i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

[TeddyG]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Hi Guys!
I haven't wrote on this thread for ages... There are so many pages!
But if anyone remembers, last time I was saying how I had the book, and enjoyed it so much I went down to Hersham just before Christmas to get a few signed copies for my friends and family. I've also had quite a few more lessons and have really been enjoying it. Joe is a pretty cool guy for coming up with this revolutionary, but so-simple-it's-almost-too-obvious approach. But I've been having lessons with Kevin McDonald, who also really knows the method inside out. It helps he is a really fun teacher, wacky sense of humour but very approachable. I'm getting on really well, and my mates are asking me, "How on earth do you keep improving so quickly? You only just started!"

I think a lot of people who don't play golf assume its too hard/boring. But the three skills get rid of that, they make it fun and easy. I've even dragged my teenage daughters to the range - and once I gave them a few tips they were quite enjoying themselves! I think I might get them a few birthday 3skills lesson vouchers! Haha! I think they might enjoy it... Kevin's good with people - entertaining them with hitting balls well far and straight off his knees, on one leg, eyes closed, whatever really. Quite a nutter, but very funny!

Also another point is, I think a lot of you people on here, who've been playing a long time seem to find it hard to let go of all the teaching you've had already. I understand its hard to just forget years of what you've been told... but Kevin and Joe didn't learn golf they started the 3skills way (if you read the intro to Joe's book, he says he's looked into ALL sorts of coaching)... but still 3skills helps them and they are PGA proffesionals!

Where is everyone from on this site? Because I was thinking if there was enough interest maybe one day there could be a 3skills Golf holiday... fly out to Portugal or somewhere nice like that maybe? any London airport would be convenient for me. Who else has been on a golf holiday? What do you reckon?
I will have a word with the Hersham boys! It would be good if there was enough interest!


Teddy G

PS Did anyone see the latest Golf Punk magazine? They have a little 3skills tip on P29 I think!

[bill reed]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

hi Ian
i remember back in the 80s and i was playing off 16 and my pro convinced me i would never play well using Trevino's open system and he talked me into playing with a closed stance and hitting a draw, i did get down to 4 handicap over the next 10 years but could never control the draw like i wanted to. i damaged my spine and gave up golf for years but went back to it a few year ago and found hitting a draw gave me back pain and i tried the open Trevinos system and no back pain, i was suprised that it came back to me so easely and my best round was 7 over last year and as luck would have it i played with the pro that got me to change to a draw, i took great delight in beating him by 3 shot that day and did slag him about how i would never be able to play using Trevinos system of hitting a ball.
If you look at Moe Norman and Lee trevino, they played that way so they could put the club square on the back of the ball time after time. how you set up to control the flight of the ball is as important as putting the club square on the back of the ball. reading from a book is hard as you often tend to put your slant on how you read diffrent part, it would be great to have hands on help to make sure your grasping the important parts.
i have a system i understand inside out and know why i have to do this and why i cant do that, i play what i think is good golf and i have fun with it and i can do something now that i could nerver do when i was drawing the ball and that have control of how much fade i put on a ball, i can take 10 yard off a shot by putting on more fade and have it land so soft. but you have to understand the system you use and why some things work with a one plane swing that wont work with a two plane swing, to many people dont know or even want to know and then dont understand when they hit a bad shot and turn and ask what did i do wrong only to get 3 diffrent answers.
its great you and Brian and the many other on here are having such improvents using 3sk. its great when things start working and you confedence in your playing get to a point where you dont think about your swing only the course infront of you.
cheers
bill

[Ian Hancock]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Great point that Bill,

Every pro I mention it to seems to think this would put him out of a job so boo hoos it straight off.

It like they don't want to listen, perhaps its 'I'm a pro and your not syndrome' so what do I know.............!!!

Started chatting to a girl at our range who has just started work there and she was hitting balls and asked me if Liam played anywhere etc and she said Lanceshire have a great county set-up, cutting a long story short, she said she had county coaching and I mentioned that I refuse to let anyone at the county coach Liam any 'swing changes', she look horrified, and said everyone needs swing changes........!!!

Is this what they teach them...???


Ian.

[slater170]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

golfpunk magazine are looking to do a monthly 3skills feature,

scott currie at boysnope manchester has bought the book and is incorporating it into his coaching

[bill reed]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

hi
if you look at the number of tapes Dalton McCray sold and then AG Bonner and lately Leadbetter interactive DVDs. all sold in huge numbers due to the golf channel pushing them, and all 3 did helped a huge mumber of peole but most did not stick with it but the people that did stick with it did improve greatly and it the same with 3SK i think, if you stick with it then you will improve. you need a target to aim for a goal to aim for, sadly to many of us we give up and dont give it a chance work, it the same with a lot of golf aids, most will and do help but we dont give them long enough to help us.
if you try 3SKs then you have to give it time and you have to put the work in to make it work.
its not something magic it a method of getting you to to hit the ball cleanly.
it would be great if you could get a golf instructor to work with you when you use a book like this, sadly you never seem to find one that will work with on books or DVDs you have bought.
chees
bill

[bdbl]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Not especially a 3 Skiller myself, though I've picked on some stuff from the book but to answer your question:

a) It has been picked up but I think in a UK only magazine

b) I'd suggest that the big beasts of teaching, the Golf Channel, the large circulation glossy monthly's, the big OEMS are all in a pretty incestuous commercial relationship that is dificult to break into.

[miffin]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Here is my last question on this 3skills thread. If this is such a remarkable technique for teaching the golf swing why have I not seen it reported in any of the current golf magazines?

Surely some reporter would have picked up on it by now.

I wonder that myself. It has simplified my game so much that I really do recommend it. I wonder if the powers that be don't want it to be that simple and want to sell lots of lessons, instruction and gadgets!
Brian

[Ian Hancock]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

It is indeed a mystery, one that I cannot answer.......!!!!

I am waiting for the excitment to die down then market the book as my own....LOL


I think this has the potential to be massive.....

Ian.

[golfseeker]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Here is my last question on this 3skills thread. If this is such a remarkable technique for teaching the golf swing why have I not seen it reported in any of the current golf magazines?

Surely some reporter would have picked up on it by now.

[Matt10]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Hi Matt,

I have had a good read of your last two threads and see that you are working on 3SKs, however one thing that constantly jumps out at me:

You are not letting go of other swing thoughts, this will hinder any attempt at 3SKs, you are still to busy thinking of hips, legs, then changing set-up...............it's all to much mate.

Work on a perfect, straight set-up and simply let go of everything, never mind 3Sks, I have been saying for years on this site "The body is perfectly capable of hitting the ball without you head getting involved" so just look at the ball knowing what is required using the 3SKs and just do it.

Good Luck and 'let go'

Ian.

Hi Ian -

You know I think you're right, the game used to be easier for me when I didn't think about how my swing looked or whether or not I was getting the right trajectory. 2006 was one of my best years and I really thought I'd take my 7 hcp to scratch by now - instead it has ballooned to a 13.

When I was in single digits, all I did was pick a target, one practice swing, go to the ball and do the same thing. It was almost like Brendt Snedeker (SP?) and how he approaches the game. Maybe reverting back to that could be an option.

The thing I believe about my over thinking this off season is just that - the fact that it is off season and it's when everyone's mind wanders as a result of not being able to hit or play the game. So when I went today, for the first time in two months, and things did not seem to be working, I reverted back to the analytical approach.

[Ian Hancock]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Hi Bri,

My point exactly mate, "thats all you are doing thats what matters"


Ian.

[miffin]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

I aint much good at visualizing the 3 nails. Or those 3 crosses on the ball. The way I am doing it is positioning the club at the correct angle on set up. Then trying to get that same position at impact. I am doing pretty good at doing it that way and well happy with 3sk.

Bri

[Ian Hancock]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Hi Matt,

I have had a good read of your last two threads and see that you are working on 3SKs, however one thing that constantly jumps out at me:

You are not letting go of other swing thoughts, this will hinder any attempt at 3SKs, you are still to busy thinking of hips, legs, then changing set-up...............it's all to much mate.

Work on a perfect, straight set-up and simply let go of everything, never mind 3Sks, I have been saying for years on this site "The body is perfectly capable of hitting the ball without you head getting involved" so just look at the ball knowing what is required using the 3SKs and just do it.

Good Luck and 'let go'

Ian.

[Matt10]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Hm, I was just thinking to myself. Today with all the focus on 3skills - I hadn't thought much about my lower body into impact...my right knee for instance.

Before I had just worried about my left arm doing the swinging, and might've jeopardized my impact position which could have been the reason for a slight 'scoop'.

Did a couple practice swings in the mirror and this time into impact, I pushed my right knee, which posted my left, and what do you know - hands ahead of the club.

Now I'll have to wait for another couple of weeks before I can really test it

[Matt10]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Thanks Brian - I will do so.

Went to the range today,mats of course - found one that was supposed to be heated indoors. Turns out it was outdoors and the heater did not even work...so into the chilling wind, with nothing but pure white snow - I put 3skills to the test.

Firstly, my ball diagram did not help - it seemed that focusing on the ball ended up making me scoop rather than nail. What did seem to work was two things:

1. Focus on swinging with my left arm - the right hand just holds on. Before doing this I had been hitting hooks - my bad shot. Once I focused on swinging with the left, everything started straightening out.

2. Eyes never leave a spot in front of the ball (imagining the 12,1,3 o'clock, so I focus on a spot that would be at 1 o'clock.) Doing this helped me get through the ball and I really felt I was hitting the ball first.

I might've been tense considering the conditions (30 F with 14-20mph winds from right to left), so I when I saw that I was swinging a bit hard - I slowed it down and focused on the two points above.

Results, well, mixed.

Ball Flight was okay, a bit of a draw - but too high for my liking, I thought I would see that penetrating ball flight with my irons - but nothing of the kind. When I tried to put more weight on my left to start, I ended up hitting fades - not what I want.

Bad shot was the hook, and this was when trying to apply SK3 - but I chalked it up to that maybe I'm closing the club naturally so maybe SK3 wasn't even a skill I needed to practice on.

When I aimed well right, I hooked the ball off the planet - and hit it thin.

Some good notes, but I'm not sure if it's a result of 3skills or not - my yardages have increased since last year, and this is in the cold where the ball shouldn't be traveling far - and with range balls.

It could be because I've lost 10 pounds and gained muscle mass, including work on the core every night for the past 4 months.

Driving the ball, I had to use my previous teachings from Shawn Clement - the tempo with hip turn is just something I can't give up - every driver shot is a draw and landed just short of the 250 mark.

All in all, a decent session - I'm still really wanting to get that penetrating ball flight, I can't afford to hit the ball high like last year. I believe it is SK1 that will give me this - but no matter how long I do the drills associated - I'm not getting that zip!