golfrewind.com

Had to jump in here since I've been curious about this method since I first heard of it. I was REALLY having an issue with the idea of keeping my weight left throughout the swing. With my current swing I usually setup about 50/50 (left/right, I'm a righty) and at the top of my backswing it's about 40/60. I usually just have the sensation of relaxing my left leg as I hit the top and the weight just shifts from there. As the weight shifts, I straighten my left leg first and then the right a fraction later to drive my hips through ahead of my arms/hands.

The spine thing also intrigued me and I decided to check my swing in the mirror. I used to video my swing a lot and keep them as reference. At address, I'm SLIGHTLY tilted right (away from the target). But, when I'm at the top, my spine is actually vertical!! Surprised the heck out of me. I always thought I kept it back because I always try to keep my head behind the ball w/ driver and over the ball w/ irons. Perhaps I'm shifting my hips to the right during the backswing and this allows me to have my spine vertical at the top. I don't know. I'm going to try to video myself sometime soon and see if I can figure this out.

So right now, I seem to be tilted, but I ain't stacked.

BT

Some info on S&T posted in another forum by an instructor who knows Plummer & Bennett:

It had no name until someone at Golf Digest came up with Stack & Tilt.

The article is incorrect. What Plummer & Bennett actually teach is similar but was not radical enough for a GD cover story, so it was rewritten.

Interesting point. Where's that post? I'd like to take a look.

I just wanted to share a link to a blog that has a lot of comments from people who have tried the S+T swing. If you're having trouble (especially with longer irons and woods), take a look for some helpful advice.

- GeoffShackelford.com - Stack and Tilt

Brian Manzella Golf Forum

See posts by "The Return of NAT".

Now that thread did become personal! I hope this doesn't ever happen here. It's just about golf methods that work for some people, not a struggle between fanatic religious denominations accusing each other of falsifying the Light of the Truth.

As for The Return of NAT's story, may be Bennet and Plummer didn't teach the way they do today when he met them. And GD Magazine does present things in quite a sensationalistic way sometimes. But my 3iron is still working fine for the first time!

I think a good piece of advise would be: don't change your swing if it's working, adopt S&T if it works for you.

There's a very interesting critical analysis of S&T by Jeffrey Mann here (see the July 2007 addendum at bottom).

What does "stack and tilt" really mean? I get the tilt part but the stack? does it mean that you should stack all your weight on one side (left) the whole swing? if it is then I get it

I think I'm going to give the S&T another try, I just came from playing 18 holes today.

I was kinda' lost during the first 14 holes I didn't know what I was doing wrong, too fast tempo? no timing? fat shots! slicing! top ball! name it I was doing it!

I decided to try S&T again in the last 4 holes, at hole 15 I was still adjusting back to it when I finally got the rhythm on 16, I made par, 17=par, 18=bogey....good enough. When everything else failed S&T gave me my confidence back hit my best drive of the day at 18, I just mishit my 2nd shot that's why I got bogey but everything else in the last 3 holes were very nice!

I'll give S&T another chance!

DeaconEsq, that link is a gold mine. I have noticed in my 27 holes with S&T that my irons are flying truer and straighter than ever. The problem has been my tee shots, particularly with the driver. But now I have learned two encouraging things:

1) From my own observation, all of my misses with the driver were hooks (except one I blocked right). There is not wild inconsistency there; I know where I'm missing.

2) After reading that set of comments, my misses left are explained by my teeing the ball high and needing a more horizontal swing plane to hit a ball that high. I know today's drivers are designed long for that reason (since 90% of golfers are slice-o-matics), but I need to get it upright. So I will simply tee the ball lower and swing more vertically, just as with the other clubs (my new, more-lofted driver probably won't hurt in this regard either).

As a young, tall guy I'm finding this swing to be awesome. If only I had more money and time to play

are there any videos available for us to look at if we are doing the S&T right?

Question about ball set up/position on the Stack and Tilt:

Do you set the ball always a little in front of the middle of your stance? or does the position change when using different irons and driver? example, shorter irons more backward and longer more forward? or do you have to set up the ball always below you centers?

Thanks!

I did the Stack and Tilt again today and I noticed or my feeling was that I was stacking a little bit more to the left than 60-40 I think it may be around 70-30 even more, I'm not sure.

I found this was more effective for me, I was able to hit the driver pretty well and I was able to "turn more" on the backswing. and I felt that I was able to swing "easier" than a 60-40 stack, less tension, a more fluid swing and I think I can really have a go at the ball if needed....and at the top of my back swing I think was not tilted so much like in the GD article.

I was also hitting the irons one club further with this 70-30 stack, ex. I was hitting my 4 iron with "my" 3 iron distances.

Is this okay?

I'm thinking of keeping it this way for the meantime...I mean if it works for me, it might just make golf a little more enjoyable to play.

Thanks

I have used this swing for a few months now. It works great on irons and 3 5 wood. Pw-down, i just load it on my left like im chipping...

As a beginning golfer...some of the S&T fundamentals have helped me make huge strides in my game in a very short time.

When I started with the conventional weight shift swing, so many critical things needed to be perfect. I had to make sure to start my backswing a little inside; keep my right elbow high to maintain proper swing plane; concentrate on proper timing of my wrist hinge on the downswing; try to come down steep on the ball; try to avoid the urge to come over the top; etc.

All of the swing thoughts I was trying to keep track of to get good shots was exhausting. My shots either went straight or were 90 degree slices. Absolutely no consistency. My short iron distance was erratic because I was getting too much grass and not coming in steep enough.

This thread and the provided links were all I needed to be intrigued by this method and I decided to give it a shot. Like many others here, my first time to the range was spectacular. It was like a light switch was flipped and I knew what I needed to do to make good shots. I have gone through various levels of frustration over these past few months, but on the whole I am a better golfer and more optimistic about my future game because of this method.

I use it for every club, and I can usually tell at the top of the backswing when a shot is going to be bad. There is a balanced feeling that is hard to explain, but when I feel that balance...good things are about to happen. My only swing thoughts now are thinking about that balance at the top, and keeping my right elbow tight to keep the swing on plane. The left foot bias and the spine tilt have become automatic. Hopefully with more practice I will be able to clear my mind and let muscle memory take over.