Linear golf ?

[chrisd]

I booked a short game lesson locally with Steve Mitchell. He has widely become renown as a short game specialist and teaches England and Kent juniors , some tour players and came highly recommended from Sandy of GoKart.

I didn't know what to to expect, but, looking at my action he felt that the occasional duff shot comes from my hands being too far forward at address and causing the leading edge to sometimes dig in behind the ball.

So, the lesson, well he teaches the linear method, which bought my set up back where my hands and shaft are level with my sternum, the ball slightly forward. As a result, the bounce comes more into play and after 20 minutes I was chipping with a full follow through about 15 feet to a pin and just the very rare thin. It felt pretty comfortable and before lesson 2 I plan plenty of practice, but after today I was well pleased.

I know Homer did/does use the method but does anyone have any views or thoughts?

 

[Jimbooo]

I use the logarithmic method meself. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong.

 

[chrisd]

I use the logarithmic method meself. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong.

I posted this late, hoping that you'd have gone to bed!

 

[One Planer]

I booked a short game lesson locally with Steve Mitchell. He has widely become renown as a short game specialist and teaches England and Kent juniors , some tour players and came highly recommended from Sandy of GoKart.

I didn't know what to to expect, but, looking at my action he felt that the occasional duff shot comes from my hands being too far forward at address and causing the leading edge to sometimes dig in behind the ball.

So, the lesson, well he teaches the linear method, which bought my set up back where my hands and shaft are level with my sternum, the ball slightly forward. As a result, the bounce comes more into play and after 20 minutes I was chipping with a full follow through about 15 feet to a pin and just the very rare thin. It felt pretty comfortable and before lesson 2 I plan plenty of practice, but after today I was well pleased.

I know Homer did/does use the method but does anyone have any views or thoughts?

My pro has me using a similar, if not the same method Chris.

Strangely, he has me using the same method for a 50 yard pitch, albeit with an address posture change.

Works well for me :thup:

 

[chrisd]

My pro has me using a similar, if not the same method Chris.

Strangely, he has me using the same method for a 50 yard pitch, albeit with an address posture change.

Works well for me :thup:

Mine said he uses up to 100 yards so sounds right

 

[SGC001]

I booked a short game lesson locally with Steve Mitchell. He has widely become renown as a short game specialist and teaches England and Kent juniors , some tour players and came highly recommended from Sandy of GoKart.

I didn't know what to to expect, but, looking at my action he felt that the occasional duff shot comes from my hands being too far forward at address and causing the leading edge to sometimes dig in behind the ball.

So, the lesson, well he teaches the linear method, which bought my set up back where my hands and shaft are level with my sternum, the ball slightly forward. As a result, the bounce comes more into play and after 20 minutes I was chipping with a full follow through about 15 feet to a pin and just the very rare thin. It felt pretty comfortable and before lesson 2 I plan plenty of practice, but after today I was well pleased.

I know Homer did/does use the method but does anyone have any views or thoughts?

I've had a session with this method and have a Dvd, a lot of it is similar to stuff I'd been taught before with some differences in set up, but ideas like using the bounce, keeping the body moving and the hinge action been familiar. I'm having a play around with it atm for pitching more than chipping and may experiment in bunkers (again pretty similar to stuff I've been taught).

I liked how it was taught it as well by the instructor I saw, he was very good, open to questions, had a thorough approach to practicing the techniques and demonstrated to a high standard as well.

 

[chrisd]

I've had a session with this method and have a Dvd, a lot of it is similar to stuff I'd been taught before with some differences in set up, but ideas like using the bounce, keeping the body moving and the hinge action been familiar. I'm having a play around with it atm for pitching more than chipping and may experiment in bunkers (again pretty similar to stuff I've been taught).

I liked how it was taught it as well by the instructor I saw, he was very good, open to questions, had a thorough approach to practicing the techniques and demonstrated to a high standard as well.

The pro has the video and said he'd lend it to me when he remembers where he put it!

 

[SGC001]

The pro has the video and said he'd lend it to me when he remembers where he put it!

When he does if you are anything like me, you may benefit from a making a couple of notes about practice drills etc: as it's easy to forget tips you've received. Purchasing that helped remind me of a couple of points that I felt were helpful.

Edit: I should have said I did find it very good for direction and the flight was quite 'soft'.

 

[pokerjoke]

There was a section in the golf monthly mag recently,basically saying that using
the club with the hands well forward was the old way of chipping.
Having the ball more central with less shaft lean and using the bounce is the new way.
One of my playing partners has his hands so far forward and the shaft leaning so far ahead of
his body it looks painful.
He duffs so many chips.
Homer no longer uses the linear method.

 

[richart]

I posted on the London Golf Show about Gary Smith who teaches that method. Square stance, ball forward, hands level, and uses the bounce of the club. I would be frightened of knifing my wedges though.

 

[chrisd]

When he does if you are anything like me, you may benefit from a making a couple of notes about practice drills etc: as it's easy to forget tips you've received. Purchasing that helped remind me of a couple of points that I felt were helpful.

Edit: I should have said I did find it very good for direction and the flight was quite 'soft'.

Point taken with thanks. Yes, I found a nice soft flight too

I posted on the London Golf Show about Gary Smith who teaches that method. Square stance, ball forward, hands level, and uses the bounce of the club. I would be frightened of knifing my wedges though.

A man like you with hands of butter would never " knife " a wedge Rich!

 

[Region3]

I've banged on about this before so sorry for being boring, but the TPI recommends trying a tricky pitch one handed and noting the results.

Left hand best - use the hands forward open stance method hitting down on the ball.
Right hand best - use the hands level square stance method using the bounce of the club.

 

[chrisd]

I've banged on about this before so sorry for being boring, but the TPI recommends trying a tricky pitch one handed and noting the results.

Left hand best - use the hands forward open stance method hitting down on the ball.
Right hand best - use the hands level square stance method using the bounce of the club.

Shall put this to the test and see

 

[Region3]

Shall put this to the test and see

I found it interesting. I used to chip hands forward, but was best right handed so tried the other way and found it really useful. As you said it gives a nice soft flight too. I can land the ball a good few feet further using the bounce and have it finish I the same place.

I use both now depending on the situation which is probably a bad thing, but it's working ok so far.

 

[SGC001]

I found it interesting. I used to chip hands forward, but was best right handed so tried the other way and found it really useful. As you said it gives a nice soft flight too. I can land the ball a good few feet further using the bounce and have it finish I the same place.

I use both now depending on the situation which is probably a bad thing, but it's working ok so far.

Nothing wrong with choosing to use or to not using the bounce to chip with, arguably better to have more strings to a bow (practice time dependent). Some may believe more in one system than another from a technique perspective.

I was quite suprised how bad a lie you could utilise the linear method from.

I had short game lesson with another guy and he basically advocated a utilising the bounce approach (not the linear approach he preferred more of a flow to his swing), when given a few different lies he was willing to choose to push the hands forward for a few shots where he felt it was best suited.

 

[garyinderry]

I use both now depending on the situation which is probably a bad thing, but it's working ok so far.

definitely no bad idea. I use the bounce method when the ground is soft. when the pressure is on and the conditions are normal I would always use the old method.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Have used the linear method. Had a chipping lesson yesterday and the guy I saw is a big advocate so going back down that road. Having a full short game evaluation in the new year so interested to see how he looks at pitching and bunkers, neither of which are big issues but I'd love to improve

 

[chrisd]

Have used the linear method. Had a chipping lesson yesterday and the guy I saw is a big advocate so going back down that road. Having a full short game evaluation in the new year so interested to see how he looks at pitching and bunkers, neither of which are big issues but I'd love to improve

So why did you stop doing it if you're prepared to to go there again with a different coach?

 

[Jimbooo]

Does anyone know if there any touring pros using the linear method?

 

[chrisd]

I think that the answer is similar to the same question on stack and tilt. Elements of the swing are used by several players, and with the linear method, Iv'e certainly seen similar shots played by some of the top guys. Hardly any pro does what I did though, which was hands forward, ball back in the stance. Mostly, the linear method is about using the bounce of the club which, if you do it right, gives a lot more room for error. In practice yesterday I hit a few fattish hits that went far better than any fat hit struck with my old swing. I believe that's because, if you hit the ground behind the ball the bounce still slides along the ground instead of digging in and still give an acceptable strike. I am not going to get hung up on the name given to the swing as it always leaves it open to question - basically if it works then it works, if it works only on certain shots then my brief to the pro still stands which was - save me two shots a round on my short game.