jeffy

I'm tellin' ya, get ready to throw them all away: Ballard made a huge contribution (close to 30 years ago), but he also screwed up a lot of people. Save your money until April for "The Plane Truth" by Jim Hardy. Just ask Peter Jacobson or Paul Azinger! Jeff

The book is called "The Plane Truth" by Jim Hardy and will be out in April. Publisher is McGraw-Hill. He has been lecturing and conducting teaching seminars based on it for the past two years. Today was my second day with Carol and I am starting to digest the teachings but there is no way I'll try to explain them here. What I will say is that the watershed contribution of Jim Hardy is the explanation of: (1) the respective characteristics of two distinctly and fundamentally different ways to the swing the club (nearly all golfers use one or the other method, though there are some VERY notable hybrids); (2) more importantly, the swing requirements to play well using either method; and (3) most importantly, WHAT CANNOT WORK using either method. It is this last part that I think most of us will find most fascinating because it will answer the question "well, this is what [insert name of favorite golfing legend] does, but why, when my teacher tells me to do it, I totally lose my game". No doubt it is because the swing methods of the "golfing legend" and you are not the same. OK, what are the two methods? One is a swing where the shoulders and the arms are aligned in the same plane at the top of the swing, and is called a "one plane swing". The other is a "two plane swing" where, as you'd expect, the arms and the shoulders are aligned on different planes at the top of the swing, nearly always, but with at least one notable exception among tour players, with the shoulders on a more shallow plane then the arms. In short, moves that work for "one-swing players" are disastrous for "two-swing players" and vice-versa. Sadly, until now, precious few in golf, let alone nearly all professional teachers, fully understand all the differences and the mutually exclusive moves. So, if you have a two-plane swing like David Toms, Davis Love, Tom Weiskopf, Greg Norman or Tom Watson, trying to use a dramatic weight transfer like one-plane legends Ben Hogan or Lee Trevino would be tragic. Strangely, although so many great ball strikers are one-plane (Hogan, Trevino, Snead, Boros, Knudson, Venturi, Mickey Wright, Moe Norman, the old Tiger, Ernie, Annika, Michelle Wie, Vijay, Jay Haas, Kenny Perry) nearly all amateurs are two-plane. No wonder there is so much confusion! I've said enough for now; perhaps I'll have more to add tomorrow, my third, and very, very sadly, last day (for this trip!). Jeff

I just spent an amazing day with LPGA hall of famer Carol Mann, who does some teaching among her many activities. What she told me today was more important than all the previous instruction I've received, read or viewed in my 35 years of golf. She shared with me some of what will be the basis of a new book written by her ex-husband, Jim Hardy. Golf Digest will be running a feature on it soon. I don't dare try to explain it right now (I'm still digesting a lot of it) but at a minimum I can say that it will make sense of many, many of the apparent and real contradictions that plague instruction. Stay tuned. Jeff

wow...that G2 460 looks awfully nice. what is the availability? Jeff

The 01 looks best to me, but I'd prefer an even squarer toe, for two reasons: (1) the toe shape of my irons are very square, so I like the visual consistency, and (2) I play most wedge shots with a square face at address: the square toe helps with alignment. Jeff

Price guidance: I'm looking for $125 for the 15* and $100 for the 19* (club only, no headcovers) plus shipping at cost. Replacement is easily twice what I'm asking. Jeff

I have a 60* I'm willing to let go. M-grind in brushed nickel, no paintfill, "JM" stamped on flange, 8* bounce, 35.25", TFR 4.5, sanded Velvet Cord grip (logo down). Make me an offer. Jeff

I've received my replacements for these (beautifully executed by Joe Kwok) and I'm ready to move these. The 15* seems to be getting hard to find. Please make offers; no reasonable offer refused! I'd rather they go to a TSG member than eBay... Jeff

Arrrgh! Now I regret passing on the unstamped proto CB's Ari offered me! Best looking CB's I've seen and the finishing looks top-notch (do you agree Chris?). BTW, what is the finish on the handstamped wedge? Looks real good too... Jeff

shoe295 wrote: I found it on amazon.com...I'd be very interested in what you learn from Ms. Mann The DVD was shipped today from Amazon. A couple things she has told me already: 1. Ditch the weight on a string deal: "it is not golf"; practice swinging a club with light pressure in hands and fingers and feel the clubface orientation (closed, square, open) and the shaft angle throughout the swing. 2. Bend over from the waist more than de la Torre advises: this promotes a more rounded swing, which promotes a releasing clubhead, which promotes a swinging club. 3. Most good players swing the club with the fingertips; this applies to putting as well as the full swing. 4. She is a disciple of Ernest Jones as well as de la Torre; buy and read "Swing the Clubhead", available in paperback on Amazon. More to come in March... Jeff

shoe295 wrote: I got this book and DVD for Christmas and I agree with you 100%. This is idiot proof and while I have only hit balls once since I got them, my swing was missing the usual glitches and flaws that are present after a 2 month lay off. The thing I like best is that his premise is if you swing the club everything else falls into place naturally. Brilliant...just Brilliant..I am a convert. I didn't know there was a DVD; I'll order it once I find it. I read the forward by Carol Mann, who now teaches in Houston, and was so motivated by it I called her and have arranged to see her for a few days in March as my golf vacation. She has already passed on some very interesting advice that goes beyond de la Torre's book and I'm very excited about what I can learn from her. BTW, she asked me why I wasn't trying to see de la Torre and, after some hemming and hawing, confesed that I'd rather learn from a champion than someone who has only taught. I'll let you know how it goes. Jeff

I didn't realize until yesterday that episodes of Golf Academy Live from the Golf Channel can be accessed on their website if you pay a subscription fee (either monthly or annual). One worth paying for and watching is Stan Utley's segment from October 2003. That show pretty much catipulted him to the top of the short-game guru heap and has made him all but impossible to see for lessons: last I heard he was only offering full day group lessons (three students) on a very limited basis for over $1,800 per person. Between this segment and his Golf Digest articles you can get a pretty good feel for his philosophy and technique. Jeff

bigdawg is right about the discrepancy between flexes: I'd say the PX 5.0 and the NS Pro 1050 S play about the same in flex: 5.3/5.4, though the trajectory and feel are very different. Jeff

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My $0.02: Don't give up on the 300's until they are worn out. In the meantime, try to hit all the clubs that appeal to you and/or are played by people you respect. This year I'd focus on your driver, as kpcw suggests, and your scoring, which can always get better (unless you're Phil Mickelson!). Good luck! Jeff

FWIW, I went from Rifle 6.0 to Flighted Rifle 5.0 to Project X 5.0 to NS Pro 1050 S. I'm very happy with the Nippons but would play the PX if I had to. I would not return to the Rifles; they feel dead to me. Jeff

I haven't seen the Scratch '05 proto CB's in person let alone hit them but, given the pedigree (it's based on a MOZ Ishihara design), I'd assume that they'd be a nice set of CB's. That said, I'm a huge fan of the Scratch Tour Blades. I have a proto set that was ground and finished in Japan at Ishihara and, naturally, they look great. I actually bought them because they looked so good but expected that I'd keep playing my Scratch '04 proto CB's. However, the combination of the surprisingly forgiving head and the nice feel of the NS Pro 1050's convinced me to put them in my bag. The only thing I can think of that might get them out is a custom set of Mizuno's. Good luck! Jeff

Here's my $0.02: Work on improving your stroke through trial and error using the following two methods (the first one only works if you putt in an arc - as Stan Utley teaches - not straight back-straight through - as Pelz teaches): 1. Practice long (30 to 60 feet) uphill putts, right hand only, using a sand wedge, striking the ball on the equator with the leading edge. This will be impossible at first but eventually you'll be able to roll 60 footers to within 3 feet consistently using just the right hand and a sand wedge. Your stroke will then feel rock solid. This is from Gravity Golf guru David Lee. 2. Practice putting with a striped ball. You can make one yourself (draw a stripe around the equator), use a range ball or buy fancy ones from David Pelz. Set the stripe vertical to the ground and along the target line. Any off-center contact will cause the stripe to wobble as the ball rolls toward the target. The goal is to consistently strike putts so the stripe does not wobble at all. You can do this on the carpet all winter. You will find out relatively quickly which stroke mechanics and mental keys work and which don't. Then, practice what works! Jeff

I took a close look at my 15* and 19* Super S.S. Pros and I think I see what you are talking about: there is no space between "S.S." and the "P" of Pro and the word "Pro" seems to be on a line slightly above the "Super S.S." engraving and tilted up to the right. Could well be that the "Pro" was added to the "Super S.S." engraving in a slightly haphazard way. But I don't think it means that what you and I have is not authentic. Jeff

Shipped off my new 16* and 19* Super SS Pro's to Joe Kwok yesterday but will look at my old 15* and 19* when I get home. I don't think you have much to worry about though because the Super SS 4 wood has 18* of loft and the highest loft Super SS 3 wood is 15.5*. There is no 16* loft Super SS. What does the face angle on your 16* look like? The Super SS Pro's are square and the Super SS's are a degree or so closed. Jeff

Just an update...I'm having JK put Fuji 27.3 (mid kickpoint) S flex in the RC fairways; the 22* he wil probably tip a bit. I'm having him dull the leading edge and grind the sole so they all sit square to a little open (the 22* Super S.S. will take the most work). This a great deal: all-in I'll get three brand new Joe Kwok-built tour quality RC fairways with Fuji shafts for about $225 per club. Jeff

I play the predecessor to the Type H, the Super S.S. Pro, also in 15*. I don't think these are the most forgiving clubs: not a big head, not shallow, square to open face angle. The Type H is also weighted to give a high launch, low spin ball flight: this might not be so good for a slower swinger. This off-season, I'm switching to a 16* Super S.S. Pro with a lower kick shaft, 43" length, as a strong 4/weak 3 wood. I'm a decent ball-striker but my course favors carry over length. Don't know, but the 15* Type H might be more club than you want or need. Also, you can get the Super S.S. Pro off a a couple of vendors on eBay for dirt cheap prices. Jeff

I'm looking to sell my Royal Collection Super S.S. Pro 15* 4+ and 19* 5 fairways. Shafts are SST pured Fuji Vista Tour 70, S flex. Great, great fairway clubs, the Vista Tour 70's flexpoint is just a little too high for me. Have gone to the mid-flex Tour Platform 27.3. Length of 15* is 43", 19* is 42". Brand new standard full cord round Tour Velvet grips, logo down. Swingweight is D-3; leading edges have been killed. Originally came out at D-6 so some weight was ground off the soles to get to D-3. Both played about 20 rounds. On the 19*, small blemish in clear coat on crown, small scratch near hosel; both may compound out. 15* head is perfect; small blemish in shaft paint, 9" above the sole, appears to have been caused by the headcover's zipper. Please make offers; no reasonable offer refused! Jeff

I'm looking for some new fairways: strong 4/weak 3 (15-16*), 5 (19-20*), and 7 (22-23*). I like the RC Super S.S. Pro and picked up three heads cheap on eBay to have Joe Kwok make up. We just need to pick shafts. Still, I'm interested in the latest and greatest and am intrigued with the Gauge GAF1, particularly the 0.5* open face and the new GD I-65 shaft. Anything else I should look at or any new releases I should wait for? Jeff

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