We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Square to Square Swing Method taught by Doug Tewell

C

chuckberg86

New member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Location
Harrisonville, MO
Handicap
16
I've just started a new video training series by 12 time PGA Winner Doug Tewell called the Square to Square Swing Method. Have any fellow Hacker's had any experience with this method or the training videos by Doug Tewell? If you have had experience with the method has it been successful for any of you? I'd be interested to hear any experiences any of you can share.:act-up:
 
I too am interested if anybody has any experience with this method of swinging a golf club. I am starting to have some chronic low back pain and wondered if it might help with that while still allowing good play on the course
 
:act-up: The marketing of this method is very good..the videos online seem very solid as well. Sounds good for accuracy, not to sure about distance. But ...if you can hit 200 to 220 straight off the tee each time..you can play any golf course well from the up tees. In fact you could be a scratch with a decent short game. I see this in our local am events..
 
I taught a guy who taught the Square to Square method for many years. While I was working with him on changing his swing, he told me the basics of the method. What I found interesting is that the method basically is teaching you cast flip in to impact. Yeah you can be accurate but there is virtually no distance in the method. The guy I was working with had a very steep swing, no rotation in his lower body through impact and hit the ball very high and short due to the all arm swing and adding loft at impact. We were able to work and get him to retain the level a little long, add some significant lower body rotation to his swing, in all adding about 15 to 20 yards to his shots. In the end that's all that he wanted to get out of the lessons because he plays nearly year round.

My take on the swing, it can be very accurate but it's difficult to control ball trajectory and you won't have much distance in the swing long term.
 
Callawaygolfpro said:
I taught a guy who taught the Square to Square method for many years. While I was working with him on changing his swing, he told me the basics of the method. What I found interesting is that the method basically is teaching you cast flip in to impact. Yeah you can be accurate but there is virtually no distance in the method. The guy I was working with had a very steep swing, no rotation in his lower body through impact and hit the ball very high and short due to the all arm swing and adding loft at impact. We were able to work and get him to retain the level a little long, add some significant lower body rotation to his swing, in all adding about 15 to 20 yards to his shots. In the end that's all that he wanted to get out of the lessons because he plays nearly year round.

My take on the swing, it can be very accurate but it's difficult to control ball trajectory and you won't have much distance in the swing long term.
Click to expand...

sounds like the Lee Comeaux swing..
 
If you Google "square to square golf method review" you'll find a long thread about it from 2012 on another site.
 
I just recently bought this and watched the first DVD from his "Masters" DVD set. Straight away he recommended against a strong grip and moving the right foot back at address.

Both of which I do and both have helped my game tremendously. Especially the strong grip. I also bring my right foot back and flare out my left foot to help me make a full follow through. Both actions result in either a dead straight shot or a baby draw.

I agree with him on posture and flexing the knees. I haven't watched the other two DVD'S yet so we'll see.....
 
I actually think Tewell's square to square is just a poor man's version of Don Trahan's Peak Performance Golf Swing. Trahan has long advocated a limited turn, 3/4, very vertical backswing. Quiet lower body thru the Backswing that fires thru at impact. I've been experimenting with Trahan's swing over the last month with some very good results.
 
I have watched and implemented a bit from Trahan...more specifically from Dave Seeman...I find him more understandable and "friendly".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtC9OjF_PoA

The back swing is shorter---the turn is "less"....much less lower body rotation. I have not implemented a big vertical lift, as he sometimes emphasizes.

I've found that my back swing is easier...and "lesser", as is my turn---however, I've found that my downswing thru finish is tremendously improved with great weight transfer forward thru the ball...more consistent impact and "true flight"

FWIW.... it has helped me immensely because of my limits of flexibility throughout my body---shoulders, neck, hips...you name it!!! I hit my 3 Hybrid 220 yds. flighted onto the green on my second shot last week. That's good distance for me.
 
Last edited:
That's a good 3h for just about anybody Eraff.


So how about a cliff notes version of his method guys? BigE's was a good start. I'm always a little leery of the infomercial swing theories.
 
Hawk,

Initial setup not too different. Feet about shoulder width apart for long clubs alittle shorter for shorter clubs. Ball placement middle of stance up thru the 7 iron. Then just a tad forward for longer clubs. Driver ball placement off instep of left foot. Approx 30 degree bend at waist over ball. Grip such that hands face each other (left hand thumb at about 1 oclock - slightly strong....) Fleet fared out to minimize leg movement on the BS (most especially with the left foot for righties, not as important for the right foot). Slight angle away from target with upper body.

Lower body stays very quiet on the BS, you almost feel as if you're "lifting" the club up (but if you keep your head and knees still, which is what is advocated) you really end up with a 3/4 limited turn BS. So head doesn't move and neither do the knees (very minimal inward movement of left knee). You end up with a 3/4 shoulder turn against the very stable base of your frozen legs.

BS is very vertical with the path going just inside the target line for a bit - and then up. Left arm (for a righty) should never cross the toe line. No conscious cocking of the wrists (at top of the BS arms and club at "L" or 90 degrees or just slightly past due to the momentum of the BS, no cocking of the wrist to get the club parallel with the ground....)

You then let the club drop on your downswing, with a slight bump to left to get your weight shift going, and then fire through the ball with a very vertical follow thru that mirrors the backswing (club should follow thru over the middle of your left shoulder). You should end up standing straight, tall (on a ever so slightly bent left leg) and facing the target. Recoil of your club after the follow through should have the club pointing directly at your target.

The thing I noticed when I played this on my recent golf trip - it is indeed VERY body friendly. I'm approaching 60 years old, and the last few years after playing 36 holes I would be wiped out. Not on this trip! I felt like I could have played forever.....and no soreness.....plus I struck the ball pretty dang well and I've only just started checking this swing out.

I'm going to continue to play with it for a while and see how it goes. But at the moment I'm very encouraged.....
 
For me, it seems like my hands are more "in front of me", and more of my swing is about getting to and thru the ball. My swing thought is to be "less turn...less backswing". The swing thru is tremendous...I go from a reasonable coil and load to a very nicely balanced release. I second E's notes that I feel much less physical stress with the concepts I've used.

I have video'd myself, and it's curious that my backswing always seems longer than my "swing thought"...and that's a really interesting thing because it seems to be almost UNIVERSAL...and I see most golfers with backswings that mimick Young, world class Pros---and they really never get to and thru the ball because they just cannot manage the return route, athletically!!! I do not emphasize the VERTICALNESS of the swing they show---it looks a little gravity golfish...??? I have it in mind, but I'm not throwing my hands UP.

That's my take/implementation of the ideas presented.... I feel athletic and balanced, but I've surrendered the "full turn" idea--- then again, I've eliminated Back Turn and replaced it with much more Thru turn.
 
Great explanations. Thanks for that!
 
I am all for using different styles of teaching to get to one's swing. My only concern is this teaches you a certain way to swing based a few assumed parameters. If these don't exist then the swing is an interpretation of what is taught in the video. I also worry about swing flaws after you have been using a method such as this for a while. They will come about and how do you fix these?
 
One of the flaws that Seeman mentions is a tendency (Bad!!!) for some golfers to almost eliminate the turn...and he mentions that with some emphasis in many of his videos. There are "typical traps" in every swing, respectively.

Here's the big thing.. I can PHYSICALLY accomplish this swing(my present swing as adapted from some of the ideas)---that's Huge!!! That leaves me with technical execution---That's a challenge, starting with putting the ball on the Tee ;)!!!
 
Last edited:
Tadashi70 said:
I am all for using different styles of teaching to get to one's swing. My only concern is this teaches you a certain way to swing based a few assumed parameters. If these don't exist then the swing is an interpretation of what is taught in the video. I also worry about swing flaws after you have been using a method such as this for a while. They will come about and how do you fix these?
Click to expand...

Actually, I find the support for his swing to be better than most (for people teaching an out of the ordinary type swing that is...)

1. Beyond the numerous video's and his "how to" manual/book that you can purchase
2. Trahan has done around 160 and counting (at least...) daily blogs which are short 8 to 10 minute video blogs higlighting some aspect of the swing based on questions he's received from students over the years. He continues to do them today (about once every couple of weeks or so). Many can be seen on you tube for free. They are all are free and available for people who purchase his main video/book.
3. He himself runs PPGS schools around the country.
4. He also has at least 15 or so "certified" PGA professionals all around the country who teach his swing (based on my count from his website). Dave Seeman (that Eraff mentioned) being one of those. And many of those guys have their own schools, their own video blogs, and are willing to do video analysis of students swings. In fact, if I stay as excited about this swing as I am right now - I live in the northeast and would love to get over to see Dave Seeman who teaches out of Deleware.

So certainly not as perfect as having a local pro you have confidence in and could visit regularly - but better support than most of the out of the ordinary swings you might run into.....

E
 
I spent the $39 for the download. Well produced and I agree with the explanations from fellow forum members. I have always used an interlock grip and Tewell says his swing needs Vardon. I do seem to hit irons straighter, but distance is an issue so far. I have always struggled in getting lower body to initiate downswing. That may be some of the issue.
 
Big E... maybe you can comment on this... the Front Foot Opened toward target ( 45-60 degrees)... I find myself really getting through the front of my swing and on target. Not quite the Gary Player idea of stepping through the shot, but a really nice transfer. I find myself finishing High and AT Target.

Note-- I am not directly doing Tewell or Trajan's swing. I am emphasizing a shorter backswing.. weight and head behind the ball... controlled legs... turn thru
 
Eraff said:
Big E... maybe you can comment on this... the Front Foot Opened toward target ( 45-60 degrees)... I find myself really getting through the front of my swing and on target. Not quite the Gary Player idea of stepping through the shot, but a really nice transfer. I find myself finishing High and AT Target.

Note-- I am not directly doing Tewell or Trajan's swing. I am emphasizing a shorter backswing.. weight and head behind the ball... controlled legs... turn thru
Click to expand...

Yea, I'm finding the same thing.....
 
As with all videos you can learn something from these, but don't expect the answer to all your problems. You still have to find what works for you. I mentioned in my earlier post 2 things that I do that these videos say not to do.

You still have to hit the range and practice different shots and techniques .
 
I got the PPGS videos back in 2009 an had pretty good success with it. It is easy to learn, accurate, and back friendly. I never really could get the swing down with the driver though. Also, though it was easy to hit balls very straight, I lost around two clubs distance with irons.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top