To be in with a chance of winning a FREE place on one of our upcoming AimPoint green reading classes check out our Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/AimPointGolfIreland and follow the instructions.
Best of luck everyone!
DS
Mark Sweeney’s Irish AimPoint Tour
I haven’t posted on my blog in a while but that has been for a good reason namely I have been incredibly busy. That is due in no small part to the amazing addition to my coaching toolkit which was becoming an AimPoint certified instructor along with my friend and colleague Gareth McShea. With that in mind I can think of no better reason to post than to announce the details of Mark Sweeney’s AimPoint Irish tour. Mark is the founder of AimPoint and an all round great guy (Mark you can pay me the €20 for saying that when you get here).
Mark recieving his emmy award for AimPoint Technology
When we first met mark in September during the Solheim Cup we were not entrirely sure what to expect from the journey we were about to embark on with AimPoint. With his support and the support of the AimPoint Instructor community we have had the absolute pleasure and privelage to work with some amazing people across Ireland and abroad. As AimPoint goes from strength to strength on tours across the world, most recently Stacy Lewis capturing another LPGA title at the weekend, we get to ride the crest of an incredible wave.
Stacey with her Caddy, check out her AimPoint Chart in her back pocket
Every clinic we’ve done has been met with a very enthusiastic response as people realise that green reading and where to aim each putt they play, can be learned, simply, quickly and very accurately using AimPoint. So back to the point of this post. This May Mark is coming back to Ireland, the birthplace of his ancestors (‘it’s in my blood’ as he put it) for this once off tour. We will be holding clinics across the country from May 5th to May 11th (times and details below) If you haven’t taken the opportunity to attend clinic so far, I strongly advise you do so now and learn from Mark what he has so successfully taught to major winners on the mens and ladies tour since 2007.
Clinic details:
Edmondstown Golf Club Fundamental: Saturday May 5th at 2pm
Edmondstown Golf Club Advanced: Sunday May 6th at 2pm
Carton House GC Fundamental Monday May 7th at 10am
Ardglass GC Tuesday Fundamental May 8th at 2pm
Charleville GC Fundamenal Wednesday May 9th 2pm and 5pm
South County GC Friday May 11th 12pm
The price of each clinic is €100
There are 15 CPD available for any PGA members that wish to attend
To book your place on any of the classes contact me at donal.golf@gmail.com or by telephone 0876071088.
#makeeverything
Filed under AimPoint, Donal Scott, Junior Golf, Learning Golf, Mark Sweeney, Skil Acquisition, The Game
You get what you think about. FACT!
I like everyone else was in stitches whan I saw Paul Casey’s caddies reaction to his hole in one last night in the cadillac championship. But what I loved even more was what triggered the reaction. On the tee Paul Casey and his caddy agreed that if Paul held his tee shot they would split the prize money for a hole in one. So with that IN MIND Paul proceeded to knock in his tee shot. That proved to me that we are what we think about as Earl Nightingale said. SO the next time you find negative thoughts creeping into your mind just think of this. Your thoughts are powerful, think like Paul and you never know what might happen, you might even record an ace or two yourself!!!!
Sadly as Casey’s caddy found out there was no prize for a hole in one on that particular hole. Ouch!
DS
Filed under Learning Golf, Skil Acquisition, The Game
Pete Cowen Short Game Series – Make it your own!
I’m not a huge fan of video tips etc. but when it comes from Pete Cowen with a cameo role from Mr. Cleveland. Check out these videos on some sound fundamentals on the short game from the maestro himself. I love his reaction to his demo on the bunker video.
As always take what you can from these videos, find what works for you and make it your own. It’s your life your game so do what works for you not what someone else tells you. We as coaches are mere information providers it is up to you to take that information, use it, store it and get rid of what is not relevant. That way any changes you make will be long lasting and much more effective than a list of ‘to dos’ from someone else!
Enjoy!
Remember get creative, take the information here use what works for you, make it your own and forget the rest.
All the best,
DS
Filed under Donal Scott, Golf Coaching, Learning Golf, Pete Cowen, Short Game, Skil Acquisition, The Game
Get your mind right!!
You can’t under estimate the power of your thoughts. Have a read through these resources and soak up the the kind of mindset that will bring you everything you need to become the best you can be.
http://thetalentcode.com/ This blog will help you learn how to learn like champions Daniel Coyle has studied across the world
http://coachyourmind.com/ Coach Dayne’s attitude is infectious and if you let it get under your skin I have no doubt you will be more motivated, determined and effective than you currently are.
http://nlglive.com/ If you have read any of my blog then you will no doubt be aware of how much admiration I have for Michael Hebron, this blog is a must for any golfer looking to reach their potential
http://www.dominicmunnelly.ie/ Dominic is my trainer and has been a great mentor for me with all I’ve done with this blog and the level of coaching I offer my students. If you want to reach peak physical fitness and health with a healthy dose of inspiration along the way then check out his blog. In my opinion the best of it’s kind!
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/ Design the lifestyle you want. When it comes to lifestyle design Tim Ferris is the master!!!
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ Do extraordinary work if you want get more out of yourself and the business your in and love every minute of it. Read Seth Godin’s Blog. No frills no thrills just thought provoking and a completely different slant on the modern working environment.
I will add to this later but for now check these guys out and get the most out of yourself. Is it a surprise that Will Smith is as successful as he is? Watch this video and you will soon realise success is no accident!!!
If you have any links that I have missed and you enjoy please add them in the comments section below.
All the best,
DS
LET Tour School 2012 – What I learned
As you may have been aware I have been at LET Tour School in La manga for the last week and it was an amazing week in every possible way. Marian Riordan, who after attending a clinic with myself and Gareth, has been working with on AimPoint with me over the last number of months, unfortunately failed to make it through to the final stage despite playing some of the finest golf I have seen her play. I guess that goes to show the mix of things that have to go your way in a tournament like this. It’s about getting the perfect blend technically, mentally and physically to come together for two weeks. How you do that I’m not sure but I certainly know more now than I did before this week.
Marian Riordan
When I arrived I mapped the greens on both the South and North Course. Putting in Slope percentage and slope direction. If you ever want to get a great lesson on strategy map 18 holes in the time it takes three players to putt out and hit a couple of practice putts. Tough work!! As we worked on the practice days I was so happy with our reads together and the speed at which we were getting them. If you have attended a clinic and worked on mid point reads there is no reason why any read should take any longer than 30 seconds. Check out the latest video that Mark Sweeney developed to explain what you can expect to receive at an AimPoint Clinic.
Preparation is key to an event like this. You have to get accustomed to all the different situations you may find yourself in throughout the week. One thing that seemed to stand out to me was that those who progressed most consistently had a full playing schedule this year. Whether that be on the main tour or on one of the lower tours like the futures or access tour. It’s no surprise as it is very difficult to create the level and intensity of the emotions you feel at Q-school in practice. The ability to handle the changes in course conditions between morning and afternoon was key to this week. The cold damp mornings meant you could fly the ball all the way and stop it was quickly replaced by hard, fast and bouncy conditions in afternoons. This meant you need to have the ability to change your ball flight and trajectory as the conditions dictated throughout the week and rounds.
Michael Hebron said at a conference he gave at Edmondstown Golf Club that there is only one swing model and that’s the golf course. It will dictate the shape of your swing based on the shot you need to hit. I had taken that point on board and incorporated it in to my coaching. This week has proven to me that I am on the right course. The variety of shots needed this week was staggering. High and low trajectories, knockdowns, fades, draws, lots of spin, low spin it was all needed this week. There was no place for being one dimensional. This is how I believe the majority of people should approach their practice whether that’s on the course or the practice ground. Focus on playing a wide variety of different shots from different lies and different stances. That is what you will face in the heat of competition. Your ball will be in the rough, in sand, in a divot, bare lies, fluffy lies, uphill, downhill, sidehill these are all the variables you should try and incorporate into your practice. Hitting a perfect draw with a 7 iron off a perfect lie 50 times in a row may be pretty to the onlooker but it’s not going to help you score when you have to.
The final thing I will discuss that was so evident this week is mindset. In a conversation with one player we discussed how at the beginning of the tournament she was trying not to make mistakes before freeing up and ‘playing golf’ for the last three rounds with a very noticeable improvement in her scores. I think this is huge. You have to play the game and accept what it gives you. In a tournament like this the players who approach it with the mindset that they have prepared well and are now ready to play with total freedom and accept all the outcomes will perform close to the max of their ability. Pressure is something we create within ourselves. Before a tournament like this players must cultivate a mindset that realises the only pressure they feel they create themselves and they can choose to enjoy the excitement they feel before and during the event. Trying not to make mistakes was very evident this week and it can be incredibly harmful as you place your focus on mistakes you can be sure of one thing they will be in plentiful supply. The player I spoke of earlier told me that as soon as she changed her focus away from mistakes and onto possibilities good and bad and how well she could accept either she saw an immediate improvement in her performance levels.
I hope you enjoyed my review of what I learned this week. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and have gained invaluable insights as a result of this trip. I will edit this post when I get home and put in some pictures of the maps I did and some more video. In the meantime play the game, stay calm and enjoy every second.
All the best,
DS
Irish Independent Article by Liam Kelly
Irish Independent Article 2011.12.14
Above is the link to the great article Liam Kelly wrote on AimPoint after spending some time with myself and Gareth. He is highly complimentary and we are incredibly excited about what 2012 is going to bring. Have a read of the article and leave any feedback you have. If you want to learn about the great advances that can be made using AimPoint with your game contact me for more details.
All the best,
DS
Filed under AimPoint, Donal Scott, Golf Coaching, Junior Golf, Learning Golf, Short Game, Skil Acquisition, The Game
