Fact Based Instruction & Banter with Andrew Marr

Where would I be without Twitter? I wouldn’t know half the people I know. I met this guy on Twitter too. We were following each other for a while, and I had the chance to meet him down in Orlando at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show. I love this guys… he is funny, always has a smile on his face, and says, “mate” all the time. Oh, and he lives in San Diego. I hear the weather is perfect in San Diego. This guy is a the PGA Director of Instruction at GolfTEC San Diego. He hasn’t been there long, but is already making an impact. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire… that’s not in the U.S. I love having international friends. I am glad that I met him, and am stoked to introduce you to Andrew Marr. He’s my favorite mate!

When I type your name in to Google, Jason Helman’s website is on the first page. How is that possible?

Jason was kind enough to ask me to be a part of 7 Nights At The Twitter Academy late last year, so that is probably the reason. He is a great coach; being “found” alongside him is a good thing.

I met you for the first time at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show. Did you have fun down there in Orlando?

Yes, it was great experience and of course meeting many tweeps (people I know from Twitter) who I had been interacting with for a few years was the highlight.

Did you get to play any golf while you were down there?

Not in Orlando… it was all business and networking for me. Although I did spend two days in Jupiter after the show playing golf with a high school friend who is also a pro in that area.

You haven’t posted a blog since December 20th. What’s the deal? You need to be blogging more than that!

Sorry for the confusion. My blog has been inactive since December, as I have switched all my content to www.andrewmarrgolf.com There a few more posts on there.

Speaking of your latest blog post, it was on the 7 Nights At The Twitter Academy. I already know what that is, but how did you get involved with it?

You know, I’m not 100% sure. I do know that Jason Helman invited me but I have a sneaky feeling my friend John Graham had something to do with it.

You currently live in La Jolla, California. I bet the weather out there is perfect. It’s freezing cold here in the Midwest. I bet you played golf today. What’s the weather like out there in the winter months?

The weather in Southern California isn’t too shabby. I play golf once a week and practice at least twice. It’s a far cry from my 6 years of cold winters in Philadelphia and 25 years of rain and wind in Scotland.

You do a LOT of work with video. How do you think video has helped you reach a new audience in the last 12-18 months?

I use a lot of video for teaching and have discovered first hand that people learn at least 3 or 4 times faster with visual feedback so I felt that would be an appropriate strategy for my website.

The Internet makes sharing that video possible. In your opinion, how has the Internet changed the way you do business?

Oh good question. I don’t really have anything to compare it to as I started teaching full time 7 years ago and I have always used the Internet. I think the Internet has helped accelerate the learning curve of coaches due the vast amount of information available.

What’s your favorite golf course?

I have three:

1. Royal Troon Golf Club
2. Philadelphia Country Club
3. The Farms Golf Club

What is GolfTEC?

GolfTEC is a national teaching company that uses video and motion analysis to help golfers play better golf. There are 150 in the nation and I have been with the company for 2 years.

You are also a head golf coach. That is so cool. I played high school and college golf. What’s it like being a head golf coach? Do you also give your students lessons or do you just help filter their talents?

Yes – I coached the The Bishop’s School girls team last fall. The majority of my time with them was spend focusing on course management, practice habits and short game.

Have you ever had a hole-in-one?

Yes, believe it or not is was on a par 4 – 14th hole at Fullarton Golf Course in Troon. I have 16 years old.

I recently started working out. On purpose! How important is fitness to being a good golfer? Does diet and exercise play a big role in what you teach?

Diet and fitness is extremely important for golf… but it goes way beyond golf.

How often do you get to play?

Typically once a week.

What’s the best round you have ever played? What course was that?

Oh good question. It has been a long time since I shot in the 60s, and as far as I remember it was 1997 at Lochgreen Golf Course, Troon. I shot a 69, which is 5 under.

Have you ever been to Augusta?

I have never been, but my dad and I were supposed to go this year. He was diagnosed with accurate prostate cancer, so we have postponed the trip until next year.

I am Tiger’s biggest fan. Do you honestly think that he will break Jack’s record?

I like Tiger; he is great for the game. Yes, he will beat Jack’s record.

Starting with your driver, and working your way all the way through the golf ball, what’s in your bag?

• Driver: Callaway Razor FIT.
• Hyrbrid(s): Callaway Razor Tours (2 and 3)
• Irons: Callaway Razor Tour Irons – (4 -PW)
• Wedges: Callaway Jaws (52, 56, 60)
• Putter: Odyssey Tour Series.
• Ball: Callaway HEX Black Tour.

Beer or wine? Pick your poison.

Both  – but mainly beer. San Diego has some great local beers.

Let’s say that I want to get a lesson with you. What’s that going to cost me? What’s the first lesson like?

The first lesson would be a 90 minute swing evaluation – it would cost $175. The evaluation is designed to get know ball flight patterns/misses and inform all clients of WHY the ball flys a certain way and an improvement road map is then created. I’m a big proponent of explaining ball flight laws in the swing evaluation.

Have you seen the new Cleveland driver? How sick is that?

It looks cool – not sure I would use it.

Do you listen to music while you practice/play?

Never. I’m not real big music guy, although recently I did see Elton John play live in Las Vegas – it was awesome.

You are always calling people “mate”. Why is that? To you, what does the word “mate” mean?

Buddy… bro…

You are TPI certified. Everyone I talk to seems to be TPI certified. What level are you and do you see a lot of value in that certification?

Yes – I am TPI Level 1. It is loaded with very good information, however getting my clients to commit to a flexibility program is challenging.

Are you AimPoint certified? You know… John Graham makes everything!

I’m not, but AimPoint is a brilliant system and my mate John came out to San Diego and conducted 2 clinics back in late January.  That guy has great hair.

Wait a second… you are from Troon? I do a lot of work with Troon Golf Management. Is there a connection there?

No connection as far as I know – Troon, is a quiet wee town on the south west coast of Scotland.

By the way, you look great in a kilt.

Why, thank you – I think so to!

Did you play golf in high school and college?

Yes – both.

There is a list out there… the top 100 teaching pros. In your opinion, who is the best teaching professional out there?

Ah, great question. There are many great coaches out there. I couldn’t possibly single one out.

What was the last movie you saw? Did you like it?

Hunger Games – good movie, but it’s no Avatar or Harry Potter!

There are a LOT of teaching professionals out there. Do you find there is a certain level of competition in your area, or do you guys all seem to get along?

San Diego has a very competitive teaching environment. That suits me fine because it keeps me on my toes. I recently joined the teaching committee for the Southern California PGA so I’m excited to learn from many experienced coaches.

When you shoot videos for YouTube, what kind of camera are you using?

I use a Flip video camera – I need to get into the modern age and pony up and purchase a good Casio.

Who is in your dream foursome?

Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Kenneth Marr. That’s my dad.

Do you watch a lot of golf on TV?

Yes, I watch too much!

There are a lot of golf magazines out there. I saw Golf Digest was recently offering a “5 minute fix to your slice”. Can I fix my slice in 5 minutes? Do you read those magazines?

Yes, I read them solely because my clients read them and always have questions about them. I don’t read them for the content… ouch.

I dig your logo. Who designed that for you?

A client of mine named Sandra Mercer.

Since you live so close to the water, do you surf? What about scuba diving?

I live about a PW away from the ocean, and yes I surf if you regard surfing as paddling out stumbling and falling off the board before standing up. Scuba diving is next on the list.

There are a lot of young guys on the PGA TOUR starting to make some noise. Who, out of that group, can come in and take Tiger’s thunder? Do you think there will ever be another Tiger Woods?

There are many great players on tour, but as far as any taking “Tiger’s thunder” I think that is very unlikely but if I can to pick I would say Rory McILroy and Matteo Manassero have the best chance.

What’s next for you? Do you have anything in store for 2012?

I always have a lot of projects on the go but like every other year I plan to teach a lot, study hard, spend time with as many instructors as I can and evolve as a teacher.

Andrew, I could ask you questions all day. In all of the interviews I have done, I always give the artist the last word. Go.

Thank you for the opportunity Ricky. I’m lucky to be involved in a sport that I dearly love, but as teachers we always have to remember our #1 responsibility is to grow the game of golf through quality instruction.

Andrew Marr Golf Instruction

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Two weeks again I decided I would spend the best part of 7 days asking coaches, tour golfers and commentators their opinions on certain areas of the swing, swing classifications and preferred teaching styles. I recieved some really informative answers, sadly those types of answers were very much the minority. It seems as if many ex tour players (not all) coach/teach their students the way that worked for them, regardless if they felt one thing but reality portrayed something entirely different. Also, I discovered that many higher ups in the industry did not have an accurate grasp of ball flight laws and a large percentage poked fun at certain swing classifications but when asked why they felt that way the vast majority of responses lacked clarity and accuracy.

My concern with all of this is that it stunts the growth of the game as many golfers look up to these people and hang on every word they say. What baffles me the most is that if they were doctors they would need to have a thorough knowledge of how the body functions and operates but when it comes to ball flight laws and swing mechanics the knowledge is sorely lacking. When did it become such a chore for people of influence to conduct extensive research and form a rounded opinion of the main topics in the game?

I will not be mentioning any names as that is not the purpose of the post, the purpose is to give an overview on my findings and provide my opinion on what needs to happen in order to spread more accurate and informative information to the golfing public.

Check out thoughts by clicking on the link below – and please feel free to leave comments.

For more information you can reach me at Andrew Marr Golf Instruction (Facebook) and Andrewmarrgolf (twitter)

Friends,

I spent 10 days in Scotland over the holidays and discovered some information that I believe can help all golfers reduce their scores.

Enjoy

If you like this link please use the connected social media links to share with others.

Is practice a lost art? What is practice and how can it help people play better golf?

Last week I had the great opportunity to observe a couple of local instructors give lessons to adults and juniors. The teaching academy is based at a public course and the teaching bays are in the middle of the open public bays. As I was observing the lessons I began noticing a pattern to people’s practice/warm-up  tendencies.

- Most of the golfers I observed did not stretch or warm up in any way
- Most of the golfers started hitting balls with long irons or drivers first
- From my observations, most of the golfers did not have a specific target in mind
- Not one golfer alternated from a driver to a medium iron to short iron or any combination of clubs
- The driving range was  80% full for the 3 hours I was there and the putting green was never more than 25% full at anytime in that 3 hour period.

Is the information above ground breaking? No, of course not. However, it does serve as a fresh reminder to encourage all golfers to re-evaluate their practice habits prior to playing a round. Now let’s discuss the difference between swing  practice and playing mode practice.

Swing Practice:
Swing technique practice should be specific and not something that should be worked on prior to playing a round of golf. Many of you might be in the middle of swing changes and excited to unleash them on the course, however, the more you can separate your swing practice and playing mode practice, the more prepared you will be when playing the course and the quicker swing changes will be groved. The less golfers concentrate on swing movements while playing golf, the more time and energy they can spend on picking out specific targets and course managment stratagies.

Playing Mode Practice:
I want my clients to focus more on playing the course, making smart course management decisions and concentrating on targets. Prior to a round, be sure to spend at least 50% of your practice time in playing mode. Warm up yput body then begin to get your mind and body in “playing mode”. Most rounds of golf are not filled with hitting multiple 7 irons and drivers in a row so when I hear “Coach, I’m finding it hard to take my range game to course” I dive into my client’s practice habits. Some part of your  practice sessions should consist of playing holes on the range. Pick specific targets of fairways and greens and if you miss the fairway with your drive, hit your next shot from an uneven lie to a different target,  do the same for chip and pitch shots. Be critical about your targets and think outside your comfort zone when selecting targets as that’s exactly what happens on the course and the more time you can spend practicing this way, the more prepared you will be when playing.  Putting practice is obviuosly vitally important but that area of the game will be discussed in a future blog.

Example: 1 week before playing a tournament.

Day 7 – Swing Practice 50%, Playing Mode Practice 50%

Day 6 -  Swing Practice 50% Playing Mode Practice 50%

Day 5 -  Swing Practice 40% Playing Mode Practice 60%

Day 4  – Swing Practice  40% Playing Mode Practice 60%

Day 3  – Swing Practice 25% Playing Mode Practice 75%

Day 2 -  Swing Practice  25% Playing Mode Practice 75%

Day1  – Swing Practice 0% Playing Mode Practice 100%

Warm Up: 100% Practice Mode prior to teeing off.

Obviously the example above would take place in an ideal world, but the purpose is to help golfers practice playing the game as well as swing technique.

Please let me know if you think these techniques are helpful or if you have similar practice habits.

Putting is an area of the game overlooked by many golfers, partly due to lack of knowledge and partly due to lack of excitement.

I have created a video (see link below) that outlines a repeatable and efficient set-up routine to help golfers set-up to the ball in the correct manner. There are many other areas of putting that I will discuss at a later stage, but having an effective set-up will lead to better results on the putting green. I also briefly mention the importance of having the correct length putter, but again will hold off on the details for now as I will dedicate a more specific post about putter fitting in the future.

Main Set-Up Aspects:

1. Eyes over the top of the ball
2. Hands hang underneath the shoulders
3. Forearms are parallel
4. Hips sit directly over the heels

Please leave a comment if you find the post helpful and/or have alternative opinions.

I recently wrote an article for PGA Magazine about distance control with your wedges – see below for the full version of the article.

Enjoy.

The importance of teaching students the value of distance control around the green:
One of the most important aspects of the game we all love is creating a consistent low point and compressing the golf ball, as this helps golfers maximize control and distance of their golf shots. We know the short game is more about touch and feel than the long game, but the way the club works through the hitting area is virtually the same. To help my clients understand impact, I teach them forward shaft lean and the importance of compressing the ball through chipping, then pitching and finally punch shots. The first drill I use is chipping balls with the non-target hand until they get the handle of the club moving past the ball before the club head in order to create crisp contact. Then I ask them to switch hands and do the same with the target hand. Only once they are making solid chip shots with both hands on the club will we progress into pitching, and even then single-handed drills are effective to help build a more solid and repeatable impact position. Finally, I like to test the improved short game technique with short punch shots that incorporate hitting golf balls with a 7-iron under a five-foot target that’s placed 15 feet in front of the hitting area. Only when all three of these skills are mastered will we move on to other areas of the swing.

The business impact of teaching students the value of distance control around the green:
I have found that my clients’ all-around games improve quicker by teaching chip, pitch punch before other aspects of the swing. The client’s ability to control ball flight around the greens improves due to better contact. The increase in more predictable contact also allows clients to hit chip and pitch shots closer to the hole, leading to shorter putts and lower scores. Clients see instant improvement in their games by adopting the chip, pitch, punch mentality, which allows our relationship to grow and increases the likelihood of repeat business and referrals.

www.pgamagazine.com

As always please feel free to leave comments.

The Way I View The Golf Swing (In Swing Fundamentals)

I first started teaching and coaching 12 years ago and in that time, I have to be honest, my teaching preferences have changed dramatically.  Over the years I have been fortunate to learn the swing from wonderfully talented teachers in Scotland, England and the States who have influenced the way I view the golf swing.  My goal in this post is to share with you the way I analyze golf swings the first time I see them by elaborating on the main areas of importance.
In light of past events on select social media sites,  I feel it’s important to be clear that I do not prescribe to one method of teaching. In fact, I feel having a plethora of styles is paramount in order to help a broader client base.
I look at the following 4 areas of the swing every time I first diagnose a swing:

Swing Plane
Pivot
Lag
Impact

I could quite possibly  dedicate a separate blog for each of these areas of the swing, however, that is not my goal in this particular post.  So the question is – why do I believe these areas are the most important when initially analyzing swings.  Note: I’m assuming that clients don’t have any fundamental set-up issues prior to looking at these areas and if they do, that is where the changes would begin.

Pivot (backswing) – Without an efficient pivot in the backswing, either excessive amounts of lateral motion are incorporated which can lead to plane, lag and impact issues which can then develop into a lack of clubhead speed.  My preference is to have more of a centered pivot for many clients to encourage a more repeatable low point at impact.

Swing Plane (backswing and downswing) – An insufficient lower body movement (pivot) can lead to an inefficient swing plane. This decreases the chances of effectively producing an adequate amount of lag in the swing  which then leads to wasted power, direction and spin problems at impact – otherwise known as missed fairways and greens.

Lag -Pivot and swing plane errors can lead to lack of distance (lack of speed) and directional challenges (shots off line) through the hitting area (impact). My favorite term describing an efficient amount of lag is “load the lag and lag the load”, however, without an inefficient pivot and swing plane, maximizing lag potential can be extremely difficult.

Impact -An ineffective pivot, swing plane and lag can more often than not cause impact problems.  Impact is undoubtedly the most important area of the game, but without the previous areas working correctly, impact can be seriously impaired. My main criteria for impact are: forward shaft lean, a repeatable low point, and clubface in the direction where you want the ball to start.

You can probably tell by now that I feel all of the above swing movements are connected to each other and are crucial for clients in order to achieve their golfing greatness. However, this does not mean that every golf swing follows this pattern; it’s a system I use to diagnose swings after set-up and from there I dive deeper into the details and create a road-map of improvement.

I’m hoping this post spurs some comments, especially among the coaching and teaching population out there.

I welcome all thoughts and suggestions .