Regardless, time to take your game to the next level in 2012! Whether you’ve got 11 more months, or 111 more years, here’s a few thoughts that might help:

Anger Management (or not)

The brilliant and incomparable Peter Finch from his Academy Award winning performance in Network, from 1976. He’s mad as hell about the state of the economy and world – and isn’t it perhaps about time you got mad as hell about not improving your golf game? Are you just going to sit in your golfy "living room" – with your crappy swing (toaster), clubs (steel belted radials) and your TV (Golf Channel), not saying or doing anything, while asking to be left alone – and expect to get better?

RESOLVE (get mad!) to make positive strides this year! Does your golf game not have value? Get off your Lazy Boy and open your own proverbial window and ask yourself if you want to take golf mediocrity any more. If not, here’s a few stepping-stones to lower scores:

- Invest in a playing evaluation. Not just whacking balls at the range, but a 9 or 18 hole assessment/analysis of you as a golfer, by a qualified instructor or coach. Learn how to optimize your warm up and overall performance on the course – not just swing refinements on the practice grounds, where there is no stress or consequence.

- Physical assessment. My team of physical therapists at the KOR are experts in finding strength and range of motion deficiencies in your body. Once identified, a few hours per week of specific training can really help your body work more efficiently when swinging a golf club.

- Practice smart (as opposed to stupid)and make sure it is geared towards learning (as opposed to immediate satisfaction). Chew on the following, taken from Dr. Mark Guadagnoli’s Practice to Learn, Play to Win (http://practicetowin.com/).

• ♦ Practice does not equal learning, therefore how well you practice – quality, structure, goal-oriented – is more critical than how much you practice.

• ♦ Repetition does NOT equal remembering. Use random or elaborative practice instead of bulk or repetitive practice. Elaboration requires conscious thought, and time, is more golf-specific – and fun.

• ♦ Frustration sets in when the focus is on immediate improvement rather than the process. For real success, sacrifice immediate gratification for long term improvement.

The Tibetan Buddhist tradition speaks of taking anger and turning it around to motivate practice, because in anger (and Finch’s eyes) are qualities like straightforwardness and resoluteness, which can be turned into commitment. Anger also possesses the quality of unwillingness to allow things to remain as they are. Hence separated from its aggression, that quality of discontent can motivate us to take a path of healing and improvement. It’s alchemy: take the dross and turn it into gold!

Although your anger may drive you to take positive action, we’ve all seen this emotion sabotage golf games, perhaps our own. I’ve borrowed a few words from author Stephen Levine in the next few paragraphs to help us all better understand and deal with this oft-damaging mental state.

Exploring anger, we discover how isolated we feel when angry, how everything in the world is an "other." Everyone has anger because everyone has desires, like shooting a good score. It comes with the territory. As desire moves towards fulfillment, should something arise to block it, frustration occurs. And watching frustration closely, we can notice when it flicks over into anger.

How to deal with frustration and the ensuing anger? Like anything – get to know them and their roots – rather than avoiding them and allowing them to rule your mental roost. Like the weaknesses in your golf game, you must first recognize and become aware of them (see "playing evaluation" above…) before you can deal with them. Often frustrated? Consider altering your desires, goals and expectations. Ask yourself why you started playing golf in the first place. Wasn’t it for some other reason than shooting a low score? And being more skillful in golf (largely developed by proper practice) would not only reduce your frustration and doubt levels, it would boost your confidence.

Pema Chodron tells us that usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear. Do the same with your anger. Invite it in for tea – or a Bud Light. Rather than reacting to it, get to know it in its infancy, prior to becoming enraged. And don’t judge it as ‘bad’ or deny it, for that will lead to being angry at ourselves for becoming angry! Acceptance – much like what we need to do when hitting a poor shot – takes the mask off anger and lets you look it straight in the eye. We may realize that anger itself has not been the problem. Our manner of relating to it has been the main problem.

Too deep – like the lake in the image above (the driver about to be helicoptered into it actually survived…)? Try and relate the notions to a specific incident you’ve had on the course where you’ve felt frustrated or angry.

And for those of you who didn’t get your stocking stuffed full of beneficial golf items, I’ll send a copy of I’ve Got 99 Swing Thoughts but ‘Hit the Ball’ Ain’t One and a Better Golf CD for the first three readers to correctly identify the two great players shown in that infamous black and white pic.

Fried Eggs, Babies and Chaos

And this is REMARKABLY similar to you and your brain playing a round of golf:

Any questions? I’m guessing there may be a few here… "Almost four hours of play," right – isn’t that what a round of golf is all about? Chaotic. Random. Error-prone. Fun. This infant is experiencing what is known as "differential learning" (as opposed to classical learning where errors are avoided), but more importantly, nine-month old Charles-Edward is vividly demonstrating just how you ought to practice golf to a large extent in 2012 and beyond. "Vraiment (that’s French for "Really"). During differential learning more "errors" occur; however, errors are critical to learning success. If errors were no longer defined as ‘negative’ during learning and training, but instead viewed as crucial parts of the process, more learning could in fact occur. Instead, why not consider them simply as "feedback," or better yet, "fluctuations?"

My sincere thanks to Dr. Christian Marquardt, neuroscientist and inventor/developer of the SAM PuttLab (a technology based on the philosophy of motor learning) for providing us with this video. His thoughts on differential learning, and how it relates to better golf performance.

"In most sports the situations vary a lot, and in golf you will hardly need to hit exactly the same shot twice out on the course. By consequence, during practice the golfer must learn to adapt by developing a ‘range of potential solutions’ instead of only repeating ‘one solution.’ If you have learned only one solution, and this solution is not adequate for certain reasons, then there is a good chance that your level of skill will break down significantly under the pressure of performance. In contrast, making practice more variable, random and challenging will result in better preparation for the performance situation."

Although there is a large component of randomness (unpredictability) when playing the game of golf, especially competitively – there is also a large component of predictability. Check back next month for nuggets on this topic…

Counterpoints

Fact is, I’m mad as hell myself about some of the bad information and cockamamie being spewed re golf, golf swing and the like everywhere I go, look or read. Bottom line is such drivel can be highly detrimental to those of you looking to improve your game. Catch my take on those issues (look for the Peter Finch image!) on my page at The A Position: http://christophercsmithgolf.com & http://theaposition.com

Best,

~ CS ~

On Tour

Golf Down Under: Lefty Greg Chalmers won both the Australian Open and PGA Championships last month, competing against world-class fields in both. He’ll shoot for the "Aussie Triple Crown" should he decide to play the Australian Masters beginning Dec. 15 at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne.

We saw a lot of this from Chalmers (no, not attempting a triangle pose in yoga): plucking the ball out of the hole. Despite a mediocre year on the PGA Tour in 2011, Chalmers ranked fifth in total putting and stokes gained in putting, third in 3-putt avoidance, and made a cool 91% of his putts from 3-5.’ The drift? Improve your putting – especially from short range - and your scores will plummet (whilst your earnings rise). If you’ve never taken a putting lesson, or better yet a series of putting lessons, let 2012 be the year to do so. Just make sure to find a coach/instructor who abides by putting legend Jackie Burke Jr.’s mantra that "the best way to putt is the way you putt best."

Out From Under the Bus: Arguably the greatest pressure short putter the game has ever seen, what’s Tiger Woods’ way to putt best? His words last week, from the Chevron World Challenge, where he picked up his first win in over two years: "I’m trying to do anything I can to basically get my shoulders square. In Australia I was missing putts, and my shoulders were slightly open. As soon as I get my shoulders square then I can start covering the ball and getting the thing rolling tight. I like to putt with my right hand, just hit it with my right hand, release that toe as much as I possibly can. I like that."

Word around the campfire is that the former world #1 got a putting tip from pal and flatstick aficionado Steve Sticker while in Oz a few weeks back. Flashes of brilliance in "rolling his rock" and executing in general, from days gone by from Tiger in So Cal, especially down the stretch. Here’s the anatomy of Tiger’s final hole victory in Thousand Oaks – and perhaps a further sign of him crawling out from under the mammoth bus that squashed his game, and life:

Smokin’ Joe

Just as Zach Johnson went "down" on the 18th hole to Tiger, so did then-heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in 1973 at the hands of George Foreman. Howard Cosell’s voice still echoes in our ears:

Frazier passed on November 8, a victim of liver cancer. In his second defense of the title, against Muhammad Ali on March 8, 1971 (the “Fight of the Century"), boxing writer and sports historian Bert Sugar recalled Frazier that night: “His head bobbing up and down to the metronomic movement of his body, his mouth pursed, sucking air much like a fish out of water, Frazier moved in relentlessly — no qualms, no hesitations, no questions, just straight in like a hurricane — his right a mere throat clearing for his devastating left. Time and again he rocked Ali, until at last Ali, hit so hard he couldn’t even limp, joined the ranks of the walking wounded."

Pugilism and putting, really? Keep Smokin’ Joe in mind in your quest is to make more putts. No qualms, no hesitations, no questions, just straight in like a hurricane. On the green, you’ll hole more putts being decisive rather than ‘right,’ trusting your first instinct, and getting to the task at hand without undue deliberation. DOUBT has destroyed entire civilizations, let alone mere putting strokes.

CS Update

My sincere thanks to Golf Magazine and the Top 100 Instructor in America committee for inviting me to be a keynote speaking at their retreat in Orlando last month. It was an honor and pleasure to spend time with many of my respected colleagues in that group, and make some new acquaintances along the way. My topic? Why, The Dan Plan (http://thedanplan.com/), naturally.

I offered the distinguished audience – a group that included a vast majority of the Top 100 teachers, as well as Drs. Bob Christina, Robert Bjork and Debbie Crews – a general overview of the project. Specifically, the research we’ve embraced, the concepts we’ve adopted, and the experts we’ve consulted, all with the explicit goal of expediting Dan’s learning process. A fascinating and one-of-kind undertaking, to say the least.

Gifts for your Golfer

Nike Method Core Drone.

Method technology, opti-mass weighting in the center and wing tips for maximum stability. A piece to the short putting puzzle? Absolutely.

Seven Days in Utopia. Did you see the movie? Here’s the book it was based on:

Despite a bit of cheesiness in the flick, the book is a great read.

Less Time (and conscious thought) = Better Performance.

Tee It in AZ

How ’bout some golf in sunny Scottsdale? My colleagues at The A Position, and their Golf Road Warriors team, have a proposition for you – check it out: http://golfroadwarriors.com/sweepstakes/. In the meantime, soak in some great golf and travel writing – by actual journalists – here…

Best,

~ CS ~

On Tour

Lexi Thompson: Yowza! The 16-year-old became the youngest winner ever on the LPGA Tour, capturing the Navistar Classic by five strokes in September. Her average driving distance for the week was 277 yards (world # 1 Yani Tseng leads the Tour in driving distance at a ‘paltry’ 269 yards), whilst hitting nearly 70% of the fairways. Scary good, this teenager (and LONG – 155 mph ball speed, fellows). Prepare yourself for more of the same in golf, as the true athlete begins to infiltrate the upper echelon of the competitive ranks.

Rolling the Rock? Friday, October 7, 2011 (from the Associated Press): "Tiger Woods missed three putts inside 6 feet; the longest putt he made all day was a 12-footer for par on the ninth hole." That was referring to Woods’ first round at the Frys.com Open the day prior. Are you kidding me? Is this an AP blurb from a parallel universe? Perhaps no more than anywhere in Tiger’s game has the demise been more visible than with the flatstick. Arguably the greatest pressure putter – and short putter – the game has ever seen has entered into the realms of mediocrity. Downright creepy to think he’s changed his putting M.O. (set up, technique, whatever) in an attempt to improve it. Remember these…

Let’s hope late father Earl’s advice to "Putt To The Picture" (see/visualize the putt and allow the mind-body system accomplish the task) is somewhere in TW’s memory banks..

Seve lives: We lost "El Maestro" in body not long ago, but not in spirit. Europe regained the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2003 after a dramatic 15-13 final day victory over the USA at Killeen Castle, Dublin. They dedicated their victory to Ballesteros, holding a huge picture of the Spanish legend in their celebratory line-up.

And you don’t think Seve was "somewhere" in the vicinity when Bill Haas hit this shot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eztW5Hqe-7I) on his way to claiming the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship – plus the $10-mill payoff for winning the FedExCup? "Child’s play" that water pitch for Seve, you say; hell, he coulda pulled it off with a 3-iron…

Game (and Body) Improvement

Partial Shot Poison: On the topic of children, hell and Haas’ ghastly-good up and down, take to heart the following for better contact with your chips and pitches: "head-down-itis" is arsenic when it comes to achieving crisp contact with your short shots. "Keep your head (your eyes are located in your head, last I checked) down" is common advice from amateurs teaching amateurs, especially when poor contact occurs. Take a look at an infamous image (sorry, faint of heart, it is Halloween soon, after all) from Hall of Fame horror film, The Exorcist, below. Now go back and review Haas’ shot, especially the slow mo, face on view at the end.

The BIG difference in the two – and the marrow in the matter in improving your short game? Haas’ eyes follow the golf ball, and as they do, his chest rotates, his weight moves more to his left, his hands and club end up around waist level, and he finishes facing the target. Paramount for optimal club/ball contact! He doesn’t have to consciously think about any of those pieces, because as humans, our bodies naturally follow our eyes. They teach you that in Yoga 101. Now Regan (aka Linda Blair) above, manages to move her eyes independent of her body. You and I can’t do that… Look odd, borderline painful? Not any more than someone afflicted with "head-down-itis," frankly. When the head/eyes stay ‘down,’ the body will practically freeze, with the hands and arms taking over. So yes, keep your eye(s) on the ball – then follow it once it has left its spot in front of you.

Posture: pic above got you a little contorted – or is that your normal position sitting at your PC? Regardless, take a look at this: http://www.intelliskin.net/. Proper posture is huge when it comes to golf swing, as it is in daily life. Intelliskin in a nutshell? Improves postural proprioception, increase mobility, and reduces the risk of injury associated with poor posture and repetitive movement patterns.

Two Gloves – Revisited: trying to find a truly one of a kind Halloween costume, perhaps never before seen?

He’s won over $2 million this year and ranks 35th on the PGA Tour Money list with a baseballesque swing and a lot of heart. But Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey wasn’t the first to don double mitts, was he?

The point: when it comes to golf and golf swing, it’s horrifying to think that we try to copy others whose physical attributes are often grossly dissimilar from our own, or fall into trendy, "one size fits all" methods. Yes there is room for morphing and improvement in all aspects, but at the end of the day, the best way to swing is the way YOU swing best.

The A Position

Need more golf "treats" for your Halloween season? Check out the great offerings here: http://theaposition.com/

"We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones."

      – Stephen King

Best,

~ CS ~

On Tour

The Open: "I’m a bit of a normal bloke, aren’t I?" Darren Clarke exclaimed, the claret jug at his side, after his three shot victory in the British Open at Royal St. George’s in July.  Yeah, right.  Keep in mind this is the fellow that took out a world-dominant Tiger Woods, 4 & 3, in the WGC-Anderson Consulting Match Play Championship in 2000.  And played on five consecutive European Ryder Cup teams (1997-2006), winning on four occasions.  So as Uberman Dustin Johnson and four-time major champion Phil Mickelson wilted in the relentless wind on the back nine, there was Clarke barreling down the fairways, cigarette curled under his fingers, on his way to capturing golf’s oldest championship.  

Arguably the most impressive thing about this "ordinary bloke" who truly deserved a victory after all he’s been through?  The fact that through weather that was so wild that heavy rain switched over to sunshine, back and forth all afternoon, and most players looked dressed to snow ski rather than play a round of golf, there was Clarke coming home sporting a golf polo and visor.  Like he was out for a stroll on a calm, 80 degree day… BRILLIANT, as his Northern Irish countrymen might say, just BRILLIANT!

The PGA: Triple bogeys normally don’t bode well for the golfer, whether it’s in a friendly game with your pals – and certainly not Sunday PM in a major championship.  No worries, just forget it and play the next hole, right?  That’s what 25-year-old Keegan Bradley did, making consecutive birdies thereafter, followed by a par on the brutal 18th hole at the Atlanta Athletic Club, and eventually winning in a playoff to claim the Wannamaker Trophy at the PGA Championship.  And in doing so, Bradley becomes the first player ever to win a major championship using a long putter (think the USGA is not watching?). 

Yet Leonard Shelby would have expected nothing less.  Leonard WHO, you ask?  SHELBY I said (aka Guy Pearce), from the classic psychological thriller film Memento.  Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia.  Anterograde amnesia is basically a loss of the ability to create memories after the event that caused the amnesia, leading to a partial or complete inability to recall the recent past.  Leonard struggles to remember anything that has happened in the past five to 10 minutes (hence his obsessive need to write things down, everywhere, and take pictures  – view clip below).  Unbeknownst to him, Leonard’s discovered the ultimate way to play a round of golf, and what many players pay big $ to the sports shrinks ("stay in the present, don’t get caught in the past or launched into the future") to help them achieve.  Leonard’s amnesia was disruptive needless to say, whereas Bradley’s ability to ‘forget’ the previous hole and move on – positively responding to adversity – proved a valuable lesson for us all that play the game.  Bravo to the boy from Beantown, and hat’ s off to his coach and my longtime friend and mentor Jim McLean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYPJz8vZ75I

CS Update

- If you missed it on Golf Channel in July, here’s the piece on yours truly, and all that is speed golf. 

- Bradley carted away the trophy at the PGA, but Oregonian Scott Erdmann made an appearance as well.  "Erdie’s" been a buddy for years, and qualified for the event by finishing runner up at the national PGA Club Pro Championship in June.  I was on the premises as well on Wednesday, and ended up unexpectedly – hence the shorts, fuchsia polo and running shoes – on the practice tee to watch Scott hit a few.  Naturally, we set up camp next to Tiger, and team.  Fun times.

The Dan Plan

If you aren’t up to speed on this – buckle up.  If you are, you’re undoubtedly as taken, and impressed, as the rest of us.  Could very well be the best story in golf.  Period.

http://thedanplan.com

The A Position

In need of additional great golf sustenance (pardon the modesty)?  Here’s the place: http://theaposition.com

Memory is a net: one that finds it full of fish when he takes it from the brook, but a dozen miles of water have run through it without sticking.
            – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Best,
~ CS ~

On Tour

Rory Mcllroy lapped the field at the U.S. Open last month at soft and vulnerable Congressional. Radically different conditions from when Ken Venturi won there in 1964, indeed. Venturi’s main opponent was heat exhaustion and dehydration; guessing he would have welcomed some Nuun in his water.

This is the hottest (no pun intended) thing out there on Tour right now to stay hydrated – and hence fresh and focused – in mind and body.

Can’t mention Venturi and the U.S. Open without recalling the man and golf swing motion that was Byron Nelson. Nelson was a vital mentor to Venturi, and one of the straightest strikers of the ball ever. You don’t win 18 tournaments – 11 in a row – in one year (1945), nor have a club and ball testing robot/machine named after you ("Iron Byron") hitting it clunky and sideways. Enjoy these two swing clips of "Lord Byron:"

A TRUE Guru

Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, Hank Haney, Jim McLean and Jim Hardy, among others, all credit the venerable John Jacobs with being a huge influence on their teaching styles and philosophies. His book Practical Golf is a bible amongst instruction reads – so go find it and put it on your summertime reading list, ASAP.

I was fortunate to meet Mr. Jacobs on the practice tee at The Open Championship several years ago and absorb an inkling of his wisdom, as he silently observed the best players in the world. Classy, humble, bright, and oh-so knowledgeable. With the 140th version of golf’s oldest competition upon us, it’s a perfect time to cogitate on a few of Jacobs’ thoughts, taken from an interview in the March 2011 issue of Golf Digest:

- I explain well because I was a dunce in school. I was always so bored and confused in the classroom, so I know exactly what it’s like to not understand. I make sure to give people a careful, logical explanation, along with some fun.

- The golf swing has only one purpose: to deliver the head of the club to the ball correctly, and to achieve such impact repeatedly. Many unorthodox players achieve correct impact – so long as it’s repeatable, it’s OK. If golf were about getting into correct positions throughout the swing, then the greatest players in the world would have it all wrong.

- Many theories have come and gone. Most of them I’ve disagreed with. Many arise from the originators being focused on fixes that apply to their own games.

- Ben Hogan’s The Modern Fundamentals of Golf kept me in business. High-handicappers would buy the book and immediately weaken their grips and begin rolling the club open. After that, all they could do was hit a glancing blow 50 yards to the right. The book should have been entitled How I Play Golf, and it would have been a great anti-hook book. But the title suggested it was good for everyone.

- The correction given to a student is inevitably going to be uncomfortable because in all likelihood it’s an exaggerated contrary of the student’s fault

- Trying to repeat a practice swing when actually hitting a golf ball seldom works. A golf swing is only as good as the position of the clubface at impact, so there is a natural and necessary apprehension about making square contact with the ball. I practice swing has no impact and so is devoid of the necessary focus.

- My priorities in a good player are: one, temperament; two, technique; and three, physical strength. Of these, the right temperament for tournament competition is by far the most important.

- Golf can be such a difficult game because there are so many different ways of playing it correctly. For golfers to improve, they have to first decide on their own correct way, and then stick with it.

And to conclude, a comment on the swing of Byron Nelson:

- Byron Nelson is my golf hero. The best hitter I ever saw. The way he flattened his swing at the bottom with his legs was genius. You could never teach that move. It was better than orthodox, almost beyond technique. He told me that after he went away for six months early in his career to make his backswing more upright, he knew he’d never play badly again. Imagine being able to say that.

Problem Solver

Do yourself a favor and watch this quick clip from the 1994 cult classic flick Pulp Fiction – then I’ll help you understand how Mr. Wolf and his ‘demeanor’ can improve your golf performance…

Good golfers are phenomenal problem solvers, much like Winston Wolf. Lesser players tend towards whining, crying, pouting and excuses galore. Golf is full of unexpected challenges (problems), and great performers are able to adapt, accept and adjust to whatever may confront them. "The Wolf’s" got a plan (check out the rest of the scene at your leisure (Pulp Fiction – The Wolf) to solve this particular problem, yet it remains malleable/flexible, much like a top player looks at a round of golf. Watch how the best players in the world cope with the wackiness and oft-unfair bounces at Royal St. George’s this week .

For more stories on the British Open, other great golf and travel writing, and more of my own offerings, check out The A Position:

CS Update

Catch yours truly (while I can still run…) in a Golf Channel feature, Monday, July 25 at 3:00 and 8:30 PM, PST, on Golf Central. The piece speaks to my endeavors in speed golf past and present, includes blatantly sincere interviews with colleagues, and was shot over the sublime grounds of Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Tune in. I think you’ll find it inspiring, insightful – and at the very least – entertaining.

"By the time you get to your ball, if you don’t know what to do with it, try another sport."

            — Julius Boros, two-time U.S. Open champion

Best,

~ CS ~

Masters

– Thanks as always to my friends and colleagues at Nike Golf for their hospitality and camaraderie in Augusta again this year around the Masters. And chock up another major win for a Nike athlete – as well as the Method putter. South African Charl Schwartzel’s deft play, cool headedness and Ben Crenshaw-like performance on the treacherous greens at Augusta National, helped him capture the coveted green jacket.

- Speaking of Crenshaw, check out my story on him and longtime caddy Carl Jackson, here: http://christophercsmithgolf.com/golf/golf/personalities/43/carl-jackson-50-years-of-looping-at-augusta-national. While you’re there, taste some of the great offerings by this choice group of golf writers and journalists.

- Here’s a bit of moving eye candy taken from the hallowed grounds of this glorious Alistair MacKenzie design, during Wednesday’s practice round:

Head Games

With golf’s most grueling challenge, the U.S. Open, fast approaching, time to revisit the importance of mental toughness, and the ability to effectively deal with the inevitable adversity that will arise during a round of golf. So what better place to start than… a basketball court.

Mental midgets and kings/queens of the excuse don’t fare well in golf, nor in other endeavors for that matter. Just when you thought he was gone for the year from the NBA Playoffs, VOILA the incomparable competitive and combative spirit that is Kobe Bryant. Careful – this clip is not for the faint of heart (think Joe Theisman when he broke his leg); Bryant’s reaction, and comments about it post-game, can help all of us when we start whining about a short missed putt…

Said Bryant post-game: "We were all really scared because it looked horrible and felt worse… It was a little sore. But I had to stop being a chump, suck it up and go out and play." The message here – for those cry baby linksters – is that next time you whack a tee shot out of bounds, lay the sod over a pitch or three putt from 20 feet, STOP BEING A CHUMP, deal with the mishap (heaven forbid, could you learn from it?), and move on. And, keep that image of Bryant’s contorted left ankle to console yourself a bit.

Optimal Practice

In this day and age where everyone’s time is so heavily crunched, ideal practice is imperative. So why not gear your practice to prepare for a round of golf – instead of becoming a more proficient range rat? UCLA professor emeritus Richard Schmidt, Ph.D., and research partner Timothy Lee have some great ideas on how to do so in their book, Motor Control and Learning – a Behavioral Emphasis. A few of their offerings to nosh on:

- Golfers should change tasks and goals with each swing, known as "random practice." Most golfers train with "blocked practice" (sometimes called "bulk" practice), meaning they perform one skill over and over until they can do it without much thought. Unfortunately, blocked practice eliminates the learner’s need to ‘solve’ the problem on every trial and the need to practice the decision-making required during a round of golf.

- Random practice is much more effective for golfers because they have to "work the problem from scratch" every time they attempt a shot – just as they would on the course. Making the brain work harder to come up with a solution improves retention of that skill.

Not clear on this? Then take the following quiz, borrowed from Dr. Mark Guadagnoli’s fantastic book Practice to Learn, Play to Win (frankly, if you have NOT read this book, you probably don’t know how to practice…). There are two parts to this quiz; you have 20 seconds for each part. Solve all the equations out loud, and after you have solved all the equations for Section 1, take a one minute break.

SECTION 1

52+45=

52+45=

52+45=

52+45=

52+45=

52+45=

52+45=

52+45=

SECTION 2

55+36=

28+45=

52+45=

66+35=

54+37=

24+45=

56+48=

61+38=

Notice anything? For Section 1, most people only figure out the answer to the first problem and then recognize that is the same problem over and over again (bulk practice, or what Guadagnoli calls "constant" practice, in golf). So even though there are eight equations, you only figure out the answer once. Humans are efficient by nature, which is why we rarely output energy unless we have to. Unfortunately, it is exactly this output of intellectual energy that is necessary to learning.

The equations in Section 2 don’t afford you the same easy system. Solving these problems is more difficult and take more effort (think random/"variable" practice, or a typical round of golf). Practicing math in a constant manner (same problem) is much easier but not very good for learning math. How does this relate to golf? In many ways…

Constant practice takes less effort, focus and concentration, and because of this, one typically performs well under constant practice – which is precisely the reason most people use this type of practice on the driving range. It is easier and because they are performing well, they think they are learning. However, based on the Challenge Point theory (yet another reason to procure this book), performing well during practice does not make for the best learning. Conversely, as the challenge increases, performance gets worse but learning gets better. The ‘low down’ in all this: getting the answer right is not the key to learning; learning how to solve the problem is the key to learning.

Equality, Wants vs. Needs & the Supposed ‘Experts’

Can’t jump off the flick bandwagon just yet – not with all the deep tidings certain scenes have to offer for student and golfer. Take a little less than a minute and a half out of your busy life to watch the interaction between these two keen artists, snipped from this year’s Academy Award winning film, The King’s Speech, based on the true story of King George VI:

– The encounter is not dissimilar to the initial meeting between student and instructor/coach. Uncomfortable, awkward, even intimidating from the student’s standpoint. Yet as Lionel (Geoffrey Rush) insists, the two are to be "equals," so as to create an environment more conducive to learning, and trust, hence his insistence on calling his Royal Highness "Bertie."

– What a student wants – as opposed to what he needs – is at the crux of all great teacher/learner relationships. The great John Wooden used to quip that he’d always get his players (Wooden won 10 NCAA national basketball championships in 12 years – and seven in a row) to do exactly what he wanted them to do, all the while the players thought they were doing exactly what they wanted to do… A student’s wants may not line up with his needs; this is where a savvy and experienced coach can guide the necessary learning process.

– On the subject of savvy and experienced coaches and teachers, always "consider the source." Is the person you have chosen to help you improve your golf a competent and proven entity? Or, is he or she a "knighted doctor" per se, traipsing around with the latest and greatest technology (often sexy and ‘mod’ – yet unproven from a learning standpoint), handing out cool-aid samples of the swing method du jour, or worse yet, masquerading as a credible teaching professional for the purpose of putting a few shillings in their pockets?

In Memoriam

The game of golf lost its ultimate artist on May 7 when Seve Ballesteros succumbed to complications from brain cancer. Words are unjust in describing his prowess with stick and ball on grass (or sand, parking lot, etc.) – this does it some service…

"Mira el maestro"

My family and friends lost a dear soul in mid May, without whom I’d be incapable of putting a sentence together, among other things. Some words fitting of him:

"Softer than a flower, where kindness is concerned; stronger than thunder where principles are at stake."

— The Vedas

"I heard a fly buzz when I died;
      The stillness round my form
Was like the stillness in the air
      Between the heaves of storm.
The eyes beside had wrung them dry,
      And breaths were gathering sure
For that last onset, when the king
      Be witnessed in his power.
I willed my keepsakes, signed away
      What portion of me I
Could make assignable,-and then
      There interposed a fly,
With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz,
      Between the light and me;
And then the windows failed, and then
      I could not see to see."

— Emily Dickinson

“Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese,

harsh and exciting -

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.”

— Mary Oliver

Best,

~ CS ~

On Tour

Dusting – Donald’s dominant performance included never trailing in any match, nor having to play the 18th hole at Dove Mountain. Had a lot of guys literally scratching their heads, like Ryan Moore below – no slouch at match play himself (Moore had arguably the most impressive seasons in the modern era of amateur golf in 2004, capturing the NCAA Championship, the U.S. Amateur, the Western Amateur and the U.S. Public Links. All were match play events, with the exception of the NCAA’s).

Esthetically pleasing, as well as being efficient, Donald’s golf swing – especially his position at the top – is a great one to emulate. Yet it’s his short game and putting that truly shine.

Kudos to a recovered "Stack and Tiltaholic" – Aussie Aaron Baddeley won the Northern Trust Open at fabled Riviera outside L.A, his first win on Tour since 2007- and since ditching the stack and tilt swing method to return to longtime coach Dale Lynch. "To be honest, it felt like coming home," Baddeley said of his return to Lynch, his first coach as a teenager in Australia. "Dale and I have spent a lot of hours together, and at times it’s been frustrating, but like I said, that end product … we knew what we were working toward, and that was the key." Take note, readers: making a change, at even the highest level where talent and time are abundant, is a process. One of Baddeley’s goals was to be able to move the ball both ways without having to think about it, and the swing held up just fine on a sunny afternoon along Sunset Boulevard.

Although he’s hitting better, where Badds has always excelled is on the putting green. No lollygagging around – just see it, and roll it. And, for those of you that have been told to "listen to the ball going into the hole," I hate to inform you that is not what great putters do… Check out the pic of Baddeley below:

Yes, it is imperative to keep the eyes ‘quiet’ during the putting motion and just after impact, but once the ball is a few feet on its way, the eyes must follow the ball to gather crucial feedback for future reference.

Movietime, part II

Speaking of feedback, got some interesting remarks last month from readers on the Jack Nicholson clip from Five Easy Pieces, and its relevance to golf performance. Since my IQ doesn’t allow me to expound on how medical ethnography might help one shoot lower scores, try this on for size:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fuDDqU6n4o

Pardon the violence (although pain is indeed a great motivator), the gist of the message here being the importance of communication. PARAMOUNT in learning environments – like a golf lesson, for example. For years we’ve been told that humans have primarily three ways of absorbing/taking in information, or learning styles: visually (pictures), kinesthetically (feel or motion), and audibly (listening). Let me elaborate on this with some input from neurocognitive therapist and performance trainer Darren Painter: women tend to be much more balanced in their learning styles than men (and superior multi-taskers, by the way, guys), meaning that although their preferred way of taking in info is audibly, they are also very adept in absorbing concepts or notions both visually and kinesthetically. Men, however, are kinesthetically dominant when it comes to their learning preference, best grasping information and ideas in a ‘hands on/doing’ fashion. Visual is a close second for the guys, and alas, as Mr. Newman so brutally demonstrated in his classic role, we are ‘audibly challenged’ to a large extent, and it has little to do with wax build up in the ears…

In seeking assistance with your golf, it’s imperative that the coach/teacher adapt to your preferred learning style, and not vice versa. Again, here is where an experienced learning facilitator is so valuable, and a method or a "my way or the highway" type ought to be slapped around like Luke was in the clip.

CS Update

Your Brain: Your Brain on Golf – I was fortunate to be part of three presentations that Painter did in February, two for Pacific Northwest PGA Professionals, and one at the Portland Golf Show. Darren’s material has nothing to do with sports psychology or the "mental game" per se, and everything to do with training your brain – that organ nestled in your cranium that controls all that your body does - to enhance performance. Cutting edge stuff, and Painter is light years ahead of others in the field. Learn more here:

http://www.stcperformance.com/

Your Mind – So as not to throw the importance of one’s mental demeanor under the bus, and how it can affect us in a round of golf, allow me to refresh your memory on my Better Golf CD:

At first listen, Better Golf’s content may seem random and borderline ‘self-helpy;’ however, there is a great deal more to the phrasing, pacing, music and bi-lateral aspects than meets the ear. Much of the technology in Better Golf expands on the research of Bulgarian psychologist Georgie Lozano. Lozano discovered that listening to phrases repeated three times at six to eight second intervals, over a background of rhythmic music at 60 beats per minute, could induce a state called hyperamnesia, or rapid memorization. Better Golf uses this method to assist players in building positive beliefs in their subconscious about their abilities on the golf course.

Its bi-lateral aspect – the oscillation of music and phrases from ear to ear – helps to put the brain in a ‘whole-brain’ learning state. ‘Whole-brain’ learning occurs when both the left and right hemispheres of the brain are engaged, and is the ultimate place for learning and change to take place (much of Painter’s work involves getting the right and left hemispheres to better communicate with one another, FYI). Better Golf employs these two techniques, combined with my own playing and coaching expertise, in a golf-specific audio program designed to help you think, act and respond in more optimal ways.

Simply listening to Better Golf on a regular basis as you work, play, drive your car or even sleep, can help you rapidly improve your thought patterns and on-course demeanor – all with very little conscious effort. I’m a firm believer in letting our attitude determine our golf, rather than our golf determining our attitude. With Better Golf, simply listen, learn and reap the benefits.

Find it here:

http://christophersmithgolf.com/?page_id=334

Bandon Dunes Speedgolf Classic- 10 Year Anniversary – Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since we first teed it up over the fabulous links of Bandon Dunes. A broken toe may keep me out of this year’s event (I’ll spare you all the image, since I missed my February pedicure appointment), but that’s no reason to keep you away. It’s fun and fast – plus you’ll even have time to play 36 more holes later that day. The low down: Sunday, April 3rd, 2011; tee times beginning at 7:30.  For information on Speed Golf and to download an entry form, go to:

http://speedgolfinternational.com/home.htm

Thanks as always to Mike Keiser, Hank Hickox, Todd Kloster and the rest of the spirited team at Bandon Dunes for welcoming us back.

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."

            – George Bernard Shaw

Best,

~ CS ~

Orlando

Just returned from the PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit and annual merchandise show in Florida’s favorite family town. Great to catch up with new and old colleagues and see what’s on the palate for ’11 from a product, and learning/teaching/coaching standpoint. Some highlights:

Nike Lunar Control Footwear

Tired of being tired at the end of a round? Enjoy soggy feet for four + hours? These puppies are lightweight (think more energy and focus at the end of the round), super stable, waterproof and stylish with their techno-saddle look. My Nike Golf footwear cronies have produced a full grain leather shoe with Lunar Foam cushioning, and the Flywire technology to wrap your midfoot in a "supportive environment."

The Little One

"Hard training, easy combat. Easy training, hard combat." Those are the words of Marshal Suvorov, the famous Russian General who knew a thing or two about training. Think he would have approved of the PSP Golf’s first game improvement golf club aptly named "The Little One." Basically it’s a weighted training club with the loft of a 7 iron and a clubhead slightly larger than a golf ball. The smaller size demands a greater level of focus and awareness to produce solid contact. Like with any training aid – don’t abuse it – as it is in fact not "context specific" (meaning it is not the club you will be using while actually playing golf, a key to learning of any sort). Read more here by my A Position comrade Peter Andreus: http://theaposition.com/Articles/27/427/1/Pure-Solid-Perfect-The-Best-New-Training-Aid

Golf Swing "Du Jour"

Little talk of ‘miracle swing methods’ amongst the presenters at the 2011 PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit. Nor in the most recent data offered by the experts at SAM PuttLab (a system I have used for many years now), the industry standard for gathering data on the putting stroke. The best way to swing (and putt), remains the way you swing best… Befuddled? Borrowing a couple of concepts from longtime friend and mentor Jim McLean, take a look at the two players pictured at the top of their respective backswings. Messrs. Kuchar and Furyk won more ‘cashola’ than anyone else on the PGA Tour last year, and the positions are about as similar as making a double eagle is to a quadruple bogey.

Now back to the image of the Nike shoe above. Imagine you owned a shoe store that carried only size 11 shoes. You stocked every conceivable style, brand and colorway – but only in size 11. How would your business do? It would be the greatest shoe store in the galaxy for those with size 11, yet you’d be sorely missing the boat with everyone else. Nearly 7 billion humans on the planet – and we’re all different. Method teachers tend to neglect this factoid whilst enticing a student to drink their cool-aid. Heaven forbid you shoe size is 8 1/2…

On Tour

Two words thus far re the PGA Tour: Jhonny Vegas. Three events played and $1,248,280 in "el banco." He flat out kills it, and his Venezuelan charisma and candor is a breath of fresh air. Oh, and for those silver spooned juniors, Vegas picked up the game initially by playing with a broomstick and a rock.

Getting It Done

With the Academy Awards only a few weeks off, check out this classic scene from the 1970 film Five Easy Pieces, starring Oscar winner Jack Nicholson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8

Wwwhhhoooaaa. Wait a minute… just what does this clip have to do with golf – or playing better golf – most (if not all) of you are thinking? Quite a bit, actually. Bear with me…

I’ve had frequent occasion recently to discuss with the individuals I respect most in regards to golf performance – vastly experienced coaches and teachers, motor learning specialists, and experts in human achievement – as to just what it takes to play golf at truly an elite level. With all our cutting-edge technology, research, data, measurements and statistics, there remains intangibles – indefinable qualities, cloaked assets, and as-of-yet unperceivable elements – that great golfers possess. Nicholson exemplifies many of the same traits shared by select players in his combative rant: creativity, imagination, perseverance and above all – figuring out a way to get what he wants (even though, as he admits later in the car, he was unsuccessful). Great players do the same on a golf course: they simply figure out a way to get the ball in the hole, to win, regardless of circumstances, situations or overall golf swing ‘health.’ They possess the demeanor, will, malleability and savvy to perform optimally – to get the job done. If Nicholson had only been able to bite his tongue about where to hold the chicken, he may have indeed received his precious toast…

Elixir or Poison?

My vibe is that Nicholson’s irritability in the diner may have been directly attributable to him not having his coffee yet. Ever pondered the pros and cons on your golf game of this widely accepted and addicting caffeinated beverage? Here’s a little java ‘dirt,’ with my Nicholsonesque comments in parentheses:

- Caffeine, the main active chemical of coffee, blocks adenosine, a chemical that makes you naturally drowsy, increasing concentration (important in golf) and reaction speed (more important in ping pong). But the long term effects can be really tricky. Once the temporary stimulation stops, the brain cells start needing caffeine for stimulation (addiction – think engrained, less-than-optimal swing habits) and a sudden neural sluggishness installs (not great for your golf game in general – or anything else besides sleep…)

- Caffeine causes sleep disturbances (nervous about your round tomorrow anyway? FORGET the cup-o-Joe after noon). Don’t even think about drinking coffee or other caffeine containing beverages before sleep. And remember that the alkaloid needs 12 hours to be completely eliminated from your body.

- In moderate doses – a few cups a day – caffeine can increase alertness (awareness of the elements on the golf course) but also reduce fine motor coordination (ouch, especially on the putting green), cause headaches and nervousness (golfers never get nervous, do we?).

Like with most everything in life – find a balance. A shot or two of coffee may enhance your ability to perform on the links; however, you might want avoid sipping the stuff for the duration of your reading of the Sunday edition of The New York Times. And if you are going to indulge, please, do yourself a favor by using filtered water, and freshly ground (and recently roasted) coffee beans. Cheers.

CS Golf Insight 2011

The coffee chatter above was spurred by a new reader who expressed interest in the topic. For the remainder of 2011, I’ll address one topic each month, offered by YOU the readers, about which you may have curiosity in regards to your golf game, or golf performance in general. So fire some thoughts this way at your convenience.

"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons."

— T.S. Eliot

Best,

~ CS ~

First and foremost, let’s ditch the idiocy surrounding the notion of “muscle memory.” Fact: the term itself is a misnomer. Your muscles don’t have memory – your brain does.  When you are at a loss to recall something, what do you do?  Scratch your biceps?  Tap on your quadriceps?  Of course not.  Muscles can’t be trained through repetitive motion, as marketers of some training aid products (and incompetent swing instructors) may suggest. “The neurons in the brain tell the muscles what to do,” states Mark Guadagnoli, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. “When we practice, certain neurons get used to working together, but unless the golfer is cognitively engaged, no real learning can occur,” he adds. ‘Cognitively engaged’ means practicing or rehearsing in a way where we are highly focused and aware of the motion being performed – rather than in a  semi coma state, chatting casually to disruptive bystander,  or thinking about what we are going to have for lunch. Many teaching/training aids allow us to do just this and the unfortunate result is that we don’t actually learn the skill. Besides, last I checked, training aids are not allowed where it really counts – on the golf course. “Creating a great golf swing is like finding a needle in a field of haystacks,” continues Guadagnoli. “A training aid might tell you which haystack has the needle, but it cannot do the learning for you.”

Next, consider eliminating results and consequences. When you are on the golf course – and particularly if you are keeping score – results (score) are paramount. In fact, they are all that matters. When we begin to build a new swinging motion, often at first, the results are worse. Remember, without failure no learning can take place. So optimally, to expedite the learning process, it is best to eliminate results, outcome or consequences, initially. How? A few options:

1. Stay away from the result-only oriented golf course.
2. Eliminate ball flight be practicing into a net.
3. Make the new motion in super slow motion.
4. Eliminate the ball.

]]> http://christophersmithgolf.com/the-art-and-science-of-learning-and-building-a-more-efficient-golf-swing-part-1/feed/ 0 http://christophersmithgolf.com/golf-insight-newsletter-%e2%80%93-december-2010/ http://christophersmithgolf.com/golf-insight-newsletter-%e2%80%93-december-2010/#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:51:51 +0000 Christopher Smith http://christophersmithgolf.com/?p=1484 Gray skies, cool temps and the usual on again, off again precip here in the great Northwest as 2010 nears its end. Perfect time for some indoor activities to keep your golfing body and mind sharp. Black and white, right?

Physical and Psychical Fitness

Rivaling the confusion abound in “the best way to swing a golf club,” would be the omnipresent blather of fitness related material – “golf specific” or other. In the words of the late Arthur Jones, founder of Nautilus, Inc. and MedX Inc., and one of the most knowledgeable humans ever on strength and conditioning: “Exercise is anything one does on a regular basis.” So, like a pre shot routine, get in the habit of doing something – preferably an activity that is convenient, enjoyable and beneficial – on a regular basis.

The “Big 3” of physical areas of fitness (diet and mental areas would be non-physical) are strength training, cardio, and flexibility. Keep in mind that rest is also a critical component of fitness, as gains cannot be made if the body (and brain, for that matter) is not allowed to assimilate the work done. For some of you, walking around the block (cardio), crumpling up the daily newspaper into little paper balls (strength training for fingers, hands, wrists and forearms) and standing in a doorway with forearms on sides (flexibility – see image below)

might be appropriate and valuable forms of activity – and highly beneficial to your golf. If you are looking for something more advanced, or tailored specifically to your needs, PLEASE, do your homework and find a credible, knowledgeable and experienced trainer. Not unlike golf teaching “professionals” who have attended some obscure two or three day certification course to become accredited, the world of personal fitness training is rabid with charlatans. Here are a few other ideas:

Check out some of the material on fitness (and other golf topics) at: http://www.nike.com/nikegolf/the-grind/us/en_US/index.jsp.

Some thoughts specific to strength training, from a colleague and disciple of Jones (that’s Arthur below – yes, with a baby elephant):

• A workout must be SAFE. No one should ever get injured from strength training. Safety first.
• Finding the right workout is like finding the right diet. Everyone says theirs is the best and will work perfectly for you. A diet – any diet – only works if the calories you consume are less than the calories you expend on a daily basis – That’s it! A workout only gets you stronger if the overload of the muscle is greater than what the muscle is exposed on a regular basis.

* Strength training is the only one of the three physical aspects of fitness which can improve all five areas of overall fitness mentioned above:

– Strength training, when performed through its full range of motion, improves flexibility.

– Strength training performed with little rest improves cardiovascular endurance.

– Strength training with proper overload improves strength.

– Strength training with proper overload puts muscles into a state of recovery, which increases metabolism, thus affecting your diet.

– Strength Training releases endorphins which help reduce stress for an improved mental state.

Most of us are not professional athletes. We have jobs and families which consume a large amount of our time, leaving little time for golf, golf instruction, and even less for fitness. Therefore a workout should be efficient – large gains in a short period of time.

* Interesting side note: Jones was also the creator of the “Jumbolair” estate (the image above), originally created as a haven of 350 acres for orphaned African elephants and other wildlife, in addition to being an accomplished pilot with a flying record of over 44,000 hours.

Here’s a short clip of 2010 ReMax Long Drive Champ Joe Miller – I’m guessing he’s done some strength training in his life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cDabu57GaE&feature=related. This ball went 414 yards, mostly in the air. And here’s runner-up Domenic Mazza’s action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmF_j49ly60&feature=related. FYI, Mazza is a 16 year-old left handed baseball pitcher on his high school team who can throw it in the high 80’s (check out that left hand grip!)

Need some help for your head on the golf course? Dive into the words of arguably the greatest sports psychologist EVER – Jack Nicklaus, in My Story (http://www.amazon.com/Jack-Nicklaus-My-Story/dp/1416542248). With all due respect to those in the biz with advanced degrees plastered all over their walls, how many Majors have they won? In his own words, Nicklaus recounts how he dealt with all the doubts and fears (yes, even he had plenty them) on his way to winning 18 professional major championships, and two U.S. Ams.

Speaking of Nicklaus, his name came up in my conversation with Peter Kessler on XM radio last month. Miss it? Voila:

Listen Now

CS Update and Holiday Offerings

CS Golf’s “Universal Golf Lesson Health Care Plan.” The Prez’ has been controversial, to say the least, but this one’s a no brainer when it comes to getting ‘aid’ for your golf game. Special pricing available through the end of this year, and lessons must be completed by May 1, 2011 at either Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, or my studio at the KOR:

One Hour ‘Checkup:’ $100 (a $125 value)

Three Hours of ‘Surgery:’ $275 (a $375 value)

To purchase, contact me here

Other great lesson options and gifts, including I’ve Got 99 Swing Thoughts but ‘Hit the Ball’ Ain’t One, and the Better Golf CD, available at http://christophersmithgolf.com/.

“I’ve always thought I can keep improving. I go to practice every day not to practice; I go to practice every day to try to learn something and to keep improving my level."

Happy Holidays!

Best,

~ CS ~