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Welcome to The Dirt Blogs, where staff, members, and guests contribute their wisdom.
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Mike Maves Featured Blogger
Beautiful day for golf!!!!
Recent Posts
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Moving Right Along Featured
Time for some current news and an update on some of what is in store for Secret In The Dirt in the upcoming weeks and month. First as you have probably noticed we are now hosting our videos at YouTube. The idea here is simple. First the videos are going to be more easily shared throughout the web and will load faster for our frien ...Apr 24 -
Sticking With It Featured
For quite a while now I have been asked in personal messages and so forth to recommend drills for improving people's golf swings. I've never been much of a "drill guy" except that in the 90's I became fascinated by Paul Bertholy and his static hold drills. I thought Bertholy was a genius. Still do. These were basically like dynam ...Apr 04 -
Prepping For Spring Part 1 Featured
Every year around this time all of us up here in the north start to get that nagging itch to tip it up and play some golf. We want to play but mother nature is just not quite ready to let us have a go out there. If you can't play, the next best thing you can do is prep to play. To me, prepping for the season is mainly about conditioning ...Mar 09 -
Let's Think Wide Featured
As another year draws to a close and a new one begins it is time to take stock of where we are and to think a little about where we are going. Improvement in golf is an incremental thing. Those of you who have been in The Dirt for a good while know what I am talking about. It happens when players think wide and are open to a wide range of ideas. ...Dec 31 -
Get 'er Done!!! Featured
Back a couple of years ago now when Elk and I first started to go over a lot of historical information about the golf swing, he was visiting just prior to the Canadian Open and I gave him a copy of one of my favorite books. My Golfing Album by Henry Cotton. Ironically he had a copy of this very book on in bookshelf but like many of the ...Dec 09 -
Other entries by Mike Maves
Jimmy Nissen Featured Blogger
Spending the day making how-to videos for all the new site features!
Recent Posts
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Favorite Week of the Year Featured
Saturday, 5:20 am. It was a cold and foggy morning in Pacific Palisades. The only lights you could see were coming from my Riviera issued golf cart. The deer at this time were scurrying back into their homes on the outskirts of the course. The work day had only just begun.... ...Feb 17 -
Better Golf Without Practice (Book Review) Featured
Better golf without practice. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? I recently picked up a book of the same title written by Alex J. Morrison in 1940. He is the same author who wrote “A New Way to Better Golf”, which by all accounts online seems to be the better and more widely read of the two. ...Jan 16 -
Taking the Plunge Featured
One of my resolutions for 2012 is to read at least 100 books this year. Throughout my life, I’ve read about 40 books on golf, and I hope a good chunk of the 100 this year are golf related. On my most recent trip to the LA 84 Foundation, I happened upon a copy of the Golfing Machine, one of the books that has slipped through my fingers during this q ...Jan 06 -
The LA84 Foundation Featured
Being a golfer in LA certainly has its positives and negatives. Positives: nice weather, solid golf shops in the area, The LA Open at Riviera. But although there are some decent muni’s here with quite a bit of history, the best public courses for your money may set you back an hour’s drive or more. But I recently was lucky enough to stumble upon so ...Dec 05 -
Sometimes you just have to keep your head down
First off apologies for being so tardy with the blog but I think once you read this you will forgive me for being otherwise occupied. I feel like I’ve said that far too often recently but it can’t be helped….. Especially, when I get something into my head that has to be turned into something real. When we started Secret In The Dirt, i ...Jul 05 -
Other entries by Jimmy Nissen
Geoff Mangum Featured Blogger
Addicted to XBox! Trying to teach golf again anyway!
Recent Posts
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Help a Young Pro! Featured
Hi Dirters, and Happy Holy Days! I'm working on an idea about helping young golfers turn pro, especially proven talents coming out of college onto the pro circuits without substantial parental capacity or other assistance meeting the demands of event entry fees, caddie fees, equipment and training costs, and travel, lodging, and meals expenses. Th ...Dec 23 -
PuttingZone Update Featured
Certified 14 new coaches since June, now 106 in 18 countries! Most recently Allen Terrell, Head Golf Coach at Coastal Carolina, Conway / Myrtle Beach SC, and next Michael Shelton from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia in Orlando. Learning how to caddy on the Future tour, PGA PAT rounds, the SunCoast Tour, and LPGA Qualifying School (Stages II and III).... ...Dec 14 -
It's a New Century for How the Body Works Featured
Recently I have really been realizing how correct it is to know the game of golf does not know your name or anyone's. The shot requires X, and if the player doesn't deliver, the shot doesn't work out. In putting, the world requires a certain delivery speed (a range, but yours in particular), and that determines the only possible path, and that dete ...Oct 22 -
Aimpoint as Poor Science Featured
Aimpoint as Poor Science, and Templeton is better but ... Physics profs make terrible putting instructors. What ridiculous hubris to think that juggling a few standard formulae from their graduate school notes or a colleague's textbook can actually engage the perception and movement skills of REAL putting situations! But of course golfers are absol ...Oct 03 -
PuttingZone's 1st DVD: The Reality of Putting Featured
Hi Dirters, I just wanted to share my excitement about today's "release" of the first DVD from the PuttingZone initiative, "The Reality of Putting -- Geoff Mangum with Steve Elkington". It's a real humdinger! The DVD is available here: TheRealityofPutting.com.... ...Dec 01 -
Other entries by Geoff Mangum
Bradley Hughes Featured Blogger
I come from a land 'down under'
Recent Posts
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The Masters V Equipment Featured
... ...Mar 26 -
Hit the ball?...OR....Swing the club? Featured
The answer to the title is - we CAN DO BOTH...... ...Jan 17 -
Feel In Golf
Ever wondered why golf is seemingly easy one day and you can do little wrong and then the next day you feel like you have never held a club in your hands before!! FEEL........ It is the lifeblood of a consistent player. So how do we create feel?.... Well we need to start off by thinking...What do we feel with?.... The HANDS. Our hands provide ...Jan 02 -
Australian Masters 2011- Final Summary
After the excitement of a 14/14 fairway and 16/18 greens second round of 69, Saturday's 3rd round was a bit of a downer. I made a decent enough start being level par through 11 holes, but made my first bad swing for the week on hole 12 and set off a run of bogeys that I couldn't turn the tide on. I felt the wind shift on my second shot on 12 and d ...Dec 22 -
Australian Masters 2011- Day 1 & 2
The first two rounds of The 2011 Australian Masters are now history and the weekend is shaping up for a great event that will go down to the wire to decide the champion. Day 1 saw the morning players get the better of the conditions. Only one afternoon player made it to the top 10 at the close of round 1. I was second last group out on Day 1 at 1 ...Dec 16 -
Other entries by Bradley Hughes
Cameraman and Casey.
Jim Rome
I'm breaking my second athlete twitter talent. @rexchapman was the first and he went instant LEGEND. Now I'm telling you to follow @elkpga.
Jim Rome Show
I'm breaking my second athlete twitter talent. @rexchapman was the first and he went instant LEGEND. Now I'm telling you to follow @elkpga.
Jim Rome Show
Recent Posts
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cameraman and casey
When I first met Mike I was getting insurance for 2 cars and the new house I bought on the lake where all this began. I asked Mike about golf because I was new to the region and I saw some golf related items in his office. I am fanatical about golf so I asked Mike about his golf. He told me a little bit of history on himself but as usual he was bei ...Jun 07 -
Other entries by Cameraman and Casey.
Martin Ayers
My new swing motto....
Don't just do something..Stand there!
Don't just do something..Stand there!
Recent Posts
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A Lesson with Jackie Burke Jr.
A lesson with JB There's been a lot of talk over the years about Hogan's secret. I think all the conjecture is a lot fun. I would rather hear from his contemporaries, guys that not only played with him but knew him well. ...Nov 26 -
My thoughts on Episode #582 in the Dirt Vault
This latest video of Elk discussing his game at the SITD clinic at Pasatiempo prompted me to write my first blog entry on SITD. I will do this from time to time from now on, rather than start a thread on the forums. I thought what Elk said in this short clip is so important that I wanted to share my perspective of what he said and just how importan ...Oct 30 -
Other entries by Martin Ayers
Timothy Goynes
I think I'm gonna play my persimmon woods full time for a while. Shot even par with them the day after the pre-qualifier. (Where was THAT guy on Thursday?) Love that sound and feel. I think I hit steel shafted drivers straighter anyway!
Recent Posts
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Adidas Adicross Shoes and Callaway Warbird stand bag...quick review
... ...Jan 23 -
Choosing the Right Shot Shape Pt. 3 -- Dealing With Wind
The flag is staring right at you. Right in the center of the big old green, with nothing around to protect it. You're only 140 yards away from a sure chance at a birdie. The wind is blowing strong into your face, but that doesn't bother you. You're good with your fade, you say...you're going to aim a little left and let that ...Jan 18 -
Picking the Right Shot Shape Pt. 2 -- How to Miss!
You've heard it said before that golf is a game of misses. Or alternatively, it's not about how good your good shots are, it's about how good your BAD shots are. When we step up and hit a ball, only rarely does it do exactly what we want it to do. Hogan himself said in a typical round he would only hit 2 or 3 shots that actually c ...Jan 04 -
Picking the Right Shot Shape Pt. 1 -- The Basics
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Don't Hit it Straight!
... ...Dec 12 -
Other entries by Timothy Goynes
JASON RICHARDSON
JASON RICHARDSON has not set their biography yet
Recent Posts
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Drills and pivot
I have been doing drills, actually mainly one drill. The stork drill. I was having some trouble getting back to the ball, and noticed a lack of stability in my feet. The stork drill is basically, hitting balls while standing with your feet close together with the left foot back, while standing closer to the ball with a tall right axis. i did these ...Jul 23 -
Understanding the Wall
After studying my week one videos and conversing on the DOCF site, I have been trying to correct some faults in my swing. I have come a long way on the back swing from taking it outside and looping it, to taking it down the line with a smaller loop. Now I have finally begun to take the club in strait away and it has made my back swing. I thought I ...Jul 07 -
NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE!!!!! CONTAINING THE SLING
I have had a case of the high rights a little slappy type shot mostly with a few gems sprinkled in since I started this process. I know I am doing something right because I am hitting it on the sweet spot consistently, just not quite getting back to square. I was thinking through the swing last night and especially the release. How can I get the cl ...Jun 24 -
FOUND A MAJOR FLAW
I think I may have pin pointed the major flaw in my action up to this point. I feel like I am taking it back correctly - reverse roll, belly roll, sling..... but as I was coming into the ball I was loosing my spine angle. I was just watching the docf overview and review, and I need to get my right shoulder to move out toward the ball a bit an ...Jun 22 -
BACK TO THE BASICS - GRIP AND RIGHT AXIS
Today I went out with the intention of finding the sling. Martin directed me to the stork drill. This drill is basically putting all your weight on the right axis, open your stance, and just take it back and sling it through. The intent of this drill is to isolate the sling. What it did for me is teach me how to hit from my right axis. If you have ...Jun 20 -
Other entries by JASON RICHARDSON
Peter Blakelock
Peter Blakelock has not set their biography yet
Recent Posts
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Revisiting Martin's WRX forum posts
Yesterday, I re-read the first 5 pages of the "different concept for a golf swing" thread on the golf wrx forum. It's amazing how things have developed for Martin since he started that thread. From all of Martin's posts in those 5 pages there was one sentence that stood out for me. I'd not paid ...Jun 17 -
DOCF progress
I attended Martin's clinic in the UK which helped a great deal and it's been a steep learning curve but I'm now reaping the rewards. I'm a high handicapper so I'm taking things a step at a time. The basis of my swing at the moment is the shovel shot and things have been going fairly well.I've now got a video camera so I will u ...Jun 11 -
Other entries by Peter Blakelock
Craig Foster
Working on lefty putting and it is starting to feel comfortable. It's a good way to test technique and mechanics. Makes righty putting feel like a breeze afterwards. Also working on the flipped over club with a lefty stroke to escape from a jam. Stable clubface alignment plus a stable arc can be like having a couple more clubs in the bag.
Recent Posts
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New Dynalign Putting Video
A new video has been posted to the Dynamic Pre-Shot Alignment group showing application of Dynalign technique to the one arm putting drill. One arm putting is often used as a teaching technique to develop a smooth stroke. A problem when using one arm putting with traditional alignment is that there is potential for undesirable mot ...Oct 29 -
Canadian Tour Championship
Two of my tournament players are on the Canadian Tour, and they had solid finishes at the Tour Championship in St. Catherines, Ontario today. Andres Gonzales T7 had 63 in the 3rd round, and John Cassidy T24 finished with a 66 on Sunday. ... ...Aug 29 -
Dave Pelz putting tip?
Dave Pelz tip for the day claims to describe a method for keeping your putting stroke consistent. While his tip does describe a desirable feature of a stable stroke, it does more to describe what can go wrong rather than a method to prevent a problem as claimed. Dave's tip is the equivalent of telling an ice skater not to let their ankles buc ...Aug 26 -
Notes from the golf shop
It's been an interesting past couple of weeks in my shop. Just got an emergency call this morning, Sunday, to replace a broken driver shaft for a U of Tulsa player who tees off tomorrow in the US Amateur at Chambers Bay. It's fortunate that his shaft broke today rather than tomorrow, but it is not the way a player likes to go into a big tourn ...Aug 22 -
Other entries by Craig Foster
