Cannot hit the ball anymore

Good day, all. Thank you for the words of encouragement and, more importantly, for sharing your experience of this journey. Much appreciated. It definitely reset my mindset in learning. I must first empty the cup before it can be filled. I am happy to say that as of the past 2 days, I've hit the crispiest KFC shots of my life. And to be frank, unlike other times, I feel that this crispiness will not be fleeting.

I will try to summarize the thoughts and experiences that I gained after reading each and every single one of your responses.

The first thing I did the day after my post was to re-watch 2.8, and of course the contact drills that follow in 2.9. Conceptually, all of it made sense. However, when I brought it to the range I was still hitting errand shots. Frustrated as I was, I then read @Tom Saguto and @frankpribus's comments: "...everything with a purpose, and a purpose for everything" and "Sometimes we need to take a small step backward, before taking big steps forward." I then rewatched Chapter 1, because I thought I must have missed something. Or perhaps I did not internalize what was shown in the video because I had already "learned" the proper way to setup.

The revelation did not come until yesterday at the range. I was addressing the ball, feeling uneasy and unconfident. I checked my ball positions, duck feet, glued arms(to chest), natural arm hang, and everything. Then, I did a rehearsal of a swing that was probably no more than 5 inches away from the ball. I then realized that if I stayed with the setup I used, the club(and its face) would be rerouted to the path my wrist would take when it's relaxed. So I worked backward, figuring out what position my wrist had to take at the address so that the club would fall in line during the backswing and thus impact. What is the purpose of my wrist, which has a crazy range of motion, at address, and why did I place it in the position I did?

Holy moly, the answer was simple: my wrist was hinged up(thumbs towards belly) at address. It was so artificial, and the fix was simple: feel the weight of the club head with wrists relaxed. Wherever it decides to rest is where my wrist should be angled at. I no longer need to check this angle, because gravity is doing the work for me. It's guaranteed to be in the best spot based on MY own wrist. I believe it worked fine(clearly not as I kept coming back to Tom's videos) for me before because I was timing my swing with the shift and lift, so whatever I was doing at address didn't really matter. But for this setup, it is critical.

Ghost of the swings past, be gone!

Worked at this doing quarter swing, then half, then 3/4. Oh my jesus, crispy KFCs! Sometimes I'd try to wind it up for a huge hit and, of course, those would be mishits.

The advice of shortening the backswing is absolutely golden.

Today, I stand over the ball with absolute confidence. Before I started my backswing, it felt like I already knew how good of a shot it would be based on how comfortable I was at address. During some of my streaks of KFCs, it also felt that when I setup correctly, and performed the (short) backswing correctly, then everything after the initial takeaway of my backswing was automatic. Like, I just had to decide how much to turn, and wait for the club to get there, then my job's done. Compared to before taking up S&T, this feels like I'm only doing 25% of the work. Like cheating 😎.

I am sure I will run into regression going forward as I consume more of the lessons, but I will never forget the buttery crispy KFC feeling I had today by going through the same checkpoints at address, then hitting balls flush that somehow, without flipping wrists or being cognizant of the club face's angle to produce a built-in draw that somehow ends up to my target.

I have yet to bring this to the course, but I am looking forward to it. Thank you, guys, for taking the time of your day to help. I sincerely hope you guys score the best round of your lives the next time you're out, and again and again.

The topped shots are lifting your chest. I know from experience. Stay with the Tilt.

I hear you. Sometimes we need to take a small step backward, before taking big steps forward. I too often felt low in confidence at ball address. What helped me is that I’m reading a book recommended by Tom Saguto, called “Fearless Golf.” It‘s helping my mindset greatly, especially when it talks about self-efficacy.

Yes, I experienced this. I started the classes and I became worse before I became better. How long? Not to discourage you but it has taken me two years to finally improve. And when it was bad and I thought I was doing everything right - I wasn't. The more I learn and look back the more I see why I was so inconsistent. For some this seems to improve their game quickly for them. For others it takes longer. Take videos of your swing and analyze them. For me I took videos of my swing at the range when I couldn't hit the air in front of me and my arms needed serious help. Spent a lot of time on 2.8. Then be sure you don't overdue anything. Over time I started putting too much weight foward at address and wasn't stacked. Let me tell you that leads to issues when the hip is shot out too far at address. I'm still not where I want to be. But, I think it's more solid overall. I still believe it'll get there. I enjoy the game a lot more now and don't get as mad as I used to. Patience, keep expectations within reason, you will get there.

@WantSomeCrisps - Here is some preliminary advice I am always happy to offer to new members who ask about how to get off to a good start in the school:

1) Regardless of a member's skill level, this swing necessitates a complete reboot for someone transitioning from a shift & lift swing (which is typically the case), and therefore it is imperative that one take sufficient time to ensure that the fundamental components are mastered. From the ground up there is nothing superfluous in the Stack & Tilt swing - in other words, everything with a purpose, and a purpose for everything. (For example, contrary to shift & lift where you may be taught to keep your trail foot perpendicular to the target line as a means of "creating resistance" in your trail side, in S&T we flare both feet out 10-20 degrees in order to facilitate a free flowing, inclined hip and shoulder turn.) I cannot emphasize this enough, as frustrations predominantly occur when students jump ahead in the curriculum without properly dedicating themselves to the foundational base upon which our consistently repeatable, powerful, low maintenance swing must be built. Chapter 1 of the Golf Swing Simplified program (GSS) and Part I of Get Out & Go Play (GOGP) both address this.

2a) GSS: One of the many great things about this swing is that you can achieve solid ball striking even at the most basic levels. This is why I oftentimes will suggest that students park themselves on Chapter 2 of the GSS course for an extended period of time after locking down Chapter 1's foundational elements. Chapter 2 reinforces the body motions and the weight-forward component, and it culminates with what I call "The Best Golf Swing Practice Drill of All Time". Work yourself sequentially and gradually through the chapter, and then commit yourself to that drill in Lesson 2.8 that @fish4197 referenced. Learn it. Practice it. Master it. You can even use this partially abbreviated swing on the course and play quite well with it as it will provide plenty of distance. (@burkholder.ronald can testify well to this.) Once you've got that down, you will be well prepared to move forward in the curriculum and well on your way towards taking ownership of YOUR swing!

2b) GOGP: This quick-start program is exactly as it sounds - it is designed to fast-track you out onto the course so you can have fun - and success - playing as you learn! Should you choose this path, everything in #1 above still applies, and as implied above in 2a you will still want to work through it sequentially and gradually, mastering each lesson before moving ahead to the next one. In this program, Drill #5 - The Flying Wedge is the one you'll want to park yourself on and nail down.

3) Also, always keep in mind the V1 Swing Video Analysis, an effective and inexpensive service that I highly recommend to everyone in the school. I liken it to bringing your swing into the shop for a tune-up or minor repair. Scheduling one on a quarterly basis for preventive maintenance will do wonders for keeping things humming along nicely, and it's also a great tool for pinpointing and resolving any issues that arise. The process involves downloading the free V1 app and then submitting two videos to me through the app - one down-the-line (captured from your stance line, not the target line) and the other face-on. You'll find more information about the V1 Analysis halfway down this page on the Saguto.Golf site. Alternatively, you may certainly - as Ronald suggests - post your swing in the forum's Video Analysis Room so your fellow members can offer their critiques and suggestions. (While I personally refrain from offering swing video analyses in the forum as it conflicts with my V1 service, I'm confident you'll find that many of the "regulars" here have a solid knowledge of the swing and can offer very valuable insight from their respective experiences.)

Let's get you over this hump and on the path towards crispy ball striking bliss!

I am not to give golf lessons as I am new to golf, or back in the back after 30 years. I have also experienced the same frustration, listen to lesson start doing better then have a set back. What's been working for me as far as consistent development is stay to the basics. Tom's lesson 2.8 is it. I always come back to the 2.8 when not doing well. Also, not trying to kill the ball on every swing. I still have my good/bad days but taking the deep breaths and relaxing does help. The over loading of golf information is a problem so I try to just get out and swing. Swing a golf club :).

@WantSomeCrisps you should post a video of your swing to this thread. Doing this will generate some valuable feedback for you to consider.

Don’t get discouraged. The transition to the S&T swing won’t happen overnight.

Thin shots can be caused by several different swing motions such as not getting the lead shoulder down far enough, early extension, flipping the wrists at impact, incorrect ball position during the setup, and not maintaining your head position.

Posting a video will help us help you.