My wife found my copy of Five Lessons t'other day and I'm reading it again.

Part of the section on the waggle is confusing me:

bhogan1912 wrote:

Each time you waggle the club back...the left hand moves three inches or so past the ball towards the target. As the hands move back to the ball towards the target...the left hand also moves an inch or two past the ball towards the target

How can the left hand move three inches past the ball towards the target on the back waggle?

Because the waggle is a movement of the wrists, primarily. While the arms remain pretty much stationary. To waggle the club backwards, the left wrist has to bow. As it bows it juts toward the target.

Mere moments ago that explanation occurred to my dull brain, then confirmed by the illustration and seconded by your reply.

Thanks, Beef.

Amazing how Hogan elaborates on what would appear to be minuscule, almost insignificant elements of the process of swinging a golf club. And it all makes sense. When you break it down, there's an amazing amount of logic involved in a golf swing -- Spock would have been a 2, maybe 3 handicap at most.

Funny how something seemingly so insignificant can make such a huge difference. I've never read the book but heard people talk about the waggle, I tried it and hit some huge drives. I usually forget to do it though. Or refrain from doing it for fear of being percieved as wasting time.

Merlin -- if you get a chance, pick up a copy. It's one of those "must-read" books for anyone who dabbles in this silly game -- much moreso than "The Big Miss."

No detail is too small or trivial for Hogan - he dissects everything about the stance, the grip, the back swing, the downswing and the finish, and the 1950's illustrations are spot-on.

Perfect bathroom reading for amy golfer!

barbajo wrote:

Merlin -- if you get a chance, pick up a copy. It's one of those "must-read" books for anyone who dabbles in this silly game -- much moreso than "The Big Miss." No detail is too small or trivial for Hogan - he dissects everything about the stance, the grip, the back swing, the downswing and the finish, and the 1950's illustrations are spot-on. Perfect bathroom reading for amy golfer!

hmmm... i do spend a lot of time in the bathroom, and i've finished the rules of golf 2012. May be a good pick me up. The fiancée will be glad i'm actually reading too! Win win.