August 6, 2003


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Amazing New 3-Video, Golf School-in-a-Box INSTANTLY
Gives You Pro-Level
Power & Accuracy...WITHOUT Years of Practice
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-Brainier' Exercises
That Will Destroy Your Slice
Forever - No Matter What Brand Clubs You Play
http://www.thinkandreachpar.com/tarp/special.html

Special Notice

If you have a topic you would like to have discussed or would like more
information on a certain subject, just send me an email and let me know.
It may take me a while to get to it, but we will. Your comments are
appreciated.
Richard@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!!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Many of you have asked for the Body Golf Series in DVD.
They will be available the first week of August. We will have
the link on the website in a few days.

Joe DeLorenzo has agreed to take over the position as
Think And Reach Par’s
Resident Golf Pro. If you are having a problem
with your game,
Send me your email and Joe will answer all that he can.


Swing Analysis is now up and running.

The swing analysis is ready. Check it out here:
www.thinkandreachpar.com/tarp/swinganalysis.html

Or go to the products page on the website and look for the link on the
bottom of the page.

HERE IT IS>>>> the thinkandreachpar.com web site has a link that,
believe it or not, shows you what a swing looks like over email.
This link will also tell you how you can send your own swing and get
it analyzed by a certified instructor for much less cost than an
ordinary lesson. We may be one of the first to offer this. The
first 3 people who can guess who is swinging in the sample swing,
can get a swing analysis free of charge. Check it out now:
http://www.thinkandreachpar.com/tarp/swinganalysis.html



Quote of the week:


”In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always
wins - not through strength but by perseverance."

H. Jackson Brown
Author of "Life's Little Instruction Book"


Golf Quote of the week:


"The fundamental problem with golf is that every so
often, no matter how lacking you may be in the
essential virtues required of a steady player, the odds
are that one day you will hit the ball straight, hard,
and out of sight. This is the essential frustration of
this excruciating sport. For when you've done it once,
you make the fundamental error of asking yourself
why you can't do this all the time. The answer to this
question is simple: the first time was a fluke." -Colin Bowles


Comment from subscriber:


Hey Greg, Buy the videos. Dun go for videos that cost u $89.
They teach u crap. Buy this one! I have used it and one of the
things that I learn is not what I have done wrong, its what I
have done right. There are some key notes that the instructor
will want u to practise so that when u r off, u can go back to
basic and get it right again! Knowing what u have done wrong
does not help. For goodness sake, u can be doing one hundred
things wrong but u only need to do one thing right! So focus on
what is right and let Mark tells u. Buy the body golf videos.

Jack,CA, SF


TIRED OF YOUR FRIENDS LAUGHING AT YOU??
The Body Golf Full Swing
video will teach you the pro's secrets.
Eliminate your swing flaws, learn
the secret to accuracy and ball control.
Increase flexibility, strength,
health, and perfect your swing...all in one video!!!
Eliminate your slice
for good, Just 3 minutes per day!!
Go to www.thinkandreachpar.com


In honor of Bob Hope a true friend of golf
"We have 51 golf courses in Palm Springs. He (Gerald Ford)
never decides which course he will play until after the first
tee shot...At least he can't cheat on his score- because all you
have to do is look back down the fairway and count the wounded."
-- Bob Hope

"I'd give up golf if I didn't have so many sweaters." -- Bob Hope
"I like to play in the low 70s. If it gets any hotter than that, I'll stay
in the bar!" -- Bob Hope
Thanks for the memories, Bob!


Question and Answers by Joe DeLorenzo, the ThinkAndReachPar.com
Resident golf pro.

Question for Joe,

> Joe I'm 76 yr. young and shoot in the 70's &
> 80's - Had a 73 a month
ago - shoot my age at times. I do this if I leave
my driver in the bag -
it's the only club I slice and quite regular to say
the least. Why ? I've tried
many types of drivers and have the same problem with
them all. Use my 5 wood
and down the middle all the time. why ? Irons a
ok no slice either. ?????
whats my problem. Know I could shoot better scores
if I was going into the
greens with a wedge or 8 or nine iron, instead of 5
6, or 7. doug


Doug #1 - If you are 76 years young and can shoot
scores like that, God bless you, I hope I can do that
when I am your age! If your driver is the only club
that you slice with, and you do not want to try any
other drivers, try putting lead tape on the heel of
the driver. Many advertisements for new drivers are
touting "heel weighted" because the larger heads are
harder to get squared up at impact unless they are
heel-weighted. You can get adhesive-backed lead tape
at most golf shops. Other possibilities are your
shaft might be too stiff for you. Try a demo of the
Cleveland Launcher 400cc with a regular shaft and tell
me how it behaved.



Hey, you are doing an outstanding job and service to
all us
hackers...thanks!! My question: I have attended
one of the leading golfs schools in America
4 times now. They did straighten out my slice, but
now I'm hitting an awful
lot of fat shots per round because they've told me
in order to get spin and
"back the ball up" on the green, I have to lead with
my hands in front of the
club face when striking the ball thus making me hit
fat shots. Am I going to
grow out of this with practice or am I not
understanding the principle? Thanks,
Doug


Doug #2 - You have to admit, it is not as important to
get shots to spin back as it is to get clean contact
on every shot. Even pros cannot get spin when the
greens get "firm", and they get to play on the best
greens while the rest of us have to play on public
courses that have greens that are about as firm as a
parking lot. So unless you are a single digit
handicapper, forget the spin and just keep striking
the ball better and avoid tips that cause fat shots.
If getting the ball to back up is really really
important to you, send me another message and tell me
why, along with other aspects of your game including
your handicap



Dear Richard, I would like you to clarify why the
golf rules have sub
sections and called as such and not sub rules. If you
refer to a golf rule then for
example rule 20 should be referred as sub rule 2 of
rule 20 and so on. It cannot
be called subsection. Legally it applies to
statutory act and not rules.
Thanks. vikram. from Jabalpur ,India.


Vikram - Sounds like a simple matter of semantics.
Sub-rule or section mean the same thing, it is just a
different way of expressing it. What do you mean
"legally", are you going to sue someone? What do you
mean "statutory"? Golf should not be so complicated.
Just put the ball into the hole without cheating. The
way the rules are now, honest people get penalized,
while cheaters get away with it. The rules were
intended to prevent cheating, but they have gotten way
too complicated, and some of the rules are really
silly. It should be a game of skill, not who has the
best lawyer. Even the pros, who are supposed to know
the rules, have to ask for rulings frequently. Why is
that, don't they know the rules? Don't get me started
on this topic, I could go on forever.



Hi....I really need some expert advice on the "Turn"
in the backswing!!

Thanks.....Rev Scott


Rev Scott - There are two types of turn in the
backswing, the turn of the shoulders and the turn of
the hips. If you can make them work together, you can
maximize your distance. Some people overdo one or the
other and as a result their ball striking suffers. I
believe consistent ball striking is the most important
thing in golf, so you must find which combination
works for you. First, I would start by turning
shoulders and hips together. If that does not work,
try concentrating more on shoulder turn without
thinking about the hips, just let the hips behave
naturally. If that does not work, try concentrating
on the hip turn without thinking about the shoulders.
If none of this works, your swing plane may be too
flat, send me another message and we will take it from
there.


Golf Question of the week:
Joey - How can I get more distance on my drives?
Answer-purchase a more fuel-efficient vehicle.


Thank you Joe, we appreciate your expert advice.




TIRED OF YOUR FRIENDS LAUGHING AT YOU??
The Body Golf Full Swing
video will teach you the pro's secrets.
Eliminate your swing flaws, learn
the secret to accuracy and ball control.
Increase flexibility, strength,
health, and perfect your swing...all in one video!!!
Eliminate your slice
for good, Just 3 minutes per day!!
Go to www.thinkandreachpar


The Best Practice Method
by
Mac Stevenson
Going to the driving range and hitting the conventional bucket
of balls is the most common method of practicing for the great
majority of golfers. It isn’t, however, the best practice routine.
The best way to practice is by yourself on the golf course. You can
either walk and carry a light bag with just a few of your clubs or
you can take a cart and use every club in your bag. Both routines
have certain advantages:
* If you use a light carry bag and take a driver, three-wood,
five-iron, seven-iron, sand wedge, and a putter; you’re all set.
And you’ll get some good exercise. It’s important to choose
a time when the course isn’t busy.
* Using a cart has advantages too. You’ll have all your clubs
and can hit every club in your bag. And you can skip around
the course to holes that don’t have any players on them.
As for equipment, all you need is a divot-repair tool, plenty
of tees, and at least 10 used golf balls. You should use old
balls in case you hit a few off line and want to move on
without retrieving them.
By practicing on the course, you can hit every conceivable
shot that you encounter in a regular round of golf, including:
* Full shots off downhill or side hill lies are tough for almost
all amateur golfers. Instructional videos are available that
describe the proper method for these tricky shots. Copy the
important fundamentals on a 3x5 file card and carry it with you
for quick reference on the course.
* Short pitch shots off tight lies, often over sand traps, are
almost impossible. Have you ever tried running this shot through
the trap with a three or four iron? Sometimes--in a match where
you have to get it close--this might be your only chance. You’ll be
amazed at your options by trying innovative shots when you’re
practicing by yourself. Everyone becomes too stereotyped on
how they play some of these confidence-shattering shots.
* Pitch shots from just off the green out of heavy rough can be
improved immeasurably with practice. These are demanding shots
and the only way you can become more skillful with them is by
practicing on the golf course.
* Four different sand shots strike fear into the very souls of many
golfers: (1) normal lie, (2) downhill lie, (3) uphill lie, and (4) buried lie.
They aren’t hard. It’s very important to carry note cards on how to hit
each of these shots. Practice the proper fundamentals on how to execute
each of these shots and you’ll be impressed at how much you can
improve in a short time.
* Long putts with big breaks cannot be practiced on most putting
clocks. Learning how to lag these long, breaking putts close to the
hole can cut several strokes off your game on each round.
* An approach shot that comes to rest on the edge of the putting
surface and just against the first cut of rough can be a killer. You’ve
smart approach for amateurs; it’s better to experiment with a putter
or chipping club (anything from a seven iron to a sand wedge) to
find out which works best for you.
The advantages of doing your practicing on the golf course rather
than the driving range are numerous indeed. This isn’t to say that
practice on the driving range is not beneficial because it is. But
practice on the course will help more over the long haul.
One of the most important benefits is that you don’t use the same
stance and hit the same shot with the same club over and over. And
when you’re on the course, you can work on shots that have been
giving you the most trouble during actual play.
While playing the course, it’s possible to work on your short game,
which you can’t do on the driving range. This is particularly true of
sand shots and difficult pitch shots out of the rough.
Choose a pace that you’re comfortable with. Playing four balls for
nine holes is the equivalent of 36 holes of golf and may be too tiring.
Practice can be counterproductive if you become exhausted. Playing
five or six holes with three or four balls may be plenty to begin with.
By using this three- or four-ball practice method under actual playing
conditions, you’ll be surprised at how much you can improve your
game and confidence. Find your comfort zone with this method and
you’ll discover you’ve never enjoyed practicing so much. And your
game will show it.


Richard’s thoughts:
. Being observant
To play good golf you must be constantly observant to the weather and course conditions and how they will affect your next play. Prior to making your next play, a good way to be in tune with the conditions is to always watch the play of others in your group or even that of the group ahead of you. Watch carefully how the ball is affected by the wind as well as how it reacts once it lands on the ground.
Typically, into the wind distance will be lost, backspin and ball curvature will increase based on the individual’s normal ball flight. Downwind the ball will fly further and spin and curvature will lessen. In wet conditions the ball will roll less once it lands in the fairway or green than with firmer, dryer conditions where it rolls out further each time.
You can benefit greatly from noting the club selection of others playing in your group but you must also interpret the quality of their specific shot. Too often I see players pull a club just because everyone else in the group used the same club. Then when they walk up to the green, the balls are of varying distances as well as left and right of the flag

Say, for instance, that you typically hit a high fade and your partner hits a low draw and you both hit it close to the same distance on a calm day. Then when the wind is blowing into your face, you need to expect your high fade to go one, two, or more clubs less depending on the strength of that wind. Into the wind a fade will always tend to shoot up high in the air and carry less. Downwind you can expect to hit maybe the same club or one club less and also expect your ball to carry further in the air and land with less roll than that of the low draw of your partner’s shot. Ben Hogan once said that controlling his ball flight trajectory was one of his big keys to playing great golf. I’m sure he gained great insight into what shot trajectory was required based on the information he learned from watching other players.
You also need to be aware of how solid their shot was struck and the placement of where they hit it. Even if it was solidly struck, did the shot make it all the way to the flag, or was it one or two clubs either long or short of it?
When playing from the fairway you also need to be aware of the lie in which they played their shot. If they played from the light rough or even heavy rough did the ball come out with uncontrollable spin, bounce and roll thus carrying and rolling further than a well controlled, crisply struck fairway shot?
Putting is another big area to watch carefully. Watch the break of other players’ putts carefully before you putt. Even if the player is on the other side of the cup, chances are your putt will break in the same direction around the cup. Not only can you learn the break, but you can get insight into the proper speed required. But just like with iron shots you need to interpret the quality of the speed and line of their play. If they tend to hit their putts firmer and you like to die your putts into the hole then you need to play slightly more break than they did if they just happened to hole it.
So watch the play of others carefully and interpret the quality of their shots in helping you decide how to play your own shot based on the current course conditions. If you play enough golf, much of this playing tip will become second nature.

Hope this helps.

Good golfing!!

Richard C. Myers
www.thinkandreachpar.com
www.bodygolf.com

New South Media, LLC
100 Gilderbrook Rd
Greenville, SC 29615

864-675-0038

Email: Richard@thinkandreachpar.com



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