PGA GRADUATION DAY

I finally finished my PGA Advanced Diploma to be awarded as an Advanced Professional at Birmingham University on Friday, 19th, April. I was very honoured and it was worth all the hard work. It was a great sense of  personal achievement and it just goes to show that you should never stop learning.

G.O.L.F. - Great Opportunities Lifelong Friends  

Me with Beverley Lewis, the first and only  Female Captain of the PGA.

All graduates, I'm in there somewhere!

Me with Sandy Jones, Chief Executive of the PGA

Me with guest speaker Naga Munchetty, a very keen 11 handicap golfer herself

TOM WISHON TECHNOLOGY

Tom Wishon is a world leader in custom club fitting. He has 33 years experience in golf research and has 44 "1sts" in original clubhead design and technology.

He has created custom designed golf clubs that have been used to win tournaments on the PGA tour and Ryder Cup competitions.

Five books written about clubmaking and fitting

Over 400 golf equipment magazine articles

Technical adviser for the PGA of America

On the panel for Golf Digest magazine since 1994.

IT'S ABOUT THE FIT NOT THE BRAND

If Tom Wishon Technology designed a fully customised set of golf clubs for you there are about 20 + characteristics of your golf swing tailored to you, which on their own or in combination with each other could change the way you hit the golf ball without you ever changing your swing.

YOUR FIT PROGRAM

This club fitting program is unique and will give all golfers the best equipment to suit their game. The  golf club will be built to your specifications and you will be able to test it. Once tested we can establish if it suits you, or there needs to be some tweeks or any changes you desire. This service does not come with any major brand, which makes this a very personal touch.

As an Advanced Professional and swing coach, I know that all golfers come in different shapes and sizes, there are many different swing characteristics, strength and athletic ability. 

The golf club loft, lie, face angle, length, swingweight, kick point in the shaft, total weight, launch angle, club head speed, bounce of the club and grip size are all measured to give you the best fit. So what chance have you got buying off the shelf and the internet where brands are mass produced.

This club fitting session will take around 45 minutes.

I am very lucky to be a fitter for Tom Wishon and feel very priviledged to be working with one of the best in the buisiness of custom fitting so DON'T DELAY, BOOK AN APPOINTMENT AND GET THE EQUIPMENT THAT SUITS YOUR GAME.

KEEP A QUIET MIND

If you get frustrated on the range or on the course you are facing a losing battle to shoot lower scores. Try your best to feel 'quiet' in your mind and not bother where the ball goes. The idea is to feel calm and composed, trying to find a deeper 'quiet' feeling and  you will notice changes in your rhythm and tempo. You will have more time, your mind will have more space and you won't judge or analyse every shot. You will hopefully gain 'awareness'.

So many times I see people dashing onto the range hitting a quick bucket of balls and dashing off. They don't seem aware that they are rushing and getting very little feedback from their practice.  They have no plan to their practice or pre shot routine. This is likely to form a habit of not thinking quietly about what they are trying to achieve. It is likely that this is also the way they play on the golf course!


                                   

What is launch angle?

Launch angle is the angle at which the golf ball immediately takes off after leaving the club face. It can vary for different ball speeds. The two main factors are the type of shaft and how you attack the ball. For example, when you swing your driver, you are hopefully hitting the ball on the upswing, but you could be hitting it on the down which will alter the launch angle considerably and impart more spin and you won't get much roll out after landing.

BALL SPEED

Ball speed is one and a half times faster than club head speed  - more club head speed - more ball speed.
You can only achieve this if you are hitting the ball out of the sweetspot of the club. Swinging yourself and your club faster does not guarantee distance, you are after a slower, well timed swing for precise ball striking. This will produce more ball speed than a fast mishit! Go out and give it a try!

Think of your feet

This means building a strong stable base. Are you aware of the weight in your feet for your centre of balance?
Rock around between your heels and toes and feel where your balance stabilises. It should be between the balls of each foot, nice and even. Now you are ready to support your golf swing!

YOGA FOR GOLF

You will benefit from Yoga, through your mind and body. It increases flexibility and stamina, builds strength and improves balance and concentration. All ages can do it and it will certainly help your golf and help you become more aware of that mind and body connection. The physical goal of Yoga is to keep the spine strong and flexible, as the spine is the body's supporting structure. Most poor posture, with hunched shoulders is due to sitting at desks, working at computers and lots of driving. Practicing Yoga, strengthens all your back muscles and helps your alignment. I can relate Golf to Yoga as it takes patience and good regular practice.
Yoga is being used now regularly for all athletes and coaches and part of all training sessions. You can train for your specific sport. It also helps you maintain a good level of fitness.

Here are a few poses you can try.

Cures for back pain

Fixing faults in your golf swing can diminish back pain, as bad habits develop injuries will occur. So coaching is very important for you, as  you are constantly being  checked that you are getting into the correct fundamentals. Same goes for your equipment, if it doesn't fit you will be making compensations.

CORE STABILITY

Any core stability exercise will benefit your lumbar spine and your pelvic area.  A golf movement is very much stressed on this area. Many elite players are welcoming core exercise like yoga and pilates as part of their training. Please contact me if you need any help or advice on any of these issues.