I didn't forget about you all at all. I nearly posted the above two days ago, because I thought it might be perceived as a brag! Or could it have been I was still in shock? hahaha! I will pass on your congratulations. The comment on teeing up anywhere is one I will pass on as well. I didn't think of that : - ]
She has already got the ball airborne. I commented only twice about her having too long a backswing and what a difference that made. Trying not to overload her system and see how she goes.
I will wait until Surge hits godzone [a normal nickname for New Zealand] and see if it is feasible. It would have been nice. The one in Germany would have been good, as I have a son who is a German resident of many years standing who lives just up the road. Have heard naught about that event at all. Perhaps Surge should have those conducting them do some videos too. What better way to spread the word and increase the number of converts internationally?
With all being well, we will be out early in the morning for a round. Thanks again for your good wishes and tips that will be relayed to the wee lassie forthwith. A grateful DH in NZ.
about distance
I have been surprised in recent days by the fact that I can actually hit the ball farther with the PPGS than with other swings. If you have the driver video there is what seems to me a very important sequence when D.J. explains what he does when he wants to hit the ball farther. He says, in effect, I hold my legs firmer in place and just swing my arms faster. If you haven't tried that, it actually works-- provided you can really hold your legs in place. I have been working on this, and if you really accentuate the outward pressure (not to the point of doing yourself harm, of course) on the knees and particularly the upper thighs, you have a very stable base to swing from, and you can swing those arms quite fast and not worry about distorting the swing the way you might do with other swing styles when you want to "grip it and rip it." In fact, I started hitting all my clubs at least a half club longer. The only issue for me is making sure I get up to the T finish, and that has to do with finding the optimum position for the rear foot so that I can "push off" to get all the way through the swing.
I admit I try other types of swings, but when they go haywire (and they do, usually) I always come back to PPGS.
Hold legs
Charles, thanks for sharing this reminder. I always come back to this one about holding the legs in the back swing, especially the front (left knee). What I have found recently is remembering to allow the lower body to 'fire' in the forward swing though. Call it bump or lateral shift, that along with keeping the spine angle (posture) is a great key to follow through with.
Thanks for sharing Charles:)
arms swing
Just to pursue this a bit further. I think it is one thing to hear/read Don talk about the "alternate energy source", and it is another to really feel that this is an arm swing, primarily. For instance, he talks (in this video, right?) about not turning the hips as soon as rotational swingers; rather the arms go past impact before hips turn fully. To me that is crucial, most of us probably import that hip move, and even believe you need it to some extent for power. The thing that is amazing to me is that you _don't_ need it for power...the power comes from the arms. To repeat, I think you need to feel this "arm generated power" and have a sort of Eureka moment, before you can really understand how the PPGS works. I don't know if it is "green energy" (that part always makes me laugh) but it is really an alternative energy source.
Instruction in PPG
Do you have any PPG instructors in Northern Kentucky of Cincinnati?
Mike Hall
Instruction
Mike were do you play out of ? To my knowledge there is no Instructors in NKY, Cincinnati Ohio. you should look in to the online lessons if they still do them.
Turn and Lift
I think that this swing is fantastic, but, I can't seem to use it successfully, without doing the back and up separately. I've tried to do it in one smooth motion, but I just can't seem to get the timing right. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Art D.
Point A to Point B
I had better luck making it a simultaneous turn and lift when I just focused on getting to Point B ( the top of the BUS ) from Point A ( the address position ) and stopped trying to break it down into pieces. As Surge says " you have to start turning and lifting from the get go".
The three presets at address make it a lot easier to get to Point B consistently without worrying about swing path. You can trust that if the setup is correct, ( PLHR, maintained outward knee pressure ) you will not overturn. The master setup position at address makes it easier to make the lift vertical.
This means that the main focus can be on lifting the club to Point B. It helps if you have a very clear idea of where Point B is. A little mirror work is good for feeling and seeing point B with the club vertical and palms perpendicular. You should also be able to feel the butt of the grip of the club pointing straight down at the middle of the right foot, when at Point B.
Remember Surges' idea of letting the right side control the backward upswing. It's easier to make this move a fluid one, if the left side plays a supporting role.
As long as you know where you want to go and all the presets are in place trust that the right side will get you there.
Turn and Lift
Thanks for the reminder about the presets; especially the inward leg pressure, which I often forget. I will give it a try. Thanks.
Turn and lift on ferris wheel
Art,
One thing Surge has mentioned many times is the "ferris wheel." Imagine a vertical ferris wheel on the toe line and practice swinging your hands on the ferris wheel. This helped me to turn and lift at the same time. It is now one of my key thoughts.
Kevin
Turn and Lift
The "ferris wheel", sounds like a great visual. I will try that concept. Thanks.
What actually changes once in the mitt?
Wrapping up my 4th season with PPGS. Went from 26 to 15.8 index.
I own all the videos and both manuals and review them all regularly and watch the dailies religiously. Surge has covered this lots of times but I STILL don't get it. What actually changes about the path of the takeaway at "the mitt?" I originally thought It was where you began lifting. Initially just turning with the toe opening , then begin the lift at "the mitt." But repeatedly, and even in this video, Surge says, "I begin lifting immediately." So I ask again, "what actually happens when the club reaches the mitt?" And don't even get me started on the "forward" mitt.
What actually changes once in the mitt?
Rob,
Take out a club at home [I just did with a 9iron],take your PPGS stance with the toe of your clubhead about an inch from the skirting board. You can do it up against a wall outside if you wish.Once ready start your BUS. You will notice without any manipulation the toe starts to rise and move away from the skirting board or wall! That is the 'In the mitt' position-What changes from there is: From the mitt position, it is then ALL LIFT and NO Further turning. To do so would have you deep in the SBG! Your original thought was correct : - ]
"Don't get me started on "forward" mit" you said, why? If you set up again at the wall or skirting board, then instead of completing a slow BUS, do the reverse and make the movement forwards as in the FUS. When it does as it did in the BUS in your FUS, that is when the club head must rise up again from the 'mitt' position to the high 'T' finish and recoil and you facing the target. Hope this doesn't confuse you further and answers your problem. DH
Ok, but...
Thanks for the quick reply DH! I did what you asked as far as identifying the mitt position, and as Surge says, it's an inch or two inside the target line.
Then you said "From the mitt position, it is then ALL LIFT and NO Further turning."
Hmm. By turning, do you mean no further rotation of the arms (no further opening of the clubface) or do you mean no further upper body turn around the spine? I ask because at this point, my forward arm is no where near being over the toe line, which is where Surge says the "all lift" segment begins. Thanks again for the reply. I'm still working on it.
Lift
You would be better off just thinking about stopping any turn once the upper left arm is over the toe line.
Two extreme examples to get the shaft and front arm to the toe line:
1. You can get the club head (and entire shaft) to the toe line by rotating the arms from the set up position and no turn whatsoever and the front arm on the toe line the entire time (as it was at set up) but with the front arm still in a vertical position.
2. You can get the club head (and entire shaft) to the toe line by lifting the arms and turning the body until the club reaches the toe line. In this case the front arm will never reach the toe line until the body has turned enough to let it reach. In this case the front arm will be close to horizontal by the time it reaches the toe line.
In fact you wouldn't want either of those extremes but something in between using a combination of both ways to get the front arm and entire club to the toe line.
The "right" combination will vary from person to person. Some people will use very little of the arm rotation technique and by necessity have to use more turn. Some people will use very little turn and by necessity have to use more of the arm rotation technique. Some people will use about equal amounts of both (that's probably more ideal).
In any case the "Mitt" is confusing you (and you aren't the first or only one).
Thanks Steve. Your first line
Thanks Steve. Your first line is exactly what I settled on. Ignoring the Mitt completely, turning my upper body, rotating the club face toward open and lifting until my left arm covers the toe line. Then, just lift to "cactus drill" height. It's just that Surge thinks the Mitt is important, so I keep trying to understand it.
LIFT
When making this swing I just swing the club back not thinking of anything to the BUS. When I check my positions they seem to be correct all the way to the top. Right now I am struggling with the FUS because I cant put a lot of weight on my left foot / leg do to having graphs put on it a couple of weeks ago. I played Saturday and shot a 95 best round this year considering I only played 5 or 6 times and having to swing all arms or what ever I need to do to get from point A to point B. I was basically 1-2 clubs difference in distance always a guessing game.
I have had plenty of time to review and think about this swing this year so when I can get back at full speed I think I will have a easier time getting it back. I have lost all my bad habits and can make this swing easily away from a ball but just cant go full bore right now.
Catcher's Mitt Takeaway
Just wondering if anyone has tried to start the swing from the correct catcher's mitt position, then simply lift to the top of the backswing? I wonder since occasionally I still take the clubhead too far inside on the takeaway or too far outside. Maybe by starting the backswing directly from the catcher's mitt point such problems would be eliminated. Has anyone ever tried this? Or does anyone have any advice on this? Thanks!
-Dave
Catcher's Mitt
Dave,
I actually have tried it without any success. I think that is because that is an intermediate point that I had to get to from somewhere else. If I started anywhere other than the Master Setup Position, I could never get to the proper Catcher's Mitt. As long as I started at the MSP, properly aligned, I could stop at the Catcher's Mitt and then continue to the top of the BUS or go back to the MSP. I could not start at the top of the BUS and stop at the Catcher's Mitt going down. Any attempt in that regard caused me to turn either too much or not enough. As for myself, I don't make much use of the catcher's mitt position. I have found that if I am correct in the MSP, correct at the top of the BUS, and correct at the T-Finish and recoil, I had to have passed through the Catcher's Mitt without thinking about it. In fact, the only time I pay attention to it is when I watch my videos.
Catcher's Mitt
Hi Kevin. Thanks for your response. Quick question, based on your words...Do you actually STOP your backswing at the catcher''s mitt position, then continue up the tree to complete the backswing?
Stop at the Mitt
Yes, Dave, I have actually tried stopping at the Catcher's Mitt. It does NOT work, especially for me. When I try doing things like that, my OCD kicks in and I get too fixated on the mechanics. Bad things happen when I get fixated! I have tried lots of variations on the PPGS.
What I have found works best for me is a 3-point plan: Point A is MSP with Ultimate Alignment; Point B is the top of the BUS; and Point C is the T-Finish with Recoil and Relax. If I get those three positions correct, I hit the ball very well every time. So, I tend not to think of any of the other points any more unless I start having issues. I am one of those who can easily get bogged down in the weeds, thinking of too many things.