- Audio version at the end of this post –
I played 18 holes yesterday with my brother Ken and Jack, our putting coach. The day was beautiful with just a slight breeze, sun shining and perfect blue sky. By our 11:30 tee time the temperature was warming up nicely to the mid sixties in the North Carolina foothills. We checked in, got our carts and jetted to the first tee to find an empty tee and hole. Things were looking good for a smooth and speedy round. We cruised for the first 4 holes and then hit the wall on number 5. Turning the corner of the woods approaching 5 tee, a single was standing there waiting to hit. He mentioned the course was stacked up from there forward and that we should join up as playing a foursome would be more enjoyable with less waiting. Little did I know I was about to get an education in the problems of golf.
I’ll call our new friend, Guy. He was a real nice guy, and he played this course often and was very free with his help and suggestions about how to play each hole. Fortunately, he wasn’t overbearing on this, only chiming in if we started talking about distances or strategy or the course layout. We knew the course well as we play there fairly often, and for the most part his comments and suggestions were correct.
Jack and Ken got Guy talking and we found out he had been playing golf for years and is a regular weekly player. He had good equipment, a new top brand driver, a golden oldie set of top quality irons I liked, and a set of Tour quality, high priced wedges. He played with a high priced top brand ball, wore top brand shoes and had a big staff size golf bag sporting a top brand big company name that had nothing to do with any of his clubs, or his ball, just his shoes. It was obvious he loved golf and was somewhat serious about his game.
Guy had a comment after every shot, especially the bad ones. He was the master of the golf clichés. One time he hit a high pop up, pull that went around 120 yards into the left woods. “I tried to power that one.” Another time he chunked a wedge that went around 10 yards. “I picked my head up.” After another chunk, “I moved forward.” His putting setup and stroke looked OK but he had the touch of a blacksmith. He compounded bad by the fact he never played enough break. When a putt is hit it too hard and misses the break high point on the low side by 2 feet on a 3 foot break, missing low and fast runs it way by the hole. Then after a line drive knee high skull over the green I heard the Mack Daddy excuse. “I guess I am not out here today to shoot a good score. I guess I am out here to just enjoy this great day.”
Guy hit the occasional good to great shot in around the ratio of 1 in 6 shots. He hit every type of drive, from tops to pop ups to big slices and hook. But when he connected he could bomb it. His big problem was chunking pitches with a sand wedge, sometimes two or three times, before finally reaching the green.
It was obvious Guy wanted to play well but had some serious issues getting in his way. His posture was awful. He reached for the ball so much he was close to falling down. His stance was too wide and he was aimed, most of the time, 40 to 50 yards right. His swing compounded his setup issues with lifting his front heel up at least 4 inches, kicking his front knee in halfway to his back knee and he sucked the club dead inside as he turned his shoulders well past 90 degrees, giving himself a big reverse tilt backswing. He used he same setup and swing for every shot, from his wedges to his driver. He had more angles in his swing than a crooked car salesman.
The only good thing I could see was that he maintained a good temperament and apologized for us having to look for his ball. Guy also did not play the “What-did-I-do-wrong-Q & A-game” of trying another setup adjustment or swing change after each shot. He stayed with his program, through the good and bad.
Guy definitely could play a respectable game of golf I am sure. Some of his comments suggested that there was a deep down desire of his to improve. He had the strength, length and good co-ordination. He just needed to get a good setup, alignment and swing. Learning the PPGS limited turn ¾ backswing, keeping his front foot and knee quiet, would certainly help him.
What I think he needed most of all, as do many player’s based on what I see and hear when out on the course and even in lessons, is a dose of reality. Get his head out of the thin air and back to earth atmosphere. Dump the clichés and meaningless comments, as they are nothing but excuses. I can’t believe anyone plays golf wanting to and accepting hitting bad shots and playing poorly. We all want to hit good shots and play a respectable to good game of golf. My experience with my students is 99% of all golfers have reasonable playing expectations that they should be able to achieve. The sad thing is they don’t and don’t even come close.
With that being the case, hitting a bad shot is a clue or message that his game needs some help, not another excuse or dismissal. Get on the practice tee, putting green and short game area and start working on his game. Naturally, getting some competent instruction would help immensely in speeding up this improvement program.
So let’s all become or at least head in that direction to become, the golfers we want to be. Ditch the clichés and excuses. Start keeping stats (especially your putts) to know what the good and the bad is in your game. Practice the good to keep it good and then work even harder practicing the bad to turn it to good. The key to remember is that doing your stats and doing the practice all takes place with your head and mind out of the thin air in the clouds and down here on earth.
The Surge!
- Use these controls for the audio version of this post –
Get Flash to see this player.
Tell me what you're thinking... and what part of the golf swing, or this great game... you'd like to know more about. If you want your pic to show with your comment, go get a 
I am a pretty good golfer with a 4 handicap, but for the past few years have got into issues with my fairway woods, and am also hooking every shot. I have to aim right on almost all iron shots, and with
fairway woods cant get the ball in the air at all.
Surge: Would you comment on the difference of the mental approach to practicing the PPGS method and then what a player should focus on during play? Thanks, http://www.aboutjuniorgolf.com
Gilbert:
Many players have a tendency to play with a closed clubface. Meaning they look at the top edge of the club to line up their shot instead of the leading edge or first groove. This will lead to a closed clubface and will lead to pulled shots or low hooks. Attempt to square the face to your target and maybe just a hair open and see if that helps.
You may also be slowing your hands down at impact and allowing the hands to flip. Meaning the club gets through the ball before the hands. This can also cause a low left trajectory. http://www.aboutjuniorgolf.com
I’ve been playing golf for 1&1/2 years, and have just started getting close to my goal of plying “bogie golf”. I appreciate your P.P.G.S. lessons as they’ve helped me a great deal.
I will continue to practice the swing and working on my game until I reach my goals and there-after.Thank you again for the help.
egolfpro@comcast.net
Surge,
I’m well on my way using PPGS, hitting much straighter and generally with a consistent yardage for all my sticks. And I’m taking your advice regarding getting to a certified professional club fitter with a goal of getting a more common feel to the entire set.
My problem is, if I want to access professional guidance in the PPGS method, where can I turn other than travelling to your retreat in Florida or Carolina. My pro doesn’t get it when I try to outline the basics of PPGS and keeps pushing the old “Wagon wheel, full shoulder turn, keep the right elbow in close to your side, cock the wrists”, you’ve seen it all before.
I live in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto. Are there any teachers of the PPGS and all its facets, here that you could recommend in this area?
Many thanks
Are golf balls still unbalanced? Quite often two of us putt on the same line and one ball would roll straight to the hole and the other would veer off in a different direction, or would skip along instead of rolling along smoothly, especially when hit fairly briskly on a longer putt. Jon D
My handicap is now 19 after a lay off of some 10 years. It was previously 12. I have lost a great deal of distance off my drives max 210yds and longer iron shots. My current problem is slicing. i suspect it’s my grip and “out to in swing”. Try as I might I can’t get to draw the ball to give me that extra distance. Any simple tips? The 3/4 swing definitely has helped.
I use Golfcard app on iPhone to keep track of stats.
It also helps plan my round. That and PPGS have me
playing better and scoring lower. No doubt I want to play well
and make good shots, not good excuses
I like what you stated in the videos and the manual about excuses made for a bad shot. Just go to the next shot and “hit it the right way”. Makes sense to me.
The purchase of your lessons has led to a great improvement for me this year. I thought that I was pulling some drives …but thanks to these daily messages from you, I checked the alignment and sure enough, that was the problem.
There does not seem to be any conflict between your lessons and those by Ernest Jones so I am trying both together. Shots that feel solid and go straight are nice … and gave me bogey golf today … but without more length, par is out of reach if the par 4 hole is more than 300 or the par 3 is more than 165. How can I get more distance with all of the clubs?
Absolutely fantastic discussion. Only when we realistically analyze our strengths and weaknesses will we be able to improve. Early this season I was really struggling which all began with the shanking of the wedges but then it got into my head and my whole game went down the tube. I tore my whole swing apart and started to put it back together. The PPGS was an invaluable part of that but what was really exciting was how much I learned about the golf swing. First step was (I reiterate) realization that I had a basic problem with my swing and not fooling myself into thinking this was just a bad day that would somehow get better. Practicing the wrong thing over and over will only further ingrain the WRONG thing.
Surg:
I am now a beliver in reducing my driver to 44 inches. What length do you Rx for the ladies?
Dave
Great comments and good advice! Just a quick question – has anyone out there had any experience with making all the irons the same length? I’ve read articles and talked to other golfers that say all the irons are easier to hit if they are all the same length. Any input would be greatly apprreciated. Have a great day! R2
Starting to get used to the basic priciapals of the PPGS but after having to take a couple of days off in between rounds (norhtern player) I find my self getting in the way of myself. No matter how much I try my left shoulder keeps crossing over in front of me and closing my shoulders. Am I forgetting something in the setup?
Coach
Hi Don,
Interesting article about you and Ken ‘picking up’ a solo player, ‘Guy’, during a social round. Under those circumstances, do Golf Pros – like medical doctors – refrain from making comments, in social situations, on people’s swings/medical problems?
I’ve played in several Pro-Ams and the pros, generally, do not make comment on the amateur’s swings. They will, however, give advice if they are asked a specific question. Recognising that the Pro is in his ‘office’ trying to make a living, I usually hold back questions about my swing. but instead ask for their opinion on various methods/techniques, etc.
You might post a future comment on the ethics of interaction between Pros and Amateur players during Pro-Ams, Don.
Interesting what TB says. The major fault in the PPGS is what has been said many times in the past which can be encapsulated in the saying ” A picture is worth a thousand words.” For me there is too much talk and not enough action. We learned as children to copy by what we saw not remembering words ad infinitum. This fills us with too many thoughts while we swing. I suggest Don takes a look at the Ron del Barrio golf tips. He SHOWS us what to do and in a simple way. Don could take a leaf from his book and give us a breakdown of the PPGS swing not the poor photos that have been posted, seemingly out of sequence.
Great comment Michael, I can only say I am Ken Trahan and the way I look at it once you have teed it up it is too late to work on the swing. The instruction is done before the round is played, sorry just my thoughts.
PPGS seems to be alot like Natural golf. A much wider stance seems to be the biggest difference. I’m looking forward to hitting a couple of buckets in the spring when my shoulder and back have healed and the snow will be gone.
PPGS seems to be alot like Natural golf. A much wider stance seems to be the biggest difference. I’m looking forward to hitting a couple of buckets in the spring when my shoulder and back have healed and the snow will be gone.
Actually I disagree we advocate a stance equal to your shoulders, with a duck feet stance angled about 30 degrees. This will give you better balance, thanks Ken.
Michael,
You are correct about not asking the pro for swing advice or even discussing swing theory when playing in pro-ams especially if he is not your home club pro as he technically is at work.
When I play in a Pro Am I will take the pressure off the players by telling them on the first tee that I will be happy to make comments and suggestions about their swing or help them with any aspect of playing and all they have to do is “ask.” I would suggest any time you play with a pro, if he/she does not come out and announce help is OK to ask for as I do, you should ask them on the first tee if it is oK to ask for their help.
It never happened to me, but a real good friend of mine who was a PGA Tour player playing in the Big Wednesday high Price Pro Am on tour told me about a bad experience he had with an amateur one time that led me to never give advice without being asked. He said in one pro-am he had a player that basically did everything from whiffing to every conceivable bad shot know to golfers and never even sniffed hitting a descent shot. He finally felt he had to go over and offer some help. When he did, the man blasted him with a bunch of ugly expletives and baiscally told him to mind his own business. I guess frustration caused him to blow a gasket and unpleasantly at that.
So, most pros like a doctor will stay mute until you pop the question. But the best policy is to get the Q & A issue settled on the first tee.
The Surge!
Sir,
When am I going to get my videos? If you cannot deliver it, please refund my money.
Thanks,Ed
Sir Ed, I respect your comment, but I cannot help you or advocate that you are a PPGS member when all you say is where are my videos? I’m confused? When and if you are a PPGS member than I would appreciate your affiliation with PPGS. Such as E-MAIL address, First and Last Name, City etc: If you have any questions please call me personally at 864-525-7366 Ken Trahan. By the way my bold statement to these ridiculous accusations are unfounded. I have put out my personal E-MAIL and phone number and have had no calls, imagine that.
To Randy Beckett,
Congratulations to Brittany on her ‘ace’. Your coaching, no doubt, played a big part in your daughter’s success. The statistics indicate that, on average, golfers score a hole-in-one every 27 years. Hopefully, Brittany won’t have to wait that long for her second ace.
Your contributions to this forum are invaluable, Randy,so it’s nice to hear that the Beckett family is on a roll.
Cheers
This forum was set up to help the golfers not do vengeful things that are in my question not warranted. If anyone has any comments that are not Instruction or directly related to the PPGS golf swing please call me personally Ken Trahan PPGS Staff at 864-525-7336, Have a great golfing day, Ken.
Hey Surge, loved your discussion about your day with “Guy” on the course. Wow I would love it if I was lucky enough to be added to your foursome! I played today and just wanted to make quick observation and ask a question. First I have never hit it straighter or felt as on track as I do now since learning the PPGS. (And boy am I still learning it). I have moved 2 steps forward and occasionally 1 step back as I relearn the golf swing (I should say learn it really for the first time correctly). I am being as patient with myself as I can. I had great immediate results and then seem to lose it and then get it again. It took me 35 years to get this messed up so it wil be while until i get it right.
My question is, could have blog about what those of us with developing arthritis in our hands can do to still play fairly well. I know you mentioned you have no cartilage in your right thumb(right?). Did you mention larger grips might help> Anything else? I”m sure dozens of your aging clients would appreciate coverage on this subject.
Thanks
To: TB Who has the balls to advertise his bullsh*t website on the Surge’s blog is lower than whale sh*t and there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that I would ever consult with you, TB, whoever the hell you are!
TB-Whoever you are, you must be one obnoxious SOB that I consider myself fortunate not to know. Ken’s columns and forums have done a lot of good for many. If you are so far advanced in your capabilities, why read them? If the situation does not apply to you, don ‘t argue-keep your mouth shut.
Hi Don,
Thanks for your comments re seeking advice from Pros during Pro-Am events. I usually ask on the 1st Tee if it is OK to ask questions, and/or invite them to feel free to make comments about my swing/club selection, etc. I would only ask a question during a delay in play, such as waiting on a green to clear. Our club adds a bit of extra interest to the annual Pro-Am by forming teams of 2 Pros and 2 amateurs. The pros play stroke (for money) and the amateurs play stableford. A separate score is kept for the team’s best-ball stableford score.
A final word on the matter of seeking advice from playing Pros: My amateur playing partner was having a bad day, just like the volatile amateur in your story. After a flurry of terrible shots, he turned to one of the Pros and asked: “what am I doing wrong”? The Pro replied: ” everything”
Cheers
What did Guy have to say about the way you and your friends were hitting the ball. He must have been stunned because I am sure you were all using the PPGS swing.
To Roy Reed:
In response to your question on irons being the same length. It has been done by Tommy Armour Golf years ago in a set called the EQL. 1Irongolf is currently doing it. The inherent problem is finding heads that all weigh the same thing which would be essential. They have to have the heads made for the system. Normal head weight differential is 7 grams from head to the next head in the progression. So, if you were going to make a set all the same length, you’d have to add a ton of weight to the long irons and remove a good bit of weight from the short irons. Then you’d have to set all the heads at the same lie angle. This is doable with some sets but if you look at the .5* difference in lie angles in most sets and the fact that most sets only recommend being +/- 2*, you could run into some problems there. Hope this helps!
I notice a lot of pro golfers seeming to choke down on their iron shots,(full) are they using longer clubs for this, I seem to hit my shots thin when I choke up?
Hi Don. I loved the story about your round with “guy”. I know I have been him before…I started out on the course yesterday excited to try out the new swing assuring myself that I had it down…well I must say I hit some decent shots and some not so good ones too….I decided to head to the range after 9 holes and continue to practice the swing….I’m still not clear as to wether I’m doing it correctly but do think I’m making progress…I would like to hear your comments regarding handling the tension associated with the game. I often play by myself and am pretty reluctant to get paired up with strangers…I guess I’m a little embarrassed of my game and my nerves seem to make me play worse…What are your reccommendations for overcoming this. I love the game and really really want to become a good player. Thanks again.
I find the hardest thing about golf is that you cannot see yourself; only the results. How can we comment on what we just did? When I run into an issue with my game and then finally break down and go see a pro, I, of course, have assumptions about what the problem is. We all do, right? If I have gone to a pro 10 times, as an example, do you know how many times my assumtions have correlated with the adjustments the pro has made? Zero. So, I agree, get your head out of the clouds, go see a good professional and find what it is you should be working on. It can save alot of needless time searching. I used to think it was weak to ask for help. I started watching golf in a era where golfers did not have swing coaches and the greatest thing a commentator could say about a golfer is that he never had a lesson. I’m willing to bet that all of those guys had a lot of competent people give them feedback, or make a minor adjustment, or “take a look” tell me what you see kind of thing and never considered that a lesson, but it was. No one develops their game in a vacuum.
It would be interesting Surge for you to comment on how often a person who comes for a lesson because their game is “in the tank” knows what the “real” issue (s) are.
I hit alot of my irons off of the toe.Could you suggest one thing i could do to help me.?
What is the most difficult shot for most amateurs? It’s the one where people are watching: the first tee, the approach shot in front of the bar patio, etc. I think that when you make any comment on someone else’s swing during the round, you are tacitly telling them that their swing is being scrutinized. I have a friend who will say things like, “I can hardly wait to see how your new swing performs on the course,” or, while I’m pulling out my driver, “Ooo, the big stick…I love how hard you smack that thing,” or “Why do you ____ when you are ____?” Now the first tee is every shot.
While I would love the opportunity to play with the Surge and have him comment on my game as we played, this would have to be the expressed objective of the day — from both sides. While the comments here seem to focus on the etiquette of amateurs asking advice from a pro, I think there is equal question whether a pro (or anyone else) should offer advice on the course.
For me, the range is for working on my swing and the course is a place to play. I believe the only comment you should ever make about another person’s game on the course should be “great shot.” (Even when I’m asked for advice on the course, I’ll usually say something like, “Let’s talk about it after the round.” Trying to make even slight adjustments can be devastating to your game for awhile, so I don’t think you should try implementing them on the course.)
Isn’t it an indicator of insanity to keep repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result? People who make dumb excuses for bad shots are deluding themselves and it is the absolute antithesis of the 5th secret.
If you are struggling with your swing get realistic and have someone who understands your swing to have a look at it, preferably a teaching pro. This should be done in a practice environment and not in competion play, my only advice I give in comp play is on alignment – thats it.
Regards, Craig S