Posted by Charlie King on Mon, May 31, 2010 @ 06:10 PM
That's the number of views for "Golf's Most Important Lesson". I am going to assume it is because of your forwarding of the video.
I told you in a blog post last year that we had reached 10,000 views and the views have been exponential ever since. It has done well enough that I just got a message from Youtube asking me to do a profit sharing arrangement. How about that, good ol' Youtube asking me to share in the profits. I haven't read the fine print, but I am sure everything is good.
Here is the video. Please continue to pass this along. It truly is Golf's Most Important Lesson. Every golfer needs to know what is in this video. I wish I had known this when I started.
Stay tuned for more Golf Tips from Charlie King.
Posted by Charlie King on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 @ 02:42 PM
Do you get up and down from off the green?
You might be asking yourself what does this mean. When one golfer says to another golfer "good up and down" it means that you were off the side of the green and you chipped the ball onto the green and made the putt. In Charlie's book "Golf's Red Zone Challenge" there is a great quote about chipping, "When you're a good chipper, chipping gives you par for a partner."
A chip shot is defined as a low running shot, where a pitch shot is defined by more air time. A chip shot is necessary when you are only a few yards off the putting green. At the Reynolds Golf Academy we recommended a two club system, such as an 8 or 9 iron or a pitching wedge or sand wedge. Master two clubs so you can master distance control. You want to select a club which will allow for the ball to just carry onto the putting surface. How much green you have to work with will determine which club to use. Usually the rule of thumb is the further the flag is from the edge of the green, the less lofted of the two clubs you would choose. Everyone is different; it doesn't matter which two clubs you choose, one is not better than the other. Master those two clubs and it will build your confidence around the greens.
Your number one priority in chipping is to hit the ball solidly. The majority of golfers try to lift the ball into the air and onto the green. This results in a scooping motion where your wrists bend upward and the club head gets in front of your hands. This may result in hitting it fat or topping it across the green. Other words in "golf launguage" associated to those bad shots are "chunking it" or "blading it".
The keys to effective chipping are:
- Have about 60% to 80% of your weight on your forward leg, the leg closest to the target. Keep the weight there throughout the swing; no weight shift.
- Ball position is back of center.
- Hands slightly forward.
- The club is swung on an arc. Be careful not to take the club back to low or pick it up too sharply.
- Maintain the same grip pressure throughout the shot.
- Pick a spot where you want the ball to land, then release.
Remember practicing your chipping and becoming a solid ball striker can help your overall game. For more information on chipping and drills to help you improve please go to http://www.reynoldsgolfacademy.com/ and look at our series of video clips and sign up for our newsletter. We want you to be our next success story! If you have any questions please feel free to send me them at knicoletti@reynoldsplantation.com.
Check our Charlie's Chipping video below.
Happy Golfing!!
Posted by Charlie King on Wed, Oct 28, 2009 @ 07:08 PM
My review of Essential Skill #1, Pre-Swing was given in two parts and there have been over 600 views in two weeks. Good job reviewing your Essential Skills.
This week is my favorite Essential and I think most important. The video below is titled "Golf's Most Important Lesson" for a reason. Making solid contact is the hardest skill for most golfers and the most misunderstood. I've written a book on this topic titled "You're NOT Lifting Your Head" which is available as a free download or a paperback version at amazon.com. The video below has now been viewed over 18,000 times. This video has resonated with golfers because of the struggle with this skill and because the drills given are simple to do. For those of you who have seen it, repetition is the key to gaining Mastery of a skill.
You can be a solid ballstriker within weeks if you follow the advice and do the drills for as little as 10 minutes a day.
Hitting pure, solid shots is what makes us addicted to golf. I want you to feel this positive addiction!
Please DON'T send this video to any other golfers unless you want to see them improve.
Posted by Charlie King on Fri, Aug 14, 2009 @ 05:54 PM
O. R. Smith is interviewed on the Golf Tips Channel after the release of his breakthrough book "The Fool Proof Follow-Through Method". Apparently a few of the questions hit a nerve.
O. R. starts out strong, but when faced with some push back about his method, he gets irritated. This is a composite of some of the claims of Old Rules method teachers. Download our e-book "The New Rules of Golf Instruction" if you haven't already done it.
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 @ 06:12 PM
The Happy Caddy game (or Unhappy Caddy if your partner doesn't hit his pitches well) was first published in Golf's Red Zone Challenge 4 years ago, which been released as a second edition a month ago (available at www.amazon.com). In this game you have a partner and one ball. You need to find a field or area that allows and you and your partner to hit 20 to 70 yard shots at each other. Your partner is happy when you keep landing the ball at his or her feet each time. The focus that this drill creates is as good as any I've seen for wedges.
The idea for this drill came fifteen years ago as I was taking a lesson from Top 100 teacher, Craig Shankland. He told me that the players of his era were more accurate. Watch the following video to hear the rest of the story.
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 @ 05:57 PM
As the hot temperatures have arrived, people try to come up with any excuse why not to practice. Don't forget that there are many things you can do inside to work on your golf game. My favorite one that comes to mind is working in front of a mirror. Mirror work is a great way to see if some of your 7 Full Swing Essentials are up to par. (No pun intended.) How is your Pre Swing Routine? Are you making an effective body pivot? Are you scooping at impact or are you striking the ball? How is the width in your swing? Checking these things in the mirror can help you to produce a good repeatable golf swing.
There are many training aids that can help you with breaking your bad habits. If you don't have an impact bag I believe you should get one. I recommend Gary Wiren's Impact Bag. Buy a small piece of carpet or astroturf and work on striking down on the ball. Ping -Pong balls are great for hitting indoors. There are many putting aids for working indoors. An Eye-Line training aid is great for practicing your putting stroke. Make a couple of holes by putting plastic cups around the house or office and putt into them. Get creative and remember you don't always have to hit balls to improve your swing.
Don't forget, The Reynolds Golf Academy has indoor air-conditioned teaching bays with the latest video equipment so you can take lessons all summer long. For more information please contact the Academy at 706-467-1660. There are also Member Clinics on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, so check the e-View for the times.
Have a great summer and don't forget the sunscreen!
Happy Golfing,
Karen
Posted by Charlie King on Tue, Jun 02, 2009 @ 06:06 AM
A little over a year ago a spoof golf tip called "The Proper Way to Throw a Golf Club" was posted on golf.com and became the most viewed video golf tip of all time with 1.9 million views and counting. I've waited over a year to release the sequel "Anger Management- What Happens When the Urge to Break a Club Overtakes You". We try to keep things light and humorous around here in between serious lessons to improve your golf game. Enjoy and pass it on.
Posted by Charlie King on Wed, Mar 18, 2009 @ 06:34 PM
That is the statement that goes through most golfers mind.
"Please help me get better, don't confuse me."
Confusion and getting worse are the two biggest fears that keep golfers from seeking out professional help on their golf games.
Having trust that you would not get worse or confused would certainly lead to more golfers taking lessons. If you haven't already, please read "The New Rules of Golf Instruction". This e-book is all about trust and knowledge. In this case knowledge is power. The power that comes from holding your instructor accountable to the 9 standards listed in the book. The trust that would come knowing you have an instructor that lives up to these 9 standards.
A couple of weeks ago we taped a new series of videos about the opposite of "New Rules" golf instruction, "Old Rules " instruction.
The first installment of "The Adventures of O.R. Smith, Old Rules Instructor" will be posted in the next couple of days. We lampoon the typical standards of the past that have confused golfers and potentially made them worse. O. R. is a composite character created to shed a light on the sometimes ridiculous traits of golf instructors that have not helped golfers. We hope to educate through humor.
Behind the scenes at the filming of "The Adventures of O.R. Smith, Old Rules Instructor".
"The Adventures of O.R. Smith, Old Rules Instructor" Cast and Crew.
Posted by Charlie King on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 @ 06:17 AM
With the launch of "The New Rules of Golf Instruction" e-book came a new page on Mental Toughness in golf. Below you will find my first Core Mental Toughness video titled "The Why Question". It is so important to understand "why" you play golf. The answer to the question then starts to set your expectations and your actions. It is a concept that sent me on a different path and has been a staple of my golf instruction ever since. Please watch the video below.
Posted by Charlie King on Tue, Jan 20, 2009 @ 05:20 PM
Putting has been described as a "game within the game." Ben Hogan once said, "There is no similarity between golf and putting: they are two different games-one played in the air, the other on the ground." We as golfers need to develop a personal style and routine which we are able to repeat under game situations, and achieve our desired results.
To be a good putter there are two tasks you want to accomplish.
1. Roll the ball well- Rolling the ball well happens when the putter is swung smoothly, the ball is hit solidly and the speed takes the ball into or near the hole.
2. Roll the ball on line-Is the more detailed part of putting. Having good essentials, such as grip and setup, stance, aim and path will help us in rolling the ball on line.
For three drills that will help you roll the ball well, click on this link for Charlie's video putting lesson.
Having confidence in your putting plays a major roll. Practice short putts to build up confidence for the course. You want to practice drills that are specific to your needs. One example is Charlie's credit card drill.
Remember Tour Players don't make everything they look at. They focus on making a good stroke and having good speed control. I wanted to share some statistics from the PGA Tour that I found on-line. These statistics might surprise you and help you with your confidence.
Percentage of Putts Made by PGA Tour Professionals-
2ft 99% 8ft 47%
3ft 91% 9ft 43%
4ft 81% 10-14 ft 31%
5ft 70% 15-19 ft 19%
6ft 62% 20-24 ft 14%
7ft 54% 25 ft & greater 6%
Feedback is so important to improvement. To continue in finding the best ways to help our students improve, we have purchased a T.O.M.I. putting system. The Reynolds Golf Academy will be running a Winter Video Swing Analysis Special that includes the T.O.M.I. analysis from Feb. 16th through Feb. 28th. The analysis lasts 30 minutes and the cost is $30 by appointment only. Come have your putting stroke analyzed on our new putting analyzer. A university in South Florida had its golf team practice on a system similar to ours and the golf team improved their putting statistics by 25% during a three tournament stretch. For more information on our special please call 706-467-1660.