Letting the club “do the work”

[jjinsa]

My most recent lessons I had was with a teacher who very much taught the way of “let the club do the work”.  I like to go to different coaches over time and get nuggets from all of them, but what he taught I always fall back on. 
 

he always explained that the club must swing the arms and hands, and the hands/arms must not swing the club. 
 

whenever I’m having a bad round, I fall back on this, and it always transforms my game mid round.  Ball striking goes through the roof 

 

basically he is teaching as much as possible to feel the swing weight and let it move you, as opposed to you move the club.  Also when I play like this, the sound of the strike on the ball is beautiful. 
 

however I feel it’s not something many coaches, teach about.  Perhaps it is also level dependant? I am a good golfer with good rhythm and power, good setup etc.  
 

for someone starting out, is it maybe not a good starting point ? I have a couple friends relatively new to golf (one around 19hcp and one 25hcp) and no one has ever done this concept with them?

[naval2006]

That lesson is in line with be the ball, Danny. 

[phizzy30]

That line of thinking is more old school.  It's something my first swing coach taught me many years ago.  It's a good feel thought for some but so vague, IMO.  But hey, if it works for you, great. 

[Tanner25]

Look up Jim Flick, Manuel De la Torre. Actually, I do like this thought for a beginner as it teaches rhythm and better contact, a good place to start. "Let the clubhead swing".

Edited February 17 by Tanner25

[Hawkeye77]

Yep, “let the club do the work” is reserved by most knowledgeable instructors for only better and more powerful players.  Very advanced concept. 

 

 

 

 

[Djmc25]

For someone who has a tendency to hit at the ball from the top from time to time this is a feel I fall back on to smooth out my tempo again. 
 

I feel the weight of the clubhead throughout the swing. That to me = letting the club do the heavy lifting. 

[Zitlow]

Instead of throwing the weight of the clubhead through the ball on the inclined plane a lot of people throw themselves at the ball. 

 

  

[Hilts1969]

10 hours ago, jjinsa said:

My most recent lessons I had was with a teacher who very much taught the way of “let the club do the work”.  I like to go to different coaches over time and get nuggets from all of them, but what he taught I always fall back on. 
 

he always explained that the club must swing the arms and hands, and the hands/arms must not swing the club. 
 

whenever I’m having a bad round, I fall back on this, and it always transforms my game mid round.  Ball striking goes through the roof 

 

basically he is teaching as much as possible to feel the swing weight and let it move you, as opposed to you move the club.  Also when I play like this, the sound of the strike on the ball is beautiful. 
 

however I feel it’s not something many coaches, teach about.  Perhaps it is also level dependant? I am a good golfer with good rhythm and power, good setup etc.  
 

for someone starting out, is it maybe not a good starting point ? I have a couple friends relatively new to golf (one around 19hcp and one 25hcp) and no one has ever done this concept with them?

 

I tried that once, I was stood still for a very long time:-)

[Scottbox]

I tried it until the club insisted on $30 an hour.

[johnrobison]

2 hours ago, Hilts1969 said:

 

I tried that once, I was stood still for a very long time:-)

Probably had too much tension and forgot to relax your mind 😉

[iacas]

2 hours ago, Hilts1969 said:

I tried that once, I was stood still for a very long time:-)

 

Seriously. 😄 

 

The club can't do anything except fall, and even then… it's gravity doing the "work."

 

Edited February 17 by iacas
doesn't -> can't

[Pepperturbo]

12 hours ago, jjinsa said:

he always explained that the club must swing the arms and hands, and the hands/arms must not swing the club. 

Interesting concept.  Yes, the club does the work, but... 

 

I visualize the shot I want to make, bailout, then see the ball and then my take-away, after that, I am an intuitive feel player.  My arms and hands move the club, and may accelerate just before impact.

[PedronNiall]

I think that's sometimes good idea to share with people who try to help the ball into the air or who get armsy in the swing. In reality, that's just what happens when you make a proper pass, the club does the work that the sequenced kinetic chain have propelled it to do. 

 

I don't agree with the idea of "the club swinging the arms and hands", and neither does video or 3D of good players. The norm is to see the club & hands continuing in the backswing as the lower parts of the chain have already initiated the downswing, with the club and hands eventually being slowed then redirected down by the process. 

 

If it's a swing thought that helps someone calm bad tendencies then go with it, just know it's not what's actually happening. It seems like in your case, OP, it simply helps you smooth your tempo and stop rushing your upper body ahead, though that's just a guess from how you explain it. 

[Chunkitgood]

Do what works and good luck.

 

Just make sure it is really working, that is, that your swing is as good as you think it is when you do it.

 

Unfortunately a lot of people who consider themselves solid golfers have learned a faulty swing which “works” in the short term but limits the ultimate result.  Hence they are continually taking lessons, and when their instructor tells them they need major changes, they post on this forum wondering whether they should try to make them.

[MonteScheinblum]

Let the club do the work is code for you are not putting the proper force on the club.  It’s a bandaid feel.  For people that usually put proper force on the ball it’s a temporary fix to stop the bad element that was introduced.  
 

Something any golfer has to buy into if they want to improve.  You have to actively do things that good/elite players do automatically, if you’re not doing them.
 

This is often why tour players are terrible swing coaches.  They assume if they don’t think about move X, an 18 shouldn’t either.

Edited February 18 by MonteScheinblum

[jjinsa]

10 hours ago, MonteScheinblum said:

Let the club do the work is code for you are not putting the proper force on the club.  It’s a bandaid feel.  For people that usually put proper force on the ball it’s a temporary fix to stop the bad element that was introduced.  
 

Something any golfer has to buy into if they want to improve.  You have to actively do things that good/elite players do automatically, if you’re not doing them.
 

This is often why tour players are terrible swing coaches.  They assume if they don’t think about move X, an 18 shouldn’t either.

Agree.  I had an “armsy” swing (like many do), and also would rotate everything as the back swing starts as opposed to good sequencing.  “Letting the club do the work” made me do a couple things.  Less grip pressure, and better sequencing with the club dropping down before I rotate. I’ve videod it and definitely it helps me.  
 

but my main question was referring to two of my friends who are relatively new, have never heard of this from lessons. 

[SNIPERBBB]

I just had a vision of someone doing this on the range or course, getting their club parrallel to past parrallel at the top of the swing, getting stuck there and going 'Ummmm....? How is the club supposed to go down on its own?"

 

Probably safer to relegate this phrase to dealing with how the ball gets in the air ie: you dont have to help it in the air with your swing.
 

[jjinsa]

On 2/18/2024 at 5:00 AM, PedronNiall said:

I think that's sometimes good idea to share with people who try to help the ball into the air or who get armsy in the swing. In reality, that's just what happens when you make a proper pass, the club does the work that the sequenced kinetic chain have propelled it to do. 

 

I don't agree with the idea of "the club swinging the arms and hands", and neither does video or 3D of good players. The norm is to see the club & hands continuing in the backswing as the lower parts of the chain have already initiated the downswing, with the club and hands eventually being slowed then redirected down by the process. 

 

If it's a swing thought that helps someone calm bad tendencies then go with it, just know it's not what's actually happening. It seems like in your case, OP, it simply helps you smooth your tempo and stop rushing your upper body ahead, though that's just a guess from how you explain it. 

Yip it’s what you call feel vs real.  

[fried121]

On 2/17/2024 at 10:54 PM, MonteScheinblum said:

Let the club do the work is code for you are not putting the proper force on the club.  It’s a bandaid feel.  

@MonteScheinblum Genuinely curious on your thoughts (don’t want to assume the answer) as to whether training aids that promote this feel help players put proper force on the club. Examples include Dan Martins Swing the Pro and a ball on a string (sure I am missing others)

 

[virtuoso]

Fair to say the club is doing the work during the impact interval as it kinda acts like a "free moving body" and transfers kinetic energy to the ball......but someone has to energize the club first...

Edited February 19 by virtuoso

[Zitlow]

An efficient golf swing is one unified cohesive motion with all the parts working together from start to finish.

 

   

Even people who have been taught bad mechanics will hit the ball appreciably better just by sensing and feeling the weight of the clubhead as they swing the club. 

 

 

 

 

[Nels55]

1 hour ago, Zitlow said:

Even people who have been taught bad mechanics will hit the ball appreciably better just by sensing and feeling the weight of the clubhead as they swing the club. 

 

Sometimes this is true and sometimes it is not.  There are no absolutes of this type in golf instruction.