August 25, 2015

Three Day Golf Schools for 2016

August 25, 2015/ Andrew Rice

I have had numerous people contacting me about plans for my schools in 2016 and I thought I had better get cracking and get the word out. Here you go!

DATES for 2016 GOLF SCHOOLS

March 3-5
March 10-12
March 17-19
March 31 - April 2
April 7-9
April 21-23
April 28 - 30
May 5-7
May 19 - 21
June 2-4
June 23-25
July 21-23
August 18-20
September 29 - October 1
October 20-22
November 3-5
November 10-12
December 1-3

All Golf Schools maintain a 4:1 student to instructor ratio. Contact our reservations director at terri@andrewricegolf.com for availability and further information. Please specify school dates that you're interested in.

For the full Three Day School itinerary and additional details please click HERE

August 24, 2015

Optimal Driver Numbers

August 24, 2015/ Andrew Rice

kyle stanley

We would all like to drive the ball longer off the tee, yet far too often golfers search in all the wrong places to find more distance. There are three primary factors that will help you hit the ball further: a well fitted golf club; a stronger, more flexible and ultimately faster you; and a swing that delivers the clubhead to the ball in a manner that maximizes the force you are putting into the swing - what I like to call efficiency. Where you get out what you put in. Here's a great example - on the PGATour David Toms swings at 104 mph and Stephen Gangluff swings at 120 mph, yet they average the exact same distance off the tee....hmmm?

Efficiency is the big fish and the area where most golfers can make the greatest gains. With this in mind I created (with the help of TrackMan) a chart that I like to use to show golfers how far they are capable of hitting the golf ball with their current club speed. The chart ranges from swing speeds of 65 mph to 105 mph and assumes no wind, flat terrain, normal ground conditions, sea level and premium type golf balls. These distances can only be attained with an upward attack angle (+5 degrees) and fairly low spin rates - somewhere between 1900 - 2200 rpm.

Club Speed Ball Speed Launch Angle Carry (yds) Total (yds)

65 mph 96 mph 16.5 136 182

75 mph 111 mph 15.6 157 208

85 mph 126 mph 14.6 193 242

90 mph 133 mph 14.2 209 256

95 mph 140 mph 13.7 225 271

100 mph 148 mph 13.2 242 286

105 mph 156 mph 12.6 259 303

Keep in mind that the above numbers are achievable, but only in a 'best shot' type scenario. David Toms was the most efficient driver on the PGATour in 2012 and at 100 mph he would have averaged 278 yards per drive - very good for an average. Regardless of what our swing speed is we are all capable of this highly efficient delivery of energy from club to ball.

How helpful can this chart be to you? If you're a golf coach with TrackMan technology you can benefit from it immediately. As a golfer you would need to have a rough idea of what your club speed is followed by an honest assessment of how far your ball is travelling in neutral conditions. If you're noticeably shorter than you should be, seek out the nearest golf coach with a TrackMan and get to work.

You may have heard the term high launch, low spin....well, it really is what you should be after off the tee box.

Additional Resources:

Getting More Out of Your Driver | Andrew Rice Golf

Hitting Up or Down? Here's How to Set Up | Andrew Rice Golf

August 20, 2015

Which Driver Shaft Length?

August 20, 2015/ Andrew Rice

testshaft

When I tested my old college driver a few weeks ago my interest was piqued by how close my swing speed with the 43.5 inch club was to my current 45 inch driver. I have heard that altering the shaft length of your driver by an inch can/should alter the club speed by up to 4 mph. This called for a test.....

Using TrackMan my idea was to test the same golfer, clubhead and golf ball, but change the shaft length. I took my current driver, which is the Titleist D3 8.5 degree (B1) with a 45" Motore F3 70 gram stiff shaft and tested it alongside the same head (B1) with a 43" Project X 82 gram stiff shaft. Essentially a driver shaft versus a 3 wood shaft. I had recently came across a 42.5" well kept old Wilson Staff JP persimmon driver with a steel shaft and decided to include that in the testing.

I hit 11 shots with each club and eliminated the data for the poorest shot with each club. I was using fresh Titleist NXT Tour golf balls and it was a perfect 80 degree day with little wind. The results were astounding!

With all three clubs my tendency was to hit up on the ball with a slight in to out club path. My swing plane was very consistent from shot to shot (which surprised me a little actually) and the clubface was almost always slightly open at impact. This path and face relationship led to an average shot shape of a slight draw. Here are the numbers:

45" Driver Shaft

Club Speed 101.3 mph
Ball Speed 151.6 mph
Spin Rate 2697 rpm
Launch Angle 11.3 degrees
Carry 245 yards
Total 272.2 yards
Height 76 feet

43" Three Wood Shaft

Club Speed 101.1 mph
Ball Speed 150.0 mph
Spin Rate 2100 rpm
Launch Angle 14.0 degrees
Carry 249 yards
Total 278.7 yards
Height 84.3 feet

42.5" Persimmon Driver with Steel Shaft

Club Speed 93.4 mph
Ball Speed 141.2 mph
Spin Rate 2115 rpm
Launch Angle 10.3 degrees
Carry 206.4 yards
Total 246.4 yards
Height 48 feet

I couldn't believe it! I hit my driver with a 3 wood shaft further, higher, with less spin and above all else - straighter. Take a look at how much straighter: (yellow - driver shaft/purple - 3 wood shaft/ white - persimmon)

dispersion

I also totaled the distance (after roll) the ten shots with each club finished from the center line:

Persimmon - 182 feet (average 18" off line)
Three wood shaft - 234 feet (average 23" feet off line)
Driver shaft - 315 feet (average 31" off line)

On my Andrew Rice Golf Facebook page I asked readers if they had any experience with shortening the shaft of their driver and here are a few of their responses:

"I just went to a 44" and am loving it! Longer then my 45.5" and straighter too!" GT

"Went to 44" and more consistent with no loss in distance" AvS

"44" Callaway...more fairways AND more distance!!!" CL

"Went to 44" and I hit it more solid further and straighter" PW

"44" this year. I agree it is far better. Middle of the face more often." SF

"I found it made me less steep through attack so I have lowered my spin rate and launched it about a degree higher" AB

By the way - most of the above quotes are from full-time professional golf instructors. So what can we learn from this research?

Having tested a few golfers with shorter shafts it seems to me that each golfer has a 'threshold' length - an ideal length that gives them the optimal combination of speed and accuracy. For some that threshold could be 46" while for others they perform best with a 42" driver. The only way to find out is to get yourself with a teacher or fitter that has access to Trackman and various shafts.

Another point to note is that while the 3 wood shaft had a slightly slower club and ball speed the shots were longer...why? Notice how the launch angle was higher while the spin rate was lower. A perfect illustration of the term 'high launch low spin'. Launch the ball higher to get more out of your tee shots.

What can we learn from the 'persimmon' data? While that shaft was even shorter than the 3 wood shaft it was substantially heavier. I believe the 3 wood graphite shaft was almost 50 grams lighter than it's steel counterpart which would explain the almost 7 mph difference in club speed. The size, or lack there of, of the head was intimidating in the beginning, but as I went through the shots I became more comfortable. I believe that practicing with a smaller clubhead like this can only be beneficial in the long term for any serious golfer.

My feeling standing over the shorter club was better and almost every golfer I tested reported the same sense. The club feels easier to control and many golfers have reported a feel that they can 'get through' the shot better. I really felt like I could smash it without it going off line - a nice feeling!

Physics says that longer shaft + lighter shaft = faster club speed = more distance. On paper that might be true, but when the human element is involved everything changes. The next time I tee it up it will be with a substantially shorter shaft in my driver...but that's just me!

August 18, 2015

The Truth about Divots

August 18, 2015/ Andrew Rice

I think divots are over-rated. They are not integral to great ball striking and they certainly don't give us as much information pertaining to the swing that led to the divot as we have been led to think. And to think that I used to love them, I used to encourage all my students, even ladies, to hit down and take divots...

Times have changed! TrackMan has shown me that far more golfers hit down too much than those who don't hit down enough. The "hit down" mantra has been flogged to death.

This video I filmed in conjunction with Revolution Golf will give you some idea as to what to look for as you work towards an improved and shallower strike on the ball.

As Martin Chuck so aptly said in this very good follow up video, "We're looking for bacon strips, not pork chops!" A shallow strike will improve the crispness of your strike - give it a try.

Thanks for reading along.

August 13, 2015

Prepare to Play Great Golf

August 13, 2015/ Andrew Rice

In today's fast paced world there isn't enough time to play golf, never mind work in a proper warm-up before you play. With the help of Berkeley Hall's TPI Certified trainer, Derek Lemire, this article isolates a few important exercises you can sneak in before the round to help you better prepare to play some great golf.

Here is a breakdown of the key areas to focus on and suggested exercises to complete:

HIPS

Hip Kick (0:50)
Hip Rotation (1:05)
Hip Tilt (1:35)
Internal Hip Rotation (2:10)
External Hip Rotation (2:25)
Hip Flexion (2:35)
Hip Separation (3:10)

LEGS & SPINE

Hamstring Stretch (3:45)
Lateral Lunge with Rotation (4:30)
Forward Lunge with Rotation (5:15)

SHOULDERS & LATS

Vertical Shoulder Activation (5:45)
Scarecrow/9090 (6:10)
Shoulder Fly (6:30)
Lat Stretch (6:50)

CORE ACTIVATION

Forward Plank (8:00)
Side Plank (8:30)

I would encourage you to select two from each body zone and work towards incorporating them into either your daily routine or at the very least do them before going out to play.

Remember this - if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll continue to be the golfer you've always been! Accept the challenge and commit to the change.

August 11, 2015

A Push for Power

August 11, 2015/ Andrew Rice

The more I use the SwingCatalyst pressure plate system the better I have begun to understand how a player generates power effectively. There seems to be a clear difference between "power" swings and "control" swings. Quite similar to the difference between a player hitting a controlled short iron and a player smashing a driver. The difference is all in how the player uses the ground. What does that mean or look like?

In the above swing sequence notice how much lower long drive champion, Jamie Sadlowski's belt is in frame 4 than it is in frame 3. This is due to the fact that he is lowering his body - essentially lightening himself - in order to jump/explode off the ground coming into impact. Think about if you were to jump - the first thing you do is to go down towards the ground in order to push upward. With faster clubhead speeds I often see a more pronounced jump. Sometimes to the point of the player leaving the ground through impact.

Below you will see the pressure trace from two proven Tour power hitters at impact while smashing the driver. This SwingCatalyst technology tracks where the golfer's center of pressure is located throughout the swing.

These are classic power traces! You will notice that both of these power hitters have more pressure (not necessarily weight) on their back foot at impact. I would expect to see this due to the player pushing so aggressively off the front foot that they have not only pushed their bodies up and just about off the ground, but slightly backwards as well. The interesting thing is that when each of these golfers hits a controlled 8 iron shot their pressure traces don't work onto the back foot at impact - a clear difference.

The golf swing is made up of three primary elements: movement, the forces that lead to the movement and the timing of those forces. Clubhead speed can be greatly enhanced by increasing the magnitude of the force and improving the timing of the force. Note: This article is not so much to encourage you to get off the ground through impact with a driver as it is to put your mind at ease should you be doing so. It's okay! I always encourage junior golfers to smash it first and then work towards finding it later. As they learn to smash it I see them:

lowering down into the front foot early in the downswing
exploding/jumping/pushing off the ground as they approach, but prior to, impact
release the wrists freely through the hit

There is a direct correlation between how far or high a person can jump and how far they can hit a golf ball. No wonder Dustin Johnson can dunk a basketball....

A bigger push means bigger power!

August 07, 2015

What Can Your Driver Tell You?

August 07, 2015/ Andrew Rice

One of the first things I do when I teach a golfer for the first time is I go through their clubs and take a look for certain tendencies as we're having our introductory chat. I have seen so many drivers that look like the one in this article that I had to write about it and share what your driver is attempting to tell you!

The first place to look for answers as to what might be going on is to check the face....

Notice here how the black paint is being worn off the bottom of the face and there are numerous impact marks on the upper portion of the face where sand is caught between the ball and the face.

Secondly, inspect where the crown of the club meets the face....

Here, the wear pattern indicates numerous pop-ups. A few balls must have almost been missed to get them that far up on the crown. Keep in mind that the only way to hit a pop-up is to have a descending blow where the top edge descends below the equator of the ball.

Finally, take a look at the sole of the club....

It is apparent here that the club is making contact with the ground on almost every shot. The attack angle is very much down - to such a degree that both the paint and lettering are being buffed off the sole of this club.

The golfer who owns this club hit down on the ball with an attack angle of -11 degrees. Keep in mind that optimally we would like to hit up on the ball for maximum efficiency. I am pleased to report that he is working hard at his new attack angle and he is fairly comfortable in the -3 degree range - not perfect but better. Oh, and he just might extend this poor clubs lifespan at the same time.

Clearly I have selected an extreme example to show you here, but take a minute and inspect these three key areas on your driver. I believe you will learn a fair deal about your angle of attack and why your golf ball is doing what it does. Keep in mind that the only time a driver should ever contact the ground is when you are addressing the ball. It should never contact the ground after the first foot or so of the swing. The only marks on it should be tee marks running along the sole and perhaps a ball mark or two in the center of the face!

Here are a few resources to help you hit more up on the ball:

Getting More Out of Your Driver

August 05, 2015

Top 100 Most Popular Golf Instructors

August 05, 2015/ Andrew Rice

A list with a twist! The crew at swingmangolf.com recently came up with a novel way to rank golf instructors by using advanced Google analytics to analyze over 600 coaches to see which of them were most sought after by the golfing public. Which teachers are being watched and read online more than any other?

Here are the Top 50 from the list:

43rd Josh Zander, James Sieckmann, Jeff Ritter, Maggie Noel, Pia Nilsson, Mike Malaska, Bill Harmon, Gary Gilchrist

38th Suzy Whaley, Grant Waite, Claude Harmon III, Ben Doyle, Mark Blackburn

35th Mac O'Grady, Darrell Klassen, Mike Adams

30th Stan Utley, Brian Manzella, Pete Cowen, Chuck Cook, Zach Allen,

25th Bob Toski, Kelvin Miyahira, Meredith Kirk, Jim Hardy, Bobby Clampett

21st Andrew Rice, Peter Kostis, Wayne Defrancesco, Manuel De La Torre

18th Doug Tewell, Dave Stockton, Martin Chuck

16th Monte Scheinblum, Todd Graves

12th Dave Pelz, Michael Breed, Mike Bender, Jimmy Ballard

9th Jim McLean, Martin Hall, Shawn Clement

8th Todd Anderson

7th David Leadbetter

6th Paul Wilson

5th Chris Como

3rd Hank Haney, Sean Foley

2nd Butch Harmon

1st Mark Crossfield

(Article and full list HERE)

An interesting list that is bound to raise a few eyebrows. A few points to note:

All the teachers in the Top 5, except Mark Crossfield, have at some point coached Tiger Woods.
Faculty from Revolution Golf are nicely represented with Sean Foley (3rd), Jim McLean (9th), Martin Chuck (18th) and yours truly (21st).
Both Berkeley Hall teachers were in the Top 100 with Krista Dunton coming in 82nd.

I was honored to be recognized by you, the golfing public, and I am fully committed to upgrade the quality of the information I share with you on a daily basis. My philosophy is this - I want to communicate the most accurate information available in a manner that is easily understood by all golfers.

Thanks for reading and for your support!

July 31, 2015

Understanding Heel and Toe Klankers...

July 31, 2015/ Andrew Rice

As the size of the clubhead has increased over the last two decades so has the role that gear effect plays on off-center strikes. As the volume of the head increases so does the importance of a quality strike. I think the following video will go a long way towards explaining how this works and what it can mean for your game...

Now keep in mind that gear effect can be a help or a hindrance - it can cause your ball to curve to the target or away from it. Here's an example of how an understanding of the importance of strike point, particularly with the driver, can help any golfer avoid trying to fix something that isn't broken.

The Same Neutral Swing with a Toe Strike

Notice how the delivery numbers (attack angle & clubpath) from the above two shots are eerily similar, yet the resultant ball flight could not be more different. The difference in the outcome of the examples above is purely due to the location of the strike for each shot. While the two shots are very different I see no need for this player to address their swing. They simply need to develop their skill at striking the ball in a consistent location on the face.

Toe sided strikes will lead to more draw or less fade.
Heel sided strikes will lead to more fade or less draw.
High strikes on the face elevate launch and decrease spin.
Low strikes on the face lower launch and increase spin.
Gear effect works in 3D - the head will twist away from the strike location.
If the CoG is closer to the strike point, then there will be less curvature from gear effect on off-center hits.
If the CoG is further from the strike point, then there will be more curvature from gear effect on off-center hits.
Controlling the strike location is a skill - practice accordingly.

If you're looking to gain a better understanding of how you're striking the ball with your "headcover" clubs, buy yourself a few cans of Dr. Scholl's Odor X. Spray the face of your driver the next time you're warming up or practicing to get some all important feedback.

Your next question might be - "How do I upgrade where I'm striking the ball?" Valid. I am of the opinion that controlling the strike point is a skill. A fun drill is to practicing striking the ball in a variety of unusual, yet intentional, locations on the clubface. Here are additional resources to help you understand and manage the strike point:

Collision! — Andrew Rice Golf

Strike Point Drill — Andrew Rice Golf

Optimal Strike Point for Longer Drives — Andrew Rice Golf

Spin Rate and the Driver — Andrew Rice Golf

Swing Pattern vs Strike Point — Andrew Rice Golf

July 29, 2015

South Africa 2016? Join Us

July 29, 2015/ Andrew Rice

If you have always dreamed of a luxurious trip to Africa or would merely like to escape the grips of winter this coming January then I have the trip for you. How about two luxurious weeks in South Africa to start the year? Yes, it will be summertime too!

Our trip kicks off in Cape Town where we spend five incredible nights at the beautiful Cape Grace Hotel. We play three rounds of golf at some of the countries top-rated golf courses along with sightseeing, shopping and we even taste and dine at a few of the Cape's top-tier wineries.

After our time in Cape Town we shift gears and move to the 5 star luxury Makanyane Safari Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve. We charter a private plane to fly us to the airstrip from OR Tambo International in Johannesburg. Uopn arrival you will begin five magical days where the memories will last a lifetime. Friendliness, fine dining, world class accommodation and close encounters with Africa's Big Five are all part of your experience here.

The 2016 trip will be our 11th trip we have shared and we can never wait to get back ourselves. I hope you will consider joining us this coming January for an adventure you will never want to forget. For more information please visit Sync Excursions or email terri@andrewricegolf.com

Enjoy thjs video production from the 2015 trip...

July 27, 2015

A Proper Putting Set Up

July 27, 2015/ Andrew Rice

I see far too many "regular" golfers setting up with their hands too low and the toe of the putter way up in the air. The picture below shows the difference between what it should look like and what I see all too frequently...

If the toe of the putter is overly elevated, as we see above, then the effective loft on the face (and a putter always has some loft) will point left for right handers.

Here's a video I made after a recent lesson that shows what to look for, the changes and how to make the necessary adjustments to set up like the pros.

Spend some time with your putter in front of the mirror and you'll soon start to grasp the sense required in order to improve how you set up correctly to your putter.

Thanks for reading and please post your comments below.

July 24, 2015

Driver Education

July 24, 2015/ Andrew Rice

Here's a fun video I filmed in collaboration with Mark Crossfield and Denis Pugh. I believe it covers almost all the pertinent points any golfer should be looking into in order to be able to hit the ball longer and straighter...

I hope you enjoyed this and are keen to get out there and try a few of the suggested ideas and drills to see if you can improve off the tee.

Thanks for watching!

June 01, 2015

The Importance of Wrist Angles

June 01, 2015/ Andrew Rice

I believe that for years I have misunderstood the importance of wrist angles throughout the golf swing. The most important part of any golf swing is the players ability to manage the face angle relative to the club path and wrists are integral in positioning the clubface properly throughout the swing.

I have come to realize that wrist angles are more important than grip position/angles. I see far too many golfers with very strong grips who slice the golf ball! If you'd like to hit draws (and you should) then you need the clubface closed relative to the path and a bowed lead wrist throughout the swing will do wonders in enabling you to hit those lovely, baby draws.

If you study the above photograph you'll see four very different, and very functional, looks regarding wrist angle at the top of the backswing. Due to the fact that most golfers slice the ball I would encourage all slicers and faders to work towards emulating Dustin Johnson (far right) in their practice. I'm not saying that with a bowed left wrist you are guaranteed to hit draws, but it does allow for functional options regarding shot shape.

Here is a helpful video I filmed on recent trip with my friend in Ireland, Stephen Ennis from Balcarrick GC.....

Talking to Andrew Rice on why a strong lead hand can cause a bowed lead wrist and possibly lead to a fade/cut/slice. Andrew gives us a good drill to start hitting a little draw.

I love this from my friend Joe Mayo (@TrackManMaestro):

"When one embraces the idea that a functional face to path relationship is the bottom line of the golf swing, it allows them to let go of positional golf instruction and the veil of confusion of how great swings of the past and present actually work is lifted."

The golf swing really does not have to have a certain appearance in order to function - it simply needs a predictable face to path relationship. And the wrist angles are vital in managing this relationship.

Thanks for reading! If you're looking to experience a little sunshine in the cold northern hemisphere winters check THIS out.

January 01, 2015

A More Consistent Strike for Better Chipping

January 01, 2015/ Andrew Rice

I was recently invited by Mark Crossfield to collaborate on a chipping video to help get our shared message across to as many golfers as possible. Being from England, you may not have heard of Mark over here in the US, but I'm sure that at some point you've watched some of his excellent YouTube videos. As you will see his information is almost as good as his manner and personality in front of the camera. Enjoy...

Get Mark's iPad App http://itunes.apple.com/app/id542855061 Get Mark's iPhone App http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/golf/id456035227 Get Mark's Android App https://market.android.com/details?id=com.golfonline.golfpro AskGolfGuru iPhone App https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/askgolfguru/id718764309?mt=8 AskGolfGuru iPad App https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/askgolfguru-hd/id718764399?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2 AskGolfGuru Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.golfonline.golfpro_bluee&hl=en Like Mark Crossfield on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/askgolfguru Follow Mark/4golfonline on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/4golfonline http://www.andrewricegolf.com/ Chipping Angle Of Attack Featuring Andrew Rice with Mark Crossfield.

Here are two images I created for this article with the help of my new GoPro camera. The first one shows quite clearly how the hands are working for a steeper attack angle shot...

While this image shows the preferred approach with a shallow angle of attack and the handle elevating nicely through impact...

Notice how much more the hands elevate during the stroke for the shallow version than the steep version. I've believed it worked this way for a long time, but so nice to see clearly illustrated in the images above.

Here are the important things to remember:

Set up with the ball in the middle of your already narrow stance
Weight should be slightly favoring the front foot
As a result the hands are a touch in front of the ball
Not too much wrist action required
Land the plane on the runway under the ball (No CRASHING!)
You can create a shallow and smooth landing by continually rotating your shoulders through the strike

Thanks very much to Mark for the invite on this tip (and for doing the tidy video edits!) and to to you for watching. If you'd like to hear and learn more about my approach to chipping and pitching around the greens check out the Wedge Project.

Happy New Year and thank you all so much for your readership and support! I have so much more to share in 2015...

November 21, 2014

Titleist's New 915's vs the Old 913 Driver

November 21, 2014/ Andrew Rice

We recently received the 915 stock for our fitting cart here at Berkeley Hall and I thought it would be a good opportunity to test both the new 915 series drivers - the D2 and D3 against the older 913 series D3 driver I've used for the past few years. I was excited to see if there are any positive changes with the new line.

The test I conducted involved the same shaft in each club (44.5' Motore Speeder VC 6.0 S) along with the same setting (B1) and the same loft (9.5). I hit seven shots (kept all shots) with each club on TrackMan. Here is the data:

Old Titleist 913 D3 9.5 with 44.5' Motore Speeder VC 6.0 S (B1)

Speed 99.8 - Smash Factor 1.48 - Launch 11.9 - Spin 2523 - Carry 226.7 - Total 248.6

New Titleist 915 D3 9.5 with 44.5' Motore Speeder VC 6.0 S (B1)

Speed 98.9 - Smash Factor 1.48 - Launch 13.1 - Spin 2341 - Carry 226.8 - Total 247.5

New Titleist 915 D2 9.5 44.5' Motore Speeder VC 6.0 S (B1)

Speed 100.5 - Smash Factor 1.47 - Launch 12.8 - Spin 2478 - Carry 232.9 - Total 254.3

My thoughts and observations:

The first thing I noticed was the appearance of the newer club - from the golfer's perspective the clubhead has quite a different look than Titleist drivers of the past. The toe seems a little more pronounced and the head didn't seem quite as sleek as previous models. It didn't look bad, just different.
The next thing that caught my attention was the sound. Definitely louder than the 913 model, but not to the point where it was offensive.
As you can tell the spin rates fell right where I anticipated them to fall. Word on the street is that the 915's spin the ball less and the results illustrated that.
I did notice that mishits with the 915's seemed to do marginally better than commensurate mishits with the 913 model and there were a few mishits in each set.
I was surprised to see the difference in launch angle as I had anticipated that the 915's would launch the ball lower - not so in this case!
Ball speed and smash were very similar for the three clubs.

As I looked over these numbers I noticed a few factors that are vital for longer tee shots - higher launch, lower spin and better performance on mishits. I liked the new club and also liked the fact that Titleist did not change the sleeve on the new model so older shafts can easily cross over into the 915 clubheads.

It does appear that Titleist has finally stepped up to the plate and joined Callaway, Ping and TaylorMade in the driver game.

November 12, 2014

A Golfer's Instinct

November 12, 2014/ Andrew Rice

It never ceases to amaze me how important instinct is in any golfer's swing - that instinct to position their body or the club in such a manner as to give any shot the best possible chance of finishing at the target. Good golf instincts are the result of years playing the game, but also to a lesser degree, a player's innate talent.

In order to test and better understand this instinct I came up with an idea - I would change my normal grip to 90 degrees open and then 90 degrees closed as shown below and test my ability to adjust to the vastly different clubface angles - yet still attempt to get the ball to the target.

Now, as you might imagine, with an approximate 180 degrees difference between the face angle for these two shots I didn't get up and hit it beautifully straight away, but I was amazed that it only took 2-3 swings with each to adjust and get the ball to fly pretty much toward the target.

The image below shows the drastic difference that was required at impact in order to produce an acceptable result for each option. (The "weak" grip option is on the left while the "strong" grip option is on the right) It's also important to understand that the difference you're looking at is not from grip alone, quite the contrary. It is primarily my instinct to get the ball to the target that leads to the changes.

The TrackMan data shows how much the change in face angle altered both the shape of the swing and my impact alignments. There was more than a 10 degree difference between my clubpath with each swing and the swing plane (VSP) with each swing - both numbers that golfers tend to be very consistent with.

The clubface angle throughout the swing plays a massive role in determining how you get to impact and the resultant ball flight - so does your golf instinct! This video will give you some answers. For more go to www.andrewricegolf.com

What can you take away from this test:

A golfer's primary instinct is to have the ball finish at the target. This instinct might cause them to swing and respond in unusual ways, but they are doing all they can to generate a successful outcome
Face angle can greatly influence the appearance and effectiveness of any golf swing
An open face throughout the swing will often encourage an out-to-in clubpath, while a closed face throughout the swing will often encourage an in-to-out clubpath
An open face will often promote a lower swing plane while a closed face will often elevate the swing plane through impact
Practicing unusual techniques and methods that are well outside your comfort zone will actually improve your instincts to make the ball go to the target and ultimately make you a better golfer

The next time you go out to practice, work towards bettering your golf instinct. As Chris Como once said:

Repeatability does not necessarily come from just trying to be more repeatable. Learn to solve similar 'problems' in a variety of ways...

Think, and practice, a little outside of your box.

November 11, 2014

2015 Three Day Golf Schools at Berkeley Hall

November 11, 2014/ Andrew Rice

This is the year! You've promised yourself you're going to do something about your golf game and you know that in order to upgrade the outcome you must upgrade the input.

This is the year! You've promised yourself you're going to do something about your golf game and you know that in order to upgrade the outcome you must upgrade the input. I invite you to come and spend three days with me in the South Carolina Lowcountry and let me help you understand exactly what your game needs in order to better enjoy your time out on the golf course. In my schools the favorable 4:1 student to teacher ratio allows you to receive the personal attention you need to become the golfer you know you're capable of being. Contact me today to learn about what I can do to help you become a better golfer...

Here's what a Three Day Golf School at Berkeley Hall Includes:

Over 20 hours of instruction coached entirely by Andrew
Daily on-course situational learning with Andrew
The use of cutting edge teaching technology from TrackMan and SwingCatalyst
A personalized practice project for each student
Daily V1 summary videos
Andrew Rice Golf Gift Package
Lunch And non-alcoholic beverages each day at Berkeley Hall
Complimentary follow up via email, Skype or telephone

Golf School Itinerary:

Thursday (Day One) - Where Are You Going and How to Get There

8:30 - 9:00 am Meet and Greet at the Berkeley Hall Learning Center
9:00 - 12:00 pm Warm Up and 'Interview' followed by Initial Video, TrackMan and SwingCatalyst Force Plate analysis. Group Discussion And Demonstration - The Importance of a Sound Impact position.
12:00 - 1:00 pm Lunch in the Berkeley Hall Tap Room
1:00 - 3:00 pm Custom Drill Station and Movement Pattern Development. The Driver - Understanding Distance, Club path and Gear Effect
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Taking It To The Course: On-Course Scramble with Andrew - Applying What You've Learned.

On Day One the road map to improvement will have been plotted. With the aid of high speed video, TrackMan and SwingCatalyst you will have a much clearer vision as to what it's going to take for you to reach your goals. Each student will receive a summary video.

Friday (Day Two) - You've Got to Work

9:00 - 10:00 am Warming Up Properly with Head TPI Trainer, Derek Lemire at the Learning Center
10:00 - 12:00 pm Drills and Continuation Of Day One Movement Pattern Development
12:00 - 1:00 pm Lunch in the Berkeley Hall Tap Room
1:00 - 3:00 pm The Science Behind Superb Wedge Play. Group Discussion And Demonstration: Bunker Play, Pitching and Chipping
3:00 – 5:00 pm Taking It To The Course: On-Course Scramble with Andrew - Applying Heat to What You've Learned.

On Day Two you will start to take ownership of the recommended technical changes. While the body might be aching, your mind should be crystal clear as you start to see the road map to improvement that has been mapped out before you. Each student will receive a summary video.

Saturday (Day Three) - Bring it Home

8:30 – 9:00 am A Proper Warm Up session at the Learning Center - also Q & A
9:00 - 10:30 am Putting: Green Reading, Capture Speed, Drills and Pre-Shot Routine
10:30 – 12:00 pm Continuation of Custom Development Strategy. Group Discussion and Demonstration: Uneven Terrain, Hybrids, Fairway Woods and Long Approach Shots
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch in the Berkeley Hall Tap Room
1:00 - 3:00 pm Final Video Session with Summary. Each player receives their Personalized Practice Project
3:00 - 5:00 pm Taking It To The Course: On-Course Scramble with Andrew.

On Day Three ownership of the positive changes is well underway. You'll be armed with the necessary tools to help you journey to your golf potential. Each student will receive a summary video and follow up email outlining their personal Practice Project.

For questions please contact me via email at andrew@andrewricegolf.com or call at (843)247-4688

Tuition: $1750 per person

($900 Deposit due at time of booking. Payment of deposit indicates you have read and agree with the cancellation policy)

Tuition and Accommodation at Berkeley Hall Cottages:

High season - $2,150 (pp double sharing for 3 nights), $2,350 (single for 3 nights)

(Additional nights available for $195 plus taxes)

Low season - $2,050 (pp double sharing for 3 nights), $2,250 (single for 3 nights)

(Additional nights available for $145 plus taxes)

Low Season: May 1 to Sept 30 and Dec 1 to Feb 28, High Season: Mar 1 to April 30 and Oct 1 to Nov 31

2015 Golf School Dates:

February 19-21
March 19-21
March 26-28
April 9-11* (Masters School)
April 16-18* (Heritage School)
May 7-9
May 14-16
June 18-20
September 24-26
October 22-24
October 29-31

Each school is limited to four golfers unless specifically requested or indicated. Schools marked with an * will have additional experiences and costs.

Contact Andrew Rice at andrew@andrewricegolf.com for availability and further information. Please specify school number and/or dates that your interested in.

I look forward to sharing three enjoyable days of coaching, learning and camaraderie with you....

October 23, 2014

Swing Pattern vs Strike Point

October 23, 2014/ Andrew Rice

You may have heard me talk about how common it is to see golfers hit a tee shot with a fade (out-to-in club path) swing pattern, yet strike it off the toe for a baby draw or vice versa. The other day I was giving a lesson and a student hit a shot that was too interesting to not share. Here are the TrackMan details of the driver shot:

First a few basics:

Club path is primarily responsible for the curve of any shot
The direction of the club path relative to the target, out-to-in (fade pattern) or in-to-out (draw pattern), is what I refer to as a players swing pattern
Players that swing from in-to-out will tend to hit draws and players that swing from out-to-in will tend to hit fades
Where the ball is struck on the face of the driver (strike point) can drastically alter the effect of a players swing pattern on ball flight
Shots struck off the heel will tend to fade more or draw less and shots struck off the toe will tend to draw more or fade less

The player who hit the above shot has a fairly strong draw bias to his swing pattern and we are always working to neutralize his strong in-to-out club path as he tends to struggle with blocks and hooks. As you can tell from the above shot the club path (first highlighted yellow box) was strongly from in-to-out - 9.2 degrees to the right of the target. Well then why did the ball fly straight (spin axis 0.2)

The particular shot we're looking at was struck well off the heel (yellow circle) and essentially what happened was the draw bias of the swing pattern was cancelled out by the fade bias of the strike point. Notice how in the second yellow box above there's a closed face to path relationship, which should lead to a hook, but the ball flew straight - always a dead give away for a heel strike.

I've come up with a simple formula to help explain this:

A + B = C

Where A is the swing pattern, B is the strike point and C is the resultant ball flight. You see it's the combination of A and B that gives us the ball flight - not just A. Here's a video I did with TrackMan that might help to explain some of this more clearly:

TMU Master Andrew Rice takes us through what he calls "swing pattern versus strike pattern". Most avid golfers have a consistent swing pattern (club path) but it's usually their strike pattern (impact point) that causes differences in ball flight.

When you're practicing driver you should always mark the face with some Dr. Scholl's Odor X foot spray. If you do that you will always get B (strike point) and C (ball flight) from any shot. Should you be practicing without a TrackMan you'll at least have a clear idea as to what your swing pattern is and can make well-informed adjustments if necessary.

All the best and thanks for reading.

October 16, 2014

Spin Rate and the Driver

October 16, 2014/ Andrew Rice

I was recently teaching an accomplished senior golf professional and he happened to hit three very interesting consecutive shots. They are illustrated in the image above starting from the orange circle and working up to the blue circle.

I thought there was some valuable information to learn from each of these three shots. Here is some TrackMan data to ponder:

Orange Strike

Spin Rate - 3252 Launch Angle - 7.5 Total Distance - 256.5 Club Speed - 103.6

Green Strike

Spin Rate - 2623 Launch Angle - 9.6 Total Distance - 269.5 Club Speed - 102.9

Blue Strike

Spin Rate - 1928 Launch Angle - 10.9 Total Distance - 274.6 Club Speed - 103.1

My experience has shown that golfers tend to be fairly consistent when it comes to club speed and this illustration shows us just that - there was a change of less than 1 mph between the golfers slowest and fastest swings. Nothing new there...

What is interesting is that where the ball was struck on the face, influenced the spin, launch and ultimately the distance that the shot traveled. You may have heard that with a driver you want to launch the ball high and spin it low. The purpose of this article is to get you to start believing it!

Stay tuned as this is the stuff that can make a tangible difference in your game...

Launch Angle

The clubface is curved from top to bottom and this is called roll. If you have a 9.5 degree driver that means (assuming the manufacturer is correct) that your club has 9.5 degrees of loft in the center (picture the "equator") of the clubface. If you strike the ball lower on the face your club effectively has less loft and vice versa for a higher strike point. well hitting the ball higher on the clubface introduces more loft to the ball and it will thus launch higher - bingo! We've got the higher launch taken care of. As you can see the ball launched more than 3 degrees higher by elevating the strike point.

Spin Rate

But what about the spin rate? How do you get that down and what is ideal? I have great news, as this is a two for one deal. When you strike the ball higher on the face the "off-center" hit causes the clubhead to twist slightly during impact and this leads to vertical gear effect and a strike above the equator will have less spin than a strike below it. I prefer to see a spin rate somewhere between 1900 and 2400 rpm's if you're looking to really make the ball go. It's amazing what a strike point that's about 1/2" above the equator will do towards getting you into that optimal spin rate range.

If you're wondering where to strike the ball on the face the above photo is just about perfect - a touch above center for higher launch and less spin and a touch towards the toe for a hint of gear effect draw. Who wouldn't want to hit high launching, low spinning, baby draws that go 20 yards longer with the exact same club speed?

October 07, 2014

TrackMan Teaches the Teacher

October 07, 2014/ Andrew Rice

Five years ago I thought I knew just about all there was to know about ball flight and teaching golf. Then I started using TrackMan and my, how very quickly my eyes were opened. I came to realize that I had a long way to go, not only in truly understanding ball flight, but in understanding golfers and what their tendencies might be.

I think it's important to understand that TrackMan will not teach anything - it is purely a measuring device. A tool that better allows the teacher to perform their job. It allows me to diagnose a golfer's problems more quickly and start making improvements without any doubt as to what is causing a golfer's poor shot pattern. Once the technology has helped me diagnose a problem I then start using it to inform me how my recommended changes are working - if at all. If those numbers are not improving I'll change my approach very quickly.

TrackMan has taught me so much about ball flight, but it has also opened my eyes to patterns that exist for almost all golfers. Here are a few nuggets that myself and fellow TrackMan users Martin Chuck, Jason Sutton, Tom Stickney have noticed over the years:

Strike Point:

Where you strike the ball on the face plays a far bigger role in determining the flight of the shot than what was previously believed
As a result heel and toe misses can lead people down a road of trying to fix something that isn't broken

Advice - Use Dr. Scholl's Odor X footspray to mark the face and get a better understanding of where you are striking the ball on the clubface.

Swing Appearance:

The two dimensional appearance of the swing on video is not what determines the flight of the ball (Swing direction vs 3D club path)
The look of a golf swing has very little to do with the message the clubhead relays to the golf ball
Better players have to swing way more left than they often feel in order to hit predictable fades
You do not have to roll your hands to hit draws

Advice - Don't get too caught up in the look. It's all about the physics at impact, so always go for function over form.

Angle of Attack:

The angle of attack is hugely important in determining the shape, distance and trajectory of any shot
Most golfers hit down too much while many of the best golfers tend to have a shallower strike on the ball
A positive or upward angle of attack has a huge effect on tee shot distance for slower speed golfers

Advice - Almost all golfers should be working towards a shallower more "sweep-like" strike on the ball. With the driver you should learn to hit up as the gains are too great to ignore.

Shot Shape:

The clubface is primarily responsible for the launch of any shot
The loft of the face at impact (dynamic loft) will largely determine the launch angle of any shot
On full swings the launch angle is often lower than you might expect it to be
The clubpath is primarily responsible for the curvature of any shot

Advice - to hit draws (and most of us should) we need an in to out clubpath. To improve the launch you either need to change the loft of the club or improve the loft delivered at impact.

The Human Element:

It is all too rare to meet a man who hits the ball as far as they think they do
Or who swings the driver as fast as they think they do
Mention clubspeed to any golfer, male or female, and there's a 95% chance the next swing will be faster
While there are patterns, anything and everything is possible

Advice - check your ego at the door. You'll start shooting better scores when you plan to hit the ball the distance you're capable of hitting it.

TrackMan is a fanatstic tool - one that guides the teacher to what the problems are and then vets the quality of their solution. As a player I believe you will find it to be a feel machine. If you've had a first rate lesson you should leave with a clear understanding of what the problem was and the feel required to overcome it.

If you happen to be on Twitter please follow Martin Chuck, Jason Sutton and Tom Stickney - great guys, knowledgeable teachers and you won't regret it.

Thank you for reading and as always your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Golf Blogs

Golf Blogs | Andrew Rice Golf