Geno, A Dynasty and College Golf

You may have heard, but Michigan Athletics has a new AD in town. His name is Warde Manuel and his ties to the Maize and Blue run deep. As a football player on the defensive side, Manuel learned what it takes to be a Michigan Man from Coach Bo Schembechler. After swiftly moving up the chain of command within sport administration, he became an Athletic Director at SUNY (University at Buffalo) and then onto the University of Connecticut for four years, before landing his dream job in March at his beloved alma mater.

And here lies our connection to today's post. In my initial meeting with our new leader, I couldn't resist asking Warde about his experiences working with Geno Auriemma.  What makes Geno one of the best coaches of all time?

Coach Auriemma just completed another undefeated season as the Head Coach for the UCONN Women's Basketball program.  Their senior class just accomplished a feat hard to fathom in any sport; winning four NCAA National Championships in a row. The 2016 National Championship is Geno's 11th, and his sixth undefeated season.

The answer Warde gave me wasn't profound. Geno's attention to detail with the simplest  fundamentals whether it's a layup in practice, or the footwork on the defensive end was relentless. Simple details, executed to perfection equals domination and a dynasty. Thank you very much.

If you were to pay precise attention to the fundamentals of golf, what would a practice session look like for the best golfers? Here is my proposed practice plan:

MIRROR WORK

  • Two minutes of precise mirror work: GRIP, POSTURE, BALL POSITION with full swing, stock chipping, wedges and putting.

 FULL SWING

  • Three to five minutes of hitting full shots to a target with perfect alignment sticks.
  • 3 Balls in a row that stay left of your target (mid iron).
  • 3 Balls in a row that stay right of your target (mid iron).
  • 3 Balls in a row through 25 yard poles (mimicking a narrow fairway) with your Driver.

CHIPPING

  • Play the game 21  (*see below).
  • Make one to three easy chips (10 yards and in).

WEDGES

  • Hit 30 wedge shots from varying distances between 30-100 yards.  Have intent with your routine, and watch closely where the ball lands. Vary the distances (3 balls at 10 different yardages or 10 balls at 3 different yardages, etc).

PUTTING

  • Make 30 three footers in a row (around the world - 6 tees X 5 loops=30 putts).
  • Play the fringe circle game (place 10-15 balls in the middle of a practice green. While looking at the fringe, putt the balls to the fringe with the goal of stopping the ball right on the edge. By eliminating putting to a hole, you are truly focused on the speed the ball is moving. Do this drill 2-3 times, putting to different spots on the fringe. NEVER hit the same putt twice, which helps to improve touch.
  • Make five different 10-15 foot putts, going through your routine every single time.

 One reason that golf practices aren't run like most sports is because there are so many areas of the game to work on and everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Plus, there are millions of more drills, gadgets and theories to improve as a golfer.  However, the above practice routine would take care of a majority of the fundamentals. Which, may be what many competitive golfers are missing. It's easy to think your grip feels good. It's easy to think you are aligned correctly. It's easy to say you can make every three footer. But what if you actually did this with precision each and every time you practiced? What if you paid the closest attention to every chip you hit in the game of 21? I think you would improve faster. Much faster. Even if this was all you ever did, besides, going out on the golf course to play. Additionally, there is a nice mix of block (technical and repeating) and simulation (game like situations that include pressure) practice. 

When creating this practice plan it reminded me of one of the best female collegiate players of all time; Amanda Blumenherst. I had the distinct pleasure of watching her practice every day throughout her senior year at Duke University. As a four time All-American and three time Player of the Year (oh, and two NCAA Championships),  her practice routine was down to a science. It started with short putts followed by long putts for speed. Then, off to chip, where she worked her way around the green hitting a wide variety of shots. Wedges were always next. Buckets were set out at pre-determined distances (every 10 yards)  and she hit over 80 balls to these targets. Finally, she hit two more large buckets of balls completely focused and determined to get the ball flying beautifully to her intended target.  She went through her entire bag with this full swing practice. Amanda was methodical, but it was nothing fancy. And she repeated this routine day in and day out. The fundamentals, executed to perfection each and every day. Sound familiar? If Auremiema was a golf coach, he would have loved Amanda. Not just for her killer instinct as a competitor, but for her relentless approach in executing the simple fundamentals to perfection.

Funny how they both have dynasties connected to their names, isn't it?!

 

*21

Choose 3 easy, 3 medium, and 3 hard chips all within 30 yards of the green.  Hole out each ball, keeping track of your score.  Your goal is to score 21 or lower, which is 6 up and ins and 3 down in threes, or a 66% up and down percentage.  The reason I love this game is because you are forced to judge your lie, imagine how each shot will react, and then execute the shot.  Which is exactly how the actual game of golf is played. You can also keep track of your progress, by knowing your personal best scores, etc. It's also a great way to learn the feel of the rough and how the ball reacts on a green when you play a different golf course.