The following video was a one-take symposium on how to manage your short game in Bermuda Grass. All my videos are one take, in fact. That original Open Stance Explanation was one take. Too bad I don’t have the one-minute spot for the video. It was a perfect sixty second promotion in one take – no shot clock.

In the wake of that spot, the Open Stance has silently taken over the golf world. In the short game video to follow, my goal is to provide the general options for clubbing and approaching these shots. I suppose the philosophy to which I subscribe is completely Ballesteros/Mickelson. Maybe it’s my age, or maybe it’s the expression of freedom found in changing my technique at-will and on-call per situation.

Perhaps you are a guy who likes a wedge library in his garage bag. There have been some very good players who opted for this approach. They are unafflicted with the variability inherent in short game creativity. Thus, they buy a wedge for any possible playing condition. It’s valid. I think of it as sad. But that’s my opinion. I’m no more right than wrong.

But let’s focus on the positive…. Every golfer has a palette of colors and mixtures based on their particular short game philosophy. Seve had more than Phil. Phil has more than anyone else. I say that because Seve used a greater variety of clubs around the green. He tailored his club choice for the shot required. Phil, who is immensely genius also, shoehorns every shot into fewer club choices. If there was a contest with a 56-degree sand wedge, I’d have to take Seve.

As someone who has been and intends to be again – sticky around the greens, I use a variety of clubs and develop multiple shots with each. For instance, I hit flop shots with my eight iron – not because I’ll ever use it in actual play, but because it makes me focus on set-up. Anything that encourages attention to set-up is productive because intention is ever-present in set-up deliberations.

When I say Digging Into Bermuda: Short Game Death, It’s pejorative, sure. However, it encompasses a common philosophical necessity per the turf and ground condition. Get to the result any way you like. But the broad-stroke message for everyone is a shallow angle of attack.

Have Fun. Enjoy the Sun.

John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy

Short Game Technique is Everything

The Key To Great Wedge Play Is Eye-solation

The Physics of A Flat Downswing

Here is the bunker session broad stroke I promised Jay. Remember keeping the club face pointed (perpendicular) to your intended start line is implied in every orientation. Never mind the thumbnail cover.

Obviously, this doesn’t cover every situation because bunker play is an art. There are thousands of colors to blend to get the desired hue. We can choose from dozens of strokes to apply the “paint”. Every golfer wanting mastery of bunker play has to learn to mix and apply their palate of skill to any given canvas.

On this day, I practiced bunker shots for two hours, chipped and pitched for an hour, and hit a small bucket. I was doing terribly until I remembered to tilt behind the ball slightly. Then, everything fell into place, and my skill began to return.

In my next session, I’ll build on the set-ups that correspond to each different shot, and I’ll refine my swinging and ground interaction… and so on. If you approach bunker play as painting a canvas, it may help slow down your mind and process. Be in the mode of creating, not succeeding. Success is binary. Creating has no definitions and therefore, no corners. I might suggest adopting a Jazz mentality. Let yourself spiral around a set-up orientation/shot requirement combination and pay attention to patterns.

John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy

The One Common Swing Link In Every Fade

Timing Has Nothing To Do With Feel

Clubs Too Upright Are Your Swing’s Dynamite

You may wonder how to show them your sole at impact. Here’s how I do it.

My devices for converting my idea into motion may be different than your own. When I say I’m trying to lunge ahead to reverse pivot, it’s because I’ve cultivated what some would call extreme leg drive and spine tilt away from the target over these past years. And, I want to undo that dynamic.

My golf swing will, as a result, become flatter with arm swing and steeper with spine angle along the target line, which offset in the new regime. As I mention, my devices not only don’t hurt my impact, they help it. This video is two days in to a two month hiatus on the back of two years of two complete rounds per year. In other words … two years of almost no play. Below is my blurry recollection of similar intent from two years hence.

Therefore, my goal here is to reestablish perfect impact first, which means intentional set up married to intentional motion. I’ll have to accumulate a lot of reps from here. By the way, I practice my short game twice as much as full swing. I’ll post a bunker video tomorrow.

John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy

Steepen Impact/Flatten Swing With an Open Stance

The Physics of A Flat Downswing

Why Tour Players’ Heads Move “Down” Through Impact

What a great way to kick off 2022! An Open Stance devotee from way back decided to write in about his experience and gratitude for discovering the Open Stance and our forum here. Please take a minute to read what he wrote here….

“I am an early follower of the open stance philosophy. One of your first to comment on it on you tube. Many others now have begun teaching it under a different name there and you see it being used by many successful PGA tour players. I believe though that your quiet introduction of it and your continued efforts to educate the masses of the benefits of its use deserves kudos. You may not have invented it but you certainly have fanned the flames to make it spread like wildfire. Hope for your continued success. Thank you sir.”
Mike Barnett

Kind words are even better when they are authentic. I’ve never met Mike, but I’m sure we would have plenty of stories to share about our evolution within a shared philosophy. His acknowledgement speaks for many of you, I’m sure.

2022 may be the year that The Open Stance breaks out of its slumber and in the golfing mainstream. But, even if it doesn’t, more and more elite to novice golfers will discover why it works for them, too. What started as pages of notes turned into a literal game-changer.

I’m glad you all knew first. What a great way to kick off 2022.

John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy

Testimonials

Lee Trevino Recommends a Flatter Swing

Rory Does It Tooooooooooo!

The Open Just Won The Open

Welcome to The Open Stance Academy’s new home – Mission Inn Resort! Thank you to Michael Bowery and Roy Schindler for their warm welcome. They are two class individuals and breaking new ground at Florida’s Greatest Golf Destination.

I met the Founder’s daughter, Donna, on my first visit. I felt touched by her wistful account of her father’s dream. Her desire to make Mission Inn Resort the preeminent golf destination is laudable. She and her whole team understand passion, determination, and dedication to cultivating potential. Additionally, after talking to Michael and Donna, I became an instant convert and immediate champion of their goals, plans, and successes for and at Mission Inn.

My introduction to the Mission Inn management team was in late August last year. It’s a story about going outside our comfort zone, in a way. You remember this article This Is Why Gurbaaz Mann Is The World’s Best Club-Fitter? It led to acknowledgement of kindred spirits, which led to partnering here.

Well, I received a text from my friend, Gurbaaz Mann. We agreed to look for an opportunity to throw our expertise into a common goal. Baaz took the suggestion of one of his tour players, he contacted the MI team I later met. Consequently, Gurbaaz and MI teammates became mutually impressed (I told you he was impressive) with one another. Furthermore, Baaz said the Mission Inn operation was “like a family”. I was sold on meeting them.

I revisited Mission Inn in November to soak up the atmosphere. Well-wishes and warm gestures of friendship were and are around every corner. I thought, “2022 is going to be a great year”. Apparently, Mission Inn has that effect on lots of people. Therefore, I extended a fond farewell to all my great Virginia members.

The hotel is gorgeous. The detached formal and informal dining clubhouse overlooks El Campeon and its lakes below. Nightlife is complete with restaurants on site (and well-stocked Cantina). I’ve been teasing my Instagram followers long enough. Come play at the most laudable, legendary, and limitless golf destination in America. Mission Inn Resort is tucked into dramatic hills just 20 minutes North of “The most magical place on Earth” (Wink, Wink).

I’ll post programs and lesson rates by next weekend. Stay and play school and golf packages are on the way. See you soon.

John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy

An Interview With Gurbaaz Mann, The World’s Greatest Club-Fitter

1,500 hours In 2020, and The Verdict Is In

The Secret in The Open Stance

Fellow golfer, listen up. Do not be distracted from your own instincts. You have all the tools necessary to remedy or improve any part of your own golf game. When we direct our own process, we benefit by learning to understand how our motion relates to our set-up. Our challenge is shutting other voices out.

Of course, I teach students why to employ an Open Stance to help own their process. All activities of our process revolve around motion as an adaptive response. Right-brained instincts take care of predictable motion when used within an OS framework. Refining predictable motion within structure moves us toward our goals.

The Open Stance is simply our optimal framework upon which to build our adaptive response loop. Choosing an Open Stance set-up is a left-brained macro. Fortunately, everyone must address a golf ball to play good golf. Orientation is a small addition to our structural necessity, because opening our stance guarantees efficient responses.

Then, we can play within our “Rigid” structure. True golfing freedom can only exist within a disciplined framework of our choosing. We have different instinctive responses depending upon how we prepare our mind. Instincts are of either predator (Left-brained) or prey (Right-brained).

We can cultivate left-brained instincts if our set-up is intentional. We learn to relate our motion to our set-up, and can control our process knowing everything else is insured. Right-brained instincts are to help us adapt to constantly changing parameters, like when we don’t employ first principles theory.

First principles theory requires forethought. Opening our stance expresses a first principle. First principles precede action. Conversely, survival instinct means adapting constantly without predictability.

Constant set-up change prohibits predictable motion. In our desire to control our outcome, we default to fear-based or prey mentality. Occupying our right-brained function with predictability-free action distracts us from creating goals. Additionally, ignoring first principles to guide our process, we cripple our right-brain’s ability to improve or refine our intention to reach our goal. Refinement cannot occur without a constant set-up framework.

So, don’t ignore your own instincts. Identify what instinct you employ. Also, make sure you do not distract your inherent adaptive capacity by ignoring your set-up. Furthermore, consider enhancing your process by choosing an Open Stance framework.

Happy Holidays!

John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy

First Things First: Create an Intent for Your Game

Your Set-Up Can Feed Your Brain or Starve Your Brain

Everyone Improves With An Open Stance!