Why Parallel To Your Ears Is So Important

By | on May 19, 2015 | 31 Comments | Array


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Paul Wilson is the creator of Swing Machine Golf and founder of Ignition Golf. Paul's golf swing technique is based on the Iron Byron swing machine. YouTube Channels: Paul Wilson Golf and Ignition Golf Tips. Please Join me on Google+

31 Responses to “Why Parallel To Your Ears Is So Important”

  1. Hi,

    We want the club 90 degrees towards the spine,

    so why don’t put the club in exact this angel in the backswing ?

    Lars
    Sweden

    • Lars,

      Because there is an angle between the left arm and clubshaft which cannot be eliminated. This means is it impossible to swing at 90 degrees to the axis going back. Plus, you don’t hit it going back so who cares. You need it flattening in the downswing.

  2. Paul ,Is the finish position with the shaft splitting the ears the same with a flat swing and with a vertical swing ?(In my opinion ,yes ,because of the cenrtifugal movement perpendicular to the body-axis )

    • Raymond,

      Yes, the mass will always move to 90 degrees to the axis no matter what swing you are using. This is simple physics.

  3. May 20, 2015

    ronjones

    Doesn’t every club have a different plane angle because of the length diffenence? If so do you change your body angle so that the club still swings at 90 degrees to your body?

    • Ron,

      Yes, each club swings on a different plane due to its length. Although I want you to basically keep your setup feeling the same with all clubs it will raise with longer clubs and lower with shorter ones. This will happen simple due to the length of the club. Try bending over and hitting a driver.

  4. Paul ,Do you favor a ” vertical swing ” or a more “flat swing”.
    The ” flat swing”seems to gain favor today .

    • Raymond,

      I favor a 2 plane swing. The same 2 plane swing that was used by the best golfers of all time.

  5. Hello paul,
    I was wondering if the club goes to 90 behind my head but doesn’t touch or sometimes it skims the back top of my head but stays at around 90 is that okay, and if not what am I doing wrong
    Thank you,
    Mark

    • Mark,

      I want the club to physically touch your head. If it doesn’t you have no way of checking it every time to make sure it is exactly the same. I don’t care if it’s above the ears or below. So if it is too high you need to lower it until it physically touches. If so, your swing will never fall apart.

  6. As an example of what I wrote above, I observed the swings of the number 1 and number 2 best World players .
    – RORY Mc ILROY,number one worldwide , has what I would qualify as a “vertical swing ” and his rotational movement is from a “semi crouching position ” (He dips between backswing and downswing )to an extension upwards in the throughswing ;he is very straight at address,with his weight more towards his toes
    -JORDAN SPIETH ,number 2 Worldwide , doesn’t “dip “between backswing and throughswing ,his swing is more flat and circular ,it has not an extension in the throughswing like Mc ILROY’s.At address his weight is more towards his heels ,and he is less upright than Mc ILROY .
    Both are tremendous players ,but I have a preference for the Mc ILROY swing (He drove 320 yards regularly at the WELLS FARGO at CHARLOTTE last week …)
    It seems to me you are teaching more the Mc ILROY style.

  7. May 21, 2015

    Roy

    Great tip. You may have addressed this in previous tips, but I wasn’t really sure why the club position at the back of head was so important. Thanks for the explanation. Very helpful.

    Roy

    • Roy,

      Glad you liked it. Thanks. Just keep working on it and you will see how this dramatically changes your game.

  8. Hi Paul – I have to say a lot has been learned from your technique which is easy to follow and my handicap has dropped from 17 a year ago to now 11.4!! However 2 questions:

    1) you always place a tee for your instructions; does this mean we shud do the same when practising? Why?
    cos in reality when playing the ball sits on the ground not above ground.

    2) if practise is on the range mat, shud a tee also be placed?

    3) I see you have golf school ending this month but are there are dates lined up for the rest of the year? or
    next year? My husband and I are thinking of going over to Las Vegas to spend some days at your golf school
    and to take in some lessons.

    4) Is your golf course anyway near to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel? if not where do you suggest we stay? Wud be
    important to have amenities to good dining and also to Caesar’s Palace!!

    Sorry for such long email but taking the opportunity to put all Qs in just one email!! Thanks in advance.

    • HanPauline,

      That’s great to hear. You are so close to single digits. A little more precise positioning and you are there. Great feeling when this happens.

      1. Tee the ball up when you are working on a certain position or swing change. This way you have room for error. If you are making a major change and you just keep topping it, you will have no confidence. If you are making a major change and you still hit the ball okay you will me more likely to stick with it. Tour players tee it up too when working on things so don’t feel you shouldn’t be doing this. After you are better at it, lower the tee then take it away.

      2. You can tee it on the mat if you are able to. So many people complain they don’t like hitting from mats that this would be a good idea. To me, I don’t mind hitting from mats.

      3. I will start schools again in October. I will have the dates in a month or two. It gets a little hot here for some people so I stop in doing schools in May. I still do private lessons. This is always an option if you want to come now. Just let me know.

      4. If you take Flamingo straight west to the mountains you hit our golf course. Simple. Leave about 30 mins. from the strip for traffic.

  9. May 24, 2015

    MikeKato

    I can easily get the correct position in my practice swings, but in my actual swing I can’t get to the position because the impact of the ball slows my swing down. What is the secret to get that position w/o mechanicalay forcing it there.

    • Mike,

      The secret is you manually force it there. Once you get it then you turn your arms off.

  10. June 14, 2015

    RAY

    Paul,

    I like this tip a lot. I’m having trouble with it in the dashboard. It won’t play, so I can’t add it. The window opens up when I try to play it, but the window is empty and the video never loads. I have the same issue with the 17min powerless arm video, so maybe it only affects the longer videos. Hopefully this can be fixed so I can save them in the dashboard.

    Thanks,

    Ray

  11. I’m very new at this and I know how to follow directions well. However, I missed this “Tip”. After only three (3) weeks of practicing, I no longer “spray” my shots everywhere. One thing that I was concerned with was “skying” the ball with my short irons. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy almost all my shots are STRAIGHT! But my short irons were making the ball go much too high.
    This “Tip” is curing that. But I’m at a loss as to why I had been hitting the ball in the sweet spot of the club darn near as high as it traveled down range.
    Thanks Paul for all your remarkable teaching.

    • Ron,

      So glad you are doing well. I love hearing it.

      You are hitting the short clubs too high because you are chicken winging it a little through impact. This is adding loft onto the club as you hit the ball. You need to keep working on release it and rolling the wrists over earlier than necessary (hook it). This rolling will de-loft your clubs. Once you get this feeling then add body rotation to straighten the shots back out.

      Watch:

      Easy Ways To Lower Trajectory: https://ignitiongolf.com/hit-lower-easy-ways

      Lower Overall Trajectory: https://ignitiongolf.com/lower-trajectory

  12. September 15, 2015

    PeterEndacott

    Hi Paul new to your swing and it’s really moved my low point forwards, used to get stuck on my back leg( not hit balls yet though, just doing positions)
    Sometimes my follow through is really high, occasionally just above my head but pretty parallel. Have you any ideas why?
    Really enjoying how straight forward you make this swing
    Thanks
    Pete

    • September 15, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      Peter,

      Glad to have you on board. The low point more forward is going to get you compressing the ball. The high follow through is a slide in the downswing. This would also explain getting stuck on the back leg hitting behind the ball. You need to get rid of the slide by turning more.

      Watch:

      Slide: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-slide
      You Better Check This Especially If You Slide: https://ignitiongolf.com/slide-turn-foot-out/
      Easy Way To Cure A Slide: https://ignitiongolf.com/easy-way-cure-slide/

      Don’t dwell on the faulty position you may be in. Just stay focused on the new positions and the feedback each one gives you. Do them in a mirror if you can so you can make them perfect. I cannot do them better than you. As you start to do them you will take on the appearance of a pro. Pros have the right fundamentals so you will have them too.

  13. September 17, 2015

    JohnSalvaggio

    You were right. I’m hitting the better than I have in my golf life,22 years. I find I can ONLY touch the head IF my wrists roll over and my arms are ” powerless “. When I practice or explain this to others I sequence from Touch The Legs to Roll The Wrists to Touch The Head. Any comments on this sequence ?

    • September 17, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      John,

      I don’t make this stuff up. Glad you saw it. I hope others ready this too.

      Touch the head … touch the legs. That is what I teach in the correct sequence. Got to be thinking touch the legs as soon as you start down. Touch the head after the ball is hit.

  14. October 14, 2015

    Roy

    Paul I was practicing the follow thru. You emphasize the club position at the completion at this point at back of head.

    What should our hand position be at the completion of the swing in relationship to our wrist. Is there a position that defines you are rehinging correctly.

    Thx

    ROY

    • October 15, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      Roy,

      You hands are going to be off the left ear. It’s like you are pointing your thumbs towards the left ear. Don’t forget the shaft should be touching the head not the rubber grip, the club parallel to the ears, elbows no more than about 1 foot apart and arms relaxed.

  15. October 26, 2015

    Waltreyer

    Hi Paul,

    I found the dashboard. Worked all day on hinge and leg turn. Question: it seem to me the more hinge is also more shoulder turn? When I do more hinge I feel more power? I feel like hardly any effort and I’m generating
    76 to 86 MPH on radar. The more I get my hands back to my ear the higher swing speed? I can’t tell that my hips are uncoiling first but the shaft is hitting level between my ears and my legs seem to be right. No effort and 76-78 MPH on radar consistently.
    Thanks,
    Walt

  16. January 16, 2016

    JimBaker

    Paul..I want to thank you for the lesson. Excellent explanation of the importance of
    club position touching the back of the head. The physics ( for maximum speed ) of
    the mass of an object was enlightening. Just never realize this. Learning something
    everyday from the site.

    • January 17, 2016

      Paul Wilson

      Jim,

      Glad you liked it. This is a huge position yet the first position everyone forgets. If you want power and consistency you will master this one.

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