Contact and Spin; #1 Most Popular Golf Teacher on You Tube Shawn Clement

[gojipoj]

Hi Shawn, just a comment, how do I know if my hands have reached the ball at the same time the head of the club if you you like is at 90 degre angle as i keep the lag for the late hit, it's all happening very fast but without a video i wouldn't have a clue, but it feels like I am though, hitting it late that is. Any way to tell, love your work.

[NotNowChief53]

Why arn't you teaching Tiger, he needs the help!

[pattpawn]

ball in the bush, just for you guys.. lololol Love it.

[ironbar2007]

If you going to make videos where audio is important, could you put a wind sock on your mic please.

[plopp1231]

HI shawn, trust you are fine! May i check with you, how do i make a back spin on a 70 yards chip with a 60 deg wdge? Is it by compressing golf ball or use the club face to slice the golf ball surface.? Thank you.

[clemshaw]

@plopp1231 Not at all! If you just let the arm-club unit track it's own arc and plane, it will come down on the proper angle of attack to compress the ball; if you hit down too much then you will glance across it too much and loose spin;

Shawn

[TCOaks09]

hey I'm just wondering if your grip (overlap or interlock) makes a big difference? I average about 80 on 18 and am wondering if I would shoot better if I change my grip? I don't use overlap or interlock but the old baseball grip but with my thumbs down the club... Any suggestions?

[clemshaw]

Sure! Have a look at my "golf pro lesson proper grip" and "golf pro lesson grip 2 wrist hinge" and it will answer all these questions! Shawn

[alexandliamisapples]

Gravity Gravity Gravity

[clemshaw]

Yes; I make another point of it in my "golf pro lesson rhythm video;

Shawn

[d3v1lzk1ll]

im going golf in a minute trying this lol.

[Doesitmakeasound1]

I love your videos! When you do the perpretual motion here you mention "pops". Will that be the same when you do it with a driver or fairway wood?

[clemshaw]

Yes, and the same with a baseball bat; gravity will determine the pop if you let it; see my "golf pro lesson taut swing philosophy" video for more info;

Thanks for the comment! Shawn

[imthenextjohngrant]

Dear clemshaw,

Im 14 and fairly new to all these terms you use although i'm pretty decent at playing because I had lessons when I was younger. Even though I never kept playing golf after these lessons after picking the club up again it comes back to me. Anyway I'm going golfing with my freinds this week and I have one question. You Might've explained already but like I said I new to golf so it confused me. I would like to know tips on how shoot the ball it spins back at the hole.

[clemshaw]

Hey John; sorry for not responding earlier, busy season going on! :) You need a very soft ball like a pro V and very clean and sharp grooves on your clubs (They sell groove sharpeners at Golf Smith) and the ability to strike down and through like in the "Golf Pro lesson compress through the ball" and "golf pro lesson contact and spin" videos; Take care! Shawn

[bluejfk]

Why should I get a a girlfriend when I have a f'n hot cuban wife???? She did commercial work for Univision in the '80s

Actually, Shawn's teachings have helped her more than me. She used to sweep the ball girly style and now she can drive it 225-230( we are working on strait.) When you are a curvy cuban woman with a big muscular butt and learn Shawns methods it is scary how much distance she gained. As long as her putting stroke is still under constuction I am not in danger of losing!!

[clemshaw]

Great story! I am glad she is doing well!

When my wife was a 10 handicap before the kids, I would have to work very hard to stay ahead as she was one of my toughest opponents! She would kill me on the par 3s and force me to birdie all the time; she even beat me to getting a hole in one 7 years before I made my first one...:) Shawn

[quidsin69]

WOW bluejfk your life must FKin ace thanks for sharing that with us all...a 9 handicap and a hot cuban wife....u must be that tosser at the club that everyboby body swerves, dont confuse your mental age with your G handicap. GREAT VIDS CLEM VIDS

[bluejfk]

Shawn. In my opinion the bottom "apex" on an effortless golf swing follows your center of gravity. You swing up on the driver because your center of gravity is behing the ball since the ball is forward. Yout club comes down on the ball in your irons becuase your COG is infront of the ball when you make contact and all of this happens naturally. If I cast too soon the weight of my swing is going into the ground and not toward the target and my COG gets stuck behind the ball.

[clemshaw]

All fine and dandy; well said! Although I find the vast majority of golfers who cast too soon do this mainly because they don't know the feel yet and that the focus defaults to the ball because the instincts are distracted by a conscious mind trying to tell it what to do. Once the instincts or the cerebellum knows how THROUGH THE BALL FEELS, then the only conscious effort is to recall the feel to a specific target out to the fairway or the green; then the COG will be positioned properly...

[bluejfk]

What I am trying to say is that all of this bs about hitting down on the ball is totall nonsense. With a good swing and proper balance your GOG will be infront of the ball at inpact and you will naturaly hit the ball first in the downward portion of your swing. The apex of the downswing is now ahead of the ball and you simple have no choice but to hit ball first then ground. It just happens.

When you tell some one to hit the ball first then their focus is on hitting the ball........

[kirinlager49]

yep you are a wanker blurjfk

[bluejfk]

But I am a wanker with a 9 handicap thanks to Shawn!!!

[Geoff4417]

Don't forget to put the 2 infront of the 9

[zokora06]

excellent video just like the rest of them

would you recommend this on all shots onto the green using irons/wedges? or just wedges?

[clemshaw]

All shots! Every shot from the fairway is DOWN AND THROUGH;

Thanks for the question! Shawn

[MYNAMEISMATTOK]

get a fucken tan

[royale53]

Shawn Thanks for taking the time to do these videos. Sir would it be possible to a snippet on how much divot to take with certain irons or at least say which club you are using at the time of your drills. TYVVM

[clemshaw]

Good point!

Here I am using a 7 iron; divot should be 1/4 inch deep and about 4 to 6 inches long...about 1/2 inch per club from there...shorter as clubs get longer...

Shawn

[ReeceLHinze]

Damn. You make it look easy. I'm going to try this out tomorrow on a couple hundred balls and see what happens!

[Nippert77]

I found that golf ball you hit into the bushes, can I get it autographed Shawn?

[belladowner]

Shawn-

Where can I find your series of DVD's on instruction? You are the best instructor I have ever come across in my 42 years of playing.  Been scratch or plus handicapper for 37 years - - now I feel as if I really know what to do now !! :)

[clemshaw]

Hey thanks very much! You will find my dvd series on my website listed in the upper right corner of this video; look for the "my DVD" page;

Thanks in advance for your support!

Shawn

[swebs7]

Shawn, do you think you could make a video about putting back spin on pitch shots, because i quite often have to pitch the ball a lot short of the pin because i can't put spin on the ball.

[clemshaw]

You can see this in my "golf pro lesson beginnings of spin" and in the 3rd disc of my dvd series when I demonstrate a full wedge shot;

Shawn

[lilp3t3rr]

I have the same shoes as you =]

[clemshaw]

Adidas Power Band; Awesome support and comfort! My favorite shoe by far!

Shawn

[trextrextrex]

Shawn. Bought your set of Videos. They have already helped me as I am just getting back into golf. Between Tennis and Work I just dont have enough time to work on your drills. And Adidas makes the best shoes I have ever worn. Barricades for Tennis and the Powerband for golf. The support is unreal.

[aaronganley]

Just ordered the DVD. Really looking forward to more of the great instruction.

This particular lessons leaves me a question though. How do you get both the feel of swinging through the ball and trapping it? I can do both but it seems that the later involves the concept of swing 'at' the ball.

[clemshaw]

Let's combine the 2 and say this: "TRAP THROUGH THE BALL" OR "TRAP TOWARDS THE TARGET"

You are getting close though! :)

Thanks for the order and the comment! Shawn

[tganley1]

I realized I'm flipping my hands thorugh the ball to try and square club face, resulting in chicken wing, no forearm rotation, bad followthrough. So I tried hitting the ball with the end of the club, face open 90d. Big surprise, I couldn't do it. With full swing and head behind the ball, face closes no matter. Question is; I've been trying to manip club head for so long, I need to replace that thought with somehting else, i.e., I have to unlearn it. Thinking hit the ball with the face.....

[tganley1]

open 90d is a huge improvement, but it still leaves the face open way too much. (I know this because I have a dancin dog swing analyser). Unlearning bad habits is the most difficult part of learning your swing. Any thoughts on how to unlearn this one?

Thanks again, and I apologize for using up so much band width.

[Bills330]

Hi

Can anyone tell me the difference when the ball is more towards your left foot. In general, how does the ball position from your feet matters??

[TheHoyster13]

If you are a pretty good player moving the ball up in your stance helps to hit the high shot. However you got to put other factors into account.

[clemshaw]

Hey Bill; have a look at the "golf pro lesson Tilted Spiral part 3" and Golf Pro Lesson Be a solid Ball Striker"; it will give you plenty of insight; and thanks for the answer Hoyster!

Shawn

[lhgolfer50]

Shawn, first I find your teaching to be the best tool for my golf! Question, I have struggled with shanking my wedges. Using impact tape I find I impact the club face between the middle of the club face & the hosel on almost all shots. This also occurs on my other clubs but I don't shank them like I do my wedges. Is there something I should be looking for to correct this? The only thing that works to this point is addressing the ball with the toe of the club at the middle of the ball. Thanks!

[lhgolfer50]

P.S. I use your method of perpetual motion practice swings to see where the club strikes the ground then move my feet and club at same time to address the ball.

[clemshaw]

I have several videos to help with this; "Fix your shanks", "Tilted Spirale", "set up for all clubs", "Distance to ball"(which describes and demonstrates exactly what your first comment says), "Don't keep your head down" part 1 and 2 and finally the most important is "through the ball"; they are all on my website on the "you tube Shawn" page;

Thanks for your comments! Shawn

[GUNman3893]

another awesome video

[jeetang]

Hey Shawn!

Can't thank you enough for posting all these videos. More than anything, I really want to thank you for helping me to learn how to love and appreciate the game. I just ordered your DVD yesterday. Can't wait!! and You were right. I had to install QuickTime to get it to work on my computer. One quick question. If club bottoms out on the left side of the ball, is the clubface opened at impact since it was squared at address?

[WATCRAKIN]

Great Vid

[johnhatkinson]

I know what you mean about giving in to gravity (or however you put it!) but when you're lagging the club surely it is mostly momentum and that final flick of the wrists that pulls the club head through? Otherwise I doubt the club head would ever get straight at impact....this is what it feels like when i try and lag the club anyway that I really have to flick the wrists or I get a huge slice.

[clemshaw]

Hey John; Thanks for the comment;

If your head stays centered behind the ball and your right foot stays down through impact, you will have the anchor you need to "deploy" the release of the arms and get that nice snap through the ball when the right arm snaps over the left arm...post impact through the ball!

Shawn

[petesharp11]

Hi Shawn. Thanks for your great instruction videos.

This one is arguably the best out there in terms of getting a feel (which golf is all about) for swinging the club correctly.

[clemshaw]

Thanks Pete!

Appreciate the comment!

Shawn

[devosooner]

hey shawn...

Just wanted you to know you have a true talent of teaching in ways to that make the game make more sense. I have come a long way for never having any kind of lesson and have started to understand the physics of the golf swing just by wathcing your vids. I have a question related to contact....When playing a fairway woods is the "trapping of the ball" still what I should be trying to do, or is it more of a sweep?

[clemshaw]

The longer the club, the wider the arc and the shallower the divot after impact; have a look at the "fairway woods" and the "Hybrids" videos from my "you tube Shawn" page of my website; Thanks for the question and comment; and for the kind words!

Shawn

[phoenixgold2100]

Thanks shawn. I was watching most of the videos you have on here las night and answered the questions watching them. Its juat hard to know which ones to watch

[clemshaw]

I know what you mean;

If you go to my new page called "swing analysis services" on my website listed at the top right of each video window, you can send me a video of your swing and I can review it and make the proper recommendations;

Shawn

[phoenixgold2100]

Sorry for the long questions... Also while my hands are reaching the ball first as in your videos when do i release my wrists to get the head to the ball. sometimes i hit the turf well behind the ball. other times i think i am doing it right as it sounds like good contact and they seem to stop dead when they hit the ground on the range. the ball marks on the face are quarter size. thanks again.

[clemshaw]

You are coming in too steep; go back to the "Braced Tilt Part 2" video;

Shawn

[phoenixgold2100]

hey shawn.. been out to the range with my new clubs. they are sweet but mis hits are really horrible..and they don't seem to go as high or as far as my old cavity backs. is this beacuse they are forged and i need to get my swing speed up? My club head speed is 80-99 mph. and i seem to be hitting them square in the middle of the face. Also i have been really working on a good lag, should i use this lag on all clubs or just wedge shots?

[clemshaw]

The lofts on the Hogans are just higher resulting in less distance; many of the new clubs have beefed up lofts to lull you into thinking that they are better...and same swing for everything!

[phoenixgold2100]

hey shawn, just thought I would write and ask a question. I just bought a set of ben hogan forged apex plus irons. Is there anything I should do different to use these to their ability? thanks again.

[clemshaw]

Thanks for the question;

Great set of clubs! And no, these should bring you the feedback you need to perform better; listen to them! :) Shawn

[Scampern]

Could you make a video on how to get big amounts of backspin on your approach shots from lets say 130 yards and in?

Is it just the grooves on the club, steep angle of descent, loft on the club and swinging through the ball that is the key?

Would be so cool if I could make the ball bite and hop back on the green and make my buddies admire my spin skills (none of those I play with are able to do this).

[clemshaw]

Yes; grooves on the club, loft, ball cover needs to be super soft, new wedges help too, through the ball yes but steep angle of descent no; the short iron's shaft length gives you a naturally descending blow and to try to get steeper is to glance across it and reduce the spin...My DVD has a nice section on it and you see one of my 9 irons from 150 spin back about 6 to 10 feet...I will see what I can do once the club opens in the next 3 weeks...It has been a hard long winter here...

Shawn

[Scampern]

No worries Shawn. I am about to buy your dvd anyway so I will get the info there. For now I need to focus on my brace and not destroying my kneess.. Played my best round so far yesterday but my knees don`t like what Im doing to them and Im only 23..

The tenderness/pain is on the inside-front of my forward foot, any idea what Im might doing wrong?

[clemshaw]

Yes, 2 choices: You will see the rolling of the feet in the "Feet together drill" which is important to alleviate the torque build up in the forward knee; I also love letting the left heel list in the backswing as the foot rolls as a result of a good turn; have a look at the "Transition" and the "Swing Sequence" vids...

Shawn

[swilson1000000]

about 5 iron!!!

[clemshaw]

You could definitely use more distance from your swing; it starts with finishing the backswing to get more momentum in the downswing which will lead to a better release of the club through the ball and towards the target; check out the following vids from the "You Tube Shawn" page of my website: "Stacked and Complete", "whip Sling Swat", "Takeaway and Starting the swing" and I have a couple more coming that will help too! Shawn

[swilson1000000]

If you don't take a divot on your iron shot, what is the consequence if any?

Great video's btw ;)

[clemshaw]

It just won't have the same penetration and compression resulting in less spin and control; especially in windy conditions...most great ball strikers have and do take divots; but if your distance and spin are good, then you are doing many things right; what is your 150 yard club?

Shawn

[gonegolfn07]

lol he bladed the shit out of it when he teed it up

[clemshaw]

Ahh come on man! It was just one groove low!:)

[jg1192]

I've been trying to this now for about 3 weeks, and I'm still struglling. I'll try your drill it seems helpful. Although I'm never sure if I "trap" and keep my hands in front of the ball, is there a way to know for sure that I kept my hands ahead??? I'm sure it's just a feeling you get... I've always been the shortest in my foursome and I'm pretty sick of it, hopefully this will help me!! I also stuggle keeping my hands ahead with my long clubs(driver, wood, hybrid)any tips?

[clemshaw]

Go to the "Golf Pro Lesson short Chip" and start your practice session with those; then perfect it with "Golf Pro Lesson short game" and then go to the "Golf Pro Lesson Chicken wing accross the line" and try to mimic the long club I use in there and don't let the shaft of the club touch your left side though the ball;You can then reinforce with "Golf Pro Lesson Sequence Power drills" and "Golf Pro Lesson on the slopes" with the downhill shot.

[Ryan000179]

Great to learn a helpful concept from the video - triggering a club downswing by the gravity, not the hands. However, how and when do I get the right "timing" to trigger a downswing after a upswing? Does it happen naturally or is it manipulated by human body?

[clemshaw]

This question is answered by my "Golf Pro Lesson Transition" and "Golf Pro Lesson Arms falling" and "Golf Pro Lesson swing Sequence" videos;

Thanks for your comment! Shawn

[rhino2694]

can someone help.when i try to put spin on the ball i always seem to take a huge divot out of the ground.any tips?

[clemshaw]

Do not try to hit down on the ball; you want to hit through the ball towards the target! Watch "Golf Pro Lesson Proper spine tilt", "Braced Tilt" and "Golf Pro Lesson on the slopes" and see the uphill and the downhill shots;

Let me know what you get out of them; Shawn

[vbtalent]

Shawn,

I'm really struggling with ball compression and my iron play I just can't seem to hit "down" on the ball. Consequently my ball flight being a right hander is a slight fade.

Do you have any suggestions to help me hit down and through the ball instead of laying the sod over top of it...

AJM,

Do you have any

[pecky1234]

any tips for the shift of weight forward in the downswing. your weight shift video talks about the shift in the backswing, rather than goin through the ball. is this just a natural happening if your intent is correct

[clemshaw]

In the Hogan Power Move and Hogan Power Drill video, and in the Leverage Uphill video, I talk about how to use leverage against a solid right side to squeeze the weight forward through the ball; when in the correct position, the weight will shift on it's own without any conscious thought;

Thanks for the question, Shawn

[razorbacker80]

Shawn. My tee shots are fine, but anything off the ground is a problem. Recently, I find that I'm hitting the ground before hitting the ball.

From what you said in this video, I am focusing my attention on the back of the ball. I helped myself a bit today by focusing on the front of the ball.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

[clemshaw]

Have a look at the "golf pro lesson Through ball" video and let me know how you do!

Shawn

[Alpheraz]

I understood from the video that the sentence about the "ideal ball positition is slightly forward the center" means slightly to the right side, but I would need clarification.

Also, should the ball be in that position when using the different irons and woods, or the ball position should move?

Thank you very much

[clemshaw]

Have a look at the "Golf Pro Lesson Driver Tip 2" Video;

Shawn

[GolfLessonsTV]

Thanks for the video. It's been added to GOLF LESSONS (dot) TV.

[azrunescape]

that looks as if it would make the ball go very low i dont agree with you i think you should release the club correctly and flik your wrists before the ball

[robehne]

You must be kidding...lol If you're not, any fine player will say the same about ball contact. BALL first and then the TURFF. There is good information in this video that you need to study and practice, even if it makes you worse at first. Things get worse before they get better. Thank you Shawn.

[therouterninja]

Agreed.

The science behind it, is that you're compressing the ball against the turf and getting some much needed added spin. If you ever watch the pros, they leave HUGE divots on each shot. At the last Nationals, Tiger hit his last shot on the 18th hole from the rough, and a divot the size of a golfball came out. Was a very nice shot.

[dasso10]

Shawn, Thank You for the great videos. Just watching them and using it at the driving range and practice green for a couple of days took 15+ strokes off my game. I never knew how much I was doing wrong.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[itubeutude]

2 questions. Is it possible to have the hands too far forward at impact? Don't you risk hitting shots thin by telling people the shot bottoms out past the ball? and delofting the iron?. 2nd question, how come you've got an echo when speaking outdoors?

[pecky1234]

well if you bottom out at the ball you'll hit shots fat. the correct way is too strike with a descending blow and take turf afterward. watch slow-mos of pros with irons and they all do this. i personally say u cant hav too much hands forward, but do it consistently or you'll get inconsistent ball flighrs

[clemshaw]

If your head and centre remains in place, your right foot stays on the ground and your tilt stays intact you cannot have your hands too far ahead; what I am trying to say here is that when you focus on momentum THROUGH the ball, the impact should feel like this...Feeling it seels the deal!

I was in a valley for the echo...

Shawn

[faderjoe]

Shocking! Simply shocking!

[RingerDaMan]

I don't like the huge lean forward of his upper body that is in his swing. In this lesson it's almost what he's teaching everyone to do. Please learn to release the club properly and you'll be far better off than following this advice. No offense Shawn.

[zaphod2]

what huge lean are you talking about ? i can`t see it in the video. thanks

[itratk]

I think you're talking about the weight shift he puts on his front leg at time index 1:35. It probably is a bit advanced for someone just starting out, but I think he teaches it after you've learned to swing the club properly anyway. It actually feels pretty good and it's given me more power and stability. See the clip "Steve Lee Golf Pro Lesson" where Shawn shows one of his students doing the same thing. It looks more fluid and balanced at full speed.

[skyshooter2010]

Another great golf video from Shawn.

It looks so easy and logical. Thanks!