Some please explain this.

I'm pretty new to golf, had two lessons and been on the course twice along with a lot of range buckets. I've been experimenting with setup and swing to find what feels natural and consistent for me. I think I've got the driver figured out but irons I cannot find a consistent setup.

Tired of hitting left or right, and in an effort to just focus on contacting the ball with a square face, I decided to see how well I could hit it without taking a normal address or back swing. With the ball about a foot forward of my lead foot and from standing up straight with no address, club head hanging like 6" above the ground I just took an easy step forward and took an easy swing at the ball, and I was shocked to see that it led to a perfect ball strike.

So I did this like 5-10 times in a row and then on and off throughout the range session (hit a ton of balls), I was hitting way better just taking a step forward into the swing with no setup or address, (like a mini Happy Gilmore with a small step). I tried to figure out what setup would give me that natural swing but couldn't do it.

The only think I can figure is that my subconscious knows how to setup to hit the ball better than I do, and when I take my conscious setup out of it, and I think only of the club face making square contact (this was the image in my mind), then I'm just along for the ride. My brains just steps me forward into the proper posting and swings back and through to hit it how I'm seeing it my mind. L

I noticed each time I did this my rear foot slid behind me and forward exactly like you would see in bowling and essentially 100% of my weight was on my lead foot as I glided through the swing. I'd call it a bowling swing. Like my right leg swung behind my body as the club swing in front as a counter balance, but the ball flight was phenomenal, despite breaking probably every golf swing rule there is.

The guy next to me stopped to watch me step hit like 5 of these no setup hits in a row and commented how impressive it was and asked if I had a history playing sports. I'm

It was like a switch was flipped. Normal address, inconsistent poor shots. But behind the ball and step into the swing with no address, perfect hits.

Anyone have a way to recreate this from a starting address so I don't have to step into the swing? From this experiment I did figure out that turning my lead foot out more improved my accuracy since I noticed when stepping into it freely this was the foot position my brain decided to use. Also coming through with arms much closer to my body. I think the term is swinging from "in to out."

I'm seriously considering just practicing what I will call the bowling golf swing. It felt effortless compared to standing over the ball. Longer and straighter with less effort and no setup, just the pleasure of hitting the ball.

Who can explain this. I can't find anything online where people swing with a step up except a fictional movie character.

This is pretty close to how I was hitting the irons.
Why could I hit like this so much better than when setting up normally?

No explanation, best advice I can say is whatever works. Look at Matt Wolff's swing. Has a tick and shimmy to start the swing and then pures it. Same concept. Golf is a sport where if it works go with it.

Video below is ricki vs Matt. Both golfers get in the almost same position right before and through impact but how they get there couldn't be any more different.
My guess with out seeing this bowling swing as you call it is everything you are doing leads you to a similar impact position which is what actually matters when you launch the ball
https://www.pgatour.com/video/2020/05/16/rickie-fowler-vs--matthew-wolff-swing-analysis.html

Video both swings in slo mo. You'll see a few things you're doing differently.

I'll do the step in/Happy Gilmore shot on the range a few times (or at top golf for fun) just to loosen up if I am feeling tight. If you have flexibility issues, this method typically solves for those because your feet aren't anchored to the ground and your hips and shoulders feel more free and your swing path will be natural.

Similarly, it typically goes pretty straight for me, but you can't really control the shot shape or distance and it isn't a long term repeatable golf swing. My discovery here caused me to work on flexibility and focus on my hips and shoulders only for several range sessions, which was enormously helpful.

Whatever works. The scorecard doesn't care.

Lydia Ko a few weeks ago was using the same foot movement to initiate her swing as Kyle Berkshire. It was a drill that she occasionally used to hit drives in tournaments. She has stopped now.

Ur probably transferring ur weight correctly when doing the gilmore step

If you're gonna Happy Gilmore, make sure you're wearing some solid spiked golf shoes and not those soft nubbed spiked shoes. One slip and "you're gonna get a hurt. Real bad."

/Russell Peter's

Aggie369 said:

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Ur probably transferring ur weight correctly when doing the gilmore step

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Did some experiments chipping today and I think this is a big part of it. Having to step up to the ball gets me gliding and rotating smoothly.

From doing this I figured out having the front toe pointing more out and ball position farther forward seems to help me replicate more of the position I'm entering naturally when taking a step.

I also noticed I hit the ball way better if I don't address the club right behind the ball, if I start with the club face 6-10" behind the ball it seems to improve my striking a lot, this was mostly achieved by moving the ball to left of my centerline.

Ball position should be just in front of center towards front foot. Your toe open can help with rotating ur hips on follow through. Keep tension out of your hands and arms

Sport Science Happy Gilmore

AggieDruggist89 said:

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Sport Science Happy Gilmore

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I mean, if it gains distance. I think people could hit it more consistently than they think if they practiced some sort of step swing. I actually found on YouTube there are a few people advocating doing a step practice drill. I really have come to believe traditional golf instruction might be hindering sometimes more than it helps, feels like it tries to force people into a body position or motion when everyone is pretty different with different limb lengths and levers. I think changing focus to just hitting the ball straight and focus on control of the club face, and reducing the focus on limbs might be a better approach.

The good coaches don't force u into a position. The amount of knowledge gained in golf instruction through the field of bio mechanics in the last few years is pretty crazy.

bmks270 said:

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Some please explain this.

I'm pretty new to golf, had two lessons and been on the course twice along with a lot of range buckets. I've been experimenting with setup and swing to find what feels natural and consistent for me. I think I've got the driver figured out but irons I cannot find a consistent setup.

Tired of hitting left or right, and in an effort to just focus on contacting the ball with a square face, I decided to see how well I could hit it without taking a normal address or back swing. With the ball about a foot forward of my lead foot and from standing up straight with no address, club head hanging like 6" above the ground I just took an easy step forward and took an easy swing at the ball, and I was shocked to see that it led to a perfect ball strike.

So I did this like 5-10 times in a row and then on and off throughout the range session (hit a ton of balls), I was hitting way better just taking a step forward into the swing with no setup or address, (like a mini Happy Gilmore with a small step). I tried to figure out what setup would give me that natural swing but couldn't do it.

The only think I can figure is that my subconscious knows how to setup to hit the ball better than I do, and when I take my conscious setup out of it, and I think only of the club face making square contact (this was the image in my mind), then I'm just along for the ride. My brains just steps me forward into the proper posting and swings back and through to hit it how I'm seeing it my mind. L

I noticed each time I did this my rear foot slid behind me and forward exactly like you would see in bowling and essentially 100% of my weight was on my lead foot as I glided through the swing. I'd call it a bowling swing. Like my right leg swung behind my body as the club swing in front as a counter balance, but the ball flight was phenomenal, despite breaking probably every golf swing rule there is.

The guy next to me stopped to watch me step hit like 5 of these no setup hits in a row and commented how impressive it was and asked if I had a history playing sports. I'm

It was like a switch was flipped. Normal address, inconsistent poor shots. But behind the ball and step into the swing with no address, perfect hits.

Anyone have a way to recreate this from a starting address so I don't have to step into the swing? From this experiment I did figure out that turning my lead foot out more improved my accuracy since I noticed when stepping into it freely this was the foot position my brain decided to use. Also coming through with arms much closer to my body. I think the term is swinging from "in to out."

I'm seriously considering just practicing what I will call the bowling golf swing. It felt effortless compared to standing over the ball. Longer and straighter with less effort and no setup, just the pleasure of hitting the ball.

Who can explain this. I can't find anything online where people swing with a step up except a fictional movie character.

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Things like this tend to work on the range, and don't transition well to the course.

Your striking is consistent, but your distance and direction probably isn't when initiated from a moving platform. It is also easier on a level practice tee -- a position you only see on the tee box on most courses.

But isolating why it works probably will help. My guess is it is a lack of tension and good timing.

bmks270 said:

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AggieDruggist89 said:

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Sport Science Happy Gilmore

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I think changing focus to just hitting the ball straight and focus on control of the club face, and reducing the focus on limbs might be a better approach.

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That is what almost all reputable golf instructors will do with beginners.