There is a story of an Ox that walked for miles and miles one day -- around in a circle of the well of water. At the end of the day he said, "Look at me, I have walked further than all the other animals, why am I still here?"
This is precisely what so many golfers are doing by trying to figure out their swing with the old myths of the golf swing. I have written a book called the 7mythsofgolf.com -- it will shortly become the 8 mythsofgolf.com. The 8th myth is what I'll discuss in this article.
This last of my myths is laying the club off at the top. I have been watching golf swings a long time, studied the swing with some of the greatest instructors in the game. I have watched all of the major championships this year and with my knowledge of the swing and a very good trained eye for the errors of a golf shot -- this has been the year that laying the club off has become a myth.
It has been fun to watch as player after player on the PGA Tour, as well as the LPGA Tour, are stating to lay the club off at the top. Many of the announcers will make a comment about it as if it were a flawed swing. I found the comments made by Mark Rolfing during the Women's U.S. Open somewhat amusing when he commented on how Annika Sorenstam has lost her swing. He said this on day one of the tournament on Annika's third hole of the day. She had played a shot into a stiff wind to the safe side of the pin and ended up on the fringe.
He commented that her swing has become laid off and, "that kind of thing can happen to you, she used to have a real machine-like swing and then little things can just creep in. Then you have some swing problems."
I found this particularly amusing because Annika has had a laid off swing since she went to the University of Arizona, I have video and video does not lie.
We all recently witnessed this year's PGA Championship, where Tiger displayed how well he can strike it with his laid of golf swing. This is something that he has been changing to for the last three years. His swing has arrived. The other players that lay it off that have won this year are: Stuart Appleby, David Toms, Chad Campbell, J.B. Holmes, Luke Donald, Rod Pampling, Aaron Baddeley, Chris Couch, Brett Wetterich, ijay Singh and Trevor Immelman. This list is of the winners only. I have left off the list players like Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mike Weir, Ernie Els, Jerry Kelly, and Billy Mayfair. I could go on but I think I have made my point.
This laid off position at the top often gets called a three-quarter swing. It's much safer to say that than go against the grain and thrust aside what has been taught for years, which is get the club straight down the line at the top.
The big question is why all these players are following suit to get the club laid off at the top. Simply put, it is a far superior position to swing down from. It is simply already to sling from. It is efficiency of motion. To see this you should stand up with a club in your hand and a full length mirror to look into your back swing side of your body.
This would give you a great look at the down the line view of the golf swing. If you would like to see this with some of the pro's swings on video, the 8th myth is on its way. Just get the book for now as you get yourself in place with a mirror. Go to the top of your swing and stop. There are three possibilities here: you are either laid off, down the line, or across the line. Let's start with the worst position -- across the line.
If you are in this position at the top, understand that the club has to swing back to a laid off position before it can start down. It is the only way you can do it and make any kind of somewhat solid contact with the ball. As you swing the club on the down swing, trying to achieve that laid off position, there are three things that can go wrong.
First, you may never get the club to that laid off position. You have to remember the body has already started its turn to the ball.
Second, you could get the club to the layed off position and keep on dropping it to a more and more laid off swing. Now your approach to the ball is far too much from the inside which can cause an array of miss hits, typically the drop kick and flick hook.
Third, if you do happen to return the club to the laid off position, timing is critical to attain. You just simply have to realize that the body has started it's turn through and may have to stop and wait for the club and your hands which are stuck too much on the inside. If there are any questions out there e-mail me at bbondaruk@cattaverdera.com or buy my book 7mythsofgolf.com and get it straightened out with video of the pros.
