Axis Tilt
 

Let's talk Axis Tilt.

I hear this term tossed around quite a bit. Let's see what answers we get!

> What is Axis Tilt?

> WHY or WHEN is it necessary?

> WHEN and HOW should one accomplish this tilt?

> About how many degrees should one tilt?

> Are there different TILT AMOUNTS for different STROKES or PROCEDURES (HIT vs. SWING / CIRCLE vs. LINE DELIVERY)?

> What is an example of a distorted concept and application of an AXIS TILT?

> What is Axis Tilt?`
Tilt of the spine such that the top is further from the target than the bottom

> WHY or WHEN is it necessary?
It's necessary to get the right shoulder going downplane, rather than out above plane (over the top). I think its necessary at the startdown, but I've heard it said that it can occur later than this. It also allows a straight line delivery path of the hands.

> WHEN and HOW should one accomplish this tilt?
At startdown, through a hip slide parallel to the selected delivery line with a stationary head.

> About how many degrees should one tilt?
Depends on size of the pulley? More tilt for longer straight line delivery path.

> Are there different TILT AMOUNTS for different STROKES or PROCEDURES (HIT vs. SWING / CIRCLE vs. LINE DELIVERY)?
See above. I think no tilt means you have to have a circle delivery path.

> What is an example of a distorted concept and application of an AXIS TILT?

Dropping the head back instead of moving the hips forward.

> What is Axis Tilt?
As described in the above post.

> WHY or WHEN is it necessary?
> WHEN and HOW should one accomplish this tilt?
It's the result/effect of the upper body (shoulders) being held up by the club lag during lag loading (transition) and sustainning (starting down). In other words, you don't need to do it. It shows up as a result of " lag loading and sustainning.

> About how many degrees should one tilt?
> Are there different TILT AMOUNTS for different STROKES or PROCEDURES (HIT vs. SWING / CIRCLE vs. LINE DELIVERY)?
Depends on the effort of "lag loading and sustainning".

> What is an example of a distorted concept and application of an AXIS TILT?
The intent to do it.

See for yourself...

How do you distinguish in these pictures between an upper body sway off the ball and an hip slide/axis tilt under a stationary head?

Tilt
 

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Good question. One would probably need to see the whole sequence, or at least most of it, to determine if sway, etc. is there.

Shallow
 

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Axis Tilt(increase in) is often associated with a shallowing of the plane on the downswing. We can see with Garcia, for example, that this is not always the case. He shallows the downswing as much or more than anybody, but has very little tilt in this picture.

IMO if you try to tilt your shoulders away (sway off the ball)it is impossible to obtain the lag you see in these pictures .You will be casting from the top.

Tilt is needed to get the right forearm into the pitch stroke position.

Tilt the spine enough to get the shoulders on plane during the pivot/turn.

..........

Depends on different things but:

the more you're bent over the less tilt you will need
the more you stand up the more tilt you need.

This is why many hackers can hit a wedge well and a driver so poor. They don't know how to get that right shoulder downplane

Bent Over
 

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The BENT OVER MORE guy is the Hardy One Planer. He does not need much TILT.

Waist bend is Forward Bend of the Torso..Axis Tilt is Lateral Bending of the Torso caused by the hips translating or sliding laterally but in the confines of the Tripod while keeping the upper center the head/base of the neck stationary...thus tilting the plane of the shoulder turn....

Tilted
 

There are also some that teach people to start off with a tilt of so many degrees(at setup). Others advocate the HANDS MORE AT MID-BODY, AND THE SHOULDERS AS LEVEL AS POSSIBLE AT ADDRESS(Reverse K vs. Tripod).


Also... do you see a correlation between those that bend over more at setup(down the line view), with less axis tilt(face on view), and those that stand taller, with more tilt(Mac O'Grady vs. Davis Love)?

What do you think for each of these?

Depends ....Deeper than I wan to go here!!!

2-N-1. Force Vectors

-B. The downward force results from the action of Axis Tilt (Hip Slide-7-14) and/or Uncocking left wrist (2-P) if there is any of either. Otherwise, the Lever Assemblies are dropped, pulled or pushed downward from their fulcrums (6-A).

Paula Creamer does exaggerate this a bit.

[quote=lagster]> About how many degrees should one tilt?

[quote]
I do not recall Mr Kelley referring to degrees in this regard. In fact, I think Homer only refers to degrees once or twice (rusty!), and I know one of them is in 2-G. In othewards, Homer wasn't concerned about degrees in regards to your question.

However!

The axis tilt should be enough to move the right shoulder on plane and enough to allow the hands to have a straight line relationship to the ball (all things being equal).

In otherwards, get the hands onplane and I would think (dangerous for me - thinking!) your axis tilt concerns would vanish!

-Patrick

5-0 and the 'wheel' 7-23 In a nutshell...

On plane pressure points.

Hit the ball with the pressure points in your hands.

Good to see you back online Philly.

There HAS TO be axis tilt at setup, HAS TO be because your right hand is lower on the club.

The only way NOT TO is if you setup with open shoulders.

IMO, Jim_0068 is 100% correct in his statement as is lagster. The golfer that bends more at the waist, ala the Hardy One Planer, will use the rotated shoulder turn and does not need nearly enough axis tilt to get the right shoulder on plane because the shoulders will naturally turn on a steeper plane at right angles to the spine.

Those that use the "standard" flat shoulder turn will need axis tilt to get the right shoulder travelling down the turned shoulder plane.

How much axis tilt is too much? That's easy. When the right shoulder starts dipping under the turned shoulder plane.

In this context, the death move for a "Hardy One Planer" (or anyone using rotated shoulder) turn is hip slide because that right shoulder will be immediately moved under plane.

Yoda briefly describes a "perversion of axis tilt" in one of the videos in the gallery where the right shoulder gets under the TSP.

The Rotated Shoulder Turn -- A Short Shot Procedure
 

Due to its Power limitations, Homer Kelley felt that the primary use of the Rotated Shoulder Turn would be for Putting and Chipping.

P.S. Love your avatar, vjcapron. Great alignments!

One of the reasons a lot of folks could benefit from the way Mike Austin/Dunaway approach the setup process - setting the left arm and club inline first (left flying wedge) and then kicking in the right knee slightly to lower the right shoulder and add the right hand grip.

An excellent way for hitters to setup to the ball (see Ted for the perfect example of this approach).

Very useful for encouraging a hitter's crossline hip motion, and tends to error towards closed shoulders rather than open. Can be 'overdone' however (too much tilt).