Golf In A Parallel Universe (14 page)

Then I started thinking about Emily. Nice to think about something besides golf. Finally I went to sleep. And I had those recurring dreams again. I dreamed of living in a small town, with a family. I also was playing golf on some small golf course. I seemed to be an amateur because I could not hit the ball very well. But it was a peaceful dream. Just living in a small town, playing golf and enjoying life with my family.

Thursday Morning I wake up. I felt good. I vividly remembered my dreams. I had a wife and kids, but never really could see the faces. But it just seemed all so natural. Then I think about Emily. I can’t wait to see her tomorrow. I get up and I feel good. I feel like I have a little bounce in my step after talking to her last night. I drink coffee and eat some breakfast. I see that Pendulum stick and ball and pick it up. “Let's knock out 10 minutes now” I say to myself chuckling. The more I can do here and there the quicker I finish my hour’s worth of homework each day.

I arrive at the course about 7:45 AM. I go to the back room where Gus is working. “I will be out at the range," I yelled out. He looks up. “You are starting to catch on," he barked out in his grumpy mood. However, I think I may have detected a bit of a smile. I hit some balls to get loose. Then I took out my pendulum and went through the drill for 10 minutes. Gus walked up just as I was finishing with the pendulum. “You're learning I see," he said in a matter of a fact tone. “Yeah, and I am becoming a zombie doing this," I joked. “Zombies are good golfers he replied” with no smile. I cannot ever tell if he is serious or actually has a sense of humor.

"Hit some balls," he barked out. Short irons first. He looked at my stance and made some adjustments. Same thing for mid and long irons. “Ok” he said. “You are fighting your swing. You have a different swing for each club. Some clubs you swing smooth. Others, in particularly your long irons you swing too hard. In order for you to have a consistent swing you need to have virtually the same swing with all your clubs.” He paused. “But believe me," he said. “It is hard to do. that's where physics comes in," he said. “How good are you in math?," he asked. “I have some long mathematical problems for you to calculate." I almost started to panic because I am terrible at math, and he sees that. “Just kidding," he said smiling. “But we are going to go over the second important part of the golf swing. And that is called “centripetal force.” Ever heard of that?," he asked. “Sure” I replied. He explained that if I can master the concept of the pendulum and centripetal force then I will master the golf swing. “In a Nutshell” he said. He explained that any motion in a curved path represents accelerated motion and requires a force directed toward the center of curvature of the path. This force is called the centripetal force. “There will be a test afterwards” he said smiling. I notice he seems to enjoy talking about physics. I am thinking I wish I would have paid more attention in science class when I was in school.

He went over to his black duffel bag and pulled out a Softball. “You ever play fast-pitch softball? he asked. “No” I replied. “Just a little baseball and slow-pitch softball, but never fast pitch. He tossed the ball to me underhanded. “Well you are going to learn now," he said. I looked at the ball in my hand and i was confused. “What does this have to do with golf," I am asking myself. He pulled out about 15 Softballs out of the bag. “Over this way," he motioned. He took me out to the side of the range. There was a big piece of plywood leaning next to an old out building about 6 feet long and five feet high with a red circle. “OK, here is how you hold the ball. Face the target. You rock your arm forward a couple of times then swing your arms around and release the ball at the target which is the circle on that piece of plywood. That would be the catcher's mitt," he said smiling. He demonstrated and hit the circle with a big hollow thud of the ball hitting the plywood. “That's the idea. Now you do it," he said and he tossed me a ball. “Besides," he said sarcastically. “This is a girls game. If the girls at the local Junior High can do it, you should be able to," he said smiling. “Piece of cake” I said confidently. I made a couple of throws and they went towards the target, but did not hit it. “No No No” he barked out. “You are slinging side armed. Your muscles are tense and your arm is fighting your body. You have to make a circle and let gravity sling your arm," he explained. “Look," he said. Just drop the ball for a second. Now just relax your arm and swirl your arm around and round in a big circle a few times, letting gravity pull your arms.” So I did that and could feel the tug on my hand from the swinging.

“That's centripetal force," he told me in an enthusiastic tone. Now take the ball, same relaxed motion and release the ball at the target. So I did that and started slinging the ball to the target. Some went way high, some went way low. “Don't grip the ball too tight, it will come out automatically towards the target. I relaxed my grip and sure enough it went pretty straight. Finally I hit the board, and it made the hollow boom. Then again boom. “Ok now you are cooking," he said. Went for a while and finally I hit the circle, “Boom." I was happy and did a fist pump. I looked at him and he actually had a big smile on his face. First time I have seen that from him. “Your arm will be sore tomorrow, but keep going. So I was getting pretty good at it. “Feel that centripetal force” he asked. “Yeah," I replied. “Alright," he said. “You are basically just using your arms and shoulder. “Now when release the ball, step into it, and use your legs," he told me.

I did and now the ball came out with more authority. “Putting your legs and body into the pitch will increase the speed or velocity. Basically you are using your body to sling the centripetal force. A good softball picture can pitch the ball 85 miles per hour," he explained. “Wow!” I replied. “Ok," he said. Just barely hold the ball in your hand with your palms open and make the turn." I did, and the ball came out the same place. “Ok," he explained. “The release point of the ball is called the “centrifugal force.” This is not to be confused with “centripetal force.” This is actually the release point where it leaves the centripetal force. If you were in a vacuum in space that ball would go in a straight line for ever. The centrifugal force is where the release of the power is. So we will not get these words confused we will just call it the release point for now own," he said.

“Now” he said in a serious tone. “Do not face the target. Get a golf stance like you would hit a golf shot towards the target. Without the ball in your hand, make that same motion like you are going to fast pitch to the batter. Of course now are a different angle and will be sideways to the target, but you get the idea," he said. So I did that. “It is of like a golf swing with my right arm correct?", I asked. “Yep” he replied. “OK hold the ball very lightly and complete the rotation and see where the ball comes out," he told me. I did that and the ball came out right where I would normally hit the golf ball. I was confused. I did it again. The ball released at same place. I did it a couple of more times. I started to realize that If I was a pendulum it would release just be past bottoming out and going up. In a golf shot that would be where you would hit a golf ball. “I looked up, and he had his arms folding with his hand on his chin in a thinking position. “Looks like the wheels are turning in your head, what are you thinking?" he asked. “Explain to me in physics what just happened?", he asked me in an inquisitive voice. “Well” I said. “Let me see. It seems that the release point of the centripetal force is the same place I would strike a golf ball. “Yeah that's it, he replied. “And where is he most energy in this equation” he asked. “The release point” I replied. And at that moment, it was like a lightbulb just went off in my head. He then goes on. “So, as you are starting to realize. The softball pitch and the golf swing is a natural motion of centripetal force. Your golf swing works as a pendulum with centripetal force. And at the absolute highest part of the kinetic energy is the release point just past the bottom of the pendulum as it is going up. That is right where you strike the golf ball just on the upwards side of the pendulum in your golf swing. So why would you want to strike the golf ball anywhere else in your swing?," he asked. “It is starting to make sense” I replied in a thinking type of tone.

“Ok” he barked out in a positive voice. “Since you understand the concept. We need to make sure you have a smooth pendulum swing which creates centripetal force. Then strike the golf ball at the release point of the centripetal force which is where the power is. “Let's go to work," he said in a positive tone.

We went to the range and started working like we have the last few days. He had made some gradual changes to my swing which I hardly noticed. He explained his plan. “The goal is set you body and to allow you to get that nice pendulum to start that powerful centripetal force with a exploding release at the impact of the ball. “That's what a golf swing is!," he barked out excitedly.

He told me that he has already made some corrections the last few days that I probably did not notice. He explained that my setup was killing me. I had an open stance, so my feet and my hips were aiming left. My shoulders were closed and aiming to the right. My club head was good, and was aiming at the target. But because my feet, legs and hips were in one direction and my shoulders in another direction. My body could never produce a good smooth and powerful pendulum swing. “Your body was fighting to swing the ball," he explained. “Proper alignment lets you swing freely and produce that smooth swing. You have been getting away with it for years because you are a talented athletic golfer. But you have had bad fundamentals. Most likely you had good alignment and good fundamentals in your early years. But we tend to forget those sometimes and bad habits creep in," he explained.

We worked on the range for a couple of hours. He went in debt on the physics of the golf swing. But he only made slight adjustments with my swing that I hardly noticed. But now things were really starting to make sense now because I know what the goal is. We hit a lot of balls and I could see the results. The ball was flying off my club head and my distance was improving. We took a short lunch. Then we came back out and worked for a few hours. That little voice in my head was also loving it. Seemed like a renewed spirit like I just got a new toy and wanted to play with it. “Let's go out and play nine holes," I said in an anxious tone. “Nope, you got the idea now. Just hit balls and we will work on these adjustments," he replied. So, I hit and hit and hit. He played close attention to my swing. He made some more slight adjustments and explained what he did and how that will progress to meeting our goal.

Finally he said to call it a day. I could not believe it. But it was 6:00 pm! He got out of his teaching mode and back into his old self again. Be here at 8:00am he barked out in is grumpy personality and turned to walk away. Then he stopped and turned around. “By the way” he paused. “I am really pleased with your progress, good job today," he said in a confident tone. “Thanks!” I replied. Then and he turned and walked away. I felt so happy just to get an acknowledgment from him. I felt like a little kid when your dad says that he is proud of you. Or when you are in Junior High School and your PE coach tells you that you did something good.

I picked up my cubes and got in the car. “Damn! I forgot to do that little pendulum stick drill," I said to myself. I looked out the window, thinking I hope he didn't catch that. Then I laughed and shook my head. I feel just like a kid trying to stay out of trouble. However, I really want to do that pendulum drill when I get home. I see the big
picture now and that drill makes sense. I get home and grab a beer and think about all that went down today. The light bulb has turned on in my head. I know the goal for my swing now. I am thinking, this guy is really good. With all the crazy drills and props he used, really gave me a new understanding of the golf swing. He had made some adjustments in my swing that fit my body and my natural swing. I did not even feel were big adjustments, and I easily adapted. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings. I did some pendulum drills and went to bed early.

Friday Morning. I am driving to the course for my fourth day of lessons with Gus. Yesterday was a breakthrough for my progress. I wonder what he will have in store for me today. I feel that I am on track. I am so focused on my game and I am looking forward to the US open just around the corner. As I am pulling in the parking lot, it hits me. Tonight! Friday! Date with Emily! “Man, what am I going to do, have not planned anything” I tell myself. Then I start to realize we are just meeting at a restaurant. So no big planning needs to be done. Hopefully I will get finished early today. After my practice session today, I will just go home get cleaned up and meet her at the restaurant.

I get my gear and go to his building and tell him I am here. I go to the range hit a few balls get loose and pull out my pendulum toy. He finally shows with his same old personality. “Either this guy is really weird or a great actor with this grumpy personality," I say to myself laughing. But when he gets in teaching mode, he is a different person. So I hit a few more balls. “OK” he barked out. “Yesterday was a little of a breakthrough for you I think." I nodded and just said “Yes it was” in a satisfied tone. “But we still have a long way” to go he replied sarcastically. “Rome wasn't build in a day but we will give it a shot. The other day, we played nine, and I watched you closely. The last few days we have been working on a major component of your swing which was flawed. And that was you alignment and you swing path. We got that working so you develop a good pendulum and good centripetal force swing with a powerful impact. You got one other major flaw that we have to work on” he said in a serious tone. “What's that," I asked curiously. “Tempo and swing consistently” he replied. “Your problem is you do not swing the same on every shot and every swing. You have a different swing for your short irons, a different swing for mid irons, and a different swing for your long irons.” Then he paused. Actually you do not even have a swing with our long irons, I not sure what that is called. Your long irons are a joke
,"
he said in an irritated tone. “Ah OK," I replied sheepishly. “So today, tempo the theme of the day," he replied.