Welcome To The Scoring Zone -- Yoda On The Bridge
 

Okay, guys and gals, this Forum is not getting near the attention it should. The Long Game is important -- no doubt -- but this is where Scoring lives. And the Good News is that the work you do here absolutely will carry over into your Long Game. Trust me on this. I made it happen in my own Game.

So, I've asked Bagger and Trig if I could be the Moderator, at least for now. They said they would have to get back to me. Assuming the answer is 'Tails'...

What would you like to know about the Cut Shot?

The Moderator Oath
 

The Web Board hereby, formally and in perpetuity if requested, grants Yoda - aka Lynn Blake moderator status for any duration Yoda deems appropriate, for The Scoring Zone - 100 Yards and In.
Yoda will serve as Moderator here at the Web Boards pleasure as long as approach shots become tighter to the pin, up/downs become more frequent, and one putts expected. Yoda is requested to use whatever means necessary to accomplish the above referencing The Golfing Machine whenever possible...

Is this a no-brainer or what? Oh well, had to make it look official. :D

Bagger

Re: Welcome To The Scoring Zone -- Yoda On The Bridge
 

This is a shot that goes left to right for a right hander right ?

The Cut Shot
 

This is too good an invitation to pass up. Thanks for the opportunity.

What are the principles of the Cut Shot and how do you apply them?

What stance and plane line combination ?

Do you need to apply a particular hinge action ?

Spontaneous thoughts on short game
 

Better short game will definitely carry over to your long game. Everything is done a lot slower, making it easier for you to work on the Three Imperatives and Essentials. And if you can't do it properly at half speed, what chance have got at full speed?
Also, the 'click' of a three dimensional impact is much more evident when doing chips and pitches.
I saw Ben Doyle live making a chipping stroke with clubhead speed of about 3 MPH, and I heard that loudest and prettiest 'click' ever. That's quality!
I like practicing chips indoors because you can really listen to the quality of impact. You would be surprised at how your ears can cultivate your feel and improve your ball striking.

I very rarely use the Cut Shot because of the deliberate muscular manipulation needed to produce the Vertical Hinge Action.
Angled Hinging is a must for short game. It approaches Vertical Hinging characteristics as the Plane gets steeper (i.e. shorter clubs) and it's much easier to produce.

For a bread and butter 40 yard pitch shot, does anyone find that the standard TGM pitch (max compression, no leakage, mashing it down, stop at both arms straight with flat left wrist, the ones you see Ben Doyle hitting a lot in his tape) produces too much compression which means ball doesn't stop on the green.

Brian talked about what he calls the 'Tour Pitch'. It has less backspin than the TGM pitch, but it bites a whole lot more because the ball is struck with less compression, so when it lands there is less momentum to carry to ball forwards (and off the green).

No spin high cut shot
 

Yoda

It has been almost a year since you, Ted Fort, and Steve Furgeson, gave me a new chipping and pitching life with push basic. 10-3-C.
I have the best results keeping it low with angled hinging.

Now the question of the day is......

Please describe, in detail, the formula for a nice high floating cut shot over a greenside bunker.

Thx

Re: Spontaneous thoughts on short game
 

Probably 90% of my practice is devoted to short game. Like tongzilla said, it is easier to monitor the imperatives because you are working at slower speeds.

Today, somebody I played with commented on how loud the "click" was when I was chipping. Based on the sound, he said he thought my chips were going to go off the green, but was amazed how close I was hitting them to the pin.

To show how important the short game was to me today, of the 11 pars I made, I only hit 2 greens in regulation. I chipped close on 7 greens for easy 1-putts and my other 3 pars were wedges that were within 15 feet and converting the putts.

Before TGM, I never would have been able to shoot 79 while having only 2 GIR.

Re: Welcome To The Scoring Zone -- Yoda On The Bridge
 

Please Sir, elaborate on how you "made it happen in my own Game." I heard stories about a TGM instructor who was away for 20years, did cut shots exclusively and got to a very low handicap. Might this be you?

Skipper
 

Sit right back and you'll hear a tale . . .

I'm interested to hear if you are a devotee to the "throw-away" cut shot or the open-open stance angled hinge cut shot or the vertical hinge cut shot?

Also, how would the cut shot be effective in educating your hands to eliminate the "left" shot in your long game?

Also, who was hotter Ginger or Mary Ann?

Bucket

Re: Spontaneous thoughts on short game
 

I just open the clubface (me=swinger, BTW).

You can change your posture (shoulder tilt away from the target) & ball position at address to make the ball go higher too.

Short-Timers
 

Bagger,

You forgot the Now, therefore be it resolved part. And I love that part!

Sokay, I get the drift. Thanks!

The Game is on!

Re: No spin high cut shot
 

.................................................. .................................................. ......

A Sand Wedge or 60 degree wedge using Vertical Hinging should land pretty softly!!!

Short Game Dreamin'
 

You want Short Game?

Soon, for free, I'll put up a little impromtu video of a practice session I filmed all by myself last week. I had no thought of this when I did it...frankly, I just wanted to see if I could do it! I'll entitle it 'Drag Your Wet Mop' through Impact. All I've got to do is figure out how to get it out of my camera and into my computer and onto the site! I did another one on Sand Shots. Maybe I can get it up, too.

In my future, I see another homespun video (this time for a reasonable fee):

With my Left Wrist Flat and with a decent microphone, I demo:

The proper Grip, Stance, Posture, Knee and Head Position. Plus...

1. Horizontal Hinge Action (Roll Feel);

2. Angled Hinge Action (No Roll Feel);

3. Vertical Hinge Action (Reverse Roll Feel).

Then, Hitting and Swinging...

The 'bread and butter' Chip Shot (one Accumulator).

The Chip-Pitch Shot (two Accumulators to Follow-Through, i.e., both Arms straight).

The Pitch Shot (two and three Accumulators with Swivel).

The Cut Shot -- Basic.

The Cut Shot -- Low and High.

The Lob Shot

The Lob Shot -- Cut.

With a little luck, I might even get our own Ted Fort to help me out here!

Also, V. J. Trolio and I have already cut two discs covering much of this in a less structured manner and with a back-and-forth banter that is unparalleled in the history of conventional golf instuction.

Whatdaya think?

Are these worthwhile introductory products for us?

If you are interested, then I will assume others will be also and will proceed all-ahead-full. Conversely, if you are not, then I will table the whole idea. Please post your thoughts.

Thanks.

Yoda.

You have my blessing! Please, by all means, show us the way!!!!

Patrick

Im interested yoda :) Im all ears and really looking forward to it :)

edit - when I say interested - Ill get anything you put out Yoda :)...lol

edit - also a unrelated idea for video - would it be possible to get some step ladders out to take an over head view of your stroke Yoda and then have a few hits and swings :)....

Interested? Stop teasing! My trigger finger is already hovering on Paypal.

Re: Short Game Dreamin'
 

As always, I'm in when it comes to a LBP (Lynn Blake Production) :D

The "chick" has been working on the range all summer with a 60 degree wedge (with the exception of a quick trip to Ireland) and always welcomes more assistance to break the shell.

"If you are interested, then I will assume others will be also and will proceed all-ahead-full. Conversely, if you are not, then I will table the whole idea. Please post your thoughts."

Yoda,
I am extremely interested. I'd love to have the "Yoda and VJ- two guys messing around with the short game" dvd... I am certain the new lines I'd learn from the video would be worth the price....not to mention the improvement in my short game would probably pay for the video in a few short days on the course.

To qoute James Brown . . . "please. Please. PLEASE."

Awaiting another smash HIT from the LBG Hit Factory. . . .

Yes, please! I need it yesterday. We are running out of good weather.

Thank you sir, may I have another!
 

I would buy that video in a heartbeat. And any other videos, downloads or DVDs you care to produce. I am a big fan of Brian Manzella's videos (especially the Flipper) and the thought of getting a double dose from Yoda as well just makes me plain giddy.

Another possible suggestion for a video would be one exclusively on drills that can be done at home (dowels, impact bag, etc). Since I live in Spain and don't know when I will get a chance for real live instruction from an AI, I am trying my best to work things out on my own. I have read many threads and archives on the dowels and impact bags, and I have seen the small video that is on the site, but a "feature length" video would really rev me up!

Keep up the great work!

Interested?
 

Interested would be an understatement. Recently I have realized I was working on my long irons waay too much. Now I only bring my wedges and scoring irons to the range to try and get that killer short game. Put me down for an enthusiastic yes for some short game vids.

Nothing else has ever motivated me, but this is too much. Time to get myself a credit card :oops: :roll:

All ahead full....
 

The structure and quality are not as important as the content. This is your oportunity to present the most important golf video ever. Damn the torpedos....

Count me in.

For sure.

Yoda please count me in. :D I need them asap :D :D

thanks golfbum22

I have been forgoeing any purchases for this since you first posted. Please tease no more!

Yes please Yoda :D

It has been just over 2 years this weekend since I joined my first golf club (I was just a social player before that) and shortly after, I found TGM. In that time, my handicap has gone from a very inconsistent 23 down to a solid 14, I have had my first hole-in-one, had a best round of +6 and my handicap is still on it's way down.

Who do I have to thank for this? Lynn, Brian, Chuck and all of the forum contributers... thanks guys :)

I would love to see what would happen if I could see Lynn or Brian in person, but I'll just have to settle for the next best thing... a video from the maestro.


Cheers,

Geoff

If You Build It...
 

Thanks for the support, guys. My homespun Short Game tape will happen. It is where any meaningful discussion of the Golf Stroke should begin.

Also, V. J. Trolio and I are putting the finishing touches on our series, so stay tuned for that one also.

Sounds Good
 

Bring it on, great green one!

Cut Shot Primer
 

In The Golfing Machine, a Cut Shot is any Stroke using Vertical Hinge Action through Impact. Vertical Hinging is defined as keeping the Flat Left Wrist vertical (perpendicular) to the Vertical Plane from Impact to the end of the Follow-Through (Both Arms Straight position).

This action Feels like a Reverse Roll and produces a No Roll of the Clubface. In other words, the Clubface does not Close during Impact; instead, it remains Square to the Plane Line and only Lays Back. The result is a higher Ball flight and better 'bite' than either of the other two Hinge Actions: Namely, Horizontal (Closing Only Clubface) and Angled (simultaneous Close-and-Layback). These two characteristics make the Cut Shot ideal for many Short Game applications, particularly Pitch Shots from Fairway, Rough and Sand.

Using the above definition -- any Shot using Vertical Hinging -- the Cut Shot can be played while Tracing (with the Right Forearm and #3 Pressure Point for Clubshaft and Clubhead Line-of-Flight control) any one of the three Plane Lines (Square, Open or Closed). Further, any one of the three Stance Lines (Square, Open or Closed) can used with any one of the three Plane Lines (giving nine different Plane Line-Stance Line Combinations). The same holds true of the Lob Shot -- a Cut Shot played with the Ball located at Low Point.

Conventionally, however, the Cut Shot is played as follows:

-- Plane Line and Stance Line Open to the Target Line.

-- Clubface Open to the Plane Line at Impact Fix (but still slightly left of the Target Line).

The Club, as always, is swung along the Plane Line (which, as stated, is in this case well left of the Target Line). This produces a Slice Spin, and where there is sufficient air-time for the Venturi Effect to operate, a slight Left-to-Right Ball Flight (and a tendency to spin to the right upon landing).

There are many variations of the Cut Shot. To mention a few: Lower or higher; more or less Lag Pressure; more or less spin; with and without the #3 Accumulator; with and without Wristcock; and with and without Finish Swivel. Obviously, any 'verbal only' explanation of the Basic Cut Shot and its Variations is inadequate. There must be demonstration, ideally in person or, lacking that advantage, via video.

I'll put up a couple of free clips soon that will demonstrate the Basic Motion and several variations. Later, I'll make available a more detailed commercial product.

Great, great post Yoda :)

I think this short game video will be just what I need. I cannot wait for this video. I'm getting really excited about it :)

Cut Shot Primer
 

Thanks Yoda for the principles and details in the Cut Shot primer. Very few people would disagree that the short game is the make or break phase of the game for pros and club players alike yet strangely, I don't see many people practicing this.