Putting

For Putting – For better distance control on your putts, make sure your arms maintain the capital letter “Y” throughout the stroke.  This will keep the putter head from passing your hands before impact which in turn allows for more consistent contact and better distance control by using the shoulders, not the hands, as the motor of the swing.

Left Equals Loft & Right Equals Roll

Anytime you are trying to hit a high shot you should play the ball position more towards your left foot. Examples of this would be a pitch shot or even when you hit the driver off the tee.  Anytime you are trying to hit a low shot and want the ball to rollout you should play the ball position off of you right foot. Examples of this would be like hitting a chip shot, or a punch shout under the trees.

3 Simple Ways To Increase Your Driver Distance

1)      Widen your stance.

Make sure the inside of your heels are at least shoulder width apart

2)      Tilt your spine more.

For the right-handed golfer, you should tilt your spine angle more to the right.  I look for the player to have their right shoulder over their right foot at address position.

3)      Get your shoulder behind the ball.

Again, for the right-handed golfer on the backswing you should try and turn your left shoulder all the way behind the golf ball.  At the top of your backswing you should see that your left shoulder has not just turned, but actually should be to the right of the golf ball.

These three things should put your weight more on your back foot, so on your downswing your weight has nowhere else to go but forward towards the target.   

Warm-Up For Better Golf

In any sport, athletes take time to warm up their muscles for stretching and activity.  The same applies to golf, at any level of performance. 

First and foremost, it’s important to warm up the muscles for activity and stretching.  The muscles first need to be warmed to stretch.  Starting with at least five minutes of cardio movement can achieve this (side-stepping with reaching, heel tapping, marching in place while wiggling fingers, rotating with side stepping, etc.). 

Second, targeting the main areas of your body for golf stretches is vital to an all-inclusive warm-up.  Neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, hips, quads, groin, forearm, wrists, ankles, calves, hamstrings… there are may key areas that need attention, some more than other pending on a person’s physical make-up.  One side might be tighter than another or one person may have a tighter, more sensitive area than another person.  Think of these restrictions: 

1) Poor hamstring flexibility leads to poor/unathletic golf posture,
2) Tight neck muscles will restrict one from a good shoulder rotation while focusing on the golf ball,
3) Tight forearm muscles will restrict blood flow and ‘feel’ to the hands during a crucial putt that requires steadiness and
4) Tight calves and ankles will restrict one from a complete finish off the back foot, thus reducing a complete rotation towards the target and the distance that results from that rotation.  Golf stretches are vital to a proper warm-up.

Finally, loosening up the swing and getting a feel for touch shots like putts and short game are last.  Golf specific stretches/swings with a club help the body get a feel for the movement that will occur over the next 4 hours.  Baseball / air golf swings with a fully stretched finish are a good way to start, beginning with small swings and increasingly getting bigger.  Beginning with small chip shots (wedges) are great.  Hit shots with wedges, progress to a mid-iron, then a fairway wood and finally a driver.  MOST IMPORTANT, keep in mind that this is a warm up, not a practice session.  You’re just warming up and getting the body used to a swing and having the club meet the ball in its travel towards the target.   

Chipping

Overall Swing