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As a lifelong ‘Airline Transport Professional’ (ATP) and ‘Certified Flight Instrument Instructor’ (CFII) as well as a dedicated ‘Golf Certified International Master Teaching Professional’ (CIMTP), it is my calling to help all my students reach out and grow effectively … to achieve performance beyond their normal dreams!

We Solve Complexity By Simplicity, Process and Discipline!

In aviation parlance, we must all seek to operate in ‘CAVU’ sky conditions … ‘Clear Above - Visibility Unlimited’. This air mass blessing is sometimes referred to ‘Bluebird Conditions’.

This author teacher was very competitive in swimming and tennis. We were trained to make our ‘Back Swings or Load Strokes’ follow the shortest route from A To B. (see ‘ALSDR - Accumulate, Load, Store, Deliver & Release’) The wider the arc or greater the curvature, the longer the distance the ‘Sweet Spot’ must travel in the front swing or ‘Power Stroke’. Of course, this means more ‘Time & Distance to accelerate. The quicker we could get into the ‘Power Stroke’ and stay in it, the better. (see ‘The Big Pull’ in swimming) Pretty logical?

In golf we tend to promote depth and width in the back swing and reciprocally creating the big circle in the ‘Down & Out or Front Swing’ and ‘Club Head Distance’. (see ‘Deep, Flat & Wide’)

This is the ‘What Is It’ most Popular Question Of The Week’.

Let’s provide a very simple answer that turns on the ‘Better Idea Light’!

Here is the sensible short to long procedural progression …

1. Putting
2. Chipping
3. Bump & Run
4. Knock Down

Our global family all know our universally pertinent ‘5 Set-Ups’ … Posture, Grip, Stance, Ball Location and Alignment. Our ‘Article Title or Subject’ is covered by the first of the five above … POSTURE.

To be athletically dynamic we must have an efficient ‘Set-Up’.

That boldly includes creating rotational space or clearance between the Hip Sockets and the Sternum or Chin and Chest. If one overly bends the ‘Spinal Crankshaft’, it will not work freely! If one has a rounded Spinal Column, the rotational element or capability shall be compromised.

Your Putting & Chipping Back & Up Swing Gone?

Just a pregnant ‘KISS’ (Keep It Stupid Simple) golf thought for YOU!

What if we were to start our ‘Putting Head Journey’ (Clubhead Travel) from a ‘Pre-Determined Top Of Back & Up Swing’ (TOB) and not from the traditional just aft of the ‘Ball Location’? That would essentially eliminate our ‘Back & Up Swing’ … no ‘Transition’ as in our ‘Full Swing’.

In the form of a friendly and sensible list that can stand the pressure and heat in the kitchen!

1. Irons strike a ‘Descending Blow’ … feel ‘Bottom Of Swing Arc’ (BOSA) Aft Of Ball
2. Be aware of and Set-Up your ‘Clubhead Path’ … ‘Inside-Out Sq Sq and Outside-In’
3. ‘Clubface Aim’ is a permanent ‘Primary Element’. (Golf’s #1 Kingpin’)
4. Ball Location is always relevant to the ‘BOSA’ … just inside Target Heel. Think of just inside the ‘Target Clavicle’.
5. Tee Height should place about half of the ball just above the ‘Driver ‘Top Plate’. Sweet Spot must be actually ‘Set-Up’. (see ‘PSR) Fat and Thin are weak variables.

a great ‘Putting Eval Skill’ activity

A key component to making any successful ‘Putt’ is to accomplish our ‘Initial Ball Rolling Line’ (IBRL’) or ‘Start Line’. How to set-up your ‘Practice Station’?

Do this exercise on as flat and smooth of a surface as available. Located the cup. Pace back or measure 10 feet and stick a tee in the ground. (your 555 Team all carry a ‘Chalk Line’. Snap one on the grass!) The ‘Gate’ needs to be 12 inches closer to the hole or in front of the ball. To make ‘The Gate’, stick two tees in the ground 2.25 inches apart with the ‘Chalk Line’ in their middle. The golf ball is a nominal 1.5 inches in diameter. Thus, you have a .75” total margin of error at 12 inches … half on each side.

Never take even one single golf shot with any weapon out of your bag at a target larger than a good olde American Quarter. That is about the size of the tip of the flagstick where the ball comes to rest in order to finish the hole! Aim small and you shall very likely ‘Score Small’! Be courageous and confident!

It is your parade! Best you drive your own bus?

Life and golf have progressive Short Game target limits … 1) Putting employs that ‘Quarter’, 2) Chipping, Bump & Run and Short Pitches focus on a very reachable ‘12 Inch Landing Circle’ and 3) Our Approach Game is well-served by aiming inside a ‘5/10/15 Foot Circle’. Do you always ‘Quadrant Your Greens’ so you can make high percentage straight uphill Putts?

Even a small idea or factoid relating to your golf skills and game, matter cumulatively! Life is a very big ‘Journey’ and every leg, big or small, matters. Each contributes to our ‘Pleasure’!

Think about your ‘Ball Rolling Line’. There are only three conditional alternatives … 1) Flat, 2) Down-Slope and 3) Up-Slope. (see ‘Initial Ball Rolling Line or Start Line’)

When we roll the ball ‘Straight Up or Down The Line’, we refer to this circumstance as ‘Slope’. Our baseline concern is ‘Speed or Distance’.

WORTH REPEATING TO A 555 GOLF SCHOLAR?

The Power Line Delivery Sequence
Accumulate, Load, Store, Deliver & Release … ALSDR

The Balsa Airplane Concept

You winde up the ‘Big Body Rubber Band’ from the tip of the propeller, ‘Back & Up’ to the ‘Brace Shoulder’. This ‘Potential Energy’, when the time is right, ‘Releases’ from the ‘Tail Rubber Band Hook’ (‘Resistance’) forward to the tip of the propeller and simply pulls the ‘Balsa Airplane’ forward!