Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL QUESTIONS
GREAT MOVES AND MICROMOVES?
Each of these popular methods has a bit of truth to them. But the reality is that it will only work for the few people where the method excels by actually fixing a flaw. Take for example Johnson Wagner with his spine flexion only backswing. If he were to do a bit (not the whole enchilada) of stacking and tilting it might help him find the Goldilocks zone of correctness for creating some thoracic spine extension. But if devoted to it for years, soon we’d see him go overboard with the “accuracy” swing that would make him a great short iron player but can’t hit the driver. Ultimately the dogma of the method takes precedence over the pragmatism of hitting it better with just a little bit of the fix that improves you.Yet that is the trap. If some improvement due to the dogma is good. More is better. So you swallow the entire program. Contrast that to developing better moves, fixing flaws of your swing and ultimately taking small steps toward a great golf swing each day. There’s no reason to buy into any dogma. There is no one way! Or two or three even. There are millions of combinations of moves to swing the club effectively. Each individual has their own uniquely human body that can only express their own movement patterns with different speeds/intensities based on their strengths, weaknesses, prior sports experience, myelinated pathways, fitness level, genetics, etc. Just as no two fingerprints are alike, no two golf swings are alike and regardless of how much you try, you will never have the same swing as Ben Hogan, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Jamie Sadlowski or whoever your idol is. But you can add a few of their moves and improve a little at a time.
A micro move cannot be seen by the naked eye at regular speed. So if you want to see these moves, turn down the volume on your TV set (for best results, hit the mute button…….shhhhhh Mr. Kostis) and watch the Konica Minolta SwingVision shots on CBS carefully. In our modern, technological world, this should be our way of “digging it out of the dirt” as Ben Hogan would say. Or, get yourself a Casio high speed camera and start seeing what’s really going on in your own swing. You don’t have to get the top-of-the-line Casio EX-F1 that Rick and I have. Casio has introduced several small point and shoot digital cameras like the EX-FS10 that shoot 210 frames per second and cost less than $300 on Amazon and other online dealers. With a great digital camera like that, who needs a camcorder?
Also, micro moves are not only for golfers. They are in the motions of great baseball hitters, pitchers, tennis players, hockey players, football players, basketball players and more. When athletes use micro moves during their movements, it represents the best way they can move. Take a look at the pitching motion of Tim Lincecum as an example of a pitcher using all these micro moves. Or Roger Federer using micro move called wrist flexion during his awesome forehand. Yet oddly enough, micro moves are the opposite of what many people would call “efficient.” Many people believe that we should eliminate all extraneous motions and that this will make you better or more consistent. NOT! Thus, the majority of the weekend warriors do not use these micro moves. Some people may think that we lose these micro moves a little because we get old and stiff, but that’s not true. There are some great senior and super senior long drive hitters that can absolutely nuke it. So that’s not the reason. Undoubtedly, we lose these micro moves because of poor instruction. Some popular swing theories seek to eliminate these micro moves from the swing. Forty years ago, it was a given that you should keep your head absolutely still and your left arm rigidly straight. Now we know that’s not true. Today there are popular ideas in current instruction that are eliminating micro moves yet are being blindly accepted on the basis of marketing appeal and simple athletic illogic. It sends golfers flocking to the Kool Aid to drink without any scrutiny. Perhaps it will take a few more decades before the masses realize the damage it is doing. But you don’t have to wait for a few decades of waning performance before its too late. You can be on the cutting edge and start looking at these micro moves and better yet, begin using them now. Remember, the removal of these micro moves will cause a loss of power and worse yet, will cause a golfer to have chronic swing problems unless you resurrect these micro moves. Another way to lose these micro moves is via subtle changes in posture due to exercise and improper training.
DRIVE-HOLD SWING? HUH? WHATS THAT?
A: A Drive Hold swing describes a golf swing that is driven by the spine which enables the clubface to be held stable.
A: No, the Drive Hold Swing is not a method, it is a system based on the observations of how the best ball strikers in the history of the game swung. Given the many variables, mental and physical abilities from human to human; we deliberately eschew forcing students into a set pattern.
A: No, it is not required. One of our swing models, Gary Woodland, uses a neutral grip and yet has a Drive-Hold compliant swing.
A: No, you do not. Many of our swing models are not professional long drivers and play on the PGA Tour. Some of them include, Matt Kuchar and Jim Furyk.
A: No, you do not. You can almost drive-hold from any arm position... what is more critical is the accompanying moves that complete the swing. Basically you cannot use the same pattern for a high arm swing vs a flat arm swing.
A: No, you do not need to Right Load. There are successsful Drive Holders like Arnold Palmer and Tommy Gainey who Left Load.
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