Hi from the Wisdom in Golf Team!
If you are getting this page you are:
1-NOT LOGGED IN
2-NOT A MEMBER? Sign-up here.
3-Or this is an exclusive Eagle video and you are not an EAGLE MEMBER, if you wish to upgrade and get a monthly analysis from Shawn, upgrade here:
What is Wisdom in Golf
Shawn Clement, one of the top 20 youtube teachers and the only one recognized for teaching without body part or positions, drives the ball over 300 yards both right-handed and left-handed and breaks par from either side, and is also the only one who ever qualified and played world-ranked events with 1/2 left and 1/2 right-handed clubs in the same bag! He is the ultimate expert on golf instruction!
He and his team will show you how to play to your full potential with our Online Golf Lessons Academy...
Check Out our Subscription plans for the complete Golf Video Series with Shawn.
Shawn — SUCH great stuff!!
I’m curious about the release on the pitch and fairway bunker shots. It appears on the video you are not releasing the pitch shot fully (as you would with a normal approach shot). Is there a way to tell, sense or feel what is too much release — and what is not enough when dealing with these 40-70 yard pitches? I believe my tendency is to release fully — which leads to inconsistency.
Hello Gerhard! Sorry about the delay, we are at the PGA Show this week doing our homework for you guys! 😀👍
as for the release with the pitch, I always say to let the weight of the club head release you; that your machine reacts to the momentum of the arm-club unit. On short to medium pitch shots, the amount of momentum is much less intense and the ball and grass and ground you take does slow the rotation down and affects it quite a bit. When your kinetic chain is fully engaged and reacting with full momentum, grip pressure etc, then you have a much more emphatic release. Let the weight of the arm-club unit perform your task (cutting the stem of the dandelion in the direction of the intermediate point) and let the release take care of itself.
This was right on. Yesterday I shanked 4/6 pitches – then i realized i was locking the trail leg and DEFAULTING to the ball. Once I defaulted to the target I hit 10 out of 10. Great lesson !!
I love seeing my students crack the code of their actions with this kind of awareness; just brilliant work John!
I realize it is contrary to normal teaching, but I have a high rate of success in long bunker shots (providing the ball is sitting up reasonably well) by “cleaning” the ball with a club lofted enough to clear the lip. What I mean is to pick up very little or no sand and essentially hitting the ball first. This method originally became necessary because the course I was playing frequently had fairly firm sand traps and it was difficult to blast out of them. What would you suggest in very firm or thin traps?
This is a fairway bunker shot, not a greenside bunker shot; If the fairway bunkers are firm, this is a REALLY GOOD PROBLEM!! 😀👍
But if you are on clay in greenside bunkers, you have no choice but to use the technique you described. Keep it up!
Shawn
What club are you using for the bunker shot? How much distance do you usually lose on a shot out of sand vs. fairway?
Using a lob wedge; closed face to de-activate the bounce of the club so no loss of distance-for this shot a bit more distance is involved; for normal bunker shots from the fairway, use 1 extra club 95% of the time, especially in the short irons where there will be a lot more spin!
Shawn
On the long bunker shot that you hit to the green, did you think to yourself to hit ball first then go through the sand or are you hitting a regular sand shot while taking less sand?
I am throwing or letting the club release me in the direction I want to start the ball and predicting BALL FIRST AND THEN A SHALLOW SAND DIVOT.