It's All About Impact available on all e-Readers

/

I have great news! It's All About Impact is now available on all formats of e-reader. If you have an iPad, iTouch, Kindle, Nook or Sony e-Reader you are within a few clicks of having this great information at your fingertips. More great news - the eBook now only costs you $10 and sometimes less from the providers listed below! Click the link to view:

Amazon Kindle

Download iBooks (You must first download the free iBook app to your Apple device and then go to the store to purchase the book)

Barnes & Noble Nook

And please remember to rate or review the book if you have already read it.

Miracle Birdies - Helping Others

/

CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH  JIM FURYK

2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year Launches New Miracle Birdies Program to Raise Funds for Children’s Hospitals

SALT LAKE CITY (April 13, 2011)—Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® a charity that raises funds for 170  children’s hospitals across North America, announced today a new partnership with 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year and FedEx Cup champion Jim Furyk. Furyk has named Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as his charity of choice for the next two years.

 To kick off the partnership, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Jim Furyk are launching Miracle Birdies, a new fundraising program in which individuals, groups and sponsors can make a monetary pledge for each time Furyk makes a birdie during his tournament play in 2011. Each individual’s entire donation will be donated to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Individuals can participate by signing up at www.MiraclesBirdies.com.

 "I am honored to be partnering with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the important cause of raising money for children’s hospitals,” said Furyk. “Through our ongoing support of one such hospital—Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Florida—my wife and I have witnessed many of the miracles that happen through the generosity of others. My hope is that together we can all create many more through the Miracle Birdies program.”

 “Jim Furyk is committed to our cause of saving the lives of children across North America, and we are appreciative of his support and the generosity of fans who will contribute to the Miracle Birdies program,” said John Lauck, President and CEO of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “Through Jim’s extraordinary talent and career success, he will be a strong voice in motivating his supporters, sponsors and other individuals and groups to raise funds for sick children at hospitals in communities across North America.”

 Fundraising through the 2011 Miracle Birdies campaign is slated to begin in April at The Heritage PGA TOUR golf tournament and will conclude in October at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic in Orlando, Fla. In addition to supporting the Miracles Birdies program, Furyk will sport the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ logo on his hat during tournament play. For more information on Jim Furyk’s Miracle Birdies, visit www.miraclebirdies.com.

# # #

About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it’s needed the most. When a donation is given it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4 billion, most of it $1 at a time. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn more at CMNHospitals.org.

 Please go to the link and pledge whatever you feel you can - thanks!

2011 Masters - The Schwartz Be with You

/

What a fantastic day of golf! The story lines were so numerous it's hard to decide where to start, Rory's collapse, Aussie influx, every continent challenging (just about!), Tiger's charge.....

The Sunday at the 2011 Masters will always go down as one of the most enjoyable days of golf I have ever watched. The tournament committee and Mr. Billy Payne must be commended for the course set up the last two years. They seem to have gone for a slightly more playable and softer course and the results have been tremendous. The eagles and birdies and thus, excitement, are back on the final nine. It could not be more fun to watch.

Here are a few points I found interesting or strange about the final day's play:

  • At one point every continent, other than Antarctica (and not the Arctic which is an ice sheet Mr. Feherty) was represented on the final page of the leaderboard. I could almost picture the anticipation shifting from Europe (Rory), to the US (Tiger), to Asia (KJ), to Australia and finally to Africa with Charl's courageous finish.
  • Rory actually led going into the final nine and ultimately finished 10 shots back. Think about that...His four shot lead had dissipated by the time he had reached the third tee box. Note: If you ever find yourself in an event and you have a lead going into the final round here's a thought - take every golfer withing 8 shots and view the day as a one round shootout. Is it possible for you to play decent and still lose to another golfer by 6, 7 or 8 shots? It certainly is! Get out there and treat the final round as if you need to beat every player in the field. Don't let that 3 or 4 shot lead lull you into a defensive mode of play. In fact Rory would have needed to shoot 69 in order to win - an excellent score for an overnight leader and that's with a four shot head start!
  • Tiger Woods comes across as an arrogant jerk and I am amazed at how vehemently I now root against him. Please don't try to convince me that all golfers curse as much as Tiger with the excuse that he just has the camera on him more often. Please...
  • Best Interview Award goes to Rory who stated that this experience would only serve to toughen him and prepare him better for the future.  Rory you are a class act. He tweeted the pic below with the statement:

Off to Malaysia with Charl. At least one of us has the green jacket.

  • Worst Interview Award goes to...it's obvious isn't it? At least he's consistent with it.
  • Jim Furyk was in 1 greenside bunker all week while Ian Poulter and Jeff Overton were in 13 each!
  • Martin Kaymer, the PGA champion, was watching the closing holes on TV at JFK along with British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen. The two were so riveted by their friends amazing late charge that they refused to board a flight taking them to the Malaysian Open where they are playing this week. The authorities eventually delayed the flight by an hour so that they could watch the final few holes and see the victory. Try that next time you're in JFK....

This is what was in the champion's bag:

DRIVER: Nike VR Tour (8.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike SQ Sumo (13°, 19°) IRONS: Nike VR Pro Blade (3-PW) WEDGES: Nike VR Pro (54°,  60°) PUTTER: Nike Method 004 BALL: Nike ONE Tour D

The 2011 Masters Stat Pack:

GIR

Schwartzel 49/72 t18; Day 52/72 t6; Scott 51/72 t11; Woods 53/72 5th; Ogilvy 50/72 t16

Birdies

Schwartzel 17 t11; Day 23 1st; Scott 17 t11; Woods 19 5th; Ogilvy 20 4th

Putting

Schwartzel 1.49 2nd; Day 1.58 t11; Scott 1.54 t3; Woods 1.67 t33; Ogilvy 1.54 t3

In the driving categories of distance and accuracy the only point of note was how few of the contenders rated highly in either distance or accuracy. Day was 17th and Scott 19th in distance and Ogilvy was t7 in accuracy.

It really was good to see a young talent come through and finish an event in the fashion that he did - almost reminds a little of his good friend and roommate Louis Oosthuizen.

An interesting interview with Charl about his eagle on the third hole and his dad's influence on his game. I love his statement at the end about keeping it simple so that it will hold up under pressure. Something we can all do well to keep in mind!

Masters Week 2011 Edition

/

Major season gets under way this week. Thank goodness it's that time of the year again - Masters Week! Here are my ramblings and predictions for the week.

These sites will help you keep track of all the action:

Masters.com (this site is truly exceptional)

Which even includes a live feed from the driving range......!

Golfweek.com

Golf.com

Golfdigest.com

"Tuesday Clippings" /  "Wednesday Clippings" / "Thursday Clippings" /"Saturday Clippings" / "Sunday Clippings" segment from Geoffshackelford.com

Thursday's pairings have been released.

Here's the outlook for the weather:

A heavy storm rolled through Augusta early on Tuesday morning.

Here are the odds:

PHIL MICKELSON +600
TIGER WOODS +1000
LEE WESTWOOD +1600
NICK WATNEY +1500
MARTIN KAYMER +2000
DUSTIN JOHNSON +2300
LUKE DONALD +2500
RORY MCILROY +2800
HUNTER MAHAN +2500
PAUL CASEY +3300
MATT KUCHAR +3000
JUSTIN ROSE +2500
BUBBA WATSON +3300
GRAEME MCDOWELL +4000
PADRAIG HARRINGTON +4000
ANTHONY KIM +3500
STEVE STRICKER +4000
IAN POULTER +5000
AARON BADDELEY +5000
RETIEF GOOSEN +6000
GEOFF OGILVY +6000
MARTIN LAIRD +6600
ERNIE ELS +6000
RICKIE FOWLER +6000
KYOUNG JU CHOI +6000
JIM FURYK +6000
SERGIO GARCIA +6000
ADAM SCOTT +5500
FRANCESCO MOLINARI +7000
FIELD - ANY PLAYER NOT LISTED +150

Augusta National Snow

Augusta National 2011

Augusta National in Winter

This year I am having a hard time seeing how Phil can lose. I certainly would not have said that last week, but finishing with 63, 65 on the weekend in Houston must really have his confidence up. And he has always been a streaky golfer! For some reason I like Martin Kaymer too and my sleeper pick is Martin Laird.

The other majors this year are the US Open at the newly renovated Congressional, the British Open at Royal St. Georges and the PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

If your weather is horrible and you'd like to get away and play a little golf of your own you may want to look to Hawaii. Of course you'll need Hawaii tee times.

Enjoy the golf and check back often for updates of interest.

Ever Considered an Online Lesson?

/

With technology being what it is today it is very easy to stay in touch with a golf instructor that might be half way around the world. Most smartphones incorporate a video recording feature and some of the better footage of golf swings I have received have been emailed to me straight from a students' smartphone.

There are four simple steps required to have an online golf lesson with Andrew. Here's how:

1. Create a Video of Your Swing

2. Upload the Video for Sharing/Viewing

3. Pay for your Lesson via PayPal

4. Email me the Link to your Video for Analysis

Once all four steps are completed Andrew will let you know when your video has been evaluated. If you choose to have a phone consultation along with a video lesson Andrew will coordinate with you once the video lesson has been analyzed.

Online Lesson Pricing

Video analysis only – $50 Video analysis with 15 minute phone consultation – $80

Follow these steps to get the ball rolling:

  • Create A Video of Your Swing

Capture one swing from face on and another swing from down the line. Take care when recording your swing to ensure the best results for your online lesson. Use a tripod, or a friend with a very steady hand as a moving camera leads to moving reference lines in the analysis. Camera positioning is also important. The face on shot should be at 90 degrees to the target line and the down the line shot should place the ball between the target and the camera lens ie. shoot straight over the ball toward the target.

  • Upload Your Swing Video for Viewing

We have two ways you can upload videos to us, YouTube and V1 Software. Don't be intimidated, dive in - it's far easier than you might imagine!Here are instructions for both methods:

YouTube

A good way to publish your swing video for an online lesson is to upload it to YouTube. During the upload process, you can  select Public or Private for your video. Selecting Private will restrict viewing only to those that have the link.

You will need a YouTube account, so if you don’t already have one you will need to create one, which is a simple process and free of charge.

Here are the instructions from YouTube on uploading video. As you might imagine, there is also an instructional video on uploading to YouTube.

Once you have uploaded the video, check that it has been successful by clicking the link provided and watching the video.

V1 Golf Software

For use and upload with a PC you will need V1 Home 2.0 which is available free of charge HERE. Upload directions are included with your free download.

For use and upload with an iPhone, iPad, iTouch or Android phones purchase the app HERE. V1 Golf actually has the #1 sports analysis app in the world at the moment.

  • Payment via Paypal

We  only take payment via PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account go to www.PayPal.com and set one up. It is very easy and makes online payment for anything so much easier. Payment should be made to andrew (at) andrewricegolf.com

  • Contact Us with Your Lesson Request

Once your swing is uploaded uploaded, send us the link to the video along with your request for an online lesson and we'll get cracking.

Please also be sure to indicate your selection of video analysis or video analysis with phone consultation. Current turnaround for online lessons is 48-72 hours.

Should you have any questions about receiving an online lesson please shoot me a note to andrew (at) andrewricegolf.com and I'd be happy to to help.

Ben Hogan's Secret....

/
Hogan.jpg
Ben Hogan

Many people have claimed that they know Hogan's secret, but I have never heard one that I have bought in to. Something viable that would separate Mr. Hogan from the crowd; something unique only to him. Thanks to my friend Bobby MacWhinnie for pointing this fantastic quote out to me from the book "Ben Hogan - An American Life" by James Dodson:

His real secret, as it were - lay not in the technical jargon as (he) would have you believe, but rather in the rarest combination of an extraordinarily disciplined brain and an undeniable will power fueled by a fierce survivor instinct to prevail against any odds.

Work those characteristics into your game and you may have a secret of your own!

Read more on Ben Hogan's Secret HERE

Tweet

Bounce - Book Review

/

While not a book written specifically for or about golf, I found the information and evidence in this book invaluable as a coach. It certainly is a book that all golf coaches and aspiring golfers should read. With the book, author Matthew Syed challenges the idea that sports stars are "born with it" and provides evidence that they all achieved there success through hard work and dedication. From Mozart to Federer to Woods; the evidence suggests that their success has been attained the hard way - they earned it.

The book blows up the idea that talent gets people to the top. Instead it shows that through a combination of opportunities (in the right place at the right time), hard work and dedication anybody can achieve their dreams. I liked the idea of the “ten thousand hour rule” — the minimum time necessary for expertise in any complex task or sport. Syed also gave a great analogy about the "tip of the iceberg" - whereby people who see a great young athlete and attribute their success to purely God-given talent (the tip of the iceberg) versus looking at the body of work and dedication (the iceberg below the water) that has gone into supporting their performance.

A few quotes from the book:

There is an innate capacity for our bodies to bring into being, to the best of their ability, the optimistic scenarios in which we fervently believe.

Anne Harrington, Harvard University

...in order to become the greatest player of all time you have to embrace failure.

 

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

Samuel Beckett, Worstword Ho

...the path to excellence is inordinately lenghty, requiring a minimum of ten thousand hours of lung busting effort to get to the summit.

 

The talent myth robs individuals of the incentive to transform themselves through effort....

 

...purposeful practice can enable countless individuals to realize untapped potential.

A highly recommended read. So good in fact that I am paying my sons to read portions of it. Now get to work!

Chicken Wing at Impact?

/

Lee Westwood is an exceptional ball striker and a contender in almost every major championship.

The interesting part about Lee's swing, which I regard as somewhat unique, is his impact position. Is that a chicken wing? Surely that cannot be good? Remember that the only factor that matters is the physics (forces and angles) that the golf club imparts on the ball.

Retief Goosen is the another premier golfer who gets into this impact position, although to a much lesser degree. In looking at the top picture notice that the handle of the club is positioned in line with the lead thigh.  This is the key element. With the driver, the shaft should be vertical or leaning slightly forward, as in the Westwood image, but with irons there should be a few degrees of shaft lean. As a result the hands should once again be aligned with the lead thigh.

The moral of the story - get the club in a great position, relative to the ball, at impact and good things will happen - chicken wing and all.

Should your chicken wing not be quite as functional as the two players above here is a little help:

Weight Transfer and Positioning

/

Having the use of the Swing Catalyst system has almost been like being able to look behind the curtain to see what truly happens to a golfers' weight when they swing the club. Guesswork and perception are taken out of the equation and the information you read in the following post is based purely on fact. 

Weight shift is a poor term.  Similar to the term "takeaway" it does not convey the appropriate sensation.  My research has shown that the term "weight transfer" would be far better.  And here's why: When I think of shifting my weight I make a conscious move to get my body over to my back foot for example.  Not good!  The weight transfers in the swing purely due to the motion in the arms hands and club as they travel away from the target.  Think of it this way - if I swing my arms, which each weigh 15 lbs, and a club  in my backswing you can be sure that I am transferring weight onto my back foot. There is however no conscious shifting or body move that gets the weight over there. This is exactly why the 84 degree  rule (as illustrated below) holds true.

There should be no lateral body move in the backswing, yet many players often wrote or spoke about a sense of weight transfer. The body stays centered while the weight is transferred by the motion in the arms and the club. Video HERE

I found that very good golfers (college and touring professionals) had a maximum percentage of 80% of their weight on their back foot slightly beyond halfway back.  This was achieved with almost no lateral movement in the upper body.

Click to Enlarge

In the screen shot above notice how the center of gravity indicator between my feet (top right) is almost as far to the right as it goes. This should be the furthest point to the right the weight moves and from here it starts moving back to the front foot.

I did find that a reverse weight shift (reverse pivot) was almost impossible for me to achieve. With the arms and club swinging to the right it made it very difficult to get the weight to favor the front foot in the backswing.

In the screen shot below I have positioned my weight 70/30 on the front foot (with the 84 line as a reference) at the top of my swing as advocated by some teachers. While the numbers may be difficult to achieve I did find that for many people the idea of keeping their body left and sensing the weight being 70/30 in favor of the front foot proved to be very helpful. This helped me to seperate the difference between what a student felt and what was real.  Many times it was better for a student to work towards a feeling than the actual reality.

Click to Enlarge

At the start of the downswing, when the left arm (for right handers) gets parallel to the ground the majority of top tour professionals displayed a weight distribution of 50/50.  Sam Snead illustrated this beautifully!

I did notice that with single figure handicap golfers there seemed to be a tendency to get their weight too far forward (75/25) at this point. This led to a situation where, when they got to the delivery point (shaft parallel to the ground), they very often had more than 90% of their weight on their front foot and had to back up through impact.  This seemed to be a contributing factor to hooks and blocks - the better golfers most common malady!

All the best ball strikers studied displayed a tendency to transfer the weight to the front foot in a smooth and continuous flow with no backing up or slowing of the transfer. The more straight and direct the CoG trace moved the better. This meant that they arrived at impact with an 80/20 split favoring the front foot and the weight continued to move smoothly over to the front side beyond impact.

Click to Enlarge

Notice the continuous and smooth CoG trace into the front foot here by Billy Hurley.  His weight was more than likely 85% on the front foot at impact.

The tendency with higher handicap golfers (above 18) was for the weight to get too far back and then remain there all the way through impact. It was not unusual to see one of these golfers have a split of 70/30 favoring the back foot at impact.

In summary:

  • The weight should start at 50/50
  • Somewhere between halfway back and the top of the backswing the player should max out weight on the back foot at 80/20
  • At halfway down (arm parallel to the ground) the weight should once again be 50/50
  • The weight should make a continuous tranfer to the front foot in the downswing with an 80/20 split occuring at impact. 

A few more screen shots:

Geoff Ogilvy passing through impact (shaft bend is due to camera lens)

Click to Enlarge

 

Peter Uihlein at impact

Click to Enlarge

Please keep two things in mind as you process the above information: due to the relative newness of this technology there is not a huge sample group of golfers to study and that all percentages are a mean or "ballpark" number.

Follow andrewricegolf on FACEBOOK

The Weight Shift

/

The photo of Sam Snead above perfectly illustrates where the weight should be positioned at these three key points in the golf swing:

  • Just prior to the top of the backswing the weight is almost always in the vicinity of 80/20 favoring the back side.
  • At the half way down point top players always seem to position their weight equally here (50/50).
  • At impact the weight is always in the vicinity of 20/80 favoring the front side.

The amazing technology from Swing Catalyst has been instrumental in educating me further on this important information. If you'd like to learn more about your weight shift please give me a call to book your session at some point within the next two weeks.

I will be posting at great detail on this topic later in the week so stand by. The evidence is clear!

2011 Orlando PGA Golf Show

/

I have recently returned from the 2011 Orlando PGA Golf Show and I wanted to share a few of my impressions with you. Firstly, if you are an avid golfer, you simply must make a plan to attend this show - it is literally the Disney World of golf! Talk to your golf professional, a friend in the biz, beg, steal, but find a way to get there. Plan on two full days (preferably Thursday and Friday) to soak it all up.

This year there seemed to be a positive vibe at the Show. All the major club companies were represented with Taylormade commanding a huge portion of the floor. My four high points of the Show were:

Swing Catalyst

 

Once again I have nominated this product as one of my highlights. It might be costly, but this machine dispenses invaluable information for any golf coach. It shows where a golfers weight is positioned throughout the swing, how much rotational force is being generated, all while synchronizing with video and either Trackman or Flightscope. Talk about an all in one package! This is the G5 of golf instruction technology.

Flightscope

 

The new and improved Flightscope X2 portable launch monitors do not offer anything groundbreaking relative to what Trackman has always offered, but where they crush the competition is price point - $11,000 vs $30,000+! The accuracy of the Flightscope has always been brought into question, however after meeting with them and seeing the new X2 in action I am sold. Not new technology, but definitely a new price point at which to consider the technology.

Nuun Hydration Tablets

Nuun tablets are optimal hydration and I believe the future of hydration in sports. The taste is light and refreshing and I really like the "green" aspect of this product - you carry your own Nuun waterbottle, fill it with water and add a tablet without loading up the landfills with plastic bottles from everything you drink on the golf course. The speed of absorbtion, electrolyte content and lack of carbohydrates (sugar!) is what sets this product apart. It tastes really good too.

Speed Woosh from Momentus

In an almost unnoticed about face by Momentus (which has always promoted heavy clubs) they are now promoting the Speed Woosh to increase your clubhead speed. Well what about all those heavy clubs I bought that are lying in my garage? Sorry, no good - at least if you want more speed! This device is great fun to swing and as an added bonus it works. It gets the fast twitch muscle fibers to fire and that can only help you add distance to your tee balls. I like it!

In additon to these four highlights I saw a little bit of everything - from six different types of golf tee designs to a device to keep your head still in the swing (it actually worked!) There were also the usual cast of golf celebs from Greg Norman to Hank Haney (hi Hank!) to Natalie and Paula. I also attended a few excellent seminars  by AMF and noted golf instructor Jeff Ritter. Jeff gave an inspirational talk on marketing golf instruction in the modern society.

After leaving the show I felt excited and enthusiastic about the future of our game. We seem to be turning the corner and I am really looking forward to 2011.

Thanks for reading and feel free to post your questions and comments.

Augusta National 2011

/

Today I had the privilege of playing every golfer's dream course  - Augusta National. While I did not play as well as I would have liked as you can tell from the pictures it was a beautiful day and who can complain when you're on God's gift to golf!

The course seems to be weathering the cold winter well and there are a few new, yet subtle changes. In addition to the new practice grounds from last year, the 11th and 17th greens have been resurfaced.

Take a look at the ALBUM I created and enjoy. As you well know it is a special place!

Here are pictures of Augusta under a blanket of snow in 2010 and here are my pictures from earlier in 2010.

Rickie vs. Rory

/
Rory McIlroy (Getty)
Rory McIlroy (Getty)

 As you may have heard by now the PGA Tour players have voted Rickie Fowler the Rookie of the Year for 2010. I was shocked to see that Rory McIlroy had not received the award, but after a little extra digging I can see how a strong case can be made for Rickie! I would have a hard time placing a bet against either of these two fine young players but who had the better year?

Rickie Fowler (Getty)
Rickie Fowler (Getty)

Rickie Fowler had no wins on the PGA Tour this year, but he did have 7 top 10's. Rory McIlroy had one win (Quail Hollow) on the PGA Tour and 5 top 10's - two of which were third place finishes in major championships.

Fowler finished 32nd on the money listwhile McIlroy was 36th; they both played on their respective Ryder Cup teams - McIlroy on the winning side; Rickie had a 70.35 stroke average, while Rory's was 70.94; Rickie played 28 events while Rory only played 16.

In fact in their eleven head to head meetings (in official PGA Tour events) Rory bested Rickie on seven occasions!

A close call....?

On the surface I can commiserate with Lee Westwood in his rant on Twitter against the selection:

Sorry 140 letters is not going to be enough for this rant! Just seen Rickie Fowler has been given rookie of the year! Yes he's had a good year but Rory McIlroy third in two majors and an absolute demolition of the field at Quail Hollow! Oh yes and on the winning Ryder cup team! Please! Is this yet another case of protectionism by the PGA Tour or are they so desperate to win something! Wouldn't have something to do with Rory not joining the tour next year?"

However if you look at the body of work  Rickie Fowler put forth he has a strong case. You must also consider the fact that Rickie came straight to the tour from Oklahoma Statewhereas Rory turned professional in 2007 and came to the US tour after two years on the European Tour.

All that being said - isn't this a great argument to be have? Here are two of the finest young gunsthe PGA Tour has seen in a long while and we cannot decide who had the better year - fantastic! As someone once said to me, "These are high grade problems!"

The 2011 season is shaping up to be a beauty (even without Rory being an official member of the PGA Tour). Dustin, G-Mac, even Tiger! It's gonna be good....

Your thoughts?

Crisp Holiday Bargains for Every Golfer

/

Here are a few offers that are sure to please either yourself or the avid linkster on your Christmas list.

It's All About Impact

I received my copy of "It's all about Impact" yesterday. What a great book! You have verified what I have thought for years but was unable to put into words. This book is well worth the money because not only do you explain the 84 degree "secret", You also get into basic shot skills needed by most amateurs, myself included.

Thanks for a well put together book that is easy to read & understand, has great photos and again, is a super value.

Best regards,

JH

  • The eBook and hardcover version will both be 20% off from today through Christmas
  • All hardcover books will be autographed by yours truly - bonus!
  • Purchase either version and receive a certificate for a one hour golf lesson from Andrew for $80 (valid for 3 months from date of purchase)
  • There is also free shipping for anybody residing in the state of South Carolina
  • If you would like to place a bulk (5+) order please contact me at (843)247-4688 or andrew (at) andrewricegolf.com for special pricing

Purchase your copy HERE

This is what BH had to say after reading the book and working with the drills:

What an unbelievable difference! Balls are jumping off the club and my confidence has soared. Thanks for studying these world class golfers and sharing their success with your readers.

While I did not play particularly well this weekend, I am very excited about my ball striking.

I have picked up at least 20 yards on my drive and a good club with my irons. I hit 15 quality iron shots, and drove it very straight most of the time.

Thank you, I now feel like I can play golf again!

JL

Golf Lessons

From today through Christmas I will be offering the following packages on lessons at Berkeley Hall:

  • Purchase six thirty minute lessons for $300 - thats $50 each and the regular price is $75!
  • Purchase six one hour lessons for $600 - thats $100 each and the regular price is $150!
  • All lessons packages include high speed video analysis and a V1 video lesson emailed to your inbox
  • These lesson packages are perfect for the crazed golfer in your family and are all available as Gift Certificates (valid for one year from original date of purchase)
  • If you would like to purchase or discuss a package please contact me at (843)247-4688 or andrew (at) andrewricegolf.com

Group Lessons

During the spring season I will be offering a limited number of group sessions at Berkeley Hall:

  • Group sessions are limited to three golfers (minimum of two required) and will run from 3PM to 5PM on Wednesdays
  • The sessions include high speed video analysis and a V1 video lesson emailed to your inbox along with 30 minutes spent on the shortgame
  • I will be offering a total of six sessions on the following dates: Feb. 2 and 16, March 9 and 23 and April 6 and 20
  • The cost is $120 per session and the session package (all six) is available for $600 - a savings of $120! Also available as a Gift Certificate
  • Should you wish to purchase a package or sign up for any lessons please contact me at (843)247-4688 or at andrew (at) andrewricegolf.com

Thank you all so much for your support this year - I could not do what I do without you.  Merry Christmas!

Top Ten Shots of 2010

/

The PGATour season came to an end after the Children’s Miracle Network Classic this weekend and PGATour.com has compiled a video of the 10 best shots of 2010. What were your favorites?

I must say I am surprised that Phil's shot on 13 at Augusta wasn't there, but the shots they have selected are more than adequate. Enjoy!

2010 PGATour Season Notes

/

Well - that's a wrap! The season finished with a whimper in Orlando today and I turned my thoughts to the year that was 2010. Tiger, Dustin, Rickie and players from Britain seemed to dominate the headlines this year and here are a few of my selections from the year with a handful of stats and predictions that should be of interest to you.

Player of the Year:  Dustin Johnson

Player of the Future:  Rory McIlroy

Money Leader:  Matt Kuchar $4.9 big ones

Best Day (in golf) of the Year: Phil's win at Augusta (closely followed by Ryder Cup Monday!)

Most Dominant Performance (in an event that matters):  Louis Oosthuizen

Feel Good Win of the Year: Robert Garrigus at Disney after giving up 3 shots on the 72nd hole at Memphis.

Sneakiest Player/s of the Year:  Retief Goosen (3rd in stroke average and 2nd in top 10's) and Bo van Pelt (13th Money)

Biggest Faders (player/s who started strong and vanished by mid year): Geoff Ogilvy, Phil Mickelson and Camillo Villegas.

Best Finishers (player/s who finished the year on a good note):  Matt Kuchar

Biggest Flops of the Year:  Tiger, Sergio, Padraig, Baddeley, Mike Weir and Boo

Biggest Surprise of the Year:  Matt Kuchar, David Duval (106 Money) and Jeff Overton (12 Money)

Best Hitter of the Year:  Joe Durant by a mile (1st in GIR and 2nd in FIR) Interestingly enough Joe also produced the most spin off the driver on tour...

Best Golf Course of the Year:  St. Andrews (The wind was a nice cherry on the top!)

Longest Yardage for Putts Made in any Round: 190' Fredrik Jacobson (Think about that...!)

Best Putter:  Brandt Snedeker (None of the top five putters were in the top 130 in GIR rank)

Consecutive Sand Saves:  Luke Donald 18

Holes Without a Three Putt:  Padraig Harrington 227 and counting...

Consecutive Fairways Hit:  Nick O'Hern 34

In a ten week span from April 29 - July 4 only two US golfers won on the Tour!

Rickie Fowler at the Memorial (Getty)

Player I would most like to be:  Rickie Fowler

Player I would least like to be:  Tiger Woods

Major Winners in 2011:  Retief Goosen (Augusta), Lee Westwood (Congressional), Rory McIlroy (Royal St. Georges) and Dustin Johnson(Atlanta)

Brightest Stars of the Future:  Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Matteo Manassero

Players to Watch in 2011: Adam Scott, Justin Rose and Ricky Barnes

Here are the Top 10 Shots of the Year according to PGATour.com

Thanks so much for your readership and support - I recently had my 100,000th hit here! Oh, and feel free to call me out on any of my selections or predictions for 2011....

Shaft Angle at Impact II

/

Read the original post HERE After more research and some great input from several excellent instructors I have quite a bit to add to the previous post. There are even a few additional golfers I have found to add to the "zero" club (no change in handle position from address to impact) - there has been so much fantastic input that I just had to share it.

Jonathan Yarwood makes a great point in identifying the difference between irons and the driver:

I think that there has to be a raise of the shaft with a driver due to the nature of the sweeping hit off a tee. However, if you look at players like Pricey, the driver became their nemesis, as they got the plane too low to get it flying with the new equipment. Sergio struggles to flight the driver too. Trevino too at times. With a driver, some ’swing and freewheeling’ is required through the hit allowing the club to raise somewhat.

Mark Costaregni, my fellow teacher at Atlantic Golf Club in NY, and senior teacher with Jim McLean at Doral says:

I think you are spot on with this, we have studied shaft plane at address vs. impact and only a few return the handle on plane!!! Fulton Allem also returns it on plane. I remember some footage of Sergio actually UNDER with the handle!!! I believe this is a benchmark for pure greatness in striking. Also it seems the real power hitters tend to get the handle up at impact because of the leverage factor.

Thanks for the addition of Fulton Allem to the list Mark. Fulty has always been a fantastic ball striker and was a prolific winner in South Africa. At Doral they have a fantastic resource in that the best players in the world come to them every year and that leads to a superb bank of swings to analyze and evaluate. I would have to agree with you when you say "pure greatness in striking".

There were multiple questions regarding shaft droop or bowing and even some skepticism about whether any golfer could achieve the "zero" impact position - however the pictures don't lie. Here is what I have noticed:

  • The average shaft angle with a 7 iron at address is around 54 degrees; the average lie angle of a 7 iron is 63 degrees. That allows for 9 degrees of droop/bow in the shaft at impact even with the handle returning to the exact same position at impact - as a result golfers DO NOT need to lift/raise the handle in order to account for the curvature of the shaft.

  • I have found that the golfers who get the handle in the "zero" position (zero degrees of change from address to impact) through the hit tend to have what appears to be less droop/bow in their shaft. This is due to the fact that their hands/arms swing into the ball on a lower (more shallow) plane that more closely matches the plane the clubhead travels on. The lower the arm plane coming into impact, the less difference there is between the arm and clubhead plane and thus less droop/bow in the shaft.
  • Thus, the higher the hands are positioned through impact the more the shaft tends to curve downward.
  • That being said, if you can return the handle to its address position, you should not need to flatten your irons (unless they are too upright already!) due to the fact that the shaft will droop less.

The next time you are playing a "well worn" golf course take a look at the divot patterns on the range or a shortish par three.  Keeping in mind that most golfers are right handers, you'll see most of the divots are in the shape of a trapezoid. This is due to high hands and excessive droop in the shaft getting the toe further into the ground than the heel.

Here is an excellent drill to illustrate how any golfer can work towards achieving this ultimate impact position. If there ever was a drill that would make you hit it like Hogan, this is it.

Reed Howard, an fine young golfer illustrates how to perfectly execute this drill. Does this look like Ben Hogan or what?

A point to note: the line drawn on the photos of Moe Norman is not the original shaft plane line. The shaft plane line is drawn along the shaft at address. I am not sure what the yellow line in the photos represents, but it does act as a good reference point.

The select list of golfers who belong to the zero club are:

  • Moe Norman
  • Ben Hogan
  • Nick Price
  • Lee Trevino
  • Vijay Singh
  • Joe Durant
  • Carl Pettersson
  • Sergio Garcia

The golfers who are very close (within two degrees), but not quite there:

  • Trevor Immelman
  • Lucas Glover
  • DJ Trahan
  • Boo Weekley
  • Paula Creamer
  • Sean O'Hair

All very good ball strikers in their own right!

I have only ever personally witnessed two golfers "naturally" return the handle to its original position. They are - Lindsay Renolds and Michael Koulianos. Both superb ball strikers!

Try the drill - strive for zero - and know that if you get close to it you can only get better!

I really believe that if any golfer can work towards getting into a better position (zero!) at impact they can only improve their ball striking and increase the enjoyment they get from the game.

Keep working!

Sean Foley Golfer Stats

/

Here are some interesting stats gathered from PGATour.com regarding Sean Foley's top students. The moral of the story appears to be - it's not easy to make great golfers better! It'll be interesting to see how Tiger's statistics change over the next few years.

(Please note, this information has been compiled by a golf professional other than myself)

 
                               
PARKER MCLACHLIN                            
In 2008 McLachlin won on tour and did not work with Foley, 2009-2010 with Foley              
                               
      2008 Tour Rank   2009 Tour Rank   2010 Tour Rank          
Driving Distance   286yds 105th   279yds 157th   269yds 191st          
Driving Accuracy   58% 157th   54% 173rd   54% 180th          
Greens in Regulation   62.50% 159th   58% 182nd   53% 194th          
Total Driving   176th 176th   184th 184th   193rd 193rd          
Ball Striking   178th 178th   183rd 183rd   193rd 193rd          
Proximity to Hole   36ft  154th   39ft 182nd   41ft 194th          
                               
                               
HUNTER MAHAN                             
Mahan did not work with Foley in 2008 during the PGA Tour season; started in the 2009 season      
                               
      2008 Tour Rank   2009 Tour Rank   2010 Tour Rank        
Driving Distance   290yds 75th   297yds 28th   291yds 56th          
Driving Accuracy   66% 62nd   65% 74th   68% 34th          
Greens in Regulation   69% 7th   68% 19th   68% 33rd          
Total Driving    23rd 23rd   7th 7th   2nd 2nd          
Ball Striking   8th 8th   4th 4th   11th 11th          
Proximity to Hole   34ft  48th   34ft 55th   36ft 142nd          
                               
                               
SEAN O'HAIR                             
Sean began working with Foley at the Canadian Open in 2008.                  
                 
                               
      2007 Tour Rank   2008 Tour Rank   2009 Tour Rank   2010 Tour Rank    
Driving Distance   296yds 34th   291yds 69th   293yds 46th   288yds 84th    
Driving Accuracy   64% 79th   60% 138th   61% 123rd   64% 74th    
Greens in Regulation   67% 23rd   64.40% 113th   67% 27th   67% 59th    
Total Driving   8th 8th   112th 112th   66th 66th   51st 51st    
Ball Striking   9th 9th   111th 111th   42nd 42nd   48th 48th    
Proximity to Hole   35ft 68th   34ft 48th   34ft 55th   35ft 109th    
                               
                               
JUSTIN ROSE                             
Justin began working with Foley mid 2009                        
He currently ranks 6th in total putting 2010; 2009 ranked 143rd and 2008 ranked 186th. He works with Dave Stockton on putting,  
                               
      2007 Tour Rank   2008 Tour Rank   2009 Tour Rank   2010 Tour Rank    
Driving Distance   288yds 96th   286yds 103rd   288yds 90th   286yds 104th    
Driving Accuracy   63.90% 95th   64% 90th   64.8 79th   66% 57th    
Greens in Regulation   65.70% 58th   61% 170th   66% 83rd   66% 88th    
Total Driving   89th 89th   197th 197th   66th 66th   58th 58th    
Ball Striking    63rd 63rd   197th 197th   71st 71st   70th 70th    
Proximity to Hole   34ft 33rd   34ft 60th   35ft 92nd   33ft 26th    
                               
                               
STEPHEN AMES                             
Began with Foley in November 2006                        
                               
      2003 Tour Rank   2006 Tour Rank   2007 Tour Rank   2008 Tour Rank    
Driving Distance   285yds 99th   289yds 88th   282yds 154th   283yds 133rd    
Driving Accuracy   66% 109th   62% 101st   67% 47th   62.70% 103rd    
Greens in Regulation   68% 34th   66% 58th   64% 86th   65% 96th    
Total Driving   125th 125th   87th 87th   107th 107th   160th 160th    
Ball Striking   82nd 82nd   68th 68th   94th 94th   134th 134th    
Proximity to Hole   33ft 21st   34ft 44th   34ft 49th   32ft 6th    
                               
                               
      2009 Tour Rank   2010 Tour Rank                
      287yds 94th   282yds 138th                
      65% 73rd   66% 57th                
      67% 30th   67% 66th                
      62nd 62nd   107th 107th                
      40th 40th   84th 84th                
      35ft 77th   35ft 100th                
                               

To read more on Sean Foley and Tiger Woods click HERE