David Leadbetter Postscript on 'The A Swing'

[Dogfish Head]

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER THIS WEEK, golf instructor David Leadbetter had a lot to say about the A Swing, his new approach to the golf swing and also his first book in a decade (The A Swing: The Alternative Approach to Great Golf / St. Martin's Press).

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You can read the Q&A here. Following is the rest of what he told me.

Q: Please feel free to offer any other comments or thoughts.

DAVID LEADBETTER: I'm excited about presenting the A Swing. I feel there needs to be a shakeup in the way this game is taught. The game proves too difficult for most people to play to a reasonable level.

When I'm doing clinics or presenting seminars to amateurs, my first question to them is this: "How many of you are satisfied with your golf games?" Virtually no one sticks their hands up. So it appears to me that the vast majority of golfers are frustrated and we need to find an easier approach so that golfers with little time to play and practice can go out and enjoy themselves and hit a lot of good shots. Although we are in an age of technology, where we can analyze swings to the nth degree, this does not in most cases, make it easier for most golfers to play better. In fact it complicates things because so much information is being thrown at the golfer. Only a very small percentage of golfers in fact take lessons. How many more would take them if the information was simple and they could see quick improvement?

So in the final analysis, if we are going to grow the game and keep people passionate about playing it, we need to get the message across in a simple, uncomplicated manner. My feeling is that with the A Swing, it's easy to teach, easy to learn, and easy to teach teachers to teach.

There really has not been a change in the approach to golf instruction for many years. There have been the odd methods and wild claims thrown about, but essentially, certainly for the masses, golf instruction remains very complicated. Teaching a tour-player-level golfer is one thing, but teaching recreational players is totally another. The great thing about the A Swing, it does help players of every level. So, my advice to golfers out there, if they have tried a lot of different things, are frustrated with their games, and don't see a lot of improvement, that the A Swing is definitely something to try. All I can say in our testing, is that the benefits have been amazing, and in most cases, have been immediate.

As you can probably tell, I am very excited about the A Swing. It's my first instruction book for ten years, and I really wanted to wait until I had something profound to present to golfers.

The A Swing may be a little controversial, but as long as one is not scared to change, or stuck in tradition, the benefits that golfers may see using the A Swing, may be quite extraordinary. The book is beautifully presented, simple to follow, with about 200 color illustrations, and is a simple step-by-step approach to creating the A Swing. As I say, if you want to play your A game, you want to try the A Swing.


Source: David Leadbetter Postscript on 'The A Swing'

 

[Trip]

Very interesting. This whole idea reminds me of the "Stack & Tilt". Not the swing, just the idea of a "revolutionary" new method. I guess I would have to try it to judge it, but I'm afraid it will screw up my swing.

I think the entire industry is designed to sell us golf swing fixes. When I stopped trying to be so technical, and just started swinging with basic fundamentals is when I started seeing results.

I'd be interested to hear some feedback from real people who try it.

 

[ualtim]

Saw Leadbetter on the GC hawking this book and giving some instruction on the concept. Interesting concept, but I have no interest in it. Looks kind of gimmicky.

 

[Martee]

Most seem to feel the need to avoid this concept, not sure if it is because of Leadbetter or because
they have solid repeatable swing that is allowing them the opportunity to post good scores.

Not that said and the fact I am far from a Leadbetter fan, I find the concept interesting. I haven't
read all the detail articles and I haven't read the book. I have skimmed both and looked at the GD
pictures. What I found most interesting is other posters comments on other forums, most running
negative.

What little I have seen and read, I find that much of what others are talking about is not new per-se
but maybe new in the fact of how it is packaged. After the mid June tournaments I intend to give
this a fair shake. I do believe that a compact repeatable swing that is less dependent upon a level
of athleticism is what most golfer would benefit from.

I notice that few if any have comment on the following:

"Actually, I've saved the best part of the A Swing for last. You can learn it with an
easy-to-follow, seven-minute practice plan, a few times a week and you'll have no
problem develop and maintaining the mechanics and feeling for the A Swing."

There are about 6 steps and then a small section on fitness

6 Swing Exercises (10 reps each)

1. Developing a Good Setup
2. Grooving the Pivot
3. Slotting the Top of Your Backswing
4. Feeling the Backswing, Slotting the Downswing
5. Training the Proper Left-Side Release
6. Developing Feel

I think the last instruction book that touted a practice plan (I will be wrong here) was Ben Hogan's
5 Lessons, an it too was aimed to assist "THE AVERAGE GOLFER IS ENTIRELY CAPABLE OF
BUILDING a REPEATING SWING AND BREAKING 80 " (Leadbetter didn't give a target score)

Guess I will see come mid-June

 

[ualtim]

I feel the need to avoid most if not all system teachings. The great golf teachers, like Penick, did not try and force students into a mold, they just tweaked their natural swing...with great success.

 

[PaPaD]

I feel the need to avoid most if not all system teachings. The great golf teachers, like Penick, did not try and force students into a mold, they just tweaked their natural swing...with great success.

Best lessons I ever had were from a pro who helped enhance what my brain and muscles had already memorized. I did not have the time or inclination to pound endless balls on the range to learn a new swing.

 

[al_vorster]

I feel the need to avoid most if not all system teachings. The great golf teachers, like Penick, did not try and force students into a mold, they just tweaked their natural swing...with great success.

Yep, totally with you here. The swings on tour are al SO different, but at impact there are a lot of similarities, so for me, how you get there may be unique, but as long as we get to that reasonable impact position, you'll be good. Boils down to fundamentals in the swing.