Greetings from soggy Texas

El Nino has struck in our area of the world. Rain, rain go away, come again another day. We typically have 42-43 inches of rain in a year. This year we are up to 70" with over two months to go. It has been frustrating.

During times like these, I try to keep active in mind and body. So I went to an old standby, Shawn Clement golf. Watched several videos with emphasis on what the body does in a golf swing. Then I began swinging indoors feeling the back shoulder and hip (the right side shoulder and hip for a right handed player) move out of the way on the backswing. I have been trying to incorporate this move into my swing recently. While practicing a thought came into my head from David Lee. You may remember David from Gravity Golf. He believed that at the beginning of the forward swing, the torso should move away from the ball to counter balance the arms and club going toward the ball. This led to the idea of my left shoulder and hip moving out of the way going forward. The immediate feeling was one of freedom, balance and speed. The club felt and sounded like it had sped up with out any extra effort.

Now I had to hit a golf ball to see if a) this would work with a driver? and b) would this work with a shot off the ground? I started with hitting a driver. The sound of impact and the sight of the ball against the sky left me in disbelief. I couldn't believe I had hit this booming tee shot. I continued hitting drivers with the same result. Consistent, balanced, and very solid. Now it was time for a ball off the ground.

I started with a 3 metal. I have had difficulty with this club over the last several years. Contact was spotty and the results were less than satisfying. With some anxiety, I set a ball on the ground and swung. The same balanced and solid contact. I tried other clubs with the same satisfying results. It was late in the day and I decided to wait till the next day for conformation on the course. Little did I know this wouldn't come for another week.

Finally, Saturday afternoon the 17th, I took my clubs out on the course. I played the first five holes with same result. Birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie. I had never started a round with five consecutive birdies. Unfortunately, I couldn't play more than two more holes before I had to leave. What surprised me was the effect this movement would have on my chipping, pitching and putting.

I have had trouble with putts less than six feet. Any putt with a left to right break would often break too much and miss on the right. This has been extremely frustrating. When I would let my left shoulder move out of the way, the ball really kept the line. Chipping and pitching has been equally effective.

The next step is tournament play. I'm not sure when this will come but I will report on the results.

Thanks for your attention

Mike Hurley
PGA Professional

Finally someone has the right diagnosis for Tiger Woods

Yesterday I was home watching the Buick Open and heard Peter Kostis say that Tiger's problems are in his grip and set-up. Welcome to the party. Tiger sets up wrong for his left eye dominance. At address, his spine angle is far too upright and his shoulders do not have enough tilt. This causes him to not get behind the ball at the top of his swing. From there he has to manipulate the club to make solid contact.

Lately I have been hitting ball left handed to test my eye dominance theories. If I get my front (right) arm and the shaft in a straight line tilted toward the target, I hit nice shots. I hit a left handed drive that actually hooked. My left handed set up is different than my right handed set up. I have more shoulder tilt, aim my club at a spot on the ground, and my front (right) arm in line with the shaft of the club. I hope to take pictures of my left hand and right hand set ups and reverse the left hand image. The set ups will not look the same.

My golf right handed golf swing has really improved lately. While giving a lesson the other day, I had the student swing the club back to the point where the shaft of the club was parallel to the ground. At this point, if the grooves of the club are vertical, the club will feel light. However, if the grooves of the club are horizontal, the club will feel much heavier.

As with most of my lessons, I demonstrate the position. I noticed the feel when the grooves were vertical. This was not the sensation I normally felt. I have been paying attention to the lighter feeling as I swing the club. My balance has improved. My ball contact has improved. It has also made a difference on my chipping and pitching. This light feeling should also be felt on the follow through when the club shaft is parallel to the ground.

Until next time.

Mike

Notes on the Players Championship

With all the rain the last 11 days, it gave me a chance to watch a lot of the tournament. I was impressed how Henrik Stenson responded to his poor finish in Saturday's round. He bogeyed #16 from the middle of the fairway, and then 3 putted from 7 feet on #17. However, on Sunday he was by far the best player.

A few words about his caddy, Fannie. He has now won the Match Play and the Players with her on the bag. Being able to converse in your native tongue has to be comforting. Plus, she has won majors with Nick Faldo.

Tiger is definitely struggling. His knee does not allow him to make his old swing. If you watch Tiger from the 97 Masters, he played with a shut face with the club going across the line at the top. To be successful from here, you must be more open at impact in your lower body. Trevino and Duval were both shut faced players. To keep the club face from closing at impact they would move their left hip very open. Tiger gets to the open lower body position by snapping his left leg straight. This really stresses the knee. To maintain this swing requires a lot of work and great timing.

Did you notice how well he swung the club left handed? His follow through looked far more natural than his right handed swing. His right handed swing looks forced. He must munipulate the club to keep on plane and square.

The solution? Tiger must set up with more sideways tilt in his spine. His shoulders will be more tilted. This will allow his right shoulder and hip to rotate around his body. Then he can simply rotate his body through impact without having to snap his leg straight or use his hands to square up the face.

This was the first opportunity to see Ian Poulter play. I was suprised how laid off the club is at the top of his swing. He swings a lot like Jerry Kelly. Ernie Els has a similar look at the top of his swing. In Ernie's case, his grip is too weak. Poulter and Kelly have something in their grip, set-up, or alignment which does not fit them.

I know this sounds like a broken record but, your grip, set-up and alignment must be right for you.

Thanks,
Mike Hurley

Notes on the Masters

What a great tournament. Several players had good chances to win. Only Angel Cabrera answered the call.

How about Phil Mickelson? On Tuesday I watched a highlight special from the 2004 Masters and his then coach Rick Smith was talking about the 12th hole. Smith was saying the key to his victory was the 12th hole. Phil had learned to play the hole with a cut shot from the tee with either an 7 or 8 iron. On Sunday, the announcer said Phil had chosen a 9 iron. When I heard that I knew he would not win. The only way for him to get that club to the hole was to hit a hook toward the water. Bad choice.

On Sunday morning, I enjoyed a brunch with my family. My son asked who I liked to win. I replied Angel Cabrera. He had two things in his favor. #1, he had won a major before. #2, his swing was the soundest of the three leaders.

If you get the chance to watch the Masters in High Definition, do so. The detail was amazing. If you get the chance to go the Masters, do so. I have not been but, everyone who has been says the colors are beautiful and the elevation changes are very dramatic.

Thanks,
Mike Hurley

Product Review - Taylor Made R9 Driver

Three weeks ago I had the opportunity to test the new Taylor Made R9 Driver. It is an interesting concept that has been several years in the making.

The premise of the driver is the ability to change the angle of the face from 1 or 2 degrees open to square to 1 or 2 degrees closed. There are also weight ports in the heel, back and toe of the club. I believe the weights are from 2 grams up to 10 grams each.

The shaft and head connection is made using a screw which tightens the shaft and head together. To change the angle, you simply unscrew the screw, move the head to the new face angle, and re tighten. The weights can be changed the same way.

The different weight and face angle were tested on a machine. The machine made the same swing with the weights and face angle different on each swing. There was as much as an 81 yard difference from left to right.

Taylor Made staff professionals use different face angles and weighting depending on their preferences. Pat Perez has the face 2 degrees open with the heavier weighting in the toe. Scott McCarren has the face 2 degrees closed with the heavier weighting in the heel. The other Taylor Made pros were somewhere in between.

This technology is also available in the fairway metals and hybrids.

This also gives the options of putting different shafts in the same head to see if any benefits are attained.

I believe Nike has similar technology in one of their drivers. I haven't seen it.

If you get a chance, check it out.

My preference was 2 degrees closed with the weighting in the heel.

Mike Hurley

Mapping Your Golf Course

Have you tried Google Earth? It is a marvelous piece of technology. While using it the other day, I looked over the GCC Golf Course. It turns out me directional abilities are over rated. Several holes I thought went a certain way, actually are not the direction I thought they were.

Where this comes into play is when the wind blows from a certain direction, I can plan ahead to how the hole will play with that particular wind direction. There are several holes I thought would were downwind with a south wind are actually somewhat cross wind. This is important when planning the shots needed for different holes.

In what direction is your course laid out? Check out Google Earth and see.

Mike

Thought from the Mercedes Championship

I've watched most of the coverage of the Mercedes and several things have caught my attention.

Ernie Els looks confused. He is thinking way too much. He is playing golf from the analytical (left) side of his brain instead of the creative (right) side. His swing flaws tell me his set-up or grip or both are not suited to him. His grip is way too weak and it looks like his clubs may be too short for him.
It is sad to watch Ernie putt. You can see the lack of confidence.

D.J. Trahan is a hands player. He must be too close to the ball which forces him to pick the club up on the take away.

Boo Weekley sure can hit it. A simple, free flowing motion. If only his putting was the same. I watched his five putt on the 18th hole Friday. Can't figure out why he does what he does with a putter. As he hits the putt, the putter comes up and out instead of flowing through to the finish. This leads to off center hits and little distance control.

Geoff Ogilvy is a great wedge player. He has hit some marvelous shots from all sorts of lies and situations. I don't think he has putted all that well and he's leading by six. He has hit good putts but, he hasn't always got the right line and/or speed. When you hit every wedge it inside three feet, you don't have to putt well.

Notice when the camera is showing a full swing face on how the player's spine is tilted away from the target and his head is over the inside of the right knee. This starting position is crucial to good ball striking.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Mike Hurley