Have you ever seen the type of ball flight where the ball starts out a bit low and then rises to an apex, then flattens out, before hitting the ground at or near the intended target?
This is the trajectory. Trajectory is a flight pattern of the golf ball. It can vary depending on what kind of position the clubhead is in at impact position. If you do it right, you can have any type of ball flight you want.
And that’s where the “magic” comes in.
Here is an example. You have driven the ball down the fairway well. You have a good lie and 150 yards or so to the center of the green. You check the wind and determine that it is picking up a bit and is in your face, not behind you.
This green is slightly elevated and slopes away from you. It would be nice to be able to spin the ball when it lands on the green. You select one more club than you normally would because of the wind and decide to hit the ball down to help keep it out of the wind and give the ball extra spin.
Ok… that’s the setup.
So what do you do to get this shot? Come on, all weekend gamers know the answer. However, most of you would never make it. He would swing harder, drop the club early in his downswing and hit it high and the wind would blow it up even more. And the result, a pitifully short ball on the green that now requires an excellent chip shot and a great putt.
However, you know how to do it.
Well not exactly. You think you know, but the slightest doubt prevents you from carrying out the plan. So you come back. Yes, you return to your total comfort zone. He is not willing to make the shot that is within his possibilities.
This is why. You probably know how to make the shot. You’ve seen it on TV hundreds of times. You’ve probably played with people who can make that shot. You know how it’s done. But you really haven’t.
Most of you have also heard of or have a copy of “The Little Red Book”.
This is written by Harvey Penick who was loved and honored by many of the great players on the PGA tour. Harvey had in the shortest chapter of the book, the magic move. The move that has nothing to do with magic, however, if you do it, you will hit it as if by magic.
Sounds wild, doesn’t it?
Just so you know, I’m not promoting Harvey’s book or trying to steal the limelight. It’s no secret. This magic move. Every good player on the planet does. If you don’t, you’re just not a good player.
That said, what a way to make friends, there’s no reason everyone who plays can’t understand magical movement and make it a part of their practice and play.
It’s about angles. The angles of your golf swing or lack thereof will determine how well you play. It will decide for you how far you can hit the ball and how often you hit the square face of the club at impact.
Well, here’s what Harvey Penick said, though not word for word: The magic move is actually two moves at the same time, dropping the right elbow to the right side and driving the left hip to the left.
That is the fastest magic I know. However, it stops too soon. Dropping the right elbow to the right side is certainly a big part of it. It is much easier said than done actually. But it is absolutely correct.
So how on earth can you drop your right elbow onto your right hip and do it like it’s automatic, and all the other bits and pieces move like they’re supposed to?
Answer: You must use your body to drop the clubhead, you must use your body to bring the club into impact position, you must use your body to maintain the great angles you have created early in your backswing.
If you want magic, this is it. Your body will propel your swing with grace and power if you allow your angles to stay intact and don’t release them prematurely in an effort to “hit” the golf ball.
Start with your right hand pushing against your left hand at the ready. Only a little. But enough for you to feel it. You will need to feel this all the way through to make an impact.
Then push the bent right wrist pushing against the left thumb. Now turn your core (body) into the backswing while keeping this feeling of thrust in your right hand.
Take a swing from Minnie at first. The faster she turns her body on the downswing, the farther she will hit the ball. He must maintain this feeling of pushing with his right hand throughout his swing. Your hands are NOT an active part of this movement.
You want your arms and hands to feel like they’re just taking a walk.
You have established a very important angle by pushing your bent right wrist. This is an angle, but a very important one. Some call it lag.
This is a move that will allow you to hit like magic. It’s the one move all good players share. It is very difficult to see. it is a feeling. It is not something that is visual.
Practice this while chipping.
Once I learned this skill, I was able to change the ball’s flight path at will. I live in Florida and I have to deal with the wind often. There’s nothing like hitting an extra stick, keeping it low, and watching it zoom towards the target with tons of spin. Nope, nothing like that. You can do this too. It’s like magic, but it’s really about angles.
This is a magic move… There are three others.
Test it. It’s not magic, it’s just good technique.