On The Tee with Hank Johnson

Empty Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:25:00 +0000

Bring Your Teacher An “Empty Cup”
There is an often told story about a young student who sought out a Master in one of the Martial Arts.Each time the Master made a suggestion to the young student, he resisted trying the new suggestion. His reasons were, “I‘ve already tried that……I don’t think that will work…..that doesn’t fit with what I’ve always heard, ect.”The Old Master turned and walked away. The young student called after him, “Master, where are you going?” The Old Master responded, “Your cup is full, there is no room for my suggestions. Come back when you can bring me an empty cup.”
Four kinds of cups represent the four basic types of students that teachers encounter. One is the full cup as described above. This student’s mind is already so full there is no more room for information. Suggestions bounce off without getting inside.
Next is the cup with a hole in the bottom. Information goes in but, goes straight through. Nothing is retained because of a lack of effort to absorb any new information. Students in this category are usually highly distracted and not really concentrating on the instruction they are receiving. Nothing is really accomplished during the lesson and the cup (the student), doesn’t contain any more information than before the lesson.
Then there’s the dirty cup. When the fresh, clear instruction goes into this type of cup, it becomes cloudy and useless because of pre-existing “dirt”. No matter how great the instructional information is, once contaminated by bad information already in the cup, it becomes useless.
Finally there’s the student that’s like the clean, empty cup with no leaks. Pure instruction goes in, remains pure and is stored for ongoing use. These types of student usually make continuous progress and benefit greatly from time with the teacher.The message? Bring your teacher a clean, empty cup with no leaks!!!! This will let you get the most out of your golf lessons.

Hank Johnson, PGANovember 17, 2008

What are you going to do today to become better?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:57:00 +0000

By Hank Johnson, PGA Founder and Master Instructor, Hank Johnson School of Golf
November 13th, 2008

What are you going to do today to become a better golfer?
Goal: The end or final purpose which a person aims to reach or accomplish
Action: An act or thing done; a deed
Result: Consequence or effect.
Goals
Following are some suggestions to help you keep your golf goals properly focused.
One way to start a golf competition or round of golf is with a result focus. Golfers with this orientation to competition are only happy when they are visibly successful. On the other hand golfers who are action-focused concentrate their energies on getting the job done; not on worrying about the praise or rewards they will receive.
Why is it better to focus on action goals rather than result goals? Because results are out of our control. The belief that results are under our control shows a fundamental lack of understanding about competition.
In sports there are no guarantees. No matter how hard you practice or how well you play, someone may be better than you on a given day. Here are five tips to help you stay action focused.

1)Focus on concrete, specific actions.
2) Set daily and weekly goals as stepping stones to you long term goals.
3)Set hard goals rather than easy ones.
4)Keep your goals clear and positive.
5)Get regular feedback on your progress.

These are five basic steps to achieving an action focus. Use these principles and you'll be able to change your natural tendency to worry about results into an effective ability to get the job accomplished.
Understanding action focus will help you become much more effective in getting the results you want from your golf game. Learn from Champions who have discovered the secret of high level achievement. Stay action focused and expect to succeed. Don't worry about the end results. Focus on your own actions and let the results take care of themselves.
Practical application: In the front of a small notebook or journal, write down you goals in terms of results. For example; win the club championship, qualify for a special tournament, make the high school golf team.
Next, write down your goals in terms of actions. For example; Spend a minimum of one hour each day practicing your short game, work out a minimum of three times each week to improve strength and flexibility, have a lesson with your teacher at least once each month.
Each day, write down what you actually did to carry out your action focused goals. Review your actual activities at least once per week to make sure you are really carrying out your action focused goals.
Goals without an action plan are just dreams

Have you ever wondered?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:59:00 +0000

October 31, 2008
Have You Ever Wondered?
Have you ever wondered why some players (perhaps you) hit the ball farther With their three wood or even their five wood than they do with their driver? You might also be curious as to why at some point in certain players set of clubs; every club starts to go the same distance? For instance, their five iron doesn't go any farther than their six iron.It's because of the scientific fact that for a given club head speed, club head design and impact angle of the club head relative to the ground there is a minimum effective club face loft.That's correct. For any given combination of the factors mentioned above there is a minimum club face loft required to launch the ball on an effective trajectory and impart enough spin on the ball to keep it in the air.If a player goes below the minimum effective club face loft for their individual impact factors, the ball actually goes shorter.One of the major benefits of modern club fitting technology is the ability to scientifically determine the minimum effective clubface loft for each individual players launch conditions. This provides the opportunity to recommend the perfect set make up for each individual player.You can now determine with technology when your set should transition from traditional irons to hybrids. What the least lofted fairway wood your launch conditions will work with. What is the real minimum effective driver loft you should use?You don't have to guess or wonder any more. Now you can get the same accurate answers that the tour players have been getting for years. Make sure your equipment is helping you play your best golf.
posted by Hank Johnson

Matched Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:22:00 +0000

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Keep Your Swing "Matched Up"
One of the ongoing debates in golf teaching is based on the following question. Does the turn cause the swing or does the swing cause the turn?
Iâ€™ve done some thinking about this and I think the answer is YES!
Even more important than what causes what is that the turn and the swing stay â€œ matched upâ€ or together.
I give my students the following advice.
Keep your upper arms in front of the sides of your upper chest and your elbows pointed at the ground as you take the club back to the top and through to the finish of your stroke.
This one key will keep your turn and your swing â€œmatched upâ€ in every stroke from putter to driver. If you execute this one key then it doesnâ€™t matter whether you think of the turn causing the swing or the swing causing the turn. Either way your turn and your swing will stay â€œmatched upâ€ or together and after all, thatâ€™s really the most important thing.

Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:27:00 +0000

What are you going to do today to become a better golfer?
Goal: The end or final purpose which a person aims to reach or accomplish
Action: An act or thing done; a deed
Result: Consequence or effect.
Goals
Following are some suggestions to help you keep your golf goals properly focused.
One way to start a golf competition or round of golf is with a result focus. Golfers with this orientation to competition are only happy when they are visibly successful. On the other hand golfers who are action-focused concentrate their energies on getting the job done; not on worrying about the praise or rewards they will receive.
Why is it better to focus on action goals rather than result goals? Because results are out of our control. The belief that results are under our control shows a fundamental lack of understanding about competition.
In sports there are no guarantees. No matter how hard you practice or how well you play, someone may be better than you on a given day. Here are five tips to help you stay action focused.
Focus on concrete, specific actions.
Set daily and weekly goals as stepping stones to you long term goals.
Set hard goals rather than easy ones.
Keep your goals clear and positive.
Get regular feedback on your progress.
These are five basic steps to achieving an action focus. Use these principles and youâ€™ll be able to change your natural tendency to worry about results into an effective ability to get the job accomplished.
Understanding action focus will help you become much more effective in getting the results you want from your golf game. Learn from Champions who have discovered the secret of high level achievement. Stay action focused and expect to succeed. Donâ€™t worry about the end results. Focus on your own actions and let the results take care of themselves.
Practical application: In the front of a small notebook or journal, write down you goals in terms of results. For example; win the club championship, qualify for a special tournament, make the high school golf team.
Next, write down your goals in terms of actions. For example; Spend a minimum of one hour each day practicing your short game, work out a minimum of three times each week to improve strength and flexibility, have a lesson with your teacher at least once each month.
Each day, write down what you actually did to carry out your action focused goals. Review your actual activities at least once per week to make sure you are really carrying out your action focused goals.
Goals without an action plan are just dreams

Playing while making a swing change!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:46:00 +0000

Playing Through a Swing Change

Question: Should you continue to play during the time you are making a swing change?
In my opinion the answer is YES!

I believe that it is very important to continue to play during the time you are making a swing change. To do this you must learn to separate playing and practicing. This is a skill that all good players have so why not learn to make this important mental transition while you are learning your new swing.
In practice you should focus on the details of your swing (the parts) in order to change them. Your swing mechanics become much more important than the quality of the shots you hit. Do it right even if you miss the ball until you no longer miss the ball.
In play, the ONLY thing that matters is the quality of the shot. There are no style points! You really shouldn’t think about the parts of your swing while you’re playing unless it’s in rehearsal prior to actually playing a shot. When you are playing a shot that matters, you should focus on your target and just “feel” the swing that will make the ball go there.
Here’s the process: You use mechanics and swing thoughts to create a “feel” for the whole swing. That’s what practice is for. When you play, you use that “feel” of the whole swing to re-create the mechanics. You have to train yourself to mentally switch back and forth between practice and play.
On the course, if you find your mind slipping back to mechanical thoughts, use them to rehearse your swing and then use the whole swing “feel” they create to play the shot.
In my view, there is no better time to train yourself to flip the mental switch between practice and play than while you are in the process of making a swing change. If you stop playing while you’re making the swing change then you’ll have to start learning how to play all over again when you start back.
Just remember that the way you use your mind for practicing is totally different from the way you use your mind for playing. The process of switching back and forth between these two “mental modes” is a learned skill just like your golf swing. Because it’s a learned skill, it takes practice. What better time to do this practice than while you’re making a swing change.

Hank Johnson, PGA
September 30, 2008

Muscle Memory???

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:39:00 +0000

Muscle Memory or Motor Memory?

How many times have you heard the term Muscle Memory? Well guess what, muscles have no memory!

Muscles have the ability to contract and relax based on signals from the brain via the Central Nervous System. This muscle activity causes the body to move as directed by the brain.

Obviously, muscles have more capacity to re-create movements that they have become familiar with through repetition. These familiar movements can become reasonably automatic and well coordinated. At that point they can be considered habit.

Physical habits that require no conscious thought are considered “automatic”. All such habits are stored in the Motor Memory System which operates at the unconscious level of the brain

The acquisition of a motor skill habit involves the “learning” of an Internal Model of the dynamics of the task which enables the brain to predict and compensate for mechanical behavior and changing conditions.

During the hours that follow completion of instruction or practice, “representation” of the Internal Model gradually changes; becoming less fragile with respect to behavioral influences. For approximately six hours after completion of instruction or practice, the brain becomes involved in storing the experience in the Motor Memory System.

Implication. During a golf lesson or practice session, only a small number of key fundamentals should be focused on…no more than two or three. After practice, there should be no attempt to learn a new skill for at least six hours to give the brain an opportunity to permanently store the memory. To do otherwise will interrupt the mental storage process and compromise the effectiveness of your lesson or practice.

Hank Johnson, PGA
September 8, 2008

Swing Feel vs. Swing Thoughts?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:58:00 +0000

SWING FEEL vs SWING THOUGHT

Swing thoughts are very necessary for learning. They are not very effective for performing in competition. Golf swings that are the most effective in competition have been practiced into habit and function without conscious direction by the brain.

KEY: You will probably never play your best golf with anything that you have to remember to do. You just have to remember to practice until reminding yourself of what to do is no longer necessary.

The following is from Readings in Motor Learning by Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, PA. Learning in Sports, Physiology of Motor Learning.

“…..willed movements which are new and unfamiliar always require conscious thought. They are performed at first with more or less conscious attention to the details of their execution. Once mastered, they operate automatically. Conscious introspection at this stage may even disrupt the effectiveness of an established pattern. After an act has become automatic, it is less well performed if it must first be considered and analyzed.”

Implication. Conscious attention to details of an automated action will reduce the efficiency/economy of that action. There is a time BEFORE a contest when conscious attention to details of technique at practice need to cease so that preparation can be perceived by an athlete as consisting of “good feeling” techniques that are performed automatically.

Application. Signals from the brain (thoughts) stimulate muscle activity (movements) which in turn stimulate a kinesthetic awareness (feel) that accompanies the (movements).

Once “what it feels like” is established, the (feel) can be used to recreate the (movements) without (thought). This allows the desired movements to become automatic and automatic movements are much more dependable under the stress of competition.

Hank Johnson, PGA
September 8, 2008

Ryder Cup Week. Keys to Match Play

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:45:00 +0000

MATCH PLAY
It’s still you against you!

The objective in match play is the same as in stroke play. It’s to play YOUR game as well as you can. While there may be a specific opponent, the competition is still you against the golf course and yourself.

It’s usually not helpful to get too caught up in how you feel about your opponent. It’s a distraction that may get your emotions going and interfere with you ability to focus and make good decisions.

It’s important to play your own game. The great Bobby Jones, perhaps the best match play golfer of all time discovered that he was better off just trying to “ beat old man par “.

Don’t get emotional, it’s not personal. Emotion is the enemy of focus and leads to poor decision making and ultimately to poor play.

Getting the match started: 18 hole matches are a sprint. Getting off to a good start by winning a couple of early holes puts momentum on your side. If, however you find yourself behind in the match early, don’t panic. Just play your game and let the outcome take care of itself.

Expect your opponent to play well. Don’t make the mistake of waiting for them to lose. Especially on the green, expect them to make every put. That way you won’t have a “culture shock” when they actually do.

Expect to have to putt out every putt. If one is conceded by your opponent it will just be a pleasant surprise.

Keep momentum on your side. Put the accelerator all the way to the floor and don’t let it up until you opponent congratulates you for winning. Bobby Jones very seldom ever knew exactly how his matches stood. That’s not a bad plan for you.

Hank Johnson, PGA
September 8, 2008

Stress Free Golf

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:29:00 +0000

Three Keys for Stress Free Golf
Pressure is an inherent part of golf and is not necessarily a bad thing . . . unless it becomes stress. Then it becomes a barrier to good golf performance.
A player will always play their best golf when they are experiencing a low level of stress.
There are three strategic things that you can do to lower the level of stress that you encounter during play.
1. Pick “big” targets.
When an architect designs a course, he gives it character with different design elements. A bunker to pinch a fairway in to create a smaller landing area. Bunkers and other hazards to narrow the approach to a green. Small “fingers” as a part of a green complex to create small and difficult areas to get to. Avoiding these “small” targets in favor of bigger targets makes shots easier and lowers stress.

2. Use “friendly” clubs.
Let’s face it. There are certain clubs in your set that don’t like your golf swing. They are difficult for you to hit because of the particular characteristics of your swing. These are “red light” clubs and should be avoided in play on the course. Using them just adds stress and make you more likely to misplay shots with them.

3. Play “comfortable” shots.
Every player has certain shots that they are more comfortable playing. A fade rather than a draw. A low ball flight rather than a high ball flight, etc. Create a strategy that takes advantage of the shots you are good at and avoids the shots you are uncomfortable with.

Applying these three principles will reduce the level of stress you feel on the course and allow you to play with a higher level of confidence.

Hank Johnson, PGA
August 29, 2008

give your game some gass!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:46:00 +0000

Give You Game Some Gass – GASS

One of the keys to effective and consistent golf is a precise and well practiced pre shot routine.
Highly skilled players depend on this routine especially under pressure. It helps them start every shot from the same fundamentally correct position.
The elements of a good routine are Grip, Aim and Stance followed by the Swing.
The Grip determines how effectively the club can be swung around the body by the arms and pivot. It also determines whether the clubface can be allowed to return to the preselected position for impact. In my opinion the Grip is the number one fundamental in golf.
Aim is next and refers to the direction in which the clubface points at address. The whole address position is built off the aim of the clubface. This simple sounding pre scoring element is actually very difficult to do consistently and must be continually practiced and monitored.
Stance is the final part of the address routine and includes body alignment, ball position and posture. A free and unrestricted motion requires good posture for efficient body function. Proper ball position and alignment of the body eliminates the need for over control and manipulation of the club through impact with the ball.
Spend some practice time making a good address routine a habit and you will give your game some GASS.

Hank Johnson, PGA
August 29, 2008

Ball Position

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:46:00 +0000

BALL POSITION

Issue: Should the ball position be the same for every club or move back in the stance as the club gets shorter?

In my view, with the exception of your driver (where the ball is placed above the ground on a tee) the ball position should be the same for every club.

Here’s why I believe this is proper. The center of the orbit of the club head is the front shoulder socket (left shoulder for right handed golfers). That’s where the lever system of your front arm and club are attached to your body. In a true swing the lowest point of this orbit occurs directly even with this center.

This being the case, the ball should be positioned two ball widths back from this “low point” with every club except the driver. This allows the ball to be struck while the club head is still on the downward part of its orbit.

Because the strike with a driver needs to be more level, the ball should be played even with the front shoulder socket or at the bottom of the club heads orbit.

Here’s why the ball appears to move back with shorter clubs. As the club gets shorter, say a nine iron instead of a five iron, the stance is narrowed by moving the rear foot (right foot for right handed golfers) in toward the front foot. While this may make the ball position appear to be more back toward to center of the stance it’s actually the rear foot that moves to a different location.

Therefore, the message seems clear. If you want to develop a proper golf swing, put the ball where it should go and practice with it there until you can hit it solidly. If you position the ball in an improper place, you’ll have to make an improper swing in order to hit it.

In a proper address posture, the front shoulder socket is even with the inside of the front heel. If you find it easier visually to use the front heel as a reference that’s fine, just play your driver even with your front heel and all other clubs two ball widths inside your front heel.

Hank Johnson, PGA
August 11, 2008

Power Four - The Delivery!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:32:00 +0000

POWER

Final segment in a series: Releasing the Power

At the delivery position:

Weight is flat on both feet, knees and hips are square, shoulders are still closed to the hips because they are being pulled around by the hips, the left arm is still across the chest, the wrist and hands are still turned and cocked and approximately waist high.

The golfer is now ready to fully release all of the elements of the wind up through the ball to the finish.

Releasing the Power!!!

The left hip continues to turn back over the left heel straightening the left knee. This hip rotation powers the rotation of the shoulders through the ball to the finish. As this rotation occurs it allows the hands to move away from the right shoulder and the right elbow to straighten while the hands and wrist uncock and roll to the finish of the swing.

This release should result in a balanced finish position with the golfer’s trunk over the front leg and the arms relaxed and in front of the left shoulder. The right knee should be pulled over to the straight left knee and the right shoulder should be slightly lower than the left.

Hank Johnson, PGA
August 4, 2008

Power Three! Storing the Windup. (Starting Down)

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:00:00 +0000

POWER

Third segment in a series: Storing the windup (starting down)

At the top of the swing, the body and arms are wound up or coiled and potential energy is stored in the muscles of the body. For maximum power, the sequence of the downswing must “store” this energy until the proper time for release through the ball.

To accomplish this, two simultaneous movements should happen to start the downswing.

The left knee (for a right handed player) should move back over the left foot where it started.

The right elbow should move back in front of the right hip where it started.

Both of these movements must be accomplished without unwinding the shoulders and upper trunk.

And

Without and uncocking or unturning of the hands and wrist.

At this point:

The weight is flat on both feet
The knees and hips have returned to a square position (where they started)
The shoulders are still turned approximately 45 degrees to the hips
The left arm is still across the front of the chest
The hands and wrist are still turned and cocked and located approximately waist high.

This position is referred to as The delivery position because the golfer is positioned to release maximum power through the ball to the finish of the swing.

Next segment: Releasing the Power

Hank Johnson, PGA
August 4, 2008

Power Two - Role of Hands and Arms in Windup!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:23:00 +0000

POWER!

Second segment in a series. The role of the arms and hands in the wind-up

The arms and hands must be prepared (loaded) to transfer the power of the pivot into the club which ultimately delivers it to the ball.

The hands are a pair of adjustable clamps that attach the club to the arms. Their original placement on the club dictates how efficiently they can allow the club to swing and the clubface to strike the ball squarely.

The wrists are a pair of hinges that must also be properly aligned at address to maximize the potential for an accurate and powerful acceleration of the club through the ball.

Note: The address positioning of these elements is so individual that it is best handled in a lesson from a qualified instructor.

The arms along with the club represent a “lever system” with the lead arm (left arm for a right handed player) acting as The Primary Lever. The rotation of the body (the pivot) swings the lead arm to the top of the swing. The trailing arm functions like a piston that supports the extended but relaxed condition of the lead arm. It also raises the lead arm to the appropriate position at the top of the swing.

To get maximum potential benefit from the wind-up of the body the arms must stay connected or “matched up” to the pivot. This simply means keeping the arms and hands together and in front of the chest (where they started) all the way to the end of the backswing.

Next segment: A properly sequenced forward swing.

Hank Johnson, PGA
July 28, 2008

POWER!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:07:00 +0000

First segment in a series. The wind-up

The pivot (body turn) creates the power of an efficient golf swing. It’s the motor of the swing and does all the work.

This power source is made more powerful by creating coil or elastic loading in the large muscle groups of the upper legs, hips and lower trunk.

Elastic loading or coil is created through motion against resistance. For example; the backswing rotation of the upper body against the resistance of the lower body.

In order to accomplish this, it is critical for the player to start from a balanced and centered address position.

Think of any athlete in the “READY POSITION”. They are “centered” on their feet and ready to move in any direction. Their knees are flexed, their butt is out and their head and chest are up. They are ready for action! A powerful golf set up should include all these elements.

The objective of the backswing pivot in golf is to rotate the shoulders and upper trunk as much as possible while holding the feet legs and hips as still as possible. This creates the maximum elastic loading in the strongest groups of muscles mentioned above.

This is accomplished by “holding the ground with the feet and rotating the chest and shoulders around and over the back leg”

There should be no shifting of the hips and the head should stay steady all the way to the end of the wind-up. Lateral shifting of the hips and /or excessive movement of the head will allow the power of the wind up to be compromised.

Next segment: The role of the arms and hands in the wind-up.

Pressure: How to Make it Work for You

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:15:00 +0000

I've had the privilege of working with many students who play tournament golf at the highest level. In doing so, they are forced to deal with the pressure that is a normal part of any competitive sports arena. I know from my own tournament experience that having an effective way to deal with that anxious, uncertain feeling that all competitors experience from time to time is critical to competing successfully. Following are some of the thoughts and concepts I have used with these players to help them handle pressure situations successfully.

First of all, you need to understand the difference between pressure and stress. Many times, pressure is an ally, while stress is almost always an enemy. Pressure in and of itself is neutral. It is how you choose to view it that determines whether it is good or bad. If you use it to your advantage, it is good pressure. Let it control you and it becomes bad pressure or stress. Pressure itself is not the enemy. “Stress is the enemy.”

Stress usually appears when you are not fully prepared for or not completely focused on the task at hand. It always shows up when you have been cutting corners, and looking for shortcuts in your preparation. Stress occurs when you are asking yourself to do something you are not fully prepared to do. Stress also lessens your confidence. When stress becomes a factor, you make bad decisions. You do not perform well. You feel anxious! Frankly, when stress comes into play….You Choke.

Let’s use the example of being poorly prepared to take a big test. That’s really all competitive sports is anyway. Because you know you’re poorly prepared, it’s impossible to have confidence in your ability to do well on the test. Why should you have confidence? You can’t fool that person you look at in the mirror every morning. You know you’re not prepared. You know you have no reason to feel confident. Enter Stress. Stress causes doubt. Doubt makes you expect failure.

Now when you know you have done everything you can to prepare for the challenge, pressure can become a motivating force. Good pressure heightens your senses and provides the climate for you to perform better than you have in the past. Thorough preparation allows you to use good pressure as an ally, Good pressure makes you more focused and often creates the environment for great performance.

The more you thoroughly prepare the more qualified you are to handle pressurized situations. Good pressure often brings out extraordinary results. If you learn how to embrace pressure and make it work for you. It can be a fertile climate in which accomplishments can grow.

So it’s really very simple: The better prepared you are for any situation, the more you will honestly believe you can succeed . And……the more you will succeed . When nothing is a stake, extra-ordinary efforts rarely occur. When everything is at stake they often do. Pressure is always present in competitive sports situations. There is really no effective way to eliminate it. You can, however determine whether it is an ally or an enemy. It all depends on how thoroughly prepared you really feel like you are.

Commitment to Focus on Scoring

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:42:00 +0000

Many rounds of golf are ruined by focusing on the mechanics of the swing rather than on getting the ball in the hole. There is not a space on a golf scorecard to record “style points”. How you’re doing in golf can always be defined by the answer to one simple question. “What did you shoot”?

I have used the following “contract” with a number of players who have a problem keeping the main thing the main thing. Perhaps it will help you.

Starting today:________________________________________

(date)

I will stop thinking or talking about my golf swing (mechanics) on the golf course.

I will confine my golf course thoughts and conversations to the non-golf swing subjects or Target, Tempo and Trust only.

During every shot, I will keep my eyes focused on the ball and my mind focused on the target. I will make an effort to “see” the ball going to the target before I start the stroke.

I will always hit a club from the tee that I am sure I can put the ball in the fairway with.

I will try to hole the ball out on all shots inside the distance of my full wedge.

I will stay committed to my physical and mental routines even when things (especially when things) are not going well.

I will never take a mulligan on the golf course unless it follows a perfect shot.

I will try to make the best score I possibly can every time I play, on every hole I play, by focusing my full attention on every shot I play.

Signed _______________________________

Thoughts On Taking a Golf Lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:21:00 +0000

Plan and commit time for practice following your lesson. In the words of the great Harvey Pennick, “Lessons can never take the place of practice; they just make practice more worthwhile.”
Select your teacher carefully. The best reflection of a teacher’s ability is the improvement of their students. Do your homework just like you would if you were choosing a surgeon. The best teacher for you might not be the one most conveniently located or least expensive.
Be prepared to answer four basic questions related to your golf game:

What do you want?
What’s keeping you from having it?
What do you need to change to get it?
Are you willing to do the practice that will be required to change?

Plan to communicate openly with your teacher. After all, you are partners in this project. Make sure you inform your teacher of any physical condition that might affect your golf performance.
Bring your teacher an open mind. You’re not likely to find the truth if you’ve already made up your mind what it ought to be.
Be willing to work on one thing at a time. Quality instruction is based on the “building block” concept. A good teacher will expect you to master one assignment before moving on to the next one.
Maintain a written record of the specifics of your lesson for future reference during your practice. Even the great Ben Hogan kept a notebook so he could remember what he was working on from one practice session to the next.
Commit to being your own coach. An effective teacher will give you specific tools to monitor your practice. The major objective for your practice should be to eliminate incorrect repetitions. Just as every skill is enhanced by practice, every bad habit is more deeply ingrained through repetition.

Effective Tee Shot Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:30:00 +0000

Your tee shot is like the second serve in tennis. “If you don’t get the ball in play the point is over.” Be conservative with your plan.

Distance is important but unless you are very long, the major objective should be to get the ball in the fairway.

Remember that 75% of scores of double bogey or higher begin with a tee shot that’s hit out of play.

Objective: To improve the percentage of fairways hit from the tee by;

Determining your realistic chance of putting the ball in the fairway with your driver and other alternate driving clubs.
Determining the basic pattern of your misses from the tee.

Practice Technique:

Practice Tee Shots into a realistic target area. Either go on the golf course to practice if that’s possible. If not, put markers on your practice range to simulate a typical fairway width.
During practice, try different clubs and keep track of your results. Use this data to make on course tee shot club decisions.

Things to Remember:

More than 75% of scores of double bogey or higher are a result of a tee shot hit out of play.

The number one goal of most players should be to get the ball in the fairway from the tee.

If you are going to play “BOMB AND GOUGE” like a few of the really long hitters on the PGA Tour the you had better be REALLY long.

Effective Pitching Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:50:00 +0000

Pitching: A high shot from a short distance (50 yards or less) away from the green that travels most of the way to the target in the air.

Objective: To improve up and down percentage from within 50 yards of the flag by;

Pitching the ball within six feet of the cup a high percentage of the time.
Pitching the ball within twelve of the cup 100 percent of the time.

Key to success: Make the ball land on the spot you’ve picked and at the angle you’ve visualized.

To improve your ability to visualize the shot: Toss some balls onto the green underhanded to find the best spot and angle for the ball to land on for a specific shot. Once you’ve found the best spot and landing angle, stick a shaft into the green to represent the landing point and landing angle. Now, hit some pitch shots trying to make the ball land on the spot and on the angle the shaft represents. Try different wedges until you find the one that makes the shot easiest to hit.

Use this practice procedure from various places around the green to develop your ability to visualize the best trajectory for the various shots.

Practice technique: Use coins or ball markers to create a six foot and a twelve foot circle around the cup to which you plan to practice. With ten ball like you play with, drop them in ten different locations around the green where a high shot is called for. Without improving your lie, play the ten shots. You may use different clubs if you wish. Use your full pre-shot routine just like you would on the golf course. Mark the balls from previous shots so that they will not interfere. You may leave the flag stick in if you wish.

Your goal: All ten shots within the twelve foot circle and at least half of them in the six foot circle.

Reminder: Every pitch shot turns into a putt when it begins to roll. Don’t forget to look for slopes that will cause the ball to break left or right. Also be aware of uphill or downhill slopes that will affect the speed and therefore the distance the ball will roll after landing.

Effective Chipping Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:02:00 +0000

Chipping: A low running shot from just off the green

Objective: To improve up and down percentage from just off the green by;
(5 yards or less from the edge of the green)

Chipping the ball within three feet of the cup a high percentage of the time.
Chipping the ball within six feet of the cup 100% of the time.

Practice technique: Use coins or ball markers to create a three foot circle and a six foot circle around the cup to which you plan to practice. With 10 ball like the ball you play with, drop them in 10 different locations around the green and from one to five yards off the putting surface.

Without improving your lie, play the ten shots. You may use different clubs for the shots if you wish. Use your full pre-shot routine just like you would on the golf course. Mark the balls from previous shots so that they will not interfere. You may leave the flag stick in if you wish.

Your goal: All ten shots within the six foot circle and at least half of them in the three foot circle.

Things to remember:

Club choice should be related to the amount of roll you want after the ball lands. More loft gives you less roll, less loft gives you more roll.

Every chip turns into a putt when it begins to roll. Don’t forget look for slopes that will cause the ball to break left or right. Also be aware of any uphill or downhill slopes that will affect the speed and therefore the distance the ball will roll after landing.

Tightening Up A Golf Swing

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:45:00 +0000

Three most common ways that swings get "loose" and how to fix them.

1. Lack of lower body stability. Caused by excessive movement in the feet and knees during the back swing which allows the hips to over rotate. Improve by keeping feet and knees still in back swing. Best drill is to practice back swing while holding a soccer size ball between the knees. Imagine a bucket between the feet and keep the ball over the bucket during the back swing.

2. Arms swing back too much. Caused by excessive arm swing in relationship to the size of the body turn. For the arm swing and body turn to be "matched" you must stop swinging when you stop turning in the back swing. Best drill is to hold a soccer size ball between your arms and against your chest while you practice your back swing.

3. Wrists cock too much. Caused by the fingers opening up and the hands separating. For proper wrist action a constant level of grip pressure must be maintained. On a scale of 1 - 10 it should be about 5 and stay the same through out the entire swing. Sense your grip pressure in the last three fingers of your top hand and the middle two fingers of you bottom hand.

Effective Putting Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:59:00 +0000

There are two things about putting that conflict with each other:

Putting represents a significant portion of the game. More than 40% of the strokes played in an average round of golf are putts. This seems to hold true regardless of the players handicap or the score shot. You have to accept this reality.
Putting is boring to practice. Therefore you must have ways to practice your putting that help you maintain interest and focus. Practice games are the answer to this dilemma.

Following are some effective putting practice drills:

12 Ball Drill

Place tees at 12,3,6 and 9 o’clock positions around the hole. Make three putts in a row from one position before you move on to the next position. Start at 5 feet and move back as you get better. Your objective is to make all 12 putts in a row without missing. If you choose a cup that is not on a flat part of the green, you practice will include, uphill, downhill and side hill putts.

Short Putt Drill

Place tees at 3,4,5 and 6 feet from the cup. You must complete each distance before moving back to the next distance.

3 feet – make 30 putts in a row
4 feet – make 20 putts in a row
5 feet – make 10 putts in a row
6 feet – make 5 putts in a row

Start with a straight putt and progress to breaking putts

Lag Putt Drill

Practice long putts to a line. Place a string between two tees to create a line across the back of the cup to which you plan to practice. From distances of 20,30 40 and 50 feet use the cup to choose your line if the ball will have enough speed to reach the string. Try to roll each putt to the string. Your goal should be to get each ball within a PUTTER GRIP length of the string. If you master this drill you will virtually eliminate three-putts.

Effective Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Hank Johnson) — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:01:00 +0000

Warm Up session vs Practice session. Know the difference.

Objective of Practice: General

“Maintain your strengths and improve your weaknesses”

Structure of Practice: Performance Based

“Practice will only improve performance if it is structured according to accurate and complete performance data.”

Round Charting is Essential to Improved Performance

Basic facets include:

Driving Distance
Fairways Hit
Greens Hit
Chips/Pitches
Bunker Shots
Putts

Shot By Shot is a great system.

Key

“Identify the trouble spots in your game and develop a practice plan tailored to your needs.”

Quality Practice is More Important Than Quantity Practice

Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent.
Perfect practice makes perfect.

Practice Application

Always have a specific purpose for practice sessions
Never hit a practice shot without a purpose
Never hit a practice shot without a target
Never hit a shot without using your pre-shot routine
Keep your practice varied and interesting
Keep a practice journal to monitor your activities