GOLF TIPS

Golf Tip – Keep the Putter Low

September 28, 2015 Posted by Matt

Low to low putting is the way to go! A great way to roll your putts is to bring your putter back low to the ground, strike the putt, and keep the putter low on the follow-through. This type of stroke eliminates hitting down on the ball so it pops up and starts to bounce, instead of rolling down the line. Rock your shoulders and keep your head steady as you make this stroke. The more that you eliminate any hand and wrist movement will make your stoke smooth and repeatable. You might hover the putter just off the grass so that you start the putter back without making a lifting move on the backswing in order to keep it low.

Golf Tip – Accelerate

September 27, 2015 Posted by Matt

It is important to accelerate through the ball and keep the club moving. Many times you will see a player hit a shot and then stop the swing about waist high on the follow-through. This type of swing is usually caused by a desire to steer or control the ball too much. By stopping the swing early, you are actually slowing down through impact. Make a practice swing that whips through impact so the club finishes up by your shoulders. In practice, make an effort to drive through the ball and keep your arms and hands moving with every shot. If you accelerate through the ball, you will pick up both accuracy and distance.

Golf Tip – Unplayable Lie

September 26, 2015 Posted by Matt

Did you know you can take an unplayable lie in a bunker? If you hit a shot that buries into the sand of a bunker so that it is impossible to play, you may declare the ball unplayable. You may drop the ball two club lengths from where the ball was plugged or you may drop it back, keeping the place where the ball plugged and the hole in line. Here’s the downside. Both drops must be made in the bunker. Usually, when you drop a ball in a bunker it will bury and will give you a tough lie. You do have one more option. You can go back to the spot where you your original shot was prior to going into the bunker and replay the ball. You will likely have much better lie. As a reminder, regardless of which option you chose, any time you take an unplayable lie there is a one shot penalty.

Golf Tip – More Distance

September 24, 2015 Posted by Matt

Does a big backswing translate into more distance? A common misconception among golfers is that a long backswing will help produce a longer drive. Actually, if you go beyond parallel at the top of your swing, you have now placed the club in a position where you have to make a corrective move. If the club dips at the top, you will have to lift it back up before you get it in a position to start down with the force of your turn and with gravity. Stop your backswing when your shoulder jest under or just past your chin and your hands remain firm at the top.

Golf Tip – Avoid a Three Putt

September 23, 2015 Posted by Matt

Here is a tip to avoid a three putt. Don’t look away from a putt that runs past the hole. When you hit a putt too hard, it is a normal reaction to look away in frustration. However, if you keep looking at the ball as it goes by the hole, you will be able to see how your next putt breaks. This is important information since you will want to avoid a three putt green. Getting the read of your next putt will help you to make the comeback putt and save a stroke.

Golf Tip – Tee Boxes

September 21, 2015 Posted by Matt

Par three tee boxes can be in poor shape. Par three holes usually have a lot of divots, sand, and unevenness because of the constant iron use and maintenance needed for those particular tees. You should pick your stance carefully so you are not standing in a divot hole, a sand-filled divot, or loose or uneven turf. Remember that you can move back two club lengths from the tee markers. Take advantage of the Rule so you can find some good grass and a flat lie for your shot. You can lay down your driver to measure two club lengths even though you will not be hitting it for that shot.

Golf Tip – Fat Shots

September 20, 2015 Posted by Matt

Fat shots are when the club strikes the ground behind the ball, and can be one of the most frustrating shots in golf. There are several causes of fat shots, but a common one occurs because you stand too far from the ball. If you hit fat shots, try to see if you are coming up on your toes as you come into the ball. If you are, you are moving your body in a way that will cause you to stick the club into the ground. Try standing a little more upright and make an up-and-down move with your arms and hands so that you come down on the back of the ball at a sharp angle instead of coming in low and flat to the ground.

Golf Tip – Practice Green

September 18, 2015 Posted by Matt

A great way to sharpen your putting skills and simulate on-course conditions is to play nine-hole matches on the practice green against a friend. Place a small wager or a beverage on the results and play nine holes, putting to holes of different distances and breaks. Go through your routine and line up each putt. Putt all balls out with no “gimmies” to sharpen your short putt skills. After practicing in this manner, you will get a better sense of putting under pressure and how to focus on the green. So go find and friend and head to the practice green!

Simple Chipping Formula

September 17, 2015 Posted by Matt

Keep it simple. Rather than guess how hard to hit your chip shots with the same club, try using this simple chipping formula for success. Land all of your chip shots exactly one pace on to the green. Set your distances by using different clubs. Start with a sand wedge, land it one pace on the green and see how far it goes. Go to a pitching wedge, then a nine iron, and eight iron until you go through them all, and you can see how far each will roll. This way, all you have to do is hit the ball one pace on the green, and the club will do the rest. It is much easier than using a wedge and guessing at how far the ball will carry and whether the ball will spin or roll out.

Experiment with Tee Height

September 14, 2015 Posted by Matt

Since all of us are different in size and make up, find the perfect tee height for you is like being fitted for a good driver. When you go to practice your driver, try experimenting with different heights on how you tee the ball up. Start out with as high as you can tee the ball and hit three drives, then lower it a half-inch and repeat the sequence. Keep lowering the tee until it is only about an inch and a half off the ground. During this exercise, you should find a height that produced the best contact with your driver.