Page 17 - 07.06 p1-56 (Final Print)

TEACHING MYTHOLOGY MELVIN BLAIR

WHY NOT BALL
WHY NO T B ALL
FLIGHT LAWS?
FLIGHT LA
WS?

By Melvin Blair
USGTF Member
Tampa, Florida

ver the years, I invested in the launch
Omonitor FlightScope, and now the Mevo+
is another part of the family. Now, things are
better than ever! At BlairsGolf.com, we have
the right numbers. The pros only play with the
numbers, and you and your students can,
as well! Students ask me all the time, “What
element of my swing do I need to change?”
My first question is, “How much knowledge
or understanding do you have of the ball flight
laws?” You would be surprised how many
students and coaches say, “Not much,” and
that the numbers are confusing. My answer
is, “Without the numbers, your golf swing is
confusing!”
Something I learned: the ball is an object! It information as the true angle of attack,
cannot see how pretty your swing looks or how clubhead speed, club path, face angle,
tall you are or how much you weigh or whether face-to-path or smash factor. I tell students,
you are playing well or poorly. It knows and if you notice your golf ball when it is in the air
responds to only one thing – impact, from the for a long time with your slice, there is a good
moment the clubhead strikes the ball to the chance your spin is high. If your golf ball lacks
moment they separate. The ball collects all the rollout and seems to stop immediately when
information that it needs to determine which it lands, you are probably playing with high
direction, what distance and what trajectory to spin. If it seems like the ball lands softly and
take. If the golf club strikes the ball with 120 mph reacts immediately when it hits, there is a
of swing speed in the center of the clubface strong indication that you have high spin. And
with same loft, clubface angle and swing path, understanding how spin works and where your
it will go in the same place regardless of who is spin needs to be is the first step in fixing your
hitting it. slice, which is the evil of golf!
Ball flight laws are the most important Golf instructors now know the important
information in which a teacher or student should relationships between two critical things – the
have at least a reasonable level of knowledge. clubface angle and the club swing path. They
The knowledge gives us a great understanding know this is the key to understanding the slice.
of why the ball goes in the direction it is going. This can be done only with a launch monitor,
Without this knowledge, we can’t give such because your eyes are not that good!
Continued on page 18
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SUMMER 2020 Golf Teaching Pro ®