In this video, you emphasize stretching the arms out at set up. There were no down-the-line shots so it wasn’t clear to me exactly what you mean. I don’t think the hands are supposed to be stretched out much beyond the shoulders…aren’t they supposed to just hang from the shoulders but–and I think this is your point–hang down completely, with no bend at the elbow. Correct?
The best advice in a long time is to fully extend the arms through the swing. I was formerly taught to drop my right elbow inside my right thigh in the downswing to stay on plane and come through on the inside. I believe it caused my arms to contract and tighten my swing. Perhaps I was not executing it correctly. Since many professionals teach it, do you have an opinion on that swing method?
Dropping your back arm is using your arms. So yes, this may contribute to them buckling. If you are trying to hit, they will contract. Also, when you try to drop the arms you are moving the mass (club) before the axis (your upper body – waist up) which in physics will never work consistently. Plus, from the top to impact is 1/4 of a second. If you are thinking about dropping when are you thinking about turning? So I don’t like purposely tucking the back arm or dropping the arms.
I rarely every tell people to do this yet I get people perfectly on plane by turning their arms off and having them initiate with the lower body. This occurs due to forces acting on the mass and mass swinging around and axis (your body).
Everything I teach I based on Iron Byron. The machine does not have a right arm until after the ball is hit when its arm represents the golfers right arm. Other pros do not base their teaching on Iron Byron so what I am saying is usually different to other methods.
The first thing you need to do is slow down. If you are falling out of balance you are swinging too hard. Stay focused on the positions and swing only hard enough that you can do them. Also, you need to be doing practice swings at home daily to get used to it and the balance will come. Repetition.
This tip brings out a question for me. I started with the Body Swing and IG in Jan 2018. I’ve made great strides in my swing. It is light years better than before. However, my scores have not yet reflected my progress (although some of this is short game, not swing-related). I now know learning this new swing will be a journey, not a quick destination. Baby steps. But I’m all in.
I notice that I really struggle with the driver off the tee yet am remarkably consistent using my three-wood off the tee and usually achieve some very playable distance and accuracy when using it. I feel much more confident with it. I have concluded that I should probably go with the three for now until I am able to better swing and have more confidence in the driver. My confidence (and scores) get hurt with the driver but are buoyed when using the three wood. I guess I need to hear your recommendation on this.
Related to this concept, I notice in the video you state that everyone has an optimal driver length that can best be determined through a fitting. I notice that on the range with my SC200, I can often achieve 91 mph with my three wood but struggle to get above 85 mph with the driver. Perhaps I am a guy that needs a shorter shaft. Once I get using the Body Swing consistently, I plan to get fitted. I’m betting the answer is that a driver shaft about an inch shorter would be beneficial for me, particularly in terms of making sweet spot contact each time.
Everyone wants to hit driver hard. If there was a zero wood you would hit your driver great. Because the driver hits it the longest you are trying to hit it the longest. In doing so you are twisting the face and hitting errant shots.
I would also hook every ball for a little while. If so, you know where the ball is going to go before you hit it. This also allows you to master the release. Once you get this, you would be then only working on body to straighten it out. So you get step 1 (release/spin) then you work on step 2 (body/direction). Can’t work on step 2 until you get step 1.
The driver shaft can be too long. Again though the harder you hit, the tighter the wrists, the slower the club swings. I think you are trying to hit which is losing you power. Work on it as suggested. Just do tons of roll overs every night at home. Master the release first.
Thanks Paul. I was a right-to-left player all my life until the mid-90s when a local pro convinced me to go strong and I had to hold it off and not release it to avoid duck hooks. Now that I’ve gone back to your neutral grip I am still (even if subconsciously) holding off the release and getting lots of pushes with the driver.
I will embrace the rollover drills until I am hooking consistently and then get it straightened back with the lower body.
Keep in mind with a neutral grip it will take a super early release too hook it. You will never do it this early when playing so there is never a fear of going left.
Hi Paul,
I am curious as to the effect of loft on my driver. In one of your lessons, you talked about the effect of loft on the short irons as well as the shorter shaft. I have been driving (erratically at times) with a driver that has 8.5 degrees of loft. I am seriously considering purchasing the same driver with the same shaft and grip but with 10.5 degrees of loft in an effort to increase my arc rather than continue with my mostly line drives. Should I expect to see any changes in my drives with the added loft?
Paul,
You mentioned Club fitting. It has been suggested twice in past few months. Returned to golf last summer after 26 years – now age 73.
Recently I found 7-Iron (Callaway Rogue-x) to my surprise 20-30 yards longer than my 7-Iron. Also, my 3Wood 200-220 longer than my Driver. Your system has really helped me over the past 9 months and getting arms out more and more concentrating on reps with my longer clubs without ball.
Q: Does club fitting make sense at this time? If not when do you suggest a fitting?
Thanks again for all your help.
Club fitting is important when you think that you have built the swing (especially the setup). I tell people to get new clubs as a treat for working on building the swing. If you are going to get new clubs you can send us a picture of your setup so we can check it first. If your setup is wrong and you get fitted for that setup you will not be able to change your setup because the clubs would be on the wrong lie and potentially length. Just email a down the line view to us.
You could do a fitting at a store and just see some of the numbers you are getting. If you keep seeing a big difference then you might want to pull the trigger on new clubs.
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15 Responses to “Distance Series – Arc”
December 10, 2014
BillFreemanPaul,
In this video, you emphasize stretching the arms out at set up. There were no down-the-line shots so it wasn’t clear to me exactly what you mean. I don’t think the hands are supposed to be stretched out much beyond the shoulders…aren’t they supposed to just hang from the shoulders but–and I think this is your point–hang down completely, with no bend at the elbow. Correct?
Thanks,
Bill
December 10, 2014
Paul WilsonBill,
I did 2 tips on it here:
Arms Extended: https://ignitiongolf.com/extend-arms-fully
Arms Extended Follow Up/distance from body: https://ignitiongolf.com/arms-extention-follow-up
December 10, 2014
PeterEspositoPaul,
The best advice in a long time is to fully extend the arms through the swing. I was formerly taught to drop my right elbow inside my right thigh in the downswing to stay on plane and come through on the inside. I believe it caused my arms to contract and tighten my swing. Perhaps I was not executing it correctly. Since many professionals teach it, do you have an opinion on that swing method?
Thanks,
Peter
December 10, 2014
Paul WilsonPeter,
Dropping your back arm is using your arms. So yes, this may contribute to them buckling. If you are trying to hit, they will contract. Also, when you try to drop the arms you are moving the mass (club) before the axis (your upper body – waist up) which in physics will never work consistently. Plus, from the top to impact is 1/4 of a second. If you are thinking about dropping when are you thinking about turning? So I don’t like purposely tucking the back arm or dropping the arms.
I rarely every tell people to do this yet I get people perfectly on plane by turning their arms off and having them initiate with the lower body. This occurs due to forces acting on the mass and mass swinging around and axis (your body).
Everything I teach I based on Iron Byron. The machine does not have a right arm until after the ball is hit when its arm represents the golfers right arm. Other pros do not base their teaching on Iron Byron so what I am saying is usually different to other methods.
Watch:
Flatten Plane 1: https://ignitiongolf.com/downswing-flatten-plane
Flatten Plane 2: https://ignitiongolf.com/downswing-flatten-plane-2
Right Elbow: https://ignitiongolf.com/downswing-right-elbow
December 11, 2014
BillFreemanThanks for your response. The Arms extension–Follow-Up video answered it exactly. (Good to see that others had the same confusion I did.)
Thanks,
Bill
May 9, 2019
JohnCasionGreat tip and drill. I’m making strides but I am struggling with my balance. Any thoughts? Thank you.
May 14, 2019
Paul WilsonJohn,
The first thing you need to do is slow down. If you are falling out of balance you are swinging too hard. Stay focused on the positions and swing only hard enough that you can do them. Also, you need to be doing practice swings at home daily to get used to it and the balance will come. Repetition.
DRILL: Do It Right at 1MPH https://ignitiongolf.com/right-at-1mph/
Back Toe: https://ignitiongolf.com/big-toe-balanced-finish/
Stance Width Affects Your Swing: https://ignitiongolf.com/stance-width-affects-your-swing/
Balance 123 Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/balance-123/
Stay In Balance Throughout Your Swing: https://ignitiongolf.com/stay-in-balance/
May 13, 2019
MichaelBarrettPaul,
This tip brings out a question for me. I started with the Body Swing and IG in Jan 2018. I’ve made great strides in my swing. It is light years better than before. However, my scores have not yet reflected my progress (although some of this is short game, not swing-related). I now know learning this new swing will be a journey, not a quick destination. Baby steps. But I’m all in.
I notice that I really struggle with the driver off the tee yet am remarkably consistent using my three-wood off the tee and usually achieve some very playable distance and accuracy when using it. I feel much more confident with it. I have concluded that I should probably go with the three for now until I am able to better swing and have more confidence in the driver. My confidence (and scores) get hurt with the driver but are buoyed when using the three wood. I guess I need to hear your recommendation on this.
Related to this concept, I notice in the video you state that everyone has an optimal driver length that can best be determined through a fitting. I notice that on the range with my SC200, I can often achieve 91 mph with my three wood but struggle to get above 85 mph with the driver. Perhaps I am a guy that needs a shorter shaft. Once I get using the Body Swing consistently, I plan to get fitted. I’m betting the answer is that a driver shaft about an inch shorter would be beneficial for me, particularly in terms of making sweet spot contact each time.
Your thoughts?
Thanks much Paul!
Mike
May 14, 2019
Paul WilsonMichael,
Everyone wants to hit driver hard. If there was a zero wood you would hit your driver great. Because the driver hits it the longest you are trying to hit it the longest. In doing so you are twisting the face and hitting errant shots.
How to Release the Golf Club: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-wrist-release/
Manually Square the Clubface: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-clubface/
Manually Square the Clubface (Follow Up): https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-face-follow-up/
I would also hook every ball for a little while. If so, you know where the ball is going to go before you hit it. This also allows you to master the release. Once you get this, you would be then only working on body to straighten it out. So you get step 1 (release/spin) then you work on step 2 (body/direction). Can’t work on step 2 until you get step 1.
The driver shaft can be too long. Again though the harder you hit, the tighter the wrists, the slower the club swings. I think you are trying to hit which is losing you power. Work on it as suggested. Just do tons of roll overs every night at home. Master the release first.
DRILL: 3 Ways To Roll It Over: https://ignitiongolf.com/3-ways-to-roll/
Roll Around The Stick: https://ignitiongolf.com/roll-around-stick/
Clarifying the Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/clarifying-roll-drill
Another Reason To Do The Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/another-reason-to-roll/
How Long Should You Do The Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/roll-over-drill-how-long/
May 14, 2019
MichaelBarrettThanks Paul. I was a right-to-left player all my life until the mid-90s when a local pro convinced me to go strong and I had to hold it off and not release it to avoid duck hooks. Now that I’ve gone back to your neutral grip I am still (even if subconsciously) holding off the release and getting lots of pushes with the driver.
I will embrace the rollover drills until I am hooking consistently and then get it straightened back with the lower body.
Mike
May 20, 2019
Paul WilsonMike,
Keep in mind with a neutral grip it will take a super early release too hook it. You will never do it this early when playing so there is never a fear of going left.
May 30, 2019
RichardPettengillHi Paul,
I am curious as to the effect of loft on my driver. In one of your lessons, you talked about the effect of loft on the short irons as well as the shorter shaft. I have been driving (erratically at times) with a driver that has 8.5 degrees of loft. I am seriously considering purchasing the same driver with the same shaft and grip but with 10.5 degrees of loft in an effort to increase my arc rather than continue with my mostly line drives. Should I expect to see any changes in my drives with the added loft?
Thanks,
-Rich P
June 4, 2019
Paul WilsonRich,
Yes, an 8.5 is too little loft for you. I like the 10.5. This will get the ball higher with less spin. 8.5 would be more for pros.
Do it. or at least try one on a launch monitor to see the difference.
June 10, 2019
StanJBPaul,
You mentioned Club fitting. It has been suggested twice in past few months. Returned to golf last summer after 26 years – now age 73.
Recently I found 7-Iron (Callaway Rogue-x) to my surprise 20-30 yards longer than my 7-Iron. Also, my 3Wood 200-220 longer than my Driver. Your system has really helped me over the past 9 months and getting arms out more and more concentrating on reps with my longer clubs without ball.
Q: Does club fitting make sense at this time? If not when do you suggest a fitting?
Thanks again for all your help.
June 11, 2019
Paul WilsonStan,
Club fitting is important when you think that you have built the swing (especially the setup). I tell people to get new clubs as a treat for working on building the swing. If you are going to get new clubs you can send us a picture of your setup so we can check it first. If your setup is wrong and you get fitted for that setup you will not be able to change your setup because the clubs would be on the wrong lie and potentially length. Just email a down the line view to us.
You could do a fitting at a store and just see some of the numbers you are getting. If you keep seeing a big difference then you might want to pull the trigger on new clubs.