Joey D checks in from The Colonial...

The Texas swing has been absolutely unbelievable. Back-to-back weeks with solid weather, courses in great shape and a completely laid back vibe, which the players are definitely feeding off of. Very hospitable folk here in the Lone Star State, great sports fans and it's made for a great couple of weeks.

Phil Mickelson is your defending champ and is obviously home in San Diego right now, spending time with his wife Amy and their kids. As the whole sports world has heard, Amy is battling breast cancer and it seems the entire state of Texas is getting behind the cause. You can't go anywhere without seeing pink. Pink ribbons, shirts, hats. Billboards everywhere, supporting the Mickelson family. It's an awesome sight.

Mentally the players are enjoying the laid back vibe as the next major is around the corner. These next few weeks are your last shot to tighten up your game and prepare for the US Open up at Bethpage. It's a very challenging course and our guys are very focused right now. You're seeing more action in the fitness trailers and somewhat of a mid-season re-commitment to their overall game. This is a good time to take inventory, figuring out where you're at and where you want to be at season's end.

A semi-big field for me this week. Only guys not out here are Jason Gore and Pat Perez, Double P still laid up with ankle issues and JG playing a Nationwide event this week. Charlie Wi, Ryuji Imada, Tom Pernice Jr. and Jason Dufner are all in the field and all under par after day one. Mr. Positive Mental Attitude Charlie leads our pack at three-under, four strokes off the lead. Keep an eye on the guys this week and check back over the weekend as I'll break things down again.

Coming back to something I mentioned earlier, I really want to send some positive vibes to the Mickelson family. If anyone can sympathize with them and understands their struggle, it's me. For those who didn't know, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer just before my 18th birthday. It spread into my lymph nodes, underneath my groin, into my lungs and abdomen. Safe to say I had a strong, serious bout with that disease and the doctors thought it was going to take me down.

I know first hand what cancer can take out of you. I know what it does to your family and friends. My cancer was deemed terminal and I battled like hell to beat it. I know what Amy is going through, what she will go through - physically and emotionally - and I truly wish her all the best. You never think this disease can happen to you, but it can happen to anybody. I've read that upwards of 150,000 women are diagnosed every year and about 1/3 of them don't make it. In Amy's case it sounds like they caught it early, which is huge.

You also can't say enough about Phil, absolutely putting his career on hold to be there for his wife. Phil is an amazing family man and it's not a surprise he's stepped us as he has. Again, speaking from experience I'll be the first to tell you that the support of family and friends is everything. I was very young when I battled cancer and it was a very confusing time for me. I needed my support group and that was a real difference-maker. Cancer doesn't discriminate. It attacks everyone - babies, teenagers, moms. It's a devastating disease and I'm pulling for Amy as she heads into this battle.


Joey D.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

While walking around Colonial Country Club this week, I snapped some pics with my iPhone. The grounds crew has done a phenomenal job getting the course ready this week and I wanted to capture it here and show on the blog. A great bunch of guys and the course is in tip-top shape. Check it out!

Joey D checking in from the Byron Nelson...

It's been a high-energy week here in the Dallas area, as expected. This event reminds me a bit of Charlotte, with a similar type of fan base. Enthusiastic. Hospitable. All in all, some great sports fans and lovers of golf. It's something that the players and us coaches feed off of.

If you want proof, look at some of the names who didn't make the cut, yet are still kicking around Las Colinas and taking in the experience. I saw Adam Scott playing tennis with his coach. I saw Vijay Singh out there doing the same, as well.

The Four Seasons has provided an overall relaxed environment for everyone involved with the Tour and this event is a real tribute to Mr. Byron Nelson, who I want to take a moment to recognize. Golf was a passion, not a job for the legend. He did it with lesser equipment, a flawless swing and natural ability.

I had a chance to sit down with Lord Byron years back when I was still working with Vijay and he won this event in 2003. He was a kind, passionate gentleman and the short time we got to spend together was a big golf moment for me.

My guys actually played pretty well this week. Tom Pernice Jr. and Ryuji Imada were right there. The cut line moved as so many guys got bunched up, pushing it from even to one-under, just like that. Tom's second round 66 looked like it'd be good enough, but in the end he was out by one. Ryuji had a respectable 70-71 in the first two rounds, but missed by two.

Charlie Wi actually made the cut by one, after opening with 73-66 and came back with a Saturday round of 64 to put himself in the thick of things T17th this morning. Charlie stumbled down the stretch, three-under after thirteen and giving it back to finish even. Still, the fact that he even saw the weekend and made a run - that's what I want to focus on with today's blog.

Charlie and I had a very spirited conversation after Friday's round. After an opening round 73, he had his work cut out for him if he was going to see the weekend. A second round 66, even with a late bogey, thankfully was good enough.

We spoke about Charlie's lingering mindset and how he was letting one bad shot bleed into his next three or four shots. That was the case on Thursday where he went from -1 to +6 in an eight hole span. He closed with three straight birdies, getting back to +3 and giving himself a fighting chance.

I often talk about Charlie's attitude and commend him for it in this blog. There aren't many guys on this tour like Charlie Wi. I get a lot of post-round phone calls from Charlie, where we dissect what happened earlier in the day. This week Charlie was a bit hard on himself, talking about how he needed to get out of this funk.

He knew what he needed to do and I was nothing more than a sounding board. Charlie knew that he was letting one bad shot impact his next several shots and he had simply had enough. I could definitely tell that Mr. Wi has been spending a lot of time with his guy Joey D when he delivered a line that sounded like something that would've come out of my mouth, not his -- "Coach, I need to start playing golf like a warrior, not a wimp."

Over the next two days, Charlie had a span of golf where he posted eleven birdies and fourteen pars in twenty-five holes. He didn't close the deal on Sunday, but again he was close and again he got his head right. Never underestimate what a positive attitude can do on a tour where everybody has game.

We say it time and time again here; golf is a mental game. Charlie again proved that this weekend and I hope that's something you weekend warrior types take from this week's column. Charlie told me days back that he believed in the process. Everything we're working on in the trailer. Everything he's working on with his swing coach. He knows where his game is at and he knows his abilities. When things go wrong, it's extremely obvious that he's losing the battle between his ear. He's at a point where he can acknowledge that and he's working through it, which is always the first step.

Challenge yourself next time you're on the course and follow Charlie's lead. Play like a warrior, not a wimp.

More next week. Same place, different tourney.


Joey D.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

Charlie Wi, bringing that positive attitude and work ethic into the trailer for a workout this morning...

... and the winner of the PowerSwing Trainer is ...

Congratulations to Michael Spiegel of Napa, CA - the winner of our recent trivia question. 

Turns out there were 80 birdies on the 17th hole at the PLAYERS Championship a few weeks back and Michael provided the closest guess, calling for 88 birdies.

We're sending Michael a GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer (Personal Edition) as a prize. In return, Michael is going to review the product for you, letting other blog readers know if the P.S.T. helped his game. Stay tuned!

Coach Joey D checking in from the Byron Nelson

Made it to Dallas after an amazing week home in Palm Beach. I'm in the process of building out D1 Athletics, a training facility where I'll spend my off-season working with professional athletes as well as personally working with a handful of select clients. I'm beyond fired up about the opportunity and I expect D1 to open sometime in August. I'm also launching CoachJoeyD.com - a website that will provide information about both D1 Athletics and my upcoming book, "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing". Stay tuned as things are going to get rather exciting as the year progresses.

The weather finally turned here in Dallas for Byron Nelson week. The locals let me know they got a ton of rain last week, but the forecast is pretty solid for the majority of this week, with rain and thunderstorms expected over the weekend. We'll see what that means for the tournament and how things wrap up on Sunday. Weather permitting, the course should remain in great shape.

Speaking of the course being in great shape, that almost wasn't the case. I worked in Ryuji Imada earlier today and he said that someone literally drove his car on the course and got himself arrested... prompting me to remind folks that you should keep your ball on the fairway and your car on the highway. In all seriousness, glad to hear nobody was hurt.

I have a couple guys out this week, most notably Pat Perez, indefinitely out with an ankle injury. Mr. Perez was getting in a little cardio during the off week and had a mishap when his large German Shepherd went one way and he went another. His foot slipped off the curb and he tore some tendons in his right ankle, sidelining him for up to eight weeks.

Another injury in the Joey D camp this week is Jason Dufner and some nagging shoulder issue we've mentioned here in the past. It's been a week-to-week thing for Jason, allowing him to sort of play through the pain - but he's finally at that point where the hurt isn't going away and he needs to deal with it. I know he was scheduled to see Dr. James Andrews while home in Alabama this week and that he too will be sidelined for a few weeks while getting right again.

This current situations of both Pat and Jason lead me to my focus for this week's blog; injury prevention. In Pat's case, you can't prevent a freakish injury of this nature, but with Jason there were definitely signs that something was wrong with the shoulder. We spent weeks working on it in the trailer through stretching, massage and treatment from the guys in the physio trailer.

For Jason, he chose to fight through some of the pain as he was on a solid run. For a guy who entered the season with limited status and a Q-school exemption, Duf wanted to get after it early in the year, working to secure his card. A few top tens and roughly $821K later he's done that and can now focus on getting the shoulder right.

For the weekend warrior types, there's obviously not that same sense of urgency to play and earn a check. For the casual golfer, I recommend that you listen to what your body is telling you. Don't play through the pain as often times you will do more damage than good. If you're dealing with something that you feel could become more of a injury, I urge you to get it looked at right away.

Golf is an overuse sport. Range rats will get out there and beat bucket after bucket of balls, until they can't feel their arms. Most folks do this without properly stretching and fixing their body beforehand, causing them to often overcompensate with another part of their body if they are battling injury. In most cases, injuries don't just "go away". Often times something needs to be done to fix the problem. This can be very dangerous for someone who earns their living on the golf course.

Regarding Pat's situation, he definitely needs to rest these next four weeks and let the ankle heal properly. From there, another month of extensive physical therapy is needed to get all the muscles performing properly again. If he rushes his return, the muscles aren't going to heal correctly and he'll need surgery to tighten everything up, sidelining him for upwards of a year.

Pay attention to the signs, people. The body is a complex instrument. You're not going to get over on it. If there's something wrong, deal with it as soon as possible. If you can't get to a doctor, if you're dealing with insurance issues - at minimum, put the clubs down and rest until you can effectively deal with the problem.

Smaller field this week with Charlie Wi, Tom Pernice Jr. and Ryuji out here. I think all three guys can make a run. I'll report back later in the week and we'll see where things are at after the first round.


Joey D.

Debating Biomechanics...

A few weeks back I received a comment in my blog that I didn't post because I was too busy working with my guys to debate it. Now that I have the time, let's address it. Below is the gripe:

"My name is Richard Mountney and I work as a qualified Biomechanist with a range of athletes from the European Union. I was directed to your blog by a colleague who is an avid golfer and has an association with a number of the European Tour players. There are many flaws in your blog reports with reference to your understanding of the body's physiological response to exercise, more specifically the 'Fitness tips' segments. Many of the claims you are making (e.g. flexibility creates power) are misleading and have no scientific foundation. If indeed you stand by your statements there needs to be a presentation of supporting research accompanied by the relevant application of exercises. I hope this will occur in future blogs. Best of luck."

While I appreciate Richard taking the time to write in, I obviously disagree with his thoughts on the matter. I ran his note by every PGA Tour strength & conditioning coach, biomechanics coach and golf fitness expert I work with in the mobile trailer and was hard pressed to find anyone who agreed with our friend 'across the pond'.

One colleague and friend of mine, Dr. Craig Davies, wanted to address this question specifically so I'll print his thoughts below as I think they'll bring some closure to this matter. It's a lengthy, technical explanation - but again, that's what our friend Richard Mountney asked for, so here goes: 

"The golf swing is a very unique and unnatural movement. It requires almost every muscle and joint in the body to move through large ranges of motion, with great coordination and freedom to be performed optimally. When we speak of power generation in the golf swing, we must consider many dynamics and fields of study that may not need considering in most normal activities.

Anyone who studies the golf swing gains an appreciation that no single field of study can fully measure, the intricacies of power generation and efficiency. To gain maximum efficiency in the golf swing there is a need to optimize physics, geometry, biomechanics, equipment technology, etc. An individual who can create optimal geometry in their attack angles throughout the golf swing will be able to create higher club head speeds than someone who has a great deal more muscle but does not have the mobility in their joints to allow for proper angles of attack. This is due to the ability of the first individual to utilize physics in creating advantageous motor arms and levers throughout the down swing.

Let’s try to think of this in lay terms by thinking of pushing a stalled car as an example. If all of your joints and muscles move through a full range of motion, you are able to swing your golf club with no restrictions and can attack the ball from whatever angle you like. Using this idea for pushing the stalled car, it would be similar to pushing a car that is in neutral and from the center of the back bumper. Because there are no motion restrictions, the car does not have any breaking mechanism in place and you are able to push the car wherever you want on the bumper to gain maximum leverage.

If a golfer has a restriction in their joint or muscle action, within their target side hip, it would be similar to the stalled car having the emergency brake on. The restricted motion would create a counter force force that you would have to push against in order to move the car. Also, if the range of motion within the target side hip is restricted, the golfer will be less able to attack the ball from the inside as easily as if the hip moved freely.

A restriction of this nature often results in the club head moving from an out-to-in path as it approaches the golf ball. If we think about this when trying to push the stalled car we are not only pushing a stalled car with its emergency brake on but we would also be trying to push the car on an angle from the back right bumper as opposed to the centre of the car.

Personally, I would rather push a car that was in neutral - without any brakes - and be able to push it straight rather than on an angle.

Let’s look a little more into the science of how power is generated and transferred in the golf swing.

If an athlete is performing a basic exercise in the gym (like the bench press), there are a limited number of muscles being utilized. The range and angle of motion required is finite and relatively easy to do define. As a general rule, the more muscle you develop in the chest, shoulder and arms, the greater the weight you will be able to bench press and the greater the speed you will be able to move a specific weight. This is because the function of these muscles during this exercise is relatively independent of the function of muscles and joints within other areas in the body (legs, spine, etc.).

Conversely, club head velocity at impact is dependent on an efficient transfer of energy through the body. The energy transfer moves through what is known as the body’s kinetic chain. The different parts of the body act as a system of chain links, whereby the energy or force generated by one part of the body (or link) can be transferred successively to the next link. The optimum coordination (timing) of these body segments and their movements will allow for the efficient transfer of energy and power up through the body, moving from one body segment to the next. Each movement in the sequence builds upon the previous segment’s motion and they all contribute to the generation of club head speed.

This kinetic chain is the linkage system that connects adjacent joints and muscles throughout the body. When one area of the body has a weakness or injury the transfer of energy is blocked, the body will then compensate for this blockage by overusing other distal body parts in an attempt to make up for this lost energy.

In an efficient golf swing, where the legs generate the majority of the power, large muscles contribute to force generation. When there is a “weakness” within the body’s kinetic chain, the energy produced by the legs is not able to be transferred up into the core and arms. As a result, the smaller muscles in these parts are placed under greater stress. In time, this will often lead to overuse injuries within the joints and soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) within these compensating body regions and a decrease in club head speed.

Note the word “weakness” referenced in the paragraph above. With respect to the transfer of energy through the body’s kinetic chain, weakness is not limited strictly to a limitation in muscular strength. Joint and muscle motion deficits and proprioception deficits are also considered to be a weakness. Having proper ranges of motion in each of the body’s segments is as important as each segment’s muscular strength.

In the earlier example, I indicated that when a muscle or joint is restricted in its range of motion, it acts like the emergency brake in the stalled car. The target side hip of a golfer goes through internal rotation during the down swing. When this motion is restricted, the pelvis is not able to continue rotating properly towards the target.

Instead, the joints in the lower back and other areas within the body attempt to compensate for this lost motion in the hips. The compensatory motion in these areas places a negative stress to the soft tissues and joints and will often lead to injury over time. It also leads to decrease in the efficiency of the power transfer up from the legs into the core and finally through the arms into the club. In essence, it acts like a brake.

I would like to clarify at this point that when a player has an excessive amount of flexibility well beyond the range of motion required to perform a golf swing, a decrease in power can be seen due to a lowering of cross fiber connections in the actin - myosin filaments - within the muscle and other neurological principles.

Excessive mobility is not nearly as common, in either amateur or professional golf populations, as restricted ranges of motion. However, athletes should be aware of this possibility as there are definitely cases where too much mobility decreases power generation within the golf swing. This can often be seen in young females who have too much mobility in their pelvis and do not have the muscular capabilities to stabilize the pelvis, leading to a decrease in the efficiency of the energy transfer through the body’s kinetic chain.

In essence, the excessive mobility acts like a leaky pipe in a car. The more hyper-mobile an athlete is, the larger the hole in the pipe. If you have a hole in the pipe there will be less gas making it from the tank to the engine than what you start with. This is what happens when a golfer is hyper mobile. They produce a lot power at individual muscles but this power is “leaked out” at each link through the body resulting in a decrease in over power output.

In closing, most athletes will be able to generate more power within their golf swing if they emphasize mobility within their workouts to allow for optimal geometry and physics to be utilized. On occasion, an athlete may demonstrate excessive motion within their muscles and joints and will not require an emphasis on increasing their flexibility."

Another Fitness Tip From Joey D...

Instead of answering a question this week, I simply want to share an exercise that I think will benefit the readers. We recently uploaded the "Squat & Reach" golf fitness exercise to our YouTube account and I'd like you to take a look at it.

Remember, the key here is to make sure you're in balance before you swing the club. When you stand at address, where you think you might be is not necessarily where you are. A great way to test for this and make sure you're in balance is to do what we call the 'squat and reach' test.

Take a club - an eight iron will work - and follow what I'm doing in the video below. Remember that the lower you go, the better you'll be able to test your balance. Give this exercise a go and let me know what you think.

Back on the road next week in Dallas at the Byron Nelson where the blogging will resume. - Joey D.

Buzzin Golf UK : PowerSwing Trainer Review

Another special thanks to Terry Lane over at Buzzin' Golf, a top-notch golf-related site and blog across the pond.

The Buzzin' Golf folk requested some GolfGym products a few weeks back and they'll be reviewing it on their site over the next month.

Last time around they gave the GolfGym Weighted Club a favorable review. This week Terry reviewed the GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer. Check it out:


"With regular use, the GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer can improve your golf swing and help you exercise, too.

The PowerSwing Trainer comes in two editions- Masters Edition and the Personal Edition.

Each one includes a very strong rubber “PowerCord” with either a left or right-handed grip, an illustrated exercise program, an exercise DVD and a neat pouch to keep the PowerCord clean and tidy. The PowerSwing Trainer Masters Edition includes the same contents as the Personal Edition but includes three PowerCord resistance levels: green lighter resistance for juniors and ladies, yellow medium resistance, and red for heavy resistance.

The PowerSwing Trainer is a useful golf aid that can be used as both for fitness and as a warm-up before a round. The Exercise Program includes warm-up, stretching, skill strengthening, general conditioning and injury prevention exercises.

The PowerSwing Trainer is a portable golf specific training and conditioning aid that helps to develop muscle memory, strength and flexibility; and its beauty is that it fits into its own zip bag the size of a pencil case, so can be used anytime, anywhere.

Choosing the correct resistance, this golf swing aid can really help you train your body to memorise how it feels to turn your upper body in the correct way. Similarly to the GolfGym Weighted Club and the Explainar, the PowerSwing Trainer has started to train my body to turn and swing better, helping to iron out a common problem among higher handicap amateurs - my tendency to add a fade on shots, especially with my driver. The problem is caused by not rotating my upper body on the backswing and not following through on a straight plane, but slicing across the ball on impact. But I can honestly say, the PowerSwing Trainer is helping me here.

Regular exercise with GolfGym’s PowerSwing Trainer is helping me to feel more flexible and less rigid in my swing. The result is, I am hitting longer, straighter, more accurate shots, with more frequency.

Joey D is currently coaching several pros on the US PGA Tour and uses GolfGym’s PowerSwing Trainer as part of their warm-up exercises."

Joey D: PLAYERS Recap, Back in West Palm

Coach Joey D here. Another PLAYERS Championship has come and gone. A very exciting week for both the pros and the fans. Great energy out there and another finish where it was anybody's tournament.

I arrived in Jacksonville last Monday and had to hit the ground running, preparing for my annual Tuesday night players party that I co-host at my place with Coach Chris Noss. I went from Charlotte to West Palm to JAX and had a day to pull everything together and make things happen.

I made it out to the course for a bit on Monday and chatted a bit with Todd Jones, the head teaching pro at TPC. We discussed some new teaching techniques that we'll delve into down the road in another blog. Some really interesting stuff going on that you'll want to check out.

Regarding the party, thankfully it was another success. A great turnout of Tour pros and friends. We brought in catering from a few local restaurants. Rented pool tables, pinball machines and video games. Had some good tunes pumping. It's always a great way to kick off the PLAYERS week and we always get great feedback from the guys. We do this annually as our way to thank the pros for all they do for us and as long as they're into it, Coach Noss and I will keep hosting it. Come Wednesday morning it was back to business and all the guys were ready to go.

TPC Sawgrass sets up very challenging and as the week goes on, the course dries up. The only rain we had last week was on Tuesday night, so the course conditions changed quite a bit as the week rolled on. Pin placement got tougher, to the point where you're seeing a guy like Tiger Woods incapable of making his standard come-from-behind Sunday run.

All the credit in the world to Henrik Stenson for his commanding win, as well as "friend of the Joey D Blog" Ian Poulter and his strong second place showing.

As for the team, again it was Jason Dufner with another strong outing. 67-70 in the first two rounds had him in contention before a third round 77 set him back and a final round 73 earned him a respectable T32nd finish. I'd have loved to see him hang onto that seven-under, but the course just didn't set up like that.

It's been four straight weeks out here for Duf, with two top ten finishes to his credit. A hell of a run and it's moved him up to 39th in the FedExCup standings.

Ryuji Imada gave it another go this week, reeling in a T45th finish. Ryuji is still struggling with a nagging wrist injury, so he's been tentative hitting out of the rough or the sand lately. He's going to take this week off and get the wrist looked at again, in an effort to get right. In the end, not his best finish but he made another cut and he gave it his all under the circumstances.

Not the greatest week for Pat Perez. A respectable 72-72 out the gate, but entering the weekend his putter failed him a bit. His ball-striking was solid and his work with coach Mike Abbott has his swing back on track. There are just a few things he'll need to work out putting-wise.

Strength-wise, Pat is on top of his game and again, is doing everything I ask of him in the fitness trailer. I even got him in the pool a few times this week for an aquatic workout, which he said had him feeling better than every. Everything is "on" right now but the putter and as soon as he gets that re-dialed in, watch out.

Charlie Wi got a little emotional out on the course on Thursday. This something I really want to focus on this week for the reader. Whether you're a Touring pro or a weekend warrior, emotions can often get the better of us on the golf course.

Charlie and I had breakfast Friday morning after a good session in the trailer and we talked about what wore him down mentally. We spoke about getting emotions getting under control and realizing that once you've hit the shot, you have to let it go. Believe in the process.

After going 74-74, Charlie didn't make the cut and he called me from the airport Saturday morning on his way out. After some self-evaluating, he knew what he did wrong, he knew that emotions got the better of him and that he let the tournament get away from him. Charlie knows what he needs to change going into his next event and I believe he'll find the strength to do that.

In this game - and especially at this level - when you hit a bad shot, you absolutely have to let go. I know that's easier said than done, but it doesn't make it any less true. You have to recognize your mistake and absolutely can't let your emotions get the better of you. If you hit a bad shot, take a couple deep breaths and learn how to shrug it off. If it happens to the best in the world, guarantee it's going to happen to those outside the ropes when they tee it up.

Last but never least, Tom Pernice Jr., who also missed the cut. I spoke with Tom after Friday's round and he simply said he just wasn't hitting it well. Tom's played five of the past six events and he is definitely looking forward to a week of active rest. He's worn down and being on the road is getting to him. Give him some time to recuperate and we'll see him rested and ready for the Byron Nelson.

That's it for last week. Coming up this week we'll announce the winner of the PowerSwing Trainer, we'll offer up another fitness tip and we'll address a recent critic from across the pond who questioned the methods of Joey D and the other strength & conditioning coaches out here on Tour. Stay tuned.


Joey D.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

Took a shot of my guy Ryuji Imada doing some ball and band work this morning before the final round...

Trivia Question: Win a FREE PowerSwing Trainer!

Being that the PLAYERS Championship is such a great event and the 17th hole is so legendary, let's have some fun with it. 

Anyone who correctly guesses the amount of birdies we see on #17 this week -- or at least closest to the actual number -- wins a GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer (Personal Edition).

Email me your answers by day's end Friday -- which means you can watch the first two rounds, add up the number then guesstimate how many players birdie the hole on Saturday and Sunday.

Good luck. - Joey D.

Joey D: Update from The PLAYERS...

Coach Joey D checking in from Jacksonville. Let's dive right in.

We saw an interesting finish last week at the Quail Hollow Championship. Zach Johnson on top for a couple of days, before a rough round on Sunday. Sean O'Hair pulling away with Tiger Woods nipping at his heels; something he couldn't do a few weeks back at Bay Hill. Bubba Watson coming oh-so-close to his first Tour win. Lucas Glover in the mix, but not able to pull it out.

Much like the Masters you at Phil Mickelson right up there with Tiger, which would've been a made for TV battle if both were in the final group, but a 75 on Saturday set Phil back and Tiger could do no better than an uncharacteristic E on Sunday.

Who was right there in the fold again? My guy Jason Dufner. I keep telling you this kid is going to sneak up on you and there he goes again, reeling in a T5th finish.

Duf's ball-striking has always been solid, but he lacked confidence. If you go back and look up his stats on PGATour.com, you'll see that a lot of Jason's struggles occurred on Sundays. As you're seeing right before your very eyes, he's finally putting it all together and the result has been stellar. Another player that's finally coming into his own.

The shoulder is still bothering Jason, but we're keeping things stable and mobile until he has a week off and can get it checked out. Golf fitness remains a priority and I appreciate all he does in the trailer to get his body biomechanically sound.

Tom Pernice Jr. and Pat Perez didn't have their greatest weeks out here on Tour. Both had their struggles, though Tom had a nice finish with a final round 68, moving him from T60th to T38th. Tom is a fighter. He never quit and he remained patient and calm, which was the difference-maker in that final round.

Pat had a tough time bouncing back from a third round 76, but did a great job keeping his composure.

A lot of folks still label PP a hot head, but that's not the case. He was very level-headed about how he wrapped up the week and realized it was time to go back to the drawing board. He got his swing coach Mike Abbott on the phone and Mr. A trekked east and has been working with Pat this week, correcting some issues.

As I've said time and time again, when making swing changes - old habits die hard. With Pat, sometimes he's raising that elbow a little bit... he might get a little too steep. He and Mr. A are working on a flatter plane and again, this is a professional who has completely revamped his entire swing in the last year. You're going to have weeks where things come together and other weeks where those old habits are going to creep back up. All you can do is work through it, which he's doing.

All of this just goes to prove how tough the competition is on this Tour. As I mentioned earlier, I know the fans are always clamoring for a Tiger v. Phil finale on Sunday. While that won't always be the case, personally I think that's a good thing. It's a reminder that there are a ton of talented players out here, capable of winning week in and week out.

I'm excited for the PLAYERS this week. For me, it's a "home" event as I still have a residence here in Jacksonville. I'm a big fan of the 'fifth major' and always love an event with a field as stacked as this one. A hectic week for me with Perez, Pernice Jr., Dufner and Ryuji Imada in the field, but the guys will be ready. Again, this is the "PLAYERS" championship and it's one these guys really love to be a part of.

The weather is again consistent, spectacular for this time of year. Mid 80s, sunny and not too humid... which of course brings up and tip from a past blog regarding hydration. This time of year, it's important to stay hydrated. Room temperature water. Don't just drink when you're thirsty and remember to sip, not gulp. Pump the amino acids and keep those muscles from cramping up. You have to stay on top of this and deal with it before dehydration kicks in, not after.

That's all for now. Check back later this week for some post-round commentary.


Joey D.

Joey D: Checking in from Jacksonville...

Back in Jacksonville for a hectic week. Pulled into town today and need to get the house "tournament ready" as I'm hosting a players-only party on Tuesday. I'm also hosting my horse Pat Perez, his bride and their Pomeranian all week at Chez Joey.

I'll drop back by on Wednesday to talk about the 'fifth major' and another big week by Jason Dufner. Stay tuned.

Another Fitness Tip From Joey D...

We want to introduce a new Q&A feature here on the Joey D GolfGym Blog. A lot of you have found Joey D online and have been sending in your golf fitness related questions. Once a week we'll randomly choose a question or two and Joey will answer here on the blog. Add Joey on Facebook and fire in your questions, or hit him up on his Twitter page.

Greg R. of La Quinta, CA: "Big Pat Perez fan here and love how you've helped him get his game dialed in. I was out at the Bob Hope back in January and see the change in his game. My question is pretty straightforward, Coach. How do I get more power off the tee? I've seen conflicting stories in all the golf magazines I subscribe to. Figured I'd go to the source here and ask a full-fledged, experienced, PGA Tour biomechanics coach. Keep up the great work!"


Greg, a pretty incredible week for PP out there in the desert a few months back. Glad to hear you got to witness it in person. So great to see Pat finally break through with that first win.

Your question is solid and you're right, it's addressed often in many golf-themed magazines. It's also one I am asked often, not just by fans - but by my players. Charlie Wi and I had this same discussion last week as he too is looking for more power off the tee.

There are varying opinions on the subject, but this is my personal and professional opinion. I'm telling you the same thing I told Charlie and I'd tell any of my guys.

It's not how hard or fast you swing the club. It's all about getting the club to the ball with the club head face square at impact and keeping the club on plane. Your power is stored in your back swing. It travels down the plane line and gets released at impact. Do all of that correctly and you're going to have greater distance. That said, the hard part is pulling everything together and making it work to perfection.

A lot has to happen to get more power off the tee. Again, go back to the title of my book - "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing". You have to allow your body to increase its range of motion; call it the 'sling shot theory'.

If you held a sling shot in your hand, put a stone in it, pulled it back 10 degrees and let it go, the stone would travel 'x' amount of distance. Pull it back 20 degrees and let it go, the distance will increase even further. Using this example, where is the power stored? It stores in the end range of motion at the top or end of the back swing.

With a sling shot, the form is perfect every time - which isn't always the case with one's back swing. Should you do this inefficiently, you lose your spine angle and several thing fall apart from there. If you want more power, you need your body to move into certain positions. Flexibility equals power. You have to become flexible enough to even get to the top of your back swing and increase that range of motion. You want to eventually be comfortable in this maximum position where you belong.

I'm not telling everybody you need to go further and further back. That can create the classic reverse pivot and those unable to completely reach the top of their back swing, it may be more efficient to take a half swing. That's alright if you're in the beginning stages of working through this, but I employ you to work your way out of that.

It all comes back to the 'sling shot theory' and the fact that flexibility creates power. To increase flexibility, focus on your bandwork. Movement strength is the MOST important thing that you can do. Flexibility and movement strength are the two best ways for you to get more power off of the tee. Use the bands to then mimic your golf swing.

Strength training is important, but you absolutely have to mimic the exact things the body does to be able to understand the end result. It's all about keeping the club squared at impact, keeping the club on plane and not deluding yourself into thinking it's all about club speed.

Practice everything we've discussed above and also spend some time working on your rotation, where your spine sits into your hips. Keep the hips loose and you'll create more movement in your back swing.


Joey D.