TomTuckerGolf.com

Golf Tips Newsletter
Issue 900 - Wednesday December 24, 2025
Website     Newsletters Archive

 
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
WGTF "Top 100" Teacher
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach


 

Master The Motion Before You Master The Shot.

"Everybody can get better on 15 minutes per day."
Peter Cowen, Renowned Golf Coach
"You can even get better on 5 minutes per day."
Tom Tucker, Unrenowned Golf Coach 😄

Tom's Featured Tip: Adaptability


Lesson Comments: What Students Have To Say
Sponsors & Affiliates:

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  • Offer expires 12/31/25 - don't wait, take full advantage now!
The Divot Board Check out their new turf mats, I think they copied what I did - but in a better way!
Fiberbuilt Golf Flight Deck Practice Station
The Rypstick
SuperSpeedGolf.com
Club Champion




Buying a sponsored product through any of my affiliate links helps support this free newsletter, and I only affiliate with excellent products that I use myself.  Thanks, Tom




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Outdoor Golf lessons are available at The Batavia Country Club. Please call me (Tom Tucker) at 716 474 3005, email me at TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com, or visit my website at   http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/lessonrates.html   for details.

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Adaptability




The Best Training Aid For Indoor or Outdoor Practice

The Divot Board


This is the most useful ball striking development training aid that I own.
Don't have one yet? What's holding you back
Click here to buy your Divot Board for outstanding Ball-Striking practice. and check out their new turf mats, I think they copied what I did - but in a better way!




Adaptability

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF MY GOLFING FRIENDS!

For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.


Adam Young authored todays content, but it absolutely describes my last cold weather round of this year - except that my miss patterns were reversed, and I didn't lose any balls 😄

I played one of my worst rounds this year. And it taught me a lot.

I shot 6 over my handicap, and lost 3 balls - unusual for me. Normally I keep a ball for 3-5 rounds.

We teed off much earlier than normal, and it was super cold. I was wrapped up in layers that really changed the feel of my swing, and my hands were bitter-cold to the point I had no feeling in my fingers.

But this just exaggerated patterns I normally have - fat, left and toe.

It wasn't random - it was a consistent error. And there's a lesson in here
  • Lesson 1 - Identify the dominant pattern(s)

    This was the first time that these patterns were so magnified for me.

    And while I have the skills to change them, I really struggled due to the fact I didn't want to open up the opposite error. E.g. I can make the ball go more right (less left) but the fear of over-doing it won over and stopped me fixing the fault.

  • Lesson 2 - don't let fear of over-doing something stop you making a change.

    Luckily, I was playing the next day.

    I wrapped up a little lighter (and dealt with the cold).

    I remembered to bring my cold weather gloves, and place hand warmers in my pockets.

    I warmed up trying to do the opposite of my patterns - so I intentionally tried to hit with a more open face and more from the heel.

    While the cold still really plagued me, I managed to shoot a respectable score this time.

  • Lesson 3 - we have to learn to adapt to whatever golf throws at us - whether that's changes in the environment, or to our bodies.

    We, and golf, are not static. When you are playing a round of golf, the skills of adaptability are more important than repeatability when problems arise.
My takeaways:
  1. Dress and prepare mentally for the weather so that it doesn't distract you from your game awareness.

  2. Have the courage to adapt - make necessary changes on the fly.
Try it, you'll really like it!




Email Comments: to TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com

"Clear Intentions Simplify Execution"
Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, The Stack and Tilt Swing

Love your practice, own your swing, own your health, and remember that golf is a game of discovery. Don't be afraid to experiment when you practice, it's good for your golfing brain.

Tom




Golf Lessons

I am now conducting lessons at The Batavia Country Club

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

Outdoor Lessons Details and Rates:
Outdoor Lessons Details and Rates


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


Sponsors and Affiliates

Buying a sponsored product through any of my affiliate links helps support this free newsletter, and I only affiliate with excellent products that I use myself.  Thanks, Tom




Batavia Country Club   (585) 343-7600   www.bataviacc.com
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.




Click here to buy your Divot Board to drastically improve your ball-striking. Combine your Divot Board practice and putting practice with the included putting lesson drills, and watch your scoring improve1. And make sure to check out their new turf mats, I think they copied what I did - but in a better way!


Use your club or hand to re-set the board after your strike
Click here to buy now for outstanding Ball-Striking practice feedback

BONUS: when you buy through the newsletter link above, you'll also receive free access to my Putting Lesson Videos ($60 value) which cover: The Elevated Aimline Drill, The Squareness Awareness Drill, The Aimline Accuracy Drill, The Stock Putting Stroke Drill, The Barrier Drill, The Short Putt Channel Drill, and more.




Click here to buy your Fiberbuilt Golf Flight Deck Practice Station. (Editor's note: Order through Amazon Prime instead of through the manufacturer's site and you'll save around $100)

If you are looking for the most robust portable hitting station that money can buy, the Fiberbuilt Golf Flight Deck Practice Station fits the bill.

It comes with a 300,000 shot guarantee, most other mats are usually in the 50,000 range. I use one at all of my range lessons and am more than happy with it. If you are serious about home practice, get one, you won't regret it.




Click here
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SuperSpeedGolf.com Buy now and get to work on increasing your swing speed now.




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Train with a Rypstick to improve your swing speed and gain more distance off the tee. If the versatility of three different swing weights in one club appeals to you, this is your swing speed training aid of choice.


Click here Rypstick.com to buy now, and make sure that you enter TOMTUCKERGOLF (case sensitive) in the Discount code box when you check out to receive a 5% discount.




All the best,

Tom Tucker
Teaching Professional, Batavia Country Club
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com

"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection1"
~ Ben Hogan