Golf stroke mechanics

Smooth Authority

January 4, 2026 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

Mark W. (East Saint Louis, MO)

To: Timg@Gravesgolf.com

Hey Tim;

I just wanted to say thank-you and to share my experience playing yesterday due to some freakishly warm weather in St. Louis.

This month I have been working on my putting, chipping and pitching (into a tarp) in the basement for a few minutes daily and tracking the time spent. It’s amazing how spending 7 to 12 minutes a day per discipline can add up – so far this month I’ve practiced my putting stroke alone for 3 hours plus (23 of 27 days). I have incorporated your teachings on ball position, shaft lean and hands down the line and continue to work to ingrain them.

Your tips during the FF <Fast Forward> presentation – specifically the single trail hand drill that Tiger used, and the short backstroke to promote acceleration – were golden. Yesterday – the first real round in over 6 weeks – I had 30 total putts with no three putts. What’s more – I had several 4-6 footers that due to your acceleration drill went in the hole with smooth authority!

Thank-you for all that you do to share your insights – very grateful for you and the GG team.

Mark

Enjoy your day – “The Best Is Yet To Come”

Fast Forward Information:

http://gravesgolf.com/fast

FWPC … Fundamental / Why / Practice / Check

November 30, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

The first morning of our schools and camps I (Tim) talk to the students about what they are about to go through. One of the topics is the process of learning and how to get the most out of the school. This process is the same we all need to go through to create new habits – I wanted to discuss a little in this e-tip. Here is what all need to do to create new habits:

1. Learn the Fundamental

You must first learn the fundamental(s) that you need to work on. Whether a long game, short game, mid game, etc… fundamental such as the grip, set up, etc… you need to study the fundamental you want to work on. Learning doesn’t mean doing at first, it means understanding what is correct and what is not. You are trying to create a new habit with a good fundamental foundation.

2. Learn the Why

As you are working on creating a new habit, you need to know the why of the fundamental. More than, because we said so, but rather, why the fundamental is important. As you are making the change(s), you will feel uncomfortable at first. If you don’t know the specifics of why you need to make the change, your brain will “give up” when it becomes uncomfortable. (Very common). If you know why – you will be more likely to get through the uncomfortable stage. This is the conscious thought eventually transforming to the unconscious thought. It takes time, but your conscious thought must know the “whys” at first to continue with the change.

3. Learn How to Practice to Create the New Habit

You can know what fundamental you need to work on, you can know the whys… but if you don’t know how to practice toward creating the new habit, your improvement will be limited, or at least slowed considerably. Whether performing drills, using training aids, or both, it is absolutely critical you learn how to practice toward creating the new habit.

4. Check Points

During your practice, you must have check points. The check points are set up so you can make sure you are creating the fundamentals correct. The more check points you have, the better. Check many, check often, don’t forget to check. As many already realize, it is much easier to make yourself worse than better – you can prevent this by having check points and checking often while practicing and working toward the new habits.

Always Remember:

Fundamental (What do I need to work on?)
Whys of the fundamental (Why is that fundamental important?)
How to practice the fundamental
Check points to make sure practicing correct

Improve Your Game Over the Winter … Watching Football

November 16, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

How many of you watched football this past weekend? How many of you know you can now watch football basically every day of the week? (Yup, I know it… and honestly guilty of watching at least 3 to 4 nights / days a week…)

Whether you are watching football games, just watching TV, sitting in front of your computer, sitting at your desk or just sitting on your couch…. how many of you know you can dramatically improve your golf game at the same time??

Good players know this…

GGA alumnus know this….

Professionals know this…

Before I give you a drill you can do now (indoor), I am going to tell you about a training program we have performed the past few winters with EXTREME success.

December 15th we are starting this program again, our Single Plane University / Winter Training Program. This program includes the following:

Full Swing, Short Game, Mental Game and Flexibility Drills and Training that can all be done INDOORS.
12 weeks (+ 4 Bonus Weeks) of Training / Drills / Fundamentals (Dec, Jan, Feb and March)
4 weeks of long game / full swing, 4 weeks of short game, 4 weeks of mental game and 4 weeks of flexibility.
First week Long Game Training / Drills, 2nd week Short Game Training / Drills, 3rd week Mental Game Training / Drills, 4th week Flexibility Work… this continues each month for 3 month (+ bonus month)
Personal contact… One on one with GGA master instructors helping you with your training / drills, etc.
All training / drills will be recorded. As a week is complete, it will be stored and you can view anytime during the program. Meaning, if you miss a week or two, you can review and catch up anytime.
The ability for you to record your training and send to the coaches for review (ANYTIME). This is optional (up to you) – but included in the training program.
When you finish the program you short game will be greatly improved, your long game and fundamentals will be greatly improved, you will have great mental game work, and your flexibility will be increased / improved resulting in making it much easier to hit the correct positions in the golf swing, less stress on the body and potentially more distance.

Here are some facts that we know about winter golf.

Very few practice much (especially over the fall and winter).
Everyone wants to be better/improve.
Very few know how to improve over the fall/winter.
The best time to improve your game is over the fall / winter as most play less this time of year.
Very few understand that improvement exponentially increases when you are NOT hitting golf balls.
Practice must involve the long game, short game and flexibility (especially for our typical age group).
Very few know how to practice properly.
Improvement is GUARANTEED if you train / practice properly and GREATLY ACCELERATED if you check / monitor and have someone check / monitor for you.

Indoor Training Example – (Sneak Peak)

Set up a yard stick on the floor
Set up over a putt with a ball on the yardstick

Set up properly – hands leading, eyes over the ball, putter face square, etc.

Now:

Stoke the putt
Hold the finish
Check the finish position

Check:

Face/leading edge should still be square to the yardstick and still centered over the yardstick.
Butt end of putter should have pointed at the lead hip
There will be no movement in body except the shoulders (arms and hands)

Now… Watch your game on TV (lol…)

Think you get my point…. I typically do this drill inside during commercials….

Repeat with a golf ball and without a golf ball.

Repeat 10 to 15 times SLOWLY without a golf ball. Hold finish every time and check

Repeat 10 to 15 times with a golf ball. Hold finish every time and check. Ball should go down the yardstick and off the end…

This is 1 of many drills during the training we will give you in the next 4 months. As you see this can be done inside (recommended) in front of the TV, in your office, in your “man/woman cave”, in your garage… think you get my point. All can be done inside and we will give you the fundamental, checkpoints, drill(s) and follow up. You can then video a send to us (if you choose – included in program). If you send in video of yourself, we will follow up with recommendations for you and an email with those same recommendations/additional training.

This is the best thing you can do for your golf game for the next 6 months!

Last question – Again – how much do you want to improve over this winter….?

Questions about program – please feel free to contact me at (Tim Graves) at timg@gravesgolf.com or timkgraves@aol.com

Again – this is where we put our focus on training for our students over the winter. We STRONGLY suggest all those who want to have a much better golf game next spring to be part of this program with us.

We look forwarded to helping you improve your golf game DRAMATICALLY over the next 4 months…. sit back (watching football……) and watch the improvement!!!

Finally:

All those currently in Single Plane Academy Level # 4 or Level # 5 – you are already included (don’t need to do anything additional). Watch you email inbox soon for your first training session.

Questions about program – email timg@gravesgolf.com

Reminder From Fellow Single Plane Member / Full Swing Practice Tip

November 16, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

Good morning Gentlemen,

I’ve recently been struggling with making solid contact, over the top move, double cross etc. I was so lost! Video didn’t even work! What was I going to do? Then it hit me, maybe I should review the Graves golf on demand app!

I typed key words into the search bar, reviewed several videos, most with Tim because he has a blunt way of describing different aspects of the swing that really connect with me. Then I came across one with Todd where he was wearing those glasses with the camera! He broke down from position 2 through position 3 from the view of what he sees. He was describing transition and said and I quote “my arms are moving but I’m not moving my arms” I repeat,”my arms are moving but I’m not moving my arms” boom!

That’s exactly what I was missing, rotation moves the arms through the vertical drop! Holy sh*t, I went back to the range, setup the training tools, yard stick etc did Tim’s pump drill, went through position 2 and 3 slowly then setup a ball 6 iron training club, first ball went high and deep!

Wow I wish more members would take the time to review the videos and resources available to them!

I truly appreciate Graves golf, I don’t always find submitting videos that helpful for me but your resources On Demand are always so helpful!

Regards,

Jack Tinney
Level 3 Member

(To See More Information About Graves Golf Single Plane On Demand: CLICK HERE )

I Gave Myself A Chance

March 7, 2009 by admin

“I gave myself a chance” was Moe’s way of describing how he prepared himself to play and perform his best. This was the way Moe maneuvered his golf game and his life. He prepared himself and played golf from a place of preparation and process, not an expectation.

Whenever I play golf events and tournaments, I only have one goal – to be ready. That’s it. I don’t place expectations on my score or try to hit every fairway and every green. My only expectation of myself is to be fully prepared. Then, once prepared, I go through the process of playing one shot at a time.

We are now approaching golf season and many of you are just weeks away from your first round of the year. Are you ready? If not, how do you get ready? In this article, I want to help you learn to prepare yourself to play golf.

Only one word describes the type of practice necessary to prepare yourself for your first round, the word is: FUNDAMENTALS.

You must start some fundamental/basic training practices so that when your first round arrives, you are able to play your best golf. Let me describe exactly what fundamental practice is and how I work on these fundamentals.

Fundamental practice is the foundation of a great golf swing. To start this preparation, you must first ask yourself how is your address position? This is the best place to start. As Moe said “If you don’t have a great address position, you ain’t got nothing”. How true this is and this fundamental starting position starts with your hands on the club.

The Grip

You must make sure your hands are correctly aligning the face and shaft from the two lines we describe in our Single Plane teaching. I developed the GGA Training Grip/Club for exactly this purpose. It solves my grip issues and helps me get the club-face aligned.

Learn more about the “Feeling of Greatness” Training Grip/Club HERE

Arm alignment

Furthering your address position, you must work on how the arms align the club with the body. We call this the two-line address position consisting of the club aligned with the lead arm and the club aligned with the trail arm. I usually use a mirror to check this position.

Check out the Single Plane Position Trainer HERE

Arms aligned with Body

Next, you must align the two lines with the body referring to the pivot point where the club is beneath the nose (Face-on view) and the club aligns through the mid-spine intersect™ point. These lines can only be accomplished with the proper leg position (straight with a slight bend in the knees) and the proper bend from the waist. I use a mirror to check this position also.

Stance Width/Ball Position

Next, I make sure I am standing the ideal width with the correct ball position. I developed the GGA Alignment and Ball Position Trainer to help me make sure I have this issue correct each time I practice.

Find out more about the Alignment and Ball Position Trainer HERE

After I have reviewed my fundamental address positions, I am ready to begin a few target ball-striking sessions.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you start your best year of golf ever.

Please don’t hesitate to call or email us anytime.

Good Luck.

How to Drop Your Handicap FAST Using the 3 P’s of Putting

May 20, 2008 by admin

Here is one of those e-tips again… if you are rushed, don’t have much time to read, etc.. please put this e-tip down (close, etc..) and come back to it when you have time and a VERY open mind… This is one of those e-tips that will be “so important” to your game, it could/will actually shock you with the rapid improvement/lowering of your handicap.

THE 3 Ps OF PUTTING

Simply stated, it is “Practicing your Putting with a Purpose”

Folks, it is actually pretty simple and painless, you just have to DO IT RIGHT!!!

Now, before you think to yourself, “Yeah, I know, Tim always says how important putting is, but I really need to work on my full swing first”, please read the following stats and “studies” that have been conducted and then I will explain how you can literally improve your game overnight…

First – You must first realize the importance of putting. 43% of scoring occurs on the putting green for the average player (male shooting 97, female shooting 107). As the scoring increases so does the % of putts. For a scratch golfer, the percentage lowers to about 40%, but no lower.

The statistics are as follows:

30 handicap golfer (aver 100) – 45 putts per round
20 handicap golfer (aver 90) – 40 putts per round
10 handicap golfer (aver 80) – 35 putts per round
Scratch golfer (aver 70) – 30 putts per round
Professional golfer – 28 putts per round

Second – You would think “that only makes sense” as the 30 handicap golfer will hit it further from the hole than the 20 handicap golfer, thus have more putts…. but you would be wrong. If you think of the way golf is played and the way putting stats are kept (just add up how many putts you have once the ball is in the green) – the 20 handicap golfer actually will hit more greens in regulation than the 30 handicap golfer (he/she will be chipping from the side of the green, etc..). Meaning, if you take the average distance to the hole once the player hits the green, typically the 20 handicap golfer will be further than the 30 handicap golfer… in theory, if both had equivalent mid/short games – but here lies the problem.

Third – There are only 3 areas that matter in putting (or any part of the golf swing) – Path, Face Angle, and Speed. Putting is affected by these 3 areas and only these 3 areas. Meaning, everything you work on in putting (for example the grip, set up, etc..) affects either path, face angle and/or speed. The better your path, the better your putting, the better your face angle at impact, the better your putting, the better your speed, the better your putting.

Fourth – READ THIS VERY CAREFULLY: Studies have shown that of 10 golfers who practice their putting, 5 will get no better, 4 will actually get worse, ONLY 1 will improve after practice. Please read this again – of those who practice their putting, 10% will improve the practice, 50% will not, and 40% will ACTUALLY MAKE THEMSELVES WORSE. (This study was performed numerous times testing golfers putting prior to their practice session and after.) As is said in Peoplewise Putting, “Golfers can add, subtract, multiply and divide, and they DON’T like these odds.” I don’t know about you, but if I have a 90% chance of not improving when I practice, “I ain’t practicing” (as they say in Oklahoma…)

Okay – now that everyone is on a “downer” about their putting practice, we’re here to fix that.

Over the years of playing with some of the best players in the world (including Moe, Tiger and many others), competing against many of these players, studying numerous techniques of the short game, etc… etc.. Graves Golf created/perfected a method to improve your putting. Are these “our techniques” – I would have to say no, they are techniques we have brought to you from what we have learned from the best in the world – but we have set a system to help you GUARANTEED – if you follow the Graves Golf system.

Many have/had asked me how I practice my putting – I have used this system since the early 90s when I started competing on mini-tours and other professional PGA/Nationwide Events as I saw so many other professionals using the same method.

Graves Golf SYSTEM – How to Practice Your Putting with a Purpose EVERYTIME you practice. (In other words, every time you practice, you will one of the 10% who improves!!)

It is and EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT system is you use it correctly. Meaning with minimal practice you can become a MUCH better putter and improve your handicap DRAMATICALLY! This system creates a Check System for you every time you practice and gives you a system that you can take to the golf course.

Remember the 3 Ps of Putting – Always Practice Your Putting with a Purpose

Join 1M+ Subscribers to get your FREE Video Quick Start Guide that reveals how to hit the ball farther and straighter more consistently from now on…

LEARN YOUR NEW GOLF SWING

LEARN

THE

SWING

START YOUR NEW GOLF SWING