This is What Made me Turn Pro 

The longer I play the more I realize golf is all about patience; patience with your swing, patience with your strategy and patience with the mental aspects as well. I think the biggest struggle in the beginning/early stages of golf is once you start building some confidence the patience goes out the window and you want to start swinging harder and faster and taking more aggressive shots.

This is a gem. The 3/4 backswing and full follow thru with the ball “just getting in the way” and the clubhead doing the work gives consistent strikes and powerful flight pattern. Staying with this simple concept it’s surprising how much thought stuff goes out the window as unnecessary /damaging.Thanks Russ

Fantastic advice. I just bought a GEM last week, and I've been working on compression, too, and with the two combined, I was at the range the other day and managed to get the best consistency and dispersion ever. I just need to work on it at the course, which is much harder because mine are built on a hill, so the undulations are extreme! It's tough get it to all work perfectly on a difficult course!

I can't believe it took me this long to figure this out but everything you're saything is spot on. That feeling of compression is soo gooood and its nice to be able to simplify the swing and keep centered.

Majority of amateurs never truly strike the ball pure with compression. Best feeling in golf

Great video, simple concise instructions that work very well! Thank you!

Russell was the young assistant Pro at Maxstoke when I was a member there many years ago, and he was an incredible coaching pro then, but now he is top draw and if you watch and listen to him he will undoubtedly improve your game. Well done Russell, keep up the quality teaching.

This was awesome. Hit all the points I’ve been thinking about lately. Glad I’m not the only one!

Brilliant. I have recently been learning about and striving for compression, and when I strike well everything you mentioned occurs.

This especially makes so much more sense for the recreational golfer. FANTASTIC LESSON!

This is a great video and just what I needed at this point in my golf journey. I am 43 and started playing golf 1 year ago. (Don’t ask me why I took so long to find this amazing sport). I played hockey most of my life which is good and bad for golf. My goal for 1st year was to have consistent strikes for a round a golf, complete a round without losing a ball and break 100. Turns out I crushed those goals, broke 90 a few times and can easily play a round of golf without losing a ball and can go a round with only a hand full of duffs. The key for me was compression and learning to hit the long irons. I still am obviously not very good at it but it’s what allowed me to achieve my goals. The conclusions I came to with my own tinkering (no lessons) is pretty much this video. I realized that with more club and a shorter more compact and controllable swing, I could get good compression easier which allowed me to control long iron shots more. My best rounds allowed me to hit high % of GIRs on my 2nd shot. That has been the key for me. That and short game. You have to be able to be deadly from 100 yards and have to be able to putt well, which I really can’t do consistently and need to work on. Great video, when you compress the ball you will know. The ball will fly off the face even if you feel like your club is digging and you hit a fat shot. Why? Cause you’re hitting the ball first! ; )

I recently figured this out by accident and it just changed everything. Then suddenly you appeared on my youtube. The moment I saw the thumbnail I knew what you were going to talk about. Watching this I gained more confidence. Thank you.

Would love to see you bring your lessons out to the course more often, with some short game tips around the green 👍🏿

A rotator cuff injury taught me this same concept. Often over-swung, over-turned, erratic shots the result. My PT said if it didn't hurt, I could play. I had to shorten my swing by 1/3 at least to accomplish that pain-free swing. All of sudden I am hitting straight to slight draw, more consistent ball striking, better yardages the result. When I get wild, I know I've gone too far on the backswing. Great lessons and well explained.

Yes, I keep my head still by feeling "balance" in my body throughout the entire swing... great video.

This was HUGE for me. Thank you for sharing this. Absolute game changer

I literally had "A-Ha" moments on both items you mentioned (compression and a shorter backswing) this past summer. They have transformed my ballstriking significantly. I haven't seen a drop in handicap index that correlates with the progress I felt I've made, but I can sense it will come. I am currently a 14.2 index, but feel that I've been striking it like a single-digit 'capper. Just gotta log more rounds!

This lesson really struck home with me. I have been working on increasing my shoulder turn and found that compression with the irons is getting worse. Getting a better strike with less effort is really a breakthrough moment.

Just been really discovering this approach (always had a short back swing because of issues there), and have gone from a 25 down to 18 in about a month. Getting the distance out of irons that I want, but now am getting them pretty accurate.

I have been coaching for close to 18 years. This is probably the best advice one can give out in my ever so humble opinion. The problem is getting the student to listen, hear and then believe. Go to any range and virtually everyone is taking as long a backswing that they possibly can. . .and then trying to go a bit further. Great video! I will be using it to validate the concept.

Man you make golfing look very easy. I have been learnin from your drills and I am getting better. I am a traumatic brain injury survivor. Thanks for the lessons Mr. Heritage, appreciated.

I started breaking 90 in 2019 but i've been on a plateau since then. Just up and down between 15-18 handicap the past few years.

You are perfectly right my man. I discovered the very same thing and ever since, I've been hitting a whole lot better and longer, especially with my long irons. I found that shorter swings are much more effective and consistent for me too.

Fantastic! Makes perfect sense. Thank you!

Yep I rotate to much lately on my irons. I still clobber them into existence but I had to analyze myself and I came off body relation at the range yesterday like a noob. Thanks for the great reminder.

Great and clear explanation. Thank you!

Thanks Russell light bulb 💡 iv been standing too narrow in my stance 😊well done 👏

This is such good thinking. I found my 'half swing' was going further than my 'full swing' - because connection was so much better,

Oh Russ - on top of your other ball compression lesson a few weeks ago - this is gold - effortless compression - add Mr Hogan and the right arm - ❤

Nice and simple and to the point.

Brilliant video. Up there with the best. 😀

Great video Russell. Consistency is the elusive element that we’re all looking for. Prioritizing compression and not depth of turn is very helpful as i practice.

Love these videos man. Thank you

Russell, you are the only one talking about keeping the head still and quiet over the ball. My feel is to keep my head still and stay down over the ball. Is my heading moving yes b/c it's an athletic move but I FEEL quiet over the ball. It has made all the difference, brilliant as always.

One of the best tip if not the best. And its less than 3 minutes! Thank you good sir!

Omg. This is the best concise efficient advice for anyone playing golf out there. Hdcp 15 -> 5

That makes huge sense. Can’t wait to to try. Thanks

Excellent video. Thank you for sharing.

That’s exactly what I do. I’d suggest checking where your shoulder turn finishes as you’ll still hit in the direction of where your shoulders are pointing. For people that aren’t particularly flexible it might mean you need to be aiming what feels like left of your target, but in reality you probably don’t have a full shoulder turn which in the end has your shoulders finishing on target.

Extremely effective video, easy to practice! you nailed it!!

Great Lesson!

This is so helpful. For me, the turning point was really aiming to hit "down" on the ball, rather than to "lift" the ball up.

The problem I have with delofting my club face for compression, is that my club's momentum during the downswing often causes me to release early. The speed of the swing requires very good timing that one does not hit fat, the ground before the ball.

Excellent instruction.

Insightful, helpful video.

Good stuff. Lucikly i found this out naturally within the first month of learning golf. Im able to smash the 3 iron consistently now.

Solid insight!

cool! Im tryin that today!

Micah Morris is a great example for a short swing going a very long way, his left arm hardly goes past parallel ! Great vid 👍🙏

During a recent lesson I ended up hitting my 7i around 170yds purely by loosening up and compressing the ball well. Felt like a half swing but my connection was much better.

I've actually gone so far as to close my trail foot as to promote making that full follow through. It's certainly limited my back swing depth but to the point of this video, I don't get stuck anymore.

Curious why the cover photo that makes you click is rarely in a video.

Excellent advise

100% correct. I came across this myself by trial and error over a period of years. It simply works. No need for huge turn or swinging hard. Great video. 80%, best part of video!

Nice. Good little lesson. I notice you don't get into the 'reverse K' set up position and orientate yourself behind the ball. You just stand over it in a nice, neutral, athletic stance and pivot.

So smooth

Interesting video. I discovered this by chance. I hurt my back and couldn’t do a full swing - like I had been taught. I moved to a shorter swing, got better compression, tighter dispersion and better scores. Since my back has recovered, my swing has returned to ‘normal’ and the reverse has happened. I’ll be going ‘back to the future’😂

Definitely will try this, with my score it can't hurt.

What kind distances do you hit the ball since this compression discovery ?

Golden nugget info 👍

I have trouble changing between all the clubs.If I take an iron to the park after a while I can hit it nicely but not after hitting driver and a hybrid in play.

Awesome video 💯

Nice 💪🏼

Exactly what my dad has been telling me since I was 8 years old. I'm 41 now!

Does this work for hybrids?

Task is to shallow out the swing progressively in longer irons or fairway woods and still hit down somewhat. And from there to understand the opposite approach with a driver, while still compressing the ball.

Massively misleading thumbnail

Initial image looked interesting but never referenced again… typical pro loves hearing himself speak

Tell me if I'm wrong, but the thumbnail on this video didn't really get covered in this video. Is he saying to place the ball further back in your swing?

Weekend hacker set up works for me,,and I'm a below left knee amputee,, playing off 13,.4 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Thank you.

Here was the realization when I went from a double digit to low single digit hdcp. Swinging correctly is actually easier than swinging incorrectly. Our brains inherently think our bodies need to do more to generate power which causes a sway, which causes an off plane backswing and from there, consistent inconsistency. When I started swinging correctly, the only feels were my butt almost pushing back and that I was barely turning throughout the swing. Best way to explain it is that it felt like my body was quiet. In reality, I was just turning correctly with almost no body sway and ball striking went from unpredictable to consistent. Also gained 10-15 yards per club which initially was a challenge picking a club as I had to unlearn my previous distances.

This is what I've never been able to figure out. Hitting the ball first. I've tried drills, etc. and I just can't seem to crack the code. Then again I play maybe a dozen rounds a year and I guess it's not that big of a deal. Still, it'd be nice to make solid, ball first contact at some point in my life.

I’ve been waiting 30 years to go to the next level but at least I can only go up from here.

what kind of iron and shaft

What do you do, if your facing a shot that you have to hit higher?

Funny enough I had my best round this past weekend and let’s just say shorter backswing and mixing in more purposeful practice has changed my game

Aces! Tnx

What irons are those in thumbnail

Thats what i do, no compression but short swing. I don’t stay down, always catch the irons off the toe. My divot starts at the ball, not in front. I get no distance, the 5,6,7 all go the same distance. Dead straight but always short. Can’t train myself to stay down, not sure why i get no compression. My divot is always right left, i equate that to coming up out of the shot.

I like that he uses his indoor voice

I like this

But what if I don't get stuck behind the ball?

Tiger says; “when I’m striping it I don’t take a divot.” He said that to Scott Scheffler, who could not get his mind around it.

Is the thumbnail relevant to this video? I think it’s about having hands forward, but you don’t exactly major on that. Confused 😕

Been trying this lately but miss a lot of shots to the right.

The first minute thsts what i do, hands aren’t out front. I hit the irons great, just no distance. I just scoop the ball.

So what was the 3 gradually closed face pics in the intro pic all about ? Just shaft lean with a square face ??

For me, its the felling that you pause at the top and swing easier and the ball just flies. Your not really pausing at the top...its just the swing thought and it slows you down to hot the ball better.

Good.

You da man....

I agree with much of what you are saying but that big wide stance for irons is a big no no and not what the elite level pros are doing. Look at Aberg swing to see how you can generate compression with minimum swing turn.

God sounds like Rolf Harris this guy, me myself and I . Thought I saw him battling out with woods

I am 69 years old. I hit my clubs fairly straight, but my friends say I restricted because I have no follow through. It’s like they say I’m putting the brakes on in my downswing. Any suggestions on how to complete the follow-through?

Head still is essential. and mind still

This needs more explaining with a follow up video please.

If you slow this video down to 25% you'll notice that using this technique, it allows the timing to be precise where the recoil of the shaft related to the club head places it perfectly at the ball where you want it. This is the maximum head speed. Think of it like the cracking of a whip. Where I've seen so many guys go wrong is they think they've got to "muscle" the club to get any club head speed. That's not right. Using the mechanics of the club shaft to do the work for you is how you maximize club head speed. Try that. Slow the video down and you'll see it too.

One thing I heard, I completely ignored and did anyway. At the driving range, Signs everywhere, DONT HIT THE GUY IN THE CAGE COLLECTING THE BALLS. When he took off to collect the balls. Everybody started aiming for the guy in the cage.

You cant hit down on the golf ball with less speed it will just be a handel drag kind of shot

is it normal to have your swing speed drop when you are trying to compress it more? I usually swing my 7 iron around 95 mph.