Sunday, February 23, 2014 #RinkersGolfTips @SiriusXMPGATour Guest John Elliott
Had top 50 Teacher John Elliott as my guest on Rinker's Golf Tips. John is a 35 year member of the PGA of America, a Golf Digest instructor, and works with all skill levels from beginners to tour players. We talked about John's playing career and winning the 1964 Florida state high school tournament. He turned pro at the age of 19, and while in college was drafted into the Army. He was awarded the Bronze Star during his service in Viet Nam.
John shared how he practiced where he had to hit 50 balls in a row on the green from 25 yards. Then he went to 50 yards and worked on the same thing. He went all the way back to a six iron where he had to hit 35 out of 50 balls on the green. He said it really focused him in on the target and he went from a scratch to a plus four!
Other highlights: "Learning to swing on the range is easier than learning how to play." Golf swing vs golf shots. Variable is where your head or thinking is. We tend to experiment more on the range than on the golf course. He talked about the Prospect girls high school team that he works with in Chicago where he came up with five levels of learning. 1) Whiffing and topping, 2) Topping less and whiffing less, 3) air born most of the time, 4) hit down, and 5) play golf. John said that anything that helps hand eye coordination is good for golf. Let kids pick the sports, not the parents.
We talked about Bob Toski and John shared one of Bob's quotes, "If you're good enough, you're big enough." Bob weighed less than 125 pounds when he played the PGA Tour and was the leading money winner in 1954. Bob pioneered and led the Golf Digest Schools in the mid 1970's and he has been my mentor since 1976. A lot of what I teach and how I teach, I learned from Bob. John Elliott did many schools with Bob and Jim Flick, Peter Kostis, Davis Love Jr, Jack Lumpkin, Bob Rotella, and Chuck Cook through the years in the Golf Digest Schools.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
#RinkersGolfTips Sun Feb 16th Guest Edwin McCain recap
#RinkersGolfTips on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio Sunday February 16th w Guest Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist Edwin McCain
It was great having Edwin McCain on the show today. We've been friends for about 15 years and have had a lot of fun playing golf and music.
Edwin said he learned how to play golf with his dad on a nine hole par three that was part of the Greenville Country Club in Greenville, South Carolina. He said the par three is now only three holes and he goes out and plays golf with his two sons whenever he can. He said you can find a lot out about people playing a round of golf and all his good business deals have happened out on the golf course.
I asked him about taking a classical guitar course at Coastal Carolina. He said it wasn't much of a classical guitar course, but his teacher left a lasting impression on him that had a major effect on his career. Tom Yoder, his teacher, asked each student to learn a song and then perform it for the class. After Edwin played his song, Tom came up to him and said I think you have what it takes to make it. Edwin talked about how powerful it was when Tom basically gave him "permission" to go out and be great. Edwin said, "sometimes that's all it takes to inspire people. Just give them permission to be great!"
We talked about the song, "I Could Not Ask For More" written by Diane Warren and how that came to be. Edwin said when they asked him to do the song he didn't want to do it and he didn't even know who Diane Warren was. (She's written 90 top ten hits) He wanted to record his songs. When they said we will pay you to record it for a movie, Edwin finally said ok. The song was his second top 40 hit and continues to be played at many weddings around the country.
I asked him where he learned his great rhythm and he said listening to Earth, Wind, and Fire. He talked about meeting Darius Rucker and Mark Bryan and going to open mic nights at Muldoon's in Columbia, SC and always asking them if he could play. This was before Mark and Darius formed Hootie and the Blowfish. They have been great friends ever since and Darius sang on Edwin's fist single, "Solitude."
We had a head pro call from the Dye course at Barefoot Plantation where the Monday After the Masters is played hosted by Hootie and the Blowfish. He was very thankful for all the money that the tournament has raised for junior golf. Edwin told a story of his caddie one year there, Justin Wheelon who is now an actor, and how much he enjoyed the caddies, athletes, celebrities, and pros that play each year. For more information on Edwin McCain visit www.Edwin.com.
It was great having Edwin McCain on the show today. We've been friends for about 15 years and have had a lot of fun playing golf and music.
Edwin said he learned how to play golf with his dad on a nine hole par three that was part of the Greenville Country Club in Greenville, South Carolina. He said the par three is now only three holes and he goes out and plays golf with his two sons whenever he can. He said you can find a lot out about people playing a round of golf and all his good business deals have happened out on the golf course.
I asked him about taking a classical guitar course at Coastal Carolina. He said it wasn't much of a classical guitar course, but his teacher left a lasting impression on him that had a major effect on his career. Tom Yoder, his teacher, asked each student to learn a song and then perform it for the class. After Edwin played his song, Tom came up to him and said I think you have what it takes to make it. Edwin talked about how powerful it was when Tom basically gave him "permission" to go out and be great. Edwin said, "sometimes that's all it takes to inspire people. Just give them permission to be great!"
We talked about the song, "I Could Not Ask For More" written by Diane Warren and how that came to be. Edwin said when they asked him to do the song he didn't want to do it and he didn't even know who Diane Warren was. (She's written 90 top ten hits) He wanted to record his songs. When they said we will pay you to record it for a movie, Edwin finally said ok. The song was his second top 40 hit and continues to be played at many weddings around the country.
I asked him where he learned his great rhythm and he said listening to Earth, Wind, and Fire. He talked about meeting Darius Rucker and Mark Bryan and going to open mic nights at Muldoon's in Columbia, SC and always asking them if he could play. This was before Mark and Darius formed Hootie and the Blowfish. They have been great friends ever since and Darius sang on Edwin's fist single, "Solitude."
We had a head pro call from the Dye course at Barefoot Plantation where the Monday After the Masters is played hosted by Hootie and the Blowfish. He was very thankful for all the money that the tournament has raised for junior golf. Edwin told a story of his caddie one year there, Justin Wheelon who is now an actor, and how much he enjoyed the caddies, athletes, celebrities, and pros that play each year. For more information on Edwin McCain visit www.Edwin.com.
Monday, February 10, 2014
#RinkersGolfTips Feb. 9th Guest Deane Beman
February 9, 2014 #RinkersGolfTips @SiriusXMPGATour
Former PGA Tour Commissioner, Deane Beman, was my guest on Rinker's Golf Tips. Deane discussed his amateur days winning two U.S. Amateurs and a British Amateur. Deane went into the insurance business after graduating from the University of Maryland and didn't turn pro for several years. He said he got hurt and didn't want to turn pro until he was well. In five years on the PGA Tour, Deane won fives times before becoming the PGA Tour's second commissioner in 1974. He talked about his first formal golf lessons with Carl Loren and how he helped him to understand the fundamentals of the game.
Deane is now in the putter business with CurePutters.com. I ran into Deane at the Allianz Championship last week and he showed me his new putter which helps you aim the putter through triangular alignment. The lie and weight of the putter is adjustable and it made the list of great new products at the #PGAShow in January. We had several calls about the new putter and it was great having Deane on. #RinkersGolfTips is on @SiriusXMPGATour Radio every Sunday 9:00-10:00 ET Sirius 208 and XM 93.
Former PGA Tour Commissioner, Deane Beman, was my guest on Rinker's Golf Tips. Deane discussed his amateur days winning two U.S. Amateurs and a British Amateur. Deane went into the insurance business after graduating from the University of Maryland and didn't turn pro for several years. He said he got hurt and didn't want to turn pro until he was well. In five years on the PGA Tour, Deane won fives times before becoming the PGA Tour's second commissioner in 1974. He talked about his first formal golf lessons with Carl Loren and how he helped him to understand the fundamentals of the game.
Deane is now in the putter business with CurePutters.com. I ran into Deane at the Allianz Championship last week and he showed me his new putter which helps you aim the putter through triangular alignment. The lie and weight of the putter is adjustable and it made the list of great new products at the #PGAShow in January. We had several calls about the new putter and it was great having Deane on. #RinkersGolfTips is on @SiriusXMPGATour Radio every Sunday 9:00-10:00 ET Sirius 208 and XM 93.
Friday, February 7, 2014
#RinkersGolfTips James Leitz @CoreGolfAcademy 1-24-14
January 24, 2014 Trackman and 3D expert, Top 100 Teacher, James Leitz did a presentation @CoreGolfAcademy for the coaches titled, "My road to 4/10,000th of a second" Impact, only time ball is told what to do. Here are some highlights.
What the club does trumps what the body does. Great players:
1. Have enough speed to compete at the level they are playing.
2. Impact alignments produce the type of shot that is desired.
3. Impact alignments are repeatable.
4. Golf Swing doesn't cause injury.
Four things affect ball flight.
1. Club head speed
2. Path and angle of attack. Path = direction of the force. Vector of force is both path and attach angle.
3. Sweet spot or where the club face is pointing at the moment of impact.
4. Impact point or where you hit the ball in the club face.
Attack angle is a true indicator of shaft lean. Plane is golfers feeling of path. The starting direction of the ball is 70% club face angle with irons and 85% with the driver.
5 degrees off with club face at impact is 40' at 100 yards.
1 degree off is 8' at 100 yards.
1 degree off is 13' at 250 yards.
That's why you don't want your club face more than 2 degrees off at impact.
Golfer has to "feel" the correct geometry at impact. A bad mental state can only screw up geometry (Pressure). Perfect mental state can allow geometry to work. (Zone)
For more information on James Leitz, please visit his web site at www.Leitzgolf.com.
What the club does trumps what the body does. Great players:
1. Have enough speed to compete at the level they are playing.
2. Impact alignments produce the type of shot that is desired.
3. Impact alignments are repeatable.
4. Golf Swing doesn't cause injury.
Four things affect ball flight.
1. Club head speed
2. Path and angle of attack. Path = direction of the force. Vector of force is both path and attach angle.
3. Sweet spot or where the club face is pointing at the moment of impact.
4. Impact point or where you hit the ball in the club face.
Attack angle is a true indicator of shaft lean. Plane is golfers feeling of path. The starting direction of the ball is 70% club face angle with irons and 85% with the driver.
5 degrees off with club face at impact is 40' at 100 yards.
1 degree off is 8' at 100 yards.
1 degree off is 13' at 250 yards.
That's why you don't want your club face more than 2 degrees off at impact.
Golfer has to "feel" the correct geometry at impact. A bad mental state can only screw up geometry (Pressure). Perfect mental state can allow geometry to work. (Zone)
For more information on James Leitz, please visit his web site at www.Leitzgolf.com.
Monday, February 3, 2014
#RinkersGolfTips Sunday Show on SiriusXM w Rudy Gatlin
Had a great show yesterday, Sunday February 2nd with Rudy Gatlin as my guest on Rinker's Golf Tips SiriusXMPGATour. I opened with a story about Payne Stewart on Super Bowl Sunday 15 years ago. Payne had invited me to fly privately with him in 1999 (the year he passed away in a private plane) from Scottsdale (Phoenix Open) to Pebble Beach (AT&T.) We landed at Million Air at the Monterey Peninsula Airport and got to where I was staying in Pebble Beach before halftime. The phone rang and Payne answered it. The caller said, "Who is this?" Payne said, "Who is this?" The caller said, "This is Geoff Couch and you're at my house." Payne responded with, "If this is your house you'd better hurry up and get home because we're drinking all your beer and smoking your cigars!" Geoff came home, we went to Spanish Bay, and we had a great evening after the Super Bowl. We got together again on Tuesday night with Payne at the Sardine Factory with Geoff and Harvey Mason, drummer for the jazz group Fourplay. After dinner we came back to Geoff's played some music and had a great time. Payne went on to win that week and it was only the second win since his victory at the U.S. Open in 1991 at Hazeltine. (Other was 1995 Shell Houston Open) Four months later, Payne would win his second U.S. Open at Pinehurst, and on October 25, 1999 we lost Payne with five other people who were on the plane. Many of you probably remember where you were when you heard the news. I certainly do and I still miss my friend, Payne Stewart, every day...
Rudy told a great story about playing golf with Jack Nicklaus in Palm Springs during a Pro-Am at the Skins Game. Rudy hit his second shot on a par five, with a driver off the deck from 265 yards. As the ball continued to roll and get closer and closer to the hole, the crowd kept getting louder until there was an ahh. Rudy's ball had stopped on the front lip for a double eagle. Rudy turned to Jack and said, Don't need you!" Rudy commented that he didn't think anyone had ever said that to the great Jack Nicklaus.
Rudy told a great story about playing golf with Jack Nicklaus in Palm Springs during a Pro-Am at the Skins Game. Rudy hit his second shot on a par five, with a driver off the deck from 265 yards. As the ball continued to roll and get closer and closer to the hole, the crowd kept getting louder until there was an ahh. Rudy's ball had stopped on the front lip for a double eagle. Rudy turned to Jack and said, Don't need you!" Rudy commented that he didn't think anyone had ever said that to the great Jack Nicklaus.
We talked about all the fun times at Pebble Beach we had with the wind, weather, pros, and musicians that we played with at the Clambake on Wednesday night of the "Crosby" or as it's now known, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. We talked about guitars, and the best D28 Martin Rudy had ever played, that Marty Stuart had at a gig that used to belong to Hank Williams. I told the story of trading three MacGregor persimmon blonde woods for a Takamine acoustic guitar with Stephen Stills back in the late 1980's.
We talked about music and golf and the Celebrity Players tour where "you have to count them all!" Also, how some of us are frustrated musicians who played golf for a living, while there were frustrated golfers like Vince Gill who had to play music for a living. It was a lot of fun having Rudy on and talking golf with someone that I have known for over 30 years.We had some callers call in for tips on their golf game. Tune in on Sundays 9:00-10:00 am EST for more of Rinker's Golf Tips on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio Sirius 208 and XM 93. Call in number is 866-469-0026.
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