As a follow-up to last month’s article, I hope our California area Olde School Golfers golfers had a chance to attend at least one of the PGA tour events in our area recently. If so, I hope you and your friends had a great time, and you were able to learn a little as well. The weather was a challenge, but being able to watch first hand was worth the effort. Having Lompoc centrally located makes it an easy day trip or a nice overnight adventure.
During the events, I had the opportunity to interview over 40 players, and film 35 different Golf swings. I am always in search of the common denominators that are shared by the best players in the world in an effort to continue to bring back beneficial information for all golfers, and Olde School Golf School students. I asked each individual player two questions. First, do you consider yourself “old school” or “new school” in regards to your playing philosophy, and second, would you offer your three most important keys to solid short game performance. The players were all first class and accommodating. All were generous with their time, despite the elements and adjustments they had to make.
In general, the majority of the players considered themselves to be Olde School in their heart. Of the 43 players I interviewed, thirty were quick to say “old school”, four were “new school”, and nine were adamant that you need a balance of the two in order to compete at the highest level.
They all love the game and it’s the traditions. They all work very hard at developing their skills. But when it comes down to it, to quote Graham McDowell, “at the end of the day, after the work is done, the mechanics are practiced, the drills are completed, when you step on the course, it’s all about the timing, rhythm, balance, imagination, and feel of the game.”
A few examples of the comments include K.J Choi’s recommendation that you spend enough time on the short game to develop a routine, learn your ball position, and gain confidence. Padrig Harrington said, “focus on the target and develop distance control skills.” Zac Blair said, “controlling the length of the swing and controlling trajectory by club selection are his most important keys to be consistent and efficient around the green”. Matt Kuchar stressed “have a wide bottom” He explained that you will have more consistent ball contact, results, and confidence if you sweep the short shots, as opposed to being too steep at the angle of attack. The most common comment, shared by Jhonathan Vegas, and Keegan Bradley was to was to keep it simple, and learn to control the length of your swing( same effort) to regulate the distance of the shot.
All makes great sense to me!
For a more in-depth look into each individual’s ideas on the subject, or to view video interviews and photos, visit www.oldeschoolgolfschool.com or feel free to contact me or send a comment or question to bob@oldeschoolgolfschool.com