I have a similar question. I play with the Wishon Sterling irons 4i – SW and absolutely love them. I am able to set up for fades and draws using the same ball positioning for all clubs, make the same swing and get great compression and desired distance with all of them. I saw your video comparing swinging the Sterling Single Length irons with the clubs you hit and I have to agree I get equal if not better distances using them. For sure I enjoy much better directional consistency and can work the ball much better with them. As they are 8 iron length, I have also wondered about taking divots. It seems my best shots with all clubs take minimal divots if any. I’m always amazed watching pro golfers on tour who seem to always take very large divots. I notice you very rarely seem to ever take good sized divots when demonstrating your swings. Am I likewise missing something or should I not be concerned at all about the size of divot with hitting single length irons? Additionally, how does one achieve better backspin on the ball to stop it abruptly or back it up on the green? Do you have any videos or advocate thinking about any tasks that explain how to achieve that result? Is taking a larger divot the result of how the pros are able to do that? Could you maybe explain the physics behind a swing plane putting more backspin on the ball and when and why you might want to do that? Sure enjoy watching you bring things down on the shelf where folks like me can reach it. Always look forward to seeing your latest videos each week. Thanks for all you do!
Shawn I’m seeing this video after your recent “alignment” video. Am I getting this correct in that the flatter arc with longer clubs like woods and driver is the reason that the swing for these feels like it is way further to the right of your alignment and you just have to trust it?
Right on Dave!
When you go see a tour event, you will notice that many players love the low ball; especially when it is windy! Wedges big time; they play it back close the face and trap the ball through the doorframe to keep the ball under the wind. Cross winds and wind into shots are more under control.
This means deeper divots! So when I hit normal shots at medium trajectories, there will be minimal turf interaction; and many players on tour are pickers too. I used to take beaver pelts as a kid and well into my 20’s but it was not the most efficient way to go for all shots and conditions.
And spin? Most pros have new wedges in hand EVERY WEEK!!!!! This is the main difference. Period.
Shawn – do you flatten your backswing with the driver? The garage door drill really freed-up my arms in the backswing. However, I seem to come down too steep with my driver, causing some manipulation before impact.
No choice! Best is to do the perpetual motion drill and cut grass in both directions with any club and adapt to the plane needed to accomplish this task!
See “ball above the feet shawn clement” to get additional support (see the one on premium and on youtube)
Hello Shawn, after watching your videos for some time the light bulb came on recently re no manipulation and allowing my arms to swing freely. This needs some practice though and I am out on the back lawn practising. When it comes to chipping though I tend to struggle with striking the ball cleanly and invariably hit the ground before the ball which I find frustrating and when the ground is hard this tendency is further compounded. Any thoughts? I may use my first video submission to you with my chip swing.
My second observation is the centre of the swing, is the sternal notch really the centre of the swing or should it be the spine where your shoulder meets your neck? It just seems more anatomically correct.
Thank you so much for your inspiring golf tuition and one of my bucket list goals is to come to Canada and have a golf lesson with you, kind regards, Eric ( Wales )
Fantastic Eric;
The sternal notch is more of an imaginary 3 dimensional point that is central to the shoulder sockets under the C-spine which allows the head to maintain it’s anchor while everything under it glides around and out of the way of the arm-club unit swing. Just an absolutely beautiful machine that moves so incredibly well; so thankful for it!
See the chipping video big time; our chipping wisdom is engraved in stone! Most don’t play the ball back far enough in the stance, don’t have an intermediate point, don’t allow the weight of the arm-club unit to cut through the stem and try to keep the lower body quiet which kills the flow!!!
Sometimes when I do the third throw I am hitting big pulls to the left and my right shoulder comes over the top. I am probably deferring to the ball, any further thoughts
I’m a “Par member” to your wonderful teaching channel and it is ringing the proverbial bell that IM hearing loud and clear. IM now convinced that if I can institute the motions you teach I will improve, thus start to enjoy playing this wonderful game they call golf again.
Question: How do I navigate to the perpetual motion drill that you recommend for some of your students?
The best is to cut grass in both directions without stopping and observe the blur of the club and where it wants to cut; see “arms and body timing” video on premium, one of the first from the bottom of the list!
Then do “the walking drill” and see how good you can get at that! 😀👍
I have noticed that my grip is becoming closed somwhere between set up / address position and the top of the back swing. This happens even without “swinging” the club i.e. just taking it to the top slowly and returning to the start position and holding it out in front of me.
I cannot feel anything happening, such as “re-gripping” at the top. I think it may have something to do with the lead hand (I am RH golfer), as I can see all four knuckles when returning to address. Obviously this is having a big impact on my impact position and strike.
My concern is that my grip at the initial address is fairly neutral, with two and a half knuckles visble. This changes to four by simply taking the club to the top and returning to address, without actually swinging the club. My frustration is that I cannot feel any change during that motion.
When I actually swing the club, I am then fighting with my hands to keep the club square.
Ref. video The Grip Part 3, I am checking and definately not “re-gripping” with the right hand prior to takeaway.
Well aren’t the hands more ahead of the club at impact and would it not show more knuckles? You are over thinking a few things and have a couple of pre conceived notions polluting the waters;
We are collecting the ball then releasing it to the direction you want to start it. See the 1st video of the “consistency series” on premium; check my knuckles at impact!
The key here is WHEN YOU WHIP THROUGH IN THE DIRECTION YOU WANT TO START THE BALL, AND YOU FEEL THE PEAK SPEED PAST THE BALL AND TOWARDS THE TARGET, what is the ball doing in the air??
If it starts left and hooks, then open the face at address more;
Yes sir. Reacting to the sight picture can be a big problem. Even with intermediate point I will often go left in the throw. Trusting the down the line picture can be an issue. Thanks for the lesson. J.
First the down the line view with the flag included really is helpful. Secondly, it was nice to see that even you miss. Lol This will really help me with using intermediate points and staying with the shot. I will be forced to Keep behind the ball to see where I released the club in relation to the median point. I am just learning how to hit a draw and fade. I played New Haven in Texarkana and the experience convinced me that there is no such thing as a straight shot. If you are unable to work the ball you will be at a disadvantage.
Yesterday, I tried this exercise and walked away with a few nuggets. First, I was spooked by the alignment stick in front of me. Perhaps it was too close as I found myself afraid to release club fearing I would hit the rod. Once I removed it, I could see exactly how alignment impacts ball position. Once I confirm that I could release left or right of the median there was nothing left to do but swing. I found that I am more comfortable releasing right for the fade shot. I am left handed and that may explain it. The draw seemed like the ball was too far back especially with the driver and woods. I did not feel that I could hit the ball and thus you know what happened. Default to ball, hitting behind the ball or shanks. Definitely need more work.
Missing your 121 teaching (I live in the UK – you may remember from your last trip to London)
I have been working on the optimal stock flightpath height to select for each club – from LW to Driver.
I use distant tree height as a rough guide. This is working well but would like some guidance from the best teacher on YouTube!
May I suggest you produce a premium video on this topic – as I believe Mo Norman said ” the more you think about the flightpath height the narrower your stray pattern becomes”
Shawn I can get the draw very well but cannot begin to get the fade. I am right handed and every time I try to hit a fade even with the club face very open the ball still goes left or straight(ish). I am not sure why? It’s funny I used to hit everything right (slice) now I would like some of the rights back. Any thoughts?
See a cool video I did with John on youtube a while back; called “lesson with John shawn clement”
Then see “how to match backswing to target shawn clement” and “stay with your shot shawn clement”
Finally, see our premium gem called “mile markers for direction shawn clement” which is video #4 in the “consistency series.
You are not matching the backswing to the direction you want to start the ball and these videos will get you there.
Shawn
When practicing arms falling in front of me, I get the distinct feeling that my lower body is waiting for my upper body (arm club unit) to fall. In other words, it seems opposite of that sage advice of starting the downswing from the ground up. Is this feeling correct?
You want to practice arms falling PAST YOU and towards the direction you want the ball to start!
Really feel the body react and get out of the way of the heavy arms falling all the way into the finish!
Shawn – my right side is still crashing the party, even with the driver. When I preset (drill) with the arms in front, club parallel to target line, then go back and through, I pure it most times with irons. I cannot consistently do this from normal setup, backswing, and downswing. As soon as my right elbow contacts right side, bad things happen unless I manipulate clubface at impact. It’s frustrating too!
Make sure you see “throw the club” video on premium; you cannot go OTT when throwing the club to the target; but OTT is necessary when throwing the club to the ball! Like going bowling and instead of releasing the ball down the alley towards the pins, you release it into the floor of the alley below you and make a big dent…just before they kick you out! 😂😝
Are you trying to make the right elbow come into contact with the right side?? This is something you hear a lot in golf and this is something that should NOT be done!
See “football drill series” on premium and on youtube, see my latest videos on top 5 things not to do in golf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9fmj6ke1-g
Yes. Was told long ago that the greats (e.g., Hogan) adducted their upper right arm, at start of downswing, to get their right elbow in front of right side. I probably have done this also to avoid OTT, as you describe in the 5 things-to-avoid video. You appear to clear the body by rotating your torso, which makes sense to me now, but will take time for me to do (especially under pressure!).
Hi Shawn… I find that when I grip tightly my arms and shoulders tense up. Am I right in thinking that the fingers and hands should grip tight but we should try and make sure our arms and shoulders are nicely relaxed? It’s hard to do that, for me at least. Any drills to help ?
Many thank – this was my first post after joining. Love your teaching style and content. Hats off.
Hey John! See “release fine tuning” and “grass whip training” videos on premium, as well as “throwing the club”
You want to use the weight of the instrument to perform the task!
Shawn
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