I thought this would be an interesting lesson to look at because of Jon’s physical stature. One thing I find to be generally ridiculous in golf instruction is the idea that the swing should be tailored to body type, and that different body types should be taught differently. I believe this to be nonsense. The basic elements of a good swing are the same for thick and skinny, tall and short, male and female, weak and strong, young and old. The difference is not in what you teach, but in how you focus your priorities based on limitations (or in some cases lack of limitations) inherent in the student. Now, before you think that I am inferring that teach everyone exactly the same, please remember that no two people are exactly alike. One of the great things about teaching for a living is the hourly variety I am faced with as each new student shows up with a whole different package of items to consider, not the least of which is their physical makeup. Thus, I may have to adjust the manner in which I go about getting their swings to hit the ball with quality, but I am not going to teach a flat swing to a short thick guy and an upright swing to a tall skinny guy. I often use Nick Faldo as an example: he is a huge guy, about 6’ 4” and 225 pounds, but from a distance he looks like a normal sized person, while his swing has a classic look that would be good for anyone. I see him as a little guy who got into a machine that made him big all around, just as I view myself as a big guy who got shrunk. The point is that while a thick guy might not be able to achieve the depth in the backswing that a skinny guy can, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try. In the same vein, skinny people, especially women and kids, have issues with not having enough meat on their bones in the upper body area and are prone to getting their arms too far behind them and over-swinging.
As you watch the lesson with Jon you will see how the size of his upper trunk tends to have him swing too far in front of himself, thus causing a certain amount of steepness which can lead to him pulling and cutting the ball. This is usually our main focus, and the takeaway is an important element in the process. When he cuts the clubhead under his hands going back he tends to lift the hands and arms from there, and his swing never gets behind him enough. When we get the club to stay outside his hands it is usually due to an earlier involvement of the upper trunk rotation, and that is a big key in adding the depth at left arm parallel that we are looking for. It is more physically demanding, but golf is a sport and you are eventually going to have to ask more of your body if you want to be a better player.