Tag: guru

Mastermind Skill #5 (D-Plane Knowledge)

September 18, 2012

I do a weekly tip for my members at Carmel CC that I only share with them but I thought that this tip is what I would consider “The Most Important Golf Lesson” that you may get so I wanted to share it with you. In my 5 Mastermind Skills or the framework of success that I teach at the Academy, this is #5 but it probably should be #1. I assume that all teachers know and understand about the D Plane but it is amazing to me how many times I run into what I consider top teachers, watch videos or read articles that get this wrong which is amazing to me. So in order for us to make sure everyone in our industry is at least agreeing with something that has to do with helping our students get better……This may be the one undisputable fact! Ball Flight Creation. I don’t give a lesson without making sure my student understands the basics of this concept because I want them to be able to somewhat diagnose their ball flight correctly. So here is just a very basic video of the D Plane. I know there are other factors such as A o A and friction etc. but this is a great place to start for the average golfer. At the bottom I will describe 2 scenarios where your ball flight can fake you out so make sure you read the bottom.

 

2 Ball Flight Fake Outs

#1 The Pull Slice – As I described in the video, if your ball is starting left or straight and curving too much to the right, you must get the club swinging more inside to out and shallower (especially with the driver) in order to get a playable ball flight. If you try to close the face and don’t fix the path, you will hit LOW PULL HOOKS!

#2 The Pull Hook or Draw – One of the most difficult ball flights to diagnose is when you are swinging the club from inside-out or to the right and the ball is starting left and curving more left. Without a trackman or video, this is a tough one because the same ball flight can be created by a left path with a face angle that is in the same direction. So if you find that your path is to the right, then you have to get the club face pointing to the right of target line but left of the path in order to hit a very playable….Push Draw. This often happens because you are trying to flip your hands and wrists through impact or square the clubface too soon which you now know that you shouldn’t do. (that’s for another blog)

Feel free to share this blog and video and leave questions or comments in the comment section. Lets grow the game with the correct information, One golfer at a time.

Follow me on twitter @golfgurutv

Guru

 

 

7 Nights At The Twitter Junior Academy……Starts Tonight @8!

May 14, 2012

Here we go again. This time our mastermind crew is helping the juniors this week and it starts tonight at 8 pm. I love being a part of this group as we continue to grow the game and share information to help us become better coaches. Thanks to Jason Helman for putting it together and coming up with the topics and the great trailers. We have added two new faces to the line up which you will enjoy. A couple of young star coaches. Here is the line up and the topics that will be covered. Click on the link to follow these individuals on twitter.

May 14th – Day 1 – Jason Helman – Full Swing

May 15th – Day 2 – Dennis Sales – TPI Fitness and Outside Sports

May 16th – Megan Padua and Aaron Olson – Wedge game and Junior Fitting Importance

May 17th, Day 4 –  Rob McGill – Bunker Shots

May 18th – Day 5 – Jason Sutton – On course Playing lessons with Elite Juniors

May 19th – Day 6 – Sara Dickson – Games and Drills

May 20th – DAy 7 – John Graham – Putting, Neuro Learning and Junior Skill Development

I hope you will follow us and check out these top coaches and have your juniors join you for this Twitter Edition of the 7 Nights at the twitter academy

Guru

D-Plane with Trackman Maestro and John Graham

May 3, 2012

One of my 5 Mastermind Skills is educating my students on how and why the ball flies the way it does. I call it (D-Plane Knowledge) I talk about D Plane in just about every lesson because I want my students to armed with the correct information that will help them diagnose their ball flight and ultimately help understand why I choose the order of change that we are working on. Coaches and players alike, if you don’t understand the concept then you just aren’t looking hard enough or you probably won’t be reading this blog because the information is out there. I pride myself on trying to share the information that I have acquired from top coaches such as John Graham (and many others) with other teachers that will benefit and ultimately help grow this game of golf. Recently there have been a couple of great video explaining D Plane that will help answer some questions and also dispel myths about spin axis and why 2 D video can be misleading by John Graham and by Joseph Mayo. John has partnered with  Mark Strong to produce an excellent 3D video presentation that will be very insightful and informative. Go to http://johngrahamgolf.com/dplanevideo.htm to download for only 10.00. It will be the best 10 dollars that you will ever spend on your golf game or your coaching career. Here is an intro video:

I hope you find these videos helpful and let me know if you have any questions. Thank you to John and Joseph for taking the time to do these wonderful videos.

Follow me on twitter @twitter.com/golfgurutv

See on the lesson tee at Americas best club,

Guru

This Is Why I Blog!

March 1, 2012

I just received the nicest email from a guy that found my blog on the internet. Sometimes we wonder if anyone is getting the information and if it really helps. I am not trying to toot my own horn here but only trying to encourage those of you who are sharing information out there in the blogosphere to continue to share. People are reading and learning whether we know it or not. Most of the time we just get the criticism from the uninformed “negative nellies” (you know who you are) and we don’t hear how we have affected a golfers game or even their lives. I was nearly in tears when I read this for the first time because it affected me so deeply. Thank you “Mr. Wiz” for allowing me to share this with my peeps in the golf world. I think this is going to be a great 2012 for everyone and I hope that you reach your golfing goals. Let me know if I can be of any assistance. It’s what I live to do!

Here is the email that I received that will promptly go into my new testimonial page:

Hi Jason,
It’s Sunday night and it’s my quiet time but I wanted to take this
opportunity and thank you for the help you have given me unknowingly
but your blog site is truly amazing!

I found you quite by accident on the web just looking for someone that
could suggest some help on the proper backswing/takeaway (my takeaway
was way inside). I am a 4 hdcp. at The Tuxedo Club in New York state
and have been as low as a scratch a few years back but that was 2 kids
ago and they are now 19 and 23 so that tells you how long it’s been.

I am a self taught player and student of the game. Finding someone
like you was nothing short of a miracle for me, as you explain things
both verbally and visually ( the broom drill, et al) that clearly
define the feeling and look portions of the swing should look and feel
like.

Last night I didn’t make friends with my wife taking her time away but
I had to watch and read as much of your blog and former videos while
you were at Dana Rader that I could. What a revelation and truly
amazing! You cleared up so many misconceptions I cannot begin to
explain.

Additionally I had the opportunity to read your farewell to your
cohorts at Dana Rader and it was truly heartwarming and nice to hear
someone give thanks for opportunities and leave on great terms and
with only the fondest of memories.

Knowing that most PGA pros don’t get a lot of accolades for their
work, I had to take these few minutes to tell you how proud the PGA
sector should be to have someone like you representing it. You are a
credit to them, your family and all of your co-workers and members at
Carmel CC and they are very lucky to have you!

I wish you only the best in your new endeavor at Carmel and whatever
else you undertake. I also will look forward to any updates and new
videos on gurutv.com. Hopefully our paths will cross at some point in
the near future, as I may make a pilgrimage down to Charlotte to see
and take a few lessons from you. I’m hoping for a rejuvenated year now.

If your ever up in the New Jersey/ New York area (metro) please give
me a call. I’d love to have you up to Tuxedo for a day of golf at one
of the oldest clubs in the country with a storied history.

Wishing you only the best!

Sincerely,

Andy “Wiz” Wyszomirski
Mahwah, NJ”

See you on the lesson tee at Carmel,

Guru
 

I Want To Talk To You About Your Flare (not flair)

January 17, 2012

As I strive to learn more about the golf swing and ultimately help my students play better, I often turn to my golf pro friends through my social media connections. Whether it is one of the many groups that I am in on Facebook or my favorite way to exchange ideas,Twitter.com. So I was curious about what everyone thought about FOOT FLARE or the positioning of the feet at address and how it impacted a golfers swing. As I write this post I will tell you that I don’t have all the answers but experience and reasearch have their place because I can tell you what has worked for me as I will give you my opinion on this subject and give you some options that might help. But I want to share with you first what my colleagues answered when I posed the question: How much foot flare (with both feet) do you teach and feel is important and why? Here is what I got:

mikesparkspgamike sparks

@
@golfgurutv depends on body type. Barrel chested unflexible person needs more right foot flare to get behind the ball
andrewmarrgolfAndrew Marr, PGA

@
@golfgurutv yes – encourages more pivot and takes pressure off joints – not sure there is a standard but
KIRKOGURIKirk Oguri

@
@golfgurutv for golfers with average hip mobility, feet flared 20-30* with narrower stance works best. Reduces knee and back stress
 
golfwithgregGreg Baresel

@
@golfgurutv 15 to 20 degrees. Stability and rotation.
 
Sara_PGASara Dickson, PGA

 
@golfgurutv was just at Stack & Tilt academy 2 days ago. Always about 30* w/ lead foot & we also increased my back foot from little to 20*
 
Sara_PGASara Dickson, PGA

@
@golfgurutv Front foot flare allows hip slide. Back foot flare helps hip rotation on Bs and for me slower body rotation on Ds for faster pa4
 
mattdgolfMatt Diederichs

@
@Sara_PGA @golfgurutv Less lateral shear force on knee joints IMO as well. Big difference!
 
BradReddingGolfBrad Redding

@
@golfgurutv OK back to original question. Trail foot square lead foot flair towards target.
 
So it seems that most are in favor of some foot flare. 10 to 30 degrees seems to be the consensus on the front foot. The back foot seemas to be mixed a bit.Some want it square and some flared.  So here is how I see it. I would love to hear from more coaches and players with their opinions as I am just trying to learn what is the best way for the player. From my experience:
1. One of the most consistent swing errors that I see is the trail hip moving lateral in the backswing (sometimes even moving the weight to the outside of the rear shoe). This can cause you to limit your shoulder rotation and throw off your timing and sequence in the downswing. It often happens when the player is trying to keep their hips still (X Factor). With a limited shoulder turn, your hands/arms and the club cannot get deep (more behind you) enough to have a chance to returning the club on plane or from the inside without a huge plane shift.
2. Secondly, I see so many golfers that have been drilled into their heads the importance of turning through the downswing that they don’t have enough lateral slide toward to target to allow the hands/arms club shaft to drop to the inside enough. They spin the body, keep their weight back too long and end up cutting across the ball. I call these players, “BACK SIDED SPIN DOCTORS”
So how will foot flare help these problems and why?
I would suspect that it has a lot to do with knee, hip and ankle mobility for sure so this should be checked. I work with som many golfers that have had knee and ankle injuries and foot positioning is crucial for these folks.
RIGHT FOOT FLARE: Angling your rear foot out 10 to 20 degrees will increase your ability to extend your rear leg and rotate your hips more. More hip rotation will increase your shoulder rotation. If you don’t think you turn your shoulders enough, check this and you will see what i mean. The right knee will change flexion on the backswing. Look at any good player and you will see this. I didn’t say straighten but change, very important. If you try to keep your right knee flexed and don’t let your hips turn……Unless you are extremely hypermobile….I would expect you to shoot somewhere in the low 200’s.

Both Feet Square "Blocked"

SQUARE FOOT: You will see golfers with this back foot position and you can do it if you have good hip/knee/ankle mobility. It is easier to roll to the outside of your rear foot with your weight in this position so be careful.

 
LEAD FOOT FLARE:Probably the most important foot position in the golf swing: Teachers like Mac O’Grady

Lead Flare back Square

and many others have spoken of the importance of left foot flare. So what benefit will you have by flaring your foot 10-30 degrees.

1. It allows for the hips to slide laterally longer in the downswing which slows down the shoulder rotation (keeps you spin doctors at bay). This allows time to drop the club to the inside much easier. So If you are a cut across slicer, you probably need more slide and less turn for sure.
2. It takes pressure off of the left knee as it allows the knee to get over or slightly outside the ankle joint before starting to straighten (or post)……Does Tiger Woods come to mind? His new more centered pivot requires more hip and knee slide toward the target which is easier on his bad knee…hmmmm? And he has more foot flare as well.  Less injury to the knees and ankles can’t be bad, right?
BOTH FEET FLARED = DUCK STANCE (best of both worlds)

The Duck Stance "My recommendation"

 

I see so many of my students that start with a square lead foot and pick it up and turn their toes toward the target and wonder why….Because it should have been there to begin with.
When you are watching football this weekend, pay close attention to the position of the place kickers lead foot and how that affects his ability to slide forward, swing his leg from the inside and turn his hips through the strike.
Ok, so that’s my take on foot flare. Would love to hear what you think as I am trying to learn and the more I look at players on the PGA tour the more different everyone looks so we need to make some sense of it all. Until then…..
Follow me on twitter @twitter.com/golfgurutv
 
See you on the lesson tee at Carmel,
 
Guru
 

AimPoint Clinics At Carmel CC : Learn To #Make Everything!

January 9, 2012

I will be hosting (2) AimPoint Green Reading clinics at Carmel Country Club on February 25th. There will be a 10:00 a.m. and a 2:00 p.m. session. I will be joined by Owner of AimPoint Technologies, Mark Sweeney so it will be a memorable day for everyone. Each session lasts about 2 1/2 hours and the cost is $200.00 per person. This would be a great way to get your year started out by learning the revolutionary green reading system that will change the way you look at green reading  forever and help you make everything. Contact me at jsutton@carmelcountryclub.org to hold your spot.

See you on the putting green,

Guru

 

 

 

Reflecting On The Year Behind Us and How I Set Goals

December 26, 2011

Today I stood very still and thought for a while. I prayed a prayer of thankfulness. This time of year is great for two things.1) Reflecting on the year that has passed and 2) An opportunity to look ahead and make plans for the future. Isnt funny how we long to take days off but then we feel guilty for not doing something we would consider productive? I have a hard time sitting still. I am restless for change. I am so blessed with my life and what I have accomplished but that kind of thinking can often make you lazy and complacent. I don’t want to be that guy. So I had to write something today whether it made sense or not, I just had to have a brain dump of sorts. First of all thanks for showing up today as I never in a million years thought I would ever have something interesting to say that so many people would want to listen to. It’s funny how writing works. We think we are sharing our thoughts with our readers but really I am learning and growing as well. It provokes thoughts on both sides and hopefully we talk about it. This has been a crazy year for me and a memorable one for sure as I am finally doing exactly what I should be doing. I love my new job as Director of Instruction at Carmel CC. For many years I wondered when this career move that I had been preparing for all of these years would happen. After it finally happens,  I am able to look back and see that I wasn’t ready back then. I thought I was but I needed more preparation. More maturity.  I always say,” God is Never Late…..But He is never early either.” This often makes people impatient and they make mistakes.  I had set this goal 5 years ago and it has motivated me to get better in every area of my job. Whatever your goal is the key is to prepare yourself to be ready when the door opens because you never know. So now what do we do. We have the dream job and this opportunity ahead of us so now what…………..? Lets set some goals! I recently met with my staff and asked them to submit their goals for 2012. They did such a great job and I am excited to help them achieve them next year.  I have always been a goal setter as I feel it keeps me going in the right direction. Kind of like this blog, I tend to get going in multiple directions and don’t get anything fully accomplished unless I have a plan . It doesn’t matter whether you are a student trying to improve your golf game or a teacher/coach trying to improve your skills as an instructor, you need to write down some things that you want to accomplish. So here is some insight on how I go about this process every year about this time:

1.) First, look back at your goals for this year and see how many you were able to check off and how many you may want to carry over to next year. What you did well and the things you want to improve upon. (Reflection is important)

2.) I break mine up into categories such as:

1. Teaching production/units/income

2. New programs

3. Social media/marketing

3. Writing

 4. Speaking

5. Certifications and Continuous learning

6. Stretch Goals

Then I start to fill in the blanks with ideas, action plans and timelines. As soon as you decide on what you want to do, it is so important that you creat an action plan. These are the steps that you are going to make in order to achieve this goal. This could be an important phone call, a contact letter or a class to take….The main thing is to never leave a goal without creating action to move towards it.

Extra goals that I would encourage away from career goals are: Spiritual, Fitness and a Life or Bucket List……(for another blog)

I am not going to share all of my goals for this upcoming season but I will tell you that I am going to have a big focus on creating new programs which I am very excited about. I have the 2012 calender of events locked and loaded to share with my members at Carmel which will have a laser like focus on short game and putting as I will set a goal to see how many strokes I can take off of my members handicaps by year-end. Aimpoint, Putting Schools and Wedge fitting short game schools will be the highlights. Second will be more speaking engagements. I will host a PGA section seminar this spring as I am very excited to share the knowledge that I have acquired from many of you reading this blog, you know who you are and I  thank you. I have already been asked to do my first away game short game school (Thank you Rob McGill aka @golfprorob) that I am very excited about in March. FYI….I am free to speak at anyones club or section meeting as I would love to do that if you need someone to share coaching and social media ideas or personal development (shameless plug). In the writing category I will be finishing up my first book which I am excited about. Due to Golf Illustrated being bought out, I am available for more writing gigs if anyone needs an instructional editor. I will be writing for a new up and coming magazine called the Turn and will be an instructional editor which I am excited about but I have room for more (Golf Tips, Golf Digest, Golf Magazine…..If you are listening!  In the Certification category, I am very excited to be finishing my Aimpoint Green Reading certification in February. My members are already excited about the clinics that I have presented and will take that to the next level for sure. What certifications do you think is important? I am looking at a few for this year. I have put together a social media schedule of videos (Guru TV), increasing brand awareness,  tips and information to get the Carmel members more involved with the Carmel Golf Academy  (click to like our facebook page) and to help communicate better with them which I think is going to be great. Even the non-members will be able to view so don’t worry but I am excited to see what I can do with my new environment of outstanding members so stay tuned. The seeds that I have been planting are starting to grow. So thanks for being here for this brainstorming session. I feel better already and I hope you got something out of my rambling rant. I am so thankful for you the student and my fellow coaches that help me achieve my number 1 goal every year. Be a better coach than I was  last year…..and I have done that for sure. Talk to you tomorrow

*****follow me on twitter

*****friend me up on facebook and like our Carmel Golf Academy page

Guru

#Mentor: A Twitter Question : Advice For New Coaches

October 24, 2011

men·tor

 noun

1.a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
 
2.an influential senior sponsor or supporter
 
I spoke to the large group of insurance business people the other day on the  topic of  personal development. My speech closed with a quote from one of my favorite people, Mr. Zig Ziglar.It states “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want. Today, I was talking to a hungry, young driven golf professional that was seeking my advice on how to become a great teacher. First off I was flattered, second of all I was mindful to give him advice that I wish I would have gotten when I was new in the business. Gathering and sharing information and experience is something that i have enjoyed doing when I felt like I had something to offer someone who could improve their knowledge or outlook on the coaching business.  So before I tell you what I told the young man, I posed this question on twitter. The pool of outstanding coaches that I have on my twitter feed is something that I can’t put a price on and will never take for granted. Tonight I was the student and they were the mentors and just set back let the magic of social media run its course. My friends did not disappoint as they never do. The question was,” In 140 characters or less, what advise would you give a young coach?”  So here is a culmination of the answers that they came up with. So new coaches, take note and pay attention: I will use their twitter handles so you can follow.
JohnGrahamGolfJohn Graham
@golfgurutv I would tell them to get on twitter. Follow everyone you know and start a new topic conversation everyday by @ing #mentor
 
AMGolfMindCoachAndy Morrison
@golfgurutv ‘Be ready to meet the PERSON in front of you at their model of the world and shape your knowledge so it fits for them’ #mentor 
 
ParkytheProMartin Park
@Sara_PGA @golfgurutv “Those of us who dare to teach must never cease to learn”…there you go – less than 140! #JustforSara 
 
IanPeekGolfIan Peek
@golfgurutv understand impact,gather info from as many varied coaches as possible,test what youve heard,always ask customer what he wants
 

Sara_PGASara Dickson, PGA
@JohnGrahamGolf @golfgurutv #truth Twitter & it’s links to other resources has been the most help by far
benclaytongolf1ben clayton

@golfgurutv: Coaches. If you had to give a new, young teacher on piece of advice, what would it be. Learn not from a book #mentor”
 
DonalScottDonal Scott
@golfgurutv #mentor I’m still young;) so I can only speak from my experience so far. Lust for new info & be genuinely interested in people!!
 
alasdairwattalasdair watt

@golfgurutv Read everything,watch everything,Watch @ range @PGA events. Visit the best instructors. Then formulate what is best. #mentor
 
IanPeekGolfIan Peek

@golfgurutv #mentor part II ;look at the traits of successful people,gather info from the coaching world o/side golf,write down what u learn
 
BrentDavisGolfBrent Davis

@golfgurutv watch, study, read about & talk to as many different coaches as possible. Take what works and develop your own ideas #mentor
 
rcampbellgolfRobert Campbell

@golfgurutv Go see as many top teachers as u can, take lesson or observe them teaching for a day. #mentor 
 
TimCookeGolfTim Cooke

@golfgurutv read, watch, find people to teach! Must help people to develop coaching skill (not just talk about it!) #mentor
 
dancarrahergolfDaniel Carraher
@golfgurutv keep asking why #mentor
 
CMcCormickGolfCameron McCormick
@golfgurutv great question. Aspiring coaches must pursue knowledge outside of conventional sources/subjects. Gr8 coaching requires cont…
 
CMcCormickGolfCameron McCormick
@golfgurutv …knowledge in all facets that influence performance. Seek knowledge to differentiate from the masses. #mentor
 
jgpaUSAA. S. Graham III
@golfgurutv My advice: Don’t latch onto others 2 reach your goals. It’s not who U know, its the hard work U do that creates success
 
In my opinion, the great coaches always have a student mentality and are willing to share with others their experiences and knowledge because they understand the big picture. The problem with the golf business is that we don’t want to share best practices because we are afraid or insecure in our future. We think that if we assist others that they will take our piece of the pie. Let me give you a secret, the pie is very big and we havent even bitten off a nibble. There are so many golfers who are afraid of taking lessons because of all of the bad golf lesson experiences that continue to be given  because of coaches who aren’t prepared to guide the student in the right direction. IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT. It is us, the ones who are the caretakers of the game who need to make it our mission to reach out and share in order to improve the over all quality of the golf instruction business. Okay, Okay, I will get off of my soapbox and get to what my advice was to a young up and coming coach. It has all been said but this is what i think:
1. Find an experienced coach to guide you in the right direction (mentor)
2. Learn why the ball does what it does (D Plane)
3. develop your people skills first and then learn to teach. I see so many that have the info but cant communicate it to the average golfer
4. develop a servant attitude toward your students and learn to build relationships
5. If your student doesn’t get better, it should bother you. Figure it out! Ask for help and don’t be too proud
6.Teach as much as you can (even if it for free) to sharpen your eye. Nothing can replace experience on the lesson tee.
7. Learn all the different theories, methods..do your research and develop your way
8. Get around as many great teachers as possible and don’t be afraid to ask why?
9. get out of the box and learn from coaches in other sports and how they apply to golf
10. Stay humble and stay Nervous!
 
BTW: Twitter was on fire today. If you are not using twitter, then what are you waiting for…..the info is there!
 
Please share with any of the buttons at the bottom and your comments are always welcome!
 
See you on the lesson tee at Carmel,
 
Guru

Tiger’s Swing Changes – Has the Student Been Left Out Of the Process? Or Is Foley Salesman Of the Year?

October 12, 2011

I was recently asked by a friend of mine and fellow teaching professional of mine about what I thought of Tigers swing changes. This seems to be a hot topic in teaching circles since the sudden drop off of Tigers performance in the last year or so. Since the personal scandal that he has gone through, he has changed coaches (Haney to Foley) and now caddies (Williams to LaCava). I have set back and listened to everyone’s opinion on the situation and now I want to give you my two cents. As I understand the possibility of criticism from colleagues, peers and plenty of coaches that are way smarter than myself……I can take it! See as everyone focuses on Tigers swing changes which are vitally important and I will comment on, I want to bring another spin on things from a coaching perspective which is…..What does the student or in this case, Tiger….want from a ball flight perspective and from a past history angle. So here goes: I have posted 2 swings. 1 from 2008 and the other from this year to allow you to see the changes that Tiger and Sean have made.

1) The most obvious difference is the hand and arm plane in the takeaway. He is noticeably more inside with his hand and lead arm with the club more upright. In 08 his hands drifted away from his body with more forearm rotation with the shaft flatter at halfway back. As a coach I prefer this move as I spend alot of time fixing rollers and spinners of the shaft and club face.

2) the second change is with his arm plane/shoulder plane at the top and body pivot. Old Tiger had a flatter shoulder plane, higher arm plane and allowed his head to move behind the ball. The new changes are completely opposite. His shoulder plane is steeper, left arm is lower and head stays more steady at the top which from a coaching standpoint all matchup or what I call cancel each other out…..hope that makes sense.

 

The Good Part

As coaches, it is our job to work towards the goals of the students that we are working with. We all know that Tigers goals is to win majors, this is not what I am talking about. I am talking about connecting with and understanding the students needs.  When working with a player I want to find out there tendencies or their big miss and  work towards a pattern that avoids this miss. The question is did Foley really look at the swing characteristics and shot patterns that worked for Tiger in the past or is he so blinded by the philosophy that he thinks is superior or pattern of development that is the most efficient that he is not listening to his student. I don’t know the answer. Tiger is a very intelligent man and you would think that he would question every change for explanation why? Maybe Sean Foley is the greatest salesman in the world and has a logical explanation for the changes and has sold arguably the greatest golfer in the world that THIS is the way to go…. and that is great. It seems to me that Tiger is doing exactly what Foley wants in his swing changes but obviously they arent producing the results. Is it too early, I don’t know. Only time will tell. Personally, I think estetically his swing looks great as I love the way the stack and tilt hybrid looks to the eye. This is what Mac O’Grady and the M.O.R.A.D. boys would call very SEXY with the CP release that is low and around (and I totally agree. I would totally date that girl)……….:)

What I Would Do

but the facts are: Tiger has always been too shallow on the downswing which lowering his left arm and moving more weight forward would seem to accentuate which makes no sense to me. He always seemed to play better with a higher left arm (which I know doesn’t fit the pattern) but its true. This kept the club more in front of him and on plane and also taller through the strike.  So the question remains.” Has the student been left out of the process?” I hope not because as a big TDub fan, golf needs him to make a comeback and I would love to see it. I hope that team Tiger proves me wrong as if anyone could make it work, its Tiger. Remember, teaching is a moving target and it is our job as coaches and ambassadors of the game to figure out what our students need. If there was one way to move the club, they would all look the same……..And even the average bystander could tell that this isn’t the case. Comments are always welcome.

See you on the lesson tee at Carmel CC,

Guru …..I do teach non-members. To schedule a lesson, simply call the golf shop @704-945-3300 or the learning center directly @704-688-9201. If you have my cell number, you know what to do! 

p.s. made it through my first week and loving my new gig. There are great things to come!