Instruction
3 keys that took me from a 14-handicap to a pro
Back in January 2003, I was a 27-year old 14-handicapper who had only broken 80 once on a normal length golf course, a 78 at the Walker Course at Clemson University. At the time, breaking 90 was sort of my barometer for playing well.
As luck would have it, right after I moved out to California to embark on my golf journey I was taken under the wing of a local Pro named Dan Shauger. By the end of March, Dan helped me add 63 yards to my longest drive and shoot my first 18-hole round of golf under par.
Since then, I’ve posted multiple tournament rounds in the 60s and made numerous cuts in professional golf events. My lowest score in a casual 18-hole round of golf is now a 64 (8-under) at GolfPark Otelfingen in Switzerland, where I now reside.
Obviously, a lot of people were curious about what I did to make such a dramatic improvement. As I look back in hindsight, here are what I consider to be the three things that had the greatest influence on improving my game and lowering my scores.
1. Less Clubface Rotation
As I talked about in my article, “The 6 Actions of the Wrists & Forearms”, it’s very commonly taught to pronate and supinate your wrists and forearms in the swing.
In the beginning of my golf journey I was self-coaching and was doing exactly that — rolling my wrists and forearms open in the back swing and then rolling them back to square and then over to closed as I swung through the ball. I remember thinking one day on the range at Lost Canyons in California that it would probably be easier to hit straighter if I didn’t roll like what I was seeing in photos of the golf books I was reading, but I figured if some of the best players in the world were doing it, then maybe I should try it too.
Interestingly, once I met Dan, he took a lot of that clubface rotation out of my swing and, wouldn’t you know it, I started hitting much straighter. All those disastrous doubles and triples that I used to have that ruined my scores started turning in to pars and bogeys and my handicap started to really drop.
If you are struggling with hitting the ball with any kind of predictable shot shape and don’t want as high maintenance of a swing, I would definitely look in to minimizing the amount of wrist rolling you are doing through the hitting zone.
It was by far the biggest thing that helped improve my precision and accuracy.
2. A More Steady Head
Back when I was a player who shot in the 80s and 90s, I had quite a bit of lateral head movement during my swing. I suppose that was born out of some tip I had heard about getting my front shoulder turned back over my rear foot in the back swing. My head drifted away from the target and then laterally back towards it.
Although there is the added benefit of the club path deviating less from the target line as you are coming through the ball with this top-half type of lateral move through the ball, it does create a complication in that the bottom of your swing arc is constantly changing.
This isn’t so bad if you’re sweeping the ball, but it can be more of a problem if you take a divot — in particular for me on uphill shots when I didn’t get my body weight back up the hill. Invariably, I would have a number of score-killing fat shots during my rounds.
Once Dan had me minimize the amount of head movement I was making during my swing, my ball striking consistency really improved because the low point in my swing wasn’t moving around so much.
I should clarify that I’m not advocating for your head to be perfectly still or saying that you still can’t hit good shots with some head movement, however, I would consider looking in to minimizing dramatic vertical and horizontal head movement until after the ball is struck if you are struggling with your ball striking.
For me, it helped cut down on my fat shots and translated into hitting closer to the center of the club face much more often, which of course had numerous subsequent benefits like more average distance, better distance control, etc.
3. Less Tension
Aside from minimizing my club face rotation and cutting down on my head movement, the thing that really rounded out my improvements was getting rid of excessive tension.
The difference between a well-struck shot on target and one that gives up distance and goes off line isn’t much. Introducing tension in to your swing can really complicate getting the club consistently and solidly back on the ball.
You might also equate tension to a rusty door hinge. It takes a lot more energy to close a door with rusty hinges than it does one that’s well lubricated. Plus, the one that’s oily will move faster and with less effort.
I think this is a little easier said than done, especially for us guys, because it requires a bit of ego management to not want to be manly and hit every club as far as humanly possible. However, the self control was an important discipline for me to get better at managing.
The great Canadian player George Knudson was a strong advocate of never swinging beyond a point of sacrificing balance. Harry Hilary Von Frankenberg, who has shot in the 50s three times in competition, stressed that a golfer should be relaxed and graceful and cannot ever be too boneless or too loose nor too muscleless. Mike Austin, the man that hit the 515-yard drive in the U.S. National Senior Open, spoke of supple quickness, which I think is a good way of describing it because swinging without tension doesn’t necessarily mean swinging slow. You can still swing fast…just be soft and supple.
One of my favorite tension-relieving drills is to hit a bucket of balls while blowing a subtle amount of air through my nose or mouth while hitting each ball. If there’s a big disruption to the flow of air during the swing, I’ll know I had some tension in my swing. Sometimes while I’m doing this I’ll also focus on keeping my face relaxed and not gritting my teeth while I swing…or I’ll imagine myself swinging with the grace and balance of Ernie Els or Fred Couples. By the end of the bucket, my shots are usually much better.
Obviously, individual keys will differ from person to person. However, as a generalization, if you are looking to lower your handicap I would definitely tell you to consider rotating the club less through impact, keeping a relatively relaxed steadiness to your head until the ball is gone, and taking care not to clench up too tight during all of your shots from full swings, to pitches, and chips.
Those are the things that made the most difference to my scores and perhaps you’ll find that they can help you drop some shots from tee to green as well.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Kirk
Jul 23, 2015 at 12:35 am
Hey Jaacob. Really liked the breathing thing on your article. I find myself breathing like a sniper, and holding my breath for the swing. You’re saying to breath in on the take away, and out on the swinging through?
Also, I started golf recently when I was just 21 years old, and am about a 15 handicapper. I too would like to make golf a lifestyle and be great at it like you. I have confidence that I can do it, but I’m worried about how I can afford that lifestyle. Do you have to work a side job to pay for all the tournaments you enter? And do you win any prize money that helps a little bit (or the whole way) to support your lifestyle? I really admire it and want to have that lifestyle, which is why I ask.
Kevin
Oct 15, 2014 at 4:50 pm
Hi Jacob, took up golf this year and I’m down to a 12.9 handicap which in delighted with but I would like to get better. I have a mental block where I think of my score continuously throughout a round and it affects my game
Especially at the end of a round, do you have any advice for me would be muchly appreciated.
Thanks
Kevin
Oct 15, 2014 at 4:46 pm
Hi Jacob, took up golf this year and I’m down to a 12.9 handicap which in delighted with but I would like to get better. I have a mental block where I think of my score continuously throughout a round and it affects my game
Especially at the end of a round
121w.at
Jun 28, 2014 at 9:12 pm
Hey there. Today employing yahoo. That is an exceptionally well crafted post. I most certainly will ensure that you save them plus come back to discover more of one’s helpful tips. Basically posting. I’ll definitely recovery.
Pingback: Will I ever get a lower golf score? | Hacker to Single Figures
nik dallos
Nov 6, 2013 at 12:33 am
Jaacob, ive been very frustrated with trying to gain a couple extra yards. From short/long, heavy/light, stiff,x,xx,xxx shafts, different methods of swinging the club, hours of pouring over different swing speed tips etc. Im still stuck around 107-114 mph clubhead speed. I feel I have maxed out my given speed. I feel like tossing in the towel and ending my search for more speed. How much faster can a guy get? Sure 90 to 104 mph is a great improvement, but where can you go from there? Its especially frustrating being a former 5’9″ 230 lb (and no im not fat!) college runningback . You tall wirey guys are so flexible and lanky! Its not fair !
Jaacob Bowden
Jun 29, 2014 at 7:20 am
Hi Nik,
Average amateur swing speed is around 93 mph. Typical Tour player is about 113 mph (average range of about 104 to 124). Top long drive guys have averaged in the mid 140s in the final rounds of the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championships.
So if you’re willing to work at it, the sky is the limit.
Have a look at the swing speed training programs at http://www.swingmangolf.com.
Typically, people pick up 12-16 mph in the first month of training. There’s no reason why that couldn’t be you too!
Liam M
Jun 7, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Congrats Jaacob! I’m in the exact same boat as you! I regular shoot 80’s and am off a 14 handicap, with these tips hopefully i’ll have the same success you did! Congratulations on your achievment!
Scott G
Apr 1, 2013 at 8:55 pm
Great article. I think I’ve gotten #1 and #2 nailed in the past year. To accomplish #1 I strengthened my grip and opened my stance a little bit. Misses are playable instead of being off the planet. #2 I focus on during my practice swings because I know I have a tendency to sway too much, leading to inconsistency.
I don’t give much thought to #3. Hopefully it will be the final key that takes me from being a 14 handicap to something much better.
Pluto66
Mar 16, 2013 at 5:04 am
Great advise. But I find tension to be the hardest. A another tip I’ve tried is to hold a piece of Pringles chips or similar between your teeth while hitting balls. Try not to crush it! Any tension and you will fail not to do so.
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 17, 2013 at 8:25 am
Thanks, Pluto66.
You’ve also got a great suggestion for helping with tension…especially for those of us that like Pringles!
Socorr4
Mar 12, 2013 at 9:31 am
My problem seems to be tension since I have a quiet head and resonably consistent hand position. I tried hitting balls yesterday while consciously expiring air through my mouth. It requires some discipline. We’re conditioned to hit between breaths after exhaling, and I’m not sure I did the exercise correctly.
It did help my control by allowing me to hit the ball more consistently on the sweet spot. The range balls at my club have limited flight due to lack of space, which make it difficult to assess distance.
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 12, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Glad to hear it helped you hit more consistently. You’re right, it can take a little bit of discipline.
I find that sometimes when first trying it, my shots aren’t quite as good…but after a few shots (anywhere from 5-20 balls for me) my body adjusts and I start hitting better. Once I have the feeling of swinging with less tension, then I don’t worry about the breathing any more.
Dre
Jul 16, 2014 at 12:20 pm
For this drill, are you exhaling through back swing and down swing? Or only on the down swing?
Thanks,
Jeff G
Mar 11, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Jaacob, Great advice. I subscribed to your website and had some great success improving swing speed until back issues derailed my game. What would you consider to be the maximum allowable head movement for those of us battling flexibility issues? If I try and minimize head motion, I cannot achieve a full turn. If I allow a few inches lateral motion (driver) and a couple on full irons I seem to get normal distance, but there are consistency issues.
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 12, 2013 at 5:48 am
Hi Jeff, thanks.
Hmmm, I think maximum allowable head movement will differ from person to person. There are a number of factors at play.
As one example, some people rely quite a bit on their vision as well as their inner ear for balance. You can test this by timing how long you can balance on one foot with your eyes open versus eyes closed.
If you’re someone like me who uses vision quite a bit for balance, having so much head movement that at the top of your back swing the ball goes out of site of one of your eyes, it can make it more difficult to swing back down in balance and strike the ball cleanly.
Conversely, all else being equal, someone that doesn’t use their eyes as much to balance could get away with more head movement.
Ideally it would be nice to work on your flexibility. But if you don’t plan on doing that, then I would just say to try to find the middle point between allowing enough head movement that lets you turn for more power but not so much that it has a major disruption on your ball striking consistency. There will likely be a tip-off point where you really start losing control, so it will just take a little bit of trial and error at the range to find your personal threshold.
Rey Omar
Mar 11, 2013 at 5:07 am
Hey mate, how did you minimize the head movement in your swing? It’s something that I’m really struggling with at the moment.
Great article.
Cheers.
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 11, 2013 at 6:53 am
Hi Rey, there’s quite a few ways to do it. Here are a few.
Originally, I would just use a video camera. I’d record a couple of swings and identify where in the swing I was moving it, take a few more swings without the camera to work on eliminating or mitigating it, and then check again on camera.
I’ve also closed one eye and used the bridge of my nose as a reference point to something on the ground and made swings while paying attention to not letting my nose move from that reference point.
If you’ve got a buddy around, you can have them stand in front of you and hold the butt end of a club up next to your ear. Then just try to swing without bumping your head on the grip.
I’ve never used it and it would cost some money…but similarly I think the Benderstik training aid would accomplish the same thing as having someone hold a club up next to your head.
John Boisvenue
Mar 4, 2013 at 9:51 pm
Great advice. I tend to over swing with the driver, and the three keys should benefit my swing. Enjoyed your blog.
Roch
Mar 4, 2013 at 8:23 am
Bonjour Jaacob,
The first time I saw your swing was In Mike Austin DVD. Then I went to your web site and you refer to Count Yogi(Harry Frankenberg) about the width of the stance. Then I bought the simple set system from Count Yogi.
I’m still impress from that man and wonder why is not know better. However I think most teacher are to complicate and Count Yogi a little to simple. This is one reason why I love you post and web site.
Also I like the fact that you have an open mind and generous to gave credit to others. For years I wonder about club rotation. Count Yogi and you are on the same page with this and my game is better since I use this method. If you have study Harry Frankenberg method can you tell us the simmilarity between you and him.
Thank you for you excelent work.
Merci
Roch
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 5, 2013 at 8:29 am
Bonjour Roch, merci pour le commentaire.
I’m glad my work has been helpful for you. Yes, I do try to keep an open mind…as well as to come from a place of integrity and humility. You can see a little bit of that reflected in my word choice. For example, I try to stay away from words like “correct” and “proper” in any of my teaching.
I also agree with you that some teachers unnecessarily over complicate the game, although I do believe there is value and a place for analysis and in-depth study. It just depends on the situation and the person involved. Good teachers can do both when needed.
As I understand, Count Yogi was banned by the US PGA from tournaments for racial reasons…and because his teachings went against what the US PGA was teaching at the time. Were he allowed to compete, I think it’s feasible he could have won many US PGA sanctioned tournaments and been much more mainstream.
Similarly I think Moe Norman would have won many US PGA tournaments as well had he not been ostracized for being so eccentric.
And although I don’t think he would’ve won lots of tournaments due to his poor putting, it’s also feasible that Mike Austin would be more popular too. His swing method is a bit difficult to learn, but it is also the most powerful one I’ve ever experimented with.
Yes, the Yogi system is simple. But similar to how a great zen master would teach in short phrases, parables, etc…I find there’s also a wonderful underlying wisdom to it. For example, a phrase that you might not give much thought to like “easy game, nothing to it” could indicate his mind set and the law of attraction at work in his game.
Sometimes when I listen to him or read his material I’ll pause for a moment on seemingly trivial things to ponder deeper meaning (same with Moe Norman, Mike Austin, and others).
Personally, I’m sure there’s a lot more I can and will learn about the Yogi system, but I do have some experience. I’ve read George Peper’s chapter about him in “The Secret of Golf” many times, I have his 3 books, I’ve watched numerous videos of him, found things around the internet, and I’ve met with Timothy Nicholls (whose chipping was excellent…I’ve only seen one other pro or amateur chip that well, a Paul Runyan advocate) at the range once.
With Yogi, there’s no focus on manipulating the club face, shifting your weight, or technical stuff like that. You just follow the same routine every time with all shots…and focus on nothing more than being smooth and graceful.
Over time you can become super consistent because you aren’t making changes to your swing, thought process, routine, etc. The swing can be handled more by the subconscious and thus make it easier to put your mind’s eye on the target. Your myelin can become more insulated from the repeated use of the same neuromuscular pathways and signal transmissions get faster. You can be more in balance and not over swing from the focus on being boneless.
I could go on…but the short of it is that I think overall it’s a good system for playing golf and Count Yogi is one of numerous people (Dan Shauger – my first teacher and who introduced me to Mike Austin, Geoff Mangum – most knowledgeable putting person I’ve ever come across, Moe Norman – overall game, Dave Pelz – overall research and short game, George Knudson – overall game, Paul Runyan – short game, Tom Wishon – equipment, Cynthia Shapiro – mental coach, Roberto Moretti – practice and skill acquisition, and Fredrik Tuxen – Trackman, to name a few) who have very significantly and positively influenced my game.
In fact the 3 keys that I mentioned above in the article would fit right in with the Yogi method (as well as the Austin swing).
Anyway, hope that helps a bit…
Roch
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Thanks Jaacob,
It is clear for me now that not turning the clubface will work better for me.
I’d like to ask you a question about motion. In the mid 80’s I bought the book swing the club head from Ernest Jones. The day that I finished read that book I shoot 77. I often pratice swinging a weight attach to a rope.
Bobby Jones,Jim flick and some others refer to him. Mike Austin said swing the clubhead but showed us how to throught the clubhead from the top. Count Yogi in his book said don’t through the clubhead and tell us how to control the clubhead mentaly at 100%.
Can you tell us what’s your thought on clubhead motion.
Thanks again.
Roch
Roch
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:09 am
Count Yogi wrote don’t swing the clubhead not throw the clubhead.
My mistake.
Roch
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 7, 2013 at 7:38 am
Hmmm, that could be a long answer to go in to all the possibilities! :-p
But briefly with Austin and Yogi in particular, I find the Austin motion more powerful but more difficult to learn and control. To me it’s a bit tricky to throw from the top and then allow the club to release freely through the hitting area in a tension-free manner. “Throw and let it go” as one could say.
For regular golf I also find it hard to keep my concentration on my target while also focusing on the throw from the top…plus, my club face awareness isn’t as good.
However, for long drive I think it’s a great option because it’s more powerful and you have 6 penalty-free chances to get a ball in play versus only 1 in normal golf. That being said, I have still played great golf with the pure Austin motion.
With Yogi there’s not as much power since you aren’t leveraging your hands as much, but I think it’s easier to learn, to repeat, to be consistent, and to use for regular golf. The simplicity of it can allow one to more easily control the club mentally and remain target-oriented.
Personally, I use a bit of a hybrid. I wanted to be have the ease, club awareness, and mental control of the Yogi swing but also have the option to throw with my hands and leverage them more when necessary like in the Austin swing. Since I compete in speed golf as well (finished 5th in 2012 World Championships…gonna be aired on CBS next month on the Saturday of the Masters!), I also needed something that I could just step up and hit the ball roughly where I wanted without practice swings.
It took awhile to get that sorted out but I think I have it now.
So at setup I turn my lead shoulder clockwise. The shoulder rotation gives me a bit of a strong looking grip from a face-on viewpoint, despite it actually being more neutral. But this allows me to just turn in the back swing, keep soft wrists, and have the club cock naturally (further than it would in the Yogi swing) through inertia without rotating the club face open. I’m also conceptually very aware of where the club is the entire time.
On the down swing, when I pivot my lower spine towards the target similar to Austin it brings the club back through the ball with very little club face rotation…but with more natural lag than Yogi.
With the lack of club face rotation in the back swing and down swing, I can also throw from the top like Austin in a case where I need extra power.
My swing ends up being a bit low and laid-off in the back swing…and more homegrown and less pretty looking in general, but the effectiveness is much better for me.
Hopefully that makes a bit of sense. It’s a bit tough to explain without pictures and video…or being in person to demonstrate.
Anthony
Mar 3, 2013 at 7:38 pm
Nice post Jaccob and congratulations on your progression as a golfer, very good.
Excellent points, not only does keeping the clubface more square in the takeaway reduce the clubface opening and closing so much, combined with a left arm close to the body (not outside the line) you get the shaft going back on or just above the plane (wrists can hingle vertically when left arm is in the correct position) makes golf so much easier. Points 2 & 3 are important aswell.
I never really got this stuff right, but I’m getting there now.
I Had the correct backswinig going for a round backin December and the result was a -7 65… & like you said, you have to hit the irons close to do this.
With an average swing you can shoot a few under par – with good putting, but to shoot in the mid 60’s you need good putting and a good swing to hit those irons close.
Cheers,
Anthony
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 4, 2013 at 6:16 am
Thanks Anthony…and congratulations on your remarkable 65 (-7).
Indeed shooting mid-60s and even lower is a whole new level than just a couple under par. Rich Hunt has some interesting observations that I would agree with as a player about what needs to happen to do this -> http://www.golfwrx.com/63409/what-does-it-take-for-the-best-to-go-low/.
Basically, you have to drive it well enough to give yourself chances to get at the flag as often as possible. Ideally it’s best to be in the fairway but you’ve got to avoid getting behind trees, going in to hazards or OB, etc. You need a lot of birdies so you need a lot of chances. First priority is just getting the ball in play.
Then once you’re in position off the tee you need to be striking it well enough to get close enough to the hole to have a putt that you can reasonably make. It’s nice when a long putt goes in but it’s not realistic to rely on making a lot of long ones.
My 64 was from 8 birdies and 0 bogeys. I drove it as well as I ever have that day. My tee shots were long and I got in to no trouble at all. I was at least green high in two shots on all four par-5s and basically had tap-ins or easy putts for those 4 birdies. The other 4 birdies I manages to pick up from hitting those iron shots pretty close as well. The rest of the round wasn’t perfect but basically I didn’t do anything dumb enough to give away any shots on the other holes. I forget exactly but I don’t recall missing any putts inside 10 feet.
It was a great day!
Rex Dietrick
Jul 15, 2014 at 3:30 pm
You said “With Yogi there’s not as much power since you aren’t leveraging your hands as much”
If that’s true, how do you explain Count Yogi’s records:
Fifty-five holes-in-one; nine of them on par-4 holes, two in succession (187 and 347 yards); one 416-yard hole-in-one
Played a 550-yard hole in two strokes in Corpus Christi, Texas, driving 453 yards and sinking the next shot with a wedge.
Great site!
Thanks!
Dave Pierce
Mar 3, 2013 at 10:57 am
Jaacob I have played with you before in our days at Crystal Highlands in Missouri and at Lost Cayons in California, believe me you are 100% improved and if people that want to learn or are already pretty good golfers should come to you for lessons!
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 4, 2013 at 5:13 am
Hey Dave, thanks for the kind words. We should play together with my Dad again the next time I’m back in St. Louis. I had already improved a ton by the time you and I played Lost Canyons…but I’ve come even further since then!
I haven’t gotten to play Crystal Highlands since the railroad bought it all those years ago. That course brings back nice memories from high school. I’m not sure if I ever shot lower than 87 or 88 there. I’d be curious to have a go at it again now that I became a good player and turned pro.
Thomy
Mar 3, 2013 at 9:43 am
@ Chris… We are speaking about 18 Holes!
Send me a text once u r back at Otelfingen, would be glad to see that.
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 3, 2013 at 8:16 am
G & Todd, thank you.
Chris
Feb 27, 2013 at 2:59 pm
I shot 64 at Otelfingen with a set of rentals. Your swing is piss poor in the take away but not too bad at impact. Good luck to you but play some decent courses…Otelfingen is a joke.
Jaacob Bowden
Mar 3, 2013 at 8:51 am
Hi Chris, thanks for your comment.
Why in your opinion is the take-a-way piss poor? And are you referring to a particular swing? I’m always open to updating my view point, but I need a solid argument to do it. 😉
Also, for your information, I’ve played some very good courses…Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Bayonet, Bandon Dunes, Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, and St. Andrews to name a few.
If you shot 64 with a set of rentals at the same Otelfingen that I played, then I take my hat off to you.
First of all, shooting under par with clubs that you aren’t used to would be extremely difficult for anyone. Most birdies come from hitting the ball close to the flag, so it would be very hard to do until you know how far the clubs go and have some experience with them.
Secondly, Otelfingen isn’t that long at 6865 yards (6277 meters) from the back tees. But the course rating is 73.3 and slope is 133…with fairways as narrow as a US Open setup. When the rough is up and the wind blows, it is more challenging than numerous Tour level courses that I’ve played. I don’t like the crowds, but facility-wise I find it a nice place to practice.
Rufiolegacy
Mar 16, 2013 at 10:22 pm
This, is the response of a gentleman. Good on you Jaacob, fantastic read. Thanks for the tips!
Todd
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:59 am
Solid stuff! Nice work.
G
Feb 27, 2013 at 2:38 am
Those are all amazing advices. And well done to you!