I am sitting upstairs in my home office in sunny but snowy Upstate South Carolina, looking out the window over my back yard and woods. Everything is covered in 5 to 6 inches of snow that fell last night. We got hit with a storm that blew through the South. Last night the weather man for the 11:00 PM news cast said that the South Carolina coast, from Myrtle Beach all the way south to Hilton Head Island, were also getting some snow. With a current temperature of 30 degrees and a predicted high of only 37 degrees today and 44 for tomorrow, there will not be much snow melting the next few days.
It is sadly obvious I won't be getting in much outdoor exercise, except shoveling and cleaning the snow off the cars, which I guess is a pretty good workout. I especially will not get in my late (chilly) afternoon 9 holes (walking) for at least 4 or 5 days. So, with that being the case, I will have to expand my indoor regimen with more stretching, more time on my elliptical trainer and swinging clubs in the garage.
Since so much of the country is covered with snow especially the east coast, I figure it is a good day to re-run the December 10th daily article titled “Winter Workout.” I wrote it in answering a question about how to work on swing problems in the winter months and also worked in some strength and conditioning advice along with swing advice. This is a bit of an update.
For everyone Down Under and anywhere where the weather is co-operating so you can play golf today, the rest of us are envious. Play a few extra holes or hit a few extra balls on the range for the rest of us. The big question as Chuck asks below is, what can we do to be ready for next season?
Chuck C. says:
Winter is setting in here in Connecticut and I have been "trying" your PPGS system for about a month or so with varying results. As a low handicapper I realize it will take a lot of work to improve scores over the long run, but I welcome the challenge. What intrigued me the most was the notion of being able to play as I age gracefully, now 65. What one or perhaps two things would you recommend I work on over the winter at an outside range? My worst shot is the pull hook.
Thanks for the daily emails, they are great to read.
The Surge says:
For Chuck and all of us, even here in the South where we can still play a little (a week from now!), the first and most important issue is to stay or get fit. Start with a checkup and recommendations from your doctor as to what he or she suggests you are able to and should do. I am sure this will start with a weight management or weight loss program centered on a good diet and nutrition and exercise program.
The next issue will be to start on a good flexibility and conditioning program as well as some strength training. These programs are available at most Y's, gyms and health clubs. Joining a program at these facilities is good as you will have expert guidance and training from well trained staff. You can get this expert help and training individually or in group sessions. Either way, whichever is best for you, expert advice and guidance will help you have better workouts, see more improvement, and most importantly keep you safer from overexertion and injury. Many of these trainers can develop a golf-specific training regime. All you have to do is ask. This is important for the trainer to know, especially in strength conditioning. Golfers want speed, not muscle, so our strength training should use less weight and more reps because that is what develops speed and not muscle.
Golf training should start with some drills to work on fine tuning the PPG setup. One of the best would be the "Butt on a Wall" drill to work on, swinging the limited turn ¾ vertical over the toe line backswing. For the setup you can practice by looking into the mirror or just looking down at your knees, seeing and feeling the resisting and limited turn backswing. You are looking and feeling the resisting forward kneecap turning slightly inward and moving no more than an inch or two. You then turn you focus and attention, again both seeing and feeling, to the LOAD over and onto a flexed back knee. The back kneecap, like the front, can turn outward a little, but the key is the weight must remain centered over the foot.
One of the best swing drills would be the "Butt on a Wall" drill to work on swinging the limited turn ¾ vertical over the toe line backswing. Skipping rocks on a lake is a great drill for the backswing, especially for feeling transition, release and the forward swing to the T-Finish. Lastly, you can practice you're your setup routine, again using the mirror to add seeing for reinforcement. Remember, the more senses we use the more powerful the feedback and the quicker the learning experience.
Chuck, for actual practice at the driving range, you also work there on your setup, but now you need to add alignment into the routine. Since you are hitting a lot of pulls, alignment is critical as aiming right (for a right hander) is a major cause of pulls as well as ball position too forward in your stance.
The major swing issue for pulls is usually swinging too long and turning too much in the backswing and getting into the SBG. This causes the outside to in forward swing, which is crossing the aiming line swinging left of the target. A square club face at impact swinging left is a pull shot. Over releasing, the toe turning past toe up, will turn the shot into a pull hook.
The wide knee drills, resisting the forward knee and loading the back knee and the butt on the wall drill and skipping rocks will help you feel the takeaway straight back into the mitt and up the tree for the limited turn backswing. The skipping rocks will really help you in the forward swing up to a dynamically balanced T-finish. It is important to make good and perfect practice swings as prefect practice makes perfect. If there is a short game practice area and putting green, put in a lot of time and practice there.
Finally, I will emphasize that you work on secret number 5 of the PPGS, "Who Cares!" This means that if you hit a bad shot and you ask yourself what happened or what did you do wrong, your answer is, 'Who Cares!' There are too many single possibilities as well as multiple problems it could be. To try this and then that and then something else is nothing more than groping around in the dark. That is not only a total waste of time, energy and golf balls, but it is also messing up your mind and your swing.
The real response to "Who Cares!" is followed by the statement, "I will do the next setup and swing right." That way you are only focusing and working on positives of the PPG setup and swing. The things you know are right and what you want to do.
Get into a good health and fitness routine and practice regime this winter and your game will be primed and ready when golf season opens next spring. Then, maintain those good habits and practice and your body, swing and golf game will be fine tuned year round.
The Surge!