2020 April

I designed, tested and manufactured GOLFSTR+ to help improve my golf swing with a straight leading arm. I realized that professional golfers all swing with a straight leading arm in their back and down swing so it must be the most critical factor to improve my game (and yours too). As you will learn in this blog, pro golfers who tried out GOLFSTR+ for their instruction, recommended a total of 6 swing fixes for this amazing golf training aid that can be put away in your pocket.

I recently saw a GOLF-INFO-GUIDE video where 2 PGA Pros, Pete Styles and Matt Fryer provided a perfect description of the benefits for a straight leading arm swing. “It gives you width, power, stability, consistency and accuracy.” What more could you want for every swing in your game? Pete summarized the benefits of the Swing as well as Power Generation.

Unfortunately I could not include the MP4 swing video of this youngster with a flat wrist, straight arm and head down after impact. Cute but inspiring.  Start young and it’s easy.  Email sales@golfstr.com and I will send you the MP4 video clip.

How do you “Create” a Straight Arm Swing
-Setup in your athletic golf position with feet apart & flared, knees bent and straight back bent at the waist to a 6 to 10 degree angle.
-Hold your leading straight arm elbow with your trailing hand.
-Now pull your leading arm across your chest (mine moves about 50 degrees), then rotate your shoulders and spine (mine adds about 40 more degrees) and then rotate your hips (mine adds about 30 more degrees= 120 degrees total).
– You may be able to rotate your leading arm 180 degrees the way the younger pros do but don’t strain yourself trying it.

Use this as a stretching exercise (but don’t overdo it). Realize that this is the limitation of your back swing. The cocking of your flat wrist including your finger grip (not a palm grip) will add another 90 degrees so that the shaft of my clubs rotates about 180 to 270 degrees from your setup position. DON’T bend your leading arm FOR MORE ROTATION. [Pros normally reach 270 degrees and John Daly and Brooke Henderson reach about 315 degrees.]

How does a Straight Arm “Generate” Power?
Your wrist release (Lag release) generates most of your power.   Wrist LAG is already built into your swing using your arm rotation and wrist cocking action.  In your downswing uncoil your hips and back by shifting your weight to your leading leg as you pull down on your STRAIGHT leading arm. The whipping action of your arm and wrist, released through impact, generates most of your club head speed and power.

Find your straight arm rotation point and limit your swing to that point. GOLFSTR+ was designed to remind you to limit your backswing without bending your leading arm.  Use it to train for 6 swing fixes. Buy it today at www.GOLFSTR.com

Golf Truism #4: The stages of golf are Sudden Collapse, Radical Change, Complete Frustration, Slow Improvement, Brief Mastery, and Sudden Collapse.

The world is trying to cope with Covid19 but we need to start thinking about recreational activities during the recovery period. Social distancing is the most effective way to limit your chance of contracting this deadly virus. Isolation also takes its mental toll and we all need to get outside. Walking or riding a bike are good options but we should considered playing golf while practicing social distancing.

I recently signed a petition to help governments consider the benefits of golf as a serious option to maintain our health without jeopardizing the health of others. Golf is one of the few sports that can be played while applying personal distancing. I was pleased to see this map showing that 48% of golf courses in USA have been opened in April. Please pass this email on to your government representative and to the Management of any golf courses in your area.

In Early April the National Golf Foundation announced that 48% of golf courses in USA are open. Please pass this along to your Private and Public Golf Clubs. We need the exercise and golfers will support Safe Distancing.

Recommendations for Safe Golf: [AVOID PERSONAL CONTACT]
1/ Payment: Select Tee Times and make payments on-line for your chosen course. Print out your confirmation and use it as an entry form at the #1 tee. By signing up to a Tee Time every golfer must agree to play under Social Distancing rules.

2/ Registration at the Course: Each course will have to sort out and manage 4somes at the first tee as all fees should have been paid on-line. Players can bring their own pencil and their own score sheet which could be printed out with your proof of purchase receipt.

3/ Carts or Walking: Courses will have the option to provide “sanitized golf carts” for a premium fee where 1 person can ride (or 2 people can ride only if they are partners from the same household). Walking with a 6 foot separation is ideal for exercise and your health.

4/ Flag Poles and Holes: Flag Poles remain untouched and holes can be setup with a rubber ring to prevent balls from going in the holes. The US Golf Association has already approved the use of hole-rings so that scores can be reported for your handicap index calculation.

5/ Ending Your Round: The traditional hand shake is out. An elbow tap, a bow or a tip of the hat are your safest options.

6/ 19th Hole: A tailgate gathering is NOT the best solution as it could cause a lot of interaction in the parking lot so we are recommending a Zoom meeting after the game when everyone can get home (sober and safe), find a beer (favorite beverage) and chew the fat while on line.

Golf is a very individual sport where each golfer can practice on an individual range mat. Driving Ranges and Golf Courses need to open SAFELY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING. Of course you want to practice with your GOLFSTR+ for every swing in your game. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com 

Golf Truism #3: There is no such thing as a friendly wager.

Our blogs normally focus on the positive thoughts for your golf swing. Fortunately I recently saw “3 Killer Moves” published in an Info-Golf-Guide blog by Thomas Golf and realized that our subconscious minds need this information. Your golfing companions may have pointed out your problems but they were not offering a fix. So try these 3 fixes to turn your game around.

1/ Swaying Back in your Backswing: BAD
When recreational golfers try to add more power to their golf swing, they often revert back to a baseball swing. If you sway back in golf, you will stay back in that position during your downswing and either hit fat shots or top the ball. During your backswing, you need to focus on hip and spine rotation (NOT swaying back). You will naturally load more weight on your trailing foot (during your backswing as your arms move to your trailing side). Start the shift of your weight to your leading foot during your transition. That will allow you to generate more power during your downswing as you press forward through impact.

Even the pros lose their focus. Sway, Lift and Balance are all killers when you lose control of your mind and body.

2/ Lifting Up in Your Back Swing or Down Swing: BAD
During your setup, you should take an athletic position with about a 6 to 10 degree bend at your waist as you rest the club behind your ball. That distance is the same critical distance that you need to hold for the point of impact in your downswing. Unfortunately many recreational golfer tend to stand up during the down swing. That increase in height will increase your chance to top the ball or create a slice. Stay down over your ball through impact.

3/ Losing your Balance During your Swing: BAD
If you rush your backswing or your downswing, you will tend to lose your balance. Just look at the position of your feet after you complete your swing. You know if you have this problem. An unbalanced finish will end in another erant shot.

Your backswing should take about twice as long as your downswing. Let your transition take place as you start your weight transfer to your leading foot. Your downswing should accelerate your club head as you release your wrists through impact with your ball. When you finish your swing in balance on your leading foot you can enjoy watching your amazing shot fly directly up your target line.

Practice your swing slowly and then swing faster (and in balance) as you eliminate all 3 of these Killer Moves. Practice with GOLFSTR+ to find your balanced swing speed to hit more consistent shots for lower scores. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com.

Golf Truism #2: Never wash your ball on the tee of a water hole.

Your putter is designed to hit a ball in a straight line. Your task is to choose the right line and speed to make your straight putt go in the hole. So before you ever become a great putter you first need to learn to swing your putter to roll your ball without any side spin across a flat green on a straight line.

After you learn to hit a straight putt you have to apply the following 5 steps to sink every putt. Of course the challenge is to improve your skill in applying the following 5 steps to become a great putter.

The Science Behind a Straight Putt
You have to hit up on your ball to make it start rolling over and the face of your putter must impacting the ball on the balanced center with the swing direction exactly up your target line. To make your ball start rolling at impact, line the ball up so that the back edge is just in front of the center-line between your legs. This allows your putter face to swing up on the ball to make it start rolling from the point of impact.

To swing your putter correctly, rock the large muscles in your shoulders and back with locked elbows and wrists so that only your shoulders swing your putter straight through the point of impact and up your target line. To avoid pulling or pushing your putt, Andrew Rice reminds us to keep our head looking down until the ball is out of your sight. You have to practice this simple motion constantly to trust the straight roll of your putt up your target line.

Put Your Perfect Putting Swing Into Action
1/ Read the Break: Stand on the low point of the green below your ball and appreciate the distance and speed that you need to putt. Then stand behind the lowest end of your putting line (either behind your ball or behind the hole) and bend down to confirm the breaks on your putting line.
2/ Take 1 to 3 practice Putting Swings: Feel the amount of power you need to use to putt at least 12 inches past the hole (to minimize the break at the hole and knowing that short putts never go in the hole).

Choose the straight target line for your straight putt. Yes it curves but you have to hit it straight up your target line so focus on the straight swing of your putter.

3/ Choose Your Straight Target Line: In #1 you saw the break or double break. Choose your best estimate for the target line to direct your putt. Line up your body and putter to aim at a point on that straight line to start your STRAIGHT putt.
4/ Stare for 2 Seconds: Load a mental image in your brain by staring at the point that you want to reach as you extend your Straight Target Line to the distance of your putt.
5/ Visually trace a line straight back to your ball, lock your eyes on your ball, as your shoulders swing your putter back and straight up your target line.

You need to FEEL the right swing to putt 12 inches past the hole with your practice swing. Practice your straight putt with your locked wrist using GOLFSTR+. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com.

Golf Truism #1: A two-foot putt counts the same as a two-foot drive.

Because our golf swing is a circular motion, the difference between a perfectly directed shot and a totally errant shot is a split second of motion. It seems like a miracle that we can send a high percentage of our shots in the right direction. The face of your golf club is pointing in a different direction at every point in the arc of your swing until impact. So a slight change in our power or energy must impact your success?

Different levels of your energy will also change the trajectory of every swing that you make with a golf club.  So don’t wimp out!

I quickly realized the problem of energy in my golf swing as I played a round during my recovery from Bronchitis (not C0VID19). I know that I had low energy as I had not played golf in a few weeks and I was still feeling week from my recovery. I was hoping that my weakened body with less strength would improve my golf performance. I have noticed that when I play injured with a strained muscle that I tend to minimize my power and actually improve the consistency of my hits.

Unfortunately the opposite happened. My weakened body was consistently hitting my drives to the right.   I did not have the strength of consistency in my swing to impact my club directly up the target line. I was either too weak to rotate my wrists at impact or I was just leaving the face of my club open at impact.

Rory is the #1 golfer in the world because he commits to every shot with full power.

THE DILEMMA:
I know that my weakened state was not helping my game. It just reminded me that squaring the face of my club at the point of impact is the most critical point in the swing. You can’t do this if you are in a weak state. You can’t afford to tighten up your muscles as the wrist release will never happen.

Commit to the Shot:
Your total focus has to be on powering your club through your ball and directly up your target line. You have to be committed to the shot. You can’t depend on a lazy swing to pull off a crisp shot. You wrist release has to be loose and focused on a power release at the point of impact.

Bottom Line: Relax your body and commit to a power release directly through your ball at the point of impact. You know it’s right when you hear that whooshing release of your club head through the ball. And don’t forget to finish in balance. Practice with GOLFSTR+ to get your feel and sound right. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com

GOLF LAW #24: Don’t buy a putter until you’ve had a chance to throw it.