Clay, thanks again for sharing great content with the masses... especially during our current climate and heavy state of the world, watching your lessons give us hope that one day we will be striping it down the fairway long and straight sometime soon... be well.
Great video Clay and so true. I was taught to drop the arms on the inside when I was a teenager. Thinking the Pro was always right I was in Limbo for years. Struggled at a time when I was young and fit. Always thought it was my fault and I was not doing what the Pro wanted me to do.
🏌️♂️ That step drill is alot like one of the drills in the 20 minute distance fix which is great for timing the lower body starting the downswing sequence. ⛳
It's 240pm on a lazy Saturday here in Cambodia. After watching this video I just texted my friends if they wanted to hit the range 😂 thanks Clay! Your videos have really helped. Went from 98 to 96 then 92 now 89 hehehe
Clay, you must have been watching be at the range today as this is exactly what I was doing wrong. No power in my down swing. I came home dejected, saw this video in my TH-cam feed, started lifting and dropping my left heel and now I'm getting solid contact. Cheers mate. PS get rid of the beard!
excellent info clay! one of your best videos!! thank you so much! you are honestly one of the best coaches I have ever seen! is there any way you can do a video on how to hit bunker shots?
In this, as with other videos, Clay gets amazing distance. And given his short game tips which are great I'm wondering why he doesn't play on the tour?
Thank you very much for this video. I've got a question for you. Unfortunately I can only "play" in my living room but what I'm trying to do is to get rid of my little over the top swing (which is going better but isn't still ok). Do you think that training on the drill of this video (stepping to the golf ball at the top of the swing and then releasing) could help also for my problem and to avoid me from coming too steep? Would you recommend also to work on the face angle trough impact as you suggested in another video (one of yours for slicers)? I'm a little bit confused on which drill to practice first, in order to keep the club shallow and to come from the inside! Thanks again from Italy; really hope to play again soon!!
Hi, I think all of those would be fine drills for you to do. Unfortunately, it's impossible for me to know what would help you exactly without seeing your swing. Best of luck! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Hey bud .... yeah ... me again :P U know i love all ur videos ... crazy good instruments for steps forward in the game for any level of golfers.... SOOOO i wanted to ask IF u could do a video in relation to this one in a bit different visual perspective.... please?! Stand upright... hold ur grip ...arms straight out shoulder level... club aiming about 45° upwards ( u know this one from way back when)... now turn ARMS ONLY so that ur lead arm (left for right hand golfers) touches ur LEFT chest/breast pretty firmly and u can't turn more (arms ONLY)..... NEXT, STILL UPRIGHT = turn ur body with knee flex AND let the club go well behind u (u will feel the lead arm crushing ur chest) ... and THEN lean forward ... NOW the TOP of THAT back swing is ACTUALLY exact position of ur arm/chest contact that happens in the FIRST STEP of ur down swing = cause ur HIPS move and ur arm stay behind and sticks to ur chest. IF u do it in the way i mention u realize that u can't (can BUT difficult) start ur down swing UNLESS moving ur hips away first = we already preset that.... u with me??? In setup and about 3/4 of our back swing that lead arm is IN FRONT of ur chest touching the side of ur breast ... last 1/4th of our back swing that lead arm starts laying/crushing across/over the chest making the relation that needs to happen for the right first move of the down swing to occur ..... DANG ... it takes 30 secs to show this face to face... forever to write it so people understand (hope they do) and only about 10 minute video here for you!!... I write this with FULL RESPECT ... of course ... i just don't have any way to get this across to people on video ... and ur the man ;) Cheers ... u can practice this at home with no effort..
Hi, thanks for sharing. Sounds like this video that we did a long time ago: th-cam.com/video/nOmGDsYlZCY/w-d-xo.html. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf Hi again ... i was gonna write a little extra thought but got crazy sick in seconds that thankfully i'm already feeling much better = not 1 second of sleep .. here's that thought. When i assist my friends on driving = hit up on it and outwards i do that "small" drill i mentioned before AND on an actual shot i get them to rotate their body early but to keep the head on top of the back knee at impact = it really assists with the though of "crunching" ur ribs a bit and stay behind it. Thx Clay for all ur respectful replies .. really shows a classy character. Respect .... Iceland.
if your body is still and your arms starting to drop under gravity you have no torque in your swing, your weight shift and body rotation creates power plus space for your arms and club, yep get that Clay many thanks
Clay this absolutely some great instruction. So Great, that I'm curious to know if you are working with or coaching any of the PGA TOUR Players yet. If not I can definitely see it in your future. 😉
This is a great video and really helped me realize some components of my swing that are off. Yea, I can make good shots with my driver at a decent distance, but I am inconstant. I have a tendency to release the club too early in the downswing and hit a big draw and almost a hook sometimes. If try to hold my hands off more, I usually push it right...guessing that I need to work on my turn more while holding off my hands, based on this video and other videos I have watched of yours (the iron striking videos). Do you offer virtual swing analysis?
We do offer swing reviews as an additional service to our All Access Members. If you're ready to purchase the membership, just use the quick link below because you can sign up in about 1 minute: topspeedgolf.com/pick-all-access-plan/. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
After watching in extreme slow motion, the weight shift looks like it starts when your swing is at the top and not left arm parallel on the way back. Is the practice a feel vs real scenario? I’ve tried the step drill and really need shock therapy to stop wanting swing to start as I step forward. Tell me it’s just a matter of practice and there is light at the end of the tunnel, please or I just may start to socialize with people; telling them my innermost secrets.
Hahah! Great comment John! In the early backswing the weight shift is moving right. You have to start it going left halfway back to get it noticeably moving left at the top. Imagine you are driving 60 mph in the car and want to throw it in reverse and go backwards. You start applying brake, but for a while, you keep moving in the same direction as you slow down. So you are "fighting" to go the other way, but it just hasn't happened yet. The step drill is the best, but it is tough at first. It will feel easy if you keep doing them.
Why gravity? We have many powerful muscles to manipulate the upper arm and extend the power to the forearm through pronation/supination. adduction/abduction, extension/flexion of the arm. They are biceps, triceps and all those muscles arround the scapulas. They totally can raise and resist more than 300+kg load for a weight lifter, there is no reason to let them idle.
Hey Clay & Q, a question off the subject. Since you guys are Ping ambassadors, would you recommend a G400 max or G410 plus driver for a 18-20 handicapper with a mid-high 90mph swingspeed?
Hey Shane, the G410 Plus is going to be slightly higher MOI and it will also have the adjustable weight in it where you can move around the CG a little bit. If you want to be able to do that then I would go with the new model. If not then go with the older one. You may be able to find a great deal on one. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Hi Terry, we aren't saying that your arms aren't going to go in a downward motion. You don't want to just let them drop and not rotate. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I find it disgusting you can intentionally make the same kind of poor swing that I have and still hit the ball 100 yards farther, even with the same swing flaws. lol In all seriousness though. How is it that you can actually mimic the very same bad swing like mine by using a bad weight shift and poor swing path and yet still be able to generate club head speed of 100+mph when myself, and I assume a lot of others, can only get around 80-85mph? I feel like there is another key to the extra speed/distance that I am missing here. When I am at the range I use one of your tips, (Dr Scholls spray powder on the driver face) and know that I am pretty much consistently hitting the ball on the center of the club face so I don't think my issue is the ball/club contact. The ball comes off feeling like a solid strike. Yet only carries around 185-195 and may roll out to 210 yards. And the majority of the time I believe I am shifting my weight correctly as I do end up with my weight on my front (left) leg and facing the target. But I still can't seem to generate faster club head speed than mid 80's. Btw, I am in my early 60's and my current driver is the TM M2 with a regular flex shaft. I tried a Sr flex shaft but it didn't change anything distance wise.
Hi Tim, thanks for the comment. I would say the main difference is the amount of power you can generate. Just because two people have identical movements doesn't mean they'll have the same power output. This power does go down as we age. I'm guessing you could hit it further in your 20s. If you're' looking for more distance then I recommend working through our 20 Minute Distance Fix program. People of all ages and abilities are gaining tons of distance on this program. See what our members are saying about it here: topspeedgolf.com/20-minute-distance-fix-success-stories/. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I am beginner golfer and getting so much help from Clay's instructions. He is the best!
Great to hear!
Really appreciate Clay's lessons ; He has helped my ball striking ,
Glad the instruction is helping. Keep up the good work!
Clay, thanks again for sharing great content with the masses... especially during our current climate and heavy state of the world, watching your lessons give us hope that one day we will be striping it down the fairway long and straight sometime soon... be well.
My pleasure!
Fantastic lesson, thank you!
My pleasure!
Great video Clay and so true. I was taught to drop the arms on the inside when I was a teenager. Thinking the Pro was always right I was in Limbo for years. Struggled at a time when I was young and fit. Always thought it was my fault and I was not doing what the Pro wanted me to do.
Thanks!
Thank you again for the drill tips.
You bet!
Excellent - thanks 👍
I think this drill has solved my pull ball strikes , now straighter, thanks !
Glad it helped
Need a drill to stop popping up my driver or teed up 3 wood, desperately….lol. Great video - helpful.
Driving range today to practice these tips. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing!
Excellent session, Clay! I’m off out into the garden to put in a few reps!
Thanks!
🏌️♂️ That step drill is alot like one of the drills in the 20 minute distance fix which is great for timing the lower body starting the downswing sequence. ⛳
Yes sir!
It's 240pm on a lazy Saturday here in Cambodia. After watching this video I just texted my friends if they wanted to hit the range 😂 thanks Clay! Your videos have really helped. Went from 98 to 96 then 92 now 89 hehehe
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing. Keep up the hard work.
Great video. This is really where I get lost in my swing . I go from hitting a little fade to a hard push.
Thanks!
Clay, you must have been watching be at the range today as this is exactly what I was doing wrong. No power in my down swing. I came home dejected, saw this video in my TH-cam feed, started lifting and dropping my left heel and now I'm getting solid contact. Cheers mate. PS get rid of the beard!
Thanks for sharing!
Man, I feel like Clay’s videos are prescriptive for me specifically. Have you been watching me play, Clay?
Haha
Great vídeo. A very nice lesson. Thanks from Azores
Thanks Luis!
Luis Branco how many corses do you have, are you in Santa Maria? We retire to Odidos in 14 months, can’t wait great courses on Silver Coast
Ian Pentz I Live no the Faial island. We have at the Azores 3 gret courses 2 on S Miguel island Batalha and Furnas anader
And once more on Terceira island. Great courses. Junte and Julio
July uns the best mouth. Best regards
excellent info clay! one of your best videos!! thank you so much! you are honestly one of the best coaches I have ever seen! is there any way you can do a video on how to hit bunker shots?
Thanks! Check out our channel. We have several videos on bunker shots. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Clay, thanks for all you do making these videos. You're a godsend for golf. I will be signing up soon. Take care. God bless.
Thanks!
such a good lesson~ thanks!!
Glad you liked it!
In this, as with other videos, Clay gets amazing distance. And given his short game tips which are great I'm wondering why he doesn't play on the tour?
It's much more difficult to play on Tour than what you think.
Great stuff once again! 👍
Thanks Karl!
Great video.
Thanks!
You fix my swing 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Awesome! 👊
Great video. Does this weight shift apply to iron swings as well?
Yes it does
play do you swing the driver and the irons the same way on that shallow path
Yes
Thank you very much for this video. I've got a question for you. Unfortunately I can only "play" in my living room but what I'm trying to do is to get rid of my little over the top swing (which is going better but isn't still ok). Do you think that training on the drill of this video (stepping to the golf ball at the top of the swing and then releasing) could help also for my problem and to avoid me from coming too steep? Would you recommend also to work on the face angle trough impact as you suggested in another video (one of yours for slicers)? I'm a little bit confused on which drill to practice first, in order to keep the club shallow and to come from the inside! Thanks again from Italy; really hope to play again soon!!
Hi, I think all of those would be fine drills for you to do. Unfortunately, it's impossible for me to know what would help you exactly without seeing your swing. Best of luck! Quentin | TSG Instructor
what does it mean when my hands and club shaft finish above my starting back swing line at impact? Thanks
Hi, sorry, I'm not sure because I'm not sure what that means. Sorry, I wish I could help. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Do I turn the door knob left or right?
mishit but you still got smash factor 1.47, is the flightscope even reliable?
Yeah, it's very accurate but none of these devices are perfect. They all get misreadings.
Does this go for iron shots as well?
Yes
Hey bud .... yeah ... me again :P
U know i love all ur videos ... crazy good instruments for steps forward in the game for any level of golfers.... SOOOO i wanted to ask IF u could do a video in relation to this one in a bit different visual perspective.... please?!
Stand upright... hold ur grip ...arms straight out shoulder level... club aiming about 45° upwards ( u know this one from way back when)... now turn ARMS ONLY so that ur lead arm (left for right hand golfers) touches ur LEFT chest/breast pretty firmly and u can't turn more (arms ONLY)..... NEXT, STILL UPRIGHT = turn ur body with knee flex AND let the club go well behind u (u will feel the lead arm crushing ur chest) ... and THEN lean forward ... NOW the TOP of THAT back swing is ACTUALLY exact position of ur arm/chest contact that happens in the FIRST STEP of ur down swing = cause ur HIPS move and ur arm stay behind and sticks to ur chest. IF u do it in the way i mention u realize that u can't (can BUT difficult) start ur down swing UNLESS moving ur hips away first = we already preset that.... u with me???
In setup and about 3/4 of our back swing that lead arm is IN FRONT of ur chest touching the side of ur breast ... last 1/4th of our back swing that lead arm starts laying/crushing across/over the chest making the relation that needs to happen for the right first move of the down swing to occur ..... DANG ... it takes 30 secs to show this face to face... forever to write it so people understand (hope they do) and only about 10 minute video here for you!!...
I write this with FULL RESPECT ... of course ... i just don't have any way to get this across to people on video ... and ur the man ;) Cheers ... u can practice this at home with no effort..
Hi, thanks for sharing. Sounds like this video that we did a long time ago: th-cam.com/video/nOmGDsYlZCY/w-d-xo.html. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf Hi again ... i was gonna write a little extra thought but got crazy sick in seconds that thankfully i'm already feeling much better = not 1 second of sleep .. here's that thought. When i assist my friends on driving = hit up on it and outwards i do that "small" drill i mentioned before AND on an actual shot i get them to rotate their body early but to keep the head on top of the back knee at impact = it really assists with the though of "crunching" ur ribs a bit and stay behind it. Thx Clay for all ur respectful replies .. really shows a classy character. Respect .... Iceland.
Would a good swing thought be to start the downswing with my hips?
Yeah, but it might be better to feel like you're starting your downswing with pressure in your lead foot. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I feel like I'm pressing my front heel. That moves my lead hip back opening my stance. My arms follow through to a high finish.
What type of launch monitor are you using. As always love the content
FlightScope X3
@@TopSpeedGolf what would you recommend to the average consumer. Do you think you can do a comparison review in the $500 market?
if your body is still and your arms starting to drop under gravity you have no torque in your swing, your weight shift and body rotation creates power plus space for your arms and club, yep get that Clay many thanks
Clay this absolutely some great instruction. So Great, that I'm curious to know if you are working with or coaching any of the PGA TOUR Players yet. If not I can definitely see it in your future. 😉
Thanks! Not coaching any Tour players...yet :-)
I wish all of my shots were as good as his "bad" swings!! 😂
😂
This is a great video and really helped me realize some components of my swing that are off. Yea, I can make good shots with my driver at a decent distance, but I am inconstant. I have a tendency to release the club too early in the downswing and hit a big draw and almost a hook sometimes. If try to hold my hands off more, I usually push it right...guessing that I need to work on my turn more while holding off my hands, based on this video and other videos I have watched of yours (the iron striking videos). Do you offer virtual swing analysis?
We do offer swing reviews as an additional service to our All Access Members. If you're ready to purchase the membership, just use the quick link below because you can sign up in about 1 minute: topspeedgolf.com/pick-all-access-plan/. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
After watching in extreme slow motion, the weight shift looks like it starts when your swing is at the top and not left arm parallel on the way back. Is the practice a feel vs real scenario? I’ve tried the step drill and really need shock therapy to stop wanting swing to start as I step forward. Tell me it’s just a matter of practice and there is light at the end of the tunnel, please or I just may start to socialize with people; telling them my innermost secrets.
Hahah! Great comment John! In the early backswing the weight shift is moving right. You have to start it going left halfway back to get it noticeably moving left at the top.
Imagine you are driving 60 mph in the car and want to throw it in reverse and go backwards. You start applying brake, but for a while, you keep moving in the same direction as you slow down. So you are "fighting" to go the other way, but it just hasn't happened yet.
The step drill is the best, but it is tough at first. It will feel easy if you keep doing them.
Why gravity?
We have many powerful muscles to manipulate the upper arm and extend the power to the forearm through pronation/supination. adduction/abduction, extension/flexion of the arm.
They are biceps, triceps and all those muscles arround the scapulas.
They totally can raise and resist more than 300+kg load for a weight lifter, there is no reason to let them idle.
Hey Clay & Q, a question off the subject. Since you guys are Ping ambassadors, would you recommend a G400 max or G410 plus driver for a 18-20 handicapper with a mid-high 90mph swingspeed?
Hey Shane, the G410 Plus is going to be slightly higher MOI and it will also have the adjustable weight in it where you can move around the CG a little bit. If you want to be able to do that then I would go with the new model. If not then go with the older one. You may be able to find a great deal on one. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I've been binging these vids, but I still played like absolute shit today.. haha
Sorry to hear that. I'd focus on one aspect of my game and work on that until I'm ready to move to the next. Best of luck! Nate | TSG Instructor
@@TopSpeedGolf Good call. I've really learned alot from the vids, its just applying it. Thanks
Stepping, or slightly lifting the lead foot, makes all the difference for me. Why is this just a drill? I do it all the time.
Thanks for sharing!
if you had the SIM your ball speed would be 185!!!
Not unless it magically made Clay swing 3 mph faster.
Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard It’s pretty magical
I don't understand. You can't come inside out without the hands dropping some.
Hi Terry, we aren't saying that your arms aren't going to go in a downward motion. You don't want to just let them drop and not rotate. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I find it disgusting you can intentionally make the same kind of poor swing that I have and still hit the ball 100 yards farther, even with the same swing flaws. lol
In all seriousness though. How is it that you can actually mimic the very same bad swing like mine by using a bad weight shift and poor swing path and yet still be able to generate club head speed of 100+mph when myself, and I assume a lot of others, can only get around 80-85mph?
I feel like there is another key to the extra speed/distance that I am missing here. When I am at the range I use one of your tips, (Dr Scholls spray powder on the driver face) and know that I am pretty much consistently hitting the ball on the center of the club face so I don't think my issue is the ball/club contact. The ball comes off feeling like a solid strike. Yet only carries around 185-195 and may roll out to 210 yards. And the majority of the time I believe I am shifting my weight correctly as I do end up with my weight on my front (left) leg and facing the target. But I still can't seem to generate faster club head speed than mid 80's. Btw, I am in my early 60's and my current driver is the TM M2 with a regular flex shaft. I tried a Sr flex shaft but it didn't change anything distance wise.
Hi Tim, thanks for the comment. I would say the main difference is the amount of power you can generate. Just because two people have identical movements doesn't mean they'll have the same power output. This power does go down as we age. I'm guessing you could hit it further in your 20s. If you're' looking for more distance then I recommend working through our 20 Minute Distance Fix program. People of all ages and abilities are gaining tons of distance on this program. See what our members are saying about it here: topspeedgolf.com/20-minute-distance-fix-success-stories/. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor