Question 26

Dear Bill,

The correct position for the left hand is with the golf club laying across the palm with the knuckles at a 10 to 15 degrees angle with the shaft. The handle will rest under the heel pad and nearly inline with the knuckles.

Put your (forward) left hand directly out in front of you and grip a golf club with that hand. Place your left palm on a table facing downward with your thumb pointing to your right, as well as the shaft pointing to the right. The face of the club will be flat with the table top pointing skyward.

Once you have the correct grip you will need to adduct the left wrist downward when you address the ball. Remember that the left arm and left hand grip are there to work on the top rail, not the single axis rail of the right arm.

Natural Golf teaches a huge angle in the left hand grip. This is not what Moe Norman used at any time in his life, and it can cause severe consistency problems.

The lower body provides a stabilizing and a lateral force which allows you to shorten the radius into the golf ball squarely. You have a choice as to how you wish to use your lower body. You may set up in the impact position with your weight directly over your left instep and a little weight on the inside of your right foot. Here you would stay in that position through the backswing and until impact. Following impact you can release and pose any way you see fit. Pick someone you would like to look like. You may turn your hips through the backswing and the follow through if you follow these guide lines.

Your left knee must not bend down the target line or straighten, and the foot must remain flat on the ground with the weight over the instep. This assures that the left hip will not be turning back around and away but the right hip will be pivoting out and moving with the right shoulder after impact. This is the least stressful position on the lower back and body. As long as the right heel stays toward the target longer then the right toe and your weight is directly over the instep of the left foot you will have no control problems and back problems. If the right heel comes up then you have activated the calf muscles and will throw your self forward of the golf ball leading to push shots. With the heel inside of the toe you are using the hip muscles. Unfortunately Natural Golf teaches you to keep your right heel flat on the ground always and the result is your weight stays on your right side your right knee bends. Your left knee straightens and your left hip moves back away from the target line. All of which are disastrous.

The great thing about the Momentous trainer for single axis practice is just holding it off of the ground forces you in to a single axis system. Because of the weight at the top of the back swing you instinctively place your right elbow in a better position directly inline with the spine. You have to the very strong to have a flying chicken wings elbow with the heavy club. Lastly, you will swing the Momentous golf club more consistently on-plane down and through and up instead of out and around.

Moe Norman had many idiosyncratic parts to his golf swing. When Moe was in his mid 30's on the back swing his left heel came off the ground. His club went all the way back to parallel, and his right foot rolled in toward the target at impact. Creating a single axis with the handle pointing up the forearm over the heel pad, and making a straight hand flexion motion are the dynamics different from traditional golf. The distance that you stand away to create single axis is either by reaching out or by standing up taller. In my case, and I believe in most cases, severe reaching Ala Moe causes balance problems and is difficult for most players.

As long as the shaft runs directly in line with your right forearm and your setup permits your left arm to be straightened, creating the bottom of the arc, you can stand as close and as upright as is comfortable.

Scott

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