Putting 101
By Tim Mahoney

Poor putters have more clubs than strokes and great putters have a putter that matches their putting motion.  Recently during a Mahoney Golf Academy session at the Troon North Golf Club, I had my assistant place all of the students putter along a wall in the golf shop.  Twenty students where in the session and only half of them could find their putters.  Moral of story, great putters have a putter that matches the motion and poor putters blame the equipment.

Basically, there are 2 types of putters or equipment available to a golfer:  a face balanced putter or a shaft balanced putter.  A face balanced putter is a club that is balanced from heel to toe and is built in a manner where the club swings straight back and forth on both sides of the swing and remains square on both sides of the swing. A shaft balanced putter is a club designed to swing inside to allow to inside on both sides of the swing and the face should open to close. 

Golfers who prefer a balanced putter should address the following:  Hold the club in the palm of hands, stand close the golf ball with your eyes over the target line, hold the club tightly in your arms and hands.  As you swing the golf club keep the club face looking at the ball or target on both sides of the swing and focus on the shoulders producing the power source of the motion.

Golfers who prefer a shaft balanced putter should address the following:  Hold the clubs in the fingers of both hands, stand tall with your eyes inside the target line with a loose arm and finger hold.  As you swing the club allows your arms to control the speed and move the club inside on both sides of the motion.  The club face should open on the back swing and close on the forward side of your motion.

Jack Nicklaus produced a motion where the putter swung straight back and forth on both sides and Ben Crenshaw and Phil Mickelsen produced a motion where the putter swung inside to inside on both sides.  Two different motions but had great results.  Pick a golf club or putter that matches your eye or motion.

Drive for Show
By Tim Mahoney

The phrase “Drive for show and putt for dough” has been apart of the game of golf since the early Scott’s started hitting rocks into the rabbit holes, as they tended to there sheep.  Consistent putter’s always finish around the top of the leader board and are the lower handicap player’s at our clubs.  But, also keep in mind that golfer’s who miss fairways never get to the green to attempt a putt.  Putting attributes to approximately 42% of total strokes and woods 23%, but we must get the ball into play, in order to advance towards the putting surface.  Consistent drivers have the following fundamentals:

1.       A mind-set of conservative off of the tee and aggressive around the greens.  Get the ball somewhere in the fairway.  Corners and doglegs are not meant to be carried, they are meant to play around.  If you can’t find the fairway with your driver use your 3-wood, if you can’t find it with your 3-wood use your 5 and so on.
2.       Thirteen clubs 1 swing.  If you were to ask any consistent player they would tee you, “I have 1 swing, but I have 13 different set-ups.”  A waist high to waist high swing is always at right angles to the positioning of your spine.  At address the club is positioned at right angles to your spine.  As the clubs get longer or shorter your posture will be affected, longer clubs, wider stance and less bend at address, shorter clubs narrow stance and more bend.  The change in spine tilt will affect the plane or angle of the swing.  The club is always swung around your spine, with the spine as the hub. 
3.       Distance=Swing speed+ solid contact.  Speed is the result of utilizing all power sources (body, arms and wrist) during a balance motion.  Solid contact is the result of a proper swing shape as you maintain the hub (spine.)
4.       Utilize friendly and conforming equipment.  Longer shafts, larger club heads, lower center of gravity and distance balls will assist with distance and direction control.  Overly stiff shafts and lower lofted clubs make driving much more difficult.

Lower scores and consistency is the result of fairways hit, greens in regulation, consistent wedge play and distance control in putting.  Consistency starts with fairways hit.  The average tour player hits 9.5 fairways per round, the fairways they miss the ball is on the property. Controlled driving means lower scores.  The old Scott’s had wide pastures and short holes.

Drills for successful practice sessions
By Tim Mahoney

After observing the practice sessions at the 2014 Masters tournament I noticed significant change in the manner of practice from the elite tour players: golfers utilizing drills into their practice routine.  Tiger Woods, Rory McElroy to Lee Westwood, all golfers utilizing a movement or practice swing to isolate a muscle movement or change.  The old age of “practice makes perfect,” had been amended to “perfect practice makes perfectly permanent.”  All level of golfers needs to develop a movement or thought that will allow them to incorporate the needed change.  At the Mahoney and Troon Golf Academy we have developed several drills that will assist all golfers with the quest of perfecting the movement.

Right Arm Drill- the right arm controls the shaft into the downswing and through the impact area.  The club must fall as the body turns.  A great drill that we have created is the right arm throw exercise.  Hold a golf ball into your right hand and simulate a backswing with your right hand and arm.  To simulate the down swing:  hold your trunk in place and attempt to throw the ball and strike the ball on the ground.  This drill will produce the desired straightening of the right arm and the correct angle of approach.  A ball released on the target side of the ball the arm plane to steep and a ball released prior to the ball on the ground is to shallow.  Hit the ball on the ground and your plane and release are correct.

Right hand in arm only for putting drill- controlling distance is the secret to successful putting.  A drill that will assist all golfers with this goal is putting with only your right hand onto the club.  From 5-6 feet, hold the putter in your right hand.  As you stroke the putts maintain the angle established in the back of your right wrist.  By maintaining this angle, this allows the putter head to gradually accelerate through impact.  If the right wrist straightens, the putter over-accelerates and the golfer can not control distance.   Try 20 putts and keep track of how many putts were made and continue your daily accounting.

Pivot drill- is a drill that will assist golfers with correct hip rotation during the backswing.  Bio-mechanical test have proven during the backswing that the weight doesn’t shift to the backside but the body rotates freely as you create tension between the upper and lower body.  A drill that will assist with this sensation is the pivot drill:  position a club along side your right hip and allow the hips to turn freely on the back swing.  If the club moves or falls-the hips have slid on the back swing.  The hips should turn as you body weight is centered between your feet.  This drill is a backswing only drill.

Practice like a pro and incorporate the drills outlined above.  Keep in mind that practice makes permanent and “perfect practice makes perfectly permanent.”

How to Make a Swing Change

By: Tim Mahoney

Every week millions of golfer’s watch Jordan Speith, Lydia Ko and others compete in Professional events, and the amateurs use these individuals as standards for their own golf games.  What the golfing public doesn’t see is the other 60 or so golfer’s who are competing each week making pars and bogeys, the 70 other golfers’ who missed the cut and the amount of time these professionals spend perfecting their skills.  If you measure your own game against the top professionals, you have unrealistic expectations and will be forever frustrated with your game.

The first objective when making a swing change is to understand that cause and effect of your motion.  Is the over the top motion the effect of an open clubface or the cause.  Is the in-correct pivot a mis-concept or a flexibility issue?  Once you and/or your coach determines the cause than a game plan for success must be developed.

Swing change game plans typically include a perfect set-up, practice swing routine, playing strategies, how to stretch and how to make a change.  This game plan must be adjusted during the swing change in order to address the cause and effects of the swinging motion.

1.       Changing motor skills takes a minimum of 2-3 weeks of practice.
2.       Practicing while playing on the course results in higher scores.
3.       Ben Hogan would only hit 5-6 perfect shots per round.
4.       Don’t compare yourself to Jordan Spieth.

A golf swing is a constantly changing and evolving motion.  Flexibility, fitness level, practice commitment and playing time will adjust and change the shape of a golfer’s motion.  As a result, the golf swing must be adjusted and changed.  Understanding the cause and effect of your swing with realistic expectations will allow you swing and golf enjoyment during your golf careers.

Playing the Game
By: Tim Mahoney


Playing the Game

The final goal in golf is the end product: the score. Hitting perfect shots does not equate to a low score. Good “bad” shots, a consistent short game, and controlled tee shots allow golfers to achieve the ultimate goal – a low score.  To this end, golfers must learn how to play the game – including understanding tee-shot placement, reading bad lies, and selecting a club. Practice the following theories and you will begin to understand how to “play the game”.

The Friendly Theory

Cobra Advisory Staff member Hank Johnson recommends that golfers follow the “friendly” theory when playing golf. Golfers should use friendly clubs, make friendly swings, and choose friendly targets.

1.       Friendly clubs are ones that golfers have practiced with and spent some time with on and off the course. Keep in mind that to get the ball up in the air, you must get the center of the club beneath the center of the ball at impact. Your fairway woods are designed to lift the ball, and are much easier to hit than your longer irons. Choose the friendliest club dictated by your lie and the shot you wish to execute.
2.       Friendly swings are swings that you have practiced and have the ability to finish in balance. A balanced finish indicates that your swing is non-hurried and flowing. All golfers should hold their follow through until the ball lands. The inability to hold your follow through indicates a hurried and non-friendly swing.
3.       Friendly targets are forgiving targets with generous landing areas. A pin tacked behind a bunker may not be a friendly target. Choose open areas which will not so severely penalize a bad shot.

**Conservative off the Tee – Aggressive around the Greens

Matches can not be won off the tee. Your mindset should be one of being conservative off the tee and aggressive around the greens. You must get your “first serve in”, position your tee-ball in the fairway with a conservative mindset. If you are having difficulty with drawing the ball with your driver, use your 3 wood. Cutting doglegs may not be the prudent move – instead, get your ball in the fairway. As you get closer to the hole, become more aggressive. Whenever you find yourself with a short game shot (pitching, chipping, bunker or putting), your mindset should always be to try to hole the shot. 

So, to play the game well, and lowering your scores, remember to incorporate the friendly theory, and the conservative to aggressive theory, into your game plan.

Good luck.

How to curve the ball
By Tim Mahoney

During the late 1970’s I had the opportunity to participate in a Golf Digest School as a range attendant (caddie) at the Pinehurst Resort, where Sam Snead was a guest instructor.  Sam’s responsibilities where to play a few holes with every group and provide some insight of “how to play the game.”  On a particular hole Sam had driven his ball into the left rough approximately 170 yards from the middle of the green and behind a pine tree.  Sam could not take a direct line to the flag, due to the tree, but had space on both sides of the tree to play a curve.  Sam had me throw down a couple of balls and he demonstrated slices and hooks.  After several shots, where they all landed onto the green, Sam” asked the group if they had any questions,” a gentlemen responded, “How did you do it.”  Sam responded “didn’t you watch.”  All Sam did, was to mentally think slice or hook and his body responded. Allowing his subconscious mind to control his body.  Most golfers do not have the ability to subconsciously play an intended curve (most golfers play an uncontrolled curve).  If a golfer implements a few compatible in-swing and pre-swing adjustments they too can control the ball like Sam Snead.

Hook- golf balls that start to the right and curves to the left.
1.       Aim the clubface at your desired final target.  This position will strengthen your grip and close your clubface.
2.       Aim your body in the direction you want your golf ball to start.
3.       Position the golf ball back in your stance.
4.       Swing the golf club along your bodylines (similar to any full shot.)
5.       As you make your downswing motion allow your arms to fully release and close the clubface through the impact area.

The stronger grip, rearward ball position, in-out swing path and a fully released clubface will produce the right to left ball-flight.

Slice- golf ball that starts to the left and curves to the right.
1.       Aim your clubface at your desired final target.  This position will weaken your grip and open your clubface.
2.       Aim your body in the direction you want your golf ball to start.
3.       Position the golf ball forward in your stance.
4.       Swing the golf club align your body line (similar to a full shot.)
5.       As you make your downswing motion hold the clubface open with your trunk.  There should be no clubface rotation through impact.

The weaker grip, forward ball position, out-in swing path and an open clubface will produce the left to right ball flight.

Fundamentals key to success. 
By Tim Mahoney

Even the beginner golfer recognizes that no two players set up to the ball in exactly the same manner. The mistake is made in fastening on to these differences and assuming that every player must, therefore, have his or her own way of preparing for the shot, and that it is all a matter of preference.

Perhaps the tiny details are a matter of preference. Despite preferences, however, there are pre-swing fundamentals that enough great players keep in common so that they are regarded as sound.

Grip
The first fundamental involves getting the hands on the club in a suitable manner. A good grip starts with the glove hand.

Ideally, the glove hand should be placed on the grip so that the finger tips are not visible to the golfer looking down at address. To achieve this position, the left thumb must be placed right of center (for the right-handed player), and the club as a whole should be held in the fingers. The golfer whose glove wears out in the palm could use some work in these particulars.

As for the non-glove hand, provided the palm faces the general direction of the target the two hands should work nicely together.

Posture
Working into a proper posture, the golfer should tilt so that the club can get down to the ball. The proper tilt is from the hip sockets. If a golfer pushes his belt buckle back away from his hands at address, he’ll be on his way to a proper tilt.

The trouble to avoid here is bending too much at the knees. In a proper, athletic posture the knees should merely unlock so that they remain directly above the shoestrings.

You may have noticed that great players appear centered throughout the swing. This is easily achieved because the expert golfer addresses the ball with a straight spine. With the spine providing a straight axis around which the body can rotate, the golfer can turn away, and re-turn through the ball free of excess left, right, or up-and-down movement.




Aim
A good sense of aim, if here today, can disappear before tomorrow. It must, therefore, be conditioned constantly.

The way to know for sure that one is properly aimed is to place clubs on the ground during every practice session. Knowing the clubs are aimed directly at the target, the only thing left to do is align the feet, knees, hips, and shoulders parallel to the clubs. From this perfected aimed set-up, looking back and forth between the ball and target will condition a sense of what correct aim looks and feels like.

It’s good to keep in mind that aim is not only a matter of accuracy. In fact, even with poor aim a golfer may, over time, learn to hit the ball to the hole. To do so, however, he must adopt inefficient redirecting movements, and in doing so further widen the gap between his actual and potential skill with a golf club.

Ball Position
It is no secret to most that a consistently powerful golf swing involves a weight shift to the forward foot in the early stages of the downswing.

It can be reasoned then that one weight shift with little variation would be easiest to learn. In other words, a golfer should learn to shift the weight to the same degree when swinging a 7-iron as a 3-wood. This being the case, it is wise to adopt one ball position that works for all clubs when hit from level lies off the fairway.

For most, I suggest the ball be positioned two inches inside the left heel (again, for the right-handed player). Keeping the ball in the same place relative to the left leg will allow the golfer to learn one shift that works for every club. Granted, the stance for a 3-wood is a bit wider than for a 7-iron, so the casual observer may point out that the ball appears more forward when using the longer club. Still, the ball remains in the same place relative to the forward foot for all shots hit from the grass from level lies.

Keep in mind that in-swing fundamentals only have meaning if preceded by correct pre-swing fundamentals. The good news is that after adhering to a proper set-up –grip, posture, aim and ball position—what follows becomes easier to achieve.

Left wrist controls ball flight
By Tim Mahoney

All golfers from a PGA Tour Player, Jason Day, Jordon Speith and Rory McEllroy to a 18 handicap participants in a Troon Golf Academy are striving for control of the golf ball via distance, direction and trajectory. Control is the number 1 ingredient to lower scores and enjoyment.  I have been coaching a two clubface swing for over 30 years: golf club face and the golfers left wrist.  In order for the club face to be square at impact (looking at the desired target) the golfers left wrist needs to be flat (parallel to your lead arm).  This alignment will allow for maximum control of distance direction and trajectory throughout the entire flight.
Left wrist control starts at address with the proper grip.  Left hand heel pad on top, thumb to the right of center and no gap between the thumb and the base of the hand. As you place your right hand on the club: lifeline covers your thumb, trigger finger to the side and no gap between your thumb and the base of your hand. Both V’s in your grip pointing to your right shoulder and both wrist at address slightly bent and relaxed. 
As the club swings, arms swings and wrist cock up the top of the swing the left wrist flattens into a neutral position.  This flat position aligns the club face, positions the left arm into a planned position.  As the club swings into impact the left wrist must maintain the flat position.  This flat position controls trajectory, distance and direction. 
Impact position the left wrist is flat, hips open and shoulders are square.  Shaft is forward leaned and the club face is square.  Control is the effect of a left wrist flat position. 

270 Yards with the Driver

 

Golf has developed into a power game.  Longer holes, thicker roughs, elevated greens and tighter fairways have attributed to this change in concept.  In the golf swing there is only 3 power sources available:  wrist cock, arm swing and body turn.  Club head speed and power is the effect of the blending of these power and speed sources.  Golfers must use all 3 power sources when attempting to maximize distance and speed.

 

Allowing the wrist to cock and unclock freely during both sides of the golf swing will increase speed and distance.  As the club swings back allow the wrist to cock thus forming a right angle from the left arm and club.  Holding the club lightly will allow this action to take place.

 

The body needs to turn freely on both sides of the swing.  The backswing the shoulders turn 90 degrees as the hips turn 45 degrees.  On the forward side of the swing the lower body needs to initiate due to the coil established in the backswing.  The knees should touch with the right hip finishing closer to the target as the left.  A great drill to assist with the back swing pivot is to place a club on the shoulders at address and turn the shaft into the top of the swing.  Allow the upper body to turn against the resisting lower body. 

 

Complementing the wrist cock and body turn is the swinging motion of the arms as the right arm bends 90 degrees.  The arms must swing freely on both sides of the swing as the right arm bends.    The arm swing is the effect of the correct posture and relaxation at address and during the motion.

 

A drill to assist you with generating these power sources, is what I call the wind up exercise.  Place a club across your chest.  From the starting position, wind your upper body against the lower body.  Allow the shaft to rotate freely at right angle to your spine.  Hold for 5 seconds at the top and repeat.  As you do this exercise, maintain your posture and keep your abs engaged.

 

The completed power backswing has full wristcock, arm swing and body pivot.  Allowing your wrist to cock, arms to swing and body to turn will give you the opportunity to create Rory McIlroy’s power and speed.

 

Ninety degrees of wristcock, shoulder turn and right arm bend will generate 270 yards of distance.  Allow the arms to swing, wrist to cock and arms to swing and you will hit it like Rory!