Will Curry

Putting accounts for almost half of your strokes in every round of golf. You need to be a great putter if you are ever going to conquer this game with a lower handicap. Buying a $300 Scotty Cameron Putter may help your ego but it won’t solve your putting problems. There are 3 parts to every putt: read it, feel the distance and perfect your swing. Get all 3 right and you will build confidence which is really the 6th sense that you need to be a great putter.

How do You Create the Perfect Swing?
Because the putter only impacts the ball for a split second, your back swing and follow through are extremely important to create:
1. Power to move your ball the right distance
2. Impact at the center of the club face to avoid a pull or push
3. Direction by finishing straight up your target line.

Jordan Spieth and Phil Michelson are both working with FAT GRIPS on their putter and you should too.

Learning from the Pros
Jordon Spieth and Phil Michelson both add a cock to their wrists to start their putting motion. Brandt Snedeker has a very short back swing where he stabs at the ball with very little follow-through. In Tiger’s best putting era always used a very calm stroke with out any preset on this putter. Use whatever works for you but I believe that Tiger’s swing is the perfect model.  Conventional grip, rock the shoulders and lock the arms and wrists.

Fat Putter Grip
One advance in the putter that I truly believe in using is the Fat Putter Grip. Almost 50% of the pros are using one and it is just a matter of time before they all change their grips.  Fat grips give you a few advantages:
1. The larger diameter gives your hands more surface to hold so you can hold with a  softer grip which relaxes your arm muscles and your mind.
2. The flat surface on the front of the grip is wider so your thumbs have a better feel for the line up with your target line.
3. The Fat Putter Grips are longer so that you can grip the putter at a comfortable position for you body height when using the standard putters on the market.

Final Putting Tip: Finish your Putt up your Target Line
Jordon Spieth putts with his leading hand below his trailing hand grip. He does this to control the direction of his putter as he putts through the ball and up his target line. You may want to try this but first you need to know which hand is controlling YOUR putts. Try putting left handed only and then try putting right handed only.  Which hand gives you the best control?

I control my putts with my left hand. To ensure that I finish my putt up the target line; I use a conventional grip (left hand at the top); I release my right hand at the point of impact and finish my stroke with my left hand holding the putter and swinging up the target line. [CRITICAL ISSUE: My left hand is on my leading side of my body so it does not wrap around my body in an arc the way my trailing right arm would.]

Practice putting with GOLFSTR+ on your lead hand to lock your wrist.  After you see the benefit of putting with a locked wrist and putting by rotating your shoulders, you should incorporate this into your game.  Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

In a recent news letter I saw the quote that “most golfers reach a level of golf after 3 years and stay at that level the rest of their golfing lives.”  How depressing is that?  Is your handicap going up, down or staying the same?

Benjamin Franklin has been quoted as saying “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting it to come out different”.  It doesn’t matter who came up with this truism but it really does make sense. Are you ready to shake up your game? What are the options that you should consider?

This blog on Swing Tips has now been published over 160 times. We hope that the tips that we find and share with you, will somehow shake up your brain and give you a fresh start to improve your game. Of course we hope that you will also purchase a GOLFSTR+ with 6 swing solutions as a brain trainer to:
First: learn how to improve all 6 of the swing conditions.
Second: practice the new and improved motion in order to “swing like a pro”
Third: to focus on testing the results on the golf course to lower your score.

Miguel Angel Jimenez never stops stretching to avoid injury. Pain will slow you down and sometimes it’s the best thing for your game. It was for mine.

I have to admit that after improving my handicap by 8 strokes using GOLFSTR+, I have hit a plateau. I have been using the excuse that I don’t have time for practice and to play more golf. It took an injury to help me understand that swinging faster and harder was hurting my game.

I suffered a rib injury during a fall while playing tennis. I had to stop playing tennis but found that I could still swing a golf club at a slower speed but still with a reasonable amount of shoulder and hip rotation. With the help of this hyperlink, I was able to regain my momentum and started to focus on my game. By letting the club do the work [without extra force from my arms] I quickly learned that:
1/ Excessive Swing Speed was hurting my consistency in hitting fairways and greens.
2/ Slowing down the tempo at the transition in my backswing was improving the whipping action for more power and distance.
3/ Gripping down on a lower lofted club allowed me to swing with confidence to improve the direction of each hit.

With the help of BARRY DEACON LAW, this injury has given me a solution to lower my scores by playing more consistently. Now that I am keeping my ball in the fairway and hitting more greens I need to develop my 6th sense to putt with more consistency. A fatter grip on my putter seems to be a great solution to improve the other half of my game. More on that next week!

Improve the tempo for the lag and whipping action in your golf swing. Practice with GOLFSTR+ to get it right. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

Ever wonder why there are so many styles of putters?   Even Odyssey, promoted as “The Number 1 Putter in Golf”,  has more head styles than most other manufacturers. They may spend more on advertising and sell more putters but that does NOT mean that you are guaranteed to sink more putts with any of their putters. Try every type and weight of putter and focus on the one that gives you the most success and confidence.

Learn from the Pros to Improve Your Putting
Professional golfers who are winning tournaments are doing it with the fewest putts. If you want to figure out what works best, you should pay attention to what Jordon Speith and Rory McIlroy are doing. They may grip the putter in different ways but both use these principles of putting:

1. Look directly at the ball as they swing back and through the ball. [For short straight putts Jordon looks directly at the hole as he swings straight to the hole.] Most golfers look up as they hit the ball so they miss watching the STRAIGHT swing of the club through impact with the ball.
2. Pros impact their putter exactly in the center of the putter face. When you hit toward the toe or heal of the putter face it will throw your ball off the intended line.
3. They swing directly up their putting line without arcing the putter as they pass the point of impact. Any motion off the target line will spin the ball sideways away from target line. Michael Breed pointed out that Jordon grips with his left hand low so that he can drag the putter with his leading arm directly up the target line. [NOTE: For 4 to 20 foot putts I found that releasing the grip with my trailing hand and finishing my swing by pointing the putter straight up the target line with my leading hand helps me avoids arcing the swing of the putter to avoid any side spin on the ball.]
4. They swing by rocking their shoulders and eliminate any wrist action.
5. They always attempt to hit past the hole (10 to 15 inches) to ensure that they:
   a. Reach the hole [as 100% of short putts never go in the hole]
   b. Minimize the impact of flaws in the green as the ball slows near the hole
   c. Minimize the break as the break is greatest as the ball slows down.

Rory putts with his shoulders.  He keeps his head focused on the ball at rest to help him swing STRAIGHT through the ball.  He also sways his hips up his target line.

There are Exceptions to Every Rule:
Jack Nicklaus putted to die into the hole. If the speed of the green is very fast and the slope of the green is very sloped you can’t afford to hit well past the hole. You have no choice but to let the slope of the green allow your ball to “die into the hole” or to keep it close for your tap-in.

Green speeds change every day based on timing of the last roller compression, the growth & direction of growth of grass, sand or fertilizer application and moisture content. At the very least you need to understand the speed of the greens on the practice putting green before you start your round.

Practice and experience are the best ways to improve your putting skill. You need to develop a 6th sense to account for the feel of each putt. Rory and Jordon are both young so their skill is coming from their recent knowledge which developed their 6th sense. You can also use GOLFSTR+ to help you learn to putt by rocking your shoulders and by locking your leading wrist. Practice with it to improve your putting and 5 other swing problems! Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

You can make or break your game with your irons. Every golfer wants to hit more Greens In Regulation. Unfortunately the added pressure to select the right iron for distance and to make the perfect swing to get close to the hole can distract your mind and destroy the result.  Sand traps and water features just make it worse.  Knowing the right swing thought for your irons can save you a lot of grief.

For the next few months, I’m sitting about 30 yards from a green on a par 5 hole which is nestled between 4 bunkers, OB and a pond. There is no room for a mistake. I love to watch the strategy used by each approaching golfer. They can layup and chip up a narrow approach or try for a long high shot hoping that they hold the green. In all cases they have to use their irons and wedges with a potential for disaster.

A beautiful view as I watch from my window while disaster awaits the panic stricken golfers as they tighten-up for a mishit.

It really is entertaining to watch the frustration as about 70% of the golfers land in a bunker, the pond, over the green as a lost ball or OB. The wise higher handicap golfers, layup short of the green and many still mishit into a trap or water. The real fun starts when sand is flying everywhere and finally the ball is thrown out in disgust or a golfer returns a second or third ball to the pond. Oh Yes: “THE JOY OF GOLF”.

The greater the pressure the better is the chance for a mishit.

Swing Thoughts for the Perfect Iron Shot
You have to recognizing that you are about to make a high pressure shot. That should be your wake-up call to realize that your body is getting tight and your mind needs to take corrective action.

The major mishit for all iron shots (short or long) is a rushed back swing with no follow through. As our minds and bodies freeze up I can see that 75% of the mishits are fat shots. Clubs are bouncing off the ground before connecting with the ball.  Panic stricken golfers are:

– Swinging harder with their arms as their bodies are frozen in place
– Forgetting to move their bodies through the shot to a balanced finish

Realize that the pressure of the shot is making your body tighten up. Wake-up and make these adjustments:

– Loosen your grip and relax
– Take a full practice swing (with a follow through) as you visualize hitting to your target.
– Your swing thought should be to take a full straight-arm backswing, accelerate from the inside, take a divot after impact and finish balanced on your leading foot.

Positive thoughts and a relaxed body will pay-off. You can use your GOLFSTR+ to practice when you are playing 18 holes to make those pressure shots. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

Or buy GOLFSTR+ and many other Golf Training Aids using Promo Code:  242147  for a 10% DISCOUNT    Just click www.golftrainingaids.com 

This week’s Swing Tip is focused on swing thoughts for your Fairway Woods and Hybrids. The facts that you are not teeing your ball up and you are hitting “off the deck”  which may be on an uneven lie will force you to consider many factors.

Club Design
The wide flat surface on the bottom of these clubs are not ideal for taking a divot after you strike the ball so there is less room for error as compared to your driver. Ideally you are trying to take a minimal divot after the ball. The bottom of your swing arc should be at the point of impact but you still need to complete your swing by transferring all of your weight to your leading foot.

These clubs are not forgiving.  There is less room for error so a consistent swing with no change in your shoulder height, is critical for these clubs:
1/ Practice with GOLFSTR+ to ensure that you are keeping a straight leading arm during your backswing and your downswing. The distance from your shoulder to your ball during your setup and at the point of impact must remain the same. A bent leading arm will result in inconsistent hits.
2/ During your swing, rotate your shoulders & hips and avoid any bobbing action with your knees. Keep your shoulders at a fixed height. You may have seen Tiger take a ferocious lung down at the ball but his killer motion is not a good idea for consistent hits. DON’T DO IT.
3/ If you rush during the transition and forget your weight shift to your leading leg, you will bottom out your swing arc before you reach your ball causing a worm burner or topped ball.  Falling back on your trailing leg is the killer for any shot.

Ben Hogan Swing Thoughts: Head level, shoulder rotation and weight shift to the leading foot.

Your swing thought has to be on shoulder rotation and taking the time for a weight shift to your leading foot during the transition. You can still take minimal divot after the ball but you need to finish your swing in balance over your leading foot.

Fix the Lie of Your Ball with Your Setup
If you are hitting with any club off the tee, make sure that you find a flat surface as many tees will start to slope toward the sides of the tee box. I often stand at the back of the tee block to check the side to side slope and watch the impact of a sloped tee while my partners complete their tee-off. The fat face of a driver is more forgiving on a sloped tee block. Unfortunately a one inch drop or rise from your feet to your ball on a tee block can create an unexpected draw or fade.

The same problem happens on the fairway for Fairway Woods or Hybrids. Often you will have an uneven lie so you should be making adjustments to compensate for the height difference from your ball to your feet. A ball above your feet will pull toward your body (to the left for right handed golfers) and a ball below your feet will tend to flare out away from your body. If the ball is above your feet you should consider taking a less lofted club and gripping down to compensate with your club. If the ball is below your feet you need to use a less lofted club and bend your knees or spread your feet further to compensate for the drop.

Minimize you swing thoughts with the proper setup. For consistent hits with your Fairway Woods and Hybrids avoid any change in your shoulder height and concentrate on shoulder rotation and weight transfer to your forward foot.

Practice with GOLFSTR+ for a straight arm swing and take any head bobbing action out of your swing. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

Whether you are a beginner and or a low handicap player, you need to approach each shot with a calm state of mind and a swing plan. Your swing plan has to be different for each type of golf club. The design of each club requires a unique plan and swing. They fall into 4 categories: driver, fairway woods/ hybrids, irons and putter. This week’s Swing Tip is focused on swing thoughts for your driver.

I have recently been asking golfers: “What is your swing thought to create a consistent hit?” High handicappers talk about the fear of missing the shot (fear of failure). This is obviously not where your mind needs to be. Low handicappers have a game plan and you should have one too.

I recently saw an interview with 2 of the contestants in a 2015 Longest Drive Contest. The longest hitters are tall and powerful. They also hit well over 300 yards with longer shafted drivers. The point of this article is not to encourage a radical change in your swing so that you can hit 100 yards further. I’m just trying to offer swing thoughts to help you create a more consistent hit with your driver. Without adding any more speed with your arms, you can use the tips from the long ball hitters to get a lot more distance out of your drives [Hint: use your wrists for whipping action].

How to Drive for Consistency and Distance:
1/ Tee your ball higher. Half of your ball should be above the top of your driver head when resting on the ground. Drivers are designed to generate more distance when you impact the ball just above the center of the driver face plate.

2/ Swing up on the ball when using a driver. That’s why you need to place the ball forward in your stance (directly out from the heel of your leading foot). This allows the club to pass the bottom of your swing arc and to be rising as you impact the ball even though the impact will cause a reverse rotation on the ball (opposite to a topped ball which dives to the ground).

Let your trailing elbow fly like Jack Nicklaus and then swing up the inside slot to your target line. [My personal breakthrough]

4/ Use a strong grip with your left hand, with the “V” between your thumb and your hand pointing to your right shoulder. [The heavy hitters move it further to the right.]

5/ Hit the inside quadrant of the ball (inside of the imaginary target line along the top of your ball). TIP: Place your ball on the tee so that the brand name is visible as a target on the inside quadrant.

6/ Long-ball hitters use a longer swing arc by going beyond horizontal like John Daly. If you want consistent swings, DON’T even consider this.

Practice with GOLFSTR+ for every swing in your game. Get more distance using your wrist release through impact. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com

“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)