Another way to do this on grass or even mats, is lay two alignment sticks about 1 cm apart, spray a foot spray in the gap, lift the alignment sticks and you have a line on which to place the ball, you can then monitor your divots. Used this system for years, works a treat
Sorry if this was covered in the vid and I just missed it, but I think it’s really important to note that pros are much shallower in their angle of approach than higher-handicap players are. That’s an important factor when you’re looking at where low point is. If an amateur tries to get inches in front of the ball with low point but a steep angle of attack, you're going to see a lot of thin and topped shots. The reason pros can have that low point so far in front of the ball is that the force is directed way more into the back of the ball than down into the ground. You get somebody thinking he has to “hit down on the ball” emphatically, and there’s no way he can get the low point that far in front of the ball and still get solid contact. In short, for the vast majority of amateurs, getting low point farther in front of the ball than they have it now is going to involve improving angle of approach by making it shallower. Or at least it should, if the point is to get a good player's arc through impact.
This is my problem.The further ahead of the ball I shallow the club, the more likely I am to thin or skull the ball. Need to work on that lag action and lateral movement at the same time. No problem. lol
@@maurocasarico1752 people have talked about this concept for quite a while but I think this video is the best example and the best training on how to achieve it. Well done Steve as usual. We're on!
I’m almost speechless, I’ve watched a lot of your videos an always appreciated your approach an understanding of the game. This one though, I’ll try to explain if I can. I’m 54, play golf everyday, well should say a practice golf everyday. Only because I can’t afford to play everyday or I would. Love golf with all my heart an had the recent awakening an awareness of how much an why. I realize now why it’s all I really wanna live for because it’s my therapy, escape, tool, reason, I’ll assume from here you get it. Not married, no kids, only a couple friends left. Life’s a mystery of reasons we believe, make up, or understand to make it through each day. Stay with me now, an see if you can truly understand this reason. How golf turned out even more important is a reason it sucked to learn, understand is probably the better definition of my point though. At an absolute low in life we all have to live through a deal with an hope to god we can understand. Obviously making a point so this is no entertaining riddle. Death, should’ve been what you thought I was implying. I realized as I cussed at god for the first and last time hopefully. That now my life from that moment on now has the reality of what I have left to live for a through til I die. At the point where death is the only real reality for me an my existence. All the good times an hopes an dreams an in my case delusions are done even when I live in denial everyday fighting it. All I really have ahead of me from this point on is loss, an there’s nothing I can do because everything in my world is taking its turn at dying til I’m on the tee box myself. In the meantime I’ve moved up to a good spot in the gallery to watch the action my family, my friends, my pets, my life is teeing off on their last round. A nothing I can do but hope they play the round of their lives enjoying every blade of grass on the way. Sand traps, rough, fast greens, can’t steal any shot they take with more confidence an accuracy then jack or tiger ever had on their best game ever. An seeing the world I do for me like that. It hit me, there’s is one thing that no matter how I get or good I get. I will always believe I can still get better at a still have that hope of a constant I can believe in myself no matter what can keep improving an driving me to not lose that feeling an emotion. Hopefully til I’m on 18 of my final round a don’t realize it til I get my ball a walking off green look back a realize it too late to matter. Now, that I’ve enlightened you to what an how importance is really explained. Let’s get to my comment, man would I love to win a contest of 7 days of golfing with you. 27 holes a day, range an green practice included everyday of course. An damnit, you make me fuckin crave Guinness playing golf!?! I’ve drank a lot of beer playing golf, love Guinness, but never drank 1 playing golf. But it’s a real part of the fantasy for some reason. Maybe only because it always seems like your videos are on cooler overcast dingy days. Which I happen to love an love to golf in also. No Guinness on a hot sunny 90 degree day on the course. Budweiser is the obvious beverage for those conditions on the course. But the real game is the rhetoric as I tear every golf shot, thought an theory to shreds with the part of the game that is so incomprehensible it’s impossible to fix, control, practice, or even learn. We can understand it, but we can’t learn it no matter how much we understand it. The only possible chance we have is wisdom of time. That we can’t control no matter how much we might even think we can or do. An you can’t know that til it’s TIME!! I think it’s pathetic professional athletes using psychologists nowadays!?!? Are you fuckin kidding me!?!? I want golf psychologist just so I can tell him to shut the fuck up you know nothing!! Now let me blow some sunshine up your butt that is the actual cause of why you an this are the only comment I’ve ever made on all thousand s and thousands of golf videos. An I’m getting em all out on this one if ya haven’t noticed. But your sunshine n bullshit credit if you even made it this far. I’ve obviously heard everything, but your angle of explanation with low point I thought was actual original thoughts of something real golfers know an have been aware of I actually understood in a different angle better way what I already understood and knew. Yep, that’s it, could’ve just said that a good job. But the effect of that understanding an my enlightened insight just had to be heard!!! lol. Man, I wanna tell ya good job. You ever make it to Indiana, we got Guinness a golf try an find me!
@@LH-my4th Lol. Really!?! Hell, I don’t know! Maybe I do, that actual measurement of skill level to low point correlation put into words says everything about contact. Which is the key to the game, being able to visualize the contact you want and need for every shot is what we’re striving for. The way you explained it was the next level of the key to the game and understanding the contact you want. Ball first, ground second is the way your supposed to hit the golf shot. From there to what degree is the deciding factor of how good anyone can be. For example, the beaver pelt divots, if your average golfer understood what swing plane it takes to get a divot like that they wouldn’t believe where an how the pros are aiming to achieve that kind of strike. So yeah, really!! lol. It helped me understand what I need to focus on for next level results anyway. Appreciate it.
Would just like to say massive thanks I have come across your site and watched this video. I have just tried this swing I have hit 50 balls and can't believe how many I hit straight unbelievable. I haven't been so consistent in my swing my whole life so thanks alot. I have subscribed to your channel
Moving your low point in front of the ball will make you a better ball striker but not necessarily make you a 5 handicap. Good video and explanation. Thanks
He never once said you will be a 5 handicap if u get your low point 4 inches in front of ball.... He said golfers who are 5 handicappers have an average low point of 4 inches in front of the ball.... Its so funny how different people can watch the same video and some people hear something totally different than what was actually said.... And this video definitely makes sense if you are hitting the golf ball correctly its going to fly more consistent which in turn should lower your handicap.... I cant wait to try this... Im a bogey golfer and the main reason is inconsistent iron play and distance... I always wanted to scoop or hit up on the ball and then i started playing it toward my back foot and started hitting down on the ball and now that i got that feeling i moved the ball back to the center position 2 weeks ago and have been hitting flush iron shots that sound perfect and they sit on the green with no run.... I won a scramble with teams of 2 yesterday and was voted mvp even though my partner hit an eagle chip... And the reason was my approach game i hit 4 out of 6 greens and was closest to hole on 2 of those out of 10 teams..... Some holes were alternate shot and one hole my partner chipped in for eagle before i hit my second... I can wait to keep playing...
Very enjoyable… and factual… very very few of my golf mates hit ball / turf… even fewer ( myself included) even take a wee thin divot after strike, and virtually never if it’s an iron off the tee. Yet you see, every night watching the golf on telly… perfect ball / turf. We get ourselves embroiled in latest clubs, drivers even golf balls.. but how much better would we all be just getting ball /turf EVERY time. Answer…= a lot better.
@@chrismalicki6579 I tried this on the course today and really tried to concentrate on 4 in in front of the ball as my aim point. Generally okay results though I did find myself decelerating out of fear.
@@chrismalicki6579 so I've tried looking 4 in front of the ball on the course but it doesn't seem to work. Friend of mine suggested I start looking at the leading edge of the ball not the back of it. But my low point I'm trying to achieve is just in front of my lead foot. My practice swing I try to hit the ground over my lead foot and I take it from there. Seems to work a bit better for my brain.
Nice little drill, I’ll give it a go in the morning and excellent topic to focus on. I generally teach (try to) get people to learn how to and when to move there pressure into the lead (target) side. Once they have this understanding I have found low point control becomes almost automatic. *also having a launch monitor that measures the stats you are using helps the players understanding and buy in. Thanks again for the video!
Such a simple concept. A quick point you made about not sliding back on the back swing. I think that maybe it is because subconsciously you feel like you're turning more when you slide.
Another great video Steve... many thanks. started topping my 4 wood this year, I was advised to use this technique and lo and behold solid strikes again.. For me I had to concentrate and look at a spot 1" ahead of the ball, it didn't seem to work as well just looking at the left edge of the ball (HCP 6.0). Started using with 5-7 irons as well, much better compression. Thanks again
I did the same thing in 3:55(you placing a tee /on the course I placed a leaf). I played with a few new players before who's been topping ball and suggested that idea. the first one was so surprised that ball went airborne.
Yes, this is really good for making more consistent strike. However, anyone moving their low point 4 inches forward will see a consequent change in their club path, all else being equal.
This is the best golf tip I’ve seen in a long time. I’d love to see your take on applying this to hitting up on driver as I tend to get to steep or is it simply put a tee on the ground and miss it? A tee sitting 2cm outta the ground after the ball on the tee?
Excellent video Steve. No BS and talking for the sake of it... until the gloves. Haha. Only started playing a couple of months ago and heard plenty of videos saying ball first then turf, nothing on how much further forward we're talking though. With a measurement at least you can work on consistency.
I can't wait to try this out. I always thought I had to keep my head above the ball through impact. I now realise it's really restrictive. Another great tip. Separately I've noticed you don't seem to hold the club up high like you promoted Duchambeau. Am I blind missing this or did it not work for you? Thanks again
Steve, where are your eyes aiming at? Do you fix your aim target 4 inches ahead of the ball. Yet, when I want to hit a high shot I hit 1-2 inches behind the ball. - so my questions are; where are your eyes aiming at and how do you hit a high shot by aiming 4 inches beyond the ball?
@@stevejohnstongolf awesome thanks! I thought it was the Cabot (Cliffs or Links) course in Nova Scotia, Canada (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QHF-g4olhl0.htmlsi=PJQs1de9MR8wyP8d). Would have loved to see an opinion of it where you play so many links courses in Scotland. Maybe a trip some day! :)
Steve, perhaps an odd question: you and Danny Maude have addressed the same issue in the same week in completely different ways. Danny focusses on the arm bend and movements. You are both guys I Love to learn from. Is this just a case of same outcome but tailoring to different peoples ways of learning? I have to say that yours is easier to visualise BUT my emphasis on body does give me some of the problems Danny highlights e.g. pulling the ball left with a slight out-to-in path…….. I’ll ask Danny the same question.
great video. this is something i have been working on. Why is it you are not taking a divot? Is it astro turf? Should I be taking a very deep divot? Can you give more detail on what the upper body needs to do. when I keep my upper body over my lower the shot is very low. I feel like i need to let my hips move forward while holding my upper body back. I am tiring to keep my head from passing the ball. Is this right ?
So I'm a 23 handicap with playing for about 18 months. I still cannot fathom these kind of concepts. My body doesn't want to cooperate despite my best efforts. Been trying to focus on my low point or aim point of the swing over my big toe of my lead foot but it's not quite clicking
I'll save your sanity. Research "stack and tilt" golf swing. It's the easiest and most consistent method for learning golf. Jim Venetos and Tom Saguto are well known stack and tilt instructors, but there are others too. Make stack and tilt your religion and you'll be playing great golf in no time. Ignore all conventional golf swings, there are too many variables, which causes all sorts of inconsistency.
@FlankerJackChannel if you just watch only Venetos and Saguto stuff you'll be gold. Videos of conventional swing instructors will just throw you off. I ended up just unfollowing all the other ones.
Dunno about that, sir. My ball striking is very good but my average is still 86. Actually, 86 is still the best of my buddies so I'll take it. As for struggling golfers, frantic tempo and too many haymakers seem to be the biggest issues I see. Which does seem to support your video after all. Control the swing, control the ground contact point. I think a sneaky problem is that clubs are too light these days.
It seems that this is introducing hip sway and moving your head forward of the ball which are things we are told are bad. Could it be that your forward movement is not "preceding" the swing but following it? Confused.
I get the theory seems good, just wondering if 4 inches past the golf ball at address is where the 'start of the divot' in terms of the arc on the club head, or is it 4 inches past the golf ball to the 'bottom out' of the club head. 4 inches seems like a lot of ground to cover.. so to speak!
@@martymcflytriple0007 I’m referring to the lowest point of the arc, the middle of the divot. Sure I mention that at one point, apologies if I missed it out. Thanks SJ
On an aside, the late great John Jacob’s at the Harry Seacombe golf classic, would guess your handicap from watching you hit 3 balls, if he got it right, 1 shilling donation to charity. This was in the day when handicaps were true and correct, current cheats charter (as described by Golf Monthly) means that handicaps are all over the place. What ever happened to try and get as low as you could in respect of handicap?
It’s correct that pros have the low point of the arch 4 inches after the ball contact, but having the low point of the arch 4 inches after the ball contact does not make you a pro player, unfortunately.😢
Good video but u still have to know how to putt the ball.. cause u can get on the green in one shot on a par 3 or 2 shots on a par 4 but if your putting is crap then ur still gonna be a plus 15 handicap lol.
One can do the exact same for driver but with tee before the ball ‘s place so one can learn the low point before ball ? It is an idea , maybe stupid ? Thx
If you have the ball well forward and address the driver 4” behind the ball and a fraction inside… good things will happen… club rises and as it rises it goes out to meet ball in centre of face. Low point should always be under right armpit ….ish.
Because the point is not really about where you're striking the start of the divot. It's really about getting your body to move forward which results in a forward divot. In citing the study the point is not 4" will guarantee a certain outcome. It's really more that lower handicapped golfers have the same outcome which is a result of proper body movement. In other words if you move the ball back you may be taking a divot in the right place ahead of the ball, but you've likely not changed your actual swing properly, therefore you won't get the full benefits of a proper swing which include longer distance and consistency.
Quick question. Is the divot on the target side of the ball consistent with all clubs or does this get shorter with the longer clubs? #wannabe5hcp 😀 Oops. The answer was right at the end of your video 🫣
