How to Add DISTANCE Without Adding SPEED!

[@danielcohen3159]

Great video! What you're talking about here - at 8:48 - is pretty much all I was thinking about last year when I was really getting good distance, compression, and efficiency. Then during the winter, I went down a rabbit hole of examining body dynamics and hip depth and all this other crap trying to "fix" my swing. And I completely lost strike. I think that over-examination doesn't work for me. Some people it works for and they get great results. But I need to keep it simple and stop playing pretty swings and start playing golf again.

[@GolfTestDummy]

Absolutely. I went through the Golftec 12 lesson program last year and I completely appreciate what pro golfers can do, but it's like relearning to walk, and the philosophy I've developed over the last several years leads me to believe most instruction is working it from the wrong end.

[@danielcohen3159]

I agree. And I don't regret any lessons I've taken or things I've tried to do. Trying things that feel weird is how you improve in just about anything. I think I just had to assemble the various pieces of knowledge they gave me (shallow the club, get the path from in-to-out, deloft, get the weight to your lead side) in my own time and my own way. I really marvel at people who can take a lesson and immediately integrate changes into their swings. That is a skill I don't have. But I've got others! Enjoying your content, man! @@GolfTestDummy

[@timothypollock8358]

Nice results. You are covering the ball better in those improved launches. Yeah, impact is endlessly fascinating and I have found that there is this intricate balance between leading the club around the horizontal arc (as in a circle on the ground) of your downswing with a relatively flat or slightly bowed lead wrist and then going into lead wrist extension at some point while also respecting the same flat circle arc. Of course, the angle of descent respects the particular length and loft of club that you're dealing with. The right balance between these two is absolute dynamite for impacts that are super compressed with ideal dynamic loft which allows for contact that feels like heaven and produces unbelievable distance relative to the clubhead speed. Edblad talks about this when he describes strong lead wrist extension as a component is his extremely compressive impacts. His clubhead is moving out so much more than usual and at some point the clubhead has to "turn the corner" without decreasing loft too much as a purely flat or bowed wrist following the circle would do. So the right amount of extension relative to the flat circle provides the perfect amount of closing and leveling relative to his particular clubhead path. For example, I used to have this strong 3-wood (13 degree or perhaps 2-wood) which I hit great and could get out there 280 or so with a 260 carry with very nice feeling impacts. I suddenly one day started to feel this balance of leading the clubhead into impact with timed LW extension and with the same 165 mph ballspeed started to have these impacts that were indescribably perfect and which sent the ball 295 in the air with a 310 total and a 15 degree launch. These are still the best impacts that I have ever felt in my life because not only were the compressions extremely perfect but I could also feel the perfection of the wrist angle for launch and direction instantly upon contact. I used to be able to often feel and find this balance intuitively with my hands and sense of my path angles. Now it's more like Ahab's white whale; I know it's out there and that it's real but I only get glimpes of it most of the time and then have an occasional confrontation which leaves me wanting more and to ultimately "capture" the whale. Meanwhile the game is afoot and let the hunt continue. Cheers.

[@GolfTestDummy]

The Ahab reference brings up a good point. We've all had those moments or periods in our game where it's just clicking. Then, inevitably, we either perceive a drop in performance that isn't there, or it really does drop off. From there, we are trying to get it back. But, almost everything in life has a natural ebb and flow, so maybe we just try chasing after it in a panic, and accept that it's cyclical. Very difficult to do that though.

[@timothypollock8358]

@@GolfTestDummy Yep, regardless of what we are getting we still have to play the game with that. I do think that there is a fairly simple set of things that are in play here, in the abstract. The problem is that whether you work from the arms, hands, club perspective or some combination of body and those elements, you have to be able to get yourself to do it and do it consistently and that IS as you say difficult. Cheers.

[@jawjuh1005]

I think the point you are making and where your journey has brought you is the same for me. Get rid of swing thoughts, don’t think about body parts, just impact. Bryson Deshambeu did a video a while back that was all about this. He drew a line in the sand and said to work on the divot starting on that line and going forward for all iron shots. I’ve tried it. Really hard to do but if you do you get what you were talking about today. Did you see it?

[@GolfTestDummy]

Absolutely. And if you can't land the club in front of that line consistently, you need to practice. That's it. You don't have to rewrite earth's history, just practice.

[@jawjuh1005]

@@GolfTestDummy so true. And when it does happen the contact and distance that results is pretty amazing.

[@gcoffey223]

Compression is key for extra distance I'm learning

[@GolfTestDummy]

Absolutely.

[@Mat_Scott]

Great video Chad. Love your content. On another note…do you ever have joint problems from hitting off mats?

[@GolfTestDummy]

I have had joint pain for quite a while, haha. This mat that I have is pretty good at minimizing shock.

[@normansykes8872]

I just ordered some new Cleveland XL 2 irons with Graphite shafts. My swing speed with the driver is always 83-85 mph. My irons are of course lower so I’m hoping that the lighter shaft will help me get more club head speed through impact to equal more distance.

[@GolfTestDummy]

Man, I was eyeballing the Cleveland Launcher XL irons really hard. They look like rocket ships.

[@normansykes8872]

@@GolfTestDummy they could very easily become the poor man’s ZX 5’s IMO. I hit the New XL 2 Driver today and it felt better to me than the Srixon ZX 5 MK II.

[@bayougolf7524]

Your comment was right there I’m going to use the same swing speed but I’m going to introduce a different loft and impact conditions There’s wisdom in those words

[@GolfTestDummy]

I think so, and really appreciate you saying so.

[@pedroc6823]

The stats should reflect only the loft of the club instead of an Iron number. You may be shocked how off the stand may be. At least for amateurs. It took me a long time to get used to it but I no longer use a club number. For example at100 yds that’s a 52o and so on. But this is based on a good gapping session.

[@GolfTestDummy]

Oh yeah, for sure. Tolerance on club manufacturers specs can be pretty slack. You need to have your clubs checked in a loft and lie machine.

[@larrylarry9278]

When I turned 70 I moved up to the front tees because of losing some yards. I will turn 75 this summer and still enjoy playing golf . I would like to pick up some more yards.

[@GolfTestDummy]

Even if I was 22 again, and knocking it 350, I'd still want more, haha.

[@robertseiser7511]

You talked about your changes! What changes did you make to hit it further?

[@GolfTestDummy]

I've been going over what I call the true fundamentals in the last several videos, and in this one, the main thing is getting the grip to lead, so the club is delofted.

[@robertseiser7511]

@@GolfTestDummy 👍😎

[@mrkipling3841]

Great video, bud.

[@GolfTestDummy]

Always appreciated!

[@larrylarry9278]

7 iron 137

[@jimmcewen9351]

JV talks about how irons used to set on display with club soled and proper shaft lean, having the the right tools make any job easier but understanding how those tools are supposed to work is just as important. You hear pro’s talk about hitting an iron shot a couple grooves low or high, their precision with shaft lean is way beyond me

[@GolfTestDummy]

Yep, I've seen that, and I'm so glad to see someone saying it. Sam Goulden talks alot about it also. It's just crucial to getting the most out of your shot.

[@jariallen653]

Kinda off topic have you ever used an impact mat?

[@GolfTestDummy]

I have in the past. And tape lines on the mat I'm on. All in an attempt to see where I'm getting my low point.