TomTuckerGolf.com
 
Golf Tips Newsletter - Issue 279 - January 8th, 2014
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Prepare to play your best golf by doing something now!

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In This Issue  


- Tom's Featured Tip: Home Made Training Aid
- Tom's Bonus Tip: Mantras and Affirmations
- Lesson Comments: What Students Have To Say
- Sponsors: Batavia Country Club   Chestnut Hill Country Club 
Plum Creek Driving Range and PGA AboutGolf.com Golf Simulator 



Click here:  INDOOR GOLF LESSONS  for details on how to improve your game over the winter.

PLUM CREEK DRIVING RANGE IN BATAVIA, NY, IS OPEN ALL YEAR
NEW Equipment & Apparel Sale, Simulator Course Play Specials: http://www.plumcreekdrivingrange.com Call 585-993-0930 or email Mark at plumcreek4@rochester.rr.com to reserve your simulator time!

Buy Gift Certificates for Lessons   Sample Gift Certificate

Golf lessons - Outdoor and Indoor - 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/lessonrates.html   for details.

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Tom's Featured Tip:
Home Made Training Aid


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!

I was practicing my putting on my putting ramp the other day, and I felt like my putter face was wandering a bit at impact. I decided to forage around a bit to try to find something to monitor my clubface orientation at the strike, and I came up with a couple of great ideas that anyone can use at home.

I love it when you can use something you can find around the house as a training aid vs. spending an arm and a leg for one.

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a necktie from a Men's shop in Batavia that boxes ties up in a long rectangular box that's about a half inch thick. The width was perfect for orientation with a putter clubface, so I just placed it on the ground and started stroking my putter into the back of the box trying to hit it squarely each time.

Then I got fancy and drew a 1.68 inch diameter circle to represent a ball on the top of the box at the edge of where I was striking the box. Having an image of a ball there at setup definitely improved my clubface orientation at impact.

It took about ten swings to start hitting the edge of the box perfectly. You get immediate feedback if your putter face isn't square, because the box will twist instead of moving straight ahead when you strike it.

I then went to my putting ramp, and had great results with actual putts with a ball.

I have done this in the past with a short piece of 2"x4", but it doesn't give you as accurate feedback as a lighter object like a tie box. If you don't have a tie box, a DVD case works great too.

If you work some indoor putting practice like this into your schedule, I all but guarantee that you'll improve on your short putting. This is so simple, that it removes any excuses for not perfecting your clubface orientation at impact,
so just do it!

Love your practice, enjoy your golf, own your swing,

Tom


Tom's Bonus Tip:
Mantras and Affirmations

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!

A new study performed by scientists in Wisconsin, Spain and France found that there are specific molecular changes in the body following a period of mindfulness practice.

This study was primarily connected to health and aging, but I truly believe it has ramifications for golf as well.

According to Dr. Bruce Lipton, you can literally change the fate of your cells by altering your thoughts. "Your mind will adjust the body's biology and behavior to fit with your beliefs."

Even before I heard about the study, I was a firm believer in positive mantras for golf (and life), and that affirmations help reprogram your subconscious. This study reinforces my belief.

Here's how to use a mantra or an affirmation with the training aid and practice tip that was this issue's featured tip (above).
  • Just prior to stroking your practice or actual putts, simply say to yourself
    "I'm a great putter".
After awhile, you'll believe it and your putting will improve. I know this sounds like smoke and mirrors stuff, but I've personally experienced improvements with affirmations and mantras like these. I use them to this day for golf, fitness, and for overall motivation and attitude in general.

Golf, perhaps more than any other sport, is played largely between the ears, so try this, you'll like it.

One important note: keep the self talk positive. Saying to yourself (or out loud) "I'm terrible at this game" also works - but in a negative way.


Love your practice, enjoy your golf, own your swing,

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!

Batavia Country Club   Pro Shop at Batavia CC open 9am - 4pm daily for memberships, gift certificates, merchandise, apparel, and equipment. Phone orders accepted as well. www.bataviacc.com

Chestnut Hill CC   Great rates, 20 minutes East of Buffalo, NY .

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