Secret in the Dirt: The Navel

[jerry19671969]

what is the best way to get the club,arms, and hands in the slot on the downswing?

[1tontomato]

@jerry19671969 The slot is created by one single motion which the body starts. Hang on to your club and forget you have arms.

[holyrocnroll]

hi sevam1 would it be of interest in the future if there was a professional golfer seeking you out to be his swing coach like a touring professional because you are truly fantastic compared to all of that golf fix crap!!!!

[sevam1]

@holyrocnroll Sure. I would do that. I've done it before.

[torquegolf]

Each time I incoporate something new into my swing, things did not really work out and more so when I am on the course. And each time, I will recall this video and use my navel to shape shots, get direction and shape shots. And without fail, I play great golf. Just can't believe how effective this method is. Awesome.

[sevam1]

@torquegolf  Glad to be of assistance ;)

[TheJimmyNewc]

Don't let the dog eat the golf balls it gets in their tummy and hurts them.

[TheJimmyNewc]

Jim is improving because he isn't practising. Don't let Casey chew on golf balls, they swallow the little pieces of the golf ball and it goes through their digestive tracts.

[MaximusDelta]

Savem1 do you play profesionally ot teach?

[sevam1]

I have not played in 10 years. I am currently teaching a couple of people but I also have other interests which keep me from doing that more.

[MikePedersenGolfTips]

That is one heck of a pile of golf balls you have there.

[Scampern]

Haha, secret is in the dirt:D I just found out a little part of it today. I was both sliding and turning my hips.

My pro told me to calm down the hips, but it was the wrong "picture".

I thought about the secret is in the dirt and related it to my sway. Result was one swing thought today.

Feel that the pressure never leaves the inside of the feet to the ground during the swing.

Result: compression and better direction:) THANKS

[sevam1]

That is right. Keeping the pressure on the insides of the feet sets up a boundary of sorts for your swing. If you maintain that pressure you will find that it is difficult to make a move that would be considered a sway. You have now set up an area within which you can freely work.

[jknightglfr]

So do you actually give this guy lessons or do you just hit balls and talk trash to him?

One thing I've always felt true: If the instructor hits more balls than you during a lesson--you need a new instructor.

[ichbindoppelbock]

would you day rotating your navel and have it finishing left you can draw the ball and vice-versa fade the ball and do so just by controlling the naval?

Or is that a little difficult to control

[chrisopacity]

i like to think of my belly button being scared of my hands on the way down and trying to stay far away from them, which has helped me create the proper unwind for power

[BenHogansSwing]

How do you work on your tempo? Exactly the same every time. Amazing to watch

[sevam1]

I don't think about tempo at all. That said, I did give it a great deal of thought many years ago. Sam Snead and Tom Watson used to do things like humming in waltz time when they practiced. I used all of that sort of stuff in practice and then found that if I just got the sequence of the motion right then the tempo took care of itself. If your tempo is too quick then increasing the swing weight of your clubs with lead tape on the heads can do wonders for your tempo. I use heavy clubs ;)

[durockhog]

Ok Mike, You're working up to the duct tape.

What about us old guys who can't move their navels that far or fast? I just watched a David

Duval sequence where his shoulders basically exchanged positions and his navel went around the bend.

[lithepanther]

Mike - did Ben Hogan use a tighter version of the Mike Austin pivot for more accuracy and a longer version when he wanted to hit a bigger drive for example?

[sevam1]

No. Hogan's pivot may have had some similarilities to Austin in terms of the back shift, but Hogan's pivot was his uniquely own and it just about never varied unless a very unusual shot was called for.

[lithepanther]

Thanks for taking the time to clarify.

[orb1t4l]

Wish I had seen all these videos before I spent a fortune on lessons.... just had my last lesson and this hip/navel move was the subject! I have a feeling aid that may help, place coins in front left pocket and try to flick them through your leg into the back left pocket...hope it helps!......brilliant explanations, great work mike.

[fnecj3]

this is a great! Thanks Mike for all that you do to help us all get better!

[UPLosBanos]

I wish I can hit 500 golf balls in my backyard over my sailboat on the beach, and have my dog retrieve every one of them.

Thanks for illustrating what you know about the golf swing. Keep the videos coming.

[mattyvirgo]

Another excellent vid Mike and Jim. Keep them coming

[jerry19671969]

I think you saved my golf career. I was ready to quit 30 years of golf until I watched this video. Thank you very much.