Mike Wyman
Do you have a friend who is an avid golfer? Most of us can’t understand what the big deal is about smacking a white ball around a field for hours and hours, let alone spending hundreds of dollars each year on golf equipment. So how do you cure this addiction? Here are seven easy to follow steps for someone troubled by this horrible addiction.
Step One: The only known cure for the avid golfer is found in a single place, the golf course. Firstly, it’s the most likely place you’ll find your golfing friend and therefore the best place to start. So, grab a set of clubs and hit the links.
Step Two: Once you’re on the course, the best thing to do is relax and try to enter the mind of your addict. Don’t worry about the world outside, your problems at home, or anything other that enjoying the beautiful outdoors and your golf game. Soon, you will start to understand why your friend is drawn to the course, day after day, week after week.
Step Three: Be sure to take advantage of the refreshment cart, also know as the beer cart. The beer cart is usually staffed by young, attractive females who are noted for serving you with a smile. Most of them sell cigars which help you celebrate your successful intervention with your golf addict.
Step Four: As your finish your round, you will most likely be surprised by how quickly 4 or 5 hours has passed. You will notice that your partner’s clubs were nicer than yours and if you were lucky, you may have even had the chance to try their driver while you played. This step involves a visit to the Pro Shop to get a decent driver for yourself.
Step Five: A visit to the 19th Hole. No golf outing is complete until you’ve socialized for at least one drink at the 19th Hole.
Step Six: You now have a good idea of what is fueling this addiction. You vow to no longer let your friend suffer through their disease on their own. You make plans to tee off tomorrow, same time, same place.
Step Seven: Admit you now are hooked and it’s not so much a disease as it is a passion you share with your friends. This is the easiest step of all but of course requires the first 6 steps to get here. Welcome to the club!
Mike Wyman is co-owner of http://www.dateagolfer.com/ and http://www.puttingforpar.com/
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Practice For Improvement
John Toepel
I would like to focus on the concept of practice. I will tell you what real practice is and how you can practice constructively. You will learn how to practice correctly to lower your scores. These two newsletter will show you the practice that will always help you and what practice will make you continually worse.
Practice is one of the most misunderstood and misused parts of the game of golf.
What is the practice range for? The answer most golfers will give is that the range is the place to perfect the swing. That common misconception has hurt countless golfers. Read on and you’ll learn the PGA Tour practice secrets that will make you a better golfer, I promise.
Practice is one of the most misunderstood concepts in (or out of) golf. "Practice makes perfect" is the old adage -- and it is not true. Perfect practice makes perfect is true. The right kind of practice will make you better; practicing the wrong ideas or even the right ideas in the wrong way will make you worse.
I ask my students to limit their practice of full shots to 25 balls a day.
It is so tempting to go out and hit 250 balls with a driver and think you have done something to improve your swing and your game. Most of the time you can hit the BIG bucket in less than an hour by having at least three balls in the air at all times. This is not productive practice, it is counterproductive practice. It often causes the golfer to “try” things with his swing - and get thoroughly confused. Hitting millions of practice balls may make some golfers better, but it destroys more golfers than it improves. It's reasonable to hit some practice balls and do a lot of putting and pitching practice. However, it's more effective to understand the correct concepts than to be a tireless practicer.
Learn the swing with a practice swing and confirm with a ball
As an aside, the balls you hit before you play are not practice. This is simply warming up and finding out how your shots are going today. Warming up is important because each day is unique and you need to find out how things are going right now and make your game plan accordingly.
To practice your swing, make practice swings at home without a ball for 15 minutes every day. Use a 5- iron and simply swing correctly. This will help your swing become the swing you want. Learn the swing with a practice swing and confirm with a ball. Don’t try to learn the swing by swinging with a ball.
I watched Jimmy Ballard help Dave Hill in January 1977 in Phoenix. Ballard had asked Hill to do something very specific with his swing. Dave kept practice swinging and practice swinging. Finally Ballard asked Hill to hit a ball. Since Ballard hadn't said he was doing the change properly with the practice swing, Hill asked, "Why?" "When I get it right with the practice swing, then I'll hit a ball," Hill told him. That makes perfect sense. The ball is often intimidating, and hitting balls does not promote learning a new thought. Get your thoughts organized, then hit a few balls. Stop trying to hit balls to get your swing right. And if you start hitting shots poorly, stop. Go back to practicing your swing without the ball until you sense that your swing is back on track. Only then should you go back to hitting practice balls.
Why do I ask you to limit your range practice to 25 balls a day? Hitting lots of balls can be very detrimental. A typical golfer goes to the range with the intention of getting better. He hits a few wedges, moves to the mid and longer irons and then on to perfect the dreaded driver. The first few go all right, and then things start to go haywire -- just a little at first, then some real hooks, slices and miss-hit shots. Now he is off to the races. The bad shots create that "What's wrong?" question, which is quickly followed by the really bad thoughts of trying to “fix” the swing that he believes is causing those bad shots.
Now we have a golfer who doesn't understand the swing trying to “fix” what he thinks is wrong with the swing. His knowledge of what went wrong is based entirely on what the bad swing “felt” like. But he may be “fortunate” enough to have a good friend and golfer nearby to give him the answer. This is a formula for real swing trouble -- like the dentist teaching the accountant the golf swing!
This kind of practice sets the golfer back by several years. You can see where this could lead to big problems. This kind of practice can be disastrous for your game. It leads people to tinker with their swing rather than get better at playing the game. The best rule for your swing and your game is to never try to “fix” a “bad shot” swing. Focus on the five fundamentals and let the bad shots go. Just say "whoops" and move on!
John Toepel is a Veteran PGA Tour Player, instructor, author, and professional speaker. He is also the discoverer of Concept Golf, the quickest way to immediate, life-long lasting improvements to anyone's golf game. To learn more about Concept Golf, including the most comprehensive golf instruction system ever, "The Concept Golf Perfect Shot Making System", please visit http://www.conceptgolf.com/PSMS.htm and Discover the Par Golfer in You!
I would like to focus on the concept of practice. I will tell you what real practice is and how you can practice constructively. You will learn how to practice correctly to lower your scores. These two newsletter will show you the practice that will always help you and what practice will make you continually worse.
Practice is one of the most misunderstood and misused parts of the game of golf.
What is the practice range for? The answer most golfers will give is that the range is the place to perfect the swing. That common misconception has hurt countless golfers. Read on and you’ll learn the PGA Tour practice secrets that will make you a better golfer, I promise.
Practice is one of the most misunderstood concepts in (or out of) golf. "Practice makes perfect" is the old adage -- and it is not true. Perfect practice makes perfect is true. The right kind of practice will make you better; practicing the wrong ideas or even the right ideas in the wrong way will make you worse.
I ask my students to limit their practice of full shots to 25 balls a day.
It is so tempting to go out and hit 250 balls with a driver and think you have done something to improve your swing and your game. Most of the time you can hit the BIG bucket in less than an hour by having at least three balls in the air at all times. This is not productive practice, it is counterproductive practice. It often causes the golfer to “try” things with his swing - and get thoroughly confused. Hitting millions of practice balls may make some golfers better, but it destroys more golfers than it improves. It's reasonable to hit some practice balls and do a lot of putting and pitching practice. However, it's more effective to understand the correct concepts than to be a tireless practicer.
Learn the swing with a practice swing and confirm with a ball
As an aside, the balls you hit before you play are not practice. This is simply warming up and finding out how your shots are going today. Warming up is important because each day is unique and you need to find out how things are going right now and make your game plan accordingly.
To practice your swing, make practice swings at home without a ball for 15 minutes every day. Use a 5- iron and simply swing correctly. This will help your swing become the swing you want. Learn the swing with a practice swing and confirm with a ball. Don’t try to learn the swing by swinging with a ball.
I watched Jimmy Ballard help Dave Hill in January 1977 in Phoenix. Ballard had asked Hill to do something very specific with his swing. Dave kept practice swinging and practice swinging. Finally Ballard asked Hill to hit a ball. Since Ballard hadn't said he was doing the change properly with the practice swing, Hill asked, "Why?" "When I get it right with the practice swing, then I'll hit a ball," Hill told him. That makes perfect sense. The ball is often intimidating, and hitting balls does not promote learning a new thought. Get your thoughts organized, then hit a few balls. Stop trying to hit balls to get your swing right. And if you start hitting shots poorly, stop. Go back to practicing your swing without the ball until you sense that your swing is back on track. Only then should you go back to hitting practice balls.
Why do I ask you to limit your range practice to 25 balls a day? Hitting lots of balls can be very detrimental. A typical golfer goes to the range with the intention of getting better. He hits a few wedges, moves to the mid and longer irons and then on to perfect the dreaded driver. The first few go all right, and then things start to go haywire -- just a little at first, then some real hooks, slices and miss-hit shots. Now he is off to the races. The bad shots create that "What's wrong?" question, which is quickly followed by the really bad thoughts of trying to “fix” the swing that he believes is causing those bad shots.
Now we have a golfer who doesn't understand the swing trying to “fix” what he thinks is wrong with the swing. His knowledge of what went wrong is based entirely on what the bad swing “felt” like. But he may be “fortunate” enough to have a good friend and golfer nearby to give him the answer. This is a formula for real swing trouble -- like the dentist teaching the accountant the golf swing!
This kind of practice sets the golfer back by several years. You can see where this could lead to big problems. This kind of practice can be disastrous for your game. It leads people to tinker with their swing rather than get better at playing the game. The best rule for your swing and your game is to never try to “fix” a “bad shot” swing. Focus on the five fundamentals and let the bad shots go. Just say "whoops" and move on!
John Toepel is a Veteran PGA Tour Player, instructor, author, and professional speaker. He is also the discoverer of Concept Golf, the quickest way to immediate, life-long lasting improvements to anyone's golf game. To learn more about Concept Golf, including the most comprehensive golf instruction system ever, "The Concept Golf Perfect Shot Making System", please visit http://www.conceptgolf.com/PSMS.htm and Discover the Par Golfer in You!
Monday, April 24, 2006
Choosing the Right Golf Club for Your Swing
Jason Powers
Golf is a delicate game of balance and skill and to be able to find this balance you need to have the right golf club in your hands. And each shot is different and to have the right golf club in your had each time you are going to need a whole set of clubs right? If you are new to the game of golf then you might not have realized just how important the right golf club is to your game but the sooner that you figure this out the better your game will be.
If you are a beginner golfer then you might do better with a golf club that has more flexibility to it. As you improve and your golf swing gets stronger and harder you can then think about switching to a golf club with less flexibility. This flexibility is appropriately called the shaft flex and it really does vary from golf club to golf club and it is very key to the amount of control you will have over the ball.
The golf club and really the entire golf club set that you choose will be influenced by how good a player you are so far. Different ability levels require different golf clubs, this is just a simple fact of the game. Having the right golf club will help you to learn as a much faster and more efficient, not to mention fun, rate.
Do you have a low handicap, a mid handicap or a high handicap? You need to find this out in order to get the right golf club for you and your game. If you are a low handicap player then you are looking at under ten strokes over par, a mid handicap player is 11-20 and high is well over 100. If you still don’t know what I am talking about then you will want to talk to a pro at the golf course that you regularly go to. He or she should be able to help you find a good golf club for your game, any hey, you might even get some great pro tips at the same time. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Choosing the right golf club for you and your game is important if you want to improve on your golf game. This is one game that is not entirely about practice, while you still need to practice having the right golf club can make these practices much more enjoyable for you and for those around you.
Jason Powers, a devoted golf fan, offers more golf tips on his personal website ===>http://www.golfsites.info
Golf is a delicate game of balance and skill and to be able to find this balance you need to have the right golf club in your hands. And each shot is different and to have the right golf club in your had each time you are going to need a whole set of clubs right? If you are new to the game of golf then you might not have realized just how important the right golf club is to your game but the sooner that you figure this out the better your game will be.
If you are a beginner golfer then you might do better with a golf club that has more flexibility to it. As you improve and your golf swing gets stronger and harder you can then think about switching to a golf club with less flexibility. This flexibility is appropriately called the shaft flex and it really does vary from golf club to golf club and it is very key to the amount of control you will have over the ball.
The golf club and really the entire golf club set that you choose will be influenced by how good a player you are so far. Different ability levels require different golf clubs, this is just a simple fact of the game. Having the right golf club will help you to learn as a much faster and more efficient, not to mention fun, rate.
Do you have a low handicap, a mid handicap or a high handicap? You need to find this out in order to get the right golf club for you and your game. If you are a low handicap player then you are looking at under ten strokes over par, a mid handicap player is 11-20 and high is well over 100. If you still don’t know what I am talking about then you will want to talk to a pro at the golf course that you regularly go to. He or she should be able to help you find a good golf club for your game, any hey, you might even get some great pro tips at the same time. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Choosing the right golf club for you and your game is important if you want to improve on your golf game. This is one game that is not entirely about practice, while you still need to practice having the right golf club can make these practices much more enjoyable for you and for those around you.
Jason Powers, a devoted golf fan, offers more golf tips on his personal website ===>http://www.golfsites.info
Choosing the Right Golf Club for Your Swing
Jason Powers
Golf is a delicate game of balance and skill and to be able to find this balance you need to have the right golf club in your hands. And each shot is different and to have the right golf club in your had each time you are going to need a whole set of clubs right? If you are new to the game of golf then you might not have realized just how important the right golf club is to your game but the sooner that you figure this out the better your game will be.
If you are a beginner golfer then you might do better with a golf club that has more flexibility to it. As you improve and your golf swing gets stronger and harder you can then think about switching to a golf club with less flexibility. This flexibility is appropriately called the shaft flex and it really does vary from golf club to golf club and it is very key to the amount of control you will have over the ball.
The golf club and really the entire golf club set that you choose will be influenced by how good a player you are so far. Different ability levels require different golf clubs, this is just a simple fact of the game. Having the right golf club will help you to learn as a much faster and more efficient, not to mention fun, rate.
Do you have a low handicap, a mid handicap or a high handicap? You need to find this out in order to get the right golf club for you and your game. If you are a low handicap player then you are looking at under ten strokes over par, a mid handicap player is 11-20 and high is well over 100. If you still don’t know what I am talking about then you will want to talk to a pro at the golf course that you regularly go to. He or she should be able to help you find a good golf club for your game, any hey, you might even get some great pro tips at the same time. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Choosing the right golf club for you and your game is important if you want to improve on your golf game. This is one game that is not entirely about practice, while you still need to practice having the right golf club can make these practices much more enjoyable for you and for those around you.
Jason Powers, a devoted golf fan, offers more golf tips on his personal website ===>http://www.golfsites.info
Golf is a delicate game of balance and skill and to be able to find this balance you need to have the right golf club in your hands. And each shot is different and to have the right golf club in your had each time you are going to need a whole set of clubs right? If you are new to the game of golf then you might not have realized just how important the right golf club is to your game but the sooner that you figure this out the better your game will be.
If you are a beginner golfer then you might do better with a golf club that has more flexibility to it. As you improve and your golf swing gets stronger and harder you can then think about switching to a golf club with less flexibility. This flexibility is appropriately called the shaft flex and it really does vary from golf club to golf club and it is very key to the amount of control you will have over the ball.
The golf club and really the entire golf club set that you choose will be influenced by how good a player you are so far. Different ability levels require different golf clubs, this is just a simple fact of the game. Having the right golf club will help you to learn as a much faster and more efficient, not to mention fun, rate.
Do you have a low handicap, a mid handicap or a high handicap? You need to find this out in order to get the right golf club for you and your game. If you are a low handicap player then you are looking at under ten strokes over par, a mid handicap player is 11-20 and high is well over 100. If you still don’t know what I am talking about then you will want to talk to a pro at the golf course that you regularly go to. He or she should be able to help you find a good golf club for your game, any hey, you might even get some great pro tips at the same time. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Choosing the right golf club for you and your game is important if you want to improve on your golf game. This is one game that is not entirely about practice, while you still need to practice having the right golf club can make these practices much more enjoyable for you and for those around you.
Jason Powers, a devoted golf fan, offers more golf tips on his personal website ===>http://www.golfsites.info
How a Hacker Developed a Winning Golf Swing
David Ferrers
I'm probably erring on the side of understatement when I say that Bob was a hacker. By his own admission he was: “one of those players who've never really had a proper golf swing.”
The way he told it, his main concern was to give the ball a 'good whack'. As a result of his lack of technique, Bob had spent much of the ten years that he'd been a golfer searching for his ball in woods and long grass. High scores and a high handicap seemed to be his inevitable fate.
Bob and I first met when his employer asked me to coach him to develop his business and leadership skills. When we were working on 'communication' I used a technique that I call Mind-Movies. I taught Bob how to groove pictures into his imagination which showed him making successful presentations.
Mind-Movies are a technique that I developed for empowering clients when I qualified as a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (mind-language programming).
One day when Bob had just reported making a very successful sales pitch with the aid of a new Mind-Movie, he asked me, in that slightly shy way of his, “Do you think we could develop a Mind-Movie that would help my golf swing?”
I immediately knew that we could do this. It took a while to work out how best to program the correct images into Bob's mind. And I also had to work out how to string those images together into a golf swing Mind-Movie. Then it was just a matter of finding ways that he could program himself to reproduce the correct physical and emotional feelings which are an essential part of effective Mind-Movies.
By the late spring we were ready. Bob couldn't wait to get going. He was hungry to to start winning. There were a lot of people on whom he was keen to take revenge.
He devoured the script I had written for him to study and learn.. However, he knew from his previous experience with Mind-Movies that in order for it to work he had to make sure that he installed this new program properly into his mind.
The very first round he reported 'noticeable improvements'. He was hitting the ball further and straighter. It was only the odd wayward shot that prevented him posting a really good score. He knew he was on the right track. “It was the first time that I've felt like I had a proper golf swing,” he told me excitedly.
Over the next few weeks Bob improved steadily until he felt up to entering a competition. He deliberately chose a mid-week event where he knew that the field would be smaller. He finished fourth in a field of thirty seven players and his handicap was cut by two strokes. This was by far the best result he'd ever had. He was over the moon.
A month later he felt ready to challenge for one of the major championships at his golf club. He didn't win that one but three weeks later he rang me late one evening to proclaim: “I won!”
At the end of the month I was his guest at the prize-giving where he received his silver cup. From my experience with Mind-Movies I feel certain that his game will continue to improve.
After Bob's success I decided to publish The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack at http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_Mind-Movies.htm And I now know from the feedback I'm receiving from other golfers that Mind-Movies are also working for them.
The fact that the search term 'golf mind-movies' is already number one on Google tells you how many golfers are seeking out this e-book. If anyone you play with shows sudden signs of improvement you may now know why.
Please do your golfing friends a favor and tell them about this book. Send them a copy of this article today.
David Ferrers is the author of The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack one of ClickBank's top selling publications. He researches, writes and broadcasts extensively on methods of helping other golfers find quick and easy-to-use methods of playing consistently well. He is a certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming - Mind Language Programming. He also advises and writes some of the Free Golf Lessons for The Golf Bandit web site at http://www.TheGolfBandit.com/golf-lesson.htm
I'm probably erring on the side of understatement when I say that Bob was a hacker. By his own admission he was: “one of those players who've never really had a proper golf swing.”
The way he told it, his main concern was to give the ball a 'good whack'. As a result of his lack of technique, Bob had spent much of the ten years that he'd been a golfer searching for his ball in woods and long grass. High scores and a high handicap seemed to be his inevitable fate.
Bob and I first met when his employer asked me to coach him to develop his business and leadership skills. When we were working on 'communication' I used a technique that I call Mind-Movies. I taught Bob how to groove pictures into his imagination which showed him making successful presentations.
Mind-Movies are a technique that I developed for empowering clients when I qualified as a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (mind-language programming).
One day when Bob had just reported making a very successful sales pitch with the aid of a new Mind-Movie, he asked me, in that slightly shy way of his, “Do you think we could develop a Mind-Movie that would help my golf swing?”
I immediately knew that we could do this. It took a while to work out how best to program the correct images into Bob's mind. And I also had to work out how to string those images together into a golf swing Mind-Movie. Then it was just a matter of finding ways that he could program himself to reproduce the correct physical and emotional feelings which are an essential part of effective Mind-Movies.
By the late spring we were ready. Bob couldn't wait to get going. He was hungry to to start winning. There were a lot of people on whom he was keen to take revenge.
He devoured the script I had written for him to study and learn.. However, he knew from his previous experience with Mind-Movies that in order for it to work he had to make sure that he installed this new program properly into his mind.
The very first round he reported 'noticeable improvements'. He was hitting the ball further and straighter. It was only the odd wayward shot that prevented him posting a really good score. He knew he was on the right track. “It was the first time that I've felt like I had a proper golf swing,” he told me excitedly.
Over the next few weeks Bob improved steadily until he felt up to entering a competition. He deliberately chose a mid-week event where he knew that the field would be smaller. He finished fourth in a field of thirty seven players and his handicap was cut by two strokes. This was by far the best result he'd ever had. He was over the moon.
A month later he felt ready to challenge for one of the major championships at his golf club. He didn't win that one but three weeks later he rang me late one evening to proclaim: “I won!”
At the end of the month I was his guest at the prize-giving where he received his silver cup. From my experience with Mind-Movies I feel certain that his game will continue to improve.
After Bob's success I decided to publish The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack at http://www.The-Golf-Bandit.com/golf_Mind-Movies.htm And I now know from the feedback I'm receiving from other golfers that Mind-Movies are also working for them.
The fact that the search term 'golf mind-movies' is already number one on Google tells you how many golfers are seeking out this e-book. If anyone you play with shows sudden signs of improvement you may now know why.
Please do your golfing friends a favor and tell them about this book. Send them a copy of this article today.
David Ferrers is the author of The Golf Mind-Movies Power Pack one of ClickBank's top selling publications. He researches, writes and broadcasts extensively on methods of helping other golfers find quick and easy-to-use methods of playing consistently well. He is a certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming - Mind Language Programming. He also advises and writes some of the Free Golf Lessons for The Golf Bandit web site at http://www.TheGolfBandit.com/golf-lesson.htm
Friday, April 21, 2006
How to Implement Golf Fitness Exercises into Your Golf Swing Improvement Program
How to Implement Golf Fitness Exercises into Your Golf Swing Improvement Program
Sean Cochran
Over the last few weeks at BioForce Golf, we have had many questions about golf fitness exercises.
Questions such as: are these type of exercises beneficial to someone who has had a lower back injury, what are the best types of exercises to improve my clubhead speed, and what flexibility exercises can improve my back swing?
Through many of our free daily golf tips on our website, we have provided answers to these questions and many more. One area of golf fitness I get quite a few questions about revolves on how to implement golf exercises into a golf swing improvement program.
Many of the individuals who come to our site are not experts in “working out.” I’ve written my golf-specific exercise manual, YOUR BODY & YOUR SWING, to help you develop a program for yourself.
Probably one of the most-asked questions is: how do I go about introducing certain exercises into my golf fitness program?
At times, certain individuals are unable to perform an exercise in its basic form. They are either out of shape, suffering from an injury, or too stiff to perform it correctly. A Russian Twist may be too difficult for a beginner to execute correctly. It takes great core strength, endurance and flexibility to complete the exercise to the limit.
In this type of situation there are “baby steps” you can take in terms of implementing such exercises into your golf fitness program.
I like to call this the “position, movement, tolerance” training guideline. This is an easy methodology to follow in terms of implementing exercises into a training program.
We’ll use the Russian Twist exercise in my book, YOUR BODY & YOUR SWING, as an example.
When you are implementing a golf fitness exercise(s) into your golf swing improvement program, you must be able to place the body in the correct starting position of the exercise.
For example, if I were to have you perform a Russian Twist, first I would ask you to place your body in the correct position for the exercise. In this situation it would be knees slightly bent and placing your torso in a position where the “abs were turned on.”
Hold it Right There!
Just placing your body in the correct position for an exercise requires effort from the body. If you were able to place your body in the correct position, I would then ask you to “hold” this position for a certain amount of time. This would indicate you are strong enough to add movement to your golf fitness exercise.
On the other hand, if you were only able to hold the starting position of the Russian Twist for 15 seconds before your lower back started to bother you, this is an indicator to me that this is where we begin your golf fitness program. I would have you “hold” the start position of this golf exercise for a certain number of seconds and sets. This would, over a period of time, develop more strength and endurance in those golf muscles.
Once we have reached a good “hold” time on a golf exercise, we then progress to adding “movement” into the equation. Movement simply stands for range of motion (how much movement you can do). Every golf exercise has a certain range of motion you move through to get the greatest benefit for your golf game.
In the Russian Twist example, a full range of motion would be a full shoulder turn to the left and right of center. Again, at the beginning you may be unable to make a full shoulder turn. So what do we do? We slowly work on increasing the “movement” within the golf exercise until you are at a point of full range.
As with the idea of “position,” we do the same with the idea of “movement.” We gradually increase until you have achieved a full range of motion in the golf exercise. Once this is achieved, we move on to the final stage of implementing a golf-specific exercise.
The final stage of implementing any golf exercise into your golf swing improvement program is “tolerance.” Tolerance can be defined as performing the correct number of sets and repetitions of a golf exercise for it to be beneficial to your golf game.
No Pain, No Gain!
The idea of “no pain, no gain” does not work in this situation. Rather, you want to be able to perform a self-prescribed number of sets and reps of every golf exercise in your program. This prescribed amount of work is up to you, the individual golfer, and what you feel is best for your body. Too little work will provide you no benefit. Too much work or following the “no pain, no gain” mind-set can increase the possibility of injury greatly.
You need to use your best judgment on every golf exercise in your program. This will allow you to perform each golf exercise with the correct technique, develop (maybe over time) the correct range of motion of each golf exercise in your program, and finally take each exercise to “your own level of tolerance.”
It is very easy to implement golf exercises into your golf swing improvement program. Follow the simple rule of “position, movement, tolerance,” and this should help you dramatically in the development of your golf fitness program.
Once you’ve mastered the exercises and routines in your current exercise program, you’ll be ready to take it to the next level, a more advanced program.
Sean Cochran
About the Author
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
Sean Cochran
Over the last few weeks at BioForce Golf, we have had many questions about golf fitness exercises.
Questions such as: are these type of exercises beneficial to someone who has had a lower back injury, what are the best types of exercises to improve my clubhead speed, and what flexibility exercises can improve my back swing?
Through many of our free daily golf tips on our website, we have provided answers to these questions and many more. One area of golf fitness I get quite a few questions about revolves on how to implement golf exercises into a golf swing improvement program.
Many of the individuals who come to our site are not experts in “working out.” I’ve written my golf-specific exercise manual, YOUR BODY & YOUR SWING, to help you develop a program for yourself.
Probably one of the most-asked questions is: how do I go about introducing certain exercises into my golf fitness program?
At times, certain individuals are unable to perform an exercise in its basic form. They are either out of shape, suffering from an injury, or too stiff to perform it correctly. A Russian Twist may be too difficult for a beginner to execute correctly. It takes great core strength, endurance and flexibility to complete the exercise to the limit.
In this type of situation there are “baby steps” you can take in terms of implementing such exercises into your golf fitness program.
I like to call this the “position, movement, tolerance” training guideline. This is an easy methodology to follow in terms of implementing exercises into a training program.
We’ll use the Russian Twist exercise in my book, YOUR BODY & YOUR SWING, as an example.
When you are implementing a golf fitness exercise(s) into your golf swing improvement program, you must be able to place the body in the correct starting position of the exercise.
For example, if I were to have you perform a Russian Twist, first I would ask you to place your body in the correct position for the exercise. In this situation it would be knees slightly bent and placing your torso in a position where the “abs were turned on.”
Hold it Right There!
Just placing your body in the correct position for an exercise requires effort from the body. If you were able to place your body in the correct position, I would then ask you to “hold” this position for a certain amount of time. This would indicate you are strong enough to add movement to your golf fitness exercise.
On the other hand, if you were only able to hold the starting position of the Russian Twist for 15 seconds before your lower back started to bother you, this is an indicator to me that this is where we begin your golf fitness program. I would have you “hold” the start position of this golf exercise for a certain number of seconds and sets. This would, over a period of time, develop more strength and endurance in those golf muscles.
Once we have reached a good “hold” time on a golf exercise, we then progress to adding “movement” into the equation. Movement simply stands for range of motion (how much movement you can do). Every golf exercise has a certain range of motion you move through to get the greatest benefit for your golf game.
In the Russian Twist example, a full range of motion would be a full shoulder turn to the left and right of center. Again, at the beginning you may be unable to make a full shoulder turn. So what do we do? We slowly work on increasing the “movement” within the golf exercise until you are at a point of full range.
As with the idea of “position,” we do the same with the idea of “movement.” We gradually increase until you have achieved a full range of motion in the golf exercise. Once this is achieved, we move on to the final stage of implementing a golf-specific exercise.
The final stage of implementing any golf exercise into your golf swing improvement program is “tolerance.” Tolerance can be defined as performing the correct number of sets and repetitions of a golf exercise for it to be beneficial to your golf game.
No Pain, No Gain!
The idea of “no pain, no gain” does not work in this situation. Rather, you want to be able to perform a self-prescribed number of sets and reps of every golf exercise in your program. This prescribed amount of work is up to you, the individual golfer, and what you feel is best for your body. Too little work will provide you no benefit. Too much work or following the “no pain, no gain” mind-set can increase the possibility of injury greatly.
You need to use your best judgment on every golf exercise in your program. This will allow you to perform each golf exercise with the correct technique, develop (maybe over time) the correct range of motion of each golf exercise in your program, and finally take each exercise to “your own level of tolerance.”
It is very easy to implement golf exercises into your golf swing improvement program. Follow the simple rule of “position, movement, tolerance,” and this should help you dramatically in the development of your golf fitness program.
Once you’ve mastered the exercises and routines in your current exercise program, you’ll be ready to take it to the next level, a more advanced program.
Sean Cochran
About the Author
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Proper Golf Swing - One of the Harder Things to Master
Trevor Mulholland
Most beginning golfers don’t realize how much skill and technique goes into a proper golf swing. It looks so easy when you see experienced golfers or pros swing – it even sounds quite simple when the theory of the technique is explained to you. But watching it and hearing about it, and actually doing it yourself are indeed two different things!
An effective golf swing takes quite a bit of practice to perfect. People spend years working on their swing. Keep in mind that the object is to get the ball into the hole at or under par for that hole….but the swing is what determines whether that actually happens or not. Essentially, a proper golf swing determines the entire outcome of the game!
An effective golf swing is accomplished by forming a triangle with your shoulders and arms, and keeping that triangle locked in place throughout the entire swinging process. This is often easier said than done, and you will find that you lose control of the ball by slicing a great deal before you get the concept down. When you draw the club back, you do not move your arms, even though your arms are essentially moving. What you are really moving is your shoulder and your hips – without ever actually moving your arms.
There are many training aids available to help you develop a good golf swing. You should take advantage of the available technology to improve your game. There are aids that will help you keep your arms locked, as well as aids that help you keep your wrists locked. There are aids to help you correct your stance, as well as your backswing, upswing, and even the force with which you hit the ball. If you have an issue that needs to be corrected in your golf game or swing, there is a golfing aid available to help you!
Making a video tape, showing your swing from all angles will also help you improve your game. Have a friend video tape your swing. Get lots of footage on the tape, and then watch it – in slow motion. Really pay attention to every aspect of your swing, watching from your head down to your feet. Making yourself aware of the mistakes is the first step to solving them. If you know what problems exist, you will pay special attention to those areas the next time you play. With enough practice and determination, you can correct those problems.
Don’t be afraid to look funny. Looking good on the golf course is not your top priority – playing a great game of golf is what you are after. Some people have a stance that looks a little funny to others…but those same people have perfected that stance to the point where they have greatly improved their swing because of it. Some people grip the club in a funny manner. Some people play ‘natural golf’ using ‘natural golf swings.’ This form of golf does look funny to traditional golfers – but it is quite effective. Don’t be afraid of being different if it helps you play better!
Studying the swings of great golfers can be a training tool within itself. However, it is important to remember that you are an individual. While you can try many of their techniques, their exact technique probably won’t work as well for you as it does for them. Take their techniques, and work with them to make them your very own – as long as they improve your game.
You can practice your swing at home or at the office (if this is allowed). You don’t need a ball; you just need a little room. Swing the club, just as you would if you were going to hit the ball. Instead of concentrating on needing to hit the ball, however, concentrate on the actual swing. You should also consider using training clubs as well. These will build your strength a great deal, allowing you to hit the ball harder and farther than ever before!
Remember that developing a proper golf swing takes time, practice and patience. If you are having problems, do not get frustrated, or give up. Keep working at it, and look for the solution you need to correct the swing problems you have. One of these days, you will be playing like a pro!
We provide you with the best golf tips available, instructions on how to get your strokes down and more. Dozens of golf tips and info on a proper golf swing waiting, come and take a look! http://www.golf-game-tip.com/
Most beginning golfers don’t realize how much skill and technique goes into a proper golf swing. It looks so easy when you see experienced golfers or pros swing – it even sounds quite simple when the theory of the technique is explained to you. But watching it and hearing about it, and actually doing it yourself are indeed two different things!
An effective golf swing takes quite a bit of practice to perfect. People spend years working on their swing. Keep in mind that the object is to get the ball into the hole at or under par for that hole….but the swing is what determines whether that actually happens or not. Essentially, a proper golf swing determines the entire outcome of the game!
An effective golf swing is accomplished by forming a triangle with your shoulders and arms, and keeping that triangle locked in place throughout the entire swinging process. This is often easier said than done, and you will find that you lose control of the ball by slicing a great deal before you get the concept down. When you draw the club back, you do not move your arms, even though your arms are essentially moving. What you are really moving is your shoulder and your hips – without ever actually moving your arms.
There are many training aids available to help you develop a good golf swing. You should take advantage of the available technology to improve your game. There are aids that will help you keep your arms locked, as well as aids that help you keep your wrists locked. There are aids to help you correct your stance, as well as your backswing, upswing, and even the force with which you hit the ball. If you have an issue that needs to be corrected in your golf game or swing, there is a golfing aid available to help you!
Making a video tape, showing your swing from all angles will also help you improve your game. Have a friend video tape your swing. Get lots of footage on the tape, and then watch it – in slow motion. Really pay attention to every aspect of your swing, watching from your head down to your feet. Making yourself aware of the mistakes is the first step to solving them. If you know what problems exist, you will pay special attention to those areas the next time you play. With enough practice and determination, you can correct those problems.
Don’t be afraid to look funny. Looking good on the golf course is not your top priority – playing a great game of golf is what you are after. Some people have a stance that looks a little funny to others…but those same people have perfected that stance to the point where they have greatly improved their swing because of it. Some people grip the club in a funny manner. Some people play ‘natural golf’ using ‘natural golf swings.’ This form of golf does look funny to traditional golfers – but it is quite effective. Don’t be afraid of being different if it helps you play better!
Studying the swings of great golfers can be a training tool within itself. However, it is important to remember that you are an individual. While you can try many of their techniques, their exact technique probably won’t work as well for you as it does for them. Take their techniques, and work with them to make them your very own – as long as they improve your game.
You can practice your swing at home or at the office (if this is allowed). You don’t need a ball; you just need a little room. Swing the club, just as you would if you were going to hit the ball. Instead of concentrating on needing to hit the ball, however, concentrate on the actual swing. You should also consider using training clubs as well. These will build your strength a great deal, allowing you to hit the ball harder and farther than ever before!
Remember that developing a proper golf swing takes time, practice and patience. If you are having problems, do not get frustrated, or give up. Keep working at it, and look for the solution you need to correct the swing problems you have. One of these days, you will be playing like a pro!
We provide you with the best golf tips available, instructions on how to get your strokes down and more. Dozens of golf tips and info on a proper golf swing waiting, come and take a look! http://www.golf-game-tip.com/
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
How Different Courses Can Help You
How Different Courses Can Help You Become a Good Golf Player
by Peter Dewerth
Golf is an fulfilling and absorbing sport but, even so, there is a risk that you may become stale or bored if you do not change the place where you play. This makes golf different from other games, but the reason for this is the very nature of golf. To become a really good golf player, one needs to play according to the unique nature of every course, which in turn means that more than one course is ideal for the maximum development of your game.
Therefore, changing courses requires more than one golf course. While you are still a beginner, or are short of money, your choices are usually limited to golf courses near the place you live, work, or study. Usually there is more than one course there and most likely they are not too expensive.
However, once you have mastered these courses, you'll probably be looking for more.
The most logical place to look into, while searching for a new course, is the PGA Tour stops. The disadvantage of PGA Tour stops is that usually they are not cheap, getting inside is difficult and often they are members-only country clubs. So, before heading to a PGA Tour stop, it is wise to check its rules and make reservations a couple of months in advance.
If changing the golf course is not the sole purpose of your journey, consider one of the several travel destinations, which are suitable for the whole family. In the daytime you will play golf, while your family members are having fun, and you will spend the evening together.
One of the best locations for golf and family vacations all in one is Hawaii. There are many famous golf courses in the Hawaii Islands. Depending on which island you're staying on, there are several different golf courses for you to visit.
If your destination is Oahu (if you are staying in Honolulu, it is on this island), consider the Waikele Golf Club or the Coral Creek Golf Course. They will help you to improve your golf skills, because both courses are designed in a way which includes parts of the terrain.
If you are on the Hawaii Island, why not visit Sandalwood on the Maui Island? This is a relatively new and at the same time well-known golf course. Or why not try the Kona Country Club or the Mauna Key golf course on the Big Island?
Another popular golf destination is Japan. In Japan, there are literally thousands of different golf courses to improve your skills. But it is very, very important that you book your trip in advance, or you might miss the tee time on a Japanese golf club.
However, no matter where you end up going to golf, you'll always be improving your game by exposing yourself to new hazards and obstacles. Just make sure that you plan ahead completely if you're going to be golfing at courses while on vacation - you don't want to get there and be unable to golf because you forgot to make the right reservations!
Peter Dewerth is the owner and operator of FYPR Golf which is a popular resource with extensive information about golf.
For more information, go to: http://www.fyprgolf.com
by Peter Dewerth
Golf is an fulfilling and absorbing sport but, even so, there is a risk that you may become stale or bored if you do not change the place where you play. This makes golf different from other games, but the reason for this is the very nature of golf. To become a really good golf player, one needs to play according to the unique nature of every course, which in turn means that more than one course is ideal for the maximum development of your game.
Therefore, changing courses requires more than one golf course. While you are still a beginner, or are short of money, your choices are usually limited to golf courses near the place you live, work, or study. Usually there is more than one course there and most likely they are not too expensive.
However, once you have mastered these courses, you'll probably be looking for more.
The most logical place to look into, while searching for a new course, is the PGA Tour stops. The disadvantage of PGA Tour stops is that usually they are not cheap, getting inside is difficult and often they are members-only country clubs. So, before heading to a PGA Tour stop, it is wise to check its rules and make reservations a couple of months in advance.
If changing the golf course is not the sole purpose of your journey, consider one of the several travel destinations, which are suitable for the whole family. In the daytime you will play golf, while your family members are having fun, and you will spend the evening together.
One of the best locations for golf and family vacations all in one is Hawaii. There are many famous golf courses in the Hawaii Islands. Depending on which island you're staying on, there are several different golf courses for you to visit.
If your destination is Oahu (if you are staying in Honolulu, it is on this island), consider the Waikele Golf Club or the Coral Creek Golf Course. They will help you to improve your golf skills, because both courses are designed in a way which includes parts of the terrain.
If you are on the Hawaii Island, why not visit Sandalwood on the Maui Island? This is a relatively new and at the same time well-known golf course. Or why not try the Kona Country Club or the Mauna Key golf course on the Big Island?
Another popular golf destination is Japan. In Japan, there are literally thousands of different golf courses to improve your skills. But it is very, very important that you book your trip in advance, or you might miss the tee time on a Japanese golf club.
However, no matter where you end up going to golf, you'll always be improving your game by exposing yourself to new hazards and obstacles. Just make sure that you plan ahead completely if you're going to be golfing at courses while on vacation - you don't want to get there and be unable to golf because you forgot to make the right reservations!
Peter Dewerth is the owner and operator of FYPR Golf which is a popular resource with extensive information about golf.
For more information, go to: http://www.fyprgolf.com
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Plan, Aim, Swing
John Toepel
In my many years as a golf professional, I have found only a few golfers who know how to play the game. Even some of the good golfers play by accident rather than by design. When the football or basketball coach says he has a game plan, he has a big inclusive plan and the smaller plans that make the big plan possible.
Most golfers have a big plan that is to keep the ball out of the trees and water, kill it and make a par when it stares them in the face. Most golfers plans are to keep the left arm straight, never look up and follow all the 1005 swing rules they have heard at one point in their lives.
The good golfers, and I’m talking about the best of the best on the PGA Tour, have a different game plan. They have a plan for the day and that is to score as low as possible. They have a plan for each hole and that is to make a par. They quickly reverse engineer each hole from the green back to the tee. They have a plan for each shot and that is to make the next shot the easiest one possible – like the good pool players.
Their thought is never on the swing or what the body is supposed to be doing. They get paid for scoring low. If their mind is on their body and what it is supposed to be doing, their chances for scoring low are slim to none.
One of the two Playing Principles is Plan, Aim, Swing. Have a plan for the round, a plan for the hole and a plan for each shot. Then simply aim and swing. Let’s explore this principle in more detail so you can have lower scores every round.
Plan……Aim, Swing
Playing the game is really quite simple. Just plan, aim and swing. It's a game with a stick and a ball. We hit the ball with the stick until it goes in the hole. Who said anything about keeping score? Our first job is to make a plan for this shot, based on a bigger plan for the hole. Once we have a plan, aim properly at the target and swing. Then we find the ball and repeat the same procedure. It's that "hit it, hunt it, hit it" routine. I've already talked about the aim and the swing. Now I am going to talk about the planning part of the game.
Planning is the most overlooked part of the game of golf. Most golfers are so focused on the swing and hitting the ball that they don't even realize planning is part of the game. Learn to play smart. Ask yourself the question, “How can I make a par on this hole with the golf game I have today?”
If you execute properly, but have
no plan, the course will win
The plan I hear the most is, "I hope I don’t hit it into the water." A real plan will help you get beyond constantly thinking about the body in terms of the swing and will enable you to deal with challenging situations on the course. Good golf courses are designed to make you think, plan, and then execute properly. If you execute properly, but have no plan, you will lose shots and the course will win. A good course is designed so that all levels of golfers can play the course well -- if they think about each hole and each shot.
First, you must develop your plan for the whole course. I remember seeing Jack Nicklaus playing the course on paper with Angelo, his caddie, both before and after the round. It's important that you become one with the course before you play it rather than trying to figure it out while you are playing. How can you shoot a good score on today's course? Plan it out. Get a sense of which holes you can birdie and the ones on which you should be happy with par. Get a feel for where to be aggressive and where to be conservative. After the round, spend a few minutes going over each hole to check for planning errors and determine how you can improve your plan for tomorrow.
How do you plan for a course that you are playing for the first time? You can check the scorecard for pictures. At a minimum, take a look at the first, ninth, tenth and eighteenth. These holes are important. With your peek at them, you will have some idea about the holes and you will know where the pin is on the 9th and 18th greens.
You are not trying to improve your swing to lower your score; you are planning so your score will go down because of intelligent play. If it is reasonable for the best golfers to do this type of planning, it’s probably something you should consider. Once you have a sense of the plan for the whole course, you need to develop a plan specific to each hole.
Here is another way to help prepare for the course you are playing today. If you know the course, sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, and play the course in your mind’s eye. This gives you a chance to experience your round before you actually step on the course.
What is your plan for the course? How do you determine your plan for the course and for each hole? Plan with a single principle in mind: play each shot in a way that makes the next shot as easy as possible. Plan each shot in a way that sets you up for success on the next shot. The good pool player controls each shot after the first one. He is able to leave the cue ball in the spot that makes the next shot as easy as possible.
What makes the next shot the easiest? Sometimes your target needs to be the flat spot in the fairway as opposed to a downhill lie farther out. Frequently, your tee shot needs to end up on the side of the fairway that creates the best opening to the pin. As a general rule, if the pin is cut on the right part of the green, you want to position your tee shot to the left side of the fairway. This will typically open the pin for the easiest shot.
Always know exactly where you
want the ball to end up, how it will
get there, and why.
You generally want your shot to the green to end up underneath the hole to leave you an uphill putt. You do not want to run your uphill putt too far past the hole, leaving yourself one of those “fun” downhill putts. By the same token, you don’t want to leave your downhill putt short. More downhill putting is not the most fun.
Use the lay of the land to your advantage. If the land slopes from right to left on the tee shot, hit a draw down the right side of the fairway to maximize your distance. If the slope is left to right, hit a fade down the left side.
Always know exactly where you want the ball to end up, how it will get there, and why. I was giving a lesson to a student, Richard Parker, who is a good ball striker and can shoot in the 70’s. On the first hole he hit his drive to the left of the fairway. The shot to the green was uncomplicated, about 160 yards slightly downhill. The ball was lying down in the grass slightly and the grass was not too long. He could expect the shot to behave normally from the lie and not be a “flyer.” The green was large and flat, the pin was cut in the back third on the right, and there were big bunkers right and left of the green. As he was preparing for the shot I asked him, “What is your target?”
“The green.”
“What kind of shot are you going to hit?” I continued asking.
“A regular six iron.”
At that point we started talking about planning every shot and being very specific about every aspect of every shot: the exact target and why, which club to use and why, the height of every shot and why, and the shape of every shot and why. At the end of nine holes he said he had learned more about playing golf than he had since he had taken up the game. He had no idea there was so much planning needed for every shot. He began to appreciate the game and enjoy it more. And he hit the ball very well. He had been terribly concerned about every detail of the swing mechanics -- until he learned how to play the game.
John Toepel is a Veteran PGA Tour Player, instructor, author, and professional speaker. He is also the discoverer of Concept Golf, the quickest way to immediate, life-long lasting improvements to anyone's golf game. To learn more about Concept Golf, including the most comprehensive golf instruction system ever, "The Concept Golf Perfect Shot Making System", please visit http://www.conceptgolf.com/PSMS.htm and Discover the Par Golfer in You!
In my many years as a golf professional, I have found only a few golfers who know how to play the game. Even some of the good golfers play by accident rather than by design. When the football or basketball coach says he has a game plan, he has a big inclusive plan and the smaller plans that make the big plan possible.
Most golfers have a big plan that is to keep the ball out of the trees and water, kill it and make a par when it stares them in the face. Most golfers plans are to keep the left arm straight, never look up and follow all the 1005 swing rules they have heard at one point in their lives.
The good golfers, and I’m talking about the best of the best on the PGA Tour, have a different game plan. They have a plan for the day and that is to score as low as possible. They have a plan for each hole and that is to make a par. They quickly reverse engineer each hole from the green back to the tee. They have a plan for each shot and that is to make the next shot the easiest one possible – like the good pool players.
Their thought is never on the swing or what the body is supposed to be doing. They get paid for scoring low. If their mind is on their body and what it is supposed to be doing, their chances for scoring low are slim to none.
One of the two Playing Principles is Plan, Aim, Swing. Have a plan for the round, a plan for the hole and a plan for each shot. Then simply aim and swing. Let’s explore this principle in more detail so you can have lower scores every round.
Plan……Aim, Swing
Playing the game is really quite simple. Just plan, aim and swing. It's a game with a stick and a ball. We hit the ball with the stick until it goes in the hole. Who said anything about keeping score? Our first job is to make a plan for this shot, based on a bigger plan for the hole. Once we have a plan, aim properly at the target and swing. Then we find the ball and repeat the same procedure. It's that "hit it, hunt it, hit it" routine. I've already talked about the aim and the swing. Now I am going to talk about the planning part of the game.
Planning is the most overlooked part of the game of golf. Most golfers are so focused on the swing and hitting the ball that they don't even realize planning is part of the game. Learn to play smart. Ask yourself the question, “How can I make a par on this hole with the golf game I have today?”
If you execute properly, but have
no plan, the course will win
The plan I hear the most is, "I hope I don’t hit it into the water." A real plan will help you get beyond constantly thinking about the body in terms of the swing and will enable you to deal with challenging situations on the course. Good golf courses are designed to make you think, plan, and then execute properly. If you execute properly, but have no plan, you will lose shots and the course will win. A good course is designed so that all levels of golfers can play the course well -- if they think about each hole and each shot.
First, you must develop your plan for the whole course. I remember seeing Jack Nicklaus playing the course on paper with Angelo, his caddie, both before and after the round. It's important that you become one with the course before you play it rather than trying to figure it out while you are playing. How can you shoot a good score on today's course? Plan it out. Get a sense of which holes you can birdie and the ones on which you should be happy with par. Get a feel for where to be aggressive and where to be conservative. After the round, spend a few minutes going over each hole to check for planning errors and determine how you can improve your plan for tomorrow.
How do you plan for a course that you are playing for the first time? You can check the scorecard for pictures. At a minimum, take a look at the first, ninth, tenth and eighteenth. These holes are important. With your peek at them, you will have some idea about the holes and you will know where the pin is on the 9th and 18th greens.
You are not trying to improve your swing to lower your score; you are planning so your score will go down because of intelligent play. If it is reasonable for the best golfers to do this type of planning, it’s probably something you should consider. Once you have a sense of the plan for the whole course, you need to develop a plan specific to each hole.
Here is another way to help prepare for the course you are playing today. If you know the course, sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, and play the course in your mind’s eye. This gives you a chance to experience your round before you actually step on the course.
What is your plan for the course? How do you determine your plan for the course and for each hole? Plan with a single principle in mind: play each shot in a way that makes the next shot as easy as possible. Plan each shot in a way that sets you up for success on the next shot. The good pool player controls each shot after the first one. He is able to leave the cue ball in the spot that makes the next shot as easy as possible.
What makes the next shot the easiest? Sometimes your target needs to be the flat spot in the fairway as opposed to a downhill lie farther out. Frequently, your tee shot needs to end up on the side of the fairway that creates the best opening to the pin. As a general rule, if the pin is cut on the right part of the green, you want to position your tee shot to the left side of the fairway. This will typically open the pin for the easiest shot.
Always know exactly where you
want the ball to end up, how it will
get there, and why.
You generally want your shot to the green to end up underneath the hole to leave you an uphill putt. You do not want to run your uphill putt too far past the hole, leaving yourself one of those “fun” downhill putts. By the same token, you don’t want to leave your downhill putt short. More downhill putting is not the most fun.
Use the lay of the land to your advantage. If the land slopes from right to left on the tee shot, hit a draw down the right side of the fairway to maximize your distance. If the slope is left to right, hit a fade down the left side.
Always know exactly where you want the ball to end up, how it will get there, and why. I was giving a lesson to a student, Richard Parker, who is a good ball striker and can shoot in the 70’s. On the first hole he hit his drive to the left of the fairway. The shot to the green was uncomplicated, about 160 yards slightly downhill. The ball was lying down in the grass slightly and the grass was not too long. He could expect the shot to behave normally from the lie and not be a “flyer.” The green was large and flat, the pin was cut in the back third on the right, and there were big bunkers right and left of the green. As he was preparing for the shot I asked him, “What is your target?”
“The green.”
“What kind of shot are you going to hit?” I continued asking.
“A regular six iron.”
At that point we started talking about planning every shot and being very specific about every aspect of every shot: the exact target and why, which club to use and why, the height of every shot and why, and the shape of every shot and why. At the end of nine holes he said he had learned more about playing golf than he had since he had taken up the game. He had no idea there was so much planning needed for every shot. He began to appreciate the game and enjoy it more. And he hit the ball very well. He had been terribly concerned about every detail of the swing mechanics -- until he learned how to play the game.
John Toepel is a Veteran PGA Tour Player, instructor, author, and professional speaker. He is also the discoverer of Concept Golf, the quickest way to immediate, life-long lasting improvements to anyone's golf game. To learn more about Concept Golf, including the most comprehensive golf instruction system ever, "The Concept Golf Perfect Shot Making System", please visit http://www.conceptgolf.com/PSMS.htm and Discover the Par Golfer in You!
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