Lingmerth in the US Am

As I am writing this, David Lingmerth is 1up on his opponent in the 2nd round of the 109th US Amateur. (David is from Tranås, and I coach his 2 younger brothers). This is the biggest Amateur tournament in the world (One that Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Bobby Jones, and Jack Nicklaus have won). Good Luck with the rest of your match, David!

Learning Process

Why don't we get better after taking golf lessons? Perhaps it is the information from the instructor (wrong or too much)...or...perhaps it is difficult to actually understand the development process.

According to a new book, called "The Talent Code," people create a chemical in the body called myelin when repeating a motory skill over and over. Myelin strengthens the nerve endings needed to repeat the skill (like playing the piano, playing golf or learning a subject in school). The more times a golfer makes and fixes mistakes, the more myelin the golfer creates. It is amount of Myelin in the body that is the "Secret" of Talent.

So, if you are curious to why you don't improve (assuming the information is correct), try the following:

. Train in slow motion
. It is OK to make mistakes since myelin comes from fixing these mistakes
. Repetition is the key to mastery!

Good Luck

- Steven

PGA Championship

Well, another Sunday and another Tiger versus Padraig showdown. Should be a fun final round. Cool to see that Padraig is playing well again. He seems to be the toughest competitor against Tiger at the moment. Whatever happens (if Tiger wins his 5th PGA and 15th major or if Paddy goes back to back again), it is good for golf!

- Steven

Congrats!

I would like to say a BIG CONGRATS to Adam Wilander and Klara Johansson for winning our club championship. Both are re-peat winners and both played very well.

- Steven

The Homestretch

Now that there is only a couple of months left in the golf, I hope your mechanics are in order. If you are struggling keeping your positions together, why not try this tempo drill to "feel" your way back to the course.

TPI Level 2

Just back from TPI Level 2 workshop down in Malmö Sweden. Great 2 days packed full of information about motor learning, junior golf, different swing styles and teaching around limitations. The seminar was held by Lance Gill, Dr. Greg Rose, Dave Phillips and Denis McDade. Padraig Harrington's brother was also onsite to assist the guys.

Steven

Disappointment

Well, we just got back from the Division Series of the Club Championships. We are in Division 1 and unfortunately we finished last in our tournament. If the series stays in the same format next year, we will be in division 2. So we are (of course) disappointed. So the next question: How do we handle this disappointment and where do we go from here?

Handling disppointment is much easier said than done.

First, it is important to realzie that when we fail, we must learn. What is the message from this tournament? We need to improve our short game, course strategy and mental strengths.

Second, we should use this as motivation. Motivation to get better is the number one reason why we should practice. Practicing and measuring our practice sessions will help us create confidence.

Last, we must never give up. Every person that has suceeded can tell many stories of failure before the success.

Until next time, handle your disappointments with class and try and learn something that will make you stronger and better next time you are in the same situation.

Steven