June 16, 2004

Dear <$firstname$>,

Welcome to The No B.S. Golf Newsletter

This newsletter is by subscription only. The only way you could
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============================================
If, you would like to see more on a certain subject
in this newsletter, tell me what it is you need.
You are reading this newsletter each week,
Feedback helps me, help you.
Richard@thinkandreachpar.com
=================================================


Comments from subscribers:
Hello Richard,

Enjoy these e-mails very much.

Being a Veteran myself, Navy Corpsman, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines
1955-1959 My heart goes out to all those serving in our Armed
Forces today. (Especially those who've made the supreme
sacrifice)
I'd like to solicit the golfing community (Not sure just how yet)
to maybe set the 4th of July week aside where all of us who enjoy
our many freedoms, (Golf just being one of them) , to donate the
cost of a round over a 10 day period (July 2nd thru July 12th)
to a Fund Dedicated to "You darn right we care and we'll take
care of your family's while you take care of us."

While watching our annual Memorial Day Parade here in Stuart ,
FL, and thinking about all the editorial comments and Radio Talk
Show's where a lot of Veteran's express their thought's about the
War in Iraq. One such caller, a retired Army Master Sargent, 83
years young, fought in two Wars, stated he's been a Democrat all
his life, "BUT" he supports our Commander-in Chief 100% and felt
what we're doing is a just cause. If they'd let him, he'd serve
this GREAT NATION and our President once again. I feel (Going on
66) the same way.

Maybe you can put the word out for any other ideas your readers
might have. I can be contacted at 772-781-0379, Fax 772-781-9319,
e-mail: tgensel@bellsouth.net

Together, "WE" can, and "WILL" show our Support for our American
Hero's and their families.
Respectfully,
Tom Gensel


Recently, I was at Kinloch Golf Club and noticed that they had
some fiberglass plane sticks. I called to find out where they
came from and was given your company. Do you sell plane sticks,
I did not see them on your website?
I am the director of instruction for junior camps in Richmond,
VA. We have over 1000 kids come through our programs in the
summer. In the past, I have used broken shafts but I think
fiberglass sticks would be safer and better.
Thanks for your help,
Courtney Kendrick, PGA

R.M. If anyone know where Courtney can purchase some plain
sticks, please let me know.


One person answers call for donated clubs:

Hi. Richard
I enjoy your newsletter very much. i saw in your articles about
mafingieu.
nyanwanza in Zimbabue
about clubs for JR. boys /Girls and clubs. I use to donate to jr
boys and
gals clincis and they got 4 bags of clubs this year. In fact i am
playing in
a golf outing this Sat 6/5/04 for Boys & Gals.
Have go look into my golf site www.arizonagolfshop.com
and i see what i can do. I need to get in touch with
Mafingiec.Nyanwanza so
i can send Extra clubs to him. The grips are all all Natural
grips and some
aren't.
I believe i have about 9 wedges/ irons/ bags ,etc on my golf
Patio.
Would love to get 'Involved' with his kids over there. Just
would love to
have people look at my site. That all i asked.
Thank. You.
Barbara.Howard/Owner


Thank you for passing on the e mail. Having served in Korea,
Malaya, Aden and Cyprus where unfortunate things did happen we then had
reporters not hi tec hacks who know sensational reporting will get them fame and
fortune, it's not always in the public interest and can and has got other
service personnel killed, so what are those hacks guilty of. After
leaving the forces I was in media for thirty years so I speak from an inside
position.
It is those VETERANS who gave their yeterday for our tomorrow and
God help this world when there are not enough of us left to remind new
generations.
They have there freedom and materialistic world given to them by
the VETERANS who never came back.
John


Dear Richard,
I think you a little naïve if you think that a woman can get a
tee time anytime she wants.

She can get a tee time anytime she want AFTER 1:00 or 2:00pm!
Our hotel arranged the tee time for us (my husband and I and a
friend and her husband) in Ohio at 8:00 am. The looks we got
when we got on the tee would have melted a five iron! Later that
night my friend and I (the guys went to play another 18) were in
the lounge and happened to mention this to the bartender. He
said “OH! It’s an unwritten rule that no women play before
2:00pm.”

Another time I called for a tee time on a Sunday and asked for
the first available tee time. It was after 1:00pm. When my
husband called it was 9:30am! This was in Pennsylvania.

Just for fun, why don’t you try an experiment. Have your wife
(or significant other) call several golf courses and ask for the
first available tee time. Wait ten minutes and call the same
courses and ask the same question. It would interesting to see
the results.

I enjoy your newsletter (even with your evil twin!). Keep up the
good work!

M.C.

R.M. I haven’t tried this yet M.C., but I will let you know the
results when I do. By the way, that evil twin is Joe's brother!!! Don't pin that rascal on me!!

A lesson for all of us:

Hi Richard:

I think I'm like a lot of golfers....you have good days and bad
days....and
unfortunately they don't always balance out....but the handicap
system tends
to discount the high scores and count the low ones so trying for
consistency
is the untimate goal of most of us hackers.

The reason I'm writing today deals with TRYING....and in many
cases it is trying TOO HARD. As you have told us before, tension is an
enemy of a golf swing and true power ...accuracy and distance are achieved
through timing rather than trying to KILL the BALL.

I've been suffering from a nasty cold the last week that went
into my chest and has left me feeling as weak as kitten. Although I'm
getting better, I'm still far from over this thing and am still looking for a
good night's sleep without coughing every minute. Getting to the point....I
play with a gang of guys every Wednesday and rather than cancel...as my very
wise wife suggested....I went out and played with the gang anyway. My
expectations were low and I was just happy to be out on a beautiful day. I
didn't overswing at anything and just tried to watch the ball and swing
with some sort of a rhythm. The net result was my LOWEST round of the
year. I was in a groove and my "weakness" today turned out to be the recipe
for a "strong" game. Do you think that just swinging the club in a
relaxed and rhythmic manner could maybe be better than trying to crush the ball.you think????
All the Best,
Gerry

R.M. No doubt Gerry, the more relaxed you are, the better rhythme and control you will have. Trying to crush the ball is one of the worse things any of us can do.

Right Doc, As a Korean Vet It made me feel patrotic, love of
country, and appreciate what being a veteran means. Thanks, Dr Bill

=====================================

Discover A Little-Known"SYSTEM" You Can Use (Right Now) To Slash
10 Strokes Off Your Game... In One Season. This Teacher Swears His
Method Will Work For Everyone! Check It out:
www.thinkandreachpar.com

=====================================================


If you like this newsletter, I would appreciate it if you would
forward a copy to your friends and ask them to subscribe. It's a
free gift!
==============================================
Quote of the Week:


"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't
wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.
Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at
work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored."

Earl Nightingale
1921-1989, Radio Announcer and Author

===============================================
Golf quote of the week:

I found out that all the important lessons of life are contained
in the three rules for achieving a perfect golf swing.
1. Keep your head down
2. Follow through
3. Be born with money

P.J. O'Rourke


=================================================

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




Hello,
I am a beneficiary of the advice given in your newsletter. I have
a question for you...a pro measured me and told me to use Ping green dot
clubs which, when I checked on the Ping web site, meant that these are 2
degree upright clubs. My question is which all companies make such clubs. I play
with Lynx blade irons and the heel of it some times is above the ground and
I have to readjust the club. I do not intend to buy some thing very
expensive here in India as choices are a bit limited. Thanks for being there.
Admiringly
Anand (dr.A.V.Pathak)

Hello Anand,
Many golfers are not aware that they need more upright lie
angles, and that is part of the reason why their shots are pushed or sliced. I
assume you feel that the Pings are too expensive for your taste. The least
expensive approach is to try to get your Lynx irons bent more upright, but
you must understand there is some risk of cracking the club. If you intend
to purchase new clubs, you can usually search the internet to find
out which companies in India offer clubs made to your specs. If you can
try some "demo" clubs, make sure you use "striking tape and board" to see
where the tape gets scuffed when you swing down on the board. The tape
should scuffed in the middle of the sole if it fits you properly.
Joe


Hello,
I recently bought a DVD that claims that thru Neuromuscular
exercises will help us in our swing. The theory is by watching a perfect swing
over and over again with different clubs should give you a good tempo
swing. I observed that the guy is swinging with his left heel off the
ground during his backward swing. The guys on tour do not seem to swing like
that. Is there a concern? Even Mark Sensei (Body Golf) doesn't swing like
that. Should I stop seeing it before I swing like a cockadoo? :) I also
noticed that he is hitting with a very old wood, steel shafted. Ball
flight is amazingly good!
Thanks
Jack

Hello Jack,
If you have ever seen Bobby Jones swing, you will notice that his
heel comes way off the ground, and since Bobby Jones was one of the greatest
golfers who ever lived, it is logical to say that this is only a
mannerism, not a fundamental. If you try to copy every mannerism from every video, you will fry your brain. Mannerisms are minor differences in appearance
that are not as important as the fundamentals that you must do to improve.
Most mannerisms occur during the backswing (like Jim Furyk) and
follow-thru (like Arnold Palmer), most fundamentals, the important things, occur
from the top of the backswing to the point of contact. Watch the downswing,
how the pros move their weight to the front foot, watch the position of the
back elbow, and watch how they delay their wrist action until the last
possible instant before contact. If you can imitate those things, then it won't
matter if you look like a cockadoo (whatever that is).
Joe


Hello,
Is there a cure for the Yips?
Ann

Hi Ann,
When all else fails, you have to adopt an attitude with an edge
to it. By that I mean you have to mix a little self anger along with
determination that you are going to execute a stroke and you are not going to
allow worry to affect the outcome. If the outcome is still not successful,
tell yourself it is not because you did not execute the stroke properly, and
therefore you have done the best you could. With this approach, the Yips should
no longer be an issue. The Yips are only an issue if you worry about the
outcome before and during the execution of the stroke. Take worry out of
the equation with this "Edge" and execute. The outcome is going to
happen whether you like it or not, but your outcomes will no longer be a
result of worry, just execution, and things can only get better from there.
Joe


Question for the Evil Twin:

Jody, what do you say about having to follow all the rules of
golf, no matter what?

Answer: For those who say a rule is a rule and you have to
follow it, then make sure you also follow these rules:

In California, it is illegal to set a mousetrap without a hunting license.
In North Dakota, it is illegal to lie down and fall asleep with
your shoes on.
In Seattle, residents may not carry concealed weapons longer than six feet.
In Vermont, it is illegal to whistle underwater.
In Carmel, New York, a man cannot go outside while wearing a jacket and
pants that do not match.
In Denver it is unlawful to lend your vacuum cleaner to your next-door
neighbor.
In Devon, Connecticut, it is unlawful to walk backwards after sunset.
In Alabama, it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a
vehicle
In California, it is illegal for anyone to try and stop a child
from
playfully jumping over puddles of water.
In California, it is illegal to eat an orange in your bath tub.
In Connecticut, a pickle is not officially a pickle unless it
bounces.
In Sarasota, FL, it is illegal to sing in a public place while attired in a
swimsuit.
In Kentucky, it is illegal to transport an ice cream cone in your
pocket.
In Louisiana, it is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the
bank teller with a water pistol.
In Louisiana, biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple
assault", while biting someone with your false teeth is "aggravated
assault".
In Massachusetts, mourners at a wake may not eat more than three sandwiches
In Nebraska, a parent can be arrested if his child cannot hold back a burp
during a church service.
In Pennsylvania, a special cleaning ordinance bans housewives
from hiding dirt and dust under a rug in a dwelling.
In Pennsylvania, no man may purchase alcohol without written
consent from his wife.
In Texas, it is illegal to take more than three sips of beer at a
time while standing.
In Washington, it is mandatory for a motorist with criminal
intentions to stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he
is entering the town.
In Chicago, it is forbidden to fish while sitting on a giraffe's
neck. (if you don't feel there is a need to change some of the golf
rules, then don't change these either)



===================================================

How A Golf "Beginner" In Massachusetts Completely Beat The Odds
And Slashed Over 40 Strokes Off His Game…In One Season…And,
Swears His Method Works For Anyone. How Does He Know? People All
Over The World Are Now Doing It Too! Check Out the Body Golf
Videos at www.thinkandreachpar.com
=====================================================
Richard’s Quick Tips:

Left Shoulder Low

A common fault among poor putters is the accidental lifting of
the head. We say accidental because even though the player
concentrates on keeping his head still throughout a putt, he has
a tendency to lift his left shoulder on the follow-through-and
that makes the head move up.

You can overcome this fault simply by concentrating on keeping
the lift holder low throughout the putting motion.

When you contact the ball and follow through, keep your left
shoulder low. An added benefit: The face of your putter remains
square to the target line slightly longer.

==========================================
Strive to Ignore Annoyances

by
Mac Stevenson

Golf is hard enough without having to deal with a number of
annoying mental and physical distractions that can destroy a good
round.

The number-one cause of aggravation and loss of concentration
among serious golfers is fellow players who won’t shut their
mouths while you’re trying to putt or hit a full shot.

When confronted, these motor mouths give the excuse that they’re
just out for a good time and anyone who is bothered by their
talking is taking the game too seriously. The reality is that the
talker is either dumber than a box of rocks, being inconsiderate
of the other players, or both.

Some of the loudmouths will say, “Football and basketball players
have to get used to the noise, why can’t you?” That’s so dumb it
doesn’t merit consideration; the sports are entirely different.

Way, way too many guys play golf who won’t be quiet while their
fellow competitors are trying to hit a shot. And it can ruin the
round if you’re trying to play your best.


How can you let these non-stop talkers know that you’re upset
without starting an all-out war? The best way is to step away
from the shot or putt and give the guy a direct look to let him
know he’s being a nuisance. This usually works, but some players
are oblivious to everything but themselves, or just plain stupid.

When you run into a compulsive talker that won’t take the hint,
you have a real problem. The next step is to back away from the
shot and say, “Fore please.” That should do it. Of course by then
you’re mad and motor mouth is mad and the golf is ruined.

There’s just no easy way to solve this problem of rudeness
without a direct confrontation with the obnoxious talker. And
then make sure you don’t play with him again.

Two other common and unwanted agitations are cars going by and
honking or players yelling from an adjacent fairway. In most
cases, you can back off from the shot and start over with no harm
done.

Another disturbing habit some players have is standing in your
line--behind the pin--on a chip shot or putt. This is much like
the talker; the only way to solve the problem is by asking Mr.
Dimbulb to get out of the way. Or you can decide it’s not worth
the confrontation and go ahead and putt or chip. Either way your
concentration on the shot is destroyed. And if you proceed and
hit the putt or chip poorly, then you’re really mad.

One thing you can do in this situation is to tell yourself that
if you’re focused, you won’t be able to see Dimbulb while you’re
striking the ball. But the problem is that you won’t be
concentrating on the shot.

Some players think you should putt those troublesome two-footers
without marking your ball and waiting. That depends on what
you’re comfortable with.

If you hurry a putt and miss it just to get out of the way,
you’ll be so mad at yourself that it will take several holes to
get over it; by that time your score and matches will be in a
state of disrepair.

That’s not to say you should play slow, but some two-foot putts
are tough and it’s perfectly all right to be sure you’re ready
before you putt.

Occasionally during a round you won’t feel right over a shot for
any number of reasons. Most of us go right ahead and hit
anyway--missing it badly.

This might happen just once or twice in several rounds, but when
it does, it’s important to back off and start over.

Once in a while you might not feel right about how or where
you’ve teed up your ball to start a hole. If you’re not
comfortable with the placement, take the time to move and tee it
up again. Don’t hit it because you’re afraid of being portrayed
as a slow player. And this doesn’t mean you should take extra
time on every tee. These are infrequent instances involving an
uncomfortable feeling when you’re not set up correctly on the
tee.

Learning how to control your temper and maintain concentration
when one of your playing companions is rude enough to distract
you is vital. And it’s a lot easier said than done.

===============================================

Richard’s Thoughts

Beware of Golfing Masochism

A person who derives a perverse pleasure from self-injury is
called a masochist. Some of us tend to be golfing masochists/
Some break golf clubs. Others will deliberately cost themselves
additional strokes.

A good golfer hit his second shot into the water in front of the
green on a par 5. Instead of moving up to the water’s edge and
lobbing the next shot to the hole, he perversely hit several more
balls into the water from a range of about 250 yards. By a
narrow margin he failed to place among the leader, and this cost
him an invitation to appear in the Master the following year.
Happens on your course all the time. For those of you that saw
the movie Tin Cup, this was Kevin Costner’s shortfall. He just
had to “go for it”. No control.

Another form of self-destructiveness sometimes operates among
those who seem to lose their touch if they find themselves in the
lead. Their attitude may change in a number of different ways
but it all winds up with the same result-defeat. An
overconfident person may take foolish chances or become careless.
Another may feel free to experiment. A shy person may wonder,
“what am I doing here”? I know a couple people that do this.
They try to disappear.

Strange as it seems, just as there are golfers who are completely
determined to win, there are others who subconsciously prefer to
lose. These are sometimes the ones who appear to be blowing up.
Others appear to be perennially unlucky, because of a perverted
desire of self-punishment. Some just quit, and some treasure the
reputation of being “good losers.”

To play any shot in such a way that all one’s ability is not used
is self-destructive. Be on guard against such golfing masochism.
It is not enough, however, to be forewarned against possible
golfing masochism. We need to know what to do about it. As
Socrates pointed out 2000 years ago, no one knowingly injures
himself. On the surface, he may appear to be doing so, but
inside he thinks that everything he does is really to the best
interest. This is also true of those with suicidal impulses;
these impulses disappear when the person is made to realize that
it is not to his best interest to kill himself. If a problem is
important enough to the individual, it would pay him to consult a
good psychologist. This is the type of problem which clears up
almost immediately when the thing underlying it is exposed.

Until next week…good golfing!





Dr Richard Myers
www.thinkandreachpar.com
www.bodygolf.com
864.675.0038