Tension Trouble

photo credit: foxypar4   When some golfers want to hit the ball farther they tend to tense up and swing harder.  Nothing could be more injurious for more shot distance.  Tension is the root of all bad golf shots.

It starts with the grip.  You should hold the club lightly enough so that someone can gradually pull it from your grasp.  Your upper body must also remain relaxed.  Prior to your shot, inhale deeply, taking four or five deep breaths to relax your upper body.  To relax your legs try bouncing slightly up and down by flexing your knees.  This will keep them relaxed and useful during the swing.  For maximum swing results you must remain relaxed over the ball and during your swing at all times.

The Feel of a Good Swing

photo credit: nsaplayer   How should a good swing really feel?  A.  Address – keep weight on the insides of both feet.  B.  Waggle – a mini swing that relieves tension and duplicates the actual swing.  C.  Backswing - the shoulders start the backswing by pushing the arms back, followed by the hips.  The lead knee turns slightly away from the target, the lead heel rolls inward.  D.  Top – Weight should be loaded on rear foot, club is near or close to parallel.  E.  Downswing - started by the hips and legs.  F.  Impact – Weight move from rear to lead foot.  Lead foot flattens, rear foot comes up on toes.  G.  Finish – weight on lead side, body facing target (maintain position until ball lands).

Competition

photo credit: OCVA   Competition is what the game of golf is really all about.  It unleashes the competitive spirit, if not against the opponent, against the golf course.  Playing against the course is the first goal but when a wager is added in the mix, it then becomes you against your opponent.

Many golfers get so caught up in the match against the opponent that they forget their main job which is to score against the golf course.  The winners on the PGA Tour are focused on playing well against the course.  The winner of any tournament is always the player who played the course for 72 holes better than anyone else played it.

Next time you make a wager, play the course and not your opponent.

Chipping With the Hybrid

photo credit: mrnoy9n   One of the most popular shots on the PGA Tour is the hybrid or five-wood, chip shot.  This is the ideal shot when faced with a fluffy lie, just off the green, with plenty of green between the golf ball and the pin. 

With a conventional chip-shot, it would be very easy to catch  the ball a bit heavy and leave the ball half-way to the cup.  With a hybrid or five-wood, the clubhead simply glides  through the grass. 

TIPS:  1)  Play it like a putt, choke down and address the ball as you would a putt.   2)  Keep the clubhead low throughout the swing.  3)  Make sure to carry the ball over the fringe, once on the green it will run just like a putt.  4)  Use your normal putting grip.

Tour Pros & Compression

photo credit: kevindooley   Why do Tour Pros get maximum spin, height and distance on their shots?  Answer:  They know how to compress the golf ball.  

Your hands must stay ahead of the ball at impact, that’s what the Tour Pros are so good at.  To practice this, take a 5 or 6 iron, feel like you are hitting a low punch shot and emphasize your hands being ahead of the clubhead at the bottom of each swing.  Fact:  you don’t have to hit “up” on the ball to get trajectory.  Keeping your hands ahead at impact, compresses the ball, which creates spin, height and distance.  At your next PGA Event, listen for the sound of their (Tour players) shots. . . now that is compression !

Hitting From Hardpan

photo credit: eMaringolo   Chipping from hardpan can be a relatively difficult shot if you do not know exactly how to play it.  To make this type of shot less difficult play the ball back in your stance.  Make sure that the heel of your club is off the ground which can be done by standing closer to the ball.  The shaft should be perpendicular to the ground. 

Swing with a putting stroke and make sure you keep the clubface square to the target.  It is critical that you make contact with the ball first without scuffing the ground behind the ball.  Hitting behind the ball will bounce the club into the ball and ruin the shot.  Keep your lower body completely still and swing primarily with your arms as you would in putting.

Splitting the Center

photo credit: SignalPAD   The game of golf is not meant to be played from the rough, bunkers, sand traps, lateral water hazards etc., it is meant to be played from the fairway and it all begins by driving the ball straight down the middle.

Straight Drive Tips: (Right Handers)  (1)  Use a strong grip by slightly turning your right hand more to the right so the V points slightly to the right of your right shoulder.  With a stronger grip your clubface will rotate naturally so that at impact, the clubface is square to the target.  (2)  Keep the clubhead moving along the target line as long as possible.  Make sure you keep your right elbow near your side on the downswing and allow your left arm to come away from your side on the follow-through.

Tilt Your Spine for More Length

photo credit: nsaplayer   For longer tee shots, tilt your spine 10 degrees away from your target during address.  At the point of impact the tilt should increase by 20 degrees.  The spine tilt helps to hit up on the ball and sweep it off the tee.  It will also create greater shot height which promotes distance.

From the top, push off from the right side and begin rotating.  It is critical to shift your weight forward on the downswing by driving your hips towards the target.  When moving through the impact zone the lower part of the spine pushes forward causing the upper part to tilt even further back.  This is the power move that all the big hitters on the PGA Tour use.  Thought Key:  Tilt your spine 10 degrees at address!

The Long Ball

photo credit: danperry.com   A 300 (plus) yard drive is part of the norm on the PGA Tour.  In the days of Palmer and Nicklaus a big hit was 280 yds.  Courses have been forced to make major changes in their length and difficulty and for the average golfer, the championship courses are no longer fun to play.  In many ways the new technology in club design can be blamed but players today are in much better physical condition.

In the Nicklaus and Palmer era a 280 yd. drive was considered a “big hit.”  They did not have the advantage of today’s modern equipment.  It would be extremely interesting to put the equipment used in the 50s and 60s in the hands of today’s tour players.  Would the length of their drives be the same?  I doubt it !

Short Saves

photo credit: cliff1066   What separates PGA Tour players from other golfers,  is their almost magical ability to save par.  Time and time again we’ve seen players in impossible situations somehow knock the ball close to the pin for a one-putt or sink a 15 ft. putt for par.  They certainly aren’t born with these uncanny abilities, they develop them through practice and experience.

TIP:  At the practice range, spend most of your time around the practice green.  Work on your short pitch/chip shots and your putting.  To some, it may not be as much fun as whacking drives 285 yds. but it’s a lot more productive.  Get away from the idea of hitting every club while at the range, if your swinging good it doesn’t matter which club you hit.  For better scores practice your short game.

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