I've just come from Formby Hall PGA Academy, where I had a session using SAM Puttlab with the Harold Swash Putting Schools' Mike Kanski....
Pictured above, Richie,
Mark, Joel & Mike
The video from the lesson is shown below, face on:
Formby Halls Website is at:
http://www.formbyhallgolfresort.co.uk/golf.shtml
You can find the Harold Swash Putting School at:
http://www.haroldswashputting.co.uk/
and details on Mike Kanski and his instruction are at:
http://michaelkanski.com/index2.php#/home/
Monday 30 January 2012
First Practice Session
Below I have posted video of my first attempt at the Stack & Tilt swing.
Darren Hopwood PGA Pro and Stack & Tilt authorised Instructor has given some useful feedback and insight into what I was NOT doing and how I should improve:
In the last blog - I put down my reasons, now I'll say how I intend to make it all work. I'm going to try to do this WITHOUT professional instruction, although I hope that my friends will help to a degree - so here is a little "nod to the gods" that I'll be looking to along my path:
Formby Hall PGA Academy - have offered me the use of their "Start to Play" package, which include 8 rounds on their 9 hole academy course and 8 buckets of ball each month:
Darren Hopwood PGA Pro at Penwortham Golf Club has offered some help - he is a trained S&T Instructor and may comment and offer analysis on video that I post later - here is Darren explaining the Stack & Tilt method:
Here is the definative list of Stack & Tilt Instructor (inc Darren Hopwood)
My good friend Dean Beaver - is looking at training in Stack
& Tilt and will be playing alongside me at our Club Herons Reach in
Blackpool. Dean is an accomplished instructor and a 5 handicapper:
Alan Gunnigle and I won a place to play with
Rory McIlroy at the Belfry in a competition run jointy by UNICEF and
SKINS both of whom work closely with McIlroy - our game was last tuesday
the 13th September 2011 at the Belfry.
As winners we got to play against pairs from
across the globe for the title King of Skins on the famous Brabazon
Course, host to 4 Ryder Cups.
The day started at 08:30 am with breakfast in
the Ryder room, a meet and greet with Rory and at 10pm a session on the
range with Rory demonstrating his skills and taking questions from us.
Much comment was made of my funky Parallel Golf shirt and plus fours
combo - in fact I was asked 3 times where I had picked the outfit up!
We teed up in the last group at 12:30, catching-up and playing our 3 holes with Rory McIlroy on the 11th.
We struggled when in the presence of
greatness and in-fact I was the only one of our fourball to post a score
on the 11th with a 6 for 1 to add to Rorys 4 for 2.
Alan and I made it round the Brabazon in 39
points, Rorys 3 holes contributed an additional 5 points giving us a
total of 44 making us clear winners on the day by 2 points.
We were presented with our prize by Rory at
the evening meal and were "crowned" Kings of Skins for the inaugural
2011 event, hopefully we will get a chance to play & defend the
title next year!
In a nutshell, I had both my best and worst season at golf in 2011.
Some amazing luck gave me a county title - Lancashire Handicap Foursomes Champion AND got me the title King of Skins 2011 after playing with Rory McIlroy at the Belfry on 13th September 2011.
BUT
My medal and club performances were poor to say the least, and I feel that I must be one of the most inconsistant golfers out there.
STACK & TILT - making a VIRTUE of my FAULTS Having looked at the Stack & Tilt model, I noticed that my swing is not dissimilar to the Stack & Tilt Swing, I often can be seen straightening my right leg:
Also keeping my arms connected to my body and bringing the club "too far" inside on the backwing:
Also my finish on the good shots is abreviated, which has similarities to the finish in Stack & Tilt:
Thanks for Formby Halls PGA instruction suite I also know that my weight at address is to far forward (55/45 - is prescribed in S&T - mine is 60/40) - the video below from my best ever competition score of -6 under at Lytham Green Drive in the Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs Collinge Qualifier 2005 shows most of these faults and how on the day the became a virtue. So I'm going to try to change that:
to something like this:
Playing History
Having played now for over 12 years, starting at 25 handicap hitting a low of 15 serveral years back and this year having gone from 18.4 to 16.4 by virtue of General Play adjustment - its time for a change.
My nemesis has always been my driving and with a view to gaining some of the consistancy that is in Plumber and Bennets Stack & Tilt golf swing I have decided to dedicate my 2012 season to improvement by adopting the "Connected" golf method.
In 2011 I had horrendos individual scores:
26-03-2011 GNGT - 116 Gross Medal - Linden Hall
10-04-2011 Herons Reach - Pro-Am Singles Qualifier 27 points
29-04-2011 GNGT - 24 Points 3/4 Stableford - Styrrup Hall
03-05-2011 Northern Matchplay - Round 1 - 1st leg - 1 Down at SAOL
05-05-2011 Northern Matchplay - Round 1 - 2nd leg - Win 5&4 at Herons Reach
21-05-2011 Herons Reach - Medal - Whites 111 Gross
27-05-2011 GNGT - 20 points 3/4 Stableford - Keighley
29-05-2011 Northern Matchplay - S&A Won 1u on the 19th
30-05-2011 Herons Reach matchplay - came back from 2 down to Beat P.Forster 4&3
03-06-2011 Knocked-out of Gazette Matchplay Singles in Round 1 at Fleetwood 2 down
04-06-2011 Lytham Windwmill Round 1 - Net 79 Round 2 - Net 77 (a good day)
08-06-2011 Knocked-out of Nothern Matchplay Championship Singles in Round 3 at West Derby on the 19th Hole
10-06-2011 Grange Park Open Singles -
27-06-2011 Herons Reach matchplay
03-07-2011 Southport Old Links Open - Nett 78 - pretty good putting - 32 putts!
07-07-2011 Knocked out of the Volvo Matchplay - 1st Round played
09-07-2011 Trilby Tour Sprowston Manor (NQ) - 34 points Full handicap Stableford
21-07-2011 Golf Monthly Centenary Event Worsley Park - 30 points Stableford - (NQ)
27-07-2011 Golf Monthly Centenary Event Breadsall Priory - 23 points Stableford - (NQ)
14-08-2011 Herons reach Captain day - 27 points
15-08-2011 Knocked-out of 1st round of M.E.N Matchplay.
17-08-2011 Herons Reach Stableford - 35 points
30-08-2011 Matchplay Championship at Herons VS Kevin Willman Knott-End - JC Won 4&3
21-09-2011 Herons Reach Stableford - 13 points
25-09-2011 Longridge Plate Stableford - 19 points
28-09-2011 Herons Reach Medal - 101 Gross - 83 Nett (REDUCTIONS ONLY)
01/11/2011 - Thru 2nd round with a bye Matchplay Championship
29-10-2011 GNGT - 25 Points 3/4 Stableford - Close House - Filly Course
Matchplay Summary
-----------------
Entered 6 Singles Tournaments (Northern Matchplay, Gazette, Volvo, Matchplay.com M.E.News & Herons Club)
- Knocked-out of all except Matchplay.com where I have got through the first round.
Entered 1 pairs tournament with Alan Gunnigle - (International Pairs) Knocked-out in 2nd round.
Other Tournaments Lost:
-----------------------
Jamaica Doubles Qualifier - 4B Combined at Wychwood - failed to qualify (top 6) with A.Gunnigle
Events Won:
-----------
Lancashire Handicap Foursomes - Won on Countback with Alan Gunnigle.
Kings of Skins - with Alan Gunnigle at the Belfry playing with Rory Mcilroy.
