Shawn, should any effort be made with the hands or fore arms to produce the release? Or does the release happen naturally?
Thanks

Shawn thank you for clarifying the grip especially the trail hand. Ive been playing 25 years and until now never truly understood how to hold the club. If my short practice today is any indicator this will be one of my best seasons yet. I have settled with the ten finger grip since i’ve all played baseball most of my life but was told early on it was bad and stayed away from it until now. Question for you though I saw the person before me ask about the ten finger is there anything I should look out for? Ive heard other teachers say it causes overactive right hand etc…I mean if Im hitting the ball at my target I don’t think there is anything but thought Id run it by you.

Thanks,
Mike

Can we darken the print in the text?
Thanks
Darrell

Better!

Well another day another epiphany 🙂 I went out back to hit maybe 20 balls due to a sore arm, and was trying to do the 2 ball drill. I can not seem to do it because there is nothing that I am swinging at or to (no task) for that second swing other than swinging. That is the reason I stoped taking practice swings 30 years ago.

So I modified the drill. I put a second ball down just past the first ball. Not perpetual motion because the first shot/swing is normal. I hit ball 1 and then ball two – bingo, everything locks in and makes sense.

Next step – let’s not line the balls up, let’s move them around to make it harder. This is even more fun since I really have to react to various ball positions and also the ball from shot 1 coming back from the net. If 2 balls is good, 3 balls is better. Now I changed the ball positions to be a triangle or a diagonal line, or any combo you could think of. And 150 balls later I had had a practice session that really showed me what it was like to eliminate all thought and just react while swinging the club.

The ball contact was amazing and I could evaluate what was happening with each swing (contact quality), line up the next swing and watch out so I did not hit 2 balls at once with return balls.

This was the most fun I have ever had practicing. Lots more laughing and it locked in my regular swing because as you have said, I am thinking that next swing so my posture is better maintained and I am really focused on the task at hand for my swing.

Thanks for all the great drills and videos! I think the modified 2-swing drill is going to be my stock practice method from now on. Oh yeah, I was using a hybrid and a 6 iron and thought how would it work with a driver? Yup, it totally works with a driver – flushed them all 🙂

Hi Shawn, I just have a quick question. Every time I try to hold the club in my 8-9/10 in strength it seems that I can’t go thru the ball with the same ease as if I hold it with a 3-4/10. My question is that something that I should work towards or should I keep holding it with my 3-4/10?

I’m back to working on feeling that AC unit weight so the takeaway at 11:45 is perfect for me, right now, however I have a question. I noticed when I threw hammers a week or so back, there was a nice stretch on my lead side down the chest when I heaved a hammer back. I could really feel that until somewhere around the release. With a golf club if I am aware of that stretch on the backswing with the club. It seems if I maintain light tension with it, I have less hit and don’t get ahead of myself. With the stalled takeaway you show at 11:45 I can really feel the weight of the AC unit. The heave lets me feel that stretch again. My question is around if that is something I should use? I kind of think of it as a elastic band that stretches and if I keep light tension on it until I am ready to release it, I’m not in a state of manipulation using hands to hit. I’m just creating a stretch with the AC weight and then letting go. Does this make sense?

I forgot which video in your winter training series that talked about the trail leg lifting up on the downswing prior to impact. That has been my problem for a long time and have not been able to figure out how to stay down on it. I always have a tendency to lift it as I turn during the downswing. I tried the squat before the downswing but ended up going at the ground. Any advice on this? Thanks!

Shawn,

I got the Swing Impact Pro per your recommendation and discount; Thanks!

When I first got it, I could only consistently click it at 110 MPH club head speed, but now I’m up to 135 MPH in just one week. I believe this is because I am now (1) allowing my hands to fully cock at the end of my backswing, (2) engaging my core and gluteus as part of my “kinetic chain” and then (3) fully releasing my wrists / “the second pendulum” while focusing on “flinging paint” along my “initial path” at the point right (draw) / left (fade) of my “intermediate target”. I’m also trying to feel like I’m (4) “swinging the axe” down like my right arm is “skipping a stone” which I think of as aligning the bisection of my forearms and, as a result, the direction of the wrist “snuff box” hinge movement along the swing path / “initial path”.

Do you think numbers 1-4 are good feelings to in grain in my muscle memory? Do any concern you?

Can you point me to any YouTube / Premium videos that cover any of these four points?

P.S. #2, engaging my core and gluteus in my kinetic chain, was the only thing that allowed me to get to 135 MPH from ~125 MPH, and then consistently do so.

This is all helping confirm the throw. No ranges so I’m indoor practicing at home. Limited swing, but chips, pitches and 3/4 irons are all with a view to finding the target out there and a flight plan , intermediate target, and a swing to match. Actually putter also. I have had to slow the backswing which is a bit foreign but without a doubt it gives the machine parts time to keep the sequence intact and maintain low effort. No rushing to “ball as target”. BTW Munachi’s swing apart from #1 looks so balanced and “out there”. Sav is Sav. I might be able to outswing her 7 with my driver LOL . Cheers. JM.

Hello Sean,
2 days ago I had my first aha moment ‘collecting’ the ball and ‘whipping’ the club. How did that happen ? I had seen on video that I was taking the club behind me early in the take away. I ‘love’ to do this, because the club just balances nicely in the hands that way. Unfortunately, it also changes the orientation of the club face. Now, taking the club back correctly (for me: ‘compact’ elbow hip (spina anterior sup.) distance, makes it very easy to get into a high backswing position at the top and that position more or less ‘invites’ me to use the ‘grass cutter’ with ease, leg action and lag. Logically, there was an instant and significant gain in distance and a much more relaxed swing overall. As a consequence I signed up for your eagle channel – :). I had a bit of trouble to put this into practice with the driver. After a few really good drives, it fell apart – possibly due to fatigue, tension. Does that sound familiar ? Is there another tidbit of information with regard to a driver or should it be the same ?
Best regards Eckhart

Hi Shawn,

This is very interesting – as with the driver – I usually have episodes where I’m standing over the ball w the feeling of “this DOES NOT FIT”.

But I noticed that when I:

1) face the club head (which is a good 8 in behind the ball)
2) close my stance a little

My brain suddenly sees a clear picture (like one of those 3D posters where a picture will just suddenly emerge) of how to swing.

Question: when we close the stance – do we also close the shoulders? Or just pull the right leg back?

Thanks!

If I don’t sway in my golf back swing do I still use the brace tilt ?

Hello Shawn,
thank you, great ‘inklings’ of golf from you.
Just at the beginning of the takeaway your daughter lifts the handle a bit. What effect does that have, if any ?
Best regards
Eckhart

Hi Shawn. Don’t quite know where to put this question. I feel that my swing has become a little disconnected. What I mean is that in an effort to let go of manipulation, I feel that my arms are travelling away from my body on the backswing. My arms and chest feel to be on different timing. This leads to inconsistency. Ever heard about this issue? What video will get me back on track? Thanks in advance.