timing

Timing it all
Together!

Synchronize it Together!!
The following articles are excerpts from Pocket Coach Volume 2,
"Developing Your Skills" authored and copyrighted by Ed Tischler.

We coordinate the fundamentals together through proper timing. You can think of it this way, timing is the
synchronization of your arm swing with your pivot.

There are two basic keys used in timing keys the full swings. When swinging for control, the basic timing
key will be feeling your stomach-n-hands moving together. When swinging for power, the basic feel is
timeing your right hip-n-hands together.

It is most critical to feel these timing keys when your swing is moving from waist-high to waist-high in the
forward swing. To train these feelings for good timing you will be provide two different timing exercises.

I suggest you to train each exercise in half swings first. After you acquire the feeling in half swings move on
to full swings. Once again, it is beneficial to train the exercises at home before you test your skills on the
range.

Let’s head to a mirror where you can best visualize this timing relationship. Select a short iron and set-up
facing the mirror.

Once in your address position, slide the club up through your hands until the butt of the club is resting in
your belly button. At the same time, make sure the shaft of the club is still pointed at your target line. This
is the starting position of the exercise.

From this starting position you will turn your stomach back-n-thru with the club moving from waist-high to
waist-high.

As your stomach turns back-n-thru, your hands and club stay centered in front of your stomach. As your
stomach turns back-n-thru, the shaft of the club also continues to point at your target-line. The only time
the shaft will not point at the target-line is when it is parallel to the ground.

Train this motion over and over with the club resting in your belly button. When the feeling is strong you
can lengthen the club back to the original address position. As you address the club at its full length,
continue to imagine the feeling of the club being connected to your stomach.

While feeling the relationship between your hands and your stomach, imagine your upper arms staying
connected to your body. If you have this feeling, the club will remain pointing at your target-line.

Each time your stomach turns back, your arms, hands, and club, go with it. Each time your stomach turns
forward, your arms, hands, and club lag slightly behind your stomach.

When performed correctly you will feel the turning motion control the back-n-thru motion of the golf club. As
long as your upper arms remain connected to your torso, you will feel your body in control of the motion.
Once you feel this togetherness in your waist-high to waist-high swings, you are ready to feel it in the Swing-
Back Swing-Thru motion.

To train this feeling, simply add swing to the top of the backswing and a swing to the finish actions into the
basic stomach-n-hands drill.

Set-up in your finish while facing the mirror. Stick the grip end of the club in your belly button. Then feel
your stomach turn-back while the club goes with it. Once the golf club reaches waist-high in the backswing,
finish off the backswing while letting the club separate from your belly button.

Pause at the top of your backswing before swinging forward toward your finish. As you turn your stomach
toward the finish, feel the grip end of the club return to your belly button. Swing slow enough so that you
don’t jab yourself in the stomach with the grip. As you continue your follow-thru, the grip will once again
swing away from your belly button. (See pictures at the end of this section)

Once you’ve completed the follow-thru, return your arms and club to the connected position in front of you.
This will position you right back in the beginning position.

Repeat this exercise over and over until you’ve internalized the feeling of your stomach-n-hands moving
together. Then you can pay attention to the feeling on the driving range while playing shots.

View the pictures on the following pages very carefully. Try to emulate the relationships you see in the
pictures. Train in front of the mirror as often as necessary to acquire the feelings of togetherness. The
stronger the feelings of togetherness, the better your timing will be, the better your swings will feel, and the
more consistently you will play.

To become more aware of the Stomach-n-hands motion, execute the Club-n-Stomach drill above.
Start in your normal address position, then slide the club up thru your hands until the butt of the club
is sticking in your stomach. Your hands will be holding the club on the shaft instead of the grip. From
this starting point, simply pivot your stomach away from the target as you did in the previous pivot drill.
Continue to pivot until the clubshaft is waist-high in the backswing. Then begin to pivot forward. As
you pivot forward, notice how your hands stay in front of your stomach. Finally, continue to pivot
until your stomach and club are pointing toward your target. Execute this drill in slow motion first,
it will make it easier for you to become aware of the Stomach-n-hands feel.

To develop the feeling of Hip-N-Hands connection, select an iron and set-up facing the mirror. Once in
your address position, release your right hand from the golf club, extend your right arm out to your side,
then relax the arm so your elbow returns to your side (See pictures at the end of this section).

As your elbow returns to your side it will feel connected before it actually touches your side. At this point
there will be a slight gap between your elbow and your waist. If your elbow pulls in too much the feeling
will become cramped and full of tension

As your upper arm reaches this connected position, your right forearm finds a position parallel to the
ground. When your forearm is parallel to the ground and your upper arm feels connected, you are ready
to bring your left hand and club up to where your right hand is waiting.

Move the club up to your right hand and take hold of the club with both hands while maintaining the
feeling of connection. When you do so, you will understand the feeling of the hands being connected to
your right hip.

Now that you have the feeling of being connected, turn your right hip all the way through to your target,
and let your arms follow-thru to a full finish. If performed properly, you will feel the forward hip turn
directing your arms, hands, and club throughout the forward swing.

As your hip turns past the ball location simply allow your arms, hands, and club to release through to a
full finish. Remember, your arms need not swing independent of your body. If they swing independent of
your body motion your swing will be unsynchronized. If they work together you will be a body player.

After finishing each swing, check your finish alignment and posturing. Since you are now training the
type of connection needed in a power swing, look for your right side to finish closer to the target than
your left side.

When you are done checking your finish, return to the address position and repeat the exercise. Train
the exercise daily until you have the feeling for your right arm being connected to your right side.

Once you’ve practiced the Connect-N-Turn Drill enough to internalize the feeling of right-side connection,
you are ready to train it in a full swing.

You begin this process by setting up and connecting your right arm just like you did in the Connect-N-
Turn Drill. However, before turning to the finish, turn-back in your backswing and then turn-thru to your
finish. You simply add the full backswing into the Connect-N-Turn Drill.

As you turn back-n-thru, pay attention to how connected or independent your right arm feels in relation to
your right side. Once you can feel the connection in your practice swing, you are ready to develop the
feeling while playing golf shots. At this point you can take your practice out to the range.

When training on the range, play shot while starting in the connected right arm position. It is a difficult
drill, however with regular training it produces the great results.

If you decide to give this a try, I guarantee you will miss a lot of shots, and I mean a lllllllot of shots. Don’t
worry about the misses. Keep training until you get over the uneasy feeling of playing shots from a
paused takeaway position. Think of the connected right arm position as a paused takeaway position, you
will realize that this is the position you swing through during both the backswing and the forward swing.

The first topic will discuss the type of connection used by
control players, or by golfers when they want to play control shots.

This sequence of pictures demonstrates what I call the Connect-n-Turn drill. The idea is to
become aware of how it feels to have your right arm, hands, and club connected to your right side
as you turn your right side thru to your target. In the middle picture, notice how connected
my right arm looks to my right side. My body is truly in control. It feels like my body is
carrying my arms, hands, and club through the ball into my follow-thru.

New Horizons Golf Approach
I n n o v a t i v e C o a c h i n g F o r G o l f e r s

This page was last updated 05-16-09

If you have any questions regarding New Horizons Golf Approach please contact
Ed Tischler at (408)203-7599, or email your questions to Ed Tischler
new horizonsgolf er @y a h o o .com.

The second topic (below) will discuss the type of connection used by
power players, or by golfers when they want to play power shots.