Tour Striker

[Hawkeye77]

Thanks for the response. Now, in fairness, the downhill was in front of the green, and I'm sure I got some good roll, but with the cold and no helping wind, was easily the best shot I've had this Spring, even my daughter was surprised. Like I said, have to attribute it to the session and feeling with the TSP. Will get some serious range time and chance to video over Easter weekend and will report back. Thanks.

[695MB]

Martin, I am thinking of buying a TS but which do you recommend the regular 7 or the Pro? My frustration now is with my 5,6,7 irons their all about the same distance 150 with my 7 iron. I just really want to compress the ball like the pros not flip it at the last second. Also I am really high ball hitter with all my clubs and I use x100 shafts in my titleist 695mbs.

[nickrut]

[quote name='695MB' timestamp='1303149850' post='3164727']
Martin, I am thinking of buying a TS but which do you recommend the regular 7 or the Pro? My frustration now is with my 5,6,7 irons their all about the same distance 150 with my 7 iron. I just really want to compress the ball like the pros not flip it at the last second. Also I am really high ball hitter with all my clubs and I use x100 shafts in my titleist 695mbs.
[/quote]



You hit high balls with x100 shafts and only hit a 7 150? Seems odd to me. What is your typical miss? Are you hitting it fat often?

[Pinmaster]

[b][size="4"][sup]I need a cure for my "flipping"... I picked up a TS on the BST but it did not come with the DVD. What should I know before hitting the range with the TS? I would like to find/order a DVD that will cover the basics..[/sup] [/size][/b]

[695MB]

[quote name='nickrut' timestamp='1303150258' post='3164746']
[quote name='695MB' timestamp='1303149850' post='3164727']
Martin, I am thinking of buying a TS but which do you recommend the regular 7 or the Pro? My frustration now is with my 5,6,7 irons their all about the same distance 150 with my 7 iron. I just really want to compress the ball like the pros not flip it at the last second. Also I am really high ball hitter with all my clubs and I use x100 shafts in my titleist 695mbs.
[/quote]



You hit high balls with x100 shafts and only hit a 7 150? Seems odd to me. What is your typical miss? Are you hitting it fat often?
[/quote]

My problem is I tend to pick or sweep the ball no compression.

[jabrch]

[quote name='Pinmaster' timestamp='1303151672' post='3164808']
[b][size="4"][sup]I need a cure for my "flipping"... I picked up a TS on the BST but it did not come with the DVD. What should I know before hitting the range with the TS? I would like to find/order a DVD that will cover the basics..[/sup] [/size][/b]
[/quote]


All the DVD is available on the Tour Striker's Website.

[Pinmaster]

Which one ships with the TS club? I would like to start with the first one.

[spacecowboy]

Martin:
I have been looking for a solution to a problem i have with casting, and not creating lag. One of my playing partners is also a pro, and reminds me often that I need to work on my early release. I am interested in your product, as it seems that a lot of golfers are having success with it.

The other day i was in a local shop and they had a few Tour Strykers on display. one of them was scuffed up from people demoing it, so I asked the owner if i could hit it. I fully expected to not even get the ball airborne, since i know I am a caster. To my surprise, i hit every shot fine. Now I am confused, as now it seems that the problem may lie somewhere else. I was not trying to kill the ball while hitting the TS, but i have played with an overswing for most of my golfing life. Could it be that I swing fine when i take some off of it, but cast when going all out?

Thanks

[bath4golf]

[quote name='Cmartingolf' timestamp='1303142370' post='3164375']
[quote name='bath4golf' timestamp='1303083798' post='3162723']
TS Pro 7 update - finally was able to get to the range and the course to practice and play . . . . to my pleasant suprise, I has nailing the TS pro 7 about 165 with solid face contact and a nice traj. (hit my normal 7 150-155) . . . . .guess all my winter, basement practice with the TS wedge has paid some divedends.

Two things I've discovered in this whole TS process is:
1. I need to monitor my backswing/turn away from the ball. . . .sometimes I get into a little sway away from the ball rather than turning . . .. been watching some Sean Foley instruction to stabilize this motion (he's not exactly stack/tilt, but more like a center shift backswing).
2. a combination of a relaxed grip and a full turning of my chest through the shot really helps lag the club through impact.

Martin,
the one thing I am noticing with my short game is that my chips and pitches are all solid now (TS wedge helped here), but these shots are all mainly low shots with lots of bite. I'm thrilled the contact is so solid, but how do I get alittle more lift of these shots around the green . . . . even a lob wedge comes off low . . . . even if I play it forward in my stance. . . .

on the course, I'm creating a heck of a lot of spin - most iron shots spin back (spun short irons off the greens), tearin-up prov1xs.... the new Titleist AP2s and wedges might have something to do with this . . . . shot 73 second time out this year . . . .
[/quote]

Hi Ed,

Nice playing!!

One the wedge shots; I play wedges three ways.

1. Lee Trevino "front edge" spinner (Tour Striker style)
2. Tom Watson "mid-sole" pitch
3. Philly "trailing edge" Flop

The TS trains in the Lee Trevino; you learn to strike down with forward lean. For most that is a far cry from what they have ever done and is a wonderful shot. However, a little "educated" throwaway is necessary around the greens, but I want you to learn it from the Trevino, Watson and Phil in that order. Most learn it from starting with the Phil on ALL shots;)

My second DVD is about these three shots (among others) that are played around the green.

Get a Sharpie marker and draw a thick line, heel to toe, on the sole of your 56. Wear that line out and use a little of the club's bounce and you'll hit the typical Tour style pitch.
[/quote]


Thanks for the feedback Martin . . . . once the weather improves a wee bit, i need to get to a practice green and work on that bounce . . . i like the sharpie idea-never heard of it before - i'm gonna try it.

[nando]

[quote name='Pinmaster' timestamp='1303155041' post='3164958']
Which one ships with the TS club? I would like to start with the first one.
[/quote]
The Official Tour Striker Golf Training Video

[bath4golf]

[quote name='Pinmaster' timestamp='1303155041' post='3164958']
Which one ships with the TS club? I would like to start with the first one.
[/quote]


Check out Martin's YouTube page . . . . lots of great vids. Here's the link to the dvd that comes with the club: [url="http://www.youtube.com/user/cmartingolf#p/u/37/7DJneXyrTG8"]http://www.youtube.com/user/cmartingolf#p/u/37/7DJneXyrTG8[/url]

[Pinmaster]

Thanks!

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='695MB' timestamp='1303149850' post='3164727']
Martin, I am thinking of buying a TS but which do you recommend the regular 7 or the Pro? My frustration now is with my 5,6,7 irons their all about the same distance 150 with my 7 iron. I just really want to compress the ball like the pros not flip it at the last second. Also I am really high ball hitter with all my clubs and I use x100 shafts in my titleist 695mbs.
[/quote]

Get the TS 7X

You definitely have a lot of throw away, thus the lack of gap with your midj-irons.

Thanks for the interest.

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='spacecowboy' timestamp='1303156200' post='3165025']
Martin:
I have been looking for a solution to a problem i have with casting, and not creating lag. One of my playing partners is also a pro, and reminds me often that I need to work on my early release. I am interested in your product, as it seems that a lot of golfers are having success with it.

The other day i was in a local shop and they had a few Tour Strykers on display. one of them was scuffed up from people demoing it, so I asked the owner if i could hit it. I fully expected to not even get the ball airborne, since i know I am a caster. To my surprise, i hit every shot fine. Now I am confused, as now it seems that the problem may lie somewhere else. I was not trying to kill the ball while hitting the TS, but i have played with an overswing for most of my golfing life. Could it be that I swing fine when i take some off of it, but cast when going all out?

Thanks
[/quote]

Space, it could be a couple of things. First, were you on a fluffy mat, typical at indoor hitting areas? Second, you could very well timed your throw pretty well and had decent alignments. I always tell folks on this forum to get the Pro model AND to make sure they are a firm or tight lie.

Another bit: I see so many guys with over-swings where their chance of delivering great alignments dissipates the more they look like John Daley. Unless you are a young-ish guy or attend Yoga, your hands should not go much higher than your right ear. When your right elbow bends too much, it's hard not to extend it early in the swing resulting in a cast.

[golfdu]

Hello Martin, I'm going to be in a match against Dublin High School which is undefeated. We're playing on a course I never played before. Any golf course management tips to say? Don't be concerned with wind, I make calculations to be dead-on accurate onto the target even with blistery winds. Sorta like AimPoint but with winds instead of greens. But what's your top 10 golf course management tips?

[Pinmaster]

[size="3"]
I was able to make it to the range with the TSP7 for the first time. Due to time constraints, I was only able to hit a small bucket (20-30 balls).

As expected, the first 4-5 balls were worm burners. When I hit the first ball, I thought that I had broken my left wrist OUCH! Whew, I am a chronic flipper and the TS sure let me know it LOL.

I regrouped and thought back to Mr. Martin's videos. Once I focused on my swing tempo and my AOA… WHAM I hit the TS high, straight and LONG for the next few balls. Then my ego took over and I started to over engineer my swing again. The TS was quick to let me know "hey dummy you are doing it wrong again". Once I corrected, I was able to finish the bucket with nice pure shots with the occasional flub (if I slipped up).

I will make the TSP7 a huge part of my practice routine going forward. I may pick up a TS wedge to start my practice sessions for "warm up". When I hit the TS properly then ball went 20+ yards beyond my normal swing…with less "effort" on my part.

Excellent product![/size]

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='golfdu' timestamp='1303185255' post='3166424']
Hello Martin, I'm going to be in a match against Dublin High School which is undefeated. We're playing on a course I never played before. Any golf course management tips to say? Don't be concerned with wind, I make calculations to be dead-on accurate onto the target even with blistery winds. Sorta like AimPoint but with winds instead of greens. But what's your top 10 golf course management tips?
[/quote]

Find the fairway. Don't hit driver unless you feel great and there is no big penalty. Hit the ball where you can still see it. Don't take short cuts.

If you miss a green, miss short. Long misses are generally harder to get up in down.

Aim for the middle of the green on most approaches.

Putt for 20 minutes to feel the greens. See what landmarks define the highest elevation on the course as things will tend to break away from that point if you have a "straight" putt.

Patience.

Good luck!

[golfdu]

[quote name='Cmartingolf' timestamp='1303261526' post='3169175']
[quote name='golfdu' timestamp='1303185255' post='3166424']
Hello Martin, I'm going to be in a match against Dublin High School which is undefeated. We're playing on a course I never played before. Any golf course management tips to say? Don't be concerned with wind, I make calculations to be dead-on accurate onto the target even with blistery winds. Sorta like AimPoint but with winds instead of greens. But what's your top 10 golf course management tips?
[/quote]

Find the fairway. Don't hit driver unless you feel great and there is no big penalty. Hit the ball where you can still see it. Don't take short cuts.

If you miss a green, miss short. Long misses are generally harder to get up in down.

Aim for the middle of the green on most approaches.

Putt for 20 minutes to feel the greens. See what landmarks define the highest elevation on the course as things will tend to break away from that point if you have a "straight" putt.

Patience.

Good luck!
[/quote]

I shot 38 in the match, but we lost by 37 strokes!!!! Our best players (except me) played pretty bad, mine was the lowest of the team. Oh well. My worst part of the game right now is short game, I can't pitch at all. I remember in the summer I read Tiger Woods' book How I Play Golf, but I wasn't interested in putting or full swing sections, I was interested in the pitching section of his book that got the most reviews in part of the book. Once I read it last summer and followed it, I was pitching them in from everywhere. The ball seemed to go in the hole. But I lost it and now I can't remember what he did in that book. Barnes and Noble has the books, should I buy one to save my short game? I'm not really a visual type of golfer, just the type of golfer that benefits the most from books rather than videos.

[triplebogeyblues]

Chuck,

For the TS8, what shaft length is recommended for someone who is 6'3"?

[Oldnavycdr]

Martin,



The TS has been very effective in ridding my flip. For the first time I am compressing the ball and the feeling is great! My irons are more crisp and my wedges are lawn darts. All that said, I'm having a problem:



The more I've worked with the TS and the more effectively I compress the ball with my irons, the lower the ball flight of my driver, FW woods and hybrids. I was at the Cleveland demo today and tried some new drivers on a LM. 10.5* driver was typical of my current driver flight (also 10.5*). I moved to a 12* with very little increase in altitude. I was normally a higher ball hitter with the driver prior to working with the TS but now I'm too low. Is there a correlation? I've moved the ball forward, put in more spine tilt, but still mostly low running shots. Not all bad but not what I want. Anything come to mind without video? Seen this before? Any tips?


I love the TS but I seem to have traded one problem for another.

[nickrut]

Are you hitting down on the ball with the driver or up?

[Oldnavycdr]

[quote name='nickrut' timestamp='1303323745' post='3171155']
Are you hitting down on the ball with the driver or up?
[/quote]


The ball flight suggests that I'm hitting down on it although I am trying very hard to hit up. I'm just wondering if the influence of the TS, where I try hard to hit down with forward shaft lean is creeping into the driver swing causing a downward strike and perhaps a bit of a lunge down the line. Ball flight suggests these things but I'm just guessing.

[nickrut]

how far forward have you tried moving the ball? I'd assume your swing bottoms out around your left foot...if the ball is slightly ahead of this and you keep the same swing, it should be hitting up?

[Oldnavycdr]

[quote name='nickrut' timestamp='1303330987' post='3171477']
how far forward have you tried moving the ball? I'd assume your swing bottoms out around your left foot...if the ball is slightly ahead of this and you keep the same swing, it should be hitting up?
[/quote]


Actually, my swing bottoms out just forward of my sternum, around the logo area on the shirt. So, I must be lunging forward or I really deloft the driver coming into the ball -- as if I were using the TS. I've positioned the ball as far forward as the left toe and I will either still hit it low or do an OTT and sky it from that position or dead pull it but still low.

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='golfdu' timestamp='1303266358' post='3169443']
[quote name='Cmartingolf' timestamp='1303261526' post='3169175']
[quote name='golfdu' timestamp='1303185255' post='3166424']
Hello Martin, I'm going to be in a match against Dublin High School which is undefeated. We're playing on a course I never played before. Any golf course management tips to say? Don't be concerned with wind, I make calculations to be dead-on accurate onto the target even with blistery winds. Sorta like AimPoint but with winds instead of greens. But what's your top 10 golf course management tips?
[/quote]

Find the fairway. Don't hit driver unless you feel great and there is no big penalty. Hit the ball where you can still see it. Don't take short cuts.

If you miss a green, miss short. Long misses are generally harder to get up in down.

Aim for the middle of the green on most approaches.

Putt for 20 minutes to feel the greens. See what landmarks define the highest elevation on the course as things will tend to break away from that point if you have a "straight" putt.

Patience.

Good luck!
[/quote]

I shot 38 in the match, but we lost by 37 strokes!!!! Our best players (except me) played pretty bad, mine was the lowest of the team. Oh well. My worst part of the game right now is short game, I can't pitch at all. I remember in the summer I read Tiger Woods' book How I Play Golf, but I wasn't interested in putting or full swing sections, I was interested in the pitching section of his book that got the most reviews in part of the book. Once I read it last summer and followed it, I was pitching them in from everywhere. The ball seemed to go in the hole. But I lost it and now I can't remember what he did in that book. Barnes and Noble has the books, should I buy one to save my short game? I'm not really a visual type of golfer, just the type of golfer that benefits the most from books rather than videos.
[/quote]

Frankie, nice playing. That's a good score on an unfamiliar course. Check Amazon for a copy if you want that book. Typically, pitching gets funky from either bad path (too much inside out) or too much flip. The towel across the chest, held by the armpits is a good path and sequence drill.

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='triplebogeyblues' timestamp='1303318116' post='3170870']
Chuck,

For the TS8, what shaft length is recommended for someone who is 6'3"?
[/quote]

Depends on your arm length, but plus 1 is usually good. Very few guys your size on Tour are in more than plus 1. Get the TS 7. Thx!

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='Oldnavycdr' timestamp='1303319571' post='3170940']
Martin,



The TS has been very effective in ridding my flip. For the first time I am compressing the ball and the feeling is great! My irons are more crisp and my wedges are lawn darts. All that said, I'm having a problem:



The more I've worked with the TS and the more effectively I compress the ball with my irons, the lower the ball flight of my driver, FW woods and hybrids. I was at the Cleveland demo today and tried some new drivers on a LM. 10.5* driver was typical of my current driver flight (also 10.5*). I moved to a 12* with very little increase in altitude. I was normally a higher ball hitter with the driver prior to working with the TS but now I'm too low. Is there a correlation? I've moved the ball forward, put in more spine tilt, but still mostly low running shots. Not all bad but not what I want. Anything come to mind without video? Seen this before? Any tips?


I love the TS but I seem to have traded one problem for another.
[/quote]

Withou seeing you, I can only speculate, however, we need to add some loft somewhere. Do you have a stronger grip? Can you nip the turf after the ball w a hybrid or three wood? It sounds like we need to get the ball spinning a little more w the long clubs.

[Oldnavycdr]

[quote name='Cmartingolf' timestamp='1303365549' post='3173019']
[quote name='Oldnavycdr' timestamp='1303319571' post='3170940']
Martin,



The TS has been very effective in ridding my flip. For the first time I am compressing the ball and the feeling is great! My irons are more crisp and my wedges are lawn darts. All that said, I'm having a problem:



The more I've worked with the TS and the more effectively I compress the ball with my irons, the lower the ball flight of my driver, FW woods and hybrids. I was at the Cleveland demo today and tried some new drivers on a LM. 10.5* driver was typical of my current driver flight (also 10.5*). I moved to a 12* with very little increase in altitude. I was normally a higher ball hitter with the driver prior to working with the TS but now I'm too low. Is there a correlation? I've moved the ball forward, put in more spine tilt, but still mostly low running shots. Not all bad but not what I want. Anything come to mind without video? Seen this before? Any tips?


I love the TS but I seem to have traded one problem for another.
[/quote]

Withou seeing you, I can only speculate, however, we need to add some loft somewhere. Do you have a stronger grip? Can you nip the turf after the ball w a hybrid or three wood? It sounds like we need to get the ball spinning a little more w the long clubs.
[/quote]

Grip is 3 knuckles. Hybrid and FW's tend to sweep -- often with ground first or ground/ball contact. I worked on my setup positions with the driver yesterday afternoon and improved the ball flight a great deal. I think I've been lunging down the target line. Off the deck is still a mystery.

[Cmartingolf]

Hmmm, was afraid of that. Sounds like you are a little too shallow and don't get the ball spinning enough. You path is likely too much inside out. Try this: roll up a bath towel and lay it parellel to your target line, just toe side of your ball line. Place the ball at the left end of the towel roll up so the towel acts as an alignment aid and pretty much occupies the space between your feet (but close to the ball). Hit some shots and see if you can miss the towel. Please report back.

[Netsonar]

[quote name='Cmartingolf' timestamp='1302736320' post='3151194']
[quote name='nickrut' timestamp='1302719129' post='3150299']
[quote name='ErikTaylor' timestamp='1302715026' post='3150054']
I've been mixing in the David Leadbetter Swing link with the TSP7X and have had great results...however the SL limits you to 3/4 back and 3/4 through.

Chuck is it possible to chicken wing this and hit it effectively?
[/quote]


Chuck can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say no matter what you do, if you are coming in at a good impact position with shaft lean, you will be able to hit this effectively. I assume it is not impossible to chicken wing and still hit down on a ball with some shaft lean and a good impact position, so i'd think it would sitll be possible.
[/quote]

Nic, there are ways to cheat the club; longer grass, spongy range mats, or anything that lets you "get under the ball." Bizarre story for you: the Japanese love the TS. I've sold a bunch over there. The general Korean golfers don't seem to see the benefit. Why? Their range mats are like 1970's porn star shag carpet. You could land a foot behind the ball and still get to the ball.

The best condition to practice with the TS is closely mown turf. Second would be a ruddy old range mat.
[/quote]

I have been working with the 7X with a few friends of mine and I have found that the best way to use the 7X is with a strike plate that can show a good mark it seems that sometimes on fat shots the extreme bounce will actual allow you to hit the ball. However if you are ahead of the club at impact with your weight and turn in the correct position with the club lagging slightly behind your weight transfer you should see good results. I myself have to eat some crow here as this did not work for me for some crazy reason that I can’t figure out as I know I have swing flaws it has showed measurable improvement for 6 of my friends at the club which is just about every lefty that is a member at my place... I would have to say after having some of my buddies work with the 7x the club really has some serious merit and would recommend it to others. I am so damn jealous that it works for all the other folks I play with... The good thing for me it did reinforce that I have not lost lag or impact precision I just really lost some flexibility and some speed which is why I am not as good as I once was... I guess that is a sign of aging... It also allowed me to focus my practice more on putting I have been doing putting drills in my backyard two hours a day with an entirely new putting concept and of course I am getting worse which typically happens when you try something new however I expect some long term improvement after I properly execute my angles and amount of toe hang and loft I introduce into my current stroke.. But I digress...
Again in short I am eating my earlier words as this device really does work for people if they hit it off a thin lie ... I did try to play a round tin cup style with only the 7x just for a change of pace on a bet and could not break 85 (which was the original bet). The reason I could not break 85 was not because of the inability to strike it on a full swing but this thing can really cause havoc when you try to putt with it! :-) Oddly it was actually not so bad out of the sand or when chipping