I was wondering a bit about Brians extensor-action at address, or should I call it his non excisting EA at address. Is it something that you've worked on, talked about?? And do you (Lynn) see it as a flaw in Brian motion?
Extensor Action is most dominant during the Stroke itself (Sections 4-11 / Start Up to Follow-Through). It is present only minimally at Adjusted Address. Otherwise, the Left Arm and Clubshaft would be pulled into its Straight Line Impact alignment, and for several reasons, this normally is not the most advantageous Address alignment.
During the Backstroke, the Right Side merely winds up (as if to throw a ball) and is constrained only by the 'leash' of the Left Arm. There should be no undue effort to produce any 'strain' of Right Triceps Action. Instead, the right arm merely tugs the left into the windup.
Case in point:
In July 2007, Brian was with me three days in Atlanta. He was my house-guest, and we spent 'British Open Sunday' at my club. We worked in the short game area in the morning, watched the final holes of The Open Championship at lunch, then ventured onto the practice ground in the afternoon.
As Brian began his warmup, I spotted Larry Nelson at the far end of the tee, preparing for his upcoming 'last hurrah' in the PGA Championship at Southern Hills. At an appropriate moment, I approached him and asked if he had time to meet my guest and share his insights. He didn't know Brian, but the words were barely out of my mouth before he began walking toward the blue-and-white Mizuno Staff bag twenty yards down range.
The next hour or so was special: One of golf's great champions offering the fruit of his own experience to another in the making. He talked to us about those things he felt were important in his own swing and how he was able to 'get'er done' under the gun. The range was full that Sunday, but I gotta tell ya . . .
There wasn't a whole lot of ball hittin' going on around us!
Anyway . . .
Brian had been told (by others, not by me) that his left arm should be more extended at address, and we had worked on it a bit the day before at Sugarloaf, just to see if there was any advantage to be had. On this new day, I took advantage of the opportunity and asked Larry to talk with us about the address position of the arms, especially his view regarding a slightly bent left arm. His take?
He had learned that lesson long ago and was decidedly in favor of the slightly bent left arm at address. Only during Start Up did the left arm assume its more extended position.
There were a lot more balls hit that afternoon, by both Larry and Brian. One would hit, and the other would watch. They traded clubs and places as deftly as jazz musicians in a 'sit in' jam session. And the immediate question was soon lost in a host of 'tracers' sent streaking to the back of the range.
It was a glorious afternoon.
It was also the last time Brian worried about his bent left arm at address.
Extensor Action is most dominant during the Stroke itself (Sections 4-11 / Start Up to Follow-Through). It is present only minimally at Adjusted Address. Otherwise, the Left Arm and Clubshaft would be pulled into its Straight Line Impact alignment, and for several reasons, this normally is not the most advantageous Address alignment.
During the Backstroke, the Right Side merely winds up (as if to throw a ball) and is constrained only by the 'leash' of the Left Arm. There should be no undue effort to produce any 'strain' of Right Triceps Action. Instead, the right arm merely tugs the left into the windup.
Case in point:
In July 2007, Brian was with me three days in Atlanta. He was my house-guest, and we spent 'British Open Sunday' at my club. We worked in the short game area in the morning, watched the final holes of The Open Championship at lunch, then ventured onto the practice ground in the afternoon.
As Brian began his warmup, I spotted Larry Nelson at the far end of the tee, preparing for his upcoming 'last hurrah' in the PGA Championship at Southern Hills. At an appropriate moment, I approached him and asked if he had time to meet my guest and share his insights. He didn't know Brian, but the words were barely out of my mouth before he began walking toward the blue-and-white Mizuno Staff bag twenty yards down range.
The next hour or so was special: One of golf's great champions offering the fruit of his own experience to another in the making. He talked to us about those things he felt were important in his own swing and how he was able to 'get'er done' under the gun. The range was full that Sunday, but I gotta tell ya . . .
There wasn't a whole lot of ball hittin' going on around us!
Anyway . . .
Brian had been told (by others, not by me) that his left arm should be more extended at address, and we had worked on it a bit the day before at Sugarloaf, just to see if there was any advantage to be had. On this new day, I took advantage of the opportunity and asked Larry to talk with us about the address position of the arms, especially his view regarding a slightly bent left arm. His take?
He had learned that lesson long ago and was decidedly in favor of the slightly bent left arm at address. Only during Start Up did the left arm assume its more extended position.
There were a lot more balls hit that afternoon, by both Larry and Brian. One would hit, and the other would watch. They traded clubs and places as deftly as jazz musicians in a 'sit in' jam session. And the immediate question was soon lost in a host of 'tracers' sent streaking to the back of the range.
It was a glorious afternoon.
It was also the last time Brian worried about his bent left arm at address.
Thanks, Larry!
Thanks Yoda
What a great post! And what a treat that would have been for all of the members on the range that day.
Hybrid Mode
