Instruction
Love it or hate it, Stack and Tilt might help your swing
Stack and Tilt.
The moment someone utters those three little words there’s a thought that jumps into your head and also a connotation. It is one of the most loaded phrases in all of golf and the elephant in the room in terms of golf instruction.
Every season I get a handful of new students who come to me and the first question they ask is, “You’re not going to make me do anything CRAZY like Stack and Tilt, right?”
I never quite understood how Stack and Tilt had become a pejorative phrase among golfers until it dawned on me, it’s different and it actually works.
It doesn’t just work though, it contradicts a myriad of concepts “top golf instructors” in the world teach and therein lies the problem. I will admit I am not a full fledged “Stack and Tilt’er,” but I do incorporate aspects of it in my own swing. Let’s take a look at Stack and Tilt’s basic concepts, why it is scrutinized and see how you might be able to utilize them to improve your golf swing.
The Basics (for a right-handed golfer):
- Weight Forward
- (Left) Shoulder Down
- Hands In
- Straight Leg (right)
- Arms Straight
- Tuck Hips
Weight Forward
Flaw: Old school instruction used to teach a full turn with your weight balanced between your two legs, moving the majority of the weight to the back leg and then fully transferring it on the down swing to the lead leg. The problem with this is that many amateur golfers hear this and begin to move their weight and their entire upper body to the right on the back swing, resulting in a sway.
Fix: Stack and Tilt advises you to start with more weight on the lead leg (55 percent or even more), and during your back swing feel an increase in percentage (60 percent or more). This concept eliminates the sway and forces your body to stay more centered over the ball throughout the entire swing. If you struggle with a sway, using a weight forward concept is great option to help you remedy your problem.
Shoulder Down
Flaw: A lot of golfers concentrate on generating a full turn in their back swing, but many most don’t realize that when they make that turn it needs to be done on an angle where the shoulders turn down and not out. Many amateur golfers don’t turn their shoulders on an angle and as a result need to raise and lift the arms to generate height on the back swing causing erratic loops and inconsistent swings.
Fix: Stack and Tilt states that if you can get your left shoulder to turn down and not out, it allows the head to remain steady and it also allows the club to move vertically without lifting. Keeping the head steady is also key fundamental for striking the ball first and eliminating fat shots. Many golf instructors don’t emphasize this enough during golf instruction, and as a result many golfers generate height in their back swing by lifting the club rather than letting the shoulders do the work. If you struggle with inconsistent ball striking turning your left shoulder down can help alleviate a variety of swing faults.
Hands In
Flaw: The closer to your body you can keep your arms the better. Take a look at the above pictures, the picture on the left shows a golfer moving the club “straight back,” which is commonly taught by golf instructors. Not only does it move the club immediately off plane, but it causes the arms to disconnect from the body, thus losing any possibility of repeating this move consistently.
Fix: Stack and Tilt advises golfers to move there “hands in,” forcing the club to swing on an arc and thus remaining connected to the body for a more repeatable takeaway. Many high handicappers disconnect their arms immediately to start their swing and either move the club too far inside or too far outside making every swing different than the next. By using Stack and Tilt’s “hands in” fundamental, you can start to improve your takeaway and keep better connection to your body throughout your swing.
Straight Leg
Jim McLean just had a heart attack. Just kidding, but isn’t maintaining the flex in your back leg one of the most important rules in golf?
Flaw: Believe it or not, it is impossible to maintain the same amount of flex during your back swing and turn your hips at the same time. To be able to make a full shoulder turn, you need to turn your hips. To do so, you need to change the amount of flex each leg.
Fix: The more your back leg straightens, the more your hips can turn, which lets your shoulders turn even more. Its a win-win. Like anything in golf, we want moderation, so don’t lock the back leg but feel free to let your hips turn and allow that trail leg to elongate on the back swing. Many senior golfers have trouble with making a full turn and generating distance with their golf swing due to flexibility issues but when I get them to turn their hips they create a fuller turn resulting in dramatically more distance.
Arms Straight
Flaw: Maintaining length and creating extension are two of the most important aspects of the golf swing. Many beginners tend to misinterpret a hinge of the wrist for a bending of the arm.
Fix: Stack and Tilt emphasizes maintaining extension not only on the back swing, but at impact and into your finish. Many instructors teach the importance of extension, and over look how important maintaining that extension well after impact is as well. Not only will this help produce consistent ball striking, but it will also help generate club head speed through impact. Signs that indicate your extension may be lacking are large divots, seeing the club over your shoulder on the back swing, and the club hitting or resting on your shoulders at the top of your back swing.
Tuck Hips
Flaw: Many golfers have a difficult time finishing their swing and maintaining their balance after impact.
Fix: There may be a variety of reason for this, so Stack and Tilt simplified things by saying, “Raise the belt and tuck the hips.” Take a look above — by raising the belt, the golfer is forced to clear their hips fully, and by tucking the hips the golfer has placed their core directly over the lead leg in a stable and balanced manner. If you have difficulty maintaining your balance or fully finishing your golf swing, Stack and Tilt is a viable option for creating a stable finish, something all golf instructors can agree upon.
Stack and Tilt is not nearly as terrifying as golf commentators and non-believers make it out to be. It is merely a sequence of moves to get your body moving in a more efficient manner. Although it may seem radical to straighten the trail leg and not transfer weight backward, it is essential to exaggerate these moves to eliminate common faults and misconceptions that have plagued the average golfer for centuries.
There is no perfect way to swing the golf club and there will never be a perfect way to swing the golf club, but there are ways to swing the golf club more efficiently, and Stack and Tilt may be able to help you do that. If your golf swing isn’t quite where it belongs, it might be time to take a look at Stack and Tilt. It may just be the change you’re looking for.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
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 “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, 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!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
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 “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, 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!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
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” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, 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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Glenn kirk
Aug 4, 2016 at 4:57 am
Was shanking & hitting woeful iron shots tried stack & tilt now hitting pure irons ????????????
Steven
Aug 8, 2016 at 2:48 pm
Have tried everything for over 10 yrs. Nothing seemed to work until i tried stack and tilt. My ball striking has improved and distance with my irons has added 10 yards. Now, if i can start making putts.
Michael Y.
Jan 21, 2015 at 3:39 pm
I have struggled often with a repeatable swing. Last week I read then reviewed P & B’s main book on Stack and Tilt. I expect improvements to take some time but hard work is the way to better scoring.
I have tried the elements of S & T and have never hit my irons better!!! I need more work but their principles have helped me very quickly and given a boost toward the 2105 golf season.
I know one thing. “The mind is like a parachute; It only functions when it’s open.”
Michael Y. Las Vegas, Nevada
Pingback: Now Hiring: Swing Coach for Tiger - Alberta SandbaggerAlberta Sandbagger
David Lyons
May 16, 2015 at 5:04 am
Believe it or not stack and tilt puts much less stress on the back then the moves made above, extension is good for the spine not to mention if a golfer turns and tilts they also extend (fact but still somehow theory) and vice versa as well as vice versa, extend and tilt = turn, extend and turn = tilt imo tigers first swings with foley were very s&tish but then tiger figured it out and went back to a fldxed right leg which led to his back problems(imo), check his warmup for the Ryder cup on YouTube
Uncle Bob
Jul 2, 2014 at 3:06 pm
Out of sheer desperation, I am just now beginning to use stack and tilt.
In my first couple sessions i have noticed significant improvement in how I strike the ball. As I get more comfortable, I think that part of the S&T is what I had unknowingly utilized 30+ years ago when I had a low single digit Hdcp. since my index has quadrupled since then, maybe I am onto something. I had gotten far away from the fixed-head and shoulder-tilted turn of my younger days. I slipped into the habit of swaying and sliding. consequently, my iron play and overall game wilted and died. I was either skulling the ball or laying the sod over on top of it. A good shot was simply a random event.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. So this could take a while. I haven’t taken it to the course yet. But I hope to this weekend. As with any change, it’s going to be problematic not over thinking it. With that in mind, since I have a tendency toward brain lock, what would be the single most important swing thought?
Thanks,
bob
David Smith
Jul 22, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Uncle Bob,
How’d it go man? Give us an update. I’ve been studying this swing for a year now, I haven’t really given it any attention, I dabbled here and there but get scared trying something new but I am getting tired of inconsistent strikes and considering put it all on the table and giving this a go, I just swung a few wiffle balls in my yard with the principles in mind and it seems like a natural and powerful move thats inviting me to give it my all…. Keep me posted!
D
adam
Nov 25, 2013 at 12:55 pm
before the stack and tilt golf swing, I was scoring above 100. I could never hit my irons perfect all the time. since using the s&t, I hit all shots pure. I now shoot b/w 87-92. if I improve more on my putting I know that I will shoots in the 80’s all of the time. I recommend the book and/or dvd’s. people say you can’t hit the driver with this swing, which in nonsense. my driver shots are now better that ever. there is just a slight adjustment for the driver, like your hips slide more to the target and remembering to tuck your bottom during the follow through.
Ron M
Oct 15, 2013 at 6:50 pm
I cant thank you enough for this article. I was in a slump and struggling with my ball striking when I came across this article. I thought what the hell and gave S&T a serious try. Im never going back! S&T has completely saved my golf game. My ball striking has greatly improved with every club in the bag. On those occasions i do hit one fat i go back to the fundamentals learned from the book and im rivht back on track. Thank you for this article
Pete Murphy
Oct 12, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Although I dont use S&T, when things go wrong with my swing I over exaggerate a movement, ie, shoulder down when not swinging on plane, not transferring I practice not shifting back and other moves that resemble S&T. This article has got me thinking, maybe I should switch to this method,
Thx
Pete murphy
Scott Yurgalevicz
Jul 22, 2014 at 6:51 pm
Pete,
Whether you “switch” to this method or not isn’t a huge deal, just simply adding a few of the pieces and continuing to make improvement is a huge bonus. Lots of people get crazy when you say the term “Stack & Tilt” but lets be honest, I’m a golf professional, in the business of making you a better golfer. If Stack and Tilt helps you and others, I want to learn as much as I can about it!
Since this article was published I am now S&T Certified and realized just how great and simple this system really is.
Cheers,
Scott Yurgalevicz
jaybo4@mac.com
Jun 10, 2013 at 11:25 pm
I’m 41 and just attended the 5 day camp at Ironhorse Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach Florida and it was for sure THE BEST THING I HAVE DONE!
The instructors that we worked with couldn’t have been better, Dave, Melainey and Steve are so easy to work with and really seam to know their stuff. Also had the chance to meet Mike Bennett and he is exactly like the way he is one of the nicest guys I have met. Thanks to these guys my ball striking is better than ever before and I now know for sure what I’m working on at the range/course is the right way. My only regret is not doing this sooner!!!
Thanks Again Stack and Tilt
Jay Black
Scott Yurgalevicz
Jul 22, 2014 at 6:48 pm
Jay Black,
Very happy you found the article informative and your S&T experience has been a positive one. It is a great system which helps many golfers see great results.
Cheers,
Scott
yo!
Apr 11, 2013 at 2:08 am
P&B S&T book is the most insightful book with regard to the golfswing since Homer Kelley’s TGM. Dante’s 4 magic moves is a classic as well. Every other golf instruction book have been less than satisfactory.
Jack
Apr 5, 2013 at 12:59 pm
I actually didn’t know these were different than normal. Other than the weight forward, and the arms in ones. I am going to try the arms in. Looks like something I haven’t incorporated into my swing. Arms straight too. I often struggle with that as it feels stiff and robotic. I think tiger brings his arms pretty close to his body on the backswing too.
Ben Pittman
Apr 24, 2013 at 9:56 am
Jack, make sure that if you plan on incorporating the “arms in” that you also get the left shoulder down component . . . otherwise you risk rolling the clubface open on the takeaway. Keeping the clubface square in s&t will feel like it is hooded.
regards
Blanco
Apr 3, 2013 at 1:49 am
I like many/most of the tenants of stack and tilt… however, if anyone wants to throw blame around regarding “how did S&T get such a connotation…” look no further than the “OGs” Plummer and Bennett. From what I’ve researched, these guys are so fire and brimstone about their “method…” that they’ve officially crossed the line into clueless self-absorption. Questionable advertising and using the official web site to publicly insult former students? It’s at best childish and not worthy of my time or money.
Travis Mathews
Apr 1, 2013 at 11:56 am
Could someone comment on ball position? Does the traditional ball position thoughts still apply for S&T?
Matt Newby, PGA
Apr 2, 2013 at 6:03 pm
Pending all other things equal…yes
G
Apr 1, 2013 at 2:36 am
It works great for mid and short irons, or if you are tall guy, even with the longer clubs as you can really strike down at the ball. But if you’re on the short side, say below 5’7″, it’s harder to get at the ball with the longer clubs, to be so on top, that it doesn’t quite work.
And then you get stuck (hahaha) trying to hit draw all the time. Great if you never have to play courses that require to hit more fades, or are playing on soft greens that hold, as your ball most likely is going to have draw/hooking spin as it gets to the green, and you have no chance to get at the pins that are tucked into the right side of greens over bunkers and water, etc – try to hit a floating cut shot with backspin with stack, it’s really difficult. Try hitting a major fade ball around trees and the corner because you have to, you would find it really difficult.
And then there’s the driver………. as one Stack N Tilt teacher ADMITTED: “Yeah, the driver swing…. IT IS different.”
Don’t do it for all your shots. Learn it for short clubs as it works great for full wedge shots. Learn to use another swing for you driver. Or never play courses that have trees on both sides and lots of dog-leg rights.
Scott Yurgalevicz
Apr 1, 2013 at 9:01 am
G,
Although I do agree with you that it is very simple and easy for short/mid clubs, I have to respectfully disagree with your fade & driver comments. In regards to hitting a fade or a cut, take a look at someone who utilizes some of these motions in their swing (although not labeled s&t tiger woods swing comes to mind as he stays center, turns his shoulders on a steeper angle, etc) and he manages to hit a fade & cut very well.
In terms of driver I find that most students, ESP with a driver turn there shoulders much too flat (a lot almost parallel to the ground) so feeling like your left shoulder turns down with a driver “feels” incredibly radical. What’s funny is I find it just as easy to cut the ball as it is to draw it when done correctly. Breaking through that crazy feel of the left shoulder turning down is tough achieve and takes some time and practice.
Thanks for the input though it sounds like you have some experience with s&t and some of the principles, I understand that everyone doesn’t have the same swing and that’s perfectly fine but kudos for not being afraid to implement some aspects into your game!
Cheers
Alex Pisano
Mar 30, 2013 at 12:35 am
“Signs that indicate your extension may be lacking are large divots, seeing the club over your shoulder on the back swing, and the club hitting or resting on your shoulders at the top of your back swing.”
Love the article, however wouldn’t a student lacking arm extension be more likely to not hit the turf at all rather than take large divots? I would see a student lacking in side bend and spine extension at impact taking larger divots.
Scott Yurgalevicz
Mar 30, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Alex, I think you’re also correct, but for simplicity I left out side bend, spine extension, etc to keep it easy to understand. There are a variety of reasons for fat shots. I notice a fair amount of clients who struggle with extension actually fold their arms at the elbow during the backs swing and then on the down swing extend them causing the club to strike well behind the golf ball. Thanks for the input!
Alex Pisano
Mar 30, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Ah now I understand the point you were getting at, nice to see the good word spread!
AJ Ellis
Mar 29, 2013 at 7:16 pm
true Scott, feel and real are so different. Video feedback is so helpful in realizing the difference. most everyone needs to exaggerate a “feel” to get into better positions. I think closed mindedness is a reflection of what people hear from the announcers on TV (not really the most up to date if you know what i mean.)
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Scott Yurgalevicz
Mar 29, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Hey Aj, What I find is most students who move off the ball with an iron do it even more with the longer clubs. Not only do you have to exaggerate the weight forward move with iron but all the clubs including driver and fw woods. Most students actually feel like they are falling/leaning too far towards the target, but when I show them video of their swing they are actually directly over the ball with zero lateral motion. My golf coach always says “feel isn’t real” and that’s a tough thing for students to understand when making this move.
kygolfer81
Mar 29, 2013 at 9:09 pm
This is exactly the feeling I had to get. It felt like I was going to tip over at the top (toward the target) but on video I was perfect at the top. Of course, when you’re using to swaying a foot off the ball, staying centered will definitely feel like you’re tipping the other way.
Matt Newby, PGA
Mar 29, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Scott,
Well said. I think too often S&T gets a bad wrap in the media for a lot of wrong reasons. That being said I think your title says it the best, S&T “MIGHT” help your swing. I find too many people come in to a golf lesson very closed minded about what they think should happen during the golf swing.
AJ Ellis
Mar 29, 2013 at 5:58 pm
All great for solid, consistent impact and hitting down making good divots. but i think the driver swing should follow a more traditional weigt shift. Do you? (Easily done with the wider stance of the driver swing)
Ken McAnally
Oct 6, 2013 at 9:55 pm
Really Scott, another S&T promotion where a) a short iron is used and b) where really dubious pictures are used to represent the ” problems with traditional swings”…Arms straight pictures supposedlybrepresenting trdaitional method…really ?. The straightening of the right leg, does increase shoulder turn BUT completely ignores the fact that torque has to be built up by “static” hips. If there is no torque build-up, it would be like having a catapult without one end fixed…great shoulder turn, lousy torque. This S&T method does not work with longer clubs, such as driver where the ball is hit with a flat or up trajectory and because the weight is so far left (for RH players) and put further left by S&T, the “angle of attack” of the driver is made ludicrously large. OK S&T people say to “jump up/lift/rotate” to fix that just before impact. Really ? How do the eyes cope with that change at the last moment ?. The “in-to-out” emphasis of S&T is good BUT does encourage conditions which create shanks, by the clubhead moving out, and makes a fade with backspin difficult with shorter irons….try S&T to a tight pin over a bunker. one last point: making a golfer not have weight transfer is like telling a baseball pitcher to keep his leading foot on the ground all the time…..good luck with that. Sure weight transfer can be “overdone” but, keep it inside the trailing foot line…as all great golfers have always done and that is a control.
ed
Jun 21, 2015 at 7:38 am
Hitting a golf ball is nothing like a pitcher throwing a ball.
It’s more like a hockey player winding up for a slap shot or a baseball player winding up for a powerful hit.Both can be accomplished with the weight staying forward or weight staying back.In golf weight staying back is bad for all clubs except the driver but it certainly can be accomplished with weight forward.
Speed,spin (left or right),and contact are much more important that moving back and forth.Moving back and forth almost always creates poor contact and way less coil.