Hi Peter,

It was a great instructional session last night and was privileged to have the perspective of 2 Pros, hence I have 2 realizations to share one from you and one from Andrew Gott.

Andy made me realize the importance of a pre-shot routine and treating every ball as if it’s my last one, practicing at the highest level. In the case of the CGS pre-shot routine each move has a purpose and is a set-up for a repeatable golf shot.

The 2nd one is with regards to releasing the club and it was a misconception I had with the CGS term of “pushing action” which you clarified. On my through swing I was swiveling my left hand but I was also “pushing” with my right hand. You said I need to “feel the toe of the club” hit the ball but not with the “pushing” of my right hand instead it should be with my left hand and the “right hand is just there for the ride” as Andy put it.

Cheers,

moonmag

Nice video Peter, well done!

An official iseekgolf.com teaching panelist

Golf Industry Central

Dear HeadPro,

Exciting High Tech Workshops coming up at The Golf Science Centre, 21 Hamlet Street, Cheltenham on Wednesday June 13th—9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5pm.

Graham and Henry Boulton have developed a 3D Trainer using the metrics of the Croker Golf System.
All golfers wanting to feel and build the precision mechanics to link the “hands and hips” to swing the clubhead on a consistent path from start to finish for an “orthodox golf swing” can now do so with total certainty.
To add power to the mechanics, Swing Lab team link with Croker Golf System to bring the “FocusBand” to this Workshop to bring each student into the “ZEN ZONE.”
Contact Peter on 0415292549 or email crokergolfsystem@gmail.com to book a place – only 6 students per Workshop.

Dear moonmag,

Thanks for another insightful post here.

May I make a correction to your realization about the “hands” controlling the club.
The “right hand” does not go along for the ride, but is not responsible for the clubface control.

This responsibility falls to the “left hand.”

The “right hand” pushes the clubhead down and out through the ball to accelerate the clubhead to add to power control.

The responsibility for “clubshaft control” falls to both hands “cocking” and “uncocking” correctly so that the clubshaft moves into line with the lead arm.
Hope this adds both power and control to your shots.

Kind Regards,

Peter C

Hey Peter, I saw your metric in the 3D trainer, great stuff. Pretty cool that we can teach a student so precisely. I’ve been having fun with the Focus Band, it creates such a positive learning environment.

Good luck with your seminar Peter.

Hey Peter, I saw your metric in the 3D trainer, great stuff. Pretty cool that we can teach a student so precisely. I’ve been having fun with the Focus Band, it creates such a positive learning environment.

Good luck with your seminar Peter.

An official iseekgolf.com teaching panelist

Golf Industry Central

Dear HeadPro,

Thanks for your positive feedback on both 3D Myelinator and FocusBand developed by Graham and Henry Boulton.
We still have 2 spots left to fill for both morning and afternoon Workshops.
Anyone serious about gaining feel and certainty in their swing will gain much if they have the time to come.
They say that if it can be measured, it can be managed and with both of these “Teaching Aids” this is certainly the case.
After all why would both Greg Charmers and Rod Pampling have brought one for their own use.

Phone me on 0415292549 to book your place.

Regards,

Peter C

when i stumbled upon peter croker in the internet and tried to learn by just sending him videos of my swing and have him analyze it through V1, the first lesson he taught me was how to have the perfect grip. i think it was the perfect first lesson. i marked my hands and true enough, it did improve my game right away because of 2 things. firstly, i could feel the whole club with the right grip and i do feel more control over it. secondly, i lessened strain in my fingers and wrists – i thought pain in the fingers and wrists where natural when i started out playing golf, but when i learned the proper grip, i was hitting 3 buckets in the driving range and never had issues.

thanks peter! i will send you my next video to be analyzed soon! pretty positive vibe we have so far. cheers!

Dear Hitman49,

Sorry for the late reply here. This is a valuable realization to share with all beginners andhigher handicap players.
This is a big win and I can remember back to having a similar problem when I was testing out different ways to grip the club and certainly the CGS way allows the hands to fit and work as a single unit andwith much more mobility in the wrists and little to no strain in the hands when done by the book.
Regards,

Peter C

hi peter, this is paul. i’m still working on my chip shot to make it more consistent. should i just keep it on the driving range right now? when do you think i’m ready for my first 9-holes? cheers -paul

hi peter, this is paul. i’m still working on my chip shot to make it more consistent. should i just keep it on the driving range right now? when do you think i’m ready for my first 9-holes? cheers -paul

Dear Hitman49,

Playing on the Golf Course is something that all who come to this game must eventually confront and become comfortable playing the game.

As a beginner I would highly recommend a gradual transition to the golf course by first playing on a “Par 3” or “Executive Length {short course)”

If this is not available in your area, it means jumping in the deep end and staying the distance – just a few holes with a Professional Teacher would be advised. This would be money well spent as not only are you going to see “How to Play” but also gain advise on which clubs to play when and where.

Remember to keep up drilling and building your swing at home and on the Driving Range as well.

Good Golfing,

Peter C

To All on the “Step by Step” Path to Better Golf”,

I am bringing this Question over from the other Croker Golf System Thread as it belongs more here.

hi peter, this is paul. your student from overseas! i have to review back to lesson 5 because i can’t find a consistent shot. out of 10 chip shots, i only get around 2 or 3 that are perfect. the rest are either hit over the ball or too low that it hits more dirt than ball. thank you for the videos! they work great.

Dear Hitman49,

In regards your question here on making a more consistent strike on the ball and therefore being able to hit the ball both straight and the right length so the ball can finish close to the pin, may I suggest the following:
1. Make sure you are set up for the “chip shot” with a correct grip and stance.
2. Start with very slow “practice swings” where you consistently brush the ground in the same place.
3. Next make small “chip shot” swings and use a golf tee as a target.
4. Now add a golf ball on top of the tee where the tee is very low to the ground and hit the ball consistently only 1 to 2 metres. When you can achieve this consistently, remove the tee and hit shots off the ground from good lies.
5. Move out in distance hitting the ball an extra 1 metre at a time and only extend the distance you hit it when you can hit a minimum of 3 to 5 balls in a row to that distance.
Doing this type of practice allows you to gain more competence and in the process more confidence and consistency.

KInd regards,

Peter C

PS: This might appear to be a very slow way to become a competent golfer, but when confidentce is missing and consistency is not there, this way of training will bring you the results you are after.

PPS: It is time to move on to Step 4!
Please post your thoughts.

Hi Peter,
With Pennant finally out of the way, and a niggling virus taken care of, I thought of our agreement of early May. I looked back in this thread on how that started, and of the lessons I learned about myself and how I see golf lessons by remote.

When you sent me the grip lesson, my handicap was 7.7, it is now 9.6. I do not for a moment lay any blame for that except to myself. There may well be any number of reasons why I have not played to my handicap for a long time. As Shanks4ever suggested to me that I am just experiencing a slump and to just relax and play my game for enjoyment rather than results.

The more I think about it, the more I realise that ‘lessons’ online or on a DVD are the equivalent of any number of tips available from pros or coaches on You Tube. It is true that I have created my game largely from viewing online tips from different coaches, Ron Del Bario, Shawn Clement to name two, but have not followed a structured program, and that is why I jumped at the chance at exploring yours… But I am now wondering at the efficacy of following a structured program remotely.

At the beginning I was blindly full steam ahead, not seeing that your grip was the grip I already used. I became critical of what I had and overdid what was on the video which decimated what I was doing. After a few weeks I decided to try and revert my approach to my old grip, but there are aspects of the grip that have not changed back, at least I don’t think they changed back.

If I continued with what we spoke of in May, I could not promise to follow the program with fervent zeal, but instead watch the videos critically, recognising that which I already do, and taking that which I recognise that I lack… essentially taking only what I need (when I recognise what my needs are).

So that is where I am right now.

Dear Mekat,

Thank you for your honest assessment of your situation and any negative effect that our Online Program has had.
A couple of things to consider are:
1. It has moved into winter in Adelaide and the golf courses are playing at least 2 strokes harder.
2. With daylight hours at a minimum you have less time to practice and play.
3. Your last exchange with us was in early May and without coaching – close at hand or by the Internet, no player is going to progress well.
4. You have not sent in any video via Youtube or directly over the V1 portal for review.

Learning any worthwhile technique requires a consistent committment over a sustained period before a player sees results on a consistent basis, especially as the handicap becomes lower.

I recommend you check out The Talent Code for a little assistance in growing your Talent in Golf to the next level. Our Program delivers when combined with regualr coaching, even when that coaching is via Internet Video check -ups.
Personal Individual Video Lessons via the Internet

Hope this insight into how to go up to the next Level helps you and others on “The Path to Better Golf”
Sincerely,

Peter C

Hi Peter,

I haven’t had face to face instruction with you in awhile but it’s been good as I’ve had time to reflect and work on what I’ve learned.

I have been working on my ‘release’ as it’s been causing me all sorts of problems.

I noticed that on the ‘start down’ when I swivel my left hand the pressure is coming primarily from the three fingers (middle, index, thumb) which is more from the no.1 pressure point. I believe this causes the ‘throw away effect’ on impact.

I’ve made a slight change on my sequence and instead feeling the pressure from my pinky and ring finger of my left hand which is more from the no.2 pressure point.

The result puts me in the ‘thumbs down’ position on impact and most importantly I’ve been more consistent with my ball striking (at least on the shorter irons P-7). Which is why I look forward to our next face to face instruction this week.

Many thanks,

moonmag

PS My contribution for Step 4- something to trigger the start of the swing, the Forward press.

The stance video..
There is more to this video than meets the eye, much of which is subtle and not fully rationalised in the video. specifically the splaying of the feet, and the need for the knees to follow the direction of the feet. The splaying of the feet is, of course, to accommodate the turning of the hips, but the knees are a bracing and balance issue, and where I have long had problems, and need to focus.

With Fibrositis, I have weak legs (especially lower legs) and they tend to become a bit rubbery in the swing, resulting in a less than balanced finish. In a rare (mini)lesson, I was told once that I need to brace my knees out in the swing, rather than have my left knee turn in on the back swing, and largely lose everything in the legs in the through swing.

These days I think it is better than it was, but I know still sometimes lose it a bit at the finish, in relation to balance.

On reflection, this may be my biggest technical problem in my overall technique…

Instead of isolating my thoughts on my knees, I will look to set my knees as I set my feet (as per the video), thereby bracing, without the specific (read distracting) focus on my knees…. I’ll keep you posted on that.

To the rest of the video.
On first view, the set up to the stance looked like a kind of dance, a sort of ‘Hokey pokey’ (you put your right foot in – you keep your left foot.back, you put your left foot in (and give the ball a whack)). But I can see that standing near the ball with the club in your left hand could be the action from the pre-shot routine (behind the ball) into the actual SHOT routine.

what I am doing…
As part of the pre-shot routine, I select which club to use. Once that club is selected, it is set in the left hand, I do this as a matter of course, even if I have to address the ball before my shot to make sure of it. In this way, my left hand (the major part of my grip) is set, and there will be no need to readjust the grip over the ball.

Take my grip – practice swing

Approach the ball
Feet together (ball centred) bend from waist (spine angle), push tush out (straightens lower back).
Left foot back by a foot (creates spine tilt)
maintaining angles, feet together, left foot slightly forward into position (splayed), then right foot back into position (splayed).
I have found that this sets up for good alignment and accurate ball positioning…. but where are my knees? probably still facing front in a weak position. I think I need to become conscious of setting my knees to point down the direction of each foot as the last act of stance construction… perhaps as a trigger to know that my set-up is ready for the shot…. just a thought.

Hi Peter,

I purchased one of your lessons through living social, have yet to book it in, hoping to do it wed week.

I’m just a hacker if I had a handicap it would be about 26.

Looking forward to stripping everything back and starting afresh with the right advice, not second had playing partners advice!!

See you soon,

Jezza

Hi Peter,

Yesterday’s session was one of the most enjoyable one I’ve done so far. The “Yard stick drill” which looks into the 12 elements of the full swing. It is pretty intense but necessary since it happens so quick that it’s not until you slow it down with the drill that I see the flaws in my swing compared to yours.

My realizations, there are so many but I’ll just share 2.

The forward press, I need to push my right hand more towards the resisting left hand with the feeling of my right arm bending and coming close to my right hip.

The one piece take away it feels more of my right leg with my left hand pushing the handle of the club.

Cheers,

moonmag

Very interesting thread here Peter. I made contact with Andy Agott to set up a golf lesson here in Perth.
Question for you Peter is it worthwhile booking the on-line system or just go with Andy ?

Dear Mekat,

Good to see you thoroughly studying the Step 2 Lesson on Stance.

It does have a precision to the Address Routine that sets the grip, posture, distance to the ball, foot and knee alignments, and alignments of hips and shoulders to the ball’s target.

I see you have taken the foot and knee set up from this Routine and this will help you stabilze your pivot and leg action throughout the swing.

There are many “Routines” that Tour Players employ to good effect and the main thing is that you do settle on an “Address Routine” that helps you set up in balance and aligned accurately to your target.

When we get a chance to have an “Individual Lesson” I can share the important points of “Step 2” with you. Keep up the Journey and “Enjoy the Hit!”

Kind Regards,

Peter C

Very interesting thread here Peter. I made contact with Andy Agott to set up a golf lesson here in Perth.
Question for you Peter is it worthwhile booking the on-line system or just go with Andy ?

Only God can judge me!

Dear Tupac,

The combination of Andy Gott and the “Online Step by Step Program” is the most effective as Andy will quality control your journey through all Steps and this then helps you overcome the barriers to learning such a game as golf.

There are two types of student that can be measured – “The Careless” and “The Thorough”

Combining both “Online Step by Step Program” and the quality coaching of Andy Gott is the way to go.

Thanks for your interest in exploring “The Croker Golf System.”

Kind Regards,

Peter C

Hi Peter,

I purchased one of your lessons through living social, have yet to book it in, hoping to do it wed week.

I’m just a hacker if I had a handicap it would be about 26.

Looking forward to stripping everything back and starting afresh with the right advice, not second had playing partners advice!!

See you soon,

Jezza

Dear Tigerblood,

Thanks for your post here. You have started your journey on “The Path to Better Golf.”
Please do yourself a big favour and review the Lesson 1 – Grip a minimum of 3 to 5 times and answer the “Test Questions” at each viewing as well as mark up your hands as precisely as possible.
I look forward to meeting you and getting to help you become the golfer you desire.

Kind Regards,

Peter C

Hi Peter,

Yesterday’s session was one of the most enjoyable one I’ve done so far. The “Yard stick drill” which looks into the 12 elements of the full swing. It is pretty intense but necessary since it happens so quick that it’s not until you slow it down with the drill that I see the flaws in my swing compared to yours.

My realizations, there are so many but I’ll just share 2.

The forward press, I need to push my right hand more towards the resisting left hand with the feeling of my right arm bending and coming close to my right hip.

The one piece take away it feels more of my right leg with my left hand pushing the handle of the club.

Cheers,

moonmag

Dear Moonmag,

This last session yesterday proved the value of the “Yardstick Drill.”
Your swing really came together and not only did you hit the ball straighter, the compression on the ball was much greater and you picked up at least 10 metres on your iron play.

Precision drilling here really builds your confidence.
Very well done and I look forward to hearing what extras you gained from the lesson yesterday.

Kind Regards,

Peter C

Hi Peter,

Yesterday’s session was one of the most enjoyable one I’ve done so far. The “Yard stick drill” which looks into the 12 elements of the full swing. It is pretty intense but necessary since it happens so quick that it’s not until you slow it down with the drill that I see the flaws in my swing compared to yours.

My realizations, there are so many but I’ll just share 2.

The forward press, I need to push my right hand more towards the resisting left hand with the feeling of my right arm bending and coming close to my right hip.

The one piece take away it feels more of my right leg with my left hand pushing the handle of the club.

Cheers,

moonmag

Dear Moonmag,

This last session yesterday proved the value of the “Yardstick Drill.”
Your swing really came together and not only did you hit the ball straighter, the compression on the ball was much greater and you picked up at least 10 metres on your iron play.

Precision drilling here really builds your confidence.
Very well done and I look forward to hearing what extras you gained from the lesson yesterday.

Kind Regards,

Peter C

An official iseekgolf.com teaching panelist PGA Teaching Professional,The Dunes Golf Links, Rye, Victoria, Australia
Ph: 0415292549
www.crokergolfsystem.com

Hi Peter,

Thanks for signing your book “The Hit” which I got last week from you. The information validates in written form all the face to face instruction I’ve had with you in the past 10 months.

My realization from our last lesson came from what I think you coined “machine gun drill” that is hitting consecutive golf balls without having the time to think. I was amazed to see the best golf shots I’ve hit in my life. When I fully release without hesitation nor steering, my golf shots which are generally flat increased in loft that then translated to added distance and headed towards the target.

It makes sense why the last piece of advice in your book you recommend to “Forget any and all information about your swing…Find it. and just Hit that Ball again”.

I’ll keep doing the drills you gave me and just keep “hitting the ball”.

Cheers,

Moonmag

moonmag

PS My contribution for Step 4- something to trigger the start of the swing, the Forward press.

Thanks for putting forward your suggestion of “Forward Press” as the #4 STEP.

It certainly has been a long time in reaching a “STEP 4” and as we have come to realize there are many considerations that can distract us from a direct confront on building “our own best golf swing.”
I am going to suggest that at this stage all who are still interested in taking that “Step by Step” approach to building their own best golf swing review the following first 3 Steps of the Croker Golf System thoroughly. Then test out our “Step 4”
Building a solid “Chip Shot” technique is our way forward to mastery of Pitch and Full Swing and forms the base to learn all the “Speciality Shots” that help make you into a complete golfer.

Step 1 – GRIP
The Grip Test Questions

Step 2 – STANCE
The Stance Test Questions

Step 3 – IMPACT
Impact Test Questions

Step 4 – CHIP STANCE

Learning any worthwhile technique requires a consistent committment over a sustained period before a player sees results on a consistent basis, especially as the handicap becomes lower.

This is why a “THOROUGH” approach rather than a “CARELESS” one is needed if a student is to gain stable and consistent results.

I recommend you check out The Talent Code for a little assistance in growing your Talent in Golf to the next level. Our Program delivers when combined with regualr coaching, even when that coaching is via Internet Video check -ups.
Personal Individual Video Lessons via the Internet

Hope this insight into how to go up to the next Level helps you and others on “The Path to Better Golf”
Sincerely,

Peter C

Yesterday I was on the 17th at the Pat. I had missed the fairway with my drive, putting the ball on top of the rise just left of the fairway about 190m down-range. My miss-hit second shot was in the rough grass left of the fairway about 130m off the green…. when I played a shot that felt different.

Peter, as you know I have been looking at the stance step, and have taken a lot of learning from it, specifically with knee positioning, and spine tilt, which has lead to the dropping of the right shoulder in the swing, promoting the inward bending of the right elbow to the right hip. This alone has helped in returning me to more consistent ball striking and hit fairway stats.

As someone who is an untrained golfer, who has created her swing and process through online and published tips, there are some things (fundamentals) I either did not understand, get, or just misinterpreted through joining two concepts to come to a conclusion. This is illustrated through the idea of clearing the left hip in the downswing.

In tips from books and magazines, I learned that the golf swing is a rotational movement with no lateral swaying, that you rotate as if standing in a barrel. I had heard of, and understood, the importance of clearing the left hip. But (as far as I understood) when turning in a barrel, the pivot point of the hip turn would have to be in line with the spine (or the centre of the barrel). In this instance, the clearing of the left hip would occur as a result of the turning of the right hip.

As someone who is an untrained golfer, I would sometimes take an idea and use it on the course (as I have with your videos) or sometimes I would stumble onto something that feels different, and look to see how I did it, and how it was different. From time to time it comes to nothing, but once in a while it is a step forward.

My third shot on the 17th at the Pat yesterday incorporated the things I am trying to include, like the knees pointing the way of the feet, the shoulder dropping into the spine tilt, and the right elbow pointing to the right hip in the downswing… but for some reason for this shot I straightened my left leg into impact, and felt my left hip move. It felt good, I am not sure if my right hip came out (it probably did), but the ball connection was good but not in the desired direction, and I finished pin high in the green-side bunker right.

I remember thinking how interesting the feeling was of the straightened left leg on the left hip. I didn’t continue it through the last hole, but the idea and the feeling of the straightened left leg stayed with me… until I got home, came online and saw your post with steps 1, 2, 3, and 4. I had a look at step 3, and WOW, it was all there, the straightening of the left leg on the downswing clears the left hip as if opening a door, with the hinge (or pivot) being the right hip. It appears that (with the third shot on the 17th) my working on step 2 has (as if by evolution) lead me to step 3, or at least readied me to explore that step.

Dear Mekat,

Great to see you having a great adventure as you discover what works and what doesn’t.

I think you will gain more and more as you progress through the Steps.

Interesting how pieces align when the founding basics of “grip” and “stance” are in.

You will have fun when you are on a properly aligned Program as we are setting out here.

Great Golfing,

Peter Croker

Hi Pete,

My realization from our last session is the importance of having a sound “Stance”, which you’ve identified as Step 2. From a quick look at the routine you taught me (which the stance is incorporated). It seems like I’m doing all the right thing but once slowed down on video, there are subtle mistakes which programs my body incorrectly for the upcoming hit.

You’ve identified for me that on my ‘baseball waggle’ I move my arms across instead of just allowing my hands to swivel. When I address the ball, I do not maintain the 60deg angle of my arms and 90deg angle of my shaft. In other words I uncock my hands addressing the ball.

These subtle moves only encourages my swing fault of having my arms move across my body on my backswing and my laggy draggy tendency with my hands instead of having the low loading occur naturally.

If I can set myself up to a correct backswing then I’m set up for the “Hitting the Ball” part of the golf swing.

It’s the end of my intensive 10x group lessons (for now), so I think it’s time to set-up my golf garage for practicing all I’ve learned and also play more golf.

Many thanks,

Moonmag