Wide-Narrow-Wide Golf Swing Shape

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Every single PGA Pro swings wide-narrow-wide. Often, though, when this typical shape of the swing is discussed, the conversation ends at “you want a wide-to-narrow golf swing.” However, it’s crucial you ensure you finish by getting wide again!

  • Step 1: Wide Takeaway
  • Big Shoulder Turn
  • Arms Straight But Relaxed
  • Step 2: Narrow Downswing
  • Right Arm Bends From Elbow
  • Both Wrists Cock Vertically to Create Lag
  • Step 3: Wide Release
  • Arms Relaxed and Straight in Follow Through
  • Wrist Un-cocked to Release Lag
  • Repeat 9 to 3 Swing Until Ingrained


Wide Narrow Wide Golf Swing

What does it mean to make a "wide narrow wide" golf swing? Why do you want to do it in your golf swing? The pro's do it, and you should, too. Here's why...

When you swing wide during the backswing, it gives your body the opportunity to make a full rotation. When you make a full shoulder turn in your golf swing, your core muscles are stretched further allowing them to store more energy to unleash during the downswing.

When we say you get "narrow" during the downswing, we're referring to increasing lag in your golf swing. This increase in lag moves the club head in closer to your body, hence the club is travelling on a narrower arc than during the backswing.

And when we say get wide again, we're referring to the release of the golf club. When you release your lag angle from your wrists, the club head will move onto a wider arc in relation to your body, allowing it to reach maximum speed.

This "Wide-Narrow-Wide" movement is a characteristic that we see in all top level golfer's swings, and in this video, RotarySwing.com instructor Chuck Quinton shows you how to do it.

One of the questions that we get commonly asked is, what tour pros use rotary swing? And as I've talked about in some other videos, pretty much all the tour pros use the fundamentals of rotary swing tour.

                Again, it's not a preference swing where we talk about, "Oh, do this with the club and this little tweak, and this makes it look different and this is how I think it should be done." It's based on physics, biomechanics and anatomy. How your body is designed to move. So these tour pros that you see out there, are all using, to some degree or another, the fundamentals of RST. Now they may have variables in their swing that make the swing look a little different going back, or what have you. But the core fundamentals of the physics that they're using leverage, and lag and using the ground for leverage. They all do that stuff or they wouldn't be tour pros. You can't hit the ball very far if you don't.

                So the fundamentals that you're going to learn here, are critical. And one of the big fundamentals I want to talk about is this concept of a wide narrow wide swing and what does that mean exactly? And what's the whole point of it? And why do the tour pros, at least in that regard, all look really, really similar. They have this, kind of, wide narrow wide concept of their swing. And I'm going to explain why that is and why you need to do it, and exactly how to do it.

                So the first thing we're going to talk about is when we're talking about this wide in the swing. We're talking about creating a wide arch for the club to travel on during the back swing. And why is that important? Well, let's first talk about what most armature golfers do. What they want to do, is they make a really narrow swing during the backswing. They take their wrist and they set the club right away and they pick up their arms. And now the club, the arch that the club has traveled on, is a really narrow arch and I've got this really narrow, tight, steep swing I can swing in a phone booth basically. What this is going to do is create a lot of leverage, I have a lot of levers in my swing but I didn't wind up or recruit muscle fibers from my core and my trunk. And that's the critical piece if you looked at the overview swing.

                How we're trying to use these big muscles and get more muscle fiber recruited for the swing. The last thing you want to do is just pick the club up and pick your arms up. Cause now the only muscle fibers that you've engaged are from here up. We need to get these big muscles, remember we need 32 pounds of muscle mass to swing over 100 miles per hour. So, as you're going back, the first thing you want to do is shift your weight and rotate and not set your wrists and club. And what that's going to do, in order to move the club over here, you know move the club six or seven feet, I have to move a lot of muscle. And that's going to start recruiting these muscle fibers.

                So as I do this, my arms and hands and shoulders, these small little muscles, haven't really done anything. They've just transported the club back for me with doing basically nothing. But I've recruited a lot of muscle fiber. My right glute is already engaged. I can feel the muscles in my ribcage twisting and rotating my ribcage. My core is starting to engage. I'm starting to recruit big muscles. And this is what you see really common in all the tour pros. Is they create this wide arch for the club to travel on.

                Now where's the narrow part come in? That's really simple because at some point as you get to the top, I want to create a lever in my wrist here, I want this wrist angle to set. There's just no point in doing it really early cause if you do that, you're gonna, again, not recruiting muscle fibers. Cause you're gonna feel like your wrists and arms are really loaded up so there's no point in turning anymore. Your brain's gonna use tension as its guide of when to start swinging the club back down. So we want that tension to be built from the inside out first. From our big muscles and then as we keep going to the top, and the club starts setting naturally, as we start down by shifting our weight. Notice now, the path that the club is traveling on now is very narrow.

                Why do we want this very narrow arch coming down, but want this really wide one going back? Well, we know know on the way going back, we're trying to recruit muscle fibers. On the way down, what we're trying to do, is preserve that lag angle that we've created. The lag angle again, a simple way of thinking about it is just the angle between your forearm and the shaft. This is leverage. This is potential energy. Think about swinging a hammer, all right. If you've ever hit a nail with a hammer, you know the vast majority of the movement is in your wrist here. This is very efficient to create a lot of speed. If I smacked you on top of the head it wouldn't feel very good. But if I did it like this, now I can't really create a lot of speed because I don't have a wrist angle here. There's lot of potential speed in this angle.

                Well in the down swing, your primary job is to conserve that lag angle and then finally release it. We conserve it by moving our big muscles first, in the down swing, and maintaining this angle without trying. You don't try and hold the lag angle. You simply keep your wrist soft and move your big muscles and the lag angle will be preserved and maintained on its own. You don't have to try and do anything for this. It's a natural byproduct of following the RST golf swing fundamentals and doing these simple big muscle movements correctly.

                So now, as I start down, my wrist just naturally set on themselves cause they're very soft. The clubs got momentum going backwards, this way, and as I shift my hips it's going to force my body to start unwinding which will cause the club head to set my wrist on top of themselves. So now I have this really narrow path coming down because I have all of this leverage. Which I want to maintain and then release.

                How do I release it? As I talked about in the overview video and the downswing video, it's this pushing motion against the ground that's a very powerful driving force that creates a tremendous amount of leverage. Pushing against the ground and using these muscle fibers that you've recruited in the back swing, in your legs and your core, your hamstrings, your quads. Pushing against the ground, which is what causes the club to snap and release.

                Again, my hands and wrists are relatively passive. They don't have to do a lot. So as I have this narrow lag angle, I've got a lot of potential energy here, as I push up against the ground and that releases it, now look how wide I am in the follow through.

                Every tour pro that you've ever seen on television doesn't look like this in the follow through do they? Of course not. The way that most amateurs swing, is they take their right arm and their right shoulder and their right leg, and they push really hard against the shaft at the top. So they start getting wide on the way down, right? You start seeing this really common motion. Then they're still pushing with their right side, get the chicken wing and left arm broken down, and they do this. And this is what every amateur looks like on the planet. And every tour pro looks like this.

                Why? Again, it's force of movement. Where you're moving from is going to determine what kind of golfer you become. You don't move from the top. You don't move from the right side and push against the shaft like that. It's very inefficient and it fights the forces of physics that are happening in the swing. You want to imagine, like I discussed a little bit in the throw of the club head video, that you're throwing the club head at the ball passively with your wrist. Doing it with your body. And as you do that it pulls you into this wide follow through that you see every tour pro do.

                So, wide, narrow, wide is the way you want to think about the golf swing. You're going to be wide going back, because you're not doing anything with your wrists, arms and hands going back. You're focusing on your big muscle movements. You're going to be narrow coming down and then as you post up on this lead leg and let your arms and club release it's going to pull you into a wide follow through position and get rid of that chicken wing and give you way more speed with way less effort.

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Jim
It seems to me the only way to go from wide to narrow is to extend or cup the lead wrist somewhat in transition. This would have the effect of opening the clubface a little bit which would then have to be closed at some point in the downswing with some lead forearm supination. Is this the correct way to go from wide to narrow or am I missing something?
November 16, 2022
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Jim. Cupping the lead is a way to increase angle or have that shape in transition. But, you don't need that much and correcting that wrist position into impact may create a timing nightmare. Think Axiom Lag Video. The trail wrist will do most the increasing of angle. Ideally, you don't want to cup the lead from backswing to transition.
November 16, 2022
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Joost
I understand the importance of the narrow downswing, but am having troubles engraining it. In the start of the video Chuck claims he will explain exactly how to get narrow, but I seem to miss that explanation or drill. Could you refer me to a good drill to practice getting a narrow downswing? Or is it simply a byproduct of soft hands and relaxed arms?
December 31, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Joost. A byproduct for sure. But, because of change of direction and soft arms/hands. Take a look at the Frisbee Drill, 9 to 3 Lag Building Drills, and Start the Downswing Before Completing the Backswing Videos.
December 31, 2019
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Kevin
Hi Craig - maybe a two part clarification question Right Elbow - where should we think about the right elbow being pulled down to in our downcock move? (I.e. in front of right thigh?) This a popular topic in the golf world it seems like Right forearm angle - does that angle decrease or is it more of a softening of the wrists to create the lag. I would think we still want to keep some width with the right arm / elbow bend
December 13, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Kevin. Yes, you want to maintain the width/radius of the trail arm. Creating lag will be the change in relationship between the forearm and wrist. Not the increase in flexion of the trail arm. You don't need to think about much of the trail arm unless you already pull too much with the lead side. But, you do want the trail elbow to work in front of the body and not get stuck behind the rib cage/trail hip.
December 15, 2019
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Ron
I'm finding out why you guys stress so much being relaxed in the upper body and arms and wrists in the backswing. If I keep my arms and wrists soft and start my downswing by transferring my weight to the lead side on the downswing, my hands and arms drop down all by themseves and the shaft shallows. When I watched my swing on video it was the first time in my life that I didn't come over the top. The reality is that it happens automatically, you don't need to manipulate anything. Thanks for this great video. I'm really pumped up after seeing my new transition and downswing
April 8, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Ron. Exactly. Lots of golf is about proper byproducts and doing less. Thanks for the post and love hearing the good news.
April 8, 2019
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Erik
I'm having trouble with timing the post of the left leg on the downswing. I tend to post too late or with very little upward force. When I get it right it works very well but I think I need some sort of drill to help me get used to posting forcefully at the right time.
September 19, 2018
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Erik. Work on You Hit the Golf Ball with Your Legs, Step 2 - Core Rotation and Play the Best Golf of Your Life in 6 Weeks Video 4 of 6.
September 19, 2018
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James
This is one of your best videos. For the last year or so, my prior golf instructor suggested I set/hinge my wrists early in the takeaway. Much to my dismay, I had never been able to get good lag in my downswing. Working on Chuck’s feeling of wide narrow wide has really opened my eyes to how soft and loose the upper body should be to promote good lag and release. After discovering Chuck and RST, I worked on the RST fundamentals for a few weeks and shot a 77 with three, three-putts. It was one of my best scores and I had never struck the ball that well with my prior coach. I am now a Chuck/RST disciple.
July 7, 2018
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James
PS: my prior golf coach was a Golftec coach.
July 7, 2018
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello James. Sorry for the late reply. When you replied on your own comment the system believed there was an instructor response. Awesome. Glad to hear that you have a new understanding of how to create proper lag. Sorry about your Golftec experience. You are in the correct place now.
September 19, 2018
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Marc
Hi Craig, can you please confirm that the key to remain the lag and even increase it during the initial weight shift transition is to keep the angle of the right arm the same or even allow it to naturally increase a touch due to the weight shift. If during the weight shift I pull with the left arm it will drag the right arm down and decrease the right elbow angle with the right hand going away from the body, which leads to an early release. If on the other hand I allow the left arm to be pulled by the weight shift and I don't do anything with the right arm, the hands come down naturally with gravity and I end up in a nice narrow position with all the energy ready to be released. Best, Marc
June 13, 2018
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Marc. Sounds like a plan to me. One of the common mistakes I see is increasing trail arm bend to increase lag angle.
June 13, 2018
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William
Hi guys, this morning on Morning Drive, Robert Damorin and Charkie Rymer were analyzing tour pro Charles Howells swing. The focus was his wedge game. They both said a big part of his distance and great ball striking was the terrific amount of lag he generates. However, they both said this same thing was also the cause of his distance control problem with his wedges. They also went on to say less lag and more of a wide-wide swing with his wedges where he kept his width throughout his whole swing would provide more consistent distance control. This seems to make sense to me. Do you think this is sound advice? Thx very much. Bill
September 13, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Bill. Yes, w-n-w is great for ball striking and power. However, with a wedge too much angle and wrist change can cause inconsistencies with distance control. I wouldn't attempt to cast coming down, but no reason to have a massive lag angle increase with a wedge.
September 13, 2017
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arthur john
A great video. Every time i watch it i get something more. I know now how important it is to post up or i hit it fat. I must also be careful that when using the trail arm to get width in the backswing it does not take over in d/swing. thank you A. John an old golf geek.
August 25, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Arthur John. Great and your are correct on your thoughts.
August 25, 2017
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Cornelius
A good feel is, turn core into crease of right hip on back swing. Then, to start down swing turn core into crease of left hip.
March 9, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Cornelius. You can see somewhat that same demonstration in the Weight Shift Video Part 2 and How to Swing from the Ground Up.
March 9, 2017
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Cornelius
I like to feel the core starts and controls the downswing.
March 7, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Cornelius. The legs and your obliques will be the main forces controlling your downswing. Doesn't sound like you are on an improper path.
March 7, 2017
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michael
I've heard some instruction saying you should feel like you're pulling an arrow from the quiver in the transition of the downswing to help create lag and giving you the feeling of keeping a wide swing coming down with the arms away from the body. Doesn't this contradict the wide narrow wide thought? Should the arms be moving in close, ala Sergio, or do you want the pulling an arrow feeling to keep width in transition and downswing?
February 26, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Michael. If you take a look at the Frisbee Drill you will see that the lead arm is creating somewhat the same pulling effect combined with weight shift and lead oblique pull. You want the wrist angle to increase. You aren't trying to collapse the arms and bring them closer. The trail elbow won't increase fold therefore maintaining the width, but the wrist angle increasing.
February 26, 2017
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Hector
very difficult to me, I understand but the narrow part is difficult, I lost a a lot of lag in the downswing, any suggestion or any move that I can remember as right elbow close to the hip , etc ????
November 27, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Hector. Take a look at the Frisbee Drill and the Perfecting Your Golf Impact Position Video 4 of 4. Some helpful clues.
November 28, 2016
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John
Love this video Question. Every time I try to be more supple with my hands and arms, my swing gets behind me (or deep) Immediately on the back swing making me come over the top. Is there a good drill for the take away to not prevent the club from going inside and staying on plane? In order for me to stay on plane I feel like i have to have a ton of elevation. Feels like I am almost picking the club straight up. Please advise.
August 1, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello John. The arms create the vertical motion in the swing. Feeling good rotation and the arms moving vertically with elevation isn't necessarily a bad thing. Use the 4 Square Drill and the Pencil Tee Drill to keep the club more in front as you take it back. Also, in the Using the Wrist Effectively and Efficiently Video (about 5:30 into it) a tennis racket may help as well.
August 2, 2016
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John
Awesome thank you. Will check it out.
August 2, 2016
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John
The 4 square drill was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you
August 2, 2016
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Michael
Having had mutiple surgeries and shoulder issues I can't maintain much extension in my left arm, (right handed golfer). As I rotate back my arms start to collaspe early. I try to focus on engaging the core, glutes and obliques for the swing both back and down. Is this a solid concept based on the physical issues I deal with or is there something that I need to try to implement to stay within the tenants of the RST and abide with the wide narrow wide theory?
July 31, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Michael. Using the core and glutes are perfectly acceptable to focus on back and through. If you struggle with the arm position due to surgery. Get the key muscle groups down to help swing the club along the proper journey.
August 1, 2016
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Michael
does the wide -narrow-wide fundamental change with various clubs drive, wedges, etc. Thanks Mike
July 16, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Michael. You will want the same Wide-Narrow-Wide Swing shape for the vast majority of shots. Some short game shots won't require a big change in angle, but still the same shape.
July 16, 2016
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Lesley
Chuck mentions that the hands a d arms stay quiet a d relaxed in the downswing and that if you post up that the club will release naturally. Do you still want to feel like you are squaring the club face on the way down with your left hand?
July 4, 2016
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Lesley, If you are having the issue with not getting the clubface back to square, then yes, you might need to focus on squaring it from the top down until it becomes more at a subconscious level.
July 5, 2016
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Loran
When do the arms get wide again? At what point exactly do the arms cross over after the release?
June 30, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Loan. Technically, you will start losing the narrow as you release the club in the trail thigh positioning. Clay however is referring to wide backswing, narrow downswing and a wide follow through. The arms should be crossing over just after impact as you start to get outside the lead thigh.
July 2, 2016
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Loran
Then, there is really no point in aiming in where I hit the golf ball, after release? My head should be low, and I should not look up to see where the ball landed?
June 15, 2016
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Loan, you want to keep the head and eyes quiet down in the hitting area and into the release, after the ball is struck, allow the head to swivel while the club is pulling you into a finish position.
June 16, 2016
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Tom
Hi Craig, Recovered some of my videos and emails from my dead laptop. While watching the narrow-wide -narrow video and some of the others you wanted me to work on I noticed that I seem to be looking straight ahead and the instructors are looking down. I am able to make an easier turn (hands higher at the top of the backswing) and get my elbow in front of my body easier on the downswing. I do worry about my weight shift to my toes. What are your thoughts?
May 4, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Tom. I will monitor the weight shift in your next reviews. You don't want to shift to the balls of your feet nevertheless. Step 1 Weight Shift in the RST 5 Step System can help. Yes, you want to be looking down to help shy away from push and maximize release.
May 5, 2016
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Christoph
Quick question regarding move 2: currently working on the lateral slide in order to shift weight from the inside of the right foot back to the center of the left foot. What is my head supposed to do here? Is it supposed to stay 100% in the same spot when I move my hips back to the left or does everything move in sync? Comes more naturally to me to move my head in sync (obviously not as much as my hips, but it still moves), but not sure this is right. Thanks!
April 10, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Christoph. Take a look at Fixing Your Weight Transfer. It will describe the head motion. It is okay for it to move when shifting into the lead side.
April 10, 2016
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Anthony
I have a question about the right elbow in step #2; I know you said the elbow doesn't jam into your side but doesn't it need to be in front of the hip and it also needs to stay lower than the hands until it gets to waist high, is that the correct move of the right elbow ,or in other words , the hands can't out race the elbow. Thanks
February 21, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Anthony. You don't want to jam it into your side and yes you don't want the hands out racing the elbow working into the trail thigh position. Take a look at the Step by Step Right Arm Drills and the Sledgehammer Video.
February 21, 2016
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Loran
When does the opposite move of the backswing...begin to shift the other way? In other words, in a full swing when should I focus on heading the other way to finish? The downcock first or shift to the center of the left leg? Or downcock...lag...then shift over...then release?
January 20, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Loan. External rotation of the lead knee and weight shift to the lead side will be the first thing to occur. The shift or momentum change in the other direction will help increase the lag angle.
January 21, 2016
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Konstantin
Hiya, I try to develop lag and miss keeping my left arm straight during release (I believe). I noticed that I am a kind of afraid to keep my arm straight because my swing gets very fat. I mean that I hoe up the driving range and it is very embarrassing... I am quite new here and cannot find out the problem. And I couldn't find any related video. Could you give me some hints, please? Many thanks.
November 25, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Konstantin. Take a look at the Taking a Divot Video. You need to learn the proper sequence of events to take turf after ball. Let's get rid of that hoe at the driving range.
November 25, 2015
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robert
Hi Craig, How does this drill and motion change for the driver? I can see the wide start working just fine, but I feel the narrow down swing would have you coming in too steep on your down swing? Thanks, Rob
November 12, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Robert. The Wide-Narrow-Wide Swing Shape will still be for the driver. The increase in the angle of the wrists shouldn't make the club work in too steeply. Make sure you adjust your setup for optimum launch angle and get good pull with the lead arm. Driver Launch Angle Video and the Stop Coming Over the Top Video.
November 12, 2015
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Terry
What video would you recommend as a follow on to this getting to a full swing? Clay's comment about "coming out of the shot" is exactly what I do. I get duck hooks and I have a heavy draw with my irons. I clearly need to work this drill.
October 6, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Terry. I would work on the Re-Shaping Your Swing for Lag for a fuller swing motion of this drill. Also, the LADD Video and 5 Minutes to the Perfect Release to stay in the shot.
October 7, 2015
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Terry
Craig, I have been working on this drill and found that my back aches after running thru this about 50-60 times hitting a ball. Any ideas why that might happen? I put a video on self-analysis showing me in this drill without a ball. Appreciate your feedback.
April 15, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Terry. Unfortunately, the only time I can look at swings is when you are up for a Swing Review. The only was I can access the video portal. You may be adding too much lateral side bend or lordosis. Take a look at the Golf Posture Video to check the spine. Also, Fixing Your Weight Transfer to make sure you are allowing the upper half to move and not creating excess secondary axis tilt.
April 15, 2016
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Terry
Ok. On another note, I'm going to be in Atlanta, more specifically, Lawrenceville on June 2-5 and would like to take a lesson from you in person. Is that possible and how would I go setting that up? Are you able to contact me outside of the RST website?
April 15, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Terry. Email me at craig@rotaryswing.com. We should be able to set something up.
April 15, 2016
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Stephen
Hi Craig, when learning to do the wide narrow wide swing shape drill. I shift back to the left and hinge my wrists to narrow and to create lag. I do this slowly to learn the movements. I pause prior to releasing the club. However, when I release the club my shots are going low and to the right. I am using both hands. Right for speed and left for club face control. I am maintaining my posture, and my knee is not moving forward from the down the line view. I notice that the club head is a bit lower than the plane line. Would this be why I am hitting it low and to the right? Or do I need to keep ingraining the release? When I concentrate on my left hand I improve my contact. When I performed release drills before I improved my contact. However with lag with this drill it is more difficult. Can you give me a bit more advice to develops from this issue
September 26, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Stephen. It sounds like you get underneath the plane and lack a little release. The club gets pushed through with an open face. You might be over doing the lag portion. If you are creating a big amount you might not have the time to square it properly into the strike. Work a little on your release, but try not to over exaggerate the amount of lag angle coming down.
September 26, 2015
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Lane
Is there a good video to compliment this showing the release specifically where the back of the hand should be pointing?
September 14, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Lane. The Fix Your Release and the 5 Minutes to the Perfect Release will show you the ideal lead hand positioning at impact.
September 15, 2015
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Jason
at the completion of step 1 for this this drill, if you were going to do a full back swing from there, how much higher do you elevate arms before right arm flexion? is the answer, once the hands are higher than the belt near the belly button ? (as long it's not a potbelly person) and when going all the way to the back swing, this 9:3 drill adds an extra wrist set to start move 2 of this drill, is that part automatically taken care of by a full back swing by the right arm flexion?
July 31, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Jason. Yes, it will be just above the belly button. The extra wrist set should come from supple wrist while adding the additional turn and flexion. Like flipping a coin over your trail shoulder. Don't try to manually cock them fully or too hard.
July 31, 2015
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Jason
thx. and as a follow up, as those arms are elevating from pocket to the belly button, are we still to be actively turning the shoulders? or, is it fine to focus on that remaining arm elevation, and then resume final rotation of the shoulders (and hips) to the top during that right elbow flexion phase?
July 31, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Jason. Keep on rotating. As you add elevation and flexion. You want to continue rotation.
July 31, 2015
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Sergio
Hello. I though that the rigt armpit was supposed to be in contact with the body the whole backswing (the famous towel in the armpit drill), but here in the wide part, the armpit has a clearance from the body. Please could you explain me that, thanks.
July 7, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Sergio. The famous "towel" has been way over used for most golfers. See a demonstration in the 3 Functions of the Right Arm in the Advanced Backswing Section.
July 7, 2015
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Edmundo
June 30, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Edmundo. Did you have a question about this video?
June 30, 2015
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scott
I have found Clay's videos give me the practical or "feel" approach to the swing whereas Chuck's videos provide the building blocks or "core" of RST. Overtime I have hit wall with RST I go to Clay's videos for help. This video and focusing on increasing right wrist angle on the downswing have been by far the biggest help for me and has been the key to quiet my right shoulder from wanting to come over the top.
June 28, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Scott. Something here for everyone. I'm glad that every time you hit a proverbial wall there is a video to help. Any questions you have or need more help along the way. Always feel free to ask.
June 29, 2015
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Freddy
I have been starting the forward shift way too late, if that forward shift really initiates just as the club moves past parallel and starts moving up. Wow. I do have some lumbar/turn limitations. It seems that a cleanly executed 9 to 3 swing, that has good lag, may indeed be my best solution. I'm working way to hard, and Clay's video here reminds me that less may indeed be more.
June 5, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Freddy. Take a look at the Start Downswing Before Completing Backswing in the Weight Transfer Section. It may help with a little larger move and earlier shift. Yes, sometimes less may indeed be more. Executing a good 9 to 3 with lag you can hit great shots.
June 6, 2015
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Ray
When you start the downswing with the left oblique, the shift to the left is automatic or does it happen due to years of playing very good golf? If I try to shift, it causes all sorts of problems for me but when I pull back I look like Clay in the video. Any thoughts?
May 31, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Ray. You more than likely have to train the shift. But, it is something that is athletic and natural feeling for athletes that know how to create power. As you shift into the lead side then start to pull with the lead oblique. The reason you may struggle with it is because you over do the shift. Try a smaller shift. Just make sure the weight gets over there. You don't need to slide a half of foot.
June 1, 2015
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Ray
Craig. I stand corrected. When I only pull from the left I found myself losing lag early and hitting it horribly. I need to work on creating lag and then shift to the left. My work on the range today was relatively awful. I'm going to go through the drills. Any advice on which one or two I should focus on?
June 1, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
If you want to create a little lag with your shift. A good way to do it is to Start the Downswing Before Completing the Backswing. Use the momentum change as a lag builder, so you can incorporate a little more oblique pull early. That will probably feel more natural to you. Weight Shift Advanced Section.
June 1, 2015
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Seth
There is a RST lag drill on YouTube that I cannot find on the site. it starts using a swing doughnut to feel the weight of the club. Do you know the title so I can see the second half of the video?
May 16, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Seth. I believe you are referring to the 9 to 3 Lag Building Drills in the Advanced Downswing Section.
May 16, 2015
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Loran
Forearms go before the turn to the finish, correct? My guess is the last part, the follow through Is less forcefull than impact or any other sequence in the whole swing?
May 5, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
The follow through is a reaction to releasing the energy properly. Yes, think like a crossover release before the body is completely done rotating to a complete finish.
May 8, 2015
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Stuart
This video cuts off just before the move two ends. Is there a reason for this?
April 4, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Stuart. The video is working correctly on my end. Are you using Chrome or Firefox? If the problem persists. Please contact customer support. They will be happy to help fix your issue.
April 5, 2015
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Stuart
Hi Craig - thank you for your prompt reply. Sadly the video is still cutting off just after part one and two have been completed and "the rubber is about to hit the road". Most frustrating! I am using Chrome. The video is also loading very slowly. A section of around a minute or so loads, I play this and then it cuts off after another minute or so and the sequence repeats itself until it gets to the "rubber hits the road" stuff and then it crashes! I have tried allowing the whole video to download, with the same result. I hope that you can help.
April 5, 2015
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phil
developed a real problem while trying to do drills like 9to3 and shifting the left leg back to the left before downswing Tried figuring it out myself but not working to well.Could it be that im shifting to far left in the downswing
February 27, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Phil. You could be over shifting back to the left. I would recommend uploading a swing for review. We would be happy to find the culprit.
February 27, 2015
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don
Hi guys any good drill that I practice to keep my weight on the inside of right foot in the back swing, my right knee likes to bow out and takes off the inside of my right foot .... Thanks
January 28, 2015
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Steven (Certified RST Instructor)
Don, I good video about the right knee is the Right Knee Laser Beam drill video... As for the weight staying on the inside part of the right foot (which it should be) at setup make sure your ankles are "rolled" in towards the center, make sure that just the ankles roll in and not the knees as well. The trick is going to be as we move to the top of the backswing is to make sure that we maintain the feeling or positioning of the right ankle being rolled in to keep the weight on the inside part of the right foot, loading the right leg corretly. Here is the right knee laser beam video: http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/full-swing-advanced/backswing/right-knee-laser-beam-drill All the Best, Steven
January 29, 2015
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Norbert
Very good video. Very good instructive explanation and demonstration .Good understanding for a non native speaker. Thank You very much. Norbert
January 11, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Norbert. I'm glad that you enjoyed the video! Appreciate the post.
January 11, 2015
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George
Not sure if this is the proper spot for this question, but I'll ask anyway since this is one of my recommended videos. I understand the concept of the wide takeaway/backswing and the weight shift and downcock creating the narrow and lagging downswing. Done correctly with an iron, the shaft never gets to parallel at the top as it is unnecessary to create enough speed at the bottom and can cause more problems or compensations. With a driver/3 wood, it appears that the backswing is longer, and the shaft gets to parallel, evidenced in Chuck's demo swing in the swing viewer, and most tour pros. My question is if that is due to the longer shaft of those clubs, or should I be swinging "longer" with the woods?
November 14, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Patterson, It's in part due to the length of the shaft and also in part due to the spine angle at the beginning of the swing. You'll be on a steeper plane with a shorter club because you'll be closer to the ball and that will shorten your backswing some. So, you don't need to focus on trying to swing longer for longer clubs, your swing arc will just be naturally longer for longer clubs if you follow the RST swing training programs. Let us know on the forum if you need any more assistance, R.J.
November 14, 2014
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Mitch
Your tip for maintaining posture through the release to the follow through is really the key in my mind. Do you also feel the head should stay basically stationary throughout the swing as well?
November 13, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Mitch, Yes, minus a small dip straight down as you start to transition from the backswing to the downswing from the squat to square motion and then slightly moving up (to get back to where it was at the beginning) as the left leg extends to stall the hips. R.J.
November 13, 2014
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Gordon
In your video, you never got the club past vertical. Why do you not show a full swing to parallel at the top?
November 11, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
Gordon, The focus of this drill is similar to that of the 9-3 drill. The main keys that you want to work on are at the bottom of the swing. So, at first, which Clay is describing in the video, drill yourself the same way that he is in the video and when you master that, then you can get more of a complete swing for the drill. R.J.
November 11, 2014
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harbans
eo. Hello Mr. Balard. I watched wide narrow wide video. What degree hips should turn at impact. 15, 30, 45. thanks
October 31, 2014
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor)
harbans, 35-45 degrees open to the original position. R.J.
October 31, 2014
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eddie
Hi Craig, When I get to stage 2 were you are meant to cock your wrists and move your weight forward my club seems to stay perpendicular to the ground. In my full swing I only seem to create some lag on the downswing. On the backswing at 9 o clock the shaft of the club just looks like an extension of my left arm. Also are you meant to carry out this drill without hitting a ball. Any advice much appreciated thank you Eddie
October 16, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Eddie. It sounds like you aren't adding enough wrist set in the takeaway and compensating with shoulder elevation. Make sure when the club is parallel to the ground the hands are in line with the base of the trail pocket. Take a look at the 5 Minutes to a Perfect Takeaway roughly 22 mins in. You can use this drill with a ball or without.
October 17, 2014
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Gary
so in the downswing and release is it just the arms bringing the shoulders back ? 9-3 drill
October 9, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Gary. Other than gravity, the pull from the lead side "lat" helps bring the arms back in front to reach a position of release. Therefore, the shoulders will be naturally unwinding.
October 9, 2014
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Gary
during 9-3 drill move 2, how do we get a flat wrist after it is cupped on the way back ?
October 9, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Gary. Take a look at the Using the Wrist Efficiently Video in this section. Chris will explain the cupping and flattening of the lead wrist.
October 9, 2014
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Gary
played today , sliced new driver all day { Callaway FT IZ } . another guy who plays off 8 handicap had a short arm jab swing { narrow wide narrow } and he smashed the ball all day down the fairway , boy was I envious . moral is I suppose if it works , why change . I am trying my best to follow instruction but my last four rounds have been terrible. I shall keep trying though not beaten yet.
October 9, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Gary. Takes a lot of work in the early get go. Making short term sacrifices for long term goals. Please feel free to ask any questions we can help you with to speed up the process!
October 9, 2014
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Tony
i am going to try this drill to Day. one thing only. when you reach your right leg. and The wrist i straght i seems like little time to get the clubface right at impact. little flippy or am i wrong?
September 14, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Tony. You will have plenty time to square the face. The club will always be rotating. Take a look at the Using the Wrist Efficiently Video in the Introduction Advanced Section and the 5 Minutes to the Perfect Release in the Downswing Section for more information.
September 14, 2014
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KJ
Hello, a question on the advice from wide-narrow-wide drill in combination with drill on release. For me it is not easy to keep lagging then do release at right timing, especially rolling wrist just before the impact zone. I must intentionally roll over the left wrist at the beginning of the downswing, otherwise I make a big push of slice. But I don't think it's natural to do release like this, since it does not return any advantage produced by lagging. Specifically I have dofficulty with my driver. Would you give me any advice or any other drill on this website? Thank you for your all works with video.
August 20, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello KJ. Squaring the face early is ok. The club is always rotating. Take a look at the Using the Wrist Efficiently Video in the Advanced Introduction Section. Take a look at the LADD Video in the Downswing Section. Make sure you are shallowing out properly, getting the lead side pull, and squaring the club. The trail side being passive will be a big key for you.
August 20, 2014
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JOE
SHOULD YOU DO THIS WITH THE DRIVER ALSO ?
August 11, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
The wide - n - wide drills are a little harder to adopt with the longer clubs. Its more to teach the shape of the swing. With the longer clubs. Use the Re-Shaping Your Swing for Lag Video in this same section. It will help with the lag coming down and get the arms a little bit more in sync to release properly at impact.
August 11, 2014
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John
Will give it a shot. Thank you!
July 24, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Your welcome! Good luck!
July 25, 2014
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John
I have very good success doing this drill with all my irons (wedges through 6 - my longest iron). As a result I am now generally hitting those clubs pretty consistently with a full swing. I am now trying to do the Wide Narrow Wide drill with a 4 hybrid, 3 wood and driver. To be blunt, these longer clubs are a disaster. Is there any adjustments with the this drill that I need to make when I move to clubs that brush the grass or are upward arcing (hybrids to 3 wood to driver) versus clubs that are compressing down on the ball (irons). I would like to have the same success in this drill between irons and the longer clubs. Thank you!
July 24, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
The wide - n - wide is a little harder to adopt with the longer clubs. Its more for the shape of the swing, than a full swinging motion. With the longer clubs. Use the Re-Shaping Your Swing for Lag Video in this same section. It will help with the lag coming down and get the arms a little bit more in sync to release properly at impact.
July 24, 2014
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Rob
How come on TV, it appears as if a lot of the pros seem to make an effort not to let the clubface close and appear to hold it open?
June 22, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
It appears that way. The best players actually release the heck out of it. Some guys over rotate the body and hold off the face. That method works, but not the longest or most efficient. It actually goes against the natural design of the club. Fighting physics is never a good thing.
June 23, 2014
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Marc
Excellent video! I just took this drill to the range, it works VERY well. It helps because it is more or less a complete drill that provides instant feedback, meaning ball flight is an indicator of success. I struggle with drills that can be done correctly and ball flight can still be erratic, if that makes sense. Also, GREAT production quality on the video. I'm not sure what camera/lens you're using, but the DOF is awesome and helps draw attention to you while providing a nice out of focus backdrop. Thanks again, Marc
June 18, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Marc. Glad you like the video. It really helps to teach what the shape of the golf swing should be.
June 18, 2014
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patric k.
I have been told by several inst. to hit with arm not to use the right which you use in your for although if you don't grt right you have slice.
April 29, 2014
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
The right arm is adding speed at the bottom of the swing arc while the left arm is controlling the face. Both arms will work independently from the body in the hitting area as they have pulled the power out of the body and are maximizing speed/efficiency
April 29, 2014
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glenn
Hello. What is a good vid to watch that will help me stay in the posture? Would 5 minute to release be a good one?
April 18, 2014
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Glenn, sorry for the delay in response. Check out the merry go round drill in the dowsing section or the tush line video and see if those help give you a clear understanding.
April 21, 2014

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