Least Effort

yesterday was one of those practice sessions where it all seemed crystal clear to me....I was swinging without much effort.....my backswing seemed slow and winding and tghe front swing free and easy = let go....the events which led me to the session where a day before pitching chat with jim stayl who plays these shots beautifully.....he held my head and asked me to swing with a long left arm out to the right.....this is only possible from the correct set up of weight on my left foot to square my hips and the shaft ahead of my left leg so the club starts back inside....the key was telling me how soft and passive the hands must remain and that the shot was struck with the pivot of my hips turning to the left while remaining behind the ball.....he said my whole body was moving ahead and down

I played shot after shot and was able to slide me the club under the ball controlling the distance with the speed at which I made my hip pivot. jim also asked me to hold the club down the grip as my backswing was too long....by gripping down you automatically make a shorter swing....

the feeling was one of being soft and not trying

I know I also was able to start the club back without being full of anxiety and striving which allowed the club to start first with a swinging motion

I then tried this same idea with a 7 iron with amazing results....the ball was leaping off the club and traveling far with a sameness of shape and trajectory....if I let go and simply rotate around and initiate the front swing by turning my hips out of the way....and if there is a softness in my arms.....and I stay within my feet then centrifigal force gives speed without effort

I want to explore the eastern idea of the law of least effort as it applies to playing a golf shot

this was a session of true joy....of swinging....of allowing the shot to happen without exerting control...of letting go

remember this please

I wish I had read the post from February 24 before going to practice yesterday. I had the same experience where after just 5 minutes I had skulled and fatted so many shots I thought I'd have to quit. At the end of 90 minutes I was chipping and pitching like I really knew what I was doing, and my touch is always pretty good if my mind quiets down and the tension melts away.

I began trying to use the kevin compare method and I was standing up straight and well everything was going wrong.

I ended up with lots of bend from the waist which allows my arms to hang down freely and the backswing is initiated by the small pivot and knee movement. My hands feel very soft and neutral on the grip.

When I go "bad" I straighten up and as Johnny Miller says, " pop my belly out " which cause me to lose my spine angle and the bottom of my swing. And tense up and lose all my rhythm. The reverse of this is to make the motion which Tom Watson describes in his "the secret" you tube video. My right shoulder comes out and past the ball and the club swings to the left. Like I am playing a big cut. The club face stays constant and I do not scoop/add loft. And I tend to be able to contact the ball first. There was some acceleration too and the club stays lower to the ground as it goes through.

This is my motion and I will stay with it and practice it through the end of the season. I had a good pre-shot going where I make two practice swings with this motion feeling the finish place or form and then simply make the motion with the ball in the way maintaining spine angle and being as soft and rhythmic as possible.