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What you say to yourself drives your performance on and off the course more than you would think. Positive self-talk is a force that we must harness to keep getting better.

Do you remember the interview with Brooks Koepka before the PGA Championship last year (which he won) where he told the world that he was a “big tournament player” and that he found them easier to win than regular tournaments because most of the field couldn’t handle the pressure?

Some might have thought that it was an arrogant and overconfident thing to say. Saying things like that can often blow up in your face and make you look silly. But from a sports psychologist’s perspective, it’s clear that he’s been making these statements to himself over and over again, which has made it his belief and identity as a player and helped him win an incredible 4 majors in 2 years.

Self talk can not only influence how you think, feel and behave in a particular moment, but it can change your beliefs and behaviors in the long-run. The best performers in any field are able to use the voice in their head to become more successful everyday.

Why does self-talk work?

On a basic level, it’s fairly obvious. It is always going to be better to talk to yourself in a positive way than a negative way. Telling yourself how bad you are at something or how likely it is that you will fail is always going to work against you. I’m sure that when anyone tells you how well you are doing at something it feels good and gives you a lift, so it’s only logical to do the same with your self-talk.

June 9, 2020

Golf’s Back in Northern California – With Some Changes

After a few months of deprivation and then preparation, many of us in recent weeks have returned to the course for a few rounds. In coming back, we’ve experienced a few twists. Some things feel a bit strange, but other changes seem like potential keepers. In any case, new protocols will be in place for a while.

Here’s our ranking of the Top 3 changes as we see it:

The Flagsticks – we were just getting used to the new Rules on optionally leaving the flagstick in for putting. Everyone had different strategies and preferences; now it’s one less thing to think about – just leave it in and don’t touch it. As for the cup itself, there are some creative solutions for letting you retrieve your holed ball without touching the cup. Foam noodles, whiffle balls, PVC pipe, lifters and more.The Bunkers – no rakes means one less thing to touch. There are a few different approaches, depending by course or club or event. There are options for preferred lie, relief inside and even outside the bunker. If you are playing in a competition, make sure you ask about this! And, if you can, use your foot or club to smooth the sand, we are not giving up on being helpful and being courteous to our fellow players. The Camaraderie – it’s still there, just contactless. Practice your ‘air high-five’ moves during and after the round, acknowledge your fellow players with words and elbow bumps. It is amazing how the absence of the handshake impacts the whole experience. We hope that comes back when it can but for now we keep finding ways to improvise.

Remember, we’re all in this together and out there to enjoy golf, the outdoors and our buddies in the face of challenging times.

If you haven’t ventured out yet, see our backgrounder for what to expect in getting to the course – “5 Tips for Getting Back on the Course”.

COVID-19 may have stalled this spring’s retail business, but OEM R&D teams are still hard at work. A new Wilson driver hit the USGA Conforming List this week, with the code name WLabs. All signs indicate this driver could fill a glaring hole in Wilson’s lineup.

“We’ve been working to get drivers in play with our Tour players,” Wilson Golf Club Innovation Manager Jon Pergande tells MyGolfSpy. “We’re doing some testing with our guys with that club, and getting it on the USGA website means if they wanted to put it into play, they could.”

WLABS

The WLabs driver is listed only in a 7.5-degree loft, but it is adjustable. Pergande confirms WLabs is a prototype for an unspecified tour player or players.

“Working with our Tour players to develop product is an ongoing project,” he says. “We value their opinions and their judgment, and ultimate judgment is to get something into play.”

None of Wilson’s top Tour players carry a Wilson driver. Gary Woodland and Padraig Harrington both game TaylorMade SIMs, while Kevin Streelman games a PING G410 LST. As of last season, Brendan Steele bagged a PING G400 MAX.

2020 SPIKED SHOE BUYER’S GUIDE

MyGolfSpy’s top-rated spiked shoes for 2020?

adidas and Under Armour.

There you go. There’s your Buyer’s Guide.

(Just kidding. We’ll share some science if for no other reason than to justify our existence.)

If you think golf shoes are an accessory rather than an essential piece of equipment, consider this: Studies from FootJoy have shown that wearing the correct shoe can increase your swing speed by three miles per hour. Stability, traction and comfort combine to create the anchor that grounds you during a shot.

What is MyGolfSpy Deals? You’ll likely recognize some past winners from Most Wanted tests, MGS Labs and 59 Awards. We’ll also toss in some staff favorites or products we’re actively looking to purchase ourselves. Beyond that, it’s a potpourri of items we think you might like or timely deals on seasonal gear. Only the best hand-picked deals will be posted. Only the most trusted merchants will be listed.

With the internet being what it is prices are always changing, which means something is always on sale. Our team sifts through these deals researching the price history and selects only the best deals for the frontpage. Allowing you to know you are getting the best deal possible and feel more confident in you decide to purchase.

We find the best deals and pass the savings along to you.

The 17 Best Golf Deals This Week

1. Bushnell Hybrid

Can’t decide between a new laser rangefinder or GPS? Why not get both?

June 3, 2020

U.S. Women’s Open to Celebrate 75th Anniversary with Months-Long Celebration Ahead of Rescheduled Championship

If a crazy quirk works for you, Just do it!  COVID19 forced me to take a break from golf. In my first round back on the course I learned a few things about my game as a result of my physical limitation. My inspiration started when I watched Rory McIlroy partner with Dustin Johnson in a skins game against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff at Seminole Golf Club, Florida, Why was Wolff using that crazy quirk in his pre-swing motion?

By now every passionate recreational golfer has either seen Wolff in that first live broadcast since the start of Covid19 or winning his first tournament in 2019. He looks like a freak of nature when he incorporates his pre-swing motion into his swing. As he explains it, he is just duplicating the turn of his body that he wants to feel at the point of impact. He just includes that “motion and feeling” instead of a waggle at the start of his swing. It works for him so why not learn from his quirk.

He also includes a major leading heel lift and a huge Furyk type of loop at the top and shallowing of his downswing.   All of this extra motion must have some effect on his consistency which must cause good and bad rounds of golf.

As it turns out, every professional golfer has their own quirk, even though it may be hidden to the viewers:
-Dustin Johnson: His takeaway has an early wrist break and his transition has a bowed wrist.
-Jim Furyk: He loops his golf club at the top of his swing.
-Bubba Watson: He loves to hit a huge draw or fade on every swing of his club
-Matt Kuchar: His light practice swing is from the outside and across his ball to avoid his duck hook. He also hovers his club behind his ball before he swings.
-Phil Michelson and many golfer love to press their shaft forward to initiate a swing or putt.

 

The post California Amateur Championship Qualifying appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

June 1, 2020

Rule of the Month: Movable Obstructions and Loose Impediments

One of the fundamental principles of the Rules of Golf is that you play the course as you find it, but sometimes, you find things on the course near your golf ball that simply are not meant to be part of the challenge of the game. Loose impediments and movable obstructions both fall into that category of items. Because of this, you may remove them in most cases.

What is the difference between Loose Impediments and Movable Obstructions?

Loose impediments are unattached natural objects like stones, loose grass, leaves, branches, pine needles, clumps of compacted soil (including aeration plugs), etc. Other things that fall into this category are dead animals and animal waste, plus worms, insects, and other similar animals as well as the mounds and webs they build (for example, worm casts and spider webs).

It is important to note that there are a few things that may seem to meet the definition of a loose impediment but are not actually considered loose impediments under the Rules. Sand, loose soil, dew, frost, and water are not loose impediments. Snow and natural ice (other than frost) are treated either as loose impediments or as temporary water (when on the ground), at your option. This means that you may either remove snow and natural ice, or take free relief, depending on the situation and what you prefer.

A natural object is also not a loose impediment if it is attached or growing, if it cannot be easily picked out of the ground, or if it is sticking to your ball. The Rules allow you to move a natural object to see if it is loose before you remove it. If you do choose to do this and find that the natural object is growing or attached (meaning it is not a loose impediment), it must stay attached and be returned as nearly as possible to its original position.

If you want the ball to get going you’ve got to get your body moving. For far too long the golf instruction community has restricted the pivot, but the advent of quality statistics and a deeper understanding of what truly matters in golf has opened our eyes to the value of distance. I get it - we’re all getting older. Me too! We must wage the battle against slower and smaller golf swings on a daily basis. This video in my “3 Keys Series” will help…

If you’re a seasoned veteran or someone that’s new to the game, these keys will help you hit the ball with more authority:

Allow the lead heel to get up off the ground in the backswing and free up the lower body.

Get your belt buckle pointing away from the target as much as you physically can in the backswing.

Feel the lead shoulder stretch away from the target so that you can really feel the tension and torque in your body as you wind up.

June 6, 2020

NCGA Events Are Back!

NCGA Events Resumed June 6

Dear NCGA member,

In an abundance of caution, the NCGA had previously made the decision to suspend all event activity through June 1.

Given the recent easing of Shelter-in-Place mandates, the NCGA began resuming its events calendar but with new tournament procedures in place.

Many frustrated golfers reach out to me each week in search of solutions for what they describe as “the yips”. If cures for the yips aren’t implemented, it can destroy scores, enjoyment and a player’s self-esteem.

But help is at hand…

In this article, I’d like to take a deeper look at what the yips is and what solutions are available so you can enjoy the game more and improve your performance.

What causes “the yips”?

In 90% of cases, the yips is more mental than it is physical. Mostly occurring in the short game and putting, It’s caused by a mental interference between what you want to do (the shot) and the muscles required to do it. The effect of it can range from not being able to start the back-swing to a flinch causing thin and fat shots.

In practice, a player with the yips can often perform well, which makes it even more frustrating when that same game doesn’t appear on the course. During the comfort of the practice area, a quiet mind allows them full access to their skills. On the course, with the pressure higher, playing partners watching and their score at stake, their mind is agitated and the pathways which take the information about the shot to the muscles are blocked by fear and overthinking.

The more I read about golf the more I realize that our Positive Mental Attitude is the reason why we have streaks in our games. That’s right streaks of great shots and pars or streaks of poor shots and bogies or doubles. Poor shots happen. The winners in this game know how to block the bad shot memory and move on to the next shot. Ben Hogan said that “the most important shot in golf is the next one”.

I realize that I am a temperamental golfer so I rationalize why I made a poor shot before I can move on to the next shot. I notice that some pros like Jim Furyk will execute the perfect practice swing after they make a poor shot. They know the swing required to execute every shot so they use their practice swing to build that mental corrective action.

Moe Norman’s Philosophy of Golf
There was a wonderful Golf Digest article about Moe Norman, the autistic Canadian golfer. He used a full hip and spine rotation in his backswing but with both arms straight from setup to impact. It limited the arc of his club head but it gave him and amazing accuracy. He looked like a windmill. It was not a pretty swing and not extremely long but it was perfectly accurate.

I’m not suggesting that we should duplicate Moe’s swing but I do believe that if we limit our backswing, every recreational golfer will improve accuracy. As an autistic person he was noticed for his shy nature and his seemingly silly quirks.

 

The post Bayonet Black Horse Amateur appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

Golf is not a sport that you learn without putting a lot of effort into the game. Anyone who learns to play golf tries to apply the basic motion learned with a baseball bat or a cricket bat. Unfortunately that swing does not apply for the ideal golf swing and its different with each of your golf clubs. That’s why golf can be frustrating for so many golfers.

Ideally you can start playing golf with any strength and equipment that you have. If you try to learn golf by watching others at a driving range, hitting some balls and heading for a golf course, you will most likely end up frustrated and never become a good golfer. If you missed any of the following steps I highly recommend that you go back to the basics:

1/ Take lessons from a PGA Golf Pro: You will never appreciate how poor your swing is until you get instruction for the basics in swinging a driver, an iron, a wedge and a putter. A group session will be helpful but one-on-one instruction will help you progress much faster.

2/ Practice at a Driving Range: It will help you understand how difficult it is to hit a ball consistently with each of your clubs. Knowing the different setups and the distance that each club hits is critical for your success.

Introducing the all-new KYOEI Tour Wedge.  Following the success of the KK Series and Prototype Series wedges, this new version Tour Wedge is now made of S15C Forged Carbon Steel.  It is made with a more compact mold, a new polishing technique is utilized and features a more traditional sole grind.  Also, the new Kurozome Tour Wedge is now offered in 50/54/58* lofts.  The Kyoei Kurozome Tour Wedge is a single-piece forging with no internal weighting. Pure and simple with a compact shape and design preferred by the better player.  It is 100% made and hand-ground in Japan.

The offset is extremely minimal reaching into onset on the 58*.  Special attention was given to the shape and sole design for optimal turf interaction in a variety of playing conditions.  All three lofts feature relief in both the heel and toe side sole with an extra cut away at the leading edge.  This sole grind provides a high degree of versatility whether you want to address the ball with a square face or opening the face for a flop shot.  KYOEI did their best to design this wedge to perform well for both diggers and sweepers. The Arakenma Kurozome finish promises the softest feel that a carbon steel wedge can offer.

 

Kyoei Tour Wedge Kurozame Specification

Material	S15C Japan Grade
Availability	50 / 54 / 58
Finish	Arakenma Kurozame
Hosel Diameter	.355

CLUB	LOFT	LIE	WEIGHT	BOUNCE
50	50	64	302	6
54	54	64	303	8
58	58	64	303	10

BUY IT NOW

Introducing the CGS Orion Closer CB Iron. CGS Orion has been in the JDM scene since founded in 2015 and has been producing high-quality wedges and irons that combine Himeji made heads finished with a hand polishing technique from Tsubame Sanjo in Niigata where they are very famous for mirror polishing silverware to the original iPhones!

The CGS Orion Closer series irons are considered players irons and this CB is compact yet provides many features to provide enough forgiveness without sacrificing workability and style.   The heel to toe length is shorter than most irons,  overall the head size is similar to a muscle back.

The sole has an abundance of leading-edge and trailing edge relief which makes it very easy for the head glide through the turf. It has a sharper toe shape which blends in nicely to the rest of the head shape preferred by better players.   Minimal offset along with a thin top line makes the Closer CB one of the most desired player’s CB irons on the JDM market today.  

The CGS Closer CB can be combined with the CGS Closer MB for the ultimate combo set. (see above MB)

Over the past few weeks I have been emailing with one of our subscribers about professional golfers who bend their leading arm in the backswing. Gilles allowed me to share our discussion as it is so relevant for many recreational golfers.

Gilles’ Email: “I am writing an e-mail rather than using the “comment” section so as not to pass for the “smart ass” who attempts to bust your theory.” About the “straight leading arm” concept, which I must say I fully endorse. I saw Corey Conners (who swings with a bent leading arm) win a recent PGA tournament and place 2nd and 3rd in 2 others tournaments in 2019. He has a

smooth, simple and efficient swing. He hits it pretty long too. Yet, he BENDS HIS LEADING ARM in the backswing up to about 45 degrees. How can he play so well?”

Will Curry’s Response: I also saw his bent leading arm. He is amazing but you will notice that his bent arm actually straightens as his lagging wrist releases. BTW Lee Westwood also has a slight bend at the top of his swing. However most pros play with a straight leading arm so it must be the ideal way to swing. However, I have seen many of the senior pros add a slight bend to their leading arm.

Being able to get the best out of your game on any day has a lot to do with how well you can activate and maintain your “best performance state”. What I mean by that, is the mental, emotional and physical states that when combined, give you the best opportunity to play well. 

Sports psychologists use the term: “Activation”, to describe strategies that help a player trigger their best performance state. Finding the best activation techniques for a player requires ongoing reflection and work with the player, but in this week’s lesson, I’d like to give you some ideas.

What does your best performance state look like? 

Whenever I start working with a new student on mental coaching for golf, I ask them to think about times they’ve had success and how they would describe themselves (mentally, emotionally and physically) in those moments. The words they use can be very helpful in putting together an activation strategy. 

I was speaking to a new student this morning, who told me that when she had her 3 wins on Tour, she was “cocky”, “determined” and “walked with a swagger”. She said that she was definitely more intense than relaxed.

How many thoughts can you cram into the instant of time that it takes to swing a golf club? The more you try, the worse it gets. The best solution is to take your BRAIN out of your swing. Ideally you want your subconscious mind to take over with the right feeling for every swing in your game. The trick is to change from a mechanical swing to the feeling for a perfect swing.

If you have played this this game for 1 year or 40 years, you know that your game has its ups and downs. As it turns out, it’s all driven by your emotions. Your best shots are effortless and seem to come out of nowhere. Your goal is to bundle those shots every time you play.

Turn on Your Subconscious Mind
I was recently reminded (by the 2 best golfers who have ever played this game) that you will never be a great golfer until you shift your knowledge of the mechanics to visualization and feel for the swing that you want to execute.

Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods both been asked to described the reasons for their success. Of course they talk about their hard work but at the moment of truth they “zone into their swing”, they visualize flight of their ball and the target they want to hit. They change their focus from the mechanics of their swing to the “feeling” of the swing needed to launch their ball on the right path to their target.