Leadbetter Straightaway Device

[JD3]

I was down 6 weeks following surgery, just started very limited range work today. During my down time w/ the limited movement I could make, I figured I'd give this a try and hopefully emerge with a better takeaway and backswing.

 

From years ago when I first started playing, I thought the takeaway and backswing were the most important aspect of a swing. But I just didn't know exactly how to consistently do it. Fast forward to today and after reading a lot of books and taking some lessons, I got away from this thinking, which partly contributed to me not placing too much emphasis on it. It also meant I never really had a set way how to take it away. 

 

Leadbetter's pitch at least with this product is that the initial movement of the club (about 12" at most with the butt, 36" with the head) is also by far the most important part -- get this wrong, and the swing becomes a constant series of adjustments from then on. 

 

So getting back to my roots and seeing how I could emerge post-op, I tested it out today for first time.

 

Initial impression was quite positive, as follows:

 

- Takeaway is really a very small movement ... much shorter than where'd I'd drag my hands before;

- Still need to decide on move after that, but it seems like it's a combination of tucking the trail elbow in the chest while giving the club some lift upward. (Note that Leadbetter gives the player a lot of freedom for what comes after takeaway);

- Hands have to go in, while clubhead stays out -- that's what I feel like I most have to commit to on takeaway;

- It's not like some magic "secret" that cuts one's handicap in half with one swing. However that it gives me things I need to work on, I think is a good thing and makes it more realistic as a training device.

 

Be interested on thoughts from others who'd tried it.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by JD3

[phizzy30]

Leadbetter is reknown for ruining the careers of some tour pros.  His latest victim being Patrick Reed.  I'd take anything he preaches with a grain of salt my friend. 

[Chunkitgood]

I doubt JD3 is on tour so he probably does not have to worry.

 

Reed won about one event a year, including when Leadbetter was coaching him.

 

Then went to LIV.

 

look what Leadbetter did to him:

 

[MK7Golf21]

14 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

Leadbetter is reknown for ruining the careers of some tour pros.  His latest victim being Patrick Reed.  I'd take anything he preaches with a grain of salt my friend. 

 

not sure he is ruining them. Maybe enabling them by teaching what the player wants even if not the best idea.

[Chunkitgood]

Here’s what Leadbetter says to do after the takeaway:

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/david-leadbetter-swing-mantras

 

What’s the problem with it?

[pgatw]

2 hours ago, Chunkitgood said:

What’s the problem with it?

Nothing

[Chunkitgood]

I actually have a Leadbetter Swingsetter which a friend bought and could never get to “work” (it’s got magnets he could never get to snap) which I think is pretty good for teaching people to power their swing with the large muscles of the legs and torso rather than the arms (which just don’t have the mass to generate the required power).  Took me a while to get the magnets to snap, then another while to get them to snap without really trying.  I think it did me some good.

 

His A swing deal was apparently a bust, but who knows, if people had tried it they might have liked it.  Doubt anyone did.

[me05501]

Agree on the importance of the takeaway. Disagree that you need an $80 device to help find it. 

 

 

[jmc1313]

I watched the video and still can’t tell what this does or what feedback it gives. 
Granted the takeaway is important but how does this help?

[tm3]

On 7/12/2023 at 6:01 PM, JD3 said:

 

Be interested on thoughts from others who'd tried it.

 

 

A Leadbetter video was my start in golf.  In it, he emphasized the importance of the first part of the takeaway, and since then I've heard other pros say the same thing.

 

A drill he gave was to lay a club against the heel of the front foot, and against the toe of the trail foot.  The shaft of the club in hand should align with the shaft on the ground when it reaches that point of the takeaway.  From what I can tell about this gizmo, it does the same thing.

[JD3]

On 7/15/2023 at 7:43 AM, tm3 said:

A Leadbetter video was my start in golf.  In it, he emphasized the importance of the first part of the takeaway, and since then I've heard other pros say the same thing.

 

A drill he gave was to lay a club against the heel of the front foot, and against the toe of the trail foot.  The shaft of the club in hand should align with the shaft on the ground when it reaches that point of the takeaway.  From what I can tell about this gizmo, it does the same thing.

Sounds like it's about the same, but more convenient and perhaps more visually effective. Good to know that Leadbetter's philosophy hasn't changed much over the years too. 

Edited July 18, 2023 by JD3

[tthomasgolfer605]

The takeaway should be different for everybody. It doesn't guarantee a good downswing. Just like an on plane backswing is overrated.

[KNOWMOREDOUBLES]

On 7/13/2023 at 1:32 PM, MK7Golf21 said:

 

not sure he is ruining them. Maybe enabling them by teaching what the player wants even if not the best idea.

Leadbetter does not ruin careers. This is a huge myth. People are just envious of his success.  He has coached multiple #1 men and women.  He does tend to sell some 'interesting' gadgets that I believe turns people off but he probably one of the five best instructors of all time. Back in the late 80's and early 90's there was basically two well-known top notch instructors: Leadbetter and Butch.

Edited July 17, 2023 by KNOWMOREDOUBLES

[iacas]

2 hours ago, KNOWMOREDOUBLES said:

Leadbetter does not ruin careers.

 

I know a lot of people (including some of those pros) who would beg to differ.

[Chunkitgood]

Well, they would have to blame somebody, and the first rule of pro golf seems to be, “It’s not my fault, it was the wind, or a spike mark, etc.” For good reason, TBH.

[JD3]

17 hours ago, KNOWMOREDOUBLES said:

Leadbetter does not ruin careers. This is a huge myth. People are just envious of his success.  He has coached multiple #1 men and women.  He does tend to sell some 'interesting' gadgets that I believe turns people off but he probably one of the five best instructors of all time. Back in the late 80's and early 90's there was basically two well-known top notch instructors: Leadbetter and Butch.

Seems like Leadbetter and Butch were teaching a similar technique back then. 

[KNOWMOREDOUBLES]

15 hours ago, iacas said:

 

I know a lot of people (including some of those pros) who would beg to differ.

I am sure Nick Faldo, Nick Price, and Ernie Els would disagree.  Lydia Ko was #1 in the world with Leads and has not had as much success since she left him.  

[ferrispgm]

Leadbetter is 1 thing.....a master marketer.  

 

 

[LowAndLeft32]

Training aids suck. I have a garage full of them to prove it. 

[JD3]

2nd time on the range with it today, and I like it a lot. Working with the user guide, I feel good about the direction I am heading. People generally think I have a pretty good swing, but for years I've noticed pros had a very different look on the takeaway -- specifically their clubhead got much more "up" earlier. According to the device, I am taking it inside too early which I think is keeping the clubhead lower to the ground too ... I don't really roll it away too much as the clubface stays square or ever closed to the arc looking, but by being so inside my trailing elbow gets behind me and "stuck." With the Leadbetter method I also think I can swing smoother and gets similar distances to my old swing, which is an added bonus given my physical condition. Obviously these are baby steps in a swing change and in my post-op recovery in general, so I need to keep working on it. 

Edited July 19, 2023 by JD3

[ryan84]

16 hours ago, JD3 said:

2nd time on the range with it today, and I like it a lot. Working with the user guide, I feel good about the direction I am heading. People generally think I have a pretty good swing, but for years I've noticed pros had a very different look on the takeaway -- specifically their clubhead got much more "up" earlier. According to the device, I am taking it inside too early which I think is keeping the clubhead lower to the ground too ... I don't really roll it away too much as the clubface stays square or ever closed to the arc looking, but by being so inside my trailing elbow gets behind me and "stuck." With the Leadbetter method I also think I can swing smoother and gets similar distances to my old swing, which is an added bonus given my physical condition. Obviously these are baby steps in a swing change and in my post-op recovery in general, so I need to keep working on it. 

I have a similar takeaway issue and a recent lesson implemented this to help. It was immediate improvement and helped nail the concept for me.
 

For everyone not a fan of it bc of leadbetter, Just because it’s helping your takeaway doesn’t mean the next step is full leadbetter A swing. I’m not a big leadbetter fan either but I think this is one of the better training aids out for takeaway help. 

[JoeyV]

When I use Ledbeetters takeaway, it seems to work at first but, I get a dis-connected feeling, then start missing.

[i*windows]

if you just want to practise the takeaway, then a pencil and strong rubber bands will save you $80

[Zitlow]

Using the hands, wrists and forearms to take the club away isn't good because they can create a myriad of planes. 

 

Rolling, radial flexing, dorsal flexing the way it's taught are all bad, whatever you put in going up you have to take out coming down. 

 

So putting in extraneous unnecessary motion that you have to take out later just to get the club shaft and clubface to the ball on plane slows down the reflexes killing speed. 

[kowalgolf]

On 7/19/2023 at 5:03 PM, JD3 said:

2nd time on the range with it today, and I like it a lot. Working with the user guide, I feel good about the direction I am heading. People generally think I have a pretty good swing, but for years I've noticed pros had a very different look on the takeaway -- specifically their clubhead got much more "up" earlier. According to the device, I am taking it inside too early which I think is keeping the clubhead lower to the ground too ... I don't really roll it away too much as the clubface stays square or ever closed to the arc looking, but by being so inside my trailing elbow gets behind me and "stuck." With the Leadbetter method I also think I can swing smoother and gets similar distances to my old swing, which is an added bonus given my physical condition. Obviously these are baby steps in a swing change and in my post-op recovery in general, so I need to keep working on it. 

I like it too. tm3 idea of shaft behind front heel and in front of rear toe I like for a visual. Then Monte's Power Shift video Initiating the Shift pares well with tm3 idea. The last one is Leadbetter dropping the lead leg back and raising the heel. For all the hip swayers out there this is a good one for you. My partner in our league has a huge hip sway and I tried the ball under the rear foot. He kind of liked the feel until the 2nd hole where he dropped a ball to put under his rear foot. I said you can't do that lol.

[harveythomas]

Talking with my pro yesterday who said he thought Leadbetter was good in his Faldo teaching days but now he’s teaching a load of nonsense.  The A swing was a real blag a bit like the Jim Hardy plane truth nonsense.  
 

I would avoid anything Leadbetter comes up with like the plague.  Think he’s more likely to wreck top golfer careers than help them.   Sometimes players go for big changes and then they’re never quite the same again.  While Reed is still a good golfer he’s definitely not better than before.  

[golfarb1]

Do most  players create problems later in their swing because of poor takeaways ?

Does “simplifying “the takeaway

help to eliminate poor takeaways? 
To the extent that Leadbetters device helps to simplify the takeaway , it can lead to significant improvements in the swing . But it hardly has a mononopoly on ways to simplify the takeaway. 

[fried121]

Tried the device that a friend had purchased.
 

Device makes it easy to see if the club and club face are on plane during the initial takeaway. The device is best used with an alignment rod placed at your feet facing the target.
 

I could see this device being helpful for folks who tend to fan the club face open or shut or struggle with an on plane takeaway. However, the device is overpriced for what it is. 

[MK7Golf21]

3 hours ago, fried121 said:

Tried the device that a friend had purchased.
 

Device makes it easy to see if the club and club face are on plane during the initial takeaway. The device is best used with an alignment rod placed at your feet facing the target.
 

I could see this device being helpful for folks who tend to fan the club face open or shut or struggle with an on plane takeaway. However, the device is overpriced for what it is. 

 

did it actually help you consistently get the club on "plane" going back vs. inside? I'm concerned you have to be looking to your right during the takeaway and at the training aid on the club shaft instead of the ball to make it work?

Edited October 29, 2023 by MK7Golf21

[fried121]

 

2 hours ago, MK7Golf21 said:

 

did it actually help you consistently get the club on "plane" going back vs. inside? I'm concerned you have to be looking to your right during the takeaway and at the training aid on the club shaft instead of the ball to make it work?

Essentially, you can work doing “freezer” drills where you stop at the prescribed “checkpoint”, working on the takeaway 4-5 times and then hit a ball to ingrain that feel. It can also help develop your peripheral vision on what to look for going back. 
 

I think looking back during the takeaway actually creates another bad habit. Would not recommend that habit

Edited October 30, 2023 by fried121