Sterile Laboratory.

The game, as with all elements of life's great beauty, is forever on the move, evolving, shaping, moulding and producing. Its changes bear the close resemblance of the process of life we all share equally, change! I mean, doesn't everything have to move with the times, make a distinct change for the future, broaden its voice and appeal for the greater good of its goal? Maybe so, but lets not forget the reason we play this great game, the reason you and I are blessed with such appealing senses of intrigue and excitement. Thats right, the ultimate goal we all share as passionate golfers is the successful navigation of a small white ball into the safety of a small round hole.

Evolution?

So what's changed?

Exactly, what has changed, apart from the huge amount of cash, advertising, TV ratings, endorsements, corporate entertainment and manufacturers price battles, nothing has changed. Yes thats right, we still do and always will, play the game of golf with one single goal in mind, to successfully control our golf ball around 18 holes of a golf course in as few amount of strokes as possible.

Thats the game.

Ball in hole!

If we take a trip back to the 1930's and 40's, we find ourselves apart of something much more appealing than the modern cash farm we are currently faced with today. Back in the day, when the game was still seen as a game, the element of skill was all in the hands of the most creatively expressive individual. It came down to the guy who had the most nerve, the player who had the most open mindset to enable his reflex actions to fully unfold into the ball flight demanded of the most challenging golf shots. The greatest players of our past, namely; Byron Nelson, Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus to name just a small few, each had the inner trust, the unshakable belief to execute golf shots of the highest order during the most intense, tournament pressure situations. They all had reflex actions they could depend on, a golf swing made of unique body movements, individual levels of rhythm and swing speed. They each had sole possession of their own golf swing, they knew exactly how it was going to perform in different conditions, course types and tournament situations without ever doubting the way, shape or form of its function. Mr Nelson never cared a hoot as to how his major winning swing looked, he had one goal, to win as many golf tournaments as he could. To achieve his goal he realized the great importance of ball control and accomplishing such would ultimately define him as the player we all respect and the achievements we all admire so much to this day.

The great players of the past were, without question, the most creative generation of golfers this great game has ever been blessed with. Ok, so we could argue, there are many elements of the game that have been developed and modified tremendously over the past 60 years. The golf courses have undoubtably  been lengthened considerably, but only to accommodate such extreme developments in club and ball technology. Players of today are much stronger, more physically in tune and able to compete and practice for much longer periods without showing signs of either mental or physical fatigue. They have the best of everything, the best coaches, trainers, nutritionists, psychologists and management teams, the mass involvement surrounding the modern player is quite frankly astounding.

Break it all down and see what you find, split it all into groups and employ an expert to lead and direct each element. So I ask, 'how deep did Byron, Walter, Ben and Bobby dive in their own efforts to master their unique ability to perform so skillfully at this game?' How did they adopt such awareness of their own natural ability and remain in such control of it for so long throughout such successful careers?

Without the help of a world class teacher, physical training regime or intense psychological self assessment, they all achieved their success and place in the games history through honest hard work and complete dedication. They had little knowledge of the golf swings many technical possibilities, caring for one thing, ball control. Ball control on every stroke, one after the other, the golf ball, when struck by a legend of the past was a pure and simple artistic stroke of skill. It was a combination of all things human, from physical condition, strength, speed and mental preparation, to the inner most powerful elements of touch, feel and sense of direction and distance. The very essence of such raw skill is what made the players of our past such great champions. The result of tireless dedication, each one spent his own personal turmoil of experimentation before striking upon the golden ticket. Mr Byron Nelson in particular, along with every other player of his generation, had to completely retrain his reflex actions to accommodate the introduction of the new Steel shafts of the early 1930's. Such diligent intelligence has rarely been seen or demanded since, with so many of the worlds leading players now pampered by every man and his cheque book its hard to see such a trend ever disappearing. Gone have the days when a Tournament Player heads off to the range to dig in the dirt as Hogan so profoundly expressed it, in search of his own answers regarding his golf swing. Modern players have clearly become addicts to the many damaging dealers or scientists that so regularilly frequent the tournament stage week in week out. Keen to push their own spin on playing the game and achieving their goals, the modern golf instructor, (more commonly known as the swing guru), the psychologist, nutritionist and many other hangers on have created a mass dependency on their services. The result of which has left many a talented player looking to seriously contend, now believing they must follow suit and do as the next guy does. Follow the modern trend to the great beyond, where everyone does the same thing and achieves the same goals. Facing a future with little chance of ever learning anything about their own natural reflex actions and highly acute sense of instinctive judgement. The modern day Tour Player never comes to fully own their own golf swing, never really coming to grips with the vital elements that shape and create the talent they aquired so naturally as a kid.

When following the stars of the PGA and European Tours, I find it enormously unsettling to see such a 'Sterile Laboratory' of clearly talented individuals. By this, I can see little inspiration and need for modern players to actually create great golf shots, execute highly skilled reactions to the target or develop new shots and varying ball flights. Only a select few appear to have the strength and expressive freedom in character to set about destroying this view. Taking the games emphasis back to what makes every pure strike so addictively satisfying is what lay at the heart of my own teaching. To be a SHOT MAKER is to be a Tournament Standard Player, one worthy of his or her place competing at the highest level, in search of the games most celebrated honors.

The modern game is lacking the shot makers from which it was originally born and fully embraced from the 30's through to 60's, the creative mould that gave us such boundless shot making potential is now caught between two punishing words; POSITION and POWER! In search of an easier means of achieving success on a golf course, the leading club manufacturers have expressed their own creative freedom on the grandest of scales. Left to design, develop, enhance and destroy, these money hungry monsters have all but changed the purpose of the game. Advances in technology has increased average hitting lengths from the Tee, increased the chances of a pure strike for your average player and attempted to limit the rate of spin on golf balls all in an effort to provide golfers with more control, distance and overall enjoyment of the game.

All this viewer can say is, has the stroke average of the leading players improved over the past 60 years?  

The lowest recorded stroke average in 1939 was a highly impressive Byron Nelson with 68.70.
Tiger Woods has just completed his 2009 season with a stroke average of 68.84.

So as you can see, with the largest of technological advancements and excessive instructional segmentation we have actually seen the Stroke Average of the worlds very best golfers get worse! The clear cut result of such progressive off course developments has undoubtably produced nothing more than a closing of the gap between the good and really good Tournament Players. The many advancements of all areas within the game has all been born out of one sole purpose, to make us all better golfers. On the grandest of scales, looking at the big picture, yes golfers everywhere have truely benefited, but the facts remain to be seen at the very top of the game.

Why haven't the very best progressed?

Did Byron push the boundaries of play to its absolute limit?

I don't believe for a second we have seen the very best a man can get. Yes its fair to say Tiger will be remembered as the greatest player we have ever witnessed, with his record setting year in 2000, his all time low Stroke Average of 68.17 will surely take some beating. But, I have little doubt that day will come, although, if current trends remain and modern ideals in the world of play and coaching remain so sterile and utterly lifeless in its contempt, then Im afraid the day we see a 67 point something could be at least another 60 years down a long and winding fairway.





./

Land of the Giants.

The greatest of them all?

Jack set the standard for which a Tiger was set to follow.

18 Major titles.

Will the Tiger surpass the Bear?

To become the greatest?

What is it to be the greatest?

Great golfer?

Great human?

True gentleman?

Tick all the boxes?

Is it to late for Tiger?

Will the world forgive and forget?

The greatest is a model for all others to follow.

Is Tiger an acceptable role model?

I guess only time will tell.

But will time allow.

Tiger Woods now faces the biggest challenge of his life.

Repairing the damage he has now caused.

In saving his marrage will the world forgive?

Will the game allow?





./

Trigonometry.

Whether by conscious action or nervous reaction, we all have a trigger to our swing.

A slight twitch or small adjustment to a possibly unomfortable position in the address.

Its a natural tendency that all swings are ignited on.

A search for comfort, a desire to control.

It’s the trigger to that eventual bang.

This article shall aim to highlight the equally destructive and potentially powerful qualities of this essential tendancy. Two of the games greatest, both Ben Hogan and Bobby Jones each exemplified the potential power of a well rehearsed, exquisitely timed and perfectly executed movement or waggle before they proceeded to swing. Both had positive triggers. Through practice, patience, awareness and understanding, they had ultimately developed the bridge that connects the set-up with the swing.

“The function of the waggle and the movement of the body preceding the actual beginning of the backswing is to avoid or destroy tension in the position from which the swing is to make it’s start.”

Bobby Jones.

It’s the tragically overlooked, most common element to all the great swings of the past.

It is, as Ben Hogan so perfectly described it. “Instrumental in helping the golfer make the transition from setting up the ball to starting the swing.”

Whether you realise it or not, you already have a trigger.

So have you ever asked the question; ‘What starts your swing?’

What’s your trigger?

Is it having a positive or negative impact on your golf swing?

Before you read on, take some time to digest the following train of thought regarding the essence of the golf swing and the art of shaping it to control your golf ball.

The toughest part of coaching this game is explaining and ultimately convincing a player how the commonly seen ‘basic’ positions of the set-up totally influence the resulting shape of the swing. Very few players actually position themselves correctly before they make their swing, so resulting in a series of reflex actions that form to create a golf swing full of compensatory moves and resulting feelings. As a teacher of this great game one is forever moving his pupils into the correct address position to best create a reflex action of simple non compensatory movements. When correctly positioned in the address, and before they even attempt to ignite their golf swing, the pupil will typically react with a sudden twitch, shuffle or series of destructive actions that ultimately places them in a more comfortable position in which to make a swing. Ninety percent of the time this common reaction to a sound set-up can be seen in the hands or feet. More commonly in the hands its the position and pressure of the hands on the golf club that have the greatest influence over everything that occurs there after. The application of a great hold on the golf club can be a long and painful journey, but rest assured the short term pain is more than worth the long term gain. In the beginning its only natural to feel horrendously unnatural, which further highlights the great importance of the hands as the most sensitive element to the swing.

“Your eyes commit your mind and body to the target, your hands feel the club, and your feet feel the ground

Bob Toski.

So when we talk about positive and negative triggers we are simply referring to the effect the trigger has on your address position and resulting swing. Ones first goal as a teacher is to identify the location of your trigger then determine whether or not it is effecting your swing with a positive or negative effect? But first we must work towards shaping ourselves into the most efficient address position for you the individual. We are not building an address position from a precise model, the entire process of teaching this game is a matter of shaping, we simply shape the individual into a position at address that will have the desired effect on the club face as it connects with the ball through impact. We are only ever concerned with the point of impact as this is the moment of absolute truth in golf.

Address the ball to produce a neutral ball flight, one free of excessive side pin in favour of the desired backspin demanded of a straight ball flight.

The art of this game is to react to a target by striking a ball towards it with a club.

It’s a game of reactions.

As we react to the shot before us by first selecting the most effective ball flight.

Then we address the ball in a position that shapes the swing to create the shot desired.

The act of swinging the golf club is simply a reaction that is controlled or shaped by the positions created in the set-up.

In creating the perfect neutral set-up for the individual, at first the position will feel awkward, uncomfortable and sometimes so strange you may think, how on earth am I expected to make a swing from here. When this is the feeling at address we all resort to our trigger, in an effort to gain comfort and ignite a reaction you make a small adjustment. Sometimes this adjustment is so small, so slight, it readily goes unseen.

Spotting the trigger requires a pair of trained eyes, feel free to mail me some video footage as I would love to analyse and highlight your trigger.

As soon as your trigger has been identified, the next job is either eradicating the negative or simply turning that negative into an effective positive. This may take the shape of either a waggle of the club, a kick of the right knee, a slight turning of the head, there are a number of possibilities. The ultimate goal here is to finalise your preparation to swing without damaging the great work you have done with your address to the ball.

Ben Hogan first became aware of the crucial importance of the waggle when he observed the advantage that Johnny Revolta gained by using it for short shots around the green. Mr Hogan studied the waggle as he did every element of his swing, with exquisite detail and unmatched dedication. He was to make the waggle his own and develop a formula for applying it to his full repertoire of shot making. Not happy with one single, easily repeatable movement before every shot, Hogan believed the waggle should vary depending on the type of shot to be played. A more aggressive, low flighted shot into a stiff breeze would demand a much lower more penetrating ball flight so might require a much snappier, aggressive waggle. When faced with a much higher, soft landing shot, the waggle would possibly become much slower. More in key with the pace of swing required to creatively execute the shot before him.

The great Mr Hogan was a true perfectionist, he never left any stone unturned which is why he developed such a key function for his trigger. Whatever he did naturally, he replaced it with a positive alternative, his waggle became an integral part of every shot by injecting the desired rhythm, flair and initial speed into his target reaction.

So next time you take a golf lesson, question your teacher to look closely and see if he can identify your trigger. Im not saying every golfer has one, but sometimes these little infidelities can ruin a good address position and live on without attention. The result is a tireless effort to rectify the issue within the swing, remember, the game is about reacting to a target from a desired shot shaping position, if the ball isn’t responding as desired then theres a good chance that blasted trigger is shooting you down.

./

Anton / Talent V's Attitude.

Talent is an immeasurable element of human nature. At the very top level of any sport its really quite irrelevant and somewhat over shouted about. I mean, to be a top flight Touring Professional its a given, they all have supreme talent. Only what separates the best from the rest is without doubt the shape, strength and force of ones mental attitude towards everything that goes with it. Not just in golf but in all walks and evolving situations in life, its all about how one perceives and ultimately reacts to this that makes them the person, man, golfer or human they are today.

Anton Haig is without question a hugely talented individual, a strong player with boundless yards off the Tee and a presence of such strength one can't help but expect to see him encounter one of the most awesome of golfing adventures. Still only 23, his first victory on the European Tour came in 2007 when he won the Johnnie Walker Classic to secure his European Tour Card. Its fair to say its been an adventure from then on, well off the golf course anyway, though I'm afraid on the course the powerful youngster has battled tirelessly with little hope of finding the form that brought him that first win in 07. Quite clearly an extremely procurable character, evident last year at the start of the 2009 season whilst playing in the Joburg Open he decided to play bare foot, that's right! NO SHOES! He's either been reading 'Sam Snead on Golf', felt he needed to be a touch more grounded, or just wanted to feel in touch with the earth on a kind of new age eco warrior kind of wave. Then again I guess his shoes probably just didn't fit him anymore, I mean he's a big guy, bigger than an Els and leaner than a Goose.

So what is it with this guy?

What gives him the right to do whatever he pleases with the talent he has to play golf?

That's just it, Talent, for as long as he can remember I would guarantee all he has ever heard is how hugely talented he is. Over the course of the first 20 years of this dudes life, everything he did with a golf club would of been the easiest thing in the world. His ability to play golf would of centered totally around the essence of SCORING, dropping that ball into the hole, CONTROLLING THE BALL around the course with ease, grace and no doubt a touch or brawn to boot! His clearly evident mass of raw talent has carried him swiftly to the top flight of the game.

So what's happening to Anton Haig?

Lets start from the top of the spiral, his massive win in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket shot this sensation to the top of the potential South African greats list and with it came cash, endorsements, fame and that invincible feeling of supremacy. Life never tasted as good, though I'm afraid never been as sweet since, well, on the golf course that is. Away from the game Anton has become known more for his infamously excessive habit for partying, and boy does this dude know how to party. I recollect one story shared by a Sunshine Tour Player who claimed Mr Haig once spent three weeks at a European Tour event, arriving a week before and leaving a week after. Had this been Tiger Woods you wouldn't be surprised to read such preparation strategy, so on first reading you could be fooled into thinking Mr Haig was following suit and preparing like a pro. In the space of three weeks the total figure in question amounted to approx. 32,000 and he missed the cut! That's right his bar bill for that week in Spain was a staggering 32,000 Euros, how on earth he ever figured he would perform to any kind of level is beyond this viewer.

He, like so many hugely talented individuals appear to pay the price for their gift with a fragile state of self awareness. This trade off for talent can sometimes be to the detriment of hard work and dedication. Where by those less gifted individuals more limited in talent are forced to work much harder, more committed to pushing themselves from the word go and so continuing their careers well into their latter years. Those seemingly born with an exceptional ability to perform well at this game or any sport with less effort in their early years could argue to having greater difficulty achieving to their fullest potential. They can fall victim to their own talent, never having to work hard at ones game as a youngster can prove to be a players biggest hurdle when they are faced with a slump or loss of direction. As an effortlessly impressive junior, Master Haig no doubt cruised through the ranks of Club, Provincial and National Champion with relative ease before quickly discovering the self belief to achieve at the highest level of Professional Golf. To of achieved so much, so soon and with such ease brings its sometimes painful pitfalls. Most notably in the form of expectation, which in turn brings pressure, that vitally potent ingredient that all high achievers must love and constantly strive to taste. The problem with talent is its inconsistent nature and the level of pressure stacked with it, one mans worry can be another mans bliss. How we perceive various situations is a matter of individual self awareness and the confidence one has in his own ability to handle that situation, that's the very nature of pressure. So as you can see, ones talent has a big influence over ones ability to handle various levels of pressure. For Anton, with so much talent and so much awareness of that talent so young in his career is it possible to accept his biggest issues today are merely a matter I realizing just how much he has achieved on mere talent alone? Is it time to now start working, ignoring the hangers on, the locals, the aspiring Antons that line the ropes each week?

I would say it is.

Its time to move in favor of a more single minded approach to actually maximizing the potential of his talent before its lost to the vortex of his own emotion. Its time he, like so many of the worlds up and coming talented players of the world, realise the very essence of talent is what keeps them in the game long enough to even consider life as a professional. Talent is the equalling force that levels the playing field and completes the bubble that is Professional Golf, but what makes the best so much better than the rest from week to week is the complex tapestry of MENTAL ATTITUDE.

Tiger Woods talent is what brings him into line with every other competitor the world over, Anton Haig included, but what separates them both is Tigers level of preparation and the level of belief this creates. Talent does not separate them, it challenges them both to compete against one another, the desire to overcome, to destroy and conquer is what so few modern players actually possess.

TALENT is the seed from which potential greatness is born.

ATTITUDE is the source from which that greatness is realised.

.

Human after ALL!!!

Greatness is without doubt the most responsible duty of them all. A superstar performer or legendary figure so closely pursued with the utmost scrutiny of the public eye. Constantly admired for their incredible feats of skill, talent, drive, focus and unshakable commitment to being the best they can be. It goes without saying, such a gift should be cherished, respected and ultimately utilised to the greatest possible effect. Such a position is not graced upon individuals of unique character and mental discipline lightly, it is the result of tireless commitment and true dedication to their maximizing of the human form to its fullest potential.

Greatness is born within us all, only but a few are fortunate enough to ever discover the talent and passion required to fully unlock such greatness. For those that have, we must all commend and savour their achievements, lets honor the Sporting Stars of generations come and generations gone with a deep respect for the level of hard work, sweat and sacrifice exposed by everyone of them.

As a respected Golf Instructor and dedicated purist of the game I feel incredibly honored to be apart of a world sport that currently plays host to the Greatest Sportsman on the planet and arguably the Greatest Golfer the World has ever seen. There really can't of been any better time to be a golfer, though hand me a ticket and I'd chop my right arm off for a trip back to the 50's, 60's or 70's. I wouldn't want to stay there after seeing what I now have but damn would it be cool to pick up on the crisp sounding strike of a Hogan long iron. Class like that doesn't pass through all that often which is why its such a privilege sharing the golfing platform with the genius of Tiger Woods.

Genius?

Exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability.

The bench mark of a generation, respected and remembered by the world as a model of excellence capable of inspiring generations to come. These unique figures are basically seen as perfect human beings, sometimes so far removed from the public that support and follow them that these individuals become prisoners in their own self centered world of invincibility. Tiger Woods reached that milestone, in his pursuit of greatness and 18+ Major Championships he has sacrificed more than most people will ever fully appreciate or even care to. As a result of his achievements I'm afraid all the world has come to see is a figure of absolute superstar proportion, almost god like.

So how incredible is the Tiger?

The past two years has proved without question what lies at the heart of the great one and I can safely say its all human. Yes that's right folks, he has urges, instincts, desires and even temptations into sin like every single one of us. Know one can deny, its human nature, we all have a devil within us, a naughty little voice that thrives on the risk and excitement of breaking certain rules every now and then. Tiger is no different, he's come an awful long way on his journey through life and committed every last ounce of his life to remaining focused on the mission he first pinned to his bedroom wall as a 10 year old boy. Such a single minded pursuit doesn't come without sacrifice, giving up ones youth and the childhood intrigue that allows us all the time to fully explore not just the endless possibilities of everything around us but the unlimited fun and games on offer on the way is a more than high price to pay. A figure of sporting excellence such as Tiger has never dated girls for long, short, rocky or smooth periods of time, as he developed into the man we see today all he has ever really known is the game. Any room for experimentation, adventure and intrigue has unfortunately spread no further than a ball and stick, all he's ever known is excellence and reaching the highest standards ever known to man.

Just as Mr Woods had reached the point of dislike with this writer, he decides to get a little sloppy with his 'Sexting' and carelessly blows his mischievous manner straight into the public radar! A suspected mistress conveniently follows himself and Mother down under whilst he shows up for a rare appearance in the Australian Masters. I might add he won the event in typical Tiger fashion with a week of errant drives survived by exceptional flashes of genius into and around the greens of a half baked Sandbelt Masterpiece. All in all this week has been a good one for the Tiger Woods fan base in my mind as its just reopened for business! As much as I hate the fact his family must be experiencing a horrendous amount of pain and intrusive media attention right now, this whole episode has revealed the human side of the Tiger and brought him back down to earth with an almighty crash. But lets not worry about him, he's made his bed and now its time he laid in it!

So what of these other women?

Im really not concerned with their details, stories, encounters or tempting looks of seduction, the bottom line is our God like figure of Golfing Supremacy is not a gift from God, he's not apart of a super human race or time traveller sent back to push the course of the game on. He is in fact just another dude, he has urges and occasionally submits to temptation.

Submittable to temptation or pursuit of desire?

The most powerful trait of any top athlete is a commitment to attaining the prize, seeing something and wanting it is the spark that ignites the desire that sets these individuals on that path to attainment.

Tiger Woods is without doubt the greatest sportsman living today and should be constantly admired as a model of sporting excellence, a hero, an idol, a source of inspiration for millions of young people across the world. He should not be hounded by the media and destroyed as a man away from the game, its the game that makes Tiger Woods, without it he's just another guy fighting the human instinct of sinful temptation. Take him out of the game and you give him acceptance of the common man who acts sinful, with deception and mischief, because such is everywhere. Leave Tiger in the game and you have a man of great naievity in thinking such a public figure of such magnitude is really so immortal he could actually explore other women and encounter situations of great deception without paying any price. He has clearly lost track of his position and role as a figure head for so many concerns. His once invincible image of perfection has now been destroyed and Im afraid his now uncertain public persona lay in the balance of his now sleazy, love rat reputation.

So the genius of Tiger has finally produced signs of breaking, but what else? Could this be the beginning of something much worse? Is Tiger beginning to show the true strain of supreme athleticism, is the temptation so readily thrown before our highest earning sports stars of today proving to much? Is he losing his drive, is he slowing up through boredom, has the great one simply burnt out or is he just bored of winning?

Only time will tell.

Tiger Woods could put so much more back into the game and spread the great gift of the game to a far bigger audience than he already does. The man is a boy at heart, never fully exploring ones childhood and the youthful sense of adventure and mischief can be a regrettably sorry mistake on a persons latter life reflections and possible midlife antics.

Taking responsibility for ones unsuccessful actions and accepting it is the act of a successful man.

Anything is possible, man or machine, we are all the same, born as we shall all die, with nothing. What one does with their time is what makes one the Man.

./

Peter Thompson.

Even Emotion.

A gentleman, a golfer, a champion, an individual, a father and a husband. This guy is no ordinary one, far from just another golfer of our past, Peter Thompson is a unique mind of titanic human proportions. This is the man who successfully laid claim to five Open Championship victories, four of which came before he reached his 28th birthday. Three of these were consecutive wins and between 1952 and 1958 he would finish no worse than 2nd on his beloved links. Thompson's Open statistics really are mighty impressive, between his first Open in 1951 and 1971 he was only outside the top 10 on 3 occasions when even then he was no worse than 24th.

A truely remarkable record from a true legend of the game.

Master it and play!

"Master the instrument, master the music, then forget all that shit and play".

                                                                                         Charlie Parker.

One Goal/ endless possibilities.

For over 500 years the game of golf has been played with one single goal, to strike a small ball into a hole in as few amount of strokes as possible.

That's it!

Nothing more, nothing less.

During this period we have seen, read and experienced many varying styles and methods of achieving this single goal. Much has been written and preached, expressed and practiced in an effort to solve the greatest challenge this single goal has to offer. With each and every passing of a generation, the games single standing goal remains the same. Get the ball in the hole in fewer strokes than the next dude and you win! Every new challenger to the podium of dominance has presented a fresh new method or style of combat with which to over power the game. With each new passing of greatness remains another intriguing insight into the potential of the human form as an exponent of control with a ball and stick in search of one single goal.

Thats right, point A to B in as few amount of strokes as possible.

Basically master the use of your sticks, master the control of your golf ball then forget all that shit and just play.

It worked for Charlie Parker in re-shaping, pushing forward, destroying boundaries and inspiring the next generation of talented Jazz musicians with the excitement of the potential future of his beloved art form.

My passion is creative thought and progressive outcomes.

The game of golf; Art or Science?

I once asked my friend and mentor John Jacob's the same question.

'Paul, I believe the game is both an art and science'.

Un-doubtably the game of golf contains elements of both, not just because everything we see and do is apart of science but the pure physics applied to the effective conditions created at impact and the resulting outcome in ball flight. Not to mention the great detail of the human form, biomechanics, psychology and so on.

So why art?

Its a need to create that inspires the use of the word typically associated with the opinionated world of the arts. As free, boundless and expressively creative as the world of art is, it very rarely has the freedom to overspill into the world of sports. You see, when analyzing some of the greatest performances in sporting history you can not leave without asking the question;

'How much of that was art over science?

Naturally science has gained superior momentum over the course of our life as it shall continue, which is why it readily takes pride of place as the most powerful source of reference in the search for progression and greater human advancement in our chosen sports. Science can be measured, recorded and interpreted by all, its a standardized form of understanding. It provides the masses with a more digestable form of reference that can be more easily interpreted and used to progress further.

BUT!

What about the art?

Every element of success, weather its in sport, business, love or just life, the key ingredient is always the creative one. The spontaneous, outside the box, new forms, wild new waze on pearly white moon lit daze. The things we haven't seen or heard before, the matters of thought, the levels of intrigue, expressing the inner most depths of your own self through the platform before you. Weather that platforms a court, a pitch, a course or a board room white board, the endless opportunity to create something special is always within and around us.

Every great performance in sport has and always will contain incredible levels of creative expression, its what separates the best from the rest and the greats from the greatest. A level of creative prowess totally unique to them and completely out of reach of those around them.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

Science does not allow for mistakes, its very purpose is to record and document in an effort to control and influence so to eliminate such mistakes in a drive for perfection. Art is ones perception of its subject, its anything you want it to be, you the individual have free rein to see whatever you desire.

Hit it in the trees, find it, play it.

Hit it in the trees and think shit! What the hell happened there, I must of spun out of it early again. Now Im screwed behind this bloody tree, could my day possible get any worse?

Id say yes it could, with a scientific mindset and narrow minded view of the canvas before you not a lot else can come of it.

The artist is:

Free to make mistakes.

Free to explore the course.

Free of doubt.

Free of worry.

Free of anxiety.

Free to be whatever they choose to be.

Free to be themselves.

Free to express.

Free to be individual.

Free to choose.

Free to be as good as they can possibly be.

Stand over your next shot with the freedom of an artist and you have the potential to create beautiful golf shots.

./

SENSE No.6

Exposing the sixth sense.

www.autogenicgolf.com

MADLib

Speech by name.

Expressive by nature.

Otis Jackson Jr, aka MADLIB (Mind Altering Demented Lessons in Beats)

A musical genius of modern day music.

Famous for his rap and vast production talents this is a guy who never stops creating new sounds of beat breaking vibes, soul searching melodies and space traveling sheets of musical exploration.

He's simply a musical animal.

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STREET Smart..........!!!!!!!!!!!

The future stars of the games next generation aren't going to be found in some upper class country club or national elite squad team. No! The future of the game is born out of the street and boundless possibilities the urban landscape has to offer. With such a vast expanse of creative space to express themselves this concrete course will cultivate the most exciting wave of talent the game has ever seen. From both a mental and physical standpoint this fresh new breed will bring elements of life's struggle, the street life instincts for survival but most importantly these success hungry expressionists will inject life and color.

With the endless possibilities every bustling city has to offer, we have before us the greatest platform for escape of mind, freedom of soul and attitude for greatness. If we can get into the big city, target the deprived, inspire the fighters and throw a line into the struggle we can channel and shape the many kids that seek to challenge their own self worth. Give them a real golf club, a soft ball and a target to shape it to and I guarantee we have ourselves the rawest new beginnings and quite possibly the games future alternative to the now seeked golfing machine.

Its a long shot, hell what chance do we have in handing a street kid a weapon and a ball?

Maybe not straight forward, but what new direction is?

If we can sow the seed the fruits will ripen!

FREEDOM TO EXPLORE.

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Harvey.

Mr Penick wrote his mind in a little red book.

And it was probably the most important book he ever scribbled in.

Full of thoughts, ideals, feelings and beliefs this book is a testament to the life of a passionate practitioner. A man so totally consumed by his art and craft for human shaping he will probably never be surpassed as a true golfing genius. His life in the game is a testament to the raw art that is human shaping through the medium of golf. His references to the finer talents of the artistic world and the graceful analogies of artists holding fine musical instruments and tools of great expression provide a clear understanding of the great mans appreciation for the game as an art form.

He considered the hands as the most vital fundamental of them all and described the best hands on the golf club as a pure work of art. He handled every fresh pair as a sculptor handles every mold of clay, like its set in stone for as long as thy shall perform with flair and instinctive expression. He undoubtedly had a deep appreciation for the heart of all golf swings. He said if you have a bad grip you don't want a good swing. With a bad grip you have to make unattractive adjustments in your swing to hit the ball squarely. A great looking swing with a poor grip would knock many a ball out of bounds.

Mr Harvey Penick ultimately stood for one thing, simplicity. He was a master of spoon feeding the pupil with only the most appropriate and relevant information for the individual before him. He knew people because people were his life, his achievements through those that seeked his wisdom is unprecedented. He never conducted lessons of more than one pupil as he believed the temptation of others to grasp unnecessary information of no relevance to themselves was to risky. Working with one pupil is as pure as the teaching art form gets, developing and shaping that players unique strengths and key tendencies is the ultimate road to self sufficient greatness.

Harvey is a legend, he is remembered in my teachings as he is pursued in my dreams.

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iRON NOT!

To what extent has this piece of technology corrupted the natural evolution of swing?

Have we forgot how unimaginable our world and this precious game would be if everyone of us became a machine?

Invasion of the robo golfer is surely not upon us!

This sole destroying invention is by know means a prime example of the modern golf swing. Yes it has the power to repeatedly strike one pure arrow after another but ask it to hold a solid iron shot against a right to left breeze and I'm afraid you have a malfunction! Ask it to knock down a 7 iron approach into a tight pin location and it break downs, the creative work space is missing and quite frankly leaves its future in the hands of the scientist who built it.

Constantly fiddling and fumbling around the meaning of the word Art.

Because you see this is no doubt where the dawn of modern swing thought was born, out of minimal movement governed by pure core strength. Room for that vital human reflex of lateral movement has been eliminated in mans quest for the straight, no curve ball flight. With special attention to the in vogue FAD that is STACK AND TILT you can instantly appreciate the motive for this golfers writing. If the golfer remains fixed with his weight planted on the front foot and develops an unnatural reflex for turning on a fixed axis he believes he will produce the consistency of Mr Iron Byron.

Phaaaagh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Mr Nelson could see this he and Ben would be disgusted.

Mr Byron Nelson could be hailed as the godfather of the modern swing as it was he who first mastered the art of swing with the introduction of the steel shaft all those years ago. Please try and feel my disgust at the association of such greatness with something so emotionally lifeless. Don't get me wrong its place in the game has been undoubtably formidable as far as progressive club design and ball developments. A subject I could also write aggressively negative points of view on.

We must never forget the human character we all are, yes totally unique to one another and individual in every facet of the players makeup. The very action of swinging the golf club with the hands and arms as we stand to the side of the golf ball demands a certain level of movement from the large muscles of the core that essentially react in support. Yes thats right, the smaller, faster body parts, the hands and arms are there to swing and direct the force created by the weight of the golf club. The bigger, slower muscles of the bodies core are there to support, through resistance on the back swing it stores energy before unleashing its power into the increasing speed of the club, hands and arms on the downswing.

If you swing your lead arm away from the ball you can't help but feel the body move laterally in support, thats a good thing and quite simply essential in a pure golf swing. Take a ball and draw your arm away from the target in preparation to throw it as far down field as possible. I assure you the body has moved away from the target laterally in response to the arms need for support and firmly planted your mass of weight on the rear foot. Now throw the ball as far as you can and I assure you the first reflex in the through throw was a firm planting of the lead leg and weight into the lead foot. It provides the greatest sense of speed, power and distance. Hell, its a natural reflex and one of essential requirement when propelling the limbs down field weather it be to throw a ball of swing a golf club.

When you swing your arms you shift your weight, it stabilizes, supports, stores and injects the power needed to strike great golf shots.

Learning to purely turn on a fixed axis is unnatural and frankly far from healthy practice for a human being of any physical makeup.

The machine is designed to strike arrow straight shots time after time, well I can safely say the game is not won with a straight ball flight. The ball must curve one way or another, deciding which way is down to the individual, controlling your shot shape is all you ever need to concern yourself with.

Enjoy the process of swing not the science of technology.

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Call iT what you like.....

I call it golf instruction of

the highest order.

What are you currently working on?

Can I tell you the only thing you should ever be working on?

Controlling your golf ball!

Now tell me the most important point in the swing?

IMPACT!!!!!!

Now tell me why?

Because this is the deciding point that decides how the golf ball is going to be influenced.

So what has the greatest influence over the flight of the golf ball?

The club face!

Now what has the greatest influence over the club face?

That's right, the HANDS!

The hands rule supreme over everything as its your only contact with the golf club. Everything you feel, sense and react to internally and physically is formed around this vital connection.

So you're working on a position or movement in your golf swing?

Why do you think that happens?

Because you're totally unique and built like no other person on the planet. That's why!

So can you in grain the muscle memory to over ride this?

You probably can but will it last forever?

I can assure you not!

Ok you may have some success but I guarantee you the amount of work required to sustain it will be immense and quite frankly a waste of time and talent.

Before we continue just ask yourself why you are trying to perfect the look of your golf swing?

What's wrong with the current flight of your golf ball?

What's the flight of the ball telling you about the condition of IMPACT?

Is it curving in flight?
Which way?
Is it high?
Is it spinning?
Does it start left or right of your target?
Does it stay on that line?
Or does it curve further away from the target?
Or does it curve back across the target line?
Is the divot deep or shallow?

These are the questions a great teacher is asking himself with every new pupil he views.

His role in the beginning is that of a golfing detective who's only concern is the players conditions at impact.

He knows and respects the flight of the golf ball reveals all and all diagnoses comes from here. All the clues are there, impact and ball flight, he can diagnose exactly what's happening in the swing and which fundamentals/ what part of the setup is causing it.

Controlling these conditions is all the golf swing is about, and controlling them is a matter of manipulation through adjustments in the address.

The BASIC FUNDAMENTALS of the SETUP are all you need to control your IMPACT.

Impact is key and ball flight is your teacher. My job is to educate as many players as I can and give them the skill to look after their own golf game without my constant help.

As the great Peter Thompson says, 'the modern players are too coach dependant, in my day you looked after your own game and never relied on anybody'.

That's my man and that's my ultimate goal with everyone I work with.

You can all be your own best teacher, you just need to start looking at the right things.

Modern coaching has become way to concerned with the positions and movements within the swing and almost totally lost respect for the positions before the swing. The introduction of video and freeze frame footage of the golf swing has most certainly given us great insight into the key elements of an effectively functioning swing but how relevant is this?
How controllable are these key positions during the swing?
But more importantly, why do these effective positions occur in the best players in the world?
What's the common denominator?

Great FUNDAMENTALS!

Add this to a winning ATTiTUDE and you have a supreme golfer.

The world of top flight sport is seriously big business, its literally saturated with cash, corporate, tv, big brand money train politics! And with cash comes people, the lucrative world of sport especially golf has been corrupted by wealth and turned over by commercialism. I'm afraid the day of the individual, the artist, the passionate shot maker, the true champion golfers are lost in a crowd of money hungry bastards. The pilots of this game, the hangers on are disrupting the pace of this games natural evolution in their selfish effort to make that quick buck.

Its time to make a return to simple, ball controlling fundamentals. The day of the creative shot maker is upon us once more.

Enjoy the ride, create to fight.






Fight for flight........................../








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MuLtiDiMensionaL Consciousness.

Take a look inside the zone.

Operating or effectively performing to a level of excellence through a higher or multi level of conscious thoughts, feelings senses and imagination. An out of body experience that elite performance athletes search for in a quest for excellence.

When a top flight golfer enters the zone, he has reached a level of thought that allows him to focus on more than one of the feelings or sensations associated with the shot before him. He can allow his body to react without conscious awareness of his bodies reflex movements and remain totally fixated on the target and feelings associated with the shot before him. He can give up controlling thoughts and focus all his attention on the target, essentially he has total trust in his skill of execution and going in search of the only thing that matters - THE TARGET.

If we refer back to Miles Davis for a moment and the sounds he created, on listening for the first time the listener is forced to reject it and typically label it as rubbish. Why is this, well if you haven't experienced the sound of Miles Davis between the period of 1969-1972 then go listen. 9 times out of 10, people don't get it, this is because the sounds are so diverse and so bold, vibrant and hypnotic as individual journeys that combined they just sound like a mess. It really is a matter of disturbing the listener and then demanding their attention, you see this kind of music as with all great art is demanding and so appealing to those with great intrigue and a desire for understanding everything around them. The more you listen the more you get, the more you get the more sounds you define, the more defined your favorite sounds, the more emotionally connected you become with the music. As you study it, you discover new sounds, you go in search of the sound then add another then another before you're lost in a piece of music that is demanding you function on Multiple Levels of Consciousness. The sound takes shape and the feelings it creates are like nothing any other piece of music will possibly ever create.

I assure you its demanding, just as the game of golf provides a fresh challenge every time you step onto the course, finding the mental state of mind that allows you free entry into the ZONE on every stroke is equally as tough.
Or is it?
If we look back at the music of Miles Davis, in its simplest form its a series of layers of individual sound and hearing the complete piece of work is a matter of focusing your hearing on one sound then adding another then another until you hear the complete sound. Its your pathway to the ZONE, in golf it should be no different only you're dealing with and focusing on layers of a correct procedure. You can fall into the ZONE in much the same way, by simply following a simple routine or procedure for effective shot making.

Starting with an evaluation of the situation before you, hows the ball lying?
Where's the pin location?
Where's the danger?
Where can I miss this shot?
Where's the wind?
Take on board as much information as you can and build your senses of feel and awareness upon it.
Now identify the shot shape and trajectory best suited to achieve your target.
Now select the club needed to perform the shot and rehearse the reflex action as you effectively feel it.
With a clear image of the shot in your subconscious mind you have a free and open mindset with which to effectively execute the shot before you.
You are essentially in the ZONE and FREE to PERFORM with a CREATIVE REACTION.

Multidimensional Consciousness is a highly complex subject, its a level of human thought very few individuals ever fully experience. Working towards it is the only sure fire way of guaranteeing your mind is on the demanding road to excellence.

The more you think it the less you actually behold it.
Allow your mind to wonder within the confounds of perfect preparation and every fresh challenge the game has to offer.





OPEN YOUR MiNd and FREE Your SoUL.

MiLEs aHEAD

Miles Davis was a genius.

Everything he did was a statement.
Every breath, every blow of his horn, every move he made, both in life and music was a pure reaction to everything around him. Not once did he stop to think or ever doubt his instincts. He lived his life through an acute instinct to create and continually push the limitless boundaries of both mind and body. Not only did he create sounds so ahead of there time, Miles Davis redefined the genre we know as Jazz and opened the doors to exactly what it is. In his own words, 'you can call it what you want', its anything and everything artistic expression should be. Its FREE, and thats what Mile Davis was, he was so free of constraints, opinions and beliefs, he was never controlled by others, he was a genius, an individual, a outlaw, a visionary, totally unique. He created sweet sounding, critic loving music, he redefined it, he created new directions in Jazz and fed the world with easy to appreciate sounds that could appeal to an elite minority of music lovers. But Miles wanted more, he was an artist and wanted a far greater reach, he wanted a younger more impressionable audience. He was into the young sound, the fresh beats of the day and wanted to express his intake of everything around him to the next generation of music fans, he wanted to be on the pulse of the day, the inspiration of tomorrow. He wanted to interpret the appealing funk rhythms, electric guitar, keyboard and distortion possibilities of the modern era. His intake was clearly overflowing with inspiration and creative emotion, to the point where he was forever in search of new sounds and possible ways of expressing it through ever diverse rhythmic patterns and fresh new arrangements.

His stature within the art of sound and the Jazz world gave him the power to pick and choose literally any musician he wished, and he only wanted the best and the best would join him because Mile Davis knows how to get the best out of everyone. Simply putting musicians in a room and giving them a note to run with, he would play without rehearsal, without forward planning, the whole creative process was about exploring oneself and talent with the instrument before you. Recording with Miles was a raw creative adventure amongst talented artists, it was never controlled or planned, the only thing Miles cared about was the quality of the musicians he was surrounded by. That was a BASIC requirement, with the best basics he knew he had the freedom to create whatever he pleased, and whatever he pleased he so did.

Miles Davis was never motivated by money, sure he enjoyed the rewards of talent but what drove him was a passion for creative freedom. Freedom of mind and body to create new sounds with constantly more colourful depths of emotion.

He was totally into himself and music, consumed by creation.

It may seem strange to of found this piece in the middle of a blog so totally dedicated to golf, I hope you can see the relevance of Miles and why I hold him in the highest of regard. It doesn't matter weather its Golf, Music, Film or Flying, all that matters is you stand yourself away from the crowd and shout as loud as you can with the talent you have. Never fall into the pack, remain passionate and dedicated to the art of limitless possibilities and you are well on your way to the freedom required to lead the pack and push the boundaries set forth by the legends before you.

Over control means know control - Respect the basics and let yourself go - give up control to gain control

FEEL FREE TO CREATE


Enjoy Miles as he enjoyed himself.







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REActiONS

LASER YOUR WAY.

Isn't it surely much easier to REACT CREATIVELY to something VISUAL than to something DIGITAL? Yes we are reacting to a more precise distance but how much of the hole is one missing through that single vision. One may argue it narrows the focus to a single target but how much detail has one abandoned in the process. How much potential for creative imagination and effective visualisation is the next generation of Tour Stars miss-processing?

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GROUNDed/ ROOT Down.

Tiger Woods on Tuesday at the Open Championship 2009.
17th Tee whilst playing with a pair of Marks in preparation for his 2nd missed cut in a major championship.

He looked as sound and effectively polished as ever, in typical Tiger fashion his practice round was a far cry from the swash buckling style so typically found during real live Championship mode. As the image so clearly presents, you see a man so ultimately grounded, so solid as he makes the fluid transition from backswing to downswing its hard to believe he could ever miss use such ability to the extent of a short week on such a beautiful coast line.

See how perfectly ROOTED he is, there is not a more grounded player on the planet when snapped at this point in the swing.

Enjoy him as I enjoyed snapping him.





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HeArtNDS.

Everytime you visit the Doctor he follows the same simple procedure. Wheather you're dizzy or dazy, hot or cold, tired or wired he goes straight to the heart. He knows everything you do or feel is in some way related to the health and state of your HEART. No matter what the effects of ones illness maybe, a good Doctor knows the cause of such effects is typically the result of something much closer to the heart and more easily diagnosed through an understanding of ones heart.

The same is true in golf, any great teacher will tell you the cause of a swing flaw is always much closer to the heart than the visual effect. The cause of the commonly seen effects of a poor swing such as head movment, loss of balance, closed clubface, club shaft crossing the line at the top etc are always caused by a static issue before the swing has even begun. At the heart of every golf swing is one single element that has the greatest influence over everything that goes on around it.

Find the HEART to locate the CAUSE/REPAIR the CAUSE and you heal the EFFECTS.

GO TO YOUR HANDS AND YOU HAVE FOUND THE HEARTBEAT TO YOUR SWING.

The HEART of your golf swing is totally governed by your HANDS. The quality of the formation between the left and right hand UNITE to produce the HEART of your golf swing. From the quality of the formation between the two hands you set the tone for your bodies resulting reflex actions and instinctive movements commonly seen as effects within the resulting golf swing. I like to see them as compensations of either a positive or negative nature. The more blended ones formation of the hands on the golf club maybe, the more positive ones in swing reflex actions will become. Its when one adopts a less than efficent hold that the resulting in swing movements become compensations for such an unhealthy hold on the golf club.

AN UNHEALTHY HEART CAUSES UNHEALTHY EFFECTS.

The result of a poor heart means years of inconsistent bad health.

So please take the time to develope a healthy hold on the golf club, it really is the HEARtBEAT to your swing.





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Average JOE the nO gO prO....

Your average Pro never looks close enough at the key foundations to your game. Look closer than before and you won't ever make mistakes like b4. Ask your Pro today, 'What are we ultimately trying to do, please ask him to tell you what it is he is trying to give you when you take lessons and listen intently at what he has to say. I promise you, if he fails to mention the word control and golf ball within 2 words of one another then he's failed in his quest as a teacher.

The ULTIMATE goal of any teacher should be to provide the pupil with the skill and understanding to consistently control their GOLF BALL around the COURSE with as little trouble as possible.

The art of the game is BALL CONTROL.
The scientist are only ever interested in SWING CONTROL.
AVOID the SCIENTISTS.

Golf is what the BALL does.

The flight of the ball reveals all.

Stick with it and I promise you, your golfing future will flourish.







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hANDS.

Left and Right combine to create one.

The initial stage of forming your hold is all about combining the two hands to create an equal strength among the pair. We are simply blending the hands together to form a unit that can then be easily adjusted to correct or neutralise the resulting flight of the golf ball.

The left hand has the greatest influence over the club face as it is placed above the right hand and so furthest from the club head. Combined with the fact it has the most coverage on the handle results in it having the greatest influence over the speed of the club face and its effective interaction with the golf ball through impact.

Before we apply your left hand please take the time to perfectly align the leading or bottom edge of the golf club to the ball target line, perfectly at 90 degrees is the minimum standard here.

Correctly applied, the left hand will generally feel more in the fingers, by no means should it be held across the palm or to a point so high in the palm that speed and rotation is restricted. Just take a second and imagine holding a hammer across the palm of your hand, now try to appreciate just how restricted the freedom of your wrist would become. The resulting effect would see the bigger muscles, most notably from the shoulders become more active in a natural response to creating the required force to strike the nail home.

With the handle now feeling more relaxed in the fingers and free to swing you may finalise the position of the left hand by positioning the thumb along the right hand side of the handles centre line. Assure the thumb is running as near to perfectly parallel while pointing straight down the right side of the handle. The thumb and fingers should be soft and relaxed without absolutely any tension spreading through the hand or wrist. Any tension felt in the forearm is a clear indication you are gripping that £5 note like it was worth no less than 50.

Now for the scary part, the correct placing of the right hand is always the frightening part for the vast majority of right handed golfers. A typically poor hold on the golf club sees the naturally right handed golfer gripping the handle with as much comfort in the fingers as they can grab onto. This is a natural reaction to that age old human instinct of control, we all feel the need to control the movements through the swing which essentially results in a snatch, pull and lift away from the ball in the takeaway. I'm afraid that can only mean one thing, an out of sequence, random swing that will only ever be good for absolutely know control what soever.

Over control = no control.

A correctly positioned right hand will allow you a sense of giving up control to gain control.

The right hand is not to be seen as a control hand but rather more a support hand. It's role is to simply respond to the correct motion of the left as it swings the golf club away from the ball all the way to the top of the back swing where it is then needed to help support the golf club before and during its transition into the downswing.

Now for this matter the right hand must not possess tension or a desire to control or dominate the left hand both in the back swing and downswing. Any sign of over tension in the right hand will ultimately result in the weaker slower muscles of the left hand becoming over dominated. A more active shoulder action will then further destroy any chance you may have of delivering the club head on the desired inside to square swing path into and through impact.

With the left hand still soft and relaxed the right hand should be placed on top of the left thumb so as to fit snugly into the life line of the right palm. This should always be your first goal when placing the right hand on the golf club, to totally cover the left thumb then allowing the fingers of the right hand to simply fold underneath the handle of the golf club with the last finger of the right hand resting soft and most comfortably over the index finger of the left hand on the underside of the handle. The fingers must not grab the underside of the handle or attempt to clench a grip of any significant tension, a soft right hand is essential to the blending process.

Common practice among poor grippers of the golf club is to grab the handle, firstly with the fingers to secure a nice tight feeling of control before then stretching the thumb and palm of the right hand over the top of the left thumb to complete a grip that basically has no place in a game that requires such a graceful movement as a golf swing.

With the hands now placed soft and relaxed on the golf club Id like you to attempt to lift the club head slightly off the ground by no more than 2 inches then proceed to make a soft and gradual movement back and through on a path just above the golf ball. Its a simple movement practiced by most accomplished golfers to gain a better feel for the weight of the golf club and release of any tension still in the hands. You will find this much more difficult practice the more tension you apply, but more importantly it will give you the feedback required to feel the most active pressure points in your grip.

The finished article will provide you with a feeling of security in the last three fingers of the left hand with total softness in the right. The position of the left hand is integral to the control of the club face position throughout the golf swing as much as the placement of the right hand is crucial to the speed of the club face throughout the golf swing.

The two hands combined form the single vital unit demanded of a consistent shot maker, a player demanding total control of his club face in an effort to control his ball.







Create to control don't control to create./