How many times as a player have you wondered if your performance has anything to do with what you do (or don’t) consume? You should be asking yourself this daily because your diet and hydration directly impact performance! Duh, right? Here’s what I typically hear from players or even other coaches when I ask […]
I know the “hot topic” right now is the merger of LIV (PIF) and the PGA Tour but my question would be, is that going to have an effect on your personal golf game? I think I know the answer. So let’s dive in to this months topic and why data is so important for us […]
I know the “hot topic” right now is the merger of LIV (PIF) and the PGA Tour but my question would be, is that going to have an effect on your personal golf game? I think I know the answer. So let’s dive in to this months topic and why data is so important for us all to improve at the game. It has been some what of a challenge over the years for me as a coach to get players to track stats even though in the college game and professional game it has been done for many years. Even simple stats like Fairways In Regulation (FIR), Greens In Regulation (GIR) and Putts Per Round (PPR) seemed to be such a chore for the players to chart yet these simple stats can tell us so much about our games and what we need to work on. If I went out and tracked for the player it would astound me that they may have over 30 putts per round yet see the driver as the culprit to all their poor scoring. I’d zoom in on iron or wedge play and proximity to the hole and get resistance. Out golf game is like a puzzle, all the pieces need to fit together properly and I have found through my own research that Off The Tee (OTT), Approach Shots (APP), Around The Greens (ATG) and Putts are those pieces to the puzzle. We can take a deep dive into the quality of shots and also a players miss pattern and develop a game plan to help them become proficient in areas of weakness or inefficiency. I have said it and written it many times, whether we like it or not, data rules the world and it certainly rules sports. Analytics has been in sport for many, many years and has only advanced and gotten easier to collect and understand. In golf many of my students use ARCCOS sensors and CLIPPD which integrates to one app seamlessly so practice and on course data can collected and analyzed right on your phone. Amazing! Being able to interpret this information is simple! This is a fast way to develop strokes gained insight, shot quality and player quality for a minimal investment of finances. Why wouldn’t we want to know this information? Will we get too good or our handicap will go too low? What is very interesting is we’d collect and analyze data in business or investments but not our golf games. We want doppler to be used to see numbers and tendencies yet when we play the game we don’t want to know anything but the score. I will share those that are using data improve more rapidly than those that don’t. Is it time for you to collect data on your golf game? The answer is a resounding YES!
If you’d like more help or information on Arccos and/or Clippd please reach out to me at brianjacobsgolf@email.com
Golf is a sport that requires precision, technique, and consistency. To improve one’s golf game, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the swing mechanics and how they affect the ball’s flight. Three-dimensional (3D) analysis for golf provides valuable insights into the golfer’s swing, enabling them to identify areas for […]
Golf is a sport that requires precision, technique, and consistency. To improve one’s golf game, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the swing mechanics and how they affect the ball’s flight. Three-dimensional (3D) analysis for golf provides valuable insights into the golfer’s swing, enabling them to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments.
3D analysis uses generally uses high-speed cameras and specialized software to capture and analyze the golfer’s swing in three dimensions but now we can capture 3D on our phones using a platform called Sportsbox ai. Sportsbox ai It provides detailed information about the swing’s angles, speed, and trajectory, allowing golfers to see exactly where they need to make improvements. The analysis can be done in real-time, giving golfers instant feedback on their swing mechanics, which is invaluable for identifying and correcting issues quickly.
One of the key benefits of 3D analysis is that it provides objective data about the golfer’s swing. Instead of relying on subjective opinions or guesses, golfers can see precisely how their swing mechanics affect the ball’s flight. This objective data enables them to make informed decisions about their swing adjustments, leading to more consistent, accurate shots.
Another advantage of 3D analysis is that it allows golfers to compare their swing mechanics to those of professional golfers. By analyzing the mechanics of top golfers, golfers can identify areas for improvement in their swing and work towards emulating the techniques of the best in the game. This comparison can be done using side-by-side video comparisons, making it easy to see the differences in mechanics and adjust accordingly.
In conclusion, 3D analysis for golf is an essential tool for golfers looking to improve their game. It provides objective data about swing mechanics, enabling golfers to make informed decisions about adjustments. Additionally, it allows golfers to compare their mechanics to those of professionals, providing a roadmap for improvement. With the help of 3D analysis, golfers can improve their swing mechanics, leading to more consistent, accurate shots and ultimately, a better game.
Wow! Now that is a loaded question. We use AI in so many career areas today but it is fairly new in the game of golf. We first started to see it on the Research and Development Side of golf clubs and now it is used for golf balls and doppler radar (Flightscope, Top […]
Wow! Now that is a loaded question. We use AI in so many career areas today but it is fairly new in the game of golf. We first started to see it on the Research and Development Side of golf clubs and now it is used for golf balls and doppler radar (Flightscope, Top Tracer) , GPS on carts, simulated golf and apps used to track and collect play and practice data for example partners of mine CLIPPD and also Arccos. We use AI in a 3D capturing system such as another partner, Sportsbox AI that can take face on, slow motion video capture and turn the player/student into an avatar and read their body motion in 3 dimensional ranges. Incredible! By definition, artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. Specific applications of AI include expert systems, natural language processing, speech recognition and machine vision. So we have “real intelligence” to make “artificial intelligence” I was once told. Humans make the computers and the languages and software and programs and the AI does the rest.
I will share from a coaching perspective that AI has been an invaluable tool. I can say one thing to a student but being able to confirm that with the student via an AI tool is quite different. They believe me and then can see the data. I am not so sure Hogan or Snead or Nelson would trust AI but todays players all do as do their coaches. AI is here to stay and it’ll only get better (if that is possible). Doppler, sensors and apps to measure are here to stay, the question may be how will you grow as it grows?
In summary this author believes AI is helpful to the game and you already use it so keep it going!!!
There’s that word again..consistent. Life and golf really depend on consistency if you want to be successful for sure. It’s all about doing the little things and the big things will take care of themselves. Success is never a straight line either and that is part of the fun!! “The grind”is always worth it..always. […]
There’s that word again..consistent. Life and golf really depend on consistency if you want to be successful for sure. It’s all about doing the little things and the big things will take care of themselves. Success is never a straight line either and that is part of the fun!! “The grind”is always worth it..always.
So what are the “little things” in golf? What do we need to grind on? In my way of thinking there are a few and I call them “Foundation Training”. At my academy we don’t waste time, ever. Every moment in every program is filled with a purpose and when students are away from the academy they are working on their own and much of this is foundation training such as swing plane, end of takeaway, impact position or post impact. They are purposed with training on putting technique or speed or functional fitness and nutrition and recovery. Most things in golf that are technical (swing plane or positions) can be trained and engrained away from the lesson tee and without hitting any balls. What? Not hit balls? YES! If training on your swing plane or takeaway our best friend is a full length mirror down the line or a plane station with alignment sticks set properly for your plane. If we are working on impact maybe we need a wall or 2″ x4″ or perhaps an impact bag so we have some resistance and we can get our lead wrist into flexion properly. For putting maybe we need a Eyeline PAM putting mirror or a metal yardstick with a ball so we can putt the ball from one end of the stick to the other and not have it go off the stick. What is hitting balls doing for us when we are foundation training? I would argue, nothing. We are better served doing 10 minutes of mirror work 5 days a week then hitting balls. If we were to hit balls we’d want to somehow build on our foundation and play a game for example, on a simulator or outdoors have a 60 yard target green and take 10 shots, use an alignment stick for toe line and one for ball position (middle ball) then try to hit 3 shots out of 10 within 6′ of the center of the 60 yard target or for putting take 9 balls and place them randomly from 41′ to 4′ around one hole then putt the putts trying to score 15 putts or less for the 9 balls. Now that is feedback properly and relates to your foundation training. In truth most people don’t practice properly, they are exercising. They don’t train on foundation ever and when put into a stressful situation like golf they have no skill set or foundation to anchor them.
It’s not too late to train to be prepared for the season but your training needs to be done properly and be planned. Come and visit us if you need help!
Have you ever wondered why everyone seems to be “obsessed” with hitting it farther? I have done hundreds of golf schools and golf experiences and I have yet to hear one person say, “I wish hit it shorter”. I do recall a school I did many years ago for ESPN and an elder statesman […]
Have you ever wondered why everyone seems to be “obsessed” with hitting it farther? I have done hundreds of golf schools and golf experiences and I have yet to hear one person say, “I wish hit it shorter”. I do recall a school I did many years ago for ESPN and an elder statesman came to me at lunch (nobody ever sat with me because I was the guy changing their full swings) and shared his theory for why he drove it inconsistently…he said he needed to slow down. I nearly barfed up my lunch! His average drive was under 200 yards. Slow down? He needed and we need to speed up. His ball flight height was about 60 feet high not 100 feet indicating some speed and smash (center face contact).
Have you noticed the golf courses lately? There are not many old builds anymore that are not adding length wherever they can and new builds are longer and longer. We have to adapt if we want to be successful. Have you noticed the athletes lately that are playing professional golf? Take a look at their bodies. Large glutes and quads, narrow waists, broad, retracted shoulders and narrow chests. They work at vertical speed all the time as well as rotational power, they are mobile and stable and strong. These guys and girls are built for speed. The great thing is, you can be too! We all have access to the tools and training the top level pros employ.
I’ll share my own speed journey. I will also share that I had a mentor who believed the older you got the slower got and there was nothing you could do about it. Luckily, I took that as a challenge and not to heart. I felt the opposite because I was seeing athletes of middle age breaking speed records in sprinting and also long drive so I called a friend of mine in that world of golf and picked his brain. I was enlightened right away! I hired a trainer (yes a Coach) but not just anyone it is someone who is a biomechanics specialist and understands forces (vertical and horizontal) and also one who knows movements to create force, power and speed while staying injury free. Many golfers are caught up in swinging heavy implements and that is fine as part of a larger protocol of wellness..I have used Speed Sticks, Mach 3 (which I love), The Stack System and Golf Forever but there is nothing that can replace jumps, throws, sprints, hinged movements and swings done correctly. Things you can do right at home or your local gym. If you did 3 sets of 10 air squats, 3 sets of 20 yard high knees skips, 3 sets of 20 yards caroicas and 3 sets of 10 vertical jumps 3 days a week you’d be better off for golf than doing a traditional workout. To be fast you have to train for speed. I’d also add that speed is intentional. How many times have you ever tried to “swing fast”? For most the answer would be “never!”. We generally think of slower movements for more control but if we move fast than that speed becomes our normal, we adapt and we can push even farther than that becomes our normal. Of course we will plateau but many of us can gain immediately 6-8 miles per hour of speed with just intention.
In my case, I started at 100 mph swing speed with driver when I started my speed journey two years ago and have maintained 110 mph for over a year. That is 250 yards at the beginning total to now as far as 320 total. Hitting it farther is way more fun! My ball speed is faster as high as 175 mph up from 151 mph. Last season my average for drives was 303 yards and I am 61 years old turning 62 soon; I am still trying to find the right shaft and club head for my driver and currently am playing a Callaway PARADYM Black Diamond with a Tense K series shaft. I also went from a 105 gram iron shaft, regular to a 130 gram s400 so there are equipment changes that come with speed and that is fine with me! I don’t want to be average!
In closing, I think of it this way as I help many elite and professional athletes with their golf games. They are fast and not one of them swings a weighted club, what do they all have in common? They sprint. They jump. They leap. They move side to side quickly. They throw. We should too! if you need help and want to understand more please contact me at brianjacobsgolf@gmail.com
I have done a PSA on this topic a few times and I am at it again… how do we choose a coach for ourselves? So many “golfers” are using the internet now to “coach themselves” which I must share has been great for business! Why you ask? Because most people misdiagnose themselves and this […]
I have done a PSA on this topic a few times and I am at it again… how do we choose a coach for ourselves? So many “golfers” are using the internet now to “coach themselves” which I must share has been great for business! Why you ask? Because most people misdiagnose themselves and this leads to worse play, practice and adds to regression and pain! Now they are ready (they think) for a coach…are you?
Here are five points to keep in mind during the selection process-
Point one: there are no quick fixes in human performance. In other words, becoming even good at golf takes an expert. The expert needs to not only understand and be able to change technique but also physical and mental performance as well. Coaching needs to be process as well as data (results) driven. Coaching is more than “someone spouting information leaning on a 7 iron”.
Point two: One would assume if someone is credentialed as a PGA they can teach but be careful. There are 23 different tracks in the PGA and only one is teaching (not even coaching). There are many good teachers but are they coaches?
Point three: A good way to learn about your possible coach is to observe them on the lesson tee. My tee box is always open visitors, perspective clients, interns, observers, always and always at no charge. YES, some teachers charge for you to observe them. Once you observe the coach, ask for some time quickly after the observation to ask some questions other than price. How long are the coaching sessions? 30 minutes (not long enough), 45 minutes (getting closer), 60 minutes (there you go). Any video analysis with voiceover? Notes to follow up? What technology is being used? Any on course coaching and play (if not run away). Observe the coaches culture very carefully? How does he/she interact with the student? How is the time spent the coach talking or is their interaction? Does the coach move the student? Use training aids for feel in drills or to create barriers? What is their gateway for you to come to the academy or for coaching? A full assessment is key in my way of thinking. A few students have called me and told me 6 lessons should make the change…really? If that was the case, why isn’t the problem changed already? We ALWAYS assess, always.
Point four: Is the person a teacher or coach? Teachers are generally transactional, meaning time for money. Coaches are transformational and they impact your life along with your golf game! I’ll share, I LOVE my students and know them, their stories, journeys, families in many, many cases. We travel together, have dinners, play golf and talk about other topics not because I am being paid but because I genuinely care for them. My unique purpose is to coach, I was created for it and I work at my craft every day. I work at my game, my mobility and stability, my nutrition, my leadership and listening skills, my communication…the list goes on.
Point five: Adopt a growth mindset. Whatever needs to be done will take time, are you willing to commit? A good way to think is to think about all the “reps” you took to be good or great at your vocation…that is what it’ll take to be good or great at golf! Can you coach get you to your goals? How will they get there? Are they willing to give you a voice in the process?
Overall you are seeking a long term solution that will take time (and money) but it is well worth the journey!! Take your time and always remember you are in control (sort of) if coming to me I choose you more than you choose so as you are observing me, I am observing you for a “fit” as well like any great coach!
Well you did it again..another great start to a round of golf and the deeper into the round you got, the more “the wheels fell off”. You put the time in for practice, drill after drill, day after day but you still cannot get two sides of 9 holes together consistently (ugh there is that […]
Well you did it again..another great start to a round of golf and the deeper into the round you got, the more “the wheels fell off”. You put the time in for practice, drill after drill, day after day but you still cannot get two sides of 9 holes together consistently (ugh there is that word again).
Here’s a quick question, what exactly drives you to play golf? In other words, why do you play? Maybe another question is, do you really play golf? Simplified, golf is a game and that being said it is supposed to be fun. I have seen many kinds of golf in my coaching experience, mad golf, sad golf, bad golf, some plaid golf, rad golf and glad goof (the last two not very often), It’s important not only to know how to play but also “your why”. Your driving force. If you are driven solely by results you’ll be disappointed. I am not saying results are not important but the best players and learners are driven by process. Everything is a process and routine. Swing mechanics, nutrition, sleep and recovery, travel, thoughts..process and routine. We all travel pretty much the same process line if we are going to master a skill and be a winner..we get interested ..then motivated..(during this motivation we may seek out an expert..a coach and have some external cues to expedite the process)..we gain confidence, then competence ..then mastery… then we win. It can take a long, long time to be a “master of a skill” and we can become one at any time in our lives so YES we can take up golf later in life and be very, very good it all depends on how committed you are to the process. Isn’t that good news? Here is the kicker though..most of us do not become masters of a skill on our own..we need help! YES, HELP! Preferably from an expert whom can coach you every step of the way. Maybe you even need multiple coaches? Ever see the team athletes have around them? Swing Coach, Short game Coach, Mental Coach, Dietician, Physical Therapist…the list goes on..do you know why? They become a master, faster 😀..they win faster..the process is faster and routined. I have found we all have really good intentions but intentions are not routines, they are thoughts. Maybe it is time to pull out a pen and paper and write your why..why do I play golf? Why do I want to be good? Maybe even, what do I need to do to be my best? My advice, surround yourself with experts (and they are not the guys or girls in your foursome who beat you by one shot in general)..Take an overview of your physical health and wellness for example the food and drinks you consume, your mental health and thought processes for example how you deal with adversity and lastly are you of a growth mindset, meaning you are willing to suffer some to be better. If you need help please contact me at brianjacobsgolf@gmail.com
If I had a penny for every time someone came to me and told me they wanted to be consistent with their golf game I’d be rich! Truth be told, everyone that comes for coaching is consistent, in general not to be mean or rude, they are consistently bad. They are consistent with their motor […]
If I had a penny for every time someone came to me and told me they wanted to be consistent with their golf game I’d be rich! Truth be told, everyone that comes for coaching is consistent, in general not to be mean or rude, they are consistently bad. They are consistent with their motor patterns a.k.a. movement of their bodies, most times highly dysfunctional. They are consistent with their thoughts (mainly confusion) as well as consistently in pain, not physical but emotional, again, dysfunctional. They are consistent in their emotions for sure and many perceive that conquering the game will take no time at all a few “tweaks” is all they need..you guessed it, dysfunctional and maybe a tad distorted. I shared in a coaching session the other day I have 30+ years in the game being trained by the best teachers and coaches in the world and I am still learning, gaining skills and finally starting to feel like “I get it”. Nobody wants to stink in golf or in life. We like peace. We like happiness and joy, we dislike disruption of schedule and/or adversity for long periods of time. Life and golf can surely offer disruption of peace! What has always interested and truthfully befuddled me is that we will hire a coach or seek help for life, business, spiritual matters, get therapy endlessly, take pills that promise happiness, fat loss, memory gain, hair growth or vitality and spend thousands yet we will not hire the services of a qualified golf coach/instructor to improve our quality of play and enjoyment of the game. We want to “do it on our own” or even worse take “tips” from our friends/loved ones who are worse than us in many ways maybe score a bit better but are they qualified to assess and teach you… is this functional? The chances of creating long term or really any success in this game without a solid foundation rooted in proper technique, body movement, data collection from practice and on course play and emotional control is, (drum roll)… 0%, I am sorry to write this but this is through experience I have come to this conclusion. I will share golf is like life in many ways and if we don’t have the proper guidance we fail pretty miserably over and over again. We all know the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over yet expecting different results. Fun..said no one ever. Yet we do it because we saw it on the internet or it worked for a friend; I am charged I believe to stop the insanity!
Here is what I see most if not all are inconsistent with, 1. Start point of a shot (we are terrible at best at aim of the club face at address because we don’t understand path to face relationship and how/why the ball curves and if we can’t aim the face we cannot align our body either..disaster looms), 2. Strike on the club face (why can we not hit the center of the face? Ever? Hmmmm..), 3. Turf interaction (too much, too little, behind the ball, ahead of the ball…which is it?),and, 4. Curve of the ball (Nobody hits the ball straight, that should also never be the goal-the ball always curves just less or more curve..any ideas what that curve is based on?)
In the coming weeks, months and years we have LOTS to unpack and I hope you find this weekly blog enlightening and maybe even a catalyst to hire coaches (yes plural golf and fitness for sure and I can help with this process) to help you with your game. I also am happy to answer your questions and love comments as they challenge me to be my best as a coach/teacher/person as well.
Let’s all be our best and that starts with assessing where we are at, where we want to get to and how we can get there in the least amount of time and pain..
Check back soon to view Brian’s first blog post!