why does the student set club in front of ball when setting up?

Nice videos. Never get tired of watching the basics. Can see Colin sneaking weight to the front at address, not so of course with the walking swing. Seems so easy to get “paralyzed” over the ball in a static posture that seems ok but in fact sabotages the dynamic act of swinging to the target with nice tempo and effortless balanced swing. Thanks Matt and Sensei Shawn.

Hi Shawn
I’m just a little confused! I watched your video in Wisdom in Golf 1.0 where you talk about club face being open or closed to the arc Vs the target line. In other videos when you refer to open or close the club face a little, generally do you mean in relation to the arc or the target line?
Thanks and I am enjoying your videos immensely.
Marian

I have been working on my grip of late (thanks Shawn for the superb instruction), and there appears to be a sweet spot for the thumb of the left hand, just off center to the right where the left hand develops maximum grip. If I move the thumb slightly to the left to make it absolutely in line with the club shaft it makes coupling with the right hand feel unnaturally twisted for the right forearm and plays havoc with the entire swing. Whilst it is only a ~ 1/4″ or slightly more in displacement depending on your hand size and its structure, I found it had a huge impact on the hand path and club path on my ZEPP swing monitor (particularly the setting of the right hand in coupling with the left and the importance of the pointer finger pad joint where it meets the hand). Had I not discovered this site, I’d still be tinkering with my swing trying to work out why it has been unstable… not anymore. As always, thanks Shawn for your sublime instructional approach in adult education. You rock!

Hello Shawn
After watching the Grip Videos and testing the results with my ZEPP swing monitor, I am amazed at the immediate improvement in both hand plane and club plane. Changing from a ‘tight’ interlocking grip, to the overlocking (Vardon) grip immediately improved my swing control via my left hand. I suspect this has been brought about by a greater contribution to club control by the pointer of the left hand which is now on the shaft and reinforced by the pinky of the right hand. I also suspect that the joint pad of the right pointer where it joins the hand is now correctly aligned with the target. It appears these changes have increased stability in two directions – one down the shaft (left hand), and the other in line with the target (right hand pointer knuckle). Your remarkable instruction has also opened my eyes to the importance of the left hand in directional control in the swing. I now view the back of my left hand as emulating the club face, or very close to it depending on the club. This has been cathartic to a degree… you have explained what is happening and why. As an aspiring golfer who wants to excel at the skills of the game (not winning – just enjoying matching my skill with the course) you have provided both the foundation for developing these complex skills and the steps to achieve excellence. This really is ‘The Full Monty’ in golf instruction. Again Shawn – you ROCK!

Thank you for the check list for consistency. I played 9 this morning before work. When I preformed the check list and made a nice throw of the club into a low effort high velocity release to the target, with the prediction of cutting the dandelion stem I got amazing resusts! When I couldn’t verify the throw and prediction the resusts were less desirable but the misses were “better misses” I will continue to work on the principals you have outline for me in your previous post.
Thanks again for sharing your outstanding teaching philosophy.

Fred

Is the Dandelion stem under the equator or inder the bottom of the ball? Since I’m striking ball, grass, ground I’m thinking the Dandelion stem is under the equator.

Each time I watch one of your videos Shawn I am humbled and enriched. I’ve been struggling with a slice issue with my driver. My hand plane and club plane are 0 to negative so I’m not coming over the top. However, in doing slow swing movement practice I ensured that my club head was square to the target line, but when I complete the backswing to impact my body was partially turned and you guessed it… my club face was open by 12-20 degrees through the impact area. I had toyed with closing the club face at setup but thought that was a work around for ‘my problem’ and had discarded it. Closing the clubface slightly appears obvious now I’ve watched your video. How my posture and club face are at impact for a clean straight shot down the target line must influence my club at address unless I can dynamically change it with a slight arm rotation in the downswing prior to impact. I need to analyse this some more.
Again, great stuff Shawn.

Hi Shawn,

Have been practicing your short game method…Was having trouble letting it fall…I found that with a very, very light grip and hovering the clubhead a little for chips and short pitches it seems to help me feel the weight of the clubhead. Does this make sense to you ?

I know that you teach a much firmer grip for full shots .

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.

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

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?

Hey 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.

Thanks,

Jason from Wyoming

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”.