Prelude This volume of the New Horizons Golf Approach Pocket Coach Series focuses on a process of using your whole body to produce a powerful swing.  This process is called stacking, and it is based on the principle of establishing a foundation for power upon which we stack additional power components. As long as I can remember, I’ve always heard great players talk about power golf being played from the ground up.  I’m sure most golfers have heard this statement as well, but what does it mean? At face value, it alludes to the idea that footwork is very important to playing powerful golf.  Players like Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, and Payne Stewart all had great footwork, and they all believed in playing golf from the ground up.  Players such as Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, and Tom Watson also believed in playing powerful golf from the ground up.  Although the quality of their footwork may not seem as obvious, they too have exceptional footwork. In my research of the game’s great players, I found that most great players spent considerable time studying footwork. George Knudson one of the best ball strikers of his day, believed that weight shift and footwork were the founding actions of a fundamentally sound, and natural, golf swing.  He believed a sound swing would start and finish in balance through proper footwork. So, for the purpose of this Pocket Coach, I am going to entertain that powerful golf truly is played from the ground up, and this means we will build our swing’s power package by first establishing our footwork. Stacking is the process of establishing a basic power source, followed by adding an additional power source on top of the foundation.  Then the next source of power is established and stacked on top of the first two sources.  This process continues until all the power components are stacked on top of each other and linked together. Since we will develop our power package from the ground up, and since our footwork is the ground floor of our body actions, it makes sense that our footwork will be the foundation upon which we stack all other power components.  As you stack one power source on top of another, always maintain the integrity of the existing power sources. If any of the founding sources break down, then there is no sense stacking another on top.  The only reason for stacking power sources is to link them together in an effort to produce additional power. Adding one source and losing another is a wash, and in my opinion a waste of time.  It only makes sense if you are doing it to change ball flight.  It doesn’t make sense if you want to produce additional power.  And since this Pocket Coach is concerned with power stacking, we will focus on linking the power sources together.  So, as you establish the foundation for power, make sure the foundation is structurally sound before stacking additional power sources on top of the existing power source. Before we get to the juicy stuff, I’d like to cover one more point.  Learning how to manage a structurally sound power stacking process will allow you to apply power at will.  This will in turn help you manage the tightness of your shot patterns when learning to maximize power.  When most people are concerned with playing powerful shots, their accuracy suffers.  It suffers because the golfer tends to over extend the swing.   Once over extended the swing loosens up. The result is an array of loose golf shots.  I believe every avid golfer understands what I mean by over extending their swing.  Maybe you simply call it over swinging.  Maybe you call it swinging too hard, or too long.  I also believe most golfers want to play powerfully with control. Players who develop a structurally sound stacking process generate tremendous power while at the same time playing accurate shots.  I’m sure you too will find that learning to stack your power sources properly will give you the gift of applied power, plus accuracy. So, whenever you find your game suffering a power shortage you can look to your stacking techniques to find the source of leakage.  By reviewing the stacking process from the ground floor up you will be able to find the leak and re-establish a power packed swing. Finally, before we get started, I am going to describe all the physical actions in terms of being a right- sided golfer.  I apologize to the left-handed golfer, but the condensed length of this Pocket Coach book makes it too difficult to describe all actions from both sides of the ball.

This is the table of contents from Stacking For Powerful Golf.  It may give you some insights as to the topics covered in the New Horizons Golf Approach Pocket Coach Volume Five. Table Of Contents Prelude - From The Ground Up Part One – The Power Components The Ground Floor Knee Action Hip Turn Shoulder Coil Widening The Arc Part Two –  Progressive Stacking Routine The Progressive Routine Weight Shots Squeeze-It Shots Control Swing Shots Coil Shots Stretch It Out Shots Your Method Of Play Let’s Play Golf

Let’s Play G-O-L-F TM Playing for a target score is only one way of implementing an on course strategy.  I believe to truly play the game you cannot worry so much about your scoring strategy.  I think everyone is aware of how well they are scoring, and they know they need to score as low as they can.  So, since the idea of scoring is always present you do not need to focus on it.  Instead, focus on playing the game. Truly playing the game involves feeling a game that fascinates you.  It involves striving to play the type of game you usually dream of playing.  It’s about finding out your potential and manifesting it in your play.  It’s about engaging yourself in the ongoing drama of sport.  It’s about absorbing yourself into the possibility of expressing your true potential.   It’s about Gaming Out Life’s Fascinations. So, when you walk out on the golf course, I’m inviting you to take the plunge, to go for it.  I’m inviting you to play golf without putting so much emphasis on scoring low.  Win or lose, score low or high, enjoy the adventure, keep a good attitude, and take something away from every round that makes you a more accomplished golfer.

New Horizons Golf Approach I n n o v a t i v e  C o a c h i n g  F o r  G o l f e r s