Athletically Ready Arms

Back in the last century I worked at a golf course from early to 2 and then played 18. They grounded all flights out of Sky Harbor because at 122 degrees there were no charts to tell them what weight total would safely get them off the ground. I drank about 15 gallons of fluids and they all left as sweat.

Kudos to walking in the summer. I just got back from walking 9 and it was cake. Oh, shot +1 even after a triple on the first hole. Seems as though having 10 putts offsets a few uh-ohs.

Leith pointed out some things about my right hand position that was really adversly affecting my set up and take away and of course then my results. I had my right hand way too high and too far into my fingers only. That put my hand angle in a position where I could not get vertical. I am going back to the Surge videos on ALL the fundimentals. I will get vertical.
I may even get brave enough to post my swing for all to devour! Oh boy :)

Well, I have one on the burner that I'm waiting clearance on as it has some material that is also covered in a video that Surge and I shot this past Friday that will be available to inner circle members only.  It's good stuff.  But, this stuff that I want to share will be an eye opener to everyone and I think needs to be put out there for the world to see.

Sorry to hear that ,Dick, my thoughts & prayers are with them all.

Doc, I have two Drivers that neither have the loft imprinted anywhere on the head. One is the Cleveland HiBore, Super Loft, which only says Super Loft, where the loft is usually printed. The other is my new Wishon 730CL driver which just says High Launch Driver. I know they are both 16*, but it is not imprinted anywhere on either.

Yes, I did read the replies to Robert. Thanks.

Surge Nation

Bill went to be with our Lord this afternoon.  The good news is that Kelly Jo and Missy were able to get down there while he was still conscious.  He knew everyone was there.  They had some time to talk and pray together.  He passed without any pain or suffering, and surrounded by his kids and others who cared for and loved him.  He was able to go home at peace having had the opportunity to say everything he wanted to say to his family.  Who could ask for anything more?

Staff Sgt. Earl William Holliday, USMC has reported for duty at the Pearly Gates. 

If I know Bill, he is already trying to talk his way into a cushy assignment in the supply depot up there.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for my family and Bill.

You folks are a great comfort for all of us,

Semper Fi,
Dick

Robert:

   It will depend entirely on how worn out we are after the previous week in San Antonio, when we all go to meet the new Grand-daughter.
   Being the Grandfather in this group, I do have one advantage - I can sleep almost all of the way during the trip. lol

   Amos

Robert F:

   With a little luck, we MAY be on the "receiving end" of his new clubs in Mid July

    Amos

T, I was the same way ( may still be, lol) that's why I replied to Janet or Tina (sorry ,ladies, I can't remember which exactly) that I had to really over exaggerate my going vertical to where it "felt" like I was going straight up over my head. We seem to have that same sensory disconnect.

Dick, You and yours are always in our prayers. God bless.

Thanks for the reply.  I use a belly putter now.  But still hva mixed results.  Looking at a 50" L2 putter.

CJ

Robert, very nice, congratulations! I only have one question, I thought you said this was going to be long?  :-)  I'll come back and check all your links soon, I have to put Josh to bed soon and want the time to digest it all without interruption. I did check out the calgolflab site the other day, very informative reading.
Once again, congrats on the new clubs, happy scoring as you
PMG,
Boog

Robert, l'll have them in about 10 days to 2 weeks. I'll gladly let you see them pal. We will be playing some golf together.

Me too now, amazing how many senior moments seem to be occurring with more frequency now.  It is a good snipe, once I realized it. It's not nice to mess with my head that way though. I have enough trouble with the straight forward stuff. Cheers

Surge Nation.

I'm sad to bring you folks this news.  It's time to fire up the prayer chain again folks.

We got a call from KP this morning about his dad.  He has taken a bad turn.  They don't know if he is gonna make it through the day.  Kelly Jo and our daughter are on the way down there now. 

Please have the kids and my grandkids in your prayers.

I am so thankful that the Air Force was able to get KP home as quickly as they did.  At least he got to spend a couple of weeks with his dad before it got to this point.  I know they got to create some memories that will last of the rest of KP's life.

Life sure does have a lot of moving parts, doesn't it?

On my knees, in Oklahoma.
Dick

Doc:

   Thanks for the info. Interesting -- it dosen't LOOK like 14 -- LOL
   
    Amos

I noticed today that I may have been having my hands too close so at impact am getting a feeling of being stuck if that makes sense. I am guessing that at impact as my arms are fully extended I am having to subconsiously pull them in to get the club to ball, hence the stuck feeling. I think I am also not delaying impact enough thus creating a out to in path so this may also be a reason.  But then when I get set up so I don't get this feeling I feel that they are not hanging straight down.
I am 6"" 1" tall so am not as upright as most so have a similar build to DJ so guess we have to all find the correct postion that suits our own build.

After my golfing downer I feel on a up! I have played a lot of golf this week and played another 18 holes today. I hit bogie and double bogies on most but as this was more consistent with no real consistent nightmare holes with triple and above bogies I came in with a 91! My best to date, and looking back I did have a few drop shots. One drop I hit in the stream where I only hit a birdie 2 the other day and on the same hole today a 5!.

The driver was better and on the front 9 hit a few fairways! They weren't straight but not game killing which they have been of late. I did choke down to the recommended WTF which may have helped, I felt more relaxed and got the takeaway working better.

A mistake I did make though was because I have a golf membership I use it to practice which is good but I scored my game when I was making changes to my grip and swing hence I think I lost a lot of feeling and totally lost my way.
So next time I use practice time on the course that is what it will be, practice time with no scoring!
What was also good was I hit a drive right just on to the next fairway( thats not the good bit! ) and there were 3 chaps playing on that fairway with one of them very close to mine. He let me take my shot which was pressure! I grabbed my 5 iron and set up and hit a bullet back on to the fairway.
The chap turned and said to me "you hit that well" and that is what makes me think I will get there and be able to compete with other mates and have the confidence to maybe enter a torny or golf function!              

Do you care to elaborate with a question, or are you just sniping?

When I first got the Swing Rite, I worked at around #7, because any thing lower was hard to get the click on. I am now to where I can get it steadily on the #5 setting, but my 80% normal controlled swing is at around #6. I am also hearing the loud whoosh with all clubs when making my practice swings now. It will also help with the timing and execution of the bump in relationship to the release. Maybe Doc has an easy payment plan.

Steve Smith:

   I really don't know the Loft of the driver -- it is not marked, but it is hte 355 cc KZG that Doc had on special for IC members last year.  My best guess is that it in the 10.5 to 12 defree neighborhood.

    Amos

Just finished up my first lesson with the Pro at my local course. His first comment to me was, "You have a pretty good swing sir." I told him thanks and that Don Trahan taught me every thing I use in my swing. He did find that my left hand was a little strong when I use my hybrids so he had me move my left thumb from 1 o'clock to 12 o'clock and that fixed the heavy draw problem I have been having lately.

So koodoes to Surge and everyone on this blog for the past 14 months. Before I found this swing I couldn't reach a par 4 green in less then 4 strokes. Now I am on or very near those greens in 2. Still don't have a par 4 birdie but I am making alot of pars on them these days.

Now I'm of for a quick nine before calling it a day.

Keith

I think it's Dragonhead that often uses Don's surgism of "riding a skinny horse".  I played with a slightly built older gentleman about a week ago whose stance with his driver was no more than 12 inches between his heels and he was bombing it down the middle all day.

When I picked up on it I narrowed my stance (I tend to get too wide) and actually picked up distance with no loss of accuracy.  It's the little things that Surge gives us in daily tips that can make a big difference.

Lynn42 

John, Just like Steve said below perpendicular throughout the swing, EXCEPT, for a slight laying off of the club during the bump and transition, where a slight laid off position occurs naturally. Another way I've heard it said is, thumbs always point up. Here's a good and recent lessons which emphasize hands perpendicular. Be sure and read the last paragraph of the discourse, below the video, where Don's emphasizes the hands always perpendicular. Good luck
http://www.swingsurgeon.com/Da...

An additional written lesson with audio from 2009
http://www.swingsurgeon.com/Ho...

Thanks Surge, Yeah, I meant it like you explained it :)  Once I walk into my set-up with my mind clearing tempo tune, I let them hang naturally then load them up. When I go see Doc on the 24th of this month I will be wearing a brace/band on my left elbow but it isn't so much as from golf but playing the piano. :) Thanks again for the clarification on the arm position in set-up.
Boog

I need to remember to have mine in my bag next time I meet up with the other Vegas Robert so he can feel one for himself (I've been keeping it in the house for my morning exercise routine).

By the way, Doc, now that you're back from paradise, when to we get another Doctor's House Call?

Mike, for your information--I went to the chipping green and ran an experiment. I think the data is fairly sound.  I chipped with a pitching wedge with a backswing taken to right arm at 8 o'clock.

The first set was with the club shaft in line with my arms--arms and club both to 8 o'clock.   On the balls where the contact felt crisp, the ball went around 12 yards in the air before landing on the green.  Then I took the club back so that the arms were stopped at 8 oclock again but the shaft was pointing to 9 o'clock, simiar to the position at amateurs find themselves on the downswing when the hands are right outside the trailing hip, not even at right angles with the right arm as the pros are.  This time, the ball landed 16 yards away, an increase of 33%, seemingly all due to increased club head speed since I didn't swing my arms any faster.

I modeled it with mathematics and geometry, and the math predicted an increase of 38% in club head speed, probably a coincidence that the numbers are so similar.

If you listened to the daily video where Surge first talked about why he wears sun glasses, you heard him quote Steve Smith about his sidehand softball pitch imagery and how he thinks is increased lag.  Lag doesn't just happen.  Sometimes we have to learn techniques that help us lag the club.  I learned that holding the shaft in the fingers of the left hand instead of the palm also helps increase lag.  I had heard that doing this increases distance, but I never knew why.  Then I learned that it increases lag, which is directly related to distance.  The way I learned it, holding the shaft against the pad of  your left hand restricts the angle that can be formed between the arms and the shaft at the top and on the downswing, particularly with a flat left wrist. 

Let me know how you advance your knowledge and skills on this topic.

Kim I sure hope DJ feels better soon. Tell him My wife and I are thyinking about him and will keep him in our thoughts. Please update us if you can.

My condolences are with you Brother.

Hey Kim, Hope you read this. HOW'S DJ? Can you give us an update? Too they may want to remove the two day old update from the home page. Sure hope he's recovering and tell him we wish him a speedy recovery and are thinking about him.

Robert F.
Thanks for the response.
Yes, I tend to aim or rotate my belt buckle/belly button forward in my set up so my hips are not square.  Weight transfer is a huge deal for me with 4 knee surgerys on my forward ( left leg ).  Unlike Tiger I got no excuse since my knee's been oatmeal since I was 17 so learned the Swing with this issue from day one. Was an 11 now 20, not given up.

Okay Boog,
Here's some more thoughts on my fitting. Since you say it was'nt as long as I threatened LOL! I told you about the first half of my fitting on Wednesday. After time on the swing monitor and discussing Driver options. We picked out three 60* wedges(two Vegas and one scatch) also a scatch 58*. Aditionally I took a variety of irons. A Vega 7-VOC1, Adams 5,7 and 8(redlines) and also Bridgestones 7 and 8 irons. Leith digested I take the to a grass range a couple of miles away and see which I liked best. This is where I agreed the redlines were the most playable in the mid/long iron range. So 4-7 for Adams. All were stronger lofted than normal so really 21* through 31*. I liked the Vega irons better for the 35-48* clubs- 7-pitching wedge. Then the Scratch for my 53* and 58*. Just was'nt comfortable with any 60* or more.
The following morning I returned the clubs we met again at his "golf lab"for final trials and choice time. My fitter impressed me for many reasons. He was patient and spent alot of time allowing my to decide and consider carefully. I never felt rushed at any time.
I would recommend Leith without hesitation to everyone on the west coast. Top notch.

Yup... There was a bunch of people sick this week.

Johne,
I can appreciate your situation and it must not only be painful but tough knowing you'll not be playing golf for 6-9 months. As far as advice, we must be cautious because your doctor and your physical therapist will know what and when you can do any level of rehab and excersise. So #1, liston to them and go slow and be patient. I recently missed nearly two months of golf because of hand sugery and had to return slowly.I'm still healing. As far as general advice you can go to www.rolfergolfer.com and consider Bruce Chaffins web site for ideas for down the road. I'm sure he would share his thoughts if you e-mail him. Additionally(with  double caution) you could simply google search 'shoulder rehab' on line for suggestions. But again your age, individual health, and particular situation will best be known and cared  for by your doctor and any therapy he perscribes.There are specific sports therapists that your doctor may refer you to later.  Do your homework and educate yourself as much as possible but realise that being cautious and careful before considering any 'program' is the wise course. Better to heal correctly than get over active too soon. Good luck and good health to you.
    

Found another bad link. Jumbo Max grips web site is http://www.jumbomax.com.

Thanks for sharing about your club fitting! Enjoy your new sticks.

Footballs is an oval shape down under... Wog balls are round lol lol...
Great lesson as always....
Thank you Surge...
Ronnie Down Under....

Like Amos, I think the golf cart has allowed many to play who otherwise would have had to give up the game. I just wish that courses wouldn't REQUIRE carts so often. It ruins my rhythm in the game. Walking, to me, is important for maintaining my overall rhythm. Even when I'm required to take a cart, if I have a playing partner, I'll often let them drive and I'll walk.

As for hilliness, you're right. There are only a few courses here with the kinds of severe elevation changes you get back there.

Kim

Thanks for the update on our man.  I hope it will pass quickly.

He is in my prayers,
Dick

Congratulations, Kevin. Those birdies will start hopping up soon, I'm sure.

Seriously Steve, I never would have considered the multiple shaft idea on my own. In his observations of my manic swing and explaination of how this diversity would allow me the opportuity to adjust and learn what work best as I (hopefully ) get better- it all made perfect sense. and frankly between you and I (shhh!... only 10,000 other people read this blog LOL) I relish the idea of playing with all the options. The softer shaft is actually  to use as atraining aid to help me learn tempo and a later release. Plus I have plans of gradually becoming a fitter and he felt this woul aid me in that goal. I agree:)