First off, my credentials. I am a former national and world long drive champion, as well as a Nationwide (Web.com) Tour player. I have played with and know dozens of players currently on the PGA Tour. I have tested clubs from every major manufacturer, played more than half of the top 100 courses in America and have even caddied on the Champions Tour in a pairing with the great Arnold Palmer. I have also worked with many of the top name teaching professionals, many of whom will bear the brunt of my wrath on this blog.
In addition to humorous rants about things that are bothering me about golf, I am going to cover all sorts of subjects. Instruction, the current PGA event, golf club reviews, golf course etiquette, etc. Feel free to make comments and even disagree with me, but keep it semi-clean.
What is most important to me, is that everyone enjoy playing and watching the game more.
Monte Scheinblum's Blog 
Posted by Paul Stevens on June 19, 2009 at 11:57 pm
keep em coming
Posted by Tony Bumstead on January 13, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Monte,
really appreciate your blog info and videos and your premise of keeping it simple. I will be 77 this year and my swing speed has sunk to the mid 80’s. Can you offer me and other old farts any advise to pick up some clubhead speed? Thanks,
Tony
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on January 13, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Tony, I love seeing “old farts” on the course having a great time. The best general advice I can give to you is your muscles don’t work as well as they used to…I know I don’t have to tell you that. 🙂 What I can tell you is if you try and find ways of reducing excess tension, you can get your muscles to work as good as they possibly can. Sometimes it’s a bigger golf grip to takeaway some tension in the hands…sometimes it’s a minor setup change. Anything that will make you more relaxed over the ball is what it going to help you the most.
Posted by Dennis Whitaker on July 12, 2010 at 8:48 am
Hey Monte,
I just ran across your Youtube videos when I was researching “width”. I own the “Rightangle2” training aid and I know all the top teachers use this device in their teachings. I’ll bet you love the drill of just swinging the club with the right arm. Doing this seems to require a coordinated body/arms/club and sets up the proper release. In the manual that came with the device all the teachers say to let the right arm straighten as soon as possible right from the top….. do you agree with that?
I’ve been the victim of the “pull the arms in close creating lag” and working on this, I developed the “top dive” which my whole top started moving toward the target. This is easy to do if we’re taught to hold everything as a “unit” and wait for the lower body to move out. I ingrained this horrible habit into my swing 25 years ago, hitting whiffle balls into a mattress for hours. I think letting the club scribe the same arc coming down as it did going back, a la Steve Stricker, will bring the cure. I’m a solid 8 handicap in spite of that problem but understanding the proper release from your videos will help me improve my ball striking.
Many thanks for the great videos,
Dennis
Posted by Ringer on October 15, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I have read many of your posts esspecially the ones you refer to on GEA. I find your insights very intelligent and am glad to have put you in my favorites.
Thanks for the great blog.
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on October 16, 2009 at 7:36 am
Thank you ringer. Comments like this make doing the blog worth while.
Posted by Ken on October 26, 2009 at 8:50 am
Hey Monte,
Very cool blog! You’re doing a great job with new and interesting posts. Wanted to e-mail you privately, but not quite sure how to do that, so here goes….
Our website, http://www.isuckatgolf.net is currently ranked in the top 3 results in Google and Yahoo for search terms like “long drive tips”, “long drive golf tips” etc. We have a great guy, “Rippin’ Ray Beaufait” who is our long drive expert and takes readers questions. Was wondering after finding your site if you’d consider answering some questions on our site. I know with all you do here that might be too much for you, but we’d love to add you to our “Ask the Experts” area if you’d be interested. Our experts currently include Top 50 teaching pro from the Golf Channel and Golf Tips magazine Barry Goldstein, LPGA tour pro Diana D’Alessio and several others. We’d love to have you take a question or two a month if you think you’d have time. Of course we’d add links back to your site etc. Let us know if you’d be intertested. It’s always good to have a couple different experts in each area, different methods, ideologies etc. Ray is also a senior long drive champ, so you’d give us a fresh perspective we believe.
Thanks!
Ken
Posted by Ken on October 29, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Hey Monte,
Have you been getting my e-mails bud? I got yours and sent you 2 after. Check your spam filter!
Ken
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on October 29, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I haven’t. I will.
Posted by Ken on October 29, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Great, thanks Monte
Posted by Bill on November 10, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Monte, I’m a newcomer to your blog which I do enjoy. I’m about a 10 handicaper due to poor putting and the yips. I love the game and have played for a long time but lack of confidence on the greens has pretty much made very good tee to green play irrelevant and I’m unable to really score. Strangely, when I play alone a I putt pretty well. Any advice in the future on putting would be appreciated.
Keep up the good work. I really like your “tell it like it is” approach.
Bill
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on November 10, 2009 at 2:56 pm
There are several approaches you can take. The “unmentionables” can be mental, physical or both. There are several different drills you can try that might actually become the way you putt if you feel comfortable. Here are some things to adjust and/or try.
1. Grip pressure, make sure it isn’t too tight.
2. Take your normal stance, then let go with one hand and drop a ball from in between your eyes. You want your eyes over the ball and sometimes if your head is too far behind it, it can cause problems.
3. Putt with your eyes closed and see if that relaxes your stroke…if it does, it’s purely mental and you just need to change your approach.
4. Stop trying to make putts. Read it, line up and then just try and hit the ball solid and the right speed. Practice putting 5 foot putts with no target…just try and hit it solid 5 feet on the line you are lined up to. In other words, completely forget about line and just worry about hitting good putts.
5. Look at the hole when you putt instead of the ball.
All of these things are similar to what Romeo did to Tin Cup when had the shanks on the range. He had to take his mind off what he was doing by changing things.
Posted by Adem on December 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Monte,
I’ve been reading excerpts of Paul Wilson’s Swing Machine Golf – http://www.swingmachinegolf.com. He uses the Iron Byron as the ideal swing for all to emulate. Most of the stuff in the book makes sense to me and I’m considering dropping the $$$ on the book.
What are your thoughts on his method?
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on December 2, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Not familiar with Paul Wilson, but just like Dave Pelz’s “perfie,” you can’t make a robot hinge and work the same way as a human body, so a human body trying to copy that motion won’t be natural. If copying the swing of another human can be unnatural, how is copying the swing of a robot going to be?
Posted by Rick Appel on December 3, 2009 at 6:07 am
How do you feel about “heavy clubs” such as Momentus for: Golf Muscle Strengthening; Developing a Consistent Swing Plane and Speed training ?
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on December 3, 2009 at 8:49 am
I don’t like them. I think they can cause injuries in your wrists and elbows and are bad for your feel.
Posted by mygolfer on January 17, 2010 at 4:05 pm
I second this opinion, weighted clubs will cause you injuries more than it will help you. Just do stretching, it will prevent injuries and increase your strength.
Posted by Matt Petersen on April 5, 2010 at 9:26 am
Cool videos Monte. Simple and to the point. Well done.
Posted by Husker on May 6, 2010 at 5:07 am
One of the instructors who frequently posts at 4gea.com has started a thread that analyzes your golf swing. See http://www.4gea.com/forum/index.php?webtag=GEAFORUM&msg=12439.1
I’m curious to know whether you have read it, and viewed his comments about your swing (and, of course, to get your take on whether his comments have merit).
Posted by Dave Swigart on May 9, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Monte– You have really given me new hope. I am 58 and was shooting in the mid 90’s but I was about a 15 handicap 10-15 years ago. I figured I was just older and less able to score like I used to. I have adopted your theory and attitude of simplifying my swing and “uncluttering” my mind. With a shortened backswing, your advice of set-up, posture, major muscles and shoulder turn, I am scoring consistently in the upper 80’s in spite of a poor short game. With some work on chipping and putting, I will be having more fun than I have in years(not that I’m not having fun now) ! And I am a FASTER player than I ever was! My playing partners like that part. You are a genius. I am through paying attention to gimmicks.
Posted by Walter Nizza on May 26, 2010 at 8:53 am
Monte
I happened upon your website one day. What breath of fresh air. I play my best golf when I just try and make my swing look good (straight laft arm, not rigid, it always has a slight bend at the top), and just let it happen. It is not always as pretty as the pro’s, but I driver goes 200+ fairly straight unless I try to CONTROL IT. I don’t have an awfull lot of flexibility, heck I am 66 years old, I can always louse up a hole with a three put.
Thanks
Walter
Posted by John O'Loughlin on June 29, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Monte, Came on your website today(June 29,’10) Appreciate your comments and candor in particular players and recent US Open. I am 76 still trying to play a decent game. Unfortunately for me started early reading golf books and as one golf pro, for whom I worked in ’60,’61 told a mutual friend if John would quit reading golf books he could become a good player. Anyways recently have had some tendonitis in my right wrist and interested in your opinion what position is the strongest for the right wrist in hitting a golf ball. For me there is no question having a flat left wrist is its strongest position.
thanks and look forward to your comments and candor.
John O’Loughlin
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on June 29, 2010 at 9:54 pm
If you start worrying about your right wrist position, you will probably be adding grip pressure to get it there and making your tendinitis worse. Do a search on the blog for “Plane and release by feel” watch that video and that will help you achieve what you want. Hope this answered your question and helps.
Posted by QTLAW on July 6, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Monte,
Thanks for sharing your simple thoughts. Hopefully, your simplified approach will rescue others like you have rescued me.
Best of luck.
QT
Posted by Derek I Combs on September 12, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Monte, a lot of your swing tips seem to follow the same path as Leslie King. Was wondering if you had heard of him and his technique.
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on September 12, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Not familiar with LK.
Posted by Hier Haarentfernung on November 29, 2010 at 7:01 pm
I have been reading a lot on here the topic About me and this blog Monte Scheinblum's Blog inspired me, i have picked up some really great ideas. Thanks and i hope to see more soon.
Posted by Mike Pedersen Golf on December 1, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Hey Monte,
Watched a couple of your youtube videos (and subscribed to your channel). Good stuff. What you say makes a lot of sense, but it is amazing how much conflicting information is out there among golf professionals. IMO line up 100 golf professionals, and they’ll show you a 100 different ways to make a golf swing.
Would love to see you over at my channel 😉
Cheers,
Mike
Posted by D on December 28, 2010 at 1:09 am
Cool wikipedia article on you here! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Scheinblum
Posted by Getting the club to parallel !? « Golf Addicted on April 22, 2011 at 1:56 pm
[…] Lieblings-Blogger & PGA-Coach Monte Scheinblum schreibt dazu, dass der Versuch, den Schaft bei Takeaway im oberen Umkehrpunkt in Parallelstellung […]
Posted by Andy on May 8, 2011 at 12:39 pm
I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this site but it couldn’t have come a moment too soon. I can relate to nearly everything you’re going through, especially the ‘I played like a 15 handicapper who hits it far’.
I went from complete novice to a scratch player in 2 years (I practice and or play 6 days a week) and then back to shooting 94 in a matter of 4 months by slowly slipping into a bad habit.
I’ve been lifting the club, not the arms (cocking the writs way too early) but it has been so gradual that I hadn’t noticed.
Now, before you all think it should be so obvious you must also bear in mind that (in my desperation) I have seen two coaches who couldn’t tell me what the problem was… incidentally, one is an ex European tour player and the other teaches a couple of pros.
So, thanks for the videos and the entertainment, I’ll send you a video for a lesson and your opinion soon.
Posted by Terry on May 13, 2011 at 1:50 am
Hi Monte
Been playing for years and all I can say is your appraoch to the game is excellent.Anyone who can debunk the rituals involved in a golf swing gets my vote.
Posted by Jonio18 on June 20, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Monte,
What club head did you use to win the long drive in 92? Thanks, Jonio18
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on June 20, 2011 at 11:23 pm
It was called a Tour Precision Jumbo 747. No longer in business and the Jumbo head was the biggest there was at the time and about the size of a modern 3-wood…LOL.
Posted by Dave on August 18, 2012 at 6:02 pm
aren’t you kind of young for a guy named Monte Scheinblum. Thanks for a great blog Im a victim of the inside out thought process trying to get my distance back. Keep it up.
Posted by bajadock on February 7, 2013 at 5:03 pm
Just found you while searching for instruction for a friend in Irvine. Keep up the good work and humor, thanks. Cheers from Ensenada, Baja California.
Posted by Mike Frayne on February 18, 2013 at 5:38 pm
What do you think about all these teachers and announcers talking about the speed rory gets from Spinning his hips??? Everytime I turn on the golf channel they are talking about creating hip speed. Just tonight for example, Michael Breed is on there talking about spinning your hips to create speed and more distance….almost teaching these morons who listen to get stuck. I too, took this advice for years and all it did was get me STUCK!!! My hips would spin out trying to create this magical power and my arms and everything else would get stuck behind me making me a huge flipper at impact. Your youtube vids are awesome and so is this blog. I would love to get your opinion on this hip speed thing as I am sick and tired of hearing about it on TV and the range everyday when I hit balls….not to mention all the people working on holding the lag!!! lol.
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on February 18, 2013 at 6:43 pm
Teaching hip speed is a joke.
Generally people have to slow down their hips in transition so they don’t get stuck and have to stall them at impact and flip…or spin them out and come over the top.
Actually waiting for your hips to rotate, will actually make them rotate faster trough impact and allow everything to link up in transition.
Posted by Ken Tonks on February 18, 2013 at 6:47 pm
Insert Tiger’s hip speed joke here… ;0)
Posted by Mike on March 1, 2013 at 10:49 am
Hey Monte. Love the site and your blog. I asked you a question about spinning the hips and getting stuck last week and your feedback was great. Have you heard of Shawn Clement? I wanted to get your thoughts. He seems to be in line with what you teach. This video sums him up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8RJ-_gyK1Y
He talks about not restricting the hip turn….complete opposite I have been told for years…. I’d love to know your thought. Thanks!
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on March 1, 2013 at 9:38 pm
I do know who he is and many people say we have a lot of the same ideas.
Posted by Chris on March 11, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Monte what do you think of Jason day’s swing? I seem to have a similar setup and swing to him. I’m not copying his positions or anything, it’s just an observation.
Posted by French Albatros on May 13, 2013 at 11:41 pm
Hello Monte,
I discovered recently you great videos and I am actually reading everything on your blog, including the very interesting comments about your vids.
Speaking about the common views with Shawn Clement, I would say tilt position at adress is the major advise…
Thanks again.
Posted by Justin Baer on June 9, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Hi Monte, Great videos on youtube. Love the miss the ball drill for early extension! I’d love for you to take a look at my swing via video. The golfix site says you are sold out. How can we make this happen?
Thanks,
Justin
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on June 9, 2013 at 10:42 pm
Don’t know why I am sold out. Asked the tec support and should hear back on morning.
Posted by Samir Dumpor on January 3, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Hi Monte. Love your videos. I frequent GolfWRX forum and I noticed in your digital signature name Gavrilo Princip in connection with shanks? I am originally from Bosnia and this is intriguing to me.
Posted by Monte Scheinblum on January 3, 2014 at 9:10 pm
Two separate thoughts. One is a haiku and the other is I am an anarchist
Posted by Samir on January 5, 2014 at 3:55 pm
Thanks for answering and for all the great stuff you give us.
Posted by Jim Appleton on February 19, 2014 at 1:11 pm
Golfwrx has had a thread lately about Jimmy Ballard and his teaching. Your thoughts on what he stresses as the good golf swing. Got your short vid and it has helped a lot. Just wish you were closer to North Carolina. Age 69 Hcp 15