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A little bit ago, I released a video download detailing the putting assessment I give to new students. This assessment is the same one I use, regardless of skill level, to help me better decide how to prioritize where to begin and why. Similar to what TPI has been doing with a physical screen, I need to see the limitations and skill sets prior to giving any instruction. At the end of this blog, I will offer a special discount code for anyone interested in purchasing this video. There is one video download for players to do on themselves and then one for coaches to walk their players through.

What I didn't expect was the collaboration that has begun because of this assessment. Coaches and players that have purchased the download started writing me about their results and how to interpret them. These discussions and the follow up that ensues has become very enjoyable to work through. I truly love what I do and these putting assessment talks have allowed me to reach more and more players/coaches in a positive way. The other thing these chats have done is to validate or invalidate certain ideas/theories I have had in the correction phase.

In general, I am more of a precision adjuster when it comes to modifying putting strokes, reads or perceptions. I take in way more information than I give out and I try to find the fewest ways needed to positively effect the most areas at once. I recently had the pleasure of spending a couple days with Andreas Kali and some of his Copenhagen academy players in Florida. He watched me go through virtually the exact same assessment with all the players and then noted which way I decided to go after that. For some, they got nearly the exact same lesson because of how the assessment turned out and how I internally prioritize a path for improvement. For others, the assessment generated a deeper conversation than just pointing out specific issues. Like many things in golf, there are multiple solutions to any problem and our job as coach is to collaborate with the player on what solutions work best for them. After those couple days, Andreas mentioned that he thought it would be helpful if I tried to codify my decision tree. I've always struggled with that idea because I never wanted to have my decisions made in advance before I see the data in front of me. But, as I go through these collaboration groups, it is becoming clear that it should be a task I undertake. 

Lastly, I want to invite any coaches that have already purchased the assessment video to feel free to contact me if any questions arise. I like hearing each persons special situations and then working to solve the area for the coach and player alike. Easiest way to reach me is through social media. Contact me on twitter and Instagram with the tag @johngrahamgolf.

Look forward to hearing from you and here's that discount code: type in assessment when checking out to receive $10.00 off. The code will be entered at the very end. Be patient and wait for it to be asked for. Both videos are very similar so no need to purchase both.

JG

It's been awhile since we have added a post to this blog and I thought it appropriate to take some time and fill in the community with what we've been doing and accomplished in 2018. As we have always said, the information we provide in video download form and at our workshops is the information we use in our teaching with every level of player. This information is applicable to the club level player and the elite level player as it directly relates to their skill development. Yes, technique is a part of skill development as much as training practices to challenge their current skill position.

This year saw some exciting new endeavors and accomplishments. Probably the biggest one is the roll-out of James' Wedge Matrix Teacher Accreditation program (https://wedgematrix.com). This program is designed not just to certify instructors and send them on their way but to be involved in their teaching and guide through continuing education on the subject of wedge play. So far, 3 different meetings have occurred. One in the UK, on in Spain and the other in the USA. There is another day scheduled on Friday, January 25th in Orlando, Florida for those professionals attending the US PGA Merchandise Show. Information and Registration for this opportunity can be found here. 

James has also been doing some extensive research and work in the area of chipping yips. This research has helped James get a clearer picture of the underlying causes behind the chipping issues most often afflicting golfers. I've had the pleasure of watching James work with players that have the yips and to see him go through a fairly methodical approach is fascinating as he pinpoints the issue(s) to be addressed. So far, he is experiencing a 100% success rate in helping players with the yips. So, if you have them or know someone who does, it would be well worth your time to get in touch with him.

Lastly, James has been working with some players on the European Tour and US PGA Tour. He has been doing both full swing and wedge work with his players and has seen 3 wins happen to students of his this year. Congratulations James to you and your players. I hope to see him in the States more often as his stock rises and he's sought out by even higher profile players including major winners.

John has spent the majority of this year working with players on the US PGA Tour and some time on the LPGA Tour again. In an effort to generate some peace and refocus, John has backed away from his social media profile quite a bit as he needed to spend some directed time with his children. As things start to quiet down, he plans to re-engage on social media and put his website back up. One of the reasons James and I have remained good friends is our mutual understanding of the importance of family and that it comes first. I needed some time and James has been very accommodating and accepting of my break. 

John's stock is also on the rise as a putting coach on the US PGA Tour as some players joined the ranks and additional coaches brought him in to do assessments and offer advice on their clients. The year ended up a bang as one of the players he works with broke an 11 year win drought on the PGA Tour. It was a week when all the cylinders were firing and his putting was able to fully support his superb ball striking. 

I hope you enjoyed this year in review and appreciate the changes to the website. Our partnership in Short Game Secrets started with a text and has grown into the highest grossing self created and produced video series on the short game in golf. We appreciate all the support and will update you with future plans for seminars, workshops and new content coming 2019.

JG/JR

I've seen a drill like this for the last couple of years and always felt uneasy about it. It just didn't pass the smell test. The other day, I went out to take some pictures and measurements and did the math on it. Here goes.

Here's how I usually see the drill set up. The quarter on the left is about 1 foot (30cm) away from the dime on the right. The drill then states that if you can roll the ball over the dime (diameter of .705 inches or 1.8 cm), you're start line control is satisfactory. Certainly the distance the dime is placed can vary. I've seen 10 inches to 18 inches away but 12 inches is the most common distance I've seen.

This image is a close up of an estimation I made. Because the golf ball is heavier than the dime, it sits lower in the grass. This causes more places on the ball that can touch the dime aside from just the bottom. The green lines represent the center of the ball on either side of the dime where no part of the ball no longer touches the dime. This spacing between the green lines is roughly 1.5 inches (~3.75cm). This means that if the player can roll the center of the ball between the two green lines, the dime will get hit thus passing the drill.

Well, here's the math on what was truly accomplished. To be fair, let's say I was too generous with my markings and testing procedure so I'll use a smaller spread of 1.25 inches (3.175cm).

From 12 inches (30cm) away to a spread of 1.25 inches we can use these figures and some right triangle trigonometry to find the angle of the start line window. Doing the math and looking up on the tangent tables gives us an angle of just under 6º.

6º!!!!!!! That is a huge angle for start line. That's 3º either side of the center of the dime. For me, that does not pass for satisfactory start line control at any level of golfer. From 10 feet, a 3º miss would miss the edge of the hole by 4 inches for a straight putt. That's a big miss. My goal for my players is to get within 1º either side of their start line. I think a fair goal for most club players would be +/-1.5º.

Let's figure out where the dime should go to produce this 1º either side tolerance. If we assume the same 1.25 inch window around the dime, the dime would need to be almost a yard away (35.8 inches). So, if you rolled a putt that hit a dime 3 feet (90cm) away that would be very good start line control of 1º either side of the center of the dime.

If we expand our tolerance to 1.5º either side of the dime, the dime would be placed 2 feet away (23.8 inches). This would be a better drill for players during a group clinic of members or something like that.

To be fair, let's also put down some math of where I think this drill idea came from. If we take the actual diameter of a dime which is 0.705 inches (1.8cm) and run the numbers again, at 13 inches we see a 1.5º spread for either side of the dime. This may be where the drill idea came from. It's just that in the real world, the spread where the ball will hit the dime is greater than just the actual width of the dime.

In summary, for most green speeds and for club players, if you use this dime drill make sure you place the dime at least 2 feet away and up to 3 feet away depending on the skill level you wish to work toward.

Thanks for reading and please share if you feel others would benefit from reading.

John Graham
 

Just wanted to share with you some recent changes that occurred out on the US PGA Tour. As many of you surely know, the players/caddies have the opportunity to purchase course and green books at the events they play. Some will purchase just course books or use ones from previous years (assuming no major course changes). Others will purchase both. 

At last years Open Championship, a new player in the green book market started in Europe and was producing much better books for the players. Over time, the pressure for adjustment in our books grew and at this years Barclays, the change occurred.

Here is a picture from an older green book the players could use to help with approach strategy and green reading. Lines represent areas of equal elevation. The closer the lines are together the steeper the slope in the area. Arrows represent the direction of the slope at that location.

You can see large areas where nothing is represented. These are areas that are very subtle in terms of slope change. That doesn't mean no slope change. It means not enough to show change on the scale the book is using. More and more often, these are the places where pins are placed. They do this to try and nullify the use of the books and force players to use past knowledge or their eyes to solve the slope question. These are also areas where slope direction can change in the opposite direction. Subtle double breakers happen here as well.

Now take a look at a newer green book. This image is just half of the green book. The other half looks similar to the one above but I'm sure you can guess there's more detail.

You can clearly see much more detail in the new books. It will be interesting to see if more players start adopting these newer books. At least one of my players has and has seen the biggest improvement from long lags as he can see the flow of the green better with these.

One of the constant issues with using a green book to read your putt is the accuracy of the pin placement on the green relative to the pin sheet and the players ability to locate themselves on the green relative to that position. If either of those are off, green reading answers can be off and trust in the books can diminish.

Hope you enjoyed this little peak into the inner workings at PGA Tour events.

JG/JR

When James Ridyard and I sat down to discuss our brand, one of the main things that kept coming up is that the information we provide be equally useful for the elite player and the club player. Our videos were created with the club player in mind as the main market. Honestly, this has happened more from an education of instructors that have spread our ideas to their clients with fantastic success than direct sales to club players. This is good for golf and that's the important thing.

We often get the question, "How is this different than what you would show or teach a Tour Player?" or "How is this different than what you would show a beginner?"

The simple answer is that it isn't different. The information we provide allows for significant differences in ability and style to be successful. It was very important to us that this be true. It's not a one size fits all method but rather a deeper understanding of a spectrum of styles and how they work. This allows for adaptability to whoever you have in front of you. As a coach, we take great pride in the reviews and testimonials we've received from other coaches about how this information has helped them with their daily clients.

To that end, I want to share some information from a player I started working with full time on the US PGA Tour late last summer. This player is a top 30 career money earner (Charles Howell III) that needed improvement in his short game. We initially met to discuss AimPoint Express and it blossomed into a full short game discussion. 

Year to date evaluation 2016:

26th Strokes Gained Total
13th Scoring Average
17th Scrambling
63rd Strokes Gained Putting 
36th Sand Save Percentage
27th Season Money List
23rd Fed Ex Cup Points List
91st Official World Rank

Nice start to the year.

Early focus on short game and short range putting going well. Time to focus on mid range putts.

2015 (year end)

59th Strokes Gained Total
88th Scoring Average
151st Scrambling
143rd Strokes Gained Putting 
161st Sand Save Percentage
77th Season Money List
79th Fed Ex Cup Points List
147th Official World Rank

The information and drills that we have worked on are the very same ones available in our videos. James' short game info has helped significantly and my putting ideas have done the same. Work with his full swing is also coming along nicely which plays a role in these statistics as well.

Thank You again to all of our supporters. Those that have purchased our videos and those that have come to our Schools. It means so much to us.

JG/JR

If you’re the type of player who is looking to spin the ball more with your wedges it’s important to understand the nature of spin and how it’s best produced. A number of factors such as club quality, ball quality, interference from foreign material and impact location are all important, as you can see I am going to focus on impact location alone in this blog.

The graphic from testing using Foresight GC2 with HMT below illustrated three different impact locations with the other variables kept as similar as possible such as attack angle, delivered loft and speed (which was kept with a 2mph window). The intent was to only adjust impact location which isn’t as easy as it sounds without adjusting those other variables!

As you’ll quickly notice the shot with the most spin came from the lowest impact location and the shot with the least spin came from the highest which was pretty much the C.O.G of the club head. The differences are significant and important to comprehend so here we go!

There are two key spin generating factors that rely on impact location, the first being vertical gearing. Gear effect as a phenomenon is found on all golf strikes, whether it be a driver when it’s at it’s most severe or a wedge and it’s the vertical gearing that enhances the interaction between club face and ball. You’ll see that despite the highest spinning shot also having the highest delivered loft it had the lowest launch, this in part due to the vertical gearing which pulls the flight down and it works more effectively with the cover of the ball. The second and perhaps lesser know factor at play here is the attack angle, you might wonder where this is going but stay with me.

The attack angle on shots hit below the C.O.G of the club head is likely to change DURING the impact interval, in this low face contact instance it dives further downwards thus adding to the downward pull of the club face against the ball cover thereby increasing spin even more.

So now you know why low impact location increases spin how should you go about achieving it? First of all lets address something crucial to low impact location and that is the lie of the ball, if it’s sitting on hard pan low impact is unavoidable, you couple that with zero interference from the grass (as there isn’t any) and you have a perfect storm for spin. Problem is that’s hard pan and you probably don’t get to hit off it that often. The main issue when grass is introduced to the equation is the space you now have underneath the golf ball, the more space you have the harder low face contact becomes. As always you have choices as to how to try and get it right. The first is to look for a more level attack angle, you could either do this by raising the butt of the club into impact thereby canceling out the downward trajectory of the club head. Alternatively you could release the shaft to somewhere near vertical by impact, this is ensuring both a level attack and no low dynamic loft. The main problem that a more level attack angle produces is that of increased interference between club and ball so all that hard work to lower the impact location is quite easily undone by friction killing grass! So what’s a player to do? My preferred option is to keep enough downwards in the attack angle to reduce interference and release the shaft fast, there are many keys to doing this successfully though… maybe enough for another blog post.

If you're interested in learning more why not join us for am exclusive seminar at Lake Nona on January 26th or take advantage of the Wedge Game 2.0 Pre-sale. Here's to great wedges!

I often repeat that the key to good wedge play at it’s core is controlling Spin Loft and still believe that to be so, this is because so many other factors that influence how your golf ball behaves fall under the umbrella of Spin Loft. Impact Location is one of these variables, let me explain briefly why it falls under the Spin Loft umbrella and then we’ll move on to just how crucial it is to hitting great wedges. Impact location is a product of a few things such as attack angle, dynamic loft and the type of lie the ball finds itself in. You’ll notice that the first two factors are a basic definition of Spin Loft. Dynamic loft defines some limits to where on the face impact can occur, attack angle and lie conspire to define exactly where within those limits impact finally occurs.

So let’s talk about the effects of impact location and how significant these can be, particularly the vertical component of it. I’ve taken data from a couple of shots during a recent practice using Foresight’s GC2 with HMT and put them into the graphic below to illustrate a couple of important points.

Firstly let me draw your attention to the club delivery differences between shots A & B, shot B has a slightly steeper attack angle and a little less dynamic loft. This should add up to a lower launch angle but as you can see the launch is in fact 1.6º higher with the less lofted and steeper attack. This is entirely down to the impact location moving 6mm lower on shot A, impact location has over powered the combination of attack angle and loft when it came to creating the launch.

So what use is this to us? It should assist us with choosing the best method to create the slightly lower impact location that will produce lower flights and more spin (did you notice the difference in spin rate?) 

As a simple guide, more shaft lean (lower dynamic loft) will move impact location up and a steeper attack angle will do the same. So if you wanted the lowest impact location you would be best served with minimal shaft lean (high loft) and a shallow attack angle, these tend to go hand in hand so are relatively easy to achieve as long as you can control the bottom of what would be a fairly sharp arc. You can of course choose different combination to control either factor and that’s ok too, so long as you understand the implications and risks/benefits of doing so.

As mentioned the lie will have an influence on impact location and the flight it creates, firmer = lower, softer = higher. Be sure to bear this in mind when selecting the trajectory of the shot you want to play.

If you liked this and would like to learn more about the great wedge shots why not join us at Lake Nona for our PGA Show week short game seminar, find more details here and keep an eye out for my new wedge game videos due in December.

James

There’s a conversation a few months back that bothered me. It came after spending some time with another instructors pupils working on their wedge games. Now this is relatively new territory for me bearing in mind that an instructor would never ever allow another to teach their pupil full swing knowingly and even invite them to do it.

The conversation I refer to wasn’t really that much of a conversation, more of a collection of comments that started to bug me later on. The comments centered around the instance of a player who was struggling to even make decent contact with the ball and the thought that I was attempting to provide “tour player” instruction to someone with the skill level of a novice.

The assumption must have been that the ideas were too sophisticated and not applicable to a player at that stage in their development. For me it was an incorrect assumption. The reason it was incorrect is that anything I do revolves around finding function and I’m confident enough in my system of doing things that I don’t feel the need to have a special approach for anybody. If the motion is always going to be a balancing act of components that can either match up or not then why would anyone veer away from that just because someone is struggling (and would no matter what you do)? The whole point in having a system to find functional is that you are giving the player the best possible chance of success! The level of the player is totally insignificant!   

Admittedly the goal with the end product might be different but the process is identical. For example, the player who is struggling to get the sweetspot within the same postcode as the ball versus the player who is trying to deliver the club with the optimal spin loft for them could feasibly have exactly the same mismatches but the latter has a skill level that can over ride the issues and deliver the sweetspot to the ball in a sub optimal manner. Should I then approach the lesser skilled player with a totally different philosophy? Do I get them standing on one leg with a ton of shaft lean and have them punch balls out low with contact but no control? Is that going to be satisfactory for them? It wouldn’t be for me.

Going back to the original comments, teaching a hacker to pitch it like a tour pro… even if that were the case (which I hope you can see it isn’t now) would that be so bad? It’s become clear that good wedge shots really share a lot of the same characteristics and the variance in how the ball is launched is actually relatively small, why would you not teach someone towards that goal? Surely anywhere else is going to be limiting but hey they can really hit that ball with a wedge…

Do I teach everyone the same thing? Yes. Except no. I understand where functional lies for a multitude of different styles, if my way of finding that functionality is consistent then I do teach the same thing. If I deliver it with a variety of thoughts, feels and challenges to create better wedge games entirely tailored to the individual then no, I don’t teach the same thing to anyone.

If you want to learn more about our information why not try our video set covering the entire short game here 

As we approach the beginning of the new calendar year, I thought it would be a good time to share with everyone some "secrets" from my time out on tour this year. I'm sure for many of you these will not seem that surprising but I hope you will find it interesting.

1) Professional Golfers are just as neurotic as your club players. When I say this, I mean they are trying things, lots of things, to get better. Standing on the range at a tour event sounds nearly the same as standing on the range at your member-guest or any junior event. Some have headphones in, some are talking about cars and girls, some are telling stories and jokes and some are talking golf. That last group, is talking about grip changes, new clubs they are trying, swing thoughts and the like. It's the same stuff. I found it quite amusing listening to the stories and the golf talk and it made me very comfortable. The difference is in their talent and ability. These players are just better.

2) Time flies by. This one was a big surprise to me. Going to events and being part of practice rounds, pro ams and then tournament days gave me an insight into how little time players really have to spend with their family or "work" on their game. Include in this fitness time, interviews and other sponsor responsibilities and it's just amazing how quickly the time goes. Working in this environment has helped me greatly to discover new ways to maintain or gently nudge performance in the direction we want it to go without diminishing the state of their game currently.

3) Performance rules all. The large majority of my time working with tour level players has been at tour events. It has not been back home away from tournaments. This is a very different environment than most of us have back at the range/course where we do our coaching. There are things you just shouldn't do at a tournament site that you may attempt back home. This being said doesn't change the fact that our job is to improve performance regardless of the environment we have to work in. As I mentioned in number 2, many players simply don't have time to wait to go home for a few weeks and then work on something. They are working and traveling and some will want coaching in the environment they are dealing with. The best part is, as a coach, the aesthetics of things goes away quickly as they need to shoot lower(not look better). You really get to test yourself and your ability to think on the fly in this environment. Critical thinking and a deep understanding allow for very simple ideas to flow that create that evolution from where they are now to somewhere that produces lower scores. Figuring out ways to improve performance without "working" on things has been a great puzzle for me which I thoroughly enjoy and thankfully have done well with so far.

4) Opportunity comes for visibility.  This one is less of a secret than a confirmation. What I mean by this is if you are out teaching on tour, there is a greater likelihood of players asking your opinions or thoughts than if you are not. Again, because of number 2 above, the amount of time players have to really investigate a coach is highly limited. So, just like at home, referrals play a huge role. Also, players are looking at other players. Players seem to have a general idea or history of where they stand relative to others and with which part of their games. If players see another player improving in an area they wish to improve on there's a good chance you may end up with some questions. From there, number 5 rules the day.

5) Performance improvement builds loyalty. This is where the rubber meets the road. Coaching on tour is inherently a short run gig. There are many reasons for this like time, the ebb and flow of golf, personality differences, etc. But, if you produce increased performance, you will have the best chance for sustained relationships on tour. I've mentioned this in other seminars but for me, I need to be me to produce my best. I used to have this idea that I needed to be someone else when working with high level players. That didn't work for me. If I was more me, I never had to worry about dropping my guard or saying the "wrong" thing because I was acting. I love knowledge and understanding. I mean I love it. Imparting ideas that increase performance is what it's all about. It's not about being right or wrong.

James and I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with some of the best golfers in the world. Our goal at Short Game Secrets is to help players and coaches in this area by informing you what the best players are actually doing. Then it's about helping players improve. In my case, putting is really varied in terms of how the best players are doing it. Trying to find a model for everyone is absolute folly. That being said, we know what has to happen for putts to go in. We know what the pieces of the puzzle are. Our videos are designed to help you understand those pieces and all the ways they can go together and ways they generally shouldn't. I hope you enjoyed this post and please take advantage of our anniversary sale. It includes our original 5 video(download) set and 2 bonus videos for the price of $99.99.

Click here to purchase --> Anniversary Sale