the key to distance

[Scragger63]

Re: the key to distance

scragger, how can we be sure that is the reason the tennis players are doing it, to distract the opponents? Even if that is true I was more focused on figuring out how bruce lee got so much from so little and if it is possible to add it to the golf swing. of course we should not be screaming while golf but adding effecient breathing may assist us.

Shootin...

I do not believe for one second the "grunting" is about distracting the opponent. IMO it is more about depriving/denying the opponent access to 1 piece of sensory information that would assist in the subconcious preparations of the shotmaking process.

This is (again IMO) tantamount to cheating and should be legislated against by the powers that be...

This of course will never happen...... To Tennis's ultimate detriment.

Anyways, that said, I see your point in the timing of the breathing to benefit the golfer.

Further, I can honestly say I have never been distracted by a fellow golfer letting out a Seles'esque grunt three fairways over....


Cheers

[bdbl]

Re: the key to distance

Further, I can honestly say I have never been distracted by a fellow golfer letting out a Seles'esque grunt three fairways over....

Must the kind of golf I play and the people I play with but I have been distracted by a playing partner breaking wind at the top of my backswing.

[Scragger63]

Re: the key to distance

LOL bdbl... Knows exactly where you are coming from....

Have had that exact experience myself...



In my days at my old club a few years back, playing with friends week in week out, casual liberties as I like to call them are sometimes called for, especially when one of your group is having a blinder and he looks a shoo in to win the days bet, so you take some opportunities to "knobble" him...



Dropping the odd club, tossing a ball casually into his field of vision on his downswing, asking if his wife likes to experiment in the bedroom...

All of these we have tried in the hurly burly of a casual Sunday chook run...

NEVER in the cut and thrust of a Saturday Monthly Medal round.

Some things remain sacrosanct.....

Cheers

[GreeBoman]

Re: the key to distance

I do not believe for one second the "grunting" is about distracting the opponent. IMO it is more about depriving/denying the opponent access to 1 piece of sensory information that would assist in the subconcious preparations of the shotmaking process.

Im sorry but I just dont believe that for one second.
If it was true then everyone would be doing it.

I think perhaps you are confusing it with table tennis where the server will conceal the angle of the bat with his other hand to deny the opponent the change of seeing what spin is being put on the ball.
In table tennis you are about 8 foot from the other player, do you really think tennis players can see let alone hear the angle of the opponents racquet??

Its about the transfer of energy pure and simple.
Tennis has become more and more a game of explosive power and players slogging it out from baseline to baseline.

If your theory was correct the players would be grunting much more and loudly on the finesse shots close to the net, but they are not because they are not trying to exert as much power.

[edshaw]

Re: the key to distance

One of my regular golf pals is a middle aged
man of ordinary stature, and has a swing that
would seem to most people normal at first
look. Thing is, he is unbeleivably long off the
tee. I am sure each of you knows or plays
with such a man.
I have had plenty of opportunity to observe this
gentleman, and I can tell you there is only one
thing that I can see he appears to do very
well all the time. He is exceptionally fluid from
impact to follow through. I mean, there seems to
be very little in the way of resistance in his
follow through. It is especially noticable watching
his shoulders release.
If you read Jimmy Ballard's book, he talks a lot about
"firing the right side."

[BrianW]

Re: the key to distance

One of my regular golf pals is a middle aged
man of ordinary stature, and has a swing that
would seem to most people normal at first
look. Thing is, he is unbeleivably long off the
tee. I am sure each of you knows or plays
with such a man.
I have had plenty of opportunity to observe this
gentleman, and I can tell you there is only one
thing that I can see he appears to do very
well all the time. He is exceptionally fluid from
impact to follow through. I mean, there seems to
be very little in the way of resistance in his
follow through. It is especially noticable watching
his shoulders release.
If you read Jimmy Ballard's book, he talks a lot about
"firing the right side."

I am a little embarrassed to say this but my golfing peers do comment on me being a "Beautiful striker of the ball" I tend to hit good long drives although I do not swing fast (and am middle aged), I always end with a balanced finish though. When I am hitting off the tee I swing well within myself and try to allow my arms and torso to work through the swing together right to completion, but without hitting at the ball.

[edshaw]

Re: the key to distance

Interesting parallel, Brian. If that
dare I call it a carfefree sense of
abandon right to the end really
does have a bit to do with it,
then I'd say it's one of those things
that appears fairly easy at first look,
but only a handful are able to actually
do it.
I'm wondering if long ball hitters might
not be storing up so much energy on the
backswing as to still using the reserve
through the hitting area. Just a thought.

[BrianW]

Re: the key to distance

It's difficult to explain the feeling of a well hit drive other than everything feels connected and flowing. I do start my downswing with my legs and hips, then allow my arms and torso to rotate together to a full balanced finish. My best distances happen when I am not powering my right side, rather allowing it to push through with good extension.

[takinitdeep]

Re: the key to distance

It's difficult to explain the feeling of a well hit drive other than everything feels connected and flowing. I do start my downswing with my legs and hips, then allow my arms and torso to rotate together to a full balanced finish. My best distances happen when I am not powering my right side, rather allowing it to push through with good extension.

Correctorisimo, Brian. By keeping the right side relaxed we are allowing it to fire with more precision and timing. Tense right side=jerking down of the club and early release.
Relaxed right side=late release/lag.
Those who think they are firing the right side are really not completing their backswing and then messing with their transition move.
Very good.

[shootin4par]

Re: the key to distance

tell hogan or tiger that and see what they think. It takes more effort to pull rather then push, that is how the human body works

[takinitdeep]

Re: the key to distance

tell hogan or tiger that and see what they think. It takes more effort to pull rather then push, that is how the human body works

No one is Hogan or Tiger.

[BrianW]

Re: the key to distance

tell hogan or tiger that and see what they think. It takes more effort to pull rather then push, that is how the human body works

Well, it's a bit late to tell Hogan anything He did say you should hit with both arms though and intimated you should not let the right overpower the left. I would not agree with his contradicting statement that he would like to have three right arms, that would overpower the left. Shootin, nobody is suggesting the right side does not play a powerful role, only that it must be tuned with the left. I believe the right and left side should have a Yin Yang relationship that works in harmony whereby the right does fire through but under control of the left side.

Tiger! I probably will not get the chance to ask him but I would suspect he would also agree that the downswing is a part pulling and part pushing motion.

[shootin4par]

Re: the key to distance

there are certain laws of movement of the human body and explaining them are too hard. Visual demonstraion in necessary for some things. If done correctly you could power the swing with what ever side you want and hit the ball good as long as you understand how to do it. The right side will hit it farther and the right hand for most people is a lot more accurate. But all that really matters is if you have fun.

[BrianW]

Re: the key to distance

there are certain laws of movement of the human body and explaining them are too hard. Visual demonstraion in necessary for some things. If done correctly you could power the swing with what ever side you want and hit the ball good as long as you understand how to do it. The right side will hit it farther and the right hand for most people is a lot more accurate. But all that really matters is if you have fun.

You say Tamatoes and I say tomatoes

[shootin4par]

Re: the key to distance

Mr. Mays

interesting that you talk about martial arts, austin did research for the chineese govt on martial arts. Just like the martial arts guy retained it after 80 years, you should see on the austin tape when he was 82 how he was able to hit the ball, amazing. some people play music, and some are real musicians. some people play golf and others know there is an art to it. You would appreciate the artistry he has where others may look past it.