The Golfing Machine wins at Hilton Head

by: B. J. Hathaway, G.S.E.B., M.C.I.

Brian Gay closed his Sunday round with a 64 yesterday and set a new tournament scoring record in his win at the Verizon Heritage.  With a 10 shot margin of victory, he didn’t just beat the field- he lapped the field. It’s been since the ‘06 BellSouth Classic since we’ve seen a margin of victory of this proportion.

Surely he must have some secrets, some inside information into golf’s book of buried treasure? Well actually….he does.  Two years ago Brian began his quest to unlock the secrets of golf’s most famous book, The Golfing Machine.

Inside the yellow hardback cover lies the true science of how and why the golf swing works based on two concepts: physics and geometry.  Lest you be afraid of  tall men in white lab coats with multiple clipboards….do not be afraid golfer!  Yes my friend, the book is a bit of heavy reading and some of its concepts daunting.  You see, the book was actually written as a guide for instructors- a golf encyclopedia if you will- that documents the components of mine, yours, and all golf swings. But this book is based on science- not theory, conjecture, guess work, old wives tales or riddles.

The secret of TGM is the flexibility it permits. There is not just one golf swing that will work and that explains why John Daly’s swing doesn’t look like Tiger’s who doesn’t look like Phil’s, etc.  But what the book does help us understand is what my swing must do in order to be successful, and once you have that knowledge it gives you the freedom to build your swing around who you are.

The book is now in its 7th edition and you are welcome to pick up a copy and give it a test read. If however you find the material difficult, do not despair! The Golfing Machine has a worldwide network of Authorized Instructors who are extensively trained to help you improve your game and also the Medicus Golf Institute trains its certified instructors to teach TGM.

So congratulations to Georgia’s own Brian Gay, a professional golfer and true golfing machine.

www.augustagolfinstruction.com

The Golfers Guide to Cigars

By: B.J. Hathaway, G.S.E.B., M.C.I.
Augusta Golf Instruction

Just like a green jacket at Augusta, a fine cigar and good round of golf are a perfect match for many golfers these days. Professional golfer Darren Clarke is a cigar connoisseur and it has been estimated that he spends £25,000 annually on cigars. Although most golfers don’t have that kind of budget, finding the right cigar will make your round that much more enjoyable.

The golf course is one of the few places a good cigar can be enjoyed without worrying about where your smoke flies, and even if you’re hitting it sideways a great cigar can mellow your golf nerves.

With golf there are certain fundamentals that apply to bring success and to really enjoy your cigar you need to know the basics. Recently I sat down with cigar expert José Ortega: Vice President of Sales for Reyes Family Cigars in Miami to get the inside information you need before heading to the first tee.

AGI: What is the best way to transport a cigar when playing golf?

José: I usually keep it in my mouth! But we have found also found an interesting tool that should do a fine job on the course called The Cigar T.

AGI:  What are the keys to cutting and lighting a cigar properly?

José: You want to cut as little of the head as possible.  A good cigar will draw with just a tad of the head cut.  When you light your cigar, make sure it is even and take your time.  You want to make sure the foot is evenly lit and blow into it to see.

AGI: Is there a best time to light up, as in before beginning a round of golf, or during?

José: Why wait, I like to light up right before I begin the round.  I’m already happy to be on the course and away from the wife, let’s make it a trifecta with a good cigar!

AGI:  How do you judge a good cigar?

José: Cigars are purely subjective.  What you may like, I may not.   Just like wine and food, what you consider to be the best is what the best is.

AGI:  Does ring size affect flavor?

José: Absolutely.  Usually, the bigger the ring gauge, the cooler the smoke and the milder the cigar will be.  The smaller ring gauges burn a little hotter and place more emphasis on the wrapper, which constitutes more of a percentage of the blend due to the proportions.

AGI:  How about the wrapper?

José: Wrapper constitutes at least 70% of the flavor of a cigar, if not more in my opinion.  The wrapper is the most important component of a cigar

AGI:  Are there any etiquette rules that apply to cigar smoking?

José: My simple rules – never blow smoke in anyone’s face and always be courteous to those around you if you light up a cigar in public.  I understand that not everyone enjoys the odor of a cigar, and as a sign of respect I will ask those around me if it bothers them before I light up a cigar.  That’s of course if I am in an environment that is not an actual cigar shop.

AGI:  How did you get into the cigar business?

José: My wife knew the Reyes family and found out they were looking for a National Sales Manager.  I was working for a big company that sold conferences and was literally burned out.  I was hired right on the spot on my first interview, back in 2003 and it’s been smooth sailing ever since!

AGI:  Tell us a little about the history of Reyes.

José: Rolando Reyes Sr. has been making cigars for 70 years!  He is 84 right now and started in Cuba at the tender age of 14 or perhaps even younger.  He moved to the United States, New Jersey to be exact, back in the 70’s.  From there, his business kept growing and he moved to the Dominican Republic in the 1980’s.  Towards the end of the decade, he decided to build a factory in Honduras, where he fell in love with the area when he visited.  We have been manufacturing our cigars there in Danli, Honduras for the past 20 years.

AGI:  What is your favorite cigar?

José: Well, asking me to choose a favorite cigar is like choosing a favorite child, but if you put a gun to my head, I’d have to say the Cuba Aliados Regordo is my personal favorite. It is a 6×60 cigar that delivers intense flavor and will give you an hour of undeniable smoking pleasure.
With 10 brands to choose from, Reyes certainly has a cigar that will suit any taste and make your time on the golf course more enjoyable. Special thanks to José Ortega and Frank Santos of Reyes for their valuable input and be sure to check out the entire line at http://www.purosindioscigars.com/.

For golf lessons in the Augusta area visit www.augustagolfinstruction.com

Are you Bigger than your Driver?

Ashley L. Davis

Everyone wants to hit the ball further. Everyone. I’m fairly certain the club manufacturers know this, and they have ways to tweak our drivers to make them go further. One simple change is to make the club longer which is supposed to make your golf ball go further. But, as in most things in life, we have the law of diminishing returns to contend with.

Expert club builder Tom Wishon notes that the standard driver length on the PGA Tour is 44.5″. Now, go to your local golf shop or online site and just see if you can find a new driver under 45″ long. I’m betting you may need a golf detective to find one. The standard new driver is between 45″-46″. The problem is, drivers are getting longer but you’re not getting taller! You are probably thinking, “hey, I’m skilled enough to swing whatever they are selling. I got game!”

I’m betting that unless you’re a Pro you:

a. don’t practice 4 hours a day
b. don’t also play 3 times a week
c. have bills to pay or other obligations

So the professionals are playing a shorter driver than you, but hitting it further and straighter. Besides skill level, what is their secret? It’s called center face contact and it’s kind of a big deal! All things being equal, on center hit = faster ball speed = longer drives.

My suggestion for the majority of us who are mere mortals when it comes to golf ability:

Find a launch monitor and experiment with different driver lengths until you find one that you can hit on-center. You will hit the ball further with the same effort, what a pleasant surprise.

Learn to hit the ball better and be bigger than your driver!

Interview of Top 100 instructor: Chuck Evans

Hi, this is B. J. Hathaway with Augusta Golf Instruction and today we are excited to have a special guest, Chuck Evans, the Executive Director of Instruction at the Medicus Golf Institute. He is also one of only 31 instructor’s world wide to hold a Doctorate in Golf Stroke Engineering.

AGI: Welcome Chuck

Thanks for asking me B.J.

Chuck, first off, congratulations for making Golf Magazine’s list of Top 100 instructors in America!

Well, thanks again B.J. It’s an honor and a privilege to be recognized by Golf Magazine and to be included among all of these great Instructors, but it would not have happened without the support of one’s peers and students.

Where are you from originally?

Kansas City, no NOT Kansas…Missouri! You know the city with the horrible football team – the Chiefs!

Chuck, what made you decide to teach golf and when did you start?

I was a player first and then had an accident that kept me in physical rehab for about 5 years. I couldn’t play golf during this time, actually couldn’t even walk without a cane, but wanted to stay in the game. I had played a lot of different sports but golf was based on how I performed and not how the team played. That was in 1970 so I’m starting my 39th year.

Have you taught any PGA Tour players?

Yes and LPGA Players as well. Grant Waite, Bobby Clampett, Hank Kim, Sean Pacetti, Lisa Hall, Anne Maria Palli… just to name a few. Working with a Tour player doesn’t take any talent from the teacher. These players are already great or they would not be on Tour! I stayed out for about 5 years chasing the players from tournament to tournament and finally got tired of the lifestyle. I much prefer working with players that are NOT on Tour!

We work a lot with Juniors, average players, beginners, and developmental tour players and LPGA players. This gives me a much greater satisfaction than working with the “big boys!”

You teach the principles of The Golfing Machine. How did you get involved with that and why, what made you think that was the best route to go for teaching?

I first picked up the book in 1970 and started trying to study it but very quickly realized that I needed help in deciphering what Mr. Kelley had written. So, like a lot of other instructors, I put it aside and changed what I taught based on what the golf publications were teaching…that month!

Every month my philosophy changed and my students were not getting any better. So I started going to see all of the then “top” teachers to see what they were doing and found that there were no similarities in the teaching as well. So in March 1983 I finally called Seattle to talk with Mr. Kelley. Sally, his wife, told me that he had died on Valentine’s Day while addressing the Georgia Section PGA.

I asked her where the nearest AI (authorized instructor) was to me. I was in Florida at the time and strangely enough not far from our location here in Destin at Emerald Bay Golf Club, and she told me Atlanta. I went up to see George Kelnhofer and Danny Elkins. George had been trained in TGM by Tom Tomasello so he taught like Tommy.

After spending time with these guys I started going to see other AI’s, Tommy, Ben Doyle, Alex Sloan and several others. I soon found out that NONE of these AI’s were on the same page- so I was confused as ever! I asked myself how this can be; they were all trained by the same man, Mr. Kelley. So I started a multi-year conversation with Mrs. Kelley trying to find the answers.

Sally was gracious enough to invite me to Seattle to spend some time with her and to go through the “archives” as she called it. On our first visit she gave me some audio tapes of Mr. Kelley going through the book and explaining how things worked and what they meant. This opened my eyes because no one else had told me these things!

I left Seattle and continued teaching and then around 1995 Mrs. Kelley called me (I was in Carmel California at the time trying to retire) asked me if I would come to Seattle to help her bring the 7th edition of the Golfing Machine to press. I didn’t even think about it, I said yes almost before she could finish the sentence! Within a few weeks I had moved to Seattle and she handed me 100 pages of hand written notes from Mr. Kelley. Now I needed to decipher his hand writing and put them in to the correct chapters and sub-chapters. That took 6 months! When I was finished we sent it all over to Alex Sloan for his verification. Alex verified everything and we were ready to take the book to press for the final edition. There was one problem: Mrs. Kelley didn’t have the $35,000.00 to get it published!

During this time she completely opened up everything Mr. Kelley had, ALL of the archives, shared stories, some notes he had made on the side, and personal insights to his work.

One day she asked me if I would open his studio back up and teach out of there. When she said that I got goose bumps all over! No ONE had ever taught out of that studio other than Mr. Kelley! While I was honored that she would ask me and a total trust on her part, I declined. How could ANYONE fill this man’s shoes, certainly not me! That is when I became the Director of Instruction and Education for TGM.

Sally and I became like mother and son over the next few years as I stayed in Seattle for 5 years before moving to Portland Oregon. I would go up to Seattle every February 14th and take her to Mr. Kelley’s grave site until I moved out of the Pacific Northwest.

During these times we had several discussions about the future, and protection of Mr. Kelley’s work. She told me that when the time came she would like me to take over the “reins”, as she called it and I of course was honored…again, that she thought so much of me that she would offer this.

We discussed the future purchase and how it would work. I put together a short list of people that I thought would be instrumental in keeping the work alive. This short list did NOT include the current owner of TGM. Danny Elkins was one of these people along with Ron Gring, Martin Hall, and Tom Stickney.

Danny and I went to Seattle to meet with Sally and her niece to put the finishing touches on the proposed buyout. It was a trip to work out the details but not to actually implement the buyout. We got the details done and we left.

About a year later I was in Atlanta doing a TGM workshop for the Georgia Section, ironically enough, and Sally’s niece called and said Sally is ready to sell now. There was only one small
problem; during this year three of the original people I had put together had, for various reasons, pulled out! I knew we needed an odd number, for voting rights etc, so I called the current owner of TGM and asked if he had any interest in joining our group. I knew this person, in fact I had authorized him, so I thought from previous interactions he would be a good choice. So I guess one could say that whatever the status is of the current TGM business model and its operation is my fault!

He said yes so we proceeded to put together the money and structure it the way Sally wanted. The night before the closing of the sale another AI flew to Seattle along with a PGA Tour player and they tried to backdoor the sale! They offered Sally more money and she refused saying that she would NEVER sell to that person and that she already had made a deal with us!

We closed the deal, packed up the archives, said our goodbyes and went home.

Without going into a lot of detail the partnership didn’t last two years. I left shortly after the sale and Danny left a year after that, I think it was. There was just too much discrepancy in how to operate the business and promote the work.

Now to answer the second half of the question!

What made you think that was the best route to go for teaching?

Because TGM is based on science and NOT opinion or theory. The instructor doesn’t have to worry about the student getting the correct information. The student learns faster and is able to implement swing changes faster as well.

After you left The Golfing Machine’s corporate structure you joined the Medicus Golf Institute, tell us about that, and what it is.

It was several years after I left TGM home office and one day I received a call from Bob Koch, the owner and inventor of the Medicus Hinge Club. He said he had a project that he would like to discuss and asked if I would come to Ohio so that we could meet. I thought about it for a couple of days and told him OK.

Medicus was looking for someone that had hard science in their teaching, a presence on-camera AND in live situations. But more importantly, could take all of the science talk and put it into everyday language. They had already spoken with several “name” instructors but none of them fit all of the criteria.

After our meeting Bob told me that his vision was to take Medicus from just a training aid company into a company that provided training for other instructors, (which we’ve have done since 1994), conducted golf schools, (been doing those forever too), and to expand their product lines. In short an educational company with multiple arms.

I called Randy Sparks, my partner in ES Golf, and told him what Bob wanted to do. We agreed that Medicus needed our teaching and we needed their branding. We already had a very successful golf school but knew that additional coverage and branding certainly wouldn’t hurt!

We called Bob and Medicus Golf Institute was born.

The “Institute” conducts outings, schools, private lesson, clinics and everything you could possibly think of in golf instruction as well as researching new training products to help facilitate the learning process. We train other golf professionals in our “way” of teaching and TGM is the basis for all that we do.

By building an Instructor network, players from around the world can easily locate a Medicus Certified Instructor in their area and know that they will receive the same information that they get when they come to us in Destin.

We help our Instructional “team” market their business, give them presence on the corporate website, the ability to give online lessons, and the freedom to operate their own business entity while using the power of the Medicus brand. Randy and I are only a phone call or email away anytime they need something.

What is the most difficult part of being an instructor?

Golf Instruction is NOT difficult if you have the correct information! So the teaching part isn’t the difficult piece. The hardest thing, for me anyway, is scheduling my time. I usually teach 7 days a week, give online lessons to players all over the world, write articles for golf publications, give interviews (like this one), shoot video clips for training, conduct teaching workshops, keep up with our players during tournaments, and the list goes on and on! But as busy as I am, Randy is like a one-armed paper hanger!

What is the most rewarding part?

Helping players get better and achieving their goals is the ultimate! Taking Mr. and Mrs. Havercamp, (remember Caddy Shack, “that’s a peach hun!”) who have never broken 100 and helping them to shoot lower scores is where the true test of a teacher shows.

In your opinion, what does it take to be a great instructor?

To me a great Instructor LISTENS to their students! What does the student want? How are they going to achieve their goals? Great Instructor use MANY ways to get points across and do NOT use a one swing fits all mentality!

Let’s talk about the swing now, is there a common error that most golfers have in their swings?

Yep, there are several. Most are OFF Plane, most allow the clubhead to pass their hands coming into Impact, most have faulty pivots, and ALL have uneducated hands!

EDUCATED hands cure all of the things I just mentioned!

The club stays on Plane, the pivot is under control and not looking like an Elvis impersonator, and the hands lead the clubhead through Impact and into follow through. This allows the player to hit consistent shots with precision!

Are there any real secrets to becoming a good golfer?

There is certainly a difference between being a good player and being a good ball striker. Almost anyone can hit it pretty good on the range. But most cannot take it to the course. Once the player has a decent foundation of their stroke mechanics they absolutely MUST learn how to get the ball into the hole! It doesn’t matter one bit if the player has a great golf swing or not if they can’t score.

Ben Hogan was asked who had the best swing he ever saw and he replied, “A driving range pro at such and such range.” What the reply meant is that this player looked great when not on the course and score didn’t matter.

The bottom line for any player is getting the ball into the hole! See ball, see hole, hit ball in hole!

What about you, the rumor is you’re a good player. Are you a hitter or swinger?

I don’t play golf anymore. I stopped playing competitive events in 2001.

Mostly I hit shots when I go out with students and some of them actually amaze me! I “hit” a lot of punch shots, especially to right hand pins because I can control the trajectory and the curvature. I “swing” all of my full shots though.

How often do you play?

I might play 5-6 rounds a year now- and they are usually when one of my friends come in from out of town.

What’s in your bag?

Well that is getting ready to change. But whatever it is will be a mixture of clubs. I’ve always done that and always will. But currently I have 5 different club companies clubs in the bag which is about normal for me. My driver and fairway woods are different, my hybrid is different from those, my irons are different than those two and my wedges are different than all of those.

Any closing statements?

I truly believe that ANY player can be as GOOD as they want to be IF they find a competent Instructor and IF they devote the necessary time to implement changes.

Most players however will SAY they want to get better but then NEVER do what it takes to actually improve!

The players that we have in our Player Development Program have a very specific process that they do, and are responsible for completing on a regular basis. IF a player takes charge of this responsibility then they WILL improve!

Chuck, thank you for your time today and many years of contribution to golf instruction and this great game.

To contact Chuck Evans: www.chuckevansgolf.com

She swings like a Girl

special thanks to Ashley L. Davis for use of her photo.

By:   B. J. Hathaway:  Medicus Certified Instructor

Watching the swings of the LPGA and better female amateur players is a learning experience. Generally you will see a long swing arc, good posture, and excellent rhythm. Not exactly down points if you were selling golf swings. The swings of the best players have even more virtues: on plane, balance, and a steady head. If their swings are so good, then why don’t they hit the ball the same distance as men, you may ask.

The differences are in swing speed and compression. Men generally swing faster and therefore compress the ball more effectively. So if you are a female golfer wanting more distance here are some things to consider:

1. All golfers fall into one of two categories: swinger or hitter. Most women are swingers due to the strength requirements of hitting; therefore, they must have certain components that maximize the swinging procedure.

2. As a swinger, you must make maximum use of centrifugal force by employing as many of the Power Accumulators that you can efficiently apply. Since the golf swing has four Power Accumulators (sources), you need not read a library of golf swing theory or biomechanical books.

What you do need to do is find a Medicus Certified Instructor (M.C.I.) and ask him or her to teach you:

The Swinging procedure using the Power Accumulators

Each M.C.I. has been trained to help you get the maximum effectiveness from your game, and they will be impressed that you know the lingo!

Learn to hit the ball further, but swing like a girl!

Discover..learn..train..practice..improve..Dominate

Medicus

To find out more about how to be involved in the Medicus Player Development Program, become a Medicus Golf Instructor, attend a golf school, or how to use Medicus Products, please click HERE or contact Randy Sparks at: rsparks@medicusgolfinstitute.com or call 1-850-685-1032.

Golf, back pain & chiropractic.

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Back Pain in Golf and a Prescription

By: B. J. Hathaway

Medicus Certified Instructor

In the U.S. today there are approximately 37 million golfers. In his 1998 article “Back pain in golfers: etiology and prevention”, (Journal of Sports Chiropractic & Rehabilitation) Dr. David Seaman writes:

There are an estimated 25 million golfers in the United States, and with the recent surge in the sport’s popularity, that figure should exceed 27 million by the year 2000. It is also estimated that 5-15% of touring professionals, and an even greater number of amateurs, will develop low-back problems.

This article discusses the biomechanics of the modern golf swing, its potential for placing the lower back at risk for injury, and the potentially modifiable factors that contribute to the prevalence of chronicity of golf-related injuries.

Today’s standard golf swing, imitated by millions and characterized by maximal torso rotation in the backswing and follow-through, predisposes the spine to painful injury. Golfers are often taught that maximal spinal rotation is needed to ensure maximum velocity at club/ball impact and maximum hitting distance. However, studies have demonstrated that a shorter backswing position with less torso rotation is more effective and generates far less potential for injury.

Golf injuries develop primarily because the golf swing represents a series of ineffective, injury-promoting movements. It is important that doctors of chiropractic understand the true biomechanics of the golf swing so they can recommend a more appropriate, “back friendly” swing to their patients.

Dr. Seaman is right. If your chiropractor is interested in keeping you healthy, your teaching professional should be, too.

The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelley teaches that there are four sources of power in the golf swing, known as Power Accumulators- or Power Sources-none of which are based on torso rotation.

The turning of the body, or “pivot,” should be a reaction to where the hands need to go. This is referred to as a “hand controlled pivot” in The Golfing Machine. Many teachers believe that the rotation of the body controls the hands. This is fine if you want to hit less than your maximum distance potential and create room for injury.

The geometry and physics of the golf swing, studied by all Authorized Instructors of The Golfing Machine and Medicus Certified Instructors, dictates that the hands always have a destination. Give your hands an assignment, where to go and what to do, then have them complete that assignment. The body should play a supporting role, and not vice-versa.

Educate your hands on their proper role in the golf swing. For more information contact Medicus Golf to find a Certified Instructor near you.

B. J. Hathaway is one of only 98 teachers worldwide designated to hold a “Bachelors in Golf Stroke Engineering.”

To find out more about how to be involved in the Medicus Player Development Program, become a Medicus Golf Instructor, attend a golf school, or how to use Medicus Products, please click HERE or contact Randy Sparks at: rsparks@medicusgolfinstitute.com or call 1-850-685-1032.

Seaman Dr. Back pain in golfers: etiology and prevention. Journal of Sports Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, June 1998; 12(2), pp45-54.

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