As we age, our bodies change and we aren't physically capable of doing the same things we were able to do 20 or 30 years ago. But, what we give up in power we can gain in accuracy. It all starts with a good setup. David Marks is a 78 year old who sent in a question asking how he could have correct posture and avoid topping the ball. It's simple when you use the accordion effect to "sink" into the right position.
Can you please show me the correct posture for the golf swing? I am 78 years old and was a 10 handicapper but I had a pacemaker put in 3 months ago and now I am topping the ball with my 5, 7, and 9 irons. I'm not driving the ball any more than I did before. I hope that you can help me.Thank you,David Marks
This is basically a three part question. Posture, topping the ball, and loss of power are all things David addressed. Let's first talk about posture because that could be leading to the other two issues. Posture is athletically readiness, dynamic balance. I call it the ready position like a tennis player waiting for a serve or a baseball player waiting to scoop up a grounder. The simplest way to think about correct posture is by using the accordion effect.
After you walk in to the ball and align yourself, the next step is to have the right posture. I like using the accordion effect because it's a very natural movement instead of multiple steps. It came to me one day when I was watching tennis. When the opposing player threw the ball up to serve, the other player got down and ready by bending the knees slightly and bringing the shoulders down. The same thing happens when a baseball player awaits a hit.
If you stand up and then have your knees and shoulders go down together, it's a perfect counter balance between the shoulders moving down and the knees flexing and moving forward a little bit. This combination allows the hips to get pushed backwards for an equal counter balance. As I discussed in yesterday's daily, ball position is also important in your setup so don't forget where the ball needs to be.
David, I'm not sure how much they cut you to implant your pacemaker but I can speak to surgery in the chest area. I had open heart surgery and to this day I still don't think I'm anywhere near the strength I had in my body as compared to before the surgery. I stretch and work out with weights in order to get this strength back, but I still have a clubhead speed that's about 5-7 mph slower than before the surgery. I've come to terms with the fact that it's entirely possible I'll never get the power back because of a little thing called aging.
At some point as we get older, we have to put our ego in our back pocket and realize that we're not the same physical specimen we were 20 or 30 years ago. The sooner you accept that reality, the sooner you can get better and work on different aspects of your game that can still improve. You will most likely lose power as you age, but that doesn't mean you can't have better accuracy. Chipping, bunker play, and putting are three things we can improve regardless if we're getting older. On the other hand, hitting 300 yard drives is not something you should expect as you approach your golden years.
The key to why you're topping the ball is that your spine is most likely moving. It's probably moving upward, either because you're aimed too far right or standing too close to the ball. But, you're not picking your head up because there's really no such thing. Instead, you're picking your whole body up.
Ultimately, I see this with a lot of seniors and ladies. You're just not putting enough energy into the swing. You've got to try and swing the club faster. We have to be energenized and hit the ball while accelerating. We've also got to change our attitude from distance to accuracy and control. Your secret weapon as an older golfer should be your short game. It's all about becoming better in the areas that you are capable of improving. Become a short game wizard and I guarantee you won't even worry about giving up a few yards off the tee.
Make sure you've got good muscle tone and use the accordion effect to settle into a good setup position. An energized, athletically ready setup and swing is the key to controlling your body which, in turn, controls your ball flight.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Correct Posture Using the Accordion Effect
Well today I had another brilliant day, thanks to Surge and the Surgite clan! Off the tee, only 2 tee shots which were not excellent. 1 was topped when I rushed a 3W, recovered well all the same.The other was the only slice of the day. Chipped back through from the adjacent fairway and nailed the green with an 8iron I had not held in over 10years, let alone swung : - ) On the whole every tee shot on all the par 4's and par 5's was excellent. First 10holes [mountain goat stuff for the first 7holes] was completed in 1hr and 5minutes!!! The next 8holes in 2hrs and 15minutes [slow players in front].
I hit the old wooden Ping Zing driver on 2 holes and like the r7 it was straight down the middle and a good distance. I nearly left my 9iron out of the bag, as I only use it once in a blue moon. NO MORE! It must have known. It hit everything I aimed it at without fail. The Zing SW and 8irons I had not played in 10 years? Loved them. So my next trial will be set against set.
I used Surge's right hand on the club with a neutral grip and added my left or lead hand first. 'Nudging' the right or rear elbow in 1/2" before the takeaway. A couple of calming breaths and up to the BUS [triangle with the elbows], skipped the rock, up to the high finish and watch them fly. Since I started aiming at specific features on the course, rather than an area of the f/way, I have been amazed at the accuracy of my shots. One shot I played for position today from a f/way position I usually am on an almost 90*degree dogleg right hole. I clubbed down to the 9iron to drop it on the nearest flat area on the very hilly hole. I aimed at the junction of two bushes which were off the flat above it. Well the ball flew arrow straight landing on the hillside itself in the rough, well beyond the flat area. When I got to where I saw it land, I eventually found it had bounced down and rolled to a further much nicer flat spot. To reward it, I hit it towards the green and nailed it.
My swing was much more consistent the whole round. The quick first ten holes, we were not rushing, but it was a case of hit the ball off the tee, walk down the f/way hit it again straight down the f/way again or onto the green. Sheer bliss. The last 8holes were just as enjoyable, but achingly slow. Following two young men, who made the slowest on the USPGA tour look quick!
So thanks Surge, Robert Meade, Steve Smith and others for your invaluable help with tips and suggestions.They have been a great help indeed.
Happily knackered DH in Sunny and warm NZ
Hit them longer and straighter using the PPGS swing folks. I just did ; - ]
Nice playing DH
First let me say I loved Surges entry today. Hold good posture and let it whooosh!! Enthusiastic as usual. Has me in the mood to "Go Play"!!
As our winter approaches and your summer time brightens we will stay inspired by your good fortune to be down under! Sounds like you're enjoying the time God is given you:)
Well as my wife says "it's always Christmas for you", I celebrated early by taking adavntage of a super offer on e bay for the Leupold GX 4i laser range finder. I got it for about 140.00 under the otherwise sale price. Just recieved it today and will be testing it out in about an hour as the wife and I walk 18 at muni.
Full report later.
Oh BTW, my Callaway range finder fell apart, lenses et., so that's why I opted for the sturdy Leupold. I'll treat it with loving care. Good golf to all.
q-school
hi anyone know how many qualify from q-school and is there a cut? i think its 6 rounds. can;t find any info on pgatour.com
thanks.
Q- school
Was reading earlier today that 172 players are in, but only the top 25 get their card.
I also see the powers that be maybe changing the rules over the use of long putters. Not banning the putters, but how they are used. No anchoring the putter to the body ,or something, which sort of defeats the reason for having one.
PLUS TIES
PLUS TIES
DJ + 2 threw 12. 10 shots back.
dj q -school
cheer chaps yeh dj not going well at the moment but if its 6 rounds with no cut he can turn it round.
dj q -school
ooops sent twice and no delete button
I have a question for all y'all.
I haven't been posting even though I watch all the videos and read all y'alls posts, because, I just have nothing good to say about my game.
Starting about 4 weeks ago, cold weather set in, (60º is cold to me), and I have lost so much distance I was adding 2-3 clubs to a shot, swinging like a dervish to try and hit it and make a shot. Tops, fat shots, slices, mishits, I have gone from shooting bogey golf or better to almost what I was shooting 3 years ago before I started PPGS.
I played today, said heck with it, and worked on just being smooth(er), hitting a 4 or 5 hybrid instead of 8 or 9 iron. Distances were a bit better, but accuracy was more so.
As hard as I have worked on chipping, i am usually fairly straight, but NEVER know if the ball will end up 15 feet short or 15 feet long.
We are now playing on dead painted Bermuda greens that hit hard and roll like crazy. I can live with that, as I have chipped many straight at pin , line good, distance off. Even sand bunkers I play fairly adequately.
Remember, to do better I really have to have a certain amount of athletic ability, and while nature gave me awesome good looks, I got shorted in that department.
Ok, now to the question part. When I had my knee replaced in 2006 before I could play again, I spent lots of time on my 12' putting mat and practiced putting. Lots. Never was good when it came to course time, but I felt like most times I could make a two putt.
The last 4-5 months, (new course) my putting has got so atrocious I would rather stick a tee in my eye than attempt a putt. I have watched all the putt videos, I have practiced, can make 12-16 12 footers in a row on my putting matt, but when it comes to course, I am either long, way long, or very short on a long putt. Forget about the 3 foot circle, I am lucky if I can get in a 15 ' circle. on short putts, I pull everything to the left. I miss 3 footers, 2 footers, 6 footers, and I am feeling the club face go closed through the swing, no matter how hard I try to smooth it or keep my hand/wrists still.
I own 5/6 putters of different styles for mallet, blade, plumbers neck and even face putters, same with all of them. I have for years putted right hand high and also tried left hand high . About 3 weeks ago, I tried something.
Lining up with my left hand in my pants pocket, get my stance and putt with JUST my right hand. Out to about 20 feet, I was dropping them in, or within a foot or 2 for tap in. I played today and any putt within about 20 feet I used the one hand swing. They were dropping very well, they almost all followed my line, and speed was great, usually stopping within 2 feet long or short.
Is it legal to putt with one hand? If so, I may be better off just doing that if I am within 20 feet or so, I sure like the results better.
I think I just like to try at golf so much, am really competitive with myself, and maybe expect too much. I do NOT do well in cold, but would rather play in cold miserably than not at all. I think this can help my putting.
Any course I play I can (usually) break 100, but I would much prefer breaking 80, but the last 5-6 weeks, 94-96 seems to be the best I can do. That is 10-12 strokes worse than I normally play.
OK, that's enough griping, who cares? Make the next shot right. Last hole today, hit a tee shot uphill on a par three within 10 feet of the pin on the back, a little long, rolled up the hill onto the fringe, rolled all the way back 50+ feet off the green, over the fringe and into the rough. I took my putter and just whacked it and it hit a lump of grass around a sprinkler head popped up, kicked a little right, rolled and rolled and went in for a birdie. No skill, all luck, but I am going back Friday and try it again.
But what about putting one handed? Legal?
One hand
Yeah, it's legal Mike. There is no rule that says you have to use two hands on any shot. Good thing because some people only have one hand. Somebody on Tour did it but I can't remember who (I may look that up). There is a decision on holding the flag stick in one hand and putting with the other, and that's legal too. It is not legal to brace yourself with one hand (on another club or something) and putt with the other hand.
Edit: Looked up the pro that did that. Mike Hulbert.
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/20/sports/golf-with-one-hand-hulbert-climbs-to-lead.html
Thanks Steve,
Sorry I rambled on so much earlier but I was feeling real bad about golf and trying to decide if to quit and give up and was trying to think of one thing that would make me feel better.
So, for the time being, i can putt much better one handed, so, I will just keep working on that. The worst thing that can happen is I will knock 7-8 strokes off my game. I did win 4th place in my flight in the seniors tournament today, (money paid 1-4 places) I just know I need to play better and it gets disheartening working at it so hard and getting worse. Putting better will help a lot.
Quitting and Rambling
Nothing wrong with a little good old fashioned rambling. Ha ha! I do it all the time. Sometimes it's a little therapeutic.
Every time I get totally disgusted with my game (which is a lot) and think about quitting, I never can get around the fact that I love to play the game.
It's like Bagger said, "Not a game that can be won, only played".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mk2Tca88Xo
So I play.
I believe you.
I love to play. and just when I think I can't stand it anymore, I do the last hole miracle that keeps me excited to come back and try again. I feel so much better today. I will be on the range this afternoon after work, and then to play tomorrow, and have just enough good shots to make me come back again. Ain't this fun? YEAH!
LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
You sound a lot like me Mike. I often say, I would quit this game, if I didn't love it so much. Golf is almost over in N.E. OHIO, except for the occasional rare day. We hope to play this Sat and again on Monday, which will likely end the season for me. We have been playing a lot of 6-hole switch off scramble matches to wind down the season and add a little fun. I'm not too sure how I'm scoring, but I'm hitting some very usable shots now and then. Not enough time to mention the stinkers, but I'm already looking forward to next year's season to begin. I love to hate this game.
Terry, Thanks
to you and Steve. Sometimes ya just need to gripe a little to get it out of your head, then go back to work.
I spent some time on the range yesterday, about 40 balls with a p wedge and about 15 with a 7 iron.
I used my cheap H alignment tool, a piece of pink mason line held in the ground with tees, to really check my alignment, which was ok, then went to slow speed working on the mechanics. not ok.
When it is cold, you are bundled up in 6 layers it is difficult to execute an athletic move. Was 62º yesterday, so I went ahead and played 9 holes.
Work paid off, yeah, I still had 2 absolutely stinker holes, a 22 foot one handed putt for birdie, a couple pars, and rest bogies. Bogies are ok for me.
Over swinging, swaying, dropping my right shoulder, same old stuff. So I went to play and just concentrated on doing it right, (more right) and I scored the best I have in a couple months. Using modified Stableford scoring like we use for tournaments, it was back up a couple strokes better than my best handicap this summer. Gonna play Friday and see if it stuck.
Funny how all swing faults boil down to a mental game. We know what works, just let your mind control your body to execute as well as physically possible. Sometimes I wish I could let my brain wait for me at the clubhouse, It thinks too much and won't concentrate correctly too often.
Gift Returned
I've told ya'll before that I gave away my driver a few years ago to a kid in medical school that didn't have much money but needed a driver, and I had just bought a new one.
Never EVER could hit that new driver very well. Took every single bit of my skill to play with it. On the low skill days I was simply out of luck.
Well now that he's out of medical school he can afford to buy any club he wants so he gave mine back.
Decided to waste a few golf balls down across the hay field with my new/old driver. Wow!!!!! Every single ball looked like a BB across the field and straight as an arrow. Felt like I didn't even have to try very hard. Can't wait to play again with what once was the best weapon in my bag.
Gift Returned
I like the return of the prodigal Steve. Hope it keeps behaving itself. My old wooden driver did the same, but the newer r7 outruns it for length at the moment. Considering I only hit it on a couple of holes, it did remarkably well! So who knows what a few more balls with it will achieve. Look forward to hearing of more success with it. DH
Gift Returned follow up
Sometimes you find a club that matches your game perfectly. What ever the reason it is the combination of shaft, head design and swing weight that clicks. If you ever find one like that have a certified club maker get the specs so you know what they are so you can start to duplicate it.
Great daily on the accordian effect
Surge, todays daily was so wonderful, and inspiring. I've been away from the golf course for the past 3 months, but not golf. Thanks to you, I've been visualizing the swing and watching the dailys religiously, so when I am able to play again, I will, hopefully, be playing at my past level. Thankfully today, I got the go-ahead to start playing 9 holes, then graduate up to a regulation 18 hole course. You also answered a question for me in one of your dailys, thank you so much for your continued dedication to helping us all understand and play better golf the PPGS way.
Cheryl Cassidy
Are we alone
I am constantly on the lookout for signs of intelligent life on this planet. More and more I think it's a futile search.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFCrJleggrI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
That is a classic example of
That is a classic example of stupid people. Hehehehe
STUPID IS, AS STUPID DOES
Thanks for the post Steve, cheered me up after loosing the Power Ball Drawing. It's hard to believe that someone close to this lady, whom she would have shared this with, has not explained it to her. Although, the guy on the radio tried and then realized the light switch was just too broken.
Deer in the headlights
Since this an old column, and only a few of you will even find it, I will post one of my favorite clips. Any arm chair quarterback and all of the people that sit on their couch and think they know better than coaches and players should think about it every now and then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHipzGL4dwM&feature=share
Back in the 80s the mom of one of my little league players was constantly griping about the umpires, coaches, players, schedule, and everything else she could think of. We went up to a small town to play and they wanted us to provide an umpire for 3rd base. I looked over in the stands and there she was....Hmmm...I'll give her a shot at it. Sure enough the first inning a kid slid into third base on a close play and everybody went silent, waiting for her call. After standing there for what seemed like an eternity with that deer in the headlight look on her face she turned to me with her palms up and (almost in tears) said "I DON'T KNOW".
Never heard a word out of her the rest of the season.
Every time somebody on the blog thinks they have the answers to things like DJ's putting problems I think of that. "You don't know. You think you do, but you don't, and you never...will". LOL