Welcome back to the “Top Ten Master Mistakes” Video series.
Our topic today in lesson number 5 is alignment.
Basically that means “the way you aim your body”.
How big a deal is this?
Well, I’d say that 90 to 95% of ALL swing problems arise out of alignment.
So not only is alignment important… but it’s critical!
If alignment is a problem for you, then getting today’s lesson lodged firmly in your brain is going to have a major impact on your very next game. And when you load it up with the rest of these tips, you’ll be the new King (or Queen) of your local links!
Enough build up, let’s get down to business:
I see so many amateurs aiming way to the right or way to the left of their target. When I point it out to them, they often reply, “Oh, I have to do that to compensate for my hook!”… or their slice. I then ask if them if they really want to play that hook or slice. And, of course, they always reply that they would rather hit it straight.
Well, the key here is that if you don’t want that big hook or slice then don’t set up way left or right to play for it.
Because if you do it will take more of what you don’t want to hit it to the target.
Remember… “what you focus on grows larger” and to hit it straight you have to AIM… Parallel Left.
Work on this don’t get lazy with it!
This is often what separates the boys from the girls in golf.
Now, there’s one last thing I want to say on this before we end today’s lesson.
I have found my teachings to be like a giant meat cleaver cutting through the sea of humanity and separating golfers into two very distinct groups:
(1) Those who “get” alignment.
(2) Those who don’t get alignment.
The fact is, almost nobody teaches alignment.
And if you want to know the real “secret” to humiliating your friends, winning bets and dominating tournaments, then alignment is IT.
This is why I spend a LOT of time on alignment in my Peak Performance Golf Swing DVD Series.
In fact, just to make SURE my students “get” it, I even have a special bonus video where D.J. (who has so far won 2 PGA Championships with this swing) and I BOTH walk you through alignment step-by-step.
This one part of the PPGS alone can make you a super star on the links. I see it all the time.
You can grab your copy of my HD Videos now at:
| See you then. |
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| Don Trahan “The Swing Surgeon” |
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 
Don: Somehow I missed the fourth lesson. I am a lefty and age 80. Shoot in the low eighties. Need a few lessons with the short game and alignment.
I focus on alignment on every shot and I agree that alignment is essential to success. It does not stop pulls and pushes, but without it any successful shot is an accident.
Dear Don,
Many thanks for the terrific tips and I’ll attempt to begin to put
them into action here in Bristol, England tomorrow morning!
Cheers,
Richard.
Hi Don!
What about Trevino? One of the all time greats. Alignment consistently 25-30 degrees to the left of the target. The open stance let him come through the shot more easily and he worked the ball left to right, right to left, rarely/never straight. I get what you are saying but what if I develop a sense of my natural address position and understand the physics of what happens to the ball from that stance and can get the ball to fly predictably, aren’t I better doing that than always trying for a ’square’ stance, which may not suit me physically or, for exactly the reasons you outline, I may never be able to figure out exactly what constitutes a ’square’ stance.
By the way, have you figured out whether right handed, left eye dominant person tends to fade the ball more, or is there no general rule?
I think the videos are great, by the way.
Best regards
Lyall Davidson
I believe in attempting to line up square or as you put it parallel left being a right hander. My problem sometimes is simply seeing it and getting into that parallel left alignment. I’ll think I am square but playing partners will say you are lined up to the right of the target. I think my subconscious mind says you are going to hook it so compensate…
In my mid 50’s, desperate to get off 28 after 5 yrs of sporadic playing, I turned to Don’s videos (with HUGE scepticism). Thought what do I have to lose? This is true – after 5 days my game is utterly transformed. No idea what’ll happen to my handicap as I haven’t got to the course yet but my swing is amazing (i mean the results, the swing probably looks terrible). Especially the flat wrist lesson – went into the garden and hit 60 wedges. 55 of them were perfect. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Just hope I hang on to it. Thanks Don.
Hi Don, I think your viedo’s are great. Being Lefthanded, I am trying to convert your viedo’s over. The straight wrist seem to help, only got to hid 4, or 5. The ball did fly straighter.But with Iowa weather,(rain) right now it is hard to get out to hit some balls.Enjoying your lessons very much. As soon as I hit the ball, I know wheather my alingment, is on or off. Using a club to help align really helps.Thanks for your tips
Thanks Don Good leason makes a lot of sence.
Alignment is definetly the key. I am usually 10 to 30 yards off line with my driver, so I can not wait to go out and try this. thanks Don, help well needed.
as I.m in Austraia do I actuly get vidio discs as your free D/loads are spasmodic and cannot make anything of them
hi don ive been playing golf for 3 monthes now,4 lessons from you,i now can hold my own on a course,my first round on a golf course i hit a lucky 90,many thanks
we’re having bad weather here in upstate new york
so getting out to play it n/a
What do you mean by parallel ” left” Willier
dear miracle,
dear miracle, the videos are great and through your first four videos i was able to use them together in a single round. wow!! honest to goodness i hit 10 greens in regulation which is awesome. this alignment will help even more. it is hard to find true remidies that are free.
I am a 49 year old woman who began playing golf about three months ago. I happened upon your videos and they have improved my game dramatically. Now the guys I’m playing with want to know how I was able to get so much better from one game to the next!! Thanks so much.
You talked about how important ‘alignment’ is. You do not show on the video the actual ‘alignment’ for an actual ‘target’. BTW what is ‘parallel left’. Thanks for the lesson
Perhaps I missed it, but did youo have a lesson on putting? That’s where we all lose strokes.
thanks! i have a wicked slice!!!
Good stuff Don. I look forward to getting back to your basics.
Thanks again for being so real and a bottom line guy.
OK I’m a righty and left eye dominant. Do I use my left eye for target alignment and is this a plus, because I suck at golf and want to learn how to play. We have huge outings with guys at work on occasion, and I feel bad holding them up on the course. My experiance is 2 rounds 10 yrs. ago and 2 rounds this month. Thanks Brett.
How do I determine if I am Right or Left Eye Dominate?
To Brett Doran,
The solution to all of your problems and the answer to all of your questions is to purchase the PPGS manual and DVDs.
To Bob,
Point your index finger at an object with both eyes open. Now close your left eye. If your finger is still pointing directly at the target, then you are right eye dominant. If the finger moves away from the target, you are left eye dominant. This exercise works for me.
Took your lessons to the park and hit 6 balls. Wow! All straight and a club longer in distance with the PW and 8i. Headed to the driving range and I was hitting straighter up to the 4i but the swing didn’t work for me on my woods and driver. I was all over the place, mostly popped them up. Problems: going up to 12:00 I have a tendency to straighten up and keeping outward pressure on my knees felt like it restricted my hips from turning. The good long shots were all pushed left. With the irons while the shots are hit better and go longer I have no control whether it’s going right , left, or straight. I have a bad back and am a high handicapper that haven’t played very often in the last 8 years but I intend to give your method a honest go so that I can teach my grandsons. Thanks for the lessons.
Don,
Again, you do not show what parallel left is for right handers. In all of your videos you do a lot of talking, but you never demonstrate anything. All I keep seeing is your waist up, you could at least put some demonstration into it.
Don,
I seem to have not gotten the second video. Would it be possible for you send it to me. I am really enjoying the videos.
Thanks
sorry but its like all else you dont get any thing for free i can talk lik you do all you want people to do is buy your productsorry but no good
Dear Don: I’m hitting my woods great,but I seem to always hit my irons thin, even my wedge! How do I stop this habbit.
Bruce
I agree with you that sight and alignment are very diffficult. In you lesson you spoke very quickley about parllel lines to the left of the target. I am not sure I understand how much left of the target? Is it just the distance between your body and the ball lying on the ground or something else? I normally go behind the ball and pick a target that I want the ball to go towards and then try to align my stance to try to hit the ball at the target. I have even gone so far as to hang my arms down with the club held in each hand across my thighs to make sure that my alignment is slightly left of the target.
Thanks
Tim
hi don, this is one of my biggest problems , hopefully your advice will sort this problem out…
thanks don , great videos by the way
pep
Dan thanks for the videos, but when I pull them up, there is no video.
Don:
I bought the program even before the free lessons are done. I’m a few days away from my 66th. birthday play left handed and to a 12 handicap. I have four discs in my back that are compressed.
During the past several years I’ve had to lay down on the floor after a round to loosen up a very stiff back. Also After buying another golf instruction program earlier in the year, that promoted placing weight on the inside of the feet. (legs pinched in slightly) I developed pain in my right knee that was severe enough to cause a lip in my walk for a couple of hours after the round.
I bought your program last week. After watching the video and reading the manual through once I went to my front lawn and practiced the set up in all detail. Hit a few seven irons. Could not get to a range because of several rain storms.
So I have played two rounds of golf and am pleased to say that the pain in the knee has not recurred. My back has not stiffened up after either round.
I am hitting the irons better in two departments. Smaller divots. More on target. And with a bit more distance. By the way I was just fitted with new irons and these last two rounds are with them in the bag. I have not had too much problem with my driver performance over the last several months except for fighting the ocassional hook. But I have done pretty well with the PPGS in that department as well. Not a whole lot of gain in distance but most drives in play. I still have to work on the downswing in terms of the “up” . Haven’t quite got that part yet.
All in all very good results so far with no practice. Can hardly wait to get to the range. The lack of pain and stiffness in the back is worth the price of admission alone.
Will do a follow up in a week or so.
Thanks. Awfully glad I found you and your PPGS.
Les Howard
Les,
Great to hear that your swing and shots are working and improving. Best news is that your knee and back are not hurting. The PPGS setup and swing are in harmony with physics as the club is suppose to be swung to maximize the laws and in harmony with physiology to swing as your body is designed to move which is also in harmony with physics. You are experiencing the results of feeling better and hitting better because of playing by the rules of nature. Keep up the good work.
Don
While informative on their own, don’t you folks get it that these are just teases from DT to get you to buy the full DVD series?
hi,don I received video no. 5 today and had a chance to try a couple things out at the range. pw through 6i were fine but I still dont understand the tree and catchers mitt stuff. must be in a later video. I’m 77 a twelve hdcp and love my iron game. i’ve recently had a refresher lesson with my local pro on alignment and swing, his teachings are similer to yours. im also not stranger to training videos. aj and his truth about golf , some group from chicago that almost requires a yoga lesson before you can hit a ball. and last but certainly not least the two disk ( or was it three? ) set from the stack and tilt guys. I sat through 35 minutes of the first disk and found myself saying please will someone hit a ball ? it was like sitting through a geometry class with a hangover. I paid the viewing fee and sent them back. so my question to you is do I get hard disks that I can watch in my dvd player? and do you start from scratch, (backswing followthrough etc. let me know I’m interested in the content. have enjoyed the videos so far. roger
Hi Don,
I’m almost 70 and playing (hacking) for 20 or more years. Lately purchased new hybrids and right out of the box began hitting them left (pulled). I opened the face a few degrees and still pulled them left. Finally went to a course with a driving range on grass (no mats) and found out the follow thru may be the answer. I am aligned according to feet position but may be swinging out to in.
thanks – don2
Don, Just saw lesson #5. Thanks….but what do you mean by : “Parallel Left”?
Rob
Rob,
“Parallel Left” refers to your feel being parallel to the line the ball is on to the target. Imagine a set of railroad tracks… the ball is on one track and your feet are on the other track… which when you are looking at the target from behind the ball, you feet are “left” of the intended line or ball flight (hence the term “Parallel Left”.
Dean
don-
i am a lefty so I would be parallel right and what do you mean by lining up parallel right or left i am sort of confused about that. bthanks for all of your help the videos have been great so far.
thanks, -shane
are your free video lessons that only show you talking and not showing the actual swing or like # 5 was alignment all you did was talk.
I understand you want me to order the videos and if I see to much that wouldn’t be good.
will I see your feet before your videos are done
thanks
laroy
Don ,
I watched your first four videos over the last four days and played nine holes this morning. I concentrated on the shorter backswing and stability of my stance – I parred the first 6 holes and then,in shock,played the last 3 in 4 over
I play off 15 and felt I could par the course!!
Don,
Yes, I understand maketing and I know you are here to sell product. I am interested in buying the set. However it does make me a little skeptical when you advertive the 10 free videos as instructional videos. The only video is of you talking. I realize you are giving instruction but you could do that with out the video you send to us. There is no demonstration of your instuction. I have no problem with that either but you said up front others can’t believe you are giving these away for free.
Well I’m not sure you are. Not upset, just curious.
Al
Don, I have enjoyed learning from your free videos #1-5, but haven’t received any more in about a week. Can you help?
Don,
Your system is ‘right on target’. If there is anyone who wants to improve themselves, they can start by listening to you. If there is anyone who does not understand you, they either are not listening to you or they really do not want to play good golf.
I have to agree. I was hitting the ball better than ever on the range today. ANYTIME that my ball was off target was because of me not taking the time to align myself. It really showed me two things. One my alignment wasn’t the cause of my good swing. The other was my good swing didn’t go straight if I wasn’t aligned correctly.
Harry,
You just got the picture of what I say that 90 to 95 percent of all bad shots arise out of alignment.
Don
Don,
I agree with several of the comments that address we’re seeing you from the waist up and you’re discussing issues that are from the ground to the waist. Need a better camera man.
Noticed you spent more time talking about the flaws of improper alignment and FINALLY addressed how to set up properly using clubs as alignment tools during the last few seconds of the streaming video. That really doesn’t help a student if you focus on the negative and really don’t talk about the positive.
On Aug 5, Dean addressed Rob’s question about parallel left alignment using the railroad track example. I think you could have mentioned this and shown an example by laying two clubs on the ground parallel to each other instead of spending more time addressing the effects of poor alignment.
You could have also addressed how to pick out an intermediate target in line between the ball and your intended target and how to properly align/set up with that target. That would be a lot more beneficial than what you provided.
In short, request you focus more on the proper way of the swing instead of the negative cause/effect of a poor setup and swing.
Received lesson #5 today which was suspoed to be on alignment. There was nothing to see or hear. Can you resend please.
Did not quite understand the term “parallel left”
Rick,
Think of “railroad tracks”. The ball is on one track, going directly to the target. You’re feet are on the other track… which is “parallel left” of the target.
Dean
Don, thanks for the lessons. Can you explain furture the parallel ‘left’ concept; in your video you briefly addressed it at the end and I didn’t understand what you really meant. Thanks.
my last tip was on august 31, #5. ihave not received any since.
tom giannetto
I believe in your analysis of the swing but I have a torn right rotator cuff. I tried the straight back takeaway and could not sleep the entire night. I did shoot couple strokes below my handicap that day but just can’t continue with this set up. Any ideas?? I have also had open heart surgery so shoulder surgery is out of the question.
I like the swing since it gave about 20 more yds on my drive but it just kills my left shoulder. Hope you have some ideas!
Jerry,
The PPGS setup and swing has parameters that are acceptable and in many lessons my job is to help the student find the best setup and swing they can do to maximize the laws.
Thus my suggestion for you is to experiment/test different takeaways and see if you can find one that reduces or has less stress and strain on your shoulder and produces a good swing and solid contact with a good flight that works for you.
Don
I’ve been struggling with my irons recently although my woods,hybrids and my short game have been carrying me to some decent rounds. I’ve narrowed down my issue to my right elbow. I can’t seem to get it to a 90 degree (or as close as possible) position on my upswing. It seems to me that I’ve gotten lazy with it and keep it slanted. I know that it’s never been at a 90 degree angle but I haven’t struggled with my irons this much in a long time. I’ve lost 10-15 yards per club. Instead of hitting it on the sweet spot, I’m catching it on the end opposite the hozzle or just thin. Really frustrating because it puts a ton of pressure on my short game. Any tips on how to work on getting the right elbow to the “right position”. I’ve been playing to a 9.5 most of the year but have been in the mid-high 80’s since my recent lapse. Any suggestions?
Best Alignment Tip: Stand a couple of yards behind the ball looking at where you want the ball to go so that you, the ball, and the target are in a straight line. Then look for a small mark/feature within 3 to 5 feet of the ball on the target line. Now take your stance to the ball with your feet parallel to the line from the ball to the intermediate target which you should be able to see without tilting your head to the side – this eliminates any dominant distortion. On the range, place another club on the ground with the shaft touching both toes. Verify if your line up is correct by now standing behind the grounded club and it should be pointing very slightly left of your target. The small mark/feature above is usually a small leaf, prominent blade of grass, discoloured patch of grass, divot, etc etc. On a teeing ground, I recommend you place your tee on the line back from your target and through a mark/feature, then line up your stance as above. The rules of golf do not discriminate on the position of your tee and ball on a teeing ground as long as it is within the legally allowed area.
Good luck, Arthur
Thanks Don alignment being so important to hitting the target, for some reason on the range I use targets(flags) to hit too and within and up to 130 yards I am fairly accurate within 1 to 5 yards of the flag on average but on the golf course for some reason I struggle when I am within that range any tips would be appreciated
2nd request.
I printed the PDF PPGS manual but there was no cover page just a table of contents as pg1. Any chance you have a cover page file you could send me
Hi Don, and yes you are the DON!! These video lessons are a god send to me and my game of golf. Just watching the first five have improved my game 500 per cent. I accually feel like a pro as i walk around the golf course and watch the surprise on the other(struggling) golfers as i drive a 300 plus yard tee shot or i hit a 130 yard pitching wedge shot and drop it 10 yards from the pin. Thankyou so much for these free lessons and for making my golf game so much more enjoyable and confidence filled each time i use your drills and tips as i line up for my next shot.
Yours most greatfully
Ben Whiting
Don!
Thanks so much for coming out with this video series. This has not only helped me, put has also helped the group I play with. When I watch other golfers and their setup, I can tell by the way they are setup where the ball is going to end up. I haven’t gotten the complete series as of yet, but everyone whats to know how to get more power and distance out of their golf swing. Any help you can give on that, would be very beneficial to everyone!
Thanks Again!
Jim Morey
hi Don, really like that you are an alternative thinker. and from what i have read, your lessons are pretty out there!!
i have never had an actual lesson ever and i rarely play 18 holes, just a lot of 9 holes – i have 3 kids under 3(twin boys and and alittle angel girl) but i have been playing random work events, and as a result am usually suggesting a handicap of 24 or there abouts – i have NEVER submitted a card in my life and am not a member at any club.
points wise, i get called a bandit – i scored 38, 37 and 41 in my first ever real comp – a rugby union sports tournament in spain, at La Manga club. not long back
these guys hate it, and think i am full of it, and i actually got my award taken off me from the organiser who said i was lying about my handicap… i finished 2nd out of 120 players and was awarded some hybrid club – for about 30 seconds anyway…..
pretty demorolising really, anyway, still enjoy a round.
My enjoyment is really about hitting a good shot – good contact and one of those ones you go, whoa… what a shot… – typically 1 in 100 in a usual round. i prefert the Tiger line if you will.
but back to the point, last ‘free video you sent you refer to alinging parrallel left.
what the hell does that mean?
could really use some help on this as your ideos are pretty vague. i have been trying to incorporate your veiws, but get stuck with meanings – as i am not a full time golfer… and have no reference points.
if you could let me know this would be great, if not cos you are busy, i understand.
so you know, i am an Australian living in London, and trying to stay sane with some form of sport over here!!! might explain the determination to hit a great shot every shot – rather than ‘manage the course’….
thanks again,
hopefully hear from you soon.
Regards,
Brent Backhouse
Brent,
Alignment is best described as a railroad track. The ball rests on the outside track which is pointed at the target and is thus called the target or aiming line. To be set up square as I teach for hitting relatively straight shots, your body, toes, knees, hips, shoulders and eyes are on the inside track and thus “parallel left” of the aiming line.
Don
just had to let you no that i was and probably still am a little, sceptical of a 3/4 swing getting greater distance than a full swing. But played so poorly my first nine holes on thursday, that i decided to give it a try afteronly recieving the first 3 lessons. I was happily surprised to find that the modified swing didnt give me any more distance but i hit the ball straiter than i ever have, and to me thats like gaining 50 yards easy. So I am eagerly awaiting more lessons, and will continue to work on my swing.
By the way thank you for straiting out my swing.
Love your tips but did not get 3 or 4. Can you please resend them? Thanks
I am on our high school golf team and stumbled across this. I have watched only 4 videos and didn’t have time to practice what he taught on the range, but I did practice through out our nine holes we play every day. I eagled our par 5! Solid as can be using his technique while hitting my 7 iron 190 yards to the center of the green.
Don,
The greater society of left handed golfers, would really appreciate ALL instructors, changing their annoying habit of teaching everything in a right handed fashion.
I emplore you to use top, bottom, front and back instead of right and left.
Thanks for the videos. It’s always good to hear teh fundamentals again.
Ben McGrath
Dear Don,
Holy Smokes–your method worked quite well–I used lessons 1 thru 4 on the range and the course 10/03/09. I was impressed with the results and like everything else you need to practice these methods. After the first 9 holes I had to drop down 2 clubs, my six iron flew as far as as my four iron and around the greens I was a lot more deadlier with the pitching and lob wedges. I had a blast experimenting with the methods and I also played a good round of golf. It was a highly enjoyable day. Can’t wait for lessons 5 thru 10. Thank you very, very much for helping me out & taking the time to send the methods to everyone else also. Great Results.
Thank you
Robert J. Meisenzahl
Robert,
You’re very Welcome. I am sure lessons 5 – 10 will add more to your improvement.
Don
Hi Don,
I really enjoy your e-mails. I got onto your site a few days ago and want to sign up for your $19.95 offer but I am a little nervous because I recently changed my more upright swing to a flatter (much flatter) swing and it has helped a lot. I used to have big time right to left divots and they were deep enough to make a sand trap out of them. The flatter swing helped a lot. Since I read your comments today about Matt Kuchar’s flat swing I am a bit nervous to go back to a more upright swing which it sounds like your lessons offer. I am 63 years old, long time golfer, shoot between 90-100 regardless where I golf. Thanks for listening.
Can’t take my range practice to the golf course. Why? 5 yrs. ago I was shooting middle to high 80’s. My best game was 4 consectutive 80’s but never broke it . Played twice this week and shot 103,104. Am seriously considering just giving it up. I turned 60 in Sept. but I don’t consider my age a handicap.
Chuck,
I can’t give you an answer as to why your scores are so high with no information as to your swing and your game. You could be 3 putting or more too many holes and many other ways of throwing shots away like hitting it OB in water hazards, chunking and or skulling pitches and chips are you hitting slices o hooks or bot as well as chunks and or skull shots.
The first thing I would recommend is you keep some stats on a round as to fairways hit and if missed where and do the same for hitting greens and if missed, where. Also you need to track number of putts per hole, as well as when you miss a green, the results of the pitch or chip, and then the distance form the hole and the # of putts. Keeping your stats will give you a clue as to what your playing problems are. If you hit a lot of bad shots, there are likely swing problems and the description of the bad shot is a lead to the swing problem.
don thank you so much for the golf lessons you sent me cant wait to go to the range and practice what you told me in your lessens i know i will hit the ball much straighter and longer because your lessens told me what to do right because i was doing somethings wrong and and hopefully i dont have to worry about hurting my back (had back surgery awhle ago) .again thanks again and i will let you know how i make out warren
Don, quit sending me idiotic e-mails about a guy who made 3 birdies in a row. This pathetic attempt by you to act like your Micky Mouse babbling has anything to do with it disgusts me.You are surely a carnival huckster and know nothing about sound teaching of the motion of a golf swing! Go caddie for your son BEFORE he loses his tour card!
To Nicky Bucks
I understand your frustration with your swing and with your golf game. I understand your angst! And I understand the need to express your emotion of depression using the selected words and terms to create your outburst! But I don’t condone nor approve of the outburst itself!
This is, right now, a defining moment for you in your life. Do you finally allow yourself to be real for the first time? Do you finally for the first time, “cop” to the insecurities that define your athletic prowess.
Your outburst is also a crying out of the sadness that makes up your reaction to life and living. And what I read into your words, what lurks so clearly behind each and every one of them, is an anger manifested from a massive frustration of not having fulfilled the goals and expectations others have demanded of you all your lifelong days.
Stop! Take a time out from this post and reflect. A great philosopher once espoused “The authentic self is always revealed by what one truly cares about.“
Reflect now on what you really care about in this life. Reflect on how those cares motivate your every action — both physical and mental. Reflect on how Don’s words of encouragement fall mightily on the Buck’s deaf ears because of your own eternal frustration with the golf swing — and with your own personal conflicts with folks who come in and out of your life. Reflect on this one critical moment in your life that you can become really in touch with whom you are and you can make a decision to actualize your life to a place never ever before envisioned — a place of hope, a place of the giving of yourself to the advancement of love, and a place where you discover the goodness and affection within that has so long been inhibited and disguised.
God bless you and have a good and purposeful introspection.
Who is niner mike and why is he giving a twenty five cent sermon to a comment by a reader?? His eightth grade knowledge of psychology is truly funny.The only thing apparent by his long and rambling dissertation is that he can’t accept criticism at any level. Like a Snake Oil salesman confronted with his product’s failings,He protests too much!!
i played in a tournament yesterday and concentrated on a narrower stance and was hitting strainght to where I wanted it. Now I just have to concentrate on the putting technic that you have given me and I should be sweet. thanks so much.
also some of the video’s i look at are very stop and go not sure whether it’s my computor or not.
On alignment to be parrallel left does tht mean you aim about 18 inches left of target
To Jim
It isn’t the target that you align yourself parallel left. Doing that would misalign your feet. No! It is critical you align yourself always parallel left to your target “line.” Only then will your feet be properly placed in relation to the target.
Hi Don
All the tips are great….but what I am missing: Words and demonstations, graphics, pictures, etc.
My English is not very good, so I have difficultes to follow you!
Regards
Heinz
I am from aussie and your speech is all broken up and one cannot understand what you are saying.
is there a reason for this. thanks neil.
Lessons (or days) 4 and 5 contained texts only, not videos. Am I doing something wrong when clicking in? Thank you!
So far the video lessons have been disappointing at best. Surge talks and talks, repeats himself and tries to use clever phrases but he never shows you anything. This is the 5th video and so far nothing new. If his DVD lessons are like this it is going to be brutal to watch. Whats the video for if all you see is him talking?
hi don i don,t know if you will ever find the time to read this [i really hope so] and it would greatly make my year, i,ve been to 2 or three golf pros to try and push my game forward i have a handicap of 12 and the problem i,m stuck with is i bob up and down and i,m stuck on my right side which seems to be making me hi low shots left to right the [fade] as i,m well aware you know it so i,m losing distance gaining no height and never getting on par 4s in 2 its soul destoying golf is pretty much the only thing that makes me happy in life i know don there is no quick fixes in this game and the drills the pros in edinburgh scotland gave me dosn,t seem to work to well for me so i feel the great understanding of the game you have obtained over the years would be invalueable to me that would be the best chrismas present i could wish for. yours sincerely william. just in case you do help with a couple of hints about getting of that dreaded right side my email is astra90@hotmail.co.uk i know far to well this isn,t the kind of thing someone with such a high profile in the golfing world would do for just a mere mortal like me, i would be FOREVER ALLWAYS GRATEFUL TO YOU DON william.
please help me i,m stuck on my right side all the time low left shots to the right with no distance and never hitting par 4s in 2 its soul destroying please help
so, just out of curiosity, and the fact that I golf left handed, parallel right would be parallel left for a lefty right? sometimes I get confused because you golf right handed and I have to switch it over to my style ie> right hand being the front hand instead of the left. On a personal note, I’m really starting to consider opening an indoor driving range here in Central Alberta, with a foot of snow on the ground it’s really hard to practise my swing, and my wife got real upset when I took out that light bulb earlier today. Still trying to convince her to get me the dvd set for my birthday. I just started playing golf this year and it’s a lot of fun, as long as I hit the ball straight.
Don, so far the free lessons are great and validate everything I’ve been slowly figuring out after struggling with my swing for 35 years. I used to hit a 50-yard slice and tried everything I could to fix it without success. Once I started doing what you teach, the ball goes straight to where I aim it, except when I try to put a little “extra” into it. Then either the slice is back or I hit a pull-hook. I’m sure following you philosophy of the golf swing, I’ll be able to fix that.
On alignment, for those who have trouble understanding it, this is what I do since I can’t put 2 clubs down in a tournament. Stand behind the ball and pick out your target. Hold your club up with the shaft aligned from the ball to the target. Keeping the club aligned, pick a spot 2-3 feet in front of the ball on that line and keep your eyes on that spot. Move to the side of the ball and place your feet parallel to the line from the spot to your ball. If you lose your spot, do it over again. If you practice this, getting parallel becomes automatic. I hope this helps.
Was there supposed to be a video? None there for me…????
don, cant make any sence of your vidios ,stop ,start, not sure if problem is my end or yours………
but reading
I keep two plastic sticks in my bag for alignment practice on the range. This helps with aligning the feet and club face, but I still struggle with setting my shoulders squarely to the intended line. It helps to work with a partner for this. Once aligned, just focusing on the target seems to help the entire golf swing.
Hi don they are really hating me down at the local range now.I am hitting my driver 250 meters + the local pro keeps eyeing me off .I guess he hates the fact that i am nott getting any lessons from him,yet i am improving out of site all his students are asking me who i am seeing for lessons i laugh and say don whos don? they say i say the greatest tutor in the world and laugh. thanks Don loving it.
Hello Don,
What degree to the right should i position my right foot(right handed player) ?
Thanks,
David
OK, Don!
I’m taking my 64-year-old bod and 10 hcp out onto a local resort course for a 1 o’clock tee time, and I’m taking lessons one thru five with me!
It’s very interesting to me that your lessons promote many of the adjustments I’ve made to my own game during the last two years, so it’s great to see my self-taught principles reinforced with your instruction.
Interesting also are the few negative comments among those submitted that tend to have the theme of “too basic”. I’m sure most are posted by people I see looking for their balls As one who has enjoyed this wonderful game for 44 years now, I just wish I’d had more “too basic” instruction 44 years ago rather than all the nonsense I’ve heard. Whenever I start missing fairways and greens, my only thought is “back to basics”, and it usually works.
I appreciate the time, work, and expense you’ve put into the free series. I’ll let you know how it pays off for me. Are you going to include a couple of putting (stroke and reading) lessons? I’m always making putting changes and taking a new thought out on the course today, but I’ve been a little lost recently on the greens.
Thanks and Good Luck to you and your son.
You say to be parnell, you should have feet parnell left. i am a leftie, should i be parnell ritht?
When you say parallel left I’m drawing an imaginary line to the left of what I want the actual ball path to travel so that the club target line will be correct?
This line should be my feet alignment and the target line is the ball path. I am looking about 5 yards right of center if I want to draw (my normal path). Is this about right or is that even too much?
By the way snow is here, Myrtle is 4 weeks away.
I wish you would talk less, and teach more. I have not been able to learn much because you seem to spend a lot of time talking about the topic, and giving little practical information on what to do.
Ed
Alignment as a student I find the teachjer using too many words but little demonstration.As amatures we need more demonstrations rather than a lecture.Thanks for the effort but please make it practible and realistic and not so much of theory.
To Kamal Singh
I fully understand your dilemma. But hang in there! There’s help on the way! Don’s newly released on-line videos give a much clearer picture of the PPGS methodology,
Merry Christmas!
To Edward
I hear you. I really do and I understand your concern. Don is of a personality style that emphasizes the spoken word. LoL! This is why he has become an endearing, as well as an enduring character. More L:OL!
What you experience on this site is the passion of a man whose sole purpose, whose ultimate goal is to offer to the masses an easily understood, easily applied, pain free golf swing.
This PPGS alternative to pain was never more dramatically expressed when Don first spoke of the junior golfers he’s taken under his wing low these many years. Junior golfers well versed in the ways of the large muscle rotary swing action. To his initial amazement and shock he was permanently moved by the young one’s expressions of the pain they were enduring in their collective backs! Imagine! Young folks at the peak of their flexibility, complaining about back discomfort! Imagine too, how this discomfort over the years would lead to inconsistent golfing and to very consistent back injury leading, all to often, to consistent inquiries regarding surgery!
When Don comes across so vociferously, he’s not merely intellectualizing. — he’s proselytizing! He’s on a religious mission to inform, nay convert the golfing masses to a forever enjoyment of a pain free sporting experience! The Surge is a beautiful man who, despite his celebrity, has that rare capacity to treat each and every individual as if they were the first friend he has made in life! Yes, he’s that inspiring — he’s that tuned in!
So Edward, understand the personality, understand the commitment, understand the sensitivity. And understand that there are current updated videos that do a much better job of illustrating the passionate verbiage of the Surge. Amen!
Merry Christmas
I’ve been playing, off and on, for 50 yrs. I haen’t played for 17 years and all of a sudden the ‘passion’ is back.
I like the simplicity that you teach but I have to agree with a comment I read. It is, youshould turn the camera on it’s side amd show your whole body feet and all.
Thanks
Wil