Back from Cuscowilla

[MD78]

I returned from Cuscowilla from two half days with Yoda.

A little background. I am a mid handicapper from Chicago (11.2 index but very rusty from winter and a thumb injury that killed all practice from December through mid April.) I have basic knowledge of the Golfing Machine concepts, have watched the Alignment Golf video numerous times but cannot cite the BOOK like many of those on this site.)Here is the report.

1) The new facilty is great. Yoda has his own building on the opposite end of the range with six hitting bays for clinics and his own studio bay with all the video equipment and other teaching aids. The facilities at Cuscowilla are first rate and LBG students get full member privileges to use any of the facilities.

2) I had a half day lesson Tuesday morning. Like most of the website members, I was unsure what to expect. Would I have a Colin Neeman type lesson? How long would I spend on Basic Motion? How much time hiting balls? How much would be covered? Would it be individually tailored to me or G.O.L.F. boot camp?

3) The answer is a bit of everything. Yoda is a stickler for the fundamentals of G.O.L.F., he explains the concepts but he is also very interested in meeting the needs of the individual student. You work on what he feels will best help you given the amount of time available. The experience is very worthwhile and individual, yet there is plenty of G.O.L.F.

3) First day: Three major swing flaws. 1) Lots of work on the RIGHT FOREARM with EXTENSOR action.. (I was setting up with the right arm much too straight and pulling the right elbow way off plane. 2) My head moves forward way too much. 3) Lots of steering and quitting. (No solid finish). Yoda determined that I was mostly a hitter in that I used a lot of right arm thrust but actually much too much of a right arm PUSH stroke. However I has swinger elements as well. I asked if that was a problem and he said don't worry and referred me to a K.J. Choi/David Toms thread he did years ago. (I looked at it yesterday.) The good news was that my pivot was good and I tend to be on plane at top on full swings.

4) A couple hours of explanation, set up work, right forearm work and basic and acquired motion and it was off to the grass portion of the range. At this stage I worked on extending into a full finish (to program the computer and cure the steering and quitting habits) while working through wedges, 8 irons, 6 irons and driver. I was hitting the driver well.

5) Finally we went to the bunker. (Iam not a good sand player.) Yoda determined that it was all set up flaws: ball too far back, stance too open, stance not leaning forward. (I was bumping the hip forward, which caused my upper body to fall back.) After 15 minutes a was hitting great sand shots. The first day ened on the putting greem where he gave me a new grip, worked the shoulder stroke and a putting practice routine.

6) Day two: A review of day one, answering questions and then looking at my progess primarily with acquired motion. (I figured out the right forearm fanning overnight.) The result was that after a while I hit a couple of perfect shots which he captured on tape. The final missing feel for me was swinging the handle forward instead of the club head and getting the right forearm plane correct with extension. Then a "funny thing happened as I worked through the bag. I started hooking the driver. (It seems that I was re-routing that club to a solid on plane top the previous day. Now I was still solid at the top, but my new found extension, which was lacking with the shorter clubs until then was making me over swivel with the driver. Yoda even needed a few minutes to figure that out.) The correction was going to a no roll feel with the driver. Yoda then showed me a low risk chipping technique using a putting grip and stroke along with some greenside shot options.

7) Just under two hours left and on to the Cuscowilla course for a playing lesson. The course is beautiful and challenging. It is not long but challenges anybody's short game with McKenzie bunkers and some Ross crowned greens. After seven delightful holes of golf with Yoda asking me about every shot choice, showing me a flop shot, checking my alignments and giving more little tips, the lesson was over. I hit several wonderful shots (along with some mistakes.)

Final thoughts. Yoda is not there just to take the $$ and run or plug you into a cookie cutter. You get the works. G.O.L.F. explained by the best, and individual tips on your own skill level and natural swing patterns. I had the opportunity to share lunch with Yoda and his wife Carol one day, and Yoda and two nice guys named John and Gary who were doing a week long boot camp with Yoda (opposite my half days.) We talked about Brian Gay, Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel, and real life stuff too. (I saw Yoda teaching John a snap release on Wednesday afternoon, which started to click in the Thursday playing lesson they had....so again individual patterns and needs are accomodated.)

I apologize for the length of this post and all the me talk. The purpose was to give all those LBG Members a feel for a day with Yoda. I always wondered what it was like so I chose to try and shed some light on all this....By the way I had a great practice at home today. Yoda has showed me a path to improvement. It is now in my hands and they are much more educated than a week ago.

Thanks Yoda!

[O.B.Left]

Thanks for reporting back MD.

I have nothing but fond memories of my time with Yoda. Even long after the lesson has passed, I have moments where something he said will come back to me, often in a new light. Weird but wonderful. He covers a lot of ground, some of it takes a little incubation time before it hatches.

I had just such a moment in my last game when faced with a lengthy chip that needed to scoot up a steep hill..........the ghost of Yoda appeared and told me to play a 56 way back in my stance with a 10-5-E , Closed Closed and a Square face. A little hook faced, hooded runner that scurried up the hill like a rolling putt. My partner said "what the heck was that?" "Thats the Cuscowilla runna", I replied, as if it was something I'd been using for years.

[KevCarter]

Please don't apologize for the length of the post, I enjoyed it very much, as will everyone lucky enough to have spent some time with YODA. He is the BEST, no question. Stick with his program and you will improve, and you will understand why you are improving. You now have a foundation you can build upon the rest of your life.

Kevin

[Burner]

MD78,

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I enjoyed the read.

Good luck with developing your game.

[Daryl]

What kind of Drills are you working on?

[Mike O]

Please don't apologize for the length of the post, I enjoyed it very much, as will everyone lucky enough to have spent some time with YODA. He is the BEST, no question. Stick with his program and you will improve, and you will understand why you are improving. You now have a foundation you can build upon the rest of your life.

Kevin

Daryl,
Why is Kev still posting? Or is that his wife posting under his forum name?

[JerryG]

Daryl,
Why is Kev still posting? Or is that his wife posting under his forum name?

Kev broke his elbow, not his fingers. Besides, he does it on his i-pod one handed. At least he keeps it short that way. Just wait 'til he heals. I'll bet he has a lot of pent up posts waiting.

[MD78]

Daryl, I need to look at Alignment Golf for some drills.

Yesterday, I did a lot of mirror work with set up and alignments plus basic motion and acquired motion into a net while monitoring my right forearm, head position and extension.

I also took lots of full swings with and without a ball focusing on a full finish to cure my steering/quitting habit.

Right now my focus is: set up, right forearm takeway and plane monitoring, steady head and full extended finish.

Where are you in Illinois?

[alex_chung]

Good review. Spending time with Yoda is the best thing that you can do for your game.
That reminds me I need to sort out a visit and see his new digs
Alex

[Yoda]

Thanks for the great summary post, Mark. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together and appreciate your taking time to recap the experience for our members. You made a ton of progress in a number of areas, and it showed.

Hope to see you at Whistling Straits and the PGA!