Dee had such a great post about pain that we took a few days off to celebrate, but I am back to point out one last cause of pain that we (Dee) forgot. You could have a perfect golf swing, you could have a perfect body, and you could have the perfect diet, but if you don’t warm up, then you are at a great risk for injury – well, unless you are one of the rare hypermobile people in the world, but lets not talk about them. What we are going to talk about today is a story I heard at my last trip to TPI-land from one of my fellow trainers.
He had a client who was an avid athlete and a newish golfer who started taking lessons at a high end club. This athlete was used to getting a real warm up before playing so he pulled out his jump rope and started skipping on the driving range. Within a few minutes of pulling out the rope, the general manager came by and told him that he was offending the members and had to stop…..I was speechless. Kai Fusser, Annika Sorenstam’s trainer, said that Annika does 20 minutes of skipping rope before playing why can’t this trainer’s client? Maybe he should have told the GM how it helps players deal with adrenalin and gets them in the right state of mind…I doubt that would have helped.
Dee brought up a great point about golf being a sport. I wonder if I will ever see the general acceptance of golf being treated like other sports and seeing dynamic stretching, skipping rope or other useful means of getting warmed up as common place. Until then, I will continue to do lunges, squats, step overs, and half of the Tom House shoulder routine every time I go to the golf course. Every time. As one of our Clubgolf member’s saw this Friday when I was going to practice at Blue Mash Golf Course, I even do some form of warm up to putt. I might get some pain for a variety of reasons, but failing to warm up is not usually one of them.
I’m off to skip rope.
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 21st, 2009. Comment. 
Dee here with some candid talk about pain.
Do you know that as a male golfer, 53% of you will have back pain at some point during the season. And if you are a female, 48% of you will.
Sad thing about that is that those numbers are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to golf related injuries!
Yes, there are many variables that inevitably lead to pain or injury, but here are the five most common mechanisms that cause injury:
1. Poor body mechanics- These are the body mechanical issues that create compensation in your swing. These compensations show up as swing faults that every singe amatuer golfer has! Got body issues, then you will have swing issues…period!
2. Poor swing biomechanics- This one is easy…if you have swing faults, then your game will suck, and it’s this repetitive “suckiness” that will contribute to pain somewhere in your body!
3. Excessive practice (overuse)- Here’s a great piece of free info, STOP beating balls! Since when has the game of golf become sitting at a driving range hitting balls with the same club? You don’t do it during a round, so hitting 30-50 five irons certainly isn’t a very smart idea! As a player you should spend about 30% of your time on the driving range in “block” style practice, which is working on weaknesses in your game. The other 70% should be “random” practice where you are “visualizing shots” in your head and playing a course like you normally would, except you are at the driving range.
4. No regular exercise program- THIS ONE IS OUR BIGGEST GRIPE OF COURSE! Golf is one of the few sports where a majority of the players don’t have some sort of “physical foundation” upon which to use when they participate in their sport! A recent study still showed that most amatuer golfers don’t think golf is an athletic sport! HUH? ARE YOU CRAZY!? So when did swinging a weighted object around your body at over 90+ MPH not an athletic event? Get over it…golf is a highly athletic event, so stop making excuses as to why your so lazy and your game is so average! 
5. Poor nutrition- That’s right, you eat like crap, you’re going to perform and feel like crap! Like they always say, “You are what you eat.” If you’d like to be a big mac and fries, then go ahead…just don’t expect any great outcomes in life or in golf! If you need help with nutrition, contact us and we can put a cellular specific program together for you.
6. Improper club fitting- Try this- get your body right first, THEN go and spend a thousand dollars on clubs, cause at least you will be more properly fit than if you went in and gof fit while your body “was a wreck!”
Remember, today’s equipment cannot live up to their factory expectations when the body that is swinging it is swinging it improperly! Example- Charles Barkley or Tiger Woods swinging the same club…who’s going to get the most potential out of the technology…Hmmm, kind of a no brainer, eh?
So in the end, realize that pain is an indicator. It means you have physical issues that are creating it, now just find someone qualified to fix those issues and watch your game go to the next level!
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 17th, 2009. Comment.
Tyler here with a review of Phil’s new DVD program: Secrets of the Short Game. For those of you who don’t know my background. I am a great ball striker who has had periods where he struggled around the green. As a result, the short game has become one of my biggest passions within the big picture of swing mechanics. And when the best short game wizard comes out with a new DVD, assume that I have it pre-ordered.
My short game ideas have come from a few key sources. In the book world, I have read lots of the older books concerning wedge play. Tom Watson has a great one. Tom Kite has a great one. And most recently, Stan Utley reset the bar with his Art of the Short Game book blending technical and feel oriented instruction. In the techie world, I have had the privileged of seeing some 3D’s of some great short game artists. So I have an ok understanding of some of the different ways to do it. And no, contrary to what anyone says, it is NOT the same kinematic sequence as the full swing. The data backs it up. There can be similar shots, but as a whole, it is not the same. The other major source of my short game information is a great Baltimorian instructor named Bernie Najar. He is a very knowledgeable instructor and former Teacher of the Year for the section. Smart guy with a good website, www.parsavers.com if you want to check it out. Ok enough of that stuff, on to Phil’s DVD.
The two DVD set is very well put together. It starts with a great montage featuring some of his best short game shots in tournaments; set to a soundtrack that could have doubled for a major motion picture theme – it really reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean. It really got you in the mood to get up and down like a hero.
The DVD set has sections on putting, chipping, flop shots, bunker, and specialty shots. The real meat of this program is in the putting and chipping sections.
Phil recaps a bunch of standard putting principles, but with his own twists. He has a clear matter of fact way of stating his facts and gets confrontational about certain conventional wisdom. He clearly says there are many ways to putt and spends more time talking about reading greens and good putting drills. It is simple and clear and I think a good view for any beginner, anyone struggling with their putting, or anyone who loves Phil’s interviews and can’t get enough of the big “cheesy.”
His chipping section is very good. It keeps the mechanics really simple – possibly too simple – and focuses a lot on the adjustments that need to be made for each shot. He demonstrates the significance of the “hinge-and-hold” method of chipping and how all good chippers do it. It is the ONLY method in his mind. One of his big keys is to accelerate through every shot – he goes so far as to say that the clock image of same distance back and through falls under the “what are you thinking??” category. Interesting considering his short game coach usually gets the credit for the image.
The rest of the DVD set show’s more situational adjustments that are good for novice and intermediate golfers to be aware of. I highly recommend this product if you are getting into learning how to score but if you are an overly technical golfer (like me) then you might find the instruction section somewhat lacking. If you want more technical stick with Stan Utley. But until Stan comes out with a DVD this is the best short game DVD available.
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 17th, 2009. 2 Comments.
Dee here to talk about your flabby, non-functioning booty!
We all know that the glutes are the king in most sports.
Tyler and I both know that the better functioning your glutes are, the farther you will hit it because they are powerful hip stabilizers, rotators and extenders.
Try this exercise to get that booty working better!
Golf Fitness Guys present- More hip turn for more distance!
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 13th, 2009. Comment.
Tyler again, this time to help you with a metaphor for why golfers have such a tough time making swing changes. I see golfers take lessons and come back with the same swing week after week; not my students of course, but I’ve seen it. Here is what I think takes place in a golfer’s mind.
Here is how us modern instructors try to present a task.
Me: Alright Jimmy, I need you to go to San Diego, California. Are you scared by that request?
Jimmy: Uh, no. I’ve been there before.
Me: How long will it take you to get there?
Jimmy: Uh, 6 hours by plane.
Me: So when you go over Phoenix you won’t freak out?
Jimmy: No. What does this have to do with anything?
I think that most people are willing to commit to journey’s (that’s what changing a golf swing is, just ask Charles) as long as they know details about the journey. For whatever reason, golf pro’s typically don’t paint clear journeys. This would be analogous to me telling you that your goal is west. And you are simply waiting for the next instruction via walkie-talkie. Without knowing where you are heading, I’m pretty sure that most reasonable people would start freaking out around St. Louis.
It is important to explain to students – and students, it is important for you to ask if you don’t know – the big picture of what you are doing and how this small change is apart of it. I try to give all my students guidelines for practice, think of these as backup plans. You should have a backup plan for the following:
If I hit it fat, then I should try this.
If I hit it thin, then I should try this.
If I hit it left, then I should try this.
If I hit it right, then I should try this.
That is my minimum for full swing lessons. You will be much more committed to a program if you have some form of plan like above.
I’m impressed by people who can commit to running in a triathlon…just like I’m impressed by people who go through medical school to become a surgeon. It’s a daunting task either way, but they aren’t told just do this forever and eventually you should get there. Furthermore, they know the big picture of why they are doing it and how each part fits in. So if you don’t know the big picture of what you’re working on then ask your pro. Here are a couple questions you could try:
“Why am I keeping my arm straight again? O.K. got it. And if I get this down, then what are we going to work on next week?”
Remember, it is one thing to commit to running a marathon, but don’t be one of those blind fools that started running back and forth across the US in Forest Gump. When it was all said and done, they had no clue what to do next. They just followed Forest. Unlike that movie, in golf you should always know your next move.
Good luck golfers, and if you don’t have a road map for golf, check out our free downloads.
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 11th, 2009. Comment.
Yes, you read that correctly. The other day I played golf for the first time since Clubgolf’s company outing which was on September 29th and to make it more interesting I had a brand new set of Titleist clubs that I was fit for and got in October. I am not going to take you shot by shot, but I am going to summarize how my day went and my internal dialogue that matched.
I started on the first hole at Manor CC and proceeded to hit a 265 yard cut into the center of the fairway. “Can I go home now?” I thought to myself. I love golf again and can’t wait to start training again after my health situation recovers. But no, golf is a series of sprints part of a greater marathon and I needed to get to the runner’s high before the day would be a success.
My second shot from the center of the fairway never got above chest height and rolled through the green. “Didn’t this happen last year? After I was in Korea and had an extended break I hit the ball terribly with my irons for about a month. Is this going to happen again?” No No Tyler, you are wiser this year and can figure it out quicker. So I proceeded to hurry up and three putt from the fringe so I could get to the next tee.
It’s a short par 4 and so I only need three wood to find the right side of the fairway for position. What I didn’t need to do was top the ball and watch it tumble through the rough on it’s way to a creek. Let’s recap for a second. First shot was great-ish, next two swings were borderline disasters. I go into the normal state of mind amateurs face. What am I doing wrong? Luckily I knew by my history, ball flight, and feelings during my swing that I must have been early extending and sliding. Within two more holes I had the swing functional and went on to hit 4 out of the last 6 greens and card my first nine holes of the year as a 42. Not bad after the bogey-double-double start.
What is the real lesson here golfers? Well there are probably a bunch, but I think the big one is based on the nature of the golf swing and how everything comes and goes in cycles. Hitting it poorly gave me a chance to test a theory and having that theory worked strengthened my confidence in my game. Let me scare you for a second. Tour Pro’s are pretty inconsistent themselves. If you are playing this game in the hopes of reaching a level of perfect consistency then I suggest you try a repetitive distance sport like playing bridge or checkers. But in golf you are going to lose you game as many times as you find it. It is in losing your game and finding it again that you are able to build confidence.
I always told my girlfriend that a relationship doesn’t begin until the first fight. I don’t think you own your swing until you lose it and get it back at least a couple different ways. Only then will your swing have a chance of holding up under pressure. I’m not advocating taking six months off if you want to be a scratch golfer, but I am saying that when you go through a slump, get help from your team (fitness pro, golf pro, or medical pro) and use it as an opportunity not a curse.
Good luck, tomorrow I’ll give you a couple ways to think about learning to play golf that will help you make the commitment easier. Enjoy the Masters.
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 10th, 2009. Comment.
Golf Fitness Guys present- Hip Mobility and Stability exercise
Do these tips for more mobile and stable hips and you will drive the ball farther!
Remember, studies show, the farther you can hit it, the lower your handicap!
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 7th, 2009. Comment.
This picture courtesy of www.mytpi.com.
Defined-
Over the top is perhaps the most common swing fault among high handicap golfers. It usually occurs due to an overuse or over-dominance of the upper body on the downswing. As a result the club is thrown outside of the intended swing plane, with the club-head approaching the ball from the outside in. This creates a pull if the clubface is square or a slice if the clubface is open.
This fault can rob a golfer of power and limit their ability to control the ball flight as they add or decrease loft to the club and additional spin to the ball through impact. By changing the path, they will create a more solid strike and increase their distance and accuracy.
Causes-
1. The ability to disassociate the lower body from the upper body to lead the downswing. Limited pelvis to trunk separation is usually caused by reduced spinal and hip mobility.
2. Core stability to help maintain posture and trunk stability is essential. Any loss in posture (flat shoulder plane or reverse spinal angle) can force the torso and arms to fire first in transition to help re-position the body for rotation.
3. Good Balance on each leg, especially the lead leg, is paramount for proper weight shift. Limited weight shift toward the lead leg can reduce the lower body’s contribution to power generation in the swing. Therefore, players will try to produce excessive power in their upper body by chopping down or throwing the club-over-top.
This is probably the most common swing fault of all amatuer golfers! It is the cause of slices, shanks, loss of power and one of the reasons players get so many shoulder, elbow and wrist issues.
If you have any questions on how to get rid of this swing fault, let us know, we’d be happy to create a program just for you and your issues that will help you get rid of over the top forever!
Filed under Uncategorized by on Mar 30th, 2009. Comment.
Flat shoulder turn describes the plane of the shoulders as the student turns to the top of their backswing. At address the spine is tilted due to the forward bend of the hips to allow you to get into the correct setup position. In the ideal world the shoulders would move perpendicular to the tilt of the spine on the backswing. A flat shoulder plane is when the shoulders turn on a more horizontal plane than the axis of the original spine angle. This movement will also cause a change to the swing planes and original spine angle, both of which will reduce the efficiency of the swing.
Causes-
1. Range of motion in Shoulders and Lats- If the ROM is poor, they can loose their posture and their shoulders will turn on a flatter than normal plane in order to try to get width and a full turn in the backswing.
2. Lack of forward tilt at address- This will put a player in a position that forces their arms to move away from their body on the backswing and causes the flat shoulder turn. This can be caused by a lack of mobility in the Thoracic spine or poor technique.
3. X-Factor- A limited X-factor (The ability to separate upper body from your lower body) can force the player to stand up versus rotating their upper body around their lower.
Now, as with Early Extension and Loss of posture, Flat Shoulder Plane is related to loosing your posture! Listen, if you want to be better at golf or any other sport for that matter, then you need to get a solid foundation established through your posture!
If you need, Tyler or I can create for you a “killer” posture program that will come to you in video format and will change your game forever!
Filed under Uncategorized by on Mar 27th, 2009. 1 Comment.
I recently watched an episode from Haney Project: Charles Barkley and was unimpressed. No not with the show, I think it is great. But with the process of how Charles is going to fix his swing. After the first meeting Charles was told that he was going to have to do a “Tiger Day.” A “Tiger Day” involves getting up early and hitting thousands of golf balls with breaks to work out and eat. I understand how this works for refining a swing like Tigers (and you’ll understand by the end of this) but it pretty much ignores all modern motor learning research. I am by no means an expert, but if you hang around experts you will pick up a few of these key points. Let me explain what could (or should) have been done with Mr. Barkley.
There are different neurotransmitters in the brain that relate to motor patterns. One of these is used for “automatic”tasks: Tying your shoes, blinking, and cursing at the ball going out of bounds are all examples of automatic responses fueled by one form of transmitter. A second neurotransmitter is used when learning a new skill that actively involves short term memory. When Tiger is hitting thousands of golf balls, he is doing so with the power of one neurotransmitter. When Charles Barkley is concentrating on making swing changes, he is using the power of acetylcholine, the short term memory and learning jet fuel we have in our brain. Ok, enough of the nerdy stuff, here is what this means.
Charles Barkley (and you) only have enough energy for a small amount of focused effort when learning a new pattern and using acetylcholine. It is actually better, for longevity of the pattern, to hit 50 balls with focus over more days than it is to hit large amounts of golf balls in a single session. Tiger day is good for Tiger, but is it good for Barkley? I don’t think so; at least not in the long run. It does make good TV though to see a thousand golf balls teed up and a nearly defeated Charles staring them down the way he did Hakeem “the dream” back in his day. But don’t for a second believe that it is the best way to LEARN a new pattern the way Charles is doing it. On to my second gripe.
Where is the physical assessment??? Charles is going to do boxing to get in golf shape? And Hank Haney is going to allow this? How does that help Charles stop that transition move of diving his head down 2 feet where he looks like he is inspecting the golf ball, like a two year old looking at a lady bug? Well at least he’ll be in a good position to give an upper cut to the golf ball after that move.
Hey, a good offense is the best defense, right? I read an article on ESPN before the show aired and in it the interviewer stated, “But Barkley’s self-taught swing started to deteriorate as he lost flexibility from the series of back and leg injuries that eventually forced him to retire from the NBA in 2000.” Was I the only one that thought, hey if lost flexibility was how his swing went bad, maybe some increased flexibility would help fix it. Maybe Charles could try a little yoga or some other form of golf flexibility would help him have a chance of bringing the club down on plane. Or maybe he could hit 8 hours of golf balls and make golf improvement seem like a full time job. I hope that Charles doesn’t scare off golfers from making potential changes, because it’s really not as hard as he is making it seem
Filed under Uncategorized by on Mar 25th, 2009. 3 Comments.