Monday I have a good story that happened yesterday on the range about how modern golf instruction has ruined our thought processes and priorities…and no one is immune.
I was told by a reader that he has sent some relative beginners to the blog and sometimes I am a bit too technical and it’s over their heads.
I didn’t like hearing this, because it is probably true and not the direction I want to go. I am still going to try and simplify technical concepts that are out there, but we are all better off abandoning as many of the overly technical and unnecessary concepts as possible.
So Monday, the subject is going to be simple, but EXTREMELY important to golfers of all levels and you will see that the obvious can even escape someone who just came off almost shooting in the 20’s on the back nine the previous day.
Here is a fundamental that can help someone who has never picked up a club and it would especially help Tiger.
Using feel to help you with swing plane and release. Two things that should happen naturally, but we often contrive and butcher. Watch both videos even if you have seen them before and send them to any friends who might be struggling.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FH5r5_tROU]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0rJIOFok64&feature=related]
Streaming Video Series
Suppose you hit balls with that precise hand set and release drill?
What would result?
It’s a very comfortable motion and seems to be telling me things and it
makes me want to hit some soft shots with it. Should I?
A couple of comments FWIW:
You’re way less technical than any instructor I’ve ever had so don’t get down on yourself too much…
I’m starting to understand the feel of my golf swing and focusing more on that than particular muscle movements that’re supposed to equate to correct positions. It’s a hard thing for me to elucidate on so I can imagine it’s not easy to teach.
Fundamentals and the butterfly effect: As I’ve worked on my shoulder turn, there have been a couple of things that’ve plagued me no matter how I changed the movement of my shoulders and arms; getting too long and across the line and then thrusting my hips on the downswing. You’re latest visualization drill has really helped the thrustiing piece but what’s really really helpded is that putting together the drills above and with the feeling like I have to work too hard to not thrust my hips and still swing freely feeling like I do when I do the plane and release by feel drill is going back to the simple fundamental of how I grip the club. I was gripping the club in my left hand on the pad that my pinky finger is connected to instead of in the pad my thumb is connected to. Once I changed that by gripping more in the thumb pad, I can’t get too long at the top and I don’t feel like I have to bring my hips into the ball on the downswing. I can swing very freely with no fear of the ball going left.
This isn’t just an AHa moment for me, it’s major break through and it’s not due to any overly analytical thought, just putting 2 & 2 together using your drills to be able to swing freely to hit the ball pretty long and straight.
THANKS MUCH Monte!
I am not down on myself at all. I want to have a proper balance between making things as easy as possible, but also describe and simplify the technical aspects of the swing for those who need to know that. I don’t think I have been too technical for that group, I just don’t think I have provided enough simple ideas for those uninterested in the technical side.
I agree with Bob, the reason I started reading your blog was because you explain the swing in a VERY simple way. I don’t think the beginners I told you about are really committed to learning about the swing in the first place. I used to be the same way. Most golfers just want that magic fix that’ll turn the game around for them, after a while you figure out it doesn’t exist. People have noticed my improvement and I’ll continue to tell them about your site. It’s funny they all ask how I’m hitting it so much farther now, just goes to show that most golfers are not thinking about the game as whole.
Bob,
Im confused. Dont you want the grip with your heel pad (pinkie) laying on top of the shaft?
Dean,
To be honest with you, I don’t know what the proper grip is. I’ve seen instructors and big name players describe it both ways. I’m pretty sure Jack Nicklaus gripped the club more with the thumb pad than the heel pad on top. For me, moving the club more into my thumb pad really freed me up to swing the club. I’ve always had problems goiing left. The change in grip also gets my clubface more neutral at the top, it used to be slightly closed. It would be interesting to see how many players that fight the lefts also grip the club in the heel pad…?
I don’t think that you are technical and explain yourself very well.
Bob34,
I will give your grip a shot since I fight going right (im lefty).
Dean,
Let me know what you think after you try it…
Regards,
Bob