Big Breaker Liam Friedman answers your questions!

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I don't know if I would trust Dave if I was you.  He's an Eagles fan for crying out loud ... and from the Pittsburgh area.  Watch out for him!

Erie is closer to both Buffalo AND Cleveland than Pittsburgh, actually. C'mon now... ;)

Liam may want James or I to fit him instead. Dave has to play against him in section events and Liam, I'm not sure you'll want to trust him. ;) (Of course, I'll play in a few more section events next year too... so that just leaves James... :D)

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by iacas

Erie is closer to both Buffalo AND Cleveland than Pittsburgh, actually. C'mon now... ;)

Whoops.  That's what I get for assuming.  You are a Steelers fan though, right?

And I was an ace in geography in school, too.  Of course, we didn't really have to learn any cities (outside of California) that weren't state capitols.  (Don't mind me, just trying to justify my idiocy over here)

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Whoops.  That's what I get for assuming.  You are a Steelers fan though, right?

I am. Pittsburgh everything (don't care about the NBA, so that's convenient). Dave's not. Nor is my brother-in-law (Bills) or father-in-law (Browns). :)

[MonarchGolf2010]

Originally Posted by iacas

Erie is closer to both Buffalo AND Cleveland than Pittsburgh, actually. C'mon now... ;)

Liam may want James or I to fit him instead. Dave has to play against him in section events and Liam, I'm not sure you'll want to trust him. ;) (Of course, I'll play in a few more section events next year too... so that just leaves James... :D)

Haha... well, I trust you guys.  I'm sure anyone would do it right.  It is golf remember, a gentleman's game. :-)

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Whoops.  That's what I get for assuming.  You are a Steelers fan though, right?

And I was an ace in geography in school, too.  Of course, we didn't really have to learn any cities (outside of California) that weren't state capitols.  (Don't mind me, just trying to justify my idiocy over here)

LOL... When Erik said he was in Erie, I always thought that was Minnesota!! I didn't realize he was in PA until we actually met at the Aimpoint clinic and Dave and Erik clarified that they were in PA.

[Paradox]

what club did you use to break the glass?

[jd924]

When you say you learned to hit it farther, what does that mean? What was the key for you? How did you gain club head mph without going to the gym? Thanks for doing this!

[MonarchGolf2010]

Originally Posted by Paradox

what club did you use to break the glass?

I hit a 5 iron I think, I forget these things, maybe a 4.  I can hit it real low too, so, the other players prob used 5,4,3 iron, or they hit it softer than I did.

[MonarchGolf2010]

Originally Posted by jd924

When you say you learned to hit it farther, what does that mean? What was the key for you? How did you gain club head mph without going to the gym? Thanks for doing this!

Basically... I just swung harder.  Granted, this was in HS and I got bigger (yea to my huge 5'8" frame).  But, I have picked up yards every year since I was 15 pretty much, mostly from getting my mechanics better.  More correcting/compensating moves=more braking in the swing.

[jd924]

I don't mean to turn this into a thread about my golf swing but you are obviously doing something right so I'm gonna ask away. When I come into impact, my head moves back and up as well as my shoulders scrunching up. Basically me head doesn't stay over the ball through impact, is that a major swing breakage as you put it?

[MonarchGolf2010]

Originally Posted by jd924

I don't mean to turn this into a thread about my golf swing but you are obviously doing something right so I'm gonna ask away. When I come into impact, my head moves back and up as well as my shoulders scrunching up. Basically me head doesn't stay over the ball through impact, is that a major swing breakage as you put it?

I don't know what you mean by that.  Can you explain that...

[jd924]

Ok picture the club about to strike the ball and your whole body lifting up. Basically losing my spine angle I guess you could put it. I've been stumped on how to fix this problem. If I keep my back against something and not move it, I get stuck. Kinda confusing sorry

[MonarchGolf2010]

Originally Posted by jd924

Ok picture the club about to strike the ball and your whole body lifting up. Basically losing my spine angle I guess you could put it. I've been stumped on how to fix this problem. If I keep my back against something and not move it, I get stuck. Kinda confusing sorry

Oh, got ya.  It sounds like what's called "early extension."  I'm sure all the gurus on here can explain exactly what happens and how to correct it.  I had the same problem, and what worked for me was focusing on hand path and maintaining shaft lean (wedges).  Hand path meaning, making sure my hands worked in a circle around me, instead of away from me thru impact.  But, I had to REALLY slow down, meaning, I drilled a hip high to hip high move over and over, graduating to a 9 to 9.  It takes some concentration and prudence.

[jd924]

Yea that sounds like that's what I'm talking about. Was this a major help to your power game when you fixed it? What exactly is a hip to hip drill, graduating to a 9 to 9. Thanks for all the quick replies! I'm sure I will get it figured out when I resign up for evolve just inquiring about it.

[MonarchGolf2010]

Originally Posted by jd924

Yea that sounds like that's what I'm talking about. Was this a major help to your power game when you fixed it? What exactly is a hip to hip drill, graduating to a 9 to 9. Thanks for all the quick replies! I'm sure I will get it figured out when I resign up for evolve just inquiring about it.

Hip to hip meaning swing only hip high to hip high... half swings.  9 to 9 drill is left arm parallel in backswing to left arm parallel in thru swing, about 3/4 swing.  As for power, it helps because you maintain your lag... I'm winging it but SK #2? somebody save me please... Although, the early extension is an effort to gain more power, it makes consistent contact and maintaining loft difficult.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by MonarchGolf2010

Hip to hip meaning swing only hip high to hip high... half swings.  9 to 9 drill is left arm parallel in backswing to left arm parallel in thru swing, about 3/4 swing.  As for power, it helps because you maintain your lag... I'm winging it but SK #2? somebody save me please... Although, the early extension is an effort to gain more power, it makes consistent contact and maintaining loft difficult.

Key#2 is weight forward, Key#3 is flat left wrist at impact.  From talking with Mario, Liam tends to have his upper center (chest) tip back on the downswing, causing the path to be too far out to the right, which can create havoc with clubface rotation.  Like Liam said, maintaing loft is difficult because the face will tend to point more to the left.  So to help, he has the arms swing more in a circle around his body and plays the ball a little more forward.  More forward ball position helps him keep the left shoulder down and "turn the corner" on the downswing so the upper center doesn't tip back or tips back less.

In case anyone hasn't seen this vid, I got the chance to hang out with Liam and Mario this summer when Liam played in the PGA Professional National Championship in Monterey.  Got some great video of his move, dude pounds it.   My favorite part of his swing is how he doesn't waste anytime from his waggle to hitting a shot.  Always stays in motion, waggle gives him the feel he needs and bam he hits the shot.

[jashton88]

I have been watching Big Break Greenbrier and think its awesome that your answering some questions on the forum. When I was watching the episode I couldn't believe he picked you over the other guy. Also, your episode on hybrids with Michael Breed also had some really good information.

I do have a question about your stance. When you are playing PW and shorter irons do you move your right foot forward in your stance slightly? Also for longer clubs including longer irons, hybrids, woods and drivers do you move your right foot back slightly in your stance? Hopefully its not too dumb of a question, i'm new to the game and have been reading Hogans Modern Fundamentals of Golf.

Thanks,

Jeff

[MonarchGolf2010]

Originally Posted by jashton88

I have been watching Big Break Greenbrier and think its awesome that your answering some questions on the forum. When I was watching the episode I couldn't believe he picked you over the other guy. Also, your episode on hybrids with Michael Breed also had some really good information.

I do have a question about your stance. When you are playing PW and shorter irons do you move your right foot forward in your stance slightly? Also for longer clubs including longer irons, hybrids, woods and drivers do you move your right foot back slightly in your stance? Hopefully its not too dumb of a question, i'm new to the game and have been reading Hogans Modern Fundamentals of Golf.

Thanks,

Jeff

Thanks for the question Jeff.

Michael Breed asked me about ball position on the show, and my most honest answer is, I put it wherever it feels comfortable (and produces results) that day.

But, on the show I said --which is still true-- is that I try not to vary my ball position, I only vary the width of my stance.  Meaning, my ball position is about even with my left armpit for all shots (just inside left heel), but my right foot gets wider with the length of the club.  So, long clubs I have a wider stance, and a narrower stance with shorter clubs.

Hope that answered your question.