But I hit it GREAT on the range...

I hear these anguished cries on a daily basis at the golf course.

 “I was hitting my driver great on the range”,

 “I was sinking everything on the practice green.”

 “I wish I could take my range game to the golf course, what am I doing wrong?”

I have said it many times before, ”hitting a large basket of balls is not practice, it’s exercise”. Mindlessly hitting golf balls on the driving range will not make you a better golfer in the same way enjoying a Sunday afternoon public skate with your sweetie will not make you a better hockey player. 

Professional golfers take their range game to the golf course on a daily basis because they practice like they play, every shot, swing, motion is done with a specific purpose in mind and a specific outcome expected.

Like every professional hockey or football team practices exactly what they want to accomplish in every possible situation they will face in the upcoming game, professional golfers do the same by creating, and re-creating situations they will face next time out, attaching a value to each swing, and creating pressure situations by forcing narrow parameters for tee, and approach shots and up and down situations from various difficult positions around the green. This puts game like pressure on each and every shot with consequences for miss hit or poorly executed attempts. This type of practice prepares the player for game pressure situations where every swing counts and the consequences reflect on the paycheck. 

When you practice this way, with specific purpose, creating game like situations and attaching a value to every shot you take, you will find it easier to transfer your range game to the golf course (and it’s more fun). This type of practice enhances the biggest intangible bullet in your arsenal…confidence.  I have witnessed countless talented players who hit it like pros on the range, but can’t put it together on the course and the reason is always the same, perceived pressure.

I say “perceived” pressure because if there’s not a check waiting for you at the 18^th hole based on your performance then the only real pressure you should face is personal or peer pressure to perform that day, (and this is important) with no “real” consequences facing you at the 18^th except maybe who’s buying the beverages.

If you want to see real improvement, practice like you play, make a game of your practice time, play your favorite course on the range and practice short game and scoring situations with one ball, this will put game like pressure on your practice sessions that will transfer to the course, always remember, this is a game…have fun.

Why can't the message be consistent?

The Center of Gravity Triangle

As a golf instructor going on 20 years now, it always bothered me that the golf instructional message is always in flux, changing at the whim of theories new ideas. I believe golf instruction, like any other skill set should be pretty much cut and dried, not subject to theory and conjecture. I've heard the phrase "I teach everyone different" from countless golf professionals over the years, funny thing is, I've never heard that sentiment from any other sport or physical skill. A hockey coach at any level would not teach his players to pass the puck using different motor skills, or with their weight on a different foot depending on the player, the skill is taught and the

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player practices it until it becomes an ingrained skill. If an instructor had to teach skills individually, they would never be able to teach a group lesson, nor would a team sport coach ever find the time to individually mentor every player on his team to process a skill set in a different way. Why then is golf so different? I don't teach theory, as far as I can see swinging a golf club and hitting a golf ball to a desired target is a particular set of skills governed by geometry and physics. Yes, the individual players may look a little different executing the skill because of their individual physical limitations, flexibility, size and shape, etc. but the sequence of events, geometry of the swing. and physics of the ball flight are the same. Bobby Jones did the same basic thing Byron Nelson did, and Ben Hogan did, as well as Snead, Nicklaus, and every other player who was successful at a high level of this game. They all had 3 distinct parts to the swing, they all held their geometry very still throughout the swing (I call it the Center of Gravity Triangle) and they all understood the physics of ball flight in order to make adjustments to ball curvature. All very basic truths no matter how they physically looked swinging the club. Arnold palmer is a great example, he looked very different from Snead or Nicklaus, but the 3 basic pieces were there, and he held his geometry very still throughout his swing, that is the "Secret" to consistency...period. Like I said earlier, I don't teach theory, Center of Gravity Golf is a fact based system grounded in geometry and physics, put together in such a way that it cannot be disputed either by the conscious or subconscious mind. When the subconscious mind does not dispute the input, you are then free to play the game without the external bombardment of all the conflicting information received over the years. SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY. Golf is not played in a 6 foot bubble of mechanics around your body, golf is played out in front of you on a beautiful golf course in nature. In order to enjoy the game and "play golf" you must get out of the "golf swing mechanics bubble" and turn your attention to the beautiful targets presented you on any golf course. Certified COG instructors teach everyone the same...why, because it always works, each and every client has an "AH-HA" moment and get's very excited about their game. Complete understanding of cause and effect, the proper sequence of the swing, and a "plan" to score your best on each hole is he key to better golf and more fun.

The "Secret" to Consistency

Ben Hogan once said..."The average golfers problem is not so much his lack of ability, but a lack of understanding what he should be doing" 

With all the conflicting information out there, is it any  wonder it's hard to improve.

MOI vs. ROI…IS NEW EQUIPMENT REALLY THE ANSWER?

            Golf equipment is changing and evolving almost daily it seems, equipment manufacturers are introducing new and improved models at a rate of every 6 months or so, but does that mean you should run right out and get the latest model to improve your score?

            As a Golf Professional, I had access to and used to change my golf clubs every season to get the latest and greatest model of Driver, or the new cool iron set, and give away my (like new) previous set to friends or family. Back in early 2000, I received my new Taylor Made Iron set, the new 300 Forged Tour set. I absolutely loved these irons, but foolishly got rid of them the following season to make room for the new RAC model. While the RACs were great irons, they were not as solid and forgiving as the 300 forged set.

            Fast forward 10 years and 7 sets of irons later, I still haven’t found a set of clubs I like better than the 300s, so what does that tell me? Golf equipment companies have a chokehold on the golfing public, they own the golf airways and spend millions convincing us that we NEED the newest offerings, promising more distance, more forgiveness, better ball flight, and lower scores, but is that the whole truth?

            I believe some of the Driver new technology can help the skilled player with spin rate, launch conditions, and ball speed, but in the hands of 99% of us who play for fun on a semi regular basis (Teaching Professionals and Club Professionals included) the difference is negligible and it certainly does not improve our overall score, and iron sets offer even less of a scoring advantage.

            If you own a low center of gravity, perimeter-weighted iron set with a good shaft and grips made in the last 10 years, you don’t need a new set of irons.  We all want a new set of irons, we’ve been conditioned by the powerful manufacturers who pay the top players in the world to showcase their equipment that we must have the latest and greatest in order to get to the next level, but do you?

            Have you ever noticed how many “ #1 Club in Golf” claims there are out there? All of the top manufacturers claim the #1 spot for one thing or another and we are caught up in the hype and excitement of newer and better. While I’ve had my latest set of irons for more than 3 years now (Nike CCi Forged) they will have to be replaced soon due to wear and tear, I do admit to changing my driver to try and reduce ball spin. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing I love more than heading to the golf store and manhandling the new sticks, they’re very pretty…but when it’s time to change irons due to wear and tear, I now think about something different.

            Equipment manufacturers scientists are bombarding us with new terms like COR (coefficient of restitution), LCG (Low center of gravity) and MOI (Moment of inertia) and while all of these are measurable improvements, there is one term you should consider before pulling out the Visa card, ROI (Return on Investment).

            Retailing up to, and exceeding $1000.00, new golf equipment is no longer a purchase but an investment, and your job is to get a good return on your investment (ROI). There are a lot of factors that may weigh in on this decision; the promise of increased performance, identification with your favorite Professional player, or an emotional attachment to a specific brand; but will any of these factors improve your score…in a word…no.

            The perception that improvement comes with new equipment is a manufactured belief thrust on us by golf’s big business, if equipment was the answer, we’d all be shooting under par by now, and we all know, that’s not the case, average scores have not significantly improved for more than 50 years. A golfer will think nothing of spending $500.00 on a new driver with big promises, but will balk at spending the same $500.00 on a full day clinic that will guarantee game improvement and lower scores virtually every time, and with the equipment he already has.

            So what really drives us as golfers? Lower scores, beating our friends, steady improvement, or keeping up with the trends. The closer I look, the more I understand we all want to improve at this incredible game but are confused at how to do it. If you have to spend money at the shop this year, buy these, in this order; New grips, have your clubs re-gripped, they will feel like new, 6 fresh well fitting gloves, 2 pairs of comfortable, supportive shoes, and try out some new technology in golf balls, these equipment purchases will make a difference without breaking the bank. While the above purchases will surely help, your largest ROI always was, and continues to be, lessons from a competent Golf Teaching Professional. The growth of the game, and your individual improvement rests squarely on the shoulders of the Teaching Professional, seek one out today, and enjoy the guaranteed results of your new relationship.

           

           

            

THE KING HAS SPOKEN:

The King Has Spoken:

            I happened to catch an episode of  “12 Nights at the Academy” with Kelly Tilghman this week and her guest was none other than the King himself, Arnold Palmer. I will always stop what I’m doing and have a listen when Arnold has something to share and once again, I wasn’t disappointed. Arnold talked a little about his career, his grandson, who is now trying to make his was in Professional golf, equipment repair (grips to be specific) and what I was waiting for, practice advice.

            Ms. Tilghman asked him for advice on practice habits and focus for three different levels of golfer, a high handicap player, a mid handicap player, and a scratch or low handicap player. I was very excited to hear what he had to say about each level of golfer because after all, he is the King.

            The first type of player he commented on was the High Handicap player. Arnold began with the importance of a good grip like his father showed him when he began playing and then stressed a high handicap player should always work on the basics; Grip, posture, balance, and solid contact. If you work hard on the basics, the rest of the game will begin to fall into place. Great advice if you ask me, I think golfers are trying to do too much as high handicap players, the basics are where they need to focus for sure.

            The next player Arnold was asked to comment on was the mid-handicap player. The 12-18 handicap player that can get the ball around the course pretty good, but needs to shave of a few strokes to bring the handicap down. Arnold said that these players are already pretty good, but in order to get to the next level, they should get to work hard on the basics: Grip, posture, balance, and solid contact. Working on these basics of the game will allow the mid handicap player to progress to the next level more quickly. A mid handicapper will get more out of the basics than trying to do too much. Again, I have to agree, mid handicap players are trying to do too much by trying to implement everything they read or see on TV, this will surely hold them back.

            The last player Arnold was asked to comment on was a scratch player, or low handicap player. Arnold turned to Kelly and said “Well, when I talk to a scratch player, I would tell them the same thing I tell myself when things are going bad, when I am struggling with my game…I do what my father told me and go straight back to the basics”. I work on stance, alignment, balance, grip, and making solid contact. When I get all these things working well, the game comes around pretty quickly”. Once again...I have to agree. The low handicap players I work with are always trying to find something magic to bring them back when the game goes south. The answer is…as it is with every level of player…work on the basics.

            Simplicity is the KEY to playing this game well; the more you try to complicate things, the worse it gets. I know this to be a fact, and when you hear it straight from the King, there should be no argument. I thought I would comment on this show because Center of Gravity Golf is built around the basics and a validation from Arnold himself, although not direct, is worth it’s weight in gold.

            The message here is pretty clear, work on the basics…keep it as simple as you can, get good at grip, balance, alignment, and solid contact and the rest will take care of itself. That’s how COG is structured, and it works very well for any level of golfer. 

ARE YOU TOO BUSY TO PRACTICE?

We live in a culture where time has become the most precious of commodities. Between work, commuting, family, and home, finding the time for a round of golf a couple of times a week is becoming an exercise in time management. If you are a golfer, you understand the lure of the golf course; the fresh air, the camaraderie, the beauty of the golf course, and the thrill of a well-struck shot or a great putt that takes us away from the daily grind, even if only for a few hours.

Thousands of people across North America are joining the fraternity of new golfers every week, buying new equipment, taking lessons, joining leagues, or taking part in Corporate golf outings aimed at team building, improving the corporate culture, and yes, even conducting business, and all of these new golfers have a few things in common with the rest of us die hard players. We all enjoy the challenge, we all want to get better every year, and we don’t have the time to devote to the practice range.

Golf lessons from a certified Golf Professional are certainly a must have, a few good lessons on the golf swing and scoring game will counter months, or even years of frustration trying to figure it out on your own, the problem comes from what you do with those lessons. A Golf Professional, no matter how talented, can only impart his, or her knowledge on you in a classroom or range setting, it’s then up to you to take this knowledge and turn it into a golf game, and that takes practice time.

A serious amateur golfer will put in up to 10- hours per week on the practice range in order to compete at a high level, a Professional can double that time plus play a few rounds to improve or keep their scoring touch. So where does that leave the rest of us, those of us with regular jobs, families, and stuff to do? While it’s important, even therapeutic to go the range and grind through a couple of buckets of balls, are we doing our golf game any good?

Those of us with limited time have to maximize the minutes we steal for practice and make the most of our range encounters. The most successful golfers will follow a practice routine that they can translate into a golf game when they get to the course. Below is the practice routine suggested for all students of “Center of Gravity Golf”, this gives a player the best chance of bringing the range game to the golf course, and seeing steady, marked improvement…and it’s more fun.

1)    Never Use Block Practice: Block practice is what you see most everyone at a range engaged in. Hitting 7-iron after 7-iron, after 7-iron, is not a good way to improve your golf game. I call “Block Practice” exercise, while a short warm-up is ok, hitting 25 drivers in a row does nothing for your golf game. Remember, golf is a game, and should be practiced as a game.

2)    Practice Like You Play: After you warm up, your practice session should mimic a round of golf at your favorite course, or the one you will be playing soon. Picture the first hole and take the appropriate club for the shot. Hit the shot and live with the consequences, just like real golf. Estimate your remaining yardage and choose the appropriate club for that shot, and so on. For your shots into the green, pick put a specific target and estimate if you hit the green in regulation. Keep your fairways and greens in regulation stats, chipping and putting will come later. Using this practice range method will put you in the position to hit every club in your bag in a simulated game situation making it easier to translate from practice range to golf course.

3)    Practice with a Friend: From experience I’ve learned that getting to the gym a few times / week is easier and more enjoyable if I have a workout partner, the same goes for golf. A practice partner will help you get to the range, have more fun, and learn a lot faster. Playing the “Range Game” with a friend will make your practice time more enjoyable, fuel your competitive spirit, and help you focus on each and every shot ensuring more success on the course.

4)    Play Chipping and Putting Games: Playing closest to the hole chipping games with a friend will sharpen your skills and competitiveness much faster than mindlessly chipping 25 balls to a single target. In golf, you only have one chance to hit your shot, and practicing this way will lessen the anxiety you feel in a game situation. The same goes for putting. Playing a putting game with a friend will sharpen your eye and improve your putting much faster than hitting 20 10-footers in a row. Friendly competition for Cokes or Coffee will make your limited practice sessions really pay off.

5)    Get a Plan: Every golfer should have a plan before tee time. Having a game plan for all situations will give you the confidence to perform in any situation you may come across on the links. Most golfers try to “wing it”, and that’s when the big numbers show up on the card. “Center of Gravity Golf “ outlines a plan of attack for all situations ensuring lower scores and lots of fun on the course.

So if you’re like me and have limited time for practice, try this method, it’s fun, fast, and delivers the results you want in a short time. A typical practice session with a friend should not take more than an hour, and will show up on the golf course with lower scores and increased enjoyment.

                                                                       Rob Bernard CPGA Professional

                                                                                    Center of Gravity Golf

IS CENTER OF GRAVITY GOLF TOO EASY?

I think as a species, we have been conditioned to believe learning a new task or becoming proficient at a skill should be difficult. This is very evident at every turn when I watch golf videos or listen to golf professionals explain how to swing a golf club “properly”.

            It seems to me; almost everyone has a different idea on how this should be accomplished, adding to the confusion and slowing down the learning process. Any time there is conflicting information, the brain has trouble filtering out what it is supposed to tell the body, and frustration sets in.

            Let’s think about something; Old Tom Morris used to get a featherie ball around the Old Course in St. Andrews in the 1800s in very few strokes without the aid of a swing coach, fitness coach, or nutrition coach. I love watching the old Champions Tour videos with Chi Chi, Lee Trevino, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, and a host of others, every swing different, all getting the job done, and not a swing coach in sight.            

            With all the differences in the golf swings of the early 20^th century, the similarities are glaring, every player had impeccable balance, a specific sequence to their swing, and understood how to use geometry to control their ball flight, other than that, each and every swing was very unique.            

            It seems today, we are trying to force a new belief system of perfection in a golf swing, with specific angles and positions that must be hit in order to produce desired results, and while that may be great if your paycheck depends on your golf score and you have 20 hours / week to devote to practice, for the rest of us… it spells disaster.

            Having too many swing thoughts or conflicting information makes it impossible for the weekend golfer to improve or enjoy the game to it’s fullest, the golf swing is an athletic move and while every body has different physical limitations, every golf swing is also a little different. The Great Golf teacher Harvey Penick once said  “Beware of the golfer with a bad grip and a bad swing, for he has learned how to score with the swing he has” I believe amateur golfers world wide should take heed in this comment, your swing doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be yours, and you have to own it!

            Students and clients of Center of Gravity Golf have told me a thousand times;  “This is too easy, I finally get it!” The reason is simple, I let them use what they have naturally and teach them the proper sequence to swing the club, and it never fails. Once a student discovers his way of getting it done, it never leaves him.

            The principles are easy, the boss fingers control the clubface, the feet control the ground, the center of gravity triangle controls the geometry of ball flight and consistency, and the two power sources are the “engine” and the “piston”; put them in the proper sequence and you have a golf swing you can rely on. 

            So is Center of Gravity Golf too easy?  I think it’s just easy enough, but I’ll let you be the judge. A very smart man once said, “This is so easy…it just might work”... and it does.

           

           

            

Indoor VS. Outdoor practice…which is better?

There has been much debate on the effectiveness of practicing or 

getting golf lessons in an indoor facility verses an outdoor driving range or 

practice facility. Until just recently, golfers had no choice but to find a spot 

on a range when they could and get some swings in trying to work on their 

swing; or just relieve some stress. 

While a traditional driving range can be a wonderful place to spend an 

hour on a nice day, is it the best learning environment for a new golfer, or 

the best practice option for a serious player to hone specific skills? Until 

recently, I would have emphatically said yes, but with the terrific advances 

in the technology of ballistic golf ball tracking and behavior, my thoughts on 

the subject have dramatically changed.  

Learning a new skill, or perfecting an existing skill requires the full 

concentration of the golfer in order to retain the necessary nuances of 

balance, sequence, ball compression, and expected results into their “golf 

swing memory”. If the object is to train or perfect a motor skill, the 

influence of outside agencies will, and does slow down the process. 

Wind, rain, heat, cold, inconsistent hitting surfaces, and other 

distractions will slow the learning process as they take away the focus of the 

learning task. 

Sure, these are the conditions a golfer will face in a real world 

situation on a golf course, and will have to learn how to deal with one or 

more of them on a daily basis, the only constant is the golf swing motion. 

I believe if the golf swing motion is perfected in a controlled 

environment away from outside distractions, the “swing memory” is able to 

become deep seeded more quickly, and the player can focus on the influence 

of the conditions of the day, trusting the golf swing to get the job done. 

Let’s do a Pros & Cons list of the driving range learning experience 

verses the Controlled environment learning experience. 

Driving Range:



Pros: 
Readily available - Fresh Air - Plenty of room  - Sunshine - Real life experience  - Familiar


Cons:  “Outside distractions, wind, rain, heat, cold, bugs”.  - Inconsistent surfaces.  - No privacy.  - Time constraints (dark). - Unsure of carry distances - Unsure of trajectories - No feedback on ball speed, or spin
rates. - Poor learning environment. - Typically bucket sales driven, - limiting time or adding expense. - Limited essential feedback if no Professional guidance.

Indoor Golf Simulator Controlled Environment:

Pros: Readily available - Open long hours any weather. - No outside distractions. - Comfortable, controlled  - learning environment. - Privacy. - Consistent hitting surface. - Instant essential feedback on  ball speed, trajectory,spin  rate, and carry distance. - Able to see improvement. - Able to focus on skill sets. - Practice effectively without  - Professional feedback. - Able to practice in “Game Situations” - More fun = better learning - Ability to record results.


Cons:
Unfamiliar environment. - May feel closed in. - Trouble adjusting to instant feedback. - May be uncomfortable with computer technology.
 
The indoor learning and training golf facilities today are far advanced from
the simulators of just a few years ago. With the new tracking technology,
better playing surfaces, and ever more realistic graphics than can mimic
wind, fog, or rain conditions if you want, have in my opinion, eclipsed
trudging down to the range to get in a few licks. Golfers can now practice or
play after work, before work, on lunch hours, even when they only have 30
minutes to spare.
As a Teaching Professional, this technology is a godsend. No more
“rain outs”, “wind outs”, or” too hot” outs to mess up my teaching book. Not
only is the environment controlled, I can teach until 11PM if I want, but the
real advantage is the accelerated learning.
In the controlled environment of a new technology golf simulator, we
can work on specific aspects of balance, consistency, trajectory control, ball
speed, and distance control with very specific, instant feedback. This quickly
builds golfer confidence and accelerates the learning experience.
For me the choice is clear, on a beautiful day, an hour at the range will
always be an enjoyable distraction; but if you want to learn a solid golf
swing and short game scoring prowess…head inside, take full advantage of
new technology, Professional feedback, and take control of your learning
process.