Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Memorial Skins Game
Today, I learned that Tiger Woods is still pretty good at this golf business. On the other hand, he says "brah".
Inspiration
Looks like a low cut and a low draw to me. Beautiful rotation of the hips and shoulders with an aggressive weight transfer. Look at how delofted the "club" is in the freeframe preview of the 2nd vid.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Golf Gal's Blog!
By the way, I've been watching Big Break: Prince Edward Island, a reality show competition for 100,000 dollars with aspiring professionals. I've seen a few episodes of previous seasons, but none have really caught more than a passing interest from me.
This year, however, I caught the first episode and got hooked. The first challenge, a 3 foot putt to go to elimination as SOON as the players showed up set the tone. Infuriating and entertaining characters abounded also.
Lucky for me, I found golfgal's blog, where she interviews players and gets their unedited input after the shows air. Great stuff! I especially enjoyed Brian Skatell's interviews, where you come to realize yes, he really is that crazy, but no, he's not nearly the ass that the Golf Channel makes him out to be. He's like that guy who's equal parts endearing-crazy and infuriating-crazy, except the producers have edited out the endearing parts for the sake of creating a villain.
A quote from Derek (who, by the way, hit an amazing shot today- 2 shots from 120 yards, balls ended up TOUCHING) about a text from Brian: "Before the show he sent me text. "Yeah, I'm opening up a night club named 'pure'". Dude has a sense of humor.
SPOILER SPOILER
Sad to see him go.
This year, however, I caught the first episode and got hooked. The first challenge, a 3 foot putt to go to elimination as SOON as the players showed up set the tone. Infuriating and entertaining characters abounded also.
Lucky for me, I found golfgal's blog, where she interviews players and gets their unedited input after the shows air. Great stuff! I especially enjoyed Brian Skatell's interviews, where you come to realize yes, he really is that crazy, but no, he's not nearly the ass that the Golf Channel makes him out to be. He's like that guy who's equal parts endearing-crazy and infuriating-crazy, except the producers have edited out the endearing parts for the sake of creating a villain.
A quote from Derek (who, by the way, hit an amazing shot today- 2 shots from 120 yards, balls ended up TOUCHING) about a text from Brian: "Before the show he sent me text. "Yeah, I'm opening up a night club named 'pure'". Dude has a sense of humor.
SPOILER SPOILER
Sad to see him go.
Just a few ideas, feedback welcome
So I was thinking about removing the paintfill on my new irons. Here are some quick mock ups. Tell me what you think!
Original:
Edited:
Original:
Edited:
Does anyone else...
think it's only a matter of time till we start seeing reports of a career ending amputation for Lamar Odom? $77 dollars worth of candy on game day! He must bleed maple syrup.
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Importance of a Neutral Grip
I, like many golfers, used to have a strong and slowly migrated to a neutral one. Along the way, I found out a couple of rarely mentioned facts which have firmly convinced me that a neutral grip is generally superior to a stronger one. Not that you can't hit great shots with a strong grip, but those with a weaker grip will still have certain advantages.
There are the well known benefits, such as being able to work the ball more easily and the ability to hit higher shots. A couple of benefits, however, seem to have flown mostly under the radar.
A weaker grip allows you to more easily set up with your forearms and shoulders on the proper plane, so you can turn on the proper plane. A stronger grip requires some more contortion to get thing aligned.
In addition, it allows you to more easily set the clubface open at address- a technique both Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus used. The purpose, however, is not necessarily to promote fade. Since the clubface is rotating throughout its arc, a clubhead set BEHIND the ball should be open, in order to allow it to square up as it closes traveling through the ball. This is important to actually align the face correctly, but also because it gives you a clear visual cue that you can fire through the ball without shutting down the face. For many players, a square face at address will make them feel as if they have to "hold" the face square through impact, instead of allowing it to release through.
Finally, possible the most important reason. A sufficiently weak right hand grip (which some combined with a stronger left, a la David Duval) will allow you, in concert with a proper turn back, to set the club on the pad at the base of your right index finger when you reach the top of the backswing- otherwise known as pressure point #3, in TGM lingo.
Richie3jack's blog has some good diagrams of PP#3, as well as a lot of good info on TGM.
So, why is this pressure point so important to set at the top? Because this is where you apply the power! By putting the club in a position that loads up this point, you can start applying power through the ball from the very top of the swing.
This was the beauty of Mr. Hogan's swing. By setting the club on the same plane it would travel through the hitting area at the top of the backswing, and setting its weight squarely on top of the most powerful part of his right hand, he can simply hit as hard through the ball. The face will rotate naturally through the application of power through this point without manipulation, and sufficiently weak grip will also allow you to hit freely without worrying about a hook.
There are the well known benefits, such as being able to work the ball more easily and the ability to hit higher shots. A couple of benefits, however, seem to have flown mostly under the radar.
A weaker grip allows you to more easily set up with your forearms and shoulders on the proper plane, so you can turn on the proper plane. A stronger grip requires some more contortion to get thing aligned.
In addition, it allows you to more easily set the clubface open at address- a technique both Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus used. The purpose, however, is not necessarily to promote fade. Since the clubface is rotating throughout its arc, a clubhead set BEHIND the ball should be open, in order to allow it to square up as it closes traveling through the ball. This is important to actually align the face correctly, but also because it gives you a clear visual cue that you can fire through the ball without shutting down the face. For many players, a square face at address will make them feel as if they have to "hold" the face square through impact, instead of allowing it to release through.
Finally, possible the most important reason. A sufficiently weak right hand grip (which some combined with a stronger left, a la David Duval) will allow you, in concert with a proper turn back, to set the club on the pad at the base of your right index finger when you reach the top of the backswing- otherwise known as pressure point #3, in TGM lingo.
Richie3jack's blog has some good diagrams of PP#3, as well as a lot of good info on TGM.
So, why is this pressure point so important to set at the top? Because this is where you apply the power! By putting the club in a position that loads up this point, you can start applying power through the ball from the very top of the swing.
This was the beauty of Mr. Hogan's swing. By setting the club on the same plane it would travel through the hitting area at the top of the backswing, and setting its weight squarely on top of the most powerful part of his right hand, he can simply hit as hard through the ball. The face will rotate naturally through the application of power through this point without manipulation, and sufficiently weak grip will also allow you to hit freely without worrying about a hook.
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