I found this dude Bobby Eldridge who's got a system called PurePoint Golf Instruction. I wrote about him a few weeks ago and you know what, I think he's got some good, simple stuff to say about the golf swing.
Today BE's very simple way to cure your slice. Yes you have a slice, I know you do.
Now stop it already.
Try to keep your leading shoulder "down" on the ball through
impact. This is called staying strong through impact. Lots of times
the leading shoulder (left shoulder if right handed) flies up
before impact. Now just for a minute, think about what that does to
the club head when it's in the impact zone.
Golf is all about thinking and analyzing your shots to get better.
A huge part of this game is understanding "why" you're getting a
certain result, and the physics behind that result. Thinking
through your golf swing will provide huge dividends if you're
willing to invest the time it takes.
Get up from the computer and actually go though the motions slowly.
Let your leading shoulder fly up as you approach impact and you'll
actually be able feel and see the clubface coming from an
outside-in path. That causes a slice every time.
So what can you do to correct it? Well, for starters, try to learn
to keep your leading shoulder strong. Keep that shoulder "down" on
the ball all the way through impact, even after the ball is gone
and flying straight down the fairway.
So even though it may seem like the leading shoulder is higher than the
trailing shoulder, it's still facing the ball at impact. NOT TOWARDS THIRD
BASE in comparison to the ball. That would mean that you have let the
leading shoulder fly up.
Hi golfers.
Hi Howard.
It's been a while since I posted any golf tips so here's a quick one I came across.
Theres' this dude name Bobby Eldridge who's got a system called PurePoint Golf Instruction.
When I first came across him I thought he was just another internet huckster, but after checking out his stuff I must say it's pretty good. He's all over YouTube if you want to see him instruct live or you can go to his site PurePointGolf.com.
As for the picture above. It's a great way to illustrate what happens on the backswing/follow through in very simple terms.
Going back,your right arm shortens up, and on your follow through the same applies to your left arm. I know it seems strange, but if you try this next time your at the range you will see some amazing results.
Go.
Enjoy.
This past week I shot my lowest round in nearly 2 years. I don't have any concrete explanation except:
A) The plane was broke so I hit a few balls and played nearly 5 rounds in about a month.
B) I retain the memory of being a decent player even though I can't always do what I used to.
C) The plane was broke so I blah blah blah.
I went to Wooden Sticks and shot one over, 73. No do-overs, no gimmes, no mulligans.
I've mentioned before that my front nine scores have been decent. 38, 37, 39, etc, but I usually lose focus somewhere on the back nine and crap the bed. My previous best score this year was last week at Bayview where I shot 77.
This round was different and here comes this weeks Easiest Golf Tip Ever.
Play each hole like it was the first hole. Literally.
The reason I was able to keep playing well is that I remembered some advice a certain Mr. Nick Price gave me a few years ago at a skins game.
I had the chance to ask him one question while driving him to the locker room in a cart and so I said, "The hardest thing for amateurs is keeping a good round going. How do you keep going low once you get on a roll?"
He said simply pretend each hole is the first. He went on to explain that on the first hole, your not even par, under par or 7 over. Your just starting and so your attitude is fresh. He said when your playing, especially when you know your playing well, approach every hole as it if was your first.
Interesting?
I thought of that the other day when I was deep into the back nine and only a couple over. Instead of worrying about what score I might shoot and how I knew I was playing well, I just pretended to start over each hole.
I finished, birdie, bogey, birdie for 73.
Try this the next time your playing. Start fresh each hole and see if you don't play better and more importantly keep playing well.
Posted by Humble on July 18, 2007 @ 10:05|Permalink
Easiest Golf Tips Ever. Part 5
Today a perfect chipping tip from Golf Digest.
I see more people, myself included, screw up a good hole by stubbing/skulling/fatting chip shots around the green.
Nothings worse than hitting 2 good shots on a par 4, your near the green and you stub/fat/top a chip, and end up with 6!
Try TipFromGolfdigest. It's the perfect nerve-beater and will definitely lower your screw ups around the green.
Quick Tip for bad bunker players: NEVER LOOK AT THE BALL.
Most of you know to hit the sand first and follow through, yet the last thing you look at is the ball and thats why you thin it over the green.
Just set up, focus on a spot behind the ball and hit that spot. Forget the ball and you'll stop thinning them into your playing partners heads.
This dude with the funny accent has a pretty good method for getting the ball out of the sand every time. Just remember DON'T LOOK AT THE BALL.
I had a request to throw down some more golf-drivel and I will happily comply.
Todays Easiest Golf Tip.
Tempo.
That's all have a great weekend at the links.
Seriously the quickest way to wreck your swing is to do it to quickly. All sorts of bad things happen when you swing fast.
A)Your natural coordination vanishes.
B)You can't square the club face or your close it down.
C)You actually generate less club-head speed and the ball goes shorter not longer.
Slow it down.
How slow?
Slower than you can ever imagine swinging.
Contact equals distance and good contact come from coordination and that only happens when you take your time.
I promise when your playing this weekend if you feel almost as if your swinging at half-speed you'll be surprised at how far the ball goes.
"Hi I'm Howard, and I'm a Golf-aholic!"
"Hi Howard!"
I used to be obsessed with the game, now, not so much.
How do I know?
There was a time when I'd have a few bad holes or an awful round and then spend the next 3 hours on the range trying to figure it out.
Now, I play good/bad and when its' over I move on. I actually don't care anywhere near as much as I did and end up having a way better time.
Funny thing is I play pretty well but I can no longer concentrate for more than 9 or 10 holes. Seriously. In the last week I've played a lot because my buddy Lumby and I went away and played a couple of rounds and a nine in Ottawa and then yesterday I played my weekly round here in the O-dot.(Oakville yo)
Anyway here are my front 9 scores. 36, 37,38, 38.
Here are my back 9 scores. 43, 44, 44, 41
It's not because I'm getting loaded on beers or dogs either.("Have a dog, make a double").
Something happens after the turn and I just start to play like hell. Except now I could care less.
Today's Easiest Golf Tip(finally.) Putting is Voodoo.
I mentioned last time that putting was Voodoo and that it's the most individual part of the game, but a few basics apply that will make you instantly better.
1) Let your arms hang down as naturally as possible and lighten your grip.(Whatever grip you use.)
2) Stand closer to the ball than you think you should. If the balls too far away your putters path will never be consistent.
3) Find your putters sweet spot and hit the ball there. This is kind of complicated but worth it.
Take a ball and just lightly rap your putter with it. You'll see where the putter head twists and where it doesn't. Where it doesn't is where you want to hit the ball.
Hitting the sweet spot will give you a truer roll and you'll sink more putts.
4) Between line and pace always think pace first. You'll miss way more putts that are right on line but short than the other way around.
5) Go with your first instincts. If you walk up to a putt and you think it breaks right to left, stay with that read, 99% of the time you'll be right.
There you go.
Why do I say "Putting is Voodoo?"
Mainly because I've seen guys who can't hit it out of their shadows, putting cross-handed with a cut down push-broom with their eyes closed, sink everything they look at.
There's no explaining it.
Like a lot of golfers, I've often bemoaned(yes bemoaned) the fact that a 4 inch putt is worth the same as 275 yard drive.
Stupid ass game.
You can't Buy it, Rent it or Borrow it But..........
I was playing golf years ago with Bob McCowan from the Fan, a pretty decent player who's Hot wife used to be a sales chick at the Edge and set Bob and I up on a golf-date.
Anyway.
Bob and I were playing and we started talking about guys we knew who had great short games. Not pro's but just regular guys.
Best I ever knew was Dan Parland of The National. Never saw anyone miss more greens and make more pars. Devastating guy in Match Play. Also won the club championship about 600 times.
Anyway.
I don't remember who he named but Bob said something that day I've never forgotten. He said when it comes to the short game-you can't buy it, rent it or borrow it, you either have touch or you don't.
I tended to agree with him but I would add one thing.
You can learn it. You can learn the proper set up that will help you pitch and chip the ball better.
Putting is Voodoo and I'll talk about that some other time.
3 things you must do to chip the ball better.
1) Open your stance. (Turn both feet to the left, opposite for Lefties.)
2) Ball back in your stance. (Way further than you'd think. Like opposite your right baby toe!)
3) Hands ahead of the ball. (And also important, keep them ahead through the whole motion.)
These three things will at least give you a clue as to why your topping/skulling/fatting your chips. This works well with all chips with all clubs.
For pitches, (just longer chips)...don't play the ball back as far, everything else applies.
Last bit of advice today.
If your ever at a Golf course and a slightly round, friendly guy with thick glasses and his shirt un-tucked introduces himself as Dan and asks to play for money. Run.
Well I'm going to have to get a job after all. I made it to the semi-finals of the Million Dollar Hole in One and sort of coughed it up.
There were some 50 guys trying for 6 spots in the finals and I missed it. The finals are one shot, for a million.
I thought, "Hey why not me?" The answer came back, "Cause you sort of suck!"
Here is a quick run down of my 3 attempts at the green 150 yards away-down wind. 1st shot: 9 iron, fat/clunky-short. Decide if I'm going to be choking I should club down to an 8. 2ndshot: 8 iron, thin/clunky-short. Decide if I'm going to shit the bed I better at least hit one solid. 3rdshot: 8 iron, sold, straight at the hole, touch long. Nice. 20 feet. Not bad but not good enough.
I hung around awhile to see if I'd made it but after about 20 minutes of hearing wild applause for shots much closer than mine I left.
As Bobby Jones once said, "There's golf and then there's Tournament golf."
Basically it means, you may think your pretty good until a chance at million dollars is on the line and a bunch of people are standing around watching you and you chunk a simple shot cause you basically suck-ass.
Golf Note.
I played Glen Abbey on Friday with some buds and I was pretty good from tee to green but as soon as I had to hit a chip/pitch or bunker shot I stunk. My short game is so bad that I'm thinking of dis-including it from the game altogether. Just tee off, hit my second shot somewhere near the green, picking it up and just going to the next tee and waiting. Way more fun, way less stress.
(This man and his Giant Gut are both better than you!)
HHDotCom's Easiest Golf Tips. Suck these down.
When you throw a ball, swing a bat, slap a puck ect, you are intending to do something. Hit the object at a target. Right?
For some reason when we golf we focus on the ball rather then where you want it to go. It's called being "Ball Bound"(cool name huh.) and it's one of the main reasons so many bad things happen in your swing. Your hunched over, arms ram rod straight, eyes laser beaming the ball and then you quickly lurch back and down and try and a hammer it. Not really thinking about where just " Me Must Hit Ball."
You need to change your intention. Your intention should be to propel the ball towards something, a tree out in the distance, a patch of grass short of a pond or a spot on the green. Try this next time you play and you'll immediately notice a difference in the way your swing moves through the ball.
As though the ball just gets in the way of the club.
While your taking your practice swings (only one please or the rest of the foursome will hate you) look at the target.
Then step up to the ball, take a last look at where you intend it to go and then swing.
Chances are you'll hit it there more times than you'd believe and at the very least your misses will be going in the general vicinity of where you hit to. Dr Bob Rotella, golf psychologist-guy, once said, "If your not aiming at the target, where are you aiming?"
Remember your brain has a way telling your body what to do. So make the target the last thing you look at before you swing. If you do, your body will try and hit it...if the last thing you look at is the water/trees/trap/OB/gulch/ your body will most likely steer it there.
Quick Tip:
Next time you practice hit some short irons off a tee. You'll immediately improve your contact and your confidence.
Take a 7 iron, tee up a ball(even a little higher than you normally would for a par three) and hit a few. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to start hitting the ball better.
Quick Tip 2:
Loosen your grip. Yes you with the white knuckles. Loosen it and you will hit the ball farther.
You must give the club a chance to swing and when your hands are tight, there's no hinge( I'll explain that another time) the club moves slower and the ball goes nowhere.
When your hands are looser, the club moves more freely, faster and you'll hit it past the girls tees.
(If you don't it's called a "Dick-Out." If you don't know, I'll explain that another time too!)
Try to keep your leading shoulder "down" on the ball through
