Right forearm allignment
 

Okay, this might come across as a most basic goofy question, but I gotta ask it because I just figure it out for myself. But, on Yoda's swing when he talks about having the right forearm on plane. Does he mean that if you viewed the shaft from down the line, you could draw a straight line from the heel of the club, up the shaft, up the right forearm and it would be straight? In order to get that allignment you would lift the hands upward until the shaft and arm lined up? Sorry for being dense.

Great question!

Lay your right forearm on a table. Bend your wrist back. DO NOT COCK. Place a dowel or shaft in the cup of your hand. The entire shaft/dowel and entire length of your forearm are in the same plane (the horizontal plane of the table). This is your right forearm flying wedge. The key here is under no circumstances do you cock your right wrist. Your right wrist is now LEVEL. Keep it that way.

The table is on a Horizontal plane. Now just imagine the table being on an angled plane like a roof. The on plane alignment of your shaft and forearm are the same regardless of what plane you are on. The forearm and shaft/dowel are in the plane of the right wrist bend.

When you take the club up, don't take it up with your wrist cock. Your right wrist is motionless. Take the club up by bending your elbow.

I'm sure that the Magic of the Right Forearm will show up here soon. All of this is from Yoda's Right Forearm Primer. I probably butchered it. But I think this should get you started.

I'd love some clarification on the 'bend your right elbow' in reference to this drill.

If my forearm and elbow are on the table and I bend my elbow, the hand lifts 'off plane'. Do you really mean 'pull the elbow back' - which keeps both hand and elbow on plane (on the table)? This would be a similar feel as the 'pull the mower cord' image.

Also, if I have my forearm on the table, how can I hold anything in it and have it also be 'on plane'? Unless it is held between my fingers, or held such that it is not on plane, but perpendicular to the plane? The only way this is possible is via a 90 degree rotation of the hand/forearm.

Thanks - EdZ

Re: Right forearm allignment
 

FanofHogan,

Richard gives a wonderful description of the Right Arm Flying Wedge, and to answer your question directly, the right forearm is on plane once the right elbow is on plane. This is essentially from waist high (backstoke and downstroke) to follow through (both arms straight). Imagine having a laser eminating from #3PP and tracing the plane line during this interval. This is one of the cornerstones of TGM theory in my mind, and one to definitely cultivate.

EC

Video
 

I have a very, very, special video I'm going to try and put up soon. It requires a lot of special care so it's taking a little longer than usual. But it will make this Crystal clear.

And it will be an Internet first for the Golfing Machine!

Bagger

Hey guys, thanks so much for all the support and thanks for putting this forum out here for the masses!!

Re: Video
 

Really looking forward to it Bagger.Man,I'm confused. :oops:

In response to:

"Okay, this might come across as a most basic goofy question, but I gotta ask it because I just figure it out for myself. But, on Yoda's swing when he talks about having the right forearm on plane. Does he mean that if you viewed the shaft from down the line, you could draw a straight line from the heel of the club, up the shaft, up the right forearm and it would be straight? In order to get that allignment you would lift the hands upward until the shaft and arm lined up? Sorry for being dense."

Hi, I had trouble visualizing this as well and wasn't sure what it looked like until I came across some pictures from the "Secrets of the Golfing Machine" workshop at Pine Needles, NC (last summer I think). There are 2 pictures that show Yoda at address down the line that clearly show the right forearm aligned with the clubshaft.

Bagger, would it be OK to post the URL for the pictures? (I saved the link from another forum). Once you see the two pictures I am talking about it becomes crystal clear that this is a literal aligning of the forearm with the shaft at address.

PM me if you want the link (I am hesitant about posting any URL's since I know some forum's frown on this).

Keith

Re: Right forearm allignment
 

FOH~

Hopefully someone will comment on your "down the line" view. It is not clear to me that a determination can be made from there.

DRW

Doc,

Kevin above sent me a link to the pictures from the workshop. In them there are two pictures that are somewhat down the line that show the forearm allignment. It was a bell ringer to see it for me. If you want the link, email me or let me know and when I get to the office tomorrow I will send them to you.

FOH~

Thanks for the offer. I have the link and think the reference photos are 8532-8536 dated 8/6/04. My thinking is that it would be clearer viewing along the red line but maybe not. There has been discussion elsewhere on the extension of the shaft and the forearm at impact not appearing in line. In the sequences I have examined including the workshop photos and the student's video of Yoda, I can't see the line up from a down the target line view. BTW, if you have access to The Masters of Golf by Aultman and Bowden check out Trevino. These discussions take the eyes to different places and for me gave a different meaning to Hogan's lesson #4.

DRW

I submitted a request here for some close up photos of the allignment from all angles etc. I think once they get that going the fog will dissappear forever. It's amazing that on GEA all the skeptics were trashing TGM etc, then the video clip of Yoda hitting appeared and now several of the skeptics are saying, "Wait a minute, no tell me a little bit more about....." :lol:

Depends on the plane you are looking at
 

I know basically nothing about TGM and I also am struggling, trying to interpret and incorporate these fundamentals into my swing with no one here to say yes thats right or no you haven't quite got it.
Any experts please let me know if I've got it right or not.
As to the right forearm on plane with the shaft, I think it depends on how you are looking at it. If you look from behind the ball the shaft and forearm are supposed to appear to be in line, or laying on the same plane. If you were looking from opposite the ball or even the view as you look down at the shaft and your fore arm the would not appear to be in line, they would be at angles to each other.
For me to get what I think is right, I set up the right arm flying wedge with the club in my right hand, raised and extended out from my body, as if it was laying on the table. Then I lower the club head down to the ground while bending my right elbow and keeping it, (my elbow) pretty close to the front of my right hip, but still keeping the bent right wrist and the flying wedge.
Sorry about the length and I hope it makes sense. I quess I am looking for some validation.
Steve

The whole plane subject is fascinating. 10-6 and 10-13 may be the most complex in the book and possibly the most critical prerequisite for a student prior to striking a ball. If there is any area in the book that needs a "see your AI immediately" message, this is it. Hopefully I am getting close but my plans for a brief trip with TGM vanished some months ago. HK must have been in a joking mood when he wrote in the Preface, "stay with it a while..."

Maybe in the future we will have the opportunity to hear what Yoda had to say during the session represented by photos 8532-37 of the Parker C Smith series at Pine Needles and #10-11 in the musical slide show.

DRW

Re: Depends on the plane you are looking at
 

Steve,

You basically have got it for the right forearm flying wedge. There is much, much more to say about the wedges. 6-B-3-0-1 if you have the book.

We hear you guys on the photos...As they say, a thousand words.

Wait'in, Wait'in on a Sunny Day... :D

Bagger Springsteen