Instruction
Lag, lean and low point
In my previous article, I showed how different impact positions produce different ball flights and distances at a given speed because of dynamic loft. The reader feedback split the board, achieving both a ton of likes and shanks.There’s nothing like a bit of controversy to make people think!
The message was not that lag and shaft lean are necessarily bad things; it was to create awareness that:
- Launch angle plays a massive role in carry distance, especially at slower speeds. If you have a ton of shaft lean at impact with a slower swing speed (and a lot of people are trying to do this), you will hit the ball too low and will limit your carry distance.
- Most golfers recognize that a very low trajectory is not optimal, so their subconscious mind will severely resist creating the “lag n’ lean” position they think they need. That’s why so many golfers struggle to add lag to their swing; their subconscious mind hates the associated flight!
- It is possible to lag the club a lot and then get rid of the lag to arrive at impact with less forward shaft lean at impact. If you are going to create a lot of lag, however, you better have the ability to create the work (forces and torques) necessary to un-lag it enough to create your desired impact position (Finney, 2015).
Our Choices
From the above, we basically have a couple of choices. Either we create more lag n’ lean and deal with the lower trajectory (an option for higher speed players), or we learn to swing with slightly less shaft lean (an option for slower speed players).
One of the predominant arguments I saw in the comments section of my previous article was that you need tons of forward lean to strike the ball correctly. That’s not true, because having forward lean alone does not create a perfect strike. Golfers can still dump the club head a foot behind the ball with a ton of shaft lean, and there are a whole host of other variables contributing to strike quality. Also, there are ways of making minimal forward shaft lean work.
Swing Circle/Ellipse
The trajectory of our club head throughout the swing is circular, or elliptical in nature.
Every circle will have a lowest point to it, and we call it the “low point.” The lowest point of the swing arc can vary in terms of:
- Height: How deep or shallow it is into the ground.
- Position: How forward or back it is from the ball.
- Distance: How close or far it is from a golfer’s feet.
Let’s look at height and position.
Lag N’ Lean
With a lag and lean approach, the lowest point of the swing arc will typically be much farther forward of the ball position (more target side). This will also require the low point to be deeper into the ground in order to strike the ground in the right place (see the image below).
With this type of strike, the angle of attack will tend to be steeper, and the club face will tend to be more open to the path. That’s why severely closed-face players such as David Duval, Tommy Gainey and Dustin Johnson all have so much shaft lean at impact. It is their way of creating a more open face angle, as well as the desired trajectories for their swing speeds.
For these types of players, dynamic loft will also tend to be lower at impact, lowering their trajectory.
Less Lean
The other option is to have less forward shaft lean at impact, which results in more dynamic loft and a higher trajectory. For slower speed players, this can increase carry distance and stopping power dramatically. It can also help to close the face more at impact, which can help golfers who struggle with blocks and slices.
With less lean in the swing, the low point will be farther back and more level with the ball. As a result, the low point will need to be closer to the surface of the ground in order to make sure the ground is struck in a functional place, as seen below.
So we see that there is a relationship between the position of the low point of the swing and the depth, as well as where the strike with the ground is. We (almost) always desire to strike the ground where the ball is resting, but this can be done in varying ways (as seen). These different ways produce different impact conditions that will launch the ball differently.
“But all the pros lag n’ lean it. Shouldn’t I do that?”
You’re right; most tour players have a lot of lag and shaft lean in their swings. But they also swing their 6 irons at an average of 92 mph — a speed most golfers are no where near. Tour players need more lag n’ lean because they swing at this higher speed. It reduces their spin and launch, and creates a playable trajectory.
Emulating a pro without the ability to create the speed at which a pro swings often results in less-than-optimal trajectory – even if the strike is crisp.
Trade-Offs
This article is all about connecting the pieces for the individual player. Taking into consideration a player’s ability to do work (the process of de-lagging), their swing speed, their low-point position and their intended trajectory, we can figure out functional variables to achieve optimal performance. A top player will also have the ability to create more lag ‘n lean or to reduce it, depending on the shot and scenario they’re facing.
I am not recommending that any golfer get into a position where the club is leaning backwards at impact, as a low point that is behind the ball is non-functional in most cases (apart from shots that are teed up). But most golfers will probably do better if they stop their effort to create more lag, or at least stop thinking about it as the be-all, end-all of a good swing. Instead, focus on hitting the ball with a crisp strike and a playable trajectory!
Have more questions? Leave them below. And stay tuned! Next week, I will be discussing another topic relating to low point.
Editor’s Note: Adam discusses these principles and much more in his book, “The Practice Manual: The Ultimate Guide for Golfers,” which is available on Amazon.
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!
‘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...
geohogan
Jul 29, 2020 at 11:03 am
The most swing speed will be because of lag.
To maximize clubhead speed and launch angle(due to COR)
there must be lag… as long as clubhead is sweeping the
inside quadrant of the ball…NOT hitting the back of the ball, as intent.
Will
Jun 21, 2015 at 11:18 am
Picking the right (correct flex for your swing speed) flex shaft makes “lag” happen too.
Its that fine line between feeling like you are overpowering the shaft to dead solid impact.
Shaft flex doing the lag work assumes you are swinging correctly in the first place.
Jeff*
Jun 7, 2015 at 11:47 pm
If you swing the club fast, this article should read, how to hit it higher and land it softer.
stephenf
Jun 6, 2015 at 8:32 pm
Just one minor point: Many players think of the swing as having a significant elliptical shape to it because they’re used to looking at swing sequences or video face-on from a camera set at the player’s head height or lower. Manuel de la Torre has correctly identified the swing as being much nearer a real circle than that, a truth that gets distorted because people aren’t looking at the shape of the motion made by the clubhead and hands from perpendicular to the approximate plane of the swing (it would require a camera a few feet above the player’s head, which has been done before).
Having said that, though, you’re making really good points. Every player has an optimal carry-lift-and-speed equation for each club, and players who have lower speeds can’t benefit from some of the things higher-speed players do.
Pete
Jun 2, 2015 at 10:37 pm
Adam – You have missed the point about acceleration, lag and forward shaft lean given by another person. Forget about whether a clubhead striking a golf ball while it is accelerating, or coasting, or decelerating at the same speed produces the same distance. Without an ACCELERATING clubhead at impact you cannot have all the things that make a good golf swing – LAG, compression of golf ball, stable clubhead, maximum clubhead speed, passive hands ahead with forward shaft lean, descending AoA, slight delofting, balance, effortless power, etc.
Lag is probably the most misunderstood thing in the golf swing. People think that holding the wrist cock or angle between the left forearm and clubshaft is lag. It isn’t. Lag is physics, not geometry. The principle of lag is that it keeps the club in a CONSTANT state of steady ‘acceleration’. Inertia is the resistance to motion or change. When you start the hands down the club is going to have resistance to this change of direction and motion. This is the start of lag. This start down should start casually because the golfer’s task is to keep the club in a constant state of ever-increasing acceleration through impact. To sustain this all-important lag you have to ‘accelerate’ the club against this resistance all the way through impact. It should feel as if you are accelerating the club against it’s own weight. By sustaining the lag through impact you are keeping the club in a CONSTANT STATE OF EVER-INCREASING ACCELERATION that will give the most resistance to impact deceleration caused by the clubhead hitting the ball.
Ideally you want to sustain the lag well past impact. Properly done it should feel as if your release happens after impact. The release is the period of clubhead acceleration and what you feel as the release is actually the club settling into a state of deceleration. Over-acceleration is the nemesis of lag, which is deceleration. Acceleration against the club (LAG) should be slow and heavy, a steady-as-she-goes motion, a constant nursing of feel. If the hands reach peak speed before impact you have over-accelerated and since we’re dealing with an angular system the clubhead will over take the hands and you’ll find yourself chasing the club through impact. This is referred to as clubhead throwaway.
Acceleration of the club’s handle (via the hands) is what passively allows the hands to lead the lagging clubhead. The greater the acceleration (ever increasing speed) the golfer is able to achieve the greater the lag, and depending on the golfer’s grip the greater the forward shaft lean. The problem that amateurs face is applying too much acceleration (over-acceleration) early in the downswing. The amateur starts out with too much acceleration and cannot keep it up through impact. When this over-acceleration happens it causes deceleration (no longer accelerating) to immediately take place and all his lag is lost and the clubhead speed immediately drops drastically – and the heavier clubhead passes his hands and there cannot be any forward shaft lean at all.
Joel
Jun 4, 2015 at 8:04 pm
Very interesting read. Excellent, helpful information. Easy to do once I understood what needed to be done, and why it needs to be done. I was able to do it right and confirm it within 10 minutes with my own swing on the range. Amazing results, and so easy to do. Wish I had known this years ago!
Brandon
Jun 1, 2015 at 10:51 am
Adam,
Keep writing. You are right and a TON of lag is not always a good thing. People are misunderstanding that lag is a result or an effect not a cause. As you pointed out, Dustin Johnson essentially has a lower ball flight compared to Watson and Holmes who are considered high ball hitters. DJ has a very strong angle at impact whereas the amount of lag that Holmes and Watson have is closer to vertical. Ball position plays an important role as well. DJ, I would say, is descending with driver whereas Watson will catch more drives with an ascending blow.
I would like to see you write more about how the arc is more elliptical than a perfect circle.
Good article
Terry
May 31, 2015 at 9:22 pm
You want the greatest amount of lag pressure that you are able to sustain throughout the downswing and past impact, which means you want to have a steady and even buildup of acceleration that naturally has the hands ahead of the lagging clubhead. Do not over-accelerate at any time in the downswing because you will lose the lag and will never be able to get it back in that swing. A steady and even acceleration is all that is needed to create and sustain ample lag that naturally keeps the passive right wrist bent back.
Zach
May 29, 2015 at 1:21 pm
Sustaining a cupped hinge angle in the right wrist throughout the downswing and beyond impact will provide both forward shaft lean and lag, both proponents necessary for a good golf swing regardless of the golfer’s swing speed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9_GAEJju9XE
Danny
May 29, 2015 at 10:16 pm
Zach, Watching the video and reading what you said makes a whole lot more sense. I see what you are talking about in the video and it is easily confirmed by watching the swings of any tour professional. Shaft lean is required for all swings … it makes no difference what the speed of the swing is.
Adam Young
Jun 1, 2015 at 4:00 pm
Yes, shaft lean is required for all swings. The amount of shaft lean is dependent upon shot type, lie, desired trajectory, club speed etc.
Good players will be able to do both of the above, and everything in between.
Mitch
May 28, 2015 at 1:07 pm
With all these high speed cameras and still images of great ball strikers, the general public have this idea that they should create all this massive lag like the touring pro, when in reality great ball strikers create lag by athletically transferring their weight, rotating and releasing the stored up energy towards their target, and not by holding any angles. For myself, i was so focused on creating lag that it completely hurt my game for the first 10 years. After subtle changes, without any significant practice, I went from a high handicapper to beating guys in single digits – straight up on various occasions. My swing is far from anything that is worthy of a single digit index, but I can play functional shots and if the putter is hot, it’s anyone game.
Unless you have the resources, time and god given talent the pro’s possess, the average golfer should focus on the basics; Grip, Posture, Alignment and most importantly general knowledge of how to focus on your target – which is NOT the ball. Understanding and Learning to skip a rock, throw a Frisbee or throwing side arm that will do you more good then trying to decide how down you should hit on a ball.
Also the conditions these guys play dictate how much divot they take out. Watching Freddie Couples playing at an event up north, he barely disturbed the grass. For myself I take very shallow divots but on a recent trip, I had the good fortune of playing Siam Old Golf course, 1 month prior to the Honda LPGA. The course was pristine, no carts allowed on the course and the caddies fixed all your divots. Every iron shot I took beautiful pelts of grass that flew in the air like it was on TV. It literally felt like a perfectly tee-up ball, the ground was firm but yet when the club made contact with the turf it would cut right thru like butter. Point is I know wasn’t doing anything different, yet my divots were totally different from what I would normally create.
bigdriver
May 28, 2015 at 1:40 am
Chicken or the egg? If you don’t have club speed…you can’t compress the ball and will hit too low. But, if you don’t lag the club properly…you are losing a TON of easy club speed!
Is there anyone at a professional level that does not lag the iron and compress the ball with forward shaft lean? PGA, LPGA, Web.com…Champions Tour? Not everyone at these levels of professional golf swings a 6i at 92mph, but 99% of them still compress the ball with forward shaft lean.
ChrisO
May 27, 2015 at 2:57 pm
Adam, Can you explain why some tour pros pick the ball and have at most only bacon strip divots while other tour pros are diggers and have very deep low points, yet both categories have identical significant shaft lean and hit the ball the same height and distances with the same clubhead speed? Can you also explain why some tour pros release their cupped bent-back (dorsiflexion) right wrist at or even prior to ball contact while other tour pros maintain/retain/sustain their right wrist dorsiflexion angle well past ball separation? Maybe the answer to these questions will help provide the reasons tour pros have different low points and lag n’ lean requirements. Could the answer be due to their swing method and technique? If so, then your article is seriously (how do I say this kindly) flawed because you state with confidence that; “Either we create more lag n’ lean and deal with the lower trajectory (an option for higher speed players), or we learn to swing with slightly less shaft lean (an option for slower speed players).” Do you know why Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, and many other tour pros, normally hit their ball to a higher apex yet they have tremendous forward shaft lean? Do you know why Matt Kuchar hits the ball low yet he has practically no shaft lean? Will be anxiously awaiting your expert reasoning!
Adam Young
May 28, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Hi Chriso – very nice comments and awesome questions.
In response to your first question – “why do some pros pick it with shaft lean and some take divots while having the same shaft lean/speed/distance/height”.
Well, the trajectory is caused by the impact dynamics (spin loft, dynamic loft, speed,smash etc), but some pros pick because they are able to divert their hand path more violently through the hitting area (moving the hands up and in through impact). This creates a dent in the bottom of the swing circle – or a flat spot. Players with more aggressive body extension and a more upwards and inward hand path can do this more, but it requires a lot of strength too.
Nevertheless, the lowest point of the swing still needs to be farther forwards and the swing arc needs to be deeper for this to happen. So the info stands – even if the divot is not always as deep.
Yes, different release methods will need different low point positions and arc heights. I understand this info in depth, but also I wrote this article with a 1000 word limit. I am sure you can understand that as much as I would love to go into the intricate details of impact, it may not be possible in that short a word count.
RE differing heights with same shaft lean – I am not so sure that Kuchar has minimal shaft lean ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7HzGrNFEtI ) but I will try to answer your question anyway. Ultimately, dynamic loft will be largely responsible for launch (with AOA having a small contribution – 25%). Dynamic loft is not only affected by shaft lean, but also by dynamic face plane tilt – so a more open clubface, for example, (relative to the target, all else being the same) would produce more loft and more spin loft too.
We also have to remember that looking at shaft lean in relation to a FO camera angle is only a small part of the picture. Ideally, shaft lean and low point would be relative to ‘perpendicular to the swing direction’ – so with a swing direction shifted more rightwards, the lowest point of the swing and contact point with the ground also shifts farther back from the ball. This is not mentioning problems with parallax in camera (which is why 3D capture is better.
However, with all of the above in mind, it still stands that a low point which is farther forwards will require a lower swing arc height and vice versa. And a low point which is farther forwards would also produce more shaft lean (perpendicular to the swing direction) and present a lower dynamic loft (all else being relative). This includes bending modes of clubshafts, swing planes, different AOA etc.
And these are just the basics. I would love to go into even more depth with you.
Thanks for your comment.
Trevor
May 27, 2015 at 11:36 am
These are the best kinds of articles on GolfWRX. Adam, I appreciate your insight, and I really liked your last article as well. I can personally attest to the fact that less shaft lean doesn’t have to mean less distance or less solid contact. I’ve been working on this for the past year and a half, and my ball striking is better than it’s ever been. It was nice to read an article that validated what I had been working on.
Adam Young
May 29, 2015 at 12:42 am
Thanks Trevor. As a slower speed player, I can also attest to the fact that I started to strike the ball better, launch it better, achieve better distance etc when I stopped trying to copy The look of some of the longer hitters with lower launch. I’m in between the spectrum naturally, but so is my swing speed
Regis
May 27, 2015 at 10:31 am
I realize I’m in the minority here because I long ago switched to graphite in my irons.But different shaft options (weight,tip stiffness) can really influence the use of shaft lean and lag in achieving desired trajectory. Oh and in all candor my swing speed with a 6 iron is significantly less than 97 mph.
cb
May 26, 2015 at 4:35 pm
Great article Adam. I liked your previous one as well. Quick question, I think I recall reading somewhere awhile back that Rory actually releases the club early in the downswing (compared to others that swing as fast as he does) and thats why his divots are shallow and his irons go crazy high. any truth to this?
Me Nunya
May 26, 2015 at 8:51 pm
Standing behind Rory on the driving range I noticed he can hit it a little higher than “standard” but he didn’t seem to hit any moonballs while I watched him.
What he did do was go high, medium, lowish, high, medium, lowish, like that.
Divots were normal. Most good players take a minimal divot I believe.
juststeve
May 26, 2015 at 4:20 pm
Adam:
Great article like the last one. Not well received by the wrx experts, but that shouldn’t discourage you. You are right.
Steve
William Gilbert
May 26, 2015 at 4:12 pm
Information should always be helpful in working on one’s swing. It’s up to the individual to take what is offered and decide for themselves what is applicable and what is not. Keep on writing, thanks.
shortgamegod
May 26, 2015 at 1:00 pm
That first picture is taken at the range at La Manga Resort, Spain.
Ive been playing Ecco Tour satellite pro events there several times. Nice area, but they should really improve on their practice facilities there. Terrible.
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 3:47 pm
Shortgame god – we have recently upgraded the entire range. We now have an indoor hitting area and two studio bays with Trackman, SAM puttlab, k-vest and an indoor Huxley green. The facilities are actually one of the best in Europe now.
ParHunter
May 26, 2015 at 12:08 pm
I think this is a good example for Confirmation Bias. If you’ve believed all your golfing life in lag as the BE ALL, then you will never accept something like this, even if there is solid evidence for it.
Tom Stickney
May 26, 2015 at 11:47 am
Good stuff Adam…too much lag is just as bad as too little lag at the average player level.
Mike
May 26, 2015 at 2:32 pm
Too much lag = unrealized energy
Not enough lag = wasted energy
I’m a bit biased being a student of Chuck Evans, but the “inline impact” terminology was what stuck in my head when showing the ideal place for the shaft to be at impact.
Jason
May 26, 2015 at 11:00 am
Adam, can you elaborate a little on tying this info in with your article on Apr 27 which stated that where your contact ground was single most determiner of your handicap. I have been working on that drill with the stripe line painted on ground with some success. I have always appeared to lose my ‘lag’ in any video of my swing and always appear to have the shaft almost vertical at impact regardless of how hard I try to create lag. I have struggled with fat contact and fairway bunkers are death! How does the non lagger consistently get contact with ground after the ball? I have a SS of about 80 mph with my 6 iron.
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 3:51 pm
Jason – contacting the ground in the right place is a combination of hundreds of variables which relate to height of arc and depth – as well as swing direction. Without seeing your swing on video, it would be unwise to offer solutions.
Are you able to hit the ground farther forwards and back without a ball there? If I asked you to hit in front of the line without a ball could you do it? If I asked you to hit a deeper or a shallower divot could you do it?
Jason
May 27, 2015 at 8:54 am
Adam, thanks for your comments and for the article. Regarding the questions, tried some of this in backyard without a ball. I can move my impact well forward by pre-setting impact position at address with forward pressing hands and I can intentionally move it back by severely dropping my right shoulder in downswing. What’s weird is that I can hit forward of the line much more consistently (like in your first article) without having a ball there. I am not sure about deeper or shallower divots, I usually hit shallow ones unless I catch it very fat. Thanks again.
Adam Young
May 28, 2015 at 1:56 pm
Hi Jason
If you are able to produce the desired divot position without a ball there, maybe the issue is not technical (as you are already seemingly able to produce the desired technique) – perhaps there is another block there. Maybe you need to work out what is happening mentally between having the ball there and not.
It could still stem from a technical issue – if you manage to get your desired ground contact but you hit the ball with an open face, try finding ways of squaring the face up at the same time as maintaining ground strike.
Just some thoughts. Hope they help
ca1879
May 26, 2015 at 10:42 am
Good clarification Adam. Hard to see what the shankers are still moaning about.
Butch
May 26, 2015 at 9:19 am
Very helpful!
Andrew Cooper
May 26, 2015 at 3:37 am
Thanks for the article Adam. A quick look at the LPGA v PGA Trackman data on clubhead speeds and launch angles certainly supports what you say.
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 3:54 pm
That’s right Andrew – the average tour pro launch angle for a 7 iron is 16 degrees – that’s 2 degrees lower than my most forward shaft leaned shot.
Fine if your ball speed and spin rate is high, but you would have to be somewhere on the shaft lean/swing speed spectrum to optimize ball flight and strike.
Steve in SLC
May 26, 2015 at 1:09 am
Many thanks Adam for your comments, they directly relate to some issues I am experiencing. I’ve always tended to have a lot of left hand forward lean through impact due to being naturally left-handed and playing right-handed, but sadly now I lack the club speed I once had, resulting in an overly low trajectory, even with well struck shots. Worse, as I’ve tried to compensate for lost rotational ability I’ve gotten into the habit of sliding laterally forward through impact in a vain attempt to generate more club head speed. So I’m working on two things. Firstly shifting my weight very slightly forward at address (thank you Martin Chuck) to encourage a stronger ‘posting up’ through impact, and secondly I’m focusing on keeping the club in front of my upper body in the back swing, which counteracts the tendency I have developed to not turn sufficiently going back (caused by tension no doubt).
Your article affirms my efforts – Many thanks.
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 3:57 pm
Good luck with your golf – you are in safe hands following Martin Chuck
Martin Chuck
May 26, 2015 at 12:24 am
Very nice article, Adam. Too bad some of the other “professionals” in the blog took some offense to your opinion. Personally, I think you are spot on. But what do I know. I’ve only been teaching 30 years;)
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 1:07 am
Thanks Martin.
I love your training aid btw. I use it with my pupils to self-organize the first picture. It’s great when the players have some speed and need more pop in their traj and crisper strikes.
Butch Harmon
May 26, 2015 at 11:03 am
Martin – You’ve never endorsed one of my articles! I guess I’m just one of those other “professionals” you speak of.
Nick Randall
May 25, 2015 at 9:31 pm
Hi Adam,
Thank you for your time taken to write this, really helpful. Nice concise and easy to understand guide to a controversial topic.
Good work!
Adam Young
May 25, 2015 at 11:58 pm
No problem Nick – thank you for your kind comments
Benita
May 25, 2015 at 8:34 pm
Thanks for the insightful articles Adam. Spent some time on Trackman yesterday; the moment I successfully increased my launch angle, added almost 18 yards (mostly carry) to my 7 iron distance. Began session averaging under 120 and ended averaging 135. Sadly, I don’t have the club head speed I did when I was younger and less orthopedically challenged, so it was a big deal using physics to overcome my lack of speed. By the way, it took only 3 attempts sense the difference in the impact alignments and even though I’m not a huge fan of video, we made sure to paint my shaft angle with purple. Gotta love purple! Thanks again.
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 12:01 am
Lots of people are finding that Benita. If you can manage the height and position of your low point, you can hit lots of different shots and trajectories
Mat
May 25, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Wow.. way to rip off Bobby Clampett. Did you read the first chapter of his book and then write this? Wow… just wow!!!!
Brian
May 25, 2015 at 8:23 pm
Is he one of the Beverly Hillbillies?
Large chris
May 31, 2015 at 7:33 am
Bobby Clampett doesn’t cover 5% of these two articles in his entire book
Nolanski
May 25, 2015 at 7:38 pm
Most posters on here all claim to “drive the ball 310 yards” so I understand all the “shanks” and “flops”. Same people who say “my new driver added 30 yards!” EVERY year…
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 1:08 am
True Nolanski – some of the members at my club should be hitting it 600 yards now 😉
Zak Kozuchowski
May 26, 2015 at 6:33 pm
As the editor, I wanted to chime in about those shanks, flops, OBs, LOLs, etc. The number is very high and consistent across those four categories. To me, that indicates that a very committed group has taken it upon itself to elevate those reaction counts.
This is highly unusual behavior, and I want to praise Adam for continuing to reply to so many comments in his stories. As he has shown, polarizing feedback should not limit our ability to have great discussions.
I’m glad to have you writing for us, Adam, and thanks for what you’ve been doing for the readers of GolfWRX.
JR
May 27, 2015 at 2:03 am
At least Adam is acting professional, which is more than can be said for the so-called gurus who post on the instruction forum
Matt
May 25, 2015 at 6:19 pm
Well, everything stated in the article is very accurate and factual. I have know many players who have benefitted from this knowledge of how lag functions in the swing and can see how this article could be a lightbulb moment for many golfers if taken correctly and understood.
Adam Young
May 26, 2015 at 12:04 am
yes Matt – the shanks are by a group of golfers (unnamed) who specifically teach lag and tons of lean, so that is the reason for the shanks and flops.
Luckily, there hasn’t been a comment against the info with any substance yet which shows that maybe people are going to have to start listening to this info. There are tons of golf pros already doing away with the old ‘tons of lag, tons of lean’ approach and getting great results with students.
Stretch
May 26, 2015 at 1:34 pm
I think that a strong shaft lean was from the body pivoting ahead of the arms. Flipping can be from the arms swinging ahead of the body pivot. When the body pivot and arms synch up there is maximum dynamic loft with a minimum forward shaft lean. Given proper alignment the student can maximize their power depending which of the three impact positions works for their biomechanics. Your thoughts?
Jeez Utz
May 25, 2015 at 4:59 pm
none of these beat around the bush articles help as long as people have handsy facing rotating late releases
JE
May 25, 2015 at 5:15 pm
What exactly is a “handsy facing rotating late release”?
Brian
May 25, 2015 at 8:24 pm
It’s when Gollum is your swing coach and doing a Yoda impression.
other paul
May 25, 2015 at 11:53 pm
Pretty sure he is talking about when you flip at the bottom for more speed. And don’t use your rotation. That’s my guess what jeez means…
Jeez Utz
May 26, 2015 at 11:35 am
Yea….I meant face rotating