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Richard’s Quick Tip:
A Bucket of Balls
Helps you to work on keeping the clubface square throughout the
swing. There is a great temptation for many amateurs to fan the
clubhead open as they bring the clubhead away for the ball. It
feels like a powerful move because they sense they will need to
flip the wrists back in the opposite direction later in the
swing.
It may add a few yards to some of your shots if you time it right
but that won’t happen with any great consistency. The clubhead
should really be square throughout the entire swing and your
hands should not twist if you are to deliver a square clubface to
the ball on a regular basis.
To do it right, take up your address position but instead of
holding a golf club hold a bucket of range balls. (hold the
bucket in front of you with both hands and hold the bucket
straight up and down, not tilted) As you turn back to halfway
keep the bucket straight up and down with the open end continuing
to face upwards. None of the balls should fall out of the
bucket. This represents a square clubface (back of hand facing
in front of you). If you tilt the top forward the balls will
obviously fall on to the ground. This represents a closed
clubface (back of the left hand facing to the ground). If the
balls fall out of the bucket behind you it means your hands have,
in effect opened the clubface (back of the left hand facing the
sky).
It is the same for the follow through. As you swing past the
imaginary impact position a few balls may leak out of the bucket
because of the acceleration in your swing. The top of the bucket
continues to face upwards.
This drill demonstrates very well the relationship between the
back of the left hand and the position of the clubface. At
address the back of the left hand faces the target, halfway back
it should face in front of you while halfway through it should
face behind you.
===========================================
Comments from subscribers:
All of you received the ad the other day about the Grip golf
shoes. I received this email today from a subscriber that has
been using these shoes for 4 years: Thank you.
I have been wearing Grip shoes for about 4 years. They are the
best. They are also one of the finest on-line dealers I have ever
seen. They replaced (with a new pair) a pair of shoes I sent back
to them to be reurbished after last season. Great company!!!
Jsmith
R.M. I had several emails asking about the hand adjustment
mentioned in the newsletter last week. This hand adjustment is
in the new Body Golf Power Steps DVD and helps you get alittle
more distance on the ball. That is why so many of you didn’t
what Gerry and Mark were talking about, because it is not in any
of the other DVD’s.
This is what Gerry had to say about the Power Steps DVD.
It is a dandy. The exercises in the back half are well worth the
price of the video. I may even try to get up enough gumption
this winter to make a steady regimen. I can't believe I am actually
thinking about this. Mark's instruction is so matter-of-fact plain and
clear that I actually enjoy watching it. Can you try to imagine one of the
big name gurus in Bermudas, running shoes, and sweat stains on their
shirt? That's the way the rest of us do it. Maybe that's part of why this
works. Mark is like one of us trying to help us. The videos work. They
are straight to the point, the drills well described and demonstrated, and no
fluff. Great stuff. Thanks.
g
Richard
I am 61 years old and have your Power Steps DVD. I watched this
DVD a couple of times and practiced in frot of the TV. Saturday
I went to the range to warm up before I played with my buddies
and could not believe how much distance I had added to my drives.
When we were playing my buddies could not believe how much longer
I was hitting the ball. I have easily added 20 yards off the tee.
All of them said they were going to order the DVD from you. If
all of your videos are that good, I am going to order all of
them.
Just wanted to let you know.
James Falter, Miami, FL
R.M. Thank you James and congratulations. Good to know the DVD
is helping you.
Question for Sensei Mark
Mark,
I bought your videos more than a year ago, I have not improve my
game and specially my slice. I am 58 years old with a 21 handicap in my
par 61 home course. I have a nice and gracefull swing when I practice
following instructions in your video. Everything seems OK during my
practice swings. However when I actually hit the ball, its not there. I make
divots during my tee shots with the driver or fairway woods. My driver driver
only goes 170 to 200 yards sometimes less. Pitching wedge around 50 yards
sometimes less. I just cannot hit my mid irons and always pick up a large
divot. So I normally use my fairway woods and try to roll it on the green.
Almost every afternoon, I practice swinging with my clubs. I go to the
driving range an average of 2 times a week and play golf 3 times a week.
My average handicap in the past 8 months is 21-24. I need your
recommendation on what compression of golf balls do I need. HELP!
Lawrence
Answer
Lawrence...
This is going to be a tester. Print it then read it.
Without seeing your swing, its going to be hard to tell you what
is wrong.
You see, I've done lessons with folks that have seen my videos
before and you'd never know it although they tell you that
they're following what I teach to the letter.
But when I see them swing...we'll that's a whole different story,
I'll tell you...
So...you have to go back to the drawing board.
Start in your setup. Is it too wide?
If you're older, you won't have the flexibilty that a younger
player might have. Make sure that your feet are NO MORE than
shoulder-width apart.
Are you in the correct grip?
This is the biggest one that you'll never see for yourself.
When you look down at it, do you see 2 or three knuckles of your
left hand? You should!
Do you see the FINGERNAILS of your right hand?
You should.
When you swing...does your belly point at the target at the
finish?
It should. If its pointing to the right, the ball will go to the
right.
At the finish, are you totally on your right toe? You should be.
Try to wear off the polish of the toe.
Do that stuff and tell how you do.
You may want to send me a videotape of you swinging.
We can talk about that later
Take care
Mark
====================================================
Another testimonial from golfer that Body Golf videos have
helped improve his game.
I purchased the complete body video some time ago and have had a
great deal of success with it. I wear a permanent prosthesis on
my lower right leg below the knee so balance has been a very
difficult achievement for me. Swinging the multiple clubs has
vastly improved my balance and along with that I have learned to
"tuck" the right elbow which has greatly improved my distance
since the amputation. I am the proud achiever of again reaching
bogey golf in my quest to returning to my previous standing of
"shooting in the 80s"
Thanks for all your assistance....
Alan Wood
R.M. Thank you Alan for letting us know how the videos have
helped you. Would appreciate everyone’s comments on using the
Body Golf videos.
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Quote of the Week:
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to
persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."
Christopher Reeve
Actor and Speaker
===============================================
Golf quote of the week:
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it
satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the
same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the
greatest game mankind has ever invented."
Arnold Palmer
=================================================
Questions and Answers by Teaching Pro Mr Joe DeLorenzo THANK YOU
for taking your time to answer these Joe.
Joe is also available for private lessons. "For private or group
lessons in Chicago's northwest suburbs, contact Joe at
golfwithjoey@yahoo.com
A bit of golf trivia:
It took Tiger Woods 15 majors to win his career grand slam. Who
did it in 8? (answer is below)
Hi Richard: I have been golfing for 5 years and have a very good
drive, long irons and putting. My whole game goes to the dogs when I have
about a 30 yd. pitch or shorter chip, which is sometimes my second shot on a
short hole. I don't like to take a divot, but I think I'm not hitting the
bottom of the ball by not doing so. Is there a tip out there to help me? I
enjoy the newsletter and all the advice.
Thanks, Bette
Hi Bette, this is Joe, Richard asked me to answer this one.
Pitches and chips are the scoring shots that separate the low
handicappers from the high handicappers. You can go to any driving range and
watch two people banging out impressive shots, but their handicaps may be 5
shots apart and you would not be able to tell which person was better,
which means more time should be spent on the short game instead of the long
game. In your case, if you do not like taking a divot, that means your
swing is a "sweeping" swing that has little margin for error. I would
recommend improving your margin of error by striking the ball at the
equator with a downward stroke. That way, the ball will spin up the clubface,
unlike the sweeping swing which strikes the equator resulting in a low line
drive or topped shot. Also on the downswing do not break your wrists, let
the hands lead the clubhead all the way into the follow thru.
Joe
Joe,
I am 75 and 5'7" tall and use the same equipment I have had for
years. In three years my handicap has gone from 17 to 36! I can still hit
my irons through the 3 very well but I can no longer get any fairway wood
off the ground. All my shots squirt off to the right and go nowhere, and
I have no idea in which direction my drives are going. Any help would be
appreciated.
Many thanks, Bob
Hi Bob,
Equipment does get worn out over the years, and also your body
changes over the years, so try some new woods with oversized heads. You say
you can still hit your irons very well, so even if you never used any woods,
you have a good chance to get no worse than bogey on any hole, assuming your
short game is still OK. That would at least get you back to your former
handicap. For fairway shots, many people have trouble getting 3-woods off the
ground, so I would recommend using a 5-wood or 7-wood instead. Drivers are
very different animals, you can make the same swing and hook one driver and
slice with another driver. Do not change your swing for a driver if you are
hitting your other clubs well, just find a different driver. I hope this helps
you.
Joe
Hi my name is Marnie,
I have been golfing since I turned 50 (I am a young 56 year old)
and I started on 45 handicap and I have come down to 26 I would like to
come down further but I don't get a lot of distance. I also need to
improve my short game. Are there any tips on the short game I should know? Thanks
for the newsletter I enjoy reading it.
Marnie.
Hello Marnie,
Yes you are young, at least younger than me. Nice improvement on
the handicap, and you can indeed improve further. There are a lot of
tips for both distance and short game contained within the Body Golf
videos, so since I have never seen your swing or your short game it would be
hard
for me to get specific, but here are some general tips. When practicing,
always have contests with your "A" swing against your experimental
swings and
see who wins. For the short game, have a contest with a belly putter
against your regular putter, I predict the belly putter will win. For chip
shots, try not to use any wrist action on the downstroke, just let your hands
go
ahead of the club. Beyond that, I would recommend getting the videos.
Joe
Question for the Evil Twin:
Jody, what do you say to your opponents before a match?
Answer: I tell them I am going to kick their butt, and after
that I am going to beat them at golf too.
(note from Joe - try telling that to Mark, who is a martial arts
instructor,you will never make it to the first tee.)
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=====================================================
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================================================
Golf Potpourri
by
Mac Stevenson
Playing With New Foursomes is Exciting Change
It is rewarding to be a regular member of a favorite foursome;
however, you’re unnecessarily limiting yourself if you never play
with anyone but your own small group.
If you play in the same foursome or fivesome all the time, you’re
making a big mistake and cheating yourself out of a chance to
have more fun and excitement on the golf course.
Playing with different players from time to time gives you a
chance to make some new friends, and it also gives you a fresh
approach to the game. It’s much different mentally as opposed to
playing with the same foursome continually.
Let’s be honest: There’s something irritating about
everyone--yourself included--that is accentuated if you play golf
in the same group day after day. Our ears would be burning if we
knew what was being said about us in our regular foursome.
Comments like this: “Bill’s even slower than usual today, what’s
wrong with him?” Or, “Why can’t Leonard watch where his ball
goes? I’m sick and tired of spending half the day looking for his
lost balls.” If you play with a new crew occasionally, you’ll
find that you are more appreciative of your regular foursome. And
they’ll be more tolerant of your idiosyncrasies.
In tournaments--when competing with golfers you’ve never played
with--you will be at a disadvantage because you’re so used to the
habits of your regular foursome. That can be a big handicap if
you’re a serious golfer.
One way this potential problem can be solved is to get a group of
10-12 golfers that play regularly and throw balls on the first
tee to determine your playing partners for the day. This is
tricky though. If several players join the group who you don’t
enjoy playing with, your day can be ruined if you draw them for
your foursome for the day.
There’s another simple method of splitting up your foursome and
playing with different golfers: Challenge another foursome at
your club to a match--with or without handicaps depending on the
players--for modest stakes. Make it a stipulation that the
foursomes will be split--two players from each foursome playing
together. That makes for a competitive and fun round of golf
that‘s new and different. The same thing can be done with players
that you’re acquainted with from a nearby town.
Who you play golf with requires a diplomacy of the highest level
if you’re going to have enjoyable playing partners. There’s a
fine line between being selective and cliquish. On the other
hand, everyone is entitled to play in groups that are fun to be
with.
The main purpose of playing in a new foursome--whenever the
opportunity presents itself--is to make new friends; that’s one
of the primary objectives for most golfers.
Playing with new acquaintances can give you a fresh mental
outlook on the game; it’s fun to play with golfers you know only
by reputation. You’ll find you often play better in an unfamiliar
foursome because it’s just natural that you will want to impress
new acquaintances.
Golf is one of the best possible meeting grounds for the young
and not-so-young. In what other game can a 68-year-old veteran
hold his own against a long-hitting youngster of 30? The golf
course is one of the few meeting grounds where the young and the
old are on equal footing; it can be a rewarding experience for
both age groups.
When you come up with an excuse--real or contrived--to miss a
game with your regular foursome or fivesome, try and find a game
with some different players. It’s usually easier than you might
think, and it will make your regular games more enjoyable. And
you’ll make some new friends, old and young, that will be a
reward for your effort.
Want more great golf chat like this sign up below ...
Richard’s Thoughts
Hey…what do you think about this disc golf? From what I
understand some courses are renting their course out to disc
golfers during slow times. Imagine...standing on the green...ready to putt and
a frisby comes flying by your head!!!
I can see it now...The Body Golf Full Arm Fling For Disc Golfers!!!!
The Friendly Grip
A good golfer is recognized by his grip. Rightly so, for a proper
grip is the basis for at least 60% of a man’s swing. Some say a
high as 90%.
Beginners, and players who are uncertain of their game, tend to
grab the club and hang on like grim death, or else they hold the
shaft gingerly as if they were afraid of the damage they might
inflict on the ball. Both excesses can throw you off your game.
Whenever I see a someone’s fingernails whitening as he holds the
club, I ask him to let go for a minute and shake hands with me.
Usually they give me a nice firm “friendly” grip, and that’s just
what I want—not a bone-crusher or a limp paw. Once we’ve shaken
hands, I ask him to grip his golf club the same way, firmly but
in a friendly way. His execution of shots usually improves.
I always check to see that my pupils’ hands are set properly on
the shaft—that goes without saying—but what I am trying to bring
out here is the importance of gripping with the right amount of
pressure. To the beginner, the golf grip feels at first like the
most unnatural thing in the world, but he will soon find out that
only through practicing the correct grip can be control with any
degree of steadiness the arc of the club and the flight of the
ball. Repetition of the right grip will result, in due course, in
confidence and a well-founded swing that will bring good results
regularly. Give the friendly grip a try.
Welding the Grip
I have had one theory about golf ever since I was knee high to a
duck: nature, with golfers in mind, shaped the right palm so that
the left thumb fits into it perfectly. When the left thumb and
the thumb pad of the right hand are welded together, the golfer’s
hands will stay together and work as one, and nothing is more
fundamentally important than this.
Women golfers frequently want to know why they are hitting the
ball straight but are getting no distance at all. Their trouble
frequently is that their grip comes apart. Much more often than
men, women will open their hands at the top of the backswing.
They tend to do this because their forearms are not as strong as
a man’s. The constructive move, in any event, is to make sure
that the left thumb and the right palm are in perfect contact
with each other throughout the swing—and especially at the top of
the backswing. If you have a genuinely welded grip, then, even if
you are late with your footwork or some other aspect of the
synchronized action of a fine golf swing, you will still produce
a fairly good golf shot. What is more, keeping the two hands
firmly together is the direct route not only to consistency but
also to power.
Until next week…good golfing!
Dr Richard Myers
www.thinkandreachpar.com
www.superbabysitting.com
864.675.0038
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Greenville, SC 29615
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