Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Dec 17, 2009 @ 06:44 PM
My Assistant Teacher, Ben Austin and I just videotaped our first installment of a Winter Practice Program for everybody. We gave a talk to our Member Coaching group Tuesday afternoon and it sparked an idea to give our blog readers weekly updates and nudges to make your golf game better during the winter.
Some of the games best golfers came from cold climates. These golfers had an opportunity each winter to get away from golf and get a fresh perspective. It was also a chance to practice indoors and practice in a mirror. Getting repetitions without a golf ball or with less consequences allows habits to develop (read "The New Rules of Golf Instruction" Chapter on Practice for more ideas on how to Practice effectively).
We are urging you to use this winter to really focus on skill-building. We will be posting videos to give you ideas of what to work on and how to work on it. We recommend a putting mat and an eyelinegolf.com Putting Plane training aid.
Watch the video below and tell your golfing friends to sign up for the blog to become part of our Winter Practice Program.
Posted by Charlie King on Mon, Dec 14, 2009 @ 08:32 AM
Essential #6 is the Swing Plane. The shape of the swing is not a natural thing. Most of us will naturally think taking the club down the target line will hit the ball straighter. Many of us have thought "Straight back and Straight Through" will hit the ball to the target. A key thing to remember is we stand to the side of the ball and bend over to the ball. These factors lead to the shape of swing that works best.
In the video below I will explain some key information and demonstrate a drill or two that will give you the right idea and how to make it a habit in your golf game. Watch the video below and pass it on to your golfing friends who need some help.
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Dec 10, 2009 @ 05:12 PM
Sam Froggate and the good folks at eyelinegolf.com are dedicated to golfers improving their putting. They specialize in putting training aids for golf that are innovative and practical.
You know my New Rules philosophy is all about developing skills. Good drills and solid training aids are how you build habits. My favorite putting training aid is the Putting Plane. I just did a putting tip for eyelinegolf.com and will let you know when it has been edited and ready for viewing.
In the mean time I want you to click on this link to take you to a page that has two indoor putting lessons that are skill builders.
http://www.eyelinegolf.com/Articles.asp?ID=233&utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=DPPS_comments_WS
Enjoy and improve.
Posted by Charlie King on Tue, Dec 08, 2009 @ 06:43 PM
The number of views for yesterdays question lets me know I need to answer more of your questions. I am going to start with the golf swing. I will then answer your questions for short game, mental toughness, etc.
Please, in the comments section below, give me your questions regarding the golf swing. I will answer one or two a week for the next month and then move to another topic.
We continue to be committed to your golf game getting better.
Posted by Charlie King on Mon, Dec 07, 2009 @ 06:36 PM
Just had this question posed to me and thought a lot of us could relate to the answer.
"What do you do when you are in the middle of a round and everything has fallen apart?"
This has happened to most of us, if not all of us. We start out and we hit a few off line shots and we start to try some swing thoughts to fix it. Also, we could be trying to get better and we are practicing a new move that will pay off in the long run, but it is not a habit yet. We could be simply having an unlucky day.
The next time it happens, I have two keys for you.
- Mental Key - Trying harder and getting madder is not going to help. a) I need you to get into a "flow" state. b) I need you to picture some great shots you have hit in the past. c) I need you to put the round into perspective. d) I need you to realize that if the skills are there, they can be accessed by slowing everything down. All peak state performers will tell you they felt like they were in slow motion.
- Swing Key - Rhythm is one of the only things you can think of when you play that leads to a positive outcome. The desire for outcome when we play is one of the reasons most golfers hit the ball better on the range than on the golf course. We tend to get quicker and tighter on the golf course. That is why maintaining even grip pressure and swinging with 60 - 80% effort is universal amongst good players.
In summary, get in a "flow" state mentally and get things to go into slow motion. Let your swing thought be rhythm and effort level. Watch the video below for a couple of specific drills and swing thoughts to swing the club with rhythm and flow. (A lot of you have seen this video and it is a good review and reminder).
Posted by Charlie King on Wed, Dec 02, 2009 @ 05:28 PM
Our New Rules Essential Skills series continues. The first week we got your Pre-Swing to be solid. The second and third week we got you to hit the ball solidly. The forth week we swung the club with rhythm. This week I want to have you focus on the #1 key to direction control - club face angle at impact.
Over the years, I have heard teachers and players claim that this happens automatically if you do some other move correctly (usually with the body). I also hear too many times about how the hands are not trustworthy. These thoughts are flat out not true. The New Rules way of thinking says golf is about being skillful. The squaring of the club face will seem to happen automatically for the golfer who has practiced and become skillful at this move.
The video I have included has been viewed almost 8,000 times and it contains the drills I recommend to become skillful and eventually make it where your clubface seems to square up automatically. Clubface awareness is an Essential Skill that every golfer must master to hit the ball to the intended target.
"The New Rules of Golf Instruction" continues to gain momentum with golfers and golf instructors alike. I spoke to a group of PGA professionals in the Tennessee PGA Section on Monday, Nov. 30 and a second semester group at the Professional Golfers Career College on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Follow the link above to download this critical book for your ultimate improvement. Long time PGA professional Bobby Greenwood told me he thinks New Rules has a chance "to change golf instruction and golf improvement to a logical approach that guarantees success for the golfer."