Monday, July 27, 2009

Follow up question on Manning's question

Tim, good question.
 
We can all lose focus on the true nature of golf; to SWING the club. The key being to swing in the correct sequence so we have great impact alignments.
 
If we break down a swing to its simplest form, a stick representing the left arm and a stick representing the club,  bound the two with a loop of twine (wrists), that would be it.
 
We have to learn to move the left arm in such a way as not to "over accelerate" the golf club. It sounds like you are delivering an on-plane forward leaning shaft with an open face (hopefully the club is swinging!). So, let's get to fixing that face.
 
A clubface can open three ways: it can be open in your hands before you swing (bad grip), it can open too much on the backswing (over rotation of the left arm or cupping the left wrist), or you can do the same on the downswing.
 
Another hint: you can strike it squarely during short shots. That leads me to believe that you cup your wrist at the top of your swing.
 
"Look, Look, Look," to quote Ben Doyle; during your fuller swings, make sure you destroy the wrist relationship that provides straight shots on your half swings. It's tough on full shots, the club goes out of sight and you lose awareness of your hands...
 
"look, look, look"
 
If you can stop and look at your hand/wrist conditions at the top of your swing, you shouldn't be able to see your wedding ring!
 
Good luck,
 
Martin Chuck  I  PGA Director of Golf/Club Manager  I  Tetherow Golf Club  I  61240 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend OR 97702 I  C 541.948.2480  I  O 541.388.2582  I  F 541.388.1057  I  mchuck@tetherow.com  I  www.tetherow.com


From: Tim [mailto:trtr57@gmail.com]
Sent: Mon 7/27/2009 7:01 AM
To: Martin Chuck
Subject: Follow up question on Manning's question

Martin,

 

After purchasing the Tour Striker, I went out and picked up a copy of Bobby Clampett’s book, The Impact Zone. I am only halfway through it, but I am trying to utilize the technique of aiming in front of the ball. But, I am finding that this is also delaying the rolling over of my wrists, leading to a slice (not a pull slice, ball starts straight and then ends up too far right).

 

Now, I will say, the rolling over of my wrists has always been a bit of a problem for me. I tend to grip the club too tightly and also have a tendency to try to “hit” at the ball. I do know the correct feel, and if I rehearse the wrist roll with a practice swing or two, then step up and say hit a half or ¾ shot, there is a good chance my ball will go dead straight. Or perhaps even draw a little. But, I find it much harder to do from a full swing.

 

Any suggestions? More half swing practice?

 

Thanks.

 

Tim

 

 

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Question about the Tour Striker

Hello Manny,
 
I'm old enough to remember a lot of Toski's teachings and I remember his talking about the left arm. He did want the left arm leading; he warned about the right arm (usually the stronger and dominant) taking over and casting the club.
 
It take a lot of ingredients to bake a good cake and we can have a bunch of different cakes by changing the ingredients a little. The golf swing is that way too. Subtle changes with the grip make the body react differently.
 
So, to answer your question, I think there is some pulling and some pivot. Not just one, a combination of them both, but give the importance to pivot.
 
To deliver a descending club head, the club head has to lag behind a pivot and RELAXED hands. The hands won't relax if they know they are going to deliver the face in the wrong position (open or closed). Your brain, via your hands, will adjust and that adjustment is where 95% of golfers go wrong.
 
Address and impact are worlds apart and it's vital to find a grip that allows the pivot and arms to deliver a lagging club to the ball with a square face.
 
Regarding the difference between the TS and the TS PRO, the PRO requires more precision at impact to get a positive result. The TS is for beginners and mid handicappers. The PRO is for better players and dedicated practicers who don't mind the extra challenge.
 
 
Martin Chuck  I  PGA Director of Golf/Club Manager  I  Tetherow Golf Club  I  61240 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend OR 97702 I  C 541.948.2480  I  O 541.388.2582  I  F 541.388.1057  I  mchuck@tetherow.com  I  www.tetherow.com


From: Manny & Pat Shed [mailto:mpd@comcast.net]
Sent: Sun 7/26/2009 12:57 PM
To: martinchuck@pga.com
Subject: Question about the Tour Striker

When you hit any shot,are you using a body release or are you pulling
through with the lead arm? I took lessons 30 years ago from Bob Toski(golf
digest)school & he advocated the left arm leading.Any advice on the above
matter woulg be appreciated. Thank You  Manny 

PS:  I just heard of your product on a golf website  4gea.com
Also dofference in tour stiker & pro model?


Shots - Way Right

Hi Manning,
 
Thanks for the positive comments and support. Stacey and I appreciate it. It has been a fun and sometimes frustrating project.
 
Regarding your miss to the right; does the ball curve farther to the right or simply go straight right?
 
If it is a matter of straight right, you have a path issue. The face and path are matched up, thus no curve. If it starts right and curves right, you have a face issue.
 
The ball will always start where the face is aiming and work away from the path. So, if it is path, you can practice with some obstacles to increase your awareness. My favorite is a simple cardboard club box. Place it parallel to the path between your toes and the ball. Give yourself a little clearance (about 1") from the shaft and hit shots. Start slowly at first. You shouldn't hit the box on the way down. If you punish the box, you have a path issue. If you can miss the box, hit the ball and still hit it to the right, you clearly have a club face issue. If you have a face issue, you'll need to pay attention to your grip and wrist conditions during your swing. It's either a grip that doesn't provide a square face (with a forward) leaning shaft, or a wrist condition that applies an open face.
 
I hope this helps you out. Let me know your progress.
 
Cheers,
 
Martin Chuck  I  PGA Director of Golf/Club Manager  I  Tetherow Golf Club  I  61240 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend OR 97702 I  C 541.948.2480  I  O 541.388.2582  I  F 541.388.1057  I  mchuck@tetherow.com  I  www.tetherow.com



-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:erid@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:22 PM
To: info@tourstriker.com
Subject: Way Right

Stacey and Martin:

First of all, let me say that not only do you have a very fine product - I
have the utmost respect for your entrepeneurial spirit with what appears to
be a young family. I have a young family as well (kids 2 and 6) and my wife
and I operate a small web business out of our home.

Anyway, I just know first hand the type of effort this kind of undertaking
requires - so from a one fellow entrepeneur to another - congrats on what I
am confident has been a successful venture.  I can tell you that your brief
hand-written note on a small card inserted with my tour striker was very
impressive. That is an excellent idea, and again I was just impressed by
that personal touch as a customer.

Now. To the golf issue. It goes without saying that you, along with Bobby
Clampett, and the Pure Ball Striker folks, are really onto what I believe is
the heart of improving people's ballstriking.

Despite my own ball striking being much improved (solid) I have had a
consistent miss that has been discouraging and has sometimes caused me to
stray off path - and that is to the right. Sometimes a manageable miss to
the right. Sometimes off-the-earth right.

Intuitively this makes some sense based on this notion of hands-forward,
descending, divot-taking impact position (steep?), and I'm hoping perhaps it
is a common miss with some familiar fixes.

What is sort of counter-intuitive are Clampett's comments on what the
pressure on that middle joint (grape-crushing, PBS) of the index achieves -
and that is impact at the bottom right quadrant of the "sugar cube" or
impact from the inside, which should cause a miss to the left if anything.

Regardless of all the theories and sugars cubes and physics and whatnot -
though I seem to strike the center of the club face more often than I use
to, I continue to miss it right, and I'm hoping that perhaps this a common
miss after using your product or applying the theories of PBS or bobby
clampett's - one that you may have some common fixes for.

Thanks ahead of time for any help.

--Manning



Friday, July 24, 2009

Tour Striker - Arny - TS PRO Comments

Hi Arny,

 

Sorry for the delay, I've been buried with work and kids!

 

I'm excited about your progress! The TS PRO is pretty finicky. I hit a bag of balls two days ago and warmed up with the TS PRO. I flushed about 8 in a row. Perfect yardage, height, no curve. I was patting myself on the back, "man, I've got this dialed." Then I hit my 7-iron; those were pure too. Being all cocky I went back to the TS PRO and was quickly reminded how important delivery, tempo and timing is...  I was late on a couple shots (pro side of thin) and caught a bit of the radius and the balls flew 200 yards (normal 7-iron is about 175 where I live). No good. While late delivery works fine with mid and high lofted irons, it isn't good for low lofted clubs, cause you hit it too low (simple enough).

 

I think you may be catching a bit of the radius on some of those really "long" shots. Either way, it would still be a good strike with normal clubs. The TS PRO is pretty punishing and points out a lot of things about your path, face and angle of attack.

 

Keep me posted on your progress,

 

Martin

 


From: Arny  [mailto:arny……..@msn.com]
Sent: Wed 7/22/2009 12:05 PM
To: martinchuck@pga.com
Subject:

Hi Martin
 
Quick update and a question.  Still making fantastic progress in my golf game thanks to the TS Pro.  So much so that I have stopped using the 3 rescue clubs that I had in my bag.  I don`t need them now because my irons shots are so good!  I noticed that in a previous post, Wes had asked you about fat shots.  I had a problem with fat shots before I bought the TS and I remember asking you about it at the time.  You told me to persevere with the TS and the fat shots would disappear.  Well, they certainly did, and I would now offer the same advice to Wes. The fat shots will definitely disappear. My question is this :  I hit the TS Pro really well about 70% of the time, and just the other day I hit it about 170 yards, which is really good for me (although there was a slight breeze behind me).  I hit my ordinary 7 iron about 155 yards, even though it is about an inch or so longer than the TS Pro.  Why would this be?  I would have thought that, with the longer shaft, I would be able to hit it further than the TS Pro. 
 
Thanks,
 
Arny

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Bradley - Tour Striker Pro

Bradley,

Thanks for the note. I'm thrilled the TS Pro has made a positive impact
on your game!! I'll review the video and get back to you with my
comments.

Have a good day,

Martin

-----Original Message-----
From: Bradley [mailto:be....zen@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 1:47 AM
To: Martin Chuck
Subject: Bradley New Videos 15-07-2009

Hi Martin,

It has been a while! Hope everything is going splendidly on your side
:-) I just wanted to send you an email with some newer videos of my
swings as well as some swing sequence images. After implementing all
your suggestions and comments.

Now, all I want to say is WOW!!! What a fantastic training club the new
Tour Striker Pro is. I thought I struck the Tour Striker well until I
tried the pro version. It quickly brought me back down to earth, hee
hee!!

However, I never say never, so I persisted and now my ball striking is
just beautiful. I consistently play now at 3 over. As usual it is the
short game holding me temporarily back now. Thanks again for inventing
your Tour Striker and Tour Striker Pro. :-D


I will prepare some swings and swing sequences of my woods and sand play
as well when I get some free time. I am so busy with lessons now it is a
little hard to get some free time to practice. I cannot complain :-)

Regards,

Bradley