Mind Blown -- The BEST DRILL EVER

[WILDTHING]

Ok, so I am a Shawn Clement fan and love his perpetual motion drill. I have seen his throw the club video and never tried it but saw this thread and thought I would give it at try today. I have an extra sand wedge in the garage that I use to swing around the house. Here is an honest recap:

 

1)Drove to baseball field that was 100% empty this morning.

2)First throw to my target was not so great and the club went about 30 yards left of my intended target...and I almost hit my own car in the parking lot.

3)After 4 or 5 more attempts my release was getting timed better but my overall results were that I still tended to release my club left of target.

4)My club seem to have a low flight even when I tried to aim higher.

5)on my last attempt I was aiming at a fence about 30 yards away and hit my target...and snapped by club in half...you can't make this stuff up folks.

6)Tried to take it to the range right after I tried this on the baseball field and was hitting weak right shots. I realize I didn't give it a fair shot but after about 20 tries I just switched back to my regular swing thoughts.

 

Still like Shawn and still like the perpetual motion drill but this one just hasn't sunk in yet for me.

 

Imho, a general 'throwing the club to a target' is not enough of a mental focus intent. It may work to help you find the bottom of the swing but it doesn't square the clubface for me. Therefore, I actually 'feel' as if there is a heavy penny stuck on the centre of my clubface and I need to throw it to the target . But I also find the strike improves when I picture/feel how the ball is going to react to the clubhead swinging through it before I do the takeaway (ie. seeing the trajectory of the ball in my 'minds eye' going towards the target).

 

If the ball doesn't go where you intended, all you need to do is improve your focus intent ,judgement and naturalness until the setup matches the picture and everything gets back on track. That's the fun part because you don't get frustrated and confused by mechanical fix thoughts.

[wadesworld]

Questions: How much damage does this do to clubs? Do I have to count on using an older club that I no longer use?

 

Absolutely, use an old club.

 

If it hits just right (or wrong), a club can be snapped in half or bent on even on a seemingly gentle bounce. Never use your real clubs.

[Frohlich]

Here is another good one from Shawn that resonated with me on kinetic sequence:

 

 

[GMR]

Great thread! I am definitely going to give this a try as it appeals to my baseball instincts. I have struggled with being OTT and will try anything to cure it. When I read and watch Waldron or George Gankas, they make sense and I feel like I can do it in slo-motion. However, put a ball in front of me and I am back to struggling.

 

Questions: How much damage does this do to clubs? Do I have to count on using an older club that I no longer use?

 

Now I need to convince my wife or son to go with me to the park so I don't look like a maniac having a temper tantrum.... :haha:

As long as the clubs are landing on soft grass they should be fine, but if there is any chance they will hit a sidewalk or tree you probably want to use an old one.

 

Honestly you may not want to bring anyone with you the first time you do this. As others have discovered, until you get the hang of it, your dispersion may well be MASSIVE (think 75* offline). If you do bring anyone make sure they are a safe distance behind you.

[WILDTHING]

'PMD' , 'wait for the cycle of momentum' , external focus cues , RIBS for feedback (Rhythm, Impact, Balance, Strain) , 'Getting Out Of The Way' , 'Centripetal Pump' , 'Swinging to a Target' are natural ways to learn how to play this game. I am benefiting from Shawn Clements short game technique where it's still important to do the latter (even to smaller degrees) but has also helped improve my long game too.

[wadesworld]

'PMD' , 'wait for the cycle of momentum' , external focus cues , RIBS for feedback (Rhythm, Impact, Balance, Strain) , 'Getting Out Of The Way' , 'Centripetal Pump' , 'Swinging to a Target' are natural ways to learn how to play this game. I am benefiting from Shawn Clements short game technique where it's still important to do the latter (even to smaller degrees) but has also helped improve my long game too.

 

I firmly believe that people who struggle with touch or their tempo in the full swing are not utilizing gravity.

 

Outstanding touch comes from utilizing gravity. As Shawn teaches us, when we utilize gravity, our brain can make the calculations of how much momentum is needed to send the ball to that spot. We're experts at it. But when we take over and try to manipulate the club through the swing, we take away that crucial input to our brain. We might still hit an OK shot, but we've dramatically reduced our chances of doing so.

 

My game has benefited tremendously from paying attention to gravity and feeling that centripetal force pulling on the club, even on the short shots - things you never feel if you try to be in control of the club and do it all yourself.

[Frohlich]

'PMD' , 'wait for the cycle of momentum' , external focus cues , RIBS for feedback (Rhythm, Impact, Balance, Strain) , 'Getting Out Of The Way' , 'Centripetal Pump' , 'Swinging to a Target' are natural ways to learn how to play this game. I am benefiting from Shawn Clements short game technique where it's still important to do the latter (even to smaller degrees) but has also helped improve my long game too.

'PMD' , 'wait for the cycle of momentum' , external focus cues , RIBS for feedback (Rhythm, Impact, Balance, Strain) , 'Getting Out Of The Way' , 'Centripetal Pump' , 'Swinging to a Target' are natural ways to learn how to play this game. I am benefiting from Shawn Clements short game technique where it's still important to do the latter (even to smaller degrees) but has also helped improve my long game too.

 

I firmly believe that people who struggle with touch or their tempo in the full swing are not utilizing gravity.

 

Outstanding touch comes from utilizing gravity. As Shawn teaches us, when we utilize gravity, our brain can make the calculations of how much momentum is needed to send the ball to that spot. We're experts at it. But when we take over and try to manipulate the club through the swing, we take away that crucial input to our brain. We might still hit an OK shot, but we've dramatically reduced our chances of doing so.

 

My game has benefited tremendously from paying attention to gravity and feeling that centripetal force pulling on the club, even on the short shots - things you never feel if you try to be in control of the club and do it all yourself.

 

Its funny, the more I watch Shawn Clement videos the more the ideas connect for me and are starting to come together. He uses the analogy of "pit bull and the rag doll" and it never really clicked for me until the video I posted above (and again below) on the kinetic sequence. The illustration he did with the long baseball hitting stick with the ball at the end really let me understand what he was taking about with letting the club gather at the top of the backs wing. The last two range sessions I have really focused on letting the club gather at the top...pause if you will..and then accelerate on the way down only when the momentum is ready. I have a long history of rushing my back swing so I am breaking old habits but man have I been flushing some of my shots recently (not all of them yet...I am getting there). I am very encouraged that if I keep practicing these techniques I will be able to take it from the range to the course. I am an 8 handicap but always gotten by with good driving, good short game and poor iron game. If I can get my iron came in shape with some of these thoughts and techniques, I hope to take the next step.

 

The stuff below from about the 3:00 minute mark to about the 9:00 mark really clicked for me...the analogies and demos he used made sense and let me have a few "ah ha" moments:

[wadesworld]

 

Its funny, the more I watch Shawn Clement videos the more the ideas connect for me and are starting to come together. He uses the analogy of "pit bull and the rag doll" and it never really clicked for me until the video I posted above (and again below) on the kinetic sequence. The illustration he did with the long baseball hitting stick with the ball at the end really let me understand what he was taking about with letting the club gather at the top of the backs wing. The last two range sessions I have really focused on letting the club gather at the top...pause if you will..and then accelerate on the way down only when the momentum is ready. I have a long history of rushing my back swing so I am breaking old habits but man have I been flushing some of my shots recently (not all of them yet...I am getting there). I am very encouraged that if I keep practicing these techniques I will be able to take it from the range to the course. I am an 8 handicap but always gotten by with good driving, good short game and poor iron game. If I can get my iron came in shape with some of these thoughts and techniques, I hope to take the next step.

 

It too has taken me years to start to connect the dots. For so many years I thought I was doing what Shawn said, but over time I've learned I was often no where near doing what he said.

 

The thing about what Shawn teaches is, it's 100% correct. It HAS to be. It's just physics and anatomy. If you take your focus off the ball and embrace whichever of his metaphors work for you, you HAVE to have a beautiful sequence. If you let go of control and allow the club to track its own arc utilizing gravity and centripetal force, it HAS to track well - the laws of physics make it impossible for anything else to happen. If your give your brain a task and truly get out of its way, it will deliver at an amazing rate of success.

 

Now, why do we still hit bad shots? Because we still have significant challenges to overcome. It's really, really hard to suppress our desire to be in control and "make sure" that X happens. When we do so, we short-circuit those infallible physics and magic of our brain, and a less-than-optimal outcome is the result. Or, a small error in setup for example can prevent us from giving up control. Our brain knows it can't hit the shot we want because of the way we setup, so it has to force us to try to "save" the shot, and a poor shot is often the result. And while it's not possible to groove a mechanical motion, we do get better at performing tasks the more we perform them. Finally there's the whole experience side of things, which teaches you proper course management, how to assess what you can get out of a particular lie, etc. No matter how good your ball striking and short game, that has to improve as well to become an excellent golfer.

[cmckelvmi]

wadesworld and GMR, thank you for your replies.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get anyone to go with me last night, but I should tonight. My plan is to have them stand like they're taking a DTL video (actually, I will see if they can do some slo-mo videos). I watched some of Shawn Clements videos last night and I think I will start with some easier soft throws like he suggested before adding distance and velocity. I have some older clubs that my son doesn't use anymore, plus the grips are old and slick. I will use these to help learn the concept.

[GMR]

wadesworld and GMR, thank you for your replies.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get anyone to go with me last night, but I should tonight. My plan is to have them stand like they're taking a DTL video (actually, I will see if they can do some slo-mo videos). I watched some of Shawn Clements videos last night and I think I will start with some easier soft throws like he suggested before adding distance and velocity. I have some older clubs that my son doesn't use anymore, plus the grips are old and slick. I will use these to help learn the concept.

Report back, will be interested to hear how it goes!

[cmckelvmi]

So I had a little bit of an adventure last night attempting my first club throwing drill. First was finding a place to use, the first two parks we went to still had standing water from all of the rain we have had. We finally went to the school grounds and used a practice soccer field. I took 4 old irons and 4 old woods ranging from driver to 7 wood along with a baseball bat. My wife didn't understand the point of doing this drill and thought it seemed dangerous so I showed her one of Shawn Clement's videos. I set up to attempt my first club throw toward the open soccer field and my wife stops me and says you're doing it wrong, the guy in the video used trees to aim at. So I turned toward some trees, one was about 20 yards away the next was about 30 yards away. I threw my first club right into the 30 yard tree where the club stayed among some branches. Okay, good thing I brought several clubs. My next throw I release way too late and goes almost directly behind me onto an adjacent tennis court. Okay, I feel like I can judge when to release my club now so I throw my next one toward a tree about 40 yards away. That club ended up treed in the 30 yard tree a few branches lower than the first club. That's it, I am going to go with my original plan and throw toward the empty field. I felt good and checked my wife's footage after each throw which showed that I didn't have my typical OTT. I was excited and couldn't wait to hit some balls to see how things transferred. Thinking ahead I took two balls with me and used an 8 iron to hit some shots. The first was practically a shank squirting off about 45 degrees to the right. I don't shank balls so I figured it was an anomaly and hit my second ball which felt great and went dead straight. Of course this soccer field was a bit overgrown and I couldn't find either ball. We went home and I took my SkyTrak to the garage for a practice session. Trying to not have any swing thoughts, just imagining the throwing the club feel. I used my 7 iron and hit it about as good as I have in a long time. I know I will get laughed at since I don't have golfwrx distance with any club. However, I had several shots with my 7 iron that went over 170 yards. Crazy for me because my 7 iron is usally around 140 yards. Very happy with this progress, the only negative was I had a pretty strong draw even hook on some shots. I am hoping this is just from not pivoting enough and I can straighten it out and keep the distance.

 

Oh, by the way, I was able to throw my baseball bat into the tree to retrieve the clubs that were stuck.

 

Sorry for the long post, but I am excited and hopeful that I might have finally cured my OTT!

[wadesworld]

Sorry for the long post, but I am excited and hopeful that I might have finally cured my OTT!

 

Glad to hear it cmckelvmi!

 

You haven't cured anything because you still will have swings where you come OTT. It's called a short-circuit. As you take the club back, you'll think "hmm...did I start a bit too inside?" Or, you'll think "I have to be SURE I don't slice this." When you lose your focus, you'll do what Shawn calls "blacking out." And when you black out, your brain will immediately default to the ball as your target and you'll come OTT again.

 

But, now instead of trying to fix an OTT move by standing on the range and hitting 5,000 balls with a shoebox outside the ball, you're fixing the OTT changing your focus. Your challenge when you play now is "on how many shots did I maintain excellent focus and complete my throw to my target without trying to manipulate the club?"

 

There's still a lot more to discover and you'll still have ups and downs, but you've taken the first step to learning golf in a new way and a much more productive way, in my opinion. Once you transfer that feeling of utilizing the weight of the club and focusing on a task and getting out of your own way in both short game and putting, you'll really see additional progress.

[cmckelvmi]

wadesworld Thank you for the feedback. I have ignored the mental aspect to golf, but I will need to give it more respect.

[Frohlich]

Sorry for the long post, but I am excited and hopeful that I might have finally cured my OTT!

 

Glad to hear it cmckelvmi!

 

You haven't cured anything because you still will have swings where you come OTT. It's called a short-circuit. As you take the club back, you'll think "hmm...did I start a bit too inside?" Or, you'll think "I have to be SURE I don't slice this." When you lose your focus, you'll do what Shawn calls "blacking out." And when you black out, your brain will immediately default to the ball as your target and you'll come OTT again.

 

But, now instead of trying to fix an OTT move by standing on the range and hitting 5,000 balls with a shoebox outside the ball, you're fixing the OTT changing your focus. Your challenge when you play now is "on how many shots did I maintain excellent focus and complete my throw to my target without trying to manipulate the club?"

 

There's still a lot more to discover and you'll still have ups and downs, but you've taken the first step to learning golf in a new way and a much more productive way, in my opinion. Once you transfer that feeling of utilizing the weight of the club and focusing on a task and getting out of your own way in both short game and putting, you'll really see additional progress.

 

I have been following Shawn a lot and I think you get his message 100%. It took me a while to digest what he "meant" and I still have a lot of work to do because my habit is to "control" the swing and hit the ball instead of letting it just happen by swinging to a target. I can do it with the driver pretty darn well but with irons I still have old bad habits to break.

[cmckelvmi]

Sorry for the long post, but I am excited and hopeful that I might have finally cured my OTT!

 

Glad to hear it cmckelvmi!

 

You haven't cured anything because you still will have swings where you come OTT. It's called a short-circuit. As you take the club back, you'll think "hmm...did I start a bit too inside?" Or, you'll think "I have to be SURE I don't slice this." When you lose your focus, you'll do what Shawn calls "blacking out." And when you black out, your brain will immediately default to the ball as your target and you'll come OTT again.

 

But, now instead of trying to fix an OTT move by standing on the range and hitting 5,000 balls with a shoebox outside the ball, you're fixing the OTT changing your focus. Your challenge when you play now is "on how many shots did I maintain excellent focus and complete my throw to my target without trying to manipulate the club?"

 

There's still a lot more to discover and you'll still have ups and downs, but you've taken the first step to learning golf in a new way and a much more productive way, in my opinion. Once you transfer that feeling of utilizing the weight of the club and focusing on a task and getting out of your own way in both short game and putting, you'll really see additional progress.

 

I have been following Shawn a lot and I think you get his message 100%. It took me a while to digest what he "meant" and I still have a lot of work to do because my habit is to "control" the swing and hit the ball instead of letting it just happen by swinging to a target. I can do it with the driver pretty darn well but with irons I still have old bad habits to break.

 

Yeah, when I hit the ball the best last night it was with the 'swing thought' of throwing the club and as Shawn said, to get out of the way of the club (particularly when he was swinging an axe).

[me05501]

Do any of you Clement fans own/use a Whippy Tempomaster club? I have a couple, I need to get them back out.

 

Watching the video where he swings the long batting trainer reminded me of those tools. The cool thing is you can hit balls with them. They really let you feel that kinetic momentum.

 

[Frohlich]

This Shawn Clement stuff is finally sinking in after trying to switch over to it about 6 weeks ago. The first couple of weeks I could start doing it on the range but on the course I would have lapses of going back to old habits. Finally the last two days I have played and shot 78 and 77 (pretty good for me) and feel like I am still leaving strokes out there ... which is encouraging. I know I have a plenty of room for improvement and have to make it more ingrained but I am very encouraged. This two videos are my go to videos for now:

 

Perpetual motion:

 

 

Kinetic Sequence and pausing at the top (using gravity)

[GMR]

So I had a little bit of an adventure last night attempting my first club throwing drill. First was finding a place to use, the first two parks we went to still had standing water from all of the rain we have had. We finally went to the school grounds and used a practice soccer field. I took 4 old irons and 4 old woods ranging from driver to 7 wood along with a baseball bat. My wife didn't understand the point of doing this drill and thought it seemed dangerous so I showed her one of Shawn Clement's videos. I set up to attempt my first club throw toward the open soccer field and my wife stops me and says you're doing it wrong, the guy in the video used trees to aim at. So I turned toward some trees, one was about 20 yards away the next was about 30 yards away. I threw my first club right into the 30 yard tree where the club stayed among some branches. Okay, good thing I brought several clubs. My next throw I release way too late and goes almost directly behind me onto an adjacent tennis court. Okay, I feel like I can judge when to release my club now so I throw my next one toward a tree about 40 yards away. That club ended up treed in the 30 yard tree a few branches lower than the first club. That's it, I am going to go with my original plan and throw toward the empty field. I felt good and checked my wife's footage after each throw which showed that I didn't have my typical OTT. I was excited and couldn't wait to hit some balls to see how things transferred. Thinking ahead I took two balls with me and used an 8 iron to hit some shots. The first was practically a shank squirting off about 45 degrees to the right. I don't shank balls so I figured it was an anomaly and hit my second ball which felt great and went dead straight. Of course this soccer field was a bit overgrown and I couldn't find either ball. We went home and I took my SkyTrak to the garage for a practice session. Trying to not have any swing thoughts, just imagining the throwing the club feel. I used my 7 iron and hit it about as good as I have in a long time. I know I will get laughed at since I don't have golfwrx distance with any club. However, I had several shots with my 7 iron that went over 170 yards. Crazy for me because my 7 iron is usally around 140 yards. Very happy with this progress, the only negative was I had a pretty strong draw even hook on some shots. I am hoping this is just from not pivoting enough and I can straighten it out and keep the distance.

 

Oh, by the way, I was able to throw my baseball bat into the tree to retrieve the clubs that were stuck.

 

Sorry for the long post, but I am excited and hopeful that I might have finally cured my OTT!

Sorry I was out of town and missed it when you posted it, but this is exactly why i felt it worthwhile to create this thread in the first place. The idea is so simple and the results can be so dramatic and so quickly once the intent changes, that's it's really something all golfers try at least once since I think it really changes most peoples' perception of what exactly the GOAL of a good swing should be.

 

Thanks for sharing, and hope you can keep it going!

[WILDTHING]

Imho, there is one really important point about the setup that people need to be aware of when doing Shawn Clements PMD drill . When you see the blur of the club brushing the grass where you imagine the ball should be to match your intended/pictured trajectory to the target , you have to be aware (and careful) about your static address position.

 

Example being that while using a certain 'static' address setup (optimal to your own body), where you can easily make a nice fluent backswing in balance and without strain, the clubface sweetspot might not be directly behind the ball. When you do the PMD and judge where the ball needs to be in your dynamic swing , don't allow that awareness to force a subtle change in your 'static address set-up' that might compromise your natural backswing action (ie. an unconscious manipulation).

 

Thankfully , my clubface static address position with relation to the ball is pretty close to how it looks when doing PMD (but for others it might be different and they may have to address the ball nearer the heel or toe of the clubface). Hope this makes sense!

[Lorso]

You don't get wrx then...

 

Hah!!

[Frohlich]

Imho, there is one really important point about the setup that people need to be aware of when doing Shawn Clements PMD drill . When you see the blur of the club brushing the grass where you imagine the ball should be to match your intended/pictured trajectory to the target , you have to be aware (and careful) about your static address position.

 

Example being that while using a certain 'static' address setup (optimal to your own body), where you can easily make a nice fluent backswing in balance and without strain, the clubface sweetspot might not be directly behind the ball. When you do the PMD and judge where the ball needs to be in your dynamic swing , don't allow that awareness to force a subtle change in your 'static address set-up' that might compromise your natural backswing action (ie. an unconscious manipulation).

 

Thankfully , my clubface static address position with relation to the ball is pretty close to how it looks when doing PMD (but for others it might be different and they may have to address the ball nearer the heel or toe of the clubface). Hope this makes sense!

I definitely went through this when I first tried PMD. I was setting up in the static position to my old swing and it took me a couple of range sessions to adjust to the new distance away from the ball (I was hitting a bunch off the toe when I first started PMD). Like anything else, after a few attempts the brain adjusts and now the new distance away from the ball seems just as natural to me now as the old ball position to my old swing. The brain is funny and wants to get in the way until it trusts and understands the new process but then it quickly adapts...at least that is the way it seems to work for me.

[Giantsfan]

I did this drill with Fred Schumacher in one of his coaches training years ago...awesome drill. Highly recommended. He was great to take a lesson from. This just might be the drill I need for the issue I'm having currently. Great post!

[WILDTHING]

Imho, there is one really important point about the setup that people need to be aware of when doing Shawn Clements PMD drill . When you see the blur of the club brushing the grass where you imagine the ball should be to match your intended/pictured trajectory to the target , you have to be aware (and careful) about your static address position.

 

Example being that while using a certain 'static' address setup (optimal to your own body), where you can easily make a nice fluent backswing in balance and without strain, the clubface sweetspot might not be directly behind the ball. When you do the PMD and judge where the ball needs to be in your dynamic swing , don't allow that awareness to force a subtle change in your 'static address set-up' that might compromise your natural backswing action (ie. an unconscious manipulation).

 

Thankfully , my clubface static address position with relation to the ball is pretty close to how it looks when doing PMD (but for others it might be different and they may have to address the ball nearer the heel or toe of the clubface). Hope this makes sense!

I definitely went through this when I first tried PMD. I was setting up in the static position to my old swing and it took me a couple of range sessions to adjust to the new distance away from the ball (I was hitting a bunch off the toe when I first started PMD). Like anything else, after a few attempts the brain adjusts and now the new distance away from the ball seems just as natural to me now as the old ball position to my old swing. The brain is funny and wants to get in the way until it trusts and understands the new process but then it quickly adapts...at least that is the way it seems to work for me.

 

Unsure whether I have caused a bit of confusion with my above explanation.

 

Example :

1. Say at static address you have the clubface sweetspot directly behind the centre of an original imagined ball position. Your address setup is perfect for you to conduct a backswing free of strain and in balance to prepare you to optimally throw the clubface to an intended target in the forward swing.

 

2. Then as you do PMD , you can see that the clubface sweetspot is brushing the grass 2 inches above that 'imagined' ball position at impact (ie. everything else being perfect to fit your picture/intent).

 

Question:

How would you adjust your current setup so that the clubface sweetspot swung through the centre of that original 'imagined ball position' to the target?

 

a. Would you just leave your clubface where it was at setup (sweetspot behind centre of imaginary ball position) and move your 'body unit' a few inches back away from ball-target line , your arms a little more outstretched from your body?

 

or

 

b. Would you move your whole current static set-up a few inches back from that original imaginary ball position? Where your clubface sweetspot is now 2 inches under the 'ball-target' line (when looking from above)? Your clubface sweetspot no longer placed behind the centre of that imaginary ball position (as in original setup)?

 

If you chose option (a) above , you will have slightly compromised your perfect backswing balance and strain factors.

 

Imho option (b) would be the optimal way to set-up your clubface in relation to the ball .

 

My point is you are going to have to trust your judgement, no matter how scary and wrong your clubface relationship to the ball might seem at address, to ensure that your backswing is performed naturally in balance , without any strain or manipulation.

 

Obviously ,it could become problematic if your brain can't accept that strange static situation but there are pros who , at address, set their clubface 'toe/heel' behind the centre of the ball rather than the sweetspot.

 

PS. Tried to find a video that explains the above and here is one.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNUyWArGYPI

[Frohlich]

So I went out and threw clubs tonight on an empty baseball field. I have done it a few times over the last several weeks but tonight is the first time I really set some time aside to do it and work on things. I am very careful to pick a target and really concentrate on throwing to the target just like Shawn C. advocates. I usually throw it ten or so times and then leave but tonight I probably did it 30+ times. I find that my miss is left of the target with this throwing the club exercise. What I found that is if I truly let it pause at the top of the swing and don't start my downswing to quickly and give it a pause, my throws straighten right out and start going at my target. I think I am fighting years of the hit instinct being part of my swing and rushing the downswing. It was very encouraging seeing the benefits of pausing at the top and not starting the downswing until gravity starts dropping the club down. The mental picture that works for me is to think of my backswing like I am throwing the club up into the backswing and it leaves my hands and I can't start the downswing until the club falls back down via gravity into my hands. Might be a silly analogy but its what works for my brain. I know that is what Shawn advocates but its still not 100% natural to me. I know when I swing this way on the course and range that good things happen but it still isn't 100% ingrained in my swing yet... I still have to think about it. Getting there slowly but surely.

[RH2]

I went to my club and “simulated” throwing my club at a target and it is already working wonders! I couldn’t actually release the club from my hands because I didn’t have anywhere to do that and I only had my gamers with me (no way I’m throwing the new sticks!). I will be throwing some old clubs at a park very soon.

 

What I’ve already found:

1. It helped clear my mind of swing thoughts

2. My body movement during the swing was a lot more natural and athletic

3. Distance was improved (especially with my driver)

4. I was swinging towards the target, not just swinging at the ball

 

[GMR]

I went to my club and “simulated” throwing my club at a target and it is already working wonders! I couldn’t actually release the club from my hands because I didn’t have anywhere to do that and I only had my gamers with me (no way I’m throwing the new sticks!). I will be throwing some old clubs at a park very soon.

 

What I’ve already found:

1. It helped clear my mind of swing thoughts

2. My body movement during the swing was a lot more natural and athletic

3. Distance was improved (especially with my driver)

4. I was swinging towards the target, not just swinging at the ball

Very good to hear, glad the thought is working for you.

[Frohlich]

Since I said a lot of positive things about my transition to this method, I thought I would also give my personal real world experience. This swing is not natural to me, I might have years of bad habits to break as the root cause. I can find some success on the range with it and ok success on the course with it but it just doesn't come easy to me. I can throw clubs in a park all day long and as soon as I am over the ball it all feels different to me. On well struck shots I am picking up some distance but am not yet very consistent with it. I was at the range this weekend and tried my old swing and it is much easier for me to execute but it it a half a club to a full club shorter. I will keep playing with it but the transition is not easy for me to make. Instead of having less swing thoughts I am having more swing thoughts (do PMD, let the club float in the back swing and don't rush the downswing, pick a target to throw at,etc.... if I think just throw the club then I feel like the club is way out of position and my brain takes over and reroutes everything).

[NikeGolferTX]

I've seen Rory practice this lol

 

[GMR]

Since I said a lot of positive things about my transition to this method, I thought I would also give my personal real world experience. This swing is not natural to me, I might have years of bad habits to break as the root cause. I can find some success on the range with it and ok success on the course with it but it just doesn't come easy to me. I can throw clubs in a park all day long and as soon as I am over the ball it all feels different to me. On well struck shots I am picking up some distance but am not yet very consistent with it. I was at the range this weekend and tried my old swing and it is much easier for me to execute but it it a half a club to a full club shorter. I will keep playing with it but the transition is not easy for me to make. Instead of having less swing thoughts I am having more swing thoughts (do PMD, let the club float in the back swing and don't rush the downswing, pick a target to throw at,etc.... if I think just throw the club then I feel like the club is way out of position and my brain takes over and reroutes everything).

Sounds like you are focusing on "how to throw" instead of just throwing. If you needed to throw out the opening pitch at a ballgame would you worry about float-loading your arm, your timing, etc? Don't think so...you'd never make it anywhere near the plate. If you want to ingrain the feeling you need to spend your time on the range figuring out what you need to do to have your new simple intent (pick a target and throw) translate to decent results, so that when you go to the course you can just pick your target and throw. Once you start thinking about the other stuff you might as well go back to what you were doing, because you're not going to have any success in dissecting the throwing motion into its constituent parts on the fly during a round of golf.

[GMR]

I've seen Rory practice this lol

 

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Realise you posted this to be funny (and it is), but in all seriousness watch it a couple times and notice just how similar his one-arm throwing motion looks to his actual full swing. Gets deep with trail shoulder in an externally rotated position, then rotates internally as he braces into his lower body (shallowing the plane), and then he rotates through to generate speed. That one-arm throw is exactly what I was doing when I had my initial "ah ha" moment, so worth watching a time or two for those trying to figure out how this drill relates to the actual golf swing.