Howdy fellow golfer,

You know who I have a man-crush on?

Phil Mickelson.

Have you ever seen him do a backflip? Philz got Skillz…

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-tips/philz-skillz/

As Phil puts it:

“We have a severe downhill lie. We have to carry a bunker to a green that slopes away from us. The only way to get this ball close would be a high lob shot – which is impossible off this lie. The logical alternative would be to go to the side of the sand trap. One day when I was practicing shots like this, it came to me there might be another way to make this shot…”

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-tips/philz-skillz/

Phil is pretty darn good at the short game.

One of the best.

And probably his most famous shot is the flop.

I have several videos of Phil for you today.

When you click the link, you’ll see him do a flop shot OVER Dave Pelz. You’ll see him do a flop shot from ON THE GREEN. You’ll see him hit a backward shot over his head to within a couple feet of the pin.

Then, you’ll see a really quality lesson on how to hit the flop.

Good stuff here!

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-tips/philz-skillz/

Travis

——————–

Q: What is the easiest, most consistent way to take strokes
off your game?

A: Know your game. Inside and out. Know your real club distances.
Know your tendencies in certain situations. Know what shots you’ve got
in the bag, and which ones to shy away from.

Soon, we’re launching the Swing by Swing PRO membership. This will be
just plain unfair to your playing partners… Click here to sign up for
our launch pre-notification list:

http://clubhouse.swingbyswing.com/pro-notification

——————–

Swing by Swing is a FREE Golf GPS Range Finder for iPhone and BlackBerry.

If you don’t have Swing by Swing yet, just text the word “golf” to 82257.
Or, from outside the US, visit this url from your phone’s web browser

http://www.swingbyswing.com/dl

To learn more about the Swing by Swing Scorecard and Statistics module,
and how you can use it to play the best golf of your life, check out this
short video:

http://clubhouse.swingbyswing.com/blog/scorecard-highlights/

A father, son and grandson went to the country club for their weekly round of golf.

Just as they reached the first tee, a beautiful young blonde woman carrying her bag of clubs approached them. She explained that the member who brought her to the club for a round of golf had an emergency that called him away and asked the trio whether she can join them.

Naturally, the guys all agreed. Smiling, the blonde thanked them and said…

Click here to read the rest:

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-jokes/blonde-gimme/

Howdy fellow golfer,

Interested in improving your golf game?

Let’s say a guy who’s won… ohhhh… 5 British Opens, 8 total majors, and 39 PGA tour events wants to tell you what the secret to the golf swing is.

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say you might be interested.

Tom Watson, at the ripe young age of 60, is still one of the first names to come up when people who know what they are talking about bring up the subject of ball striking.

A lot of good things would come around more often if only we’d strike the ball solidly in the center of the clubface every time. It would be great to do it with a driver clubhead speed of 115MPH like the big boys do (and be hitting wedges into greens instead of 6 irons and having short birdie pu……..shooot, sorry I went off into my little dream world there again.)

This is one of the things I concentrate on when I am struggling to make good contact and one of the first things I look for if trying to help someone else (whether they want it or not). lol

Oh yea, Mr. Tom Watson thinks it’s a pretty damn good idea too.

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-tips/tom-watsons-secret-to-the-golf-swing/

I closed the Club Tracker contest this morning.

We got over 200 responses! And, I’m so appreciative of all the folks who took the time to enter. This is extremely valuable info to us – and we’ll do our damndest to make it as good as you deserve.

Normally, I would give a link to the contest here, so you could read some of the responses, and see just how passionate about our software people are… (it is truly amazing to me, that so many folks would take time out of their day to help us out.)

However, this video from Tom Watson is more important. This is one of the best golf vids I’ve found on the net so far.

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-tips/tom-watsons-secret-to-the-golf-swing/

(anyway, I put a link to the contest from the page where Tom’s video is at)

Hope you like this one! (and thanks to everyone who entered the contest)

Travis

Howdy fellow golfer!

Yesterday I asked you to help us make our upcoming Club Tracker functionality the best it could be.

I also told you that by commenting, you’re automatically entered to win a lifetime membership to our upcoming SbS PRO membership (which will include mind-boggling golf technology to help improve your game).

http://clubhouse.swingbyswing.com/blog/club-tracker-contest-2/

So far there are 86 detailed entries – and I’ve read every single one. (a couple of times)

I’d like to send a HUGE THANKS to those who have commented. You’ve given me a lot of incredible ideas I didn’t even consider. You’re helping make this product better than it would have been otherwise. So – thanks!

Here is one post I really enjoyed by Martin the “Tin man”. It’s certainly not the most helpful… but, I think the most entertaining so far!

Wow! A lot of great ideas and considerations for the club selection project. Along with wind, lie, slope, elevation, temperature, humidity, sex, moon shape, age and looks of the beverage cart gal, etc., another variable to consider is the “beer factor”. I’ve noticed that after a beer or two, I’m more relaxed and hitting the ball pure. However, with none or too much beer I’m chunking and spraying balls. In addition to the club selection, perhaps the module can advise me when to have another beer. Wouldn’t it be more fun if a message popped up that told you to “grab a wedge and crack open another ice cold Bud”? Keep it simple and have fun!

Due to the incredible response, I’m going to close the contest early. It just gets too darn hard to choose between so many great responses.

So, if you want to be sure your ideas are heard, and enter the contest, please do it here before Monday morning:

http://clubhouse.swingbyswing.com/blog/club-tracker-contest-2/

Thanks!

Travis

Howdy fellow golfer,

Today is a special day.

We are officially kicking off development of our Club Tracker module. It will integrate with the Swing by Swing range finder to track distances of your clubs, and help you determine which club to hit while on the course.

Everything we do at Swing by Swing is driven by our huge community of golfers.

YOU.

In the spirit of community involvement, we want your feedback.

IF YOU WERE DESIGNING A CLUB TRACKER MODULE FOR YOURSELF, WHAT FEATURES WOULD IT INCLUDE?

After one week, we’ll pick our favorite response and give away a FREE lifetime membership to our upcoming SbS PRO club. It will include free access to every module we ever develop, along with priority dedicated support, unbelievable back-end golfing tools, and more.

To create your perfect golf software, drive the future of Swing by Swing, and enter the contest, just leave a comment below by answering the question:

IF YOU WERE DESIGNING A CLUB TRACKER MODULE FOR YOURSELF, WHAT FEATURES WOULD IT INCLUDE?

Thanks!

Travis

Howdy fellow golfer!

How could a dude nicknamed “Shrek” win the Open Championship???

Easily. …as it turns out.

Louis Oosthuizen walked over the Swilcan Bridge toward a British Open victory that was never in doubt last Sunday at St. Andrews. He truly came from out of nowhere!

Another big moment in sports for South Africa. (What’s up with South Africa these days??! I’m gonna have to go check it out… I know there are some South African SbS’ers who could show me a good time.)

What was so impressive about his 4 rounds of golf was the way a smallish dude drove the ball so far and accurate. (Especially on this course – it’s imperative to stay away from the troubles that turn into double bogeys.)

As I watched Louis, the thing that stood out and impressed me the most was the way his swing looked to be nowhere near done as he was coming into contact with the ball.

Many amateurs rob themselves of distance and accuracy by trying to hit “at” the ball or just guide the ball down the fairway. One of the most important fundamentals of the golf swing is to swing through the ball to a nice balanced finish.

Check out this video for some great tips on how to get through the ball like Louis. There is also a video here of Louis’ swing in supa slooooow-mo (gorgeous!)

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-tips/shreks-golfing-secret/

Fairways and Greens,

Travis

PS. A big announcement coming tomorrow…

Howdy fellow golfer,

There’s a bogey man out to get you!

Fiercesome and ugly, once the 3 foot bogey man sinks his psychological teeth into you… you’re done for. This bogey man has been responsible for the end of a lot of promising and legendary pro careers.

Like who?

Ben Hogan (perhaps the steeliest competitor ever) was one guy.

Sam Snead was another.

This bogey man has Arnold Palmer running scared.

What is this bogey man, you say?

Some people call it “the yips”. Some call it freezing or overthinking or choking. The yips is a nervous condition. It prevents you from making a smooth putting stroke. Instead, the yipper makes jerky little snatches at the ball, the putterhead seemingly possessing a mind all its own.

All of a sudden, the 3 foot putt becomes unmakable.

One pro explained his yips like this:

“It’s the darndest thing I’ve ever seen. It only seems to happen during a tournament. I know what I want to do with the ball. But when I get over it I freeze up and flinch.”

Two-time Masters winner Bernhard Langer has reportedly been plauged by this bogey man not once, not twice, but three times. Each time, Langer has overcome the yips (which explains his rather unique style of putting where he seems to be taking his own pulse).

But Langer is the exception, and not the rule. They say, once the yips take over, they never go away. The writer Henry Longhurst said “Once you’ve had ‘em, you’ve got ‘em.”

What causes the yips?

The yips are like a nice cocktail – they only appear when several ingredients are present, and mixed appropriately:

* 1 part weakness in your game
* 1 part elevated stress
* 1-3 parts failure

When you mix a perceived weakness of your game (in this case, putting) with an elevated stressful situation (like a golf tournament) with an embarassing failure (or several of them), you set the stage for the yips to develop.

The yips start in the brain and spread viciously through the body, like a virus. When the yips reach your hands and arms, you’re doomed.

How do you overcome the yips?

It’s said that only a complete revamp of your putting style will fix the yips once they’ve set in. That is why Bernhard Langer has his unique style. Some guys change grip. Sam Snead started putting side-saddle. Many older players switch to a long putter.

Beware the 3 foot bogey man called the yips!

Travis

PS. Ever played St. Andrews Old Course? No?

How about Pebble Beach? Bali Hai?

If you’ve ever wanted to play these courses, check this out:

http://bit.ly/c3oAME

When you click the link above, you’ll be taken to the World Golf Tour website. You can register your name and email, and play lots of world famous courses in full HD.

It’s… frickin…. coooool.

http://bit.ly/c3oAME

Howdy fellow golfer,

Many golfers have a major power leak in their swing.

All I can say is, it’s a darn good thing you and I don’t make this mistake… (and have never done it in the past)

However, since we sometimes see a playing partner who does do this… it would be nice to help them out.

Of course, you’re granted permission to take their money for several holes before pointing it out. But, it would be nice

for you to eventually help ‘em:

http://www.chucktheputter.com/golf-tips/reverse-pivot/

It’s amazing how just keeping your body and weight shift moving in the proper direction can cure a world of hurt.

Speaking of a world-of-hurt… You might be in a world of hurt… and not even know it. Many of the top ten mistakes I wrote of last week are a direct result of not knowing your tendencies on the golf course…

When you know your game inside-and-out, you can make the smart decisions on the course which allow you to consistently

beat the pants off your playing partners.

Here’s one way to know your game better:

http://clubhouse.swingbyswing.com/blog/scorecard-highlights/

Fairways and greens!

Travis

Do you make these mistakes when on the course?

Raymond Floyd lists 10 common mistakes amateurs routinely make, which kill their score. I’ll narrate the action on the first 5 today:

(1) Underclubbing

Amateurs routinely underclub. Sure, you might be able to hit that 9 iron 140 yards… when you swing as hard as you can (see mistake #2), from a perfect lie (see #9), when you hit it right in the sweet spot.

Take out a little more club and swing at 85%. It could do wonders for your score…

(2) Swinging too hard

We are constantly searching for the perfect shot. You know, the one that takes off low and rises as it goes, dropping perfectly into place…

Well, it doesn’t happen often!

By trying to swing at 85% most of the time, you’ll make more consistent impact on the ball and find your shots becoming more consistent.

(3) Automatically shooting at the flag

Most times, the flag is not the smartest play… For amateurs, the center of the green is a higher percentage shot. (Because from there, at least you’re putting instead of chipping from an uncertain lie.)

Sometimes, shooting at the green isn’t a good idea at all! (See mistake #4)

(4) Not playing away from trouble

If you’ve never considered playing away from trouble, you could take 10 strokes off your score today.

a) Penalty strokes are costly!

b) Getting short-sided on the green is a low percentage play. (See #5)

c) Hitting a shot from the forest (sometimes between trees, sometimes sideways back into the fairway) is a good way to inflate your score.

Often, it’s easy to play away from OOB and other trouble. Just take out a short club, or hit a safety shot. Sure, it might be an assured way to get a bogey instead of a lucky birdie/par… but it’s also an assured way to get a bogey instead of an unlucky triple/quadruple.

(5) Missing the green on the wrong side of the flag

When you miss the green on the short side of the flag, it’s called getting “short-sided”. This causes you to shoot a “flop” at a short pin, with a green sloping away from you. It’s a low probability shot, with a high degree of difficulty.

Chances are pretty good, when you get short-sided, that you’ll be playing your next shoot from where you should have hit the last shot. That is, the opposite side of the green from the flag…

That’s it for today! Part 2 is coming your way in a day or two.

Travis

PS. No matter how far you can hit the ball… no matter how well you putt… you’ll never be the golfer you want to be unless you master these critical shots.

http://bit.ly/9pr06I

What are these shots? Well, here’s a hint.

They’re the shots that account for most of the high handicap golfer’s handicap… the shots the top touring pros rely on to win tournaments…and, for the average amateur, the least appreciated shots in golf.

http://bit.ly/9pr06I

You can read Part 2 here:

http://clubhouse.swingbyswing.com/blog/10-most-common-golf-mistakes-part-2/