Published Golf Articles

The Importance of Posture

The “set-up” in golf refers to grip, stance, alignment and posture. Most golfers ignore the importance of a proper set-up, focusing primarily on the swing itself. Unfortunately, the swing can only be as good as the foundation it begins from. A proper set-up helps us to achieve good direction, trajectory, contact and distance. These are the things most players are concerned with!

Let’s discuss proper posture. The posture in the golf set-up should be like other athletic endeavors. In other words, envision the “ready position” for receiving a serve in tennis, fielding a ball in softball or baseball or standing at the edge of the pool ready to dive in. The hips are flexed enough so that the arms can hang naturally in front of the body, not at the side. The weight is positioned in the middle or the ball of the foot not flatfooted and dug in with the heels, and the knees feel light and bouncy. In other words, the body is ready to move and be active!

With good posture we can make a balanced golf swing, easily shifting our weight to the right foot in the backswing and then back to the left foot in the downswing. (for a righthanded golfer) This proper weight shift increases our chances of making good consistent, contact with the golf ball.

So, if you are having inconsistencies in your golf game before working on your swing, check your set-up position as it relates to posture. It may take a simple little adjustment to yield big results!

Don’t overlook the importance of a good grip!

The grip is a crucial part of our golf set-up. The grip has four components including positioning, placement, precision, and pressure.

. Positioning means the way we have our hands rotated either right of left of the center of the grip. For a right-handed player, turning the hands slightly to the right of center so that 2 knuckles of the left hand are showing is considered neutral. A turn slightly more to the right where three knuckles would show is considered strong. From center if we turn slightly to the left so that one knuckle shows the grip is weak. A half-inch turn in the wrong direction can be enough to produce a 30-yard hook or slice!
Placement means how far up or down on the handle the hands are placed. Choking up or down changes the effective length of the club and therefore changes the distance the ball will go. For each inch you choke down 10 yards of distance will be lost.
Precision simply means placing the hands in the exact same way each time. Consistency in your shots can only be attained if the grip is done identical every time.

4. Pressure refers to how light or firm you hold the club. Most golfers grip the club much too tight. This leads to a variety of problems including topped shots, lack of distance and slicing the ball. Practice holding the club with a light grip and the difference can be amazing!

Remember the grip is responsible for direction, distance, contact and consistency so always begin and end with checking your grip.

Club fitting variables

There are a few variables important for properly fitting golf equipment: length, grip size, shaft flex and lie. Here are the reasons they matter.

Length. The length of a golf club should not only be determined by a person’s height and arm hang, but also their ability to hit solid golf shots. The longer shaft one can handle and still hit quality shots, the farther the ball will go. In terms of length one inch longer equals 10 yards farther.
Grip size. Grip size is important for comfort, but also for proper rotation of the clubhead during the swing. A grip that is too big can cause the golfer difficulty in releasing which leaves shots weak, high and to the right for the right-handed player. A grip too small can have the opposite effect, causing the golfer to release too early, taking off loft and curving the ball left.
Shaft flex. The most important part of the club is the flex of the shaft. The amount of flex you need is determined by the speed in which you swing the club. Slower swings need more flexible shafts and faster swings need stiffer shafts. The flex of the shaft gives the ball the right trajectory. Shafts that are too stiff will tend to make the ball go low and right, whereas shafts that are too flexible will tend to make the ball go high and either left or right. In general flex is available in men’s stiff, regular, senior, and ladies. (Many companies now realizing that not every woman is the same have developed more choices in ladies shafts). What’s important is matching the shaft to your swing speed, not the other way around!
Lie. Lie is the angle in which the shaft comes out of the head. In general, lies can be adjusted upright, standard and flat. Proper lie is important when hitting the club off the turf. It will affect the initial direction of the ball. Lie cannot be measured at set-up, only at impact. Hitting off a lie board with tape on the bottom side of the iron assures proper lie angle. Hitting towards the heel of the club means the club is too upright, while hitting out towards the toe can mean the lie angle is too flat.

Remember, properly fit equipment gives each of us the ability to reach our potential and should make the game just a little bit easier, especially for those playing regularly!

Take the easiest route to lowering your score!

The short game makes up nearly 70 % of the shots we take out on the golf course. That said it is usually the first place to examine if lowering the score is your goal!

Generally, the short game is made up of putts, chips and pitches. A small improvement in each area can add up to a big difference in score!

Putting: Start by practicing short putts. If you can consistently make the 2-3 foot putts, back up. Try the 10-15 foot putts. See how many out of 10 you can get close enough to the hole to make the second putt a tap in. Last work on the long lag putts. Imagine a hula-hoop around the hole and see how many you can get within that 3-foot circle. The goal should be a two putt every time.

Chipping: Practice both with a lofted club and a less lofted club. You want chips that will hop a little and roll a lot (7 iron) or ones that will hop and roll about the same amount. (PW) Practice short, medium and long distances with both clubs. The goal should be to get in close enough to the pin that there is a reasonable chance to make the putt.

Pitching: Using a lofted club (PW, SW or LW) practice 1/4, ½ and ¾ swings to figure out the distance your ball goes. (Higher handicappers should stick to just one club, while advanced players may have distances figured with all wedges.) Once distances are known, practice on the pitching green from varying distances determining which swing is needed. See how many balls out of 10 you can get on the green. (Initially aiming for the center of the green and then eventually for the flag.)

Remember working on the short game is one of the fastest ways to reduce score! For high handicappers, it’s not unrealistic to lower the score 1-2 shots per hole. For low handicappers, it can really help with overall consistency and scoring.

Proper warm up prior to your round

Warming up prior to playing golf becomes more important the older we get! Hitting a few balls before playing used to suffice, but now I find spending a few extra minutes stretching helps tremendously.

Everyone is different and finding out what works best for you is important…. but here is an idea of some things to do to stretch and warm up your body before playing:

Holding a short iron out in front of your body with palms facing down and on each end of the club bend from the waist and let your arms hang down to stretch your hamstrings (the back of your legs). Hold the club above your head and let your right hand pull it’s end down by your right side to stretch your left shoulder and then repeat on the other side to stretch your right. Hold the club across your chest, take your golf stance and twist back (as if making a backswing) and then twist forward (as if making your follow-through) several times to stretch your trunk.
Use the club as a cane in your right hand and grab your left foot and pull your heel towards your rear end to stretch your quadricep (the front of your leg). Repeat on the other side.
Take a few practice swings with the iron as your normally would….and then take a few as if you are a left handed player (or as a right hander if you normally swing from the left). It helps works opposing muscles in the swing.
Begin hitting a few balls, starting with some ½ swing PW shots and then working up to mid irons, long iron or hybrids, fairway woods and last ending with your driver.
Tee it up and enjoy your round!

Check out all options before playing a bunker shot.

Do you automatically reach for your sand wedge when you get into a greenside bunker? If so, you may be making the shot more difficult than it needs to be!

The first rule in the bunker is to get out in ONE shot. This can be done three ways: by putting, chipping, or hitting a traditional sand shot. The easiest option is with the putter. This requires a low lip and also works great with wet or firm sand. Play the ball a bit further back in the stance then with putting and make a longer stroke than normal.

If putting isn’t feasible, consider chipping. Depending on the height of the lip and the amount of green one has to work with, a 7,8,9 or PW can be used. Again, play the ball back in the stance a bit (so you will be able to hit the ball first and not the sand) and take a slightly longer stroke than if the ball were sitting on the grass.

Lastly, if there is a high lip that requires a shot with a lot of height and little roll, then the sand shot using a sand wedge is required. For this shot, open up the body (aim to the left), open up the clubface (aim it to the right) and take a full swing, hitting the sand a couple of inches behind the ball. The force of the sand will throw the ball onto the green. This shot takes some practice to master, and until it becomes comfortable, consider using the putt or the chip even if it means taking the long way around.

Three steps to hitting the golf ball better!

Let’s face it, everyone is different. However, regardless of age, gender, strength, flexibility, height or weight, hitting the golf ball better is about learning to make consistent contact. Here are three simple steps that can enhance anyone’s swing without trying to remake the wheel!

Step #1 Develop a good pre-shot routine/set-up. This means having a consistent way to approach the ball every time with every shot. It includes alignment to the target, grip, stance, ball position and posture. To me this is the most important factor since it is the foundation of the swing.

Step #2 Relax. This is the biggest problem I see in most of swings I watch during a lesson. Tension is a killer of distance, it affects direction as well contact with the ball. (If you are hitting it short, right or on the top I’m talking to you!) Many times the tension starts in the shoulders and works its way down into the arms and hands so taking a breath and letting the shoulders relax can be key.

Step #3 Make a smooth balanced swing. When the swing is smooth and in balance it is much easier to make good contact with the ball consistently. Why? Physics. Try and hit a small little ball with a relatively small clubface while falling backwards, forwards or to the side and your chances decrease. Additionally, the smoother you are the more likely you are to use your body parts in the correct order (timing) which also increases consistency! As a drill see if you can hold onto your follow-thru position until the ball hits the ground. If so, the chances that you were smooth and balanced are pretty good!

Five ways to replace your old habits with new ones!

Most people want instant results when they make a change in their golf swing.

Whether you are working on a new pre-shot routine, a different grip, or something more difficult such as weight shift….making a change takes time and patience.

Even though we’ve all heard the old adage about “breaking” a bad habit, that is actually a misconception. Habits cannot be “broken”, they can only be replaced with new habits!

Here are the 5 easiest ways to help you replace your old habits with new ones:

Practice. This means spending some time either on the practice range or at home repeating what it is you’re trying to achieve. The more you practice the sooner the change happens. (Don't forget playing golf doesn't count as practice!)
Make practice perfect. Have you heard the saying practice makes perfect? Well I believe that only perfect practice makes perfect! If you are practicing it over incorrectly you aren't getting anywhere! (Depending on what you’re working on, practicing it correctly may be easier without a ball. Sometimes making practice swings just using a tee is the easiest way to learn to make the correct swing.)
When you play, just play. Save the thinking for practice sessions. If you don’t see results when you play you need more practice.
Be patient with yourself. Don’t expect miracles. Give yourself time and if you’re practicing consistently and correctly you should start seeing results.
Think positive. You can be your biggest ally or your biggest enemy! Use your brain to help your game by visualizing what you want instead of what you don’t want!

Topping the ball

One of the most common problems new golfers have is topping the ball. Instead of lofting up into the air, a topped shot will roll along the ground and consequently not go very far in the process. Unfortunately topping the ball tends to be a catch 22 of sorts. The more a person tops the ball the more desperate they become in trying to lift the ball up, usually making the problem worse.

In learning to loft the ball into the air one needs to learn to let the “club do the work”. The club head is built with loft on the face, which is what gets the ball in the air. Our job as the person swinging the club is to allow the bottom of the club to “swish” through the grass. This sounds easier then it is. For successful practice, choose a high numbered iron: 7,8,9, PW. Take a few ½ swings (approximately waist high) with a light grip and relaxed arms letting the head of the club feel heavy in your hands. The heavier it feels the easier it will reach the ground when you are swinging it. Once you are allowing the club to brush the grass try the same drill with a tee. If the club is swishing the tee and knocking it over you are ready for the ball. Tee the ball up and try the same drill, ½ swing with no tension. To get the ball in the air the bottom of the club needs to be hitting the tee so the ball will be hitting the center of the club or the sweet spot. As this begins to work consistently start teeing the ball lower and lower until the ball is sitting on the grass. Don’t get frustrated if hitting without the tee is difficult. The first step is to be able to do it most every time using the tee.

Remember as you gain confidence, relaxing becomes easier and pretty soon topping the ball becomes an occasional miss instead of the norm.

Expedient play makes golf more fun for everyone!

Golf is a great game for many reasons, but one of my favorites is the fact that you’re really playing against the golf course and yourself. Unlike many sports such as tennis or racquetball where having a partner of equal ability makes it much more fun for both parties, in golf players of different abilities can play together and fully enjoy the experience of being on the course. That is IF everyone moves along efficiently (and knows some general etiquette.)

The game of golf is more enjoyable for everyone if it moves along efficiently. This doesn’t mean you have to feel rushed or hurried while hitting your shot. It simply means no matter what the situation is, you prepare yourself for your next shot before it’s your turn. On the tee box this means when someone else is hitting you are checking yardage and deciding which club you will use next and if possible you have that club out and are taking a practice swing if needed. On the fairway once you have hit the shot, fill the divot and then get in the cart, perhaps even waiting to replace the headcover, wipe the club, or return it to the bag until the next stop, especially if you are not the driver of the cart. Near the green it may mean bringing a couple of clubs with you to chip with, (in addition to your putter) if you’re not sure of which one you might need, rather then having to make another trip back to the cart. On the green it means contemplating the break, line or speed of your putt while others are putting, and knowing who you follow so that when it’s your turn you’re ready to go. Even remembering to tend or take out the flagstick for your group if you’re closest to the hole and will be last to putt can save some time. And last remember not to mark your scorecard until you get to the next tee box.

Remember little things add up to lots of time over the course of a round! It’s not about rushing your shot….it’s about preparing ahead of time so you’re ready to go when it’s your turn. That makes all the difference in the world to those you’re playing with! (And those behind you as well!)

Thanks but no thanks!

One of the biggest complaints I get from my students is the unwarranted advice they get from playing partners while in the middle of a round of golf. It’s only natural for people to want to help those who look like they need help! But although it’s well intentioned, it’s rarely useful. Why? Not because it is necessarily bad advice, but that it is offered at the wrong time….during the game.

Golf is no different from any other sport, the time for thinking and practicing needs to be done prior to playing. In many sports there isn’t the time to think about the “how to” during the game. Shooting a basketball, throwing a baseball, or hitting a tennis ball is done instinctively during a game because it happens so quickly. In golf because the ball is stationary we have the ability to let ourselves think about the “how to” at times we shouldn’t!

So, what is the best way to help your golf buddies (or yourself!) on the golf course during a bad round? Encourage them to relax and swing easy…perhaps use their favorite club or at least one that is most forgiving and work it out after the round on the driving range. Stay away from talking about the mechanics (what to do with their head, knee, arm, etc.). That will only make them over think, tense up and get more frustrated!

Even the best players in the world have bad days on the course. But, you don’t see the professional golfers using a cell phone to call their instructor from the middle of a round! They complete the round and then head to the driving range to work out the issues there.

Remember, everyone has bad days on the golf course, but as the old saying goes: “a bad day on the course is better then the best day at work”! Keep that in mind next time you become frustrated and it may just give you the attitude adjustment you need to relax!