The hottest golf training aid in the U.S. has now arrived in the UK and its called the TOUR STRIKER.

The TOUR STRIKER  is a superb training aid because it is designed to work when your hands and clubshaft are forward of the ball at impact, and it gives you the feel of striking a downward blow and encourages you to take a divot after the ball.

If you flick your wrists or scoop trying to lift the ball the club is designed in such a way that you will hit the ball sole of the club, and the ball will not get airbourne.

All the great ball strikers have the shaft of their club leaning forward at impact to varying degrees.

So if you lack power in your shots, hit thin or fat shots and lack consistency the TOUR STRIKER is for you, which means EVERYONE can benefit from using one.

I got my supply recently and have personally tried the 56 deg wedge, the eight iron and the seven iron and immediately the club makes you more aware of keeping your hands leading through impact, and I have hit shots and demonstrated this to my students and they work, the shot flies normally and it swings like a regular iron.

A great addition to my teaching armoury and  they are now in my teaching bag and my students really like them, I can highly recommend the club.

If you would like to try the TOUR STRIKER and buy one, I have ladies clubs, wedges, seven irons and eight irons, please contact me as I do have them in stock.

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

contact david@bowngolf.com

07973746872

To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

Youtube channel Bowngolf

I first saw Nick Faldo at the World Matchplay at Wentworth in the mid eighties and if you ever stood next to him he was much bigger than you thought,he was 6ft 3 in & 14 st, a very fit player. 

He was a very focused golfer who was always trying to get everything out of his game that he could,  he set about improving his technique with David Leadbetter, so he could be more consistent & win majors & he did achieve that goal, winning three US Masters, 1996 & two back to back  1989 ,1990 & three Open titles 1987,1990,1992. He came second in the PGA 1992 & US.OPEN 1988. He had 40 professional wins & was in eleven Ryder Cup teams & is the current highest points scorer in Ryder Cup history with 25 pts, & is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Nick Faldo was knighted by the Queen in 2009

He was known for his accurate iron play, particularly his long irons, and he was an excellent putter.

I have a good face on view of Nick playing an iron while preparing for the World Matchplay tournament held at Wenrworth, I hope you enjoy it.

http://bit.ly/xQfQ3b

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

contact david@bowngolf.com

07973746872

To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

Youtube channel Bowngolf

Last week I met a new student his name is Derek Shao, a young man who has worked in London and now is going back to work in Hong Kong in two weeks time.

He told me he had played for one year, and had a few golf lessons, his average scores are around the one hundred mark.

I asked him what he wanted out of his golf lesson, he told me he wanted to fix his slice and hit the ball further.

Not an unusual request down on the driving range!

He hit a few golf shots and yes, they all sliced a long way, very high, losing a lot of distance.

The Cause

Derek  had put so much effort into moving, to try and get more clubhead speed, he moved his whole upper body way too much, both going back and through.

The reason this was happening was because he thought incorrectly that he had to use the strength from his arms and shoulders, to generate more distance, so he then gripped the club to tightly and made his upper body dominate his downswing, making the club wipe across the ball from out to in.

Derek was so keen to work with me and improve we had six sessions in five days working on full swing, chipping, putting, and bunker shots.

He was very focused and asked many questions. He was a great student to work with, and he got great results.

The Correction

I worked on getting him to hold the club in a more relaxed way, getting the tension out of his shoulders, forearms and wrists, he was so tight!

A key thought for Derek was to feel softer in his wrists, this took some getting used too as before he had no wrist hinge to speak of, because he was so tight, just a massive turn of his upper body on his backswing, and a corresponding twist on his downswing.

Also, having a feeling of letting his arms just fall down at the start of his downswing, this helped him keep the club on the desired  plane into the impact zone, and helped him resist pushing with his upper body, creating that twist.

During our last session Derek was hitting his eight iron, six iron and his 17 deg hybrid either straight or with a slight draw, his ball flight was lower.  He had increased his distance considerably and was not exhausted after hitting sixty balls! 

I was very impressed with his results, his striking of the ball was much crisper, and a good twenty five yards longer, and there was more to come. 

As Derek left I congratulated him on what he had achieved and asked him when he was going to play next & try his new swing?

He replied I am playing tomorrow at St Georges Hill, and playing Walton Heath a few days later!

Great stuff Derek.  Enjoy your golf!   

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

contact david@bowngolf.com

07973746872

To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

Youtube channel Bowngolf

Exciting news !

A few of my coaching drills from www.bowngolf.com are now featured on the new app from Gasp Systems, its the GASP Golf Swing Mobile app.

Its a great way to work on your game when you are out and about on the range, you can have your coach right there with you, so you never forget, what you need to do !

Technology is amazing now, so much new innovation and development all the time, and things change so fast!

Lesson to learn

One thing to remember though is that we humans take a bit longer to change and evolve, so when you are working on improving your game be patient, work to your intended plan , stay focused, keep working on the basic keys, not quick fixes and you will improve your golf

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

contact david@bowngolf.com

07973746872

To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

Youtube channel Bowngolf

If you want to get the most out of your next golf lesson you will need to make sure you are ready to maximise your time with your coach.

If my students have played golf before I always like them to arrive at least twenty minutes early, so they can calm down from their journey and start thinking about their golf game.

Its a good idea to check in at the pro shop first, just to let the staff know you have arrived and also to make sure there are no delays for your lesson due to unforseen circumstances.

Make sure you do a few gentle stretches and generally loosen up, before you swing.

Make a few swings on the range if possible, start with some chip shots, then a few pitch shots with a wedge or sand iron, hit around ten to fifteen if you have time.

Before your professional arrives make sure you really know what you want out of your lesson, is it a particular  part of your game that needs attention, is it short game, or long game.

Also think back to your last round or last time you hit some balls on the range, where did the ball go, any pattern to your shots ?

Bring a notebook just to make sure you have key points written down and reminders because next time you visit the range you may have forgotten or mistaken what was said during your lesson.

A selection of questions I may ask my students. So be prepared !

What are you doing at the moment to improve your golf ?

How long have you played ?

Have you had golf lessons before?

How often do you practice and play ?

Do you have a handicap?        

Where is the ball going ?

How is your physical condition, any back problems etc ?

What do you want to achieve with your golf, short term / long term ?

A key point to getting the most out of your lessons is, ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. 

I love my pupils asking me questions, it shows me they want to learn. 

If you spend a little time preparing before your lesson, you will gain great benefit during and after your lesson.

Happy golfing 

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

 Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

 contact david@bowngolf.com

 07973746872

 To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

 Youtube channel Bowngolf

Here is US Open champion Rory McIlroy using his pivot in the correct downswing sequence to retain the energy created, loaded and stored in his backswing and unleash amazing clubhead speed through the impact zone.

A great example here.

For someone 5ft 10 in & 11st 6 lb/160 lbs to hit the ball 300 yds with a 3 metal on one tee shot! is incredible and to also hit many drives over 300 yds and play with that control is amazing.

His performance in winning the US Open will be talked about for some time, he was two strokes a round better than his nearest rival, he led from start to finish, all his so called weaknesses as repeated over and over by the golf analysts dissappeared, his putting would not hold up, could he scramble, his course management was poor, no what we all saw was a young man unleashing his pure golfing talent on the golfing world, he was focused, he had something to prove, his swing a thing of beauty was under full control, the crowd loved him, he destroyed his Augusta woes, & he is the youngest US Open champion for over eighty years ! WOW !

His whole game seemed to click, the putting looked good, his control of distance and holing out was exceptional, his short game was on song, his irons were like lasers, especially the first three rounds, all you saw were irons right on the flags, his driving was immense, long and high with draw, which suited the course, he looked fearless, and he had control over his mind, which was a huge factor in this incredible performance.

The stats for the tournament , in greens in regulation and driving accuracy and distance were brilliant.

So Rory had the whole package this week, and I sincerely hope we see him have many more major wins in the coming years.

Rory we all knew you had the talent and the game, and now you have that inner belief and strength that all winners possess , Congratulations to you & as the americans say you were AWESOME !

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

contact david@bowngolf.com

07973746872

To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

Youtube channel Bowngolf

Playing quality golf shots with power and consistency is what you are looking for.

Virtually all my students who have lessons with me say they want  two things more than anything.   1. CONSISTENCY  2. MORE DISTANCE.

How do you achieve this ?

Whether you have a so called flat swing , upright swing, strong grip , weak grip, open face, closed face at the top, that is not the key issue.

Look at the best players in the world, all have differences in their technique, regarding , grip, clubface, swing plane, one plane, two plane etc.

The  one thing that all these top golfers share is their SWING SIGNATURE.

What is your swing signature ?

When I talk to experts in  biomechanics there is a definite pattern of movement  that the better golfers all do.

Whether its Jim Furyk or Ernie Els their pattern of movement is the same, they look very different, but they have a definite swing signature.

They start their downswing in the correct order or sequence, Lower body starts first, this starts the sequence, then the torso / core follows, arms, wrists, and finally the club .

Work on your pivot , how you unwind your body from the top of your backswing into your finish.

Most amateurs try and get the clubface at the top of their swing to the ball as early as possible by using their arms and wrists first, they try to speed up the clubhead too early..

Use your pivot correctly, use it first, so your arms and wrists can transfer their power into the ball in the most efficient way , which is in the correct sequence.

So improve your swing signature, your pattern of movement, and you will become consistent and hit the ball further.

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

contact david@bowngolf.com

07973746872

To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

Youtube channel Bowngolf

The King and I

On the range at PGA West

Hi everyone , as promised I am letting you know about a fantastic golfing trip I did in February to LA, San Diego and La Quinta, near Palm Springs .

I have just returned from blue skies, warm sunshine and golf courses and practice facilities you will not better anywhere in the world! I hope you are not too jealous!

A real bonus for me was meeting the King of golf Arnold Palmer, what a lovely man, a real gentleman and golfing legend.

I was staying at PGA West in La Quinta near Palm Springs in the desert, palm trees and water hazards everywhere as well, at the Pete Dye Stadium course the greens 12 on the stimpmeter , think Augusta speed !

My trip took me to Torrey Pines to see a PGA tour event, near San Diego, great course, followed Tiger round for several holes, and he did not hit a fairway, so he is still struggling to get his game back to the level we all know.
Later on I went to the LA Open at Riviera golf course at Pacific Palisades, a very famous course due to the exploits of the great Ben Hogan, who won there on several occasions, there is a statue to commemorate the golfing legend.

Legend Ben Hogan

I filmed many of the top players at the events in hi -speed video and will be putting these up on my video section of my website, players such as Dustin Johnson, Goosen, Appleby, Donald, Bubba Watson etc, I hope you find them interesting.

I also took the opportunity to learm from the best and visited Gregg McHatton a PGA professional and a teacher who has the highest level you can attain in the Golfing Machine, and a very serious researcher of the golf swing.Gregg can explain the physics of the golf swing in a very understandable way, and he gains his knowledge by thousands of hours research and study of the best players, to prove his point.
It was great talking to Gregg and learning the real DNA of the golf swing, it was fascinating as he explained his swing code that is not based on opinion but fact.

I thought I would go through with you the things I see most when I am coaching students for the first time.
If you like the common trends amongst beginners.

Problem Areas.

1.Tension is always apparent, in the hands and wrists, I see so many learners who think that power comes from the hands and wrists, as we know they transfer power when allowed to.

2. Poor placement of hands on the golf club, thumbs straight down the grip, restricting any freedom of movement through the hands and wrists.

3. Posture problems, bent spine, restricting the turn of the body during the swing, you need good alignment and good posture to make a sound swing.

All these problems are pretty simple to fix, good preparation in your set up will help so much with your stability and coordination throughout the swing, which leads to more consistency and less effort.

4. The pivot is a major source of power and consistency, if this is not working effeciently you will have severe problems, usually trying to use the hands to compensate for these errors, and leading to frustration as no two shots are the same!

I give my students drills to do so they can recognise /feel where they need to make the body go, immediately their balance improves and so does their coordination. So Recognise it, Monitor it, Practice it, Groove it ! That is true with every aspect of learning this game.

5. Truly understanding what the hands do throughout the golf swing, golfers get them working in some strange ways, the hands must be educated, you must recognise what they do and how they move, otherwise again inconsistency and more frustration.

Understand that quick fixes never lead to consistent levels of performance, you need a swing map , a direction, a blueprint if you will, so you can start your journey the right way which leads to improvement and more enjoyment of this great and challenging game.

When shall we start on your journey of improvement ?

Here it is, classic Ben Hogan,  Power, efficiency, control, awesome !

Legend Ben Hogan after car crash in 1949 fought back to win on the PGA tour  in 1950 and go on to win many majors, and in his Golden year 1953 won three majors, the U.S.Masters, U.S.Open, The Open , he only played in five tour events that year and won three, due to injuries sustained in car crash,  because of this he had to reduce his playing schedule dramatically for the rest of his career. 

His two golf books Power Golf and The Modern Fundamentals of Golf are classics, the first Power golf was written pre 1949, and The Modern Fundamentals in 1957. 

Power Golf shows Hogan with his longer swing and The Fundamentals show him with the shorter swing, which shows the real essence of  what Hogan was all about, no frills, everything there for a purpose, effecient, sublime control of ball flight, immense power, no wasted motion and of course his power fade !

I have many videos of Ben Hogan and he had incredible lag in his swing, he unwound his body so well, from the ground up, everything moves in correct sequence, his legs, hips, trunk, arms, wrists and clubhead retaining energy, and powering into the ball.

He had supreme control over his body and  his club, built up by thousands upon thousands, of repetitions, experimenting to see what worked under tournament pressure, and what didn`t.

His thoughts on plane, hip movement, practice, strategy and course management, and mental toughness are still valid today, many pros after finishing their round would go to the range and learn from the master, he never watched them practice !

Ben Hogan won nine majors, maybe ten, because of the disputed 1942 U.S.Open, how many could he have won had it not been for the war and his terrible car crash in 1949 when he was at his peak ?

 Ben played in 292 PGA tour events and finished in the top three in 47.6% of them and finished in the top ten 241 times!

A true golfing legend , after his car crash in 1949 he nearly died, they thought he wouldnt play golf again, but he rebuilt his body and golf swing to achieve even more success and become a golfing legend. His golf swing  was created through pure hard work and trial and error, and from the fifties was known for his pure ball striking and total control of his golf swing and his mind.

What an amazing man and my all time golfing favourite.

David Bown PGA AA Golf Professional

Authorised Golfing Machine Instructor

contact david@bowngolf.com

07973746872

To view my website. www.bowngolf.com

Youtube channel Bowngolf