Swing Solutions

Why not consider taking a more controlled swing with a longer club to hit more greens in regulation?  Golf Digest wrote a great article about how Justin Rose is getting the most out of his 3-Wood.  I just wanted to share the key points.  You may find (like most golfers) that you often need to use fairway woods and hybrids to reach greens and lower your score.

Swinging every club at 80% and in full control with a smooth transition and balanced finish are the key factors to lowering you score.  Too much emphasis is placed on club head speed and distance.  Save that for your driver.   Trying to get the most distance out of every club is for the professional.  Calm down and enjoy the game.

Justin Rose said that his 3 wood is the most important club in his bag.  It sets the tone for his day.  You hit driver on the upswing and catch irons and wedges with a downward blow.   “A 3-wood demands a neutral strike: You can’t be steep or shallow.”

Setup: He takes a very balanced position.  Then he squeezes his shoulder blades together and lets them relax so that they feel very wide.   (Try this as a wake-up call to your brain for your next great swing.)

This is the key move for Justin Rose in his downswing.  FREEZE this key image in your brain.

Key Move: Let the Arms Drop   “When I start the downswing, I let my arms drop halfway down as my shoulders stay closed to the target. I often rehearse this move as part of my pre-shot routine. It counteracts a tendency I’ve had of unwinding my shoulders too early (does this sound familiar?), which forces me to slow down so the club can catch up at impact. The harder I try to rip a shot, the more this problem shows up.

By dropping my arms to start down, my wrists naturally hold their angle with the shaft (in a 90 degree lag position), and it’s easier to approach the ball from the inside. As you can see here, my back is still facing the target. From this point, my hips will whip through in unison with my arms. It’s an incredibly powerful and stable feeling.”

Casting the club from the top is a major downfall for weekend warriors.  Dropping your straight leading arm, holding the lag in your wrist (at 90 degrees) and shifting your weight forward (almost lunging) are so critical to create distance (without trying to kill the ball).

Want to Swing Like Justin Rose?  Use your GOLFSTR+  to train for straight leading arm in the backswing and downswing.  Use it to create lag in your wrist at the top of your backswing and then to hold your wrists in that position as you drop your arms.  GOLFSTR+  can help you with Every Swing in Your Game.  Practice with it and learn to enjoy your game as your scores drop.

We just had a very successful PGA Merchandise Trade Show in Orlando, FL.  Many more golf stores are placing orders and stocking this amazing golf Training Aid.  Ask for GOLFSTR+  at your local golf retailer.  (pronounced Golf-Stir and stands for GOLF STRaight).   Or buy it on-line at www.golfstr.com

Why is it that your practice swing for a chip shot is so easy to make, but you still end up shanking the ball or stubbing the grass behind the ball?  Unfortunately we are not machines.  Repeating the practice stroke should be so simple but our brain is getting in the way.

Chipping is composed of 3 issues: club selection, amount of backswing and cadence (or tempo).  Of course you also need to practice the proper limited wrist lag in the backswing and a flat leading wrist in the follow-through for the perfect direction control.   Practicing with GOLFSTR+ will help you learn these motions.

Club Selection
Choose a club that will get your ball on the green where you don’t have to worry about a bad bounce on the fringe or run up to the green.  You can only determine the distance of the roll based on practice and experience so take some time to get a feel for the percent of your shot that will travel through the air as compared to the distance traveled during the bounce and roll on the green for each club.  [Green elevation and undulation also affect the roll-out.]  Remember that the higher the loft in your club, the shorter the roll out.

Amount of Backswing
The swing always needs to be accelerating (not decelerating) through the point of impact.  Again you need to get a feel for the distance that each club will carry the ball in the air.  Check out the flight distance for each height of backswing FOR EACH CLUB.  Keep the same cadence and acceleration for the practice swing and when hitting the ball.  [SUGGESTION: Focus on 3 clubs (like 7, 9 and pitching wedge) to really feel comfortable with these clubs.]

Consistent Cadence
This is the critical factor causing your mishits.  If you brain is not comfortable with the club that you chose or the backswing needed for the distance that you plan to hit, you will end up shortening the backswing and rushing or decelerating the swing.   RESULT: Fat hits, blading the ball or the dreaded hosel hit.

Without confidence in the club that you chose or the height of the backswing, your brain will try to make corrections for everything that can go wrong.  BINGO!  Your brain gets in the way of your perfect hit.

SOLUTION: Gain confidence with each club so that you can make your chip swing exactly the same as your practice swing.  Revolution Golf suggested using a count of “1” in the backswing and “2” as you swing through the ball.  Make the perfect practice swing and then say  >1>2  to override any panic thoughts during your chip.

Practice chipping with GOLFSTR+  to generate a limited lag with your trailing wrist in the backswing and to prevent leading wrist cupping in the follow-through.   Check out the new video on the GOLFSTR home page to see all 6 uses for GOLFSTR+.

Golfers are always looking for the magic triggers to make the perfect swing.  You want the money shot EVERY TIME.  A few of the blogs that I received this week boil it down to 3 components: setup square, hip shift to start the downswing and finish the swing in balance.

Last week our SWING TIP focused on learning to Swing Like a Pro.  You need to learn the right motion and then practice to perfection with a training aid.  GOLFSTR+  is a great choice to develop your muscle memory for Every Swing in Your Game.

Your setup, timing and balance are all so important to deliver the right motion for the perfect swing.  A lapse in focus or burst of adrenalin will destroy everything.  Your job is to focus on the 3 components:

SETUP SQUARE: For right handed golfers the right hand grips the club lower on the club than the left hand.   This distortion causes your shoulders to open slightly toward the target.  It’s your job to allow your trailing shoulder to drop slightly to compensate for the lower grip and to keep the alignment of your shoulders in the direction of the target.  Shoulders, hips and feet all should line up in parallel lines [unless you are setting up for a draw or fad].

HIP SHIFT: To initiate the downswing you need to start shifting you weight to the leading foot.  Trahan calls it the “bump”; Hogan calls it the “lateral movement”; Dow Finsterwald (1958 USPGA Championship winner) said “you have to move your hips to the left”; Robert Cotter of Instant Golf calls it the KEY and  Andy Anderson of Swing Secrets refers to the “shift” (but never start by turning your hips or you will come over the top and end up slicing or pulling the shot).

Hold your finish in balance and enjoy the view as your ball lands on your target.  The pause that refreshes!

FINISH IN BALANCE:  If you correctly shift your weight to your leading foot during the swing and finish without a left arm “flying” chicken wing, you should be standing in a photo finish position and enjoying the flight of your ball.  Get the right tempo so that you can hold your finish position in balance until the ball lands.

The swing is so easy when you focus on the basics.  You need the mechanics of straight arm in the backswing & through impact, flat wrist in putting, chipping and backswing as well as a controlled lag for chipping, fairway shots and drives.  Training with GOLFSTR+ will help with muscle memory for all of these swings.  Now it’s up to you to execute the timing and proper weight shift.

Ask for GOLFSTR+  (pronounced GOLF-Stir) at golf retailers or buy it on our website: www.golfstr.com.   Now available without shipping and handling charges.

Enjoy

You may not realize this but if you don’t swing like a pro, you will never lower your score.

Recently I have been golfing with many different golfers.  I love to watch how they attack each swing.  Some are crazier than others and I know that I am not close to perfect so I just love to observe and try to keep my mouth shut.

We have all seen Tiger, Phil and Rory with their wonderful swings and we can see that they are all different.   They have conventional golf swings which produce consistent hits.   This video shows Rory McIlroy’s Swing in amazing slow motion .

Jim Furyk is a good example of a pro with a wild backswing.  Nick Price has one of the fastest backswings on the planet.  John Daly has a double jointed backswing.  Steve Stricker has a limited back swing.  I’m listing these examples to highlight that the golf swing can be completed in different ways but it is the downswing and follow through that creates success on the golf course.

If your swing mechanics are wrong, you will never develop a consistent game.  The game of golf is a game of consistency and perfection.  Mishitting one shot on each hole will continue to generate double and triple bogies.

If you don’t have a “square stance”; have the right grip (strong or weak?); understand how to open your club face (just to mention a few) then you should read books on golf swing technique, watch a slow motion video of your swing and take golf lessons from a pro.  Professional Golf Instructors can instantly see your swing faults.

GOLFSTR+ is designed to help you with “muscle memory”.  This will only be useful if you are trying to swing like a pro.  Repeating the correct swing using a training aid that reinforces the correct motion will turn into success on the golf course.  CLICK HERE:  Try it, you’ll like it!

Happy New Year to All!  This is a good time to look at the big picture.  Success in golf depends on your physical condition and your mental outlook.  I know that these both affect my game.  Of course we should all be doing more exercise to avoid injury and limit our aches and pains when we golf.  But have you thought about conditioning your mind too.

I just played my first round of golf in 2 months with a shocking result.  My first 9 holes were great with 5 pars and a respectable score.  My second 9 holes were awful.  I must have been focused at the start and then I got cocky and was swing harder and faster: expecting even better results.  Get a Life.  What was I thinking?

GOLFSTR+ offers you 6 uses to fix 6 golf swing problems. (CLICK THE PICTURE TO EXPAND)

Come to think of it, my rounds often get worse on the second 9.  You may not have the same problem but this being a NEW YEAR, I’m suggesting that you try to appraise where your game went wrong:

• Are you getting weaker or tired on the back 9?  Exercise may be the solution.
• Are you missing more fairways and greens in regulation on the back 9?    Slow down, stay focused and layoff the caffeine and booze.
• Are you consistently missing drives, fairway shots, chips and putts?  Why not work on your muscle memory?  Improve every swing in your game by practicing and building muscle memory with the right swing.

GOLFSTR+ is designed to help you train your brain with a straight arm or flat wrist of lagging wrist.  Why not check it out today or send this Swing Tip along to others who may appreciate this thought.

It’s a great idea to exercise and train your brain in the off season.

For more details click:  www.golfstr.com .

It’s a strange looking sight but you must see this Octopus Golfer.  He or She now has a foothold on golf courses, training centers and driving ranges throughout the world.   With 12 hands it looks pretty strange but the first reaction from our customers is GREAT!

Jeff O. from Newport Beach, CA made the following comment:   “Bill,  The new User Guide really puts into perspective all of the benefits of using your training aid.  Additionally, it creates a very simple step by step approach that can be followed not only for training but for warming up before a round of golf.  Great idea and can’t wait to get started!”  [COULDN’T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF.]

It’s the FIRST Golf Swing Training Aid in the world to offer 6 fixes for Golf Swing Problems.  See our NEW User Guide and offer below:

Buy a GOLFSTR+ before year end and save $10 per unit.  Enter Coupon Code: golfstr .  Select the STORE PAGE to enter your order.  Please note that you don’t need a PayPal account to pay by Visa, Master Card or other credit or debit cards.  PayPal just manages the payment on a very secure system.

A few weeks ago I issued a Swing Tip named Consistent Hits with One Thought.  It was about clearing your mind during the setup to focus on the swing that you want.  Simplicity and focus are the keys to success in this wonderful game.  Golf Swing Secrets Revealed from St. Andrews by Andy Anderson is a blog that gives another twist to this subject.  I just wanted to share some of his observations.

FIRST GOLF FALLACY: Golfers should RELAX.   “Being relaxed is complete rubbish.”  This fallacy comes down to us through generations of golf teachers.   When you swing a golf club you are taking a comparatively violent action.  Is there any other violent action you take while you are relaxed?  Of course not!   It’s impossible.

Ben Hogan had a server rotation and straight arm backswing. This is not relaxed.

Did Ben Hogan or Arnold Palmer ever look relaxed when they take their stance or hit those amazing drives?  In their case it was extreme focus and explosion.  If they are relaxed, why are their lips compressed and their features contorted, as countless pictures show they are?

It is easy to see how “Relax” became fixed in the language of the golf teacher.  When inexperienced golfers get on the lesson tee they are so self-conscious and frightened that they tense up to the point, almost, of absolute rigidity.

In order for them to swing the club at all, the pro has to loosen them up to some extent.  He tells them to relax.  If a little is good, he thinks, a lot must be much better. He now makes a fetish of relaxation. Everybody has to relax as soon as he takes hold of a club.

SOLUTION:
“We don’t want a rigidity of the rigor mortis variety. But we do want firmness, a feeling of muscular movement under constant control, ready for instant response.  Nor do we want a mental relaxation either. Don’t get the idea your mind should be a complete blank when you step up to a shot.  If it is, you might as well be asleep.”

Hogan with an aggressive thrust through the ball.

So forget everything you have heard about relaxing.  For the purposes of playing good golf it is sheer rubbish.

Keeping your Arm Straight or your Wrist Straight to deliver consistent hits only happens if you focus and work on it.  GOLFSTR+ is a great training aid to help you with Every Swing in Your Game (6 uses).  Try it, you’ll like it!

Still $10 off on every GOLFSTR+ that you purchase until the end of this year.  Enter the Coupon Code: golfstr   when you order on our site:  www.golfstr.com

We are excited to announce that 100 members of the GOLF Partners Club tested and approved GOLFSTR+.   The Golf Partners Club is one of seven affiliate organizations with over 400,000 members participating in programs offered by the North American Media Group (NAMG Inc.).   77% of the participants testing GOLFSTR+  recommended it as a golf training aid that will lower your score.

To qualify for the test group, they had to golf at least 10 rounds a year.  They also agreed to the statement:  “I would buy a product if I thought I could drop 5 strokes off my score.” 

77% of the testers recommended GOLFSTR+ because they felt that it would lower their score.  They also ranked GOLFSTR+ in the following areas:

100 Golfers tested and evaluated GOLFSTR+ to qualify this product for Certifications.

• Convenience,
• Effectiveness,
• Comfort & Fit, Appearance,
• Durability,
• Rated Against Similar Products,
• Ease of Use,
• Design,
• Quality
• Performance.

This product is not perfect for everyone but the overwhelming test results qualified GOLFSTR+ for the Golf Partners Club: Seal of Approval.

We really learned a lot from comments provided by the testers in the following categories:

• Best Feature,
• Suggested Improvement, Main reason for recommending or not recommending the product
• What did your family and friends think of this product
• Comment about your experience with it.

The feedback from this test has encouraged us to improve the user instructions and to provide a more exciting promotion for the 6 uses.  Here are some of their comments:

-Thought that the product was revolutionary.   Overall experience was phenomenal.

-I have been trying to address my “chicken wing” swing for some time now.  This is the best product that I have found on the market!

-Thought it was a good looking teaching aid. Everyone wanted to use it.

-The product does what it’s meant to do.  On average I gained an extra 40-70 yards on my drives.  Can’t argue with the results.  The trainer does work and it works pretty good.

Training for Straight Arm in your Backswing is only 1 of 6 uses for this amazing Training Aid

-I shared this product with many family members and they all got one of their own.

-Honestly, my golfing buddies were not happy with this product. It took 5 strokes off of my usual game, and made it more competitive for them.

-I think it is perfectly designed for what it is designed to do.  I highly recommend this product for making my game better and more enjoyable.

-It is a very versatile product. Not only does it help keep your arm straight, but the other uses such as flat wrist for chipping and putting really helped to better my game

-Dramatically improved the scores for my son and his friends.   Truly a great product.  Improved my golf game tremendously.

-My friends laughed at me when I put it on at the driving range, but once I began hitting with better accuracy and all but eliminated my slice, they were asking for a go at it.  After about an hour, everyone was laughing, but that was because our swings were improving.

-Over all I liked this training aid, and the results were better than expected (took two strokes off my game in a week) I will continue to use this aid.

-Little uncomfortable at first, but it is to be expected since it takes you out of your comfort zone.

-During my first bucket of balls, I was hitting straighter than I have ever hit.  Within a few buckets of balls after using the product, I removed the Straight Arm Trainer and was hitting much straighter, adding 20+ yards to my drive.  I can’t wait to get back out on the course!

-My family liked it, and after letting them try it, they want to buy it!

-Simple yet highly effective!

-I would recommend this product because it helps correct bad habits. I grew up playing baseball so it is hard for me not to bend my elbow while swinging a golf club. Wearing the GOLFSTR helps remind me to keep my arm straight.  Has certainly helped me be more consistent with my golf swing.

-I really like the versatility of use in this product.

-My neighbor and I share a massive empty lot across from our houses and frequently hit balls into the field.  He was impressed enough to borrow it to help with his daughters swing.

-I found a lot of improvement in my short game swings. I was able to strike the ball much more accurately with the putter and had more direction control with my irons.

-I was skeptical about this product. There are so many golf aids that promise a better straighter further shot. However I found with this product that even though it didn’t keep your arm straight for you it definitely made you aware when you weren’t keeping your arm straight. I tried this on two rounds of golf. The second round I didn’t use the product but I found with every shot I was more aware of my arm being straight then I had ever been before. In my case I lost only one ball for an entire round, and even though I am still not ready for the pro tour, more than 90% of my shots were straight.   A huge improvement for me.   I was very pleased.

The comments are overwhelming.  I could enter about 300 more but I think you get the idea.  The results of this research have inspired us to re-launch GOLFSTR+ with an exciting new image showing a golfer in 6 swing positions with 6 different clubs and wearing GOLFSTR+ for each of the 6 USES.  This image may look like an Octopus golfing and should create attention for this unique Golf Training Aid.  Hoping it will go viral.

A GREAT GIFT FOR ANY GOLFER: Get $10 off until the end of 2013 when you enter the Coupon Code:  golfstr

CLICK www.golfstr.com to order on the STORE Page or call 1-855-799-9695 any time of the day 24/7.

In case you missed it:  Rory McIlroy beat Adam Scott in the Australian Open this past weekend on the 18th hole in the final round.  Scott was leading by 1 stroke heading up the 18th.  He bogied, Rory birdied > > > game over.  What an amazing turn around for Rory who shot -6 on his final round while Scott’s round was a -1.  I love to watch both of these golfers go head to head.

Driving and Fairway Shots:
Rory and Adam both have an amazing straight leading arm in the back swing.  I just had to point this out for any of those who don’t understand the benefit of a straight leading arm. Of course you can do the same by practicing and playing with GOLFSTR+ on your leading arm.

Rory has an amazing straight arm in the back swing. Focus and consistency pays off.

Both were really consistent with long drives in that thrilling match.  Adam  was 4 strokes ahead when they started the day and that was quite a challenge for Rory.  It was still wonderful to see the perfection in both of their games.

Putting:
Scott’s long putter failed him in the final round again as he missed 6 putts within 10 feet.  It was heart breaking.  Maybe it’s time for Scott to change to the conventional putter.  That long putter will be banned in the PGA rule book in 2016.  Rory definitely putts with a flat wrist.  Of course Scott is using the long putter handle to avoid bending his wrist during his putting stroke.   Why not practice with GOLFSTR+ to ensure that your wrist is flat throughout the putting stroke.   It certainly helped Rory in the Aussie Open.

I love watching this game and dreaming about wonderful shots in my game.  I hope you have the same passion.

GOLFSTR+ is designed to help you Swing like a Pro For Every Swing in Your Game.  It’s a GREAT GIFT for any golfer to correct 6 fatal flaws.   It give you 6 training aids in 1 product.  What a great opportunity for every golfer to learn to Swing Like a Pro.

Buy NOW at www.golfstr.com or call 1-855-799-9695 and enter Coupon Code:  golfstr   and SAVE $10.

As this year draws to an end, it’s important to understand your successes and then make them your launch pad for the future.  GOLFSTR owes its success to the community and now depends on the world community to move to the next level.

GOLFSTR was born from ideas shared by our friends and golf pros.   Many people with golf swing problems helped this product evolve to offer you 6 Training Aid uses.  We are now providing a $10 discount as incentive for you to give the gift of an improved golf swing to your friends and family: For Every Swing in Their Game.

The production of GOLFSTR was born as a cottage industry.   With help from 8 home sewers and a plastic company who converted a pizza oven to create our first prototypes to fill our first 1,000 orders.  With encouragement from our user community we decided to launch to the world.

The Original Use of GOLFSTR: Trains you to keep your leading arm straight in the back swing. Wear it while you play 18 holes and see your game improve.

To assemble our product and packaging we chose Best Pack.  It’s a local company which raises funds to help empower people with a developmental disability to be all they can be.  Their goal is to provide a competitive work environment for challenged people.  Although Best Pack is a for profit company all proceeds of their work are donated to improve the quality of life for individuals in our community to live in a state of dignity.  We are pleased that your purchase of a GOLFSTR is helping your golf game and giving back to the community.

GOLFSTR was developed for the single use of training golfers to swing with a straight leading arm.  Fortunately our world community of users alerted us to the many ways that they are using GOLFSTR to improve their game.  We added a Rubber Extender to give our users more performance options and 5 more ways to use GOLFSTR.  Thanks to our user community we have renamed it GOLFSTR+ with 6 uses.

We love your testimonials so keep them coming.  CLICK HERE to check them out on our Testimonial Page on our website.   Here’s one that was just published in the Nov/Dec 2013 Issue, Southern California Golf Association page 53:  Robert Sacks:  “I found that after using it for a while, I was hitting shots straighter.  The product gave me feedback on when to stop the backswing and forces you NOT to over swing.  Instead, it lets you take a proper backswing that helps you keep the ball straighter and longer.”   CLICK HERE to view the magazine.

GOLFSTR+ Retail Gift Package

Why not give the gift that keeps on giving — All Year Long.  Your friends will be amazed throughout the year.  GOLFSTR+ is the ideal gift for any golfer so when you buy now until the end of  2013 it comes in a retail gift pack.  Buy it on www.golfstr.com [OR  call 1-855-799-9695] and get $10 off when you enter Coupon Code:     golfstr

Happy Thanksgiving  and Hit’m Straight