The Putting Setup

photo credit: akegPutting Setup Tips:   (1).   Set up square to the target with the shoulders, hips, knees and feet square to the target line.   (2).   Keep the top of both forearms square to the target line.   (3).    Set the putterface  at the  center of your stance with the putter just ahead of it.   (4).    Maintain relaxed arms  and shoulders with the elbows resting against your sides.   (5).    The putter shaft should lean a bit forward which will result in solid contact with the  ball.   (6).   Use your dominant eye to align yourself to the target, this will result in  better  putting accuracy.    

A good setup is critical for all golf shots but it's especially true for putting.   Spend the time to achieve the proper putting setup and you will notice the difference in your scores.

Golf Lesson Fundamentals

photo credit: preciouskhyattLet's face it, not everyone can afford golf lessons but if you  are fortunate enough to  be taking  lessons make sure that your instructor is zeroing in on  all of the basic swing  fundamentals.

When  the golfswing is broken down, as it should be, there are two categories:   Preswing and Swing.  

Pre-swing, or address position, consists of:    (1).   Grip   (2).   Posture   (3).   Ball Position   (4).    Alignment of Feet   (5).   Body Alignment    (6).   Aim   (7).   Weight Distribution.

Swing consists of:    (1).   Clubface  Angle  During Swing   (2).    Left Arm, Shaft and Clubface Angle   (3).   Follow Through.

If  these topics are not being addressed write them down and  present them to  your PGA Professional Instructor or check out www.purepointgolf.com for the best in affordable  online instructions.

Short Game Basics

photo credit: TheCameronsShort Game Tips:   (1). Grip the club so that it runs down in your fingers, not up across the palms.   (2). A neutral grip is always best for all short game shots.   (3).  Keep  your arms and hands  loose, tension kills feel and touch.   (4). Maintain a norrow stance  since it promotes a pivot instead of a slide back and forth.    (5).   Set up square, not open,  to your target with your toes.   (6).   Place 65% of your weight on your left foot.   (7).  Play the ball in the center of your stance.   (8).  Left wrist (right handers) position is critical: it should be bowed on a chip shot, neutral on a pitch shot and cupped on a bunker or flop shot.

Over The Top Correction

photo credit: diluviProblem:   high, weak drives to the right – you have the feeling of falling backward during your swing.   These are signs of the classic over the top swing…   Check your ball position at address.   Playing the ball too far back can lead to shots that fly up to 20 yrds. to the rightof target.    Play the ball off  your lead heel with feet  shoulder width apart, this will prevent the feeling of “falling back.”

Unlike iron shots, make sure you keep the handle behind the ball.   Addressing the ball in this maner will assure that you “sweep” the ball off the tee instead of hitting down  on the golf ball as you would with iron shots.   Also, make sure your forearms are parallel to the target line.

Bunker Mentality

photo credit: bradleypjohnson Most weekend golfers fear sand bunkers for one big reason, they rarely, if ever, practice the sand shot. Let's be honest here, how much time have you spent practicing sand shots in the last 3 months? For most, the answer is “none.”

PGA Tour Players, on many occasions, will purposely aim for a sand bunker because the sand shot may be more of an advantage than playing from a 3 inch rough. They do not fear sand shots because they spend plenty of time practicing them.

Spend more time practicing sand shots and remove the fear from most of your approach shots. Most would agree that practicing sand shots isn't that exciting, however, doing so will work wonders for your game in general.

Not All Golf Balls Are Created Equal

photo credit: diskychickPlaying the right golf ball for your “game” is very important. Ball compression can make the difference. You can find all sorts of complicated explanations but simply put,
faster swing speeds require higher compression golf balls.

Most amateurs use golf balls that are meant for scratch players. Using a high compression golf ball with a swing speed of 80 to 90 mph. can cost precious yardage.

Another factor to consider is “feel.” With outer covers being different, each golf ball will react differently when it's hit. With a softer cover, the ball will spin more and roll less. A harder cover will mean more roll and a lot less spin. Playing the right ball can save you 2, 3 or more strokes per round.

Negative Thoughts

photo credit: riot jane“Golf is played between your ears,” so goes the saying. How you think, determines how you play the game. Have you ever noticed how players who indulge in self criticism almost always self destruct. This happens more often with extremely competitive individuals. The question is how to stay positive even in the face of true adversity?

One of the best ways to change your thinking pattern is through meditation. This may sound “square” to some but it does work. Most negative thoughts are due to anger, eliminate the anger and the negative thoughts usually vanish. Realize that everyone hits bad shots and makes bad putts, not just you. Thinking positevely can turn your game around. Try it and you will see! Check out www.fhu.com for meditation tips.

LG Skins Game

photo credit: bjhernandez The 2008 Skins game features Stephen Ames (going for a threepeat), K.J. Choi, Phil Mickelson
and one of the most popular players on the PGA Tour, Rocco Mediate. This is the 26th edition of the Skins Game which will be played at Indian Wells Golf Resort, Indian Wells, CA.

The Skins Game is an 18 hole event which is televised over two days (9 holes per day). Money can be earned only after a player wins a hole outright. If two or more players half the hole the money is carried over to the next hole and each hole counts as one Skin. Holes 1-6 are worth 25K each, 7-12 are 50K, 13-17 are 70K and hole 18 is a whopping 200K! Watch this exciting event on ABC., Nov 29 & 30.

Don’t Be a “Well Wisher”

photo credit: Digital Sextant What really bugs me is someone who makes a remark before you are ready to hit your golf shot. Remarks like, “come on knock it in,” “you da man,” “Ok it's up to you big guy,” “you can do it,” “we need this one,” and the grand-daddy of them all “knock it straight down the middle.” Do these comments really help? Not on your life.

Most remarks such as those are well meaning but totally uncalled for. If I wasn't trying my best (like most playeres are) I wouldn't be on the golf course in the first place. I don't need a peanut gallery to cheer me on, in fact, it is terribly distracting. I can't figure out why players do this, can you?

Take The Wide Side

photo credit: lrargerich For some players, aiming directly at the pin can be a big mistake, doing so will keep your handicap exactly where it is. Lately, pin placement next to the edges of the green has become common-place. This type of placement will cause most players to miss the green time after time.

It's a lot simpler to improve your putting than it is to improve your approach play. It's much more difficult to “stick” a pin shot than it is to two putt from 30 ft. Golf is a game of odds. You can improve your odds by aiming for the wide side rather than going directly at the pin. Doing so requires discipline but the real payback is much lower scores.

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