What does ‘Transition’ mean?
‘Transition’ is the change in movement from backswing to downswing, so should technically mean the point at which the clubhead reverses direction.
All sorts of movements are recommended for a golfer to ‘transition’. Have you heard any of these before?
1. Shift weight back towards target
2. Re-plant your raised left heel (for a right-handed golfer)
3. The body starts the turn towards target before the clubhead has reversed directions
4. Squat down to start the downswing
5. Let there be a separation between the legs
6. Start the downswing from the ground up – lower body, followed by upper body, followed by arms, wrists and clubhead
7. Push with the right side (hip, knee, foot, it varies depending upon the authority)
8. Pull with the left side
9. And the list goes on…..
Actually, for the ‘traditional swing’ – ANY swing which is not The Minimalist Golf Swing – the body has to reposition many joints to get into the right place for the start-of-downswing – the left hip and knee, the right trunk, the right shoulder, elbow, forearm and wrist. WHICH is WHY it takes years to achieve ‘mastery’ and seconds to un-achieve it, especially under pressure.
Look at the top-of-backswing position in the picture above – the golfer must drop the right side of the body, drop the right arm, drop the right elbow and all while re-routing slightly from the ‘inside’ so that she does not come ‘over-the-top’. A LOT of GENIUS is required to un-do most golf swings, and a lot of phenomenal ‘timing’ which instantly goes ‘out-the-window under pressure – whatever situation makes a golfer feel ‘pressure’
The Minimalist Golf Swing (at one stage it was all set to be called ‘The do-nothing golf swing’!), requires a person to DO NOTHING – intentional – during the downswing. It not only allows all the good moves to happen, it prevents all the bad moves, so that the golfer’s body cannot help but have the correct downswing sequence, so that ‘transition’ becomes mere happenstance, not something one has to strive for!
