March 18, 2018 | Graves Golf

GGA Performance Mindset Coach

I wasn’t expecting it.

I was getting ready to board an evening Southwest Airlines flight to Baltimore from my home in Cleveland, preoccupied with thoughts about the latest round of winter weather that had been bearing down on the Mid Atlantic.

With a two-hour-plus drive to my final destination after landing, would I have to contend with rain, snow, sleet, or even worse, highways clogged with cumbersome, slow-moving traffic? I was hoping that this would not be the case. And I also remember being on-edge about it…even wishing that the gate crew would pick up the pace a little so that we get off the ground as soon as possible.

I had scored the A1 boarding position for this flight…so I was looking forward to a prime seat near the front of the plane, ensuring I could make a quick exit when we arrived at BWI. I had my plan in place…all we needed was some solid execution. (C’mon people…let’s get this going!!)

Then we started boarding the plane, and everything changed.

It turns out that our flight was an Honor Flight originating in Phoenix, with Baltimore as its final destination. The plane was carrying about 40 WWII and Korean War veterans and their escorts heading to Washington DC to see the monuments built in their honor – many of them for the first time.

These were the men who fought for our freedoms against incredible odds almost 60 and 70 years ago. These men were in their 80s and 90s…and there was even one who had turned 101 that day. The mood was electric. And I was moved.

I got to shake a lot of hands, and even talk to a few of the veterans…who were so happy and appreciative of the chance to be on this trip. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen as much pure joy and excitement in a group of adults. It felt like such an incredibly unique and humbling experience.

And then I noticed that I had forgotten about my need to: move things along, get to BWI as fast as possible. And all my worries about the weather, the traffic and getting to my destination faded away.

But what happened?

The experience with the Honor Flight veterans allowed me to shift my perspective and to be just a little more conscious of what life is all about.

And I believe that it is an excellent lesson for anyone about how to show up for anything…including your golf game.

All your worries about getting off the first tee, hitting fairways, making crucial putts pale in comparison to the big things in life. Your families, your relationships, how you influence your employees, your companies and the communities you live in.

Those are the things that are important in life.

So, go for it. Learn to play this game better. Strive for better shots and lower scores. But remember what is essential in your life. Endeavor to be more conscious of what life is indeed about.

A little perspective will help you play this game better and enjoy it more.

Paul Monahan, PCC is a Peak-Performance coach, member of the International Coach Federation and a certified COR.E Performance Dynamics Specialist. He resides in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife Paula and is the proud dad of three young men. He works with elite-level performers and leaders, helping them to expand their awareness so that they perform at their best more consistently.

He can be reached at paul@paulmonahancoaching.com

Phil Mickelson vs. The Single Plane Golf Swing

By Chandler Rusk, GGA Master Instructor & Single Plane Experience Schools Director

(Part 1)

Congratulations to Phil Mickelson on winning his 43rd PGA Tour career victory at the WGC-Mexico Championship! The GGA Team wanted to do a quick analysis of Lefty’s swing compared to the Single Plane Swing.

In the pictures above, you can see Moe’s address on the left and Phil’s speech on the right. With Moe, the red line represents the Single Plane where Moe will start his swing and also make an impact.

On the right with Phil, you can see that the yellow line represents where his club shaft starts and the red line is where Phil will make it impact. This is also known as a two-plane golf swing. Starting in one place and affecting in another.

Above is the halfway point in the backswing for Moe and Phil. The difference is that Phil stands closer to the ball with a more upright spine angle at address. When he rotates into the backswing, the arms and hands lift and the club shaft flattens if the hands don’t hinge.

Moe, on the left, begins with more space away from the golf ball and a spine angle that is directly engaged in the object he is hitting (roughly 45 degrees). From there, he merely rotates and folds his trail arm which results in a club shaft perfectly parallel to the plane line.

Here is the top of the backswing in the pictures above. With Moe, you can see how the hands are on the plane line, and the club shaft is matching it. The trailing arm is also folded and in front of the body – entirely on the plane.

Phil at the top of the backswing, you can see how the trail elbow is flying, the hands are above the plane line, and the last over-rotation has caused the swing to be very long and across the border.

Phil is one of the best golfers ever to play the game. His creativity, imagination, and competitiveness is unmatched and not to mention; he can get up and down from just about anywhere. This is his key to success – his short game. Phil has never been in the top 100 in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour. Think of how many tournaments he could have won if he hit the ball more consistent like Moe.

If you have any questions/comments about our Premier Schools, how to become a Member of our Inner Circle, or anything else, please contact School Director Shannon Friday at shannonf@moenormangolf.com or call (405) 250-6960.

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