==================================================== Newsletter - Issue 155 Date 11/24/10 ==================================================== ==================================================== TCT Quick Tip - Cleaning Clubs and Grips ==================================================== Here some tips for cleaning your clubs and grips before you stick them in the basement for the winter. Do it now, don't wait until spring. CLUBS - get a bottle of Era brand clothes washing detergent, you should be able to find it at your local supermarket. Put a small amount in a bucket and add warm water to a level that's just above the top of your clubheads. Let your clubs soak for about 5 minutes, then scrub them with a nylon bristled scrub brush. Let them soak for another 5 minutes, scrub them again, rinse and dry. Era is supposed to have enzymes that remove grass stains. All I know for sure is that it works great. GRIPS - first of all, when you need new grips I want your business, give me a call or email. Now that that's out of the way, here's a way to squeeze (pardon the pun) the maximum use out of your grips. Pick up a spray bottle of "Westley's Bleche-Wite", it's a spray type auto tire cleaner, I found it at WalMart in the automotive department. Get set up to do this at a sink or a deep sink. First of all, place a tee in the hole in the grip to keep water out of the shaft. Run very warm/hot water over the grip then spray 3 or 4 squirts of the cleaner onto the grip. Scrub with the nylon brush, rinse, towel dry, then let them stand and air dry completely. If the grips were really dirty, repeat the process twice before drying them. In addition to cleaning, Westley's contains some sort of rubber rejuvenator that will make your grips feel like new. Enjoy, Tom ==================================================== Golf Tip: Putting Webinar Excerpts ==================================================== Last Saturday evening, I sat in on a webinar conducted by Goeff Mangum, who is perhaps the most knowledgeable putting guru on the planet. I thought that I was fairly dedicated to the golf teaching profession - I study something about the golf swing every day for at least 2 hours, and most of the time I spend quite a bit more time than that - but always at least 2 hours. I'm a great believer in the saying that if you're not moving forward you're falling behind, there's no staying even. Mangum's work ethic made me fee inadequate. He has been studying the art, science, and neuroscience behind putting - and putting only - for the past 20 years, 14 hours per day, seven days per week. And after seeing and hearing him, I believe it. He has that "mad scientist" look about him, and he definitely knows his stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing him of having a balanced life - although he is married - I'm just marveling at his expertise. Most of you probably know that I am a big fan of Dave Pelz and his “The Putting Bible” book. It’s a must read for any serious golfer, but I think the body of knowledge accumulated by Mangum is even more vast than Pelz's. I’ve read Pelz’s book several times, and there are a few concepts of his that left some of my own educated opinions about putting a bit unreconciled. Mangum’s work fills in the gaps nicely. Mangum also expanded upon the neuroscientific processes involved in learning and performing putting. Here are a few excerpts from my notes taken during the webinar. BTW, the webinar lasted 1 hour and he took questions for 3 additional hours. You can absolutely feel the passion Goeff has for what he does. PUTTING GEMS: I'm going to own this one: HATE BOGEYS MORE THAN YOU LOVE BIRDIES – I actually think this is fairly profound. Tour Pros actually make 10% more 8 ft. par putts than 8 ft. birdie putts – could this be the reason? Tiger Wood's caddy, Steve Williams, did this calculation: in 2006 Tiger won 33% of the tournaments he entered, if he would have avoided 3 putts entirely he would have won 85% of those events. Tour pros start 3 putting at 41’11” and avg 0.5 3 putts per round Never go long. The performing order for putting is: Read – Aim – Stroke – Touch The learning order should be: Touch – Stroke – Read – Aim The game through the air and the game along the green involve two separate skill sets, and if you’re not serious about putting you’re not serious about the game. Practice what you face: 20’- 30’ lag putts – practice lagging for no 3 putts Putts left after a bad lag – practice making putts in the 6’- 8’ range Putts left after bad chips – practice making putts in the 6’- 8’ range Putts left after good lags or chips - practice making putts in the 3’ – 5’ range Practice birdie putts of 10’ – 20‘ Talent alone produces streaky results. Talent plus knowledge produces consistency. Coaches need to know what is good or bad movement and why it occurs. BE HAPPY - PLAY THE GAME - The brain won't let the body hurt itself. YOUR BRAIN WILL LIMIT THE SIZE OF YOUR BACKSTROKE TO NOT GO LONG AS LONG AS YOU SET THE LIMIT FOR LONG ie: imagining a brick wall just past the hole. The test for touch is to find the space for DON’T GO LONG – make a wall, care about it, and putt to the wall nicely – your body has your back. Indoor work is OK if you can stick to your timing pattern or maintain good rhythm which is different from tempo. Rhythm is the quality of the timing of the backstroke and forestroke being the same. It’s nice to have tempo, but fundamental to have rhythm. Golfers usually quit on the stroke or else they overstroke. They have a tough time accepting that the body will get it there because the tempo is usually slower than normal on a long putt (long backstroke). Start the swing – finish the swing. Rhythm is the same swing pattern. Mangum is part of the “down the line” gang as opposed to arcing, which is hard to aim from. Treat the putter as just another bone in your body. Putting impact zone – 2” before the ball and 2” after the ball Habits call for 21 days but it’s actually more like 240 days for golf Part of making the habit is: - Not worrying about the habit - Trusting the habit - Never go long Neuroscience teaches that distance control is more important than stroke, stroke is easy. AIM – GOOD STROKE – GOOD RHYTHM Don't expect too much. You are safe, your body won't let you hurt yourself. Gravity is in favor of swings that go straight. Have a good firm left hand grip, not loosey goosey. AIM RULES !!!!!!! Enjoy, Tom