vol. 3, number 9

In This Issue

Make Those Left-To-Right Breaking Putts!

Game Improvement Golf Newsletter

Information to improve your golf game (October 2013)

A New Look!

I hope you like the new look for my newsletter; this banner is the one now on my web site. "Rooting For YOUR Golfing Success!" is what I believe motivates me every day!
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The first 2013 ReMax Long Drive show, on the Golf Channel, was broadcast on October 9. There was a segment on the show about "predictors" for long drive success. The folks at the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) have found three physical tests they believe predict Long Drive Success:

From a seated position, throw a medicine ball - chest pass - as far as you can,
Lie on your back, raise up, and throw the medicine ball as far as you can, and
A standing vertical jump.

So - if you can throw a medicine ball more than 30 feet for the first two tests, and vertical jump more than 30 inches - you can be a long drive bomber!

There are three more ReMax Long Drive shows being broadcast on the Golf Channel - October 16, 23, and the finals on October 30. All at 9 pm Eastern. Great stuff!

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This little gem of an article was also on the TPI web site - priceless!

Six Words Your Kids Want You To Say

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Enjoy this link to ten of the best Golf commercials from 2013:

Ten Best Golf Commercials 2013

What Is YOUR PTR?

We had an interesting discussion on the AGCP Forum about a month ago related to Smash Factor - also called Power Transfer Ratio, or PTR. The Smash Factor is simply the ratio of ball speed divided by swing speed for a particular club. One of the AGCP members, Steven Wheeler, provided the chart below from Flightscope, which is a list of maximum smash factors for different clubs:

The maximum expected smash factor decreases as you increase the loft of the club. This chart shows you what you should expect in terms of smash factors if you are actually being fit for new clubs. It is also interesting to me that the maximum smash factors for 3 and 5 woods are very similar to the maximum for your driver.

You might ask - can Smash Factors be calculated? Well actually yes. Here is a link to an article on the Dave Tutleman web site that shows the details of how to calculate Smash Factor:

Dave Tutleman Smash Factor Article

This article shows the dependence of Smash Factor on things like the Club Loft and also the Club Mass. It is interesting that for, say two drivers with constant loft, if you increase the club head mass the maximum potential Smash Factor will increase. Hum - so playing with a shorter driver and heavier club head weight can result in More Distance and not less? Maybe this is part of the reason why Tour Pros do not necessarily lose driving distance when they play with shorter drivers? Food for Thought!

Make Those Left-To-Right Breaking Putts!

At least for me - and I believe for a lot of golfers - left-to-right breaking putts seem to be more difficult to make than right-to-left breakers. And this becomes particularly so for shorter putts, in the 5 foot range (Note for this discussion I am assuming a right-handed golfer...).

Assuming this to be so why is it that way, and what can we do to make more left-to-right breaking putts? Here are two links to articles that make sense about what happens with these types of putts:

"From Left To Right, The Putt Most Feared"

"Those Pesky Left-To-Right Breaking Putts"

Both articles suggest pretty much the same thing - for left to right putts, our vision tends to focus more on the hole than on the line of the putt. Makes sense I think!

The suggested tasks to accomplish to make more of these putts? Pay more attention to starting the left to right putt on your aim line, AND also visualize seeing the ball drop into the high side of the hole (rather than the front of the hole).

Achieveable!

Ladies and Lefties!

During the past month I have had a number of driver fittings for female golfers. To make these successful, I significantly expanded my driver fitting clubs. Higher loft heads, softer flex and lighter weight shafts, a variety of shaft lengths (starting at 41-1/2 inch club lengths), and the ability to use lightweight grips in fittings. If you know someone looking for more yards and better consistency (Christmas?) please get in touch with me.

I have also expanded the iron test heads I have for left-handed golfers. Now I have some new Alpha and Wishon test heads that I can use with all of my KBS, Aerotech, and SK Fiber fitting shafts. If you have been looking for true left handed iron fitting options, we can help. We also have Edel left-handed fitting wedges to help your short game.
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The most recent Golf Digest magazine had an article on the Best Instructors in the U. S. Des Mahoney, golf instructor and my partner at the Centennial Academy, made the list of Best Instructors in Tennessee. A well deserved recognition!
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Once I push the button to send this month's newsletter, I am off to the Annual AGCP Club Fitting Roundtable. Lots of great presentations on areas for club fitting improvement - getting more driving distance, and fitting with counterweights - are examples. And I am excited about making a presentation on Putting Improvement Using The SAM PuttLab. Hope to share lots of goodies with you in next month's newsletter!

Rooting For YOUR Golfing Success!!

Tony Wright

GAME IMPROVEMENT GOLF

Oak Ridge, TN

The PREMIER Short Game Fitting Center in East Tennessee!

tony@gameimprovementgolf.com