From the last lesson, Nick gave me homework of:

HOMEWORK: #1 Practice the 3 things in the last lesson.
RESULTS: I haven’t been able to practice as much, but I am starting to feel more comfortable with the swing. So I would say, I didn’t do this, but will continue to.

HOMEWORK: #2 Keep on increasing the ball speed.
RESULTS: SUCCESS. Nick was so surprised when I was pounding 120mph+ ball speed with an 8i on the flightscope/trackman. I even doubted myself. Nick went to verify all the settings, and asked me to hit a couple of more balls, I got to at the highest 128mph. (laugh) — that was probably a fluke. I averaged out about 118mph ball speed after about 12-15 balls. On the flightscope/trackman, my 8i was getting distances from 165Y to ~190Y (the fluke one). This is a result of my confidence in doing the moves Nick is asking me to do so I can swing a lot faster + working out those legs.. swinging in balance is key.

To really understand what these numbers mean, I’ve attached the Trackman official PGA Tour averages below. As you can tell, the average 8i on the PGA Tour is 115mph ball speed at a 18.1 degree launch. I’m hovering around the 19-20 degree right now. Also to keep in mind, the ball speed has a lot to do with how you contact with the ball, sometimes perfect, and most of the times… off.

This third lesson, Nick was happy with 90% of my back swing except for the occasional taking it back too far and letting my hands loose (I’m trying trying to work on that). We worked on the downswing this session to tie it all together. Here are the things I’m working on:

1. My hands staying on the plane line on the way down. (Imagine a line drawn on the same path as my club at address all the way past my body)
2. Lateral shift on my back foot.

See video below for my latest swings (before with slow motion, and more of a natural speed)

HOMEWORK:
#1 Practice the lateral shift on my back foot.

HOMEWORK: #1 Practice to take away, get used to it. Video tape myself, and make what’s uncomfortable, comfortable because it is right.
RESULTS: Success.

HOMEWORK: #2 Use an 8 iron, and get my ball speed up above 110mph+. Ideally, he wants me at 115. Not club head speed, but ball speed, that’s the only thing he cares about… for now.
RESULTS: Success. I was able to average about 112mph. And this is without using too much effort as I am not used to the swing yet.

The second lesson, is a continuation of the takeaway plus a few more. The things Nick asked me to work on are:

1. Don’t overswing, keep it above parallel.
2. Hinge the hands in only one direction
3. Don’t let go of the club

See video below of my latest swing:

HOMEWORK:
#1 Practice the 3 things above.
#2 Keep on increasing the ball speed.

1. Off-season strength training at Laylor Performance Systems
2. Eat better, yes, that means try not to kill myself at all the Christmas dinners.
3. Lessons. I’ve signed up with Nick Starchuk.
4. Dedicated practicing – drills, putting, etc.

So I’ve decided to take lessons with Nick after much persuasion by a few TGNers (you know who you are).

Before starting my first lesson, Nick analyzed what my strong/weak points of my game were, and asked if I have held previous coaching (who doesn’t read this thread? jk), and where I want to be. So, I said, my strongest game during the season was my iron game, my weakest was my driver, and probably putting. I told him that I would probably like to start fresh, and learn this methodology.

So after the chit chat, the first thing we did was analysis my current swing (which you will see below before and after). Nick wanted me to correct my takeaway. In the past, I’ve been trying hard to correct this and I thought I did until I saw the video again, and I realized that I keep pushing my arms outsides when I do my takeaway.

#1 Nick asked me to visualize and almost feel like I am taking the club towards my back leg, that’s how extreme he wanted me to go… it felt awkward at first, but in video, it looks like I am on plane. So turn the hips with the shoulder, but really bring the club towards my back foot and hinge my club earlier + hold.

#2 Grip pressure is firm. He doesn’t want a lose grip. He said, if everyone had lose grip on the tour, then they would never need to change grips. Grip is firmly, that’s how the shaft will bend. More importantly, my right hand, he wants my index finger, where the knuckle is, on the inside to feel as if that is the point where it is pushing onto the club. If you were to put the club down on the floor at address position, and if you lean the shaft forward with your hands, he said the pressure point you should sense is that inside of the index finger where the knuckle is. There is the force pushing it forward/down.

#3 At the top (3/4), push out with the right hand to crate width and torque. Also, since my grip is strong, he wants my right hand to feel like I am a sever holding up a tray of food, so the right hand is bent with the palm facing up while pushing out constantly.

#4 I have a tendency for my left hand to kind of let the grip go, usually caused by the last 3 fingers of my left hand. You can see that I am lose, then I re-grip as I come down on the swing. If I showed you my glove you can also see evidence of that. So after doing 30 minutes of taking it back slowly, getting into the right feeling and position, he said think about gripping harder for the last 3 fingers of my left hand. Little do I know, I don’t over extend on the backswing (dropping the club), and I feel like I have more control of the club face.

Of course, there are more technical stuff that Nick explained, and I think I would need more lessons and research to quite understand, but I can leave it up to him to explain after the club path / club face / planes / angle of attacks.

See video below:

Before:

After:

HOMEWORK:
#1 Practice to take away, get used to it. Video tape myself, and make what’s uncomfortable, comfortable because it is right.

#2 Use an 8 iron, and get my ball speed up above 110mph+. Ideally, he wants me at 115. Not club head speed, but ball speed, that’s the only thing he cares about… for now.

This is the start to my game plan, I hope you guys have one too.

2011 Swing Changes and Thoughts

1. Taking it back with my shoulders, so try to avoid using my hands to initiate the back swing.
2. Neutral grip to strong grip (seeing more knuckles at address)
3. Swing path from inside out. This was particularly tough in the beginning but what helped a lot was what I actually heard from the pro at Cedar Brae. He stuck a two two tees down, one being about 12 inch behind the ball on the upper side (avoid hitting it would make sure my swing isn’t over the top), then the second tee about 12 inches in front of the ball. He made me just think about not hitting the tees, and that gave me the feeling of inside out, so my thoughts now are, 7 o’clock to 1 o’clock.
4. Avoid my back foot from fully turning before impact. One of my biggest problem in the season was that my back foot would be almost close to finishing position at impact, which has caused my swing to come from the outside since it had no room to come from the inside. Therefore, Ive been practicing keeping my foot down with more of a lateral shift then a lift and turn during impact.

 
2011 Strength Training
Key word is strength. I have been lucky to have been training with Clance at Laylor Performance Systems to help my golf game. He would tell me over and over again, never replicate my swing using weights or swing trainers as those do not work, in fact it will have negative impact. And he’s right, based on my results.

Clance put me on a series of similar programs he uses to help NHL professionals as well as a stretching routine (which I haven’t been doing as much, but I know I should). He wants me to train at least 3-4 times a week, but sometimes with tournaments and vacation in the way, it has been hard but I do manage to get in on average probably 3 times a week.

When I first started, it was discouraging to see how others are benching, squatting, pulling more than me, but I know it takes time, and they were in my shoes when they first started as well. Now after 3 months of off-season and 6 months of in-season training, I can do pull ups and chin ups without problem.

Weight: 152lbs @ 170cm.
Bench: 170lbs
Back Squats: 195lbs
Curl (2 hands): 82.5lbs

2011 Equipment & Stats
These stats were tracked and cross verified with trackman, flightscope, simulators at Lakeshore Links, and Centennial Park Par 3s using Bushnell V2 Tour Laser range finder.

Driver (TM R11 TP 10.5 Stiff) – Carry average 230-245Y – Avg. Club Speed (98-103mph)
3 Wood (TM R11 TP T3 14 Stiff) – Carry average 215Y, Roll 230Y
3 Hybrid (TM 2011 Rescue 19 Stiff) – Carry average 195Y, Roll 215Y
Irons (TM R9 0.5″ Shorter Stiff)
4i – 195-205Y
5i – 190-195Y
6i – 180-185Y
7i – 170-175Y
8i – 155-165Y
9i – 145-150Y
Pw – 130-140Y
Aw – 110-120Y
Lw (TM xFT 60.10) – 75-85Y
Putter (TM-110 Ghost Tour – 32.5”)

Swing Path: Inside-Out

2011 Results & Achievements

1. Broke 80 3 times
2. Won 1 GTAAT Tour Event
3. Placed 2nd @ the GTAAT Championship & 4th in Order of Merits
4. Increased in distance
5. Better understanding of club path, face, and impact and how they affect the ball

 
2012 Plans And Goals

1. Practice more at a facility that can track the stats I need to improve. I have chosen Lakeshore Links Indoor Golf as my off and in-season training facility.
2. Continue my strength training at Laylor Performance Systems
3. Stretch more
4. Keeping my arms connected with the body
5. Once a week, spend 2-3 hours on putting drills at Lakeshore Links
6. Once a week, spend 1-2 hours on short game
7. Move to single handicap (currently @13)

 
2012 Plans that I am considering

1. Find a new instructor to take me to the next level
2. Aim point sessions

Picked up the Globe and Mail today, and this is what I saw in the business section:

For the Cambridge Cup that happened on August 28th, I presented the Golf Trophy to the winners Alexander So, David Radovini, Oliver Tabarez, and Joey Tavares. Unfortunately, some people came a little late, so Joey accepted the award on behalf of everyone else.

To see more pictures, go to the Cambridge Website here.

Here is the press release from their site (http://www.gtaamateurtour.com/about-the-tour/press-releases)

October 4, 2011 (Foot’s Bay, ON) – The TaylorMade GTA Amateur Tour concluded its competitive season today up in Muskoka. The Tour Championship featured 80 of the Tour’s top golfers, spread out over its four Flights; the combination made some of the most intensely competitive golf of the season. The two-day Championship proved to be quite the impactful event in the Tour’s Order of Merit races, and demonstrated the great ability of the Tour’s competitors to perform under pressure. Three of the Four Flights were anything but a lock coming into the event, and such knowledge would have most certainly weighed heavy on the nerves of each Flight’s respective points leaders. And after some challenging weather during Monday’s round, the Tour’s best were treated with some wonderful weather on Tuesday, closing out a fantastic season, and opening the door for a low second-day score to win the Championship. The results were some of the most exciting finishes of the season, and some of the Tour’s best golfing performances of the year.

The tightest races came from within the B Flight, where a four-way playoff was needed to determine the winner. After the first day, Brampton’s Fred Snel, Mt. Hope’s Jeff Springsted, Toronto’s Bruce Findlay and Brampton’s Brad Conley found themselves within a few strokes of each other, all in the top-five. An outright victory for any one of those players may have been enough to take home the season’s Order of Merit race outright. However, on day-two, each one of these competitors nearly matched their counterparts and all four players had 36-hole totals of 171; a sudden death playoff ensued, with the Tour Championship, and Order of Merit race on the line. “It was very intense,” noted Conley.

The playoff took place on the course’s dramatic risk reward par-5 18th, and it was on this hole where Conley separated himself from his competitors: “my approach into the 18th and the putt to win were undoubtedly my best shots of the day.” That finish proved to be the difference for Conley; those two shots gave him a playoff victory, in The Tour Championship, for the season-long Order of Merit title. “It feels so good to win under pressure,” said a relieved, and very happy Conley.

In the A Flight, it was a bit of dicey second day for Scott Kapuscinski, but a strong enough round on the first day to get the job done. On the first day, The Toronto native fired an impressive 73 – his low-round of the season – which sent him home that evening with a five-shot lead. At that point, it seemed like everything was a lock. “It was very competitive,” said Kapuscinski on his feelings after the first day.

On day two, Kapuscinski wavered a little bit, blowing up and shooting a much higher number (89) than his previous day’s performance, but the cushion he made for himself on day-one provided him with enough of a lead to hang on. “My best shot was the putt on 18 to secure the win,” said a very relieved Kapuscinski.

The victory today proved to also be the difference maker in Kapuscinski’s run for the Order of Merit title. Victories, and top finishes, in the closing events of the season had built up his points and brought him within range of the title, and a top-performance at the Championship rewarded him with that title: “It is an absolute dream come true – I have aspired to this and didn’t know that it could happen.”

Chasing Kapuscinski throughout the Tournament were the Corvese brothers: Chris and Michael. The two finished in, second and third, in the Tour Championship. Whitby’s Chris Corvese also finished the season in second place in the Order of Merit standings.

The Championship Flight was all but an official lock prior to the Championship, but that did not stop Waterloo’s Rob Cowan from finishing the season with another impressive performance. Cowan shot a 72-69 for a two-day total of 141, and an impressive 24 shot victory over his nearest competitors. This was Cowan’s fifth consecutive Order of Merit title, and he did so with a wire-to-wire season-long victory, having never given up the lead in the points race. “I knew I had a strong chance of winning the Order of Merit going into the event,” said a modest Cowan, “but to win The Tour Championship was a little extra awesome – I was really happy with how I played over these two days.”

Despite his strong lead throughout the season, Cowan was certainly tested and challenged on a weekly basis, which continued into the Championship. Multiple tournament winner Mississauga’s Matt Gay, and Milton’s Al Dairou finished in second and third place in The Tour Championship. Markham’s Steve Thompson finished fifth in the Tour Championship, and second in the Order of Merit standings.

Lastly, in the C Flight, it was another strong finish that took home the Championship title. Huntsville’s Jay White was in the hunt after a 92 on the first day, seven shots off the leader. But he really turned it on in the second round of the tournament by shooting an 84, the low score of his flight. This score gave White a two-day total of 176, and the Tour Championship title by six shots over Toronto’s Jeremy Choi. Toronto’s David MacLachlan finished in third with 183. “I really did not expect to do this today,” said a happy White. “This was only my 15th round of the season, so it is such a huge accomplishment.”

Although White’s victory was a huge accomplishment, he started the tournament too far back in the points race to make a run at the title, putting emphasis on top finishes for those just trailing. Answering those calls were Toronto’s Duane Gomes and Caledon’s Robert Squirrell who finished fourth and sixth place, respectively, in the Tour Championship. The finishes by those competitors left them tied, in the points race, for the season-long title, which ultimately named both of them 2011 Order of Merit Champions.

Over the two days there were two long drive titles captured by Morgan Rubes and Bruce Findlay, and two closest-to-the-pin titles, which were won by Peter Tobin and Jay White.

In addition to the TaylorMade prizing awarded to the Tour’s top finishers in the event today, there was also an abundance of draw prizing handed out from ECCO Shoes and The Mill Street Brewery. Dominic Marchesano, Neil Gahani, Troy Langley and Serge Marchuk each won a Mill Street Brewery draw; and Matt Perricciolo, Doug Remmer, Grant Brown and Bruce Findlay each won an ECCO Shoe draw.

For full field scores for the Tour Championship, please log on to your profile on the Tour’s website at www.gtaamateurtour.com. The Tour’s staff would like to congratulate its 2011 Champions, and thank them for such an exciting finish to the season; they look forward to seeing you at The Tour’s member guest event at Meadowbrook G&CC on Monday October 17, 2011.

With a pair of 84s, Markham’s Jeff Lundy and Richmond Hill’s Mike Kierstead found themselves tied for the lead in the B Flight; an impressive feat given the size of the B Flight (nearly 50 golfers). Both players have been near the top of the leader board all season, and it was only fitting that the two would be finish tied for first today at the second major of the season.

However, because of Kierstead’s absence once all the score cards were collected, the victory was conceded to Lundy; he instantly went to the top of the B Flight’s Order of Merit standings, and with an impressive 120-point lead over Woodbridge’s Brandon Nguyen, who finished tied for third today with Toronto’s Cyril Ma.

Close competition was the name of the game in the C Flight as well; hometown player, Pickering’s Fernand Pelletier, and Milton’s Barry White finished out their days with matching 88s. The two headed back out to the course to play a sudden death playoff. It was a tight match that went back and forth over two holes, but eventually Pelletier prevailed.

The win is a bit bittersweet for Pelletier, who will make the move to the B Flight after successfully defending his title, and taking home his third victory of the season.

Toronto’s Jeremy Choi and Duane Gomes finished in third and fourth place, respectively.

Today’s winner of the long-drive competition was John Borromeo; Cyril Ma took home closest-to-the-pin honours.

From that, I was given some prize money to buy the new Taylormade TM-110 Daytona Tour Putter. It is a beautiful putter.

My first round with this putter, in just 2 weeks after with much practice (this past Sunday) I played in the Roger Cup Tournament, and I shot a 77 from the Blue Tees @ Foxbridge Golf & Country Club (approx. 6000Y), not a long course and quite forgiving, but it is the best round in my entire life and I actually broke 80, for the first time! Money well spent on the putter

Overall the whole tournament my drives were pretty consistent, I was pounding out average 250Y+ drives (thanks Clance @ LPS),hit only 5 FIRs. but my iron shots from the rough/fairways landed me 10 GIRs. My putting was also on fire on the front 9, but also putting most approach shot less than 7 feet from the hole helps. Ended up with 30 putts for the entire round with one 3 putt from 10 feet. I got lazy to do a quick tap in from 1 feet without stepping on someone’s line, and it lipped out.

On the back nine (hole 6), I hooked the ball to the left to the red stakes, so I was 3 off the tee into the rough behind a tree, so I had to punch it out and put it back onto the green. So i was 5 onto the green and two putt just to save triple.

All in all, I had a pretty good round, and I am looking forward to next week where I compete at Whitevale on the GTA Amateur Tour.