[Fred Brattain]

Look out world....
Fred is a great guy that I have had the pleasure to correspond with on numerous occasions.

Attached to his posts should be the disclaimer: "Fred's results are not typical."

Why?

Because of his "teachability" and unwavering adherence to the book as authority on the science of the golf swing.

Fred, its been a pleasure!

Thanks for the compliment, SS. With reference to "teachability", the fact is that it can apply to anyone who opens their mind. I have played this marvelous game for 48 years and have experienced the highs and lows that it offers each and every one of us. I am also working with Pia Lindstrom's book "Every shot must have a purpose" which should be required reading for EVERY person who plays this game.

Anyway, the teachability part is simply a matter of maintaining an open mind and being willing to try things long enough to KNOW whether they work for you or not. When I was in college, I wssn't going to take a particular class that a friend had recommended. When my Dad asked me why, I said "It doesn't sound very interesting." His comment was "How do you know if you're interested in it if you won't take the class and FIND OUT?" The same thing applies to all of life, and especially to our search for the perfect swing for US. If you discard ideas about the golf swing because "that won't work for me" then you will never reach your potential, whatever that might be. If you discard an idea on the range after one swing, chances are you have NO CLUE whether it is on the right path or not. Learning to hit the ball better is a matter of continuing to look, continuing to experiment until you find the method (whatever that is) that allows you to smack it on demand. THEN the game becomes one that is played, not with your body, but between your ears. THAT requires constant work . Nicklaus is the best to ever play, no argument, and people who played against him will tell you that it was because of how he used his head.

So my goal with TGM, which is SO flexible, and SO adaptable (which is what makes it GREAT) is to get to the "smacking it" point, while simultaneously working on my head

The point, for all you youngsters out there is that I believe that my best golf is still ahead of me, and I am 56 going on 57, a disabled vet, and THRILLED to be part of this community.

My goal (stating goals publicly always makes them more real) is to be playing scratch again by August of 2006. TGM is a MAJOR portion of getting there, thank you all for the opportunity to hang out here and learn.

Obi WunPutt.