Waggle Sets the Stage for Swing That Follows
Waggle Sets the Stage for Swing That Follows
by Dr. T. J. Tomasi, Keiser University College of Golf Senior Faculty and Director of Research
The good golf swing begins with a bridge, or pre-motion — a waggle — that alerts the body to the start of the dynamic motion of the swing.
There are many triggers -a player may swivel his/her head to start the backswing (a la Jack Nicklaus), use a forward press (Phil Mickelson) or a mini cocking of the wrists (Jason Duffner, Johnny Miller), or initiate the backswing with a kick of the back knee toward the target (Gary Player).
It’s not just any old random motion; it’s a prompt for the motion that’s about to occur.
The player doesn’t even think about it because it’s so ingrained, but many golfers benefit from working on their waggle in the mirror to make sure its tempo and form are correct.
Many modern players seem to start from a still position, but the trigger is present – only you can’t see it because
(1) it’s a slight motion such as a small pressure shift or a relaxing/tightening of the scapulae, and/or
(2) the trigger is actually the momentary static position reached at address after a series of movements, i.e. ‘coming to stillness’ triggers the swing motion just as a full exhale pulls the trigger for the expert shooter.
Whatever the trigger motion, it serves as a fingerprint that marshals already learned muscle firing patterns.
Since it will ensure a smooth transition from a static setup to a dynamic swinging action, the trigger motion should be developed with care.
As Ben Hogan says in his book Five Lessons: ‘Far from being just a lot of minute details, (the waggle) is a sort of miniature practice swing, an abbreviated dry run for the shot coming up.’
Work on automatizing your unique waggle, and you are on your way to more consistent and enjoyable golf.
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