The Shortgame School

6 Hour School

2 Day Program

Afternoons: 2:00 - 5:00 pm

The G.A.P.B.S.

I sure hope everyone had an awesome holiday season and good things come to you in this New Year. As I concluded the December 2013 newsletter, I shared  that I would be attending the PGA show in January and I did. I must say as a full time swing teacher and coach for the last 22 years who is also involved with club fitting and body conditioning, I was somewhat overwhelmed to say the least! Over a 4-day period, I attended 16 one-hour educational seminars ranging from topics that included the body, the swing, the latest and the greatest in golf clubs and fitting, as well as mental coaching. Needless to say, it was wonderful education shared by some brilliant minds.

So to my readers I must say, "Be careful!" The bottom line is most golfers truly want to play better golf and have more fun while playing. I like the idea of having more fun and better golf will follow. The launch monitors, force plates, 3-D and 6-D video capture are all wonderful whistles and bells (for a very small percentage of golfers). I am disappointed, though, in a high-tech approach that has little regard for the fundamentals. Therefore, my emphasis to begin 2014 is intended to get us back to the grass roots of how to swing a golf club more efficiently resulting in hitting the ball more  consistently. Those grass roots are the fundamentals of Grip, Aim, Posture, Ball Position, and Stance Width (G.A.P.B.S.).

Here is my basic approach: Better fundamentals equal  better golf! Example: If you do not like the way the ball spins when you hit a golf shot then obviously your club face is not aligned properly at the moment of truth  (impact). Here you must understand that the only part of your body that directly influences the clubface (good or bad) are your hands. In the game of golf, somewhere along the line, your hands must get educated and this should all start with a proper grip. Can  the  high-tech help? Yes. Can it hurt? Yes. The equipment can be only as good as the operator! Next month we will discuss grip and then follow the acronym in order.                      
 

For more of Ted's classic tips, 

 View previous newsletters here.