Compositions.

Composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art.

The term composition means 'putting together,' and can apply to any work of art, from music to writing, that is arranged or put together using conscious thought. In the visual arts, composition is often used interchangeably with various terms such as design, form, visual ordering, or formal structure, depending on the context. 

Wikipedia.

As a teacher of all golfing elements, one is driven to a common goal with every pupil before him. To compose, shape, motivate and create a masterpiece of individual human intelligence. 

Sounds DEEP?  

Well it really isn't, its just a simple moulding of you.

Handled carefully, the most complex possibilities submerge into themselves and adopt their rightful place.

A golfing composition of all natural beauty and consistent strength.

STRENGTH OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Composition by Kandinsky./

Criminal golfers.

The greatest crimes in golf and life are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules. Its people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages. These sheep become slaves to the process, dependent on one mans order and never fully take own of their single most cherished gift. 

The gift is you.

Taking ownership takes more than just a pair of balls.

To own, shape and ultimately dictate your own self is a journey only you can take.

Take the simple lessons form those in the know then go explore you.

From the fundamentals of both life and golf you have the boundless potential to shape and ultimately create anything, shape, shot or endeavor this beautiful game has to offer.

GO PLAY.

HAVE FUN.

PROSPER........................../

Simple intelligence testing.

A lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to.

A dude named Banksy taught me that.

./

Art.

All artists are prepared to suffer for their work but why are so few prepared to learn to draw?


Ask your new teacher to draw and fade, hit it high and then some low, a few hooks then a slice before sharing their secrets to controlling the golf ball. They may not have the mental strength to win an Open but you had better at least expect them to have the knowledge and instinctive flair to execute your ultimate golfing dreams right before your eyes. By this Im directing your attention to the bare essential requirement of any one serious enough to call themselves a teacher of this great game and respectfully take payment for their beliefs. 


The art of controlling the golf ball is a simple science that lay within the grasp of each and everyone of us. Finding a teacher that actually has this basic skill at hand is ones ultimate test as a teacher searching pupil.

Find one then share his knowledge with as many fellow golfers as you can.





Enjoy the game./

PLAY? - doh .. ... ./

shAPE & MOULd, creATE & diCTaTE.........../


The art of great instruction is so much more than simply teaching a pupil to strike better golf shots.

The true art of great golf is a process of natural, instinctive shaping, most commonly known as teaching but so much more.

Ones role as a dedicated teacher of this great game is to produce and mould, shape and create magnificent shot makers, human studies of unique golfing prowess. 

The entire teaching process, one of constant evolution and creative development is effectively down to the quality of the individual standing before you. Yes you the individual who's decided this person is sufficiently educated and effectively passionate to express the correct and most infectious lessons from the game we all pursue with the same degree of appealing fascination. 

Its simple.

The games a game, the process of achievement within it is one of constant appeal and unprecedented infatuation. Ones role as guiding force is to simply assure the creative subject before them is no longer lost or tempted into the appealing world of in swing technique and in vogue like tendencies so commonly seen and practiced by the worlds seemingly golf like elite.

PEOPLE!!!!!!!!

Listen to me when I say the game of golf is quite probably the most complex study of all sporting endeavors, but lets please not lose sight of the most essential requirement of every stroke we play for the remainder of our golfing live's.

YES.

You got it, the game of golf is a simple matter of ball in hole.

CONTROL IT BETTER THAN THE NEXT PERSON AND YOU WIN.

Its all about ball control, and to do that one must simply understand the art of IMPACT.
Dive into the true art of ball control through the only point in the swing where the ball is made contact with. Thats the point of impact, the area so many players never fully realize as vital to the successful safe and effective score landing of their golf ball.

As a world class golf teacher, one is constantly faced with the same, commonly seen as BASIC ritual, to improve the 'BASICS', yes, the key and quite simply only thing that ever matters to success in golf, the FUNDAMENTALS that shape and effectively allow the best players in the world to CREATE great golf shots when the situation before them demands it. Its my daily duty to first educate and install the level of respect for the KEY FUNDAMENTALS before effectively INSTALLING them on every pupil before me. If I can do this, well, I have every opportunity of developing a player that will undoubtedly reach their own golfing mecca before the end of their golfing life.

Upon first viewing any player, or idea of oneself playing this game, I am immediately drawn to the key requirement of ball control, I so hope you guessed it. Thats it, a great hold on the golf club, a most beautiful piece of art, a moulded formation of the two hands and all their fingers combined to create the signiture of any great golf teacher. The hold of any great shotmaker is what defines them in this class apart, YES the hands hold the key and this teacher defines himself along with subject with a signiture like no other. To hold the golf club in perfect individual formation of two hands is what its all about. Please trust these words when I say, if you do nothing else but assume a hold so perfect, so efficient, so pristine, I assure you the golfing world that surrounds you is un-boundless and quite perfectly yours for the taking.

Like an artist so patiently and creatively moulds his masterpiece from one single lump of clay, the greatest of golfing teachers shapes his. We as golf teachers must continuously imprint our creative prowess upon the clay before us in an effort to shape the ball flight before us both. Its from this vital source of feedback that our masterpiece of artwork will flower and ultimately create the master works we all so passionately strive to be apart of.

Golf is as much an ART as it is a SCIENCE, but please lets not forget, the true science lay in the mystery of the ART.

Work it out and it works for you.

ART to SCIENCE, SCIENCE to ART.

MOULD to CREATE, CREATE to MOULD.

GOLF to CREATE, CREATE to GOLF.

Just play................/

Swinging matters...

The golf swing is a series of movements performed within the fundamental confounds of efficient body angles. Its sole purpose being to consistently exert maximum power upon impact on delivery of the club head to golf ball. Its unique human nature is what truly allows it to repeat and perform under the most intense outside influences.

Its a measure of time in motion that very few players have ever truly learned to time and pace.

./

Total Golf Techniques.

From a range of essential reading material from the greatest golfing champion of them all so far.
Mr Jack Nicklaus was an undisputed winner, illustrated to perfection from a master of golfing illustration Mr Jim McQueen.


READ IT.
ENJOY IT.
BE AS GREAT AS YOU CA BE.



./

Winding Up........releasing energy.

What's the purpose of the backswing?

To create power. 

The single most vital purpose of the back swing is to create a series of reflex movements away from the golf ball to create maximum power on delivery of the club head on its return back to the golf ball through the point of impact. 

Finding the most powerful path for delivery is a matter of creating a position at address that will allow all the body parts to blend and respond equally. In essence we are looking for total connection at address in a search for total connection at impact.  

./

CreaTiVity iN SpoRT.

Its all over it. 

Any form of human physical movement is done so in response to something else, an inspiration, motivation or reflex instinct. Its an opportunity for a creative response, a unique creative reaction by the individual. 

In sport one has two distinct avenues of style, flair or ideology to pursue and follow. 

1. TECHNICAL.

2. CreAtiVE.

As coaches we must be open and able to satisfy both avenues in our quest to create equality in our impression of both methods upon our pupil. 

Once the swing has been setup, continually aim to educate the pupil with the laws of impact to establish the pupils understanding and burning hunger for a self sufficient golf game.

Continually challenge and make them feel uncomfortable, both with their work ethic and desire to achieve their goals. 

They must remain self aware and ready to be challenged.

Challenge their skill level. Skills testing on a regular basis, always creating a similar pressure situation. The feelings you can only experience from the feel of a pure strike, the sight of a controlled ball flight or the pressure of the stretch in a big tournament. 

Get creative with all areas of your game and life. Open your mind and free your thoughts, your anxiety, that doubt and stray from the positive. 

Total focus on your target and complete detachment from yourself. 

Believe it, Trust it, Do it.

./

Centre the World around you.

Take what you need but never forget to give back what you learn.

There is nothing selfish about the force you create and fuel around you. 

Centre the world within you and use its great power to deliver inspiration to all who surround you.

Never aspire to be anyone other than you. 

You are the inspiration that others aspire to. 

Lead by action, motivate by leading. 

The passion that leads you is the master that drives and ultimately succeeds you.

Perseverance is the key to achievement as all achievement is ultimate perseverance.

Live from your heart in search of your soul. Don't be real, just be you. 

./

gaMiNG........./

The game, a structured activity, typically undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used for the purpose of education. In its purest form, a game is a creative avenue for escape, it provides a platform for its players to challenge and commit their concentration. In essence, the games we play are simply that, easy to play games, endeavors of unique intrigue and excitement, they provide us with an opportunity to escape the routine of everyday life and embark on a more personal discovery of our very self. Whilst this may sound some what deep and profound from the surface, lets not forget we are discussing something as simple and second nature as a game, only if one is to fully grasp the raw essence of its very existence then we must first realize its most precious place in the bigger game, the game so readily brand as life itself. While the depth of this focus could easily go on, the point of its worth will forever dive deeper, with mans need for the games we have created becoming ever more central to their long term happiness.

The game of golf has now lost its real title, its acceptance as a sport, one consisting of superior athletes each equipped with the athletic tone and muscular physique of a triathlete. Such metamorphic events have thrown us into a mega modern frenzy of research, theory, analysis and adversity. We have lost the point of the pastime, the sense of the word game alongside the notion of the word golf has all but lost its struggle to the power hungry world of sport. While the players within the game welcome the acceptance of golf as a sport, I have little reason to believe a healthy percentage have taken the time to realize what they have lost and what such a simple change in terminology actually means for the future. No longer is a talented golfer accepted as a prospect unless he or she lives to a strict and balanced lifestyle made up of fitness, nutrition, detailed swing analysis, psychology and analysis. Resting in the arms of the sport is a severe shift in creative priority, not a conscious action but one reflected by the mass appeal of the games first golfing athletes. Goodbye we salute to the flair hungry shot makers of the once seen games past, and welcome to the future age, priority programmed machine like monsters that now so readily surrender to the stress of competitive sport.


The fighting debate over the games founders will forever continue to excite and frustrate the many who surrender to its mystery. For myself, the only thing that really matters is why this great game was ever conceived and created in the first place. Simple, to escape, challenge and discover the boundless potential that lay within us all. Its sole purpose is fun, fun and games, mystery and adventure, the art of escape, the pure essence of the game is ultimately one of great beauty and should be cherished by all who choose to surrender to its mass appeal.


A game is a platform to escape, as in life itself, the game we all find ourselves submerged in daily, the key to maximizing its endless potential is an open mind for total enjoyment of whatever it has to throw at us.


Go play, escape, and don't forget you're there to be challenged so be sure you create.




./

Gift from GOD.

A kid named Rodney, a boy on a board, a wally on wheels, a genius on the ground. The creative wizard that is named Rodney Mullen is a Skateboard magician in a league of his own. Born a child, Mr Mullen never felt any urgency to grow up, continuing his journey through life on a little board with four wheels his story is one of continued creative progression. Self expression and expanded capability lay at the core of his every move, his every inspirational motivation, the next trick becomes the next mark of minimum standard. The Skateboard king that is Rodney Mullen is and will surely remain the most innovative, forward thinking, creatively expressive individual known to the world of boards with wheels.

The signature bearing author of over 30 distinct tricks, he has single handedly invented the art, the creative discipline of physical expression with a board on four wheels. He is without doubt the worlds most gifted Skateboarder on earth today. A somewhat shy and casually reserved individual, Rodney is a fragile being, an almost damaged human inspiration. Upon opening to question, one would be lead to believe his talent is one born out of an almost autistic state of mind. Pushing himself to the limit of human possibility from the age of 8, he was warned many times of his fathers discomfort with his chosen pursuit, undeterred by such worry Rodney remained focused and fiercely dedicated to the boundless possibility he was faced with.

When forced to retreat to a more remote part of Florida when the family moved to a farm in 1979, it is now this vital stage in his development that he cites as his "most creative time", 1979 - 1980. Its was during this period that the young Rodney, faced only with a flat space to skate in the family garage, in total isolation from the inspirationally creative influences of a more urban, rugged landscape he would hone and master the blueprint for which all others would follow and continue to challenge for the rest of our time on earth.


I can't wait to wake up in the morning... A lot of times I can't sleep because I can't wait to try something new. How many people never really experience that feeling? 


Rodney Mullen, 2003

A genius. A creative force. A child in a mans body. A unique human inspiration to boundless possibility. This guy is without doubt the most influential artist to of ever graced the creative discipline of Skateboarding.

Check him out, he's the man and couldn't give two hoots either way, just cares for one thing. He likes to skate, and skate real good is all he cares to do.






,/

Just like........

TOMMY C.
A look of magic, a trick of laughter.

A man of simple motive, the late great Thomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was two part comedian, one part magician, he gave no regard to class or race, all he cared to do was put a smile on a face.

The gift of a smile is without doubt a gift of a god. Born within us all though only shared by a few, the art of expressing one is owned by only you.

Individual lust for laughter.

Take the time to share in one.

Be a friend to yourself and express in one.

RIGHT NOW.

GO ON.

Ha HA hA ha!




./

Winning & Losing, Existing in between.

The following piece shall briefly discuss the varying perceptions of winning, losing and the void of existence that lay in between. Unveiling the definition of winning and losing on a universal level then discussing how a life committed to either achieving one or avoiding the other will either make you or break you.

Life / the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.

Winner / a person or thing that wins something.

Loser / a person or thing that loses or has lost something, esp. a game or contest.

Existence / any of a persons supposed current, future, or past lives on this earth.

So what is life to you?

To me life is all about ones self and subject. Subject being the first category we all fall into, LIFE. Embrace yourself and subject matter in search of the key to ones own happiness. Its the journey we all take, some consciously, some not, its the journey through our own lives in persuit of our own key happiness. This is it, do what makes you happy and you have successfully identified the key to life that so few ever come close to.

"Success is getting out of bed everyday and doing exactly what you want to do"

                                                                                                                              Bob Dylan.

To many people, the gift of life is an entry fee to a competitive game of POWER, to some its mere SURVIVAL, to others its a LIVING HELL, to a few its a CREATIVE PROCESS, its EXPLORATION, of both self and subject, its an EDUCATION in everything. The point is, life really is whatever you want it to be, within reason, without bringing harm to those that seek their own motives around you, the beauty of life is the FREEDOM it presents.

./

Simply about SURVIVAL.

Perspectives.

Having recently returned from a brief trip to South Africa where I accompanied a pupil of mine by the name of Darryn Lloyd. I was left with a vast array of deeply moving, thought shifting images. The purpose of our trip was a return to Darryn's homeland where he was competing on the Sunshine Tour for the most lucrative portion of their summer season.

Working on a budget, we were both forced to take slightly different routes into his home city of Durban. He decided to take the cheapest flight with Egypt Air, naturally connecting in Cairo before flying into Johannesburg and finally arriving in Durban courtesy of possibly the most relaxed air flight staff on the planet, Mango Air. Myself, having held onto my cash for slightly longer before diving in, was fortunate to find a road that would take me over such hairy destinations as Bagdad and Iran before touching down in what the Arabians call, the 'Gateway to the World'. Always eager to sample different airlines, my  Emirates flight was one of splendid quality and relative comfort, (naturally I was slumming it with the 'eco class', a sign of my life score to date I guess!).  It was my first experience of the Jewel in the desert, Dubai, possibly the fastest growing playground in the world. I had a painful eight hours to wander, wait, wonder and eventually wither before connecting in Dubai to Johannesburg at 5 am.

It was massive, I've been to a few of these places, Atlanta, Heathrow, LAX, Kennedy and as big as they are, none of them are shouting as loud as this place.

So what was it shouting?
SPEND, INVEST, SPEND, WEALTH, EAT, DRINK, SPEND, INVEST, ENJOY, RELAX, SPEND, SPEND, SPEND!

If this is the gateway to the world, Im not sure I want to go any further. If the first thing you see on the other side of the gate is lavish goods, high fashion and westernised consumerism then Im well and truely lost.

Or am I?

Its funny, it kind of sums the world up in as much as its just lavish expense. Plonk the best of everything in the desert, invite the wealthiest, most talented professionals of all walks of life, not forgetting some of the dumbest (celebrities) and see what happens. Thats right, the people will come and undoubtedly aspire all the same, each in search of a tiny piece of the icons they seek and continually follow with such misdirected passion.

Its a whole lotta B.S!

From what I can see, from my seat at the gate, there really isn't anything to explore and tap into here, nothing of any true worth anyway. Its just, as the modern documented world has so rapidly become, merely a lavish place to spend all evil on nothing but shit you really don't need and never find any happiness in.

But thats just it, western society has become all to engrossed in their search for happiness. Misdirected, lead astray, kidnapped and simply fooled into thinking the key to all happiness lay with expensive items of merchandise. Lavishly presented packages of comfort, good vibes with a fat price tag as used by the most fame hungry puppets on the planet.

So what is happiness?
What does it mean to you?

Happiness for me will probably mean nothing to you.

Whatever our individual perception of happiness is, lets all rest assured in finding it we have all experienced success. Success is the by product of happiness not vise versa. In a quest for happiness you will find your own level of success and appreciate your place in society and resulting influence on the people that populate your world. No matter how big or small that influence may appear to ones self, to influence a small part of life is to influence the entire spectrum of its potential.

How many people see it like this?

Lets take a look at the six most desired human needs.

1. CERTAINTY
2. VARIETY
3. SIGNIFICANCE
4. LOVE/ CONNECTION
5. GROWTH
6. CONTRIBUTION TO OTHERS

These elements are based on the conclusions of Anthony Robbins, the prolific motivational speaker and life coach from the United States. His conclusions suggest clearly the human elements Im sure all of us have felt consumed by at some point in our lives. Rightly positioned at the top of the list is CERTAINTY or CONTROL, we all seek it, as much as we all hate falling under it. We all wish we could see things for certain, the outcome of our endeavors, our investments or financial futures. Controlling forces are all around us, we are continually trying to escape them on a daily basis, weather at home from a loved one or in work and the societies that surround us, of course thats not forgetting the powers that be within our governments and law enforcement sectors. Life is unashamedly submerged in control.

From the moment we are born we know only life, but life is born and raised under the control and direction of the loved ones who decided to grace the planet with our presence.

What is a parent trying to control?

The safe guarding, healthy life and successful future of their child.
Its every parents dream, to see their little creation develop into a successful human being, one who needs for nothing more than the love and support of his family. But at the absolute core of each and everyone of us, parent and child, there lay the rawest human instinct of them all, SURVIVAL! Yes, at the very heart of us all is a very basic human will to survive. Our primary goal as humans is to gather a consistent supply of food and drink, followed closely by warm clothing and warm dry shelter. Its a pretty simple view of life but really this is all we really need to live long and happy lives.

SURVIVAL, its the most basic and essential human desire.

Which brings me back to first thing that jumped off this page and demanded your attention. The image at the top of the page shows two young boys on the side of a busy highway on a wet Monday morning in South Africa. Looking more like the Highlands of Scotland, our eleven hour journey was about four hours in when we passed through yet another township of which many children were playfully begging for food and outside interaction.

Right there, right at that moment the entire trip was thrown into a frenzy of clear cut perspective. Razor sharp were the teeth of this moment, it managed to cut straight through my soul, more than a wake up call, I suddenly felt a sense of higher purpose. As the journey continued we would pass through many a more densely populated town, each one bustling with action, so many people, so much to look at and nowhere to hide. I had never been so far from the comfort and security of my own home, I was in the wild and deeper than Id ever ventured before. Everywhere I looked, every new town we entered all you could see were people going about their everyday life, most were smiling, lots were laughing and naturally a great many were merely surviving. What I saw that day was a society at ease with itself, a massive array of individuals all sharing the same goal, each following the same daily ritual.

SURVIVAL. In their quest for daily survival not one of these people appeared frustrated or in anyway influenced by the other. The goal of the day was aim for tomorrow, then think about the next day, find some work, earn some money and find some food. Simple human instincts in their absolute rawest form.

Live to Survive and you succeed in finding simple highs of joyful happiness.






.

Harry VEE.

A genius, a man who probably left us more than any other player in the games history. Unknown to many, the great gift Mr Vardon blessed the modern game with was not actually of his own experimentation. First invented by a champion Scottish amateur golfer by the name of Johnny Laidlay, it was however Vardon who first adopted it in his quest for golfing dominance.

What Harry Vardon adopted was a revolutionary new method of holding the golf club in search of that vital formation of the hands on the grip. This great man was the first to fully respect and appreciate the essential function of the hands as they rule the leadership over everything else in golf.

The hands are your only connection with the golf club and the golf club is what influences the golf ball. Which is why they say, Mr Vardon had complete mastery over his hands at all times. His grip was a major contribution to the progress of the game.

Complete mastery of the hands is complete control of the club face.

Don't think for one second this great man depended on his hands to 'save' a shot or ever find need to manipulate the club face with his hands anywhere in the downswing. Through a deep respect for a perfect hold on the golf club, Harry Vardon understood the hands would need to simply perform as efficiently as possible as they delivered the golf club through impact, which is why he desired absolutely no conscious thought to activate the hands as they reach their maximum speed at the bottom of the swing. A free wheeling golf club, one traveling without force created by himself would be much faster, more online and consistently effective than when consciously inflicted with the force of his own muscle.

In developing the Vardon Hold, (where by the last finger of the bottom hand on the grip simply overlaps the index finger of the top hand), Harry had created a connection with the golf club that promoted exquisite blending of both hands to form a balanced unit. When formed correctly they allowed the clubs handle to fit securely though without any need for tension across any point in the hands, wrists or forearms.

To this day the Vardon hold is still the most popular method of holding the golf club amongst Touring Professionals. Of the three principle methods, to label one better than the other would be pointless. It really is a matter of individual hand size, feel and personal preference as to what you are looking to achieve with the flight of your golf shots. As such a highly individual discipline that golf is, finding the most efficient hold is down to you, the best advice one could share though would have to be, stick with it and accept nothing short of perfect. The correct function in the hands as they connect with the golf club really is the most influential element of golf you will ever find yourself engaged in.

Take the time to master it and forever feel the benefit.






.

Where have all the free spirits gone?

Answers on a postcard please

./

Fundamentally Furyk.

"I never look at my swing on tape. When I need to fix errors, I go back to the fundamentals."

On first glance Jim Furyk could be easily mistaken as one of many journeyman Tour Pros. His walk, his talk, his unassuming presence on stage make him one of the most appealing nice guys on tour. But what stands this unsuspecting Super Star from his illustrious crowd of 21st Century challengers is one totally unique and quite awesomely effective reflex action. Trained, shaped, groomed and driven his entire life through the wisdom of a great father, Jim and Mike Furyk have single handedly paved a brick road of solid gold for all others to follow. With a golf swing like no other, one totally unique, individual to the man who owns it, the family Furyk are hard evidence that the art of ball control is not and will never be a sure fire black and white notion printed on a page or imprinted in the mind. For as long as human beings are born as they eventually die, as unique bodies, with totally individual tendencies, of vastly diverse views, opinions, beliefs and capabilities, never, and I repeat, never will the game of golf fall victim to one single method of golf swing technique.

As a former University of Arizona team member, Jim Furyk never owned much of a golf game. A regular high 70 low 80 shooter, Jim had a tough time adjusting to the demands of life as an aspiring PGA Tour Player. Clearly a naturally gifted talent, one built not on length but acute accuracy, he had the talent but did the swing fit? That was the question Jim Furyk was constantly faced with and no doubt left lying alone for many a waking hour in bed every night. From study of his early college scoring you are left asking one question;

What was going on in this dudes head?

With a swing all of his own, the kid from West Chester, Pennsylvania was about to encounter the kind of mental aggravation typically reserved for the socially inept. From pillar to post this young stars natural instincts were to be torn, tampered and down trodden to the point of near massacre. If it didn't look like a Tour Players Swing then how could it ever perform like one? From the very beginning of his college days, this future US Open Champion, with the swing once described with reference to an Octopus falling out of a tree, was about to begin the most rewarding three year training period of his career. Unlike anything he ever imagined it would be, Jim Furyks college grooming would fast become one of pure mental conditioning. Having to maintain a clear focus on the goal set before him whilst accepting all levels of critical swing punishment, self doubt and confidence damaging confusion. Which way to turn and how long before you can trust it?

Moving away from the natural instincts of his youth and raw talent that decided his future goals at the top of the game soon became a daily ritual for Jim. Pulled one way, then another, do I change, do I just go play, which way shall I play today?

This my reader, is the commonly polluted mindset of many an aspiring teenager with a bag full of talent. Fully ingrained with unique reflex actions commonly known as technique, the world is littered with potential greatness and potential boundary pushing revelations. Is it to bold a statement to express distaste  and appall towards the many 'Swing Connoisseurs', the techno scientists that quite frankly don't fully appreciate what the greatest players of the past so readily did in their own quest for the only thing that mattered, 'Ball Control'. Before the day of still photography and video playback, these guys only had one thing on their minds, controlling the golf ball better than the next guy, if they did that then the good times would eventually roll, and roll, on and on and on. Never did they go in search of something else, a new swing or in vogue method of presenting the golf club to the golf ball. From the moment their first ball was struck, the Nelsons, Hogans, Sneads, Thompsons and Nicklaus's of our great pastime all struck upon one clear ideal. Each and every one of them pursued the game with an undeniable appreciation for the fundamentals of the address. Not always perfect and to a model, but always in sync and perfectly tuned to themselves as individuals. Through hard work and total dedication to the art of ball control the greatest of the greats had complete trust in their own golf swing. Put simply, they each owned their golf swing and as a result, had total trust in themselves and reflex actions even during the moments of intense pressure.

So as you can begin to see, a young Jim Furyk, torn apart for the sake of his natural look, his god given looping golf swing. As much as it was nearly the death of him, the resulting torment has ultimately instilled the level of mental toughness demanded of the situations his very own, eventually mature golf swing has so consistently presented before him. The cruel reality of the modern game so nearly destroyed the boundless possibility of a man who shall undoubtedly be remembered as a funny looking swinger capable of striking the ball straighter than most.

For me, I shall prefer to remember this man as a testament to the individual. A man so strong mentally he has managed to sustain and achieve with a natural reflex for delivery of the golf club like no one before him. Lets all take a lesson from the Furyk's and seek nothing more than a total respect and understanding for all that truely matters in the art of ball control. Golfers everywhere should take note of the four key elements of great ball striking that Jim holds closest to the heart of his game.

GRIP./ Because the hands have the greatest influence over the club face.
ALIGNMENT./ The body lines have the greatest influence over the direction of the swing and ball.
BALL POSITION./ Has the greatest influence over the correct angle of approach into the golf ball.
DISTANCE CONTROL./ Controlling the rhythm of his swing enables total control of swing speed.

He swears by them, so should you.
There really is nothing else at the heart of a great swing other than a winning ATTITUDE. Engage in the process and submerge yourself in the understanding of these four basic elements and I guarantee you are well on your way to being the golfer you have always strived to be.

Enjoy the triP.








./

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.





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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?





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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.

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