Welcome to The No B.S. Golf Newsletter

This newsletter is by subscription only. The only way you could
have received it is you requested a subscription or someone you
know gave you a subscription. This newsletter goes out every
Tuesday night or Wednesday. The special tips go out every
Thursday or Friday. If you do not receive it, it is not because
it was not published. If you have an AOL account, you should put
my email address in your address book. To unsubscribe please
scroll to the bottom and follow the simple instructions. If the
link is not active in your email program, you may have to cut and
paste it into your browser.
============================================

Special Notice:

I want to state that my email address (along with many other
websites) has been spoofed and you MUST NOT OPEN any file that
comes from me. If it is from thinkandreachpar or
Richard@thinkandreachpar.com and has an attachment to it, do not
open this email. There are a lot of bad people sending out
emails using my address, with virus’ attached. Better to be safe
than sorry. Richard
=============================================

Each week the newsletter and tip will be added to the website, if
you would rather view them on the website, go to
www.thinkandreachpar.com
============================================
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
=================================================
Richard’s Quick Tip:

The Toe Poke

If your ball is sitting in the thick stuff beside the green, and
you can’t get the clubhead on the ball without swinging harder
than you would like, you may want to consider hitting the ball
with the toe of your putter.

Turn your putter so that the face is perpendicular to the
direction you want to hit. When you swing, the thin clubhead
will cut through the grass a lot easier than the leading edge of
a wedge would. Just remember to give your ball no more than a
short., sharp jab, and be careful not to swing too far back.

Another thing to remember: The toe of a putter doesn’t have a
very big hitting area, so do everything you can to ensure solid
contact.
===========================================



Comments from subscribers:

Dear Richard

The Body Golf System has helped me tremendously in the past 12
months. It has helped me keep the ball on the fairway and out of
the woods. I have eliminated my my slice and improved my short
game. Since I have had your videos, I have taken 18 strokes off
my game and now shooting in the low eighties. They videos were
easy to understand and Sensei Mark is a great teacher.
Allen Vickery
Little Rock, AR


Richard
I've been doing double clubbers before and during my rounds with
pretty consistent results, even though I don't watch the videos
enough and practice enough. Yesterday on a very scenic bluff top course
in southern Minnesota, par 71, I shot 88. A lot of firsts happened
yesterday. I had a 46 on the front 9 which as you can figure I had a 42 on the back (First sub 50 front and back nine). Even more amazing, I shot the 42 while
carding an 8 on one hole, the only hole I took a penalty for bouncing off
a tree and into the woods. Course management came into play a LOT (Could
you feature more on course management?). I took very few risks and it paid
off. I can't wait to get back out because I know that I left 6-9 shots
on the course, at least 3 when I carded the 8.

Thanks for the newsletter and the great video instruction,
Eric
Minnesota

I dont know how I stumbled upon your website but I'm glad I did.
Your tips came at just the right time. Like a flash of lightening
I was assured of my one fault in my drive. It was my right elbow.
Now I can just practise hitting ball after ball without trying a
thousand different positions. Thanks so much for your priceless
tips for free.

Yours sincerely
Dick.


You might want to revise your "bio" on Johnny Revolta. Evanston
Golf Club is not in Southern California - it's in Skokie,
Illinois, just north of Chicago. I caddied there in the mid-60's
and occasionally for Mr. Revolta. What might be more impressive
than calling him a teaching pro at a "posh" club is that Mr.
Revolta was the 1935 PGA Champion and was on the victorious U.S.
Ryder Cup team with Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen that same year
where he won two matches. Regards, Tom Fillipp

Dear Richard,
I have been receiving your newsletter for some time now and I
really enjoy reading the tips, comments and discussions you
present. I want to add my two cents on the subject of recreational rules.
I am a self-taught golfer, and I have been playing for 5
years. The first two years I hacked away haplessly, took lots of
mulligans, and took lots of liberties with the rules, partly due
to a lack of understanding. Then I read Harvey Penick's books, and I
began to study the game more seriously. I realized that unless I
followed the rules, I would never know where I was in terms of golfing
ability. I now play every round according to the USGA rules as I
understand them. I generally shoot in the high 90s or low 100s. I
get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction from the game, and I
constantly strive to improve as a player. Situations often arise where I am
unsure of a ruling, and I make a note to look it up when I have a
chance. When in doubt, I always take the penalty, because after
all, it's only a game.
While I would never deny anyone the right to play golf
according to whatever rules (or lack of rules) they choose, I do
find the idea of "sortagolf" to be quite pitiful. I really think it's
just someone's bad idea of a joke. They seem to have the attitude that
they are going to rebel against the "evil" USGA, this "terrible"
organization that expects them to play their ball as it lies. My
problem with this is not that they do it, because golfers have
been cheating and taking liberties since the game's inception, and I
know I can't prevent that from happening. My objection is that they
are grossly disrespecting the great traditions of the game, and
influencing others to do the same. People like things to be easy,
and they see "sortagolf" as a means of justifying their disregard for
the rules. Nothing could be more pitiful than watching a golfer take
a mulligan off the tee, improve his lie on the way, take a "gimme"
putt, and proudly proclaim "PAR!" I find it the equivalent of
dumping the monopoly board when you realize you are going to lose. It's
childish, and a very sad reflection of modern day ethics and
attitudes.
That said, I am not against the idea of recreational rules.
Many of the rules obviously must be modified to maintain the pace
of play. (take a 2 stroke penalty instead of walking back to take
stroke and distance) Other rules need to be re-evaluated for both
recreational and professional golfers, but in any modification of
the rules, the basic rules of golf should remain intact, for example,
play the ball as it lies, mulligans are unacceptable, and you
must hole out with the same ball you teed off with, unless you lose
it, in which case you take your lumps and life goes on.
Thanks for the opportunity to express my opinion. Keep up the
good work!
Sincerely,
Tom

Exercise
Start with a six foot wooden dowel (closet clothes rod is
available at any home improvement store for a few bucks) behind your neck and with your arms extended and hands gripping towards the ends of the rod. Assume
your golf posture and make a back swing rotation without moving your spine
angle. Hold for a count of five then rotate a few degrees further and
hold for a count of three. Fully rotate in the opposite direction and hold
for a count of five. Rotate a few degrees more and hold for a count of
three. Do three sets of five to eight reps twice a day. You can keep the rod
standing in the corner of your clothes closet and use if first thing in the
morning and before retiring at night. This requires less than ten minutes a
session and will improve both your flexibility and your golf swing pivot.
Initially use either a mirror or your shadow from an overhead light to insure
you are not losing your spine angle during this exercise. The ends of the
rod should point eighteen inches or so outside the ball position and your
goal is so the rod points behind the ball position. Practice make permanent
so do it right. You could do this exercise with a driver but the longer
shaft makes a much stronger visual image of the position you are reaching.
Regards,
Newman Gilchrist

Thank all of you for your comments!!
=====================================
Finally - Learn What The Big-Bux Equipment Companies Don't Want
You To Know About Power, Distance, Accuracy AND…Instantly
Vaporizing A Chronic Slice With Two, SIMPLE "No-Brainer"
Exercises That Will Destroy Your Slice Forever - No Matter What
Brand Clubs You Play!
http://www.thinkandreachpar.com/tarp/bodygolf.htm#slice
•

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


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:

Every time you meet a situation, though you think at the moment
it is an impossibility and you go through the tortures of the damned,
once you have met it and lived through it you find that forever after
you are freer than you were before."
---Eleanor Roosevelt

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

I guess there is nothing that will get your mind off everything
like golf. I have never been depressed enough to take up the
game, but they say you get so sore at yourself you forget to hate
your enemies.
Will Rogers

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

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:
Who won more money in 1990, the leading money winner on the
regular tour
(Greg Norman), or Lee Trevino on the Senior Tour? (answer below)


Joe,
I have a curiosity question on a scoring situation. Say you are
on a par three hole and you hit the ball and it settles right on the edge
of the cup on your first shot. The next person takes their shot and their
ball hits the green and knocks your ball in. How is that scored? Would
you get a hole in one because technically you only hit the ball once?
Thank you,
Clint

Hello Clint,
According to Rule 18-5, if a ball at rest is moved by a ball in
motion, the ball must be replaced. Of course, if it was a blind shot, there
would be no proof that the ball was moved by another ball. Also, if the wind
happened to blow it in, it would count as an ace. If that ever happens, make
sure the ball falls all the way to the bottom of the cup because if you
pick it up
while it is resting against the flagstick, it is a penalty, and
you would have to place the ball at the edge of the cup and tap it in for a
3. This is one of many stupid rules that I think we could do without,
because common sense tells you there is no way a ball resting against a
flagstick is not really holed.
Joe


Joe,
I have a simple question for you to quell the issue me and my
golfing buddies have. What is the maximum number of shots allowed per
hole (over par) on a 3, 4, or 5 par hole? We have differing opinions from
"No limits", to "double the par value". We are trying to confirm the official
call. Can you assist us? This could save many strokes from our games and
therefore drop our scores (or perhaps enlarge them) immensely.
Thanks for the help
Maxwell

Hello Maxwell,
For competition scoring, there are no limits. To report scores
for handicapping purposes (not for competition), the USGA has the
following limits:
For handicaps of 9 or less, double bogey is max.
For handicaps 10-19, score of 7 is max (does not matter if par is 3, 4, or 5)
For handicaps 20-29, score of 8 is max
For handicaps 30-39, score of 9 is max
For handicaps 40 or higher, score of 10 is max
Now here is my opinion, which may not be worth much to the USGA.
If I were King, I would change this to make it max triple bogey for
everybody (both for competition and for handicapping), because it is simpler to
remember and this would speed up play, and this would be a form of damage
control. Also I would say max 3 putts per hole, if you miss the second putt, just
pick it up for an automatic 3 putt, and pace of play will improve.
Joe


Joe,
Secrets are noted by teachers here and there, such as Hogans'
secret, but recently a book by a young man who shagged balls for Ben
indicated that it was not the supination of the left wrist but rather the "driving
of the right knee" toward the ball along with the right side as a unit.
Any more info on this?
Bill

Hi Bill,
All of us are built differently, so a "secret" position or "magic
move" move for one person may or may not work for another person. Many times
a "magic move" will work for awhile, and then it will stop working and you
won't know why. There are a lot of things going on during a golf swing, and
sometimes a magic move will result in aligning your muscles in a good way.
But your muscles are changing every day, some stronger, some weaker, in
different combinations, so it stands to reason that many of these "secrets"
fall in the category of "Mannerisms" which are different than
"Fundamentals" which are more important. For example, in Hogan's case the supination of the wrist is a mannerism that leads to the fundamental of lining up the
club shaft on the same plane with the leading arm for the downswing. The driving of the right knee is the mannerism that leads to the fundamental of
shifting the lower body weight from the back leg to the front leg. If you only
think of the mannerisms without the fundamentals, then you have to guess
how much or how little to supinate the wrist or how hard to drive the knee.
By thinking of the fundamentals instead, you can get rid of that guesswork.
Joe

Joe,
I BEEN PLAYING ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW (WEEKEND PLAYER). I WOULD LIKE
TO KNOW HOW TO READ THE GREENS. WHAT TO LOOK FOR. SO I CAN IMPROVE MY GAME.
THANK YOU
RONALD

Hi Ronald,
Reading the green starts when you are still on the fairway. First
look at the overall terrain and see which direction rain water will
likely flow off the green. Putts are likely to break generally in that direction.
When you are on the green, without getting in the way, try to read other
people's putts and see if the results were the same as you expected. Watch
Jim Furyk and others who use the "plumb bobbing" method of dangling the
shaft to see if the hole appears perpendicular or tilted to the shaft. On a
practice green, take notice if most of your reads tend to play too much or
too little break in both directions. If the grass appears to be growing all
blades in the same direction (called the "grain"), the putts will likely
break in that direction. Faster greens and downhill putts will break more than
slower greens and uphill putts. I hope this helps you.
Joe


Dear Readers,
Last week we asked if you were king for a day, which golf rules
would you change? Here are some responses:

Abolish stroke and distance penalties and provisional shots.
Nobody should ever have to walk back to replay a shot, that is against the pace
of play. Think, USGA, think!

Take the luck factor out of the game. Allow free lift from divots
because landing in a divot is only bad luck.

No difference between loose impediments or obstructions, neither
one of them belongs there anyway. If you can move a dead animal, you should
also be able to remove a live animal, which is against today's rules. Dumb,
real dumb.

Get rid of the penalty for the ball accidentally moving when
addressed. What is the big deal? The spirit of rules should be "No advantage
gained, no penalty". If that general idea could be an overriding rule, that
would make it more of a game of skill, and less of a game of chance. Nit
picky technicalities really have nothing to do with skill and golf
should be a game of skill.

People who have never broken 100 should be able to improve their
lies anywhere, anytime, until that magic number is broken, or until
their average score is under double bogey per hole.

Get rid of the term "ladies tees". The forward tees and all other
tees should be according to skill levels. There are ladies who hit the
ball farther than men, and men who cannot hit the ball as far as
ladies. This would speed up play if those who shoot higher scores were forced
to play from the forward tees.

There should be no penalty for asking or giving advice. Pros get
advice from their caddies, while the average golfers who cannot afford
caddies are not allowed to ask anyone, or even use an inaccurate optical device.
Get serious, why would you ask an opponents anyway, they might give
you bad information, and your well-meaning buddies are probably guessing
as much as you are. Get rid of stupid unnecessary rules like this.


Question for the Evil Twin:
Jody, I just got hooked on golf when I hit one long and straight
and out of sight. Why can't I do that all the time?
Answer: Because the first one was a fluke.

Answer to the trivia question (above): Lee $1190518 - Norman
$1165477.

Question Answered By Sensei Mark

Richard
I've certainly enjoyed your thoughts and tips since I elected to
receive them. Your most recent thought concerning us "Portly's"
really hit home but I have some follow-on questions I'm hoping
you can help me with.
I'm 66, retired, 5'9" 175lb with a slight pooch some back
problems and arthritic knees that that I use braces to help. I've been
playing regularly for about 4 years and I'm in the throws of trying to
learn to swing the club correctly. (In the past, I had a very bad
reverse pivot problem). I understand the slow take away and hip turn
which I'm finally "learning" which has been a struggle but when I get
to the top of the back swing I cannot keep myself from bearing down
tensing up and starting the downswing with my arms. I'm sure this
is part of the left over habit but of course it's causing all
kinds of problems as you can imagine. In addition, I have found that I
can't hip turn as far as necesary because of my variable lens glasses I
wear. If I do, I loose sight of the ball and can't find it quick enough
in order to hit it. Keeping my eye on the ball has always been and still
is a constant problem. You would think a person could learn to do
that after awhile!! Very frustrating at times...
Any help at all would be greatly appreciated...I'm not ready to
give up yet and play golf with the Gods. Thank you.
Tony D'Ambrose

Tony...
OK so you're a little bit older.
Thats fine.
Here is what I suggest.
In order to hit the ball better, you need to perfect yoru
hand-eye coordination.
To do this, try this drill. It's called the No Peeks Drill.
Set up with a short iron at the practice range.
Use about 20 balls for this drill.
When you swing, DO NOT watch the ball fly at the end of the
swing. Just keep you focus on the spot where the ball was.
Mind you, I want you to finish with the toe-drag...BUT do not let
your eyes look up to the ball at the end of the swing.

That drill is one of the three simple drills that vaporized my
slice in ten minutes.
To learn the rest, try Body Golf Full Swing or Slice-Buster
Videos.

You can't turn very far back?
Do this.
Open your feet so that your toes are out and your heels are in.
You should not look as if you were on railroad tracks when you
set up.
Your toes should be pointing out at an angle.
This opens your hips up so you can turn better.

I hope that this helps you
please stay in touch.

Mark

=====================================================
Golf Potpourri

by

Mac Stevenson

Use Moderation in Adjustments
All golfers are constantly searching for the secret that will
elevate their game to the high level that they so ardently strive
for. This is true for youngsters or veterans who are on life’s
back nine. Everyone thinks they are close to a major breakthrough
that will make them the player they yearn to be. And that’s not
just okay, it’s great.

Nowhere is the timeless expression--“Hope springs eternal in the
human breast”--more apropos than the game of golf. The hope for
improvement never dies.

Moderate, rather than drastic change, is the rule that all
golfers should follow. The only exceptions are players who have
developed so many bad habits that they have to retool their
entire game with the help of a teaching professional and
instructional videos.

Often a slight change can help when you’re missing too many short
putts. This affliction affects many golfers because they take the
putter back too far on the short ones. Try shortening your
backstroke on short putts. But here we leave solid ground because
who is to say what is or isn’t a short putt. That’s up to you to
decide. Just shorten your backstroke slightly on what you
perceive to be short putts and see if that doesn’t help. And you
have to practice this new concept on the putting clock; you
shouldn’t be thinking about changes in your stroke during a
competitive round.

If you’re hitting your full shots poorly, you might have slipped
into a bad habit of ball-placement in relation to your left foot.
As an example, perhaps you’re playing the ball too far forward
with your driver; when you implement a change, make the
adjustment slight. Just move the ball back an inch or two in your
stance. Experiment. Moderate changes can make a big difference.

Ball position is very important on short chips and pitches. These
aren’t hard shots and you can become proficient executing these
vital shots if you use the proper fundamentals while practicing.
If you’re mishitting either of these shots during competition,
you can correct the problem on the course if you’re thinking golf
and concentrating. Often all that’s needed is a small change in
the stance or hand position. Make sure your weight is balanced
properly on these short shots, keeping most of your weight on
your left foot.

One change that might need to be extensive if you’re playing
poorly is your grip. If there’s one major fault that many golfers
suffer from, it’s using a grip that’s fundamentally unsound.
Altering your grip is difficult because it feels so strange and
uncomfortable from what you’re used to. And it’s important to get
some good advice before you make a significant adjustment. Your
best bet is to check with a golf professional who knows your
swing. If that isn’t feasible, then try and find magazine
articles with precise illustrations or videos that focus on how
to grip the club. It’s that important.

Moderation in how many shots you hit before a competitive round
is a must. The only time for extensive practice is on a day when
you’re not going to play. Even then, it can be counterproductive
to practice certain shots when you’ve become fatigued. Short and
focused practice sessions will improve your game more than long
periods of hitting shots after you’ve become tired. Age is a
factor here; younger players can practice longer without tiring
and losing their timing and rhythm.

Your putting warm-up before a round is a matter of personal
choice. If you’re in a putting slump, you should try altering
your warm-up routine. It’s difficult to concentrate for long
periods of time on the putting clock; short, concentrated
sessions are more beneficial than putting for an hour or more
without a break.

Make the adjustments in your golf game--whether they be in
relation to your stance, grip, or swing--in small increments.
Drastic changes lead to big problems. Moderation is the key.


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

Richard’s Thoughts

How To Stay On Balance

Swinging within yourself is one of the most difficult disciplines
in golf. The story I told you last week about the lady on the
golf course and Sensei Mark helping her. When I first saw this
lady swing, she was swinging the club as hard as she could. Then
after Mark helped her a few minutes, she had a very casual swing,
but she was hitting the ball down the fairway. Most golfers
fight a losing battle with the all but irresistible impulse to
overpower the ball, and most of this over swinging originates
about he hips-in the arms, shoulders and back muscles. When this
happens the feet are unable to stay firmly planted on the ground,
all sense of balance in the swing is lost, and you soon fall out
of the groove. Chronic wildness almost has to result. Now,
there is a big difference between swinging hard and overswinging.
I very often hit hard-or flat out, as we say-but I do so only
when I feel perfectly balanced. Good balance during the swing is
something that has become almost instinctive to me, and I think
this is due to the fact that I often played the game as a
youngster while barefoot. You are not apt to overswing if you
don’t have spikes gripping the turf for you. Although I don’t
recommend that you throw your golf shoes away, I do thing it is a
good idea to swing no harder than you would if you were barefoot,
whenever you find yourself overswinging. A little imagination
along these lines will soon have you swinging within your
capabilities.

Until next week…good golfing!

Dr Richard Myers
www.thinkandreachpar.com
www.bodygolf.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
express written consent of Richard Myers