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Answers to the 6 hottest debates in golf instruction

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Social media outlets such as Twitter provide an entire new channel to absorb a wide range of golf information, and offers a convenient place for teachers and golfers to argue, too.

As an active Twitter user, I try to read as much as I can regarding the trends and ideas teachers are touting on social media. Some deal with how to swing, others deal with swing positions that are better than others, and my favorite is the debate about technology from old-school and new-school teachers.

Covered in this article are a few of the most debated topics on social media, and my thoughts on the subjects (which are more than 140 characters).

Fitness or Not?

In case you missed it, Rory McIlroy and Brandel Chamblee have re-ignited the debate over golf fitness. How much is too much? Should all golfers be lifting weights to improve, or is it detrimental to longevity?
Back when he was winning majors and dominating golf, Tiger Woods helped professional golfers see the benefits of improved physical fitness. Truly, when an athlete of his caliber puts himself in top physical shape, he’s going to be difficult to beat.
I majored in exercised science in college, and while I firmly believe in the merits of exercise, you can take it too far. Case in point: Tiger. As Chamblee has said countless times, Tiger took his fitness to the Nth degree and wound up hurting himself, thus shortening his career (or so it appears).
So what’s the answer? Personally, I feel golfers should be in top physical shape if they want to compete at the highest levels. This includes ALL types of fitness work, including stretching, resistance training and cardio. As with anything in life, if you focus too much on one area you can get yourself into trouble. Ask Keith Clearwater or Tiger and you will hear stories of injury. On the flip side, ask Rory, Gary Player or Camilo Villegas and you will hear stories of success.
Listen to your body, and make sure your routine is well-rounded and you will have fewer injury problems.

Do swing models work?

One of the biggest arguments between teachers in the golf industry is the swing model concept. There are many people in the golf instruction world who believe their method is better than everything else out there today, and will fight to the grave to prove that it is.

Homer Kelley, in The Golfing Machine, figured out that there were more than 446 quadrillion ways to swing the club (thanks to Top-100 Teacher, Ron Gring for the math), so in my mind there are millions of ways to swing efficiently. I try not to teach the same swing model to everyone, but I will say that there are a few stroke patterns that I teach more often than others. So I don’t teach one model swing; I try and teach a few of them so I can work around the inefficiencies of each player without getting stuck.

The flexibility that comes with teaching multiple patterns is quite useful; it allows a person’s natural motion to stay reasonably intact as they work on their game. And secondly, trying to “re-build” a club golfer’s swing from ground zero tends to be too laborious. Too often they’re forced to play “in between patterns” because of the big change. And there’s no guarantee better scores are on the other side.

Is technology dangerous?

One of the most energized topics is the debate between the old school and new school teaching methods, with Trackman being at the center of the debate. Some experts say Trackman is bad and it’s ruining players because they are playing “golf swing,” not golf. I agree to a point. Other teachers (like me), will tell you that nothing has helped them on the lesson tee more than Trackman.

But let’s discuss the difference.

After all, this IS the information age for golf instruction, as there has never been more information readily available regarding how the body, club and ball react during the swing. While I will say that knowledge is power, I will also tell you that it comes with inherent danger; too much information can hamper a player’s development.

I don’t think technology is wholly bad, regardless of what type you use. But I will say technology used during a lesson is ONLY as good as the person who uses it. If I cannot insulate my players from the information they don’t need to know, then it’s not the technology’s fault, it’s mine!

Trackman is not the issue; it’s HOW it’s used that is the issue. You can use technology and Trackman to teach “feels” or you can tie students into knots. It’s entirely up to the teacher to properly use this amazing technology.

Do you play “golf” or “golf swing”

As briefly mentioned above, have we as a golf community become too focused on playing “golf swing” and not “golf?”

I whole-heartedly believe we have!

It’s not the fault of the players, however. With the advent of affordable technology, golfers can understand more than they ever have and many want this information at their fingertips. This is the age of instant gratification; information about anything is just a touch of a button away. If Teacher A won’t give it to them, then Teacher B will. It’s extremely difficult to make a student slow down enough to learn golf in the old school way with new school technology. So for a while, we may just have to accept that people will play “golf swing” until the masses understand that this is NOT the way to shoot lower scores. The golf world is full of great ball-strikers who can’t score. Why? Because they learned how to play “golf swing” instead of golf.

Figure out what is most important to you; a great swing or a great score. There isn’t a wrong answer, unless of course you’re trying to make a living from playing the game.

What’s a better swing position?

On Twitter, I see threads about this position or that position being better than the other because “X” player did it or “Y” player did it. Two of the most contested positions right now are locking the right knee at the top (versus keeping it flexed) and bowing the left wrist during the transition. And next week it will be something different.

While I have explained my stance on the swing models above, comparing the positions that pros get into and what amateurs should get into isn’t necessarily beneficial. The guys at the top levels of their game could have been great players and tournament winners with ANY swing you put them into. Let’s take Tiger Woods for example. He’s won with many different swings. Why? Because he is a highly skilled golfer and athlete, and was able to understand and monitor those swings. Most club golfers just cannot do this.

Just because someone pulls a bunch of photos off the internet and shows you that player X,Y, and Z is in a certain position does NOT make it the correct position for YOU.

Who is the “best teacher” in golf today? 

Simple, the best teacher for you is the one who helps you shoot the lowest scores. Period. I don’t care if you use very little technology or a bunch, the goal is to shoot lower scores and that’s all that matters.

Sometimes for Tour Players it takes a teacher like Butch Harmon who says, “Man you are hitting it like Tiger and Norman did in their prime.” This can give them the confidence to go out and win. Or sometimes they need to listen to the science and psychology of a teacher like Sean Foley who says, “You are swinging the best you ever have and I have the data to prove it to you right here.”

There are different teachers for different players. Find the one who is best for you and your game, and they can be the best teacher in the world for you.

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Tom F. Stickney II, is a specialist in Biomechanics for Golf, Physiology, and 3d Motion Analysis. He has a degree in Exercise and Fitness and has been a Director of Instruction for almost 30 years at resorts and clubs such as- The Four Seasons Punta Mita, BIGHORN Golf Club, The Club at Cordillera, The Promontory Club, and the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. His past and present instructional awards include the following: Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher, Golf Digest Top 50 International Instructor, Golf Tips Top 25 Instructor, Best in State (Florida, Colorado, and California,) Top 20 Teachers Under 40, Best Young Teachers and many more. Tom is a Trackman University Master/Partner, a distinction held by less than 25 people in the world. Tom is TPI Certified- Level 1, Golf Level 2, Level 2- Power, and Level 2- Fitness and believes that you cannot reach your maximum potential as a player with out some focus on your physiology. You can reach him at [email protected] and he welcomes any questions you may have.

28 Comments

28 Comments

  1. pete the pro

    Mar 8, 2016 at 4:20 am

    Excellent article. If we are after answers and the truth, read on. The vast majority of golfers are playing for fun. To try to improve and have great times whilst playing and practising. However, top pro’s, club pro’s and elite amateurs apart, golfers are not improving. Lots of effort going in, not much result coming out. I know, I know, we hate this fact. There is no poor equipment out there any longer, so it’s not that. It’s so obvious, but rarely discussed. Look, the vast majority of golfers have little idea about what they are trying to achieve. They’re going to the next ball with often a hotchpotch of ideas. Sometimes insanity intervenes, where golf instructors are ratyed “best in the world” and “top 100 instructor”. Measured by whom exactly? If you want results, a clear understanding what to do, consider this…. the best golf instructor I worked with you have never heard of. Superb communicator, the fewest words for the clearest description, perfectly demonstrated. Technically spot on. Best results from newcomers also from instructors you have never heard of – 2 hours instruction, set-up routine, good grip, posture maintained during swing till impact, decent body turn, control over weight to create ball then turf contact, control over swing radius, backside of ball struck, clubface control, on plane on path. That’s 2 hours, a no-name golf instructor, not a launch monitor in sight, the golfer was nothing special but the instructor was brilliant. Most importantly, the player was having fun and was not being taken for a ride. Pass me a soapbox, I could go on for hours on this subject.

  2. RAT

    Feb 20, 2016 at 9:08 am

    I just want to hit the ball further without back pain later.. I have lost 10 to 15 yards in the last 2 years. I worry that if I swing harder it will hurt my back. But enough with that . I find that some get stuck on wanting to look like a pro in their swing while their distance and direction suffers. I think video helps in ways to cross check along with swing tech data. But each should take things that shows a performance improvement without getting too much into tech by forcing it . Confidence , health and expectations
    are always something to figure into your golf swing .

    • McGruff

      Mar 8, 2016 at 10:28 pm

      I did a lot of core exercises and now my back pain is gone and the distance is back.

  3. Carl Spackler

    Feb 19, 2016 at 1:04 pm

    Pro — (par / birdie) score for coming at the subject from a neutral standpoint. ( double bogey / snowman) score for providing factually incorrect information regarding the information stated from one-half (aka one camp) of the two-sided disagreement regarding Right Leg/Knee (action/position) on the backswing. Obviously you either did not pay attention or you’re not understanding the concept. Based on their standpoint and concept at no time did they ever communicate locking the right leg / knee on the backswing. I cannot emphasize that strongly enough. They DO NOT want you lock right leg/knee. What they are saying is that there is a change in Flex of the right leg/knee. There is a huge difference between a change in flax and locking. Personally I think you owe your readers a clarification on that important fact.

  4. mikee

    Feb 19, 2016 at 10:59 am

    Excellent article Tom! As a “golf newbie” I enjoy all the info…..it is the information age and once a golfer understands and is able produce an optimal “club path” and “face angle” (with the aid of a decent instructor +/- a Trackman) they’re off to the races. If they can’t do that for whatever reason, then get a set of SGI clubs,do the “home swing” ,accept you won’t have a scratch handicap(play a bogey as “par”) and have fun.

  5. Jim Horn

    Feb 19, 2016 at 10:27 am

    Value systems can affect the “golf swing” vs “golf” tendencies. For example, a person with a high “aesthetic value” will tend towards the “golf swing”; whereas, a person with a high “results oriented value” will tend towards “golf”. Be nice to have both.

  6. Other Paul

    Feb 19, 2016 at 10:07 am

    I am looking forward to reading chamblees book. Its basicaly going to rehash what Lucas Wald teaches as well as what Kelvin Miyahira teaches, but in a differnet words then what they used. As someone who has tried to conform to the drive/hold method (And seen massive distance gains), i certainly believe in using a designed method. Its tough to argue with a 20MPH improvement in club head speed. And straighter drives. And less back pain.

    • McDuff

      Mar 8, 2016 at 11:07 pm

      Agreed. I took a lesson from Kelvin 2 years ago (after devouring his content) and dropped from high single digits to nothing and now competing with aspiring pros and “professional amateurs” in local compes. Not bad for a 50 year old. Plus, no pain! Brandel has definitely picked up on this teaching…

  7. Eugene Marchetti

    Feb 19, 2016 at 9:34 am

    I have been a professional tennis instructor for forty years and have played golf for the last twenty. The parallels between the two sports are undeniable: follow basic fundamentals and then build a swing that works for you!!!!! If you aren’t 100 percent confident with your swing then doubts arise, fear sets in and bad results occur. The object of both sports are the same; hit in the court one more time than your opponent and get it in the hole one stroke sooner than the field. It doesn’t matter how pretty your swing looks if it produces good results. Remember, golf is a game of misses. Find a swing that limits your bad strikes and you will enjoy this great game for a lifetime!!!!

  8. DaveT

    Feb 19, 2016 at 9:01 am

    Great article, Tom! Most of your points hit the nail on the head. I’d like to take issue with a couple of details, but I agree with you on almost everything. Now the details:

    *** “Swing model” does not mean the same thing as “model swing”. Your discussion refers to the “model swing” concept, but not to the “swing model”. (FYI, the term “swing model” refers to the mathematical models that biomechanics specialists use to analyze any golfer’s swing.)

    *** As to “golf vs golf swing”, most serious golfers should indeed be less focused on golf swing and more on golf. But the majority of people I see out on the course NEED enough of a golf swing to have some idea where the ball is going to go. You can’t worry about golf until you have at least a somewhat competent golf swing. The golf vs golf swing debate assumes a level of competence that simply isn’t there for the novice golfers that we need in order to grow the game.

    Thanks again for a great article.

  9. Putty

    Feb 19, 2016 at 2:47 am

    Who cares. The question really should be, “Can you putt?”

    Because any tournament player who can get to any Tour can hit the ball somehow, any which way they choose to swing. But can he putt?

    • Putty

      Feb 19, 2016 at 2:51 am

      Because nobody’s going to tell me how I shouldn’t swing or play like Zach Johnson. Why not? Yeah, exactly. Or Jim Furyk. Or Jordan Spieth. And even Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer. All these funny, and funky, unique swings that have won Majors. Those are the swings that should be looked at, and not just their swings, but their overall game and course management and club choices and how and why.
      That’s what’s wrong with all these pompous instructors and commentators on TV spouting garbage for the sake of filling the silence on TV.

  10. RoGar

    Feb 18, 2016 at 11:13 pm

    Hey everyone, it’s golf!!! In this day and age people are trying to reinvent the wheel on a daily basis. Find yoursel a top instructor, exercise, and go play with what works… I golf, therefore I am!

  11. alan

    Feb 18, 2016 at 7:13 pm

    good read. thanks for writing, i have a buddy that plays a golf swing and is his own worst enemy.

  12. M-Herd4

    Feb 18, 2016 at 4:46 pm

    Great article Tom. Any tip/drill for a 10 handicap trying to get better at ball then turf contact? Thanks!

    • prime21

      Feb 18, 2016 at 5:09 pm

      Put a towel on the ground & pretend the front edge of the towel is a golf ball. Make a swing that misses the towel, but hits the ground after the towel. If you hit the towel or nothing at all, you better figure out how to get more weight on your front foot to start your downswing.

      • M-Herd4

        Feb 18, 2016 at 5:46 pm

        Excellent! Thanks! I’ll give it a try.

  13. Alex

    Feb 18, 2016 at 4:21 pm

    After many years, I still believe in fundamentals Nicklaus style. I’m not sure that methods work per se, they are more like a hair tonic. A swing like Sam Snead’s is timeless. If you want to copy Rory, you’d better be young, strong and flexible, otherwise, you’ll whiff it.

    The great golfers of the past didn’t hit the gym, they had a different motion, they used their hips a lot, and they did rotate going back unlike the best players of today. I believe Snead’s or Tom Watson’s are swings to imitate for beginners or older golfers.

  14. juststeve

    Feb 18, 2016 at 2:26 pm

    There are a lot of ways to swing a golf club but there is only one optimal way for the club to swing. All teachers should teach students to make the club move in that optimal fashion. If that constitutes a “Method” put me down as an advocate of method teaching.

    Steve

    • prime21

      Feb 18, 2016 at 5:05 pm

      1 optimal way for the club to swing? Well, let’s see, you could swing it inside/out, outside/in, or neutral, so that would make 3. I’m pretty sure someone on tour has won at least once hitting a fade, a draw, & straight. Though, the latter would certainly be the least used or even attempted for that matter. Just out of curiosity though, what is this magical method that optimizes the way the club is swung??? Can you explain this to those of us who are obviously lacking the secret to golf, or will it remain a secret available to only those whom are part of The Optimal Swingers Club?????

      • Stretch

        Feb 19, 2016 at 11:50 am

        prime, the optimal way to swing a club is shown by the Iron Byron machine. That said there a lot of different styles that get the club head on the ball in an on the line square and solid strike.

  15. DC

    Feb 18, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    If the goal is to get more players to play “golf” and not “golf swing,” then teachers should really build the swing around the player’s current level of athleticism and coordination, rather than trying to fit them into a model. Trackman should be used to illustrate what the “home” swing looks and feels like, then give them the feels to correct ball flight and contact issues on the course. After that, give the most forgiving set of clubs they can use (even SGI clubs) and tell them see your shot, hit your shot, and accept the results.

    I know its anecdotal, but I spent years wasting away trying to build a swing that can handle forged Players Irons. It got to the point where on the course, all I thought was of swing positions. Maintenance of the swing was too time consuming. After internalizing “new ball flight laws” with Trackman findings and began using SGI’s and hybrids, I don’t have to worry about swing maintenance anymore. I hit the ball with my “home swing” and it goes. If it goes wrong, I rely on a “ball flight law” feel to fix it and use my short game to bail me out. My thoughts on the course are just seeing the ball flights and not swing position. Only now am I actually playing “golf” on the course. It took me a lot of years to get to this point, but it could be done a lot quicker for others if we emphasize the correct things.

    • prime21

      Feb 18, 2016 at 5:20 pm

      Thank you for…….NOTHING. What happens if a player is not athletic nor coordinated, do we simply not teach them, or do we tell them to take up fishing? You built a swing that could handle forged players irons? I have read really poor comments on here before, but this one is now the all time worst! Congrats! Whether a blade or a cavity back, isn’t the goal to always hit the center of the face? Or were you so good that you decided to hit it a little off the toe to draw it & a little off the heel to fade it? In the future, please resist the urge to post. I can never get those 15 seconds of my life back & not only did you waste my time, I am now officially dumbed for having read it. Tanks for nuttin Danny! Good luck with your home swing and Big Bertha irons!

      • Andrew

        Feb 18, 2016 at 7:03 pm

        Wow – relax!!

      • Bruce

        Feb 19, 2016 at 8:27 am

        Actually DC made several good points. I think you’ve shown us that you were “dumbed” before reading the comment or are just unable to comprehend words.

      • Other Paul

        Feb 19, 2016 at 10:02 am

        Chill dude. You commented enough times on what everyone thought of this article. Move on.

      • IhaveNoDoubtPrime21HasHighBloodPressure

        Feb 19, 2016 at 6:04 pm

        Judging by your repeated negative comments on all matter of posts, you are, 1). One of the great trolls of all time or, 2). The most miserable c*nt of all time.
        Either way, congrats for excelling in your field.

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Instruction

The Wedge Guy: The easiest-to-learn golf basic

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My golf learning began with this simple fact – if you don’t have a fundamentally sound hold on the golf club, it is practically impossible for your body to execute a fundamentally sound golf swing. I’m still a big believer that the golf swing is much easier to execute if you begin with the proper hold on the club.

As you might imagine, I come into contact with hundreds of golfers of all skill levels. And it is very rare to see a good player with a bad hold on the golf club. There are some exceptions, for sure, but they are very few and very far between, and they typically have beat so many balls with their poor grip that they’ve found a way to work around it.

The reality of biophysics is that the body moves only in certain ways – and the particulars of the way you hold the golf club can totally prevent a sound swing motion that allows the club to release properly through the impact zone. The wonderful thing is that anyone can learn how to put a fundamentally sound hold on the golf club, and you can practice it anywhere your hands are not otherwise engaged, like watching TV or just sitting and relaxing.

Whether you prefer an overlap, interlock or full-finger (not baseball!) grip on the club, the same fundamentals apply.  Here are the major grip faults I see most often, in the order of the frequency:

Mis-aligned hands

By this I mean that the palms of the two hands are not parallel to each other. Too many golfers have a weak left hand and strong right, or vice versa. The easiest way to learn how to hold the club with your palms aligned properly is to grip a plain wooden ruler or yardstick. It forces the hands to align properly and shows you how that feels. If you grip and re-grip a yardstick several times, then grip a club, you’ll see that the learning curve is almost immediate.

The position of the grip in the upper/left hand

I also observe many golfers who have the butt of the grip too far into the heel pad of the upper hand (the left hand for right-handed players). It’s amazing how much easier it is to release the club through the ball if even 1/4-1/2″ of the butt is beyond the left heel pad. Try this yourself to see what I mean.  Swing the club freely with just your left hand and notice the difference in its release from when you hold it at the end of the grip, versus gripping down even a half inch.

To help you really understand how this works, go to the range and hit shots with your five-iron gripped down a full inch to make the club the same length as your seven-iron. You will probably see an amazing shot shape difference, and likely not see as much distance loss as you would expect.

Too much lower (right) hand on the club

It seems like almost all golfers of 8-10 handicap or higher have the club too far into the palm of the lower hand, because that feels “good” if you are trying to control the path of the clubhead to the ball. But the golf swing is not an effort to hit at the ball – it is a swing of the club. The proper hold on the club has the grip underneath the pad at the base of the fingers. This will likely feel “weak” to you — like you cannot control the club like that. EXACTLY. You should not be trying to control the club with your lower/master hand.

Gripping too tightly

Nearly all golfers hold the club too tightly, which tenses up the forearms and prevents a proper release of the club through impact. In order for the club to move back and through properly, you must feel that the club is controlled by the last three fingers of the upper hand, and the middle two fingers of the lower hand. If you engage your thumbs and forefingers in “holding” the club, the result will almost always be a grip that is too tight. Try this for yourself. Hold the club in your upper hand only, and squeeze firmly with just the last three fingers, with the forefinger and thumb off the club entirely. You have good control, but your forearms are not tense. Then begin to squeeze down with your thumb and forefinger and observe the tensing of the entire forearm. This is the way we are made, so the key to preventing tenseness in the arms is to hold the club very lightly with the “pinchers” — the thumbs and forefingers.

So, those are what I believe are the four fundamentals of a good grip. Anyone can learn them in their home or office very quickly. There is no easier way to improve your ball striking consistency and add distance than giving more attention to the way you hold the golf club.

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Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

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Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

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How a towel can fix your golf swing

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This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

Setup

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

Conclusion

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

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