I figured with a new golf season on
our door step, everyone wants to get their game going on the right track.
Certainly there are may sources out there that can help you do just that,
whether it be a golf publication, shows on the Golf Channel, YouTube videos, golf pros….not
to mention there is no shortage of “experts” at your local club more than
willing to give you their 2 cents on how to fix that big banana ball. So the
good news is there are a lot of sources to gain valuable and useful
information; the bad news… there are a lot of sources to gain valuable and
useful information. What I mean is, if you have been playing golf for any
length of time much of the stuff you read, see or hear can be contradicting and
conflicting information. My students tell me all the time how they read this or
that but it conflicts with something else they heard or read. And like I always
tell them “stick with one source you trust and shut everything else out”
because too much of something is, well…too much.
So I thought I would provide an
abbreviated look to some of the things I teach (and use as a player) on a daily
basis with my students and clients. If you are a student of mine or a follower
of my blog, feel free to print these out and carry them in your bag. If you are
hearing some of this for the first time, then consider me just another source
muddying up the waters and adding to the confusion that already exists.
Remember, pick a source you trust and stick with it. Let’s get started……
Alignment: When lining up there are 2 important lines pointing down
the fairway, think railroad tracks, 2 parallel lines. Line one is set by the
club face (that’s the target line) and the second set by the feet (that’s the
body line). The target line should point at the target and the body line should
run parallel to the target line which means just to the left side of your target (for righties
or the right side for lefties). Poor alignment is one of the biggest reasons
for bad shots and poor swings.
Driver: When hitting a driver remember these few key points for better
success. Tee the ball up so that 1/3 of the ball is below the face and 2/3
above the face. Second, ball position should be off the inside of your left
heal (righties) and third, tilt your shoulders so that your trailing shoulder (right
shoulder for righties) is lower than your left shoulder. This creates a proper
attack point at impact.
Fairway Woods/Hybrids: Ball position should be about 2 inches in (moving toward center)
from where you play your driver. From there swing the club with the intentions
of trying to make a divot, reason being, golfers tend to swing up on these
clubs (especially FW woods) and by trying to create a divot it helps keep you
down a bit longer through impact.
Irons: By now you probably know that taking a divot is a good thing
and where your divot starts is the difference between a good iron shot and a
so-so iron shot. A solid iron shot is going to produce a divot just in front of
the ball. You should always hit ball first, ground second. A great drill is to
draw a small line on the ground with spray paint and set your ball on the line.
This gives great feedback as to where your divot starts in relation to the
ball. When the divot start on the front side of the line you know you are
doing
something right.
Pitch Shots: The art of getting up and down can make or break a
round. When hitting pitch shots keep these key factors in mind. Tempo! Your
follow through shouldn’t be much faster than your back swing. For example, hypothetically
if your back swing is moving at 30 mph your downswing/follow through should be
about 40 mph. Also you can place a little bit more weight on your lead leg
(left leg for righties) at address. This promotes a slightly steeper swing path
which can lead to better contact at impact. And finally learn your distances
for a ¼ swing, ½ swing and ¾ swing. This
will better help you with touch and feel and also give you confidence in your
pitch swing and should help with eliminating the dreaded deceleration.
Chip Shots: Whether you are a one club user around the green or a
multiple club user technique shouldn’t change much. Set up with feet rather
close together. Place about 70% of your weight on your lead leg (left leg for
righties) and place the ball in the back of your stance. Hands should
position the club so that the shaft is leaning at the same angle as your spine.
From there it becomes more of a putting stroke, very little (if any) wrist
motion. Distance control is king when chipping so try and keep your back swing
and follow through equidistant, this will help you develop solid distance control.
Putting: I consider putting to be a first cousin to chipping
because some of the same rules apply. Ball position and weight distribution can
vary but keeping the wrists quiet and balancing out the back swing and follow
through are keys to becoming a great putter. And to help better develop distance control try my “No Look” drill. Hit putts from varying lengths while
looking at the hole not the ball. You’ll get so good you might never want to
look at the ball again when you putt. And although that sounds a bit far
fetched. One of my students from years ago adopted that exact philosophy,
stopped looking at the ball all together when putting and has become a very
solid putter.
Green-side Bunker: A dreaded place on the golf course but really it
doesn’t have to be. Hitting out of a bunker, when executed properly can be one
of the easier shots in golf. On a typical bunker shot (ball on the surface) set
up with ball position being just forward of center, stance slightly open and
club face slightly open as well. When the
swing is in motion remember two things; aim for 2 inches behind the ball and
FOLLOW THROUGH! Even if your set up is off a bit, hitting properly behind the
ball and following through will most always get you out on the first try.
So there you have it, some of the
ideas, tips and philosophies I use both as a teacher and as a player. I was a
bit reluctant to write a blog such as this because reading from a book or blog
is so one dimensional and without pictures, it can create a head scratching
confusion. Hopefully that's not the case. So if you’re looking to improve in an area of your game
maybe some of the things mentioned will help you save a stroke or two.
Best
of Luck to everyone for a successful and prosperous 2014 golfing season!
Blog written
by Vince-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy
