Sometimes I wonder whether I follow too many sources of golf swing information. Just now I looked at the YouTube channels I follow: GG Swing Tips, RotarySwing.com, Be Better Golf, Mike Austin Fan, Kelvin Miyahira, Kelvin Miyahira Golf, Top Speed Golf, Tony Luczak, and Golf Science Lab. I used to subscribe to Athletic Motion Golf when they focussed mostly on GEARS analysis but lately they’ve become just another source of fairly generic tips.
Not only do I follow those YouTube channels I occasionally watch the videos YouTube recommends. Sometimes they are interesting. Sometimes it is just another voice with the same old same old. I also enjoy watching slow motion swing videos. They can serve as a useful reality check of some of the advice channels.
On top of YouTube I subscribe to the RotarySwing.com and TopSpeedGolf.com membership sites.And that brings me to today’s subject. A couple of days ago I started the Top Speed Golf 20 Minutes Distance Fix, a three week course included with my paid subscription.
The twin ideas are measuring speeds to monitor improvement and working on the three or four movements most likely to boost speed quickly. It all makes such good sense and is very convincing. In the first action video Clay Ballard started with about 117mph and in the first session of 25 balls reached 123mph. What could possibly go wrong?
I started smoothly enough and hit five drives to establish a benchmark of 90mph. A bit below what I’ve been seeing lately but more room for improvement. Next was five balls swinging as quickly as possible. I was convinced I was doing better but the numbers said otherwise. Still 90mph on average. Then five balls with a big turn and long swing. That was worse with an average of 89mph. Next five balls with a step drill preceding. Back up to 90mph. Then five half swing full power drives. The test was a full swing with the same feel at 91mph. Finally a drill releasing lag as quickly as possible. Again 91mph.
What a let down. I didn’t even get close to my best ever 95mph. The good news was that my half swing drives felt strong and were only one mph below my full swing speed. Not only that but they looked good on video. Better in fact than my best full swing videos. Nice alignments. Strong drive with my legs and shoulders. Good turn through the ball.If only I could get the same movements with my full swing.
So that was today’s task. I started with 50m pitches. My goal was to have my head hands over my lead foot at impact. My idea was to achieve that with a very strong turn with my lower body so that my shoulders were 30* turned toward the target at impact. And keeping my trail leg stationary for the hips turned open. Those who follow George Gankas will recognise the source of these ideas.
The results were pleasing. My right leg action was consistent with my RotarySwing instructor’s advice with the trail foot stable until impact. My spine angle was nicely vertical throughout the down swing when viewed from behind just like Top Speed’s stable fluid spine. In the middle of my 40 ball session I hit some pure 6I shots with a very penetrating ball flight. Not long and not great clubhead speed at 74mph but that wasn’t the idea.
Conclusion? There’s no monopoly on good golf mechanics ideas.
Forrest Gardener 