This is the concept that the Iron Byron uses, or any other hitting or swinging machine.

The Iron Byron does not “swing at the ball,” rather it just swings the club attached to its arm and the ball simply gets in the way.

In this regard, the reason I place so much emphasis on the setup is because, if you get it right, you can essentially do the same thing.

You’ve heard and discussed the whole problem of “why is my practice swing so much better than my actual swing,” and the concept behind the Iron Byron & swinging to let the ball get in the way is behind this as well.

If you could just stand in place and swing a club with a free action, no manipulations or compensations, and have the ball magically end up on the face of the club where it’s supposed to be, how much easier would it make things for you?

Anyone who has ever practiced green-side bunker shots knows what it’s like to swing without actually trying to hit the ball, because you don’t actually try to hit the ball on this shot, correct?

You pick a spot that you want the club to enter the sand, or you’ve practiced bunker shots so many times that you set up and swing under the ball, and like magic, out comes the ball and onto the green, hopefully to hole it or make the ensuing putt.

I can’t remember the last time I actually tried to hit a ball, because this is how I approach every golf swing – just swing from the setup and let the ball get in the way.

The swing actually happens to quickly from the top to actually try to do anything to the ball other than swing through it.

This is why I harp on the setup, and why the better you make your setup, the more consistency you’ll have, especially if you’re not trying to do things at impact such as hold off the release (extra strong grip) or turn the hands through impact (trying to draw a shot or avoid pushing).

If you rely on a thrown-together setup over the ball that you constantly change & tinker with depending on how your hand-eye coordination and overall physical response is on a given day, you will never achieve coming close to swinging along these lines.

With a proper setup however, where you place yourself according to the ball and the impact conditions desired, you can pivot in place with a stable swing point (the C7 or the knot in the back of your neck above the mid-point of the shoulders) and deliver a consistent impact (which also requires a neutral grip in order to meet the ball squarely at impact), you can start to work towards this concept.

Even better, if you can build that optimal setup in order to swing consistently with maximum leverage & accuracy… then you’re onto something.

The better the setup, with the proper mechanical action from that setup, the more consistent and accurate your ball-striking will be.

Not to mention, you’ll be able to swing with power and speed as you’re not trying to steer or manipulate that club into the ball!

Just swing and let the ball get in the way at the right moment.

Like an Iron Byron.