I've been in the program now for about 2 weeks. Tom, the freebies on Youtube sold it for me, very funny and the ideas "clicked" better than traditional instruction. No lift, shift, blah. When I perform it correctly, it just plain works and I've probably picked up 10 yards more distance through the bag. My issue is slipping back into what is "comfortable". I know this is something that I need to continue to practice, and I've taken seriously the idea of quality reps.
How do you all approach a few things with making this swing revolution stick to your game? My main problem right now is hands going straight back.
1) Is there a preshot routine that works for ingraining this swing? Right now, my best shots come from my rehearsing hands in, weight forward, swing around motions.
2) When you blow up a hole because you slipped into your old ways, how do you get back on track?
3) When you are on the range, what do you do when your practice goes sideways yet nothing feels different and you think you are hitting your positions (yes I know positions are bad).
My last few range trips and golf rounds have gone like this.
First range day - hooks, pulls, low on face
Next range day - better contact, fewer pulls as I stopped lifting
First round - blocks with good distance, just offline, nothing would go left, all to the right
Last range day - Much more movement to the right on shots, seems back to lifting, but clearing and leaving the face open
I know this is all a bit much in my first post, but the TL;DR is "What do you do when you fail the system and your swing goes soggy vs crispy?"
Welcome to this great forum community, @jjoyner!!
Ah yes....the stubborn "ghosts of swing past". We all battle them, and the moment we think we've got them conquered we open up the portal for them to come back in and haunt us again....
The most appropriate guidance I can offer you at this early juncture can likely be found in the following preliminary advice I offer to new students who wand to know how best to work the program and get off to a good start:
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. 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. (It actually is the full swing minus just a couple of power accumulators.) 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, as you progress 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 here on the Saguto.Golf site. I cannot overstate the value of the V1 Analyses as a supplement to what you are learning in the school, especially if you wish to fast-track the process.
Specific to the issues you mentioned, when you sense that your are leaking oil - whether mid-round or at the range - revert to a basic "default mode". For example, Drill 2.8 or the Flying Wedge as mentioned above, or the 90% Weight Forward/Arms Straight Drill which is another favorite of mine for quickly crisping up the impact condition. As for your pre-shot routine, you may wish to add some emphasis to your upper arm connections as that will help you to get the hands and club on a proper path in the takeaway instead of straight back. Also in this regard, the Tees in Armpits Drill excerpted below from the S&T book will help you maintain those critical connections.
Beyond that, do not be hesitant to arrange for a V1 Analysis sooner rather than later. This will eliminate any guesswork and is the most effective way to get you on the proper track.
By the way, I like that you're already seeing 10 extra yards. Keep up the great work!!
TS