Insight from Barry Clayton on Backswing.com:
Club Up for Better Contact and Distance control
Posted on: 06 Jul 2023
I think we can all say that most incorrect ball contact comes from not using the right club and trying to swing too hard. Learn your distances with your clubs for sure but never feel like you are going 100% at a shot. By believing you have enough club to get to your target your […]
Align your Clubface First
Posted on: 15 Jun 2023
Simple but please aim your clubface toward the target first when thinking about alignment. From putter to driver after gripping the club set the club behind the ball and aim it toward your intended target. After club is aimed align body parallel to target line and then you’re ready. Too many players aim their body […]
Speed Training Made Simple
Posted on: 23 May 2023
Maintaining your swing speed is key as you get older and I would like to make a couple of points. First off keep your swing long as that will generate more swing speed. Secondly, continue to maintain your balance no matter how hard you swing. Swinging any weighted club will be good for speed increases, […]
Relax into your round
Posted on: 03 May 2023
We are all pressed for time these days and if you show up at the course just before your tee time try this. After checking in grab a cold beverage of your choice and sit down and relax for a minute and try to slow your day and motor down. After this walk slowly to […]
Your Swing Plane is Critical at Impact
Posted on: 20 Apr 2023
Every time you watch the Golf Channel or pick up a golf magazine at some point the words swing plane will come up. To understand what this is think of the butt of your club pointing at the ball line on the backswing and follow through. This would be the thought with any full swing […]
Finish your swing and check your lie angle
Posted on: 06 Apr 2023
Contacting the ball with the toe of your club is a very common issue. In a swing lesson I would work on your rotation/finish and ensuring your arms are extended at impact by having full release. In a Club fitting the fitter might want to adjust your clubs to bring the strike closer to the […]
Age and Strength Matter with a Shortened Backswing
Posted on: 29 Mar 2023
Everyone wants to bomb it like John Rahm with that short, aggressive backswing. Couple of words of caution before you try and employ that to your swing. A younger, stronger and aggressive golfer still has the wrist, hand and forearm strength to set and square the club correctly. Timing, power and speed are key in […]
Control Iron Trajectory with Short Game Thoughts
Posted on: 14 Feb 2023
Controlling the trajectory of iron shots can be tough especially if you have one speed or length of swing for every shot. Let’s think short game for a minute, if you want to hit a low running chip shot you keep the club low on each side of the swing and that produces a low […]
The Big Three Faults in your swing
Posted on: 19 Jan 2023
Obviously golfers have can have numerous swing faults but let’s point out the big three. First, their setup to include grip, ball position, clubface aim, body posture and positioning are off leading to numerous compensations in their motion to correct the problem. Secondly, Club is swung with just arms and hands on downswing leading to […]
Keep Your Swing Long and Hold the Club Correctly
Posted on: 16 Jan 2023
Basic mechanics make your swing what it is, there are no gimmicks in this game. 3 aids to maintain your swing First would be the Orange Whip. Love it for many reasons but I think it really works on the timing and length of your swing. Second would be a simple reminder grip, don’t attach […]
Putt With Comfort
Posted on: 09 Dec 2022
Concerning having your eyes directly over the line of your putt, is that a good thing? I think not, being too close to your line takes away all arc in your stroke and really is quite uncomfortable. Being a little inside the line allows the club to flow in an opening and closing arc which […]
Weight Shift to Maintain Posture
Posted on: 27 Oct 2022
For me the main cause of coming out of your spine angle at impact is improper weight shift toward the target through impact. Any flat footed swing with no finish would give the player the coming out of it feel. By loading and then shifting your weight toward the target to finish should help this […]
Are you getting a bang for your buck??!!
Posted on: 05 Oct 2022
I’m such a lucky guy that I get to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. My summer job is in a rural area with lower overall golf rates so my lessons run from $60 to $100 overall. My winter job is in a resort area with higher overall golf rates and […]
Hold Your Club Like A Bird??
Posted on: 12 Aug 2022
Gripping your golf club correctly means the club is held in your fingers and not your palms for all shots except putting. The fingers are the grippers of your golf club and really for most all daily activities. That being said try not to strangle the club at address so that the wrists can cock […]
Don’t Try to Make a Divot, Let it Happen
Posted on: 31 Jul 2022
Any ball that is on the ground must be compressed to get it airborne. With your irons and wedges you should definitely see some turf move when hitting a shot. That being said, does it need to be a chunk of turf or a brush of the turf? Either can work but I prefer to […]
Whatever Style Works Best
Posted on: 06 Jul 2022
Putting is such an individual part of the game with so many styles that if something works just ride it until it doesn’t! That being said in general if you are pulling your putts a face balanced version might be best for you. If you tend to block your putts get a putter with toe […]
Load Right Unload Left for Proper Contact
Posted on: 27 Jun 2022
When we talk about the best golf swings in the world there is a loading of weight on the backswing and then a shift or unload into finish. No great player is flat footed in their finish position. That being said, there is very little head movement until impact in the best golf swings. I […]
Find Experience and PGA Certified
Posted on: 06 Jun 2022
There are so many great golf instructors in our world but finding the right one can be tough. Word of mouth from someone that has taken lessons from a person you are interested in would be great but here are my two keys. First of all, how long has the person taught golf and do […]
Direction and Distance with fitted clubs
Posted on: 17 May 2022
I have many students who say I’m not good enough for fitted clubs and I tell them they’re not good enough NOT to have fitted clubs!! Tiger might be able to slap it around the course with any type club but you are not at that skill level! Your irons striking the ground correctly, the […]
Pick a ball for green side feel
Posted on: 20 Apr 2022
Titleist took every ball they make from a Pinnacle to a ProV1 and only found about 5 yards of distance between all of them off their Iron Byron hitting machine. Point being a ball will not give you distance!! Pick a ball that works for you around the green, how’s it feel off the putter, […]
Less Loft for Better Result
Posted on: 11 Apr 2022
Most golfers reach for the sand wedge when reaching the green no matter the position of the shot. Sometimes loft is needed but if you just need to roll or bump the ball forward use less loft like a 9 iron or less. Use your putting grip, lean the shaft forward slightly and make the […]
Weight Shift for Proper Contact
Posted on: 24 Mar 2022
We can talk swing plane, wrist action and many other thoughts on the golf swing to compress or strike the ball with a downward motion but to me it all revolves around proper weight shift. If you weight is shifting toward the target this will provide all the down strike you need in a golf […]
Shift Toward Target for proper contact
Posted on: 16 Dec 2021
You could look at a golfer topping a ball and come up with a million reasons that this happened. As long as the club is somewhat close to plane, a proper shift of your weight toward the target should help your skulled shots. It corrects change in posture, arms shorter, shoulder plane and on and […]
Range Finders will sharpen your golf
Posted on: 28 Oct 2021
I think the most important accessory for any golfer is a good rangefinder. Knowing your yardage is critical in lowering your score and I watch students every day play shots no truly knowing their yardage. I think this is extremely critical in smaller shots because dialing in those distances will really lower your scores. Work […]
Comfortable Relaxed Address position
Posted on: 01 Oct 2021
Tension is the killer of a great golf swing so let’s try to start relaxed! Without a club, Stand tall, lean forward with slight knee flex and let your arms hang from your shoulders. Depending on the length of the club you might change your spine tilt but the rest remains the same. Stay close […]
Grip Down on Your Driver for Control
Posted on: 20 Sep 2021
First of all ask yourself or fitter, when buying a driver, what loft fits my swing ? The only reason people hit a 3 wood farther than their driver is the loft. The shaft is also shorter in a 3 wood but we can get that length by choking down on the driver like you […]
Aim Your Clubface First
Posted on: 01 Sep 2021
On any shot, to include putting, aim the face of your club to your intended target first and then work your body into position second. I highly recommend lines on the ball being matched to lines on the putter for correct alignment. Most players are so misaligned that I truly think this is the only […]
Flatten your Swing for Better Drives
Posted on: 16 Aug 2021
When you strike a ball off the ground think of a tilted Ferris wheel with the club mainly working up and down. This means irons, fairway woods and hybrids need down strike for any height in the shot. Ball position needs to be centered and not too far up in stance to create this angle […]
Use Wrists for Speed
Posted on: 26 Jul 2021
To create speed in your golf swing you must use your wrists! I have so many students who just lift their arms on the backswing and then try to twist their body to create speed on the downswing. This does not work!! Two steps, your forearms have to rotate the toe of the club up […]
Align your Clubface First!!
Posted on: 12 Jul 2021
I watch players every day wiggle their bodies into position to swing the club and then lastly set the club behind the ball. Please, reverse that action and after taking your grip place the club behind the ball aiming the face toward the target. This makes it so that even if the strike is not […]
Test Current Clubs Against New Model
Posted on: 28 Jun 2021
When buying new clubs take your current set with you and head to a reputable shop with a launch monitor. This will track your carry, total distance and spin rate to name a few specs. Then during the fit if they can’t hand you something that increases carry and total distance, stay with your current […]
Simplify Your Grip
Posted on: 28 May 2021
Let’s keep this simple, for a right handed player, the back of your left hand to the target, the palm of your right hand to the target, done!! Easiest way to feel this is pick up a yard stick, left hand on first, thumb on top, right hand on, thumb on top. Enjoy hitting the […]
Your Grip Controls the Clubface
Posted on: 28 May 2021
Many ways are talked about in moving the golf ball left or right but it’s really pretty easy! By changing your grip your ball will curve, let’s talk about it! In right handed player terms, if you show more knuckles on your left hand grip, the ball will curve left! If you set your left […]
Speith, Who Else??!!
Posted on: 06 Apr 2021
Jordan Speith has been trending all year and with a breakthrough win last week and his short game sharp, this is a easy bet!! If it stays firm and fast that also helps his long game accuracy. Bet the ranch, go Jordan!!
Change your focus point for solid contact
Posted on: 27 Jan 2021
In a fairway bunker we hear all the normal mechanics of keep your feet and body quite to make clean contact and that’s all good and well but here’s the real secret. Take plenty of club for the distance needed but focus on the front edge or just forward of the ball for a great […]
Drive the Best Piece You Can
Posted on: 28 Oct 2020
I think once a player has some kind of consistent move in their golf swing that puts the club face on the ball, it’s time to get fit. If you’re driving a 72 VW Beetle and I’m in a 2020 V8 BMW, I’m blowing you away every time and it’s not even a contest. If […]
If it works for you why not??!!
Posted on: 15 Oct 2020
In my opinion Bryson looks so mechanical in his putting stroke but he has had great putting rounds. Look at the last round of this years US Open! So my point is if you find a style of putting that works, then use it until you find the putts not being holed or the speed […]
Your Grip Controls the Clubface
Posted on: 10 Sep 2020
Many ways are talked about in moving the golf ball left or right but it’s really pretty easy! By changing your grip your ball will curve, let’s talk about it! In right handed player terms, if you show more knuckles on your left hand grip, the ball will curve left! If you set your left […]
Beeches Golf Club in the resort town of South Haven, Michigan
Posted on: 27 Aug 2020
Fun Course in Southwest Michigan The Beeches Golf Club located in the resort town of South Haven, Michigan is one of the best values around and a great golf course. This links style course has great turf and the lay out is awesome. 7200 yards from the back tees make this no pushover so pick […]
Big Muscle Stroke for better putting
Posted on: 20 Aug 2020
First of all work on your iron and wedge game, the closer you are to the hole will improve your putting stats!! Related to your putting stroke, feel your chest and shoulders making the stroke as opposed to your hands. My fellow instructors who teach better players tell me that putting is in your hands […]
I think we are seeing the Tiger Woods effect now where he made golf cool and all these younger players just idolized him and wanted to be him when they grew up.
Posted on: 11 Jan 2020
Having new winners on the tour each week just shows the depth of talent in the world of golf these days. I think we are seeing the Tiger Woods effect now where he made golf cool and all these younger players just idolized him and wanted to be him when they grew up. Enjoy watching […]
Tiger Woods has been my favorite player since he came on the tour and will be when he’s off the tour as well.
Posted on: 09 Dec 2019
Tiger Woods has been my favorite player since he came on the tour and will be when he’s off the tour as well. The fire, the drive, the emotion is something you just don’t see in most players. We’ll never see another player like this guy. Enjoy while you can!!
We use ball flight tech when fitting as far as showing spin rates and club distances...
Posted on: 26 Sep 2019
I’m an old guy and teach in the old school way of knowing what produces certain types of ball flight. The only thing that matters in the golf swing is your clubface at impact and the path of the club with the two matching up for direction, period. We use ball flight tech when fitting […]
I would say that all golf tournaments should start with everyone even
Posted on: 27 Aug 2019
I would say that all golf tournaments should start with everyone even and should it really count as a win for records should the person starting with 10 shots win? That being said Rory did shoot the lowest score for the week not counting the starting strokes so that makes it save some face in […]
Banff Lodge Golf Course
Posted on: 22 Jul 2019
Up in Canada, Banff Lodge Golf Course is just incredible. The scenery makes you not care whether you are shooting 100 or 70. The entire area of that part of Canada is just a pleasure and the people are so nice up there. Would highly recommend this course and area to any golfer of any […]
The Right Angle
Posted on: 16 Jul 2019
My favorite full swing training aid is the Right Angle. Does not allow your right arm to over fold in the backswing keeping the left arm long until impact. Great tool, feels like you are making half a swing when it’s on but just really keeping the width in the swing for the player be […]