This is me!!! Too many lessons and have lost my swing. Golf hasn't been much fun over the past years. Handicap's going from 2 to 7 and climbing. Thanks for the vid. Keep on swinging!!!
I watched the Video ages ago, but could not get myself to try it. For the last few weeks I am struggling with my golf game and today I decided to give it go and after a few mishits I hit one pure, center of the club, it felt great. After I finished the round I headed directly to the range and hit a bucket of balls. With the shorter clubs, (7,8,9) I hit the balls pretty decent. I could not believe that it only takes a few swings to start hitting them pure and dead center. I will continue practicing the no look, all feel swing. Great lesson and thank you for sharing.
Good that you found this guy... That is my swing, I have never had a lesson and got tired of trying to imitate all the swings I see on youtube. I finally decided that I wanted to swing like me and just swung the club without thought and flushed it perfectly straight. I have been hitting it that way ever since. I get the not looking in practice, its to make you not think about the ball so you dont get back into that habit but I would look at the ball while playing (I do) I went from shooting in the 100's to now I am a 10 handicap and I have only played 11 rounds since I changed my swing and started playing good golf (god for me that is, I have severe joint pain in every joint in my body and this swing keeps it to a minimum as well as being a natural swing) I can shape any shot I want with every club from driver to 60 degree wedge with this same swing. I hope you stick with it and good luck... I had started to miss your videos, good to see your back
Really good to hear this type of swing is working for you. Danny did say that some people find it works well to look down when playing so you can see the ball, but not focus on it like you would normally. I'm going to keep at it.
Scratch Golf I also found I added the waiting in the finishing position at the end of the practice swing. I like to, take a practice swing where I hold the finish for 4 or 5 seconds and smile. Happy to be on the course. No tension. Ive incorporated it into my practice swings especially when I start getting too attached to the outcome of shots and start getting tense. And also those moments where you forget youre playing golf and lose total focus on anything and start chopping. Coupling this technique of swinging naturally and then also visualizing intensely on every aspect of your shot in your preshot routine then NOT thinking at all standing over the ball brings best results. If its a shit shot, just a great opportunity to show off the short game skillz around the green. This is stress free golf and way more fun.
This absolutely works! I have spent thousands on lessons over last 10 years and have too many thoughts going through head that when I get on the course I cannot hit the ball. I have spent the last two nights up the range and have never hot the baller sweeter with such a relaxed swing. It's crazy. 👍
Hey Rob- this video is invaluable. It just may be the key to my lock. I feel frozen so often by having read so much about instruction, my head spins with self-talk I never relax while playing. Danny has spoken to me and I hear him. I also think you're a good guy.
Played with “natural”swing sins the age of 10. Scratch golfer at age of 15. Lowest handicap +2 age 17. Decided to become a professional golfer. Started practicing really hard and my swing became very technical. Handicap went up to 10. I stopped playing golf for 7 years. I started playing again about 2 years ago. Handicap 4. Natural swing. I just look at the target and look for the feeling that will let me hit the shot towards the target. But in order to get it right you must look at the ball. Even a good footballer feels the kick before hand, he will always look at the ball at the moment of impact. Ball sport fundamental. Great video. Loved it.
Great analogy. When striking a football, you don't think about swinging your leg or where to hit the ball. You see the ball flight to the target before hand and make your body do that.
Touche! Once I deviated away from trying to mimic other players techniques I began to play better. Through practice and experimentation I started to find my natural swing, and amazingly my scores got better. With that said, I'm not ruling out that the techniques of other great golfers isn't going to help us, but we have to balance the amount of time that we have to practice against who we are and where we want to be in the future. At the end of day, perhaps the best measure of your game is your shot and your golf score--
Had played 22 medals this year without getting cut and handicap climbed to 7 from 5. Was all over the shop. Used this and shot 3 under my handicap and hit 13 GIR. Buzzing. Keep the content coming
Game changer. I've also been struggling for the last few months. So focused on the positions that i lost all feeling for the club head and face. 2 brief range/ indoor sessions in last week with a new waggle to let me feel the head at the end of the shaft, and instantly had better strikes. Straighter and longer! Not game to try the "no look swing" tho. But the essence of feeling the swinging club rather than positioning the arms, shoulders, hips, etc has helped a lot! Thank you!
Shawn Clement as been teaching this for years. Although it's great to see a UK coach adopting this approach especially given he mentions external focus rather than concentrating on mechanics i.e. internal focus. The great thing is it works for every shot type.
Anthony Bennett you may like the original FlowMotion online training triangulaid.learnybox.com/how-to-unleash-your-innate-swing/ Enjoy 😉 playing with the Flow...
Tried this today, biffed about 45% completely, got really good connection but hooked or faded 25% and absolutely pured the rest. But it got better as I went on. Like I was discovering my own swing. As well as the technique just working I think the exaggerated wrist movements and wind up made it really obvious what is happening when watching. A lot of information without words. As soon as I started making the wrist movements with the left foot right foot, I just felt how to do it. Really good as well because my old swing was hurting my hip. This one is completely effortless.
Just got back from the range, went with good intentions when I left felt like getting drunk and cutting up my clubs up!!, opened the beers and watched 2 mins of this vid and feel better already, every time I improve I create another problem,,,should I continue to put myself through this pain?!?!? Another beer and will continue watching - keep up the GREAT work 👍
Search easiest swing in golf, you’ll see the founder Brian Sparks dancing and Julian Mellor (both in UK) and also search for “the real golf swing” on TH-cam.
Rob I have no idea how I came across this video lesson but I watched it only yesterday & for some reason it really did resonate with me. I have been really struggling with my golf in last 6xmonths blowing from a 10'hcap out to 15 in that short period of time. I played today without any range practise & the only thoughts I stuck with all day were Dan's words "left...right" in a really simple walk motion of my legs...nothing fast nor exaggerated just a very smooth walk motion on the spot. I did not really think about what my arms & hands were doing other than let them swing & not hit. OMG the best contact & pureness of ball striking (for me) I have felt in many years. That tip alone was so so simple & just amazing really. I didn't play any shots not looking at the ball but I definitely will give it some time when I next have a practise. I am so grateful to come across your video so thanks for putting that together. It has definitely been one of the best lessons I have ever been able to immediately put into practise. The "left...right" walking on the spot motion for me in my swing ( & no other swing thought) was so profound. My swing just was so easy, fluid & automatic. Being able to swing easily & actually hold my finish whilst being completely balanced (still) was just the best feeling for me in a very long time. Many thanks.
This is so good to hear! I can't take any of the credit - it's all Danny's wisdom. If you like the feel of it, I'd recommend going to see him. There's loads more that I left out of the video. Keep flushing it and keeping it simple! 😎
@@RobMcGarr Rob I would dearly love to go see Danny but the last time I was in the UK was when we (Wallabies) won the 1999 Rugby World Cup at Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. Your lesson has reached me here in Australia. It seriously was the most positive & practical change that I can ever recall being so effective so immediately. I did not do the don't look at the ball part whilst playing today but will do when I next hit some practise balls. The "left..right" move just just makes it very easy to swing to a full balanced finish. As Dan says in your lesson just do not think at all about hitting the ball nor making your hands & arms reach any predetermined positions other than swing back & through to your finish & hold. Making your arms & hands hit certain position checkpoints only just stops it actually being a swing which is exactly what you don't want!!!. It is gold for me. Thanks again Rob.
Couldn't agree more. Most of what we need to do in golf, is to just get the hell out of our own way. Do you think about your swing when you're chopping wood with an axe? Chances are you don't, although you've just executed the prefect golf swing albeit on a different plane. Thanks for the vid.
This is one of my favorite golf videos. The philosophy here is spot on. Natural athletes just do what is needed to be done. They don't think about it. For some though I would think they would need some basic golf instruction to get them to the point where they could then do their natural swing with efficiency. (i.e. how to grip a club, some basic ball and club dynamics, etc.). I have found that yes, my body does know what to do to hit the golf ball. I find that my main misses are from my brain overriding what my body is trying to do naturally. If I would just let my natural swing happen the misses probably wouldn't be misses. Easier said than done though. But for the rest of the summer I am going to try and develop my natural swing.
So it has been a month and I have been using this philosophy. I have a much freer golf swing now and I am actually hitting the ball father than I was and higher too. So I am now getting the ball the stop on the green from 170 yards out instead of racing off the back. I do have more errant shots now but I attribute that to the fact that I am not there yet. I am still in process. The people I play with have noticed the difference. And they are actually amazed that I was able to change my swing without a lot of loss to my game. My handicap has gone up a few points but as I do this more i am sure it will go back down.
These concepts most definitely have merit, especially when you need to experience the feeling of moving the clubhead through space with little apparent effort. The realization that you need to get rid of all the fluff and brutally simplify what you're doing with that implement in your hands is the biggest "aha" moment. To get back to my "proper" handicap, I ended up doing things outside of my comfort zone when it came to practise and the golf swing - practice without a ball for 75% of your total swings; put the ball really close and far from your feet, change address position, and chip and pitch - a lot! Those are just some examples of practise variability. What I've been doing lately got me back to my handicap (and better), using what I call "instinct heuristics", and the "one foot philosophy". Simply put, it's how to leverage the mechanisms your body uses naturally for target acquisition and balance, like throwing and running, and using them for golf. The other concept I found liberating because my concentration is focused on the clubhead, ball and intermediate point; as long as I adhered to that task, I've improved to hit over 90% of my fairways, 80% of GIR, and chipping more accurately than I can putt (in the last 3 weeks. Still experimenting with a few things, but the success has been astonishing. Everyone has their own inroads to make when it comes to golf: get rid of the "paralysis by analysis", or just get a "reset" and get a fresh perspective. You seem to be doing that. BTW, the reason that golf instructor said he wouldn't golf without looking at the ball is sound, but the most important thing is we are wired for target acquisition. Golf is a struggle for some because the ball becomes the target, not the "path marker" to the target. External task orientation, not internal focus is more successful.
I just re-read my comment, and unfortunately it sounds like I was boasting, which was not my intention. It was more that I was surprised that I found something that worked one day, and the next, and so on. Needing to know how it worked, I subjected my daughter and wife to some of the drills, and it worked with them too. And they are not golfers. My daughter referred to it as "surfing into a golf swing", lol. Curious fact: humans are especially evolved to throw, given the arm/shoulder/ligament structure is different from apes. Somebody made sure we fling poop faster and better than the chimps (0_o).
When I read your comment I did not think you were boasting. I read it as a golfer who was very enthusiastic about having found something that helped him improve. The phrase, "learning to get out of your own way," definitely applies to the golf swing. There are numerous swing thoughts associated with this concept including one of my favorites; letting my hands go through impact. I also imagine my left hand throwing a frisbee as I transition. Most of this is in practice, I try to stay more in the moment when playing. Silly as it may sound, as I set up over the ball I often pick a target far, far right of my intended swing path -far right like 45 degrees right and as I take my back sing I picture swinging for that point. It helps me stay down on the ball.
My instructor saids don't worry about mechanics....just know where the club is at all times during your swing. It takes a different awareness. I love this instruction! Very similar to what my instructor teaches....don't worry about the ball.... just swing the club to the finish and the ball gets in the way.
Rob, thanks for posting this. After watching, I had some of the best shots in my life. Now, people were at the range so I didn’t do the “no look deal.” However, I did use the flow-motion. I have a lot of injuries, restricting my movement and just warming up in this manner allowed me to get the club to positions I can’t get reach if I am thinking about getting it there.
Rob this dude is pretty awesome. I don’t know if you have ever heard of him or seen his videos but I think his techniques are very practical. th-cam.com/video/XGI6Tq-Rsv8/w-d-xo.html
Watched this and then went to the range and had the best session in such a long time. Had been shanking/hooking 7/10 shots for the last few months as well. Out of 150 balls I would have hit 3 shanks. Thanks for the post. Made a huge difference!
You sound exactly like I feel at times!! When I get like that I watch "Bagger Vance" which seems to help! Golf is hard. I'm trying to undo 50yrs of swing issues. I'm a decent golfer, hcp 4.4 at the minute but it's all a struggle at the minute. Just keep battling on mate, it'll come eventually. Love the vids. Guess what I'm doing next time I'm on the range!
I tried that at the course today , definately very less to think about with this approach . Only thing to concentrate is the weight of the club head. Really brings down the anxiety when you only have one thing to be conscious about . The game has been made so complicated that it has taken all the fun out of it . Will keep on working on this!!!!
I tried something like this about 3 years ago after watching a Colin Montgomerie video. He kept stressing to hold the club with almost no grip pressure. So at the range one day I gave it a shot. I held it so lightly that my hands took off before the club head in the backswing (which is what I noticed in this video with the instructor). Well I ended up hitting it so much better and further. And my divots were like perfect dollar bills, shallow and past the ball. I never took it further than that because it felt like i had zero control and that scared me. However, now that I do have more knowledge and understanding, I think I need to revisit this again. I'll let you know how it goes :-) Great video 👍
David Ciccoritti with you there I remember a range session where I dragged the Club head back on my backswing this is how it felt as I was holding the Club so lightly I ripped every shot without trying. Why didn't I carry on with this to be honest u haven't got a clue....🤔
Dave Parry Well I'm going to try this on Saturday. I'm not sure but I'm betting when I did try it, I let my elbows bend to much in the back swing. This time I want to see if I can keep my arms fairly straight while still maintaining a light grip and very loose wrists. I just tried some little swings in the office with an old LW and I think it might work.
That is a George Knudson quote, one off the best swings ever ( according to a player called Jack Nicklaus LOL ), George,s book is a great read. What I tell pupils who have control issues ( 90% the other 10% are in denial LOL ) is you are holding the club so you have control, most people do not believe that though, its a great game for sure, I am originally from your neck of the woods was born in Lincoln, best course played was Woodhall spa, when I played it it was the 8th best course in the world according to golf monthly. Enjoy the journey to better golf, because trust me once you get to Scratch you have to work like hell to stay there LOL.
I didn't start golfing until I was 17. This was back in 1978. NO internet or golf teachings on TV. I taught myself by coping Jack. I had nobody tell me what was wrong , an when I was 20, just 3 years, I was a 10 handicap. Held that until I was 30. Had fun. NEVER missed a fairway. Brought home more golf balls than I went with. Then one day, on a Saturday, there was a teaching program. 30 minute show right before the Saturday round started. I saw then showing how to swing, and I thought, hmmmm.... Maybe I need to do that so I can drop my handicap. So after numerous golf tip shows, and so on, my game has steadily gotten worse. Now I am lucky to break 90, when I used to break 80 often. Its been so long now, I do not remember how I used to swing and play decent golf. AWESOME video!!
this makes perfect sense to me, i hit my best shots when i have a relaxed swing, definitely gonna try and work on this type of feeling more, not sure i would go full on not looking at the ball but i can see how it can help get the feeling working on the range. Great vid as always mate !
Cheers Chris. Danny did say that some people find it works by looking down so the ball is in your field of vision but not focusing on it. Hope it helps!
I know Danny, Sam and Marcus from being at Bawtry Golf Club. When ever my mind gets clogged up with all the nonsense of what we’re told golf is, I come back to this lesson and takes me a week or so and I’m back in the groove. Brilliant video
Golf is mostly mental. For over 40 years I have tortured myself,(and others too) trying to play this game. Grew up playing everyday through my teen year. Best I ever shot was a 40. Now at 63 years of age I will do good if I shot 55 on 9. The people I’ve played with over the years are constantly coaching me. Slow your swing down! Etc. etc. I will par a couple of holes per round but then will have several holes with 8, 9, 10. Go figure. I have given myself the name Dr. Jeckle or Mr. Hyde. My younger brother also has played for the same amount of time and is a scratch golfer. I can hit the ball as long as he can but he is more consistent. He told me it was all in my head. Told me to take up another sport, how does one get worst after so many years of playing. The last time we played he shot 37 and me a 60. Go figure he told me I had a mental breakdown.
I am about to take up golf , am approaching 65yrs of age , and will no doubt freeze during my first proper lesson ( started one some years ago , a lesson , but got injured so had to give up ! ). My plan is to follow the first 9 mins or so ( no ball to hit ) of the video to get the confident fluid easy- going motion going , and to do this several times a day , and then a week later to add the ball to the routine . When watching Justin Rose iron play it looks as though this is his approach ! Effortless movement with the bonus of the ball just happening to be there and him imagining the flight path and where it's going to land . Absolutely LOVE this video !
Can I just add I played today after watching this and shot 76 my lowest round this year by miles. Either a coincidence or just amazing. All I did was swing really east thinking of no ball being there and was on 🔥. Buzzing
Mate you can do this. I had a round tonight 4 birdies and 2 bogies. Seriously just play relaxed and make sure you rotate. That is all I changed got my hips working . Let me know how ya get on!
Dude this is a great video. After reading Every Shoot Must Have a Purpose, I went out and shot 70 just using the Think and Play box idea. After takin up yoga, I realized how much tension was in my body: shoulders, wrists, forearms. I found a lot of tension at address in my shoulders and arms. I've been working on total relaxation before taking the club back. I am going to use this on the range soon and with the ability to relax free of tension, coupled with total concentration and RELEASING emotional attachment to the outcome, I see sub 70's around the corner!
You have loads of comments but here is my two penny worth. Find and watch Ron Wisdom on TH-cam. He talks about being internalised in practice and externalising in play. Only by externalising can you hope to get in the flow, zone or bubble. Read Gabrielle Wulff and her research on externalising. Be prepared to play consciously incompent golf linked to a good short game from seventy yards in. Think process not outcome. Trust yourself to swing without getting mechanical. You are putting yourself in the straightjacket of over analysing. Bet you dont do this in football or tennis because there's not enough time between shots. Look at what you are saying. You are giving yourself the answers.
3 years away from golf I have had a few lessons and found myself very robotic relying on hand timing which can bring disaster as we all know. After using this at the range and practice swings I am striking the ball better than ever! All those things that are taught still need to be practiced but getting a loose and smooth swing this can’t be beaten. Left heel off the floor first to bring the hip rotation into play rather than just the shoulders is brilliant! Keep up the good work!
Wow, great video Rob. I like this guys mantra. Refreshing to here. I think I've always been a fairly intuitive golfer. Technical stuff gives me a headache. So seeing a lesson like this is pretty exciting to try
Great video and it is not that outrageous, there are a lot of similar styles out there. I'm pretty new to golf and have been watching lots of different methods trying to find what is best for me so I'll give it a go on the range. There is a site easiest swing in golf which is quite similar to this lesson. Look forward to see what else you come up with and hope you find something soon to help you. Cheers.
I've been a bit like you recently Rob, probably working too hard to get that perfect swing and as a result just struggling to get any form of contact at all. Watched this this morning and snuck out for a quick 9 this arvo and tried to set up with my practice swings not thinking at all and just finding a rhythm and more times than not hit it better than I have in a long time. Only started to watch your videos and follow your journey recently but just wanted to thank you from Australia for bringing us your great content that's so relatable for all of us that refuse to accept that we have so much more potential in us than just being an average hacker
Loved this video , most coaches have been thought from a book and have a poor grasp of how to deal with an individual. They say set up like this , take it away this way, your club must be here and the first thing these things do is create tension. This is a very refreshing way of looking at the swing and thought your swing was very fluid with great tempo. I have returned to golf after a ten year break ,and used to play off 4 , I have managed to hit the ball quite well but I am afraid to let it go and get some decent club head speed , this may be the key I am looking for , I will be giving it a try tomorrow. Thanks for bringing this to our attention
i feel your pain , im doing the same. even to the point where the ink from the ball is marking the toe of the club. we just have to keep going. as i keep telling myself, a bad days golf is better than a good days work.
That was a really interesting vid. I remember reading an interview a German golf magazine did with a blind golfer a while ago. The guy had already been golfing for a few years before he lost his eyesight. He now needed an assistant on the course to line him up and describe the hole to him, but he said that he had become a much better golfer since going blind, because he now really felt the shot. I sometimes putt with my eyes closed (which works remarkably well), but I never tried to hit a full shot without looking at the ball. I will definitely give this a try the next time I'm at the range (well, the next time I am at the range without anyone standing right next to me, maybe)
I tried putting looking at the hole a couple of years ago (because Spieth was doing it and holing everything!) and it worked well. Enjoy it and do let me know how it goes.
This style of effortlessly hitting the ball, probably started by a Brit Ernest Jones, carried on by Manual de la torre, played on tour by the great George Knudson. The swinging motion is not hard to do, the problem is most golfer's want to hit the ball not swing.
This resonates with me. I'm a very good billiards player and that's a game where you're looking at the target and not the cue ball. Some of my best putting has been no-look. Even if I don't end up no-looking full golf shots, being able to make the practice swing the shot swing will be a big win. Thanks for this. And that coach is so completely soothing!
Totally agree with the principle and that the natural (practice) swing is always the best swings we produce out there. I’ve also done the drill but I use a look away on the way back then through (a la Stenson, Duval, Anika) to target. This gives the shoulders and torso even more freedom. This I have taken to the course if things go funky. I’ll post a vid to twitter. Great vid 👍👍
He loved showing you “how” to do it 😂😂 he hit more balls than you did! Joking aside I tried to swing like this, a bit like Shawn clement teaches but i just couldn’t put it in play. I do swing better when I slow my swing and relax so there’s something in that I guess. Another thing I’ve found is filming my swing sometimes is the worst thing I can do, if I’m hitting the ball well but film my swing to see if I’m hitting the positions my coach has told me to, I then see it doesn’t look right and I change things. I’ve since stopped filming so much. Great vid.
Ha, I did hit a fair few but I wanted to leave the stuff of him explaining it in the vid and it's long enough without loads of clips of me hitting balls! I'm the same - don't record it when I'm playing well because I know I won't like what I see but as soon as it goes wrong the camera comes out and never helps!
If I hadn't filmed my swing I never would have realized how awful it was. I thought, when I went for a lesson, that the pro would give me a couple of tips and I'd be on my way. I took a few swings and he says, "let's take a look at what we've got." OMG, it was horrible, it was every golfer's nightmare, a big, over the top, right shoulder move that screamed hacker. If I had not seen that video I never would have started on my quest to rebuild my swing.
To shave those last few digits from the handicap your going to have to find a way to think out of the box. Great video and thought process. Read a book called quantum golf. Funny little book. Keep at it. Great job.
Hi there, I was in your exact same position a couple of months ago. I got fed up with the technical garbage and just decided to hit a ball the way that works for me.... suddenly I had a couple of big breakthroughs. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself and not over think it.... and not try to be like any particular golfer. Be you. Do your swing. Working for me anyway.
@@jakewest6775 100% agree with these comments. A change in attitude and I've gone from playing the worst I have in years to the best golf of my life! (Video on that soon...)
I finally had some time to play, and I noticed that my driver works way better if I have 2 - 3 practice swings (watching nothing but the direction the head goes through in front of my feet) and simply step up, without further looking or assessing and repeat the swing. The results are way better than taking time to adress a practic swing, more time to step up to the ball, look at the target, re-assess and finally hook the ball OB. This method surely works from the tee-boxes, so all par 3's and drivers should be taken care of...
Went to the range today trying to apply squats with hip turn, shoulder rotation right elbow tucked and all that technical position .. got tired and after my back can no longer handle the stress decided to apply this.. did some left foot right foot drills with the body.. addressed the ball and closed my eyes did my back swing (while thinking left foot) and... right foot .. bam.. pure shot without thinking about the ball.. opened my eyes and ball was way up there high and long drawing a tiny bit.. did a few more shots and I couldn’t miss.. all in all.. 7 out of 10 with eyes closed had a clean solid contact.. i guess it works! Thanks!
Top vid Rob. Like you said with other sports, you don’t think about position as much. I always thought that was because most sports are dynamic with a moving ball and golf to me feels like a free kick in footy, stationary. But here’s the thing that I couldn’t get my head around: I never thought about my leg’s backswing! Ever! Love this video. Shifts the focus to what I’m trying to achieve ahead of me, not behind me.
His lesson is exactly what it feels like when I’m playing good golf. I just feel it, I can picture the shot and almost effortlessly do it. Bad golf I start getting all technical about everything.
Great video! Went out and tried this technique into my backyard net...following day went out to play a game with friends and took the “no look swing feeling” out there. Fired an 82 ( which was right on my handicap) and it felt effortless. They key for me was to keep the hands and arms very loose and relaxed. Did hit a few offline, but that was when tension started to creep back in and the desire to steer the ball rather than just swing and let the ball get in the way. Brilliant! It also took those million plus swing thoughts out of the equation. Keep up the quest .... you're on to something good. Cheers From Mike in Canada.
I see where your coming from. How to maintain the formula/technique yet look conventional so that you do not induce psycho pressure from your playing partners. In putting, I can go round the practice putting green with the putter in my right hand (right handed) and casually look at the hole, look at the ball and slot it. No line-up, no practice swing, just plonk. I discovered it one day ,when I was taping the balls back to a hole to start my putting practice , and 5 from 6 went in from 20' No 6 lipped out. But I too have not got the courage to do this in a match or comp but have occasionally during casual play and impressed and got Flack from my group. There is a wave length here to connect to. (No mind)
When I practiced as a kid I used to set up to the ball, close my eyes and swing. Same sort of thing really. I can't remember when I decided to start looking at the ball and trying to smash it as far as possible but I'm 49 now so it must have been a long time ago. This video has given me food for thought. Thanks for sharing 👍
I've watched this video several times, and each time, it improves my performance on the course. I think the technical trends in equipment and instruction have hurt more than helped golfers for decades. If you look at the average handicap index over the last twenty years, those trends haven't seemed to help at all. I've bought into it all over the years, but now I'm moving away from that to something more akin to Danny's approach. And, at 70, I'm now striking the ball better than I did at 40--and I'm using older equipment. (I do have some of the latest and greatest--in the closet.)
I'm not playing much at the moment but my honest opinion is that this is a great way to clear your head of all the complicated swing thoughts and positions that can start to make golf seem really complicated. I've always played my best when I have one simple swing feeling (or none at all, when things feel really good) and I think this can help get you back to that. I don't think people are going to start playing on the course not looking at the ball.
Exactly how I taught myself when started golf. Then I tried to be more technical, that's when swing problems came in. Thanks for reminding me that feel is everything. Cheers bra !
Agree, Shawn Clement, Mike Malaska, and Adam Young teach "external focus" and "throwing" the club head at the target. I have started to use Clement's intermediate point for alignment, and then my only thoughts are "throw the club head at the target", the ball gets in the way and goes to the target. Have been shooting much better rounds using this process.
I’m a Shawn clement student and this is bang on what he teaches . Love his research on the visual Cortex and sight . Focus on something specific and everything around it is blurry , same goes with when you’re head is down looking at the ball . The ball should be blurry and your target should be in focus. Have a feeling into that picture .
Great lesson. I've had the same problem with losing contact so I recently decided to club up and just let my natural swing/power do the job. I get this idea totally
Hi Rob, I think this way of teaching golf is just dubious. When you showed Dannys swing vom down the line, you can see that he has a decent swing plane, maybe too much from the inside. Thats probably the reason he likes to hit those shot off a tee. But overall he is a talented player, learned a good swing in a young age and now thinks that all this comes natural if you just let it go. You experienced some good shots and a more centered contact. Maybe because your mind was not stuck in 3 to 6 swing thoughts, maybe some shots off a mat on a driving range does not mean that much, especially when you try "new things". But you would not hit those shots, if you haven`t put so much work and effort in your swing before. But most important: a good swing only proves itself in a pressure-situation. You just played with what you have at the moment. Thats it. I feel your frustration about not moving forward anymore. But the answer to that is to find a coach who speaks your body-language. And is able to translate technical developments into a feeling that you can build in your swing and still feels good.
Yeah I think coaches who teach this way skips a few steps along the way since they just think people are not doing it naturally. Clearly not skilled golfers naturally aren't good golfers lol.
I think 🤔 you guys are missing the point of the video. I believe it’s the intent to put more focus on not coaching the natural ability out of the student. He also states 2 important things that you might of missed..imho 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️ 1. When you look at the ball you can compensate for flawed technique but when you don’t look at the ball your technique has to be good 2. This will train your natural swing
He was ripping it off the deck as well, to be fair. I totally get what you're saying but Danny says that he can get beginners hitting good shots way quicker with this method than when teaching them in the traditional way. I'm sure it's not for everyone and it's too soon to say if it will be the answer for me but I'm going to give it a decent try.
I play off 7 but was 5.2 I practice for hours at least 3 or 4 times a week. Had loads of different coaches and tried everything. My mates are now taking the piss out of me, it hurts as I love the game like you do. It will come back to me Im sure. Keep up the good work
I know that feeling mate. I feel like all the good work I did at the start of the season is being undone because my handicap is creeping back up to where it was. It's a tough game but keep your chin up and it'll come.
I struggled mentally for yrs too until I saw by chance a pro on utube called shawn clement.!...He teaches golf like your teacher.. the brain is so complex but accurate..It knows of the function your body is trying to achieve and will automatically put you in the right position to accomplish the task..You don't need to think about angles and positions..As soon as a ball is put in front of you and you make that your target, you will default to hitting the ball instead of swinging through to the target which will undoubtedly cause you to come over the top and slice etc!....Has anyone ever taught you how to skim a stone on water?!!...No of course not..you know what you are trying to do and you don't even have to think about the task and am I in the right postion and is my wrist cocked enough and am I on the correct foot!...incidently..the skipping a stone on water is the same as a golf swing!...sorry for the long text..theres much more to learn.....see shawn clements golf swing!!….ps..you do have a great golf swing!
john price as soon as I watched this I thought of Shawn clement! Same idea except Shawn has 100+ videos getting into more detail. This is how the swing should be taught. If it’s not simple you are doing it wrong. Great vid
You are right Dylan, Video instruction is beginning to change.Golf pros over the past 10yrs or so have made a golf swing far too complicated with angles and positions which the majority of amateurs unable to grasp..Imagine during a back swing wondering whether you have all the angles etc , then on the way down, you then default to the ball..Thats why golf is so difficult!..So golf pros like Shawn clement are a breath of fresh air!...My game has improved 10 fold since watching his method!
I find this fascinating and helpful. Been playing for 25+ years and in one of the worst slumps I have ever been in. Went to the range this afternoon and started focusing my eyes on a spot away from the ball and started hitting the ball better than I have in months. Going to take it to the course Wednesday and see what happens.
So far so good. Has come together with pretty much everything except the driver. I can easily play that way, but the spot I am looking at is maybe 2 inches away from the ball.
That was me in a nutshell, started golfing aged 24, down to 6 in 12 months, then started chasing mechanical perfection to find scratch which locked my natural swing away in a cage and it destroyed me, walking away from it 6 years later. Now aged 62 the bug is back and i guess i am in reverse mode, removing the technical mechanical thoughts trying to allow my true natural swing to flow. Rob, you have become part of my story.
I found it interesting that he doesn't use it himself. I think it's a good tool to finesse your swing as long as you don't freeze up when you look at the ball. Maybe Charles Barkley could try this. LOL
One thing I’ve missed - massive credit and respect to you - I understand you telepathically - some people don’t have the freedom of perspective and can’t visualise a thought - I’m like you, when it clicked that I shouldn’t be manipulating this motion in any way and just guiding it through the motion I realised I don’t need a single thing else - that is the “secret” the fact you don’t have a single technical thought - from natural setup feeling to the gravity and plane of the face just being guided by the natural motion, nothing else to work on, the only reason pros have coaches is they’re trying to evolve that move to the optimum human performance and in 30 years time the natural motion will evolve over time when the genetics are passed down. It’s so easy and I was so in your position - a good player but constantly having to find a technical fix where we actually shouldn’t be touching a thing, once the mind understands that you literally turn and caress the ball when it collides with a metal object of certain loft and launches on that path of the projectile object in this case called a golf club - get a baseball and watch your natural reaction to colliding that ball from one place to another. It’s so simple but there are aspects that can be worked on - picture weight lifting - just pick it up off the floor - one person might lift it like a feather and another may be struggling to lift it up - this is down to your human conditioning and those aspects can be worked on so that person who couldn’t lift now after some strength building still uses the same motion but has the strength to pick it up. In my opinion we’ve maxed out the motion after 100 years of evolution and really there’s nothing more other than body condition that can increase the efficiency of the swing. So glad someone else understands this and I’m so shocked the word doesn’t spread and peoples game and the beliefs they had to improve are a complete waist of time and serve no purpose - the thing they’re working on will never change the natural motion because it would damage its optimum performance and result. The no look drill is perfect because you can really feel the natural motion taking over and delivering the optimum blow and not have a conscious forced movement to lose all the energy in the motion. No look with every club and soon you’ll understand a picture of what the subconscious motion is doing to deliver optimum results to the target object to transfer it from one destination to another - just like throwing a ball 👌
Ben Kenobi: [gets up and takes a blast helmet] I suggest you try it again, Luke. This time, let go your conscious self and act on instinct. [puts the helmet on Luke, which covers his eyes] Luke Skywalker: But with the blast shield down, I can't even see! How am I supposed to fight? Ben Kenobi: Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.
This is an excellent swing very much like Ernest Jones swing theory. I had gotten too much into positions and went back to this after watching your video....awesome...and thanks for posting!
very inspiring video. nice to see both you and the coach admit to the pressure and anxiety that often accompanies golf and spoils the game for a lot of us. refreshing stuff
Ive been getting stuck in drill-country for a while now too, and its really destroyed my golf swing. for the past two days i tried the drill, and my ballstrike improved exponentially. Im wondering though: why did the coach tee the ball up during the practice? I read somewhere that "external" swingthoughts improve the golf-swing and it really rings true for me. Every time i focus internally during a swing, on some aspect of the swing, my body starts compensating and i often fluff the shot. If i focus on drawing the ball or hitting a target instead, I usually get what im going for.
This to me felt almost revolutionary in a train of thought standpoint. Simplifying the swing into just having the club square at impact was great to hear. I can’t wait to test this out with a weighted club and on the range.
This idea isn't that outrageous. Within my study of martial arts you try to learn the basic techniques and then get to the point of "no mind". This is the point he is making. When you are letting your body move and not focusing on the ball, you are letting your body do what it is supposed to do. It also goes with the saying let the club do the work. Now of course the execution is always harder than talking about it. It will take some time to get that "no mind" mentality and apply it to your golf game.
I'd totally agree with you Ryan . I took up Akido and everything would go pear -shape unless the imagination / mind was detached from the thoughts of moving the body .A bit like Tom Cruise in the Last Samuri when the gang of assassins attack him in the street , the film makers "show it going through his mind ahead of the actual resulting physical movement . Hoping that made sense ...lol
I have an idea what you mean. I had archery lessons for a couple of weeks many years ago in Bulgaria (mid 90s, not much tourism, nothing much else to do) with the Bulgarian archery champion. He was talking about "being one with the arrow".. draw and loose in one, smooth flowing movement, almost without aiming. He was able to group arrows into a rifle target at 70m, 20-30 arrows, all bunched so tightly he could pull them all out in one. I don´t know if you´ve ever done any shooting but a rifle target isn´t exactly big and at 70m it looks like a postage stamp. But this "emptiness" of mind was key to it all. And I reckon that applies to golf. There´s so much advice and tips out there and we all over analyse everything, when it´s probably better not to think, but just hit it.
It’s true for most things. The subconscious has to do it. Think and it’s over. A master musician isn’t thinking about what they are doing, if they do it’s over. It has to flow out of you like water.
Great stuff. This goes back even before Ernest Jones' 1937 book, and for me, has allowed me to improve significantly without any mechanical swing thoughts. Focus on a target, swing the clubhead and the ball flies straight or with a slight draw, 95% of the time.
It's unbelievable how effective this is. I went from a struggling 12 handicap to 2 in the space of a few months using the Ernest Jones method. I always had a decent short game, but my full swing was holding me back. For me, there is no other way to play. Ernest Jones, Zen Golf method gives amateurs the feel of the swing which you need before inviting any mechanical thoughts. I find the image-driven learning most teaching pros use is not effective because it eliminates momentum from the swing, which is what actually produces most of the body movement.
@@blue24563your last statement is pure gold...hitting multiple swing checkpoints from still images or video stop points does in the learner exactly what you say....it totally freezes the natural momentum & body movement that you are trying to achieve. Without this you kill any resemblance to a pure swing....& also a great strike off a moving & naturally squaring clubface.
When I first started playing golf I had no trouble getting from tee to green. My playing partners were very low handicap (4 and 1) and I was able to match them. I was just a disaster on and near the greens. Even then, and 3 putting half the greens, my first handicap was 16 and quickly reduced to 11. Then came the Ian Woosnam video instruction, thoughts about my swing, and before I knew it I could no longer hit a ball properly. Of course from their I had some lessons, bought Leadbetter videos etc but all this just made things worse. I'm hoping that after 30 years this can help me get back to the natural thoughtless swing I once had. Fingers crossed!
Came across your video having noticed that no matter what technique video I watched, my golf would fluctuate wildly between good and bad. I came to the conclusion that this focus on positions etc interfered with my natural rhythm and balance leading to the inconsistency. Found your video and realised this was the approach which is likely to help both aspects. External focus learning like this stops your internal thoughts getting in the way of your body's innate ability to organise itself kinematically. After all it is unlikely on a golf course that any two shots are going to require exactly the same organisation or kinematic chain, hence beyond being aware of what target we are trying to reach and how the ball should fly it is unlikely that we can reproduce consciously the required shot. Need to trust are bodies innate ability to organise to some extent. Thanks for a thoughtful video.
I take the point about not looking at the ball when playing but the concept of swinging the club, feeling the weight and letting the ball get in the way of the club is fundamental. Will definitely try this at the next range next time. Thanks
Did you get onto this guy before or after Robin started posting videos about this type of swing? Last week I got on to it and it's awesome! I had my first round with this swing and scored terrible, but hit it great. Can't wait to get back out there again.
Great vid. So I think the point of this lesson was to help you take your mind out of your game, and I say this because I stopped golfing for three years and started golfing again about six months ago and my swing was effortless I wasn’t thinking about anything just about getting out there and hitting the ball again and I was hitting them dead straight every single time down the fairway and then I started thinking you know what I could get good at this and I need to start Lowering score and I started really focusing on my swing in analyzing everything and my swing just went to crap. So I think the point of this was to just take your mental game your mental mind out to let your body do what it does naturally and watching this video that you did I really enjoyed it because the swings from both of you were just effortless and smooth and easy nothing technical about it just relaxed easy swing and it look like you guys were killing the ball so I’m anxious to try this when I get the weather clears up so I can go and I hit it at the range and see how this helps me so again thank you for this vid I really enjoyed it and I have a blessed one.
When I started golfing I started shooting low 80s high 70s in first year then I started thinking about the swing and mechanics and stalled out at mid 70s for last 3 years and feel like I'm getting worse the more I think. This has helped a lot.
I’m sold. Hit my best shots when i focus on outcome and the ball by what I thought was incidental, seems to go where I was focussed. I watched a Dave Pelz video last night on chipping and pitching and he said to practice eyes closed to get a better feel. My pro tonight said something similar about learning distance control in putting. I’ve spent a year trying to improve and seen good but inconsistent improvements. I’m going to invest 50% of my practice now for the next few months working this into my process.
I tried this on the range today. Just curious to see what would happen. And all I can say is WOW! Effortless, Intuitive, simple and effective. I've never hit the sweet spots so consistently.
I know the feeling of this swing, sometimes I'm lovely and loose and my striking is effortless. I'm going to practice that feeling more now. And trust it. Cheers.
Absolutely loved it!! Looked through your video, went directly to the range and tried it out. Never had better ball striking before. Topped and shanked a few of course, but in general, progress was fantastic. I even managed to think-produce a couple of draws and fades. Realised quickly that if I cheat by not aiming for and holding the end position, I completely loose ball strike accuracy. Thanks for your video!!
Listening to you at the beginning of your video was like listening to myself. I'm going to visit the range today and give this a go. I guess the instructor is trying to implant the feeling of a free flowing swing into the muscle memory . Once you have the feeling I guess you have to find a way to look at the ball but not react to it. Easier said than done I'm sure. Thanks for putting this out there for consumption. I've long felt that I'm over complicating things on the golf course and despite lessons from different coaches I've never felt that they have added anything to my 'technique' that has resulted in a considerable improvement to my swing/golf. Enjoy the style of your videos, keep up the good work. Cheers. Steve P. Shropshire.
Bogey golfer on average, just got new clubs and a lesson very similar to this. Blew my mind at first but when it worked I was hitting the best shots of my life(23 yrs, playing since I could walk) It’s been a struggle to change the same swing I’ve had for so long now but it makes me want to commit even more and improve
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This is me!!! Too many lessons and have lost my swing. Golf hasn't been much fun over the past years. Handicap's going from 2 to 7 and climbing. Thanks for the vid. Keep on swinging!!!
I watched the Video ages ago, but could not get myself to try it. For the last few weeks I am struggling with my golf game and today I decided to give it go and after a few mishits I hit one pure, center of the club, it felt great. After I finished the round I headed directly to the range and hit a bucket of balls. With the shorter clubs, (7,8,9) I hit the balls pretty decent. I could not believe that it only takes a few swings to start hitting them pure and dead center. I will continue practicing the no look, all feel swing. Great lesson and thank you for sharing.
Good that you found this guy... That is my swing, I have never had a lesson and got tired of trying to imitate all the swings I see on youtube. I finally decided that I wanted to swing like me and just swung the club without thought and flushed it perfectly straight. I have been hitting it that way ever since. I get the not looking in practice, its to make you not think about the ball so you dont get back into that habit but I would look at the ball while playing (I do) I went from shooting in the 100's to now I am a 10 handicap and I have only played 11 rounds since I changed my swing and started playing good golf (god for me that is, I have severe joint pain in every joint in my body and this swing keeps it to a minimum as well as being a natural swing) I can shape any shot I want with every club from driver to 60 degree wedge with this same swing. I hope you stick with it and good luck...
I had started to miss your videos, good to see your back
Really good to hear this type of swing is working for you. Danny did say that some people find it works well to look down when playing so you can see the ball, but not focus on it like you would normally. I'm going to keep at it.
Scratch Golf
I also found I added the waiting in the finishing position at the end of the practice swing. I like to, take a practice swing where I hold the finish for 4 or 5 seconds and smile. Happy to be on the course. No tension. Ive incorporated it into my practice swings especially when I start getting too attached to the outcome of shots and start getting tense. And also those moments where you forget youre playing golf and lose total focus on anything and start chopping.
Coupling this technique of swinging naturally and then also visualizing intensely on every aspect of your shot in your preshot routine then NOT thinking at all standing over the ball brings best results. If its a shit shot, just a great opportunity to show off the short game skillz around the green.
This is stress free golf and way more fun.
This absolutely works! I have spent thousands on lessons over last 10 years and have too many thoughts going through head that when I get on the course I cannot hit the ball. I have spent the last two nights up the range and have never hot the baller sweeter with such a relaxed swing. It's crazy. 👍
So chuffed to hear that mate, hope it's still going well!
Hey Rob- this video is invaluable. It just may be the key to my lock. I feel frozen so often by having read so much about instruction, my head spins with self-talk I never relax while playing. Danny has spoken to me and I hear him. I also think you're a good guy.
It's easy to fall into that trap mate, I know that! Hope this helps 👍
I applied everything other than not looking at the ball and I filmed myself and what a difference. Great video
Played with “natural”swing sins the age of 10. Scratch golfer at age of 15. Lowest handicap +2 age 17. Decided to become a professional golfer. Started practicing really hard and my swing became very technical. Handicap went up to 10. I stopped playing golf for 7 years. I started playing again about 2 years ago. Handicap 4. Natural swing. I just look at the target and look for the feeling that will let me hit the shot towards the target. But in order to get it right you must look at the ball. Even a good footballer feels the kick before hand, he will always look at the ball at the moment of impact. Ball sport fundamental. Great video. Loved it.
Great analogy. When striking a football, you don't think about swinging your leg or where to hit the ball. You see the ball flight to the target before hand and make your body do that.
+2 to 10. Seems legit
Touche! Once I deviated away from trying to mimic other players techniques I began to play better. Through practice and experimentation I started to find my natural swing, and amazingly my scores got better. With that said, I'm not ruling out that the techniques of other great golfers isn't going to help us, but we have to balance the amount of time that we have to practice against who we are and where we want to be in the future. At the end of day, perhaps the best measure of your game is your shot and your golf score--
+2 to 10 after practicing harder ???? I call bullshit
Had played 22 medals this year without getting cut and handicap climbed to 7 from 5. Was all over the shop. Used this and shot 3 under my handicap and hit 13 GIR. Buzzing. Keep the content coming
Amazing stuff, chuffed to hear that! Hope Danny sees this as it's nothing to do with me!
Game changer. I've also been struggling for the last few months. So focused on the positions that i lost all feeling for the club head and face. 2 brief range/ indoor sessions in last week with a new waggle to let me feel the head at the end of the shaft, and instantly had better strikes. Straighter and longer! Not game to try the "no look swing" tho. But the essence of feeling the swinging club rather than positioning the arms, shoulders, hips, etc has helped a lot! Thank you!
I AM 82 YO - MANY GOLF INSTRUCTIONS, MANY BOOKS, YOU ARE ON TO THE BEST GOLF INSTRUCTION EVER!
Shawn Clement as been teaching this for years. Although it's great to see a UK coach adopting this approach especially given he mentions external focus rather than concentrating on mechanics i.e. internal focus. The great thing is it works for every shot type.
Anthony Bennett you may like the original FlowMotion online training triangulaid.learnybox.com/how-to-unleash-your-innate-swing/
Enjoy 😉 playing with the Flow...
Tried this today, biffed about 45% completely, got really good connection but hooked or faded 25% and absolutely pured the rest. But it got better as I went on. Like I was discovering my own swing. As well as the technique just working I think the exaggerated wrist movements and wind up made it really obvious what is happening when watching. A lot of information without words. As soon as I started making the wrist movements with the left foot right foot, I just felt how to do it. Really good as well because my old swing was hurting my hip. This one is completely effortless.
Just got back from the range, went with good intentions when I left felt like getting drunk and cutting up my clubs up!!, opened the beers and watched 2 mins of this vid and feel better already, every time I improve I create another problem,,,should I continue to put myself through this pain?!?!?
Another beer and will continue watching - keep up the GREAT work 👍
It's mad, isn't it? The range should be enjoyable yet we get so frustrated it ends up being the opposite! Hope this helps a bit 👍
Search easiest swing in golf, you’ll see the founder Brian Sparks dancing and Julian Mellor (both in UK) and also search for “the real golf swing” on TH-cam.
Rob I have no idea how I came across this video lesson but I watched it only yesterday & for some reason it really did resonate with me. I have been really struggling with my golf in last 6xmonths blowing from a 10'hcap out to 15 in that short period of time. I played today without any range practise & the only thoughts I stuck with all day were Dan's words "left...right" in a really simple walk motion of my legs...nothing fast nor exaggerated just a very smooth walk motion on the spot. I did not really think about what my arms & hands were doing other than let them swing & not hit.
OMG the best contact & pureness of ball striking (for me) I have felt in many years. That tip alone was so so simple & just amazing really. I didn't play any shots not looking at the ball but I definitely will give it some time when I next have a practise.
I am so grateful to come across your video so thanks for putting that together. It has definitely been one of the best lessons I have ever been able to immediately put into practise.
The "left...right" walking on the spot motion for me in my swing ( & no other swing thought) was so profound. My swing just was so easy, fluid & automatic. Being able to swing easily & actually hold my finish whilst being completely balanced (still) was just the best feeling for me in a very long time.
Many thanks.
This is so good to hear! I can't take any of the credit - it's all Danny's wisdom. If you like the feel of it, I'd recommend going to see him. There's loads more that I left out of the video. Keep flushing it and keeping it simple! 😎
@@RobMcGarr Rob I would dearly love to go see Danny but the last time I was in the UK was when we (Wallabies) won the 1999 Rugby World Cup at Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.
Your lesson has reached me here in Australia.
It seriously was the most positive & practical change that I can ever recall being so effective so immediately. I did not do the don't look at the ball part whilst playing today but will do when I next hit some practise balls. The "left..right" move just just makes it very easy to swing to a full balanced finish. As Dan says in your lesson just do not think at all about hitting the ball nor making your hands & arms reach any predetermined positions other than swing back & through to your finish & hold. Making your arms & hands hit certain position checkpoints only just stops it actually being a swing which is exactly what you don't want!!!.
It is gold for me.
Thanks again Rob.
Couldn't agree more. Most of what we need to do in golf, is to just get the hell out of our own way. Do you think about your swing when you're chopping wood with an axe? Chances are you don't, although you've just executed the prefect golf swing albeit on a different plane. Thanks for the vid.
This is one of my favorite golf videos. The philosophy here is spot on. Natural athletes just do what is needed to be done. They don't think about it. For some though I would think they would need some basic golf instruction to get them to the point where they could then do their natural swing with efficiency. (i.e. how to grip a club, some basic ball and club dynamics, etc.). I have found that yes, my body does know what to do to hit the golf ball. I find that my main misses are from my brain overriding what my body is trying to do naturally. If I would just let my natural swing happen the misses probably wouldn't be misses. Easier said than done though. But for the rest of the summer I am going to try and develop my natural swing.
So it has been a month and I have been using this philosophy. I have a much freer golf swing now and I am actually hitting the ball father than I was and higher too. So I am now getting the ball the stop on the green from 170 yards out instead of racing off the back. I do have more errant shots now but I attribute that to the fact that I am not there yet. I am still in process. The people I play with have noticed the difference. And they are actually amazed that I was able to change my swing without a lot of loss to my game. My handicap has gone up a few points but as I do this more i am sure it will go back down.
These concepts most definitely have merit, especially when you need to experience the feeling of moving the clubhead through space with little apparent effort. The realization that you need to get rid of all the fluff and brutally simplify what you're doing with that implement in your hands is the biggest "aha" moment. To get back to my "proper" handicap, I ended up doing things outside of my comfort zone when it came to practise and the golf swing - practice without a ball for 75% of your total swings; put the ball really close and far from your feet, change address position, and chip and pitch - a lot! Those are just some examples of practise variability. What I've been doing lately got me back to my handicap (and better), using what I call "instinct heuristics", and the "one foot philosophy". Simply put, it's how to leverage the mechanisms your body uses naturally for target acquisition and balance, like throwing and running, and using them for golf. The other concept I found liberating because my concentration is focused on the clubhead, ball and intermediate point; as long as I adhered to that task, I've improved to hit over 90% of my fairways, 80% of GIR, and chipping more accurately than I can putt (in the last 3 weeks. Still experimenting with a few things, but the success has been astonishing.
Everyone has their own inroads to make when it comes to golf: get rid of the "paralysis by analysis", or just get a "reset" and get a fresh perspective. You seem to be doing that. BTW, the reason that golf instructor said he wouldn't golf without looking at the ball is sound, but the most important thing is we are wired for target acquisition. Golf is a struggle for some because the ball becomes the target, not the "path marker" to the target. External task orientation, not internal focus is more successful.
Definitely. I think what you're doing has a far greater chance of success than trying to robotically build a "perfect" golf swing.
I just re-read my comment, and unfortunately it sounds like I was boasting, which was not my intention. It was more that I was surprised that I found something that worked one day, and the next, and so on. Needing to know how it worked, I subjected my daughter and wife to some of the drills, and it worked with them too. And they are not golfers. My daughter referred to it as "surfing into a golf swing", lol. Curious fact: humans are especially evolved to throw, given the arm/shoulder/ligament structure is different from apes. Somebody made sure we fling poop faster and better than the chimps (0_o).
When I read your comment I did not think you were boasting. I read it as a golfer who was very enthusiastic about having found something that helped him improve. The phrase, "learning to get out of your own way," definitely applies to the golf swing. There are numerous swing thoughts associated with this concept including one of my favorites; letting my hands go through impact. I also imagine my left hand throwing a frisbee as I transition. Most of this is in practice, I try to stay more in the moment when playing.
Silly as it may sound, as I set up over the ball I often pick a target far, far right of my intended swing path -far right like 45 degrees right and as I take my back sing I picture swinging for that point. It helps me stay down on the ball.
My instructor saids don't worry about mechanics....just know where the club is at all times during your swing. It takes a different awareness. I love this instruction! Very similar to what my instructor teaches....don't worry about the ball.... just swing the club to the finish and the ball gets in the way.
Rob, thanks for posting this. After watching, I had some of the best shots in my life. Now, people were at the range so I didn’t do the “no look deal.” However, I did use the flow-motion. I have a lot of injuries, restricting my movement and just warming up in this manner allowed me to get the club to positions I can’t get reach if I am thinking about getting it there.
Rob this dude is pretty awesome. I don’t know if you have ever heard of him or seen his videos but I think his techniques are very practical. th-cam.com/video/XGI6Tq-Rsv8/w-d-xo.html
Watched this and then went to the range and had the best session in such a long time. Had been shanking/hooking 7/10 shots for the last few months as well. Out of 150 balls I would have hit 3 shanks.
Thanks for the post. Made a huge difference!
You sound exactly like I feel at times!! When I get like that I watch "Bagger Vance" which seems to help! Golf is hard. I'm trying to undo 50yrs of swing issues. I'm a decent golfer, hcp 4.4 at the minute but it's all a struggle at the minute. Just keep battling on mate, it'll come eventually. Love the vids. Guess what I'm doing next time I'm on the range!
Haven't watched that for ages, think it's time to rectify that! You're not the only one struggling mate so I know how you feel. We'll get there!
I tried that at the course today , definately very less to think about with this approach . Only thing to concentrate is the weight of the club head. Really brings down the anxiety when you only have one thing to be conscious about . The game has been made so complicated that it has taken all the fun out of it .
Will keep on working on this!!!!
I tried something like this about 3 years ago after watching a Colin Montgomerie video. He kept stressing to hold the club with almost no grip pressure. So at the range one day I gave it a shot. I held it so lightly that my hands took off before the club head in the backswing (which is what I noticed in this video with the instructor). Well I ended up hitting it so much better and further. And my divots were like perfect dollar bills, shallow and past the ball. I never took it further than that because it felt like i had zero control and that scared me. However, now that I do have more knowledge and understanding, I think I need to revisit this again. I'll let you know how it goes :-) Great video 👍
David Ciccoritti with you there I remember a range session where I dragged the Club head back on my backswing this is how it felt as I was holding the Club so lightly I ripped every shot without trying. Why didn't I carry on with this to be honest u haven't got a clue....🤔
Dave Parry Well I'm going to try this on Saturday. I'm not sure but I'm betting when I did try it, I let my elbows bend to much in the back swing. This time I want to see if I can keep my arms fairly straight while still maintaining a light grip and very loose wrists. I just tried some little swings in the office with an old LW and I think it might work.
Danny said to me you have to let go of control to gain control. Let me know how it goes!
That is a George Knudson quote, one off the best swings ever ( according to a player called Jack Nicklaus LOL ), George,s book is a great read. What I tell pupils who have control issues ( 90% the other 10% are in denial LOL ) is you are holding the club so you have control, most people do not believe that though, its a great game for sure, I am originally from your neck of the woods was born in Lincoln, best course played was Woodhall spa, when I played it it was the 8th best course in the world according to golf monthly. Enjoy the journey to better golf, because trust me once you get to Scratch you have to work like hell to stay there LOL.
I didn't start golfing until I was 17. This was back in 1978. NO internet or golf teachings on TV. I taught myself by coping Jack. I had nobody tell me what was wrong , an when I was 20, just 3 years, I was a 10 handicap. Held that until I was 30. Had fun. NEVER missed a fairway. Brought home more golf balls than I went with. Then one day, on a Saturday, there was a teaching program. 30 minute show right before the Saturday round started. I saw then showing how to swing, and I thought, hmmmm.... Maybe I need to do that so I can drop my handicap. So after numerous golf tip shows, and so on, my game has steadily gotten worse. Now I am lucky to break 90, when I used to break 80 often. Its been so long now, I do not remember how I used to swing and play decent golf.
AWESOME video!!
this makes perfect sense to me, i hit my best shots when i have a relaxed swing, definitely gonna try and work on this type of feeling more, not sure i would go full on not looking at the ball but i can see how it can help get the feeling working on the range. Great vid as always mate !
Cheers Chris. Danny did say that some people find it works by looking down so the ball is in your field of vision but not focusing on it. Hope it helps!
I know Danny, Sam and Marcus from being at Bawtry Golf Club. When ever my mind gets clogged up with all the nonsense of what we’re told golf is, I come back to this lesson and takes me a week or so and I’m back in the groove. Brilliant video
Golf is mostly mental. For over 40 years I have tortured myself,(and others too) trying to play this game. Grew up playing everyday through my teen year. Best I ever shot was a 40. Now at 63 years of age I will do good if I shot 55 on 9. The people I’ve played with over the years are constantly coaching me. Slow your swing down! Etc. etc. I will par a couple of holes per round but then will have several holes with 8, 9, 10. Go figure. I have given myself the name Dr. Jeckle or Mr. Hyde. My younger brother also has played for the same amount of time and is a scratch golfer. I can hit the ball as long as he can but he is more consistent. He told me it was all in my head. Told me to take up another sport, how does one get worst after so many years of playing. The last time we played he shot 37 and me a 60. Go figure he told me I had a mental breakdown.
I'd say the mental side is definitely more important than the technical. Strange then that we spend all our time trying to fix the technical!
I am about to take up golf , am approaching 65yrs of age , and will no doubt freeze during my first proper lesson ( started one some years ago , a lesson , but got injured so had to give up ! ). My plan is to follow the first 9 mins or so ( no ball to hit ) of the video to get the confident fluid easy- going motion going , and to do this several times a day , and then a week later to add the ball to the routine . When watching Justin Rose iron play it looks as though this is his approach ! Effortless movement with the bonus of the ball just happening to be there and him imagining the flight path and where it's going to land . Absolutely LOVE this video !
Can I just add I played today after watching this and shot 76 my lowest round this year by miles. Either a coincidence or just amazing. All I did was swing really east thinking of no ball being there and was on 🔥. Buzzing
Quality, well played! 👏👏👏
Seriously buzzing, lets hope medal tomorrow i cant repeat
Makes me think of Speith when he putts while looking at the hole and not the ball.
Mate you can do this. I had a round tonight 4 birdies and 2 bogies. Seriously just play relaxed and make sure you rotate. That is all I changed got my hips working . Let me know how ya get on!
Dude this is a great video. After reading Every Shoot Must Have a Purpose, I went out and shot 70 just using the Think and Play box idea. After takin up yoga, I realized how much tension was in my body: shoulders, wrists, forearms.
I found a lot of tension at address in my shoulders and arms. I've been working on total relaxation before taking the club back. I am going to use this on the range soon and with the ability to relax free of tension, coupled with total concentration and RELEASING emotional attachment to the outcome, I see sub 70's around the corner!
Watched a lanky twat have a golf lesson! HAHAHAH
Get Didi on it as well.....
MopTopTeenyBop
Didi is the living embodiment of chill bruh. Waddaplayuh
@@GolfSidekick it's certainly a natural swing.......
Noooo... Please DO NOT try to change anything about Didi.... just observe him and learn from him!!
You have loads of comments but here is my two penny worth.
Find and watch Ron Wisdom on TH-cam. He talks about being internalised in practice and externalising in play. Only by externalising can you hope to get in the flow, zone or bubble.
Read Gabrielle Wulff and her research on externalising.
Be prepared to play consciously incompent golf linked to a good short game from seventy yards in.
Think process not outcome.
Trust yourself to swing without getting mechanical.
You are putting yourself in the straightjacket of over analysing.
Bet you dont do this in football or tennis because there's not enough time between shots.
Look at what you are saying. You are giving yourself the answers.
3 years away from golf I have had a few lessons and found myself very robotic relying on hand timing which can bring disaster as we all know. After using this at the range and practice swings I am striking the ball better than ever! All those things that are taught still need to be practiced but getting a loose and smooth swing this can’t be beaten. Left heel off the floor first to bring the hip rotation into play rather than just the shoulders is brilliant! Keep up the good work!
Great stuff Tom, really pleased to hear that! 🤜🤛
Wow, great video Rob. I like this guys mantra. Refreshing to here. I think I've always been a fairly intuitive golfer. Technical stuff gives me a headache. So seeing a lesson like this is pretty exciting to try
Cheers mate, let me know how it goes!
I always come back to this lesson when I start overthinking. Thanks for posting this video, Rob.
Great video and it is not that outrageous, there are a lot of similar styles out there. I'm pretty new to golf and have been watching lots of different methods trying to find what is best for me so I'll give it a go on the range. There is a site easiest swing in golf which is quite similar to this lesson. Look forward to see what else you come up with and hope you find something soon to help you. Cheers.
I've been a bit like you recently Rob, probably working too hard to get that perfect swing and as a result just struggling to get any form of contact at all. Watched this this morning and snuck out for a quick 9 this arvo and tried to set up with my practice swings not thinking at all and just finding a rhythm and more times than not hit it better than I have in a long time. Only started to watch your videos and follow your journey recently but just wanted to thank you from Australia for bringing us your great content that's so relatable for all of us that refuse to accept that we have so much more potential in us than just being an average hacker
Love this comment Charlie, thank you! Also jealous you're in Oz as the summer is ending over here!
I like it. I like his approach. Definitely my biggest struggle has been psychological. This might help alleviate that.
Loved this video , most coaches have been thought from a book and have a poor grasp of how to deal with an individual. They say set up like this , take it away this way, your club must be here and the first thing these things do is create tension. This is a very refreshing way of looking at the swing and thought your swing was very fluid with great tempo. I have returned to golf after a ten year break ,and used to play off 4 , I have managed to hit the ball quite well but I am afraid to let it go and get some decent club head speed , this may be the key I am looking for , I will be giving it a try tomorrow. Thanks for bringing this to our attention
i feel your pain , im doing the same. even to the point where the ink from the ball is marking the toe of the club. we just have to keep going. as i keep telling myself, a bad days golf is better than a good days work.
That was a really interesting vid. I remember reading an interview a German golf magazine did with a blind golfer a while ago. The guy had already been golfing for a few years before he lost his eyesight. He now needed an assistant on the course to line him up and describe the hole to him, but he said that he had become a much better golfer since going blind, because he now really felt the shot.
I sometimes putt with my eyes closed (which works remarkably well), but I never tried to hit a full shot without looking at the ball. I will definitely give this a try the next time I'm at the range (well, the next time I am at the range without anyone standing right next to me, maybe)
I tried putting looking at the hole a couple of years ago (because Spieth was doing it and holing everything!) and it worked well. Enjoy it and do let me know how it goes.
This style of effortlessly hitting the ball, probably started by a Brit Ernest Jones, carried on by Manual de la torre, played on tour by the great George Knudson. The swinging motion is not hard to do, the problem is most golfer's want to hit the ball not swing.
This resonates with me. I'm a very good billiards player and that's a game where you're looking at the target and not the cue ball. Some of my best putting has been no-look. Even if I don't end up no-looking full golf shots, being able to make the practice swing the shot swing will be a big win. Thanks for this. And that coach is so completely soothing!
Totally agree with the principle and that the natural (practice) swing is always the best swings we produce out there. I’ve also done the drill but I use a look away on the way back then through (a la Stenson, Duval, Anika) to target. This gives the shoulders and torso even more freedom. This I have taken to the course if things go funky. I’ll post a vid to twitter. Great vid 👍👍
I have only come across this and found it fantastic. Taking all the overthinking out of the equation. Great video guys.
This is one drill of FlowMotion Golf.
Caspar Elbers yep 👍! Danny is a FlowMotion coach...
The 3 second pause is so relaxing like golf meditation. Awesome vid.
He loved showing you “how” to do it 😂😂 he hit more balls than you did! Joking aside I tried to swing like this, a bit like Shawn clement teaches but i just couldn’t put it in play. I do swing better when I slow my swing and relax so there’s something in that I guess. Another thing I’ve found is filming my swing sometimes is the worst thing I can do, if I’m hitting the ball well but film my swing to see if I’m hitting the positions my coach has told me to, I then see it doesn’t look right and I change things. I’ve since stopped filming so much. Great vid.
Ha, I did hit a fair few but I wanted to leave the stuff of him explaining it in the vid and it's long enough without loads of clips of me hitting balls! I'm the same - don't record it when I'm playing well because I know I won't like what I see but as soon as it goes wrong the camera comes out and never helps!
If I hadn't filmed my swing I never would have realized how awful it was. I thought, when I went for a lesson, that the pro would give me a couple of tips and I'd be on my way. I took a few swings and he says, "let's take a look at what we've got." OMG, it was horrible, it was every golfer's nightmare, a big, over the top, right shoulder move that screamed hacker. If I had not seen that video I never would have started on my quest to rebuild my swing.
Greatest teacher I’ve seen. It works!!
To shave those last few digits from the handicap your going to have to find a way to think out of the box. Great video and thought process. Read a book called quantum golf. Funny little book. Keep at it. Great job.
Quantum golf is Magic
Hi there,
I was in your exact same position a couple of months ago. I got fed up with the technical garbage and just decided to hit a ball the way that works for me.... suddenly I had a couple of big breakthroughs. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself and not over think it.... and not try to be like any particular golfer. Be you. Do your swing.
Working for me anyway.
I’ve noticed taking a break from practicing for a week helps to reset your mind and allows you to stop overthinking too much.
@@jakewest6775 100% agree with these comments. A change in attitude and I've gone from playing the worst I have in years to the best golf of my life! (Video on that soon...)
I finally had some time to play, and I noticed that my driver works way better if I have 2 - 3 practice swings (watching nothing but the direction the head goes through in front of my feet) and simply step up, without further looking or assessing and repeat the swing. The results are way better than taking time to adress a practic swing, more time to step up to the ball, look at the target, re-assess and finally hook the ball OB.
This method surely works from the tee-boxes, so all par 3's and drivers should be taken care of...
Went to the range today trying to apply squats with hip turn, shoulder rotation right elbow tucked and all that technical position .. got tired and after my back can no longer handle the stress decided to apply this.. did some left foot right foot drills with the body.. addressed the ball and closed my eyes did my back swing (while thinking left foot) and... right foot .. bam.. pure shot without thinking about the ball.. opened my eyes and ball was way up there high and long drawing a tiny bit.. did a few more shots and I couldn’t miss.. all in all.. 7 out of 10 with eyes closed had a clean solid contact.. i guess it works! Thanks!
Awesome! But thank Danny not me!
Top vid Rob. Like you said with other sports, you don’t think about position as much. I always thought that was because most sports are dynamic with a moving ball and golf to me feels like a free kick in footy, stationary. But here’s the thing that I couldn’t get my head around: I never thought about my leg’s backswing! Ever!
Love this video. Shifts the focus to what I’m trying to achieve ahead of me, not behind me.
Exactly! No one has to teach us technically how to kick, your body is clever enough to work it out!
I tried this at the range this morning. It seemed to work very well. Great video. Danny seems to love hitting balls.
Hope it's still going well!
His lesson is exactly what it feels like when I’m playing good golf. I just feel it, I can picture the shot and almost effortlessly do it. Bad golf I start getting all technical about everything.
Same!
Good vid. This kind of approach is indeed helpful when one gets overwhelmed with mechanics & starts "chasing it". Very Zen Golf😉
What he taught you I call “fearless swinging” I paid my best golf this way. He’s on to something, don’t discount it.
Great video! Went out and tried this technique into my backyard net...following day went out to play a game with friends and took the “no look swing feeling” out there. Fired an 82 ( which was right on my handicap) and it felt effortless. They key for me was to keep the hands and arms very loose and relaxed. Did hit a few offline, but that was when tension started to creep back in and the desire to steer the ball rather than just swing and let the ball get in the way. Brilliant!
It also took those million plus swing thoughts out of the equation. Keep up the quest .... you're on to something good. Cheers From Mike in Canada.
When things are going wrong in my swing, I just focus on two swing thoughts. Turn my left shoulder under my chin. Hit the ball.
Being totally relaxed makes total seance as any tension will kill the golf swing . Great video thanks for posting it
Cheers Johnny, you're definitely right about tension being a killer of the golf swing.
You look very attached the result while doing the lesson. Have you read Every Shot Must Have a Purpose?
Golf Sidekick と
Dude love ur videos waddaa playyaaa
THEJIG IS UP PEWPEWPEW
Wadavideo this one is. It has fixed my wedge play 100000%
@@GolfSidekick good to hear. It works wonders brah
I see where your coming from. How to maintain the formula/technique yet look conventional so that you do not induce psycho pressure from your playing partners. In putting, I can go round the practice putting green with the putter in my right hand (right handed) and casually look at the hole, look at the ball and slot it. No line-up, no practice swing, just plonk. I discovered it one day ,when I was taping the balls back to a hole to start my putting practice , and 5 from 6 went in from 20' No 6 lipped out. But I too have not got the courage to do this in a match or comp but have occasionally during casual play and impressed and got Flack from my group.
There is a wave length here to connect to. (No mind)
When I practiced as a kid I used to set up to the ball, close my eyes and swing. Same sort of thing really. I can't remember when I decided to start looking at the ball and trying to smash it as far as possible but I'm 49 now so it must have been a long time ago. This video has given me food for thought. Thanks for sharing 👍
No worries Andy, hope it helps!
This is what Tiger talks about when he says Golf is all feel in his hands.
I've watched this video several times, and each time, it improves my performance on the course. I think the technical trends in equipment and instruction have hurt more than helped golfers for decades. If you look at the average handicap index over the last twenty years, those trends haven't seemed to help at all. I've bought into it all over the years, but now I'm moving away from that to something more akin to Danny's approach. And, at 70, I'm now striking the ball better than I did at 40--and I'm using older equipment. (I do have some of the latest and greatest--in the closet.)
I'd like to know how you feel about it a year later have you tried it again?
I'm not playing much at the moment but my honest opinion is that this is a great way to clear your head of all the complicated swing thoughts and positions that can start to make golf seem really complicated. I've always played my best when I have one simple swing feeling (or none at all, when things feel really good) and I think this can help get you back to that. I don't think people are going to start playing on the course not looking at the ball.
Exactly how I taught myself when started golf. Then I tried to be more technical, that's when swing problems came in.
Thanks for reminding me that feel is everything.
Cheers bra !
No problem! I find that the more technical I'm thinking with my golf swing, the worse I tend to play 🤯
shawn clement elements here and that is a good thing
gordygolf c yes sir
Seriously, dude. Check out Shawn Clement. I'm not scratch, but his approach has helped me a lot!
Agree, Shawn Clement, Mike Malaska, and Adam Young teach "external focus" and "throwing" the club head at the target. I have started to use Clement's intermediate point for alignment, and then my only thoughts are "throw the club head at the target", the ball gets in the way and goes to the target. Have been shooting much better rounds using this process.
I’m a Shawn clement student and this is bang on what he teaches . Love his research on the visual Cortex and sight . Focus on something specific and everything around it is blurry , same goes with when you’re head is down looking at the ball . The ball should be blurry and your target should be in focus. Have a feeling into that picture .
Great lesson. I've had the same problem with losing contact so I recently decided to club up and just let my natural swing/power do the job. I get this idea totally
Let me know how you find it!
Hi Rob, I think this way of teaching golf is just dubious. When you showed Dannys swing vom down the line, you can see that he has a decent swing plane, maybe too much from the inside. Thats probably the reason he likes to hit those shot off a tee. But overall he is a talented player, learned a good swing in a young age and now thinks that all this comes natural if you just let it go. You experienced some good shots and a more centered contact. Maybe because your mind was not stuck in 3 to 6 swing thoughts, maybe some shots off a mat on a driving range does not mean that much, especially when you try "new things". But you would not hit those shots, if you haven`t put so much work and effort in your swing before. But most important: a good swing only proves itself in a pressure-situation. You just played with what you have at the moment. Thats it. I feel your frustration about not moving forward anymore. But the answer to that is to find a coach who speaks your body-language. And is able to translate technical developments into a feeling that you can build in your swing and still feels good.
Yeah I think coaches who teach this way skips a few steps along the way since they just think people are not doing it naturally. Clearly not skilled golfers naturally aren't good golfers lol.
You still have to build good basics, grip, posture, alignment etc. This concept benefits golfers who have reached a certain level of proficiency.
I think 🤔 you guys are missing the point of the video. I believe it’s the intent to put more focus on not coaching the natural ability out of the student. He also states 2 important things that you might of missed..imho 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
1. When you look at the ball you can compensate for flawed technique but when you don’t look at the ball your technique has to be good
2. This will train your natural swing
He was ripping it off the deck as well, to be fair. I totally get what you're saying but Danny says that he can get beginners hitting good shots way quicker with this method than when teaching them in the traditional way. I'm sure it's not for everyone and it's too soon to say if it will be the answer for me but I'm going to give it a decent try.
I play off 7 but was 5.2 I practice for hours at least 3 or 4 times a week. Had loads of different coaches and tried everything. My mates are now taking the piss out of me, it hurts as I love the game like you do. It will come back to me Im sure. Keep up the good work
I know that feeling mate. I feel like all the good work I did at the start of the season is being undone because my handicap is creeping back up to where it was. It's a tough game but keep your chin up and it'll come.
I struggled mentally for yrs too until I saw by chance a pro on utube called shawn clement.!...He teaches golf like your teacher.. the brain is so complex but accurate..It knows of the function your body is trying to achieve and will automatically put you in the right position to accomplish the task..You don't need to think about angles and positions..As soon as a ball is put in front of you and you make that your target, you will default to hitting the ball instead of swinging through to the target which will undoubtedly cause you to come over the top and slice etc!....Has anyone ever taught you how to skim a stone on water?!!...No of course not..you know what you are trying to do and you don't even have to think about the task and am I in the right postion and is my wrist cocked enough and am I on the correct foot!...incidently..the skipping a stone on water is the same as a golf swing!...sorry for the long text..theres much more to learn.....see shawn clements golf swing!!….ps..you do have a great golf swing!
john price as soon as I watched this I thought of Shawn clement! Same idea except Shawn has 100+ videos getting into more detail. This is how the swing should be taught. If it’s not simple you are doing it wrong. Great vid
You are right Dylan, Video instruction is beginning to change.Golf pros over the past 10yrs or so have made a golf swing far too complicated with angles and positions which the majority of amateurs unable to grasp..Imagine during a back swing wondering whether you have all the angles etc , then on the way down, you then default to the ball..Thats why golf is so difficult!..So golf pros like Shawn clement are a breath of fresh air!...My game has improved 10 fold since watching his method!
I find this fascinating and helpful. Been playing for 25+ years and in one of the worst slumps I have ever been in. Went to the range this afternoon and started focusing my eyes on a spot away from the ball and started hitting the ball better than I have in months. Going to take it to the course Wednesday and see what happens.
How'd it go?
So far so good. Has come together with pretty much everything except the driver. I can easily play that way, but the spot I am looking at is maybe 2 inches away from the ball.
“If you can hit it well without looking your technique must be perfect.”
That was me in a nutshell, started golfing aged 24, down to 6 in 12 months, then started chasing mechanical perfection to find scratch which locked my natural swing away in a cage and it destroyed me, walking away from it 6 years later. Now aged 62 the bug is back and i guess i am in reverse mode, removing the technical mechanical thoughts trying to allow my true natural swing to flow. Rob, you have become part of my story.
I found it interesting that he doesn't use it himself. I think it's a good tool to finesse your swing as long as you don't freeze up when you look at the ball. Maybe Charles Barkley could try this. LOL
One thing I’ve missed - massive credit and respect to you - I understand you telepathically - some people don’t have the freedom of perspective and can’t visualise a thought - I’m like you, when it clicked that I shouldn’t be manipulating this motion in any way and just guiding it through the motion I realised I don’t need a single thing else - that is the “secret” the fact you don’t have a single technical thought - from natural setup feeling to the gravity and plane of the face just being guided by the natural motion, nothing else to work on, the only reason pros have coaches is they’re trying to evolve that move to the optimum human performance and in 30 years time the natural motion will evolve over time when the genetics are passed down. It’s so easy and I was so in your position - a good player but constantly having to find a technical fix where we actually shouldn’t be touching a thing, once the mind understands that you literally turn and caress the ball when it collides with a metal object of certain loft and launches on that path of the projectile object in this case called a golf club - get a baseball and watch your natural reaction to colliding that ball from one place to another. It’s so simple but there are aspects that can be worked on - picture weight lifting - just pick it up off the floor - one person might lift it like a feather and another may be struggling to lift it up - this is down to your human conditioning and those aspects can be worked on so that person who couldn’t lift now after some strength building still uses the same motion but has the strength to pick it up.
In my opinion we’ve maxed out the motion after 100 years of evolution and really there’s nothing more other than body condition that can increase the efficiency of the swing.
So glad someone else understands this and I’m so shocked the word doesn’t spread and peoples game and the beliefs they had to improve are a complete waist of time and serve no purpose - the thing they’re working on will never change the natural motion because it would damage its optimum performance and result.
The no look drill is perfect because you can really feel the natural motion taking over and delivering the optimum blow and not have a conscious forced movement to lose all the energy in the motion.
No look with every club and soon you’ll understand a picture of what the subconscious motion is doing to deliver optimum results to the target object to transfer it from one destination to another - just like throwing a ball 👌
Ben Kenobi: [gets up and takes a blast helmet] I suggest you try it again, Luke. This time, let go your conscious self and act on instinct. [puts the helmet on Luke, which covers his eyes]
Luke Skywalker: But with the blast shield down, I can't even see! How am I supposed to fight?
Ben Kenobi: Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.
Maybe I should watch Star Wars, never seen it!
The next time I go out I'm gonna wear a helmet
Scratch Golf use the force Rob!
@@RobMcGarr WHAT!!????
Deep:)
This is an excellent swing very much like Ernest Jones swing theory. I had gotten too much into positions and went back to this after watching your video....awesome...and thanks for posting!
Bruce Lee said it best
"Be like water"
🌊🏌️♂️👌
very inspiring video. nice to see both you and the coach admit to the pressure and anxiety that often accompanies golf and spoils the game for a lot of us. refreshing stuff
Ive been getting stuck in drill-country for a while now too, and its really destroyed my golf swing. for the past two days i tried the drill, and my ballstrike improved exponentially. Im wondering though: why did the coach tee the ball up during the practice?
I read somewhere that "external" swingthoughts improve the golf-swing and it really rings true for me. Every time i focus internally during a swing, on some aspect of the swing, my body starts compensating and i often fluff the shot. If i focus on drawing the ball or hitting a target instead, I usually get what im going for.
Just for interest sake, look up Brian Sparks Easiest swing in golf on TH-cam
Will do, cheers.
tried it last night for the first time. Unbelievable! the ball is going a mile and even better much much straighter. can't wait to try on course
He swings better than me when he doesn't look😂
This to me felt almost revolutionary in a train of thought standpoint. Simplifying the swing into just having the club square at impact was great to hear. I can’t wait to test this out with a weighted club and on the range.
Let me know how it goes 👍
This idea isn't that outrageous. Within my study of martial arts you try to learn the basic techniques and then get to the point of "no mind". This is the point he is making. When you are letting your body move and not focusing on the ball, you are letting your body do what it is supposed to do. It also goes with the saying let the club do the work. Now of course the execution is always harder than talking about it. It will take some time to get that "no mind" mentality and apply it to your golf game.
I'd totally agree with you Ryan . I took up Akido and everything would go pear -shape unless the imagination / mind was detached from the thoughts of moving the body .A bit like Tom Cruise in the Last Samuri when the gang of assassins attack him in the street , the film makers "show it going through his mind ahead of the actual resulting physical movement . Hoping that made sense ...lol
I have an idea what you mean. I had archery lessons for a couple of weeks many years ago in Bulgaria (mid 90s, not much tourism, nothing much else to do) with the Bulgarian archery champion. He was talking about "being one with the arrow".. draw and loose in one, smooth flowing movement, almost without aiming. He was able to group arrows into a rifle target at 70m, 20-30 arrows, all bunched so tightly he could pull them all out in one. I don´t know if you´ve ever done any shooting but a rifle target isn´t exactly big and at 70m it looks like a postage stamp. But this "emptiness" of mind was key to it all. And I reckon that applies to golf. There´s so much advice and tips out there and we all over analyse everything, when it´s probably better not to think, but just hit it.
It’s true for most things. The subconscious has to do it. Think and it’s over. A master musician isn’t thinking about what they are doing, if they do it’s over. It has to flow out of you like water.
Great stuff. This goes back even before Ernest Jones' 1937 book, and for me, has allowed me to improve significantly without any mechanical swing thoughts. Focus on a target, swing the clubhead and the ball flies straight or with a slight draw, 95% of the time.
It's unbelievable how effective this is. I went from a struggling 12 handicap to 2 in the space of a few months using the Ernest Jones method. I always had a decent short game, but my full swing was holding me back. For me, there is no other way to play. Ernest Jones, Zen Golf method gives amateurs the feel of the swing which you need before inviting any mechanical thoughts. I find the image-driven learning most teaching pros use is not effective because it eliminates momentum from the swing, which is what actually produces most of the body movement.
@@blue24563your last statement is pure gold...hitting multiple swing checkpoints from still images or video stop points does in the learner exactly what you say....it totally freezes the natural momentum & body movement that you are trying to achieve. Without this you kill any resemblance to a pure swing....& also a great strike off a moving & naturally squaring clubface.
Where’s my shout out!? 😉
🤦♂️ We can do a no-look match!
@@robinmatthews-williams5565 🤝
Haha I thought I’d joined the dots. Knew it!
Boys - you need to make a vid out of this! (Im off buying popcorn and brew...)
Robin Matthews-Williams is this guy copying your every move 🤷🏽♂️🤔
When I first started playing golf I had no trouble getting from tee to green. My playing partners were very low handicap (4 and 1) and I was able to match them. I was just a disaster on and near the greens. Even then, and 3 putting half the greens, my first handicap was 16 and quickly reduced to 11. Then came the Ian Woosnam video instruction, thoughts about my swing, and before I knew it I could no longer hit a ball properly. Of course from their I had some lessons, bought Leadbetter videos etc but all this just made things worse. I'm hoping that after 30 years this can help me get back to the natural thoughtless swing I once had. Fingers crossed!
Came across your video having noticed that no matter what technique video I watched, my golf would fluctuate wildly between good and bad. I came to the conclusion that this focus on positions etc interfered with my natural rhythm and balance leading to the inconsistency. Found your video and realised this was the approach which is likely to help both aspects. External focus learning like this stops your internal thoughts getting in the way of your body's innate ability to organise itself kinematically. After all it is unlikely on a golf course that any two shots are going to require exactly the same organisation or kinematic chain, hence beyond being aware of what target we are trying to reach and how the ball should fly it is unlikely that we can reproduce consciously the required shot. Need to trust are bodies innate ability to organise to some extent. Thanks for a thoughtful video.
I take the point about not looking at the ball when playing but the concept of swinging the club, feeling the weight and letting the ball get in the way of the club is fundamental. Will definitely try this at the next range next time. Thanks
Let me know how it goes/went!
You say what we are all thinking. Great video!
Did you get onto this guy before or after Robin started posting videos about this type of swing? Last week I got on to it and it's awesome! I had my first round with this swing and scored terrible, but hit it great. Can't wait to get back out there again.
Great vid. So I think the point of this lesson was to help you take your mind out of your game, and I say this because I stopped golfing for three years and started golfing again about six months ago and my swing was effortless I wasn’t thinking about anything just about getting out there and hitting the ball again and I was hitting them dead straight every single time down the fairway and then I started thinking you know what I could get good at this and I need to start Lowering score and I started really focusing on my swing in analyzing everything and my swing just went to crap. So I think the point of this was to just take your mental game your mental mind out to let your body do what it does naturally and watching this video that you did I really enjoyed it because the swings from both of you were just effortless and smooth and easy nothing technical about it just relaxed easy swing and it look like you guys were killing the ball so I’m anxious to try this when I get the weather clears up so I can go and I hit it at the range and see how this helps me so again thank you for this vid I really enjoyed it and I have a blessed one.
When I started golfing I started shooting low 80s high 70s in first year then I started thinking about the swing and mechanics and stalled out at mid 70s for last 3 years and feel like I'm getting worse the more I think. This has helped a lot.
I’m sold. Hit my best shots when i focus on outcome and the ball by what I thought was incidental, seems to go where I was focussed. I watched a Dave Pelz video last night on chipping and pitching and he said to practice eyes closed to get a better feel. My pro tonight said something similar about learning distance control in putting.
I’ve spent a year trying to improve and seen good but inconsistent improvements. I’m going to invest 50% of my practice now for the next few months working this into my process.
I tried this on the range today. Just curious to see what would happen. And all I can say is WOW! Effortless, Intuitive, simple and effective. I've never hit the sweet spots so consistently.
I know the feeling of this swing, sometimes I'm lovely and loose and my striking is effortless. I'm going to practice that feeling more now. And trust it. Cheers.
Hope it works for you mate!
Absolutely loved it!! Looked through your video, went directly to the range and tried it out. Never had better ball striking before. Topped and shanked a few of course, but in general, progress was fantastic. I even managed to think-produce a couple of draws and fades. Realised quickly that if I cheat by not aiming for and holding the end position, I completely loose ball strike accuracy. Thanks for your video!!
Great stuff, hope it's still going well mate!
Listening to you at the beginning of your video was like listening to myself. I'm going to visit the range today and give this a go. I guess the instructor is trying to implant the feeling of a free flowing swing into the muscle memory . Once you have the feeling I guess you have to find a way to look at the ball but not react to it. Easier said than done I'm sure. Thanks for putting this out there for consumption. I've long felt that I'm over complicating things on the golf course and despite lessons from different coaches I've never felt that they have added anything to my 'technique' that has resulted in a considerable improvement to my swing/golf. Enjoy the style of your videos, keep up the good work. Cheers.
Steve P. Shropshire.
Bogey golfer on average, just got new clubs and a lesson very similar to this. Blew my mind at first but when it worked I was hitting the best shots of my life(23 yrs, playing since I could walk) It’s been a struggle to change the same swing I’ve had for so long now but it makes me want to commit even more and improve