Golf in Your World

My New Favorite Swing

2011-10-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a fun season to watch the progress of players on the PGA Tour. There are a couple of players who are playing some amazing golf.
Young players like Bud Cauley seem to have their stuff together. Bud is playing great and in only a few starts is securing his tour card for next year. This is almost unheard of in PGA Tour history.

For as long as I've played golf I've had a favorite player and favorite swing. That is the swing of Moe Norman. Functionally he is the only one that has it right, in my opinion, and everyone else is struggling.

Have you ever wondered why Tiger Woods continues to take instruction? It could be that his swing is not as consistent as it should be.

The "modern" swing still leaves the body in a tough position and open to injury. The legs are asked to do things that they really shouldn't and the joints are stressed on each swing. No wonder there are so many injuries to wrists out there.

One swing that I am fond of that comes close to what Moe did is the swing of Webb Simpson. Webb brings the club back a bit inside and then moves the club with the upper body to and through the ball. The key ingredient to his swing is what he does with the footwork. When you watch his swing you'll notice, like Moe Norman, his feet are basically flat on the ground at impact. That move alone isolates the swing to one axis and allows the player a very consistent pass at the ball.

It's no wonder to me that Webb Simpson leads the Tour in money this year. He has the most consistent swing out there.

Hey Coach, How Much Should I Practice?!

2011-08-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

Practice makes perfect! Not in my world. In my world practice helps the body understand what the mind is trying to make it do. And the only way to practice is to imagine the EXACT movement you plan to make before every effort to make it. We can't do this for every physical act but definitely before any physical act that isn't already programmed into our body. Take the golf swing for instance. When you go to practice, do you even have an idea what you want the swing to look like, or in other words, what exact movements you want your body to make?
I often discuss this way to practice with my students and often tell them just how much to practice as well.
There are players out there who think that endless hours of practice will make them a better golfer, but rarely do they get better. Why? Read on and I'll tell you...

A couple of things have to be in place for the person to improve after any length of time on the range.

There must be a mental picture of the movement which is desired, usually this is a good model, but sometimes it is a not-so-good model.
A player must be willing to attempt to make the movements imagined

There must be an appropriate level of physical acumen for the body to respond to the mental images, and I've seen people who regularly work out (not golf-specific) make faster strides than those who do minimal exercises.

So, how much is enough? Just one shot following the above 2 steps will help you make strides in the right direction. In fact not hitting any balls but doing step one for 10 minutes a day will help you improve dramatically if the model is a good one.

It is often said that 30 minutes of exercise is all that is needed on a daily basis. I think you can use this model for golf practice too. Why overdo it? Golf is supposed to be fun and let's face it, 4 hours on the range trying to "make" a good shot repeat is not very fun.
Follow the two steps above and you will be rewarded with a physically relaxing practice session and you will only need to hit a small bucket of balls to improve dramatically.

A Great 'little" Course

2011-05-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to play a course in the Philadelphia, PA area called Walnut Lane Golf Club.
Walnut Lane G.C. is part of a large park in the greater Philadelphia area and it was designed by Alexander Findlay in 1940.
The total yardage of the course from the way back is 4509 and you can imagine there are no par 5s. The front and back nines are a blend of 4 par 4s and 5 par 3s. Now, at 4509 and 5- par 3s there are some pretty challenging par 3s. In fact there are a few par 3s that are over 200 yards coupled with postage stamp sized greens! The rest of the par 3s had you dealing with elevation changes, strategic bunkering and trees hugging the hole from tee to green.

The par 4s we're all some kind of dogleg with trees lining each one. There were few places to go except the fairway so a controlled shot was imperative.

I happen to LOVE golf like this. If you can hit a good iron shot, you can do pretty well. The short game is at a premium and good putting is always needed. Length while important on some of the par 3s gives way to the need for accuracy. When a hole is literally cut out of the woods, and has some elevation changes but not too drastic to keep me from seeing the shot as it unfolds, it's so much easier to focus on the exact type of shot I want to hit. And when I hit it, I get the reward of being able to watch its entirety.

All in all a very pleasant round of golf. I walked 18 and didn't feel like I was just put through a military training camp. I'd recommend this course to anyone visiting or living in the Philly area. Just a fun bit of golf and only 2 1/2 hours to finish 18!

I Can't Find My Ball!

2011-05-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

This time of year it's not uncommon to get onto a course that has pretty tall grass. With all the rain we're having here in Maryland, it's tough to get the mowers out on the course without messing things up, so the grass just pops up and keeps on going.
The grass is happy, but the golfers are not! I was at the course today and boy was it furry! I heard rumors of people storming off the course saying that they lost the ball in the fairway, and so I thought I would go out and see what all the commotion was about.
I teed off on the first hole and watched my ball sail out into the open air headed toward the left rough. I thought to myself "if it's as bad as everyone is saying, I better hit another one just in case I can't find the first." I made a note of where the ball went and headed off to find it.
The grass was very tall and I thought it might be possible to lose a small child in rough that deep but as I walked in the direction of my ball I knew I'd find it because I watched it carefully.
I played 8 holes without even a worry about finding my ball. On the 9th hole I hit a great drive down the right side and I saw it bound to the left and then I took my eyes off f it. I took for granted that I would just walk up and find the ball that was struck perfectly and was heading in the direction I wanted it to go.
The ball was gone, and I couldn't find it anywhere. I looked on the left and right side of the fairway, in the middle of the fairway, but couldn't find it.
It dawned on me that for 8 straight holes I paid very close attention to the shot and where it went. I made mental notes of where it landed and possible landmarks along the way. I didn't even play that great all the way through, but I found about 6 balls and didn't lose one until the 9th. It was probably the best drive of the day and I took my eyes off of it, thinking that it was so good I couldn't possibly lose it...until I did.

Finding your ball is a learned skill. Like anything else, you have to practice. Here are a couple of guidelines for always keeping track of your ball.

ALWAYS watch it until it finishes moving (if possible)
Draw a mental line from you to the ball and beyond and make note of landmarks that are beyond your ball so that when you are nearing your ball's location you can use it to guide you.
Try your best to make a mental note of a landmark that is left or right of your ball. This can help you figure out if you need to go farther down the hole in your search
The most neglected of all guidelines but one of the most important for finding your ball...know how far, on average, you hit each club. Use this average to help your search.

It's Here!

2011-04-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

Masters week is here. The Azaleas and Magnolia Lane. The time when golf clubs come out of the dark hiding spaces of garages and closets.
Speculation continues on who might come away with a green jacket this year. With a commanding win over the field this week, Phil Mickelson has put himself in a similar position as a few years ago when in the Atlanta area he hoisted the trophy a week before Augusta and then went on to win the Masters too. Could this be an omen of good things to come for Lefty?

Count down to The Masters!

2011-03-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

We (golfers) come to this point every year. The time shifts ahead, there is more daylight, the grass begins to green and, oh yes, we start to think about THE MASTERS.
The quest for the green jacket continues and this year it seems the powerhouse players of the past may not be in the hunt. While Tiger continues to sort out his personal differences on the course, and Phil doesn't seem to care about getting the ball in the fairway anymore, other players such as Luke Donald, Hunter Mahan, and Dustin Johnson begin to raise their games.
One of my favorite players is Luke Donald. He just handily polished off the field at the Accenture Match Play Championships, amidst the hail storms, and seems poised to jump at the green jacket. Green may not be his favorite color, but I think he will produce a great showing at the masters.
Who would you say has the best chances at this point in the season? More on this as we get closer!

Learning to Walk with Video Instruction!

2010-06-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

I had a brief discussion today with another pro concerning the use of video in golf instruction.

He has been teaching golf for many years and he is just now getting interested in the fashionable use of video as a teaching aid.
We share a sentiment that the use of video in instruction is not exactly the way to get better at the game, but a great way to pick apart your wardrobe and to try your best to dissect the meaning of the swing in as many frames per second as you can afford.

I once thought it would be helpful to have a young woman see her swing on video so that she could more easily understand what was creating the ball flight she was experiencing with her swing. We had one of the best set ups of digital camera and computer software available. I got her onto the mat and clicked the "record" button only to have her completely miss the ball. I thought "boy this is gonna really help". So we continued and I convinced her we should try to capture one that she actually made contact with. She set up again and swung, this time making pretty good contact. Both satisfied with what was captured, we went to review the swing. I pulled the swing down and clipped it to show address position and the swing that hit the ball.
As I hit play I hear the quiet voice next to me say, "oh my God, those shorts make me look fat!"

I like to discuss the golf swing and learning the swing in terms of other things we learn. For instance, could you imagine if we tried to teach our 1 and 2 year olds how to walk using video? I have to laugh when I think about the situation and how it would take place. "ok, Jr., I see you are leaning a little bit too far back and that's why you fell onto your pampered butt. Next try just try standing a bit longer and then lean forward with your core and then bring your left leg up while pushing into the ground with the right leg. What do you mean you don't get it? Oh, I forgot you don't even know how to talk yet!!"

So what is the proper use of video in golf instruction? I guess it depends on who's swing you are showing when you play it back to the student. I always say, it's better to see what you ARE trying to do rather than making an indelible mark of poor physical movement and bad wardrobe choices on the memory of the learner!

Get a Check Up!!!

2010-03-06T02:31:00.000-08:00

Coming into the spring after a long, cold winter can be a wonderful thing...except if you are an occasional golfer. Any sort of swing you thought you had when the clubs were put aside last year, may not be waiting for you this spring! But don't fret yet, get a lesson!!

It would be a great step forward to get your swing checked out early in the season to avoid any early season injuries and get some positive swing thoughts in place before you begin your season's journey.

Call me today to schedule your "check-up" and you'll be glad you did.

John Bohlmann, PGA
Phone: 240-418-0636
email: j-Bohlmann@pga.com

Make the Best of the Winter Blahs

2010-02-10T06:20:00.000-08:00

The winter in DC has been a record setter. Here we are in February and instead of seeing the usual bare trees and the dormant grasses, we have 2-3 feet (YES FEET!) of snow. What's a golfer to do? ! ?
Before you decide to pack up the truck and move to Bermuda, try to think of some ways to get yourself ready for a wonderful season of golf.
Here are a couple of considerations for this time of year:

Get your diet in order.
If you are like a lot of people in the winter, you have a tendency to be dormant and eat like you are not dormant. In the wintertime you can sustain yourself with much less food and try to consume more liquids (water preferred). Check up on your vitamin intake. With so little outdoor time you should consider supplementing your diet with some sort of vitamin D and calcium. These two have been proven to be blockbusters for aiding the body. Vitamin D is typically gotten from being outdoors, so unless you are venturing out in the cold on a daily basis for an extended period of time, I would suggest supplementing. You might even see your mood lift with vitamin D supplementation. Calcium is used for a variety of things in the body and most people don't get nearly enough in their diets. A good supplement contains both D and Calcium. Try a liquid version for easy assimilation by the body.

Stretch
If you don't have a daily stretching routine, you are missing one of the easiest ways to stay healthy. Just 15 minutes of stretching can give you tons more energy and ensure that your musculo-skeletal system is balanced. Golf is a one sided sport and the body requires a balancing act with stretching and exercises to maintain stability. Try the simple but thorough routine spelled out in the following link. If done every day, you will not only learn more about your body and its current state, but you will also gain a great deal of energy and flexibility at the same time!
click here for stretching exercises

Get some Cardiovascular Exercise
Kick the clothes off of the treadmill or exercise bike and start logging some miles. You don't have to ride the Tour de France every day or run the Boston Marathon. You just have to get on there and make a point of helping your body. When I say "help" I mean paying attention to the intensity of the exercise and the length of time you are spending. Start out ly and give yourself time to build up to at least 20 minutes of pretty intense exercise.
An appropriate intensity level can help you build your foundation for a healthy year and and a strong swing not to mention better cardiovascular health.

If you can get yourself into some sort of routine where the exercises and stretches become part of your daily activities, you are one step closer to keeping the body strong and healthy and ready to enjoy the warmth (whenever it arrives)!!!

What's Up With Steve Sticker?

2009-09-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

I've been watching Steve Stricker a little closer this year. He used to be lost in obscurity, washed up, done for, etc and now he is knocking pins down and jamming putts right in the heart!

I guess he was plagued with injuries and illness at some points in his career and now seems to be riding the wave of success quite nicely. The tears in his eyes after this week's victory should be evidence that he knows how lucky he is to be feeling the atonement from previous years woes.

So what's up with the new level of play? As an instructor I am always viewing different player's swings through the microscope. I don't recall too well what Steve Stricker's swing was like prior to his new level of play but let me say a couple of things about his present movement.
First of all, it's simple. There's so much to be said about simplicity in golf. When you use the club the way Steve does in his swing, it's hard to go wrong. When I say 'simple' I mean he maintains a very long arc during the backswing and sets the club with minimal wrist action. In this sense he lets the natural loft of the club do the work for him. Not too many people want to do this because there is such a tendency to swing down on a steep plane and swing left of the target, but when you know how to follow through properly it actually is a much more accurate swing than those with more wrist action. This simplicity gives Steve great control of the iron game. You may have noticed that his wedge game is pretty sharp at the moment and this limited wrist action is why. He is employing the appropriate muscles to make the club move and he is able to make the club move as fast or as slow as he desires. Consistency comes from his simple action and control comes from the ability to power the club with the whole body. Put control and consistency in the same player and you've got the recipe for a winner.
I'm looking forward to next week when the Tour visits Cog Hill and one of my favorite cities, Chicago. Can Steve Stricker hold off a hungry Tiger?

Happy Feet

2009-07-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

I stepped into a pair of these shoes today (Adidas FitRx) and could not stop praising them. These shoes, while they appear more like a running shoe than a dressy golf shoe, are supremely comfortable. Every step I took my feet felt more and more comfortable. I think I bugged my playing partners when I would interrupt our conversations to say "by the way, did I mention how much I love these shoes?!"
By the end of the round I felt as if I had just finished getting a foot massage and I actually contemplated keeping them on for the drive home!
I'm happy to say that this shoe has met all of my expectations for a performance golf shoe as well as offering me a sporty look to compliment short pants on the golf course. I highly recommend this shoe and look forward to the next round where I'll be trying out the Tour 360 3.0 shoe; a shoe that felt very similar if not better (if that is even possible) than the FitRx!!!

The Big Winner at the U.S. Open

2009-06-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

Lucas Glover may have hoisted the trophy, but in my mind the biggest winner this past weekend was David Duval.
There were so many rumors about his fall from the world's #1 spot several years ago and now he jumps up (seemingly from nowhere) about 750 spots in the world rankings with his performance in last weekend's US Open.
It will be interesting to see how he does this time around. What will he do differently and how has he matured as a person with such a see-saw experience in his career. It will be interesting to see what life on the tour will be like with David Duval in the hunt every weekend (not just that other fist pumping guy with a bad knee and a swoosh on his shirt)
Let's not too quickly forget...David Duval shot 59 at one time!!!

My prediction...David Duval is BACK in the game and look for at least a few top tens to finish the season off....Ryder CUP? I'm not so sure.

Reaching For New Levels of Performance

2009-06-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a rainy season so far here in Maryland; however, there have been several opportunities to get out and enjoy the game of golf in between the raindrops. As the season progresses we find ourselves faced with the current state of our game and striving to make improvements where necessary.
Making improvements to your game can be done in many forms. For instance you can get a lesson on chipping to improve your chipping practice. Or you can get a full swing tune up to give you some ideas for practicing the swing motion. But how do you get practice using that piece of equipment that rests between your ears?
The answer is simple: Use the Mental Game Series audios.
I'm introducing the Mental Game Series for golfers. These unique audio programs will guide you to better Focus and Concentration, allow you to reach for Peak Performance, and help you to arrive at a mental state of No Limitations.
There are no side effects (except a deeply relaxed and comfortable feeling) and practice only takes 15 minutes a day!

You can reach me to order your CD or MP3 download today. Just email me at J-Bohlmann@pga.com

The "Game" in Perspective

2009-04-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

I've had the opportunity over the last few weeks to help the Wounded Warriors project at the Olney Golf Park in Olney, MD. PGA Pro Jim Estes heads up the project and several area professionals offer their expertise to those veterans who chose to participate in the weekly lessons.
As I watch the men and women (most of them amputees with various degrees of mobility) participating in the game of golf, it amazes me how easy it is to take certain liberties for granted. An example: the freedom to walk from place to place without the use of prosthetic support of any kind is something I don't think about. Yet some of these men and women have to deal with the loss of a limb (or limbs), disfigurement and limited mobility every minute of the day some of them for the rest of their lives. I might get a sore muscle or wake up a little tight after a workout, but with a little stretching I'm able to smooth the kinks out and I don't think much more of it.
So watching these veterans pick up a club in an effort to live their 'altered' lives with some enjoyment gives me a different perspective on what I believe to be limitations in my own life. We should all appreciate the freedoms we have; not only in the body, but also in our nation which are brought forth and brought to light by the lives of the soldiers of our armed forces. If you get the chance, thank a Vet today!!

The Masters - Moving Day

2009-04-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

We are well into the 3rd round at Augusta National and the leader board is jammed with high profile players and some not so high profile journeymen. Todd Hamilton? Who's that? Isn't he a figure skater? Oh, yeah he only won "The" Open.

Could it be true that Tiger Woods is moving down the leaderboard on moving day at Augusta?

I'm not making any predictions here, but a green jacket would look pretty good on Geoff Ogilvy.

Other thoughts:
If Aaron Baddeley could get his Stack and Hook swing working under pressure we might even see him reach a top ten this week.

Tiger's Return

2009-02-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

The inevitable return of the world's top player is set for this week. Once again all of the news will talk in perspective to Tiger. I wonder how long it will be before he posts the first victory. My guess is that, like last time he came out from recovery, it will probably be the first event.

So my prediction for this week:
Look for Tiger to come out clawing his way to the top of the brackets this week.
If Phil gets himself under control, he has a great opportunity see a top finish as well.

Either way the rivalry which seems to drive these two is going to bring viewers to the TV in hordes this week.

33 Under?

2009-01-29T15:46:00.000-08:00

After seeing Pat Perez raise the scoring bar (and subsequently the trophy) at the Bob Hope. I wonder how long it will be before another 59 is unveiled on the tour.

Season Opener - Who's On Top in 2009

2009-01-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

The golf season kicked off in fine fashion this week in Hawaii. The coast to coast leader in the clubhouse is none other than Geoff Ogilvy of Australia. Geoff has one of my favorite swings on tour. If you watch closely, he's got a tiny pause in the motion at the top in which he sets up his turn for the downswing. It's not too different from The Big Easy, Ernie Els who, by the way is gearing up to have a great season. In my opinion the pause is both good and bad because it can cause transition problems and is probably the main reason for inconsistency, but when it's good, either one could run the board like Ogilvy did this week.
A few notables this week in Anthony Kim and Davis Love III. I like the way Anthony Kim swings his club with a short backswing and powerful turn through the ball. This is a very very consistent move, but when Trip has his stuff together, he's one of the best to watch in action.
I know it's pretty early for predictions, but who do you think is going to come away with the cash on the west coast swing?

'Tis The Season

2008-12-13T07:02:00.000-08:00

It's that season again. When I say season, it means something different to everyone. To a golfer in Maryland and points north it means the clubs are in the closet for a while. I still have an itch to get out there and play, but know it's not exactly going to be the most enjoyable time. The wind can get pretty brutal out there and the hands get cold quickly. Did I mention the several layers that you'll be wearing in order to keep the body temp up? Try making a turn in all of that!
So what do I do?
'Tis the season to get up and get your body ready to make good swings. Try some yoga or pilates. Did your back hurt last season? Get that figured out with consistent stretching. Every single day would be consistent. 3 times a week won't cut it. You know as well as I do that just one lousy day at the office can put the pinch on every nerve in the body!
Would you believe that 10 minutes of stretching a day (if it's done at the same time each day and with the purpose of taking care of yourself) can change your whole physiology? Go ahead. Pick one or two moving exercises like trying to touch your toes, or squats and do that consistently for a couple of weeks. Get curious about what results will come and pay attention when they do!