http://davidleadbetter.info/ The world's leading golf instructor presents: David Leadbetter Online. en Copyright 2008 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:20:06 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 4 Keys to Consistent Iron Shots by David Leadbetter If you think about the great players through the years, some have been really good drivers of the ball -- Greg Norman, for example. Some have been great putters -- Seve Ballesteros comes to mind. Tiger and Jack are certainly known for their all-around games. But one thing is for certain of all players who win tournaments, particulary majors: Their iron play is top notch. Consistent iron play is all about controlling distance, trajectory and spin. Here are four keys to help you reach a higher level with your iron play.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2008/02/tips_4_keys_to_consistent_iron.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2008/02/tips_4_keys_to_consistent_iron.html instruction swing Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:20:06 -0500 Denis Watson Gets Another Chance On the wall, next to a metal gate in front of the spacious house just off trendy Las Olas Boulevard, is a small plaque with the words Villa Una Vita. "That's the philosophy we have in this household," said pro golfer Denis Watson, 52, who lives there with his wife, attorney Susan Loggans, and their five children. "Una vita. You only have one life." But it sure seems like Watson, one of the favorites in the Champions Tour event that starts Friday in Boca Raton, has had at least three lives.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2008/02/denis_watson_gets_another_chan.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2008/02/denis_watson_gets_another_chan.html news Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:48:37 -0500 Lead's Views: Growing the Game in the U.S.A. Monthly commentary from David Leadbetter The Ryder Cup these days is truly a spectacular event. There is probably more buzz and anticipation surrounding it than any of the four major championships, and for overall excitement, it rivals any sporting event. But the results have become predictable, which has prompted a question I hear repeatedly. Why, at the moment, can the U.S. not win the Ryder Cup, especially considering that the Americans, as individual players, are ranked far higher in the world than most of the Europeans?]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/12/leads_views_growing_the_game_i.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/12/leads_views_growing_the_game_i.html Lead's Views news Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:09:52 -0500 Tony and Gipper Finau Visit ChampionsGate Big hitting golfing phenoms, Tony and Gipper Finau (ages 18 and 17 respectively) recently visited The David Leadbetter Golf Academy World Headquarters at ChampionsGate for a session with David and his staff.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/12/tony_and_gipper_finau_visit_ch.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/12/tony_and_gipper_finau_visit_ch.html news Mon, 10 Dec 2007 09:39:50 -0500 David Leadbetter Golf Academy Comes to Southern California There are a number of David Leadbetter Golf Academies conveniently located throughout the world providing world-class golf instruction at world-class resort destinations. Among the impressive list of locations are ChampionsGate (Orlando, Florida), LaPlaya Golf Resort (Naples, Florida), Red Sky Golf Club (Vail, Colorado), The Fairmont Chateau Whistler (Whistler, BC), Wailea Golf Club (Maui, Hawaii), and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (Farmington, Pennsylvania). Southern California, despite being home to some of golf's most revered courses, has never been home to a year-round Leadbetter Academy... That is, until now!]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/11/david_leadbetter_golf_academy.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/11/david_leadbetter_golf_academy.html news Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:14:55 -0500 Setting the Record Straight Regarding Michelle Wie By Lorne Rubenstein as it appeared in The Globe and Mail It's important to get something straight right off the top. David Leadbetter is not leaving his student Michelle Wie, notwithstanding how some people read - well, misread - an Oct. 17 column here. In that column, Leadbetter referred to Greg Nared, who had just become the second manager in a year to leave Wie. Leadbetter said it was beginning to feel "like this is the Titanic." He was referring to others leaving. He was staying. Leadbetter's comments caught the eye of a couple of popular ESPN shows, some prominent websites, Golf Channel, and the blogosphere.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/11/setting_the_record_straight_re.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/11/setting_the_record_straight_re.html news Thu, 01 Nov 2007 09:26:24 -0500 DRIVER SWING SEQUENCE: ERNIE ELS Ernie makes it easy: Balance helps it all flow. Swing analysis By David Leadbetter Looking at Ernie's swing sequence, it's easy to see why so many players at all levels marvel at how he's able to make it look so effortless. A true swinger of the club, Ernie combines balance, power and rhythm in a package that's clearly one of the best actions of all time. At address, Ernie looks comfortable and balanced, with his arms hanging in front of him and his weight on the balls of his feet. You can see the lack of tension in his arms, which shows that he's got perfect, light grip pressure. With that tension-free grip, Ernie feels as if he's engaging his midsection at the takeaway, and his backswing starts in a smooth, synchronized way.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/driver_swing_sequence_ernie_el.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/driver_swing_sequence_ernie_el.html instruction Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:59:20 -0500 Golf Tip: SWEEP UPHILL CHIPS Your club's approach should follow the angle of the slope When playing a course with elevated greens, you'll frequently find yourself chipping from an upslope to save par. But a normal chipping stroke, where you hinge your wrists and then make a steep, downward strike, can result in hitting a fat shot that comes up short. Simply put, the club gets stuck in the ground. For this common short-game situation, you need to sweep the ball off the slope, not hit into it. I recommend taking a less-lofted club--the upslope will help get the ball in the air--and then making a swing that goes from low to high. In other words, the backswing should stay low to the ground, but the through-swing should move upward along the slope.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/golf_tip_sweep_uphill_chips.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/golf_tip_sweep_uphill_chips.html instruction Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:51:36 -0500 Lead's Views: Monthly commentary from David Leadbetter One of the fascinating aspects of the game of golf to me, one who has been involved in the business of teaching for the past four decades, is the sheer volume of instructional material that has been put forth through the years. No other sport or activity as far as I am aware, has ever spawned so much instructional information. And all how to get a little ball into a hole. It really is amazing and I have to say that I am very thankful because this thirst for knowledge is what has given me a living.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/leads_views_monthly_commentary.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/leads_views_monthly_commentary.html Lead's Views instruction news Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:59:20 -0500 The entire David Leadbetter Golf Academy family congratulates Ernie Els on his HSBC World Match Play Championship! Ernie Els won his seventh World Match Play championship yesterday by beating Angel Cabrera, 6 and 4, in the final at Wentworth in Virginia Water, England. Els took the lead on the first hole, with Cabrera taking a bogey, and went on to claim his first win of the year. "It is absolutely a dream come true. I would never in my wildest dreams have thought I could win this seven times," said Els, who also won in 1994-96 and 2002-04. "It truly feels unbelievable. The course is obviously my home course. It has been a great week."]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/ernie_els_wins_hsbc_world_matc.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/ernie_els_wins_hsbc_world_matc.html news Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:37:53 -0500 Future Collegians World Tour World Woods Rolling Oaks Open Oct 13 - Oct 14, 2007 World Woods Golf Club Congratulations to one of David's all-time favorite students, his son James, who led wire-to-wire to win his first FCWT event in the boys 11-12 division. Leadbetter who fired a 2 under par 70 on Saturday to lead all scores, followed up with a round of 80, to earn his first FCWT title by 7 strokes. Leadbetter's round was also the Low Round of the day for this division - one stroke better than 2nd place finisher Ryan Stovash, also of Orlando. Stovash led this division in pars with 19 for the weekend, while Leadbetter led in birdies with 10 on the weekend. Eleven year old Gavin deFisser of Gilbert, AZ (2015), a 3rd year player who won the ASU Open last season, finished in 3rd place at 161.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/james_leadbetter_goes_wiretowi.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/james_leadbetter_goes_wiretowi.html news Sun, 14 Oct 2007 11:37:42 -0500 THE GOLDEN RULES OF PITCHING By Scott Holden, DLGA Senior Certified Instructor One of the most common complaints I hear from golfers is: "I'm absolutely terrible from one-hundred-yards-and-in to the flag. I don't strike the ball solidly and I can't control my distance or direction." The first thing I tell them is, "You're not alone." Let's examine this problem as it relates to a larger issue, and that is, how one approaches and plays the game of golf. I believe approaching this problem from this point-of-view will accurately expose this common complaint for what it truly is, a symptom of a larger problem.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/golf_tip_the_golden_rules_of_p.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/10/golf_tip_the_golden_rules_of_p.html instruction Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:56:37 -0500 Golf Tip: THREE STEPS TO BETTER PUTTING By Bob Lohr, DLGA Senior Certified Instructor In my personal experience as a PGA Tour player and as an instructor at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, I have found that inconsistent putting, in many instances, can be a result of poor decision making, or in some worst case scenarios, no decision making at all. I am the first to admit there are a handful of essential "putting fundamentals" that should be adhered to in order to become a great putter.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/09/golf_tip_three_steps_to_better.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/09/golf_tip_three_steps_to_better.html instruction Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:54:42 -0500 Golf Tip: A CURE FOR OVER THE TOPPERS By Tim Mitchell, Certified DLGA Instructor Golf is a game of perseverance...is it not? No matter how talented or accomplished a player is, that player still goes through bouts of immense suffering while playing this stup...er, I mean wonderful game. It's the nature of the game, and the nature of those crazy enough to play it. A common fault that is the cause of SO much suffering in this game comes from one of the most dreaded phrases in golf.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/09/golf_tips_a_cure_for_over_the.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/09/golf_tips_a_cure_for_over_the.html instruction swing Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:19:19 -0500 LEARNING HOW TO TRUST YOUR GAME By Dr. Robert K. Winters - DLGA Sport Psychologist "Play your own game." Almost everyone who is a student of the game has heard this piece of golfing advice. I often ask veteran golfers what "playing their game" means and they often respond that they aren't sure what it's supposed to mean, even though they have heard the concept mentioned for years! They intuitively know that the concept is important, but are relatively unsure how to create or produce a mindset for playing with trust and to believe in their talent.]]> http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/09/learning_how_to_trust_your_gam.html http://davidleadbetter.info/2007/09/learning_how_to_trust_your_gam.html instruction Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:29:38 -0500