Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Sat Nov 12 13:12:47 2005

> Hi Tom
>
> I have always found a dialog with a gentleman to be enjoyable and constructive. And, as
I found from our past discussions, our differences are more a matter of definition than
principle. I will give my conclusions regarding our discussion of “weight shift” for your
comments.
>
> It appears the term “weight shift” can be used in two different forms. One form would
generate linear momentum (or kinetic energy) and would therefore require linear
movement of body mass. This form would occur when a batter shifts weight rearward to
“load” or during the stride as the batter shifts the center of mass forward to a new balance
point.
>
> The second form that would constitute a “weight shift” would not require a linear
movement of the center of mass and therefore would not generate linear momentum. This
form would occur during the swing as the body rotates about a fixed axis. At the start of
rotation, more weight is supported by the rear leg. As the body rotates to contact, the
responsibility for supporting the weight is shifted to the lead-leg
>
> Those are my conclusions
>
> Jack Mankin

Jack-

Here are some more things to consider from BOBBY JONES ON GOLF:

I think the way you have separated the issues is a good one. The second category seems to me more of a body sequencing mechanical factor which is still important and certainly associated with the first category,but not primarily "weight shift" in the sense of
linear momentum/back and/or forward motion of body mass.

Jones was discussing primarily category #1 when he used the word "weight shift" to mean the way the whole body moves back or forward in a related way that is different from a suboptimal "sway". So the proper way for the body mass to move (in the back and forth/linear plane coincident with the "target line") would be a "shift" not a "sway",then beyond this the proper way to "shift" and how the timing/relation of this shift affects the swing dynamics need to be understood.

Most important is to figure out the effect on the "swing plane" (plane bathead fires out in) and the acceleration characteristics in that plane.

That in turn is related to the overal swing tern/sequence,especially in the sense of what we might call in traditional "hitting cue" terms "top hand dominance" and its effect.

So how might weight "shift" be related to "top hand dominace" and the orientation of the "swing plane" and the acceleration characteristics of the bathead within this plane ?

First a note on "top hand dominance". Overall,Jones found that the learning process was very predictable and natural in the sense of the learner progressing through phases from arm swinger to body turn and arm swinger to total body whipping.This final pattern was the most effective and efficient,BUT to stay in this pattern was somewhat UNnatural in the sense that there was always the tendency to want to shorten up/hurry/rush the sequence to try to "HIT" with the dominant back arm/hand (assume righty using right arm as back
arm which is usually the case).He found it necessary to watch out for signs of "top hand dominance" degrading the swing sequence/pattern.

Having good balance/timing/sequencing of the swing requires the lead arm remain dominant in the downswing. This in turn requires that the contact point NOT be moved too far back AND the weight continuing to "shift" forward as the swing "comes down from the top".

The "top of the swing" in hitting would be roughly when the back elbow starts down.

Now with that context,let's look at some other things (besides the quotes in the first post) Jones describes :

SHIFTING THE WEIGHT

"It is my definite opinion that there need be no shifting of the weight [back] during the backstroke..but there should occur during the hitting [forward] stroke a pronounced shift from right to left [back to front] - a shift that does not follow the club or pass smoothly along coincident with its progress,but is executed quickly, and leads the arms and club all the way through.

"The more expert players stand almost erect when addressing the ball. rarely does one see a truly first rate player bend or stoop over the ball. His body curves only very slightly and his weight is equally apportioned on each foot, and, if it is possible evenly distributed over the area of each....From this position, the proper bdy action is purely a turn or pivot with no [backward] shifting or sway whatever.

"The downswing or hiting stroke presents another picture. There is a shift here. but there is no sway, and the difference is what the average golfer wants to understand. it is this: the weight shift which is proper is a shift of the hips - a lateral movement of the middle part of the body that does not alter the location of the head and shoulders with respect to the ball; the sway, which is improper, is a forward movement of the entire body, that sends the head and shoulders forward, too, and tends to upset the player's balance.

"There are 2 common ways of handling the weight improperly. The more damage is caused by settling most of the weight upon the left [front] foot at the top of the swing; a beginner nearly always has a liking for this. Although we may sometimes overlook the root
of the trouble, the result is a familiar sight. The effort of hitting always throws the weight violently back upon the right [back] foot. The player falls away from the ball, his left foot
flies up into the air and his balance is completely lost. the other method, too, we have often seen. when in the backswing the player draws his entire body backward, and finds himself poised at the top with his entire wieght upon the righ [back] foot and his left leg
com[pletely straight. This beginning ends in a despairing lunge that usually carries the ball nowhere.

"If we examine the swings of several golfers, even with the naked eye, it is easy enough to tell whether the weight transference has been a sway or a shift. One characteristic of the proper body action,that is to say, the shift, is that the left leg is staraight at and after impact. If you want to know why this is, you have only to look at the line, which marks the left [front] side of the body. It has been lengthened without lifting the head , by holding the shoulder back while the left hip goes forward. the characteristic of the sway, located again in the left leg, is a decided bend of the left knee; the entire weight of the body being thrown forward prevents starightening of the left leg so that either the knee bends or the player falls flat on his face."

THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVEMENT

"..I should say the most important movement of the swing would be to start the downswing by the beginning of the unwinding of the hips....

"One sees any number of players who take the club back almost in a vertical arc, thereby violating the principles of the true swing. In other words, instead of swinging it back,they lift it up over the shoulders; but a lot of them, because they initiate the downswing with the turn of the hips before they move anything else, manage to play good golf.

"No matter how perfect the backswing may have been, if the hands , or the arms, or the shoulders start the downward movement, the club immediately loses the guidance of the body movement, and the benefit of the power the muscles of the waist and back could have contributed......"


DELAYING THE HIT

"Whenever you see a player blow wide open under the strain of competition, the chances are that the most immediate cause of the detonation is the unruly right hand, a hand that has gotten out of control because of the anxiety and nervousness of the player.

"... I think I can say truthfully that I am always on guard against a misapplication of right-hand [hitting-top hand] power, but even then it gets me. For a right handed person it is, of course, perfectly natural to want to do everything with that hand, and it becomes necessary not to call on it when it is needed, but to keep it out when it is not. The consciousness is of exclusion rather than use. To my mind, the right hand is absolutely useless, except as a steadying factor, throughout the entire backswing and nearly half of
the downstroke, or hitting stroke. Its first real use comes when it assumes command for the actual delivery of the blow.[Note- Jack has figured out a key difference in shortening/
quickening the hitting stroke is a different action of the top hand/back arm in hitting which he calls "THT" and which I find is the same as the throing arm action in loading for the overhand throw].

"If we allow the right hand to take hold at the very beginning of the downstroke, we are hitting too soon. The swing has not a chance to get in the right groove [develop desired plane], and the power is apt to be spent too soon [loading/coiling interrupted]; the wrists
wil have been uncoked before the stored up energy can be expended upon the ball.

"....This alone is sufficent for stressing the left [front] side most strongly; since it must be used, and hyet it is unnatural to use it, it requires more conscious direction than the right

"..My conception of the correct swing is built around the thought of making the left side move.


To be continued. So far Jones has described weight shift and top hand dominance. Next how the swing should come down from the top and how weight shift affects mechanics/swing plane.