We live in a day and age now where everything is data driven.  In my last 15 years of coaching using data of what the ball is doing for my players and what each of my students is doing with their body in their swings has greatly improved my coaching and how my players improve.

Literally your body motions can be measured and when this data is compared to the shot shapes you see that you prefer then this allows any golfer to find out what and how the best version of themselves is when they play.  As a biomechanic expert in the golf swing, my partnering with SportsboxAI allows me to give immediate feedback visually to my student and also transfer data to my student.

This data helps the player 'feel' certain motions when they hit shots.  The data can be helpful in improving the swing and is even more valuable to better or elite players because the data of what their body is doing in the swing becomes the blueprint for a golfer to take to the range for practice or to the course.

Data is powerful information for any golfer, it can help you understand the feels you have when you hit a good shot and it helps you see when poor shots are struck, what unique areas in your swing may need improved for you to achieve your desired outcome for your golf game.

As a golfer you see certain shots on the range or the course and you have an aha moment and state "OMGosh, that was it! That felt amazing".  As a golfer you know these moments are elusive and do not happen often, but when these aha moments happen you wish you had a way to harness that moment in time and hold on to it.

At the moment you have that aha moment it is literally also one of the 'best versions of yourself' that you can have as a golfer.  When I apply my video to a lesson of a players swing and I can also support this video of the shot you hit with the data of what your body is doing during that great shot, then this is setting the template for any golfer to follow.  .

If the best version of you is not there and you do not see the best shot then I can use my video assessment and my body motion measurement to help you understand what will need to be done to get you to your next level of golf...what ever your next level it is that you want it to be.

All golfers no matter what level of play they are at practice because they want to get better.  Golfers practice because they are trying to improve their technique, find the feel of the shot they are attempting to improve and then execute that outcome on the course.

That is why it is important for golfers to embrace that in this day in age everything is data driven.  Data can really help golfers.  Golfers look for more distance so they look for ball speed, clubhead speed, they monitor the path of the club from data and they monitor the angle of attack of the club with data.  If you are buying a driver you will want to know the launch angle of the shot and the backspin of the driver (from data) so you will get the maximum return on your investment with the new driver you are being fit for.

When I coach with motion measurements of what your body is doing with each shot  then this is giving me fact based information (data) on what you are doing in your swing and does it match the data of very efficient swings? There is not guesswork from the naked eye, so there is less room for error in a shot being assessed.  But more importantly; a golfer will improve their swing much faster when data is also presented about their body, just like a golfer wanted data for the perfect fitting driver for them.

Golf instruction is trending dramatically to more fact based information so each student can improve their motions more efficiently and at a much faster rate than ever before.

There are many levels of golfers, beginners, intermediate, advanced, and elite.
You are in one of those levels and three dimensional information that I can extract from my SportsboxAI coaching platform can help you understand the areas  that need to be improved as a beginner or intermediate player to help you become a better version of yourself on the course.

If you are an advanced or elite player then the data I can reveal can help us see if your body positions have changed at all for some reason? Perhaps your set up at address with your driver is slightly different for some reason?  When I coach better players I use their specific data points that work for them for there best shots.  This is what I call their authentic self.....the true good player they are.

Better players rely on feel all the time but cannot really tell if the feel is the same from day to day.  Every golfer knows that it is an elusive challenging sport and this is why people love playing it.  The love the challenge of golf.

Coaching golf for me has been fun for the past 30 years because I love to watch a player improve their swing, lower their scores, hone their skills and more importantly...have more FUN PLAYING GOLF.

When it comes to data in your swing, the data accumulated can help you improve at a faster rate.  If you are an advanced golfer and really enjoy your current swing and who you are, then data can also give you a base line of information to rely on if you start seeing shots off line, missing the target, etc.

In the US Open at Pinehurst #2 course the winner Bryson DeChambeau was assisted in his winning from data he and his coach had gathered.  He was not playing well going into the tournament but a week prior he and his coach went to get some basic information on his swing based on how his body was reacting in each swing.  Because he was occasionally fading tee shots and not drawing them Bryson felt off in his swing motion.  But the shot shape was off and his data of spin and curve he was used to seeing had changed.  This was a red flag alarm moment for him.

His authentic swing had changed and they were on a quest to find the answer. Long story short, they discovered it.  With the naked eye or video they could not find the key area that was causing this chain reaction that led to the fade.They went back to the data of his best swings of his authentic self that they had measured and his body positions and turns and spine rotation and tilts and found one area that was dramatically changing his shot shape.

With the knowledge in hand within 3 days he was back to striking it really well and his opening Thursday round of 67 and hitting 13 of 14 fairways was the proof in his mind that he was back on track.  He became extremely confident again and as all golfers know, when you have confidence you are  a powerful creator in any sport!

Data can be a good thing to help any golfer create change in their swing faster.  It can also be a powerful tool to help you measure what your body is doing when you see your best shots.  When better movements are created and measured and you see the shot you want to see, then it will give you the feels you need to take to the course.  So those feels also bring confidence with you to the course.  If you are more confident you will play better golf!

Summer is beginning and golf is in full swing mode!  The US Open has just concluded, a record number of viewers watched the final round( not matched since 2015) and golf rounds across the world are up dramatically compared to just 5 years ago.  Golf is booming....but is your golf game matching that booming arc of improvement?

As I coach at Jack Tone Golf in Ripon, CA I am coaching on a great grass range.  The course has two very large putting greens and a short game area. Basically JTG has a great array of places that a dedicated golfer who really wants to improve their swing and technique.  Once your techniques are improved, as you head to the very challenging 18 hole course you are faced with very small greens, so precise iron shots are a must.  Being able to read the contoured greens is a must and since you will not hit every green in regulation, you better arrive at JTG with a VERY GOOD short game of pitching and chipping.

This simplified overview begs the question for any golfer; of the many areas I suggested that are needed to play good golf at this 18 hole course what are the weakest areas of your golf game?

If you are an avid golfer you probably cringe at the idea of really looking into your weaknesses of your golf game.  I see plenty of players hit golf balls on the range at JTG but most do not have very good structure in how they practice or hit balls.  Of course some go to the range for fun to hit some long drives and just enjoy golf.  That is really why continues to grow, new golfers want to have fun with golf...that is perfect.

However if you are an avid golfer and want to improve your shot making and scores you will have to find your weaknesses in your golf game that hinder your advancement to improving your scores, shot making and FUN.

I have had the privilege to work with Dr. Rick Jensen and Dr. Joe Dispenza personally in the field of sports psychology.  Both have stated that to create anything that you want in your golf game; you have to start at the end and work your way backwards.  It forces your brain to think outside the box.  If you find the root of anything, you have a few choices: accept it, change it, or ignore it.
Depending on your choice it will create a cascade effect that will lead to you creating the desire you want (which was the goal at the end mentioned above).

So to become a better player going forward for this summer and fall and beyond you must first learn to lean on and identify what your current weaknesses are in your golf game?  This is not easy, because most golfers do not really look deeply into their weaknesses.  Victor Hovland on the PGA Tour had a huge weakness in his short game and constantly ignored it.  Last summer he addressed it head on with agonizing pain, but what did golfers see at the Ryder Cup?  Chips and pitches going into the cup, or just tap ins to save par.  He stated after the Ryder Cup that he was much more a total player when you began to strengthen his weaknesses of his short game.

The story here for you the every day golfer is simple: start to lean on your weaknesses and incorporate those into your weekly practice.  If you need help with that you can always come see me and I can help you with driving, pitch shots, chip shots and putting.  

As you start to work on your weaknesses the goal next is to become aware of your body, mind, etc .  What I mean by this ; as you work at weaknesses you will become very aware of what your mind is telling you.  How your body feels and reacts to working on those weaknesses.  Every weakness will have a trigger effect on your mind as Dr. Jensen used to tell me. That trigger will lead to how you react to situations or shots , can you stay focused on the task and if so are you focusing on the right area (idea, body motion, etc).

Weaknesses are good sign when you find them because it is a good signal for you to now create strength and when you strengthen any part of your game: your golf scores will come down!

When I coach players in my Player Development Programs I coach them on how to mentally work on their weaknesses at the course, on the range and at HOME. Both Dr. Jensen and Dr. Dispenza are HUGE proponents of creating greater change in your golf game at home using the silence of your mind, intention, visualization and meditation.

When you work more mentally at your golf game tremendous improvement can occur at a much faster rate.  If something is off in your game you can work at home through visualization, intention and meditation to help change your game.  Jason Day, one of the top players in the world does this every day, he finds 15-30 minutes in the morning to get in a quiet space and begin to visualize and feel the new swing motions or feels he wants to create.  He works on feeling new scores for his play, he visualizes shots he wants to hit, the shapes of shots, the height of shots, etc.  

Overall no change in your golf game will take place without consistent practice and revision of your swing techniques and weaknesses.  As you work at each aspect, a revision will have to take place from time to time just like a contractor was hired to build a new porch on the back of your house...at some point in the building of that back deck there were times you had to pivot to change...could have happened from the building permit, the weather, the soil did not work as well as expected.  Revisions always happen so be prepared for them.

If your current golf game does not sit where you want it to here on the eve of the first day of summer then you need to do something about it!  Take action to improve your game; because if you do not then your golf game will stay where it is.  Action is not for everyone who is getting into golf and wanting to have fun.
But it is needed for over 90% of golfers.  Why do I say that?  Because over 98% of people who come to me for instruction state they want to be more consistent.

Consistency takes action, time, persistence and direction at your weaknesses to make them strengths!  Strengthen your Summer and Fall golf and have fun doing it!

2024 is upon us and the weather will start to improve all across the country very soon.  The Masters is just a month away, so all golfers know by then that the golf season has begun in earnest!

As I have transitioned to a new outdoor teaching facility here in the Central Valley of CA I have noticed a common thread that all golfers seem to have.  This is a weakness for golfers of any level really so it is not about where I am located now.  I have seen this weakness in my coaching in San Diego, Chicago, Sacramento, Phoenix, Minneapolis... you get the picture.  What is this weakness?

The weakness comes from the inability for most golfers to recognize the correlation or connection  of two simple concepts of the swing.  Neither really has to do with overly technical aspects of the swing so it is not too overwhelming really.

Blending balance of the body and balance of the mind is a weakness most golfers have.  I will take on one topic at a time and you can judge for yourself if you think one or both of these areas need attention.  If they do then they are a weakness that is impeding your improvement, it is that simple.

The first is balance of the body in the swing.  This sounds simple and almost elementary, however if you go to a practice range tomorrow and there is a line of 8-25 golfers hitting golf balls do they all swing in balance?  Look up and down the line and notice what golfers are doing.

Some are falling backward after a shot, some are coming up out of the shot they are attempting and will top the ball, or hit way behind it causing a huge divot behind the ball.  Some golfers sway too far away from the ball in their backswing causing the arc ( path of the club)  to travel across the ball.  All of these things you would see come as a result of poor balance somewhere in the swing.

As a golf coach for 34 years now I definitely look at any players balance when I coach them.  As  biomechanics expert I know the body is the key to how the club travels.  This would not short change your grip, ball position, body alignment for any shot. These basic musts of the swing never go away.  So body balance is a key issue in your swing and if it is off, your swing will suffer in some way or another.  Inconsistency would be a word I would hear from golfers and as a golfer you have used this word very often in your golf journey I am sure.

Another weak area is the the mind of any golfer.  If a golfer is never truly present with their mind when practicing or playing then their game will suffer also and weaknesses occur.

To explain further, when a golfer is in the Zone they have created a bridge of how the mind and body will work effortlessly together.  The mind assists the body to regain balance during a swing at an incredibly fast rate where the result seems effortless and flowing.  When a golfers mind is not cluttered with excessive thoughts of the swing or obsessed with texts on their phone from work or the latest social media posts when practicing or playing their mind has a better chance of being focused.

This past weekend in the Palm Beaches of Florida they had a rain delay at the Cognizant Championship at PGA National and during the 3 hour delay many players were asked what are they going to do when they get back on the course?
All of these players stated they just need to be back in the present moment, the wet course they cannot control.  They cannot control the wind, and they could not worry about what other players were going to be shooting when the course reopened to very wet conditions.  A high level player who is consistent knows that staying present for each shot with intention of what they wish to create for the next shot is paramount to their success.

Keeping your mind uncluttered when you play is not easy to do and takes time and patience to learn.  This is why an efficient pre shot routine is important for any golfer, it helps to quiet the mind, determine an outcome you desire to have and allows the subconscious mind to take over so your auto pilot swing can do its swing.  If your auto pilot swing is not consistent, it needs instruction so find an instructor to help you with your swing.

The trick to playing good golf is learning to listen to (feel ) your body to see if it is in balance plus observe your mind and see if the thoughts they are presenting to you are empowering your golf game or dis-empowering it?

Because I am at an outdoor facility now and have a golf course to coach from every day if needed, I am going to move to create a unique Instruction program to bridge these two areas together.  If you want more information about this new program please let me know through my contact page HERE.  It does not matter what part of the country you are in because I can use my Sportsboxai swing app to coach your swing from your location and use zoom calls to propel your mind to greater heights of performance as well.

In the meantime, if you want 2024 to be your best and at least more consistent, start to notice these areas of your golf game.  Golfers in the Zone are very good at these topics so as you improve one or both, your golf game will go from a weakness to a strength if you have the desire to work at it!
​

​

Consistent golfers have good routines in many areas of their golf games.  You have probably heard of a pre-shot routine so that one is easy to grasp. However their are other routines good golfers have.

These would include:

• Night before routine
• Morning routine (before arriving to course)
• Warm-up routine before your round
• Pre-shot routine before every shot
• Post round routine of warm down
• Evening routine and review of the days golf

The above examples are basic good routines that consistent dedicated golfers take on and do each day they play.  In today's world of busy, busy, busy life, work, family, shopping, etc it may be hard to do all the above possible routines.  But it is good to see that they are there, and perhaps you could implement some if not all of them.  Let's take a look at them.

Night Before Routine
As a kid I remember going to my basement to our wash basin where laundry was done so I could scrub my clubs and clean them for my next days round.  I can remember the excitement of doing it since playing golf was a big deal.  My home town did not have a public course so for me to play my Mother had to drive me 20 miles to the nearest course.  

Your night before routine could include that but another good routine is to sit quietly and review in your mind what your practice session before your round will consist of?  It can also be a mapping of the course in your mind with strategy of how you will approach each hole.  With students I coach the Mental Game specifically I really encourage them to visualize the shots they will see.  Adding emotion to those good shots will also help to stimulate your subconscious mind and lead you away from too many technical swing thoughts.

Morning Routine
A good morning routine is starting right off from where you night routine ended. Waking up in bed I would encourage any player to avoid their phone for 30 min and visualize the course you will play.  Again you are getting your subconscious mind involved and this is the key to all good golf.

A good morning routine would include proper breakfast  with protein and not be rushed.  Also in the morning make your food for the course and get your hydration bottles ready.  You will need energy during your round and if you do not prepare this part in the morning then you really are just giving lip service to the idea that you want to play more consistent golf.

Warm-Up Routine Before the Round
This is an obvious one but I can honestly say of the 75-95 players I coach consistently very few of them ( maybe 25%) actually have a good warm up routine.  In any event, what might that good warm up look like?

At the US Open completed yesterday at LACC the last 6 players hit balls on the range for an average of 29 min.  On average they hit 45-54 shots from wedges thru driver.  Some of these players started on the putting green before the range and some went to putt after.  All of them also included pitch shots  and bunker shots.  Generally these players were out before the round 55-60 min.  All of these players arrived well before those times.  They generally will go to the tour trailer for stretching etc and some have their personal trainers with them and they may have done that at their house they rent for the week or hotel suites.

Another major item each player does in the pre-round warm up is to simulate shots they will have on the course that they know will be a challenge.  Some players on Thursday and Friday of the tournament will play each shot they will face on the range for the first 1-5 holes.  Of course this is all individual but you can see, there is a good deal of preparation here before any round of golf.

Pre-shot Routine
I dedicate mental coaching to a select group of players where all we work on is the mental side of golf.  Here in the pre-shot routine is where you are preparing yourself for each shot.  I have a free PDF you can download on Pre-shot routine
from my media page.  The pre-shot routine is paramount to playing good golf.  

I could write for hours about this but there are resources on my website here where you can learn more about the pre-shot routine.  The basic concept is to come up with a plan of action for every shot, commit to it and then engage your subconscious mind to create each shot.  If you do not have a good pre-shot routine or do not use it efficiently then again you are giving lip-service to your statements of "I want to be a consistent golfer'.

Post Round Warm Down
After a round of 18 holes in general most golfers want to go to the grill to get food and a beverage of their choice.  I understand that.  However if you found short comings in your game on the course such as the driver was off, or putting or you did not get up and down from 20 yards off the green at least 75% of the time then after the round you should go work on that.

These short comings (especially the short game) are fresh in your mind, so go put yourself in the situations where you failed on the course and practice them.
You do not have to do it for a long period, but you should train your mind to make this a routine after golf.  Routines are habits and if you create the habit is will become the norm.  If it becomes the norm you increase your chances of being more consistent!

Evening Routine and Review of the Day of Golf
In the hectic world we live in this is hard to do at times and finding the time to do it is touchy.  But in a perfect situation you would review the days golf when you are in a quiet space, no TV, no cell phone.  

Some players will journal their experiences here and I think that is great idea.  A golf journal near your bed or in your place of study is really good to have.  As your write out your experiences you also help yourself create a plan of action for your next practice, or the next days round or you are gathering information that you can then bring to your instructor for your next lesson.

If you make the post round evening routine part of your golf game it certainly help you review what occurred on the course or range and it is giving your mind information so you can make informed good decisions on what to work on.

Routines in your golf game are part of the road to you becoming a consistent golfer.  As I have stated hundreds of not thousands of times, players come to me for lessons and assistance and well over 90% state they want to be more consistent.

If that is you, then they above areas are something to start to do.  Habits are hard to create and break so by creating these new ones you are breaking old habits of ignoring golf when you thought it was only about the course.  Ok then take these ideas one step at a time.

But if you really want to be a more consistent golfer......start creating consistent routines!