Lesson #8 7 HITTING THE BALL

 

The “early day" professional taught us to throw the clubhead to start
the downswing. Modern photography and research into the methods used by
the leading scorers have taught us that, contrary to this former belief,
the downswing should begin just as smoothly and slowly as the well-controlled
backswing.

By starting with that same left hip that we used to start our body
coil, we smoothly start to uncoil. Almost simultaneously the left arn,
which is still straight, starts downwardly - the wrists remain cocked -
our body continues to uncoil - our right elbow draws down close to the body -
our weight starts to shift - the left leg straightens - the right leg starts

to bend toward the ball - we've hit it at last!

As complicated as it may sound, we have really done nothing more than
uncoil that carefully wound spring. Our club-head has followed the same
arc that we used on the backswing, and our left hip has shifted - or turned
out of the way, just exactly as our right one did when we brought the club-
head back. We have learned that if we keep our head perfectly still ~ keep
our left arm straight - draw the club-head backward slowly, near the ground ~
not making one single abrupt move; we can put the club-face in contact with
the ball by simply reversing our backswing. Now we understand why we spent
so much time on the backswing; correct action combined vith slowness perfects

the arc of our coil.