A few recent changes/additions to my swing are really starting to make sense, feel right, and look right when I get in front of a big enough mirror.
Getting the first part of the backswing so that when the club is parallel to the ground it's also parallel to the target line feels right (easy and athletic) and looks right (balanced and relaxed).
Getting the left hip moving to start the downswing feels like it's 'meant to be' my trigger. I might even have to write a song about it. Either way, it loads up my weight to the right place and so helps transfer energy, whip through the ball and maintain balance afterwards.
And the
right elbow move in to my torso in the downswing...what can I say but 'duh!'. I feel like I should have known. If I still played baseball it would probably help me hit the ball harder and make better infield throws (darn it, I could have done with both for practically all of my playing days). It still feels new - I suspect I need to make sure I'm not too close to the ball at address to make room for this elbow tuck to actually happen - but I just know, even from what little practice I've been able to snatch, that it's going to make a BIG difference to my ball striking, distance increase and probably distance control too.
On that last note I watched some videos of Sam Snead and a few others...they ALL do this move, at least on full swings. OF COURSE it works. It's bound to create lag and so anyone who does this move is BOUND to hit the ball further. It's yer basic fizzics, innit!?
That recent Oob article about the US Open, in the part in which the author, Aaron, commented on the Tour players' swing tempos, cemented the need to achieve a relaxed swing through, rather than a hit at, the ball. This, I think, is the hardest thing to achieve by far, as it's not purely mechanical, but breathing out constantly throughout the swing helps a LOT.
There's still work to be done. I need to practice and play more regularly/frequently, I need to work out why my balance seems to be reverting to the left toes rather than left heel, and I also seem to be sending balls a little too much right too often. It's not as bad as a slice, but it is
A Bad Thing(tm).
Still, I feel on the cusp...but must avoid hubris and overly high expectations....this is golf, after all.
