Comments on: Looking back at 2013: the golfing highs and lows

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 18:31:00 +0000

Dan – Good luck in 2014, I follow you and looking forward to seeing you in a PGA tournament! I’m an avid golfer and had goals on getting down to a 0 handicap. In college I was a 5, because I worked at a course and was able to play everyday. After getting job, family, my game suffered for years, now that I have more time I wanted to get back to where I was, so I went to a 3 day individual clinic @ Bird School of Golf, they correct my swing so I knew what i was doing wrong an could work on it. It’s been a year and still shoot in the 90′s, and then have some really bad rounds. I can make the shots, because I will par and birdie holes, then have disaster holes. I came to realize it was in my head, so I looked and read many self help books, with little to no results. I finally found Mark Devine http://www.unbeatablemind.com/‎. I started the program and wow, after following the routine, the pre-event routine I went out
and shot an 85 which could have been in the high 70′s if I made a few putts, however my mind was calm and I felt I could hit every
shot I wanted. I have a tournament this weekend in Napa Ca and looking forward to my results… Please check it out…and good luck.

By: Sima

Sima — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 01:57:00 +0000

Dan,
It certainly seems to have been a tough year, but it’s all investment.
Hopefully the coming year will begin to bring some dividends.
All the best for a happy, healthy and successful 2014.

By: Richard Chen

Richard Chen — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 17:06:00 +0000

At the start of 2013 when you had the contest of when you will break par, I voted for the end of May (or was it end of April) when you will break par consistently, but the Driver inconsistencies prevented from making an 2013 date. However, after getting a lot of freeze frame sequences from your last video by clicking the “play/pause” button rapidly and repeatedly, there is noticed one Driver swing issue, that once fixed should make good on getting consistently making par or better by end of April or May of 2014, or even earlier. At the start of the final release phase when the driver club shaft has swung down to the horizontal position, or just above the horizontal position, the shoulders are not somewhat closed with the leading shoulder closer to the target line than the rear shoulder. The shoulders appear to be square to the target line at the start of the final release phase. With the shoulders already squared at the start of the final release phase, where the club shaft is still horizontal with the clubface wide opened, any strong turning of the leading shoulder up and back to pull, and to turn the leading arm during the final release will close the shoulders too much by impact resulting in pulled shots, specially with the ball teed up far up front, or blocked shots when the release action of the hands and forearms are suppressed to prevent pulling.

Slow motion photo sequences of the top pros show at the start of the final release, the shoulders remain somewhat closed. At the start of the final release with the driver club shaft swung down to almost horizontal, the hands are down and close enough to the rear leg, so that the shoulders can remain somewhat closed. The hands are swung down the so call “slot” during the first phase of the downswing. Others describe it as “gravity” dropping the clubhead and arms down the slot, so that the shoulders retain some closeness at the start of the release. It is not too natural to have the shoulders still somewhat closed at the start of the final release, so that many top champions have their heads tilted away from the target during the first part of the downswing.

Having the shoulders turning from somewhat closed to somewhat opened going through the impact zone, allows the leading shoulder to turn up and back strongly to pull the leading arm and hands to square, and the rear shoulder to turn down to swing the rear arm to contribute to the squaring of the hands. At the start of the final release, the back of the leading hand, and the palm of the rear hand face forward toward the target line 90 degrees open from the direction of the target. A strong release enabled by the close to open turning of the shoulders allows the back of the leading hand, and the top of the leading forearm to turn from 90 degrees open to squarely facing the target at impact. At impact, the heels of the hands turn to point down. The top of the hands have turned to come even with the heels of the hands at impact, so that the back of the leading hand, the palm of the rear hand, the top of the leading forearm, and the inside of the rear forearm face toward the target at impact.

Stroboscopic photos show that about half of the clubhead speed is generated during the release phase of the downswing, so that an efficient and powerful release is needed. Slow motion picture sequences show that the hands, and the forearms turn by a large amount of about 90 degrees open to square during the final release, so that a good release will generate square and accurate shots. Getting the release right is important. To getting the release right is easier when the starting point of the release is in a good position.

Once the release positions are pin down, consistently par or better should be by April, or earlier. Happy new year.

By: South Carolina follower

South Carolina follower — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 13:18:00 +0000

Well said, beautiful pictures. You inspire reflection and thought. May your journey continue to be meaningful to you and inspirational to others.

By: thedanplan

thedanplan — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 02:10:00 +0000

Charlie,
You are a good student of history. I was going to delineate the history of Cape Disappointment but was hoping people would look it up themselves of know the history. The back story is why I am here for this time of year, it’s a great place to reflect and the fact that so much was lost/found here makes it that much more enticing. Thank you for continuing to read and happy New Year!
Dan

By: Charlie

Charlie — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 01:53:00 +0000

If you’re looking for inspiration, you couldn’t have found a better place. For those who don’t know, Cape Disappointment (named by an English explorer who “missed” the mouth of the Columbia) is a the site of Fort Clatsop, where the Lewis & Clark expedition camped for the winter before heading back for their triumphal return. So it’s an ideal location for spending a little down time halfway through an epic journey of discovery. And the official name of the special Army regiment at the heart of the Lewis & Clark party? Corps of Discovery.