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I want to state that my email address (along with many other
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than sorry. Richard
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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
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Richard’s Quick Tip:

Uphill Putt

When faced with an uphill putt, don’t be afraid to hit it more
firmly than you might think necessary. For one thing, gravity is
on your side. Another plus is that the far side of the hole is
higher than the near side, so in effect the back of the hole
becomes a backstop. Assuming you’ve chosen the correct
line-uphill putts tend not to break much at all-you can then make
a run at it safe in the knowledge that when your ball passes over
the hole it will fall slightly and hit the “wall” behind the
hole-the back of the cup.

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Comments from subscribers:



Dear Dr. Richard Myers,

I am in my mid 50s, took up golf about one and half years
ago. I am a weekend recreational golfer with a gross score
range of 95 to 102. I took delivery of the Body
GolfFullSwing about a week ago. Viewed it once late night
last week. Went onto the course over the weekend and put
into practice what I saw and beyond belief that Saturday
outing give me the lowest ever gross score of 89. All I can
say is that the video is marvelous, practical and drill and
advices are easy to emulate.

Many thanks again for highlighting the usefulness of the
Golf BodyFullSwing in the ad.

Sulaiman Mustafa
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia.

R.M. You’re my kind of man Sulaiman!! Thanks for the nice
testimonial and sharing with us.

Dear Richard,
I would like to inform you that I on Sunday, July
17, I got a hole-in-one on a par three. It was 131
yards, straight, over a bunker, and the sprinkler was
on behind me, haha, but really, it was. So i would
like to thank you for your tips and keep them coming.
I'm only 15, and i hope and plan on getting quite a
few more (very rare, but one must think positive). And
i really need help with my irons. I am not hitting
down on then still. And i need help on my chipping,
lobbing and punching. So if you have any tips for me,
please send them. Thanks.
Sincerely, David

Hi
In response to your tip on getting a ball out of the rough by the
green with the putter toe... I have been using my 5 iron with a
putting stroke and it works very well. It also takes away a lot
of the risk when using the putter's toe.
-Molly



I outlined this in my head as I played today - tied my second
best round ever and was only 2 strokes off from my all-time best shot in
1971!

I hope you appreciate where I am coming from. I do enjoy your
informative e-mails.

Bruce Woods

For many who enjoy golf and play it frequently or irregularly,
there are some unpleasant aspects that must be faced. Among
these are that we’re aging and our muscles aren’t as strong [or
as fast] as they once were. Our physiques have faded over time –
including lost flexibility. Most us never were star athletes and
our lifetime athletic achievement list is a very modest one.
And, let’s be honest, we may be avid readers of golf advice
[despite its inconsistencies] but we don’t practice much and our
old swing habits die hard. Given all this, there are still some
easy things to do that will make golf more enjoyable for a longer
time and isn’t that worth looking into?


1) Get an annual spring check-up by your club pro. You get
annual physicals don’t you? Just as the MD won’t turn you into a
Mr. Universe, your club pro won’t turn you into a tour golfer.
What you want to do is learn from him what to do on the course
should various ‘awful shots’ show themselves during the season:
topping, slicing, fat shots, pulls, pushes…the shots that drive
you crazy and wreck rounds. One rotten shot cancels out 2 or
more good shots every time.

2) Remember [write ‘em down] & utilize sound golf fundamentals.
Square stance, strong grip, letting your head swing but keeping
it behind the ball at impact, rotating but not swaying your lower
body, low & slow backswing, not ‘putting the pedal to the metal’
until your elbow gets into your side on the downswing, hitting
the ball first on a slightly descending path – except for the
driver. {Couple this with #1.}

3) Prepare yourself before every round. That should include a
stretching routine and hitting some range balls and a dozen or so
putts. That might also mean taking a warm shower and a couple of
aspirin or ibuprofen an hour before the round to reduce muscle
inflammation and minor aches & pains.

4) Play the correct set of tees. If you have to use fairway
woods for second shots on most of the par 4’s or on more than one
par 3, play from a shorter set of tees.

5) Play smart. At the tee box, tee your ball on the side with
the most trouble. Aim for the center of the green regardless of
where the flag is on all full shots. If in doubt about club
selection, use the longer club; ¾ of iron shots to the green are
short of pin high. Rough usually costs you about 1 or more club
in distance. On the greens, focus first on how long the putt is
then add the left/right breaks; distance is more important. On
holes where long carries or narrow landing areas abound, be very
conservative; the heroic shot is usually a long-odds proposition.




6) Utilize proven technologies to shape your trajectory, shot
shape and maximize length potential. Put at least 4 woods in
your bag – fairway woods are easier to hit than long irons. Use
more loft on your driver [10 degrees or more]. Use wider soled
irons. Pick a club you are confident with for chipping [whatever
it is] and make it your chipping club. Use a putter that gives
you good distance control. [Wrong length putts are usually much
worse than bad line putts.] Use lighter shafts, more flexible
shafts and shafts with a more flexible tip section. Use a
low-spin ball that has some feel. If you slice, use irons with
offset [and maybe woods]. Use the correct grips that make it
easy to hold onto the club lightly w/o fearing that you’ll let
go. Consider graphite shafted irons – especially if you have
arthritis or other hand, wrist or elbow aches. {If you need help
sorting all this stuff out, check with a club fitting or club
making pro; you don’t have to spend a fortune to utilize
compensating technologies.}

7) Enjoy every round – no matter what. It doesn’t matter
whether you are playing a March round in Frostbite Falls, a July
round in Swamp Swelter or a vacation round on a glitzy course in
perfect weather - enjoy the day! You have been blessed. You
have the opportunity to play a great game, be outdoors – whatever
the weather may be while enjoying the companionship of others who
share your joy. While you are playing a round of golf, you are
truly wealthy in the truest sense of the word. Seize these
wonderful moments of time and hold on to them; in the history of
mankind they are pitifully rare.

No, Jack Lemmon never did get to play on the weekend; but he
savored every moment on the course that he was allowed to have.

R.M. Thanks for sharing this with us Bruce.



Hi Richard

i think what u said is the real truth, I always hurt my left
shoulder after every game of golf because i try to hit or swing
harder. Thanx Robert


Dear Richard,
I haven’t written in for a long time, but could not
resist observing your "Toe Poke" tip to be a bit (just a wee bit ) of
BS. Three wood, Driver, Sand Wedge on the Equator and now your Toe Poke
with a putter; Its getting a bit too varied for a Normal golfer to assimilate ,
don’t you think! Why not just make and allow a mallet shaped club (heavy,
about 500 to 700 grams), and permit a Croquet stance? After all it’s all about
hitting a ball, you can do it hanging upside down from a tree, it’s the
Golfer's problem, let him sort it out.
Regards
Nippy Dhillon

R.M. Thank you for your cherished advice, Nippy. By the way,
where can I get one of those 700 gram mallets? Ha!! Just
teasing…thanks for the comments.

Thank all of you for your comments!!
=====================================
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•

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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!
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Quote of the Week:

You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments
when
you really lived are the moments when you have done things in the
spirit of love."

---Henry Drummond

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Golf quote of the week:

The income tax has made more liars out of the American people
than golf has.
Will Rogers


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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:
None of these great golfers were able to win all 4 majors:
Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Sam Snead. Can you guess which majors they missed? (answers below)


Joe,
I constantly hit behind the ball. I think I am casting early. Any
thoughts or drills you can recommend in order to fix this swing flaw.
Thank You
John Adams, Birmingham, AL.

Hello John,
Casting is a possibility, also this can be caused by trying to
lift the ball. Lifting never works. Think more about just making contact
and let the loft of the club do the lifting. Two things that can help this
problem are a more aggressive weight shift on the downswing and at the same
time try to hit the ball on more of a steeper downward path. You are doing it
right when you strike the ball first and then take a divot. This gives you a
better margin of error when you hit down because the ball will spin up
the clubface even when you make contact at the equator. If you are not hitting
down and you strike the equator, you will hit a low line drive or grounder.
Joe


Joe,
Just a few words to let you know that when I receive your tips
via e-mail I practice them and find them to be a great help. Now can you help
me on this part of my game, When driving I get very little run on the ball.
i.e. when the ball lands it stops within a few yards, I have tried many
different makes of balls but to no avail. Can you please help?
Keep up the good work and thank you.
R Webb.

Hi R.Webb,
I do not think the type of ball matters on running drives. Course
conditions are the primary factor. Your course probably has soft fairways.
Now if you tell me everyone else's ball runs farther than yours, then they
must be hitting it lower than you. More information is needed here, like
how far do your drives carry in the air? If you are a short hitter, do you
hit your average drive high or low? If you are a long hitter, and you are
usually in the fairway, you are doing great, who cares about roll anyway? Do
you have this problem also on dry rock-hard fairways that are downhill and
with the wind? If you do, then the golf spirits must have put a curse on
you. (Jody says you should quit using a sand wedge for your drives).
Joe


Joe,
I am a somewhat forgetful person, I leave wedges at the side of
the green and forget to pick them up after putting out, and I sometimes
move my ball marker for someone else's putt, and then forget to move it back
to the proper spot for my putt. Any ideas on how to overcome this?
Josh

Hi Josh,
There are two ways to remember to pick up your chipping club, one
is to leave it in the direction of your bag so after you putt out you
might trip over it, and the other is whenever the flagstick is pulled and
laying on the green, lay your club on top of it, so whoever puts the flag back
will say "hey whose wedge is this?" About the ball marker, whenever you
have to move it for someone else's putt, put a tee in your hand and keep it
there until it is your turn to putt, and then you can ask yourself "Why is
there a tee in my hand? Oh, now I remember, I have to move my marker".
Joe


Answers to the trivia question (above):
Masters - Lee Trevino, who hits a fade. Augusta National favors
those who
hit a draw.
US Open - Sam Snead, who once could have won with a bogey on the
last hole, but triple-bogeyed.
PGA-Palmer, Watson, Norman. Greg Norman once looked like he was
going to win, but Bob Tway holed a bunker shot on the final hole to beat
Greg by one stroke. That was Tway's only major win.


Question for the Evil Twin:

Jody, when do you feel the most pressure?
Answer: When I have a $10 bet with only $5 in my pocket.


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Golf Potpourri

by

Mac Stevenson

Course Management Requires Constant Thought

Course management is a term that is misunderstood by almost all
golfers. Most players think course management is what you employ
when you are in deep trouble. It’s much, much more than that. If
you’re thinking golf and concentrating, course management plays a
roll on just about every shot--admittedly, some are more
important than others.

The most common concept of course management is getting safely
out of trouble without making a double-bogie or worse on the
hole. And this is important. You have to keep your poise and make
sure you don’t compound your problems by hitting a dumb shot when
you’re in deep trouble.

Most course management, however, takes place when you are not in
any trouble. For example, you should consider your strategy
carefully on your tee shots on par 4s and 5s. Which side of the
tee should you use? That depends on your game and where the
trouble is. If you have a tree line down the right side of the
fairway, you should drive from the left side of the tee to give
yourself the most possible room for error. Another consideration
is whether you should hit your driver or a more-lofted wood
that’s easier to control. And the wind is a factor. A lot of
players just step up and hit it and then bemoan the fact they
didn’t play the wind. You have to concentrate and think before
you play your shots.

Course management comes into play on the tee shots on par 3s.
Depending on the severity of the slope of the green, you often
have to consider carefully where you want to leave the ball. And
don’t always aim for the pin. If it’s tucked in behind a trap,
you’ll often be better off playing for the middle of the green.
It’s no worse to be a little long than a little short. Most
senior golfers fail to use enough club on par 3s; don’t hesitate
to use a five- or seven-wood from the tee on par 3s.
Many golfers use no course management on chips and pitches, but
they’re making a mistake. On greens that have a severe
uphill-downhill slope, where you leave your chip or pitch shot is
of the utmost importance. And many players don’t take this into
consideration before they play the shot. It’s almost always
better to leave yourself below the hole when possible. None of us
can do what we want to with the golf ball on every shot, but you
should have a plan instead of just stepping up and playing the
shot without any thought about where you want to putt from.

Course management is often most important on the greens. Some
putts are treacherous and deserve a lot more caution than
straightforward putts that are fairly level and don’t break much.
It’s fine to be aggressive, but often discretion is the better
part of valor when it comes to putting. Few things in this life
are more disheartening than having a three-foot, downhill putt
for a birdie and turning it into a bogie by being too bold and
three-putting.

Efficient course management means using common sense and
concentration on almost every shot. If you’re thinking golf and
focusing on each shot, you’ll be way ahead of your opponents who
are daydreaming instead of planning their next shot. Mental
preparation must be made before every shot, not just when you’re
in trouble in the trees and rough. That’s true course management.

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Richard’s Thoughts

The Thumb And The Palm

The general attitude of higher-handicap players is that the grip
is incidental to the swing. But in truth, far from being
incidental, the grip is an integral part of the swing. (90% of
all high handicappers problems is in their grip) Once the hands
are together on the club, preparatory to making the swing, they
should stay together until the completion of the swing. Gripping
with the last three fingers of the left hand is a popular
explanation of the grip and it correct as far as it goes, but it
is in itself insufficient. The left-hand grip consists of the
last three fingers plus half the palm. As for the righ, the
expression “pinching with the thumb and forefinger,” or
emphasizing the function of the two middle fingers, clearly
indicates this hand requires a finger grip, and this is true.
But greatly overlooked, and to a great extent not even
considered, is the part played by the thumb of the left in
relation to the palm of the right . The thumb should nestle in
the palm of the right hand throughout the swing. By doing this,
the hands will remain together. This is particularly important
at the top of the swing where a loose grip can lead to a hit from
the top. By all means grip with the last three fingers and the
palm of the left hand staying in the palm of the right hand. At
impact your hit will be more solid.

Until next week…good golfing!

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

Copyright, New South Media,LLC 2004

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