The feeling of being in the "slot"..

[Maverick]

Lately, I've been practicing trying to keep my swing very simple.  For the most part, I try to take it back and down on, what feels to me, the same plane.   However, today I was hitting my irons a lot more effortlessly, but even more so, more consistently when I let me back swing "rest" on my right arm .  It felt like all I had to do was just make my turn with my shoulders and it came down so on track!

It felt like I could even step on it, at times which I did, and rotate quicker to get some more out of it.  I did fly over some greens when I did.

It did feel however that my back and down swing was more shallow..at least in feeling..when I "rested" on my right arm on the back swing.

I'm a firm believer of trying to keep the right elbow as close to your body on the backswing and downswing until impact.

Am I on to something..?  Is this the feel of being in the "slot"?

[Jon Robert]

Some very highly ranked teachers advocate letting the elbow fly because keeping the elbow tucked may rob a person of much needed width and height for power and distance.

On the other hand people with excessive width/height/looseness may benefit by keeping the elbow close to the ribs to regain control.

In your case I would explore the possibility that your improvements/deterioration is related to a good width / not so good width swing motions.

For me excess width/height is disaster. keeping my elbows more snug to the ribs is dramatically better.  Although I should logically lose distance by losing length of swing I actually gain about 10-15 yards due to more solid strikes.

Study /consider  the "width" swing type in the LAW's of golf swing method. https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/pasdirtz/web/golf/GOLF_LAWs_Chart.html

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"Am I on to something..? Is this the feel of being in the "slot"?"

I doubt it.

As I understand it being in the slot is dropping the arms before your torso turns. If  turning first it puts your arms  in a position totally incapable of being able  to hit the ball. It is not a feel but a timing thing

[Maverick]

Me too..I am not a fan or excess width/height either!  The less movement/motion..the better.  I too have gained a lot more more from making better contact this way.  You took the words out of my mouth JR.  I think there's just too much timing required when you start getting detached from the body and to bring everything back down again.

[Jon Robert]

Originally Posted by Maverick

Me too..I am not a fan or excess width/height either!  The less movement/motion..the better.  I too have gained a lot more more from making better contact this way.  You took the words out of my mouth JR.  I think there's just too much timing required when you start getting detached from the body and to bring everything back down again.

Jim Hardy (Golf Digest #8th best teacher in America) Says the 2 plane swing  (the high triangle position swing) is entirely based on Timing tempo rhythm. If it is not perfect it is really bad.  It sounds like the OP is describing trying to do a one plane swing (like I do)

Highly recommend (mandatory - picture is worth 1000 words) viewing the DVD's I got them from the Library

http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Hardys-Plane-Truth-Golfers/dp/B000PLUYTQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid;=1344570636&sr;=8-2&keywords;=hardy+plane+truth+dvd

The equivalent books can be had rather cheap

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Jon Robert

Study /consider  the "width" swing type in the LAW's of golf swing method.  https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/pasdirtz/web/golf/GOLF_LAWs_Chart.html

Enough with this stuff. It's getting old fast.

[Maverick]

JR, does your backswing feel shallow?

[Jon Robert]

Originally Posted by Maverick

JR, does your backswing feel shallow?

I can execute (with terrible results more often than not due to poor timing) a high and steep 2 plane/leverage-arc swing.  I can also execute a very shallow one plane/width swing.  The swing that works best for me is a shallower feeling swing where my mental image is that my left arm is as high or slightly higher than my right shoulder and it is at about a 45 degree angle to the target line thus indicating I actually made a shoulder turn.  If my left arm does not reach right shoulder height then my swing is too shallow and I lose control. If it is A LOT higher than the right shoulder I can gain some accuracy but lose consistency.  To me I consider it a shallow swing but not a baseball swing.  I would say it is  a width swing in the LAW's method and or a one plane swing in the 1/2 plane teaching method.

[Ben]

I love that feling of being "in the slot", "on plane", whatever you'd like to call it. Staying there on the backswing, downswing and follow-through is one of the main companent I focus on with the people I teach. I like your swing thought of "resting on your right arm" to achieve this move. Makes perfect sense, to me.

The most important thing, Maverick, is to remember that this works, so when things go a little astray, and they will, that you stick with it. Look back to how excited you are about this discovery right now. Its correct, and it works. believe in it.

[Maverick]

Originally Posted by Ben

I love that feling of being "in the slot", "on plane", whatever you'd like to call it. Staying there on the backswing, downswing and follow-through is one of the main companent I focus on with the people I teach. I like your swing thought of "resting on your right arm" to achieve this move. Makes perfect sense, to me.

The most important thing, Maverick, is to remember that this works, so when things go a little astray, and they will, that you stick with it. Look back to how excited you are about this discovery right now. Its correct, and it works. believe in it.

wow..fantastic..the only difficult thing I have in accepting this is that it feels somewhat shallow, but the consistency and contact is what sells it to me.

I've had a "problem" last few rounds of hitting my mid-irons (6 iron) with confidence and consistency.  Yesterday, just keeping this thought and sticking to it allowed me to hit perfect 6 irons all day..and actually I was hitting it to far (or correct)..but needless to say..excited..and looking forward to my next round.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Maverick

wow..fantastic..the only difficult thing I have in accepting this is that it feels somewhat shallow, but the consistency and contact is what sells it to me.

I've had a "problem" last few rounds of hitting my mid-irons (6 iron) with confidence and consistency.  Yesterday, just keeping this thought and sticking to it allowed me to hit perfect 6 irons all day..and actually I was hitting it to far (or correct)..but needless to say..excited..and looking forward to my next round.

In regarding to people talking about hitting down on the ball? If so, you can still be shallow and have that downwind motion through impact. Off the topic of "the slot," you just have to make sure you're left wrist stays positive through impact is all. Supinated toward the target , as Hogan would say.

[Maverick]

Originally Posted by Ben

In regarding to people talking about hitting down on the ball? If so, you can still be shallow and have that downwind motion through impact. Off the topic of "the slot," you just have to make sure you're left wrist stays positive through impact is all. Supinated toward the target, as Hogan would say.

absolutely, one of my last swing thoughts is to keep the hands forward.

[Maverick]

Not to dwell on my own thread, BUT I think I've found it..I hit 9 GIR's today and stuck with this "resting" slot or whatever it is called.  It felt so goooood.  I FINALLY broke 90 at this one course that was just eating me at the bits..always ended up shooting, 90..91..shot an 85 today..and that's with 2 lost balls.  (I also brought out my Titlest 905R/10.5..ahem..and was getting a tad more distance than my Mizuno 12 degree.  I was hitting ALOT of 8-iron or 9-iron approaches..which always makes this game ALOT more fun).