Daily Video Blog

The T-finish Mistake
The T-finish Mistake
Authored by: Brady
Posted on: 13 June 2026

A lot of golfers grew up hearing the same advice: keep the head down, stay down through impact, and extend the arms as far as possible toward the target. The idea was that more extension meant a longer, lower path through the ball and more power.

Here's the catch. Reaching the arms all the way out pulls the upper body — torso, spine, head — forward with them. Once that much forward lean has happened, getting the club back up into a tall finish becomes a fight. Instead of folding naturally and rising up over the shoulder, the arms get yanked back around and in low, leaving the finish wide and deep.

Two long-time students ran into this not long ago. Both had worked for years on getting up into a clean finish, and both kept ending up a little too wide despite all that work. When the swings were broken down side by side, the cause was identical for both: over-extension through the ball.

One image that'... Read More

Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 23 September 2011
Comments: 43
Ian Craib (a.k.a TO0000ad) wrote me a couple of weeks ago with this comment/question: "I like the smaller, controlled swing but having lots of trouble with longer clubs. I hit right-handed,... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 22 September 2011
You may recall that earlier this month, Dave Seeman and I taught a three-day school at Odessa National in Townsend, DE. Today's daily is a story from that class and, like all good stories, there's... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 21 September 2011
Dave Bories is a relative newcomer to this blog, having registered back in June. He recently asked a question on the website that I would like to address today. Dave writes: "I've read and heard... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 20 September 2011
Welcome to the "new" blog, direct from The Back Yard! This new location will give me the opportunity to make full swings as I discuss the topic of the day and hopefully, many of you will find that... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 19 September 2011
Today's tip comes from Rick Simmons, who writes: "For the 30-something years I've been playing golf I've had a problem with my hands. I understand that the grip is the connection of the club to... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 18 September 2011
Last week, I answered the first of two really good questions from Dan Swantko (Level Knees In Backswing). Today I will tackle his second one. "Is there a place in the Surge Swing for a conscious... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 17 September 2011
Harold Klein recently asked me for help in getting his swing more vertical. His playing partners keep telling him that his swing goes from Catcher's Mitt to Catcher's Mitt. Harold, a lefty who is... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 16 September 2011
A couple of weeks ago, I received this comment and question from Dwight, who had been having problems with his driver. "Surge, great video today. Awhile back I was coming across my body with my... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 15 September 2011
  Warning: Do Not Read This Unless You Are Frustrated As Hell With Your Golf Game In Your Special Report... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 15 September 2011
For today's tip, I am joined by Bruce Chaffin, PT Extraordinaire and PPGS Certified Instructor, better known to many of you as The Rolfer Golfer. Bruce was at Odessa National helping me teach a... Read More