This is something I’ve thought about a lot recently. I know it’s been discussed forever, but this is my take.

I’ve been reading Paper Tiger, the quest of writer Tom Coyne to go from weekend duffer to PGA Tour pro in a little over a year (review coming along shortly). I’ve been closely following Luke Swilor’s Road to the Tour. And I’ve obviously been thinking about myself. My goals, my dreams, and my (golf) fantasies.

Several times each day, I ask myself, “what separates the best from the rest?” By that, I’m asking what separates Tour pros from talented amateurs or from those who don’t make it on Tour. Really. What is it?

The way I see it, I’d wager that if you found a talented scratch golfer and put him on the driving range at a PGA Tour event, it would be hard to tell he didn’t belong. He’d probably fool most people. Most likely, he couldn’t make the cut, and probably wouldn’t have a shot at getting through Q-School.

Chances are, on the range, he’s as proficient as many of the Tour pros lined up along side of him. Long with the driver. Shapes shots well. Good consistency. Solid short game. Proficient putting.

So, why isn’t he out there already? What is it that separates him from the rest?

Let’s throw out Tiger, Phil, and that caliber of player for a moment. Those guys are clearly on a whole different level than most of their peers. Let’s just consider the middle of the road guys, and the guys who make it a career but maybe don’t win a lot.

I think if we look at the physical aspect, our scratch golfer is probably in the mix with those guys. Maybe some coaching and he’s right there. Let’s assume he’s as physically fit as many of the other guys. If so, then we have to look at the intangibles. There must be things that our friend lacks that the guys on Tour have. Here are the things that come to mind:

• Luck. Getting through Q-School and winning on the mini-tours can come down to getting the right breaks. Both on and off the course. Getting a good bounce or catching fire at the right time can mean the difference between a player moving up the ladder or going home with his tail between his legs.
• Desire. Could it be that our scratch player friend doesn’t want it bad enough? What about the ones that do? Are they working hard enough? What about the ones that are, but that still don’t make it? There has to be enough desire to make sure the player is putting the work in: practice, diet, fitness. All the things that need to be done to excel.
• Determination. This goes hand in hand with desire. With desire, you want something, but determination makes sure that you’re not going to take “no” for an answer. Watch the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” for a tutorial on determination. There must be enough determination to overcome all the things that make someone want to quit.
• That leaves: Mental Game.

The more I think about it, the more I think that mental game could be the biggest factor keeping our friend off the tour (assuming that he has sufficient desire, determination, and luck). I don’t think that mental game is just limited to course management, though that’s a big part of it. I would include all of the following:

• Excellent course management. Knowing how to play the course like a chess match.
• Playing within oneself. A player must know his limitations and play to his own strengths.
• Mental toughness. A player of that caliber must find a way to overcome fear. Fear of failure, fear of ridicule, whatever.
• Along the lines of mental toughness is the ability to deal with pressure. At high levels, pressure exists internally and externally. The best players must find a way to deal with it.
• There must be a great level of confidence. Confidence in his swing, in his mental game. Confidence that keeps him free from intimidation.
• Aggressiveness. That doesn’t just mean always “going for it”. It can include the ability and desire to put opponents away. It can mean taking a chance when the chips are down.

There are probably many more aspects to the mental game, but those are the ones that come to mind right now.

I see all those aspects of the mental game as things that can be nurtured and developed. If that’s true, then it means that our friend, the scratch player, given the proper amount of desire, determination, and luck could develop the mental game to make it.

Am I off base here? I’m not trying to rationalize my own crusade or be unrealistic about my own chances. I’ve had these thoughts (and debated them with people) for a long time before I ever thought about pursuing golf.

If I’m wrong, it would be about the 38th time today.

Maybe it’s just that players at the highest level are born with a gift that none of the rest of us can ever achieve. My gut instinct tells me that’s not it though. I can accept that very special players, like Tiger, Phil, Ernie, Vijay, etc. are born with a gift that the rest of us can never achieve. And they still have to work darn hard.

I believe the difference between getting to the big show and going home to sell insurance is a fine line. For some players, the line might be razor thin. I do believe that the line can be crossed with luck, desire, determination and a developed mental game. I’m not saying it’s easy or that there’s a simple formula, otherwise it would happen all the time. I just believe it’s not completely out of reach as most people assume it is.

One other thing: I’m not trivializing the people who worked so hard and still didn’t make it. I’m not accusing anyone of lacking desire or whatever. Maybe those people have what it takes, but never got the lucky break they needed. Maybe they lacked some critical component of the mental game. Or maybe they didn’t have the toughness (or financial backing) to weather the storm.

I really want to hear your thoughts on this.

On Tuesday, I brought up the “Stack and Tilt”, a revolution in the basic golf swing. As promised, here’s a follow-up.

Yesterday evening I got out to the range and decided I was going to spend almost all my time evaluating the Stack and Tilt golf swing. Click the link above to my original post where you can get the whole story on the radical swing. Basically, since transferring weight to the right side then back left is considered inefficient by the developers of the technique, the idea is to keep the spine vertical over the ball with the weight more on the left throughout the swing.

I read the Golf Digest article on the Stack and Tilt several times to absorb all the detail. When I got to the range, it took me maybe 10-20 balls before I really started to get the feeling of the new swing.

At that point, I did start to notice a high draw, and nice, solid contact on my irons. It felt strange at first (naturally), but by the end of the around 50-60 balls, I was really starting to hit some nice, penetrating shots with each club. I hit balls with my 7-iron, 2-iron, 3-wood and driver. I have to say that it did feel like there was a nice consistency. Obviously I didn’t hit every ball well because it was my first attempt, but I can see where after a couple of sessions, I might see an increase in ball striking consistency.

Distance seemed to be all there too. In fact, it seemed like some shots may have actually been a little longer than what I normally hit. I was hitting some serious bombs with my driver.

Overall, I was pleased with the ease at which I was able to adapt to the technique and with the results it was producing.

As I left the range, I had a chance to talk to my pro about the technique for a few minutes. While he wasn’t necessarily dead-set against it, he clearly isn’t a supporter either. His feeling is that it’s really nothing new. That there have been similar attempts to keep the weight on the left throughout the swing that have come and gone through the years.

He also feels that the technique is really just a mask for improperly taught (or learned) fundamentals. He believes that the technique improves players where consistency lacks because of a swing that is too much hands and arms and where a player suffers from too much lateral head movement during the swing. By keeping the head in what is essentially the impact position and by keeping the hands and arms more synchronized with the upper body during the swing it hides these other flaws.

I couldn’t help wondering: is it really an issue if this technique masks improper “traditional” fundamentals?

For me, and for many others, the results speak for themselves. However, here are the reasons that I’m not going to pursue the Stack and Tilt right yet:

• Given that I’m rehabbing a herniated disk in my back, I’m not sure how this swing will affect me over the long term. I’ve read lots of people saying that it’s fine on the back, but that’s them. I need to know for me. It really hinges on serious rotational speed in the hips to maintain and/or increase power while using a shorter back swing. While I can say my back is all right after this one short session, I don’t know how I’ll feel after weeks of it.
• I’m a little concerned about the violent (I don’t like that word, but it’s the best I can think of right now) straightening of the left leg that thrusts the hips and upper body upward, shallowing out the angle of attack prior to impact. I read somewhere that whipping that left leg straight is Tiger Woods’ secret for power when he needs that extra few yards and that doing that might have been the cause of the knee problem he had several years back that sidelined him for a bit. If that move could cause some irritation or wear and tear on my knee, I’d like to avoid it. (Edit for clarification: certainly we all experience that straightening in the left leg, but it’s the speed and force involved in the Stack and Tilt and in Tiger’s power move that have me curious.)
• I’m not convinced that it’s more than a fad yet. There are only 20 Tour pros using it (or intending to use it in the near future). I want to see what happens as time goes on. Will Aaron Baddeley be using it in 5 years? What about the top players on Tour? Will they switch?
• Along those lines, I’ll feel a little more confident when I see Jim Flick, Jim McLean, David Leadbetter, etc. telling me about it on Golf Channel Academy.
• While the swing does seem to improve ball striking (I was hitting some real laser beams out there), what does it do for shot making? Is it harder to shape the ball? This is more of an unknown because I really didn’t try to shape the ball at the time.
• I trust my pro. I have faith in him. He’s been around the game for a long time. He understands the swing very well. If he’s not sold yet, then I’m not sold yet.
• There’s no rush because in about 2/3 of a basket of balls, I had picked up the technique. I’m guessing 2 or 3 range sessions and I’d be ready for course. It’s not like I’m being left behind if the technique gains wide acceptance. If my reservations don’t pan out after a while, I feel like the switch will be simple.
• I think there’s something to be said for what my pro mentioned about masking fundamentals. In the end, if you hit the ball straight and long, I guess it doesn’t matter, but I’d rather just be fundamentally sound and decide to pick up the technique because I feel like it’s better, not because I’m running away from poor traditional fundamentals.
• I want to read something critical about the swing. Golf Digest hyped the “swing revolution” to sell magazines. Now I want to read a viewpoint from someone reputable on the opposite side. If there is any down side, I want to know what it is. Maybe there is none, but I want the idea tossed around to all the golf gurus before I abandon my progress with the traditional swing.

There are some interesting things I learned that I’m going to hold on to. For instance, I feel like sometimes my hips slide toward the target some on the downswing and I don’t get the rotational action as much as I should. Well, I got a front row seat to what serious hip rotation feels like. I’m going to try and get better at that in my traditional swing. Also, I tend to have a problem with sliding my head right on the back swing. I now have a good feel for what it’s like when my head is very steady in a lateral sense.

Even though I’m not going to pursue the Stack and Tilt right yet, I still recommend that you give it a try. In the end, we all have our own reasons for doing things. Don’t let my apprehension keep you from trying something that could improve your own game. At worst, it won’t work and you’ll be right back where you are. At best, it will probably improve your consistency and even add some distance.

(Note: Since this post was written, I have written another Stack and Tilt post where I do some analysis and compare it with the modern swing.)

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Further Reading:

Stack and Tilt Instructional DVD Set (Life in the Rough)
Golf Digest Revisits the Stack and Tilt (Life in the Rough)
More Stack and Tilt Analysis (Life in the Rough)
The Stack and Tilt? (Life in the Rough)
The New Tour Swing (Golf Digest, June 2007)
Stack and Tilt Part 2 (Golf Digest, September 2007)
Stack and Tilt Critics Speak Out (Golf Digest, September 2007)

I’m the kind of guy who keeps the same grips around for way too long. This spring, I realized that I was consciously thinking about them during swings, so it was time to get some new ones on there.

I was leaning toward a Winn grip, even though I’ve never played them before. They have a good reputation and I’ve always liked the feel when friends have let me try out theirs, or when I get to try them out in a retail store.

After a little research, and some hands-on test-gripping at Golfsmith, I bought 13 of them (the 6G8X-BBL model) and installed them myself.

Here are the specs and sales blurb from Winn’s website:

Our popular G8 evolves to incorporate our new Advanced Integration (AI) technology. AI technology strategically places our innovative materials in critical grip areas. With alluring color contrast, this technology precisely positions the optimum levels of tackiness and feel where they are most needed.

Using V17 material, this grip is tackier and more durable—perfect for all weather conditions. Advanced Vertical Seam (AVS) technology enables easy installation.

John Daly calls this grip “the best I’ve ever played.”
Specifications:
Material V17
Firmness Extra Firm (XF)
Thickness 2.0 mm
Color Black/Blue
Weight 58 gms
Size Midsize
Pattern Medium CC AVS
Profile Tapered
Core Size .600 Core

I got them installed and was at the range the next day. I must say I was impressed with their feel. They’re billed as extra firm, but if that’s extra firm, then there are no words to describe the grips I’ve been playing. To me, they have a nice, tacky feel.

One thing that concerned me was performance in wet weather. Winn bills them as being great in all weather. I was a little concerned when I washed them with warm soapy water the day after I installed them, because they felt somewhat slick. However, I just read the “Grip Care” section of Winn’s website and it explicitly says not to do that because it may undermine the tackiness. So, we’ll chalk that up to user error. I haven’t experienced the slickness since then, though.

Here’s the lowdown:

The Good

• Excellent tacky feel. As I said, my hands get pretty sweaty and even with a wet glove, it feels like the club is surgically attached to my glove hand.
• They immediately increased my confidence with every club in my bag. This is mostly due to the fact that my old grips were very worn. But I still have to credit Winn with the nice feel. Their midsize grip is perfectly sized for my hand, without the need for extra wraps of tape.

The Bad

• They were a little pricey at around $5 each. Winn grips typically run on the higher end of the price spectrum, so this was no surprise.
• I’m still left wondering about how they’ll perform in wet weather. They do an outstanding job with my sweaty hands, but even I’m no match for a steady rain. This is more of an unknown than a knock on the grips, and since I fear the unknown it goes under “Bad”.

Conclusion

I definitely have to give the G8 the thumbs up. So far it’s the best grip I’ve ever played, which isn’t saying too much. I tend to play grips for way too long, and often times end up getting new irons before changing the grips. Nonetheless, it’s still a complement. They beat all the stock grips I’ve played and the few different replacements that I’ve used in the past.

This isn’t breaking news, but I just learned of the new “revolution” in golf this morning when I was leafing through the June issue of Golf Digest (I’m a little behind).

The Stack and Tilt is a major revolution in the golf swing. I’m surprised I haven’t heard of it until now (OK, sometimes I really live under a rock). It was developed by Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer (you might recall reading about them in The Scorecard Always Lies) and is being used by around 20 tour pros, including Aaron Baddeley who has won twice since making the switch. There has been some comparison to the techniques of Mac O’Grady. While I know who O’Grady is, I’m not very familiar with his swing method, so you’ll have to educate me there.

Check out the article linked above for an in-depth look at the technique. The basic premise is rather simple: that shifting weight to the right on the back swing only to then shift back left on the down swing is inefficient and inconsistent. The Stack and Tilt has the player keep the spine vertical over the ball throughout the swing, as opposed to tilted away from the target.

During the back swing, the weight stays left and the right leg is relatively straight. This is a far cry from the currently accepted swing technique, and would be considered to be somewhat of a reverse pivot.

On the downswing, because the spine stays over the ball, the club approaches the ball on an extremely steep angle of attack. To shallow out the club, the lower body must spring up. The article uses the analogy of trying to crush a soda can under the left foot. As the foot pushes down and the left leg straightens, the hips release and thrust upward.

The finish is more along the lines of a reverse-C position, with the spine tilted away from the target for the first time in the whole process.

Admittedly, I’m very intrigued. One of the problems with the modern golf swing is that there is so much going on. This technique promises to simplify some of that. To me, simpler is better. I think I’d like to give it a try on the range and see what I think.

In the mean time, Geoff Shackelford posted about the Stack and Tilt last month. His post was brief, but the comments section has been very lively, with a number of people having tried it with success. There seems to be an indication that it might be easier to accomplish with lower irons and more difficult with the driver, but several people have claimed success there too. There seems to be a lot of consensus that the technique increased ball striking, accuracy, and distance to a noticeable degree.

I’m curious to give it a try for the sake of experimentation, but as with anything new that goes against everything I’ve been taught, I’m cautiously skeptical. As soon as I give it a try, I’ll let you know what I think.

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Further Reading:

Stack and Tilt Instructional DVD Set (Life in the Rough)
Golf Digest Revisits the Stack and Tilt (Life in the Rough)
More Stack and Tilt Analysis (Life in the Rough)
Stack and Tilt: A Follow Up (Life in the Rough)
The New Tour Swing (Golf Digest, June 2007)
Stack and Tilt Part 2 (Golf Digest, September 2007)
Stack and Tilt Critics Speak Out (Golf Digest, September 2007)

A couple of days ago, I mentioned an episode of Playing Lessons from the Pros on The Golf Channel. In general, I think this program is of great value for most golfers. These thoughts are kind of feeding from my previous post about discipline.

I’ve watched this show for a long time, and it has always impressed me. For those who have never seen it, the basic premise is simple: we get to spend half an hour on the course with a player from the PGA, Champions, LPGA, or Nationwide tours. Some current players, some former players. Many of the all time greats have been featured.

Over the course of the program, they play a round of golf surrounded by cameramen. They talk about all kinds of things like preparation, course management, recovery, shot techniques. Basically anything and everything about the game of golf.

The reason I’m so high on this show is that we get to do something that most people never get to experience. We get inside the mind of a professional golfer of the highest caliber.

While I always enjoy the little swing tips, I think the most value comes from seeing how a pro manages the course and how he/she mentally prepares for and plays a round of golf. We get a look at their confidence, positive attitude, and mental focus. We get a look at how the course is played. How shots are planned out and executed. How mistakes happen and how they recover. How they plan shots to minimize negative outcomes while giving the best chance for a positive outcome.

Getting inside the head of a pro can really show the rest of us where we lack. Even if we don’t have textbook swings, we are most certainly giving up some strokes to our (lack of) mental game. Regardless of skill level, the mental game is something that can be worked on.

Check out the show and you’ll see what I mean.