Swing Solutions

Spring Time is a great time for a Golf Rule Refresher.  Golf can be frustrating when you recall a rule one way and your playing partners recall it another way.  This simple list covers 95% of the rules (2014).  Read them and keep a copy in your golf bag.  (Reference: April 2014  www.golf-improvement-websites.com,   and a lot more interesting golf info. )   Here are the basic rules and options:

1. Out of Bounds (white stakes)
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
2. Lost ball  [To Save time you can state that you are hitting a provisional ball (for use only if the original ball is lost).]
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
3. Unplayable lie
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball within two club lengths of where the ball lies, no closer to the hole – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball as far back as desired on a line through where the ball lies and the flag – one stroke penalty
4.  In water hazard (yellow stakes)
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball as far back as desired on a line through where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard and the flag – one stroke penalty
5. In lateral water hazard (red stakes)
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty
•    Replay from where last ball was hit – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball as far back as desired on a line through where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard and the flag – one stroke penalty
•    Drop the ball within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard (either side – no closer to the hole) – one stroke penalty
6. Hitting wrong ball that is not in a hazard
•    Stroke play – two stroke penalty or disqualification for failure to correct mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground
•    Match play – loss of hole
7. Grounding club in hazard (sand or water)
•    Stroke play – two stroke penalty or disqualification for failure to correct mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground
•    Match play – loss of hole
8. Giving or asking advice [Even saying, “Take your time.” is advice which can disturb your opponent.]
•    Stroke play – two stroke penalty or disqualification for failure to correct mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground
•    Match play – loss of hole
9. Agreeing to waive a rule
•    Disqualification
10. Immovable obstruction interferes with swing or stance [including a cart path or road]
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty [All “no penalty” rules are 1 club length.]
•    Drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole – no penalty
11. Ball in ground under repair or on cart path
•    Play the ball as it lies – no penalty
•    Drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole – no penalty

Want to improve your game too?  Check out GOLFSTR+ For Every Swing in Your Game.  It’s the 6-in-1 brain trainer.  CLICK HERE :  www.golfstr.com

Watch super slow motion videos of most professional golfer’s swing (including Tiger, Phil and Rory).  You will see whipping action of the club shaft recoiling before it impacts with the ball (losing speed and distance).  In the last 20 years someone discovered that ski jumpers fly a lot further with their skis spread out instead of parallel together.   This was a monumental break-through and I believe that I have discovered the same for your golf swing.

I have seen this for years but assumed that the club manufactures and professional instructors had a reason for allowing this recoil.  I discovered the truth when I saw Bubba Watson’s swing in Super Slow Motion.  Why is it that Bubba Watson’s driver does NOT have whipping action recoil before his club head impacts the ball?  [Check it out on our Swing Tip released 2 weeks ago.]  There must be a relationship with his ability to out-drive everyone in the Masters this year.  I suspect that his stiff shaft and timing of his lag release has a lot to do with his 125 MPH impact speed (as compared to 110 MPH for the average pro).

Check out the Super-Slo-Mo video of Lydia Ko (the youngest LPGA winner ever) illustrating this OPPORTUNITY for you and any other golfers who know the secret.   At 1:05 in this video check out the recoil of the club.  She is definitely losing distance and could benefit from a shorter backswing or a stiffer shaft.  The end of her whip (her club head) is recoiling too early.  Imagine the extra distance if her club head maximizes speed at the point of impact.

I’m an inquisitive golfer with an engineering background who designed GOLFSTR+ to improve my swing.  Almost 4,000 users are enjoying this product offering 6 swing fixes so I understand the physics of the golf swing.   I can’t find anyone writing about loss of distance from mid-swing recoil.  The whipping action recoil before impact may be a major limitation for the head speed of your club.

Solution for MORE DISTANCE:

The whipping action of your club is related to the speed of your arms and body release during the swing.  Club head speed is primarily increased by wrist lag and release at the bottom of your swing.  Flexibility of your shaft and the weight of your club head are other contributing factors.  I can’t predict how to control your combination of factors to maximize your club head speed at impact but I know that every golfer experiences amazing unexplained distance from time to time when all of your factors line up.  It is up to you to discover your combination.

Experiment to find YOUR Perfect Factors:
1/  Your club shaft may be too stiff or too flexible but work with what you have before you start all over again with new equipment.
2/  Swinging too faster may be killing your distance as your club head recoils to wait for your hands to catch up.
3/  Try limiting your backswing to test the whipping action of your club head.  Think of your club as a whip and test for increased distance.

Now you know where to concentrate your effort.  Why not look for your perfect swing speed combination for your clubs.  Work out with GOLFSTR+ to improve your swing with straight arm and flat wrist.  Why not discover your perfect swing by CLICKING HERE and checking out GOLFSTR.

Attractive, 6 feet tall, long ball hitter, young golf star with endorsements galore.  All of that came crashing down to earth when she lost her confidence and missed 5 cuts in a row in 2012.   How did she turn it around to win the Lotte Championship at 24?  Her swing coach, David Leadbetter credits it all to working hard and positive mental attitude.

I think it’s her LIMITED backswing which gives her more control with the same distance.  Robert Cotter in his Instant Golf blog refers to the limited backswing by Justin Rose as “The MODERN Golf Swing”.  I think that Michelle and Justin are on to something great. Michelle’s driving average is 260 yards.  Any weekend warrior (male or female) would love this record.

Injuries hurt Michelle’s swing and her game.  She broke three bones in her left wrist in ’07 in a fall. She played through a severely sprained ankle in 2009 and tried to play through a bulging disc in her back late in 2010 (similar to Tiger Woods).

Her recent success shows that if you want something bad enough, you can turn it all around. Wie headed to San Francisco first in the 2014 LPGA money winnings ($616,555), first in scoring (69.57), first in hitting greens in regulation (81 percent) and first in rounds under par.

Learn From Her Swing
This slow motion video of her warm up on the driving range shows a full back swing with great lag.  It all changed when she got on the course in her final round in the Latte Championship.  She was limiting her backswing so that her hands were only shoulder high and she was still hitting about 260 yards and landing on every fairway.

In her practice swing she rehearsed the starting drop of the leading arm without any wrist release. She keeps her leading arm dead straight through out.  [She must be practicing with GOLFSTR+.]

So TRY limiting your backswing for more consistent golf and practice with your GOLFSTR+ For Every Swing in YOUR Game.

CLICK HERE to check out the GOLFSTR website: www.golfstr.com.

EXPIRES MAY 4:  Buy Now for an extra 15% Spring Discount on the Store Page by entering the Coupon Code : discount.

THIS IS A LIMITED TIME OFFER

We should learn from Bubba Watson’s victory in the Masters but don’t take it all to the bank.  BUBBA GOLF is insanity golf.  He is the only player in the field who hit a 366 yard drive over the corner on the dog leg left, 485 yard, par 5 13th  hole on Sunday and landed his second shot on the green with a gap wedge.   The length of his drive was crazy long but he also had to cross over a forest and Rae’s Creek twice.  

Recreational golfers need to play within their capabilities.  Bubba is 6 foot 3 inches tall; has a body that winds up like rubber and power to generate a 124 mph head speed (when the tour average is only 110 mph).    He is super human and this is not reasonable for the recreational player as well as 95% of the pros playing in the Masters.

The 13th at Augusta National is probably the most beautiful of the holes on the course but also the most feared. It’s noth’in for Bubba.

Bubba’s drives are longer, his approach shots are shorter (so they are more accurate) and his lag putting created the win. 

Nick Faldo, a 3 times Masters Champion made some great observations about Bubba’s winning performance in the GOLFWEEK blog.  Faldo believes that Bubba Watson’s weekend success was primarily because of a solid driving performance and of course a couple of lucky breaks.  “Today he drove it really well,” Faldo said after Watson’s three-shot victory. “Probably a little nervy [you think], but generally drove really well.”  In the end, though, Faldo liked Watson’s lag-putting ability. A stat that doesn’t really exist.

The second half of the following video is an amazing slow motion swing analysis of Bubba by CBS Golf Swing Analyst Peter Costis in 2011.   He summarizes the swing with these words:  “the width and length of Bubba’s arm is critical to how he can hit the ball so far.”   [Of course GOLFSTR is designed to help you swing with this amazing wrist lag and straight arm in your backswing [ just like Bubba].

Marvel at what Bubba is able to do.  Learn from his performance and play within your physical and mental capability.   Did you notice how straight Bubba’s leading arm is for every swing in his game?  Could he secretly be using a GOLFSTR+ to get his drives longer and to hit more fairways?  All kidding aside you should be using GOLFSTR+ to develop wrist lag in your backswing, straight leading arm in your drives and approach shots and flat wrist in your chips and putts.

EXPIRES MAY 4: SPRING BONUS, BUY NOW: Check our website for a 15% SPRING DISCOUNT.  This is a LIMITED TIME OFFER.  See details on GOLFSTR home page at www.golfstr.com 

Make sure you tell your friends by passing this Swing Tip along.

The final Spring Warm-up Tips are all about PRACTICE and FOCUS.  Bubba Watson warmed up for the Masters like every other pro but his mental preparation to hold his emotions must be something else.  After he won this year and 2 years ago he was emotionally exhausted.  If you want to improve your game and play like Bubba, get a grip on your FOCUS.

Learning the right swing and practicing to get Every Swing in YOUR Game under control. Then practice to build confidence.   Finally, learn to block out external thoughts and FOCUS on every swing.

Spring Tune-up Tips 6 to 10
6/ For Over the Top Slicers:  Line-up your drives with the ball logo visible on the inside of the hitting line.  Focus on hitting the logo from the inside.  This extra effort helps you develop a habit to hit every ball with an inside to outside swing for a DRAW and MORE DISTANCE.

7/ Practice hitting approach shots to determine the right club for the right ball height and run-out to reach more Greens In Regulation. 

Practice to build confidence and enjoy the natural beauty wherever you play this wonderful game.

8/ Spend more time learning to chip with an identical cadence and sweep (using a count of . . . 1. . .2).  Mike Calbot uses this in his lessons at Old Cork Screw (an amazing course in Naples, FL).

9/ To slow down and gain confidence, use a pre-swing takeaway by starting the rotation of your shoulders followed by your hips.  Then repeat the same motion to start your swing for more power and distance.

10/ Mentally repeat the same simple swing thoughts to block out all other thought: 

–For putting and chipping you could say:      “Follow Through > > >  1 . . . 2”
–For all other full swing shots you could say “Straight Arm > > >  Sweep in and Finish”  (“F” in Finish is the point of impact as you finish in a balanced pose.)

Plan NOW:  Set your target to drop 5 strokes this year?  Start practicing with the perfect swing and buy your “LESSON IN A BOX”: GOLFSTR+.   [before the price increase].   And pass these Swing Tips on to your friends.

Check out www.golfstr.com for the latest updates and to buy NOW.   Love to hear about your successes.

It’s exciting to start a new golf year watching the Masters.  Wouldn’t it be great if some of those wonderful shots rubbed off on our games?  Dream on!  I have posted 75 blogs using recommendations and comments from professional golfers.  This blog is a summary of tips to lower your handicap.  Now is the time to set your target to cut stokes.  Pick your target for this year.  [I’m dropping 6 strokes.  What’s your target?]

We are all looking for that magic move to instantly cure all of our mental demons.   Peter Kessler recommends pills for “Brain Burnout”.  Just another dumb fix!    It’s not that easy.  Knowing your swing problems and practicing the right motion to build CONFIDENCE are the only way you will lower your score.

Top 10 Tips for your Spring Tune-up (5 this week and 5 to follow next week):

Golf Digest gave us this shot of one HOT Golf Swing but speed is not what we are talking about. Consistency is what counts for the Recreational Golfer.

1/ Look at your score card to determine the weakest part of your game. Where did you lose strokes?  Sort out what you have to do to cut strokes.  Then work on it by practicing both on and off the golf course. [Chipping to 1 putt is my goal.  What’s yours?]

2/ To hit more greens in regulation try clubbing up 1 club, relax your grip to 50% of your “death grip”, swing at 80% with more control and decide where you want to land the ball for your next chip or your uphill putt.  Swing with purpose.

3/ At the start of your round, if you decide to make every shot land in the fairway then you will work on the perfect swing with more control.  You will also pay attention to the impact of your draw or fade and try to do it consistently.

4/ For chip shots, sweep your club back on a low plane and limit your wrist hinge to avoid fat or thin shots.

5/ Use a practice swing exactly the same way you want to hit your ball.   This helps you get a feel for the club you selected, the angle of the ground and MOST IMPORTANT a balanced finish.  Then repeat the same motion when you hit your ball.

Stay tuned for 5 more Spring Warm-up Tips Next week. [Hint: Ways to improve your Focus.]

Summary:
There are lots of crazy quick fix solutions out there but don’t kid yourself, your game will only improve by reducing errors.    If you want to improve your game you need to be in physically good shape, play with a relaxed but focused mind and practice to correct your weaknesses.  The pros do it and you can too.

Why not sort out the right swing and practice with GOLFSTR+  For Every Swing in YOUR Game to gain confidence & make ever swing count.  Relax and enjoy this wonderful game.

It’s a great time to buy a GOLFSTR+ before we add on $10 for shipping and handling.  So click on this site and make it happen:  www.golfstr.com

SAVE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ TODAY

I hope you love watching  The GolfFIX by Michael Breed, live on the GOLF CHANNEL, as much as I do.  He is always using common items from around the home to demonstrate a SWING FIX.  Recently he showed a solution to keep your wrist flat in the backswing.

He was commenting on Matt Every’s perfect swing.  If you missed it, Matt won the Arnold Palmer Invitational.  Michael was impressed with Matt’s flat wrist in the backswing.  He was highlighting the fact that if your wrist is flat and the head of your club is also flat on the same swing plane at the top of your swing, then you have more control in your swing.   Arching and cupping your wrist is just not the best approach.  FLAT IS A WINNER.

Michael used a plastic hanger to demonstrate how you can keep you leading wrist flat.  He gripped the hanger along the inside of his leading hand on the grip of the golf club with the loop of the hanger pointing up.  In his backswing as he cocked his wrist for lag the loop of the hanger was resting on the inside of his leading arm [proving that his wrist was flat and on the same plane as his forearm].

This is a pretty awkward way to practice with a flat wrist backswing.

SOLUTION   
Fortunately for you, one of the 6 GOLFSTR+ swing fixes is designed to help you train for a flat wrist backswing (without holding a hanger on the grip of your club).   Just mount GOLFSTR+ on the lower part of your arm (above your wrist) so that the curved end nests against the back of your hand when you grip your club.  [When you hold a club the knuckles on your fist naturally rise up and your rolled fingers line up with the flat of the underside of your wrist.]  GOLFSTR+ is a flat wrist trainer without holding a hanger on the grip of your club.

Of course there are 5 more swing fixes that you can learn with your GOLFSTR+.  Check out all 6 Swing Fixes by watching this video: US Golf TV production at the PGA Show.

To see all of the Swing Fixes click here to check out the GOLFSTR+ website.

I NEED YOUR HELP:

I have been trying for 2 years to get the attention of Michael Breed but he likes to CREATE TRAINING AIDS with his exercise balls, Popsicle sticks, Hoola-hoops, hangers and tape.  For $29.99 wouldn’t it be much easier to buy GOLFSTR+ for 6 swing fixes?   It’s great for EVERY SWING IN YOUR GAME!

I’m now asking readers of this blog to UNITE.  Please send this blog to Michael Breed so that I can finally get his attention?  Help me get GOLFSTR+ on The Golf FIX program presented by Michael Breed on the Golf Channel.  Click and copy the URL at the top of this page and paste it on an email to either or both of the addresses below.
michael@michaelbreed.com
thegolffix@golfchannel.com
Tweet:  #thegolffix

Glad to hear that you are enjoying GOLFSTR+ as it lowers your scores.  Keep sending in those testimonials.

Over the past year we have had a number of Professional Golfers test GOLFSTR+.   They purchased it and have been using it in their daily lessons.  I am only receiving positive feedback.   BJ Hathaway at Augusta Golf Instruction  bought a GOLFSTR+ so I hope the pros are dropping in for a quick tune up before THE MASTERS 2014.  [BJ’s blogs are the best so I recommend you subscribe.]

Now that we are heading for 5,000 units sold, we are preparing for major retail sales.  Video training for all 6 of the Swing Fixes has been requested by many of our customers.  We know that our weekly Swing Tips are used by many but we realize that you may want to hear this from a pro.  And that is exactly what we are doing.

Will Curry, the inventor and developer of GOLFSTR+ was at the PGA Show presenting the 6-in-1 Golf Swing Training Aid.

PGA Merchandise Show 2014
Mike O’Leary, Master Golf Instructor, with 30 years of experience saw GOLFSTR+ in our booth at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando January 2014.  The first words out of his mouth were: “You don’t have to sell me, I get it and I think this is a great training aid.”

After Mike tested it out with some of his students he offered to work with us to promote GOLFSTR+.  I have loaded his first video on our website and wanted to share this with you.   I asked him to create a training video to help others see how easy it is to use for each of the 6 swing fixes.  The TRAINING VIDEO will also be loaded on our site for your FREE access this Spring.

SUGGESTED CHANGE:   Flat Wrist Putting, Chipping and Backswing:
I would like to highlight one change that Mike helped us understand about the fit on your arm for these uses.  When you form a fist (as you hold a golf club) your knuckles and back of your hand rise away from the flat surface of the back of your arm.  The contour of the bend on the plastic plate fits the shape of the back of your fist.  It really is more comfortable and we encourage you to wear it this way.

NEW ASSEMBLY VIDEO:  Showing the 2 ways to assemble GOLFSTR+ for all 6 swing fixes.

Please share this GOLFSTR+ demonstration video with your friends and keep checking our website for the NEW FREE 20 minute Training Video.

Enjoy

Golf is both Physical and Mental.  When playing a round of golf don’t forget to bring your mental game too.

Your mind has to be at ease when you play golf.  Arrive at the course in advance with a relaxed state of mind, stretch out and hit a variety of shots to gain mental confidence before you reach the first tee.  For each shot you need to set your plan, take a practice swing to get a feel for your selected club and step up to the ball.  And Now the NEW YOU. . . .

All of your preparation is wasted if you don’t focus 100% on the shot.   How do you block out all other thoughts?  Thousands of books and blogs have been written about this subject.   I discovered the simple fact that you can’t think or say 2 words at the same time.  What you say is what you think for that instant of time.  For example you can’t mentally say “happy” and think “sad” at the same time.  USE THIS FACT TO IMPROVE YOUR GAME!

Mentally say a simple swing thought as you prepare and make your swing.  The words can be different for every golfer and for each type of shot but you need to say your mental words to block out every other thought as you make your swing. 

Some see this as an amazing sunrise.  Others let their imagination run wild & see a dove or a witch.  When golfing, don’t let your mind wonder.  Enjoy the moment, focus and make every swing count.

For putting and chipping I use the words: Follow through . . . 1 . . . 2   (“Follow through” are the words I use to remind me to finish my swing on the line that I want to hit the ball,  “1” starts my back swing and “2” starts my forward swing.)  The cadence changes based on the distance that I want to hit but the words block out any other thoughts.

For all other shots I use the words: Straight arm,   sweep in and finish   (“Straight arm” is my final reminder to limit my back swing & keeping my leading arm straight, “sweep in” starts my sweeping take away to coil my shoulders and hips in preparation to swing from the INside and impact the ball on the INside quadrant, “and” is my transition word to limit my speed and “finish” is my point of impact to a balanced finish as my ball float to its target.

GOLFSTR+ was developed to train for more consistent, straight hits.  Fortunately professional golfers and users of GOLFSTR+ suggested 5 more uses for every swing in your game.  You should practice all 6 of the GOLFSTR+ swing solutions.  The payoff will only come when you learn to control your mental game too. 

For more swing tips click:  YOUR Swing Support Center.  Sign up to win a Free GOLFSTR+.  Why not send this tip along to your friends!

Where should you focus your effort to improve your game?  Golf Digest published an article quoting a Columbia University professor Mark Broadie who presented the case that “putting has been overvalued for far too long”.  He points out that the top tour pros in a tournament putt within 1 stroke of each other.  “The long game explains two thirds of scoring.”

In support of the professor’s comments at the same MIT Sloan Sports Analysis Conference,  Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Hunter Mahan’s swing instructor, Sean Foley said, “Distance is far more of an indicator [of success] than accuracy,”

DON’T LET STATISTICS FOR THE PROS DISTORT YOUR GAME!   What may work for the top fraction of golfers has no relevance for your game.  The professor sited comments in his book:  EVERY SHOT COUNTS.  Guess what, every shot does count!

If you are in the other 99% of golfers, you SHOULD spend time working on EVERY swing in YOUR game.

  > Body rotation, wrist lag and delaying the release all come into play to increase club head speed and to gain more distance.

  > A controlled transition, consistent swing plane, relatively stable head position and straight arm swing are so critical for consistent impact with the ball.

  > Choosing the right swing (ie to pitch or chip) and right lofted club are so critical for distance control.

  > Learning shots out of the ruff and traps to build confidence and get the ball close for a single putt.

Patrick Reed shows off his Straight Arm Swing as his driving AND putting paid off at the WGC Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral, Florida

Case in point: Justin Rose is currently the best ball striker.  Why isn’t he winning every tournament?
Focus on the weakness in YOUR GAME.

That’s why we developed GOLFSTR+, to help you with Every Swing in YOUR Game.  It helps you with 6 swing corrections to overcome 6 swing problems.  Practice with GOLFSTR+ and prefect your game.

Master Golf Instructors are using GOLFSTR+ to help students change bad swing habits.   THIS MONTH we plan to release a 20 minute GOLFSTR+ instruction video which was prepared by one of these instructors for his students .

Keep checking www.golfstr.com for the latest developments and LIKE our Facebook Page   for the latest tips and comments from other GOLFSTR+ users.