Category: Dana Rader Golf School Programs

The Ultimate Putting Experience Recap

July 18, 2011

After finishing our first annual Putting School, I thought I would just give a recap and the feedback that we got from our participants. First of all I want to thank my coaching partner, Nancy Harvey for being such an outstanding counterpart. Nancy is such a great coach and I have so much fun doing schools with her. It was great to have so much time to cover all that we wanted to share and take our time so the students could digest it, experience the changes and put them together at the end with a little competition or some performance practice. It was extremely warm as the temps rose into the high 90’s with high humidity so to keep the student’s attention was a testament to how effective the info was. I look forward to doing the next one in a little less extreme heat for sure. The feedback was excellent and I have already received some great ways to improve the school and some very generous testimonials that I will share with you when I get them all together. During our 4 hours we discussed and implemented the following:

  • The putting improvement cycle : aim, clubface control, putter path, solid contact and distance control
  • How to achieve the correct putting grip and posture which drives the fundamentals
  • The importance of putter fitting and how an ill fit putter affects the ability to repeat the stroke. Special thanks to Coutour Golf. Check out www.coutourgolf.com
  • Pre – putt routine and how “linear and non-linear” putters should approach the ball
  • Aimpoint green reading basics
  • Various drills for short and long putts and how to develop a practice plan to implement them

We videoed the students before and then after to show change in set-up and stroke. They will receive the analysis with voice over through email for their v1 locker for future reference.

Nancy and I are already planning the next putting school and we have discussed how to make it even better. Look for the dates coming in a few weeks and plan on attending if you want to improve your putting and lower your scores. Thanks again for the 6 wonderful students that endured the heat, left a better putter and for all your excellent feedback after the school on how to improve it.

For more information about our school and other programs; check out our website @www.danarader.com or call 704-542-7635 to schedule a lesson.

******Make it a goal to take a putting lesson this year and get fit for a putter. You will thank me after but your golfing buddies wont!

Please share this blog to anyone that might want more info on putting or golf in general by choosing one of the social media buttons below

Follow me on twitter @www.twitter.com/golfgurutv or friend me up on facebook @www.facebook.com/jasonsuttongolf

See you on the lesson tee,

Guru

Guru TV (archive) – Open Championship Week: The Knockdown Shot

July 11, 2011

Second to the Masters, the “Open Championship” is my favorite majors to watch because of the history and also because of the different style golf that will be played. This year at Royal St. George’s you will see the top players in the world fight the elements. It will be windy and rainy and they will be faced with playing shots that stay under the wind. Only the most patient and creative of players will survive this unusual test. Here is an archive video that I did last year for the Open Championship. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to sign up for “The Putting School” this Wednesday from 1:00 – 5:00 and the cost is 225.00. ******When signing up, mention that you heard about it from Guru’s Blog and receive a free 1/2 hour lesson. Call 704-542-7635 to reserve your spot

Follow me on twitter @twitter.com/golfgurutv or friend me up on facebook @facebook.com/jasonsuttongolf

Like our Dana Rader fan page and my www.golfgurutv.com fan page

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason

The Putting School with The Guru and Nancy Harvey

June 21, 2011

Are you really getting the most out of your golf score? Are you hitting the ball better but not seeing the results on the scorecard? Putting is nearly half of your score yet you put no practice time in to improve it. Does your putter fit you and is this important? How should I practice my putting and what drills should I be doing? These are all questions that you should be asking yourself as you rake it around for 36 putts or more. Get your answers to all of these questions and more by attending the 1st annual “Putting School” at the Dana Rader Golf School hosted by Master Instructor, Jason Sutton and Senior Instructor, Nancy Harvey. Here are the details and what is included in this amazing new program.

Date: Wednesday, June 29th       Time: 1:00 – 5:00   Cost:$ 225.00

What you will learn:

  • Before and After video of your putting set-up and mechanics with email video by V1
  • use of the latest putting training aids (the Kure, Putting arc, eyeline mirror, swinkey string)
  • Putter fitting with Coutour fitting system
  • Mechanical and Process Drills
  • Green Reading techniques
  • Red Zone putting test for improvement measurement

There are limited spots available so sign up tomorrow by calling 704-542-7635 to reserve your spot

Check out our website at www.danarader.com for more information

Leave a comment or send me a message on twitter if you have any questions:www.twitter.com/golfgurutv

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason Sutton, Master Instructor

Dana Rader Golf School

 

 

 

 

Junior Elite Training System Update: Training Champion Golfers

May 31, 2011

As most of you know, I started a new junior golf program for elite juniors called (J.E.T.S.) that includes 2 coaching sessions per month as well as 2 private lessons per month as well. I wanted to do something different from the normal junior golf program so I partnered with my T.P.I. level 3 trainer, Mark Kane (kanetraining.com) to help develop the kids physically as well as help them improve their golfing skills. I just finished my second month and I am very excited to say that is going very well. We have five kids currently signed up and I am so proud of how hard they have all worked. They are required to keep a journal of what they do when they practice and keep track of their stats using shotbyshot.com. My goal was to create athletes through the fitness and the drills and then teach them golf. The kids did a nice job of setting goals and writing them down and a few of them have been able to mark off a few which is pretty cool. Here are some wins to report so far:

  • Luke Thalman shot a career low tournament round of 65
  • Henry Shimp won a NJGC event by shooting 69-71 and is now ranked number one on that tour.
  • Aaron Walker shot 79-72 to win his first NJGC event

All of the kids have worked so hard and they have pushed each other which was one of my goals of this program. I try to promote a competitive team atmosphere to help motivate each of these fine young men. Here is a couple of videos that will give you an idea of how my coaching sessions are set up. Enjoy.

For more information about this program, please visit our website at http://www.danarader.com/

Follow me on twitter @www.twitter.com/golfgurutv

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason

“The Swinkey” : My newest training aid is becoming my favorite…..find out why?

May 23, 2011

My student Mike Smith using the swinkey as a putting aid

My boss came by the other day to watch me teach for a bit and noticed this Carolina Blue pole in my bag and was curious. “What is that?” she asked. “It’s my Swinkey I said” I proceeded to show her all of the uses that were possible as I unscrew the top of my training aid. “You are becoming quite the gadget guy,” she said. I never thought of myself as much of a training aid teacher as I try to utilize my hands to manipulate the student into feeling the changes that I want them to make and I still do. For those who know me are aware of how picky I am in what I use as aids for my teaching so it has to be good and it has to be simple for the student to use. I like training aids that are basically hard to screw up and I have found the one that you can use for the rest of your career. “The Swinkey”. The golfers toolbox or the Swiss Army Knife of training aids is many aids in one which makes it convenient and versitile. I was introduced to it by my good friend, National Canadian Teacher of the Year, Jason Helman (jasonhelmangolf.com) when he appeared on my Guru TV show last year passing through Charlotte. I met Todd Halpen, one of the owners of this fine training tool on twitter (swinkeytodd) and later met the rest of the guys at the PGA show and they are all great guys. They are all accomplished players and have an excellent idea of what golfers need to get better. I posted a question on the golf pro facebook group the other day to see what training aids were being used by some of the best instructors in the game and the Swinkey was on many of their lists which says alot.

The Swinkey Boys, Jason Helman and Me at the PGA show

The  Swinkey is a solid metal tube that holds two alignment rods and two metal stakes that can transform into so many different forms to help you get more out of your practice. I currently use it for :1) warmup swing trainer 2)alignment 3) ball position 4)swing plane 5)putting aid )putting string aim line 7) holding my impact bag in place. I am sure there are many others that I will find as I use it more. I would highly recommend that you order

my student Brian McAlpine using the Swinkey string for alignment

your today and start to get more out of your practice.

visit http://www.swinkey.comto order yours today and use PRO CODE:( Swinkey_26) to get a 10% discount. Just tell them The Guru Sent You and they will say Who is that? Anyway. I suggest you go get one now!

Please visit our website at www.danarader.com or call 704-542-7635 to schedule a lesson with the Guru and see the swinkey in action

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason

Latest Golf Illustrated Column: How Do YOU start your downswing? A sneak preview

May 4, 2011

Here is my latest column for Golf Illustrated that will come out in the Summer issue in June. I will also have a feature article titled “Hands and Arms University” so go get it when it comes out. I think that it is important that we understand the golf swing but as coaches we must create a feel for the student that is often very different than what is actually happening to make a long-lasting pattern change. For those who follow my writing and my videos, you know how important that I feel exaggerated rehearsal swings are to creating the proper feel for the student. For you students…..being able to rehearse your swing changes in slow motion is so valuable to your long-term change. Enjoy the article.

How Do you Start Your Downswing, It Depends On Your Pattern

One of the most difficult moves in the golf swing is “the transition” or what is best described as when the club changes direction from the backswing to the forward swing. What moves first? What should you feel? These are the questions that I am asked by my students on a daily basis. The problem is that every golfers swing patterns are different so we have to figure out what you need for your particular swing plane error. Most coaches would agree that the downswing plane needs to be near or parallel to the original shaft plane established by the club your are using. So that being the ultimate goal, you have to know where your club shaft is on the way down as it approaches the ball. If you are hitting it poorly, you will fall into one of two camps. You are above the plane too much (too steep) or you are underneath the plane too much (too shallow). Most of you will fall into the first camp but I will address both to be fair to those who might fall into the too shallow category. So let’s look at each area and talk about how to start your downswing to get you back on plane.

ABOVE PLANE (TOO STEEP)
If you are swinging the club too much from the outside or above the plane line on the downswing, you are starting the downswing with too much upper body rotation. The average golfer will often say, “I got quick.” This means that the upper body started before the lower body and throws the club outside and across the ball. I call these types of players “SPINNERS”. Typical ball flight for this pattern will be pulls and slices.

THE FIX (WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL)
To start your downswing, you should feel a small shift to the lead foot with your hips. It is very difficult for most players to separate there lower body and their upper body so if you try to rotate your hips too soon, your shoulders will be pulled out towards the ball and cause you to come over the top. The key feel here is to keep the hips and shoulders closed to the target as you shift your weight. This will give you time to pull or drop your hands and club down to the inside and into the slot. There will be plenty of time to rotate your body through the shot as your now have the opportunity to hit the inside of the golf ball. Just think SHIFT – DROP AND SWING OUT. No Spinning!

BELOW PLANE (TOO SHALLOW)
If you are dropping the club below the plane line in the downswing, your body is rotating too slowly and your spine is tilting away from the target too much. This pattern can cause you to hit the ball thin, fat and create pushes and hooks. You are the opposite of the spinners and are staying closed to the target too long which allow your hands and club to drop too much to the inside.

THE FIX (WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL)
To start your downswing, you should feel as if you are rotating your upper body faster and more level to the ground. Good players often call this feel,” covering the ball with your back shoulder”. This will keep your spine angle more vertical and not allow the club to drop too much from the inside. When done properly it will feel as if you are swing more to the left (for a right handed player). A great image is to try to get your hands to swing close to your lead leg and exit low in the follow through.

The first thing to figure out is which camp that you fall in. Are you too steep or too shallow? You need to see your coach and get your swing analyzed so you know which feel to implement. Once you find your pattern, the key to making changes is to exaggerate the opposite feel. The more you try to overdo it the closer you will be to an on plane golf swing. I hope this helps and remember,” The only place to get off of the plane, is at the airport.” Good luck with your golf.

To work with the Guru or get more information about the Dana Rader Golf School….check out our website @danarader.com or call 704-542-7635

See you on the lesson tee,
Jason

J.E.T.S. (junior elite training system): A different way to teach junior golfers

April 27, 2011

In an attempt to revamp our junior golf program this season, I took the reins on our elite junior program. I was already coaching several very good junior players so I came up with a system that I thought would bring them together and help take their games to another level. I was already doing many of these things with my kids so I just gathered all of the information and created this program to enhance some teamwork amongst the kids. My program includes 2 hours of private lessons per/month which allows me spend one on one time to work on mechanics and then bringing them together for two group coaching sessions twice a month where I can create a supervised practice atmosphere (similar to a football practice) and I have partnered with the best TPI trainer in Charlotte, Mark Kane to get the kids working on agility, mobility and power. My vision is to bring these kids together to promote some teamwork and also a competitive atmosphere that will drive the kids to become better. It is amazing how much more they tend to focus when their peers are watching and participating. I am also instilling in them the work that is required to become proficient players that might have the ability to play at the collegiate level. I give them homework every session that will include:

  • journaling about their practice sessions, lessons and results  of their required drills
  • entering scores in their shotbyshot.com accounts to track results and give us direction on the area of the game that we need to work on in our private sessions
  • the word of the day. So far we have discussed Accountability and Trust

I also created a Facebook group page to allow me to communicate and they can send me results of tournaments, questions that they may have and I can post pictures, articles and videos that I think would be helpful for the group.

Our first month was a huge success as Mark Kane worked the kids out last night and did an amazing job connecting and motivating the kids to push themselves through the “Cyclone” stations. Check out the video and meet our new stars or the future.

If you need more information about this program or have questions, feel free to email me at jasonsuttn@aol.com or check out the Dana Rader Golf School website @http://www.danarader.com or call 704-542-7635 to schedule a lesson

Please share if you feel this information is helpful and thanks for checking out my blog.

follow me on twitter @twitter.com/golfgurutv

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason

My Day With a Short Game Master

April 14, 2011

Every year as I compose my goals for my life and career,  I also update a list that I started about 15 years ago called my life list. A bucket list of sorts that included things that I wanted to do in my career. Several of them involve working with other top coaches. If you want to be at the top of your profession or field like I want to someday be, you must get around people who you admire or that have accomplished similar things that you aspire to do. Tony Robbins calls this modeling. I call this building relationships that will make you better with like-minded people. Today I am glad to say that I  can mark one of those items off of my list as I got to spend the day coaching with one of the best short game coaches in the world. Mr. Todd Sones (@toddsones). I have been fortunate in the last few years to build a relationship with Mr. Sones as he has kind of taken me under his wing and mentored me in many areas of the teaching business and life. So when he emailed my boss and asked if he could come to our golf school and partner with me and do a scoring game school I was very excited. An opportunity like this does not come along very often for me to work alongside a top 50 teacher and observe how he works with average players. I assembled 8 of my students to experience working with myself and Mr. Sones for a great day of learning about putting and the short game. We started off with a presentation about Todd’s philosophy and what the students should expect for the day which I recorded for your viewing pleasure (pending). I wish I would have had someone video the whole thing because I couldn’t process everything that I was witnessing as I was trying to teach and also follow behind my mentor as we went through each student.

We started with putting for the majority of the morning which included a set of stations for the students to work (drills and practice) as I filtered each student to Todd to assess and also fit for a coutour putter which is Mr. Sones putter company where he can build high quality putters that fit the student properly. Getting students into proper posture and then fitting them is the only way to go. Out of 8 students, only 2 of them had putters that were even close to what would allow them to putt to their potential and one had been fit by me. Needless to say, once we put putters into their hands and they could see the results immediately…..they all bought new putters. The great thing about Todd is that he has that ability to help the students and also educate other teachers as well. Myself along with some other staff members and one PGA pro who drove in from Virginia, were privy to observe and pick the brain of one of the best as he did his work. I had seen Todd present his philosophy many times and had many conversations with him about teaching putting but until you see a guy work one on one with a student, you just don’t get the full effect. To see how he could make simple adjustments to their setup, explain it to the student and have them understand it and implement it quickly was great to see. After 3 hours of putting instruction, the students were all able to tell us what we had worked on and how they will practice their changes which I feel is the true sign that the student really gets it.

We ended the last couple of hours by working on shots from the edge of the green and back to about 40 yards which is so crucial in the scoring zone. Mr. Sones believes, as do I, that the terms “pitch” and “chip” are terms that don’t fully describe short game shots. These terms are often misused and confuse the average golfer. So the cool thing about what he teaches is the different language that he uses for each shot. We taught the students these shots:

1. bump and run – short shot played with a putting grip and stance (pw, 8iron)

2. bump and spin – same shot only played with a sand wedge to spin it

3. hinge and hold – played from the rough using an early hinge action to create a steeper angle of approach

4. low toss shot  – 25 yards off the green

5. high toss shot – same shot with a higher trajectory

He uses a different way of getting into setup which start by setting the club for the shot at hand and then “standing to the handle” which positions the butt of the club in the middle of your body. This sets the proper ball position without even mentioning it which is one less thing for the student to think about.

Mr. Sones says” A good short game can be summed up in one word, “descend!” and a poor short game can be described as “ASCEND.”

There were plenty more nuggets that I picked up as we talked in between and after the session that I will have to share later or you will just have to hit me up on twitter or come and take a short game lesson. Better yet, come out and get fit for a Coutour putter that will help me teach you better.

Because today I am a better coach than I was yesterday and that is what it is all about…..Am I Right? I can’t believe that I get paid to do this. Thanks for reading my blog and share this with someone who needs help with their short game. You can find me at the Dana Rader Golf School on the both sides of the building….not just the range.  or on twitter @twitter.com/golfgurutv

This year, make your lesson plan include at least 50 percent short game and putting and you will thank me later.

*****Special thanks  to my friend Todd Sones for a great day and sharing his knowledge with me and my students.

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason

Guru TV – How To Change Your Swing On the Golf Course

April 3, 2011

One of the most frequent questions that I get as an instructor is,”Guru, How do I get my swing back on track when things go wrong on the golf course.” If I could market that answer I would be a rich man. After studying the best players in the world and watching how they manage their swings while playing, this is the best answer that I could come up with. As you watch the Masters Tournament this week, look out for these Strange looking rehearsal swings and check back with me next week. Leave your Masters pick or any comments below.

Please share this vidoe post with someone if you feel it was helpful

Follow me on twitter @twitter.com/golfgurutv

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason