Note: this contest is now closed. A winner will be selected and notified via e-mail, and an announcement will be made on or before May 31, 2010. Thanks for all the great entries!
Here we are at Day 2 of the Life in the Rough Big May Golf Book Giveaway. Are we having fun yet?
Today’s book is GOLF Magazine Private Lessons, by Dave Dusek with illustrations by Barry Ross. Regular GOLF Magazine readers will be instantly familiar with the material in this book, mostly because of the unique, helpful illustrations that we have come to enjoy each month in the back of GOLF Magazine in the Private Lessons section.
This book is a huge collection of helpful tips and information that have appeared in the magazine over the years. Here is some information about the book from the publisher, Abrams Books:
Private Lessons is the most popular feature in GOLF Magazine—the place to go for tips, tricks, and instructions that will get the lowliest duffer swinging like a pro. This second edition of Abrams’ best-selling golf instruction book offers the best of the lessons that have appeared since the book was first published. More than 60 pages have been replaced with fresh, up-to-date material illuminating every aspect of the game. Its easy-to-follow instructions, combined with the wonderfully accurate full-color illustrations, illuminate every aspect of the game—from approaching the tee to hitting out of trouble to improving the short game. Best of all, this is a book any golfer can use to advantage—low and high handicappers, men, women, juniors and seniors alike will benefit from the book’s unique ability to break the most complex instruction into easy-to-understand and easy-to-follow steps. Golf Magazine’s Private Lessons is an indispensable tool in any golfer’s kit. The new volume is 20 percent revised and updated.
My detailed review will be published in the coming weeks but I can tell you from leafing through this book that it is packed with useful tips that I have come to enjoy in GOLF Magazine each month. Amazingly, I’ve been a subscriber for many years but I don’t even recall seeing much of what I looked at as I browsed through the book. That probably says more about my memory than anything, but having a lot of that information in one big volume is a good thing.
The Contest
Please note that the contest is only open to residents of the United States and Canada. However, I encourage everyone to feel free to participate in the conversation. Just let me know if you’re not from the United States or Canada so your entry will not be included in the drawing.
To enter for a chance to win this book, I want to know about your golf swing. Specifically, tell me what your swing keys (or, swing thoughts, if you prefer) are. In other words, what are some of the things that you continually have to focus on to produce your best golf shots.
For example, my two swing keys are “full shoulder turn” and “smooth tempo”. When I lose focus and fail to do those two things, I have little chance of making a good shot.
If you don’t really have any specific swing keys, then tell me one or more specific things that you struggle with in golf that you would like to improve.
If you’re not much of a golfer and are trying to win the book to give to someone else or are trying to win the book just because you like to win stuff, then tell me why you want to win the book.
The contest will remain open for one week. The winner will be chosen by random drawing. Be sure to tune in for the rest of the contests this week. Winners will not be disqualified from winning the other contests so be sure to get your entries in for all of them.
Please review the comment policy before entering. Any entries that violate the comment policy will be discarded.
Winners will be notified via e-mail, so please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address with your entries. I will also publish a summary post at the conclusion of all four contests. The book will be shipped to the winner directly from Abrams Books. No P.O. boxes, please.
Good luck! I’m looking forward to reading all your entries.
—————————
Be sure to enter the other contests this week:
Big May Golf Book Giveaway, Day 1 – Golf Courses of the World: 365 Days
Big May Golf Book Giveaway, Day 3 – Bad Lies
Big May Golf Book Giveaway, Day 4 – Moment of Glory
Loading ...
My swing thoughts depend on how I am feeling and which club I am using. Mostly for full swings I concentrate three thoughts. Most I concentrate on the “low and slow” takeaway – I find it helps me stay in a consistent tempo and keeps my swing simple. If I feel my swing is out of sequence I think of Harvey Penick’s magic move or a variation of the magic move. The last thought is on the downswing to imagine that when the shaft of the club is parallel to the target line the shaft is also parallel to the ground. I will use one thought at a time and not to combine them into multiple thoughts.
That’s interesting, TP. I think the single thought is a great idea. In general, the swing is too brief to cram too much in there.
When I play, I really prefer to have no explicit thoughts, but when I’m working on specific stuff, I might let my mind get a little more cluttered than it should be during a practice round.
When I’m working on the range, I try to limit it to one thought at a time, so I’ll hit a shot thinking about a full shoulder turn, then I’ll hit a shot thinking about tempo. Then, I’ll try hitting a shot with no thoughts. Those are the ones that really tell me where I’m at with respect to grooving things because under pressure, that’s the swing that I’m most likely going to produce when I try to not consciously think of anything specific.
The most important swing thought for me by far is “Keep your left arm straight!!!” I have found that I make far better contact and manage more distance with my shots by just focusing on this one thought. It keeps me from getting too handsy and flipping at the ball. Has changed my game tremendouly for the better….especially with the short irons.
Interesting, Dylan. Many teachers would cringe at that thought because it can create tension, but if it works for you then that’s all that needs to be said.
In reality, having that thought probably would have kept me from the problems I have when I don’t get a full shoulder turn. When my shoulder turn gets lazy, I tend to get loose at the top with my hands and arms because my mind knows that the club isn’t far enough back yet. If I focused on keeping my left arm straight, then I might avoid that breakdown because I would simply make a 3/4 swing when my shoulders get lazy. The only problem is, I don’t know if I would avoid that tension in my arms and shoulders.
I have to remember to think slow and smooth.
My problem is keeping my head down and not looking up.