HOW TO HIT A GOLF BALL STRAIGHT-AS-AN-ARROW

Transcription

1 HOW TO HIT A GOLF BALL AS STRAIGHT-AS-AN-ARROW INTRODUCTION OF MIRACULOUS TECHNIQUES TO HIT A GOLF BALL AS STRAIGHT- AS-AN-ARROW GORDON JACKSON Author of How To Lock-In A Perfect Golf Swing, How Golf Works, Too Simple To Be Golf and How To Hit A Power Draw

2 HOW TO HIT A GOLF BALL AS STRAIGHT-AS-AN-ARROW Copyright 2007, 2008, 2009,2010, 2011 by Gordon Jackson All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, except for brief excerpts quoted in critical reviews. All inquiries should be to: LOCKED-IN GOLF, INC. 262 German Oak Drive Memphis, Tennessee The author and publisher disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects or consequences from the misapplication or injudicious use of the information in this book Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Jackson, Gordon, 1939 ISBN:

3 DEDICATION This book is dedicated to my wife, Sandy, who has supported and embraced my pursuit of how to hit a golf ball as straight-as-an-arrow for all these wonderful years together.

4 PREFACE This book introduces ten new and innovative techniques to establish and lock-in a straight ball flight alignment during the pre-swing proceedings. Once locked-in, it then just becomes a matter of completing the remainder of the pre-swing proceedings and executing a simple golf swing. Then watch your ball fly as straight-as-an-arrow directly to your target, discounting wind conditions and elevation differentials between your feet and, between your stance and your ball. This book also introduces new and unique techniques to align your shoulders squarely parallel with your target line at final address to the ball which is imperative if your objective is to hit a ball as straight-as-an-arrow in the direction of a specific target. This book is a companion book to many other books I have written to hit a golf shot on a straight path directly to the target, including How To

5 Lock-In A Perfect Golf Swing, Hit It Dead Straight, Locked-In Golf Method, Straight Shooting Golf and Too Simple To Be Golf. How Golf Work is another book I have written that explains in detail how and why a conventional style of grip misaligns the clubface and its swing path the instant it is assembled. It also explains how and why the wrists, clubface and elbows will rotate to establish different ball flight alignments in response to certain body movements once a conventional style of grip is formed on a club. How Golf Works is a free book that can be downloaded from How To Lock-In A Perfect Golf Swing, Straight Shooting Golf and the Locked-In Golf Method books introduce new and revolutionary techniques that require certain body movements to cause the wrists, clubface and elbows to establish and lock-in a straight ball flight alignment after a conventional style of grip is formed on a club. This book, How To Hit A Golf Ball As Straight-As-An-Arrow as well as Too Simple To Be Golf and Hit It Dead Straight apply a completely

6 different approach in comparison with the techniques discussed in the other companion books. The ten techniques addressed in this book and the techniques addressed in the companion books, Too Simple To Be Golf and Hit It Dead Straight, require some specific body movement after the left hand but before the right hand is gripped on a club in a conventional manner in order to cause the wrists, clubface and elbows to establish and lock-in a straight ball flight alignment. THE SECRET IS TO ESTABLISH AND LOCK-IN A STRAIGHT BALL FLIGHT ALIGNMENT The secret behind the ten miraculous techniques discussed in this book is the locking-in of a straight ball flight alignment once it is established. Although a straight ball flight alignment may be established at the completion of the pre-shot routine, if such alignment is not locked-in the wrists, clubface and elbows will rotate to a different ball flight alignment during the golf swing. It only takes a fraction of a degree of wrist and

7 elbow rotation to re-route the clubface and its swing path from a straight ball flight alignment to a different ball flight alignment during the remainder of the setup proceedings and during the golf swing unless such alignment is locked-in. A straight ball flight alignment is locked-in by locking the lifeline pocket of the right hand squarely and securely on the left thumb a specific number of times in a precise manner during the pre-swing proceedings. What has taken me more than ten years and thousands of experiments to determine when, in what manner and how many times the lifeline pocket of the right hand must be locked (or relocked) on the left thumb to lock-in a straight ball flight alignment will only take you a few minutes to learn as a result of the instructions in this book. I refer to the connection between the lifeline pocket of the right hand and the left thumb as the lifeline/thumb connection. I refer to the lifeline pocket of the right hand simply as the lifeline. The lifeline of the right hand is the crease that runs between the heel and thumb pads of the right hand. More specifically, it runs between the

8 fatty pad of the palm and thumb bone of the right hand and, when locked on to the left thumb, creates an effective joint between the two, not unlike that of a shoulder, elbow or wrist joint. While golfers for generations have locked and unlocked their lifeline/thumb connections routinely and habitually, they have not yet understood the impact it has in relation to the golf swing. In this book you will be able to learn how locking, unlocking and relocking your lifeline/thumb connection will determine whether you hit a golf ball as straight-as-an-arrow in the direction of your target or mishit it to the left or right of your target. No doubt, some professional and low handicap amateurs instinctively have learned when and how many times to lock their lifeline/thumb connections to establish and lock-in a straight ball flight alignment during their pre-shot routines but much of it has to do with feel and the so-called mental part of the game. When they can feel instinctively how many times to lock, unlock and relock their lifeline/thumb connection, they play exceptionally well. When they lose their feel as to how many times to lock, unlock and relock their lifeline/thumb connection, they lose their swing. Attempting to rely

9 on feel and instinct as to how many times to lock, unlock and relock the lifeline/thumb connection is a most unreliable way to play golf for he average recreational golfer. The ten new, innovative and revolutionary techniques taught in this book do not rely on feel or the so-called mental part of the game. Instead, they rely on specific bone alignments at precise times both to establish and lock-in a straight ball flight alignment. The Locked-In Golf techniques require no help or assistance from sports psychologists or other such gurus. Simply follow the instructions addressed in this book and you will hit your ball as straight-as-an-arrow each and every time. FORGET ABOUT MUSCLE-MEMORY Some instructors contend the way a golfer grips a club is not all that important in terms of producing a specific ball flight. They teach instead you can rely on muscle-memory during your golf swing to square your clubface and get your club on plane. They believe and teach the club can be manipulated in some way during the golf swing in order to produce a specific ball flight.

10 There is no such muscle-memory method associated with the Locked-In Golf techniques. Once a straight ball flight alignment is established and locked-in as a result of one of the techniques discussed in this book, the clubface will be aligned squarely on plane during the pre-shot proceedings. All that will remain will be to center the sweet spot of the clubface directly behind your ball, align your shoulders parallel with the target line, re-sync your elbow line with your shoulder line (to be discussed later) and then execute a nonmanipulative golf swing. The impact position of your clubface will replicate its address position and the ball will fly as straight-as-an-arrow in the direction of the target. The reason why so many instructors teach the muscle-memory theory is they have yet to recognize the basic flaw of the conventional golf grip. The fundamental flaw of a conventional style of golf grip is that it misaligns the clubface and its swing path the instant it is formed on a club. As a result instructors and golfers alike have never learned to realign certain bones between the time the left hand and right hand are gripped on a club to establish a square clubface and an on-line swing path during the pre-shot proceedings. They have never learned to realign specific bones to

11 establish and lock-in a straight ball flight alignment after the grip is formed on a club. However, I do not fault instructors who teach the muscle-memory approach to golf. They simply have never learned or discovered a better approach and merely teach what they were taught and what has been taught from generation to generation - perhaps from the inception of the game. I am hopeful this and its companion books will teach instructors and golfers alike that the muscle-memory approach is not the answer to improving a golfer s game. I invite golfers and instructors alike to accept a different paradigm of golf: a bone realignment approach instead of a muscle-memory approach in order to transform golf from a game of guess to a game of success. TERMINOLOGY USED IN THIS BOOK Most of the golfing terms used in this book should be familiar to seasoned golfers. For example, I use conventional terms such as backswing and downswing to describe the two parts of the golf swing.

12 I choose, however, to depart from conventional terminology when it comes to such terms as plane. I choose to use the word path instead. Swing plane does not determine ball flight. Swing path does. Theoretically, the swing path of the clubface could be at various degrees of swing plane. Clubface swing path and clubface alignment at impact determines ball flight rather than the degree of so-called swing plane when the clubface strikes the ball. The alignment of the clubface is open, closed or square in relation to its swing path. Therefore, a combination of clubface alignment and swing path at impact will determine how the ball flies, discounting wind and other weather conditions and, elevation differentials. I do not overly obsess about such matters as lie angle. Although I do recommend club fittings to match the lie angle of the clubface to an individual player, considering his or her height, weight and body structure. Once such a fitting is achieved, the lie angle of the club should not affect ball flight if all the steps are followed in this book to establish and lock-in a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment.

13 The one exception would be an uneven lie. Golfers must adjust their stance during the setup proceedings to allow for elevation differentials resulting from side hill lies as well as for wind conditions. One of the challenges when giving golf instruction is to use simple terms to describe specific parts of the body for right-handed players and specific parts of the body for left-handed players. In order to avoid the awkward approach of explaining what is meant by left and right with respect to left-handed and right-handed golfers I have chosen to address instructions in the book from a right-handed perspective with apologies to those who are left-handed including my grandson, Carson. I prefer to use plural instead of singular descriptions in terms of gender. Sometimes, however, plural descriptions also become somewhat awkward in usage and it may be necessary to resort to a singular description at times. I will attempt to give equal distribution to each gender, interchanging such terms as he and she to she and he and hers and his to his and hers, when circumstances dictate. (Please don t keep count).

14 YOUR GOLFING EXPERIENCES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME ONCE YOU MASTER THE TECHNIQUES IN THIS BOOK When you learn the techniques in this book you will consistently produce a straight golf shot each time you choose. Your primary challenge thereafter will be that of distance control. That is, merely selecting the specific club in your golf set that will deliver the ball to your target. There may be times you may need to shape a golf shot around some obstacle between your ball and your target. However, if you can produce a straight golf shot each time you desire, there should be little reason for confronting such a golf shot in the first place. If such a challenge should arise that you would need to shape a golf shot I invite you to visit You may also want to read my How To Hit A Perfect Fade, How To Hit A Power Draw and Instant Golf books. I recommend you learn one technique at a time from those taught in this book to establish and lock-in a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight

15 alignment. Once you have mastered a specific technique, you should then advance to the next one and so on. The advantage of mastering all the techniques addressed in this book is each has its own unique characteristics in terms of trajectory and distance. Nonetheless, each will produce a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight when all the pre-swing requirements are met and a non-manipulative golf swing is executed. No doubt, you eventually will choose one of the techniques to be your favorite. You nonetheless will always have the option of using as many of the others as you desire. Even now, there are times when I change from one to another merely for the sake of variety. You may do likewise. I can guarantee only one thing. If you follow the instructions in this book and devote enough practice time to each technique, you will hit a golf ball as straight-as-an-arrow each time you desire, discounting wind conditions and elevation differentials between your feet and, between your stance and your ball. Your golfing life will be changed forever. You will transform your golf from a game of guess to a game of success overnight. Gordon Jackson

16 SPECIAL NOTE IF YOU ALREADY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCKED-IN GOLF TECHNIQUES, TESTS AND THE STYLES OF GOLF GRIP THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE TECHNIQUES DISCUSSED IN THIS BOOK YOU MAY WANT TO PROCEED TO CHAPTER FIVE FOR THE FIRST HOW TO HIT A GOLF BALL AS STRAIGHT-AS-AN-ARROW TECHNIQUE.

17 CHAPTER ONE GOLF IS A GAME OF ALIGNMENTS BONE ALIGNMENT How your wrist, elbow and shoulders bones are aligned in relation to the ball and the target when the face of your club impacts a golf ball will determine whether your ball will fly or curve to the left, fly or curve to the right or fly as straight-as-an-arrow. The direction and pattern in which a golf ball will travel is referred to as ball flight. There are but seven possible ball flights:

18 A SLICE in which a golf ball initially flies to the inside of the shoulder line (the imaginary line running across the shoulders) and then curves to the outside of the shoulder line. A HOOK in which a golf ball initially flies to the outside of the shoulder line and then curves to the inside of the shoulder line. A PULL in which a golf ball only flies to the inside of the shoulder line. A PUSH in which a golf ball flies only to the outside of the shoulder line. A PUSH- SLICE in which a golf ball flies initially to the outside of the shoulder line and then curves even more extremely to the outside of the shoulder line. A PULL-HOOK in which a golf ball flies initially to the inside of the shoulder line and then curves even more extremely to the inside of the shoulder line. A STRAIGHT in which a ball flies on a straight path that parallels the shoulder line. A FADE is a slight slice. A DRAW is a slight hook. 18

19 If there is insufficient sidespin when a slice is produced, the ball will fly only to the inside of the shoulder line instead of then curving to the opposite side of the shoulder line. If there is insufficient sidespin when a hook is produced, the ball will fly only to the outside of the shoulder line instead of then curving to the inside of the shoulder line. Each of these ball flights occurs as a result of how the wrist, elbow and shoulder bones are aligned in relation to the ball and the target at impact when the clubface contacts the ball. Only when the three bones are aligned in a specific manner, at impact, will the ball fly as straight-as-an-arrow on a path that parallels the shoulder line, discounting wind and other weather conditions or elevation differentials. The clubface must meet the ball squarely on a swing path that parallels the shoulder line at impact in order to produce a straight-as-anarrow ball flight. Only two things determine ball flight: clubface alignment and clubface swing path at impact. 19

20 CLUBFACE ALIGNMENT is how the clubface looks at the ball at impact, whether squarely aligned (at 90 degrees), openly aligned in which the heel of the clubface is in front of its toe in relation to its path or closed in which the toe of the clubface is in front of its heel in relation to its path. CLUBFACE PATH is the path of the clubface at impact, whether the clubface is on an out-to-in path across the shoulders, on an in-to-out path across the shoulders or on a parallel path with the shoulders. Clubface alignment and clubface path, at impact, will determine whether a golf ball slices, hooks, pulls, pushes, pull-hooks, push-slices or flies as straight-as-an-arrow on a path that matches the shoulder line. YOUR SHOULDER LINE IS YOUR BALL FLIGHT REFERENCE LINE Although your target line - the imaginary line running from your target back to and through your ball - can influence the flight of your golf ball in that many golfers tend to swing the club back from the ball 20

21 along the target line, it is your shoulder line that is the effective reference line in determining ball flight rather than your target line. Therefore, I refer to the shoulder line as the effective target line when discussing clubface alignment and swing path. Only when your shoulders are aligned squarely parallel with your target line will your target line also become the effective target line. For example, when a ball slices, it does so not necessarily in relation to the target line. Rather, it slices in relation to the shoulder line. Only if the shoulders are aligned squarely parallel with the target line in such case will the ball also slice in relation to the target line. If a ball hooks it does so in relation to the shoulder line. Only if the shoulders are aligned squarely parallel with the target line will the ball also hook in relation to the target line. The same proposition applies to all other ball flights. YOUR ELBOW LINE DETERMINES CLUBFACE SWING PAT 21

22 Your elbow line is the imaginary line that runs across your elbows. Perhaps to provide a better image, the elbow line is the imaginary line that runs across the inside creases of your elbows. Your clubface swing path is determined by how your elbows (elbow line) are aligned in relation to your shoulders (shoulder line) at impact, whether out-to-in, in- to- out or parallel in relation with your shoulders. If your elbow line is aligned squarely parallel with your shoulder line and your clubface is aligned squarely perpendicular (at 90 degrees) to you ball, at impact, your ball will fly on a straight path that parallels your shoulder line, discounting wind conditions and elevation differentials between your feet and, between your stance and your ball. Many instructors believe (and teach) the swing path of the clubface is determined by how the shoulders are aligned in relation to the target line. Quite to the contrary, the swing path of the clubface is determined by how the elbows (elbow line) are aligned in relation to the shoulders (shoulder line.) 22

23 When you grip a golf club, whether you prefer an overlapping, interlocking or baseball style of grip, your elbow line will rotate to a specific position in relation to your shoulder line. Your wrists and clubface also will rotate to a specific alignment when you assume a conventional style of golf grip. Only when your elbow line is aligned squarely parallel with your shoulder line will an on-line swing path be established. Even more significant, only when your elbows, shoulders and target line are aligned parallel with each other will an on-line swing path be established that will produce a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight in the direction of your target. Thus, your elbow line is your reference line in determining clubface swing path with respect to each golf shot. The elbow line, not unlike that of the shoulder line, is independent of the target line. It has no direct anatomical connection or relationship with the target line. Your target line could be pointing in the opposite direction for all your shoulders and elbows may know or care. 23

24 DON T CONFUSE SWING PATH WITH SWING PLANE Swing plane does not determine ball flight in and of itself. As long as the elbow line is aligned parallel with the shoulder line and the clubface is aligned at 90 degrees to the ball when the clubface contacts the ball, the ball will fly as straight-as-an-arrow on a path that parallels the shoulders regardless of whether the clubface is on a steep plane, an intermediate plane or a shallow plane. However, the steepness or shallowness of the clubface swing path has no significant influence over the direction of the ball, discounting wind another weather conditions or elevation differentials. It primarily affects the height (trajectory) of the ball. Considering the term plane is so confusing to golfers and instructors alike, it perhaps should be eliminated from the golfing lexicon. The golfing community would be better served if such terms as shoulder plane, arm plane and swing plane were left on the cutting room floor. Such terms do not describe clubface swing path or 24

25 clubface alignment - the two essential alignments that determine ball flight. When the elbow line and shoulder line match the intended target line and a square clubface contacts the ball, at impact, the ball will fly as straight-as-an-arrow on line with the intended target and on a parallel path with the shoulder line. If a correct club is selected and sufficient club head speed is applied, the ball will fly to the intended target. THE ALIGNMENT OF YOUR WRISTS WILL DETERMINE CLUBFACE ALIGNMENT One of the great misconceptions about golf, as I discuss in HOW GOLF WORKS, is the conventional belief that the appearance of the clubface behind the ball determines how the clubface effectively is aligned to the ball. This is an erroneous belief irrespective of how the clubface may appear to be aligned. You easily can turn your clubface from what may appear to be an open alignment to what may appear to be a square alignment by adjusting your hands on a club handle. However, if your wrists have 25

26 rotated your clubface to a closed alignment, you neither will have an open or a square clubface alignment. Instead, you will have an effective closed alignment because true clubface alignment is determined by how your wrists have rotated your clubface in relation to the tip-end of your right shoulder. You also can turn your hands on a club handle from what may appear to be a closed clubface alignment to what may appear to be a square clubface alignment, yet if your wrists have rotated your clubface to an open alignment in relation to your right shoulder joint, you neither will have a closed or square clubface alignment. Instead, you will have an effective open clubface alignment because it is how your wrists have rotated your clubface in relation to the tip-end of your right shoulder that determines true clubface alignment. Only when your wrists have rotated your clubface to a square alignment in relation to the tip-end of your right shoulder will your clubface effectively be aligned squarely, irrespective of how your clubface may appear to be aligned. 26

27 If the appearance of the clubface determined true clubface alignment, a golfer would need only to align his or her clubface to what would appear to be a square alignment behind the ball at the completion of the pre-shot routine and automatically establish a square clubface alignment. Every veteran golfer knows such a proposition is invalid. Regardless of how meticulously a golfer attempts to align a clubface squarely behind a golf ball, unless his or her wrists have rotated to hinge the clubface squarely perpendicular to the tip-end of the right shoulder, a true and effective square clubface will not be established. When your wrists and clubface are aligned to hinge squarely perpendicular to the tip-end of your right shoulder at the completion of your backswing your elbows correspondingly will be aligned squarely parallel with your shoulders. All that remains to hit a golf ball as straight-as-an-arrow is to allow the club reflexively to return its face to the ball without any manipulative movement during the downswing. Your clubface will contact the ball squarely on a swing path that parallels your shoulder line to produce a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight. 27

28 As stated at the beginning of this chapter, golf is a game of bone alignments. How your wrists have rotated in relation to your shoulders will determine your clubface alignment at the point of impact. How your elbows have rotated in relation to your shoulders will determine the swing path of your clubface at the point of impact. The only thing you really need to know about what produces a specific ball flight is clubface alignment and clubface swing path at impact. How your wrists have rotated your clubface at impact will determine whether the clubface is open, closed or square. How your elbows have rotated at impact will determine whether the path of your clubface out-to-in across your shoulders, in-to-out across your shoulders or parallel with your shoulders. 28

29 CHAPTER TWO LOCKED-IN CONFIRMATION TESTS AND TECHNIQUES At this point you may have some doubts about how the four conventional styles of golf grip rotate the wrists and clubface to an open alignment and the elbows to an out-to-in swing path across the shoulders the instant assumed. Anticipating you may have such doubts, I have developed certain tests you may wish to conduct in order to demonstrate and validate that a conventional golf grip establishes a slice ball flight alignment the instant it. 29

30 The first of these tests demonstrate how a conventional style of golf grip will rotate the elbows to an out-to-in swing path across the shoulders the instant such grip is assembled. It is-- THE LOCKED-IN ELBOWS TEST The LOCKED-IN ELBOWS TEST indicates whether a given golf grip rotates the elbows to an on-line swing path; that is, it indicates whether the elbows are aligned squarely parallel with the shoulders once the grip is assumed. When the elbows are rotated to an on-line swing path, the wrists and clubface correspondingly will rotate to a square alignment, all of which will establish a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment. As you will experience when conducting the LOCKED-IN ELBOWS TECHNIQUE, neither the original or modified Vardon overlapping, traditional interlocking nor regular baseball (ten-fingers) style of golf grip will establish a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment when formed on a golf club. These are the steps to follow when conducting the LOCKED-IN ELBOWS TEST. 30

31 STEP 1: Select a safe and level area to conduct the LOCKED-IN ELBOWS TEST such as at a practice facility. STEP 2: Place a golf ball on the surface, ideally on a practice mat that has a horizontal line to use as a reference or simply choose an imaginary target by which to define an imaginary target line. STEP 3: Choose a short iron such as a wedge or a short iron such as a nine iron. STEP 4: Place a golf ball on the surface directly on the horizontal reference line on a practice mat, if one there is one. If not, place the ball on the imaginary target line. STEP 5: Center the sweet spot of your clubface as near to the back of your ball as possible without moving your ball in the process. STEP 6: Next, align your shoulders parallel with your imaginary target line or the horizontal reference line on the practice mat, if there is one. Then assume either an original or modified Vardon overlapping, traditional interlocking or regular baseball (ten fingers) type of grip on your club. 31

32 STEP 7: Then, while maintaining your precise spine angle - do not raise or lower your shoulders, head or knees un-grip your club and raise your club without changing your spine angle. Then grasp your club shaft with your hands horizontally with your hands about two (2) feet apart with the butt-end of the club pointing in the general direction of your imaginary target. Lock your elbow joints, maintain your spine angle and raise and lower your club up and down until your club shaft covers (bisects) your ball from your line of vision. If you follow the instructions correctly, you should observe your club shaft will point to the inside of your imaginary target or reference line, indicating your elbow line rotated to an out-to-in swing path across your shoulder line the instant it was formed on your club. As you will be able to observe in subsequent chapters, when any of the ten new and innovative techniques are tested by conducting the LOCKED -IN ELBOWS TEST, the club shaft will be aligned squarely parallel with the imaginary target line or reference line at the completion of the test, demonstrating the elbows (elbow line) will be aligned 32

33 parallel with the shoulders (shoulders line) at the completion of the respective technique. A test that will demonstrate how the wrists will rotate the club to an effective open alignment, irrespective of how the clubface may appear to be aligned, the instant a conventional style of grip is formed on a club is the--- THE WRIST SWING TEST The WRIST SWING TEST definitely should be conducted in a safe area so that no person or property will be harmed. It also should be conducted on a level surface. The tools required are those used when conducting the LOCKED- IN ELBOWS TEST ; that is, a short iron such as a pitching wedge, a golf ball and a flat surface which can be in the form of a practice mat, grass or outdoor carpet. As noted above, the WRIST SWING TEST is used to determine whether a given style of golf grip rotates the wrists and clubface to a square alignment or not. When you conduct the WRIST SWING TEST to determine whether any of the conventional styles of grip establish a 33

34 straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment, you will learn they don t. Instead, you will be shown the original or modified Vardon overlapping, traditional interlocking and the regular baseball (ten-fingers) styles of grip will rotate the wrists and clubface to an effective open alignment the instant they are formed on a golf club. Here are the steps to follow when conducting the WRIST SWING TEST : ONE: Place a golf ball on a practice mat, indoor/outdoor carpet or on some smooth and flat surface in a safe hitting area. TWO: If you use a practice mat for this test with a horizontal reference line through its center, align your shoulder parallel with the reference line. If not, align your shoulders parallel with an imaginary target line. THREE: Center the face of your club as near the back of your ball as possible without moving or touching your ball and assume your preferred style of conventional grip on the club handle. Ensure there is no clubface rotation between the time your left hand and right hand are gripped on the club. 34

35 FOUR: Then, without thereafter moving your feet, head, knees, spine or any other part of your body, swing your club only with your wrists. FIVE: If you follow the instructions precisely, you should observe your ball rolling (or flying) slightly to the outside of your shoulder line and also, to the outside of your reference or imaginary line, indicating an open clubface alignment at the point of contact with your ball. Had your wrists and clubface been squarely aligned, your golf ball would have rolled or flown on a straight path parallel with your shoulder line and also in line with your reference line or imaginary target line. When the WRIST SWING TEST is conducted on any of ten new and innovative techniques introduced and discussed in subsequent chapters, the ball will roll (or fly) on a path that parallels the shoulders and imaginary target line, indicating your wrists and clubface had rotated to a square alignment and, indirectly, your elbows had rotated to an on-line swing path at the completion of the respective technique. 35

36 Another test I have developed to determine whether a specific style of grip will rotate the wrists and clubface to a square alignment (or not) is what I refer to as THE ARMS-LIFT TEST The ARMS-LIFT TEST also is simple and easy to conduct. It is one of the techniques that may be conducted at the completion of each technique addressed in this book. First, the ARMS-LIFT TEST requires the sole (leading edge) of the clubface to be grounded throughout the test. Second, at the completion of the grip or proceedings, it requires the shoulders, head and knees to be immobilized and only the arms to be raised upward as far as possible while keeping the clubface grounded. If the clubface rotates counterclockwise when the arms are raised upward as far as possible while the sole of the clubface remains grounded and the shoulders, knees and wrists remain immobilized, it will indicate the wrists and clubface have not rotated to a square alignment nor the elbows rotated to an on-line swing path. 36

37 On other the hand, if the clubface does not rotate counterclockwise when the arms are raised upward as far as possible - while the shoulders, head and knees remain immobilized and the clubface remains grounded - it will indicate the wrists and clubface have rotated to a square alignment and the elbows have rotated to an on-line swing path, all of which will confirm a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment has been established and locked-in. Only the arms are involved in conducting the ARMS-LIFT TEST. All other parts of the body are immobilized during the procedure. When the ten new and innovative techniques discussed in this book are assembled correctly, the ARMS-LIFT TEST will not rotate the clubface counterclockwise when the arms are raised upward as far as possible, while keeping the shoulders, head and knees immobilized and the clubface grounded. It will confirm the wrists and clubface have been rotated to a square alignment and the elbows have been rotated to an online swing path to establish and lock-in a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment at the completion of the respective technique. 37

38 However, when the ARMS-LIFT TEST is conducted at the completion of either a modified or original Vardon overlapping, traditional interlocking or regular baseball (ten-fingers) style of grip, the clubface will rotate counterclockwise, indicating such styles of golf grip do not square the clubface or establish an on-line swing path. You should assemble either an original Vardon overlapping, modified Vardon overlapping traditional interlock or a regular (tenfingers) baseball style of grip and then conduct the ARMS-LIFT TEST to observe whether the clubface will rotate counterclockwise when you raise your arms upward as far as possible while keeping your shoulders, head and knees immobilized and your clubface grounded. You should observe the clubface will rotate counterclockwise when the ARMS-LIFT TEST is conducted, indicating a straight ball flight alignment has not been established. Another confirmation test that can be used to determine whether a given grip will rotate the wrists and clubface to a square alignment and the elbows to an on-line swing path is what I refer to as THE SHOULDERS ONLY TECHNIQUE 38

39 The SHOULDERS ONLY TEST also is easy and simple to conduct. It can be used independently or in conjunction with the ARMS-LIFT TEST for confirmation purposes. It too requires the sole (leading edge) of the clubface to be grounded throughout the procedure. It first requires your legs to be straightened to the maximum extent possible and your knee joints to be locked. It then requires your arms, wrists, hands and knees to be relaxed and remain passive as you raise your shoulders upward very, very slowly while the sole of the clubface remains on the surface. If your clubface rotates counterclockwise when you raise your shoulders upward very slowly, it will indicate your wrists and clubface have not rotated to a square alignment nor have your elbows rotated to an on-line swing path to establish a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment. However, if the sole of your clubface slides freely on the surface in your direction while your arms, wrists hands and knees remain relaxed and your clubface remains grounded when you raise your shoulders upward very slowly, it will indicate your wrists and clubface have 39

40 rotated to a square alignment and your elbows have rotated to an on-line swing path to establish a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment. Only your shoulders are active when conducting the SHOULDERS ONLY TEST. All other parts of the body must remain inactive. Your arms are only allowed to move in response to your shoulder movement. When the SHOULDERS ONLY TEST is conducted on any of the new and innovative techniques addressed in this book, the sole of the clubface will slide freely in your direction, indicating a straight ball flight alignment has been established and locked-in. It will not rotate counterclockwise or clockwise. All of these tests demonstrate the instant a conventional style of golf grip is formed and completed on a golf club, the wrists and elbows will rotate to establish a slice ball flight alignment, assuming no clubface rotation during the gripping process. 40

41 CHAPTER THREE HOW TO TAKE DEAD AIM Tour players and low handicap amateurs probably spend more time during their practice routines on their shoulder-to-target alignment than on any other part of their pre-swing proceedings. All the new and innovative techniques addressed in this book are meaningless unless you properly and accurately align your shoulders squarely parallel with your target line during your pre-shot routine. Aside from effective putting, what separates those who make the cut and win golf tournaments from those who do not is proper alignment of the body-to-the-target; meaning to align the shoulders squarely parallel with the target line prior to the beginning of the golf swing. 41

42 If you fail to align your shoulders squarely parallel with your target line at the conclusion of your pre-swing routine, you will tend to swing your clubface along your target line during your takeaway instead of allowing the clubface to design its own arc in keeping with its established swing path. Therefore, assuming you have established and locked-in a straightas-an-arrow ball flight alignment at the conclusion of your pre-swing proceedings, if your shoulders are misaligned with your target line and you swing your clubface along your target line instead of allowing it to design its on arc in keeping with its established swing path, your clubface and swing path will remain in tact relative to your shoulder line because it is locked-in. However, the bottom-out point of your swing will change as a result of your misalignment of your shoulders and your target line. As a result, your clubface will contact your ball and your ball will curve to the inside or to the outside of your target line. Although the techniques addressed in this book lock a square alignment and an on line swing path of the clubface, they do not keep the clubface from bottoming-out early or late if the shoulders are not 42

43 aligned parallel with the target line at the same time the clubface is centered as near to the back of the ball as possible at final address to the ball. There simply can be no consistency in shot making if you do not align your shoulders squarely parallel with your target line prior to commencing your golf swing. THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF ALIGNING THE SHOULDERS WITH A TARGET LINE IS UNRELIABLE The traditional way of attempting to align the shoulders with a target line relies on the appearance of the clubface in relation to the ball and target. It is fundamentally flawed for a number of reasons. First, it is difficult to square your clubface behind a golf ball at a 90 degree angle to a target. It involves much guesswork - especially for weekend and recreational golfers. Remember also that the appearance of the clubface behind the ball does not translate to its true alignment. Second, it is difficult to maintain the clubface at a 90 degree angle to the target when establishing your stance and posture to the ball. In all 43

44 likelihood, the clubface will be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to some degree during the process. Third, the instant either an original or modified Vardon overlapping, traditional interlocking or regular baseball style of grip is then formed on the handle of your club, your wrists and clubface will rotate to an open effective open alignment and your clubface no longer will be squarely aligned to your target at 90 degrees, even assuming it previously was so aligned. Harry Penick, the legendary instructor and famous for his Little Red Book, was known to challenge his students, such as Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite, to TAKE DEAD AIM. This is sound advice but it raises more questions than it answers. For example TAKE DEAD AIM - BUT FROM WHAT, THROUGH WHAT, TO WHAT? * Most golfers have no point of reference when attempting to TAKE DEAD AIM. When they turn their heads in the direction of the target, they see their target which should be the object of their focus but they 44

45 also see everything left and right of their target, like a panoramic view of over 100 degrees of rough, fairways and bunkers. The objective of TAKING DEAD AIM is you should have a defined and specific target and some method and means by which to aim in the direction of such target. The traditional method of TAKING DEAD AIM does not provide the means by which to aim in the direction of a specific target. The question is not what is the intended target? Rather the question is from what and through what is being used to aim in the direction of the intended target? That is, what reference guides are being used to aim to the specific target? Unfortunately, there are no such reference guides provided by typical golf instruction. In order for golfers to align their shoulders squarely parallel with their target line, there should be a more reliable method than what has been taught through the years 45

46 The mechanism needed is an intermediate point of reference between the right eye and the target, such as a sight on a rifle or crosshairs on a weapon, such as- THEARROW ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUE Were you to aim a rifle or some other firearm to a specific target, you would only use only one instead of both eyes. You merely would use the sight on the rifle or some other firearm as an intermediate reference point to aim your right eye to the target. The ARROW ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUE provides an intermediate reference point between an open eye and the target. It supplies the through what answer to the from what, through what, to what question. While seated or standing, close your left eye and then focus your right eye on its inside corner. You should observe the formation of an arrow configuration at the inside corner of your right eye. The arrow is formed between the top of your nose and the lower inside corner of your right eye socket. 46

47 Obviously, if you have some visual impairment or if your view would be obstructed by eyeglasses, the ARROW ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUE may not be as beneficial to you. However, if you are not impaired in some way or otherwise prevented from using the ARROW ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUE you should appreciate the arrow provides the intermediate reference point in aiming your right eye to your target. More specifically, the tip-end of the arrow becomes the sight (like on a rifle) that can be used as the intermediate reference point in aiming your rigth eye to the target. HOW THE ARROW ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUE WORKS The ARROW ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUE entails more than locating the tip-end of the arrow formed at the inside corner of your right eye. It requires you to focus on the tip-end of the arrow, turn your head in the direction of your target as far as possible while immobilizing the rest of your body and then adjust your stance until the tip-end of the arrow points directly at your target. 47

48 When you close left eye, focus your right eye on the tip-end of the arrow, immobilize all other body parts, turn your head toward the target as far as possible, and then adjust your stance until the tip-end of the arrow points directly at your intended target, your shoulders should be aligned squarely parallel with your target line. The degrees (or fractions of degrees) between your shoulder line and your intended target line approximate the degrees (or fractions of degrees) between your arrow line and your intended target line. Depending on the width of your eyes and the prominence of your nose, the tip-end of the arrow may point very slightly to the left or right of your intended target in order for your shoulders to be aligned squarely parallel with your intended target line. However, for the vast majority of golfers, the tip-end of the arrow should point directly to the target, when both the right eye and the head are turned in the direction of the target as far as possible in order for the shoulders to be aligned squarely parallel with the intended target line. In my own case, I must turn my head toward the target as far as possible without injuring or cramping my neck. 48

49 I first focus my open (right) eye on its inside corner until I see the arrow. I then simply turn my head in the direction of the target until it stops turning naturally and then I turn it slightly more, like tightening a screw or bolt but not to the extent of cramping my neck. However, I must stabilize all other body parts while turning my head counterclockwise as far as comfortably possible. The longer the club shaft, the more difficult it becomes to focus on the tip-end of the arrow as you turn your head as far as possible in the direction of your target. One way to remain focused is to ensure you have located the tipend of your arrow prior to turning your head and then turn your head very slowly in the direction of your target as far as possible. When using longer clubs, as you turn your head toward the target, the tip-end of the arrow may tend to lose its sharpness and shape but, by focusing on the tip-end of your arrow first and then turning your head very slowly, you should nevertheless be able to align the tip-end of your arrow directly at your target merely by adjusting your stance, if necessary. 49

50 When conducting the ARROW ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUE you must maintain your spine angle when performing the procedure. This means only two parts of your body are to be active in the process: focusing your right eye on its inside corner to observe the arrow and then turning your head in the direction of your target as far as possible. All other parts of your body must be immobilized during the procedure. The shoulders do not move. The knees do not move. The feet do not move. If you do not have your shoulders aligned squarely parallel with your intended target line at the conclusion of your pre-shot proceedings it becomes almost impossible to hit a golf ball on a straight path in the direction of your intended target, even when you have established and locked-in a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment at such point. HOW YOU ALIGN YOUR SHOULDERS WITH YOUR TARGET LINE WILL DETERMINE BALL POSITION When you establish and lock-in a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment, as addressed in the subsequent chapters of this book, center your clubface as near the back of your ball as possible, align your 50

51 shoulders squarely parallel with your intended target line, raise and lower your shoulders o re-syn your elbow line with your target line (as will be explained later) you will establish an ideal ball position. If you then execute a non-manipulative golf swing, your clubface will duplicate its address position when it contacts the ball and produce a straight-as-an-arrow golf shot. It s that simple. However, if you establish a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment, center your clubface as near the back of the ball as possible but misalign your shoulders with your intended target line, when you then execute a non-manipulative golf swing your clubface will not contact the ball ideally. A mishit golf shot will result because of an incorrect ball position. Ball position is a misnomer. In simple terms, it means the lowest point of the swing arc - typically referred to as the bottom-out point. The reason why the term ball position is a misnomer is the ball is not positioned or re-positioned in most cases during the pre-shot routine. Typically, you must play the ball as it lies. Therefore, when golfers and 51

52 their instructors speak of ball position they mean the stance must be adjusted to the ball so the clubface will bottom-out ideally. This too, however, is somewhat of a misconception, simply because when you have established a straight-as-an-arrow ball flight alignment, centered your clubface as near the back of the ball as possible (without touching or moving the ball), aligned your shoulders squarely parallel with your intended target line and re-synced your elbow line parallel with your shoulder line you will have established an ideal ball position. If a non-manipulative swing then is executed, the downswing will deliver a square clubface to the ball at impact on a swing path that matches the intended target line to produce a golf shot as straight-as-anarrow in the direction of your intended target. Irrespective of whether your ball is positioned forward, backward or in the middle of your stance, if these requirements are met, an ideal ball position will be established. If not, however, be prepared to mishit your golf shot because you will tend to steer the clubface along your target line during your downswing instead of allowing it to remain on its established swing path. 52