The American Express Company had a great ad campaign slogan that stated, “Don’t Leave Home Without It.” It, in golf, is a modified golf club that I call The Golf Baton. The golfer can fabricate a simple golf baton from an old golf club to increase their golf practice frequency and efficiency. The golf baton can actually be used by golfers of any age or level to increase the man-hours required to reach a single-digit handicap, or scratch golfer status. Incremental practice time was used effectively by Colonel George Robert Hall, held at the Hanoi Hilton for seven-and-a half years, to maintain his four handicap. While he did not have access to a golf baton, he did mentally work on the process. Using the golf baton can provide what most training professionals consider to be the most effective workout format for any golfer.
The golf baton allows the golfer to focus on two knuckles on the lead hand to synch the elbows and the upper arm with the shoulders. This develops the important muscle memory, similar to the baseball-type swing. If the golfer could use their baseball-type swing, they would gain a tremendous advantage toward reaching a single-digit handicap. It is estimated that it takes approximately 7,000 man-hours to obtain a single-digit handicap.
Of all golf training aids the golfer could use, the golf baton is the most effective and the least expensive. The golfer can fabricate a simple golf baton by using an old club from their garage or visiting a local pawn shop, Goodwill, or Salvation Army store. The golfer can saw-off about 9 inches down the shaft, below the grip (see illustration), to make it easier to carry and use. This can easily be done by using a hacksaw and a bench vise.
The golfer can also re-grip the shaft with a training grip to help properly set the hands. The golfer can use the golf baton during the normal course of the day to work on developing their muscle memory. According to both Yogi Berra and Bobby Jones, golf and baseball are 10 percent physical (muscle) and 90 percent mental (memory). It has been proven that if a person can fiddle with something while working, they can be more efficient at work, like how Tom Cruise fiddled with a baseball bat in the movie, “A Few Good Men.” Tom fiddled with a baseball bat, while figuring out their strategy on the JAG case. The golf baton can develop a golfer’s muscle memory of synching the right upper arm with the shoulders while on the job, getting paid, and improving their work proficiency. The golfer training for 5 minutes, 12 times per day each week, would have more practice time than what they would accumulate on the range or course. Don’t Leave Home without your golf baton!
Here is my training schedule to reach a single-digit handicap:
Single-digit handicap………………………….. 7,000 man-hours
ESPY Baseball crossover swing app……….. -4,500 man-hours, 12 yr. period
Golf baton practice…………………………….. 365 man-hours/yr.
405 Training Drill………………………………. 234 man-hours/yr.
Reading and instructional golf……………… 182 man-hours/yr.
Golf rounds 2X/wk. for 40-wks./yr……….. 320 man-hours/yr.
With this format, the golfer could reach their goal of a single-digit handicap within 2.26 years.
The data indicates that just spending 5 minutes, 12 times per day, can provide more man-hours of practice time than playing golf twice a week for 40 weeks per year. This fits the continuous improvement model. The 40-weeks figure is based on three-quarters of the year that the golfer can play golf. In the South, this figure could increase, due to the warmer climate during the winter months.
One other feature that I discovered is that golf is significantly more enjoyable, with a solid golf shot, when playing from the short grass than struggling from the rough. Golf is supposed to relieve frustration, instead of causing frustration. The golfer wants to keep the golf swing simple, without having to think about a lot of processes.
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Once you learn WHY, you don’t forget HOW!
YouTube Videos:
https://youtu.be/ZGVNrIw_wlo (Cam & Cam-over elements)
https://youtu.be/K2FDHZ3AX9w (Figuring your proper swing plane)
https://youtu.be/TO82PMO6G8M (Developing muscle memory)
https://youtu.be/BWksNM6X8a0 (Baseball-type golf swing)
Until next time– Be Synched, Tee-to-Green, with The ESPY Golf Swing!