Bandit Golf Blog

2005-10-28T02:39:00.001-07:00

Which Golf Tips should You Listen to?

There are good golf tips and bad golf tips. The question is, “how do you decide which golf tips to listen to?”

This question has been brought home to me recently because a good friend took up golf about two years ago. He has really caught the bug and plays several times a week. He also has lessons and practices frequently. Whenever we play together he is constantly asking for tips and advice about his swing.

It is my belief that you should only give a player a golf tip if you are sure that it will fit in with the rest of his swing. I have seen far too many players lose their swings when trying to adopt a golf tip which simply does not fit in with everything else that goes on when they swing the club.

OK, I know, there are certain golf tips which are universally sound, like, “keep your head still.” But equally there are plenty of other golf tips that can be ruinous even when given with the best of intentions.

In particular I recall a good player with whom I’d played many rounds who always drew the ball right to left, usually with good control. One day when his draw was a bit exaggerated, his partner suggested this perfectly sound golf tip: “You know, if you were to keep your right elbow well tucked in on the downswing you would lose that nasty hook.”

The suggestion was well meant. However, for a player who had a well grooved habit of swinging slightly over the top of the ball, as Arnold Palmer was wont to do, it proved to be one golf tip too much. He became so conscious of his right elbow that it threw the whole of the rest of his swing out of shape and it took him months to get it back again.

The point is that the golf tip didn’t fit in with the rest of his swing.

This is a mistake that many golfers make. They listen to all the golf tips out there and try to adopt them all in their desperate search for a good swing. It is my belief that your aim should be to groove a golf swing that will give you streams of straight and long golf shots by modelling your swing on one set of advice. Then you should develop a mind movie of that swing so that you can reproduce it whenever you play a shot.

Think how long some of the most famous partnerships between players and their swing coaches have lasted. Think of Jack Nicklaus and Jack Grout, Tiger Woods and Butch Harmon, Nick Faldo and David Leadbetter to name but a few. All these great players relied on one coach’s vision of their swing to keep their mind movie in shape. They did not go asking for golf tips from other players.

All the best
David Ferrers
for The Golf Bandit
http://www.the-golf-bandit.com

2005-10-28T02:39:00.000-07:00

Which Golf Tips should You Listen to?

There are good golf tips and bad golf tips. The question is, “how do you decide which golf tips to listen to?”

The point is that the golf tip didn’t fit in with the rest of his swing.

All the best
David Ferrers
for The Golf Bandit
http://www.the-golf-bandit.com

2005-10-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Golf Tip Used by Successful Players

There is one golf tip that is used by most professional players and very few ordinary amateurs. It makes a real difference to your game.

One of the key differences between professionals and ordinary amateurs is that when the professional decides to take a golf tip on board he really works at it. I mean to say that he gives it a lot of thaught and he stays with it for enough time to give it a chance to work.

The ordinary amateur on the other hand will hear a golf tip, give it a try and then probably discard it before they have given it a real chance.

One of the most commonly used golf tips employed by top sports people in all fields is the mind movie. They rehearse exactly what they are going to do in their mind before they carry out the action.

They use a mind movie as a kind of software program to tell their muscles what to do and how to feel during their swing. Then, when they step up to the ball, all they have to do is go on to auto-pilot and a good, well-grooved swing reproduces itself.

This is a golf tip anyone can use.

An important part of this golf tip is to program your swing properly before you make your mind movie. It’s a bit like driving a car, you drive on auto-pilot, but you had to have some lessons when you first started to drive, then you had to practice until your program for driving became automatic. You can learn to do the same thing with your golf swing and get the same good quality results.

The easy way for an ordinary golfer to adopt this golf tip and achieve a correct and well-grooved golf swing is to develop a mind movie of their own. Then, simply by running this mind movie every time you step up to the ball you will set your well grooved swing in motion. This is what Jack Nicklaus always did.

You can get this golf tip and learn to build your own golf mind movie. Just go to the Google Internet search engine and type in the words ‘golf mind movies’. There you will find a number of sites which will tell you how to develop a powerful and accurate golf swing that repeats even under pressure.

All the best

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

2005-10-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

Golf Swing Secrets of Successful Players

You can have a golf swing which will grind out powerful and accurate shots just like a champion, let me tell you how.

The golf swing of a successful player differs from that of an ordinary player in two main respects; it is both correct and well grooved.

What do I mean by a correct golf swing? I mean that when the player swings the club with maximum power their body moves through a series of linked positions which enble them to control the club and thus achieve accuracy. Conversely, when an ordinary golfer tries to exert power they throw their body into incorrect positions and lose control and power.

A good golf swing is actually made up of a series of movements each of which positions the club correctly. It is this ability to make the correct body movements that allows the player to position the club correctly.

These different positions of the golf swing are not hard to achieve. The difficulty for most players is stringing them together and then keeping them togther when they try to hit the ball hard.

If your golf swing tends to become erratic the moment you try to hit the ball hard you need to go back to basics. No, you don’t have to start learning all over again, but you do have to analyze each position and make sure that it is correct.

Then, once you know that each position is as it should be, you can start to link them together into an entire swing. And that is what I mean by well-grooved. The linked-together golf swing repeats itself time and again, even under the greatest pressure.

When you watch a really successful golfer swing the club you will notice that they all have a routine. The way they set up to the ball is always the same. Their pre-swing routine is always the same. The actual golf swing always looks the same – except when they make a poor shot. Then you will notice that they look off balance and their body is often leaning over as they anxiously watch the flight of their ball.

The easy way for an ordinary golfer to achieve a correct and well-grooved golf swing is to develop a mind movie of their swing. Then, simply by running this mind movie every time you set up to the ball you will set your well grooved swing in motion. This is what Jack Nicklaus always did.

You can learn how to do build your own golf swing mind movie by going to the Google Internet search engine and type in the words ‘golf mind movies’. There you will find a number of sites which will tell you how to develop a powerful and accurate golf swing that repeats even under pressure.

All the best
David Ferrers
for The Golf Bandit

http://www.the-golf-bandit.com

2005-10-25T05:49:00.000-07:00

Vital Golf Swing Movement Brings Success

“I think it is what you say about how to swing the arms correctly that has caused a real improvement in my golf swing. I’ve been playing golf for 18 years and I have never before managed to quite master this movement. But now the club seems to come squarly onto the ball every time I swing.”

“Yours is the first book I’ve read about the golf swing which has a really clear description of how to use one’s arms properly, and what a difference it makes once one manages to master this simple movement. I really enjoy hearing that solid ‘click’ sound every time the clubhead strikes the ball.”

“I remember reading in Ben Hogan’s excellent book on the golf swing about the hands ‘supinating’ and never being to understand quite what he meant. Your description of how to achieve this vital movement is so much clearer to me. How I wish I’d understood it years ago.”

“I must say that when I first downloaded your golf swing book I was a bit apprehensive. But the great benefit of it being so easy to read is that I go back to it time and again to find other ways to fine tune my golf swing more and more.”

“I always knew that I was never swinging the golf club properly. But now I feel that I’ve mastered an effective golf swing and I have a clear movie in my mind of how it should look and feel. And because it is so clearly etched into my mind I feel sure that I will continue to play well.”

“I really feel that the days of watching my ball fade away to the right are over forever. Having mastered a golf swing that makes my shots fly further and straighter is just so much fun. And it’s even more fun when I hear the ghasps of surprise from others in the group I’ve been playing with for over ten years.”

This article is taken from an e-mail sent in by a delighted golfer who had been playing for 18 years before he purchased The Golf Swing Mind-Movies Power Pack.
All the best

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

2005-10-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Suddenly My Golf Swing Felt Right and the Ball Screamed off the Club

“I have been working on my golf swing ever since I received your Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack. Every morning when I wake up the first thing I do is play my mind movie. I go through each frame of my golf swing the way you say in the book.”

“My local driving range do a special ‘off-peak’ offer of a hundred balls for the price of thirty from 07.30 to 09.00 Mondays to Fridays. So I drop by on the way to work and hit a few balls.”

“The other morning when I got to the driving range I did my warm-up exercises the way you say in the book, then I played my mind movie, addressed my ball and fired off a six iron. There’s a small mound like a golf green with a flag on it 160 yards from the tee. My six iron screamed off the face of the club and landed right by that flag. It felt so good I just couldn’t wait to play another shot.”

“It went on and on; just about every six iron I hit landed on that small green. My golf swing felt absolutely right. I didn’t want to hit another club. I must have hit fourty balls and only two or three missed the green.”

“When I eventually persuaded myself to try my rescue club the results weren’t quite so good. They were still better than normal, but they weren’t all clean strikes like the six iron shots I’d been hitting.”

“So I was not feeling as confident when I plucked my five wood from the bag. It didn’t matter, the first one flew right to the end of the range. I’m here to tell you that every single shot I hit with that club went straight as an arrow.”

“By then I couldn’t wait to get the driver out. I knew that this would be the acid test. If the driver went straight then I’d know for sure that my golf swing had moved up to a whole new level. The first drive went arrow straight.”

“I took a break and just stood there resting on my club. I felt so good inside I wanted to enjoy the moment. Part of me could hardly believe that I could hit so many good shots one after the other. I kept telling myself over and over, “you’ve got a proper golf swing, at last.”

“Now I have to tell you that I did pull a couple of shots with the driver. They still flew straight but they would have finished in the semi-rough on the left of the fairway. The rest just honed in on the flag I was aiming at. What a great feeling!”

“After that I didn’t want to go to work. I just wanted to go out and play golf because I know that from now on it’s going to be greatest fun every time I play.”

“If you ask me what I think now, I think that every golfer who wants a good golf swing, and you’ve got to have a good swing if you want to hit the ball straight and true, should get themselves a copy of The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack.”

This article is taken from an e-mail sent in by a delighted golfer who had been playing for 12 years before he purchased The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack.

I just had to reprint this article for you because it makes me feel so good about the work I'm doing.

All the best

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

2005-10-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

How a Hacker Developed a Winning Golf Swing

I’m probably erring on the side of understatement when I say that Bob was a hacker. By his own admission he was: “one of those players who’ve never really had a proper golf swing.”

The way he told it, his main concern was to give the ball a ‘good whack’. As a result of his lack of technique, Bob had spent much of the ten years that he’d been a golfer searching for his ball in woods and long grass. High scores and a high handicap seemed to be his inevitable fate.

Bob and I first met when his employer asked me to coach him to develop his business and leadership skills. When we were working on ‘communication’ I used a technique that I call Mind-Movies. I taught Bob how to groove pictures into his imagination which showed him making successful presentations.

Mind-Movies are a technique that I developed for empowering clients when I qualified as a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (mind-language programming).

One day when Bob had just reported making a very successful sales pitch with the aid of a new Mind-Movie, he asked me, in that slightly shy way of his, “Do you think we could develop a Mind-Movie that would help my golf swing?”

I immediately knew that we could do this. It took a while to work out how best to program the correct images into Bob’s mind. And I also had to work out how to string those images together into a golf swing Mind-Movie. Then it was just a matter of finding ways that he could program himself to reproduce the correct physical and emotional feelings which are an essential part of effective Mind-Movies.

By the late spring we were ready. Bob couldn’t wait to get going. He was hungry to to start winning. There were a lot of people on whom he was keen to take revenge.

He devoured the script I had written for him to study and learn.. However, he knew from his previous experience with Mind-Movies that in order for it to work he had to make sure that he installed this new program properly into his mind.

The very first round he reported ‘noticeable improvements’. He was hitting the ball further and straighter. It was only the odd wayward shot that prevented him posting a really good score. He knew he was on the right track. “It was the first time that I’ve felt like I had a proper golf swing,” he told me excitedly.

Over the next few weeks Bob improved steadily until he felt up to entering a competition. He deliberately chose a mid-week event where he knew that the field would be smaller. He finished fourth in a field of thirty seven players and his handicap was cut by two strokes. This was by far the best result he’d ever had. He was over the moon.

A month later he felt ready to challenge for one of the major championships at his golf club. He didn’t win that one but three weeks later he rang me late one evening to proclaim: “I won!”

At the end of the month I was his guest at the prize-giving where he received his silver cup. From my experience with Mind-Movies I feel certain that his game will continue to improve.

After Bob’s success I decided to publish The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack. And I now know from the feedback I’m receiving from other golfers that Mind-Movies are also working for them.

The fact that the search term ‘golf mind-movies’ is already number one on Google tells you how many golfers are seeking out this e-book. If anyone you play with shows sudden signs of improvement you may now know why.

Please do your golfing friends a favor and tell them about this book. Send them a copy of this article today.

All the best

David Ferrers
For The Golf Bandit
http://The-Golf-Bandit.com

2005-10-20T00:54:00.000-07:00

Is This Why Your Golf Swing Frustrates You?

Yesterday I played with two golfers who both started to play at the same time.

Jim has invested heavily in the latest expensive equipment and had the occasional golf lesson.

Guy has had an occasional lesson, he buys an unfashionable make of less expensive club and practices a great deal.

Jim occasionally hits the ball a long way but often hits the ball into troublesome places.

Guy does not hit the ball very far but he is generally pretty straight.

Jim has a more-or-less classical swing.

Guy has a swing that is all his own.

Guy wins nearly all of their matches and usually scores round about his handicap.

The reason is that he bumps the ball straight down the middle, reaches the green in three or four shots and then takes two or occasionally three putts. Three shots and two putts is good enough for a net par with his handicap.

Now the question is this: "What is golf all about?"

Is it about occasionally hitting the ball a long way and looking good on the tee?

Or, is it about playing the game round about your handicap and winning?

What guy has done is to groove a swing that suits him. It works for him and makes him a winner.

If you watch any group of professional golfers they each have a swing that works for them. A swing that they can rely on when the heat is on. They can rely on it because they know it, understand it and they have grooved it into their mental image and their muscle memory using Mind-Movies.

If you think about it, what frustrates you about your game is your inability to strike the ball consistently.

So, my question to you is this: "do you want to go on being frustrated out there on the golf course or are you going to groove a swing with the aid of some golf swing development tool like Golf Mind Movies?"

All the best

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

2005-10-19T00:59:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - See the Shot to Make the Shot -

In The Golf Mind Movies Power Pack David Ferrers explains the golf tip used by many of the world's greatest players of visualizing the flight of their ball before playing each shot.

What the great players actually do is to pick a spot where they want their ball to land and then visualize their ball flying to that spot.

This golf tip is the first and a very important part of using Mind-Movies to improve your play.

What well constructed Mind-Movies actually do is to string a whole lot of good golf tips together so that you can easily instruct your body what you want it to do when you swing the club.

What most golfers find is that Mind-Movies work for them when they build them correctly but they don't seem to work properly if they're not made properly. In other words a 'B' movie made in your back yard under your direction will not work nearly as well as an 'Oscar' winner made under the proper supervision of The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack.

All the best

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

2005-10-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Strengthen Your Left Knee -

Your left knee can tall you a great deal about the power of your swing.

Here's a good golf tip; next time you play watch the left knee of the other golfers in your group.

At the top of their back swing some golfers left knees will point straight out in front of them. Their hips have not turned. Their balance is poor and their possibilities for making a powerful swing are limited.

This group of golfers will tend to use their shoulders and hands more than most when they swing the club. They will tend to either slice the ball or pull it to the left.

Good golfers on the other hand have their left knee turned in towards their right at the top of their back swing and their weight is on their right foot.

This group of golfers have turned their hips and coiled their bodies on their back swing and they are in good position to drive into their left side when they swing the club. Because their hips turned on their back swing they can initiate their down swing by rotating their hips. This produces a powerful, well-balanced swing with a good likelihood of a long straight shot.

All the best

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

2005-10-17T00:51:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Training Cure for the Chicken Wing -

In yesterdays blog I gave a golf tip that you should try to avoid the 'chicken wing' because of the disastrous effect that it has on your golf shots.

The best form of training, if you suffer from this affliction, is to practice with a towel wrapped round your chest and tucked under your arms.

The aim is to keep your arms attached to your torso throughout your swing. Nick Faldo, winner of 5 Major Championships used to practice this drill.

All you have to do is get a small towel, place it across your chest and under your arms. You then keep the towel in place by keeping your arms pinned to your sides throughout your golf swing.

If you practice this golf tip you will soon find that you cure any tendency you may have for the 'chicken wing'.

It is important that you build into your Golf Mind-Movies an image of yourself swinging with your arms close to your sides so that the swing is under control.

All the best

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

2005-10-16T01:20:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Avoid the Chicken Wing at all Costs -

What is the Chicken Wing?

The Chicken Wing, also known as The Flying Right Elbow is when your right elbow comes away from your body during your down swing. Your right elbow tends to fly out and drag your right shoulder round with it.

Why is the Chicken Wing so destructive?

Once your right elbow flies out it twists your right hand over the top of the club and closes the face just before impact with the ball.

What is the effect of the Chicken Wing?

With your club face prematurely closed your ball flies left. If you're lucky this will only result in a slight pull shot. In the worst cases it results in a pull-hook which can be very, very destructive.

So the golf tip today is: when you make your golf Mind-Movies make sure that you have a strong visual of your right elbow well tucked in, that way you will avoid the Chicken Wing at all costs.

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

2005-10-14T01:52:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - String Your Swing Together for Best Results -

All too often when we're playing poorly a fellow golfer will offer us a golf tip.

Perhaps they'll say something like: "If you tuck your right elbow in a little more you may find it helps you to slice a little less."

Such golf tips often do more harm than good because they only affect one small part of your swing.

A golf swing is a long and complex set of movements. Sometimes if you make one small change it can lead to even greater disasters.

If you're going to start tinkering with your golf swing make sure that you are dealing with the whole of your swing.

All the best

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

2005-10-13T00:41:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Swing Your Arms to Hit the Ball Long -

If you want to hit the ball long the best golf tip I know is to swing your arms from shoulder high on the back swing to shoulder high on your follow-through.

I have described this action elsewhere in my golf tips as being like swinging a length of rope. You have to be patient and not try to force your shoulders or your hands to move too fast.

All three parts of your body, your shoulders, arms and hands have to work in smooth co-ordination.

On the Golf Mind-Movies web site I suggest that to construct an effective golf Mind-Movie you need to think of a Mind-Movie as being like a computer software program that has to be correctly installed on the right operating platform in order for it to work properly.

When your Golf Mind-Movie works correctly you will find that your shoulders, arms and hands work in perfect co-ordination and you hit the ball long.

All the best

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

2005-10-12T04:14:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Keep Your Mind Straight

If you want to hit your golf ball straight - think straight.

Far too often golfers allow themselves to become fixated by what they DON'T want to happen to their ball.

Like rabbits caught in the glare of headlights they can only think of that Out of Bounds on the right, or that lake in front of the green.

The best golf tip is to forget about what you don't want to happen, focus all your attention on what you do what to happen.

Keep your head straight to keep your ball straight.

All the best

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

2005-10-11T00:40:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Chip and Run with a Rescue Club

Your rescue club is a great club for playing chip and runs.

Do you recall Todd Hamilton winning the British Open at Royal Troon in 2004?

During every round Todd played chip and run shots which bounced happily over the smooth turf of the seaside links and finished close to the hole. In fact, if you could say that there was one shot that won the Championship for Todd it was the chip and run.

And what was interesting about those shots was that he played nearly all of them with a rescue club.

This is a great golf tip because you will find that when you try this shot you will quickly see why he chose to use a rescue club. The rescue club gives remarkable feel and power for this type of shot.

The secret is probably in the weight of the club. I was recently at an exhibition of old golf clubs and I noticed a hickory shafted, blade club called a 'chipper' which looked to have about the lie of a modern number five iron. On closer inspection I noticed that it had a lot of weight positioned low at the back of the club.

If you look at a rescue club you will notice that it too has a lot of weight low at the back of the club. Club design has come a full circle you might say.

Your golf tip for today is to try using your rescue club to play chip and run shots.

All the best

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

2005-10-10T00:29:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Use Your Feet to Read The Green

I have tried all sorts of ways to read greens.

I have tried 'plumbing' the line by holding the putter vertically in front of my eyes and looking down the line. That one does nothing for me personally but a lot of tournament players do it, so there is probably something in it.

I have tried measuring the number of balls left or right I should aim. But that doesn't work for me either.

What I have found does work is to stand behind my ball and look from the ball to the hole and just survey the green on and around the line of my putt.

What I do is let my body/mind system take in all the information and work it out for themselves.

Then, when I stand over the putt I find that I can feel the slope through my feet. I don't consciously aim one side of the hole or the other. I just let my body/mind system decide what to do.

All I do is try to put a smooth stroke on the putt and allow the blade of the putter to follow through over the hole.

All the best

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

2005-10-09T01:01:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip for Getting Out of The Rough -

When your ball is laying in thick rough or long grass it is often difficult to get it back onto the mown grass.

What tends to happen when you make your stroke is that the grass grabs the bottom of the shaft of your club and slows it down before your clubhead arrives at the ball. The result is that the clubhead gets twisted into a 'closed' position. This means that the clubface loses some of its loft and quite frequently the ball just buries itself further into the rough.

The way to combat this is to address the ball with the clubface 'open'. Then, when the grass grabs the bottom of the shaft of your club and 'closes' it the net result is that the clubface is in the correct position for striking the ball in the direction you wanted it to travel in.

One further point about playing from the rough, always grip the club more firmly than you would normally. This is also to counteract the effect of the grass tugging at your club and causing it to move off line or to twist in your hands.

Hope this helps.

All the best

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

2005-10-08T01:05:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Putt with a Seven Iron

I am grateful to Trev who yesterday reminded me of how useful it can sometimes be to putt with a seven iron.

This is a shot you use when your ball is five or ten yards off the green and the flag is fifteen to twenty yards on the green.

The seven iron has just enough loft to lift the ball over the narrow fringe of unmown grass short of the green whilst at the same time having a sufficiently flat face to cause the ball to run on once it reaches the green.

To play the shot it is a good idea to grip the club in the same way as you grip your putter and play the shot like a putt.

It is a good idea to master the art of playing all sorts of different clubs from close around the green. It can be a lot of fun also.

All the best

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

2005-10-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

Seven Under Par for Last 2 Rounds -

Since I've been working with Mind-Movies I have noticed a steady improvement in my golf.

I have noticed that I have become much more consistent. The really wayward shots have diminished to a marked extent.

At the same time the number of really good shots has increased.

The combination of fewer destructive shots and more good scoring shots has inevitably had a positive effect on my scoring.

In my last two rounds I was two under par and five under par on a slightly easier course. That's a total of seven under par for the last two rounds.

What is particularly pleasing is that I have been able to score consistently low.

I am now a big fan of Golf Mind-Movies.

All the best

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

2005-10-06T01:57:00.000-07:00

New Golf Product is Number One -

When any new product gets to the number one position on Google you know that there is a lot of interest.

When The Golf Mind Movies Power Pack got to number one in Google in only 6 days you know that something extraordinary is happening!

There is so much interest in this product that it gets three mentions on the first page of Google, two mentions on the first page of Yahoo and 4 mentions on the first page of MSN Search.

Why not mosey on over to your favorite search engine and just type in golf mind movies.

The main reason why golf mind movies has got these high search engine rankings is that they WORK.

I should know, I shot a 66 yesterday. And I was two under last Saturday off the very back tees on a championship course.

That is a total of seven under par for my last two rounds.

If you haven't tried golf Mind-Movies yet isn't it about time you tried this new phenomenon?

All the best

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

2005-10-05T01:46:00.000-07:00

Golf Lesson

How often do you take a golf lesson?

This is a crucial question for most golfers because most golfers simply do not know enough about their golf swing and the only way to know more about your golf swing is to have a regular golf lesson.

OK, OK I hear you have a shortage of time. When you have time for golf you want to play, you don't want to spend the time having a golf lesson.

So what is your alternative?

I think it is crucial to know everything you can about the golf swing and you make your own golf swing. If you can't take a regular golf lesson from a professional teacher, the next best thing is to take a golf lesson on line.

We give a golf lesson every day in this golf blog. We give a more complete golf lesson every week in our Teaching Tales which you can have e-mailed to you free of charge simply by entering your e-mail address at our web site www.TheGolfBandit.com. Or you can get really serious and send for a copy of The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack which will give you a wealth of golf lessons and magical ways to learn them thoroughly.

All the best

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

2005-10-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

Clear Pictures Create Consistent Golf -

There's an awful lot written about the golf swing and most golfers know a fair bit about the swing, but knowledge is not power.

It is the use to which you put knowledge that creates power.

So, it is not the knowledge about the golf swing that helps golfers improve. It is the way they put that knowledge to work that creates the power.

The crying need of the average golfer is to be able to play more consistently. This is best achieved by developing a good, repetitive golf swing.

A good repetitive golf swing comes from carrying out each phase of the golf swing in the same way AND in the same precise sequence.

This is why Golf Mind-Movies are so important. They create in the golfer's mind pictures of the different phases of the golf swing AND Mind-Movies link those phases of the swing in a way that can be repeated precisely to create a consistent golf swing.

At the Golf Mind-Movies web site you can read a lot more about how to create your own effective Golf Mind-Movies which will help you create a consistent golf swing.

All the best

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

2005-10-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

Mind-Movies Cure Erratic Play -

The curse which blights most golfers' rounds is erratic play.

Sometimes it is a constant stream of shots that go awry, others it's just one shot that ruins an otherwise excellent card.

Time without number I've sat in the clubhouse bar and listened to the bleating of golfers who have bemoaned the fact that 'but for one poor shot I'd have had a really good score.'

Or you hear the story: "I was going great until the fifteenth when suddenly, out of nowhere........."

The bottom line is that the golfers who manage to keep their rounds going are the golfers who practice a lot or learned to play when they were in their teens or even younger.

For the ordinary golfer who comes to the game in mid life studying the game and practice are the answers.

The good news is that you can now practice wherever you are. By using Mind-Movies you can practice and groove your swing any time of the day. When you have learned to do this you will find that your game becomes much more consistent on the golf course.

All the best

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

2005-10-03T00:16:00.000-07:00

Golf Tip - Secret of Consistency -

The holy grail of golf is consistency. Any golf tip which can help you achieve consistency is worth its weight in gold.

I use golf Mind-Movies to keep my game in order. Most golfers try to visualize their shots but few handicap golfers manage to do it well.

To visualize successfully you have to know how to use visualization properly and you have to practice it.

Fortunately there is now a great book about how to develop your own golf Mind-Movies to a level where they will empower you to swing consistently and win regularly at golf. The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack was published last week.

You can download this e-book in just a few seconds and see improvements in your game by next weekend without even going to the practice range. This is because Mind-Movies once learned properly provide your swing with rails on which to run. It's amazing how consistent your swing becomes once you have a good image of it correctly printed in your mind.

If you're serious about wanting to play more consistently this is the book for you.

All the best

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

2005-10-02T00:57:00.000-07:00

Golf tip - visualize short shots -

I find that I can play my short shots, by which I mean any shot within 50 yards of the green, far more accurately if I visualize the shot first.

The way I do this is to stand behind the ball and consider the different routes by which the ball could travel to the flag.

Then I try to calculate which of those routes stands the best chance of success. When I do this I consider my own ability to play the different shots I'm considering and my track record of playing similar shots.

Once I've decided which way I want to play the shot I then visualize the ball flying that way and imagine myself playing the sort of shot which will cause the ball to fly the way I want it to.

There's a lot more about how to use visualization techniques in my new book The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack. Take a look at it over at The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack web site.

All the best

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

2005-09-30T00:37:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-29T00:07:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-28T00:19:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-27T00:30:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-26T00:18:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-25T02:08:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-24T01:05:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-23T00:36:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-17T01:47:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-16T00:34:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-15T00:03:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-14T00:13:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-13T00:21:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-12T00:23:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-11T01:13:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-10T00:58:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-07T23:52:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-07T00:07:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-06T00:22:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-05T00:08:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-04T00:56:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-01T00:22:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-31T00:25:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-29T00:41:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-28T01:36:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-26T00:36:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-25T03:33:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-23T03:07:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-21T23:45:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-21T01:39:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-19T00:06:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-18T00:13:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-17T00:06:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-15T00:12:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-14T02:06:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-13T01:38:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-12T00:33:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-11T00:20:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-10T00:04:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-08T23:59:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-07T00:51:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-06T04:09:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-05T01:24:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

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

2005-08-01T00:14:00.000-07:00

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

2005-07-29T00:08:00.000-07:00

Mind Movies - A Powerful Weapon in Improving Your Golf

As you know I am making good progress on my new book The Invincible Golfer.

This week I have been describing how to use Mind Movies to improve your golf. This is a very exciting concept that has played a major role in my own improvements.

Most golf teachers pay far too little attention to this technique which is a pity because it is so powerful. Once you have mastered the art of using Mind Movies the effect on your golf swing can be very dramatic and the improvements will almost certainly be long lasting.

I know that some of you can't wait for this new tome to be published. I am working as fast as I can.

If you want to be one of the first to get a copy of The Invincible Golfer please let me know by e-mailing me your e-mail address. You can also sign up for my Teaching Tales on my web site and that will ensure that you are told as soon as the book is published.

All the best

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

2005-07-28T00:59:00.000-07:00

More excitement about putting.

Putting has been the bain of my life for more years
than I care to think about. So it's very exciting when
at last a high percentage of putts start to disappear.

When I played yesterday I made two birdies. One
with a 6 foot putt and the other with a putt of
over 10 feet!

I am a real convert to the claw method of putting
which I explain fully on my web site at
www.the-golf-bandit.com/golf_putting_tip.htm

All the best
The Golf Bandit
http://www.TheGolfBandit.com/site_map.htm

2005-07-28T00:55:00.000-07:00

RSS links on The Golf Bandit web site.

I have just put RSS feed links all over my web site at
www.the-golf-bandit.com/RSS_explained.htm.

On just about every page now you will be able to find
the red RSS logo.

I hope that you find the explanation clear. If you don't
could you please let me know so that I can try to make
it clear for everyone.

All the best

The Golf Bandit

2005-07-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

Golf Vacations in France

I have just published a new page on my web site about the three areas in France where my wife and I have enjoyed fabulous golf vacations.

One area is an especial favourite of ours because the courses and the restaurants are just that little bit better.

Check it out at http://www.the-golf-bandit.com/france_golf_vacations.htm

All the best

The Golf Bandit

2005-07-26T00:21:00.000-07:00

Three hip replacements and he was still competitive! - How?

As you know I played in a big tournament last week. One of my playing partners in the final round was a seventy eight year old man who has had three hip replacement operations. He plays off a 12 handicap. And he plays darn well.

Even with the very latest enormous Big Bertha he sometimes struggled to make the carry to some of the fairways on a tough course, but he still managed to work his ball around the course.

He scored 31 points in the final round on a long course, in a strong wind. That put him well in the top 25 percent of the field.

What was the secret of his success?

He was magical over the last 100 yards. He chipped the ball to one-putt distance time and again. And he did it from all sorts of different lies and slopes.

It was a masterclass in saving a card by determination and intelligent use of his wedge.

There is going to be a whole chapter on 'Getting Up and Down' in the Invincible Golfer which should be published at the end of next month.

All the best,

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

2005-07-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Golf Putting tip is now on my web site.

Sorry this has taken so long. I have been having a bad IT day.

However, the golf putting tip I promised you is now up on my web site. The link is:
http://www.the-golf-bandit.com/golf_putting_tip.htm

Please let me know what you think.

All the best

The Golf Bandit.

2005-07-25T00:18:00.000-07:00

More about putting

I'm sorry that I didn't manage to get the promised article about putting up on the web site yesterday. I got caught up in trying to get an RSS feed onto the web site and that proved to be more time-consuming than I had imagined.

Today, I promise to get my words of wisdom about putting onto the web site.

I will issue another blog as soon as that's done.

All the best,

The Golf Bandit

2005-07-24T01:22:00.000-07:00

Exciting news about putting

Yesterday I mentioned that 'I must work on my putting'.

So late in the day I made my way up to the club and onto the practice putting green. I had decided to try 'The Claw' method used by Chris de Marco and a number of other tournament pros who have been having putting problems.

My main problem has been in putts under 5 feet. I had been pulling them all to the left of the hole. I could actually feel it in my hands as I pulled the club across the back of the ball.

The only two things I knew about The Claw method were:

1. roughly how to grip the putter with my right hand,

2. that you need to keep the blade of the putter square to the line of the putt on both the back and the through parts of the stroke.

I decided to grip the putter like a pen or pencil and then simply draw the blade back down the line of the putt and push it forward down the line of the putt.

The results were more than good. It felt very simple and comfortable. But the best point was that a lot of putts ended up in the hole.

I will post a longer article about this on my web site later today at
www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/putting.htm

All the best

The Golf Bandit
www.the-golf-bandit.com

2005-07-23T03:23:00.000-07:00

How I got on at the Tournament

I played 5 matches and won 4 of them.

Conditions on the second day were very tough. The wind blew a half gale.

I won the Division One Prize.

I won the Seniors Cup.

I was second in the overall competition - beaten by an even bigger bandit than myself.

All in all not a bad result.

Must improve my putting.

All the best

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

2005-07-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

Tournament Play

I am just off to play in a two day, three round amateur golf tournament which has a restricted entry.

My strategy for winning this tournament is to focus my attention on the flight of the ball, before I play each shot. And then to focus on tempo as I swing the club.

My main objective over the three rounds will be to stay in focus.

Watch this space to find out how I get on.

All the best

The Golf Bandit

http://www.TheGolfBandit.com/site_map.htm

2005-07-23T03:14:00.000-07:00

Learn from The Tiger

I watched every shot that Tiger Woods played in the last two rounds of The British Open and I learned one important lesson.

The only time that Tiger plays poor shots is when he loses balance.

It is amazing, if you think about it, that someone who swings a golf club as fast and powerfully as he does maintains his balance as well as he does.

Compare his balanced finishing position with what you see on your golf course and you get some idea of why he is as good as he is.

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

2005-07-23T03:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome

I will be using this blog to tell you about the latest development in my thinking about Winning at Golf.

All the best

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