Coach Joey D : D1 Athletics Blog

"Fit to be tried, TOUR trailer helps shape careers"

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:22:00 +0000

Check out this recent ink from PGATour.com's Brian Wacker regarding Tour fitness and Coach Joey D:

When 59-year-old Tom Watson nearly won the British Open in July, some argued it wasn't necessarily good for the game. If some old fogey with his AARP card could nearly win one of the game's biggest tournaments, what did that say about golf as a sport? What it said, they maintained, was that golf wasn't a sport at all. It was a skill. A pastime. That it was right up there with bowling and ping pong.

Blame Ernie Els, or Fred Couples or even Watson. They make golf look about as athletic as pouring a glass of water. What most don't see is what goes into building those backswings, especially for a growing number of players on the PGA TOUR, whose time in the fitness trailer or gym equals their time on the driving range or practice green.

"What the fans don't understand is the specificity of the training, the stress that a golfer goes through," says Chris Noss, an expert in biomechanics and trainer to a number of players, including Sean O'Hair, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink and Brian Gay, among others.

That stress usually begins and ends in a pair of 18-wheelers -- one for strength and conditioning, one for physical therapy -- at every TOUR stop from January through November. They're loaded with Cybex machines, treadmills, stationary bikes, free weights, physio balls and various other apparatuses. There are also at least two physical therapists, a chiropractor and strength & conditioning coach on hand at all times.

"Nine years ago, when I started, very few utilized the trailer every day," says Scott Riehl, Strength & Conditioning Coordinator, DePuy Mitek, PGA TOUR, and lord of the two trailers. "Now, 85 percent work out daily."

Though space is tight, you'll often find as many as 10-12 players in the trailer at a time during tournament week, all working out, stretching or receiving treatment for any number of nagging injuries.

Even those who don't use the TOUR's trailers will spend countless hours fine-tuning their bodies to the rigors of pounding thousands of golf balls. Call it the Tiger Woods effect. His workouts with Keith Kleven, although fairly secretive, are equal parts legendary.

"Players started saying, 'I have to work out to catch Tiger,'" said Noss. "Then when they didn't (catch him), we had a drop off. It's leveled out now."

"Tiger made my job a lot easier," continued Noss, who added that it's taken many of his 10-plus years on TOUR to gain the sort of trust and respect he and a handful of others have with the players. "But Tiger's always been an athlete -- if you're Secretariat's trainer, all you want to do is not screw him up."

That can be tougher than it sounds. Take Jason Dufner, who works with Joey Diovisalvi (known mostly as Joey D around TOUR circles). Having been befriended by Vijay Singh, Dufner recently spent time with Singh's trainer, Gabe Lopez.

Comparing Singh to Dufner in the gym is like comparing the Mona Lisa to a finger painting. No one works out harder than Singh, and Dufner found out the hard way. "[Dufner] was sore for weeks," Diovisalvi said. "It killed his confidence."

Fortunately for Dufner, that confidence returned and the fruits of his labor paid off in the form of a half-dozen top-10s, including a tie for third at the RBC Canadian Open and a tie for second at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Anthony Kim had a similar experience with confidence -- or lack of it -- early in the season. Following a rash of injuries and poor practice habits, Kim, twice a winner in the previous year, admitted his confidence was now "in the toilet."

That prompted Kim to hire Darby Rich, whom he had worked with while at the University of Oklahoma. Rich was the strength and conditioning coach for the Sooners' men's basketball team and helped train Blake Griffin, who was picked No. 1 in the NBA Draft.

The wins haven't exactly piled up for Kim, but since hiring Rich, Kim does have four finishes in the top 16, including a pair of third places. He's also slimmer, eating better, practicing more and avoiding injury due to a previous lack of said practice.

"I was miserable. I wasn't having any fun," Kim said. "I just know that if I'm working on the right thing, it's going to pay off."

That right thing has paid off for others -- Pat Perez, John Rollins, Ryuji Imada and O'Hair, to name a few -- and it's fair to say that success comes from what goes on in practice sessions as much as training sessions, whether they're in the TOUR's two fitness trailers, or in a glitzy new gym like the one at Congressional Country Club, site of the AT&T National.

On a mid-week afternoon at the AT&T National, a number of players made their way into the gym at Congressional -- on weeks the TOUR travels to tournament sites with their own fitness facility, it usually employs just the physical therapy trailer.

Perez, Mike Weir, Jim Furyk, Imada and O'Hair all populated the place during one particular hour and while none of them looks like Lance Armstrong, never mind LeBron James, they twisted and contorted their bodies into all sorts of pretzel-like positions, mostly through resistance training that's intense enough to bring out the puke buckets on occasion.

Pushing them are a team of trainers, therapists and biomechanics experts that walk a very fine line of keeping a player fit or injury-free and trying not to screw up their golf swing.

"If [Jason Gore's coach] Mike Abbott wants his arm in one position ..." Diovisalvi says. "...well, sooner or later, you better marry us, or else you're going to have a lot of unhappy players."

Brian Gay has always been a hard worker, on and off the course, and he can credit his two wins this year to that. "We've had battles over training, but he sees why he has to do certain things," Noss said.

Ditto similar successes for Geoff Ogilvy, Paul Casey and Camilo Villegas. All are workout freaks, and all have had success, at least in part, because of it. Even Cink, who isn't in their league from a physical standpoint, wants to know that he's done everything possible to succeed and that includes his workouts.

Perhaps no one's career -- except Woods' -- sums up the golf-is-a-sport argument, however, better than Singh's. Sitting on an airplane in 2000, Singh told a member of his team, "I can be the best player in the world." Four years later, he was. No one north of 40 years old has won more than Singh, either. Is there any question why?

"PGA Tour Workout: How to train like a pro"

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:27:00 +0000

During the AT&T National, trainers and biomechanics experts Joey Diovisalvi and Chris Noss, who help work with some of the best players on the PGA TOUR, put PGATOUR.COM's Brian Wacker through a typical workout for a TOUR player. He survived well enough to tell you about it below:

1. Start with a 5-minute warm-up on the stationary bike, pedaling between a moderate and fast rate, to get the blood pumping. This is easy enough and it gets the juices flowing.

2. Set the treadmill speed to 3.5 miles per hour and start walking ... then turn sideways, shuffling your feet side to side for 15 seconds. Then turn and face the other side and repeat. Do this for 2 minutes, switching every 15 seconds.

Having played basketball most of my life, this was a common drill, but not on, uh, moving ground. I'd suggest holding on at first since it challenges your balance.

3. Lay back on a physio ball with the ball positioned under the middle of your back and your legs at a 90-degree angle, holding a weight plate out in front of you opposite your chest. Rotate your midsection side to side, making sure not to let your hips sag or to lose your balance on the ball. Do this for 15 repetitions on each side.

After starting with a 25-pound weight that made me fall off the ball on the first rep, I switched to a 15-pound weight and still struggled, moving slowly from side to side. Joey D hops on to show me, thoroughly embarrassing my snails pace.

4. Using a resistance band, set up in your normal golf stance, holding the band as if it were a club and making sure the band is taut. From there, its a quick 1-2 motion, taking the band back just past your hips on the right (if youre right-handed), then back to start, then all the way back in a rapid-fire motion, making sure to keep your posture and your balance. Then switch sides. Do this for 15 repetitions per side.

I almost fall over the first time I return the band to the start position because theres a lot of resistance there and the momentum really challenges your balance ... not to mention the strength in your core. It will also help with the load and release of your swing.

5. Lay flat on a mat with a small physio ball postioned between your feet and your arms outstretched over your head. Squeezing the ball with the sides of your feet, raise your legs straight up, along with your arms, passing it from your feet to your hands and down. Do this for 15 repetitions.

This will make your abs burn and youll also feel it in your hips -- both of which are crucial to flexibility in the golf swing.

6. Back to the stationary bike, ride at a medium resistance for 1 minute.
This feels like a break, but it still keeps your heart and lungs pumping. No pain, no gain, or pain and more pain in this case.

7. With an ankle resistance band taut around your ankles, get in an athletic stance, knees slightly bent and feet a little more than shoulder width apart. Shuffle to one side, much the way you did on the treadmill earlier, then shuffle back, making sure to keep the band as taut as possible as you do. Youll need an area about 20-30 feet long for this. Do three times in each direction.

This is the drill Im used to from years of basketball, only its tougher with the resistance band. You feel it not only in your legs, but your hips as well, which Im quickly learning are not very flexible on me.

8. Back to the resistance band machine; get in an athletic stance with your knees slightly bent and your hands holding the band from your right. In another quick 1-2 explosion, rotate your mid-section to the left so your hands reach the middle of your chest, then back, then all the way through with your hands passing just beyond your left hip. Do 15 repetitions then switch sides.

This really works your core (again) and your back. Im starting to realize what crappy shape Im in and that working out four times a week, playing golf and managing my fantasy baseball team doesnt exactly count as being in shape.

9. Staying with the resistance machine, assume an athletic position holding one band in each hand out in front of you at chest height, making sure its taught. In a simultaneous motion, leap up and outward, with your arms going out and over your head and your hips thrusting outward before returning to the start position. Do 15 repetitions.

I'll admit it, I almost fell flat on my face the first time I did this. The momentum is so great coming back down from the jump, it pulls you forward. Youve been warned.

10. Next, do the same thing, only using a light dumbbell in each hand instead of a resistance band and without the jump. Do 15 repetitions.

At least I didn't nearly fall on my face this time.

From there, its on to some plyometrics with Chris Noss. He has me jump over a box thats about 18 inches high; front to back at first, then side to side, for about 30 seconds each of three sets. Next, standing on the floor, I jump forward at a 45-degree angle, landing on my left foot and without letting my right one touch the ground once I land, then back, landing on my right leg. I proceed to do this at 45-degree angles to the left and right, frontwards and backwards for three sets and a total of 12 repetitions. Last, but certainly not least, holding a medicine ball between my hands in front of me, Noss has me jump up, kicking my heels to my butt and raising the medicine ball over my head simultaneously for about 30 seconds.

Im exhausted, though there were no puke buckets like Noss and Diovisalvi predicted. Only near blood, a lot of sweat and tears of joy that the workout is over. As Im walking back to the locker room, I see Jim Furyk on the treadmill, side-stepping -- and holding onto the rail, just like I did. Suddenly, I dont feel so bad.

Then Diovisalvi brings me back to reality, saying, "Youre lucky [Pat] Perez left, or hed be laughing at you."

Deutsche Bank Championship recap...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:08:00 +0000

The last time we blogged I made a point to mention that there are no excuse in life. Some of my guys have been struggling - for various reasons - and as their coach, I was frustrated. I know they're putting in the work both with me as well as their swing coaches, so to see them not to get it done Thursday through Sunday, it wears on you. Still, no excuses. At the end of the day, everybody needs to step up to the plate and take care of business.

As rough as last week's Barclays proved to be, the Deutsche Bank Championship proved to be that 'turnaround' week I was hoping for. Body, spirit and mind, my guys were ready. The weather cooperated and everybody seemed to win that battle between their ears last week. They all came to play and all rose to the occasion.

We say it time and time again here, but you can literally miss the cut out here one week, yet muster up enough to win the tournament a week later. We saw Tiger Woods do it a few weeks back, missing the cut at the British Open and then winning his next two events (Buick Open and Bridgestone). Tiger is the most recent example and being the best in the game, he's probably not the best example.

That said, it happens all the time out here. Last week is last week. It's all about the present and the ability to put four good rounds of golf together. It's all about your physical game, your mental game and your emotional state - they all have to be tip top and nobody does that better than Tiger.

Jason Dufner had a banner week in Boston, going 16-under and reeling in a T2nd finish. That initial win still eludes Jason, but I couldn't be prouder of him for his effort this year. Here's a kid that just made a few hundred thousand last year and struggled to keep his card. This season, over the $2M mark and 10th in FedExCup points. That's a hell of a turnaround.

Dufner's T2nd finish came on the heels of three missed cuts and before that, a T3rd finish in Canada - further proof this is a very fickle game.

Charlie Wi had a solid T19th finish in Boston after wrapping up T67th at the Barclays. A solid second round 64 set the stage and he closed strong on Sunday with a 67.

My horse Pat Perez pulled in a respectable T27th finish last week after missing the cut in Jersey. A third round 75 knocked him off course, but it was sandwiched between a second round 65 and final round 67.

As for Ryuji Imada, the struggles continue. A second round 66 put him back in the mix, but a 75-81 run on the weekend knocked him out. Unfortunately he won't be in Chicago next week do to the 73rd place finish. My other three will, so tune in next week to see how Dufner, Charlie and PP do at the BMW Championship.

Back home at D1 Athletics, I've been working with Jensen Callaway and things are moving along nicely. Jensen is still recovering from a rather brutal car accident on his way home from a surf contest a few weeks back. The car was totaled, but Jensen and the other passengers were lucky enough to walk away from the crash.

Jensen and I got after it at D1 today and we're going to add some pics to the blog soon enough. We're continuing to focus on balance, blindfold training and a slew of other exercises I'm sure are going to blow your mind.

Off to Chicago tomorrow and will tune back in soon enough. - Joey D

Joey D talks Barclays and TPC Boston...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:41:00 +0000

Back in South Florida for a few days after the first FedExCup Playoff even at The Barclays. Headed out to Boston tomorrow for the Deutsche Bank Championship, which runs Friday through Monday this holiday weekend. Taking care of some things at D1 Athletics the early part of this week before I hit the road again and wanted to make some time to blog before then.

I definitely wasn't thrilled with last week's result (three of my guys missed the cut) and I want to see that turn around this week in Boston.

Jason Dufner can't shake a nagging shoulder injury, which is frustrating for obvious reasons. That's definitely not an excuse for his missing the cut, it's simply an issue he's been dealing with on and off all season. The shoulder has been chronically bothering him and even with a few visits with the world-renowned Dr. James Andrews, Jason is still in pain and is basically managing his game to the best of his abilities.

He's simply "maintaining". Maintaining his game. Maintaining his ability to square the face at impact. It's an interesting situation when the shoulder / bicep tendon starts to flare up, causing all types of problems when you go into the top of the backswing. It didn't work last week in New Jersey but hopefully things fall into place this week in Boston.

Pat Perez had another rough go last week, as well. Some ups and downs this season, but obviously a solid year overall and a lot of golf left to be played. PP is one of those guys you never count out of anything. He's always one good round away from turning everything around.

We also have to remember that Pat is still working into his "new" golf swing. It's been just over a year working with Mike Abbott and truth be told, old habits die hard. Sometimes everything works smoothly and other days you can't get anything right. Pat continues to work through his swing changes. His old swing was with him for years and years and years. To abandon that and take on something new, it's going to take along time before it becomes old hat.

The new swing is very on plane and Pat has the ability to keep his right elbow from coming up as high as it used to. He's flattened it out and it's a much better overall swing. He just wasn't able to put it all together in Jersey and like Jason, we're hoping he can find what he's looking for next week in Boston.

Ryuji Imada had another tough week last week and he's pretty much struggled most of this season. He's missed three cuts in a row and is 99th in the FedExCup standings, whereas he finished last year in the top 25.

Ryuji is doubting himself right now and he's trying new things in an effort to get back on top. Last year Ryuji made over $3,000,000 and this year he's hovering around $682,000 and is playing for money, in an effort to keep his card. That in itself changes everything and causes a lot of second guessing.

In times like these, you need to go back to basics. Get back to where you felt most comfortable. For Ruyji that means settling down. The reshuffle happened and he's in this week's event. Take a deep breath, regroup and get ready to play. Remember what's worked in the past and do it.

This is do or die time for Ryuji. If he wants to stay alive in the FedExCup he needs to make it happen this week. If not, we won't see him again until Las Vegas.

As stated earlier, I don't ever count any of my athletes out. They all have tremendous ability and have proven what they can do. time and time again. I know what these guys are about and I believe that on any given day these guys can rebound. What they need to do right now is to believe and to have a better sense of consistency.

Does a long season play into a difficult year? Of course it does. The PGA Tour schedule makes for a very long season - from January through September or October, depending on how long you want to (or have to) go. The fall finish has been cut down due to the economy and the loss of sponsors, so you get Turning Stone, Las Vegas, Scottsdale, Mississippi, etc. Come this time of year, some guys start to lose their focus; especially after the FedExCup.

The battle of needing to make money to keep your card versus playing solid, consistent golf - it's a real challenge. Trying not to get too inside of your head, keeping you from playing to your ability. Self-doubt can do you in if you're not careful. Overanalyzing every shot can break you down and in my opinion, I think that partly what some of my guys are going through right now.

That said, it's not just my stable of guys. Look around the PGA Tour. Take a guy like Adam Scott, who is struggling in 2009, as well. Adam earned just shy of $2,000,000 last year and about $3.5M in 2007, finishing 12th in the FedExCup. In 2006, he almost reached the $5M mark in prize money.

This year Adam is 110th in the FedExCup standings and has made about a quarter of a million dollars to date. Outside of a second place finish at the Sony Open, it's been struggle city. Adam has missed 10 of 18 cuts this year and his best finish since March is T36th at the US Open.

What was Adam Scott doing these past few years that he isn't doing this year? What about Ruyji? How did my guy Jason Gore win the 84 LUMBER a few years back and he's fighting for his card again two years in a row? What's changed? The ability is there, but something has obviously happened mentally with these guys. What do they have to do to get 'it' back? That's the million dollar question.

Let's see if my guys can answer the bell this week. Perez. Ryuji. Dufner. Charlie Wi. They're all Boston-bound this week and they're all one great round away from being back in the thick of things. Tune in starting Friday for all the latest.

Pat Perez & Coach Joey D talk biomechanics...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:42:00 +0000

Check out this clip from the Golf Channel's "Playing Lessons With The Pros". In this piece, Tour pro Pat Perez and Coach Joey D talk about Double P's sessions in the fitness trailer.

Golf Channel : Playing Lessons With The Pros

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:31:00 +0000

We shot the footage back in February and wondered if it'd ever see the light of day... and thankfully that day has finally come.

Tune in to Golf Channel on Monday night at 10pm ET for "Playing Lessons With The Pros" featuring my horse Pat Perez and world champion surfer Kelly Slater. The segment was shot during a practice round at the 2009 Pebble Beach ProAm and features Pat and Kelly tearing up the back nine as well as footage of Coach Joey D working over PP in the PGA Tour fitness trailers before the round.

Joey D checking in from The Barclays...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:57:00 +0000

Here is glorious New Jersey at The Barclays for the opening tournament of this year's FedExCup Playoffs.

For the opening event you're not really seeing a lot of nerves out here. Everyone is relatively calm and ready to go. These guys have worked all year to get where they're at and now it's "go" time. That's the general overtone; guys are prepared and they realize what's on the line starting Thursday. The beauty of the FedExCup is that nobody is really out of it. A big week here or there will change your season.

A very interesting course this week. As you'll see on TV, it's all out there - right in front of you. Libertine National Golf Course was literally a marsh and wetlands before Donald Trump got on board and started building away. Shipping terminals and wasteland were the landscape here for the longest time.

I have a few of my guys in the field this week -- Charlie Wi, Pat Perez, Jason Dufner and Ryuji Imada -- all looking to make a run. Tune in to see how they perform. My horse PP is paired with our good friend Ian Poulter in the first two rounds this week, which is always interesting. PP and Ian are good buds and are two fiery guys. Definitely expecting some entertainment out of that comedy duo.

J-Dufner is again struggling with his bicep tendon, which isn't the way he wanted to roll into the opening round of the Playoffs. He's headed back to Birmingham to see Dr. James Andrews on Monday and we'll have more to report next week. Will Jason be able to compensate for the injury this week? It's definitely a subplot worth paying attention to.

It'll be a challenge to work around that. Golf is one of the best compensators of biomechanical movement, but that doesn't mean you can cheat it completely when a nagging injury has reared its ugly head.

Weather-wise things are again looking solid this week. There might be some effects of a hurricane out in the Atlantic, but most likely it'll be another smooth week.

On another note, something I wanted to bring up here as I delve deeper into this world of blogging and social networking. Censorship again proved to be an issue this week on the PGA Tour. A few weeks back we saw Tiger Woods called out for his comments on the officiating at Bridgestone. This week the Tour is cracking down on Twitter-happy Stewart Cink.

For those who missed it, Stewart called out AT&T - a big time PGA Tour sponsor - for their sub-par coverage in Manhattan, one of the largest cities in the world. Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem put in a call to Stewart, asking him to remove the 'tweet' - essentially censoring him because of the hold that AT&T has over the Tour. With sponsors dropping left and right and with AT&T on board with a handful of events (title sponsor in Pebble Beach and Washington D.C.), Finchem doesn't want the boat rocked.

Stewart removed the post, but I'm curious what the readers and Tour fans think. Did the commish go overboard? Should Stewart have removed his 'opinion'? Does he have the right to vent about his cell phone service, or lack thereof? There are definitely two different ways to go with this argument. Curious what everyone thinks. How much pull should the sponsors have regarding the opinions of Tour players?

Regarding D1 Athletics, things remain on a roll when I'm in Jupiter and have time to work with my stable of athletes in South Florida. Jensen Callaway has spent his fair share of time in the facility and reported back to me from a surf competition a few days back. Jensen let me know he's really started to feel the effects of the blindfold training and balancing training we've been working on at the facility. Jensen said let me know that he's been pulling off some things on a surfboard that he hadn't been able to do in the past.

Look for some video of Jensen's sessions on the D1 Athletics Blog in the near future. We plan on shooting some segments during my Mondays off between Playoff events these coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Joey D.

PGA Championship upset and band training...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:31:00 +0000

The final major of the year is in the history books and again history was made. We saw Tiger Woods play another phenomenal tournament, leading for three days and on track for his first major win of 2009... until Y.E. Yang swooped in out of nowhere and took home the major. A first for Yang and a first for Woods, stumbling down the stretch and not taking over a Sunday as we've grown accustomed to over the years.

This was another one of those PGA moments where fans see that even the best player in the world (and arguably the best of all time when it's said and done) can literally humanize himself. If you look at how many putts Tiger missed you see where this one slipped away from him - and that's the name of the game out here. That's golf; it happens to the best of them. People said the same thing about Tom Watson supposedly 'giving it away' to Stewart Cink. Again, not the case.

There are 72 holes out there and cliche as it may seem, it's not over until it's over. Yang held his composure, smiled at every turn and pulled out big shot after big shot with the tournament on the line. He never backed down to Tiger and conversely, Tiger never jumped all over him the way he has in past events, leaning on guys very early and setting the tone.

Three straight pars out the gate, a bogey on four and plus-two at the turn. Y.E. birdied three, was even at the turn and tossed up a tournament-changing eagle on fourteen. It was the type of shot we've come to expect from Tiger. This time around is was the underdog, again proving that on any given week any of these guys can get it done. They're all immensely talented.

Y.E. showed grace under pressure and as we've talked about again and again here, this is a mental game. Y.E. never flinched or let Tiger get into his head, like so many others have. Chalk that up to Tiger's less-than-dominant round or attribute it to his military background and ability to not flinch in the face of real pressure. Whatever the case, it all came to fruition this past Sunday.

Jim Nantz took a few opportunities to discuss Yang's dedication to fitness, which is obviously something I love to hear as a biomechanics coach. My good friend Dr. Craig Davies asked me for a set of my PowerBandz a few months back as he was working with Y.E. I use the PowerBandz with all my pros, as well having turned several other pros on to them.

It feels good to know that Y.E.'s dedication to fitness played a part in a thrilling Sunday at the 91st PGA Championship. I see him in the trailers every week when he's out here. I see he and Dr. Davies working on his strength, speed and balance. I see his dedication to band training - which is something I've discussed in this blog ad nauseam over the past few months. The PowerBandz allow him to mimic his swing mechanics, which in turn has allowed him to make that leap to 'next level' professional this past weekend.

Here's hoping Y.E.'s recent win serves as a reminder to others on the fence, not quite ready to make that commitment to biomechanics. It's proving itself, people. Get on board. Remember that when you're working on something on the course, take it back to your house... your gym... clubhouse... realize that there are tools out there which allow you to mimic exactly what you're doing on the course. Start this tomorrow and watch where you're game is at a few months from now.

Regarding my team, not a stellar week in Hazeltine, unfortunately. The guys were ready and nobody hit it poorly. I feel they had a hard time managing the speed of the greens and simply didn't get it done this week.

The fall finish and FedExCup are on deck, meaning there's a lot more golf to play - and some important golf, at that. Charlie Wi, Pat Perez, Ryuji Imada and Jason Dufner are my four guys in the hunt once the Playoffs are underway. As you know, players need to be in the top 125 entering this time of year for the Barclays... top 100 for the Deutsche Bank Championship a week later... top 70 for the BWM Championship a week later and top 30 for the Tour Championship.

My horse Mr. Perez is in all three except the Tour Championship, so he'll be one to watch these next few weeks as he looks to make a run and climb that ladder. Obviously his win in Palm Desert earlier in the year set the stage for where he's at right now. It's up to him to take it to that next level down the stretch.

Jason Gore, Chez Reavie and Tom Pernice Jr. are giving it a run in Greensboro this week and are trying to slide into that top 125. I wish them all the best this week as it'll most likely take a win or second place finish to get them where they need to be.

With the FedExCup behind us, it's a return to the west coast - Las Vegas and Scottsdale - which is a welcomed change of scenery mid-October. After that, a few more events and then we turn our focus to the off-season programs our guys will implement as they gear up for 2010.

Last but not least, some great things going here at D1 Athletics. Worked with pro surfer Jensen Callaway a few days back and proud to report that he's making huge strides with his blindfold training. I can't wait to really get into that with you readers when we have some more free time to dedicate.

For those of you curious about these techniques, start with this exercise. Stand on one leg, raise the other off the ground, hold it for thirty second and release. Now try it again eyes closed or blindfolded and attempt the same feat. You'll quickly what happens neurologically and how balance effects strength and movement.

I'll be out of town and offline this week, but I'll be ready to check back in from The Barclays. Stay tuned. -- Joey D.

Biomechanics and my friend Coach Chris Noss...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:45:00 +0000

I had a chance to talk to my friend and brother in biomechanics, Chris Noss earlier this week. I was going to blog about it a few days back, but realized it needed its own separate entry. Coach Noss is having an amazing year with his guys and I wanted to let the golfing community know a little bit more about this amazing guy.

Coach Noss has implemented a program this year for his team - Zach Johnson, Sean O'Hair, Brian Gay, Stephen Ames and Stewart Cink, show above with Coach Noss and the coveted Clarett Jug - and that program is proving to be amazing. If you look at his guys, all are on top of their game and are experiencing fantastic growth right now. I watch those guys week in and week out and I can tell you that the time and effort Team Noss has put in - coach and players - it's more than paying off. Zach was the first multiple winner this year. Stewart spoiled the Tom Watson show, winning the British Open. Brian has won twice this year. Their success is no accident and it's absolutely a team effort.

Many folks think golf is an individual sport, but as you're seeing in this day and age with biomechanics and swing coaches, this game is more of a team sport than ever. Nobody on top is doing it entirely on their own.

I asked Coach Noss on a few occasions what he though was happening with his guys. Why now? What's changed? His answer to me -- the guys finally started to believe. A belief not only in what they're doing with their golf game as a whole, but their mental game went to their next level - as did the physical side. Guys started training 'in the zone', be it on the range, in the trailer or simply between their ears.

Coach Noss forced guys to raise their game. He implemented an intense cardiovascular workout and he's using every square inch of the recently retrofitted trailers we have on tour every week. He's tenacious about his own personal quest for knowledge and passing it on to his guys. They have a relationship both in and out of the trailer and none of those guys are afraid to do what it takes to get it done.

For those of you outside the ropes, continue to pay attention to the growth in this game. This is a very interesting time for professional golf as we're seeing such a commitment to both the physical and mental aspect of the game like never before. We're seeing guys go well beyond their abilities thanks to a positive attitude and a commitment to biomechanics. Both are necessary to become that 'next level' golfer and you're seeing it on a weekly basis.

Stay tuned to the D1 Athletics blog as we're going to hear more from Coach Noss down the road.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:34:00 +0000

My guy Ryuji Imada on the range at Hazeltine on Thursday...

Joey D checks in from the PGA Championship...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:38:00 +0000

So here we are in Chaska, Minnesota this week, checking in from the 91st PGA Championship. It's the final major of the year and thankfully weather isn't going to be the issue this week. The course is in great shape, the guys are ready and this should be an exciting week.

You'd think the media would be focused on what's going to shake down this week at Hazeltine, but every time I flip the channel or log on, all the talk seems to revolve around Tiger Woods and a looming fine regarding him calling out the rules officials after his win at Bridgestone last weekend.

Every player has had to deal with being on the clock and speeding up their pace of play. It's part of the game. That said, was it really necessary to put Woods and Padraig Harrington on the clock at the par-5 16th? Obviously Tiger didn't think so. This was the final pairing and both guys were battling. Time wasn't really of the essence and though the rule is black and white, could European Tour chief referee John Paramor gone a bit overboard and impacted the outcome of the tournament? We'll never know.

The guys were definitely running a little bit behind, but at that point did it really matter? You had two great players in their mindset and looking to win a tournament. Did they really need the push or distraction with no other groups behind them?

You never want to get to a point in the sport where you see a specific rule for a specific player... but when you have a Woods v. Harrington showdown with three holes remaining in the tournament, it seems like it'd make the most sense to just let the guys play through, stay in their mindset and see where things go. The rules official was technically in the right, but it's also very easy to see where Woods is coming from. The fact that he spoke out after the event was proof that it really rattled his cage. Even after winning the event, he felt passionate enough to voice his frustration. Curious to see how things play out from here.

Back to Hazeltine, the general buzz when I walked up and down the range yesterday is that guys are pretty confident right now. The guys who are playing well are ready for this final major and the guys on the bubble know what they need to do to get ready for The Playoffs. Check out PGATour.com and see how close the race is for a handful of guys. This is a huge week and everyone knows it. A lot is on the line - from FedExCup points to a slot in the President's Cup. Beyond wanting to win a major, there is a lot of pride on the line. I expect a hell of a tournament this week.

I had a chance to speak with Phil Mickelson for a few minutes today and he said Amy is doing better, which was great news to hear. I know how that's been weighing on him and as a cancer survivor, I personally know what Amy is going through and I wish the Mickelson family all the best.

Regarding my guys, I have Pat Perez, Jason Dufner, Charlie Wi and Ryuji Imada all ready to go this week. PP is playing some solid golf with a nice finish in Akron last week, Jason is coming off a T3rd place finish in Canada a few weeks back, Charlie has had a very solid year and while Ryuji is struggling a little bit, his short game is incredible and all he needs is a hot putter to be in the thick of it every week. All four guys will be good to go come tomorrow and I'm expecting a lot out of all four of them. My expectations are high as a coach and being the last major of the year, they all better bring it.

More to come from Hazeltine this week. I'll keep everyone up to speed and next blog I want to focus on my brother in this biomechanics game, Coach Chris Noss. He and I talked at length yesterday and his guys are having an incredible year. I want to share with you some of Coach Noss' wisdom as well as some stories regarding his stable of players. Tune back in tomorrow for more.

Joey D.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:56:00 +0000

Wandering around Hazeltine today, I snapped a few pics. One of the grounds and a PGA Championship flag and the other a picture of a picture - my guy Ryuji Imada when he was a Georgia Bulldog. Check it out. - Joey D.

Joey D works with pro surfer Jensen Callaway...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Yesterday's blog was running a bit long as I was trying to talk both Bridgestone and Reno, so I wanted to save this D1-related tidbit for today.

During the off-week last week I had the opportunity to work with my "nephew" Jensen Callaway, an up-and-coming surfer. I used quotations because he's not really my nephew, but he's like family to me and I was changing his diapers when he was fresh out of his mother's womb. His folks Rob and Rhonda are dear friends of mine and I've watched Jensen grow up from day one. Now I'm seeing him blossom into a world-class athlete right before my very eyes.

I've spent a fair share of time letting the readers know about my recently-opened D1 Athletics facility and I've talked about the caliber of athlete we'll be training on site. Besides my PGA Tour pros and other elite professionals, D1 is home to up and coming talent like Jensen and all other biomechanical applications.

Jensen has traveled the world, highly ranked as junior pro surfer. As he's ready to take things to that next level and is preparing to join the ASP World Tour, Jensen and I have reconnected and we're getting him biomechanically ready for the challenge of a lifetime.

I look forward to posting some video in the coming weeks regarding our sessions. This stuff is going to blow your mind. For me as a coach, it's been invigorating to implement so many new techniques. We're opening this world of biomechanics and balance, pushing the outer limits of surfing, proving how these exercises play into the sport.

Strength, upper body/lower body coordination, feet planted, hips pivoting and moving... when you're in the moment, all body parts functioning together and a wave jolts you - you have to understand how far you can go outside the limits of balance.

Balance is effected many different ways. Through a few sessions last week, we started to realize that when you close your eyes and you stand on one foot or try to find your balance, it's night and day from your eyes being open. We're exploring things with Jensen that we're going to report here in the blog in the coming months.

We're pushing some serious limits here and Jensen is beyond fired up with these initial results. We're bringing balance, explosion and strength into the world of surfing at a level that's never been done before. Stay tuned... and for more on my boy Jensen, check out the video below. - Joey D.

Joey D checks in from Reno...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:49:00 +0000

Back on the west coast, this week for the Reno-Tahoe Open. Much different conditions weather-wise this week as compared to when the Tour was out west earlier this year. Warm and sunny during the day is a far cry from what we saw in Pebble Beach or San Diego as this season got underway.

I have four guys in the field this week - Jason Gore, Chez Reavie, Tom Pernice Jr. and Charlie Wi. Pat Perez is in Akron for the WGC-Bridgestone event, while Ryuji Imada and Jason Dufner are both taking the week off.

JG is coming off a few decent weeks - T28th at the Buick and T7th in Milwaukee mid-July. TP went T52 last week and T15th in Milwaukee, so he too is looking to capitalize on some pretty good play as of late. My new guy Chez Reavie missed his last three cuts and is looking to reverse that trend this week, as it Charlie Wi, who had a few finishes in the fifties and missed a few cuts. All four are in the thick of it entering Friday, so stay tuned to see how things play out entering the weekend.

My horse Double P is my lone guy in this week's World Golf Classic event, shooting even and looking to make a run this week. With no cut at a WGC event, he has four days to get out there and make things happen. Pay attention this week as he could get hot any of the next three rounds. There's a sense of calm when you don't have a cut hanging over your head. PP has four days to get out there solely focused on playing golf. It's a completely different mindset.

It's always an interesting week when you have two events - one larger one with the majority of the Tour's big name players and a smaller one, where guys are looking to make up some ground and put themselves in a better position with the FedExCup kicking off in a few weeks.

The talk at Bridgestone this week is Tiger Woods... as it should be since he's a six-time champion. Every time he tees it up, this guy is expected to win. With his track record in Akron, how can you bet against him this week? That said, he inexplicably missed the cut at the British Open this year, while a 59-year old almost won. Yet another thing which makes this game of golf so incredible at this level.

When Tiger misses a cut, it reminds you again that he's human. Everybody out here could win any given week and all of these guys have earned the right to be here. The media loves to make it Tiger vs. Phil Mickelson every chance the get - which is great for headlines - but it's only part of the overall story. Tune in this week to see if somebody else can make a run.

Back to Reno, this has the makings of a great event this week. You get a great crowd out here on the west coast and there's a definite summertime vibe you don't get back east. There's a real sense of ease and a calm this week in Nevada. An 'under the radar' type event. The air is different, the ball flies a little further and the mountains provide a great backdrop and landscape. It's a different overall sense of golf. No rain, higher altitude and a welcomed breather after weather has wreaked such havoc these past few weeks.

Weather aside, we have to remember that this season started in January and this has been a very long season. Seven straight months out here with that pressure building week in and week out. Keeping that mental focus when the body starts shutting down -- it's no easy feat.

Two different focuses this week with the Bridgestone guys tightening up their game for the final major of the year; next week's PGA Championship - as well as the Reno guys giving it their all, trying to earn a spot at Hazeltine. Watch it all unfold these next three days.

More from Reno this weekend.

Joey D.

Joey D interviewed by GolfDashBlog.com

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:54:00 +0000

I received an interview request from Doug Farrick over at GolfDashBlog.com. Doug and the guys over there were interested in chatting Biomechanics, so we finally set up an interview a few days back. Check it out and make sure to visit GolfDashBlog.com as those guys run a pretty solid blog. - Joey D.

GolfDashBlog: A lot of us know the name Joey Diovisalvi and have see you associated with the PGA Tour over the years. For those of who don't know you, can you bring them up to speed?

I'm a biomechanics coach on the PGA Tour and have been for over a decade now. I'm currently working week in and week out with seven Tour pros -- Pat Perez, Ryuji Imada, Jason Dufner, Charlie Wi, Chez Reavie, Jason Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. Before that I spent seven years working with Vijay Singh, including his run where he was the top-ranked player in the world. I've been featured on the CBS special "The Science Of Golf" and the ABC special "Practice Like a PGA Tour Pro". I just broke ground on my D1 Athletics facility in Jupiter (FL) and I have a book that will be released early 2010 by St. Martin's Press, "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing".

GolfDashBlog: Can you define Golf Biomechanics for us?

Simply put, biomechanics is the study of the living body as the forces of gravity effect the muscular skeletal system. Regarding how it applies to golf, the body moves through ranges of motion and the muscular skeletal system is effected by how you swing the club. Gravity obviously plays its part in this, as well.

With the force that it takes to accelerate and decelerate the club and the hips... the way both the spine and hips move in rotation... the forces of gravity start to effect the muscular skeletal system... it's all about how those movements happen.

GolfDashBlog: Why are Biomechanics so important to golf?

If you have a mechanically sound body that rotates, goes through its ranges of motion and understands how to handle acceleration/deceleration - you then move the muscles, bones and the joints properly, having much more efficiency and effectiveness in the golf swing.

GolfDashBlog: How can the average player improve his/her game with biomechanics?

Great question. If you're an average player and you start to understand how the body works when it sets itself up and starts to move. When one part of your body is stable and another part begins to rotate or accelerate through rotation. The more you understand how to get the body to move in rotation - then starting and stopping, handling the effects of gravity, you then start to handle the effects of prehab or being able to strengthen something before it expects amazing amounts of demand and load.

GolfDashBlog: What types of exercises can increase our golf biomechanics?

I've posted some specific exercises on YouTube over the past few months. I suggest checking out the 90/90 drill, the lower back one-leg stretch and the squat & reach drill, for starters. These are all exercises you can do at home with some PowerBandz, a balance ball and a weighted club. Medicine ball rotation and band rotation are both instrumental in your workout.

GolfDashBlog: Are their any specific training aids that can help improve our biomechanics?

Without sounding like a pitchman, I'd have to say the GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer is a must. We use it on the PGA Tour with the guys in the trailer and I've had other guys like Zach Johnson and Luke Donald tell me that they needed some for the home gyms they were building in the off-season. If the PowerSwing Trainer is good enough for the guys on Tour, that should tell the everyday golfers outside the ropes how legitimate this piece of equipment is.

GolfDashBlog: Does each person have to be tested individually for their biomechanics level?

I did an interview with Stack Media today and was asked the same question. Absolutely. There's no way for anybody to ever understand the full use unless the get a biomechanical assessment on how their body rotates and how it moves through the golf swing in ranges of motion. Assessments determine where you are biomechanically.

GolfDashBlog: How can biomechanics help me hit the ball farther?

The key is understanding how the body moves in proper mechanical positions. How it rotates, loads/releases, accelerates/decelerates, etc. Once you do these things properly and allow the muscles and bones to move in a symbiotic relationship, they understand the process of the golf swing and how they're supposed to react with it.

GolfDashBlog: Where can I find more information and biomechanics and where I might take an assessment?

For starters, the D1 Athletics facility I recently opened in South Florida. Anyone interested in setting up and appointment, email me and we'll get you squared away.

Dr. Greg Rose has done a great job with TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) certified assessors. Check out the TPI website as that will give you a point in the right direction, as well.

Back in South Florida, final thoughts on Ontario...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:51:00 +0000

The RBC Canadian Open is in the books, after five long tournament days. Congrats to Nathan Green. Taking down Retief Goosen in a playoff is never easy and kudos to both guys for doing what they did in those conditions. The weather in Ontario never let up and negotiating that course became a very difficult task as the week went on. It makes for some very inconsistent golf, which has some guys folding while others rise to the challenge.

All in all, my guys Jason Dufner and Pat Perez both put together solid weeks and reeled in very respectable finishes -- T3rd for Jason and T24th for Pat. Both guys were in contention, Pat leading early on and Jason hanging on to a lead over the weekend. Finding yourself a top the leaderboard at the end of the weekend; you have to be so mentally focused to actually close out and win the tournament.

I'm not downplaying the excitement that comes with a third place finish. I'm disappointed regarding the fact Jason couldn't close it out, yet I'm again thrilled that he had another huge week out there. This has turned into a banner year for him and as I've said in past blogs, watching him play for love of the game instead of being motivated by the fear of losing his card - it's a welcomed site. His game is mature, he's in touch with his body and Jason is doing things this year that were unimaginable at this time last season.

Jason will eventually get that first win. It comes with time and this is no time to get frustrated. How many times did we see Mr. Perez coming close over the years, but not closing it out? It took Double P over seven years out here to secure that first victory and it took an incredible week, as well as the collapse of top man on the FedExCup leaderboard (Steve Stricker) to makes the dream a reality.

The rest of the team missed the cut and unfortunately, that's part of the game. Everyone is giving it their all, but there have been some bumps in the road for everyone. We're three-quarters through the 2009 season and there's a lot of golf left to be played. A good week could come for any of the boys at any given time. Stay tuned for The Playoffs and another mini west coast swing. I have some guys inside the top 125 who are safe and a few others who need to crank it up a notch if they're going to earn a spot.

I'm back in South Florida this week - not on the road, but not 'off' either as there's tons to do at D1 Athletics. I spent some time this morning working with a nephew who's a pro surfer and we're running through a slew of core-related exercises that are going to help him in his quest to be the next Kelly Slater. As I've mentioned in the past, D1 is ready for every type of athlete out there. This isn't just a golf facility. We have the tools and know-how to help different athletes. The mission statement remains - using all GolfGym's equipment and tools, combined with my coaching, teaching and methodology - D1 is here for anyone who wants to get on board. From professional to amateurs, we'll get you dialed in.

This is going to be a really busy and exciting off-season and it's already started as each off-week between now and season's end will be spent working with different types of athletes.

More to come this week from South Florida and then off to Reno next week.

Joey D.

Joey D checking back from Ontario...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Friday afternoon at the 2009 Canadian Open and rain delays have been the name of the game, so let's blog while there's some down time. Once again we’re battling weather conditions out here on the PGA Tour. Momentum is lost, guys are frustrated and we’re headed for another Monday finish.

Think about other professional sports and the delays they deal with at that level. NFL. Major League Baseball. It doesn’t even compare. We’ve had guys sitting around up to a full day, killing time while trying to remain limber and focused. Tomorrow is Sunday and these guys haven’t even started the third round yet.

Another day lost, no idea what tomorrow will bring and quite possibly another Monday finish on tap. Sixteen guys were cut, which wouldn’t have been the case if the weather cooperated, but again that’s the name of the game out here under these conditions.

Regarding my guys, we’re doing all we can to keep them focused and physically ready to play. The rest is on them. Jason Dufner is having another incredible week out here and is making a run, as is my horse Pat Perez.

Jason had a shot at breaking the course record with his second round, but fell short. Eight birdies and an eagle had him ten-under with two to play, but a bogey on #17 cost him the course record. That being said, how can you ever question a solid second round 63? You can't. Especially when you're sitting on the two-day lead.

I've told our readers for months now to keep an eye out for Jason Dufner and here we go again, the kid is on top. I couldn't be more proud of the run he's had this year. He's a student of the game and his swing is so Sam Snead-esque right now, it's scary. The ability has always been there. He's now married that with a quiet confidence as well as a full on commitment to getting his body right. The fact that he's no longer chasing his Tour card, I believe we'll still see some amazing things out of him down the stretch this season.

Pat Perez is another guy who made the cut this week and he too is in contention with back-to-back rounds of 67. He's finally 100% recovered from his ankle injury and he's back to playing like a man on a mission. He remains committed to biomechanics and I can't say enough how hard this kid works on every aspect of his game. Besides the yeoman's effort we see daily in the trailer, he puts in the same work on the course and range with his swing coach Mike Abbott. Mike and Pat are still working on his new swing and the difference is showing yet again this week.

My other five guys missed the cut - Jason Gore, Tom Pernice Jr., Ryuji Imada, Charlie Wi and our defending champ Chez Reavie. All five guys gave it their all, but it just wasn't in the cards. The inconsistency didn't help their cause, but everyone was in the same boat this week, so you can't flat out blame it on the weather. They'll go back to the drawing board, work out the kinks and they'll be ready to give it a run next time they tee it up. It's the name of the game out here.

All in all, in the midst of another frustrating week out here... but that too is the name of the game. You deal with what comes your way. It's been double duty working with a full field and having guys coming in twice as much, but we're pressing on and we'll get it done. Patience is a much-needed virtue out on the PGA Tour. Especially with weather delays and a lot of down time. You have to keep both body and mind sound and that's what we're working on with all the guys.

We'll dial this thing back in on Tuesday when I'm back home for a week getting D1 Athletics dialed in.

Joey D.

Joey D checks in from the Canadian Open...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:33:00 +0000

A rough start to Coach Joey D's week on Tuesday as I spent two hours on the runway in Newark. Inclement weather in the Tri-State area and a bit of foreshadowing regarding what we're in for this week, I'm afraid.

I arrived in Ontario later than expected and it had been raining here, as well. The course was playable, but conditions were changing - as we've seen countless time this season. That aside, the course is in good shape and Glen Abbey is a great track.

We're expecting rain tomorrow and my gut feeling is that we lose another day and see a John Deere-like finish here in Ontario, either cut to 54 holes or a 36-hole final day.

It's always an interesting week after a major. Guys are on such a high the week before an event of that nature and quickly come back down to earth a week later. A lot of guys have withdrawn this week, opening the door for alternates to work their way into the field - so while the field might not be as strong, the fan support will definitely be there as this truly is Canada's open. Our friends north of the border are definitely excited for this week, so hopefully our guys put on a great show for them.

Ironically enough, I have a full field this week - Pat Perez, Jason Dufner, Charlie Wi, Jason Gore, Ryuji Imada, Tom Pernice Jr. and my new guy Chez Reavie, the defending champ of the Canadian Open.

Chez really has been a great addition to the team. His work ethic is incredible and here's another guy absolutely committed to biomechanics and taking his game to that next level. One by one we're winning over the masses. Guys are finally getting it, realizing that if you want to compete at this level, you need to get your body right once and for all.

Chez knows he's lacking in certain areas and he knows that the only way he'll get more Ws is to make a commitment of this magnitude. We're doing a lot of rotational stuff this week.. a lot of swing stuff... range of motion... engaging his core... it's all coming together.

We'll go deeper into engaging your core through your swing plane in an upcoming blog. Tune back in.

'Hollywood' Perez is in the field this week, on board at this week's Canadian Open and staying with his long-time bud and Arizona neighbor Brian Savage. Savy spends his summers in his homeland and the former NHLer helped put together "Pat Perez Day" at a local junior golf event earlier this week. Check out the story on Pat's blog when you have the time.

Brian picked Pat up on his tour bus and the two superstars spent a few days with superstar Kid Rock en route to Ontario. This weekend, The Perez Show heads to Toronto so PP can catch up with his bud Pat Burrell as the Rays are in town to take on the Blue Jays, so Coach Joey D will venture out and take in the ball game with the boys this weekend. Look out for some iPhone pics in the coming days.

Charlie Wi is here and is ready to go. Jason Dufner missed the cut last week, but he's back on his game and expects good things this week. I haven't run into Ryuji yet, but should catch up with him later today. He didn't have the best showing at the British, but he made the cut, he's working out some things with his swing and is ready to get back out there.

Also, a hearty congrats to Jason Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. on their finish at the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee. JG reeled in a T7th finish and Tom finsihed T15th. A much-needed shot in the arm for those guys and hopefully they keep the momentum going this weekend.

Tune back in later this week for more from Ontario. - Joey D.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Wanted to bring everyone up to speed with D1 Athletics. A very productive week down here in South Florida. We'll be burning the midnight oil here until Monday. Come Tuesday, I'll head to the RBC Canadian Open. Next week is as full of a week as I'll see all year.

My standard six are in the field - Pat Perez, Jason Dufner, Charlie Wi, Ryuji Imada, Jason Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. - as well as my new guy, Chez Reavie, defending champ of the RBC.

Tune in next week for the latest from Ontario.

Joey D talks British Open and D1 Athletics...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:22:00 +0000

Coach Joey D coming to you this week from Palm Beach. It's been a hectic week here in South Florida, getting D1 Athletics up and running. Back on the road next week for the Canadian Open, so I only have a few more days to go pedal to the metal at D1, ensuring we open on time.

Before I jump into what's going on with D1 and GolfGym, let's spend a few minutes talking about the opening round of the British Open - a links course at Turnberry and a very different style track than we're used to seeing. The story yesterday, your leader (for most of the day) 65-year old Tom Watson, who fired an opening round 65. Tom found himself four-over after five today, yet battled back with four birdies and was even after 18. After two rounds, Tom is five-under on the event and enters the weekend tied for the lead.

Most will chalk this up to another feel-good story, similar to the run Greg Norman made last year - but this is no accident. I've had my fair share of conversations with Tom over the years and this is a veteran who is very with the times regarding biomechanics as well as strength and conditioning. Tom is a highly motivated individual and knows how to apply biomechanics to his overall game.

As I've explained several times here, we have four trailers out on a weekly basis -- two physiotherapy trailers and two biomechanics labs (re: strength & conditioning) trailers. The PGA Tour has the same set up as the Champions Tour, so Tom is in there getting after it on a weekly basis. My good friend Kent Bickerstaff, a former MLB guy, has told me first hand that Tom is an absolute superstar when it comes to that application on Tour.

All the best to Tom this weekend. He has his work cut out for him these new two days, but regardless of the result I hope people get the message loud and clear; if you focus on biomechanics and getting your body right, age remains nothing but a number.

Getting back to D1, besides the actual facility I want to share a little with you regarding our modus operandi. We're putting a lot of focus on junior golf, as well as other sports besides golf. Any sport which uses biomechanical applications -- tennis, baseball, lacrosse, etc. Between this blog, and the soon-to-be-built CoachJoeyD.com website, we're going to start doing a better job in the recruitment process of local and national athletes, allowing them to train at D1 and get their bodies right.

GolfGym has done a great job helping me get this thing to the next level. Ken Pierce has been a very innovative individual over the years and we're going to feature all our GolfGym products at D1. Ken shipped me a tennis swing trainer yesterday and the way we've set this up, it's now made it possible for us to mimic every aspect of tennis swing just as the PowerSwing Trainer emulates the golf swing. This new tool allows us to understand and teach the rotational biomechanics of tennis.

A special thanks to both Ken and Vicki Pierce this week for not only supplying all the necessary tools, but continuing to expand into other sports. While the immediate focus is golf-related products, you're going to see this product line grow with more sport-specific training aids over the years. Stay tuned.

Though we'll be going a new direction, the main focus of D1 is to be that be all/end all facility for all the professional golfers I've worked with for over a decade on the PGA Tour, as well as the MLB friends I've made over the years - Nick Punto of the Minnesota Twins, Pat Burrell of the Tampa Bay Rays. The goal is to get all these guys in here during the off-season, focused on the principles of biomechanics.

Back to the grind on this end. I'll try to snap some iPhone pics this weekend before I head out to the Canadian Open on Tuesday. My new guy Chez Reavie is out to defend his title next week, my horse Pat Perez will be back in action and Jason Dufner will be back in action, continuing on with his impressive season.

Much more exciting stuff to come here in the blog. Keep tuning in for all the latest.

Joey D.

Joey D breaks down the John Deere Classic...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:42:00 +0000

Joey D checking in from Florida today. Back home for a week to get things dialed in at the soon-to-be-open D1 Athletics. Ryuji Imada is my only guy playing in this week's British Open, so I'm not making the trek across the pond and will be back on the road next week for the RBC Canadian Open.

Last time I wrote, inclement weather was the name of the game in Silvis. Massive amounts of rain washed out Friday's round, guys were back in action Saturday and it was another 36-hole effort on Sunday before Steve Stricker brought it home with his final round 64.

My horse Pat Perez led our pack this week, reeling in a T30th finish and keeping all four rounds in the high 60s. Jason Dufner reeled in a T39th finish. Charlie Wi had a second round 69, but an opening round 73 did him in. Similar story for Jason Gore, who had a stellar second round 66, but after an opening round 75 it was too much to overcome. Chez Reavie went 74-69 and missed the cut as well.

All my guys kept their attitudes in check this week and did their best to handle the delay and weather woes. Unfortunately when the rest of the field goes low, one bad round paired with a great round isn't going to get the job done. Especially when the field was cut to sixty due to the inclement weather and the fact so many guys needed to catch the charter overseas for this week's British Open.

Filling in for me in Milwaukee this week is my friend and associate Jeff Wagner. Coach Wagner and I have worked together these past six years and he's well educated in the science of biomechanics, strength & conditioning and is a vault of information. My guys are in good hands with Coach Wagner this week. Dufner, Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. are my only guys in the field this week. Perez is off this week, in need of a little active rest as he works through his ankle rehab. Charlie and Chez are off as well.

D1 Athletics will open its doors in a matter of days or weeks, depending on how quickly we can tie up some of these loose ends. Words can't express my excitement for this new chapter I'm embarking upon. "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing" will be in stores early 2010 and now we have the facility ready to work in tandem with all we're teaching in the book. Biomechanics is growing and golfers worldwide have come to realize how important fitness is in regards to their overall game. As a coach, that in itself is a dream come true.

The facility will feature all of our GolfGym products and other tools we use in the trailers daily on the PGA Tour.

Besides our efforts to get D1's doors open, I'm actually looking forward to playing the role of 'spectator' this week and watching from outside the ropes. There are some things I'm not able to see on a daily or weekly basis and it'll be nice to appreciate this week from a different vantage point.

As we enter mid-July, we're getting pretty close to this season wrapping up... making this a good time for you readers to do your homework regarding the FedExCup, the standings and trying to gain a solid understanding for our semi-new Playoffs system on the PGA Tour.

We have four events in August, highlighted by the PGA Championship in a few weeks and then the fall finish -- The Barclays, the Deutsche Bank Championship, the BWM Championship and The TOUR Championship. Not all players are automatically qualified for every event and that can shake continuity before the fall stretch. Some guys appreciate the break, while other feel the extra time off can break momentum.

This is a very interesting time of the season as guys on the bubble need to step up their game to secure a spot in the Playoffs, while others simply need to make some moves to they can hang on to their cards. Some exciting golf yet to be played and a great stretch of events for the fans. Hopefully all of you are fired up to see how everything shakes out.

More to come from South Florida this week as I'll be knee-deep in getting D1 Athletics ready for its grand opening. Tune back in later this week and I'll post some photos of the progress.

Joey D.

Joey D checking in from the John Deere Classic

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:36:00 +0000

Joey D checking in. It's been a hectic couple of weeks - the US Open, Travelers Championship and AT&T National - as well as treks back to South Florida to check on the progress of my soon-to-open D1 Athletics facility. The blog got pushed to the back burner, but we're back full force this week in Silvis, IL for the John Deere Classic.

Got some unexpected down time today as the second round is yet to start, thanks to some inclement weather. You never know what you're going to get in the Midwest come summertime and today, we're seeing some rain and lightning.

On the surface, it doesn't seem like much - but when a round gets postponed out here tensions rise, guys get frustrated and nobody knows what's going on. It's a tough thing to be up against as guys are wondering if they'll play at all today, if they're in for 36 holes tomorrow or if this will be a weather-shortened event, only going 54 holes. With the British Open taking place next week, guys aren't going to be able to stick around for a Monday finish.

We've blogged about weather issues in the past and the fact that guys get warmed up in the morning, sit around and wait for their tee time, while making an effort to stay warmed up by coming back in for another session with the weights, stretching, cardio, etc.

Right now they officials are calling for a 3pm ET start, but we'll see.

TPC Deere Run started out in great shape earlier this week, but the rain will obviously change those conditions going into the weekend. The course will soften up, the numbers will go super-high and we'll definitely have a different track than the one the players saw on Thursday.

While we have some down time in Silvis, let's talk about next week's British Open. The John Deere folk have helped set up a custom 767, which I believe is owned by the Dallas Mavericks, and that chartered flight will take a bunch of guys across the pond next week. Until then, players are doing their best to sharpen their skills and tighten up their game.

There are two trains of thought in regard to a major event; play and get ready or enjoy some active rest and let the body get healthy. Either is a good option, depending on the player. Some guys need to be out here and feed off that competitive atmosphere that you can't simulate anywhere but a Tour event. This week you're seeing some guys out at the John Deere that might not have played if there weren't a major next week.

For the guys who aren't out here this week and are headed overseas next week, you can bet they're training at home both on and off the course, getting ready for one of the year's biggest events. I'm looking forward to next week as Turnberry is arguably one of the most beautiful ocean links courses I've ever seen.

Back to the John Deere, I have a few guys out here this week. Pat Perez is back in action, playing his third straight event since missing six weeks with torn ligaments in his ankle. PP is working his tail off in the trailer and he's doing everything we need him to do to regain his strength. It's a slow process and there's still some soreness in the ankle, but he's one step closer every day and he fired a solid opening round 69 yesterday. The range of motion is coming back and I'm expecting some good things out of him as he mounts his comeback.

Jason Gore is back this week, though he's fighting a toe injury. Charlie Wi is out here, attitude as positive as ever, playing some confident golf. Jason Dufner is in the mix, in the midst of a very solid year and we also have a new pro in Joey D's stable, Chez Reavie.

Chez has made the commitment to biomechanics and getting his body ready to compete at golf's highest level. I've worked with Chez a few weeks now and he's a welcomed addition to the family. His work ethic is top-notch and his ability to communicate from a player to a coach.

That's all I have for right now. Headed back to the trailer to get my guys ready to go and hoping the get this second round underway, already. More to come. Stay tuned.

Joey D.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Joey D checking in. Here are some shots I took while walking around TPC Deere Run today.

I'll post a blog tomorrow and will bring everyone up to speed on things here in Silvis, as well as the past few weeks. It's been a hectic couple of weeks getting D1 Athletics dialed in and working the last few events. I'll be around the next few weeks and we'll get this blog dialed back in.

Joey D.

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:50:00 +0000

Made it to New York and the US Open is definitely in the air. You can feel it. Running rampant right now, but will chime back in tomorrow to bring everybody up to speed. - Joey D.

Joey ready to talk Bethpage Black...

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Joey D) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:09:00 +0000

It's US Open week. Bethpage Black and back to an unbelievable course where I've seen some incredible golf over the years. I'm leaving West Palm at 7am and will be in New York by lunch time. This is an enormous week coming up and I'm excited.

This isn't a week about conditions, hospitality and the facilities. That works for other posts, but this week is just about as big as it gets. This is our country's "Open" and this is Bethpage Black; one of the more challenging tracks I've seen in my career.

The USGA is one of the governing bodies of golf and they're going to set this course up they way they see fit. No one cares how much the players balk or carry on about conditions being too hard; it is what it is. This event is about the challenge. They want to see a low number out here... and I don't mean "low" like Brian Gay going 18-under low to win last week. I'm talking even or one-over come Sunday evening.

This is the second major we're seeing this year, with the Masters already in the books -- Augusta National, arguably the most coveted event in all of golf. Everybody in the world knows what the green jacket means. From there, "the Open" -- which is debatable depending on which side of the pond you reside. Our brethren overseas take pride in their British Open, but as time rolls on, we're seeing our countrymen putting even more weight into the overall meaning of the US Open.

The average golf fan doesn't see what I see on a given week. Take your average event and intensify that ten times over and you start to get the feel of a major. Factor in the environment and energetic crowd you get in New York, combined with the sense of nationalism you get at your country's open and you have an incredible week in store.

From my perspective, I see the nervousness, anger and frustration. I also see the determination, focus and desire. These guys have been working their tails off for weeks and this is the week it all has to come together both physically and mentally -- and by mentally, I mean the analytical part of the brain. The part that will crush a weak-minded player, not strong enough to control his emotions. Can you handle the high of a birdie or eagle? Will a bogey or a double derail your entire round? The energy you feel come Thursday will be electric.

The sub plots are there, as well. Tiger Woods back to defend last year's title, as well as his 2002 US Open win at Bethpage. Phil Mickelson, motivated to not only rebound from his 2006 collapse, but dealing with all that accompanies a wife battling breast cancer. (Again, as a survivor I wish Amy and the Mickelsons all my best.)

Beyond that, I really expect to see a sense of patriotism this year from America's boys. Over the past few years you've seen a renewed sense of pride with the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup. Our guys are showing a bit more fire and seem to pin their ears back a little bit more when playing for country, these days.

Look at Chris DeMarco back in the 2005 Presidents Cup. He still calls that putt the shot of his career. Last year, America's first Ryder Cup victory since 1999.

This week, another meaningful event on US soil and as an American, you're hoping one of our guys rises to the challenge. That's not to take anything away from our foreign players out here. I'm very close with guys like Ian Poulter and Robert Allenby and I'd love to see either guy win. Same for my lone two guys in this week's field; Charlie Wi and Ryuji Imada. Both born overseas, but calling America home.

Week in and week out, nothing would make me happier than seeing one of my guys a top that leaderboard. I had it with Pat Perez a few months back and other guys have made a run. Come Tuesday afternoon, golf fitness will be first and foremost for Charlie, Ryuji and I in the trailers. All that said, keep an eye on out countrymen this week. Pay attention to the focus and intensity. Something you might not have seen at a lesser event or before it was mentioned in this blog.

Another obvious special quality is the influx of amateurs and type of player you don't see week in and week out. You get amateurs with exemptions at almost every tournament, but not like this. Guys who have never had the opportunity to play on this stage will find themselves in a major three days from now. It's just another thing that makes the US Open stand out from every other event and really captures the American spirit. These guys made the number on the day the USGA held a qualifier and now they're playing Bethpage Black. It makes for a great storyline every year.

Being a native New Yorker, I'll appreciate the x-factor the crowd will bring to the table this week. This is a diverse, passionate, in-your-face bunch that will descend on Bethpage. Our guys aren't going to see the Southern hospitality they experienced in Augusta, or even a few weeks back for the Texas events. New Yorkers will be in their face all week and that will either cause guys to rise to the occasion and feed off it, or they'll crumble.

A random tour event where you could hear a pin drop, this week you're going to hear "in the hole" yelled at the wrong time. Camera illegally snuck in will be clicking during a back swing. Not to say this can't happen anywhere, but with a more aggressive and boisterous crowd, guys have to be ready. This is a passionate crowd and I'm curious to see who feeds of of it and who falters.

That's enough to get you ready for Bethpage. More to report when I'm in New York tomorrow.

Joey D.