Process and Progress of GGA Alumni – The Path

February 20, 2006 by admin

Process and Progress of GGA Alumni – The Path

This past Monday and Tuesday we had the privilege of again teaching a group of our alumni at our academy in Orlando. This is always a treat for us as we get to see the improvement of our students and help them continue on their path to great golf games.

What I want to talk about in this Practice Tip is what I always tell our students to focus on… How are other golfers similar to themselves are getting better and what do you (as a student) need to “copy” or imitate to follow the same path?

I believe, as most instructors believe, it is not about “reinventing the wheel” but rather using what is out there working for others to work for you… I took some statistics from those attending our alumni school… thought this might help those with their path to a better game.

(If you doubt the stats or opinions we are suggesting – remember that the alumni who attended the school are reading this also….)

1. There were 12 alumni who attended our school this week (both male and female) at our school.

Age range: 45 to 75 years
Past history with the GGA – Minimal
One 3 day school in past up to one student who has attended five 3 day schools and 3 Build Your Game Camps.
Handicap of Students – Range – 8 to a 34.
Handicap reduction (with GGA) – Of those interviewed: 4 had a reduction of around 25%, 3 had a reduction of 50% and 1 had reduction of 60%.
- (Example – one noted reducing handicap from 20 when he began with GGA to a 14 … approx. 25% reduction)

2. Todd and I discussed following the first day – With minimal exception (one student) all the alumni had GOOD to VERY GOOD Grips (hand placement on the clubs). This was absolutely FANTASTIC to us… You have heard us state hundreds of times – we primarily teach the grip – seems like 75% ++ of our teaching revolves around changing the hands to proper positions that lead to good swings/ on plane with leverage and speed, etc… Our alumni group had solved the issue of the grip (or were well on their way…).

* Why??? I will be 100% biased here… and yes, you can take this as a sales tactic – that is 100% fine with me – all but one has our Training Grip – and they all stated they use it frequently. In fact, many brought their own to our school and I could tell they had been used a lot… THAT WAS AWESOME!!!! And obviously – they have been told many times through our instructional material and in person (maybe “harped at” is more like it) the importance of a good grip.

3. Their set ups were for the most part good. Now, you noticed I didn’t say great… most still had some work to do in this area… but they were again well on their way to getting a good single axis set up. I will call it “tweaking” their setups, rather than building or overhauling…

4. Todd put each student on video both days (we are able to do this as we don’t have to cover the basics as we do in our 3 day schools, etc..) and the majority quickly realized what they needed to work on – meaning, they could see quickly their swing faults and knew how to make adjustments with some help.

This is what we call perception vs. reality in the golf swing. Perceiving what you need to work on and putting it into “reality” in their swing…

* We believe the ease of this perception vs. reality and putting into effect is because our alumni typically have a very good knowledge of our teaching material – they take time to study the Total Game Overview and 7 principles… and call/email and/or visit our chatroom when they have questions … Fact – Of the 12 alumni at our school – 8 visit our forum frequently and most of these ask weekly questions.

5. Drills, drills, and more drills. It became very obvious, very fast, that most worked on our suggested drills quite often. For example – when we discussed and suggested the PVC pivot point drill – after minimal explanation and example – most mastered without any problem. And most stated they perform drills quite often at home, (hopefully in front of a mirror, etc..). You could definitely tell the majority knew to work on and master individual positions rather than being overwhelmed with the entire swing…

Couple More Interesting Points:

We talked about the Cause/Effect relationship on Day #1. Was great to see so many of our alumni look at themselves on video and say about certain issues in their swings “That is an effect – I can’t fix that – but can fix the Cause which will, in turn, solve the effect” Please, please, please – determine what are Causes and what are Effects in your own swing – Remember you can fix the Cause, not the Effect. Fixing the Cause will, in turn, fix the Effect.
The majority of our alumni have learned how to “pace” themselves. Maybe again, after enough of our “harping” hopefully they realize it is not how many golf balls you hit, but the quality of the practice you put into hitting the balls. For example, was very common to see a student hit the leverage bag a few times, swing the PVC a couple of times and then hit a couple of balls… not a ball beating session.

Again – this is not a typical GGA practice tip – but we believe there is some VERY VALUABLE points/advice to be learned from fellow single plane golfers just like you… again – don’t reinvent the wheel, but rather use what is there, put into your “path” and go along with them to MUCH BETTER golf!!!

Good Luck. Remember – ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE

The Lob Wedge – Making your “Worst Enemy” your “Best Friend”

January 20, 2006 by admin

First, I want to say, I believe the lob wedge is one of your most important clubs in your bag. Besides your putter and your driver, this is probably the club you will use the most in a given round… if you know how to use it and use it correctly…

The perfect Lob Wedge: The perfect lob wedge (in my opinion) has the following characteristics:

58* of loft or more
Forged club (the softest material in a wedge that helps create spin and a very soft feel at impact – allows for the ball to land soft on the green).
Minimal bounce on the sole of the club (bounce is the angle on the sole of the club from the back to the club to the front). The more bounce, the harder it is to hit off of tight lies (thin grass lies, etc…) I recommend at most 8* of bounce – if possible and feel comfortable – hit 4 to 6* bounce.
Relatively Wide sole on club – the wider the sole – the easier it is to “slide” across tight lies.
Needs to have swing weight heavier than most clubs in bag besides the sand wedge (swing weight typically between D-4 and D-6) – most lob wedges are built this way as the added weight helps cut through many surfaces (high grass, sand, etc…) and helps create better “feel” around the greens.
Steel shafted – (if possible). Again – the weight helps as described.
Slightly rounded leading edge on the club – only slight, but this slight rounding also helps cut through different surfaces.

How to play the Lob Wedge:

For a full shot, (for many ranges from 30 to 60 yards, maybe slightly longer) – the ball is placed in the middle of the stance and swung with a good on plane single axis swing. (Like any other club in the bag – ball position center of stance). Some prefer to back the ball up a ball length or two… that is okay for a full shot.

For a short pitch or high lofted shot (not lob or flop shot yet.):

The ball is placed slightly forward in the stance (forward of center). As higher you want the ball – the more forward you put in the stance.
The weight (body’s weight distribution) is 50/50. You do not put more weight on the lead foot. 3. Stance is slightly open – about 10 to 20* at max. The shorter the shot, the more open the stance.
The hands are slightly ahead of the ball at set up.
Choke down slightly for more control and better feel.
You swing the club with VERY soft hands. This means VERY light grip pressure on the club.
You work on the fold/fold type swing. Meaning you fold your trail arm in the backswing and lead arm in the through swing. Nice and easy…
You accelerate through the shot – your hands should finish at shoulder level or above. If you think the swing is too long for the shot – shorten the back swing, but still keep a solid and extended through swing.
Swing toward the hole – as Moe said “Try to pull the flag out with the head of the club”. This was his analogy of making sure the club is swung down the line toward the hole.
Make sure the weight is evenly distributed throughout the shot and the feet stay down throughout the shot.

For a flop shot (high lofted short shot): Follow the points above except the following:

Ball position – as forward in stance as comfortable. Off lead heel or further forward is good.
The weight distribution is on the back foot. Keep weight back throughout the shot.
The club slides under the ball… Think of sliding under the ball rather than hitting down on the shot.

To be honest, after teaching 1,000s of students in the past, this is always a difficult shot to master – it takes time, but once you get the “feeling” it actually becomes pretty easy and a great “shot saver” in the round. Here are a few faults many students have difficulty with while they are trying to learn the flop shot:

Weight transfer – you need to keep your weight back on the shot – exaggerate this as much as possible. It is almost impossible to get the club to slide under the ball if you are transferring your weight forward.
SOFT HANDS – if you think you have lightened the grip pressure enough – do it some more. The softer the grip pressure the easier it is to fold/fold in the shot which brings consistency and great feel with this shot.
Acceleration – shorten the backswing enough that you feel you need to be pretty aggressive in the through swing. A back swing that is too long creates deceleration in the throughswing which leads to fat and/or thin shots.
Swing toward the hole – great area to practice on swinging toward the target. Chances are if you are coming across your full shots (cut/slice) you are also doing the same in your pitching/flop shots.

In a good high pitch/flop shot the ball should land relatively soft on the green with minimal roll. In fact, if you listen to the shot, you will hear a “thud” when it hits the green. A good shot comes in soft, has minimal roll… many pros call it landing like a “butterfly with sore feet”.

Hopefully this helps those who are looking to help their short game – especially that all needed lob shot around the green. For more detailed information, please see our Video #4 of our 7 principles.

Be watching for more upcoming Winter Practice Tips in upcoming Etips.

The next is scheduled for Feb. 1st and is going to discuss the vertical drop in the full swing.

Good Luck.

Remember – ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE

Short Game Winter Practice

January 20, 2006 by admin

As everyone knows who has been at one of our schools, read past instructional material by us, has our instructional material (TGOV or 7 principles) or just spends a little time at any of our academies – we continually stress building the ENTIRE game rather than just parts of the game. As we always say, you will only be as good as the weakest part of your game… With this said, we many times fall into the trap of focusing only on our long game and letting our short game slip a little – or worse, putting very little practice into our short game.

Fact – 43% of scoring occurs on the putting green (with the putter) for an average golfer (20 handicap golfer). As you handicap goes up, this percentage increases… for a scratch golfer – about 40% of scoring occurs with the putter.

And – as this is the time of year we get minimal outdoor practice, let’s talk about setting up a practice station and method to improve our putting (can be done at home , in the office, on the road… in the winter or any time of the year).

First, we recommend you obtain the following “tools” for your putting station. Putting mat (or smooth carpet in your house), yardstick, sharpie marker, 2 rubber bands, golf balls, 2 x 4 (about 2 feet long), DVD, and a magazine.

Next, draw a straight line on your putting mat from the hole back to the end of the mat (or at least 6 to 8 feet) – (would definitely recommend getting a mat for this, not sure too many spouses would be happy putting a line on the house’s carpet..)

Next, place 2 rubber bands on your putter face about 1 to 2 inches apart. You can start wide (2 inches) and then work down.

The center point between the 2 rubber bands should be the sweet spot of the putter. When you are placing the rubber bands on the putter – do not make them smooth – in other words – if you hit the rubber band in your stroke, you want the ball to go off line. When practicing with the rubber bands on the putter it will show you if you are making contact with the sweet spot of your putter (making sure you don’t heel or toe your putter which leads to VERY inconsistent putting, in particular, distance control).

Next, take a golf ball (or few golf balls) and draw a line around the ball with the sharpie. Make the line as circular around the ball as possible. You could use a range ball (with lines on it), but prefer you use the same type of golf balls you play with (to develop feel).

Now let’s talk about drills to work on your alignment, stance and stroke.

“DVD Drill” To determine proper ball position, place a DVD on your mat and place a golf ball in the middle of the DVD. When you look down on the DVD (will reflect) you should not see your left eye (for right hands – right eye for left-handers) – the ball will block the reflection of your lead eye. You will see your trail eye just behind the ball in the reflection. In other words, this is a great check to make sure the ball is under your eye line and slightly forward in your stance. This drill works for short, long and side saddle putting. You will stand a little more inside (further from the ball) with a belly style putter – but still want to get as close as possible.This drill also will help determine if your putter is too long – for many, if they can’t get the golf ball in a good position – could mean the putter (length) is too long.

“Magazine Drill” After you have determined the proper distance from the golf ball, lay a magazine down next to your toes. For most, an average size magazine will fit between the toes and putter (leaving enough room to stroke the putt). Ideally – find a magazine (size) that will fit exactly between your toes and heel of your putter when you set up over the ball. You can then use this check anytime you are practicing putting – to make sure you are the right distance from the ball – just lay down the magazine – put your toes against the magazine and heel on another side.

“2 x 4 Drill” Take the 2 x 4 and place parallel to the line in the mat with just enough room to stroke the putt with the toe of the putter as close to the board as you are comfortable. As you perform this drill, the putter should go back straight and then arc slightly inside (for longer putts) in the backswing. In the through swing the putter will return to square at impact, go straight through and then arc slightly inward (towards your toes) for longer putts. Checkpoint in this drill is the putter never touches the 2 x 4, but stays very close to it.

“Line Drill” Finally – the line drill. You can do either with the “lined ball” or unmarked ball. I recommend both. Place the ball on the line on putt.

When you putt check four things:

You stay VERY still during the putt – minimal movement in the body.
The ball rolls down the line to the hole. Does not go right or
The putter head goes back (backswing) down the line (slightly inward arc for longer putts) and then returns to square at impact, rides the line in the through swing (arcs slightly in for longer putts).
If you used the marked golf ball – should roll straight into the hole – should not “wobble” on the way

These drills work for all forms of putting – short, long, belly and side saddle. In fact, as you examine your putting and putting stroke in the offseason, it may be a great time to “experiment” with other forms. The roll of the golf ball, path of the putter, etc… doesn’t lie. With these drills and tools you can see what form of putting gives you the best roll and chance to improve your scoring in the upcoming year.

Good Luck

Be watching for more upcoming Winter Practice Tips in upcoming Etips.

Remember – ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE

The Man with the Perfect Swing-Dec. 1999 Reader’s Digest

December 20, 2005 by admin

By: Bruce Selcraig

“His game was close to genius, but could he find acceptance”

On a warm morning at a country club near Orlando, a stocky gentleman with wispy gray hair makes his way past the crowd gathered for today’s exhibition. To those who don’t know better, the impish old fellow could be just another sunburned senior dreaming of bogey golf.

He wears a black turtleneck despite the heat. The left pocket of his neon-lime slacks bulges, as always, with two golf balls – never more, never fewer. All three watches on his left wrist are set to the same time.

Taking his position at the tee, he quickly lofts a few short wedge shots about 70 yards. At first, the spectators seem unimpressed. Then they notice that the balls are landing on top of one another. “Every shot same as the last,” chirps the golfer, as if to himself, “Same as the last.”

Moving to a longer club, a seven iron, he smoothly launches two dozen balls, which soar 150 yards and come to rest so close to each other you could cover them with a bedspread. He then pulls out his driver and sends a hail of balls 250 yards away – all clustered on a patch of grass the size of a two-car garage. Astonished laughter erupts from the crowd. “Perfectly straight,” says the golfer in a singsong voice. “There is goes. Perfectly straight.”

Those who have followed Moe Norman’s career are no longer surprised by his uncanny displays of accuracy. Many professionals and avid players consider the 70-year-old Canadian a near-mythical figure. But few outside the sport have ever heard his name. Fewer still know the story of his struggle to find acceptance in the only world he understands.

One cold January morning in 1935, five-year-old Murray Norman was sledding double with a friend on an ice-packed hillside near his home in Kitchner, Ontario. Speeding downhill, the sled hurtled into the street and skidded under a passing car.

Both boys survived and ran home crying. But the car’s right rear tire had rolled over Moe’s head, pushing up the cheekbone on one side of his face. His parents, unable to afford medical care, could only pray he did not suffer serious brain damage.

As Moe grew older he developed odd behavioral quirks and a repetition, staccato speech pattern. His older brother Ron noticed that Moe seemed unusually frightened of unfamiliar situations. At night, Ron often heard his little brother sobbing in bed, devastated by some real or imagined slight.

At school Moe felt glaringly out of place among other kids. Desperate for friends and acceptance, he tried to be playful, but his efforts often backfired-pinching people too hard or bear-hugging them until they pushed him away. He heaped ridicule on himself and even coined his own nickname: Moe the Schmoe. He became known as a slow student in every subject-except one. At math no one could touch Moe Norman. He astounded his classmates by memorizing complicated problems and multiplying two-digit numbers in his head almost instantly.

When he wasn’t acting the clown, Moe walled himself off from others. Over time he plunged deeper into isolation, and yet, ironically, it was loneliness that led him to his greatest happiness.

In the years following his accident, Moe spent hours atop the same winter sledding hill, hacking around an old golf ball with a rusty wood-shafted five iron he found at home. Here in the solitary and magical world of golf, he found a reason to wake up each morning.

Kitchner, Ontario, in the 1940’s was a gritty factory town where working-class teenagers had little desire or money to play the “sissy”, upper -class game of golf. Moe was spellbound, often skipping meals, school and chores to head off by himself in a field to hit balls-500 or more a day. He practiced until dark, sometimes until the blood from his hands made the club too slippery to hold.

In his early teens, Moe got a job as a caddie at a country club only to be fired when he hurled the clubs of a low-tipping local mogul into some trees. Soon he gave up caddying to concentrate on playing, honing his skills at a nearby public golf course. He quit school in tenth grade, and by the time he was 19, he knew he was blessed with a rare talent: he could hit a golf ball wherever he wanted it to go.

Moe left home in his early 20s, hitching rides to compete in amateur golf tournaments all over Canada, supporting himself with a succession of low-paying jobs. At his first few tournaments in the late 1940s, fans didn’t know what to make of the odd little fellow with the garish, mismatched outfits, strawlike red hair and crooked teeth.

He manner was playful, almost childlike, his self-taught technique wildly unorthodox. Legs spread wide, he stood over the ball like a slugger at the plate, clutching the club not with his fingers, as most golfers are taught to do, but tightly in his palms, wrists cocked, as if he were holding a sledgehammer. Many spectators dismissed him as an amusing sideshow. Some giggled when he stepped up to the tee. Soon though, Moe Norman was turning heads for reasons other than his personal style.

Recognized as a gifted player who could hit a golf ball with breath-taking precision, he quickly became a sensation on the amateur golf circuit. In one year alone he shot 61 four times, set nine-course records and won 17 out of 26 tournaments.

Even as his fame grew, Moe remained painfully shy and could not shake the sense that he was undeserving of the attention. Rather than bask in the spotlight, he avoided it. In 1955, after winning the Canadian Amateur Open in Calgary, Moe failed to show for the awards ceremony. Friends later found him by the nearby Elbow River, cooling his feet.

The victory qualified Moe for one of golf’s most prestigious events: the Masters. When he got the invitation to the tournament, he was only 26 and spending his winters setting pins in a Kitchner bowling alley. This was his chance not only to represent his country but to show skeptics he wasn’t just some freak on a run of beginner’s luck.

But his old demons would give him no rest. Moe felt like an intruder among some of golf’s brightest lights. He played miserably in the first round and even worse on day two. So he fled to a nearby driving range to practice.

While hitting balls, Moe noticed someone behind him. “Mind if I give you a little tip?” asked Sam Snead. The Hall of Famer merely suggested a slight change in his long-iron stroke. But for Moe it was like Moses bringing an 11th commandment down from the mountaintop.

Determined to put Snead’s advice to good use, Moe stayed on the range until dark, hitting balls by the hundreds. The next day, unable to hold a club, he withdrew from the Masters, humiliated.

But Moe climbed right back up the ladder to win the Canadian Amateur again a year later. A string of victories followed. In time, he had won so many tournaments and collected so many televisions, wristwatches and other prizes that he began selling off those he didn’t want.

When the Royal Canadian Golf Association charged him with accepting donations for travel expenses, which was against regulations for amateurs, Moe decided to turn professional. His first move as a pro was to enter, and win, the Ontario Open.

As a newcomer to professional golf, Moe approached the game with the same impish lightheartedness of his amateur years. When people laughed, he played along by acting the clown. An extremely fast player, he’s set up and make his shot in about three seconds, then sometimes stretch out on the fairway and pretend to doze until the other players caught up.

Fans loved the show, but some of his fellow competitors of the U.S. PGA Tour did not. As the Los Angeles Open in 1959, a small group of players cornered Moe in the locker room. Stop goofing off, they told him, demanding that he improve his technique as well as his wardrobe.

Friends say a shadow fell across Moe that day. Some believe the episode shattered his self-confidence and persuaded him to back out of the American tour, never to return. More than anything, Moe had wanted to be accepted by the players he so admired. But he was unlike the others, and he was being punished for it.

The laughter suddenly seemed barbed and personal. No longer could he shrug it off when some jerk in the galleries mimicked his high-pitched voice or hitched up his waistline to mock Moe’s too-short trousers.

Because Moe never dueled the likes of Americans Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer, he achieved little recognition beyond Canada. At home, though, his success was staggering. On the Canadian PGA Tour and in smaller events in Florida, Moe won 54 tournaments and set 33-course records. While most world- class golfers count their lifetime holes-in-one on a few fingers, Moe has scored at least 17.

Despite his fame and the passing years, Moe was continually buffeted by the mood swings that tormented him in childhood. Even among friends, he could be curt, sometimes embarrassingly rude.

At other times he was charming, lovable Moe, bear hugging friends and tossing golf balls to children like candy-the happy-go-lucky clown from his amateur days.

Through the 1960’s and ’70s Moe racked up one tournament victory after another. But in the early 1980’s his enthusiasm for competition began to wane. His winnings dwindled, and he slipped into depression. Not being wealthy, he seemed to care very little for money, lending thousands to aspiring golfers and never bothering to collect.

Broke and all by forgotten, he drifted from shabby apartments and boardinghouses to cut-rate roadside motels, often sleeping in his car. Had it not been for the generosity of friends-and a stroke of good luck- he might have faded entirely into obscurity.

Moe has never had a telephone, a credit card or owned a house. Few people know where he might be living on any given day, and he seldom talks to strangers. Little wonder it took Jack Kuykendall two years to track him down.

Kuykendall, founder of a company called Natural Golf Corp., finally caught up with him in Titusville, Fla. He told Moe that, trained in physics, he had worked for years to develop the perfect golf swing-only to discover that an old-timer from Canada had been using the same technique for 40 years. He had to meet this man.

Moe agreed to demonstrate his swing at clinics sponsored by Natural Golf Corp. Word spread quickly through the golfing grapevine, and before long, sports magazines were trumpeting the mysterious genius with the killer swing.

Among those following Moe’s story was Wally Uihlein, president of the golf-ball company Titleist and Foot-Joy Worldwide. Hoping to preserve one of golf’s treasures, Uihlein announced in 1995 that his company was awarding Norman $5000 a month for the rest of his life. Stunned, Moe asked what he had to do to earn the money, “Nothing,” said Uihlein. “You’ve already done it.”

Two weeks later, Moe Norman was elected to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Even today, however, he remains largely unknown outside his native country except among true disciples of the game. For them, Moe is golf’s greatest unsung hero, the enigmatic loner once described by golfer “Lee Trevino as “the best ball-striker I ever saw come down the pike.” Many agree with Jack Kuykendall-had someone given Moe a hand 40 years ago, “we would know his name like we know Babe Ruth’s.”

In a parking lot of a Florida Country Club, Moe Norman is leaning into his grey Cadillac, fumbling through a pile of motivational tapes. He seems nervous and rushed, but as he slides behind the wheel, he pauses to reflect on his life, his family and his obsession.

Moe never had a real mentor or a trusted adviser. “Today’s kids,” he says, “are driven right up to the country club. Nice golf shoes, twenty-dollar gloves, nice pants. “Have a nice day, son.” I cry when I hear that. Oooh, if I’d ever heard that when I was growing up…”

He squints into the sun and cocks his head. “Everyone wanted me to be happy their way,” he says. “But I did it my way. Now, every night I sit in the corner of my room in the dark before I go to bed and say, “My life belongs to me. My life belongs to me.”

With that, he shuts the door and rolls down the window just a crack. Asked where he’s going, Moe brightens instantly, and a look of delight spreads across his face.

“Gone to hit balls,” he says, pulling away. “Hit balls.” It is and forever will be, the highlight of his day.

Reprinted from the December 1999 Issue of Reader’s Digest @ 1999 the Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, N.Y. 10570 Printed in U.S.A.

Be watching for more Winter Practice Tips in upcoming e-tips. Remember – ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE

Moe’s Secrets

August 20, 2005 by admin

I am still learning from Moe. Every time I watch his golf swing on the hours of footage we have, I listen to his comments and his thought on the simplicity of his swing and technique. And even when I practiced with Moe he would say things that seemed unreal. There was a time when I thought some of his ideas were a bit outrageous and yes, sometimes crazy.

Over the years, I have learned to tame that judgmental part of me. I have learned to take a new approach to learning to swing like the best that has ever struck a golf ball. Here are a few thoughts that might help you with getting your mind straight before I get into some “radical” concepts.

First, take nothing Moe says for granted. Most of Moe’s ideas of the golf swing were his way of explaining the unexplainable. Moe was doing his best to describe his feelings. Second, try not to judge it until you understand it. There are many things in the golf swing that don’t make sense but once you finally understand them they are almost common sense. Have you ever experienced that? (This is where you ask yourself how you could have been so dumb?)

So, let me introduce you to a few concepts that I want you to experiment with and see if they can help you swing like Moe.

Club Behind the Ball

Remember the pivot point? This point is a reference point for the golf club as it relates to the body. This relationship is critical when swinging the club into the correct impact position. The pivot point relationship establishes and ideal address position relationship. Notice that the pivot point relationship at address places the line of the lead arm and club shaft in a position where the club head is in the center of the feet but depending on the club you are hitting, the ball is not there, it is forward of the club head.

Also, notice that from the Down The Line View (see pictures) that the club is also in a perfect single plane. This pivot point relationship and subsequent single plane are related. Moe’s genius is reflected in his ability to do what no other golfer has ever done, place the club behind the ball to simplify swinging on plane.

If the goal is to establish the plane at address and impact the ball on this plane, then you will find it important to experiment with the pivot point relationship, which will mean placing the club behind the ball.

The Coin

Moe placed a coin 27 to 40 inches behind his golf ball. Moe claimed that the club would go back low to the ground and touch the coin before it came off of the ground. By doing this, you create the correct arm distance from your body to the golf ball. This arm distance or “width” is a major reason for correct arm motion and speed. By moving the arms correctly, the shoulders also move correctly on plane. The “coin” seems to help the entire first move in the golf swing, a common question we often get asked by our students.

The Club Never Goes Behind You

Now picture this, the address position is a relationship formed with the area I call the pivot point creating two perfectly straight lines, the lead arm and club shaft and the trail arm and club shaft (down the line view). The shoulders are in position accordingly on plane. The spine is tilted as the arms are in front of the chest in perfect harmony. Now the club moves in the backswing, these relationships maintain, the club stays low to the ground (over the coin) and then the hands hinge the club up onto plane. The entire motion is poetry. Simple. Perfect. The hinge of the hands Moe describes “an upward movement, never around like a pendulum” states Moe, once again his feelings coming through in a metaphor.

Moe’s golf swing was a combination of biomechanical precision with perfect design for the task of hitting a ball taken to the degree of mastery. When Moe described this kinetic poetry, his thoughts, sometimes abstract, were gems when it comes to understanding his golf swing and “The Feeling of Greatness”.

Good Luck in your continued pursuit of Moe’s single plane swing and please let us know if we can do anything else for you.

STORY FOLLOWUP

Remember the last E-tip about Court and his progression with his game… here is a follow-up e-tip I received from him the next week.

Tim, Thanks to both you and Todd for a great 3 days. I hit about 300 balls Sunday while going back and forth watching the tape. By the end of day, I think I got it. Today on the course I shot 74 (2 over) 12/14 fairways and long, 13 GIR, 32 putts, no 3 Putts, 3/4 up and downs, 1/2 Sand saves,13 pars, 2 birdies, 2 bogies, 1 dbl. The double came on #17 as I got to thinking about the even par round I had going. Short par 3, didn’t release the club and it went high and right into the water. The big deal I think was walking into my shots for setup, thinking target, and more confidence than I ever have had. The other thing is I just never got into trouble except for the one water hole – taking trouble out of the equation. I have shot better rounds, but I have never played better golf.

Thanks again. Talk to you later, Court

Success Stories

July 20, 2005 by admin

STORY #1 (South Central PGA Match Play Tournament)

First, is going to be about my (Tim) tournament last week.

I played in the South Central PGA Match Play Championship last week at Reflection Ridge Golf Course in Wichita, KS. I won the event by winning 5 matches, the last with a 7 and 5 victory. If you haven’t seen the results yet (was actually posted on chatroom before I even saw the article), you can see the article written in the South Central Magazine at: www.southcentralgolf.com/Pages/News/0705/0713match.html

Thought I’d try and give a little insight to the play and how it can help you when you are in the course and/or getting ready for those important rounds/tournaments.

The tournament ran Monday – Wednesday. On Sunday I went to the club for a practice round (had never played RRGC before). On the first tee I was asked by a few friends (in the tournament) to play with them. I decided on the way up to the course, I’d give myself the best chance in the tournament by having the best possible practice round I could. I politely declined and played as a single behind their group. On each hole I hit a couple of drives (on par 3s played from different parts of the tee box where I thought the tees might be placed) and marked yardage and targets that I wanted to hit at. On par 3s I also marked what club I hit from what yardage and more importantly where the wind was blowing from.

For example, #3 was a 175-yard par 3 slightly down wind. In the practice round I hit a 7 iron to the middle of the green (marked on the card, 7 iron, 10 mph down wind). In other words, if the hole played with no wind or into the wind it would be at least a 6 iron during the tournament. The other thing I did in the practice round was to practice short game shots from as many places around the green as possible. I would hit a shot onto the green, pull the shot off the green and chip or pitch 3 or 4 balls on to the green from many different locations around the green.

I focused on the speed and slopes of the greens, but to be honest, focused more on the rough around the greens, bunkers around the greens and areas you didn’t want to miss shots. By the middle of the back nine I felt I had practiced all the different shots I might have in the upcoming matches (chips, pitches, long pitches, punch and run shots, short, mid and long bunker shots, yardages off the par 3s, targets off the par 4 and par 5 tees, and hit many shots from the rough off the fairways to determine if the ball was flying, or had to punch out..) I tried to have the best practice round I could to give me the most confidence.

One thing wants to mention before I go on… the week before the tournament I called the head pro at the course and asked about the rough and speed of the greens. He told me it had rained a lot in the past few weeks and the rough was pretty high (and they weren’t planning on mowing) and the greens were running about a 10 1/2. With this information, I practiced on these type of conditions the week prior to the event.

I went to a course with greens a little faster than my home course and also went to a practice area with some high rough to practice around the green.

In the tournament, I won my first 3 matches 3&2 (against the courses assistant professional), 4&3 (against the courses head professional) and the third match 4&3. In those matches I only made 2 bogies (did miss a few greens each match, but got up and down all by 2 times.. I believe I as 9 for 11 up and down). In my fourth match I played the professional I beat in the finals in 2003. I was 2 up with 4 to play and the sky opened up for a 2 hour rain delay. When we returned, he birdied #15 for the win, then holed out from 60 yards on #16 to win that hole. I went from 2 up with 4 to play, to even with 2 to play. Needless to say, was a bit shook up. I told myself, never say die and went to the 17th tee (double dogleg par 5).

He hit a high cut (too high) off the tee and it plugged in the fairway (from all the rain). I saw his drive and played a low running cut off the tee about 40 yards past his drive. He couldn’t get home, I played a 4 iron to the front edge of the green (about 50 feet from the pin). He wedged to about 15 feet, I chipped to 5 feet. He missed, I made, I was one up. On #18, we both pared from the fairway and I won one up.

Now for the last match… I played Jim Woodward. Many may know Jim – he was on the PGA tour for 8 years, made 146 cuts (4 short of full PGA pension which he is going to try for on Senior PGA tour in 5 years). Jim and I decided to play our final match Tuesday late afternoon instead of staying another night in Wichita… After the first 6 holes, I was 1 up. I had birdied 3 of the first 6 and Jim birdied 2. (Jim hit a great shot on #4 – he was 90 yards from the green, behind a big pine tree with water between the tree and green (pond). He pulled out a 3 iron and skipped it across the water to about 15 feet from the hole… he is a very good player..). On number 7 tee I had one of those “talks” with myself. I told myself, “one of us is going to have to make a move”. I know the quality of player Jim is and either he was going to make birdies or I needed to…. I proceeded to birdie 6 of the next 7 holes.

On the next 7 holes, I hit it within 3 feet on all but one. Jim was in shock… he even stated (you can see in the article.. “I’m getting tired of this $%&*, down the middle and 3 feet, down the middle and 3 feet” – pretty nice when your that is coming from your opponent.). I won the event 7 and 5. On the 10th green (after going 4 up), Jim turned toward me and said – “My $%^ if this is Natural Golf”. I laughed and said, “You’re right, it isn’t, it is Moe Norman Golf”. He said, “Now that makes sense” – I told him he was more than welcome to come to our schools anytime (we both laughed).

A couple of points I want to bring up about the tournament and want to recommend to everyone:

I prepared the best I knew how before the event – I didn’t want any negative thoughts about lack of preparation before the event.
My practice round was great! I left “no stone unturned”. It wasn’t rushed and I practiced and learned the course.
During the tournament, I focused on pre and post shot routines to get in a rhythm. I knew the better the rhythm, the better the focus.
I had 100% confidence in my short game. I believed, if I missed a green, I would make par. I was not going to lose by making mistakes.
I had switched to a Titleist 905T driver the week before the event – have to admit it gave me a lot of confidence in length and hitting fairways. I was not out driven all week.
In the final round, I was in the zone… a feeling of 100% confidence. Even the reporter following our match said I looked “glass eyed”. This feeling for me was having 100% confidence in everything I was doing. Not that I would hit everything perfectly, but no matter what happened, I could manage the outcome and I was in control of my surroundings rather than my opponent or the course.

I would like to thank everyone for there congratulatory notes and emails – and hopefully can have more events like this one in the future.

STORY #2 (Alumni Great Improvement)

This past week, alumni of ours (Court Koontz) from Corrales, NM came back to see us at our training academy here in OKC. I told him I wanted to tell his story and asked him questions about his journey to where his game is today. Here is his story:

Court has gone from a 31 handicap (4 1/2 years ago) to a 7 handicap today. And to be honest, my assessment has him at a 3 by the end of the year and a scratch by the middle of 2006. Meaning, in about 5 1/2 years, he will have gone from shooting around a 100 consistently to par golf (and under) consistently – that is AWESOME!!

Court started as many of our alumni – he attended a 3 day Natural Golf School. He saw the Lifetime of Better Golf Infomercial, ordered the LOBG package and then attended a school. He bought the clubs, did the entire package to try and get better. He said he did improve slightly, was happy to be involved with the single axis swing, but wanted more.

Court saw us for the first time in Albuquerque, NM 4 years ago. He attended one of our 3 day schools. At that time he was in the high 20s for handicap and we got to work with him. Court had many of the same issues as most of our students, grip, setup, and backswing issues to work on. But this is where Court differed than most….

After 3 years with us, Court attended a Build Your Game Camp here at our Academy in Oklahoma City. Court told me that is where he felt he finally put the swing together. Meaning, we fix your swing at our schools, but teach you to fix your own swing at our camps. That is the primary reason we set up our camps, to give us enough time to fix your swing and teach you how to fix your own swing in the future (to us it is like training instructors in the field).

Court does/did the following to get where he is today:

He works on ONE thing at a time and only one thing. And when he works on that one thing, he works on it for a long enough time until he solves the issue. (Meaning, sometimes he may work on one swing issue for a month or two until it is solved).
For the first 3 years, Court would see us about every 6 months. Whether in New Mexico or traveling to Las Vegas to see us at one of our schools, he continually updated what he needed to work on in his swing. He would leave our schools with 3 or 4 areas of his swing he needed to work on.
Court also put a lot of time into his short game. If you would have seen him the first time I saw him, versus now, you’d wouldn’t recognize him. He now has a short game that will take him to scratch golf… the first time I saw him, I really wouldn’t even call what he had a short game (sure Court appreciates that comment…).

Now to present day and what I saw this last week with Court:

Court now comes to our academy about every 3 months for follow up. He spends an hour or two with Todd each day and then I take him on the course for a couple of hours. To me, this is absolutely the best type of continual instruction (after a camp) you can get. He works on his swing and then works on his game.

Characteristics of why he has had such good game improvement (and recommendations everyone should follow):

Court understands making swing changes is a process and while making those changes, the ball results are not going to be good. Yesterday, when on the course with Court, we hit shots from all over the course, as we were working on these shots, he didn’t care about results, he cared and focused on how to execute the shot, rather than results. His primary focus was to work on areas that needed help (long bunker shots, shots out of high rough, etc..) and to continue to build his short game (we covered down hill chips, uphill chips, cock and pop type chips, bird’s nest type flop shots, etc..).
He understands his limitations. Yesterday after being on the course, he came back to the academy for more work on his swing. After hitting balls for about 15 minutes, he was back in my office watching Moe video. I asked him what he was doing and he stated he wasn’t accomplishing anything on the range and thought he would take a break rather than “mess things up”. His understanding of limitations has got him where he is today.
After our session on the course, we sat down and Court took about 6 pages of notes on what we covered to REVIEW the new shots and swing issues. This is GREAT as writing down what he needs to work on will only emphasize continual improvement.
Court reviews our teaching material (Little Moe Swing for Life and 7 Principles Series) when he has questions about the swing and short game at home. (Yes, it does seem he has those memorized… that’s a good thing) and he definitely talks the talk and “walks the walk”.
He has the ultimate “trust” in what we say. This may seem simple, but to us as instructors – this may be the most important characteristic we see in Court. When we recommend a change or show him a new move, Court says “Okay, let’s do it”. There is no hesitation – only trying to understand.

Finally – and most important – Court seems to love the process. His enjoyment of the process (rather than looking for a quick fix) is why he is getting so much better. Remember – the average golfer shoots 97 and will see minimal or no improvement after 3 years of playing the game. Court is absolutely wiping these stats out!!!!

In conclusion – (will process through the 7 principles here):

Develop a Sound, Repeatable, Powerful Swing of Ease based on Moe Norman’s Golf Swing. (Single Plane / Straight Line Motion).

As with Court – don’t rush – build the swing, don’t bandage the swing. Work on one part at a time, master, go to the next. Work as a process not a quick fix.

Develop an efficient Short Game (50% up and down).

Will lower the score faster than anything you work on. But, MUST use proper fundamentals and build as Court did. This is the creative part of the game – learn to be creative.

Become a good Putter (Under 30 putts per round). Again – work on stroke, path and face alignment – always focus on these areas.
Build or buy Clubs That Fit your game.

If your clubs don’t fit, you will fight your single axis swing… improperly fit clubs will hinder progress. Court changed clubs about 2 years ago when he wanted to continue his improvement – he felt his old clubs were hindering his progress.

Learn to Play on the course using developed skills. (Course Management).

As you read, Court now puts much of his focus in this area… bring the swing to the course.

Learn How to Practice efficiently.

Know your limits, know how to practice, know when to practice…

7.Learn How to Think.

Learn how to think in practice, on the course, off the course, manage your game – DON’T let your game manage you.

I wrote this story not to brag about Court (okay, maybe a little..) but rather to encourage all those wanting to improve their game to take a little advice from him and his progression. As I always say, see what is working with other golfers and see what you can do to mimic their progress. Much easier to copy a model than create a new one…

STORY #3 (Alumni Testimonial & Improvement)

From Carmen P (NB, Canada): Todd, Tim, Jared, Brent:

Gentlemen, let me begin by saying that this email is far too late in coming. It’s been nearly 2 months since I attended the 3-day school in Connecticut – and I apologize for taking so long to send this.

It is my hope that this note not only serves as a ‘thank you’ to everyone at the Graves Golf Academy, but also as helpful information for those golfers who may be considering attending a Graves Golf School in the future.

I have most volumes of the 7 principles series of DVDs. I have practically every video the Graves Golf Academy has produced. I have the original LOBG set. etc. etc. The Bottom Line is this: NOTHING, I REPEAT, NOTHING COMPARES TO ATTENDING A GRAVES GOLF SCHOOL IN-PERSON. NOTHING. PERIOD.

To prospective students: The school is first-class all the way. Excellent teaching stations and an exceptional golf course coupled with great service and attention to detail. This instruction is highly personalized, VERY one-on-one, and extremely consistent. It didn’t matter if Todd, Tim, or Jared looked at my swing – they all saw the same basic flaws (I guess it was pretty obvious!) and each of them recommended the exact same starting point for me to improve. And the patience was incredible. I literally had Todd stand behind me and place my club, hands, etc. in the correct positions for 20 minutes straight so I could get the proper ‘feeling’ of where to put the club. And then both Tim and Jared personally assisted in the drill necessary to begin ‘grooving’ that move. Which brings an interesting point to light: I assure you, what you ‘feel’ you are doing in the golf swing versus what you are actually doing are two completely different things. And the fastest way to bridge the gap between ‘feeling’ the right thing and actually ‘doing’ the right thing is to attend a school and see these guys in-person. Further – be sure to do all 3 days. Or a 5 day if you can swing it. I went to all 3 days of the school in CT and I will again next year.

Before I attended the school, my game could be summed up as follows: All full shots were weak fades. Distance off the tee was my biggest challenge. And every time I played or practiced, I would be trying another ‘magic bullet’ fix. I did not head to the course or to the practice tee without attempting to change at least 1, if not 5, things. Each and every time. Sound familiar?

This is my experience since attending the school: I only hit a fade when I want one. Otherwise, I hit straight or with a slight draw. Distance off the tee has improved dramatically. I actually hit a drive 3 weeks after the school (on a 462-yard par 4) that went 303 yards – and it was directly behind the 150-yard stake in the center of the fairway. This from a guy who struggled for 200 yards off the tee. Further, when I go to the course or to the practice tee, I only ever work on one thing. And I know if I work on that one thing long enough, I will be one major step closer to my ultimate goal of scratch golf.

To Todd, Tim, Jared, Brent et al, thank you. It has been, and will continue to be, a great learning experience and the best value in golf today.

To all prospective students, do it. It is the best money you’ll spend on golf, without question. Frankly, if I had to make a choice between actually playing golf next season or going to the Graves Golf School and simply practicing in my basement all summer, I’d go to the school (thankfully, I don’t have to make that choice!). That’s how critically important it is for you to see these guys in-person if you’re at all serious about swinging like Moe.

Once again gentlemen, thank you.

***********************

Good Luck and Remember – ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE

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