Backswing

Introduction:

I have decided to completely rewrite/revise this

chapter on the "backswing" to better reflect my latest
golf instructional insights.
When I started my website in February 2007, I wrote a
number of chapters on different phases of the modern
day, total body golf swing (traditional/conventional golf
swing). My golf instructional opinions were primarily
derived from the teaching of traditional golf instructors
such as David Leadbetter, Jim McLean, and the "Swing
Like A Pro" authors. During the past few years, my
knowledge of golf swing mechanics/biomechanics has
increased exponentially and I harbor a whole series of
new insights, that contradict my previously expressed
opinions. I have expressed my "new" insights in many
new review papers, but I was reluctant to make major
revisions to my basic chapters, because the required
work-effort is so labor-intensive. I occasionally added
short addendums to my original backswing chapter,
which alerted readers to the fact that I have changed my
recommended approach, but that advice forced readers
to read a number of different review papers to learn about
my "new" insights regarding the backswing action. In
this *major revision of my backswing chapter, I have
expressed all of my "new" insights using a totally
different descriptive approach.
(* Readers, who are interested in reading my original
backswing chapter, can access my original backswing
chapter by clicking on the hyperlink)
In my original backswing chapter paper, I mainly
focused on describing the different positions a golfer
must pass through when using an one-piece takeaway,
and I also focused my attention on recommendations that
would allow a golfer to avoid an OTT move (and out-to-
in downswing clubhead path). Another section of my
original backswing chapter dealt with backswing factors
that could increase swing power - based on Jim
McLean's X-factor theory. I presently do not believe in
the validity of the X-factor theory, and I will describe a
totally different conceptual approach to thinking about
the backswing action.

What is the purpose of the backswing action?

From a conceptual perspective, a golfer first needs to
understand what's the primary purpose of the backswing
action. I believe that the primary purpose of the
backswing is to load the power accumulators, which are
going to be used to power the swing during the
downswing (when the loaded power accumulators are
fully released in order to power the golf swing). The
concept of "power accumulators" was first described by
Homer Kelley in his book [1], and I have described the
power accumulator concept in great detail in my How to
Power the Golf Swing review paper.
The following photograph demonstrates two golfers with
their power accumulators fully loaded at their end-
backswing position.
Tiger Woods and Adam Scott at the end-backswing
position - capture images from a swing video

Note that the left arm is loaded across the upper chest
wall, and that represents the loading of power
accumulator #4.
Note that the clubshaft is at a 90 degree angle to the left
arm and that represents the loading of power
accumulator #2.
The release of power accumulators #4 and #2 provide
most of the swing power in a left arm swinger's action,
which is the swing style used by the majority of
traditional golfers.
The combination of the left arm and the clubshaft (which
is in a straight-line-planar relationship with the left arm)
is called the left arm flying wedge (colored in yellow).
The combination of the bent-back (dorsiflexed) right
wrist and the right forearm is called the right forearm
flying wedge (colored in red). Note that the right forearm
flying wedge supports the left arm flying wedge - like
the wing strut of a small Cessna airplane supporting the
wing.
The green colored area is the right upper arm and it
connects the right forearm flying wedge to the torso at
the right shoulder socket joint. The combination of the
left arm flying wedge, the right forearm flying wedge
and the right upper arm/right shoulder represents the
power package assembly, and a golfer needs to learn
how to optimally assemble the power package during the
backswing - and I will describe the different methods of
achieving that goal in the next section of this chapter.
In the traditional/conventional golf swing, a golfer
powers the release of PA#4 (release of the left arm) via
a downswing pivot action. To perform the pivot action
with maximum efficiency/fluidity, a golfer needs to
perform a backswing pivot action in an optimal way, so
that his torso acquires an optimal alignment/orientation
at the end of the backswing. I will describe the
alternative methods of performing a backswing pivot
action in a separate section of this chapter.

Assembling the power package assembly during the

backswing:

In this section, I will describe two alternative methods of

executing a backswing action that will allow the power
package assembly to be correctly assembled by the end
of the backswing.
The two methods are the one-piece takeway and the
right forearm takeaway. The one-piece takeaway is the
traditional method that has been taught during the past
50+years and I will describe the process in great detail. I
personally much prefer the right forearm takeaway,
because it more easily allows a golfer to keep the
clubshaft "on-plane" during the backswing and it also
allows the left arm flying wedge to remain intact during
the backswing action. I will describe the right forearm
takeaway after I have described the one-piece takeaway.
One-piece takeaway

The takeaway is the first part of the backswing that
starts at the address position, and it ends when the club
is parallel to the ground, and the hands are at about
mid/upper thigh level (8 o'clock position of the left arm).
The major body movements that occur during the
takeaway is the rotation and lifting of the arms while the
shoulders start to rotate around the spinal axis. There is
very little wrist movement during the takeaway, and only
a very small amount of body shift.
This is a photo of Aaron Baddeley's end-takeaway
position. You can readily see that the back of his left
hand is nearly parallel to the ball-target line, which
means that the hands must have rotated nearly 90 degrees
(partly due to shoulder rotation around the spine, and
partly due to internal rotation of the left humers + a small
degree of left forearm pronation). You can see that the
clubshaft is no longer in line with the left arm, which
means the left wrist must have cocked up and the right
wrist hinged back to a very small degree (see the
glossary of wrists movements to understand the
difference between the terms "cocking" and "hinging").

Aaron Baddeley takeaway - from reference number [2]



It is stunning to realise how many errors can occur during
the takeaway. For example, a beginner golfer may move
his arms too far from the body, or keep them too close to
the body. Or, the beginner golfer may move his arms
along a too-inside path or a too-outside path. Or the
beginner golfer may lift the arms while tilting, rather
than rotating, the shoulders. A beginner golfer may also
excessively rotate his left hand clockwise and thereby
move the clubshaft too far inside during the takeaway,
instead of keeping the hands in a neutral position during
the takeaway. All these problems, in various
combinations, can ruin the backswing, because if a
beginner golfer gets into the incorrect position at the end
of the takeaway, then it is extremely difficult to recover
from that incorrect position during the rest of the
backswing.
How should one start the takeaway to avoid these
problems?
The traditional method of executing the takeaway is
called the one-piece takeaway.
The following photo will demonstrate what's meant by
the term one-piece takeaway.
Takeaway triangle - from reference number [2]
The takeaway triangle consists of the two arms and the
shoulders. During the one-piece takeaway, one must
move the two arms and the left shoulder at the same
speed so that the dimensions of the red triangle remain
essentially unchanged. That explains the term "one-
piece". One should think of the shoulder rotation, and
movement of the two arms, as the movement of a
SINGLE structural unit, which will move as an unitary
structure in space. The one-piece takeaway starts with
the simultaneous movement of the two arms and left
shoulder (which moves downwards and backwards away
from the target). One should not start the takeaway with
the arms alone, or the shoulders alone. They must move
synchronously together. Some beginner golfers start the
takeaway with an independent wrist/hand movement,
and that is a major error when performing an one-piece
takeaway. The wrists and hands should be relatively
passive during the early takeaway, and a golfer should
imagine his wrists/hands being encased in a loose plaster
cast, so that there is very little independent wrist/hand
movements during the initial takeaway.
Another way of thinking of the one piece takeaway is to
think of taking the entire club away as a single unit, so
that the butt end of the club and the clubhead move away
at the same approximate speed. A golfer should avoid
having the clubhead end of the club moving much faster
than the grip end - due to excessive independent wrist
motions occurring during the takeaway.
Another important feature of an one-piece takeaway is
the fact that the clubhead remains low to the ground
during the first 12" of travel. Why does this happen
naturally in an one-piece takeaway action?
Consider the following photo of the takeaway triangle as
it evolves sequentially in time.
Takeaway triangles - from reference number [2]

The red triangle represents the address position. Notice

that the left upper apex of the triangle is higher than the
right upper apex of the triangle - due to the small degree
of spinal tilt to the right that should exist at address. The
white triangle represents the one piece takeaway after
the clubhead has moved approximately 12" in space.
Notice that the upper left hand corner of the triangle has
moved down and to the right (due to the rotation of the
left shoulder down-and-to-the-right, as it rotates around
the spinal axis) and that the top of the triangle is roughly
parallel to the ground. Notice that the bottom apex point
of the white triangle is even closer to the ground than the
bottom apex point of the red triangle. That means that the
clubhead should remain very close to the ground during
its first 12" of backswing travel. If the clubhead is high
off the ground at this point in the takeaway, it either
indicates that the golfer has flexed the arms (instead of
keeping them straight), and/or cocked-up the left wrist,
and/or tilted the upper torso to the left (called a reverse
pivot move). The blue triangle represents Aaron
Baddeley's present position, and one can see that the
clubhead has climbed up to a position approximately 8"
from the ground by this time-point.
In the following photo from his golf instructional book
[3], David Leadbetter advises a golfer to keep the
clubhead low to the ground during the takeaway in order
to create width in the backswing.
Low takeaway - from reference number [3]
Note three points. First of all, note that Leadbetter's two
arms are still straight, and that he has kept the takeaway
triangle intact. Secondly, note that his right upper arm is
no longer closely applied to his upper torso (as it
normally is at address) and that there is small degree of
seperation between the right upper arm and the upper
torso. Thirdly, note that the distance between the butt end
of the club and the belt buckle at this point in time is
slightly greater than the butt end-belt buckle distance
that existed at address (left photo). That is a normal
phenomenon in the takeaway and it indicates that one
should gradually move the butt end of the club a few
inches further away from the body during the takeaway
move. This widening movement is a very gradual move
that helps to widen the backswing arc during the
takeaway, and a golfer needs to avoid a too-narrow,
body-hugging backswing arc - note that the right elbow
has moved away fom the body and that it doesn't tightly
hug the right side of the body. Some developing golfers
incorrectly keep the right elbow too tightly close to the
torso during the one-piece takeaway, and they should
allow the right upper arm to seperate slightly from the
torso during the takeaway.
The amount that the right arm moves away from the right
side of the upper torso is limited/controlled by the left
arm. The straight left arm acts as a checkrein that limits
how far the hands can move away from the body during
the takeaway - one cannot stretch the left arm straighter
than "straight".
In this photo of Leadbetter, it would appear that there is
no lateral shift of the hips or thighs during the
takeaway. However, that is not always true, and a small
amount of right lateral shift of the thighs may often occur
during the takeaway, which indicates that the golfer is
starting to shift his weight to the right side.
In the following photo, the SLAP authors recommend
that a small amount of shift of the thighs to the right
should occur during the early backswing (blue image is
the body at address).
Shift of the thighs and hips during the early backswing -
from reference number [4]

The amount of shift varies considerably between

different players, and you can see that Aaron Baddeley
has very little shift in the following photo (red lines
represent the outer thigh positions at address) while other
golfers have a thigh-shift of 1-2".
Body shift to the right in the early backswing - from
reference number [2]

In the modern, total golf swing, a golfer tries to avoid

any swaying of the right thigh to the right by "fixing" the
slightly flexed right knee in position during the takeaway
(maintaining the same degree of right knee flex
unchanged during the takeaway).
From the above photo, you can see that the clubshaft is
parallel to the ground. However, how far back around the
body (towards the tush line) has the clubshaft moved?
The answer to that question requires that one see a down-
the-line view of the end-takeaway position.
Consider this down-the-line view of the end-takeaway
position.
End-takeaway position - from reference number [2]

First of all, and most importantly, note that the clubshaft

is not only parallel to the ground at the end of the
takeaway - it is also parallel to the ball-target line and
directly over the toe line. That's a very desirable end-
takeaway position.
Note that the clubhead's toe is pointing up, and that the
clubface is nearly parallel to the ball-target line. That
indicates that the clubface has rolled open to a very small
degree (relative to the clubhead arc) during the
takeaway. For that mechanical phenomenon to happen,
the left forearm must have pronated a small amount
during the takeaway - and pronation is due to a clockwise
rotation of the left forearm's radius bone around the
longitudinal axis of the left forearm's ulna bone. This
biomechanical action of left forearm pronation
represents the takeaway swivel action and that swivel
action will eventually allow the back of the left
wrist/hand to become parallel to the inclined plane by the
mid-backswing.
Most importantly, note (on the face-on view) that the
right forearm is higher than the left forearm. If any part
of the right forearm is visible below the left forearm at
this point in the backswing, then it suggests that the left
forearm was allowed to over-pronate during the
takeaway. If the left forearm over-rotates during the
takeaway, it will cause the clubhead to move too far
inside and the clubshaft will be angled too far inwards by
the end of the takeaway.
Note that Aaron Baddeley's hands are outside his right
foot, and in line with his toes. In the address position, the
hands were a few inches in front of the toe-line. So, did
he pull his hands inwards during the takeaway to get to
this position? The answer is "no". The hands get to this
marginally inside position (relative to their position at
address) as a result of the shoulder rotation. Note that the
left shoulder has moved down towards the ball-target
line, while the right shoulder has moved back (towards
the tush-line). That small degree of rotation of the
shoulders around the bent-over spine causes the hands to
move slightly inwards. There should be no deliberate
attempt to move the hands inwards during the initial
takeaway by keeping the left arm glued to the chest wall.
That will cause the hands to move too far inside during
the takeaway, and the hands will end up behind the toe
line by the end-takeaway position. The key thought, in
the takeaway, is to rotate the shoulders (turn the
shoulders perpendicularly around the spine) while
simultaneously thinking of moving the back of the right
hand straight back (away from the target). A golfer
should imagine that there is a baseball catcher standing
directly behind him, and he should think that he is trying
to place the clubhead in the catcher's mitt - by
simultaneously i) rotating, and not tilting, the shoulders
and ii) moving the hands straight back. Of course, the
hands do not actually move straight back, because of the
rotation of the shoulders around the bent-over spine, and
the hands should slightly inside and "correctly" end up
over the toe-line by the end of the takeaway.
Also, note that the left upper arm is still lightly connected
to the pectoral area of the left chest wall without being
over-tightly connected to the chest wall. If the left arm is
tightly connected to the chest wall during the takeaway
move so that the chest and left arm move as a single unit,
then this will cause the left arm to move inwards too
much and the hands could end up behind the toe-line, and
be closer to the tush-line, at the end of the takeaway. That
inside hand position is not desirable, and should be
avoided. Likewise, if the left upper arm completely loses
its connection to the chest wall (and one can see "air"
between the left upper arm and the chest wall), then it
means that the arms have moved away from the rotating
upper torso, and the left arm-body seperation will cause
the hands to end up outside the toe-line and closer to the
ball-target line (by the time the left arm reaches the 8
o'clock position). That outside hand position is also
undesirable, and should be avoided.

The three-quarter (9 o'clock) backswing position

If a golfer has successfully passed through the correct

end-takeaway position, then the next important
backswing position that must be correctly achieved is
demonstrated in the following photo.
Three quarter (9 o'clock) backswing position - from
reference number [1]
I have arbitrarily labelled this face-on backswing
position - where the left arm is parallel to the ground -
the three quarter backswing position. If one thinks of the
left arm movement as starting at the 6:30 o'clock position
at address, then this left arm position is at 9 o'clock. The
final left arm position, at the end of the backswing, is
usually at approximately 11 o'clock in a flexible golfer,
so one can estimate that the left arm has travelled about
three quarter of its way to its final end-backswing
position.
Starting with the face-on view, note that the clubshaft is
at right angles to the left arm. This cocking-up of the left
wrist during the mid-portion of the backswing is often
referred to as "setting the wrists". Setting of the wrists
usually begins when the hands reach the right trouser
pocket in the takeaway, and many golf instructors (such
as David Leadbetter) believe that it is advantageous to
complete the "setting of the wrists" by the time the left
arm has reached the horizontal position in the backswing
(9 o'clock position), although other golf instructors favor
a delayed setting of the wrists. At the three quarter
position, when the clubshaft is fully set in a vertically
upright position, it will feel "light" in the hands. For the
club to be angled at 90 degrees to the left arm at this stage
of the backswing - the left wrist has to cock upwards
while the right wrist bends back (dorsiflexes) and the
right elbow bends.
Some golfers prefer to delay the "setting of the wrists".
Delayed left wrist cock in the backswing - capture
images from swing videos

Image 1 - Retief Goosen; image 2 - Lucas Glover; image

3 - Steve Stricker.
There is no "fixed" rule as to when an one-piece
takeaway golfer should cock-up the left wrist, and
acquire a 90 degree relationship between the left arm and
clubshaft, during the backswing. Most golfers acquire
this 90 degree angle by the three-quarter backswing
position. If a golfer has acquired a 90 degree angle
between the left arm and the clubshaft by the time his left
arm is parallel to the ground, then one can study the angle
of the clubshaft (its inclined angle to the ground) from a
down-the-line view perspective.
Jim McLean and David Leadbetter, two highly regarded
golf instructors, both advocate getting the clubshaft "on-
plane" by setting the wrists during the mid-portion of the
backswing. The acceptable inner-outer limits to the
corridor of success for being "on-plane" is demonstrated
in the following photo.
Golden triangle - from reference number [5]

Note that the base of the golden triangle along the ground
extends from the ball to a point about halfway between
the toes and the ball. As long as the butt end of the club
points in that zone, then it fulfills David Leadbetter's and
Jim McLean's criteria of being "on-plane". If the butt end
the club points beyond the ball (outside the ball-target
line), then the backswing clubshaft angle is too flat. If
the butt end of the club points inside the inner limit of
the base of the triangle, then the backswing clubshaft
angle is too steep. The corridor for a successful
backswing clubshaft angle lies within the golden
triangle.
If a golfer has the clubshaft angle within that "golden
triangle" range then it is very likely that the
hands/clubshaft will reach a position near the right
shoulder (at, or just below, or just above the right
shoulder) by the end of the backswing. At that time-
point, the left arm will lie across the shoulder turn angle
(or just above, or just below the shoulder turn angle).
Consider Tiger Woods and Adam Scott at the end-
backswing position.

Tiger Woods and Adam Scott at the end-backswing -

capture from their swing video
Note that Tiger Woods has his left arm lying across the
shoulder turn angle (angle of the line-between-the-
shoulder sockets relative to the ground) while Adam
Scott's left arm is marginally/negligibly steeper than his
shoulder turn angle.
Note that the clubshaft is lying in the same plane as the
left arm (which means that the internal left arm flying
wedge alignment is intact). Note that the right forearm
flying wedge is roughly at a right angle to the left arm
fllying wedge - supporting the left arm flying wedge like
a small Cessa airplane's wing strut supports the airplane's
wing.
Note that the right elbow is pointing at the ground and
that the right forearm is vertical to the ground. That is
not a critical alignment and it is only due to the fact that
the left arm has that "particular" angle relative to the
ground. If the left arm was angled at a slightly steeper
angle (relative to the ground) and the right forearm flying
wedge had a "correct" relationship to the left arm flying
wedge, then the right elbow would point backwards.
Consider an example - Jim Furyk's backswing action.
Jim Furyk's end-backswing - capture image from a swing
video

Note that Jim Furyk has turned his shoulders relatively
horizontally in the backswing, so that his shoulder turn
angle (relative to the ground) is similar to that of Tiger
Woods and Adam Scott.
However, note that his left arm is lying along a much
steeper angle and his hands are high above his right mid-
clavicle.
Note that his right forearm flying wedge (colored in red)
has the "correct" alignment relationship to the left arm
flying wedge (colored in yellow). However, note that the
right elbow points backwards and the right forearm is
not vertical to the ground - and that is due to the fact that
the left arm is angled steeper relative to the ground. As
long as a golfer assembles the power package correctly
so that the right forearm flying wedge has the "correct"
angular alignment relative to the left arm flying wedge,
then it doesn't matter where the right elbow is pointing at
the end-backswing position.
Note that Jim Furyk's left wrist is slightly arched
(slightly palmar flexed) at his end-backswing position
and that causes his clubshaft to not be in a straight-line
relationship with the left arm - the blue dotted line shows
where the clubshaft should be angled if the internal
alignment relationship of the left arm flying wedge
was perfectly intact (and that requires a geometrically
flat left wrist). The degree of clubshaft misalignment is
very small and not consequential.
What causes Jim Furyk's left arm to become so steep
(relative to the shoulder turn angle) by his end-
backswing position?
A beginner golfer needs to understand that the
backswing action consists of multiple biomechanical
movements that are independent of each other. During
the backswing, a golfer is rotating his upper torso
(shoulders) roughly perpendicular to his rightwards
tilted spine and that causes the right shoulder to end-up
slightly higher than the left shoulder by the end-
backswing position. At the same time, his left/right upper
arms are moving independently within their respective
shoulders sockets (while the shoulder sockets are
moving in space). If the left/right upper arms are elevated
(lifted upwards) too much during the backswing action,
then the hands will end-up in a position high above the
right clavicle, instead of ending-up in a position behind,
and slightly above, the right shoulder (as can be seen in
the Tiger Woods and Adam Scott end-backswing
photo).
Golfers, who have a propensity to elevate their arms too
much during the early-mid backswing, often also tend to
lift their clubshaft along a too-steep path during the mid-
backswing by cocking up their right wrist (while they
excessively abduct the right upper arm). Normally, if a
golfer takes the club back along a shallow plane, the right
wrist should mainly bend backwards (dorsiflex) during
the backswing, and there should be no/little upcocking
motion of the right wrist during the early-mid
backswing. Consider what would happen if the right
wrist cocks upwards in the mid-backswing by viewing
Ryan Moore's backswing action.
Ryan Moore swing video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m3lCmj9yrU

Ryan Moore backswing action - capture images from his

swing video

Image 1 demonstrates that Ryan Moore has a large

power accumulator #3 angle at address (angle between
his straight left arm and clubshaft) - angle colored in
blue.
At the three-quarter backswing position (when his left
arm is parallel to the ground) - image 2 - note that the
butt end of his clubshaft is pointing vertically down at
the ground (red arrow), and that it is much steeper than
the angle recommended by Jim McLean and David
Leadbetter (golden triangle concept). That is due to the
fact that Ryan Moore is upcocking his right wrist while
excessively abducting his right arm, and this
combination causes him to finally assemble his power
package at a slightly steeper angle relative to the ground
- image 3. Note that his right forearm is not vertical to
the ground and note that his right elbow points
backwards. His left arm flying wedge is intact (left arm
and clubshaft are in a straight line relationship and he has
a geometrically flat left wrist) and his right forearm
flying wedge has the "correct" alignment relationship
relative to the left arm flying wedge.
Image 4 shows Ryan Moore's arm/clubshaft movement
at the start of the early downswing. Note how he drops
the entire (structurally intact) power package down
towards the ground by actively adducting his right upper
arm towards the right side of his right torso. At this time
point of his early downsing he looks very similar to Tiger
Woods' end-backswing position - where the left arm lies
along the shoulder turn angle. In other words, Ryan
Moore has to perform a compensatory shallowing
action at the start of his downswing in order to drop his
power package down into an appropriately shallower
"slot". That extra compensatory move would not be
necessary if he assembled his power package at a
shallower angle during his backswing - where the left
arm lies along the shoulder turn angle at the end-
backswing.
Now, consider the opposite problem where a golfer takes
the clubshaft inside too soon (with a shallower clubshaft
angle) during the early-mid backswing.
Consider Bruce Lietzke's backswing action -
http://www.thegolfersnation.com/tgn/online/index.php?
/en/Bruce-Lietzke.html (click on the video to view Jim
McLean's swing analysis).

Bruce Lietzke backswing action - capture images from

the Jim McLean swing video

The green curved line traces his clubhead path in the

backswing.
Image 1 shows Bruce Lietzke at the end-takeaway
position (when the clubshaft is parallel to the ground).
Note that his hands have been pulled back behind the toe
line, and his clubshaft is angled backwards (instead of
being parallel to the ball-target line). What causes this
situation? The usual reason for this phenomenon is that
a golfer is turning his shoulders and keeping his left arm
glued to his upper chest wall - thereby allowing the
rotation of the shoulder sockets to primarily dictate the
path of movement of the hands/clubshaft during the
takeaway. There is insufficient independent motion of
the two arms (due to an independent movement of the
humeral heads within the shoulder socket joints while the
shoulders are rotating) per unit time during the takeaway
that will allow the hands to avoid being pulled inwards
too fast during the takeaway action.
Image 2 shows Bruce Lietzke at the three-quarter
backswing position (when his left arm is parallel to the
ground). Note how deep (far away from the ball-target
line) his hands are at this time-point - his hands are
behind his torso. Also, note that the butt end of his club
is pointing at a point on the ground that is outside the
ball-target line (yellow dotted line). That overly shallow
clubshaft angle is a common phenomenon that
frequently occurs when a golfer takes his hands too far
inside in the early backswing - the left forearm often
tends to over-pronate (rotate excessively clockwise) thus
causing the back of the left hand to face too much
skywards. At this backswing time-point, a golfer
becomes "jammed" and cannot take the hands further
back (away from the ball-target line) because he has
already fully adducted his left arm across the front of his
torso. Therefore, the golfer is forced to lift his hands up
to their end-backswing position during the remainder of
the backswing action - by elevating his left upper arm
upwards across the front of his chest wall.
Image 3 shows how Bruce Lietzke has lifted his arms up
to their end-backswing location. Note how his left arm is
lying along his shoulder turn angle, and note that his
power package is correctly assembled (right forearm
flying wedge has the correct supportive relationship with
respect to the left arm flying wedge). He looks very
similar to Tiger Woods and Adam Scott (at their end-
backswing position), and he seems to be in a perfect
position to start his downswing. However, note what
happens in his early downswing.
Image 4 shows how he pulls his hands over his right
shoulder when he starts his downswing, and image 5
shows how his clubshaft descends very steeply down the
TSP plane in the mid-downswing. This steep clubshaft
path can predispose to an out-to-in swingpath through
the impact zone. Bruce Lietzke's clubshaft path is only
minimally OTT (over-the-top) and his clubhead path is
only slightly out-to-in through impact. Although Jim
McLean states in his swing video analysis that he would
not recommend that any golf instructor "correct" this
type of backswing action, I think that many beginner
golfers will get into considerable trouble if they adopt
this type of backswing action (which Jim McLean calls
a reverse slot swing action - see my review paper called
"Book Review: The Slot Swing - Jim McLean" for
further details). It is very difficult to prevent the
arms/clubshaft from eventually going OTT when the
arms/clubshaft are taken too far inside during the
takeaway, which causes the arms to get temporarily
"jammed" during the mid-backswing, and the arms/club
are subsequently lifted "over-the-top" (OTT) as the
golfer finally transitions from the end-backswing to the
start of the downswing (like a railroad construction
worker wielding a sledge-hammer by throwing the
sledgehammer over his right shoulder as he transitions
from the backswing action to the downswing action).
The SLAP authors describe this swing pattern in their
book [4].
Downswing clubhead paths - from reference number [4]

The desirable downswing clubhead path is depicted in

blue. An OTT downswing clubhead path is depicted in
black - where the club is thrown over the right shoulder
before it descends too-steeply down towards the ball.
The too-steep downswing clubhead path often causes the
clubhead to move out-to-in through the impact zone
(instead of in-to-square-to-in through the impact zone).
As previously mentioned, a reverse slot backswing style
can predispose to this OTT problem.
Consider another example of a reverse slot swing
backswing action, where the golfer moves his club
grossly OTT at the start of the downswing.
Reverse slot backswing action - capture images from a
swing video lesson [6]

Note how the golfer takes the club too-inside at the start
of the backswing (image 2). He then gets "jammed"
when he cannot move his hands further back (away from
the ball-target line), so he is forced to lift his club up to
its end-backswing position (image 3). He then starts the
downswing by throwing his club over his right shoulder
(image 4) - like a railroad construction worker wielding
a sledgehammer). That OTT action causes his hands/club
to descend too-steeply down to the ball (image 5) and
that OTT action will eventually result in an out-to-in
clubhead path through impact (which will produce a
straight-pull ball flight if the clubface is square to the
clubhead path and a pull-slice ball flight if the clubface
is open to the clubhead path).
The scenario of taking the club back along a too-
shallow/too-inside path (like Bruce Lietzke), or along a
too-steep path (like Jim Furyk and Ryan Moore) is due
to the fact that different golfers have a variable amount
of independent arm action (independent humeral head
motion within the shoulder socket joint) occurring
during the backswing, while they are simultaneously
rotating their upper torso (shoulders) perpendicularly
around their rightwards tilted spine. Both Jim Furyk and
Bruce Lietzke turn their shoulders relatively horizontally
during their backswing action, and the major difference
between their backswing actions is the degree of left arm
lifting and left arm adduction happening per unit time -
relative to the amount of shoulder rotation (upper torso
rotation) happening per unit time. To perform a
backswing so that the clubshaft/clubhead path is not too-
shallow or too-steep, a golfer needs to control the amount
of adduction, elevation and rotation of the left upper arm
that occurs within the left shoulder socket (per unit time)
while he is simultaneously rotating his torso during the
backswing. I think that the easiest method of learning
how to accomplish this goal is to learn how to perform
the right forearm takeaway, which is a
biomechanically natural/easy way to perform the
backswing action.
I have described the right forearm takeaway in great
detail in my How to Move the Arms, Wrists and Hands
in the Golf Swing review paper, and I have personally
demonstrated the action in the swing video lesson that
accompanies that review paper. I will only describe the
general principles of the right forearm takeaway in the
next section.

Right foream takeaway

Although it is perfectly acceptable to use an one-piece

takeaway, I strongly prefer a right forearm takeaway. I
think that it is a biomechanically natural way of moving
the arms in space during the backswing, and it solves
many additional problems. First of all, it allows a golfer
to more easily take the clubshaft along a backswing path
that is neither too steep or too shallow. Secondly, it
allows a golfer to keep the clubshaft on-plane throughout
the entire backswing. Thirdly, it allows a golfer to come
back down the same path in the downswing - thereby
simplifying the golf swing action. There is no need to
loop the club over to a steeper path in the downswing
(like a reverse slot swing golfer) or drop the club down
to a shallower path (like a classic slot swing golfer eg.
Jim Furyk and Ryan Moore). Finally, it allows a golfer
to more easily keep the left arm flying wedge intact
during the backswing action.
Consider a very good example of a golfer who uses a
right forearm takeaway backswing action - Stuart
Appleby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jqJ9R2LypY&NR
=1
When watching the video, note how his clubshaft comes
down the same path in the downswing as it followed in
the backswing.
Here are a series of capture images of his backswing
action.
Stuart Appleby's backswing action - capture images from
his swing video

Note that Stuart Appleby's golf instructor has drawn a

white line that passes through Stuart Appleby's right
elbow at address (image 1). That imaginary line is called
the elbow plane line and it exits his body through his
mid-back. Note that his clubshaft moves up that line in
the takeaway (image 2) before it starts to climb more
steeply in the mid-late backswing. Also, note how Stuart
Appleby's right elbow stays very close to that white
line (elbow plane) throughout the entire backswing.
That phenomenon is a very characteristic feature of a
right forearm takeaway backswing action, and a beginner
golfer can use that principle as a general guide when
learning how to correctly direct the movement of his
right upper limb in space.
To acquire a mental image of what Stuart Appleby is
actually doing during his right forearm takeaway
backswing action, concentrate all your attention on the
movement of his right upper limb (colored in red). When
he starts the takeaway, the primary right arm
movement involves an external rotation of the right
humerus (of the right upper arm) in the right shoulder
socket joint combined with a small amount of right arm
abduction. That biomechanical motion causes his right
forearm to move away from the target and travel roughly
parallel to the elbow plane in the early takeaway (image
2). That biomechanical motion also causes the right
hand, and therefore the clubhead, to move upwards-and-
inside-and backwards. Note how the clubshaft/clubhead
automatically/naturally tracks up the elbow plane in the
takeaway (DTL view - images 2 and 3). As the
backswing continues, the right humerus continues to
externally rotate in the right shoulder socket joint while
his upper torso rotates perpendicularly around his
rightwards-tilted spine. During this biomechanically
natural torso rotation movement, the right shoulder
socket becomes slightly higher than the left shoulder
socket (while at address, the right shoulder socket is
obviously slightly lower than the left shoulder socket due
the presence of rightwards spinal tilt at address). Because
the right shoulder is being elevated during the mid-late
backswing torso rotation action - while the right humerus
continues to externally rotate and elevate in the right
shoulder socket joint - the hands and clubshaft start to
climb to a higher plane (DTL view - image 4 and 5). At
his end-backswing position, Stuart Appleby's hands and
clubshaft are behind and slightly higher than his right
shoulder, and they are both on the *turned shoulder
plane (TSP).
(* see my review paper on the Swingplane for a detailed
discussion of the different planes).
Note two other biomechanical actions that are happening
during his backswing - with respect to his right upper
limb. Note how his right elbow starts to fold as the
backswing evolves and note that his right elbow folds to
a roughly 90 degree bend-angle by the end of his
backswing (image 5). Secondly, note that his right wrist
bends back more (dorsiflexes more) as the backswing
evolves and that it is maximally bent back at the end-
backswing position (image 5). Note that he doesn't
upcock his right wrist very much during his backswing
action (like Ryan Moore).
In summary, to optimally perform a right forearm
takeaway action, a golfer needs to master the
synchronous motion of three major right upper limb
motions (while he is simultaneously rotating his upper
torso) - i) external rotation and elevation of the right
humerus in the right shoulder socket joint; ii) increased
folding of the right elbow until it has acquired a ~ 90
degree bend; and iii) increased right wrist dorsiflexion
and iv) a small degree of right wrist upcocking in the
later backswing action between P3 and P4 (which is
greater in magnitude if one has a steeper left arm angle
at the end-backswing position and/or if one has a greater
than a 90 degree of left wrist upcocking).
It may seem biomechanically complicated to perform
these three right upper limb motions in a coordinated
manner, but they are very easy to coordinate if you have
the "correct" mental image in your mind. Consider two
mental images that can help you master these natural
biomechanical motions.
Mental image number 1:
Imagine that you are at a friend's birthday party, and that
you are sitting in low-backed chair with your right hand
in your lap. Imagine that a friend approaches your chair
from behind and offers you a glass of wine. Imagine that
he holds the glass of wine just above and just behind your
right shoulder. What biomechanical actions would you
perform to reach for the glass of wine? Without
conscious thought, you would rotate your upper torso
clockwise so that you could more easily reach for the
glass of wine. At the same time, you would move your
right hand away from your lap and direct it towards the
glass of wine. Without conscious thought, you would
actually be performing the three right upper limb
biomechanical actions that constitute the right forearm
takeaway action - i) you would externally rotate and
elevate your right humerus in your right shoulder socket
joint; ii) you would increasingly bend your right elbow
and iii) you would increasingly dorsiflex your right
wrist. In other words, the right forearm takeaway action
is a natural biomechanical action that occurs
naturally/automatically and it doesn't incorporate any
biomechanically unnatural/uncomfortable motions.
Mental image 2:
To practice the right forearm takeaway motion using a
simple mental image, simply think of performing a right
clap hand action. I described this natural easy-to-
perform action in great detail in my How to Move the
Arms. Wrists and Hands in the Golf Swing review paper,
and I demonstrated the "right clap hand action" in the
accompanying swing video lesson.


Author demonstrating the "right clap hand action -
capture images from his swing video lesson
In the *"right clap hand" action, I am essentially moving
my right hand away from my left hand and moving it to
a position just behind, and just above, my right shoulder.
That's the natural biomechanical action that a golfer
essentially needs to perform when executing a right
forearm takeaway backswing action. That 3-D motion
involves the three right upper limb motions (previously
described) while simultaneously rotating my upper torso
naturally around my rightwards-tilted spine. One needs
to blend the i) right upper limb motions with the ii) torso
rotational movement so that the right hand can move in
a smooth arc away from the left hand (which is on the
hand plane at address) to its end-backswing position (on
the TSP).
(* If you look at the photos of my "right clap hand"
maneuver, you will note that the right palm is not
parallel to the inclined plane, which must happen in a
"real life" backswing action, and that mechanical
requirement will necessitate a certain amount of right
forearm supinatory motion during the execution of a
RFT maneuver).
After a golfer has grossly mastered this right forearm
takeaway action, then he can refine the motion by
making it more precisely accurate - by using a training
aid to that allows him to learn how to keep the clubshaft
"on-plane" during the backswing.
I previously described David Leadbetter's concept of
being "on-plane" in the section on the one-piece
takeaway - and I described his golden triangle concept.
I much prefer Homer Kelleys' concept of an "on-plane"
golf swing, which he descibed in his TGM book [1]. I
think that it is a much more rational way of
understanding the concept of being "on-plane".
Homer Kelley stated that a clubshaft is "on-plane" during
the backswing, downswing or followthrough when the
end of the clubshaft, that is nearest the ground, always
points at the ball-target line (or more precisely the
baseline of the inclined plane). The only time that this
rule doesn't apply is when the clubshaft is parallel to the
baseline (ball-target line if the stance is symmetrically
square to the ball-target line).
There are two practical methods of learning how to keep
the clubshaft on-plane during the backswing (and
downswing and followthrough) - by i) using a dowel
stick or by ii) using a laserlight wand device. Both
methods train the right forearm/right hand to trace a
straight plane line (SPL).
I demonstrated the method of keeping the clubshaft "on-
plane", using a dowel stick, in my swing video lesson
that accompanies my How to Move the Arms, Wrists and
Hands in the Golf Swing review paper.
A more precise method of learning how to keep the
clubshaft "on plane" requires the use of a commercial (or
home-made) laserlight wand device.
Here is a link to a swing video of Martin Hall using a
"Smartstick" - which is a commercially-available
laserlight wand device.
See - http://smartstickgolf.com/why-it-works/plane
Click on the button to view the Martin Hall video.
He uses the "Smartstick", which has a laserlight at both
ends of the Smartstick (which is equivalent to a golf
clubshaft). Note that one of the laserlights must always
be pointing at the ball-target line, or an extension of the
ball-target line (which happens when the laserlight tracks
up the side-wall) - except when the clubshaft is parallel
to the ball-target line.

Martin Hall using a Smartstick to trace a straight plane

line (ball-target line) during the backswing - capture
images from his swing video
If one performs the "laserlight/flashlight drill" correctly
(as demonstrated by Martin Hall), then one has to learned
how to keep the clubshaft "on-plane" throughout the
backswing, downswing and followthrough.
Although it is not an imperative to keep the clubshaft
"on-plane" during the RFT backswing action, I think that
its allows a golfer to create a clubshaft path pattern in the
backswing, that can be followed back down during the
downswing - as demonstrated by Martin Hall.
Once one has mastered the 3-D right upper limb motion
involved in a right forearm takeaway backswing action,
then one needs to learn how to "correctly" move the left
upper limb during this RFT backswing action. The
biomechanical advantage of a right forearm takeaway
action is that it only requires that a golfer learn how to
move the right upper limb "correctly" in space during the
backswing, which then makes it very easy to learn how
to move the left upper limb in space - because the right
hand basically "directs" the left hand (and grip end of the
club) to its end-backswing position. In other words,
when performing a right forearm takeaway action, a
golfer must distinctly "feel" that the right hand is
*directing the left hand to its end-backswing position,
and a golfer doesn't need to consciously think of the
directional motion of the straight left arm in space.
The straight left arm will naturally/automatically move
along the "correct" path if a golfer simply learns how to
allow his left arm to move in a biomechanically natural
manner.
(* It is important to realise that a golfer, who is a swinger,
powers the motion of the left arm from the address
position up to its end-backswing position using a pivot
motion combined with a left arm adduction/elevation
motion performed by the left shoulder girdle muscles -
and the right hand arm/hand doesn't power this motion
via a muscle-powered "carrying action". The right
arm/hand primarily "directs" the directional motion of
the left arm via the biomechanical actions performed by
the right arm/hand during a RFT backswing action)
What natural biomechanical motions occur with respect
to the straight left arm during the right forearm takeaway
backswing action?
During a RFT backswing action using a neutral left
arm/neutral left hand grip, the straight left arm will have
to rotate clockwise (as viewed from above) during the
left arm elevation/adduction motion so that the left hand
can end-up behind, and slightly above, the right shoulder
at the end-backswing position (presuming that a golfer is
sufficiently flexible to get the left hand that far back). At
this end-backswing position, the back of the left hand
will be facing the sky. The rotation of the straight left
arm occurs, from a biomechanical perspective, at two
biomechanical levels - i) there is a certain amount of
internal rotation of the left humerus (of the left upper
arm) in the left shoulder socket and ii) there is certain
amount of left forearm pronation (clockwise rotation of
the left forearm).
To practice the "feeling" of rotating the straight left arm
in a biomechanically natural manner during the
backswing, one can simply perform this natural motion
without a golf club.
I have demonstrated this natural left arm movement in
the swing video lesson, that accompanies my How to
Move the Arms, Wrists and Hands in the Golf Swing
review paper.
Swing video lesson segment number 6 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9OQevIZS38
(starting at the ~4 minute mark)

Author demonstrating the natural left arm rotation in the

backswing - capture images from his swing video lesson
In image 1, I am starting off with my left arm straight-
in-line with my left shoulder socket. I have stretched-out
the fingers of my left hand so that the left wrist is
perfectly flat (perfectly flat left wrist = Anatomically
FLW). The back of the anatomically FLW is straight-in-
line with the back of the left forearm.
Image 2 shows me rotating the left upper arm clockwise
and simultaneously pronating the left forearm during my
left arm adduction/elevation motion - while rotating the
upper torso around a rightwards-tilted spine. Note that
the back of the flat left wrist/hand faces the ball-target
line in image 2. That's the "correct" position of the back
of the left hand at the end-takeaway position (P2
position) - when the clubshaft is parallel to the ground
and also parallel to the ball-target line.
Image 3 shows my left arm in the mid-backswing. The
left upper arm has continued to internally rotate in the
left shoulder socket joint and the left forearm has
continued to pronate - while the left shoulder socket
continues to move backwards (away from the target) due
to the rotation of the upper torso. The back of the FLW
is still straight-in-line with the back of the left forearm,
and it is parallel to the inclined plane.
Image 4 shows the appearance of the left hand at the end
of the backswing. The left wrist has cocked upwards, but
the back of the FLW is still straight-in-line with the back
of the left forearm. The left wrist should never bend
(dorsiflex) during the backswing action.
Keeping the left wrist flat during the left arm's rotational
movement during the backswing is essential to the left
arm flying wedge concept! One must always have the
"feeling" that the back of the FLW is straight-in-line
with the back of the left forearm throughout the entire
backswing action (starting off in the late takeaway when
the bent left wrist, which is present at address when the
clubshaft is perpendicular to the ball-target line, gets
straightened by a right wrist dorsiflexion action). That
"feeling" will allow a golfer to keep the left arm flying
wedge intact throughout the backswing. The left arm
flying wedge is deemed to be intact if the clubshaft is
always in a straight-line planar relationship with the left
forearm.
To better understand the left arm flying wedge concept,
consider the following explanation.
Author demonstrating the left arm flying wedge
alignment
Note that the straight left arm (solid yellow line) is
straight-in-line with the clubshaft (dotted yellow line)
and that requires a geometrically flat left wrist (and I
am increasingly referring to a GFLW as being
equivalent to a "functionally-flat" left wrist in my
newer review papers). A geometrically FLW differs
from an anatomically FLW in an important visual sense
- the visual sense that the back of the left wrist appears
slightly cupped/scooped, and not perfectly flat. The back
of the left hand (when the left wrist is neutral - neither
dorsiflexed or palmar flexed) adopts this slightly
cupped/scooped appearance when a golfer grips a
rounded club grip in a fist-like neutral grip (2-knuckle
grip). The degree of cupping/scooping will appear to be
be slightly greater if a golfer adopts a stronger left hand
grip (3-knuckle grip), and it will appear to be slightly less
if a golfer adopts a weaker left hand grip (1-knuckle
grip). A bent left wrist (dorsiflexed left wrist) will also
make the back of the left hand appear to be
cupped/scooped, but it differs from a geometrically FLW
because the clubshaft will not be in a straight-line planar
relationship with the left forearm. That's the critical
difference! A golfer must avoid allowing the left wrist to
bend at any time point during the backswing - he must
maintain a geometrically FLW throughout the
backswing in order to ensure that he maintains the left
arm flying wedge's alignment intact. The only time that
the left wrist should be bent is at address (when the
clubshaft is perpendicular to the ball-target line) - before
starting the takeaway action. After the takeaway starts, a
golfer needs to quickly acquire a geometrically FLW and
maintain it throughout the entire backswing - if he wants
keep the left arm flying wedge's alignment intact during
the backswing action.
The left arm flying wedge concept is better understood
when viewing a golfer from a DTL view.


Author demonstrating the left arm flying wedge concept
- capture images from his swing video lesson

Image 1 shows the appearance of the left arm flying

wedge when the left arm is held straight-in-line with the
left shoulder socket - it is equivalent to the same image
as the geometrically FLW image above, but it is seen
from a DTL view. In a DTL view, one cannot see that
the left arm is straight-in-line with the clubshaft (because
that requires a face-on view). However, one can see that
there is an angle (called the accumulator #3 angle)
between the left arm and the clubshaft (yellow dotted
line) and that angle gives the left arm-clubshaft
alignment a wedge-like appearance.
During the backswing, this wedge-angle is going to
decrease in magnitude (and become less obtuse) as the
left wrist cocks upwards. If the left wrist cocks upwards,
without bending, then the clubshaft should always
remain in a straight line relationship with the left
forearm, and that means that a golfer has maintained the
left arm flying wedge's alignment intact.
Image 2 shows the appearance of the left arm flying
wedge at the end-takeaway position (when the clubshaft
is more-or-less parallel to the ball-target line). Note that
it required a certain amount of internal rotation of the left
upper arm and a certain amount of left forearm pronation
to get the back of the geometrically FLW to become
parallel to the ball-target line. Note that the clubshaft is
in a straight-line planar relationship with the left
forearm, and that requires a geometrically FLW (and not
a bent left wrist).
Image 3 shows the geometrically FLW from a face-on
view. During the mid-backswing, when the left hand
moves further up the inclined plane, the left wrist should
continue to be geometrically flat and the back of the
geometrically FLW should be parallel to the inclined
plane.
If a golfer maintains an intact left arm flying wedge
alignment during the mid-backswing, then the left arm
flying wedge alignment should also be "intact" at the
end-backswing position.
To make all these points more clearly understandable,
let's re-consider Stuart Appleby's backswing action.

Stuart Appleby's backswing action - capture images from

his swing video lesson

Image 1 shows Stuart Appleby at address. Note that his

clubshaft is perpendicular to the ball-target line, and not
in a straight-in-line relationship with his left arm. That
means that the cupping in his left wrist is partly due to a
bent left wrist.
Image 2 shows Stuart Appleby starting the right forearm
takeaway action by moving his right forearm straight
back, roughly parallel to the elbow plane line, and that
causes his clubshaft to also move roughly parallel to the
elbow plane line (white line). During the RFT backswing
action, the clubshaft is going to become progressively
more closer to being straight-in-line with the left
forearm, and the bent left wrist will flatten slightly and
become a geometrically FLW by the end of the takeaway
(image 3).
Image 3 shows Stuart Appleby at the end-takeaway
position (actually just past the end-takeaway position).
Note that he has a geometrically FLW and note that his
left forearm and clubshaft are now in a straight-line
planar relationship. Note that the back of his left hand is
parallel to the ball-target line, and that represents a 90
degree rotation of the left hand (relative to its address
position). That 90 degree rotation of the left hand, and
therefore the clubface, causes the toe of his clubhead to
point straight-up (skywards). The 90 degree rotation of
the left hand is due to a certain amount of internal
rotation of the left upper arm in the left shoulder socket
and due to a certain amount of left forearm pronation,
and this combined biomechanical action, that rotates the
left hand/clubface 90 degrees, is called the takeaway
swivel action.
Image 4 shows Stuart Appleby in his mid-backswing.
The back of his left hand has swivelled onto the inclined
plane, and the butt end of his clubshaft is pointing at the
ball-target line, which means that his clubshaft is "on-
plane". Note that he has a geometrically FLW and his
clubshaft is in a straight line planar relationship with his
left forearm, which means that his left arm flying wedge
alignment is intact/correct. Note that his left wrist is
cocking upwards (without bending). Note that his right
wrist is bending backwards without cocking upwards. In
other words, his left wrist's plane of motion is
perpendicular to the right wrist's plane of motion -
the left wrist is cocking upwards in the vertical motion
of cocking, while the right wrist is bending back in the
horizontal motion of hinging. Note that his right elbow
is bending (folding more) at the same time. That's a
critical point that a beginner golfer must understand - the
bending of the right elbow makes it biomechanically
much easier for the left wrist to move in a plane of
motion that is at a 90 degree angle to the plane of
motion of the right wrist in the mid-backswing.
Martin Hall demonstrating the wrist hinging/cocking
action - from a Golf Magazine article

Martin Hall has placed a door hinge on his left wrist -

along the radial border of his left forearm and left hand
(image 1); and another door hinge on his right wrist - on
the back (dorsum) of his right forearm and right hand
(image 2). Image 3 shows how the left wrist cocks
upwards while the right wrist bends back - and it is the
bending of the right elbow that allows the right wrist to
more easily move in a plane of motion that is
perpendicular to the plane of motion of the left wrist.
Another very important biomechanical phenomenon that
a golfer must understand is the phenomenon of extensor
action. Note how close Stuart Appleby's right upper
arm/elbow is situated relative to the right side of his torso
in images 2 and 3. Note that his right arm separates
slightly away from the right side of his torso in image 4
(when his left arm is parallel to the ground). In other
words, there is small amount of right arm abduction
occurring (while the right upper arm is externally
rotating in the right shoulder socket). That biomechnical
action should give a golfer a "feeling" that he is
stretching-out his right arm slightly (away from the right
side of his torso) - even while his right elbow is
undergoing its folding process. This "feeling" of slightly
stretching-out the right arm results in the left arm being
pulled straight (via right palm push-pressure being
applied at PP#1) and this biomechanical action is called
*extensor action. The straight left arm acts as check-
rein during this extensor action process, and limits how
far the right upper arm becomes abducted away from the
right side of the torso - because the left arm cannot be
straightened more than straight. A golfer should only
apply enough extensor action to keep the left arm
comfortably straight (and not rigidly straight), and
there should be no sense-of-tension in either the left arm
or right arm.
(* I discussed the process of extensor action in my How
to Power the Golf Swing review paper and I
demonstrated it in the accompanying swing video
lesson).
Image 5 shows Stuart Appleby at his end-backswing
position. Note that his left arm flying wedge alignment
is intact - his clubshaft and left forearm are in a straight-
line planar relationship and he has a geometrically FLW.
If the left arm flying wedge alignment is intact/correct
and a golfer has a geometrically FLW, then the clubface
should be parallel to the back of the left forearm. Note
that his right forearm flying wedge correctly supports his
left arm flying wedge (like the wing strut of a small
Cessna airplane supporting the wing). Note that his right
forearm is not vertical to the ground, and that is due to
the fact that Stuart Appleby has a slightly shortened
backswing action - he doesn't get his clubshaft parallel to
the ball-target line at the end of his backswing.
The shorter the backswing, or the steeper the backswing
(left arm more upright relative to the ground), the more
likely the right forearm will be parallel to the spinal bend
angle, rather than being vertical to the ground, at the end-
backswing position. A golfer should not worry if his
right elbow is pointing backwards, rather than pointing
at the ground, as long as his right forearm flying wedge
correctly supports the left arm flying wedge (like the
wing strut of a small Cessna airplane supporting the
wing).
To better understand this point, consider the following
photo.

Desired end-backswing position - capture image from

the author's swing video lesson
Starting with image 1. The red dotted line represents a
very desirable position for the left arm angle at the end-
backswing position - it directly crosses over the right
shoulder socket joint. Tiger Woods has his left arm at
that particular angle at his end-backswing position (see
previous photo). The blue dotted line represents a
slightly steeper left arm angle, which is also perfectly
acceptable. Adam Scott has his left arm at that angle at
his end-backswing position (see previous photo). The
yellow dotted line is much steeper (see Jim Furyk's
swing photo previously presented) and I think that
golfers should preferably avoid having their left arm at
that steep angle at their end-backswing position, because
it requires a large compensatory move to shallow-out the
clubshaft from that "high-hands" position.
Note the position of the right hand at the end-backswing
position. It is behind and slightly higher than the right
shoulder. Note that the clubshaft is in the same plane as
the straight left arm (represented by the red dotted line)
and that requires that the golfer have a geometrically flat
left wrist at the end-backswing position. Note that the
right forearm flying wedge is roughly at right angles to
the left arm flying wedge (represented by the red dotted
line and clubshaft). Note that the right forearm is vertical
to the ground, and that is only due to the fact that the left
arm (red dotted line) has that specific angle relative to
the ground. If a golfer has his left arm at a slightly steeper
angle (blue dotted line) then the right forearm flying
wedge would have to be tilted more forward, and that
would cause the right forearm to be angled more forward
(closer to being parallel to the spine angle).
Image 2 shows the end-backswing position adopted by a
golfer (author) who lacks the flexibility to get his hands
behind the right shoulder. The hands will end up
opposite, or even slightly in front of the right shoulder,
by the end of the backswing. Note that the right forearm
flying wedge (yellow dotted line) is still at the "correct"
angle relative to the left arm flying wedge (red dotted
line) - even though the right elbow is pointing more
backwards. Note that the clubshaft is in a straight-line
planar relationship with the left forearm (red dotted
lines) and note that the left wrist is geometrically flat.
I have repeatedly emphasized the fact that a golfer
should optimally have a geometrically FLW at the end-
backswing position, because that would ensure that the
left arm flying wedge's alignment is intact/correct.
However, that is not an absolute imperative, and it is very
acceptable to have a small misalignment of the left arm
flying wedge at the end-backswing position.
For example, many golfers (eg.Tiger Woods), prefer to
have an anatomically FLW at the end-backswing
position - which means that they have palmar flexed their
left wrist to a small degree and that causes the clubshaft
to be marginally out-of-alignment with respect to the left
forearm (clubshaft droops down more towards the
ground).
Tiger Woods swing - capture images from a swing video

Image 1 shows Tiger Woods at address.

Image 2 shows Tiger Woods when his left arm is parallel
to the ground in the backswing. Note that his clubshaft is
in a straight-line planar relationship with his left forearm,
and that he has a geometrically FLW.
Image 3 shows Tiger Woods at his end-backswing
position. Note that his left wrist is no longer
geometrically flat (geometrically FLW = slightly cupped
left wrist). His left wrist is anatomically flat - and his left
wrist can even be considered to be very slightly
arched/bowed. An anatomically FLW condition
represents a state of slight palmar flexion of the left wrist
- and that causes the clubshaft to droop slightly (note that
his clubshaft is not aligned perfectly straight-in-line with
his left forearm). However, the degree of misalignment
is very small and not mechanically consequential - note
how easily Tiger Woods gets his clubshaft straight-in-
line with his left forearm by the end of the early
downswing - image 4.
Consider another example of a golfer who has a non-
geometrically FLW at the end-backswing position.
Dustin Johnson -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXU_IC1qpdw
Dustin Johnson has a superb golf swing and he uses a
RFT backswing action. That allows him to more easily
come back down the same path in the downswing as the
backswing (similar to Stuart Appleby).

Dustin Johnson's backswing action - capture images

from his swing video

Image 1 shows Dustin Johnson at address. I have drawn

a yellow line through his right elbow at address, and that
represents the elbow plane line. Note how his right
elbow tracks up that line during his RFT backswing
action.
Image 2 shows Dustin Johnson when his left arm is
parallel to the ground. Note that his clubshaft is "on-
plane" (red arrow points at the ball-target line). Note that
his clubshaft is straight-in-line with his left forearm and
note that he has a geometrically FLW.
Image 3 shows his end-backswing position. Note that he
has an overtly arched/bowed left wrist and that causes
his clubshaft to droop down. His clubshaft is not straight-
in-line with his left forearm and his left arm flying wedge
alignment is not intact/correct. The degree of
misalignment is significantly large, but he still manages
to get his clubshaft to fall-in-line with his left arm during
his downswing. Even if a golfer can reconstitute the left
arm flying wedge alignment in the downswing, an overly
arched left wrist at the end-backswing position
represents an avoidable complicating factor, and I think
that a golfer should preferably have an intact/correct left
arm flying wedge alignment at the end-backswing
position.
To summarise my golf instructional position, I believe
that it is optimum to have a geometrically FLW at the
end-backswing position and an intact/correct left arm
flying wedge alignment. I also believe that it is
biomechanically acceptable to have an anatomically
FLW, or a slightly arched left wrist, at the end-
backswing position. However, I think that a golfer
should avoid allowing the left wrist to be markedly
arched, or markedly bent, at the end-backswing position.

Arched left wrist and bent left wrist - from reference

number [7]
Note that the left wrist is markedly arched in the first
image, and markedly bent in the second image (which
causes the clubshaft to cross the line and point to the
right). Note that the clubshaft is not in a straight-line
relationship with the left forearm, which means that the
left arm flying wedge alignment is not intact/correct.
Compare the end-backswing position of a golfer versus
a baseball player.

End-backswing position of a golfer and baseball player -

from reference number [8]

Note that the golfer has a geometrically FLW and his

clubshaft is straight-in-line with his left forearm.
Note that the baseball player has a markedly bent left
wrist (markedly dorsiflexed left wrist) and that causes his
clubshft to be angled too steeply (relative to his left
forearm). That means that the clubshaft has to "fall-
back" at the start of the downswing to become straight-
in-line with the left arm. That's an unnecessary
complicating factor, and it is better to have an
intact/correct left arm flying wedge alignment at the end-
backswing position - because one then can transition into
the downswing without having to first execute a club
"fall-back" phenomenon that correctly aligns the
clubshaft so that it becomes straight-in-line with the
straight left arm.

Ben Hogan's downswing action - capture images from a

swing video

Image 1 shows Ben Hogan at his end-backswing position

- he has a geometrically FLW and his left arm and
clubshaft are in a straight-in-line relationship. That
allows him to "slot" his club in the downswing (images
2-5) without any club * "fall-back" phenomenon.
(* I have discussed this club "fall-back" phenomenon in
great detail in my Book Review: Slot Swing - Jim
McLean review paper.
Backswing pivot action

During the backswing, a golfer has to rotate the torso,

while lifting the clubshaft with the arms, so that he can
assemble the power package assembly in an optimum
manner at the end-backswing position. I have already
discussed the "correct" arm movements in the backswing
action, and I will now discuss the "correct" way to
perform a backswing pivot action.
During the backswing, a flexible golfer should rotate the
lower torso (pelvis) approximately 45 degrees, and the
upper torso (shoulders) about 90+ degrees, so that his
back faces the target at the end-backswing position.
In their book [8], Bennett/Plummer have a diagram
showing the appearance of different backswing pivot
actions - as seen from a face-on view.
End-backswing postures - photo from reference number
[9]

These four golfers have all rotated their pelvis about 45

degrees, and they have all rotated their upper torso about
90 degrees, so that their backs face the target.
However, one can clearly see that golfers A and B have
rightwards-tilt of their upper torso, while golfers C and
D have leftwards-tilt of their upper torso.
I believe very strongly that a golfer should never use a
leftwards-tilted backswing action, and I have
described my reasons in great detail in my Book Review:
The Stack and Tilt Swing - Michael Bennett and Andy
Plummer review paper.
I think that a golfer should only use a rightwards-tilted
backswing action (or a vertical-centralised
backswing action - that is intermediate between
photo B and photo C), and I much prefer golfer B over
golfer A, because golfer A has too much swaying of his
upper torso away from the target. If a golfer sways the
upper torso too far away from the target, then he may
have a problem with low point consistency (hitting the
ground at the same spot - low point - swing-after-swing),
because he has to sway his upper torso too much
forwards in the downswing. I think that a golfer should
try to keep his torso relatively centralised between his
feet during the entire backswing action, and I think that
a golfer should minimise any unnecessary weight shift to
the right during the backswing action. I think that the
"most desirable" upper torso motion in the backswing
can be summarised in one swing thought - as essentially
being a centralised upper torso rotation around a
rightwards-tilted spine.
There are three critical words in my description of an
"optimum" backswing pivot action - i) centralised; ii)
rotation; iii) rightwards-tilted spine.
I think that a golfer should not attempt to sway the upper
torso away from the center during his backswing action
and he should think of his upper torso rotation movement
as being a rotary movement around a rightwards-tilted
spine, and not a sliding/swaying movement.
Let's start with a description of my preferred backswing
pivot action - which I label a *rightwards-centralised
backswing action.
(* I have described the difference between a rightwards-
centralised backswing action and a leftwards-centralised
backswing action in great detail in my Optimal Weight
Shift in the Full Golf Swing review paper).
I think that Stuart Appleby is a good role model for a
golfer who wants to learn how to perform a rightwards-
centralised backswing action.
Stuart Appleby swing video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jqJ9R2LypY&NR
=1
When watching the video, concentrate your mental
attention on his right thigh and upper torso movements.
Stuart Appleby's backswing action - capture images from
his swing video

Image 1 shows Stuart Appleby at address. His golf

instructor has drawn a white line alongside the outer
border of his right leg (face-on view). Note that Stuart
Appleby has rightwards spinal tilt at address - this is a
natural biomechanical phenomenon that happens
automatically if the right hand is placed lower on the grip
than the left hand (while the shoulders are kept square to
the ball-target line). If a golfer wants to place his right
hand lower on the grip then his left hand, then he will
naturally have to tilt his right shoulder downwards
(relative to the left shoulder) and that natural action
causes a golfer to naturally/automatically acquire a few
degrees of rightwards spinal tilt at address. Note that his
pelvis is centralised between his feet, and he appears to
have his lower body's weight distribution about 50:50
between his feet. However, because he has his upper
torso tilted a few degrees to the right, his overall weight
distribution may be 55:45 or 60:40 (right relative to left)
at address.
During his backswing action, note that Stuart Appleby
keeps his right leg continuously against that white line,
and there is no swaying of the right thigh/leg to the right
during the backswing. In other words, the right leg must
be thought of as a "fixed" post, and a golfer should think
of rotating his lower torso (pelvis) without allowing the
"fixed" post to sway to the right. On the DTL view, note
that Stuart Appleby has a small amount of right knee flex
at address, and he maintains that same amount of right
knee flex throughout his entire backswing action. That's
a good mental image for a beginner golfer.
Note that Stuart Appleby's pelvis remains horizontal
during his backswing action, and he makes no attempt to
lift up his right pelvis in the late backswing (by
straightening his right leg).
Note how Stuart Appleby's upper torso rotates naturally
around his rightwards-tilted spine - without any swaying
of his upper torso to the right (images 2-5). He maintains
the same degree of rightwards spinal tilt (face-on vew)
and the same degree of forward spinal bend (DTL view)
throughout his backswing - and he is simply rotating his
upper torso naturally around his spinal axis (which has
a small degree of rightwards spinal tilt). At address, his
right shoulder is slightly lower than his left shoulder, and
when he rotates his upper torso naturally around his
rightwards-tilted spine, his right shoulder is going to end
up slightly higher than his left shoulder at the end-
backswing position. However, his shoulder rotation can
be considered to be relatively horizontal, and there is
no dipping of the left shoulder down towards the ground.
From a biomechanical perspective, his shoulders are
rotating nearly perpendicularly around the axis of his
mid-upper thoracic spine, and this natural upper torso
rotary movement should occur naturally/automatically
without any need for conscious thought.
To demonstrate how centralised Stuart Appleby has
remained during his backswing swing action, consider
the following composite photo (taken from another
swing video).
Stuart Appleby backswing - capture images from a swing
video

This composite image demonstrates how centralised

Stuart Appleby remains during his backswing action. He
is right-centralised, because he is simply rotating his
upper torso around a rightwards-tilted spine. There is
very little weight shift during a rightwards/centralised
backswing action - and he will only have slightly more
weight on the right side at his end-backswing position,
simply because both arms are on the right side at the end
of his backswing. Note how his head swivels naturally to
the right by a few inches, because his head is rotating
naturally around the axis of a rightwards-tilted cervical
spine. Note how his eye-line (straight line drawn
between the pupils of both eyes) remains horizontal to
the ground. There should be no tilting of the head along
an up-and-down arc during the backswing. The head
should preferably rotate horizontally without any tilting.
Consider another example of a golfer who has a
rightwards-centralised backswing action.
Michael Finney *swing video -
http://vimeo.com/22638381

Michael Finney's backswing action - capture images

from his swing video
In the left image, one can see Michael Finney at address.
Note that he has small degree of rightwards spinal tilt at
address (green dotted line) and that his head is behind the
center of his stance (red-arrowed line). Note that his head
doesn't move during the backswing, and that his head is
still vertically above the same point on the ground at the
end of his backswing. The green dotted line in image 2
shows the overall degree of rightwards tilt of his spine
and upper torso at the end-backswing position. Mike
Finney has a very rightwards-centralised rotary swing
with no lateral shift of his mid-upper torso to the right
during the backswing. During the backswing, he makes
no attempt to change the degree of spinal tilt that he
adopted at address, and he simply rotates his mid-upper
torso naturally around his rightwards tilted spine,
without making any deliberate swaying movements of
his upper torso to the right.
To better understand the biomechanics of the backswing
pivot-rotation action, consider the biomechanical
movement of the pelvis in the backswing.
A good way to understand how the pelvis should move
in the backswing is to watch this Brady Riggs swing
video lesson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOr5nNqYEw&
mode=related&search=
Brady Riggs' backswing pivot action - capture images
from his swing video lesson

Brady Riggs drew a yellow line along the outer border of

his right pelvis at address. In image 1, he is "incorrectly"
sliding his pelvis to the right and that causes his upper
torso to lean leftwards. Image 2 shows his left-leaning
upper torso at his end-backswing position, and he has
demonstrated one cause of a reverse pivot posture at the
end-backswing position - a rightwards pelvic sway
action.
Brady Riggs demonstrates the "correct" pelvic motion in
image 3. The "correct" pelvic motion involves a rotation
of the pelvis against the resistance of a "fixed" right leg
so that the right buttocks moves backwards and
leftwards. Note how that pelvic rotation movement
"creates space" - note the "air space" between the outer
border of his right pelvis and that yellow line. The more
"air space" one creates, the more one has shifted the
pelvis to the left during the backswing by slanting the
right thigh to the left. Note that his pelvis doesn't remain
centered between his feet at his end-backswing position
(image 3) - it has shifted to the left.
How much "air space" should a golfer create between
that yellow line and the outer border of the right pelvis
during the backswing pelvic pivot-rotation action? There
is no "correct" answer to this question. Although I prefer
Stuart Appleby's rightwards-centralised backswing
action swing style, where the pelvis doesn't shift that far
to the left during the backswing pelvic pivot-rotation
action, it is biomechanically acceptable to shift the pelvis
more to the left during the * backswing pelvic pivot-
rotation action.
(* I have described this pelvic pivot-rotation action in
much greater detail in my The Backswing and
Downswing Hip Pivot Movements: Their Critical Role
in the Golf Swing review paper).
A key biomechanical movement that must
simultaneously occur during this pelvic motion is a
slant-rotation of the spine, and therefore the upper
torso, to the right. Note that Brady Riggs' spine and
upper torso has slant-rotated to the right - note that he
has a distinct slant of his upper torso rightwards (away
from the target) in image 3.
To learn how to acquire a "feeling" of the upper torso
slant-rotating to the right during the backswing pelvic
rotation movement, one can perform this "crossing
guard" drill recommended by Brian Manzella [9].

Crossing guard drill - from reference number [10]

In this drill, one places a golf club across the front of the
body - from the right hip to the left shoulder. Then one
should perform a backswing pelvic pivot-rotation
movement (ala Brady Riggs) and simultaneously allow
the spine and upper torso to natutally/automatically
slant-rotate to the right - until the clubshaft is
perpendicular to the ball-target line (blue line). Note that
this maneuver causes the upper torso to acquire a
rightwards-slant away from the target (yellow line). Note
how the head has moved to a position vertically above
the right knee.
This drill is designed to give a golfer a "feeling" of how
the spine, and therefore the upper torso,
naturally/automatically acquires a rightwards slant
during the backswing pelvic-rotation action. In a "real
life" golf swing, one would keep the head more
stationary and not allow the rightwards-slant of the upper
torso to be that exaggerated. However, a golfer should
also not resist the natural tendency of the upper torso to
acquire that natural rightwards slant by keeping the
head "fixedly" stationary.
Brian Manzella student
The first image (with the yellow lines) shows the
"correct" rightwards-slant of the upper torso that should
naturally/automatically occur, and the inserted image
(with violet lines) shows the same student resisting that
biomechanically natural slant-rotation of the upper torso
to the right by torquing his upper thoracic spine to the
left.
If a golfer naturally allows the upper torso to slant-
rotate to the right during the pelvic pivot-rotation
movement (that moves the right buttocks left-
backwards), then a golfer should acquire a reverse-K
posture at the end-backswing position.
Ben Hogan's reverse-K posture at the end-backswing -
capture image from a swing video

Ben Hogan has the classic reverse-K posture at his end-

backswing position. Note that his right thigh is slanted to
the left (lower red line) as he shifts his right buttocks left-
backwards and that he has "created space" (ala Brady
Riggs) during his backswing pivot-rotation action. Note
that his upper torso has a rightwards slant (upper red
line). Note that the rightwards slant of his upper torso
causes the left side of his upper torso to become straight-
in-line with his left leg (yellow line). The two red lines
and the yellow line represents a reverse-K image (mirror
image of the letter "K").
Many golfers have been influenced by the S&T swing
methodology that has come into fashion in the last few
years, and they try to keep their upper torso very
centralised during the backswing.
Here is an example of a former long drive champion,
Jason Zuback, trying to keep his upper torso centralised
during the backswing - based on the conceptual idea that
it is better to have a centralised pivot axis and a
centralised head.
Jason Zuback swing -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL9dzMe_H9o
Note that Jason Zuback promotes his personal
interpretation of the S&T swing methodology in that
swing video, and he advises a golfer to rotate around an
imaginary centralised pivot axis. Jason Zuback states
that a golfer should not sway the upper torso to the right
during the backswing and he recommends that a golfer
should simply rotate his upper torso around a centralised
pivot axis, while keeping the head centralised (vertically
in-line with that imaginary centralised pivot axis).
Consider the biomechanical movements involved in
Jason Zuback's centralised pivot-rotation action.
Jason Zuback's backswing action - capture images from
his swing video

Image 1 shows Jason Zuback at address - note that his

pelvis and head are centralised (with respect to those two
vertical shafts placed alongside the outer border of his
right foot and left foot) and note that he has minimal
rightwards spinal tilt.
Image 2 shows Jason Zuback performing his personal
version of a centralised backswing pivot action - where
he tries to keep his head centralised and where he tries to
rotate around an imaginary centralised pivot axis. Note
how much he has swayed his pelvis, and mid-torso,
rightwards.
Image 3 shows Jason Zuback at his end-backswing
position. Note how much he has swayed his pelvis, and
mid-torso, rightwards. Also, note how his upper spine,
and upper torso, are leaning leftwards in the direction of
the target. I think that he is reverse-pivoting, and I have
labelled this type of backswing pivot action a
*leftwards-centralised backswing pivot action.
(* See my review paper on Optimal Weight Shift in the
Full Golf Swing for further details on a leftwards-
centralised backswing pivot action versus a rightwards-
centralised backswing pivot action).
Compare his leftwards-centralised backswing pivot
action to golfers who have a rightwards-centralised
backswing pivot action.

End-backswing posture of three golfers - Jason Zuback,

Jamie Sadlowski and Ben Hogan

Image 1 shows Jason Zuback rotating around an

imaginary centralised pivot axis (yellow line). Note how
he acquires the reverse-pivoting posture of a golfer who
adopts a leftwards-centralised backswing pivot action.
Image 2 shows Jamie Sadlowski, and image 3 shows Ben
Hogan, at their end-backswing position. Both of these
golfers use a rightwards-centralised backswing pivot
action, which causes them to acquire a reverse-K posture
at the end of the backswing. Note how they do not allow
their pelvis to sway rightwards during the backswing,
and they are simply rotating their upper torso around
their rightwards-tilted spine - without any lateral
swaying motion of their lower or upper torso.
What are the consequences of a leftwards-centralised
backswing pivot action? Consider Jason Zuback's
downswing pivot action.

Jason Zuback's early downswing action - capture images

from his swing video
Note how his mid-torso is bulging to the right in image
1 (end-backswing position) and note that he has no
"space" under his right shoulder ,and in front of his right
hip, for the power package's descent during the early
downswing's club "slotting" process. If he doesn't create
that "space" by means of some compensatory
biomechanical maneuver, then he will be forced to throw
his hands/clubshaft OTT in order to get his hands and
clubshaft down towards the ball. Note that he "creates
space" in the early downswing by the compensatory
biomechanical maneuver of assertively sliding his pelvis
left-laterally towards the target - thereby reversing his
spinal tilt (image 2 and 3). In other words, the only way
that a leftwards-centralised golfer can reverse the
leftwards-tilt of the spine/upper torso during the early
downswing is to perform an assertive left-lateral pelvic
slide motion towards the target. I believe that his
assertive left-lateral pelvic slide action involves
excessive latriflexion forces operating at the level of the
lumbar spine, and I suspect that this unnatural
biomechanical action can predispose to *chronic back
problems over the long-term.
(* I have discussed this issue in great detail in my Book
Review: The Stack and Tilt Swing: Michael Bennett and
Andy Plummer review paper).
I markedly prefer a rightwards-centralised backswing
action swing style - as exemplified by Stuart Appleby's,
Dustin Johnson's and Ben Hogan's swing. I think that
their backswing actions are biomechanically natural and
I believe that it is unlikely to cause chronic back
problems. I also think that a rightwards-centralised
backswing action "creates space" under the right
shoulder, and in front of the right hip area, and it allows
a golfer to "slot" the club in the early downswing without
any need for an assertive left-lateral pelvic slide action
in the early downswing.

Ben Hogan's early downswing action - capture images

from a swing video

Note that Ben Hogan has "space" under his right

shoulder, and in front of his right hip, at his end-
backswing (image 1). Note how Ben Hogan drops his
right elbow into that "space" during the club slotting
procedure.

Further backswing insights - presented in a question-

and-answer format.

I will progressively add more content to this section over

a period of time.

Question number 1:
Consider Eamonn Darcy's swing -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7S8LyE0HpY
Eamonn Darcy has a very unusual backswing action, and
his end-backswing position looks very strange.
David Leadbetter, the famous golf instructor, states that
he has no idea how Eamonn Darcy gets there. Do you
understand the biomechanics/mechanics of Eamonn
Darcy's backswing action?
Answer:
Yes.
I think that it is very important to understand the
mechanics/biomechanics of Eamonn Darc's backswing
action, because it will help you understand the
biomechanics of the "correct" right arm movement in the
backswing.
Consider a comparison between Ermie Els and Eamon
Darcy at the end-backswing.

Ernie Els and Eamonn Darcy - capture images from the

swing video

Ernie Els in image 1 has the typical look of a swinger,

who has enough flexibility to get his hands behind, and
above, the right shoulder at the end-backswing position
- his right forearm is vertical to the ground and his right
elbow points at the ground.
By contrast, Eamonn Darcy in image 2 has his right
forearm horizontal to the ground and his right elbow
points straight backwards. His straight left arm is almost
vertical.
What causes Eamon Darcy to have his right
forearm/elbow alignment at a 90 degree angle to Ernie
Els' right forearm/elbow alignment.
Before I directly answer that question, consider the
natural biomechanics of the right arm's movement in a
skilled golfer's backswing action - by considering Stuart
Appleby's backswing action.

Stuart Appleby's backswing action - capture images from

his swing video

Stuart Appleby uses a right forearm takeaway backswing

action, and the key biomechanical movement in this type
of backswing action is an external rotation of the right
humerus in the right shoulder socket. The right upper
arm is continuously undergoing an external rotation in
the right shoulder socket throughout the entire
backswing and that causes the right hand to move "deep"
(away from the ball-target line). While the right upper
arm is externally rotating in the right shoulder socket,
Stuart Appleby also allows his right elbow to
progressively fold and his right wrist to increasingly
dorsiflex. That combination of right upper limb
movements allows him to get his right palm to face
upwards-and-outwards and to be parallel to the
inclined plane in the mid-backswing - image 4. If the
right palm faces upwards-and-outwards and is parallel to
the inclined plane, then it ensures that the back of the
geometrically FLW will be parallel to the inclined plane
(and on a plane that is marginally steeper than the elbow
plane). The biomechanical action of allowing the
geometrically FLW to swivel onto the inclined plane in
the early-mid backswing is called the takeaway swivel
action. Note what happens to the right elbow in the later
backswing - image 4 and 5. As the right upper arm
continues to externally rotate in the late backswing, it
causes the hands to catch-up to the right elbow, and the
right elbow ends up in a position below the hands at the
end-backswing position (image 5). In summary, the key
movement that gets the right elbow to point groundwards
at the end-backswing position, and the right forearm to
become near-vertical to the ground, is a continuous
external rotation of the right upper arm in the right
shoulder socket.
Now, to better understand Eamonn Darcy's backswing
action, think of your right upper arm's movement when
you start a lawnmower by pulling on the lawnmower
cord. When one starts a lawnmower by pulling on the
starting cord, one pulls the cord handle straight back, and
one should "feel" that the right elbow juts straight
backwards. Think of the direction of movement of the
right humerus in the right shoulder socket when you
perform this natural lawnmower cord-pulling action. The
right humerus internally rotates in the right shoulder
socket, and that motion will cause the right elbow to jut
backwards and the right forearm to become near-
horizontal to the ground.
That is the key difference between Ernie Els' backswing
action and Eamonn Darcy's backswing action - Ernie Els
allows his right humerus to externally rotate in his right
shoulder socket, while Eamonn Darcy allows his right
humerus to internally rotate in his right shoulder socket.
Consider the repercussions of allowing the right humerus
to internally rotate during the backswing.
Here is a photograph of Eamonn Darcy at the end-
takeaway position.

Eamonn Darcy's end-takeaway position - capture image

from his swing video

Note that Eamonn Darcy's clubshaft (yellow line) is

parallel to the ball-target line at the end-takeaway
position, but it is significantly uplifted. Note that the
clubface (red line) is parallel to the ball-target line, and
note that the toe of the club is pointing upwards. Most
importantly, note that his right palm is facing
downwards. If a golfer doesn't allow the right humerus
to externally rotate in the early-mid backswing, then it
becomes biomechanically impossible for the back of the
right hand to rotate clockwise onto the inclined plane,
and it therefore becomes biomechanically impossible for
the geometrically FLW to rotate clockwise onto the
inclined plane. In other words, it becomes
biomechanically impossible to perform a takeaway
swivel action. Eamonn Darcy's right palm will always
be facing downwards-and-outwards throughout his
backswing action (as a result of the internal rotation of
the right humerus in the right shoulder socket), and that
forces the straight left arm to move vertically upwards -
because it cannot move inside the toe line (against the
resistance of the outwards-facing right palm). The end-
result is that the hands cannot bypass the right elbow in
the late backswing, and the hands will always be well
outside the right elbow at the end-backswing position.
You should now understand why Eamonn Darcy has the
following four biomechanical features at his end-
backswing position - i) right elbow points straight back;
ii) right forearm is horizontal to the ground; iii) right
palm faces outwards and iv) the straight left arm is near-
vertical to the ground.
How does Eamonn Darcy generate an in-to-square-to-in
clubhead path through the impact zone - from that
unusual end-backswing position?

Eamonn Darcy's downswing action - capture images

from his swing video
Image 1 shows Eamonn Darcy at his end-backswing
position. Note that he does not have a geometrically
FLW, and his left arm flying wedge's alignment is not
intact/correct (solid yellow lines) - the clubshaft is
pointing too far to the right (presumably because his
right palm is pushing the clubshaft slightly to the right).
Note that his right forearm flying wedge (solid red line)
is correctly aligned relative to his left arm flying wedge,
but his right palm is preventing the clubshaft from
angling slightly back so that it is more parallel to the ball-
target line.
The red arrow shows how Eammon Darcy starts his
downswing - he assertively adducts his right upper arm
towards the right side of his torso and that motion directs
his right elbow down towards to its pitch location in front
of the right hip. During his motion, his clubshaft falls
back and becomes better aligned with respect to his left
forearm in the early downswing - the left arm flying
wedge becomes more accurately aligned (image 2).
Image 2 also shows that his clubshaft descends very
steeply down to the ball - descending down a plane that
is slightly steeper than the TSP.
Image 3 shows his late-downswing alignments - note that
his right elbow is in a pitch location alongside the right
hip area and his clubhead is approaching the ball from an
inside track. It required a very large compensatory move
to get to that pre-impact position.
From a beginner golfer's perspective, the major learning
point is that if one wants to be a swinger, then it is very
important to allow the right humerus to externally
rotate during the backswing, so that one can
easily/naturally perform a takeaway swivel action that
gets the geometrically FLW to lie parallel to the inclined
plane by the mid-backswing. One needs to avoid
Eamonn Darcy's example of allowing the right humerus
to internally rotate during the backswing swing action if
one wants to avoid having a steep left arm backswing
action.
Addendum added May 2011:
I have recently discovered two present-day PGA tour
golfers who also have a very steep left arm backswing
action (like Eamonn Darcy) - Steve Marino and Rory
Sabbatini.
Consider their swings.
Steve Marino -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0_3CIx04jU
Rory Sabbatini -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TLVDqPmu5k&N
R=1
Steve Marino's swing - capture images from his swing
video

Rory Sabbatini's swing - capture images from his swing

video

Note that both Steve Marino and Rory Sabbatini have a
very steep left arm backswing action and their right
forearm is near-parallel to the ground at their end-
backswing position (image 1).
Both golfers adduct their right upper arm very actively
groundwards at the start of the downswing, and they both
successfully get their right elbow to the pitch location
near the front of the right hip area by the end of their mid-
downswing (image 2). Rory Sabbatini manages to
shallow his clubshaft during his early-mid downswing,
while Steve Marino's clubshaft descends along a much
steeper plane. However, both golfers successfully
maintain an intact LAFW/FLW during their downswing
action.
Both golfers have excellent impact alignments, although
Steve Marino's clubshaft is on a steeper plane (VSP) at
impact - image 3.
I now believe that it is possible to play excellent golf
using this atypical/idiosyncratic backswing action, but
it requires a large compensatory right arm adduction
maneuver at the start of the downswing to successfully
shallow the clubshaft plane by impact.

Question number 2:
What is the difference in the backswing action between
a TGM swinger and a TGM hitter?
Answer:
I discussed the differences between TGM swinging and
TGM hitting in my How to Power the Golf Swing review
paper. I will only discuss the major differences in the
backswing action of TGM swingers versus TGM hitters
in this answer.
A TGM swinger needs to optimally load the the left
arm (PA#4) and the left wrist (PA#2) during the
backswing.
Tiger Woods and Adam Scott at their end-backswing
position - capture images from a swing video
Tiger Woods and Adam Scott are both swingers, who use
a pivot-driven swing to power the release of PA#4. They
therefore need to optimally load PA#4 in the backswing
by getting their left arm to lie across their shoulder turn
angle at the end-backswing position. They also need to
ensure that they have optimally loaded PA#2 by getting
a 90 degree angle between the left arm and the clubshaft
at the end-backswing position. A key feature of a
swinger at the end-backswing position is the fact that the
FLW is parallel to the inclined plane, and the back of the
FLW will therefore face skywards. For the FLW to get
to that position, a swinger has to perform a takeaway
swivel action that gets the FLW onto, and parallel to, the
inclined plane by the mid-backswing. Then during the
mid-late backswing, as the hands move up the inclined
plane to their end-backswing position, the FLW will
remain parallel to the inclined plane (which naturally
becomes progressively steeper during the later
backswing).
A TGM swinger doesn't have to load the right elbow, and
the main function of the right forearm flying wedge is to
support the load of the left arm flying wedge at the end-
backswing position. The right forearm flying wedge
offers its best support when the right elbow is below the
hands at the end-backswing position (presuming that the
left arm angle is not too steep and presuming that golfer
has enough flexibility to get the hands behind the right
shoulder).
In question/answer number 1 - I stated that a key
biomechanical phenomenon that allows a golfer to i)
perform a takeaway swivel action and ii) that allows the
right elbow to move under the hands in the late
backswing is external rotation of the right humerus in
the right shoulder socket. During the takeaway swivel
action, the external rotation of the right humerus allows
the back of the dorsiflexed right wrist to rotate clockwise
so that it lies against the inclined plane. A swinger must
also simultaneously allow the left forearm to freely
pronate so that the FLW can also rotate clockwise onto
the inclined plane.
A swinger should not resist the natural external rotation
of the right upper arm and the natural pronation of the
left forearm in the early backswing, because they are
essential to a swinger's takeaway swivel action, which
gets the FLW to rotate onto the inclined plane.
A TGM hitter, by contrast, wants to load the right elbow
(PA#1) in the backswing because he primarily powers
the swing by releasing PA#1. To optimally load the right
elbow, a TGM hitter must not allow the right upper arm
to undergo excessive external rotation in the late
backswing, because that will cause the hands to move
passed the right elbow as the right elbow moves under
the hands. A TGM hitter must ensure that his hands are
in front of the right elbow at the end of the backswing -
the hands must be closer to the ball-target line than the
right elbow.
End-backswing postion of a hitter - capture images from
a swing video
This photo (of my friend Scott) shows the optimal end-
backswing position for a TGM hitter. The right elbow
is optimally loaded when there is a 90 degree bend in the
right elbow, and the right elbow is behind the hands
(further away from the ball-target line than the hands).
That means that the hands must not move further away
from the ball-target line than the right shoulder, and the
hands should preferably be opposite, and in front of the
right shoulder, at the end of the backswing (in TGM
terminology this position is called the "top-of-the
backswing" position). When the right elbow is in that
optimum position, note that the right forearm will be
roughly parallel to the spinal bend angle, and the right
elbow will point slightly backwards (and not point
straight down at the ground).
When a TGM hitter powers his downswing, he is going
to be directing his right palm in an active thrust action
towards the ball by actively straightening the right arm.
He will not employ a release swivel action in his
downswing action, and he will use the active release of
PA#1 (active straightening of the right elbow) to drive
the left hand/grip end of the club towards impact.
Because a TGM hitter doesn't use a release swivel action
in the downswing, he shouldn't be using a takeaway
swivel action in the backswing.
Therefore, if a TGM hitter doesn't use a takeaway swivel
action in the early backswing, and if he doesn't allow the
right elbow to move under the hands in the late
backswing, then a major biomechanical difference
between a TGM hitter and a TGM swinger is the fact
that a TGM hitter doesn't externally rotate the right
upper arm as much as a swinger in the backswing.
During a TGM hitter's takeaway, the clubface will
appear to be looking at the ball, and the toe of the club
will not point straight-up at the end-takeaway position.
That means that the clubface is relatively closed to the
clubhead arc during the takeaway.
End-takeaway position of a TGM hitter - capture image
from a swing video
Note that the clubface is slightly closed (to the clubhead
arc) at the end-takeaway position. That means that a
TGM hitter is not using a takeaway swivel action, which
means that there will be less external rotation of the right
humerus, and less pronation of the left forearm, in the
early backswing (when compared to a TGM swinger). A
TGM hitter continues to keep the clubface relatively
closed (to the clubhead arc) throughout his backswing by
limiting the amount of external rotation of the right upper
arm that occurs per unit time (when compared to a TGM
swinger). A TGM hitter will always "feel" that he is
keeping his right palm facing downwards towards the
ball-target line throughout the backswing, and he will not
allow the right palm to rotate clockwise so that the right
palm becomes more face-upwards and subsequently
parallel to the inclined plane.

Question number 3:
What is a "twistaway" maneuver, and do you think that
a golfer, who has a slice problem, should use a
"twistaway" maneuver to remedy his slice problem?
Answer:
Brian Manzella, a golf instructor based in New Orleans,
teaches a "twistaway" maneuver in his multi-pronged
approach to helping a golfer who has a slice problem
[11]. Brian derived the term "twistaway" from one of his
young students, who used the term "twistaway" when
being shown how to perform the maneuver. The actual
biomechanics used in the maneuver have been
previously described by other golf instructors. I don't
know who first described the maneuver - I personally
discovered a description of the maneuver in a golf
instructional book "Four Magic Moves to Winning Golf"
by Joe Dante, which was published in 1962.
Joe Dante used the following diagram to demonstrate the
*maneuver.
(* You can read Joe Dante's description online at
http://www.golf-swing-magic.com/golf-
backswing3.html)

The "twistaway" maneuver - image from reference

number [12]

The top diagram demonstrates the "twistaway"

maneuver, and the bottom diagram represents the
standard takeaway maneuver.
Joe Dante recommended that a golfer should press down
firmly with the right palm against the left thumb (at
PP#1) during the takeaway so as to drive the knuckles of
the left hand under the grip. I personally also think that
it is advantageous to think of gripping more tightly with
the left 3rd, 4th and 5th finger tips during this maneuver,
in order to help twist the grip in a counterclockwise
direction. One should have the "feeling" that one is
twisting the left hand under the grip, so that the knuckles
face more groundwards during the "twistaway"
maneuver. In a standard takeaway manuever (designed
to swivel the geometrically FLW onto the inclined plane
by the mid-backswing), the back of the left hand will
face the ball-target line in the late takeaway as the left
forearm pronates during the takeaway action (lower
image in the above diagram). When performing the
"twistaway" maneuver, a golfer is resisting this left
forearm pronatory action, and he can be perceived to be
deliberately supinating the left forearm during the
takeaway action.
If you understand the above-described biomechanical
maneuver, then you should realize that this "twistaway"
maneuver is automatically/naturally used by a TGM
hitter, who doesn't use a takeaway swivel action.
TGM hitter's takeaway action - capture images from a
swing video

Look at Scott's left hand during the takeaway. Note how

he is rotating his left hand counterclockwise under the
grip end of the clubshaft during his takeaway. In other
words, he is resisting the natural left forearm pronatory
movement that accompanies the standard takeaway
swivel action (which is used by TGM swingers). The
"twistaway" manuever can be thought of as being an
"anti-pronatory" maneuver of the left hand, that is
designed to keep the clubface more closed to the
clubhead arc during the takeaway.
If a golfer uses the "twistaway" maneuver during his
backswing action, then he is basically keeping the
clubface more closed to his clubhead arc during his
backswing action. If the clubface is more closed to the
clubhead arc during the backswing, then it will obviously
have a "real life" benefit for a slicer who has an open
clubface problem at impact. However, the "twistaway"
maneuver is not actually correcting the cause(s) of a
slicer's problem, and it should be thought of as a
temporary band-aid approach that can be very effective.
I personally believe that the "twistaway maneuver"
should only be used by a golfer who uses a TGM hitting
action. I personally don't believe that it is the optimum
solution to correct a slice problem in a swinger, who uses
a right forearm takeaway and a takeaway swivel action -
because it interferes with the natural biomechanics
involved in a takeaway swivel action. I think that a
swinger, who has slice problem, should optimally
identify the *true cause(s) of his slice problem and apply
targeted remedies - instead of using the band-aid
"twistaway" maneuver approach.
(* See my Causes and Cure of a Slice Problem review
paper for a detailed list of slice causes and recommended
cures).

Question number 4:
In his book [13], Hank Haney recommends that a golfer
ensure that his clubshaft is parallel to the clubshaft-at-
address plane - during the mid-late backswing. He states
that if a golfer keeps the clubshaft parallel to the
clubshaft-at-address plane - then it is equivalent to
keeping the clubshaft "on-plane". Do you agree with
Hank Haney's "congruent angles" concept of keeping the
clubshaft "on-plane"?
Answer:
No.

Hank Haney demonstrating his "congruent angles"

concept - adapted from reference number [13]

Hank Haney believes that a clubshaft should be "on-

plane" during the mid-late backswing, and according to
his definition of an "on-plane" backswing action, a
clubshaft is "on-plane" when it is continuously parallel
to the clubshaft-at-address plane during the mid-late
backswing (see red arrows).
Hank Haney is free to invent his own definition of an
"on-plane" backswing action. However, I know of no
biomechanical/mechanical imperative that mandates that
a clubshaft should be parallel to the clubshaft-at-address
plane during its mid-late backswing path-of-travel. I
believe that it is advisable for the left arm flying wedge
alignment to be intact/correct during the mid-late
backswing (as demonstrated by Hank Haney in the above
diagram), but I do not believe it is imperative that the
clubshaft have a "precisely-defined" angle (relative to
the ground) during the mid-late backswing. I believe that
different golfers have different body shapes, different
bent-over spine angles, and they also have variable
degrees of i) left upper arm internal rotation/left forearm
pronation; ii) left arm abduction; iii) right arm abduction;
iv) right upper arm external rotation; and v) right elbow
folding per unit time during their mid-late backswing
action. All those biomechanical factors can influence the
clubshaft angle during the mid-late backswing.
Therefore, I cannot think of a reason why a golfer should
be impelled to follow Hank Haney's advice, that is based
on his mental concept of an "on-plane" backswing, that
is arbitrarily defined by his arbitrary idea of
"congruent angles". I think that Homer Kelley's "on-
plane" concept makes more sense as a guiding principle
for keeping the clubshaft "on-plane" during the
backswing, downswing and followthrough - because it
will help a golfer generate a clubhead arc that is
symmetrically "in-to-square-to-in" relative to the ball-
target line.

Question number 5:
Jim McLean believes very strongly in his X-factor theory
that states that a golfer can generate more swing power
if a golfer restricts his pelvic rotation and maximises his
shoulder rotation in the backswing. Do you believe that
his X-factor theory is valid, and do you believe that a
golfer should deliberately restrict his pelvis rotation in
the backswing so as to maximise his X-factor stretch
(degree of torso-pelvic shoulder separation)?
Answer:
No.
I don't believe that there is any scientific evidence to
support the X-factor theory. I discussed this issue in great
detail in my Jim McLean's Triple-X factor - A Critical
Review review paper.
Jim McLean continues to promote his X-factor theory
and he published the following table in the April 2010
issue of Golf Digest magazine.

X-factor analysis - from the Gof Digest magazine

According to this table, Jamie Sadlowski has a X-factor

stretch value of 117 degrees and Jim McLean has
concluded that this high value is primarily responsible
for his long-driving carry distance of 375 yards.
However, that doesn't represent scientific proof! One
could look at this same table and conclude that it's Jamie
Sadlowski's shoulder turn of 166 degrees that is
primarily responsible for his long driving distance carry
of 375 yards. That would make more sense, because
most of the swing power in a swinger is derived from the
speed of release of PA#4, and a golfer who can maximise
his shoulder turn angle in the backswing can
theoretically load and release PA#4 with greater
force/speed. However, there are other factors that can
also affect clubhead speed - efficacy of the downswing
pivot action, degree of lag, efficacy of release of lag,
timing of clubhead release through impact - and I
discussed these other factors in my analysis of Jamie
Sadlowski's swing - see my Swing Analysis - World
Long-drive Champion, Jamie Sadlowski's Swing review
paper.
I think that each individual golfer should decide whether
he wants to restrict his pelvic rotation in the backswing,
or whether he wants to freely rotate his pelvis so that he
can more easily maximise his shoulder turn. Phil
Mickelson and Sam Snead are examples of golfers who
have a large pelvic and shoulder turn in the backswing,
and who drive the ball a long way (relative to their
peers).
Sam Snead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDn_2_kvmBE
Phil Mickelson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrJjTJcIMhY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtEfOAruVco
The reason why they can both drive the ball a long way
is because they have a full backswing that allows for a
complete loading of power accumulator #4 (left arm
loaded against the left upper chest wall during the
backswing). They also have a superb downswing pivot
action that allows them to fully and efficiently release
power accumulator #4. If a golfer can get the left arm to
swing freely and fast towards impact in the downswing,
then he will likely hit the ball a long way.

Question number 6:
Does this golfer have a bent left wrist at his end-
backswing position?

Golfer at the end-backswing position - adapted from a

Golf Digest article
Answer:
I cannot tell from that photo whether the golfer has a bent
left wrist. The only conclusion that is valid regarding that
photo, is that the golfer has a cupped/scooped left wrist
(non-anatomically FLW) at his end-backswing position.
Left wrist cupping at the end-backswing position can be
due to a geometrically FLW or a bent left wrist - and one
needs to see whether the clubshaft is straight-in-line with
the left forearm to determine whether the cupping is due
to a geometrically FLW or due to a bent left wrist. If the
clubshaft is straight-in-line with the left forearm, then the
cupping is due to a geometrically FLW. If the clubshaft
is out-of-line with respect to the left forearm, then the
cupping is due to a bent left wrist.
Here is the original April 2010 Golf Digest photo -
featuring David Toms.
David Toms' end-backswing position - adapted from a
Golf Digest article
One can see that David Toms has an intact left arm flying
wedge alignment - his clubshaft is straight-in-line with
his left forearm from a planar perspective, and his
clubface is parallel to the back of his left forearm. David
Toms therefore has a geometrically FLW, which is
responsible for the slight degree of cupping visible in the
back of his left wrist.
One can more clearly see that David Toms has a FLW,
and not a bent left wrist, in a DTL view of his late
backswing action.

David Toms' late backswing action - capture images

from a swing video
Image 1 shows David Toms when his left arm is parallel
to the ground in his mid-backswing. Note that he has an
intact left arm flying wedge alignment with a
geometrically FLW, and his clubshaft is "on-plane".
Image 2 shows him slightly later during his backswing
action. His left arm flying wedge alignment is still
intact/correct. One can now only see the ulnar border of
his left wrist/hand, and one cannot assess whether his left
wrist is cupped from this DTL view.
Image 3 shows him at the end-backswing position, when
his clubshaft is parallel to the ball-target line. He has a
FLW and his left arm flying wedge alignment is
intact/correct. One cannot see whether he has left wrist
cupping from this DTL view.
Left wrist cupping due to a bent left wrist - capture image
from a swing video
Note that the golfer's left wrist is cupped (solid red
angled-line). The cupping is due to a bent left wrist -
because the clubshaft is not in a straight line planar
relationship with the left forearm. The left wrist is bent-
back (dorsiflexed) and that causes the clubshaft to angle
more towards the right, rather than being more parallel
to the ball-target line. Note that the toe of the clubhead is
pointing more downwards (compared to the clubface in
the David Toms photo), and note that the clubface is not
perfectly parallel to the back of the left forearm. The fact
that the clubface is angled more downwards means that
the clubface is more open to the clubhead arc, and that is
due to the fact that the golfer (author) has allowed his left
wrist to bend-back (dorsiflex).

Question number 7:
Some golfers state that there is no such thing as a "pure"
rightwards-centered backswing action, and they state
that all golfers have some leftwards-tilt of their spine
during the backswing. Are they correct?
Answer:
Defenders of the S&T swing methodology, which I
define as a leftwards-centralised backswing action swing
style methodology, often use this fallacious argument.
They state that when a golfer is viewed from behind, that
even a rightwards-centralised backswing action swing
style golfer seems to have leftwards-tilt of the spine.
However, I believe that they are mistaking an upper
thoracic spine, that is being torqued leftwards due to a
large shoulder turn, as being reflective of a leftwards-
tilted spine. But, a leftwards-tilted spine and an upper
thoracic spine that is torqued slightly leftwards, are not
the same thing.
Consider this swing video lesson, where I am
demonstrating a rightwards-centered backswing action.
Weight shift swing video lesson - Segment 3 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b293B4Z6mks
You only need to watch the first 35 seconds of the swing
video lesson segment. In that video segment, I am simply
rotating my upper torso naturally around my
rightwards-tilted spine. I am trying to keep centralised
and I am trying to avoid any swaying motion to the right.
Note that I am not holding a golf club - because I am only
demonstrating the backswing pivot action.

Author performing a rightwards-centralised backswing

action - capture images from his swing video lesson
Image 1 represents the address position. The yellow
dotted line shows that I have a small degree of
rightwards-tilt of the spine, which causes the right
shoulder to become slightly lower than the left shoulder
at address.
Image 2 represents the mid-backswing. Note that I have
maintained the same degree of rightwards-tilt of the
spine - note that my head is still in the same position. The
yellow dotted line represents my rightwards-tilted spine.
One cannot see the upper half of my spine, because it is
now obscured by my right shoulder blade.
Image 3 shows the end-backswing position. Note that my
head has remained roughly in the same position, and note
that my degree of rightwards-tilt of the spine has
remained nearly unchanged - moving only slightly more
rightwards (see yellow dotted line). The right shoulder
blade is obscuring the upper half of my spine. Note how
a large shoulder turn can torque the upper thoracic spine
slightly leftwards. However, a slight torquing of the
upper thoracic spine to the left (due to a large shoulder
turn motion) is not the same phenomenon as a deliberate
leftwards-tilt of the spine (as recommended for a S&T
golfer via the biomechanical mechanism of bowing the
spine away from the target).
Geoff Jones (aka as Slicefixer), an Arkansas-based
golf instructor, also teaches his golf students a
rightwards-centralised backswing action swing style.
Consider how his golf students use a rightwards-
centralised backswing action.
Slicefixer student swing video compilation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12KHR1xr2SA
Note how his golf students simply turn around their
rightwards-tilted spine. They do not usually torque their
upper thoracic spine leftwards (as much as many PGA
tour golfers) because Geoff Jones prefers that his
students use a shorter backswing action.

Slicefixer student (birds-eye view) - capture images from

his swing video

Image 1 shows a Slicefixer student at address. Note his

rightwards-tilted spine.
Image 2 shows how he simply rotates his upper torso
around his rightwards-tilted spine during the mid-
backswing. Note that he doesn't sway his head and upper
torso to the right.
Image 3 shows the Slicefixer student in the late
backswing. Note that he has remained centralised with a
rightwards-tilted spine. Any "appearance" of the upper
thoracic spine being torqued to the left is only due to the
effect of the clockwise movement of the right shoulder
blade around his rightwards-tilted spine.
I would highly recommend a rightwards-centralised
backswing action swing style for all golfers, and I
believe that all golfers should avoid any deliberate
tilting (arch-extension) of their spine to the left during
their backswing action. An unintentional torquing of
the upper thoracic spine to the left, due to a large
shoulder turn, is perfectly acceptable - as long as a golfer
doesn't deliberately lean leftwards and adopt a reverse
pivoting posture.

Question number 8:
You state that you do not want golfers to use a leftwards-
centralised backswing action, which you label a reverse-
posturing backswing action. What about a vertical-
centralised backswing pivot action?
Answer:
What is a vertical-centralised backswing action?
Re-consider this photo-diagram from Bennett/Plummer's
S&T golf book [9].
End-backswing postures - from reference number [9]

I prefer a rightwards-centralised backswing action -

represented by photo B. By contrast, Bennett/Plummer
recommend a leftwards-centralised backswing action
(photo C) for their S&T swing style. A vertical-
centralised backswing action is intermediate between
posture B and posture C - where the upper torso appears
to be vertically-centralised between the feet. Sean O'Hair
is a good example of a golfer who uses a vertical-
centralised backswing action.
See -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phEWUVJE3CA
Sean O'Hair describes the biomechanics of his
backswing action in this swing video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNS9ZxE4ji8
In that video, Sean O"Hair states that he tries to keep his
sternum centralised over the ball.

Sean O'Hair demonstrating how he performs his

backswing action - capture image from his swing video

Note that Sean O'Hair tries to keep his sternum

centralised when performing his backswing pivot action
- image 1. That gives him a vertical-centralised posture
at his end-backswing position - image 2.
Most importantly, note that Sean O'Hair states that he
doesn't use the S&T maneuver of arch-extending the
spine (towards the target) in his backswing action.
Sean O'Hair demonstrating the S&T maneuver of arch-
extending the spine - capture image from his swing video
Note that Sean O'Hair is arch-extending his spine
(bowing the spine away from the target) while
performing his backswing pivot action, and that causes
his upper torso to be leaning leftwards in a leftwards-
centralised backswing action (reverse-posturing) manner
- upper spine is vertical, but more left-leaning relative to
the lower lumbar spine. Sean O'Hair doesn't use that
S&T maneuver (called the "Leaning Tower of Pisa"
feeling by the S&T golfer Charlie Wi) in his vertical-
centralised backswing action.
I think that it is perfectly acceptable to use a vertical-
centralised backswing action as an alternative to a
rightwards-centralised backswing action. In both cases,
one can rotate the pelvis in the downswing without
having to perform the "butt-thrust-under-the-lower
spine" maneuver (assertive left-lateral pelvic shift
maneuver) that is so characteristic of the S&T swing, and
that may produce potentially harmful latriflexion forces
at the level of the lumbar spine.

Question number 9:
Sean O'Hair, who uses a vertical-centered backswing
action, presently has Sean Foley as his golf instructor
(2010). Tiger Woods is now (August 2010) also being
exposed to Sean Foley's golf instructional teaching.
There has been considerable controvery in the "golf-
gossip" world of professional golfers as to whether Sean
Foley is teaching the S&T swing, or some personal
variant of the S&T swing, and many golfers actually
believe that Sean O'Hair is really a S&T golfer - even
though Sean O'Hair has stated publically that he is not
using the S&T swing. Could you more clearly
demonstrate the difference between Sean O'Hair's
vertical backswing action swing style and the S&T swing
style?
Answer:
Although Sean Foley has asserted that he has only
acquired 5% of his swing style teaching philosophy from
Bennett/Plummer, there are many similarities between
Sean O'Hair's swing and the S&T swing. Sean O'Hair
and a S&T golfer both use a centered backswing action
- where they try to keep the torso very centered during
the backswing action. I previously stated that Sean
O'Hair uses a vertical backswing action swing style, and
that a S&T golfer uses a leftwards-centralised backswing
action swing style. However, the issue is much more
complex, because many S&T golfers do not look
leftwards-centralised at their end-backswing position.
Consider an example - Troy Matteson.

Troy Matteson and Andy Plummer at the end-backswing

position
I obtained the Troy Matteson capture image from a
swing video [14] and I obtained the Andy Plummer
photo from the S&T book [9].
At first glance, it would seem that Troy Matteson has a
rightwards-centralised backswing action - because his
torso appears to be leaning to the right, while Andy
Plummer's torso appears to be leaning very slightly to the
left. However, Troy Matteson's right-leaning appearance
is due to the fact that his he has shifted his pelvis more
left-laterally - note that the outer border of his left pelvis
is outside his left foot. If the pelvis shifts left-laterally,
then the lumbar spine also moves left-laterally. If the
head is kept stationary over the ball, then the torso will
appear to be more right-leaning - even if the S&T golfer
is using the very characteristic S&T extension maneuver.
The extension maneuver is also referred to as a spine
straightening maneuver, or an arch-extension
maneuver. This extension maneuver is very
characteristic of the S&T swing and it causes the
thoracic spine to become left-leaning relative to the
lumbar spine - even if the whole torso appears to be
right-leaning. If you look carefully at Troy Matteson's
torso, you will see that his upper torso is slightly left-
leaning relative to his lower torso - even though his
whole torso appears to be right-leaning. If a golfer uses
the characteristic S&T extension maneuver, then he can
be correctly labelled a S&T golfer, irrespective of
whether his torso appears to be slightly right-leaning, or
appears to be vertical, or appears to be left-leaning, at the
end-backswing position. Sean O'Hair has a vertical
backswing action, which causes his head, upper swing
center and lower swing center to become vertically
aligned - but he doesn't utilise the S&T swing's extension
maneuver, and that fact differentiates his swing from a
S&T golfer's swing. To make this complex issue much
clearer, I will describe the biomechanics of the S&T
swing's extension maneuver in greater detail.
Consider the natural spinal anatomy of a person who
stands erect.

Diagram of the human spine

When a golfer stands erect, there is a very slight
concave-curvacture of the lumbar spine - called lordosis.
By contrast, the thoracic spine is minimally curved in the
opposite direction - called kyphosis.

When a golfer
bends over ~30-40 degrees into his address posture, there
should be no significant change in the spinal
architecture.

Representation of a golfer bending forward about 30-40

degrees

The hip joint is the fulcrum point for the bending-over
process, and the golfer's entire spine bends overs with no
significant change in spinal curvacture. In other words,
the spine is not more flexed when a golfer bends over, or
more extended when the golfer stands more erect. In
some good golfers there may be a slight decrease in the
amount of lumbar lordosis when they adopt a "correct"
bent-over posture, but the overall spinal architecural
alignment should basically be retained.

Here is Nick
Faldo's address posture with the spine diagram
superimposed.

Nick Faldo's address posture with spine diagram

superimposed on the image

Note that Nick Faldo's mid-upper back appears to be

slightly curved, and that is due to the fact that the human
thoracic spine naturally has a slightly kyphotic (convex)
curvacture. In the traditional/conventional golf swing,
that slight kyphotic curvacture of the spine is retained
during the backswing action, and it will still be present
at the end-backswing position if the golfer rotates his
upper torso 90 degrees during his backswing action.
However, the thoracic spines are facing the target at the
end-backswing position (because the thoracic vertebrae
have rotated 90 degrees), and it will be difficult to note
this curvacture when viewing the golfer from a face-on
view.
In a S&T golfer's swing, this slight kyphotic curvacture
of the thoracic spine is partially eliminated by the S&T
swing's extension maneuver, which attempts to
extend/straighten the spine - while the thoracic spine is
rotating during the backswing. To understand what
affect this extension maneuver will have on the spinal
alignment at the end-backswing position, consider this
demonstration of a human skeleton model undergoing a
rotational movement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtfy6Km3kvY
You only need to watch the first few 20 seconds of the
video, where the subject demonstrates the 90 degree
rotation of the skeleton's thoracic spine and a 45 degrees
rotation of the lumbar spine/pelvis. (The rest of the video
is devoted to his "spine engine" theory, which I believe
is totally invalid - and I may write a critical review paper
re: the "spine engine" theory in the near future).
I have created this animated gif to demonstrate the
spine's rotational movement.

In the video demonstration, note that the spine is erect,

while in a golfer's swing this spinal rotation will occur
while the spine is bent-over at 30-40 degrees. However,
this will not alter the essential nature of the spine's
natural movements during the rotation of the
upper/lower torso during the backswing action.
Capture image from the swing video
In this capture image, the thoracic spine has rotated 90
degrees, while the lumbar spine and pelvis have both
rotated ~45 degrees. Note that the demonstrator is not
allowing the spine to tilt to the left-or-right during this
demonstration. This demonstration basically shows what
happens to the spine in a vertical-centered backswing
action - like Sean O'Hair's swing. The rotation is nearly
a "pure" rotation, and there is no attempt to lean the spine
away from, or towards, the target. Note that this "pure"
rotation movement will allow a golfer to keep the head,
upper swing center (located near the second thoracic
vertebra), and the lower swing center (located near the
mid-sacrum) centralised over the ball during the
backswing, with the mid-upper thoracic spine becoming
near-vertical at the end-backswing position - see Sean
O'Hair in his swing video demonstration. Finally, note
that the thoracic spine is still slightly kyphotic (as it was
at address). However, note that the kyphotic convex arch
of the thoracic spine is directed towards the target
(because the thoracic spine has rotated 90 degrees).
Now consider what happens in a S&T golfer's swing
when he performs the extension maneuver (also called
a spine straightening maneuver).
Modified photo - designed to demonstrate the
biomechanical effects of the extension maneuver

I have created two spinal images to demonstrate what I

perceive to be happening to a S&T golfer's spine when
he performs the extension maneuver, that will give a
S&T golfer a distinct "sensation" of experiencing what
Charlie Wi (Bennett/Plummer's proto-typical S&T
golfer) calls a "Leaning Tower of Pisa" sensation. The
upper spine moves leftwards due to the influence of the
extension maneuver ("attempt to straighten the thoracic
spine" maneuver), and the magnitude of the extension
maneuver's effect on the thoracic spine (at different
levels) is represented by the size of the red arrows - and
that leftwards motion is obviously happening while the
spine is rotating during the backswing action.
The next photo represents my perception of the relative
difference between Sean O'Hair' thoracic spine (yellow
curve) and a S&T golfer's thoracic spine (red curve) at
the end-backswing position - presuming that the upper
torso rotation is limited to 90 degrees, and the upper
torso doesn't over-rotate >>90 degrees and torque the
upper spine leftwards.

Modified photo - designed to demonstrate the magnitude

of the effect of the extension maneuver

Note that the lumbar spine (green curved line) is
unchanged, but the S&T spine (red curved line) is more
left-leaning (relative to the lumbar curve line) than
Sean O'Hair's spine (yellow curved line). In other words,
the upper spine becomes more bowed/arched towards the
target under the influence of the S&T swing's extension
maneuver, but there is very little change in the degree of
verticalization of the mid-upper thoracic spine.
The following photo demonstrates my perception of
these spinal curves as superimposed on Andy Plummer's
S&T swing - at his end-backswing position.

Back view of Andy Plummer at his end-backswing

position - from reference number [15]

I have kept the colors the same, so it should be

apparent where the thoracic spine and lumbar spine are
roughly situated. I believe that the thoracic spine's arch-
curvacture to the left (relative to the lumbar spine) is
responsible for the S&T swing's left-leaning look - the
"Leaning Tower of Pisa" look, where the upper torso
appears to be leaning leftwards relative to the lower
torso, even while the mid-upper thoracic spine appears
to be vertical when viewed from a face-on view.

I think
that one characteristic sign of this S&T spine "arch-
extension maneuver" is the fact that the right side of the
mid-torso appears to be bulging slightly to the right -
thereby obliterating part of the "space" that is created by
a traditional/conventional golfer who performs a
rightwards-centralised backswing pelvic action.
Addendum added December 2010:
I have produced a 9 minute video which shows how an
arch-extension maneuver is needed to convert a
rightwards backswing pivot action, or a rightwards-
centralised backswing pivot action, into a vertical-
centralised backswing pivot action, or a leftwards-
centralised backswing pivot action (which requires a
greater degree of arch-extension towards the target in
order to cause the thoracic spine to be more leftwards
leaning relative to the lumbar spine).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPd5hSGuikg