Using Popcorn to Get Effortless Power - by David Lee, Golf Pro in Greenville SC.

As the developer of the “Gravity” golf teaching system, I am a great believer that the laws of motion are very specific, in regard to the “ideal” way to swing a golf club. However, knowing that not everyone swings in what, I consider to be an ideal, “physics compliant” fashion, I racked my brain to think of a great tip that would be applicable to all golfers, regardless of their swing style. The following is one of the better ideas that I can offer:

Many golfers swing smoothly in their practice swings, yet in the real swing, with the ball in the equation, they invariably “flex” the upper body in the downswing trying to “strike” it. You’d swear they were swinging at a bowling ball! Tightening the arms and wrists in the downswing may easily cause a reduction in club-speed and a reduction in the amount of body mass that is moving at impact (any of your pounds that are not turning at the instant you strike the ball, are not having an effect on it. Tightening the arms and wrists in the downswing also causes change in the swing-path and off-center shots. 

When you watch Freddie Couples swing, he just drops his arms from the top of the backswing and allows his core rotation to sling them. My tip is to always, visualize the ball as being “weightless,” like a piece of popcorn. You should take some popcorn to the practice tee and alternate between hitting golf balls and pieces of the popcorn. The birds will eat what you don’t pick up and popcorn doesn’t harm the mowers like tees or pennies. You should begin to visualize the ball as having no more weight than the popcorn. The reason you won’t flex at the popcorn is because your brain knows that even if you hit it dead flush it will only go three feet anyway. Trying to move the golf ball a great distance is what makes people instinctively flex at it. When you stop “flexing,” - your club-speed and swing-path integrity will improve dramatically, - and you’ll begin to hit the ball “flush” in the middle of the clubface. 

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What You See is What You Get - by Danny Lee

Perception is a very strong force that can be used positively or negatively. In the case of golf, what you see as resistance is exactly that. The majority of the golfing population (almost every person) looks at the golf ball as being an object that requires force to move. Typically the feeling is, the greater the force, the farther you believe the ball will go. As this may, in essence, be true, the perception is that the harder you swing at the object, the more force you will create ....sorry to disappoint you, but this is not the case. 

If you have ever experienced what a “perfect” shot feels like, you would recall that it feels like “nothing”. It is very difficult to describe physically, because there is almost no feeling at all (perfect balance at impact). The feeling of perfect balance comes from being able to offset all of the centrifugal force moving in front of your body (your arms) with an equal amount of force moving in the opposite direction: this will free up your body mass through the shot. The more relaxed your body is and the softer your arms are, the easier it is to move your weight in the proper directions. 

Try this simple drill: alternating between hitting golf balls and popcorn. What this will do is allow you a momentary alteration in how you perceive the object at which you are swinging. If you look at a piece of popcorn and flex your muscles, immediately you will have presence of mind that that much force is not needed to move something with no mass. If you can carry this same awareness into your swing when the golf ball is in the way, it can be a very enlightening process that can help you develop a more relaxed, consistent tempo and inevitably a more enjoyable game.

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One of My Favorite Golf Tips

As the developer of the “Gravity” golf teaching system, I am a great believer that the laws of motion are very specific in regard to the “ideal” way to swing a golf club. However, knowing that not everyone swings in what I consider to be an ideal “physics compliant” fashion, I racked my brain to think of a great tip that would be applicable to all golfers, regardless of their swing style. The following is one of the better ideas that I can offer.

Many golfers swing smoothly in their practice swings, yet in the real swing, with the ball in the equation, they invariably “flex” the upper body in the downswing trying to “strike” it. You’d swear they were swinging at a bowling ball! Tightening the arms and wrists in the downswing may easily cause a reduction in club-speed and a reduction in the amount of body mass that is moving at impact (any of your pounds that are not turning at the instant you strike the ball, are not having an effect on it. Tightening the arms and wrists in the downswing also causes change in the swing-path and off-center shots. When you watch Freddie Couples swing, he just drops his arms from the top of the backswing and allows his core rotation to sling them. My tip is to always visualize the ball as being “weightless,” like a piece of popcorn. You should take some popcorn to the practice tee and alternate between hitting golf balls and pieces of the popcorn. The birds will eat what you don’t pick up and popcorn doesn’t harm the mowers like tees or pennies. You should begin to visualize the ball as having no more weight than the popcorn. The reason you won’t flex at the popcorn is because your brain knows that even if you hit it dead flush it will only go three feet anyway. Trying to move the golf ball a great distance is what makes people instinctively flex at it. When you stop “flexing,” - your club-speed and swing-path integrity will improve dramatically, - and you’ll begin to hit the ball “flush” in the middle of the clubface.

Continue Reading