Good morning,
When you reach the top of the backswing the arms are supposed to be soft -how about the shoulders . I find that my shoulders tighten up which then flows into the arms . perhaps it is a result of over swinging ? Any thoughts on this ?
My shoulders aren’t shrugged. I am getting at tight wound up feeling though. Just try to relax them at setup. Then think about coiling. Hopefully they won’t tighten up at the top. Overswinging is not good. Not sure why you are still doing that. Once you tightly coil you are at the top.
People always talk about pausing at the top of the golf swing. I remember being taught to count slowly,
“One (backswing)–Two and (Top of swing, pause)–Three! (downswing).”
But as with so much golf instruction it ignores the physical and mental basis of it. It’s like the advice I’ve often heard, “Try to hit the ball at 5 o’clock,” to create an inside-out swing path. This dictum says nothing about how powerless arms and starting the downswing with the legs and hips brings the club on plane and inside out automatically. It encourages the use of the arms and hands to “make the club” hit the ball in the right place.
The criticism holds true for the forced pause at the top. t says nothing about what to feel during the motions of the club, why the backswing should be relaxed and unhurried.
Paul’s method focusses on the feelings and thoughts that can create the proper swing without artificial or arbitrary rules.
In an unhurried and conscious way, let your hands and arms relax, let the club feel “heavy,” rotate the shoulders around the axis of the torso, bringing the club back smoothly and deliberately, allow yourself to feel tension build up in the lats, feel your wrists hinge, then when the tension of the coil reaches its peak, start the downswing by activating the mental cue you’ve adopted—turning your belt buckle, pushing off from the instep of your loaded foot, bringing your knees together, etc.
Paul’s method focusses on the sensations that give immediate feedback to the golfer about what’s happening in the swing and why, allowing it to “happen” naturally.
So much golf instruction, in laying down simplistic blanket rules, which aren’t in themselves exactly misinformation, actually encourage bad habits.
Paul,
If te arms are relatxed and power less at the top of the backswing theyt would fall down, would ‘ nt they ? It seems that my arms coming down to early and move independently of the shoulders when I am so relaxed and Thuens my hips. The powerless feeling sees so difficult to get and keep for every shot . Are There any referanse points (you and David has spionen of this earlier) to where the arms should be in the downswing if you do it very slowly ?
Regard John, a better golfer since I started following you, but the powerless concept seems very hard to get on a consistence basis.
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6 Responses to “Simple Thoughts – Top Of Backswing”
August 2, 2016
IanCarolineGood morning,
When you reach the top of the backswing the arms are supposed to be soft -how about the shoulders . I find that my shoulders tighten up which then flows into the arms . perhaps it is a result of over swinging ? Any thoughts on this ?
August 3, 2016
Paul WilsonIan,
My shoulders aren’t shrugged. I am getting at tight wound up feeling though. Just try to relax them at setup. Then think about coiling. Hopefully they won’t tighten up at the top. Overswinging is not good. Not sure why you are still doing that. Once you tightly coil you are at the top.
How Long Should The Backswing Be With Different Clubs?: https://ignitiongolf.com/backswing-how-long/
When To Shorten Your Swing: https://ignitiongolf.com/shorten-your-swing/
August 2, 2016
WillCooperPeople always talk about pausing at the top of the golf swing. I remember being taught to count slowly,
“One (backswing)–Two and (Top of swing, pause)–Three! (downswing).”
But as with so much golf instruction it ignores the physical and mental basis of it. It’s like the advice I’ve often heard, “Try to hit the ball at 5 o’clock,” to create an inside-out swing path. This dictum says nothing about how powerless arms and starting the downswing with the legs and hips brings the club on plane and inside out automatically. It encourages the use of the arms and hands to “make the club” hit the ball in the right place.
The criticism holds true for the forced pause at the top. t says nothing about what to feel during the motions of the club, why the backswing should be relaxed and unhurried.
Paul’s method focusses on the feelings and thoughts that can create the proper swing without artificial or arbitrary rules.
In an unhurried and conscious way, let your hands and arms relax, let the club feel “heavy,” rotate the shoulders around the axis of the torso, bringing the club back smoothly and deliberately, allow yourself to feel tension build up in the lats, feel your wrists hinge, then when the tension of the coil reaches its peak, start the downswing by activating the mental cue you’ve adopted—turning your belt buckle, pushing off from the instep of your loaded foot, bringing your knees together, etc.
Paul’s method focusses on the sensations that give immediate feedback to the golfer about what’s happening in the swing and why, allowing it to “happen” naturally.
So much golf instruction, in laying down simplistic blanket rules, which aren’t in themselves exactly misinformation, actually encourage bad habits.
August 3, 2016
Paul WilsonWill,
I like it. Great description. Got to understand it. Then you’ll do it (hopefully).
August 2, 2016
JohnSteenPaul,
If te arms are relatxed and power less at the top of the backswing theyt would fall down, would ‘ nt they ? It seems that my arms coming down to early and move independently of the shoulders when I am so relaxed and Thuens my hips. The powerless feeling sees so difficult to get and keep for every shot . Are There any referanse points (you and David has spionen of this earlier) to where the arms should be in the downswing if you do it very slowly ?
Regard John, a better golfer since I started following you, but the powerless concept seems very hard to get on a consistence basis.
John
August 3, 2016
Paul WilsonJohn,
No. You are mistaking powerless arms for floppy arms. You need to know the difference:
Powerless Arms vs Floppy Arms: https://ignitiongolf.com/powerless-arms-vs-floppy-arms/
What Is Powerless Arms?: https://ignitiongolf.com/what-is-powerless-arms/
Powerless Arms Test: https://ignitiongolf.com/powerless-arms-test/
Maybe these will help too:
How To Get Powerless Arms: https://ignitiongolf.com/how-to-get-powerless-arms/
Why You Can’t Stop Hitting With Arms: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-hitting-with-arms/
How To Stop Hitting The Ball With Your Arms: https://ignitiongolf.com/stop-trying-to-hit/
DRILL: This Is The Best Drill You Should Be Doing Right Now: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-three-quarter-distance/