National Sport Academy

NATIONAL SPORT ACADEMY GOLF

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May 2008 - Magic Move

As a player turns to the top of the backswing, their front heel may be pulled off the ground. The intent to get the heel back on the ground should trigger a chain action of the left side of the lower body that creates lag and a "connected" unwinding action at the beginning of the forward swing. Note: a player's right hip is not turning at the moment the left heel is returning to the ground. A lateral move sufficient to transfer weight to a player's left side happens first.

In concert with the movement of the left leg, the right knee begins to break in toward the golf ball as the right ankle rolls toward the ground. Robert Baker, the noted South African teacher, described this area of the swing as "leaning the right leg." Jim McLean, director at the Doral Resort and Spa, spoke of a feeling of "backing into the ball" when referring to the transitional move of legendary striker Ben Hogan.

April 2008 - Don't Forget Your Legs

Generally, when amateurs look at a golf swing they see only the rotation of the trunk, the swinging of the arms and the whirling of the club head. They have heard "keep the lower body quiet." Almost without fault, these self-taught players use their arms and hands to viciously scoop and lash away at the golf ball. Power in the golf swing is the result of early body speed and a player's ability to lag the golf club. Make no mistake - the legs must be active in the golf swing. Good leg movement goes a long way to ensure a flowing, powerful, continuous, sequence during the golf swing. Nicklaus suggested that his teacher Jack Grout wanted him to "roll his ankles" in the fashion of legendary teacher Alex Morrison. The left ankle would roll in toward the ground during the backswing and the right would roll in during the forward swing.

March 2008 - The Reality of Improvement, Repetition and Time Management

Henry Brunton's (CPGA Professional and CGA National Instructor) masters thesis suggests contemporary sport science studies have shown an aspiring athlete can expect to devote 10,000 hours / 10 years to their sport development. That being the case, the 1, 000 hours per year commitment that is required of golfers amounts to 20 hours per week, 3 hours per day. Whether making full swings, chipping or putting, a two bucket per day routine allows an athlete to approach the number of quality ball strikes necessary for optimum development. High school players who are aspiring college-bound student athletes need to balance the commitment they have made to their sport development with the demands of academics. Multi sport athletes must become masters of time management and achieve the proper balance between activity and rest. Remember, most student athletes have a limited window of opportunity each week to devote to their sport development (5pm -10pm daily, Monday - Friday). In the weekly battle of distraction versus development, the most dedicated individuals lay the foundation for future opportunities in sport.

February 2008 - No Time to Lose

The PGA Tour season is well underway and Calgary's golf season is just around the corner. In three months, most, if not all of the Calgary and area golf courses will be open. For those of you who are competitive golfers, now is the time to make swing changes should you be suffering from erratic or inconsistent ball flight patterns. If you're looking for distance off the tee; developing your core strength and enhancing your flexibility will provide a platform for those extra yards. If you feel strong and flexible and your ball striking is consistent, focus your practice sessions and practice like you play. Warm up, catch a rhythm, then simulate game play by going through your preshot routine and sending the ball to specific targets using swings of different strengths. Practice that "burning wedge" or low 140 yard 7 iron that will cloak the flag on a windy day. Be creative. Use your practice time deliberately and get the most out of your sessions. Remember, start each session with a focus on the fundamentals that will provide for correct repetitive impact.

January 2008 - Rotation During the Forward Swing a Must

It's sure nice to have a big turn on the backswing...as long as you have a big turn on the way through. Unless you have a strong forward pivot, your big turn won't be helping you as much as you think. Most amateur golfers work exclusively on their turn during the backswing believing it to be the grail of golf. This preoccupation with the backswing forces attention off the forward swing and it is the forward swing that propels the ball! A golfer with a curtailed turn can play good golf as long as their wrists are loaded and they have good supportive rotational movement through impact and into the finish. Visualize Ernie Els who is always looking over his right shoulder at the end of his golf swing. His hips and especially his chest have rotated way left of the target. Rather than continually recruiting muscular strength to force a turn, the development of free flexibility and range of motion encouraged by a stretching program will bring qualitative results. Do not underestimate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The trimmer you are, the more flexible you'll be.

December 2007 - The Difference Among Putters

Good putters hit the ball with a square clubface. Great putters have both a square clubface at impact and a good path backward and foreward. In today's market, there are a myriad of training aids that can help you develop a good putting stroke. Find the one that's best for you and decide upon a plan of improvement. Putting in 30 reps with a training aid each day (900/month) will allow you to emerge with an improved action for the 2008 season. In four months time, you could achieve 4000 repetitions - enough to begin the year with stellar new habits. The key to improvement is building upon daily review.

November 2007 - Teaching Aids a Key in Accelerating Progress

Depending on what level of skill development you wish to attain, good teaching aids can be an excellent way to accelerate your learning. For setting/cocking your wrists on plane there is no better teaching aid than the Swing Guide. Leadbetter's "Swing Setter" also helps achieve the same ends through auditory feedback. The adaptability of the Swing Setter is its best asset. All levels of players can develop their timing with this teaching aid. The Speed Stick, which measures swing speed, allows a student to experience the sense of "more power." It also encourages a faultless forward swing. The Swing Extender/Right Angle provides the feel for good right arm structure at the top of the swing while the "swing link" provides the developing player and the expert with the feeling of maintaining the relationship between the arms and the chest during the swing. For putting, Stan Utley's Learning Curve and Adams Golf Dixx digital putter will keep you on the right track.

October 2007 - Retool with a Plan

The golf season is almost over. Now is the time of year to begin to retool your game. In season you play, manage your game and work on your scoring skills. Off-season you can revisit your full swing action and retool if necessary.

If the goal of your golf swing is to produce a correct repetitive impact, the most efficient swing will produce this desired result consistently. How are your fundamentals: grip, stance and posture get them perfect! How is your alignment: body and clubface - take dead aim!

Once your fundamentals are in place you will have established a foundation for your swing. To assess your swing motion, consider the following areas:

Have you moved the club away on plane?
How is the location of your arms, club and clubface at the top?
Is your body in position to powerfully unwind during the forward swing?
Does your footwork enhance your ability to swing smoothly and powerfully?
How is the sequence of your forward pivot?
Do your arms move with your body and does the golf club move on plane into the ball?
Do you turn or tilt during the forward swing? How is your ability to maintain my posture to impact?

The body pivot and footwork are the core of the swing. Develop sound arm and club movement around this foundation.

September 2007 - Stay Task Oriented to Automatically Execute.

What does it mean to be task oriented in golf? The task, in golf, is to send the ball to the target. To play without mental interference means the player should:

select a target
establish line of play
establish an intermediate target
place the club on the target line
place the body in position and
swing

Following this six step routine will enhance a player's ability to execute. Cognitive state anxiety, or choking, can result when a player's imagination drifts to other bits of information that remain unprocessed. There is almost too much time to think in between shots. Sometimes negative thoughts creep in. Thoughts such as "that was my third 3 putt" or "I'm pulling my driver" will come but they need to be processed and let go! It's okay these thoughts come into your mind - they always will. The trick is to identify them as negative thoughts, process them and get back into your six step preshot routine and automatically execute.

August 2007 - Pulling the Trigger.

Good shots are the result of good swings. Having a sound preshot routine and visualizing the shot before you hit it will provide you with a focus that will distract you from the pressures of competitive golf. The idea of the target, where the ball is to be sent, needs to stimulate your pre-shot routine. Once you've selected your target and shot shape, establish your target line and intermediate target. If you need to make a practice swing at this juncture make one that previews the shot. Experience the size that will send the ball to the target. Each step in your preshot routine allows you to move deeper and deeper into a zone of concentration that will provide the focus needed to successfully execute. Set the clubface on the target line and move, holding the feel of the swing that will place the ball at the target. Tiger woods caddy Steve Williams suggests all the top players use their imagination when swinging. They hold an image of the location of the club head at address and return it through that position on the forward swing.

July 2007 - Practice Rounds a Must.

A competitive golfing resume should demonstrate your ability to compete well within your age group as you play local, regional and national junior tournaments. Rarely will you play an event at your own course; most of the time you'll be playing on someone else's turf. When playing a course that you're unfamiliar with, learn as much as you can about the playing surface. There are four things that every junior golfer should do in advance of their practice round:

Find out what tees you're playing from.
Use the internet or a "course guide" to plot a general playing plan that includes club selection off the tee boxes.
Make notation on which side of the fairway to favor and which area around the green provides for the best scoring opportunities.
Have a look at the "Handicapped Holes" On every score card, the holes are ranked in difficulty from most difficult (1) to least difficult (18). While each hole on the course you are about to play demands your attention during your practice round, pay special attention to the most difficult holes on the front and the most difficult on the back nine. These holes tend to yield higher scores over time and are generally the ones that spoil a good performance. Develop a sound tactical plan for playing these holes.

June 2007 - Watch Your Tempo While Lag Putting.

The goal of lag putting is to hit the ball the correct distance to the hole. More often than not, too much attention is placed on the line the ball is to be rolled on. Fixation on the line, rather than a commitment to the line at set up, detracts from the player's ability to feel the size of the stroke that will send the ball the correct distance to the hole. If a 30 foot putt is sent 29ft and the line is missed by a foot either way, the player will be left with a makeable putt. If, on the other hand, a 30 foot putt is sent 25 feet on the correct line the player has an entirely different set of challenges. The player is required to make more decisions under a greater degree of pressure. Most players will miss these putts.

To improve your lag putting, swing the putter pendulum style and seek out a feel for the clubhead. Swing the putter back to the count of "one" and through to the count of "two." Sensing this rhythmic movement, hit some putts. As you move farther away from the hole the size of your stroke should increase while the rhythm stays the same. Be sensitive to changes in grip pressure. When grip pressure remains constant as you move the putter backwards and forwards your stoke will be smooth, effortless and effective.

May 2007 - Taking it to the Course.

If you've been out on the course a couple of times and have been having difficulty driving the golf ball in play, check your alignment. Once you have picked a target and established a target line, have a friend look at your set up position. Make sure the clubface is square to your target and your are square/a touch closed. Make the distinction between the direction the ball is sent and the curve you are putting on the golf ball. If you are sending the ball to the target and the ball is still curving to the right be mindful of your grip and the angle of approach of the clubhead (or both). You might need to strengthen your grip a touch (bottom hand) and shallow out the angle of approach if you prefer a ball flight that moves from right to left.

April 2007 - Taking it to the Course: Debilitating and Facilitating Thought Processes.

The golf season is upon us and in short order you'll be able to play outside. Ease into the new season and keep your expectations moderate while you familiarize yourself with the feel of playing golf again. Each and every year, your performance on the golf course will be determined by your ability to manage your expectations while you regain your seasonal form. If you are gearing up for another season of competitive play, arrive at your destination one shot at a time. Getting involved in the process of achievement through skill mastery is the most effective way of reaching your goals. The road to skill mastery is paved by a positive mental approach. The roadside is littered with the rest.

The uncertainties of golf exist for players of all skill levels. Beginners wonder if they will contact the ball while the most competitive players in the world wonder if they can rise to the occasion and make the winning putt on the last hole of the tournament. The majority of us fall somewhere in between. When wonder becomes anxiety, performances decline. The beginner doesn't want to be embarrassed and the tournament player doesn't want to choke.

There is a tremendous amount of information that needs to be processed to play good golf. The ability to process information is directly related to the experiences and development of a player. The best players make golf look easy for two reasons: 1) they pursue skill mastery 2) they are experts at processing and managing the inflow and outflow of information they receive before, during and after a (competitive) round of golf. A golfer must focus on the information that will allow their best performances to unfold. Sometimes a focused performance results in winning, more often than not it results in consistency. Consistency is the hallmark of the world's best golfers. The uncanny ability of Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to deliver consistent performances enabled them to become the dominant players of their eras. All are masterminds.

Debilitating thoughts, if not managed, will escalate emotions that will impair performance. Below are some examples of negative, corrective or debilitating thoughts that will sabotage confidence and their counterparts that will help maintain your mental equilibrium and physical performance.

Debilitating thoughts:

I hope I hit the ball.
I hope I don't miss this shot.
I hope I'm not paired with...
I wonder if they are watching me / scrutinizing me?
What do they think of my game?
How does my swing look? How do I look? Is my ball flight correct, etc.
Do I have enough golf balls?
I will dominate the field.
I will shoot 64 today.

Facilitating thoughts:

I intend to make my best swing.
I will send the ball to my target.
Playing with...will elevate my performance.
I am about to play a great shot.
It's time to score.
It's the number on the card that counts.
I'm prepared to play.
I intend to score consistently today.
I will begin my round by hitting the first fairway.

Remember, all players will have debilitating thoughts on the golf course from time to time. Manage these thoughts before they manifest themselves and promote poor play.

Make it a habit to identify and acknowledge debilitating thoughts if and when they arise.
Replace the thought with its counterpart, give yourself the positive pep talk.
Follow your pep talk with an action orientated affirmation that will allow you to become involved in the routine of executing.

March 2007 - Assess for Success.

Want to improve your score this year? Make a thoughtful assessment of the state of your game and set some goals. How would you rate your driving, approach shots, your short game and your putting? What about the mental side of the game? Do you think positively, cope well with pressure, play confidently and react calmly to adversity and mistakes? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?

Identifying the facets of your game that need improvement begins with a plan. If you're serious about improving your game, set some goals for yourself. Write your goals down. Keep in mind, the goals you set must be realistic and attainable within the time frame you have allotted for improvement. Becoming a tour caliber putter requires years of experience. If this is your goal you must be both vigilant and patient.

If your goal is to break 80 for the first time, you might want to reflect on the composition of your round. If your typical round reveals that you require 42 approach shots and 38 putts to shoot 80, you need to work on your putting. Anything less than 38 putts will allow you to sneak into the 70's. Assess your putting. How many three putts do you have during the round? Generally, three putts result from poor distance control - hitting the ball too far away from the hole or way past it on the approach putt. If you are missing short putts coming back are they breaking putts? Are they uphill or downhill? You might find that you are having difficulty with a downhill breaking putt. If you have a lot of these nasty little putts, consider the strategy you are employing on your approach putts. You've probably been far too aggressive with your approach putts and haven't been considering your leave.

If you have determined that your ability to lag putt needs to be improved (as more often than not you find yourself a great distance from the hole) organize a plan for improving your distance putting.

In addition, the number of lag putts you have may also indicate that you need to develop a precision short iron game. You may have to develop a strategy to improve your wedge play. Knowing what to do is one thing, putting your plan into action is another. Set a deadline for each goal, assessing your progress along the way. Remember, only sustained desire and passion will generate action that paves the road to accomplishment!

February 2007 - Control through remembered feel.

If you want to elevate your game under pressure you will need to identify feels in your golf swing that have previously produced desired results. The aim of practise and play, (after fundamental development), is to focus on the feel of the swing that will send the ball to the target. Advanced players will use feel to produce a desired effect on the ball (trajectory, curve or spin). Players that consistently drive "down the middle" have both a good understanding of what to do and have developed the ability to anticipate and become aware of the movements of the swing as it develops.

One of the pioneers of mid 20th century golf instruction, Percy Boomer, postulated that players lose their form when they transfer their attention from the feel of the swing to the location the ball is to be sent:

"What usually happens is that before the backswing is completed, the player transfers his attention from the matter of making the correct swing to the matter of where he wants to hit the ball...somewhere at the top of the swing he switches from a correct in-to-out swing to one along the desired line of flight...the only way to overcome this trouble (over the top) is to get him to concentrate on the swing that experience tells him will place that ball (at the target) that is, the reasoned means whereby the end may best be gained."

January 2007 - Stop the flip.

The correct sequence of the forward swing begins from the ground up. The intention to fire the right hip past the golf ball (in advance of the clubhead) will assist in the design of the proper sequence. When a player intends to initiate the forward swing with a spinning motion of their hips (a lateral rotation), their legs will brace for action and the upper core will respond and pull the arms, hands and club into the impact area. The hit becomes delayed (a power move) as the arms are dragged into the impact area. Clubface control will be preserved by the grip rather than provided through voluntary hand action. If a player's hips slow down or are inactive - power and clubface control will deteriorate.

December 2006 - Categorized swing adjustments.

Once you develop a conception of the swinging motion and the role of the hands, arms, club and body (and you must develop a sound understanding) making adjustments to your swing can be categorized.

It should always be our intention to send the ball at the target. The direction of the forward swing and the position of the clubface must have the correct relationship to the target line to do this. At the moment of impact, the club must be swinging on line, in the direction of the target and the clubface must be square. All deviations from this intention are brought about by preswing errors or motion errors.

To make error detection and correction easier, classify the fundamentals in groups of threes:

Your grip can be strong, neutral or square.
Your body leans left, right or is centered at address and has a tendency to lean left, right or remain centered during the swing.
Your swing is either over, under or on plane (the plane angle determined by the golf club when it is placed behind the golf ball at the beginning of the swing).

Normalize your Set-up

Ideally, set up with a neutral grip and a square clubface. Have your body face the target line squarely and remain centered and balanced. Make sure your shoulders are "stacked" over your hips. Don't tilt to the left or to the right.

Naturalize your Pivot

Your body turns as if your hips and shoulders were "contained by a barrel" during the golf swing. As you turn, ensure that your shoulders remain over your hips and vice versa - your hips remain underneath your shoulders. If your hips slide or sway as you turn, at some point during the back swing or forward swing they will not be in position to support your upper body and arm swing. If your spine tilts as you turn, you will have timing and resultant ball contact problems. Stay centered and balanced as you turn.

Neutralize your Plane

Strive for "matching planes" at the top of your back swing and finish position. If the left arm matches the shoulder plane at the top of the swing, the right arm should match the shoulder plane in the finish position. Matching planes are the hallmark of an efficient striker of the golf ball. Make note of your tendencies. If the plane is low at the top and high at the finish, the ball will be sent to the right of the target. If the plane is high at the top and low at the finish, the ball will be sent to the left of the target.

November 2006 - Creating the conditions for a positive strike.

If you've identified a putting problem during last month's exercise, become involved in the process of doing what is correct. Good putting begins with great mental intention. Intend to roll the ball along the line as far as the hole. Set up for success. Make sure your shoulders, forearms and putterface are aligned parallel left to the the line you intend to roll the ball along. Develop good direction in your stroke. The putting stroke, like the golf swing, has a circular pattern to it. Let the club swing backward and forward. Don't manipulate the stroke straight back and straight through. Allow the club to swing backward, inward and forward (retracing the same direction) as it moves through the ball. Allow the club to arc off to the left as the ball is sent in the direction of the target.

Train both arms to do this. Hit putts with the left arm only and hit putts with the right arm only. Identify the arm that causes you to miss the line the most. Train with this arm, as many repetitions as is necessary, so when you have both hands on the putter, you'll have a balanced action. Hitting putts with the less dominant arm will increase your dexterity over time, improve the path of your stroke and increase the quality of your strike. Find the time.

October 2006 - Strengthen your putting - Find the time to hit the line and revamp your game over the off-season.

A good putter rolls the golf ball the correct distance and imparts good direction. The size of a player's stroke rolls the ball a given distance. Through experience, players develop touch and become able to impart the correct amount of strength to the golf ball. A player that engages his arms and shoulders to make the stroke will generally strike his putts well. If a player fails to develop a good strike or their strike deteriorates, either stroke path or putter face (and sometimes both) are out of position at impact.

The path of the putter on the forward swing may approach the ball too far inside the target line resulting in heel hits. Alternatively, the path or the putter may approach the ball outside the target line resulting in toe hits. Either error results in problems with distance control and direction. A struggling player may also "hold" the face open or "roll" the face closed resulting in contacts off the heel or the toe of the putter.

Players can experience both path and face position problems simeoultaneously, adding to the frustration of poor returns on the greens. Players that return the club too far from the inside generally develop a rolling action with the clubface in an effort to keep the putt from traveling off-line. Players that return the club from the outside generally "hold the face off" to achieve the same ends.

To review:

Forward stroke path too far inside = Heel hits
Clubface "held off" through impact = Heel hits
Forward stroke path too far outside = Toe hits
Clubface "rolled" through impact = Toe hits

If you have the opportunity to practise in an indoor facility over the offseason and want to improve your putting, first diagnose the roll of your ball. Find a 15 foot putt with minimal break and mask a four foot target line to the hole with standard masking tape. Hit 20 putts and diagnose the roll of your ball. You'll find that you'll tend miss more on one side of the tape than the other. Record your results. Next month...some putting solutions.

September 15, 2006 - Plane your way for a powerful attack on the golf ball:

Creating the proper arrangement of the body, arms, and club through the top of the backswing is a very important connecting link that will allow for powerful attack through the ball. Endeavor to swing the golf club in a circular pattern. As golf is a side-on game, this circular pattern has a tilt to it, established by the golf club when placed behind the golf ball. This tilted circle is called the plane of the golf swing.

One of the first modern "one planers" was Nick Faldo, featured below. In figure 1, Faldo has established the shaft plane by placing the club behind the ball. In figure 2, Faldo's right elbow is "on plane" at the top of the swing. His left arm is in position parallel and above this plane; it mirrors the line of the shoulders. This is the common look for all one plane golfers.

In these images, Faldo demonstrates that he is geometrically and biomechanically spot on! His record and reputation as a ball striker support his method.

Hank Haney has given Tiger Woods a similar geometric package. Tiger's switch to the one plane technique, which accesses power from the core of the body, has been without question the instructional trend on tour in the last decade. Sport science and technology have fuelled the trend. Modern clubs and balls have advanced to the stage where golfers no longer have the need to create a steep swing to send the ball soaring through the air.

September 8, 2006 - How periodizing your approach to golf will improve your game:

As the twilight begins to gleam on this year's competitive golf season, adopting a periodized approach to swing changes makes perfect sense. The golf season lasts roughly 6.5 months. Five and one half months of the year golf courses are closed. The off season is the best time to make swing changes and eliminate any nagging technical flaws in the swing or simply reintroduce the fundamentals and begin again. Now is the time to begin planning winter lessons. Having the opportunity to just hit balls day after day without the pressure of performance will enable you to make swing changes on the fly and develop what is often a keener feel for the golf swing than at any point during the year. At the beginning of a golf lesson program remember to alternate the emphasis of practice sessions. Alternate between maintenance practices (reviewing fundamentals), technical practices (skill assimilation) and performance practices (shaping the ball and altering trajectory). The most organized players generally blend elements of each into a session, no less than 3 times a week during the off season. An hour session could have a 20-minute maintenance component, a 20-minute technical component and a 20-minute performance component. Stack your practices and periodize your game over the winter!

September 1, 2006 - "Y" for Width, The Fundamental of Consistency:

The movement of the clubhead in the golf swing is circular. The more rounded you can make the bottom of the golf swing (backwards and forwards) the better results you'll achieve. You want a nice shallow rounded arc. Maximizing arc will help provide efficient power and consistency of strike. To develop this fundamental, imagine that your arms and the clubshaft form a "Y" shape at address. Swing your arms and shoulders 3 feet backward and forward, keeping the frame of the "Y" in shape as best as you can. Keep your left arm pinned to your chest. Hit some chip shots with this shape in motion. After a period of time (one focused practise session), you'll begin to sense or recognize the clubhead tracking in a wide shallow arc as it swings beneath you. Hit some balls and seek out this pattern while your swinging. Observe yourself. Remember, you're making a small size of swing, seeking out a feel. Practice with an 8 iron, hitting the ball between 80 and 100 yards.

August 25, 2006 - Stretch Reflex Part II:

Last week we introduced you to the concept of the stretch shortening cycle. If your shots lack real punch there's a good chance your body is moving too slowly on the back swing. You're either purposely taking the club back too slowly or you've been working to incorporate a technical skill and remain in the cognitive and associate phases of learning. In these phases, the tempo of the movement is often diminished, as new movements need to be understood, assembled and linked. A golfer who learns new skills is not able to consistently operate without conscious thought, and the speed of their back swing is often diminished. As a result, they lose the ability to engage their waist and inhibit the power that can be developed through the stretch shortening cycle. For this reason, a periodized plan of skill development is advisable.

Nick Faldo's makeover with David Leadbetter took two years before he began seeing quantifiable results. Tiger's makeover with Hank Haney is just beginning to bear fruit. Tiger seems to have moved past the autonomous phase of learning, as proven by his masterful wins at the British Open and the PGA Championship. He's poised to continue his assault on Nicklaus' record number of major championships. If you're making swing changes, understand that development takes time. Implement Nick Price's 3 P's of golf...Persevere, Persevere...Persevere.

August 18, 2006 - Access the stretch reflex for a more powerful pivot:

Good ball strikers have one thing in common. They all have explosive club movement through impact. Legendary ball striker Ben Hogan, owner of what truly could be described as an explosive action, wanted his shoulders to turn against his hips in the back swing. He wanted the midsection of his body to be tightened up so that the tension would automatically start the downswing like an uncoiling spring. What Hogan was describing, in the late 50's, was the plyometric phenomenon of the muscles, called the stretch shortening cycle.

Muscle contraction happens in two phases. The stretching or eccentric phase and the shortening or concentric phase. The faster the muscles are stretched, the greater the force will be on the following concentric contraction.

To exploit this stretch shortening cycle in the golf swing, the pivot movement, the turn-twist cycle of the body, must be made without a pause at the top of the swing. If the shoulders are held loosely and moved with adequate speed you have a better chance of engaging this physiological process.

Next week: Swing changes and the stretch shortening cycle.

August 11, 2006 - Learn from the past and prepare for the future:

If you are interested in mastering the game of golf, use your misplayed shots as your teaching tools. Give as much consideration to an abnormally high scoring round as you would a low one. Remain mindful when you play and turn frustration into a forum where you can learn to identify non-productive swing and short game patterns. Generally, these patterns reveal themselves during a competitive experience or when you are experiencing some mental or physical fatigue. Allow poor play to focus your next practise rather than paralyze your future performances. As the great Jack Nicklaus, said "If you live in the past, you haven't got much of a future." The most resilient players move on rather than hang on.

August 4, 2006 - Stay present in competition:

Better golf will happen when you stay in the present moment. Deal only with the shot at hand. When you misplay or misdirect a shot, there is more often than not a negative emotion associated with the result. Experience the emotion and allow it to pass through your system as fast as you can. Immediately shift your mental intention, direction and focus to the next shot. The question to be answered must be "how can I make the best possible score out of this situation."

If you're three off the tee on a par four, try to get up and down for your bogey. Even if you've made 6, chances are you've eliminated a bigger number that will sabotage the rest of your tournament. Keep in mind you should have plenty of birdie opportunities to make up for your misfortune.

If thoughts of past failures creep into your mind and you become anxious, focus only on the next shot. If you've had a "frustrating" round, look past your emotional state. An honest assessment of poor play should attribute scoring pitfalls to rusty skills that remain to be mastered. Remember, the most consistent players began the sport with the intention to play the game well.

July 27, 2006 - Putt better with a better attitude:

Brad Faxon, one of the more respected and reputable putters on the PGA Tour suggests that a positive putting attitude supercedes technique. Faxon believes that a great attitude on each and every putt is the key to getting the most from your technique. Do four things to become a better putter:

Be positive;
Visualize the putt going in;
Feel the size of the movement required;
Hole it.

The method is called "see, feel, do."

Last week's British Open at Hoylake (Royal Liverpool Golf Club) was won with the putter. Tiger lag putted superbly. All the other contenders, set aside Chris DiMarco, faded away due to lackluster putting. Sergio Garcia's opening 29 on Friday did not translate to further success on the weekend due to his tempermental putter. Ernie Els championship hopes were dashed by poor putting.

Chris Di Marco kept his Championship drive alive holing improbable putt after putt on the back nine during Sunday's final round, forcing the cruising Woods some concern. DiMarco, affectionately known as the "bulldog", finished runner up despite an unorthodox putting method. DiMarco believes in his "claw" which is supported by his desire to hole putts at any cost.

How about Corey Pavin's 61 yesterday at the U.S. Bank Championship! He opened with an historical 26 on the front nine. One par and eight birdies, that's ten putts. Hopefully Pavin will carry a his positive attitude at putting fortune into today's round and the weekend.

Stay positive and patient and you'll make more putts.

July 21, 2006 - How to regain your power for straighter, longer shots - Part II

Now that you are set up for success, turn BOTH shoulders as far round as you can. Imagine that the shoulder turn is contained by a hula-hoop. The movement should feel fairly centered and rotary. For some of you it will feel awfully flat, perhaps even a horizontal movement. That's okay, you've probably been tilting rather than turning and have become guilty of what DJ Thomasi would call a single shoulder turn. You will need to turn both shoulders around, especially that right one, bury it behind your head and really torque up that waist area. You'll be well on your way to an automatic release.

July 14, 2006 - How to regain your power for straighter, longer shots - Part I

Referring to fundamentals, Ben Hogan recommended golfers "set up the good guys so that the bad guys can't win." What he was referring to was the profiling of the feet, and the position of the right arm at the address position. For most shots Hogan wanted the right foot square (perpendicular) to the target line, not toed out. The left foot was angled approximately a ¼ turn toward the target. The placement of the right foot was a key fundamental for Hogan. It's right-angled orientation to the target line provide for a stable base and a brace that would allow a player to sense how the turn of the shoulders (both shoulders on the back swing) could produce the feel of coil in the waist. The torso (shoulders) should turn against the hips, held in their place by the correct profiling of the feet. Next week...Power Part II.

July 7, 2006 - Exchange mechanics for feel and visualization

There are no straight lines in a circle. Even a line drawn on a video monitor represents a circular pattern. If you visualize or feel any straight lines during your backswing, you are destined to have a golf swing without flow and grace. It won't be as simple and efficient as it could be. All the top players are "rounding off" their action these days, copying the great rotary swings of yesteryear mimicking Jones, Snead, and Hogan. Your shoulders move in a circular pattern, so do your hips, your arms, hands and clubhead. Make some swings visualizing these circular motions and regain the feel of a continuous uninterrupted swing.

June 30, 2006 - Think "underneath"on the Forward Swing

The next time you have a video lesson or have the chance to look at frame-by-frame sequences of golf swings, compare your action with what the great ball strikers do. A player's shoulder plane at the top of the swing generally points beyond the ball-target line (White line). During the forward swing, a player's shoulder plane should steepen (Red Line). When skilled players shift their weight and move laterally, the right side of their body appears to work underneath the left.

Swinging "underneath"

The right side of the body moves slightly underneath the left as weight moves into the left hip. This encourages the appearance of a slight tilting action as body weight begins to move forward while the center of the swing (head) is maintained.

June 23, 2006 - Major Meltdown at the U.S. Open

Many of you watched the final round of the US Open this past Sunday and saw many of the world's best players falter under the pressure of the last few holes of the nation's most prized championship. Coming down the stretch, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Phil Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy were all poised to win at some point during the final holes. Geoff Ogilvy, who later admitted that he would have been pleased with a runner up finish, became the champion. Most impressive was the fortitude and restraint that the other competitors showed during their post-round press conferences. In a time of what was certainly great tribulation for these few men, all behaved like great sportsman and handled the media with class. The next time you're playing a casual round or competing in an event, hold your head high if you've given it your best effort, regardless of the circumstances.

Furyk, Paddy, Monty and Lefty handled the situation and the media like champions.

June 16, 2006 - Club Control in the Rough

This week on the PGA TOUR, Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY hosts the second major championship of the year, the US OPEN. The tournament is always known for the tall rough that will penalize any player missing the fairway off the tee. This year at Winged Foot, the United States Golf Association has prepared a primary, secondary and tertiary (3rd cut) of rough. The third cut of rough has exceeded the USGA guidelines and is 6 to 7 inches deep in places. The first cut of rough will cause players some problems with distance control as clean club ball contact is not assured. Grass will be lodged between the clubface and the golf ball causing it to spin less and fly through the air farther than usual. The second cut will probably allow players to play between a 130-180 yard shot. They will be able to advance the ball (and to be sure this week there will be some heroic shots) but for the most part the second cut will penalize the field. The third cut of rough will force players to play sideways back into the fairway if they can find the ball.

Playing out of the rough: When the club head passes through heavy rough, the rough will slow the club head down and tend to close the face. A greater size and speed of swing is required to advance the ball. If you don't have the opportunity or the inclination to hit two dozen balls out of the rough during practice, entertain some of the following ideas when you find yourself in a grave situation on the course:

Make a practice swing or two to measure how much the rough will impede the swing.
In order to control the clubhead, you'll need a firmer grip pressure to hold and control the club as it moves through the grass. You want greater holding pressure not tension in the whole body.
Intend, as always, to swing through and past the ball. If you play to the point of impact you'll probably not advance the ball as far as you'd like.

Enjoy the Open!

June 9, 2006 - Shallow Swing to Draw the Ball

It is often remarked "swing from the inside or swing in to out to draw the ball." The remark is correct but rather than applying this two dimensional concept of club head movement think in three dimensions. More often than not the player swings from in to out and the result is a push fade. What the player has failed to realize (or has not been told) is that the club head must approach the ball from a shallow angle of attack. In to out and shallow! If the club head approaches the ball from an angle that is too steep the face will not naturally close and impart drawspin on the ball. Shallow out your approach and watch the ball move nicely from right to left.

June 1, 2006 - Body Movement

If you get a chance to watch the Memorial this weekend, watch the body movements of some of the best players in the world. Don't be distracted by their arms, hands and club. Take a really close look and see if you can detect where the motion of a world-class golf swing originates. Watch the core. The waist of a player will bring his shoulders, arms, hands and club head into and through impact. As the player rotates, his weight should move forward with the swing - a weight shift through rotation.

Truly, the swing is initiated in the mind. Thought process prompts the body into the right sequence of movement. Where there is understanding; there can be performance.

May 23, 2006 - Role of the Grip

Your hands hold and control the club throughout the golf swing. They are the only link you have to the golf club. Your hands need to be balanced in relation to one another and balanced in relation to the clubface. Take a slightly stronger grip to ensure the clubface will be square or slightly closed as it passes through the ball. Once you have formed your grip properly and established the correct relationship with the leading edge of the club, strive to keep your grip pressure constant throughout the swing. A good grip will allow the clubface to "square off" through impact. There is no need to make an extra voluntary movement with your hands in an effort to guide the ball straight. Using your hands to twist the clubface will kill the power and the accuracy of the forward swing. As Hogan said, "...to believe one can time such a delicate and devilish thing is folly." A sound grip and passive hand action will take unwanted curve off your golf ball.