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This article, written by Ozzie Carlson, appeared in the Bergen Record 2007 series
Fixing Your Game
Article 3: Title: The Most Important 10 Seconds to Better Golf
What do you do after you hit a good shot? After a bad shot? These were the questions posed to Annika Sorenstam by instructor Pia Nilsson, former Director of the Swedish Golf Federation.
Like most of us, Annika responded with a fist pump after a good shot and a negative show of emotion following a bad one. (show photo of Annika in fist pump reaction). So Pia posed the next important question, what does that type of response do for your game?
Annika, a bit confused by the question, proffered – not much, I guess. But she quickly learned otherwise. Pia suggested that by attaching emotion (positive or negative) to an outcome has an imprinting effect on future performance. Let’s simplify.
Psycho golf: Getting too UP after a good shot or too DOWN after a bad one sends adrenaline rushing through the system. This has the physical effect of changing our feel and our rhythm. We tend to tense up and begin to rush our swings, even our walking pace.
But there is also a very important mental effect. We tend to change our focus. We begin to think about scoring – making up for the errant shot. By default, we get out of our routine of playing one shot at a time. Psychologically, we become impatient. And suddenly our round gets away from us. At this point we generally chalk it all up to just another bad day on the links. We don’t have bad days – only bad shots!
Post Shot Routine: What Annika learned from Pia was the importance of an effective post shot routine. You see, we learn best through immediate feedback. So when Annika learned to pose and observe her finish, i.e. what she did – not just what the ball did, she began to learn from every swing, from each shot she played.
Following a good shot, she learned to confirm the feel of a proper swing motion. Following a bad shot, she learned to fix her finish position and correct the feel of motion that produced that errant shot. Annika credits this simple change in her approach, both when playing and practicing, with her rise to the top – her consistent great play.
10 seconds to victory: The 10 seconds immediately following each and every shot we play are perhaps the most important in our quest for consistency and game improvement. If you will use those 10 seconds to confirm or correct a feel of motion, you can proceed, fully focused on how you will play your next shot. You will avoid the trap of abusing yourself for hitting such a “stupid” shot and be ready to move on to the task at hand – playing your next shot, with confidence.
Only One Bad Shot: As competitive players, we cannot afford to play two bad shots in a row. We cannot let a bad shot affect our performance on ensuing shots. We must learn to forgive ourselves for hitting a bad shot. How? By simply observing what happened and fixing it, right then and there. Take the 10 seconds to teach your misbehaving club fully what you expect of it next time. Then slip it gently back into place to rest and ponder its lesson before being called upon again.
Golfstruck – Better Golf Right Now!
This article, written by Ozzie Carlson, appeared in the Bergen Record 2007 series
Fixing Your Game
Article 10: Know Where It’s Going Before you Hit It
For the competitive player, we need to KNOW where the ball is going to go BEFORE we hit it! For the rest of us, we say that sure would be nice! So how do we know? The good player uses his set-up to accomplish the following:
a) establish his DOWN – where his club will strike the ground in relation to the ball
b) feel the direction his right side will fire – thus determining the path of his swing
c) feel where he is going – the delivery of his clubhead speed from ball to target
Why? Because these are essential to his ability to consistently produce desired ball flights.
Consider this: direction is controlled by swing path and clubface; distance is controlled by clubhead speed delivered; trajectory is controlled by the steepness of our angle of attack coming into the ball. And finally, spin is controlled by the combination of path, face, speed delivered and angle of attack.
So if we can use our set-up to:
a) establish our DOWN – we have handled angle of attack
b) determine our swing path – we can start the ball out on target
c) feel delivery of our clubhead speed – we have distance handled.
We have therefore handled three of the four determinants of ball flight before we even draw the club back. All we need do then, with our waggle, is to feel the hand action that will deliver the clubface with the attitude that will produce the draw, fade or straightness of ball flight we have visualized. We now KNOW where it’s going BEFORE we hit it.
Establish your DOWN: The following pre-determine where our clubhead will naturally reach the bottom of its arc: where our weight, handle, elbows and the tilt of our spine, specifically where an extension of our tailbone would meet the ground are at impact. So the good player uses his set-up to set his tailbone into his left heel, which sets approximately 60% of his weight into his left heel. This combination of spine tilt, weight preset into his left heel and the connection of his handle and elbows to his left post gives him the feel of where he intends to be at impact. If his weight and spine are going to be into his left heel at impact, he will therefore place his left heel where he wants to strike the ground in relation to the ball. For his irons, that will be +1” beyond the ball. For his woods, his left heel would be aligned with the back of the ball.
Fire your Right Side: To feel the path of our swing, we need to set-up to fire our right side in one direction only – toward the target. So we align our hips at the target. Everything else is aligned parallel to the target line – feet, knees, shoulders, elbows. But the hips are slightly pre-turned so that our right pivot (right-handers) is aligned slightly inside, behind and set into (up against) our left pivot. The pivots are the ball joints at the top of our thigh bones. Then we activate the muscles up the insides of our legs (squeeze knees slightly together and dig-in with the insides of our feet) to connect our pivots so they work together as a team. From this starting position we can feel in our feet and pivots that our weight will transfer from the inside of the right heel toward the left instep (the direction our pivots are aligned), i.e. directly toward our target.
Go There: Now that we can feel our DOWN and have determined our PATH, we must give our body one, and only one, decisive message as we prepare to trigger our swing motion – GO THERE! Where is there? To deliver our clubhead speed from the ball to the target we must focus our attention there – along the ground, beyond the ball, along the target line. Suggestion: always pick a target spot on the ground, beyond the ball, along your target line to line up to. This spot visually tells your body where to go! That spot should be + 6 to 8” along your target line for your wedges. Then ideally add +1” per club to move your target spot farther down the line for each longer club. With this focus you are now prepared to deliver your DOWN and your THROUGH toward your target. To start your swing, simply waggle to feel your clubface control and then swing wide away from THERE – so that your swing motion will be delivered – Through THERE – to your target!
Golfstruck – Better Golf Right Now!
This article, written by Ozzie Carlson, appeared in the Bergen Record 2008 series
The Winners Circle
Article 6: Title: Mental Toughness – The extra Club in Tiger’s Bag
Last week in the US Open we were treated to an epic playoff battle between two very determined, never give up, players – one coming off debilitating back surgery (Rocco Mediate) and one coming off very recent and nearly crippling knee surgery (Tiger Woods).
They went an extra 18 holes capped by yet another Tiger birdie on 18 and were still tied. Wow! Both, battling their worn out bodies, produced errant shots, and miraculous shots. And finally Rocco’s back won, coughing up two pull hooks on the 19th hole, handing the trophy to a one-legged Tiger.
And while many rooted for golf’s version of Rocky – the ultimate underdog, we learned, the next day just how much fight there is in Tiger. He had played this US Open against his doctor’s will. He further damaged that same knee, putting him out for the rest of the year, requiring ACL surgery.
Tiger knew, perhaps after his knee buckled during his first round on the 18th tee (his ninth hole), that he was in trouble and shouldn’t be out there. Yet he wouldn’t quit. No excuses. No apologies. “I never thought of quitting on these people, he said, that just wasn’t going to happen.”
Earl Woods trained his son to become the best golfer of all time. It would appear that he accomplished his goal. “I promised Tiger that he would never meet a person as mentally tough as he is. He hasn’t. And he never will.” Earl Woods.
There have been many attempts throughout the history of sports to define that extra something that the great athletes seem to be able to call upon when the game is on the line. Never have we been treated to so many extraordinary moments by a single athlete as those produced by Tiger. And this US Open was indeed, his greatest achievement of them all. On one leg with no idea how far his irons shots would fly, he still beat the best of the rest.
How is that possible? And exactly how does mental toughness make a difference in the outcome?
In golf, mental toughness has all to do with the thoroughness of our preparation to play each shot – one at a time – every time – in our practice sessions. And it has all to do with practicing to put all the types of shots we will need – in our bag. Which means, to call on any particular shot in the heat of battle, we must be able to produce that shot correctly, eight out of every ten attempts – in our practice sessions.
That’s right, we can’t just turn it on, on the back nine on Sunday. If that were the case, any one of the 12 players who were within 3 shots of the lead at the turn on Sunday, could have won this year’s Open. They didn’t have the shots they needed – in their bag. One-by-one we saw them falter, on the greens, from the tee and from the rough.
So how do we develop the mental toughness that will put us in the winners circle? Accept only precision! Work on one type of shot until you get it right. Practice smart. By that I mean, practice exactly the way you intend to play. Why? Because you will always play the way you practice.
Use the same pre-shot routine to plan the shaping of your shots – to very specific targets, in practice, as you will do on the course. And when you can’t produce a shot, consistently, take a step back. Take the time required to figure it out – what must I do differently? Then work slowly and very methodically – in slow motion, until you get the feel required to produce that ball flight.
To be ready to win, you must repeat this process for every type of shot, from the winning putt on eighteen, to the first tee shot of the day. Practice your chips and pitches from all kinds of lies. Learn how the rough will affect your ball flights and what you must do to counter its effect. Practice from sidehill lies. Practice in the wind and in the rain. Learn how to get your ball from here to there – in every circumstance you expect to face in your upcoming tournament.
Mental toughness comes from proper practice, not just the will to win – though that certainly helps.
Golfstruck – Better Golf Right Now!
This article, written by Ozzie Carlson, appeared in the Bergen Record 2008 series
The Winners Circle
Article 15: Even the Pros Need to Improve the Way They Practice
After a great kick-off of the Fedex Cup playoffs at Ridgewood Country Club last week, 115 players moved on to round two at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, MA.
As their week started, I walked the course and came away with the impression that it would take about 20 under par to win here. As I write this at the halfway mark, 14 under is leading. This TPC course is the more typical racetrack type that yields many more birdies and eagles than a masterpiece like Ridgewood.
So who is ready to take charge of these playoffs? It looks like the stars are aligning for VJ Singh, Sergio Garcia and Mike Weir among the veterans, with Kevin Streelman, Anthony Kim and journeyman Ben Curtis nipping at their heels. But there is a long way to go and another full moon before these playoffs conclude.
As I see it, there are a lot of really good players lurking just a few strokes back who just may find that “magic feel” that leads to hot streaks. They are in search of that feel – as they step up to putt, drive or play an approach shot – that lets them know where the ball is going before they hit it.
What I found particularly interesting, in watching the players practice at The Barclays and again this week at the Deutsche Bank Championship, is the incredible level of their talent. For so many of the players, their talent serves to overcome their less than quality technique. Which is why we see so many different looking swings on the tour.
So what do I see when I watch them practice? My first impression is that very few players seem to effectively structure their practice sessions to make themselves better. Rather, they seem to be waiting for their “feel” to come back. As they hit shots, they tend to fiddle with their set-up, takeaway and their move into impact in hopes that magic will strike and this will be the day (or week) that things turn around for them. I see very few players working on their swing motion from ball to target.
The myth that impact is the moment of truth in the golf swing is the prevailing theory in current teaching methods. This, in my opinion, is the single biggest reason why so few golfers consistently play at the level of their talent.
Next, I notice that all too many players tend to practice more on the strengths of their game (what they are already good at) rather than on their weaknesses. Even the tour players spend far too little of their practice time working on and around the greens, where accuracy reigns supreme and where quality technique, well learned, can make a difference of 2 – 4 shots per round. When they do practice their short game few really seem to know how to practice these parts of their game in a manner that will make them predictably and consistently better. All too often I see them merely grooving their existing technique; one that all too often lets them down in the heat of battle.
As players, if we really want to play better golf, we must avoid the feel-good tendency to work primarily on what we already do well. I don’t mean we should ignore the strengths of our game. But by learning how to practice those things that we need to do better, our scores will improve.
For example: to become a better line putter we need practice drills to improve our on-line stroke. To become a better speed putter, we need to practice speed putting drills. To deliver line and speed consistently we need to develop and work on our performance routine for putting. We cannot simply go onto a practice green as we see so many of the tour players doing, and begin stroking putts from mid-range distances. Practicing missing putts is simply bad practice that leads to bad putting.
When you work on your chipping and pitching game, practice the types of shots you will need on the course. Work on one type of shot until you can confidently and predictably control not only distance and direction, but trajectory and spin as well. Then test it by trying to get up and down eight times out of ten. Then work on another shot until you can put that one in your bag. Learn to build your game one shot at a time. The player who can pull the most shots from his bag, on-command, wins.
So with Padrig Harrington again missing the cut this week, who seems to have the most shots in his bag? Perhaps Sergio or VJ if their putters stay hot. Mike Weir if the courses aren’t too long. There aren’t many players who can currently challenge these three for all around game performance. Either they will have to cool off or someone else will have to find “the magic.”
This article, written by Ozzie Carlson, appeared in the Bergen Record in the 2009 series
ONE MOVE TO BETTER GOLF
Article 7: Title: What Makes the Ball Go There?
Think how much simpler the game would be if you could just hit your shots straight! No more lost balls! Never out-of-bounds! No penalty shots! No deep rough of high lips on bunkers to negotiate! What would that do for your golf scores, let along your golf ego?
While we are all obsessed with hitting it farther; like the space shuttle, it is much more important to know where it’s coming down. So how do we hit it where we are aiming – assuming, of course, that we are indeed aiming where we think we are?
If we want to hit targets – fairways and greens – we must learn to align to a much more specific target. Let’s learn to pick a leaf on a distant tree as our specific target. Then to be certain we align exactly there, walk behind your ball and pick a spot in the grass 12 – 18” in front of your ball precisely on line to your target leaf.
Once you have selected your target spot, simply align your clubface to that spot. With the face square, align the handle: a) slightly ahead of the ball with your irons; b) even with the back of the ball for your hybrids & fairway woods; or c) one inch behind the ball for your driver.
Then place your left heel: a) one inch ahead of the ball for your irons; or b) even with the back of the ball for your woods. Next adjust the width of your right foot stance: a) wider for the longer clubs; or b) narrower for the shorter clubs.
Finally, align your feet, knees, elbows and shoulders parallel to your target line, with your hips slightly pre-turned so they align directly at your target.
Your starting position and alignment are so critical to producing straight shots that they must be practiced as diligently as a sprinter’s position in the starting blocks.
Once you are properly aligned, you then must learn the feel of delivering the two determinants of direction: swing path and club face. Let’s start with swing path.
When I initially ask my students what part(s) of the body determine swing path, most tell me the shoulders and arms. In fact, that is exactly what we see as we walk up and down any driving range as we see shots sprayed all over the lot.
Instead, the accurate player feels in his set-up, the direction his right side will fire (right-handed players). So, if we want the ball to go toward our target, we must fire the right side in one direction only – precisely toward the target. This motion begins in your footwork. The feel is the transfer of weight from the inside of the right heel to just behind the ball of the left foot, i.e. directly toward your target.
The final determinant of straight is delivery of the clubface. And while we need to work constantly on alignment and the feel of firing our right side correctly, controlling the club face is perhaps more difficult to understand and perform because the wrists are capable of both hinging and rotating throughout the full circumference of motion.
Let’s try to make clubface control as simple as possible. When we grip the club properly, the back of the left hand and the palm of the right hand face the target. As we cock the wrists during the backswing, when the left wrist remains flat the face stays square to our swing path.
To deliver the face properly through the region of impact, the handle must return to the left pivot with both hands facing the target, similar to the way they were at address. The difference being that the left wrist is slightly bowed and the right wrist still cocked so that your power has not yet been released at impact.
To release the “crack-the-whip” feel of power accurately, we must rotate the hands from fingers down and facing the target to fingers up and facing the target – while the ball is on the clubface! The feel of this release when delivered properly is the rotation of both elbows, together and level, to point down toward the ground, while the left wrist remains flat to slightly bowed.
What we see all too often through the region of impact is a collapsing of the left wrist and the left elbow rather than the rotations described above. If you will work diligently on this rotation of the elbows and hands from a proper alignment and firing of the right side, you will hit it straight a lot more often.
Golfstruck – Better Golf Right Now!
This article, written by Ozzie Carlson, appeared in the bergen Record June 14, 2010
Title of 2010 series: How Do I Do This?
Article 3: Headline: Practice Smart to Play Well
Michael asked: I practice hard and I really like the quality of my good shots, but I just don’t hit enough of them; any suggestions?
Mike, you’ve asked the million dollar question. And just like you, there are a whole lot of aspiring tour players who hit great shots. But they just can’t seem to keep it together for the whole round, let alone, for four rounds back-to-back. This week in the US Open at Pebble Beach, the winner will very likely be that player who most consistently produces the shots he planned, from putter to driver. [Graham McDowell proved us right - as did Justin Johnson, Ernie Els, Tiger and Phil]
One of my former players at Ramapo High School and now an Oklahoma State Cowboy, Morgan Hoffmann, is teeing it up this week in his first US Open after posting a pair of 67’s to qualify. And I have it on good authority that today, in his first practice round, his foursome will include former OSU Cowboys Hunter Mahan and Bo Van Pelt and none other than the world’s best player, Tiger Woods. Now that’s exciting! Let’s hope Tiger shares some of his local course knowledge with Morgan.
[Morgan missed the cut by one shot when he failed to take the Cypress tree out of play on his second shot on 18 the first day. At the time he was even par and tied for 5th place. The unbelievably bad bounce off the tree, across the fairway and into stillwater cove, cost him a 9. But as Chris Berman said, "he's young, he'll get over it."]
What I have learned about producing shots in the heat of battle is this: As players, we always play the way we practice, so we must learn to practice precisely the way we intend to play. Let’s pick that apart and see what it really means so we can solve your inconsistency problem.
On every shot your job is to: a) assess your lie, the wind, the trouble (hazards, bunkers, deep rough, etc.) and figure out a target spot where you want to play your next shot from – based on your ability to actually get your ball from HERE to THERE; b) visualize the entire flight of your ball, including the bounce and roll to a stop at that spot; c) select your club and rehearse precisely the feel of motion required to produce that shot; d) set-up properly to the ball, align properly to your target (adjusting for sidehill lie, tree limbs, lie in the rough, bunker, etc); e) switch the focus of your attention and feel of motion to where you’re going; f) deliver your motion as rehearsed; g) observe your finish and your ball flight; h) take two more swings immediately following your shot to repeat the feel of a great shot (imprint that feel) or fix the motion that produced an errant shot (to eliminate the fear of missing that way again).
So my question of you Michael is this: how thoroughly are you doing your job, both on the course and when you practice? To practice this way means that we don’t just rake up one ball after another on the practice range. Rather, we bring the course to the range and visualize and rehearse precisely every shot, one shot at a time – just as though we are actually on the course playing that shot. And we progress through our round, hole by hole, shot by shot, working on honing our ability to produce the ball flight we just visualized, including landing and rolling to a stop at precisely that place where we intend to play from on our next shot.
Play your most difficult shots, starting with your scoring irons (8, 9 and wedges) over and over until you learn to leave an uphill, straight putt of 15 feet or less. Play your drives over and over until you can hit the half of the fairway that a) avoids trouble left or right; or b) gives you the best approach to the pin position. Note: if your swing isn’t yet good enough to use your driver, work with a 3-wood or hybrid until your swing improves sufficiently to use your driver. There really is no point in playing your second shot from the rough.
By practicing this way, you will learn two important things about your game: a) what shots you really have the ability to pull off; and b) what shots you need to improve if you are to score at the level of your talent/potential.
One final thought, Michael! The most ignored part of the process of shotmaking is the post-shot routine. Those two swings you make immediately following the observance of your finish position and ball flight are critical to improving your on-course confidence and your consistency. There is no better time to learn anything in life than immediately after you have just made your best effort. If you want to get better, and sooner rather than later, improve the way you practice, and most particularly, improve your post-shot routine.
Golfstruck – Better Golf Right Now!
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