Newsletter: Vol. 1, Page 4

Strategy:

When I went through PGA school, I had the privilege of hearing former tour player Earl Steward talk about strategy.  His lesson was very simple: For every tee shot there is one side of the target line that offers more safety and a better second shot option than the other.

Swing the ball freely into the general area that offers the most safety and best next shot options, rather than trying to guide the ball down the center line.

An approach shot offers five options:

1. Into the hole
2. Short right
3. Short left
4. Long left
5. Long right

Presuming that you acknowledge that you are not going to knock the ball into the hole very often, you should determine which of the four quadrants offers the most safety margin and easiest next shot.  Swing the ball freely into that quadrant rather than playing directly at the hole.  This also applies to chipping and long approach putts.

The Motor Move:

When people recognize me the conversation often follows a similar pattern.  Somebody will approach me and say, "Hi Bob, I love your tapes!"  My standard response is to ask, Are you doing the Motor Move Drill?" More often than I like, the response is No.

The best single way to improve your swing is to go back to the videos, review the Motor Drill Move and practice it for a few minutes every other day.

The Three Part Rhythm:

The toughest challenge in producing a good swing is getting the club in motion. Most golfers employ a 2 rhythm swing (back swing and down swing). This 2 part swing tends to start from a still position. If you start your swing with a forward press with the right foot you will find that the club gets in motion much easier.

A forward press in the direction of the target is the first part of a 3-part rhythm swing (forward press, recoil to backswing, downswing).

The 3-part rhythm overcomes the difficulty most golfers have in starting the swing. The forward press also encourages the use of the proper large muscles for power and accuracy, as well as correct rhythm. Tom Watson is an ideal role model for a 3-part rhythm.

Engineering For Distance:

Henderson, NV -- A hockey stick is longer than a golf club and therefore, theoretically, will provide greater leverage. However Wayne Gretzky uses golf clubs when he golfs.

If one wants to drive a baseball out of Fenway Park, a baseball bat will provide a better result than with either a hockey stick or a golf club.

A golf club is a highly specialized tool designed specifically to drive a golf ball maximum distance at a favorable trajectory. The elements of golf club design include weight distribution, head design, shaft flex and torque, overall length and weight.

In recent years there have been more advances in golf club design and component materials than in the entire prior history of the game. Lighter more responsive shafts are at the heart of the recent developments.

Most manufacturers now offer highly responsive light weight models. Golfers are buying graphite shafted woods and irons at costs often exceeding $2,000 (for widely publicized brands endorsed by highly paid professionals).

Virtually no manufacturers build their own components. In truth, the modern technology is available to all manufacturers. However, the secret of maximum playability lies in proper engineering.

Most manufacturers build graphite shafted clubs to the same overall length as they build steel shafted clubs. This procedure fails to capitalize on the full potential of graphite shafted clubs, which is: a longer club with a lighter overall weight.

Because a graphite shaft is lighter than steel, the above referenced manufacturers have opted to boost the weight of the club head to create the same swing weight with a graphite shafted club that they previously achieved with a steel shafted club of the same length.

Bob Mann & reg clubs are engineered differently. They maximize distance by combining a lighter head with a longer shaft to achieve the proper swing weight. This combination takes full advantage of the state of the art graphite shafts by increasing leverage while reducing overall weight. The result: noticeable added distance and control.