Visiting a TGM Instructor

[Tifosinumerouno]

I found a TGM instructor in the general vicinity of where I live and contacted him through the TGM website. He called me today to introduce himself and asked me a few questions. He seemed very personable and flexible in his options, even saying he even comes to peoples' homes for the first few lessons sometimes because all we need is a hitting net and a mat with lines on it.

Anyways, would it be beneficial for me to read the book prior to taking lessons from him or wait and allow him to show/teach me. He said his first lesson is mostly classroom, explaining the different lingo and such, so I'm thinking if I familiarize myself with that material prior, we can spend more time on my actual swing. I'm kind of excited to start with an instructor who can tell me more than "Shift your weight back" or "roll your wrists"

[mvmac]

I don't think it would be beneficial because it is hard to understand and you might just end up confusing yourself without any prior experience.  Here is a list of terms to understand that will help you get a head start

http://thesandtrap.com/a/big-list-of-golf-terminology

http://3jack.blogspot.com/2009/07/right-forearm-takeaway-videos.html

Motions
Basic Motion = "Chip" = Clubhead goes two feet back and two feet through (kinda like a chip)
Acquired Motion = "Pitch" = Clubhead taken back until the right forearm is parallel with the ground and then parallel with the ground again on the follow through ("9-3").
Total Motion = Full golf swing.

Note that I define "chip" and "pitch" shots when talking about the short game differently than this. This use of "chip" and "pitch" simply relates to the way the wrists will work in these motions as well as the length(s) of these motions.

Ball Flight Laws
Science has revealed that the "old" ball flight laws are incorrect, and that:
a) the starting path of the ball is primarily and overwhelmingly dictated by the clubface angle at impact
b) the ball curves due to the relative difference, if any, between face angle and clubhead path at impact

Accumulators in the Golf Swing
1: A bent right elbow
2: Leading (top) wrist cock
3: Angle between shaft and lead forearm (expressed as rotation about that lead forearm)
4: Angle between lead arm and shoulders
Each accumulator has a corresponding pressure point.

Pressure Points in the Golf Swing
1: The heel of the bottom hand where it touches the top hand or grip
2: The last three fingers of the top hand
3: The first joint of the bottom hand index finger where it touches the grip
4: Lead armpit (or where the lead arm touches the chest)
5: Trailing armpit*
* Stack and Tilt and MORAD people add this one. There's no corresponding accumulator but it lets them talk about the trailing elbow separating (or not) from the chest.

Shaft and Elbow Plane
In a one-plane swing the head and hands will follow or stay between two lines: the shaft plane and the elbow plane. Both can be seen here in green and red . Hands follow the shaft plane until the right elbow begins folding, at which point they move up to the elbow plane. Impact is somewhere between the two and the clubhead and hands should exit the far side of the body

[Etzwane]

I agree with Mike, the book is a tough read and targeted at instructor or students of the swing. Having an AI explain the concepts is invaluable. If you have the book, chapters 1& 2 gives the general mecanical concept of the swing, that's already a tough read and the figures need careful studying (and would benefit from a modern graphic treatment for clarity). Chapters 6 is probably readable and 7 is important but would benefit from directions from your AI.

[The JollyGolfer]

Originally Posted by Tifosinumerouno

would it be beneficial for me to read the book prior to taking lessons from him ...

I'm kind of excited to start with an instructor who can tell me more than "Shift your weight back" or "roll your wrists"

I would go further and say the book is unreadable. I think if you have a qualification in motion physics it would make it a little easier for you but for Joe Golfer, its a bit too complicated.

Oh, this instructor can, if that's what you want, put you on a roller coaster of golf biomechanics etc until they are coming out of your ears. The guy could be and sounds like a good coach but I'm not sure about this initial classroom type lesson. I had a few lessons with a TGM instructor and he confused the life out of me.

I've been playing for over 50 years, all I would say is be wary!

[nevets88]

The guy in the video in the original post. He sort of paraphrase TGM, made it more accessible. Take a look:

http://3jack.blogspot.com/2009/09/3jacks-translation-of-tgm-part-i.html