Brian Sparks "Easiest Swing in Golf"

[pusb365]

The pro at my course is one of Brian's 'Positive Impact' coaches. If you look on his website I think there are only a couple.

 

Anyway I had a couple of lessons with the pro in the summer before he was anything to do with 'positive impact' and they were OK. Then he started getting involved with Brian Sparks and he tried to teach some of it to me. I'm a 25 year old guy and have a SS of 110,i have no interest in swinging like this. He wasn't trying to get me to the extent you see in some of those videos, but he was trying to implement some of it on me, including telling me to swing slower.

 

I didn't agree with this at all so stopped the lessons even though I'd already paid for 5 and only used 2 or 3.

 

I've since gone to a different pro with excellent qualifications and he was telling me almost the complete opposite, and I've had excellent results.

 

I can see that this postive impact stuff may be good for certain people, but for the majority I'd say it's not suitable.

[wrightwrjr]

For myself I have gained distance since trying Sparks' methods. There's really nothing in the method that would cause anyone to lose distance. The idea is to swing freely and smoothly but there is still more than enough club head speed when the club hits the ball. Sparks says in the comments to his video that he hits his driver about 260-270, not too shabby for a 63 year old.

 

There is definitely similarity in his teachings (especially if you read his book) to de la Torre and even Knudson in that he emphasizes natural body movement over technical positions and swing thoughts. In one of his videos Sparks also cites Bill Mehlhorn as an influence, I must admit I am not familiar at all with Mehlhorn.

 

Melhorn played in the 20's and 30's. Ben Hogan called him the best ball striker he'd ever seen. His only problem was he was a horrendous putter, but he still won several tournaments. He made the grass whip famous with his "cut the grass" teaching. He says you swing a golf club exactly like you swing a grass whip. He's right and his teaching has made a hell of a differnce in my striking of the ball. Look up Bobby Shave here on YouTube. He was a friend of Melhorn and has a lot to offer.

[nlk10010]

For myself I have gained distance since trying Sparks' methods. There's really nothing in the method that would cause anyone to lose distance. The idea is to swing freely and smoothly but there is still more than enough club head speed when the club hits the ball. Sparks says in the comments to his video that he hits his driver about 260-270, not too shabby for a 63 year old.

 

There is definitely similarity in his teachings (especially if you read his book) to de la Torre and even Knudson in that he emphasizes natural body movement over technical positions and swing thoughts. In one of his videos Sparks also cites Bill Mehlhorn as an influence, I must admit I am not familiar at all with Mehlhorn.

 

Melhorn played in the 20's and 30's. Ben Hogan called him the best ball striker he'd ever seen. His only problem was he was a horrendous putter, but he still won several tournaments. He made the grass whip famous with his "cut the grass" teaching. He says you swing a golf club exactly like you swing a grass whip. He's right and his teaching has made a hell of a differnce in my striking of the ball. Look up Bobby Shave here on YouTube. He was a friend of Melhorn and has a lot to offer.

 

Ahhh, I see, then the secret is to figure out what a "grass whip" is, eh? :)

 

I looked at Sparks' videos a while back, bought the e-book (I mean, $5 or so for e-books, what have you got to lose?) and believe I read where he was actually a golf pro in the UK (don't know what sanctioning body, however). My feeling is that, like most other pros, he had a good swing to begin with and then realized, as he got older, that he didn't swing very hard and in fact that "swinging easier" was better for his body, didn't cause a great loss of distance and generally made for a "better swing". That's distinct from not having a swing in the first place and then trying to acquire one by just "swinging easier". I'd LOVE if this was the key, even for some people, to a good swing (or even A key), but trying to pile this single thought on top of a bad swing is just going to make things worse.

 

Again, I very much LIKE Sparks and think his approach has something to offer, but more as "polish" to a sound swing than anything else.

 

Just MO, of course.

[NoTalentLefty]

For myself I have gained distance since trying Sparks' methods. There's really nothing in the method that would cause anyone to lose distance. The idea is to swing freely and smoothly but there is still more than enough club head speed when the club hits the ball. Sparks says in the comments to his video that he hits his driver about 260-270, not too shabby for a 63 year old.

 

There is definitely similarity in his teachings (especially if you read his book) to de la Torre and even Knudson in that he emphasizes natural body movement over technical positions and swing thoughts. In one of his videos Sparks also cites Bill Mehlhorn as an influence, I must admit I am not familiar at all with Mehlhorn.

 

Melhorn played in the 20's and 30's. Ben Hogan called him the best ball striker he'd ever seen. His only problem was he was a horrendous putter, but he still won several tournaments. He made the grass whip famous with his "cut the grass" teaching. He says you swing a golf club exactly like you swing a grass whip. He's right and his teaching has made a hell of a differnce in my striking of the ball. Look up Bobby Shave here on YouTube. He was a friend of Melhorn and has a lot to offer.

 

Ahhh, I see, then the secret is to figure out what a "grass whip" is, eh? :)

 

I looked at Sparks' videos a while back, bought the e-book (I mean, $5 or so for e-books, what have you got to lose?) and believe I read where he was actually a golf pro in the UK (don't know what sanctioning body, however). My feeling is that, like most other pros, he had a good swing to begin with and then realized, as he got older, that he didn't swing very hard and in fact that "swinging easier" was better for his body, didn't cause a great loss of distance and generally made for a "better swing". That's distinct from not having a swing in the first place and then trying to acquire one by just "swinging easier". I'd LOVE if this was the key, even for some people, to a good swing (or even A key), but trying to pile this single thought on top of a bad swing is just going to make things worse.

 

Again, I very much LIKE Sparks and think his approach has something to offer, but more as "polish" to a sound swing than anything else.

 

Just MO, of course.

 

 

 

A grass whip

[Jersey golfer]

Actually, unless you order the Mehlhorn grasswhip from Mr. Shave's website this is as close as you can come

 

[ablewalker]

He is "that old guy" that we have all played with. Pokes it out there around 200-210, but arrow straight every time. Hits his second shot right near the green, chips and one putts all day long while we struggle to get up and down. I wanna be that old guy when I grow up.

 

Lol....That's the Golfer I want to aspire to.

[WILDTHING]

This is nothing new at all and suspect he is just repeating what was taught in Melhorn/Shave's book 'Golf Secrets Exposed'. Its a shift turn, shift turn action as in this video below.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loHlhm3lvDI

[Duffmeister]

I like the idea of being loose and free while swinging, but let's be honest for a minute...

 

We want to look like a BOSS when we swing. Jason Day, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Brooks Koepka—these guys look like bosses when they hit the ball. They don't look like flop-a-doodle beta schlubs who use a French-looking swing with a French name.

 

We all want to be bosses until the last ball OB or into a hazard has beaten the determination out of us. Dance du golf? No. Swing du balls.

 

HECK YEAH!!

 

The only thing better than crushing it 330 yards down the fairway is crushing all the other egos on the course!!! LOL! :taunt: :taunt:

[ablewalker]

This is nothing new at all and suspect he is just repeating what was taught in Melhorn/Shave's book 'Golf Secrets Exposed'. Its a shift turn, shift turn action as in this video below.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loHlhm3lvDI

 

I had no idea Billy Bob Thornton was a Golf instructor....

[jecarnl]

I love reading this board...lmao. So many on here remind me of one of my students. Loves to play golf swing instead of golf. No one way is the right way.

[JamesBurg]

An upright swing requires a lot of tilt, but not much turn.

 

A flat swing requires a lot of turn, but not much tilt. Much easier IMO.

[tucsonsean]

From Bobby Jones on Golf, p. 5: "There is nothing occult about hitting a golf ball...we use no more than the ordinary principles of motion we encounter numberless times every day...We would all do better could we only realize that the length of a drive depends not upon the brute force applied but upon the speed of the clubhead...." Old thread, but since, approaching my 70th birthday, I've adopted the approach that Sparks, Shave, Mellor, de la Torre, et al espouse, I thought I'd weigh in. I've actually gained back yards off the tee, and it's worked wonders with my short game, and it's easier on my bad back and arthritic hip. I only wish I'd started down this road many years earlier. BTW, I love crushing the egos of the bombers at the end of the day when we compare scorecards.

[rteach1]

From Bobby Jones on Golf, p. 5: "There is nothing occult about hitting a golf ball...we use no more than the ordinary principles of motion we encounter numberless times every day...We would all do better could we only realize that the length of a drive depends not upon the brute force applied but upon the speed of the clubhead...." Old thread, but since, approaching my 70th birthday, I've adopted the approach that Sparks, Shave, Mellor, de la Torre, et al espouse, I thought I'd weigh in. I've actually gained back yards off the tee, and it's worked wonders with my short game, and it's easier on my bad back and arthritic hip. I only wish I'd started down this road many years earlier. BTW, I love crushing the egos of the bombers at the end of the day when we compare scorecards.

 

Can you please provide the full names of Shave and Mellor? Not familiar with them. Thank you.

[Fireballer]

From Bobby Jones on Golf, p. 5: "There is nothing occult about hitting a golf ball...we use no more than the ordinary principles of motion we encounter numberless times every day...We would all do better could we only realize that the length of a drive depends not upon the brute force applied but upon the speed of the clubhead...." Old thread, but since, approaching my 70th birthday, I've adopted the approach that Sparks, Shave, Mellor, de la Torre, et al espouse, I thought I'd weigh in. I've actually gained back yards off the tee, and it's worked wonders with my short game, and it's easier on my bad back and arthritic hip. I only wish I'd started down this road many years earlier. BTW, I love crushing the egos of the bombers at the end of the day when we compare scorecards.

 

Can you please provide the full names of Shave and Mellor? Not familiar with them. Thank you.

 

Probably referring to Bobby Shave and Bill Mehlhorn

[Martee]

From Bobby Jones on Golf, p. 5: "There is nothing occult about hitting a golf ball...we use no more than the ordinary principles of motion we encounter numberless times every day...We would all do better could we only realize that the length of a drive depends not upon the brute force applied but upon the speed of the clubhead...." Old thread, but since, approaching my 70th birthday, I've adopted the approach that Sparks, Shave, Mellor, de la Torre, et al espouse, I thought I'd weigh in. I've actually gained back yards off the tee, and it's worked wonders with my short game, and it's easier on my bad back and arthritic hip. I only wish I'd started down this road many years earlier. BTW, I love crushing the egos of the bombers at the end of the day when we compare scorecards.

 

Can you please provide the full names of Shave and Mellor? Not familiar with them. Thank you.

Jullian Mellor is associated with Sparks. Mellor has a number of utube vids. Often listed under The Easiest Swing in Golf. Definitely a body friendly swing and the Danse for golf is a good exercise imo.

[dcorun]

I just found this on Youtube recently. I tried it at home and it really worked. You just follow the six steps, turning,weight shift, rhythm, coordination, balance and suppleness. I don't keep my left arm straight as an arrow anymore, I lift my left heel off the ground slightly which I never have in 30 years and I stay relaxed and release past the ball just like your suppose to. Brian Sparks calls it impetus - a driving force at impact which I found interesting. I have honestly improved my ball striking, accuracy and length. Think of one of the times you just swung without trying to kill it and the ball took off like a shot. That is what this feels like. The La Danse du Golf looks silly but, it really works on your balance and rhythm. It works well for anyone IMHO but, especially for older golfers and one's with bad backs or knees. This is the only swing that has clicked with me and I've read all the instruction manuals. Google www.positiveimpactgolf.co.uk. It's at least worth a look.

[p3ga]

I like the idea of being loose and free while swinging, but let's be honest for a minute...

 

We want to look like a BOSS when we swing. Jason Day, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Brooks Koepka—these guys look like bosses when they hit the ball. They don't look like flop-a-doodle beta schlubs who use a French-looking swing with a French name.

 

We all want to be bosses until the last ball OB or into a hazard has beaten the determination out of us. Dance du golf? No. Swing du balls.

 

Oui!

[Man_O_War]

i don't see any long drive champs swinging like that. Pitch and putt places only... how far is the ball going? nice swing..easy..looking..sure. Great for seniors...agreed..and i am seriiorish