Jump to content
Check out the Spin Axis Podcast! ×
IGNORED

"Short Game Secrets" by James Ridyard


Note: This thread is 2442 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

  • Administrator
Posted

Discuss the video series "Short Game Secrets" by James Ridyard (and John Graham) here.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Having the word "secrets" in the title is enough to keep me from buying, or reading the book. 

  • Upvote 1

In My Bag:
A whole bunch of Tour Edge golf stuff...... :beer:

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted (edited)

So, I downloaded a couple of these videos after following James on Twitter - he shares a lot of good thoughts and a couple of the videos he shared intrigued me. I particularly liked the one below that he retweets quite a lot.

There are a number of videos and it can be hard to know exactly what you get. The 5 DVD set includes:

  • Approach Wedges
  • Scrambling
  • Bunker Play
  • Practical Green Reading
  • Putting Performance

The two I was particularly interested in were the Approach Wedges and Scrambling videos and I got both 2.0 and 1.0 versions of each. For info, I'd recommend getting 2.0 first, as it may include the 1.0 videos as well (I ended up with 2 copies of 1.0). I'm going to try to review without giving too much information. James has worked with a number of top players and coaches (Tour and otherwise) to pick up on what they do well and try to dial in when coaching. What I did really like was that a lot of what he says resonates with @iacas, @mvmac and others preach with pitching and short game in general, such as delivery of bounce, loft and shot selection. All of the videos are full of information and whilst they are relatively short - 40 minutes or so - there is so much there that you won't necessarily pick it up within 4 or 5 views.

Approach Wedges 1.0, 2.0: This is relatively technical and addresses a few key factors (launch, strike etc). I would say that, for a casual player, this is not the one to get, as whilst there are some good concepts in there, it doesn't necessarily give you that much to immediately go away and work on. I will re-watch it to try to glean more, but there wasn't that much in here that I wasn't aware of already. It is also possibly the hardest section to work on on your own, without access to Trackman etc., but James does make some good suggestions. Approach Wedges 2.0 is more technical and doesn't really apply to me right now, dealing with spin rates, smash factor. It might suit a low handicapper, but I wouldn't suggest it as necessary viewing.

Scrambling 1.0, 2.0: Whilst the Approach Wedges 1.0 was a bit heavy, Scrambling gets straight into the task of how to score lower shots and particularly varying trajectories with your wedges to accomplish this. You look at when to use certain shots and easy ways to vary high, low and mid trajectories to accomplish this - James explains it quickly and easily and I could immediately take this knowledge to the course and play around with it. I would suggest that this and 2.0 are almost essential viewing - they combine lots of information with really effective presentation and clear ideas of how to build this in to your game to shoot lower scores. 2.0 also includes some really useful situational based sections, with James taking a certain shot and explaining his choices clearly. There's also a nice fault fixer element that would help those who struggle with thins and duffs.

In short, they are really useful viewing, but I'd advocate Scrambling over Approach Wedges, simply for the ease of incorporating it into your practice. If you'd like any more information, please ask, but I'd certainly recommend looking them up.

Edited by b101
  • Like 1
  • Upvote 2
  • Informative 1

Currently focusing on: Key 4 - shorter backswing.

What's in the bag: Callaway X2 Hot Driver, Titleist 915F 3 wood, X2 Hot 3 Hybrid, 3, 5-AW Apex Pro irons, 54*, 58* Cleveland RTX, Odyssey Versa 1 Putter

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • 1 year later...
  • Administrator
Posted

Uhhhhhhhh…? James is coaching, among others, Francesco Molinari.

He is qualified.

  • Like 1

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted
15 hours ago, iacas said:

Uhhhhhhhh…? James is coaching, among others, Francesco Molinari.

He is qualified.

 

15 hours ago, iacas said:

Uhhhhhhhh…? James is coaching, among others, Francesco Molinari.

He is qualified.

In a 12-way tie for 69th-best short game on the PGA tour???  Maybe he needs a MORE qualified coach.


Posted
29 minutes ago, YeOldeDuffer said:

 

In a 12-way tie for 69th-best short game on the PGA tour???  Maybe he needs a MORE qualified coach.

Yeah. Ok. I think you jumped the gun on your unfamiliarity with James. Better to just own up rather than grab a shovel and keep digging.🤷‍♂️

:ping: G25 Driver Stiff :ping: G20 3W, 5W :ping: S55 4-W (aerotech steel fiber 110g shafts) :ping: Tour Wedges 50*, 54*, 58* :nike: Method Putter Floating clubs: :edel: 54* trapper wedge

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Yeah. Ok. I think you jumped the gun on your unfamiliarity with James. Better to just own up rather than grab a shovel and keep digging.🤷‍♂️

Oh, I have been wrong before and will no doubt be wrong again. But in this case, I assure you, lack of familiarity is not a problem. Much the opposite, sadly. If James was half as good as HE thinks he is, I'd sign up for a lesson tomorrow. May I ask how many lessons YOU have taken personally from James?

Edited by YeOldeDuffer
Added material

  • Moderator
Posted
On 5/3/2019 at 9:57 PM, YeOldeDuffer said:

Pretty much useless. This guy is hardly qualified to give advice on this topic. Astounding that he gets people to view this drivel or to pay him for lessons.

You challenged his qualifications, not any of us.

3 hours ago, YeOldeDuffer said:

Oh, I have been wrong before and will no doubt be wrong again. But in this case, I assure you, lack of familiarity is not a problem. Much the opposite, sadly. If James was half as good as HE thinks he is, I'd sign up for a lesson tomorrow. May I ask how many lessons YOU have taken personally from James?

 

Our connection with him is irrelevant. It is ok that you didn’t like his instruction, that is fine. There are many famous instructors that I don’t like either.  Folks were just reacting to your suggestion that the OP instructor was not qualified.

The video was posted in the OP not as an endorsement by the way. It was posted just for discussion.

I would rather here more details from you on what exactly you didn’t like and why. I would help me make a decision on whether to watch or not.

  • Like 1

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

boogielicious - Adjective describing the perfect surf wave

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
Posted
15 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I would rather hear more details from you on what exactly you didn’t like and why. I would help me make a decision on whether to watch or not.

Yeah, @YeOldeDuffer. Discuss the details - what you didn’t like and why - or stop.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted
5 hours ago, boogielicious said:

You challenged his qualifications, not any of us.

Our connection with him is irrelevant. It is ok that you didn’t like his instruction, that is fine. There are many famous instructors that I don’t like either.  Folks were just reacting to your suggestion that the OP instructor was not qualified.

The video was posted in the OP not as an endorsement by the way. It was posted just for discussion.

I would rather here more details from you on what exactly you didn’t like and why. I would help me make a decision on whether to watch or not.

What are you guys, his business partners?

The video was posted for discussion? OK, I discussed it. The qualifications of the guy who made it are fair comment, I'd say. Haven't heard any defenses of why it is any good, just a lot of visceral reaction to a negative comment. In my world, you need POSITIVE EVIDENCE to engage the services of a highly-paid individual, not merely a lack of negative evidence. All I've heard so far is that he coaches a pro on his short game . . . and that pro's short game is not rated very highly. Kind of like claiming to have been Shaquille O'Neal's coach on free-throw shooting (in case you don't get the reference, O'Neal was a great NBA player but an abysmal free-throw shooter throughout his career).

As for the videos, I don't think a video is a very good way to learn golf, maybe a little better than a book. Beyond that, I find Ridyard's videos / instruction very derivative (to use the kindest possible word) of prior books & videos by Pelz, Mickelson, and especially Tamayo. I'd rather go back to people with original thoughts, more practical (successful) experience, and a better understanding of basic physics than Ridyard than listen to someone who is merely parroting what others before him have said. I'm not going to do a frame-by-frame analysis of his videos -- they weren't even worth my time viewing them ONCE.

But opinions are like a***holes -- everybody has one -- and you are welcome to yours.


  • Moderator
Posted
6 minutes ago, YeOldeDuffer said:

What are you guys, his business partners?

The video was posted for discussion? OK, I discussed it. The qualifications of the guy who made it are fair comment, I'd say. Haven't heard any defenses of why it is any good, just a lot of visceral reaction to a negative comment. In my world, you need POSITIVE EVIDENCE to engage the services of a highly-paid individual, not merely a lack of negative evidence. All I've heard so far is that he coaches a pro on his short game . . . and that pro's short game is not rated very highly. Kind of like claiming to have been Shaquille O'Neal's coach on free-throw shooting (in case you don't get the reference, O'Neal was a great NBA player but an abysmal free-throw shooter throughout his career).

As for the videos, I don't think a video is a very good way to learn golf, maybe a little better than a book. Beyond that, I find Ridyard's videos / instruction very derivative (to use the kindest possible word) of prior books & videos by Pelz, Mickelson, and especially Tamayo. I'd rather go back to people with original thoughts, more practical (successful) experience, and a better understanding of basic physics than Ridyard than listen to someone who is merely parroting what others before him have said. I'm not going to do a frame-by-frame analysis of his videos -- they weren't even worth my time viewing them ONCE.

But opinions are like a***holes -- everybody has one -- and you are welcome to yours.

Thanks. I actually have never heard of the guy, but Erik has because Erik is an instructor as well. I am very selective on who’s teaching I follow. So input like this helps me make a decision if I’m going to spend time watching or doing something better with my time. 

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

boogielicious - Adjective describing the perfect surf wave

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
Posted

If you think Ridyard’s teaching is derivative of Pelz, man, you don’t know much about what he teaches.

It is far far closer to Sieckmann, which is just O’Grady, which is just Rodgers, which is also how I prefer to tech short game. It’s not much at all like Pelz.

And you’re slamming a guy for teaching multiple PGA Tour players? And for Molinari being top third in a category in which better ballstrikers are punished (they hit more greens).

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted
28 minutes ago, iacas said:

 

If you think Ridyard’s teaching is derivative of Pelz, man, you don’t know much about what he teaches.

 

Of course he does. And I’m quite certain he’s more than qualified to evaluate a PGA Tour coach with his years of training top level players who well exceed the accomplishments of Molinari for example.

:ping: G25 Driver Stiff :ping: G20 3W, 5W :ping: S55 4-W (aerotech steel fiber 110g shafts) :ping: Tour Wedges 50*, 54*, 58* :nike: Method Putter Floating clubs: :edel: 54* trapper wedge

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted
4 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Of course he does. And I’m quite certain he’s more than qualified to evaluate a PGA Tour coach with his years of training top level players who well exceed the accomplishments of Molinari for example.

And I'm sure you're qualified to make sarcastic comments based on your years of being an a***hole.


Posted
4 minutes ago, YeOldeDuffer said:

And I'm sure you're qualified to make sarcastic comments based on your years of being an a***hole.

Lol. You’ve got that covered, pick something else chief.

:ping: G25 Driver Stiff :ping: G20 3W, 5W :ping: S55 4-W (aerotech steel fiber 110g shafts) :ping: Tour Wedges 50*, 54*, 58* :nike: Method Putter Floating clubs: :edel: 54* trapper wedge

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

James Ridyard has been around for ages. He was part of Today's Golfer magazines instructional staff. A lot of the stuff he had done has been pretty decent imo.

I have a taster dvd from said magazine of the short game series and it's not bad. Not quite my cup of tea but certainly will be for many people.

 

  • Thumbs Up 1

Russ, from "sunny" Yorkshire = :-( 

In the bag: Driver: Ping G5 , Woods:Dunlop NZ9, 4 Hybrid: Tayormade Burner, 4-SW: Hippo Beast Bi-Metal , Wedges: Wilson 1200, Putter: Cleveland Smartsquare Blade, Ball: AD333

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Note: This thread is 2442 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    PlayBetter
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FitForGolf
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-20%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack/FitForGolf, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope. 15% off TourStriker (no code).
  • Posts

    • Nah, man. People have been testing clubs like this for decades at this point. Even 35 years. @M2R, are you AskGolfNut? If you're not, you seem to have fully bought into the cult or something. So many links to so many videos… Here's an issue, too: - A drop of 0.06 is a drop with a 90 MPH 7I having a ball speed of 117 and dropping it to 111.6, which is going to be nearly 15 yards, which is far more than what a "3% distance loss" indicates (and is even more than a 4.6% distance loss). - You're okay using a percentage with small numbers and saying "they're close" and "1.3 to 1.24 is only 4.6%," but then you excuse the massive 53% difference that going from 3% to 4.6% represents. That's a hell of an error! - That guy in the Elite video is swinging his 7I at 70 MPH. C'mon. My 5' tall daughter swings hers faster than that.
    • Yea but that is sort of my quandary, I sometimes see posts where people causally say this club is more forgiving, a little more forgiving, less forgiving, ad nauseum. But what the heck are they really quantifying? The proclamation of something as fact is not authoritative, even less so as I don't know what the basis for that statement is. For my entire golfing experience, I thought of forgiveness as how much distance front to back is lost hitting the face in non-optimal locations. Anything right or left is on me and delivery issues. But I also have to clarify that my experience is only with irons, I never got to the point of having any confidence or consistency with anything longer. I feel that is rather the point, as much as possible, to quantify the losses by trying to eliminate all the variables except the one you want to investigate. Or, I feel like we agree. Compared to the variables introduced by a golfer's delivery and the variables introduced by lie conditions, the losses from missing the optimal strike location might be so small as to almost be noise over a larger area than a pea.  In which case it seems that your objection is that the 0-3% area is being depicted as too large. Which I will address below. For statements that is absurd and true 100% sweet spot is tiny for all clubs. You will need to provide some objective data to back that up and also define what true 100% sweet spot is. If you mean the area where there are 0 losses, then yes. While true, I do not feel like a not practical or useful definition for what I would like to know. For strikes on irons away from the optimal location "in measurable and quantifiable results how many yards, or feet, does that translate into?"   In my opinion it ok to be dubious but I feel like we need people attempting this sort of data driven investigation. Even if they are wrong in some things at least they are moving the discussion forward. And he has been changing the maps and the way data is interpreted along the way. So, he admits to some of the ideas he started with as being wrong. It is not like we all have not been in that situation 😄 And in any case to proceed forward I feel will require supporting or refuting data. To which as I stated above, I do not have any experience in drivers so I cannot comment on that. But I would like to comment on irons as far as these heat maps. In a video by Elite Performance Golf Studios - The TRUTH About Forgiveness! Game Improvement vs Blade vs Players Distance SLOW SWING SPEED! and going back to ~12:50 will show the reference data for the Pro 241. I can use that to check AskGolfNut's heat map for the Pro 241: a 16mm heel, 5mm low produced a loss of efficiency from 1.3 down to 1.24 or ~4.6%. Looking at AskGolfNut's heatmap it predicts a loss of 3%. Is that good or bad? I do not know but given the possible variations I am going to say it is ok. That location is very close to where the head map goes to 4%, these are very small numbers, and rounding could be playing some part. But for sure I am going to say it is not absurd. Looking at one data point is absurd, but I am not going to spend time on more because IME people who are interested will do their own research and those not interested cannot be persuaded by any amount of data. However, the overall conclusion that I got from that video was that between the three clubs there is a difference in distance forgiveness, but it is not very much. Without some robot testing or something similar the human element in the testing makes it difficult to say is it 1 yard, or 2, or 3?  
    • Wordle 1,668 3/6 🟨🟨🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
    • Wordle 1,668 3/6 🟨🟩🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Should have got it in two, but I have music on my brain.
    • Wordle 1,668 2/6* 🟨🟨🟩⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.