Shawn Clement Most Important Video On Grip Ever

[CB67]

 

[rkodavey]

Can we get the "too long, didn't watch" version? I'm not sure I have the ability to sit through a 36 minute long Shawn Clement video on the grip.

[pgetzen]

I kind of blew through it because it was pretty long, but I think I got the gist of it.  I like the idea of “collecting the ball and then releasing it towards the target” even though I don’t think that’s actually what happens.  Will try in the sim tonight and see how it works.  Seems as if you grip it that way and then release the club to the target, you’ll transfer weight well.  And that is something I struggle with a little.

[CB67]

10 minutes ago, pgetzen said:

I kind of blew through it because it was pretty long, but I think I got the gist of it.  I like the idea of “collecting the ball and then releasing it towards the target” even though I don’t think that’s actually what happens.  Will try in the sim tonight and see how it works.  Seems as if you grip it that way and then release the club to the target, you’ll transfer weight well.  And that is something I struggle with a little.

I use the Moe Norman / graves single plane swing and I’ve added this concept to my set up and have gained easily 30 yards off the tee. 
 

Shawns daughter Savanna carried one just shy of 300 in the air on the track man utilizing this concept. 
 

Grip the club with a neutral grip with the face between 30-45 degrees closed (what works for you) and then you tilt, get behind the ball, and get the hands in front, until the face is square.  
 

I feel like the first thing that gets to the ball are my elbows with the lead arm on top of the trail arm and I’m releasing not at the ball but out at the direction of my target.

 

It feels like the ultimate sling shot effect and the compression is unreal. 
 

It took me a few swings as I was initially hitting a few hooks and pulls but that’s because I realized I was releasing at the ball and not out beyond Into my starting direction. 
 

Once I got that grooved they were very  compressed feeling long draws. 
 

This was 3 weeks ago and now it just feels so natural and dynamic and it feels like I’m going to smash it off the planet when I address the ball. 
 

 

 

[pgetzen]

13 minutes ago, CB67 said:

I use the Moe Norman / graves single plane swing and I’ve added this concept to my set up and have gained easily 30 yards off the tee. 
 

Shawns daughter Savanna carried one just shy of 300 in the air on the track man utilizing this concept. 
 

Grip the club with a neutral grip with the face between 30-45 degrees closed (what works for you) and then you tilt, get behind the ball, and get the hands in front, until the face is square.  
 

I feel like the first thing that gets to the ball are my elbows with the lead arm on top of the trail arm and I’m releasing not at the ball but out at the direction of my target.

 

It feels like the ultimate sling shot effect and the compression is unreal. 
 

It took me a few swings as I was initially hitting a few hooks and pulls but that’s because I realized I was releasing at the ball and not out beyond Into my starting direction. 
 

Once I got that grooved they were very  compressed feeling long draws. 
 

This was 3 weeks ago and now it just feels so natural and dynamic and it feels like I’m going to smash it off the planet when I address the ball. 
 

 

 

That sounds very promising, looking forward to trying it today to see what it feels like.  I have gotten to where I can get around the course pretty well (currently playing to a 3), but I am pretty sure I am tapped out.  I still hit at the ball, still will lose shots to the right every now and then, and don’t think I can get to scratch where my swing is at now.  Hoping the idea of being able to be target focused will really help

[bdcava]

I got dizzy setting up like that. Didn’t know where I was looking.

[pgetzen]

Tried in the sim for a little bit.  It took a little getting used to two things:  first is the setup.  Really felt like face was square, but shoulders were pointing to the right, although they may have actually been square, a really different feel.  Second, it took a lot of golf balls to figure out how to not worry about hitting the ball, and just releasing to the target.  My average to slightly bad shots were probably about the same as normal distances, while my good shots were about 10 yards longer.  Depending on how much I closed the face, was pretty easy to draw or fade with the same swing.  I’ll goof around with this for a little but seems like it might work.

[Barfolomew]

Shortened:  He explains why its better to use a strong grip.  Which I use and was so happy to see his videos last year and finally find someone justifying my grip.  He shows that you would not use a neutral grip to do many things in life or sports but would use a strong grip as it is way more powerful and natural feeling..... hammer, axe, baseball etc. 

 

Funny when I first started playin seriously I got a job at a course and all the pros and good players told me to switch my grip to a typical one, I didn't know enough to stick to my guns being a rook golfer.....  But now I use the same strong grip I naturally grabbed the club with way back when lol, as I'm an athlete that's played all sports and know what feels right.

 

I'd bet way in the future the strong grip will be the main grip lol...

[CB67]

Important to note too that this isn’t a strong grip with a square face pre set up, it’s a neutral grip with a 30-40 Degree closed face pre set up and then the dynamic set up where you tilt, get the hands forward , get the lead arm above the trail arm etc that makes the grip Appear strong. 
 

it’s a lot different then a standard strong grip with a square club face.

 

Neutral grip with a closed club face and then at set up my trail palm is almost facing the sky and my trail arm is under my lead arm , bent in a bicep curl like fashion. 
 

Then my elbows lead the swing and sling shot everything out toward my starting point. 
 

Makes me really feel more and more what Moe was feeling / talking about in his vertical drop. 

 

[SEP1006]

1 hour ago, CB67 said:

Important to note too that this isn’t a strong grip with a square face pre set up, it’s a neutral grip with a 30-40 Degree closed face pre set up and then the dynamic set up where you tilt, get the hands forward , get the lead arm above the trail arm etc that makes the grip Appear strong. 
 

it’s a lot different then a standard strong grip with a square club face.

 

Neutral grip with a closed club face and then at set up my trail palm is almost facing the sky and my trail arm is under my lead arm , bent in a bicep curl like fashion. 
 

Then my elbows lead the swing and sling shot everything out toward my starting point. 
 

Makes me really feel more and more what Moe was feeling / talking about in his vertical drop. 

 

 

Interesting, as you may / may not know I too follow and use the Graves Method. I am definitely going to give this a try today and see what happens.

 

[bdcava]

3 hours ago, CB67 said:

Important to note too that this isn’t a strong grip with a square face pre set up, it’s a neutral grip with a 30-40 Degree closed face pre set up and then the dynamic set up where you tilt, get the hands forward , get the lead arm above the trail arm etc that makes the grip Appear strong. 
 

it’s a lot different then a standard strong grip with a square club face.

 

Neutral grip with a closed club face and then at set up my trail palm is almost facing the sky and my trail arm is under my lead arm , bent in a bicep curl like fashion. 
 

Then my elbows lead the swing and sling shot everything out toward my starting point. 
 

Makes me really feel more and more what Moe was feeling / talking about in his vertical drop. 

 

I don't mean to be sarcastic, what's the difference between a strong grip with a square clubface and a neutral grip with a closed clubface? If I take a strong grip with a square clubface and let my arms relax and return to a normal position, don't I then have a neutral grip with a closed clubface? I thought Shawn pretty much said that in one of his videos.

[tm3]

14 hours ago, Barfolomew said:

Shortened:  He explains why its better to use a strong grip.  Which I use and was so happy to see his videos last year and finally find someone justifying my grip.  He shows that you would not use a neutral grip to do many things in life or sports but would use a strong grip as it is way more powerful and natural feeling..... hammer, axe, baseball etc. 

 

 

This explanation of SC's makes a lot of sense with the analogy to the hammer, ax, baseball.

 

I'm really curious what the refutation would be from proponents of the neutral grip.

[pacman16]

A strong grip allows you to hockey ‘wrist shot’ the golf ball easily towards the desired target.  
 

A weak grip doesn’t allow you to do this because the ball slides right off the toe.  In order to shoot straight you’ll need to bow the lead wrist. 
 

 

 

The hands lead the shaft which thus lead the club face.  If this is true .... you either need a strong grip or if you choose to play with a weak grip ... you’ll need to at some point bow the left wrist.  

 

[CB67]

1 hour ago, bdcava said:

I don't mean to be sarcastic, what's the difference between a strong grip with a square clubface and a neutral grip with a closed clubface? If I take a strong grip with a square clubface and let my arms relax and return to a normal position, don't I then have a neutral grip with a closed clubface? I thought Shawn pretty much said that in one of his videos.

Shawn explains great exact question towards the end of the video . I’m at work right now but will find the specific time of the video later. 

[SwingBlues]

Thanks @CB67

 

I have seen this and many other Clement's videos on the grip. No disagreement (unless you are a Paul Wilson fan) but I think what needs to be emphasized here (for those not familiar with Clements) is:

#1 the hands MUST LEAD

#2 your mind must think to send the ball right of the intermediate target. This sets the path for a draw. Left of the IT sets the path for a fade

 

Without the 2 above points, a strong grip by itself is useless if the golfer continues to cast (hands not leading), over the top (club path)

 

Also, whats also interesting is - as you are a Graves One Planer and so am I, we both set the left hand after the tilt which is anatomically neutral (per Clements) but it looks strong from the POV of someone in front of us.

Edited May 6, 2021 by SwingBlues

[RyKnocks]

16 hours ago, Barfolomew said:

Shortened:  He explains why its better to use a strong grip.  Which I use and was so happy to see his videos last year and finally find someone justifying my grip.  He shows that you would not use a neutral grip to do many things in life or sports but would use a strong grip as it is way more powerful and natural feeling..... hammer, axe, baseball etc. 

 

Funny when I first started playin seriously I got a job at a course and all the pros and good players told me to switch my grip to a typical one, I didn't know enough to stick to my guns being a rook golfer.....  But now I use the same strong grip I naturally grabbed the club with way back when lol, as I'm an athlete that's played all sports and know what feels right.

 

I'd bet way in the future the strong grip will be the main grip lol...

If a strong grip is good enough for Charlie Woods, it’s good enough for me!

[Barfolomew]

Strong grip also also allows for less rotation of the club throughout the swing, so 1 huge variable that messes millions of people up has been lessened, if not erased.   I'm not doing any crazy tilting.  But I do tilt way back when I hit bombs with the driver lol cause I do hit waaay up on the ball.... moon shots!

 

I think Steve Pratt calls us Flappers hahaha!!! 

 

As a par gofler I can play all the shots too it does not corner you into a single method of playin like some might think!  And the power is way up, if you want it, and so is the accuracy with less club rotation.... one day it will be more understood and will be the main grip used in humble opinion.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Barfolomew

[Simpsonia]

I mean that's not just a strong grip, that grip is basically 90 degrees from a neutral grip. I came from baseball and originally tried a grip like this when I started golfing. I could not do anything but push/push-slice off the planet with a grip like this. Might work for some, but if you don't have your hands a mile out front at impact, you're in for a really bad time. 

[Parker19822]

Shawn might be the best speaker/communicator in the teaching game. He's really articulate and engaging. 

[pgetzen]

Tried this on the course yesterday and will try again tomorrow.  It’s a really different feel but what I like is that I don’t feel like I need to manipulate the face at all, basically just turn back and through.  Wasn’t my best ball striking round yesterday, but it was solid, which is pretty promising for the first round with it.  

[Ri_Redneck]

I have been using this type of grip and swing for about 8 years now. I feel it is the natural way my hands fit on the club. If you're looking at me from face-on, I have 4 knuckles for the left hand and the right is placed in a standard overlap position on the left. A bit of tilt at setup, bring it back slow and fully, then turn and hit it just as hard as you want. My hands don't roll over until after the ball is gone. I play a slight fade with every club as a stock shot. Only time I lose it left is if I move my shoulders forward as I start the downswing (lunge). As long as I turn instead of lunge, it's money all day long.

 

BT

[leekgolf]

I think the video and his idea is interesting and it makes sense. I wonder how a setup like he suggests affects the takeaway and backswing. I am going to experiment with this.

[BombinJim]

I have switched to this grip/swing this past week and ball-striking is phenomenal. I no longer require perfect tempo, backswing, rotation, and pivot to get an 85% good shot. If these things are good, however, the result is spectacular.

 

I am very excited to get out there and burn down my handicap. Even with just two rounds and some range time I have never had a swing feel more promising.

 

Anyway, supplementary items that have helped me - proper pivot and wrist hinge. The wrist hinge allows that “hammer-like” action as you follow through.

[tthomasgolfer605]

Yeah. Good luck with that. 

[tthomasgolfer605]

My assumption was correct. This is from 9 months ago. 

[BombinJim]

20 minutes ago, tthomasgolfer605 said:

My assumption was correct. This is from 9 months ago.

I think she’s doing better now no? Anyway, it may work for some, and may not for others. Seems like it’s working so far for me but it is truly too early to tell in my game.

[trilerian]

I subscribe to Shawn's premium content as I really like some of his swing ideas.  Mainly how the swing is task oriented and I like throwing clubs, lol.  Anyway, in one of his videos he does say that he doesn't use as strong as a grip as he recommends to most golfers.  If he used a grip that strong he would hook it off the planet.  I find that when I used the super strong grip my swing becomes more around and not up and down.  This creates issues for my back since I had back surgery 6 years ago.  I like the more up and down swing he uses for most of his content, and I have to play with more of a todays normal grip to not hook it.  What I have found is that the further you rotate your shoulders back, not getting the arms deep, so more up with the arms, the more time you have in the down swing to close the face by natural means.  

[erikro]

32 minutes ago, tthomasgolfer605 said:

My assumption was correct. This is from 9 months ago. 

What’s your point? Any other investigative journalism you have for us? Ridiculous...

[tthomasgolfer605]

23 minutes ago, BombinJim said:

I think she’s doing better now no? Anyway, it may work for some, and may not for others. Seems like it’s working so far for me but it is truly too early to tell in my game.

Not sure. That was end of summer last year and with Canada's winters they don't get to play much after that. 

[tthomasgolfer605]

15 minutes ago, erikro said:

What’s your point? Any other investigative journalism you have for us? Ridiculous...

My point is if she's on the "Road to the LPGA" she better make a U-turn.