I went and checked mine and put in new card for renewal. Scheduled for a @2/17. I believe I should be set now, we will see. Season right around the corner even though it's Feb 7th!!
@Tom Saguto I think you may fall in love with this place and obviously the people! All I need is your arrival time in Rome, Florence or Bologna and then we can explore a different level of Pollo Croccante!!!
I have loved the Members Only short lessons - for me they provide just a slightly different explanation/description of what the stroke is about.
Last week I posted quickly about the Throwing the Club - Chicken wing and yes it has really helped my striking.
Tom’s lesson on Knees was/is epic and really is transforming my swing! No doubt I have heard the importance of stance - comfortable, relaxed, overfill in in both series, hundreds of lessons and on YouTube - yesterday something clicked in my mind…the concept of a powerful base, open stance, knees almost ready to pounce was fantastic! What I also “found” was the essence of “Shoulder down and Hands around“ NOT as a series of steps (my explanation) but as the sauce on the “Everything moves in a Circle” - I got TIMING - like never before - relaxed, deliberate compressing the ball - what a find!!!
Guess what - when I swing this was I can square the clubface with rotation not manipulation!
Love this game!
Sorry if it does not make sense but I find the more I watch, listen and play the clearer the concept becomes.
60 balls, 54 really good shots, a few “fast,armsy ones” but another level in the journey!!
@marc.manion Yes - he lives in the Jacksonville area. Though he did say that he doesn't play TPC very often because the typical course conditions are not close to how they set it up for The Players.
One of the great tings was lookaing at all the little tips and suggestions to help our games in the MO section - really helpful to watch a few times and now see what works for me!
Hey guys! I am back on track - small problem with a fractured vertebrae in my neck which was a pain - well a numb really.
On the good side, I can carry really hot plates and maybe not grip the club so hard
On the better side - no way I am trying to smash the ball just swinging it with the “almost wrath of God” and off they go!Hope all is well , Raining cats and dogs over here so plenty of rest!
Welcome back, Marc!! I was getting concerned since we hadn't heard from you in quite some time. So sorry about your neck issue, but very glad to know that you are healing up well.
Nothing wrong with "Almost Wrath". In fact, having a governor imposed on our body can actually help if we are prone to overswinging. I don't necessarily recommend going about it the way you did, but since it already happened let's make some lemonade - or better yet, limoncello - from this lemon!! 😎
Hey there Team Saguto! Hope all is well and you are smiling!
What a week!!!
It has been possibly one of the most frantic and unsettling golf weeks ever - and - surprise - most of it was in my head!
A few days ago I tumbled upon the fact that my shoulder turn was a little lazy and every once in a while contact and direction were suffering like a lonely chicken wing left on the plate!
Solution part one - When in doubt refer to the instructions - and after about 2 sessions (I read the instructions TS) the ball was humming, my slightly closed takeaway and position throughout the swing was soft and powerful - boom - ready for Wed comp!!
Result - 16 points - as in 16 for the whole 18 holes!! A most humbling day…
There were a few “excuses” during the round - yes the ball was going further - not too bad, yes the greens were crap (ie: too fast/slow/damp) and yes the first cut was brutal BUT there was not a ready solution so I played with the game I had - poorly!
After about 14 holes I started again - grip, pecs, club unit, …and then let my brain take over - (hence 8 of the 16 points)
The main learning for me accepting the day, scoring every shot and focusing on trying to improve every shot just a little bit - aim for 2 putts - which means, pitch and chip closer, understand that some holes are longer than 2 shots - so play 2 good ones not 4 “Hail Mary” shots, if the rough is “rough” a 5 wood might be the dumbest idea …
It’s OK - I love this game - I have the tools to enjoy it more and I think that my brain is becoming more realistic with it’s aspirations!
@marc.manion - Wouldn't it be nice if every round started on the 16th hole when we finally have it all figured out, and then we can just loop around and play the rest of the course from there. By my calculations that would have given you something like 34 points.... 😆
Things are coming together (lucky I am not knitting a jumper as it would be pretty lumpy!) - In spite of the fact that scoring is a little inconsistent I am pretty happy to accept that this is still very much a learning process - and I have confidence in the process!
It is fun (interesting) to accept that there is a reason for every good and every average shot - and learn from them.
Simple “spices” - long, thick, wet grass in the first cut rules out using a 5 wood!
170m shots to the green, without knowing my exact, consistent distance can be greatly helped by 8 iron, 52 to the centre of the green rather than 4 iron, 60 degree from the beach!
Ben Hogan’s words - “It’s ok Byron, it is only a game” will often make me smile and laugh at myself!
Sweet update, @marc.manion. Seems like things are coming together nicely.
FYI, there's been a bit of very recent dialogue in the Forum about the importance of the setup. Have a look at my reply towards the bottom of this thread where I share a couple of photos from the S&T book as well as a link to a KFC Club video on the topic.
Also, some good discussion going on in the short game realm, including this thread.
18 Holes today - some in the wind, some in the rain and the last bit in the sauna of sunshine and heat!
The learning game has commenced in full - ball striking for the most part 80% fantastic - same spot - learnings:
1 The difference between grass and mats - massive in summer where it grows so thick and 1st/2nd cuts need a heap more attention!
2 The importance of set up - For me it is a case of routine not reflex - if not I can explain some of the 20% of Kermit shots.
3 Relax - take a practice swing, identify a target and choose the shot best suited to get me there - by the way - this process only takes about a minute so it is way better than wasting a shot, looking for a ball …
4 Chipping, pitching, bunkers and putting - at the moment I have found a range where I know my 52 or PW will get me landing the ball at constant distances - green “texture” varied heaps today but that’s where putting comes in - lots of practice will help.
5 Off the tee - happy as - for the first time I am confident that I will hit the short stuff (mostly) and hit it 30 odd m further than last week. Tom’s Power Lessons, especially with the Follow Through really help!
Kermit is not the Hermit - still a bit of a hacker but a Happy Hacker at the moment!
Our "stupid minds" are the primary cause of our golfing woes. The mind says, "I'm holding a stick, I see a ball, I want to propel that ball with the stick, therefore I will hit at it." Neutralize that well-ingrained subconscious act and you will conquer the golf swing.
By the way - and this is directed to the entire community - there's no need to bring up masks, jabs, politics, etc. here (unless, of course, we are masking a swing flaw, jabbing at our putts, or getting too left or too right with our weight...😎). We can opine on that stuff elsewhere should we elect to do so, but this forum is dedicated solely to this great game and the enjoyment thereof. In other words, our little bubble here shall be preserved as such in its golf purity and devoid of any influences from an outer world gone mad...
There are some benefits of being in ISO - not may, nut a few!
Today I rewatched the Downswing series and the Hip Bump Drill sections!
Am I slow, or just slow???
How many of us have spent hours transitioning the club from top of the swing to the Club horizontal without realising (being kind to myself) remembering that it is the lateral movement that helps the body drag the shoulders, arm, club into the position to initiate the Wrath of God!!And it just gets it to the spot where it should be - leaving my stupid mind out of the process!
Backyard has evidence of the club hitting the same spot in the grass (benefit)
Sally not too thrilled (temporary problem)!
Stay safe, mask up (even after jab#3) this virus is everywhere!
@marc.manion Just like the vast majority of Tour players who have adopted most or all of those "better ideas".......😎 For example, if you were to ask, "how many PGA Tour major championship winners TILTED, TURNED, and EXTENDED in the golf swing?", the answer would be all of them! Stack and Tilt is a golf swing system based on data from the best golf ball strikers. For this reason, someone can be embracing key Stack and Tilt elements without being aware of it. This is because there are basic requirements that must be met to hit a golf ball consistently on the center of the clubface. There are also components necessary to add power to the golf swing without sacrificing accuracy. Stack and Tilt determined, based on a study of the best golfers of all time, that they all had 3 things in common (the 3 main golf fundamentals): 1. Hit the ground in the same spot every time (consistent crispy contact) 2. Have enough power to play the golf course well (POWER) 3. Be able to have a predictable curve (accuracy). A player MUST be able to do those 3 things to be good at golf. Stack and Tilt is the road map for accomplishing these fundamentals incredibly well! As far as tour players using 100% of it, 99% of it, 97% of it, or 78% of it, it doesn't really matter because they're ALL doing it to some extent. Those 3 fundamentals never change!
For now I prefer to leave the "clinical" work to others. My model and my attention is dedicated to the online school and its members, providing high quality video instruction content, and private instruction through the V1 service and one-on-one in-person lessons.
Another day on course which was more interesting than fun but as Tom said - a transition from Golf Swing to Golf!
For the most part I was pretty pleased to notice a change in my “mindset” about the round. Confidence is a great asset in most things - golf - for me especially.
It is comforting to know that most drives off the tee will be in play and when the trigger idea is “play the shot you know“ from certain spots works 90% of the time all things are fun!
Obviously there is a sack of fine tuning - re calculating distances - and removing ego from the selection - eg: I know for sure that when I am 60 -75 m from the green the ball will land where I send it, other irons pretty much the same and the issue of “comfortable, relaxed power” is still a little inconsistent. Not sure what the trigger is yet but the routine of a slow swing and then a real swing as pre shot worked pretty well.
Putting - next on my viewing list - and trying to ingrain all of the learnings so they are a complete series not 5 parts!
Nice to see that you're taking your swing out to the course and putting some pressure on it. That's always extremely revealing, and it tends to build the virtue of humility if you allow it to LOL.
What you experienced is most assuredly part of the process, and as your practice performance becomes more and more consistent then it's just a function of time in terms of when/how that will translate itself to the pressures and challenges of actual play. As confidence in your swing grows you should find more and more that you are playing "golf" instead of "golf swing" on the course, at which point your mechanical thoughts will be reduced to one or two at the most, and you will be nearly entirely focused on your target and not your swing.
Apologies if I've already mentioned these to you, but some excellent supplemental reading that may help you with this is "Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game" by Dr. Gio Valiante. Another book that I like is "Play Your Best Golf Now" by Lynn Marriott & Pia Nilsson.
In hindsight - like the last 2 weeks I have spent some time focusing on the basics - the basics of not just a new swing - but a new way of doing stuff!!
Today’s lesson was Brutal - when Tom says there is no quick way he is absolutely correct! Yes the odd short cut can help make me feel good but … that is not the plan.
Here’s what I learnt
New Course, Team Match Play with guys whose handicapped have stayed pretty constant and are happy to be off 18.
My partner in crime played pro tennis - against McEnroe and the others, Wimbledon, US open and won most Australian gigs - he can hit a ball, has great lag and pretty competitive - TS may say - and where i=did you read go?
First drive 210 m - easy, pretty much textbook warmup … next 2,,, arms, thin …chop wood - in creek - 8 holes later - I am still trying to hit the ball - successfully - into the ground, off the toe, thin and completely headless.
Back 9 … two deep breaths, weigh under control - hit fairway, hit 70% shot to fringe - chip, putt - par…
Then, thank the Lord - or the Colonel - the stuff Tom says is essential arrived -
Sorry had some of the grandparent stuff happening…
Yesterday we played an event called the Christmas Cup - about 90 of us play single and team event,spend plenty of time heckling each other and try to play serious golf!
Major takeaways are
1 The takeaway - if the first movement is correct then there is a pretty good chance that good contact will send the little round thing in the right direction.
2 Throw, skim, toss watermelon in the direction of the target - the melon worked pretty well for me - especially when it was relaxed!
3 Tension does kill - pretty much everything - left /right, fat thin - BUT - at least I knew it and the next few - swung with trust were buttery!
4 My time on the beach was not pleasant - until I remembered to accelerate the club not decelerate - a Muppet Moment ( actually 3 x 2 = 6 shots)
I cannot stress the importance of actually playing golf - or hitting off grass rather than mats - really helps focus on the swing!
Love it - sadly we did not win but happy to strike the ball in the same spot (when I trust the program)!!!
@marc.manion - Generally speaking - and pre-existing injuries aside - any physical pain with the S&T swing is an indication that something is amiss somewhere in the setup and/or motion.
So guys, have some things changed on the site?
was about to review some old lessons but I am locked out???
Buongiorno Tutti!!!
Just thought I would drop in and say hello!
We are back in Tuscany and I am off to have a range session then play a few holes down near Perugia!!
Hope you guys are all well - really enjoying all the tips over the last month or so!!!
Sometimes things just click to another level!
I have loved the Members Only short lessons - for me they provide just a slightly different explanation/description of what the stroke is about.
Last week I posted quickly about the Throwing the Club - Chicken wing and yes it has really helped my striking.
Tom’s lesson on Knees was/is epic and really is transforming my swing! No doubt I have heard the importance of stance - comfortable, relaxed, overfill in in both series, hundreds of lessons and on YouTube - yesterday something clicked in my mind…the concept of a powerful base, open stance, knees almost ready to pounce was fantastic! What I also “found” was the essence of “Shoulder down and Hands around“ NOT as a series of steps (my explanation) but as the sauce on the “Everything moves in a Circle” - I got TIMING - like never before - relaxed, deliberate compressing the ball - what a find!!!
Guess what - when I swing this was I can square the clubface with rotation not manipulation!
Love this game!
Sorry if it does not make sense but I find the more I watch, listen and play the clearer the concept becomes.
60 balls, 54 really good shots, a few “fast,armsy ones” but another level in the journey!!
One of the great tings was lookaing at all the little tips and suggestions to help our games in the MO section - really helpful to watch a few times and now see what works for me!
I love this game - smile lots!
This lemon makes some pretty good limoncello and will be back in the land of pasta and pizza in 3 weeks!
Looking forward to Crispy Chicken - not Pizza with fruit - and just having fun!
Sensei ( Maestro ) when do you land in Rome?
Hey guys! I am back on track - small problem with a fractured vertebrae in my neck which was a pain - well a numb really.
On the good side, I can carry really hot plates and maybe not grip the club so hard
On the better side - no way I am trying to smash the ball just swinging it with the “almost wrath of God” and off they go!Hope all is well , Raining cats and dogs over here so plenty of rest!
Hey there Team Saguto! Hope all is well and you are smiling!
What a week!!!
It has been possibly one of the most frantic and unsettling golf weeks ever - and - surprise - most of it was in my head!
A few days ago I tumbled upon the fact that my shoulder turn was a little lazy and every once in a while contact and direction were suffering like a lonely chicken wing left on the plate!
Solution part one - When in doubt refer to the instructions - and after about 2 sessions (I read the instructions TS) the ball was humming, my slightly closed takeaway and position throughout the swing was soft and powerful - boom - ready for Wed comp!!
Result - 16 points - as in 16 for the whole 18 holes!! A most humbling day…
There were a few “excuses” during the round - yes the ball was going further - not too bad, yes the greens were crap (ie: too fast/slow/damp) and yes the first cut was brutal BUT there was not a ready solution so I played with the game I had - poorly!
After about 14 holes I started again - grip, pecs, club unit, …and then let my brain take over - (hence 8 of the 16 points)
The main learning for me accepting the day, scoring every shot and focusing on trying to improve every shot just a little bit - aim for 2 putts - which means, pitch and chip closer, understand that some holes are longer than 2 shots - so play 2 good ones not 4 “Hail Mary” shots, if the rough is “rough” a 5 wood might be the dumbest idea …
It’s OK - I love this game - I have the tools to enjoy it more and I think that my brain is becoming more realistic with it’s aspirations!
The Australian Man=stars will wait!!!
Thanks for the links - will have a read shortly!
Things are coming together (lucky I am not knitting a jumper as it would be pretty lumpy!) - In spite of the fact that scoring is a little inconsistent I am pretty happy to accept that this is still very much a learning process - and I have confidence in the process!
It is fun (interesting) to accept that there is a reason for every good and every average shot - and learn from them.
Simple “spices” - long, thick, wet grass in the first cut rules out using a 5 wood!
170m shots to the green, without knowing my exact, consistent distance can be greatly helped by 8 iron, 52 to the centre of the green rather than 4 iron, 60 degree from the beach!
Ben Hogan’s words - “It’s ok Byron, it is only a game” will often make me smile and laugh at myself!
Sweet update, @marc.manion. Seems like things are coming together nicely.
FYI, there's been a bit of very recent dialogue in the Forum about the importance of the setup. Have a look at my reply towards the bottom of this thread where I share a couple of photos from the S&T book as well as a link to a KFC Club video on the topic.
Also, some good discussion going on in the short game realm, including this thread.
Cheers!
18 Holes today - some in the wind, some in the rain and the last bit in the sauna of sunshine and heat!
The learning game has commenced in full - ball striking for the most part 80% fantastic - same spot - learnings:
1 The difference between grass and mats - massive in summer where it grows so thick and 1st/2nd cuts need a heap more attention!
2 The importance of set up - For me it is a case of routine not reflex - if not I can explain some of the 20% of Kermit shots.
3 Relax - take a practice swing, identify a target and choose the shot best suited to get me there - by the way - this process only takes about a minute so it is way better than wasting a shot, looking for a ball …
4 Chipping, pitching, bunkers and putting - at the moment I have found a range where I know my 52 or PW will get me landing the ball at constant distances - green “texture” varied heaps today but that’s where putting comes in - lots of practice will help.
5 Off the tee - happy as - for the first time I am confident that I will hit the short stuff (mostly) and hit it 30 odd m further than last week. Tom’s Power Lessons, especially with the Follow Through really help!
Kermit is not the Hermit - still a bit of a hacker but a Happy Hacker at the moment!
I LOVE GOLF and SAGUTO GOLF too!!
Our "stupid minds" are the primary cause of our golfing woes. The mind says, "I'm holding a stick, I see a ball, I want to propel that ball with the stick, therefore I will hit at it." Neutralize that well-ingrained subconscious act and you will conquer the golf swing.
By the way - and this is directed to the entire community - there's no need to bring up masks, jabs, politics, etc. here (unless, of course, we are masking a swing flaw, jabbing at our putts, or getting too left or too right with our weight...😎). We can opine on that stuff elsewhere should we elect to do so, but this forum is dedicated solely to this great game and the enjoyment thereof. In other words, our little bubble here shall be preserved as such in its golf purity and devoid of any influences from an outer world gone mad...
Life in ISO!!!
There are some benefits of being in ISO - not may, nut a few!
Today I rewatched the Downswing series and the Hip Bump Drill sections!
Am I slow, or just slow???
How many of us have spent hours transitioning the club from top of the swing to the Club horizontal without realising (being kind to myself) remembering that it is the lateral movement that helps the body drag the shoulders, arm, club into the position to initiate the Wrath of God!!And it just gets it to the spot where it should be - leaving my stupid mind out of the process!
Backyard has evidence of the club hitting the same spot in the grass (benefit)
Sally not too thrilled (temporary problem)!
Stay safe, mask up (even after jab#3) this virus is everywhere!
Happy Christmas everyone!
Hope you had a great time, celebrated with family and friends and remembered the reason we hold Christmas to our hearts!
There will be a small lull in golf for me - it is called Covid - and my prize is another week in isolation…
Yep been vaxed, topped up but still testing positive so lulling around on the couch with Man Flu (sorry girls - I am a sook as well as a muppet)
Talk after Jan 2 where I am allowed to go play again!!
Stay safe -
Week 5 Day 3
Another day on course which was more interesting than fun but as Tom said - a transition from Golf Swing to Golf!
For the most part I was pretty pleased to notice a change in my “mindset” about the round. Confidence is a great asset in most things - golf - for me especially.
It is comforting to know that most drives off the tee will be in play and when the trigger idea is “play the shot you know“ from certain spots works 90% of the time all things are fun!
Obviously there is a sack of fine tuning - re calculating distances - and removing ego from the selection - eg: I know for sure that when I am 60 -75 m from the green the ball will land where I send it, other irons pretty much the same and the issue of “comfortable, relaxed power” is still a little inconsistent. Not sure what the trigger is yet but the routine of a slow swing and then a real swing as pre shot worked pretty well.
Putting - next on my viewing list - and trying to ingrain all of the learnings so they are a complete series not 5 parts!
More to fall asleep by tomorrow!
Thanks Tom - will buy it for Christmas!
The Inner Game of Golf was also a pretty good and Zen in the Martial Arts also reminds me when I am not “in” the process!
"Golf is Fun", and so the journey continues.....😎
Nice to see that you're taking your swing out to the course and putting some pressure on it. That's always extremely revealing, and it tends to build the virtue of humility if you allow it to LOL.
What you experienced is most assuredly part of the process, and as your practice performance becomes more and more consistent then it's just a function of time in terms of when/how that will translate itself to the pressures and challenges of actual play. As confidence in your swing grows you should find more and more that you are playing "golf" instead of "golf swing" on the course, at which point your mechanical thoughts will be reduced to one or two at the most, and you will be nearly entirely focused on your target and not your swing.
Apologies if I've already mentioned these to you, but some excellent supplemental reading that may help you with this is "Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game" by Dr. Gio Valiante. Another book that I like is "Play Your Best Golf Now" by Lynn Marriott & Pia Nilsson.
Keep it Fun, Make it Crispy!
Week 5 Day 1
Headless - completely headless!
In hindsight - like the last 2 weeks I have spent some time focusing on the basics - the basics of not just a new swing - but a new way of doing stuff!!
Today’s lesson was Brutal - when Tom says there is no quick way he is absolutely correct! Yes the odd short cut can help make me feel good but … that is not the plan.
Here’s what I learnt
New Course, Team Match Play with guys whose handicapped have stayed pretty constant and are happy to be off 18.
My partner in crime played pro tennis - against McEnroe and the others, Wimbledon, US open and won most Australian gigs - he can hit a ball, has great lag and pretty competitive - TS may say - and where i=did you read go?
First drive 210 m - easy, pretty much textbook warmup … next 2,,, arms, thin …chop wood - in creek - 8 holes later - I am still trying to hit the ball - successfully - into the ground, off the toe, thin and completely headless.
Back 9 … two deep breaths, weigh under control - hit fairway, hit 70% shot to fringe - chip, putt - par…
Then, thank the Lord - or the Colonel - the stuff Tom says is essential arrived -
add shoulder turn - oops - Baal compressed - boom.
take the chop to the swing - boom
hit the shot you know you can hit - boom
Yep we lost 2/1 bit learnt a great lesson - get a process - trust the process - tension kills - but Golf is Fun (sometimes after a beer)!
Week 4 Day 6
Sorry had some of the grandparent stuff happening…
Yesterday we played an event called the Christmas Cup - about 90 of us play single and team event,spend plenty of time heckling each other and try to play serious golf!
Major takeaways are
1 The takeaway - if the first movement is correct then there is a pretty good chance that good contact will send the little round thing in the right direction.
2 Throw, skim, toss watermelon in the direction of the target - the melon worked pretty well for me - especially when it was relaxed!
3 Tension does kill - pretty much everything - left /right, fat thin - BUT - at least I knew it and the next few - swung with trust were buttery!
4 My time on the beach was not pleasant - until I remembered to accelerate the club not decelerate - a Muppet Moment ( actually 3 x 2 = 6 shots)
I cannot stress the importance of actually playing golf - or hitting off grass rather than mats - really helps focus on the swing!
Love it - sadly we did not win but happy to strike the ball in the same spot (when I trust the program)!!!
Week 4 Day 3
Day of rest, reading and review.
Found a doorstop and putted the lights out from 3 feet then played with the roll on the carpet!
One interesting experiment was to alter the face of the putter and even from 3 ‘ see the movement!
Again - when all else fails Read or Watch the instructions!
Gee that Members section is good!
@marc.manion - Generally speaking - and pre-existing injuries aside - any physical pain with the S&T swing is an indication that something is amiss somewhere in the setup and/or motion.