INTRODUCING: 3-Day Golf Schools at Keene Trace Golf Club

The High Performance Golf Academy would like to invite you to come and spend three days at Keene Trace Golf Club and let us help you understand exactly what your game needs in order to better enjoy your time out on the golf course. In our golf schools we only allow Eight students per school, which are led by academy owners and PGA professionals Larry Ward and Tyrus York! This allows you to receive the personal attention you need to become the golfer you know you are capable of becoming. Contact us today to learn about what we can do to help you become a better golfer!

2022 Schedule 

May 18-20

June 8-10

June 22-24

July 13-15

August 10-12

Your Golf School Includes:

• Over 18 hours of instruction coached entirely by Larry Ward & Tyrus York (9am – 3 pm each day)

• Full swing and short game instruction

• The use of cutting edge teaching technology from TrackMan, GASP, K-Vest, AimPoint Express, and Sam Putt Lab

• TPI Evaluation

• A personalized practice project for each student

• Daily video summaries via CoachNow

• High Performance Golf Academy gift package

• Lunch and non-alcoholic beverages each day

• Complimentary follow up via email

• DOES NOT INCLUDE ACCOMMODATIONS*

• $1,800 PER PERSON**

*Hotel accommodations can be booked separately with our special group rate at the Campbell House (6.6 miles away)

Cancellation Policy

 **If notice is given at least 21 days or more prior to the first day of the school we will receive a refund less a $50 service fee.  20 days - 15 days notice we will transfer your fee to another school. 14 days or less will result in a 100% loss of your $1,800 fee. 

Tuesday's Tip: Putting's Most Important Skill?

I guess I’ll start this post by addressing the question mark… because actually there is no question in my mind what the most important skill is in putting.

SPEED CONTROL

That’s right, good old fashioned speed control on the putting green is the single most important skill you can possess on your way to becoming an accomplished putter. That doesn’t mean the other two skills (green reading and hitting your line) are unimportant. It just means that without the ability to control your speed, there is little the other two skills can do for you.

Speed control is so important to green reading that AimPoint founder Mark Sweeney has integrated speed control instruction into his green reading classes. If you need further proof that speed is the most important skill, feel free to contact me with your skepticism and I will help you see the light.

So what are some ideas that may help you become a master of touch and feel on the greens? The first is understanding that the skill of controlling your speed is simply the skill of making the ball stop where you want.

On putts inside 20 feet, you will want the ball to stop 18-24 inches past the hole if it doesn’t go in. Practicing with a ghost hole (see the pic associated with this post) is a great way to see if your roll out past the hole is adequate.

For those putts outside 20 feet, simply getting the ball to stop within 10% of the total length of the putt will suffice. For example, if you are 40 feet from the hole you should be able to stop the ball within 2 feet short or 2 feet past the hole (total of 4 feet: aka 10%).

If you struggle with speed control, here are some quick tips to get you on track:

• Check the length of your putter. Most players simply need a putter that matches the length of your wrist to floor measurement. If you are a few inches off on this, you may have a hard time making consistent contact with the sweet spot.

• Be consistent on where the ball hits the putter face. The sweet spot in the middle of the face should probably be the goal for everyone. But if you consistently hit the same spot on the putter face then you will get the desired result of the ball leaving the face with a consistent amount of force. When the impact spot changes from putt to putt, your ball speed changes making it very difficult to acquire touch/feel/speed control.

• Rhythm and tempo. Most putting strokes will operate pretty well with a tempo of 74-82 beats per minute. If you’re starting from scratch on this, just pick a tempo in that range using a metronome and get to work. The putter will go back on a click then return to impact on the next click. Do not hesitate to adjust the speed if it feels too fast or slow.

I could write a lot more on this subject seeing as how it is the most important skill in putting. But hopefully this is enough info to get your mind right so that when you are ready to commit to getting better you will know where to start. And don’t forget… come in to see me at the High Performance Golf Academy so we can get to work on making you the best putter you can be!

Need a metronome? Check the one out below:

Tuesday's Tip: Line? Logo? Blank? Using Your Ball to Aim Putts

In what is sure to be the most hotly debated topic in golf (lol I doubt it)… Should you or should you not use your line on the golf ball to aim your putts?

This question is asked almost every time I give a putting lesson to someone new. And every time I give the same answer: it depends.

So what does it depend on? After all, when using the PGA or LPGA Tours as examples or a place to find best practices on stuff like this, there doesn't seem to be a clear answer.

Before we go head first in settling this debate, it is important to understand exactly what the three skills are that makes a great putter:

1. Speed Control

2. Direction Control (ability to make the ball roll on your intended line)

3. Green Reading

Please note that Aim is not listed above. This means that it is entirely possible for you to be a great putter but not necessarily be very good at pointing your putter precisely on your intended line. Now, that doesn't mean that I would ignore poor aim in the middle of a putting lesson. I believe that it is always better to know where grandpa’s gun (aka the putter - I stole this from putting guru and Flatstick Academy founder David Orr) is pointing. But there are some cases throughout history of some excellent putters that did not point the putter on their intended target line.

Tiger Woods may be the most famous of these putters, as he was notorious for aiming his putter about 2-3 degrees to the right of his intended line (although not necessarily on purpose). In Sam Putt Lab terms, that is a lot.

So now that we know it isn’t a big deal if you aim precisely on your intended line, should we even worry about using the ball to help us aim?

I tell my players the following if they are considering using the line or logo on the ball to help aim:

Use the line or logo IF…

• You can accurately point the line or logo precisely on your intended line in two attempts or less. In other words, you can set the ball down, check the line, then fix it one time. If it takes more attempts than that you are running into a pace of play issue and you should not be wasting time using the line!

  • This doesn't mean you need to give up ever using the line of logo. Just simply get to a practice green and rehearse using the your ball to help you aim.

• You can make the line on your putter match the line or logo of the ball. It drives me crazy when a player goes through the trouble of setting the ball up only to abandon their work and aim somewhere else. Even worse, you must be able to see if the line on the putter matches the ball or not (this happens way more often than you might think).

• It does not affect your ability to control your speed or hit your line. I’ve seen too many players (me included) that get so caught up in their initial line that they lose their feel or try to steer the ball precisely on the line, versus being an athlete and stroking the putt.

It is the last bullet point that I believe needs more conversation. Currently I have developed a hybrid model in determining whether to use the line or logo in my own game. I will use the logo on the ball for any putt inside 8 feet, which is when I am less concerned about getting the speed correct. Personally, I felt myself lose the ability to feel good speed control when getting locked in on my line for longer putts.

That being said, now that I am AimPoint certified and my green reading confidence is at an all time high, I may extend how far back I use the logo (or line) to closer to 20 feet. Why this distance? Anything inside 20 feet is considered a makable putt. Outside 20 feet and the goal is to get it close and avoid three putts! And the more confident I am that my line is correct, the more energy I can direct to making a good stroke with good speed control.

So what should you do? The answer is experiment! Just make sure you are following the three guidelines above and you are good to go on using the line!

Do you need help deciding or just need to get better at one of those three skills required to be a good putter? Contact me and click here to learn more about my programs and how I can improve your putting. Specifically, click here to learn about green reading with one of my upcoming AimPoint Express Clinics!

If you're going to use the line, I recommend the tool below to make sure you are getting the most accurate line you can possibly draw on your ball.

Tuesday's Tip: Thinking Out Loud (Launch Monitors Edition)

Disclaimer: This article consists of my thoughts and feelings about certain launch monitors I’ve had experience with. Others have thoroughly tested and conducted study after study to compare many launch monitors on the market.

So what is the best launch monitor on the market today? The answer to that is pretty easy (I think). Trackman. And for a smooth $25k it can be yours.

At the High Performance Golf Academy we have been very fortunate to have used several versions of Trackman over the years. The amount of information it spits out is truly amazing and is extremely valuable to players and coaches of any skill level. Can it be information overload? Sure! But this is where a good coach can help a player only focus on the data that matters to them.

More recently, we just acquired a new launch monitor from Bushnell (which recently acquired Foresight), that is called the Launch Pro. To be honest, I am in my infancy with this unit and you can expect much more information on my thoughts in the coming weeks/months. What I can tell you now is that the initial cost of the unit is much lower ($3k) while you can then choose a subscription level that gets you access to more data.

The point of this topic however derives from some social media posts I recently came across. A picture was floating around of Justin Thomas putting in some work on the driving range using a Foresight Launch Monitor (basically the same thing we just acquired). The question was raised as to why Justin Thomas, who seemingly has unlimited funds and shouldn’t have trouble accessing the market’s leading launch monitor (Trackman), was using a less expensive unit (his was probably in the $11k range).

The answers to this question could be many. Here are some quick possibilities:

• Maybe he was simply testing the unit

• Maybe he has an endorsement to use that unit

• Maybe his battery died on his Trackman so he’s using it as a backup

This could go on forever. But maybe, just maybe he was using this unit because it was better. I know, Trackman is the best so how could I possibly say this?

Here is a potential rationale (and where I get to open myself to criticism most likely lol!):

Trackman measures everything the club does as well as the entire flight of the golf ball. Foresight measures what the club does, but only about 6 feet of the ball’s initial flight. Foresight then calculates where the ball would have likely travelled based on that info.

Obviously it’s better to measure something versus have to calculate and guess. But what if the player or coach isn't working on the current ball flight? What if the focus is simply on what the club is doing to the ball? This could be where Foresight has an advantage over Trackman.

Foresight uses a small reflective sticker on the club face to help the base unit detect what the club is doing through impact. Presumably this gives the unit a better capture of what happens. Trackman does not use a sticker, and that’s about all I’m going to say about that.

So if the player/coach is focused more on changing impact geometry, is the Foresight better? After all, do you need a Trackman to tell you where the ball went? You can still watch the ball flight with your eyes right?

Another difference to note is that Foresight will display many pertinent data points directly on the unit, avoiding the need to connect a computer or phone/app.

Anyway… if this seemed like a ramble, it was. The title “Thinking Out Loud” should have been a dead giveaway.

In conclusion, if anyone would like to give me another Trackman to use I’ll take it. That being said, I don’t think we should dismiss the value of what other launch monitors may have to offer. And we certainly shouldn’t make uneducated guesses about why one of the best players in the world may be using a machine not called Trackman.

AimPoint Certified!!

I am very proud to announce that I have completed AimPoint Certification and you can expect to see several clinics in 2022 teaching AimPoint Express, one of the world’s most simple and effective methods of green reading.

AimPoint Express is a green reading technology that is used by countless players across all major professional tours, as well as elite college and junior golfers. The nice thing about it is that you don’t have to be an elite player to learn AimPoint Express and to begin reading greens at a championship level.

Below are the two ways that I will be teaching AimPoint Express:

Group Clinics

• 2 Hours

• 8 players max (minimum of 3)

• Cost: $150 per player

• Look for dates coming soon!

Individual AimPoint Session

• 1 Hour

• Cost: $200

• Can be scheduled using my online lesson book CLICK HERE

Want to learn more about AimPoint? Click Here to visit the website.

GOLF TIP: Aligning the Club Face at Address

If you have directional issues when hitting golf shots it could be that your club face is misaligned at address. Check out this tip to get back on track!

New Coaching Plans

Improve your golf game with the right coaching plan!

Coaching Plans

 All in-person sessions will be at the High Performance Golf Academy and may include the use of Sam Putt Lab, K-Vest, Trackman, Flightscope Mevo, club fitting, and/or on-course instruction.

BASIC $199 PER MONTH (ONLY 20 SPOTS AVAILABLE)

·      First Session Evaluation

·      One 45 minute Session In-Person per month

·      One Online Video Analysis Using Coach Now per month

·      Up to two comments per month on Coach Now

·      30% off any additional sessions

PRO $299 PER MONTH (ONLY 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE)

·      First Session Evaluation

·      Two 45 minute Sessions In-Person per month*

·      One Online Video Analysis Using Coach Now per month

·      Up to four comments per month on Coach Now

·      30% off any additional sessions

ELITE $399 PER MONTH (ONLY 8 SPOTS AVAILABLE)

·      First Session Evaluation

·      Three 45-minute Sessions In-Person per month*

·      One Online Video Analysis Using Coach Now per month

·      Up to eight comments per month on Coach Now

·      50% off any additional session

*Two 45-minute sessions can be combined into one 90-minute session.

Still undecided after your first session? No problem! You’ll be responsible for paying the individual rate that applies to you (Adult - $135, Junior - $120)

“Since having Tyrus as my son’s coach, every aspect of his game has improved. He even posted a score of 69 as a 15 year old! Tyrus has been the best thing for my son’s game!” 

Barry Barrett – Lexington, KY

Over the past 15 years, I have developed various coaching plans to guide golfers of all ages and skill levels to help improve their game. Currently, I am offering three new limited coaching plans. By using a combination of in-person sessions and the CoachNow app, I can provide further opportunities to stay connected as your coach. These limited coaching plans will allow you to receive expanded feedback to improve your game!

Don’t know which coaching plan is right for you? Book your first session and together we will decide the best plan for your game.

Already know which plan you want? Secure your spot today! Purchase your coaching plan and then click here to schedule your first session.

How to Video Your Golf Swing

How to Video Your Golf Swing

If you have a smartphone with video capabilities, you can record your golf swing. Before you hit record, there are a few important details you need to do in order to make the quality of the video the most useful for you and more importantly for an online swing analysis.

Camera Angle

There are two different angles that are most commonly used to do a swing analysis (see below). The “Down the Line” view is when the camera is to the side of the golfer looking down the target line (right). The other is a “Face On” view with the camera directly in front of the golfer (left).

Lighting

When it comes to lighting and recording golf swings, most experts would tell you the more lighting the merrier. I would say that with the technology in cameras these days you can get away with very substandard light settings.

Outdoor Video - when recording your video, during daytime, you’re going to be ok. So no worries about making special arrangements for lighting.

Indoor Video - make sure you use as much light as possible. Open the shades on windows and turn all the lights on, especially if it is dark outside.

Camera Settings

Some smartphones have the ability to change settings when using video. It is ideal to use the “Slo-Mo” setting (on iPhones) whenever possible. To expedite upload time you can trim the video so it only shows the swing. If you’re unsure of how to trim a video, don’t worry about it. We can make it work.

Holding the Camera

Don’t have a tripod to set your phone on? No problem. You can use your golf bag, a range ball bucket, or recruit a friend to hold your phone. Just keep in mind that the more exact the camera angle the better, but I’ll be able to coach you on taking better videos if needed as we go along.

Hopefully, these tips will help you feel more comfortable at getting the most from your swing analysis. Now all you need to do is record your swing and upload it to your training space on CoachNow!

Do you still have questions? Fill out the form below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

Requiem of a Season Lost

What. A. Week.

And unfortunately, amid the coronavirus concerns facing our world right now, the worst may not yet be here.

As for the events that took place last week, it was something that I never imagined in a million years I would be faced to deal with as the head coach of a college golf team.

When word started going round that more and more schools and athletic departments were considering suspending their spring seasons, my initial thoughts were the same as probably many of yours… what an overreaction. I’m not here today to debate whether or not it was a good idea for the actions that have taken place to occur. What I am here for is to lay out on this page the thoughts and emotions that went through my head when it became clear that our golf season would be over.

I became the head coach of Transylvania University Women’s Golf exactly 4 years ago (like literally almost to the day). When I walked into the program there were 4 players on our roster. The previous coach had done a great job putting together a recruiting class for the next season, and my first task was to make sure they were still on board despite the coaching change.

Luckily for me they were. Fast forward one more year and a pair of transfers enter the program as sophomores and our program was off and running. Two consecutive conference championships and two top 15 NCAA finishes would follow suit, led in part by the class of 2020.

Fall 2019, their senior season, wasn’t quite as good. Finishing 2nd in the conference tournament (that inexplicably is held 7 months before the NCAA tournament and awards our conference’s automatic qualifier… ughhh… different story for a different day), there was no doubt that there was some disappointment that the team would not be going to their 3rd straight NCAA Championship.

This is where things can get dicey for an NCAA DIII school. Nearly all of these student-athletes will be moving on from golf (competitively) and pursing their academic careers in grad school. When you know that reaching the NCAA tournament is out of grasp, what is your incentive to continue playing? After all… preparing for med school (so I’m told), can be quite stressful. The time you free up to prepare by not playing or practicing golf can be very valuable.

I fully expected most if not all of my team, especially the seniors, to simply not want any part of their spring season. To my surprise, they put those doubts to bed very early. I witnessed a renewed sense of purpose. Despite winter weather, they continually made individual efforts to stay sharp over the break, setting themselves up for a solid spring.

Our first tournament occurred over spring break in Savannah, GA. Not only did the seniors show up to play, they recorded some of their best rounds of the year! It is rare for the first tournament of any spring season to be the best, but they certainly showed that the hard work and effort they put in (on their own mind you) over the winter was primed to pay off.

Instead… COVID-19 happened. Before they would even get back to campus, they were notified that their season was effectively over. Tournament after tournament on our schedule cancelled. And then the big one… the cancellation of the NCAA championship for golf, hit us like a ton of bricks.

Were we going to play in the NCAAs this season? Highly unlikely. But just the thought that if they played well they could perhaps, if not just individually, get a look at a potential at-large bid, was enough to keep them going.

The devastation of cancelling an entire season is gut wrenching. It’s something that I never once considered a possibility could ever happen during my time as a coach. But it did happen. And now we have an entire senior class that will not experience their final moments on the golf course representing their university that they have done well for the last 3-4 years.

Obviously this isn’t just a problem in golf. Every NCAA sport was just faced with the same devastating news. The NCAA is doing what it can to do right for the student-athletes by granting another season of eligibility. This is great news, however it will in no way impact our program. After all for example… delaying med school for a year just so you can have that one semester of eligibility back is simply not in the cards for any sane individual.

I don’t know what will happen the rest of the season. I know that all competitions and practices have been halted until the beginning of April. That may leave us a small window to hopefully create one last event, but those odds aren’t looking very good as we still are faced with so much uncertainty with this virus.

All I know is that it has been an honor working with and leading the class of 2020, and even though their season, and careers on the course may be over, I look forward to what their future holds. I also know and hope that when this is all over, everyone looks back and says that we did right by taking these dramatic measures. I hope that more than anything.