|
TomTuckerGolf.com |
|
Golf Tips Newsletter - Issue 225 - January 2, 2013
|
Happy New Year Everyone! Make This Year Your Best Golf Year In This Issue - Tom's Featured Tip: Armlock Putting - Tom's Bonus Tip: Proprioception - Product Review: Provoto Putting Systems Accessory - Lesson Comments: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/testimonials.html - 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 IS OPEN ALL WINTER - Come on down to 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 Indoor lessons 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/indoor.html for rates and details. Indoor or Outdoor Driver Fitting http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/indoor.html Get the most bang for your buck when you buy a new driver by getting professionally fitted first. To respond to this newsletter, please FORWARD your reply to ttucker@rochester.rr.com and I'll get it directly. Thanks! Tom Tucker http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/ Subscribe - http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/signup.html If you like this newsletter, please do me a favor and forward it to your friends so that they may subscribe, thanks! The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. Tom's Featured Tip: Armlock Putting 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! Callaway will be selling Odyssey "Armlock" putters in the very near future. Odyssey Golf developed this product as a result of the proposed anchoring ban. Here's a press release that I read recently: "CARLSBAD, Calif., November 30, 2012 Odyssey, the #1 Putter in Golf, today announced the upcoming release of the new Metal-X Arm Lock Putters. Just days after the sports' ruling bodies - the USGA and the R&A - proposed a ban on the anchoring method of putting, Odyssey introduces a product line that both conforms to the anticipated ruling and offers an alternative method of stabilizing the putter through a natural - feeling extension of the golfer's arm." Matt Kucher has been using a belly length putter in this manner very successfully for a few years now. The question I ask myself is this question "why the heck didn't I think of that name?" I have been teaching this grip and putting style as an alternative to traditional putting for years. It benefits certain students because:
According to information I saw on GolfSpy, the shaft is bent 4 degrees forward toward a golfer's lead arm, which allows the putter handle to be anchored against the inside of a golfer's forearm with the ball positioned in the center of your stance. To negate the effects of the forward shaft lean produced by this setup, Arm Lock putter heads are made with 7 degrees of loft, which then gives the putter an actual playing loft of 3 degrees, all things considered. Here's a photo: Odyssey Armlock Putter That's all well and good, and also unnecessary - maybe even detrimental. I say that because with a lot of forward shaft lean with a long putter, I believe you can chunk a putt if it's placed in the center of your stance. It's pretty easy to hit down on your stroke with this setup, so I recommend other adjustments to insure against that problem. You don't need a putter tweaked with a forward lean shaft angle and more loft in the head. If you take a stock belly length putter with a long grip - not a split grip - then grip it where you would as if it were a normal length putter and run the shaft up your forward forearm - an "Armlock" grip - you can execute an excellent stroke that puts a great roll on the ball, as long as the rest of your setup is correct. Here's the setup and stroke path I recommend for medium to long putts with a belly length putter and an "Armlock" grip :
The "fitted" length for a putter using the "Armlock" grip is easy to measure. Just set up as I've described for medium to long putts, then measure the distance from the butt end of your current traditional length putter to your elbow. That length, or even a bit shorter will work well for you if you want to try "Armlock Putting". You should be able to go to your favorite sporting goods store and find a belly length putter that will fit well right off the shelf. You can also extend the length of a traditional length putter several inches, add a long, belly putter grip, and you'll be good to go. Swingweight will not be an issue, but the overall weight of the putter needs to feel right to you. Heavier putter heads usually satisfy this need, which is why belly length and broomhandle length putter heads are generally made heavier than traditional length putter heads. As I said earlier - why the heck didn't I think of that name? Darn .... If you want instruction for this method of putting, give me a call. It's really a great way to putt - especially is you have a "wristy" stroke. Make next year your best golf year by doing something now! Love your practice, enjoy your golf, Tom Tom's Bonus Tip: Proprioception 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 ! Wikipedia defines Proprioception as the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement. That's a mouthful for what essentially describes your brain working on maintaining balance while your body is in motion. I'm a Sean Foley fan, and he often states that nothing in the golf swing should be done at the expense of balance. That works for me. There are a few different ways to work on your balance such as practicing in bare feet, standing on one leg, and doing plank exercises. Here are two drills that you can practice to help develop your golf swing balance: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/drillbalance.html Love your practice, enjoy your golf, Tom Product Review: Provoto Putting Accessory 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 ! Subsequent to my review in Issue 224 of Provoto Putting Systems I picked up their Putting Channel Training Aid, and a BDL220 S level-laser. (The level-lasers sell for $15.00 at Lowe's.) It complements the putting green very well for practicing stroke path mechanics as well as aimline accuracy. If you decide to get the putting green and to use it for serious practice, get the Putting Channel too. Looks great, works great. Stick the laser behind the hole and shoot it back through the ball holes on the putting channel, and you now have a great aimline established for even more precise practice. It's a winning combination from a practice perspective. Love your practice, enjoy your golf, 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 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 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%. GCC Golf Management Program click for information on GCC's degreed program for anyone interested in a career in the golf industry or teaching golf. Batavia Country Club Course closed for the season, but the Lodge is open with live bands peforming on Fridays. Chestnut Hill CC Course closed for the season. 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 |