[psheehan]

Bendet,
Don't take those replies that personally.... I think we all have the same initial impression (at least those of us who aren't inclined towards physics and geometry... or overly analytic)... the book requires some work to get through AND that work takes some initial investment in time. However, anyone who has gone through much "traditional" instruction will quickly recognize the truth in what Homer had to say about simplicity. I have had lessons from some well known teachers and I was never able to reconcile the differences in both language and actual instruction I recieved. I got the book about 7 months ago and it took about 2 months of reading in the recommended fashion and referring to it for it to make sense. I was fortunate to spend 4 hours with Ted Fort right after that and he could explain concepts I was familiar with from the book, but didn't really understand.... this helped a great deal, not to mention that Ted is a great gentleman and a fine teacher. Finally, the forum gets me a step closer each day. TGM is beautifully consistent and it works. But the golf swing is not a simple, intuitive motion so it becomes very hard to summarize accurately. The further I get into this, the more I realize there is no 'classic comic book' approach to the golf swing. Do it right....read the book, see an AI if possible and follow along with the forum.

Having said that, I'm a new hitter.... and after 6 months of hitting I find the following areas to be the places I consistently have to work on.
1. Impact fix.... you'd think something like address would be pretty easy to make a habit, but I'm constantly slipping and getting my right forearm too high ....Monday I had 15 gir, tues. I had 9.... impact fix was the issue.
2. Going to top and not end. This is a sure 'fore left' for me, as the right shoulder starts to spin out on the downswing if I go to end.
3. Accelerating too fast at the start of the downswing.... I keep trying to see Ted's gradually accelerating swing before I swing(btw...someone mentioned Ted's dartfish analysis and the notes by Yoda are very helpful alongside the stills in that analysis)

Additionally, I need to keep working on my impact alignments..... Keeping the shafts forward lean until past low point. I do the impact bag drills and the dowel drills.

Trust me, TGM will work for every golfer, a claim that 'traditional' instruction would have trouble making. It is a journey and while it may seem to be a long journey at times, it will get you to your destination. Read the book, stick to it and try to avoid short cuts, it only makes it harder.....2 steps forward, one step back and we get there.