Email Retention Example #1 - Grip Change and Extension/Rotation of the Arms
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for choosing me as your golf instructor! Your Golf Lesson with Jim Peters on 24 Nov 2014 is contained and attached in this email. I recommend you save this to a convenient file for later review.
You have many fine attributes in your golf swing (I hope I pointed more than a few out in our video analysis), and like many golfers a few bad habits that prevent you from becoming a better player. The goal in instruction is to identify swing errors, and then find ways to create a new swing motor movement habits. As you play you will always hit some bad shots, no matter how good a player you are. The recipe is to recognize what you did, and then have a couple ways to do something differently.
What jumped out immediately was how your left hand was inhibiting your golf swing. Even at Address your left hand looks like it’s on the club just because it has to be there, while Ernie Els’ left hand and arm look ready to participate in the swing.
Thank you for choosing me as your golf instructor! Your Golf Lesson with Jim Peters on 24 Nov 2014 is contained and attached in this email. I recommend you save this to a convenient file for later review.
You have many fine attributes in your golf swing (I hope I pointed more than a few out in our video analysis), and like many golfers a few bad habits that prevent you from becoming a better player. The goal in instruction is to identify swing errors, and then find ways to create a new swing motor movement habits. As you play you will always hit some bad shots, no matter how good a player you are. The recipe is to recognize what you did, and then have a couple ways to do something differently.
What jumped out immediately was how your left hand was inhibiting your golf swing. Even at Address your left hand looks like it’s on the club just because it has to be there, while Ernie Els’ left hand and arm look ready to participate in the swing.
Because your left hand grip is basically “in the way” you demonstrate the classic “fighting hands” through Impact and a chicken wing release.
The first thing we changed was how you hold the club in your left hand.
The grip handle should go ACROSS THE FINGERS, not diagonally in the palm. The key or secret is to have ALL of your heel pad ON TOP of the grip handle. The easiest way to get this correct every time is to use the Umbrella Grip Drill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je0JgyVFpP4&list=PLrtv7Ozy7LOJkrtVCBYpcA0z-gYHje_Zh&index=2.
Start with the club head higher than your hands and feel the teeter-totter effect of your left hand heel pad, before you finalize your Address position. This kind of change requires thinking about it, but it’s okay because you’re not moving during your pre-shot routine. You should be able to cock your left wrist fully without the right hand participating.
After you became more comfortable with the club in your fingers (like a baseball is held for speed and control), we moved on to extending your left arm through Impact and club head Release.
We did a lifelong drill that has usefulness for on-course play (partial wedges, wind shots and swing rebuilding) called the Pointer Dog Drill. In this drill you stop and freeze in the arms extended or Arms X position (see attached movie files Pointer Dog Extension Drill.wmv and Proper Release.wmv). Here are two other versions of the Pointer Dog Drill (Hit & Stop): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwJHQshb86U&list=PLrtv7Ozy7LOJkrtVCBYpcA0z-gYHje_Zh&index=8
Extension & Rotation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVG6bWOXphc.
Extension & Rotation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVG6bWOXphc.
Another drill you can practice indoors (no ball) to re-train your left arm is the Right Hand Along for the Ride Drill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_4kqkuvjhw&index=18&list=PLrtv7Ozy7LOJkrtVCBYpcA0z-gYHje_Zh.
Here is a Before and After of your Release and extended arms.
Remember to think “strike a match” using the bottom edge of the club head on the turf (instead of “hit the ball”). You will need that acceleration through Impact to extend your arms. If your arms extend down your body line, the ball flight will be quite straight.
Last, we pulled out that pesky driver and added a twist (literally) to hit the ball straighter. The driver is a different animal because the club head is so very much lighter and much farther from your hands. We often need to add some left arm rotation to help square the club face. Doing the Pre-Set Rotation Drill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwJHQshb86U&list=PLrtv7Ozy7LOJkrtVCBYpcA0z-gYHje_Zh&index=8 gets your arms in the Arms X position sooner than a weighted iron. Practice exaggerating this motion and hitting some hooks with your driver to eliminate that slice.
Last, we pulled out that pesky driver and added a twist (literally) to hit the ball straighter. The driver is a different animal because the club head is so very much lighter and much farther from your hands. We often need to add some left arm rotation to help square the club face. Doing the Pre-Set Rotation Drill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwJHQshb86U&list=PLrtv7Ozy7LOJkrtVCBYpcA0z-gYHje_Zh&index=8 gets your arms in the Arms X position sooner than a weighted iron. Practice exaggerating this motion and hitting some hooks with your driver to eliminate that slice.
Thanks,
Jim Peters, PGA
Jim Peters, PGA
