Learn from the best every year.
By: Steve Riggs on 05/31/10 08:27 AMFour events offer golfers of every skill level the chance to enjoy competitive golf at the highest level while offering up the chance of a lifetime, namely to learn about the golf swing and the game from some of the very best in the business.
This year the New England tournament schedule is as follows:
Travelers Championship, PGA TOUR event, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, CT., June 21-27, CVS Caremark Charity Classic , Rhode Island Country Club, Barrington, RI. June 27-29, ING New England Golf Classic , LPGA Futures TOUR, Wintonbury Hills Country Club, Bloomfield, CT., July 12-18, Deutsche Bank Championship, PGA TOUR event, TPC Boston, Norton, MA., September 1-6.
I have always encouraged clients to seize learning opportunities that are available by attending a professional event. The chance to imprint the golf swing motions of top players can be priceless to your golf swing and game improvement.
Golfers benefit immeasurably by seeing well executed golf swings repeated in real time. Sometimes the benefits are totally unconscious.
To better understand, consider this. A child can watch golf swings on TV or at a driving range then pick up a golf club and almost instinctively swing the club and hit the ball.
This happens because the eyes, like a camera, record everything and imprint the golf swings on the brain.
The brain of a child is not developed to the point of getting bogged down in the minutia we adults often attach to ‘how’ the swing works. As a result information goes directly to the ‘system’ which is where motion is created. The system of the child simply emulates the motion based on what has been recorded.
Adults can use the same process when the opportunity presents itself and there is no better chance to benefit and learn about the golf swing than at a professional venue.
A little planning will make your day at the event both exciting and educational.
1. Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour watching the players warm up. It just could be the best learning experience of your golf career. I suggest you start your day at the practice range before going to the course to enjoy the play.
2. Know how to watch a golf swing for maximum impact. Watch the golf swings peripherally. Stare at an object, say, on the range and beyond the players. This allows you to see the entire swing like a picture. The simple suggestion to ‘watch the head’ will let you see what the head is doing through the swing. (Practice this and you will be amazed how much of the swings parts you are able to see.) Don’t stare at that part of the swing you want to observe you may find you miss what you are trying to watch.
3. Decide what part of the swing interests you. This could be based on problems you are having, say, with transition, weight shift, swing issues in the down swing, your alignment, and so on.
4. Keep it simple. Trying to watch too much will be self defeating. Keep it simple and know you can only see one thing at a time.
5. Do your research. Know what swing faults you are trying to overcome and pay particular attention to differences between your issues and the professional swing motion. You just might find that what you thought was a problem actually is not.
6. Focus. Don’t try to watch every golfer warming up. Pick out a couple players as they arrive at the practice area and ‘stick with them’ visually.
Remember. You want to watch golf swings. The reality of the swing motion will be imprinted on your system. This process feeds your unconscious mind and system much like a child watching golf swings.
Next month on mynegmLesson Tee I will show you how to tap into the information you have loaded in. In the meantime ‘feed your system’.
Seminar complete. Now, go enjoy the events.
