Posted by: Melvin () on Tue Jan 27 17:23:35 2004

Understand how to develop x-factor stretch in hitting as opposed to golf and you are on your way.
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> http://www.skilltechnologies.com/XFactorStretch.htm

Hi

I don't think that concept should be taken too far.

It was first described as the X-factor in relation to golf by instructor Jim McClean.

The first baseball man to describe to my knowledge was Steve Ferroil, who called it the stretch position.

Some folks say a 1930 baseball player named Sam Byrd, who switched to golf in the 1940s and was a champion and a great instructor, was big on the stretching and used what he saw Babe Ruth do to teach golf.

I wouldn't overdo it in trying to maximize it. I remember when it was all the rage at my golf club and you had these fat, unathletic guys trying to rotate their huge bellies while restricting the hips. Ugly swings.

Good concept to remember: hips ahead of shoulders at initiation. Any attempt to "maximize" the difference between the two is probably ill-fated.

Just my opinion.

Melvin