Arm Swing Illusion and Chipping/Putting

[bogeygolf_613]

After a local pro suggested I steepen my back swing, some youtube and google searches had me stumble upon several "arm swing illusion"  videos and forums. I have tried this and have had success with my irons. I then went to chip and putt the ball. These are two aspects of my game that I consider mini-versions of my full swing. I had some success with similar principles, i.e.  raising the arms instead of wrapping them around my chest. I just wanted to start a conversation on this aspect of the game (short game) with respect to the arm swing illusion. I couldn't seem to find a forum anywhere else (or any videos for that matter).

Putting this way confuses me. It seems to be common knowledge that the putter arc goes inside-middle-inside. Putting while applying the arm swing illusion keeps the putter in inline (at least on the back stroke), similar to a pendulum. Seemed to work great anyway. 

As for chipping, applying this principle seemed to help a lot.

Cheers

[DaveP043]

There are a couple of instructional threads for short game stuff:

https://thesandtrap.com/t/70998/chipping-with-a-putting-method

https://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video-golf-pitch-shot-technique

I'm not sure how the advice in those relates to the "arm swing illusion" stuff, but its a starting point for discussion.

[billchao]

2 hours ago, bogeygolf_613 said:

After a local pro suggested I steepen my back swing, some youtube and google searches had me stumble upon several "arm swing illusion"  videos and forums. I have tried this and have had success with my irons. I then went to chip and putt the ball. These are two aspects of my game that I consider mini-versions of my full swing. I had some success with similar principles, i.e.  raising the arms instead of wrapping them around my chest. I just wanted to start a conversation on this aspect of the game (short game) with respect to the arm swing illusion. I couldn't seem to find a forum anywhere else (or any videos for that matter).

Putting this way confuses me. It seems to be common knowledge that the putter arc goes inside-middle-inside. Putting while applying the arm swing illusion keeps the putter in inline (at least on the back stroke), similar to a pendulum. Seemed to work great anyway. 

As for chipping, applying this principle seemed to help a lot.

Cheers

You're trying to advocate lifting your arms off your chest so your hands move away from you in chipping and putting? That's the only way to get the clubhead more in line with the target line as opposed to on an arc around your body (when viewed from above).

Is it possible you were just taking it too far inside in your backswing to begin with?

[bogeygolf_613]

Sorry Billchao, I can't tell if you are agreeing with me or not. Can you elaborate?

And yes, I was taking the club too inside to begin with.

[iacas]

15 minutes ago, bogeygolf_613 said:

Sorry Billchao, I can't tell if you are agreeing with me or not. Can you elaborate?

And yes, I was taking the club too inside to begin with.

You may have been over-rotating the forearms or something, then. I don't know that you need to take your arms more "out".

[billchao]

3 hours ago, bogeygolf_613 said:

Sorry Billchao, I can't tell if you are agreeing with me or not.

I wasn't agreeing or disagreeing, just trying to understand what you were saying.

If you take the club too far inside, then the solution is to not do that 😀

But if you're saying the clubhead should travel along the target line, that's not really the best thing to do IMO.

I still have no idea what an "arm swing illusion" is.

[bogeygolf_613]

The arm swing illusion is a widely popular video on various forums. See video below. 

In my case, when trying to steepen my plane (or keep my hands higher in the backswing) this video seemed to apply to me.

With that said, iacas's advice, on not over-rotating my forearms, seems to help me as well. It actually feels more natural than applying the theory of the arm swing illusion. Something I will have to work when aplpying this is to not keep the club face too closed on the backswing, as under rotating the forearms will do this.

Edited March 3, 2019 by billchao
Embedded video

[billchao]

1 hour ago, bogeygolf_613 said:

The arm swing illusion is a widely popular video on various forums. See video below. 

In my case, when trying to steepen my plane (or keep my hands higher in the backswing) this video seemed to apply to me.

I've never heard of if called the arm swing illusion before. Yes, there's a lifting component to the arms in the backswing.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 3/2/2019 at 4:41 PM, iacas said:

You may have been over-rotating the forearms or something, then. I don't know that you need to take your arms more "out".

This affliction hit me on less than full wedges. Pitches and chips. I'd just "flip" the club behind me, and throw the hosel at the ball on a very inside to out clubhead path! I hit a lot of shanks doing that. My buddy straightened me out. He told me it looked like I was getting "tired" or "lazy" on my backswing for the shorter shots, and advised me to take the club back on the path I'd use when hitting a full shot. I never shanked a full wedge! Fixed my problem immediately. 

As far as I'm concerned, the guy in the "arm swing illusion" vid is a total whack job! I've never seen a pro swing like that!