Tales From The Bunker

We thought we would leave you with a little homework for the weekend. Just practice imitating the swing below and by Monday you should be a much better golfer. It is as simple as that.

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Since family should always come first we have been remiss is not congratulating our daughter Katie on her engagement on Christmas Eve. She is planning to marry a man (Ryan) we completely approve of and could not be happier about the turn of events. (Wedding plans to be based on our pocketbook)

Back to golf! This blog is about getting in the best golf shape you can possibly obtain.  But first we would like to tell you a story.

Last winter we went to the annual winter golf show here is Chicago. Being tired of walking we sat down to listen to an hour presentation by a local teaching PGA professional. His first remarks were about golf fitness. He said that the golf swing uses almost every single muscle in the body so a complete body workout is very important.

Then he said something that made us both look at each other. He said every spring people come up to him and say they have working out all winter and they can now squat x amount of pounds, bench press y pounds, etc. so they should be able to pound the ball out of sight. They would then show the professional their swing and he saw the same flaws they had the previous fall and unless they were corrected the ball was not going to go any farther (or straighter).   

His real point was that while being in poor condition can definitely limit your golf achievements, only with proper golf technique can you achieve the results your desire.  You may look better and feel better (both very important) but your golf ball still will not go where you want. But with both a golf appropriate workout and correct technique you can take you game to the next level!

We still did not get to a review of some of the golf conditioning materials we offer in our stores, hopefully next time.

Remember to keep them in the fairway!

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Perhaps it is because we have been playing with a conventional swing for so long, but we are not big fans of the stack and tilt swing. But if you are a chronic slicer it may be a good alternative for you. With the stack and tilt it is almost impossible to slice and it creates a draw.

We are not experts in the field but let’s go through the basics:

1)    Weight forward – keep you weight forward for the entire swing. As a result you should hit the ground after the ball and you will not cut across the ball from the outside in.

2)    Left shoulder turns down – This keeps the center of your shoulders stable which increases the precision with which you hit the ball.

3)    Swing you hands in going back. Keeping your hands back prevents your hands from cutting across the ball.

4)    Back leg straight – Straightening your back leg frees your hips to turn more, which allows your shoulders to turn more.

5)    Arms Straight – this is a hard one. The radius must not reach full extension before impact. If it does the radius will bottom out and you will hit behind the ball.

6)    Pushing the hips forward and upward on the down swing allows the body to keep turning. This is a major power move because it releases the hips from their tilt toward the ball.

Hopefully this gives you some kind of idea how the stack and tilt works. But to really make the change you should see a PGA professional who teaches the stack and tilt.

Until next time keep ‘em in the fairway.

As always do not forget to check out our TheEscapePlace stores on eBay, Amazon and Bonanza.
They will help your golf game and more!

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By the most objective measure of all-the record-Jack Nicklaus is the greatest player who ever lived.

There was immensity to Nicklaus’ game. Nicklaus combined tremendous physical ability with boundless mental and psychological resources. At those times when his game was in full song, he would dominate his competition. But Nicklaus’ ultimate genius was that when it wasn’t, he often found a way to win because he would almost never beat himself. His style was a combination of explosive shot making and conservative management that calculated all factors-the course, his opponents and how he was playing. As a golfer, Nicklaus was both Secretariat and Einstein.

Subjective assessments, however, are secondary because Nicklaus’ record is a colossus that encapsulates the game. In sheer numbers, it is awesome.

Between 1962 and 1986, Nicklaus won 70 official events on the PGA TOUR, second in total only to Sam Snead. But it is Nicklaus’ performance in major championships alone that sets him above all others. He won 20-two U.S. Amateurs, a record six Masters, a record-tying four U.S. Opens, three British Opens and a record-tying five PGAs. He completed three full cycles of the modern Grand Slam, something no other player has ever done more than once. If performance in major championships is the ultimate criterion, then no golfer has ever set himself apart like Nicklaus.

Nicklaus was born Jan. 21, 1940, in Columbus, Ohio. His father, Charlie, was a pharmacist who introduced his son to sports and remained his greatest friend and supporter. While growing up at the Scioto C.C. under the tutelage of Jack Grout, Nicklaus came to idolize Bobby Jones, whose 13 major championships became the reference point for his own career.

As an amateur, Nicklaus was clearly a prodigy. He won the 1956 Ohio State Open at age 16. Three years later, he defeated Charlie Coe, 1 up, in an epic final round in the U.S. Amateur and won it again at Pebble Beach in 1961. In between, he tied for second at the 1960 U.S. Open and shot an astounding 269 at Merion in the World Amateur Team Championship.

By the time Nicklaus came on the pro scene in 1962, he was a stout, crew cut dynamo of 215 pounds who was about to change the game. With a mighty upright swing that allowed him to hit the ball high and generally with a slight fade, Nicklaus became the longest controlled driver in the game’s history, as well as the most devastating long-iron player. His technique and strength also allowed him to escape from high grass with more power and control than his rivals. Along with a reliable putting touch that was particularly consistent inside of six feet, Nicklaus’ arsenal was designed to conquer the narrow fairways, deep rough and firm, fast greens that characterize major championships. By 1967, he had won seven of them. Between 1970 and 1975, leaner and more fashionably coiffed, he won seven more.

On the PGA TOUR, Nicklaus led the money list eight times, twice while playing only 16 events. Between 1962 and 1979, he finished in the top 10 in 243 of the 357 official events he played in, a rate of 68 percent.

For all his physical gifts, it was Nicklaus’ ability to concentrate and gather himself for decisive moments that most separated him. This was never more evident than in his most fulfilling triumph, the 1986 Masters, where, at the age of 46, Nicklaus put together a final-round 65 that included a 30 on the back nine to win by one.

Through it all, Nicklaus completed the ultimate champion’s profile by being a gracious loser. He finished second 19 times in majors, but always gave credit to the winner. Win or lose, Jack Nicklaus was the greatest.

©2009 World Golf Hall of Fame

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