High Winds Of Wyoming

Hitting the ball low has always been the core of my personal golf swing philosophy. I used to think that the idea of a punch shot or low trajectory ball flight was rooted in learning to play golf in the high winds of Wyoming. Years later I now understand that a sound impact position is simply a moment in time where the dynamics of the swing are reducing the loft of the club face. It is not really the effect of trying to hit it low. In fact, the downward angle at impact spins the ball creating lift and the proper trajectory.





The excerpt above is a quote from an article written about the details of impact and launch angle. Follow the link below for the full article.

 Weather Forcast: Open Face With A Slight Chance Of Draw

Sean Foley Profile

I wish I knew more about Sean Foley before he started working with Tiger. It would have seemed less trendy for me to comment on his successes. As I read and watch more about his approach to teaching, what he teaches, and how he balances his life, I am continually impressed. I agree with almost every basic swing outline and coaching method that he exhibits. It is refreshing to know that where many of my swing thoughts and methodology have often seemed counter to the mainstream, they are now moving to the forefront of swing coaching and instruction. I was relieved to hear that he does not immerse himself in golf swing research. Rather, his studies are very wide giving him a balanced approach toward communicating with people. Half of the battle to being an effective teacher is creating an atmosphere on the lesson tee that makes individuals feel confident in their abilities. I have always said to younger professionals that are entering the business or recently finishing up their studies, that to be a successful teacher has as much to do with effective communicating and making people feel confident as it does with their knowledge of the golf swing. People will always perform better when they feel good and confident. Many of my students comment on their ability to hit solid shots while I am watching, as if they would rather it be broken giving us good reason to fix it. But in reality they are comfortable and focused. There is a lot to be learned from that experience.

Enjoy this short profile video about Sean Foley.

What... I have to choose?

I am often asked about my swing methodology. The question is posed as a selection between the "Traditional" method versus the opposing "Stack and Tilt" method. Recently, the "Foley" method is among the choices. Thank you Tiger. I am always taken back by the specifics of the question. As if there are two or three ways to swing a golf club and that I must fall into one of these categories. No one ever asked if I taught the Harmon method, or Leadbetter method. How did we get to Traditional, Stack and Tilt, or Foley? Maybe I didn't care as much when Harmon and Leadbetter were mainstream. Oh yeah, they are one of the top five instructors on pretty much any list. Are they the "Traditionalists"? If they are, they are not talking much. And what about Ben Hogan and Sam Snead? I am sure if I simply stuck to Hogan's Five Lessons and advocated hitting balls with bare feet I would have covered just as much ground.

The Blank Canvas

A freshly prepared canvas, smooth and white. An invitation for expression, color, or merits, as in a football helmet plastered with stars. That is how I saw the white club-head invasion into the golf industry several years ago. Maybe it's my artistic prowess or the multitude of stickers in my two-toddler house. But it only seemed like a matter of time before a new product would come out to fill the blank canvas on our driver.

I recently played in the PGA Magazine Pro-Pro event on the Nicholas course at Reunion Resort in Orlando. One sponsor for the event was a small company called Club Crown. I found their product to be fascinating. They had a wide selection of designs created to be overlaid on any driver or fairway wood. I took a few pictures to show the wide selection that was so simply arranged on the table. The colors were great, and it made for a dynamic presentation.

Considering I possess the unique combination of artist and golf aficionado it is fitting that I combine my creativity with the blank white club-head. Below are a few of my pieces and how they would present themselves on a driver. Interesting, if nothing else. View more artwork at www.fintus.com.

Balancing Bird

Masquerade Party for Him

Masquerade Party for Her

Cross-Handed Putting Grip

I changed my putting grip and reduced the amount of three-putts per round. I looked at the number of putts, and kept in mind the short putts under pressure that dropped. In 2012, I can recall numerous rounds without a three-putt.

I have given many putting lessons and discussed every type of grip. Aside from a short bout with a long putter I have never made a dramatic change to my putting grip. So in 2012, I changed to a cross-handed style. My new grip positions the left hand low and the right hand high. For me, the right hand settles more securely on the putter and gives me a better sense of connection to the putter head. The overall position forces the body to tilt more toward the target line. This repositioning compliments an open stance and squares the upper body. It also helps alignment for shorter putts by aligning the shoulders more parallel to the ground.

Because it is different, and the dominant hand is now at the top of the grip, essentially a weaker position, the sensation is a lack of feel. Initially longer putts are tougher to gauge. There might be an up side to this lack of feel by simply creating a softer impact on the ball. A cross-handed grip provides for better alignment, but the lack of feel results in a loss of power. Think about a baseball player hitting a bunt. He places his hand further toward the middle of the bat giving it stability. There is very little "swing" during a bunt. So the stability gives the batter control by leveraging the bat closer to the middle. This analogy is akin to a conventional putting grip. In my case it would be my old grip, left hand high. My right hand would be further down the shaft adding stability to the back of the putter (shaft). With stability lower on the shaft the impact is more solid.

Considering my tendency to hit mid and long putts too hard, I do not need more solid impact. This does not diminish the importance of striking the ball in the middle of the putter's face. It is the difference between hitting a ball with a 2x4 versus a 1x2.

Also the distance from my dominant (right) hand to the putter head has increased with the new cross-handed grip. This in turn increases the overall distance from my right shoulder to the putter head. The increased length, acting like a lever, creates a small amount of additional lag in the putter head. Although tough to see and feel, there is lag and release in a proper putting stroke. The lag creates a softer feel during impact. A small amount of give or shock absorption in the hands. I think it depends on the individual and their tendencies. If someone generally needs to hit putts softer, increasing this length will increase the lag, thus softening the impact on the ball.

There are many benefits to a cross-handed putting grip. Much of them outweigh the downside. And if you have similar tendencies as me, that is to say you would like to make more short putts and you often hit your longer putts well beyond the hole, there may be no downside. Enjoy making more putts!