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Continuing on with KH’s golf lesson, it was now time to address his swing problem. K was deep and laid off at the top of the backswing. He had improved from his last lesson in that he was less deep with the short clubs. Unfortunately, as the clubs got longer, the extra weight and momentum was pulling him deeper and more laid off. There was also another issue to deal with. In the transition, he was every now and then getting a little loop. The loop also increased in size and occurrence as the clubs got longer.
K, as I pointed out yesterday, has the ¾ length backswing down pat. He has the wide knees and limited knee movement also correct. What he has trouble with is limiting his upper torso turn and standing the club up to 12:00 0’clock and light at the top of the backswing. What he also is now having problems with is controlling the club shaft angle in the transition. He is letting it fall back too laid off and causing the loop rather than fighting and keeping the lay off to a minimum.
The point to remember here is that in a good transition that starts with the lateral left shift, or BUMP as I call it, of the forward knee and hip, the spine and head always tilt slightly backwards a little. Dr. Ned calls this the “Secondary Spine Angle Tilt.” This also causes the arms and club to be pulled a little backwards, more laid off. The key is we have to fight this by trying to keep the shaft as vertical as we can in the transition and down to impact. If we let the shaft fall back it will lay off as much as to parallel to the ground or more and also fall more inside. This will cause getting trapped behind the body approaching the ball, causing a big inside out swing path that will hit big blocks. To stop the blocks, big time over rotation of the arms hits big pulls. This is the dilemma Sergio battled a few years ago.
So I had 3 swing problems with K to correct. 1. Too much turn and getting the arms and club deep into the SBG. 2. Club getting laid off. 3. The loop and laying the club off more and getting deeper behind the body in the transition.
K is well aware of and understands the concept of vertical 12:00 o’clock and light at the top and the limited turn to only the forward arm over the toe line. No explanations were needed, so I immediately wrote on his lesson prescription sheet in the drills section the one he needed.
Butt on The Wall to stand the club up was the first. He knows this drill well as I have written it as a drill many times and he knew he would bang the wall if he did it. The drill is to back up to a wall in your address position until your butt touches the wall. The make your takeaway into the mitt and lift your arms and club up to the top of your backswing. Make the limited turn and lift your arms and club vertical and the club head will never touch the wall with all clubs, including the driver.
Then I added two tests he needed to do quite often when practicing, even playing, to check his shoulder turn. The first is the “See the Back Toe Test.” This test is simple. At address, turn and lift your arms and club to the top of your backswing and stop and hold your arms in place. Then look from the ball down to your back foot. If you see any part of your toes you are too deep. A PPGS limited turn of the forward arm turning only to the toe line will have the forward arm ALWAYS covering the toes so you should NEVER see them. So actually the test is really “Don’t see your toes.” K saw his foot every time and with the longer clubs was seeing all the way up to his knee, as he was getting so deep into the SBG.
The second top of back swing test is the “Shoulder Tap Test. Swing to the top and stop. Then, while maintaining the position, slowly open your top hand and let the club slowly fall downward until it touches your shoulder. A correct limited turn and vertical club will have the shaft tap you in the soft fleshy part of the center of your shoulder. Too much turn and the shaft will tap your bicep. Getting way too much shoulder turn and the club will fall outside of your arm and never touch it. If you let go, it would fall to the ground never touching your hip or leg.
The transition drill to fight the club being pulled back and laid off is called the “Vertical Pull Down.” Swing to the top of your backswing, stop and hold the club vertical. Turn your head to see your hands and the shaft. The drill is to hold your torso still, so you can only feel your hands and arms move. Pull them and the club slowly and deliberately straight down, 4 to 6 inches max. The key is to focus in on both wrists and forearms and feel the firmness needed in them to pull the vertical club straight down, keeping the club as vertical as you can. Do this slowly and smoothly down then up and down quite a few times until you have figured out the firmness you need to hold the club vertical. (Note: in a dynamic swing, the transition will cause the club to be pulled backwards. The point of this drill is to experience the extra effort, energy, power and force you need to exert to fight this and keep the club as vertical as you are able to do.)
Now, when you have a good feel for the extra force needed to keep the club vertical as much as possible, we go to part 2 by adding transition in with a little forward hip bump. You will now have a little spine tilt and feel more force pulling the shaft backwards. You will need to add more power and energy to counter this extra force to keep the club as vertical as you possibly can. The extra force you feel in this little transition will be considerably increased in a real swing. The key with this “Pull Down” drill is your brain and muscles are being made aware of the pull back force the transition places on the club and the counter force you need to have to fight it to keep the shaft as vertical as you can. I had K do at least 20 to 30 pull downs and he said he could really feel the difference of the weight of the club being lighter and more controlled and easier to swing when he powered up and worked to fight the pull back and keep it vertical.
I told K I had done this “Pull Down” drill what feels like a million times and I still do it quite often today. I believe you can never do it enough to be made aware of the change of forces placed on the body, especially the club during the swing, and the firmness and power you need to have to control your body and club. This is the basis of my Surgism for swinging the club that states; “I must swing the club…the club does not swing me.”
K got the message and the feelings in this lesson as to what he needed to have for a proper limited turn backswing and a vertical shaft, especially the energy and forces he needed to have to fight to maintain the shaft vertical in the transition. Do these tests and drills and you too, like K and me, will know where your body and club are at the top of your back swing and the energy and effort needed to control your club in the transition.
The Surge!
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What is the consensus of getting fitted for clubs before or after golf lesson swing change instructions?
the butt against the wall drill was demonstrated by Jimmy Ballard with host Peter Kessler on the Golf channel in about 1997/
Several responders to yesterday’s blog were mentioning tennis-golf elbow. This also came up on another golf website that I receive. Golfers on that website recommended a product called “Biofreeze”. My wife and I, who both have had elbow problems, tried the product and found that it actually helps quite a bit. It has some of the same properties as BenGay but is much more effective. Biofreeze can be purchased on line from a number of different vendors.
Hi Don, check out page 72/March Golf Digest.
Surge, I understand all of the drills except the Shoulder tap. It is hard to visualize what you are recommending. Some pictures or diagrams would be helpful. I don’t know what you mean when saying “Open your top hand and let the club fall slowly.” very confusing. Thanks.
Careful Surge, or you won’t be selling many tape series… wonderful, spot on instruction…keep ‘em rolling (into the cup)
Now – leave us alone… we have a certain game to watch later!!!
Jason,
I recommend getting fitted after making swing changes as we want to clubs to fit the setup and swing unless the pro feels they are so badly fitted you would have difficulty making good swing to be able to hit good shots.
When students come to me for the first time and want a multiple hour lesson and fitting, I always do some of the lesson first and get them into good posture and make swing improvements that help them get a better fit.
Don
To Bob,
I have been using the “Butt on the Wall” drill in writing and lessons since the mid to late eighties as it is a great drill to demonstrate the “Limited Turn/Vertical” swing concept in the mitt and up the tree metaphor I use . I don’t want to get into a who figured it out first, but I know that when I did, I can not recall ever having seen it referenced anywhere.
The Surge!
Dick,
When we shoot some drills videos I will be sure the shoulder tap is included.
The Surge!
Surg,
I think you had someone proof read this article! Its great and very understandable. As always thanks a bunch.
Rod
Thank you Surge! This was my favorite article yet (and that’s saying a lot)! I’m using these drills immediately!
aloha don
your method helped me shoot a 75 last friday I have been taking short irons back straighter giving me more consistent accuracy I still take driver inside a bit & my flexibility allows full level backswing I went to fit some clubs for fun and found I was too far from the ball and crowding it helped center contact on clubface Normally I shoot low to mid eighties If I can control my putting distances I’d have more eagles & birdies Thankyou CF
Hi, I tried to visualise the swing as you described it in your last blog and it sounds to me like you are advocating the Furyk swing, surely not
This “Butt on the watt” drill is a great help. I’m 77 and thought I was beyond hope to see some improvement in my game. I just love to play and still want to do my best. After retirement, I took up this game and find it restful (at times) and great fun to play.
Hi Don,
I wrote to you a while ago concerning the club laying off during the transition from the backswing to the foward swing. The pull down drill is the answer to my swing fault. After trying it a few times, I videoed my swing and “voila” the lay off was gone. I think this is an excellent drill to use while warming up before a round, and anytime the swing begins to break down. That is, if the setup is correct. I combined the see your toe drill and the pull down drill together and felt much more free and light in the down swing after practicing the drills. Thanks for the great insight, it was “spot on”.
Thanks again,
Wayne
This was a really good post. Great drills explained in simple terms.
Don, just a thought, would it help if a few members sent videos of their swing for you and your staff to analyze? Perhaps the first five or so. To see the “Not so perfect” swing broken down with comments and advise would be helpful or me and certainly others as well. thanks, Steven
Don,
When performing the pull down drill I feel very little force required to pull the club down that 4-6″.
Does this mean the club is in the proper verticle position, balanced, and therefore ready for the forward bump?
The club head speed seems to be much faster when starting off from the proper verticle position.
Oh by the way, the ‘in the doorway drill’ has helped me establish the proper bump amount and thus led to a proper stance width.
Great drills.
John
Hey Don
Do you ever have any students who turn too little? I have been playing great with your system but took 4 weeks off, and first time back was hitting shanks, or banana slices every shot (even with wedge).
I just did the butt on the wall drill, and it is apparent I am nowhere near SBG, in fact I am not even getting it to the toe line. I think it has been my conscious effort to restrict my turn has just gone too far…
Any tips for those of us who turn too little? I haven’t seen this covered in the manuals or posts, as you usually focus on too much turn?
Cheers Lucas
I must not understand the “shoulder tap” drill as there is no way the club will fall to my shoulder…it seems to be physically impossible!
I tend to take the club inside a little too much and I also struggle with ball first contact with my irons…….are the two related?
Thanks
Wow! Great lesson this time. I am a visual learner and I usually have a hard time converting your words to pictures in my mind, but you reached me this time. Only the “shoullder tap” has me working. I will practice a bit and see if I can get it. I guess what you teach is so different that it takes a while to transition before you can go to the next step.Keep up the good work
GREAT NEWS ON DJ…..BEAUTIFUL PLAY….AND THE WHOLE YEAR TO COME!
Donnie:
One of the best lessons for me also. Have always felt there was a missing element in my transition and could’t pin point it. My instructor once briefly tried to describe the vertical transititon, but didn’t convey it in enough detail, and didn’t provide a useful drill. Cannot thank you enough!
Looking forward to a third consecutive “most improved” year on Long Island.
FD24
Hi Surge
It would be great to view a slow motion video on what you are saying above.
It is hard to do exactly as you are saying and not sue if this drill is correct when I am trying to put this into practice.
Hi Don
Love your stuff and have been having some success with your new swing programme. Could I suggest that your create a whole range of you and DJ hitting buckets of golf balls with plenty of video.
I`m a real visual person and a member of the PPGS and I don`t think you have enough video of you guys actually hitting all your clubs. I would like to see the ball in flight as well(if possible).
Don, thanks again and let me know what you think.
Yours in Golf
Chris from Australia.
Don,
This lesson & post is excellent-concise, clear & very understandable (one of the best yet!) The idea of taking us through with a student then the use of a drill(s) to explain the problem in the lesson is a perfect concept that seems to eliminate any doubt as to what you are saying or what needs to be achieved…great lesson.
I wrote in a different post yesterday if much the same thing could be done with a lesson,diagrams or stills position photos of your trueism that during the swing the ‘hands stay perpendicular to the ground” from setup,in the mitt back,at the top,1/2 down,impact,in the mitt up & finish.
I think(but dont know) i must be doing this after now making your PPGS my swing after persisting & practising its Stance,Alignment,Wide Kness & 3/4 Backswing concepts so that they are now a natural mandatory part of my EVERY swing (i dont even have to think anymore about doing this as it has become naturally part of my game now)
I believe this would be a great lesson for all & if you can explain (like todays lesson with a student) & even show it diagramatically or still photos of a student or yourself the Perpendicular Hands position in the key parts of the movement it would explain how the your hands & arms apply in the PPGS.
.
NB.Yesterday in played Pennants golf for my club v’s another (in pouring rain on a bog track that should have been closed for golf) & won my match (3 & 2) against their No 1 (and i was No.3 in our team so imagine i was a little nervous).I birdied the no.1 index hole on the course putting my 2nd 4 ft from the pin after hitting a pure ppgs shot dead straight 150m (165yds???) to a very elevated green.
3 weeks ago i dont think i could have played this shot with the confidence in my golf swing that i had yesterday-i played that shot knowing with my newish swing that i could play it.My opponent (whom was their team Captain & very experienced) sais it was the best game of Matchplay golf that he had played in…so for someone that has played only matchplay 3 times i feel great that my game really stood the test of nerves & the pressure that matchplay can serve-straight & consistent swinging won me the match for sure over his occassional offline shot which i recognised from your lessons was a swing fault.He was always playing the mind game tricks but i just played my swing the same & as often as i could repeat it…..many thanks & i really mean you have made me a much “betterer” player.
A slice had crept into my drives on Saturday & I couldn’t figure out why, as I thought I was performing the PPGS swing well & all my irons & 3 wood were going where I aimed (more or less!).
I just read this blog & immediately got up & tried the Back Toe Test & ‘got it’.
Great instruction as usual (& good to see some diagrams being put in some of the more recent previous blogs).
Keep ‘em coming.
I have to say I enjoy so much all the daily e-mails. I’m so pleased that I have become part of the PPGS program. It has and will be very much part of my golf life. I just wanted to say thank you for everything and I look forward to reading tomorrows e-mail. I am 67 have played golf now for 10 years and enjoy it like crazy. Thanks so much. Ron
Butt against the wall, I read that in a Garry Player book in 1964,
BUT, My question is, what can I do to stop most of my shots going left, particularly my driver. sometimes a direct left and sometimes an unwanted hook. I always sliced my driver and long irons before. Now, I am going mostly straight,slight fade or none. but I usually go a little to a lot left with the short Irons ?? confusing to me. I always ask my caddy to check my direction from behind, both club face and feet. (parralel straight to target).
Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong ? John
Don-
there is software out there that would allow you to digitize your swing and make an animatic which you could use to show what your students are asking for. The animatic is used to create storyboards prior to making 3D animation. The purpose of the 3D animation is the feature of 360 degree visuals ofwhat you are trying to get across. Throw in a target along with lines of perspective and your visualization is complete. Contact me if you would like help on this. I have a project underway where we are doing this to show how our product works. The problem with real life video is it is typically a view from behind and or the side. Real video cannot match 3D in imagery and VR is even better but harder to do. The point is your verbal explanations are difficult to understand for some of your students. Not all, but some. This could be a breakthrough moment for PPGS. Nobody in your market is doing this.
To Clive,
Jim Furyk, in his unique has the PPGS in that he never gets his arms and club behind his toe line.
He stands quite close to it, and takes eh club a little outside and then loops it bacl to his tie line and swings up from there which is basically the PPGS with an on line hit but he custs across it a little to a cut finish so he works he ball a little from left to right.
But make no mistake about it, Jim Furyk ha a limited turn backswing and keeps his arms an dclub in front of his body throughout the swing.
The surge!.
To Mark Plunkett,
Congratulations Mate, for your fine victory defeating the number 1 player and captain of the other team.
You mentioned that he played some mind tricks in the match but you just played your game and your swing and did well. I wrote an article about this on March 10th titled “Gamesmanship” that discusses different forms of playing mind tricks and doing other things to disrupt one’s concentration and mess up their swing. You can go to the top of this page and in the search box type in Gamesmanship and it will bring up the article in the list to choose from.
As for seeing positions of seeing my hands in the palms perpendicular throughout the swing, they are available in the Foundations swing manual. My editor is working hard to get more illustrations and pictures in the daily articles. The issue is I am a golf pro and he and my computer tech guys call me “computer Challenged. I am getting better with their help as well as with my Son in law’s help. But for now, pictures come from my editor being able to do it more than me. But we are working on it and hopefully we can have pictures and illustrations become the norm on a regular basis.
Again, Congrats,
The Surge!
I agree with Dick that some visulatizations would really help to understand some of the exact positions you are talking about. Please include drawings or pictures. Thanks
Hi Don
I’m up here Helena Mt. and we have alot of snow and get achange to out golfing now.
I’m not quite sure what you mean about the bump
Dick
to Dick Burk :
the BUMP is a tiny lateral motion of the hips and legs at the start of the backswing and at the start of the forward swing. It is a TINY motion of the hips toward the rear foot at the beginning of the backswing, and a corresponding forward motion of the hips forward at the beginning of the forwarrd swing. This motion is no more than ONE INCH, and the upper body must remain motionless during the bump — then the rotation “into the mitt” occurs, followed by”up the tree”
Kepp hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG
Amos
Surge encourages us to keep and watch our stats. When I looked on D Johnson’s after his second round lead I thought – he’s playing far better than his stats would indicate. It would be hard to believe he could hold up. I must admit he did pretty well. But at the same time I looked at Stricker’s stats and thought it was his tournament to win. Pretty impressive win it was.
Glad to see DJ make another cut. There was some pretty big names who didn’t. Seems like driving inaccuracy made scoring better difficult. Putting stat went from 130 to 110 this week – but the score doesn’t reflect that improvement. Those Rivera greens must be fast. DJ tends to blow first putts 3 or more ft by. That announcers mentioned a couple of players who are working with Dave Stockton. I wonder if DJ would benefit from working with him too.
For Dick and Jim Fahy; re the Shoulder Tap Test: Maybe I can help you visualize the test.
1. Set up, then in slow-motion make your normal torso turn and club backswing, now stop and hold that position at the top of your backswing.
2. Slightly open your top hand (Right hand for right-handed golfers) and gently let the club fall from it’s “top-of-backswing” position to your right shoulder.
3. If your PPGS limited turn is correct, the club should fall in the center or soft part of your right shoulder.
4. If you have too much turn and backswing, the club will fall on your bicep.
5. If you have WAY too much turn, the club will miss your whole right side and fall to the ground.
6. If you’re left handed, just put in “left” instead of “right” and you’ll have it.
Hope this helps and have a great day. R2
Wow! Just what I needed. This is a great article and teaching Mr. Trahan.
I am in the process of getting fitted for new clubs. During the fitting, the video analysis of my swing showed that I was casting the club, my club release was early. Apparently the PPGS should be a late release. The manual show me where my club needs to be. My shots are usually (7 out of 10 times) to the right Hopefully the pull down drill will help me get my transition and beginning of my backswing where it needs to be.
Thanks again for the awesome instruction that you provide daily to us.
To everyone learning the PPGS, I really encourage you to routinely do a video swing analysis. It has helped me to identify two major swing problems that I am having with my swing that I didn’t know I was doing.
HI SURGE
Frank here the drill re keeping the hands vertigal to the swing showing you holding the book I thought was great and because we are up to our a.. in snow here I went to the dome in Barrie the other day and found this tip to be greaaaat . I spend a lot of time during the day looking at your videos and swing in the house just so I can make sure that everything you are talking about is fresh in my mind when I go to the dome.
Thanks again Frank
SURGE,
I have been working the whole super bowl week end (here in Las Vegas) and and just now able to read the last two blogs. Wow! Sundays especially is (was) so good. All these drills will help us get verticle. Love that 4-6 inch idea at the top, super. I notice too your tech guys have added the feature of highlighted WORDS like BUMP and SBG so we can click and learn or review details on those thoughts. You just get better and better at teaching Surge, Thanks a million!
Down the middle,
Robert
Don,
What causes a right-handed player to develop rotator-cuff pain on the back shoulder? How can the pain be resolved and how can it be prevented from re-occurring?
George
Surge,
Love the instructions. OK with you selling your own products. Enough already with the weight loss sales pitches!
Would anyone under 40 please let us know if you have tried this swing?
Thanks.
I have been a single handicap for 2-3 years now. 8.6 index at my cc. but lately i have found myself in a “funk” that i cannot get out of. struggling to shoot under 92 right now. i just bought your videos. I am going to go back to my basics and try out your PP wish me luck.
Ginsu.
I am 35 and use the swing. It has really improved my game. Why does age matter anyway?
Are there any PPGS instructors in the Tampa area?
I am a lefty PLEASE print more articles for leftiesPLEASE!!! No one else does!!!!
Paul
P.S. A PICTURE IS WORTH A LOT MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORD’S TO ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see my toes!
I am 6ft 4 inches tall. With my butt against the wall and my vertical swing(not touching the wall) I
always see my toes!!! Does my height screw up this test–ie longer body, longer legs.
I can block the toe view by pushing my arms away from body quite a bit–I guess that’s where I am supposed to be???
Students learn by different modalities, some by verbal some observation, and some by kinetic. You explain the problem very well and gave your students a set of prescriptions to correct the problem. You talked about the “vertical pull down” another one of your is-m’s, which is long and convoluted. There is no a beginning golfer can read your abridgment and understand what you’re saying without some type of visual reinforcement. A little streaming video would go a long way. Try using more than just text.
Don,
You Rock!!!