So I went to a birthday party and did axe throwing. When we got there I carefully watched the instructor do demonstration throws. It looked just like throwing a club overhand. (I have seen that a few times on this web site) He locked his eyes on the target, pulled the axe back, then took a stride planting his left foot, this action opened his torso and then he finished it with a release to the target. Simple. I just had to figure out the rotation of the axe head to set my distance. After a while I could take aim at different targets. All those young adults could not understand how the old guy could stick the axe nearly every time while they couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn (so to speak). They asked me how I did it and I said it was a lot like a golf swing. They didn’t believe me. Maybe I am a better axe thrower than golfer, but your principles are solid Shawn.
Haha, fun!
As soon as you have the distance, you just look at the target and throw; just like the throw we show in our “head position and lag shawn clement” video
Great post Jon!
What I have become more aware of lately is that the key in arm club unit is unit. I realized that my grip was not secure enough and as a result my club was moving around within my grip in the swing. I have become more grip aware and tightened up somewhat with the last three fingers of my left hand and the two central fingers of my right hand. This has helped solidify and make the ACU more solid. Am I on the right track? Thanks Shawn.
Hi Shawn
What height are you setting the respective tees for high/low trajectory.
I am using the castle type tees pink/grey
Thanks am really enjoying my new membership here’s hoping for an improvement this season.
Kind regards
Mike
Hmm, don’t know about those tees in particular but the best way to go is to experiment and see what is most comfortable with you! Go from super low to super high and see if you prefer club on the ground vs already hovering on the arc. Shawn
When you say the face is closed, it’s basically saying you are using a strong grip? when you take your stance just before starting the back-swing, the club face “appears” flush as you get behind the ball?
Correct Paul; strong grip with square face is like neutral grip with closed face…
When I get behind the ball, it appears that the club squares up or opens; but in relation to the arc and in dynamic motion, it is still slightly closed dynamically. Bottom line is when you allow the club to track the arc and release you in the direction you want to start the ball, and the ball flies the way you want it, your grip and club face relationship is right where you want it!
Shawn
Any chance of a followup to this video showing the face at address for each type of shot? Might require some creative camera angles, but it’s the only piece of this concept I’m still unclear about. In industry-speak it appears you’re manipulating both path and face to shape the ball, but the face looks exactly the same for each shot from face-on, at least to my eyes.
What ever you see at address STATICALLY, is not what you want to focus on at all; everyone has different releases, fast twitch muscles etc…
You choose a flight, pick an intermediate point to set up to the flight; then feel a nice release into the direction you want to start that flight AND SEE HOW IT FLIES. THEN YOU CAN ADJUST CLUB FACE IF NEEDED.
Hi Shawn! I was wondering your thoughts about the amount of “upward” wrist hinge at address? I notice if I use your umbrella grip with the club upright in front of me as my preshot routine I feel like I have better, noticeable hinge at address. But if I just grab a club, sole it behind the ball and go, I don’t have that hinge “feel”.
Yup, exactly! I also feel like there is a counter-balance of sorts between my low hands and the club head. I’m sure this can be over done so the toe of the club is too far off the ground. Is there a point of too much upward hinge at address?
Hi Shawn,
You should be on Golf Channel..your instruction makes a lot more sense than some of the others on that channel. In fact, I do not even watch them anymore. I have been playing more than fifty years and am relearning the swing using your method.
I was trying to work on the right elbow the other day after watching the football drill, and tried throwing the club with lead elbow…I hit several “fat” shots doing this…could it be I was focusing to much on throwing the right elbow and not shifting weight ?
Question 2, do you ever do any seminars in the US …I live in Ohio and would like to get some first hand teaching.
Hi Elio; thank you for the great feedback;
You simply want to stay with your task of throwing the club to the target pr use the weight of the sword to cut through 2 STEMS (use 2 tees) but just feel that the right elbow has the space to deliver the COMPLETE KINETIC CHAIN. Do you get the difference in focus here?
As for travel, I sometimes go to Chicago area and New Jersey areas as well as Louisville and just got back from Atlanta and sometimes Charlotte.
Register for my newsletter on our forum page on my website and you will be kept up to date;
Stick to a 4 pound hammer turned sideways; horse shoes will ding your knees if you don’t watch out! Had a student do that once…oooohhhh that was painful to watch and the sound it made was DOH!!!
Hello Shawn, I play off of 11 and today I filmed my swing and see that my club is way across the line at the top of the swing and my left arm is bent it really doesn’t look pretty!
The upside is that i’ve been regularly practicing your drills such as feet together, throwing the clubs and swinging the Kettlebell and as a result i’m actually hitting the ball so much better and i’m Task focused. I’m able to fade the ball which I’ve never been able to do and also draw the ball. Also I’m hitting it longer and i would say in a more consistent and in a controlled manner. However, I’m struggling to improve the positions at the top without it interfering with the task, what would you suggest?
I’m really looking forward to playing at the weekend to test the new techniques but i’m doubting myself after watching the filmed swing. Should I just ignore the across the line and bending left arm or how can I get both? Happy to send some swings over this weekend. Thanks Mike (from Kent, England)
Shawn – you are without peer… you just cured my slice!!!
As I have started to address the ball I have steadfastly tired to keep the club face pointing at the target at address as I adopt my stance… and was wondering why I was slicing.
Hi Shawn – quick question – at address would you say the left arm should be _on top_ of the chest/pec or _next to_ the chest/pec? I know in one of your connection videos (can’t find it here, maybe youtube?) you advocate for free swinging arms – no connection to the body – but to do that i was thinking you’d want the left arm on top of the pec. What do you think?
Thanks Shawn! I notice that if i’m not thinking about getting my left arm on top of my pec, i’m more likely to leave it at my side, which sometimes causes a pull as i swing through impact. When i have my left arm on top of my pec, i’m able to keep my arms in front of my body the whole swing. Appreciate the confirmation that this is correct 🙂
So Shawn, steady eyes for me used to mean steady head but when Colin swings, his head stays at Bubbas armpit in the picture. When you swing, your head rises to above his chin then sinks to below his armpit. Steady eyes=steady in the horizontal axis to the target but not in the vertical plane? I think this is a key concept you have shown. Without this I would have to manipulate. With it I would have to give control to gravity towards the target? One of the best videos yet. Thanks so much.
Shawn, I was trying to play to play this latest video at around 4:25 pm. today. Tried several times but the resolution was bad with a lot of pauses and buffering. I tried a few videos from youtube in HD and they played fine.
Excellent instruction Shawn, as always. Deceptively powerful yet simple in what it conveys (whilst also being a great introduction to chipping as well in this one). Overcoming the hit impulse and/or trying to manipulate the club with the arms and upper shoulders has been a bit of a challenge for me, so I have found these drills effective in breaking these somewhat instinctive habits. A great swing should be elegant and efficient, not a gross act of violence on the golf ball. The more I learn, the more I really appreciate your tuition and great sense of humour.
Great stuff!!
Thanks
Rob
I have all Hybrids in my bag, just bought them as I resumed golfing after a long hiatus. I am 70 and have found your videos to be very enlightening. Am I correct in noting that ball placement in the different use of Hybrids is a critical part in making contact. I find myself lifting up at contact, any drills or videos I should watch to correct that?
Always focus on the sole of the hybrids and how it skips or deflects firmly with the ground as you throw them towards your targets;
See the “Planing wood” video or the “golf is as easy as peeling carrots shawn clement” on youtube and focus of whipping the grass clippings to the target; never focus on ball to club face; always on sole of club along the ground and how it thump deflects along it;
Shawn
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