As a long time scratch golfer I certainly learned this. There are two types of golf swings. Swings that are very timing dependent and advanced golf swings that are not. If you have a timing dependent swing (which most people have) you are not going to get better after lessons. You only hit the ball good when your timing is good. That is why you can't carry a range game to the first tee. The timing leaves you quickly. Developing a non-timing dependent swing is beyond the scope of this comment. A non-timing dependent swing is for the serious golfer who will "connect" their arms, shoulders, and body, AND spend a lot of time on the range so developing that connection. And as Nicklaus insisted all his life, it starts in the first 4 inches of the take-away. That's because this is the only place one can establish connection. Once disconnected you can never get it back. It is all timing from there on when you don't have connection.
His opposition grip pressure is GOLDEN and has changed my game 👏👏👏. When you first try it, you’ll feel like you’re chocking the handle but after getting used to it, try to relax it and just have the feel of them working opposites. Thank you so much for sharing what might be a TOP SECRET RECEIPT for better club face control that no one else reveled before 👍👍👍. GOOD JOB 👏👏👏
I’m not clear on the concept of “opposition grip pressure”. Should my trailing hand be pressured in towards my lead side or out towards my trail side. Same question for my lead hand, pressure in or out? Thank you for any clarification.
I don’t mind the toughness, I just can’t understand what he’s talking about! As a beginner, most of these terms mean nothing to me but then, the lesson was not aimed at a complete beginner like me.
@@NannyOggins my advice to beginners would be to work on golf related co ordination drills but only 1 person in 10yrs has Easy and cheap! learn to do 10 continuus 1/2 swings with feet close clipping the range peg til u clip it every time Adv do it with your eyes shut! Easy hold a wedge 8ins from head and bounce a ball 10 times then work towards holding the grip and doing it adv every good golfer that ever lived can bounce a ball on a wedge
Nah. Just a regular Yorkshire man. Blunt . To the point. Factual. But impossible to understand lol 😂 His dad was obviously a brickie 🧱 “Load your shoulders” means ‘pick up an’ carry th’ brick hopper’… “twist your forearm” means ’put brick on wall’ etc. In fairness, “ squueze w’ter outta cloth” works.
A lot of golf is all about feels so I don't want to change any of that for you if the feels are working for you. However, if it helps further, I think you may have understood the shoulder loading backwards. If you go back and watch the down-the-line videos of Pete hitting the fade followed by the draw, his shoulder set is steeper for the fade and shallower for the draw. It has to happen that way for the club to fall to correct position properly. For a fade, we have to higher hands so that the club actually falls outside of the hand path and works its way back inside; and vice versa for the draw to get the in-to-out path. Hope that helps, keep up the good work! Love Pete's coaching. Definitely one of my favorite videos you have ever done!
If anything I genuinely respect your honesty as I feel most people would be embarrassed to say they got worse after that lesson so good for you for this and also readdressing it 💪🏼
Remember this lesson with Pete. It was impressive, made so much sense. What was good here, you honestly told it like it was, highlighting why us amateurs fail to improve like we want to. Great video, good luck in the new year, all the best 👍
That video with Pete Cowan is probably my favourite golf video on TH-cam and now this one is right up there with it, awesome James just bloody awesome and thank you. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to yourself and Laura
Thanks James for doing this. Pete is prob one of the smartest coaches out there. And YOU basically were his first video on youtube in years. Thats Amazing! Also your channel reminds me alot of Crossfields back 10 years ago when his stuff was innovative. What you are doing is Helping amateurs. Not filling their heads with nonsense, like 99% of the other golf channels. Hendrickson's is good over at DHG. But you have your finger on the pulse with this Pete Cowen stuff. This is what we need! Thank you.
Was really good to see you go back over the lesson and talk through what he was teaching. This is a great reminder for me to keep working on similar things regularly.
This is still your best content video with pete. Stick with it. It has helped me after 40 years of playing. As you know you have to work on in practice. Thanks and maybe give us a look at the club face at address for both the fade and the draw? Is it different or are you just moving the ball with the swing?
Hi. I watched the lesson and immediately saw a change in my shots. What a great teacher,. His analysis makes perfect sense. Can you clarify. In the lesson, Pete asked you to get high loading for a fade and a lower loading for a draw. But in your recap, you say the opposite. Can you explain, or have I just misread your content in the recap video? Thank you Paul
Thank you for the great content. I was wondering if you misspoke when you talked about setting up for your fade and draw you referred to your backswing on the fade as laying the club off I interpret that the opposite that would be laid off flatter for a draw coming from the inside, did I misinterpret your meaning?
Great content. Pete is truly legendary. My interpretation for the shot shaping was actually the opposite based on how Pete demonstrated. Steeper shoulder load for fade, and slightly flatter shoulder load for draw.
I still haven’t heard (in thé vidéo) or read here what’s actually the difference in swing plane and position of the shoulder in loading for a fade or a draw. I am very surprised that it is totally clear for the 1.6K responders (except the few that put some questions online, that has not been answered). So it would be nice if that will be solved…😀 in the next video or in the reactions underneath!
@@bramborel8575 good question. I’ve gathered from other videos, that it’s more than just loading the shoulders, it’s also the forearms and the weight shift. So it’s not the Magic just loading, check out him giving instructions To Thomas Pieters 16:59
I agree slimed My interpretation was the same. Higher and for fade and lower and flatter shoulder to come from the inside for draw. But both the videos are lifechanging if you can get what he is saying. Great job James. Very humble and transparent.
I incorrectly learned a golf swing from my youngest days (I believe my dad had a slice) so I must have picked it up in my proprioception before I tried. I've battled it since college. I picked up with a couple of fellows at my local course and one of 'em gave me the, "pull the wagon" or "push the wagon" analogy. So after taking that lesson, I strictly only used my left hand and completely removed my right hand from the club for about a month at the range. Now I've been working on balance and weight position in my stance. I'm finding these aspects fundamental.
Good stuff James. I'm finally starting to understand some of these concepts. Unfortunately just in time for winter here in Indiana. Pete is a great coach.
Briliant, thanks for explaining every thing in great detail, a really enjoyable video and one to keep, I would like you to do this on the course and see how you fair.
Hi James, really great content as always. I really like your honest words there beacause I think that at least 90% of all Golfers are in the same boat (including myself;-) I had about 30 lessons the last years and barely have practiced 2 hrs in the same period of time..... today I find myself in a place where I struggle with inconsistency more and more and where I look for the holy grail on TH-cam. There's another video around of Pete Cowen talking about practicing the right body movement 10-15mins every day - I want to give this a try and find out if it helps my game more than hitting balls on the range without a purpose......... Stay safe, keep up the good work & Cheers from Hamburg/Germany.
I can’t find it now. But I came across one of your recent videos. I had been hitting my drives to the left. In the end I found I had been gripping too hard. I changed my grip strength to about 3-4. Super change hit 90% of my drives down the middle. Cheers.
Fundamental changes to, well anything, usually follow a process of 'it will get worse before it gets better'. It's hard to make fundamental changes to your golf swing because no one wants to get worse, or lose their feel. Also if your job is to review clubs then doing so while making fundamental changes to your swing could be detrimental to your job. Don't be so hard on yourself James. Happy Christmas!!
Thanks for revisiting James - i wouldn’t beat yourself up too much, you seem to get more pars / birdies than any other TH-camrs I watch 😅- having said that, if you could video yourself at the range and then a few holes explaining what you are doing, that would be gold
Hello James, I’ve got to admit to this, I didn’t understand how you load the shoulders to hit fade/draw shots in the original with Peter Cowen? Got it a little bit more now but not totally.. great follow up though and thanks again.,
Thanks James, I loved that video with Pete but didn’t understand it. I have just started to use the opposing hands and have been hitting better shots but your explanation has shown me what I really need to work on.
Hi James, like the honesty, "just not practised enough". Probably applies to many of us, I'm in that category as well, paid our pro, practiced a bit, what he showed me worked, but like you, life gets in the way, new excuse, the weather. Watched a lot of your content with Chris, great stuff.. The new swing seems to suit you, much more fluid, far be it for me to criticise, but I always thought you were a bit stiff arms, new style looks good. 3 days to the shortest day, nights start getting lighter, lets all get out there next year and practice what we've been taught and be better golfers. Seasons greeting to you all.
Refreshing to see your “no excuses “ attitude, best of luck to you and all your viewers out there in 2023. I will be cheering you and watching your excellent videos in the new year.
It might be a good idea to start a video series and go through your process of making those changes, it would help you and us viewers. To watch someone go through a swing change and work through it helps.
I loved the point at 13:00 , when the guy in the pro shop turned and spied on Pete. I half expected Pete to say to him, "When you turn to peek at someone, turn your whole body and not just your head. You'll look less obvious."
Been keeping the trail elbow more tucked before it impact and dropping that elbow straight down has been giving me a stronger more stable strong strike. Less floppy with hands. On the course however all the timing and feels go out the window😂😂. So now practicing fade draw, high low shots rather than just full swings.
I have to say, after recently starting to watch many of Pete's videos (including the ones with you and him), my handicap dropped from +17 to +3 in just two months, even breaking my previous record low. His concepts align perfectly with what I had previously speculated, and he improved many points of power generation. I finally don't have to sacrifice stability by deliberately flipping my wrists to increase distance. Recently, due to uncertainty about whether I need to replace my old irons, I started watching many of James's videos. After watching them, I am quite certain (I need to change!). Currently, I am using TaylorMade REC (2004?). I want to switch to P790 but don't really like spending money on the latest things. I'm still considering whether there are good second-hand irons with good cost-performance. Any recommendations?
Even from the colonies we love the video and the honesty about life v golf! I think the world could benefit from a video session (9mark 2) on the hands in opposition, backswing/set, loading and release (across the ball and thru the ball?) because plain English?Italian works for me!
It’s all in the learning James , you’ve let no one down . No feedback no learning! I use ‘equal opposite’ in so many more lessons now. It is interesting , as from the face in view in the first video, I took it that the shoulders were higher for the fade and lower for the draw. However explained completely differently in this this video and in fact an opposite move! Have a great Xmas and ‘task met’ new year .
James you seem to be saying set/load shoulders higher/steeper for a draw and less steep for the fade, but to me is sounded like Pete was saying the opposite and that for a fade the shoulders are set/loaded steeper.
@@spellow0784 agree… I’m sadly suspecting James has it arse around elbow… no wonder no improvement 🤡, then again his bad golf is better than my good stuff
This past year I've incorporated the opposite hands and setting the shoulders, and that helps getting the shot shape of what I want, not 100% consistent. However, I dropped my handicap by 4 strokes. Thanks for sharing the videos.
My take was a good load and extension on upswing and focus on how the left shoulder acts for fade or draw, left shoulder opens up to the left earlier leaving the club slightly open to the swing direction but slightly closed to the target line through impact,
Maybe someone has mentioned this but after just watching the lesson and the follow up for the first time I feel like you talked about loading the shoulders for the draw and fade backwards of what Pete told you.... Maybe I'm wrong..... I feel like it should be high and upright for a fade and laid off and flatter for a draw.... Isn't that what Pete said? Hopefully some will comment back if I got this wrong.... Another great vid 👍
Your ears must have been burning, I only said to my wife last night that you had a lesson from Pete Cowan and hadn’t followed his instructions.😡 I have been really struggling with my swing for the last few years and thought that I might try and follow Pete Cowan but when you didn’t do it, I reckoned it must be too difficult, so I’m really pleased to hear you say that it’s only been lack of application by yourself and demonstrating that it does work. So my New Years Resolution is to is to do Pete’ exercises every day until the start of the season and see if I can improve as a result. Have a great Xmas and an amazing 2023 🎉🏌️♂️
I remember commenting on the original video that I had watched it about 3 times getting my head around everything. Had started using the opposing hands on the grip and things did get better. Injured my elbow and am only now hitting balls again with a half swing and getting frustrated with consistency. After watching your latest video, realised that I was swinging flat. As always a great video and tomorrow will try not to swing as flat. Thanks James👍🏼
Thank you for deciphering what Pete was saying. It certainly makes sense. This is a real “waist up” lesson. I’m wondering about “waist down”: ie, how should you be working your lower body?
James, curious. I teach (or prefer) a one-plane takeaway…this appears more two-plane with a cupped wrist (before dropping it into the slot). Would you agree that’s what Pete is instructing you? That is it appears your’e taking the club away a little more vertical and then dropping it into the slot. Trying to confirm what I’m seeing, and if so, if I should adjust some of my teachings (granted all swings are not alike). Curious about your thoughts.
Really happy this video popped up as it reminded me to post a comment I wanted to share. I have NEVER understood Pete Cowan's instruction. It's all 'load the shoulders', 'use natural forces', 'down force', race car analogies that make no sense as he misses out the biggest two - aerodynamics and chassis...(!). Vague 'concepts' that you really have to guess at what that actually means in practical terms. I didn't really understand what he was saying to you, even though he was sort of demonstrating it. I'm sure it would make more sense in person as he could put you in those positions he talks about. However, this video cleared up A LOT of what I hear him talk about, and you even threw in one or two drills I don't think he would ever give away for free on TH-cam. So I took it to the range, after not hitting a ball in over a month. I probably struck it better than at any point in the whole of 2022, with perhaps one exception. I was shaping it how I wanted to, hitting shots I just couldn't manage all year, striking it consistently solidly. It was a JOY. Pete clearly has a toolbox of incredible ideas, concepts and drills that just don't translate onto TH-cam well (I think deliberately - why would he want to give away the farm?). However, it took this video to decode it for me, so I really owe it to you for giving me hope for a breaking that single figure barrier in 2023!
Can you do a more thorough video on the shoulders for a fade or a draw? I don’t get what you mean when you said “ for a draw I feel like I’m getting a little bit across the line” but I don’t t know what you mean by “line” thanks
Pete makes it sound easy and natural but lots of golfers myself included sometimes instead of letting the swing flow and let the ball get in the way of the club face listen to the little thought that as soon as you start the back swing says “must hit ball”, I try to reset whenever that happens but unfortunately not always.
I didn’t understand the ‘setting the shoulder’ for shot shaping. I couldn’t see any difference between the draw and the fade setting of shoulders. More explanation please.
Padraig Harrington did a similar one with Cowan that is also worth watching. Same ideas. Different perspective. points out with more emphasis the need to close down the swing before the strike.
Another great video. I Hate to hear it’s been a difficult year for you.. remember the Longer brighter evenings are coming and a new years golf, the best of luck
Good follow up to a great post, I would think at your level it would be the "unlearning" of old habits from years of playing golf that makes such a radical change quite difficult, the equal and opposite hand pressure being the most. Best of luck and happy holidays!
It's the sum of all parts, and I say that as a returner to the game (or driving range, I should say) after a 33-year hiatus. I played off scratch as a boy, but girls and beer became much more interesting. I'm going through the motions, remembering old lessons from a great pro who taught me in the '80s, and remembering snippets as I watch videos on here - this being one of the great ones! It's one thing to know it all, but to actually consistently put it into practice is an entirely different thing, and that's what makes it really difficult. Like anything hard, though, the pros are pros because they get to spend so much time doing it. Amateurs rarely have the time to spend exercising the repetition required for hours and hours on end, achieving what they need to to get it right, fluently, naturally and happily! Then there's just having a natural talent - gits! 😂 I for one have been reminded over the last few weeks just how bloody difficult this game of golf is! Thank you so much for sharing your journey!
Loved your video. I have to say loading the shoulders is still just a bit of a mystery to me. I also have watched your video with Pete Cowen many many times. To be honest, I'm still confused on many of his teaching thoughts.
I remember commenting on a subsequent video (to that lesson) that you had not really changed anything and that your swing plane was still way too flat. Good to see you looking back on that lesson to help get your swing on a more natural path. A good key (as Mr. Cowan mentioned) is to note the position of your hands at about the 9 o'clock position on the takeaway. Once you get used to that, you can rely on muscle memory to just swing away. Hats off to you for doing this.
Though that lesson was a game changer, it has taken awhile to run it through the bag. Easy to load and deliver with the short clubs, because you’re already on top of them, more difficult as the clubs get longer. Bring Pete back for a q and a.
Appreciate you making this video. Loading the shoulders - James you didnt get it right. Go seriously down the Pete Cowen rabbit hole. Pete is smart he ain't revealing everything in 1 lesson. With 100% certainty, Normal shot load = r & L arm both pronate, (all while arms straigtening or reaching to the top of backswing) Draw load = r arm supinates, L arm pronates. Fade load = r arm pronates , L arm supinates. Even knowing this part of the concept, I have been unable to execute it as it's a backswing load but I haven't been able to get it to unload for the said shot. Pete has the knowledge but his stuff imo isnt gonna be usable unless u get lessons from him or his academy (no fault in that). So in that vein please get a 2nd lesson 😀
Years ago after reading Hogan’s Five Lessons and the same “wringing towel” illustration of grip pressure Mr. Cowen used I found the easiest way to consistently achieve it at address and maintain it during the swing is to always establish the grip with club in the air with elbows down at sides bent 90°, what I later discovered Martin Hall calls his EDPU (Elbows Down / Palms Up) technique. When the club is gripped in the air (shaft vertical in front of nose) with elbows down the forearms counter-rotate inwards as the arms straighten creating an opposing force between the trail thumb pad and lead thumb and twist and stretch the muscles and sinews of the arms, especially the Brachioradialis muscle with wraps over the elbow and bulges when arm is pulled straight. When done correctly the feeling in the arms and hands changes as the pressure, combined with the genius of a proper Vardon grip, firm up the arms and grip without any muscular contraction. Just try it and you will immediately feet the difference in grip pressure and club face control. What the counter-torquing of the arms when lowering and straightening the arms does is give the trail hand the ability to prevent the club force from pronating the lead hand and swinging the club too far inside and behind the body in the takeaway, a chronic problem I had in my swing before discovering this technique. The key to maintaining the counter-torque pressure between the arms and hands during the entire swing is to always have arms being pulled straight by the club force in the backswing and body turn + clubhead lag in the downswing, why having a swing path which automatically keeps one or both arms pulled straight is critical for face control. In the backswing any bending of the lead arm at the elbow will cause a lessening of the grip tension you may not realized because the brain will reflexively compensate by contracting the muscles controlling the grip in the fingers instead of the pressure being created by the stretching of those same muscles. The difference is that muscular contraction of the fingers will lock up the wrists preventing free lag and release of the club head resulting in lower club head speeds and weaker ball strikes. Another critical element Cowens stresses is keeping the body rotating and hands pulling against the inertia of the club head mass in the downswing, which is done by a coordinated lifting of the back heel, releasing the hips to turn, through impact and finish. The importance of doing this is stressed in Cowens short game tutorials.
Out of curiosity James, was anything measured? I don’t see your Quad or Trackman numbers in the original video. Do we know what influence the changes Pete suggests had on the key club delivery and ball flight parameters to quantify?
I've worked on Pete's pure mechanics for months and its grown my golf game and golf I.Q immensely. Thank you! My 5 hybrid, 3 hybrid and P.wedge are amazing ! The release is the magic and there are days when my release isn't all there ....my miss.
@@AllThingsSportsHighlights Study over and over Petes hands -left wrist and go into you tube and find the ax drill video. Give it time and it will completely grow your game. The power comes from that release !!! Up, down and around.
James, the original video with Pete C was amazing, esp the hand opposition, and I think we all understood that logic along with the gravity element. But... The shoulders, you go into more detail in video two, but not nearly enough. The terminology you use also confuses a little; 'across the line' for a draw; then 'laying off' for a fade. You could cover the 'shoulder' elements of Mr Cowen's teachings in a totally dedicated video, and you'd get huge viewing figures! Please do it James. Great content all the same.
If you haven't watched Pyramid of Learning, check it out. Even if you can't do all the things Peter Cowen is trying to teach, do as many of them you can.
As a veteran, private swing coach, I submit that a title of THEE Best Golf Coach is quite a bit to chew on. One of the biggest assets ANY coach must posses ( IMO ) is the ability to relate to each & every student's ability to absorb & process instruction. This comes from knowing a goodly amount about each student. In this way, one has a much better chance of relating to each particular student per their own ability to absorb, comprehend & then process the information via execution. I parallel it to doctors who used to be very familiar with the families they treated, & thereby adjust varied treatments according to their history, habits & the like. TBH, I think there are a plethora of great golf coaches ( most with little or no exposure ) who are gifted per their ability to 'reach' their students. If they are successful, then me thinks they are ALL #1s.
That was a great lesson from Peter no doubt, but there was a lot to think about there. That one handed reversed club drill (I´m left hand dominant too btw) really helped me a LOT, just getting the feeling of letting the club and wrists release, right before a round where I should have in theory, played bad (after a lot of unrelated stress) but produced the most consistent ball striking I´ve ever had (11 pars and a lot of looks at birdies), it was only my head that got in the way when I realised I was playing so well, and started over thinking it on the last half of the back 9. But that drill will be part of my pre round routine for this season.
i think the counter pressure grip's main purpose is to keep the club face stable not to get the club set properly, that's a secondary benefit perhaps but not the purpose of it.
The opposite force in your hand does it matter if you turn your left hand in and right hand in it is still opposite force but helps keep your left wrist flatter?
What I got out of the lesson video with Pete Cowan was to stop thinking about golf swing, and start thinking about hitting golf shots. That happens by getting the lead shoulder or setting the shoulder in the proper position to hit the shot that is called for. Sigh, golf is hard, sigh, and yes I lose sleep over golf too.
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | เปิดใจ "อาจารย์ เบียร์ ฅนตื่นธรรม" นักสนทนาธรรมสายดุดัน!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vqaBI_mnoDk/mqdefault.jpg)
As a long time scratch golfer I certainly learned this. There are two types of golf swings. Swings that are very timing dependent and advanced golf swings that are not. If you have a timing dependent swing (which most people have) you are not going to get better after lessons. You only hit the ball good when your timing is good. That is why you can't carry a range game to the first tee. The timing leaves you quickly. Developing a non-timing dependent swing is beyond the scope of this comment. A non-timing dependent swing is for the serious golfer who will "connect" their arms, shoulders, and body, AND spend a lot of time on the range so developing that connection. And as Nicklaus insisted all his life, it starts in the first 4 inches of the take-away. That's because this is the only place one can establish connection. Once disconnected you can never get it back. It is all timing from there on when you don't have connection.
His opposition grip pressure is GOLDEN and has changed my game 👏👏👏. When you first try it, you’ll feel like you’re chocking the handle but after getting used to it, try to relax it and just have the feel of them working opposites. Thank you so much for sharing what might be a TOP SECRET RECEIPT for better club face control that no one else reveled before 👍👍👍. GOOD JOB 👏👏👏
I’m not clear on the concept of “opposition grip pressure”. Should my trailing hand be pressured in towards my lead side or out towards my trail side. Same question for my lead hand, pressure in or out? Thank you for any clarification.
@@stephenrose4582 imagine you are wringing a towel with both hands. Works well.
@@stephenrose4582 just hit the ball mate
I tried it at the range today. Forearms tired. I’ll try lightening up.
@@balance3201 I presume that's what he is doing and is looking to improve? Why can't he try new ideas?
You can tell Pete is a tough coach but having a lesson with him would be tough he scares the hell out of me 😀
yep sergeant major cowen!
I don’t mind the toughness, I just can’t understand what he’s talking about! As a beginner, most of these terms mean nothing to me but then, the lesson was not aimed at a complete beginner like me.
@@NannyOggins my advice to beginners would be to work on golf related co ordination drills but only 1 person in 10yrs has
Easy and cheap! learn to do 10 continuus 1/2 swings with feet close clipping the range peg til u clip it every time
Adv do it with your eyes shut!
Easy hold a wedge 8ins from head and bounce a ball 10 times then work towards holding the grip and doing it adv
every good golfer that ever lived can bounce a ball on a wedge
Nah. Just a regular Yorkshire man. Blunt . To the point. Factual. But impossible to understand lol 😂 His dad was obviously a brickie 🧱 “Load your shoulders” means ‘pick up an’ carry th’ brick hopper’… “twist your forearm” means ’put brick on wall’ etc. In fairness, “ squueze w’ter outta cloth” works.
@@grahamjones7371hold the wedge towards your head? 😂 “I’m gonna hold the nail. When I nod my head, you hit it”… 😂
A lot of golf is all about feels so I don't want to change any of that for you if the feels are working for you. However, if it helps further, I think you may have understood the shoulder loading backwards. If you go back and watch the down-the-line videos of Pete hitting the fade followed by the draw, his shoulder set is steeper for the fade and shallower for the draw. It has to happen that way for the club to fall to correct position properly. For a fade, we have to higher hands so that the club actually falls outside of the hand path and works its way back inside; and vice versa for the draw to get the in-to-out path. Hope that helps, keep up the good work! Love Pete's coaching. Definitely one of my favorite videos you have ever done!
That's how I understood it as well.
yes, he explains that it is how your body musculature works - it was a lot to take on at once
If anything I genuinely respect your honesty as I feel most people would be embarrassed to say they got worse after that lesson so good for you for this and also readdressing it 💪🏼
Thanks for revisiting this lesson with Pete, been meaning to watch it again since your lesson.
You did the opposite of letting me down. Watching you learn and experiencing a lesson with Mr. Cowan is a treasure. Thanks
Remember this lesson with Pete. It was impressive, made so much sense. What was good here, you honestly told it like it was, highlighting why us amateurs fail to improve like we want to. Great video, good luck in the new year, all the best 👍
That video with Pete Cowan is probably my favourite golf video on TH-cam and now this one is right up there with it, awesome James just bloody awesome and thank you. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to yourself and Laura
Couldn't agree more. I love to listen to Pete talk golf. I searched out lots of his videos in order to hear more.
Thanks James for doing this. Pete is prob one of the smartest coaches out there. And YOU basically were his first video on youtube in years. Thats Amazing! Also your channel reminds me alot of Crossfields back 10 years ago when his stuff was innovative. What you are doing is Helping amateurs. Not filling their heads with nonsense, like 99% of the other golf channels. Hendrickson's is good over at DHG. But you have your finger on the pulse with this Pete Cowen stuff. This is what we need! Thank you.
Was really good to see you go back over the lesson and talk through what he was teaching. This is a great reminder for me to keep working on similar things regularly.
I dig this dude. He's real. I'm an old man. I've learned that if you want to get better at something, you have to be willing to suck at it.
Thanks James for simplifying what you were being taught
This is still your best content video with pete. Stick with it. It has helped me after 40 years of playing. As you know you have to work on in practice. Thanks and maybe give us a look at the club face at address for both the fade and the draw? Is it different or are you just moving the ball with the swing?
Hi. I watched the lesson and immediately saw a change in my shots. What a great teacher,. His analysis makes perfect sense.
Can you clarify. In the lesson, Pete asked you to get high loading for a fade and a lower loading for a draw. But in your recap, you say the opposite.
Can you explain, or have I just misread your content in the recap video?
Thank you
Paul
Thank you for the great content. I was wondering if you misspoke when you talked about setting up for your fade and draw you referred to your backswing on the fade as laying the club off I interpret that the opposite that would be laid off flatter for a draw coming from the inside, did I misinterpret your meaning?
Honest, open to criticism and improvement, humble, determined, hopeful. Well done and thanks.
Great content. Pete is truly legendary. My interpretation for the shot shaping was actually the opposite based on how Pete demonstrated. Steeper shoulder load for fade, and slightly flatter shoulder load for draw.
I still haven’t heard (in thé vidéo) or read here what’s actually the difference in swing plane and position of the shoulder in loading for a fade or a draw. I am very surprised that it is totally clear for the 1.6K responders (except the few that put some questions online, that has not been answered). So it would be nice if that will be solved…😀 in the next video or in the reactions underneath!
@@bramborel8575 good question. I’ve gathered from other videos, that it’s more than just loading the shoulders, it’s also the forearms and the weight shift. So it’s not the Magic just loading, check out him giving instructions To Thomas Pieters 16:59
That's what I interpreted as well 🤔
I agree slimed My interpretation was the same. Higher and for fade and lower and flatter shoulder to come from the inside for draw. But both the videos are lifechanging if you can get what he is saying. Great job James. Very humble and transparent.
It's the first time I have heard of opposition grip pressure. Twisting the forearms into the grip is a great description. Thanks for that.
I incorrectly learned a golf swing from my youngest days (I believe my dad had a slice) so I must have picked it up in my proprioception before I tried. I've battled it since college. I picked up with a couple of fellows at my local course and one of 'em gave me the, "pull the wagon" or "push the wagon" analogy. So after taking that lesson, I strictly only used my left hand and completely removed my right hand from the club for about a month at the range. Now I've been working on balance and weight position in my stance. I'm finding these aspects fundamental.
If you have not gotten better that is on you. The teachings from Pete are spot on.
I’ll live
Good stuff James. I'm finally starting to understand some of these concepts. Unfortunately just in time for winter here in Indiana. Pete is a great coach.
Wise words Mr. Robinson. Got me a better New Year resolution now - might even be one that lasts longer. Thank you.
Briliant, thanks for explaining every thing in great detail, a really enjoyable video and one to keep, I would like you to do this on the course and see how you fair.
Definitely going to work on this at the range. Thanks for sharing his insight!
Hi James, really great content as always. I really like your honest words there beacause I think that at least 90% of all Golfers are in the same boat (including myself;-) I had about 30 lessons the last years and barely have practiced 2 hrs in the same period of time..... today I find myself in a place where I struggle with inconsistency more and more and where I look for the holy grail on TH-cam. There's another video around of Pete Cowen talking about practicing the right body movement 10-15mins every day - I want to give this a try and find out if it helps my game more than hitting balls on the range without a purpose......... Stay safe, keep up the good work & Cheers from Hamburg/Germany.
I can’t find it now. But I came across one of your recent videos. I had been hitting my drives to the left. In the end I found I had been gripping too hard. I changed my grip strength to about 3-4. Super change hit 90% of my drives down the middle. Cheers.
You're getting draw and fade mixed up. To fade, load the shoulders "higher". To draw, lower them "lower",. This lesson by Pete was a masterpiece.
Fantastic video. Thank you
My question is : do you recommend squeezing the grip like a towel ? Not crystal clear when I replay the video.
Louis
thanks James was well worth a revisit and I have gone and watched the original again
Fundamental changes to, well anything, usually follow a process of 'it will get worse before it gets better'.
It's hard to make fundamental changes to your golf swing because no one wants to get worse, or lose their feel.
Also if your job is to review clubs then doing so while making fundamental changes to your swing could be detrimental to your job.
Don't be so hard on yourself James.
Happy Christmas!!
Thanks for revisiting James - i wouldn’t beat yourself up too much, you seem to get more pars / birdies than any other TH-camrs I watch 😅- having said that, if you could video yourself at the range and then a few holes explaining what you are doing, that would be gold
Is it ever summer in Northern Europe? I changed my grip after watching the Cowan video, eternally grateful.
My instructor talks about "feel vs real" all the time. It's a big part of the game.
Hello James, I’ve got to admit to this, I didn’t understand how you load the shoulders to hit fade/draw shots in the original with Peter Cowen? Got it a little bit more now but not totally.. great follow up though and thanks again.,
Brilliant, so simple and makes so much sense! Great video James!
Thanks James, I loved that video with Pete but didn’t understand it. I have just started to use the opposing hands and have been hitting better shots but your explanation has shown me what I really need to work on.
Hi James, like the honesty, "just not practised enough". Probably applies to many of us, I'm in that category as well, paid our pro, practiced a bit, what he showed me worked, but like you, life gets in the way, new excuse, the weather.
Watched a lot of your content with Chris, great stuff.. The new swing seems to suit you, much more fluid, far be it for me to criticise, but I always thought you were a bit stiff arms, new style looks good.
3 days to the shortest day, nights start getting lighter, lets all get out there next year and practice what we've been taught and be better golfers. Seasons greeting to you all.
Respect for your honesty and self criticism. Hope 2023 brings you more joy.
Keep at it James. You know what to do so just go do it!!
I rock with this dude. Real G.
That is a real coach.
Refreshing to see your “no excuses “ attitude, best of luck to you and all your viewers out there in 2023. I will be cheering you and watching your excellent videos in the new year.
Glad you have gone back to Pete’s lesson!
It might be a good idea to start a video series and go through your process of making those changes, it would help you and us viewers. To watch someone go through a swing change and work through it helps.
I loved the point at 13:00 , when the guy in the pro shop turned and spied on Pete.
I half expected Pete to say to him, "When you turn to peek at someone, turn your whole body and not just your head. You'll look less obvious."
Been keeping the trail elbow more tucked before it impact and dropping that elbow straight down has been giving me a stronger more stable strong strike.
Less floppy with hands. On the course however all the timing and feels go out the window😂😂.
So now practicing fade draw, high low shots rather than just full swings.
I have to say, after recently starting to watch many of Pete's videos (including the ones with you and him), my handicap dropped from +17 to +3 in just two months, even breaking my previous record low. His concepts align perfectly with what I had previously speculated, and he improved many points of power generation. I finally don't have to sacrifice stability by deliberately flipping my wrists to increase distance.
Recently, due to uncertainty about whether I need to replace my old irons, I started watching many of James's videos. After watching them, I am quite certain (I need to change!). Currently, I am using TaylorMade REC (2004?). I want to switch to P790 but don't really like spending money on the latest things. I'm still considering whether there are good second-hand irons with good cost-performance. Any recommendations?
Excellent video to come back to. Thanks James.
Even from the colonies we love the video and the honesty about life v golf! I think the world could benefit from a video session (9mark 2) on the hands in opposition, backswing/set, loading and release (across the ball and thru the ball?) because plain English?Italian works for me!
It’s all in the learning James , you’ve let no one down . No feedback no learning! I use ‘equal opposite’ in so many more lessons now. It is interesting , as from the face in view in the first video, I took it that the shoulders were higher for the fade and lower for the draw. However explained completely differently in this this video and in fact an opposite move! Have a great Xmas and ‘task met’ new year .
James you seem to be saying set/load shoulders higher/steeper for a draw and less steep for the fade, but to me is sounded like Pete was saying the opposite and that for a fade the shoulders are set/loaded steeper.
Agree...
@@spellow0784 agree… I’m sadly suspecting James has it arse around elbow… no wonder no improvement 🤡, then again his bad golf is better than my good stuff
This past year I've incorporated the opposite hands and setting the shoulders, and that helps getting the shot shape of what I want, not 100% consistent. However, I dropped my handicap by 4 strokes. Thanks for sharing the videos.
My take was a good load and extension on upswing and focus on how the left shoulder acts for fade or draw, left shoulder opens up to the left earlier leaving the club slightly open to the swing direction but slightly closed to the target line through impact,
Maybe someone has mentioned this but after just watching the lesson and the follow up for the first time I feel like you talked about loading the shoulders for the draw and fade backwards of what Pete told you.... Maybe I'm wrong..... I feel like it should be high and upright for a fade and laid off and flatter for a draw.... Isn't that what Pete said? Hopefully some will comment back if I got this wrong.... Another great vid 👍
Your ears must have been burning, I only said to my wife last night that you had a lesson from Pete Cowan and hadn’t followed his instructions.😡 I have been really struggling with my swing for the last few years and thought that I might try and follow Pete Cowan but when you didn’t do it, I reckoned it must be too difficult, so I’m really pleased to hear you say that it’s only been lack of application by yourself and demonstrating that it does work. So my New Years Resolution is to is to do Pete’ exercises every day until the start of the season and see if I can improve as a result. Have a great Xmas and an amazing 2023 🎉🏌️♂️
I remember commenting on the original video that I had watched it about 3 times getting my head around everything. Had started using the opposing hands on the grip and things did get better. Injured my elbow and am only now hitting balls again with a half swing and getting frustrated with consistency. After watching your latest video, realised that I was swinging flat.
As always a great video and tomorrow will try not to swing as flat. Thanks James👍🏼
Glad to hear this explanation 😂, it is not easy to fully understand in the last video😢
Thanks!
Thank you for deciphering what Pete was saying. It certainly makes sense. This is a real “waist up” lesson. I’m wondering about “waist down”: ie, how should you be working your lower body?
Interesting bit about loading the shoulders up for a specific shape. Never heard that before😮
James, curious. I teach (or prefer) a one-plane takeaway…this appears more two-plane with a cupped wrist (before dropping it into the slot). Would you agree that’s what Pete is instructing you? That is it appears your’e taking the club away a little more vertical and then dropping it into the slot. Trying to confirm what I’m seeing, and if so, if I should adjust some of my teachings (granted all swings are not alike). Curious about your thoughts.
Really happy this video popped up as it reminded me to post a comment I wanted to share.
I have NEVER understood Pete Cowan's instruction. It's all 'load the shoulders', 'use natural forces', 'down force', race car analogies that make no sense as he misses out the biggest two - aerodynamics and chassis...(!). Vague 'concepts' that you really have to guess at what that actually means in practical terms. I didn't really understand what he was saying to you, even though he was sort of demonstrating it. I'm sure it would make more sense in person as he could put you in those positions he talks about.
However, this video cleared up A LOT of what I hear him talk about, and you even threw in one or two drills I don't think he would ever give away for free on TH-cam. So I took it to the range, after not hitting a ball in over a month. I probably struck it better than at any point in the whole of 2022, with perhaps one exception. I was shaping it how I wanted to, hitting shots I just couldn't manage all year, striking it consistently solidly. It was a JOY.
Pete clearly has a toolbox of incredible ideas, concepts and drills that just don't translate onto TH-cam well (I think deliberately - why would he want to give away the farm?). However, it took this video to decode it for me, so I really owe it to you for giving me hope for a breaking that single figure barrier in 2023!
Letting no one down. Great thing about golf is it's about working on yourself. Not vs anyone really 😉. Great video bro
Really appreciate this comment thanks mate
I've watched several videos with Pete. I love when he says...no. He makes it sound so easy. How much does a lesson with him cost?
Very honest video. It’s made me think about committing to good habits to achieve 2023 goals. Thanks James
Can you do a more thorough video on the shoulders for a fade or a draw? I don’t get what you mean when you said “ for a draw I feel like I’m getting a little bit across the line” but I don’t t know what you mean by “line” thanks
Pete makes it sound easy and natural but lots of golfers myself included sometimes instead of letting the swing flow and let the ball get in the way of the club face listen to the little thought that as soon as you start the back swing says “must hit ball”, I try to reset whenever that happens but unfortunately not always.
I didn’t understand the ‘setting the shoulder’ for shot shaping. I couldn’t see any difference between the draw and the fade setting of shoulders. More explanation please.
Those shot at the lessons. Wow. Wow. Wow.
Padraig Harrington did a similar one with Cowan that is also worth watching. Same ideas. Different perspective. points out with more emphasis the need to close down the swing before the strike.
Your honest review gives us the reminder and allows us the same; honest evaluation, good review, plan going forward. Thank you
Another great video. I Hate to hear it’s been a difficult year for you.. remember the Longer brighter evenings are coming and a new years golf, the best of luck
Thanks so much for this video. Great, great content!
Good follow up to a great post, I would think at your level it would be the "unlearning" of old habits from years of playing golf that makes such a radical change quite difficult, the equal and opposite hand pressure being the most. Best of luck and happy holidays!
It's the sum of all parts, and I say that as a returner to the game (or driving range, I should say) after a 33-year hiatus. I played off scratch as a boy, but girls and beer became much more interesting. I'm going through the motions, remembering old lessons from a great pro who taught me in the '80s, and remembering snippets as I watch videos on here - this being one of the great ones! It's one thing to know it all, but to actually consistently put it into practice is an entirely different thing, and that's what makes it really difficult. Like anything hard, though, the pros are pros because they get to spend so much time doing it. Amateurs rarely have the time to spend exercising the repetition required for hours and hours on end, achieving what they need to to get it right, fluently, naturally and happily! Then there's just having a natural talent - gits! 😂 I for one have been reminded over the last few weeks just how bloody difficult this game of golf is! Thank you so much for sharing your journey!
Very good one. Question: do you need to change foot position in setup between fade and draw in this case? thx
Loved your video. I have to say loading the shoulders is still just a bit of a mystery to me. I also have watched your video with Pete Cowen many many times. To be honest, I'm still confused on many of his teaching thoughts.
I remember commenting on a subsequent video (to that lesson) that you had not really changed anything and that your swing plane was still way too flat. Good to see you looking back on that lesson to help get your swing on a more natural path. A good key (as Mr. Cowan mentioned) is to note the position of your hands at about the 9 o'clock position on the takeaway. Once you get used to that, you can rely on muscle memory to just swing away. Hats off to you for doing this.
Though that lesson was a game changer, it has taken awhile to run it through the bag. Easy to load and deliver with the short clubs, because you’re already on top of them, more difficult as the clubs get longer. Bring Pete back for a q and a.
Appreciate you making this video. Loading the shoulders - James you didnt get it right. Go seriously down the Pete Cowen rabbit hole. Pete is smart he ain't revealing everything in 1 lesson.
With 100% certainty,
Normal shot load = r & L arm both pronate, (all while arms straigtening or reaching to the top of backswing)
Draw load = r arm supinates, L arm pronates.
Fade load = r arm pronates , L arm supinates.
Even knowing this part of the concept, I have been unable to execute it as it's a backswing load but I haven't been able to get it to unload for the said shot.
Pete has the knowledge but his stuff imo isnt gonna be usable unless u get lessons from him or his academy (no fault in that).
So in that vein please get a 2nd lesson 😀
Years ago after reading Hogan’s Five Lessons and the same “wringing towel” illustration of grip pressure Mr. Cowen used I found the easiest way to consistently achieve it at address and maintain it during the swing is to always establish the grip with club in the air with elbows down at sides bent 90°, what I later discovered Martin Hall calls his EDPU (Elbows Down / Palms Up) technique.
When the club is gripped in the air (shaft vertical in front of nose) with elbows down the forearms counter-rotate inwards as the arms straighten creating an opposing force between the trail thumb pad and lead thumb and twist and stretch the muscles and sinews of the arms, especially the Brachioradialis muscle with wraps over the elbow and bulges when arm is pulled straight. When done correctly the feeling in the arms and hands changes as the pressure, combined with the genius of a proper Vardon grip, firm up the arms and grip without any muscular contraction. Just try it and you will immediately feet the difference in grip pressure and club face control.
What the counter-torquing of the arms when lowering and straightening the arms does is give the trail hand the ability to prevent the club force from pronating the lead hand and swinging the club too far inside and behind the body in the takeaway, a chronic problem I had in my swing before discovering this technique.
The key to maintaining the counter-torque pressure between the arms and hands during the entire swing is to always have arms being pulled straight by the club force in the backswing and body turn + clubhead lag in the downswing, why having a swing path which automatically keeps one or both arms pulled straight is critical for face control.
In the backswing any bending of the lead arm at the elbow will cause a lessening of the grip tension you may not realized because the brain will reflexively compensate by contracting the muscles controlling the grip in the fingers instead of the pressure being created by the stretching of those same muscles. The difference is that muscular contraction of the fingers will lock up the wrists preventing free lag and release of the club head resulting in lower club head speeds and weaker ball strikes.
Another critical element Cowens stresses is keeping the body rotating and hands pulling against the inertia of the club head mass in the downswing, which is done by a coordinated lifting of the back heel, releasing the hips to turn, through impact and finish. The importance of doing this is stressed in Cowens short game tutorials.
So many philosophies for striking a ball with a club.
Out of curiosity James, was anything measured? I don’t see your Quad or Trackman numbers in the original video. Do we know what influence the changes Pete suggests had on the key club delivery and ball flight parameters to quantify?
I've worked on Pete's pure mechanics for months and its grown my golf game and golf I.Q immensely. Thank you! My 5 hybrid, 3 hybrid and P.wedge are amazing ! The release is the magic and there are days when my release isn't all there ....my miss.
I don’t understand the ‘release’. Am I just letting the club drop as I turn my body?
@@AllThingsSportsHighlights Study over and over Petes hands -left wrist and go into you tube and find the ax drill video. Give it time and it will completely grow your game. The power comes from that release !!! Up, down and around.
GREAT video! Don't be too hard on yourself. Life can get in the way of golf now and again. Just don't make it a habit! 🤣
James, the original video with Pete C was amazing, esp the hand opposition, and I think we all understood that logic along with the gravity element.
But...
The shoulders, you go into more detail in video two, but not nearly enough. The terminology you use also confuses a little; 'across the line' for a draw; then 'laying off' for a fade.
You could cover the 'shoulder' elements of Mr Cowen's teachings in a totally dedicated video, and you'd get huge viewing figures!
Please do it James.
Great content all the same.
Hi James you now play the mizuno pro 223 irons and used to play the JPX921 tour. Which do you prefer.
thats was great to watch
This is good, I understand the lesson much better!
If you haven't watched Pyramid of Learning, check it out. Even if you can't do all the things Peter Cowen is trying to teach, do as many of them you can.
As a veteran, private swing coach, I submit that a title of THEE Best Golf Coach is quite a bit to chew on. One of the biggest assets ANY coach must posses ( IMO ) is the ability to relate to each & every student's ability to absorb & process instruction. This comes from knowing a goodly amount about each student. In this way, one has a much better chance of relating to each particular student per their own ability to absorb, comprehend & then process the information via execution. I parallel it to doctors who used to be very familiar with the families they treated, & thereby adjust varied treatments according to their history, habits & the like.
TBH, I think there are a plethora of great golf coaches ( most with little or no exposure ) who are gifted per their ability to 'reach' their students. If they are successful, then me thinks they are ALL #1s.
As we learned in school, there are very few great teachers. The same with golf coaches.
That was a great lesson from Peter no doubt, but there was a lot to think about there. That one handed reversed club drill (I´m left hand dominant too btw) really helped me a LOT, just getting the feeling of letting the club and wrists release, right before a round where I should have in theory, played bad (after a lot of unrelated stress) but produced the most consistent ball striking I´ve ever had (11 pars and a lot of looks at birdies), it was only my head that got in the way when I realised I was playing so well, and started over thinking it on the last half of the back 9. But that drill will be part of my pre round routine for this season.
i think the counter pressure grip's main purpose is to keep the club face stable not to get the club set properly, that's a secondary benefit perhaps but not the purpose of it.
The opposite force in your hand does it matter if you turn your left hand in and right hand in it is still opposite force but helps keep your left wrist flatter?
Hi there. At 5.49 mins in video you say golf pad pointing at you. Can you explain that please
James... mate.... shoulders high for fade not draw. Recheck. Love your content. Hands apposed pressure.... perfect!
What I got out of the lesson video with Pete Cowan was to stop thinking about golf swing, and start thinking about hitting golf shots. That happens by getting the lead shoulder or setting the shoulder in the proper position to hit the shot that is called for. Sigh, golf is hard, sigh, and yes I lose sleep over golf too.
Very foot vid. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Enjoy.
Those swings you had with him were picturesque
Load the shoulders up (high / more vertical) for a fade. Load them shallower for a draw.