Make Golf Easier

Of course they do but it may only be temporary!

Buying new golf clubs is a great feeling and invariably gives us a confidence boost.  There’s just no feeling quite like buying a brand spanking new, latest technology set of clubs.  They shine – man they shine!

It’s awesome!  Like sitting in a brand new car for the first time.  The smell of the leather seats, the cool feeling of the steering wheel under your hands.  As I said “It’s awesome!”

But guess what?  Eventually that feeling wears off and after a while there are guys and gals around you who have newer clubs, or a new bag or golf cart/trundler.  Maybe a new putter which seems to be holing the ball from everywhere.

But one thing remains constant!

Can you guess what it is?

The good players always play good golf and they don’t change their gear every time something new comes out.  If they do buy new stuff it is usually specific.

You see – it’s not the equipment, it’s the player.

“A bad workman always blames his tools.”

Having the correct tools is obviously vitally important but it is more important to know how to use them!

You can give someone the best carpentry tools in the world but if he doesn’t understand wood it would be of no use to him.  You have to learn your trade before you waste money on the best tools!

Hope you get my drift.

• Develop a simple repeatable and reliable golf swing
• Master your Short Game and
• Develop a strong Mental Game!

There you have it.

Do those three things and I guarantee your game will improve and your scores will plummet.

Then reward yourself – go out and get fitted for a new set of clubs!!

Tags: Mental Keys, Simple Golf Swing Review, Uncategorized by bredies
No Comments »

I have just reviewed “How to Break 80“by Jack Moorehouse and it got me thinking about how we complicate this game.

Sure it is complicated but is it that complicated?

Before I carry on check out my in depth and totally independent review of “How to Break 80“.

These are my thoughts on why people struggle more then necessary with the game of golf.

• We try too hard.
• We want to hit the ball hard.
• We have all, or some of the basics wrong.
• We keep changing our swing.
• We think the latest technology will make an immediate improvement so we keep buying stuff!
• We accept all sorts of well intentioned advice.
• We put ourselves under pressure.
• We don’t practice enough and when we do we practice bad faults.
• We don’t play often enough so every game is important to score well.
• The list goes on and on and on!

Here’s what I believe will help all golfers, regardless of age, size, shape or sex.

1. Get a compact, simple repeatable golf swing that is the basis of all your shots.  Once you have a simple repeatable swing (which includes the correct basics such as grip alignment and posture) you then have something you can rely on and adapt to different shots.  You will have a swing that will give you confidence in all situations.
2. Master your short game.  Without a doubt this is the one area of the game in which you can instantly drop shots off your handicap!  About 45% of shots are putts – do we spend the equivalent amount of time practicing our putting?  Do we spend a lot of money on a good quality putter or do we buy the ultra cheap models on special?  Can you get up and down from 100 yards (or less) on a regular basis?  How many wedges do you carry?  This is the part of the game you need to master and is much more important than a 300 yard drive off the tee.
3. Develop a strong mental game.  I can’t emphasize how important it is to be able to switch on and off in this game for maximum achievement (read as maximum enjoyment)!  Playing golf  “in the zone” is unbelievably easy and rewarding if you just learn how.  It’s not that difficult when you understand that the only thing you can control is the shot you are about to play.  The past is history and cannot be changed so forget about that bad shot.  Why worry about the future and the result when it hasn’t happened yet?  All you can control is the present and it is that control that will have a bearing on the outcome.  Golfers with strong mental application are far more likely to succeed than those with a weaker mind – even if they can hit the ball a proverbial mile!

This is what you will need (and I honestly believe with these three products you will improve your golf to whatever level you want):

1. The Simple Golf Swing – costs from $67.00.  A simple and easy to implement tutorial that is brilliant in its simplicity.  Everything about the swing is covered here from the grip to the set-up, the takeaway and the follow through – it’s all here and if you follow along with the book until the basics are a habit is is easy to make any fine adjustments that will suit your game without having to make drastic changes.
2. Master Your Short Game – from $6.41 available from Amazon.com.  A very well illustrated and photographed instructions book from one of the finest exponents of the short game – Tony Johnstone former Zimbabwean and long time friend of Nick Price.  Most pros were in awe of his short game and possibly only Phil Mickelson has ever matched or bettered him.
3. The Mental Keys – costs $79.95.  A tad pricey?  Not really as this book and accompanying CDs will bring your scores down overnight and will change you entire attitude on the golf course (and life in general) to one of being more relaxed.  You will learn to accept the things you cannot change or influence whilst staying in control of the present.  Easily learn the process of how to play well.  The more you refer to the Mental Keys the quicker your game will improve.

With these three products you will not need to buy any other golfing aids.  Believe me I have tried them and they work.

Your next expenditure could be on a golfing holiday.

Other things that will help your golf but aren’t absolutely necessary:

• Being fit.  Don’t shoot me down yet.  Fitness helps in all sports but I think  flexibility is more important for golfers.  So regular stretching is in order and not so strenuous!   Go to any golf course on any given day and you will see good and bad golfers of all shapes and sizes.  Not many of us want to go to the gym just to get in shape to enjoy our golf.  If you have the time and the drive of course golf specific exercises will help.
• Hitting the ball miles.  Nice to do but if it is uncontrolled and way off line is there any point.  Rather concentrate on accuracy and your short game, after all a 3 foot putt counts for exactly the same as a 300 yard drive!  Watch some of the older golfers who still play off single figures and see how short but accurate they are!
• New Technology.  “The latest and greatest toys are the answers to all our woes!.”  So the manufacturers will have us believe.  Not so I say if your basic game is wrong.  But new toys are cool when you know your game!

So there you have it for about $150.00 you will have everything you need to get your game to whatever level you want it to be at.

Tags: How to Break 80, Mental Keys, Simple Golf Swing Review by bredies
No Comments »

Breaking 80 is a milestone for most golfers.  Once you can consistently break 80 it seems to propel you into the realm of a regular and good golfer.

It is this desire to break into the 70′s that created the need for a tutorial on “How to Break 80″ and just such a product was produced in about 2002.

How to Break 80 is the brainchild of Jack Moorehouse.

I am not entirely convinced about this tutorial as I am uncertain of Jack’s market.  Obviously he is targeting the golfer  who wants to break 80 (doesn’t everyone?) but I also think he is trying to capture a larger market and this is where I think it lacks persuasion as he tries to be all things to everyone.

Don’t get me wrong I like a lot of what Jack says but ……………. I don’t always like the way he says it.

To me a lot of the important stuff is too often generalized and not covered in enough detail!

There is a lot to like about “How to Break 80“

• I am a big believer in good putting being the quickest way to improve your scores and Jack’s “Putting Game” drill is (in my opinion) brilliant.  I guess if you just did this drill then you may well soon break 80 without any of the other stuff.  I also think with a bit of imagination you can adapt this game to other areas of practice.  I have – and it does give practicing a  more competitive and intense edge.
• One of the most important fundamentals of golf is the grip and Jack covers this in detail and very well.  This is one of the areas where I think he is targeting the novice or higher handicap golfer.  Most people on the verge of breaking 80 might find this boring – but maybe I am being pedantic!
• The section on “shoulder turn” especially in relation to the take away should help a lot of golfers and you may just get an “ah ha!” moment.  Very good Jack, this is a well explained and illustrated section.
• I do like that Jack tells you what you can expect from his book.
• I think the 10 point summary that concludes the book and which is entitled “The 10 Most Important Things You Need to do to Break 80″ is a really neat and concise summary.

So what don’t I like about “How to Break 80“?

• There are lots of silly grammatical errors that could be fixed with a simple proof reading.  Hey Jack for $50.00 I’ll point out all the annoying little errors!
• Too much information about Jack and his game.  I know it is important for credibility sake to know a little about him but it is a little overdone.

• As I have already said some of the really important stuff is just touched on.  An example of this is the mental side of things.   I think the mental aspect of golf when you are trying to break 80 (or any level) is crucial and I think he falls way short of the target.  For my money I much prefer to treat this as a separate subject and would highly recommend Michael Anthony’s “Mental Keys” which – while specific to golf – can be used in all facets of life.
• The “Set up and Posture” section leaves a bit to be desired and some of the photos don’t seem to match what the text is saying!  This occurs a couple of times in the tutorial.
• The “Rock Solid Short Game” Section is just horrible as far as I am concerned.  If you want to break 80 you need a good short game and this chapter is simply not good enough.  I recommend you go to Amazon.com and buy “Master Your Short Game” by Tony Johnstone (foreword by Nick Price).  Its old, it works and is still the best I have ever seen.  What’s more it is easy to read and implement and makes for a great “coffee table” reference.
• Page 48 point #4.  Jack what exactly does “finish nicely” mean?
• The Putting section is too generalized for a subject that is so complex and, other than the “Putting Game” drill, leaves a lot to be desired.
• There are a number of bonuses – too many actually.  Most are articles that Jack has written and that can be obtained off Google by doing a search.  The old “Fit to a Tee” is there but, to be honest, not many will read past page 1.  There is one bonus which I think you should get and that is the 30 page “Golf Lessons and Tips” – I thought that was really good and probably better than the product Jack is selling.

So will “How to Break 80” actually help you break 80?

It probably will if you find a few good tips and drills in there.  I think the putting drill game is good and there are a few other things as detailed above which are good but all in all if you really want to break 80 I would recommend the following:

1. Use the basic swing outlined in “The Simple Golf Swing“
2. Improve your mental game with Michael Anthony’s “Mental Keys“
3. Get a hold of a copy of “Master Your Short Game“

It will cost a little bit more this way but you will have some great reference material which you can take with you with the Mental Keys and Tony Johnstone’s book.

Despite my seemingly negative review How to Break 80 is a top seller and has been for a number of years now.

I clearly remember the first time I broke 80 as being a total surprise.  It was something I just wasn’t expecting and I do recall it being so easy!

I have since broken 80 regularly and in fact when I don’t it is really annoying.

So what is the secret?  How do you go about breaking 80 for the first time?

I believe, and have experienced, that the “desire to achieve” often overcomes the “ability to perform.”

By that I mean that you are so concerned about the outcome – breaking 80 – that you ignore the need to perform – to play the next shot to the best of your ability!

The only thing you can actually control is the next shot. The shots you have already played cannot be recalled (and therefore you can never do anything about them) and thinking of an end result is pointless. Don’t believe me?  Well then get hold of Michael Anthony’s book “Mental Keys” – he explains it much better than I can.

But back to breaking 80;  ask any golfer who has had a bad round and he will invariably tell you he is tired, his feet are sore and he has no energy left.  Ask someone who has had a good round and he will probably tell you he can go another 18!

Why?

Because playing badly is tiring whilst playing well is exhilarating and effortless – yes effortless!  Its as easy as riding a bicycle!

When you play well everything seems to be working:

• Your swing is short, compact and easy.
• You instinctively select the right club for the shot.
• Chipping seems easy.
• The line of the putt is obvious – as is the pace – and the putts are dropping.
• Strangely enough the bounce of the ball goes your way too!
• Everything just seems to go ‘right’.

So here is my suggestion if you want to play well – that may be breaking 80 for the first time, or even 90 or 100 for that matter:

• Relax and enjoy yourself – remember “a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at the office”
• Don’t think golf between shots and try not to think any negative thoughts – not always easy I know.
• Look at the scenery around you.
• Enjoy the company of your 4 ball.
• Concentrate on each shot when you play it and look at each one as a challenge for you to do what is necessary to succeed with the shot you are about to play – that is the only thing you can control.
• Don’t worry about a bad shot – it is history – instead accept the next shot as a fun challenge and concentrate on execution (not history and not result!)
• If it helps do not even add up your score as you go along.  Simply record it for each hole and move on to the next hole.

You do need to have a reasonable ability – be realistic.  If you have never broken 100 or even 90 then breaking 80 for the first time may be a few more rounds away – that’s OK just enjoy the journey.

One of the things that has been of great help to my own game is concentrating on a Simple Golf Swing.  I find that concentrating on just a few things before and during each shot takes my mind completely away from the score and any negative thoughts (usually put there by the site of hazards!).  In short it helps me control the only think I can and that is my current shot.  The rest takes care of itself.

Tags: How to Break 80, Mental Keys, Simple Golf Swing Review by bredies
No Comments »

Playing golf the other day I was amazed at how accurate my tee shots were and this without even thinking about it.

I came to the conclusion that one of the reasons that The Simple Golf Swing helps to be so accurate off the tee box is the simplicity of he fundamentals and how easy they are to execute.

Here’s what I do for maximum accuracy:

• I stand behind the ball and picture the shot
• From this position behind the ball I choose a spot on the ground anything from 1 foot to 6 foot in front of my ball along the line of the shot I have just pictured.  The spot I pick would be a leaf or a divot or some easily identifiable target that I won’t lose as I walk up to address my ball.
• I then eliminate everything about the hole except the spot I have chosen.  This includes the fairway, the trees, the hazards, the out of bounds.  Everything is deleted from my mind and I concentrate solely on the spot knowing that to create the shot I pictured I simply have to get the ball over that spot with the correct swing.
• Now I walk up to the ball and align myself with the chosen spot, 1 to 6 feet out in front of my ball.
• Once aligned I check my grip.
• Now I forget about everything up to this point.  This is important as I need to unclutter my mind and concentrate solely on my swing thoughts.  I have several  swing thoughts which I have rolled into one:  ‘shoulder turn, straight back, drop and follow through!’
• Let me explain. In The Simple Golf Swing we are told to keep the ‘triangle’, which is formed between our shoulders and arms attached to the golf club,  in place throughout the swing.  To do this you have to turn with your shoulders – your arms don’t move except as determined by this shoulder turn.  Try it now.  Form a triangle with your arms and hands out in front of you in a horizontal position with no club. Now turn your shoulders until they cant turn any more and do not bend your arms.  That is essentially The Simple Golf Swing in a nutshell.
• So my thought is to start the backswing with my shoulders, specifically my left shoulder (right handed golfer), taking it back straight on a line formed by my ball and the spot I have previously chosen, until I get to the point where my shoulders cannot turn anymore.  That is the top of my backswing – you will be surprised how short and compact this is.  Now when I start my downswing, which is initiated by a hip turn, I concentrate on ‘dropping’ my right elbow into my body, as my elbow is already touching my torso just above the hip I am really trying to keep it there and not dropping anything at all!  This thought simply keeps my swing together (remember the triangle) and stops a flying right elbow which causes loss of power and the dreaded slice.  And finally a complete follow through with a high finish.  I try to finish as if posing for a photo like the shots you always see the pros in.
• Read that whole paragraph again until you fully understand it.  It may seem like a lot but concentrating on just the swing you will notice the target is no longer an issue, nor am I concerned about anything other than completing the mechanics as I know that if I can do that then everything else will come together and the chances of a successful shot are almost guaranteed.

As an aside this method of thinking on each and every shot gets me “in the zone” exactly as Michael Anthony explains in his book The Mental Keys For Golf.   After each shot I check the result and if it is a bad one (these are now few and far between) I can analyze it to see if it was a mental lapse or a mechanical error.  Adjust accordingly and move on to the next shot.

I no longer get angry and frustrated – it is after all just a game and being out there is such a pleasure that wasting my time getting angry and frustrated is no longer an option.

Tags: Mental Keys, Simple Golf Swing Review by bredies
No Comments »

The US Open.

Wasn’t it fantastic?

I sat in front of my TV all day absolutely mesmerized by the way the drama was unfolding and the players were disintegrating.

Sorry to harp on about it but ever since I have read and adopted what Michael Anthony teaches in his book “The Mental Keys to Improve Your Golf” I am seeing golf (and life) in a totally different light.

And not only do I hear what the commentators say but their comments are registering.  If you listen to them they obviously talk about shots and how best to play particular holes from particular angles and positions on the course.

They also say things such as:

• the pressure the players will be feeling
• how nervous they would be on the final day – especially coming down the stretch
• hearts beating faster
• maintaining his cool etc.

All these emotions are based on “fear”.  Yes the fear of not being able to close it out, the fear of letting the best opportunity of your life go by etc.  Even Ernie Els had a fear I guess.  Maybe his centered around this being one of his last and best chances of a third US Open.

Poor old Dustin Johnson!  Who knows what was going through his mind.  We know he has the shots because he wouldn’t have been there if he didn’t.

I saw a very short interview of Tiger after the tournament and he said “I made three bad mental mistakes out there today and that cost me the tournament.”  I find that a fascinating comment from a man who has every shot in the book and then some.

He did not say: “I played ‘X’ number of bad shots.”

He said: “I made three bad mental mistakes”

What Michael Anthony says in his book is that the fear of the outcome is a concern for a future event “which has not yet happened.”

You cannot control that – all you can control is the process!

So if each of these players had the mental strength to disengage themselves from the magnitude of the occasion and simply play golf as we know they can then they would not have collapsed under pressure.

Yes it is far easier said than can be done but read once again what Tiger had to say and you can be sure he is kicking himself.

He knows if he wants to beat Jack’s record of 17 Majors he will need to overcome these mental lapses.  He also knows that this US Open was his for the taking if he had just remained mentally strong 100% of the time.

Learn to control your emotions and focus on the process and you will see your scores improve – I have already seen a marked change in my scores and my attitude towards pressure (nothing like the US Open of course but hey beating my mates on a Saturday is pressure enough for me!)  I have also noticed how much calmer I am after a duffed shot.  That’s golf and I no longer beat myself up about a bad shot.  If I do I know it is going to make things worse so I just accept it as part of golf and move on and concentrate on the process which in each case is the next shot I face.

Tags: Mental Keys by bredies
No Comments »