Right Hand Position

photo credit: AmCham Shanghai   Here is a great tip from golf professional Jim McLean:  “One of the least understood elements of the swing is the position of the bottom hand (right hand for right-handers) in the backswing.  Swing your club half way back and stop.  Now open your right hand on the grip.  Your palm should be at a 45 degree angle to the ground, somewhat facing the sky.  This position forces your right elbow down and puts you in a very powerful hitting position.  This is all based on a neutral grip during the address position.”

A good golf swing begins with good technique.  The above tip is one of the best I've ever seen to determine whether you are maintaining the correct clubface position during your backswing !  Remember a good backswing usually means a good golf swing.

Firm Wrists for Pitch and Run

photo credit: Justin Tallaksen   With plenty of green to work with and a good lie in the fairway, it makes no sense to fly the ball to the hole. 

Take out your 8 or 9-iron, play the ball in the middle or just slightly back in your stance and keep your weight and hands forward.  The key here is to pick out a target (landing zone) somewhere on the green.  Take the club straight back (the length of backswing depends on how far you want the ball to go).  Accelerate through the ball and make sure your clubface is pointing at the hole at the top of your follow-through.

It's very important to resist the urge to help the ball with your hands at the moment of impact.  Note:  if your backswing is too long you will tend to decelerate coming through the shot and dump it short.

Dress for the Game

photo credit: Justin Tallaksen   In the early 1900's the game of golf looked much differently than it does now.  It was common for players to wear long sleeve shirts and ties.  Sometimes dress suits, by some, were the order of the day.  Today, it's not uncommon to see players wearing tee-shirts, shorts and golf sandals on courses without dress codes.

You would be surprised how dressing in a spiffy way will improve your game.  It's strange but somehow looking good on the course just makes for lower scores.  If you don't think so, try it.

There are several players on the PGA Tour that are actually flamboyant in their manner of dress.  John Daly, for one, wears color coded pants with fluorescent colored shirts.  In the 1960's it was Doug Sanders that stood out.  Doug had over 600 pairs of golf shoes.

Next time, try dressing up a bit and watch your scores improve.