The Shallowing Debate | Should You Shallow The Golf Club?

[@robertbaldwin177]

This is one of the best KZbin posts on this topic I've found. I watched a vid on the Top 10 tour players Driver strikes and they all shallowed consierably. I then recorded mine and saw how steep I naturally come in. It's gonna take some practice but Ill be giving this a go later today in the net. Thanks for posting.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

That's great! You'd really benefit from my 20 Minute Shallowing Fix course. You can check it out here: improve.topspeedgolf.com/20msf-never-mishit-again-transcript/ Best of luck!

[@4pitts1burgh28]

Clay it would be great if you did a course vlog. Like play 9 holes going over your mindset and what you're thinking about when selecting your next shot and why. That would be a huge help to some of us I'm sure. Great drill thanks Clay.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks for the feedback. Hope you're playing great!

[@any1younger]

So, no then......

[@wreckim]

You just can't play good golf without this kind of 'shallowing', however you wanna call it. Thanks Clay...excellent lesson.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks 👍

[@bradyhoukom5666]

Sometimes I slow it down to .25 or .5 speed so I can really see your swing path and man your southern accent at .25 sounds like a northern minnesotan that has had WAAYYYY too much to drink LOL! Good content. Thanks!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Interesting! Haha

[@Bamfieldtv]

Just shot 76 yesterday thanks to you. Best round of my life so far.

[@Bamfieldtv]

@@DTB1995 77 and then 83. The 77 was last weekend.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

[@danielcohen3159]

0:24 "Somewhere down in the general vicinity of the golf ball" is usually what I'm hoping for!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

😂

[@4pitts1burgh28]

I had this issue because I started steep then would stand up before impact to close the face and make room for the club not to hit the ground. Amazing how much my swing changed

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

[@돌아오지않는메아리]

Thank you so much for this. I think I am the one you described as a player who shallow later.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

You're very welcome!

[@zero2herogolf]

Generally speaking, this would be called flattening or shallowing the plane in the downswing, which usually can be identified by the steepness of the shaft in the downswing. However, shallowing the angle of attack is a different topic and this relates to the angle at the trail arm elbow and wrist in the downswing. Most people need both shallowing of the plane and the angle of attack. Shallowing the angle of attack will provide better consistency, particularly for greater directional accuracy. However, this requires letting out some of the elbow and wrist set and may cost a little distance. By contrast holding excessive elbow and wrist set will generally allow for more lag and power, creating more distance, but may cost directional accuracy. Most people are not a Cameron Champ, and so shallowing the angle of attack will provide a more consistent strike, direction, and lower scores! Think Moe Norman as an extreme example of a shallow angle of attack, and you'll start to have a better understanding of why he had the greatest accuracy of any golfer in history.

[@jonasbertilbellander]

Great info. One plane ✈.

[@zero2herogolf]

@@jonasbertilbellander kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXvMmp2ldteop7M

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks for sharing!

[@samuelcollie2050]

Timely video. I had a lesson yesterday and my pro told me I was taking the club inside just as you are talking about. Work to do.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad to help

[@marco_gallone]

Hi Clay, while I can appreciate the concept of shallowing the club, though I fear that it would be hard for you to demonstrate that a steep swing reduces swing speed and reduces distance. Especially considering that you’re naturally more comfortable with a shallow swing. So you may not be swinging as fast as you would be since it’s a less comfortable motion to you. I’d like to see if you could work with a student who struggles with a steep swing and your drills help transform their swing (and the flight scope numbers) to highlight that boost in speed and distance.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks Marco! We have a course for this called The Move and it's included in the All Access Membership. If you're interested, just use the quick link below because you can sign up in about 1 minute: topspeedgolf.com/pick-all-access-plan/

[@knightwriter2989]

If you want to hit it far and straight.... you'll shallow the club. Mickelson actually DOES shallow because he has a wide, low takeaway which means the club is already shallow. Great channel. #RM

[@MPT458]

interesting... need to try this

[@TopSpeedGolf]

You should!

[@jmac2659]

Clay is this something like the medicine ball toss drill.. thanks. Great video

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Yes, exactly

[@mowglines85]

Hi Clay, great content as always. I would seem to be stuck in a different swing as I turn the wheel/ bucket in the opposite direction in the downswing to offset the momentum of the club, which wants to shallow out on its own. If I turn the wheel as you say the club will be a mile behind me and I have to have a ton of face rotation at impact in order to apply the clubhead to the ball. This is too difficult for me. Maybe the reason I am the hacker and you are the Pro:-)

[@TopSpeedGolf]

You have to have things work together. If you shallow it then you want to square the face like I talk about at the end of the video and rotate more. Play well!

[@throwingstones96]

OMG you just saved my life

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad to help!👍

[@bogeyman10us11]

If you have an upright swing, you need to flatten (shallow) the club on your down swing. I understand that. What if you already have a flatter swing, why do you need to flatten it even more? Shallowing is what we used to call looping at the top. It's just another name to tell the old story.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

If you already have a shallow downswing, there is no need to shallow more. Play well! Nate | TSG Instructor

[@bogeyman10us11]

@@TopSpeedGolf Thank you, Clay.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

My pleasure!

[@otisregatoni617]

Body posture helps asst. - being more erect and bent at hip with weight on balls of feet for good balance assists in making a more effective/efficient shallow flight path.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks for sharing!

[@cathygresham4371]

Clay, why wait to the downswing to square up the club? Why not rotate the wrist earlier, like on the way back, then all the focus on the downswing is just to shallow and rotate through?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

You can do that but I think it's more difficult for most. I find that many that try to square the face in the backswing undo it in the start of the downswing. Play well!

[@daveandereck4803]

You mentioned Phil Mickelson as someone who is not very shallow, but then didn't return to actually analyze what he does and how he makes it work for him. How steep is he and how is that affecting his results?

[@c1awz]

Curious too. Feels like there is a middleground between shallow and "over the top" that would be just returning on plane also..? Why wouldnt that work.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Hey Dave, sorry, should have gone into that more. Phil is steep initially and then shallows it later. In my opinion, it's why he can get wild with the driver. He has some of the greatest hands of all time which really helps.

[@jonasbertilbellander]

@@TopSpeedGolf golfers with high hand positions at the top will force a more steep phase. Moe Norman, Ben Hogan have low hand top position... More shallow natural.... So... 🤔

[@thomaslahr9022]

Why dont i just put the shaft on the right plane to start with rather than go from steep to shallow?

[@totalpackagehealthcare7257]

Q losing some weight!! nicely done!!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks! Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@johndurbin1943]

Clay, is shallowing the club early the same for all clubs, Driver thru the irons?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Yes

[@stevec2739]

Why do I always have to watch another link you have to subscribe to, just put it in the description if you can’t be bothered finishing what you started.

[@davidcavon637]

Confused, some teach the knuckles of the lead hand should point to the ground. Your tipping the bucket pointed your lead hand at the sky! Too much manipulation, timing is too difficult!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

The knuckles turn down to the ground at impact. It will be difficult at first. If you don't have time to practice then I would just stick to whatever you're doing even though it isn't optimal. Play well!

[@IIrandhandleII]

I can teach you how to steepen the club shaft clay.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Haha, I think I know how to do it already! Hope this video helped 👍

[@MarkSmith-lz5rk]

How is this a debate? Who says steep is the best way to play

[@TopSpeedGolf]

The debate is weather you should try to shallow the club.

[@joevelte4252]

You really shouldnt have to conscientiously worry about this. It should happen naturally if you are swinging correctly.

[@thomasmccauley9607]

I agree. Too many swing thoughts ruin the swing. I just visualize how I want the shot to go and then swing away. The initial focus is where I want the ball to start to come to the target. Works for me.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

If you're not swinging correctly then you do need to think about it. It won't happen naturally on it's own.

[@dbvfx8628]

@@TopSpeedGolf very true…I had the over the top problem and hitting pulls along with inconsistencies. Shallowing solved those problems and it not even a thought now. (The figure 8 drill you have helped a lot to understand).

[@jonasbertilbellander]

But DJ kind of overshallow imo. Yes?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

No, he actually comes down a little steep. Plays a fade most of the time.

[@jonasbertilbellander]

@@TopSpeedGolf ok in that regard but his wrist bow is impossible to copy 2. Bryson de Chambeaux doesn't bow his wrist..

[@jonasbertilbellander]

@@TopSpeedGolf aha we are talking different, I meant the bowed wrist. Sorry I misunderstand. I need to come more steep maybe

[@jonasbertilbellander]

@@TopSpeedGolf another word for shallow? 🇸🇪 Here...

[@jonasbertilbellander]

@@TopSpeedGolf I don't think coming steep is good.