Archive | August, 2011

Principles of Accurate Chipping

Posted on 31 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY JACK MOOREHOUSE

Here’s a question I sometimes ask when giving a golf lesson. What do pro golfers Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, and Sergio Garcia all have in common? Answer: They don’t hit into trouble often, but when they do, their short games save them, and accurate chipping is one of the most potent weapons in their short game. In fact, most players with low golf handicaps chip accurately.

The chip shot is one of the easiest shots to learn in golf. It’s also one of the most crucial. In medal play, accurate chipping can save you one or two strokes on a hole, sometimes more. In match play, it can be the difference between winning or losing a hole or a match. And in player rankings, it’s often what separates players with high golf handicaps from those with low ones.

Confidence, experience, and imagination all contribute to accurate chipping. But so does good technique. Below are 6 keys to accurate chipping:

  • Decide on a landing spot
  • Use a one-piece takeaway
  • Maintain weight on front side
  • Keep hands ahead of clubhead
  • Hold the clubhead
  • Accelerate the club through the ball

Professional golfers play a wide variety of shots around the green. One player may use a sand wedge to chip with from a certain spot, while another hits a 9 iron from the same spot. Regardless of what club they use, they all pick out a landing spot before hitting the ball, which they play the ball off their left heels.

Picking a landing spot is imperative, as I’ve mentioned in my golf tips. So is using a one-piece takeaway. In fact, it’s as important in chipping as it is in driving. Since the shot is hit mostly with your arms and hands, it requires little or no weight transfer, so place your weight on your front side and keep it there. Also, keep your head still when hitting the ball.

The backswing is important as well. The length determines the length of the shot — the longer the backswing, the longer the shot. Be mindful of your backswing when chipping. Also, take the club back smoothly and slowly, allowing your wrists to hinge naturally.

When committing to the downswing, make sure your hands stay ahead of the clubhead to ensure crisp ball-before-turf contact. The objective is to slide the blade of the clubhead under the ball, taking only a sliver of turf in the process.

Also, don’t allow your right hand to cross over your left through impact. Known as “holding the clubhead,” the technique keeps the clubface open, creating a high shot that lands softly on the ground.

In my golf tips I tell players to finish in balance and with their hands slightly higher than the height of their backswing. Doing so indicates that the golfer has accelerated the clubhead through the ball. The motion is similar to throwing a ball underhanded, which I sometimes have players do in my golf lessons to get a feel for the shot.

Change the Club Drill

The change-the-club drill is an excellent exercise for practicing your chipping. It simulates hitting from the fringe of the green or fairway when your landing spot is about 3 feet away, but the ball needs to roll about 15 feet or more. The idea is to hit various clubs with the same motion to learn reaction and distance. It’s a golf lesson in itself.

Choose a green that’s a challenge. Maybe it has some valleys in it or maybe a significant side slope. Then pick a spot about five feet off the green and drop a ball. Set one club about two and a half feet behind the ball and another club about two and a half feet in front of the ball to give you an idea of distance. With the identical motion hit chip shots with each of four clubs — the sand wedge, 9 iron, 7 iron, and 5 iron.

After hitting the ball you’ll notice that the ball runs father as the clubs get lower and lower. Pick the club that will land the ball about two to three feet on the green and run the rest of the way to the hole. Remember to factor in slope and/or the speed of the green when selecting a club.

Using different clubs will give you a better feel for which club runs the ball farther and which lands softly and stops, making club selection somewhat easier next time you play.

Keep practicing this drill until you can get within a foot of the pin every time. By then, you should start seeing the benefits of accurate chipping not only in better scores but also in a lower golf handicap. And that will keep you practicing for better results.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the bestselling book How to Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that was able to figure out the secrets of shooting in the 70s on a consistent basis without quitting his day job. Jack has helped thousands of golfers worldwide lower their handicaps immediately.

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Finding the Right Golf Equipment is Important

Posted on 30 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY BRIAN JOHANSSON

The game of golf is one that encompasses many different facets. One must be focused, courteous and be well trained in his skill. The latter must be crafted by practice and using the right tools that can bring out the best result of your skill. In no way does equipment define the player, but it can refine the overall result. Almost any professional will stress that it is hard to project your best effort without the right tools.

Finding the right tools is not as easy as just dropping a large amount of money at a pro shop. There are some things you should know when you are choosing your equipment that will make a big difference.

Many amateur golfers will stress that getting the best equipment for the least price is key. As you refine your skill, you refine your tools to perpetuate your game. An expensive set of clubs will never ensure a better score. Taking the time to select all of your equipment will be well spent if you do it correctly. Begin your search by visiting a couple of local golf shops and inquire your desire for equipment. Make sure to throw your existing equipment in the trunk of your car, because this way you can compare your old stuff with some of what they can offer you. Good shops have a practice range set up so that you can demo clubs.

If your drive is what you are looking to improve, first look at only drivers. Swing with your old club and then try three recommended clubs. Correcting your slice or distance could come from two very different clubs. Treat every club the same. You may only need a new 9 iron for chipping. Buying a full set of brand new Ping clubs could hurt your game more than it helps. Stay with what works and go from there. People who work in pro shops are avid and fellow players; there is a lot of free advice that you can get from people who work in these shops.

The main reason to buy a brand new set of clubs is that you are proficient with your existing set of clubs and simply want to extend your game. This is an uncommon situation for most amateurs, and it is a common mistake to simply buy a new set of clubs. If you separate your game into three parts (long, middle and short game), you will be able to start dissecting what you really need to improve.

Brian Johansson writes for Find-golf-equipmentonline.info.

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Dealing with Water: Know the Rules

Posted on 29 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY JACK MOOREHOUSE

Water hazards probably account for more penalty strokes than anything else in golf. But water hazards — as dealt with under Rule 26 — often lead to controversy when interpreting the rule. So I’m careful to review the topic in my golf lessons and discuss it in my golf tips.

The controversy stems from interpreting where the ball last crossed the water’s edge. Since the decision affects where you take a drop, it makes sense to have a good understanding of the rule, especially if a match is on the line or you’re working on a personal best.

The Rules

Golf’s rules define a water hazard as “any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface draining ditch, or other open water course (whether or not containing water), and anything of a similar nature.” Courses mark water hazards with yellow stakes and lines. But the rules don’t stop there, as I mention in my golf tips and during my golf lessons; they also discuss a lateral water hazard.

The rules define a “lateral water hazard” as part of a water hazard “so situated that it is not possible, or is deemed by the committee to be impracticable, to drop a ball behind the water hazard in accordance with Rule 26-1b.” In other words, it’s a water hazard that doesn’t lie between the tee and the green. The course marks these off by red stakes or lines.

The Remedies

If you hit into water you do one of four things:

1. You can play the ball as near as possible to the spot from which the original ball was played.

2. You can drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the ball entered the water’s edge, directly behind the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped. There’s no limit to how far back the ball may be dropped, as long as the point of crossing lies between the drop and the hole.

3. You can play the ball as it lies in the water hazard.

4. If a ball goes into a lateral water hazard, you can drop a ball away from the hazard but within two club lengths of the point from which the ball last crossed the water. However, the ball can’t come to rest any closer to the hole than the point at which the original ball crossed the hazard.

The Controversy

A major source of controversy is establishing where the ball last crossed the hazard, not where the ball entered the water, which could be relevant in situations in which where a ball lands on the ground, then rolls back into the water.

The easiest way to deal with this type of problem is to determine the point where the ball was last on, or over, dry land, before it crossed the hazard. Next, determine if the point is between the red or yellow stakes. If it is, you can decide on the best course of action from that spot.

The additional dropping option for a lateral water hazard, however, means that the ball can sometimes be dropped on either side of the hazard, as long as it is within two club lengths of where the ball crossed the edge of the hazard and no closer to the hole. That can make a difference when you finally determine where to drop the ball. Unfortunately, no golf instruction can help you make that decision.

Hitting out of the water is rarely an option — and it’s not a choice I recommend in my golf lessons and golf tips — but it has been known to happen. Payne Stewart chose to play the ball from a water hazard during the final hole of his 1989 Ryder Cup Match with Jose Maria Olazabal. The attempt failed and he lost the hole and the match. Think carefully before choosing this option.

Grounding the Club

If a player chooses to hit from the water hazard, he or she can’t ground the club at any stage of address. Grounding the club may be unintentional, but it’s still a breach of the rules and subjects the player to a penalty — two-strokes in medal play and the loss of the hole in match play. The rule resembles that covering the grounding of a club in a bunker.

Knowing the rules governing water hazards won’t necessarily lower your golf handicap. But it will give you an idea of your remedies next time you hit into the water. Since you can be penalized for violating the rules, think carefully before deciding. If you’re in a tournament and you’re confused about what to do, don’t hesitate to talk with officials.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the bestselling book How to Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that was able to figure out the secrets of shooting in the 70s on a consistent basis without quitting his day job. Jack has helped thousands of golfers worldwide lower their handicaps immediately.

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“Common Golf Knowledge” can Destroy Your Golf Game

Posted on 28 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY BEN THROCKMORTON

Common Knowledge just might be hindering you from improving your swing, causing you major frustration and higher scores.

There is a lot of well meaning golf instruction in the marketplace today that simply will not help your game; in fact a lot of what’s out there will hinder you as you try to improve your golf.

Controversial? Probably, but I think the positives of letting people know the truth about some of the misinformation out there will far outweigh any industry fall-out that I might receive from those instructors with stepped-on toes.

When David Leadbetter or any other of a host of golf instruction gurus tells his touring professional student to “delay the rotation of the left hip,” or to “increase the width of your swing at the top,” or to “delay the release as long as possible,” or any other “flavor of the day” type golf tips, he or she is talking with someone who is a professional, who practices hours on end, and who has an unbelievably acute feel for their own golf swing. This person also plays golf for a living. This is a completely different scenario than trying to teach a low, mid, or high handicap player or beginner. These types of tips can absolutely wreak havoc on your golf swing.

Golf is a difficult game to play at the highest levels, but, having said that, it is not a complicated game to play. Most modern day instruction is hard for me to understand and I’ve been teaching the game for 20 years. In order to excel, you have to free your mind of complicated mechanical thoughts and learn to simply swing the golf club. Until you change the way you think about playing the game, change the fundamental way you look at golf instruction, and realize that you have to forget mechanics, you’ll never play up to your full potential as a golfer.

“Forget mechanics,” you ask, “why that’s all I think about.” I can hear your mind racing now: “Start the club back online, turn don’t sway, pull down with the left hand to start the down swing, transfer my weight to my left foot, roll my wrists at impact, head behind the ball.” YIKES! How can you even take the club back with all these mechanical thoughts you’ve picked up over the years racing through your head?

The answer to my question is… you can’t! You simply cannot swing the club effectively with all that garbage running through your mind, distracting you from what’s most important.

It’s sad, but absolutely true that thousands of people quit the game we all love every year, most out of sheer frustration.

If you have fallen into this trap of believing that mechanical tips, swing analysis, and pounding golf ball after golf ball on the driving range are the answers to your problems, you are destined to be frustrated forever. Golf should be fun not frustrating and when you learn to forget mechanics and start playing the game via feel and sight, it will be fun and you’ll shoot better scores. I guarantee it!

“How do I do that,” you ask?

First you have to be able to differentiate fact from fiction when reading, listening to, or watching golf instruction.

Next, you have to forget all the theories, mechanical thoughts, and myths and focus on what is important to your game.

That’s right, I said your game, not Tiger’s, not Phil’s, not Big John’s but yours. Focus on the things that are important for you to play better. Focus on your swing path and the moment of truth: Impact. Tie swing path and impact into your target-line and you’re well on your way to longer, straighter shots, and lower scores.

Ben Throckmorton is a former Class A Member of the PGA of America with 20 years of teaching experience. He is the author of the very successful How to Break 90 in 3 Easy Lessons, a groundbreaking multimedia golf instruction series that has helped golfers around the world in their quest to shoot lower scores.

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Intimidated by Golf

Posted on 27 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY CHUCK EVANS

Most of us play golf with others and usually with players of the same caliber. But as long as we play golf there will always be players that hit it longer, straighter, hole more putts, and manage the course better than we do.

I see the majority of players get intimidated by their playing partners and then they try to do things they simply are not capable of.

One player “A” hits a comfortable 8 iron 150 yards and player “B” uses a 5 iron for the same distance. It won’t take long for player “B” to start trying to hit their irons farther — and because they are now out of their comfort zone their scores and accuracy suffer.

 

A prime example of this is former British Open Champion, Ian Baker-Finch. This player was world class and was playing great golf when he won the British Open but soon after, rumor has it, thought he should be hitting it farther. His quest turned into a nightmare; he completely “lost” the game that had won him the Open! His accuracy was completely gone and he no longer had any idea where the ball was going!

After struggling for a few years and NOT finding his way back he simply retired from competitive golf rather then play golf like most of the golf world does. When you have played golf at this high of a level it is extremely difficult to come to terms that you have lost what you’ve had.

Can players hit the ball farther without giving up accuracy? Of course, but there ARE limits to this. Once of those limits is the players physical make-up. If you have the flexibility of Craig Stadler but are trying to swing like Davis Love then that is NOT going to work. You will have to rely on building speed into what you DO have.

Find a fitness trainer and work on your flexibility, see IF you can add more length to your swing BUT always under control. Think of it like this: Your body is the foundation for the golf stroke — just like a sturdy home must have a study foundation — if you overload your foundation then structure will collapse. So don’t try to overload your physical structure. Build a precision golf stroke based on what you CAN do, NOT what you can’t do!

Chuck Evans is one of only 31 teachers in the world to hold the designation Doctorate in Golf Stroke Engineering. He is highly sought after by both players and other teachers and is known as the Teacher of Teachers! He has appeared on golf talk shows, written and published instructional articles in local, regional, and national golf publications, and his DVD, 60 Days to Game Improvement, has sold in excess of 10,000 copies and his eBook, How to Build YOUR Golf Swing, is in the library of amateurs and teaching professionals alike.

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Think Your Way to Single Figure Handicaps

Posted on 26 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY ANTHONY BRYAN

When you stand on the first tee, whether it be a Saturday morning four-ball or a medal round, or something a little more serious than that, what is the main thought in your head?

Your really shouldn’t be thinking about how thirsty you’ll be at the end of the round and the cold beer is going to taste just great, should you? Perhaps you had a great Friday night, and the tail end of it still lingers in the mind! So, just what should be in your mind? If you don’t know then your golfing life could be quite miserable.

Did you arrive 15 or 20 minutes before your tee time, or have you rushed to the club just in time to make the slot with your name on it? If the latter, again your golfing life will be jaded, to say the least!

Why am I saying this? Because I’ve been there and done it. So this is the voice of experience saying: Clear your mind of everything and concentrate on your golf.

Now, you’re on the first tee, you’ve pulled the driver out of the bag and the tee is in the ground with a Dunlop 65 on it (yes, it’s brand new !) and this is the first shot of the round. Did you line up correctly? Are you standing with the feet pointing in the right direction — not slightly off line because that will not only affect your swing path, but could cause you to slice or hook the ball. Are your shoulders in line with your feet? Did you check all these LITTLE things?

You see, golf is not a game of brawn, but mainly of brain. You must THINK! Never worry about distance, because if you try to hit the ball hard, you could move your body from the correct plane, causing all sorts of problems. Swing gently (I don’t mean softly) but with a swing that will stay on plane, and you will remain on balance. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying you must think nothing but golf, but concentrating on what you are doing is vitally important.

When you play a shot, try and shut out all noises, conversations with other players, because if you don’t there will be something that will distract you. This will apply to every shot you make whether or not it is with a wood, a long iron, a wedge, or the putter. Concentration is so important I can’t stress it enough.

Golf is such a popular game today, it’s popularity is increasing at an alarming rate, and more and more youngsters are taking it up. I said earlier that this a game of brain, and if you don’t use that little grey matter to think your way round the course, go and take up tiddlywinks.

If you watch the professionals in tournaments they never stop thinking. If you see them in conversation its usually with their caddy, and then it’s not about anything other than the game at hand! If you want to play good golf with good scores, you’ll emulate them and use all your powers of concentration on the next shot — which you should never decide upon until you get to the ball and see how it is lying.

As I say, think your way to lower scores and consequently lower handicaps. After all, that is why we play the game isn’t it — to beat not only our opponent but the course as well!

Tony Bryan is a retired finance director, a single handicap golfer and author of the audio ebook Golf — The Short Game.

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How to Lose Distance

Posted on 25 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY ROBERT PARTAIN

Sometimes, knowing what not to do is easier to understand than knowing what to do. When it comes to power hitting, to putting some distance on that ball, there are certainly a few things that we do not want to do.

Here are a few tips that can help improve your distance:

Do not tee up your ball too low. A lot of players will do this and it hurts their distance before they even hit the ball. When a ball is teed too low, the driver will not be able to sweep under it. Instead, it tends to force a steeper downward hit from the driver. Newer drivers have a larger sweet spot and the sweet spot is higher up the face than it was several years ago. What you want to do is tee the golf ball up with at least half the ball above the top of the driver head.

Check your stance width. Often, too narrow a stance will hinder a player’s balance. If your balance is off your power will decrease. If you are driving, your feet should be about shoulder width apart.

Here’s one that I had to learn myself — the hard way. Check your hands. If you keep your hands too close to your body you’ll create a narrow arc on the backswing. This will certainly hinder your distance. If you discover you have this problem, take some time on the practice range and move your hands out (away from your body). This will feel awkward at first, but stick with it, and your distance will improve greatly. This same problem can happen if you keep the club too close to your body on the take away. The best way to know if you’re doing this or not is to ask a buddy to watch you and report back what he sees.

Ball position is very important. If your ball is about centered in your driving stance, it’s too far back. You need to be playing that ball off your left heel.

Do not flip your hands at impact. Some golfers do this routinely and it decreases their power and their distance. Keep those hands cocked.

Do not ‘sway’ during your downswing. Swaying your hips decreases the amount of energy that you can deliver to the ball at impact. To keep the power, move the hip slightly in a lateral movement, and start the club down, with the right arm tighter into the body. This, too, takes some practice, but it is well worth the time and effort.

And lastly, do not do the reverse pivot jig. A reverse pivot is when the weight tends to go towards the front leg on the backswing, rather than to the back leg. Having your weight go forward will all but cripple your ability to power through the ball and get that extra distance.

These are just some of the things we should not do, but it’s enough for now.

Robert Partain has been an avid golfer for over 40 years. He publishes a golf blog that is updated 4 times a week with golf tips, techniques, and information.

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YellowGolfBalls

5 Reasons to Play Yellow Balls

Posted on 24 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY TODD ROBINSON

1. They play exactly the same as any other ball.

2. When you hit the middle of the fairway with your driver, as you walk up to your ball you have to admit it’s a pretty good feeling, if you have a yellow ball, you get that feeling longer because your mind knows that it is your ball sooner than when you have to walk all the way to it to KNOW it’s your ball.

3. No one ever “picks up” or hits the yellow ball by mistake.

4. Yellow balls are easier to find when you hit them in the woods.

5. Yellow balls are less than $20 for 15.

I started using them this year after I found one on the course and played the rest of the round with it, and there is no turning back. If you can get past the initial “rookie” look of the yellow ball, I can assure you that anyone who tries a yellow ball will see the difference. I actually went to the golf shop from the golf course to buy a box. When I arrived at Golfsmith and asked if they had yellow Noodles, the guy told me they don’t exist. I tried to convince him that I had just used one; after he spoke to the other guy, he assured me they did not exist. He was right; the ball I had played was a Dunlop Loco. I wound up purchasing 2 boxes of Pinnacle Gold in yellow for $14.99 for a box of 15. The Pinnacle ball winds up being even better (in my humble opinion) than the Loco. Don’t get me wrong; I was never a big proponent of all the hype about golf balls. I have been playing golf for 20 years and can honestly say I never purchased a box of balls that cost more than $25 a box.

I guess I consider myself an above average player. On a good day I’ll shoot in the low 70s, low 80s on a bad day, which makes me a 4 handicap. It always amazed me how you would see people spending $40 on a box of balls but don’t have the ability to take advantage of the technology that they are paying for. With the average golfer’s score being somewhere around 100, most golfers would be much better served investing money into golf improvement. One other word of warning: Be prepared for the wisecracks from your buddies. After I won a few friendly matches with my yellow ball, the wisecracks stopped.

Todd C. Robinson is an avid golfer with a 4 handicap and the webmaster of the All Golf website.

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Playing Tournament Golf

Posted on 23 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY CHUCK EVANS

Playing golf with your Sunday group is a completely different “animal” than playing and preparing for golf tournaments.

First there is no pressure when playing with your group of regulars. You all generally shoot the same scores, have the same handicap and get out to enjoy the surroundings. If you miss a putt it may cost you some “skin” money or a beverage of choice but you will see these guys again next week.

Tournament play on the other hand is unique. Instead of three players trying to beat you, like your regular group, there are 125 players all trying to do the same thing… WIN the tournament!

Winning a golf tournament is a combination of skill and luck. You could hit a great shot, have it hit a sprinkler head and then kick out of bounds! Or you could hit your tee shot into the trees and have it kick back in the fairway!

But preparing for a tournament takes time, if done properly, but gives you an edge when the “bell” rings.

Practice rounds for example are just that — practice. In preparation for your tournament you need to know exact yardages to the front, center and back of the greens. How far is the trouble off the tee? What club would you hit to leave the ball short of the trouble?

Have you considered charting the greens? Divide the green into 4 quadrants then chart the breaks, grain, and any slopes. The pin will be in one of these quadrants during the tournament so wouldn’t it be great to know beforehand where to hit your approach shot and then HOW the putts break?

Players need to develop a strategy and then STICK to their game plan! You develop that game plan during your practice rounds. For instance, if you decide to hit an iron off the tee on a par 4 or par 5 then KEEP to that strategy, don’t fall victim to what other players are doing.

In fact, during the practice round hit a couple of different clubs off the tee to see which one gives you the best opportunities and play to YOUR strengths.

I have seen many Major Championships lost because of the ball OVER curving. Yes, the player hits a draw normally and then under pressure hits a duck hook resulting in either a shot that now cannot reach the green or even worse… a penalty shot of some kind.

Take your time and chart the course, find yardages from every possible location — you may NOT hit the fairway on every hole so know what the yardages to the greens are from these locations AND what shot options you are going to have.

Take these tips and apply them and you will see a difference the next time the “bell” rings!

Chuck Evans is one of only 31 teachers in the world to hold the designation Doctorate in Golf Stroke Engineering. He is highly sought after by both players and other teachers and is known as the Teacher of Teachers! He has appeared on golf talk shows, written and published instructional articles in local, regional, and national golf publications, and his DVD, 60 Days to Game Improvement, has sold in excess of 10,000 copies and his eBook, How to Build YOUR Golf Swing, is in the library of amateurs and Teaching Profesional alike.

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Cut 6 Shots Off Your Score!

Posted on 22 August 2011 by HumanGolf

BY ANTHONY BRYAN

There is only one way to lower your golf score and consequently your handicap. Regardless of what others may tell you, the only place where shots are regularly lost is on and around the greens.

You know it, because you’ve been close to the green in two (whether you arrived there via the fairway or the short rough) but its taken you three, perhaps four or more to hole the ball on that par 4.

It’s so unnecessary. There is a logical, simplistic, approach to “The Short Game” of golf. You must be more efficient on and around the greens. It’s essential that you have a good “short game” so that you can turn good golf into good scores.

You’ll not only get a tremendous advantage from this, but, I promise you, also much lower scores. After all, that is what we want don’t we?

You’ve got to stop assessing the next shot and the club selection before you get to the ball. Don’t think, “Oh, that’s a wedge,” and then when you get there automatically play the shot without further thought.

Do you go and look at the green?

Do you walk around the ball, looking at the way the ground slopes — if it does?

Are you in light rough or on the apron?

Do you consider running the ball to the hole instead of putting it in the air?

I could go on, but I think you’ve got the picture now!

Remember the old saying, “You drive for show — but putt for dough.” Does your putting consistently let you down? Do you go to the practice putting green before you play, or do you just play for fun and enjoy the company of your golfing friends regardless of how badly you play and hold up their round while you scratch around like a rabbit?

Putting is an almost exact science. You do know, don?t you, that the swing path of the putter is nearly always slightly inside to straight through — never straight back and straight through. I say nearly always because there is the odd instance where it is not true, but if you swing it slightly inside to straight through your putting will drastically improve — always assuming you’ve got the distance right!!

I’ve seen so many golfers putting with the left hand glove (right hand if you’re a left handed golfer) still on. You know, the putter’s handle feels so different on flesh as opposed to through leather. But, like any shot the ball only feels the club face. So to get the ball to perform the way you want it to, the putter has to perform correctly, and the only thing that controls the face of the club is the way you hold it.

I know it’s basic to say watch the club face hit the ball, but we’re always anxious to see where the ball has gone, so the tendency to lift the head too soon is always with us. Control that tendency and topping the ball will disappear.

Did you know there are no less than 19 problems you can encounter on and around the greens? Each one requires thought and concentration. Don’t be distracted. If someone is talking, wait for them to stop. Yes, I know that in the Saturday morning 4 ball its difficult, but not impossible.

Think about your golf — it’s worth it!

Tony Bryan is a retired finance director, a single handicap golfer and author of the audio ebook Golf — The Short Game.

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