The Finish & Address Position & Pre-Shot Routine

[sidewinder22]

Shawn Clement had an older Finish Position video similar to the one below. He said that the Finish Position is the Tuning Fork of Your Form. I thought that was a really profound statement and it really helped me fine tune my form.

The finish position is like watching the ripples from a stone hitting the water. Those ripples tell the story of what happened during the hit. In the throw how your body recoils into the finish from the hit tells the story. You can not fake or manipulate the finish position, it is a byproduct of momentum and all things happening during the throw which is why every top thrower looks very similar in the end and similar to many other sports. If your finish position looks like the top pros, then you got it made.

The only way to maintain balance into the finish position is to start in balance. I recommend starting every pre-throw routine by standing at the front end of the teepad completely on the front leg to address/aim and taking a big wide practice swing all the way thru to the finish with trail shoulder pointed down trajectory underneath chin. Swing back and forth feeling where the weight of the disc will release to aim it and then walk backwards to the back of the tee and reverse/mirror back forward to your setup and throw. This will help reinforce where you need to end up in the finish position and greatly improve your consistency. You will see most top pros do this pre-shot routine, meanwhile most ams do the exact opposite and aim from the very back of the teepad or where they are starting the runup from and standing weight back on the rear leg, rear leg forward, or flat footed on both feet and square or wide open to the target and taking tiny little jabs with the disc at the target.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlyD1ynQrh4#t=3m26s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM_Ank9CoiM&t=14m5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um5cS9u_Y0w&t=4m32s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuvujcEMLxs#t=1m25s

 

[JPM13]

Awesome post!

It is amazing how this position translates to so many other sports. Here is some lacrosse.

 

[drk_evns]

Aiming from the front of the teepad definitely gives you the advantage of a more accurate perspective.

Although the 5-10 feet you cover in your full run-up may not seem significant, the perspective on your aiming point can change completely. If I aim from the back of the teepad, and then re-aim from the front, I'm always surprised at the amount I adjust the direction of my stride and aiming point.

 

[Putt for D'oh]

The only way to maintain balance into the finish position is to start in balance.

TLDR here ^^^^

I've been too lazy to record myself but have been composing a video of my own and this post is the whole subject and this line sums it all up.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

I decided to try this "finish position from the end of the teepad" with all my shots today: it worked extremely well. I was off on my setup many times, until I Walked it out.

Great inspiration.

 

[rhatton1]

I've got a comp tomorrow.

I will be either cursing or loving you.

Be ready.

 

[deyo7]

I've got a comp tomorrow.

I will be either cursing or loving you.

Be ready.

I'll take the over on love

 

[rhatton1]

It's me in a comp, it will be cursing 100% guaranteed....

 

[deyo7]

Rhatton,

The foundation of consistency is a sound preshot routine

Have you ever read, Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, by Dr. Bob Rotella?

If not, a must read.

 

[deyo7]

Another benefit of the preshot routine is that it helps your mind and body to become in sync with the slope of the teepad, as well as account for any slopes changes or oddities (e.g., cracks) in the teepad that you otherwise wouldn't have expected as problematic. This has saved me a number of times:

The preaddress phase of the routine is the time to deal with any problems that might be caused by an unusual or unfavorable lie. If the ball is on a downslope, an upslope, or the side of a hill, take a stance next to it, take a practice swing or two, and determine the adjustments in the flex of your knees or the tilt of your shoulders you will have to make to cope with the lie. Think them through at this stage because you don't want to have them occur to you as you prepare to hit the ball. - Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, pg 71

 

[RFrance]

Yesterday I was concentrating on getting to the swan dive finish position like the two sets of panels starting with GG. This morning I could really feel it in my right pec like I had been doing one arm bench presses. I think I remember SW talking about this before in one of the threads. Hopefully it's a step in the right direction.

 

[rhatton1]

I'll take the over on love

So, it was a bit of both!

The comp was on a 9 hole course so, 4 x 9 of the same holes comp. 2 x 9 morning, 2 x 9 afternoon.

Front 9, feeling good, walking it out on the tee, feeling nice and balanced, putts weren't really firing yet but was hitting lines on tight tricky holes, all good. I was 5 down through the first nine. 5 down worked out to about 1020 rated (10 down over the 18 was 1020) . All Good, feeling it.

And then suddenly the self doubt crept it's way in halfway through the second nine not really sure what triggered it, probably the realisation I was playing well! Overthinking appeared (where did my final step go? did I take two or three steps? was I swinging the arm or working around it, what's that? A bird? Did i lock the door to HQ, Did I remember to bring the trophies) , commitment was suddenly not 100%. Back nine ended 1 over with some griplocks messing with my head ( I very very rarely griplock, and this was a tight wooded course so griplocks off the tee were disastrous!) leaving me 4 down which was 950 rated at the end of the 18.

It all went downhill from there and the afternoon round will never be mentioned again.....

With some practice getting this into my preshot routine to cut down on the self doubt I could see it really helping the game.

I read golf is not a game of perfect many years ago, it's probably time for a refresher

 

[deyo7]

So, it was a bit of both!

The comp was on a 9 hole course so, 4 x 9 of the same holes comp. 2 x 9 morning, 2 x 9 afternoon.

Front 9, feeling good, walking it out on the tee, feeling nice and balanced, putts weren't really firing yet but was hitting lines on tight tricky holes, all good. I was 5 down through the first nine. 5 down worked out to about 1020 rated (10 down over the 18 was 1020) . All Good, feeling it.

And then suddenly the self doubt crept it's way in halfway through the second nine not really sure what triggered it, probably the realisation I was playing well! Overthinking appeared (where did my final step go? did I take two or three steps? was I swinging the arm or working around it, what's that? A bird? Did i lock the door to HQ, Did I remember to bring the trophies) , commitment was suddenly not 100%. Back nine ended 1 over with some griplocks messing with my head ( I very very rarely griplock, and this was a tight wooded course so griplocks off the tee were disastrous!) leaving me 4 down which was 950 rated at the end of the 18.

It all went downhill from there and the afternoon round will never be mentioned again.....

With some practice getting this into my preshot routine to cut down on the self doubt I could see it really helping the game.

I read golf is not a game of perfect many years ago, it's probably time for a refresher

I hear ya. I, and most players, can relate to those mental issues you were struggling with.

Yeah, as you may recall, there's really a lot in that book that addresses the mental approach to the game and good practical psychological tips to help you work through the fears and self doubt and other thoughts that creep in... I read it last year, but skimming it again yesterday I was thinking, "I should reread this"....maybe make it a yearly thing.

You are clearly capable of playing at a high level, even in competition!

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Haha I love it when you post something and I've actually been doing it right!!! Easy win!
1 for 20...

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

With some practice getting this into my preshot routine to cut down on the self doubt I could see it really helping the game.

I read golf is not a game of perfect many years ago, it's probably time for a refresher

Hey Rhatton1 it happens.. I turtled bad in a gale force wind last tournament.. It's a slippery slope when you start doubting. Sometimes it's just not your round, insert crap here about getting back on the horse... remember the good part of the round forget the other shots.

The only thing I've found to break a Bad Funk is scaling down my discs.. If it's getting bad for me sometimes I try just throwing my Comet a couple times even if I need more distance just to get back in the "smooth" groove. It's like a sacrificial tuning drive or two just to get me back to basics and Center my game with what I know best. Or fairway drivers..

Something I don't "think" I have to throw hard, or "think" about throwing.

 

[sidewinder22]

Swivel Chair Drill - Rear shoulder finish over front instep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvvF6eW-by8#t=7m30s

 

[sidewinder22]

Beautiful pre-shot routine from Heather Young.
Note how she walks forward to end of tee and pauses after the shifting into plant with elbow forward and then reverses to top of backswing with front heel lifting and re-planting(can't see her feet in this) and then swings thru to finish position.
Walks back and aims with disc to target.
Walks forward again and swings thru to finish position with disc vertical/fanning to target.
Walks back to tee off.

 

[sidewinder22]

 

[Tepi]

disc vertical/fanning to target.

Is the purpose of this to just have some resistance/stopping power from air for the arm?

 

[sidewinder22]

Is the purpose of this to just have some resistance/stopping power from air for the arm?

Makes it heavier feeling.