Clubface
How many of you golfers have had advice given to you about your swing with no indication of how that change will effect clubface aim at impact and ultimately ball flight?
For me as a golf coach it is vital to have all my pupils understand, what I am asking them to change, and how will it improve their ball flight.
Why is the clubface so important?
Clubface aim at impact accounts for 85% of the starting direction of the ball flight, the other 15% is club path. So learning how to control the clubface aim at impact is vital. Old ball flight laws suggested the starting ball flight was controlled by the club path. Please forget what you have heard in the past. We are in the present.
Game
Left, right, middle
Pick a target at the practice area approx 50 yards away and take dead aim with your clubface. If you have problems aiming consistently I would suggest laying another club on the ground with the shaft pointing directly at your target. When you address the ball which will be placed close to the shaft make sure the leading edge of the club is at right angles(90 degrees) to this shaft.
1st shot try and hook the ball to the left of the target.(hook to the right for left handers)
2ND shot try and slice the ball to the right of the target.(slice to the left for left handers)
3rd shot try and hit it dead straight at your target.
Repeating this exercise 4 times(total 12 shots) will help you learn better club face control. It takes some shots to get used to but it will be worth it when it leads to better ball flight control.
Play this simple game at some point during each practice session you have. After the game write down in a notepad what you think changed in your clubface aim to hit each different shot.
85% of the starting ball flight is controlled by the clubface aim at impact. learn to control the clubface for a better ball flight.
Coming to this blog soon
What's important.
The 3 Swing planes
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Un solo swing que vale por todos
Disculpas por el título un poco engañoso.
¿Existe un swing perfecto?
¿Exise un swing que está garantizado a hacerte millonari@ como un/a profesional de élite?
¿Es 1 plane swing mejor que 2 plane swing? ¿Será Stack and Tilt, la proxima técnica dominanda en tour? ¿Tendrá alguien éxito utilizano el swing "Moe Norman"?
Lamentablemente no, no existe. Much@s golfistas han sido enormemente existos@s, con técnicas que no son muy atractivas para la vista y son consideradas, tecnicamente como "libro de texto".
Muchos campeones como Jim Furyk, Laura Davies, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ray Floyd, e incluso hasta Jack Nicklaus han tenido sus técnicas consideradas como incorrectas.
Tod@s est@s golfistas y much@s mas, han sido capaces de alcanzar la cúspide de su juego, sin tener bonitos swings, pero teniendo swings que ell@s supieron manejar. Ell@s entendieron que es lo que funciona en su swing, y como conseguir de la manera más efectiva, lo mejor de él.
Tod@s l@s jugadores de élite, tienen la habilidad de enfocarse en una sola meta u objetivo. ¿Como puedo conseguir meter la bola en el hoyo con la menor cantidad de golpes posibles?
¿Que es un buen golf swing? Para mi, un buen golf swing es simplemente uno que es eficiente y uno que se realiza bajo presión. Por favor no malgasten su tiempo tratando de tener un swing "bonito", cuando deberían emplear más tiempo, aprendiendo como mantener una puntuación baja.
Con la nueva temporada de golf por comenzar, es tiempo de perfeccionar su swing, y no reconstruirlo, ahora es tiempo para prepararte para las competiciones que te esperan, esto significa, mucha práctica de tu juego corto y putting.
Durante esta temparada, utiliza estadísticas para ayudarte a entender las debilidades y fortalezas de tu juego.
Deberías practicar 75% en tu juego corto y en el campo; y 25% en tu juego largo.
Buena suerta en esta temporada!
Andy
golfvalencia@gmail.com
¿Existe un swing perfecto?
¿Exise un swing que está garantizado a hacerte millonari@ como un/a profesional de élite?
¿Es 1 plane swing mejor que 2 plane swing? ¿Será Stack and Tilt, la proxima técnica dominanda en tour? ¿Tendrá alguien éxito utilizano el swing "Moe Norman"?
Lamentablemente no, no existe. Much@s golfistas han sido enormemente existos@s, con técnicas que no son muy atractivas para la vista y son consideradas, tecnicamente como "libro de texto".
Muchos campeones como Jim Furyk, Laura Davies, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ray Floyd, e incluso hasta Jack Nicklaus han tenido sus técnicas consideradas como incorrectas.
Tod@s est@s golfistas y much@s mas, han sido capaces de alcanzar la cúspide de su juego, sin tener bonitos swings, pero teniendo swings que ell@s supieron manejar. Ell@s entendieron que es lo que funciona en su swing, y como conseguir de la manera más efectiva, lo mejor de él.
Tod@s l@s jugadores de élite, tienen la habilidad de enfocarse en una sola meta u objetivo. ¿Como puedo conseguir meter la bola en el hoyo con la menor cantidad de golpes posibles?
¿Que es un buen golf swing? Para mi, un buen golf swing es simplemente uno que es eficiente y uno que se realiza bajo presión. Por favor no malgasten su tiempo tratando de tener un swing "bonito", cuando deberían emplear más tiempo, aprendiendo como mantener una puntuación baja.
Con la nueva temporada de golf por comenzar, es tiempo de perfeccionar su swing, y no reconstruirlo, ahora es tiempo para prepararte para las competiciones que te esperan, esto significa, mucha práctica de tu juego corto y putting.
Durante esta temparada, utiliza estadísticas para ayudarte a entender las debilidades y fortalezas de tu juego.
Deberías practicar 75% en tu juego corto y en el campo; y 25% en tu juego largo.
Buena suerta en esta temporada!
Andy
golfvalencia@gmail.com
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
sequencing
The importance of sequencing
.
My aim in this article is so find out if your body has the range of motion that will allow the downswing to function correctly and in the right sequence.
The impact position is the most important part of any golf swing. A correct
downswing sequence is paramount to obtaining a good impact position.
From the top of the backswing the sequence of motion to impact should be
1. knee’s
2. Hips
3. torso
4. shoulders
5. hands and club
The major swing fault I see as a coach in regular club golfers is slicing. One of the most common swing faults attributable to slicing is poor sequencing. Often the sequence from top of backswing will be as follows
1. hands and club
2. shoulders
3. torso
4. hips
5. knee’s
This sequence is incorrect, inefficient and will almost certainly encourage a slice.
Can you start the sequence correctly?
Look at the photo’s and follow the exercise called hip twisters
Stand in your 6 iron posture position with your arms crossed against your chest. Now try to rotate your hips from left to right while keeping everything from your belly button up, i.e. torso, shoulders and head as still as you can. If you are unable to make this rotary motion of your hips while keeping your upper body stable you will almost certainly have problems of incorrect sequencing. This exercise is a disassociation test, this highlights your body’s ability to mobilise one part of your body while stabilising a corresponding body part.
Practicing this exercise will certainly help you perform better golf swings and it could also unlock the frustration you may have had in trying to stop a slice.
Remember if you cannot move your hips in a rotary method at the same time as keeping you upper body stationary, you could be helping your slice.
.
My aim in this article is so find out if your body has the range of motion that will allow the downswing to function correctly and in the right sequence.
The impact position is the most important part of any golf swing. A correct
downswing sequence is paramount to obtaining a good impact position.
From the top of the backswing the sequence of motion to impact should be
1. knee’s
2. Hips
3. torso
4. shoulders
5. hands and club
The major swing fault I see as a coach in regular club golfers is slicing. One of the most common swing faults attributable to slicing is poor sequencing. Often the sequence from top of backswing will be as follows
1. hands and club
2. shoulders
3. torso
4. hips
5. knee’s
This sequence is incorrect, inefficient and will almost certainly encourage a slice.
Can you start the sequence correctly?
Look at the photo’s and follow the exercise called hip twisters
Stand in your 6 iron posture position with your arms crossed against your chest. Now try to rotate your hips from left to right while keeping everything from your belly button up, i.e. torso, shoulders and head as still as you can. If you are unable to make this rotary motion of your hips while keeping your upper body stable you will almost certainly have problems of incorrect sequencing. This exercise is a disassociation test, this highlights your body’s ability to mobilise one part of your body while stabilising a corresponding body part.
Practicing this exercise will certainly help you perform better golf swings and it could also unlock the frustration you may have had in trying to stop a slice.
Remember if you cannot move your hips in a rotary method at the same time as keeping you upper body stationary, you could be helping your slice.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Are you improving at golf?
Simple question but I think it is a fairly important one.
What is the measure of our improvement in golf? Is it about hitting a long drive way past your playing partner? Is it a about hitting a wedge from 140 yards? It could well be the fact that you have not hit it the lake you normally do for the last 5 rounds. Is it changing your swing from a 2 plane method to a one plane method?
For me as a golf coach I measure the success of my pupil’s by
• A reduction in their stroke average/improvement in their stats
• Reaching or surpassing pre set goals/targets
• Have they enjoyed the game more?
I hope you noticed there was no mention of improving how their swing looked, or improving their ball striking.
Having a great looking swing is nice, but that’s about it. It's nice.
My first golf pro told me “a good golf swing is one that works efficiently and repeats under pressure.”
To this day I still teach with this thought in my head, I ask myself, am I making this pupils swing nicer to the eye or am I improving him/her as a golfer?
Keep that in mind also folks, this game is about the score you have and nothing else. It is called a scorecard because that’s where we record how well we have done in the round.
If the scorecard can record our scores and tell us how well we have done why do we not carry scorecards to practice? Is it not important to also study how well we have practiced? Or should practice just be about, did I hit it good or did I hit it badly?
Trying to be subjective about your golf game is difficult. Let statistics be your friend. Score your practice sessions. Check out www.linxtracker.com for more help.
Using a programme like Linxtracker can only help you understand your weaknesses but it also allows you to be honest in your assessment of how you are doing. Using this information and discussing it with your golf pro will allow you to work on the areas of your game that are important, and also help you
• Improve your scores
• reach /surpass your goals
• enjoy your game more
Happy golfing
What is the measure of our improvement in golf? Is it about hitting a long drive way past your playing partner? Is it a about hitting a wedge from 140 yards? It could well be the fact that you have not hit it the lake you normally do for the last 5 rounds. Is it changing your swing from a 2 plane method to a one plane method?
For me as a golf coach I measure the success of my pupil’s by
• A reduction in their stroke average/improvement in their stats
• Reaching or surpassing pre set goals/targets
• Have they enjoyed the game more?
I hope you noticed there was no mention of improving how their swing looked, or improving their ball striking.
Having a great looking swing is nice, but that’s about it. It's nice.
My first golf pro told me “a good golf swing is one that works efficiently and repeats under pressure.”
To this day I still teach with this thought in my head, I ask myself, am I making this pupils swing nicer to the eye or am I improving him/her as a golfer?
Keep that in mind also folks, this game is about the score you have and nothing else. It is called a scorecard because that’s where we record how well we have done in the round.
If the scorecard can record our scores and tell us how well we have done why do we not carry scorecards to practice? Is it not important to also study how well we have practiced? Or should practice just be about, did I hit it good or did I hit it badly?
Trying to be subjective about your golf game is difficult. Let statistics be your friend. Score your practice sessions. Check out www.linxtracker.com for more help.
Using a programme like Linxtracker can only help you understand your weaknesses but it also allows you to be honest in your assessment of how you are doing. Using this information and discussing it with your golf pro will allow you to work on the areas of your game that are important, and also help you
• Improve your scores
• reach /surpass your goals
• enjoy your game more
Happy golfing
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Golf swings and language
I have just spent the last four weeks at the amazing Taronja language school in Valencia learning Castellano, or Spanish as most people say.
What has this got to do with golf? I agree not much but it will help with my new life in Valencia. So why write this blog?
Well after 4 weeks of hard study with 3 different professors, and spending time with students from many parts of the world certain things became very apparent. The relationship between language and golf.
Most students at the school spoke English to a decent level. We had students from Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, Morocco, pretty much the world over. So let me now get to my point.
Every one sounded different when they spoke English but everyone understood each other.
Amazing!
Why?
Because their grammar was correct. Their fundamentals were sound and good. They all knew how to create an understandable sentence and where each word should be placed for it to be correct. They had got to speak good English by learning the most important thing is good grammar.
I believe the most important part of learning golf is understanding impact. For me the laws of impact are the same as the laws of grammar. Understand and get great at impact and the game of golf can be a fun and enjoyable one. Have a poor impact position or have no understanding of what it takes to achieve it, is fatal to good, enjoyable golf. Have poor grammar and what you say will almost certainly be unrecognizable.
Accents and how we sound are similar to golf swing shapes and styles. Many accents sound different in the same way many golf swings look different. Some people speak fast some slow. Some golfers swing with quick tempo’s some with slow ones. Accents don’t make language bad and an awkward golf swing style does not make a bad golfer.
Discover the truth to improving your golf game; understand what should be happening at impact. Understand what your impact tendencies are and what bad shots they create. And then work on fixes with your PGA golf instructor.
Gracias Golfers
I have just spent the last four weeks at the amazing Taronja language school in Valencia learning Castellano, or Spanish as most people say.
What has this got to do with golf? I agree not much but it will help with my new life in Valencia. So why write this blog?
Well after 4 weeks of hard study with 3 different professors, and spending time with students from many parts of the world certain things became very apparent. The relationship between language and golf.
Most students at the school spoke English to a decent level. We had students from Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, Morocco, pretty much the world over. So let me now get to my point.
Every one sounded different when they spoke English but everyone understood each other.
Amazing!
Why?
Because their grammar was correct. Their fundamentals were sound and good. They all knew how to create an understandable sentence and where each word should be placed for it to be correct. They had got to speak good English by learning the most important thing is good grammar.
I believe the most important part of learning golf is understanding impact. For me the laws of impact are the same as the laws of grammar. Understand and get great at impact and the game of golf can be a fun and enjoyable one. Have a poor impact position or have no understanding of what it takes to achieve it, is fatal to good, enjoyable golf. Have poor grammar and what you say will almost certainly be unrecognizable.
Accents and how we sound are similar to golf swing shapes and styles. Many accents sound different in the same way many golf swings look different. Some people speak fast some slow. Some golfers swing with quick tempo’s some with slow ones. Accents don’t make language bad and an awkward golf swing style does not make a bad golfer.
Discover the truth to improving your golf game; understand what should be happening at impact. Understand what your impact tendencies are and what bad shots they create. And then work on fixes with your PGA golf instructor.
Gracias Golfers
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
golf is a target sport
We all know golf is a target sport! correct?
I find as a golf coach that the majority of club golfers understand the principle that golf is a target sport.
Sadly some golfers think that golf is a sport where you make a series of complicated swinging actions and you hit the ball, with no concious thought for the actual goals at hand, the target.
Having read a fantastic article by Neil Plimmer @ openmindgolf.wordpress.com on shot selection before club selection it got me thinking about many conversations I have had with pupils regarding specifying your target.
Look at the dartboard above. imagine preparing yourself to throw a dart at the bullseye. What are you be thinking about, what would be your specific target?
Hopefully its the bullseye, and not the dartboard
I am amazed at the idea's that golfers have, and the advice given to them as regards medium to long distance putting. I have heard "I am imagining putting up to dustbin lid" and even " a kids paddling pool sized circle" around the hole. Believing that putting to distances like these around the hole is benefical, to me this is wrong.
Do you think the best darts players like Phil Talor aim at the whole dartboard and hope they hit the bullseye? No way,if Phil Taylor wants to hit the bullseye he will aim for the bullseye
On the putting green you want to get the ball in the hole not in a circle around it. Golf is a target sport, and the ulitmate target is the hole So everytime you are attempting a putt do not think about finding an enlarged target aim for a specific target.
THE HOLE
I find as a golf coach that the majority of club golfers understand the principle that golf is a target sport.
Sadly some golfers think that golf is a sport where you make a series of complicated swinging actions and you hit the ball, with no concious thought for the actual goals at hand, the target.
Having read a fantastic article by Neil Plimmer @ openmindgolf.wordpress.com on shot selection before club selection it got me thinking about many conversations I have had with pupils regarding specifying your target.
Look at the dartboard above. imagine preparing yourself to throw a dart at the bullseye. What are you be thinking about, what would be your specific target?
Hopefully its the bullseye, and not the dartboard
I am amazed at the idea's that golfers have, and the advice given to them as regards medium to long distance putting. I have heard "I am imagining putting up to dustbin lid" and even " a kids paddling pool sized circle" around the hole. Believing that putting to distances like these around the hole is benefical, to me this is wrong.
Do you think the best darts players like Phil Talor aim at the whole dartboard and hope they hit the bullseye? No way,if Phil Taylor wants to hit the bullseye he will aim for the bullseye
On the putting green you want to get the ball in the hole not in a circle around it. Golf is a target sport, and the ulitmate target is the hole So everytime you are attempting a putt do not think about finding an enlarged target aim for a specific target.
THE HOLE
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