Now that I am starting to keep my right arm and right elbow passive, Patrick is really focusing on keeping my upper back posture solid. A few times, he told me to stop and “come back” because there was a rounding of my upper back and shoulders. It is a unique feel as I have so often had rounded shoulders when starting the backswing. It now almost feels as if I am lifting the club right above where I place it on the ground prior to taking it away. I know this feel will get more comfortable but it is a bit awkward right now.
If I can keep my upper back in good posture with my chest “pushed out” and not use my right arm, I can really get a very deep turn. I am starting to feel my right side getting more flexible and I definitely feel the leverage of my entire upper body angled toward the ball when I get to the top of the backswing. I can also feel my entire torso being long as I get to the top of the backswing.
We also worked on the downswing today as my backswing has gotten really good. Patrick wants me to keep my head down longer and go slower throughout the downswing. After impact, Patrick pushes on my lower right side which makes my upper body feel like it is going to right field or second base. I can really feel this when I keep my head down for longer.
As usual, I hit some really good shots, but I am focused on continuing to turn without using my right arm or right side. I have a habit of trying to use my right side at the top of the backswing which is when I should really be pulling in with my right side.
We are moving very fast now as I am picking up yardage and realizing the radius of the swing is much larger now that I am keeping my arms out of the swing. Basically, it feels like my hands are the middle of the circle with the golf swing. In reality, the body is the center of the circle and the hands are halfway between the center and the circumference. Any hinging or manipulating the club with the hands or the arms only makes the circumference of the circle that much smaller.
UPDATE: In early May 2021 I realized that my body is capable of a huge turn but my hands and arms always try to manipulate the club to get power. The sole focus is to get the left pec as far around my body as possible on my backswing. Nothing else. No worries about my legs, hip angle, right crease, anything. Just get that left pectoral to keep turning and keep turning and keep turning.
