Getting Started with SnT

[Ernest Jones]

So I've implemented a lot of SnT from what I've picked up on this site and it has definitely improved my contact dramatically. Now I need to dial in the control aspect. I've just received my copy of the SnT book last night and read it cover to cover.

As my contact has improved I've gone from chronic slicer to straight pusher to slight hooker. Having not read the book my alignment and clubface were both square to the target line at address, I assume the progession of my shots gradually moving left is due to my swing path becoming more in to out. Having now read the book I can see some stuff I need to add/adjust to get a better shot at push drawing but I have a question that wasn't clear on the first read-through (I will of course be reading this book over and over again!). When setting up for a draw what is the recommended alignment? I realise that this can fall under personal preference and tendencies but as a baseline would you recommend a) neutral alignment (parallel to target line) with the club gripped with a slightly open face (+/- 10 yrds right of target) or b) a closed alignment (+/- 10 yrds right of target) with a face gripped slightly to the left of (open to) clubface alignment?

All things being equal, either way I assume that by adopting a slightly open face (relative to target line and closed relative to club path) my shots will end up much closer to the target and I just need to play around with the variables to find what works with my (new and improved) natural tendencies.

Whats gratifying to me at this point is that reading the book confirmed a lot of what I had figured out myself by adding elements I learned from this site plus shedding light on some of the issues I come across.

Last question for now, are the pictures of P&B; demonstrating positions all slightly exaggerated or should I be striving to look that extreme when hitting these positions? My instincts tell me that the images are exaggerated (although less so than the infamous golf digest article) to make the key elements of the swing more visible but there doesn't seem to be any indication of that in the text, unless I missed it which is quite possible as I've only read it once and I read it in one shot which is probably not the best way to take in the information!

Thanks in advance for the help and thanks for saving my golf game!

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I realise that this can fall under personal preference and tendencies but as a baseline would you recommend a) neutral alignment (parallel to target line) with the club gripped with a slightly open face (+/- 10 yrds right of target) or b) a closed alignment (+/- 10 yrds right of target) with a face gripped slightly to the left of (open to) club path?

That's what I meant to write...

Also posted this in the "Stack and Tilt Pattern" thread for more exposure as I think this group thread is only visible to members?

[iacas]

Been awhile since I looked at the book but I'd imagine they're slightly exaggerated.

Alignment is what works best for you. If you line up parallel left of the target, have a path that's +4 and a face +2, you'll be okay.

[Ernest Jones]

Thanks. I'll play around with both and see what feels more comfortable.

[Ernest Jones]

Recently I've had some sucess with the following and wanted to get some opinions from the S'n'T users.

On the backswing I focus on just making a nice centered turn and then on the the downswing I ONLY PUSH MY HIPS FOWARD - no other downswing thoughts at all. It seems that when I do this (which is hard to do because your brain is screaming "you have to swing your arms or you won't hit the ball dummy") my arm swing happens automatically and it comes in fast and inside everytime (so far). It's like my subconcious takes over and the arms drop into the slot by themselves.

I was doing this a few weeks ago and had great ballstriking with it but slowly forgot about it as my mind got all caught up in other swing thoughts that probably weren't really priorities. When I add in other thoughts I don't seem to get the hips forward enough and all kinds of bad things happen! Anyway, I eventually remembered how well this worked and went back to it and PRESTO solid ballstriking again! I'm thinking that the hips cause the other good things to happen "all on their own", but the other good things don't make the hips happen "all on their own" and the HIPS ARE KEY.

I'm a high capper and really just need to focus on solid contact for now.

Any suggestions or input would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers to beers!!

[bwdial]

I'm working on exactly the same thing.  The hips are key, and when I move them forward, I make crisp contact and feel like I have limitless power.  What I have found is that if I pause at the top of my backswing, I give my hips a chance to get forward.