The Golfing Machine wins at Hilton Head

AP Photo

by: B. J. Hathaway, G.S.E.B., M.C.I.

Brian Gay closed his Sunday round with a 64 yesterday and set a new tournament scoring record in his win at the Verizon Heritage. With a 10 shot margin of victory, he didn’t just beat the field- he lapped the field. It’s been since the ‘06 BellSouth Classic since we’ve seen a margin of victory of this proportion.

Surely he must have some secrets, some inside information into golf’s book of buried treasure? Well actually….he does. Two years ago Brian began his quest to unlock the secrets of golf’s most famous book, The Golfing Machine.

Inside the yellow hardback cover lies the true science of how and why the golf swing works based on two concepts: physics and geometry. Lest you be afraid of tall men in white lab coats with multiple clipboards….do not be afraid golfer! Yes my friend, the book is a bit of heavy reading and some of its concepts daunting. You see, the book was actually written as a guide for instructors- a golf encyclopedia if you will- that documents the components of mine, yours, and all golf swings. But this book is based on science- not theory, conjecture, guess work, old wives tales or riddles.

The secret of TGM is the flexibility it permits. There is not just one golf swing that will work and that explains why John Daly’s swing doesn’t look like Tiger’s who doesn’t look like Phil’s, etc. But what the book does help us understand is what my swing must do in order to be successful, and once you have that knowledge it gives you the freedom to build your swing around who you are.

The book is now in its 7th edition and you are welcome to pick up a copy and give it a test read. If however you find the material difficult, do not despair! The Golfing Machine has a worldwide network of Authorized Instructors who are extensively trained to help you improve your game and also the Medicus Golf Institute trains its certified instructors to teach TGM.

So congratulations to Georgia’s own Brian Gay, a professional golfer and true golfing machine.

www.augustagolfinstruction.com

The Rhythm of Golf

by: B. J. Hathaway, G.S.E.B. , M.C.I.
Medicus Certified Instructor


As golfers we are familiar with such terms as rhythm, timing and tempo but often times we are not exactly sure of their definitions. Let's get a feel for what rhythm really is and how it applies to the golf swing.

Rhythm (from Greek ῥυθμός - rhythmos, "any measured flow or movement, symmetry") is the variation of the length and accentuation of a series of sounds or other events.

As we see, it is measured, so there must be a count or beat. Listen to your heart beat and you will hear your own rhythm. When we are healthy it is constant, a dependable rhythm. Good golf has a rhythm too.

Poor rhythm is caused by quick, jerky motions at some point in the movement. Many players lose their timing in the transition phase of the swing; that terrible feeling of hitting from the top is just another name for lost rhythm. Quitting, or stopping at the ball is another cause of poor timing. One of the reasons I like students to use a heavy club such as the Medicus PowerMax is to give a feeling of constant motion without quitting with the thought of a smooth start-down and swinging into the finish position.

Rhythm is accomplished when the club and arms move at the same RPM. The angle formed between th club shaft and left forearm is the third power accumulator in The Golfing Machine and defines rhythm control when in its "in-line" condition. The pivot also must not interfere with the arms and hands but play a supporting role.

Ernie Els has a smooth rhythm while Nick Price is quite fast, but both have a rhythm that supports how they live, walk, talk and play.

The key is to find your rhythm and make sure your swing components help you achieve it more consistently!

Are you Bigger than your driver?

Pictured: Ashley L. Davis

By: B. J. Hathaway, G.S.E.B, M.C.I.

Everyone wants to hit the ball further. Everyone. I’m fairly certain the club manufacturers know this, and they have ways to tweak our drivers to make them go further. One simple change is to make the club longer which is supposed to make your golf ball go further. But, as in most things in life, we have the law of diminishing returns to contend with.

Expert club builder Tom Wishon notes that the standard driver length on the PGA Tour is 44.5″. Now, go to your local golf shop or online site and just see if you can find a new driver under 45″ long. I’m betting you may need a golf detective to find one. The standard new driver is between 45″-46″. The problem is, drivers are getting longer but you’re not getting taller! You are probably thinking, “hey, I’m skilled enough to swing whatever they are selling. I got game!”

I’m betting that unless you’re a Pro you:

a. don’t practice 4 hours a day
b. don’t also play 3 times a week
c. have bills to pay or other obligations

So the professionals are playing a shorter driver than you, but hitting it further and straighter. Besides skill level, what is their secret? It’s called center face contact and it’s kind of a big deal! All things being equal, on center hit = faster ball speed = longer drives.

My suggestion for the majority of us who are mere mortals when it comes to golf ability:

Find a launch monitor and experiment with different driver lengths until you find one that you can hit on-center. You will hit the ball further with the same effort, what a pleasant surprise.

Learn to hit the ball better and be bigger than your driver!

AGI

Improve your game

www.augustagolfinstruction.com

Beat the Ball Position Blues

by: B. J. Hathaway, G.S.E.B., M.C.I.


The correct ball position for golfers has always been a problem and part of the reason is this:

historical wisdom is not based on the geometry of the golf swing!

We've all heard it before, place the ball "here" in your stance for "this" club. Well that's all fine and good if you happen to carry a yardstick around the golf course, and your playing partners will allow you to take the time to measure your stance width, calculate the exact ball placement for that particular shot, remove the yardstick, waggle, look, waggle and swing. I have yet to see this happen and if you try it, you more than likely will not be invited back to play with your foursome!

The reason ball position should not, and cannot be related to stance width is because it does not provide a repeatable frame of reference. As you probably know, repeatability is the key to scoring in golf.

So let's find a better way. Why not use a reference based on something that does not change - like geometry. Luckily you will not need a slide rule and your old textbook. The hard work was done by Mr. Homer Kelley when he wrote the most comprehensive book ever written about the golf swing, The Golfing Machine.

The Golfing Machine is based on geometry and physics and how that applies to any and every golf swing. Since the golf swing is a circular motion, every circle has a low point in the arc. The low point in the arc of your golf swing is your left shoulder. Now we have a steady, dependable reference point. You take your shoulders everywhere you go. You cannot shuffle them around for better traction or change their width depending upon the lie at hand.

The driver is the longest club in the bag, so it should be in line with the left shoulder. As each club gets shorter it moves progressively backwards until the center of the sternum which is where the wedges are played. You may have to experiment a bit for your irons to find the ideal position for each, but once you have these established you are done unless you are hitting a specialty shot!

So, if we relate ball position to the shoulders, we get consistent placement. Consistent placement equals consistent flight patterns.

Get your ball position right and say goodbye to the blues!

www.augustagolfinstruction.com
Improve your game

Golf, back pain & chiropractic.

By: B. J. Hathaway

Medicus Certified Instructor

In the U.S. today there are approximately 37 million golfers. In his 1998 article “Back pain in golfers: etiology and prevention”, (Journal of Sports Chiropractic & Rehabilitation) Dr. David Seaman writes:

There are an estimated 25 million golfers in the United States, and with the recent surge in the sport’s popularity, that figure should exceed 27 million by the year 2000. It is also estimated that 5-15% of touring professionals, and an even greater number of amateurs, will develop low-back problems.

This article discusses the biomechanics of the modern golf swing, its potential for placing the lower back at risk for injury, and the potentially modifiable factors that contribute to the prevalence of chronicity of golf-related injuries.

Today’s standard golf swing, imitated by millions and characterized by maximal torso rotation in the backswing and follow-through, predisposes the spine to painful injury. Golfers are often taught that maximal spinal rotation is needed to ensure maximum velocity at club/ball impact and maximum hitting distance. However, studies have demonstrated that a shorter backswing position with less torso rotation is more effective and generates far less potential for injury.

Golf injuries develop primarily because the golf swing represents a series of ineffective, injury-promoting movements. It is important that doctors of chiropractic understand the true biomechanics of the golf swing so they can recommend a more appropriate, “back friendly” swing to their patients.

Dr. Seaman is right. If your chiropractor is interested in keeping you healthy, your teaching professional should be, too.

The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelley teaches that there are four sources of power in the golf swing, known as Power Accumulators- or Power Sources-none of which are based on torso rotation.

The turning of the body, or “pivot,” should be a reaction to where the hands need to go. This is referred to as a “hand controlled pivot” in The Golfing Machine. Many teachers believe that the rotation of the body controls the hands. This is fine if you want to hit less than your maximum distance potential and create room for injury.

The geometry and physics of the golf swing, studied by all Authorized Instructors of The Golfing Machine and Medicus Certified Instructors, dictates that the hands always have a destination. Give your hands an assignment, where to go and what to do, then have them complete that assignment. The body should play a supporting role, and not vice-versa.

Educate your hands on their proper role in the golf swing. For more information contact Medicus Golf to find a Certified Instructor near you.

B. J. Hathaway is one of only 98 teachers worldwide designated to hold a “Bachelors in Golf Stroke Engineering.”

AGI

Improve your game

She swings like a Girl!

pictured: Ashley L. Davis

By: B. J. Hathaway: Medicus Certified Instructor

Watching the swings of the LPGA and better female amateur players is a learning experience. Generally you will see a long swing arc, good posture, and excellent rhythm. Not exactly down points if you were selling golf swings. The swings of the best players have even more virtues: on plane, balance, and a steady head. If their swings are so good, then why don’t they hit the ball the same distance as men, you may ask.

The differences are in swing speed and compression. Men generally swing faster and therefore compress the ball more effectively. So if you are a female golfer wanting more distance here are some things to consider:

1. All golfers fall into one of two categories: swinger or hitter. Most women are swingers due to the strength requirements of hitting; therefore, they must have certain components that maximize the swinging procedure.

2. As a swinger, you must make maximum use of centrifugal force by employing as many of the Power Accumulators that you can efficiently apply. Since the golf swing has four Power Accumulators (sources), you need not read a library of golf swing theory or biomechanical books.

What you do need to do is find a Medicus Certified Instructor (M.C.I.) and ask him or her to teach you:

The Swinging procedure using the Power Accumulators

Each M.C.I. has been trained to help you get the maximum effectiveness from your game, and they will be impressed that you know the lingo!

Learn to hit the ball further, but swing like a girl!

AGI
Improve your game