No backswing....Will it work? Is it too unconventional?

[tourdeep]

Move over stack and tilt!!!!

Johnny Miller talked about it, Ryan Moore sort of, kind of, did his slight variation of it with a degree of success, Brian touched this subject lightly, and now they're talking about the no backswing once more...

No-Backswing Swing
The fast new way to hit more solid shots

By Dr. Jim Suttie
Dr. T.J. Tomasi, with David Denunzio
Published: September 01, 2007



Our exclusive test proves you can eliminate 70 percent of your errors—and hit the ball just as far and straight—by completely eliminating your backswing.

Today's high-tech equipment allows you to make mistakes through impact and still hit decent shots. Your backswing isn't so kind. In fact, no matter how good your equipment is, an error in your backswing—even a minor one—will create watered-down impact. Wouldn't it be great if your swing could compensate for mistakes the way oversized sweet spots and perimeter weighting do? We've discovered such a swing, and we use it regularly in our teaching. It's easy to do, requires only moves that you already know and, best of all, it eliminates 70 percent of the mistakes that typically cause you to hit less-than-solid shots. You don't even need to practice it. Just change your starting position from address to the top of your backswing, then let 'er rip.

How it works
Place yourself in the correct position at the top, then pump the club up and swing down. It's the same principle as hitting a baseball. Click here to see a step-by-step explanation of how the no-backswing swing works.

http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction/article/0,28136,1652866-4,00.html

 

[EdStraker]

I think one of the problems with this approach is the shaft won't be stressed at the beginning of the downswing.

 

[golfer24]

The downswing pivot has alot of similarities with swinging a baseball bat however is this just another way of helping out 18 plus handicappers who have never made a decent enough backswing to be of any value in having one.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Brian has commented on this before. I think it could be done but you'd have to play more flexible shafts.

 

[Chris Sturgess]

Comparing golf to baseball like that is really dumb. First of all, in baseball accuracy means nothing and in golf it means almost everything. Secondly, the ball is still in golf and moving very fast in baseball. There is no time to make a backswing in baseball, there is all the time in the world in golf. Not to mention that in baseball there is also no ball to "address."

 

[shoot54today]

I know someone who is a decent golfer (3-4 handicap), who takes lessons from Martin Hall. Mr. Hall, as part of a drill working on improving my friends lag, had him take his golf posture, bring the club up and lay it on his back shoulder, turn his shoulders and extend his arms to the perfect top of the backswing position. From there, hit the ball. He said it took him some practice to get used to it, but in short time he hit the ball just as far, if not farther, with no backswing. He was pretty good at it. I was a dork.

This is not an endorsement, just repeating someone's experience.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Can it be done?

Can it?

Yup.

Should it?

To me, it is just one more idea from people who can't teach.

 

[Ringer]

Can it?

Yup.

Should it?

To me, it is just one more idea from people who can't teach.

Ditto's.

 

[mb6606]

Ditto's.

I am convinced that the magazines don't really want to help golfers but confuse them. It sells more magazines.

 

[Ringer]

I am convinced that the magazines don't really want to help golfers but confuse them. It sells more magazines.

It's too bad they think this way too. If you TRUELY help them, they'll come back.

Unfortunately the golfing masses have ADD. When something gets them to improve, they go overboard and they try to incorporate the other 20 things they have been told.

The biggest struggle I have with students is to get them to do the one thing I'm talking to them about without them throwing in the other things they've been told. They just go crazy and try to accomplish everything at once.

 

[scandres]

I think you're way off if you think Jim Suttie can't teach.
Besides helping Funk and Roberts to pretty good years he's worked with Mark Wilson (first time winner and now divot taker) and George McNeil.
Has anyone else here (or anywhere) gotten these type of results?

 

[mjstrong]

Concerns...

http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction/article/0,28136,1652866-4,00.html

A couple things concern me about that study. They measure accuracy in terms of "Yards right of centre." If somebody missed left of target, how were they accounting for that. Also, they "conclude" (assume) that because lower handicap players didn't hit the ball as far with the NBS swing, that they were intentionally slowing their swing down to conern themselves with accuracy. Seems like ignoring the possibility that it doesn't generate enough power. Definitely not a real study...

 

[Seanmx]

Good for getting out the woods

Can it?

Yup.

Should it?

To me, it is just one more idea from people who can't teach.

It's not a bad method to have in your locker for that occassional shot (more than occassional for me!!) where your backswing is restricted by a tree or bushes.

 

[golfie]

So why do Baseball Hitters "Stride"

Answer: Likely the same reasons that golfers have a backswing.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Is he teaching that?

I think you're way off if you think Jim Suttie can't teach.
Besides helping Funk and Roberts to pretty good years he's worked with Mark Wilson (first time winner and now divot taker) and George McNeil.
Has anyone else here (or anywhere) gotten these type of results?

Will,

I didn't mean Suttie.

I was at the MIT summit, and saw the results they got with this JUNK. They were very unimpressive results.

I am all for trying something different, I do it every day, but really, it isn't going to "take over golf" any day soon—or ever.

What I AM saying is this:

Any teacher that will use this JUNK as the next big thing, is a LOT (not a little) looney, and obviously CAN'T TEACH GOOD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER.

Period.

By the way, I stress the shaft A LOT in the takeaway!

 

[tourdeep]

Hey Barry! No way with that underhand free throw junk! "but, Shaq..."

A couple things concern me about that study. They measure accuracy in terms of "Yards right of centre." If somebody missed left of target, how were they accounting for that. Also, they "conclude" (assume) that because lower handicap players didn't hit the ball as far with the NBS swing, that they were intentionally slowing their swing down to conern themselves with accuracy. Seems like ignoring the possibility that it doesn't generate enough power. Definitely not a real study...

Hi MJ,

I've seen studies where the sample population is a lot smaller with published with results. Still, it is a study with conclusions. I would like to see a larger sample population.

What about the scratch golfer?

They can hit the ball with a 2X4 with decent results (All right, less than average results). And imagine what the pros could do with it! Ask them to do it another way and they can with a few practice swings. Maybe have the pro's comment on this and could they really give into and utilize a somewhat unconventional pattern?

The wannabe PGA tour player who's destiny is seen on the weeked only, that is, the majority of players out there? Now these guys could probably have bettter results. Actually, anything aside from what they do might be a better way! The problem with it is acceptance,,,,and it's just not as pretty as the way we know it. As Brian said it will not take over golf any time soon.

As a drill, I see great merits. It can smooth out the transition, to minimize overacceleration, or the jerkiness. Think about the fiddle drill...


How about Iron byron in action?


It's not how, it's how many?

...and shaq should try Barry's way...

 

[Brian Manzella]

My idea...

Don't eliminate the backswing....make aforward swing FIRST, then a backswing...

That works BETTER for real hackers.

 

[mjstrong]

I agree.

Don't eliminate the backswing....make aforward swing FIRST, then a backswing...

That works BETTER for real hackers.

YES! I have used this with great success actually, especially for guy who have a lot of trouble releasing the club. If they are starting the swing from a fairly good post-impact position, I think it makes it that much easier to correct their impact alignments.

 

[mjstrong]

yup.

Hi MJ,

I've seen studies where the sample population is a lot smaller with published with results. Still, it is a study with conclusions. I would like to see a larger sample population.

What about the scratch golfer?

They can hit the ball with a 2X4 with decent results (All right, less than average results). And imagine what the pros could do with it! Ask them to do it another way and they can with a few practice swings. Maybe have the pro's comment on this and could they really give into and utilize a somewhat unconventional pattern?

Agreed and agreed.

 

[Bigwill]

I've seen a guy named Pat Maloney use this in the world longdrive championships. What are the downsides to this?