Perry's Comments 2008-12-01T14:00:05-08:00 ExpressionEngine Copyright (c) 2006, Perry No Mechanics tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.212 2006-09-12T23:10:04-08:00 2008-12-01T14:00:05-08:00 Correcting common swing faults without mechanical thoughts You are probably thinking this isn’t possible.  Not everyone I teach can make a swing change without mechanics, but it is possible and happens often.  The first thing you need to find out about yourself is what you are thinking about during your swing.  Write it down on paper, really.  You will be amazed at how many thoughts you can squeeze into the 1.5 second golf swing.  You could be thinking low and slow, hinge it up, right elbow tucked, keep it in the slot, head down, bent knee, straight knee, hips, hips, hips, blah, blah, blah.  How much fun is golf when you’ve got a drill sergeant yelling at you the whole round?  Most of it rarely works, but you’ve been using these swing keys for so long that it’s the only thing, or things that are comfortable for you to think about.  Swing thoughts are things that satisfy your intellect.  Awareness is much deeper than swing thoughts.  Awareness is in your body, swing thoughts are in your head.  This article discusses what you feel or better yet, sense during your swing.  If you feel tight, are you tight when you start, or at the top, or at impact?  How do you feel at the finish, relaxed balance or otherwise?  Write them down and email them to me.  I’ll probably email you back a few intriguing questions...CLICK HERE for the Podcast. 2006-09-12T23:10:04-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com After evaluating it all, are you happy with what you think about or feel during your swing?  I’m not asking if you are happy with the ballflight, that’s a different show.  Do you think the pros on tour swing with these same feelings and thoughts?  Figure out what you feel and why you are doing it.  Why are you swinging with tension? Is it a by product of fear?  Work out all of the tension and crank up the awareness level.  Because the big problem is not the swing flaw it self.  The big problem is not being able to feel the swing flaw.

If your problem is slicing
If you slice (a ball that curves to the right for a right-handed golfer) it’s because the clubface is open (pointed right for a right handed golfer) to the swing path.  Period, that’s really it.  Try to sense the clubface closing before and after impact.  Try to close your eyes and sense where the clubface is with a very slow practice swing that stops at impact.  Go very slow so you do not have to come to a tension filled halt.  Then, look at the face...is it closed?  Closed is good.  Don’t see it square, see it closed.  Try this easy exercise for 10 minutes a day.  When you get to the course try it before you hit any balls .  When you add balls make sure you sense the clubface closing, the ball flight will tell you if the clubface is square (straight), open (slice), or closed (hook).

Many players interrupt me at this point and ask me how.  And quite honestly, I really don’t know how.  I can ask you to close the face and sense the face closed, but I can’t tell you how to do it.  And even if I gave you swing thoughts, this still wouldn’t telling you how.  It’s like teaching someone how to walk.  The first “swing thought” is to lift the left leg.  Well how do I lift the leg?  If you can tell me how to lift my leg, you are telling me how the brain tells the leg to move.  And even if you did know how the brain tells the leg to move, it probably wouldn’t help me lift my leg if I didn’t know how.  In summary, you have to be responsible for the “how to” part.  You need to learn how to learn on your own.  If you can eventually learn it, but can’t explain it, you’re just like everyone else including myself.  I can give you the visuals of what something should look and feel like but I can’t tell you how to see or sense something.

Hooking
The cause of a hook is the clubface being closed to the swing path at impact.  To correct a hook, make sure the clubface is open at impact.  Use the drill we just went over for slicing.  Another idea I have for correcting hooking is to 1) hit a ball 2)hold your finish 3) return your club to address without changing your grip 4) observe the clubface position at impact.  Is it closed?  If so, you grip changed during your swing.  Now for the awareness part.  When, during the act of swinging, do you feel the club move in your grip?  You could be regripping at address, letting go at the top, slipping through impact, or it could be sliding around on the follow through.

Outside-in
Outside-in, over-the-top, cutting across it, hammering down, slicing across, and chopping wood.  Any of those phrases would be considered outside-in.  Outside-in is when a right handed golfer swings to the left of the target.  To correct this issue, swing to the right.  Wow! Are you surprised that’s all you need to do?  For some it’s not that simple.  So an idea Fred Shoemaker taught me was to throw clubs.  Gather about a dozen old clubs and head to a field or park.  Find an open area, where no people or fragile objects are around.  The reason is that at first it can be very dangerous.  When my colleague Ernie Barbour and I first started having our students throw clubs, we just about tore the teaching bays apart.  We had students tossing clubs with so much tension they wouldn’t let go of the club until it was too late.  That’s right!  Several throws never made it out of the building!  Ouch, lots of broken glass and close calls.  Thankfully, there was no bodily harm.  So please find an open area.  Make the first dozen throws only about 15 feet to get a feel for it.  Then, take it back and let it go.  My advice is to look at the target (not down) as you throw clubs.  This will make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your practice.  After a couple hundred throws, shift to a fuller swing.  If the clubs are not going at your target, you are swinging outside-in.

Topping
If you are topping, it’s not because you looked up.  I have miles of videotape of people topping with their head down.  If you don’t believe it, set up a video camera and watch yourself top a few balls.  The real reason why you top is because your club is too far from the ground at the point of impact.  PERIOD.  Sorry to sound too common sensei cal.  Now that you know the cause, what do you sense causes you to be too high at impact.  I’m not talking about the bad feel at impact but rather when do you sense coming out of your posture or shorten your arms during the action of the swing?  If you can’t determine it, try video to assist with your understanding.  In fact, that’s our next topic.

Video
If you’ve ever seen your swing on video you have proof of what your swing looks like.  Does the picture on video, resemble what you sense is happening?  Players that can sense what they feel on video are a very rare breed.  If so you are probably a single digit handicapper or better.  You could be signing your name at the top of your swing or look like you are trying to kill a snake in a phone booth, but you will have no ownership of your swing until you can sense (during the swing) what is taking place on the video.  The whole feel thing is a mystery.  The whole feel thing is a mystery only because you are not thinking about feeling your swing you are thinking about the ball.  This is covered in more detail in the forth show in this series on ball bound thinking.

In Summary
Let’s say you can feel your swing.  You can describe what you feel just as you see it on video.  This is great news.  In fact this huge!!!  Yippee, you have just accomplished the hardest part.  My belief is that if you can feel or sense what is happening, you will be able to make the swing change.  Let yourself feel what is happening even if you know it’s wrong and can feel that it’s wrong.  Be detailed about where in the swing you feel it.  Try to describe it.  It’s this awareness that is the key.  Awareness is the one thing that consistently separates great players from average players.  To become more aware you need to step outside the box and become more open minded to what you sense during the swing instead of always evaluating impact and ballflight.  Initially, this will be embarrassing because your result could be anything.  But, won’t it be more fun to learn something new than to be stuck with the same thoughts that generate the same results?

]]> Understanding Why Swing Changes Are Difficult tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.139 2006-08-01T18:08:45-08:00 2007-11-01T04:01:01-08:00 This is what’s really involved, but rarely mentioned.Most of you have been to a golf lesson, and as soon as you see your swing on video you see many of the same faults in your swing you had years ago. So why doesn’t your golf swing change? There is a simple explanation for this.  Most of us expect a permanent swing change to take place within a golf lesson or a bucket of range balls.  And we don’t want the change to feel uncomfortable or “mess up” our game for the weekend.  We take a lesson and leave with a few new ideas and can’t wait to try them out.  The next time we play or practice we hit a couple of bad shots and immediately are questioning ourselves.  In our desperation, we try everything that has worked in the past.  We figure it out...Well, at least for now.  Later, you go to another golf lesson, see your swing on video, and NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!  Well, of course nothing has changed.  You just spent a few practice sessions trying to make your swing feel comfortable while making sure you hit some good shots.  That’s your old swing!  Here’s what you need to make changes stick..CLICK HERE for the Podcast. 2006-08-01T18:08:45-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com First, you need to ask yourself the hard questions before you begin a swing change.
  • How bad do I REALLY want it? 
  • Do I have any physical limitations? 
  • Am I willing to make changes no matter where the first 1200 balls go?
  • Am I willing to practice without balls for a while?
  • Am I willing to sacrifice some time? 
  • Do I trust the coach/teacher? 
  • Am I ready to commit and have full confidence in the plan? 
  • Do I trust myself? 
  • Do I have the patience? 
    And the biggest of them all:
  • Is this process going to be fun? 


Am I willing to give up everything that I am, for everything I will become?
The answers you give will determine if you really want to change anything.  Give it some time, think of the risk verses reward.  Think of the risk players like Tiger, Sergio, Phil and Furyk took.  All four players have talked openly about the time and energy they spend on improving their swings.  What’s even scarier, they didn’t know what kind of player they would become after the changes.  They not only risked their golf game, but also their livelyhood with no guarantees.  Several major championships and other world-wide tournament victories later it seemed like a simple decision.  We take the whole process for granted, because we only see the finished product on Sunday.  We missed out on the blood, sweat, and tears it took to make the game improvements.  And like you, the pros had days of confusion and frustration along the way.  And they love the journey just as much as the outcome.

If you don’t change anything, nothing will change
Let’s say you decide to change the motion, you can’t possibly be concerned with the results.  Your attention must be focused on your swing, not the target, not the score, and never the ball.  I hope and pray that you are never thinking about the ball.  Once you start thinking about the ball, you will be right back to where you were the first time you saw your swing.  Hence, if you don’t change your thoughts, you will not change your swing.  If it doesn’t feel different, it probably isn’t.  If you are wanting the changes to feel comfortable....well...you already know what comfortable looks like. 

]]> Ball Bound Thinking tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.192 2006-06-30T20:26:43-08:00 2008-12-03T03:01:06-08:00 “Hit the ball.” “Keep you eye on the ball.” “Make good contact.” “Rip it.” “Hit it.” “Swing at it.” “Hit another one.” “Try to hit the back of the ball.” Is this your internal dialog?  For some it’s the only dialog.  We fear that if we think of anything else we will miss the ball completely.  And if we miss, we will embarrass ourselves.  Others will think bad thoughts of us because we are bad golfers.  It’s this fear that keeps us focused on the ball.  This thought dates back to the first advice you probably received, “keep your eye on the ball.” There is good news.  You all are doing exactly what you are trying to do, thinking about the ball.  My experience of watching miles of video tape has convinced me that players are thinking way to much about the ball.  And I’ve never seen anyone, in my short 11,000 lesson career, look up!  Besides, why would you turn away from the thing that is controlling the motion of your swing? 2006-06-30T20:26:43-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com After several attemps of trying to focus on the ball, many of you decide to take a golf lesson.  You finish the golf lesson with some new ideas, and hopefully a new perspective.  But when you try it the next day, you hit a few good shots followed by several awful shots, some worse than ever.  Your next strategic move is what will put my kids through college,(Caris and Finnegan thank you).  You abandon the idea of feeling something new, because you need instant gratification that it’s working.  So to make a long story short, you basically go back to thinking about the ball.  You come back to the next lesson, and nothing has changed.  Of course nothing has changed, you decided to think about the ball again.

You need something to think about.  Would you rather make solid contact, or have your ball go to the target?  I’ll give you a hint:  pros don’t always make solid contact.  Think about the goal.  The goal is the target.  Or is the goal the ball?  When we play with fear, the goal is the ball.  This is because we don’t want to embarrass ourselves by missing, so we due what’s safe.

Steps to remove ball bound thinking
The first step to freedom from the ball, is to remove the ball!  It’s not rocket science.  The next step, is to throw clubs at the target.  That’s right, let’em fly!  The simple thought of considering such an act requires an open mind to what is possible.  Do you think it is possible to feel your natural swing by throwing clubs?  Do you think if you could throw a club straight and far that it might reassemble YOUR natural swing?  And this swing might possibly be filled with effortless power and be tension free.  The freedom you would feel could be enlightening.

This idea of club throwing is not mine.  Sixty of my closest friends and I learned this phenomenal experience, from Fred Shoemaker.  This was just a small part of the workshop with Fred, but very empowering.  Throwing clubs empowers you to feel and be aware of your movement and tempo.  And it’s yours.  Some people can’t put the feeling in English, but after some practice they know their swing and own it.

Here is how it works
Gather about a dozen old clubs and head to a field or park.  Find an open area, where no people or fragile objects are around.  The reason is that at first it can be very dangerous.  When my colleague Ernie Barbour and I first started having our students throw clubs, we just about tore the teaching bays apart.  We had students tossing clubs with so much tension they wouldn’t let go of the club until it was too late.  That’s right!  Several throws never made it out of the building!  Ouch, lots of broken glass and close calls.  Thankfully, there was no bodily harm.  So please find an open area.  Make the first dozen throws only about 15 feet to get a feel for it.  Then, take it back and let it go.  My advice is to look at the target (not down) as you throw clubs.  This will make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your practice.  After a couple hundred throws, shift to a fuller swing.

Ball vs. Target Comparison
Below is a swing comparison of a gentleman who has a fixation with the ball.  The top row of pictures illustrates his repetitious ball-bound swing.  Many would say he has bad habits that will take a long time to correct.  Unless, he does one very simple thing.  Stop thinking about the ball.  The bottom row of pictures is club throwing.  Once you take your mind off the ball you will have the freedom to swing naturally.

The picture comparisons are unbelievable, even to me.  And I’m not easily surprised.  Dramatic shifts from poor body positions to tension filled bent arms on the follow through.  The results are unimaginable, especially since there are no swing thoughts!  None!  Zilch!

I can tell you from what I’ve experienced and the feedback from several hundred others that the feeling is exactly what every golfer needs to feel in the swing.  You can read Fred’s book, “Extraordinary Golf” and acquire even more knowledge on this topic.  But you will never get the true experience from a book or this article.  You will actually need to embarrass yourself by throwing clubs.  You will most likely be looked upon as an outcast and a freak to the rest of the golfing culture.  If your are a person who is trying to keep an image of looking good, and not embarrassing yourself, club throwing is not for you.  Besides, it’s not polite to throw clubs.  If you need a safe place to learn to throw clubs, stop in for a lesson.  I’m already teetering on the border of insanity, so you can tell everyone I made you do it.  Besides, you cannot be a champion if you think, act and project yourself as normal.  Give it a try.  It’s actually a lot of fun seeing how good you can get!

We are gathering names interested in the next workshop with Fred Shoemaker.  Please email me if you are interested. pa@perryandrisen.com

]]> Putt Like a Champ tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.183 2006-05-23T20:44:45-08:00 2007-11-01T03:00:06-08:00 In a couple of weeks there will be a contest between the best putters in the world.  The name of the contest is the U.S. Open.  And the favorites to win the contest are also the best putters in the world.  The winner of the contest will also have the least number of putts, averaging 26 putts per day.  Putts will be made and putts will be missed.  But in my opinion, the biggest difference between the greatest putters in the world and average putters is that the greatest putters know why they miss putts and average putters do not. To prove my theory, I ran a test.  I gave 20 random golfers, between a 7 and a 36 handicap, just one chance to make a 10-foot putt that broke 3 inches.  By the way, the PGA Tour average has been right at or around 42 percent from 10 feet for the last three years.  My test involved two questions and an observation.  I asked each player how much break they saw, I then observed where they aimed, and after the putt I asked them why they thought they made or missed their putt.  Only two people made the putt (10%), but this was not the reason for the test.  What I found was… 2006-05-23T20:44:45-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com not what I expected.  Every player had a unique situation, let me give you a couple examples.

Example 1
A 7 handicapper was the only one of the group to read the putt correctly, which was 3 inches right of the hole.  Despite his read, he then proceeded to aim his putter face left of the hole, which was about 7 inches left of where he said he was going to aim.  He stroked his putt, which started out rolling directly at the hole, not the 3 inches to the right as he intended, and it missed an inch to the left.  He blamed his miss on not playing enough break.  You decide.

Example 2
A 21 handicapper made the 10-foot putt.  He read 8 inches of break, aimed his putter 3 inches left of the hole, but he started his putt 3 inches right of the hole and it went in!  I asked him how he made it, and he said he didn’t know.  I wasn’t sure myself.  He later admitted he is a streaky putter, but didn’t know why on that either.  I helped him aim correctly, and he refused to hit the putt because he didn’t believe the aim.  I held the putter and he walked behind the ball and looked down his target line at the face of the putter, saw that it was aligned correctly and just shook his head.  He told me this was going to mess him up.  He was not alone, other players didn’t want to hear what I had to say either, and especially the players that think of themselves as good putters.

All of the 20 players had compensations in their strokes.  And none correctly knew why they missed or made their putt.  This is alarming to me.  It might also answer the question why people don’t practice their putting.  I found there is no reason to practice, especially if you don’t know what you are doing right or wrong.  You will never improve no matter how much you practice or how many putters you buy.

I have organized a list of what I feel are the most important factors to putt like a champ.  I have also listed keys to improving and helpful teaching aids for each aspect of putting.

Reading the Green
Yes, reading the green correctly is the number one way to improve your putting.  It is also the least practiced putting skill.  I’ve never, ever witnessed anyone reading a putt before they roll a putt on the practice green.  Most players read the putt after they roll the first ball to see what it does.  Green reading is a skill that is developed over time.  It is more art than science.  It is a guess, and the more educated the guess the better the green reader.
How to Improve:  Crouch down at least 30 feet behind your ball and on your target line.  Look at the line of the putt.  Then look from fringe to fringe to see the general slope of the entire green.  Then, walk to the hole and feel with your feet what the slope is.  Look at the hole and imagine the hole being filled with water, and decide what side of the hole the water will leak out when the hole fills up.  Then unfortunately it’s an educated guess.
Teaching aids: Pelz Putting Tutor

Starting the Ball on Line
Starting the ball on line requires one to make a stroke that propels the ball on the intended target line.  The bad news is that most people don’t start the ball on their intended line.  The good news is that these people don’t read their putt correctly either.
How to Improve: You will need the feed back of teaching aid that lets you know you are starting the ball on your intended line.
Teaching aids: Pelz Putting Tutor

Aiming
Aiming short putts is more important than aiming long putts because you need to be precise when aiming short putts.  My estimate is that 90% of players are aiming incorrectly or not precisely enough.  Aiming seems so simple, yet when you aim incorrectly you make compensations in your stroke that reinforce bad aim.
How to Improve:  Aim your putter while standing behind the putt (down your target line).  This is the best view to see where the putter blade is aimed.  Slowly walk around to the grip without moving the putter.  Take one look at the hole for distance and go.  This technique is how Betsy King has putted for years.
Teaching aids: Pelz Putting Tutor

Solid Contact
Its just as important to make solid contact with your putts as it is with your fullswings.  Solid contact has the biggest impact on distance control.  If your contact is inconsistent so is your distance.
How to Improve:  Use one of the teaching aids below for feedback.
Teaching aids that will help with this: Impact tape, Pelz clips, band aids

Grip Pressure
You should be holding your putter as light as a cell phone.  And the pressure should be consistent from start to finish.  This will help improve distance control.
How to Improve: Close your eyes and roll putts.  Observe your hands, not contact, from start to finish.  Is their any change in the grip pressure?  Is it pretty consistent?  Or are you having a grand mal seizure at impact?

Pre-shot Routine
Your pre-shot putting routine is a vital element to great putting especially at the competitive level.  The routine should help set your tempo and calm you down in any situation.

Roll the Ball End-Over-End
Place a line all the way around the ball and just roll some putts.  Don’t aim at a hole until you can roll the ball so the line is clear and not wobbly.  If you ball wobbles you are a streaky putter at best, because any wobble tells me you are putting side spin on your putts.  Side spin causes you putt to roll off line and make it difficult to control distance.
Teaching aids:  Line M Up, Pelz O Balls

Distance Control
Distance control is a combination of green reading (uphill vs. downhill), solid contact, rolling the ball end over end, and grip tension.  The tempo should remain the same, only the length of the stroke will change.
The best way to practice distance control is step off and place coins on the green at 5 yards, 10 yards, 15 yards, and 20 yards.  I have three levels for this.
Level One - Roll ten putts from each distance saying the number of yards the putt is in your head.  For example: on a 10 yard putt repeat the number ten at least three times before the stroke, “10...10...10”.  This is a much better idea than saying, “hit this one hard, because you left the last two short.” And because there is no failure in golf only outcomes, notice how many yards past or short the hole the ball finished.  If the ball rolled three yards past, you just learned what a 13 yard putt felt like.
Level Two - Roll ten putts from each distance saying the number, and putt every other ball with your eyes closed.  You should be just as good with your eyes closed as open.
Level Three - Roll ten putts from each distance saying the number with your eyes closed, and guessing how far the ball rolled in feet short or past the hole.

Path
Yes, path is way down at number nine.  I realize it’s the most talked about part of putting, but I feel it is highly over rated.  We tend to blame our stroke when we miss putts and I don’t believe this is the case. 
Teaching aids: The putting arc


Make putting fun
I understand that practicing your putting can be boring.  My advice is to find someone to putt against, or make a game out of a putting drill.  The rules can be whatever you like, but if you lose or don’t complete the drill leave five bucks in the hole.  That will put the pressure on.

In conclusion, know why you are missing putts.  Practice your putting with feedback.  If you are still not sure why you miss putts sign-up for one of my Putting Schools.  Everyone leaves with a full understanding of why they make or miss putts.  Click on the following Putting Schools for more detail. 
JUNE 1st
JUNE 10th

You will never be a champion, if you can’t putt!

]]> Hello World tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.174 2006-04-29T21:18:05-08:00 2007-12-07T04:00:03-08:00 by Dr. Darrell Lavin -Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner In 1996, two words changed the game of golf.  The words, “Hello World” uttered by Tiger Woods changed the way golfers, both professional and amateur, would think about how golf was played and how to prepare for golf. Prior to 1996 there were very few golfers that would even consider lifting weights or spending time in a gym.  Gary Player, an avid proponent of fitness, was considered an oddity.  It was thought that working out would lead to loss of the flexibility that is a vital component in the golf swing. Then Woods, who made fitness a priority, won more and more tournaments, many times by unthinkable margins.  He won the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach by 15 strokes over his nearest competitor.  He surpassed the field by 8 strokes at the 2000 British Open at St. Andrews.  It was becoming obvious that not only was Woods outdriving all of his opponents, he was outlasting them.  As they fatigued, they made mistakes, opening the door for Woods. 2006-04-29T21:18:05-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com Golfers who wanted to compete realized that working out was going to be a requirement.  Pre-tournament coffee and donuts were replaced by pre-tournament fruit, protein smoothies, cardio and stretching.  Post-tournament martinis were replaced by post-tournament gym and driving range sessions.  The fitness trailer became a regular haunt for the golfers who wanted to compete on the money list.

Golfers who were thought to be “over the hill” turned to golf fitness specialists to help them maintain the strength, flexibility and coordination that is required to compete at a high level.

In the March 4, 2006 issue of GolfWeek, Davis Love III noted “It used to be my dad made us quit (high school) basketball because the coach wanted us to lift weights and he was worried what that would do to our swing.” Love said.  “Now, I don’t feel right if I don’t work out.”

In the same article, Todd Anderson, director of golf instruction at Sea Island Georgia (Love’s home course) noted “Back then, nobody did the fitness thing like they do now.  Fitness has become kind of cool.”

According to the GolfWeek article, Love’s primary reason for turning to golf specific fitness training was his inability - because of stiffness and weakness - to do what his golf coach was asking him to do.  Injuries, and time, had robbed him of much of his flexibility, and forced him to compensate to maintain his club head speed.

Conversely, many young golfers have incredible flexibility (just look at the swings of Michelle Wie and Morgan Pressel) but without appropriate fitness training they lack the stability and strength to maintain the consistency that is critical in golf.

Interestingly, this scenario is no different for the amateur golfer and the weekend club golfer.  Despite ever-changing golf technology and equipment that promises longer, higher, faster, more accurate shots, there is no significant improvement in the average golf score.  Handicaps are not improving despite these changes in technology.  This is because, even with the best equipment, a golfer still relies on one main component in order to hit a golf ball well; the function of his or her own body. 

Even with great equipment, a golfer has to learn how to swing the club appropriately and have the physical ability to perform and coordinate the movements that the teaching pro is asking of them. 

If a golfer has a lack of flexibility, lack of muscle group strength, lack of coordination of movements or lack of ability to maintain balance throughout the golf swing, then they will not be able to repeat a golf swing that allows them to hit consistent, accurate, long golf shots.  As a result, their game will be a series of inconsistent shots resulting in poor scores.  Ultimately this can lead to frustration, injury and finally quitting the game.

There are few things better than the feeling of hitting a pure golf shot.  What is even better is being able to string together a series of pure shots leading to a great score on a golf hole, then stringing together a series of great holes, allowing for a great score for a round of golf.  What makes this possible are the following factors:
1. Proper golf swing technique and mechanics as taught by a PGA teaching professional.
2. Proper golf equipment that matches your body.
3. Proper golf fitness, which is specific to your body’s individual needs, that allow it to perform at it’s peak level.

THE TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
Proper golf swing technique can only be gained with the help of a PGA trained golf instructor.  It is very unlikely that someone is gifted with a swing that requires no instruction.  Even Tiger Woods has regular golf instruction.  Many golf swings have been ruined by taking the advice of the guy who just beat you on the local golf course.  A PGA teaching professional has the training to accurately detect flaws in your swing and give you appropriate instruction to make corrections.  They will use technology, such as split screen video recording, so that you can watch your own swing from a variety of views.  The golf pro will also teach you much more than just hitting a driver.  They will teach you all aspects of the game including driving, long irons, the short game, pitching, chipping, sand shots, putting and much more.  Additionally, they will teach you the importance of course management.

Even the world’s greatest golfers have their own teaching pros.  If you want to be a better golfer, you simply have no option.  You will need a PGA qualified teaching pro.


THE CLUBMAKER
Secondly, even with a great golf swing, if you have the wrong golf equipment, you will not be able to strike the ball correctly and efficiently.  As a result, you will be forced to change your swing and make compensations that can lead to swing flaws and even worse, injury.  It is important that a trained clubmaker evaluates your swing to determine how your clubs should be set up.  Clubs can be altered for length, weight, grip size, shaft flexibility, shaft torque, club head loft and lie, etc.  All of these factors should be matched to your specific needs based on your body type, height, strength, swing speed and swing plane.  You simply cannot buy a set of clubs off of the internet or off of the shelf and hope that they will fit you.  With all of these factors, odds are that store-bought clubs will not fit your specific needs.

Even professional golfers will spend hours with the clubmaker, hitting balls, using computer analysis to make very small adjustments in the set-up of their clubs.  Despite how complicated this sounds, a good club maker will require little time to determine the best set-up for your specific needs.

GOLF FITNESS
The golf swing is a very complicated maneuver.  Even with proper instruction and fitted clubs, if your body is not ready to swing the clubs properly, in a controlled and coordinated manner, you will not be able to golf as efficiently and as effectively as you should.

A Golf Fitness Specialist will perform a functional assessment of your body and it’s movements, to determine where you might have flaws in functional movement, stability, balance, coordination or weakness that can lead to sub-par golf (or other sport) performance.

A teaching professional might ask you to make certain moves, but if your body is not capable of the mobility or stability that is required, you will not be able to perform the movement that is being requested of you.  On the other hand, perhaps it is possible for your body to make that specific move, but it just cannot coordinate it, and therefore fails in the attempt.

Based on the findings that the golf fitness specialist makes, a series of specific stretches, exercises and drills should be prescribed for you.  These will help correct the flaws and allow you to make or coordinate the specific moves requested by the teaching pro.  Again, it is very important that the stretches, exercises and drills are specific to your needs and are aimed at correcting your “weak links.”

It is very easy to go to the internet and download a thousand “golf specific” exercises, but it is very important to keep in mind that it is GOLFER specific exercises that will help, not GOLF specific exercises.  Doing the wrong exercises, even if they are “golf specific” could do more harm than good.  The exercises you do to improve your game MUST be specific to YOUR needs.

I see this all the time in my office when a patient brings in a booklet or pamphlet that was given to them by another doctor, a therapist or a friend.  The non-specific approach has little chance of working.

It is important that the stretches, exercises and drills that someone does are aimed at specific needs.  It is also important that there is follow up to make sure that they are doing the exercises correctly and that after a pre-determined period of time, they are re-assessed to note their improvements and if they need a change of exercises to fit new needs.

Although this article specifically discusses golf, it can apply to any sport.  For someone to perform an athletic skill, it requires that the body is able to have joint mobility, joint stability and appropriate coordination of the movement sequence.  If this is not the case, they might be the athlete who suffers repetitive injuries or has chronic discomfort.

Golf is a sport that requires a lot of repetition, and injuries are very common.  By relying on your golf teaching pro for golf instruction, making sure your equipment fits your needs and training with a golf fitness specialist to make sure that your body functions as well as possible, you will be able to enjoy the game more, play more rounds, play better and have more enjoyment out of the game.

Dr. Darrell S. Lavin has had his private chiropractic practice in Castro Valley since 1989.  He has completed certification as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner and as a Qualified Medical Evaluator.  He has also done training with the Titleist Performance Institute and Body Balance for Performance.  He works with golfers of all skill levels to help enhance their functional movements, thereby allowing them to enjoy golf more with less chance of injury.  For more information or to schedule an appointment he can be contacted at 510-727-0660 or by e-mail at doclavin@sbcglobal.net.

]]> How to Take Instruction tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.173 2006-04-05T17:35:50-08:00 2008-12-07T02:01:09-08:00 The first step is to sign-up!!  Call ahead of time, most instructors are quite busy.  On the day of the lesson, arrive early to give yourself time to check-in and hit a few range balls to warm up.  Bring an open mind to the lesson and be ready to exchange information.  The more information you provide the instructor at the beginning of the lesson, the more beneficial the lesson will be to you.  Be honest and tell the instructor all of the thoughts and feelings you have about your game.  It’s a good idea to bring a list of goals and things you think you need to work on.  A good instructor will make recommendations based on all of the information you provide. A golf lesson is not a test The instructor is not testing your ability to play golf.  Just because you may not be a good golfer does not mean you will be a bad student. The goal of the instructor is to help you have more fun playing golf.  This may involve asking questions, examining your equipment, finding out your physical abilities and limitations, and developing an overall understanding of your game.  And hopefully he/she asks why you came to the lesson, and provides you with a plan specific to your needs.  If you are taking a fullswing lesson, make sure you have a full understanding of how the new changes will effect your ballflight.  This will lower frustration and be valuable feedback when practicing between lessons. 2006-04-05T17:35:50-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com How to pick an instructor
Golf instructors are like college professors.  Good teachers have the knowledge, but great teachers can explain it in a simple yet fascinating way.  If you took a lesson in the past and didn’t see immediate results, try a different instructor.  Not all problems are easy to fix, but you should get a firm understanding of what you are doing wrong, why you are changing it, and what you need to do.  Selecting the best instructor for you is crucial.  Start with one lesson, if your experience wasn’t fun and you didn’t learn anything, the instructor was probably not a good match for you.


Private Lessons vs. Golf Schools
There are several ways to go about instruction.  If you have a lot of time and would like to stretch out the learning process, take private lessons.  This is the approach of learning one chunk of information at a time.

A typical series of private lessons works like this: You take one private lesson every two weeks.  It’s you job to practice between lessons or your results will be minimal.  By the end of a series, you will hope to have your swing down and be able to try it on the course. This could take a month or a year depending on your schedule, issues you would like to correct, and your dedication to the process.

I’m not against private instruction.  In fact I teach hundreds of private lessons a year.  It’s just not the fastest way to learn the game.  This is because what you usually get from a traditional golf lesson is a swing lesson.  And a swing lesson can be great.  It can be the difference between quitting the game and playing it forever.  But after a few of these swing lessons we get trapped into thinking our swing is why we are not doing very well. 

The reality is that the game is more than having a good golf swing.  The game is assessing the lie, the wind and the terrain; it’s selecting the right club, course management, pre-shot routine, trouble shots, rules, etiquette, scoring, and the camaraderie of others.  These are all parts of the game not usually covered in a traditional golf lesson.  Trust me, PGA Tour players are not taking traditional golf lessons.  They are looking for a lesson that evaluates their entire game.  For a full game evaluation, sign-up for a one-day golf school. Like many golf instructors, I offer them in two formats. A “New Golfer School” and a “One Day School.”

New Golfer School
A New Golfer School is the best and quickest way to learn to play golf.  You will learn all of the basic techniques for golf, and how to apply them on the course.  In this small group setting, you will have plenty of one-on-one instruction and the camaraderie of others.  We will start a relationship that will last long after the day is over.

During a New Golfer School you will learn how to safely play the game and how to avoid embarrassment.  O.K. I can’t guarantee all of the embarrassment part.  You will learn the rules, etiquette, safety, dress code, pre-round and post-round duties.  We will be on the course experiencing many situations that happen in golf.  You will leave with the confidence to entertain clients, and learn the proper attire and lingo to fit in with the culture of golfers.  I’ll admit your game will not be perfect, but at least you will know how to play the game and what to expect.  And you will learn it all in a day!  CLICK HERE to view a typical day at a New Golfer School.

1 Day School
A One Day School is for intermediate and advanced golfers.  These are players who have been playing golf for a while but are frustrated or would like to take their game to the next level.  In this small group setting you will have plenty of one-on-one instruction and the camaraderie of others.  We will cover several facets of the game, have lunch, and spend the afternoon on the golf course.  On the course, I can see how you play and will have a clear understanding of what is really holding you back.  CLICK HERE to view a typical day at a One Day School.

In My Opinion
I’m not always right, but I’m never in doubt.  I feel the best way to take instruction is to take a series of lessons that focus on basic technique.  Learn basic techniques for putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play and the fullswing.  Then, at some point during the series, you need an evaluation of your ability to play the game.  Take an on-course private lesson or join a One Day Golf School.  On-course instruction is very beneficial, and could be the best way to increase your fun meter!

]]> giftcertificate tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/weblog/juniorprograms/1.168 2006-03-10T01:56:14-08:00 2005-12-03T09:01:08-08:00 Please click on the button below to purchase a gift certificate in any amount.  Thanks, Perry 2006-03-10T01:56:14-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com Please click on the button below to purchase a gift certificate in any amount.  Thanks, Perry




]]> Eat in the Zone tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.166 2006-03-09T19:12:11-08:00 2005-12-03T09:01:08-08:00 Playing in the zone starts with eating in the zone.  Tour players know playing golf in the zone requires a relaxed focus and attention that is difficult to sustain without proper eating habits.  Most tour players are on diets that help them to think and perform better.  If you are thinking of steroid diets, that would be a different sport. The so-called ‘experts’ have divided our health and into three areas: psychological, physical, and chemical.  All three are equally important and related.  Nutrition from the chemical portion of the triad has a heavy influence on the other two.  When you change your diet, your mood and your body will change.  Think of how crabby you get when you are hungry, how lazy you are after eating incorrectly, and how diet affects your physical and mental fatigue.  And if you don’t think this affects your golf game, type unsubscribe in an email and send it to pa@perryandrisen.com. 2006-03-09T19:12:11-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com The ‘Zone Diet’, popularized in books by Barry Sears, advocates “hormonal thinking” instead of caloric thinking as an approach to eating.  The Zone is the state that your body is in when your hormones are in balance.  And when your body is in balance, so is your mind.

Being in the Zone requires proper balance of the hormone insulin.  When insulin levels are neither too high nor too low, the human body is not busy storing excess calories as fat which means they are available when needed. The human body cannot store fat and burn fat at the same time, and it takes time (significant time if insulin levels were high because of unbalanced eating) to switch from the former to the latter. With balanced eating you are able to tap into stored fat to gain energy and loss weight. The ‘Zone Diet’ centers around a ‘40:30:30’ ratio of calories obtained daily from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, respectively. The exact formula is always under debate, but for now I’ll trust Dr. Sears.
How to Eat in The Zone

For every 9grams of carbohydrates you eat, you need to match 7 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fat.  A typical Zone meal will consist of approximately 36 grams of carbohydrates, 28 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fat.  There are good and bad choices for each macronutrient (carb, protein, and fat), but just attempting to eat in the zone is a good start.  Start the day by eating a zone meal within one hour of waking.  Eat either a Zone meal or snack no more than five hours apart, and drink eight glasses of water throughout the day.  That is it.  Start treating food like a drug and observe what you feel, see, and think.

There are three possible senerios that occur four hours after eating.  The first is no hunger and good mental focus, which tells you the ratio of carbs to protein was in the Zone.  The second senerio is that you experience a poor mental focus, telling you your brain is starving and you need to decrease your carb intake next time you eat that perticular meal.  The third senerio is that you sustained a good mental focus, but became hungery, thus telling you to increase your carb intake the next time you eat this meal.

The Zone is a state of mind and body that you are already in, not become.  You are basically in the zone throughout your daily activities.  I can only imagine the accidents we would have on our freeways if we were not driving in the zone.  You are on cruise control throughout your life, why not play golf in the zone?  The only thing that can take you out of the zone is you.  You and your imagination can decide to make a situation pleasant or uncomfortable.  This discomfort can stem from many sources, make sure food is not one of them.  Try eating in the zone you will be amazed at how well you think, feel, and perform. 



]]> Athletic Posture tag:perryandrisen.com,2006:index.php/4.150 2006-01-31T05:43:32-08:00 2007-12-06T01:01:02-08:00 This is not the common way to achieve proper golf posture, but it will make the most sense.  There is a new way evolving on how to teach golf.  The new philosophy is based on the premise that you can’t teach a position to a player who is physically incapable of repeating the position.  Instead of forcing a position, condition the body through physical exercise to naturally be in the proper position without effort.  And posture is no exception to this way of thinking. Your posture is pre-determined by the physiological make up of your body.  I can help you get into an athletic posture, but you most likely will feel uncomfortable.  The muscles in your back and hamstrings might feel tight, ridged, and/or fatigued.  Even though I can help you look like a 2 handicapper in the mirror, the problem is that it takes a lot of tension and focus to get into the proper posture because we are not there naturally… 2006-01-31T05:43:32-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com Proper Posture
  • Fairly flat back
  • Bend from the hips - Check out the angle of the belt line
  • Butt out
  • Slight knee flex
  • Weight balanced - Like you just landed on earth
  • Arms hang relaxed - Very relaxed.






What proper posture does
Proper posture puts you in an athletic position to swing the club.  The potential of your swing is determined by your posture at address.  Rounded shoulders (above - right) at address prevent you from having a neutral spin, which will limit the amount you can turn your shoulders on your backswing.  Rounded shoulders also cause tightness in the swing.  A neutral spine or flat back at address will give you more turn.  And more turn equals more distance.  The club swings effortless and automatically on plane.  Notice the comparison of the right shoulders at the top of the swing, in relation to the set-up. 

Here are some exercises you can do to improve your posture.

Hip stretch
This is my favorite stretch.  Place a bent knee between your hands and keep the back leg straight.  As you lower to the ground keep your hips level.  Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then switch legs.  You should feel this stretch in your glutes.  Because tight hips cause most back pain, this stretch is quick relief of lower back pain.  This stretch increases hip flexibility to allow a bending and rotation of the hips.

Dynamic hamstring stretch
Before I started yoga I could barely touch my knees.  This stretch is a step up from the “touch your toes” stretch.  This stretch is done dynamically (in motion).  Stand perpendicular to a wall and place an extended left hand on the wall for balance.  Hold your right hand extended up at a 45 degree angle as a target, and kick your right leg up to it.  What you want to do is kick the leg up as far as you can, and let it swing back behind you as far as you can.  Fifteen kicks with each leg should do it.  The golf swing is done dynamically and so should your stretches.  This exercise will allow you to bend from the hips without tension in your hamstrings.

Back extensions
I prefer to do these with a large physio ball.  I like to do these in sets of 30, and in three different positions.  Place the ball under your thighs for the lower back, midway for the mid back, and on the chest for the upper back and neck.  As you are doing repetitions, stop at the top and bottom for a split second to avoid bouncing.  This helps strengthen the entire back, which helps support the weight of your torso at address.

Abs
If you need an exercise for these you’ve been living in a cave with Osama bin Laden and have bigger problems than weak abs.  The issue here is consistently doing the exercises.  Find an exercise for the upper abdominals.  Another excerise that works the lower abdominals.  And a third exercise that works the oblique muscles (sides) .  Your abs help with trunk support in the set-up.

Upper back
Resistance rubber cords will do the trick.  I like to sit on the physio ball to work a little core stability and balance.  Place the cords at eye level and pull your thumbs to your arm pits, while keeping your elbows level and spine neutral.  These will help strengthen the muscles between the shoulder blades.  It is also beneficial to find a stretch for the pectoral muscles.  Most men have stronger pectoral muscles than upper back muscles, therefore the upper back appears rounded which imbalances the spine and puts pressure on the lower back.

The above stretches and exercises will help you to improve your athletic posture.  15 minutes a day is all it will take.  You should see results within two weeks.  Items you will need: Physio ball - $20, rubber cord - $7, a room in your house - very expensive.


]]> The Off Season tag:perryandrisen.com,2005:index.php/4.149 2005-12-29T18:35:29-08:00 2008-12-06T16:00:09-08:00 It’s officially here.  40 days of rain and Noah’s Ark is just about ready to pull away from the station.  The football season is in high gear and the Denver Broncos are well on their way to winning it all, well almost.  And with the holidays almost over, golf is the last thing on our minds.  Unless, you wanted to make a big impact in your game before the 2006 season starts.  This is your chance to make long term changes in your game, without the distraction of short term results.  Here are few off season ideas… 2005-12-29T18:35:29-08:00 Perry pa@perryandrisen.com http://www.perryandrisen.com The first step is to decide what you didn’t like about your game last year.  Try to be honest and specific.  It could have been many things; lack of playing time, ability to score lower, ball striking, shortgame, mental game, or you just didn’t enjoy yourself.  After you decide, make a commitment to yourself to only focus on these main reasons for the entire year.  And get ready to play and practice in a totally different way, especially if you want different results.  It would be insane* to start off the year doing what you just did for the last 15 years.  Let me give you a few new ways to practice during the off season. 

Note: insane* - doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a different result. 

Fundamentals in a Mirror
The truth is in what you see, not in what you feel.  Use the mirror now while it’s still raining, this way your urge to hit a ball is not a distraction from working on your fundamentals. The mirror will give you an observer’s perspective on your swing and set-up.  Confirm in the mirror: your grip, posture, ball position, pre-shot routine, then watch yourself take a few tension free swings. 

Here’s a great swing-path drill for those of you who swing outside-in: Set-up as if you are going to hit the ball through the mirror. Make a very, very slow swing and stop halfway through the follow-through. The clubhead should appear to cover your nose in the mirror (as in the photo). Try to accomplish this position with several slow swings, gently stopping your follow-through halfway through. Then, take swings watching the blur of the club pass through your eyes (in the mirror) on the follow-through. Note: If your head is down, you will have no chance of seeing the path of your swing.  And if the club does not pass through your nose you are still swinging outside-in.

Putting
If you are missing putts, you need to figure out why.  I think the Putting Tutor, a Dave Pelz product, can clear up most of your problems.  You just set the Tutor up in your living room, if your family allows for such an activity, and spend 10 minutes a day on it for the rest of the football season.  And if your putting doesn’t improve… well this is not possible, trust me.

More Distance
Let’s say you were hoping for more distance by next season.  Let me let you in on a little secret; distance doesn’t just show up like Santa in the night.  Improving your distance can be quite a process.  There are several keys to distance.  They are:

  • Ball speed (not clubhead speed)
  • Optimum launch angle.  The optimum angle your ball should take off is based on your ball speed.
  • Optimum spin rate.  The optimum spin rate is also based on your ball speed.

    So distance is based on ball speed, I’m sure that was a big surprise.  To improve your ball speed you need to improve on the following: and they are in order:

  • Make contact with the ball in the middle of the clubface.
  • The clubface needs to be square to your target line at contact
  • The path of your swing needs to be ‘on-plane’.  If you’re not sure if your club is on-plane, stop in for a lesson and we will clear that up with video analysis.
  • New clubs.  Depending on what you are using now, it could make a big difference.
  • The length of your swing helps with the speed of the club, which compliments ball speed.
  • Flexibility to make a full and relaxed turn
  • Strength to generate speed
  • Balance to harness speed
  • Coordination and timing to have everything together

    And 8 of the 9 steps require an awareness of what’s really happening.  It sound like a lot, and it is.  Remember the list is in order.  If you were to improve on the first four steps you might see a hugh change in your distance.  If you see minimum improvement in your distance just by improving your swing then it’s time to look at the last five steps.  Most of the physical limitations are very obtainable with just a little physical training.  The training I do with Aaron Thigpen is focused on overall athleticism.  We work on speed, explosiveness, flexibility, core strength, balance, and coordination.  Most of which is done without lifting any weights.

    Whatever you are wishing for in 2006 I hope you get it!  Caution: be careful what you wish for!!

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