“Demanding that golf instruction be kept simple does not make it simple — only incomplete and ineffective.” Homer Kelley “The Golfing Machine”

Knowing how to isolate or compartmentalize different parts of the swing is important. This allows us to measure any changes that are/have been made and also as mentioned helps isolate a part of the swing to make it easier to comprehend and learn.

If you can learn and compartmentalize these areas, then layer them on top of one another (essentially chunking them together) the whole thing is easier to learn.

I first came across this method a number of years ago after diving deep into the rabbit hole.

I came across “The Golfing Machine” by Homer Kelley, this lead me to Mac O Grady and eventually to Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer.

I also found other guys on the interwebs who were talking in slang. Using terms like “I like your P2, but your P4 has to be better to improve your P5“!…. Come again?..

What I found was, there are 10 positions widely used in the teaching world as a way of measuring the effectiveness of a golf swing.

They are as follows: P = Position

P1: Address

P2: Club Shaft Parallel With Ground On Takeaway

P3: Lead Arm Parallel With Ground

P4: Top of Backswing


P5: Lead Arm Parallel With Ground on Downswing

P6: Club Shaft Parallel With Ground on Downswing

P7: Impact

P8: Club Shaft Parallel With Ground on Follow-Through

P9: Trail Arm Parallel With Ground on Follow-Through

P10: Finish

Watch the full video below, and leave me a comment if you have any questions.