July 24th, 2008 — Tips and Tricks
No matter how well you can drive or chip, the key to your score often lies right on the green. The exercise of putting a little ball in a little hole is one of the most frustrating known to men and it can be the deal breaker when it comes to getting a great score. If you’re ready to putt like a pro, there are some secrets that you need to know. These will make an enormous difference in the way that you put, and you’ll find that your score improves naturally as you begin implementing them.
The first step is to learn how to gauge distance properly. We don’t really stop to think about how far we are from the hole. We look and decide, too far or not close enough. However, there is a lot to be said to learning how to tell exactly how many feet you are from the hole. You’ll be able to fine tune your swing to reach a set amount of distance after you try these exercises.
First, let’s work on gauging distance. Off the course, set up a little test on your lawn or even in your living room. Measure off a variety of different distances and mark them with chalk, or with pieces of paper inside. Now, remove the measuring tape and try to gauge exactly how far away each one is from you. Work until you can correctly guess each measurement. Try changing it up, and moving things around until your accuracy increases. If you have natural terrain changes in your yard, take advantage of those as well.
Now, let’s work on reaching a set distance. Set up your measurements again and grab your putter and some practice balls. Work on reach the exact end of each measurement until you start to feel in your arms how much strength you need to reach a set distance. There will be some factors here that may change, such as green density and slope, but this will help you start to “feel” distance as well as see it.
After you are successfully reaching the right distance, it’s time to head out to the course and try a few more exercises. You’ll be taking advantage of a practice green in this situation, but if your course doesn’t have one, you can easily take your exercise on to the regular greens. Chip your way up to the green and then try to see how far away you think you are. Grab a measuring tape and check your distance. If you’re wrong, you’ll need to go back and work on seeing distance again. If you’re right, try to putt that correct distance, relying on your muscle memory. If you don’t make it, grab that measuring tape again to see where you went wrong.
By consistently “seeing” and “feeling” distance, you’ll be able to work up to handling terrain changes on the green as well. You may even find that your long game improves as a result of these exercises.
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July 10th, 2008 — Tips and Tricks
If you’re having trouble with your game, the first place to look for answers is in your swing. Most players struggle to perfect their swings throughout their entire lives and some may never get to the point of having the “perfect swing.” You don’t need to be perfect, but there are a few things that you can watch out for and correct to see a dramatic improvement in your game.
We highly recommend going to a course that offers a video swing utility, but if you can’t do that, here are some tips to help you diagnose your own swing problems and find the right solutions.
Swinging Too Fast -
This results in a very sloppy swing and you won’t be able to control your aim very well. It’s easy to fall into this trap, especially if you watch a lot of golf. While a swing may appear to be fast on a pro, it’s actually a bit slower than it looks. If you are finding that your aim is absolutely unreliable, you may be simply swinging too fast. Here’s how to break that habit:
Start by imagining that your club is the hands of a clock, with the ground being your starting point. Raise up the club a few degrees and hold it there before moving to the next position. Break down your movements very deliberately. Don’t worry, it’s going to look a little funny at first and it may feel a bit weird, but you’re getting there. Bring up the club slowly and then bring it back down using the same technique.
Now, once you’ve done that a few times, smooth out the stopping points until you have one smooth arc on the way up and the way down. Keep trying it until it feels natural. Remember, slow it down and you’ll have better accuracy. If you feel yourself speeding up your swing, return to your first exercise to break it down again.
Twisting Your Hips -
If your shot pulls a bit, chances are your hips are getting in the way. It is tough to avoid this since it is a pretty natural movement to pull your hips up with your arms. Here’s how to break that habit:
Imagine that you are standing in a turnstile that is very tight, so you cannot move from side to side. Plant both feet and start swinging your arms around first in one direction, then the other. Yes, you’re going to look a bit like a windmill, but this is what you want. You want to train your top half to operate independently from the bottom half. Isolate those muscles in your upper torso on your upswing, and then bring everything together on the down swing. You won’t be pulling your shot, but you’ll have the full power of your hips on that down swing. Keep trying until you feel that magical “click” of everything falling into place.
These are just two easy ways to get your swing back on track and start improving your game.
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July 8th, 2008 — Tips and Tricks
While we all know that our knees and hips can have a disastrous effect on our swing when used improperly, they can actually help you hit a better drive when you use them the right way. Let’s focus on each one and work on some exercises that will help you get that swing you’ve always wanted.
The Hips
Your hips can actually control the direction of the ball, even if you don’t realize it. Most us have a tendency to raise our hips with our arms on our up swing. Try it in front of a mirror. Does one leg move slightly up, or do you notice that your heel comes up off the ground when you swing upwards? If it does, this will end up in pulling your shot to the right or the left. To fix this problem, here is an easy exercise. You want to be able to isolate your torso from your hips. Stand straight, with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Swing your arms around in front of you, raise them up, bring them back down and swing them in front of you.
The “Windmill” is a great technique that can help with isolation. Stand once again with your feet planted firmly and start spinning your arms around like a windmill. Keep going until you can do it without engaging your hips.
Now, you’re ready to put it all together. Keep your feet planted firmly, knees a bit bent, and bring your club up. Do not move your feet! Now, bring the club down and as you do, rotate your hips in the direction of the shot. This will take a little practice, and you’ll need to perfectly sync the two halves of your body. With time, this will give you added power that will add yards to your drives.
The Knees
Our knees are another common problem area. If your feet are planted, it’s pretty tempting to want to lock those knees too. You need to keep your knees flexed at all times during your swing, but not overly so. Here’s an exercise to help you get the feel.
Start with both feet facing forward, and firmly planted. Now, put both arms straight down by your sides. Keep your upper body straight and bend your knees until your fingertips are at about mid-thigh. If you have long or short arms adjust accordingly. Now, hold that position and bend slightly forward, bringing your hands up. You should be in about the same position as you would be if you were holding a club.
Keep trying this one until you get the feel for the position. Your knees should be relaxed, loose and facing forward. If you pull them to either side, it will affect your shot. Experiment a bit to find the right angle for your body. It may take a few tries, but with practice, you’ll be able to line up your stance perfectly. If your knees are relaxed, and your hips are engaged properly, you will notice a big difference in the power of your swing.
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