As you may know, I just spent the past few days in Orlando for the World Golf Fitness Summit.  I took notes like a scribe and figured that it would be best to post my notes online in case I were to ever lose my precious moleskin notebooks.  If nothing else, it will be very cool to look back in ten years to see what I found interesting at age 23 in 2010. I could’ve taken a long time to form these notes into an eloquent essay, but I don’t really have any desire to take the time to do that. I am a golf professional and mainly attended golf pro, fitness pro, and junior breakout sessions, and only took notes on the things that really intrigued me.  In some sessions I only took notes on delivery and public speaking skills. Most of these notes are presented in the form of verbatim quotes. Anyways, here is my long unedited collection of notes from the 2010 World Golf Fitness Summit (WGFS).  I hope you enjoy reading what I found of interest; you may just learn a thing or two. Greg Rose and Dave Phillips Opening Remarks -What makes players successful is the team around them (Nascar Pit Crew analogy) Mark Verstegen *It is irresponsible to your player not to build a team *Core Fundamentals: Mindset, Nutrition, Movement, Recovery (most of us neglect recovery, mindset, and possibly nutrition) *AP works with over 2000 professional athletes *Don’t forget that this game has to be fun *Don’t forget to breathe *If you think you can play this game without good nutrition, you’re wrong *So many pro golfers ruin their game by improper physical training *Pillar Strength- gives foundation for efficient storing and releasing of energy -Shoulders, trunk, hips -Lack of Pillar Strength= Energy leak and injury *We need to train to make muscles smart *A great and perfect swing does not make a great golfer, but it really helps *Prehab- minimize potential for injury *Recovery is the limiting factor to performance (don’t forget to shut down the computer) *Students are not seeing you to get coursework- don’t tell the person everything you know -Does this person like a lot of information or a little? *STS Bar- floss the muscles, release muscle spasms *Movement Prep unlocks hips, thoracic spine -Lengthen then strengthen *Hip Cuff has 40 muscles in and around hip -40 % of which cause internal and external hip rotation *If feet are flared, you don’t have whole lot of energy in your hips *Don’t underestimate the power of your words as a trainer *Simple solutions to get world-class results *Sharpen Your Saws-Franklin Covey Rules of the Game: 1.)  Let’s have fun 2.)  Let’s have fun 3.)  Let’s be safe and have fun Sean Foley, Neale Smith, Craig Davies *We are equals *Pay it forward *I’m teaching now because I couldn’t make contact anymore *People are going to be insecure when they don’t understand concepts *5 P’s: Patience, Perception, Passion, Perserverance, Patience *We are all philosophers *Sean Foley says he still doesn’t know what’s right but has a pretty good idea of what’s wrong *We need to be the change we want to see in the world- Gandhi *Transcend your ego *Be willing to be wrong *As Daniel Coyle says in the Talent Code… skill is insulation around a circuit *We are bioelectric machines that flip on a switch -Don’t feel bad if you hit bad shots, you were designed to -Old shots don’t go away, they get less dominant -Build new patterns -Patience is absolutely necessary -SF told Hunter Mahan, ‘It’s gonna be a long road, observe it with non-judgment and enjoy the road’ -Teaching people is therapy -Don’t forget to focus on your player’s strengths-“This is why you’re good Hunter” -With most of SF players, their good shots are just as good, but their bad shots are better *Talk to tour players about much more than golf-they are people, not machines -Remember they are a person first and their profession is golf; how they play and how they manage themselves is equally important *Teach players to detach from score; if they shoot 66, they won’t cure cancer, if they shoot 76, they won’t fall in a black hole *Hunter Mahan US Open Qualifying story- played indifferent angry golf in the morning, shot 73.  In afternoon, Neale gave Hunter a rule… for every good shot, and the caddy gets to decide which shot is good, Hunter must fist pump for good shots and have zero reaction to bad shots *For teachers, it’s not about how much you know, it’s about how you communicate *Teaching must be confident, competent, simple *You can’t be afraid to make mistakes *Don’t be a YES man -Stand up for what you believe in *Create player independency *SF- I wouldn’t say that I’m a short game expert, people know what they know, and they understand it more than I do, so I send people their way *SF- dad was a chemist *SF- Built my myelin as a teacher from reading magazines and instructional books *SF- People don’t care about you, thinking they do is so limiting *SF- If you point a finger at someone, you’ll have 3 pointing back at you *In instruction, you go through phases- at 14 SF liked Davis Love across the line at the top, Leadbetter at 18, couple of years ago liked Stack and Tilt-always evolving -Different flavor every month -SF-“I would think, oh this is amazing, this is amazing, oh whoops, there are some glitches here” After the panel, I asked SF what his advice to me would be. This is what he said: *Teach your ass off -Keep a notebook- always ask yourself, ‘What did I learn today’, ‘Was I present?’ *Become a teacher on tour by getting breaks -All it takes is being successful with 1 player *Don’t necessarily waste your time shadowing with a big name coach, because they often have big egos… You will learn more by getting experience from teaching   Fitness Panel *Lance Gill- Find 1 kid and teach him the game of golf, to grow the game we all love, and make a positive difference in someone’s life *Make things FUN and challenging *Must give players function first so their quality of life improves *What should be in every golfer’s home gym? -TRX, Tubing, Med Balls, Knowledge and Functional Body, FMT, Mirror *How big should your hip turn be? –Shorter, Tighter, is Better (Mark Verstegen) *Best way to strengthen foot awareness? -Movement Prep barefoot -Roll foot on a golf ball *Look at people that cannot pay as learning experiences -For minitour guys, have them pay for your expenses/act like they are paying you to go to school Tom House *Got to give trust to get trust *Everybody can learn something from anyone *Every client you have is passionate about something- talk to them about their passion *Motivation= task specific person *Mastery= “Giving the same effort to the most mundane drill”-Peyton Manning *Learn to read body language and respond accordingly *If the front side of your body is hurting, you may have a mechanical efficiency problem, backside= functional strength Milo Bryant-Teaching Power to Kids 9-12 *Overarching theme/mantra for teaching kids? -Smiling Faces, Moving Bodies Blackburn and Tattersall-Coaching Golfers with Hypo and Hyper Mobility *Become a better teacher tomorrow than you were today *We don’t want annectodatal evidence, with 3D, we now hold ourselves accountable with objective findings *Don’t let players see 3-D data -Understand when to not say anything *Harder to build strength than flexibility -If you do yoga, you will feel quick results -When you lift weights, it takes time to get massive results *Keep report of findings information down to 1 page, anything more than that and you’ll get a paper jam, or paper shredder -keep it pots and pans simple *Hyper mobile -ladies, juniors -bow knees for more lower body stability *We use driver when we collect 3D data to stress the system *Instead of trying to keep pelvis against a wall, get the pelvis stronger and engage the glutes Thomas Plummer *Passion alone is never enough *Attack *Be aggressive *If not you, who? *Having money buys you options *Somebody’s gotta be first -Who ate the first lobster!? *When you become more successful, people will hate you *Be brave enough to take a shot *Good people score no matter the economy *You can’t kill talent *CHANGE THE LIFE OF EVERY STUDENT *CHANGE SOMEBODY’S LIFE TODAY *Refuse to lose *You live the life you create for yourself, one client at a time 1.) Clearly define where you want to go 2.) Don’t get run over, participate in your life *Project your life 3 years ahead *Don’t waste a second of your life *RISK IS A PART OF SUCCESS -if you don’t move, you never grow *Moderation Sucks! -Did you have a baby and say, oh that was a moderate day? -Can’t settle for mediocrity *Commit -Find one thing you love, and master it *Good enough isn’t good enough *People will pay you if you are the expert *Tavas Smiley-Will Smith Interview -Be willing to die -Hardest Worker wins -Difference isn’t talent, difference is work *Are you the total package? -Dress for success -Be on time for success *Be the best you can at everything *ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF, WAS THAT THE BEST WORK I WAS CAPABLE OF? Peter Kostis *The great instructors attack root cause *Proper conditioning allows for options *WE HAVE TO TEACH WITH UTTER SIMPLICITY *Players of the 40s and 50s did what they did because of balls and clubs; they are different breeds of dogs than the modern players *Tiger keeps saying he needs more reps, swing isn’t instinctive enough *THOSE OF US THAT DARE TO TEACH, MUST NEVER FORGET TO LEARN *Lee Westwood, part of his resurgence was a fitness program *What we do with tour players shouldn’t be imposed, but rather encouraged of our amateurs -Say, ‘Try ____ for a week’ *UNDERTEACH AND LEAVE STUDENTS WANTING MORE RATHER THAN OVERTEACHING AND BURNING THE STUDENT OUT Mike Bender and Scott Shepherd *Fitness instructor needs to understand coaches teaching philosophy *Trainers should watch coaches teach *The functional movement for golf is the golf swing *Practicing with feedback is the way to get quick results *TRAINING AIDS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE COACH TEACHING THEM *1 Lesson= $1000, 6 Lessons= $180 -If you want a miracle, you’re going to have to pay for it Medical Panel *Back pain is a symptom, not a diagnosis *Golf is not an individual sport anymore, it’s a team sport (trainers, medical, coaches, etc.) *Focus on doing stability drills pre-round instead of mobility drills *GOYAMA= GET OFF YOUR ASS AND MOVE AROUND Trevor Montgomery-Role of Spine Posture *80% of trunk rotation comes from thoracic spine *20% of trunk rotation comes from lumbar spine *Don’t make clients do something they can’t do -If they can’t turn, accommodate *Train unilateral to fix scoliosis *When scapula are netural, trunk rotation will increase 25% *Take your grip in front of your face -when you grip on the ground, scapulae relax *Breathe to get maximum rotations *Coffee adds trigger points *Stress, alcohol, and lack of sleep deplete magnesium *Adrenaline adds more trigger points *Swing within your parameters *We want the abs turned on, but not overactive Janet Alexander- Periodization *It is impossible to play your best ALL the time, but it’s not impossible to PEAK at the right time *If a golfer hasn’t trained for 14 days, he will lose that training effect *High intensity all the time fries the nervous system *Whiteboard -Define the peaks -Define the sacrificial tournaments -Define the Do Well tournaments -Define the favorite tournaments -Define Family Breaks/Sponsor Commitments *Be flexible and test for overtraining *Conduct weekly dialogue/updates with the team Ryan Crysler- Creating a Tour Feel at Your Club *Pareto’s Law- 80% of your outputs are derived by 20% of your inputs *See who makes up 80% of your income -They are your income -Market to them *Read “What Every Body is Saying” by Joe Navaro *Visualize your top 3 clients 1.) Describe their personality in 1 word or phrase 2.) Describe how they look 3.) Describe their relationship with you 4.) Describe their relationship with other clients 5.) Would you have them over for dinner? *PEOPLE DON”T BUY WHAT YOU DO, THEY BUY WHY YOU DO IT *YOUR STUDENTS BELIEVE YOU’RE THE BEST GUY. THEY PICKED YOU. *INSTEAD OF SELLING TECHNOLOGY, SELL YOURSELF *”Personal relationships > Customer Service”- Gary Vaynerchuk *Charges $50 for V1 online lessons. Unlimited monthly   Ben Crane *Read “Healing Pain” -Emotions can cause body pain Andy Plummer and Mike Bennet- Stack and Tilt *They never handed out a business card or solicited business -They were taught that if people wanted help, they would come ask *There is no standard for grip or alignment on PGA Tour -they are variables, not fundamentals *They have been accused of lowest launch, but Trevor Immelman’s launch is 6.1 degrees *”We use pictures to demonstrate concepts, not just because a champion player did it” *It’s up to you to choose how you teach; this is our opinion *S and T wasn’t their idea, it was Hogan’s *20 degree foot flare *”Book is simple, but has enough detail for all that need it” *S and T wasn’t their idea, they were just organizers of ideas *They never had any injuries; players who do it wrong have injured themselves -Top coaches have accused them of injuring players, but they have injured numerous players themselves Chris O’Connel 1 Plane Vs. 2 Plane *If a player prefers having the ball above his feet, they should go towards 1 plane *If a player prefers having the ball below his feet, they should move towards 2 plane *With correct information, the next ball should be immediately better; golfer’s shouldn’t get worse before they get better Nutrition Panel *What should a golfer eat during a round? -Protein- you won’t get tired -Beef Jerkey -Chicken/Egg Salad -Nuts -Carrots/Broccoli -Banana -Proteins and Fats digest slower than carbs -If you are flying from Tampa to NY, don’t just fuel yourself for Atlanta. Eat enough before you play Biggest Mistake People Make That Prevents Them from Maintaining A Good Weight? *Overeating of bad food *Skipping Meals *I worked out, so now I deserve to eat _____ What is a good breakfast? *If it is in a box, don’t eat it *Meat, fruits, vegetables -You never tell anyone “Ohhh, I had too much broccoli” If you Added 1 Supplement What Would it Be? *Vitamin D *The one you are deficient in *Omega 3’s *Fish Oil *thepaleodiet.com- good for people with auto-immune diseases *livingfuel.com -baby steps in the right direction are monster steps in the right direction towards super health Golf Panel (Chuck Cook, James Sieckmann, Neale Smith, and Dr. Jim Suttie) *Short game kinematic sequence- thorax moves faster and later than arms *Random practice is critcal at the right time *How should I practice, block or random? -Depends on where you are at *The closer you simulate on course conditions, the quicker you get greater transference *“I don’t do call me up and give me an hour lesson”- Chuck Cook -20 hour programs -Get more done and don’t have to rush things- screen, 3D, short game, on course, etc. How Do You Teach a Beginner? *Start at the hole and move back *Make students tell you what they are supposed to do to hit a putt, chip, etc. *Explain the purpose of a good grip *Start without a club/without a ball/without a target *Minimize words What Are Your Thoughts on 3d? *Gives you an idea of where you need to go *Don’t look at every swing data every time *Capture data at times when you think you are flushing it *3d is for teachers, not students-don’t always show students data -Does the student really need to describe a kinetic chain? No. *Experiment with technology before you implement it *Determine what your students respond best to -No cues -Body cues -Visual cues -Rhythm cues *Keep in mind it is not what you want, it is what your students want *Use personal touch and your students names *Don’t try to tell your students everything you know -They can’t be thinking of more than 1 thing at a time *Don’t change your approach if your student is not getting a concept quick enough -Don’t be afraid to walk away; watch from a distance -Say the same thing in different ways Why are the Europeans/Internationals More Successful Than Americans? *Euros are hungrier/want it more *Euros study the swing/biomechanics/body more *Countries have unified national programs that teach a consistent system- there is no confusion when it comes on how to swing *Americans are soft and spoiled *Americans need a National Training Center-the rest of the world is running away from us, not in just golf *American colleges are not great for player development -Why are all players doing the same workouts/drills when they are all at different ability levels? -US Kids are trained to think negatively (“Don’t mess up, we need you”) -On tour 73=83, not in college… 73 gets counted, 83 probably won’t… Kids need to bash their driver on every hole and not be afraid of making a double Thoughts on the Summit? *The swing of the future is efficient and simpler *Swing is based on what your body will allow you to do *What is the best way to swing given no physical limitations? -Unclear so far. *Keep moving and learning, otherwise you are going to get left behind Dave Phillips/ Lance Gill Putting *Vision trumps all other senses -Someliers were fooled into thinking white wine was really red wine just because the wine had red food coloring in it *Bullseye putter tested best for alignment *Test eye dominance -If left eye dominant, try moving ball position forward -If right eye dominant, try moving ball position back *Bad visualizers need all the help they can get -Line on ball, lines on putters, etc. *Test vision -You may have vision control problems that will result in distance control issues *To be an expert, don’t neglect the little things *The quieter your base, the better of a putter you will be -If your lower body is moving too much, even just a few millimeters, it is too much *If you don’t have cervical mobility, you will make destructive compensations *If you don’t assess, it’s just a guess Jason Glass-Explosive Rotational Power *Strength is not power *Speed is power *Efficiency of movement is speed *Power is all about speed 3 Keys to Explosive Rotational Power 1.)  Sequencing 2.)  Pelvic Powerhouse 3.)  Segmental Stabilization *Test clients’ balance- “Don’t let me push you” *People who can jump high hit the ball far *DREAM BIG, YOU CANNOT DREAM TOO BIG. OVERDELIVER.  WE ARE CAPABLE OF SO MUCH MORE IF WE GIVE OURSELVES A CHANCE.        

As you may know, I just spent the past few days in Orlando for the World Golf Fitness Summit.  I took notes like a scribe and figured that it would be best to post my notes online in case I were to ever lose my precious moleskin notebooks.  If nothing else, it will be very cool to look back in ten years to see what I found interesting at age 23 in 2010.

I could’ve taken a long time to form these notes into an eloquent essay, but I don’t really have any desire to take the time to do that.

I am a golf professional and mainly attended golf pro, fitness pro, and junior breakout sessions, and only took notes on the things that really intrigued me.  In some sessions I only took notes on delivery and public speaking skills.

Most of these notes are presented in the form of verbatim quotes.

Anyways, here is my long unedited collection of notes from the 2010 World Golf Fitness Summit (WGFS). 

I hope you enjoy reading what I found of interest; you may just learn a thing or two.

Greg Rose and Dave Phillips Opening Remarks

-What makes players successful is the team around them (Nascar Pit Crew analogy)

Mark Verstegen

*It is irresponsible to your player not to build a team

*Core Fundamentals: Mindset, Nutrition, Movement, Recovery (most of us neglect recovery, mindset, and possibly nutrition)

*AP works with over 2000 professional athletes

*Don’t forget that this game has to be fun

*Don’t forget to breathe

*If you think you can play this game without good nutrition, you’re wrong

*So many pro golfers ruin their game by improper physical training

*Pillar Strength- gives foundation for efficient storing and releasing of energy

-Shoulders, trunk, hips

-Lack of Pillar Strength= Energy leak and injury

*We need to train to make muscles smart

*A great and perfect swing does not make a great golfer, but it really helps

*Prehab- minimize potential for injury

*Recovery is the limiting factor to performance (don’t forget to shut down the computer)

*Students are not seeing you to get coursework- don’t tell the person everything you know

-Does this person like a lot of information or a little?

*STS Bar- floss the muscles, release muscle spasms

*Movement Prep unlocks hips, thoracic spine

-Lengthen then strengthen

*Hip Cuff has 40 muscles in and around hip

-40 % of which cause internal and external hip rotation

*If feet are flared, you don’t have whole lot of energy in your hips

*Don’t underestimate the power of your words as a trainer

*Simple solutions to get world-class results

*Sharpen Your Saws-Franklin Covey

Rules of the Game:

1.)  Let’s have fun

2.)  Let’s have fun

3.)  Let’s be safe and have fun

Sean Foley, Neale Smith, Craig Davies

*We are equals

*Pay it forward

*I’m teaching now because I couldn’t make contact anymore

*People are going to be insecure when they don’t understand concepts

*5 P’s: Patience, Perception, Passion, Perserverance, Patience

*We are all philosophers

*Sean Foley says he still doesn’t know what’s right but has a pretty good idea of what’s wrong

*We need to be the change we want to see in the world- Gandhi

*Transcend your ego

*Be willing to be wrong

*As Daniel Coyle says in the Talent Code… skill is insulation around a circuit

*We are bioelectric machines that flip on a switch

-Don’t feel bad if you hit bad shots, you were designed to

-Old shots don’t go away, they get less dominant

-Build new patterns

-Patience is absolutely necessary

-SF told Hunter Mahan, ‘It’s gonna be a long road, observe it with non-judgment and enjoy the road’

-Teaching people is therapy

-Don’t forget to focus on your player’s strengths-“This is why you’re good Hunter”

-With most of SF players, their good shots are just as good, but their bad shots are better

*Talk to tour players about much more than golf-they are people, not machines

-Remember they are a person first and their profession is golf; how they play and how they manage themselves is equally important

*Teach players to detach from score; if they shoot 66, they won’t cure cancer, if they shoot 76, they won’t fall in a black hole

*Hunter Mahan US Open Qualifying story- played indifferent angry golf in the morning, shot 73.  In afternoon, Neale gave Hunter a rule… for every good shot, and the caddy gets to decide which shot is good, Hunter must fist pump for good shots and have zero reaction to bad shots

*For teachers, it’s not about how much you know, it’s about how you communicate

*Teaching must be confident, competent, simple

*You can’t be afraid to make mistakes

*Don’t be a YES man

-Stand up for what you believe in

*Create player independency

*SF- I wouldn’t say that I’m a short game expert, people know what they know, and they understand it more than I do, so I send people their way

*SF- dad was a chemist

*SF- Built my myelin as a teacher from reading magazines and instructional books

*SF- People don’t care about you, thinking they do is so limiting

*SF- If you point a finger at someone, you’ll have 3 pointing back at you

*In instruction, you go through phases- at 14 SF liked Davis Love across the line at the top, Leadbetter at 18, couple of years ago liked Stack and Tilt-always evolving

-Different flavor every month

-SF-“I would think, oh this is amazing, this is amazing, oh whoops, there are some glitches here”

After the panel, I asked SF what his advice to me would be. This is what he said:

*Teach your ass off

-Keep a notebook- always ask yourself, ‘What did I learn today’, ‘Was I present?’

*Become a teacher on tour by getting breaks

-All it takes is being successful with 1 player

*Don’t necessarily waste your time shadowing with a big name coach, because they often have big egos… You will learn more by getting experience from teaching

 

Fitness Panel

*Lance Gill- Find 1 kid and teach him the game of golf, to grow the game we all love, and make a positive difference in someone’s life

*Make things FUN and challenging

*Must give players function first so their quality of life improves

*What should be in every golfer’s home gym?

-TRX, Tubing, Med Balls, Knowledge and Functional Body, FMT, Mirror

*How big should your hip turn be? –Shorter, Tighter, is Better (Mark Verstegen)

*Best way to strengthen foot awareness?

-Movement Prep barefoot

-Roll foot on a golf ball

*Look at people that cannot pay as learning experiences

-For minitour guys, have them pay for your expenses/act like they are paying you to go to school

Tom House

*Got to give trust to get trust

*Everybody can learn something from anyone

*Every client you have is passionate about something- talk to them about their passion

*Motivation= task specific person

*Mastery= “Giving the same effort to the most mundane drill”-Peyton Manning

*Learn to read body language and respond accordingly

*If the front side of your body is hurting, you may have a mechanical efficiency problem, backside= functional strength

Milo Bryant-Teaching Power to Kids 9-12

*Overarching theme/mantra for teaching kids?

-Smiling Faces, Moving Bodies

Blackburn and Tattersall-Coaching Golfers with Hypo and Hyper Mobility

*Become a better teacher tomorrow than you were today

*We don’t want annectodatal evidence, with 3D, we now hold ourselves accountable with objective findings

*Don’t let players see 3-D data

-Understand when to not say anything

*Harder to build strength than flexibility

-If you do yoga, you will feel quick results

-When you lift weights, it takes time to get massive results

*Keep report of findings information down to 1 page, anything more than that and you’ll get a paper jam, or paper shredder

-keep it pots and pans simple

*Hyper mobile

-ladies, juniors

-bow knees for more lower body stability

*We use driver when we collect 3D data to stress the system

*Instead of trying to keep pelvis against a wall, get the pelvis stronger and engage the glutes

Thomas Plummer

*Passion alone is never enough

*Attack

*Be aggressive

*If not you, who?

*Having money buys you options

*Somebody’s gotta be first

-Who ate the first lobster!?

*When you become more successful, people will hate you

*Be brave enough to take a shot

*Good people score no matter the economy

*You can’t kill talent

*CHANGE THE LIFE OF EVERY STUDENT

*CHANGE SOMEBODY’S LIFE TODAY

*Refuse to lose

*You live the life you create for yourself, one client at a time

1.) Clearly define where you want to go

2.) Don’t get run over, participate in your life

*Project your life 3 years ahead

*Don’t waste a second of your life

*RISK IS A PART OF SUCCESS

-if you don’t move, you never grow

*Moderation Sucks!

-Did you have a baby and say, oh that was a moderate day?

-Can’t settle for mediocrity

*Commit

-Find one thing you love, and master it

*Good enough isn’t good enough

*People will pay you if you are the expert

*Tavas Smiley-Will Smith Interview

-Be willing to die

-Hardest Worker wins

-Difference isn’t talent, difference is work

*Are you the total package?

-Dress for success

-Be on time for success

*Be the best you can at everything

*ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF, WAS THAT THE BEST WORK I WAS CAPABLE OF?

Peter Kostis

*The great instructors attack root cause

*Proper conditioning allows for options

*WE HAVE TO TEACH WITH UTTER SIMPLICITY

*Players of the 40s and 50s did what they did because of balls and clubs; they are different breeds of dogs than the modern players

*Tiger keeps saying he needs more reps, swing isn’t instinctive enough

*THOSE OF US THAT DARE TO TEACH, MUST NEVER FORGET TO LEARN

*Lee Westwood, part of his resurgence was a fitness program

*What we do with tour players shouldn’t be imposed, but rather encouraged of our amateurs

-Say, ‘Try ____ for a week’

*UNDERTEACH AND LEAVE STUDENTS WANTING MORE RATHER THAN OVERTEACHING AND BURNING THE STUDENT OUT

Mike Bender and Scott Shepherd

*Fitness instructor needs to understand coaches teaching philosophy

*Trainers should watch coaches teach

*The functional movement for golf is the golf swing

*Practicing with feedback is the way to get quick results

*TRAINING AIDS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE COACH TEACHING THEM

*1 Lesson= $1000, 6 Lessons= $180

-If you want a miracle, you’re going to have to pay for it

Medical Panel

*Back pain is a symptom, not a diagnosis

*Golf is not an individual sport anymore, it’s a team sport (trainers, medical, coaches, etc.)

*Focus on doing stability drills pre-round instead of mobility drills

*GOYAMA= GET OFF YOUR ASS AND MOVE AROUND

Trevor Montgomery-Role of Spine Posture

*80% of trunk rotation comes from thoracic spine

*20% of trunk rotation comes from lumbar spine

*Don’t make clients do something they can’t do

-If they can’t turn, accommodate

*Train unilateral to fix scoliosis

*When scapula are netural, trunk rotation will increase 25%

*Take your grip in front of your face

-when you grip on the ground, scapulae relax

*Breathe to get maximum rotations

*Coffee adds trigger points

*Stress, alcohol, and lack of sleep deplete magnesium

*Adrenaline adds more trigger points

*Swing within your parameters

*We want the abs turned on, but not overactive

Janet Alexander- Periodization

*It is impossible to play your best ALL the time, but it’s not impossible to PEAK at the right time

*If a golfer hasn’t trained for 14 days, he will lose that training effect

*High intensity all the time fries the nervous system

*Whiteboard

-Define the peaks

-Define the sacrificial tournaments

-Define the Do Well tournaments

-Define the favorite tournaments

-Define Family Breaks/Sponsor Commitments

*Be flexible and test for overtraining

*Conduct weekly dialogue/updates with the team

Ryan Crysler- Creating a Tour Feel at Your Club

*Pareto’s Law- 80% of your outputs are derived by 20% of your inputs

*See who makes up 80% of your income

-They are your income

-Market to them

*Read “What Every Body is Saying” by Joe Navaro

*Visualize your top 3 clients

1.) Describe their personality in 1 word or phrase

2.) Describe how they look

3.) Describe their relationship with you

4.) Describe their relationship with other clients

5.) Would you have them over for dinner?

*PEOPLE DON”T BUY WHAT YOU DO, THEY BUY WHY YOU DO IT

*YOUR STUDENTS BELIEVE YOU’RE THE BEST GUY. THEY PICKED YOU.

*INSTEAD OF SELLING TECHNOLOGY, SELL YOURSELF

*”Personal relationships > Customer Service”- Gary Vaynerchuk

*Charges $50 for V1 online lessons. Unlimited monthly

 

Ben Crane

*Read “Healing Pain”

-Emotions can cause body pain

Andy Plummer and Mike Bennet- Stack and Tilt

*They never handed out a business card or solicited business

-They were taught that if people wanted help, they would come ask

*There is no standard for grip or alignment on PGA Tour

-they are variables, not fundamentals

*They have been accused of lowest launch, but Trevor Immelman’s launch is 6.1 degrees

*”We use pictures to demonstrate concepts, not just because a champion player did it”

*It’s up to you to choose how you teach; this is our opinion

*S and T wasn’t their idea, it was Hogan’s

*20 degree foot flare

*”Book is simple, but has enough detail for all that need it”

*S and T wasn’t their idea, they were just organizers of ideas

*They never had any injuries; players who do it wrong have injured themselves

-Top coaches have accused them of injuring players, but they have injured numerous players themselves

Chris O’Connel 1 Plane Vs. 2 Plane

*If a player prefers having the ball above his feet, they should go towards 1 plane

*If a player prefers having the ball below his feet, they should move towards 2 plane

*With correct information, the next ball should be immediately better; golfer’s shouldn’t get worse before they get better

Nutrition Panel

*What should a golfer eat during a round?

-Protein- you won’t get tired

-Beef Jerkey

-Chicken/Egg Salad

-Nuts

-Carrots/Broccoli

-Banana

-Proteins and Fats digest slower than carbs

-If you are flying from Tampa to NY, don’t just fuel yourself for Atlanta. Eat enough before you play

Biggest Mistake People Make That Prevents Them from Maintaining A Good Weight?

*Overeating of bad food

*Skipping Meals

*I worked out, so now I deserve to eat _____

What is a good breakfast?

*If it is in a box, don’t eat it

*Meat, fruits, vegetables

-You never tell anyone “Ohhh, I had too much broccoli”

If you Added 1 Supplement What Would it Be?

*Vitamin D

*The one you are deficient in

*Omega 3’s

*Fish Oil

*thepaleodiet.com- good for people with auto-immune diseases

*livingfuel.com

-baby steps in the right direction are monster steps in the right direction towards super health

Golf Panel (Chuck Cook, James Sieckmann, Neale Smith, and Dr. Jim Suttie)

*Short game kinematic sequence- thorax moves faster and later than arms

*Random practice is critcal at the right time

*How should I practice, block or random?

-Depends on where you are at

*The closer you simulate on course conditions, the quicker you get greater transference

*“I don’t do call me up and give me an hour lesson”- Chuck Cook

-20 hour programs

-Get more done and don’t have to rush things- screen, 3D, short game, on course, etc.

How Do You Teach a Beginner?

*Start at the hole and move back

*Make students tell you what they are supposed to do to hit a putt, chip, etc.

*Explain the purpose of a good grip

*Start without a club/without a ball/without a target

*Minimize words

What Are Your Thoughts on 3d?

*Gives you an idea of where you need to go

*Don’t look at every swing data every time

*Capture data at times when you think you are flushing it

*3d is for teachers, not students-don’t always show students data

-Does the student really need to describe a kinetic chain? No.

*Experiment with technology before you implement it

*Determine what your students respond best to

-No cues

-Body cues

-Visual cues

-Rhythm cues

*Keep in mind it is not what you want, it is what your students want

*Use personal touch and your students names

*Don’t try to tell your students everything you know

-They can’t be thinking of more than 1 thing at a time

*Don’t change your approach if your student is not getting a concept quick enough

-Don’t be afraid to walk away; watch from a distance

-Say the same thing in different ways

Why are the Europeans/Internationals More Successful Than Americans?

*Euros are hungrier/want it more

*Euros study the swing/biomechanics/body more

*Countries have unified national programs that teach a consistent system- there is no confusion when it comes on how to swing

*Americans are soft and spoiled

*Americans need a National Training Center-the rest of the world is running away from us, not in just golf

*American colleges are not great for player development

-Why are all players doing the same workouts/drills when they are all at different ability levels?

-US Kids are trained to think negatively (“Don’t mess up, we need you”)

-On tour 73=83, not in college… 73 gets counted, 83 probably won’t… Kids need to bash their driver on every hole and not be afraid of making a double

Thoughts on the Summit?

*The swing of the future is efficient and simpler

*Swing is based on what your body will allow you to do

*What is the best way to swing given no physical limitations?

-Unclear so far.

*Keep moving and learning, otherwise you are going to get left behind

Dave Phillips/ Lance Gill Putting

*Vision trumps all other senses

-Someliers were fooled into thinking white wine was really red wine just because the wine had red food coloring in it

*Bullseye putter tested best for alignment

*Test eye dominance

-If left eye dominant, try moving ball position forward

-If right eye dominant, try moving ball position back

*Bad visualizers need all the help they can get

-Line on ball, lines on putters, etc.

*Test vision

-You may have vision control problems that will result in distance control issues

*To be an expert, don’t neglect the little things

*The quieter your base, the better of a putter you will be

-If your lower body is moving too much, even just a few millimeters, it is too much

*If you don’t have cervical mobility, you will make destructive compensations

*If you don’t assess, it’s just a guess

Jason Glass-Explosive Rotational Power

*Strength is not power

*Speed is power

*Efficiency of movement is speed

*Power is all about speed

3 Keys to Explosive Rotational Power

1.)  Sequencing

2.)  Pelvic Powerhouse

3.)  Segmental Stabilization

*Test clients’ balance- “Don’t let me push you”

*People who can jump high hit the ball far

*DREAM BIG, YOU CANNOT DREAM TOO BIG. OVERDELIVER.  WE ARE CAPABLE OF SO MUCH MORE IF WE GIVE OURSELVES A CHANCE.

 

 

 

 

Lessons For Teachers and Students Learned in ‘The Karate Kid’ Movies

Up until recently, I hadn’t seen any of the ‘The Karate Kid’ movies in my short lifetime.  Teachers and mentors always referenced the movie, and often called me ‘Daniel-San’ but I still hadn’t seen it.  I ultimately decided that I would see the new Karate Kid movie featuring Will Smith’s son, and then perhaps see the original Karate Kid movie.  I had a feeling there would be many lessons in the movie, lessons that I knew would help myself, and others in the games of golf and life, so I decided to take notes while watching the movies.  Here are quotes I enjoyed and think are applicable to you and your life…

* “If it comes from inside you, always right one”

-You know you better than anyone else.  If you have a gut feeling about what club to hit, or where to hit it, go with your first instinct.  Trust your initial gut feeling and go with it.  Don’t let doubt creep in.

* ”No such thing as bad students, only bad teachers”

-If your student is not understanding or doing what you tell them to do, you aren’t communicating to them effectively enough, so you must change your approach.  Find new ways to communicate the same thing.  New images, or feelings can resonate with students, often things that you wouldn’t think of right away.  Don’t give up if your student doesn’t immediately understand what you are trying to tell him or her.

* “I say you do, no questions!”

-As a teacher, YOU are the expert.  You have studied long and hard to figure out what works, and what doesn’t.  Students come to YOU for a reason: you know what the hell you are talking about.  Students should respect you.  Jeff Ritter once told me that as a coach you should never lose command of a lesson.  Always stay on target and remain focused.

* Hands on hands teaching. “Wax on, wax off!”

-I’m sure you have heard of the famous quote uttered by Mr. Miyagi, “Wax on, wax off!’.  Students learn better in different ways: Some are auditory learners, visual learners, kinesthetic learners, etc..  Remember, if a student is not processing what you are trying to convey, it is in your best interest to change your teaching strategy.  One way to do this is to put your hands on your golfers hands.  Guide your student’s hands into proper positions so that they can immediately ‘feel’ what you are trying to convey.  Don’t forget to do this because it is your responsibility as a coach to make sure your student leaves knowing EXACTLY what he needs to feel or do.  Your ultimate goal as a teacher is to make your student feel like he doesn’t need your help anymore.

* ”Don’t forget to breathe, it’s very important!”

-We often forget to do something as simple as breathing, especially when we are in pressure-filled situations.  We need to breath to allow ourselves to express our inner genius, and perform to our ultimate capabilities.  Don’t forget to breathe!

* ”Right circle, left circle. Breathe in, breathe out”

-Author Daniel Coyle in his game-changing book, The Talent Code, discovered that master coaches speak in short commands.  This quote is a perfect example of this.  When I coach, I try to avoid speaking in boring and unnecessary long-winded sonnets.  The student doesn’t need to know every detail; they just need to know the vital information.  Shorter explanations and directions win every time.

* ”Ahtahtah. All in wrist, ah very good. Don’t look at me, look at fence”. (Change in pitch, volume, tonality).

-There are a few gems to grab from this quote.  Compliment correct actions.  Catch a student looking at you instead of focusing on what they are trying to do in the swing.  Remember, the student shouldn’t always looking at you for approval, because they will not have the luxury of you accompanying them every shot on the driving range or course.  Teachers remember to help your students develop self-reliance, and not use you as a crutch.  Finally, Mr. Miyagi provided us with a perfect example of changing his pitch, tonality, and volume, all of which are excellent strategies for maintaining the interest and excitement of your students.  Do NOT be the monotone teacher; you may be presenting your student with the best possible information, but if your delivery is weak, you have lost your student!

* ”Come morning, start early.”

-Long-term success doesn’t happen immediately with a quick fix band-aid tip; to achieve best results, you must have your students train, train, train as much as possible.  Writing new motor programs in your brain takes time and hundreds and thousands of repetitions.  In fact, scholars believe that it takes about 10,000 hours of quality repetitions to master a skill (see Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers”).

* ”Come back tomorrow.”

-See above quote and explanation.  Train hard… Daily!  And don’t change what you are training day to day.  Completely master one skill, then move to the next rung of the ladder (but not until you master the first rung!).

* ”Punch whole body, not just hand and arm.”

-Great biomechanics lesson here.  You must get your entire body involved if you want to maximize power, distance, and accuracy. Your body gets power from the ground first, lower body second, torso third, and THEN lead arm, hand and ultimately club; it’s called the Kinetic Chain.  Don’t just swing with hands and arms.

* ”I think you talk too much, don’t concentrate enough.”

-Make sure your students talk less, and do more.  Socializing is part of golf, but remind your students what their ultimate goal is to perform to the best of their abilities.  If your student is always talking, and never doing, they may never achieve their goals.  There is a time to work and a time to play.  Teachers get proficient at knowing when to switch from work to play.

* Daniel-San, “Do you think I have a chance at fight?” Miyagi, “Not matter what Miyagi think.Miyagi not fighting.”

-This quote is uttered from Daniel-San when he asks Mr. Miyagi how he thinks Daniel will fare at the big fight.  Miyagi reminds us that it doesn’t matter if other people think we will be successful or not; all that matters is if we believe in our abilities.  Dr. Bob Winters once told me that believing in oneself is the secret to success.

* ”Understand?”

-Mr. Miyagi reminds teachers to always check for student understanding.  You have failed as a teacher if your student leaves a lesson and doesn’t know exactly what they need to work on, how to do drills, or why they are doing a drill.  Student understanding is vital for student success. 

The new ‘Karate Kid’ movie echoed similar themes originally presented in the first Karate Kid movie, but I learned a couple new things that I want to share with you.

* “What are we doing today? Same.”

-Remember how long it takes to master a skill, right? 10,000 hours.  The most important thing for coaches to do is an initial assessment of a student.  They perform movement screens, collect 2-D video,  3-D data, and create an instant prescription of corrective exercises and swing drills, much like a doctor.  Once that initial plan is created, the next step is to work that plan!  The plan doesn’t change everyday; it is the same plan carried out everyday!  Plans don’t change daily.  It is important to reassess plans perhaps monthly or annually to chart progress or alter the plan if needed.  If a student doesn’t see immediate results, don’t think to immediately change your plan.  Have faith in the plan, results will come shortly.  You are the expert, never forget that.

 I remember asking Butch Harmon at the 2008 PGA Show what should I do if a golfer comes to me with a poor grip, poor posture, and several other swing faults.  What should the plan of attack be?  He told me this: “You have to pretend that you are a doctor.  Say a guy comes to you with a broken arm, sprained ankle, and cancer.  What will you fix first?  Well obviously you try to fix the cancer first.  Then you don’t immediately try to fix the sprained ankle the next day, but rather, what you do is keep working on that cancer until you get completely rid of it.  Don’t be afraid to keep working on the one major thing until it is completely fixed.  What most coaches do is they have great intentions, but try to fix a different fault everyday, without making much progress.  Fix the cancer first and don’t move on until you kill it.”

* ”You train a lot. You need rest.”

-Training vital behaviors is the key to success.  Training daily helps speed up progress even more.  But don’t forget to REST.  You’re muscles and brain need time to recover, otherwise you will never maximize the benefits of your hard work.  Balance of work and rest is imperative to achieve positive results.

I hope you learned a few things from reading this article that will help become a more effective golfer or golf coach! If you have not seen these movies, I highly recommend watching them, or re-watching them with these new tips fresh in your mind!

Tattoo of the day: “I’m a poser”. So imperative to hold your balanced finish!

Tattoo of the day: “I’m a poser”. So imperative to hold your balanced finish!

It’s cool to be a poser! Oxymoron I know, but not in golf. I just started my 3rd summer as the Director of Instruction at Dr. Bob Winter’s (www.drbobwinters.com) Nike Golf School at Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts.  I determined early on that I would have 3 simple, but effective goals for the camp.  I wanted each golfer to leave with a perfect grip, perfect posture, and a solid, balanced finish.  Student after student didn’t have a good finish, due to hanging back on their trail leg, stopping their clubhead at impact, or simply not knowing any better.   At the beginning of the week, each student is a given a blank workbook, a book that is quickly filled with notes on what they need to work on during and after camp. Sometimes I decide to take a sharpie and write notes on the glove of a junior so that they have no excuses about remebering what they need to work on.  After noticing a common trend of finishing poorly, I decided to write ‘poser’ on gloves to remind golfers to pose and hold their finish. So what makes for a good finish? -Majority of weight on your front leg/foot/side -Shaft resting under your hatline, perpendicular to your spine Who is the guy in the picture? -Tim Petrovic, one of the premier PGA Tour players who choose to employ my bossman, Tim Suzor (kineticgolf360.com, @kineticgolf360) Why Post a picture of Petro? -Petro is quickly becoming the new model of a fluid, effortless, stable, efficient golf swing (commentators refer less to Ernie Els and are focusing significantly more on Petro) -He also has a textbook finish Sometimes it’s important to work from the finish backwards, in order to compress the ball and create a stable and efficient golf swing.  It is pretty wild noticing that when a new golfer is taught how they are meant to finish, the stuff in between address and finish seems to magically take care of itself.  If you give a new golfer perfect posture, grip, and finish, they will quickly like a player.  It will blow your mind actually. Be a poser.  Pose like a statue.

It’s cool to be a poser!

Oxymoron I know, but not in golf. I just started my 3rd summer as the Director of Instruction at Dr. Bob Winter’s (www.drbobwinters.com) Nike Golf School at Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts.  I determined early on that I would have 3 simple, but effective goals for the camp.  I wanted each golfer to leave with a perfect grip, perfect posture, and a solid, balanced finish.  Student after student didn’t have a good finish, due to hanging back on their trail leg, stopping their clubhead at impact, or simply not knowing any better.  

At the beginning of the week, each student is a given a blank workbook, a book that is quickly filled with notes on what they need to work on during and after camp. Sometimes I decide to take a sharpie and write notes on the glove of a junior so that they have no excuses about remebering what they need to work on.  After noticing a common trend of finishing poorly, I decided to write ‘poser’ on gloves to remind golfers to pose and hold their finish.

So what makes for a good finish?

-Majority of weight on your front leg/foot/side

-Shaft resting under your hatline, perpendicular to your spine

Who is the guy in the picture?

-Tim Petrovic, one of the premier PGA Tour players who choose to employ my bossman, Tim Suzor (kineticgolf360.com, @kineticgolf360)

Why Post a picture of Petro?

-Petro is quickly becoming the new model of a fluid, effortless, stable, efficient golf swing (commentators refer less to Ernie Els and are focusing significantly more on Petro)

-He also has a textbook finish

Sometimes it’s important to work from the finish backwards, in order to compress the ball and create a stable and efficient golf swing.  It is pretty wild noticing that when a new golfer is taught how they are meant to finish, the stuff in between address and finish seems to magically take care of itself.  If you give a new golfer perfect posture, grip, and finish, they will quickly like a player.  It will blow your mind actually.

Be a poser.  Pose like a statue.

Several months ago, the Winter Park Country Club started a monthly lecture series.  Each month, famous professionals, coaches, psychologists, and golf icons visit the quaint country club to tell their story in an open forum.  Orlando, while not the most glamorous city in the world, is somewhat of a golf mecca.  Countless tour pros, mini tour players, and Mickey Mouse make their home in the Orlando area.  The Golf Channel considers Orlando its home as well.  This month’s lecture featured The Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner.   I have seen Lerner often on The Golf Channel, but never heard him speak in person.  I was blown away by his ability to craft words and recall stories in detail; in that sense, he reminded me a lot of Peter Kessler, whom The Golf Channel desperately misses. Lerner made some very interesting and intriguing points.  Here are the notes I took: *“People complain at times that we show Tiger too much” A: -The truth is, Tiger triples television ratings -Media coverage with Tiger has been comenserate with his results -Everyone wants to blame the press Q: Who is the next up and coming Tiger? A: No one is up and coming that is Tiger -Here is what I think you need to do to be the next Tiger             -Win 6 times a year (brutally hard to win once on tour)             -Win a major or 2 a year             -Win 7 tournaments in a row             -Have a win percentage of 28% (you get in the Hall of Fame if you have 5%) Q: What do you think of Tiger at the Masters, especially his comments after the Masters to Peter Kostis? -Tiger was such a disappointment -Peter Kessler said it best; ‘Tiger was sentences away from having a great Masters. He should have congratulated Phil, and said ‘thanks to the fan for embracing me this week’ -Tiger blew it at the Masters -Can’t believe the commercial             -So far O.B. there             -Dead father’s voice was used completely out of context -Tiger not the only guy that hates playing badly, yet he acts like he is -Kids are now starting to throw clubs now. Why? Because Tiger does it… That’s a problem -Tiger acts like he’s the only one that hits bad shots -Graciousness isn’t Tiger’s best club in the bag -If Tiger said I don’t care about Phil or the Media, people would eat it up, and ratings would soar, especially non-traditional golf media Q: What do you think about the current status of the LPGA Tour? A: -Our company believes in it -There are a lot of retiring stars, which will hurt the tour -There’s a scarcity of American stars -Need more red, white, and blue stars -Michelle Wie is young, but doesn’t win enough -It is very difficult to be a star in golf -There is only 1 way to be a star in golf and that’s to win (most will settle for 1 win a year) -LPGA has gone where the money is: Asia, but the more you’re in Asia, the less relevant you are here -Americans haven’t produced -Young Americans have to start winning -What’d you shoot today? That’s all that matters at the end of the day Q: What do you think about the 2016 Olympics? A: -2016 could be the biggest boom for golf -On a recent interview with Arnold Palmer, Palmer said, ‘There will be a Masters champion from China within 30 years without a doubt’ Q: How can the stars on the PGA Tour support the tour at the smaller tournaments? A: *People are starting to talk about the 1 in 4 rule -Players would be required to play each tournament once every 4 years -Money doesn’t move these guys anymore Q: What do you think about the recent rise of the Champions Tour? A: -People knock Champions tour, but what other sport can you watch ex-stars compete at 50? 60? *Guys on the Champions Tour, especially Tom Watson show that golf is about finesse, experience, knowledge, and not just about brute strength -Conditioning is playing a big part in keeping the elder generation competitive with the young guys Q: Who are some of your best interviewees? A: -Geoff Ogilvy. He is thoughtful, not afraid, and doesn’t measure his words -Harrington.  Harrington is bright, grounded, and very grateful to be out there Q: Who has the prettiest swing? -Ernie Els.  Love his rhythm.  He hangs back and flips at impact, but has great rhythm Q: How did you get your job? A: -I was a radio guy in Texas -Friend of friend got me audition at Golf Channel -Flubbed first attempt at Golf Channel -They had me read from a teleprompter and I failed miserably -I felt devastated, but GC guys urged me to try it again, and I had a ‘let it go’ moment -I nailed the second take and got a call from them two weeks later -This is my dream job The PGA Tour’s slogan is ‘These guys are good’, but I think that slogan is applicable to golf analysts as well. I really loved listening to Rich Lerner speak, and hope you enjoyed reading my notes! 

Several months ago, the Winter Park Country Club started a monthly lecture series.  Each month, famous professionals, coaches, psychologists, and golf icons visit the quaint country club to tell their story in an open forum.  Orlando, while not the most glamorous city in the world, is somewhat of a golf mecca.  Countless tour pros, mini tour players, and Mickey Mouse make their home in the Orlando area.  The Golf Channel considers Orlando its home as well.  This month’s lecture featured The Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner. 

 I have seen Lerner often on The Golf Channel, but never heard him speak in person.  I was blown away by his ability to craft words and recall stories in detail; in that sense, he reminded me a lot of Peter Kessler, whom The Golf Channel desperately misses.

Lerner made some very interesting and intriguing points.  Here are the notes I took:

*“People complain at times that we show Tiger too much”

A:

-The truth is, Tiger triples television ratings

-Media coverage with Tiger has been comenserate with his results

-Everyone wants to blame the press

Q: Who is the next up and coming Tiger?

A: No one is up and coming that is Tiger

-Here is what I think you need to do to be the next Tiger

            -Win 6 times a year (brutally hard to win once on tour)

            -Win a major or 2 a year

            -Win 7 tournaments in a row

            -Have a win percentage of 28% (you get in the Hall of Fame if you have 5%)

Q: What do you think of Tiger at the Masters, especially his comments after the Masters to Peter Kostis?

-Tiger was such a disappointment

-Peter Kessler said it best; ‘Tiger was sentences away from having a great Masters. He should have congratulated Phil, and said ‘thanks to the fan for embracing me this week’

-Tiger blew it at the Masters

-Can’t believe the commercial

            -So far O.B. there

            -Dead father’s voice was used completely out of context

-Tiger not the only guy that hates playing badly, yet he acts like he is

-Kids are now starting to throw clubs now. Why? Because Tiger does it… That’s a problem

-Tiger acts like he’s the only one that hits bad shots

-Graciousness isn’t Tiger’s best club in the bag

-If Tiger said I don’t care about Phil or the Media, people would eat it up, and ratings would soar, especially non-traditional golf media

Q: What do you think about the current status of the LPGA Tour?

A:

-Our company believes in it

-There are a lot of retiring stars, which will hurt the tour

-There’s a scarcity of American stars

-Need more red, white, and blue stars

-Michelle Wie is young, but doesn’t win enough

-It is very difficult to be a star in golf

-There is only 1 way to be a star in golf and that’s to win (most will settle for 1 win a year)

-LPGA has gone where the money is: Asia, but the more you’re in Asia, the less relevant you are here

-Americans haven’t produced

-Young Americans have to start winning

-What’d you shoot today? That’s all that matters at the end of the day

Q: What do you think about the 2016 Olympics?

A:

-2016 could be the biggest boom for golf

-On a recent interview with Arnold Palmer, Palmer said, ‘There will be a Masters champion from China within 30 years without a doubt’

Q: How can the stars on the PGA Tour support the tour at the smaller tournaments?

A:

*People are starting to talk about the 1 in 4 rule

-Players would be required to play each tournament once every 4 years

-Money doesn’t move these guys anymore

Q: What do you think about the recent rise of the Champions Tour?

A:

-People knock Champions tour, but what other sport can you watch ex-stars compete at 50? 60?

*Guys on the Champions Tour, especially Tom Watson show that golf is about finesse, experience, knowledge, and not just about brute strength

-Conditioning is playing a big part in keeping the elder generation competitive with the young guys

Q: Who are some of your best interviewees?

A:

-Geoff Ogilvy. He is thoughtful, not afraid, and doesn’t measure his words

-Harrington.  Harrington is bright, grounded, and very grateful to be out there

Q: Who has the prettiest swing?

-Ernie Els.  Love his rhythm.  He hangs back and flips at impact, but has great rhythm

Q: How did you get your job?

A:

-I was a radio guy in Texas

-Friend of friend got me audition at Golf Channel

-Flubbed first attempt at Golf Channel

-They had me read from a teleprompter and I failed miserably

-I felt devastated, but GC guys urged me to try it again, and I had a ‘let it go’ moment

-I nailed the second take and got a call from them two weeks later

-This is my dream job

The PGA Tour’s slogan is ‘These guys are good’, but I think that slogan is applicable to golf analysts as well.

I really loved listening to Rich Lerner speak, and hope you enjoyed reading my notes! 

One of the fortunes of attending Rollins College is access to Professor Dr. Gio Valiante, one of the best golf psychologists in the world.  Dr. Valiante has worked with Camilo Villegas, Chad Campbell, Stuart Appleby, Heath Slocum, Davis Love III, Dwight Howard, etc. Dr. Valiante also has a connection with author Daniel Coyle and convinced Coyle to do a skype interview with Rollins’s Sports Psychology and Educational Psychology classes, which Valiante happens to teach.  Conflicts with my schedule kept me from enrolling in either of Valiante’s classes, but I was able to convince my children’s literature teacher to let me skip class the day Valiante’s classes interviewed Coyle.  Coyle wrote one of my favorite books of all time: The Talent Code.  In The Talent Code, “Journalist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle visited nine of the world’s greatest talent hotbeds — tiny places that produce huge amounts of talent, from a small music camp in upstate New York to an elementary school in California to the baseball fields of the Caribbean. He found that there’s a pattern common to all of them — certain methods of training, motivation, and coaching. This pattern, which has to do with the fundamental mechanisms through which the brain acquires skill, gives us a new way to think about talent — as well as new tools with which we can unlock our own talents and those of our kids” (http://thetalentcode.com/). I love this book because it teaches teachers how to be master coaches, and learners how to train efficiently and effectively.  It also highlights the notion that talent is created, not born. I also took voracious notes in the few minutes I was able to skip one of my classes.  Myelin, the insulation that wraps around nerve fibers, is essential in developing skills.  The more you do a drill, the more myelin is produced, and your body is able to quickly recall how to move a certain way when it needs to.  I learned that myelin wraps, but does not unwrap, so you can’t unlearn a habit.  The only way to ‘unlearn’ or correct a bad habit, is to learn a new skill, and then groove that new skill.  Coyle said it is like sledding down a hill; the more you sled down the hill, and groove a nice little path, the quicker you will speed down the hill. Coyle also highlighted that “practice performance is an illusion”.  It is an illusion because we are in a controlled environment without any external pressures.  We fail to transfer skills from practice to play at times, because we haven’t practiced our new skills enough.  Also, when added stress is involved, we revert back to our old, more myelinated bad habits. Coyle believed it would be a bad idea to draft Tim Tebow, since Tebow is undergoing a technical reconstruction of his throwing motion.  Just because Tebow is performing well in practice, does not mean that his new learned skills are ready to be transferred to game-situations, mainly because he probably hasn’t got enough repetitions of his new skill yet; however, as Coyle added, if there is anyone to be successful, it is Tebow because of his hard work and determination. So keep an eye on Tebow… Coyle said, “We like to practice what we are good at… That is why we plateau. We get past plateaus by working on what we are not good at”.  If you want to take your game to the next level, make a record of your statistics (putts, fairways hit, greens hit, sand saves, etc.) and find out what your weaknesses are.  Then spend some extra time on correcting your weaknesses!  Don’t spend all your time hitting balls off perfect princess lies with the same club, mix it up a bit to make it more game-like. Coyle said to “think of a slump as a static in a neurological circuit.  Slumps are usually an emotional problem, a problem with performance, not ability.  Slumps come from thinking too much”.  So don’t always blame a slump on faulty technique, it could be a mental issue.  Also, make sure you have a simple, rock-solid plan to prevent overthinking.Speaking of thinking, I learned that the “unconscious mind processes 10 million bits/sec and our conscious mind processes 40 bits/sec”.  It’s amazing to think what our minds can do, even without our total awareness. I hope you learned something and be sure to read “The Talent Code” if you haven’t already!

One of the fortunes of attending Rollins College is access to Professor Dr. Gio Valiante, one of the best golf psychologists in the world.  Dr. Valiante has worked with Camilo Villegas, Chad Campbell, Stuart Appleby, Heath Slocum, Davis Love III, Dwight Howard, etc.

Dr. Valiante also has a connection with author Daniel Coyle and convinced Coyle to do a skype interview with Rollins’s Sports Psychology and Educational Psychology classes, which Valiante happens to teach.  Conflicts with my schedule kept me from enrolling in either of Valiante’s classes, but I was able to convince my children’s literature teacher to let me skip class the day Valiante’s classes interviewed Coyle. 

Coyle wrote one of my favorite books of all time: The Talent Code.  In The Talent Code,

“Journalist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle visited nine of the world’s greatest talent hotbeds — tiny places that produce huge amounts of talent, from a small music camp in upstate New York to an elementary school in California to the baseball fields of the Caribbean.

He found that there’s a pattern common to all of them — certain methods of training, motivation, and coaching. This pattern, which has to do with the fundamental mechanisms through which the brain acquires skill, gives us a new way to think about talent — as well as new tools with which we can unlock our own talents and those of our kids” (http://thetalentcode.com/).

I love this book because it teaches teachers how to be master coaches, and learners how to train efficiently and effectively.  It also highlights the notion that talent is created, not born.

I also took voracious notes in the few minutes I was able to skip one of my classes.  Myelin, the insulation that wraps around nerve fibers, is essential in developing skills.  The more you do a drill, the more myelin is produced, and your body is able to quickly recall how to move a certain way when it needs to.  I learned that myelin wraps, but does not unwrap, so you can’t unlearn a habit.  The only way to ‘unlearn’ or correct a bad habit, is to learn a new skill, and then groove that new skill.  Coyle said it is like sledding down a hill; the more you sled down the hill, and groove a nice little path, the quicker you will speed down the hill.

Coyle also highlighted that “practice performance is an illusion”.  It is an illusion because we are in a controlled environment without any external pressures.  We fail to transfer skills from practice to play at times, because we haven’t practiced our new skills enough.  Also, when added stress is involved, we revert back to our old, more myelinated bad habits.

Coyle believed it would be a bad idea to draft Tim Tebow, since Tebow is undergoing a technical reconstruction of his throwing motion.  Just because Tebow is performing well in practice, does not mean that his new learned skills are ready to be transferred to game-situations, mainly because he probably hasn’t got enough repetitions of his new skill yet; however, as Coyle added, if there is anyone to be successful, it is Tebow because of his hard work and determination. So keep an eye on Tebow…

Coyle said, “We like to practice what we are good at… That is why we plateau. We get past plateaus by working on what we are not good at”.  If you want to take your game to the next level, make a record of your statistics (putts, fairways hit, greens hit, sand saves, etc.) and find out what your weaknesses are.  Then spend some extra time on correcting your weaknesses!  Don’t spend all your time hitting balls off perfect princess lies with the same club, mix it up a bit to make it more game-like.

Coyle said to “think of a slump as a static in a neurological circuit.  Slumps are usually an emotional problem, a problem with performance, not ability.  Slumps come from thinking too much”.  So don’t always blame a slump on faulty technique, it could be a mental issue.  Also, make sure you have a simple, rock-solid plan to prevent overthinking.

Speaking of thinking, I learned that the “unconscious mind processes 10 million bits/sec and our conscious mind processes 40 bits/sec”.  It’s amazing to think what our minds can do, even without our total awareness.

I hope you learned something and be sure to read “The Talent Code” if you haven’t already!

Tavistock Thoughts. I attended the Tavistock Cup today at Isleworth Country Club in Orlando, FL and brought a trusty moleskin notebook in my back pocket in case I wanted to take any notes. I quickly decided to take notes on things I noticed about the swings of the pros playing in the TC so that when, or if they come to me asking help with their swing, I will already know what they need to work on. I like to be prepared when a student comes to me for a lesson. It makes me look good.

Mind (On) the Gap! Struggling with path issues? Make a tunnel out of golf balls and try to avoid hitting any of the barrier balls while hitting your shot. Don’t think of trying to guide your club down a certain path, just swing hard and try not to hit any wrong balls! Start off with a wide tunnel.  When you become more proficient at doing the drill, narrow the gap. I got this drill idea from Rollins College player and former high school rival, James McDonough. Thanks James!

Mind (On) the Gap! Struggling with path issues? Make a tunnel out of golf balls and try to avoid hitting any of the barrier balls while hitting your shot. Don’t think of trying to guide your club down a certain path, just swing hard and try not to hit any wrong balls! Start off with a wide tunnel.  When you become more proficient at doing the drill, narrow the gap. I got this drill idea from Rollins College player and former high school rival, James McDonough. Thanks James!

Tiger Woods is the most dominant athlete of all time for a reason.  He consults with the best coaches/trainers in the world to create a master plan, and then he works his ass off executing this plan.  Talent is created, it isn’t innate.  If you want better results, develop a rock-solid plan, and then work it, HARD!  Here is a typical day in Tiger’s life before his recent indefinite leave from golf (via www.tigerwoods.com): 6:30 a.m. - One hour of cardio. Choice between endurance runs, sprints or biking. 7:30 a.m. - One hour of lower weight training. 60-70 percent of normal lifting weight, high reps and multiple sets. 8:30 a.m. - High protein/low-fat breakfast. Typically includes egg-white omelet with vegetables. 9:00 a.m. - Two hours on the golf course. Hit on the range and work on swing. 11:00 a.m. - Practice putting for 30 minutes to an hour. Noon - Play nine holes. 1:30 p.m. - High protein/low-fat lunch. Typically includes grilled chicken or fish, salad and vegetables. 2:00 p.m. - Three-to-four hours on the golf course. Work on swing, short game and occasionally play another nine holes. 6:30 p.m. - 30 minutes of upper weight training. High reps. 7:00 p.m. - Dinner and rest. I love this plan as a general framework, but I’d take it a next step further.  I’d outline the details of each step.  What exercises are you going to do in the gym?  What putting drills will you do?  What will be your intention or focus during putting?  What will your swing keys be?  The more details you put in your plan, the easier it will be to execute.  Now go make your plan!

Tiger Woods is the most dominant athlete of all time for a reason.  He consults with the best coaches/trainers in the world to create a master plan, and then he works his ass off executing this plan.  Talent is created, it isn’t innate.  If you want better results, develop a rock-solid plan, and then work it, HARD!  Here is a typical day in Tiger’s life before his recent indefinite leave from golf (via www.tigerwoods.com):

6:30 a.m. - One hour of cardio. Choice between endurance runs, sprints or biking.
7:30 a.m. - One hour of lower weight training. 60-70 percent of normal lifting weight, high reps and multiple sets.
8:30 a.m. - High protein/low-fat breakfast. Typically includes egg-white omelet with vegetables.
9:00 a.m. - Two hours on the golf course. Hit on the range and work on swing.
11:00 a.m. - Practice putting for 30 minutes to an hour.
Noon - Play nine holes.
1:30 p.m. - High protein/low-fat lunch. Typically includes grilled chicken or fish, salad and vegetables.
2:00 p.m. - Three-to-four hours on the golf course. Work on swing, short game and occasionally play another nine holes.
6:30 p.m. - 30 minutes of upper weight training. High reps.
7:00 p.m. - Dinner and rest.

I love this plan as a general framework, but I’d take it a next step further.  I’d outline the details of each step.  What exercises are you going to do in the gym?  What putting drills will you do?  What will be your intention or focus during putting?  What will your swing keys be?  The more details you put in your plan, the easier it will be to execute.  Now go make your plan!

I knew Dustin Johnson had a great swing with solid fundamentals, but now I know the how.  I gather taller players tend to have instability issues, so if you’re tall, or even if you’re not, check out the stability drills Dustin swears by.  I don’t care how stable you claim to be, we all could benefit from having better balance.  Half foam rollers are a major tool in the GrangerGolf training arsenal thanks to Suzor at Kinetic Golf (www.kineticgolf360.com).  Half foams challenge your toe to heel stability.  If you can make swings with half foam rollers (round side on the ground) under your feet without falling over, your club will swing on plane virtually every time… Check out the rest of DJ’s drills here:http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/feb/14/your-game-dustin-johnson/

I knew Dustin Johnson had a great swing with solid fundamentals, but now I know the how.  I gather taller players tend to have instability issues, so if you’re tall, or even if you’re not, check out the stability drills Dustin swears by.  I don’t care how stable you claim to be, we all could benefit from having better balance.  Half foam rollers are a major tool in the GrangerGolf training arsenal thanks to Suzor at Kinetic Golf (www.kineticgolf360.com).  Half foams challenge your toe to heel stability.  If you can make swings with half foam rollers (round side on the ground) under your feet without falling over, your club will swing on plane virtually every time… Check out the rest of DJ’s drills here:http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/feb/14/your-game-dustin-johnson/

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