Why Mind-Movies Work Well for Golf -

The concept of visualizing outcomes in sporting events has been around for a considerable time and works to some degree. However, simply visualizing the outcome will not produce a result. It can certainly help with motivation and it can help to generate positive thoughts.

But in order to obtain an outcome the golfer has to act in the manner necessary to achieve the outcome.

For this reason correctly constructed Mind-Movies are highly effective in Golf.

Note well that I said "correctly constructed Mind-Movies." In my months and years of experimenting with and developing the successful use of Mind-Movies, I have discovered that the way that a golfer, or any other sports person, constructs their Mind-Movies is key to their successful implementation.

Each Mind-Movie has to be as carefully plotted and filmed as a major Hollywood production.

I am working flat out to finish The Invincible Golfer Power Pack which describes how to build your own personal Mind-Movies.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Beating the Fear of Winning -

I felt this fear myself yesterday out on the golf course. It kicked in as was about to play my approach shot to the 16th hole. I had a good card going and three pars over the last three holes would have posted a challenging score.

Now, personally I don't see much difference between fear of winning, fear of losing or fear of any other type. They all interfere with logical thought and they all cause our limbs to turn to jelly - if we let them.

The whole point is not to allow the fear to control us.

The moment I feel any kind of fear I go into what I call Positive Mode. My thought pattern is something like this, it's a conversation between me and myself:

Me: "Fear has arrived and is trying to influence our actions."

Myself: "OK let's go into Positive Mode."

Me: "Right, I'll start by taking three long, deep breaths right down into the pit of my stomach. I'll just study the shot with a little more care whilst I do my deep breathing."

Myself: "That's cool. I'll just run through a check list of essentials to ensure that I put a good positive swing onto this next shot."

Me: "Good, I'm ready to play now. I feel relaxed and positive. I am about to swing, give me that check list one last time as I run my Mind-Movie of the swing."

Myself: "Here goes, trigger the Mind-Movie (head still, good tempo, low and slow back swing, full turn, hands high; slide the weight back to the left, firm hands as we strike the ball, keep your head down, finish with the hands high).

I did fluff one shot, but I also made a birdie so I finished with pars on those last three holes.

Unfortunately a couple of young turks shot unbelievable scores so I had to settle for third.

On the way home I felt good, I had fought my fears and won which was a big and important victory.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Pitching Close to the Pin -

Byron Nelson, winner of eleven CONSECUTIVE PGA Tour events, was famous for the fact that his pitch shots always finished PAST the pin. He was a fan of Bobby Jones's teacher Stewart Maiden who said: "Never say 'good shot' if the ball's not past the pin."

The next time you play a round notice how few times chips and putts and pitch shots finish past the pin.

It is the mark of a high handicapper that they are always short on every shot they play.

The tendency is to be too timid, to lack boldness. This is a tendency that afflicts nearly all amateur players.

Be Bold - that is my message for today. Attack the flag as if it is your mortal enemy. Seek to bruise the bottom of the flag stick.

But whatever you do, get it up there, where it has a chance to go in.

One of the oldest truisms in golf is: 'never up, never in.'

Attack, attack - be bold.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Perfect Pitching Tip -

How many times have you come up short on a 40 - 80 yard pitch to the green?

Come on now be honest, I bet you leave far more of these shots short than you ever fly over the green.

Truth is that most of us tend to be tentative with these short pitch shots. We get a bit nervous, we look up too soon, we let our wrists go floppy, sometimes we even shank this type of shot.

Yeh, I know only too well, I've done it all myself, including the shanks. And I did it again yesterday, which is why I'm devoting today's blog to the subject.

The best tip for ensuring that your pitch shots finish right up by the flag is to AIM FOR THE TOP OF THE FLAG, not the bottom.

Most of us seem to be aiming too low down and therefore our shot finishes short. If you aim higher, at the top of the flag your ball will fly that bit further and your ball will be less likely to finish short.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Mind Movies - The Secret of Consistent Golf -

Since I started to write The Incincible Golfer I have been experimenting increasingly with Mind Movies. They have brought me great success.

I have discovered that it is not just the concept of Mind Movies which makes the difference, but the way that you construct the movie in your mind is very important.

Once the movie is built correctly you get much improved emotional control and control over your swing which results in more consistent play.

This month I have improved on my normal 80% win rate in match play and finished in the top ten of every competition in which I have played. These results include playing in open competitions on a varitey of courses.

Mind Movies are not a new concept. One of the books on the subject which I possess was published in 1972. However, I think that the way that I have developed for using this powerful tool will help many golfers.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Cures for Golf Driving Ailments Now Available -

Just a quick update on an earlier post about the Golf Problems Clinic that I have started on my web site.

I have now posted cures for all these ailments:

Cure - ball fades right
Cure - ball slices right
Cure - ball pulls left
Cure - ball hooks left
Cure - ball flies too high
Cure - ball flies too low
Cure - ball doesn't go far enough

I'd offer a prize for which page gets the most hits, but it just might be a little too easy to win.

I hope that you find these instant cures helpful.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Cures for All Your Golfing Ailments -

Yesterday I started to publish on my website a section called Golf Cures Online.

The idea is that you simply go to the lead page of this section, look for the ailment that is afflicting your game, click on it and go to the page which describes what is probably causing your problem and find the cure.

Golf Cures Online is located at http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_cures.htm

Just click the link to go to the lead page.

I will be adding at least one cure a day for the next 20 odd days.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_cures.htm

Play Happy - Score Lower -

I find that many of the people I play with moan their way around the course. What possible good can that do?

But it can harm your card. If you're moaning, you probably have negative expectations. And if you're not expecting anything good to happen it is unlikely that anything good will happen.

I think that a possible reason why there are so many unhappy golfers is that too many golfers go out to play with expectations way above their capabilities. They're just hoping that they'll play well this time. They haven't had a lesson since they last played, they haven't read a useful book or blog or web site or article to help them play better, they haven't spent any time on the practice ground, yet they hope to play better. Why should they? What is the foundation for their hope? Yet they still get cross with themselves if they don't perform up to their hopes.

Ask yourself: "why am I out here playing golf?"

Surely it's for exercise, fresh air, companionship, the challenge of trying to play well and the enjoyment of competing? If this scenario doesn't make you happy, go do something else that will.

Happy is a very good way to be on the golf course; happy promotes a positive state of mind, happy enhances any experience. Happy allows you to enjoy the good moments when your game is on song or when you pull off a difficult shot or when a bit of good fortune comes your way.

Whether you're happy or miserable out there is entirely your choice - so do your fellow golfers and yourself a favor and choose happy.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Playing in the Rain -

This may not seem like the right time to be talking about playing in the rain but as I got soaked yesterday it's high in my mind, so I thought I'd talk about it today.

I have three golden rules for playing in the rain:

Golden Rule No. 1 - Welcome the rain. Most golfers will start to moan and whine the moment the rain comes. They'll say things like: "I can't play in the rain (or wind)" and you know that they've given up. Great, you can now beat them easily. So, greet the rain as a friend, it will defeat many of your opponents.

Golden Rule No. 2 - get your waterproofs on before you get wet. At the first sign of rain, get those waterproofs on. It is miserable being wet inside your waterproofs and it can hamper your swing. So, get 'em on quick the moment the rain comes.

Golden Rule No. 3 - keep your grips dry. Wet grips slip in your hands and that causes bad shots. So try to keep your grips dry. And, if you can't keep 'em dry don't swing too hard. Swing easy it's worth losing a few yards in order to stay on the cut grass.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Why 'Low and Slow' is so important -

Many years ago, when I was first learning to play golf I kept hearing the words 'low and slow'.

I knew that they were to do with the start of the backswing. But whenever I tried to take the club away 'low and slow' my shots swerved violently away to the right.

It took me years to work out that it wasn't the 'low and slow' that was my problem, but rather the tempo of my swing.

When I took the club away from the ball 'low and slow' I took it all the way back very slowly. By the time I got to the top of my swing I would panic - everything would feel too slow - "how am I going to generate any power?" I'd ask myself quickly.

The result was invariably a great heave with my shoulders in a desperate attempt to generate power and that's what caused my ball to swerve violently to the right.

'Low and slow' is good because it makes a good beginning to a full backswing. But you must complete the backswing and you must have an even tempo throughout the swing.

My motto is: "low and slow all the way back to the completion of my backswing and same tempo on the downswing."

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http:://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Why Wind Scrambles Golfers' Brains -

It's a fact; wind scrambles golfers' brains. It may not be proven by any great and worthy scientific study, but 5 minutes in a golf club bar on a windy day will prove it to the satisfaction of any golfer.

Why does this happen?

And, more importantly what can you do about it?

The reason it happens seems fairly obvious to me. If you're walking into a wind you have to lean forward and push against the pressure of the wind. Ergo it requires more force to move a body into wind.

Therefore it must require more force to move a golf ball into the wind. Common sense!

But this is golf we're talking about and common sense and golf have little in common.

Sure, some very strong people who also happen to be good golfers can force the ball through wind using physical strength. Arnold Palmer could do this and I feel sure that Tiger Woods can.

But most of us golfers are neither particularly strong and neither are we top quality golfers.

So a different natural law applies for us.

When playing in a wind, and particularly when playing into the wind, we have to curtail our ambitions, not try to hit the ball too hard, not try to force the ball through the wind and to accept that our ball won't fly so far or so straight.

Acceptance is the key word here. Accept that it may take a little longer to get where you want to go to and play within the confines of the conditions.

After all, if you were walking into a gale it would take you longer to reach your destination however hard you pushed against the wind.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Is Golf a Game for 'Free Spirits' or just for 'Squares'?

One of the things that puts a lot of 'free spirits' off golf is the image of a 'staid' game.

Well, I do have to admit that a lot of golf clubs are 'stuffy'. This doesn't apply to all clubs, my club has a lot of Advertising 'creatives' amongst its members.

And I would say that one of the fundamentals of good golf is discipline. Follow a well grooved routine and you are more likely to hit consistently good shots.

HOWEVER (there had to be a 'however' somewhere in this posting) it can require a lot of imagination to work out the best way to play out of trouble and the best way to play a shot to a green where the flag is in an awkward position.

Anyway, who says that discipline is a bad thing, even for free spirits? Great writers and artists need discipline and routines to ensure the success of a lot of their work.

So don't give me that baloney about golf being for only certain types of people. It's not, golf is for people who fancy playing golf, period.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

You've Got to Believe You're Good - First

Anyone can play good golf, all you've got to do is believe you can.

Self-belief is the single most important factor in playing good golf, just as it is in doing anything else successfully.

There's even a book about it called You'll See It When You Believe It which you can get from Amazon. Personally I thought the book was a bit long-winded, but I love the title and the message in the title.

The whole point is that you have to believe before you can achieve. The teaching is as old as the hills - first you believe, then the miracle happens.

O.K., O.K. I know your shots spray around all over the place, so how can you possibly believe that you can play well?

You weren't listening were you - I said "you've got to believe you can FIRST."

This is a tough point for most people to master. I am currently writing a chapter on just this subject of belief in my upcoming book The Invincible Golfer. All I can say for now is - just believe in yourself - miracles will happen.

I'm giving away 20 pre-publication copies of The Invincible Golfer to members of my Gang so that I can get comments and feedback before publication. If you would like a free copy all you have to do is join the gang at this link.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_lessons.htm

Three More Points About The Line of Aim -

Yesterday I said that the line of aim runs from the toes of your right foot to the toes of your left foot and then straight on to your target.

Today I would like to say a few more words about 'the line of aim'. Because three other areas of your body need to be correctly lined up to that same 'line of aim'.

You should also be able to draw a line from your right knee to your left knee and on to the target.

And from your right hip to your left hip and on to the target.

And from your right shoulder to your left shoulder and on to the target.

All four of these different parts of your body should be lined up on the same 'line of aim'.

Get all four correctly lined up and you will be in great position to hit your ball straight.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_lessons.htm

The Correct Position of the Ball at Address -

Assuming that you are right handed, this is the correct way to address the ball.

Draw a line across your toes. This ‘line of aim’ line runs from your right toe to your left toe and extends on towards your target.

Now draw another line at right angles (90 degrees) to the ‘line of aim’. That is your ‘ball position line’.

When using your driver, your ‘ball position line’ should start from your left heel and run out at 90 degrees to your ‘line of aim’ line.The ball position line then moves back about half an inch for each increasingly high number club.

With your iron clubs - a two iron should be opposite your left heel on the same 'ball position line' as your driver. When playing your nine iron the 'ball position line' should be equidistant between your feet.

This is a 'rule of thumb' guide only. Each golfer swings their clubs slightly differently and this requires some adjustments to the 'ball position line'. You should experiment with this line when you are at the driving range to find what works best for you.

The great Ben Hogan played all his shots with the ball on the same 'ball position line'. So this is not an exact science, it is a matter of personal preference and what suits you.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_lessons.htm

Putt Unconsciously -

Some time ago I read an article on putting which made me try a new putting method which I soon adopted as my main putting method.

At the time that I read the article I was a great one for missing putts. It seemed that the harder I tried and the more I studied the art of putting the worse I got. It was a very frustrating time.

Then I read this article which said: "Don't think about it too much. Your body knows what to do. Just look down the line of the putt, address the ball and put a nice smooth stroke on the putt."

There was nothing in the article about aiming two balls left or plumbing the line or any other mechanical method of putting.

The message was simple - trust yourself to know what to do.

The key word is TRUST.

Now what I do is take a look at the putt from behind the ball. Then I address the putt. take a couple of looks up the line to the hole, without trying decide even which side to hit the putt, then I fire.

One thing I have noticed is that my feet give me a good idea whether the putt will come from the left or the right. I just feel the slope in my feet.

I would say that I miss one putt in a hundred really badly. The rest all go close and, provided I aim for the ball to finish a couple of feet past the hole a great many putts finish in the hole.

The message is simple - don't try too hard, just trust your body to know what to do.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_lessons.htm

The Flying Right Elbow -

Even the great Jack Nicklaus would occasionally hook the ball. The reason was nearly always 'the flying right elbow'.

What happens it that, on the downswing, the right elbow becomes detached from the golfer's right side and loops outwards away from the body. This causes the clubhead to strike the ball on an out to in flight path with the club face closed. Result, the ball hooks to the left.

The root cause of 'the flying right elbow' is the hips swiveling too violently to the left at the start of the downswing.

The cure is to ensure that you start the downswing by sliding your hips to the left as you transfer your weight to the left, rather than swiveling your hips to the left at the start of the downswing.

I hope this helps you hookers out there.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/free_golf_lessons.htm

Dead-Eye-Dick Putting Routine -

Those three and four foot putts that we all dread can be made a lot easier by practicing this routine.

Stand three or four feet from a hole on the practice green. Take up your normal putting stance. Aim carefully for the middle of the hole.

Close your eyes.

Take your putt. Listen for it to drop into the hole.

After one or two putts, when the 'strange' feeling has abated a bit, you will be surprised by how many putts you're sinking.

Why does this work?

It works because you're allowing your body mind system to do what it knows how to do, without your conscious mind interfering.

Next time you're taking a few practice putts before a round of golf, try taking a few with your eyes shut. Make it part of your regular routine. It will make you a better putter.

Tomorrow I'll talk about 'aiming with your feet.'

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Using Your Rescue Club for Chip and Run Shots -

Yesterday I was 50 yards from the green with the flag at the back of the green.

The ground up to the green was flat and hard. The green undulating.

I decided to use my rescue club and play a chip and run shot. Real golf aficionados may recall that Todd Hamilton played this shot several times with great success when he won the British Open at Royal Troon golf club on the west coast of Scotland in 2004.

The way I played the shot was to line it up just like a putt. Then I swung the club just like a putt, but with a long back swing and follow through.

The ball scuttled along the ground and finished within single putt distance of the hole.

This is a useful shot when the ground is hard and dry and there are no obstacles between you and the hole.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Aim for the Whole Fairway, not just half -

Most golfers stand on the tee and aim for the middle of the fairway.

If they hook the ball, even a little, they miss the fairway on the left. If they fade the ball, even a little, they miss on the right.

Result, they miss the fairway more often than not.

What to do?

If you think back to your last round and memorize each of our tee shots you will almost certainly see that most of your tee shots were either fades or draws. So, aim for that result.

Personally, my natural tendency is to fade the ball slightly, especially with the driver. So I always aim for the left side of the fairway. This means that my fade has the whole of the fairway in which to land and most of my drives finish on the neatly mown surface.

In fact I am aiming for a much larger target than most other golfers.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

The Correct Sequence of Movements in the Golf Swing -

There is only one correct sequence of movements in the golf swing.

On the backswing the hands move first, the hands pull the arms backwards, the arms pull the shoulders and upper body round, the shoulders pull the hips round which transfers the weight onto the right side.

On the downswing the hips move first, laterally, towards the target. The hips pull the shoulders and upper body round, the shoulders pull the arms round and the arms pull the hands down to the ball.

This sequence of hands, arms, shoulders, hips on the back swing, followed by hips, shoulders, arms, hands on the downswing is invariable.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.the-golf-bandit.com

Secret of Accurate Golf Shots -

One important way to ensure that most of your shots fly straight is to get both of your hands working together.

A good grip is essential to achieve equal hand pressure.

The two important fundamentals of a good grip are to lay your hands on the club in such a way that the "V's" which form between your thumbs and index fingers both point to your right ear.

I don't worry at all about how many knuckles I can see. It's the "V's" I look at.

The other important point is to ensure that your left thumb nestles neatly into the groove between the soft pads on the heel of your right hand. When you grip the club correctly it's almost as if that groove was designed for the thumb of your left hand.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Important Lesson from another sport -

I watch a lot of sport both live and on TV. It is amazing how many useful tips you can pick up to improve your golf by watching other sports.

For instance on Monday night I was watching a tennis game on the court next to the one on which I was playing. There was one player on that court who was head and shoulders above the other three. His service had real power and speed.

I noticed that whilst the other three where static on the service line when they served, the better player was moving forward into the service stroke as he struck the ball.

The same is true in golf. You must move forward into the stroke as you play.

Most golfers make the mistake of twisting into the stroke rather than moving forward into the stroke.

I have just finished the chapter in The Invincible Golfer which deals with the correct way to build your Mind Movie about this important forward movement.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

The Myth at the Top of the Backswing -

I have had a great many lessons, read a great many books and watched many, many golf instruction videos.

Nearly every teacher that I have listened to has been of the opinion that 'at the top of the backswing the shaft of the club should be parallel to the ground and the toe of the club should be pointing at the target.

I think this is BUNK.

And here's why.

In order to achieve the so-called perfect position at the top of the backswing you need to grip the club more tightly in order to stop yourself from 'over-swinging'. The moment that you take a firmer grip on the club in order to control it things start to go wrong.

The reason is that once you have taken a firmer grip on the club it is almost impossible to relax your hands again on the downswing.

And, if your hands are tight on the club it is a near certainty that the clubhead will be out of shape when you strike the ball.

So, I don't worry about stopping the club in the 'correct' position at the top of the swing. Like John Daly and Colin Montgomerie I just wait until the backswing has completed itself in a natural way and then start the downswing.

There's a lot more about this in my up-coming book The Invincible Golfer.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.TheGolfBandit.com

Half a Turn Makes Half a Shot -

I spent some time up at the range yesterday and one thing I noticed was the bad effect of half a turn.

When I go up to practice I always do two things before I play a shot.

First, I go through a warm-up routine of stretches and swings just to get my muscles going.

Then I watch one or two other players to see if I can spot any obvious errors that they are making.

Yesterday the guy in the 'trap' next to me was spraying the ball left and right with gay abandon. He was only taking the club back shoulder high in his efforts to hit the ball straight. He just swayed back with the club with virtually no shoulder turn.

I tried to hit a few shots using his 'technique' and sure enough they sprayed from side to side.

I then deliberately made a full shoulder turn, right round until my back was to the target and the ball flew much straighter and much further.

There will be a full chapter in The Invincible Golfer on how to make a full shoulder turn and the advantages of a full turn. This book will be published at the end of the month and twenty lucky members of my gang will get a free copy.

To join the Gang just sign up for free at http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/site_map.htm

The Qualities of a Winner -

At a party last night I bumped in to an acquaintance I hadn't seen for some ten years. He told me he is now retired after a highly successful career managing an insurance company and he plays a fair bit of golf. He always was a good golfer and his handicap is now three.

I have always found this particular man hard to like and I didn't particularly enjoy talking with him at the party. So while he talked away about what a wonderful life he now enjoys I got to wondering as to the reasons for his success in business and in golf.

Well first off he has goals for everything in his life and he is very determined. He has a skin like a rhinoceros and will keep going towards his goals regardless of obstacles.

Second, he is very disciplined. He works out a way to do things, like swing a golf club, and sticks to it. He is boring enough to just go on doing the same thing as long as it works. He's not a man who'd want to tinker with something that works.

Third up, he works hard; even in retirement he keeps very busy. And he practices his golf regularly on the golf range between games.

That combination of goals, determination, discipline and hard work are a good formula for winning at anything - particularly golf.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.TheGolfBandit.com

Grip change straightened him out -

A player I was paired with the other day was a terrific long hitter, but every drive finished way out to the right. And I do mean way out to the right.

It was obvious that the problem was his right hand grip. He almost had his right thumb under the shaft of the club. And the veins on his right hand stood up the moment he started his swing.

Even on the first tee I nearly commented that he didn't need his left hand at all.

When you hold the club that tight with your right hand you almost have to slice across the back of the ball.

So this guy aimed further and further left and hit the ball further and further to the right.

After a few holes I couldn't stand to see him suffer any longer. So I asked: "Would you like a small tip about your swing which might help to straighten your shots?"

When he nodded enthusiastically I suggested that he bring his right hand over the top of the shaft of the grip so that the 'V' between his thumb and index finger pointed to his right eye.

"It feels kinda funny holding the club like that." He remarked.

Of course, it always does when you change anything that you have been doing for a while.

However, his next drive finished on the fairway. It didn't go quite as far as some of the previous drives but it was much more playable.

He'll get his length back in no time and then his handicap will start to come down.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

The Art of Chipping Stone Dead from the side of the green -

I played a three ball earlier this week with a couple of relatively novice golfers.

One point I noticed about their play was that they found it very difficult to get up and down from the edge of the green when there was a small obstacle between them and the green which prevented them from using their putters.

The main problem they had was 'floppy wrists'.

All chip shots should be played with Rigid Wrists!

I was able to lay nearly every chip shot I played stone dead. They either just flopped their ball onto the green or sent it sailing way past the flag.

There is a longer article about this in my Teaching Tales, to which you can subscribe for free at http://www.the-golf-bandit.com, which explains precisely why Rigid Wrists are so important and where to position the ball in order to play different types of chips.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.the-golf-bandit.com/site_map.htm

Golf Bandit gang member shoots net 65 to win Monthly Medal -

I just had an e-mail from an extatic member of the Gang who yesterday shot a net 65 to win her Monthly Medal.

She put her success down to her ability to strike the ball more cleanly.

"Previously I always used to cut across the back of the ball, but since reading your tip about transferring my weight onto my right side during the back swing and then back to the left on the downswing I have been striking the ball much better. It now goes 'miles' further."

Well done Janet!

Good luck to everyone else playing in Monthly Medals this month.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.the-golf-bandit.com

Role Models can help You Develop a Great Swing -

Conventionally role models are used as templates for developing new behavior.

You can use a role model in exactly the same way to develop the swing you would like to have.

Using a role model is like copying a drawing using tracing paper. The difference is that, unless you choose to video your swing, you will only ever see your swing in your mind's eye.

When choosing a role model for your swing I do NOT recommend a certain Tiger. Yes, he has a great swing. But it is very fast and requires athleticism and strength which is beyond the capabilities of most of us.

Rather I would recommend that you choose a golfer whose swing looks smooth and effortless.

To find my own role model I experimented with trying to copy several different Tour Players. One evening when I was up on the range practicing I thought I'd try to copy the swing of a particular player.

I stood for a minute memorizing what his swing looked like and then I teed up a ball and swung at it. The ball flew miles and it flew straight.

Now I had a problem. I don't particularly like what I see of that golfer, but my version of his swing works like crazy.

What to do?

I bought his video and studied his swing. Every time I get the chance I watch him play on TV.

I still don't like him very much, but I love the effect of role modelling his swing.

Yesterday I wrote a whole lot more about Role Modelling and techniques for using it successfully in the latest chapter of my book The Invincible Golfer.

The book should be published at the end of the month. Watch this space for further details.

Twenty members of my gang will get the first 20 copies of The Invincible Golfer free of charge. You can sign up to join the gang and get free on-line coaching at www.the-golf-bandit.com

All the Best

The Golf Bandit

Apologies -

I would like to apologize to all my readers for the delay in sending you winning golf tips.

The problem has been with IT.

My computer crashed in a big way on Friday evening. It is now in hospital. In the meantime I had to buy a new computer and try to find all my files and re-install them.

Just before this happened I had to change the ISP for one of my other sites and that has been a nightmare. Everything, but everything imaginable has gone wrong. Files won't upload to the web site, my e-mail has gone missing and their help has not been up to scratch - nightmare!

However, things are settling down again now and I feel that they're getting back to normal, slowly.

I hope to publish a golf blog tomorrow when I feel more like some fun.

All the best

The Golf Bandit.
http://www.the-golf-bandit.com

Take your time.

No, this is NOT to say that I advocate slow play.

But there are occasions when you need to just slow everything down and take a little time to make sure you play a good shot.

Yesterday my wife sliced a drive into some trees (something which I, of course, never do!). It took a little time (about 2 minutes to find her ball), but by then she had become aware that she might be about to hold things up.

So, she rushed to get a club, rushed back to her ball and with the minimum of preparation played her shot.

Her ball ran into a ditch. Unplayable.

She had to pick it out and take a drop.

Now she was flustered, so she rushed her next shot and scuttled it along the ground.

Result a nasty seven at that hole.

Now, if she'd just taken a little more time over the first shot out of the woods, she may well have avoided the ditch and not had to waste time picking and dropping her ball and playing another shot.

Taking the time to play a reasonable shot out of the woods would have ended up taking less time overall.

By the way she still carded a good score, 3 shots below her handicap. It's just that it could easily have been two shots better still.

So, when you're in a tight spot, take your time it will probably save you time in the end.

All the best

The Golf Bandit
http://www.TheGolfBandit.com