Learn the secret of Golf...

Clubhead Lag -- the clubhead lagging behind the hands through impact -- is the most important fundamental in the golf swing.

All PGA Tour players use Lag to compress the ball while poor players don't.

 

Learn how to FEEL, CREATE and SUSTAIN the lag. Discover the benefits of the Flat Left Wrist, shaft loading and educated hands and cut your scores in half!

Focus on pressure points to feel Lag

Pressure points in your handsYou may have played the game for a long time and never heard of them…

If so, I urge you to read this!!!
Pressure points could improve your game forever and simplify a lot of things in your swing by focusing your mind on feel rather than technique.  As a bonus, once you learn to rely on your pressure points, the game of Golf becomes more of a sensation than a mechanical cheklist!

But for the moment, think about this for a second: In order to move something like a shopping cart you need to push against it with your hands (actually, you could also pull it, but for simplicity stakes, let’s stick to pushing…).
While you push the cart, you feel a pressure in the point(s) of contact of your hand(s) against the handle of the cart: These are pressure points.

In the Golf swing there are 4 distinct pressure points (more on that in another article) but again, for simplicity stakes, we will focus on the easiest and more convenient to feel: the meaty part of your index (the "trigger finger") of your trailing hand where it touches the club.

Here is the trick: Are you able to perform a Golf stroke while feeling pressure in this index from start down to both arms straight (the end of the follow-through and before the finish)???

Even better: if you can feel this pressure not decreasing (unrelentless pressure), I bet my shirt you must be a 1 digit handicap as you must have Lag in your swing with all the good things that come with it!

Poor players have almost no pressure feel at all because they are "running after the club", exactly as you would run after your cart after having pushed it violently: the pressure against the handle was very strong the moment you pushed hard but disappeared as the cart when away from you (you can’t push something faster you can run!).

A player who casts the club (club head throwaway) does exactly that: he feels a lot of pressure in the start of the downswing (by accelerating the club very hard and convulsively). Such a sudden accelartion thows the club away with no chance to catch it up before impact.
Needless to say, that player feels no pressure at all in the index finger when the club head arrives at the ball.

The correct way to do it is to push your cart evenly with no over-acceleration.

The correct feel is a pressure in the trigger finger that is even and present from start-down to follow-through. Light or heavy pressure doesn’t matter. The important thing is that it must be there and steady.

A Tour Player’s feels exactly that. But imagine he is able to put and keep (most important!) a LOT of pressure in the trigger finger: harder to sustain during the swing but highly rewarding in terms of ball compression/distance/control.

Sounds easy to practice? Next time you go to the range, spend a bucket of ball focusing on that pressure. Start with half swings as it is easy to feel with shorter backswings.

Oh, by the way: This is how Lag feels; it’s a pressure in your hands!!! – The more unrelentless pressure you feel, the more Lag you have!

And if you are a Golf nut like us, look for the feel the next time you push your cart in the shopping mall!

164 Responses to “Focus on pressure points to feel Lag”

  1. Ted Ted says:

    I am a lefty and have been losing my irons left, strike is solid they just go straight left have tried moving ball position forward but the club is moving thru the impact zone open, can you help? Trying to freeze bottom wrist throughout swing. Thanks

    • Hi Ted,

      As a reminder (and opposed to the general belief), the ball goes where the face is looking at impact and curves according to the swing path.

      So, for a lefty, a ball going straight left is the result of an open clubface with a straight swing path relative to the face (or an inside-out swing path relative to the target line).

      Obviously your dynamics are good because you say that you are hitting it solidly. So I suspect that a slight adjustment in your grip should do the trick.

      To be sure of what is really happening in your swing, could you try this: use a stronger grip to see what happens – Your ball should start straight along the target line and curve right thanks to your inside-out swing path.

      Also, bear in mind that if you’re a hitter, it is necessary to have a stronger grip to counter the layback tendency of the clubface. This may feel a stronger grip that what you are used to but it is nonetheless correct.

      If you are a swinger, the clubface should naturally close (full roll) around impact provided that you let centrifugal force do its thing. Freezing the wrists means freezing the right wrist flat and the left wrist bent (for a lefty!) BUT it does not mean to freeze the cocking/uncocking motion of your right wrist or your face will stay open at impact!

  2. Zul Othman Zul Othman says:

    Hey John,

    I wrote about some problems downloading the e-book today and I was pleasantly surprised that you took action in a matter of half and hour, and it must have been late night where you are. Thanks, I have downloaded the book, printed it and bound it. Now I am plumbing its depths.

    • Thank you Zul,
      That’s customer service :-) !
      It was, 7 in the morning here and it was the first thing I saw when I woke up!

      As Brian states in another comment, it seems that my hosting solution has discovered the Lag too :-) !
      Unfortunately that’s not the kind of Lag that we love!

      To avoid that, I will transfer the site on a bigger hosting plan in the US.
      If anyone could recommend a good US hosting platform, I’m all ears!

      In the meantime, rest assured that I closely monitor the eBook sales process and that I take action as soon as I’m aware of any trouble.

      We want happy golfers all the way!

      Thank you for your support,
      John.

  3. Bryan Bryan says:

    so frustrating, your website is very very slow. I tried to buy the ebook but get 413 Request Entity Too Large. I can’t read much of the content on the website because most of the time it doesnt load. I’ve tried on several browsers. Would love to be able to see this stuff…

    • That’s internesting Brian, I do not experience such problems. Where are you from? Do you experience this slowness all the time?
      Thanks, John.

  4. Red Colt Red Colt says:

    John
    Thank you for the prompt reply. You are right, I have noticed the “hosel rocket” more often. Hate that. I’ll keep trying to feel PP#3 and slow down the start of the downswing to feel the heavy pressure. I love the hitting motion because I’m more accurate, however, I’m longer with the swinging motion but it hurts my lower back some. I’m 75 years old and can’t take a lot of rotation. So glad I stumbled upon this site, it has really helped my game. Thank you again for all your hard work, you must really love this game. Keep the “lag” coming.

  5. Red Colt Red Colt says:

    John,

    I purchased your e-book and love it. It’s helped me a great deal, thank you. I do have a couple questions: (1) When I try to feel PP#3 it caused me to straighten my right wrist and bend the left wrist. I find it very difficult to feel PP#3, however I can feel PP#1 and keep the right wrist bent & left wrist flat. Can PP#1 be used in the hitting motion in place of PP#3? (2) I also cannot seem to feel heavy on the down stroke. Perhaps I don’t understard what you mean. Will you expand on this more? Thank You.

    • Hi, thank you for your purchase. I’m delighted to see that you enjoyed the book!
      1) when I hit, the feel in pp#1 is very strong, sometimes stronger than pp#3. However, I’ve discovered that if I neglect the pressure in pp#3 I increase the risk to shank the ball. The shank is caused by the lack of the sweet spot feel provided by pp#3.
      So, by using only pp#1 (the palm of your right hand) you lag the hosel. By giving priority to pp#3, you sense the lag of the sweet spot and not the hosel wich is better.
      But if it works for you and that you avoid the shank it’s a good way to go, especially if it helps keeping your right wrist bent.

      2) the heavy feel comes from the pressure. So it must feel like you are pushing (for a hitter) a heavy thing during the whole downswing.
      For a hitter, the enemy is the quick start down. You must start the downswing as slowly as possible and with the shortest backswing possible – it’s a torture to do at first but you’ll get that heavy feel for sure!

  6. Paul Paul says:

    This explains so much to me! (5 hdcp).. bought the e-book… Explains why a baseball batter attains the late hit position so naturally… explains what my old teacher used to say to me which was “take the short route to the ball”. Now I understand more completely and have already implemented the beginning of my learing… after 42 years playing btw!

  7. Bradley Bradley says:

    Hey John,

    I was trying to keep my right wrist bent throughout the swing today at the range. I was definitely hitting the golf ball first. I placed a tee next to my ball and my divots were in front of the tee. However, my shots tended to go pretty high and some shots went a little right. What do you think I am doing wrong?

    Thanks!!

    • Hi Bradley,

      Nice results with the divots. It shows that you are on the right track. However, your shots should have been lower than usual and to the left…!

      It may come from steering the clubface a bit by keeping your right arm bent after the shot: Check if you manage to extend/unbend your right arm after impact: the trick is to learn to straighten the right arm WHILE keeping the right wrist bent.

      You can force it by yourself (see Hitting) or let the centrifugal force do the job (see Swinging) but either way, learn to straighten that right arm with a bent right wrist.

      Let me know how you are doing.
      John.

  8. Bradley Bradley says:

    Thanks John! I will definitely try that. I have never thought of keeping the right wrist bent until the finish before.

  9. Bradley Bradley says:

    Hey John,

    Are you mostly talking about keeping the right wrist bent on the downswing? Because if I try to keep right wrist bent on the backswing, it kind of feels weird. Also, what should I do with my right wrist after impact?

    Thanks!!

    • Yes, set it up bent at address and keep it frozen in that condition during the whole swing from address (preferred but not mandatory) TO THE FINISH (mandatory).
      I know this may sound (and feel) weird at first but you’ll soon discover that you’ll be able to get a nice crisp contact on the ball.
      You’ll also get a low ball flight at first but you’ll soon discover that you can now address the ball a lot more forward (in front of your left heel, like the pros) to get back to your normal height.
      The difference will be that you’ll have a much better ball/turf action on the ball – and a lot more control.

      One last word: do not confuse bent and cocked. We want a right wrist that is bent backward and not cocked upward!

  10. Ted Ted says:

    John haven’t read all the posts. maybe you have covered this but I purchased a device called Greg Norman’s Secret a couple of years ago. The device pre positions the right wrist and is strapped onto the right index finger and wrist. While hitting balls with the device I took it off and I decided to mimic the position by holding the bend in the wrist during the whole swing. Had to grip very tightly with the trigger finger and put a lot of pressure on the thumb and lifeline to hold this pre set lag throughout the swing.Took awhile for it to feel natural however it gradually started to feel fine. Loaded the weight 60 to 70 % back foot and moved closer to the ball as well. Essentially I hold the lag or this starting position throughout the whole swing. Handicap is now under 0 and I have never hit the golf ball so solid. basically you create the impact position at address.

    • Yes, I saw this device and it’s one of the very few I would find very good and helpful!
      It sets the right wrist in its impact condition. It’s then easy to understand the “frozen wrists” concept.
      Keeping the right wrist bent at all times is an absolute guarantee that your LEFT wrist will stay FLAT at impact. And you know that keeping a flat left wrist is the main key to a single digit handicap golf game.
      It may be even easier to use the device for hitters as they tend to set their wrists in impact position at address.
      So, for all of you folks, try to keep your right wrist bent at all times and be amazed by the results!

  11. spencer spencer says:

    i can hit the ball fairly well with a light or a tight grip pressure, it just depends on which feels better on any given day. would you suggest a light grip pressure or tight grip pressure in order to feel lag pressure more easily?

    • @Spencer:

      Lag is completely independent of grip pressure.
      With Lag pressure, you want to feel the clubhead inertia via pressure in your hands.
      Squeezing the grip of your club is something completely different!

      Forget about the “hold your grip as if you would have a bird in your hand”!

      Hands are clamps and their purpose is to firmly hold the club. So, grip it strongly or lightly but make sure first that there is no wobble in your grip.

  12. RJ RJ says:

    John -

    Went to the range today with just the 7-iron, focused on pressure point #3 and hitting down … I finally got that ‘blade on ball’ feedback, so many thanks to you and the website. I mean it when I say that this was the best bucket of balls I’ve hit in 4 months. I haven’t been able to get my swing path to create a divot yet (I’ve always scooped – which is why I quit playing the game ~10 years ago), but the angle of the club head is so much better at impact that I’m re-energized again. Now I just need that divot.

    THANKS.

    • Hi RJ,

      Nice story here, I’m always delighted to hear from fellow players getting their “aha moment” with the Lag. The first time you feel it (even faintly) you know that this is the real deal. It just feels right!

      Keep looking for that slow and heavy feel in PP#3.

      Regarding your divot, make sure that you keep your left wrist flat past impact.
      Keeping the right wrist bent after impact is its counterpart and works fine also.

      If not done yet, read that article on the geometry of the stroke.

      Keep going, golf heaven is close!

  13. I’ve found it easier to compress the ball with a less stiff shaft because the “laziest” kickback of the shaft gives you more room to sustain the Lag.

    The big downsize is that to a certain point, if I put too much stress on the shaft it bends so much that it loose its dynamic properties. Impact feels far from sharp and precise and there is so much kickback of the shaft that the ball could end up anywhere.

    So, for me, if I play with a regular R300 shaft I know that I must stay around 70% lag pressure if I don’t want to start trading distance/compression with accuracy/sharpness of feel.

    Switching to a stiffer S300 allow me to apply almost 90% lag pressure all the time. The margin for throwing away the Lag is smaller because of the more “responsive” and rigid shaft but it feels a lot more sharp and precise.

  14. RJ RJ says:

    One more question -

    do you get more compression by using a stiffer shaft? Right now I’m using a regular flex (DG R300)

    Thanks.

  15. RJ RJ says:

    Quick question on lag, index finger pressure, and grips …

    Have you found that it helps to have a grip with less taper in the right hand?

    Thanks.

    • Hi RJ,

      It is really a matter of personal preference. A thin tapper could allow you to easily “rotate” the location of the pressure point during the swing. You may want to do that for special and manipulated shots where you need extra rotation of the clubface at impact (for extreme cases like turning around a tree).

      For a swinger, that rotation of the location of the PP#3 can be felt at the top of the backswing. At that point (if your “lag skill” is advanced enough to feel it), due to gravity, you may feel that the location of your PP#3 feels more on top of the grip instead of aft (it will then naturally relocate to aft on the downswing).

      So, I think a thinner taper could help feeling/provoking those thing. But on the other hand, you may want to avoid any unwanted manipulation by choosing a stronger taper!

  16. Dylan Eddy Dylan Eddy says:

    Thanks a lot John!

    I think I have finally moved on from swing thought land into a place where I can focus more on feel

  17. Dylan Eddy Dylan Eddy says:

    Hey John,

    I have been golfing for 12 years and am playing college golf. I just recently read your article about the third pressure point. The last couple days i have been focusing on maintaining the third pressure point and i have been hitting the ball great! i just had two questions. first, should i have more of “the meaty part” of the trigger finger being the pressure point or should it be any part of the finger which allows me to put pressure behind the shaft. The only problem i have with resting the meaty part of the finger is that it seems like the top part of my finger isnt touching the grip. My second question is whether i should keep that pressure from the top of the backswing until my arms are straight in the follow through or whether i should just try to keep the pressure all the way through the follow through.

    Thank you so much!

    • @Dylan

      The exact location of the pressure point #3 (PP#3) in your index finger has not to be exactly in the meaty part. This is however its common location for golfers having normal hands and a neutral grip.

      Even if the neutral grip is the norm, they are very good players out there (and even on the tour) that place their right hands on the grip either in a strong or weak position… Guess what is happening to the location of their pressure in their right hand? It relocates accordingly along the index finger – more towards its base for a stronger grip and more towards the first joint for a weaker grip.

      Only one rule prevails here and you’ve already figured it right: The key is to put pressure behind (aft) the shaft to support the load of the Lag as efficiently and comfortably possible for any given person. No matter the exact location in your index finger, provided that you can sense and monitor it and place it right behind the shaft to support the Lag.

      Now, for your second question: You create that pressure during the transition between backswing and downswing. This is called the “Load” because the change in direction (or inertia) creates that pressure in PP#3.
      Once you feel that pressure, your goal is to carry it INTACT until the both arms straight positions – then you can let it go.

      The INTACT part is the key. You must not feel it decrease until you reach the end of the followthrough. Try with lighter pressure first if you are having a hard time sustaining it!

      A bit of self promo now!: If you need more in depth info on that topic, I recommend you to grab my eBook, because there is a big part about how to create and manage that pressure thought the swing!

      Good golf,
      John.

  18. Vince Vince says:

    John,
    Thanks for the clear answer. The fog is gone…..
    Regards Vince

  19. Vince Vince says:

    John, thanks for the e-book! Very good e-book with very well explained stories about lag. The lag-o-meter is a nice ‘invention’ and very useful.
    I still have a question about this lag-o-meter. I think it explains the lag for hitters and not for swingers. For swingers I think it is a straight line and not increasing, because #3 is only supporting the swing. What are your thoughts, John?

    • Hi Vince,

      Thank you for your support.
      I think that you can have many different curves on the Lag-o-Metter. The important thing is that the curve must not decrease in the impact zone.
      The straight line not increasing would be the ideal because it would mean that pressure is constant from startdown to the both arms straight position.
      It is also very consistent with the “instant hips acceleration” of the swinging pattern that would easily load the lag to its maximum during the transition.
      The hitter on the other hand will benefit from a slow startdown, meaning the pressure at startdown is gentle and then maximum when the right arm gets fully straight.

      So, the shape of the curve at the beginning is very much related to the way you load the Lag at startdown.

      However, some swingers who have a smooth startdown could get an increasing Lag-o-Metter curve: think of Luke Donald’s smooth swing rhythm.
      On the contrary, when I think of Rickie Fowler’ swing, I’m sure the Lag-o-Metter gives a straight line at 100% all the way to the end of the followthrough!

  20. Andy Andy says:

    John, I bought your ebook and read it and went to the range two day ago and played yesterday. I could not believe the shots I was hitting. My irons were so straight and long. I hit a 7 iron 165 yards. It was amazing. So, I hit my driver after doing this. I hit the driver for 310 yards. By far the longest I have ever hit a driver. If anything I had a slight wind in my face. Amazing. But my next drive I sliced and did not produce the same results. My question is how do you produce lag in driver and woods in general.

    Also my next question is my son has played baseball for 8 years and holds the golf club like a bat. His right hand on the grip is much lower and has what they call a strong grip. Can he still get the lag and consistency with this grip?

    Andy

    • Nice story here Andy.

      Lag is really the key to playing great golf. I’ve been studying it for more than 6 years now and the more I have of that good thing, the higher my level of play. And as you’ve discovered, it is also the real deal to drive balls real far!

      Now, with the driver, as the ball is placed really forward in the stance, it is easier to stop applying Lag pressure at impact or just after. The result is the same for a 100m sprinter that would want to come to a halt ON the finishing line: he will inevitably slow down before the line and will lose the print!

      Remember the “Lag-o-metter”: pressure starts to decrease at the end of the followthrough. Before that, it must stay to the max!!!

      In this regard, look closely the sequence in page 79 of the book: At impact, the shaft is still stressed. And in the next three frames, the stress is still pretty much the same. This is what you are looking for with the driver.

      To get another feel for it, check the third picture in page 94: at this point my Lag pressure is still maximal and pretty much the same than it was at impact. This is real forward but this is really what you must try to do with the driver.

      Now, you can also try this drill:
      Do the “Drag the wet mop drill” with you driver and make sure that you drag with your hands forward enough (do not let them trail behind). Press hard in PP#3.

      Then, with the feel still in your hands, immediately hit a ball. The difference should speak by itself and you will get a good clue of the pressure feel to look for in your hands. Then just reproduce that feel in your hands again and again.

      Oh, I love Lag! :-)

      • @Andy regarding your son:

        No problem with the Lag. Just be aware that his pressure points locations will be slightly different from their traditional locations described in chapter 5.2 in the book. For example, he should feel pressure more toward the base of his index finger than in the joint.

        But pressure is pressure and this is what we want. As long as he can sustain a pressure somewhere in his index he his good to go (at least regarding Lag and decent ball contact).

        But ideally, he would get more power if he could set his right hand like in page 35 figure 10 – right behind the shaft in a position to support impact and the Lag. Make him try the “Drag the wet mop” drill to see if he can do it comfortably with his usual grip or if he doesn’t feel stronger with his right hand behind the shaft instead of under…

  21. john john says:

    i got the same page but you will get an email with the links
    to download in english or french once you pay

  22. Bert Smith Bert Smith says:

    I have tried to order the ebook several times, but keep getting the pay page in French. I would assume that using it would result in getting the ebook in French, which would not work for me.

    • Hi Bert,

      John is right, Paypal should adapt to your language. I’ll check in the settings why you get the payment page in French.

      However this has no consequence on your payment or the products you receive.

      You will receive an email with links to English AND French versions.

      I’m also receiving automated status messages and monitoring the whole process. So don’t worry, if something went wrong I will manually ensure that you receive your goods!

      Thank you again for your support and I’m sure you’ll enjoy your reading.

  23. Kurt Kurt says:

    John,

    Thanks for all or your hard work here, I’ve been lurking around for a couple of years and have truly enjoyed your posts and feedback that you’ve received. It’s helped my play more than I can say.

    I was delighted to see your ebook available now and finally have a chance help support your efforts. This simple lesson is some of the best instruction I’ve ever read and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone.

    Thanks again for everything,
    Kurt

    • Thank you Kurt, your encouragements are much appreciated. I hope you are enjoying the reading!
      So far, the feedbacks for the eBook have been tremendous and I plan to open a dedicated forum one the site to discuss in deep about the questions from the readers.
      Stay tuned and thank you for spreading the word!

  24. Jason Jason says:

    John, am I correct in assuming that my clubface is most likely hooded at impact causing the lower trajectory.. Like u would hit in a knockdown shot. I tried changing my impact fix and it did raise my trajectory but the draw is still there. The ball starts down the target line and then turns left now. Am I coming too far from the inside imparting a draw spin on the ball? Just came from the range and it seems that I can hit the ball the way I want for 4 or 5 shots but then I go right back to hitting a draw/hook again without being able to discern a difference in either swing. Sorry for all the questions but I feel that I am making way better contact with the hitting method if I could only figure out how to rid myself of thks draw/hook.

    • Hi Jason,

      You are very likely coming too much from the inside with a face square at impact. As a result, the ball starts straight then curves to the left.

      However, the natural trajectory for the hitting stroke is a slight fade. This is due to the layback tendency of the clubface – a half roll – instead of the full roll closing motion of the clubface for the swinger.

      If you hit, make sure that you get that layback/half roll of the clubface. The feel is a NO ROLL of the club face. It feels very neutral and “frozen”.
      You may get your hook because you still aggressively roll the clubface plus you come very much from the inside.

  25. To cure you draw, you must first understand what is the cause of a low draw starting left.
    Ball trajectory is a factor of 3 elements: target line, club path and club head.

    However, there is a very common and shocking misconception out there regarding ball trajectory. Open any Golf instruction book or magazine and you’ll read that the ball starts in the direction of the swing path and then curves and lands where you club head is facing at address.
    With this kind of information, to play a draw, you close your clubface and swing in to out across the target line. The ball should start right and then curve left.

    The problem is that it is very wrong: in fact, the club face is responsible for where the ball will start its flight. The club path RELATIVE to the target line AND the club face is responsible for the effect imparted to the ball.
    I’ll write an article on that very important subject but as an appetizer, you can check that video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEHiY5iv5u4.
    So, for you, if your ball starts left then curves more from the target line, it means that your face is facing left (ball starts left of the target line) and your club path is crossing out the target line to the right (draw effect).
    The low ball flight is another indication that your clubface may be too much closed at impact.
    So check your clubface to see if you are not setting up with too strong a grip or a closed club face at address. Simulate the impact position (“impact fix”) to check your alignments at impact as they may be different from address.
    Then, look at your stance, it may be closed relative to the target line, thus increasing the out to in club path relative to the target line.
    But again, start first by sending your ball right on the first meters by tweaking your clubface orientation (and not the stance!) and see what happens.

    Keep us informed of your findings.
    John.

  26. Jason Jason says:

    JOHN,Thanks for a great website and answering so quickly. Almost all shots are low draws that start left and curve even further left. I dont understand what exactly I am doing wrong. I know Ive gained a ton of distance with all my clubs and up until recently I was playing the best golf Ive ever played. Im starting to understand my swing more but this has totaly baffled me. The harder I try to keep the ball from drawing or hooking the worse it gets.

  27. Jason Jason says:

    Shot two of the best rounds Ive ever shot using the hitting method.
    Just when I thought my swing was starting to click…. I developed an awful pull hook in my swing. It seems that no matter what I try I draw
    the ball on every shot. I feel like I’m making really good contact…. in fact Ive gained close to 20 yards on every club from making better contact however I cannot seem to get the hook out of my swing. What am I doing wrong? Ive tried everything I can think of to straighten out my shots but the hook is still there.

    • Hi Jason, to give you the correct answer, can you tell me more about your kind of draw: in the first yards, is the ball going straight along the target line or right relative to the target line before curving left?
      High or low trajectory?
      Hitting tends to produce a slight fade because the club face is not closing as much as the swinging motion in the impact zone.
      Can you check that you don’t overdo the rolling of the hands or the right forearm swivel in the impact zone?

  28. Ian Ian says:

    Sorry if I was quick to take offence. I’m an avid student of the game and I really appreciate your good work here, lag is indeed the key to great golf.
    No, I’m not a great believer in stack and tilt, though it has some merit, I think it has some fundamental flaws – I’m a great believer in weight shift and a lot of the “poster boys” of S&T aren’t really S&Ting at all – I’ve seen still frames of Hogan and Woods used by these guts saying “look – stack and tilt!”. Nothing could be further from the truth – watch them on video and there’s a definite shift!
    I must emphasis that it’s a weight shift, not a sway! Feel it in the hips and the glutes, not in the upper body.
    The “stacked” position I refer to is to create a powerful (using the big muscles in the legs and trunk), solid and stable, safe (no more back ache or hip pain!), repeatable and predictable base, enabling you to pivot around the left hip and fully release the club through impact. After all, what’s the point in all that wonderful lag if we can’t release it in the right place every time?
    I agree with all of what you say here, perhaps with slight differences on emphasis in places, but I think that the stacked left joints add to your ability to execute the release predictably – combine all of this and the result is a compressed ball with a penetrating flight that will go for miles – for me it’s the best feeling in golf!
    For those of you who have never experienced a compressed ball fizzing off the face of the club, work on the advice given here by John and wait for the “what the @%&$ was that?!” look on your buddies’ faces as the ball launches towards the green, and you will go home after your round with such a huge grin that your wife won’t believe you’ve been playing golf!
    I certainly wish I had been taught all this a lot earlier, I’m now 45 and I languished with a high handicap for years. Once I discovered lag (and worked very hard at my short game!) my handicap dropped rapidly to single figures – perhaps I’ll never be a pro, but I’m now an accomplished amateur and playing the best golf of my life!
    I grin a lot more, too!
    Ian

  29. Lol! Sorry, sorry Ian, take no offence, I used your name in my reply when of course I wanted to target ANDY!!!
    I edited my previous post in this regard!

    It seems indeed, that you do not need much of advice regarding Lag as proven by your handicap and your ability to carry your 5i a nice distance!

    Moreover, I wouldn’t engage into giving any advice without at least a small hint on one’s problem.

    Now, regarding your interesting explanations about performing your “stacked” golf swing it makes me think of the “Stack and Tilt” method of Plummer and Bennet. Is it related or nothing to do with?

  30. Ian Ian says:

    I’d be fascinated to know how you think you can improve my geometry?!
    I didn’t stress the right wrist, clearly your current focus, but I didn’t dismiss it either.
    I’m more of a “swinger” than a “hitter”, but actually, I generate plenty of lag, efforlessly, and more importantly reliable, repeatable club head speed.
    I’m playing off +4 and can carry my 5 iron 240… any tips?

  31. Very interesting discussion here, Ian and Andy.

    I’m tempted to give ANDY the same pill I’ve given to Jason in reply to his comment!

    I’m sure that ANDY can now start to feel some Lag in his motion but that geometry needs some more care.
    In this regard I recommend again to focus on your hands to make sure that 1) you keep your left wrist flat at all times 2) and even easier to do: keep your right wrist bent as long as you can and well past impact.

    Again, low point (equals to impact with the driver by the way) is not the end of your action. The both arms straight position (end of the followthrough) is! .

    One simple thing to think of is to bend (bend backward and not cock upward) your right wrist to the max and keep it that way until the both arms straight position. It may feel extreme to you but do yourself a favor and practice a full driving session focusing on that and I guarantee that you will feel and discover a lot of interesting things.

    If you manage to bend your right wrist to the max along with keeping your left flat, you ensure maintaining your straight line arc radius coming from your left shoulder to low point. And as low point is located in front of your left shoulder, you will necessarily get a solid ball/turf contact even with a 3 iron or wood.

    Keep doing the good work ANDY, you are almost there!

    • Andy Andy says:

      I plan on going to the range tonight or tomorrow to practice this method. I will keep my right wrist bent and a flat left wrist flat. thanks. I will keep you updated.

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