Q & A with Bertie Cordle CEO of DST Golf

1.  Does DST help certain golfers more than others?  example slice vs. hook?  Digger vs picker?

The DST Clubs help ALL golfers equally. Regardless whether you’re a Major Winner or a beginner, the Optimal Impact Position remains the same. Clearly the reason behind why players of different skill levels use the clubs varies. Typically, the Tour players use the clubs to work on their feeling post impact and the pivot through impact, where the club shaft stays on plane and the players arms swing left of the target but stay connected. They work on body rotation and connection. If you compare that to a beginner/club golfer, they tend to have very little understanding of where their weight needs to be at impact which in turn means they aren’t good at delivering the club to the ball with forward shaft lean at impact. Additionally, they have a limited understanding of the benefits of pre-setting the shaft so it aligns with the lead shoulder at address.  The Compressor helps a player locate an impact position in a 3-Dimensional sense. I’ll explain, firstly when you see a player from a face on perspective the club is clearly designed to help the player set up and reach a position through the use of the Hand Position Alignment Marker where they have forward shaft lean and the hands lead the club face through the ball, meaning the club shaft is under tension resulting in the club face being under control. 2. From a Down the line perspective due to the curvature of the shaft reflecting the plane line, the balance of the club when swung has a path of “least resistance” meaning that the club wants to be swung “on plane”. When the player has an “out to in” or “in to out” swing path the player will feel a significant twisting/torque in the grip as well as seeing bad ball flight.

2.  Does the DST Compressor come with recommended drills?

Yes, the best drill is to practice swing without hitting balls to begin with. When learning any new movement and sensation its best to focus on it alone without being distracted by external elements like impact and ball flight. So to begin with practice locating the address position by pointing the HPAM so that it points up to the bridge of your nose (hands will be in a forward position while ensuring that the HPAM is also aligned with the leading groove on the club face and that the club face is square to your target. Then without making a backswing or downswing rotate your body towards the target (so your belt buckle points towards the target) and shift a little more weight onto your lead foot to replicate the impact position. However, leave your arms and hands where they were. This will provide you with a very real understanding of what it feels like to have your body weight swing the club rather than the arms and hands hitting at the ball. 

3.  If a normal steel shaft flexes, how do you keep your curved shaft from flexing?


Our shafts do flex but that have been built on a very stiff profile. In addition to this they have been tip cut only to ensure the stiffest possible combination.

4.  Does the DST promote a forward press set-up even with normal clubs?


Yes, that is what the best ball strikers in history did and if we want to replicate them that is the best position to star the swing from. For a greater understanding please refer to the video on the website “bio-mechanics of ball striking”. For all normal shots the club shaft at address should point towards the lead shoulder in order to simplify the swing and reduce unnecessary movements to a minimum. The ball positions remain as normal.

5.  What is the recommended time spent with DST clubs to see improvement?

Depends on the skill level of the player! However, even if you have a player who is a slow learner they tend to understand the concept very quickly. How fast players are able to incorporate that desired movement into their game is completely individual. I have seen Tour players take as long as 15 minutes to be able to amend their swings in order to hit the ball straight, although most get it in less than 5 Balls! Amateurs can take up to 30 minutes, however, there is no question that players who continue to warm up and train with the DST Compressor are ingraining a feeling and movement which is only going to benefit their golf. 

Ben Hogan once said “Practice doesn’t make perfect, Perfect Practice makes Perfect” With the DST Compressor a player is practicing the only critical position and movement in the swing…. The Optimal Impact Position!