Post by Richie3Jack on Dec 20, 2013 9:54:31 GMT -5
Chi Chi Rodriguez seemed like a larger figure when he hit the Senior Tour than when he was on the PGA Tour. IIRC, he mentioned that growing up he would try and play golf using a baseball bat and rocks. Sure is different from today's game where 14 year old IMG students have mental coaches. Still, I think Chi Chi would likely prefer to see it happen that way as he didn't seem to a be the type of person that felt that somebody should grow up as poor as he did. Everything I've ever heard about him was very kind and at length discussed his generosity.
I never saw Rodriguez play in person. I know he had a bit of a quirky swing and was known for his shot making ability. He was also an incredible bunker player. IIRC, Trevino (I think it was him) said that the problem with Chi Chi is that he would often go for everything and if he ended up behind a tree, he was fine with that because then he could dazzle the crowd by making a daring escape.
One thing I notice is that Chi Chi stood far away from the ball and had the hands very high with the wrists almost completely un-cocked. Both feet are flared, so we'll likely see a lot of hip turn in the backswing and that can help promote a flatter lead arm plane at p4.
As we get into p2 thru p3, I see Chi Chi not having a lot of 'width' with is hand path. That's quite fine. He also moves his torso away from the target. This would be more common with amateurs at this position than with Tour players.
And when we get to p4, he stops moving the torso to his right. I think what he does is from about p3 to p4, he starts to straighten the rear knee and the spine now tilts more towards the target. The torso has still moved off the ball from p1. I think Chi being able to stop his torso from moving to his right and getting the rear knee to straighten is crucial for him. If he didn't do that, I think he would have low point issues and possible sequencing issues which is what amateurs tend to really struggle with.
He is across the line at p4, but the face appears to be open. This indicates that the face will likely be open at impact. And if that is the case, he'll have to swing inside-to-out in order to hit a draw that comes back towards the target.
My favorite still is of Chi Chi from DTL at p4.5. It never ceases to amaze me how many of these famous golfers with unorthodox golf swings don't look very unorthodox at about p5.
From p6 to p10 we see the left arm well outward with a club exiting at p8.5 well left. This would indicate a draw shot. However, his face looks open to me at p6. The toe pointing up at p6 is actually open, not square to the arc.
We also see a lack of side bend at p10. He is practically vertical at the finish with the shoulders practically level. Again, this would promote a fade type of shot.
It's hard to tell what Chi Chi is doing here because given his motion from p6 to p10 it would indicate fade. But the open face from p4 to p6 indicates a draw. The stance looks fairly square at address which gives us no indication of what shot was hit. And it doesn't help that he was a shot maker that would hit any shot he felt like on command.
To me, I think he hit a slightly draw here. With the left arm so far out at p6 and the face open. I think he was hitting downward on this shot a bit. Given the likely baseline at p1, I think his path was a little inside to out because of the attack angle. The face being open would get the balls starting to the right a little and the path could curve it with a draw towards the target. I think the motion from p6 to p10 was a preventative measure so he would not swing too far inside-to-out and hit a hook.
3JACK
I never saw Rodriguez play in person. I know he had a bit of a quirky swing and was known for his shot making ability. He was also an incredible bunker player. IIRC, Trevino (I think it was him) said that the problem with Chi Chi is that he would often go for everything and if he ended up behind a tree, he was fine with that because then he could dazzle the crowd by making a daring escape.
One thing I notice is that Chi Chi stood far away from the ball and had the hands very high with the wrists almost completely un-cocked. Both feet are flared, so we'll likely see a lot of hip turn in the backswing and that can help promote a flatter lead arm plane at p4.
As we get into p2 thru p3, I see Chi Chi not having a lot of 'width' with is hand path. That's quite fine. He also moves his torso away from the target. This would be more common with amateurs at this position than with Tour players.
And when we get to p4, he stops moving the torso to his right. I think what he does is from about p3 to p4, he starts to straighten the rear knee and the spine now tilts more towards the target. The torso has still moved off the ball from p1. I think Chi being able to stop his torso from moving to his right and getting the rear knee to straighten is crucial for him. If he didn't do that, I think he would have low point issues and possible sequencing issues which is what amateurs tend to really struggle with.
He is across the line at p4, but the face appears to be open. This indicates that the face will likely be open at impact. And if that is the case, he'll have to swing inside-to-out in order to hit a draw that comes back towards the target.
My favorite still is of Chi Chi from DTL at p4.5. It never ceases to amaze me how many of these famous golfers with unorthodox golf swings don't look very unorthodox at about p5.
From p6 to p10 we see the left arm well outward with a club exiting at p8.5 well left. This would indicate a draw shot. However, his face looks open to me at p6. The toe pointing up at p6 is actually open, not square to the arc.
We also see a lack of side bend at p10. He is practically vertical at the finish with the shoulders practically level. Again, this would promote a fade type of shot.
It's hard to tell what Chi Chi is doing here because given his motion from p6 to p10 it would indicate fade. But the open face from p4 to p6 indicates a draw. The stance looks fairly square at address which gives us no indication of what shot was hit. And it doesn't help that he was a shot maker that would hit any shot he felt like on command.
To me, I think he hit a slightly draw here. With the left arm so far out at p6 and the face open. I think he was hitting downward on this shot a bit. Given the likely baseline at p1, I think his path was a little inside to out because of the attack angle. The face being open would get the balls starting to the right a little and the path could curve it with a draw towards the target. I think the motion from p6 to p10 was a preventative measure so he would not swing too far inside-to-out and hit a hook.
3JACK