Golfers like to work on their swing and search for the ‘secret’ or golf tip that can help them improve. Although I’m not a big fan of quick tips or jumping around looking for a miracle cure, correct golf mechanics are important.
There is so much contradiction available in the golf world that it can be hard to know what is right or wrong. I have found that if golfers get correct information they can swing better and with more confidence. This is always a good thing 
In 2004 I was involved in a scientific study of the golf swing. This was a comprehensive study and involved analysis of motion, ground reaction forces and muscle activity. After nine months of researching the scientists had come up with some interesting results. These results contradicted many traditional concepts. Below are three ideas that can help you improve your golf technique;
Scientific Secret #1 – Power comes from your hands and arms, not your body
Most of modern instruction places an emphasis on spinning (turning) your body for maximum power. This is not correct. This spinning and turning causes most golfing problems – most notably a weak slice.
The key for maximum power is to swing your hands and arms. The body acts as a support mechanism – moving in response to your hands and arms. Move your arms first and the body will follow. It should never be the other way around.
Have you ever been stuck under a tree with a restricted back swing, then been surprised at how far you’ve hit the ball? This has happened to many golfers and represents the scientific secrets to a better golf swing. With a restricted backswing you are forced to swing your arms, which is exactly what you’re supposed to do.
Scientific Secret #2 – How to have perfect timing
Golfers report that when they are playing well they have more time to hit the ball. During these times their timing is spot on. Scientific analysis has helped identify the secrets to having perfect golf swing timing. Here they are;
- club head traveling along the target line for a longer period of time
- club face pointing at the target for longer period of time
We termed this the Flat Spot Principle. Learning to perform the FSP will give you an unfair advantage. You can hit the ball with confidence because you’ll know that the ball will travel longer and straighter more of the time.
Scientific Secret #3 – How to hit the ball further with less effort
Science has shown it is possible to get more power without straining and hurting your body. Here are the key concepts for doing so;
- Use a shorter back swing. It was found that when golfers relaxed and attempted a shorter back swing they actually INCREASED the length of their swing. This could help explain why golfers can report better results when they swing easier and take a three-quarter length swing.
- Allow a bending of your left arm (your right arm if you’re left-handed). This not only reduces strain and makes the swing easier to perform, you’ll also give yourself a mechanical advantage. A slight bending of your left arm at the top of the swing reduces the moment of inertia and allows you to start the club down more quickly. This will allow your swing to have more speed at the ball.
- Don’t wind your body like a spring. Turning your body tight or as far as you can is not the right thing to do. This is sometimes referred to X factoring. You should strive for a relaxed and comfortable swing – not one that causes you pain or is difficult to do
A bonus Scientific Secret – The Grip
Learning how to hold onto the club can be a difficult thing to learn. There are many pieces of advice to choose from and deciding on the right one is not always easy. Our scientific data identified two key areas that are most important. Get these two concepts correct and you can forget about the rest;
- Choose a grip that allows you to swing the golf club with speed. This should be your greatest priority.
- Choose a grip that YOU find comfortable – not what your instructor says so
This means that you don’t need to worry about Vardon, interlocking or overlapping grips. Find method of holding the club that satisfies the above principles and you’ll do just fine.
As an extra bonus you may find bulking up your grips to your liking. Get your golf professional to add some extra tape under your grip or experiment with some chunky grips that are now on the market. I should have some of these new grips in stock shortly. If you’d like to learn more please contact me.
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These scientific secrets form the basics of BioSwing. One independent scientist was so impressed with the golf swing model that he described BioSwing as the golf swing of the future. To learn more about BioSwing view my Golf Instruction 2.0 package for full details.
No matter how good you golf swing mechanics are you still need to perform the swing automatically and naturally. I still believe this to be golf’s most important skill – when you have good mechanics and can automate that swing you will become the best golfer you can be.
Good golfing,
Cameron
Do you want to play better golf? Most golfers that write to me do but the vast majority don’t know how to do it.
First of all let’s define what better golf is.
My simple version is being able to play good golf out on the golf course. For most golfers this will be hitting shots and scoring as well as you do in practice and in non competitive rounds. If you hit the ball well on the practice tee but lose the plot once you step onto the first tee, you haven’t learned how to play the game yet.
If this sounds like you the game will become frustrating (if it isn’t already) and you will feel like you’re not maximising your potential.
What’s the best way to start playing better golf?
Traditional instruction likes to focus solely on the golf swing and in particular golf swing mechanics. Thinking about your swing (especially while you play) is one of the worst things that you can do. Here’s why;
You become attached to your golf swing. You can’t hit a shot without analysing what went right or wrong. Hit a good shot and you’ll try and replicate it. Hit a bad shot and you’ll try and find a remedy. I call this emotional attachment and it doesn’t allow you to play your best golf. It’s also hard and tiring work!
When I ask golfers to describe to me the best shot or round they’ve played invariably they can’t remember HOW they did it. These situations are like magic and only result when you can let go of your attachment to to golf swing. Letting go enables your instinctive learning machine to take over and perform the skill the way nature intended.
Consciously controlling your swing, worrying about what others think, playing safe and thinking too much about mechanics is a form of emotional attachment.
A friend of mine helps men meet and attract women. It’s not as seedy as it sounds. It’s a reputable business that teaches non confident men how to find a partner in a natural and real way. He is a real world version of Hitch and in a silly kind of way golfers face similar problems.
My friend went on to tell me that guys that struggle with dating think too much and over analyse. They will walk up to a lady worried about what everyone is thinking and usually try a cheesy pick up line, thinking that is the right thing to do. It isn’t.
The golf equivalent is thinking that you’re no good and relying on some quick fix tip to help execute the shot. This rarely works either.
Over thinking and emotional attachment seems like the right thing to do but it is holding you back – no matter what you’re trying to achieve.
The solution? I’m not going to offer you dating advice here, but if you want to improve your golf game then I suggest you take my three round challenge.
For the next three games you play allow yourself to swing with freedom and enthusiasm. Hit the ball in a way that feels good to you. Clear you head of technical thoughts and worry. Let go and stop thinking “how do I do it?”. Tee the ball up and hit the stupid ball!
You’ll have to put thoughts of score and results out of your mind. It’s the only way to make a breakthrough but is well worth the effort. I have found that keeping track of your “free” swings is better than keeping score. See if you can make a natural and free swing at least 75% of the time. This is a good aiming point.
Learning to let go of emotional attachment is not a comfortable thing to do. It will feel weired and even a little scary. But it is something that you have to do if you want to experience better golf. Better golf is just the beginning – after ‘better’ comes remarkable and this is something worth aiming for.
Good golfing,
Cameron
Here’s a list of things that make playing golf more automatically and natural worthwhile;
- Driving to the course knowing you’re going to play well
- Focusing on playing golf rather than on golf tips or other gimmicks
- Playing to your handicap (or better) more of the time
- Having a strategy to successfully negotiate first tee nerves
- Playing better under pressure than you do normally
- Hit the ball further without trying harder
- Less likely to get injured
- Hitting shots that you never thought possible
- Practice less but perform better
- Improve after each game that you play
- Breakthrough the confusion and frustration of traditional instruction
- Make the right decision more of the time
- Play to your full potential
- Beat players who have more talent than you
- People will call you talented or a “natural”
- People will think you’ve got some special gift or god given talent
- Golf becomes easier and less of a mystery
- Open up the possibility for remarkable play or something magical to happen
- Play with inner confidence and enthusiasm
- Have more fun
If you haven’t experienced automatic learning and playing then you’re missing out. It’s well worth the effort and taking the time to find out more.
Good golfing,
Cameron
Have you ever been playing well and then for some stupid reason you hit a terrible shot? A shot that is so bad that it rocks your confidence and makes you wonder where it came from?
It happened to me on Sunday. I was playing well. I had just nailed a tee shot on the 10th hole and had a fairly easy approach to the green. For reasons I haven’t worked out (and never will) I hit an ugly pull hook with my eight iron that left me little or no chance for a par. I must say I was shocked by the shot and a little embarrassed. A few members had come out to watch the match and I don’t think they were impressed any more than I was.
After chipping out I made bogey and lost the hole.
The par three 11th is a short hole. As luck would have it I needed the 8 iron. I would be lying if I said the previous hole didn’t enter my mind. It did. In years gone by I’m sure I would have made many practice swings and tried to work out what had gone wrong. Then I would have tried to incorporate those thoughts into the next swing. This is something that never really worked for me and I believe is NOT something golfers should do.
What did I do?
I accepted the shot as a bad one. I realise now that bad shots are part of the game. I have long since given up on the belief that I can hit every shot perfectly. This still doesn’t stop me from doing so – I’m just more realistic these days. This mind-set allows me to swing more freely and take the good with the bad.
My secret weapon is to get my mind in the present and automate my golf swing. The benefit of doing this is my mind is not thinking about the last hole, the bad swing or what could possibly go wrong next while I’m executing the current shot. I’m in the now. For the small amount of time it takes me to hit the shot my mind is in a good place. I’m relaxed and have no self-doubt. I can worry and think about things after the shot is made!
The process I used is as follows;
I focussed on what I wanted to do. I worked out how far I had to carry the ball to clear the front trap, I took into account the wind and hole location. I determined an 8 iron was the perfect club – it would clear the front bunker and finish below the hole on the hard and fast green.
To help get my mind in the present I listen for outside noises, I remember listening to chatter in the distance, birds chirping in the trees and passing traffic in the distance. I’m now ready to hit the ball.
I follow my automatic process – walk to the ball and then execute the shot. For that brief time I’m in the perfect place. My mind is calm and my confidence returns. There’s no self-doubt, concern or worry. My subconscious is doing what it does best – hitting the golf ball.
This process allows me to bypass the negativity of a poor shot and all of the conscious chatter that golfers like to have. Most importantly it gives me a process to get my round back on track after hitting such a bad shot on the previous hole. In this case the shot as perfect – it landed safely on the green and I was able to win the hole.
If you are continually let down by stuff ups and the odd bad shot or two then the automatic process can help. You will always hit bad shots – but you should be able to minimise the damage and not let them totally destroy your round completely.
If you have any thoughts I’d like to hear from you.
Good golfing,
Cameron
It’s now legal for amateur golfers (in Victoria at least – I’d be surprised if all Australian states didn’t have the same ruling – not sure about the rest of the world) to use satellite navigation units (GPS) in competition. I think it is a good thing – making getting the exact meterage (or yardage) quickly and without fuss.
This must speed up play, which is always a good thing. Looking for sprinkler heads or distance markers can be time consuming, especially when you’re playing on an unfamiliar golf course.
These navigation units don’t provide an unfair advantage. If you don’t have one you can still find the distance to the green by using course guides or distance markers, so I think it is a positive step for golf.
The other thing to consider is these devices can’t play for you. You still have to choose the club and hit the shot. Golfers skill will and should always be the most important factor in golf. But anything that speeds up play should be adopted and encouraged to be used.
These units aren’t particularly cheap. I priced one at AUD$549. But like most things I’m sure if you shop around you can find a better price. Also, it’s highly likely that the prices will drop significantly in the next year or so.
I think I’ll shop around a bit and see if I can get a cheaper one. I’ve also heard that Ebay have some good deals.
If you’ve been using one I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Good golfing,
Cameron
Many golfers spend so much time worrying about their golf swing technique that they have little or no chance of playing their best golf.
Traditional instruction focuses almost exclusively on golf mechanics so it really is not surprising that golfers place a high amount of emotional energy on their golf swing. They don’t know what else to do!
I have said that to play golf well you need to take counter intuitive steps – that is, you might need to do things that aren’t obvious or go against traditional concepts.
It might not seem obvious, but your routine is more important than your golf swing. Let me explain more…
A correct routine will enable you to work out what you need to do behind the ball (think) and then give you a process to walk to the ball and execute the shot automatically (and hopefully successfully).
Thinking about your golf swing while you are over the ball is NOT the right thing to do. This will almost always lead to failure.
It doesn’t matter how good your golf swing is – if you don’t get your routine right you will undo all of your hard work. If you can’t hit the ball instinctively and automatically you won’t enjoy the benefits of a good golf swing.
A good routine has two parts, the physical and mental. The physical part of your routine is less important. It allows some variance, for example you may choose to have a practice swing or you may not or you make take three waggles instead of four. It doesn’t really matter.
The mental part of your routine is less flexible. You MUST be consistent with your thinking on each shot. You will become a remarkable golfer when your mental routine becomes consistent over a long period of time. Here are the keys to a good mental routine.
- Work out what you want to do when you’re behind the ball. How far do you want to hit the ball? Where do you want to hit the ball? What club do I need to hit? These are questions that you need to ask each and every time. This process is done behind the ball before you start walking towards the ball. NEVER over the ball.
- Once you know what you want to do you must execute the shot automatically. Automatically should be interpreted as playing naturally or instinctively. This is allowing your subconscious to take control. Subconscious control leads to mastery and remarkable golf and is what I call golf’s vital skill.
Greg Norman was a master at the above steps. He spoke about Think, Choose and Do in one of his books from the 90′s. He thought about his options on each shot, he then chose one and then executed the shot without fuss or doubt. He then repeated the process over and over. I believe this allowed him to dominate golf for so long – not his golf swing.
If you want to be the best player you can be you must lose your attachment to your golf swing. Emotional attachment or believing your golf swing is a priority causes you to become tight and powerless. Your golf game won’t flow and you will be anything but remarkable. Over concern for golf technique and mechanics is the biggest fault in golf today. Let it go! It’s not that important!
A correctly performed routine will allow your game to improve naturally over time. You will continue to learn and make steps forward. You will get better with each round you play. By leaving your golf swing alone that too will get better. It’s like magic – it will improve without you knowing how. This is natural learning at its best and it certainly beats the alternative.
For more information about obtaining a better routine check out my book, Play Golf Your Way – I cover the steps above in greater detail.
I’ve been receiving quite a bit of email about golfers struggling with their short game. I think it’s time to cover some of the basics. Before I do that, there is one key issue holding most golfers back…
They don’t practice!
If you are continually let down by poor chipping, bladed pitch shots and duffed bunker shots, then you need to spend some time (maybe ten minutes per week) practicing these shots. There are no miracle cures. If you aren’t prepared to practice then I don’t think you can be helped. I will cover some aspects of practice below.
Now that’s out of the way let’s get into the good stuff
To master the short game (to your own unique level) doesn’t require any special skills or talent. I have found most golfers who have been playing for any length of time have good skills around the green. They can chip and pitch the ball well – but struggle to be consistent on the golf course.
The short shots can seem easy (at least easier than the long game) and this is a problem. Golfers like to be careful and try hard with the short game – thinking that the easier the shot the more they can think about it. This is not good. You must let the short game flow and be natural. Trying hard fails. Being careful and safe is worse.
How would you throw a ball to someone? Would you think about how hard to throw or do you look and shoot? Most people can throw a ball well by looking and then throwing. There is no complication or over thinking. A complete emptiness of approach allows throwing to be a simple and easy task. If you want to be successful with your short game then you need to follow the same approach. There is no other way!
Thinking less can be uncomfortable, so you may need to put it into practice before taking it to the golf course. Here’s a little practice session that should work well for you.
Take a handful of balls to the local park or pitching green. I don’t like driving ranges with synthetic grass – best you find an area with real grass. It makes the experience more real.
Start with small chip shots. Get comfortable (most important) and feel like you’re moving the club gently through the ball. You don’t need much power at this stage. You’re only after a short shot. Your mind should be free of technical thought. Leave concepts like, wrist cock, weight shift, back swing length and follow through at home. Keep moving the club through the ball and see what happens.
After a few shots you can apply more power. Creep up on it…don’t go for full shots too early. Gradually pick up speed, just like you would if you had to throw a ball to someone who keeps moving further from you. Once the shot feels good you can apply more power. You should be able to feel more wrist cock and a bigger back swing – but don’t analyse. Keep the club moving through the ball and observing the distance each shot travels.
If your mind is clear and free of technical thought this should be easy for you. If you want to hit the chip or pitch further you apply a little more power and vice versa. There’s nothing too complicated. You’re simply chipping or pitching (throwing?) the ball different distances.
You can then step this up a little by experimenting with different ball and club face positions. What happens when you move the ball back in your stance and close the club face? You should get a low running shot. What about doing the opposite by moving the ball forward and opening the club face? You should now get a high and soft landing ball flight.
Keep experimenting and learning what you can and can’t do. It will also help to watch those better than yourself. See how they hit a high soft landing bunker shot. In your own time you can learn the same shot. The key is to keep the task simple. Try and relate your short game to throwing a ball. Keep away from technical thought and analysis. It will only slow you down.
The big trick is to take this natural and instinctive approach to the golf course. Let the short game flow. Look at the shot and pull the trigger. Your subconscious will work out all the minor details like direction and distance – like it does when you throw a ball. If you get stuck play conservatively. If you haven’t tried a super lob in practice then don’t try it on the golf course. Best you aim for the middle of the green with a shot you know you can play.
The short game should be fun – there are also no limits. You have fourteen clubs in the bag and you may use all of them for those little shots around the green. Tiger Woods is a master at using his three wood for chip and runs. Is this something you have tried? Or what about using your 9 iron to get out of a bunker?
A good short game will improve your score. If you keep the process simple and strive for automation you will get better. I guarantee it – but only if you practice!
Let me know how you get on.
Good golfing,
Cameron
With the Masters over for another year I thought it would be a good time to talk about playing golf under pressure. It doesn’t matter how good a golfer you are, you will experience pressure on certain shots, and if you don’t know how to cope with the pressure and nerves you’ll NEVER be able to play your best golf.
Experience tells me that most golfers play worse under pressure not better. This is unfortunate because if you can get a handle on the butterflies and nerves you should be able to play the best golf of you life. This allows golf to become truly enjoyable and exciting. Something worth striving for…
Strategy #1: Relax your face
I learned this from a scientist during some scientific testing I was involved with. The scientist told me that if your face is relaxed your entire body and mind will be too. If you are relaxed you will maximise the chances of playing good golf. Getting tense and tight is a sure swing and score destroyer.
The best way to relax your face is to first tighten the facial muscles and then let them go. You should feel a rush of blood and then a wave of relaxation enter the facial muscles. It doesn’t have to take much time and you can do this anytime you start to feel a build up of pressure.
Strategy #2: Focus on what you want to do:
It’s very normal to start thinking about what you don’t want under pressure. We can start thinking about water, mis-hits and other potential disasters when we get nervous. You have to force yourself to think about what you actually want – not what you don’t want.
I like to ask myself a simple question to get my mind back on track. “What do I want to do?” or “where do I want to hit the ball?” work well. I then have to think logically without worrying about anything else that won’t help me.
For example, I might want to hit the ball 125 metres or get the ball onto the front right of the green. This is a positive action – much better than thinking “don’t go long” or “keep the ball out of the bunker”.
When you’re under pressure think about what you want to do. Don’t waste time and energy thinking about the negative. The more you do this the better you will become at making the right choice under pressure.
Strategy #3: Stay in the present
When you’re in the present your mind and body will perform at its best. Sports psychologists have identified the importance of staying in the present. Here’s how to do it….
Before an important shot take a moment before walking to the ball to hear/feel/see your environment. You might listen to the birds, look at cloud formations or feel the wind on your back. It doesn’t matter what you choose, any of the three will get your mind where it needs to be.
Strategy #4: Play automatically
The above three strategies will help you deal with playing golf under pressure. Learning to play and swing automatically is the final piece in the puzzle. When you are playing golf automatically you are not concerned with your swing or technique. You are playing golf and allowing your subconscious to do what it does best.
This is golf’s most important skill and is the difference between being a good golfer and becoming remarkable.
If you’d like to learn more about these ideas and playing golf under pressure then check out my book, Play Golf Your Way.
Good golfing,
Cameron
