==================================================== Newsletter - Issue 58 Date 06/20/08 ==================================================== ==================================================== Equipment - Books - DVD's ==================================================== After the last newsletter's comparison between the SkyCaddie and RangeFinders, I received an email from a reader about a free rangefinder option that may be available to some of you. It's called freecaddie and information can be found at http://www.freecaddie.com/ It uses your cell phone, if your model is compatible with their requirements. Mine is not, so if anyone reading this tries it out I'd appreciate an email with your comments. Many thanks to John Tribone for the heads up! I've been working with a new training aid called the Orange Whip Trainer: http://www.orangewhiptrainer.com/ and I wanted to compare it to a similar training device that I've had and liked for quite a while, the Whippy Tempomaster: http://www.tempomaster.com/ The Orange Whip Trainer works as advertised, it's a great tool for exercise as well as for developing swing tempo. There are a two models currently available, with one more in the development stage. I own the Orange Whip Trainer, and the Gold Whip Trainer. The orange is made for adult males, the gold is made for adult females or seniors. I find that I like the orange for simulating the driver swing plane and tempo and for it's additional resistance and weight, but I also use the gold for simulating a swing plane and tempo for a shorter club, like an 8 iron. I don't consider the gold model to be exclusively for ladies or seniors, it stands on its own merit as a training device for a shorter club. The Whippy Tempomaster, I own the driver model - several of them - has long been a favorite of mine for use with students that want to try and kill the ball, and that lack good tempo. It's probably not as good of a pure exercise and strength building tool as the whip trainer, but I like the fact that you can actually hit balls with it - but that you can't do it successfully unless your tempo matches the whippy flexibility of the club. It slows you down in a hurry. I love them both, and here's a factor that probably should not figure in to a buying decision but that I'll mention anyway - they are really fun to swing. I'm using the whip trainer daily for the exercise and swing strength training benefit and it doesn't feel like work. In my book there's something to be said for that. I give both training aids two thumbs up, one for delivering the goods, and one for value. If you pressed me on one or the other for personal use, I'd go with the Orange or Gold Whip Trainer because of the added exercise benefit. I hunted around the internet for good deals on both products like I always do, none for the whip trainer - HOWEVER I contacted the inventor/owner, James Hackenberg, and he agreed to give our newsletter readers a $15 discount off the $100 price. http://www.orangewhiptrainer.com/ If you want to order and get the discount, you need to phone in your order and mention that you heard about the product through Tom Tucker. If you don't say that, you won't get the discount. You can phone in orders to (864) 855-9462 between 9 am to 6 pm EST For the Whippy Tempomaster, http://www.tempomaster.com/ I found an excellent deal on Ebay. The driver size sells for $129 plus shipping and handling from the parent website, but I found a new one on Ebay for $89.99 plus $12.50 shipping and handling. Go to Ebay and enter whippy tempomaster into the search box if you are interested. BTW, I own about 12 of these and have two lightly used ones for sale for $70 each. First come first served, call me or email me if you are interested. Nothing at all wrong with them, I only need ten for the way I conduct large group lessons now. Next issue I'll review Toss Tees, http://www.tosstee.com/ a new product made and manufactured right here in Western New York, developed by Al Panneri and Ralph Stuart ==================================================== TCT Quick Tips - Trust ==================================================== After you have gone through your pre-shot routine and are about to commence your swing, think this thought: " I've done everything correctly to here, now just put a good stroke (putting) / swing (other shots) on the ball" After your stroke or swing think this: "I just put a solid stroke/swing on the ball and I accept the result." Think this last thought even before you see the result of the stroke/swing. It will help your outlook on the game, and an added benefit is that it will help you stay down and through the shot. What prompted this tip was a quote from Tiger about his putt that tied him with Rocco Mediate last Monday at the 18th hole of the US Open, after which we all know he went on to win at the next hole - on one leg no less! Tiger was having trouble reading the line for the four footer to give him a tie with Rocco at the 18th, he even called Steve Williams, his caddie, over to take a look. They couldn't see any break, so Tiger said to himself "it's a straight putt, so I'm going to put a good stroke on it and accept whatever happens". The rest is history. If Tiger does something that I'm able to do, I'm pretty much going to do it too, especially in relation to the mental part of the game. I sincerely think he's the best ever in that arena. BTW if your swing is broken, fix it - books, dvd's, lessons, etc. don't expect anything to change unless you do something to make it happen. Don't just read these tips and expect a miracle, take them and work a little bit with them. ==================================================== Golf Tip : Patience ==================================================== I am often surprised at how easily people get upset at the game of golf. They get upset when they don't score well. They get upset when they do score well but didn't strike the ball as well as they thought they should. They get upset when they strike the ball well but don't putt as well as they think they should. For really good and great golfers, when the agony of golf hits, they are patient. They don't expect to par every hole; they don't pity themselves; and they don't constantly obsess over fluctuations in their game. They understand that golf will contain ecstasy AND agony. This was a strategy Jack Nicklaus used to become one of the greatest golfers ever. Jack went into a major slump from 1967 to 1970 and did not win a major for three years. Here’s his explanation for the slump: “I believed when I turned pro that I should be able to attain optimum form then hold onto it for long periods, maybe forever. Reality gradually hit home once I joined the tour, forcing me to recognize and accept golf’s eternal inconstancy.” Jack assumed that once he turned pro, he would attain optimum form - and never be frustrated again. By expecting himself to be perfect most of the time, Jack destroyed his confidence. His saviour was patience, and realizing that golf would always frustrate him some of the time. I'll use the same analogy for Jack that I did for Tiger, if it's good for him it's probably good for me. Enjoy the game and don't set your expectations abnormally high in relation to the amount of time that you have to work at improvements. Don't expect to become or remain a low handicap player if your current work and life circumstances don't allow a fair amount of time for practice and play. Enjoy the game itself in general and your game in particular for whatever it is. Improve it if you have the time, if you don't - just count your blessings that you can still get out and play. Tom