Swing style or dynamics?

[Blackjack Don]

I started out with Merrins, watched a lot of YouTube videos, and somehow latched onto the Ben Doyle/Bobby Clampett teaching method, the Impact Zone. Clampett's book got me started down the path I'm on. I have picked up additions to my core teachings, but the basis is Clampett. In his book, he says that his interest is in the dynamics of the swing. He doesn't think highly of changing swing style. He says it breaks down the swing into points on a clock face, whereas the swing is a dynamic motion. I'm not exactly sure I understand what is and what is not a part of the dynamics, and what is style.

Is swing plane style, not dynamics?

There is the famous outlier, Jim Furyk, who nobody touts as the example to follow--more likely the one who negates any rule. His swing style is radically different, as was Trevino's back in my day, but their dynamics are the same as everyone else's. They impact the ball on a straight path with face control like everybody else who is a good golfer. Is this a correct understanding?

I have found that my swing thoughts--what I think of as the dynamics of my swing--are aiming point, left wrist flat, hold the lag as long as I can with a strong pivot of the hips. I have added shallowing out the club at the top of my backswing. I haven't been able to completely do it, but when I do, good things happen. 

GASP--Grip, alignment, setup, and posture are not part of the dynamics, but certainly are important. Takeaway, swing plane, finish, are style more than dynamics? Is the position of the club face at waist level, at the top of the backswing, style or dynamics? Closed or open?

Just a few of my thoughts as I try to pull all of this together into one dynamic swing. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[DaveP043]

25 minutes ago, Blackjack Don said:

 I'm not exactly sure I understand what is and what is not a part of the dynamics, and what is style.

Is swing plane style, not dynamics?

 Takeaway, swing plane, finish, are style more than dynamics? Is the position of the club face at waist level, at the top of the backswing, style or dynamics? Closed or open?

Just a few of my thoughts as I try to pull all of this together into one dynamic swing. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

It seems to me that one of the most difficult things to do, when reading and looking at videos from a bunch of different sources, is to understand that different vocabularies used by different instructors.  To get answers to your questions, you should ideally go to the source of your instruction.  That's a big problem with 3rd party instruction like Youtube, you really don't have any back and forth.  

My suggestion would be to get some personalized instruction.  You could post videos to this site in the MySwings thread, you could use Evolver, you could find someone near you for in-person lessons, hopefully someone that's competent.  Without the chance to ask questions, and get answers for your personal swing, you'll always be guessing.  

[Groucho Valentine]

I think you're leaving out some things like that cant be taught like hand eye coordination, spacial awareness and instinct for the game. I think the best players have those things in spades.

I think there comes a point where you have to let go of mechanics to really progress. As you learn, they are important. But i think its just as important that you understand your body and what it will allow you to do. There is a mesh point between the two, and I feel like the players that go on to be elite golfers (5 and under handicaps in my mind) figure that out. 

[iacas]

I wrote about this there.

There's really no separation here… the positions (or "style") inform the dynamics. They're how you create the swing.

That said, you shouldn't learn to play golf by learning to hit positions - everything should be focused on the dynamics. The positions are just checkpoints - things you pass through dynamically, not things you strive to "hit" on their own. They're secondary results - good dynamics creates good checkpoints, not the other way around.