The Golfing Blog

Equipment Review: PUTTMARK

I recently received in the mail a small package from PUTTMARK, a company of with which I was unfamiliar. Being of a skeptical nature, I wasn't sure how a ball marker shaped like a surfboard would aid with putting. So I asked my clients to try a PUTTMARK and give me there feedback.

At this point in time it is important to understand that the most common flaw I see in putting by the average golfer is that they are not aimed where they think. I found that the extended shape and line on the marker made it easier to see the intended putting line and get the putt started correctly. But in the end it was the opinion of my clients' which mattered most.

The opinion which summarized the opinion of the group came from Jerry who said, "I thought it was a gimmick until I used it. Easier to line it up than the line on the ball and then it was very easy to line up the ball".

Aim is just one part of the proper putting formula, to become a better putter contact Scott by clicking here.

Equipment Review: Margaritaville Eyewear

It might seem odd that I am doing an "Equipment Review" of sunglasses but for me as a PGA Teaching Professional they are an essential piece of equipment. I spend the vast majority of my day outside in all kinds of weather and protecting my eyes is very important.

Margaritaville Eyewear recently entered the sunglasses market and asked me if I would try out a pair and offer my opinion. It took me quite a while to decide whether I was interested. I am normally not interested in products that are affiliated with celebrities because who endorses or owns a product does not encourage me to buy a product, it is usually quite the opposite. One more thing I should add is that I am a skeptic by nature and seldom take a claim at face value.

But as I said, for me sunglasses are an important piece of equipment and I am constantly looking for ones which I think will be a good addition. Margaritaville sunglasses come in 8 different styles like a lot of manufacturers but in each style there are multiple color frame and lense options from which you can choose.

But the thing that struck me immediately when I put them on were the lenses. They are outstanding, very, very clear and virtually no glare. The elimination of glare is extremely important to me because even on fairly cloudy days any little glare really bothers my eyes. The glasses use what is called MPT which blocks out scattered light rays and lets in what they call "corrected light". Personally, I don't know what "corrected light" is but I really liked what a sunny day looked like through these glasses.

Sklz Quickster: The Perfect Name

This week is Masters week and I am down in Augusta teaching people from all over the world for VIP Sports Marketing at their Lodge on Heath which is located directly across from Gate 9 of The National.

Because we do not have access to a range it is important that I am constantly looking for equipment which will allow me to give the guests the best experience. I have a few simple requirements for the equipment I select: it must be of good quality, look good, be very compact and portable, and most of all I must be able to set up and take down the equipment quickly.

It has taken a while but I have finally found what I have been searching for and it is appropriately named the Sklz Quickster Net. First it comes in a bag with a carrying strap which is less than 4 feet long and the entire size of the bag is slightly larger than that of those collapsible lawn chairs people carry around to kids games and camping. Next the frame is made of a lightweight metal tubing that comes in three sections, each piece of the section is attached to the other by bungee cord which makes it impossible to not connect the pieces(which are snap and click) together correctly. As you connect the pieces the bungee cord disappears inside the tubing.

The netting for the Quickster has a little pin that inserts at the top of each pole and a grommet that attaches at the bottom of the frame.

The total elapsed time from the moment I opened the bag until I was ready to give my first lesson was less than 2 minutes!

I have definitely found the piece of equipment that will make my off course teaching much easier.

Equipment Review: The Putting Impact System from Eyeline Golf

There are three keys to effective practice. The practice must be focuses on a single element of your golf game, deliberate, and it must provide instant feedback to the golfer.

When it comes to putting I believe that the most element is the putter face being square to the target line at impact. To achieve that goal an excellent training tool is the Putting Impact System from Eyeline Golf.

The purpose of the Putting Impact System is to help you learn how to see, feel, and repeat the correct impact position. It also provides instant feedback with every putt which is crucial to effective training.

If you want to hole more putts consider adding the Putting Impact System to your practice tools.

Mention you learned about it at the The Golfing Blog.

An Excellent Way To Look At Your Game In Black and White

When I meet with a student for the first time I ask a series of questions so that I can familiarize myself with my student. Among the questions I ask are:

What is the strongest part of your game?

What is the weakest part of your game?

What are your goals?

How much time are you going to dedicate to practicing?

After our session, I ask my students to start keeping 2 scorecards, one for score and the other for tracking their shots. The reason I do this is that I have found that in general that golfers have selective memories when it comes to their shot making abilities. Many times what golfers tell me are their strengths and weaknesses don't match up to the data on the scorecard. Until they get a grasp on that data it can make it difficult to convince the student what is the right path to improvement.

There is now a product out there, Egolfplan that I believe can be a great tool in helping golfers objectively evaluate their games, set goals, create a plan and a realistic time table for improvement.

Egolfplan is an inexpensive program which gives you the resources, physical tools and method to help you and your golf professional create a plan to help you play your best golf. One of the tools I really like from Egolfplan is their scorecard. Using the Egolfplan program you can download and print a specialized scorecard for the golf course you will be playing so that you can track your shots during the round. If the course is not on the Egolfplan site simply call them and within a day or two it will be available for you.

There are several other very useful tools including ones that help you keep your practice on a path and timetable. So if you are a golfer who wants to objectively
track their game in an effort to become a better player and enjoy the game more check out Egolfplan.

When speaking to Egolfplan please mention that you learned about them at The Golfing Blog.

Choosing The Right Golf Ball For You

I was recently watching a golf tournament during which there were several commercials for golf ball manufacturers. The dominant theme of the commercials was that each manufacturer had "The Longest Ball", unfortunately the "Longest Ball" isn't necessarily the best ball for you.

Just like the rest of your golf equipment, the golf ball is a very personal part of your game which needs to be choosen with care to help you get the most out of your game.

Step 1: The Candidates
Start your evaluation process by choosing 3 balls that interest you and purchase a 3-ball pack of each one.

Step 2: Putting
Head to the putting green. Putting makes up approximately 43% of the game of golf and putting is about feel. Putt with each type of ball from various distances on the green and rate them best to worst according to how they feel to you.

Step 3: The Green Complex
Now move back to the areas surrounding the green where you can hit short chips and pitches. Spend plenty of time hitting chips and pitches from all around the green complex then rate the balls according to feel and how they react on the green. Whether you prefer a ball that stops quickly or rolls is your personal preference which is an important factor in the selection process.

Step 4: Wedges
Next in the process is hitting wedges from 30 to 100 yards. Once again you are looking for how the ball reacts when it lands on the green and what you would like the ball to do when it lands on the green (besides go in the hole). Which ball gives you the most consistent distance control is a big factor when rating the balls at this stage of the game.

Step 5: Irons
Now repeat Step 4 but this time hitting a variety of irons from a variety of distances then rate each ball according to its performance.

Step 6: Driving the ball
The final step in the evaluation process is hitting Tee Shots with your Driver. What you will be rating each ball for is both distance and accuracy.

Step 7: The Selection
Now that you have completed the evaluation process it is time to select your ball. During your selection it is important to consider ALL the data you have gathered to make an objective decision. If you get down to 2 balls with which you feel comfortable then that is the time distance becomes a determining factor.

There is an long standing marketing philosophy that many companies still use "Sell the sizzle not the steak". When it comes to golf balls I want you to buy the best steak for you.

Equipment Review: Tour Links Training Aid Putting Green

I am often asked if practicing putting on carpet is good for improving your putting? My answer is "Yes", depending on the carpet on which you putt. But if you are serious about improving your putting you may want to consider the Tour Links Training Aid for your indoor practice.

I recently met with Chuck Fricke, the president of Turfmasters of Chicagoland which is one of the industry leaders in designing and building artificial turf putting greens. Chuck gave me the opportunity to try and discuss the Tour Links Training Aid.

Scott: What is the advantage of an artificial turf putting green such as the Tour Links vs. a Grass putting green?

Chuck: The Tour Links is a system of panels which click together with a putting surface laid on top of the panels and accompanied by a platform on which you stand. This allows for a smooth, true rolling putting surface. Regular putting greens are effected by constant foot traffic and ball marks.

Scott: How can people maximize their indoor practice sessions.

Chuck: When you combine the smooth surface with training tools like the String Guide and Stroke Groover Block you are provided with instant feedback which allows you to make practice more effective.

When considering the Tour Links Training Aid I would make two recommendations. First, if you have the room I would recommend getting the 13 foot long training aid (7, 9, and 13 foot are available) to give you more variety. My second recommendation is to upgrade the putting surface to the Mirage Tour Putt. The Mirage provides a better, more realistic putting surface which will last substantially longer than the Tour Links surface.

The Tour Links Training Aid is an excellent putting aid that is easy to assemble and an effective way to practice indoors.

For more information on the Tour Links Training Aid send your questions by clicking here.

Divot Mat: Instant Feedback Anywhere

One of the keys to accelerating the golf improvement process is instant feedback. For golfers who practice hitting off grass they can tell right away whether they have made good contact, but on mats people have the tendency to judge their shots purely on ball flight and not on contact as well. The problem is on mats the club can bounce into the ball and still hit a reasonable shot resulting in the golfer getting false feedback.

But with Divot Mat, you can SEE your contact and get important feedback instantly. Divot Mat makes this possible by using a hitting surface that comes with specially designed sheets that have golf balls imprinted on them. These sheets show the exact point at which your club strikes the ground and the path it travels on in reference to your golf ball. By understanding the point of contact and the path of the club you can accurately evaluate the quality and repeatability your swing.

The best thing about Divot Mat is with the imprinted sheets you can practice anywhere that has enough room for you to swing a club, no ball required. You can now effectively practice at home, the office, the gym or on the road.

To learn more about Divot Mat click here and to order Divot and improve your game contact Scott today by clicking here.

Eyeline Golf: An Effective Way to Improve Your Putting

One of the best and fastest ways to improve your putting is by having immediate and accurate feedback. The Eyeline Golf Putting Plane Alignment System gives you the feedback you need to effectively improve your practice sessions and putting.

The mirrored surface helps you get your eyes in the proper position which according to research done by noted putter designer, Scotty Cameron is slightly inside the ball. The lines on the mirror help you make sure that your body is correctly aligned to your your target line while the cut out slot helps you make sure your putts are starting on line.

A bonus feature of the system is the detachable rails that are provided with the system. When the rails are attached you get instant feedback about the path and plane on which you are swinging the putter. By using the combination of the Eyeline Golf Putting Plane Alignment System and the guidance of a PGA Golf Professional you can become a better and more consistent putter.

For the Putting Plane Alignment System go to Eyeline Golf and for guidance with your putting contact PGA Golf Professional, Scott Szybowicz.

Ecco Golf: A Good Walk Unspoiled

As a Golf Teaching Professional I am on my feet all day and what I wear on my feet is important, unfortunately I learned that the hard way. Several years ago I was looking for something comfortable that I could wear all day. But I was not going to spend much money. BIG MISTAKE! After a few months of wearing the shoes I chose I was in so much pain I was in the doctor's office. Several years later and alot of money later I was able to actually walk a round of golf again.

During that rehab period I went on a hunt to find a shoe that was comfortable, I could walk 18 holes and could wear for teaching. It took several tries until I finally found it Ecco. I am not technically minded about shoes but whatever Ecco does they have created a shoe with style which is also comfortable. Ecco Shoes are well worth their price. That goes for both their golf shoes and street shoes, it is the only shoe that I wear with the exception of athletic shoes. That is the only drawback to Ecco, they don't make an athletic shoe in a Size 14.

If you are interested in putting Eccos on your feet contact Scott by clicking here.