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Leadbetter’s Swing Tips for GolfWRX: Part 1

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In a three-part video series brought to you by Callaway Golf, golf instruction guru David Leadbetter offers tips for better distance control on approach shots, and demonstrates how to add distance off the tee by improving efficiency.

Part 1 from Leadbetter shows golfers how to better control distance and trajectory by choking down (or up) on the golf club. It’s the same approach used by Leadbetter’s star pupil Lydia Ko, the 18-year-old LPGA phenom who is currently the No. 1-ranked woman golfer in the world.

Pt. 1: Choke down for control

See more video tips from Leadbetter here.

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15 Comments

15 Comments

  1. dapadre

    May 1, 2015 at 5:20 am

    Guys/fellow golfers,

    Come on, these guys take their time to do this. I doubt if they get any reimbursement. Like any advice you have the option to take it or LEAVE IT, but save the comments unless they are constructive. I agree I was looking for more details, but maybe we will get more on other tips. Just my humble opinion.

    • Adam

      May 1, 2015 at 11:44 am

      yup nothing to learn from a top 5 in the world golf coach here who has taught Ko, Els, Howell III …. Thank you David for the article.

  2. David

    Apr 30, 2015 at 6:25 pm

    Your all criticizing him but you know if he talked about some technical aspect of the swing you would be ripping that too. We all know he’s not the flavor of the month teacher like Waite/Mayo, Foley, or Bennet/Plummer.

    No matter what he posts you would tear it down, so really why even click into the article

    • Jack

      Apr 30, 2015 at 6:53 pm

      This.

    • Greg V

      May 1, 2015 at 9:29 am

      On the other hand, some might say that he works with the most talented female golfer ever to come out of juniors, and she has way underperformed to expectations. Some would say that Michelle Wie is playing golf swing, and not golf. Way too much technical information going on in her head.

      The same might be said for the Suzanne Peterson/Grant Waite relationship.

      • David

        May 1, 2015 at 3:06 pm

        expectations is the key word there, he had another student by the name of Ty Tryon who was off the charts but never lived up to the ridiculous expectations

  3. Andrew

    Apr 30, 2015 at 6:20 pm

    In true WRX fashion, listen/watch pro tip, slam the pro. Nice… let’s chase one more away. I suppose you guys have taught PGA pros in the past?

  4. Leroy

    Apr 30, 2015 at 3:50 pm

    Please don’t show parts 2 and 3 kthx.

  5. Jameson

    Apr 30, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    Hey guys, want to see this cool new trick Leadbetter says to help me hit shorter?? Sure pal I’m all ears. Thanks but no thanks!

  6. Rob

    Apr 30, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    Earth shattering stuff here.

  7. Adam

    Apr 30, 2015 at 11:59 am

    Callaway just can’t win

  8. Greg V

    Apr 30, 2015 at 11:50 am

    How to improve distance off the tee by improving efficiency: swing up through impact?

    Color me surprised.

    (Just as a post script. Billy Casper said the same in a video he made playing with steel and persimmon!)

  9. other paul

    Apr 30, 2015 at 11:12 am

    Choke down to take off distance… Really. That’s it? This is an enthusiast website…

  10. Large chris

    Apr 30, 2015 at 9:07 am

    Can’t wait to see the WRX reaction to this as America wakes up…. Could go one of two ways.

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Instruction

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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Instruction

Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks

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You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!

 

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