"The Skill Code" by Cameron McCormick

[iacas]

Discuss "The Skill Code" by Cameron McCormick here.

(DVD set or online purchase from Revolution Golf. I have a set and will post my thoughts here eventually. It may take me awhile to get through it.)

[scuccia51089]

What equipment is required to practice all of the drills given throughout the DVDs? I’m considering purchasing, but want to make sure everything that goes along with it is practical/cost effective.

[iacas]

I’m only part way through the first disc. Not much yet. And not much to practice. Just some basic explanations so far.

[scuccia51089]

Ok, please post a list of equipment once done if you wouldn’t mind. Much appreciated!

[iacas]

2 hours ago, scuccia51089 said:

Ok, please post a list of equipment once done if you wouldn’t mind. Much appreciated!

So far, just some alignment sticks. Through all of disc 1.

So far, I'm a bit confused. There are only three discs, and I've just watched one of them in its entirety. The first one. (There's a fourth bonus disc but it's just about extra stuff.)

There's no introduction, nothing. No idea what the point of these DVDs is, who they're for, what we're going to cover, nothing. It jumps immediately into "content" that seems to miss the mark: it's content for good players as it assumes you're capable of striking the ball cleanly and controlling the flight, but good players already know most of the stuff you cover in disc 1.

I don't know what the "Skill Code" is - Cameron uses the words like we're supposed to already know it. Most of disc 1 is spent talking about how to strike the ball solidly (while not really talking about it much - you get two or three ideas, like putting alignment sticks against your hips or spraying foot powder on the clubface), controlling the curve, controlling the trajectory, and then a weird gameplanning segment at the end on a par five where we skip the second shot and just lay up to 120 yards, for some reason.

[scuccia51089]

Interesting...there seemed to be so many materials and a plethora of information from the short infomercial in itself. Just goes to show you can believe everything you see at first glance. Anyway, keep updating me in regards to whether or not the series improves.

[Vinsk]

Probably just another case of an average instructor scoring an amazingly talented golfer and getting a name because of it. But I’m glad @iacas is reviewing it. At least we can get a solid unbiased and intelligent review. 

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Probably just another case of an average instructor scoring an amazingly talented golfer and getting a name because of it. But I’m glad @iacas is reviewing it. At least we can get a solid unbiased and intelligent review. 

I'm not going to say a ton. People incorrectly assume a bias.

[Vinsk]

19 hours ago, iacas said:

I'm not going to say a ton. People incorrectly assume a bias.

Well you won’t have to say much IMO, just curious if anything new/interesting is offered. I guess there would be people who think you’re biased, but surely many know from this site that’s not how you operate.

[iacas]

57 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Well you won’t have to say much IMO, just curious if anything new/interesting is offered. I guess there would be people who think you’re biased, but surely many know from this site that’s not how you operate.

If it's good I'll say it's good.

The information so far is good… I just don't think he hits any audience. The good players will know this stuff, and the bad players need to do a lot of work before this stuff is really all that relevant.

But I'm only through one out of the four discs, and the first disc would have been helped a fair amount by an introduction. As I said, I'm not even sure what a "Skill Code" is, how many there are, etc. Right now they just seem to be skills… Solid contact, controlling the flight, and then barely scratching the surface of GamePlanning.

[Club Rat]

Did a little Googling, here is a small perspective of the material IMO.

Quote

EXPLAINING THE SKILL CODE

McCormick has described himself as a “ball first” coach. By this, he means that his instruction begins with an understanding of what happens to the ball at impact. Every time you take a shot, you are delivering instructions to the ball on where to go and how to fly. McCormick focuses on looking at that moment of impact and working backwards to discover what the golfer needs to do to instruct the ball in the best possible way.

This is why The Skill Code is probably a bit more academic than you might anticipate. Your instructor’s goal is to teach you how to read your own shots as well as he can. By gaining that intellectual understanding, you will be able to improve your game through your own guidance, even once you’ve mastered his tips. You will be better equipped to identify why there are certain weaknesses in your game. You will know how to address the root of a weakness rather than simply trying to fix it with a new trick. And you will be able to make the best possible use of your practice time.

As Cameron McCormick says, “only the right practice makes perfect.” His goal with The Skill Code is to not only show you what the right practice looks like, but to also teach you how to figure it out for yourself.

This somewhat leads back to a topic discussed last month, "Pre-Shot/Post-Shot Routine Importance"

Quote

A post-shot routine, watching the ball and assessing the shot, allows your body to learn. Maybe a good test is, can you tell the ball flight due to impact, before you even recognize the ball flight with your eyes? 

Now using that information to improve ball striking is a bit trickier

 

[iacas]

35 minutes ago, Club Rat said:

Did a little Googling, here is a small perspective of the material IMO.

Like I said: you've gotta be able to strike the ball pretty well and be able to control your flight pretty well for what is in the DVDs to apply to you, and yet if you can do those things you probably already understand these things.

It's like a remedial class for 4 handicappers.

I'm not sure of the market here.