Golf Sensei wisdom

30 years of knowledge in 57 minutes

This is the first time in the 40-week history of Finding the Tips that we highlight a single video.

But this one is special.

Ed Schwent is one of the best teaching professionals in the United States. He has given thousands of lessons during his career that spans more than 30 years.

The tips and instruction in this video will get straight to the heart of the most common issues he has encountered with his students.

Ed is a no-nonsense kinda guy. He is not bothered by other golf coaches who don’t agree with what he has to say. His attitude is simple when that happens. “(What I teach) may be controversial but I don’t care,” he says. “I know I’m right.”

This video is split into four chapters:

• Driver

• Irons

• Wedges

• Putter

In the Driver chapter, Ed spends a lot of time on setup. He helps us set up a practice station that will ensure we always set up with the ball in the same position.

He also helps us learn how to contact the ball with the sweet spot of the driver. All you need is a cardboard box, although a rolled-up towel would work just as well.

Most golfers are trying to hit a draw, because they are plagued by a slice, and they want more distance. That was nearly universally true when drivers were made of wood. Today’s high-tech drivers and fairway metals can help you hit a draw. But Ed points out that most tour pros hit a fade because it’s easier to control which means they can hit more fairways.

Additionally, golf club technology has advanced to the point where fades travel nearly as far as draws.

At the start of the Irons chapter, Ed reveals that the most important statistic for improving scores is greens in regulation (i.e. getting on the green in one shot on par threes, two shots on par fours, and in three shots on par fives).

For instance, if you want to be a single digit handicap, you need to average 10 to 12 greens in regulation during an 18-hole round.

To do that, you need to hit your driver in the fairway more often and you must avoid penalty shots.

Ed says that today’s club technology makes it easier to hit a lot of fairways. However, many people don’t really know how far they carry each of their irons. He recommends finding that out by hitting balls with a launch monitor so that you KNOW how far the ball carries with each club in your bag.

Ed also suggests that most of us should hit full swing irons from the same spot in our stance. He recommends, for a good lie, a point just a little in front of the center of your stance.

Another setup fundamental is the distance we stand from the ball. He recommends that we keep the butt end of the grip pointing at the blet buckle at address. The distance between the butt end and the belt buckle should be about a hand span. He demonstrates how to measure it in the video.

When it comes to pitching the ball, as Ed describes it in the Wedges chapter, we’d all be better off if we got comfortable hitting pitches with our most lofted wedges. He suggests that we practice pitches to targets that are 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards away. Become confident with those distances and your scores will drop fast.

Ed shows us how to set up and swing these pitches, including one that works in bunkers as well as on grass.

In the Putting chapter, Ed says there are just three skills you need to learn.

1. How to hit it straight while you aim correctly

2. How to control your distance

3. How to read greens

To do these things, Ed says you need to set up to the ball the same way, time after time. He recommends you practice with a putting mirror, a tool used by virtually every player on the men’s, ladies and senior tours.

There are tons of no-nonsense tips in all the chapters of this video. Each of them might help you lower your scores. Go through the video and find the ones where Ed is speaking to you.

Let the Golf Sensei show you the true path to golf nirvana, grasshopper.