Do you feel that the shoulders get fully rotated through the shot as a result of the momentum of the arms and club whipping through, or are you using upper body muscles to finish the swing?
Checkpoints series was “INSPIRED”.
I live in Mi and haven’t been able to take a full swing at a golf ball for the past 90 days.
No room in house, or garage and too cold outside.
But I could study and try to gently do the positions of your checkpoints each evening before bed. Amazingly not a lot of time was spent actually doing it. However I did spend at least one hour a day listening and watching your position videos, and some of the drills. I had a video of my old swing last year and could zero in on major differences between it an what you teach. YIKES!
Yesterday and today I finally got to go to the driving range and “finally” started to get the feeling of hitting golf balls effortlesly. The only effort is to remember to try and hit the ball without my arm power.
I will post again, but right now I get 25 to 50 yards further than when I left off last year. I believe there is another 40 yards waiting for me when I fine tune this amazing swing.
My friends persist in trying to do all the things that are just going to mix them up and frustrate them.
P.S. your book is excellent but the ” checkpoint” series is the ultimate description of what is important and how to use the body to hit a golf ball.
If I have said anything poorly or misleading please correct me should you read this.
THANKS.
To practice indoors you need to pick up a short training club, a kids club or grip down on your club. Been there done that. Took me breaking a few lights and hitting ceiling to figure it out.
Glad you like the tips and book as well as the checkpoint series.
Glad you are seeing improvement too. I love hearing. Keep up the good work.
You would get that much shoulder rotation if the club touches the back of your head. If you are not doing it you need to manually do it until it goes there without thinking about it. Just keep doing it in practice swings or in a mirror until you master it.
Paul,
In my follow-through position, my errors are upper body is slightly leaning back and club more down back (left elbow higher than shoulder), which comes from a bit of a slide. But also my elbows are further than a brick apart and back foot is not vertical but the heel pointing left. I am mostly up on the toe but heel is to the left of my toe. What do those 2 incorrect positions(elbows apart and heel to the left not completely vertical) mean that I am doing wrong.
Thanks,
Drew
I really have developed a mental block on completing a full finish (follow through). Practice swings are OK, but when addressing the ball, I make the full left shoulder turn, the hinge, the ball impact, the turn of the hips/legs touching and the release. But, I simply stop at the 3/4 mark without finishing without realizing it. How do I avoid this? All the other important movements take over and I do not finish. I am not just thinking of hitting the ball, but all the steps mentioned above. How can I best include the finish (follow though)? I am unable to put the follow through ahead of the other movements. I do not realize that I have not finished when everything else happens so quickly. Do I need a different starting focus or thought process? This is a real mental block on my swing.
Also, when might you only make the 3/4 swing when you are pitching or chipping? Does this not ever happen for you on those type of shots? Thank You…….
I guarantee you are thinking of hitting the ball. I deal with this on a daily basis.
So here’s what you do. You hit your shot. Go through to 3/4 through. Then long after you hit the shot touch your legs and touch your head. I need to you to at least do it. Once you can do it, you will get used to doing it. Then you can go right there in one motion.
Also, you are not doing the practice swings at home nightly. You need to do the exacty feeling the legs perfectly touching and club physically touching your head between your ears. Just watch yourself in a mirror nightly. As you keep doing the positions you get used to the positions and you will be able to do them with a ball in front of you. You cannot take breaks. Do them nightly.
You would do a 3/4 swing at the medium pitch shot only.
You could be holding on through impact or sliding through impact. Remember, the club goes there because it is swinging at 90 degrees to the axis (your body). If it is not going there you are doing something to the mass (club). Most people end up with the club down their back because they are toot tight.
What you need to do are practice swings making it perfect. I keep telling everyone this. Just sit there in a mirror and make it happen. If you do it right you can feel the club on the back of your head between your ears. So everyday, every shot you hit from this point forward you feel for this club touching your head. To do this you need to forget the ball and focus on the position (I keep saying this too). It is about the movement and making it perfect. I cannot get the club more parallel to my ears than you. So if I am doing it and you are doing it we are doing the exact same thing.
Hi Paul,
I saw some slightly overhead video of myself on an elevated tee box (shot from above me) and I noticed my front foot is turning out rather than my weight/body finishing above the foot and the foot rolling over slightly. So my 30 degree position with the front foot at setup was finished at a 45 degree (almost) position and the foot was flat on the ground. I was touching my knees and my back foot was on its toe but I was not well balanced on the front leg. In the video I came out of my finish pretty quickly. The shots are fading a bit, perhaps 10-15 yds right of target and flying just a bit short of average. I even faded the 9 iron that was in the video mentioned here?! Tgecswings did not feel bad but I was curious about the lazy fade.
Seems like this would mean I’m on my heels…perhaps happening as I use my trigger which is to straighten the lead leg? I am ignition internet diagnosing…
It’s kind of a weird one…I think it’s coinciding with being a bit tight in my hips and not getting the weight transferred as much as normal/ desired. I’m working on the hips with hot yoga, lacrosse balls, and some slow practice swings on the range. Any thoughts on the foot?
Anytime you see excess slice spin you need to immediately do the roll over drill. This unlocks the wrists. Once you have the feeling you think body to hit your shot. You really need to have this drill in your pocket.
I had mentioned in a couple of recent comments that I had stumbled onto the Checkpoints series and how much I have enjoyed it. I plan to get some updated swing videos so I can do a frame-by-frame run-through to spot my current weaknesses..
Regarding “Checkpoints,” you saved the best for last. No matter how much detail I get into I keep finding that 90 percent of the battle is the finish position. When I finish properly I nearly always have a solidly struck ball heading toward its target.
Do you remember Dr. Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”? (and its countless spinoffs?). Well, your advocacy of the finish position reminds me exactly of Covey’s principle of “finish with the end in mind.” When I focus on my finish position, everything else just falls into place.
My bad above. I believe it was “START with the end in mind.”
That is what your finish position emphasis embodies.
I also need a recommendation from you. I usually take my SC200 to the range with me. I think it is making me too distance and swing speed conscious. I probably need to take a step back and when I practice and play, think of nothing but hitting Point B perfectly. What could be easier than that? Consistency should increase. I did notice in the second half of last season, my scores were not great but were way more consistent and I never had really bad rounds like I did before I started following you. Would I be best to forget the SC200 until I really get your positions nailed down? It leads me to distance thoughts which your playing tips say stay away from.
Launch monitors can get you swinging hard. This is why I tell people to use them over time to see if you are gaining more power with what you are working on.
If you are working on power then don’t care about consistency. Get the distance then make the positions precise. If you have decent distance then work on the perfecting the swing. Seems like you are so close. Confidence breeds distance.
The follow through is key yet few every work on it. Just need to change the way you think. From the top you need to know where to go. It’s that simple. You cannot get distracted by hitting the ball.
You are right. Finish with the end in mind. Although I have not read that I did just get the audio version. I will be listening to it in the near future.
Hi Paul,
I have been following you and attempting to do your swing-On your follow thru tip the position of your arms and elbows are in position to be fairly close to each other-I understand the position but had a question about a certain piece of training equipment–it is the one that is a wide nylon band that attaches to your biceps in order to keep your arms from flying away from each other. Have you seen this and what do you think? Do your arms and elbows stay about the same distance apart at the end position at follow thru as they are at address? If
so, would this training devise do that?
Thanks Brian Van Haselen
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23 Responses to “Checkpoints – Follow-Through”
March 9, 2016
IanCarolineHi Paul,
Great series-thanks
March 9, 2016
Paul WilsonIan,
Glad you liked it. Thanks.
March 9, 2016
JaySchwarzPaul,
Do you feel that the shoulders get fully rotated through the shot as a result of the momentum of the arms and club whipping through, or are you using upper body muscles to finish the swing?
March 9, 2016
Paul WilsonJay,
I am really not thinking upper body at all coming down and through. I would have to say for me its momentum.
March 9, 2016
JohnCosentinoCheckpoints series was “INSPIRED”.
I live in Mi and haven’t been able to take a full swing at a golf ball for the past 90 days.
No room in house, or garage and too cold outside.
But I could study and try to gently do the positions of your checkpoints each evening before bed. Amazingly not a lot of time was spent actually doing it. However I did spend at least one hour a day listening and watching your position videos, and some of the drills. I had a video of my old swing last year and could zero in on major differences between it an what you teach. YIKES!
Yesterday and today I finally got to go to the driving range and “finally” started to get the feeling of hitting golf balls effortlesly. The only effort is to remember to try and hit the ball without my arm power.
I will post again, but right now I get 25 to 50 yards further than when I left off last year. I believe there is another 40 yards waiting for me when I fine tune this amazing swing.
My friends persist in trying to do all the things that are just going to mix them up and frustrate them.
P.S. your book is excellent but the ” checkpoint” series is the ultimate description of what is important and how to use the body to hit a golf ball.
If I have said anything poorly or misleading please correct me should you read this.
THANKS.
March 10, 2016
Paul WilsonJohn,
To practice indoors you need to pick up a short training club, a kids club or grip down on your club. Been there done that. Took me breaking a few lights and hitting ceiling to figure it out.
Glad you like the tips and book as well as the checkpoint series.
Glad you are seeing improvement too. I love hearing. Keep up the good work.
March 9, 2016
AruldossNesarajanExcellent tips
March 10, 2016
Paul WilsonAruldoss,
Glad you like them. Thanks.
March 11, 2016
RoyPaul,
How do you get your shoulders beyond 90 degrees. Do you actively do it or does momentum and poerless ars get you to that position.
Roy
March 12, 2016
Paul WilsonRoy,
You would get that much shoulder rotation if the club touches the back of your head. If you are not doing it you need to manually do it until it goes there without thinking about it. Just keep doing it in practice swings or in a mirror until you master it.
Watch:
When Is Your Swing Over?: https://ignitiongolf.com/swing-club-touching-head/
March 13, 2016
DrewPaul,
In my follow-through position, my errors are upper body is slightly leaning back and club more down back (left elbow higher than shoulder), which comes from a bit of a slide. But also my elbows are further than a brick apart and back foot is not vertical but the heel pointing left. I am mostly up on the toe but heel is to the left of my toe. What do those 2 incorrect positions(elbows apart and heel to the left not completely vertical) mean that I am doing wrong.
Thanks,
Drew
March 13, 2016
Paul WilsonDrew,
Slightly leaning back in follow through:
– could be not getting the weight off the back foot fully.
– could be a slide.
– could be too tilted at set up
————————————–
Elbows Apart at follow through
– chicken wing through impact due to hitting with arms
——————————
back foot not vertical
– not getting weight off of back foot
——————————-
I think you are sliding. You should also tell me where the ball is going. If you are sliding your miss will be a push/push fade.
So you need to work on these tips:
It’s Like A Throwing Motion: https://ignitiongolf.com/like-throwing-motion/
Cure a Slide:
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/
June 29, 2016
CraigMinnerHi Paul,
I really have developed a mental block on completing a full finish (follow through). Practice swings are OK, but when addressing the ball, I make the full left shoulder turn, the hinge, the ball impact, the turn of the hips/legs touching and the release. But, I simply stop at the 3/4 mark without finishing without realizing it. How do I avoid this? All the other important movements take over and I do not finish. I am not just thinking of hitting the ball, but all the steps mentioned above. How can I best include the finish (follow though)? I am unable to put the follow through ahead of the other movements. I do not realize that I have not finished when everything else happens so quickly. Do I need a different starting focus or thought process? This is a real mental block on my swing.
Also, when might you only make the 3/4 swing when you are pitching or chipping? Does this not ever happen for you on those type of shots? Thank You…….
June 29, 2016
Paul WilsonCraig,
I guarantee you are thinking of hitting the ball. I deal with this on a daily basis.
So here’s what you do. You hit your shot. Go through to 3/4 through. Then long after you hit the shot touch your legs and touch your head. I need to you to at least do it. Once you can do it, you will get used to doing it. Then you can go right there in one motion.
Also, you are not doing the practice swings at home nightly. You need to do the exacty feeling the legs perfectly touching and club physically touching your head between your ears. Just watch yourself in a mirror nightly. As you keep doing the positions you get used to the positions and you will be able to do them with a ball in front of you. You cannot take breaks. Do them nightly.
You would do a 3/4 swing at the medium pitch shot only.
November 30, 2017
StevenFarberPaul,
I am struggling with the club going down my back – a) what does this mean and b) how do I cure it?
Best,
Steve
December 1, 2017
Paul WilsonSteven,
You could be holding on through impact or sliding through impact. Remember, the club goes there because it is swinging at 90 degrees to the axis (your body). If it is not going there you are doing something to the mass (club). Most people end up with the club down their back because they are toot tight.
What you need to do are practice swings making it perfect. I keep telling everyone this. Just sit there in a mirror and make it happen. If you do it right you can feel the club on the back of your head between your ears. So everyday, every shot you hit from this point forward you feel for this club touching your head. To do this you need to forget the ball and focus on the position (I keep saying this too). It is about the movement and making it perfect. I cannot get the club more parallel to my ears than you. So if I am doing it and you are doing it we are doing the exact same thing.
Watch:
Follow Through Mistakes – Club: https://ignitiongolf.com/follow-through-mistakes-club/
Are You Cheating In The Follow Through: https://ignitiongolf.com/are-you-cheating/
Make sure you are doing this too:
3 through DRILL – Watch Your Release: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-watch-release/
From this position it continues to the back of the head.
February 12, 2018
CraigSmithHi Paul,
I saw some slightly overhead video of myself on an elevated tee box (shot from above me) and I noticed my front foot is turning out rather than my weight/body finishing above the foot and the foot rolling over slightly. So my 30 degree position with the front foot at setup was finished at a 45 degree (almost) position and the foot was flat on the ground. I was touching my knees and my back foot was on its toe but I was not well balanced on the front leg. In the video I came out of my finish pretty quickly. The shots are fading a bit, perhaps 10-15 yds right of target and flying just a bit short of average. I even faded the 9 iron that was in the video mentioned here?! Tgecswings did not feel bad but I was curious about the lazy fade.
Seems like this would mean I’m on my heels…perhaps happening as I use my trigger which is to straighten the lead leg? I am ignition internet diagnosing…
It’s kind of a weird one…I think it’s coinciding with being a bit tight in my hips and not getting the weight transferred as much as normal/ desired. I’m working on the hips with hot yoga, lacrosse balls, and some slow practice swings on the range. Any thoughts on the foot?
I love to play golf….
Thanks! -CS
February 12, 2018
Paul WilsonCraig,
This is telling you that you don’t have enough weight on it through impact. More weight on it and you cannot move it.
Stop Twisting Front Foot: https://ignitiongolf.com/stop-twisting-front-foot/
Anytime you see excess slice spin you need to immediately do the roll over drill. This unlocks the wrists. Once you have the feeling you think body to hit your shot. You really need to have this drill in your pocket.
Modified Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/modified-roll-over-drill/
March 24, 2019
MichaelBarrettPaul,
I had mentioned in a couple of recent comments that I had stumbled onto the Checkpoints series and how much I have enjoyed it. I plan to get some updated swing videos so I can do a frame-by-frame run-through to spot my current weaknesses..
Regarding “Checkpoints,” you saved the best for last. No matter how much detail I get into I keep finding that 90 percent of the battle is the finish position. When I finish properly I nearly always have a solidly struck ball heading toward its target.
Do you remember Dr. Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”? (and its countless spinoffs?). Well, your advocacy of the finish position reminds me exactly of Covey’s principle of “finish with the end in mind.” When I focus on my finish position, everything else just falls into place.
Thanks for the great work!
Mike
March 25, 2019
MichaelBarrettPaul,
My bad above. I believe it was “START with the end in mind.”
That is what your finish position emphasis embodies.
I also need a recommendation from you. I usually take my SC200 to the range with me. I think it is making me too distance and swing speed conscious. I probably need to take a step back and when I practice and play, think of nothing but hitting Point B perfectly. What could be easier than that? Consistency should increase. I did notice in the second half of last season, my scores were not great but were way more consistent and I never had really bad rounds like I did before I started following you. Would I be best to forget the SC200 until I really get your positions nailed down? It leads me to distance thoughts which your playing tips say stay away from.
Thanks
Mike
March 31, 2019
Paul WilsonMike,
Launch monitors can get you swinging hard. This is why I tell people to use them over time to see if you are gaining more power with what you are working on.
If you are working on power then don’t care about consistency. Get the distance then make the positions precise. If you have decent distance then work on the perfecting the swing. Seems like you are so close. Confidence breeds distance.
Confidence Breeds Distance: https://ignitiongolf.com/confidence-breeds-distance/
Put the SC200 away. Get into the 70’s consistently then take it back out again.
March 31, 2019
Paul WilsonMike,
The follow through is key yet few every work on it. Just need to change the way you think. From the top you need to know where to go. It’s that simple. You cannot get distracted by hitting the ball.
You are right. Finish with the end in mind. Although I have not read that I did just get the audio version. I will be listening to it in the near future.
April 20, 2022
BrianVan HaselenHi Paul,
I have been following you and attempting to do your swing-On your follow thru tip the position of your arms and elbows are in position to be fairly close to each other-I understand the position but had a question about a certain piece of training equipment–it is the one that is a wide nylon band that attaches to your biceps in order to keep your arms from flying away from each other. Have you seen this and what do you think? Do your arms and elbows stay about the same distance apart at the end position at follow thru as they are at address? If
so, would this training devise do that?
Thanks Brian Van Haselen