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Product Review: The Caddie Basket Pro
Lesson Comments: What Students Have To Say
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Batavia Country Club
Chestnut Hill Country Club
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Tom's Featured Tip: Body Rotation Effect on Clubface Integrity
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
Before I get to todays featured tip, congratulations to a long time golfing buddy of mine Gary Kurkowski for nailing his first ever hole in one at the Batavia Country Club last Monday. He hit a 4 hybrid on hole 3, a 155 yard par 3. I was playing in the group behind him, so I almost got to see it.
Well done Gary!
Back to business.
I would say that about 85% of the people that come to me for lessons are not getting the clubface square at impact, and that as a result most of their shots start right and curve right.
In a perfect golf world, if you were to execute a golf swing by turning your body back and through properly with your hands in proper position, the clubface would square up naturally at impact.
I don't care what swing method you use, they are all designed to square the face at impact.
Problems arise from either an improper rotation of the body, or too little (or no) rotation at all.
When that happens, the angles that need to be retained through impact in your wrists and hands break down, and the student feels that the clubface is starting to close too much too soon. When that happens, most students usually open the face at impact, and either the ball travels right and curves more right, or they hit the ground before striking the ball (fat hit).
Occasionally a student doesn't fight it, and they hit a real ugly left pull that usually curves even more left.
The cure is simple to explain, but it will take some reps to build it into your swing.
First of all, understand that good body rotation requires minimal or no intentional hand manipulation to square the face at impact. Then understand that less body rotation may require some intentional hand manipulation to square the face.
You should practice some sort of body rotation drill regularly that conforms to the swing method that you prefer.
Here's a link to a body turn drill that I have my students do: Body Turn Drill I usually take them through the drill at a lesson, then the written word is enough reinforcement.
I'm sure that you can go to YouTube and find a video for a body turn drill that matches how you want to swing.
For students that genuinely have a problem executing a good turn, I have them practice a few drills to feel the clubface squaring up, then we find the words that convey the message to their brain to make it useful during their swing.
I conducted a lesson today (Tuesday) for such a student, and eventually we settled on the words "throw the club" with the right hand at impact to square the face, and he started blasting his drives. There were some position issues we corrected also, but to square the face the words and thought of "throw the club" with the right hand at impact produced outstanding success.
Here's the takeaway - if your clubface is open at impact (ball going right), first of all make sure that you are turning enough in your takeaway and your forward swing.
If you are not, work on it.
If, for whatever reason, you can't turn your body sufficiently, train your hands to square the face at impact.
If none of that works, take a lesson. Golf life is too short to keep hitting those frustratingly weak, right shots.
Product Review: The Caddie Basket Pro
Last year, a friend of mine - Steve Frieday - was practicing at the Plum Creek Driving Range where I conduct my lessons told me about a product called the Caddie Basket that I should look into.
I found the site at CaddieBasketGolf.com and I contacted the owner, David Simmons who seemed like a great guy. He said that he was developing the second generation basket, and tjhat he'd send me one to test and review when it was in production.
That happened in April of this year, and I've been using my The Caddie Basket Pro at my lessons and I honestly don't know how I got along without it.
If you happen to be in the golf teaching profession, or if you practice a lot, you've simply go to have one of these.
I don't use mine for ball storage, I put other training aids in there. It holds everything I need and more, and I love how easy it makes it to take video with your phone. It's very un-complicated.
In the interest of disclosure, I did get my unit to test and review for free, other than that I don't make a dime for recommending this product. I do so because I'm sold on it.
The price is $159, and I think it's worth every penny.
Here are a few photo's that I took today when I was using it, and a few images I pulled off of off of Caddie Basket Pro
Comments: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
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!
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Great rates, the best greens in WNY. Golf Digest Four Star rating for public courses to play in New York State.
Tee times online or by phone in season.
Chestnut Hill Country Club (585)-547-3613 www.chestnuthillgolf.com
THE WESTERN NEW YORK LEADER IN GOLF OUTINGS!
Only minutes from Buffalo, open to the public. Tee times online or by phone in season.
All the best,
Tom Tucker
Teaching Pro, Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com
"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection!"
~ Ben Hogan