The Solution To Golf

Mastering Four Footers

2011-03-31T10:20:00.002-05:00

===================================================
Is there any golfer who hasn't taken a four-foot putt for granted? We've all done it sometime in our playing careers. We miss short putts because we fail to execute the fundamentals. Instead, we commit any number of putting errors, from moving our heads to not squaring the clubface. The result: a missed putt and another stroke added to your score. Learn to hole these putts consistently and you'll shave strokes from your golf handicap.

Below are three keys to sinking four-foot putts:

* Keep your head still
* Stroke with your shoulders
* Focus on a squaring face

Peeking is probably the biggest fault on short putts. If your eyes move, your head moves. If your head moves, your body moves, throwing your stroke off line. A good drill to conquer this tendency is to place a dime on the green four feet from the hole. Place a ball on the dime. Now stroke the putt. Make sure you see the dime after the putt.

Another big fault with four-foot putts is not using your shoulders. Because the putt is so short, we tend to use just our hands and arms and pop the ball at the hole. That seldom works. Instead, focus on rocking your shoulders as you do with longer putts. That improves consistency.

A third fault with four-foot putts is failing to square the clubface. Direction is the key on short putts like these. The ball will go wherever you're pointing the clubface. So if the clubface is off, your shot will be off. Trying squaring the clubface before you take your stance. On longer putts, the face will rotate open then closed. On short putts the clubface should always point at the hole.

Don't take four-foot putts for granted. Execute the fundamentals correctly and you won't miss them.

Rhythm of the Golf Swing

2011-01-09T10:56:00.001-05:00

Power on the Tip of Your Tongue

2010-11-25T12:02:00.000-05:00

Anyone interested in adding an extra 10 - 20 yards to your drives
instantly?

Just follow this quick tip and you'll have to go through and re-do
all of your yardages for every club in your bag.

The secret is not some core rotational exercise (although those can
be awesome).

No, this is so simple that you won't believe it until you try it.

It's all about the placement of YOUR TONGUE!

I first learned about the position of the tongue increasing overall
strength while over in India. One of my gurus would explain that
it helped to "complete the circuit" and give him strength and
stamina while holding static Yoga poses.

Of course it sounded kinda weird, but then again, this dude could
hold a handstand for over an hour! He probably only stopped there
out of boredom. But the guy was definitely onto something.

Now he didn't even know what golf was - but of course I'm ALWAYS
relating everything to how it can improve our golf games, so here
it goes -

Here's all you have to do:

Gently place your tongue up on the roof of your mouth, with the tip
resting against the back of your front top teeth. Gently hold it
in that position while you swing.

This will "close the circuit"...whatever the hell that means.

Actually, I do know at least one theory, but let's just keep this
results-oriented.

Let me be clear about this - it should be gentle and subtle. Do
NOT focus on it so that it becomes yet another swing thought.

To try this out for yourself, simply go to the range and warm up.
Then pick a club and hit 10 ball "without tongue" and note the
distance. Then hit 10 ball "with tongue" and compare. Be sure to
compare only those shots with similar quality of contact.

The chances are very good that you will notice increased distance
when you "add a little tongue".

I'll tell you what...if it doesn't work for you, I'll hold a
handstand for an hour, or break my neck trying!

Be a Renegade,

Coach Stephen
www.RenegadeMentalGolf.com

Fine Tune Your Tempo

2010-03-10T10:10:00.002-05:00

Tempo Defined
==============
Tempo is the time it takes to complete a full swing. For the most part,it's geared to a golfer's personality. If you're deliberate, your tempois likely to be somewhat slower than a person who's more fast-paced.And vice versa. When you're playing well, your tempo is pretty muchthe same on every full shot. But when your tempo goes, your game goesas well. That's why you play well one day and poorly the next. It would be great if you could play at your best tempo every day. But that's not realistic. Some days you're more energized. On those days you may have a faster swing tempo than your ideal tempo. Other days,it's just the opposite. You feel more lethargic or weaker. On thosedays you may have a slower swing tempo than your ideal. If you'regoing to lower your golf handicap, learn to adjust to your swing tempoon days where you don't have your ideal swing tempo.Even if tempo were a popular topic, developing an appreciation forit isn't easy. It takes hard work. Below are two drills that will helpyou determine and learn to appreciate swing tempo. These drill not onlyfamiliarize you with different swing tempos, they also teach you to coordinate the movement of your body and club to produce solid contactat any tempo.

================
Four Ball Drill
================
Tee up four balls in a row.
Address the one closest to you and hit at25 percent of your standard swing speed.
Now move to the next ball. Hit this one at 50 percent of your normal swing speed.
Hit the third ball at 75 percent speed.
Hit the last ball at full speed.
Perform the drill a few times. Focus on the feel of the different speeds. You goal is to not slow down or speed up your swing in order to hityour ball longer or straighter.

====================
Follow-Through Drill
====================
Address the ball. Raise the club head off the ground slightly.
Move it forward to a position a foot or so into the follow-through, and start swinging.
Guide the club head back over the ball, complete your backswing,and swing through the ball all in one motion.
Repeat this exercise several times.
Continue for a while. Eventually, you'll develop a feel for your swing tempo.Tempo is a critical, but much overlooked fundamental. If you're going to develop a swing that helps you cut strokes from you golf handicap,you must develop a feel for you natural swing speed. You must also develop a feel for when you're not swinging the club at your ideal swing speed,and learn how to adjust on days you swinging at your natural swing tempo. The two drills described above will help you fine-tune your tempo.

Go with the Flow

2009-10-15T10:17:00.001-05:00

"The great martial arts instructors talk often about pulling as your
opponent is pushing. What does this mean? Basically, it's a simple
way of maintaining balance.

Think of it this way...If your opponent pushes you in the chest with all of his force...and
you resist...it won't take long before you lose balance.

But if instead of resisting, you let your body step backward -- you
would easily keep balance. This is a great example of not fighting
the laws of nature.Another example is water. Imagine a river finding it's way.

It doesn't try and ram it's way trough a rock wall. It's just meanders
around the wall -- basically taking the path of least resistance.To me, great golf is a lot like these two examples.

And in turn, poor golf is like standing your ground against that
opponent - instead of stepping backward. Or, like water ramming
against the rock wall - instead of gently finding it's way around.How does that relate to you and the golf course?Too many times I see people struggle instead of taking what the
golf course gives. Or, for that matter, struggling with their game -- in a
quest for perfection -- instead of playing with what they have on
a given day...or just going with the flow.Tour professionals understand this.

Well, at least the best ones do.

They know that there are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of ways
to achieve the same result. And when it comes right down to it --
the result -- or a good score -- is all that matters.

On one day, their swing might be so good that getting around the
golf course is easy. But maybe their putting doesn't feel all that great.
So, even though their swing is great -- they still only manage two or
three under par.

But on the next day, their putter comes alive -- but their swing feel
goes slightly dormant. They hit less greens - but make lots of par
putts and take advantage of the greens they do hit.

But the net result is the same -- two or three under par.

They understand that golf is a marathon -- not a sprint -- so they
take this in stride. They'll wait for those days when everything clicks
- but aren't consumed with it happening each time they tee it up.This can happen with course conditions just as easy.

One day, on a par four, you could hit driver within a short iron of the
green. But the next Saturday, when the wind shifts a little, it might
turn into a hybrid or fairway wood. The golf course is constantly
changing, which to me, is one of the things that makes this game
so special.

But if you don't embrace that change and expect to end up in the
same spot every time -- you will end up a seriously frustrated golfer.These are some of the reasons why it's difficult to follow up a
great round with another great round.

Say the last time you played -- you were 2 under by the 6th hole
-- but now you are 1 over -- so it's very easy to think "what's
happening here?"

Or, "why am I so bad today when I was so good yesterday?"

Part of it could be some simple fundamentals ... but mostly -- it's
about just being at peace with the game.

And knowing that no one masters golf.

This is why Tiger Woods doesn't shoot 54 every time he plays.

Or why Ben Hogan would always wake up from his famous dream
on the 18th hole -- right after making 17 straight birdies. Even in
his dreams he couldn't master this game.Can taking a more serene approach help you score better? Absolutely!

Here are a few things that could help you go with the flow on the
golf course...
1. Understand that golf course conditions are ever-changing -- so it's
impossible to duplicate your play each time out.
2. Develop a balanced game -- with emphasis on the short game --
so when you don't have a solid swing -- you still have chances to
shoot your handicap.
3. Take each shot and each round on it's own merit. Don't compare
past rounds and past shots. Just take what you have in front of you
-- with whatever physical tools you have for that given day -- and
make a plan accordingly.
4. Understand that your score on a given day doesn't define you as
a golfer. Sometimes -- a lot of times actually -- luck plays a huge
part in this game. I know Gary Player said "the more he practiced,
the luckier he got" -- but somethings are just outside of your control.

Know that and be OK with it.As strange as it sounds -- you may have to think about and practice
going with the flow.

Swing with Balance

2009-09-22T09:10:00.002-05:00

Just about every weekend golfer would like to have a balanced finish to his or her swing, one that looks like the pros' finish. Why shouldn't you want to copy the pros? They're pretty good, aren't they. A comfortable, balanced finish to a golf swing offers numerous benefits. It not only looks great, it also places less stress on your body. And for those who haven't guessed it, it also works better. Anything that works better generally takes strokes off your golf handicap. Unfortunately, many golfers lose their balance during their swings. Some spend hours trying to eliminate this flaw to no avail, despite taking golf lessons and studying golf tips in magazines and newsletters. That's because their corrective methods don't work. They may help for a short while, but in time, the golfer reverts to his or her old habits. Thus, an off-balance swing stays that way. Until they achieve proper balance, cutting strokes off their golf handicaps may be difficult to do.

Clubface Controls Balance What most golfers don't realize is that it's the clubface that controls balance. That's right. It's the clubface, not the body. Basically, our body is designed for making balanced, athletic moves, if it's allowed to do so. That's the key—allowing our bodies to make those balanced, athletic moves. Controlling the clubface enables your body to make those balanced, athletic moves.

The key for controlling the clubface in your swing is quite simply. Once you learn to properly position of the clubface through the swing, achieving proper balance in your swing is a snap. In fact, you'll be amazed at just how much more balanced—and powerful—your golf swing feels. But first you need to understand the swing's mechanics and how different moves affect balance.

Two Common MistakesTwo common mistakes golfers make tend to create an off-balance swing. Closing the clubface during the backswing is one. This mistake not only throws the golfer off balance but it also contributes to a reverse pivot. In fact, it's the main cause of a reverse pivot. That's because the body's natural reaction to a closed clubface is to shift the weight toward your front foot. A closed clubface also causes an instinctive hanging back on the right side during transition, creating poor contact and short-circuiting power.

The second mistake that causes an off-balance swing is over-rotating the arms, which leaves the clubface open. This move causes an overly flat rotation of the shoulders and a stranding of body weight behind the ball. More importantly, the move makes it difficult to get back on plane in the downswing and forces the body to move outside and around on the forward swing. This, in turn, makes most golfers fall toward the ball, creating a jammed impact position with little leverage for power.

Toe-up Drill Improves BalanceThe Toe-up Drill helps eliminates these mistakes and creates a better-balanced, more comfortable swing. The drill, which I've described in my golf tips newsletter, is easy to do at home or the range.

Assume your normal stance. As you start the swing, concentrate on turning the shoulders perpendicular to the spine in the takeaway. Allow your forearms and clubface to rotate naturally with the turn of your shoulders, so that the toe of the club points straight up as it reaches waist high. Do this several times.

When the club reaches your waist, you should feel your body weight move solidly on to your back heel. Instead of feeling weak and powerless, as you would if you over-rotated your arms or closed the clubface, you should feel coiled and powerful.

When you feel comfortable with the takeaway, try swinging to the top. Once there, you want the toe pointing straight down toward the ground. When you reach the top position, allow your arms to drop in an effortless manner and swing through to a simulated post-impact position. For best results, continue working on this drill. Each time you do it swing a little faster until you can swing at full speed. Once you feel confident, hit some balls using this new approach. You'll feel balanced and comfortable with your swing. A better-balanced swing will produce straighter shots and more consistency. Both will help you whittle strokes off your golf handicap.

Four Ways to Use the Hybrid Clubs

2009-06-04T11:14:00.002-05:00

By now, you've probably thought about or have a hybrid in your bag. If you have and you're using it, you know it's a good replacements for your 3- and 4-irons. A hybrid is shorter and easier to hit than a long iron. It doesn't take as long to learn to swing. And it hits the ball higher, making it idealfor shots in the fairway that must land softly on the green.But the hybrid is one of golf's most versatile clubs. It can beused in a variety of locations other than the fairway, like thefringe, the rough, the tee, and even a bunker, and in situationswhere you need to save strokes. Learn to hit a hybrid well andyou'll chop strokes off your golf handicap. Let's look at four ways this club can improve your game.

===========The Bunker===========A hybrid works well in a fairway bunker, as long as the lip isn't too high. You can hit this shot the same way you hit a normal hybrid shot, except for one adjustment--ball position. It's the key to making the shot. If the ball is too far backin your stance, you'll top it. If it's too far forward, you'll hit it fat. The best position is about an inch backof where you normally hit a hybrid. As you swing, keep yourfeet planted as much as possible and your weight centered.This steepens your swing and ensures first ball contact.

=============Bump and Run=============The key to the bump and run, is getting the ball on the ground as quickly as possible. The sooner it's on the ground,the more control you have over it. With the hybrid, the ballstarts rolling quickly, making it easy to gauge distance. Keeping the ball low to the ground is also one of the bestways of achieving consistency with this shot.The key to hitting the bump and run is choking down on theclub and holding it with a putting style grip. The idea isto emulate your putting stroke. Use a square-to-square stroketo achieve more accuracy and limit wrist movement, making it easier to judge speed and distance. Using the hybrid helpsyou get up and down successfully more often in this situation.

==============On the Collar==============No one likes playing a ball that's up against the collar.You're never sure how to play it or what club to use, the putter or the wedge. If those two choices don't thrill you,try a hybrid. It offers benefits the other clubs don't.It has a longer, wider sole, making it easier to hit solidlyand giving you a wider margin for error. More importantly,it won't slip under the ball or get stuck in the grass,as with a putter or a wedge.Address the ball with a putter style grip, but don't choke up.With the ball in the back of your stance, press the hands forward.On the backswing, cock your wrists to lift the clubhead slightlyand then swing downward on the downswing. Allowing your wriststo hinge slightly helps lift the club from the collar on thebackswing. The ball will pop and roll in a hurry, so read the green before hitting the shot and plan accordingly.

==============Above the Pin==============Here's a shot that I've never mentioned in my golf tips,but can save strokes. When a ball ends up in the light roughon the high side of a pin, most players assume that a puttor a lob would be your only choices. But a hybrid works justas well, as long as you know exactly where to get the ballrolling on the green. Plus, it's a safer shot than a wedge.First, make sure there's room to get the club behind the ball.Then address the ball like a normal chip, with your handsslightly forward and the majority of your weight on yourforward side. Your head should be directly over the ball.Chip the ball so it lands in the rough, not the fringe.The hybrid's extra momentum causes the ball to roll forward through the rough. It will then roll softly onto the green.If you really want to lower that golf handicap, learn to hitthe hybrid in the situations mentioned above. You can also useit in the fairway or the rough. Keep those in mind as well.However you use it, the hybrid is a versatile club that canshave strokes off your scores. Think about adding to your bag if you haven't already.

Power From The Tip of Your Tongue

2009-04-22T08:00:00.003-05:00

Anyone interested in adding an extra 10 - 20 yards to your drivesinstantly?Just follow this quick tip and you'll have to go through and re-do all of your yardages for every club in your bag.

The secret is not some core rotational exercise (although those can be awesome).No, this is so simple that you won't believe it until you try it. It's all about the placement of YOUR TONGUE!

I first learned about the position of the tongue increasing overallstrength while over in India. One of my gurus would explain thatit helped to "complete the circuit" and give him strength andstamina while holding static Yoga poses. Of course it sounded kinda weird, but then again, this dude couldhold a handstand for over an hour! He probably only stopped thereout of boredom. But the guy was definitely onto something.

Now he didn't even know what golf was - but of course I'm ALWAYS relating everything to how it can improve our golf games, so hereit goes -Here's all you have to do: Gently place your tongue up on the roof of your mouth, with the tipresting against the back of your front top teeth. Gently hold it in that position while you swing. This will "close the circuit"...whatever the hell that means. Actually, I do know at least one theory, but let's just keep thisresults-oriented. Let me be clear about this - it should be gentle and subtle. Do NOT focus on it so that it becomes yet another swing thought.

To try this out for yourself, simply go to the range and warm up. Then pick a club and hit 10 ball "without tongue" and note the distance. Then hit 10 ball "with tongue" and compare. Be sure to compare only those shots with similar quality of contact.The chances are very good that you will notice increased distance when you "add a little tongue".

Using The Chi Putt

2009-04-06T09:03:00.000-05:00

Long putts are difficult for many
golfers because of the length of
the stroke, it is much longer than
can be comfortably achieved.

In addition, they dont get a good
view of the ball because they are
in their putting crouch, and it is
difficult to judge distance
accurately.

Golfer Dave Pelz has developed a
shot called the "Chiputt", this
shot combines the best of the chip
and putt qualities.

Standing tall, nearly straight, is
one of the usual techniques called
for in chipping. This makes it
easy to judge distance and see the
hole while getting a sense of line
for the shot.

It allows a smooth, long swing
which sends the ball the correct
distance. Chip shots are made
from the back of your stance,
causing the ball to come off low
and with power.

The chiputt starts with a tall
stance, and doing the same thing
with it makes rolling the ball a
long distance easier.

Hold your putter as you would when
making a ship shot. Dont crouch
as in a putting stance, put feet
together with a small space
between them, you aim left of the
hole.

Place the ball halfway between the
ankles, since your feet are closer
together, its is back in your
stance, which is behind your
breastbone.

Leading the clubhead with your
hands, make a long, rhythmic
stroke into the ball. You may
want to allow the body to turn
slightly during long putts to
maintain a natural rhythm.

As with any new shot in golf,
practice it a lot before putting
it to use in your game, you will
find that it is quite effective
once you have learned its use.

This is also a great shot when you
are off the green with short
grass, fairway and putting surface
the only thing between you and the
hole.

Be A Solid Ball Striker - Stack and Tilt

2009-04-06T08:48:00.004-05:00

The Lumpy Donut

2009-01-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

A condition cause by golfers on
every green in the world has been
titled the "Lumpy Donut", it
occurs with the first group of
golfers in the morning and is
there the remainder of the day.

Think about this; a normal
foursome will put about 500
footprints on the grass around the
hole; it takes two hours for a
footprint to bounce back to its
standing length.

In that amount of time however,
thousand more footprints have been
added to this green.

This has caused the grass and the
soil to be squished, flattened and
stomped on nearly everywhere on
the green. The only place not
affected by this phenomenon is
directly around the cup.

Golfers seldom step within a foot
of the cup, what this creates is a
two foot area around the cup where
the grass has not been touched, in
this area the grass is a little
higher than the rest of the grass
on the green.

This is what creates the "Lumpy
Donut" or a raised circle of grass
with the cup in the middle!

When a ball rolls toward the hole
it finds a man made hazard, as it
slows down to enter the hole, it
suddenly comes upon this ramp in
the grass, which tends to make it
roll off and to the side.

No matter how strong your putt is,
the "Lumpy Donut" can throw it
off, maybe not by much, but by
enough to make you miss your putt.

The way to deal with this is to
strike your ball with enough speed
that if it rolled directly over
the hole, and didnt fall in, it
would stop 17 inches on the other
side of the hole.

This is the perfect way to deal
with the lumpy donut, enough speed
to get the ball up the ramp, but
slow enough to allow it to fall
into the cup.

The Pendulum Putting Stroke

2008-12-20T11:06:00.001-05:00

There are several ingredients to a
pendulum stroke, the first is a
consistent rhythm, and the second
is the triangle created by your
arms and shoulders.

This triangle must remain in tact
throughout the stroke for it to be
effective. The third is the
creation of a swinging pendulum
around a fixed point.

Standing in your stance, hold the
end of the putter loosely to your
breastbone.

The natural, back and forth swing
is what is called the pendulum,
this is what you should base your
pendulum on.

Watch this motion in a mirror and
you will see what this stroke
should look like during a putt.

Because the pendulum you are
creating is attached to a putter
and two arms the motion will be
slightly different.

Swing the triangle created by your
arms and shoulders without any
added motion from the arms or
hands and you will develop the
perfect pendulum, a smooth and
rhythmic shot that you can depend
on.
How to feel a pendulum shot:

*Hold you putter and take your
stance

*Do not move your body, but slide
the putter up until it touches
your breastbone

*Now re-grip wherever your hands
automatically fall on the putter,
somewhere near the head

*In this position it should be
nearly impossible to move any part
of your hands or arms other than
the shoulders.

*Keep the grip against your chest
and rock your shoulders back and
forth, this is how a good pendulum
stroke should feel

Once you have learned to use the
pendulum stroke properly, your
rhythm should come naturally.
Like the pendulum of a metronome
your swing should be consistent,
with a constant tempo.

In putting all of your strokes
should be the same rhythm, no
matter what the length of the
stroke is.

Practice Your Putting

2008-12-12T08:55:00.001-05:00

Putting is one of the easier parts
of golf to practice, and if you
are serious about improving your
game, the time spent practicing is
well worth it.

And here's some tips to help you
start:
A small area of bare floor or
carpeting can suffice for
practicing putting, you do not
need a practice green or a sand
trap.

You can practice any time you have
a few minutes, at home, at the
office (make sure this wont get
you in trouble), or while watching
the pros on television.

Indoor practice is also a good
time to practice a few minutes
with two clubs on the floor
working on your straight-back,
straight-through shots.

If possible set up in front of a
full length mirror and check you
pendulum swing.

You can use a straight line on
your floor or carpet to check the
movement of the putterhead during
your strokes.

Practice the 17 inch rule by
dropping a coin on the floor and
trying to roll a ball over it
stopping 17 inches behind it.

You can also try putting with your
eyes closed, or practice putting
25 in a row in the same area.
These are all things you can do on
the outdoor practice green when
possible.

It is unlikely that you will ever
find a green as bumpy as your
carpet (even the smoothest of
carpet is worse the most greens)
or as fast as the hardwood floor.

However, using these extreme
surfaces helps develop better
touch, and allows you to learn to
contact the sweetspot.

Practice is not just rolling the
ball into a cup, it involves
trying different stroke speeds,
accelerating and decelerating your
strokes, and eliminate wrist
break. There is no end to the
things you can practice during
putting practice in doors.

Making a few practice putts before
any round is always advisable; it
allows you to judge the green and
moisture in the grass.

Practicing a few minutes every day
for a couple of weeks will cause a
noticeable improvement in your
putting.

Putting Downhill

2008-11-06T09:22:00.000-05:00

To many golfers, putting downhill
is their worst nightmare! Unlike
uphill putting where the back of
the cup is slightly higher than
the front and acts as a backstop,
in downhill shots, the back of the
cup is slightly lower.

If the shot is too hard, the ball
can go over the lip and the back
wont stop it in the least.

In addition, when putting downhill
it is common for the ball to roll
quite a bit further than the
golfer planned. The key is a putt
that is soft enough to just topple
the ball into the hole.

What usually happens is that they
decelerate during the
through-stroke, tightening their
muscles and opening the club face
which starts the ball off the
target line, even if it catches
the lip, it spins violently out of
the cup and because it is downhill
it rolls to far to be a tap in.

There are two ways taught to avoid
the problems of a downhill putt,
the first is to strike the ball
with the toe of the putter.

Hitting away from the sweetspot
(or the best point on the club) it
applies less force causing the
ball to roll more slowly.

With this method however, you take
the chance of opening up the
putter face which causes a putt to
the right. Gripping the putter a
little more tightly keeps the face
from opening (turning).

Another means is to choke down on
the putter, in some instances
actually gripping the shaft rather
than the handle. This effectively
shortens the club allowing less
power on impact.

If the downhill is extreme, dont
be afraid to grip almost to the
putter face, it is more difficult,
but can be done with practice.

After learning and practicing this
method, you will find it is easy
to hit a short, controllable
distance, even on a fast downhill

Slow and Easy Does It

2008-09-26T08:16:00.000-05:00

It's a BIG problem for most high handicappers and goes
something like this:

You're in the tee box staring down a 450 yard par 5. You need a
good long drive here. So you take a couple easy practice swings
with your driver... line up your shot... take the club back...
then -- somewhere in the back of your mind -- a little voice
whispers to unload with everything you have.

And that's where the problem lies.

You should NOT be thinking about "unloading" anything at the
top of your swing. This leads to one of the biggest
power-robbers ever conceived by man or beast -- the dreaded
"yank" from the top. It activates your left shoulder, arms and
hands (ALL of which should remain loose and tension free) and
promotes a poor pivot (because your brain thinks your power is
coming from the "yank" -- which is doesn't. It comes from the
PIVOT).

The classic "yank" also results in your arms and hands coming
"over-the-top", pulling the club off-plane, and eratic shots
that spray the course like buck shot.

Okay... so here's the big tip of the day.

You must think "slower" and allow your pivot to take over your
swing. Let the club accelerate near the ball instead of
"blowing your wad" at the top. Think to yourself "I'm just
gonna hit a nice easy shot about 180 yards". Do that and "whap"
-- suddenly your shots are longer, straighter, and a heck of a
lot more consistent.

Don't worry about how long you need to hit it, or "hitting it
hard", or getting the club to the ball quickly, or anything
like that. This is what prompts your brain into activating the
"yank".

Instead be patient and concentrate on keeping your left
shoulder, your arms and wrists loose and limber.

Do this and you'll instantly have a slower, smoother,
effortless looking power swing (your buddies will swear
you're just coasting).

If it feels fast, it's not. If it feels slow and easy, it's
fast. How's that for irony.

No More First Tee Jitters

2008-09-26T08:11:00.001-05:00

Without doubt -

- it is one of the most common problems in golf - the first tee jitters -

Luckily for you and I have a proven solution!

... courteous of George Beardsley.

He describes his magic formula to beating
your first tee jitters right here :

"People go from the driving range, where they
are relaxed and calm, to the first tee, where
they are anxious and nervous.

What causes this?

Could be a number of things

- from stage fright to uncertainty of technique.

But what ever the reason

-- there is one simple exercise that can help you
hit your best first tee shot.

When we're nervous or stressed, our heart rate
speeds up

-- so we have to slow it down.

And learning to breath properly is the quickest
way to get your heart rate under control.

So, before your next round of golf

-- try this simple breathing technique and you'll
find it much easier to hit that opening tee shot.

Start this process 10 minutes before tee off.

Get by yourself somewhere, whether on the range,
putting green or just off the first tee.

Then, clear your head and begin this simple
method to slow your heart rate.

** 4-7-8 Breathing Method **

Sit with your back straight.

Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge
of tissue just behind your upper front teeth,
and keep it there throughout the exercise.

Exhale through your mouth around your tongue
with your lips slightly pursed.

Follow these steps :

1. Empty your lungs, making a wooshing sound

2. Close your mouth and inhale through your
nose to a Mental count of 4.

3. Hold your breath for a count of 7.

4. Again, blow through your mouth. making a
wooshing sound to a count of 8.

** This is one breath.

Repeat the cycle 9 more times for a total
of 10 breaths.

Do it once or twice throughout the round in
stressful situations.

As you are doing your breathing exercises,
visualize the first tee shot and your ball
going right down the middle."

Hit the Driver 300+ Yards

2008-09-09T09:23:00.000-05:00

Hitting a Stright Putt

2008-07-03T11:55:00.001-05:00

Many golfers subconsciously make
the mistake of changing their
stance when working on a breaking
putt.

They may open their stance to
allow the ball to start a little
higher, or close it for the ball
to start a little lower.

These are moves that are usually
learned after they have had the
experience to know that they are
not playing enough break. It
would be much better for them to
aim farther away and make a
straight stroke.

Following the theory that every
putt is a straight putt; even if
it breaks you want to use a
straight stroke towards the target.

When shooting a breaking putt, the
target is no longer the hole; it
is a point to the side of the
hole. Aim for that point, make a
straight shot and let the slope of
the land move the ball into the
hole.

Avoid steering the putt into the
hole, read the green and decide on
your target, and putt at the right
speed to the target.

Dont think about the hole in a
breaking putt, or you may
subconsciously adjust your putt to
the hole. The target is what you
want to think about, it becomes
your hole.

It is common for golfers not to
like to play break, what they do
is hit the ball harder to minimize
the slopes influence.

However, hitting the putt harder
means that if the putt misses, the
ball travels a lot further, making
it harder to get the putt in the
next shot.

Breaking putts should only be hit
harder when they are short and
uphill and you want to make sure
you get the ball to the hole.

Thinking of a putt as straight
when you know it will break is
difficult, but you must continue
to use a straight stroke to learn
to consistently hit the right putt
for a break.

Your putting will only improve by
continually, in every situation,
using a straight stroke.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball !!!

2008-04-28T07:12:00.001-05:00

You hear this mantra in every sport - keep your
eye on the ball!

It's a perfect chant for the golf player at every
turn. If you can't see the ball clearly, your chances
of hitting it are slim to none!

When you look at the ball, you want to keep your
eyes on one spot. Don't look at your club to see
if it's squared to the ball. Don't let your eye
follow the club as you draw it away

Just focus on the ball - nothing else.

Also, when you look at the ball, try to get a bird's
eye view of it. Your eyes are about a foot above the
pivotal center so raising your shoulders isn't going
to help you see the ball better.

Don't gaze at the ball along the line of the shaft
of your club.

Look down on the ball rather than get your angles
along the shaft.

This will give you much better results and you won't
have a tendency to look up too soon.

Now, there's a natural tendency in everyone to look
away when you start to draw the club back. Ignore that
tendency and just keep looking down on top of the ball.

When you're looking down you'll notice that (if you're
leaning over properly) the only way you can keep the
club head in the line of flight is to keep your hands
moving along parallel with that line.

Sweep your hands along with the club head while the
ball and head are in contact.

Mastering the skill of seeing the ball clearly until
you hit it is true of every kind of shot. Whether the
ball is in long grass, on an up or down slope, no matter
what's around you -the main thing is to see the ball
clearly to hit it accurately.

Very few golfers stand still when looking at the ball
and concentrate their attention on seeing the ball
clearly.

A lot of the times people will give a glance in the
direction they want the ball to go, then they look
back at the ball.

Many golfers would be shocked to find out that they
don't stand still and keep their eye on the ball. The
second your gaze shifts from the ball during any part
of the swing, problems occur.

Really, a lack of concentration is responsible for
most golfing mistakes. You can hit the ball well when
you can clearly see the ball at every point in your
swing from start to finish.

If you want to wipe out one of the worst golf faults,
determine that from the top of your swing until you hit
the ball you will keep your eye clearly on the ball.

You'll find your golf game improving so significantly
- your friends may start asking you for lessons!

15 Hot Golf Tips

2008-03-24T07:14:00.000-05:00

1. Always always warm up by hitting some balls on the range
before you start. Don't go through the usually-taught routine
of starting with your wedges and working your way up to the
driver.

That's practicing.

Just do some stretches and get a swing weight or use 2 clubs
together to get your muscles going. Then, hit shots on the
range like you will be playing on the course.

Pretend you just got to the course with no time for warmup and
have to go straight to the first tee. Get rid of those first
few bad holes before you get to the first tee.

Start right off with the club you will use off the first tee,
probably driver. Hit your next shot based on how well you hit
your first shot and what the hole demands.

SIMULATE ACTUAL PLAYING CONDITIONS on the range.

This is what you would do if you showed up late right?

And it takes a few holes before you get to scoring well right?

Doing the old standard warmup routine of hitting 5 shots of
each club is nothing like you will be doing on the course.
But this will mentally prepare you to play!

2. Understand that you CAN hit the ball well while nervous.
Those first tee jitters happen to even the best pros. Use
some loosening movements, like shoulder shrugs, and then just
tell yourself that you are going to accept your nervousness
and still hit the ball well.

Tommy Bolt said: "stomach butterflies are ok as long as they
are flying in formation".

3. From here on out, you are done berating yourself for bad
shots. If you were playing a best ball or scramble with partners,
and they hit a bad shot, would you tell them: "that shot was
sorry, boy you stink at this game"?

NO you wouldn't because you know it would only hurt their
confidence and their game and you need them to play well.

So why in the world do we do that to ourselves when the same
results come from talking bad to ourself?

4. Did you ever notice that you play better when you are on
vacation? Or right after hearing some good news?

This isn't a coincidence and you can put yourself back in that
place at any time and get the same benefit. Just spend some
moments during the round remembering some great events in your
life.

Force yourself to smile more often. You cannot have negative
thoughts while honestly smiling.

5. Spend some time learning the rules! I guarantee you that
you have left strokes out on the course because you didn't know
about a rule that would have helped you. I'll be passing some
good ideas for you in future emails about this.

6. Forget your score. Don't even look at the scorecard. Have a
partner do all the scoring from now on unless of course you are
in a tournament and you need to know for strategic reasons.

But even then, you can turn that over to your caddy. All you're
going to think about from now on is THIS NEXT SHOT!

7. Control anger and frustration. Turn it into FOCUSED ENERGY!
Sam Snead talked of playing "Cool Mad". When something gets to
you at work, you usually can't cuss and yell and so you are able
to control it at work.

Use that same skill you developed there on the course. Playing
angry is like adding a stroke to every hole, and I know you've
experienced that!

8. Whenever you are waiting to tee up, you should be chipping.
It's perfectly within the rules. Chip to specific distances you
have paced off. Pay attention to the lie you have and the reaction
off the club for that lie.

Get your 10 yard chip down COLD because you will use it this
round and it WILL save you strokes.

9. Whenever nobody is behind you and you finish up a green, you
should be putting a few more times to get the feel, speed and
read of the greens of that round. Again, within the rules.

10. Drink more water! Yep, there is no easier way to reduce your
score on any given round. Lack of water will simply make you
tired and lethargic. You will lose focus.

One moment of low concentration can equal one bad swing that can
easily turn into a double, triple or worse bogey.

11. When in doubt, use more club. If you feel you are in between
clubs, take the higher one and grip down a half inch. Keep the
same swing and tempo, don't slow the swing down to adjust.

12. From here on out, once you decide on a club or a specific shot.
Don't look back. Commit to it. Confidence is far more important
according to all the golf psychologists than making the "correct choice."

Brad Faxon said: "It's more important to be decisive than correct.

As far as I'm concerned if you're decisive, you are correct.

The closer to the hole, the more valuable that philosophy becomes"

13. Change your mindset from "How many pars and birdies can I make
today" to: "I will have zero balloon score holes today".

I know you've done this. You finish a round, go to the 19th hole,
tally up your score and then kid yourself by saying "I played pretty
well today except for that triple on #8 and double on #17".

I hate to tell you this, but, those holes count too. When playing
for zero balloon scores, you will be playing a lot smarter. More
on this coming emails.

14. Forget that old school teaching that says you have to "identify
your weaknesses." You know darn well what holds you back in your
game. Start focusing this round, for every shot on what you do well.

ON WHAT WENT RIGHT! Build a storage of good things you are capable
of to come back to time and time again. When you do something bad,
quickly analyze it for what can be learned AND THEN FORGET IT! FOREVER!

15. For putting, you can solve most of your problems with this one
tip: Always hold your finish. Hold your putter in the air, pointing
at the target after you stroke the ball.If you do this, it is necessary
that you had to have had a smooth, controlled stroke and didn't jab at it.

This is big and it works for every putting style. Do it!

How to Develop a Fluid Golf Swing

2008-03-23T09:52:00.002-05:00

Every golf player knows it from experience.
Tensing up during play courts disaster.

Your golf swing should be easy and fluid.
But just how do you develop that kind of
free swing?

The real pivotal center of the stroke isn't
the hands wrist or head. It's the point
exactly between the two shoulders.

All of the muscles of the body are below that
pivotal center in action and putting energy in
propelling the club forward.

Now let's address the muscles that are controlling
the head. If you keep your head still, you can
preserve the pivotal center constant in relation
to the ball.

Balance is paramount and if your arms are straight,
the elbows are bent and you hit the ball at the toe
of the club instead of the center of the face, this
will give you the correct distance.

When you come back to the ball, there's more power
transferred to the arms by the shoulders and back
when the arms are extended than when they are bent.

So you have more narrowly a fixed guide for guiding
the club and the club shaft when the club shaft and
the left arm are in line.

When making the swing most players spend too much
time on their address thinking about this angle and
that angle.

What results is they move their heads and stiffen
their muscles. Where's the freedom in this swing?

You will be a better golf player the second you
find the muscles getting tense at any point in the
stroke find a way to loosen up because the tension
will destroy your accuracy and reduce the power of
your swing.

It's an advantage to you to keep your arms well in
toward the body, because it's easier to control the
amount of play you will allow the arms in the downward
stroke if you'recoming down inside the ball than if
you're going beyond it.

So you'll only have to yield a little to reach the
ball. But if you're going beyond the ball you have
to overcome the centrifugal force) (force which tends
to pull the club outward) when pulling in the hands.

So it's a good idea to keep your arms in toward the body.

Let the centrifugal force carry your club out in the
downward swing until it reaches the ball. Then you can
put all your energy in to propelling the club. You won't
need much effort to guide it.

Also, make sure that you don't reach for the ball in
the address because that will stiffen your muscles.

Beginners usually swing too short. Because the amount
of centrifugal force is so great, the beginner will
involuntarily pull in his hands because he's scared
he'll go beyond the ball.

If your hands and arms were in motion in the address it
would be necessary to have them reaching for the ball.

But since they're still, the idea should be to obtain
the easiest and most comfortable position so that as
the player reaches the top of his swing his muscles
won't be tired from holding a set position.

The angles at which you address the ball have little
influence. It's the way you take your gauge at the top
of the swing that counts.

This will give you firmer control of the club with your
left arm or guiding arm than if your left arm was bent.

If you practice these tips, your swing should become
more fluid and free. Above all, relax. Breathe deeply.
Approaching the game with a fun spirit encourages freedom
of movement!

Stop the Yanks! Slow and Easy Does IT

2008-02-21T08:12:00.000-05:00

You're in the tee box staring down a 450 yard par 5. You need a
good long drive here. So you take a couple easy practice swings
with your driver... line up your shot... take the club back...
then -- somewhere in the back of your mind -- a little voice
whispers to unload with everything you have.

And that's where the problem lies.

You should NOT be thinking about "unloading" anything at the
top of your swing. This leads to one of the biggest
power-robbers ever conceived by man or beast -- the dreaded
"yank" from the top. It activates your left shoulder, arms and
hands (ALL of which should remain loose and tension free) and
promotes a poor pivot (because your brain thinks your power is
coming from the "yank" -- which is doesn't. It comes from the
PIVOT).

The classic "yank" also results in your arms and hands coming
"over-the-top", pulling the club off-plane, and eratic shots
that spray the course like buck shot.

Okay... so here's the big tip of the day.

You must think "slower" and allow your pivot to take over your
swing. Let the club accelerate near the ball instead of
"blowing your wad" at the top. Think to yourself "I'm just
gonna hit a nice easy shot about 180 yards". Do that and "whap"
-- suddenly your shots are longer, straighter, and a heck of a
lot more consistent.

Don't worry about how long you need to hit it, or "hitting it
hard", or getting the club to the ball quickly, or anything
like that. This is what prompts your brain into activating the
"yank".

Instead be patient and concentrate on keeping your left
shoulder, your arms and wrists loose and limber.

Do this and you'll instantly have a slower, smoother,
effortless looking power swing (your buddies will swear
you're just coasting).

If it feels fast, it's not. If it feels slow and easy, it's
fast. How's that for irony.

Drive for Show aned Putt for Dough

2008-02-11T07:53:00.000-05:00

Practice makes perfect, and the more you practice
your putting, the better you should become at it.

The other saying that rings true is, "Drive for show
and putt for dough".

You may get the ego boost of being a long hitter,
but at the end of the day, it's those eighteen greens
that you putt on that will have a bigger impact on
your scorecard than those ten tee boxes that you
were able to launch monster drives from.

The key to becoming a better putter is developing
a consistent putting stroke that you can rely on
every time you reach the green.

Putting is one of the few shots in golf that should
not change significantly based on distance and ball
lie.

The best part about practicing your putting is that
it can be done virtually anywhere, whether it be
on the course, on a practice putting green, on a
practice turf mat, or even on the carpet.

Though the surfaces you practice on may be different,
and may cause the ball to roll differently, there is
no replacement for the muscle memory that your body
will gain with each practice stroke.

If you watch the pros putt, you will notice that they
are perfectly still over the ball, and their heads
do not move.

A good drill to help you keep still is to lean your
head against a wall while you take some putting strokes.

You should be able to feel your forehead move against
the wall if you are not perfectly still.

This perpendicular alignment to the wall should also
show you if you are taking the putter head on a
straight line back and forth.

Playing a game called "golf ball bocce" is another
good practice drill, and one you can play at home.

To play the game, take out about five or six golf balls,
including a colored ball.

Putt the colored ball a distance away from you, and then
try to hit the colored ball with the other white balls.

This is a good drill to gauge speed and distance on
flat surfaces, but it gets really fun on practice
greens that have undulations that will force you
to read the break of the green.

Another good drill is called "around the world, and it
should be played on a practice green.

Take four golf balls and place them at equal distances
around the hole (start at three feet away).

Putt around the hole from the same distance until you
can sink all four balls from the various points
surrounding the hole.

Good luck on the greens!

Forward Press for a Smoooth Transition

2008-01-17T09:14:00.000-05:00

WHAT IS A FORWARD PRESS?

The forward press is simply a device that gets us from the
passive into the active stage smoothly, without a jerk.

Standing in a stationary position, even for a few seconds,
is tiring.

THE TRUTH IS ....

We don't pass easily from a stationary position into
a big move.

The trick in golf is to go from the stationary position of
address to the big movement of the backswing without a
jerky effort.

UNDERSTANDING THE FORWARD PRESS

The forward press provides this transition. It is the little
move that leads into the big one.

It can be done in several ways, with the right knee, with
the hips, with the hands, with a turn of the hips.

THE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE HIPS

We want a lateral movement of the hips, no turn. It is a
slight pushing of the hips to the left, laterally, about an
inch or two.

This press is in the opposite direction from the big move.

But as the hips come back from their little pushing motion,
they keep right on sliding and go into a lateral turning
motion to the right--the beginning of the backswing--and
we are off.

This makes for the smoothest transition of all.

"Soften" Your Swing

2008-01-15T08:01:00.000-05:00

Most high-handicappers have a few things in common:

1. A white-knuckled strangulation grip on the club during
address...
2. Gnashing teeth while simultaneously holding the breath on
backswing (a great skill to have while snorkling, but not so
much golf)...
3. A sudden and severe tightening of the all muscles during the
downswing and impact...

Okay... the solution is to (as the pros say) "soften" your
swing.

Watch any world class sprinter. What's he doing just before the
race? He's loosening his muscles, isn't he?

You have to do the same in the golf swing. It's a chain
reaction that starts from the ground, then moves through the
pivot into your arms, down the club shaft into the golf ball.

The idea is to STORE power until the exact right moment. Let
the "chain reaction" work it's magic (don't rush it for pete's
sake), and keep your muscles soft so that power can be
delivered to straight into the ball.

Pow! It'll feel effortless too.

In the end, I'm not just talking about loosening your grip
pressure, but releasing the tension in your shoulder area and
neck. Yes... you need a structured swing but not all the
tension.

So here's what you should do before you drive the ball:

1. Do a quick body scan... notice where you're holding your
tension...
2. Take three deep breaths (but please, not so deep that you
pass out). Remove all the worry and tension out of your
muscles...
3. Keep your swing soft and slow. Allow the pivot do all the
work.

The sprinter knows relaxed muscles fire stronger and more
effectively -- and now you know too. Let that chain reaction of
power happen in your swing and keep it all soft as a baby's
butt.

3 Secrets of a Consistant Golf Swing

2008-01-04T13:41:00.000-05:00

The information you are about to receive is not theory or
conjecture but science. Ooooh, you say, this sounds complicated.
Well it isn't, it is simply the laws of force and motion that
govern our entire lives and day to day living. Once you understand
these simply laws your golf game will forever change...for the
better!

Secret #1: A Flat Left Wrist

Because the golf stroke involves a golf club, a left arm, and a
wrist in between, it is called a "lever system". The left wrist
acts as a "hinge pin" much like the old time "flail" used to beat
wheat. This "hinge pin" can rotate, cock or uncock but NEVER Bends!

Golfers however routinely bend the left wrist causing the clubhead
to reach the ball before the hands do. This causes a "quitting"
motion, adds loft to the clubface, points the face to the left of
target, makes the clubhead swing upward disrupting the downward
motion that ALL good golf shots MUST have. Good players DELOFT the
clubface at Impact. Poor players ADD loft to the clubface costing
them distance, direction, and trajectory.

A 5 iron, for example, has approximately 8 degrees for "forward
lean" when soled properly. At Impact with good players the "lean"
is approximately 15 degrees. This turns the 5 iron into a 4 iron.
Poor players reach Impact with a "backward" leaning clubshaft
thereby ADDING loft and turning the 5 iron into a 6-7 iron!

Secret #2: A Staright Plane Line

You only have two choices when it comes to the swing plane, you are
either on or you're off. There is no middle ground!

What exactly is the swing plane? The plane is the angle of the
clubshaft as it sets at address - period! It is NOT Hogans plane of
glass as many would have you to believe. There are only three
planes available;

1. Horizontal - a wall
2. Vertical - the floor
3. Inclined somewhere in between

As golfers you and I use the Inclined Plane to swing the club back
up and end, down out and forward, up back and in making the Golf
Stroke three dimensional.

The clubshaft, actually the sweetspot of the club, may travel to
any other plane angle during the swing as long as it DOES NOT cross
the base of the plane. Here is a simple way you can know if you are
on plane or not. Whichever end of the club is nearest to the ground
MUST also point at the base of the plane from horizon to horizon.
If neither end is nearer then the clubshaft MUST be horizontal to
the ground and parallel to the base of plane.

Secret #3: A Lagging Clubhead

Lag by definition means "trailing". When the clubhead passes the
hands coming into Impact there is no "lag". Without "lag" the golf
ball cannot be compressed, we cannot hit downward, and we have a
tremendous power loss. Clubhead lag promotes a steady and even
acceleration giving us a dependable way to control distance.

Look at any picture of your favorite player at Impact. The left arm
and clubshaft are in ONE LINE! Never two lines. This means that the
player is utilizing "lag". When a ball is struck with "lag" it
explodes off the clubface! Without this "lag" the sound turns into
one of mush, a soft Impact instead of a driving Impact.

------------------------------------------------------------

If you follow this outline, learn these three "Secrets" you will be
hitting the ball with more compression than you ever thought
possible.

For example, a Driver striking a golf ball with a 2 degree
"backward" leaning clubshaft at 100 mph with 9.5 degrees of loft
produces a launch angle of 6.4 degrees and a carry distance of 230
yards.

By changing Impact to a 2 degree forward leaning clubshaft the
player produces a launch angle of 10.4 degrees and a carry of 251
yards. A 21 YARD INCREASE WITHOUT buying a new Driver and simply
having clubhead lag!

Driver Off the Tee?

2007-12-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

Your DRIVER may not always be the smartest club to tee off with
-- even on long par 5s.

That's right.

Now before you snap that driver over your knee, hear me out.

Most high handicap players see a par 5 as a "long way to go",
so they immediately grab for the big-dog and try to get as much
distance as possible.

If he can't hit his driver well -- that's where the trouble
starts.

Yet the smart player breaks the hole down into logical pieces
and starts considering his options. Where are the hazards? What
club are you hitting well? How many beers have your drank?

Okay... think about it this way.

Let's say you're facing a 450-yard par 5. Let's also assume
that you can hit your 7 iron clean and straight 150 yards. That
means -- technically -- you could simply hit your 7-iron 3
times and be on the green and putting for birdie. Making birdie
on a par 5 with nothing but a 7-iron and a putter!

Not I'm not saying you don't need a driver. Of course you do.
My point is that you actually need to start thinking about
smart options.

The Rules of Golf

2007-11-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

Don't buy a putter until you've had a chance to throw it.

Never try to keep more than 300 separate thoughts in your mind during your swing.

When your shot has to carry over a water hazard, you can either hit one more club or two more balls.

If you're afraid a full shot might reach the green while the foursome ahead of you is still putting out, you have two options: you can immediately shank a lay-up or you can wait until the green is clear and top a ball halfway there.

The less skilled the player, the more likely he is to share his ideas about the golf swing.

No matter how bad you are playing, it is always possible to play worse.

The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all of your many other errors.

If it ain't broke, try changing your grip.

Everyone replaces his divot after a perfect approach shot.

A golf match is a test of your skill against your opponents' luck.

It is surprisingly easy to hole a fifty foot putt ...........for a 10.

Counting on your opponent to inform you when he breaks a rule is like expecting him to make fun of his own haircut.

Nonchalant putts count the same as chalant putts

It's not a gimme if you're still away.

The shortest distance between any two points on a golf course is a straight line that passes directly through the center of a very large tree.

There are two kinds of bounces; unfair bounces and bounces just the way you meant to play it.

You can hit a two acre fairway 10% of the time and a two inch branch 90% of the time.

If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age.

Since bad shots come in groups of three, a fourth bad shot is actually the beginning of the next group of three.

When you look up, causing an awful shot, you will always look down again at exactly the moment when you ought to start watching the ball if you ever want to see it again.

Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe.

If you want to hit a 7 iron as far as Tiger Woods does, simply try to lay up just short of a water hazard.

To calculate the speed of a player's downswing, multiply the speed of his back-swing by his handicap; i.e., back-swing 20 mph, handicap 15, downswing = 300 mph.

There are two things you can learn by stopping your back-swing at the top and checking the position of your hands: how many hands you have, and which one is wearing the glove.

Hazards attract; fairways repel.

You can put a draw on the ball, you can put a fade on the ball, but no golfer can pu t a straight on the ball.

A ball you can see in the rough from 50 yards away is not yours.

If there is a ball on the fringe and a ball in the bunker, your ball is in the bunker. If both balls are in the bunker, yours is in the footprint

It's easier to get up at 6:00 AM to play golf than at 10:00 to mow the yard

Sometimes it seems as though your cup move'th over.

A good drive on the 18th hole has stopped many a golfer from giving up the game.

Golf is the perfect thing to do on Sunday because you always end up having to pray a lot.

A good golf partner is one who's always slightly worse than you are...that's why I get so many calls to play with friends.

That rake by the sand trap is there for golfers who feel guilty about skipping out on lawn work.

If there's a storm rolling in, you'll be having the game of your life.

Golf balls are like eggs. They're white. They're sold by the dozen. And you need to buy fresh ones each week.

A pro-shop gets its name from the fact that you have to have the income of a professional golfer to buy anything in there.

It's amazing how a golfer who never helps out around the house will replace his divots, repair his ball marks, and rake his sand traps.

If your opponent has trouble remembering whether he shot a six or a seven, he probably shot an eight (or worse).

You probably wouldn't look good in a green jacket anyway! A sweatshirt will do just fine.

Create Space

2007-11-29T08:44:00.000-05:00

Trouble From Tight Lies

2007-11-16T12:31:00.000-05:00

You're just 50 yards from the green -- inside that dreaded
"tight-lie" zone. In other words, it's too close for a full
pitch shot and too far away for a simple chip shot. Suddenly
you begin get concerned about the difficult "finess" required
to perform that 1/4 sand wedge swing. You start to remember all
the chunked shots that went less than 10-inches and the 80-yard
sculled "worm burners" that fired straight over the green.

Your golf buddies begin to laugh out loud while rubbing their
hands in glee. But hold on... no need to panic. For these tight
lie shots the solution is easier than you'd think.

It's critical that you catch the back of the ball first, then
take a divot -- NEVER the other way around. Your divot on these
shots should always be in front of where your ball layed.

1.) Setup slightly open with your stance...
2.) Have the ball back in your stance so the shaft naturally
leans forward with your hands ahead...
3.) Look at the FRONT of the ball and just turn back and
through.

You'll be surprised to discover that the ball will pop off the
clubface with the proper spin on it. It's not big and dramatic
-- and rarely does this result in trumpets and dancing girls --
but it's how you'll get it on the green and near the hole
without a lot of trouble. That's how you'll save par... drain
more birdie putts... and wipe that smile off their faces. You
can thank me later.

Golf is Simple

2007-11-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

Add Power to Your Golf Swing

2007-11-13T09:39:00.000-05:00

This one's about power -- and why "little old ladies" may be currently outdriving you.

Okay... here are the two key "weak links" in your power chain. Pay attention to this, because this is solid golf info that'll stop you from losing power in your swing.

First (and this is a big one), your left shoulder area must be relaxed -- all the way through the swing. Because ANY tension in your shoulder area muscles (your trapezoids and deltoids if you want to get all technical), will block the flow of energy coming from the feet up through the body. In fact, tension will always stifle the flow of power, so you want to stay calm, loose, and tension free.

Second... your wrists should be "loose as a goose" -- or "oily" as some pros put it. The idea is that you want your wrists to natually cock and uncock like well-oiled hinges -- without tension or restriction of any kind. This allows for a full release of your pivot power at just the right moment for monsterous drives. This is how even "little guys" can start hitting 300-yard drives.

Now the BIGGEST reason -- the huge "no-no" -- that keeps most golfers from having loose wrists is thumb pressure. Most golfers are simply squeezing the club grip with their thumbs too tight. Big time rookie mistake.

Instead you should be able to easily pick up your thumbs with no tension throughout the swing. Relaxing your thumbs may initially feel like the club is about to fly outta your hands, but you need to learn to trust it and work through this illusion. Keep the thumb pressure out of your swing, and your wrists will remain flexible and loose for more power.

Power Leakage

2007-10-15T08:01:00.000-05:00

When it come to getting long straight drives, most average golfers
have one key stumbling block... POWER LEAKAGE. I'm talking about getting "disconnected" from your swing.

You see, most golfers get too eager to hit the ball with the clubhead.
The result is that the wrists breakdown near impact (something the
pros call "throw-away" or leakage). Essentially you've taken a long
lever (your club shaft and arm), and turned it into a weak shorter lever
by breaking your wrists.

So if you don't have a FLAT left wrist and bent right wrist at impact, you
are "throwing" the clubhead at the ball... leaking power... and hitting
weak, inconsistent drives.

Here's a tip: Train your hands where they need to be at impact with
a "one-hand chip shot". Using your right hand only grip the club and
use your pivot to take the club back. As you downswing the clubhead
will naturally "lag" behind. This is a great drill to do in the back yard
with plastic practice balls and it forces you to keep you right wrist
bent at impact.

According to St. Titleist

2007-09-14T09:25:00.000-05:00

1. Eighteen holes of match play will teach you more about your foe than 18
years of dealing with him across a desk.
Grantland Rice

2. Golf appeals to the idiot in us and the child.? Just how childlike golf
players become is proven by their frequent inability to count past five.
John Updike

3. It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place the world is when
one is playing golf.
Robert Lynd

4. If profanity had any influence on the flight of the ball, the game of
golf would be played far better than it is.
Horace G. Hutchinson

5. They say golf is like life, but don't believe them. Golf is more
complicated than that.
Gardner Dickinson

6. If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork as poorly as they do a golf
club, they'd starve to death.
Sam Snead

7. Golf is a day spent in a round of strenuous idleness.
William Wordsworth

8. If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
Dean Martin

9. If you are going to throw a club, it is important to throw it ahead of
you, down the fairway, so you don't have to waste energy going back to pick
it up.
Tommy Bolt

10. Man blames fate for all other accidents, but feels personally
responsible when he makes a hole-in-one.
Bishop Sheen

11. I don't say my golf game is bad, but if I grew tomatoes they'd come up
sliced.
Arnold Palmer

12. My handicap? Woods and irons.
Chris Codiroli

13. The ardent golfer would play Mount Everest if somebody would put a flag
stick on top.
Pete Dye

14. I'm hitting the woods just great; but having a terrible time getting out
of them!
Buddy Hackett

15. The only time my prayers are never answered is playing golf.
Billy Graham

16. If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf
ball.
Jack Lemmon

17. Its good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are
still rolling.
Mark Twain

18. Don't play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty.
Harry Vardon

19. Golf and sex are the only things you can enjoy without being good at
either of them.
Jimmy DeMaret

20. May thy ball lie in green pastures, and not in still waters.
Ben Hogan

21. If I hit it right, it's a slice. If I hit it left, it's a hook. If I hit
it straight, it's a miracle.
All Us Hackers

22. The difference in golf and government is that in golf you can't improve
your lie.
George Deukmejian

And Finally.

23. Golf is a game invented by the same people who think music comes out of
bagpipes.
Lee Trevino

Trouble with Tight Lies

2007-09-06T08:20:00.000-05:00

You're just 50 yards from the green -- inside that dreaded
"tight-lie" zone. In other words, it's too close for a full pitch
shot and too far away for a simple chip shot. Suddenly you begin
get concerned about the difficult "finess" required to perform that
1/4 sand wedge swing. You start to remember all the chunked shots
that went less than 10-inches and the 80-yard sculled "worm
burners" that fired straight over the green.

Your golf buddies begin to laugh out loud while rubbing their hands
in glee. But hold on... no need to panic. For these tight lie shots
the solution is easier than you'd think.

It's critical that you catch the back of the ball first, then take
a divot -- NEVER the other way around. Your divot on these shots
should always be in front of where your ball layed.

1.) Setup slightly open with your stance...
2.) Have the ball back in your stance so the shaft naturally leans
forward with your hands ahead...
3.) Look at the FRONT of the ball and just turn back and through.

You'll be surprised to discover that the ball will pop off the
clubface with the proper spin on it. It's not big and dramatic --
and rarely does this result in trumpets and dancing girls -- but
it's how you'll get it on the green and near the hole without a lot
of trouble. That's how you'll save par... drain more birdie
putts... and wipe that smile off their faces. You can thank me
later.

Develope a "Pre-Shot Routine"

2007-09-04T07:43:00.000-05:00

The key is to develop a consistant pre-shot routine that breaks down into 3-4 simple
parts. Use the same routine on EVERY shot (even on the driving range) to force your
swing to become more automatic... repeatable... and amazingly consistant. Here's what
you'll need to do:
1. Walk into the shot from behind and align with the target...
2. Place club behind ball and take your grip...
3. Take a look at the target...
4. Waggle once or twice -- then pull the trigger!

When you see where your ball lands, immediately begin to analyze your next shot. Do
not waste your time fretting about mistakes or trying to fix your swing on the
course (do that on the driving range). Instead focus completely on your next shot
and a consistant pre-shot routine.

Your game will quickly become more solid, consistent, and a lot more fun!

Top 7 Tips for Great Golf

2007-08-31T08:57:00.000-05:00

Pro Golf Swing

2007-07-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

To get a smokin' fast clubhead speed... you've got to get more SLOW.

Okay... sounds weird... but by focusing on "turning" your hips and letting the shoulders, arms and hands loosely "go along for the ride", you're creating a professional power swing.

And here's the weirder part. Know what the core pivot of the world's best tour players is?2 miles per hour.That's it. And the average golfer's core pivot is just 1 mile per hour.

So here's a critical tip for you. Stop focusing on your clubhead speed and instead think about your core pivot speed. Why? Because even the hottest tour pros can't concentrate on a clubhead moving at 100 miles per hour or more. But it's easy to focus in on something moving 1 or 2 miles per hour.

And just think... even 1/2 of a mile an hour increase in your core pivot will result in an incredible increase in your clubhead speed.

The key is not to allow the swing to "disconnect" from your core pivot by activating the arms and hands. And that's where I always see the biggest problems. High-handicappers think they can get more clubhead speed by throwing the club at the ball with their arms. Forget it... it doesn't work. Keep your arms and hands "loose as noodles" and move SLOW from the top. As you pivot, allow them build energy like a wave moving through your feet... knees... hips... shoulders... arms... hands in that order.

Now that's a pro swing.

Stretching for Golf

2007-06-14T08:21:00.000-05:00

Stretching for golf is critical to slowing down the rapid decline senior golfers experience, as well as reducing the stress on the muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. The golf swing puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the body, and unless you are participating in a consistent stretching for golf program, you will be a statistic.

The statistic I’m talking about is being one of the millions of golfers who aren’t improving and who are injured at some point every season you play. Does this sound like you? If so, keep reading to find out how you avoid being a statistic, and instead be one of the very few who actually improve and play their best golf.

The golf swing is dynamic. What I mean is it involves motion. This motion needs to be fluid, tension-less, and powerful. The only way to accomplish this is with dynamic strength and stretching drills aimed specifically at your golf swing faults.

This approach to golf improvement is not utilized among most amateur golfers, but if done correctly will take your game to the highest level in the quickest amount of time.

In most of the golf fitness books, videos and articles you read, you will see the golfer holding a particular stretch for up to 60 seconds.

Let me ask you this!

Do you ever hold any part of your golf swing when you’re playing or hitting balls? I don’t think so. So why would you train your body in this fashion? You wouldn’t! You would look at certain positions in the golf swing and incorporate dynamic (movement) stretches to improve those positions in an efficient manner.

For example, let’s say you are having a tough time making a full backswing. The backswing is a fluid and tension-less movement that is destroyed when you add tension or restriction to it.

Instead, you would make some backswing moves, going as far as you can, then a little farther and releasing it. Doing this 8-10 times throughout the day. You can do this in your office or at home. No need for a gym or workout gear.

Grab a short iron, stand tall with your arms extended straight out in front of you. The club will be horizontal to the ground at about chest height. Now rotate back as far as you can without too much hip rotation, then rotate through as far as you can with more hip rotation just like your golf swing.

Now this is a dynamic movement that will greatly improve your body’s ability to turn back fully and through to a complete finish for maximum power and distance.

In closing, don’t get me wrong!You can definitely do static stretches and not hurt your golf swing. But the emphasis should be on more dynamic stretches, and less holding stretches to maximize your golfing potential.

As you can see, this is a much different approach to stretching for golf.

For more tips click on Golf Fitness Guide on Left of page.

The Classic "Yank"

2007-05-24T12:05:00.000-05:00

It's a BIG problem for most high handicappers and goes something like this:

You're in the tee box staring down a 450 yard par 5. You need a good long drive here. So you take a couple easy practice swings with your driver... line up your shot... take the club back... then -- somewhere in the back of your mind -- a little voice whispers to unload with everything you have.

And that's where the problems start.

You should NOT be thinking about "unloading" anything at the top of your swing. This leads to one of the biggest power-robbers ever conceived by man or beast -- the dreaded "yank" from the top. It activates your left shoulder, arms and hands (ALL of which should remain loose and tension free) and promotes a poor pivot (because your brain thinks your power is coming from the "yank" -- which is doesn't. It comes from the PIVOT).
The classic "yank" also results in your arms and hands coming "over-the-top", pulling the club off-plane, and eratic shots that spray the course like buck shot.

Okay... so here's the big tip of the day.

You must think "slower" and allow your pivot to take over your swing. Let the club accelerate near the ball instead of "blowing your wad" at the top. Think to yourself "I'm just gonna hit a nice easy 180 yarder". Do that and "whap" -- suddenly your shots are longer, straighter, and a heck of a lot more consistent.

Don't worry about how long you need to hit it, or "hitting it hard", or getting the club to the ball quickly, or anything like that. This is what prompts your brain into activating the "yank".
Instead be patient. Concentrate on keeping your left shoulder, arms and wrists loose and limber.
Do this and you’ll instantly have a slower, smoother, effortless looking power swing (your buddies will swear you’re just coasting).If it feels fast, it's not. If it feels slow and easy, it's fast. How's that for irony.

Golf

2007-05-04T07:38:00.000-05:00

Golf
In my hand I hold a ball.... white and dimpled, rather small....
Oh , how bland it does appear.... this harmless looking little sphere....
By its size I could not guess.... the awesome strength it does possess....
But since I fell beneath its spell.... I've wandered through the fires of hell... .
My life has not been quite the same.... Since I chose to play this stupid game....

It rules my mind for hours on end... A fortune it has made me spend....
It has made me swear and yell and cry... . I hate myself and want to die....
It promises a thing called par....If I can hit straight and far..

To master such a tiny ball ... should not be very hard at all .
But my desires the ball refuses.... and does exactly like it chooses... .
It hooks and slices, dribbles and dies.... and even disappears before my eyes....

Often it will take a whim.... to hit a tree or take a swim. ..
With miles of grass on which to land.... it finds a tiny patch of sand....
Then has me offering up my soul.... if only it would find the hole.. ..

It's made me whimper like a pup. ... and swear that I will give it up....
And take a drink to ease my sorrow.... but the ball knows.....
I'll be back tomorrow!!!!

Tee 'em High - Watch 'em Fly

2007-04-27T12:49:00.000-05:00

Since the introduction of all the new large head drivers (380 - 460cc) it's been found
that the sweet spot is much higher on the club face than with the older drivers.
Therefore to take advantage of the additional size and sweet spot you need to tee
your ball higher than in the past.

A leading golf magazine recently did a test with golfers of all handicaps. They had them hit a number of drives with their balls teed as they normally would. Then they hit a another
series of drives with the balls teed higher than normal, in some cases twice as high.
The results were pretty impressive. They averaged a 20 yard increase in distance, some
a little more some a little less. Certainly reason enough to give it a try yourself.

Here's the best way to go about it:

1.) Tee you ball up high, about 2x usual height, using the 2 ? " tee.

2.) Hold the driver above the ground aligning the ball with the sweet spot on the club face during approach/ or set-up.

3.) Now, simply relax your wrists allowing the club head to fall to the ground..notice the club head is not directly behind the ball...it should be lined up more on the toe of the club.

4.) Note the higher the ball is teed up the farther the club head will be from the ball...this will allow the correct geometry to take place especially at impact.

So give it a try -tee 'em high and watch 'em fly!

Simple Exercise Helps Win US Open

2007-04-16T10:06:00.000-05:00

Paul Gagne is a brilliant posturologist and exercise kinesiologist with the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. His work with 2005 US Open champion Michal Campbell helped him win the
championship. Campbell won that Open at Pinehurst with a dazzling back-nine putting display on Sunday. Five times during the final round he dashed into the various portable toilets that dotted the course, in part to use them for their intended purpose but also to perform a peculiar eye exercise prescribed by Gagne that makes the eyes function better together. After emerging from the Port-O-Lets on the 12th and 17th holes, Campbell drained key putts--on No. 17, a 25-footer that clinched the victory. He took only 27 putts that day.

"After doing the exercises, I felt focused and relaxed," says Campbell. "I could really focus on the line of the putts, which was critical on the Pinehurst greens. Doing the exercises took me away from the occasion, the stress, the pressure and put me in the present time."

He suffered from poor eye convergence, his eyes not working in concert when he looked down and formed a line to the hole. The phenomenon of poor eye convergence afflicts nine out of 10 people, according to Gagne, and comes into play primarily in putting and chipping because your eyes look straight down at the ball. "When you line up a putt from behind the ball, your eyes level to the horizon, you're fine," he says. "The problem arises when you look down at address and your eyes try to join, in forming a line to the hole. In almost all cases, one eye performs well, but the other eye does not follow the good one."

Because the exercises can immediately benefit the everyday golfer, there is hope that Gagne's program could lead to a widespread performance breakthrough in putting.

How does the poor eye convergence lead to poor posture and alignment? "Naturally, the tendency is to help your weaker eye," says Gagne. "You do that by adjusting your head to bring it more into play. Because Michael's right eye is his weaker eye, his head would turn slightly to the left, and his right hip and shoulder would move out toward the ball, shifting his alignment open." (If your left eye is weaker, you'll tend to set up closed.) As Gagne predicted, Campbell said most of his missed putts went to the left.

Now for the exercise Campbell performed inside the Port-O-Lets, which Gagne says will improve your eye convergence immediately. Take a pen (in Campbell's case it was a golf pencil) and position the tip 10 to 12 inches in front of your eyes, opposite the bridge of your nose. Imagine a figure 8 lying on its side, like a pair of big glasses, its length just wider than your face, and draw a figure 8 in the air with the pen. Trace the figure 8 between 20 and 30 times, moving the pen fast enough so you can complete the full set of movements in two to three minutes, never losing sight of the tip of the pen. You don't need to be perfect, says Gagne, but it's important to keep your head still as you do it. If you perform this exercise a few times every day, the convergence condition will improve dramatically.

A painless exercise with no heavy lifting, the promise of more putts holed and better control over your emotions. Now that's the kind of workout routine golfers have been looking for.

Want Lower Scores---Improve Your Putting !

2007-04-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

Now a good putt won't attract the kind of back-slapping and gasps of jealously that a good long accurate drive will. But hear me out. Because a simple "tweak" in your putting can lower your score a lot quicker than adding 30 yards to your drive. Yep... eliminate the 3-putts (or worse) and I guarantee it'll make a HUGE difference in your score. When the pros want to concentrate on lowering their score, they look to their putting game.

First... avoid putting from a static position. Okay... what does that mean? Well just this. You want to get some "movement" started before you begin the backstroke. Pro golfer Bobby Schaeffer suggests you line up your shot... settle in for the putt... then just before you begin the backstroke, perform two gentle up-and-down "taps" with your putter head.

That's it. This avoids the kind of inaccuracies and putter head "bobbles" that come from a static start.

Second... about your putting stroke. Remember to focus on keeping the putter head low to the ground - this helps to keep the putter on plane These two tips will do a couple things for you. It'll suddenly give you greater consistency and accuracy with your putts because you've avoided starting from a "static" position... AND you'll never again "stub" your putts because the "tap-tap" feeds your brain with a measurement of where the grass is. Good stuff that'll instantly lower your score.

For more secrets on putting I highly recommend you check out Bobby Schaeffer's "Hot Touch Putting":

Want to Play Extraordinary Golf

2007-04-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

Want to Play Better Golf? Get Into The Right Frame of Mind!

Think about what you normally do before you start a round of golf with your friends. Are you running your kids across town to soccer practice? Are you still sleepy from the poor night's rest you had? Are you all jazzed up on 6 cups of coffee? Are you nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs because you've been chili dipping the ball? No doubt you are in some state of mind before you start your round of golf. And more often than not, I would be willing to bet my Ben Hogan autographed book that it is the wrong frame of mind.

I know you have a busy life. But the key is to get into the right frame of mind before you step onto the first tee box. How do you do this? Well, let me just say that it is not always easy and takes practice to get into the right frame of mind. So don't be frustrated or disappointed in yourself if it takes a little while. Remember this is a game and it is supposed to be fun. Why else would you be out there paying big bucks to hit a little white ball into a tiny tin cup?

The first thing is to find out where your head is at least a half hour before you start your round. Are you feeling mad at your boss, frustrated with the kids? Did you just have a tiff with your spouse or did some crazy person just try to run you off the road? Are you having jitters because you've been topping the ball or are you playing for big bucks with your buddies? Any and all of these things have an affect on you and your game. The pros know this and you need to as well.

So, what are some things you can do to get in the right frame of mind? For me, being relaxed, confident and having positive energy flowing through my body is key. You may be a little different. My question to you is how did you feel inside when you played your best round of golf? Think about it and go back to that time and place. All was right with the World for you wasn't it? But what about it was right? What were the feelings you had? Were you relaxed? Were you confident? Were you having fun? Did you trust your golf swing? Were you enjoying your golf partners?

Here are some of the things I noticed about myself when I played my best rounds:
" I felt excited to be playing and what nervousness I might have had was in the background of my mind"
I was happy to be playing a round of golf with my friends and didn't worry that they might laugh at me if I sliced the ball
" I felt a sense of calmness inside that couldn't be shaken"
I felt confident, energized and happy to be out on the golf course amid the tree-lined fairways and beautifully manicured greens.
" I felt worry free and joked with my golfing partners
" I felt the magic of being alive and knew instinctively that I was going to strike the golf ball purely."
My mind wasn't cluttered with a zillion thoughts; instead there was focus and quietness
" My body felt relaxed, rested and healthy"
For lack of a better word, I was in the Zone
Let's say that you are a nervous wreck with eighteen million thoughts, mostly negative, scurrying around in your head. How do you get from point A, the worry wart to Point B, the focused golfer? Again, if this is your normal state before you play a round of golf, don't expect to change this overnight. It is a process.

First, identify what is the norm for you. Are you usually just rushing from work to go play golf and your mind is somewhere else? Or is it that you have been struggling with your game and fear is almost paralyzing you? Identifying your state of mind before you play golf is key. I don't mean to get all psychological on you but golf is very much a mental game! There is no cure-all golf gizmo or one right way to swing a club. Even if there was, your mind would interfere.

If you are having trouble identifying what you are feeling or how you are being before a round of golf, then your first step is to pay attention to yourself. It can be a hard thing to do. Sometimes we get so busy in our daily lives that there just doesn't seem to be time to stop and look at ourselves. One way to find out what your feeling or thinking is to be quiet for 5 minutes. Listen and learn.

I noticed that for myself when I am tired, nervous or rushed I generally tend to play a poor round of golf. I have arrived at a point in my game where I can usually shake those feelings or state of mind before the round begins. And you will learn to do this too with some practice. The one I still feel challenged by is when I feel out of sync, or out of rhythm. It's like some uncoordinated teenager has possessed my body and wreaks havoc with my game. Those are the rounds where I just do my very best to stay centered and play a safe game. I know I won't break any records but I also know that I won't spend the day in the woods hunting for my golf ball!

Here are some ideas on how to get into a different state of mind:
Listen to your favorite music
Pay attention to your golf partners
Do something nice for someone else
Sing or Hum a tune
Visualize your best round of golf
Think about your best memories in life
Talk with a good friend
Tell jokes
Laugh
Meditate
Visualize mastering the challenging holes
Walk the course and notice your beautiful surroundings
Think about the times you felt most confident

So how do you get from one state, let's say rushed, to a more relaxed calm state? I have had times when I have been running 90mph before a game of golf and my mind is keeping pace with my body. I know that if I keep that pace, my golf game will suffer. I use whatever trick seems to work at that moment. Taking deep breaths is always a good start. Swinging my club between my finger tips at a slow easy pace can be calming and creates tempo. Looking at the beauty of the golf course can be relaxing and uplifting, especially if I was caught in a traffic jam. You will have to practice what works for you. The one thing that always gets me in the zone is to replay one of my best rounds in my mind along with the feelings I had. I can't help but smile and feel good.

Fix Golf Slice - Add Yards to Your Drives

2007-03-22T07:59:00.000-05:00

Fix golf slice is a thought on many amateur golfers’ minds. Studies reveal over 80% of all amateur golfers slice the ball. There have been more training aids, drills and tips to fix the golf slice that I can’t even begin to count.If you hit a golf slice, have you taken lessons; bought any training aids, and done several drills only to still hit a slice? What a frustrating situation! Do you realize what’s causing your golf slice?A golf slice is caused by the clubface coming across the ball from outside the target line, creating side-spin on the ball. Upon first thought, this may seem like a mechanical issue. And it is…but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find it’s a ‘physical’ issue.You see…your body dictates your ability to swing the club efficiently. If your body has ‘physical limitations’, your swing will not be mechanically sound and swing faults will appear. In the golf swing there are many compensations for lack of proper mechanics. If you can’t make a 90 degree shoulder turn on the backswing, you’ll do whatever it takes to feel like you are making a full turn.A good example of this would be to rotate your hips beyond the desired 45 degrees to enable your body to make a full backswing. What this does is rob you of power. You have no torque built up in your core to unleash into the ball at impact.The same thing with a golf slice.A golf slice is caused by the upper body getting ahead of the lower body, creating an “over-the-top” move, which in turn results in your clubface slashing across the ball and creating side-spin. Here comes the banana ball!Your first inclination will be to take a lesson to fix this. If that doesn’t work, you might buy a training aid. If that doesn’t work you’ll buy an “offset” driver to help eliminate your golf slice.Does this sound familiar?Now the real answer! Take a break on your lessons. Don’t buy anymore training aids. And keep your normal driver in your bag.You need to work on you core rotational flexibility to be able to initiate the downswing with your lower body first, to avoid the upper body getting ahead of it. It’s that simple. The minute your able to separate the upper and lower body upon initial move down…you’ll see that golf slice improve dramatically.Doesn’t that make sense?Along with fixing your golf slice, you’ll add up to 30 yards to your drives. You will get more roll when the ball lands from a draw ball flight. A golf slice is a weak shot that does not penetrate the air for maximum distance.

For more detailed help with this problem click on The Simple Golf Swing or The Golf Fitness
Guide in the left margin, these are both great resources to improve your game.

Dining in Santee---

2007-03-16T08:51:00.000-05:00

My wife and I recently returned to Virginia from a two week golf vacation in southwest
Florida. On the trip back we stopped for the night in Santee SC, one of my favorite places
along I95, famous for it's golf and fishing. We stay at the Best Western next to the Lake
Marion Golf Course. A very nice motel, where all the rooms are down and out, which I like. There is a very good restaurant called the Veranda at the motel, but my wife and I decided to go to our favorite B-B-Que joint just down the street. When we got there we found the place was no longer open. On the way back to the motel we saw a place called Coasters that looked pretty inviting, and the parking lot was busy which is always a good sign, so we stopped.
Am I glad we did! After a long tiring day on the road we were in for a great dining
experience. The drinks were served promptly, and that was just the beginning. From start
to finish our waiter Dewayne provided great service, as good as I've ever experienced in
a restaurant, and this was during a busy Saturday night. All the food was served in a very timely manner, the salad was crisp and fresh, warm crusty bread on the side, and our
entrees were excellent. They had many seafood and low country dishes that sounded
great, but we had been eating seafood for two weeks and were ready for something
different. I had their signature steak with Jack Daniels sauce, and my wife had pecan
crusted chicken, both were done to perfection. When the meal was over, I asked to speak
to the manager. A nice young lady came over and introduced herself, as Kathy Casey the
owner of Coasters. Probably expecting a complaint, she looked pleasantly surprised when
I told her how great the service and food had been and assured her we come back the next
time we were in the area.So the next time you're in Santee, fishing, golfing, shopping, or just passing by on I95, make sure to take time to stop by Coasters for a little libation,
snack, sandwich, or a great meal, you won't regret it.
Coasters Bar & Grill
Seafood, Steaks and Low Country Cuisine
I-95 exit 98 - Hwy 6
Santee, S.C.

Use a Golf Training Club

2007-02-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

Using a golf training club is one of the most effective ways to increase golf swing speed and power. You can’t get anymore golf –specific than using a golf training club.

There are many golf training clubs on the market and new ones coming out every year; but the one I’m talking about is a weighted golf training club. When you can literally mimic your athletic movement with resistance, you stand the make the biggest improvement…and quickly.

The goal of most strength coaches and trainers is to come up with exercises that closely resemble that particular athletic movement, but with some for of resistance. It could be handweights (dumbbells), medicine balls, tubing, or even a stability ball.

The direct impact on a golfers swing using a golf training club is an almost immediate increase in driving distance. This is because you are training your golf muscles during the movement, through the same (or even bigger) range of motion, with many repetitions.

A secondary benefit of using a golf training club that’s weighted is promoting an increase in backswing and follow through range of motion. This equates in more power at impact. Golfers are always trying to find ways to improve golf flexibility and power; and this is one way to do it.

Using a golf training club won’t be the cure to all your physical ailments and limitations, but will give you a head start on swinging with higher clubhead speed.

Just think about it! Swinging a golf training club won’t improve hamstring flexibility, nor will it strengthen your lower back. There are many specific areas of the body that don’t get worked when swinging a golf training club.

This is where you would do specific golf exercises, stretches and drills to isolate those weak areas to greatly improve your overall golf performance and prevent future injuries.

Another benefit of a golf training club that’s weighted is a quick warm up before you hit balls at the range or even play. Swinging it 20-30 times will quickly get your golf muscles prepared to hit balls more effectively.

Just beware! When you swing it before practicing or playing, you’ve got to swing your regular clubs, and hit balls with them, to make sure your sequence of motion is correct, before you hit the course.

As you can see, there are many benefits of using a golf training club; so go out and get one. They are a great training aid as part of your ‘off-season’ training program.

The Simple Golf Swing Review

2007-02-14T09:06:00.000-05:00

Let me start off by saying that I was extremely leary about buying something off of the internet to help improve my golf swing. And come on, "The Simple Golf Swing"?

Everyone knows a perfect golf swing like Tiger Woods is anything but simple. After reading some of the testimonials and since the price of the book was so low (I spend more on golf balls) I decided to buy the book because it is 100% guaranteed - if it sucked I would just get a refund.

One of the main reasons I decided to buy the book was because I don't have time to have a golf trainer or practice all the time. So I decided to buy the book and I spent a few hours reading it from front to back over and over. I decided I would just print the book out and bring it with me to the golf course in the morning so I didn't forget anything. Let me just put it this way, my friends were amazed at my golf swings and were convinced that I had a personal golf trainer.

The first day that I had tried out the tips that I got from the Simple Golf Swing I improved my handicap from a 17 to a 13. I improved my accuracy and distance hitting the golf ball as well.

This was just my first time using the Simple Golf Swing tips and they were definetly helping my golf swing. Two days later I went back to the course and had even better results. It was a rainy day, so I wanted to test out some more tips that were in the Simple Golf Swing book. My first tee I had a great hit even with the wetness of the ball and club. I have never had a ball fly this straight and high in the rain before. Every hole after the first was the same. I would've never dreamed of making such solid contact thru 18 holes. The ultimate test came on the 5th hole where I'm sitting at 200 yards out in the middle of the fairway on an uphill par 4. I grab my 3 iron which still looks new from lack of use and I nail it within 15 feet of the hole. I wound up shooting 80 and the only reason that I was that high, was club selection between my sand and pitching wedge. I was getting so much action on my sand wedge that 3 times I hit the front of the green and it sucked right back off the green. That's the first time that has ever happened to me. To top things off my playing partner, seeing me hit so well, asked me what I'd changed. I gave him a brief lesson and within two holes he's hitting them a far and as straight as I've ever seen him.

I honestly recommend The Simple Golf Swing even if you already think you are Tiger Woods. A lot of people have had success with The Simple Golf Swing and you can read more testimonials on their website.

Better Golf Solutions

2007-02-09T10:39:00.000-05:00

Better Golf Solutions Start With One Simple Approach

Better golf solutions is a mystery for the average golfer. Finding the magic bullet that’s going to cure your game overnight isn’t going to happen. In looking for better golf solutions, you’ve got to think about what’s the main reason you’re not making a sound, repeatable golf swing that generates power and accuracy?

Common approaches to better golf solutions are taking more lessons; buying new golf equipment that will hopefully make up for your swing faults (such as offset/oversized drivers and irons); purchasing training aids that promise the world, but end up in your garage gathering dust or being sold on ebay; or going to the range with a new level of practice commitment.

The six million dollar question! Did it help? Are you happy with your results?If the answer is yes…congratulations on your success! If the answer is no, than what in the world is left? You’ve done everything right? I want you to think real hard for a second.What one thing is critical in swinging a club, hitting the ball square and long, and producing results?

YOU!

You dictate your outcome!Let me explain.You body has a current level of physical capability. It is what it is. Whatever that level is, will be your outcome. No ifs, ands, or buts about it! You will never consistently play to what you think your potential is until you improve your “physical capabilities”!

If golfers knew this little secret, they’d save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year on lessons, gimmicky training aids, equipment and range fees.

You are an athlete! A golf athlete! You’ve got to “prepare your body to perform”.What other athletic event do you know of where the athlete just shows up without working on his/her physical attributes?

None!

I hate to be so blunt, but it is a fact. Only until you realize this, and take it to heart will you achieve your golfing goals. Your BODY determines your outcome. Your BODY makes your golf swing. Your BODY physically plays for 18 holes. Your BODY dictates your confidence. I hope you’re getting the point here.

I can’t say this strong enough!

Take the approach like an athlete and you will never have to think of better golf solutions.

Need more help ? Click on Golf Fitness Guide in the left margin of this page.

A Better Golf Swing

2007-02-07T14:45:00.000-05:00

A better golf swing is inevitable…for any golfer, with the right approach. It doesn’t matter age or ability. It’s a reality…and can happen very quickly!

To achieve a better golf swing, a golfer needs to realize just how physically demanding it is on the human body. You are swing an object (golf club) at up to 100 mph. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles.
If these tissues of the body are weak, tight or brittle they will rupture and eliminate you from playing golf indefinitely. If it doesn’t, your performance will pay the price. The outcome either way is not what you want…but will happen without an emphasis on strengthening these areas.

Along with strengthening comes stretching. Stretching muscles to attain a better golf swing is common among most golfers. Although it is common, most golfers don’t stretch. Why? Because it is viewed as ‘work’. But if it were viewed as a form of golf improvement it would be a different story.

Swing mechanics cannot be improved if your golf specific strength and flexibility are ignored. It is an impossibility, unless you compensate for this lack of capabilities in your golf swing. Teaching pros are now starting to realize there is a definite connection between golf swing mechanics and fitness.But that’s where the BIG gap is. Between instruction and physical fitness. This is the ultimate combination for total golf performance and I have been preaching it for several years now. When your physical capabilities are improved, your golf swing mechanics become much easier to achieve.

The next time you visit your teaching pro, to achieve a better golf swing, you’ll be able to do what he/she wants and the desired outcome will be achieved. This outcome is inevitable when you get your body moving better. Your golf swing mechanics fall into place.It will only be a matter of time when all golfers will approach their golf improvement this way. It’s the only way that will warrant lasting results and ultimately a better golf swing.

For more information, click on Golf Fitness Guide or The Simple Golf Swing in the left
margin of this page. These are two great resources to improve your game.

The Solution To Golf

2007-02-07T07:54:00.000-05:00

Into the hands of Hugh McKay, a golf club was gently pressed one day.
A game for life his friend would say, good exercise, great fun,
you must learn to play.
A simple machine this wand like toy, but oh, what a challenge for
man or boy.
The premise is simple, hit it straight and far, use just enough strokes,
into the hole for par.
Where then is the challenge, where is the thrill, in hitting a little
white ball sitting still.
In no other sport is there a simpler task, for there you must strike
the ball flying past.
So off to the links Hugh headed one day, this game for an athlete should
be no problem to play.
But try as he may, try as he might, the ball always took a contrary flight.
Sometimes to the left, but most often right.
He would hit it too hard, then he'd hit it too light.
He studied and practiced, a plan he had laid, but the harder he worked
the worst that he played.
Then one day after a very long round, he was determined the root
of his problem be found.
For at baseball and tennis he'd played with a flair, but at golf his game
was just pitiful to fair.
It must be so simple, it can't be that hard, when a teenage girl can
play like a star. To answer his question he went to the bar.
He drank and he pondered, he pondered and drank.
If his question were answered, it'd be whiskey to thank.
The solution came easy, after a plenty to drink.
The problem with golf,
Too Much Time To Think!