Leith Cover Photo

 
Glen Coombe - aka "The Putting Doctor"
 
The Doctor is "IN" this weekend 
 

 

Peak Performance Swing Certification

 

 "Deep Practice" - inside and warm 

 

We'll go to the ends of the earth to bring new ideas about improving your game to Golf Lab customers.  Charlotte, North Carolina isn't exactly that far away, but this week it might as well have been the North Pole.  The attraction was Don Trahan and his mission to save golf in America.
 
Trahan "invented" a new golf swing starting twenty-five years ago and he's been selling it ever since.  A couple of years ago he saw the potential of the "new" Internet - the creation of a "community" of golfers.  The Peak Performance (PP) golf swing morphed into the Peak Performance community.  The community has exploded to over 1 million members.  Every day, the Peak Performance website is among the most active in the world.

What is going on?

The Peak Performance swing is controversial.  It is based on a swing motion that looks unusual the first time you see it.  The keys are "vertical" and "¾ swing".  A great deal of preparation goes into the proper setup and alignment. 

Don's mission is to make golf easier, pain free and safe for the majority of golfers.  Those players include seniors and others who don't have the flexibility to make a full, "rotational" golf swing or have other physical limitations.  Players who are frustrated with the slow pace of improvement are another target.  The Peak Performance swing has fewer moving parts so it requires less practice to maintain.  Women who have issues with making a rotational backswing will be thankful for an alternative. 

The Peak Performance swing is not limited to players with problems.  Don Trahan's son D. J. is the PGA Tour example of the pure Peak Performance "vertical" swing.  He's a multiple winner on Tour.  If you're looking for other Tour examples, have a look at Justin Rose, Jeff Sluman, Craig Stadler and Tiger in his early years.  The swing works with good players and is represented on Tour.  That covers a pretty broad spectrum.

Don Trahan is the only PGA Professional with a soapbox who says that fitted golf clubs are essential for any golfer who is serious about getting better.  In building the Peak Performance community, Trahan is focused on training and certifying club fitters so Peak Performance golfers can be sure to get their clubs from fitters who are knowledgeable about the Peak Performance swing.  Don says that "custom fitted" means that the clubs will be built by the fitter.  It's not good enough to get custom fitted and then send away for the "closest match" off the shelf.  

The Golf Lab is among the first teaching, training and clubfitting operations to be certified by Peak Performance.  Don't misinterpret this notice as promoting the PP swing - at least not yet.  We mainly want the million member Peak Performance communityto know that we're prepared to discuss the PP swing in detail with emphasis on what that means about clubs that fit.

We are setting up to bring Don Trahan and Peak Performance to California next spring to continue to bring Golf Lab customers access to the key experts in the golf industry.  In the meantime, check out the website www.peakperformancegolf.com for more information.

 

Glen Coombe - Putting Doctor is "IN" 

 

 

An "expert" is normally defined as anyone who is more than a thousand miles away from home.  One of the guys hanging out at the Peak Performance session was Jack Moore - D.J. Trahan's putting coach.  When I asked Jack about Glen, his said:  "The dude is cool".  Gurus rarely complement each other.  Plus, that means that Glen is more than two thousand miles away from home.  How expert is that?

The Cool Dude is at the Golf Lab this week, Thursday through Saturday. 

 

 

The Futility of Putting Practice - the wrong way 

 

 

There's a new piece of academic research about putting.  One of the key conclusions is that putting practice - the way most golfers practice - is largely useless.  That won't be bad news for most golfers who have already figured out that practicing putting is just a little worse than a toothache.  But if practice is useless, what is a player to do?

All practice is not useless. 

"Good Practice" is a focus of Glen Coombe's putting clinic.  If you are truly serious about improving your putting, you should book Glen's Saturday afternoon seminar:  "The Money-Back Guarantee Putting Experience".  That's two hours that could change the way you think about putting.

  

Start with Aiming and Stroke Analysis

  

 

The most trusted electronic gizmo to analyze putting strokes is the Science and Motion (SAM) Putt Lab.  The Putt Lab is useful for analysis and training.  Of more than 1000 Putt Labs in existence, over half are owned by professional golfers.  The SAM Putt Lab is the best there is.

The SAM Putt Lab records a player's stroke in every dimension.  Our initial goal is to discover "compensations".  Example:  If you aim to the right, there is a high probability that your subconscious stroke compensates for faulty aim with an outside-in stroke path or rotation that closes the face prior to impact.  Just the opposite for players who aim left.

That's helpful to know.  The first step to improved putting is understanding what you are doing now.  The SAM Putt Lab does that.

Glen Coombe is the resident SAM expert in North America.  He has analyzed more putting strokes with the Putt Lab than anyone we know.  That is important because the SAM data is extremely detailed.  Glen is the right guy to have a look "under the covers".  One of our goals is to make sure that we're looking over Glen's shoulder every minute.  We want to learn too.

All Putting Club members who have been working with the Putt Lab should have Glen bring their prior reports for analysis.

Call the Golf Lab for your reservation.  (650)654-1770.  We're easy to get to.  We're just across Industrial from the Golfsmith in San Carlos.  Unit #10. 

 

  

Focus on Focus

  

 

One of the magical concepts in all of sports is "getting in the zone".  I can't think of any serious athlete who doesn't believe in that concept.  "Getting in the Zone" transcends all sports.

It's impossible to control getting in the "Zone".  For most of us, the experience is accidental and all too infrequent. 

In the constellation of gizmos, the Focus Band is right out there on the fringe of crazy.  The principal idea is that by wearing the band during sport you can identify the brain waves that produce "zoning".  Then, the idea is that a player can learn to put himself in the zone.

When Glen mentioned the Focus Band we had to be interested.  For one, this is a credible group of inventors and promoters.  There are some backers and enthusiasts that don't intend to embarrass themselves.  And, just like his putting theories, Glen is very happy to prove that the Focus Band works.  Glen likes it.

We share your skepticism so we're going to help you make an intelligent decision.  Glen will be at Putting Club on Thursday.  We'll hang out for an hour from 5-6 to let the regulars get their practice in.

At 6:00 Glen is going to start a two hour presentation to let Golf Lab customers decide about enrolling in one of his sessions. 

At 7:00 Glen will introduce the Focus Band to the assembled multitude.  The presentation will include a demonstration.  For bargain hunters, you can come to the free presentation and volunteer to be the test subject.

Don't let our tongue in cheek tone suggest that we're not taking the Focus Band seriously.  We want Golf Lab customers to try it out.  If it works, we'll buy one for the Putting Club.

That is important for anyone who might want to train with the Focus Band.  The gizmo costs $4000.  That price reduction will surely boost sales.  Sales could use some boosting.  There are only 4 Focus Band systems in the USA.  One of them will be at the Golf Lab this week.  Help us find out if it works.  If it does, you'll be the first to know.

 

  

Glen Coombe Schedule and Fees

 

Thursday December 9th.

6:00 PM - "The Money Back Guarantee Putting Experience"

7:00 PM - Focus Band Presentation and Demonstration

Friday December 10th

All Day - Available for SAM Putting Stroke Analysis and Focus Band Trial.

7:00 PM - Repeat of Focus Band Presentation and Demonstration (contingent on interest)

8:00 PM - Dutch Treat dinner at Leith's favorite Chinese restaurant with Glen.

Saturday December 11th

9:00 AM - Noon - SAM Putting Stroke Analysis and Focus Band Trial.  ½ hour each.  Back to back sessions available.

1:00 PM - Presentation of "Money Back Guarantee Putting Experience"  (2 hours).

This is our straw man schedule.  If demand warrants, we will make more times available. 

Fees:

Stroke Analysis:  $95

"Money Back Guarantee Putting Experience" - $95.

Focus Band Testing Session:  $95.

All Three: $200.

Golf Lab = Top Experts, affordable price.


 

  

Contact the Golf Lab

 

We have a live person on the telephone every morning between 9 and noon.  If you want to reach someone in one call, Dian is your person and (650) 654-1770 is your number. 

 

  

Prepare to play better.

 

Best Regards,
 
Leith Anderson and David Balbi
For More Information . . .

Aim Point Golf Website  Go there to learn about the Blue Line and the Magic Book.
 
Link to Edel Putters Website  See the best custom putter system in the world.
 
Link to Balbi Golf Website  Information about David Balbi.
Or contact me by email:  Any questions answered.  Email always more reliable.