The Golf Tip to End All Golf Tips Now Available -

I am delighted to be able to announce that The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack (previously entitled The Invincible Golfer) is now ready for distribution to golfers who want to improve their play quickly.

The beta version of this Power Pack sold out within 19 hours of being offered to a limited audience.

The feedback from golfers in The USA, Australia, Canada, The UK and many other countries has been tremendous. Golfers are reporting noticeable improvements in their game in as little as two weeks.

The concept of visualization in sport is not new. Jack Nicklaus was a great exponent of visualization, but what is new in The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack is that it clearly illustrates exactly how an ordinary golfer can use Mind-Movies to great effect.

An enthusiastic golfer wrote:

“I have really enjoyed the ‘power pack’. It is well written and I particularly liked your use of visualization techniques.”

“I think that the average or even well above average golfer will benefit greatly from your suggestions.”

“I would highly endorse your product for most golfers without hesitation. I would even like to present it to a few of my friends.”

Why not click this link and go on over to the special The Golf Mind-Movies web site.

All the best

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

Golf Tip - Still Head Creates Power -

A golfer's head is the center of his swing.

If you keep your head still the top of your spine will also remain in the same position and your shoulders and chest will turn around it.

When your shoulders and chest turn around your spine all you need to do is keep your arms 'long' or 'not bent' and you create the maximum arc for your swing.

With a still head the center of your swing is stable and your swing will be stronger.

All the best

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

Golf Tip - Your Left Knee a Source of Power -

It is instructional to watch the left knee of any golfer. If, when they swing the club, the golfer's left knee goes straight out in front of them, towards where their ball rests at the address position, their swing will lack power. They will also be likely to slice of fade the ball.

If, on the other hand, their left knee turns to towards the right on their backswing they are likely to have a powerful swing.

The reason for this is that the left knee is an indicator of whether or not the golfer is turning their hips properly. When the left knee turn the hips turn. When the left knee fails to turn the hips fail to turn.

Next time you play golf watch the left knee of the golfers you are playing with and then watch the flight of their ball

It is a good idea to hit a few practice shots whilst paying special attention to your left knee.

All the best

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

Golf Tip - Swinging Arms Create Distance -

I remember reading some years ago an article in a golf magazine in which the author suggested that you should pull your club around as if you were pulling the rope of a church bell.

This metaphor has stayed with me because if you can imagine that you are holding a length of rope rather than a golf club you develop a nice even swing.

I also like the concept of pulling the club around during the swing.

And I like the idea of swinging my arms particularly during the middle part of the downswing.

It is a good idea to take a few practice swings using only your arms so that you get the feel of what it is like to use your arms in your swing.

All the best

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

The Handicap System makes Golf a Great Game -

The golf handicap system was devised as a means of leveling the playing field. It allows a poor golfer to play against a really good golfer on equal terms.

When people start to tilt the playing field by manipulating their handicaps they undermine one of the bastions that makes golf a great game.

At the club where I play we have 12 Monthly Medal competitions and 12 Mid-week Medal competitions a year. That makes 24 'minor' competitions. A golfer seeking to manipulate his or her handicap can ensure that they score poorly in those 'unimportant' competitions and thus gain a 2.4 handicap increase.

Unfortunately some (very few) golfers do this.

Then when the important competitions which offer nice silverware and names on boards come along these golfers suddenly score much better.

This is a matter for the conscience of the individual golfer, they have to sleep at night.

Other golfers simply do not enter competitions. They practice hard and improve their games and manage to play many strokes below their handicap in 'friendlies'.

Handicap manipulation affects every golfer in match play. Someone who has an 'inaccurate' handicap has a great advantage in match play, particularly in 4-ball better ball matches.

This matter of handicap manipulation has grown markedly worse as more players come into the game. It is particularly bad amongst players who mainly play on pay-and-play courses. I hasten to add that this is often not the fault of the golfers concerned because they have not been exposed to the etiquette and rules of golf in the same way as golfers fortunate enough to belong to regular golf clubs.

I believe that the handicap system is fundamental to the enjoyment of golf. Please do everything within your power to uphold this system.

All the best

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

Feelings are Important in Mind-Movies -

It was something that the Canadian downhill skier Steve Podborski said that helped David Ferrers develop Mind-Movies to such a high level.

A Mind-Movie is far more than simply the pictures in your mind of your swing, it is also the feelings that you experience in your body and your emotions.

Just like in a really well made movie a Mind-Movie captures and plays on all of the feelings that you would experience in real life.

So there is a great skill to building a really good Mind-Movie and just like the real thing it takes a lot of practice and rehearsal to get each scene right.

Those of us who have benefited greatly from Mind-Movies know that you have to work on your own personal Mind-Movie. But the great beauty of Mind-Movies as a method of developing your golf swing is that you can practice anywhere. You don't have to go to the range to hone your swing, you can do it in bed or when you're on a train.

Master Mind-Movies and you'll become a much, much better golfer.

All the best

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

Golf Tip - Is Your Right Hand too Strong?

The high handicapper I was paired with for the final round of the competition I played in last week suffered from an overpowering right hand.

He gave the ball a powerful whack with every club. His shots often started to fly straight down the fairway, but very soon they swerved away to the right.

The alternative was that his shots would start left and hook further left.

His golf balls were strangers on the fairway.

His problem was his right hand. He used the golf club like a mallet. He simply picked the club up and tried to give it a mighty blow with his right hand. His left hand played no part in his golf swing, or should I say 'hit'.

To swing a golf club well you must aim for equal pressure in each hand. If one hand dominates the clubhead will follow a wayward path and you are likely to have a 'loop' in your swing which will cause loss of power and inaccurate striking of the ball.

All the best

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

Golf Tip - Sweep the Club Away -

There's a big difference between picking the club up on your back swing and sweeping it away from the back of the ball.

When you pick the club up you create a kink in your swing and you also use your hands in the wrong way. Picking the club up also causes your shoulders to rise slightly which also raises your head, both of which are bad faults.

When you sweep the club away from the back of the ball you automatically take the club away low which creates the start of a long swing.

Sweeping the club away is a sort of 'brushing' action, as if you are deliberately brushing the grass behind the ball. In order to be able to keep the club head low to the ground you must turn your shoulders correctly. All of which makes sweeping the club away low from the back of the ball a very good habit to get into.

All the best

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

Golf Tip - Balance Exercise -

Balance is crucial if you want to achieve accuracy in your golf shots.

A good exercise to help you learn to develop a well balanced golf swing is to practice swinging a club whilst standing with your feet together.

Even with your feet tightly together you can transfer your weight and use your hips. The secret of being able to hit the ball well with both feet together is to swing the club. If you make a nice smooth swing you will not lose balance.

Earlier this summer I watched a demonstration by a golfer who was confined to a wheelchair. This special chair stood him up so that he could swing the club in a fairly normal manner. However, because he was a paraplegic he had to have both of his legs strapped together. Even with these handicaps he was able to drive the ball over two hundred and seventy yards.

Next time you go up to the golf range or the practice ground hit some shots with your feet together. Don't try for too much distance at first. Start with some short shots and gradually work up to longer and longer distances.

When you then hit shots with your normal stance you should find that your balance has improved greatly.

All the best

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

A Great Champion -

Yesterday my great friend Duncan died. He was a man in his prime, but the cancer got him. His death has had me thinking about what's valuable in life.

The great champion golfer Walter Hagan said:

"You're only here for a short visit,
so don't hurry, don't worry.
and be sure to stop and smell the flowers along the way."

Take your time, enjoy what you've got, live in the moment that was very much how Duncan lived. He was a farmer who loved the countryside. He respected the skills of people who live on and work the land. He had great knowledge about all things agricultural.

As far as I know Duncan never lifted a golf club. The only time he ever visited his local golf club was for an annual farmers dinner. Shooting and fishing were more Duncan's sports and he was good at both. But he liked to talk to me about golf because he had an insatiable curiosity to know how to do anything well.

Duncan was universally well liked. He was always thoughtful and generous in his dealings with other people. He was a role model for a good man.

It was a privilege to have Duncan as a friend. I will miss him greatly. In honor of his memory I will try to enjoy each moment more, to be more thoughtful and generous in my dealings with others and to be more expert at everything that I do.

All the best

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

The Best Golf Tip -

I am often asked, "What is the best golf tip of all?"

Perhaps the most common golf tip is to keep your head still. This tip often comes in for criticism from those who believe that it is difficult to transfer your weight properly whilst keeping your head in the same place.

I have thought about this a fair bit and studied a lot of videos and I do not agree with those who say that it is necessary to move your head in order to transfer your weight.

However, there are undoubtedly a great number of golfers who manage to hit a high percentage of good shots despite moving their heads. The trick to their success is that they manage to get their head back into the right position as they strike the ball.

It is my opinion that if you don't move your head in the first place you don't need to worry about getting it back into the correct position.

It seems to me that there is quite enough to engage your thoughts whilst swinging a golf club without placing an extra thought into the mix.

So, I am a fan of keeping one's head still throughout the golf swing. I think it is a very useful golf tip. It is certainly not the only good golf tip, but it's up there with the best.

All the best

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

Trust Your Body, It Knows How to Hit Short Shots Close -

The single most difficult shots to master in golf are the not full shots around the green.

Most shots in golf are full shots. You choose the club that's right for that distance and hit it to it's full length. If you hit the shot properly you get the reward you need.

But those three quarter length pitch shots, the chips and runs around the green, the floaters over bunkers, the bump and runs down steep banks, they are all a matter of judgment.

There is no substitute for practice with shots which require judgment. Practice is the best way to learn.

But there are a couple of tips which will serve you well if you're short of practice time. And most golfers are short of practice time.

The first and often most difficult point to learn, is to trust your own judgment. Most often your body knows what to do. It is when you try to out-think your body that you come to grief.

The best thing to do is simply to look at the route that your ball has to travel in order to finish in or near the hole and then hit the ball along that route.

Do NOT grip the club too tightly. A firm, relaxed grip will give you better feel.

Trust your body and keep your head still and you will play a remarkable number of good shots.

All the best

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

Square for only three inches -

One of the best golfers I have ever played with was of the belief that golf is a very simple game.

"All you need to do is get the clubhead square to the ball for three inches before you strike the ball and three inches afterwards," he said.

"Then all you need to worry about is making it travel fast enough."

Simple really.

Of course the clubhead has to be traveling along the correct line of aim at the time it meets the ball square. It is no good having it square to the ball and pointing out to the left or right of the target.

However, what I like about my friend's 'three inches' theory is the emphasis it places on the role of the golfer's hands in the golf swing.

In most of modern teaching about the golf swing I think that the golfer's hands are neglected. It is after all the hands that steer the club and therefore the relationship between your hands and the clubhead is a very close one.

Get your hands in the correct positions and the clubhead will be in the right positions.

The next time you practice or play work on the position of your hands.

All the best

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

Good Humour Produces Good Golf -

The last couple of rounds I have played I have had the great good fortune to be paired with exceptionally nice and level-headed young players.

Every time I see that I am paired with a youngster I groan inwardly. Too often I’ve had to put up with temper tantrums as these youngsters show their bitter disappointment. That disappointment, I have to say, is caused more by their expectations and hopes of success than any good quality in their play.

I fear that they are learning too much from the antics of their heros on television.

However, my last two experiences have been noticably different. I have played with really plesant and very well behaved young men.

The really good news is that they have both scored really well.

Now before you jump to the conclusion that they have played all good shots and therefore not had to face any adversity let me assure you that they have had their fair share of misfortune and having to cope with finding their ball in very difficult lies. But they have cooly calculated the best route back to a good position and played sensible shots.

They have not allowed themselves to be hurried into making rash decisions. They have been patient in adversity and made up for their misfortune on the following holes by seeking to score well from strong positions.

Their good humor and calm approach to golf has been a good example to all who played with them and it has undoubtedly helped them to score well.

How is your humor on the golf course?

All the best

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

The Wheel of Success -

Good coaches work on The Wheel of Success.

They believe that Hard Work makes their teams more Confident.

Confidence is the ingredient which enables teams to Win.

Winning is Enjoyable and makes the sport more fun.

Enjoyment makes Hard Work easier.

The point is that if you want to Win you have to put in the Hard Work.

For Golfers the Hard Work is done on the practice ground.

How much time do you spend on the practice ground?

All the best

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

How a Mind-Movie Won me a Championship

This was a three round Championship.

In the first round, played in the Spring I scored 41 points.

In the second round played in the Summer I scored 34 points.

Coming into the third round I had an overall lead of 5 points on my nearest challenger. It was mine to lose.

I set myself a target of 36 points which would mean that my nearest challenger would have to score 42 to be sure to beat me. A tall order on a very tough golf course.

Standing on the first tee I felt good. My swing seemed to have been working well on the practice ground and the greens were fast the way I like them.

That first nine holes was purgatory, I just couldn't get going. I hit 7 poor shots (pull hooks 3 of them) and every one of those poor shots finished in a bad place. So I only scored 13 points on that front nine.

Walking from the ninth green to the tenth tee I gave myself a good talking to and set myself a target of 20 points for the back nine. That was the minimum that I could think would have a chance of winning me the Championship.

Fortunately there was a delay at the tenth tee which gave me time to play two Mind-Movies.

First I played my entire swing in my mind in slow motion. I then had time to play the movie and rehearse my swing at the same time. That was great because I discovered that I had not been turning my shoulders fully.

Next I played a Mind-Movie I wrote recently which I called Me The Winner. It is a movie about all the behavior I need to act in order to become a winner. It's a powerful Mind-Movie.

Right, let battle commence.

I only made a couple of small mistakes on the back nine and I managed to score twenty two points.

My total score of 35 points for the round was enough to win the Championship in a canter.

So, do I believe in Mind-Movies? You bet I do.

And now that I've developed a really good formula for writing effective movies I am hoping to be able to publish the beta version of The Invincible Golfer Power Pack to selected members of my Gang next week.

If the idea of Mind-Movies sounds good to you, make sure you join the gang today.

All the best

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

Good Balance makes for Good Golf -

How often have you seen a tournament professional golfer complete a stroke wobbling off balance?

Now let's ask the same question again about the ordinary club golfers with whom you play. How often do you see one of them finish their swing off balance?

The difference is remarkable. Tournament pros occasionally lose their balance when extricating themselves from difficult situations or when playing of sloping lies. Otherwise they are always well balanced.

Ordinary golfers often overbalance, even when playing off level teeing areas. And the reason why they lose their balance is nearly always because they are trying to hit the ball too hard.

Not only are they trying to hit the ball too hard but they are also trying to do it by employing too much upper body strength. In other words their shoulders are heaving at the ball.

When a tournament player wants to hit the ball further he concentrates on generating greater clubhead speed. He achieves this by swinging the club faster. This is achieved by generating greater power from all parts of his body, not just his shoulders.

The reason why 'Big Easy' Ernie Els can hit the ball so far with such an 'easy' slow swing is that he gets the clubhead to travel through such a long arc. Throughout that long arc the speed of the clubhead is building all the time. That speed can only be maintained if he maintains good balance.

All the best

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

Swing Slow for Sweet Results -

Perhaps the hardest thing to learn in golf is to swing the club.

The natural tendency of most people when they pick up a golf club is to try to hit the ball. Watch any group of people having fun at a seaside pitch and putt and they are all trying to hit the ball.

So everyone starts out by trying to hit the ball. And then, if they are to progress at golf, they have to unlearn the tendency of trying to hit the ball and learn to swing the club.

The best way that I know of to get the idea of swinging the club is to imagine the head of your club attached to a length of rope rather than a metal or carbon shaft.

If you tried to hit the ball with the clubhead attached to a length of rope the rope would kink and your hands would arrive in the hitting position long before the clubhead.

The only way you would be able to succeed would be to make the rope swing rhythmically so that the rope stayed straight and fully extended.

You can work at this by attaching a weight (say a metal nut) to a piece of rope or strong string and swinging it in a manner similar to that employed by your favorite golfer.

You will, of course, have to swing your length of rope through a complete arc of your forward or downward swing. (A normal golf back swing would get the motion going in the wrong direction).

When you can get the weight to arrive at the position where your ball would normally be 'at address' at the same time as your hands arrive back in the address position, you will have achieved a good golf swing.

Do this a few times so that you can get the feel of it and then you will have the feel of a good golf swing.

Once you have that feel pick up a golf club and swing it in the exact same way.

All the best

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

Self Control Counts on Your Scorecard -

How many times have you seen one of the golfers you're playing with toss away shots simply because they did not steel themselves to make their nerves obey their mind.

Too often when we're faced with tough shots we just allow ourselves to feel nervous. Then the nerves dictate the outcome of the shot.

Of course we all feel nervous at times. That is only natural. But when you feel an attack of nerves coming on that is when you need to take control.

You can't just let your nerves do what they want. That is the road to ruin in any walk of life.

Personally I believe that the battle with our fears and anxieties is one of the greatest challenges of our lives. If not the greatest challenge of our lives.

One of the things I like about golf is that it constantly throws me into conflict with my fears and anxieties and gives me opportunities to 'take on' those fears.

It is as certain as the next sunrise that if you don't do battle with your fears they will ruin your game.

Whatever your fear it will cause negative thoughts. The challenge is to turn those negatives into positives and focus all your attention on a positive outcome.

There's a lot more about how to control these negative thoughts and fears in The Invincible Golfer.

All the best

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

Nerves Make You Negative -

Over the next few days I am devoting my blog to what I consider to be the Ten Essentials for Success at Golf.

Number 1 on my list is Emotional Control.

I put emotional control at the top of my list of The Ten Essentials for Success at Golf because I believe that it is lack of emotional control which loses it for most golfers most often.

In a tight situation, like the first drive of a match or where there is water within range or when facing a snaky downhill putt for a half it is the emotions which let golfers down.

Nerves make you negative, there is not doubt about that. Nerves make you focus on the very thing that you DON'T want to happen. And by focusing on what you don't want to happen you make it happen. This is the source of most bad shots.

In my new book The Invincible Golfer I have devoted one entire chapter to the special technique which I have developed to ensure mastery of my nerves. It enables me to focus on a positive outcome whatever the situation in which I find myself.

You can obtain a free copy of my new book simply by joining my Gang at http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com

Tomorrow I will talk about my second fundamental.

All the best

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

Putting Tips -

I have now posted on The Golf Bandit web site a whole not of new cures for putting ailments.

Yesterday I played in a 7 teams a side match and had ample opportunities to try these putting tips and they were of immense help.

I divided the putting tips into five separate pages:

cure missed putt on the right
cure missed putt on the left
cure putt finishes short of the hole
cure putt races past the hole
cure can't read the greens

All of these cures can be reached via the 'Problem Cures' heading in the menu on the left side of every page on the web site.

I hope that these cures help to make you a better putter and a better player. Above all I hope that they help you to enjoy your golf more.

All the best

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

Know Your Hands, Know Your Swing -

Your hands are the only point of contact between your body and your golf club.

Your hands guide the club.

So, where your hands are is where your club is.

Therefore, the better your awareness of where your hands are the better your golf swing.

This exercise is one to do on the practice range, not on the golf course.

Take a nine iron, address the ball and then go through all the parts of your swing in slow motion. Pause at regular intervals and just look at where your hands are. Go through your back swing and your down swing all the way up to a good hands-high finish.

Do this several times.

Then hit a few shots being conscious of where your hands are throughout the swing.

Keep on doing this exercise until you know where your hands are without having to consciously think about them.

Now do the same exercise again thinking only about the position of the clubhead. Take the clubhead back step-by-step, studying where it is at different times during your swing.

Then swing the club concentrating all the time on where the clubhead is during the swing.

All the best

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

Play Golf in Bed to Improve Your Game -

I play a lot of rounds of golf in bed. I find it's a great way to improve my game.

I call it golf visualization. I visualize every shot on every hole on a golf course. It's a good way to send myself off to sleep. And it's also a very good way to learn more about my golf swing, to practice working out how to play different types of golf shots and to develop good tempo.

If you practice in bed long enough you can actually get to see yourself swinging the club in your mind's eye. Once you can do this you learn a heck of a lot about your golf swing.

Just by seeing myself, in my mind's eye constantly swinging with good tempo and balance has had a really beneficial effect on the way that I swing the club out on the course.

There is a lot more about playing golf in bed and how to do it in a way that really benefits your game in The Invincible Golfer.

All the Best

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