BALANCE

"In every athletic activity, success seems to be unquestionably proportional to the player's sense of balance and force whether innate or acquired. Off-balance force is notoriously erratic. The mechanical device has no balance problem but the human machine does..." Homer Kelly, 1969

REVIEW

In the last few EBooks you learned how to eliminate the hip line. This process followed the Wright Balance® Express with tape on the tip of the fingers, one on each hand or one toe on each foot as shown here.

Following the Wright Balance® Express, remove the tape from one finger or one toe as shown here and your hips will be square, no matter how wide or narrow you stand.

This video shows the impact of leaving one piece of tape on any fingertip or toe following the Wright Balance® Express.

The Goal of Practicing Each Link in the Total Setup and Sequencing Chain

Players see Wright Balance® as one lesson, simple practice and immediate application. That is true for most single digit players. Single digit players tend to have better body awareness and an understanding of the setup variables of grip, posture, alignment and sequencing of motion. The average player needs to practice each segment of the setup independent of all other setup segments. We refer to these "setup segments" as links in a chain.

This video shows the long term goal of this practice.

LINKS IN The Setup CHAIN

Each part of the set up to the ball is analogous to links in a chain as shown here.

The set up to the ball entails both mental and physical links in a chain. Whether it is an intrusive thought or a bad grip, poor alignment or posture, the result is the same as shown here.

Each link in the total routine chain needs to be practiced independently. That is why I advocate that my students practice each link in their routine chain at home, in their office or, if they are on the practice range, reviewing each link when hitting balls. I can't remember in my 35 years teaching golf ever seeing a player "practicing" alignment on the course. When alignment is off, the club will get behind you in the backswing and you will be either under or over the plane in the downswing. This EBook is on alignment.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/alignment-2/

In the illustrations showing the broken link, it was an intrusive thought that broke the chain. Those illustrations are from the Routine chapter of my first golf book, Mind Under Par. The following EBook on Visualization is a short version of where a player's focus should be from behind the ball through set up and the swing.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/visualization/

Lead Hand Grip and Shaft Plane

This video shows the impact of a square hip line on shaft plane and the role grip plays in shoulder rotation.

These videos summarize the lead hand grip when the hips are square. Squaring the hips with one fingertip covered following the Wright Balance 4-Way Express opened the door to "research" the impact of arms position and multiple factors of grip.

This video demonstrates the importance of getting the heel pad of the lead hand on top.

Grip and Shoulder Rotation

The following video shows the impact of grip on shoulder rotation in the backswing and through swing. Setting the left and right hand and posture are important to maximize shoulder rotation.

The following is another video demonstrating lead and trail hand grip following the Wright Balance 4-Way Express.

The addition of the trail hand grip is added at address so it matches the lead hand grip. This video shows the addition of the trail hand grip with Wright Balance® Master Professional Jeff Shaw.

Building breathing, visualization and grip pressure into your routine will change your game instantly. This video amplifies the importance of grip pressure in the ability to set the club at the top, sequencing of motion and keeping the club in front through the swing.

PUTTER & IRONS AIM

Note that, following the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, after you remove tape from one finger or toe and WHEN your alignment is square to your target line, your irons and putter will be aimed precisely on line.

Alignment

Alignment is absolutely imperative in aiming your putter, irons and woods. This Ebook covers alingment.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/alignment-2/

In this scenario, where your hips are square in any stance width regardless of strength or weakness of your grip, your GRIP and ARMs position determine the amount of shoulder rotation and the set and release of the club.

NOTE: If a player squares their hips following the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express without working on arms and hands positions, the club will be behind them in the swing, the ball flight will be on line but generally thin or fat. THUS, the square hip line sets the putter and irons precisely on line but it is not the "Holy Grail" of the setup.

If you don't do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, you must stay within your 8 inch stance width range when you set up and grip the club. This Ebook is a review of the Wright Balance® 8 inch Stance Width range.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/stance-width-range/

Lastly, to review the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express using the covering of the ends of 2 fingers or toes, here is a link to that Ebook.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/the-wright-balance-4-way-express/

Arms Position

The arms (elbows) position on your chest wall impact your ability to rotate in the back swing and through swing. Your arms position also contribute to the strength and weakness of your grip, your sequencing of motion, your posture and keeping the club in front of you through the swing.

Do this exercise WITHOUT a club. Your lead arm position on your chest wall dictates your ability to rotate in your back swing as shown in this video. When I shot this video I had finished the Wright Balance® 4 Way Express ending on my Posterior Zone. Thus, my arms will be higher on my chest wall. Note that in the correct elbow/arms position that when I cock my wrist, my lead wrist is flat. That is when my ability to rotate in my back swing is maximized.

In this video, I mentioned that you must do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express followed by leaving one piece of tape on one fingertip of one hand to work. Again, you may also remove the tape and stay in the Wright Balance® 8 inch stance width range for your playing Core Zone. However, grip size will move the player from heel to toe depending on size and the use of the ground will change.

Posture and Arms Position on Chest Wall

The following video demonstrates the arms position on the chest wall and how this position is used to set Posture.

History of Instruction

The following tracks the evolution of Wright Balance® and research from 1999 to present day

Historically, professionals teach what they do in their golf swing. This goes to the earliest instructors. The photos below are of Earnest Jones before (1912) and after (1916) losing his leg in World War I. Jones wrote "Swing the Clubhead" in 1937. He was an Upper Core player and taught what he did in the golf swing.

Tommy Armour, lost his sight in a mustard gas explosion in World War I. Armour had a metal plate implanted in his head and left arm. During his convalescence, he regained the sight of his right eye and began playing golf again.

Armour was a well known teacher in his day. A primary focus of his teaching was a pause at the top of the swing and he advised players to "whack the hell out of the ball with your right hand". Did the disability of these great players and teachers influence their teaching? I believe it did.

I would say that most of us, when we began teaching, and with no other teaching reference other than our personal swing or instruction, taught what we did in our golf swing. I was a Posterior Zone (Lower Core) player. My goal in teaching was to have players clear their hips with upper and lower body separation in the backswing and turning through with the hips like Dustin Johnson or Jordan Spieth. Our Core Region researchers have determined that, in the US, 10 to 15 percent of men are Lower Core players. Needless to say, the majoriy of my students struggled to clear their hips.

Early Research Findings

Wright Balance® is emergent, science based, disruptive technology. The information in these EBooks is based on 30 years of research. The early research observations of balance with insole sensors showed the following. There were 1000 sensors in each shoe, 40 light sensors on the body and bars flat across the pelvic line and shoulders.

Note the padding on the ankles and the cable running from the back of this player to the computer. The ankle padding was securing the sensors and cable connecting each insole. The insoles that were in the shoes were identical to the one in this illustration.

This illustration shows what 1000 sensors under each foot looks like on a computer screen.

The circle on the left and right feet show the "Center of Force" (COF). The connection of the two points of COF became known as the "Line of Force".

One of the most important discoveries came out of the Putting Protocol in the study. The illustration below shows one of our test subjects, Ramon Brobio. Ramon was number 1 in putting on the Asian Tour in 2003.

During the putting protocol, there was an observation of the relationship of the connection of the 2 points of COF and the path the putter tracked through the stroke. That observation has held up in rigorous, controlled research for 20 years.

For example, this illustration shows an inside-out path when the COF of the right foot and COF of the left foot is connected with a straight line...

...and this illustration shows an outside-in path when the COF of the left and right feet is connected with a straight line.

This illustration shows a path that was spot on to a target when alignment matched the target line:

The light sensors on the body and the dowel pole on the hip line validated these observations in the putting address balance and in-stroke.

The subject pool for the original study was comprised of golf professionals and elite amateurs. Most of the elite amateurs were also elite athletes. Four former MLB LA Dodgers made up part of our elite amateur group.

Full swing data showed that the backswing and downswing matched the line of force. However, unlike the observations with the putter, the line of force occasionally changed from backswing to downswing resulting in a change of path.

Application of the Line of Force

As a result of the original research and the discovery of the 8 inch Stance Width Range, the Line of Force has become the basis of all Wright Balance instruction. We can produce a straight line of force by simply identifying the 8 inch stance width range

Why do we use the straight line of force as the basis of all instruction? Because once a player is placed in their 8 inch stance width range for their playing core region, their hips are square without a club. They can feel the balance of their Core Zone.

When they grip their club, the placement of the lead hand on the club will either show left or right rotation of the hips impacting an open or closed line of force or the line of force will remain straight. That is one of the two links in the lead hand and lead arm-grip "Chain". The square hip line or a straight line of force facilitates teaching grip.

There is an ideal lead hand grip and lead arm position when the club is gripped that is different for each of us. Determining that grip and lead arm position is simple but it requires practice before adding the lead arm and trail grip and arm position. The correct positions of the lead arm and grip create a Straight Line of Force.

The trail and lead arm positions were written about by Ben Hogan in his 1957 book, Five Lessons. His illustration of the arms laced together is an exact image of the player with an Under Delivery like a Lower Core Player. This image shows Hogan demonstrating the Under Delivery of his golf swing.

As a Posterior Zone (Lower Core) player, I made the following video in 2012. This video would apply to only 10 to 15 percent of US players.

As noted, our research on the Core Zones showed that the Lower Core arms position only applies to 10 to 15 percent of men in the United States. As you have learned, women tend to be Middle and Lower Core. The majority of women are Middle Core. In Dr. Giombetti's research on Ground Reaction Force by Core Region men were 60 percent Upper Core, 30 percent Middle Core and the remaining are Lower Core.

The Lead and the trail elbow positions at address Change by Core Zone. The lead and trail elbow positions create the angle or "pitch" of the hands when the lead and trail arm are relaxed.

When you add the trail hand in the 8 inch Stance Width Range, the strength and weakness of the grip will open, close or square the hip line. Interestingly, our recent observation is that the positions of the lead elbow and shaft lean impact the strength and weakness of the trail hand. If the lead elbow isn't set properly on the target side, the way the trail hand is placed on the club will also impact rotation of the hip line. We cover the lead and trail elbow position in detail in this training. The lead and trail elbow positions change by Core Region as well.

{Note: There are two exceptions in strength and weakness of the grip and the impact on the hip line. A 10 finger grip in both hands appears to have no impact on the hip line. The other exception is Moe Norman and Bryson Dechambeau's lead hand palm grip}

The Wright Balance instruction foundation is based on setting a pelvic line of force that is parallel to the target line. That pelvic line is the same as a Straight Line of Force. That is an important statement.

Let me say that again: The Wright Balance instruction foundation is setting a pelvic line of force that is parallel to the target line. Once the straight pelvic line is set, instruction focuses on grip, trail and lead arm elbow positions, posture and sequencing and all of the variables within that behavior chain that impact the hip line.

Outliers

Some of the better players will purposely have an open or closed hip line to work the ball. Colin Montgomery came to see me a few years ago for putting. I put a bar on his hips and asked him to set up in his full swing as I wanted to match his putting to his full swing setup (by way of Harvey Penick who said: "the putt is a mini drive". When Colin setup, I observed out loud that his hips were slightly open. He said I always set up a bit open to "cut" the ball. When he said that I knew he needed to be open with his putter. Then he could drop his trail shoulder until he was able to "see the line." He was trying to be square with his putter and he was struggling.

Other Outliers

10 Finger Grip: Should we use a 10 finger Grip with beginners? Why? Using a 10 finger grip, the hips are always square when the power spot is taped and the player is in their 8 inch Stance Width Range.

Please remember, the bottom line with setup is getting the hips parallel to the target line as shown in the above illustration. Everything we have and will cover impacts this line in some way.

****What we know for certain:

When the Wright Balance 4 Way express is not done,the 8 inch stance width range must be used for the playing core region / Zone. Within that 8 inch stance width range, when an interlock or overlapping grip is used, the hip line changes based upon multiple factors: The heel pad on top of the grip, the power spots must match, the strength / weakness of the left and right hands, the lead and trail arm elbow placement at address and the size of the grip used. If the Wright Balance 4-Way Express is done with tape on two toes or fingertips, one piece of tape on one hand or foot, "neutralizes" the hip line and grip, grip size strength and weakness of lead and trail hand no longer will result in an open or closed hip line.

Please keep in mind that squaring the hips using one piece of tape on one finger or toe is used for 8 reasons. Recall that shoulder rotation is limited only by grip, posture and arms position

1. Grip training
2. Arms postion
3. Posture training
4. Minimizing offline shots during play
5. Putter Aim and Path
6. Clubface Aim
7. Neutral Shaft Plane
8. Teaching sequencing of motion

EDIT 12/29/22

Heel Pad on Top

How important is getting the lead hand heel pad on top?

This is an illustration of Laurie Rinker's grip with her lead hand heel pad on top.

The hips will not be square unless the lead hand heel pad is on top of the grip with 2 exceptions:

1. When the club is gripped in the Palm:

Bryson Dechambeau's grip size is large so he can grip the club in the Palm.

This is a video of Bryson in 2016 discussing how and why he went to the oversized grip.

Here is a closeup of Bryson's lead hand on the grip. Notice how much the butt of the club is in his palm.

These images are of Bryson face-on:

Set up with the butt of the club in your lead palm like Bryson. It appears that Bryson has added an overlapping or interlocking grip. Also notice how relaxed his hands appear to be. Add knee flex. stay in your posture, open your hands and drop the club. Let your arms and hands hang relaxed under your shoulders and point your thumbs toward each other as shown here.

If your lead hand is closer to your body than your trail hand, your hips are rotated open. This is the balance configuration you would see in a right-handed player with their lead hand closer to their body.

This configuration would produce an outside - in path.

Most teachers recognize this path and attempt to correct it by telling their student to "feel the club going more inside" from their address position. That would be the comment from a "position teacher". That band-aid would possibly work on the lesson tee but seldom will it hold up on the golf course.

If your thumbs line up, you can create an open hip line by adding knee flex in your trail knee. Observe that your lead hand moves toward your lead thigh as you add knee flex. If you let your arms swing relaxed from this position, you will note that your arm swing is outside-in.

If your trail hand is closer to your body than your lead hand, your hips are rotated closed. This is the balance configuration you would see in a right-handed player with their trail hand closer to their body.

If you let your arms swing relaxed from this position, you will note that your arm swing is outside-in. Once again, traditional instruction would be to recognize the path of the club and tell the student to feel the club "more outside" from address.

Squaring the hips with the 8 inch stance width range set the stage for each link in the set up chain beginning with lead hand grip, then lead forearm position with shaft lean followed by trail forearm position with the addition of the trail hand to the grip. The next link is to address the ball in posture. When the links in the set up chain are practiced and tested independently and followed sequentially set up to the ball becomes quite simple. No longer is there a need to coach positions in the backswing or downswing.

When your thumbs line up exactly the same, let your arms and hands hang relaxed and let them swing. Note that they swing straight back and straight through.

This is the balance configuration you have at ground level when your path is straight back and through:

The 10 Finger Grip

Set up with a 10 finger grip. Drop the club and point your fingers. Do your thumbs line up precisely? I have never seen a time when the thumbs don't line up exactly the same.

Moe Norman was a golf savant. He won 55 tournaments on the Canadian PGA Tour. Moe was well known in the 80s and 90s for his remarkable ball striking. I attended the Canadian Open in the late 80s and early 90s at Glen Abbey GC. PGA Tour players gathered on the range to watch Moe hit balls. His performance on the range was remarkable as the gallery of tour players gathered to watch. You could throw a blanket over the grouping of balls he hit.

Moe Norman gripped the club in the palm of his lead hand and he added the fingers of his right hand. He didn't have an overlap or interlocking grip. He had a palm lead hand and 5 finger grip trail hand. These photos show Moe Norman with a closeup of his grip.

The lesson here is not to assume a Moe Norman or Bryson Dechambeau grip or even a 10 finger grip. The palm grip used by Moe Norman will produce a loss of power due to the inability to set a cock of the lead wrist at the top of the swing. Bryson has learned to produce power using his body to create a set of the hands in his transition with a sit down motion.

There is a baseball injury caused when hitters place the little finger of their lead hand below the knob of the bat. This creates pressure and eventual breakage of a small bone in the hand, the Hamate bone. The palm grip used by Bryson Dechambeau creates the same pressure and injury. As I write this (April 20, 2022) Bryson had surgery to repair that injury within the past week.

Kevin Stadler was one of my students for 10 plus years. He always gripped his club with the butt on the heel pad as shown here. This is Kevin's grip in his lead hand.

Kevin also broke his Hamate bone in his lead hand, waited to have surgery and struggled to return to the PGA Tour for several years. He plays a limited schedule to this day. I believe Kevin's clubs were too short for him. Consequently, the butt of club was moved into his palm. Note that his heel pad is still on top. However, as you will see, placement of the club in that position of the palm causes a rotation of the hips and requires a compensation in the right hand.

Gripping the club in the palm is not advisable for any player.

Here is an image of the location of the Hamate bone. Note this skeletal image is the left hand with the palm facing.

You can see from this image that if the butt of the club rest on the heel pad or a large grip in the palm would be impacted to breaking with repeated trauma.

The lesson is to understand the importance of a square hip line and how some players naturally create that square hip line. In setting that square hip line, the heel pad of the lead hand has to be on top with the butt extending out of the hand at least 1/2 inch to avoid impacting the hamet bone. If the player wishes to grip the club like Bryson Dechambeau, it is clear that the consequence of a broken hamet bone is likely.

A major part of this certification is to show you how to set your lead hand on the club so that you have full shoulder rotation in your backswing with a square hip line with the heel pad on top.

This process is simple IF the Wright Balance measurements are done; IF handle size for the dominant Core Zone is determined; IF the Wright Balance 4 Way Express is done, the pelvis will remain square regardless of handle size or grip IF a piece of tape is worn on a fingernail or toenail. So handled size and grip are moot points with regard to hipline (pelvis)

Once you have the lead hand set, we will show you how the lead elbow must be set when the trail hand is added to the club. (The lead elbow position changes by Core Zone and Core Sub-Region within that Zone.)

Once the hip line is square as shown here, it doesn't matter how you set your posture as long as you are in your 8 inch Stance Width range and your power spots are set.

A left or right hand grip that is too weak or too strong; a lead or trail elbow that is not set as the right hand is added; or being out of the 8 inch Stance Width Range will create a loss of power and an errant shot.

How important are the Power Spots?

The Power Spots must be set in the lead and trail hand in order to set power at the top of the swing via the power or carrying angle. That angle shows up in numerous places at address and through the swing.

This video shows the frequency of the power or carrying angle through the swing.

As you have learned, the Power Spots vary by Core Region.

This video was shot prior to the discovery of the 8 inch stance width range. The 9 Core Region Stance Widths were tested in this video by changing the grip Power Spots.

How to Check Your Grip

This video appeared in 2015 on Golf Life TV broadcast. It is still a good way to test the placement of your hands on the club and your Stance Width Range. Test the Stance Width Range by holding the club at your side across your heel pad and matching Power Spot. if the Grip is in your heel pad and a matching Power Spot for that range, the club shaft will be parallel to the ground.

Note: When you have both your left and right hands on the club in neutral, your hip line will be reflected at ground level as shown in the following:

When the grip strength or trail elbow is not in neutral you will see one of the following balance configurations:

The following illustrations assume that the setup is for a right-handed player. This illustration shows an inside-out path when the COF of the right and left feet is connected with a straight line...

The above balance configuration demonstrates a hip line that is closed at address. The player will likely hit thin shots and feel a flip at impact with their hands. They will show difficulty getting to the target side with their body, complain of lower back pain and their miss is a push or a hook.

...and this illustration shows an outside-in path when the COF of the left and right feet is connected with a straight line.

The above balance configuration demonstrates a hip line that is open at address. The player will likely hit fat shots and have difficulty rotating their shoulders in the backswing. They will tend to lift the club in the backswing creating an illusion of a full swing, complain of lower back pain and their miss is steep and a pull or push.

**Please note: ** The balance configurations in the illustrations show the orientation of the hips at address. The shoulders will rotate 90 degrees to those lines. Thus, the player whose hips are rotated toward the target will be restricted in rotation in the backswing and tend to lift. The player whose hips are rotated away from the target will tend to over swing and stop their hip rotation in the downswing. The shoulder rotation will stop before the hips in downswing reaches the target line or address position (closed) and the arms and hands continue creating the "flip" at impact.

Our goal is to set an address position that creates a hip line that is parallel to the target line and a foundation that sets the player up to use the ground with maximum power.

When I discovered the 8 inch Stance Width range, that created a square hip line as a research foundation and eliminated the hip line variable without a club. That square hip line then created the opportunity to look at sequencing by Core Region, demonstrate the impact of the lead hand grip and lead arm position on the chest wall. Once the hip line remains square when testing the lead hand grip, lead arm and shaft lean, then the trail hand grip and trail arm position can be added and tested.

The Grip: Adding a Club

When you are teaching, one of the first things you should check is where the club crosses the middle finger of the left and right hands.

Is the grip in the palm in the lead hand? Is the heel pad on top?...

... or is the lead hand grip only in the fingers?

Why is the crossing of the middle finger so important? Again, that middle finger crossing sets the angle of power (the Carrying or Power Angle) and that angle continues to show up throughout the swing.

Lead Hand Grip

I will show you during the training how to set the lead hand grip neutral 100% of the time. It is the same way Mike Austin, Billy Casper used to practice their lead hand grip and Adam Scott currently practices his lead hand grip. You will see how simple setting the lead hand is if you are in your 8 inch Stance Width Range.

If the trail hip is high at address, a restriction of rotation and angle of attack will be impacted by this setup position and your student is set up for a repetitive use injury. That is why I would advocate taking a photo of your student from behind and show them pre and post hip position with exercise.

This is an image of Tiger Woods from behind at the 2010 PGA Championship. Note that his right hip is higher.

This is also Tiger Woods from behind 2 years later.

If Grip Size does not fit: The Wright Balance® Express Exercise with 3 finger sleeves or tape on the 3 Power Spots of any 3 fingers with the proper grip size is a must for heel to toe balance that allows the use of the ground at least in the 3 Stance Widths of the dominant Core Region.

Following the Wright Balance® Express exercise in the 3 Stance Widths of their playing Core Region, the player must play within their 8 inch Stance width Range.

Your average student has no interest in exercise. Be certain to check and photograph the height of their trail hip and discuss implication of higher trail hip and “impaired” rotation / injury with repetitive use. Sometimes that will motivate a person to do the exercise.

Note: If the Player does the Wright Balance® Express in all 9 Stance Widths, with finger sleeve on each of the Power Spots (3 total) while using the Correct Grip Size for their playing Core Region, their shaft plane can be set neutral in all Stance Widths and the trail hip will be lower at address in the 8 inch Stance Width Range of their playing Core Region.

If the improper Grip Size is used in the Wright Balance® 4 Way Express, the player will not use the ground properly in their Core Region Stance Width Range due to changes in their trail arm delivery and heel to toe balance.

You can use a digital protractor to set exact Strength and weakness of left and right hand grip and demonstrate the ease of rotation when the strength and weakness is exact as shown in this illustration.

Setting the Shaft Plane Neutral: What is needed to create a Neutral Shaft Plane?

What is a neutral shaft plane? When the arms and hands hang under the shoulders, the shaft plane is neutral.

The simple explanation to that question is a square hip line. When the hip line is square, the shaft plane will be neutral.

The first condition is that your student must be in their 8 inch Stance Width Range. In their Stance Width Range and tape or a finger sleeve on their playing core region power spot, standing tall their hips will be square as shown here.

When a player grips the club and their grip is "off", their hips open or close. When the hips open, a low shaft plane is the result.

When the grip is set properly with the lead hand, trail arm elbow and trail hand grip, their hips will be square and the shaft plane is neutral.

Heel Pad

The heel pad must be on top to set the shaft plane neutral for maximum leverage and power

• Stance Width Range and Power Spot.

If the grip size fits, the player must be in the Stance Width Range that matches their grip Power Spot.

• Strength and Weakness of Lead and Trail hand Grip

When the strength and weakness of the grip is “Neutral” for the player, the heel pad is on top, the shaft plane will be neutral and the hips will be parallel to the target line

The Band-Aid: Correction of Grip too strong or too weak: The Standing Wright Balance Optimization Move (BOM)is a band-aid correction for your weekend player who doesn't want to work on their grip at home. Most of your students will practice the grip at home using the "thumbs test" as it is simple and corrects many problems.

The player must be standing tall with their Playing stance width set and their heel pad must be on top. While standing tall, a brief Tensegrity (isometric) move by pinching the shoulders toward the sternum and relaxing will square the hips and the clubface will rotate open or closed as the move is made. A closed kinetic chain was created with this move. Please note, the clubface just closed or opened and needs to be corrected before going to the address position.

If the player does not raise their feet, they will retain the closed kinetic chain and when the club is grounded, the shaft plane will be neutral.

Again, please know that I see the Wright Balance Optimization Move as a "band-aid", especially in light of what we know about squaring the hip line with the latest discovery of the trail elbow and the hip line relationship.

Setting Posture and Connection at Address

Set upper arms to the chest wall and let club hang supported by heel pad. The angle of the shaft and lead arm will be the same as the Carrying Angle

Testing Keeping the Club in Front at Top of Swing

Set and Release of the Club by Core Region

Ground Reaction Force by Core Region

The following video was made by Larry Rinker. It is an excellent overview of the 3 swings of Wright Balance. Larry describes 90 % of his students as Upper Core. Our research shows that approximately 60% of male players measured are Upper Core,25% plus Middle Core and 10% plus are Lower Core. Other Countries where I have trained show a very different distribution of players. Please keep those things in mind when testing your student's Dominant Core Region.

Visualization: Integrating Mental Balance

My entrance to golf in the mid 1980s was mental. My first golf book, Mind Under Par, was published in 1992 and revised and published again in 1996.

Players are told to "visualize" their shot without any further instruction on "how" to visualize. Firs