GOLF FITNESS

As a Titleist Performance Institute level 2 qualified golf fitnesss professional I found the latest interview on the TPI youtube page a great insight into the importance of being golf fit. Even though the interview in its main is about HIP issues, what Lance Gill and Dr. Thomas Byrd discuss in relation to prevention over rehabilitation is important for the whole body.

For four years I have been screening golfers to establish an understanding of how their body is effecting their golf swing. The screens can also highlight which swing technique could be the most suitable for the player. The physical screens encompass stability,mobility and balance.
If through the screening process I find an issue that could present it self as a swing fault or future injury, I am then able to prescribe a fitness programme for improvement or advise my player to seek advice from a medical professional to help.

When I first mention the idea of golf fitness to payers , the instant thought is one of running on a treadmill, stationary bikes, lifting weights etc . These are methods used in fitness but in the whole, the programmes from TPI are designed to be done at home or at the gym with minimal use of equipment.
Through the use of golf specific fitness programmes the player can improve the bodies mobility,stability and balance. Improving your golf fitness can have a huge effect on your chances of reaching your desired golfing goals

Additional distance
Improved ball striking
Less fatigue
Injury prevention
Swing change Sustainability

These are some of the areas that you can improve this winter if you start a golf fitness programme.

Visit www.mytpi.com to find your nearest golf fitness professional or contact me and I will endeavour to find you a professional who can help.

Andy

GOLF SWING - SWING LIKE TIGER WOODS

It still amazes me how many youtube video's on the golf swing claim to help the golfer 'swing like Tiger Woods' or 'build the perfect swing' These pages are getting hundreds of thousands of hits. From this evidence it must be fairy important to the viewers to try and improve their swing and make it look like a tour pro.

With the emergence of computer swing analysis software like GASP or V1 I think the focus of many golf professionals shifted slightly from making the player the best at scoring to the player with the swing that most matched a tour pro.
Most analysis systems allow a split screen mode where the player can be compared on screen to a tour player. I must admit to doing this on many occasions. My only rule to using the split screen was to try and use a tour pro of a similar height and build to my player having a lesson.

I ceased using the comparison mode of my GASP software a while ago, because I felt it had a detrimental effect on my players improvement. I had somehow fallen into the trap of showing the player that they had improved based around the similarities to tour professionals' swings.
What I really should have been doing was showing the player how their swing had changed from lesson to lesson, and highlighting how those changes had effected the ball flight.
I still use the tour player files on the GASP analysis system but only to highlight the different swing models and techniques there are at the highest levels of golf.

So please do not get sucked into the idea that you need to swing like TigerWoods or any other tour pro's. Watch the different styles and methods used.

Once you have got it into your mind that the secret to good golf is not just a good looking swing, you will be well on your way to improving.

Andy

ENLIGHTENING

Striking a good golf shot can be simplified by the analogy of striking a matchstick.
When striking a matchstick it is easiest when you have these 3 simple components.


1 Downward pressure.

2 Acceleration.

3 A forward leaning shaft.

If you do not have these 3 components you will find it hard to strike the matchstick.

Firstly if the shaft of the matchstick leans backwards or is vertical you will find it difficult to apply sufficient downward pressure to create enough friction for the match to light. Secondly it will prove very difficult to create enough acceleration.

If the shaft of a golf club at impact is backward leaning or vertical similarly you will not be able to create enough downward pressure. This downward pressure is transferred to the ball which in turn compresses. This compression is vital in maximising initial golf ball velocity. You will also find clubface control very difficult due to left wrist extension. Quality ball striking and thus distance control is almost impossible from these shaft positions.

Now if the matchstick leans forward downward pressure can be applied to cause enough friction to light the match, plus the far end of the match can be pulled at speed. And we have light.

Imagine your golf club is a giant matchstick.

1 Apply downward pressure by striking the ball with a descending clubhead.

2 Acceleration will come from the pivot of the body

3 The forward leaning shaft, make sure the hands reach the impact zone before the clubhead.

Just a thought.

Andy

Do you really want to improve?

I have been having some really good conversations through skype and the social media world with John Graham http://johngrahamgolf.com/blog/ about the future of player development.

We have talked about programmes that can really offer the best service to help our players improve.
As golf professionals do we expect too much from our players to come for a lesson then ask them to go away and practice alone with no further observation until the next lesson?

Golf is a sport that is commonly known for its difficulty, so why is it players only see their coach in frequently. In most other sports the time spent with the coach is normally more than the time spent actually competing. For example in elite level football, basketball, or tennis a player will almost never practice without a coach observing.
This observation time may not be direct coaching but the coach has the opportunity to see if the player is practicing correctly all the required skills needed to develop.

We both agreed the idea of observed practice time, during which skills challenges can be set up for shot making and short game was very important.

One factor that could be prohibitive to observed practice is cost. How about asking 3 of your golfing friends to split the cost of an hour with your coach. One hour per week should cost you the same as as 2 buckets of balls at the range.
During this time your coach could set you shot making or short game challenges. This way you will have the coach keeping an eye on your technique while helping you learn all important scoring skills.

If you really want to improve you will need to make some sort of sacrifice. It maybe financial or it maybe time. But make the sacrifice and improve your golf with the help of your coach.



Andy

CONTROL YOUR BREATHING

The Grand Slam of Golf has just finished in Bermuda with Ernie Els winning the 4 man event. The event is fairly unique in a number of ways. The most interesting for me is that the players have microphones on full time. So we as viewers could get to hear all the conversations between players and between caddies and players. This gave us a great insight into the workings of the player/caddie relationship.

Graeme McDowell was by far the most vocal of the 4. He allowed us to hear all his thoughts on club selection, line of putts etc. The most fascinating insight for me was his use of breathing control during putting. Once he had gone through his green reading and line up process, he would settle to swing the putter. Just prior to making his stroke he had an obvious long exhalation. It seemed he was emptying his lungs of all the air they held. Then he would swing the putter.
This exhalation is a similar technique used by expert marksmen in archery and shooting. The exhalation relaxes the shoulders and helps maintain stability in the torso and arms. Thus helping accuracy. He showed us perfect diaphragmatic breathing.

Try this little 2 part breathing exercise to help you understand the difference between chest and diaphragmatic breathing.

1 - Stand or sit in a relaxed position and place one of your hands on your chest. Now begin to take some short quick breaths, you will notice that your chest and shoulders rise and drop with each short sharp breath. This is not great for stability during putting plus it also enhances a state of anxiousness. This feeling and breathing pattern we sometimes get when scared or nervous. These two feelings are also common in golf.

2 - Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Now breathe in through your nose keeping your lips closed. As you take your slow deep breathe your chest should remain still and your stomach should expand. Next exhale fully through your open mouth. Really try and feel like you are pulling your stomach in to help empty your lungs. You should very quickly feel more relaxed and less anxious than before. This is correct diaphragmatic breathing.

Being able to control your breathing on the golf course or at home will allow you to reduce anxiety and help you control nerves. Many golfers get nervous when having a good score or bad score. Many of us at work have moments of panic and anxiety when things may not be going well for us.

Many of the elite level golfers will rely on correct breathing techniques in times of pressure to help them maintain a good level of play.

Hopefully this little breathing exercise will help you at home, work and on the golf course.

Good luck

Andy

A MUST READ

I have recently read a great post at http://johngrahamgolf.com/blog/ titled feedback vs' outcome and it reminded me of one of the most important learning days of my golf coaching life.

A few years ago I came across the work of Michael Hebron. The very instant I read "The club's three elements" I knew I had to change my coaching ideas. I had become so involved with learning the different swing techniques of the day I had forgot the plain and simple truth that the club tells the ball which direction to fly in. Impact factors and laws dictate ball flight.

On Mr.Hebrons' website www.michaelhebron.com there is a fantastic library of articles which over time I printed off, presented to my staff members, and given to pupils. For me the information there is some of the best and most insightful information available today.

Understanding golf clubs part 1 & 2 and understanding golf balls were 3 other articles that had a profound effect on my coaching.

In an era where information from Trackman, video analysis and 3d bio feedback is becoming the norm, I still feel most golfers would benefit from some simple home truths.

Train the club


Training, “The Club”
By Michael Hebron

Golfers can work on their swing and game in a variety of ways, but I would like to suggest
using your training time to develop swings using the 3 elements the club was designed with, not
tips from your friends. Learn the alignments of a golf club’s clubface, head, and shaft for the
variety of shots you will be confronted with on the golf course.

In 1910, champion golfer Harry Vardon said, “The best advice I can give – you must obey the
club and what the club wants you to do – letting the results be natural.” Bobby Jones, a
champion golfer in 1930 said, “Golfers should first and most importantly, learn how the clubface
and ball interact at impact. No one can play good golf until they know all the many ways a ball
can be expected to react when struck in different ways.”

What follows is grounded in the suggestions of Harry Vardon and Bobby Jones. These
suggestions are based on basic core golf knowledge that has been the same since the game of
golf’s inception, over 500 years ago. Every shot in golf (for over 500 years) had some type of
ball flight that was influenced by how the golfer angled the clubface, club head, and shaft of club
through impact (intentionally or unintentionally). Golfers should be focusing their learning
sessions on what to do with the golf club’s shaft, head, and face, instead of focusing on how to
move their bodies.

When working on your game and swing, you can pick one element (face, head or shaft) at a
time to be aware of. It is not difficult to learn where and what the club head, clubface and shaft
are doing at impact. Just let yourself be aware, and don’t fill your mind with swing tips.
Becoming aware of the club’s 3 elements is a much easier skill to learn than learning how to type
reasonably well, much easier! There are only three elements - face, head, and shaft to be
aware of, not the 60+ keys on keyboards to learn. I know a 6 year old boy who more often than
not is aware of what his clubface, club head, and shaft are doing through impact.

When schools offer driver education classes to high school students or adults go to driving
schools – a general description of what they intend to do is – Learn to drive. When driver
education is looked at from a different point of view, we can clearly see students are learning to
influence a steering wheel, and gas and break pedals. When students learn to influence these
three elements of a car they are developing an unconscious foundation for driving a car.


Driving a car is really the end result of learning to influence a steering wheel, gas and break
pedals. Just as an effective golf swing is clearly the end product of learning to influence the
shaft, face, and head of a golf club. My suggestion is do not try to learn the golf swing per se,
but become aware of and learn the required alignments of shaft, clubface, and club head at
impact for the shot at hand.

Where do I want the shaft for the shot at hand? Where do I want the club head for the shot at
hand? Where do I want the clubface for the shot at hand? Be engaged with what you want.
The end product then becomes a golf swing foundation with effective alignment and application
force, just as learning to influence a steering wheel, gas and break pedal is the foundation for
improving driving skills.

I suggest staying away from swing thoughts and tips from your friends, and become more open
and unconsciously aware of ball flight when training and practicing.
• Was the clubface open or closed at impact?
• Was the clubface behind my hands or ahead of them?
• Through impact was the shaft above, below, or on the same lie angle it was on at
address?
• Where was the shaft pointing at the top of the swing?

Your ball flight path can give you the answers to all these and similar questions (nature knows
no other possibilities). Did the ball start right or left? Did the ball have any side spin? Was
impact solid or weak? Did the ball fly too high or too low? It’s the rules for the club that produces
ball fight.

Some general observations about the design of a club are:

• In general: when through impact the shaft and rotational swing forces are not parallel to
the angle the shaft occupied at address, it causes a ball flight the player most likely did not
want.
• When the face of the club is either open or closed to the club head path side spin is
increased. An open clubface, with the club head coming to the ball from outside the target line
increases left to right side spin. A closed face with the club head coming from inside the target
line increases right to left side spin. In both examples there is a misalignment of force.
• When the face of the club is looking in the same direction the club head is traveling into
impact on; i.e. an out-to-in path it pulls the ball left, an in-to-out path pushes the ball off line to
the right. Both of these ball flights are without side spin.
• When the players’ swing shape lets the club go through impact without any changes to its
original angles, the shaft, club head, and clubface are all said to be on plane (with the clubface
behind the grip end). The player has an efficient application and alignment of force, and
straight boring ball flight.
• When players with swings that intentionally alter one or more of the original design angles
through impact, they can intentionally alter the application of force and the flight of the ball
making it go high or low, or give the ball a left to right or right to left side spin for the shot at
hand.
• When the original design angles are changing unintentionally through impact, it produces
thin and fat shots. Shots can also go higher or lower than we want, hooking and slicing out of
control unintentionally. All caused by the original design angles going through impact
unintentionally out of control, causing a misapplication of force.


Any efforts and plans to build effective golf swing force will be less than then they could be when
the design angles of the golf club are not taken into consideration.

Keep in mind every desired ball flight (high, low, left, right, etc.) has a corresponding alignment
and path of clubface, head, and shaft for the shot at hand that must be taken into consideration
before the player swings. It’s only after players are aware of impact alignments for the club’s 3
elements that it possible to build an effective swing. Train so you learn to be unconsciously
aware of where the clubface, head, and shaft are at impact; i.e. a sand shot requires different
alignments than the driver swing. Players should be previewing seeing and feeling impact
alignments before they start their swing.

It’s quite possible no one has ever asked you to become aware of the clubface, head, and shaft
before. But this is the only real key to an efficient swing! Let me ask, If we do not know where
clubface, head and shaft are and what they are doing, how can we change our flight? Becoming
aware of current alignments and angles is the first step to progress.

Any guidelines for golf swings that can produce effective impact force and alignments for the
shot we are playing have the design of the club at their foundation.






Copyright Michael Hebron, 2009 Learning Golf, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Neuro Learning for golf and Neurogolf Learning are trademarks of Learning Golf, Inc.
.

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE

If you are serious about improving your golf this winter, you need to take some golf lessons.

That's a horrible thought to many. Taking lessons have for sometime come with the stigma of making the golfer worse before getting them better.

Modern golf lessons may not be what you think. They are not hitting the same 7 iron to the same target lessons that were readily seen 10-15 years ago.

Today's golf coaches are highly knowledgeable and experts in instructional techniques.

Finding the right coach for you is important.

Some coaches will teach a specific method. Some will coach you a feel and not a method.

Most coaches will video you and some may compare you to elite tournament professionals on computer analysis programmes.

Any golf coach worth his/her salt has read many more books, watched many more youtube video's than you, and potentially invested thousands of pounds on training courses to help them coach you the golfer better.

In the end knowledge is KING.

But is it?

How about knowledge and communication are KING

As a golf coach it is my job to communicate the knowledge I have amassed into something that the golfer will understand. The information must also be relevant to the individual. This relevance to the individual is where a good golf coach will always be much more helpful than a book or video.

When relaying the information to the golfer the information should be concise and understandable and fact based.

My first professional Alan Bridge from Dibden Golf Centre, explained to me that the best way to coach is to imagine the pupil does not understand any words associated with golf. If, as a coach you have the ability to communicate your thoughts and knowledge using everyday words and phrases you will have greater success.

I still believe in this and it has certainly helped me here in Spain, where language is sometimes a barrier.

My advice is, if you want to improve your golf seek out a qualified golf coach who has good knowledge and great communication skills. Before booking a lesson talk to the coaches and see if you connect with them. Try and converse with some of the other golfers who have already taken lessons and listen to what they have to say.

This is your golf game, take control of your improvement

Knowledge and communication are king

THE FUTURE

For most of the northern Europe the climate dictates that we will not be playing and competing much over the Autumn/winter period.

So what should you be doing over this period?

Should you put the clubs away in the garage and wait for the better weather to arrive?
Should you spend hours at the range hoping your swing improves?
Should you buy the latest new golf clubs on the market?

As a golf coach I encourage all of my pupils to meet up to discuss and evaluate the passed season. This evaluation is vital for the golfer and coach. We can get to see if set goals were not reached, reached or surpassed. We can discuss what we both feel has been the positive and negatives of the season.

Any good golf coach should offer constructive and non judgemental praise or criticism of both the golfers and his/her own performance during the year.

The meeting also offers the chance for the golfer and coach to discuss an Autumn /Winter plan of improvement.

I look at six areas of improvement in all of my pupils

1. Swing mechanics
2. Shot making ability
3. Physical conditioning
4. Equipment assessment
5. Mental approach
6. Course management

Each area has equal importance for evaluation and improvement. A small improvement in each of these six area will lead to a larger overall improvement.

Physical conditioning and mental approach may not be key in your thoughts when it comes to improving your golf game, but let me assure you they are as vital as swing mechanics and course management. If your own coach does not posses the knowledge to help you in these two areas, I am sure he will have contacts who will.

Check out these 2 websites for help in these areas.

www.mytpi.com will help you find for a qualified golf fitness professional in your area.
www.am-performancesolutions.co.uk Andy Morrison has a great online mental coaching programme.

If the 2010 season was not what you wanted and you did not achieve your set goals now is the time to make sure 2011 will be.

Take control of your future. Plan now for next season

PREPARE LIKE A PROFESSIONAL

Being a club golfer does not mean you cannot be professional in your preperation for the round or the shot you are about to play. I personally do not believe it takes a lot to be professional in your approach to golf.

First of all, are you giving your self the best chance of having a good score?

Ask yourself these questions before playing.

Have I taken on board enough fuel to energise my body for my game of golf?
Have I drunk a sufficient amount of water to remain hydrated?
Have I stretched and mobilised the areas of my body most likely to be involved in a athletic sporting motion?

Have I got the necessary clothing to keep me cool, warm or dry?
Have I got the correct clubs for the course?
Have I got a mental plan of how the course is best played?

Now some golfers may not be in a financial position to have spare clubs that they can swap in depending on the course, but everything else I have listed comes in at a very low cost. Everything I have listed is pre game preparation.

What I would like to talk about is preparation for the shot at hand,and specifically yardages.

If you were lucky enough to watch this weekends Ryder cup from The Celtic Manor resort you would have noticed the time spent between caddie and player discussing yardages or distances.

How far to the bunker? How far to the end of the fairway? How far to the front of the green? How far to the pin? How is the lie going to effect the shot? How will the weather effect the shot? Is it up or down hill?
Most of this information comes from the Yardage books. These yardage books are a vital piece of equipment to the caddie and player.
How many of you club golfers have a yardage book of your own course? Not many I would think. Why not?

In my experience the club golfer plays the yardages on an estimation basis. 'Last time I was here I hit such a club'. 'I normally play such a club from here'. 'I'm about 20 yards from the 150 markers'. And the list goes on
For me this is not good enough preparation and it is not professional.

Most of the players in Ryder cup played the 2010 course maybe 4 times in the run up to the event, Plus the 5 rounds during the match. For every shot , the yardage book came out, they gathered information,they chose the club required for the shot,then and only then did they play the shot.

I believe every club golfer should own a yardage book for their course no matter how well they think they know the course. Play to yardages not to feelings and past events.

There are many more tools available now to the club golfer to help with yardages and distances and course management.Check out these websites for the latest information on rangefinders and GPS systems for golf.

www.bushnellgolf.com
www.skygolf.com

If you do not own a yardage book for your course, purchase 1 today. If the club yardage book is not up to the job write your own distances on it, or make your own book.

Without all the information do not play the shot and be professional in your preparation.

Any comments please post up below

Andy