An Easy Way to Get Out of Bunkers – Made Simple
Bunkers have ruined the scorecards of many amateur golfers, either leaving the ball in, or over shooting the green through taking little or no sand.
In this video Chris Ryan shows you a simple technique that can help you get out most times and ensure that your next shot is with the putter.
How to Break 70 – Lower Scores with Stress Free Golf DeShambo Proof..
Well playas, here is the best round of my life. No, not my best score, just the best, most well-thought out and constructed round I have ever played. Why do I say …
Because I committed to a few important concepts before the round and had the discipline to stick to it 95% of the time. Now the concepts are based on the overarching PLAYING OBJECTIVE I decided before the round.
I needed to play Stress Free Golf. Now for the numpties out there who want to talk about me preaching Stress Free Golf and then point out I get frustrated after a poorly executed shot due to lack of commitment…..well numpties, you need an IQ higher than single digits to watch this channel. Life is 3 dimensions, this is not a Nintendo 8 bit console. We live in an XBOX 360 world.
Frustration comes from knowing what to do, and then not doing it, because something mental gets in the way. Unfortunately there is a small population of people who think people who put ideas forward are robots. None of us are robots and playas, sometimes we have to unleash the dragon within, otherwise we get wound too tight and there goes the round.
A club toss here, a club drop there, a grunt in disgust and a clubhead lodged in the turf, we are humans.
BUT….To Break 70…
Leave it where you stand. Then move onto the next shot. The next shot, the next hole, the next approach needs to be planned. That is how you get over the frustration of being a poephol on the course. You MUST focus on planning and plotting how to get that ball from the next position, into the hole.
Stress free golf does not mean ROBOTIC Retief Goosen golf. It means a long and winding PROCESS of planning properly, committing to the plan. executing the plan, then doing it over and over again, always guarding yourself from the ego thoughts (brain farts) coming into your head .
At every given moment you MUST be hitting the simplest shot possible IN THAT SITUATION to put yourself in a stress-free state. If you can do that even remotely close to 100% of the time, you’ll SMASH your personal best by minimum 10%.
The proper golf swing can be further developed by a general understanding of golf swing mechanics. Bio-mechanics is a process of measuring movement and response of the body during activities. Golf swing mechanics have been extensively studied and measured, and much of the information is used for equipment design and golf instruction.
The easiest way to learn is by relating what you know, to what you want to learn. Virtually anyone can hit an object with a stick. Think back when you were a child learning to play baseball, hockey, and cricket or any sport using a stick. Beyond someone showing you how to grip the bat, stick, or club you instinctively knew what to do to in order to move the ball after a few successful attempts.
Golf is the same. Improve your golf swing with a clear understanding of golf swing mechanics and body movement and enjoy golf more. Once you have a grasp of the common elements to the swing, it is just a matter of improving your execution for a lifetime of progress.
For the purpose of golf improvement, when looking at the biomechanics of the golf swing rather than talk through complicated physics in detail, we’ll consider a few very important points that will help you improve. Mainly the difference in golf swing mechanics between a golf professional and a recreational golfer.
Let’s look at the perfect golf swing in five parts:
1. Address and takeaway to the top of the backswing
2. Transition and downswing to horizontal.
3. Downswing horizontal to impact
4. Impact to follow through
5. Follow through to finish
We will give attention to areas of difference between golf professionals and recreational or amateur golfers and show how understanding these differences in golf swing mechanics can improve the golf swing more quickly.
1. Address and Takeaway to the top of backswing
The beginning golfer has a tendency to lean away from the target on the takeaway to the top. Commonly referred to as a sway. This move is a significant source of loss of power due to the fact there is very little storing of energy. The hands, wrists and arms begin the takeaway and it is the upper body that needs to rotate. The hips also rotate but hip rotation is considerably less than trunk rotation. When we lean away from the target the upper body torso and hips rotate almost the same, if at all, therefore there isn’t enough coil to produce sufficient speed when we return the club to the ball.
2. Transition and downswing to horizontal
A significant difference between beginning golfers and more accomplished golfers during transition and downswing is in the range of motion of the left (for right hand golfers) wrist. During this part of the swing amateurs tend to use a larger range of motion in the left wrist even though the overall range of motion for this part of the swing is actually less. In observation this sets up what is seen as an early release. Professionals on the other hand tend to “hold the angle” through impact. Rather than allowing the club head to pass in front of the hands prior to striking the ball. For the recreational golfer this again contributes to a significant loss of power and inconsistent ball striking.
3. Downswing horizontal to impact
Bio-mechanical studies of the golf swing have shown that, as the experienced golfer approaches impact, forward bending (forward bending is considered an athletic position) actually decreases. So the golfer is standing taller at impact than at address.
This fact is missed by most instructors and is why getting in a deep athletic stance is a cause of miss-hits. Most recreational golfers should actually stand a little taller at address. This will help combat topped or thinned shots.
4. Impact to follow through
Once again we can learn from the difference between professional golfers and recreational golfers. As the swing gets closer to impact, amateurs tend to decelerate in an attempt to correct the position of the club head. Most often the feeling of the club head being out of position is due of poor setup, hip turn or a timing issue. Professionals generate 15-30% greater club head speed through impact. This is accomplished primarily through the proper use of the fingers, hands and wrists. Also, because from swing to swing there is less variation with pros so there is less thought of the club head being out of position prior to impact allowing acceleration to continue through impact.
5. Follow through to finish
The evolution of golf equipment has changed some aspects of the golf swing. For the most part a quality swing today is bio-mechanically the same as it was 100 years ago. The finish however is one of the elements that have changed though the years. Previously the finish was more upright and less of a continuation of rotation. The modern swing, due to stiffer shafted clubs requires more speed. The inertia of the swing should carry the club head through to the finish. A bio-mechanic view of the muscles with high activity during the follow through and finish shows the serratus anterior or “boxers muscle” with a high level of activity even as the swing is finishing.
This muscle along with others is primarily responsible for the movement of the shoulder blade. The implication here is clear. A good finish is when the arms are extended out from the body as in throwing a punch. Often recreational golfers quit on the swing, thus allowing the arms to collapse. Again this is an indicator of an earlier swing flaw.
Summary:
The study of golf swing mechanics can get very complicated but by taking a look at the differences between recreational golfers and professional golfers, we can focus on key body movements that get results. Focus on getting the fundamentals right. Relax and allow your natural ability to take over and it becomes easy to play golf at an enjoyable level.
One final thought although not covered previously, understand that an overall level of fitness and flexibility will be important in the repetitive execution of the various parts of a golf swing.
Golf Made Simple: Rated One Of The Top 3 Golf Schools In America!
Out of the 133 Golf Schools and 26,000 PGA Professionals in America, we are recognized as the 3rd best! Why? Because “92% of Golfers improve 6 to 11 strokes during their 3 day program!” GMS is a proven learning system that will help you improve your golf swing so that you become more consistent on the golf course.
When you attend a Golf Made Simple Golf School, you will receive 6+ hours of golf instruction each day. Each morning you will start instruction on the practice area. Each afternoon, you will have 6 holes of On-course Instruction with your Instructor, where he will help you carry your improvements onto the golf course. Additionally you will receive lunch in the clubhouse each day, enrollment in the Instructor for Life Program, and access to the GMS Player Page.
1. Butch Harmon Schools of Golf
2. Dave Pelz Scoring Game School
3. Golf Made Simple
Complete golf swing flow and finish. Smooth golf swings and consistency made simple.
Alex Fortey from the Art of Simple Golf gives you a simple golf tip to improve your ball striking to have a better golf swing that is smooth, powerful, delivers the good strikes but is not complicated as it’s just a very easy thought to have over your irons shots and drives to complete your golf swing.
It’s effective and the best thing of all is it’s a simple golf swing thought to hit your irons better and longer consistent drives
Learn what you need to do to be more consistent with iron shots and your golf swing This simple golf tip is just about moving through the ball instead of the focus being at it. Hitting at it. It’s destructive.
That can cause heavy and thin golf shots, poor consistency and losing distance. If you use this thought of a low point, it will help contact and power. Hit more greens and see the ball rip through the air. better angle of attack for more distance and of course consistency.
This is one way to learn the easiest swing in golf that is natural but it’s advisable for all ages and abilities to use this method, or at the very least try it next time your practice your golf swing.
It might just make things that much easier for you!
BASIC GOLF SWING DRILLS – THUMBS UP DRILL
Basic Golf Swing Drills. If you are looking for easy swing drills then this weeks golf lesson will help you build a better golf swing in a very simple way.
LEARN TO HIT LONGER STRAIGHTER DRIVES CONSISTENTLY!
How would you like to hit a longer, straighter drives every time?
Don’t kid yourself any longer learn how to hit the ball further than ever.
Here are some great tips to help you hit your driver longer, straighter and more consistently.
How to Position Your Hands During the Golf Swing for More Distance and Control
I have written extensively about how the hands operate during the golf swing because their function is probably one of the most critical aspects of the entire swing.
I have received several requests from readers asking about various aspects of hand technique, so I thought I would use this article to share some of the main points that came from their questions.
Before I dig in, I just want share some thoughts about how I approach golf instruction with students because the overall sense I get from the nature of the questions that have been raised is that readers are searching for answers about the hands that are often over analyzed and impractical to control…
The golf swing can be a very simple and efficient action if it is approached that way…
It can also be an extremely complex action if you try to break down and analyze all the moving parts of the swing with the aim of trying in some way to consciously control each little element.
I simplify the swing into two critical moving parts:
1. The rotation of the shoulders and trunk
2. The rotation of the hands
With each of these motions you are aiming to achieve two objectives:
1. A simple single plane swing
2. Fully cocked and relaxed hands
Unlike other sports such as tennis where you have to have complex variation in your hand action and swing action to out maneuver your opponent, I encourage students to keep everything simple to make the golf swing easier.
The reason for this is purely to achieve consistency from shot to shot. That is the key to scoring success.
Not the ability to bend and curve the ball using complex hand action…
Setup Routine
Most of the swing motion and requirements that impact both hand action and swing plane are dealt with in your setup prior to you pulling the trigger on the swing.
Once your swing is in motion, there is very little you can do to adjust it after that.
Here are several key elements I focus on regarding your hands that are all taken care of in your setup routine:
1. The alignment and stance routine gets your hands in the correct position relative to the ball, club face and target before the swing starts. In the set up I always advise that the hands are positioned slightly ahead of the ball to place them in a “strong” wrist position.
2. The correct grip will create a “stable” take away and will cause the hands to break with the correct action and plane when they are cocked. I always advise a “strong” grip with the left thumb positioned right of the grip centerline. (Right thumb for left handers).
3. The left side which creates unison of the left arm and wrist at the start of the swing and during the first stage of the backswing should be firm. This gets you into the correct hand position at the top of the swing. I advise the elbow of the left arm to be pointing towards the ground to achieve this. (Right elbow for left handers).
Take Away
The next critical point of your swing after your setup is the take away. Many hand/swing problems can be created from that first critical movement of your shoulders and hands on the take away if it is not done correctly.
Again, the takeaway should be kept as simple as possible by focusing on two things only:
4. The backswing should start with the downward rotational motion of the left shoulder, not a hand motion. This action places the swing on a mid to upright swing plane, it improves back swing balance by encouraging trunk rotation, and it reduces unwanted hand action on the take away.
5. Within the first 6 inches of the take away, there should be ZERO motion of your hands. They need to be firm with your left side.
Backswing
As you progress into the backswing you have had only “one thought” on your mind to this point, and that was a “trigger thought” to initiate the downward rotation of your left shoulder to start the backswing.
Everything else up to that point has been taken care of in your setup to create that firm left side to solidify your left arm and hands in preparation for the takeaway.
So there is no need to think of anything else…other thoughts will only complicate the backswing.
All that remains on the backswing is:
6. Make sure you work within the range of motion of your natural swing muscle flexibility to avoid a left elbow break.
If you are able to concentrate on these techniques alone, your hands will reach the top of the swing in the correct position without you even having to worry or think about their orientation.
Critical: If a left elbow break occurs on the backswing, all bets are off on being on the correct swing plane and having the correct hand action.
Downswing
Now as for the downswing, the most important aspect to think about is:
1. Rotate the hips to initiate the turn – one more trigger thought
2. Delay the hand release by simply letting your hands relax totally from the top of the swing.
Starting the downswing turn with the hips keeps the swing on correct plane. As long as the hands are relaxed and not pre releasing, they will be in the correct orientation going into the impact position. So again you do not even have to think about them.
As for the release itself, that is governed purely by the timing of the downswing…not by the orientation of your hands or how they are turning over into the ball. Your hand orientation and how they react at impact is determined mostly by your grip which you have already taken care of in your setup.
If you approach the release by worrying about the orientation or action of your hands on the downswing you will find the swing extremely difficult to control with any consistency and you will end up losing distance.
Timing is a function of simply coordinating the release of the hands with the rotation of the shoulders.
If you are looking for some characteristic of the hand release that has a more complex explanation than this, I am sorry to disappoint you.
The reality is there is not much more to it than this. Big hitters simply let their hands relax and go for the ride on the downswing..
Above all the clear message from this article is keep everything as simple as possible.
Hone your setup techniques because they are so important in getting the swing started on the correct track where attention to small details is not necessary…the hands and swing will work naturally by themselves if you follow those simple guidelines.
Keep your head down and swing sweetly,
To the non golfer, golf club covers can be seen as a strange thing. When a passionate golf lover talks about covers, they are meaning the sock like covers put on the longer golf clubs.
This normally applies to the woods. At the same time the concept of golf club covers can also extend to all of the other clubs as its becoming popular as custom styled versions are being made.
The golf club covers do a lot to protect your clubs. They protect them in the rain and damp weather also providing another option for professionals to place advertising. If you place your golf bag down in freshly cut grass, the golf club covers will keep the grass from getting on the clubs.
They also protect each clubs as they create a buffer of protection stopping the clubs banging into each other. It used to be that golf club covers were simple items that looked like socks and just had the number of the club on them.
There was no difference in the covers between the low cost golf clubs and the more expensive sets. Soon golfers started to express their style and personality and whole new industry was born, a lot like custom cars, but for golfers!
It has been happening for a while now. Your large gorilla type friend from work would put a king kong golf cover on his driver because he felt it showed a lot of power about his golf game.
Sometimes the covers would come in sets of puppets and they would have entire families to use on clubs that would express the players personality, and bring a little fun to this competitive and sometimes, challenging game.
Then, someone came along that changed it all and caused an increase in sales of golf club covers worldwide. That was Tiger Woods.
Enter Tiger and Frank
Tiger Woods arrived on the golf scene as an amateur and made a serious impact very quickly. It did not take long for people to start to notice his golf club cover was a tiger.
Quickly the sales of tiger driver covers increased and people all over the world were showing off their Tiger Woods’ driver cover and adding style to the game. What came next was unexpected. We learned that the cover had a name and could talk.
Tiger Woods’ driver cover is called Frank and due to a series of television commercials a few years ago, everyone got to see Frank talk and give Tiger advice on his game. It was all in good entertainment a growing industry, which now has a little more fun in it.
So if you are looking for more fun in your golf game, especially when you last shot sliced of to the left, look to get some custom golf covers. Who knows you may even be able to manage a smile, when you put you wood away and start the long walk to look for your ball.
