"A True Swing" by Erika Larkin

[iacas 7,358]

Discuss "A True Swing" by Erika Larkin here.

[JonMA1 505]

I just read the first several pages from Amazon, so it's hard for me to know exactly what the book has the student working on.

She claims to have "dissected Jones' teachings and put my own twist on them considering everything else I have learned in the modern era, applying today's technology and a 21st century understanding of physics."

Most instructors I've encountered believe through their methods, there is an ease with which improvement will come, along with a certainty that their method is different and better than the rest. (Only one I know of constantly reminds potential students that "golf is hard".) 

Look at the YouTube instruction out there. Many of the videos end with something like "if you use this drill (or thought), I guarantee you'll start seeing those scores drop". Really, you guarantee it?

The trouble I have with "swing the clubhead", and "a true swing cannot fail to produce perfect timing", and at the same time "automatically produce a great hit... if you let it", is that we must first develop the necessary mechanics. In addition, we can't simply learn a decent swing, we have to become "unconsciously competent" with it.

For me, that's uncharted territory, so this is just a guess... Perhaps only after the good mechanics have been accomplished and embedded, can a simple thought such as "swing the clubhead" mean anything beyond taking a crappy swing that we simply do not think about.

Going by the sample of the first few pages, the book seems to be well-written. If the author's methods of instruction are sound - meaning she can phrase things in such a way or present drills that will help improve my mechanics - this might be a decent book. But if it's similar to so much of the instruction I see, my "true swing" will continue to be what it currently is. 

[birdie seeker 3]

To get a better idea of her style, if you will, she has videos on YouTube. View them, let me know what you think.

[JonMA1 505]

43 minutes ago, birdie seeker said:

To get a better idea of her style, if you will, she has videos on YouTube. View them, let me know what you think.

I watched about a half dozen of them. Honestly, hers are similar to a lot of instructors who post drills and thoughts. That's not to say they are without value. She is very easy listen to.

When I first tried to learn this game, I put a lot of effort into working on some of these drills but I haven't done much of that in the last few years. Perhaps I should give them a try again.

[iacas 7,358]

I bought a copy and will share my thoughts when I've read it.

I know Erika a little. She's smart. So that's a good start…

[Patch 750]

1 hour ago, birdie seeker said:

To get a better idea of her style, if you will, she has videos on YouTube. View them, let me know what you think.

I watch her You Tube videos quite often. Especially the short game stuff. She seems to use both older, and newer information quite well together. 

My favorite one is her ideas on using a wedge with bounce from a tight lie. She explains that shot quite well. 

Another thing I like about her videos is that she is easy to listen to. Her video sound tracks are loud, and clear enough for my older, suspect ears to hear her quite well. 

 

[Patch 750]

I was just watching another one of her videos and thought about something she does. 

I read all the time about golfers who say their practice swing is their best swing. The swing we make where our tempo, and timing is pretty much right where we want it. The swing where everything feels just right. The swing we make when there is no ball in the way to hit. 

I might be wrong, but I am of the opinion that these great practice swings we all make, is pretty similar to what she is teaching. 

[birdie seeker 3]

iacas, Have you had a chance to read Erica's book?

[iacas 7,358]

2 hours ago, birdie seeker said:

iacas, Have you had a chance to read Erica's book?

No. It's not that long, so I will at some point.

I've heard in a few places that it's kinda an Ernest Jones thing, and I tend not to be a fan of those, because… some people can't just "swing the clubhead" or whatever variant of that there is.

[crocbait 1]

I have been working on club focused instruction for a few years now.  The basic premise of club focused instruction says that your body is smart enough to make the club move the way you want it to, once you know what that is.

I love the concept of thinking about just swinging the club, and your body will respond to the movement.  I largely believe in that, but not completely.  After years of trying, that still wasn’t quite getting it.  In my experience, my transition needed help.  Things really need to work from the ground up, just as they do when we throw a ball or swing a racket.

That’s where Erika’s teaching philosophy comes in.  She too is a massive proponent of Ernest Jones (and others) ideas.  But while our brain is really well adapted to producing the motions we want, apparently the golf motion still needs a little guidance.  Erica takes the basic ideas of a swing as Ernest Jones describes (I highly recommend his “Swing The Clubhead”) and plugs in modern instruction and science to help better understand how we can create our own swing reality.  Her drills are mostly motion type drills, and are easy to implement. If you buy her book, please do the drills, video yourself or get a video golf lesson with a pro before criticizing the book.  I have had lessons with world renowned instructors (body as well as club focused) and read many golf instruction books and this was the first material I have read where I didn’t question anything I was reading.  Her instruction is not a method.  Her ideas apply to everyone.  I think she nailed it!  Oh, I have that transition business figured out now.

Marcus