This Lesson is an overview of the characteristics of each Core Region from address to club release in the full swing.

Larry Rinker, PGA Tour Veteran, PGA Tour Sirius XM radio host, Teacher, Host of Larry Rinker Golf Live and Wright Balance Professional has done a breakdown in illustrations of the Upper, Middle and Lower Core Swings. I am using screenshots from Larry's videos to illustrate the characteristics of each Core Region. I have listed those characteristic in 5 matrices.

ADDRESS

The First 2 matrices are characteristics of the 3 Core Regions at address.

The balance in the feet determines how the player will use the ground. This balance is created by Stance Width, Posture and Grip Size.

Guided Discovery

It is a little known fact that grip size impacts heel to toe balance. It is not hard to experience this phenomena. Take a pool cue or baseball bat. Grip the pool cue on the narrow tip end and the baseball bat at the knob on the narrow part of the bat. Hold the cue or bat in both hands vertically. Slowly let the cue or bat slide through your hands. As your hand moves upward toward the larger end, the cue or bat still vertical, notice that your weight is moving toward your heels as the size of the cue or bat increases. That sensation and very real change in balance at the level of the floor is due to Grip Size. Try it again.

Here is a video demonstrating the heel to toe balance changes using a baseball bat.

Your Grip Size changes heel to toe balance at address. In order to use the ground with maximum efficiency, the Grip Size must be set by Core Region to the precise left and right hand sizes of the player. The right and left hand grip sizes are seldom the same.

This discovery was made with 1000 sensors in each shoe in the original study in Dr. Frank Jobe's biomechanics lab. This research continued from 2007 through 2015 with 2 "walkways", a research platform with 1000 sensors under each foot that were identical to the insole system from the original study. Here is an image of the walkway used in that research. Note that I am standing on the walkway. The image of balance in the feet is shown on the left hand side.

This image comes from a 2010 video. This observation of Grip Size was made with over 400 subjects using the original insole balance system and the "walkway". This research allowed us to develop algorithms for grip sizing by Core Region.

Balance at Ground Level

This is where the player feels balance in an Upper Core Stance Width without a club. This discovery was made with 1000 sensors in each shoe in the original study in Dr. Frank Jobe's biomechanics lab. This research continued from 2007 through 2015 with 2 "walkways" where subjects would stand on the walkway and there were 1000 sensors under each foot. Here is an image of the walkway used in that research.

This photo shows where the player feels balance in a Lower Core Stance Width without a club.

Lastly, here is where the Middle Core Player feels balance in a Middle Core Stance Width without a club.

When a Player uses a grip that is too small, their weight moves toward their toes. When they use a Grip that is too large, their weight moves toward their heels. The ability to recruit maximum Ground Force when the grip does not fit is compromised. The following illustrations show what the improper grip size does to the heel to toe balance relative to the Core Region and hand size. The same player will use a smaller grip in an Upper Core Stance Width than what they would use in a Lower Core Stance Width. I will cover that in the Course on Grip Size. There is approximately 30 years of research in Grip Size.

These illustrations show the impact of Grip Size on Balance by Core Region.

Grip Size too Small Upper Core Player

Grip Size too large Upper Core Player

Grip Size too small Middle Core Player

Grip size too large Middle Core Player

Grip Size too small Lower Core Player

Grip Size too big Lower Core Player

The goal of describing the various changes in balance with changes in Grip Size is to show you that the resulting balance changes will result in less than what a player's performance could be with the proper grip size.

Ball Position

Note the ball position in the Upper Core Address Position

Note the ball position in the Middle Core Address Position

Note the ball position in the Lower Core Address Position

The ball position is set by the Stance Width, the Power Spots, and the shaft lean. When the club is placed on the ground and the angles are preset, the ball position is automatically set.

When the **TRAIL HAND **is set on the grip, the club must be held in the lead hand with SHAFT LEAN. Placement of the hands with the POWER ANGLE preset in the trail hand on the grip will automatically set the SHAFT LEAN of the club.

This video provides a detailed summary of how to grip the club to produce the precise amount of shaft lean at address and through this process you find the precise ball position. Ball position can be adjusted by secondary tilt (dropping the trail shoulder and simultaneously raising the target side hip) to change approach angle and ball flight.

This video illustrates how important the ball position is to set Center of Mass at the top of the backswing. Center of Mass dictates the approach to the ball in the downswing. Ball position is not just a casual consideration, nor is grip, posture or Stance Width. The Lesson on shaft lean covers finding the precise ball position.

As you review the various Core Region characteristics from address to impact to club release, please know that a careful, consistent matching of Core Region Stance Width, Grip Power Spots, Posture and Grip in the setup is required for these characteristics to be present.

BACKSWING

Upper Core Top of Swing: Notice the amount of Hip Rotation. Larry's lead knee is pointing behind the ball and his Center of Mass is target side.

Middle Core Top of Swing: Again, notice the amount of Hip Rotation. This is Laurie Rinker. Her Lead knee is pointing at the ball at the top of her swing and her Center of Mass is centered over the Pelvis.

Lower Core Top of Swing: Note that the Lower Core Player's Center of Mass at the Top of the Swing is over the trail leg, the lead knee points in front of the ball.

Downswing to Impact

Note the hip clearance or, I should say lack of hip clearance down the line of the Upper Core player. The Upper Core Player uses the ground rotationally and vertically. Note how Larry has "early extended" or "come out of posture" at impact. These are important GOOD positions that golf teaching professionals have tried to coach players out of telling students to "Stay in your posture through impact". Those were my words for all students in the years past. The only player who stays in posture through impact is the Lower Core player. Notice that Larry is rising to his toes, an example of the use of vertical ground force. Take that position away and there is a loss of power.

This photo illustration shows the Lower Core Player at impact. Note the amount of hip clearance of the Lower Core Player.

And this photo shows the hip clearance of a Middle Core Player.

Let's look at a comparison of hip clearance by Core Region. This is a comparison of the Upper and Lower Core Players at impact face on. The Upper Core Player is on the left using vertical ground force whereas the Lower Core Player is using Rotational Ground Force or "Torque". Note the right heel position of these players at impact clearly indicating the amount of Lower Core Rotation.

This illustration compares the hip clearance at Impact between Upper (left) and Middle Core Players.

The Upper Core Player is rising through impact as the Middle Core Player is clearing their hips at about 40 to 45 degrees. Once again, it is important to know that this rising posture for the Upper Core Player has been referred as an "early extension" or "coming out of posture". It is not a bad thing. In fact it is a very good thing. Many players are coached out of the vertical ground force being told to "stay in posture". This "early extension" is what you are looking for when the Upper Core Player is matching their set up positions to their Core Region.

Here is a comparison of a Lower Core (Left) and Middle Core Player (right) at impact.

Notice how much more hip clearance the Lower Core Player has than the Middle Core Player.

GUIDED DISCOVERY

Now, without a club, stand and move your weight to the balls of your feet. You should feel your weight in your feet in the position shown in this illustration.

Stay in that position and swing to the top of the backswing with your trail arm. Be sure to stay on the balls of your feet. Now, with your weight on the balls of your feet, swing down slowly to impact then to finish.

Make that same slow backswing on the balls of your feet and stay on the balls of your feet back to imapct. Note your Center of Mass is target side at the top of your swing. Next, notice that toward impact in the downswing, you change direction and rise and your arms pass your body and then your hips rotate through. That is the Upper Core Swing. Balance is what is creating the "early extension" or you "coming out of posture" and the vertical ground force created as you change direction.

Now, move your weight over the center of your arches. You should feel your weight distribution at a point on the bottom of your feet as though you were drawing a straight line from the front of your ankles to the center of your foot. You should feel your weight over the center of your arches as shown in this illustration.

Swing to the top with your trail arm. Be certain you are still over the center of the arches at the top. Notice your Center of Mass is over your trail side. From that center of the arches balance position. Notice how easy it is to turn your hips through impact. You just made a Lower Core Swing. Again, you can imagine that if your grips were too small or too big, your balance would not be conducive to using the ground in the most efficient way possible for the Lower Core Player.

Next, without a club, stand and move your weight just behind the balls of your feet forward of the center of your arches. You should feel your weight in your feet as shown in this illustration.

Stay in that Middle Core balance position, swing to the top of your backswing and notice your Center of Mass is centered over your pelvis. As you swing down you will note at impact that you start to clear your hips and rise. The Middle Core Player uses the Ground in a

Impact to Release

Guided Discovery

It is important for you to understand how balance impacts the entire swing from address through impact to release. Therefore, please get a club and do the following. Don't worry about Stance Width for this exercise as you will be purposely moving your weight from the balls of your feet to the center of your arches. Get any grip you wish on the club. Move your weight well forward to the balls of your feet. Now slowly start the club back in your backswing. Stop as soon as your wrists cock. Note the position of your left arm as your wrists cock. Come back to address. Again, stay forward on the balls of your feet and slowly start the swing back, notice when your wrists cock and Look at the position of your left arm. Notice in the photo below where I am on the balls of my feet and start my backswing. Look at my left forearm. My lead left hand is over my trail or right thigh.

If you move even further toward your toes, you will notice an even earlier cock of your wrists.

Now from that same forward, Upper Core balance position, once you feel the cock of the wrists in your backswing, start the club through impact and stop in the through swing when you feel the un-cocking of your wrists or the "release" of the club and hold that position. Try it again and hold that release position.

You will notice that the angle of the release in the through swing is a mirror image of the backswing. Note my release in a balls of feet position compared to the wrists cock in my backswing in this photo. Compare the position of my left forearm in the backswing to my right forearm in the through swing. You will also notice that in this photo, my trail right hand is over my right (target side) thigh.

You will also notice that the club exits quickly left if you continue the through swing. Most players think this would create a left shot for a right handed player. It does not.

This forward balance position creates what is referred to as an early set and early release of the club. They match if your balance in the through swing is the same as it was in the backswing. It is a mirror image of the backswing. The set and release of the club is a result of all the factors that go into balance: Stance Width, Posture, Grip, Grip Size and more specifically how these factors change heel to toe balance.

I was taught many years ago that the grip placement on the club is what creates an early set of the club. More specifically, an Upper Core Grip Power Spot creates a long left thumb and that long left thumb creates an early set of the club. This is Not So as you will see in the next exercise.

Next, move your weight toward your heels over the center of your arches. Be sure to hold that balance position through this entire exercise. Now start your backswing with your weight centered over your arches. Note the position of your wrists cock.

This illustrations demonstrates the set of the club in my backswing when I am over the center of my arches.

Set up over the center of your arches with a club and notice how much later the club sets in your backswing. As we saw in the Upper Core Release, we see a mirror image of the release of the club in the downswing as we saw in the set in the backswing. Be sure your weight remains over the center of your arches in the through swing.

Notice that your through swing is down the target line. The Lower Core Player is the only player who should feel a release that is late and down the target line.

Lastly, move your weight between the balls of your feet and the center of your arches, a Middle Core balance position. Now, start your backswing from that Middle Core balance position and stop when you feel your wrists cock as shown in this illustration.

I have maintained the sane Stance Width here that I had in the Lower Core balance changes. I still have an upper Core Grip as well. The only thing that has changed is my heel to toe balance.

You will notice in the above illustration how the set of the club is between the upper and Lower Core.

Lastly, let's look at the release of the Middle Core balance point. You must work hard to maintain the same points of balance in your feet in the through swing as you had in the backswing.

Notice the position of my left forearm in the set of the club compared to the photo above and my right forearm in my release in a Middle Core balance position. Notice the similarities of the set and release there. That is simply heel to toe balance.

Below is a video the illustrations of the release of the club were taken from as screenshots. Please view this with the understanding that heel to toe balance is the only thing that is being changed in each of these swings. The things that impact balance at address are the primary "influencers" of the set and release of the golf club. All of these "influencers" are related to the setup (Stance Width, Posture, Alignment, Grip, Grip Size) and sequencing of motion by Core Region.

The set and release of the club becomes later and later as you move from Upper Core to Lower Core. Here is an illustration from Larry Rinker's video where he describes the club release by Core Region. Note the yellow arrow is the point of release of the Upper Core Player, the red arrow is the point of release of the Middle Core Player and the blue arrow is the point of release of the Lower Core Player. These release points are going to be very similar to what you experienced in the Guided Discovery where you swung the club changing only the heel to toe balance. The more you move toward your heels the later the set and release of the club and the more you moved toward your toes the earlier the set and release of the club.

As a reminder, the size of the grip will impact the set and release of the club and how your student uses the ground. Grip Sizing is presented in the next Certification as it impacts all sports where a bat or club is held. Grip Size is simple to test. The handle size measurements change within the individual depending on the Sport just as handle size changes by Core Region in Golf.