If you have a tendency to hit the ball to the right or pull it to the left, it means you've got an issue with your clubface position at impact. It's either open at impact or shut. Neither is a recipe for consistent golf.
Art Reese recently sent in a story about the best 9 hole round he's shot in two years. He gave the credit to a video I published that talked about the importance of on, on, on, square and solid.
Don,
I am almost 79 and been playing golf since a teenager. I watch all the golf tips but the best tip ever was the open/shut club face info. I have been hitting with the clubface open and thought it was square for some time. Shots were fading and I was losing distance and not sriking the ball well. Today I practiced what you demonstrated, hit the ball square with better distance and control, and shot the best 9 hole round in 2 years. Made all the difference in the world. Thanks for the tip. Nobody talks much about the club face position.
Art Reese
In all reality, hitting the ball where you want it to go relies on the position of the clubface at impact. It is very critical when trying to obtain or maintain consistency. The ball must approach the ball on the aiming line, strike the ball when it's on the line and be square to it, leave on the line accelerating, and hit the ball solid on the sweet spot while doing the first three. This idea of how to hit a golf ball was first introduced to us by Dr. Alastair Cochran in the book, Search for the Perfect Swing, which was first published in 1962.
Sometime in the 1980s, Dave Pelz concurred with Cochran's research in his own book, Putt Like The Pros. He concluded that on, on, on, square and solid was the way to make putts as well.
Although having a square clubface at impact will help you find consistency in your long game and short game, it's always important to remember that you must be accelerating through the ball as well. In the studies I've done, the results show that longer swings actually slow you down through impact while the Peak Performance Golf Swing is always in constant acceleration through impact. Why do we have a much more consistently square club face and hit it more solid? Because, we have the swing that defines the perfect amount of rotation!
We control our rotation by getting the club toe up to toe up on both sides. We're never getting the clubface skyward or downward at any point in the swing. Try and simplify the movement of your clubface to just getting toe up into the catcher's mitt in the backswing and then toe up into the forward mitt during the forward upswing. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to repeat longer, straighter, and more consistent shots.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
What has Golf got to do with the Dambusters?
Enjoyed today's video Surge. Interesting what it lead on to, hence my rather odd subject title. Only able to swing outside on the golf mat today, after watching all of the final round at Kapalua. Quite enjoyable it was too. We have the wind and a little of the wet returned from their again.
Each and every video that Surge produces in his inimitable homely style, contains many a kernel of vital knowledge for we triers. Today was no exception. Swinging using carbon fibre shafted Mizuno irons I fealt very comfortable and those combined with the recent 'bump drill' with the right arm only and then swinging, left me with a smile on my face and no pain in the left knee either. A happy laddie.
Now for the Dambusters of 617 Squadron of the Royal Airforce, who during WW2 used 'bouncing bombs' [more mines than bombs] on three dams in Germany. From memory now, the Moehne, Sorpe and Eder. This was to destroy factories producing war materials by flooding them. Some of the techniques used in the bombs were to do with right height they had to be dropped at, how high the would bounce, how many times, etc, before hitting the dam walls and sinking down to around thirty feet or so and exploding. The scientist Dr Alistair Cochran used this information to assist a student doing a thesis for his Phd on Golf Balls striking greens etc. The good doctor and his colleagues worked for five or six years on the mechanics of the golf swing, equipment etc.
PS. I served in a barracks in Germany, which had been a former Luftwaffe barracks, where the 'tide mark' created by the bouncing bombs was still visible.When the 1955 movie was shown to we soldiers in this same barracks, it caused a minor upset. The bar staff on realizing what the movie was about, CLOSED THE BAR! What a fascinating world we live in.
Keep that clubface square, ON-ON-ON Surgites. DH in NZ
Bounce your bombs DH
Cindy and I were able to get about an hour and half at the range today. Actually pleasant weather, 64* sunny. Similar predicted for tomorrow and we are hoping to "go play" at muni where we can walk either 9 or 18 with our push carts. Getting more comfortable with my Mizuno set and Enlow experiment. Started hitting 'em with a bit of consistency and re-calibrating distances with each club. Really comfortable with the 7, 8, 9, pw and gap. Still adjusting to the 4-6. Should have a better feel for them each time out.
Weather suppose to go cold by Saturaday with a high of only 42 and 31 low. Golfers back east or up north of me don't pity us I know:) In two weeks we'll be on skiis instead of fairways as we hit the slopes of Southern Utah for a few days.
Stay cool down in summery NZ DH :)
A great peice of history
DH
The story of 617 Squadron has always been one of my favorite stories of WWII. It is a perfect example of sticking to your guns when everyone around you says it won't work. The folks who came up with the idea were just about drummed out of the service because the upper levels thought they were crazy. They stuck to their idea and eventually were able to sell the idea. I really enjoyed watching the old films of how they trained the air crews on the idea of the drop. I can still remember watching the wood cases almost like giant wheels on both sides of the bombs break apart in the early tests at the beaches of England. Even the weather tried to stop the mission. They designed a bomb sight that was different for each group that would fly to each of the dams. They used the towers on the dams almost like football goal posts to aim at. The sights had to be different for each dam because the towers were at different widths on each dam. When the towers were lined up with each side of the sight, they knew it was time to drop their pay loads. The bombs skipped along the water surface, struck the face of the dam and then sank. Kind of like a pitch and run shot in golf. I love the way it looks when that shot works. To watch the ball bounce on the green, roll up to hit the flag and then drop out of sight, is incredible. Must have been what those fly boys felt like when they watched those bombs hit the dam and then sink.
The mission was a great success, and those boys were true heroes. My hat is off to them for the job they did, and to you for reminding me of their wonderful story.
Keep bouncing them off the flag, and into the hole pal,
Dick
I saw a documentary about
I saw a documentary about that on PBS, where some modern scientists tried to replicate the experiments (with great success in the end). A lot to do with how the falling object needed to spin in order to land the right way. Any slight side-spin and it would wobble and not work properly (and in some cases killed the pilots testing the drop mechanisms).
Similarly with the golf ball, any variation between the angle of the face at impact and the direction of acceleration of the face at impact will cause side spin that can cause us to miss our target. I really need to remember to double-check my club face angle before setting the club down as one more possible cause of erroneous ball flight. :)
toe up to toe up
Nice reminders in this daily about the correct amount of rotation. For me, my biggest challenge seems to be more the second half of the equation, that is getting the correct amount of rotation in the FUS. Sometimes I over rotate following through. This leads to pulls heading left and long of target. As Surge has said, there is the action and opposite and equal reaction. For me I have to control both sides and not over turn my lower body going back or coming back through the FUS. Don also says that the right (for righties) is the key to controlling the toe up degree on both sides. I agree and also that keeping it only 3/4's makes this easier.
In this video below Don says that it is the speed odf the forward swing that makes it challenging to avoid over turning left. He says to imagine recocheting off a forward tree and go up over left shoulder closer to the neck. I'll be working on this in the coming days - again!
https://www.swingsurgeon.com/daily-video-tips/importance-right-hand
Toe up to Toe up
Robert,
Enjoyed your comments earlier. Just yesterday when I had a hurried swing session as the wind increased considerably shortly thereafter. What I noted the other day caused me more reflection after watching Surge's video on club face angle. Recently I have been moving the club away in the BUS feeling as though I was taking the clubhead outside the line of the ball to target line [My wife confirmed that I was not in fact doing so]. After the equal and opposite reaction comment reminding my forgetful brain, I thought, 'Well why not repeat the process on the FUS [Silly me ; - ] I was amazed at how easy it was to swing up to the T finish and recoil, with the club shaft much nearer my left lughole! I will try it again today and see how it goes. Give it a try when you get a moment. My thoughts were that after stopping the now obvious fault of bring the club inside the line too early allowing me to overswing in the BUS, perhaps it would stop me coming around very slightly during the FUS sequence. It certainly felt good. The coming around may well have been the catalyst for 'tweaking' my left or forward knee. Swinging yesterday there was no post swing session pain at all, surprise, surprise.
Good luck with your weather for golf and ski-ing! Ski-ing? Now that brings back some hilarious [if very dangerous]moments on the slopes here in New Zealand ; - ] History again,ie, and they thought Kamikaze training had finished hahaha! My then 4year old daughter could ski like an olympic hopeful at that age. It took me a while longer hahaha. Hit them long and straighter on the green stuff and keep those knees together on the piste. DHNZ
After golf report.............
Cindy and I just got home from playing. Only got in 13 holes due to darkness. Over cast made it seem darker sooner. No matter. Had a nice day out there at muni. Well, here's the report on the new clubs. This was only my second time with the Mizunos and I am giving them the thumbs up along with the Enlow grips. Started right out with a nice long drive and then hit my pw to 3 feet, birdie. Then driver,5i and then a 7i 30 feet on the par 5 #2. Blew the first putt by 6 feet and just missed my par. Then on the par 3 #3 hit my gap to 8 feet (just bounced next to the flag)- two putt par. Really pleased at how high these irons hit the ball (jpx 800's). Parred the next hole with nice up and down from 10 feet off the green (par 4). So even par after 4 holes. Came home with two pars and three bogies that included a two putt fro 60 feet on the par 3 6th and a near birdie miss from 10 feet on par 5 #9. Actually missed two putts of 3/4 feet and still shot a 39. Over all really pleased. Any time I break 40 for nine I am okay and especially with my bum right shoulder which limits any practice time. I do like both the clubs and grips and as usual if for better putting I could have scored much better. Actually feel a 36 can't be far off. Ever the optimist:)
Did have the new Enlow on my putter for the first time and used the Phil style pencil grip claw style with over all success. 4 bogies, 4 pars and one birdie with only one three putt and three one putts. I'll take it and hope for better in the coming rounds.
Quick note on my swing: I did focus on toe up to toe up and controlling my rotation in harmony with today's daily and feel I was more accurate over all.
Edit update:
I think I mentioned that my Ortho doc visit to look at MRI and discuss shoulder options was on Wednesday (today). It is actually on Thursday the 10th, tomorrow morning. I'll share what he says asap. Fingers crossed that there are additional options aside from surgery.
after golf report
Good luck on the morrow Robert. Whatever the outcome it will be for the better I am sure. DH
Shoulder and MRI
Went to doctor visit to get advice on shoulder and details of MRI. Good news (I guess) is that surgery is not currently recommended. The supraspinatus tendon shows some thinning or partial tearing. Tendonosis is what he called it. Additionally there is arthritis at the AC joint and a level 2 spur at the tip of the acromium process. Additionally I have a nice measure of bursitis. I did recieve a shot of cortisone/lido-marcaine. I know steroid injections are not to be over done. Any how I will also be getting some weekly PT sessions in the near future to hopefully strengthen the area. I already am fairly familiar with and practice many of the exercises that are helpful but I agree that actually going to regular appointment with a PT will likely be a good thing.
It's just wear and tear of an active life and a very physical job. Oh well. It could be worse. I know several others on the blog that have much tougher aches and pains. I still have full range of motion and don't plan on not working or not playing golf.
Play on we will!
Shoulder and MRI
Great News Robert, anything is better than surgery,ie, you never know the results until months afterwards ; - )
Had the best round for years today. Out at 6-45am and had 18holes done and dusted by 9-15am. Played 9shots under my handicap: - ) Used the driver once, then the 3w which was smoking. The clubs I took to trial against one another.That fell through.Reason? The first wedge shot I hit with the Mizuno SW stopped inches from the hole, I never took the faithful Ping SW out of the bag.Same with the 8irons. The 24deg Rescue club was also smoking. The number of tap ins and a chip in on a run of 5 Pars on the trot had me smiling. The other Pars were easy ones. Chipping and putting was excellent. Even when I thought on the 17th hole, 'B*gger that's torn it', after making great contact off the tee but pulling it slightly left, when where I was aiming was flirting with the tree line and in particular one with thick foliage. When we found it, it was half a wedge from the green!!! Ended with another cheeky Par! What impressed me today was, the wee white pill was going exactly where it was aimed. The only time I got into trouble was when it went longer than normal. Recovery shots were excellent too. On one Par 5 after a mediocre shot which had gone into the rough on the right, I took the 24deg Rescue with the intention of it leaving me about 30yds or so and allow me to chip. Imagine our joy when getting up to the elevated green to see it sitting there beyond the pin : - ) It continued on the next hole. A so-so second shot. 24deg Rescue to another elevated green with mounds and banks all around it and water on the left. Lost the ball momentarily after it bounced on the right hand bank. As it disappeared over what we both thought was the back of the green, we were surprised to see it nestled only 6" off the sloping fringe in the rough close to the sucker pin. I had not expected to even reach the green with it. Chipped it and tap in. The holes of the day for me. The 3rd one of my bugbear holes a Par three. We were called through by a 4ball of good players. Well I hit the best shot I have ever hit [thankfully], and had a tap in for Par in the end. The 6th a right angled hole up hill [to the right] Then down hill with the hole filtering everything steeply down the the right and calamity. Well I hit my third shot with the Mizuno SW. When I got up to the green, there was the ball sitting on the fringe a foot from the green on a slight mound maybe 8ft from the pin. Chipped it in! Hahaha. The next hole the drop where I use my trusty Ping 8iron. I decided to use the Mizuno 8iron. I had never played it on a course or range for about 8years. Flag at the back wind quite breezy from the right. It landed a little left of the green I thought. When I got to it, it was just off the green to the left rear of the green, on a small bank a couple of feet off the fringe. Chipped it dead for Par. So all in all good news for you good news for us : - ) Have a great weekend. DH in NZ
Nice round
Good playing DH. It is so sweet when those moments of nice ball striking come along:)
FYI
It looks as if DJ is not playing this weekends Sony Open. He has no Tee time listed on the GC tournament page
DJ
I played golf with Don Monday and spoke to Don about DJ. He was only supposely listed as and alternate but the pga tour had him listed as a player. He is trying to get into the California tournments. Probly will make one or two of them.
Hal
Thanks
Thanks Harold. Hope you're well pal. You are a lucky one to play with Surge!!
So are you saying that DJ will likely not be playing in Hawaii this week?
Thanks for sharing this inside info Hal.
Take care and keep 'em down the middle:)
Looked at PGA.com and DJ Trahan does not appear to be on starting time list.
http://www.pga.com/news/golf-leaderboard/pga-tour-leaderboard
Calling all Lynns
Surge Nation
Has anyone heard from Lynn 42?
I have not seen him on the blog since I got back.
Dick
Dick...You old rattlesnake, welcome back.
Just spent a month in Dixie. My father-in-law passed in early Dec. Kings Point graduate, spent time in the Coast Guard and then the Navy. Met him 40 plus years ago when he piloted ships through the Panama Canal. Always a man of few words, but I could always tell what he was thinking, just my kinda guy. I did something I've never done before. I spoke to the deacon just before his funeral service to give him some information that I felt might be helpful. He handed me back a note I had made and said it's all yours. I had nothing prepared, but decided since it was very somber I needed to treat it more like an Irish wake. I told a couple of stories that lightened the mood and was doing well. I ended with the Irish Blessing, one of his favorites, and was doing well til I caught my dear wife's eye about halfway through. After a brief pause and apology I got through it. One of the tougher things I've ever done. I will miss him.
"Brief pause"...see..it is golf related. ;0)
Did I miss any important Food Channel updates?
Good to be back
Lynn
Sorry for you loss pal. Sounds like he was a real man's man. Please thank the family for his service from me.
I have served as the chaplain at several services. It can be a tough row to hoe, but at the same time, very rewarding. I am glad you got the chance to do this for him.
And, yes, we have been very busy on the Food Channel specials. Bob from Alaska and I had a full blown shoot out at mid night a few nights ago. It went back and forth until I blew him out of the water by dropping the "A" bomb on him by making myself a root beer float. He never bothered to respond to that one. How can anyone top that? You can't.
I am glad you folks got home safe and sound.
Great to be back on the blog myself.
Keeping it vertical, and still stuffing my face, in Oklahoma,
Dick
Thanks, Dick
The Navy was represented at the cemetery. It's been at least 45 years since I've heard TAPS in person. Caught myself snapping to attention while standing there in civies...some habits just never leave.
My wife left La a couple of weeks before me and picked up my dog from my daughters. She called me the following day to tell me she had to put him down. I'm still trying to get used to not having him remind me it's time for his daily walks.
My prayer list just got a bit longer this past month. I'm hoping the Man upstairs understands on those nights when I fall asleep before I get to the end.
LOL, haven't gotten back to the food shootout conversation yet, but a root beer float at midnight would be hard to top. Had to make a return trip to the hospital in La one night to fill a special order for my father-in-law. Ready for this? Barq's root beer, whoppers. chocolate mints and hershey's kisses. The smile on his face...Priceless.
The rainbow bridge
Lynn
I know what you mean about hearing taps. When they played taps and did the rifle salute at Dick's funeral, my knees buckled, and it was all I could do to stay on my feet and hold my salute. The final honor to those men and women who have served our nation and carried our flag to places no one would want to go, and then end up under that same flag.
I am sorry for the loss of you pal. Have you heard the poem about the rainbow bridge? If not, let me know and I will get it to you.
Hard to beat a root beer and much chocolate. That was a nice thing you did.
Dick
Lynn
Great to read your comments and conversation with Dick. We have missed you. Have a bite of chocolate and check in with us a bit more often ol' pal.
Cindy and I are planning on playing at least 9 today in low 40's and breezy here in Las Vegas. Funny, folks don't think it ever gets cold here in Las Vegas. Suppose to be around 25 for a low the next week or so. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.........
Stay thirsty my friend - hungry and warm too! Ha ha!
Brrrrrrr
Got our for 18 yesterday for the first time in a month and a half. Low 40s here constitutes a heat wave...lol. I need to contact Big Al and see about getting a dose of global warming. ;0)
I'm thinking I need a rescue hammer in my bag to get a tee in the ground. That with my chain saw puts me 2 clubs over the legal limit. I actually played pretty well, 4 over on the front and 6 over on the back. I didn't try to overdo and just concentrated on the basics...setup, alignment, quiet lower body. That, plus the bowl of chicken soup before I headed for the course must have worked. ;0)
Stay warm, Robert, and hit em straight.
Brrrrr~!
Lynn, We are sorry for your losses. Reading the chat between you and Dick, had a tear in my eye, even a mention of the 'Last Post' does that to me. My wife is a confirmed dog lover and she would definitely mourn your dog. Don't believe all that you hear about Chinese and dogs. The vast majority I met are avid dog lovers. My wife spends an hour on the phone to her aunt and 95% of the chat is about the aunt's dog!
On the golf/food stakes hahaha. Went to the course early yesterday [big blurb to Robert Meade above] took freshly fried 'French Toast' with us and munched on it from from about half way around. Food and Golf do mix.
Weather wise here the wet and windy stuff is on the way back again. Quite warm here further north of us here it was 100.4degF yesterday. My daughter has friends over from UK for a month. That will be a shock to their systems.
Keep on hitting them longer,straighter and more consistently. DH in NZ
My Sympathy
Sorry to hear about your loss Lynn, you have my sympathy. I've been down with a flu or severe cold virus of late and am checking the blog sporadically when out of bed. I just had an uncle on my mothers side pass a couple weeks back. I had a cousin remind me that we are quickly becoming the oldest living generation of the family line, when did that happen? Cycle of life I guess. Glad to here you are doing well and still swinging away. We had some warm but wet weather here the past few days, but I'm too sick to care much about getting out. Kind of glad it's so wet and sloppy out, makes me feel better about not golfing in it. Hopefully another 2-3months and spring will show.
Feel better Terry
Dang it, that bug took a strong hold on you T. Hope it passes soon. Have one of those kids make you a big pot of chicken soup.
Get well soon buddy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=awvT8rF6d1A&feature=endscreen
Nasty Bug
Yea, it's a nasty one for sure, but I think it's finally started to go the other way. Thanks for the Ernest vid. Still feeling very weak and tired out most of the time but the other symptoms, aches, pains, fever and congestion are much better. Just been doing a lot of sleeping and laying around watching the tube. At least it's winter, so I wouldn't be doing much of anything regardless. I still think with all the flu cases going on, that's probably what I have, just a different strain than the one my vaccine covers. Hopefully this will be my only bout this winter.
Thanks
Thanks, Terry, it's been a tough few weeks. The Irish have it right. Yes we mourn the loss, but celebrate the life. Getting old is not for the faint of heart, but it sure beats the alternative.
Sorry to hear about your flu. Double up on the chicken soup. The only time I ever had the flu was after getting a flu shot years ago. Never had one since, so I'm chocking it up to chicken soup and the luck of the Irish. Get well soon.
no dj at sony open
ooops just read comments above. how do i delete a comment? can edit but not delete.
Deleting a comment
Not sure if you got any answers yet on deleting. What I do is simply use the edit function to delete/edit previous comments and type in, Comment deleted.