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Richard’s Quick Tip:
Work on Timing
Timing is controlling the motions of your body and club to create
the optimum effect. If your timing is out slightly you will lose
distance and control. Try this drill to help with your timing.
Swing a club with only your right hand. Simplify it at the start
by cutting the heads off a few daisies but as you get used to the
motion and become more confident try hitting a golf ball. It is
very difficult to begin with so expect to hit a few shanks and
tops at first. After 10 or so attempts, however, your body will
become attuned to the task and start releasing the right hand at
precisely the right time, thus achieving good contact. Do it
many time to develop the correct release of the right arm.
===========================================
Comments from subscribers:
Dr Myers
I purcheased the body golf videos from you several months ago.
To my surprise they have helped my game very much. My was
shooting about 112 in Jun and my average score now is 88.
Never thought I would break 110, much less 90. I contribute all
my improvement to your videos. They are so easy to understand.
The weather is getting cold now. Can you recommend anything that
will help me over the winter. I do not want to loose what I have
gained the summer.
Thank you for the help.
Wayne Hinton, St Paul, Mn
Congratulations Wayne, you have done what a lot of people have
not accomplished. And what I mean is not only did you purchase
the Body Golf videos, you have used them. That says a lot for
you. Some people think just because you buy the videos it will
improve your game. You and I know better…you have to use them.
Just buying them will not do you a whole lot of good.
For the winter I recommend our new and improved Off Season
Maintenance video. It is much better than it was last year, and
will help you keep your swing in shape over the winter.
Congratulations again, and good luck. Keep us posted as you
improve. And keep watching those videos over and over and you
will get that score down in the 70’s. I know, I have been there.
Richard
Hey Richard
I was wondering if the body golf series is something I can do
over the winter? I'm here in Cold South Dakota, and I get cabin fever
really bad.
Steve
Steve what I would recommend is the new and improved Body Golf
Off Season Maintenance video. It has many exercises and
techniques to keep your game up over the winter. The one this
year is much better than last year and I got a lot of good
comments from the one last year.
Good luck.
Richard
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Quote of the week
"Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles.
What do we live for if not to make the world less difficult for
each other?"
George Eliot
1819-1880, Novelist
===============================================
Golf quote of the week:
If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the
wrong golf ball. ~Jack Lemmon
=================================================
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
You Make The Call:
A player hits a ball into tall grass, and also hits a provisional
ball in case the original ball cannot be found.
Which of the following statements are True or False?
A - The player cannot find it, and declares the ball lost, but
someone else finds it before the next stroke is played, within the 5 minute
time limit.
The ball is still in play. It does not matter that the player
declared the ball lost. (true or false?)
B - The 5 minute time limit for searching starts at the point
where the search is commenced. (true or false?)
C - The provisional ball's second shot is played from a point
that is not as far (from the tee) as the original ball, and then the original
ball is found. The original ball is in play, not the provisional ball.
(true or false?)
D - The provisional ball is played from a point that is further
(from the tee) than the original ball. The original ball can no longer be
in play, even if it is found. (true or false?)
(answers are below)
Joe,
How is "Setting Goals" supposed to help? Other than shooting a
better score or lowering my handicap, can you be more specific?
Gene
Hi Gene,
Look for the little things that can make you feel better even
when your scores do not show immediate improvement. For example, we all
know that sometimes we fix one part of our game, only to see another part
of our game go sour, so your scores may not show improvement, but hey, if you
did fix one part of your game, what if your fix is a lasting fix, and
then you fix another part of your game, and then another? Here are some
examples on how to set goals: First, determine what is normal for you, then keep
track like this: In a normal round of golf, what if you 3-putt one less
time than normal? What if you got up-and-down one more time than normal?
What if you hit one more green in regulation than normal? What if you hit
one more good drive than normal? What if you made one less mental/strategic
mistake than normal? What if you had one less flub than normal? What if you
had one less penalty shot than normal? Each one of these improvements
seems minor, but if you can put them all together, they can add up to several
strokes improvement per round! These are only a few examples of goals,
there are many other ways to set them. Set small goals like these for
yourself and keep track of them, and celebrate the ones you achieve,
especially on days when your score is not so great, at least you have something
to
feel good about. By working on this process, one day you will put it all
together and have your best score ever.
Joe
Joe,
I took up golf almost 2 years ago. A regular weekend golfer, I
usually card a score of low 90 for 18 holes. A good round is close to the 90s
and a bad one touching the 100s. I use a Wilson Deep Red 420cc driver and
get about 225 meters off the tee. My shots are usually straight and hence
am able to keep the ball in play most of the times. My problem is my iron
shots. I usually hit the 9 iron 100 meter and a 7 iron 120 meters.
However, I usually hit them fat. There is a BIG divot starting at about 2 inches
behind the ball. I loose power in the shot and hence never make the required
distance. Looking at the divots, they are straight - hence assuming I am
not coming either inside out or out to in in my downswing. I am wondering,
what causes this and how can this be fixed. I have tried different tricks to
see how it can be fixed but to no avail. I have never taken any professional
golf lessons and have taught myself basically through reading and your
valuable emails. One of the Pro's once told me that I have a fantastic
golf swing and very good rhythm. He also said that I need to fix just a few
things in my game to hit in the 70s - has someone heard of golf nirvana! The
problem is he didn't tell me what to fix? - smart man! Wondering what you
can advise on this problem of mine.
Regards,
SID
Melbourne, Australia
Hello Sid,
A fantastic golf swing can be compared to doing a hula hoop. You
may be able to do a beautiful hula dance, but if the hoop falls to the
ground, the good rhythm does not matter. Fat iron shots can be caused by a number
of things, one possibility is a sideways sway on the backswing. Jack
Nicklaus' instructor used to grab the back of his hair to make sure it
remained steady during the swing. Some instructors say it is OK to move your
head sideways because it can add power to your swing, but I say extra power is
useless if you are prone to hitting fat shots. Keeping the head steady also
helps to prevent overswinging, another possible cause for fat shots. Make
this your primary swing thought and let us know how it turns out.
Joe
Joe,
i was wondering, how do i get distance with a small driver.
Dean
Hi Dean,
The only way to get distance with a small driver is to strike it
perfectly on the sweet spot every time, which is very hard to do. If you
miss the sweet spot even by a small amount, the results are poor. If you
want more distance and more consistency, get a more modern driver with a
larger head which is much more forgiving when you miss the sweet spot.
Joe
Joe,
Have you ever played the "A-ball" (from almostgolfball.com) on a
par-3 golf course?
Abbie
Hello Abbie,
Yes, just recently I used it on a short par 3 course, Walnut
Greens in Schaumburg, IL. For those of you who never heard of it, the
A-ball looks exactly like a real ball but it is much lighter, so it travels
less than half the distance of a real ball, but it hooks and slices just
like a real ball. This essentially turns the par 3 course into a regulation
sized course, so you can use all your clubs. Since there is much less
walking, you can finish a 9 hole round in one hour. You are not likely to lose
it since it does not travel so far, and it floats if you happen to hit
into water. The only disadvantage would be a windy day because the lighter
ball is more affected by wind. The almostgolfball.com website is worth a visit
because it describes the many other new ideas being used with this "A-ball",
like Happy Gilmore style long drive contests and makeshift courses in your
local parks. You can order these online or get them from some of the larger
golf stores.
Joe
Question for the Evil Twin:
Jody, how can I put more distance between me and my shots?
Answer: Hit it and run backwards.
Answer to "You Make The Call" (above) - All statements are True.
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Golf Potpourri
by
Mac Stevenson
Secure Elusive Swing Thoughts in a Diary
When you’re playing well, it’s easy to take it for granted and
just let the good times roll. This is, however, when you should
be very diligent in keeping a golf diary or journal, whichever
name you prefer. If you’re hitting it as well as you can, there
are probably a couple of swing thoughts that are working; make
sure you record them in you diary or they will disappear from
your memory as surely as day turns to night.
The best part of keeping a golf diary is that it doesn’t take
much time and it’s enjoyable and entertaining. And most
important, it will help you to play better golf.
Your diary should be a detailed record of what you’re doing when
things are going well, and it should also be a history of nagging
problems during slumps that seem insolvable at the time.
The most important details you need to record are fundamental or
technique changes that result in improvement on shots that you’re
having trouble with. As an example, suppose you’ve been pulling
your full iron shots and discover that you haven’t been keeping
the clubhead going down the line of flight long enough. The
change solves the problem. Your entry should read something like
this: “I’ve been pulling my irons for some time, but today I
concentrated on keeping the clubhead going at the target on my
follow through, and it worked. I’ve been letting my left side
collapse.”
The most common problems that golfers of all skill levels
encounter from time to time include: (1) hooked drives (2) slices
or pushes off the tee (3) hitting irons fat or thin (4) problems
with chip- and pitch shots (5) putting slumps caused by pushing
or pulling putts.
As individual golfers, we solve--or improve for a short
time--these above-mentioned flaws with some slight adjustment in
our grip, stance, alignment, or some other remedy that is unique
to our game. What’s important is that you be sure to record the
change that cures the problem in your diary; if you don’t, the
thought will disappear like a puff of smoke and you won’t be able
to recall it when the problem reoccurs.
It’s amazing, but after just a week’s layoff you’ll feel like you
haven’t played for ages when you tee it up again. And swing
thoughts that were working will have vanished into thin air.
You don’t need a fancy and expensive diary, although it’s
perfectly okay if that’s what you decide to use. Just a plain
spiral notebook will do just as well. Be sure you write several
headings before every entry:
* Insert the date before each diary note (day, month, and
year).
* Insert a simple heading before each entry--such as
“Driving” or “Putting”--so you’ll have easy reference to that
facet of your game if you run into trouble with a particular shot
in the future.
When you’re practicing and playing frequently, you “think golf.”
This means that swing thoughts you had forgotten reemerge while
you’re playing or practicing. These seemingly insignificant swing
thoughts can help you achieve the kind of golf you want to play.
And the reason a diary is invaluable is that you’ll forget a
swing thought that helped you on a particular shot if you don’t
record it immediately following a round or practice session.
This isn’t something you need to do on a daily basis as the word
“diary” suggests; you might make an entry just once or twice a
month. The key is to be sure and record it shortly after you have
a swing thought that really helps during a round of golf. You’ll
be amazed at how the entries will mount up in a short period of
time. And after two or three years, your diary will be a valuable
tool for your individual game.
Variations in your putting grip, stance, or alignment that bring
you out of a slump are important to record in your diary. Putting
is such an individual skill that your personal idiosyncrasies
must be recorded in your diary as they occur. And you’ll forget
what worked if you don’t make an entry in your diary.
On rainy days when you can’t play and have a few extra minutes,
it’s fun and beneficial to browse through your diary and see how
you corrected a problem with your game in the past. And it will
help you in the future.
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Richard’s Thoughts
The Power Shift
To hit the ball with power, one of the most important things to
keep in mind is effective foot action. If the feet are
positioned properly and act in conjunction with a good sound
swing, added distance is almost certain to follow. When I
address the ball for a shot that requires a little more effort, I
have my weight evenly distributed (fifty-fifty) on the insteps of
both feet. As I take the club back, I transfer most of my weight
to the right instep. At the top of my backswing, approximately
75 percent of my weight is now on the instep of the right foot.
There are two basic reasons for this weight transfer. First, it
tends to keep you from swaying as you take the club back. And
second, it braces you for the start of the downswing. With most
of the weight on the inside of the right foot as begin my
downswing, I have a solid foundation to “push off,” like a
sprinter using starting blocks in a track meet.
Utilizing the right instep in this manner helps me to generate
more clubhead speed and thus gives me added distance. Of course,
as I make the downswing, my weight shift is not the initial
movement, it will most likely cause you to fall away from the
shot. This is a common fault of many golfers. By using good
foot action, you’ll be taking a giant step to more power.
(Just for the record, I am a lefty, but reversed my feet for this
article, because most of you are right handed.)
Until next week…good golfing!
Dr Richard Myers
www.thinkandreachpar.com
www.superbabysitting.com
864.675.0038
Copyright, New South Media,LLC 2004
This email is protected by copyright, 2004, New South Media, LLC
All right reserved. Reproduction of any
portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the
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