nfbandon wrote:Had the opportunity to watch this Mac video from years ago over the weekend. I had seen bits and pieces of this, but always thought it was too position oriented. Watching it in its entirely I actually think it is pretty simple. The focus on the head and eyeline being still makes sense, a 45 angle grip (relatively strong) makes sense because it reduces the need for forearm rotation (which Mac says is his goal) and gets the clubhead going up rather than around, arms straight under the body at address, the right arm never more than 90 degrees on the backswing, and downswing just drop the right shoulder a bit and then rotate keeping the bend in the body all the way to the finish. If you watch the Hogan video I posted you will see the same thing. I have heard some say you want to imagine the head of a pillow and you keep it there and just swivel it from impact to finish. Everything is based on being in balance. I also like the parts where he demonstrates release facing you. No rollover but the path (going inside with his body) is such that I wouldn't call it a hold. No hand manipulation at all.
In later years it looks like Mac violates some of these intentions, but I guess he was always seeking.
Mac rotates his forearms 90 degrees. He does not swing without forearm rotation. It is a ridiculous statement he is making.... suggesting you should try to eliminate all forearm rotation.
Proper forearm rotation does so many good things in the golf swing.
It acts not only as an additional power source, it also adds feel into the player's hands via acceleration and also acts as an anti OTT inhibitor, which is something Mac struggled with on the golf course often missing long and left. If Mac's right arm/elbow doesn't straighten properly on the downswing, the ball will start left and then consequently creates a decrease in loft which then sends the ball long left. Harder to get up and down from there, harder to putt from there. It's not a surprise that Mac would putt left handed to counter this.
Mac was a great striker of the ball, and when he was able to get his right arm/elbow straightening quickly on the downswing to spec, he had fantastic results. It is a viable method, but like any method, it is far from foolproof.
The other critical thing about Mac's methodology is you have to have incredible PIPT (post impact pivot thrust)... which Mac did. For Mac, there was no free ride down.
Hogan and Knudson, even Moe used the FRD along with a lateral transfer of weight as a sure fire over acceleration inhibitor. Having the extra forearm rotation gives a greater range of motion so that more pressure can be applied to the shaft through the strike without having to be as vicious as Mac had to be. Along with the understanding of heavier gear... aids greatly in distance control, because it takes much more effort to generate extra MPH into the strike. This way the player can really FEEL and in a tangible way the difference between 160, 165, 170 yards etc... With light clubs it's much harder to feel and make the proper distinction in the velocity needed for the given shot. For proof just watch any modern super golf event, and the pros will talk about how they "had good numbers out there today" and other BS. Those numbers are important to them for this very reason... the clubs are too light and they can't distinguish the differences in feel in the super golf game.