Anyone who knows me also knows my views on the nearly single-minded obsession that many amateurs and professionals have with distance. This is undoubtedly because, as the equipment manufacturers look for new ways to grow, they churn out ads that practically guarantee that you can add 5,10, 15 yards or more with their latest and greatest 'discovery."
If only that were true! Golf always has been, and always will be, about getting around the course with the fewest number of stokes possible, not how far you can hit a drive. That's why I always love to watch major championship golf because the way the tournament organizers set up the course puts a premium on shot making. Finding fairways and greens and consistently making pars is sometimes the recipe for a weekend move up the leaderboard. That was exactly the case at the 93rd PGA Championship last week at Atlanta Athletic Club.
What you may not know is that the last time the PGA Championship was contested at Atlanta Athletic Club, the course played about 400 yards shorter than this year. The year was 2001 and David Toms held off Phil Mickelson to win down the stretch by playing conservative and smart golf. David Toms is not one of the bigger hitters on tour, but if his victory 10 years ago gave any indication to what style of player could emerge victorious this year, a whole host of "shorter" players had a chance to win. This was the story on Day 1 and 2 at the PGA Championship as you saw Steve Stricker, Jerry Kelly, Scott Verplank, and Jim Furyk rise to the top of the leaderboard. Even with the lengthening of the course, these players posted the best scores because they placed a premium on accuracy. Some holes, like #18, simply allowed no room for error. Perhaps one of the toughest finishing holes in golf, this par 4 separated the men from the boys all week long. With water all down the left and bunkers on the right, putting the ball in play became the most important factor. However, even after finding the fairway, the player's job wasn't done. The second shot on 18 required a shot over water and anything missed to the right was most likely wet. Many of the world's best players saw their chances of winning "Glory's Last Shot" disappear after struggling on the last hole.
Jim Furyk was one of the players who had strong rounds on Thursday and Friday, but he dunked two balls on 18 on Saturday to watch his hopes sink. It was said all week that the last four finishing holes would determine who would win or lose and that certainly was the case as Jason Dufner saw his late Sunday lead vanish by the time he hit his drive on 18. But, he would have never been in contention at all if he hadn't driven the ball great all week and relied on being accurate. And despite the fact that Keegan Bradley is considered a long hitter on tour this year, it was his shot making ability that paved the way to victory for this up-and-coming Tour rookie.
So just remember that hitting it long is something we all want to do, but placing emphasis on accuracy and executing smart shots is what will help us to shoot those lower scores.
Keep it vertical,
The Surge!
If you can't view the YouTube video above try CLICKING HERE. You must allow popups from this site for the link to work.
Comments
You Sir, whether you know it
You Sir, whether you know it or not, are a PRIG, plain and simple. I say again, Good day to you Sir. Just go and leave in peace. Surge is not going to change for the likes of you, and we DO NOT WANT HIM TO. This site will do just fine without the likes of you to bitch and whine about things.
Touchy, Yes, Surge is family. You insult my family, be prepared for touchy!ÃÂ What you offer is not helpful critique, it is insulting, belittling, and demeaning. Just take your prig smugness and go in peace.
One does not need to be the
One does not need to be the longest driver to play well but like the serve in tennis, one needs to be a decent driver to have birdie putts on a consistent basis unless scrambling for par is what you enjoy.
Robert Meade:
Robert Meade:
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ That reminds me of a time a few years ago when I was playing with a friend and two of hisolder relatives.ÃÂ The "uncles" were both relatively long hitters, but with severe hooks.
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ One series of 3 holes played CCW around a thick triangluar shaped woods. - a par 3, a par 4 and a par5.ÃÂ Both of them hit their tee shots deep into the woods on all three holes.
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ I recall mentioning "that if they slowed their swings just a tiny bit, they would hit more fairways" - the reply was " Yes, I know - but that does not equate to kill the ball"
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ This all started after I had about 10 or 11 consequtive fairways and one of them remarked "Don't you get tired of alwasy palying from the fairway?"ÃÂ ÃÂ My answer to that one was "No - at least not until you let me on on the secret of the woods -- Is there a moonshine still in there? Dancing girls perhaps?"
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ Keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ Amos
No banana bending here LenI
No banana bending here Len
I haven't spotted any Brissy guys on the blog
Craig is Bankstown (S-W Sydney)
Phil is around Melbourne
Bazza was Darwin but moving to Perth (haven't heard from him for a while, (G'day Baz))
There'll be lotsa guys watching that don't post so keep your eyes peeled
Anyhow I'm off for a game - Seeya round like a rissole Len
Jack
Hahahahaha! Brilliant Steve.
Hahahahaha! Brilliant Steve.
Len, you are looking good. I
Len, you are looking good. I suffer from weak andÃÂ right on ocassion. One thing (and again really minor but may make a difference), I notice at the top of your backswing and at just after transition your legs both straighten.Overall your legs and knees look good in the set up until the top and move down.ÃÂ In other words you loose the bend(flex) and wide knees just a tiny bit. That may makes the stable lateral move on your FUS off just enough to give you a slight move across the ball. Study Surges blogs and videos on stable flexed knees. It may help you get inside out just enough.
Actually I agree that you really look great. I'm sure it will be a fractionally minor adjustment that will get 'em more centered and down the middle.
Well done Len, keep it up.
PMG!!
Stan, it's not constructive
Stan, it's not constructive and here's why. We have occasionally read similar comments such as Jd's ans E's above.ÃÂ Rare but it seems maybe once a month someone wants to critique Don's approach on his daily gifts.Tes some are well meaning and gracious.ÃÂ What results is nothing. He has never addressed or responded to any such requests to change his ways as far as his delivery or the way he teaches.ÃÂ So the requests are in vain. Rightly so because he has been overwhelmingly successful being himself. He's down to earth, passionate about golf and his message and isÃÂ as real as they get. Thousands of us love him for it and actually liston closer and get more out of this site because of who he is at heart.
IfÃÂ some don't like the delivery understand no oppologies or changesÃÂ are forth coming. So love it or.....I think you know the options.
Thanks mate,average round for
Thanks mate,average round for me . Shot 94ÃÂ for 71 nett. didnt try to hit the driver too hardÃÂ & hit 80 % fairways but the short game was crap
Party pooper - now what is Mr
Party pooper - now what is Mr. Burdy going to do for the rest of the week ?
Was that aÃÂ deliverate mistake (an managing editor) adding an "n" ?
Of course it was, why else would it have me chucklinng?
Jackn
Well Len it's been more than
Well Len it's been more than a day now since your request for help
The consensus seems to be that your swing is really good
Some of the commenters are serious students of the Surge Swing - one is even royalty (King of somewhere or other)
I've looked at quite a few of the guys swings on U Tube & yours is the second best I've seen for SSGS compliance (Robert F stillÃÂ gets my #1 vote)
So, how did we go?
Were we of any assistance?
Looking at your swing - perhaps you should be the adviser not the advisee - I kid you not
Happy golfing
Jack
I figure I am the undisputed
I figure I am the undisputed king around here of being long and in the woods.
I would hate to try to count the potentially great rounds I have thrown away byÃÂ getting just a little greedy off of the tee in end up OB.
The bad tee shots I hit don't hurt my score too much in relation to the good scores I get by being pretty long. (I should try to find a way to figure that stat one of these days). That is until one or two of those balls end up OB, lost, or in the water. Those balls are round killers because all of the good recovery ability in the world can't help me then.
I have been much smarter this summer about knowing which risks are worth it and which ones aren't.
I tried to explain to Amos the other day why there are certain holes where I intentionally miss the fairway because it takes all risk of being OB or a lost ball out of play. On those holes there is no penalty for missing the fairway opposite of the trouble. (On one of them it's actually an advantage to hit the approach shot from the adjoining fairway). There is the option on those holes of hitting a shorter tee shot but that takes eagle out of being a possibility, and even makes birdie less likely.
I don't intend to start hitting the ball any shorter until Mother Nature does it for me but I will continue to try to get more accurate and know which battles to pick and which battles are not worth the risk.
I have hit more irons off of the tee this year than ever before.
A ball hunting story:
If I want to walk through the woods and look for golf balls I find quite a few of my own. They are the ones that are way down there and deeper in the woods than the other balls that I find.;-)
My world record block happened a month or two ago. I had to cross the fairway I was playing and two more fairways to get OB and somehow managed to do it. I didn't even think it was possible to hit the ball OB on that hole. I asked around and nobody else had ever seen a ball OB from that tee box.
Steve Smith:
Steve Smith:
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ The long hitters I hate to play with are like a pair I incountered aobut 2 years ago. One hit a long hook every time, while his partner hit a longÃÂ fade or slice on every tee shot.ÃÂ ÃÂ Meawhile i was "do-booping" it down the middle some 50 to 80 yards short of themÃÂ and then getting near the green on my second shots
ÃÂ ÃÂ They meantwhile were spending 5 to 10 retriveing one ball from someone's back yard.ÃÂ Then rushing across the fairway into the desert in search of the other player's ball - taking another 5 to 10 minutes.ÃÂ And complaining that I was "holding them up"!
ÃÂ ÃÂ Keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG
ÃÂ ÃÂ AmosÃÂ
Now that's my type of humour
Now that's my type of humour Dan
That'll give me something to chuckle over on the way to golf
You are just the sort of guy
You are just the sort of guy I would hate to have in my playing four. Wonder how many folk think you don't say much of value?
Patience sure as heck isn't one of your virtues Brain Burdy.
Do you get paid your salary by the minute, or are you the impatient CEO of a big corporation? As for "stuff of little value". That is your perspective and you are welcome to it,but. I and many others, value the passionate teachings of Don Trahan very much.
ÃÂ Life is all about choices Brain. You have the choice to watch him or not. Perhaps you should look in the mirror and smile occasionally. The world and golf are no place upset others because you are an impatient whinger.
Have a nice day
Robert, I should have read
Robert, I should have read yours first. I was basically sying the same as you.
Terry, I was just catching up
Terry, I was just catching up on all of theÃÂ blogs from the last three days and Russty Kiwi gave us one more remedy to consider for our hands and body aches et., it is deer velvet. I just looked it up on line. Interesting stuff. Of course not cheap depending on strength but I saved the link for later consideration. I am going to give the cm8 a little more time before adding or attempting any additional health aids.
Thanks Rob , Turns out club
Thanks Rob , Turns out club got a new greens mower & the greensÃÂ ÃÂ areÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ faster than normal so chips werent sitting andÃÂ putting wasnt my bestÃÂ work, but I get to do it all again tomorrow. How the cm8 mate ? Have you tried deer velvert. our local legend Sir Bob Charles swears by it.
Thank you Steve Hopper!!!.
Thank you Steve Hopper!!!..lol!!.....I really liked that and so true!!!
Still hung up on the King
Still hung up on the King joke are you Jack?
You almost act like I said I was "King" of a good thing.
Maybe we have a little cultural difference over being King of a bad thing.
Not all things are as they appear grasshopper.
I've noticed something a
I've noticed something a little weird this year that I never noticed before.
The course where I play is fairly short and has many short par 4's.
That would seem to be tailor made for the shorter hitters but I've noticed that isn't the case at all in competition.
The shorter hitters are at more of a disadvantage on the short holes than they are on the longer ones.
On the longer ones they may be hitting a 5 iron second shot where the long hitter may be hitting a wedge but at least both of them have legitimate shots.
On the short holes the long hitters are either going to be putting or have short green side chips for their second shots where the short hitter is going to be hitting a wedge to a 9 iron.
Even though some of the short hitters are really pretty good with their wedges they still can't expect to beat somebody that is putting or chipping.
One of the other courses that I play a lot is a little longer and I don't see the same huge advantage for the big hitters.
An advantage but not an insurmountable advantage.
Summary of my observations:
A short hitter has no chance to win the Saturday game at Lil Mole.
(The short course)
A short hitter can win more than occasionally at Desoto.
(The slightly longer course).
Of course there are the really long courses where the advantage swings back to the long hitter, as long as they can hit the fairway.
Hello Fellow Surgites!I need
Hello Fellow Surgites!
I need some help. I'm getting there with the swing but have a few problems. I keep getting a bit laid off at the top, come out-n-in and end up too deep on the finish.ÃÂ I've posted a video on youtube under Lenardb01 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... .ÃÂ
Any advise would be much appreciated.
Regards Len
http://www.youtube.com/watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
All the best in club champs
All the best in club champs Russty
Agreed mate
The art of focus is relaxed concentration
Jackoz
Sixth from the last letter. ;
Sixth from the last letter. ;-) I've worked as an managing editor. It was my job to spot those things.
Glad you liked it RobertI
Glad you liked it Robert
I like it off the golf course too
LivingÃÂ beats existing
Jack
When you get to the top of
When you get to the top of your back swing, focus on putting your weight onto the outside of your front leg. Practice only, till it becomes automatic
I wonder why I saw the n?I
I wonder why I saw the n?
I don't manage anything or edit anything except my own mistakes.
Hmmmm!
That's probably it. I make so many mistakes that I get a lot of practice.
Kind of like Jack's "deliverate" mistake.
(Makes me think of Burt Reynolds).
Steve, there is a stat for
Steve, there is a stat for the effect of length on scores in Golf Magazine about six months ago.ÃÂ I posted a note about it, but it drew mostly negative reactions.ÃÂ The author writes about a researcher named Broadie who is an expert in statistics and a 4 handicap.ÃÂ You can read the article on the web:ÃÂ
http://www.golf.com/golf/instr...
It doesn't give a good description of the way to compute the statistics, but it gives the general concept.ÃÂ
His theory seems to fit my scores.ÃÂ My scores seem to be proportional to the number of bad hits I have with my driver and fairway woods.ÃÂ The fewer bad hits with the driver and the fairway woods, the lower my scores.ÃÂ
Just something to make people
Just something to make people think:
I'm not going to say how this pertains to golf for me. You can decide if anything in the quote pertains to golf for you.
From the Bruce Lee movie "Enter The Dragon"
A good fight should be like a small play...but played seriously. When the
opponent expands, l contract. When he contracts, l expand. And when
there is an opportunity... l do not hit...it hits all by itself.Any technique, however worthy and desirable, becomes a disease when the mind is obsessed with it.
It looks like your feet are
It looks like your feet are not flared enough and the knee's not bent enough. In my case the more I flare my feet and bent my knee's the least hip rotation I get.
It was actually Jim Reeves
It was actually Jim Reeves who did the song first in 1963. Elvis did a remake in 1969. I enjoyed them both. I was always an Elvis fan, but I was raised on Country.
PMG
Undisputed king?
Undisputed king?
Len,
Len,
I agree with the other comments. Your swing looks fairly sound to me. I especially like the slow controlled BUS. I have been working real hard to make my BUS a slow controlled lifting motion, rather than a momentum controlled swinging back of the club. I have found it is much easier to start the FUS with gravity, when the BUS is a controlled lift and not a swing motion.
If your driver and woods are as nice as this mid iron, I'd say your looking good.
PMG
:-) That's proof that even
:-) That's proof that even professionals screw up. I've never seen a publication go out where I didn't find an error after the fact.
Just had that today. Two old
Just had that today. Two old kodgers ÃÂ I played today. One never hit the ball over 6 ft high an the other took 3 steps back after every shot , but they both beat me by 6 shots
Problem, your majesty?
Problem, your majesty?
Russty,Good luck in your Club
Russty,
Good luck in your Club Championship.
Down the middle. Greens and fairways.
Len, nice balanced swing. I
Len, nice balanced swing. I like it
I bet there are guys on the blog that would kill for one like it
re FUS
Your practice swings finish with the shaftÃÂ FREELY flowing down your back to pointing at the ground
On the actual shots, the shaft finishes about horizontal which is about 90* short of the practice swing finish position
Does that mean that there is tension in the shot that isn't in the practice swing?
Does that indicate a less than full release?
I don't know, I'm not a guru.
Just an observation from a fellow bloggerÃÂ
Hopefully someone more analytical will come along & offer their thoughts
Cheers Jack
Awww shucks, I bet you ask
Awww shucks, I bet you ask all the fellas to do that
Well sort of......Until us
Well sort of......Until us "old guys" run up against one of the younger, stronger, and longer guys that also really knows how to play the game.
I have to play against one such guy every Saturday. He shouldn't be playing with us but he has no ambition to see how good he really is. We don't do any handicapping so everyone competes equally so all we can do is hope he has a rare bad day.
It has been a trend to make courses longer and longer to stay ahead of how far the guys can hit the ball but there are other ways to make a player think twice about bombing a drive every time.
At the course where I play I could add a few deep bunkers, move a couple of tee boxes over toward the tree line to make working the ball imperative, and grow the rough leaving narrow fairways and that would give the short hitters an equal chance against the bombers
Of course other people have a different opinion. They think that if a guy can hit a 350 yard tee shot he should be rewarded for it.
A nice balance would be OK with me since I am neither one of the really long guys nor one of the great second shot players.
(Now that I think about it I don't know how I compete, ha ha!)
I guess it's because I can putt better than they can.;-)
As I said in my notes to you
As I said in my notes to you on YouTube, flare the feet a little more, properly accordion in at setup, and triple-check your alignment and you should start to get much better results. It's a solid basis for a swing but you've clearly focused a lot on the upper body part of the move, and are concentrating on bumping. As you get to the top of the back swing, don't think about your hips; think about putting the weight that's in the arch of your right foot onto the front edge of your left foot. The rest takes care of itself.
Dear EwaldI may have some
Dear Ewald
I may have some help for your 67% problem
Close attention will help
It's not "and and and" - It's "an an an"
an an an = 67% of and and and
Other solutions -
Only watchÃÂ 1/3 of the videos
Turn the volume down 67%
Cut off 2/3 of your ears & call yourself Vincent
Now for a multiple choice question
If you saw a flamboyantly coloured hummingbird hovering over an equally colourful flower
Would you -
(a) Become tired of watching him flapping his wings
(b) Decide he should do it with 67% less wing beats
(c) Flap your arms furiously & jump in the air
(d) Shoot him
(e) Paint him a dull grey colour
(f) Paint yourself colourfully
(g) Pluck out 67% of his feathers
(h) Show him how you do it
(i) Decrease these options by 67%
Jack Jack Jack
Cheers RayÃÂ , shot 94 for
Cheers RayÃÂ , shot 94 for 71 nett. Not my best by any means , but not out of control. Driver was good, tried not to hit tooo hard & hit 80% . Fairway was average , bout 50%. Short game was below average, to many wasted putts, Sorry I dont Keep detailed stats, Im not that dedicated. Get to have another crack toÃÂ ÃÂ tomorrow & 2 rounds next week
Thanks GuysHave been cutting
Thanks Guys
Have been cutting & pasting the comments. I haven't had a chance in implement anything much yet. Did have a hit for 5 holes yesterday & concentrated on more flare, slightly wider/more knee bend, & letting club free fall from top (hard bit). Was coming together slowly, but ran out of light.
Jackoz .. which state you in? Gotta be some Brissy people out there for a game?
Again thanks for input everyone!
Len
Surge wastes too much time
Surge wastes too much time chatting about stuff of little value. ÃÂ He needs to get to the point. Very tiresome to hear him drone on.
Brian B
I remember you now!Ha ha ha
I remember you now!
Ha ha ha ha!
Wow Jd, looks like you got
Wow Jd, looks like you got Bubba all worked up.ÃÂ Apparently some guys can not see the difference between positive constructive criticism andÃÂ have to resort to childish name calling.
Anyone around here that wants
Anyone around here that wants to take my crown can have it!
I'm doing my best to find a way to give it up.
The thing is that most people that hit the ball in the woods all of the time aren't very long, and most people that hit the ball fairly long are also fairly accurate and if they miss it's not by much. I sometimes hit mine into places that haven't even been explored yet.
Brian,
Brian,
If your time is that valuable, you need to quit wasting it on the internet anyway. You're obviously looking for helpful information. You come here and get it for free, then have the balls to bitch about the way it's delivered. We like the way Surge offers his information and enjoy the journey as well as the destination. You are not as important of a fellow as you seem to think. Some times, you just can't have everything YOUR OWN WAY. Next time, take a nap before listening to help with the tiresomeness. Maybe a little more caffeine will help, But please, next time, think, before you criticize how a free gift is being offered or presented. It's not always just about YOU!
PMG
Laid Off + Accuracy versus
Laid Off + Accuracy versus Distance:
I have always have a very "laid off" swing.ÃÂ Took a lesson last summer from Greg MacDonald and have watched the daily videos for about 1 1/2 years.ÃÂ Even though I am probably still laid off (Greg confirmed during my lesson), I know that when I focus on turning the clubface back into the mitt and up the tree it must be better than my normal swing.ÃÂ This PPGS has definitely helped me be much more accurate!ÃÂ Every time I start hitting it crooked I go back to the narrow flared stance and concentrate on the wrist move to up the tree.ÃÂ My solid hits and accuracy improve dramatically immediately.
Don recent video using the towel drill is something that didn't help me the first time I saw it.ÃÂ Being a little further along with my progress to a better and more consistent PPGS swing I tried to incorporate it on the golf course yesterday.ÃÂ Wow!ÃÂ I picked up 10-20 yards with my driver.ÃÂ Keeping the mental image of the towel flying over my head, and focusing on the fact I am starting to swing up from the finish of my backswing really helped.ÃÂ Always had a problem figuring out how to get the bump into my swing, but this drill (which I have only tried mentally with the towel) really helped.ÃÂ AT least I think this drill has something to do with getting the bump into the swing.ÃÂ In addition to the extra distance with my driver I hit some beautifully straight and high shorts iron shots and some excellent hybrid shots.
I love this swing, and watching the daily videos is a real help especially when I don't get to play every weekend.ÃÂ Thank you!
Steve
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