TomTuckerGolf.com
 
Golf Tips Newsletter - Issue 261 - September 4th, 2013

 

Prepare to play your best golf by doing something now!

To comment or respond to this newsletter, please click here ttucker@rochester.rr.com

In This Issue  

- Tom's Featured Tip: Right Arm at The Top
- Tom's Bonus Tip: Decisions Around The Green
- Student Spotlight: Chris Carroll Wins in Canada
- Lesson Comments: What Students Have To Say
- Sponsors: Batavia Country Club   Chestnut Hill Country Club 
Plum Creek Driving Range and PGA AboutGolf.com Golf Simulator 
GCC Golf Management Program  Provoto Putting Systems

PLUM CREEK DRIVING RANGE IN BATAVIA, NY, IS OPEN ALL YEAR Outdoors in season; Indoors - simulator available for play or practice. Call 585-993-0930 or email Mark at plumcreek4@rochester.rr.com to reserve your simulator time! Great money saving monthly specials, check them out here: http://www.plumcreekdrivingrange.com

Buy Gift Certificates for Lessons   Sample Gift Certificate

Golf lessons - Outdoor and Indoor - are available at Plum Creek, please call me at 716 474 3005, email me at ttucker@rochester.rr.com, or visit my website at   http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/lessonrates.html   for details.

Indoor or Outdoor Driver Fitting Get the most bang for your buck when you buy a new driver by getting professionally fitted first. Click for details:
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Tom's Featured Tip:
Right Arm At The Top

For the sake of simplicity, all advice on swings and drills is provided from a right handed perspective; lefties .... well, you know what to do!

I'm an observer of swings, and when I'm not giving a lesson at the range I like to watch people hit balls.

One of the most egregious errors that I see is the position of the right arm at the top of the backswing.

Most high handicappers pull the club back on the takeaway almost like they are pull-starting a lawn mower, and this is a recipe for a flying elbow on the downswing.

The club should be turned back on the takeaway with an arms, shoulders, and body turning motion, then the arms may or may not lift a bit to complete the backswing - depending on your personal swing method.

When done correctly, this will position your right elbow so that it points generally downward with a vertical forearm at the top of the swing, rather than an elbow that points rearward with a forearm that's parallel to the ground at the top of the swing.

Do "The Waiter" drill to acquire the correct position and feel for the position of the right arm at the top of the backswing is as follows:
  • Without a club in your hands, set up in golf posture as if you were going to hit a shot with your seven iron, and put your left hand in your pocket.

  • Now turn into your takeaway and backswing, and as your right arm elevates imagine that you are carrying a tray full of drinks like a waiter.

  • Hold at the top and memorize the feeling. Your right elbow should be pointing towards the ground with a vertical forearm or you will spill the drinks.

  • Do this drill 15 times one handed, then do it 15 times gripping a seven iron normally, still holding at the top to feel the position.

  • Master this position and you will generate more swing speed and enjoy more consistent ball striking.

Love your practice, enjoy your golf, own your swing,

Tom


Tom's Bonus Tip:
Decisions Around The Green

For the sake of simplicity, all advice on swings and drills is provided from a right handed perspective; lefties .... well, you know what to do!

When you are faced with a shot from just off the green, here is a decision making sequence that I recommend to my students. These methods are recommended in the order of easiest to hardest techniques to execute.
  1. Putt whenever you can. If you don't think you can putt, think it over again. A bad putt will usually finish closer to the hole than any other type of shot that's not executed well.

  2. Putt with a hybrid, or wood. Use a chipping setup, but execute a putting stroke. The jury is out on whether to set up a little toe down, or with the clubhead flat. Golf is a game of discovery, so practice both ways and discover which clubhead position works best for you.

  3. Chip with a compression chipping technique.

  4. Chip with a lofted chipping technique.

  5. Pitch

  6. Lob
Resist the temptation to try a more difficult technique when a more reliable swing will get the job done. Everyone would like to hit their lob wedge like Phil Mickleson, but very few pros can - so what chance does the average Joe have?  Playing it a little safer around the greens will add up to lower scores in the long run.

Love your practice, enjoy your golf, own your swing,

Tom

Student Spotlight:
Chris Carroll Wins in Canada

Congratulations to Chris Carroll, a professional player that I have the pleasure of working with.

Chris notched a win on the US Players Tour in a one day tournament last Saturday at the Willow Valley Golf Course in Mt. Hope, Ontario, Canada.

Chris shot a stellar 69 to best a field of 40 players by two shots and pick up a first place check, but it wasn't all wine & roses.

He opened the round with back to back bogies from pretty good spots in the fairway. He then got it together and strung together four straight birdies on 8, 9, 10, and 11. The back nine at Willow Valley features three par 3's, 4's, and 5's, and he carded another birdie on the second par 5 when he hit driver 8 iron into the short 500 yard par 5 and two putted for an easy birdie.

Keep it rolling Chris!

Love your practice, enjoy your golf, own your swing,

Tom


Golf Lessons

I conduct lessons at The Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
there's a link for Plum Creek info here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/

Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels, please contact
me - Tom Tucker - at (716) 474 3005 or email me at ttucker@rochester.rr.com
for more information.

Outdoor Lessons Details and Rates:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/lessonrates.html

Indoor Lessons Details and Rates:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/indoor.html

Driver Fitting Rates:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/indoor.html

Testimonials:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/testimonials.html


Sponsors

Plum Creek Driving Range and Simulator  Outdoor range and play indoor golf on any of our 40 Simulator Courses. Call 585-993-0930 or email Mark at plumcreek4@rochester.rr.com to reserve time for simulator play or practice!

Provoto Putting Systems   readers get a 30% discount on putting greens. Click on their catalog link, and select the green you want to purchase. After you decide on features, add it to your cart. You'll find the field for "Discount Coupon" near the bottom of the page. Enter PGApro in that field and your product cost will be discounted 30%.

Batavia Country Club   Best greens in WNY, great rates. Back by popular demand: Friday Night Golf and Dinner at BCC 18 holes of golf, cart, dinner, tax and gratuity - $35. 9 hole package - $27. Choose from 4 entree's with side and salad bar. Dinner served from 4:30 pm - 9:15 pm. Dinner available for non-golfers also. Menu and band schedule posted at www.bataviacc.com

Chestnut Hill CC   Great rates, 20 minutes East of Buffalo, NY .

GCC Golf Management Program   click for information on GCC's degree program for anyone interested in a career in the golf industry or teaching golf.

All the best,

Tom Tucker
Teaching Pro, Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com
http://www.usgtf.com/top_100_wgtf.html

"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection!"
~ Ben Hogan