Many ‘MGS’ users complain of a making a ‘push’ shot (straight out to the right, for a right-handed golfer, with no curve on the ball). Firstly it should not be a complaint, because at least they now have just one stock shot, and the earlier low pulls or sliced shots are gone. They’re therefore ‘almost’ but not fully MGS.
Basically, a ‘push’ is NOT MGS, it means the golfer has deviated from the movements required in some small way (hence the improvement of ball-striking to just a push). Their right trunks are therefore still slightly higher than left, which is the exact opposite of what the MGS ‘magic move’ requires.
This golfer has got the MGS set up perfectly, BUT the left arm is so stretched out and stiff, it pushes the rest of the body, so that the left trunk drops slightly, and therefore the left knee drops and the hips get moved (rotated) too.
The MGS backswing needs a very, very soft left arm, climbing steeply up the chest wall, and no other body movement during the backswing.
In the picture above, someone standing behind the golfer should be able to see much less of this golfer’s left arm (green line amount, NOT red line amount), simply because that left arm is climbing loosely and steeply up, and is not stiff or stretched.
Kiran I have the “pushes”, exactly like you talk about in this post. I setup with my ball in the center of my stance, with my weight slightly favoring my right side – maybe 60/40. My back swing is basically lifting my left arm up my chest, keeping my right knee braced. (My right knee stays in the same position as at setup.) However, I do notice that my left knee wants to bend forward a little — not pointing at the ball, but pointing to my left toe.
Any ideas on what I need to work on to straighten out my shots? I have not tried to take MGS to the course, but it works fairly well on the range — providing that I cheat and aim left. Thanks for your help. I enjoy your blog entries.
One more thing I forgot above. What do you use as a downswing trigger? Is this a lower body shift or rotation, or do you simply pull your left arm toward the target line?
All readers of this blog. Please note, if you are pushing the shot it is NOT MGS. In Kim’s case it is definitely thinking/doing things in excess of MGS. All extra thoughts only serve to clutter up the mind some more. There is not need for any right knee thought, even if, as it does in some cases, it straightens out a bit because of the MGS twist, that is ok too.
Kim if your left knee drops forward it is NOT MGS. Unless you send me some screen shots of what you look like, it could be one of a dozen things that prevents you from being MGS.
However, the universal, simple solution is to simply go back to basics. The backswing requires you to lift the left upper-arm (the meaty part of it) steeply and softly up the chest wall. NO OTHER BODY PART moves during the backswing.
Then during the downswing, maintain all body angles, especially of the head, keep the right heel grounded for as long as possible during the downswing, and let everything else simply happen – it WILL. The body is so ‘locked up’ with the ‘twist’ during address, all the ‘evil’ creatures of the swing (ie the trail, usually right, shoulder) are prevented from interfering and messing things up, and the ‘good guys’ (lower body) can get into action!