Golf can be an easy game - Chapter 9 EXPLANATION OF SOME BASIC IDEAS

Body action in a golf swing

The use of the body in a golf shot has been the basis of all of my teachings in golf.

One time while teaching a man who took up the game after he was 50 years of age, I was taken to task by one of the better players at the club who was and is a very good friend of mine.

"What are you trying to do with Arkell," he asked. "You have him swaying and moving all over the place. Don't you think you should teach him to hold his body still?"

"No," I answered, "I want him to learn to play golf, and the only way to play golf is to learn to use one's body. I must admit that at the moment Arkell is a bit awkward and he is inclined to exaggerate. (At this time I didn't know the difference between turning and stretching, and that could have been of some help.) But, please let him alone and I'm sure he will come through. However, since you brought the subject up let me say that I think you should do some revising in regard to your own game. You and I have different views on the matter of golf. You hold your body entirely too still as you play, and this rigid body position that you insist on is the prime reason why you often shank your shots."

Within a period of three years, my pupil won the Bel-Air Country Club Championship. On the other hand my friend's game became gradually worse and his 4 handicap slid to a 24 handicap, but he stubbornly kept to his idea of no body action. It was really sad to see him whaling away at the ball without being able to drive it much more than 100 yards, and all because he tried to make his golf swing entirely with his arms.

Action of knees during the swing

The action of a golfer's knees reflects the type of body action the player is using. Despite a preponderance of suggestions to the contrary, I have always insisted that the knees (the left one on the upswing, and the right one on the downswing) should both kick straight forward, and not sideways.

My good friend, Horton Smith, known as the Joplin Ghost when he played so well on the tournament circuit, was a most emphatic example of the knee action I prescribe.

Note in the pictures the steady, powerful, well-balanced appearance of the players whose knees are going straight forward, then notice the weak, wobbly, off-center, unbalanced positions of the players whose knees go sideways. 

Position of the right elbow at top of the swing

A majority opinion in golf is that the right elbow should be tucked in close to the right side as the backswing is made. In many cases pupils have been asked to place a handkerchief on their right side and told to hold it there by pressing their right elbow against it. The players are then asked to prevent the handkerchief from falling out during the swing.

Such practice tightens and tenses the player bodywise, and forces him into an excessive body turn.

In all golf swings done correctly the left knee kicks straight forward and as this is done the right elbow kicks straight back, all of which provides a very balanced position. As the right elbow kicks back it naturally bends and the elbow goes free of the body—in fact, it is this bending of the elbow and the contraction of the right arm that actually raises the club to the top of the swing so naturally.

This act of letting the right elbow go free on the back-swing is of great value in ultimately developing the proper hitting position of the hands at the time of impact with the ball.

With the right elbow going free and away from the body on the backswing, it becomes possible for the right elbow to drop straight down as the downswing starts. This permits the right hand to remain on an inside position on the downswing, and from this inside position, the right hand creates a strong base against which the left hand and left arm can pull the club into the ball. This combination of the right hand being on the inside as the hands come into the hitting area helps to naturally produce a powerful one-two action of the hands as the ball is contacted. As a result, the natural hit from the inside ability that has been so strongly and properly urged throughout the years occurs quite readily. This is, of course, the hand action that all big hitters in golf acquire; in fact, it is the only way for the hands to work.

On the other hand, if the right elbow is locked tight against the right side on the backswing, a whirling, twisting body turn must result. Of course, from such a back-swing there is bound to be that all too early hit with the right hand, which will throw the club to the outside of the line of flight and only an outside-in hit can be executed.

While on the subject of elbows, let me say that emphasis on the straight left arm has caused many bad shots in golf. As a matter of fact, only persons with a distinctive muscular setup can really hold their left arm straight throughout the swing. Walter Hagen, golfs most exciting champion, never did really straighten his left arm during his play. And my cigar-smoking pal, Billie Burke, won the U.S. Open Championship with a decidedly crooked left arm. Another winner of the U.S. Open crown was Ed Furgol, a most effective golfer even though a physical mishap prevented him from ever straightening his left arm.

I must report that too much emphasis has been placed on keeping the left arm straight, and if one holds the left arm too straight after impact, a low shot off to the left may result. There might also be a few sickly smothered hooks.

In the correct swing, the right arm should act and bend freely on the backswing. And as the right arm bends and contracts, there will develop in the left arm a natural sense of opposition and through this sense of opposition the left arm will naturally straighten and extend itself.

On the downswing and follow through, the reverse action takes place in the arms. The left arm must at some time bend and contract, and as it does so, help send the right arm into an active extension—a natural thrust of power at the precise moment of impact.

The early wrist break on the backswing

This subject I discussed at length in Chapter Five. However, as stated then, and I'll repeat it again, the action of the hands in a golf shot is the crux of the situation in golf.

With the hands, the player determines just what position he will put the club into, and from this position the player determines just what kind of a golf shot he will make: will it be a high fade, a shot that will stop dead, or will it be a low hook, a long rolling shot or a perfectly straight shot. It all depends on what the hands will do, and the time for them to do their job is at the outset of the backswing.

The picture from which the accompanying outline was made is one of my prized possessions. It was given to me by that uncrowned champion of golf, MacDonald Smith. When he gave me the picture he said, "]oe, here is one of the best pictures I've ever seen—it is right here at this precise point in the swing where I really get the feel of the club. This gives me the confidence I need to go full tilt into the swing."

Relaxed position of the hands at the top of the swing

Throughout all my writings on golf, I have stressed the importance of hand action. I have stated that the hands really have a triple duty:

(a) that of cocking or setting the club into a desired position

(b) keeping the club in that position throughout the swing

(c) imparting to the club the power that the body generates.

However, this is all accomplished in a perfectly natural pull and push action.

On the backswing, the right hand pulls, while the left hand pushes, and on the downswing, the left hand pulls and the right hand pushes.

Now under no conditions should there be any undue tension or tightness in the back part of the hands, or it will be difficult to maneuver the club correctly. As the hands go into their pull and push action on the upswing, not only do they spread and separate, they actually expand and relax to a point where the thumbs come in for a most important requirement, that of keeping the club steady and under control, particularly at the top of the swing.

Then, as the swing is reversed, and the club is brought down into and through the ball, from their expanded relaxed position there is produced a contraction of the hands. As the left hand pulls and the right hand pushes, the hands close strongly on the club so that at impact there is a firm steady position of the hands on the club.

During this pull and push on the downswing and follow through the thumbs again are of utmost importance. They act as fulcrum points against which the club can be levered into the ball.

At all times and at every point throughout the swing the hands must work in perfect unison and harmony.

Golf is definitely a double-fisted, two-handed operation wherein expansion of the hands must be developed on the way up so that there can be contraction and clubhead speed on the way through the ball.

Notice in these pictures of the club at the top of the swing how important the thumb positions are and how relaxed the hands are.

Holding the head still

At no time throughout my years of instruction do I remember consciously asking a pupil to keep his eye on the ball. I feel that the player will naturally look at the ball because that is his target, so why bother telling him to do it. Of course, the real reason so much stress is placed on keeping your eye on the ball is that your head will stay still. I disagree with this suggestion, because if one holds his head extremely still he restricts and inhibits a nice free action in his body.

In the natural course of movement in a golf swing, the act  of  shifting  one's  weight  to   the  right  foot   does straighten that knee. As the diagonal stretch action of the body is used to raise the club to the top of the swing there is an added straightening of the entire right side. In other words, the combination of shifting the weight to the right foot plus using the right side of the body to carry the club to the top of the swing, automatically produces a certain erectness or straightening of the entire right side. Under the influence of this action the head position is raised as the backswing is made. Then as the weight shifts to the left foot, there is a momentary drop of the entire body position, and consequently the head naturally lowers slightly. However, after the weight moves to the left foot and the left side is used to bring the club through, there is a decided straightening of the left side and again the head is raised slightly.

In other words, the head goes higher as the backswing is made, temporarily drops to a slightly lower position as the downswing starts, but again raises as the swing is completed. Any attempt to hold the head absolutely still restricts this natural body action. Hence I have never asked a pupil to hold his head still.

The most outstanding exponent of this perfectly natural rise and fall action of a golf shot was Byron Nelson, who carved a record in professional golf contests that will be difficult to match.

Another exponent of this natural rise and fall action of the correct golf swing is Cary Middlecoff, all-time money winner in professional golf.

After a period away from competition, it was quite noticeable that MiddlecofFs swing was tense and restricted due to a very fixed head position, but in a short time he got into the rhythm of his swing and the slight rise and fall of his head position during the swing was readily noticeable again. Therefore, don't freeze and tighten up your swing by trying to hold your head still. If the action of your body is correct it will operate within the gyroscopic pattern of the two-way diagonal stretch that all good golfers acquire. If you are within that pattern you won't have to worry about holding your head still. Don't do anything to disturb a natural body action.