We have a question for Inner Circle member, Bobcat 2. Bobcat says: “I seem to be getting into a reverse C at the top which I think is due to the vertical plane. How do I avoid that backward spine twist at the top/finish? Thanks for your help.”
Bobcat got an answer from Jason, and Jason says this: “It sounds like you are not going up to the catcher's mitt and then up the other side of the tree. It is something I am working on as well. The natural tendency is to do a 'normal' forward swing instead of up the trip causing the further spine twist. The first few times you have to think about on the forward up to the T finish, as pulling the arms up and over the shoulder instead of twisting the spine. I find if my spine twists, I am slicing the ball instead of pulling the hands down through the ball and then up to the T. Training the body to do something it's not use to can be a long process…good luck.”
Well, there are some good things to what Jason says. Let me just start by saying that training can be a long process but it will be a lot longer if you're thinking it's a long process. The key is to start doing some good movements.
I think he's right about twisting. I'm going to define twisting as mean that, as you swing through impact and into the forward mitt and up the tree, twisting, I would imagine, means you're turning too far. That's what I think Jason is referring to. It could also be happening to Bobcat.
The key is, when you swing into the forward catcher's mitt and up the tree, you have to learn that, as you hit the ball and you stand up AFAP, as fast as possible, like a Pop Tart out of a toaster, you have to know where your target is and turn only to and finish square to your target. Then you swing your hands up and over your left shoulder with your hands close to your ear.
You have to know where your target is. You have to have that 100% target orientation to know where, as you stand up and swing up, the turn stops so you're facing your target. It's no different that baseball players. You see and infielder dive to his left or right and catch a ball. He comes jumping up and throws to first base. You never see them aiming in the wrong direction when they come up. They have this instinct that they always jump up and they're pointing at first base or second base or wherever it is they want to throw the ball. That instinct inbred.
I think that's one thing golfers have to start building, that internal instinct, as to where your target is so you know that once you swing through and swing up and stand up to the T-Finish, when your hands come up over your shoulder past the ear and recoil and relax back down … Boom! You know where your target is and that's what you swing to. That's it.
I think reverse Cs come because as the hands go too far wide and around, that starts pulling your body back. If anything, once you're coming up enough and you go around flat and wide, your back arms starts to hit your chest and pull you backward.
So I think it is a finish issue. If the term twisting means overturning, then we're in total agreement.
Find your target, know where it is, swing to your target, stand up, recoil, finishing at your target. I think you'll find you'll have a T-Finish where the spine is vertical to the ground and you'll be well balanced, no stress on the back, and hitting really good shots.
The Surge!