Width Of Stance

Well, I don't have a wife. I wonder if a shoe box will work for the same drill. I could always dress it up and put a little lip stick on it. Maybe a ladies shoe box, with a little lace around the middle. Did I say that out loud?

Classic Surge Terry. One of his best. I work at making the "two step" automatic. It has become smooth and simple.

Kim, no it's not and I may very well see one before I head to Columbia on the 24th. If I can find time in my busy schedule. I'm about tired of carrying this kink around from my snafu with my swingrite :)

Good lesson, Surge.  One thought comes to mind.  I know, as an ole guy, I was most impressed when I learned that DJ has used your swing all his life.  Especially when I saw his stats on distance he hits the ball.  I also know that it is easy to get memorized into distance as the key indicator of how I"m doing and I try to avoid that.  But, I'm just wondering what kind of distance do you average with your "sweet" Surge Swing?  Thanks much for sharing with an avid follower.  Bob

Great video Mr Surge! Have applied SSGS past three months in wonderful Chicago weather. Lol. Irons and hybrids are fine. Still struggling with consistency with driver...fitted by Doc. 12 degree. 42.5 inches. Right flex. Not severe duck hooks. Too many lefts requiring chip outs resulting in more bogies than pars. Raising scores from mid 80s to low to mid 90s is not fun. When I do it right, Im well out there in short grass!

Besides too wide of stance, any thoughts?

Thanks Surgites!

Phillip

Robert:  Seems like DJ did a video a while back during one of his earlier tournaments and described exactly what you are saying. He let his right elbow droop so the inside of it was facing more "skyward" or near the 12-o'clock position.   He said it improved his posture and got his shoulders aligned correctly.  Thanks for bring it up - great point!  R2 

He's still showing as in the field on PGATour.com. I'm also hopeful it was one of those nasty intestinal things that sucks when you're experiencing it but passes relatively quickly. A few friends here recently went through bouts of that. Two or three really bad days, then a few days to get back to full strength once it's gone. We all hope you're following DJ LATE in the day on Sunday, SODAK. :)

Kim:  Quick question for you.  Do you have any experience with the "inversion benches" that are being pushed by various media?  Do they really do any good?  Just wondering.  Take care and thanks for keeping us in the loop on DJ.  R2

Thanks for another great reminder, Surge. I know I have a tendency to get my stance a bit wide (I have fairly broad shoulders, but not nearly as broad as my feet seem to think). Lately I've been setting up and then moving that forward foot back in about half an inch with almost every club and I've found it easier to swing through and up in a smooth, accelerating tempo.

Amusingly, when I was at the course recently there was a group of guys who were very new to golf who almost couldn't get the ball off the tee. All three had their feet so wide apart that it had to be impossible for them to shift their weight at all. I tried telling them to narrow their stances, and demonstrated the difference just in the fluidity and sound of the swing, but I don't think they got it. They'd heard that they needed a wide stance, and they weren't going to believe reality no matter how much it smacked them in the face. ;-)

gman,

Sounds like you may be trying to pull your right shoulder back too far and ending up with it pointing right instead of left. Try moving it back only slightly - 1 inch. I find that if I pull it back too far, I tend to come over the top and slice, or drop too far inside and hit a big push to the right. I had to experiment a bit on the range to find the correct amount. Hope this helps.

Kevin

Yes, I am still alive. I am trying to keep a steady pace on the studying. In my efforts to maintain sanity, I snuck out to the golf course a couple of times over the last few weeks.

After action reports:

The first trip was a sunrise tee time on Memorial Day. I did not keep score. I just tried to focus on my ball striking. As the day warmed up, so did I. It was probably the best day of ball striking I have ever had. I hit 3/4 of the par 3 greens, all of which are out of the range of par 3 greens I usually hit. I also parred one of the tougher par 5's. I hit the tee shot just off of the fairway into the right rough. Unfortunately, I had tree branches in my path. I hit what I thought was a perfect punch shot. I watched the ball go under the lowest branch, rise a little, and hit a different branch. The ball bounced back at me (at least it went a little left so that it was in the fairway) for a net 10 yards. I then hit a perfect 4H followed by a perfect 7 iron to leave me the 6 ft putt for par.

The second trip I went out to a course I have never played before. From the pictures I expected it to be a fairly open and forgiving course. The pictures were misleading. The first four holes were brutal. Each was pretty much fairway and out of bounds. The course got into my head. Everything broke down. I lost a few balls early. It took most of the round to implement secret number 5. The highlight of the day came when I finally put the driver away and tried to use the 3 wood. I crushed the ball 2 out of the 3 times I teed off with it. The 15th hole was slightly down hill. I hit the ball 230 yards after the roll. The 17th hole was extremely down hiill. The ball just kept rolling. I have no idea how far the ball would have traveled on a level hole, but on this hole it went 260 yards. I followed up the tee host with an 80 yard pitch onto the green for a two putt par.

I have a lot of work to do to get my swing working properly. However, I know where the breakdowns are happening. The blogs over the last few days will help me re-focus on what I need to fix.

Bonus after action report (grades are in):
The first was the toughest par 5 on the course, which I eagled.
I followed that up with a birdie on a tough par 4.

I have been trying to keep up with the blog on my study breaks. Thanks for all of your stories, insights, defenses, and friendships!

"What probably happened is that your feet were aligned correctly, but your hips and particularly shoulders were aligned left"......
Thank you Robert, so basic but I couldn't see it....
I have noted this a will carry it on the course untill it becomes natural...
Again, thank you....
Ronnie Down Under (FREEZING)

Sfruffino, that is so cool. That is excactly what my wife has been doing for me our last few practice sessions. I was previously turned back too far too early and so when she stands back there and catches my clubhead at the approximate mit position it give me a great position to continue up on. It helps alot. We'll repeat that move several times from the starting position to her hands and then when it looks and feels right she backs off and I take the full swing and the go into the FUS. It is a great training idea.

Great lesson as always Surge.  I think narrowing the stance and slightly flaring the knees out may the the best part of the Surge Swing.  Hard to say as all the parts of the swing are so effective.  Hope DJ is now well and ready to go in Memphis this week. If you could give a little update on his health...... But i also understand that it is also a private matter as well. All of us out here are pulling for him, not only personally that he will do well but also that the commentators are forced to talk about his "home made swing" as Johnny Miller likes to say about anyone non rotational. Including Steve Stricker.     

Once a month for me!

Great reminder.  I think because a wide stance 'feels' powerful it's similar to another tendency of beginners and apostates - reaching for the ball.  I'd add the tendency to brace into the right leg.  It's also easy to revert to any and all of these positions.  When the wheels start to come off one should take a deep breath and consult a check list in the mind- 1) stance width, 2) spine angle and hand to legs gap, 3)  flared feet and knees.  (Or as I do write it on your glove as I do). 

Cerv,
Continued success in your studies.I'm sure when you study load eases up the swing will also come around.
Boog

That does sound very possible I am pretty sure my shoulders are open so if they are then I guess my hips will also be pulled left. I have noticed in Surges videos this right arm loaded pre right movement which seems to aim slightly right, right? If done correctly should this produce a slight draw? I have tried doing this some time ago but I couldn't get it right, with the spine tilt this is probably opening me up even more with the driver as the ball is farthur forward.  it is something though I will try again as If I don't go right I am going straight left and doing it far too often of late, it is probably getting as much as a problems as the bannana rights!! I never did this before, just went right so  may also be a good sign that I am getting a bit better at the bump/transition if I am now going left quite a bit too. wishful thinking!
Thanks again!
I am really buzzing at the minute as I have seen so much come together in the last week.
I have just looked at the UK 3 day course and it looks fab, I just wished I could but I don't think I can.
Regards Keith   

Steve, that whole idea of exagerating the critical moves is actually brilliant. It is helping me too. When I swing it feels exagerated trying to get vertical but when videoed by my wife I have seen that what I feel is happening is not. So more exageration is needed until it begins to feel normal.

Will que it up an advise when posted!

Thanks for your support!

Phillip

Glad to hear that he is better and playing this weekend in Memphis, best of luck to DJ!

tiptoeskst
If I used the wrong words I was only passing on what Don passed on to me when we were having a phone conversation the other day. Not indicating that DJ is an alcoholic. Sorry
Hal

Great to hear from you Cerveza. Nice playing on the golf course. It's good to know as you say what we need to work on. I'm at that point too. I have norrowed down the several weaknesses in my game and am indeed working on them. And the beat goes on. Keep it up pal.

SODAK65,
DJ and several pga pros and a golf channel announcer were staying in a house at the Memorial. Almost all of them came down with a flu like virus that caused DT's and throwing up. DJ went to a medical facility for medication. He is felling much better. Yesterday he was in Ohio trying to qualify for the US Open. Sorry he missed it by 4 shots. He is schedule to play in Memphis this week.
Hal

Cerveza

Nice shooting pal.  You reminded me how important it is in all our games to put the bad shots behind us and just think about getting the next one right.

Hope the studying is going great for you.

Keep us up to date on the book work, and the golf too.

Thanks for being part of the Surge Nation family.
Dick

Thanks Robert F!

Will pay more attention and advise. Once I cure this I know scores will drop dramatically!

Phillip

If you hover your mouse over the Golf Instruction tab at the top of the screen and from there select Golf Schools, you can check dates and locations for clinics of varying lengths with Don and/or his other certified instructors Derek Hardy and Greg MacDonnell (and one in Europe whose name I am sadly blanking for the moment--bad person that I am). There's also an email address and phone number there to get more specific information for your needs.

Boog,
 You and your better half just proved to me that there are a few things in life MORE important than golf.  Bless you, my friend.

Lynn42

I know Coach Joe on here (a certified instructor who works with Doc Griffin) likes to recommend "Happy birthday!" as a tempo mnemonic. I like to use a song, as do several other regulars, though we have our personal favorites. Personally I like either "The 59th Street Bridge Song" from Simon & Garfunkle (many people know it by the chorus "feelin' groovy") or "Three Little Birds" from Bob Marley and the Wailers ("Ev'ry little thing gonna be all right"). I have a tendency to get a bit fast at times, and while both of those tunes are spritely, they remind me not to try to overpower the shots.

The important thing is to find a song or phrase that you can use consistently, and use it consistently.

Hope it continues to go as smoothly as parenthood ever does, Boog.

just checked DJ's Facebook page and he wrote:

       DJ Trahan
       Off to Memphis!

Great news, Best of luck DJ!!!

Boog

Great news pal.

Make sure to let us know as this develops.

You are the man.

You folks are in my prayers,
Dick