Tag: golf instruction

Playful Learning Part 2 – Teaching vs. Coaching

January 18, 2011

In the midst of another P.G.A. Merchandise show, I think for those who don’t participate just don’t know what they are missing. I enjoy seeing the new products and gadgets but that is not why I attend. I make the trip to Orlando to network with other professionals and friends in hopes to find a few nuggets or ideas that will help me guide my students when I get back. My students can’t wait for me to get back because I always have some great information and stories to tell that will enhance their golf games. Information is not just going to jump in your lap. It is not going to knock you down and crawl all over you. You must be a seeker and sometimes it takes courage to learn something new because we are all afraid of being wrong. For all you zen lovers, “You must be an empty cup”. I have attended the top 100 Golf Magazine party with my boss for the last 7 years and I always set a goal to meet a new teacher that I admire and be prepared to ask an intelligent question when you get that opportunity, because it could be a small window. This takes courage (and maybe a few glasses of wine,shh!). Your networking moment may happen when you least expect it. Here is a story: Last year an editor friend of mine asked if I would stop by the Cricket of Arms” pub for a pint because he wanted me to meet his good friend, Craig Shankland. For those of you who don’t know Craig, he is a legend in the teaching and playing game. Top 50 teacher and just a great guy.  In the first five minutes he could tell how passionate about coaching that I was and he was gracious enough to share valuable information about his teaching and great stories about his good friend, Moe Norman which was priceless. We talked for about 2 hours over a few pints of Guiness and it  was awesome. I shared with him my goals and this was the two pieces of advice that I received:

1) Keep writing as much as possible because that is what keeps your ideas fresh and your brain thinking and growing.

2)Pay attention: MAKE YOUR PLAYERS MULTI-DIMENTIONAL (He is very old school and teaches many LPGA players). He said that you have to be able to adjust to every lie and can’t fall in love with just one swing plane. He doesn’t use video very much and takes his students out on the course for the majority of the lessons to greater prepare for all of the different shots that make up a round of golf.  (The Ultimate In Coaching)

The time I spent with Mr. Shankland was the highlight of my trip for sure so keep your eyes open for opportunities for learning and growing. I will be forever greatful for the time that he spent with a nobody teacher like me. I hope that someday I can be that person sharing all that I have learned to a young, hungry professional.

To succeed as coaches we must be versitile and know when to teach and when to coach.

Here are some quotes from Tiger Woods. Maybe he needs to reread these to get back to the days when he was free to self-discover.

“My lie dictates the shot I will play”

“I always listen to my body”

“Some days when I warm up I am hitting the ball low, other days I am hitting the ball high. some days the ball is drawing, other days it is fading. i just play what i am doing that day”

“Today when I practice I like to play games-in fact I like to practice more than play on the course. I still try lots of different things, just like I did with my Pop”

“We always practiced together seeing who could make the most 5 foot putts”

“As a child the club and the ball became my playmate”

“Ultimately golf is a journey-full of learning and discovery”

“On normal shots, I swing 75% of my power, on longer shots I swing at 90%. If I go all out, I do not make solid contact-which is most important.”

“There are no shortcuts- golf requires patience and perseverance, with a yearning for learning. Accepting the fact that it is a game of ups and downs and learning every time you play”

“when I play-it is almost as if I get out-of-the-way and just let it happen. I let it happen, I do not make it happen.”

“I won 12 times in the year 2000, including 3 majors and I only remember hitting one shot I would call perfect. It was the 3 wood on #14 in the third round of the British Open at St. Andrews. AS with every shot I attempt, I visualize that ball flight and the shot turned ou exactly s I had planned. Moments like that stay fresh in my mind, providing a positive image for future reference.”

“I will always be respectful and gracious to opponents-but I want to win, to beat you by a lot, to beat you bad.

I look forward to hearing about your P.G.A. Show learning moments. What are you waiting for……GO FOR IT!

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

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason

Are You Getting The Most Out of Your Workout? Get Out Of the Box!

January 14, 2011

As you know I work hard on my fitness. I am a big runner and recently completed my third marathon this past October (Chicago Marathon). I am not fortunate to have a very high metabolism, so i have to work hard to keep my weight down and to stay fit. I gain weight by just looking at a chocolate chip cookie. If you are one of those guys that can’t gain weight, I hate you, seriously.  One of my goals this year, to help improve my running and my golf is to get stronger in my core and upper body. My next race is the New York Marathon in November so I have time. If you are not getting the results from your workouts, you probably need to mix it up a bit, get out of the box. So I started doing my research and I think I found exactly what I have been looking for. This is my 2011 fitness routine as demonstrated by a PGA tour player.

Hahaha! Gotcha! It can’t be all serious, right. Who would have thought that
Ben Crane had a sense of humor.

Follow me on twitter @twitter.com/onplanegolf

I will be back soon with a serious post, but until then…….best of luck with your workouts and I hope you laughed today

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason

What Can I Do For You?

January 11, 2011

Welcome to your full service golf information blog. If this is your first day viewing my blog, welcome to Guru Nation. For those of you who follow me, thank you and let’s get busy on making this upcoming golf season the best ever. I have my goals in place and am very motivated to help as many golfers that I can with their games and also help coaches with information that will enhance their teaching. Some of my projects for the upcoming year include: authorship, improving my video/tv quality (Guru TV), writing for magazines, speaking appearances and blogging of course. I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what my audience needs and what they might want, but it is a guess at best. I frequently get the question,”Guru, how do you come up with all of your ideas that you blog about?” Most of my ideas are formed by my students that I work with on a day-to-day basis. My experience on the lesson tee is priceless. I learn something new every week that I spend talking to and helping people. So, In an attempt to achieve my 2 goals for this blog 1) to educate my readers and help your golf game and 2)grow my readership in order to reach more people so I can affect their golf games and their minds. SO I NEED YOUR HELP. Here is my charge to you, yes you.

1. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WAY OF POSTS AND OR VIDEOS

2. TELL SOMEONE ABOUT MY BLOG. SHARE THIS BLOG WITH AT LEAST 3 OF YOUR GOLF FRIENDS THAT YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS INFORMATION

Whether it is players or coaches, let’s get some dialogue going and help me bridge the gap between learning and getting RESULTS, which is the goal of every player or coach.

I look forward to hearing from you and I ask you again

WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

Follow Me on twitter @twitter.com/onplanegolf or friend me up on facebook.com/onplanegolf (Jason Sutton)

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason Sutton

704.542.7635 or danarader.com

Why You Shouldn’t Aim At the Apex of the Break

January 5, 2011

Stroke mechanics are only half of the battle to putting better. It doesn’t do any good to make a perfect stroke unless you read it correctly. Studies show that most amateurs under read putts which means they miss them on the low side. This is something that I have been preaching to my students forever using string or aim line aids to prove it. Mark Sweeney, the founder of aimpoint technology that you see on televised tour events, has developed a system to help you read putts more consistently. My friend John Graham is a certified aimpoint instructor (check out his blog @ johngrahamgolf.com)  or check the website (@ aimpointgolf.com) for more info. This is a wonderful video that demonstrates what I am talking about. I look forward to learning more about this system and maybe getting certified to instruct it. In the meantime. PLAY MORE BREAK. You will putt better in the long run.

Follow me on twitter @ twitter.com/onplanegolf

See you on the lesson tee,

Guru

“The Kure” Putting Chronicles, Day 6: Diary of a Passionate Golfer by Alan White

January 1, 2011

Hello Nation,
Here we go with day 6 installment.

Today is the day.
Headed to the course mid-morning for a round before the bowl games get into high gear. I am anxious to see if the KURE has had any impact on my putting. But before I get too far ahead of myself,  remember I needed to replace some dead batteries before I could get the KURE back into action. This mission was accomplished early this morning after the wife and I went out for some breakfast. I did a quick battery replacement, took 10 balls and went through the full routine. Going through the aim, stance and stroke. I wanted to get the feel of the KURE back since I missed a day yesterday. I did this right before leaving for the golf course.

Since we are closing in on day 7 lets go on a quick recap of drills and practice sessions. I tried to spend 30 quality minutes a day with the KURE. I started the original session with just aiming the putter and progressed over the next sessions by adding getting into my stance while keeping the club aligned to the target and finally making a stroke concentrating on getting the green light that shows the club was square at impact. I also left the KURE set up and as I passed by it during the day I would stop and hit 5-10 putts. I probably have a total 2.5 hours of focused practice not including the “ad hoc” putts or the time I spent playing around at different distances, angles, etc.

Now back to today and what happened when we took the KURE training to the course.

Guys and Gals listen up. It started on hole #1. I rolled in a 25 footer, followed up with a solid 12 footer on #2, then an 18 footer on 3. Before you know it I had 1 putted the first 3 greens. Now I know what is going through your heads at this point but believe me, I am a no BS kind of guy. I can certainly understand your skepticism at this point but read on it actually gets better.  I lipped out on 4 and 1 putted again on #5. This was 4 one putts in the first 5 holes.  Now don’t get me wrong I had a few 3 putts today as well but I have never come close to 6 putts in a 5 hole stretch. At least before today.

Today’s General Discoveries.

I had a great run of putting today. Was it because of the time spent with the KURE? Ultimately who knows for sure. Golf if a funny and amazing game. Putting even more so. This much I do know. I spent quality time over the past few days working to improve my putting. I re-enforced this practice by going over my routine with the KURE right before heading to the course. I then had one of my best days putting ever. Coincidence?

I don’t believe in coincidence.

Tomorrow will be the last installment. I will try and summarize the Good and Bad with the KURE. Tune in then
Alan

*****I WILL HOOK UP THE PHONE NUMBER AND DISCOUNT CODE FOR “The Kure Putting Solution” after Alans last post on Sunday for anyone interested in purchasing one.

See you on the lesson tee and happy New Year,

Jason

The Kure Putting Chronicles, Day 5: By Alan White

December 31, 2010

Hello GURU nation,
Here we go with Day 5 installment.

Well I have to apologize as today’s installment will be short. Yes I hear you, Hallelujah you say, We want the GURU! We want the GURU! Well you only have 2 days left so “grin and bear it”

It seems that I must have jinxed myself talking about batteries. During the ball games last night I would take advantage of the commercial time outs to race upstairs and get a few putts in. As it turns out I must have forgot to turn the KURE off before I went to bed. As Phil Mickelson would say “I was an idiot”. Since I am feeling a bit lazy I am not going to make a special trip to Wal-Mart tonight, I will pick some up on my way to the golf course tomorrow morning.

Today’s General Discoveries

  1. The KURE will not run forever without replacing the batteries.
  2. I will  say and I hate to admit this but, remember those little yellow and green lights I lamented so much about last night? I think I miss them.


Sorry GURU and the nation but with the help of the energizer bunny I will be back tomorrow in full stride.

Alan

The Kure Putting Chronicles, Day 3: A Diary Of A Passionate Golfer by Alan White

December 29, 2010

Good afternoon Guru Nation
Here is day Three’s installment with the KURE.

Today’s session began as normal for me. Double checking the KURE. I have not removed any components since the initial setup and after today’s check-out the KURE is still spot on. I started the session where I left off yesterday, using the “rock in” to check out my initial aim as I set the putter behind the ball. The results were a little better than yesterday. I did 3 reps of 10 tries and went 6,7,7 of ten. Still not where I want to be, as they say “old habits die hard”. The thing that still shocks me is how hard it is to line up the putt correctly after doing it wrong for quite some time. To me this is quite different from making full swing changes. In a full swing change things FEEL a lot different. Using the KURE things LOOK a lot different. The eye/brain just does not want to co-operate.

Today’s “General Discoveries” will focus on how the KURE is different from other putting training aids that I have used. I have used many aids in the past. Chalk lines, stretched strings, the eye-line mirror, plane board, etc. so I have some experience with these aids. So how is the KURE different?
    
1.  The biggest difference I have seen so far is that the KURE uses no lines. Lets take the old standby, a chalk line. I have used a chalk line in the past with varied results. The problem I always had was if a line was present setting the putter down on the correct aim became easy. Heck that was a no-brainer, just follow the line right?. The same is true with the mirror board, strings and other. Regardless of how much I would try to “ignore” the reference line it was always there helping lead the way. Not so with the KURE. With the KURE you have to visualize the line then set the putter down with no “hints” as to what is correct. If you get the yellow light you are good to go. If not you can quickly check to see where you error was. This is some pretty solid feedback.

2. I listed this second but it is really a tie. The KURE gives you immediate feedback on the face alignment of the putter at impact. How cool is that? Short of video I do not know of another aid that gives you this information. If you get the yellow light, make your stroke, get the green light, the ball will be going to the target. Again pretty good stuff.

3. It allows you to experiment with some level of confidence. Ever wonder if using just your right hand to align the putter was better for you than using both hands? How about cross handed vs. conventional. I think that using the KURE would help in determining if the changes you are thinking about making or are actually trying to make are better. Think about it. If you can line up the putter correctly 10 out of 10 times using just your right hand and only 6 out of 10 times using both hands that would be good information to have.

4. The KURE uses batteries (3 types). My chalk line does not. Yes I know. In the age of laser range finders and GPS systems with fly-over mode batteries are almost as essential as a tee. But,,,,I still rue the day that drive to the practice range setup the KURE only to realize that a battery has expired.

In summary, the KURE is beginning to grow on me. Once you get familiar with it and think about the things you can do it’s pull becomes stronger. With the weather continuing to moderate the snow should melt by Tomorrow.  I hope to take it to the practice green and get some “real” experience with it.  

See you tomorrow.

Alan

7 Days With “The Kure”: A Passionate Golfers Journey, Day 1

December 27, 2010

The Kure Putting Solution
As the Guru takes a few days to catch his breath after my 20 day “blogging binge”,(I am sure there is a 12 step program for this sort of condition), One of my long time students, Alan White has been gracious enough to chronicle his exploits into his putting practice with “The Kure Putting Solution” training aid. I can assure you that we have not conspired about what he is going to write. All I can tell you is that Alan is a very passionate golfer that is a very straight shooter. What I am saying is that this will be a very honest, forthright assessment on this training aid that I have been talking about for  a few months. So if you are on the fence about purchasing one, this is sure to sway you one way or the other. I hope you enjoy the posts and thank you Alan for taking the time to share your perspective from an amateur golfer. I am sure many of you will be able to relate to this diary of sorts.

Well GURU nation a conspiracy has been under foot. It seems a certain golf instructor had passed along a gift wish of mine to Santa (a.k.a the wife) this year. I am now the proud owner of the KURE putting system and I must say they did a great job of keeping it a secret. I was certainly surprised. I know a lot of you out there have been curious about this device so I thought I would share my experiences as I work with the KURE over the next week. I will give you both the good, bad and the ugly so to speak.

Day 1.
    Just unpacked the KURE inspected it and installed the batteries that were provided. The KURE comes packaged in a nice little plastic case that houses the KURE putting system and a short instructional video featuring Sir Nick Faldo and Mike Shannon from the Sea Pines resort. Mike gives the promotional side with Sir Nick covering the use and providing some drills to use. This video is NOT a putting lesson it just covers the basic use of the KURE and its benefits.

    The KURE system itself consists of 3 components.
        First is the “Target Module and Stand”. It is powered by 3 AA batteries (included). The stand is 4 legs and the module sits on top of the stand. When assembled it resembles a spider that sits over the hole or the target of your choice. Going forward I will refer to it as “The Spider”. Second is the “Aiming Module” this is a lightweight plastic part that attaches to your putter shaft. It is powered by one of the small coin batteries (included). The last component is a small “Laser module” It is powered by 2 AAA batteries (included) and clips to the Aiming Module after it is attached to your putter. The module outputs a laser so you can precisely align the aiming module square to your putter face.

Setup
    Setup is straight forward and took about five minutes the first time. I can easily be done in about minute once you understand the basics. The only issue I had initially was the laser module did not turn on. A set of fresh batteries were installed  and that took care of the issue.

The KURE in action.
    Before we get to far into the actual performance of the product. Let me clarify the basic use and feedback of the KURE. The aiming module (after attachment/alignment to your putter shaft) has a small green light built into the top of it. This green light provides feed back on your head/eye position. If your eye is directly over the target line the light will show bright green, as you move your head off the line the light will actually appear to blink then grow dim the further you eyes get from the intended line. The Target Module or “Spider” has  light two lights in the front of it. A yellow light and a green light. When your putter face is correctly aligned the yellow light will turn on to let you know you are correctly aligned.  The green light comes on after you stroke the putt if the putter face was square to the target at impact. So the sequence goes something like this. Step into your address position and line up the face so the yellow light will come on (it will stay on as long as your putter face stays in alignment). Double check the green light on the aiming module to verify eye position. Make your stroke. If the Green light on the spider comes on you know that your stroke resulted in a square putter face at impact.
    OK here we go with a real try at using the KURE. First let me say that currently my misses with the putter are almost always to the left. “Crap I pulled another one” is usually heard a lot during my rounds of golf. Anyway I set up a small target in the living room, placed the spider over it, dropped 1/2 dozen balls on the carpet 7-8 feet away, got into my address position, aimed the putter at the target and…….I did not get the yellow conformation light. Heck I say… The hole is only a couple of steps away so I back up, reset, and move back into the ball, aim the putter and……still no yellow light. This time around I rotate the putter until I got a yellow light and guess what. I was originally aimed ~3 inches to the left of my target. I repeated this a couple more times to confirm and sure enough I was consistently aiming left of my target. So now I move my body around until the yellow confirmation light came on and WOW I felt like I am aimed way to the right of the target. Now I am in denial, as I honestly did not believe I could be that far off on a putt of that length. So what do you think I did next?….Still in denial I re-checked the alignment and placement of the aiming device on the putter shaft because THAT had to be wrong. It was not. Still in denial I went back and re-tried addressing and aiming the putter….with the same results as before I was still aiming left of the target. Still in denial I enlisted the aid of a lovely assistant (my wife). I had her aim the putter face until she got a yellow light and I laid down on the floor behind the putter to confirm that it was aiming at the target and guess what???? It was aimed directly at the target::: 🙂
    I am not in denial anymore…..I can say it now…..I have not been aiming the putter where I thought I was. I have run out of time for today’s session but I will be back tomorrow and pick up where we left off today. Just a final thought ,maybe, just maybe those putts that I was “pulling” were not getting pulled after all…..

Best,

Alan White

20 Days With the Guru, Day 19: How To Choose A Golf Coach

December 24, 2010

As you set your goals for 2011, your golfing success could hinge on getting the right

which one are you?

coaching for you and your game. Golf is a game that is difficult to learn without another set of eyes and some guidance through the learning process. This is why the best players in the world on the P.G.A. and L.P.G.A. tours have coaches that keep an eye on their technique. A great coach is not only a swing changer but can be a valuable sounding board for a golfer in all areas including the mental side and course strategy. Sometimes an individual to listen to a post round synopsis or an encouraging pep talk before a round can be the difference between success and failure. I believe in coaching in all areas such as business, spiritual and physical fitness as it pertains to your needs in golf and in life. The question becomes,”How do I find the best coach for ME (you)?” Here are some ideas that may help push you in the right direction:

1. First, decide on what type of lessons that you want. Private or in a group setting. I think groups are a wonderful way to learn the game with friends and family. Small groups (4:1 ratio or less) is a great way to meet other golfers of like ability. Private instruction is for the golfer that needs more attention. You decide.

2. Do your research: Just like making any major purchase, I would suggest doing some homework. Here are a few keys to get you started. 1)ask your friends that take lessons (if they are getting better) who they see. 2)Ask the better players at your club who has the best reputation, they will tell you.

3. Interview the coach before hand. 1)ask them their teaching philosophy (if they can’t give an educated answer or say something like “I just keep it simple”, might not be worth your time. 2)Are they busy? Great teachers teach alot because their students come back. Ask them how many lessons they give a year. Easy sign of a successful coach.

4. Check out their website, blog or videos. This will give you an idea of their personality, teaching ideas and presence before you contact them.

5. Is the coach easily accessible for follow-up questions – I have no problem giving my students my email address and social site handles so they can contact me whenever they want. The last thing I want to do is leave them out there without there questions being answered. If I don’t, someone else will.

6. Does the coach ask you for your golfing goals? Do they listen to your feedback? There are too many coaches that are self-centered and have their own agenda. They might have lots of knowledge but it is useless unless applied to help the student improve.

7.  Ask what kind of training they have had and how did they learn to teach and coach. Will give you some insight into what you might get during a lesson.

8. Finally, you can tell if the coach enjoys what they do and is passionate about teaching golf by their body language and personality. Do they dress an act like a professional? Find a personality that will help you improve. Some need nurturing ann some need tough love. An expert coach knows when to do both.

Books are great to learn new ideas and to see pictures on different skills. Videos are great for the visual and auditory learners to help clarify and educate golfers. These things will only take you so far…………NOTHING CAN REPLACE spending time with a great golf coach. The only way I can allow you to feel what I am teaching you is to use my two favorite training aids: MY TWO BARE HANDS. I am a master of manipulating my students during the lesson and creating the correct feel for the change. The other venues simply wet your appetite, you must join me on the lesson tee to get the FULL COURSE MEAL. Just like any business or occupation, there are good teachers and then there are not so good teachers. Choose wisely and you will be able to enjoy this great game for many years to come. I don’t care what your buddy might say after he shot 130, It is always more fun to play better. Heres to your greatest golfing year ever, 2011

See you on the lesson tee,

Jason