Mr. Homer Kelley wrote in The Golfing Machine that Clubhead Lag was the “secret to golf”. Clubhead Lag by definition is the bending of the Clubshaft during the Startdown of the Downstroke. It occurs because the static Clubhead is inert and resists the change of the direction of the players body especially the arms which in turn bends the Clubshaft as the Clubhead tries to remain stationary. The secret of Clubhead Lag takes time to understand, effort to apply and diligence to master. The question is it necessary?
“Apparently there is no factor including Clubhead Throwaway (no lag – when the Clubhead out races the hands into Impact) – that cannot with proper assembly, adjustment etc. be worked into a fairly effective stroke pattern for some application or other” (1-K). Mr. Kelley wrote that even without Clubhead Lag a person could play golf, however, in 3-F-7-A he states that clubhead throwaway or loss of lag is Steering.
Here is where you the golfer must put on your thinking cap and decide what is best for your game. You must sift through information and opinion about this topic of “Clubhead Lag” and take a stand. Anyone can make a statement that sounds logical and in golf there are hundreds of experts with their personal viewpoint, their opinion of what the “tour players” do and these “experts” have the right to their opinion, but are their thoughts logical?
Is it logical to think that the clubhead should out race the hands to the ball? Or, is the logic of Imapct explained that the Clubshaft is forward leaning by design. Is it logical to shorten the radius of the golf stroke from the left shoulder to the left wrist? Is it logical to believe that a shorter radius will move faster than a longer one?
Let us consider an analogy of a water skier. Visualize a person being pulled on skis by a boat, this person and his center of gravity is directly behind the center of gravity of the boat, he is lagging behind it. Now, consider this person stretching the ski line and moving in an arc around the boat. As he makes this movement around the boat his center of gravity is catching up to the boats center of gravity; and the moment the center of gravity of the boat and the center of gravity of the skier become in line, the skier is no longer being pulled as now he has caught up. He has nothing to pull him and he does not have any means of self-propulsion and therefore, he slows down and sinks. Similarly, once the clubhead becomes in line it cannot move itself as it does not have any way to propel itself, it is reliant upon the golfer’s pivot for propulsion. Therefore, the clubhead will be moving in its own orbit, while the golfer’s Power Package and Pivot have ceased to be effective.
If you believe that the club will propel itself, that it has the ability to swing itself, then you are welcome to this belief and the “constant struggle for consistency” (3-F-7-A), and the Clubface with be moving without rhythm. However, if you desire to be consistent and to have a better golf game, then we welcome you to the world of The Golfing Machine and its Secret of Clubhead Lag. We and the Authorized Instructor base are here to assist you with your golf game.