Friday, February 25, 2011

Lesson 29

Now match the arc of the swing to the ball position. Don't reach! Move your feet-that moves the shoulders and that moves the arc.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Lesson 28

Club square to swing path=straight shot. Path of the swing is curved-target line is straight. Match curve to straight to succeed.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Lesson 27

Think of club path as an arc-where should the ball be along the arc? Start with-Am I hitting down-sweeping the ball-or hitting up?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Lesson 26

Develop and PRACTICE a setup routine-Use the club & arms as guide not your feet. Conscious thought on ball position for every shot.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Lesson 25

Golf club determines posture. Posture and motion sequence creates proper swing path. Easy? Only with the ball in proper position.

Lesson 24

Review. Lessons 1-23 Chose a style. Understand the motion sequence. Next-preshot preparation.

Lesson 23

How fast can you accelerate & maintain control of the golf club during the down swing? Fact-stronger fingers=faster club speed.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Lesson 22

How far can you swing the club back before you lose your balance? Try-Swing lead arm back-now put rear hand on the club-Shorter?

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Lesson 21

Guidelines for any golf swing. 1. Control clubface. Do you twist the club in a way you have to untwist at impact? Check your grip.

Lesson 20

Develop a Preshot Routine. Now Very Important-Practice your preshot routine. Never blame or change the routine after a bad shot

Friday, February 11, 2011

Lesson 19

Club Fitting and Swing Mechanics are two chapters of the same story. You can't analyze one without consideration of the other.

Lesson 18

More fitting advice. When deciding on shafts, Think weight first and then flex. What do you need? Light=speed, heavy for control.

Lesson 17

Club fit-The style of golf swing you chose-up or around-will influence the specs of your golf clubs. If you change check the fit.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Lesson 16

Review Arms Up. Backswing-turn shoulders and lift arms to finish backswing. Downswing-Arms lead as body turns in sync with arms.

Lesson 15

Review. Arms around. 1.Lead arm across chest 2.Turn shoulders and hinge wrists to top Downswing-Knees and hips lead-hands follow.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Lesson 14

Arms up or arms around, the sequence of motion for each is different. Don't mix and match! Learn the correct moves for your swing.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Lesson 13

A golf swing is not as much what you do as when you do it. Sequence of motion and timing, the critcal elements of the golf swing.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Lesson 12

Arms up backswing. Shoulders turn then arms lift to finish backswing. Downswing-lateral weight shift as arms lead forward swing.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Swing Advice for Tiger Woods

Dear Mr. Woods,
I have watched, with great interest, the intense work you have done on your golf swing since your conversion from the upright arm swing of your youth, to the flatter more rotary arm swing you have used so successfully the past few years. I hope you will accept the following observations in the spirit they are intended. They are the observations of a Nike staffer who would like to see your game return to the high standards you have set over your career.
First, I want to say that I applaud the changes you have made in your swing. I watched you as a young man trying to hold back the rotation of your lower body until you could get your arms back in front of your chest. As athletic as you are, it always looked like you were holding back, even though you were moving faster than everyone else. For what it is worth it certainly made sense to me that you decided you would improve using a swing plane that required the hips and legs to move first in the downswing rather than waiting for the arms to drop before you could turn your hips.
I have also read with interest your comments about sometimes getting the arms stuck in your downswing with the shallower arm swing. I truly believe this is easily cured. Not from what you try to do in your downswing, but from a simple change in your take away.
I have always believed there was a difference in the motion sequence of upright and flat golf swings. Upright in the Nicklaus tradition was created by turning the shoulders, in the classic one piece take away, and then lifting the arms to the top of the back swing. In Palmer and Hogan tradition of a flatter arm plane, THE LEFT ARM MOVES ACROSS THE CHEST FIRST, and then the shoulders turn the club to the top. It has looked to me for some time that you are trying to use the timing of the shoulder turn of your old swing, and then flip or reroute the arms to a flat plane. When you do this you lose the leverage of swinging the left arm across the chest. The analogy I would use is tying a rope to a wagon. If the rope is slack, when you pull it the wagon does not move. If there is tension in the rope, when you pull, the wagon moves immediately. If you would swing the arm across the chest initially in your back swing, the tension created by this move would allow the arm to come forward as your body rotates, pulling the arm out of the stuck position. As it is now, the left arm moves across the chest as the downswing rotation begins, leaving your arms behind as the body rotates, creating the stuck feeling. At the speed you move there would be no way for the arms to ever catch up. So for what it is worth, the solution is very simple. Delay your shoulder turn in the backswing until the left arm has moved across the chest. Create the leverage of left shoulder on the left arm and turn your body as fast as you want in the downswing.
Please accept my best wishes for the upcoming season. I will continue to watch with great interest as you progress with your amazing career.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rearick
Director of Instruction
United States Golf Academy
Plymouth, Indiana

Lesson 11

Arms around backswing. Left arm swings across the chest as right hip clears-turn shoulders and hinge wrists to finish backswing.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Lesson 10

Time to swing? Time to choose. Arms around body? Or turn shoulders and lift the arms? Great players both ways. Which one are you?

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Lesson 9

Ball position. If you build your stance-club to ball-then hands-then shoulders-then feet. Adjustments for ball position are easier.