Aiming Arrows & Alignment

RM:  I was at WalMart the other day and found some mesh just like the mesh of the practice net, for $1 a yard (54" wide).  Bought 4 yards of it and hung it loosley on the inside-back.  Works great, quiets the impact sound down to near zero, and greatly reduces the "rebound" of the ball.  Just an idea, but it works :-))  Hit 'em straight!  R2

If you go to Surges shop, top left of this page, you'll find the working the ball video. Surge explains everything in detail there. If you can, get the package deal he's got going at the moment & get 3 for the price of 2. You wont be disapointed. My short game gets better every time I go out ,after getting the Kenny Knox video

Dick,

I was going to email it to Doc.  I figured there might be something in it that he could use in his next house call.

On that note, I just lost an hour of sleep and it's way past O dark-thirty.  Enjoy your next round, Dick.  And remember; A better PAT score is just a fit away.

Talk to Angus Young. I understand he's got big balls.

Glad you liked the song Steve. Had a similar experience many moons ago in Glasgow, Scotland. I ended up in a Pub called, "The Jungle"~! When my army mates asked where I had been, and when I told them, the reaction was almost the same as the one you got. Repeated it in Belgium years later and survived being confronted by a group of knife wielding Bargees. Golf is safer I think hahaha.
Weird thing today. Looking at a picture of a young Confederate soldier in the British Daily Mail. He was killed at 19years of age. My wife thought the same as I did,he could have been me at that age~! The similarity in facial features was scary indeed

 Good night Dick, but...it's 10:30am, hey Dick get up! Someone broke in and changed all my clocks last night.

Happy to be help, Roy.  I tried to get a chapter in it for everyone.

Dick wasn't here yet, so I just tried my best to fill in.  BTW, in the interest of full disclosure, Dick taught me everything I know.

Love it! Can't wait to purchase a copy on Fishpond :-)

This is Off Topic for today's video, but I thought it may be of interest. The last Golf mag has an article on tempo, and how it affects distance. The author has done an extensive study of the pros swings and determined that they all have a backswing that takes almost exactly 3 times longer (3:1 ratio) than the downswing to impact, and overall it takes 1.2 seconds or less from start to impact.

 Almost all amatuers are much slower on the back swing and have a higher than 3:1 ratio, and his conclusion, they are therefor losing distance, probably thinking too much about mechanics rather than letting it rip. I loaded one of DJ's slomo videos and counted frames, and he was just under 3:1. Now that the weather is breaking for spring, it will be interesting to do some videoing and do some analysis not only of my mechanics but also tempo.

 Lynn

You make some great points.

This is Dick, saying good night

 Robert

It is Bill, he has a magic shaft in his 5 iron.

 Steve

Back in my young wiseas* days, yes before I became the straight laced serious guy you all know me as today, I gave those directions to a lady one day.

I was a fairly new state trooper down in south Fl.  I am sitting in my unit writing a ticket to some unhappy motorist in a 7-11 parking lot, when a family pulls in driving a rental mini van.  All 6 of them get out and come over to my door.  I get out and put on my smokie the bear hat, just to look real  official.  This bunch is from Tennessee.  They make my hillbilly butt look sophisticated.  The lady asks me how to get to a county park that has a big water slide and amusement park.  She has a pen and note pad all ready to go.  I just could not waste an opportunity like that pal.  I give her this 5 minute list of turns, on ramps, off ramps, red lights, and land marks to look for.  She is tickled to death, now that she knows how to get her husband who is driving to the right place.  She was convinced that he was way off their route and had them completely lost.  As they are walking back to their van, she is giving him the what for about his inability to follow simple directions.  Just as they reach the van, I call out to them, and they stop.  I walk over to them.  I said that if they wanted to take a short cut and avoid all the driving I had just explained, they could just get in the van and go across the street to the park.  Then I pointed out the sign at the front of the park across the street.  The sign was about the size of a highway billboard.  The husband about passed out from laughing.  He thought it was real funny, as did I.  The wife, on the other hand, did not think I was funny at all.  She threatened to hit me.  I told her that I would lock her up if she did.

The husband told her he would like to see that, and that he would come down and bail her out of jail, just as soon as he and the kids were done with a day at the water park.

Some people just can't take a joke,
Dick

Hey T.,
Just got home from work and checking in. Did you get your new toys yet and have you fooled around with loft/lies yet?

 Hey Rock head

You want to see great video production, with great sound?

Here is an idea that probably never occurred to you.  Have you spent the money to buy Surge's video they have for sale in Surge's Shop?

Here is another idea for you.  Get back under the bridge with the other trolls.
Dick

It's an interesting article.  When I started using  the SwingRite training device a couple of months ago it did not take long to discover that it worked best with a 3:1 ratio.  What worked best for me was a 1,2,3 count for the BUS and a 1,2,3 count for the FUS.  This is, of course, the waltz tempo that Sam Snead used to talk about that he used for his swing. The start of the bump is the first count of the FUS and if I do it correctly the start of the bump and impact are almost simultaneous.

I don't think that Golf magazine's recommendation that people speed up there backswing to get the correct tempo is a very good one for me. The SwingRite showed me that the best results were achieved by speeding up the arms a bit at the start of the FUS.  Getting away from that leisurely start of the downswing that I have used for years has dramatically increased my clubhead speed after impact. That audible whoosh sound after the ball is a beautiful thing to hear.

Hopefully this means more distance and better golf shots but I won't know that until my "winter escape" golf trip next week.

Good luck with your tempo experiments.

All the best,
 
Dave

Yeah, if they were sharing a cart, I'd hate to be in a group following them. :)

Steve, it's a strange game for sure.  My wife will tell you I'm a bit of an A type, but over time or maybe it just comes with age, I've learned to laugh at myself when my game is just not there.

Some days we just see the shot and hit it and see the line of the putt and make it.  Then there are those days that nothing seems to work and we feel like it's the first time we ever held a golf club. :0))

It's a game we seek perfection in, knowing full well there is no such thing a a perfect round of golf.  I guess the facination is in trying to come as close as we can.

In my youth I was very good with chapter 10. I had a friend who was resodding his lawn and he suggested he could save money over ordering from the nursery by just going golfing with me. ;-)

 Steve

Just turn you big balls into the sun, that should light them up.

 Lynn

It is customary to sound the horn on the bus before you back over me.

I turn my back for one minute and I get thrown under the bus.

Real nice pal,
Dick

Yes, I have received them, No, they are still in the box, other than checking them for no shipping damage. I've been very busy myself. Just got in an hour or so ago myself and have a busy week ahead doing odd jobs for family members. I thought I retired, guess they don't realize that.

 Rockles,

You do realize, don't you, that turning the whole set around would mean that Surge would be hitting balls directly at his house. Do you hit golf balls at the windows of your house? I don't think so.

Dwight:

    If my well-to-friends are currect, at Pebble Beach, the deer have the right of way -- you have to wait until they clear the fairway!
    I only know this because on of my work associates bought a package deal to play 3 or 4 Monterey Penisula courses -- and complained for a long time afterwards about "$200 green fees and I have for the deer to cross the fairway"   It seems that as well as a fabulous gof course, Pebble Beach is also a Wildlife Preserve.

    Amos

Surge Nation

Here is a little something to start your Sunday morning off with a smile, I hope.

 
Fancy Cooking

Two confirmed bachelors sat talking. Their conversation drifted from
politics to cooking.

"I got a cookbook once," said the first, "but I could never do
anything with it."

"Too much fancy cooking in it, eh?" asked the second.

"You said it. Every one of the recipes began the same way - Take a
clean dish and...."

 Lynn

I know how it is.  Once you get on a roll, it is hard to stop.

You should cut and paste that one, it is a real keeper,
Dick

DH:

   Way to GO!  Ain't it great when it all goes good ?
    My last round I had the almost opposite to happen.  On the dog leg left par 4 # 7. I hit a near perfect draw for my drive, leaving me about a normal 7W to a back pin. I then hit hte 7W really good -- reasonably high and just to the left of the center of the green. It landed a few yards short of the green, bounced on the front and started rolling toward the hole. I thought to myself "This is going to be great!".  That is until the ball rolled off the back of the green. I then thought "OK - no real harm - just a chip and a putt"
     However, when I located the ball, it was in the edge of the back bunker. And the bunker was hard dry sand.  I managed to hit he ball a little to thin ahd a little to hard also -- so wound up in the bunker on the other side of the green. That bunker has a high lip, so no choice other than SW it out and NOT go back into the orignal bunker.
Normally, I play the sand "good to very good" -- but this time it took 3 more strokes to get on the green and 2 putts for an 8 -- on a hole that after 2 shots, looked like a probable par and certainly no worse than bogie! 

    keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG

    Amos
 
    

   

Yeah, but it might have taken me three shots to get past them. :)

 Lynn

That right there was funny stuff.

I will admit it, I thought you were serious, and already had my check book out.

I think you just hit a hole in one, and knocked all of us want to be funny people right out of the game.

Nice job pal,
Dick

That sounds a bit like my old swing, and it definitely has a major negative impact on ball striking consistency in the long term.

Rockles,

Personally, I don't have a problem with his setup.  I see detail just fine.  My guess is the background Surge has chosen is the best one.  We have no idea what the background is behind the camera so I'll trust Surge's judgement on this one. 

 Lynn

What mom don't know won't hurt us.

We just won't tell her.  She doesn't read the blog, does she?

And if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy....lol

Steve:

   I can relate to that! LOL
   I was once in a cafe on the South side of Mempis, TN, near to Graceland (Elvis's mansion)  when a lady camein wanting directions to a locatino in downtown Memphis.
   A helpful gentleman arose from his chair and first gave her a set of directions similar to what you described - then he thought a minute - and said "Or you could get on the Interstate, follow the St Louis signs until you get to the Riverside Drive exit"
    The now throughly confused lady replied "But I don't want to go to St Louis!"
    
    Roll Tide - except when you play MSU

    Amos

Oh that's why you're so popular with the girls Dick!

When I played thursday I was standing over a birdie putt (a real rarity for me) when a couple of canadian geese flew low overhead honking like crazy.  I stopped and looked up and said "What are ya laughin at, I didn't hit it yet?"  ;0)

 I have every shot that you do Steve, unfortunately, they rarely happen when I want them to:-(. I played a few holes today, and did I ever rust up over winter.

Enjoyed seeing your hook/slice swings Steve. My method is somewhat simular. I have less purposeful turning of the hands though. To slice I really only need to align more left and take my normal swing. I have been slicing for 40 some years so that's a snap! The draw or hook is another story. I have taken on Surges instructions. I toe the club in (so the clubface faces my target) while I am aligned right of the target with my aiming line(body and feet as you mentioned). I  simply stand a little further from the ball and swing slightly flatter. I also get more focused on coming from the inside on the FUS. Other than that I just take a fairly normal PPGS swing and let the clubface angle take care of the hook spin rather than turning my hands over more.
BTW, something else I have learned since becoming more interested on the possible effects of a flatter lie and or a more upright lie of the clubhead at impact is the standing a little closer accomodates a fade/slice and standing slight further from the ball (as Surge mentions in the 'working the ball' video) assists in the draw/hook. Not only because of the swing path but also because ball set up closer will encourage a more toe down clubhead position and ball set up further will encourage a toe up position at impact.