Here is a great video that I found from the Dave Phillips (TPI Instructor) about the pelvis and early extension. Those of you who have worked with me know that I always draw a line on your rear end to check for early extension (or your hips moving inward toward the ball). This is a difficult problem to fix because most of the time it is physical and not model driven. This is a big problem for amateurs because it limits the space between the club and body in the downswing and causes all sorts of impact problems. If you tend to push, hook or scoop at impact you are most likely trapped because of this issue. Make sure you get tested by a certified T.P.I. professional such as my guy, Mark Kane @www.kanetraining.com to see if you need to work on this all important area of the golf swing to improve your ball striking.
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.
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.
As I continue to film new episodes of Guru TV, If you have come to my blog late and haven’t seen some of my old video shows, I thought I would bring back a few of the archives from days of old. This is a video that I did with one of my students and my TPI fitness expert that I work with, Mark Kane. As we start the golfing season it is important that you understand more about your body. What can it do and what it can’t do is important information to have in order to target these weak links in your fitness program. I highly suggest that you seek out an educated T.P.I. golf fitness instructor that can help develop a program that meets your needs. It always surprises me how many golfers that don’t know about The Titleist Performance Institute so click on the link to get more information
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See you on the lesson tee (704-542-7635 to schedule your time with the Guru)
Thank You to all of you that have been with me on this blogging journey of 20 days in a row (I’m exhausted,whew!) and Merry Christmas to you and yours. On day 20, I have a treat for all of you. It is with my great pleasure to introduce my friend and the other half of TEAM GURU, Mark Kane (kanetraining.com). He is one of the best in the business of physical fitness in golf, physical therapy and injury prevention. He is very knowledgeable and you will be hearing great things in the future from this guy. Enjoy the post:
Right off the bat I would like to thank the Guru, Jason Sutton, for allowing me the opportunity to express my views on his blog. Jason is one of the finest golf instructors in the country and it is a pleasure to contribute to his Guru Nation readership.
In today’s blog I would like to cover a topic that plays a huge role in your overall health and golf game…Mobility. Unfortunately, many people associate mobility with only flexibility which is incorrect. Simply put, mobility is the ability to move freely without restriction or compensation during a pattern of movement.
In addition to flexibility, mobility also includes joint mobility, soft tissue mobility, coordination, and stability. All of these attributes contribute synergistically to the common goal of the golfer…the ability to produce a smooth, effortless swing. How many of you in the Guru Nation can lay claim to having a smooth, effortless swing that produces a square club face at impact?
As we reach the end of 2010 I’m quite sure that many of you are going to make golf fitness a priority. Goals for the New Year could include increasing your power, getting stronger and being more cardiovascular fit. Unfortunately all of these goals are based on assuming that you have the ability to move freely in a multitude of directions. Noted physical therapist Gray Cook states that mobility should form the base of your fitness pyramid. If mobility is not addressed first then we are putting fitness on top of dysfunction. Having clean, authentic patterns of movement should form the basis of any sport or fitness program. If not, you will join the millions over time who have become adept at movement compensation.
After reading the first few paragraphs of this blog you may be wondering if you do indeed move well during your golf swing. The only way to find out is through some form of an assessment. As part of the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) family my role is to assist the golf instructor in determining if there are any physical limitations that may be contribute to the client’s swing faults. TPI has developed a golf specific physical assessment which will expose any movement limitations that the client may possess. Additionally, these movement limitations can correlate to specific swing compensation(s) found in the typical golf swing. For example, if you don’t meet the range of motion requirements for the Seated Trunk Rotation Test then odds on your swing will demonstrate a Sway as a compensatory motion.
Once a mobility issue is identified then it is simply a matter of using the appropriate corrective strategy to address that particular weak link. A holistic approach to problem solving may include a foam roller program for soft tissue mobility, an exercise to increase pattern range of motion and finally working on that particular motion as it pertains to the golf swing.
So, if you want to improve your golf game start with an assessment from the Guru. From there, take the time to have a TPI Professional assess your golf specific mobility and make it a priority to move more efficiently and make mobility the cornerstone of your golf fitness program.
Do you find your arms seperating in your backswing? Ideally, the distance between the elbows should stay the same from address to the top of your swing. I know this isn’t a fundamental as there have been a few pretty good players play with a high rear arm, such as: Jack Nicklaus, Angel Cabrerra and Carl Petterson. This makes the transition that much harder to shallow out the club and keep it on plane. Keep the elbows together and see if it improves your ball striking. Enjoy the show. Comments are welcome.
This is the first episode of Guru TV. My first guest is Mark Kane. Mark is an unbelieveable fitness instructor and physical therapist that I send alot of my players to. Mark is great at targeting their weaknesses and helping them get more mobile and strong. This in turn allows me to make the changes in their swings that they couldn’t make otherwise Check out his website if you want to work with Mark at kanetraining.com. I hope you enjoy my first attempt at a tv show. Feel free to suggest any topics or questions that I could cover in upcoming episodes. God Bless, Guru
The Golf Guru Show 