2016 April

Ben Hogan was not instantly a great golfer. It took him years to figure out a golf swing that would give him a winning game. He also practiced until his hands bled. His frustration started with our natural tendency to swing a golf club the way that we swing a stick to hit a stone or a bat to hit a ball. After he figured out how to consistently hit a golf ball and to control for direction and distance, he knew it was not a natural swing.   The golf swing had to be learned and practiced before anyone can ever become a good golfer. That’s why he made this famous quote:

“Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do and you will probably come close to having a perfect golf swing.”

Focus on these changes to become a better golfer:
Remain square over the ball during the backswing with your feet firmly planted. In baseball the body shifts back to build momentum as it shifts forward during the hit. This motion in golf will just create inconsistent hits.

Your leading arm should be straight during the backswing and down through impact to keep a consistent distance from your shoulders to the ball. In baseball both arms are bent to create more power as they straighten during the swing.

In baseball you fall back to finish your swing

Power in golf comes from cocking your wrists in the backswing (creating lag) and releasing them at the bottom of your forward swing.

In golf you shift forward to a balanced finish over your leading leg.

Power in golf also comes from a fluid motion from your backswing to your forward swing as you press with your trailing foot, rotate your hips, drop your arms and FINALLY  release your wrists. In baseball your bat rests over your shoulder. It’s much heavier than a golf club so you swing it with your arms and shoulders AT THE SAME TIME AS you push through the swing with your feet.

In golf you have the opportunity to practice the perfect swing because that little ball is not moving. Then step forward and repeat the exact same swing.

In golf you need to finish your swing in a perfect balanced position on your leading foot  as there are no adjustments needed to compensate for the ball position.  In baseball the full swing pulls your body back on your trailing foot.

Your grip, relaxed mind, relaxed muscles and quiet environment really set the tone for a different game. So each time that you setup to hit a ball, realize that you are only playing this game against yourself. Take control of every swing and think of Ben Hogan preparing to make a real golf swing.

Practice with GOLFSTR+ to change your swing from a baseball swing to a golf swing for every swing in your game. Learn to swing like a pro. Buy your pocket pro today at www.golfstr.com

We are all looking for information and products that will improve our games. That’s why I developed GOLFSTR to help me learn a straight leading arm golf swing. [My transition from a bent leading arm baseball swing was killing my game.] There are hundreds of Golf Training Aids that promise to help you improve your swing. Are you wasting your money on hogwash stories for products that have no impact on improving your game?

Don’t be fooled. Companies with deep pockets can create wonderful ads with endorsements to generate huge sales for products that really have limited value for your game. I have recently seen a few examples of major advertising campaigns on products which have limited value for your game.

Example #1: A putter with a .8 inch raised white bar on Its center-line: This product was advertised by a well-recognized promoter of golf products. Their story was all BS from an engineering point of view. The ad claimed that lining up your eyes with the straight wall of the white bar on the putter would keep your head lined up exactly over the putter. Unfortunately for this to be true your head (about 4 feet above your putter) would have to be at least 10 degrees off line from directly above the putter if you could actually see that far. Hogwash!

Example #2: A Wide Based Wedge: There are a number of ads being run showing recognized trainers praising this amazing product. I saw one of the first training videos released as a blog showing Hank Haney trying to teach a golfer how to use the wide based wedge. He only hit 1 good shot out of the 10 swings that were shown in the video. It really was a mistake releasing this blog as it proved that it is not as easy to use as it appears.

The fact remains that you have to fit the leading edge of the club under the ball every time to create lift. If you don’t have a perfect swing every time you will shank the ball or dig your club into the ground. Conventional wedges can be used to open and close the face of the club to control trajectory and spin. That was my first clue that the wide based wedge was not going to be the great solution that they claim. I suspect that thousands of these clubs will be sold and stored in basements around the world. Isn’t advertising wonderful?

Transition to the correct swing requires stretching exercise and patience. Learn it in slow motion and then make it happen.

GOLFSTR+ Is a Game Changer
This Training Aid will only help those who WANT to improve their game by swinging like a professional. It was developed to help me learn to swing with a straight leading arm. Then 5 different professionals (including Michael Breed, Golf Channel PGA Instructor) made suggestions and inspired me to offer GOLFSTR not only with 1 but 6 swing fixes. Hence the name: GOLFSTR+.

Some of the GOLFSTR+ swing fixes lock your wrist and others act as a reminder. It takes practice and stretching exercises to allow your body to correctly swing a golf club. It will change your game forever. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

Do you realize that slight changes in your setup or swing can result in drastic improvements in your game?  On the other hand, small changes can also destroy your game.  Every golfer wants to improve their game or they would not be playing this challenging sport.  That’s why we watch the Golf Channel and weekly golf tournaments on TV. There’s nothing like The Masters to get your golf juices flowing for the start of your new golf season.  When you start your Spring Practice at the Driving Range make sure that you test out the impact of slight changes to see how they affect your ball flight:

Test out a slight grip change by rotation of the leading or trailing hand both stronger and weaker. Jordan Spieth has been moving to a weaker (rotated forward) leading hand and stronger (rotated back) tailing hand.  Every person has different strength so you need to find the right setup for YOUR BODY  but try to learn to swing like a pro as they have set the standard for success.

Swing with a relaxed grip for more distance.  Try gripping and ripping it and then try with a looser grip.  This is not baseball so relax your grip to improve your release at the bottom of your swing.

Tension in your grip for your short game will create fat shots every time.

A light grip is also important for putting.  Ernie Els made 6 putts within 3 feet for a 9 on the first hole of day 1 at The Masters on April 7, 2016. On a steep side slope of a green, you have to let the ball die into the hole from above the hole.  If it misses at least you have an uphill putt which is easier to sink.  A firm putt in the hole was not the solution for Ernie.  Sorry Ernie but I had to show this.  We agonize with you:

Eliminate the sway in your backswing. Rotate your spine in your backswing without swaying back to ensure that you don’t fall back during your downswing.

Watch for the special tips by Michael Breed on the Golf Channel to keep your mind tuned in to the perfect swing.

Focus only on the shot that you are making.  During The Masters Jordon Spieth said that he was on the clock. He rushed his preparation. His focus turned to what the consequences of a bad swing would be, rather than what he actually wanted to do, which was hit the ball to the middle of the green. He hit it into Raes Creek twice. Don’t let your mind wander over the ball.

I found this You Tube video of 9 Tour Players using practice drills provided by Golf Monthly. It also includes tips from Jordan Spieth as well as our new Masters champion Danny Willett.

Warm up for your season with GOLFSTR+ for every swing in your game.  Learn to swing with a straight leading arm, a flat leading wrist for putting, chipping and backswing.  It’s also ideal to develop a lagging wrist on your trailing hand for chipping and to create lag in your backswing.  That is 6 swing solutions in 1 great training aid.   Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

Golf is a strange game of perfection. Unfortunately you need to put at least 3 great shots together to par or birdie a hole. And you have to repeat this success 18 times to score well. The worst part is that you may be having the round of your life and your golfing partners want to talk about Donald Trump’s comments from last night and it throws your whole game off. Why isn’t muscle memory enough to control your game?

I found a few examples that may help your keep your game under control.

Your Setup is 90% of your Swing
That’s right. I was reminded of this problem on a recent round of golf. My shots at the driving range were wonderful. I felt great until I stepped up to the first tee and hit a long drive into a fairway sand trap. For my next shot I had a bad stance and hit a weak shot and then started to play catch up golf. The harder I swung the worse the result. It took me 9 holes before I figured out that I had changed my trailing hand grip to a strong grip (rotated slightly back for more power) and was causing a duck hook. When the rails are coming off: Check your setup.

Fear and Tight Muscles Will Kill Your Shot
I have seen this written many times: Tight muscles shrink in length. The results can be disaster. If you are a right handed golfer and you fear that your shot will land in the water on the right, the odds are that you are headed for the water. Even if you aim for the left side of the fairway if you don’t relax your arms and shoulders your muscles will tighten and shorten. The tighter you hold your club the shorter your arms become. This almost guarantees any combination of these 3 problems: topping the ball, impact at the toe and hitting with an open club face. Relax your muscles and shoulders for better results.

Can you image trying to hit this green at Augusta National. It’s on 155 yards and it scares the pros too.

Don’t Feel Bad the Pros Do IT Too
It should be easy for a professional to hit the green on any short par 3 hole. During the final round of The Masters in Augusta National Golf Club 2015 on the 12th hole, a 155 yard par 3, there were a pile of bogies, 5 double bogies and 1 triple bogie.  In 2016 Jordon Spieth was under the clock, lost his focus and made a quadruple bogie 7 at this hole to lose his lead.

Wind, tension, tight muscles and large crowds (or buddies with encouraging comments) can really turn an easy hole into a pressure pot. Treat it like any other hole. Block out the noise, relax your hands and shoulders, focus on the right setup and make that easy shot. They can all be that easy if you just take control.

Love this final thought from Andy Schwabe (a Canadian GOLFSTR follower). Do you ever get that feeling that something is not right and you hit the shot anyway? He calls it his “anyway shot”. “I know something is not quite right, (it could be a pebble or a buried tee under my foot, a person standing in my backswing view, a bird chirring over my head, a gust of wind) but I go ahead and hit the ball anyway. Usually ends up bad. Shoulda step away, restarted or even re-tee, but I didn’t.” Get rid of your distractions and focus 100% on your shot.

Take your mind back to those perfect practice swings on the driving range with your GOLFSTR+. Good thoughts with this training aid for every swing in your game will give you the positive thoughts that you need when you play on the course. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com