"The Impact Zone" by Bobby Clampett

[Mizuno Junky]

I'm currently reading the book, it's great. The only thing I don't quite understand is the grip portion. What does he mean when he is talking about the pressure point of your middle index finger joint on your right hand?

[Taggsy]

I'm currently reading the book, it's great. The only thing I don't quite understand is the grip portion. What does he mean when he is talking about the pressure point of your middle index finger joint on your right hand?

He's referring to the 3rd pressure point in The Golfing Machine.

Put simply, if you can feel the club grip pushing against your right index finger during impact, you've maintained the lag. If you can't feel any pressure against your right index finger through impact, then you've released the lag too early. Hope this helps :)

[The Recreational Golfer]

If I understand Hogan, he says the right index finger (together with the right thumb) is a "potential swing wrecker" for the average golfer (p. 29), and counsels to practice swinging with these two fingers "entirely off the shaft."

[kafka01]

If I understand Hogan, he says the right index finger (together with the right thumb) is a "potential swing wrecker" for the average golfer (p. 29), and counsels to practice swinging with these two fingers "entirely off the shaft."

TGM differentiates between swingers and hitters. When i hit, i actively use my right arm to release the club into the ball, therfore the pressure point with the rigth index finder and thumb is absolutly necessary - you couldnt do it without. On the other side swingers dont want active right hand participation and want a passiv / centrifugal force release into the ball.

From this perspective it should be understandable that this pressure point can cause a lot of harm, since it is belived that an active right arm into a swingers release (switter) can throw the swing completly out of balance. I havent read this book, so i cant really say, if there is a swing specific target group for it, but i hope this explanation helped anyways.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Hogan did go on to say the right index finger is quite useful for the advanced golfer, but at early stages a golfer should avoid bringing it in to play. "It can do him more harm than good in learning how to use the right hand."

[kafka01]

Couple of months ago i went to a pro, because i pulled a lot left. Back then i started experimenting with the right hand thumb and index finger being more active and applying pressure. He told me to take them off completly and swing without them, and all off a sudden the left pulling stopped. I assume that the applied pressure somehow closed the clubface. But again, imo you can only do this if you are a pure swinger.

Since then i read up on this stuff and decided to go the hitter/switter route and actively use the this pressure point and i dont have any problems with pulls whatsoever.

[Mizuno Junky]

So just to be clear, I am actively applying pressure to my right middle index joint to the ball at impact?

[Taggsy]

So just to be clear, I am actively applying pressure to my right middle index joint to the ball at impact?

Yes. If you're feeling pressure in that position, it's a sign that your hands are in front of the club head and you've maintained the lag on the downswing.

How useful you find that pressure point depends on your swing mechanics and what power accumulators you use. If you rely on releasing lag to generate power, as a lot of players do, then it's a fine idea to actively maintain, or try to increase, the pressure on your index finger on the downswing and through impact.

[Stretch]

Had some free time today so I got this on the Kindle and read it all in one go. Apart from the instructional material -- which I'll need more time to ponder -- there are just some damn good stories in it. Lee Trevino topping his 1-iron all of six feet off the front of the first tee at the US Open in front of thousands of people. Playing in the dark at the Masters with Sam Snead. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Stretch]

OK, the advice is good too. Went out today to try and work on loading the club more on my pitching swing and finally started to get it right. I've been using Stan Utley's basic set-up but have remained very tentative with longer pitches because (I now realize) I wasn't carrying enough club head speed through the shot. Clampett's focus on really loading up and then lagging through had me ripping (by my standards) into impact and I finally started to really feel the bounce of my sand wedge working off/through the turf and just shooting the ball up high to land soft. And having the confidence to go after the shot instead of trying to pick it absolutely clean or baby it into the air also immediately made it easier to control my distance by simply varying the size of my pivot. Nice.

[Zeph]

Soft hands and arms is something I'm working on when pitching. Let gravity and the club do the work.

[pipster11]

just bought this book on amazon....i hope its as good as some of you guys have said. Certainly sounds like a cracking book

thanks.

[timastyle]

I bought the book last week and read some of it. Liking it so far, but haven't had a chance to try out his stuff yet. Makes a lot of sense though.

[timastyle]

So I started reading the book a couple weeks ago and got my first chance to go to the range yesterday. The range session wasn't good in itself, but afterwards, I thought I'd go to the bunker and try the chipping drill he recommended (draw a line in the sand as if it was the ball and chip while taking sand out after the line). Well I started doing this and I most of my chips (without a ball of course) were after the line indicating a forward bottom swing. I was very pleased with that as I probably did about 40 swings that way.

What I also noticed was that in order to keep my left wrist flat, I was having to have a very slight cock in my wrist on the backswing, and it was my right "trigger finger" as he calls it applying the pressure on the downswing. Does this sound right to you guys? I wasn't doing the whole aiming point thing because I don't completely understand it to be honest.

Thanks!

[warbirdlover]

This "Impact Zone" book along with Faldo's "A swing for Life" has transformed my game this summer. I'm 63 years old and am averaging 260 yards with the driver (and with an occasional 270-280 yard bomb) measured with my GPS.

[Danattherock]

Anyone seen the video yet??

http://www.sybervision.com/iz.html


Ordered mine just now. How could I not? The book helped me in a big way.


WARNING!!!

These ain't cheap dvds.


Total $258.52


But I thought about all the money I have spent on clubs over the years. Not to mention green fees, balls, clothes, shoes, beer, etc.. So I consider this an investment. One that unlike the other expenses might actually make me a better golfer.



-Dan

[Danattherock]

Best golf instruction book I have ever read. .

Yep. Without a doubt. I am reading mine again now. The DVD's are amazing as well!! I was skeptical about the price. No longer. Hitting the best shots of my life and I owe it to Bobby Clampett.

-Dan

[timastyle]

Dan - What's different from the DVD's vs. the book? I looked up the link you posted and it's $500 for the DVD's. How did you manage to get your at $258? If you have the book, are the DVD's worth it in your opinion?

Tony