Been around golf a lot of years, this is by far the best training video I've ever watched. No unnecessary frills, just solid golf training. Thank you Clay.
Exactly. I started drawing the ball after the watching the first lesson a few months ago. 40 yards gain on my drives. Simple physics explained in simplicity and easily applied. Thanks again from a golf bum.
Clay I am 63 and still hit it decently. I have a Mevo and can generally carry it about 215 ish with range balls. I am pretty fit for my age but am not a strong guy. I have been working on your thumbs pointing directly away from me with my driver parallel on the way back and then making sure I don't cast it starting on the way down. Tonight I carried several drives 233 which is an amazing improvement for me. I have a Ping G 410, and a buddy of mine sent me their chart which says for someone with a ball speed of 140 my lauch angle needs to be around 17 and the Mevo showed my best drives to, incredibly, a 17 degree launch angle. I am hoping I can start taking this to the course as I have found that real balls carry about 20 yards farther. Thanks for all your help.
Hi all.Clay TALKS & DOES a good job.I am a low Handicapper but still do the Oc'l SLICE ! One HUMBLE TIP if I may.When set up with club sitting behind and SQUARE to the ball - (for me) to AVOID a FADE/Slice - CLOSE the tip of the Club Face 2 mm (for our American friends that HALF of 1/8th Inch apx !) - square stance and do the usual swing - either it goes STRAIGHT or a very slight DRAW -works for me !
I have a huge pasture across from my house. My slice is terrible; went out and implemented these tips in the front yard and hit it almost straight 4 times with a 1980s era “ tiny face” driver.. Can’t wait to go try this tomorrow at the range with my Regular driver. Thank you very much Clay!!
Fixing slice and hitting draw 1. 12:09 Stance: Open the right foot to the right (line up feet to the right and open the feet to the right) will force the hit and arm to face more to the right. 2. 14:29 Close hips to the right, which will close the shoulder to the right a little bit. Make sure to turn shoulder to the right together with hips. Have the feel that right arm is much more under the club 3. 16:52 Tuck the right elbow under. Right arm lower than the left arm. To have club head turn on over on release like the pros (has to do with right hand), want a feel that my right hand and knuckle is down the club 4. if those don't work, feel like club face is wrapping around the golf ball. 19:06 shot exaggerated to make a big draw Nothing really happens exactly as he mentions, but I guess it is more about the feel. ** Tightening up to fix the shots will hurt even more. Don't guide the shot. Let the subconscious do the swing. Tips on breaking this cycle 23:00 1. Release through the golf ball (don't try to steer the club on impact, just release it). On contact, hip about 30 degree open, shoulder about 15 degree open, and keep it until straight line release. 45 degree in front position. Don't have the feel that I am guiding the club, but have the feel that club is getting released to the golf ball Practice hitting fade and draw to hit straight 26:35 left hand only -> practicing releasing without feeling out guiding the club. Let the momentum of the club make the swing. Get the feel of effortless draw. right arm only -> 5 swings each Fade -> on straight line, club face will stay open Draw -> on straight line, club face rolls over Draw shot 28:53 Fade shot 31:32
As a long time golfer that hovers around a 13 handicap due to inconsistent driving with the occasional snap hook or the loss of distance weak fade. When I connect with one I’m still 260-275 distance. I’ve been working on these tips along with a new fitted driver and it has really helped. Now it’s the mind to trust that closed feeling with the body. Great lesson Clay. Third time watching it and Encouraged me to subscribe.
Excellent video and explanation. I was told everyone the golf swing is a 50/50 motion for the most part. Whatever you do in back swing make sure you do it in the forward swing and if you want to do something in the forward swing swing make sure you do it in the back. A lot of good tips. Thanks Clay!
Yes great training video. May I add that anybody that watches training videos like this should always be reminded of the correct grip! If you have too strong a grip you restrict the hinging action of your wrists.
I think the best drill I’ve seen and use for my driver swing, is one you posted about not letting the shoulder (right handed golf swing) get ahead of the left foot. This almost forces me to swing from the inside and release. Thanks.
This video helped me a lot with the slice I had. The slice is completely gone now. Thanks. I also saw your video about chipping and bunkerplay. You make it simple. I like that.
As a senior professional longdrive competitor I practiced six times a week for 2.75 hours each session (simply driving) plus of course gymnasium work. The longer the golf club the more demanding it is to use, and the more time one needs to put in . Amateur golfers these days largely don't practice properly or at all, and many would drive better using say a 4-iron. Use the longest club you are reasonably competent with as your driver . To use a conventional driver well one needs to seriously and properly practice, practice, practice. It is that simple and that difficult and there are absolutely no shortcuts. But golfers love tips - it gives them hope without going to church.
Nonsense. The driver is one of the easiest clubs in the bag to hit. The 4 iron is much more difficult to get decent results with, hence the reason many sets don't even include a 4 iron anymore. Tee it up, shallow angle of attack and let it fly. Nothing is more fun than slamming out those drives.
1 hour, there’s no way I’m watching the whole thing…. Ends up watching the entire video. Great video and explains everything perfectly. I now know driver
Thanks Clay, I've been playing a little over a year. I have begun really struggling with my driver. Truthfully all of the clubs! It's getting cold here in Indiana, so my season is about over for a couple of months. I hoping the break will help me - along with working thru some of your videos.
Clay, we appreciate your videos and the way you break things down into simple concepts. While most mid- to high-handicaps struggle with a slice, some of us play a draw with our irons and the miss with a driver is a hook. Would love to see a video that starts with this (driver hook) as the problem we are trying to solve for.
@@chtomlin Not necessarily, no. In order to get to that level you should first learn how to be able to hit it consistently (even if you have a slight draw or fade). If you focus on advanced things without knowing the basics, your progress will be lower. It is like learning to play guitar and starting out trying to play some crazy guitar solo, you won't get anywhere.
Clay i love your videos keep them coming. I had a massive problem with my driver slicing every shot about 40/50 yards right. I looked through at least 80 videos to find a cure and i came across one of yours. The video was about slicing and it was one simple thing that changed my golf game, i am right handed player and bringing the RIGHT FOOT back a little bit at address was a game changer. I have been playing 1 year now and shot my best score of 84 , i am forever grateful :) :) :)
Well done. I think some get confused on straight drive concepts, you explained it well. If people want a draw, you simply grip the club a hair to the inside, or for a fade, go the opposite way.
Tried turning back foot out and rotating rear beltloop towards fairway to fix slice. I was able to dial in a slice or a draw or straight by rotating in this manner. I've been slicing since the '90s.
WOW ! The sky so open now and everything seems so clear ! And now I’m excited about taking this 2 the range ! LOL! Thank you so much 4 the info ! I’m starting 2 play again after another a 15 year hiatus! LOL! And yeah my game was pretty bad 15 years ago 2 ! LOL!
Hi Clay, its been a while since i last wrote you. This time to say thanks for the ‘Sh.... ks’help!. Put yellow powdered chalk dust on my ball and there it was, the yellow transfer on part of the hosel!!!! Marked club sweet spot with same chalk and concentrated getting the transfer on the ball. Sound more complicated than it was, but worked! Don’t think Comp Sec would like it tho”! Cheers from lock down England, it dont swing like a pendulum do, any more, seems more like a dead weight!!
I was hitting a good baby draw two years ago, started hitting the ball straight last year with occasional fades and couldn’t understand why. I was setting up the same but my right foot I had turned a little inwards. Now it makes sense, I knew it was something simple too, I just never changed my footing, just thought it was in my grip. I’ll have to insert what I learned here next time I go out.
I did just start to golf a few weeks ago. First attempt with the driver ended in big slices which made me a bit scared to use it. But I tried a few tips from you and today I hit through the ball much better than before, so now it goes much straighter and further! Thanks a lot for your awesome videos!
Appreciate your videos Mr. Ballard. I genuinely see improvements in my game after watching your videos. Keep it goin! You’re what I call a good teacher!
Great video Clay, definitely going to give this a try. Struggling to hit a draw. I also need a big hat like yours - got some skin cancer issues. Please share with me how/where to get one. Thanks
Great lesson Clay. Hey, the radar is a great way to see what your shots look like. Problem is, although you took all that time lining up the camera almost perfectly behind the radar you failed to line up your tee in the same line as your camera and radar. From a viewers perspective every time you say that shot went straight out it looks like it took off either way way out to the left or way way out to the right. On top of that again as a viewers perspective when you swing your club it always looks like your swinging 10.98534 degrees (joke) across the center line of the camera and viewers line of sight. When I go out with golf friends and they say " can you spot my ball in case I lose it" I always stand directly in line with his ball square to the intended target which is the middle of the fairway. Here's a visual hint you could do to help us as viewers. Take your talc foot powder and lay a line from the radar in the same center line as the camera and radar and take it out PAST the point where you tee up. Then set your tee up ON the line and let us all see what your ball path really looks like and where it's headed. As an add on, we'll also be able to see what your body is actually doing from start to finish. Also, when you address the ball your body appears to be pointing anywhere but the direction you say it's headed to. Thanks for reading.
The tee is not supposed to be lined up, you wouldn't see the ball flight anyway. The camera angle is all about seeing how the body moves and respectively the arms and the club. The camera position is perfect for its purpose which is swing analyses. Ball flight is the radars job.
Wow Clay you make it look so easy! But I will try this because I'm not getting the distance with my drives, I tend to pull it to the left, I'm right handed. So thanks for your amazing practice drills. Kind Regards from Marilyn NZ golfer 🏌️♀️
Regarding the first segment: I have done a lot of studies with biomechanically-accurate simulations of the human skeleton and they agree with your conclusions. Setup determines motion. Bones do not bend and joints move through limited paths and ranges. Your brain tries very hard to keep you from falling down or hurting yourself, automatically choosing a motion that protects you. From any given setup, there are only a few possible safe motions, so setup is crucial. If the setup is right, a good motion follows effortlessly. From a bad setup, a good motion is virtually impossible. I would add one setup factor that might help some people to get into the posture you suggest - the position of the left arm and shoulder. You talk about getting the right arm under the club but you don't say much about the other arm. In conjunction with that right arm external rotation, it can be very helpful to do the opposite with the left arm - start with some internal rotation. The way I learn to feel this is by windmilling the left arm "up and over" so the left shoulder moves up and forward, the left elbow moves away from the rib cage, and the left hand comes down on top of the grip into a strong left hand grip - so the left and right palms are facing each other when the right hand is underneath the club in the position you suggest. This has numerous benefits. It gives the left arm space to move across the body so the shoulders can turn relative to the hips. Conversely, if the left shoulder is low and back, during the backswing the rib cage rotation drags the left hip making you sway instead of wind up. The high/forward shoulder and high elbow puts the left arm above the right arm, preventing left-side collapse before impact and promoting straight-line release instead of the dreaded "spin out". If you get this position dialed in, you can swing as hard as you want without directional problems. Finally, it is less stressful on the body due to the freer motion of the rib cage with respect to the hips.
This video is amazing. I plan on hitting the range tomorrow to start the drills. Are these videos in order of how you would like them practiced or does it matter?
Have you considered making a video about how to utilize a launch monitor on the driving range for practice? I’ve been thinking about getting one and am not sure what features would truly be useful on the range. Are the ones that track the ball good, or is it necessary to have one that records your swing too?
If you're just looking for swing speed and ball speed, then I'd get a PRGR. If you're looking for more than that, then it starts getting pretty expensive. The Mevo+ is a good one that will work both indoors and outdoors, but it doesn't have all the data that the really expensive ones provide. From there you're looking at 10k+. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
Thanks Clay...great video. My question is: When you say that 3 degrees is the goal, is that 3 degrees the difference between the path and face ...for example- 1 degree path to the left and 2 degrees face to the right?)
Club path under 3 degrees relative to the path would be ideal otherwise you'll lose some distance from hitting the ball with too much of a glancing blow. It will also likely be very difficult to control with all that curvature. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I have taken up golf again after a layoff for about 5 years. Had been on a 6 handicap. Went for my first game since getting back to it again. What a shocker. Never mind, enjoyed the day and it can only get better.This is a very good video. Will try out some of the hints. One thing I must say that annoys me and I have heard it in other videos. The use of the term handle when referring to the grip or top of the shaft. When did this ugly term come into use?.
The swing analytics are displayed from an app that comes with the Flightscope X3. This is an expensive piece of equipment, but you can learn more here if you're interested: flightscope.com/products/x3/ Play well! Nate | TSG Instructor
Clay, thanks for the video. i was a student on line of yours for a couple of years. the last video turning the elbows in and down helped a great deal. what i noticed on this video was that in your set up you did not turnt your back belt loop canted toward target, and you shoulders were square, which is different than you recommended in last video. ultimately your swing is magnificent, Im just trying to figure out how to be more like you- my hero. hope you can answer
Hi Jim, your body needs to open up to the target to be as efficient as possible. His shoulders may look square but his body is opening. This is because is lead shoulder is protracted (shoulder blade moving away from spine). Hope that helps.
This requires a net or impact screen to hit a ball into - so, if you have a consistent miss, like say off of the toe, then you would try to make impact on the heel and once you can do that consistently, back off so you're hitting it in the middle. You can use foot spray powder to identify where on the face the ball is striking. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
Great, but when he was talking about closing the shoulders and turning the loop at the back of your trousers to the target and close your stance.... I was reminded of Bob Hope getting tips on how to win his gunfight scene... "the wind is coming from the west so lean to the right" lol
Speed and timing together = perfection in length.... but what is better in golf ... less speed with perfect timing or massive speed with off timing... which one produces more distance? Is a bit heaver club with slower swing and more accurate timing better in some/many/never cases than lighter club with speed and timing all over the place = which one is easier/better to master?!!
@@TopSpeedGolf U mean to say that someone hitting it consistently at 106mph on the sweet spot will not hit it as far and accurate as someone hitting it 110mph + - 3mph. Cause i have seen people hit with less club speed making faster ball speed out of accuracy then someone 3-5 mph faster. Problem there must then be that the one hitting faster is actually hitting it too fast = timing off = costing him = less speed and accuracy is better?! Or what .. confused a bit ... am a good golfer ... 2.4 hcp myself.... just wondering if people are just trying to kill it with LIGHTER equipment instead of finding the right weight to their best swing :P See ya ... and thx for ur reply ;)
You can't have speed _at the right place_ without exquisite timing. All the speed humanly possible is wasted if at the wrong time. I'd say timing is "better", but they actually are inseparable. In truth, all the elements of "perfection in length" are inseparable, not the least of which is width.
Hi Clay, great lesson. QQ, should I keep my current driver (anti slice) settings when following this drill or should I reset all to neutral factory settings? tks
Great video, thank you for up loading, loads of stuff here that I will be using in my practice. You say you lose distance with your go to shot the fade, I thought launch monitors had proven that a draw going further than a fade to be a myth? Or have I misunderstood?
Thanks! Generally, you'll hit a draw farther because you have to close the face to the path and closing the face to the path delofts the face. All things equal, a draw won't go farther than a fade but that's not the reality of what happens in the golf swing. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Clay, in the first of the three driver videos you said to lift your left heel slightly on the back swing, but watching the last two videos your left heel stayed on the ground. I am assuming you should always be lifting the left heel on the backswing. Am I correct?
Love your videos Clay! Have a question. I'm 59 years old and have only golfed for 4 years. Recently developed a mild pain on interior of right elbow ( around area you put 2 fingers on to take a pulse). This happened right after a golf outing when 2 or 3 times I drove a 3 wood into the ground before hitting the ball. Do you recommend arm compression sleeves? Will this minimize chances of arm injury?
Hi Steven, unfortunately, I can't really give you any advice on this accept to go see a doctor. Sorry, I wish I could help more. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Steven, I've done the same thing several years ago when attempting a full iron shot several feet from a tree. There was a tree root just under the surface I couldn't see and it pretty much stopped the club dead. I ended up with egg shape swelling in the same area you described. And boy did it hurt! It took quite a while to heal to where it didn't bother me after a round of golf. I would have to ice it down after each time played the rest of that year. I tried compression sleeves but just found them uncomfortable and distracting. What I do now are wrist curls focusing on stretching and strengthening those muscles. No problems since. But if it still hurting I would follow Q's advice and see a doctor. Best of luck!
I had the same thing. I started at 62. I hit the ground with a 4 iron and did my back in. A couple of weeks later we were golfing in Scotland. I said if my back holds out I will carry on. I took it easy trying not to hit the ball to hard. I played the best golf I have ever played. I have realized get the straght shots not the distance.
Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard I get that but I bought a driver off the shelf, I’m short. But I play with strangers every so often as I play on my own sometimes and they say the shaft is not great for my swing. I hit roughy 310 yards. With a regular shaft but I have never hit it straight. I always have a curve and then I try move my wrists in or draw, I hook it. I’m very confused and it’s ruining my scores as I could be mid 70’s but im mid 89’s to low 90’s
Great video, but all driver videos seem to work on slicers. My issue is the opposite...hooks. I can reverse out this lesson, but a video on hookers would be great!
Great video! My drives were straight all day yesterday after lining up the ball left-center on the club face at dress and then visualizing hitting the far side of ball! Thanks! I tried this on my irons but didn’t work to well, any suggestions there?
If you have a typical miss, like off of the toe, then I'd practice trying to hit it off of the heel. Once I could consistently do that, I'd back off to square. You can use foot spray powder to identify where you're striking the ball during practice sessions. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
A slice is caused mostly by the club face being open to the club path. I would recommend checking out our channel for many videos on slicing. Here is one: ua-cam.com/video/gKm70t__xOg/v-deo.html
Hi, we show the FlightScope simulation after every shot. We don't have shot tracer like the PGA tv broadcasts but it would be nice if we did. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I am unable to execute a draw with my driver, I've watched hours of video, taken lessons and just can not get my ball to draw with a driver. It's always about a 200 yard fade, sometimes I lose it deep to the right too. Been able to play this fade to a 10 handicap but would really love to shape a ball off the tee with a driver right to left. Driving the ball is always a constant struggle.
You'll likely need to get out of your comfort zone. It's probably going to feel like you're going to slice it even more when you swing in to out. Angle your body away and swing as much in to out with a closed face as possible. Try to hit some snap hooks. Best of luck! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I've tried this move. The ball goes straight out to the right and stays right. It becomes a push fade and the harder I try, it becomes a push slice. Trying to manipulate my hands just caused me to hit the ball into the ground 10 feet to my left. Its a lot harder than you guys make it sound lol. But thank you, I very much appreciate it!
Been around golf a lot of years, this is by far the best training video I've ever watched. No unnecessary frills, just solid golf training. Thank you Clay.
Much appreciated
Exactly. I started drawing the ball after the watching the first lesson a few months ago. 40 yards gain on my drives. Simple physics explained in simplicity and easily applied. Thanks again from a golf bum.
As usras
@@sgtrock2821 Arya at are e
Clay I am 63 and still hit it decently. I have a Mevo and can generally carry it about 215 ish with range balls. I am pretty fit for my age but am not a strong guy. I have been working on your thumbs pointing directly away from me with my driver parallel on the way back and then making sure I don't cast it starting on the way down. Tonight I carried several drives 233 which is an amazing improvement for me. I have a Ping G 410, and a buddy of mine sent me their chart which says for someone with a ball speed of 140 my lauch angle needs to be around 17 and the Mevo showed my best drives to, incredibly, a 17 degree launch angle.
I am hoping I can start taking this to the course as I have found that real balls carry about 20 yards farther. Thanks for all your help.
That's great to hear! Thanks for sharing.
Hi all.Clay TALKS & DOES a good job.I am a low Handicapper but still do the Oc'l SLICE ! One HUMBLE TIP if I may.When set up with club sitting behind and SQUARE to the ball - (for me) to AVOID a FADE/Slice - CLOSE the tip of the Club Face 2 mm (for our American friends that HALF of 1/8th Inch apx !) - square stance and do the usual swing - either it goes STRAIGHT or a very slight DRAW -works for me !
Thanks for sharing!
Amazing lesson man. Can't get any clearer than this. Thank you, Clay. You are being very helpful with these UA-cam lessons.
My pleasure!
I have a huge pasture across from my house. My slice is terrible; went out and implemented these tips in the front yard and hit it almost straight 4 times with a 1980s era “ tiny face” driver..
Can’t wait to go try this tomorrow at the range with my Regular driver.
Thank you very much Clay!!
You're welcome! Hope it went well!
Fixing slice and hitting draw
1. 12:09 Stance: Open the right foot to the right (line up feet to the right and open the feet to the right) will force the hit and arm to face more to the right.
2. 14:29 Close hips to the right, which will close the shoulder to the right a little bit. Make sure to turn shoulder to the right together with hips. Have the feel that right arm is much more under the club
3. 16:52 Tuck the right elbow under. Right arm lower than the left arm. To have club head turn on over on release like the pros (has to do with right hand), want a feel that my right hand and knuckle is down the club
4. if those don't work, feel like club face is wrapping around the golf ball.
19:06 shot exaggerated to make a big draw Nothing really happens exactly as he mentions, but I guess it is more about the feel.
** Tightening up to fix the shots will hurt even more. Don't guide the shot. Let the subconscious do the swing.
Tips on breaking this cycle 23:00
1. Release through the golf ball (don't try to steer the club on impact, just release it). On contact, hip about 30 degree open, shoulder about 15 degree open, and keep it until straight line release. 45 degree in front position. Don't have the feel that I am guiding the club, but have the feel that club is getting released to the golf ball
Practice hitting fade and draw to hit straight
26:35 left hand only -> practicing releasing without feeling out guiding the club. Let the momentum of the club make the swing. Get the feel of effortless draw.
right arm only -> 5 swings each
Fade -> on straight line, club face will stay open
Draw -> on straight line, club face rolls over
Draw shot 28:53
Fade shot 31:32
As a long time golfer that hovers around a 13 handicap due to inconsistent driving with the occasional snap hook or the loss of distance weak fade. When I connect with one I’m still 260-275 distance. I’ve been working on these tips along with a new fitted driver and it has really helped. Now it’s the mind to trust that closed feeling with the body. Great lesson Clay. Third time watching it and Encouraged me to subscribe.
Thanks for sharing
Excellent video and explanation. I was told everyone the golf swing is a 50/50 motion for the most part. Whatever you do in back swing make sure you do it in the forward swing and if you want to do something in the forward swing swing make sure you do it in the back. A lot of good tips. Thanks Clay!
Thanks for sharing!
The pointing of the right elbow down at setup is a huge game changer. I never realized how much different my driver setup was vs other clubs.
Thanks for sharing!
After watching this video, I wonder why I even look at other people's vids. Your comments about what I'm actually thinking is spot on.
Thanks!
Yes great training video. May I add that anybody that watches training videos like this should always be reminded of the correct grip! If you have too strong a grip you restrict the hinging action of your wrists.
Thanks for sharing!
I think the best drill I’ve seen and use for my driver swing, is one you posted about not letting the shoulder (right handed golf swing) get ahead of the left foot. This almost forces me to swing from the inside and release.
Thanks.
Glad it helped. Thanks for sharing!
This video helped me a lot with the slice I had. The slice is completely gone now. Thanks. I also saw your video about chipping and bunkerplay. You make it simple. I like that.
Glad it helped!
As a senior professional longdrive competitor I practiced six times a week for 2.75 hours each session (simply driving) plus of course gymnasium work. The longer the golf club the more demanding it is to use, and the more time one needs to put in . Amateur golfers these days largely don't practice properly or at all, and many would drive better using say a 4-iron. Use the longest club you are reasonably competent with as your driver . To use a conventional driver well one needs to seriously and properly practice, practice, practice. It is that simple and that difficult and there are absolutely no shortcuts. But golfers love tips - it gives them hope without going to church.
Thanks for sharing!
Nonsense. The driver is one of the easiest clubs in the bag to hit. The 4 iron is much more difficult to get decent results with, hence the reason many sets don't even include a 4 iron anymore.
Tee it up, shallow angle of attack and let it fly. Nothing is more fun than slamming out those drives.
I hit Save three times for this video and emailed it to myself too. Great video, Clay.
excellent. turning elbow down and point to hip made a huge improvement. I will play tomorrow, but i was a pro on the range.
Keep it up
This is one of the best videos I have ever seen!!! Thank you so much Clay. This help me a lot! Much appreciated!🎉❤❤❤
Glad it was helpful!
1 hour, there’s no way I’m watching the whole thing…. Ends up watching the entire video. Great video and explains everything perfectly. I now know driver
Glad you enjoyed it!
Clay does such a great job explaining and demonstrating the complexities of the golf swing, thanks Clay!
Thanks Ed! My pleasure.
Thanks Clay, I've been playing a little over a year. I have begun really struggling with my driver. Truthfully all of the clubs!
It's getting cold here in Indiana, so my season is about over for a couple of months. I hoping the break will help me - along with working thru some of your videos.
This is the best tips ever I have seen in the video, thanks Clay you are really good coach
Clay, we appreciate your videos and the way you break things down into simple concepts. While most mid- to high-handicaps struggle with a slice, some of us play a draw with our irons and the miss with a driver is a hook. Would love to see a video that starts with this (driver hook) as the problem we are trying to solve for.
Thanks Chris! Search "hook" on our channel. We have several videos. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf why hit straight? My understanding is that the best players fade or draw every shot....
@@chtomlin the best players know how to adjust their swing to hit a draw or a fade... for 90% of golfers that is too advanced.
@@NNick12 right and I think that is what I was saying, but don't you get better by learning from the best?
@@chtomlin Not necessarily, no. In order to get to that level you should first learn how to be able to hit it consistently (even if you have a slight draw or fade). If you focus on advanced things without knowing the basics, your progress will be lower.
It is like learning to play guitar and starting out trying to play some crazy guitar solo, you won't get anywhere.
Clay i love your videos keep them coming. I had a massive problem with my driver slicing every shot about 40/50 yards right. I looked through at least 80 videos to find a cure and i came across one of yours. The video was about slicing and it was one simple thing that changed my golf game, i am right handed player and bringing the RIGHT FOOT back a little bit at address was a game changer. I have been playing 1 year now and shot my best score of 84 , i am forever grateful :) :) :)
Thanks for sharing!
Well done. I think some get confused on straight drive concepts, you explained it well. If people want a draw, you simply grip the club a hair to the inside, or for a fade, go the opposite way.
Thanks and thanks for sharing!
It can't be taught any better! Excellent!!! I am sure I will hit more draws and more fairways next spring.
Hope so!
Tried turning back foot out and rotating rear beltloop towards fairway to fix slice. I was able to dial in a slice or a draw or straight by rotating in this manner. I've been slicing since the '90s.
Nice! Thanks for sharing!
The tip you had with keeping a closed body and the elbow down really helped me! Thanks so much!
Glad it helped!
Hey! This guy taught me how to play tennis 🎾 now I got a bag of clubs, time to learn some golf 🏌️♀️
Fantastic!
So well spoken, and not cheesy. Thank you very much.
You're very welcome!
Thank you Clay I appreciate your tips I am hitting straighter and with a little more distance. So this really worked for me Thank you again.
Glad it helped
@Warren Tristian I don't have instagram but thank for the info.
I am a 12 handicap player will add this drill into my practice routine. Thanks Clay.
Excellent
WOW ! The sky so open now and everything seems so clear ! And now I’m excited about taking this 2 the range ! LOL! Thank you so much 4 the info ! I’m starting 2 play again after another a 15 year hiatus! LOL! And yeah my game was pretty bad 15 years ago 2 ! LOL!
My pleasure! Best of luck with the return to this great and occasionally frustrating game!
Take it to a course. Range is a false sense of achievement.
I fixed my slice with a simple roll over of the hands on the club during swing. Thanks for the video. Helped me tremendously.
Glad it helped!
Great instructor! !!
Clear and concise...
Should be playing on the tour!
Glad you think so! Play well!
Hi Clay, its been a while since i last wrote you. This time to say thanks for the ‘Sh.... ks’help!. Put yellow powdered chalk dust on my ball and there it was, the yellow transfer on part of the hosel!!!! Marked club sweet spot with same chalk and concentrated getting the transfer on the ball. Sound more complicated than it was, but worked! Don’t think Comp Sec would like it tho”! Cheers from lock down England, it dont swing like a pendulum do, any more, seems more like a dead weight!!
Thanks for sharing! Glad it helped.
I was hitting a good baby draw two years ago, started hitting the ball straight last year with occasional fades and couldn’t understand why. I was setting up the same but my right foot I had turned a little inwards. Now it makes sense, I knew it was something simple too, I just never changed my footing, just thought it was in my grip. I’ll have to insert what I learned here next time I go out.
Thanks for sharing!
Awesome lesson and great examples for practice! Gives everyone an option to chipping!
I did just start to golf a few weeks ago. First attempt with the driver ended in big slices which made me a bit scared to use it.
But I tried a few tips from you and today I hit through the ball much better than before, so now it goes much straighter and further!
Thanks a lot for your awesome videos!
No problem!
Brilliant. Have not caught it all but you explain it well. Shared
Thanks Jim!
Appreciate your videos Mr. Ballard. I genuinely see improvements in my game after watching your videos. Keep it goin! You’re what I call a good teacher!
Glad to help. Thanks!
You have the best drills. Better than any Dentist! Love your vids
Haha! 😂 I hope our content is more pleasurable than a dental visit! 😀
Hi Clay, really enjoy your passion for golf. I have a question for you: what sort of stretching and gym work do you focus on to remain injury free?
Thanks! Clay doesn't do any regular stretching. He does work out but just to be healthy. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I like these techniques and it improved me alot
First video I’ve seen where someone actually explains how that dang flight scope/trackman works. The content you put out is unmatched.
Great video Clay, definitely going to give this a try. Struggling to hit a draw. I also need a big hat like yours - got some skin cancer issues. Please share with me how/where to get one. Thanks
Great lesson Clay. Hey, the radar is a great way to see what your shots look like. Problem is, although you took all that time lining up the camera almost perfectly behind the radar you failed to line up your tee in the same line as your camera and radar. From a viewers perspective every time you say that shot went straight out it looks like it took off either way way out to the left or way way out to the right. On top of that again as a viewers perspective when you swing your club it always looks like your swinging 10.98534 degrees (joke) across the center line of the camera and viewers line of sight. When I go out with golf friends and they say " can you spot my ball in case I lose it" I always stand directly in line with his ball square to the intended target which is the middle of the fairway. Here's a visual hint you could do to help us as viewers. Take your talc foot powder and lay a line from the radar in the same center line as the camera and radar and take it out PAST the point where you tee up. Then set your tee up ON the line and let us all see what your ball path really looks like and where it's headed. As an add on, we'll also be able to see what your body is actually doing from start to finish. Also, when you address the ball your body appears to be pointing anywhere but the direction you say it's headed to. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for the feedback.
Paul slaghton golf
The tee is not supposed to be lined up, you wouldn't see the ball flight anyway.
The camera angle is all about seeing how the body moves and respectively the arms and the club. The camera position is perfect for its purpose which is swing analyses. Ball flight is the radars job.
Wow Clay you make it look so easy! But I will try this because I'm not getting the distance with my drives, I tend to pull it to the left, I'm right handed. So thanks for your amazing practice drills.
Kind Regards from Marilyn NZ golfer 🏌️♀️
Clay thank you very much. I went to the range and 5 buckets later I fixed my swing problem. The half swing really helped me.
Regarding the first segment: I have done a lot of studies with biomechanically-accurate simulations of the human skeleton and they agree with your conclusions. Setup determines motion. Bones do not bend and joints move through limited paths and ranges. Your brain tries very hard to keep you from falling down or hurting yourself, automatically choosing a motion that protects you. From any given setup, there are only a few possible safe motions, so setup is crucial. If the setup is right, a good motion follows effortlessly. From a bad setup, a good motion is virtually impossible.
I would add one setup factor that might help some people to get into the posture you suggest - the position of the left arm and shoulder. You talk about getting the right arm under the club but you don't say much about the other arm. In conjunction with that right arm external rotation, it can be very helpful to do the opposite with the left arm - start with some internal rotation. The way I learn to feel this is by windmilling the left arm "up and over" so the left shoulder moves up and forward, the left elbow moves away from the rib cage, and the left hand comes down on top of the grip into a strong left hand grip - so the left and right palms are facing each other when the right hand is underneath the club in the position you suggest.
This has numerous benefits. It gives the left arm space to move across the body so the shoulders can turn relative to the hips. Conversely, if the left shoulder is low and back, during the backswing the rib cage rotation drags the left hip making you sway instead of wind up. The high/forward shoulder and high elbow puts the left arm above the right arm, preventing left-side collapse before impact and promoting straight-line release instead of the dreaded "spin out". If you get this position dialed in, you can swing as hard as you want without directional problems. Finally, it is less stressful on the body due to the freer motion of the rib cage with respect to the hips.
Thanks for sharing!
This video is amazing. I plan on hitting the range tomorrow to start the drills. Are these videos in order of how you would like them practiced or does it matter?
Thanks! The videos are in no particular order of importance.
Have you considered making a video about how to utilize a launch monitor on the driving range for practice?
I’ve been thinking about getting one and am not sure what features would truly be useful on the range. Are the ones that track the ball good, or is it necessary to have one that records your swing too?
If you're just looking for swing speed and ball speed, then I'd get a PRGR. If you're looking for more than that, then it starts getting pretty expensive. The Mevo+ is a good one that will work both indoors and outdoors, but it doesn't have all the data that the really expensive ones provide. From there you're looking at 10k+. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
Thanks Clay...great video. My question is: When you say that 3 degrees is the goal, is that 3 degrees the difference between the path and face ...for example- 1 degree path to the left and 2 degrees face to the right?)
Club path under 3 degrees relative to the path would be ideal otherwise you'll lose some distance from hitting the ball with too much of a glancing blow. It will also likely be very difficult to control with all that curvature. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I have taken up golf again after a layoff for about 5 years. Had been on a 6 handicap. Went for my first game since getting back to it again. What a shocker. Never mind, enjoyed the day and it can only get better.This is a very good video. Will try out some of the hints. One thing I must say that annoys me and I have heard it in other videos. The use of the term handle when referring to the grip or top of the shaft. When did this ugly term come into use?.
Thanks!
Wow. Great teaching and amazing equipment. Thank you for sharing video.
Thanks for watching!
Being new to golf, you are taking the guess work out of the swing where live there are 3 exc coarse thank you some of the things I’m doing wrong
My pleasure Wayne!
I like all of your videos. Very helpful. How do I get the analytics on the iPad like you have? Thank you!
The swing analytics are displayed from an app that comes with the Flightscope X3. This is an expensive piece of equipment, but you can learn more here if you're interested: flightscope.com/products/x3/ Play well! Nate | TSG Instructor
when you tell people to go more to the right does this apply for golfers with a left handed swing? Or should I still rotate more to the right?
It will be opposite for lefties
Clay, thanks for the video. i was a student on line of yours for a couple of years. the last video turning the elbows in and down helped a great deal. what i noticed on this video was that in your set up you did not turnt your back belt loop canted toward target, and you shoulders were square, which is different than you recommended in last video. ultimately your swing is magnificent, Im just trying to figure out how to be more like you- my hero. hope you can answer
Hi Jim, your body needs to open up to the target to be as efficient as possible. His shoulders may look square but his body is opening. This is because is lead shoulder is protracted (shoulder blade moving away from spine). Hope that helps.
enjoyed this clay thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for the videos Clay!
My pleasure
Hey Clay, what is a good drill to do at the home to help find the middle of the driver face more consistently?
This requires a net or impact screen to hit a ball into - so, if you have a consistent miss, like say off of the toe, then you would try to make impact on the heel and once you can do that consistently, back off so you're hitting it in the middle. You can use foot spray powder to identify where on the face the ball is striking. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
Great, but when he was talking about closing the shoulders and turning the loop at the back of your trousers to the target and close your stance.... I was reminded of Bob Hope getting tips on how to win his gunfight scene... "the wind is coming from the west so lean to the right" lol
😂 Thanks for sharing!
Speed and timing together = perfection in length.... but what is better in golf ... less speed with perfect timing or massive speed with off timing... which one produces more distance? Is a bit heaver club with slower swing and more accurate timing better in some/many/never cases than lighter club with speed and timing all over the place = which one is easier/better to master?!!
I would say speed. You can get away with your timing being off a little bit if you have more speed. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf U mean to say that someone hitting it consistently at 106mph on the sweet spot will not hit it as far and accurate as someone hitting it 110mph + - 3mph. Cause i have seen people hit with less club speed making faster ball speed out of accuracy then someone 3-5 mph faster. Problem there must then be that the one hitting faster is actually hitting it too fast = timing off = costing him = less speed and accuracy is better?! Or what .. confused a bit ... am a good golfer ... 2.4 hcp myself.... just wondering if people are just trying to kill it with LIGHTER equipment instead of finding the right weight to their best swing :P See ya ... and thx for ur reply ;)
Gunnar Hreiðarsson,
Tiger woods 2019 madters
You can't have speed _at the right place_ without exquisite timing. All the speed humanly possible is wasted if at the wrong time. I'd say timing is "better", but they actually are inseparable. In truth, all the elements of "perfection in length" are inseparable, not the least of which is width.
Give it a whirl! Great video.
Thanks!
Hi Clay, great lesson. QQ, should I keep my current driver (anti slice) settings when following this drill or should I reset all to neutral factory settings? tks
I would keep the settings until you start hooking it. At that time then you can neutralize it.
Great video, thank you for up loading, loads of stuff here that I will be using in my practice.
You say you lose distance with your go to shot the fade, I thought launch monitors had proven that a draw going further than a fade to be a myth? Or have I misunderstood?
Thanks! Generally, you'll hit a draw farther because you have to close the face to the path and closing the face to the path delofts the face. All things equal, a draw won't go farther than a fade but that's not the reality of what happens in the golf swing. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Does the face also remain open to the interim target in the straight release or do you recommend turning over the hands after impact please?
Let the face naturally turn over.
The wt shift drill worked thks
If you don't have 18 rack lying around. Everybody's Golf VR on PSVR does similar imaging.
Thanks for sharing!
I needed this. I hit right every. single. time. And it’s getting annoying. Thank you!!!
Clay, in the first of the three driver videos you said to lift your left heel slightly on the back swing, but watching the last two videos your left heel stayed on the ground. I am assuming you should always be lifting the left heel on the backswing. Am I correct?
If you want to free up the hips more to get a bigger turn then I would recommend letting the lead heel come off the ground
Love your videos Clay! Have a question. I'm 59 years old and have only golfed for 4 years. Recently developed a mild pain on interior of right elbow ( around area you put 2 fingers on to take a pulse). This happened right after a golf outing when 2 or 3 times I drove a 3 wood into the ground before hitting the ball. Do you recommend arm compression sleeves? Will this minimize chances of arm injury?
Hi Steven, unfortunately, I can't really give you any advice on this accept to go see a doctor. Sorry, I wish I could help more. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Steven, I've done the same thing several years ago when attempting a full iron shot several feet from a tree. There was a tree root just under the surface I couldn't see and it pretty much stopped the club dead. I ended up with egg shape swelling in the same area you described. And boy did it hurt! It took quite a while to heal to where it didn't bother me after a round of golf. I would have to ice it down after each time played the rest of that year. I tried compression sleeves but just found them uncomfortable and distracting. What I do now are wrist curls focusing on stretching and strengthening those muscles. No problems since. But if it still hurting I would follow Q's advice and see a doctor. Best of luck!
I had the same thing. I started at 62. I hit the ground with a 4 iron and did my back in. A couple of weeks later we were golfing in Scotland. I said if my back holds out I will carry on. I took it easy trying not to hit the ball to hard. I played the best golf I have ever played. I have realized get the straght shots not the distance.
There is so much good information here. Thank you.
Just took Clay's driver setup to the range with excellent results. Long, high draw
I hit that same fade 240 yards!
Thanks for sharing!
can we take a rule from professional base ball, the designated batter rule for off the tee?
haha
Great tips.
120 mph swing speed my ass... lol! but i love your vids. very informative and helpful. keep them coming!
if the shaft is more flexible for your swing speed. at impact will this leave the club face open?
Hi Daniel, it could but you'll mostly adapt to your equipment. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard I get that but I bought a driver off the shelf, I’m short. But I play with strangers every so often as I play on my own sometimes and they say the shaft is not great for my swing. I hit roughy 310 yards. With a regular shaft but I have never hit it straight. I always have a curve and then I try move my wrists in or draw, I hook it. I’m very confused and it’s ruining my scores as I could be mid 70’s but im mid 89’s to low 90’s
Great video, but all driver videos seem to work on slicers. My issue is the opposite...hooks.
I can reverse out this lesson, but a video on hookers would be great!
How much angle should you close your hip and shoulder to hit a draw?
Depends on how much you want to draw it. The more you close it the easier it will be to swing from the inside.
Great video! My drives were straight all day yesterday after lining up the ball left-center on the club face at dress and then visualizing hitting the far side of ball! Thanks! I tried this on my irons but didn’t work to well, any suggestions there?
If you have a typical miss, like off of the toe, then I'd practice trying to hit it off of the heel. Once I could consistently do that, I'd back off to square. You can use foot spray powder to identify where you're striking the ball during practice sessions. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
Vote on who all thinks Clay MUST lose the beard and gain his youthful look again? 1 vote here
haha. Great video Clay! Thank you sir!
Haha thanks! 😂
Maybe go with the Elvis chops
I agree! Clean shaved....looks great.
Another great video. Really helping me with my game!
Thanks!
Great lesson!
Thanks!
Best lesson
Thanks!
Guy is casually dropping 290+yd bombs!!! Awesome video
Thanks! Play well!
clay what prevents you from duck hooking it ?
A duck hook is caused by the face being too closed to the path and/or a toe strike.
Thanks for help
No problem
Does flightscope calculate face angle?
It cant see the face from behind
Yes it does
Clay....My diriver always slice at the end. Why it happen and how me to avoid it ?
A slice is caused mostly by the club face being open to the club path. I would recommend checking out our channel for many videos on slicing. Here is one: ua-cam.com/video/gKm70t__xOg/v-deo.html
Hey Clay, having the same problem with my 3wood in terms of cutting across it causing a bad slice. Any suggestions?
Hi Shane, the same things apply from this video. Apply it to the three wood too. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Great tips. Saved.
Glad it was helpful!
That’s just excellent smooth coordination. You make it look easy! It’s not. Lol.
Would be nice to see ball flight with a shot tracer please
Hi, we show the FlightScope simulation after every shot. We don't have shot tracer like the PGA tv broadcasts but it would be nice if we did. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I am unable to execute a draw with my driver, I've watched hours of video, taken lessons and just can not get my ball to draw with a driver. It's always about a 200 yard fade, sometimes I lose it deep to the right too. Been able to play this fade to a 10 handicap but would really love to shape a ball off the tee with a driver right to left. Driving the ball is always a constant struggle.
You'll likely need to get out of your comfort zone. It's probably going to feel like you're going to slice it even more when you swing in to out. Angle your body away and swing as much in to out with a closed face as possible. Try to hit some snap hooks. Best of luck! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I've tried this move. The ball goes straight out to the right and stays right. It becomes a push fade and the harder I try, it becomes a push slice. Trying to manipulate my hands just caused me to hit the ball into the ground 10 feet to my left. Its a lot harder than you guys make it sound lol. But thank you, I very much appreciate it!
thank you
You're welcome
Does your machine measure rate of acceleration/deceleration through impact?
What type of wood was used?
Very good video, thanks for sharing!
Thanks!