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Swing Setter Pro from David Leadbetter
This funky hunk of metal is no substitute for personal lessons from a PGA professional. If you are confused as to whether to listen to your pro or to Leadbetter’s device, go with the pro.
Also, if you ran out and purchased this based on the cheesy commercials, videos, and plaid-pants-used-car-salesman of a website, then I expect you also have closets full of Ginsu knives, pet rocks, and the Downswing Fat Rubber-Band Club Accelerator.
But it’s not all bad.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The Swing Setter Pro at first seemed complicated, then again far too simple to be of any use whatsoever. The advertising copy on the box was very long and said, in essence, that it cured a multiple amount of swing ills and improved your golf swing, distance, and scores. How could a golf club with a ball-thing stuck on the shaft live up to all the claims on the box?
This is the second version of this golf training tool. The first, the Swing Setter, had no hittable club head; instead, it clicked at the bottom of your swing to tell you when you released the club. A nice feature.
The Swing Setter Pro, however, has no click at the bottom, you just hit the ball and let the flight tell you about your swing. I mention this because some of you might be mislead by certain ad copy or photos such as the one on the Swing Setter Pro’s website: http://www.swingsetterpro.com/. There is no diagnostic click at the bottom. As you can see in the website stop-action photo, the ball on the shaft has split toward the club head on the backswing, and it stays there throughout the entire swing—no click, just a ball strike. Yes, the ball strike could make a “click” sound, but I think the photo is misleading.
FEATURES
Pointer: One of the first things I noticed was the pointer that slides out of the end of the handle, like a dagger in the walking stick of an eccentric criminal. In, out, in out. It seemed silly. But the Plane Pointer proved to be one of the Swing Setter Pro’s most useful features.
Grip: I’d seen these kind of grip guides before, but I had trouble fitting my hands to this one. When I finally figured it out, I took a moment to think about what I was feeling, because my hands felt good and comfortable. It was a slightly strong grip and not my usual one, but my hands felt connected. The Form Molded Grip was promising.
The Ball-Thing: The ball stuck on the shaft can be split apart in two, with the bottom half sliding down toward the club head. The two halves stay together with a magnet, whose strength can be increased by dialing to a higher number on the dial around the ball. The stronger the magnetic pull that holds the ball together, the harder you must cock your wrists to break it apart.
This is supposed to improve your wrist-cock this way: as you begin your backswing and your arms reach parallel to the ground, your wrists should cock with enough force to break apart the ball. You’ll hear a loud “click” when this happens. There are no other clicks, except when clubface meets the ball. So, what keeps your swing correct after the wrist-cock? We shall see.
The Club: You can hit balls with this club. It looks to be about a six-iron. In fact, it makes good contact. But with that grip thing wedged between my fingers, I got blisters —a sign that I move my grip as I swing. The Swing Setter Pro punishes you for that error. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.
READING BETWEEN THE LINES
This is a backswing device. According to the box, it improves Grip, Plane, Set, and Tempo of the backswing. The philosophy must be that if you take the club back with the correct grip on the correct plane, the downswing will take care of itself. If you want to ensure a good downswing, the only tool you have is the Plane Pointer, if you have eyes fast enough to view it and make any immediate adjustments necessary. If you boil down the copy on the box, it tells you that via grip, backswing click, and noticing where the Plane Pointer is, you are preparing yourself to make a good swing.
Box copy:
“Loading the club on the backswing and coming down on the correct shallow plane, which you can observe by pulling out the built in Plane Pointer and checking the angle, makes for a powerful, consistent golf swing.”
And…
“The Swing Setter Pro will teach you to properly set your wrists for greater power and accuracy!”
In fact, David Leadbetter guarantees it….
"I guarantee that the Swing Setter Pro will have you hitting the ball longer, straighter and more consistently the very first time you use it." –David Leadbetter
Wow. Them’s strong words. Then again, the box says that it is “The most complete practice tool for great golf.” And “More power, straighter shots, greater consistency, improved swing, lower scores.” I took him up on the challenge.
MY EXPERIENCE
I hid the Swing Setter Pro in my golf bag when I went to the range. Sorry, it’s embarrassing. I set up my station in the last range box. I warmed up with various clubs. Soon, the moment came when I with drew the Swing Setter Pro from my bag.
I wrapped my hands and fingers around and between the grip’s flanges and put my fingers within the white outlines. I had played around with the ball-click in my living room, so I knew how to cock my wrists. I pulled out the Plane Pointer.
I took a few faux backswings, checking the Pointer for the correct plane. When I felt I had it right, I addressed the ball and took a swing. The club swung back easily—it is balanced quite well. I knew to quickly (more quickly than I’d ever done) cock my wrists and was rewarded by a loud "click" halfway through my backswing. I continued the backswing to the top.
Now I had a split-second choice: stop my swing and check the Pointer, or continue my swing. I swung. I came down smoothly, hit the ball rather solidly, and pulled it left drastically. I busted the guarantee, but I wanted to make this gizmo work. So, I kept at it, pausing at the top to check my Pointer, swinging down at varying speeds, following-through as usual. After a while I began to hit the ball quite a bit straighter (as I would do on any normal practice session), without a hint of my usual fade (probably, I thought, due to the stronger gripping of the club). I did, as I said, get blisters…as well as some attention from the chops-busters practicing to my left.
RESULTS
Guarantee: busted.
I did like how the Swing Setter Pro arranged my grip on the club, and I will continue to work on it. I also liked the quick wrist-cock, but I could make the ball-thing separate and click with the most horrific backswing planes on Earth….which makes the Plane Pointer the most valuable feature. I was extremely attentive to where the Pointer was pointing, and it helped me understand a correct backswing plane and how a proper wrist-cock could get me there. (A tee stuck in the end of a club handle might be just as effective, and substantially cheaper.)
This, however, did not help my swing flaws after two sessions. I still came over-the-top occasionally. I was also not hitting the ball longer, etc., as advertised. I didn’t expect a miracle. Two sessions are nothing, I know. I’m very patient and focused when I practice. But this device made me promises, darn it.
This is a teach-yourself tool, a trainer that you trust to partner with you in developing a better golf swing. But the truth is, I felt abandoned after taking the backswing. I felt like the club helped to put me in a decent position, then it promptly abandoned me, leaving me to flail away and figure out the downswing, hips, shoulders, speed, and pronation all by myself.
I must say that I am astonished by the garish, exaggerated claims of the hard-sell banter on the website and the product box. I’m not sure why that was the advertising language chosen to market a device endorsed by arguably the #1 teacher in the world.
Again, here’s the website: http://www.swingsetterpro.com There, you can read about the Swing Setter Pro for yourself, and even watch an advertorial video. You can also see a clearer photo of the product than I was able to take.
I am interested in hearing your experiences with the Swing Setter Pro, either here or in the forums.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Apryl DeLancey
Jul 31, 2008 at 1:32 am
We tried this out also – I agree that it seems a bit complex at first but it turns out not to be. You are spot on about the hard-sell ad copy as well. My husband (the righty) tried it out and liked the way it lined up his grip. The club felt good to him overall, definitely a 6-iron. He did hit good shots with it and he got the backswing right each time if we are reading the instructions right. I decided to really test the guarantee and see if I could hit the ball well with it. Again, we tried the righty and I am a lefty. After an initial obvious awkwardness with getting my hands right I managed to slice the ball about 30 yards. I got acclimated and the second one separated the ball on the device, went straight, and about 50 yards. I started to have a bit of fun with it since I never hit right handed. I did get it to go straight. The magnet seemed to separate and click regardless of how we used it. Overall, we believe it to be a decent tool for your practice arsenal but should not be the only one you use. It’s a good piece to take along to the range especially when you’re having grip issues. We’re firm believers in a lesson with an actual instructor every so often whether you need it or not to keep you straight.