A.J. Bonar's Secret

[Carland]

The latest edition of Golf Magazine has an article concerning A.J. Bonar's "secret" to better golf. The gist is that the toe of the clubhead must rotate through impact faster than the heel. To accomplish this, A.J. states that the toe of the clubhead should be pointing towards the target within 3 feet after impact. So you have to focus on rotating your hands and the clubhead through impact.

Has anybody here tried A.J.'s methods and had any success? I tried yesterday for 9 holes and it seemed helpful. It didn't add any particular distance, but I did seem to hit a few more solid shots. I have been trying to use the Jim Hardy "one plane" approach by swinging my left arm in line with my shoulders and maintaining my spine angle. Can A.J.'s and Hardy's approaches work together? Thanks.

[iacas]

The latest edition of Golf Magazine has an article concerning A.J. Bonar's "secret" to better golf. The gist is that the toe of the clubhead must rotate through impact faster than the heel. To accomplish this, A.J. states that the toe of the clubhead should be pointing towards the target within 3 feet after impact. So you have to focus on rotating your hands and the clubhead through impact.

I think his "secret" is dumb. Obviously the toe of the club rotates through impact. Better players know this. Most golfers slice, so his "secret" may just help some of them (not the ones with a bad swing path).

I guess he's given up - kinda - on selling his overpriced videos that do nothing more than tell viewers what you've managed to tell them in a sentence or two.

[Maverick]

yeah..thinking the same thing..YOU HAVE TO ROTATE/RELEASE..unless I'm reading it wrong..I read teh same also..nothing new..move along.

[Carland]

I agree that it's not much of a "secret." Coincidentally, though, when I try a "one plane" swing, I sometimes fail to release the club and hit a block. I didn't hit any blocks or hooks last night when I focused on closing the toe through impact. So I figure it's not a horrible swing thought. Of course, a lot of tips work for a short time then soon prove ineffective.

[allin]

Allthough this is basic information, many new golfers who keep hearing that the modern swing takes the hands out, uses the big muscles, etc. may incomrrectly believe that the club doesn't turn over or that that is the old fashioned way to swing.

[golfchief]

Most bad shots come from a bad set up,weak grip and no follow thru.

[Carland]

I didn't realize that an article had been posted on the "secret" until after starting this thread. I tried to use the "secret" while playing 9 holes on Sunday and played the worst I have all summer - 46 on an easy course. By focusing on rotating the club through impact, I hooked or pulled 5 shots in the first 4 holes resulting in three double bogeys. Good bye secret. I agree with what others have said. It is a given and not a secret that the toe of the club must rotate through impact. I even focused on that thought with little pitches, usually one of my strengths, and lost the ability to judge distance.

Makes me feel silly for trying it and sillier for not being able to put out my own video that 100,000 people want to buy.

[cdriver]

I have the A J Bonar Blues... I am over-rotating the clubhead and hitting big high hooks and pulled hooks.. I am going to the range tonight to try and fix it. Perhaps if I stuck pins in an AJ Bonar doll????

[GreensDruid]

Well, I'm glad I didn't buy the videos now that I've read the article. Agree with most of the other posters that it isn't much of a secret. Also think that his method of achieving release of the clubhead through the ball causes more harm than good. My favorite old school instructor (Percy Boomer) would think A.J. to be a quack. The hands must do their work, but they do it best if we maintain proper grip and don't think about them too much.

Incidentally, I tried Hardy's concept of a one plane swing and found it didn't work for me. Jim Hardy seems to be a good and thoughtful man, but I question whether anyone truly swings on one plane and I don't agree with his assertion that the one plane swing requires less precise timing because there are less moving parts. It is a difficult swing to master and in my case, resulted in many shots going well off line, both left and right.

[NCGolfer]

Incidentally, I tried Hardy's concept of a one plane swing and found it didn't work for me. Jim Hardy seems to be a good and thoughtful man, but I question whether anyone truly swings on one plane and I don't agree with his assertion that the one plane swing requires less precise timing because there are less moving parts. It is a difficult swing to master and in my case, resulted in many shots going well off line, both left and right.

I was a two-plane guy for a long time and went to a one-plane last year. It really is easier for me to repeat my swing. Sure, like you say, it might not be a perfect one-plane swing, but the thought process for me is to take it back and through as close to that plane as possible. Before, I had a loop in my swing and dropped the right elbow down...really messy and hard to repeat.

This year i've focused on squaring my feet, hips and (especially) shoulders at address. My shoulders use to be out to left field. With a square setup and one-plane swing I don't go through long stretches of bad ball-striking like I did before... As for AJ...well, let's just say I'm not a fan. Ben Hogan had a "secret" move, AJ has a "secret", I'm sure someone else will claim they have the "secret" to golf... The secret is to find out what works for you and stick with it. We're all built different physically and mentally. I'm not a proponent of a teacher that says "You have to do it this way." The best instructors are the ones that work with what you have, not with what you don't.

[allin]

Incidentally, I tried Hardy's concept of a one plane swing and found it didn't work for me. Jim Hardy seems to be a good and thoughtful man, but I question whether anyone truly swings on one plane and I don't agree with his assertion that the one plane swing requires less precise timing because there are less moving parts. It is a difficult swing to master and in my case, resulted in many shots going well off line, both left and right.

Take a look at the Paula Creamers picture in another thread. I doubt there is anyone who is a pure single plane or two plane swinger. The framework for identifying your swingtype and fundamentals which apply, I think. is helpful. After all there is so much information trying to identify what applies to you is difficult at best.

[GreensDruid]

I was a two-plane guy for a long time and went to a one-plane last year. It really is easier for me to repeat my swing. Sure, like you say, it might not be a perfect one-plane swing, but the thought process for me is to take it back and through as close to that plane as possible. Before, I had a loop in my swing and dropped the right elbow down...really messy and hard to repeat.

NC:

Thanks for the reply - I think you're exactly right. Hardy's analysis is a framework from which to think about you're own swing, which is as individual as a fingerprint. My swing has always been more flat than upright and when I read Hardy's book, I think I made the mistake of accentuating the flatness of an already flat swing, which resulted in some very bad shots. At one point I got so flat on the backswing that I would actually reroute the club to a steeper plane on the downswing, causing all sorts of problems. I also made the mistake of bending over excessively at the waist, trying to mimic Hardy's stance, without taking into account that he is over 6 feet tall and must naturally bend a bit more than someone of my size (5'8"). So I've learned that you need to use instructional books very carefully. Again, I think Jim Hardy is a very decent and thoughtful man and I don't mean to call his integrity into question.

[rembrandt]

I didn't realize that an article had been posted on the "secret" until after starting this thread. I tried to use the "secret" while playing 9 holes on Sunday and played the worst I have all summer - 46 on an easy course. By focusing on rotating the club through impact, I hooked or pulled 5 shots in the first 4 holes resulting in three double bogeys. Good bye secret. I agree with what others have said. It is a given and not a secret that the toe of the club must rotate through impact. I even focused on that thought with little pitches, usually one of my strengths, and lost the ability to judge distance.

Thats the same thing I do when I try to roll the toe like they are refering to. I have to play it the way I have for years and the one thing that I have to work on is timing. If I break my wrists too soon I lose a bunch of power and distance. Right now my 5 iron is killing me. It's a transition club for me and I can't seem to figure out if I should sweep it or hit down on it.

[Matt10]

I hate to bring up an old thread as my first post, but I believe the article is misled.

The key part that I found is here:

http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline...4401-2,00.html

The backswing, that is the key. Without that backswing method in AJ's method - the 'secret' will not be effective and will in fact result to offline shots and poor contact. Try working on the backswing a couple of times and then implement the 'secret' home-run into your swing.

[Guest]

I guess I'm gonna go against the grain here. I started playing golf around 6 years ago and I'm 36. I typically shot in the 120's for a couple of years. I was a bad golfer, but I really wanted to get better and worked on developing a swing. I used several different tapes, but I didn't hit the ball better or with any consistancy for a couple of years. I tried AJ's tapes and within a few months I broke 100 and I was hitting my woods and irons 20-30 yards further. Now, three years later, I still shoot in the 90's with the occasional bad outing. It may have been no "secret" to you folks, but for me, with little golf knowledge, it was a secret as it changed my focus in hitting a ball, just like I used to do playing baseball and stickball as a kid. If at nothing else, this is a great way to learn how to hit the ball. AJ is simply filling a void that exists in the teaching ranks....teaching people like me. Once you feel that you can use the club properly, then take a lesson to try to improve even more. On the other hand, I did try the short game stuff he taught, but I do prefer to chip with a gap wedge and I attempt bunker shots the traditional way (open stance, open club face, weight forward). But AJ has always preached, do what's best for you. This may not what's best for you, but it was for me so far.

[Finn07]

I think his "secret" is dumb. Obviously the toe of the club rotates through impact. Better players know this. Most golfers slice, so his "secret" may just help some of them (not the ones with a bad swing path).

I agree, probably 50% of golfers can tell you that, come on now, give me some money and I can tell you the most obvious things in the golf swing.

[nykfan4life]

where he teaches you to open the clubface with your wrists in the upswing and rotate it back to square in the downswing? I want to use it becuase I have heard good things about it but think i should fix some fundamental flaws first.

[Hank]

I messed around with a style like that in the past. Never found it to be comfortable for myself.

I seem to have more confidence with my "classic" swing...