Life goes on day after day and for all of us that means situations in life and in our bodies change. Sometimes they change for the better, sometimes for the worse. There is one change that is as inevitable in our lives as taxes and death. With each year we grow older and hopefully less in debt. The old saying about growing older is like a fine bottle of wine. We just get better. That's what we all hope for, but that is not always the case. Sometimes life throws us a bad curve and other problems that we have to address and handle as best we can. George was thrown one of these bad curves that really affected his life and golf game and asks for some advice about resurrecting his golf.
George Glickley says:
I am looking at your product because of a unique problem caused by a bad surgery and would like your opinion as to whether or not your swing might help me get my game back. Short history: I was a decent player. Have played in 2 US Opens, LA Open, Phoenix Open and about 14 US Ams and Mid Ams but not overly successful in these events. 3 yrs ago went to hospital to have kidney stone removed and ended up in 4 mo long coma on 10 life supports. Long term results are no feeling in left leg and a bad lower right side back. Because of this, when I take a swing, my mind won't allow me to get to my left side since it thinks nothing is there. So I hit a bunch of duck hooks. To get around this I have done many things that I knew were bad but what could I do. I weakened grip, played the ball far back towards right foot so I would make contact before lack of weight shift would kill my shot. This resulted in very short drives, 230/240 max, but I could hit straight and started shooting some low 70s scores again, but very unsatisfying. Then tried stack and tilt because didn't take a shift but caused a lot of body stress for me. Any chance your swing could work for me.
Thanks, George
The Surge says:
George, it is obvious you were a high quality golfer, having played in so many PGA Tour and USGA events. The results of your kidney surgery and coma and the loss of feeling in your left leg/forward leg and a bad right lower back have altered your life and golf swing and game.
You ask if the PPGS could work for you. Absolutely! Why? Because the PPGS is a limited body movement swing that gets its power from swinging the arms faster. The PPGS is the green energy golf swing, the alternate energy power source. The limited body movement is the stabilizing force that allows the arms to swing faster, using the principles of the law of centrifugal force. This is the law that is explained by swinging a rock on the end of a string. We know that as the rock swings faster in the circle, the hand holding the end of the string moves less and is quieter.
The body represents the hand and is swinging a golf club in harmony with centrifugal force. The rock is replaced by the club head and the shaft represents the string. We turn less in the backswing and we have an explosive weigh transfer. We finish on the forward leg standing up, facing square to the target with the shoulders level in the T Finish. The key is the PPGS's less body movement creates stability so we can swing the arms faster in the forward up swing.
You say you cannot feel in your left leg so your mind won't let you shift your weight there and you end up hitting a bunch of duck hooks. Historically, duck hooks were said to be the result of coming over the top. I always maintained that duck hooks result mostly from hanging back and not getting to the forward side in the weight shift. This causes a serious over release, closing the club face before impact and duck hooks, as your experience proves, is correct.
I agree with the setup change of moving the ball back in your stance as you say, 'It helped me make contact before lack of weight shift would kill my shot.' The kill your shot you mention is from hanging back, causing the over release of the hands closing the club face before impact. I would not have recommended weakening the grip as this is a power loss. You hit it straight but shorter only 230 to 240 yards now which, I think, is pretty good despite no weight transfer. I would suggest you try getting your grip back to neutral/square. See if this helps get more but controlled and consistent release. You should have more power yet still hit the ball relatively straight to maybe a slight draw.
If the square grip feels good and more powerful but gives a little too much draw to hook, I have one last setup and swing recommendation. Try playing from a slightly open setup and fell like you are hitting a power cut shot. I say this to you because you are a player and I am certain you understand this and can likely still hit this shot. You should be able to still hit the ball solid and straight and this should get a little more yardage than playing with the weak grip.
The setup is the same for all shots. You swing your arms faster in the forward up swing by keeping your body more quiet with less movement. This swinging the arms faster to accelerate the club faster is using centrifugal force as compared turning the body more, which is extremely stressful and why golfers get bad backs. Swinging your arms faster within balance and control will get more distance with less overall body energy consumption and, of course, less stress on the back.
The last point I will make to you and everyone is as the title states, 'We are what we are.' And what we are changes, especially with aging and with life altering physical changes. The key is, as you did George, never, never ever give up and keep working hard to get back into the game of living and playing golf. And also, as you did, to figure out changes you have to make to be able to play again.
What we have to also do is, at some point, accept that no matter how hard we try and work and persevere, we may need to make changes. We may never be the way we were before the life altering situation, or as we age will never be like we were when younger. We have to accept that we can't turn the clock back. It still goes forward. We can't run as fast, work as long and swing a golf club as fast and hit the ball as far as we used to. We are now new persons with new and different skill levels. And unfortunately, being older and swinging a golf club slower, we will lose distance, especially with the driver. At some point we have to accept this and now work a new game plan to overcome it and still play our best golf.
That game plan is hitting the ball more solid and straight and working on your iron play to hit more greens. Ultimately, the most important point is fine tuning your short game and putting to become short game wizards around and on the green. The emphasis to your game is now on control, touch and feel, not power. Another important point is moving up a set of tees or more to play the course from the length appropriate to your length off the tee and the rest of your shots.
The issue is we have to accept our new and unfortunately ever changing physical abilities as we age and or have some physical issues jump up and bite us. I wish I was 30 again and had my 105 to 108 MPH club head speed with a driver. I am now on my best drive likely to not reach 260 any more and as life goes on it will continue to diminish. But I will guarantee and promise that I will never, and I mean never, get bogged down in pity and cry over lost distance. What I will do is work on hitting it more solid and straight, becoming the most boring driver of the ball and iron player hitting the green. I will also be the wizard of the short game because now I have be the master of around and on the greens. Golf for me is no longer about power, which I never really had a lot of, and now even a lot less, but of control, touch and feel. My focus is getting the ball into the hole.
I welcome and encourage all of you, even if you still have plenty of power to spare, like the Energizer Bunny, to join me in this short game transformation. We are what we are. The point is to realize it, accept it, but never ever give in or give up. The Key to continued happiness and success in life and golf is to make the adjustments to still'¦'be the best we can be.' I do admire your courage, George!
The Surge!