Strike It On Your Trail Side

[@12piecebucket]

Rewatched…possibly the best and most insightful video on golf

[@mikap20]

Excellent... Ive recently found this secret and was having trouble putting it into words. To me this video let's me know I'm on the right track and also exposes one of the many misconceptions of traditional descriptions of the golfswing. Thank you and great job!!

[@patrickberhow8578]

I finally put this together yesterday. Everybshot push draw. This nonsense about dont sway over the ball is whats holding people back. It feels like before i start the downswing that i get way ahead lf the ball but the key for me was to keep the head looking back at the ball while my hips were ahead of the ball. Then it felt like my arms and club swing aroun my right hit and boom push draw high or low if i want. This guy is right. Ive never hit the ball like this. Even miss center hits are powerful. Just rmembwr hips ahead Head staying on yhe ball. It will feel like youre looking behind your right shoulder once you hit it

[@adamrowbury5525]

WOW! I watched this and it opened up and explained a concept that I didn’t have explained by any swing coach ever before. Anyway I tried it at the driving range with trackman and the results are amazing.

[@ebitalian02767]

Best video on the internet. I’ve been working on a body pivot w my pro and I finally felt something different in my swing this week. I finally trusted the body to turn and drag the club behind me, like dragging someone on a wake board behind me around a corner on a boat

[@methodicl2673]

I thought this "hands ahead" was what they were doing for the longest time. I tried and tried and thought it impossible till I finally realized that the club should be very late. For me the swing feels like the club head is never gonna get there and its way behind me. The difference in impact is astounding and the sound amazing. Also feels like no effort but looks fast. I thought I could hit it pretty solid before but I had no idea until I understood this concept.

[@NathanMiller-p3o]

@methodicl2673 how did you figure this out

[@Tigersmundo]

*Well there is so much validity in these words, always fresh keeping it real.*

[@MartinAyersGolf]

Hey Junior!

[@PaulMcG425]

I have never been shown,or told about this.Fantastic information Thanks again Martin

[@tonykamivenditte397]

Martin. I’m using your step drill to do this. Using in my pre shot routine as well. Thank you!

[@MartinAyersGolf]

@@tonykamivenditte397 That’s a great idea to get the motion in the correct direction 👍🏻

[@GC-cx6ew]

This is exactly what my swing coach and i are working on....he was explaining this - this helps clear it up...alot...at least for me...

[@charlesking6584]

The fact this video has only 13k views is a testament to the state of golf instruction and the inability to market “truth”

[@tomhanks6351]

*Martin, could you please demo what you mean and use simpler words?*

[@Mbsmoothe]

It makes sense why none of these guys are running out of right arm. Also the right side bend really disguises where the hands are at impact.

[@johnpritchard9753]

Brilliant!! Utterly brilliant. Thanks

[@CharlesHillier]

Rewatched this video, and understood it in a completely new way! I understood "hitting it as far back as possible", but for some reason was trying to drop my left arm as far back as possible, not keeping it high. Great stuff as usual, miss seeing more! So. much of the material is so deep it can be reviewed for years and still learn more.

[@MartinAyersGolf]

Glad it helped!

[@briantimlin2650]

What does ‘you staying inside and underneath it’ mean?

[@jackjames7348]

The only issue I have found with the approach discussed is that keeping behind it so much means your weight stays back, so miss-hits are knifing it.

[@jontreadwell6226]

No, your weight goes with your hips, and the arms stay back. Recently I’ve coached myself “there are no arms”

[@s3gts]

Nice one Mart.

[@higbyprigby9648]

Bradley Hughes, is that you?

[@roncohn9115]

Genius Marty!

[@12piecebucket]

You have the most unique perspective in golf instruction. This a great observation. How did you figure this out? Seems the transition and intention during transition would be a key. Can you give insight on the how part?

[@clivelamb4047]

What do you mean by left arm high?

[@darrendomain4127]

Please explain HOW to do this?

[@teressaabbott855]

I've watched a couple times starting to add up

[@jmm4081]

I’m not sure what you mean. “Keep the left arm high and inside and keep the club in front of you” What does that mean??

[@marklucey1]

My take.....is that the lead arm is at an angle (maybe 55-odd degrees) to the ground at impact as opposed to being "straight down" or perpendicular to the ground and in very close to the body. The "look" then is that the trail side (or maybe a better "feel".......the trail shoulder) is trying to swing "under" the lead arm....as a "feel". You might have seen that drill where you put your lead arm straight out in front of you with your driver being held straight down to and sitting on the ground (at a right angle / 90 degrees), then swing your trail side/arm under that "high" lead arm. Dunno. I'm only an 11 handicapper so I could be completely on a different wavelength 😕

[@plentyofouts]

@@marklucey1 you've got it right

[@gatgolf]

Can some one comment more specifically, what is meant by the left arm "up and out"?

[@lennartsandberg1568]

Thanks - is that what Mr Ben Hogan shows in his book Five Fundamental page 94 and 95 ?

[@MartinAyersGolf]

@@lennartsandberg1568 It may be related to that. But I don’t want to make the claim that it’s exactly what he was saying.

[@khansaab858]

This video changed everything for me, 10 + yds with every club❤

[@johnflorio3576]

I have NEVER been able to understand Martin Ayers - I can tell he’s smart but his communication style doesn’t resonate with me - but I understood THIS.

[@guitar1950]

I have the same problem understanding what he is saying. Can you re-phrase this for us?

[@johnflorio3576]

I believe what Martin means by “the trail side“ is off the right hip when the ball is struck. If this is incorrect, please correct me.

[@ebitalian02767]

Arms don’t pass the belt buckle until after impact. If the arms were paralyzed and you couldn’t move them at all and I glued a golf club to your hands you’d swing it like a PGA tour pro.

[@plentyofouts]

Imagine from the top of the backswing you had to maintain the same relationship between your left arm and your upper body all the way back to the ball. In other words, you’re feeling you’re moving the entire top of the backswing position all the way back down to the ball. The top of your backswing is the same position as impact.

[@MartinAyersGolf]

@@plentyofouts good image

[@steveng8727]

Makes so much sense however for the average hack I wonder if this action puts more strain on the back and spine?

[@JimmyVespe]

Particularly a 50 something golfer. I constantly fight getting into positions that as a 16 year old were effortless. We are looking at pictures of guys in their physical prime, before the ravages of time and pounding 4 million balls has taken its toll. Not disagreeing with what is presented here, people just need to keep this in perspective of the load that this action is putting on the left hip, getting cleared and yet down with the spine. Worth mentioning is these guys are clearing so fast with the lower body that they aren't getting on an early elbow plane like Hogan, instead there hands are out at P5 which means this position is the only one possible (toe down hands high) at impact. This is a way to hit the ball, but is the classic jump-stall where the hips and club aren't moving as one post impact. There has always been a little bit of this in the very best players, but today's game is a long drive game, and guys are firing at the ball in a slightly different sequence than players trying to bunt it down the middle like Faldo.

[@powpowpro]

Thank you for your post. The way golfers injure their backs is by trying to turn while remaining bent over, and striking the ball on your trail side has nothing to do with that.

[@dry509]

So where is he looking? Don’t get it? Left arm up and out? Working in left arm staying up? Staying inside and under the left arm and club. I do not understand what he is saying and can’t visualize it. Still lost on how to do a golf swing. Not criticizing speaker just don’t get it. Trail side strike?

[@jleber]

Try this, you need to feel like your lead arm is rising on the downswing like there is a spring in your lead armpit pushing it up. This will also allow your trail arm to stay low with a bent elbow so you can stay inside and behind your lead arm relative to you. This makes sense because as the club accelerates it should rise relative to its axis due to centrifugal force. So you’re letting it build speed naturally by allowing it to rise relative to where is started. Remember golf is played in an inclined position (we fold our body). The key for me in getting this was observing how all the good golfers in this video (and everywhere else) had high lead arms at impact relative to their starting position.

[@UnderstandingBitcoin]

@@jleber lead arm to fold? When? pushing it “up” in what direction?

[@sir_nicks_allot_8902]

I understood every word he said but nothing I was told to do on this video either.

[@sir_nicks_allot_8902]

​@@jleberfor the first time in my life I feel fully illiterate. Nothing in the video made any sense, and as detailed as your explanation was, I don't understand it any better. 😵‍💫

[@plentyofouts]

When he compares to the amateur swing, the amateur drops the left arm down to the ball as his torso stands up and back from the ball, the pros move their torsos down and in toward the ball as the left arm stays up and back. Imagine trying to ’limbo’ beneath your left arm to get down to the ball. Your torso and bent right arm are trying to get under your left arm to make their way down to the ball. The torso has to right side bend somewhat to achieve this.

[@rdaviesdavies]

Hey! Might I need the conception that the lead side is going over the ball, leaving it for the trail side?

[@MartinAyersGolf]

@@rdaviesdavies If you’re someone that tends to early extend then yes.

[@DC-ln8wp]

Is this similar to a Moe Norman downswing 🤔 ??

[@tomhanks6351]

Perceptions, perspectives, …arm up, out, in, under, behind, in front of, 6:14 “while you stay inside and underneath it…” 🤕 . Please explain.

[@myaccount3402]

I am trying to decipher.... "Keep your left arm high"= instead of moving the arms and hands down to the ball try lifting the left shoulder. The arms will move due to the motion This creates a "wall" to stay inside of

[@marklucey1]

I wonder is that the feeling that some people talk about as "turning your torso into your lead arm"?

[@Pseudify]

Probably. I suspect this is exactly what would happen if you kept your upper body as relaxed as possible while rotating the lower body.

[@rickmiller8893]

This has been a staple of what I've been working on in the last year. Always up for more input. When you say "you stay inside and underneath", you mean staying away and down from it as not pulling down with the left arm and getting it under the shoulders and the body not crowding it right?

[@tomhanks6351]

*Ok, I think I’ve got it, and it seems pretty simple: keep your right arm bent through impact, upper arm in contact with the right side of your rib cage … Good?*

[@chrispeterson7597]

Ok I turned into the clip of the guy that amateur who loses his spine angle and stands up basically, Ive always had high club speed and as I aged I might have started doing it protecting a sore lower back. I didnt know I was doing that until a pro at a club supplier told me, immediately it made sense, why I was always hitting off the toe, and couldnt feel comfortable with my distance I would stand from the ball, could hit it fat very easily. Do not make my mistake, because it is hard to get rid of the bad habits this causes. This guy knows what hes talking about. When I was young and better than now I used to imagine my hands straight down at impact and still having all my wrist cock with my shaft still parallel to the ground, thats all the power right there, watch slo mo swings and youll see how much the club head moves towards the ground with the wrists moving barely at all in your swing. Try it, imagine holding as much wrist cock as you can all the way passed impact, so basically a lot of what John Daly does and the opposite of what Steve Stricker looks like he does. Back in the 80's and 90's imo it seemed more important with the clubs we used so today you dont need to hit down on the ball as much to get power/distance. When I started playing at 13 or so after my baseball was over, anybody I played with couldnt believe I was driving 300 yards with a cheap senator wooden persimmon. Those clubs had great feel to them. Dont stand up in your downswing!! I never watched myself on video swinging either, that wouldve helped spot it sooner. Having a good mental game is crucial to not developing bad habits.

[@guitar1950]

I'm not understanding the explanation or descriptions you use. I did discover yesterday prior to watching this video a move that may be part of what you are attempting to describe. I'm right hand/side dominant. A right hander who plays golf left handed. My tendency is to pull hard with my right arm and right side from transition to finish. I've been suffering for several months with an upper right back and right shoulder stiffness and pain from a pinched nerve under the right shoulder blade. Maybe my pulling with right side has aggravated it. Hitting balls yesterday, I focused on firing my left side (trail side) through to the finish. Seems to be a better move for me. Thoughts?

[@DonLee-xl2th]

Look at the pictures. For example at 2:12. Body has opened, left shoulder high approximately matching steeply tilted shoulder plane, left arm fully extended and clearly above bent right arm, right elbow just in front of right pocket, upper right arm close to rib cage. Note the triangular window in the arms structure. Copy it. Swing it. It works.

[@andybecker5001]

Gears measurement of best players in the world confirms this. Impact is always on trail side. Hands and arms are never past their midline until ball is gone

[@truemotiongolf9806]

Can you explain this a little deeper? I don't understand up and out...

[@MartinAyersGolf]

The key part that seems to have eluded you in watching it was said during the Champ 7iron. It's not relative to the target or some plane line. It's relative to you. You stay inside and under your arm, leave the arm/club up ,out and back.

[@marklucey1]

Northbound Golf Two things Martin (1) when you say up are you referring to not dropping or pulling your hands down in transition or are you referring to feeling like the lead hands/are should "feel" up (or high) at impact and (2) I'm not sure how they can be out and back at the same time? Would really appreciate a bit of clarification if you have time. Thanks.

[@MartinAyersGolf]

@@marklucey1 (1) Not dropping or pulling in transition...instead you want the opposite of that. (2) I'd say the same thing to you as an earlier comment. It's relative to you, so you can certainly work up , out and back relative to you in 3D. Hope that helps clarify.

[@teddythodo3302]

So in a sense, during transition we’re pointing our lead hand/arm unit to the ball and down the target line? And feeling like we swing under that arm? Please correct me if I’m wrong because I am struggling with spine angle, early extension, scooping at impact and more. Why do we struggle so much? There has got to be incorrect intentions for the average joe because this happens too often to be coincidental. We need to correct intention here and I’m hoping this may change my intentions and perspective on things. Please let me know

[@LifeOnUranus]

Martin - holy cow all this stuff is insane. But its truer than true. It works! holy moly it works! Its like the whole freakin package! Thank you!! What a revelation. Again thank you!! So, now I have a odd question - is the opposite true for the short game? is it a lead side hit? not taking any credit here if it is - thats all you, but im just wondering and fiddling with the idea and it may have some merit. i once saw a vid called ‘short game lag’ by Josh Zander and it was kind of similar or at least a connected idea. Dang this stuff is so awesome.

[@MartinAyersGolf]

Depends on the shot. A low chip or a pitch that you drive in low would be TSS all day. If you have a short pitch or bunker shot that you need quick elevation and a lot of spin you’d be lead side for sure. 👍🏻

[@LifeOnUranus]

@@MartinAyersGolf omg.

[@LifeOnUranus]

this is crazy. i actually feel like crying. wow. Thank you Martin…!!!!!!

[@briantimlin2650]

Does the alignment and drag concept in later videos create this hitting from the trail side? And does more flexibility to add more rotation also add more drag?

[@MartinAyersGolf]

It’s a chicken and egg situation, you just answered your own question with the second one. This^^ is how the body organises itself to maintain drag until the balls gone. That’s why all the best players are arranged this way (in their own way) at impact.

[@briantimlin2650]

@@MartinAyersGolfcheers Martin. I’ll just keep working on alignment, drag and sequence so. It makes sense that’s an organisation to also create a trail side hit. And these probably also strengthen and mobilise the body better to do them but no doubt extra strength and mobility work can help too.

[@Jackybug]

Very tough move for senior golfers with restricted flexibility.

[@MartinAyersGolf]

Not as tough as going the opposite way… which leads to early extension. It’s not about how much you can do this. It’s the best way to go however far you can.

[@dmperr]

Is this concept just for driver? Or for a 5 iron from the fairway as well?

[@MartinAyersGolf]

I use the same concept for all shots. The idea that you stay inside "it" while striking it as far on your trail side as you can. It's the ideal way to put a certain amount of energy flush on the ball. Whether that's at 120+mph or at 40mph on a pitch.

[@sdieselol]

@@MartinAyersGolf When you say strike it on your trail side, can you elaborate on that anymore? Basically that your turn will be long past the ball at impact? I'm definitely feeling the out and under action, the "pop" from this is amazing. Just want to be sure I'm interpreting the "trail side" part right. Thanks!

[@dry509]

I don’t get it.

[@gregroscoe4051]

I had to watch this video a second time to fully understand the concept of hitting it from the trail side. From the golfer's perspective, at impact, the torso has rotated to an open position (facing the target) as the lead arm lags behind. The lead shoulder is now "high". The strike is made as the lead arm is more in front of the trail side of the torso. To do this, you must keep your hips deep and maintain your spine angle. It is the magic move to maximum energy transfer to the ball. Hogan had a drill that emphasized this move. He held the angle not allowing the club to pass the hands. Sort of a prelude to a strike.

[@sir_nicks_allot_8902]

I didn't understand any of this?

[@huygmail]

Sorry but I don't get what you mean by You stay inside and under your arm, leave the arm/club up ,out and back.

[@MartinAyersGolf]

The key to that phrase is that I am referring to what to do from YOUR perspective over the ball. I always provide instruction from that perspective because that's where you play your shots from. Think of the amateur swing I used...he does the opposite of these great players. He goes OUTSIDE and UP not "inside" and "under" relative to his left arm. Again this all from the perspective he's playing from, NOT the cameras perspective.

[@shawnahlfeld2887]

Any drills you would recommend?

[@MartinAyersGolf]

We will bring some content that talks about how to create this relationship

[@jonathanbalanetsky7914]

@@MartinAyersGolf Have any videos been posted yet to show how to drill this move/feeling? I'm an ex baseball player and fight the need to hit off my lead side, like a baseball in front of the plate, vs a golf ball on my trail side. Thank you.

[@teeno684]

I do not understand this concept

[@gregoryedwards8781]

Focusing on the left arm is the wrong idea. You need to keep your body from moving into the ball and keep your butt at the same depth throughout the swing

[@MartinAyersGolf]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hITcnpuAg6-jq9U Thank you for your expert opinion.

[@jpkeating8059]

🤣🤣🤣@@MartinAyersGolf

[@mAx87iStar]

Ur explanation is not great

[@MartinAyersGolf]

@@mAx87iStar duly noted

[@mAx87iStar]

I think I understand what you mean now. They are all turning inside the lead arm the arm is off the chest relative to them and the body is inside and under the lead arm as opposed to the lead arm across your open chest body l. So at impact the left arm is closer to the trail side it stays back as the body turns left and under the lead arm. ??

[@ElvisPriscillaPresley]

If you don't understand what he is saying is because you think the golf swing is rotational. It is NOT. It is just levers. Address the golf ball--now lift the club in front of you(keeping the angles)where your hands are now at eye level--that is all you do in the golf swing. Now watch the video again.

[@quantoa68]

All the bs talk, why don't you master the swing like them then show us. All talk!

[@MartinAyersGolf]

LOL, ok mate 👍🏻

[@douglaskercher6948]

There are plenty of videos of Martin hitting shots. I've seen him hit shots in person and it is extremely impressive. He doesn't only talk the talk but he walks the walk.