Full Shots Require Full Swings

Surge, really enjoyed this one. Learning my distances for each club is the main reason I got my laser range finder. After I got it I spent several sessions at the range getting averages for each club. Now of course I don't always get myself and each club to perform the distance perfectly but I can honestly say that it has made a big difference in quicker club selection. It's nice to reach and after checking how far to the flag with the laser, grab the exact club I have confidence in. This is also why I have gapped my lofts from club to club to give me the distances I want between each shot. I use to hit and hope. Now I hit most shots not guessing but with more certainty. I find that as far as shots that require less than a full swing around the green we just have to learn and practice. Easier said.
One thing for sure, whether it's a little chip or half wedge, regardless of the shot acceleration is a must.

Good news on your game Harold. Sometimes we need to hear advice several times until it really starts sticking to our brains and translates into our golf swings. I know, speak for myself right?!! Any how, great to hear your scores have improved. Nice to live close Surge. I'm jealous:)
Keep it in the short grass buddy.
PMG

Have not heard from Dragonhead for a fair while either. I remember him saying something about his daughter, and England, but thought he would keep in touch. He's usually fairly resoucefull

LOL, what???  And ruin good cider?

Yes, DH and Dick are missed. They always add so much to our family here. Hopefully they resurface soon.

Robert,
Thanks , Buddy
Hal

Another regular I thought about yesterday.  Hope he's doing OK.

ARE YOU REALLY SERIOUS?

Thank's for a proper reply Steve. I am ever amazed at what seems to bother folks. I guess we all have our own quirks.  

Marc, I also have trouble with the slight outward pressure on the knees.
A key here is to feel your weight over or in the arches. I cannot achieve that when there is even a hint of outward knee pressure. However, I still maintain a limited turn (even with my more neutral knees) by flaring the front foot (PPGS style) and by pointing the back foot straight ahead. It is an extremely stable platform for me that limits the turn, and it simply works for me.The key is that I FEEL connected to the ground, through my arches,especially in the back foot.It's about the results. Go with what works for you. As has been said on this site, once you reach the the toe line, the club is lifted up at that point. The turn stops. It does not take much of a turn to get to that point, but turn you must.I also digress a bit from PPGS in that I allow a bit of wrist hinge as I'm lifting, especially at the top. It is nominal, and there is NEVER any wrist cupping or bowing. Again, it's about results. I think nominal adaptations are essential, as we are all built and wired uniquely.  

No I haven't. I would not have tried them at all, except that the Enlow's happened to come with it. I tried the Enlow's for their size, not their reverse taper. Having tried them I like their jumbo size and am not sure that the reverse taper is a factor. I will be trying a Jumbo Max in a day or so that is the same sizes without the reverse taper. I'll have a better idea then, as to the taper factor, but the JUMBO is what I'm after. This is on the driver only though. I am more than pleased with the Jumbo Chamois on all other clubs, and my bag has a limited amount of room.

Russty and Lynn:  Yup, it's been a while since they've been here.  I miss 'em too.  Hope all is ok.  Maybe we need to round up a posse to check on them.  I'll go if I can take my clubs along.  :-))  r2 

Right on Terry. Sounds like the enlows are going to have my attention too. I've been curious about reverve tapper for a while. I have been so comfortable and happy with the Jumbo Max that I haven't really thought much aboiut changing accept for the putter grip(s).
As for the golf bag, looked at your revolver. Nice. I got the Datrek Assult bag when I got my new set and the giant grips. It was the only one that seems to allow ample room for all shafts with these grips. The two outside external wells are convenient for my most used clubs, ie the putter and pw. Though not heavy for it's size, this is not a little walk 18 over the shoulder bag (not with all the 'stuff' I throw in the many pockets!) but a real sturdy last till I'm all done likely:).

http://www.golfbagplace.com/ne...
I have the red one.

Thanks for keeping me posted. I think you'll like the J Max when you try it.
Too many clubs and grips and so little money and time. I used to say that about women. Happy with the one I have. Now I only flirt with golf options.
My next planned experiment will be with the Project X 5.0 iron shafts and the sensicores. Maybe in a couple weeks $$ allowing. Just deciding between the flighted or HL's.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Ri...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RIFLE-...

If you understand the purpose of the outward pressure of the knees it becomes rather simple to master.  The outward pressure of the knees, mainly the left (for right handed golfers) is to limit the hip turn and sway.  So, if you have trouble with the set up with the knees, simply don't turn your hips in the back swing. If you turn the shoulders to 60*-65* and take the the club up, the shoulders move the next 5* (total of 70*) and the hips will have turned to 45* without you doing a thing.  Just think, keep the lower body still.

Robert:

    Or you could be like me!! 30 to 35 yards is about my standard, full 60* wege shot -- unless I hit it thin -- then it maybe goes 70 or 80 yards
    
     Amos

Nice tournament for DJ. Not quite where he wants to be but has seen steady improvement the past two or three weeks. 69,69,71,69. Very solid. Better things coming.

After reading and viewing so very many of your instructions, I decided to suggest one change: your ending. Instead of "Keep it vertical," use "Keep it surgical" :-)

That really says it all!

Mallory from Dallas

Deb:
 
     I swear by my GPS -- I have depth perception problem .  without the GPS, I could easily be "off" by at least a club in either direction at least half the time.
     I sometimes refer to my GPS as "my seeing eye dog"  LOL

     Amos

Thanks Surge,  good for me today because that is what I have been doing!   My problem is not using the right club I guess.   I don't want to go over so IM short, some say make your backswing shorter???   It is hard, but, I will keep at it.

Thanks so much,   a little cooler here today, so, that is a good thing.  Our poor course is so dried up!

thanks,
marilyn

Yep. I'd love to hear what he thought about playing his weekend rounds with Tom Watson.

Robert, similarly I have 5 wedges, for the reason as you say, lots of practise
with each and then apply the full swing to each. Much simpler than trying to
guess 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 swings any way, we all know how much the body feel
is the biggest liar around. 

I am the same way Amos. Years ago I had to wear glasses to see near and far, bifocals. I had a second pair made for golf with just the full distance lens, it worked out nicely. Then I had the lasik surgery, it was even better. For 3yrs I loved it, until the left eye started getting blurry. Cataracts, big one in the left, smaller one in the right. It was then surgery again with artificial lens implants, the multi-focal brand. The left one came out stronger/better than the right but/and I am right eye dominate. This threw my depth perception out of the window. 100yds can look like 150 and 150 looks like 200. The next time it will be the opposite. Since visual is a large part of feel in shot making and the two must complete a link, my link is now broken, so back to glasses for golf only. Full lens distance correction only. I see well enough for normal function and have passed the Drivers vision test last year without the glasses . Just the depth perception on feel shots is effected the most now and I need them for golf.

I've been leafing through this months Golfdigest and so far, I've seen
two article recommendations to begin the forward swing FUS with a forward hip movement One by Butch and the other by Hank Haney. Both recomment a forward movement of the hip to start the downswing, our FUS>

Some folks just take a little longer to get there. The truth IS out there.

Without Don it's a puzzle, but the pieces are there. Here a piece there a piece, but the Surgeon of Swing has them all. We are very fortunate to have found him.

PMG

Ye haaaa!

T, it's like they say: Getting old is not for wimps.  Some time back I started to develop trigger finger (ring finger on my left hand and pinkie on my right hand.  I went from a 10 finger grip to an overlap and my left hand is much better as is my right pinkie, but now my right hand ring finger is acting up. 

So, me being the resident "overthinker" here, I'm thinking I have a few of options.  1.Reverse overlap.  2.Double overlap ala Jim Furyk.  3. Take up tiddlywinks.  4. Become a professional couch potato.   I was never good at #3 and #4 isn't very appealing.

This whole thing with my fingers may just be an older age thing or arthritis.  I recall an old home remedy from a book,Folk Medicine.  Apple cider and honey combination may be worth a try.

OK, so much for my Dr. Oz impersonation.  My buddy just called and I'm off to the course.

Keep it vertical amd "Surgical".  Thanks T. ;0))

 That would also work with the Kiss method, Keep It Surgical Stupid: Or not!

SURGE;  I AM 83 LEFT HANDED, I AM GETTING OVER A STROKE (RIGHT SIDE). I USUALLY SHOOT IN THE MIDDLE EIGHTIES. WOULD YOU HAVE  ANY  ADVICE  HOW TO IMPROVE MY BALANCE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I HAVE BEEN READING YOUR E -MAILS OVER THE YEARS AND I FIND YOU TO BE AN EXCELLENT INSTRUCTOR..MY BEST TO YOU AND SON.

WAYNE  FORCADE
UNION106@SBCGLOBAL.NET

OK now it is time for my 2 cents worth. After Don corrected me on my swing faults I have startedto swing with much more force and the ball is going the distance it is suppose tobased on the club I am hitting. I have played 1 eighteen hole rd. 5 over, and 3- 9 hole rounds. One was 2 over, next was 3 over and today was 0ne double bogey and the rest were all pars. So I consider that an improvement over the much higher rounds I had been playing . ( I will not discuss how much over par that was going on.)
Much better . Thanks Don.
Harold

It depends on what golf course I'm playing. Some days I change up the set with more clubs at the other end with woods and hybrids. On courses where there are lots of sand traps and hills arounf the green that require more shots from 60,70,85,95 ect that need high traj I'll go with the 4/5 wedges.
The toughest ones are short sighted and needing that high but only 20-30 yards. That's when we need to pull off the flopadopolus. Cool when it comes out just right. 

Thanks for the reply. I had misinterpreted why you were trying non-standard grips. Best wishes with your new grips and your game!

Surge have
thanked you before for changing my life by giving me 3 things that I thought I
would never achieve, great ball striking, a swing that is easy on my bad back that allows me
many more rounds and most amazing is consistency. 67 years young next month 2
1/2 years using the Surge swing. Only thing I have had problems incorporating
is the outward pressure on the knees. I thought this is it this season lets get
this last part down. No way, went from 13 to 16 and trending upwards. I am constantly
hitting the ball left or snap hooking it left. Yesterday went back to putting a
little inside pressure on my feet and not pushing the knees outward and right
back to an 84. What am I doing wrong?

Have you given any thought to the reverse-tapered grips from Feel Golf or the Buster grips?

http://www.feelwedges.com/cate...
http://www.bustergrips.com/

I've been pondering these myself, and now the Enloe's and Buster's have added to the confusion! :-)

Really clearly and simply put Doc. Excellent:)

I am not sure what my solution for vision will be. I just got progressives. Should of known better. Surge is against progressives. I understand why now. I have kind of a vertigo thing going on with these new glasses. They are designed to be able to see close for reading , middle range and far, hence progressive. I don't like them a whole lot so far for golf. So now actually I wear either normal sun glasses or no glasses. That proves to be interesting as I can't see well close middle or far now. Oh boy what fun. I used long range glasses last year but it was a pain in the **s putting them on and then taking them off for putting. Ugh!! I give the saying 'play by feel' a whole new meaning.
As for distances, the LASER range finder is awesome. I get my distance and have gotten fairly comfortable with the distances I hit each club now. Then it's simply about correct alignment and execution. Sounds simple and often works.

Surge, I continue to enjoy watching your daily tips. Msot helpful insight.

However, I noticed something in the written word that needs adjusting.  Since your students want you to be correct in everything that is passed along... the next time you use, i.e., add a comma after the e.  There is always a comma following the e.

No criticism intended - just a watchful thought for THE SURGE

The best to you.  Walt

You're probably trying to overdo the outward pressure. Without actually seeing you swing, it's really hard to guess, though.

 I have seen them tips also. Haney takes it a step further in a couple of video tips I seen a year or two ago talking about this. He suggested that some people have a hard time getting the lateral bump or over turn in the FUS and suggest that they should let the hands and club just drop from the top into the slot before they due anything with the body that letting the club drop for those people will make the bump happen without forcing it. I think Don mentions that in one of his daily tips awhile back for over active bodies.  

Marc, I think Doc got it right.  I was overdoing outward knee pressure and it was restricting my follow through.  It started to cause pulls which is something I've never done before.  I had a problem with my forward knee collapsing and was putting too much outward pressure to stop it and it kept my weight back on my right foot.  Result...bad case of the pulls.  I lightened the pressure on my knnes a bit and narrowed my stance and it seems to work well so far. 

I know what you mean. My implants are also the progressive or multi-view style, cost an extra $1,500.00 per lens, They give me semi-normal function at all distances, but none are excellent or 20/20 so to speak. I have a distance lens glasses for golf, but generally just wear my cheap sunglasses. I see the first 3/4 of the flight, so I know where to look. This old age crap ain't for sissy's.

Thanks maybe your right, going to 1 day clinic on the 19th in PA hope it will help

Has anyone heard from Dick Lee?  I'm just concerned with how he's doing.

I think that was, Soak It In Cider, Nuff said!

Robert,

The Jumbo Max came yesterday. I'm having a problem deciding if I want to swap it out with the Enlow or not.

Here's my take with it off the shaft. They are very close to the same sizes, except the Enlow is reverse taper. I think the Jumbo Max feels very slightly softer overall, but the texture and contour of the Enlow seems to offer better grip traction. I seem to be getting extra yardage with the Enlow over my Jumbo Chamois and others in my foursome scramble yesterday remarked about the extra distance . Even used a couple of mine as the #3 man.

I have the Bag Boy revolver top bag and it has individual holes for each club. There is only one of the 14 holes sufficient in dia to fit a grip the size of these, so I am restricted to only the driver unless I get another bag, which is not likely because I love the Revolver so much, that when it went on sale for 1/2 price, I bought two more of them which sit in the basement awaiting years of future use.
http://www.golfsmith.com/produ...

I will eventualy give it a try and let you know, I'm just not sure when and wanted to keep you posted. This Enlow has got my attention though.

PMG