Update on My Swing and Moe and his Grip

As you may recall, I've had some issues with my through pivot for most of my golf career and ever since the surgery it has gotten worse. I suggested this little drill/swing thought the other day (http://3jack.blogspot.com/2008/12/good-lower-body-drill.html). I got it to work a bit, but not exactly where I want to be and still a lot of work to go. I'm starting to believe that my inefficient pivot causes me to baby flip and not get enough extension after impact. Later today I will tell you of another swing thought I am working to improve my pivot.

Anyway, wanted to bring attention again to Mr. Mike Maves (Sevam1) great blog. He's had a couple of dandies this week...a good post on the forgotten legend of Peter Thomson and then work on Moe Norman's grip (http://sevam1.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-moes-grip-works.html). For those who don't know, Moe gripped his club more in the palms where as the typical grip is more in the fingers and the pads of the fingers. I experimented with Moe's grip, but Maves explains it with some things I didn't know. Still, I don't think it's a grip meant for everybody and I believe his grips were built up bigger to accomodate him gripping the club in his palms ...but this is worth checking out nonetheless...because that Norman guy knew a thing or seven about the golf swing and they tell me he could knock it around the course alright.





3JACK

George Knudson

I had been looking for a swing of George Knudson's and I finally found one. Growing up, and not too far away from the Canadian border, I was always told that Knudson was one of the finest ballstrikers with one of the finest swings ever. Unfortunately, I glanced over his 'Natural Golf Swing' book years ago and never really read it. Part of the problem with older instructional books is they are a bit too simplistic. And what happens is that it's easy to dismiss some great, key parts of the book about the swing because so much of the book really doesn't help you. Anyway, here's George's great swing.






3JACK

Exelys Breakmaster Update

Awhile ago I posted about purchasing the Exelys Breakmaster http://3jack.blogspot.com/2008/11/exelys-breakmaster.html

Here's something I ready over at http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/ forum from LGB contributor 'Overkill', a PGA Tour caddy.

I have both and I have used both. However, I like the 'Green reader' developed by HS. It is larger, much heavier and I believe gives a very true read. The Ex is much quicker and is used by a great many caddies. However, it is small, very light and can easily be affected by ball or spike marks. If I do not have a lot of time I use the Ex but I place in on top of a putting disc which gives it some stability.

My basic chart is taking a reading every 5 paces front to back about 4 paces from the edges and one every 5 paces down the middle. I then role the slopes and roll areas where pins have been in the past looking for anomolies.

As you have indicated, the pros can putt////where I have found my work comes in handy is where the green looks to be flat, they are never flat//

If I can help my player with one putt a round, I feel the work has been all worth while.

The green reader "developed by HS" is basically a bubble level style of green reader developed by Padraig Harrington's putting coach, Harold Swash (pic below)

I have noticed that with using the Breakmaster, *some* of the reads are a bit confusing. I usually will measure the Exelys Breakmaster in an "around the clock" fashion around the hole and occasionally the measurements don't make sense...and Overkill explains it. However, I've found that if you *lightly* press down on the Breakmaster, the measurements are corrected.

I am a bit surprised that Overkill does use the bubble level green reader since the Breakmaster gives you a great digital readout of not only where the slope goes, but how much it slopes.




3JACK

The Best Golfer You Probably Never Heard Of...

An excerpt from an article on Jeff Thomas at http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1578516-1,00.html

Thomas' long days on the course were followed by long nights in bars, where he didn't carry himself as well. Fueled by alcohol, his playful chatter turned belligerent and drew him into brawls. Gregarious and gracious when he wasn't drinking, Thomas turned dark with a few beers in him. At the 1994 MGA/MetLife Public Links at Spook Rock Golf Course in New York, he shot a final-nine 41 to lose the tournament by a stroke, then brooded in the clubhouse bar while the winner gave his acceptance speech.

"You didn't win it!" Thomas blurted in the hushed barroom. "I .f---ing gave it to you."

3JACK

My Current Favorite Swings On YouTube Part II

FRED COUPLES

Fred's swing has it's flaws, like he gets extremely upright from the 9 o'clock back to the top of the swing and he flips pretty hard. But he also has a lot of great aspects in his swing, particularly body rotation and spine angle. And of course, it's smoother than whipped butter.






RAPHAEL JACQUELIN

Don't know much about this golfer, but it doesn't get any simpler than this.





GARY MCCORD

It kind of surprises me that golf swing fanatics routinely ignore McCord's swing, which is downright excellent.

VJ TROLIO

This is a swing that actually excites me about the game and instruction. I am not a big fan of the stack and tilt method, although some of its principles I believe are very good. Trolio's swing incorporates a classic style and a S&T method.






JOHN SCOTT

Perhaps I know nothing of the golf swing. According to the author of this post, Mr. Scott says that his posture sucks. Go figure.

My Current Favorite Swings on YouTube Part I

GARY HALLBERG

I used to work with an instructor who taugh Hallberg at one time. Many do not realize this, but Hallberg was a helluva collegiate player. If this swing looks good here, you should try and get your hands on his face on view, he really compressed the hell out of the ball.




MIKE MAVES (AKA SEVAM1)

A guy who talk about Hogan and Moe as much as he does should have a hybrid type of swing of Hogan and Moe. Could call that the Moegan method? Anyway, it's easier to talk about the 'Moegan' method than actually executing it. Maves has and it's more of a fun and amazing thing to watch than a beauty. He saves the beauty part for the path of ball boring through the air.





RORY MCILROY

Now this is what I'm talking about. Precision, power, and consistency. Like Tiger without the glaring flaws and the shots that go off the grid with the driver.





JAMES SADLOWSKI


20 years old, longest hitter in the world and he's all of 6'0" tall and maybe 170 pounds.











SERGIO GARCIA



Can't stand the person, his whining, and well...his overall obnoxiousness. Plus, we got off to a bad start as before he turned pro and was playing on the Nationwide (I believe it was called the Nike Tour back then) I kept on hearing from my old roomate about the time he went to the DMV and Sergio Garcia was there.

Anyway, you cannot deny THE LAG and it is sort of fun watching his gas an 8 iron like 200 yards when he's pumped up and really needs it.





Up Next, Part II





3JACK

Good Lower Body Drill

It starts with a great video by Ben Hogan on YouTube.




This goes into a similar instructional video I saw as well. And yes, I originally got this from the http://perfectgolfswingreview.net Web site. Sometimes this is referred to as the "pump it drill" or the "6/100 drill."

http://www.progolflesson.com/drills/pump.wmv

(Credit: Michelle Dube over at http://www.progolflesson.com/ --- her work is superb)

I am actually working on this myself. I try to feel like there's a rope that connects from my LEFT ankle to my right elbow and I'm tugging my right elbow into position with my left ankle. I just started to try this and it has been cold out, but once I get it recorded and analyze it, I'll post on how I think it works.

3JACK