My first steps in my golfing journey created the positive conditions of learning that has been ongoing for 40+years. I will admit that in the past 25 years I have become a student of the game. My path was not always smooth, yet it was one of golf enlightenment. Before I get a head of myself, I realized about 15 years ago that my educational trek will never end and that has helped reduce my frustration will learning new golf skills. Recently, I decided to focus on my driver swing because one of my 2021 goals is to add ten yards off the tee and remain in play. This goal directed my efforts to analyze the difference between my driver and iron set up, swing, and follow through. Not surprisingly, my golf knowledge has grown and I am excited to continue down this current path.
Continue readingswing plane
The Big Swing of Bryson DeChambeau
One of the major discussions on the PGA Tour in 2020 is the drastic change in Bryson DeChambeau’s swing. His monstrous drives have eclipsed the imagination of many players and I am fairly sure that many golfers will try to emulate his success. Personally, I see little chance that I would be able to come close matching the powerful swing, but it is fun to watch.
Continue readingChipping Tips to Break 90
Learning new skills can be a challenge in golf. The issue is identifying the challenge and devising a drill or fix to help lower your golf score. Recently, I tried changing my short game with little success and have reverted back to my old style of chipping. The techniques I use first helped me break 90 and as I continued to improve I was able to break 80. By building the core fundamentals of chipping, my game was taken to a new level.
Continue readingGolf’s Greatest Secret
Have you ever pondered the answer to golf’s greatest secret? Knowing that answer will elevate your standing in the golfing community to guru or at the very least being a really smart player. Knowing the answer can help shape your game, lower your scores, and exponentially increase your fun on the links!
Could the answers be found in the following links?
- Hitting the ball on the center of the club face.
- Feel your swing and practice.
- The book “Duel in the Sun” at Turnberry in 1977.
- Moe Norman had the answer.
- Knowing the 10 greatest golf tips of all time.
Well, I think you see my point developing. As I start my research for creating my 2016 golf plan, I have to separate the wheat from the chaff. It takes time to separate the fly by night solutions aimed at selling me something, or the professed expert who knows how to sell.
This part of the process is fun for me. I am always open to new ideas, thoughts, musings and sometimes crazy off the wall suggestions. I think it is important to prepare for the unknown and the only way to do that on a golf course is to be open to new ideas and be willing to openly discuss them without any emotional baggage dragging me down.
What is Golf’s Greatest Secret? That is a great question. I believe the answer lies in all of us. I believe that each of us knows the answer, but we may or may not have let it come to the surface. There are many conventional aspects of golf like flexibility, training, practicing, swing plane, and mental preparation that will improve your game, but what is that one ‘je ne sais quoi’ that brings it all together? What is your greatest golf secret?
I will be searching for my greatest golf secret over the next month or two. I am not sure where I will find it, but if you have any suggestions, advice or just plain crazy ideas, I am listening!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Golf Swing Transition
Transition of the hips is one of the biggest faults in a golf swing. Most amateurs have a tendency to over rotate their hips and as a result, the club comes through on an outward-inward swing plane. This type of rotation generally creates that dreaded slice. In some cases, like myself, I generally pull the ball to the left side of the fairway.
My problem, other than having a bobble head, is in my hips. When swinging at the correct tempo my hips are in sync with the rest of my swing. However, if I swing too fast, thinking that I will hit the ball farther, my hips pop open and my right knee finishes pointing at the ball. This is a known fault of mine and I continually work on correcting it.
I also have difficulty explaining the proper hip / thigh process. So, I found this quick video from the National University Golf Academy. Ted Norby explains the proper process to follow to make consistent, solid contact every time.
Watching the video highlighted my challenge with my right knee. Now that I have a fix, I am off to the range.
What do you think? Is the hip / knee transition as important as Norby highlights?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 