Keeping the club in front of you

[ole gray]

I'm always working on keeping the club in front of me.  Any good tips, thoughts or wisdom on how to do this would be appreciated. It sounds easy to do however all too often we don't know or have the proper knowledge to make it happen.

[PlaidJacket]

I'm not really sure what you mean Gray. Can you post a youtube of the technique you're talking about?

[ole gray]

I'm not really sure what you mean Gray. Can you post a youtube of the technique you're talking about?

 

My wife says a good thought is to keep ya titties with ya which helps.  Here's a short video on what I'm talking about:

 

 

https://youtu.be/cJgRCFJrRn8

[PlaidJacket]

Hmmm? I watched the vid. Thanks.

I'm not sure that's something I've given much thought too. My instructor has never brought it up to me. I guess I have a great swing. LOL.... not.

In my dim wit.. it seems as if the more lag one has the less the club is out "in front". Until later anyway. I'm still not sure I fully understand exactly. I want my club lagging a bit. Not in front. Otherwise it seems I might be flipping it. Please correct me everyone. 

[alfriday101]

In the video you posted, the instructor is basically talking about taking the club back on plane and bring it through on plane--not taking it back inside and coming over the top, or taking it back outside and compensating coming back through.    

 

for some reason I can't post videos into this post.  On youtube, search "Shawn Clement best drill in golf" and "Shawn Clement sledge hammer drill".  

 

The Clement videos help to get you in balance and to make sure you are turning in a way to take the club back on plane.  The sledge hammer video is very effective to get you to turn and keep the club in front of you. 

 

One simple thing to do is to quit focusing on the ball and work on swinging to the target.  The ball just gets in the way of the swing.      

[mega]

If the reason you are trying to keep club in front of you because of your build (think upper body) and you are trying to keep from overswinging try the link below.

 

I get in trouble when my arms out swing the rest of my body on my back swing, my pro says I give him an extra hitch he doesn't want and that's when things go bad.

 

If it is not related to your build then just ignore...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJn9-deB0eo

[Kor.A.Door]

So, my thought is to put your arms in front of your body, instead of putting your arms behind your back. I think that could keep your arms in front of you. 😁😁

[ole gray]

So, my thought is to put your arms in front of your body, instead of putting your arms behind your back. I think that could keep your arms in front of you.

 

 

We need a pic of a golfer taking the club back and the top of his left hand is facing the sky mirroring the club face on his back swing and that's a golfer who puts the club behind his back.... 

[StrokerAce]

In the video you posted, the instructor is basically talking about taking the club back on plane and bring it through on plane--not taking it back inside and coming over the top, or taking it back outside and compensating coming back through.    

 

for some reason I can't post videos into this post.  On youtube, search "Shawn Clement best drill in golf" and "Shawn Clement sledge hammer drill".  

 

The Clement videos help to get you in balance and to make sure you are turning in a way to take the club back on plane.  The sledge hammer video is very effective to get you to turn and keep the club in front of you. 

 

One simple thing to do is to quit focusing on the ball and work on swinging to the target.  The ball just gets in the way of the swing.      

 

Second the Shawn Clement vid!  He's got a bunch of other really good ones too.  Not too technical and easy to remember.

 

I have a problem keeping it on plane on the way back so I just picked up a SwingGyde.  Search youtube for Dan Whitaker swingyde.  Pretty good review of it.

[Kor.A.Door]

We need a pic of a golfer taking the club back and the top of his left hand is facing the sky mirroring the club face on his back swing and that's a golfer who puts the club behind his back....

That sounds painful. I think. 😇

[gaussman1]

I'm always working on keeping the club in front of me. Any good tips, thoughts or wisdom on how to do this would be appreciated. It sounds easy to do however all too often we don't know or have the proper knowledge to make it happen.

Gray I also get the club feeling stuck a lot then flip hook the ball left. In my case the stuck feeling was coming from a failure to properly clear the body. I felt like I was turning toward the target, but I was doing it after impact. At impact I was still facing the ball with chest and hips and the club was moving inside out to try to get some space away from me. Once we figured that out my teacher has me working on 2 things to remedy the root problem. First is to feel like I maintain the right arm bend angle from the top all the way to impact. This keeps me from throwing the right hand and extending the right arm too soon. The only way to get to impact with the right arm bent is to turn the body out of the way. Part 2 is to peek a little early. I get my head stuck at the ball way past impact so we are going for more of a DJ/ David Duval/ Henrik Stenson move, where my eyes and head are rotating toward the target even before impact. It's obv early in the season and this is all new to me but so far in the few rounds I have played I have missed fewer shots to the left and hit a handful of unusually good long iron and fairway wood shots.

Just because this was my fix doesn't mean the same applies to you, but finding a good instructor moved me in a very different direction from what I had been working on by myself to stop the club from getting stuck.

[ole gray]

Gray I also get the club feeling stuck a lot then flip hook the ball left. In my case the stuck feeling was coming from a failure to properly clear the body. I felt like I was turning toward the target, but I was doing it after impact. At impact I was still facing the ball with chest and hips and the club was moving inside out to try to get some space away from me. Once we figured that out my teacher has me working on 2 things to remedy the root problem. First is to feel like I maintain the right arm bend angle from the top all the way to impact. This keeps me from throwing the right hand and extending the right arm too soon. The only way to get to impact with the right arm bent is to turn the body out of the way. Part 2 is to peek a little early. I get my head stuck at the ball way past impact so we are going for more of a DJ/ David Duval/ Henrik Stenson move, where my eyes and head are rotating toward the target even before impact. It's obv early in the season and this is all new to me but so far in the few rounds I have played I have missed fewer shots to the left and hit a handful of unusually good long iron and fairway wood shots.

Just because this was my fix doesn't mean the same applies to you, but finding a good instructor moved me in a very different direction from what I had been working on by myself to stop the club from getting stuck.

 

 

Thanks pal and all this makes good sense.  I'll give these two keys a look on the range and try to be patient enough to make it happen.  Our pro gives lessons and we also have an academy on site where we have an instructor who has taught several pros in the south east.

[dadivots]

Ballard has always taught keep your elbows down, and arms in front. He was Teacher of the Decade with Strange and Seve and others in the 80s. I have a left elbow that points out exactly as he describes naturally, so this made sense to me. It keeps everything in sync and in front which manipulating my elbows and hands at address didnt. Grip and wrist angle and the rest synced up like they should and the club didnt get all over the place in the backswing. I didnt worry about his keep your elbows in, it just followed with the right elbow finding its slot.
 
The benefit for me was all the thoughts, or the talk, about the plane went away as this kept the triangle that I naturally had and the swing itself followed. In the end I found that the club stayed in front of me and I could deliver power at my swing bottom way easier. 
Sticking the shaft in your belly button and holding the club in the middle out in front of you, and turning WITH the club was the drill that got me there. Simple quick and easy. Then put it down and swing.  Glad you posted this as I forgot about this one, and again this is natural for me.
Cant get a link to post but he and Rocco Mediate are on youtube talking about it.

Hope this helps.

[ole gray]

Ballard has always taught keep your elbows down, and arms in front. He was Teacher of the Decade with Strange and Seve and others in the 80s. I have a left elbow that points out exactly as he describes naturally, so this made sense to me. It keeps everything in sync and in front which manipulating my elbows and hands at address didnt. Grip and wrist angle and the rest synced up like they should and the club didnt get all over the place in the backswing. I didnt worry about his keep your elbows in, it just followed with the right elbow finding its slot.

 

The benefit for me was all the thoughts, or the talk, about the plane went away as this kept the triangle that I naturally had and the swing itself followed. In the end I found that the club stayed in front of me and I could deliver power at my swing bottom way easier.

Sticking the shaft in your belly button and holding the club in the middle out in front of you, and turning WITH the club was the drill that got me there. Simple quick and easy. Then put it down and swing. Glad you posted this as I forgot about this one, and again this is natural for me.

Cant get a link to post but he and Rocco Mediate are on youtube talking about it.

Hope this helps.

 

I saw that video a while back and I need to book mark it and keep it as a go to. Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[dadivots]

I saw that video a while back and I need to book mark it and keep it as a go to. Thanks!

 

You bet.

If this seems to help you may find some right arm/wrist dominance in there. Usually its at the top and has always been there. Easy fix too for another day, of course given that easy takes time.

The idea that was posted of 'the ball being in the way of the swing'...  to a full follow through is still some of the best advice out there.

[ole gray]

Ballard has always taught keep your elbows down, and arms in front. He was Teacher of the Decade with Strange and Seve and others in the 80s. I have a left elbow that points out exactly as he describes naturally, so this made sense to me. It keeps everything in sync and in front which manipulating my elbows and hands at address didnt. Grip and wrist angle and the rest synced up like they should and the club didnt get all over the place in the backswing. I didnt worry about his keep your elbows in, it just followed with the right elbow finding its slot.

 

The benefit for me was all the thoughts, or the talk, about the plane went away as this kept the triangle that I naturally had and the swing itself followed. In the end I found that the club stayed in front of me and I could deliver power at my swing bottom way easier. 

Sticking the shaft in your belly button and holding the club in the middle out in front of you, and turning WITH the club was the drill that got me there. Simple quick and easy. Then put it down and swing.  Glad you posted this as I forgot about this one, and again this is natural for me.

Cant get a link to post but he and Rocco Mediate are on youtube talking about it.

Hope this helps.

 

Here ya go: https://youtu.be/YP0a3eCmNOg?list=PL4b0Xel2ZGnJTiM24eDKWn5_TSz_CuEZA

[mooremikea]

The feeling that really helps me on the backswing is not letting my right arm fold too much.  It feels to me like I am gently pushing the club away from me with my right hand.  If your right elbow folds less than 90 degrees it is relatively hard to get the club too far behind you in the backswing.  

[SwingJunkie]

Regardless of anything else, keeping the trail elbow in it's position relative to the rib cage will  help keep the club in front. Add Ballard's "connection" of the left arm like someone else already mentioned, and it's a guarantee.

Basically, keeping the club in front is a matter of maintaining the arm triangle in it's set up configuration, swinging it as one unit. You can feel that in the elbows. If you are twisting or collapsing the triangle, or separating the elbows, you can feel it there.

Ballard is an excellent study for this topic. Noel Thomas' "Master Key" is also worth studying, if for nothing else than his treatment of the lead arm.

Good topic and discussion.

[Honest Wes]

I saw that video a while back and I need to book mark it and keep it as a go to. Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Gospel! Keeping the "V" intact works wonders for chipping and pitching too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Big money]

This topic is exactly what my pro has me doing.Never get the club stuck behind you in the motion.Add in the hours we spent on a proper body turn thru the ball.I abandoned that idea of controlling the clubface with my hands and arms now.The body now dictates what will happen.New ground for me in how I saw the golf swing.The good shots are very very good.The bad are still bad but not as frequent.

[ole gray]

This topic is exactly what my pro has me doing.Never get the club stuck behind you in the motion.Add in the hours we spent on a proper body turn thru the ball.I abandoned that idea of controlling the clubface with my hands and arms now.The body now dictates what will happen.New ground for me in how I saw the golf swing.The good shots are very very good.The bad are still bad but not as frequent.

 

An old gal I use to play with said it in a simple way.  On the take away keep ya titties with ya meaning don't swing your arms without moving those boobies too.