Callaway Connect-Easy

[ck25]

I just want to share my excitment with everyone!

 

Got this last night...and went to the range this morning.

 

http://www.callawaygolf.com/global/en-us/golf-equipment/golf-accessories/golf-training-aids/training/connect-easy.html

 

Wow!!! This is probably the best training tool I've ever used. Best $10 I ever spent!

 

I've been trying really hard to get the connected right elbow to the hips/body on the downswing, and just pivot through the ball. But no matter how hard I tried, I would always flip at the ball. My right elbow would disconnect from the body way before impact.

 

When I put this on, it felt really foreign to me. I felt my right arms are so tight against my body and I basically coldn't do anything with it. I can't lift, can't whip, can't do anything. I was thinking how can I create any sort of speed through the ball with my restricted arm motion. My right elbow just connects with my body, but maybe that's the whole purpose.

 

So with this restricted arm swing, let's try a swing.

 

So I grabbed my PW, Reverse-K...check. Proper grip...check. Then I tried with my new one-piece takeaway and stopped at 9:00. Then...I just pivot through.

 

THUMP...

 

I haven't heard this sound too often.....the ball is COMPRESSED

 

Ball just launched off the mat, with a piercing trajectory I don't see often. It went dead striaght to around the same distance as my full flippy swing.

 

So I was thinking to myself, after all these time, this is probably the first time I did the 9-3 properly.

 

Then I tried again...same result!

 

This amazing ball-striking sensation went on for another 15 balls.

 

Then I got curious and took the arm-band off. Try to replicate the feeling but with a full swing. BAM! Went around 20 yards longer than my normal yardage.

 

So not to get too excited...I put the arm-band back, and did the 9-3 for the rest of the bucket.

 

Just as I'm packing up, 2 random strangers came and complimented on my iron striking.....something never happened to me before.

 

I'M STOKED! Now I'm stuck at work, but I really want to go back to the range again.

 

This is the first time I have a clear understanding what pivot swing is. Basically "to me" from this training device, your arms just do absolutely NOTHING. You just simply pivot through the ball.

 

I just feel like sharing my experience with everyone because this is such a wonderful training aid for me. Best $10 I've ever spent!

 

Now I'm sitting in my office and my right lat and butt are sore...first time as well! I think I'm really pivoting hard!

[FairwayGolfUSA.com]

We have one in our hitting bay at our shop and people love it. I will try it out tonight and see if it works for me.

RYAN

[threejack]

Thanks for the post. Have you used it since? Any updates?

[rockwallraider]

Got one today, I have used all the connection type devices, this one should be one that all people looking to make a slicefixer swing buy. I agree, best 12 bucks ever spent. Not only did it help my backswing tighten up but it forces you to use the pivot to hit ball with power, and you can compress the piss out of the ball

[attachment=1585069:image.jpg]

[jamie]

Does it hold pretty tight to your body? I've tried something similar in the past but it was pretty easy to move.

[midweston]

I'm looking into something like this...any others out there with positive experience with these? How about combatting a flip/cast?

[ck25]

Little update...

I've been using this for the 3rd time tonight and it is still a great training aid.

I don't think it's possible to wear it and do the full swing, but it works fantastically for the 9-3 swing.

I think it does hold pretty tight against the body, and you can always adjust it even tighter as it's adjustable by velcro. I actually bought mine when I saw it while shopping for oher stuffs at Target. I tried it on and immediately got the sensation this is the training aid that will work wonders for me.

I think it is quite hard to flip with this training device, but it is still doable. I just don't think wearing this plus a flippy swing will result in any solid compression.

In fact that is what I noticed...

If I wear this aid and flip, I will hit the ball thin without any good compression, and the ball will start left and hook 30-50 yards.

To hit straight WITH compression, "I FEEL" I have to basically do nothing to my hands to accelerate through the ball. Basically "I FEEL" I have to hold my leverage, stay in sync with my pivot, and hold my forearm rotation through the downswing (don't rotate counter-clockwise). This sort of gives me the sensation I'm trying hard to hold the clubface open through the ball, and it FEELS like the ball will just slice like 100 yards to the right. But the end result is it doesn't. I compressed the hell out of the ball and the ball just goes piercing straight.

All these sensations I described above are already illustrated by SF's enclyclopedia, which I've spent a long time trying to learn it without much success. Whenever I tried to hold my leverage, and hold my forearm rotation through the downswing (feels like holding the face open), I would hit these really weak blocks that were really really frustrating. Now I know...the connected right elbow is the key!

In my next session I'm planning to use it with my tour striker and see how I fair with them combined!

[Oldnavycdr]

I've been working hard at the SF swing but have still struggled with throwing my hands at the ball and flipping. I'll take a chance on this. Ordered it today and will post my results. I'd be curious as to what russc and iteach think about this training aide.

[rockwallraider]

slicefixer is buying one to try, i asked him to tell me his thoughts once he takes it through ringer, love this thing

[Sabre3]

Not to take sales away from callaway but you could always try this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJs48ZQ7_3A

[SunkTheBirdie]

Use it for the Right elbow Belt Drill

 

Watch the video about the Drill

 

[

]

[Sabre3]

Use it for the Right elbow Belt Drill

 

Watch the video about the Drill

 

[

]

Were you working on this prior to my post? If so what a coincidence.

[SunkTheBirdie]

[quote name='Sabre3' timestamp='1363370510' post='6617905']
Were you working on this prior to my post? If so what a coincidence. [/quote]
Pure coincidence
It just took me longer because I wanted to find [url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/146842-93-drill-and-muchmuchmore/page__st__7680__p__6356911#entry6356911"]my picture[/url] (from the 9 to 3 thread)

[ck25]

[quote name='rockwallraider' timestamp='1363368979' post='6617765']
slicefixer is buying one to try, i asked him to tell me his thoughts once he takes it through ringer, love this thing
[/quote]Hi, did you get a chance to hear from SF abt his thoughts on this?

[rockwallraider]

[indent=1]no, i amagine he ordered online so might not have yet[/indent]

[Cwing]

Similar to the golf swing shirt.

[nikuk]

[quote name='ck25' timestamp='1363326170' post='6615493']
To hit straight WITH compression, "I FEEL" I have to basically do nothing to my hands to accelerate through the ball. Basically "I FEEL" I have to hold my leverage, stay in sync with my pivot, and hold my forearm rotation through the downswing (don't rotate counter-clockwise). This sort of gives me the sensation I'm trying hard to hold the clubface open through the ball, and it FEELS like the ball will just slice like 100 yards to the right. But the end result is it doesn't. I compressed the hell out of the ball and the ball just goes piercing straight.

[/quote]Slack but extended arms, just turn all the way THROUGH impact area, It feels like your just going to stab the turf with the hosel, and all of the sudden the club head deploys, you just nut the ball? Sweet right?

[borker]

Wow, how coincidental. I just for first time ever saw someone using this thing today at the range! I normally don't pay attention to what others may be trying to contort themselves to do, but the obvious "Callaway" writing on it made me take notice. I was actually walking away from stall to take a quick break when I spotted the person using this. So I watched him from behind (he was also recording his swing himself too. Taking some swings and then checking camera).

One thing that stood out was he definitely had a body slap type swing with this thing on. He was using his pivot pretty good and what I call "slapping" the ball with his pivot and rigid right arm caused by this device. As someone already mentioned, he could do no more than 9-3 type drills. And was not hitting ball very far. Mostly 30y wedge shots. Then he'd take it off and try to do it short again then try for more full swing.

I would bet good money he was well aware of what he was trying to achieve in a flat body type swing and could be a Slicefixer/Hughes/Etc stuff fan.

[lowndes]

I'll add that after reading the above I picked one of these up after work because I am really struggling with this. This thing is fantastic! I actually just got back from seeing Geoff on Sunday and was having all sorts of problems with getting my elbow to stay connected and just pivot through the ball. Lifelong caster and having a really hard time getting rid of the dump. I would do about 10 swings with this thing on and then about 20 with it off and repeat. Did that 4 or 5 times last night and compressed every single ball like crazy.

[coldmark]

Thanks for the review and good luck with the compression. For 12 bucks, I can't afford not to get one.

[Linkkingx]

I just picked one up on my lunch break at Target. Can't wait to give it a try.

[tradekid]

I picked one up on the way home from work at Target for 12 bucks plus tax. I'll report back after I hit some balls with it.

[K-Brown]

i am going to hit my local target at lunch time. hopefully they have one

[colby1]

Wouldn't a 3W or Hybrid head cover held close to the body by the right arm be similar?

[Jim Waldron]

This aid is what I sometimes call a "Convincer" type aid, in that if used properly, you will see dramatic ball flight improvement to "convince" you that the fundamental you are working on is indeed correct, in this case, connection with 100% passive arms driven by the Pivot. Once your really "get it" to the level of subconscious mind, ie a masssive "light bulb" then you can practice even without the aid and start to see some better body motion.

The OP has is absolutely right - you do NOTHING WITH THE ARMS during the entire forward swing. This cannot be stated too strongly - since it so counter-intuitive to "common sense" and so contrary to the bulk of golf instruction information for the past 600 years. Put it another way - never use the arm muscles to move the arms to your left (for a righty), or toward the target, or toward the ball. What delivers your hands/arms/clubhead to the ball and toward the target is 100% caused by the actions of the Pivot.

I work with my students everyday and hear the following conversation on a daily basis:
Student: "So Jim - I understand what you are saying about not using the arms on the forward swing, but you are exaggerating a little bit, no? I have to do SOMETHING to make my arms move, if I don't they will just stay up there at the Top of my backswing, right?" ME: "No - not an exaggeration. Do nothing with the arms to move themselves, and no - they will not stay "up there", the pivot will bring them down into the delivery position and the pivot will bring them down into impact and into followthrough and to the finish." Student: "Ok, I get it, now I understand - I should not try to move my arms at all, got it. But won't I hit a big push slice off to the right if I don't at least "help out" with my arms to help me square the face" Me: "No - you don't need to do anything with the arms to square the face IF you pivot correctly." "But - if I just turn "around the corner to the left" with SuperConnected arms as you taught us in your golf school, won't that hard turn left cause me to pull the ball 30 yards to the left, and thus won't I have to swing my arms "down the target line" or even "out to right field" to avoid the big pull left?" Me: "No - the ball will go dead straight, it wont go left, the feel is of your hands and butt end of club, and even the clubhead moving left a ton, but in reality it is much less left than it feels, just trust your new Pivot move, and hit a ton of balls doing that drill until you hit so many pured straight shots that you realy start believing in the move and trusting it."

[lv_2_hack]

[quote name='Jim Waldron' timestamp='1363802625' post='6651739']
This aid is what I sometimes call a "Convincer" type aid, in that if used properly, you will see dramatic ball flight improvement to "convince" you that the fundamental you are working on is indeed correct, in this case, connection with 100% passive arms driven by the Pivot. Once your really "get it" to the level of subconscious mind, ie a masssive "light bulb" then you can practice even without the aid and start to see some better body motion.

The OP has is absolutely right - you do NOTHING WITH THE ARMS during the entire forward swing. This cannot be stated too strongly - since it so counter-intuitive to "common sense" and so contrary to the bulk of golf instruction information for the past 600 years. Put it another way - never use the arm muscles to move the arms to your left (for a righty), or toward the target, or toward the ball. What delivers your hands/arms/clubhead to the ball and toward the target is 100% caused by the actions of the Pivot.

I work with my students everyday and hear the following conversation on a daily basis:
Student: "So Jim - I understand what you are saying about not using the arms on the forward swing, but you are exaggerating a little bit, no? I have to do SOMETHING to make my arms move, if I don't they will just stay up there at the Top of my backswing, right?" ME: "No - not an exaggeration. Do nothing with the arms to move themselves, and no - they will not stay "up there", the pivot will bring them down into the delivery position and the pivot will bring them down into impact and into followthrough and to the finish." Student: "Ok, I get it, now I understand - I should not try to move my arms at all, got it. But won't I hit a big push slice off to the right if I don't at least "help out" with my arms to help me square the face" Me: "No - you don't need to do anything with the arms to square the face IF you pivot correctly." "But - if I just turn "around the corner to the left" with SuperConnected arms as you taught us in your golf school, won't that hard turn left cause me to pull the ball 30 yards to the left, and thus won't I have to swing my arms "down the target line" or even "out to right field" to avoid the big pull left?" Me: "No - the ball will go dead straight, it wont go left, the feel is of your hands and butt end of club, and even the clubhead moving left a ton, but in reality it is much less left than it feels, just trust your new Pivot move, and hit a ton of balls doing that drill until you hit so many pured straight shots that you realy start believing in the move and trusting it."
[/quote]

Jim what do you do for players with fast hips/pivots where there arms get too far behind them? Alot of times 'passive' arms get too passive and don't stay connected WITH the pivot. I haven't watched the video on this training device, but it seems like this FORCES the right arm to be much more in front, where if the pivot didn't work you would shank it. Thoughts?

[Jim Waldron]

[quote name='lv_2_hack' timestamp='1363803013' post='6651787']
[quote name='Jim Waldron' timestamp='1363802625' post='6651739']
This aid is what I sometimes call a "Convincer" type aid, in that if used properly, you will see dramatic ball flight improvement to "convince" you that the fundamental you are working on is indeed correct, in this case, connection with 100% passive arms driven by the Pivot. Once your really "get it" to the level of subconscious mind, ie a masssive "light bulb" then you can practice even without the aid and start to see some better body motion.

The OP has is absolutely right - you do NOTHING WITH THE ARMS during the entire forward swing. This cannot be stated too strongly - since it so counter-intuitive to "common sense" and so contrary to the bulk of golf instruction information for the past 600 years. Put it another way - never use the arm muscles to move the arms to your left (for a righty), or toward the target, or toward the ball. What delivers your hands/arms/clubhead to the ball and toward the target is 100% caused by the actions of the Pivot.

I work with my students everyday and hear the following conversation on a daily basis:
Student: "So Jim - I understand what you are saying about not using the arms on the forward swing, but you are exaggerating a little bit, no? I have to do SOMETHING to make my arms move, if I don't they will just stay up there at the Top of my backswing, right?" ME: "No - not an exaggeration. Do nothing with the arms to move themselves, and no - they will not stay "up there", the pivot will bring them down into the delivery position and the pivot will bring them down into impact and into followthrough and to the finish." Student: "Ok, I get it, now I understand - I should not try to move my arms at all, got it. But won't I hit a big push slice off to the right if I don't at least "help out" with my arms to help me square the face" Me: "No - you don't need to do anything with the arms to square the face IF you pivot correctly." "But - if I just turn "around the corner to the left" with SuperConnected arms as you taught us in your golf school, won't that hard turn left cause me to pull the ball 30 yards to the left, and thus won't I have to swing my arms "down the target line" or even "out to right field" to avoid the big pull left?" Me: "No - the ball will go dead straight, it wont go left, the feel is of your hands and butt end of club, and even the clubhead moving left a ton, but in reality it is much less left than it feels, just trust your new Pivot move, and hit a ton of balls doing that drill until you hit so many pured straight shots that you realy start believing in the move and trusting it."
[/quote]

Jim what do you do for players with fast hips/pivots where there arms get too far behind them? Alot of times 'passive' arms get too passive and don't stay connected WITH the pivot. I haven't watched the video on this training device, but it seems like this FORCES the right arm to be much more in front, where if the pivot didn't work you would shank it. Thoughts?
[/quote]

Your arms can get "stuck" from too fast a Pivot tempo during transition, since the Pivot creates ineria on the arms, which move more to the right of mid-line than they were at the Top. There are two solutions: one - increase the sideways Triangle pressure wbich will in effect "resist" some of that inertia acting on the arms, and two - slow down the transition Pivot speed. Problem solved. If your arms are still "too far behind" during Pivot Thrust/Release swing segment, after those two solutions, it is because your shoulder girdle - the top of the 3D spiral-shaped Pivot - is too slow in un-coiling, at least relative to the speed of your Core and/or of your hips. So - you either slow the hips or Core, or you speed up the shoulder girdle segment during Pivot Thrust.

[rockwallraider]

glad everyone seems to be getting as much out of this device as me.

[lv_2_hack]

[quote name='Jim Waldron' timestamp='1363804081' post='6651887']
[quote name='lv_2_hack' timestamp='1363803013' post='6651787']
[quote name='Jim Waldron' timestamp='1363802625' post='6651739']
This aid is what I sometimes call a "Convincer" type aid, in that if used properly, you will see dramatic ball flight improvement to "convince" you that the fundamental you are working on is indeed correct, in this case, connection with 100% passive arms driven by the Pivot. Once your really "get it" to the level of subconscious mind, ie a masssive "light bulb" then you can practice even without the aid and start to see some better body motion.

The OP has is absolutely right - you do NOTHING WITH THE ARMS during the entire forward swing. This cannot be stated too strongly - since it so counter-intuitive to "common sense" and so contrary to the bulk of golf instruction information for the past 600 years. Put it another way - never use the arm muscles to move the arms to your left (for a righty), or toward the target, or toward the ball. What delivers your hands/arms/clubhead to the ball and toward the target is 100% caused by the actions of the Pivot.

I work with my students everyday and hear the following conversation on a daily basis:
Student: "So Jim - I understand what you are saying about not using the arms on the forward swing, but you are exaggerating a little bit, no? I have to do SOMETHING to make my arms move, if I don't they will just stay up there at the Top of my backswing, right?" ME: "No - not an exaggeration. Do nothing with the arms to move themselves, and no - they will not stay "up there", the pivot will bring them down into the delivery position and the pivot will bring them down into impact and into followthrough and to the finish." Student: "Ok, I get it, now I understand - I should not try to move my arms at all, got it. But won't I hit a big push slice off to the right if I don't at least "help out" with my arms to help me square the face" Me: "No - you don't need to do anything with the arms to square the face IF you pivot correctly." "But - if I just turn "around the corner to the left" with SuperConnected arms as you taught us in your golf school, won't that hard turn left cause me to pull the ball 30 yards to the left, and thus won't I have to swing my arms "down the target line" or even "out to right field" to avoid the big pull left?" Me: "No - the ball will go dead straight, it wont go left, the feel is of your hands and butt end of club, and even the clubhead moving left a ton, but in reality it is much less left than it feels, just trust your new Pivot move, and hit a ton of balls doing that drill until you hit so many pured straight shots that you realy start believing in the move and trusting it."
[/quote]

Jim what do you do for players with fast hips/pivots where there arms get too far behind them? Alot of times 'passive' arms get too passive and don't stay connected WITH the pivot. I haven't watched the video on this training device, but it seems like this FORCES the right arm to be much more in front, where if the pivot didn't work you would shank it. Thoughts?
[/quote]

Your arms can get "stuck" from too fast a Pivot tempo during transition, since the Pivot creates ineria on the arms, which move more to the right of mid-line than they were at the Top. There are two solutions: one - increase the sideways Triangle pressure wbich will in effect "resist" some of that inertia acting on the arms, and two - slow down the transition Pivot speed. Problem solved. If your arms are still "too far behind" during Pivot Thrust/Release swing segment, after those two solutions, it is because your shoulder girdle - the top of the 3D spiral-shaped Pivot - is too slow in un-coiling, at least relative to the speed of your Core and/or of your hips. So - you either slow the hips or Core, or you speed up the shoulder girdle segment during Pivot Thrust.
[/quote]

Good post. So you would never do it by speeding up arms? Always had difficulty getting some of the players I work with to 'slow down' their hips/core.

So for faster pivot players, where arms get behind their pivot, would this training aid help them?

[lowndes]

[quote name='Jim Waldron' timestamp='1363802625' post='6651739']
This aid is what I sometimes call a "Convincer" type aid, in that if used properly, you will see dramatic ball flight improvement to "convince" you that the fundamental you are working on is indeed correct, in this case, connection with 100% passive arms driven by the Pivot. Once your really "get it" to the level of subconscious mind, ie a masssive "light bulb" then you can practice even without the aid and start to see some better body motion.

The OP has is absolutely right - you do NOTHING WITH THE ARMS during the entire forward swing. This cannot be stated too strongly - since it so counter-intuitive to "common sense" and so contrary to the bulk of golf instruction information for the past 600 years. Put it another way - never use the arm muscles to move the arms to your left (for a righty), or toward the target, or toward the ball. What delivers your hands/arms/clubhead to the ball and toward the target is 100% caused by the actions of the Pivot.

I work with my students everyday and hear the following conversation on a daily basis:
Student: "So Jim - I understand what you are saying about not using the arms on the forward swing, but you are exaggerating a little bit, no? I have to do SOMETHING to make my arms move, if I don't they will just stay up there at the Top of my backswing, right?" ME: "No - not an exaggeration. Do nothing with the arms to move themselves, and no - they will not stay "up there", the pivot will bring them down into the delivery position and the pivot will bring them down into impact and into followthrough and to the finish." Student: "Ok, I get it, now I understand - I should not try to move my arms at all, got it. But won't I hit a big push slice off to the right if I don't at least "help out" with my arms to help me square the face" Me: "No - you don't need to do anything with the arms to square the face IF you pivot correctly." "But - if I just turn "around the corner to the left" with SuperConnected arms as you taught us in your golf school, won't that hard turn left cause me to pull the ball 30 yards to the left, and thus won't I have to swing my arms "down the target line" or even "out to right field" to avoid the big pull left?" Me: "No - the ball will go dead straight, it wont go left, the feel is of your hands and butt end of club, and even the clubhead moving left a ton, but in reality it is much less left than it feels, just trust your new Pivot move, and hit a ton of balls doing that drill until you hit so many pured straight shots that you realy start believing in the move and trusting it."
[/quote]

Great post and this is exactly one of the main benefits I noticed in the device. As Slicefixer was trying to tell me you have to just trust that you will hit the ball with great compression without doing anything with your hands and arms. This was really hard for a massive dumper like myself to believe. So a lot of times I would do crazy things with my arms just because it felt like I was going to shank the ball (and when I did those crazy things with my arms I did shank the ball!)

One of the things I am doing now is trying to get the feel so I can better have passive hands when not using the device. I could be completely off base (only been using the device for a day) but it feels like I am maintaining the passiveness with my left hand and not right. When I do it with the right it is very hard for me to overcome the hit impulse at the ball. When I do it with the left it seems much much better. Not sure if there is any credence to that or not but that is currently the feel I am getting.