2014 May

J. Storer, in Georgia has been a fan of GOLFSTR+  for almost 2 years.  We really appreciate his input for contribution to “Your Swing Support Center”.   He shared the following tip from Andrew Rice Golf, to explain why hitting the sweet spot on your driver gives you 20% more distance.  Andrew studied driver impact with his TrackMan to prove his findings.

So now you know why your surprisingly long drives just seem to happen out of the blue.  When you impact on the sweet spot, BINGO, your ball just takes off.

Your ideal Sweet Spot on your driver is just above and outside of the center of the clubface.

You can read Andrew’s research and practice techniques to improve your skill in finding the sweet spot on his website.  The short version is to spray your driver clubface with Dr. Scholl’s Odor X foot spray or (use a dry erase marker) and compare your distance with the point of impact for each of your test hits.

He analyzed Launch Angle, Spin Rate, Gear Effect and Clubhead Speed.  Slightly outboard and above the center point is your ideal impact point.  Newer drivers are more forgiving but you will still benefit from connecting on this sweet spot.

OPTIMAL STRIKE POINT FOR LONGER DRIVES | ANDREW RICE GOLF

HOT NEWS: We have now passed 1000 LIKES on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/golfstr1.  Check it out for more fun golf facts and humor.  [Posting today: Doc’s Bowling Pro Shop in Pineville, LA just ordered 8 GOLFSTR+ Training Aids to help Bowlers keep their leading arm straight.  This is the latest new use for GOLFSTR+so we actually have 8 documented uses. ]

Please pass this Swing Tip along to your friends and tell them to check out WWW.GOLFSTR.COM  for the 6-in-1 swing trainer: FOR Every Swing in Your Game.

Hank Haney did a video explaining that a golf swing with the fewest angles produces the best results.  He was highlighting the benefit of the flat wrist in the backswing to minimize curving the ball (both slicing and hooking). I just watched a video of Karen Nannen a PGA Pro by Golf Tips Magazine putting a new twist on this flat wrist swing.  She called it the “Knuckle Check”.

As you look down at the back of your leading hand at address, you should see 2 knuckles.  3/4 of the way back in your straight arm backswing you should also be able to see the same 2 knuckles.

>If you only see one knuckle, you are arching your wrist (like Dustin Johnson) and closing the club face.

>If you see more knuckles, you are bowing you wrist and opening the club face.

Swinging with a flat wrist.  Check for 2 knuckles at address and in the backswing or feel your flat wrist with GOLFSTR+.

Your goal is to bring your club face back to square at impact.  Swinging from the inside to outside will still give you a nice draw without the hook.

Flat Wrist Backswing is only one of the 6 uses of GOLFSTR+.  It allows you to complete the “Knuckle Check” without looking at your hands in the backswing.  Fit curved end of the plastic plate to match the contour of the back of your hand when you grip the golf club. During your backswing you can feel your wrist cock sideways for lag as it slides across the plastic plate.  It just guides your wrist.

The Flat Wrist Backswing use of GOLFSTR+ is only meant to be a guide for this swing fix so that you can see the result of a few hits with the flat wrist backswing.  For this Swing Fix it is not intended for continuous use as it could irritate your wrist.  Now you don’t have to look back at your hands in the backswing to check for 2 knuckles.

This is only 1 of the 6 Swing Fixes which are listing in the GOLFSTR+ User Guide.  Check it out on our website at www.golfstr.com

Spring Time is a great time for a Golf Rule Refresher.  Golf can be frustrating when you recall a rule one way and your playing partners recall it another way.  This simple list covers 95% of the rules (2014).  Read them and keep a copy in your golf bag.  (Reference: April 2014  www.golf-improvement-websites.com,   and a lot more interesting golf info. )   Here are the basic rules and options:

1. Out of Bounds (white stakes)
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
2. Lost ball  [To Save time you can state that you are hitting a provisional ball (for use only if the original ball is lost).]
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
3. Unplayable lie
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball within two club lengths of where the ball lies, no closer to the hole – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball as far back as desired on a line through where the ball lies and the flag – one stroke penalty
4.  In water hazard (yellow stakes)
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball as far back as desired on a line through where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard and the flag – one stroke penalty
5. In lateral water hazard (red stakes)
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball as far back as desired on a line through where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard and the flag – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard (either side – no closer to the hole) – one stroke penalty
6. Hitting wrong ball that is not in a hazard
•    Stroke play – two stroke penalty or disqualification for failure to correct mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground
•    Match play – loss of hole
7. Grounding club in hazard (sand or water)
•    Stroke play – two stroke penalty or disqualification for failure to correct mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground
•    Match play – loss of hole
8. Giving or asking advice [Even saying, “Take your time.” is advice which can disturb your opponent.]
•    Stroke play – two stroke penalty or disqualification for failure to correct mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground
•    Match play – loss of hole
9. Agreeing to waive a rule
•    Disqualification
10. Immovable obstruction interferes with swing or stance [including a cart path or road]
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty [All “no penalty” rules are 1 club length.]
•    Drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole – no penalty
11. Ball in ground under repair or on cart path
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty
•    Drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole – no penalty

Want to improve your game too?  Check out GOLFSTR+ For Every Swing in Your Game.  It’s the 6-in-1 brain trainer.  CLICK HERE :  www.golfstr.com

Watch super slow motion videos of most professional golfer’s swing (including Tiger, Phil and Rory).  You will see whipping action of the club shaft recoiling before it impacts with the ball (losing speed and distance).  In the last 20 years someone discovered that ski jumpers fly a lot further with their skis spread out instead of parallel together.   This was a monumental break-through and I believe that I have discovered the same for your golf swing.

I have seen this for years but assumed that the club manufactures and professional instructors had a reason for allowing this recoil.  I discovered the truth when I saw Bubba Watson’s swing in Super Slow Motion.  Why is it that Bubba Watson’s driver does NOT have whipping action recoil before his club head impacts the ball?  [Check it out on our Swing Tip released 2 weeks ago.]  There must be a relationship with his ability to out-drive everyone in the Masters this year.  I suspect that his stiff shaft and timing of his lag release has a lot to do with his 125 MPH impact speed (as compared to 110 MPH for the average pro).

Check out the Super-Slo-Mo video of Lydia Ko (the youngest LPGA winner ever) illustrating this OPPORTUNITY for you and any other golfers who know the secret.   At 1:05 in this video check out the recoil of the club.  She is definitely losing distance and could benefit from a shorter backswing or a stiffer shaft.  The end of her whip (her club head) is recoiling too early.  Imagine the extra distance if her club head maximizes speed at the point of impact.

I’m an inquisitive golfer with an engineering background who designed GOLFSTR+ to improve my swing.  Almost 4,000 users are enjoying this product offering 6 swing fixes so I understand the physics of the golf swing.   I can’t find anyone writing about loss of distance from mid-swing recoil.  The whipping action recoil before impact may be a major limitation for the head speed of your club.

Solution for MORE DISTANCE:

The whipping action of your club is related to the speed of your arms and body release during the swing.  Club head speed is primarily increased by wrist lag and release at the bottom of your swing.  Flexibility of your shaft and the weight of your club head are other contributing factors.  I can’t predict how to control your combination of factors to maximize your club head speed at impact but I know that every golfer experiences amazing unexplained distance from time to time when all of your factors line up.  It is up to you to discover your combination.

Experiment to find YOUR Perfect Factors:
1/  Your club shaft may be too stiff or too flexible but work with what you have before you start all over again with new equipment.
2/  Swinging too faster may be killing your distance as your club head recoils to wait for your hands to catch up.
3/  Try limiting your backswing to test the whipping action of your club head.  Think of your club as a whip and test for increased distance.

Now you know where to concentrate your effort.  Why not look for your perfect swing speed combination for your clubs.  Work out with GOLFSTR+ to improve your swing with straight arm and flat wrist.  Why not discover your perfect swing by CLICKING HERE and checking out GOLFSTR.