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Clark: On learning golf

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“A true teacher will teach how to think, not what to think”

There are several versions of the above adage, but when you teach every day, you get to see this up close and personal. In my opinion, all a teacher can do is to guide you as to what happens when you hit a golf ball. The student has to discover what works for them to achieve better results. It is that simple. The internet is loaded with “how-to” info, and some of it might actually apply to your individual issue, but do yourself a big favor: Go beat some balls and see how it goes; try this, try that, repeat steps one and two!

Let’s take turning as a classic example. If someone were to ask a teacher HOW to turn, there could be a dozen answers. What the teacher, the data, video show is simply this: You are NOT turning. Let’s try this, let’s try that, no, how about this? There are an unlimited number of ways, but the student needs to: FIRST, realize the lack or incorrectness of turn, and SECOND, find a way to do it. Any way, YOUR way. This is called participating in your learning and discovering process. When Ben Hogan said: “the secret is in the dirt,” this is precisely what he was referring to. 

I have a short section each day in my golf school dedicated to the ballistics of impact. A student needs to know exactly what happens at impact. And when you know what produces good flight, then find what you personally are doing to violate those laws. How to correct an open and/or closed clubface means nothing to a student who doesn’t know what open or closed actually is, or does. Swing path and its relationship to clubface resulting in ball flight curvature is knowledge every teacher has, but is like rocket science to the student who knows none of this. I once had a student who thought his shanks were coming off the toe! When I told him that just the opposite was happening, he immediately moved away from the ball a little and stopped shanking (there were other reasons he shanked but just that much knowledge got him off the hosel!)

In order to correct anything, anything at all, it is first necessary to discover the problem and find a way, any way to correct it. No teacher, book, TV tip, or article can do what you can do for yourself. All the teacher might do is make you aware of the problem. But in the end, just go play and try this, that and the other thing. The answer is there, believe me, the answer is in you. You have to find it!

The problem, very often, is that golfers are looking for someone to offer them a light bulb moment, a flash of “aha,” the “I’ve-got-it-now” solution. The aha moment is the only way to get sustained improvement, but it must come from you, the individual. There is no universal “light-bulb moment,” it is uniquely-yours alone to discover.  As I’ve said before, “it’s not what I cover, it’s what you discover.” Discover what? That “thing” you can grasp and go hit ball after ball until you have, at least to a functional degree, internalized it!

Good luck on your personal journey!

On a personal note, this will be my final article for GolfWRX. I have written 100-plus articles over the last 10 years or so and I have thoroughly enjoyed helping all of you who read my articles.

If you read through them on some rainy day, you’ll notice a theme: “If this, then that.” Meaning: If your golf ball is consistently doing that, try this. The articles are all archived on this site, and I am writing a book about my life on the lesson tee. It has been a labor of love as my whole career has been. There is no greater joy in my professional life than seeing the look on a golfers face and feel the joy within them when they improve. The minute that slice straightens, or that ground ball goes up in the air, is a special bond and a shared joy in the student-teacher relationship.

But I’ve said most of what I think is pertinent and anything after this would be redundant. There is now a plethora of how-to info out there, and I personally feel the reader may begin to think he/she should do this or that as opposed to thinking “I should try to discover this or that through my own personal exploration.”

If any of you wish to contact me directly regarding help with your game, you know how to do so. But do remember this: You cannot learn golf from words or pictures. My advice is to get a good teacher to look at you a few times, then go out and find the answer in the dirt. Golf is a game to played. And in that playing, in that trial-and-error process, you will find things that will help you achieve better outcomes. No one owns this game: We only to get to borrow it from time to time!  

 

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Dennis Clark is a PGA Master Professional. Clark has taught the game of golf for more than 30 years to golfers all across the country, and is recognized as one of the leading teachers in the country by all the major golf publications. He is also is a seven-time PGA award winner who has earned the following distinctions: -- Teacher of the Year, Philadelphia Section PGA -- Teacher of the Year, Golfers Journal -- Top Teacher in Pennsylvania, Golf Magazine -- Top Teacher in Mid Atlantic Region, Golf Digest -- Earned PGA Advanced Specialty certification in Teaching/Coaching Golf -- Achieved Master Professional Status (held by less than 2 percent of PGA members) -- PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Golf Professional of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Presidents Plaque Award for Promotion and Growth of the Game of Golf -- Junior Golf Leader, Tri State section PGA -- Served on Tri State PGA Board of Directors. Clark is also former Director of Golf and Instruction at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Dennis now teaches at Bobby Clampett's Impact Zone Golf Indoor Performance Center in Naples, FL. .

28 Comments

28 Comments

  1. Doug Meek

    Sep 24, 2019 at 3:09 pm

    Great article. The best lessons I have received have come from you. . Glad to read progress is being made on your book.
    See you soon,
    Regards,
    Doug
    Akron, Ohio

  2. Howard Hayden

    Sep 20, 2019 at 12:36 am

    What a terrific final article! Thank you for your dedication and contributions to the game. Look forward to reading your book. Is there a planned publication date?

    • Dennis Clark

      Sep 20, 2019 at 8:07 am

      Thx Howard. I’ll keep you posted. drop me your email.

  3. John Mule'

    Sep 19, 2019 at 10:11 pm

    Dennis,

    I will truly miss your articles. I’ve learned much from them. Feel very privileged to have taken part in your schools down through the years. Really looking forward to your book. All the best my friend.

    • Dennis Clark

      Sep 20, 2019 at 8:08 am

      Thx John. I watched your great improvement. Keep up the good work

  4. geohogan

    Sep 19, 2019 at 8:10 pm

    What if , “the secret is in the dirt” quoted from Ben Hogan
    actually referred to the DIRT. ie the divot.

    Study the divot and you will find all you need to know about the clubface and path at impact?

    Is the clubface sweeping the dirt from the inside quadrant of the ball, rather than the back of the ball?

    Before Trackman there was the Dirt. Thank you Ben Hogan.

  5. geohogan

    Sep 19, 2019 at 2:04 pm

    Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing. Ben Hogan

    Thanks for the thought provoking articles.

    • Dennis Clark

      Sep 20, 2019 at 8:21 am

      Of all games, clearly the most counterintuitive, paradoxical game of all! ThxGeo

  6. John

    Sep 19, 2019 at 2:32 am

    One of the best articles Ive read on here. I don’t teach golf, but I am a teacher. The only real way of teaching anybody anything is to raise their awareness of what they are actually doing, as opposed to what they think or feel that they are doing. Then with that as a base the student goes from there, as you so adroitly said yourself.

    Telling someone to “do” this or that is temporary at best and is never effective in the long run.

    Thank you Dennis, I have enjoyed reading all your articles.

  7. Dal ANDREW

    Sep 18, 2019 at 10:58 pm

    Is it intentional or just a coincidence fueled by common understanding & approach that your swan song title exactly duplicates Percy Boomer’s classic; On Learning Golf?

    • Dennis Clark

      Sep 21, 2019 at 6:11 pm

      Percy’s Classic has been an inspiration to all of us, but no my title was not intentional. Im glad you mentioned it though as perhaps some who have not read it, might take a look. My approach to golf instruction is likely an amalgam of what I’ve learned and what I see right in front of me daily. I’ve worked with some 35,000 people over the years and certain patterns (both physical and psychological) emerge. The articles I write try to capture these patterns…I hope they have. Thx for reading.

  8. Tanner

    Sep 18, 2019 at 9:12 pm

    Dennis, Thanks, for the articles.Your down to earth method of teaching is refreshing since the industry has gone in the opposite direction. Best Wishes, Tanner

  9. Mike Barnett

    Sep 18, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    I have read so many of your articles here and had the distinct pleasure of you taking the time to analyze a video my own swing.
    I want to thank you for all your efforts to assist all of us golfers.

  10. Tom F. Stickney II

    Sep 18, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    Love ya brother…student self-sufficiency is the goal for sure.

    Stay in touch pal!

  11. Laura

    Sep 18, 2019 at 5:16 pm

    Great article! I got teary eyed when I read it was your last… I haven’t known you long but you are a great teacher! Looking forward to reading your book

  12. Scooter

    Sep 18, 2019 at 3:07 pm

    Dennis, Thanks for all the bits of wisdom in your articles. I have read most of them, and find myself reading and re-reading some key ones as my swing comes and goes throughout a season. Always helpful in “righting the ship”. Best wishes with your book.

  13. DB

    Sep 18, 2019 at 1:57 pm

    Great article. Thank you.

  14. John K

    Sep 18, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    Usually don’t comment on these things – but I’ve enjoyed reading your articles when I do come across them!

    • Dennis Clark

      Sep 20, 2019 at 8:25 am

      Thx John, I’m glad they helped. Stay tuned for book

  15. Rascal

    Sep 18, 2019 at 12:44 pm

    A wonderful article to finish your tenure – thank you and well wishes.

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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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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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