Thursday, December 24, 2009

Golfers Are Funny About Their Golf Swings

Golfers Are Funny!


‘I’m going to try to the Stack and Tilt. I’ve tried the 8 Step Swing, The X Factor, Slow and Low, Square to Square, along with every other new swing that has come out.

‘I’ve tried video analysis, I’ve tried Golf Tec, I’ve even tried getting down on my hands and knees to pray.

‘Yet, I still have the same inconsistent golf swing. I’ve spent hundreds – well, thinking about it …. I’ve spent thousands …. well, let’s just put it this way …. my kids inheritance isn’t what it used to be – trying to find something to help me become more consistent.’

We live in a society that thrives on making things simpler. Perfect example: Would you rather use Microsoft Word or go back to loading paper into a typewriter and then having to go through the hassle of starting over after making a simple mistake. (Really, I tried to type mistake wrong to illustrate my point, but Microsoft won’t let me make a mistake even if I wanted to).

Make Life Simple

Yet, the Golfer that’s having a hard time on the golf course seems to be looking for more difficult. We’re actually thinking of changing our company name to Golf Made Difficult, but we feel if we did – there would be too much demand and we wouldn’t be able to keep up with number of Golfers calling and emailing us to help them make complicated swing changes.

So we’ll keep it Golf Made Simple

Why do most people today have their automobiles shift gears automatically as opposed to manually shifting? Why don’t you have a rotary telephone in your house anymore? Do you know anyone that still fiddles with an answering machine that’s hooked up by a cord to your telephone as opposed to voice mail?

Yet, the Golfer isn’t happy until your Instructor sits you down to analyze every movement of your golf swing. The Golfer wants to know everything they’re doing wrong in their swing. ‘You see my right elbow at the top of my swing, is that where it’s supposed to be?’ “Well Mr. Lewis, you’re right, according to our highly advanced technology that can analyze every movement in your golf swing, along with determining if you’re getting enough calcium in your diet – it shows that your right elbow is about 2.394 degrees out of place.”

In every aspect of our life, we’re trying to make things ‘Simpler’. We’re trying to use less thought to accomplish difficult tasks. Yet in Golf – the so-called Swing Guru’s are trying to make things more difficult!

An 8 Step Swing? I have difficulty walking and chewing gum at the same time.

To give you an idea on how embarrassed I am about this ‘complicated is better philosophy’ that has hooked Golfers to the point of me relabeling it as ‘Crack for Golfers’ – somebody sent me this amazing comment they found on the Golf Tec website – ‘By primarily working in an indoor, controlled environment, clients can focus on the swing process as opposed to simply relying on ball flight. By ignoring ball flight in some of (the) lessons, clients can avoid reinforcing bad habits.’

Ignoring your ball flight can avoid reinforcing bad habits? Is that a joke? Are they trying to be funny? Don’t tell me they’re serious. That comment may be the #1 reason that video analysis will really mess up your golf swing!

Do I smell Snake Oil?

Technology has helped us create better golf clubs and golf balls. It’s helped to make the golf club out of better materials (from Persimmon Wood and Hickory Shafts to Titanium and Graphite Shafts), along with allowing us to fit you to the correct equipment to match your golf swing.

All these other complicated swing techniques that are based upon you copying Jim McLean’s 8-Step Swing or the Golf Tec model swing or the Stack and Shank … ahhh, I mean the Stack and Tilt swing - hasn’t helped anybody (I have ever met) swing better. It might make a Golfer feel better that at least they’re doing something to try to improve – but has it helped your swing to improve to the point that your scores have gotten better?

So why have I gotten into the whole gimmick swing, video analysis, you better be careful what you do next to improve your golf swing - rap? Because it’s that time of year that millions of Golfers can’t go outside to play – so they feel the next best thing is to sign-up to take golf lessons at one of those video simulator places that you can get your swing analyzed, or wile away your time with a book that explains 8 different swing moves you need to master or get on a Golf Internet Chat room that’s filled with closeted, anonymous Golf Gurus with nicknames such as Golf Genius that are looked up to like Rock Stars by frustrated, desperate Golfers that will do anything not to be frustrated anymore.

My question is – Do you know anyone that has signed up for a 6 lesson Video Analysis series and taken all 6 lessons? On the other hand – Do you know anyone that has signed up for a 6 lessons series and only taken 4 or 5 lessons? Why is that so commonplace? Well, they bait you in with promises of Glory – and after the 4th week, when you’re so confused that you’re scared to swing the golf club back because you’re thinking about everything you’re doing wrong and how you want to make sure that you do it correct – something deep down inside says to you – ‘this stinks!’

‘This is too complicated, why am I making it so hard on myself?’

The Monkey is constantly swinging from vine to vine looking for answers – unfortunately they believe that the more difficult the vine is – the better it is for their golf swing

The Player just Tick Tocks and smiles

Are you swinging vine to vine as you grit your teeth or are you smiling?

Regards,

Marc Solomon - Your Instructor For Life

------------------------------------------------------------------
Golf Schools by Golf Made Simple, Inc.

Contact info:
1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada)
001.904.460.8355 (International)

Our 3-Day Program IncludeS:
•    3-days of 4+ hours of Golf Instruction each day
•    9-holes of On-Course Instruction each day
•    Your Class Limited to only 4-Golfers
•    A PLAN to take home for continuous On-Course Improvement
•    Instructor for Life Program
•    The GMS Player Page on the Golf Made Simple Website
•    3-nights Accommodations
•    9-holes of Golf after class each day
•    Lunch in the clubhouse each day
•    And most importantly you'll be hitting the ball really well!

Remember - All Golf instruction Is Not Equal
Click here to see a comparison of 3 popular programs

GMS has locations in:

Florida:  St. Augustine -- Boca Raton -- Tampa -- Amelia Island
California:  Palm Springs/La Quinta -- Lake Tahoe
Arizona:  Phoenix
Europe:  Sotogrande, Spain
Colorado:  Denver
Virginia:  Washington DC area
------------------------------------------------------------------



"Who's Your Caddie?"

Excerpted from GIW Issue 255 - October 29th, 2007


Come on, tell me - Who's Your Caddie? I can't tell you how many times I've heard a Golfer tell me that they played better when they've had a chance to play 18 holes with a Caddie. Why is this? And how can you incorporate these same strategies and techniques into your game all the time?

Is it because they're cleaning your clubs after each shot, raking your bunkers or even carrying your clubs? That may be a small influence. Or can it be that after a couple of holes of watching you play, they know more about your game and your abilities than you may know about yourself?

Now, can you learn how to develop this talent and apply it to your game?

To continue reading, click here



Golf Schools by Golf Made Simple, Inc.

Contact info:
1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada)
001.904.460.8355 (International)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, December 18, 2009

The Can't Miss Golf Gift Issue!

The GMS Holiday Gift Issue


Each week we write about improving your golf game.  This week we’re going to change things up to speak about 4 golf products you might want to look at as a gift for yourself or someone else that will make the overall golf experience better.  Each week, I’m approached by companies all over the world to introduce their products to the thousands of Golfers that read Golf Improvement Weekly (now over 24,000) and the over one thousand Golfers that come to see GMS each year.

And while I turn down 99.9% of what I see as not being worth the plastic it’s made of – there are some great, great products out there for Golfers.  So with this being gift buying season … well, at least for guys like me that wait till the last minute – I’m sure most of the smarter people have completed their holiday shopping by now.

Yet, even if you’re finished holiday shopping –I highly recommend that you look at these products.  They are just excellent products that I currently use, viewed or have tested.

The Back Nine –



This might be the most intriguing product of them all.  It’s a movie about golf.  But it’s not just any movie.

It’s about a 40 year old that’s around an 11 handicap that has a family, a job and …. wants to see if he can make it on the PGA

Tour.  And it’s a true story.

Now, this is intriguing because at least once a month we get a phone call from at least one Golfer that is in a similar situation and wants to make the PGA or Senior Tour.  Yet, there’s no way it will happen for these Golfers.  It’s not as easy as getting to a zero handicap to make it on Tour.  For the Golfer that scores between 72 and 82 from 6,600 yards – you’re really not even close.

Playing well with your friends – even scoring 72 on a 6,600 yard course is not the same as playing in a tournament from 7,200 yards.  Plus, just to make it to the PGA Tour – you need to go to Q School where if you do make it through the initial qualifying sites to get to the finals – you then need to play 6 rounds of golf in 6 days and end up in the top 25 by scoring around 15 under par – from 7,200 yards in Tour conditions.

You really have about the same shot of making the PGA Tour as you would have making the Yankees as a starting pitcher.  Saying that - I do sincerely look forward to someone making it and proving me wrong. It would be an exciting story.

However, Jon Fitzgerald wanted to see if he could do it.  And during his journey of balancing family, work and golf – he found out a lot about himself.

When I first received this DVD back in the summer – I wasn’t expecting much.  I thought it would be just like another one of those phone calls we receive from someone in their 40’s that’s an 11 handicap and wants to try to improve so they can play on the PGA Senior Tour in 10 years.  And although the movie is about golf – it turned out to be about much more than that.

Go to their website to see a sample of the movie and possibly purchase it.  When I told Jon that I would be writing about his movie – he offered to give a discount code that he’s extending to all our readers if you want to purchase the movie.

It’s really straight forward how to use it.  Go to their website (http://www.thebacknine.com) and select the single copy of the DVD. There is a box that will offer the option of entering the code - gms4tb9. When you click submit, an 18 percent discount is factored in.

The ClubGlider –


 As far as I’m concerned …. The best golf product I have ever used.  If you have ever taken your golf clubs on a golf vacation – this product is worth its weight in gold!!!

I remember when travel bags for golf clubs didn’t even have wheels that allowed you to roll the bag.  Then when the wheeled bags came out, it was like “aahhh, this so much easier – why didn’t I think of that?”

Yet, when I was sent this product – it changed everything!  Until I used this – I never realized how much a pain in the butt the regular wheeled golf travel bags were.

The ClubGlider looks like a regular wheeled golf travel bag.  However, on the bottom side of the bag there are two retractable legs that have wheels on them.  So all you do is pop these out and it supports the bag.  So now you don’t have to hold the bag up when you wheel it – it’s more like a pull cart.  You could pull it with your pinkie finger.  And it turns on a dime.

Now some people might be saying that it’s not that hard with a regular travel bag – and you’re right, it’s not.  That is until you try the ClubGlider.  Here are a couple examples of why this product is incredible:

One - getting your golf bag into the travel bag.  It seems to me that whenever I used to pack my travel bag that once I put my clubs in – I’d always have to readjust the golf bag and slide it lower before zipping it up.  It would be - hold open the travel bag with one hand, lie the golf bag inside with the other hand, then readjust by picking both bags up at the same time so that the golf bag slides to the bottom.  Then you have to hold both bags in the upright position so you could zipper it up.

With the ClubGlider – just pull the legs out (which supports the bag on a 45 degree angle) and drop your golf bag in.  The way it’s supported, your golf bag just goes to the bottom of the travel bag for you. No holding the travel bag up – the legs do that for you.  It might not seem like much reading this – but the first time you use the ClubGlider – you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is.

Two – The ease of wheeling it around is fantastic.  For example: when you’re going to the ticket counter at the airport you have your golf bag, your luggage, your ID, etc.  And while you’re waiting in line - the line has the repeated process of move forward two steps, wait for two minutes, move forward two steps, wait two minutes.  You then have to decide whether to hold up your bag the whole time or drop it and pick it up each time you move.  Now, your golf clubs probably weigh at least 20 pounds – and even though the bottom of the bag is on the ground – you’re still supporting most of the weight.

With the ClubGlider you don’t do anything – the bag just stays upright for you - when it’s time to step forward all you need to do is put your hand on the handle and pull it (you could pull it with your pinkie finger).

Believe me – when I was first told of this product, I didn’t think much of it.  Then when I tried it – I wanted to invest in the company (I couldn’t, but I’m still very excited about the product).

When I told Mike Baum that I was writing about his product – he wrote me back saying:

Yes, please direct everyone to www.clubglider.com for information and/or to order on the website. On the website they can get FREE NAME PERSONALIZATION embroidered on their ClubGlider. Also, please let your subscribers know that they can use the promo code MIKE at the end of their order when ordering on the website to get $70 off!

Vedalo Sunglasses –



As a self confessed sunglass lover.  I have to say these are the very best sunglasses I have ever owned.  I was introduced to Vedalo Sunglasses at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in January 2009 after stopping at 43 other sunglass displays where each person told me how their company’s sunglasses were the best.

The same thing happened at Vedalo.  Although Joseph went into great detail about the technology used to make these sunglasses.  I have to confess I wasn’t really listening … that is until I put them on and saw how clear they were.  Then I became much more interested to hear about them.  They definitely put a lot of research into the lenses and have the patents to prove it.

And once I started looking at their styles – I was hooked.  They started out as a company that specialized in sunglasses for pilots, then they added sunglasses for race car drivers, and now they have sunglasses for golf.  So they have a vast catalog of styles to choose from.  Yet, it all goes back to the lenses.

The lenses are so clear.  There’s no distortion at all.  It’s almost as if you don’t have anything between your eyes and what you’re looking towards (except its not too bright and they stop all glare).

There are few big name sunglass companies that you may have used; I know I have tried all brands.  Yet these are the best.  I could give you all the scientific research and patents Vedalo has – but you can read about that on their website.  Plus, you can go their website and see all they styles – you’re going to be impressed.

When I spoke with Joseph recently to tell him that I was writing about his company in the GIW gift issue, he offered to give a nice discount to anyone that reads GIW.  Joseph wrote:  Have your readers go to www.VedaloHD.com and enter the coupon code - GMS.

This will give them a 25% discount on their entire purchase.

Golf Made Simple, Inc. (GMS) –




Yes, this is our company - www.GolfMadeSimple.com.  And with many people thinking I have a biased opinion – that maybe so - yet GMS is the most successful golf instruction company there is for helping Golfers to play better, more consistent golf.  We help Golfers improve their golf swing, along with understanding what Causes their bad swings.  Then we take you onto the golf course each afternoon for 9 holes to train you take those improvements onto the golf course!

The amount of emails we receive each year from Golfers that have come to GMS and are happy that they came to see us after experiencing disappointing instruction other places increases each year.

If you haven’t been to GMS – click here to see a sampling of how many Golfers improved in 2009

Regards,

Marc Solomon - Your Instructor For Life

------------------------------------------------------------------
Golf Schools by Golf Made Simple, Inc.

Contact info:
1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada)
001.904.460.8355 (International)

Our 3-Day Program IncludeS:
•    3-days of 4+ hours of Golf Instruction each day
•    9-holes of On-Course Instruction each day
•    Your Class Limited to only 4-Golfers
•    A PLAN to take home for continuous On-Course Improvement
•    Instructor for Life Program
•    The GMS Player Page on the Golf Made Simple Website
•    3-nights Accommodations
•    9-holes of Golf after class each day
•    Lunch in the clubhouse each day
•    And most importantly you'll be hitting the ball really well!

Remember - All Golf instruction Is Not Equal
Click here to see a comparison of 3 popular programs

GMS has locations in:

Florida:  St. Augustine -- Boca Raton -- Tampa -- Amelia Island
California:  Palm Springs/La Quinta -- Lake Tahoe
Arizona:  Phoenix
Europe:  Sotogrande, Spain
Colorado:  Denver
Virginia:  Washington DC area
------------------------------------------------------------------









"Is Your Golf Game In Season or Off Season"

Excerpted from GIW Issue 222 - December 19th, 2007


The Answer is - not the middle of July. The Question – When should you be practicing to get better so you play your best Golf in July? For many Golfers, the next few months are the time you should be working on your golf game to improve. Unfortunately, many Golfers in the US, Canada and Europe don’t use this time effectively.

If you’re waiting for your season to start – you’re waiting too long. Players have two seasons – Off Season and The Season. Monkeys unfortunately have just one season – The Season.

Now this might not make much sense to a lot of Golfers because The Season is the only way they know how to do it. The frustrated Golfer is trying to improve too much at the same time that they’re trying to play. And because of this – more frustration is produced every year during The Season. Yet, even though this frustration is repeated yearly – the Monkey continues to ....

To continue reading, click here



Golf Schools by Golf Made Simple, Inc.

Contact info:
1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada)
001.904.460.8355 (International)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------