golf swing

Take Excuses Out of Your Bag

October 19, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

This week is the annual PGA Golf Show in Orlando, FL. The show is held each year and attracts thousands of professionals from across the country (and world) to see the new golf attire, golf course equipment, golf clubs and anything else you can imagine associated with the game of golf. Immediately after the show, most golf club/equipment companies release their new lines of clubs for the upcoming year. They introduce them at the show, and put them “on the market” immediately after.

Myself and my staff always attend the show, and as always, spend the days wearing out our feet while making sure to see as much of the new equipment as possible. After seeing all the new equipment and spending many hours taking to the reps about their equipment, it is always a good time to review with all of you how the Graves Golf Academy fits clubs to your single plane golf swing.

First, let’s talk about fitting – or as I call it “Taking the excuses out of your bag”. It is absolutely imperative all clubs in your bag are fit to YOUR single plane swing. As I discuss the different areas of fitting, I’ll explain why each area is so important.

I’ll will remind now (and later) – everyone can get a free fitting through Graves Golf at: https://grav esgolf.com/free-club-fitting/

(Please give me a day or two to respond with your recommendations as some days we receive upwards of 100+ requests for fittings – and each response is personalized.)

There are 6 areas we look to fit clubs to your single plane swing. Length, lie angle, shaft flex, grip size, loft and set make up.

1. LENGTH – The proper length of a golf club for your golf swing is critical. Length of the club is determined by comparing your height to your arm length (wrist to floor measurement). Having the proper length for you for each iron, driver, fairway woods, etc. will allow you to stand the proper distance from the ball with the proper spine tilt (bend at waist). Example – You need to stand 26 inches from the ball (golf ball to toe line) with a 45* spine tilt with a 6 iron. That will allow you to get the golf club on the single plane and allow you to get your arms, hands, etc. in proper position. If the club is too short, you will not have enough room to get the arms and hands in proper position and if the club is too long, the arms will typically be too high and spine tilt improper – causing golfers to swing “around” themselves, rather than “under” themselves (proper). Each club must be the proper length for your height vs. arm length. This is absolutely one of the key factors to getting the club on a single plane – your club lengths must be individualized and optimal for you and your single plane swing.

2. LIE ANGLE – The proper lie angle is as critical, if not more, then length. The lie angle is also determined by your height vs. arm length. When set up in the proper single plane swing position, the leading edge of the club should be FLAT to the ground for you. As the set up position mirrors the impact position, the lie angle should allow the leading edge of the club to be flat to the ground at set up and impact. This will allow the club to “cut” square through the ground at impact. Improper lie angles will cause the heel or toe to dig into the ground with a good swing and the ball will fly dramatically off line. An improper lie angle of only one degree can cause a mid-iron to fly many yards (10 or 20 yards) right or left of the target. The problem is, you will make adjustments in your swing for improper lie angles. Adjustments away from the proper single plane swing fundamentals. The proper lie angle (individualized for your body measurements) is CRITICAL if you want to make rapid and proper improvement in your single plane golf swing.

3. SHAFT FLEX – The proper shaft flex is critical for proper ball flight. Shaft flex can range from Ladies flex to Extra Stiff flex (with up to 17 flexes (graphite) in between). The more flexible the shaft flex, the higher the ball will fly. The slower a golfer swings their clubs, the more flexibility (flexible) they need in a shaft. We can determine swing speed by average distance you hit particular irons and then determine what flex shaft is needed for proper ball flight. For example, an average 6 iron’s equation is 1.77 yards per mile an hour. Meaning – if you hit a 6 iron 150 yards on average, you swing the club around 85 mph. This equates to a mid-Regular flex shaft. This is only an example, but with and individual’s average 9 iron and/or 6 iron distance (and/or swing speed) we are able to fit shaft flex accordingly. Too many golfers hit shafts that are too stiff for them, causing them to try and “lift” their golf shots for added height the shaft is not giving them. This “lifting” causes many problems in the golf swing (casting, over the top, topping the ball, etc. etc..). All because of improper shafting. Also, improper shaft flex typically leads to improper ball position. Golfers that hit shafts that are too stiff for them tend to put the ball too far forward in their stance (to help get the ball then needed height). This can cause a lot of swing issues like lateral slide in golf swing (and eventually shanking the golf ball), over the top move, topping the golf ball, etc… It is CRITICAL to have proper shaft flex as it allows for proper ball flight which will give you maximum distance for each club and allow you to hit the ball with proper flight from proper ball position fundamentals.

4. GRIP SIZE – The proper grip size will allow you to maximize the release of the club and give you maximum distance with this release. Grip size is determined by you hand size. The measurement from the crease at the top of your wrist to the end of of middle finger. Proper grip size allows you to grip the club with “minimal” pressure, enough to keep the club from slipping in the hands, by not too tight causing too much tension in the hands, wrists and forearms which will dramatically reduce leverage angles through impact which will hinder distance and consistency.

* Plus – as you see above, we offer a “specialized” grip (the Graves Golf / Moe grip) with markings on it that will allow you to grip the club exactly like Moe (and check your grip) EVERY time you hold your club. The grip is USGA conformed.

* Callaway Golf installs the Graves Golf grips (our grip) on all clubs ordered through Graves Golf customized to an individual’s hand size. And these grips are installed, etc. at NO extra charge to you the customer.

Proper grip size is critical to allow for optimal feel and control of the golf club and thus allows for maximum leverage in the golf swing and optimal release. This will allow you to optimize distance and control in your golf swing.

5. LOFT – Industry average has a 4* to 5* separation in loft between the irons/clubs in a set. This, and the length of the club, are what give the golf clubs different distances when you hit them. On average (for the average golfer), with proper length and loft, there is around a 10 to 12 yard separation between clubs (ex. you hit 9 iron 110 yards, you will hit 8 iron 120 yards, etc.) This is an average.

Loft becomes a big factor in the fitting process in a couple different areas:

* Driver – it is absolutely necessary to get the proper loft on your driver to give you maximum flight and roll of your driver. The biggest factor determining what loft you need is your swing speed (listed above how calculated, etc..). Too much loft will lead to hitting too high and minimal roll, too little loft will lead to lose in flight distance. Too much or too little loft will cause loss of distance with your driver.

* Fairway woods – it is necessary to hit fairway wood(s) with enough loft that fit your swing speed/game. For most, they should not be hitting 3 woods (around 15* loft) off the ground as it is not enough loft to give them maximum fly. It is recommended you swing the driver at least 90 mph in order for you to hit a 15* fairway wood. Most golfers (average golfer) should hit a 4 or 5 wood (18* or 19*) fairway wood as the longest club off the ground. They will actually hit this club longer than a 15* club as the added loft will give them the optimal fly (and roll).

* Hybrids/Rescue Clubs/Utility Clubs – these clubs are long iron replacements. They have the needed loft and wider sole (than equivalent iron) that will allow golfers to hit the longer clubs (less lofted clubs) in their bag with the needed height and distance to be able to hold greens, etc… Average golfers, hitting their 6 iron 150 to 160 yards should hit a 3, 4 and 5 hybrids (not long irons) to give them the optimal flight and ability to hold greens with the longer clubs. All golfers need to have their club (set make up) set to their game. Some might even consider playing # 6 and 7 hybrids… Hybrids have become more and more popular in recent years.

* Wedges – loft of wedges need to be set to maximize an individual’s short game. There should not be uneven gaps in loft between the different wedges. Meaning – if you carry 3 wedges (Pitching, Sand and Lob) – maybe a 6* to 8* gap between wedges. If you carry 4 wedges (Pitch, gap, sand, lob) – 4* to 6* separation, etc… Optimal scoring in golf is set up with the short game. The short game is optimized with even gaps between your wedges.

6. Set Make Up – The proper set make up is individualized for each golfer. It is recommended according to individual’s:

* Swing Speed (distance they hit clubs)

* Divot pattern (Divot/No Divot) – Less divot, wider sole club recommended

* Golfer’s physical condition (injuries vs. body problems, etc… Examples – arthritis, chronic back problems, etc.)

* Need for “feel” in the clubs vs. “forgiveness” in the clubs (or combination)

* General golf ability (new golfers vs. experienced golfers)

* Others (there are other factors we consider when recommending clubs – (for example – young golfers – how much will they grow, etc.)

These are the main areas we focus on when we fit a set of clubs to an individual’s golf game.

Whether looking to fit/replace a single club to an entire set, from a putter to a driver to your irons, wedges, etc.. it is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that the club(s) is fit to YOUR individualized swing and single plane specifications.

An UNfit club will hinder your improvement process, an UNfit club will hinder your golf game, an UNfit club will not allow you to reach your potential, an UNfit club can and many times will actually physical hurt you (tendonitis in elbows and wrists are many times causes and exaggerated by club with improper lie angles), and UNfit club is basically worthless to you. I don’t care how much you spent for the golf club(s) – if they are not individually fit to you – they are worthless to your game – and worse than that, can and many times will actually “hurt” you.

Graves Golf has a custom fitting program established with most major manufacturers in the golf industry. And many of the manufacturers install our grips in their custom department (no other instruction group can say that….). We have worked VERY HARD to set this customizing system up for our customers, students, etc. anyone interested in the single plane golf swing.

Also, because of the amount of equipment we sell from each manufacturer, we are many times offered equipment at a reduced rate for our customers. We are always able to match industry pricing and many times able to beat the pricing. We are also many times able to offer clubs at a significantly reduced price. Please watch our newsletters (bimonthly) for these specials – as they typically don’t last long as many are interested in these special pricing.

Customization done at the manufacturer is free through Graves Golf, there is no added cost for the Graves Golf grips installed and customized at the manufacturers. Plus, there is no shipping charge (within US) and no tax (outside of OK) through the Graves Golf.

To get a FREE individualized custom fitting please go to: https://gravesgolf.com/free-club-fitting/

(Please give me a day or two to respond with your recommendations as some days we receive upwards of 100+ requests for fittings – and each response is personalized.

If you would like more information about custom fitting, questions about your clubs, about any new or old equipment on the market, etc… etc. please don’t hesitate to email timg@gravesgolf.com or timkgraves@aol.com any time.

Distance – How to Add, Maintain & Limit Loss (Part 2) – (I was the Guinea Pig…)

October 5, 2025 by Tim Graves PGA

By: Tim Graves, PGA

This week, the newest Single Plane University class launches … Speed Optimization.

In fact, I was the guinea pig for the test program and was able to regain swing speed I thought was gone forever.

After a few short weeks, I had regained 10MPH and started to win my PGA sectional events again …

I worked with Chris Henning (TPI / Graves Golf) with a Speed Formula designed to increase speed, maintain speed, and limit loss of speed over time.

I could not have won those events without putting in the work and benefiting from this increase.

The reality is that every decade, golfers lose 5–7 mph of swing speed — that’s up to 20 yards gone forever.

But, Speed Optimization isn’t just about adding yards — it’s about maintaining your power as you age, so your swing never gets old.

With the right training, you can rewind your biological swing age by 10 years, regain lost distance, and even hit it farther than your younger self.

To see more information about Speed Optimization Single Plane University: CLICK HERE

To view Speed and Distance Plane Talk: CLICK HERE

One of the most common questions we receive (seems every day) is “How can I get more distance?”

There are three areas you can work on / improve to help you get more distance on all your golf shots. Or at least maintain and LIMIT loss of speed over time…

And, all of these, you can and SHOULD work on over the fall / winter (training sessions) (all year long, but “hyper focus” in offseason if possible). Why? Because we tend to limit activity over the winter. This is a great time to increase your activity and limit the typical distance loss over the winter and potentially ADD distance over the time you usually loose distance.

Those three areas are:

Club / Driver Technology and Fit
Flexibility and Strength
Swing Technique

Let’s break down each area a little.

1. Golf Club Technology an Fit

Drivers – A few years ago, the USGA put together a set of rules limiting how much a golf ball can “rebound” off the face of a driver (a vague description) – thus putting a limit on the distance of the drivers. Since then, the golf industry realizing they can no longer make drivers that can hit it further off the face, have been working on technology that has made the “big” headed drivers more aerodynamic (thus less air resistance in the golf swing) and more prominent sweet spots on the face.

Older technology drivers had sweet spots the size of a dime (some smaller), newer technology drivers have sweet spots the size of half dollars (some even bigger). What that means is balls hit slightly off the middle of the club face will travel much further now.

And the key is the “average driving distance” you have, not the “one” you catch that happens to fly a long way. Meaning, if your sweet spot on the driver is large and you miss hit a few shots (or more) around off the middle of the club face, you will still get good/more “average” driving distance. Meaning, overall you will have less club into the greens, etc. etc.

Other clubs in bag (fairway woods, hybrids, irons, etc..) – Club companies have worked on optimizing all clubs in bag for distance by:

1 . Lowering center of gravity which allows golfers to hit balls higher with ease and thus getting more distance.

2. Increasing size of sweet spots on all clubs so miss hits will go longer.

3. Decreasing shaft weight and still keeping high integrity of the shaft. In other words, can now get light weight shafting in all flexes that are durable and will last a long time. Decreased shaft weighting will increase swing speed (with those clubs) and increase distance.

In the past few years, all clubs in bag have become SIGNIFICANTLY longer and more forgiving. Hopefully making the game easier for golfers by allowing clubs to be hit longer with ease…

Club Fit – All clubs in your bag MUST be fit to you and your single plane swing PERFECT or you will limit / loose distance. An improperly fit club can hit toward the heel, toe (improper lie angle), can hit off center (improper length), can have improper weighted (too heavy) shafting, have improper grip size, etc… Any of these issues can and will dramatically limit the optimal distance for your club(s). Your clubs MUST fit you to optimize your distance in those clubs.

So, if you are looking to maximize or increase distance – you need to have clubs that are “modern” or at least less than 2 or 3 years old and are fit to you PERFECT. These newer clubs have large sweet spots, lower centers of gravity, lighter high quality shafting, and have the highest technology for the least amount of wind/club head resistance in the golf swing.

If you have not been custom fit for your single plane swing, please go to: https://gravesgolf.com/free-club-fitting/

(It is a free service – submit form and we will reply with your custom fittings, recommendations, suggestions, etc..)

2. Flexibility and Strength

The 2nd area to focus on with distance is flexibility and strength. And in that order. Too many worry about strength and not flexibility. Being strong with good, or great, flexibility “allows” you to get in positions in your golf swing to hit the ball with reasonable distance.

As we get older, we loose our strength and more importantly our flexibility, when we start to loose our elasticity, we can no longer create certain angles in the golf swing that will allow us to create “leverage” in the golf swing which in turn produces speed and distance. Lose of knee, hip, shoulder, arm, wrist, hand, etc.. flexibility and strength will all potentially decrease distance (with all clubs).

These are the different areas you need to consider when looking to increase / maintain / minimize the loss of speed over time.

Flexibility
Balance
Power and Strength
Speed & Accelerator Producer Upgrades
Pre-Round Warm Up
Checklists and Tracking to Monitor Speed Increase or Maintainence

All these areas must be worked on, monitored and / or maintained to increase speed, maintain the increase and to decrease the loss of speed over time.

3. Swing Technique

A crucial factor to get more distance is to improve your technique. It is always interesting, one of the things we do at all our schools and camps is to measure our students swing speed. We then correlate it to their driver swing speed and the average distance they should be hitting their driver. For most (those that swing 85 to 90 mph), they should be hitting their driver 230 to 240 yards (with a little roll).

For most, when they find out how far they should be hitting their driver with the speed they currently have, they are shocked. Why are they hitting it so short compared to where “their potential” says they should be hitting it? Because of technique. They are not hitting the golf ball off the “sweet spot” of the club with a “direct hit” from the club that is on the path.

In other words, they are hitting “glancing blows” that is creating side spin which is limiting or reducing the distance they should be hitting your clubs.

Working on swing technique – working on getting the club on the proper single plane / path, with a square club face through impact and ultimately, limited to no side spin, will give you the maximum distance.

In conclusion, to answer the all too common question, we get from so many of our students / customers:

How can I get more distance?

(Or as important, how do I maintain and / or limit loss of distance with age..)

Answer:

1. Obtain new / modern clubs that FIT YOU PERFECT that has the highest technology for increased sweet spot, low center of gravity, limited wind resistance (aerodynamic), proper shaft weighting and length, perfect grip size for you, etc..

2. Work / continue to work on flexibility (especially over the “off-season” months when so many loose elasticities because of an increased static lifestyle), work on balance and strength, work on a pre-round warm up routine, etc…

3. Always work on improving your technique to maximize the optimal hit on the ball with limited side spin and enhanced sureness of hit.

Be watching our next upcoming SINGLE PLANE UNIVERSITY – SPEED OPTIMIZATION

To see more information about this program: CLICK HERE

A 6 week program designed SPECIFICALLY to help you increase speed, maintain speed and limit loss of speed over time.

Please feel free to contact me anytime at timg@gravesgolf.com with questions, comments, etc.

It’s Not Just Me

July 19, 2013 by admin

What if I told you that one of the best “conventional” golf teachers in the world today said this: “Modern golf instruction has a long way to go”, “Moe Norman had as perfect mechanics as any person who has ever played and more players, even tour players, should swing like him”. Does this catch your attention?

When I say that Moe’s swing is easier, has less moving parts and all golfers can learn from him, my perspective is biased. I believe everyone should swing like Moe. But then again, I am “Little Moe” and why would I say anything other than Moe’s single plane, the way I play, is the best way? However, when Jim Suttie, a top 100 instructor who might be the only PGA Professional instructor with a PHD in Biomechanics says it, I think it’s time for all golfers, of all levels, to listen.

I recently had the pleasure of spending the day with Jim Suttie, who everyone calls “Doc”. Doc has forgotten more about golf than I have ever learned. He’s been teaching for almost 40 years and coached some great players including Paul Azinger, Fred Funk, Mike Small, Chip Beck, Kevin Streeleman, Jeff Sluman and dozens of other players have taken instruction from Doc.

It is no surprise that Doc and Moe were good friends. Every winter as Moe migrated south to Florida, he would travel through Pine Needles, and stop by the academy where Doc would watch him hit balls. As Doc put it, “there was nothing more fun than to just sit back and watch, Moe was a great showman”. In 1992, Doc shot a video with Moe hitting and answering questions about his swing. In one part of the video, Doc tells Moe that he swings on a Single Plane. I would credit Doc for recognizing Moe’s Single Plane setup before any other teacher. With his background in Biomechanics this makes sense – Doc has a great sense of the mechanics of the golf swing – even with Moe who was considered awkward and unconventional.

I find it more than a coincidence that Moe was awkward and unconventional yet is considered biomechancally perfect by a Doctor of Biomechanics.

So where does this leave you – the aspiring golfer who is sifting for and easier way to get better at golf? There is no doubt that golf instruction, in its current state is confusing. Even Doc thinks so. He will agree that most people are watching television – learning the “swing of the week” from the latest PGA Tour winner. “The answers aren’t out there. Moe was the closest to perfection of anyone I have ever seen” says Doc. He would agree that many people don’t want to look different but to get Moe like results, you need to take the unconventional leap. Here are some of the main differences between conventional golf and Moe’s Single Plane Swing:

Conventional golf teaches a narrow stance with rotation/Single Plane Golf teaches wide stance with less rotation

Conventional golf teaches an upper body speed with a rotational lower body/Single Plane Golf is upper body speed with a stable lower body.

Conventional golf teaches a straight lead leg at impact causing stress on the back/Single Plane Golf Teaches a flexed lead leg taking stress off of the back

Of course, the key is what Doc refers to as the biomechanics of getting to impact – the most important part of the swing. Doc says that the key to future instruction must be about getting to impact, and finding the easiest way to get there. This is the key to great ball striking. And by the results that Moe produced, it is evident to one of the best teachers in the world that Moe was the best.

Improve Your Move – Its Like Dominos

January 6, 2013 by admin

Improving Your Move

Are you a consistent ball-striker when you play golf? Or, like so many golfers, do you have back problems? Do you slice the ball regularly? Do you sometimes hit the ground behind the ball – hitting it fat? Are there times when you hit the top of the ball hitting it thin? I bet you didn’t you know that improving the movement of your hips and legs (lower body) could fix any and all of these problems.

Here is a picture of Moe Norman at Impact. What I want you to notice is that his lower body has moved both downward and laterally toward the target. You can see the flex in his knees. There is one extremely important understanding that I want you and all golfers to know: how you move your lower body (from the hips down) affects your spine movement – and spine movement is absolutely central to every single movement of your body.

I want you to think of the movement of the body during the swing as similar to dominos stacked into a line. Once you put the first domino in motion, there is a chain reaction. This chain reaction of one domino affecting the next one in line is similar to what happens when you begin the movement of your lower body during the swing. Once you move your legs and hips, you position the lower spine which then affects how you are able to move every other part of your body including your shoulders, arms, hands and ultimately – the club.

There is a critical connection between your lower and upper body

In this anatomical picture, you can see the hip flexors (muscles attached inside the hip joint) attach to the inside of the leg bone (femur) and the attach on the inside of the pelvis. If you look closely at the pelvis, you can see that the lower spine is attached to the pelvis in the Sacrum area.

The muscles that are attached to the pelvis attach to the legs and the spine. This is a critical juncture of your body – what I call the kinetic link. You can see by the numerous muscles and attachments that if you improperly move the muscles of the legs and hips, you directly affect the spine.

This critical connection between lower body and upper body – centered around the hips – is the focus of our latest instructional product – the “Improve your Move” (IYM) Training Video.

Groundbreaking Instruction

If you want to hit the ball better you must move the golf club better and faster, what we consider on-plane. Improving your lower body move gets to the causes of your golf swing problems which makes our latest product the GGA “Improve Your Move” video instructionally ground-breaking. I haven’t been this excited about an instructional product since the best-selling Single Plane Solution Video. Why? Because this video is more than just golf instruction, explaining the mechanics of what to do.

This video shows you how to train the movements you must have during the golf swing. The IYM video trains you, making it a “doing” video.

Good instructional videos show you the important mechanical movements of the swing, the IYM video goes beyond the mechanics, and shows you exactly how to train the movement behind the mechanics. Similar to difference between understanding how the pieces of a motor works, and being the motor, the IYM video demonstrates that you are the motor of your golf swing and now you can start fine tuning yourself for perfect movement.

Here are some of the areas covered inside the IYM Training video:

Specific exercises to help you gain the strength and flexibility of your lower body including: the Knee Roll, Advanced Hip Roll, Squat Stretch, Chair Twists, Leg Swings, Forward Leg Raises, Side Leg Raises/Side Leg Swings, Arm Circles, Arm Swings and the Side Step exercise.

Also included are golf training exercise including: Single Plane Training and Position and Movement training using the PVC Stretch Drill, Weight Shift Drill and Elbow to Hip Drill.

To enhance your golf position training you will also learn to train with the PVC positions including Positions 0-2, Position 0 to 3 and Position 0 to 4 drills. You will also train with a golf club mastering your backswing with posture training. And to master what Moe called his “vertical drop” we have designed the “bag in the chair” drill to help you train the movement of the lower body to get the trail hip forward allowing the arms to drop vertically.

Then, to help you understand how the legs move you laterally, you will learn the “Step Swing to Impact” drill which will Train you how to move into your lead side. All of these drills will help you reach the purpose of the IYM video – which is to separate the upper body from the lower body.

I firmly believe that there is no better training to help you become a better ball-striker (get to impact) than mastering your lower body move. Yes, the grip, hand action and arm motion are very important but nothing will advance you further than if you Improve Your Move with the lower body training found in this video.

Consistency is the Main Factor – Not Distance

November 24, 2010 by admin

Recently, Tim and I visited the Titleist Performance Center in Carlsbad California. I consider the Titleist Performance center the “Mecca” of golf. It is a golf performance dream where you can get fitted for Irons, Drivers, Fairway Woods and Wedges. The fitting/practice area extends approximately 50 acres with expansive lush practice fairways and practice greens. Once side of the facility is dedicated to consumer testing while the other part of the facility is for the tour players. Inside the building, you fill find infrared and doppler radar systems to analyze golf swings and ball flight spin rates. Literally, if you are a golfer, you will want to visit the Titleist center at some point.

Tim and I made the visit so that we could get completely outfitted with the latest Titleist technology. In the process, I learned about spin rates, launch angles, smash factors and all of the factors that make the ball fly long and straight. And thanks to Cliff Walzak, I learned what makes a good player. Of course, we spent all day with him and he told stories of various tour players, club head speeds and ball striking exploits. But it wasn’t his stories of famous players that I found the most fascinating but his experiences and research on how he can “predict” who will be a good player.

Cliff sees hundreds of aspiring players who travel from around the world to have their swings tested, analyzed and club fit. To do this, he uses a Trackman Doppler radar system which tracks ball speed, spin and flight to determine and optimize perfect ball flight. What Cliff said amazed me. It wasn’t how far a player hit the ball that really determined whether he could play at a high level. What Cliff said determined “potential” and “high performance” attributes was the consistency of ball speed. Let me explain.

Ball speed is a function of club-head speed and compression of the golf ball. What Cliff has noticed throughout the years, is that great players, when striking all of their clubs, produce consistent ball speeds. For example, when hitting a driver, good players ball speeds will range from 150 to 170 miles per hour. But what makes them great players is that they consistently produce these ball speeds on every swing. In my case, I consistently produced approximately 151 mph ball speed while Tim was approximately 160mph. The key was our consistency.

In other words, average to poor players do not produce consistent ball speeds which causes them to produce inconsistent ball flight distances – thus unpredictable yardages. The bottom line is that great players have learned to get the club to impact consistently – with consistent speeds. It just makes sense when you think of it that way.

I hate to rub salt into the wound, however, this is exactly what the Single Plane Solution is all about. When I produced the SPS video, it was really all about impact and the most efficient way to get there. You must be able to repeat impact – consistently – to be a great player. There really is no other goal if you are working on your swing.

Now to do this, you must (obviously) swing the club on plane. It makes achieving impact much easier and yes, more consistent. This is the purpose of swing plane – to get to impact – and the easiest way to do this is the way Moe did it where he started at the same place he impacted. It’s all starting to come together now – isn’t it?

Needless to say, the Titleist Performance Center was a great experience – it opened my eyes to a new dimension to understanding great golf shots. I saw my golf shots being tracked by a doppler radar. Moe would have loved to see that!

Moe’s Swing Unusual?

October 31, 2010 by admin

‘Ignorance is bliss”. I don’t know who said it but in the case of Moe’s swing, nothing could be more true.

Two years ago at a “Top 100” golf instructor dinner, I will never forget the numerous conversations in which Moe’s name was mentioned. As a matter of face, I have never been to an instructor gathering where Moe’s swing wasn’t discussed. Now how could that be? Let’s do a bit of simple deduction. Let’s look at a few facts. Fact 1: Some of the greatest golfers talk about Moe as the best ball-striker who ever played the game. Fact 2: The best instructors, including many of the top 100 teachers, talk about and envy Moe’s ball-striking ability. Fact 3: The goal of a great golf swing is to swing the club on plane. Fact 4: Moe swung the club on plane better than anyone because he started and impacted on the same plane. Fact 5: Moe’s swing was considered unconventional.

Now, after looking at all of these facts, where swinging the club on plane is the goal and the greatest players and instructors consider Moe the best – wouldn’t it make more sense that Moe’s swing is considered a standard as opposed to unconventional. There is more to my argument. Consider that back pain is one of the leading causes of injury and is the most common problem for golfers of every level and golf continues to be one of the most difficult games to learn, master and play.

Wouldn’t you think, after considering these facts, that someone might look at Moe’s swing as a SOLUTION to these problems as opposed to unusual? Well, as you know, I do. I see Moe’s swing as THE solution. The problem is that most people have been convinced, by watching golf on television, that conventional golf is bio-mechanically correct. Could it be possible that the tour players are wrong? The answer is unbelievable, yes. The tour players, at least most of them, are starting their golf swings in a biomechanically inferior position at address. How could this possibly be?

I call it the “One Mistake” where the players hang the arms directly below the shoulders – straight down- at address. Why do they do this? I really don’t know. But nobody else does either. I have talked to hundreds of instructors and nobody can explain why any player would hang the arms straight down. The only answer they can come up with is that “this is where they hang”. Logical? Not really. Because if your task is to strike a golf ball, with a golf club where the ball away from you – it makes no sense whatsoever to hang your arms in any direction other than one that is in alignment with the ball you are intending to strike.

So, logically, you should align your arms with the object you are intending to strike. So why is that so unusual?

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