==================================================== Newsletter - Issue 52 Date 05/11/08 ==================================================== ==================================================== Equipment - Books - DVD's ==================================================== I had someone ask me about good books or DVD's that I might recommend, so I thought I'd include that type of information in this newsletter now and in the future. I'm always looking for information that could give me an edge with my lessons, and I also like to keep abreast of what's new in golf training aids and information. It just so happens that I recently ordered a couple of DVD's: Practice Like A Pro - list price $89.94 (I didn't pay that much) and The New Four Magic Moves To Winning Golf Secrets By Andy Brown - Book and DVD list price: $37 ( I paid that much) I also ordered some BirdieBalls and related accessories from http://www.birdieball.com I hit a few Birdieballs prior to a lesson yesterday, and I was pretty excited with the results. I'll give a complete report in my next newsletter after I've done more testing. On to the DVD's Practice Like a Pro had some excellent information on putting and chipping, and some great drills and games. It also had a separate DVD with an interview with Bob Rotella, head shrink guru for a lot of top players. It was produced and packaged very professionally. My take on the Practice Like a Pro DVD's is that the player interviews and the interview with Bob Rotella were very interesting to me as a golf teacher, but I think that the less intense golfers would tire of them in a hurry. The drills and games were good, but you could probably dig some of these off the internet if you took the time to search for them. I called the sales rep I dealt with and told him to target teaching pros for the product. He replied with a less than enthusiastic "thanks". I give it one thumb up for content, and one thumb down for price. At about a third of the price it would be a good deal. The New Four Magic Moves was interesting, but I respectfully disagree with a lot of the material, such as gripping the club very tightly. The quality of the book was low, and the DVD looked like it was made on a tight budget also. It was filmed on what appeared to be a lousy day somewhere in England - oops - maybe it was not a bad day for that location, no rain and the pros doing the DVD's weren't wearing knit hats. The package gets one thumb down for quality and thus one thumb down for price. I'm not putting it down for content, there are a lot of different approaches to the golf swing, although I do respectfully disagree with their technique. =================================================== TCT Quick Tips - Take The High Road ==================================================== Taking the high road - playing more break instead of less - makes sense. A ball is more likely to fall down into the hole from the high side. It also encourages rolling the ball at a slower speed, meaning that it's less likely to run too far past the hole should it miss. ==================================================== Golf Tip : Aim and Alignment ==================================================== This tip came from Frank Thomas of Thomas Golf Proper aim and body alignment lead to a good swing path. People often forget, golf is a target game; and like any target game, aiming to the target is an essential first step. Your initial setup can give your mind and body the ability to swing freely in a correct swing path, free from the mechanical distractions and complications brought into the swing by misaligned body positions. Visualize your target line, then align your body to that line. Here's how... First, stand behind your ball and pick a small intermediate target on your target line, then address the ball with your feet, hips, shoulders and eyes parallel to that target line. You'll be surprised what a huge impact this simple fundamental can have on shot performance. By properly aiming your body along your target line, you increase the likelihood of a mechanically correct and free-flowing swing. When your feet, hips, shoulders, eyes, and club are not aligned with each other (or with the target), they conflict with each other and cause all sorts of problems with your swing and ball flight. Align your body (and club) properly, and let the swing flow. So go out there and AIM... ALIGN... SWING