Thanks Clay, the best tip / coaching lesson I have had. First saw the spine angle and slight tilt on your earlier lesson, have had a great amount of success following the skill…..69 years old, driving distance of 215/220 meters and good accuracy throughout the bag. Live in Australia hence the metres
I love this. You put a "nice" swing on your incorrect techniques. Too many times in UA-cam advice, the teacher puts a ridiculously horrible over exaggerated bad swing on the ball. When they do that, I immediately think "Well, my swing isn't that ugly... That's not me." Showing a pretty swing with inferior technique is far more useful since it's closer to what some of us have and can't figure out what's wrong. Then proving that the better technique gives you better results really catches my attention. Thank you!
I swear by this guy! Clay I have a great idea for a video. Take a mid handicapper to high handicapper out on the course. Let him play his game in the first 9 then after seeing what his tendencies are telling him how to course management for better scores on the second 9. The difference in 9 hole scores will be an eye-opener to many!
Haven't seen all of your videos, but I really enjoy them. "Hands shallow out on the way down" aka it's a "shift". It's a shift off of the (theoretical) SwingTurn plane to the TurnedShoulder plane. Why not align on the Turned Shoulder plane for the entire swing. That's one less "shift" that has to be timed. Not so much that, as it is one less thing to get broken. ;)
Hey, thanks for the question. You could do that for sure. Your swing would be pretty flat but you might be a little more consistent. The reason you don't see many Tour players with flat swings is because it's hard to get much distance. If your arms don't elevate then you don't have as much space and time to accelerate the club and get club head speed. It's about finding that happy medium that works best for you. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Thank you for these videos. One of my issues is trying to lock my left elbow - doing so over the years has caused a bit of tendinitis. Wish I had seen these videos years ago.
All your instructions are valid from my own testing. I would add just two items to them. 1. The grip, foundation for all of this, needs addressing. I have seen all sorts of grips at the range. If the grip is inaccurate for the player then the bowed left wrist at impact doesn’t happen. 2. The bowed left wrist is square along the shaft plane and not to the ground. Once I resolved this, my contact with each club was solid and repeatable.
Clay, I understand your shaft lean, you have the strength for your downswing. The irons are designed & balance for a lean of the shaft. I grip the club neutral & address the ball with the shaft lean forward from the beginning. A fairly strait relationship of my left arm, grip & proper ball position. The same basic position as Phil M., Greg Norman, Jack Nick., & even Justin Rose is setting up this way.
i had similar issues with transferring weight consistently and it was exacerbated by focusing more on feet etc. but then when i focused more on what my hips were doing and loosened up my legs and avoided strain the hip turn made everything fall into line lead knee moves towards ball and back stopping my reverse pivot etc. Sometimes the crux of the problem becomes more apparent when we lose the over picture of the swing.
Interesting take on the spine angle with the iron swing. Almost every other teacher I've seen on UA-cam regarding that would say that you wouldn't want your spine titled back while setting up for an iron shot (usually only for driver setup) because it will cause you to try and hit up into the ball rather than hit down and compress it. Would be interested to hear more of your take on that!
I bought his annual lessons. He calls it fluid spine angle and it eliminates reverse pivot and increases consistent strike. It works, he also proves it with slow motion videos of the pros.
Hi Spencer, as Kevin indicated, this is all outlined in the Stable & Fluid Spine section that is available to All Access Members. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Hello Clay, I've watched this video. I have been told and told repeatedly, to keep my left arm straight. This is the first instruction that I have witnessed that confirms my notion that a straight left arm is unnatural and potential for, if not a definite, lose of power, by not allowing the club-head to 'Whip the Arc' (release), because of the tension in the forearm and wrist. Thank you, now I can swing my way without tension and risk of straining something. I'm lining up your videos to watch as many as I can and cherry pick to put onto my mobile for review before playing as a reminder, more of what not to do, as well as what I should do. Clay, have you considered laying down a CD for us to listen to in the car when travelling? All the best.
Hi David, thanks for the kind words. Glad you're enjoying the videos. We do have some podcast type stuff in some of our programs on the website. We don't have any on UA-cam though. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Clay I totally enjoy your video's, very informative and easy to understand. My question is I have back and hip issues should my stance be narrow or wider with this health problem?? Thank you
6:22 is my problem. I have been told so much, weight left, weight left, weight left, that that's my problem and also I have a tendency to close the face and the club gets stuck behind me and I either hit it fat or worse duff it because my swing is too steep, so that's my problem I'll be working on when the damn snow goes away lol
I agree, Joe! Ive noticed Clay struggles more hitting the ball incorrectly and seems easier for him to hit the ball correct. Wish i had this struggle... lol
Clay great video, for me probably one of your best yet. Your tip about allowing the head/chin to rotate slightly on the back-swing works as I have been keeping my head/chin still which creates tension in my lead arm and lessens it breaking down at the top of my back-swing and taking an iron past parallel. My golf instructor that I have been working with me has me keeping my weight on my lead leg (to stop swaying my hips) and using a one piece back-swing to create 40 to 44 degrees of hip rotation. Your myth buster to transfer weight to the inside of the trail foot makes a lot of sense. You do not appear to rotate your hips around 40+ degrees on your back-swing? Is that correct? Great video, I would be happy with your 84 mph - ~175 yard carry with a 5-iron :-).
Clay thanks for all this, but man you swing so nice and so consistent to the point where you actually notice the small changes in every swing you do, i don't. When i swing i can barely focus on hitting the ball square and adding in a few tips that you said with weight shifting and grip changes and low draw and lag.. i know golf has a lot to it, but you're so smooth it's insane. the fact that you drop your next ball into a divot and hit it better than most of my balls on a nice fairway is so depressing, but also gives me hope that i can get near this good some day. take care man, and thanks for all the tips.
@@TopSpeedGolf Thanks! Will do man, it's a great sport and definitely takes lots of time to not only get consistent at it, but also to reteach myself and focus on some of the tips you teach. I'm already seeing so much improvement on my drives with what I said before.
best video ive ever seen. not moving your head is a myth??????? omg ive been obsessed with that for so long smh. my swing feels so much better now. unreal
Clay great video, for me probably one of your best yet. Your tip about allowing the head/chin to rotate slightly on the back-swing works as I have been keeping my head/chin still which creates tension in my lead arm and (contributes to it -- correction) breaking down at the top of my back-swing and taking an iron past parallel. My golf instructor that I have been working with me has me keeping my weight on my lead leg (to stop swaying my hips) and using a one piece back-swing to create 40 to 44 degrees of hip rotation. Your myth buster to transfer weight to the inside of the trail foot makes a lot of sense. You do not appear to rotate your hips around 40+ degrees on your back-swing? Is that correct? Great video, I would be happy with your 84 mph - ~175 yard carry with a 5-iron :-).
Clay is one of the best golf coaches for a golfer who is trying to understand the golf swing and build on their own however...not of his videos for that matter none of the better coaches ever teach about the mind if golf...on how and what techniques to use during the swing and in the entire round....to learn how to use your mind and thoughts during the setup and the swing .....it would be interesting if he took that approach on and see what he comes up with...golf is after all a mind game....
by all means get that speed up if you are young and supple, but i would need to take my "fallen and can't get up gizmo" if i tried this....enjoyed your video, subscribed.
Growing up (BEFORE UA-cam, etc...), I KNEW I was casting (and experiencing all the performance-killing results thereof) so I was obsessed with such "solutions" as pointing the butt of the clubhead at the ball, leading with the left hand, etc,, etc...I guess I should have concentrated more on bringing the turning of the body into the release motion...
Wait a minute.... no snow ??? how's that fair to us up north ?? you gotta deal with the 13* days like the rest of us !!! other than that, another solid video from the former Lag Doctor !!!
Hi Clay. That move you make by leaning the club forward to compress the ball is not something most middle/high-handicappers can do. Especially taking the divot. If we try that we either top the ball or hit the ground before. Isn’t it a question of using an iron which has a lower loft? For example where you use a 7-iron to get 180 I would choose a 5-iron to get the same distance. I have seen lots of videos where you take the divot like the pro’s. My coach at the local club told me that middle aged like me who only have played for 3-5 years cannot learn that. It’s very hard work because your hips must be bend in the same direction as the clubshaft at the same time you turn. I would love to watch a video where you don’t take that divot. Would that be possible?
Jan Pedersen hi Jan, if you have a coach who tells you you can’t learn an natural athletic motion even if it is slower, please run and never listen to the person. He has got no clue. I am an instructor on my own, but skiing. Sure younger people will be able to gain a higher level, but because they have more time to learn are more flexible and stronger and have mostly a better balance... but that doesn’t mean older won’t be able to do it. I am sure you would never say you can’t throw a ball like a pro pitcher... sure he will be more precise and way faster but the basic motion will be the same... and why should it be different... same with golf... so someone telling you, you are not able to do it just tells you so because he is not good enough to teach you probably because he can’t do it on his own... just look at Gary players impact still at his age... so it has nothing to do with age... Bernhard langer is around 60 now and still he can do it... sure they do it their whole life but still it is possible with prober instruction... never let you discourage by someone... greetings
Florian Redecsy thanks for your comment. My instructor told me that he manage the difficult swing because he has played since he was 8-10 (now 42). I think it’s the same with Gary Player. As he probably learned it early in his childhood like nearly all of the pro’s the movements is simply automatizised so they don’t even think how to do it. A little like learning to ride a bike - or a car. You just do it. Children are learning much faster than adults. For me (59) who have played for nearly three years (hcp 18) it’s still hit and hope every time I swing my driver with that result that the ball is all over the place. I think it’s because I keep practising in new movements to get better - with a very bad result for the most. Slicing and topping and so on. That day -if it comes - I do exactly the same every time I will maybe see some improvement. I don’t know if I’m right, just my thoughts.
@@Kiwigucci Thanks for the nice reply. Of course if you do it since a small child it should be easier if you learnt it properly. And here comes my point... You have to have someone who is capable of teaching you the right technic. And if your instructor says he just can manage it because he started as a kid he has no clue what he is doing... Kids don't learn faster but different from adults... Kids are great at observations and hence copy the move even if the result is bad and try as long as with that move until they have figured it out how it feels with that move... Own observation as a former ski instructor... Kids are way better just doing the exercise I show them even if it doesn't work. And at a point it will work. But the will do it correctly. Adults do it until they found a way to turn and then they stick to it although it is wrong and will only work on shallow slopes because there is hardly any pressure build up at that slow speed. But if the adult grasp the concept they will learn faster than kids. It is all about repetition. And just ask a kid in your club what their hcp is or was after three years... Obviously to their body strength... I doubt that they are better than you... Often kids learn sport better just because they are always running around and having in general a better balance and coordination of their body... A short story... My dad started skiing when he was 30 years old and became a pretty good skier. Reason my mum used to be instructor so he got the right information and training... When I tried snowboarding for the first time I was 33. And I know because I have friends who are incredible instructors that I could reach the same level as my skiing if I put in the same time as I had been skiing. Moral of the long text... It doesn't depend how old you are you can always learn it as long as you invest the time... But never forget... Practice DOESN'T make perfect, practice makes permanent... Perfect practice makes perfect.
Florian Redecsy you’re right at some points. You mention that kids have a better balance and coordination of their body and that,s why I think that if they have just incorporated the movements they’ll never forget it. I’ve had other thoughts that some of us has just "got it". The swing feels naturally at once. The ones who’s got the gift are the pro’s today. And others just never get it.
Hi Jan, you could take less loft to compensate for that but it's not a very stable way to hit the ball. You're impact will be more stable if your hands are ahead of the ball. You'll also come in too shallow with no forward shaft lean typically. This is why you don't take a divot. This will also cause most of your strikes to be on the lower part of the face unless it's a perfect lie. I would agree, that if you're a beginner that is older, it will be more difficult to change your natural movement of hitting the ball. I wouldn't discourage your from trying though. It just depends on how much you want to work at it. If you don't want to work at it and flip at the ball then you can still play great golf. Your swing it just going to be based a lot on good timing. I would recommend working on ball striking type drills to improve your timing like those in our Ball Striking Masterclass on our website. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Good morning Clay, Besides me enjoying your lessons utmost I really like your hat. I failed to find One in the Netherlands. Die Nike Make this One specialy for You? Hope to hear from you. greets Henk Hoogland
Hi, thanks for the kind words. You can purchase these on Amazon. Just search Nike bucket hat. You can also find many others that are very similar and probably a lot cheaper that don't have the Nike swoosh :-) Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard Thank you very much for your responce. I wil try to get one! I wil follow youre lessons with great interest. Your explanations are very clear en easy to follow! Thanks again Kind regards, Henk Hoogland
Hi Clay. Love the videos, they're a great help. I'm interested on your take on ball position in your stance relative to club selection. A lot of people I've spoken to want to put the ball further towards the lead foot as the club lengthens. However I notice in your videos a lot of the clubs (with the exception of driver) is hit relatively centered in the stance. Is this just your personal preference or should I be trying to hit more centered with ball position on longer irons?
Hi Kyle, it's really personal preference. I like to keep things simple and play the ball in the same spot for most clubs and then a little further back for wedges and forward for woods. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I feel like there's a conspiracy of a ton of myths and misleading information out there on purpose to keep the amateurs under and separate them from becoming as good as the pros.
I do agree that there is a lot of conflicting information but don't believe that it's done on purpose. People just have different opinions and philosophies. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Hi Robert, shallowing the club in transition is also critical for making good contact. If you are steep in transition then you have to shallow it late which will usually lead to thin shots and chunks. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Hi Johnny, we are near Orlando so it's pretty urban around us. We cover the 45 degree release in the Straight-Line Release section on the website. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
How do you lose 23 yards with a loss of clubhead speed of 4 miles per hour that's a hell of smash factor. The loss should be about 3 yards per 1 mph or12 yards.
Hi Jerry, there are all kinds of things that can reduce distance; loft, spin, wind, the ball itself, face to path, face contact and so on. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Congrats on getting double the subscribers that "Rotary Swing" has. 'The pupil has become the master'. I'm glad you broke off that guy. I never trusted him or his instruction.
People are so worried about distance........Me....I want "Correct" distance, and "Accuracy",...and would trade 10-20 yards off each club for these two things. I am new to the game, literally. Ive played 6 months. My average score is 98. Ive only played a dozen or so games of 18 holes but Ive hit thousands of balls. I hit my 7 iron 170-175. My swing speed with a driver is right at 100mph. I pull my irons left and just today figured out why. I also had a slice off the tee but the same thing actually helped correct this issue which was swinging from outside, to in. My goal is to be able to land that golf ball at the range needed to be on the green and with the accuracy that puts me as close as possible to that hole. So thats what I practice, hitting spots. If I need to place the ball at 100 yards, I use my 50 degree wedge off my back foot or my pitching wedge with about 75% swing. Of course Im not knocking the distance thing as some sort of trolling thing and I am new so.... But I would literally trade a few yards to get more accurate. I figure thats why there are so many different clubs. Anyway...I appreciate your video and the tips. And I also like your approach to instructing.
Most of this video is really about distance control, more than distance itself. Although Clay talks about how these faults cause distance loss, the real problem is the variability they cause. I can do all of the (bad) things Clay mentioned, in one round, and they cause direction and distance instability. Whilst we all try to hit it straight first and foremost, distance control is just as important. Take a look at an aerial view of most golf courses. Most holes have some version of Hell for going long!
I really appreciate your thoughts on not having your weight on the left side but I also think that you did not give a good view point and gave a very poor demonstration. I am not a "Stack and Silt" guy by any means but if you were to continue to shift your weight to the left side and THEN gave an explication from your viewpoint, that would have been a far better way of getting your point across....just a humble observation.
Clay can be my swing coach any day of the week. He is the only swing coach I have watched on UA-cam I feel I could trust completely.
Thanks!
Thanks Clay, the best tip / coaching lesson I have had. First saw the spine angle and slight tilt on your earlier lesson, have had a great amount of success following the skill…..69 years old, driving distance of 215/220 meters and good accuracy throughout the bag. Live in Australia hence the metres
Glad to help!
I love this. You put a "nice" swing on your incorrect techniques.
Too many times in UA-cam advice, the teacher puts a ridiculously horrible over exaggerated bad swing on the ball. When they do that, I immediately think "Well, my swing isn't that ugly... That's not me."
Showing a pretty swing with inferior technique is far more useful since it's closer to what some of us have and can't figure out what's wrong. Then proving that the better technique gives you better results really catches my attention.
Thank you!
Thanks! We take plenty of really bad swing too :-)
This is a superbly put together lesson, professionally done and extremely informative. And very useful, thanks, Clay!
Thanks!
I swear by this guy! Clay I have a great idea for a video. Take a mid handicapper to high handicapper out on the course. Let him play his game in the first 9 then after seeing what his tendencies are telling him how to course management for better scores on the second 9. The difference in 9 hole scores will be an eye-opener to many!
Hi George, thanks for the kind words and video idea. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Haven't seen all of your videos, but I really enjoy them. "Hands shallow out on the way down" aka it's a "shift". It's a shift off of the (theoretical) SwingTurn plane to the TurnedShoulder plane. Why not align on the Turned Shoulder plane for the entire swing. That's one less "shift" that has to be timed. Not so much that, as it is one less thing to get broken. ;)
Hey, thanks for the question. You could do that for sure. Your swing would be pretty flat but you might be a little more consistent. The reason you don't see many Tour players with flat swings is because it's hard to get much distance. If your arms don't elevate then you don't have as much space and time to accelerate the club and get club head speed. It's about finding that happy medium that works best for you. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Thank you for these videos. One of my issues is trying to lock my left elbow - doing so over the years has caused a bit of tendinitis. Wish I had seen these videos years ago.
My pleasure Brian!
All your instructions are valid from my own testing. I would add just two items to them. 1. The grip, foundation for all of this, needs addressing. I have seen all sorts of grips at the range. If the grip is inaccurate for the player then the bowed left wrist at impact doesn’t happen. 2. The bowed left wrist is square along the shaft plane and not to the ground. Once I resolved this, my contact with each club was solid and repeatable.
Thanks! We have videos on the grip on our channel. Just do a search to find some. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Clay, I understand your shaft lean, you have the strength for your downswing. The irons are designed & balance for a lean of the shaft. I grip the club neutral & address the ball with the shaft lean forward from the beginning. A fairly strait relationship of my left arm, grip & proper ball position. The same basic position as Phil M., Greg Norman, Jack Nick., & even Justin Rose is setting up this way.
Hi Thomas, thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
i had similar issues with transferring weight consistently and it was exacerbated by focusing more on feet etc. but then when i focused more on what my hips were doing and loosened up my legs and avoided strain the hip turn made everything fall into line lead knee moves towards ball and back stopping my reverse pivot etc. Sometimes the crux of the problem becomes more apparent when we lose the over picture of the swing.
Hi Nack, thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Interesting take on the spine angle with the iron swing. Almost every other teacher I've seen on UA-cam regarding that would say that you wouldn't want your spine titled back while setting up for an iron shot (usually only for driver setup) because it will cause you to try and hit up into the ball rather than hit down and compress it. Would be interested to hear more of your take on that!
I bought his annual lessons. He calls it fluid spine angle and it eliminates reverse pivot and increases consistent strike. It works, he also proves it with slow motion videos of the pros.
Hi Spencer, as Kevin indicated, this is all outlined in the Stable & Fluid Spine section that is available to All Access Members. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Hello Clay, I've watched this video. I have been told and told repeatedly, to keep my left arm straight. This is the first instruction that I have witnessed that confirms my notion that a straight left arm is unnatural and potential for, if not a definite, lose of power, by not allowing the club-head to 'Whip the Arc' (release), because of the tension in the forearm and wrist. Thank you, now I can swing my way without tension and risk of straining something. I'm lining up your videos to watch as many as I can and cherry pick to put onto my mobile for review before playing as a reminder, more of what not to do, as well as what I should do.
Clay, have you considered laying down a CD for us to listen to in the car when travelling?
All the best.
Hi David, thanks for the kind words. Glad you're enjoying the videos. We do have some podcast type stuff in some of our programs on the website. We don't have any on UA-cam though. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Clay I totally enjoy your video's, very informative and easy to understand. My question is I have back and hip issues should my stance be narrow or wider with this health problem?? Thank you
That is a question for a qualified medical professional. Glad you're enjoying the instruction, though. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
Clay buddy your one of the best teachers I have watched. Thanks for all your help.
Thanks Brooks!
you're*
I really like Clay's instruction. I don't want to necessarily gain iron distance, I want consistent distance.
Thanks Tony!
6:22 is my problem. I have been told so much, weight left, weight left, weight left, that that's my problem and also I have a tendency to close the face and the club gets stuck behind me and I either hit it fat or worse duff it because my swing is too steep, so that's my problem I'll be working on when the damn snow goes away lol
Hi, thanks for watching. Hope the weather warms up soon! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Truly talented! The ability to hit the shot incorrectly and correctly, amazing
Thanks Joe!
I agree, Joe! Ive noticed Clay struggles more hitting the ball incorrectly and seems easier for him to hit the ball correct. Wish i had this struggle... lol
Clay great video, for me probably one of your best yet. Your tip about allowing the head/chin to rotate slightly on the back-swing works as I have been keeping my head/chin still which creates tension in my lead arm and lessens it breaking down at the top of my back-swing and taking an iron past parallel. My golf instructor that I have been working with me has me keeping my weight on my lead leg (to stop swaying my hips) and using a one piece back-swing to create 40 to 44 degrees of hip rotation. Your myth buster to transfer weight to the inside of the trail foot makes a lot of sense. You do not appear to rotate your hips around 40+ degrees on your back-swing? Is that correct? Great video, I would be happy with your 84 mph - ~175 yard carry with a 5-iron :-).
Thanks Anthony!
Clay thanks for all this, but man you swing so nice and so consistent to the point where you actually notice the small changes in every swing you do, i don't. When i swing i can barely focus on hitting the ball square and adding in a few tips that you said with weight shifting and grip changes and low draw and lag.. i know golf has a lot to it, but you're so smooth it's insane. the fact that you drop your next ball into a divot and hit it better than most of my balls on a nice fairway is so depressing, but also gives me hope that i can get near this good some day. take care man, and thanks for all the tips.
Hi Navy, it takes time and reps. You'll get there if you keep practicing. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf Thanks! Will do man, it's a great sport and definitely takes lots of time to not only get consistent at it, but also to reteach myself and focus on some of the tips you teach. I'm already seeing so much improvement on my drives with what I said before.
best video ive ever seen. not moving your head is a myth??????? omg ive been obsessed with that for so long smh. my swing feels so much better now. unreal
Great Lesson man. Where were you 45 years ago when I started...Thanks
Thanks Jerry!
Clay great video, for me probably one of your best yet. Your tip about allowing the head/chin to rotate slightly on the back-swing works as I have been keeping my head/chin still which creates tension in my lead arm and (contributes to it -- correction) breaking down at the top of my back-swing and taking an iron past parallel. My golf instructor that I have been working with me has me keeping my weight on my lead leg (to stop swaying my hips) and using a one piece back-swing to create 40 to 44 degrees of hip rotation. Your myth buster to transfer weight to the inside of the trail foot makes a lot of sense. You do not appear to rotate your hips around 40+ degrees on your back-swing? Is that correct? Great video, I would be happy with your 84 mph - ~175 yard carry with a 5-iron :-).
Thanks Anthony!
Thank you for the instruction. Very easy to understand for the average hacker
Thanks!
Clay is one of the best golf coaches for a golfer who is trying to understand the golf swing and build on their own however...not of his videos for that matter none of the better coaches ever teach about the mind if golf...on how and what techniques to use during the swing and in the entire round....to learn how to use your mind and thoughts during the setup and the swing .....it would be interesting if he took that approach on and see what he comes up with...golf is after all a mind game....
Thanks for the feedback
very well spoken sir
Thanks!
by all means get that speed up if you are young and supple, but i would need to take my "fallen and can't get up gizmo" if i tried this....enjoyed your video, subscribed.
Thanks Greg!
Thanks Clay
My pleasure!
Amazingly good videos, great stuff and thank you.
Thanks!
Growing up (BEFORE UA-cam, etc...), I KNEW I was casting (and experiencing all the performance-killing results thereof) so I was obsessed with such "solutions" as pointing the butt of the clubhead at the ball, leading with the left hand, etc,, etc...I guess I should have concentrated more on bringing the turning of the body into the release motion...
Hey Rich, yeah, if you get the club shallowed out then you want to make sure you're rotating. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Loves this one!
Thanks!
Great video
Thanks Joe!
Wait a minute.... no snow ??? how's that fair to us up north ?? you gotta deal with the 13* days like the rest of us !!! other than that, another solid video from the former Lag Doctor !!!
Hi Butch, hope it warms up soon for you. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Hi Clay. That move you make by leaning the club forward to compress the ball is not something most middle/high-handicappers can do. Especially taking the divot. If we try that we either top the ball or hit the ground before. Isn’t it a question of using an iron which has a lower loft? For example where you use a 7-iron to get 180 I would choose a 5-iron to get the same distance. I have seen lots of videos where you take the divot like the pro’s.
My coach at the local club told me that middle aged like me who only have played for 3-5 years cannot learn that. It’s very hard work because your hips must be bend in the same direction as the clubshaft at the same time you turn. I would love to watch a video where you don’t take that divot. Would that be possible?
Jan Pedersen hi Jan, if you have a coach who tells you you can’t learn an natural athletic motion even if it is slower, please run and never listen to the person. He has got no clue. I am an instructor on my own, but skiing. Sure younger people will be able to gain a higher level, but because they have more time to learn are more flexible and stronger and have mostly a better balance... but that doesn’t mean older won’t be able to do it. I am sure you would never say you can’t throw a ball like a pro pitcher... sure he will be more precise and way faster but the basic motion will be the same... and why should it be different... same with golf... so someone telling you, you are not able to do it just tells you so because he is not good enough to teach you probably because he can’t do it on his own... just look at Gary players impact still at his age... so it has nothing to do with age... Bernhard langer is around 60 now and still he can do it... sure they do it their whole life but still it is possible with prober instruction... never let you discourage by someone... greetings
Florian Redecsy thanks for your comment. My instructor told me that he manage the difficult swing because he has played since he was 8-10 (now 42).
I think it’s the same with Gary Player. As he probably learned it early in his childhood like nearly all of the pro’s the movements is simply automatizised so they don’t even think how to do it.
A little like learning to ride a bike - or a car. You just do it.
Children are learning much faster than adults.
For me (59) who have played for nearly three years (hcp 18) it’s still hit and hope every time I swing my driver with that result that the ball is all over the place.
I think it’s because I keep practising in new movements to get better - with a very bad result for the most. Slicing and topping and so on.
That day -if it comes - I do exactly the same every time I will maybe see some improvement.
I don’t know if I’m right, just my thoughts.
@@Kiwigucci Thanks for the nice reply. Of course if you do it since a small child it should be easier if you learnt it properly. And here comes my point... You have to have someone who is capable of teaching you the right technic. And if your instructor says he just can manage it because he started as a kid he has no clue what he is doing... Kids don't learn faster but different from adults... Kids are great at observations and hence copy the move even if the result is bad and try as long as with that move until they have figured it out how it feels with that move... Own observation as a former ski instructor... Kids are way better just doing the exercise I show them even if it doesn't work. And at a point it will work. But the will do it correctly. Adults do it until they found a way to turn and then they stick to it although it is wrong and will only work on shallow slopes because there is hardly any pressure build up at that slow speed. But if the adult grasp the concept they will learn faster than kids. It is all about repetition. And just ask a kid in your club what their hcp is or was after three years... Obviously to their body strength... I doubt that they are better than you... Often kids learn sport better just because they are always running around and having in general a better balance and coordination of their body...
A short story... My dad started skiing when he was 30 years old and became a pretty good skier. Reason my mum used to be instructor so he got the right information and training... When I tried snowboarding for the first time I was 33. And I know because I have friends who are incredible instructors that I could reach the same level as my skiing if I put in the same time as I had been skiing.
Moral of the long text... It doesn't depend how old you are you can always learn it as long as you invest the time... But never forget... Practice DOESN'T make perfect, practice makes permanent... Perfect practice makes perfect.
Florian Redecsy you’re right at some points. You mention that kids have a better balance and coordination of their body and that,s why I think that if they have just incorporated the movements they’ll never forget it. I’ve had other thoughts that some of us has just "got it". The swing feels naturally at once. The ones who’s got the gift are the pro’s today. And others just never get it.
Hi Jan, you could take less loft to compensate for that but it's not a very stable way to hit the ball. You're impact will be more stable if your hands are ahead of the ball. You'll also come in too shallow with no forward shaft lean typically. This is why you don't take a divot. This will also cause most of your strikes to be on the lower part of the face unless it's a perfect lie. I would agree, that if you're a beginner that is older, it will be more difficult to change your natural movement of hitting the ball. I wouldn't discourage your from trying though. It just depends on how much you want to work at it. If you don't want to work at it and flip at the ball then you can still play great golf. Your swing it just going to be based a lot on good timing. I would recommend working on ball striking type drills to improve your timing like those in our Ball Striking Masterclass on our website. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Good morning Clay,
Besides me enjoying your lessons utmost I really like your hat. I failed to find One in the Netherlands. Die Nike Make this One specialy for You?
Hope to hear from you.
greets
Henk Hoogland
Hi, thanks for the kind words. You can purchase these on Amazon. Just search Nike bucket hat. You can also find many others that are very similar and probably a lot cheaper that don't have the Nike swoosh :-) Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard
Thank you very much for your responce. I wil try to get one!
I wil follow youre lessons with great interest. Your explanations are very clear en easy to follow!
Thanks again
Kind regards,
Henk Hoogland
Hi Clay. Love the videos, they're a great help. I'm interested on your take on ball position in your stance relative to club selection. A lot of people I've spoken to want to put the ball further towards the lead foot as the club lengthens. However I notice in your videos a lot of the clubs (with the exception of driver) is hit relatively centered in the stance. Is this just your personal preference or should I be trying to hit more centered with ball position on longer irons?
Hi Kyle, it's really personal preference. I like to keep things simple and play the ball in the same spot for most clubs and then a little further back for wedges and forward for woods. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I feel like there's a conspiracy of a ton of myths and misleading information out there on purpose to keep the amateurs under and separate them from becoming as good as the pros.
I do agree that there is a lot of conflicting information but don't believe that it's done on purpose. People just have different opinions and philosophies. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
0:10 Ooh! That was such an ugly top shot it was beautiful.
😎
Why not just get a lower club than shallow the club? Is it just to say you hit that club farther?
Hi Robert, shallowing the club in transition is also critical for making good contact. If you are steep in transition then you have to shallow it late which will usually lead to thin shots and chunks. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf thanks 👍
There sure are a lot of sirenes in your vicinity. Do you have a video of a 45* release drill?
Hi Johnny, we are near Orlando so it's pretty urban around us. We cover the 45 degree release in the Straight-Line Release section on the website. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
👍✌ 1000 likes
Thanks Joe!
Do u have an email?
Yes, but I can't post emails on here. Please go to our website to find the information. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
173yd to 207yd. "Almost 30 yards" hehe 😆🏌️♂️⛳
Yeah, it can make a big difference. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
200.7
How do you lose 23 yards with a loss of clubhead speed of 4 miles per hour that's a hell of smash factor. The loss should be about 3 yards per 1 mph or12 yards.
Hi Jerry, there are all kinds of things that can reduce distance; loft, spin, wind, the ball itself, face to path, face contact and so on. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Congrats on getting double the subscribers that "Rotary Swing" has. 'The pupil has become the master'. I'm glad you broke off that guy. I never trusted him or his instruction.
Thanks Ed!
I thought these myths were just all about 5 irons...lol.
Haha...stay tuned for the 4 iron video :-) Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
People are so worried about distance........Me....I want "Correct" distance, and "Accuracy",...and would trade 10-20 yards off each club for these two things. I am new to the game, literally. Ive played 6 months. My average score is 98. Ive only played a dozen or so games of 18 holes but Ive hit thousands of balls. I hit my 7 iron 170-175. My swing speed with a driver is right at 100mph. I pull my irons left and just today figured out why. I also had a slice off the tee but the same thing actually helped correct this issue which was swinging from outside, to in. My goal is to be able to land that golf ball at the range needed to be on the green and with the accuracy that puts me as close as possible to that hole. So thats what I practice, hitting spots. If I need to place the ball at 100 yards, I use my 50 degree wedge off my back foot or my pitching wedge with about 75% swing. Of course Im not knocking the distance thing as some sort of trolling thing and I am new so.... But I would literally trade a few yards to get more accurate. I figure thats why there are so many different clubs. Anyway...I appreciate your video and the tips. And I also like your approach to instructing.
Most of this video is really about distance control, more than distance itself. Although Clay talks about how these faults cause distance loss, the real problem is the variability they cause. I can do all of the (bad) things Clay mentioned, in one round, and they cause direction and distance instability. Whilst we all try to hit it straight first and foremost, distance control is just as important. Take a look at an aerial view of most golf courses. Most holes have some version of Hell for going long!
Thanks! Sounds like you're on the right track. Keep up the hard work! Quentin | TSG Instructor
That hat can’t die fast enough lol
You might think differently if you lived in Floirda. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I really appreciate your thoughts on not having your weight on the left side but I also think that you did not give a good view point and gave a very poor demonstration. I am not a "Stack and Silt" guy by any means but if you were to continue to shift your weight to the left side and THEN gave an explication from your viewpoint, that would have been a far better way of getting your point across....just a humble observation.
Hi, thanks for the feedback. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
It's hard to see the head movements with that big hat :)
Hi Ollie, thanks for the feedback. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Look at the hat movement, his head is inside it. :-)
You’re swinging a golf club with both hands not throwing a ball.
Hi Peter, thanks for your insight. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf hola que tal buen día, son muy buenos los vídeos, pero es posible que tengan sustitutos en español, sería genial, gracias