Swing Solutions

GOLFSTR+ was developed to help me train for more consistent hits and longer drives. I soon learned that I needed to do more than swing with a straight leading arm. 5 additional uses of GOLFSTR+ helped me correct my swing but I was missing one important component: FLEXIBILITY. Strength is important but you need flexibility to Swing Like a Pro.

I found 4 simple exercises that will loosen your spine and shoulders. I’m over 65 and I want to hit drives consistently over 240 yards. I have seen skinny youths and females with minimal muscle-mass hit 280+ yards so I know that it can be done without brute strength. Torque and wrist lag release are so critical to hit’em long and straight. Yoga is a wonderful activity to improve flexibility over your whole body but if you don’t have the time, try these 4 exercises:

1/ Chest Stretch: Lay on your back with arms stretched straight out and the back of your hands resting on the floor. Without lifting the back of your hands and arms off the floor bend your elbows to form a U shape with your arms. Then form a V shape and finally point your arms straight over your head. At any point if your arms or hands start to lift off the floor, just stop and let your muscles relax and stretch for 10 or 15 seconds. Return your arms to your sides and start over again. The goal is to eventually stretch out to reach directly over your head without lifting them off the ground. Kids have no problem doing this. It took you a long time to lose your flexibility so don’t expect miracles to happen overnight.

2/ Knee Roll: Remain on your back with your knees bent and your arms pointing out from your sides. Now roll your knees to one side while keeping your arms outstretched and both shoulders on the ground. Then slowly roll your knees across and to the floor on the other side. Eventually you will get your knees closer to the floor and keep your opposite shoulder on the ground. Over time you will get closer to this goal. Do not push to the point of hurting your back. This is a gradual stretching exercise which will improve your flexibility and release your spine over time.

3/ Pizza Lifts: Kneeling and resting your butt on your heels, bend forward and rest on your elbows on the floor. Now slide one arm forward along the floor, turn your palm to the ceiling and raise it slightly like you are holding a pizza pan. Hold for 5 seconds. Now repeat on the other side. You should feel the stretch of your LATS (Latissimus Dorsi muscles which rap from the base your arm around your back). I found this one on Revolution Golf.

4/ Shoulder Release: Either laying on your back or sitting or standing: fold your left arm across your chest. With your right wrist wrapped around your elbow, pull your straight arm across your shoulder line and hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Rest and repeat about 4 more times. Do the same stretch a few times with your right arm to give your body balance and to help it recover. I found this one on Golf-Info-Guide by Thomas Golf.

You need to build up your flexibility gradually. Do these exercises in the evening when you are watching TV. Children can be encouraged to do exercises that are more like games with the help of best mini trampolines for children. If your back starts to ache, lay off the exercises until you recover. You should not be in pain when you do these exercises as you need to limit the strain on any muscle groups and your spine. It may take a month but your swing will really benefit from your new flexibility.

Use your GOLFSTR+ to make sure that you are getting the full benefit with flexibility and the proper swing (Straight Leading Arm, Flat Wrist and Full Wrist Lag). To review last week’s Swing Tip about testing your Flexibility Limitations CLICK HERE

You can’t create an effective straight leading arm swing without flexibility. Frankly, I struggled with my straight leading arm until I improved my flexibility. Now I have to use GOLFSTR+ to remind myself to limit my backswing as I lose control when I over rotate. When I get it right, my swing feels smooth as butter and the ball flies out of sight. Friends are asking me if I am on an exercise program but my new flexibility and the whipping action of the club head make all the difference.

As we age we lose our flexibility from lack of stretch exercises.  This week, you are going to determine your current limitation in your straight arm backswing. You need to limit your backswing to that point and enjoy what is natural for your golf swing. Next week we will give you the simple exercises to increase your body rotation and a straight arm stretch to get more length out of every hit.

Golf is a game of patience and practice. If you don’t play that often or you took this game up at a later age, you need to condition your body to change from a baseball swing to a golf swing.  I hear from GOLFSTR+ customers who expect that they will instantly swing like Ernie Els or Rory McIlroy. What were they thinking?  GOLFSTR+ IS an instant fix to remind you where your limitation is in your straight arm backswing. It’s up to YOU to understand your limitation and use it to correct your swing for more consistent and longer hits.

Your backswing has 3 basic components. Any sway of your body as your arms load up should be minimized. The 3 components are: spine rotation, straight arm rotation and wrist hinge. Before you test out the limitation in the back swing, you need to understand your limitation in each of these 3 movements. [These descriptions are for right handed golfers.]

Create your shoulder and hip rotation by keeping both arms straight in the takeaway. Michael Breed (Golf Channel) uses this training method.

1/ SPINE ROTATION (SHOULDER AND HIP ROTATION): Holding a club properly as you address the ball with your spine tilted forward from your waist. Take you club back to horizontal with the ground while keeping both arms straight. This rotation will force your hips to rotate about 30 degrees from the line across your toes and your shoulders to rotate about 90 degrees. Your head must remain facing the ball. If your leading heel is coming off the ground to make the full 90 degree shoulder rotation then you have a flexibility limitation. You may be losing consistency in your hits.

Arnold Palmer is one of the all-time great golfers. He lifted his leading heel on every swing to assist with his 90 degree shoulder rotation. Hank Haney also endorses the use of the heel lift to assist with rotation (only if you need it). If you are lifting your heel to create some extra shoulder rotation you are adding another dimension in your swing and possibly losing consistency in your hits. [See the Rory McIlroy swing video in last week’s Swing Tip for the ideal foot plant. His leading heel is NOT moving as he builds torque in his body.]

You DON’T NEED A 90 DEGREE SHOULDER ROTATION.  If your hips and spine are tight and your shoulder rotation is only 60 degrees then just accept this. No matter what you do, be happy with your limited rotation BUT LEARN TO KEEP YOUR LEADING ARM STRAIGHT for consistent connection with the ball and longer hits.

2/ STRAIGHT ARM ROTATION: Test your leading arm rotation by stretching your straight leading arm across your chest at your shoulder line. Now use your free right wrist to wrap over your elbow to pull it close to your shoulder line. That angle between your arm and your chest is a limitation. Don’t try to force a greater rotation as it takes time to stretch these unused muscles.

3/ Wrist Hinge: Hold a club properly in your fingers and the base of the fleshy part of your left palm. Use your right hand to pull the grip up to force your wrist to cock toward the side of your arm about 30 degrees while keeping your left wrist flat with your arm. Again, do not over stretch as we are only trying to understand your limitation.

All 3 of these rotations will give you the limitation of your backswing rotation. DON’T start bending your leading elbow to compensate for your limitation in rotation. Use your GOLFSTR+ to learn your limitations for straight arm, flat wrist and lag in our backswing. Do this and we guaranty that your game will improve. CHECK OUT the demonstration video on www.golfstr.com

NEXT WEEK’S Swing Tip: Exercises to increase your rotation without pain or injury.

The more effort that I put into my love of Golf the more success I find. Last night I ran into a new friend who happened to have been the inspiration for a major improvement in the evolution of GOLFSTR+. He also gave me his CHEEK TO CHEEK golf tip that he learned by watching Rory McIlroy.

It happened in the Blue Martini Night Club, Naples, Florida when I learned that Andy Schwabe, a retired Nuclear Engineer with a 9 handicap, knew all about GOLFSTR+. As it turn out he had purchased one on our website April 18 2012, 2 months after our first sale.  He was the first person to comment that the pressure on the back of his arm was not intense enough when he trained to keep his leading arm straight in the backswing. He told me that he had heated up the plastic plate and bent the end an additional half inch. (Our initial 800 Acrylic plates were cut on a CNC cutter, heated in a Pizza oven and formed on wooden molds by hand.)

Will Curry in the middle watching Pebble Beach with Fans of GOLFSTR+ Pete and Andy in the Blue Martini, Naples, FL.

Not only did we change the manufacturing process to injection molding with Lexan (an unbreakable polycarbonate) but we also created a Black Rubber Extender which slides on to the end of the plastic plate in 2 optional directions for additional pressure on the back of the arm. As it turned out we needed the soft rubber Extender to avoid the potential for skin irritation when we incorporated 5 more swing fixes for this amazing Training Aid. ……and (as Paul Harvey would have said) “the rest of the story IS HISTORY! “

Back to the Night Club in Naples and Andy’s Swing Tip
I told Andy about the swing tip I got from Terry Scanlan, in St Andrews, Scotland: keeping your leading ear lined up behind the ball until after impact. Andy told me that he does the same thing but he uses the reminder of CHEEK to CHEEK:

He figured this out by watching Rory McIlroy (the current #1 Golfer in the World). In your back swing, rotate your shoulders until your left shoulder meets your left CHEEK as you keep your head down facing the ball. Then execute your swing (keeping you head in the same position) as you come through the inside to outside slot until your right shoulder hits your right CHEEK. That’s how he keeps his left ear lined up behind the ball before he moves his head and chest to face the direction that he is aiming.

I know that readers of our Swing Tips are all searching for the perfect solution to this wonderful game. Anything to keep the nasty Golf DEMONS out of our heads. Hope this one has been helpful. Thank you for passing the word on about GOLFSTR+. Check it out on www.golfstr.com.

Enjoy and Hit’em Long and Straight,      Will Curry

Have you ever said: “If only I could play on the course the way I hit’em on the range.” [You aren’t the only one: Craig Stadler said it on the Golf Channel after shooting 71 at the Allianz Tournament.] If you had the solution, do you think you could drop your score by 10 strokes or even 20 strokes? The only difference between the golf range and the golf course is your  positive mental attitude.

Practice on the driving range before a round of golf to loosen up your arms, back and body rotation. When you are loose and relaxed, work on your grip, stance and swing technique without fear of failure.  Develop muscle memory as you repeat your swing.

Use your GOLFSTR+ to ensure that you see the result of a straight leading arm or flat wrist or lag in your backswing for chipping and full swing. Repetition with the right rhythm, transition and acceleration can all be practiced on the range. Duplicate your swing without your GOLFSTR+ and you will feel like a hugh weight is off your shoulders.

Mindset and Attitude:
Keeping the same positive mindset that you developed in the practice area is the key to your success on the golf course. Try these tips to keep the same frame of mind when you reach the first tee.

1. Calm and Relaxed: On the range there was no pressure so your mind can focus on your swing. You were CALM AND RELAXED. You need to be relaxed to repeat this on the course.
2. Practice Swing: Rehearse your swing exactly as you plan to make it when you hit your ball.
3. Light Grip: Realize how tight you are holding your club. Relax your grip and hold your club just tight enough to prevent it from rotating in your hands during the swing.
4. Breath: Take a breathe and exhale to relax.  Let your shoulders drop as you exhale.
5. Block out Noise and Thoughts: Use “blocking” words to say in your mind to eliminate other thoughts. I like to use the words: “straight” (before I start my takeaway with 2 straight arms), “lag” (to complete the wrist cock at the top of my swing) and “press” as I press my hip forward to start my downswing.

Don’t get PPMU: Post-Par- Mess-Up. After you par a hole don’t lose your focus and try to kill the next drive. STAY IN CONTROL.

Frank Hesson is training these kids to have the right attitude and stay positive. Got to love this game.

One of our GOLFSTR customers, Frank Hesson, a PGA pro in Cherry Hill, NJ teaches the philosophy: “make golf simple and a personalized expression of each golf student. Your golf swing is like your fingerprint. And your golf game is your signature.”

Learning to take control of your golf game will help you take control of your life. Think about it   — POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE !     Click Here to get a GOLFSTR+     and get in the game!

Feedback from those who read the GOLFSTR Weekly Swing Tips has been wonderful. I asked for the golf breakthrough tip that has helped YOUR game. I received many comments about training with GOLFSTR+ using one or more of the Swing Solutions. I am really pleased to hear about your successes (especially from France, England, Singapore and Australia). Now here are some of the suggestions from others:

Terry Scanlan, St Andrews Scotland: Keep your left ear behind the ball as you strike the shot. [This is for right handed players, reverse for lefties.] (I asked him to if there is a difference for Driver and Irons) “Yes I have a theory on this, with irons you still need to keep your left ear behind the ball but your stance will be much narrower than with the driver so a slight nudge of the left hip towards the target moves the weight slightly onto the left foot, ideal for striking down on the irons. Try it and see, your left ear still needs to feel like it is behind the ball as you strike it.”

Note: I suggested this tip to a friend who was visiting. She tried it that day and broke 100. The best round in her life.

Robert Riley, Crookston, Minnesota: The answer for me was the day I felt the magic of making contact with the ball at the right time. It’s the same way that Gary Player makes contact and follows in a walk toward his target. That moment came to me after hitting balls on a wet driving range mat when wearing flat souled shoes. I realized that if my weight at the point of contact was centered between my right and left foot, my shots would be crisp and consistent. I was right as my plummeting handicap attested. Glad to share my success, Robert.

Note: Robert is right. Rushing the transition and the initial downswing will throw your balance to your trailing foot. A balanced swing through the ball is the key to success. Robert is moving his hips forward as he reaches the top of his swing to offset the initial trailing force at the top of his swing. Balance and follow-through is the key for success. What a great tip.

Michael Breed, Commentator on the Golf Channel Loves GOLFSTR+. A great inspiration.

Michael Breed, The Golf Channel: Michael called me in July of 2014 as he was impressed with GOLFSTR+ offering 6 swing solutions (and the fact that you can just slid it in your pocket for ease of access). We met at the PGA Merchandise Show last month in Orlando and talked about swing success. He agreed with the breakthrough tip that I got from watching his show: keeping 2 arms straight in the takeaway is so important as they force your shoulders to rotate 90 degrees for more power and distance. [As we age we lose this ability to rotate the spine and we lose power and distance.]

Will Curry met Martin Chuck at the PGA Show 2015. He is another great inspiration for our blogs.

Note: I get many or our great tips from Michael Breed and Martin Chuck on the Revolution Golf Blog. I met with both of them at the PGA Merchandise Golf Show and just wanted to share their smiling faces as they really are my inspiration.

Check out GOLFSTR+ to improve your game on www.golfstr.com

In the game of golf  YOU are in the driver’s seat. You and only you control every shot. YOU are playing the game against yourself. I realized how important this was last night as I heard Eugenie Bouchard (a Canadian woman who is #6 in the world) talk about losing her focus as she became over confident. She won 9 of the first 10 games [in a key match in the Australian Tennis Open] and then lost 7 of the next 9 games. This collapse is the same mental failure that we can experience in golf.

Unfortunately in tennis when the momentum shifts, your opponent gets a renewed positive mental boost which works against you. In golf your buddies or opponents may be making cute remarks about your play but this game is only about your mind over your personal demons.

Jeanne Bouchard is a hot 21 year old tennis star on a mission. She just told herself to win and did it.

BACK TO THE TENNIS MATCH: After serving double-fault on set point to lose the second set, Bouchard took a short break (as reported by  John Pye The Associated Press): “I gave myself a good, long hard look in the mirror,” Bouchard explained of her brief absence from Rod Laver Arena. “I said, ‘Genie, this is unacceptable.’ I really kind of kicked myself in the butt a little bit.”  [That how she said it on national TV but she meant to say: “Let’s go kick some ass!”]

She returned to the court and won the final set 6 – 2.

How much do you think Tiger wants to win?

BACK TO YOUR GOLF GAME: For every swing in this game, you need to isolate your mind from the noise around you, from the comments of others and especially any negative thoughts. Unfortunately our minds are filled with the thoughts of previous amazing shots and dismal failures.

Golf is a game where you need to build confidence. Even Tiger Woods hits errant shots off the first tee in tournaments. We play this game to learn control over our minds and bodies. It is so mentally rewarding when it all comes together. Your mind has to be the starting point for consistency in golf.

If you find that your game is going off track, give your head a shake and get back in the game.  You CAN get back on track! I am not talking about doing 1000 practice pitch shots the way Tiger does to groove a new swing. A swing with a straight leading arm and a consistent distance to the ball is the perfect starting point. I’m talking about using that grey cement between your ears.

Practice with your GOLFSTR+ for consistent hits. Remember what the correct swing feels like and keep your head in the game. Buy GOLFSTR+ and pass this along to help others enjoy this game. CLICK TO Check out www.golfstr.com.

It just dawned on me as to why most of my swings are wonderful and a few of my swings are messed up. ANSWER: My mind is like the mind of an elephant. I have a long memory that resists change. In other words: Brilliant but STUPID. I know that I want a calm and relaxed straight arm swing, an easy transition with a body shift and a balanced finish but I keep sliding back into my old habits.

I worked hard to improve my game for years with the wrong swing. Sure it was frustrating watching the pros on TV with those wonderful swings and hoping that my mind would somehow lock into that same wonderful motion. What was I thinking?

>Some people learn to groove a proper swing at a young age with help from a concerned parent or instructor.

>Others quickly learn that a baseball swing is used in Baseball and a golf swing is totally different.

>Unfortunately I  ( like 50% of all golfers) fall into a category of a ROBOT WITH A POOR MEMORY. Change is not natural for our minds, muscles and bodies.

If you really want to change your swing, you need to form new habits and a new FOCUS. Knowing what you want to do is only half the battle. Completing 20 perfect swings on the driving range is a wonderful feeling. Unfortunately that messed up 21st swing tells you that your mind is reverting back to your STUPID OLD ROBOT MIND.

Perfection in golf is what we all strive for. Even the professionals mess up the occasional swing by topping or shanking their balls (but the TV Producers rarely show us these shots).

SOLUTION: You need a plan to change your swing pattern.  Try using queues to make the right swing for every type of club and condition. This is not an easy task.
1/ Take lessons or read up on the proper swing mechanics for the best opportunity to match the results of great golfers.

GOLFSTR+ is a great aid to help you groove that perfect swing. Use it to help you correct your swing. It’s a great Brain Trainer.

2/ Buy training aids such as GOLFSTR+ with 6 swing solutions to help build a consistent swing by repeating the correct motion.
3/ Use GOLFSTR+ to practice often on the driving range and under playing conditions. You may find that you are using new muscles and that they ache when you are changing to your new swing. [By the way, if your muscles are aching when using GOLFSTR+, you know that you are changing your swing. Put your GOLFSTR+ aside for that day. Recover and then start using it again. Your muscles are changing and you need to accept that it will take time to change.]
4/ Seeing success at the driving range and while you play will build confidence. Use queue words like “Straight, Lag, Press” to focus on key motions during your setup and during your swing.  STAY IN THE ZONE.

Buy a GOLFSTR+ on www.golfstr.com and use it often to keep your mind focused. LOVE THIS GAME.

Request to add a REVIEW about GOLFSTR on AMAZON.com. 

To help us grow expand our business we would really appreciate a REVIEW by our GOLFSTR users in AMAZON.  Some of the reviews on Amazon are out of date and misleading as we now include a Black Rubber Extender to give you optional ways to change the pressure on the back of your arm (when using GOLFSTR+ as a straight arm trainers).    If you have a user account on Amazon.com, you can add a REVIEW about GOLFSTR.

1/ Enter the site by clicking on www.amazon.com.

2/ Enter the search word:  GOLFSTR and then click on GOLFSTR Swing Like a Pro Golf Trainer

3/ Scroll to the bottom of the page to find : Write a Customer REVIEW.  Click on the box, sign in with your account and enter a review.  Just a few comments will help others find this amazing product.

Thank you.  Your input is greatly appreciated!

Listening to an interview with PGA Tour Rookie Justin Thomas on the Morning Drive / Golf Channel, I heard a comment that affects us all. He said that he does not score low when he’s playing with friends and family. He needs to be focused. If his attention is not totally on the detail of the setup, the swing and the finish then he does not score well.

Could this be the problem for most want-to-be-golfers? KEY POINTS:
1. To score well for 18 holes you need to be “Golfing in the Zone”. I know that I can par 3 or 4 holes in a row and then my mind goes into overdrive. I’m invincible. I tighten up and swing harder and faster. RESULT: D I S A S T E R. My brother-in-law sees me do this and eggs me on. This should be my wake-up call.
2. It is the same thing that happens when you add up your score after 9 holes and start planning to break 80 or 90. If one of your golfing partners starts ribbing you about your low score, it just messes with your mind. You drop out of “The Zone” and BANG: here come the bogies and doubles and 3 putts.

You need to visualize your shot exactly the way this ProTracer Photo shows this result.

3. We have all seen Tiger in “The Zone”. He has such a focus that he can stop his swing if a camera clicks as he starts his down-swing. Jack Nicklaus said that he had to visualize the flight and landing spot for each shot. This is how his mind drops into “The Zone”. He sees the flight path and visualizes his swing to make it happen.
4. Have you ever been told that your practice swing is perfect but your swing at the ball is totally different? Many of us freeze-up and swing with our arms and forget to keep the body moving through the shot. It’s really easy to see this when you are hitting with your pitching wedge and hit fat 4 inches before the ball. You just forgot to keep your body rotating with your arms.

When you are not in the zone, you get uptight. You focus too much on your arms and forget that your body shift and rotation are just as important.  If you want to score well, keep you focus on each swing and stay in the ZONE.

Last week I asked for your Golf BREAK-THOUGH or Aha Moments. I received a few and one even came in from St. Andrews, Scotland. I need a few more so please send along your comments so that we can share them with all of the GOLFSTR+ Followers.

If GOLFSTR+ was your “Breakthrough”, then tell us about that too.  Send your emails to sales@golfstr.com

For more ideas, check out YOUR SWING SUPPORT CENTER on the www.golfstr.com website.

I have now shared weekly Swing Tips with over 500 GOLFSTR followers for the past 2 years. I create my articles by checking out professional golfer blogs and share my findings with you. Believe me, I do this as much for you as I do for my own benefit. I’m looking for that nugget of knowledge that will instantly perfect my game. (And I know that you are hoping to find it too.)

There are a lot of golf bloggers who keep digging up new ways to create the “perfect”. Any swing that gives you a long and relatively straight hit, is a great swing. It’s just a matter of finding the right swing for your body and flexibility.

Now I want to hear from you. I want you to share your most important thought or motion or plan that you use to create consistent swings to get YOUR ball where YOU want it to go.

I want to share your successes with other GOLFSTR FOLLOWERS so don’t be shy. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Email your comments to sales@golfstr.com

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Now I want to share an email that I received from a 55 year old golfer who shot 117 at the Pete Dye course at Mission Hills in Palm Springs, bought a GOLFSTR+ at a PGA Tour SuperStore, the next day he tried it out on the practice range and then played the same course and shot a 94. It was the first time that he had ever broken 100 on any course let alone a demanding course like that one. His best line was: “I felt like Clark Kent taking off my glasses and the kryptonite kicking in, could this be… “

His big breakthrough was learning to keep his leading arm straight during his swing by using GOLFSTR+. In less than 6 months of playing serious golf he is shooting back to back rounds of 86. You can tell that he is excited about this breakthrough by the details provided. Here is his story if you’d to read it in his own words.

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Email received January 2, 2015: The name of this golfer has been removed by request but I hope to share his future success later this year. Stay tuned:

I reside in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I was a professional athlete, Sponsored by Nike, in the game of 4 Wall Handball and competed at the world level. One sport that I never spent time to improve was golf.

Now at 55, I just officially started playing golf with lessons as of March 2014. I am trying to give you some background context to the success of these next sound bites. In the past I would go golfing with my family and/or business golf events, not being a golfer, I always hit poorly and stroke count was well above 120 per round, the more infrequent I played the worst result I had. That happens with golf.

This year I decided to take this game up seriously. I took some lessons from a teaching golf pro at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course, “ Murray Poje”, he worked with me to develop an accurate swing before stepping back onto the course again. As progress goes, moving the time dial up a few months from March, totally immersed and determined to break into this game, my scores never broke 100, always around 110, mostly because of the inconsistency and not hitting the ball straight and then suffering the frustration of scrambling to recover on the next shots.

This is the same course where Will Curry, the inventor of GOLFSTR, tested the first prototype of GOLFSTR and shot 2 over par after the first 11 holes.

My first break through on my own was breaking 50 on the front nine of a Vancouver Golf Course on a Sunday afternoon in August. Still, loving the game, trying to piece so many parts of the game together (keep in mind, this is all in 2014). I was off to Palm Springs, Mission Hill which has three courses named: Pete Dye, Dinah Shore & Arnold Palmer.

Now this is where the breakthrough happens, showing signs of great strokes and tempo when I am golfing, and where my main goal is just not to lose a ball while playing, I figured baby steps: I will worry about the score after a whole host of other things are mastered. Oh, did I mention, I had a great looking stroke, I mastered the perfect slice every time, even when getting a new club, the club fitter said there was a dial on the club that would correct the slice from the club face, that didn’t make sense to me to always be swinging incorrectly and getting a good result. This solution didn’t correct the mechanics of a proper swing.

We landed in Palm Springs on a Sunday, early morning arrival, headed over to the golf club. My wife and I played a round on the Pete Dye Course as that was the only course open as the others were being reseeded . I shot 117. Next day Monday rolls around and I made my way over to the PGA Tour SuperStore on Hwy 111, this is where I was looking at the training aid section. There I found and bought a GOLFSTR.

I went back to the range, put GOLFSTR on, starting hitting balls, boooom…. I felt like Clark Kent taking off my glasses and the kryptonite kicking in, could this be…

Are you ready, are you sitting down…..

My wife and I played the exact same course again, Pete Dye (same course where I shot 117).  Score on Monday with GOLFSTR was 94, not only did I improve my strokes by 23 strokes, but it was the first time I broke 100, and first time I never lost a ball. Huge Milestone….

Since wearing GOLFSTR, my scores continues to get better, I am now shooting back to back 86’s, my average drives, as recorded last week in Hawaii were 264 with over four long drives over 300 yards. If you chart the improvement I have gone from 117 to 86 since wearing GOLFSTR, that is an amazing 31 shot improvement,

There are many people/players that are commenting when playing about the how straight I hit the ball and are amazed the length of time I have been playing, but the biggest benefits to my game is the GOLFSTR in keeping my elbow straight ever time so I can continue to hit the ball with great accuracy and length.

Two things in concluding my story: Thank you, thank you, and if you wish to use/edit and validate my progress please do so.

Secondly, everyone wants one of these because they ask me how I can consistently hit the ball so straight, so getting a place out in BC that sells them might be good for sales. My wife wants to buy a bulk order to sell to all her friends after she saw what it did for me.

Thirdly, I will be your biggest supporter here in my little world, anything I can do to help I am in debt to GOLFSTR for my progress. Respectfully [Name withheld by request but I have confirmed the story.]

It changes with each club. Knowing where each club should reach the bottom of the swing arc is critical for consistently great shots. A recent blog from Golf-Info-Guide by Thomas Golf about hitting fairway woods “off the deck” reminded me that the bottom of the swing arc is different for each type of club.

First you need to accept that fact that there are 2 types of swings which change the location of the bottom of your swing: Full Swing and Putting/Chipping Swing.

The “Full Swing” includes a weight shift to your forward foot as you rotate your hips and shoulders through the swing. The bottom of your swing moves forward of the center of your stance. Use the Full Swing with your Driver, Fairway Woods, Hybrids and Irons.

The “Putting/Chipping Swing” is a pendulum swing WITHOUT the weight shift. If your shoulders are level, the bottom of your swing is exactly in the center of your stance. So for Putting your ball should be just forward of center for top roll and for chipping your ball should be centered or slightly back of center.

Now let’s look at the WHERE and WHY you want the bottom of your arc for each Full Swing club:

Your iron shots bottom out after you impact with the ball (as your weight shifts forward).

Driver: We want to connect with the ball on a 3 to 5 degree upswing (after you bottom out) and that is why we tee up for a driver and place the ball in-line with the insole of our leading foot.
Fairway Woods (3, 5 and Hybrid): The swing arc bottoms out at the point of impact for these clubs. This is referred to as hitting “off the deck” which should be forward of the center line of your stance (as your weight shifts forward). In low-cut fairway grass the 3 wood (with the longest shaft) is the most difficult shot to hit with a clean impact.
3 Iron through to Pitching Wedge: For all of these clubs the bottom of the swing arc should be just after the ball. In other words, you should be impacting with the ball and then taking a divot after the ball. Your club is actually hitting down through the ball to impart a reverse spin (instead of a top spin).

Knowing where you want to bottom your club should be at the top of your mind when you complete your practice swing. If you don’t bottom out at the right point, try again with the correct swing. It’s a great check for your swing.  If you are not bottoming out on your swing you may be bending your leading arm. Wear your GOLFSTR+ when you practice and get it right: www.golfstr.com