Lag

[golfwoman]

ok here is a question and a half

creating lag

being new to golf - I decided to read a bit about the swing before trying golf and

in a way it's been good

started by thinking about my wrists as the thing to move to the ball not the club, so have totally avoided the swing from the top

in a way it's been bad

you would not believe the number of different theories on how to swing a golf club - and I have tried them all (great practice on finding your non-think zone to reset your swing)

On one of the days I did somthing that was really lagging my club, so much so that the whip through at base was hell of a scary as it's like a force of nature and had nothing to do with uncocking my wrists

Needless to say I can't find that swing now - and yeah I do still have ok lag but not like it was on those swings

so my question is - can you actually get a swing with 2 much lag?

sould I stop trying to find out what I did that fired the club straight through that ball like a rocket?

 

[Imurg]

Hi GW

I have to say that this question ties in with my biggest theory about Golf.

We think about it too much...

Unfortunately I can't help with your lag as I honestly havn't got a clue what you're on about - its a different language. Someone will come on here and give you the answer but my advice is clear your mind, swing the club at the ball and in time you'll improve....

 

[TonyN]

I too have no idea, the only lag I know about relates to Turbo's.

But I do second the above, dont think to much about it. Just let what your pro has taught you happen naturally.

 

[andiritchie]

lag just comes from a good sound swing,hard to explain but its maintaining the bend in the shaft by holding back the realease till the correct time its impossible to lag the club if you casting the club

 

[HTL]

I you want to see lag in a golf swing look no further than Sergio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjtuBfTd2hk

 

[RGuk]

Ah.....my kind of post.

Too much lag?.....no way.....but the later you leave the release of the club and the further behind the club head from your hands.....the more important your tempo and timing.

David Leadbetter would say that there are a few drills that can improve things....and for some players, improvements can be made quite quickly. If I watch my daughter swing the club...she has it, but I don't....I know this from watching videos of my swing side one.

I've had 4 pro teachers and read dozens of books on golf....I've yet to find a definitive fix. Some players spank the ball a mile with brute strength....most with great technique. The rest of us can only improve on what nature has given us and although I could increase my club head speed in a couple of weeks by concentrating solely on this....I know my consistency would go out the window.
10 mph more with my driver would give me 20 yards? maybe a little more.....but do I want to practice for 12 months to rebuild my timing to a consistent level....no!

There is a big difference between poor technique/weak shots and sound technique but lack of lag. Most players who at some time have a "eureka" moment are probably beginning to hit the ball properly.....not suddenly developing the impressive lag of pro players.

It is the holy grail.....

 

[TonyN]

When my pro had me uncocking the hands as late as possible in the swing, was he trying to create lag?

 

[Macster]

errr yes, he was.

I recently had this discussion with a friend who is a single figure golfer.
Probably because he was pished at the time, he was adamant that the 'real power' in the swing, ie what made a 10/20yd difference, was actually from your left side. (??)

This was despite me and a room full of fairly good golfers all quite happily agreeing that it was the 'snap' at the moment before impact.
That lateness of wrist whip is the key to extra length, obviously combined with all the other elements of the swing, rhythm, strength, poise etc etc.

I have a naturally slow and fairly rhythmic swing, yet have never struggled for length, possibly as a result of my 15st frame and good wrist strength.

I think to work on it, if it isnt something you have naturally, you would have to take things back to basics, and taking a half takeaway to full wristbreak, stop for a moment, and then work on clipping the ball away, time after time, working on using your wrists to maximise distance with the reduced practise swing.
When I had lessons some years ago, my pro used the same technique to try and get me corrected on some things, but could work equally well for developing wrist strength I think.

Hope that helps, but I'd see a Pro, for I may not know what I talk about

 

[USER1999]

Very easy to end up with a nasty wristy swing trying to imprrove lag. My view is it just happens naturally, and if you try to force it you can end up in a right mess. Also, it impossible (unless you are Tiger) to have any decent lag in a swing that can be compared to a strimmer. Swing easy like Ernie.

A stable left side is a good idea though. Stops elvis like jelly legs that rob power.

 

[Cernunnos]

As I can attest, as my wrists break down a lot at the top of the swing. Something I'm really trying to sort out. The other thing is if not careful in trying to whip through things can get a bit wristy, leading to all sorts of manic tendencies in your ball in flight. You'd need the timing of a demon Fiddler like Dave Swarbrick in his prime to accomplish anything as testing with consistency.

And timing is everything as it is.

 

[RGuk]

You'd need the timing of a demon Fiddler like Dave Swarbrick in his prime to accomplish anything as testing with consistency.

Great.....so there is hope then......as RG puts his fiddle in the case and prepares to hit the fairways

 

[JamesR]

Apparently if you lose the lag in the swing and end up scooping the ball upwards you can lose over 20mph from the ball strike. That is one of the main differences between pro's and us!

Look at Ben Hogan, Poulter and Sergio for the best examples of this.

Basically I was told that you should have a flat left wrist on impact (right handers of course).

 

[golfwoman]

funny enough it was ben hogan who I had been looking at

 

[AliB]

Wow
that Sergio swing has given me something to think about - not just the 'lag', but how wide does he go?
(Think I'd better get used to being off 23!)

AliB

 

[golfwoman]

I have also noticed that wood and sergio (and probably lots of good players) seem to do a drop at top of back swing - it's almost like they go in for the kill (down and towards the ball) and then relax out

Is that called a gravity drop?

 

[andiritchie]

they just drop the club right back on plane,the top of their swings are quite off plane well not so much woods now then their first move down is to drop it straight back down on plane,quite a lot of pros do it like vj and jim furyk is a great example it doesnt matter what you do on the back swing its just about getting the club back on plane coming down

 

[RGuk]

In Tiger Woods "How I play golf", there is a great page (p.150) titled "Don't miss your plane".
The picture tells many words, but the 2nd paragraph reads;
"When the clubshaft is on plane, two good things happen. The club feels light and balanced, making it easy to generate all the clubhead speed I need. More important.....(he goes on)..the clubshaft is all but trapped within the perfect little channel I've created"

This isn't it....but serves the same purpose.

Note a) the butt end of the club is bang on the ball (try a ruler, if you don't believe it) .....how good!!
b) note the Atticus proforceV2 lag going on.....his (Tiger's) hands have almost reached the impact but the clubhead has got miles to go......

poetry.....wrapped up in a brutal unleash of clubhead speed.....