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Posts Tagged ‘mental game’

Its Great to See A Pro Golfer Reach for the Stars…

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Hi Everyone:

Graeme Mc Dowell’s win at this weekend’s US Open was nothing short of a stellar feat for the N. Ireland native.  He definitely made it happen despite all odds.

He played some really good golf in what turned out to be more of a bit of an all European final with the  tough  fast greens that turned lightning fast.  A  Frenchmen named Gregory Havret, also played fantastic golf,  to almost force a playoff as well.

Grame defeated golf’s big three who all had chances to win by far, but they could not mount  steady charges and do their thing, including that of Tiger Woods, who looked like he was back once again.

Not since Tony Jacklin won in 1970 have we seen someone from the British Isles win the US Open here on American soil.

Hats off to Greame Mc Dowell and his great play at historic Pebble Beach on Dad’s Day with his father present at the 18 th green to acknowlege his great triumph.  It doesn’t get much better than that now does it!

What was Greame’s secret to success and his play?

It was his driving in the fairway, his putting and self confidence in himself in a game introduced to him by his Dad, who believed in his son’s ability to play the game and be a great  golfer.

Not the longest driver of the ball by far but steady and long enough to be in the fairway most of the time mixed with mastery of the greens with his putter, he prevailed.  These key statistics along with his good iron play made the difference enough to win by one shot at the famed Pebble Beach layout.

It sure was good theatre and a great day to be with your Dad and win golf’s greatest tournament, our U.S. Open.

What I liked especially about this Irishmen was his resolve and determination to hang in there and make things happen.  He made up his mind and hit the golf shot in a decisive manner. Excellent  short game as well around the greens.

Golfers can learn from his routine and get into hitting shots with determination. Take dead aim and fire!

All for now and onto the Bristish Open at St. Andrews in Scotland for golf’s next and third major of the season.

Best,  Bob Cisco, The Golf Doctor

Could This Be Golf’s Year of the Daley?

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Hi Guys:

You may have missed this during “Tiger Slam” but this news which was rather more inconspicuous than Tiger’s, was surfacing a few weeks ago from “down under” in Australia there.

In December when Australia has its majors, an American pro golfer quietly tied up it named John Daley. Yes, the real Daley who stayed long enough to play a couple of the majors there and finished ninth in one of them. Many of the Aussie fans weren’t sure if it was him at first. But it was the real John Daley, minus about 100 lbs of him.

Daley not only has slimmed down 100 pounds or so and looks even better than when he ventured on and won the PGA in the early 1990s but is back with an intensity and desire to make his golf game here heading into 2010, his comeback year and “the year OF THE DALEY”.

With Tiger Woods probably not retuning till June for the US Open or later or not at all this year, John could have a break out year here and move to the top of the leader boards. Who knows he might even contend and win another major at the British or PGA Championship this summer.

I remember what Tiger said had said about big John Daley. He’s got more talent than anyone golfer I know. Well maybe that talent will find its way again.  Golf sure needs a star to return or step up to the plate this year with a certain person missing in action on an indefinite leave from the game.

I have to tell you I saw John hit what I would say was one of the most memorable and magically crafted shot I have ever seen at a golf tournament. This was at Riviera CC in the LA Open several years ago and it was on the par three fourth or fifth hole there, where he hit the green with a long iron and was stymied by a sand trap that was imbedded or situated in the green there.

 

A very unique and rather famous hole on Los Angeles golf history. Instead of putting Daley took a sand or lob wedge and “flipped it like a flap-jack” with his wedge straight up and down next to the hole from about 45 feet away. It was sort of magically and definitely ALL FEEL! I’ll never forget the image and this shot. One of the best I’ve ever seen.

 

John probably figures that with all the media attention on ‘Tiger Slam’ and where’s Tiger these days that he could move more quietly around at golf courses and make a statement with his better play and cash more in where he’s been missing. You have to recall some here that he was suspended by the PGA Tour for his behavior last year  “as golf’s bad boy” and sat out six months or so. of that suspension. from the commissioner.

 

Daley I would think feels a sense of relief in a way that he’s not the singled-out player in the dog house and with all the media trying to figure out Tiger’s next move, a remunerated Daley is on the move and lookout here. You got to also like the new outfit with the pants. Right?

So let’s watch and see what a new waistline, girlfriend and attitude can do for John Daley. If it will have him hitting stronger or will it be too much of a change like when Craig Stadler dropped 50 pounds. He later said phooey and went back up in weight. It changed his swing tempo according to him too much. Maybe it was the wine and deserts were too much to give up as well. Who knows.

 

Anyway this could be an interesting year here in 2010 with anything goes and let’s place the casting call at: calling all new faces, young guns and old and let’s get it on in the new year. There’s events and lots of cash to win and fund raisers to help with a good cause.

 

Let’s see what happens here.

 

Bob Cisco – The Golf Doctor.  www.allaboutgolf.us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How YE Yang Defeated Golf’s Best Player Tiger Woods

Monday, August 17th, 2009

Wow. What a great finish to the PGA Championship here this Sunday!

I practically jumped off the couch when YE pitched in on the par four for eagle. And then went toe to toe with Tiger.

This had to be the best Sund major finish in many years and brought the word “excitement” back into the majors on Sunday.

YE looks like a miniture Tiger Woods in many ways. He’s got a great golf swing and has a mental game based on two key ingredients: courage and believe in self.

I am so glad to see a player step up to the plate and say: I can do this why not. Just play golf and play my own game. Tiger’s great but so am I.

This did more for the game of golf here –especially internationally golf –with Yang becoming the first male Asian golfer to win a major here in America.  Just like “Tiger mania” in 1997 with Woods winning the Masters, now Yang is the “mania” for many Asian young players to follow, play more golf and play professionally. 

Way to go YE Yang and thanks for a great Sunday showing of golf’s best major of the 2009 season and year!

Perhaps we”ll see Tiger and Yang go mano to mano at the President’s Cup next month in San Francisco here in the President’s Cup. That would be a great rematch wouldn’t it.

For all you golfers out there, YE Yang’s SECRET has to do with his great sense of balance and ability to rotate his trunk and the swinging club head in superb timing. A lot like Tiger hey.

Talk soon!  Bob Cisco,

the golf doctor

www.allaboutgolf.us

Balance and Consistency are First Cousins in the Golf Swing Motion

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

Did you know that balance and consistency are first cousins in the golf swing motion?

It’s true. You see them together almost all the time. Hanging out and interacting in the golf swing.  Interesting how balance has so much to do with consistency in the golf siwng motion.

Hit a good shot and you always find you’re in balance. Hit a bad one and you’re usually “off balance” in some part of the swing motion. Interesting hey.

As a matter of fact,  most likely the most neglected and misunderstood key basic or fundamental in the golf swng.

I’ve done a lot of recent key research on this area and I will share with you what I found out here.

Here’s a recent article on the importance of this relationship being maintained, how it is done and how you can improve your balance and have better golf shots.

This report has some of my finest research and work and I am letting you in behind the curtain here to see it.

 

Why You Still Can’t Break 100, 90 and 80 in Golf

And How Balance and Consistency are Key 

 

If you’re not breaking thru the next barrier in your

golf game and you’re still hitting inconsistent shots,

then, sit down and read this special report and find

out WHY you’re having the trouble you’re having with

your golf swing and game.

 

So what is INCONSISTENCY in my game, golf swing

and shot-making?  That’s a  great question to be

asking yourself and your golf teacher.

 

Golfers use this ONE word all the time. I’m inconsistent

with hitting my shots  and with my swing.. I hear it a lot

as an instructor and have for some time. For years as

a matter of fact, I hear this one word describing more

problems than any other.

 

Inconsistent with what part or aspect of the golf swing

motion, path or clubface delivery? How often has your

instructor or teacher asked you that more specific question.

Probably not. And he should be asking you for these

specifics if he’s going to get more to the bottom of your

problem with your game and Inconsistency.

  

Inconsistency can mean a lot of things to the golfer.

as a problem in the golf swing, it sums up mainly

around swing errors that lead up to an improper

swing path and motion thru the ball.

 

It has to do with the amount of deviation from a

certain norm or degrees in delivering the clubface

to the ball at impact in the golf swing is getting

closer to what  it is. More on this later in this article.

 

Swinging at 90 or 100 mph in two seconds or less

and making sold impact with the club head at impact

is actually impressive and a real athletic skill. So do

pat yourself on the back a bit because you’re playing

one of the most difficult sports where there is higher

velocity or speed that is required to swing with a club

and propel a ball down the fairway.

 

Each of these golf swing symptoms are manifestations of

some kind of an error in the motion of the golf swing and

its path being swung around the body with the weighted

club.

 

When you’re dealing with swinging a club, bat or racquet

around your body at high speed, to the degree that you

can do that and swing in balance will greatly impact and

improve a number of these key factors and swing positions.

 

Top players, who are the epitome of balance and

consistency, all key on swinging or rotating in balance.

Remember that. That’s one of the key rules you must

follow with eh swing.

 

Your best rounds of golf were most likely when you swung

easier and smoother and found yourself more in control

and had good timing. Recall a few of such rounds and

you’ll find that’s what you were doing and why the

round and your swing felt better and effortless that day,

your timing was exceptional and felt better.

 

So what is Inconsistency really in the golf swing motion?

And how can you get more of it as a skill and improved

ability on your shot-making?

 

We have known for many years that many of the key

problems golfers have, have to do with the backswing

move done incorrectly. It is here that the majority of

errors in a faulty swing can be found. This is from the

initial takeaway (Swing position 1) to waist-high position

in the backswing move (Swing Position Two).

 

There are more things can go wrong with the swing

in this first crucial zone of movement (SP 1 and SP2)

than in any other part in the golf swing motion. The

error in the first three feet is usually a combination

of several errors, some quite drastic and caustic

to a good repeating golf swing.

 

This is a big problem because there can be a number

of swing errors going on at the same time in the

backswing that can mask the real problem and be

difficult not only for the golfer to identify and solve

for himself, but likewise can be a real challenge for

the golf teacher to recommend solutions  in trying 

to fix the golfer’s basic swing problem and errors.

 

Eighty per cent of all swing errors are contained in

this move away from the ball to waist-high position

(Swing position 2). Wow. That’s a host of swing

errors in just one area of the golf swing motion.

 

These swing errors manifest themselves in a

combination of errors that when the golfer swings

this way, with one of these key errors present,

he can may get away with perhaps one miscue

or error as a result and get an okay, somewhat

satisfactory result, but not when he has two or

more of such fundamental errors.

  

Arnold Palmer said in one of his key books:

“If I got the takeaway right with my swing, the

green light was on for a  good swing and hit”.

How true that is here and supports this premise

that the primary error in the golf swing and

most crucial part has to do with your

backswing motion.

 

So remember what “A.P” said here and you’ll

play better as a result of this advice.

 

Watch the top players and notice how they

are working on that takeaway move a lot –

as a constant reminder of its importance to get

it right in the takeaway as a swing exercise and

drill, and to groove in the move away from the

ball. Several players even adopted it into their

waggle and practice swing move.

 

You probably have hear of this also referred to as

the one-piece takeaway from the ball in the

backswing move. Yes that is correct.

 

The key to fixing your INCONSISTENCY lies in

handling this key error or the series of faulty

errors that you have that show up in the INITIAL

takeaway and the first three feet of your swing

back swing move.

 

This is the crucial zone in the backswing move

and is one of the most vital move in the golf swing

motion that will make or break your success for

making solid contact with hitting the ball. It has

a large part to do with  improving your consistency

in your ball-striking.

 

Your move back to the ball in the forward swing is

also vital but the majority of golfers are already too

far out of position, and have to make a big compensation

in a series of ways quickly to get back into, the correct

position to hit the ball at impact. Which in most cases

does not happen and results are less than satisfactory

and Inconsistent at best.

 

By the time the golfer has reached the top of his

backswing, (Swing position 3) he has stacked up a

combination of errors to overcome in his swing, that he

has to handle quickly and overcome or compensate for. 

 

First of all, what I discovered which was hard to believe

with all the information written about the golf swing, that

the understanding of basic motion of the golf swing has

been essentially misunderstood by many golf students

and teaching pros.

 

This sounds rather basic but upon further examination

of what’s being taught  and told to students to do, is a

series of isolated mechanics of positions and technique,

not sound theory of basics and fundamentals of the golf

swing motion (motion, timing and rhythm).This needs

to change.

 

When one is being consistent in his swing motion and 

is swinging or rotating the club and his body In a

synchronize way and in balance, his timing is more

effectively and performs better as he swings the club

around his body. This creates a better pivoting action and

driving  action up against the left side and out towards

the target with acceleration.

 

 

The golf swing is not a movement of focusing on or

concentrating on isolated swing positions and the swing

plane itself. That is a secondary focus but not of primary

importance in the golf swing motion.

 

It is a concentration on feeling in balance, shifting your

weight smoothly back and forth, and timing the hit or

release of the golf shot. That’s what you focus on. Ask

any advanced player or pro on what he focuses on

while swinging.

 

It May Not Be All Your Fault –

 

The golf swing has been over complicated and made

too difficult to understand for most golfers especially

the information having to do with swing plane, its function

and its importance. This has been going on now for

sometime – actually over 50 yrs or more and is during

that time that the national average has only improved

less than one stroke. An unfortunate but Interesting point.

   

The average golfer who can not break 100 or 90 is OUT OF BALANCE

in their golf swing from the get-go.

 

This actually happens in the first foot to three foot zone of

their golf swing and from there, the golfer is struggling to

create a compensation for being out of balance from this

swing center position, which then affects their pivot, tempo

and timing pattern. The golfer then tries desperately to

overcome these errors which in most cases he really can’t.

Inconsistent shots result.

 

I spent ten years or more studying this problem directly and

my research on this is contained and written up in my latest

golf book project: Perfect Balance, Your Key to Consistency

and Shot-making in Golf. I go into more in depth detail

about this breakthrough, Inconsistency, the discoveries I

made, and the over twenty new axioms found on motion

and balance in the golf swing. You can see order the

complete report in book form if you don’t already have it 

by going to www.lulu.com/bobcisco.

 

In my latest research on the role of footwork, balance,

and swing center, I stumbled upon an important discovery

in the golf swing — that the golf swing motion starts not only

with the club, but with the assistance of the feet from the ball of

the foot/arch area when the golfer starts the club back in his swing.

 

The feet are the only part of the body in touch with the

ground and actually act as “guide posts” for the harnessing

and balancing of the body that is coiling around its swing

center. They create a kinetic chain effect upwards in the

golf swing motion.

 

Tiger Woods in his book, “How I Play Golf”, “stated  that

power is generated from the ground up, starting with the

connection to the ground with your feet and working

upward”…

  

I found in my eight year research study that the majority

of golfers — those who couldn’t break 100 and 90 –

tended to over-rotate the feet especially the ankle and

hips in the early part of the back-swing, and that this

point alone caused a host of problems in the golf swing,.

especially with their timing pattern, maintaining of spine

angle, and overall lack of consistency to hit solid shots.

 

This point has been truly overlooked, missed and has

been unknown to traditional golf instruction with

the national average stuck at over 100 for most

men and women golfers for the past 50-75 years,

despite all the new technological advances in golf

equipment.

 

This sounds to me like we have placed too much

emphasis on the wrong area. I go into this in more

detail in a book I recently wrote on this and you will

find  in some ways discover a bit of a conspiracy by

those in the higher ranks of golf associations, to

suppress this information from ever really getting it

to the masses of golfers for a particular vested reason.

 

This is because if golfers started figuring this out better

for themselves they really wouldn’t need to reply so

heavily on a swing coach or golf teachers with the bottom

line being that instructors of the game would give far less

lessons to students.

 

But what if there was a better way that all golfers could

benefit from such instruction?  Not only from a good golf

teacher when needed but could essentially personally

train themselves on these key fundamentals, i.e. balance,

pivot and better timing in their golf swings. And that they

could achieve better consistency and hit more solid golf

shots as a result?

 

So do this for me: Work on your back swing move as more

of a one piece takeaway away from the ball and be more

aware of your balance especially in the first three feet of your

golf swing. “Think balance” in your golf swing man!

 

While you’re doing that I’ll get back to you soon as I am on to

something that will greatly help you in this area as a training

aid.

 

Imagine for a moment a personal training device that would

groove in this key move with your balance, pivot and timing?

Wouldn’t that be something.

 

Talk to you soon and let me know how you liked the special  report.

 

Leave a comment right now.

.

Bob Cisco –

Golf Performance advisor

 

 

 

 

Great Masters Sunday Finish

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Wow! What a finish to the Masters! it was shoot-out at ok corral for sure. Phil’s excellent adventure and 30 on the front nine and Tiger’s eagle at the 8 th hole.

I suspected a play-off but with Tiger one of the guys!

A victory for Cabrera and Argentina. And for Roberto D. (the wrong score on scorecard inc.)

Disappointment for KP. Kenny will be back next sure and know how to get it done. He’s had a great three year ride in his late 40s and is a super guy. He even clapped for Angel the eventual winner. How’s that for class!

Certaintly was a great Masters! Now onward for the US Open in June as golf’s 2nd major of the season continues in mid June in New York.