Top 25 Golf Pro Lesson; Stacked and Complete Backswing

[spartanstackandtilt]

Hi Shawn, Don't let my tag name fool you, I really enjoy your vids. I see a lot of similar things between your lessons and sandt. I feel that the magazine article is a poor example of the true sandt swing. It is creating a lot of people that think they need to lean way forward. I know you probably answer this a lot but what do you think is different about your teaching and sandt? Thanks again for the great videos.

[MsBrennan18]

Shawn, I find rolling the feet difficult and I think it may be because of the width of my stance. Have you a suggestion as to how wide the stance should be? I know the usual is shoulder width at the insides of the heels but I cannot roll the feet that way. JimB

[clemshaw]

@MsBrennan18 The feet rolling is a result of you listening to the swinging of the arm-club unit; please have a look at my latest "golf pro lesson horse shoes and Lassos" and also "golf pro lesson get more power and club speed; You will see what I mean;

The legs should be much more relaxed and buoyant; Shawn

[cmterpsnskins]

So, if i key on getting my left knee to point behind the ball on the backswing (for a righty), instead of down at the ball, then I should have a complete backswing. Is this correct?

[clemshaw]

@cmterpsnskins This is how Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Sam Snead, Bubba Watson, Tom Watson and many more do it! It is the only way you can finish the backswing; see "golf pro lesson how to coordinate arm motion with body turn" and "golf pro lesson stop crashing"; Shawn

[molsondrive1970]

I've been watching your youtube videos for 3 years now and it's been very helpful. When I go for a lesson I also hear in my head your concepts/words! And it's weird... I think watching you swing left makes a lot more sense to me because I'm left..

[eketelon]

THANK YOU!

[kisaragiusa]

Thank you very much!!!!

[srix0n]

"well struck" lol great vid, a true turn

[raphtm]

I love it!!! I love your explanations of letting your left knee release. Ever heard of Mac O'grady? I take a lot of lessons with my pro and we go over this kind of stuff all the time. Basically a lot of people now talk about restricting the hips on the backswing to create more torque. But what i say is when someone tries to do that, they gut stuck. Basically there wont be enough depth in the swing if they dont let the front knee release enough. Oh and love the explanation of the foot work.

[zyzztz]

Shawn, I think the most important video you have done, and I've watched them all, is the weight shift in the downswing, because it sets up the club from the inside, Power, and alot, If I lived in Canada, you and only you would be my instructor. If you come to Arkansas I've got a skins game for you. Thanks alot I mean alot

[bogeyhitter25]

Thanks for the great tip. I've tried the S&T and it was a slight improvement, but I was slightly less consistent. This helps a lot! Thanks.

[mroodg20]

Shawn, you are the Man! Thank you for recomending this video, this is exactly what I was doing wrong in my back swing. After watching this I saw right away that my right leg (I am a lefty) was bending forward causing that clear view between my legs. Making this turn corretly along with the logo on the upswing tip, I was in the fairway alot more today. My ball is still moving from right to left a little too much but this was only the first time out after watching this one. Thx Mike

[andrepark78]

just wanted to say that your videos have helped me tremendously. however, i think i have taken too much of a good thing and hindered my swing.

i am turning my hips too much !!! it's really messed up my timing. kudos to you for being able to explain things in a simple matter.

[clemshaw]

Hey Andre; there is no such thing as turning too much; you would be loosing your balance and or spine angle; see my "Golf Pro Lesson Learn your golf machine" and "Golf pro lesson tilted spiral" part 1, 2 and 3! Shawn

[slaceyc295]

I really appreciate your video's. Watched a bunch of them tately, and today when I was with my instructor for a first lesson a lot of what you were talking about kind of hit me.

Just out of random curiosity. Do you ever talk for 7 minutes. Take your shot at the end, and duff it. Then have to re-do your whole video?

[clemshaw]

Very rarely! :) I spend my days teaching and demonstrating shots is a very important part of the job... and hate wasting time! LOL Thanks for the comment! Shawn

[brad43210]

Hi Shawn. I'm a decent player, a few strokes better than scratch. I make a great shoulder turn with almost no hip or leg turn. I never thought this could be a bad thing 'til watching this vid. I stuggle with my hips coming forward in the downswing and thus I get extremely steep. Could making a better(bigger) hip turn going back help with this problem?

[clemshaw]

Hey Brad!

Have a look at my "golf Pro lesson Learn Your Golf Machine" and the human body will tell you everything! Then See "Golf Pro lesson be a solid ball striker" and then very important see "Golf Pro Lesson Tilted Spiral" part 1, 2 and 3...Shawn

[elanta3]

Hi Shawn, you Rock... quick question, Im having trouble with the backswing. When one tosses the hands should they toss them out to keep the arms away from the body (I seem to slice a bit when I do this), toss the hands inside and up, promoting really coming down on the ball, or do you just toss them straight back?

[clemshaw]

Great question! VERY IMPORTANT!

See the " golf pro lesson perpetual motion drill" and "Golf Pro Lesson Timing and Tempo update" videos; FEEL HOW THE ARMS TRACK THEIR OWN ARC AND PLANE IN THE BACKSWING AS YOU LET THEM FALL FROM THE FOLLOW THROUGH; then when you get back to your set up; imagine you are in the finish and you are on the way back into the backswing and feel the same tracking feeling in the arms and let them find their own way! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO POSITION THEM IN ANY WAY! Shawn

[mattlaw17]

Hi Shawn, Just bought your dvd, cant wait. In regards to this video if you check out Bubba Watson i think he has almost exactly the movement you are talking about. I think. Anyways great video again.

Matt

[clemshaw]

Yes! I love Bubba Watson's backswing; all natural and no preservatives! All Bubba needs to work on is his brace into the downswing like in the "Golf Pro Lesson Downswing Weightshift" and "Golf Pro Lesson 2008 golf swing review part 2" Shawn

[rok78]

Brian Gay works with Lynn Blake, one of the best TGM guys out there. But no, he's not a S&T guy. A lot of similar components, but a lot of different ones as well.

But what a ball striker! Some of the best impact conditions around.

[00MORDRED]

that fade video you did,helped me alot.

it seems i can only hit a left to right fade...i have to

literally shift my whole position sideways, and aim at things that would be wrong...trees,water,etc etc..

but it fades back nice and safe and lands about

where i expect it to...its weird not looking at the target when striking. my tee off is more confident now. thanks!

5*****

[rok78]

Um, please read my posts below in reverse order, it comes out backwards. Sorry, it's a bit long. Also, I want to make clear that I think your videos are great, and a good help for a lot of golfers, so none of that takes away what you're doing. I think your swing pattern is a great way to swing for a lot of players.

I would never say that everyone should switch to one way of swinging, and as such I think it's just as wrong to take a valid method of swinging and call it out as wrong.

[clemshaw]

Hey Thanks for taking the time to write; BTW, is Brian Gay with you guys? Shawn

[rok78]

Wow, you have a lot of misconceptions about the pivot in the S&T swing. I can understand it from the GD article though. But S&T is all about maintaining a stable head and keeping the integrity of the circle. For your type of swing pattern, of course a lot of it wouldn't work, you have a much more rotary deal going on.

Also Tiger has a lot of head dip because of the way he uses vertical forces in his swing. Similar to Sadlowski, but not as exaggerated.

[clemshaw]

Dude; no misconceptions there; I have their dvds and have spent a whole day with both Mike and Andy and have 3 extra hours of footage; gave a couple of lessons with Andy on the range up here in Toronto when they came by for the Canadian Open; granted this video came out before their visit but I will not teach anything in their repertoire except for their point of tangency theory; too many things go against the grain of what the human body does and they teach it all in patches or components...

[rok78]

Congrats on doing one thing better than most critics, getting more information. Since the video came out before your visit with them, you can understand why the information in this video is incorrect regarding their pivot.

I'd be interested in knowing what things in particular you think goes against what the human body does (I assume you mean biomechanics stuff).

[clemshaw]

When they say the arms don't do anything but stay connected to the arm pits; come on man!! They hinge their wrists like everybody else and this is such a big part of finishing the backswing to allow for that effortless swing! I like to use analogies to get the student to the feel and then reinforce the feel; not put the club here and there and video every session; Hogan never had video and yet we marvel at his swing still to this day! Let's see them support the average guy with some You Tube

[rok78]

Well if you want to see You Tube video, search Nick Clearwater, he works with Andy and Mike and has some great intro videos. I'll agree with the grip stuff, their explanation of it is very good and should've gone more in depth. As for the arm pits, those pressure points are very important in order to keep the hands on the circle (path) they want to take advantage of angular momentum. You can lift the arms off, but then you have to give time to reconnect those points on the downswing.

[rok78]

And really that's all the ARMS do. The wrists are separate from the arms and they do say they hinge. They have a whole section on the DVDs about the flying wedges and talk about hinging the wrists and bending the elbow in a synchronized fashion to make sure you stay on the correct path. As far as video, positions and feel, they all go together and you have a different way of teaching and that's great. But moving someone to a position and asking them how that feels.

[rok78]

Then repeat that feel in order to duplicate that position. It's just another way to create a feel organic to that person, rather than telling them 10 different feels to get them in the position or motion you want. It's nothing new and what Homer Kelly talks about. Let the mechanics produce feel and the feel reproduce mechanics.

[rok78]

Also, what's wrong with teaching in patches or components? That's how most teachers teach, especially on tour. You can't overhaul a whole swing at one time. How would you approach it?

[clemshaw]

when they say that we don't teach grip because "you have all kinds of different grips out there" in their seminars and dvds I find this very very hard to swallow; also, where is the support on you tube for their dvds? Your going to tell me that they put everything in the dvd? I remember Andy talking to a student about changing the grip and it was actually well said; I have 15 minutes on grip in the dvd and 5 different videos on you tube for the grip and the response is very positive;

[philmicklesonsbra]

Hey pro,

If you could only swing on one leg, which one would you choose and why? Ernest Jones won two British Amatuers after he lost his leg in WWI.

[clemshaw]

The front foot! you need that brace to maintain the axis; "golf pro lesson one leg swing no weightshift" has all the details! Very powerful! The most power you can get! Shawn

[philmicklesonsbra]

then why would we ever shift our weight to the right in the backswing?

[KxWaYnE]

We don't do it intentionally, our weight shifts to the right foot when 30 pounds of arms swing to your right...

[djreggienoble]

"everything turns and returns around the same axis"

Where is this axis?

[MadisonMaine]

My knee moving toward the ball explains alot about my ball striking mishaps.

[kenan1268]

Thanks Pro Shawn,I am a big fan of you,The way you explain things is so amazing and Clear..

[bigredxx]

This is a very informative video...i think u may be able to fix my two major problems

I have an issue with "throwing", or pushing my body too quickly forward at the downswing, causing me to get my wrists in a slight, yet existing "coming over the top move" which gets me slicing my woods. Ive tried simply "quieting" my lower body, but i just cant get a consistant feel...any advice for quieting the lower body correctly??

[clemshaw]

Yes! Use the "feet together drill" and the "one Leg drill" to start; you cannot thrust off your right side on these and will still feel as powerful as ever if not more; especially the one leg drill! Then have a look at the "Golf Pro Lesson Leverage power" video...Shawn

[bigredxx]

First, thank you for the advice. As a junior golfer, i appreciate the help. My one question is that with the one leg drill you mentioned, do you use your left leg or right leg?? The feet together drill is a grear idea, and i cant wait to try it. Thanks again for your help...Dan

[DIRU382]

Fantastic video Shawn.

I have been playing pretty good golf as of late since picking up some stack and tilt techniques, but this video has improved my consistency tremendously.

I never realized that moving my front knee forward was an error during the backswing; it seemed natural due to the hip turn.

Since I began rotating my knee to the inside, I have improved my consistency with ball striking and I am also generating more power.

Thanks so much.

-Dane

[clemshaw]

You are welcome Dane; this is how baseball pitchers, martial artists, kayakers, belly dancers, and golfers like Jack, Sam, ben, Moe, Bobby Jones, Vijay, and so many other greats do it and have done it; it is the essence of how the body's legs, hips, knees and ankles move together...see "golf pro lesson leg and footwork" video...

Thanks for the comment! Shawn

[OwzatOllie]

Hi Shawn, Ollie again here, Thanks for this fantastic video. This has helped me generate more power and gives me a more stable base.

Thanks

[TheHoyster13]

I would like to have my hands as low as Ben Hogans are, Have you got any tips or drills to help me do this. Thanks!

[clemshaw]

Hey Hoyster!

Depends on the club he was using! hands were much higher and away from the body with his driver and much lower and close with the wedge to match the length of club to the right set up in relation to how gravity was going to affect the club during the swing; see "Golf Pro Lesson swing plane" and then see my new video called "Golf Pro Lesson Nike Heavy Gloves"; Shawn

[TheHoyster13]

KK thks very much

[sealing7]

i have a problem with my hands falling down at the top...what is causing this problem?

[clemshaw]

Good question!

I have many solutions starting with the "Arms Falling Down Plane"video; then you need to understand that the body needs to get out of the way of the arms in BOTH DIRECTIONS and you need to set this up in the backswing; so please have a look at the "Be a solid Ball Striker" and the "How to swing with the body" videos then continue with the "Tilted Spiral" part 1, 2 and 3 and finish with the "Perpetual Motion Drill" video; Enjoy!! Shawn

[welshmangolf21]

Shaw thanks for all the great info. I started using S&T and it was very important in terms of getting me thinking about more of a rotary swing and getting the ball contact right. Like most golfers, I tried the load the right side swing with very unsatisfactory results. I have modified the S&T along the lines of what you teach, but for me, the realization that a golf swing could be effective and powerful without loading the right side was critical in getting the ball contact right.

[clemshaw]

You will love my "Tilted Spiral Part 1" and part 2 and 3; part 3 has a stack and tilt technique of the "Point of Tangency" which I have found to be very helpful in perceiving the direction of the momentum properly and working the ball; Shawn

Thanks very much for your comment! Shawn

[mpb1472]

Excellent video. Great explanation of how the knees work in a swing. I hear Faldo and others make reference to a players knee action but no real explanation.

[stevekorea1]

Cheers Clemshaw, you've nailed my head drop 'issue'...superb as always...

Regards

Kiwi Steve

[abdulrasyeed]

Hi,

My friend told me that your swing style will cause back pain... How to answer this?

[clemshaw]

Tell your friend that this is not "Stack and Tilt". Then have a look at the "Golf Pro Lesson No Bones about it" video and you will see that there is no better way to swing the club for distance, accuracy and for your body. If you only knew how many chiropractors I teach as well as doctors, physiotherapists and massage therapists...big or small, right or left.

I hope this answers your question! :)

Shawn

[CosmicSPC]

Hi Shawn!

Could You please desscribe proper release in more detail? The images and videos are very very confusing! i cant get the arms through the ball without hiting myself with that extra long club!! how is it possible? whatabout your left wrist cup? is still flat/bowed thrhough entire swing? please help me!

[clemshaw]

OK let me give you the right titles from the "You Tube Shawn" page of my website: "Arm Motion", "bridging flat wrist with hinged wrists", "compress through the ball", "Pronation & Supination", "contact and spin" and "Taut arms". If you play baseball, it is very similar in feel to the snap of the bat...Shawn

[glockadoodledoo]

I just saw that stack and tilt tech recently and when I tried it I was thumping the ball like a pro, 260 off the tee to the same flag over and over.

But now I can't hit anything consistent...hooks and slices now...short lived success! I hate this game sometimes...

[jeffbass999]

I'm wondering how much your lessons are in real life. That is if you give them. I live in the north end of Toronto so I could easily get taking to Richmond hill for lessons. So I'm just wondering how expensive they are in person.

[clemshaw]

Hi Jeff;

$65.00 for a half hour or $120.00 per hour; you can get more details on packages at the "golf learning centre" website;the link is on the contact page of my site; Shawn

[Vupee]

I have stopped playing 2 years ago, coming from a 10 handicap, fun was gone... more important i could not find any teacher who could explain to me what exactly went wrong.. on good days i hit it with eazz.. and a bad day i would shank the living daylight out of it. Been looking at your vids and after 2 years not playing, I JUST HAVE TO TRY THIS! cos after looking at some of my old vids, this could very well be reason why i had no consistency.. was moving all over the place..

cheers

Jack

[sealing7]

im lefty and im canadian...i feel soooooo good

[clemshaw]

You must be a good looking dude too! :)

Shawn

[sealing7]

you bet

[crimn]

thanks again for the response. i watched the videos you suggested, and now the club is hitting the ground 90% of the time!!

hope the kinesis unit is working well?? i was the guy who sold it to the club...

[clemshaw]

Yes!!

We are working on a smashing golf fitness program that we will unveil later this fall; stay tuned!

Shawn

[crimn]

thanks for the response!

i did the feet drill, and i find that my but moves but (no pun) the club does'nt hit the ground on the downswing most times. maybe i should book a lesson??

[clemshaw]

That would be your posture through the swing; go to my "Don't keep your head down" part 1 and 2 as well as the "arms falling" videos;

My waiting list for lessons is a bit long right now...:)Shawn

[crimn]

i have the same problem as dagge3. i find that if i put the but end of the club in my belly button drill, my left knee breaks in. weird. i guess i need to practice that sensation??

[clemshaw]

Have a look at my : "Feet together drill", and "weightshift" videos from the "You Tube Shawn" page of my website; it gives you all the info you need to feel this motion and repeat it; My dvd series has this too of course and then some...:)

Thanks for the question! Shawn

[dagge3]

Thanks for an amazing series.

I don't move my left (forward) knee back much in the backswing. Is that very detrimental for my swing?

I have tried to move the left knee behind the ball after watching your videos but It feels quite unstable and I don't have the time to brace my left leg again for the downswing/impact.

[clemshaw]

That is because you have not learned and felt the proper turn yet; it is the turn of the Butt-Pelvis unit that pulls the forward knee inward...Have a look at the "Feet together drill" for the feel on that, you will get a much better sense of this after that;

All my vids are on my website's "You Tube Shawn" page;

Shawn

[he1enaward]

Five years I was a 15 handicap who had all the books(five fundementals,etc,), the dvds(AJ Bonars truth about golf,etc.) End result: My head was so filled with crap that when over a shot, I didn't know what to do.I was lucky enough to meet an honest teacher who cured me of all that nonsense. Solid fundemantals and good body rotation are all that you need dwell on. With these in place, stuff like swing plane, wrist cock, release, etc. will all happen naturally. I'm now a 4 and enjoying the game.

[jcurlz34]

i had just got a lesson, and he said you want to have no lower body movement, meaning your left knee should not buckle in cause that causes ur shoulders to move forward during the back swing.. then make you not balanced at all... soo whats going on here?

[yashank1]

During my backswing,the chin resists me from completing my shoulder turn due to which i loose control at the top and swing inside out and i slice it. my swing is very fast and i squat down like Tiger Woods but hip turn is good.

so how can i improve my swing?my swing's very similar as that of Tiger

[zacman43vva]

Try to chin up a little like Ernie Els does :)

[Spartan8217]

dont swing as hard it does not take a lot to hit a golf ball the distance u want it to go u should be swingin about 80 percent

[pecky1234]

do you believe in waitin on the club at the top, or unwinding the lower body whilst the arms are still going back, a la, ben hogan and also padraig harrington. you seem to hold at the top in this swing at least

[GolfLessonsTV]

Thanks for the tips. Your video has been added to GOLF LESSONS TV, as usual :)

[jammuu]

you are a hero

[cambridgerocks]

Shawn, is it the camera angle or do you rest your club 2-3 inches back of the ball before you start your swing> and is that normal?

[clemshaw]

Check out the "Golf Pro Lesson Driver Tip 2" Video; it has the answer for you;

Shawn

[PureBlue22]

So when I roll my feet on the backswing, do I transfer my weight to my back foot? Or am I supposed to try to keep weight on my front foot? It feels uncomfortable to try to keep weight on the front foot when I have my front knee behind the ball with my foot rolled and still have weight on it.

[clemshaw]

I know what you are talking about...the arms have weight and this weight will shift as you let the feet roll...check out the "Golg Pro Lesson Transision" Video;

Shawn

[pecky1234]

if im able to make a complete shoulder turn of 90 degrees without making somewher near 45 hip turn, is this ok? i am 17 and am very flexible, so i wondered if i should still make more of a hip turn and if this would benefit me

[clemshaw]

Actually, you will max out at about 45 degrees with the hips because any more and you risk loosing your stacked feel through both hips, knees and ankles...

Great question, Thanks

[cambridgerocks]

Finally, so love to us lefties... Thank You.

[fauzimnoor]

there still people who just like to look for mistakes and faults,.. rather than to appreciate your efforts. keep up your good jobs shawn!

[clemshaw]

Thanks Guys!

[Creepytouch]

Thanks for clearing that up Shawn

[utudeitube]

my head is fat??

[bloojays123]

nice and simple! thanks for the tips!

[itubeutude]

the shot sounded fat...?

[clemshaw]

It was solid; I hit the shot before the mowers got there...the tee box was a little shaggy...

Shawn

[itubeutude]

so the club did hit the ground?

[pecky1234]

good god your good shawn! is ther amyway way i cud meet and teach with you?! i am a budding coach myself and know lots about the golf swing, and i tell all the people i talk to your things!

[clemshaw]

Thanks for the kind words, I appreciated it! I am happy that you are able to pass this on and make more people happy in golf! Shawn

[JohnnyDramaFilms]

You really seem to know the game. You tell em: Stack and Tilt? Did Hogan do it? NO! Did Nicklaus do it? No! Does Tiger do it? No! You teach VERY sound techniques!

[secrettogolf]

Yes more than not they used much of what Stack and Tilt has to offer than you may realize.Have you seen the DVD and the comparisons they make to what other great golfers do in their swings.Ben Hogan never shifted weight to his rear leg.He resisted and pushed it forward even on the back swing.

[clemshaw]

The last statement you made about Ben Hogan is more than just a bit off; I have been studying Hogan's moves for over 20 years and you cannot ever say that no weight pressure went to his right side in the backswing...I spent a lot of time with Mike and Andy and I have their DVDs; unfortunately they tend to bend the truth to their benefit when trying to defend certain concepts they teach; it is far from bullet proof and mostly a knee jerk reaction to the so called "conventional method"; sorry!

[TheHoyster13]

Ive been studying Ben Hogan recently and in a recent blog by someone he belives that Ben Hogan turn his right foot into the ground clockwise. (The Secrets in the dirt) he also belives thats why he had an extra spike in the ball of his right foot and would push of it just after impact for power.

[TheHoyster13]

And lastly he believed Hogan turned his hips and right leg clockwise so all he has to do is turn the hips for the downswing, however he weight remains on the right side because he's still turning the foot clockwise into the ground. Lastly he shows us this by looking at the pictures in Five fundementals and looking at the shaded areas. This is where his weight is. THE MASS CHASES THE TURN.

Please reply. Thks