Golf Tips - Golfing Tips
Golf School - Golf Instruction - Golf Lesson - Golf Academy
Courtenay, BC, Vancouver Island, Canada
Tip for May:
Start to roll the ball well again and you'll have less 3 putts
If you live up in Canada you have likely survived the 'punching' season but your putting stroke might have sustained some long lasting injuries. You might be fearful of the dreaded 3 putt and be worrying about missing lots of short ones.
Before you resign yourself to be a poor putter consider this:
How many times have you ever three putted where your first putt was less than 1 foot from the cup?
Aerified greens make 3 footers challenging but moreso they make controlling the distance of your first putt nearly impossible so that you end up with lots of 3 footers. In the process we often get too much hit in our strokes which is devastating once the greens get back to normal. You need to regain (or learn for the first time) the feel of a smooth rhythmic roll to be a good putter.
Once your greens are back to their normal condition go to the practice green with a few balls. Start at one end of the green and hit putts of about 30 to 40 feet across the green to the other fringe. Direction is not important at this point; focus on a rhythmic stroke and a 'true roll'. As you hit the putts, you can watch them move across the green. Are they bouncing or 'checking' on the green? This is not good. Strive to hit the ball in a rhythmic fashion and have the ball roll smoothly across the green. Once you have the feel of a true roll and can do it every time, focus on hitting 3 balls all the same distance,then vary the distances.
Once you can consistently hit 3 30-foot putts within 6 inches of each other you have your stroke and the 3 putts should become a rare occurence. The next step is to become more precise with the direction that you hit your putts so make more long putts. This is where some help from an instructor is in order. I'd love to help.
Late Winter Tip:
Laying the groundwork for more power this summer.
For most of us in Canada, golf is simply not possible in the winter. This doesn't have to mean, however, that we are missing out on the chance to improve. Winter is the time to lay the groundwork for improvement that you will reap over the summer.
Your focus now should be on stretching and strengthening those muscles which enable you to turn more, turn more stably, and turn faster. This will quickly translate into more solid shots and more distance.
The range of exercises you can do is almost unlimited so you need to find out what your 'weakest link' is by consulting a fitness trainer or a physio and let them guide your training.
I, personally, have had success working with a few different people and if you would like to contact me I can refer their services to you.
Just like with spring cleaning, the task of excercising for golf's sake might seem tedious but when all the cobwebs are gone in the summer you will be glad you did it. |
