Bradley Hughes Lessons

[hafnia]

Just now, Hawkeye77 said:

That’s the opposite of across the widest audience. 

Maybe good instructors are effective communicators and try not draw too many lines in the sand? Gankas may be “nailing” the critical points for his intended audience. Tossing stuff up on YT is what it is and will resonate with some and not with others and not necessarily a discriminator about who is or isn’t a good instructor. 

 

 

The most common handicap range in the world is 10-16.  There's your widest audience right there.  

 

Maybe some people will resonate with pronation, supination, P1 - P10 etc etc.  Without leaving myself at the mercenary of elitist judgemental "I'm a better golfer so therefore my opinion counts for more" retorts - the golfing world is full of pretentious nonsense as it is.

 

I'm sharing my opinion of the over elaborate, in vogue teachings that tie many people up in knots - whilst merely praising an ex tour pro who's able to circumnavigate the nonsense that's out there.

[hafnia]

4 minutes ago, GoGoErky said:

Agree. The good coaches in any sport are the ones that can convey the message to the person(s) they are taking to at the moment. You may need to hear something said in a completely different way than I do, even though the person is conveying the same message.

 

A cue for you may not work for me and vice versa

 

But we are talking about youtube videos.... my point is that too many are out there that gloss over critical points or use misleading dialogue.  Example - what's your understanding of " turn your shoulders"?  

 

Either way this is detracting from the reason of me being here to share some positive feedback of a great instructor

[indianagolf2]

2 hours ago, Hawkeye77 said:

 

What does this even mean? 
 

Explaining huge and important concepts to most people I'm a clear and absorbed way  is huge. Short version...understanding important things to a majority of people is key. 

[nitram]

On 2/11/2021 at 8:08 PM, LowAndLeft32 said:

Any reviews about lessons with Bradley? Did you improve? Thanks. 

I know a few guys (and a couple ladies) who've taken lessons from Brad, both in person and on-line, most buying his 5-lesson video package. Handicaps range from 3.5 to 14. All but one have improved their ball striking, mainly from the "4:30 Impact" and "Out is Down".

 

Brad calls it like he sees it, but rarely rude. As long as you can handle the input he'll probably help you improve. Look at what he's done for Brandon Todd.

[hafnia]

1 hour ago, indianagolf2 said:

Explaining huge and important concepts to most people I'm a clear and absorbed way  is huge. Short version...understanding important things to a majority of people is key. 

 

glad it wasn't just me!

 

 

[GoGoErky]

3 hours ago, hafnia said:

 

But we are talking about youtube videos.... my point is that too many are out there that gloss over critical points or use misleading dialogue.  Example - what's your understanding of " turn your shoulders"?  

 

Either way this is detracting from the reason of me being here to share some positive feedback of a great instructor

For YouTube they have to be generic because of how wide the audience is. Not everyone has the same issue or same movement pattern. YouTube is more about getting exposure and marketing. It’s not going to be all inclusive which is why when it comes to YouTube one has to find the instructor that resonates with them. I forgot

who said it, maybe it was Tiger that people shouldn’t watch YouTube videos and I agree 

Edited January 24 by GoGoErky

[hafnia]

1 hour ago, nitram said:

I know a few guys (and a couple ladies) who've taken lessons from Brad, both in person and on-line, most buying his 5-lesson video package. Handicaps range from 3.5 to 14. All but one have improved their ball striking, mainly from the "4:30 Impact" and "Out is Down".

 

Brad calls it like he sees it, but rarely rude. As long as you can handle the input he'll probably help you improve. Look at what he's done for Brandon Todd.

 

Just watched an amazing video on his members site - pro Bryden Mcpherson doing the 4:30 drill but totally exaggerated.  Look how far out his hands are - then  in second picture the rotation of his arms to impact bring them back in to body........ so counterintuitive

 

 

 

Edited January 24 by hafnia

[ChrisSP]

2 hours ago, nitram said:

Handicaps range from 3.5 to 14. All but one have improved their ball striking, mainly from the "4:30 Impact" and "Out is Down".

 

Speaking as someone who has worked with Brad, in addition to the two concepts he teaches that you mentioned, this is the other one that to me is pure gold in terms of impact/release.

 

 

[hafnia]

1 hour ago, ChrisSP said:

 

Speaking as someone who has worked with Brad, in addition to the two concepts he teaches that you mentioned, this is the other one that to me is pure gold in terms of impact/release.

 

 

What's your feeling for "pushing down the right leg" in transition? Is it to increase the flex (lower to the ground) in the right leg as though you are about to jump of your right foot? 
 

the elimination of thinking "get to left side" is something I'd love.  Funny enough when toying round with the 4:30 method the other night - doing a conscious weight shift was a disaster for the reasons Brad likely states. 

[ChrisSP]

13 minutes ago, hafnia said:

What's your feeling for "pushing down the right leg" in transition? Is it to increase the flex (lower to the ground) in the right leg as though you are about to jump of your right foot? 

 

For me, while the "feel" is lower-body related, it has the biggest impact on what happens with my upper body. When I pressure down the right leg in transition, it keeps my chest and shoulders from opening too quickly in an ill-fated attempt to get left. When the chest and shoulders open too quickly, the club gets steep. Even if my hands move out (which as Brad explains is really down) the club moves out as well and I'm at 3 o'clock (target line) too quickly.

 

From there, because I know I don't want to come over the top, my body rotation completely stalls, my arms race away from me to the right, I early extend, and I have to try square the face by rolling my hands. I'm a pretty good player and most days I can get away with it and still get it around, especially with the driver. But it's a move that's too reliant on timing and results in a lack of consistency,. It's especially tough to hit fairway woods, hybrids, long irons, and mid irons the way I want to from the turf swinging that way.

 

But if I pressure down the right leg in transition, my hands can move out while the club shallows behind me and allows me to get to the 4:30 path that Brad talks about. Anyway, that has been a big part of the puzzle for me. As for what I actually feel in doing this, it's pretty subtle. When I get to the top of my backswing, I just try to pressure my right heel into the turf. Doing that allows me to shallow/slot the club and then from there the impact bag work (forearm rotation) takes over and I can cut it loose. And my body rotates without me even having to think about it. I hope that helps/makes sense.

[hafnia]

39 minutes ago, ChrisSP said:

 

For me, while the "feel" is lower-body related, it has the biggest impact on what happens with my upper body. When I pressure down the right leg in transition, it keeps my chest and shoulders from opening too quickly in an ill-fated attempt to get left. When the chest and shoulders open too quickly, the club gets steep. Even if my hands move out (which as Brad explains is really down) the club moves out as well and I'm at 3 o'clock (target line) too quickly.

 

From there, because I know I don't want to come over the top, my body rotation completely stalls, my arms race away from me to the right, I early extend, and I have to try square the face by rolling my hands. I'm a pretty good player and most days I can get away with it and still get it around, especially with the driver. But it's a move that's too reliant on timing and results in a lack of consistency,. It's especially tough to hit fairway woods, hybrids, long irons, and mid irons the way I want to from the turf swinging that way.

 

But if I pressure down the right leg in transition, my hands can move out while the club shallows behind me and allows me to get to the 4:30 path that Brad talks about. Anyway, that has been a big part of the puzzle for me. As for what I actually feel in doing this, it's pretty subtle. When I get to the top of my backswing, I just try to pressure my right heel into the turf. Doing that allows me to shallow/slot the club and then from there the impact bag work (forearm rotation) takes over and I can cut it loose. And my body rotates without me even having to think about it. I hope that helps/makes sense.

perfect sense, do you find that the squat/pressure of the right leg - which inadvertently gets you re-centred/ left whilst having upper body close gives you the platform to post up on the left through impact? Probably getting ahead of myself now! 

 

genuinely excited by this as the whole "separation" (keep upper body closed whilst lower body opens) was like patting your head while patting your stomach.  Getting complex things for free whilst focussing on something far simpler is the key to great instruction. 
 

I understood the need to do it and watched George Gankas  leave hands up while externally rotating left knee etc...... no way can I do that. I found it hard enough to follow let alone - how do you do it. 

Edited January 24 by hafnia

[ChrisSP]

43 minutes ago, hafnia said:

perfect sense, do you find that the squat/pressure of the right leg - which inadvertently gets you re-centred/ left whilst having upper body close gives you the platform to post up on the left through impact? Probably getting ahead of myself now! 

 

genuinely excited by this as the whole "separation" (keep upper body closed whilst lower body opens) was like patting your head while patting your stomach.  Getting complex things for free whilst focussing on something far simpler is the key to great instruction. 
 

I understood the need to do it and watched George Gankas  leave hands up while externally rotating left knee etc...... no way can I do that. I found it hard enough to follow let alone - how do you do it. 

 

Honestly, what I have liked best about working with Brad is that a lot of the things you're talking about here are things I don't think about or worry about anymore. If I can slot/shallow the club in transition and find the 4:30 path, everything else takes care of itself, with the impact bag work I have done to learn the proper forearm rotation being a big part of that. I don't worry about takeaway, backswing, weight shift, swing plane, my hips, my shoulders, staying in posture, etc.

 

Those things take care of themselves. I used to be obsessed with how my hips worked (or didn't work) in my golf swing, but my hips are open at impact now and I'm able to "swing left" through impact without me ever having to think about what my hips are doing.

 

While I know some find what Brad teaches complicated, It has greatly simplified things for me.

[hafnia]

25 minutes ago, ChrisSP said:

 

Honestly, what I have liked best about working with Brad is that a lot of the things you're talking about here are things I don't think about or worry about anymore. If I can slot/shallow the club in transition and find the 4:30 path, everything else takes care of itself, with the impact bag work I have done to learn the proper forearm rotation being a big part of that. I don't worry about takeaway, backswing, weight shift, swing plane, my hips, my shoulders, staying in posture, etc.

 

Those things take care of themselves. I used to be obsessed with how my hips worked (or didn't work) in my golf swing, but my hips are open at impact now and I'm able to "swing left" through impact without me ever having to think about what my hips are doing.

 

While I know some find what Brad teaches complicated, It has greatly simplified things for me.

Yeah for me it feels like he has a few non negotiables and isn't clogging up the brain with specifics on everything,  my understanding so far is (correct where I'm wrong):-

 

1. rotate arms to open the club face on backswing - gets you deep and shallow 

 

2. The transition is to put the pressure through right leg (squat,flex, press) - try different feels but make sure body stays closed.

 

3. maintain the open face and drive hands out/down to the 4:30 position. (Simultaneous with transition or just before?).

 

4. 4:30 impact bag drill feel - rotate the arms and fire the club head with force. Important to be 4:30 not 3, with open face with hands out. Rotation of forearms brings left arm close to body. 

 

I'm sure there will be things to add but if this works as I think the rest could grow organically. 
 

be interesting to see how it works with pitching and various distances etc 

[kiwigolf72]

Never had any lessons with Brad but played a few rounds with him, he has a good reputation as a coach in my part of the world and is a likeable guy 

[hafnia]

12 hours ago, ChrisSP said:

 

Honestly, what I have liked best about working with Brad is that a lot of the things you're talking about here are things I don't think about or worry about anymore. If I can slot/shallow the club in transition and find the 4:30 path, everything else takes care of itself, with the impact bag work I have done to learn the proper forearm rotation being a big part of that. I don't worry about takeaway, backswing, weight shift, swing plane, my hips, my shoulders, staying in posture, etc.

 

Those things take care of themselves. I used to be obsessed with how my hips worked (or didn't work) in my golf swing, but my hips are open at impact now and I'm able to "swing left" through impact without me ever having to think about what my hips are doing.

 

While I know some find what Brad teaches complicated, It has greatly simplified things for me.

 

watched Brads video from 12 years ago where he promoted Hogans "upper arms pinned to side".  Many of the comments said it contradicted the 4:30 out is down instruction but I'm not sure.....  my guess is that its about feel and real.  I think its possible to have the feeling of your upper arms connected whilst feeling like you are pulling your hands out in front - maybe like skimming a stone, the arm pits will likely be tight whilst the angle of upper arm goes outwards and then back in when the forearms rotate?

 

 

[nitram]

2 hours ago, hafnia said:

 

watched Brads video from 12 years ago where he promoted Hogans "upper arms pinned to side".  Many of the comments said it contradicted the 4:30 out is down instruction but I'm not sure.....  my guess is that its about feel and real.  I think its possible to have the feeling of your upper arms connected whilst feeling like you are pulling your hands out in front - maybe like skimming a stone, the arm pits will likely be tight whilst the angle of upper arm goes outwards and then back in when the forearms rotate?

 

 

Brad uses a lot of what Mr. Hogan espoused in his instruction, and Hogan was adamant about the role and position of the upper arms and elbows placement and connection throughout the swing.  You can achieve this and approach the ball from the inside on the 4:30 path. Most of the "commenters" could not accomplish this during a 30 minute practice session and moved on to something else.

[hafnia]

On 1/24/2024 at 11:06 PM, ChrisSP said:

 

Honestly, what I have liked best about working with Brad is that a lot of the things you're talking about here are things I don't think about or worry about anymore. If I can slot/shallow the club in transition and find the 4:30 path, everything else takes care of itself, with the impact bag work I have done to learn the proper forearm rotation being a big part of that. I don't worry about takeaway, backswing, weight shift, swing plane, my hips, my shoulders, staying in posture, etc.

 

Those things take care of themselves. I used to be obsessed with how my hips worked (or didn't work) in my golf swing, but my hips are open at impact now and I'm able to "swing left" through impact without me ever having to think about what my hips are doing.

 

While I know some find what Brad teaches complicated, It has greatly simplified things for me.

 

I see a lot of similarities between Brads approach to teaching and Dan Whittaker - the difference is that Brad makes it far more easier to understand and by watching Brad you can start to see what Dan Whittaker is teaching.  

[hafnia]

Bit of an update on this - I have played last 2 weeks and whilst i'm not 100% on the methodology there is a clear benefit to me to getting the hands "out".

 

The challenge is that sometimes I may feel too much "out" when I need to feel "out and down".

 

Feeling like I stay in posture lots more..... half shots are so much easier to do, probably cos I'm not stuck.

[hafnia]

 

Very similar to what brad teaches - why is it now im only starting to see/resonate with these videos!

 

[GungHoGolf]

6 hours ago, hafnia said:

 

Very similar to what brad teaches - why is it now im only starting to see/resonate with these videos!

 

Gotta be careful with a “hands out towards the target line” intent from the top. Most ams take the trail shoulder out with the hands.

 

AMG has shown in several Pros vs Ams videos that pros in general bring the hand path down on a steeper line from the top than ams do, who typically go out more. Here’s one, starting at 3:20:

 

 

[hafnia]

4 hours ago, GungHoGolf said:

Gotta be careful with a “hands out towards the target line” intent from the top. Most ams take the trail shoulder out with the hands.

 

AMG has shown in several Pros vs Ams videos that pros in general bring the hand path down on a steeper line from the top than ams do, who typically go out more. Here’s one, starting at 3:20:

 

 

im a few years past the old "throw the shoulder out" ott move.  Took a long time to crack though.

 

The issue I had was the shanks so in the belief I needed to keep arms in I would pull club down which makes the shaft steep and early extend etc. 

 

the beauty of golf is it allows you to replace one fault with another!