Importance of Ball Position

Bob

I think your post was well thought out and very well presented. I agree with you and if we are supposed to be a family here on the Surge Nation blog then we should be able to expect to talk about whatever we want to. I don't think anyone's questions about golf are going unanswered. I agree with you and T when it comes to being able to talk about how our day went, how our round went, what is going on in our lives, and even what we had for dinner.

I've already made it clear that I will not engage in any more troll swatting.

For me, this blog has become like sitting around the dinner table after dinner is finished, and talking with my family about things that went on during my day. We have talked about people's surgery, their jobs, old and new, what is going on with their families, what is going on with my sons while they are downrange, what kind of food we like, and yes, we've even talked a lot about golf.

I have no intention of changing anything except that I will ignore any personal attacks.

There are some folks that post on this blog who I find offensive. I simply ignore their post and go on to the next. If anyone does not like my wacky sense of humor, or does not want to know what I had for dinner, or anything else that went on in my day, I invite them to simply skip my posts.

We do end up talking about a lot of things that are not golf related on this blog. I like it like that. That is one of the main reasons I spend my evenings on this blog. If someone is offended because I post on here that my stepson's father has terminal cancer and ask all the people that I consider to be my friends and family on this blog to keep him in your prayers, that is too bad. I really don't care. Just skip my post, and I will skip yours, and we can both be happy.

Just stay happy, and keep "Hit'em Long and Straight," in Alaska.

Keeping it vertical, and having a root beer float, in Oklahoma.
Dick

Dick: I'm tired of the storms, too. Right now (about 11:30 pm SLC time), it's snowing and they say we'll get 3 - 6 inches here in the valley and 18 - 24 in the mountains. Sounds like it's headed your way so be prepared. Take care and don't get caught out in this stuff - it's bad! Talk to you later, R2
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Phil your swing looks pretty good to me, but I am no expert as I having only been working on this since January. The one thing that I do see (and maybe I am wrong) is that your hands at the top of your backswing seem to be a bit too inside, or back behind your head. According to Surges daily video the other day he said your hands at the top of your backswing should be about even with your right ear. Your hands at the finish seem to be a bit too far around too.............. I too struggle with this. All in all I think your damn close to what we are suppose to be doing.

I have always been told that to hit a low punch shot, you should place the ball father back in your stance than normal and do a normal swing. So if all these problems happen when you put it futher back in your stance (which makes perfect sense since there is no way the club can be square at that time) what is the proper way to hit a low punch shot?

Bruce,
First, have you taken video and/or used alignment sticks to make sure that your ball position isn't too far forward to begin with? Sometimes stepping up to the ball our PERCEPTION of where it is in our stance doesn't match the reality. If that's the problem, your solution is perfect.
Other possibilities: 1) Your clubs are just a bit too long for you. Try choking down slightly to see if this corrects the problem.
2) You're turning your head more away from the target with the shorter irons. If you're right-eye dominant like most right handed people, close your left eye when you set up with a short iron and only open it once you're ready to swing.
3) You're not getting your weight shifted properly, either not preloaded right to start or not getting the weight onto your front foot to transition to the forward swing. Just pay attention to your weight and practice that shift.

I'm sure there are other possibilities I've left out and hopefully some others will chime in.

Good luck to you all with the strange weather you are having the USA!

Speaking of hand size (as we were earlier) the former England soccer goalkeeper, Frank Swift (who died in the '58 Munich air crash) had a span of 11 1/4 inches and could easily pick up a soccer ball with one hand !!!!! They used to call him 'frying-pan hands'.
Just another bit of useless information!!

I recall years ago, I put a shin length wool over coat into my wife's brand new washing machine. The coat was brand new and ordered a few sizes too large to allow for the first cleaning shrinkage. The machine failed to drain after the wash cycle. Good thing I am an industrial mechanic. Not only was the water line drain filter completely clogged with wool fibers, but the pump and lines had to be completely disassembled and cleaned from all of the wool fibers. Amazing how much fiber comes from new wool material. From then on, I took it to the laundry mat. Probably should have mentioned that this was a work coat, for outside winter jobs at the steel mill and cost free to me. It would however, have to be laundered by me, and I considered myself fairly clever, by ordering it a little large and doing a pre-shrink washing. Boy was I wrong !

Must be nice to get out to the course. I am in the middle of finals preperation. In 12 days I will be on a golf course celebrating the completion of law school.

How did you figure out that you were lining up with the putter face slightly open? Was it just a matter of noticing all of your shots were missing slightly right, or was it something else?

Robert. Dryer was not drying. Checked out 20 foot exhaust pipe that runs through my basement ceiling. I pulled out so much lint that it filled half of a tall garbage bag!

Scary since this could have burned my house down!

Phillip

eattheword

Just stick with it and it will work for you. I used to shoot in the mid 70s. I had a major accident that left me unable to play for almost 20 years until I found the Surge. After practicing the Surge Swing for about a month, I played my first round at the end of last September. I shot 113. I have continued to drop those numbers. I am now breaking 90 regularly, and last Saturday I shot 86. I have had one great round, but that was a freak accident.

Please keep coming back and let us know how it is going for you.

Thanks for sharing your story with us. Don't worry about the score, just celebrate the fact that you were out there playing. There are lots of guys who would be happy to trade place with you.

Welcome to the Surge Nation,
Dick

Steve

This is for your edit. I have seen a lot of cops and fire fighters who make the same types of mistakes at home.

The insurance folks will tell you that most injuries and auto accidents happen within 25 miles of your home. That is why when I turned 17 I joined the Corps and traveled all over. I figured that I was safe as long as I was more than 25 miles from home.

Dick

Hi Dragonhead,

I too have an old set of Ping Zings. They are the black dots. All of the shafts were bent when I go them. I guess they were prone to this due to a design and engineering flaw. I had them re-shafted a couple of months ago with True Temper Dynamic Golds and Winn XI7 grips. I always liked the way they sounded and felt when I hit the ball with them, and now I like the fact that I know where the ball is going to go and about how far it will fly.

Hit'em Long and Straight,
Bob

Just be careful with that Leadbetter swing aid. I was just watching his promo video for it (hadn't ever seen or heard of the thing before) and his first big point is exactly opposed to Surge's swing teachings--cocking or setting the wrists. Also his ideas of the swing plane are opposed to Don's, though his plane pointer on there would work perfectly fine for a version of the laser drill that Steve Smith does.

I've noticed his game keeps improving week to week...sure, mix in some bogeys which hurt any pros scorecard during a round but if you listen to the DJ on the webcasts he sounds confident and has been working harder going forward. It's a loooong year and this guy has way too much talent!....hey Burt thanks for the negative spin.

It always come down to food and dessert, doesn't it. Why can't I just stop thinking about FOOD all the time! I think I'll go back to the second half of the movie now.

Ted, great ideas from Robert F. for you. As for the kick point, The shaft characteristics are one more reason to see a certified club fitter if possible. Better than guessing.

Cerveza

I think you know how much importance I place on staying "well fed." Dad and I usually stop at the turn and get a burger or hot dog. Yes, I am that guy. The one all the guys who just want to get on and off the course in 3 hours hate. For me, a round is an event. Plus, I think it helps me beat dad when I feed him at the turn.

Just have fun and soak it all in. Sounds like you have a solid plan for an enjoyable and memorable day. How many guys can say they did all that in one day?

You are blessed,
Dick

Surge Nation

I have come to the end of another long and blessed day.

Good night to you all. I hope all of you who are playing tomorrow have great games.

I am hitting the rack for a little extra sleepy time. I can get 7 hours if I turn in now.

I am going to church in the morning then working at my home course till dark. I will check in with you all to see how your days went when I get home.

You are all in my bed time prayers,
Dick

RR,

Finally found it buried deep in this blog, thanks :)

boog

Surge, I'm constantly confounded between your words and your actions. When you demonstrate what people are doing wrong in their swing, I see you constantly flipping your wrists instead of keeping them fixed. This gives a very bad impression to newbies I believe. Perhaps you do this unconsiously but it is confusing never the less. Could you be more exact and always show the correct way of swinging throughout the swing Thank you. Bob Miner

Hi Dick,

Just in case you overlooked the connection, "cerveza fria"is Spanish for "cold beer." LOL

I'll tip one back after work today and contemplate all things golf.

Bob

It is refreshing that a PGA instructor gave an honest and accurate testimonial to Don's expertise. It would be unreasonable to expect a PGA instructor to know, or at least know of the majority of other instructors out there. Jack Moore has told me that he has never met an instructor who did not know who Don Trahan is. There is a reason for that and I believe that most instructors realize that if the Peak Performance Golf Swing becomes widely utilized that many instructors will go the way of Maytag repairmen.

In terms of Jerry playing pain free I would urge readers to start mentioning health benefits of the PPGS when in contact with health care providers dealing with golf associated injury. You will have access to plenty of information about these benefits as the SwingSurgeon.com GIFFT program becomes a reality. GIFFT is an acronym for Golf Institute for Fitting, Fitness and Teaching. Spreading the word about the health benefits of the PPGS is only a small but absolutely integral compoment of this large undertaking.

Wayne Coolidge, M.Ed.

I want to see video of that shot, Steve. I don't know if I quite understand it from your description.

Wouldn't that also be somewhat fitting at this time of year?

One of those things that make you go ummmmm, do you dust lint art?

Steve

Life can have a very steep learning curve. I have the scars to prove it.

The radio station I am listening to on the patio just started to play "Red, White, and Blue ribbon beer. I don't even drink beer, but I love that song.

Dick

Hello Fellow Vertical Swingers!

I had a terrific day today. Our family celebrated the Resurrection together, then had a terrific brunch at our oldest daughter's house. All of our kids and grand kids were there and we ate until we could eat no more. French Toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, muffins and homemade fruit cocktail. It was absolutely fantastic!

Once my stomach settled, I headed for work at the Tanglewood Lakes Golf Club. Spent a couple of hours picking up range balls. Surprising how many folks came out on Easter Sunday to hit a bucket or two. I partook myself and hit about 150 or so. The driver was long and straight and the irons looked pretty good.

Something that Robert F. said the other day seemed to help with the driver, and others are urged to listen when he speaks! I kept my weight more over my right haunch with my head behind the ball all the way through impact. The weight shift still happened, but keeping the head behind the ball really made a difference. I also concentrated on having the butt end of the club facing down range toward the target during the back swing as Steve Smith suggests in his laser demo and discussion. Again, heed what Steve says, he has some good ideas!

Well, after a couple of hours of work and an hour of hitting range balls, I decided to walk the course and see how things are shaping up for the upcoming season. We plan to open on 15 May, but after my walk, I think we may be able to open a week earlier. Hey Dick! I managed to pick up over 100 balls for my shag bag during my walk. Amazing how many ProV1's and Nikes I found on our little podunk 9 hole course. We don't even sell either brand in our pro shop. I'll sort out the keepers for myself, fill my shag bag and give the rest to my kids and grand kids. They'll never know the difference, and will love the fact that they don't have to pay for golf balls.

I got home about an hour ago, and lo and behold, Lina had cooked my favorite supper, beef and onions with rice. MMMMM! It's so good, that I don't even need dessert!

Well that's it for now. I hope the new folks aren't put off by having to hear about my day. Hopefully, I included enough golf info to satisfy the self appointed blog police. LOL

Hit'em Long and Straight,

Bob

Steve:

I sometimes do that when I play the ball too far back in my stance. I wing dow too steep, "trapping" the ball between the club and the gorund and causing a high richochet when low running shot was intended. Doesn't happen often, but very frustrating when it does.

Amos

It's always nice to put a positive spin on a disaster. However, if DJ doesn't get it together, he'll be in danger of losing his card. He's 144th now-especially with the new proposed rule that pits 125-150 against top Q school graduates and top Nationwide players in tournaments for the rest of the PGA cards.

Thanks Doc and others for your comments. I'll work on this. Although I do hit punch shots relatively well I occasionaly have one shoot off to the right and this is most likely due to the open club face when coming back because it isn't square.

I'm with you on that Dick. Lynn, we are feeling bad for the part we have played in your leaving. Please reconsider your decision. We don't have a robe,ring, or fatted calf to prepare for you, but we still pray for your prodigal return to the Surge Nation Family. Sincerely !

Nice to know Robert mate. Had my first set of Ping eye in Germany, it was a sad day when I traded them. Especially when I know now it was ME and not the clubs : - ( The Zings were bought for me by my son, when he was at Berkeley on the third year of his BsC [won a scholarship from Auckland uni in NZ] Never quite took to them like the Ping Eye, but like them all the same. The G2's I have are the same colour code but 1/2" shorter and what a difference half an inch makes, as the actress said to the......! Perhaps I will have them reshafted too. Had them shipped here from NZ [cost an arm and a leg to send them + Chinese Customs charged me more in Duty than a new set of Pings would have cost me : - ( Now they are headed back there hahahaha]
Hit 'em Long and Straight and thanks for that kernel of an idea. Now to convince the Dragon Oh! Dear hahaha.

Steve

You would be the other one on this blog to be able to tell that story.

I stopped a lawyer for speeding. He was a bit full of himself. He said "I am a member of the Florida Bar." I said "Oh really, which bar do you work at?" He got really pissed at me for that one.

They told me I had to take a urine test. I stayed up all night studying.

Dick

Bridgestone offers a variety of golf balls to meet all needs. I have used a variety of their balls for different situations and have been very happy with the results. I have played the every B-330 series ball and every E-series ball in a variety of playing conditions. I used B-330s on a short course with tight greens and got exceptional spin and stopping power. I used the E-7 during a captains choice/scramble event for driving distance. There is difference in each of the balls and all of them have provided me what I have needed for each situation. For my regular matches, I play the B-330. For scrambles I tee- off with the E-7 and hit approach shots with the B-330s.
I would advise all golfers to research a variety of balls that meet their golfing needs and then try them out. You may be surprised at the difference a ball can make.

Robert

You see pal, that is exactly what I was talking about before.

I for one love your sense of humor.
Dick

Oh, yes, I know. I bought the Leadbetter aid when I started learning to play about 3 years ago. When I discovered Surge's technique last year I switched to using the Leadbetter aid to practice the PPGS swing. I like it because it has the grip alignment built in and I can practice the in the mitt and up the tree routine with it indoors without destroying any light fittings.

Robert,

Back before the pain induced hiatus and my father's passing as we watched all the pros hitting recovery shots from hellish places when they happened to really tank a shot,the old man would look at me, chuckling and say, " I've seen you make that shot a thousand times!" :)

Robert

Real nice pal.

Trust me, I can get a doctor's note on the unstable thing.

Dick

Hey Steve,

Sounds like another good day, and a great reminder of several of Surge's principals. Particularly when we hit a shot that doesn't do what we intended, don't worry about that, just go back over the basics and hit the next one right. See, not a breach of any code of ethics. ;-) (I'm going to have to start overusing emoticons as I think my careful use of language makes people think I'm being more stuffy and serious than I am.)

UK Phil, I feel your pain. I'm chinning in after reading the other 19 responses to this subject. Alot of thoughtful points were made. As some have said, there are some good golf questions being asked and answered. Work and life has limited my time on the blog lately so I've not helped as many with golf talk as much as Id like. As for the non golf discussions, I appreciate the family spirit and encouragement as much as the next guy. Terry talked about how he has made friends on this blog and I have too. Sometimes there words have made me laugh and sometimes shake my head. Some personal comments have me near tears, others near screaming! Its a mixed bag but so is life right? As for the negetive stuff. Im real good at skipping most of it.
It will be my personal goal focus mainly on upbuilding and helpful responses to my fellow golfers. No worries. Life is short and there are only so many hours left to play golf. So let's play and talk about it.

Dick:

Aside from the putter problem mentioned above, the other problem was my normally "good irons" were hit a little thin today. You know, the 7 iron for instance, that flies a little lower than normal and goes an 8 iron distance. That resulted in the 4 double bogies.

Keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG

Amos

Re Lynn: Lynn has been one of the true eye openers for me. He has filled in the blanks and told it how it needed to be told. Using his recommendations I now hit a driver straighter and farther than any of my other woods.I hope to use his services in the future. Ahuge loss to the serious golfer and the serious duffer. Good Luck Lynn
Bob

Boog

We had a great Easter day out here.

Great to see that you too have arisen on this Easter Sunday.

Glad you got home and will have a couple of days to get settled in before the class starts.

Sounds like you have it all planed out.

I know Doc will work his usual magic for your game. He will have you shooting straight with your new sticks and the BB gun too. He should throw in the BB gun.

Glad to have you back home with the Surge Nation.

Let us know how your first game goes now that you should have some time to play.

Semper Fi,
Dick

Surge Nation

My loving wife, Kelly Jo, is working some more overtime today. With the other things I am working on today, I am getting everything ready around the house for when she comes home. I have set everything out for dinner, did a load of dishes and put them away, did a couple of loads of laundry and hung them up.

That last part leads to my question. With all the lent and fuzz in the dryer screen after the clothes are dry, why don't our clothes at some point just disappear? I basically wear the same several pair of work clothes and sitting around the house clothes over and over. After every load the lent screen is full. Where does it all come from?

Guess my mind is wondering a bit,
Dick

Hi ETW,

I agree, some folks have the irritating habit of being naturally gifted while the rest of us seem to struggle to master simple things like the game of golf. LOL I for one am a natural born clutz, but I have the God given talent for being tenacious and unrelenting when it comes to mastering something. I'm getting pretty good with the Surge approach to golf and have lowered my index to 21 trending 20. It was down to 17, but I got hurt last spring and played through the pain of tendonitis in my right calf for more than 4 months. I shot up to a 24 before I finally let things heal up, and got things back under control.

I love that punch shot that we both use to such good effect and it is one of my go to shots when the pressure is on. A hooded six iron is dead straight for about 130 yards with a 100 to 110 yard carry. More lofted irons have a tendency to fade a bit, while the hybrids seem to draw or even pull. The farthest I ever try to hit the shot is about 165 yards. Beyond that I lose control.

Hit'em Long and Straight, and enjoy the nature walks when they come up,

Bob

You certainly can and if you want a bit of weight back in it, ask the person that does the cutting to put some tungsten powder down the shaft and cork it.