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• Utilize Ground Forces for increased clubhead Speed

   

  Utilize Ground Forces for increased clubhead Speed

  During my 20 years working with Bob Toski in the Golf Digest Schools, Bob would state daily during our sessions, “ The hands grip the club and the feet grip the ground.”  As Player Development activity has improved with the utilization of Trackman, K Vest, Gears and 2-D video one area of development is lagging: understanding the force of the ground.  As I instruct throughout the world, one simple ingredient is being utilized in increased club head speed for all golfers: using the ground throughout the dynamic motion of the swing. Golf shoe technology has greatly improved and the feet, ankles and toes have room to launch and grip the ground.  Golfers slight in weight and leverage have found ways to increase speed simply by using the ground in the swing.  A simple thought, “ are we more powerful with a cannon from a canoe or from a firm surface?” 

  Ground forces start at address with a firm ground and posture.  Arms hanging freely, weight on the middle of the ankles, bending from hips and spine at a neutral position.  Stability at address allows the body to load and unload throughout the swing.  Feet and ankles must have the mobility to load and unload.

  As you wind up into the backswing, allow the upper body to wind against the lower body and ground.  Spine is tilt away from the target as the body is turned against the feet and ground.  The gluts are lowered and activated as you wind against the ground.  There should be a slight lowering of the head during the backswing as you wind up.

  Explode during the downswing into impact.  All muscles must fire as the trailing leg is extended and lengthens.  This movement of thrusting upward creates a swing path and angle of approach upward through impact.  Lead glut is turning behind as the trailing leg is straightening.  Pushing off of the balls of the feet as the heels rise off the ground through impact.  Low to high concept as the golfer explodes through impact.  Using th3 ground on the backswing and downswing.  Ground forces throughout the golf swing.

  The most misunderstood concept in golf is the use and utilization of ground forces.  Low to high as the golfers loads and explodes.  Use the ground as the legendary golf instructor Bob Toski mentions, “ hands grip the club as the feet grip the ground.”

   

   

   

  
  

   

   

• How to Curve

  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

  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.
  
  
  
  

• How to Aim

   

   

  How to Aim

  By Tim Mahoney

   

  A perfectly struck shot with an imperfect aim results in an imperfect result.  An imperfect shot with a perfect aim could result in a perfect shot.  The art of aiming I believe is the single most difficult aspect in the game, due to the fact that the golfer is inside and above the ball line.  I have been in the instruction arena for over 30 years and have tried every aiming tip with my students, and have come up with the conclusion that all good aimers have 2 common traits: a consistent ball flight and they always aim the clubface first and body second.

   

  Consistent Ball Flight

   

  Golf swing and pre swing compatibility will develop a consistent ball flight.  For an example: strong grip, centered ball position, body supports golf club and a reverse K posture these alignments will produce a controlled draw.  Conversely, a weaker grip, forward ball position, X posture and an arm control will produce a controlled fade.  Uncontrolled ball flights make a consistent aim impossible.  Hooks followed by a slice develop an atmosphere where it is impossible to aim.  Develop a consistent ball flight and then develop your game plan for aiming.

   

  Clubface Followed by Torso

   

  The only contact with the ball is the clubface.  Consistent aimers align the club first followed by the torso.  Step 1 of a consistent aimer is positioning the clubface behind the ball with the completed grip.  During this alignment the golfer must align the leading edge at right angle to the target line.  After successfully aligning the clubface the golfer must position the body parallel to the intended starting line.  The golf ball and club head would be on the outside rail of a railroad track with the body on the inside rail.  The body will be parallel left.  A line across the eyes, shoulders, forearms, hips, knees and feet must be aligned parallel left.  Inconsistent aimers consistently check there feet, when the feet are only 1 piece of the aiming puzzle.  Aiming is guaranteed if you aim the leading edge at your intended target line and then aim your body parts parallel left.  Your golf club will approach the impact area on a line across your shoulders; as a result it is an imperative that the golfers position their trunk parallel left.

   

  Develop a consistent ball fight with a compatible set of pre-swing and in swing fundamentals and as you aim, position the club with your body aligned parallel left.  Consistent aiming is the effect of a consistent ball-flight not the cause.

  
  

   

   

• Controlling distance with your Wedges

   

  Controlling distance with your Wedges

  By Tim Mahoney

   

  Golf is a unique activity where you have the combination of distance, direction and trajectory control of the golf ball.  In the short game the ability to score is directly related to controlling the distance of the golf ball.   Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler have the ability to control the distance of their wedges within 95% of the required goal.  For an example, on a 30 yard shot, Spieth has the control of his wedges to hit the ball 28.5 yards, a differential of 1.5 yards in total distance.

  Distance is controlled by club choice, length of club at address, length of swing, elevation of the shot, solidness of the strike and the speed of motion.  All golfers should have a minimum of 3 wedges with the lofts of 48, 52 and 56 degrees of loft.  All wedges should have a differential of 4 degrees of separation.  As you work with the wedges identify the distance of ½, ¾ and full swing.

  Length of club at address will have a direct impact on the speed of the motion throughout.  Golfers should attempt to grip down the shaft, ½ of a grip and a full grip.  Combine this with different length of swings as well.  A shortened club will work with a shortened swing and a long club will work with a long swing.  All wedge swings should be balanced or symmetrical on both sides of the motion.  A partial backswing should match a partial forward swing. The golf swing needs to be balanced in order to control speed and distance.

  A mirrored impact position and address, of the will assist with controlling the loft of the club. The impact position should be identical to the starting position. Unlike the full swing where the shaft needs to be forward leaned for speed in pitching the shafts needs to match. 

  Solidness of the strike is the effect of the angle or plane of the swing.  A vertical swing motion will produce a toe hit and conversely a horizontal or flat swing will produce a heel hit or a shank.  The club must be swung on the desired angle or right angle to your spine.

  Distance control in the short game is the effect of the club, speed, length of swing and solidness of the hit.  Control these variables and you to will pitch like Spieth.

  
  

   

   

• Left wrist controls ball flight

  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.