The Jet-Lagged Golf Swing

The golf travel industry is huge. Destination resorts such as Myrtle Beach, Hawaii, Palm Springs, and Phoenix are springing up all over. Developers are not just hoping for the Field of Dreams… build it and they will come… they know folks will come.

Look at business. So many business relationships and transactions are being done on the links. And it’s happening all over the globe.

Certain trips you are able to bring your clubs; others times not.

We are going to talk about how travel affects your body and your swing while playing golf or not playing. We will also discuss what can help you with that horrid jet lag that can easily hinder your performance on the course or in the board room.

I write this article from experience. I am currently in my third year on the PGA tour as a trainer. I travel all over the globe with the tour. So I understand what it is like to “live” out of a suitcase and not have everything available to you. Granted, we always have golf clubs with us, but I have some innovative ways to keep your game in shape.

This article is not about swing drills. Rather, this article will discuss how to keep your swing in shape from a more global perspective. Much of the information in this article is from personal observation, individual trial and error, and some tips from some experienced professionals.

Jet Lag. It can be a “Killer” on your golf game

As I write, I am sitting here at the world famous Doral Golf and Spa Resort in Miami. Tough duty I have this week. This course is host of the Ford Championship Golf Tournament. I flew in from San Diego last night. So there is a 3-hour time difference, a 4-hour flight, and let’s just say I got up this morning at 2:30 am Pacific Standard time (5:30 Eastern Standard time). So to sum it up, I know a thing or two about jet lag.

Because I am a personal trainer for Phil Mickelson, I’ve spent a lot of time researching and developing ways to help Phil perform better. That also includes his travel and getting his body ready for competition. Let us first start at the beginning with the flight. Research has indicated that whenever you fly the body becomes dehydrated. Why is this so? I guess it has something to do with the cabin of the airplane being pressurized.

Drinking lots of water is the first line of defense in battling jet lag. Drink water before you take off, during the flight, and once you land. Even if you have to go to the lavatory a couple times in flight, your body and your golf game will thank you.

We’re talking about water. Not soda, not coffee, and sorry, not alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates the body, so when you are in the air you get a double whammy. Good old H2O. Now what to do after you land?

I have found the greatest success in the war against Jet Lag is immediately changing to the present time zone. I know it can be tough having to go to bed 3 hours later than what you are accustomed to, but, believe me, in a day or so it will pay big dividends. I found this to really help.

Those are the two biggest tips I found to beneficial to jet lag.

Some other of Sensei Sean’s helpful hints are regulating your workouts and eating healthy foods. Workouts for me get that blood pumping and the body moving. I don’t feel lethargic on the road if I workout regularly. Now a workout can be something like a twenty minute brisk walk or run around the hotel. Just get something into your schedule that gets the blood pumping. Finally, another key to not getting “stung” by jet lag is what you eat. If I eat healthy meals, my body is more alert and running efficiently. If I chow down on fast food or candy, my body starts to get run down.

Keeping the Golf Game in Shape on the Road

I am certainly not a swing coach, and the suggestions in this article are merely from my personal experiences from traveling on the tour. Some good friends of mine (Rick Smith and Dave Pelz) are some of the best swing coaches in the world. I would suggest taking a look at some of their videos/articles for specific drills.

Now I realize that when you are traveling on business, time is limited to say the least. And probably more times than not you won’t have your clubs on the road. So what is the amateur to do? Well, what if I told you that it is possible to work on your swing in about 15 minutes a day without any equipment? Would that get you motivated to do a little work on the road? I imagine you would because I think we all have 15 minutes a day to spend on our swing.

We can work on three things without clubs. Number one, we can work on the mechanics of your swing; number two, we can work on the machinery (your body) that makes the swing go; and we can work on the mind. Putting all three of these entities together is what I feel is a complete training program for your swing. Forget about one and it’s like not including sugar in that cake recipe. Yuck! You are leaving yourself out of the game.

I have been given a great series of “mirror” drills by my instructor to work on my swing, and I am guessing your instructor has given you something similar. If not, I know both Rick Smith and Jim McLean have a number of drills that are done without clubs. Just take a look at the Golf Channel and you can probably pick up on a few of these drills. The great thing is I can do these drills anywhere and I do not need any equipment. So first off, spend 5 minutes a day in your hotel doing swing drills.

Once done with the swing drills, let’s work on the body. The body is what drives your swing and needs just as much attention as your swing itself. The pros work on their body every day, so why can’t the amateurs. Take the next 5 minutes and do “golf strengthening” drills that train the body for your swing. These exercises take no equipment and can be done in the comfort of your hotel room.

Finally, spend the final 5 minutes of your training session on the mind. Numerous books exist on the mental side of golf. I bet if you pick one of these books up at the bookstore, any number of them will have daily drills to perform. Perform these drills for five minutes.

So there you have it! Stay hydrated, set your body to the local time as quickly as you can, eat good foods for your body and get some exercise. For the mechanics of the swing, develop a set of in-room mirror drills to keep in the groove. Now if you have your clubs on the road, the swing drills can be done for 5 minutes with your clubs. If you are looking for additional information on how to train the body for the golf swing, that’s where I can help you. Take a look at the web site www.bioforcegolf.com to get information on such programs.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.

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Read more... Comment now » November 2nd, 2008

Don’t Go on a Lousy Golf School Vacation - Here’s How to Choose Correctly

I love golf! Don’t you? I’m not very good at it but I will
play as often as I can and I play every chance I get. The
thing is I live in Chicago. So playing year round is not
always possible — at least not in warm weather unless I go
South. But where do I go? There are so many great golf courses
and life so short.

I decided to write this article because in my passion, I have
found 4 very important questions to ask that will insure you
will find thd the perfect golf vacation. Be careful. I have
made some mistakes in the past because I did not do my
homework in advance.

Golf Schools come wrapped in shiny packages with fancy
trimmings. Be careful not to go for the first golf vacation
you hear about. Do some reaearch and find the right golf
package match for you, your habits, your style and your golf
game.

So, how do you know which golf school vacation is right for
you? It’s simple. How much do you know about yourself? Be
honest. This is your nickel.

1) What do you want to achieve?

2) How committed are you to your game?

3) Is your goal to have fun and drink with your friends
without the wives around?

4) Or are you dedicated to improving your game for the coming
season on this golf vacation?

Try asking yourself this: When you think of a golf vacation,
which comes first for you - the golf or the vacation?

Some golf schools demand your entire focus. Other golf
schools understand you need time to relax and scope out other
activities. So know if you are looking more for the golf or
the vacation.

If I’m planning a trip to a Maui golf school or going out to
Las Vegas for golf instruction, I’m thinking there’s a pretty
good chance I’ll be checking out the local sights and
entertainment.

If you’re like me, you’re going to find a school that offers
half-day instruction. Train your skills first thing in the
morning, get a bite to eat (usually included in your tuition),
then see how you feel. Hit the casinos, beach or the golf
course in the afternoon.

Like I said, I stink at the game but I do have some
experience. Are you a new golfer or could you hit the PGA Tour?

Beginners should check out golf schools that offer low
student-instructor ratios. A 5:1 ratio or lower is the best for
beginning golfers. Most likely you want a school that limits
class size.

Experienced golfers will need a school that offers on-course
instruction. You might need your swing looked at in game like
scenarios. Get your instruction on the course.

How do you like to learn? Your style might benefit from the
attention offered by low student-instructor ratios. This may
not be a necessity for an experienced golfer. This is totally
up to your learning style preference.

How’s your short game? I can drive for show but when it comes
time to out for dough. (Maybe I shouldn’t have told you that)
Do you have a nice low handicap but your golf game goes in the
tank 90 yards from the pin?

You need to find a golf school that concentrates on training
your short game and course management. If your golf swing is
basically sound, pick a golf vacation school that focuses the
majority of your instruction time by getting you out on the
course.

The golf training market is very competitive. If you want the
very best, find golf vacation schools that will focus on
individual aspects of your golf game. Comparison shop. (Isn’t
this why the internet was invented?)

In the time it takes for me to get out of a sand trap, you can
find a golf school that will help you shave a stroke or two
off your already low handicap. Or in my case, keep me from
embarrassing myself in front of my friends.

Some other real quick questions to ask at a golf vacation
school: Is lodging included? Are meals included? Does the
tuition include rounds of golf? You can find a whole batch of
information about all the golf vacation schools at
http://www.universalgolfinformation.com

Focus your honest answers to the 4 questions above. Whittle
down your decision to three or four to fit the style of golf
training where you will do your best. Then pick the golf
vacation school that offers the best package. Remember — it’s
your nickel.

Joe Rogers, Jr. loves golf even though he stinks at playing. He has been very successful in business so that he now has time to devote to his folly, his passion and his main love in life - Golf. He has written many articles like this available at http://www.universalgolfinformation.com

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Read more... Comment now » September 7th, 2008

Review of Golf Training Aids - Can They Really Help Lower Your Scores

Today’s marketplace is flooded with training aids. You can find one for nearly every part of the game. And more and more are being introduced every day. While a training aid won’t lower your golf handicap overnight or replace golf tips, it will help improve your golf game if you work with it faithfully.

Below are five training aids golfers often ask about in my golf lessons. Designed to improve your swing or a phase of your swing, these products help correct faults, groove mechanics, and/or ingrain the feel of swing. The key, as always, is finding a training aid that works for you before investing your hard-earned money.

(And incidentally, I am in no way affiliated with these companies nor do I make money from these reviews.)

Amazing Assist Swing Trainer (www.matzie.com)

Available from Gibas & Matzie Golf Products, the Amazing ASSIST training club improves your swing and increases strength. It’s like getting a golf lesson free of charge. Its weighted head and bent shaft teaches the correct hand action. The ASSIST improves muscle memory, extension, and weight transfer as well as tempo and timing.

As the club is swung, the proper release action is exaggerated to eliminate slicing, increase clubhead speed, and produce straight shots. In addition, the training grip places the thumbs and index fingers Vs of your hands in the traditional 11 o’clock and 12 o’clock positions. You can use it at home, on the range, or before your golf lessons.

The Amazing ASSIST is ideal for pre-game or pre-practice warm-ups or for everyday use to improve your swing. The ASSIST is available for men, women, and juniors, and for right-handers and left-handers. An instructional video comes with the product. The cost is $70.

The Elbow Tac-Tic (www.4golftraining.com)

Maintaining one’s left elbow (for right-handers) as straight as comfortably possible determines the width of your swing arc, as I’ve explained in my golf tips. The wider the swing arc, the greater the power. The Elbow Tac-Tic sleeve clicks when the elbow breaks down, providing the instant feedback needed to correct the swing and keep the left elbow extended. The Tac-tic also works on the right arm, clicking when the elbow bends at the proper point in the backswing. Cost: 39.95.

The Speed Stik (www.speedstik.com)

Most golf instruction will tell you that clubhead speed determines the distance a ball is hit. The faster the clubhead speed, the farther the ball goes. Working out with the Speed Stik increases a golfer’s clubhead speed and trains proper balance and on-plane swing. Swing the Speed Stick in a continuous motion back and forth, keeping it about 18 inches off the ground. Start slowly at first, and then build momentum. Check the speed gauge for your MPHs. Every increase of 1 MPH equals three more yards of distance. Repeat a few days a week and chart your distance. Cost: $99.99

The Impact Ball (www.theimpactball.com)

The Impact Ball develops the feel of hitting a ball properly. Available from To-M-Pact Golf, Inc., it’s easy to use and understand. It’s based on the idea that many recreational players have certain swing faults (chicken wing, flying elbows, etc.) or that they try to scoop the ball off the ground when hitting. Sometimes, even the best golf instruction can’t rid a player of certain faults.

The Impact Ball works. It’s placed between the forearms and held there through your swing. The ball is bi-colored, and the only thought to focus on is to getting the ball to change colors as the club moves through the impact area. The product trains golfers to strike the ball solidly with a square clubface, eliminating any attempts to flip or scoop the ball during the shot.

The Impact Ball addresses every phase of the gamechipping, pitching, putting, driving, and bunker play. You can hit balls on the range with the Impact Ball or practice swinging the club with it at home. The cost: $39.95 + shipping and handling.

The Swing Magic Driver (www.swingmagic.com)

Training with Kallassy’s Swing Magic Driver ingrains the proper motion into your swing. Designed to improve timing, tempo, and rhythm, the Swing Magic synchronizes the movement of your arms, hands, and body. A sliding training clip enables you to separate your right hand (for right handers) during the backswing. By separating the right hand on the backswing and reconnecting it on the downswing imprints an on-plane golf swing, essential for consistent ball striking. It prevents you from coming “over the top” as well. Cost: $89.95.

Remember, a training aid is not a panacea, as I often mention in my golf tips. It won’t dramatically improve your game overnight. It won’t make up for good course management. And it won’t take the place of a one-on-one golf lesson. But it will ingrain the fundamentals of a good swing, cut strokes off your scores, and lower your golf handicap, if you practice with it faithfully. Just make sure the training aid is right for you before buying.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

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Read more... Comment now » August 3rd, 2008