New Post #29 Technique Tuesday

Hi Friends

A day late again - As my teachers used to say to me - “must try harder!”

The Premier league football team I support have gone through some tough times, we were nearly relegated out of the whole football league as recently 1997. It took a last day come from behind draw with Hereford United to get the point we needed to stay up. This was at Hereford’s expense due to goals scored, they even had a better goal difference, but goals scored took precedence in the football league at time. phew!

Not only that but at one stage the club was sponsored by an Italian restaurant! Now and for the benefit of the pun in the title, we were also once sponsored by one of Fatboy Slim’s albums “Palookaville” Not your multinational corporations for Brighton, no an Italian restaurant and an independent music label album!!

I know a lot of my readers are Crystal Palace fans but forgive me for talking about your M23 rivals as I had to get the pun to work!

(Fatboy Slim has a track called Fatboy Slim is f**king in Heaven, that’s the pun. never as good if you have to explain it but not sure the readers are big electro dance music fans though I could be surprised)

So after that little history lesson into Brighton and Hove Albion FC we can start on today’s main course.

The Short game and experts you can learn from,

I’ve only ever had one short game lesson and this was with a coach called Gary Smith, who used to teach the England amatuer golf team around the time Danny Willet and Tom Lewis were playing in it.

He teaches a particular method “the revolutionary linear approach”, his words not mine. His short game was absolute mustard when demonstrating. I know of one the readers of this newsletter and a Surrey A squad member that is currently seeing him and seeing good improvement.

My go to for any technical problem is the same as Ben Hogan’s (we have alot in common me and Ben). Ben was a prolific practicer and he would always say “The secret is in the dirt”. Meaning you have to put the work in and do the “reps” on the practice tee/short game area to change your skills and improve.

I think there is alot of truth in that and I had the biggest level up on my short game by spending lots and lots of time just chipping and pitching.

Having said all that, I do think you can speed up the progression significantly by having the proper technique in the first place and for that you may need the guidance of a teacher.

I’ve listed some of the biggest short game specialist around at the moment and where you can find out more about them.

Dan Grieve

The man of moment it seems, Dan is an internationally renowned golf coach and hugely in demand, his latest YouTube video is him giving Ian Woosnam a lesson.

Dan has achieved success coaching Tour Professionals to 3 x European Tour Order of Merit titles, a Tour Championship and a Major Championship.

Dan spends most of his time helping amateur golfers improve their game, either through his world famous DG Short Game School, from his home at Woburn Golf Club in England to one to one lessons or various online options.

Dan has built a large social media following with over half a million followers across all of his channels, his videos in 2023 alone gathered over 50 million views from golfers all around the world, helping them to improve from his unique content and enjoy the game more.

If it’s good enough for Woosie, it’s good enough for me and you.

James Ridyard

James Ridyard is a prominent figure in the world of golf, renowned for his expertise in short game instruction and coaching.

Ridyard has dedicated his career to mastering the intricacies of short game technique and sharing his knowledge with others. Throughout his career, Ridyard has amassed a wealth of experience working with golfers of all levels, from beginners to professionals and major winners.

His unique approach to coaching combines a deep understanding of biomechanics, physics, and psychology, allowing him to tailor his instruction to the individual needs of each player. He is known for his ability to break down complex concepts into easy-to-understand principles, empowering his students to improve their game rapidly and consistently.

Over the years I’ve seen James have a few shall we say “disagreements” on twitter so has been a good follow although he seems to mellowed recently.

Joseph Mayo (used to known as the Trackman Meastro)

Joseph Mayo, also known as Joe Mayo, began his journey with a passion for volleyball during his upbringing in Cedar Grove, Tennessee. However, a pivotal eye injury prompted him to shift his focus from volleyball to golf. This led him to embark on a coaching career at a club in Palm Springs.

Interestingly, Mayo later made another significant shift, this time transitioning his focus to professional poker, where he dedicated himself to the game for approximately ten years. It appears that destiny brought him back to golf in 2008, as Mayo secured a position at a retail golf store. During this period, he made a significant connection when he sold a TrackMan to a wealthy customer for $25,000, offering a lifetime of complimentary golf sessions as part of the transaction. In the process, Joe Mayo developed a deep understanding of and adeptness in managing the core principles of golf. It wasn't long before trainer Grant Waite introduced him to the professional golfing world. Since then, Mayo has coached numerous exceptional players, with Viktor Hovland being one of them.

Joe preaches about spin loft and how you should actually be steep on chipping against the old narrative of you have to be shallow.

Stan Utley

Stan is one of the few coaches in golf to have both played and taught at the highest levels of the sport. He is a Golf digest 50 best teacher and has worked with everyone from Sergio Garcia to Charles Barkley.

He has four great instruction books - The Art of Putting, The Art of the Short Game, The Art of scoring and The Art of Sequencing your Swing - of which I have 2.

He has walked the walk and talked the talk with all things short game.

Nice little video here on set up, fundamentals and energy transfer,

Alex Buckner

Alex is young pro based in Surrey (Bearwood Lakes),

Alex has just been in Denmark lecturing at a PGA seminar and is seen as an up and coming expert in the field of short game instruction. I know of at least one reader to have seen Alex for a session and he spoke very highly of said lesson, as I also witnessed 50 yard pitches driven in low stopping on the 2nd bounce.

James Sieckmann 

James Sieckmann’s journey in golf began when he caddied for his brother Tom at the US Open, sparking his dream of becoming a professional golfer. However, fate had other plans, and he found his true calling on the teaching side of the sport. Under the mentorship of renowned instructor Dave Pelz, James honed his skills, becoming one of Pelz’s most exceptional proteges.

While still caddying for his brother and other professionals, he avidly studied top players like Seve Ballesteros, gaining unique insights into their exceptional short game techniques.

By thoroughly analyzing these players’ techniques, he realized that much of what he had learned in college was insufficient. Determined to master their methods, he developed an impeccable short game system that would later revolutionize the careers of numerous PGA Tour pros and amateur golfers worldwide.

James’s reputation as a short-game guru spread rapidly, and through his brother’s network of tour-level golfers, he began coaching and sharing the knowledge he gained from Pelz and Ballesteros.

Throughout his thirty-year career, James has coached over 150 tour pros, including notable names like Tom Pernice, Charlie Wi, Brad Faxon, Matt Harmon, and Kenny Perry. His world-renowned coaching prowess attracts players from all corners of the globe, with some flying in specifically for a few hours of practice with him.

This is just a sample of some of the great coaches out there, pick wisely. Don’t get tips from Rick Shiels or Pete Finch or your mate Wayne, when you can get proper advice, a lot of the time for free, from world class instructors.

So check out the websites, instagram pages and YouTube videos but then and most importantly take action.

Knowledge is power but as Spiderman said best,

So you have to take action and use that knowledge,

See you at the range then?

Bonne Chance,