Getting out of your comfort zone will improve your golf

Now is the very best time in golf’s evolution to become the player you've always imaged you could be! You have an infinite amount of information available at your fingertips, club manufactures are bringing out amazing equipment, golf courses are in tip top condition and playing at a new course is more affordable than ever.

I've been speaking to a good friend of mine Adrian Riddell, who's a leading Sports Psychologist and scratch golfer, and we've been debating what exactly separates the best golfers we know from the rest - and one thing that stands out is the amount of different courses the very best play on.

Let me explain, when was the last time in life, not just in golf, did you feel out of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy being there and more importantly did you come through it and learn something? Well the same thing applies to golfers. Take for example club members who pay a lot of money every year to ‘belong’ to one club, so understandably feel obliged to play there week in week out. They stand on every tee knowing what's coming up and very rarely do they change their game plan, meaning playing at the same place all of the time can’t be good for their overall improvement.

An absolute MUST in my opinion is to get out of your comfort zone and play at different courses. This will test your game and highlight your weaknesses. Be it a fear of water, tight tree lined courses, ones with a lot of bunkers on them and so on and so forth. Without finding out your weaknesses how can you ever improve?

Don't take my word for it just look at the Majors, time and time again you see the cream rise to the top because the very best pro’s know what it takes to win and they don’t fear golf courses because they’ve played so many different ones over the years . They don't really have any weaknesses and if they do you can bet your life they work hard to improve them.

So don't get stuck in your ways, get out there, play different courses and open your mind to improving your game.

The Julian Mellor Golf School 

based at Stoneleigh Deer Park Golf Club in Warwickshire. Find out more here

PGA Progessional 

Positive impact golf coach 

www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk

Julianmellorpga@icloud.com

07595 157452

Guest blog by Adrian Riddell golf Psychologist

Guest Blog by leading Sports Psychologist, Adrian Riddell 

Adrian Riddell BA (Hons) Dip Psych ABHYP MANLP

When you've played great rounds of golf, how did you feel before you went out? Was you worrying about what the future holds, and feeling the elephants (or butterflies with elephants feet) in your stomach?

You can probably answer no to these questions - true, you may of had a certain feeling in your stomach, but that was because your body was preparing itself and getting you ready for the day ahead. If you didn't feel anything, you wouldn't play and practice anyway.

Now, you may say that some of your great rounds have been when you have just turned up, no practice and just gone out there and played - no preparation. And this may well be true. BUT, when you next go out, can you replicate it, and are you able to play that well in a competition that really matters to you? Probably not.

So we are talking about being able to replicate your results - CONSISTENCY…

Players always talk about wanting to be more consistent - however they often are amazingly consistent. They usually have what they say, what they focus on and what they do before they go out to play down to a fine art:

“I mustn't 3 putt today, and not go in any trouble, and not embarrass myself. I will putt to a hole with 3 or 4 golf balls before I go out, often with the pin in and hit lots of shots in the net to make me feel better”.

So when they stand on the 1^st tee - they focus on the trouble, and are more concerned about how they look to other players. When they get to the 1^st green they are trying not to 3 putt, and become tentative. They putt to a hole with no pin in. They can’t understand why they feel so different from the practice green and become agitated by the pace of play, especially if they can’t hit another shot straight away after a poor shot….

The way they prepared was the exact opposite to what they were doing before they went out. The mind doesn't understand a negative- so it just heard “I must 3 putt….’

Golf is played by humans…although I’m sure you've played with a few ‘other worldly creatures’, and you play with 1 ball, and probably have a Routine on the course before each shot.

Knowing these facts - how often have you practiced controlling and understanding how you feel inside? How often when you practice do you try to replicate what 1 shot that means something will feel like?

How often do you go through your Routine before you play a practice shot?

PREPARATION PLAN:

1 Practice putting with 1 ball to a hole, and going through a Routine (not every putt). Imagine (your imagination is incredibly powerful) you are playing in something that matters, and use all your senses to make it real.

2 Practice putting to a piece of string on the green - you can use a few balls for this. Putt to the piece of string- but before you see the ball’s resting place, say to yourself where you think is has finished in relation to the string- then look.

You are building a feedback mechanism - and relying on your natural touch and feel. Also you are not trying to hole the putt- there’s no hole. So you are purely working on feel. Never practice holing out with the pin in….

Finish by holing a putt to a hole- so you SEE IT GO IN.

3 On the range have a REAL and TECHNICAL bay- the real bay only has 5 balls, and you can’t hit consecutive balls here (so no ‘shelling peas’)- you have to go through your routine with each shot. You can imagine playing an actual hole here- and put the club away after the shot. This is where you practice what you are going to do on the course.

The technical bay is where you can work on your game (perhaps your having lessons off a PGA Pro). Your mind and body now know to click into real golf when you are on the course, and you become ready.

4 Before each round decide how you want to feel on the 1^st tee (get to know yourself). Breathe evenly and focus on where you want to go and care less about what other people think.

Decide what will give you real confidence before you go out- not false confidence (hitting lots of balls).

5 Finally before you go out, decide the reason you play golf- TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY IT. So decide that whatever happens you will remind yourself of this goal.

Great preparation will allow you to focus in the now and keep the feelings inside at a manageable level, giving you the best possibility to have those great rounds time and time again.

Adrian Riddell trains elite and amateur sports performers to achieve winning performances through mental game training. The powerful winning results he provides are much sought after by both professional and amateur sports players, and to find out more please visit Adrian's website, by clicking here

Moe Norman , some fascinating facts

So who is the greatest ball striker of all time? Hogan, Snead, Palmer, Nicklaus, Woods…or how about the man they called ‘Pipeline Moe’?

Canadian professional golfer Murray Irwin ‘Moe’ Norman’s accuracy and ability to hit shot after shot perfectly straight gave him the nickname ‘Pipeline Moe’. He was a prolific winner of tournaments throughout the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, his unusual swing is now taught around the world, he’s considered a legend by those in the professional inner circles of golf ….yet you've probably never heard of him?

Well just in case you’re thinking perhaps you should know who he is, here are a few of the great stories and achievements accredited to Moe:

1) Moe and George Knudson used to practice together a lot. They didn’t putt. They just kept track of fairways hit, greens hit in regulation, and flag sticks hit. It cost $20 every time you missed a fairway or a green - and you received $100 for each flag stick hit. Moe hit 6 one day.

2) Moe hit 3 flag sticks in a row during one round, all outside a five iron.

3) In 1966 Moe played in 12 Canadian PGA Tournaments. He won five and he came in second five times. He averaged 17 fairways and 17 greens in regulation. He had a scoring average of 68 strokes, the lowest single year stroke average of any one to ever play the game.

4) In the 50's, Moe was practicing on the range when Ben Hogan was practicing. He asked Hogan if he would watch him hit some shots because he had heard that Hogan had said that a straight shot is an accident. Moe hit the first shot and said to Hogan "There's an accident". Moe hit the second shot and said, "There's another accident" After about 45 balls with the same result, Hogan walked up to Moe and said, "Son, just keep hitting those accidents."

5) Moe hit 17 holes in one.

6) Moe had 3 holes in one in one day. In the late 1950's, Moe would play 54 to 72 holes a day. One particular day including 54 holes, Moe had a hole in one each round, the longest being a 3 wood and the shortest a 6 iron.

7) One hole in one of note came after Moe had lost a tournament the week before with a four putt on the 18 hole. A reporter caught up with Moe on the 11th hole, a 245 yard par 3. As Moe was about to hit, the reporter yelled out, "Hey, Moe, doing any 4 putting today." Moe hit his driver and turned around while the ball was still in the air and said, "Not putting today." The ball went into the hole.

8) Moe has over 40 course records, 3 with scores of 59 and 4 with scores of 61. He shot his last 59 at the age of 62 at the Rockway Golf Club in Kitchner, Ontario, Canada.

9) Moe always entertained when he played golf. During one of his course records, he needed a par on the last hole to set the record. He had never played the course and asked the professional accompanying him what club should be used. The professional answered that is was usually a driver and a 9 iron. So, Moe hit the 9 iron first and then he hit the driver within 10 feet and sank the putt for a birdie.

10) In a round with Sam Snead, there was a hole that had a creek about 240 yards from the hole, and everyone else had laid up. Moe pulled out the driver and Snead said, "Moe you can't clear the creek with a driver", Moe replied, "Not trying to. I'm going across the bridge." The ball rolled across the bridge.

11) Moe had a three shot lead going into the 18th hole of tournament. The other two players were discussing great sand players as they were walking up the 18 fairway and Moe's name was not mentioned. Moe's second shot was about 3 feet from the pin. When the players arrived on the green, Moe hit his ball into the trap, blasted to within 3 feet, sank the putt, won the tournament, and walked up to the other two players and said, "I'm the best sand player you've ever seen and my name goes on the top of your list"

12) Moe, and many amateurs sold their prizes for money. Moe would sell the prizes before the tournament started. On five occasions, the person he was selling to didn’t want first prize, but second prize. Moe came in second five times on purpose. He had to be one less than the winner and one better than third.

13) For practice, before the start of a tournament in Daytona, Moe hit six balls off the first tee. Ken Venning, a professional friend showed up soon after and saw that three of the balls were touching and the three others were close by.

14) Moe turned 50 in 1979 and won the next seven Canadian Professional Golfers Association Senior Championships. He came in 2nd in number 8 and won the 9th by 8 strokes.

So why isn't Moe a household name? Well it appears he was ‘different’ and didn't conform to the ‘norm’. His approach to the game, style of play, swing and the way he dressed were all considered unconventional. And it’s said that due to his shyness and after being bullied by some fellow pro’s, he chose to play close to where he lived in Ontario, rather than travel regularly outside of Canada.

Go and Google Moe, you’ll be amazed by his story and the high esteem he’s held in by the world’s greatest golfers. He was for sure the greatest ball striker of all time, and I write this blog to celebrate Moe and his individuality and greatness. It’s a good reminder that greatness results from individuality - and that the best thing about greatness certainly isn't popularity.

It's a must that you have a playing lesson

Having started my Guaranteed Golf Improvement Programme assessment rounds, one thing that has become very apparent to me is it's an absolute must to go and play at least 9 holes with a professional.

The reason I say this is as follows:

A pro gets to see what the players do in real time on the golf course. The first glaringly obvious mistake golfers make is aiming off line, not easy to pick up on a practice ground or range, but very obvious when you're stood behind a player.

The second most common mistake is under clubbing. Remember, course designers aren't stupid, that's why they put most of the hazards short of the green and again a player under clubbing wouldn't be so noticeable on the practice ground.

And the third and very noticeable error is the lack of different chip shots a player has in his or her locker. They may be great at lob shots but can't chip and run for toffee, they can play short bunker shots but have no idea how to vary the distance. All of which can easily be taught, but not unless it’s highlighted in a real game situation out on the course.

The list goes on of course!

One really nice guy I teach strikes the ball great, his distance and accuracy is pretty good yet still plays off 28. Right up until we had our assessment round together I would not have believed he played off 28 – that’s until I watched him putt. It wasn't uncommon to see him 3 putt almost every green , not that his stroke was bad but he had no feel for pace and didn't know how to read a putt, and now I know this it is so easily remedied .

So my advice for anyone thinking of having a lesson is:

. Ask you pro to play at least 5 holes with you first , before he ever gives you a lesson

. At the end of the round sit down and go through the findings

. Formulate a lesson plan and work on your real weaknesses first.

. Remember one off lessons DON’T work so plan an improvement schedule

. Work on what you've been taught and have a playing review after 3 to 4 months.

. Ask lots of questions, not only about technique but maybe how a shot could be played in a different way and really find out about the rules of the game.

If you’re as obsessed with the game of golf as I am, please have a good think about the  information above and go and talk to your local pro, get out on the course with them and I promise it will be the best money you will ever spend on your golf.

Julian Mellor

PGA Professional 

Positive Impact Golf Coach 

Stoneleigh Deer Park Golf Club 

07595 157452

Julianmellorpga@icloud.com

www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk  

Dreaded card in your hand

Handicap Reduction Starts in the Mind – Think Like a Better Golfer

As you may know I’ve been coaching golfers for 25 years now, and there are many reasons why my clients come to me for help. Some simply want to hit the ball more consistently, some want to work on a specific part of their game like chipping – and some are looking to totally improve the overall way in which they play.

However, one thing established golfers all have in common is that they all want to lower their handicaps. Many might feel it’s their driving that lets them down and others their putting, so they’re keen to work and improve – but the very first thing I’ve always found they need to do is to make a change to the way in which they think.

One question I always ask a player is what they currently play off and what would they like to get down to? Commonly, they give me the answers but when we actually go out and play, mentally they are still playing off the handicap they hold today and not thinking like a better golfer and one who plays off the handicap that they are trying to attain.

It goes a little like this, for arguments sake he/she currently plays off 20 and when we arrive at the stroke 1 hole out on the course you can almost see a smile on their face as they know they normally have 2 shots on that hole. This gives them the mental right to take their foot off the gas and think it doesn’t matter if they play a bad shot, does this sound familiar?

Well my take on this is that your current handicap is just a number to be removed from your gross score at the end of the round. Just think about this for a second. Imagine you have no handicap, not one single shot anywhere.

Imagine now that every loose shot you play has a consequence. Does this start to focus your mind? Now every shot matters, imagine how determined you will be on each hole when that 2 foot putt is a must make to save par.

Imagine learning the skill required to get out of a green side bunker first time every time. Imagine practicing the shots you’re weak at instead of the same old routine – like learning how to pay from the rough, semi rough and off different lies.

You see if you really want to lower your handicap you have to do more than you’re currently doing and that means getting better at the shots you don’t like. Ben Hogan once said he would never try a shot on the course that he hadn’t practiced a thousand times!

If there are shots you can’t play don’t be afraid to ask your PGA Professional to show you how to. Don’t be afraid to ask how to hit low shots, high shots, draws, fades, pitch shots and short putts, for its having these extra skills that will really make the difference.

So my advice is simple, play your next round without any safety cushion where every shot does matter and learn to take away your current handicap at the end of the round – instead of on every hole. Once you’ve made that shift in your head and change the way you think your handicap is bound to fall.

Please, if you ever want any advice on anything golf related don’t hesitate to contact me

Julian Mellor PGA Professional 

Positive Impact Golf Coach 

www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk

Julianmellorpga@icloud.com

07595 157452

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Think Smart, Act Smart and Improve your Score

Sometimes it’s not just better technique that’s required to improve how we play, often it’s simply about thinking and acting smarter! The tips I’m about to share highlight improvements we can all make and they’ve been learnt through experience and endless analysis after good and bad rounds. They’re not in any particular order, just as they come to me, and I hope some of them help…

 

Get yourself an electric trolley.  I know some of you out there will disagree, but taking the strain out of your round is worth at least one shot every time you play! Using an electric trolley doesn’t mean you’re lazy – using one allows you to preserve energy for that next vital shot.

Use a GPS/laser device to help with your yardages. They not only tell you how far away the pin is, but give you certainty over the shot you’re about to play. If you know the yardage of each club in your bag you will be able to totally commit when playing every shot. Got to be worth at least 2 shots a round!

One often over looked part of the game for amateurs is food and drink, and the need to refuel. When your energy levels drop, your thinking diminishes and you’re not able to put positive swings on your shots – meaning your performance suffers. This is why so many rounds falter with only a couple of holes left to play. For more information, watch this short video

Improve your mindset. With a positive mindset everything is possible, if you’re out on the course thinking about avoiding hazards and blaming others for bad shots you’re probably not going to score well. Tell your mind what you DO want to do and NOT what you don’t want to do! For example, say I WILL hit it down the middle, NOT I don’t want to hit it in the trees . Positive instruction is easy for your brain to understand.

When you’re on the putting green learn to hit your first putt positively. Remember, putts left short of the hole DO NOT GO IN, and if it goes past the hole you get a free read of your return putt.

Get good at playing out of bunkers! You don’t want to play two shots from a bunker, and if you’re afraid to end up in one you’ll play away from it which may cost you an extra shot on that hole.

Practice! Practice shots that you’re weak at and not always the ones that you’re good at – like uphill and downhill lies, shots from the rough, low shots and high shots. I’ve never played on a perfectly flat course ever so why practice off perfectly flat lies? If you don’t know how to practise these go and ask for some professional help

Where possible have a look at pin positions on the greens you’re yet to play. So many amateurs simply walk past greens on their round without taking notice, when they could gain an advantage before they even get to that hole.

Relax in between shots, talk about stuff to your playing partners, count the number of green keepers you see working or simply admire the scenery – anything to stop you over thinking your next shot. The time to think about your next shot is when you’re about to play it.

Red Light, Green Light! So what does this mean? Very simple, if you’re certain about the shot you’re about to play and you get a green light in your head, go ahead and play it. However, if you’re not sure and you get a red light, walk away from your shot until you get that certainty. Time and time again you hear ‘I just wasn’t sure about that shot’ after it resulted in a poor outcome.

I hope some of these tips spark something within you and help to improve your next round of golf. There are so many scientific reasons for why they work, but by all means research them more – and REMEMBER it’s all the little things pieced together that make the big differences, not that booming drive you hit off the first tee!

Happy golfing everyone and remember I’m always happy to answer any questions you may have, and if you try any of the tips above…let me know how you go!

Julian Mellor

PGA Professional 

Positive impact Golf Coach

www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk

Julianmellorpga@icloud.com

07595157452

Head down, arm straight, left foot still , eyes on the ball.

Hello, my name is Julian Mellor PGA Professional , Positive Impact Golf Coach based at Stoneleigh Deer Park Golf Club in Coventry.

A Question I frequently as my clients is , if I were a complete beginner and it just so happens that my set up seems ok what pieces of advice would you give me? 

I get a few varied replays but these 4 remain constant.

• Keep your head down.

• Keep your left arm straight on your backswing.

• Keep your left foot on the floor in the takeaway.

• Keep your eye on the ball as you hit it. 

So my questions to you are, do they serve you well? are they good pieces of advice?  Do they improve your Golf?  

I'm pretty certain you will answer yes to these questions so I'd like you explore something different  with me!!

Set up to your shot as normal,  and hit the ball with your eyes closed!! Repeat a few times and see what happens.

Next I'd like you to hit a few shots allowing your LEFT ARM to soften in the backswing. 

I'd then like you to hit a few shots allowing your LEFT HEEL to lift in the back swing, 

Which will look something like this.

And the finally I would like you to hit a few shots looking away from the ball prior to impact like so 

All of these exercises should be done with LITTLE to NO EFFORT, all I'm asking you to do is see what happens to your shots.

Now you may think I'm crazy asking you to do this but there is a serious point to it. You see modern teaching is all about Mechanics and Techniques, Measuring devices have become the norm and so to have teaching aids, just like these 

But do they really allow you to swing naturally?

 At POSITIVE IMPACT GOLF we use this saying.

“The current science-based understanding that we humans don't learn well when Teachers over – complicate their subject, we help identify and get rid of debilitating techniques that are not apt for you and your body.

P= P-I( PERFORMANCE = POTENTIAL – INTERFERENCE)”

The golf swing is a flowing movement and not a series of positions pieced together, to be successful you need these 6 big things 

 Turning

 Weight shift

 Coordination 

 Rhythm 

 Balance 

 Souplesse 

With these in mind I'm going to ask a few more questions.

• Can  you turn freely if your head and left foot are static?

• Can your weight shift  from one foot to the other?

• If one part of your body is moving and another still would this appear to be coordinated?

• Would your swing have rhythm or wood it look wooden?

• Would you be swinging in balance or would you be swinging to stay in balance?

• And finally would you swing with Souplesse?

If you were to describe a really nice golf swing in a few words I would imagine you'd use ones like  easy, effortless, flowing, simple, rhythmical etc etc, and if you were to describe a bad swing you'd maybe use words like , tight, full of effort, too fast, uncoordinated, tense etc etc am I right? 

With this in mind, why is it OK to take away somebody's natural swing and replace it with mechanics, something that feels totally unnatural, Creating positions within a golf swing leads to tension, tension leads to effort and effort results in bad golf swings.

I've been a PGA Professional for almost 30 years , I strived to be a tour professional but never made the grade, I was taught by one of the most successful coaches in the world and constantly worked on my swing believing that positioning my swing was the only way to get better and be consistent. 

Since becoming a POSITIVE IMPACT GOLF COACH and working closely with Brian Sparks the founder, I've realised how debilitating my old philosophy was. I now hit the ball further, straighter and with little effort, I absolutely love playing the game, it's fun and I'm no longer shattered by the end of each round. 

Can I urge you to try swinging freely , reduce tension, reduce effort and Stop believing all you read, allow your natural swing to shine and leave your technical swing in the garage with all the clubs that you no longer use. 

Discover your best swing by letting go.

If you have any questions please contact me and I'll be more than happy to chat through things with you. 

HAPPY GOLFING 

Julian Mellor

PGA Professional 

Positive Impact Golf Coach 

www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk

07595 157452

Julianmellorpga@icloud.com

http://julianmellorpga.blogspot.co.uk