==================================================== Newsletter - Issue 54 Date 05/25/08 ==================================================== ==================================================== Equipment - Books - DVD's ==================================================== The 8 Step Swing by Jim McLean, retails for around $29.99 and The Truth About Golf by A J Bonar, retails for around $89.95 for a package of DVD's I own both the The 8 Step Swing DVD and Book. I was taught this method at the school where I received my golf teaching certification, and I was a proponent of Jim McLean's methodology before the school. Having said all of that, it's a very technical book and DVD. Jim McLean even says so himself in the DVD, and casual golfers may not be able to weather the detail provided. However, if you are a student of the game, or if you teach golf, or if you aspire to teach golf someday, get both the book and DVD. It is probably the most comprehensive explanation of the full swing that you'll see or read anywhere, and the production is done very professionally. One thumb up for content and one thumb up for value, but as Jim himself said, it's very detail oriented. You can see each of the 8 steps in the 8 step swing here: http://www.jimmclean.com/swing-step1.html http://www.jimmclean.com I also own The Truth About Golf by A J Bonar, the full set of DVD's. A J teaches an alternate type of swing to the one that is most commonly taught, and it works quite well. I tried it for a few weeks a couple of years ago, and when your timing is on, the ball really rockets off the clubface. It involves different wrist and hand action and less body turn than the traditional type of swing, however it is harder to time everything perfectly at impact. There is less margin for error than with a traditional swing. I do teach this swing if I have a student that can't make a good turn due to back problems or lack of flexibility, because it can generate power at impact that they can't get without a good turn. For anyone else I stay traditional because I respectfully think A J's method is a low percentage technique. The DVD's are well done and I'm giving A J one thumb up for content and one thumb up for value. If you decided to check out this type of swing, you could get by with the Truth About The Driver DVD for around $20 instead of buying the package of DVD's, it covers the concept. One word of caution, when I was working on this technique, I practiced quite a bit and developed a bit of soreness in my left elbow, it puts some strain on that part of the body. http://www.ajgolf.com ==================================================== TCT Quick Tips - Positive Reinforcement ==================================================== After every 18 hole round of golf that you play, remember your 3 best putts. ==================================================== Golf Tip : First 3 Holes ==================================================== Before I get to this week's tip, I need to clarify last weeks tip. My wife told me that I violated the KISS rule of golf tips - Keep It Simple Stupid - apparently I didn't. Here's the mini folded arms weight shift drill simplified: 1) get into golf posture with your hands folded across your chest 2) do a mini takeaway turn and weight shift 3) start a mini forward weight shift with a slight bump of the hips laterally along the ball target line 4) keep your head behind the ball as you bump your weight forward 5) now do a mini turn and weight shift forward I hope this helps, it's a great drill for those that sway instead of shift their weight. First 3 Holes This tip is also short but sweet. I read an article by a Canadian club professional about a comparison he did with scores tournament players at his course finished with when compared to the trend set by the scores on their first 3 holes. It was eye opening, almost all of them scored above average, on average, or below average, to the same degree that their scores trended on their first 3 holes. The moral of the story is this: don't try career shots on your first 3 holes, play them conservatively and reap the scoring reward at the end of your round.