How to Warm-Up for Peak Performance

This is the first in a series of articles addressing the physical side of the game from Berkeley Hall Director of Fitness, Derek Lemire.  Derek trains PGA Tour Phoenix Open winner Kyle Stanley and is also TPI certified. Today Derek addresses how to warm-up in preparation for a round of golf:

This article deals with one of the most common questions I receive, "What are some good stretches before I play golf?"

Good stretches to warm-up before the round incorporate the entire body into the routine.  Take your body through gross movement patterns and prepare for the stressors that it will have to endure during the round.

Be sure to EXCLUDE the following from your warm-up:

• Bounce in Forward Flexion

This motion puts you in bad flexion posture, reduces the activity of the flexor muscles and can actually stiffen your back.

• Club Behind Back and Rotate (Sequencing)

This old favorite can add sway to your swing and poor shoulder position in rotation can cause muscular strains.

• Swing Multiple Clubs

This method of warming up can lead to compensatory movements in arms, altered proprioception (balance), altered weight control, overswinging, a reverse C and increased potential for a reverse pivot.

These are the moves to INCLUDE in your pre-round warm-up:

• Hip, Trunk and Shoulder Stretch

When you do this get into a lunge position, maintain upright posture, suck in lower abdominals and bend trunk into side of forward leg.  Switch and do the other side.

• Core Stability and Rotation

Assume an athletic stance, rotate upper body with no motion below.  Keep the elbows at your rib cage while feeling tension between inside thigh and lower abdominals.

• Cross Over Hip Drill

For this exercise cross the right elbow to the left knee.  Gradually increase speed as you go and do 30 seconds on one side before switching.

This is best illustrated with a video...

Keep in mind that these warm-up exercises are the basics. Time is always a factor and these three exercises shouldn't take you more than five minutes. If you're interested in peak performance it's five minutes very well spent.

Follow Derek on Twitter @DerekLemireTPI

Here's what Rory McIlroy has to say about training for golf.

Centeredness of Contact

As you may have heard, it's all about impact! And it really is. The most important part of the golf swing is the point at which the golf club communicates to the golf ball - impact. The ball spends 1/2000 of a second on the face and it's during this sliver of time that the outcome of every shot is determined.

I often share with golfers how the laws of physics cause the ball to respond to the club, and while this information is helpful it refers primarily to centered hits. It is too seldom that I discuss off-center hits and how the ball responds to this frequent occurrence. Today's the day!

When the ball is struck anywhere other than the center of the face a phenomenon called gear effect occurs. Ever heard of it? It causes the ball to draw (or fade less) on toe oriented hits and fade (or draw less) on heel oriented hits. I often see a golfer struggling to stop the ball from fading, yet every shot is struck off the heel or inside of the face. Gear effect is elevated when you use clubs with larger heads such as a driver and it's actually the reason why the face of a driver is curved from toe to heel and from top to bottom. The curve on the face of a driver actually gets the ball, when struck off the toe for example, to launch to the right (for right-handers) and then gear effect causes the shot to curve back to the target. Gear effect plays a role in all shots where the ball is not struck in the center of the face and let's be honest - and that is most shots.

The research I have conducted using TrackMan has shown that better golfers (single figure handicaps or better) hit the sweet spot or center of gravity less than 20% of the time! Think about that for a second...

The best method to ascertain where you are striking the ball on the clubface is to use a dry erase marker to cover a portion of the face. Hit a shot or two, take note of where the strike occurs and then re-apply. After a handful of shots you'll start to get a good idea as to what your tendencies might be because, while you may not hit the sweet spot often enough, most golfers are fairly consistent with where they miss.

Keep in mind that it is very difficult to influence where the ball is being struck on the face by altering your distance from the ball. For example, heel hits do not mean that you should move away from the ball as this will more than likely cause you to reach out for the ball even more and exacerbate the problem.

Once you start to learn what your tendencies are an excellent drill is to position a row of tees just outside the toe if you hit shots predominantly off the heel and vice versa for toe hits.

After a few shot you will start to sense what the body and arms need to do in order to make a quality strike in the center of the clubface. Give it a try!

Another important note: andrewricegolf.com is pleased to announce that Derek Lemire,

Fitness Trainer at Berkeley Hall and trainer to recent PGA Tour Champion Kyle Stanley, will be making regular contributions to this site. Derek will be offering important advice to all golfers concerning exercise programs, stretching and even nutrition. I have worked with Derek at Berkeley Hall for a long time and I am excited to share his passion and knowledge with all of you.

Thanks for reading and good striking!

Rory is Number 1!

Welcome to the future because you're going to be seeing this face for a long time. Did it not seem like a lifetime ago that Rory and Rickie Fowler battled it out for Rookie of the Year honors on the PGATour? How far this young superstar has come - and how far can he go? Was this weekend perhaps a changing of the guard? Similar to the US Open at Cherry Hills when Jack (the future) defeated Ben (the past) and Arnie (the present) in an epic battle. In my opinion I believe this young man is going to rule the world of golf for many years to come. To the tune of 6-8 lifetime majors!

Here is an in depth look inside Rory's bag of Titleist clubs- no matter what golf clubs you happen to play, I think you'll find something of note. I was interested to see that he has only three wedges and he has separates them by 6 degrees - 48-54-60. The same as what I carry in my bag and apparently not a bad way to select your wedges (Stay away from the 60 degree one with 4 degrees of bounce though!). I also noted that he has used the same shaft in his driver since 2008. How many of us can say that?

Enjoy the future folks...

The Wrong Way to Practice

This is an excellent article taken from the Wall Street Journal written by John Paul Newport. Please read the full article and then contact me to help formulate an appropriate practice plan for your game improvement....

Why Much of the Work Golfers Do to Improve Their Games Isn't Helping Them Get Better

You're on the range, pounding balls, and suddenly golf seems easy. All the parts of your swing sync and you start striping one career-best drive after another. "By golly, I've got it," you say to yourself. You can't wait to get to the course.

Science has a name for this exalted state, but unfortunately it's not "flow" or "in the zone." It's "the illusion of competence," and the odds are it's doing your golf game more harm than good.

John Fraser

You may think you've got it, but you haven't. More than most people realize, the range has little to do with actual golf. "After most sessions on the range or even lessons, golfers haven't really learned anything, if by learning you mean making a skill usable, durable and automatic in other contexts," said Fran Pirozzolo, a Ph.D. in neuropsychology who has worked on performance training with PGA Tour pros, elite athletes from football and baseball, Navy SEALs and NASA astronauts. By "other contexts" he means playing in the pressure of competition, but also driving off the first tee in front of friends and hitting off a downhill lie. Read more...

TrackMan Driver Fitting Day

On Wednesday February 29th I will be hosting a TrackMan Driver Fitting Day at Berkeley Hall. Each fitting will last fifteen minutes and the cost is only $20 for members and $25 for non-members. You will learn what your current club speed, ball speed, launch angle and spin rate are and most importantly - what you can gain from a driver that fits! I have a few remaining slots open in the morning.

Titleist has agreed to offer a 10% discount on all Titleist drivers purchased at Berkeley Hall.

Please call Andrew Rice at (843)247-4688 to schedule your appointment.

What Makes You Golf Happy?

What type of shot do you need to hit to be happy? Or even satisfied? Many golfers, as they strive to improve correctly set their standards high. However, these high standards will eventually corrupt their mental approach as they can only be satisfied with a perfect shot followed by a perfect outcome. They only accept perfection! Not a recipe for cultivating a positive attitude.

Having read about Hunter Mahan's change in attitude over the past few months that culminated in his victory yesterday over world number two Rory McIlroy at the WGC Accenture Match Play, I thought today would be an opportune time to share an approach I recently learned from Dr. Morris Pickens.

During the course of a round, any shot you play can only have one of four outcomes: a good shot with a good result; a good shot with a poor result; a poor shot with a good result; or a poor shot with a poor result. Four possible combinations! How many of these four cause a negative reaction from you?

The above chart illustrates the four possible combinations.  We can all deal with quadrant 1 and we should be upset with quadrant 4, but how do you respond to quadrants 2 and 3?  When playing golf we all prepare and work toward good shots and good results, yet we know that will never always be the case.  In fact, there has never been a round of golf played where every shot and result has been good.  We will always encounter adversity at some point and need to be accepting of certain results that are less than perfect.  A perfectionist only accepts one option - that quickly leads to frustration and one unhappy and disgruntled golfer.

I am not advocating that as golfers we should never get upset - quadrant 4 will take care of that.  I do believe however, that with a better understanding of the big picture, we must learn to accept less than stellar shots that work out (quadrant 3) and good shots that don't (quadrant 2) as part of the game that we play.  When you can do that you are growing and improving, as a golfer.

Making Sense of TrackMan

As a golf instructor or club fitter you have always wanted the best for your business and clientele. You have always wanted TrackMan as part of what you offer and you have decided to make the financial commitment. Congratulations - you are now a TrackMan owner. Yet, there are bills to pay, golfers to cater to and nobody is aware that you have just made a significant upgrade in what your clients experience when they come to you. Now what? How can you set out to recoup this major cash outlay?

I have a plan! A plan for all new TrackMan owners to not only recoup the cost of their new technology, but to greatly increase their business and market share. My plan involves running 3 TrackMan themed events where you use the unit in different ways to attract a new and varied customer base. Each event is themed towards either, instruction, club fitting or longer term coaching. It is this new customer base that will make others aware of what you offer and essentially fund your new purchase.

Event 1 (Instruction) - Can You Get Better In 20 Minutes?

The purpose of this event is to get the word out and notify as many local golfers as possible that they have access to this new technology. The shorter time frame allows all golfers to afford their time with you, while giving them a taste of what TrackMan can do for their game. My experience shows that a teacher can comfortably work 20 golfers into the schedule for this type of day. All golfers are looking to hit the ball longer and this format appeals to that motivation.

For this event you offer golfers the ability to come out and spend 20 minutes with you using Trackman. The focus should be primarily on distance, but could easily shift to accuracy should certain golfers be long enough or efficient enough already. I had the most success when I titled my event, "Gain 10 yards or It's Free!" Each golfer brings a 7-iron and a driver and the catch is that if they don't get longer or straighter in 20 minutes they don't have to pay! There is enough time for each person to hit a few shots and for you to get a feel for their strengths and weaknesses. Offer drills and changes (hitting more up with the driver, straighten out the club path etc.), record the data and compare the averages from before and after. Upload a TPS report for each person and be sure to send them a thank-you email after the event with a few video drills and a certificate for a discount off their next private session with you.

Read the article regarding my experience HERE

Print the Reservation Sheet HERE

With this event you have the potential to generate $1000 per day and share your technology with over 20 new customers.

Event 2 (Club Fitting) - Fifteen Minute Driver Fitting

The purpose of this event is to expose golfers to what you can offer them in regard to club, and particularly, driver fitting. Most golfers have heard about driver fitting, but very few have ever had access to the type of data that TrackMan presents. Once again this event channels into the motivation so many golfers have to get longer.

For this day you would need as many drivers/shaft combinations at your disposal as possible. Golfers would sign up for a fifteen minute fitting where they bring the driver they currently use. Have the golfer hit five to eight shots, deleting any poor or extreme outliers, and evaluate their data with them. Build a driver for them that would improve either launch conditions, spin rate or swing speed (lighter) and have them give it a try. Provide each participant with an informational card showing their current club speed, ball speed, launch angle, spin rate and also what they should optimally look for in each of those categories. Be sure to collect all participants' email addresses so you can upload a TPS report for them. As a follow up, offer each golfer a pre-arranged discount on a driver from the club manufacturer you are affiliated with and include a coupon for a future lesson.

Print the Driver Fitting Card HERE

Print the Reservation Sheet HERE

With this event you have the potential to generate $500 (not including any equipment sales) per day and reach more than 32 golfers.

Event 3 (Coaching) - TrackMan Combine Session

The more I have my students use the combine the more I realize what a fantastic barometer it really is. The purpose of this type of TrackMan event is to illustrate how your new technology can assist serious golfers in making long term improvements. This event will will help your clients understand what it takes to get better and how you, as a coach, can help them along that journey. Invite golfers to participate in an early and late season TrackMan combine session. Charge one fee and stress the importance of attending both combine days. Offer two different days in order to give students an option as to when they might be able to come out and take the test. Explain how the timing of the two combine sessions (early season vs. late season) will give them the entire season to work towards improvement.

Analyze each players results following the test and send them the combine report. As you follow up with each participant be sure to map out attainable goals for them and what you believe they have the potential to score on the final combine. Offer a series or package of lessons that are focused on helping them upgrade their weaknesses and ultimately improving their golf. A good idea is to mention that if they sign up for a series of lessons they will receive the final combine session for free.

Print the Reservation Sheet HERE

With this event you have the potential to generate $1000 and share your skills with up to 10 very serious new clients.

If you run each of the above mentioned events twice per year for three years you will generate a total of $15,000 and cover a large portion of your financial outlay - and that is without a single student returning for more!

Please keep in mind that every TrackMan owner will find themselves in a unique situation regarding the people they can and cannot teach and how they can market to potential students. I teach at two world class private courses - one with 650 members where I have the ability to teach both members and non-members and the other with 200 members where outside teaching is not encouraged. Obviously if you are in a situation where you are at a public facility, resort, golf academy or smaller private facility your potential number of students in each of the events will vary.

Regarding the dollar amount that you charge for each of the events - the amounts I have listed are simply suggestions. Keep in mind that all of these events are primarily for marketing purposes and should not provide the "backbone" of your TrackMan business. They are positioned to get the word out that you now offer this amazing technology.

It has been noted that each event is billed at a different hourly rate with the first event being billed at $150 per hour, the second at $80 per hour and the combine event at $50 per hour. My reasoning is as follows:

• For the first event there is the potential that you may have students who do not need to pay the lesson fee and the hourly rate has been raised accordingly.
• Being a coach and not primarily a club fitter I run the second event to maintain a positive relationship between myself and the club I work for. I have found that half of all the people who participate purchase a new driver which helps the golf professional and the club manufacturer that I am affiliated with....along with now being aware of what I can offer them.
• The combine event is operated solely with the goal of attracting the better, more serious golfer and the objective is to sign each participant to a series of lessons. The series of lessons I offer each student is valued at either $750 or $1000 and I have experienced an 80% conversion rate.

A word on marketing - use every available venue open to you to inform every single golfer in your town or city that you have a TrackMan. Be aggressive and remember that the more frequently golfers hear about your new product the more likely they will be to come out and see what it's all about.

I have not raised my pricing due to owning a TrackMan. With the current state of the global economy I have not been as booked as I would like and feel that I need to increase my lesson base before raising prices. I believe that purchasing a TrackMan unit has communicated to my current and future students that I am very serious about providing them with the best learning experience I possibly can.

I often get asked, "How much have revenue have you generated from TrackMan?" This is a very difficult question to answer and that is why you will not find any data providing answers. Coaches and fitters who purchase a TrackMan tend to be leaders and their business is continually growing. As a result it's very difficult to put a finger on TrackMan and say that the technology added x or y to the bottom line. I do know that it has not only taught me a tremendous amount about teaching, but also how to be a better promoter and marketer.

Regarding the above events - please do not view them as a big money maker. While you will earn a decent wage for each of them the primary purpose is to convert each of these new clients into a regular lesson taking student - take advantage of your time with each of them and let them know how much you, and TrackMan, can help them.

TrackMan is a fantastic teaching tool and with a little marketing savvy it can, and should be part of what every quality instructor, fitter and coach offers to their clientele.

Sixty Minutes of Quality Practice

At the course where I teach, a gentleman comes out to practice everyday at 3PM. He stands in the same spot and hits the same iron, to the same target for the same amount of time everyday. How much better is this golfer going to get? Not much, if you believe that everything you have done in golf up to this moment has led you to be the golfer you currently are. This golfer has always had the same practice routine and it has led him to be the player he currently is. If he wants to get better he must upgrade the input in order to upgrade the output (results).

Today I wanted to map out how you can make the best use of your already limited practice time. With the objective being scoring, I have focused our 60 minute session on driving, wedges and putting. Now, I understand that not everybody has 60 minutes to practice or a facility to practice where you can work on the shortgame or putting, but fitting the general ideas from this article into what you have available to you will start to move the needle in a positive direction. I am also assuming that you have stretched and warmed up prior to starting the clock...

First 20 Minutes - Technique and Driving

Spend the first 10 minutes working with a middle to short iron on any pertinent drills or feels you are trying to incorporate into your swing. You should be using an alignment aid and all shots should be directed towards one target.

The next 10 minutes should be spent hitting driver down various fairways you have created in your mind's eye (eg. between the red and blue flags). I recommend the 20 Ball Driver Drill where you try to hit as many balls as possible in play out of 20. Have a goal score in mind and try to write down what you score everytime you do this drill.

The Second 20 Minutes - Wedges and Shortgame

Spend the first 5 minutes in the sand. Take all your wedges and start with some shorter shots and work out to 30-40 yard shots. Make sure you even hit a few of those longer shots with your PW.

For the next 5 minutes I would practice chipping and bump and run type shots. Pour some balls out in close proximity to the green and starting with a 7 iron hit one shot to each of the holes on the green (4 or 5). Work this approach all the way through your most lofted wedge. The best part is that you have not hit the same shot twice - just like on the course.

In the final 10 minutes focus your attention on pitching. These shots could be from anywhere in the 20-90 yard range. As you hit these various shots do not hit the same shot more than twice in a row. Teach yourself to control the ball flight by changing clubs and rely on your feel more than anything. My favorite drill here is the Golf Ball Drill - it sounds strange, but all I do is hit a multitude of pitches to random golf balls lying out on the range. This way I am reacting to my target.

The Final 20 Minutes - Putting

You use the putter more than any other club in the bag and that's why it receives the most attention. I would like you to focus on two drills here - one that isolates shorter putts and another that encourages touch and feel.

The first drill is what I call the Jack Bauer Drill. Place tees 3 feet from the hole at N, S W and E and using three balls go around twice holing three putts from each point. You need to hole 24 (thus Jack Bauer!) consecutive putts in row. If this takes longer than 10 minutes quit and conquer it next time. Remember - practice is all about building confidence.

The second drill is called String and here you attempt to "string" together as many two putts from 40+ feet as possible. Compete with somebody if you can or simply try to establish your own personal best.

You can now head home knowing you have put in a solid hour of work on your game.

Additonal Resources:

Put purpose in your golf practice

Smart Golf: How to Practice

Comeback for Kyle!

Kyle Stanley did something very few golfers ever get to do - he turned the tables. And the amazing thing is he did it all in the span of eight days. After losing at Torrey Pines after having a seven shot lead, he righted all his wrongs on Sunday, by negating Spencer Levin's eight shot lead to win his first PGA Tour event.

Kyle is the touring professional for my home course, Berkeley Hall, where he is also a resident. He takes full advantage of our amazing practice facility and plays with the members whenever he is in town. We are all so proud of "our man"!

This is what was in the bag for the victory week:

• Driver: Titleist 910D3 8.5 degree with Mitsubishi Diamana Kai'li 70X
• 3-wood: Titleist 910Fd 13.5 degree with Mitsubishi Fubuki 83X
• Irons: Titleist 503i 2-iron; MB712 4-P with Project X 6.5
• Wedges: Vokey Design 52.08, 56.14, SM4 60.10 with TT Dynamic Gold S-400
• Putter: Scotty Cameron Timeless (GSS)
• Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

An interesting note is that during the off-season Kyle switched from a 9.5 degree D3 to a 7.5 degree model. He could not get comfortable with the 7.5 and after testing on our TrackMan we found that he was a lot more consistent, and felt better, with an 8.5 degree model. Good to see he stuck with the 8.5.

Another interesting note - and this will tell you a little about his work ethic - his three wedges are each stamped with a word - DO WORK SON. One word for each wedge. He really does do work....

Kyle tweeted this after his victory yesterday:

"To do list on my week off: 1. Relax. 2. Work on my lag putting from 15 feet!!"

And a very classy tweet from playing partner and runner-up Ben Crane:

"As a fan of sports you have to love what @kylestanleygolf did this week. CONGRATS, Kyle. You earned this. The whole golf world is proud of u"

My sentiments exactly!

2012 PGA Show

I have just returned from the annual PGA Show in Orlando, Florida and I am pleased to share that the economic side of the game appears to be in fine shape. In previous years I have left the show feeling somewhat dejected, yet after this year's experience I am really excited for what 2012 holds.

Every year I look around for ideas that might be game changers - something fresh, new and different. I also keep an eye out for what I call "headscratchers" - something so far out it makes me wonder how it could ever help a golfer get better. Here are a few things that piqued my interest:

Swingbyte

This tiny, lightweight device attaches to the shaft of your club from where it captures your swing and transmits it to your smartphone (Apple or Android) or tablet. It offers relatively accurate data on swing path, speed and launch angle amongst others, but the developer did stress to me that once swing speeds exceeded 90mph the accuracy got a little "sloppy". It also allows you to share the information with your coach or golf buddies. This product comes highly recommended for the vast majority of golfers out there ($149; swingbyte.com).

Snag Golf

Face it - kids absolutely love to hit balls at a moving target and they love it even more if that moving target happens to be you. If you're looking to give your kids or grandkids a reason to play golf and have a ball while doing it - all you have to do is suit up in the sticky suit and let the fun begin. It's a velcro suit that, when used with Snag's sticky balls and plastic golf clubs, turns you into a moving target thats far more appealing than even the guy in the range picker. Big time fun factor ($230, snaggolf.com).

SuperFlex Bands

SuperFlex offers a great Golf Kit that includes five exercise bands made specifically for golfers Each kit includes an exercise program that's designed to help with mobility, stability, flexibility, core strength and more. Anyone here need that? ($99; superflexbands.com)

Iliac Leather Head Covers

These leather headcovers have been around for a while, but there is nothing that makes a statement quite like a customized set of these protecting your big sticks.  I have some (that I paid for!) and every round I play somebody asks about them. I love old school and these have old school written all over them. For the golfer who has almost everything (from $58 ea; iliacgolf.com)

How about these two items? I have a hard enough time making putts with a flat face - how does anybody suppose I'm going to make more putts with a putter that has a curved face?

This second "headscratcher" I simply called the Putting Guillotine! Is this device really going to help me on a downhill left to right slider on the final green for the win....? I rest my case. While I selected these two items to show you, there were many more instances where ideas, products and teaching aids caused me to simply turn and walk away.

The best booth at the show had to go to TaylorMade - again. Here's an interesting stat for you: TaylorMade currently controls a 55% share of the metalwood market. If you compare to when Titleist golf balls where at their peak - they only controlled a 48% share of the ball market! And remember - golf clubs cost a lot more than golf balls.

Best Clothing Booth - Travis Mathew - the old convertible was a great touch.

Best Hosiery (socks!) - Kentwool - they claim to be the world's best golf sock and I have no reason to dispute that. These socks rock!

Best Teaching Technology - Swing Catalyst - I may be biased here, as I own one, but this technology is ahead of it's time.

As per usual there were many golf personalities there and I happened to see Scotty Cameron, Michael Breed, Lee Trevino, Paula Creamer, Wally Uihlein, Gary Gilchrist and Erik Barzeski amongst others, but I'm still trying to figure out what Flava Flav was doing there? If that's not a "headscratcher" then I don't know what is?

If you have not had an opportunity to visit the PGA Show then this video might give you an idea of what the experience is like. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Inspiration

If you've ever needed to feel better about your situation in golf watch this...

As Manuel says, "If we feel good, the impossible becomes possible!" He is a living testament to that.

Webb Simpson and Practice

I love what Webb Simpson has to say about his practice habits during the season. Notice the emphasis on putting, wedgework and the long game. If you can track your results and focus on driving, wedging and putting you too will have a fantastic year. By the way - I have selected young Master Simpson as my choice for player of the year in 2012.

If you change what you are putting into your game, you will also experience a change in your results...get to it.

The Camera for Golfers

Golfers very often ask me about cameras and which one a serious student or teacher of the game should look into. I have always done well with the Casio line of high speed cameras and it appears they have come out with a real winner, the ZR200, which is ideal for anyone who wants high speed, fairly good resolution, newly introduced manual shutter speed, which had been missing from the current ZR100, and a price range around $300.

UPDATE: THIS CAMERA DOES NOT SUPPORT MANUAL SHUTTER SPEED IN MOVIE MODE, SO NO GOOD FOR GOLFERS AFTER ALL.

VIEW EXPLANATION VIDEO HERE

The camera has actually been released today and here is an in depth review on it along with all it's specs from Digital Photography Review.

An additional option is the soon to be released Kodak Playfull Dual zi12 - an excellent choice for any teacher looking to make instructional videos as it has a rare audio in jack. Ever heard those videos on YouTube with so much wind noise it wasn't worth watching? The zi12 gives you the ability to eliminate those problems and it only runs $200.

Both these cameras will provide you with the ability to view the golf swing in a similar fashion to this footage I recorded in 2011 with the Casio EX-F1:

Amazing PGA Tour Stats from 2011

At the end of each year, with the help of ShotLink, the PGA Tour puts out a stat sheet that gives an in-depth review of various statistical categories. There are always some very interesting numbers - some of which I thought I'd share with you today...

Driving

• The PGA Tour average driving distance for all measured shots was 290.9 yards.
• The longest driver was JB Holmes at 318.4 yards while the shortest hitter was Brian Gay at 269.8 yards - that's almost 50 yards per tee shot!
• There were 21 golfers that averaged over 300 yards per tee shot. In 2000 John Daly was the first and only player to average over 300 yards.
• Rory McIlroy hit 51 out of 56 tee shots over 300 yards in the WGC-Bridgestone event.
• The longest drive of the year went to Dustin Johnson at 463 yards - it did involve a cart path!
• Joe Durant was the straightest driver hitting 75.65% of his fairways while Anthony Kim was the least accurate hitting only 46.99% of the fairways.
• No player led the field in driving accuracy en route to victory, while Bubba Watson led the field in driving distance for both of his victories.
• Seventy golfers had rounds where they hit every fairway  - a feat Joe Durant achieved four times!
• John Merrick had a streak of 36 fairways in a row!
• Darren Clarke only hit 41% of the fairways in winning the Open Championship.

Approach Shots

• Boo Weekley led the tour in greens in regulations (GIR) with 71.68% - that's just over 12.5 greens per round. Keep in mind the average golfer hits 4 greens per round.
• Robert Garrigus and Graeme McDowell both hit 92% of the greens at Kapalua - the easiest course on tour to hit greens.
• 15 players manged to hit all 18 greens in a round and no golfer accomplished this feat more than once.
• Webb Simpson had a streak of 32 greens in a row!
• The hardest green to hit on tour was the 6th Hole at PGA National (29.98%). The hole is actually a par five for the members and is truly frightening.
• The course with the most hole outs from off the green was Harbourtown GL at 101. Primarily because the greens are literally miniscule and very easy to miss.

Around the Green

• Brian Gay led the sand saves category with a 63.40 % up and down rate.
• Greg Chalmers led the scrambling category with a 65.17% up and in rate.

Note: I do have a problem with the PGA Tour scrambling stat in that they measure scrambling for any shot to the green that is one stroke higher than regulation. This means that tee balls hit OB should be up and downed from the tee to convert and that pitches and chips played to a par five in three are not counted...not too much sense in that.  (Thanks to Pete Sanders from ShotbyShot.com for pointing this out to me)

• Five players led the field in scrambling in the same week that they won.
• Jason Dufner was 23 out of 24 for scrambling in the Waste Management event.
• Brian Gay and Paul Stankowski each had 17 consecutive sand saves!

Putting

• Luke Donald led the tour in the best stat on tour in my opinion - Strokes Gained-Putting with +.844. That means he gained an average of .844 strokes on the most "average" putter for every round he played and has led the tour in this category the last three years.  Boo Weekley, for all his hitting prowess, was last on -1.102 and Luke gained almost two strokes per round on Boo - just with the putter!
• Luke Donald had 1 three putt for every 80 holes of golf he played.
• On average Tour winners out performed the field by +1.426 strokes per round with the putter. That's only +5.7 better than the field average in a four round event...
• 6 out of 38 winners in 2011 led the field in strokes gained-putting and 25 of 38 winners ranked in the top ten.
• Charlie Wi gained +12.68 strokes on the field in the Crowne Plaza Invitational.
• Hunter Mahan only managed to make 219 feet of putts in the 4th round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.
• Three players managed to have 15 one putts in a round!
• Luke Donald had 483 consecutive holes without a three putt and Kevin Na made 676 out of 676 from inside three feet!

Scoring

• Luke Donald led the adjusted (?) scoring average at 68.86 while Webb Simpson led the actual scoring averages at  69.16.
• Webb Simpson had 60 rounds of scoring in the 60's and 13 out of 98 rounds that were bogey-free.
• Four players had 11 birdies in a round and three players made 27 birdies in a four round event.
• 4% of all rounds on tour were completely bogey-free.
• Luke Donald had 17 consecutive sub-par rounds (I have those all the time!) and Briny Baird had 12 consecutive rounds in the 60's.

The PGA Tour currently keeps a total of 416 various stats on each player for every round they play and with the help of some very smart people each stat category is getting deeper and better as they move forward.  Ever read the book Moneyball by Michael Lewis? Well golf is finally starting to apply sabermetrics to the massive amount of data they collect every year - and they're better off for it.

You cannot improve upon something if you cannot measure it! I believe that statement to be true and I know that quality stats are vital in helping any serious golfer improve.  That is why I have aligned with noted statistician Peter Sanders and his fantastic site ShotbyShot.com. With this site you have the ability to truly assess your strengths and weaknesses. You even have the ability to judge your putting against scratch handicap golfers in a strokes gained type format - the only other way to get something similar is to become a Tour player!

To all my students: If you are serious, and I believe you all are, please contact me about a fantastic opportunity for us to participate at ShotbyShot.com. After all, if you want to improve something we have got to measure it....

The Plan for 2012

I would like to dedicate 2012 to one word - scoring. I am a firm believer that if we went out and played a round of golf in similar fashion to what we already do, yet scored five strokes lower, we would enjoy ourselves a lot more and feel much better about our golf games....no?

At this point you're asking, "How I can play in a "similar fashion" and somehow magically score better?" Certainly upgrades are required, but we're talking something fairly simple. I believe a change in approach and practice habits in three areas, driving, wedging and putting has the greatest chance to lower almost any golfer's score quite substantially.

During the course of a round you hit somewhere in the vicinity of 60 shots just with these three or four clubs. Wouldn't you like to keep the ball in play off the tee on two more holes than you normally do? Or find a way to gain 10-15 yards? How about getting two more up and downs per round? Or even just making a higher percentage of putts from inside five feet? While none of the above upgrades are "game changers" on their own, when a golfer improves with the clubs they use for sixty shots per round, good things are bound to happen.

Here are a few really simple pieces of information pertaining to each of the three scoring components that far too few golfers incorporate into their games:

• I have been able to help so many golfers increase the distance and accuracy of their tee shots simply by showing them how to hit up on the ball. Make it one of your goals this year - get on a launch monitor regularly and learn how to hit up with the big stick. Do you know that golfers who take a lesson TrackMan gain an average of 12-15yards? That effectively makes every golf course they play 200 yards shorter!
• When it comes to pitching are you trying to do more than you should? Course management is huge in pitching and way too many golfers are going for shots that are beyond their handicap level. Learn when to "hold 'em" and you'll save at least two strokes per round.
• You cannot buy a wedge without bounce on the sole of the club. Know why? The manufacturers want us to be successful with their equipment and bounce is an important aid to help us all wedge better. Use a set up that maintains some bounce on the sole of the club...it's not hard once you know how.
• The single greatest putting key is to keep your eyes focused on the spot the ball occupied before it was struck. Sounds easy...no? Is it something you incorporate into your game?

What I'm saying is that I believe I can take multiple strokes off your game simply by teaching you to: hit up on the driver; understand bounce and how to use it; know when to go for certain pitch shots and when to just hit the green; and teaching you to keep your eyes quiet when you putt. How hard is that? If you dedicate your work and practice to the above items I guarantee that you will see progress.

Zach Johnson is a perfect example of what I'm referring to. He's an average size guy who grew up in the golfing mecca of Iowa, yet he's managed to turn himself into one of the top 20 golfers in the world. He's an efficient, yet short driver of the ball, a great wedge player and a very handy putter - a proven recipe for success.

In the upcoming months you will notice a change at andrewricegolf.com. The majority of all articles and instructional posts will be directed toward driving, wedging and putting. So whether you need to keep it in play or get longer off the tee, get it on the green or up and down, two putt from 40 feet or stop missing 3 footers - you will learn drills, games, challenges and techniques to get the job done more effectively.

I have been blessed to take numerous overseas trips to play golf and they are always the highlight of my year. My favorite country to play golf in is Ireland as the links courses and locals are simply second to none. If you are planning an international golf trip to either Ireland or South Africa feel free to drop me a line if you need any suggestions. Should you be in the early stages of planning your trip be sure to check out golf holidays abroad - they can certainly offer some excellent advice.

Please do us both a favor and do away with tips and swing fads and band aids - make 2012 the year where you establish a long term plan and commit to really getting better. It can be done...stay tuned.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you all so much for your support and readership in 2011 - I could not and would not do what I love to do without you.

In just over 30 months this site has enjoyed over 350,000 hits! My YouTube channel has over 450,000 views and I have more than 450 fans on my Facebook page. Fantastic! Please feel free to let me know what you feel I can do a better job with...

My goals for 2012 are directly focused on improving your golf and I will attempt to do so by improving the following areas of your game:

• Driving - either straighter or further - you know what you need...
• Shortgame/wedging - get the ball either on the green or up and down...
• Putting - an easy way to trim 2-3 strokes off your score...

Next year I will provide technical and practical assistance to help you get better in each of the areas mentioned above. Give it a try, commit to it and I guarantee positive results. Keep an eye on this space starting next week...

Until then - relax, enjoy family and friends and keep in mind what the real reason for the season is.

Merry Christmas all y'all!

Tiger Woods on TrackMan

Here is Tiger Woods from the Chevron event last week answering questions about Trackman and what it has meant for his game.

What I Learned in 2011

Around this time of the year I like to look back at the year and contemplate what I have learned as a teacher and coach that will make me better in the future. After much thought here is my list:

• Golfers too often lose sight of the fact that the game is all about scoring. It's not about style, or aesthetics, or form - it's about function. And scoring is function. If any golfer can go out and hit the ball the same as they always have and shoot five strokes lower they are very happy. No, this is not something new to me, but as I get older and hopefully wiser, I see way too many golfers who miss this point. They are searching for a swing, a technique, a "holy grail" that will upgrade their game. The answer lies in driving, wedging, putting and a hefty dose of hard work - period!
• Anybody can get better in twenty minutes. With the help of Trackman I have seen this time and time again. The challenge is taking "ownership" of the changes as this can only be done through practice. Through practice you get comfortable, you then begin to trust the changes, which in turn channel into confidence - the magic elixir of all sport.

• The driver works much better when it strikes the ball with an upward hit. If a golfer swings at 100mph and strikes the ball with a 5 degree downward hit, they will be 28 yards shorter than a golfer who hits the ball with the same swing, but a 5 degree upward hit! The launch angle goes up, the spin goes down and boom, you're not even swinging any harder.
• With an on plane swing, when the clubhead moves towards the ground the club path travels in to out and when it moves away from the ground it travels out to in. I know you're more than likely scratching your head over this one - watch the video and read the article and it'll make a ton more sense. This has been a game changer for me and I so wish I had knowledge of this information thirty years ago.
• Modern golf technology can do wonders for your game. From the latest drivers to launch monitors to pressure plates - there is new technology that can help you make real changes to almost any part of your game. Seek it out and take advantage...
• It is possible for every golfer to get longer - yes, I said every golfer. Even you! Most of the gains can be made simply by learning how to deliver the driver to the ball more efficiently. If you could learn what it takes to hit the ball 15 yards further (which is about my average for male golfers after a TrackMan session!) you have now made the golf course you play 200 yards shorter. Where do I sign up for that....?
• The weight transfer in the backswing is due to the swinging motion of the arms. There should be no conscious shift or lateral motion with the body. See the 84 degree secret...

Thanks for reading - I hope you have all learned at least something from my musings during 2011. If you remember one thing remember this: Nothing will ever take the place of hard work and heart - not talent, not finances, and certainly not coaching.

Oh, and if you haven't wrapped up your holiday shopping yet I have a smokin' deal for you. Buy one copy of It's All About Impact and I'll send you four - one for each member of your foursome.

I have big plans for upgrading the information and look of the site in 2012 so stick around and watch this space...

I Love These Golf Videos

Here is a collection of my favorite golf videos from the year. They all effected me in one way or another. This first video reminded me what a a great game we all pursue - it appeals to all people, of all abilities, in all corners of the globe. This swing is for real believe it or not and shows what lengths a golfer will go to in order to keep the ball in the fairway....

The next two videos have made more of a difference to my game than any video ever has. For the past few years I have been a horrible driver of the ball and the information contained in these two clips made all the difference for me - I now hit the ball higher, longer and straighter than I have in a long time. Of course TrackMan had a fair bit to do with quantifying the changes I needed to make. I hope they have the same effect on your game...

These next three videos are inspirational - they show what can be achieved with creativity and imagination. This is how golfers learn to hit amazing golf shots - they dream them up first! Enjoy...(BTW watch for Alexander Noren to start featuring on the European Tour in 2012)

The final video is a tribute to my favorite golfer of all time - the great Severiano Ballesteros. This year we lost a golfing legend way too early in his young life. I will always remeber his passion, competitive spirit and the cavalier manner in which he played the game. RIP Seve....

An Interview with Dr. Mo

Morris Pickens, or Dr. Mo as he is most often called, has quietly become the "guru" of golf-focused sports psychologists.  When you look at him or spend time with him he is just a regular guy from Orangeburg, S.C., who loves college football almost more than golf.  What you wouldn't realize is that Dr. Mo is one win away from completing the mind coach Grand Slam - his students have won the Masters, the US Open and the Open Championship in recent years and with the young stable of players he is currently advising the PGA Championship could be added sooner rather than later. He currently works with Nick Watney, Lucas Glover, Zach Johnson, Kyle Stanley, Jonathan Byrd, Stewart Cink, Will McGirt and Justin Leonard.

I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with Dr. Mo on a golf trip and asked him a few questions about his philosophy and what he works on with the various tour players....

What's the best advice you could give the average golfer?

Practice the game how it is played. There are scoring clubs and there are advancing clubs (irons). The scoring clubs are the driver, the wedges and the putter - focus on getting better with those when you practice.

Would you say something different to a young, aspiring golfer?

I would always encourage them to key in on the scoring clubs, but do this in more of a competitive environment. Have closest to the hole and up and down contests or see who can hit the straightest drive on the course. Basically, find players who are good and challenge them with the scoring clubs.

What are the biggest mistakes you see golfers make?

Golfers very often rely too heavily on technique or lessons. They seem to think that the "right swing" or a golf guru will turn their game around instead of realizing that working hard on the important aspects of getting the ball in the hole is what will really make a difference to their game.

You are big on scoring. How do you get your players to practice, and ultimately get better, with the scoring clubs?

I like to have them play a few games that isolate the scoring clubs. My favorite is a game called Drive and Five: You play seven holes - so play a nine and skip the par threes. You hit two tee shots off each tee box, pick them up and then advance closer to the green where you finish out one ball from anywhere between 40 and 120 yards and another from somewhere around the green. Par is five for each hole and you keep track of how many shots it takes you to get the two balls into the hole. The catch is that you add one stroke for each ball that finds the rough off the tee and two strokes for each ball that finishes in a hazard, bunker or trees. A tee shot in the fairway adds nothing to your score. Par is 35 strokes and that's really hard to do. Zach Johnson once scored 30 - that's really amazing! This game really illustrates how you're doing with the scoring clubs and takes just over an hour to do.

I also like Wedge Worst Ball: Here par is three you go on the course and play two balls into each green from anywhere between 60 - 90 yards out. You select the shot that's furthest from the hole and play out from there, but make sure you select the worst putt too. It's almost like a scramble in reverse - if you have a four footer you need to make it twice!

How much time do these top golfers dedicate to their putting each week?

In the off season I would say 4-5 hours a week and during the season it's more like two hours per week. That doesn't include pre round warm ups or post round practice sessions.

When Zach Johnson won the Masters in 2007 legend has it that he planned to lay up on all the par fives for the week. Was that really the case?

No. We had devised a checklist that he had to go through before attempting to hit any par five in two that week. The points on the check list were as follows: He had to have less than a 3 iron to reach the green; he had to have a good lie; he had to have a level stance and the pin had to be in an accessible location. On Sunday he had 209 yards into the 13th green with 190 to carry the water which would be a comfortable 4 iron for Zach. The shot had a hanging lie which meant it did not meet the required criteria so he layed up and made birdie with his scoring clubs.

This is fantastic information that I know we can all benefit from. I have been around sports psychologists before and I found it interesting how Dr. Mo seemed to help golfers with a game plan - he provides them with a formula for practice and play that points them in the direction of improved performance and lower scores. If you would like to look Dr. Mo up check out his website. He has also written a very helpful book series Learn to Win....check it out too.

Anyone up for a game of Drive and Five before dinner?