2015 December

“Swing faster for more distance!”  You see this in every training video where they are trying to inspiring you to hit longer drives. This is a Big Mistake for the want-to-be-golfer!

If you are not hitting the ball with a square club face you are most likely generating extra side spin (causing slices or hooks) or topspin (making the ball dive to the ground). The harder you swing the worse the result will be. Mid-range handicappers need to focus on control to keep your ball in the fairway. Distance will come as your skill and confidence improves so don’t rush your swing.

Your power and distance comes from the whipping action as you release your wrists through impact. Rushing your arms faster from the top may be killing your distance as you cast your wrists and lose your power.

Solution:
Make sure that you setup with the club in the curl of your fingers and in a light grip. As you reach the top of your backswing with a straight leading arm and cocked wrists (for lag), let your mind control the following actions from the top with a “rhythmic change of direction” (not a rushed change in direction).

This appears to be Keegen Bradley making his transition and shifting his hip and weight to his leading foot.

1/ Let the momentum of your backswing allow you to shift your hip and weight forward to your leading foot as your shoulders pull your straight leading arm down (shown in the first image).

2/ Accelerate using a wrist whipping-action as straight leading arm moves from horizontal to impact (shown in the second image).

3/ Focus on impacting the ball on the inside quadrant as you swing up the target line to a balance finish with 100% of your weight on your leading foot.

I was reminded about this motion when I saw a recent promotion for the The Orange Whip. This training aid is a very successful product but it has one serious flaw: The weight of the head is many times heavier than the weight of the head of any golf club. It trains you for a whipping action but the feel with your club is totally different. Transition and rhythm using your hip shift at the end of your backswing is really what you need to feel our swing.

Practice with GOLFSTR+ to get your game in shape for 2016. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

Every golfer wants to swing consistently for a perfect hit every time you swing each club. Unfortunately, your golf swing changes as your emotions and energy level change throughout each round of golf. These changes cause faster, slower and erratic swings which create inconsistent results.  This Swing Tip will help your subconscious mind create a consistent swing.

If you have been reading my past Swing Tips you will recall that I often warn you that the golf swing is NOT like a baseball swing. Keeping your leading arm straight in the back swing and down through impact is the major difference from a bent arm baseball swing. There is also another major difference between swinging a baseball bat and a golf club.

A baseball swing starts with the bat at rest over your shoulder.  Did you ever think about starting your golf swing with your club suspended over your shoulder OR consider the science behind the golf swing?  What is the benefit of completing the backswing when all of your power comes from your forward swing down and through your ball?

1/ The obvious reason for the backswing is to allow your body to coil up like a spring before it releases your club down the same plane through impact with the ball.

2/ The most important reason for the backswing is MOMENTUM. Yes, the momentum of your club at the top of your backswing is actually causing your body to press forward on your leading foot as your club changes direction. Some instructors call this ‘The bump’ or “the Key” as your hip shifts slightly forward to initiate your downswing. This is why your backswing needs some rhythm as you make your transition to your downswing.

3/ The transition of the change in direction of your club from BACKSWING TO DOWNSWING also helps you keep your weight forward on your leading foot. That’s why you should not rush the transition before you reach the top of your backswing.

What causes that propulsion when your ball takes off?    May the Force Be with You.

Use a rhythmic transition from your backswing to your downswing as the weight of your club head (magnified by the club shaft acting as a counter balance) helps you keep your weight shifted to your leading foot during the down swing. That is why you need a backswing in golf!

Why is all of this so important?
The lowest point of your swing arc for your irons needs to bottom out just after impact with your ball to provide a reverse rotation on your ball. That rotation causes the unexplained propulsion for amazing distance. This is not Star Wars but it gives you the feeling of “May the Force Be With You”.  You can make this happen only if you take the time to let your club do it’s magic during the transition.

Timing is everything in this wonderful game of golf. Start practicing with GOLFSTR+  for 6 swing fixes (including your straight arm backswing and transition). Buy one today at www.golfstr.com . Use the coupon code    Xmas2015     for a 5% discount to buy one before December 31, 2015. Merry Christmas to all.

Last week I mentioned that memory, visualization and focus are the critical requirements to be a GOOD golfer. Without these 3 abilities you will never be a consistent golfer.  Learning the feeling of a perfectly hit golf shot is critical for your future success in golf. Yes, golf is all about FEELING. When you learn that wonderful feeling of an effortless swing where your ball seems to be propelled by an external force, then you will know that you are on the right track.

Without consistency you will always have blow-up holes where you blade or shank or top a ball.
Practicing for consistency using a golf training aid like GOLFSTR+ is a good starting point. Using this product will allow you to see the benefit of the correct swing motion. Unfortunately for many, you will never achieve consistency without learning to FOCUS during your swing.

Last week I played at Dubai Creek Golf Club. Distractions like sand and water on the right and lake on the left REALLY MAKE IT HARD TO FOCUS ON THE PERFECT SWING.

Your subconscious mind will take control of your swing when you achieve that consistent swing FEELING, but you still need to focus on tempo, completion of the backswing and acceleration through the ball to a balance finish. If your conscious mind is distracted by external noise or 100 swing thoughts during the few seconds of your swing, then you are doomed to failure.

Now the Big Solutions: The Trick to Keep Your FOCUS for Consistency
Your mind can’t ‘say’ 2 different thoughts at the same time. It’s that simple. You only have the ability to think about a sequence of thoughts: one word after another. If you don’t believe me, try to say 2 words in your mind at the same time. You just can’t do it.   If you find your mind wandering or thinking about the fear of past mishits, you need to use this technique for total focus during your swing.

I developed a set of words which remind me to focus on a STRAIGHT ARM, to  SWEEP my club IN keeping my elbow near my side during the backswing, to swing from the INside and finish UP to a balanced finish. I mentally say the words “Straight Arms . . . . Sweep in and up”

Teeing off from a concrete slab over water with Burg Khalifa, the tallest building in the world over my shoulder also makes it difficult to focus.

I use this Swing Mantra to helps my subconscious mind FOCUS on critical components of my swing:
1/ Waggle with both ” STRAIGHT ARMS”  for a one piece takeaway like Rickie Fowler to loosen my spine.
2/ “SWEEP IN” to slow down my takeaway and ensure that I cock my wrist at the top of my backswing
3/  Say “AND” to initiate my downswing by pressing my left foot and hip as I swing from the inside.
4/ And then impact the ball with the word “UP” to complete the swing with a balanced finish.

Practicing with GOLFSTR+ as you use this Swing Mantra or develop your own phrase to help you focus on your swing issues.    Buy one today at www.golfstr.com   For a $5 Xmas discount use the Coupon Code:     Xmas2015.

As you age, what is the primary problem that causes your game to go downhill?  No, it’s not your mind (unless Alzheimer’s is setting in).  We seem to find more time and money for golf.  Of course we all get frustrated when we can’t perform as well as we did in our youth. The real cause of our swing problems all stems from Core Strength and FLEXIBILITY.

I’m only writing this Swing Tip to inspire you to take a look at your physical conditioning no matter what age you are. Take a personal health check RIGHT NOW! This is the first day of the rest of your life so why not start NOW ?

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are still great golfers but aging golfers like Tiger at 40 start to lose their flexibility.

INSPIRATION:
a. If you had the opportunity to watch Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player do the ceremonial tee-off at the Masters a few years ago, you could see that Gary Player is still in great shape. I understand that he puts a real focus on physical conditioning. All three play the game a lot better than the average player but you can see that injuries and the good life have taken their toll.

b. I was reminded about Core Strength and Flexibility by one of the GOLFSTR Swing Tips subscribers.  Raymond Chastel is over 80, has a single digit handicap and plays at least 9 holes of golf most days of the week where he lives in the south of France. Raymond should be an inspiration for us all. He pointed out that GOLFSTR+ is a valuable training aid as a reminder to keep your leading arm straight for consistent hits and to keep your leading wrist straight for chipping and putting.

c. Words of Wisdom from Raymond: “If YOUR swing Speed is less than 100 MPH you can’t reach the Greens In Regulation. Even long Par 3’s are unattainable in one shot. So first and foremost: work on increasing YOUR Club Head Speed, faster HIP Turn, more use of the ground (push hard with YOUR right insole through impact.” As a follow-up he said: “You may also consider changing your shafts to a seniors version .”

To be a GOOD golfer you need a good memory, visualization and focus (look for an amazing simple tip next week). To be a GREAT golfer you need CORE STRENGTH and FLEXIBILITY.

SOLUTION:
My wife, who is still recovering from a catastrophic auto accident, inspired me to get my body back on track. Yoga is an inexpensive way to improve your FLEXIBILITY. You don’t have to take an embarrassing class where everyone seems to have the elasticity to turn into a pretzel. Get a DVD or find an on-line training session for a half hour yoga session. Work at your own pace as it will take time to get your body in shape to enjoy your workouts. Commit to a daily time and Just Do It!

As your flexibility improves you should progress to Pilates for core strength. Running and strenuous biking seem to do more harm as they age your body and wear out your hips and knees. If your real interest is golf, make flexibility a daily routing and don’t forget to warm up your muscles and stretch out before each round of golf.

Practicing with GOLFSTR+ will be easier when you improve the flexibility of your body.      Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

For a $5.00 Christmas discount use the Coupon Code:   Xmas2015     (ending December 31, 2015)

I have always blamed air density in colder weather for the loss of distance in the Fall and early Spring. As a matter of fact I used the same excuse for loss of distance on very humid days too. I now realize that I was wrong on both counts. The truth hurts.

Dilemma #1
Dave Dusek, senior writer for Golf Week Magazine asked Titleist if air density has an effect on the distance travelled by golf balls. Titleist confirmed that the air in cold weather is denser. A 20 degree Fahrenheit drop in temperature causes a drive to travel only 3 yards shorter. I was expecting to hear that I could expect to lose 20 yards on a drive. Why was I losing a lot more distance than 3 yards on colder days?

Dilemma #2
After playing 2 hours of tennis I dropped by a driving range as I wanted to prepare for a match the following day. I was amazed to find that my drives were extremely consistent and long. I was surprised as I thought that I would be exhausted or weakened from my tennis. Why were my drives so consistent?

Observations:
Like all want-to-be golfers I have been puzzled by these two dilemmas. The solution is simple. When your muscles are cold you can’t swing as freely, so you lose distance. Your tight muscle problem gets compounded as you tighten up when you try to swing faster to hit out of the rough or an old divot hole. In both cases, your consistency and distance will go down the drain. You tend to swing with a shorter backswing and try to compensate by swinging harder. Tense muscles will shorten your arms causing you to blade or top the ball.

As a reminder to confirm this theory, a friend of mine told me that he was playing with a bad hip all summer but he had lowered his handicap by 5 strokes. He told me that he was getting less distance with all of his clubs but his consistency for fairways hit and GIR was really improved. Bingo! His pain slowed his swing down and his consistency improved. He couldn’t swing harder so he just accepted his limited distance and improved control. Lesson learned.

Stretch your arms and shoulders to improve your rotation in colder weather.

To avoid destroying your game on a cold day:

1/ Swing your arms in circles to warm your shoulders up and get your blood circulating,

2/ Hold your club with your hands apart in front of your body and then lift it over your head to stretch out your arms and chest and back. Then slowly rotate left and right. Do this slowly as you work up the mobility in the trunk of your body.

3/ Take hold of your mind as you accept the fact that you will hit shorter distances.

4/ Choose 1 higher lofted club so that you can swing slower and still achieve the distance that you want.

Practice with GOLFSTR+ whenever you have a chance to develop the right swing for 6 different swing corrections. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com