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

THE CHALLENGE IS....

As human beings we are inherent problems solvers.
As coaches we are asked to instruct the golfer on the best way to solve these problems.

I believe self learning and the interpretation of results is always the best method of problem solving.
I give my pupils challenges. These challenges promote self learning and always have results that need interpreting.
These results or feedback may be positive or negative. But the pupil will have learnt something.


These challenges I set, help the pupil learn what will happen to the ball flight if changes in the swing are made. These changes to ball flight are vital. I truly believe as a golf coach, that if the ball flight has not changed for the better I have wasted my pupils time and money.

In this video I took a new pupil who has suffered from a lack of ball flight control and distance for many months. Once we finished our 9 holes we went to the practice ground to help him improve his technique. His previous lessons had been technical and position based.

My direction for instruction was the opposite.

I offered the golfer a challenge, which he accepted. The challenge was. Hit the ball but the club head in the back swing must travel above the alignment stick and in the forward swing must travel under the alignment stick.
Those were the rules of the challenge.

Please watch THE CHALLENGE






From start to finish the changes seen here took 10 minutes.
He is now considerably closer to swinging the club on a more efficient plane for golf.
More importantly the ball flight changed and he realised that something must have changed in his swing for the ball flight to have been altered

We are good at problem solving, I promise you. We do not have to think about positions in the golf swing, let our instincts and natural problem solving ability help us.

Hope this helps
Andy

Laura Davies

Is Laura Davies Britain's greatest female sportsperson?

Or should she also be classed as one of Britain's greatest sports persons full stop?

I can think of very few British sports people who have had such amazing career.

After seeing and reading about her latest victory at the Open de españa, at the age of 46, it got me thinking about here place in Britain's list of sports greats.

Lets look at her career ( according to the Ladies European tour www.ladieseuropeantour.info )

4 major's
ladies European tour wins 41
LPGA wins 20
Plus 14 other wins on various tours
11 times Solheim cup player
7 time LET order of merit winner
1st non American to top the LPGA order of merit

To date Sir Nick Faldo is Britain's greatest golfer.

6 Majors
40 professional wins
11 Ryder cups and the highest point winner in the history of the match.
World number one for 98 weeks

I have no doubt that Sir Faldo will always be considered as one of Britain's greatest sports persons, But I feel looking at the records of both players Laura Davies should also be in the category of greats.

In an era where other leading sports people are lauded for their accomplishments, Laura Davies seems to be forgotten. Presumably its the lack of exposure that ladies golf has in Britain. Plus she may not be seen as the poster child for ladies golf. But this lady continues to play amazing winning golf at the age of 46.

I hope she continues to play high class golf for many years to come. Maybe one day the British press and public will realise what a true champion she has always been. I would be very interested to know how many if any current lady golfers see her as a role model.

If you have any comments please post them up.

Area's for discussion.

Who is Britains greatest female sports person?
Who is Britains greatest sports person?


I look forward to your comments

Andy

Golf warm up and mobility programme

A perfect all body warm up or mobility programme. In under 8 minutes you can have your body better prepared for your round of golf.
If you feel any pain during any of these exercises please stop straight away.

If you find any of these exercises difficult please visit www.mytpi.com and search for your nearest qualified golf fitness professional.

1 - Reverse toe touch x5
2 - Arms in front deep squat x5
3 - Arms overhead deep squat x5
4 - Club assisted pelvic tilts ( cats & dogs ) x5
5 - Narrow stance lunge with rotation x5 each direction
6 - Assisted hip twisters x5 each direction
7 - Standing helicopter turns x5 each direction
8 - Helicopter turns in posture x5 each direction
9 - Assisted stork turns x10 each leg
10 - Walking knees to chest x10
11 - Ulnar and radial deviation x5 each right hand and left
12 - Standing shoulder rotation x5
13 - In posture shoulder rotation x5

Warm up before you play golf or practice for improved results

Andy