Stack & Tilt: The Standup

The final part of the Stack and Tilt (S&T) move I've discussed in prior posts is the "standup". Arguably, it's the most important because it's when you actually hit the ball--the rest is just preparatory. For me, it was the most difficult part to get right but, in retrospect, that was because some of my preparatory steps were slightly wrong.

To review, the first part of the swing is the "stack" (first frame above) where the weight is 55% on the left foot. On the backswing (next frame) the hands move inside while the right elbow (actually the right tricep) stays attached to the side (the right lat muscle). I actually tilt (the third frame) before starting the backswing but I have to constantly think about keeping my right "elbow" attached to my body while tilting and swinging backwards. The tilt pictured in frame three is a little more severe than prescribed in the S&T book (page 30) but, remember, I'm fighting fat shots. Finally, the "standup" is shown in frame four.

After much struggle with the standup, what I have found is that if the first steps are done right (stack, right elbow and tilt), the standup happens automatically if I concentrate on taking a divot after the ball.

When I started S&T, I felt as if I was falling into the ball when tilting. This was because my right elbow (tricep) was not staying attached (one of the critical "pressure" points described on page 160 of the S&T book). Also, with the right elbow staying close to my side on the backswing, my left shoulder naturally went "down and under" my chin (step 2, "shoulder down" in the S&T Six Step article).

Once I was in this position (stacked, right elbow in and tilted), if I just swung my hands without standing up, I would hit the ground "behind" the ball--my dreaded fat shot. By using the stand-up properly, I was able to hit the ball then take a divot after contact. When done correctly, I have the distinct sensation of "pulling" the club through the ball rather than "hitting" with my hands.

I learned to do the standup move by getting in the backswing position position (stacked, right elbow in, tilted) and taking practice swings without the ball, hitting the ground after an imaginary line drawn perpendicular to the middle of my stance (see page 5 of the S&T book). Now, my practice swing before every shot is this drill. It seems to focus my attention.

If I do the standup wrong (meaning if I make poor ball contact), it's usually because (1) my right elbow crept away from my body, (2) I lost my stack, swaying backwards or (3) I didn't tilt enough, moving my shoulders on too flat a plane.

There are six steps in the prescribed S&T swing. At this point, that's three too many for me. At some future point, these other steps may need some attention. My bad swing, right now, is a push. The S&T book (page 181) suggests concentrating on pulling the left hand through impact, which seems to work.

CAUTION: For me, S&T does not always work on hilly lies. I usually find this out after the practice swing when I can't keep my balance on the slope I'm forced to hit off. I'll describe my S&T solution to hilly lies in a future post. Also, there is some controversy about whether the standup might create spine problems. I'm not a physician, but I'll talk about the controversy in future posts.

Stack & Tilt: The Controversy

Here is an interesting article in yesterday's New York Times Golf Blog titled "Plenty of Give and Take On Stack and Tilt, a Swing System". There is plenty of controversy for the NYT to report: tour players who have abandoned the system and top 100 golf instructors who find the system "too specific" or "rigid".

For those in the US, I should also mention that most of my playing partners have found the instruction at GolfTec to be very useful. At GolfTec, your are placed in an electronic harness while your swing is digitally recorded, analyzed by computer and analyzed by a PGA professional. The instruction is conventional but excellent.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I tried Stack and Tilt because I was having trouble hitting the ball fat. S&T cured this problem. Other instructional approaches might also have cured my problem. Some of the comments in the NY Times Golf Blog point out that the biggest challenge of golf instruction is communication. The theory and rationale for S&T made sense to me. Not everyone will find the S&T approach to golf instruction very communicative. If the theory doesn't make sense to you, look for something else.

Also, the communication of the S&T swing has changed over time. I actually find the earlier explanations more informative, particularly the explanation of the "stand up" move which I'll discuss in a future post.

Stack & Tilt: Chipping Variation on Steve Stricker

There is an excellent Golf Digest article on all aspects of Steve Stricker's golf swing, including pitching and chipping. The Stricker article and the Six-Steps-To-Stack-And-Tilt Article appeared in the same issue of Golf Digest. They are worth studying together, particularly for pitching and chipping which is only covered in the Stack & Tilt Video.

Stricker essentially uses the same swing for pitching and chipping: firm wrists and a full body turn. Stack & Tilt methodology would further suggest keeping your weight on the left side, adding a little tilt and then keeping your weight moving forward throughout the pitch or the chip. To vary height or distance, choose a different club but always use the same swing.

If you're having trouble with the short game (as I am) this really seems to work! It keeps your hands out of the swing and it keeps your body accelerating through the swing, solving the two most common short-game mistakes.

Stack & Tilt: Where To Practice

I may have dreamt this but I dimly remember an interview with Swedish professional golfer Annika Sorenstam where a reported asked her "How could you possibly be the best women's golfer in the world coming from a country with only three months of summer?" Ignoring the fact that the climate in Southern Sweden is quite moderate as a result of the gulf stream, Annika promptly answered "During the winter, we hit into golf nets."

This is great advice and even if you don't live in a Northern climate, you can benefit from practice in a golf net. First, you need a ten to twelve foot unobstructed ceiling in your garage. Then, you need plans for construction of the net which can be found here (48.8 MB). Finally, you need a practice strategy that gives you something to work on (practicing bad habits in the garage can be fatal to your on-course golf game). I'll talk about practice strategy in future posts.