Your assessment of these youtube instructional videos

[edhannan]

Apologies if this thread should be in Golf Matters rather than here.
There are several recent mentions of a drill (one-foot back, ball-striking, compression) described by Shawn Clement. They got me browsing through his instructional vids on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...3A6D197446DD67).

Clement has posted 84 vids there covering a pretty full range of golf issues from short chips to full swing. I like some of what I see, not so sure about others and not expert enough to distinguish lead from gold.

What do you see the collection that you'd recommend? wouldn't? And why?

[razaar]

Anything that makes the ball go where you want it to go is good. Basically that is what it is all about - getting the ball from A to B in as few hits as one can manage. For the present, I would only use those drills that fit in with your concept of what a golf swing is. Can you put into words your concept of a golf swing? It will help you if you can and might give others here something to work with in making suggestions.

[edhannan]

Fair enough. I subscribe to Gary Edwin’s right-sided swing approach and gradually am reshaping my swing to that model. Like most converts to that approach (unlike beginner golfers) my main learning tasks are “unlearning” many aspects of a more conventional swing. Here’s how I understand the right-sided swing.
Body angles at address affect all that follows. Edwin swingers set up into their left side (for right handed golfers) so that the left side, shoulder through hip and foot, are perpendicular. A slight axis tilt and relatively wide stance gives a reverse-K look. A pronounced spine angle lets the arms hand straight down from the shoulders. Hands slightly ahead of the clubhead create a shaft lean. In many respects, the set-up at address previews the impact position.
The set up at address establishes the swing radius (distance between sternum and clubhead) that remains constant throughout. The wrists are set at address and do not change much, if at all, throughout the swing. The hands stay in front of the chest through the backswing, downswing, at impact and in the follow through.
In the backswing, there is very little, if any, lateral movement. From address to the top, the sequence is hands, arms, shoulders and hips. The left side stays forward against the wall. The shoulder turn is relatively flat. The right side turns back from the target line as though one were drawing back to deliver a punch.
From the top, the shoulders stay closed to the target as the arms and right shoulder drop on plane to the delivery position. The release is a body release with the right hip coming around the left (rather than the left spinning out of the way).
In general, the swing is very compact, visually simple and quite effective when properly executed. In theory, if you set and maintain your body angles correctly, you can swing your arms as hard as you want. I’m not there yet.

[razaar]

Good stuff. Any drill that helps with feeling the club head would be a good one. Feeling the club head means feeling the clubhead in the backswing from hip high (parallel with the target line) to shoulder high (@ 45% angle) to just under parallel (top of b/swing).
Feel the club head -
hold the club straight up, can't feel the clubhead (too light);
hold the club straight out, feel all the club head (too heavy);
Hold the club at 45%, in between (just right).

You will need a strong left side for this swing type and very flexible quadratus lumborum muscles to keep the hips stable during the swing. Maybe you need to identify exercises and stretches which compliment this swing type if you are having problems.

http://www.floota.com/QuadratusLumborumStretch1.html

[edhannan]

Thanks for the website reference, Razaar. I didn't know I had a quadratus lumborum.

[adlo]

Looking through the Edwin book/vids we got through the GE syndicate......

This may be a stupid question but I would appreciate thoughts here. What is the best way to try and make swing changes? I will try and explain..... it is hard to know if you are performing drills and swing changes as they are intended. If you do not have access to a coach, what is the next best thing?

[razaar]

Looking through the Edwin book/vids we got through the GE syndicate......

This may be a stupid question but I would appreciate thoughts here. What is the best way to try and make swing changes? I will try and explain..... it is hard to know if you are performing drills and swing changes as they are intended. If you do not have access to a coach, what is the next best thing?

Are we talking about improving our golf game i.e shooting lower scores or something else?

[adlo]

Can you explain Raz?

[ddasey]

Looking through the Edwin book/vids we got through the GE syndicate......

This may be a stupid question but I would appreciate thoughts here. What is the best way to try and make swing changes? I will try and explain..... it is hard to know if you are performing drills and swing changes as they are intended. If you do not have access to a coach, what is the next best thing?

Adlo, good question.

Out of interest what do you think of the GE syndicate material??

[adlo]

Quite good. I thought the vids might be a bit more thorough, but perfect for someone such as myself.

I don't see what Virge would get out of it. Seems like GE 101.

[henno]

I don't see what Virge would get out of it. Seems like GE 101.

My thoughts exactly. Simple for a doofus like me, but I wonder what value would be gained for the dedicated GE disciple.

[just]

Worth what we paid, but I don't know if I would be happy if I had to shell out the $90 odd asking price.

[ddasey]

I have been slowly getting through the book and so far I like what I see.

I am real keen on giving this a crack.

Maybe we should start a new GE thread and bribe Virge to assist with questions / tips.

[adlo]

Good point Just!

[adlo]

I have been slowly getting through the book and so far I like what I see.

I am real keen on giving this a crack.

Maybe we should start a new GE thread and bribe Virge to assist with questions / tips.

Good idea. Virge seems happy to spread the GE lurve

[henno]

The only thing I dislike about it is the cult-like behaviour of his followers. It is like a a fundamentalist religion, with the blind faith to go with it.

[ddasey]

Sorry but I couldn't resist.

You are a bad influence....

[ddasey]

The only thing I dislike about it is the cult-like behaviour of his followers. It is like a a fundamentalist religion, with the blind faith to go with it.

Maybe we can start our own Ozgolf cult...

[Yossarian]

And all wear snuggies!

[razaar]

Can you explain Raz?

Sure...the bottom line in golf is about scoring. There are many players who have very good swings but can't score and there are players who have very ordinary swings who can score. The record books a full of the latter.

The safest and surest way to improve is to go with the swing we have and learn to hit our best shots 90% of the time instead of 30% or whatever. That applies to all elements of the game. I like Jim Flick's words - "Lets play golf, not work it". Making swing changes is work and there is no guarantee that we will score any better when the changes do become habit, because we still have to hit our best shot more often to improve our scores. Can you see where I am coming from?

[Daves]

Apologies if this thread should be in Golf Matters rather than here.
There are several recent mentions of a drill (one-foot back, ball-striking, compression) described by Shawn Clement. They got me browsing through his instructional vids on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...3A6D197446DD67).

Clement has posted 84 vids there covering a pretty full range of golf issues from short chips to full swing. I like some of what I see, not so sure about others and not expert enough to distinguish lead from gold.

What do you see the collection that you'd recommend? wouldn't? And why?

For me Shawn is one of the best golf instructor communicators out there. Lots to learn for the hacker in his vids, and they are free to watch so the price is pretty good! He is a S & T man but does not push it to the exclusion of the basics. Plus the bugger can play off scratch left and right handed! so he is the man! You won't suffer too much damage listening to Shawns instruction IMO.

[Beetle34]

No way look for my buddy Rickard Strongert, he is the shizzle my nizzle, the videojug way.

[adlo]

Sure...the bottom line in golf is about scoring. There are many players who have very good swings but can't score and there are players who have very ordinary swings who can score. The record books a full of the latter.

The safest and surest way to improve is to go with the swing we have and learn to hit our best shots 90% of the time instead of 30% or whatever. That applies to all elements of the game. I like Jim Flick's words - "Lets play golf, not work it". Making swing changes is work and there is no guarantee that we will score any better when the changes do become habit, because we still have to hit our best shot more often to improve our scores. Can you see where I am coming from?

Yes I can.

Can you make me shoot par?

[Johnny Canuck]

Yes I can.

Can you make me shoot par?

I can answer that one for you...

[adlo]

And.....