2013 January

This week I want to share the thoughts from a fan of GOLFSTR who RE-DISCOVERED the importance of straight leading arm.  I have Jeffry’s approval to use his comments as received by email when he found GOLFSTR with a web search.   His comments are dead on:

My name is Jeffrey Snow and I am a lifelong golf fan and professional caddie on the LPGA Tour for Heewon Han.  Although maintaining a handicap of 6, over the past year or 2 I’ve become so frustrated with the state of my own golf game that I’ve basically given up playing. I love my career as a caddie and enjoy helping Heewon achieve success, but my self-enjoyment is gone.

Recently I was in Florida and decided to hit the range for some practice as I do still enjoy hitting balls. My poor contact with the golf ball was evident once again and out of shear desperation I experimented with locking my lead arm in the back-swing.  Instantly a difference was obvious, especially with short clubs.  I tried again a second day with this same idea and once again achieved impressive results. Thus began a search for a training aid.

I was traveling and unable to attend the recent PGA Show in Orlando but happened to find your product online.  I’m extremely excited to try it indoors since I live in Massachusetts.

This product seems to be just the thing that makes me want to play again!

Even though I’ve not tried this product, the idea seems to make a lot of sense to me.  By having to consciously keep the trainer connected to my upper arm during the swing action, it should achieve more permanent and quicker results than other devices that simply lock the arm and prevent it from bending.

Kind regards,

Jeffrey Snow

NOTE:  Jeffery understands this better than most as he lives the game day in and day out.  I hope to receive comments about Jeffrey’s progress after he receives his GOLFSTR.  Stay tuned. 

Will Curry, Inventor and Designer

GOLFSTR is ready to go retail!

We are presenting a made for TV spot to the Big Box Golf Retail buyers this week at the PGA Golf Merchandise Trade Show in Orlando, FL.

Following is the access to a YouTube version of the video which will be modified (with a proper 1-800 number) and run on the Golf Channel this Spring.  The message really gets to the point quickly.  Hope to receive thoughts from any of our subscribers.

Copy this URL and paste it in your browser to watch the video.

In the middle of a wonderful round of golf in Florida I started to hit a few drives that were real “quackers” (duck hooks).  Concerned that this was about to ruin my round I asked my playing partner what he saw.  As it turns out I was starting to bend my arm in the down-swing.  I had lost my focus on straight leading arm.  YES you not only need a straight leading arm IN THE BACK-SWING BUT ALSO IN THE DOWN-SWING and through impact.

My leading arm was straight in the back-swing (thanks to my practice with GOLFSTR) but I was starting my down-swing by allowing my leading arm to start bending.  This initial bending is referred to as the dreaded CHICKEN WING.

A “chicken wing” causes the leading arm to shorten.  This action leads to swinging over the top (on too steep of a plane) and casting the arms straight in order to connect with the ball.  Unfortunately, the steep downward swing forces your brain to make many corrective actions.  The results cause anything but a straight hit.

First you need to master a straight leading arm in the back-swing by practicing and playing rounds with GOLFSTR (with hinged wrist and bent lagging elbow for a low power plane – see Sergio Garcia, earlier blog).

Then focus on a gentle transition to the down-swing and acceleration with a straight leading arm.  Your power comes when you unload your wrists as the shaft of your club passes horizontal to the ground.

STRAIGHT ARM  –  STRAIGHT SHOT

PS:  We played The Talon Course at Twin Eagles in Naples from the Members Tees at 6500 yards.  This is an amazingly well trapped and water lined course.  I was pleased to escape with one double bogey.  Like golfing in heaven when you keep it on the fairways.

Sorry but I’m focused on setting up the spots for the Golf Channel.  We are shooting in Kissimmee, Florida on January 10 at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club.  I will load some photos of the shoot on www.facebook.com/golfstr1   tomorrow.  We have hired an agency who shoots ads for Disney and Golf Channel.  Expecting  that these ads will wake up the golf world to GOLFSTR.

We plan to run these ads starting at the end of April across the US.  These ads should help to move GOLFSTR into Big Box Retail (initial Distribution and Retail orders are already happening).

I hope that you understand that you are in on the ground floor of an evolutionary Golf Training Aid (The Brain Trainer).  This is like grass roots of a 1 year old company.  There are now 800 GOLFSTR owners.  If you are reading this you are one of the early adopters.  This is the marketing term for the 5% of the market who dare to try new concepts.  You are the initial buyers of a product which will wake-up 80% of golfers who need help in converting their swing to SWING LIKE A PRO.

We are depending on you to help expand sales throughout the world.  Enjoy this product and tell others about your find.  I know that it takes time to convert your swing to a straight arm swing.

I was a messed up golfer for years and finally with GOLFSTR I am on the right track. JUST DO IT!!!

Thank you for helping to promote GOLFSTR.  (pronounced: Golf Stir and stands for Golf Straight)

Straight Arm = Straight Shot

Let’s get realistic on what you can do with a straight leading arm in the back swing.

PUTTING accounts for about 43% of the strokes in an average golfer’s game.

OPPORTUNITY lies with the rest of your game.  You need to depend on a straight leading arm for consistent drives, approach shots and (yes even on your) chips.

I have been focusing on straight leading arm for my drives and approach shots.  Dropping any of these shots in the ruff or the water or the woods will not only waste a stroke to get back into the fairway but you also lose distance every time you leave the fairway.  That’s like losing 1.5 strokes for every poor shot.   If you average 1 mishit per hole that can cost you 27 strokes a round.

My point is that you can cut lower your score significantly just by keeping your shots in the fairway. 

I was recently reminded that consistent hits on those short approach shots are also dependent on “straight leading arm”.  We all get lazy in these shots, relaxing the leading arm and topping or blading the ball.

Gary in Nebraska recently emailed to say:  Just wanted to tell you that I love this product.  I have always worked hard to keep my arm straight but having some feedback is very helpful.  I am a 5 handicap but have a tendency to miss a lot of greens and I feel it is from my arm breaking down.  I am pretty good at getting up and down so score OK but think GOLFSTR will make me better and more consistent. 

So practice with your GOLFSTR to keep the ball in the fairway and hit more greens in regulation.  Get more consistent with your drives as well as your short shots using less back swing and a straight leading arm.

Happy New Year!!!

   . . . . and may the wind be behind every drive as you enjoy golf for another year!

PS    Thanks again for the wonderful comments and encouragement to promote GOLFSTR.  We are in Orlando shooting our Golf Channel Spots January 10 and will be showing them at the Orlando PGA Golf Merchandise Show January 23-26 in Booth 3711.