Reading a new book (Extraordinary Golf) and am stunned!

[mstram]

It's not necessary to actually let go of the club. Just making the motion with the intention of throwing the club (forget "golf swing") will work wonders.

 

I used this drill with a co worker / occasional-once-a-month-golfer, a few years ago. We were on our way to a golf game, and stopped at the range for a warmup. I'd never seen his swing before.

 

After his first few swings (average athletic ability), it was one of the most restricted UN-athletic motions I'd ever seen. His drives were weak slices going ~150-160 yards.

 

I had him do a combination of the throw-the-club (without actually letting go), and the "happy-gilmore" (half-step-walk-into-the-swing) swing, for about ten minutes.

 

Believe it or not, in ten minutes his swing dramatically changed for the better. 20-40 yards longer, and greatly straightened out ball flight.

 

Probably one of the reasons being that he played so rarely he had zero pre-conceived swing thoughts to mess him up.

 

We went to the course, and he kept focusing on the drill / using it as his practice swing.

 

On the 16th hole, no b.s. the same guy with the "half-swing-no-weight-shift-chop-160-yard-slice" swing at the range, "unloaded" with a drive that was well struck, and went ~275 !!!!!

 

The throw-the-club motion is a great "meta" instruction, ala Tim Gallwey's "Inner Game of Golf" swing "meta-keys".

 

It is also similar to the very-old days / pre cameras etc, where caddies and players learned by just imitating other players, and swinging freely the club "in a circle" "at dandelions" etc.

 

Non "technical" teachers like Bob Toski, Dean Reinmuth, along with Shoemaker and Gallwey, seem to be the exception rather than the rule these days, which is a pity for the average (and even better golfers).

[Hoganstriker]

Non technical instruction is by far the most effective.

[Obee]

One of the best golf books ever written.

[Obee]

Mental game books alone--with no instruction whatsoever--took me from a bad 2-handicap to a +2 to +3.5 tournament am in just a couple years.

[Lefthook]

Love that book,

 

However.... If you want to do fundamental changes to your swim, you need a technical approach for a while. Where I am right now, I try to use as much feel with the full swing as I do with the putter. But it's no easy - not to me anyway.

[Double Mocha Man]

I have been throwing clubs for years. Just after the angry toss I feel a lot better.

[Forged4ever]

It depends on who your Teacher is regarding "fundamental" changes to one's swing requiring "technical" approach-

 

I've done this twice over 48 years and never had to the suffer through a "technical" approach

 

If you had Pete Snead, Bob Toski, Davis Love Jr. or Fred Shoemaker, you never had to endure "technical," lol

 

Oh yea, for those wondering what it's like to compete at Plus, file Obe's post away and when you're tired of messing around, chopping around and frustrating yourself, give it a go!!

 

It'll do wonders for your game?️

 

Excellent book BTW!!

 

Stay well BroMeisters?

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever⛳

RP

[baloo]

Mental game books alone--with no instruction whatsoever--took me from a bad 2-handicap to a +2 to +3.5 tournament am in just a couple years.

 

Which ones would you recommend?

[Grayback1973]

What is with the throwing of clubs? How does that relate to swinging good?

[Jim Waldron]

One of the main points of Fred's book, although by no means the only one, is that the old club-throwing drills activates a natural athletic throwing motion that can be used as a holistic means to a better golf swing.

 

Its a great drill for folks who are suffering from paralysis from over-analysis.

 

I prefer to use baseball bats though in my golf schools, especially the heavier wooden bats, they activate the core and other essential Pivot muscles better than a lightweight golf club.

[borker]

Both times I attempted this in my life, even though I attempted to throw the club at my target, it ended up going way left. To throw at the target I had to work on it a few times to get the feel correct and then it felt so weird to be swinging that far out. I abandoned it after few minutes as I was really hooking my irons with that new feel. Would be a great drill for beginners suffering from a slice.

[EntourageLife]

TY

[oikos1]

Hacks throw clubs to get better...

 

Good golfers throw clubs because they're pissed...

[avguy]

Over in the camp of Shawn Clement, the throwing the club analogy and actually doing so as a drill has been one of his staples since he began his You Tube Channel a decade ago.

 

I recently enjoyed a half-day clinic with him, and brought a box of old irons from the garage for him to demo the action and have me plus another student to try. We both seemed to improve our ball flights post our throws.

 

One of many he has posted:

[Mike Divot]

The brain is not a muscle. It is composed of neurons, connective tissue and vascular tissue. The nervous system activates the muscles and controls their actions.

 

I bet you say that to all the guys.

[Patrick_O]

The brain is not a muscle. It is composed of neurons, connective tissue and vascular tissue. The nervous system activates the muscles and controls their actions.

 

I bet you say that to all the guys.

You took the words right out of my mouth

[parmark]

Word of caution to those who are going to want to try this drill - be sure you are clear of trees. As one of the posters noted above - the first few times you try this, it will want to go left on you, alot. I miss the nine iron I used the first time I tried this drill - keep hoping the wind will blow it out of the branches very high up that I can't reach to retrieve it!

[smashdn]

Read the book. Still perplexed. Maybe I am looking for something that is not there. Surely to goodness the answer to getting more consistent with ball striking is not "throw more clubs." I ahd the luxury of a wide open fairway yesterday afternoon and gave my 9I a pitch.

 

I think I have the feel of the ball just being in the way of the swing. I have seen my swing on camera a few times and I am not sure how to go about getting a feel for the blind spots to connect the dots as the book suggests. How do you do that? How can you do that on your own or do you have to seek a ~~teacher~~ coach who has this mentality/teaching style?

[smashdn]

Nothing? No one?

 

I am starting to think that thinking less is not the path forward for me. I have had two terrible range sessions since trying to implement these [lack of] swing thoughts.

 

I can knock the 100 yard pole on the range down consistently. Just to test myself to ensure I wasn't just grooving a swing for that distance I started alternating that distance with a 30 yard pitch. I would go full height 100 yard shot, 30 yard spinner, 100 yard knock down/punch spinner, 30 yard spinner and just keep repeating that with a whole bucket to really stress and test my form and feel for those distances. No issues there. But when I start working up through the bag is where the inconsistent ball striking begins to creep in. Lots of push fades or a 5 yard draw. Without really any control of what flight I will get. The overall dispersion is only about 30 yards for a 150 yard shot but that is just not good enough IMO for what I am capable of at 100. Especially without being able to consistently keep the flight consistent. (I know I said consistent a bunch there.) I'll hit five with a nice fade, then push one then draw one the opposite way. The double cross is what is driving the dispersion, aiming for a fade then hitting the draw.

[musclefront]

> @JJH said:

> Can't wait to give it a try. Maybe I'll be a 2 by next weekend?

 

Probably not unless your work ethic is better than your humor attempts