The Forward Press

[Slab]

What function does it perform and what effect does it have on the swing or the AoA/alignment of the clubface at impact?

Is it just a visual trigger to commence the swing and has zero physical functional effect or does it directly impact the swing path of the backswing and should it be used through the bag and does it have more impact with certain clubs i.e irons/wedges/putter etc?

Thanks in advance

 

[duncan mackie]

It's a concious physical trigger to a process(visual just happens but what you see isn't the trigger...you have already started the sequence!).
It's almost a philosophical argument as to whether any adjustments to club face that occur are subsequently undone when the club is returned to impact position, or retained because the player returned the club to the press position - but most agree that any exaggerated activity represents a risk (in more ways than simply a degree of loft or face angle).
Over the centuries teachers of this great game have advocated a number of different physical triggers, most for the same reason - so there seems agreement that a lot of people benefit from such triggers 🤔

Anyone who has stood over the ball thinking 'now what' will have a greater appreciation than those for whom it's all so natural and controlled 🤗

 

[Scozzy]

I'm a lifelong forward presser and if my game is dodgy and rthym out it's usually because I'm not focused and just swing without taking a breath and giving a little press and squeeze to initiate my swing.Ive no idea how it affects the techy aspects of my swing,I just know I'm better when I do it

 

[patricks148]

do it sometimes with wedges if i want a low spinner

 

[ScienceBoy]

It’s a mental trigger but I have seen it go to the extreme and ruin a swing. A proper forward press should be sufficient enough to initiate but not deviate a swing.

Worth a try if your in need of an idea but don’t stick with it if it isn’t working and certainly keep it in check if you do use it.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

I was thinking it was just a "mental assist " until I saw a YouTube video by Aimee Cho.
IIRC it says that there are two stances - the classical where the shaft end points towards the left hip, and the modern stance, as she calls it, where the shaft end points to the , politely put, navel.
Using the latter stance, and doing the forward press, and then holding it while you swing, means that on the swing at impact the face will be closed somewhat. If you use the former stance , and doing the forward press you will come to impact somewhat open.
I found it hard to believe , but you can check for yourself with an iron.
Also, check the video on YouTube.
When I tried it on the range I was hitting my 6 iron with a draw for the first time.
YMMV, but it's worth a try is it not?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's a mental start to the swing. It's something that seemed popular a few years back but you don't seem to see as many players doing it these days.

 

[Sats]

I tried it after thinking it would help me compress the ball and I found it kept me thinking in the swing. I hit the ball so much better when I'm in the 'no thought' zone and just swing naturally. One of my friends is a forward presser and it works with him, just not me.

 

[Roland]

Harvey Penick describes it as a means to make the swing smoother, if I remember it correctly he likened it to swinging a bucket of water, if you just swing it forward a bit it's easier to swing back.

 

[Slab]

It’s a mental trigger but I have seen it go to the extreme and ruin a swing. A proper forward press should be sufficient enough to initiate but not deviate a swing.

Worth a try if your in need of an idea but don’t stick with it if it isn’t working and certainly keep it in check if you do use it.

Tried it on the range about 10 days ago, just with the irons, and really enjoyed how I was hitting them, took it on the course at the weekend and 39 points later I'm sold on it. But it could easily be one of those tweaks that improves your game for a month then dumps you just when you started to believe you'd cracked it

 

[sev112]

What about forward press for putting ... used to see a lot of that