Swing Reminders Golf

Do you really need a GPS?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:28:00 +0000

Here’s an all too common scenario, tell me if I’m right.

Four golf buddies, their handicaps are all about 20, (I’ll call them Bill, Bob, Steve, & Sam) tee off @ 8:00 on a Wednesday morning. In the first fairway, they are about 150 yards out from the green and Bill says, “hey, let me check my new GPS”. All golf has now ceased and everybody is standing around Bill’s cart looking at the GPS.

Sam says “well, it shows I have 147 yards to the pin, so I should probably hit my 7 iron”. Just then a big gust of wind comes up and Sam is now confused. He decides on a 6 iron. He steps up, hits the shot and fly’s his ball over the green out of bounds.

Now Bill, Bob, & Steve all pull out 7 irons. They each hit their shots short of the green. The scores on the hole end up 5, 6, 6, 7.

While all this is happening, the 8:10 group on the first tee is looking at an 8:16 tee off time.

The group that is ahead of our golf buddies, is putting out on #2, almost a hole ahead of them after just two holes.

This madness continues through hole 5 and finally the marshal drives up and says “you guys are out of position, you are 2 ½ holes behind, you need to pick it up”. The buddies put it into high gear and all hit bad shots.

By the end of their 5 hour round, the buddies are the most hated golfers on the planet. They have held up the entire golf course and the Pro is answering to everybody why tee times are now 30 minutes behind.

So, how close am I to the truth about this scenario? You know I just stiffed it.

If your handicap isn’t 10 or less, why do you need a GPS? Do you know how far your 7 iron goes? I doubt it, what you need to do is go to the range and practice. You need to find out how far you actually hit your clubs. If you think back about 10 years, most every golf course posted a sign that said “your round of golf should take 4 hours”, today that same round of golf is supposed to take 4 ½ hours.
WHY ??

Technology is better, balls fly farther, clubs are hotter, so why does it take longer to play?
TECHNOLOGY !!

Technology that every golf magazine and golf channel commercial preaches to you to get a GPS to play like the Pro’s. That’s a bunch of crap. (Spend that $300 on an annual range pass, not a GPS) What will make you play better golf is to practice, practice, and practice. That hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. Do you think Angus McDoogle used a GPS? No, he practiced, played, and had fun. 5 hour rounds of golf are NOT fun. Put the fun back into your game; practice, get better, beat your buddies, and head to the 19th hole in 4 hours.

Where were you @ 90

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:43:00 +0000

That’s a pretty hard question to answer considering most everybody reading this has a long way to go to get to age 90.

Once a week there is a golf group that plays down at Turquoise Valley, they call themselves “The Geriatric Group”. The oldest player is Chuck, who is 90 years young, Jonesy is 76, and Tom is 71
(I think). The 4th player rotates between 3 or 4 locals who get to enjoy this great group from time to time. This week it was my turn to enjoy.

The Geriatric Group is just like any other group of golfers that plays together frequently. If you think because they’re older, they go through their round without having any fun, you are sadly mistaken. The bantering starts before they even get to the first tee. On the putting green they are getting in their digs on each other. By the time they get to the first tee, they are in full blown trash talking mode. It is hilarious, and it doesn’t stop, even after the round when we were enjoying a cold one. They have so much fun, everybody that plays this great game could take a lesson on how to have this much fun on the course with your buddies. Sure we all want to play as good as we can each time we go out, actually we want to play better than that. Our expectations are that if we made par on a hole anytime in the past 20 years, we should be able to do it every time we play. Get real !! Golf is such a head game it’s a miracle we can even make it through a round without a total mental meltdown.

On the first tee, everybody hears the bet and handicaps. It’s a standard bet of $.10 per skin, no carryovers. If you think this is a silly bet, you haven’t seen how hard you have to work to beat Chuck who gets 2 strokes per hole, except on par 3s. He hits the ball about 180 yards off the tee, and hardly ever misses the fairway. Today, Chuck got 2 skins and he was talking smack about winning those dimes off the younger guys all the way to the bar. Plus the big winner has to buy a round. Today that worked out to me winning $.50 and the round of drinks cost me $12.00. It was well worth it.

Getting a chance to play with Chuck and the guys every once in a while is inspiring. If you can’t be inspired by them, you must have some serious issues. We all should spend some time with people from “The Greatest Generation”, they won’t be here forever. They know how to have fun and they can tell some stories that you just won’t believe.

Lately I’ve been stressed over my golf game. I know, it’s dumb, but when you used to have some game, and you lose it, it gets to ya. But, as of today, I’m not gonna let that happen anymore.
Think about it, Chuck is 90 years young and normally plays twice a week. When and if I ever get to 90, I just hope I can walk down the hall to the bathroom. That’s if my wife doesn’t push my wheelchair into a corner as she has threatened to do when I get to “that” age.

The next time you’re feeling down, or sorry for yourself, or you’re having a bad round, think about being inspired by The Geriatric Group. Inspired to wake up every morning and spend time with friends, and live, love and laugh. Thanks Guys…..

Cancer Sucks - Give a Little

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:30:00 +0000

The new Brad Paisley song talks about how you can't say the word "Cancer" in a song. Well, I disagree. The word "Cancer" should be talked about in songs, poems, raps, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and anywhere else we can put it out there so that we can help to find a cure.

Cancer death statistics vary from where you get the information, but it is estimated that roughly 7.2 million people worldwide die from cancer each year. In the United States alone where cancer death statistics are highly monitored each year has seen a steady death rate of 550,000 to 600,000 people year after year, or roughly 1,500 people per day. That is ridiculous, why can't we find a cure for this damned disease?

Personally, I have had several family members and close friends who have had or died from cancer. So, three years ago after one of my best friends Mark "Shu" Schuler passed away from cancer, my wife Julie suggested we do a golf fund raiser in Shu's name to raise some money for cancer research. In the first 3 years, we've donated over $2,000 to cancer research in Shu's name.
This year's tournament is a 4 person scramble @ Silverbell Golf Course in Tucson, AZ, on Saturday, May 7, 2011. We are looking for players and sponsors both.

If you want to participate in the 2011 Mark Schuler Memorial Golf Outing, just drop me an e-mail or check out the Facebook page.

Even if you don't play golf, you can donate by visiting Shu's Cancer Kickers

I know times are tough and money is tight, but we really need to find a cure for "Cancer", because "CANCER SUCKS". Please give a little.

Have a great day, and please pass this post along to everybody you know.

Spring Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 23:45:00 +0000

Well, unless you live in Arizona, Hawaii, or parts of Indiana. Living in Arizona, we get so much sunshine, we really don't need to change our clocks. Heck, if we did, we would be playing even more golf. Is that possible?

So, here we are at the beginning of the golf season, and if the snow around your course hasn't quite melted, it will soon (I hope). Have you thought about getting those clubs out of the garage? Or were they really bad last weekend and they are still standing in the corner being punished? No matter what, you need to get ready for the season and ready to play better golf.

Do you have a practice routine? Lot's of people consider practicing to take 5 old balls from their bag prior to the round and run over to the range with a driver and whack them as hard as they can. That's a recipe for serious disaster, not to mention back problems.

Why not get to the course 30 minutes earlier and hit a small bucket of balls to really warm up? Or better yet, why not head to the range one night a week on your way home from work and spend an hour? Either way, you will probably play better golf and hopefully keep your back from getting sore as the season begins.

If you've never had a real practice routine, make this your best season and start one. I bet you'll play better golf and who knows maybe you can win an adult beverage from your buddies.

Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Wide Stance

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:07:00 +0000

I noticed the last few days that those old fall winds are starting to blow down here in Southern Arizona. It's just one of the conditions we have to live with in order to have great playing conditions nearly year round.

To help you play better in the wind, try widening your stance. Normally, your stance should be about shoulder width apart. But, when that wind blows, it can help to widen your stance a little. This will give you a more stable base to swing. This will also allow you to get a great turn back and through the ball. The other benefit to a wider stance in the wind is it helps your body to not sway. By this I mean it helps you to turn your body and not sway backwards.

I hope this helps you play better golf. For more Swing Reminders, visit the Swing Reminders website

Have a great golf day.

American Golf Census

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:42:00 +0000

The National Golf Foundation has come up with a great new contest, and a really cool way to help the game of golf.

About the census.

The American Golf Census is counting as many of the country’s 27 million golfers as possible. Being counted shows your support of the game and lets policymakers better understand how golf enhances the lives of millions of Americans from all walks of life.

You Might Win Big.

All registrants are automatically entered into golf's most spectacular sweepstakes totaling more than $100,000 in prizes!

The prize package includes the latest golf equipment from TaylorMade, Callaway and Nike - Dream travel for two to Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, Southwest Ireland and Pinehurst - Not to mention, a once-in-a-lifetime April weekend in Augusta, GA, and golf instruction at the ANNIKA Academy.

Give it a shot.
It won't take long.

Participating in the American Golf Census only takes a few seconds, and it won't cost you a thing. You can even increase your odds of winning by referring your golfing friends. But you need to be counted to win, so please take part in the census by clicking here.

It's an easy way to give back to the game that means so much, to so many.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Alignment

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:17:00 +0000

Have you ever felt your were aimed to far to the right? Ooh, that could be a hot political question, huh? But, let's not get on that subject.

Your alignment in golf is one of the most overlooked aspects of your game. Do you hit alot of shots to the right? Most right handed golfers line up aiming too far to the right. As do most left handed golfers line up aiming too far to the left. This could be the reason and it's so simple to fix. Here's a training drill to help you get your alignment headed in the right direction.

This should be done on the driving range. Take one of your longer irons and lay it down on the ground pointing the butt end at your target. Now take your normal stance and put your toes right against the shaft. Now, take a few swings using the alignment club to see not only your target line, but your swing path. Does this give you a better feel of being aligned? It should. Now, hit a few shots using this alignment club. Did you hit them right or on a straighter line than normal.

Practice this drill with every club in your bag. You should be aligned the same way each time you take a swing.

I hope this helps you play better golf. Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Pre-Shot Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:37:00 +0000

Do you have a pre-shot routine? Do you just walk up and whack the ball? Having a pre-shot routine that is the same every time you step up to a shot is a huge deal, it will help you to not think, just react, and it promotes muscle memory. Have you ever seen a good golfer without one? Look at every professional golfer, they all have a routine. It helps them and it will help you focus and play better golf. Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Roll Your Hands Over

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 17:07:00 +0000

Make sure to roll your right hand over on the follow through so that your knuckles are facing the sky. For right handed golfers, on the backswing your left hand should rotate and your left knuckles should face the sky. On the follow through, just the opposite, your right hands knuckles should face the sky. If you’re a lefty, it should be just the opposite.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Athletic Stance

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:41:00 +0000

I think one of the most overlooked parts of the golf swing is your stance. You must have a stance that your body can turn on, or you're not going to hit very good golf shots. It's just like if you are playing short stop or linebacker, knees slightly bent, bending forward from the waist. The stance is very important in keeping your balance during the golf swing. If you get your weight too far back, on your heels or too much on your toes, you will not be able to make a good turn. Keep your weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet. As you bend from the waist, your arms should hang straight down from your shoulders, and hold the club. You should never feel you are reaching for the ball or that your hands are too close to your body. Try it next time you're on the practice range. Have a great golf week.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Grip, Aim, Stance

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:44:00 +0000

These are the three most important things in your golf set up. If any of them is off, you will not hit consistent shots. You can use one of three types of grips; interlock, overlap or ten finger, it really doesn’t matter as long as your hands are in the correct position. Aim is often overlooked. For instance, if you're going to play a fade, line up on the right side of the tee box and aim down the left side of the fairway. Stance must be athletic. Just like if you were playing defense in basketball. This will make it easy to turn on your body’s axis. Head on over to the range and practice this. Hope it helps you play better golf.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Never Up, Never In

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:01:00 +0000

Have you ever made a putt that came up short? You must get the golf
ball to the hole for it to go in. Focus on a good stroke and keep your
head down. Have you ever practiced putting with your eyes closed? It is a great drill that gives you more feel in your putting. Line up three balls at one, two and three feet from the hole in a line. Now, step up to the one foot ball, close your eyes and putt it in the hole. Listen for the ball to go in the cup. Now the two foot ball, then the three foot ball. Did you make all three? Now, move them to a different spot around the cup, same drill make all three. Try to make 15 putts in a row. Hopefully this will help you make more putts.
Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Commit To The Shot

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Do you ever stand over a golf shot and not feel comfortable? We all do it. What we have to learn is to "commit to the shot". It's not easy and it takes alot of practice, but we can all learn to feel confidence when we get ready to hit a shot. Don’t be wishy washy. If you are unsure, start your decision process over again. Know that you need to believe in yourself and that you can hit this shot. Once you've decided, just go for it. Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Play Within Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:11:00 +0000

Don’t try and do things you have not practiced. Play your own game. I
see golfers all the time try to hit a flop shot like the Pro's on TV.
First of all, it is a hard shot, 2nd you’ve never practiced it, so do you
really think you can pull it off? The percentages are against you,
play the shot you know you can hit. Then the next time you have some practice
time, practice the flop shot. Have a great golf week.

266 and counting.....

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:34:00 +0000

Over the past 25 years or so, I have visited 27 countries, about 23 states and have played a bunch of golf courses. Actually, 266 different courses to be exact. Last week I went to the Atlanta, Georgia area to visit my buddy Wilmont. We had the chance to play three different courses on my visit.

We played his home course, Callahan Golf Links in Waleska, GA. This is a great course, if you haven't played it, you definitely need to get out there and play it. It is a hilly, very scenic track that used to be a family dairy farm. From the first tee, it looks like it's gonna be a breeze, with a short par 5 to start. However, don't try and hit that first green in two shots, unless you like taking a drop and hitting your fourth shot over the creek that fronts the green. The course then starts up hill and into the beautiful North Georgia woodlands. I don't think I had a flat lie anywhere on the course, well maybe on for first hole. The staff was great and took awesome care of us. Stop on by there and enjoy a great round of golf.

The second course we played was probably one of the toughest courses I have every played. Lake Arrowhead Club - Highlands Course It was so tough, I'd have to say it is actually unfair, especially for most of the residents who live around the course. Mostly a retirement area, there is no way the locals have fun on this course. Elevation changes of 100 feet in places, plus it must have had 10 blind shots and five or six forced carries of over 200 yards. It was a real bear. But, it's one of those courses that makes you want to play good because it's so hard. I'd play it again.

Our final round was played up in Cumming, GA at The Davis Love Designed Windermere. From the time you walk in the door, it just says NICE. Beautiful course, club house, homes, etc...it pretty much had it all. Another North Georgia hilly course, with one hole that has and elevation change of over 200 feet from tee to fairway. The only thing I could say bad about this course is that it wasn't marked very well. I understand it is semi-private and the members probably know it very well, but a newbie could get lost. Going to the 10th tee, there is no sign or picture of the hole. It almost looks like a dog leg left, but that would take you to the range. It actually goes about 90 degrees right and had we known, we might have tried to cut the corner. The next time, we will know. All in all, it was a gorgeous golf course, I think I used every club in my bag. However, if I were Wilmont, I'd have had a few left over (14 clubs isn't enough for him).

It was a good trip back east, one I need to do more often. I think I hear number 267 calling.....

Weekly Swing Reminder - Left Hand Firm

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:45:00 +0000

When putting keep your left hand/wrist firm. Take the back of your left hand to the target. Your right hand is just on the club for the ride, the left hand controls the putting stroke. Now, if you’re a lefty, the right hand is the firm hand you take to the target. Take some time this weekend to practice your putting. It’s where you can make up alot of strokes during your round.

GM US Junior World Golf Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:56:00 +0000

Swing Reminders Golf Tip Tokens sponsoring the
GM US Junior World Golf Championship, July 18 - 21, 2010 at Providence Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.

Tucson Guide Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:19:00 +0000

Check out my interview in this Spring's Tucson Guide online
Pretty cool stuff...

Weekly Swing Reminder - One Piece Take Away

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:16:00 +0000

Do you get wristy or handsy with your swing? Does the club feel like a whippy fishing rod when you take it back? The key is to have a one piece take away. Which means don’t break your wrists on your take away. Keep your left hand/wrist firm and push the club back using your left (right hand golfers) hand. The right hand is just hanging on. It shouldn't take control of the club. Take this to the range and try it. I bet you will hit more consistent golf shots. Have a great golf week.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Tuck Your Right Elbow

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:33:00 +0000

Do you have the old flying elbow or chicken wing?
I have had it for years and years. I've tried
to change my swing to a more rounded and not so
upright swing. It is not easy to do. But, my
buddy Rod finally got me to try it again and it's
starting to work. I feel like my swing is way
more consistent and I'm hitting some really nice
golf shots. Here is how it works -
Keep your right elbow as close to your right side
as possible. The better you turn your body, the easier it is to keep your right elbow tucked. When you take the club straight back and then hinge your wrist, your right elbow will tuck right against your side. This will take some time and alot of effort. Believe me, I'm hitting the range almost daily to work on it. But, it will get your swing more consistent and you will hit better golf shots.

Spring is just around the corner, time to get ready for the golf season.
Get out there and practice, play and enjoy this great game.

GTour - The UK's Amateur Golf Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:12:00 +0000

Swing Reminders just sponsored the GTour's 2010 Opening Tournament @ Belton Woods, UK. You can check out this great amateur tour and what we're doing across the pond @ http://www.gtour.co.uk/news/view/1426/Golf_thoughts_to_improve_your_game.html.

To keep up with all the latest on Swing Reminders, just sign up for our blog posts. Have a great golf week.

Swing Reminders In More Retail Shops

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:33:00 +0000

This past week, we added Swing Reminders to the inventories of the following retailers in Florida. If you're in these areas, stop by and check them out.

PGA Tour Stop
395 South Legacy Trail
St. Augustine, FL 32092
(904) 940-0418

Winter Park Country Club
761 Old England Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 599-3339

Weekly Swing Reminder - Slow Take Away

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Take the club away low and slow, this will you to control your tempo.
It will also help you to have good tempo all the way through the golf
shot. It also keeps the club traveling on a straight line back and
through. Why get in a hurry? Think slow.....and have a great round of golf.

Golf Tournament Planners

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +0000

If you are planning a golf tournament in 2010, you probably have already started working on it. If not, you'd better get with it. Most people who have planned tournaments know that if you don't get to your sponsors early in the year, you may miss out on donations. Companies normally put together their donation budgets in January, so get with it.

Swing Reminders Golf Tip Tokens are a great tournament gift bag idea. So, I've decided to run a huge special for tournament planners. If you're a tournament planner, drop us an e-mail (info@swingreminders.com) to get the details. I promise it will be worth the short time it takes to e-mail. Good luck planning your tournaments and have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Finish The Swing

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:34:00 +0000

You’ve probably heard it before, finish
the swing. So, what does that mean? It
means get your weight to your left side
on your finish. When you finish the swing
is your weight on your left foot?
(or right if you’re a lefty) If you are
off balance and your weight is not on your
left side at the finish, you have not
finished the swing. Take a few minutes to
slowly swing a club and feel the weight
transfer from your right to left side.
Do you feel it? Now, take that to the
range….have a great round.