Golf Tip Reviews | Golf Lessons and Tips

Golf Swing Lesson: Point Your Belt Buckle at the Target Like Bill Haas

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Salt was on the range early that day. The day was cool; it had rained the night before and so the grass was a little soggy. The clouds hung low, but it was not too windy. Not a day for fair weather golfers. But a day not nearly as bad as it looked from inside the clubhouse.

Salt thought that the type of person who would show up on the range today would be a serious sort of player, one who really wanted to work on his game.

Not surprisingly, business was slow. But, by and by, Micah arrived. He looked to be in a hurry, and was well dressed. He probably slipped away over his lunch hour. Salt knew Micah in passing. Micah was a businessman, an account manager. He wanted to play the game well to help him impress clients, but had a handicap in the low 20s, which frustrated him. He felt like he needed to be a single-digit handicapper, or nearly so, to really succeed in his line of work.

Micah got out his clubs and began to hit some balls.

Salt shook his head. "If only they would stretch before they try to hit a ball," he thought.

Micah hit several balls, but was obviously getting frustrated. Salt ambled over.

"Mornin'," said Salt.

"Good morning," said Micah. "How are you today, Salt?"

"Oh, I'm doing fine today. How's your game Micah?"

"Not bad, not bad," said Micah. "Having a little trouble with my slice though."

"Mind if I have a look?" asked Salt.

"Please, go ahead."

Salt knew that Micah was a serious man, analytical, calculating. He would probably want to hear tips about wrist angle, swing plane, grip position, and so forth.

"What do you think of my backswing Salt? Are my hands high enough?"

Salt just sighed and shook his head. And he watched another weak shot tail off to the right.

"Micah, I'd like you to try something for me."

"Sure, what?"

"I'd like you to swing so that your belt buckle is facing the target on your finish."

"What?"

"Try it. Take a practice swing or two and concentrate on swinging so that your belt buckle faces the target when you are done. Imagine a pro with a great swing, like Bill Haas. It looks unhurried and easy, but it's very powerful and balanced and he is always facing the target when he's done."

Micah conjured up an image of Bill Haas' swing:

Micah gave it a try. The first thing he noticed was that his belt buckle was pointing right of the target, not at the target. The next thing he noticed was that he was losing his balance, and didn't really have a specific direction that his belt buckle was pointing.

"Try again, but smoother," said Salt.

Micah tried several more times to no avail. Salt was worried that he might lose Micah's attention and trust.

"Micah, why don't you just pose with your club and belt buckle the way you want to end up, and backtrack from there?"

And so Micah visualized Bill Haas' finish, and he imitated it for Salt. Eventually he was able to execute a swing that resulted in a balanced finish, with his belt buckle pointing at the target, at a good tempo. He found that he needed a much more inside path on the downswing to avoid losing his balance, and this also helped to bring him up into the finish pose he was looking for.

"Now hit a ball. But tee it up," said Salt.

Micah did. His first shot was straight. His second was straight and longer. His third was pure, a beautiful golf shot by any standard.

"Salt, thank you, this is incredible." Micah was genuinely grateful and truly surprised at how well this worked. He eagerly reached for another striped ball.

Salt waved at him from across the range, It was time to head back inside for a cup of coffee. After all, it was a bit cool outside.

Did you enjoy this golf Lesson? Think you can make the swing that puts you in a great finish pose like Micah and Bill Haas? Let your friends in on the secret too! Like, Share, Bookmark, Tweet, or +1 below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Bunker Tip: Escape the Greenside Bunker By Putting Sand on the Green

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:55:00 +0000

Symptom: You dread the green-side bunker. It mocks you and haunts you when you hit your approach shot into the green, causing you to question your club selection and your target line. All this because you leave your ball in the bunker more often than not...

Description: To get out of a greenside bunker, hit the sand under the ball onto the green, and the ball will follow.

Why it works: The explosion shot from a greenside bunker is not difficult once you get the hang of it. If you are having trouble with this shot, it is likely because you aren't being aggressive enough through the ball. You have to really smack the sand under the ball to play this shot correctly.

When you watch the pros hit out of a green-side bunker, notice where the sand goes. On the green!

For example, run this video and watch Robert Allenby's shot (0:15) -- see the sand land on the green before the ball does? Or watch Tiger (0:29) blast out of the bunker. The sand would have landed on the green had it not blown away in the wind. Mark Hensby's long bunker shot (0:48) didn't put much sand on the green, but that's because it was a long shot and he just nipped the ball to try and spin it more. But see Hensby's next bunker shot (1:02) -- he put some sand on the green, adding to the nice pile of sand already on the green from other pro's bunker shots:

The message is clear: If you can get some sand from under the ball onto the green, the ball will get out of the bunker. And you will be much happier.

You will find that to get sand on the bunker, you will need to accelerate and drive through the ball on the downswing, hit behind the ball by about an inch or so, and powerfully drive through the sand with a full follow through.

Once you get the hang of this, and understand how it feels to hit a good bunker shot, you will be amazed at what a simple shot this really is.

Remember - put sand on the green and the ball will follow!

Does this tip work for you? Promise to get out of the greenside bunker from now on? Then tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, +1, or Email below!

Copyright 2012-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Chipping Tip: Putt Whenever You Can

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Symptom: Poor chipping, seldom converting up-and-downs from just off the green. All too often, your chip goes about two feet when you wanted it to go twenty feet. Or vice versa. Expletives are uttered...

Description: If you can putt the ball, you should putt the ball. Put away your wedge and use the putter for more consistency and better scores.

Why it works: Around the green, and especially from the fringe, most Occasional Golfers will get the ball closer to the hole with their putter than a wedge. If the ball is on the fairway in front of the green, or the fringe around the green, or anywhere where the golf ball can travel across the grass without too much impediment, PUTT IT! It will save you strokes on the golf course.

After all, you can hit the ball with any club, no matter where you happen to be. There is no rule preventing this!

Putting from off the green is something we can all do, but it's mandatory at the Open Championship. Have a look at Rickie Fowler, he knows better than to chip from just off the green (1:44). Nice result too--have a look:

Often, well-meaning golf teachers and tour pros talk about chipping with a seven iron and such, to carry just on to the green and "get the ball rolling on the green as quickly as possible". This sounds reasonable, and I often hear this advice regurgitated from my playing companions. However, my experience is that this doesn't work very well. You will do better by either a) putting the ball or b) chipping the ball with the club you usually use to chip with and landing the ball on your chosen spot.

Again, putt the ball whenever you can!

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Golf Strategy: Develop Selective Amnesia -- Forget that Bad Shot!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Symptom: You take several shots, or even several holes, to recover from one bad swing or errant shot. So, you end up with a scorecard with mostly good scores, but a few really big numbers on a couple of consecutive holes. And so your handicap stays stubbornly high, even though most of your shots and holes are quite good.

Description: Forget the bad shot you just hit. The shot you are about to hit is a new shot, unrelated to your previous bad shot. Actually it is similar to a great shot you have hit in the past. This is where the selective amnesia comes in -- forget the shot you just hit, and remember the great shot from the past. This will evoke a positive memory, and give you a good vibe, before you hit your next shot. You will be calmer, more relaxed, and guess what -- much more likely to hit a good shot!

Why it Works: Golf is a unique game, in that we (hopefully) don't hit the same shot twice in a row. That is, you may hit a driver off the tee, but your next shot is a mid-iron into the green, not another driver. And your next shot is a putt, not another mid-iron. The point is that the shot you are about to hit is NOT RELATED to the shot you just hit.

Read more Funny Golf Poems at GolfPoem.com.

But most Occasional Golfers let the emotion from a bad drive, or a bad mid-iron, or a bad putt, color their thinking and spill over into their next shot. This is a sure fire way to limit your performance on the course.

So, when you are preparing to drive, forget about the putt you left short for bogey on the previous hole. Instead, remember the last time you hit a great drive. On your mid-iron shot, remember the last time you stuck it close to the hole. On the green, remember the last time you made that putt for birdie. Those memories are a whole lot more relevant, and positive, to the shot at hand.

Easier said than done? Of course! But look at the pros -- they have bogeys on their scorecards (analogous to a double-bogey for Occasional Golfers) but always seem to bounce back with red numbers on subsequent holes. The point is that even the best players have bad holes. They key is the fast bounce back, and a a big part of this is selective amnesia!

Phil Mickelson knows how to forget a bad shot. He is hole-high on a par 4, chipping for eagle from a tough, but not impossible, lie (0:40). Surely he's thinking birdie at worst. But, the club slides under the ball, the ball goes nowhere, and he is left with a really bad lie (1:01). So now he has to get up and down for par. Most of us would be fuming right about now. The mood in the group is not improved when Tiger puts his chip into the bunker with Phil watching (2:07). Phil's (very good from that lie) third shot left him on the edge of the green, with a 20-footer right-to-left breaker for par (3:00). Which he drains! Talk about staying focused -- Phil walks off with a par! Have a look:

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Golf Strategy: Find More Golf Balls Than You Lose

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:34:00 +0000

We all lose golf balls from time to time. But some of the sting can be taken away if you find a few more than you lose along the way. On a tough course I usually find 5-10 balls. (Sadly, I might also lose one or two along the way.) So I come out ahead on golf balls, and way ahead on expenses (many balls I find are in nearly-perfect condition).

You can do the same. And you can be a great help and asset to your playing partners if you become a ball-finding expert!

Here's some proven ball-finding pointers -- give them a try next time you play:

Read more funny golf poems at GolfPoem.com.

Help Look. Always help your playing partners look for their lost balls. Hopefully you will find their ball. But undoubtedly, theirs is not the first errant shot into the tall grass or the woods in this general area. You will likely find several other balls as you hunt for your friend's ball.
Widen the Search. Don't be afraid to look further away than they are looking. I often hear "I'm sure it's right here" but in fact they are off by ten yards or more. So widen the circle of the search and you may come across an extra ball or two.
Walk the course if you can (it's better exercise and you will stay more limber during the round). Walk the right side of the fairway, or even in the rough, as you approach your ball (even if you are in the fairway). Most lost balls started out as big slices by right handed players.
Get down the hill. Gravity and water make grass grow and lay downhill. You need to be looking uphill, into the grass, to see the ground and the balls beneath. They will be hidden under the matted grass from the high or uphill side.
Use your feet. Shuffle through the grass rather than just walking, and you will sometimes inadvertently kick a surprise ball from the undergrowth.
Use your club. Probe in the grass with your club, scraping the ground and probing for balls. Often you will hit a ball with your club that you would not have seen.
Go where few others will. Most people just won't climb that hill, hack that grass, or ford that stream to find the elusive white ball. If you are an adventuresome soul, you can reap the rewards. Like this thrill-seeking golfer (be sure to watch all the way to the end):

If I happen to lose my ball due to bad luck or a bad shot, it does take some of the sting away when I find three more dimpled, pristine, willing volunteers, eager to get back in the game! I'll bet it will for you too.

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Golf Swing Video: Shorten Your Backswing For More Consistency

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:17:00 +0000

Symptom: Erratic shots, a golf swing that is not reliable or powerful, and doesn't hold up under pressure or from round to round. If only there were some way to get a swing that just worked a little better, without so much babysitting...

Description: Slow down and limit the length of your backswing for more consistency.

Why it works: Let's start with the basics: the purpose of the backswing is to coil the body and set the club in position for a powerful downswing. You don't hit the ball with your backswing, you hit the ball on the downswing. A backswing that is too quick, or too long, can easily get the club out of position, and can prevent you from storing the energy needed for a powerful, consistent downswing. Indeed, you can hit very good shots with hardly any backswing at all. Do not confuse a long backswing with a powerful golf swing!

Many of the best players on the PGA Tour have very compact, repeatable golf swings with relatively short backswings that the Occasional Golfer, such as you and me, can emulate. I suggest looking at Paul Casey, Tommy Armour III, and Jason Dufner, for example. These guys all hit the ball plenty far, and very consistently, with a repeatable and limited backswing.

Here is Tommy:

Here is Paul:

And here is Jason:

All are regarded as excellent ball strikers and all have simple, repeatable swings. Try it next time you are on the range, and see if your consistency doesn't improve!

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Golf Swing Lesson: Have a Seat for Power, Balance, and Consistency

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It was getting late. Most golfers were pounding driver after driver, barely even looking where their ball was going before teeing up the next one. Salt was not interested in these people.

He was more interested in the girl who had a fresh bucket of balls in front of her. She was obviously new to the game, trying to learn. It took courage to come out on the range and not be self-conscious. Salt approved.

"Hello young lady, how are you?" Salt asked.

"OK, I guess," she said.

"My name is Salt. I'm the golf teacher at the golf course. Do you like to play golf?"

"My name is Melissa. I want to try the game, because it looks fun. But I'm just a beginner."

"Everybody is a beginner at the beginning," said Salt.

Melissa looked at him and squinted a little. Salt thought it was pretty profound, but not this youngster.

"Can you help me hit the ball like that guy you just helped?" asked Melissa.

"Well, he is a lot bigger and stronger and more experienced than you. Maybe you could hit a few balls and we'll see how it goes?"

Melissa agreed.

"Put the ball on a tee," said Salt. He thought everyone, beginners especially, should hit off a tee on the range.

Melissa took a few practice swings and hit a few balls.

"At least I'm hitting every one now, not missing," she said.

Salt nodded. "Yes, that's good."

Melissa had a decent grip, one she had probably been taught. But, like most who are new to the game, she had a tendency to come over the ball, a casting motion, that caused some bad slices and an occasional shank.

Salt noticed in particular that she did not have much knee flex. Her rigid knees were making it difficult to execute a good turn and take an inside path on the downswing.

She shanked another one. "Oh I hate those!"

Salt could see she was getting frustrated.

"Can you help me Salt" she asked.

"Melissa, would you try something for me?" asked Salt.

"OK. Is it my grip? Maybe it's too weak? I read about that,"

Salt was patient. "No, your grip is fine. Very good in fact."

Melissa seemed pleased that her grip was very good.

"Melissa, please take your stance as normal. That's it. Now, I want you to pretend you are about to sit down."

"What? You want me to sit down?"

"No, not all the way, just pretend like you are going to sit down on a bar stool or something. Just go down a little ways. Think of Michelle Wie's stance, how she sits down as she addresses the ball." Salt pulled out his handy smartphone and showed Melissa what he meant. "See, right here at 0:14, she sits down into her stance and holds that position through impact".

"OK, I see now", said Melissa.

"Perfect," said Salt.

"Perfect what?" demanded Melissa.

"That is a perfect stance. Try a few practice swings from that stance and see how it feels."

Melissa's first swings were a little awkward. She actually lost her balance from all the clubhead speed she generated off her new stance.

"Try a couple more, but keep your head still as you swing" said Salt.

And soon her swings were much improved.

"Now hit a ball or two and see how it goes," suggested Salt.

Melissa's first shot made a decidedly different sound than before. The fine, sharp crack of a well struck ball.

"Wow". Melissa now had a little more respect for old Salt.

She hit a few more shots. Most were good, some were still bad, but definitely an improvement.

"Remember, sit down to get a solid stance, and you will improve!" said Salt. "I need to go now, Melissa. Nice to meet you. And please do come back to the range often."

"Thank you Salt. I will."

She was happy, and so was Salt.

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Golf Swing Tip: Use a Proper Right Hand Grip to Improve Your Swing

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:03:00 +0000

Symptom: You diligently try to improve your game, and are serious about wanting to swing like the guys on TV. But try as you might, you just can't seem to get it done, despite flashes of brilliance. Consistency eludes you and your handicap stays stubbornly high...

Overview: Fix your grip before you try anything else. Your left hand "V" should point at your right shoulder (a strong left hand grip). Your right hand "lifeline" must smother your left thumb throughout the swing.

Why it Works: First, a word of caution. Changing your grip will feel unnatural to you at first. This is to be expected -- after all, however you are currently gripping your club, you have adjusted your swing accordingly so that it feels natural to you. When you change your grip, your swing will need to change too. But, hopefully, for the better.

It is well worth your time and effort to fix your grip. If you have the proper grip, much of the swing happens naturally. If you don't have the proper grip, you will find it very hard to produce the swing you want with any consistency.

The lifeline is shown in red

There's been much written about the grip. My own view is that it comes down to two very basic things:

1. The left hand "V" made by your thumb and forefinger points at your right shoulder, a "Strong" left hand grip. But please remember to grip the club lightly.

2. The right hand "lifeline" (shown in red at left) smothers the left thumb at address and throughout the swing. The word "smother" is chosen carefully -- it implies constant, deliberate pressure, not just a hand position.

There are important reasons for these guidelines. Let's have the sweet-swinging Adam Scott demonstrate the basics for us:

Adam Scott at address with nearly perfect grip on the club.

First, the left hand. You want to grip the club lightly to avoid tension in your shoulders and allow a full turn. You want a strong left hand grip to make it easier and more natural to take an inside path on the downswing, avoiding a slice. Such advice is often heard on the range and on the course -- "strengthen your grip" is a commonly-prescribed cure for the chronic slicer. It is true. But it is only necessary, not sufficient.

The role of the right hand is more subtle, and advice on the right hand is much harder to find.

The smothering pressure of the right hand lifeline promotes a wide arc on your backswing, because it tends to push the club away from your body. It also tends to prevent your left arm from bending too much at the top of your swing (although some bending is OK). It does this by simultaneously a) bracing your left elbow, and b) encouraging your left wrist to hinge rather than allowing your left elbow to bend once resistance develops at the top of your backswing. Think of your right arm almost like a splint for your left elbow during the backswing. Finally, the constant smothering pressure of your right lifeline tends to keep your two hands melded and joined together, almost "handcuffed", throughout the swing. This promotes a "one piece" takewaway and downswing that is driven from your big muscles of your lower body, not from your hands.

Let's have Mr. Scott show us how it's done:

If we stop the video at address, at the top, at impact, and at follow through, and focus on the right hand, you can see the role of the right hand in each of these swing positions:

Adam Scott's golf swing positions, emphasizing the role of the right hand throughout the swing.

Obviously Adam Scott does a lot of other things right in his swing too. And, this is not to imply that you should obsess about your right hand as you swing. Indeed, the "lifeline smothers thumb" tip is mostly a setup position tip. That is, it's something that you do at address, and then maintain throughout the swing, such as "sit on the barstool" for a proper stance, or "aim at a point on your target line" for proper alignment. Setup thoughts are things you should just do, and then forget as you execute your swing. This is in contrast to a swing thought, such as "throw the club underhand at the target" for a proper release or "point your belt buckle at the target" for a balanced finish. These swing thoughts things require your attention as you swing.

The key point is, these swing thoughts will work much better and more repeatably if your setup is proper. And your setup includes your grip on the club.

So examine and adjust your grip the next time you are at the driving range. And please, don't be discouraged if it feels odd at first, because it should feel odd to you at first. It is different, after all. But stick with it and you can make true improvements in your swing!

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Golf Strategy: Remember Your Good Shots

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:39:00 +0000

Symptom: Your stomach starts to turn and your knees start to wobble as you eye the water hazard in front of the tee, the bunker in the distance, or the trees off to the right. You think, "better not go there", and then often go exactly where you didn't want to go. It's so frustrating, because you've hit that same club plenty of times in the past with no problem at all...

Overview: After analyzing the situation and challenges you face on the next shot, remember a similar, previous successful shot before starting your pre-shot routine.

Why It Works: As you contemplate your next shot, your Logical Self will dutifully inform you of all the issues you face -- the lie, the wind, the tightly tucked pin, your poor shot on the previous hole, the lightning-fast green, the hazards to avoid -- all sorts of data. These pieces of data are all important. But they are important only to inform the decision about where to aim. After that decision is made, they are not important at all.

To see why, try this simple psychology experiment: "Don't think about White Bears!" What did you just do? I'll bet you thought of a White Bear! But you were told not to!

More poems at GolfPoem.com

It's the same thing in golf. If you are dwelling on the carry over the water hazard ("Don't go in the water!"), or the number and depth of the sand traps by the green ("Don't go in the sand"), or the sidehill lie you are on ("Don't lose your balance"), you really can't hit a good golf shot.

So how do you fight it?

With a positive memory of a past success on a similar shot. This is the calming moment you need before you begin the three-phase Aim-Align-Execute method.

When you do this, many positive things happen. Your heart rate goes down. Your tension in your shoulders and arms goes down. Your logical self cannot ignore the fact that, indeed, you have pulled this shot off in the past, even if your last shot was poor. This proves that it can be done, so why not just do it again?

Pay attention to what the pros say in post-round interviews. Do they talk about their head position, or their left arm, or their stance, or their alignment, or anything even remotely tactical or mechanical? No. They use phrases like "it felt good today", "the putts just found the hole", "I got it going on number 7 and kept my momentum throughout the back nine", and so on. These are qualitative, feel-based descriptions. And they make particular note of the good things that happened in the round, not the bad things. "I hit a great shot on 11, had a perfect number," or "I had a nice uphill putt on 14 and could be aggressive with it," and so on. They are reinforcing their positive memories. That's how they play the game.

And that's what you need to do. Remember your good shots, and call that positive memory up as you face your next knee-knocker. You'll play better golf, and have more fun too!

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Golf Swing Drill: Learn to Keep Your Head Still From Ben Hogan

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:23:00 +0000

Symptom: You hit a bad shot and then say to yourself, "I didn't keep my head still and watch the ball that time," but you don't really know if that was the problem. Come to think of it, you don't really know what it means to keep your head still and watch the ball, since you've never known when you've done it right, only when you (might have) done it wrong...

Overview: Hold a golf tee in your lips. At address, point the tee at the ball, and keep it pointed at the ball throughout your backswing, on the downswing, and through impact.

Why it works: "Keep your head still" and "Watch the ball" are some of the most widely heard pieces of golfing advice on the planet. The trouble, of course, is that they are usually uttered after a bad shot has been hit! What use is this? Almost none. Wouldn't it be great if you could know, without the help of a coach, if your head really was still, and if you really were watching the ball as you execute your swing? Wouldn't it be great to know how it feels to do it right, so you can duplicate that feeling on the course?

There is a simple way.

Hogan with Cigarette and Driver

Let's have the great Ben Hogan demonstrate for us. Ben was a smoker, and he had a Chesterfield in his lips as he was hitting balls on the range back in 1956 when this video was shot. (At least I assume it's a Chesterfield -- Ben was a pitch man for Chesterfield in those days, see picture at right.) His smoking habit is fortunate for us, because his cigarette points where he is looking throughout his swing. The cigarette acts as a marker for where his eyes are pointing, providing insight to us that we wouldn't otherwise have.

Watch the start of this video, especially the slow motion footage of Hogan hitting a short iron between (0:28) and (0:46). The rest of the video is good too, of course (who doesn't like watching the great Hogan swing?)

Here are three pictures of Hogan just after the takeaway, at the top of the backswing, and just after impact. The cigarette just keeps pointing at the ball! To do this, he first looks straight down (address), then over his left shoulder (top of backswing), and then over his right shoulder (impact).

Hogan points his cigarette at the ball at address, on the takeaway, on the backswing, on the downswing, and just after impact.

This is what is meant by "keep your head still". The head and neck swivel as needed to keep the eyes fixed on the ball. Indeed, it would be more accurate to say "allow your head to swivel relative to your rotating shoulders such that your eyes and head remain fixed on and pointed at the ball through impact". This doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but it's much closer to the truth.

Which brings us back to the Golf Drill at hand. Simply put a tee in your lips as you hit balls, point it at the ball, and be conscious of exactly where the tee points as you swing. At first you will be surprised to find that even though you "think" you are keeping your head still, the tee sticking out of your mouth doesn't lie. You may be swaying off the ball on the backswing, or jerking your head around and casting on the downswing, or whatever. Make the necessary adjustments in your swing to keep the tee in your lips aimed at the ball and you'll soon find that you are making more solid contact.

More importantly, you will get immediate feedback before you hit the ball, while you are swinging, on how it feels to keep your head still. This is the true payoff of this drill. This is knowledge you can internalize, build upon, and take with you to the course.

And if you think you are straying a bit during your round, you can simply put a tee in your mouth and find out for sure!

Did you like this article? Several people I have shown this Drill to have refused to spit out the tee once they see what a difference it makes! If you are one too, then please tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, Email, or +1 Below!

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Golf Strategy: Use the Whole Tee Box to Your Advantage

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:43:00 +0000

Symptom: Far too many missed fairways. Especially those where you say, "But I hit a good shot, it just rolled too far..."

Description: Tee up your ball within the tee box strategically, depending on the shot you intend, or are likely, to hit. Don't just tee it up in the middle of the tee box. It's all about geometry having a plan for how to play the hole.

Why it works: You can alter the angle of a dogleg-right hole in your favor by teeing the ball up on the left side of the tee box (vice versa for a dogleg-left hole). Think of it like in billiards, when you place the cue ball to your best advantage after your opponent scratches. Sometimes the tee box isn't level everywhere, and you surely don't want to be standing in a hole for your tee shot. Or sometimes you want to favor the right or left side of the fairway due to the wind, or because you are playing a fade or a draw, or because you are not using your driver, or because out-of-bounds runs along one side of the fairway**, or whatever.

No matter what the particulars, pick your teeing spot and your aiming point carefully and deliberately and you will get better results, more often.

Let's have Rory McIlroy demonstrate this for us. He is playing a draw on a dogleg left hole at Augusta National. So where does he tee the ball? On the right side of the tee box, of course, because that straightens out the dogleg for him a bit. Have a look:

**It can be very effective when playing for money, to helpfully point out to your playing partners that you teed up your ball on the left side of the box, to avoid the OB on the left side of the fairway. Do this just after you hit a successful drive and just before your buddy is about to tee up his ball. He won't be able to deny the wisdom of your strategy, and you have just snuck a negative thought into his head before his tee shot. (Note: Not responsible for any damages resulting from this tactic!)

Did you like this article? Promise not to just set up in the middle of the tee box next time out, but rather to give the matter a bit of thought? Then tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, Email, or "+1" below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Swing Drill: Study Jason Dufner's Foot Position to Improve Your Swing

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 05:38:00 +0000

Symptom: Incomplete follow through, resulting in weak shots that slice or tail off to the right. You can't seem to get up on your right toe on the follow through to pose at the target like those guys on TV. How the heck do they do that anyway??

Overview: Turn your left foot 45 degrees to the target line, and your right foot 90 degrees (perpendicular) to the target line (for a right-handed player). Do not make your stance more open to the target line, just change where your toes are pointing (swing them both around to the left, counterclockwise). Now execute your swing.

Why it works: By opening your left foot 45 degrees to the target line, you encourage your hips to rotate through the ball on the downswing, allowing you to get your belt buckle to point at the target. Similarly, by squaring up your right foot to the target line, you will inhibit a long backswing, which might be getting you out of position for your downswing. This stance encourages a restricted backswing, powerful downswing motion that will get you the feel you seek.

To illustrate what this foot position can do for you, let's have a look at Jason Dufner's golf swing. One of the keys to Dufner's consistency, restricted backswing, and powerful release is his foot position. Have a look at Dufner's right foot -- perpendicular to the target line to inhibit a long backswing. His left foot is turned out to the line to encourage a powerful downswing and release. Have a look:

There's a lot for the Occasional Golfer to like about Dufner's swing (the waggle, the starter move, the short backswing, the full release, the balanced finish). Here is a swing you can do at home, too.

Anyway, back to the drill. Once you have the feel of a complete follow through and a belt buckle that points at the target on the follow through, return your stance to normal. Or maybe make it a bit more like Dufner's You should find your swing is much improved!

Did you like this article? Think you can channel a little Dufner magic the next time you're on the range? Then please tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, Email, or +1 below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Swing Tip: Use the "Aim-Align-Execute" Method for Better Consistency

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:29:00 +0000

Symptom: Try as you might, consistency on the golf course is elusive. You hit great shots from time to time, but you also hit terrible shots, making you wonder if you have an evil twin that takes over your body and swings your golf club like a caveman attacking a bear...

Overview: For every golf shot, follow the three phase "Aim-Align-Execute" method.

Why it works: All golf shots have (at least) three phases once you have chosen your club: The Aiming, the Alignment, and the Execution, in that order. Most Occasional Golfers inter-mix, or ignore, or sometimes forget to do all three of the phases. This leads to inconsistency, which of course leads to high numbers on your scorecard.

For example, on a full shot, "Aim-Align-Execute" goes something like this:

Pick a distant target, like a tree, or the middle of the green, or whatever makes sense for your particular shot and circumstances (the Aiming).
Pick a spot on your target line a few feet in front of your ball to align your club, and to build your stance around (the Alignment).
Execute the shot, with a starter move and a full release to a balanced finish (the Execution).

A key element of the "Aim - Align - Execute" approach is that the steps are done sequentially. That is, you do not think about Aiming as you Align your clubface, and you do not think about Aiming or Alignment as you Execute your swing. You think only about what you are trying to accomplish in each phase. This focus is very powerful, because it allows you to do one thing at a time, and do it very well. This gives you confidence on the course, which can help you block out the distractions (sand trap, carry over water, strong crosswind, etc.) that you encounter as you play.

Let's have Dustin Johnson demonstrate this for us. Note how Dustin picks his distant target (the Aiming, 0:05), then he Aligns the clubface to a point on his target line (the Alignment, 0:10), and then finally Executes his swing (the Execution, 0:14). Have a look:

Or have a look at Martin Kaymer, he does the same three things: Aim (0:14), Align (0:19), and Execute (0:25).

Indeed, every pro or low handicapper will go through some form of Aim-Align-Execute every time, for every shot. You should too, if you want to improve your consistency.

Finally, a word of caution: When you watch golf on TV, often the only thing that (understandably) makes it on air is the swing itself. But every pro, I guarantee you, went through an Aim-Align-Execute routine before you saw them swing on your TV set. The networks just spare us the tedium of watching their Aim-Align-Execute routines.

Did you like this tip? Think the Aim-Align-Execute method will bring you some consistency? Then tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, "+1", or Email below!

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Golf Swing Tip: Sit on the Bar Stool for Power and Balance Like Davis Love III

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:38:00 +0000

Symptom: Erratic shots, poor balance, and an inability to get into that "perfect pose position" on your follow through. You sometimes find that instead of facing down the target line on the finish, you are stumbling about, trying hard to stay on your feet. Nobody oohs and ahhs, that's for sure...

Description: Pretend you are about to sit down on a bar stool before the takeaway, and hold this spine angle throughout the backswing.

Why it works: This tip is all about putting your body into a powerful, athletic, and stable position to execute your golf swing. On the backswing, think of your spine as the axis around which your body turns. You need to keep this axis relatively still and at a consistent angle throughout your backswing. Stillness matters because this stability allows you to put the clubhead in a known and consistent position at the top of the backswing, which is crucial for a repeatable downswing. It also is a great help in keeping your head still as you swing.

Pretending to sit on a bar stool helps you anchor your spine in just the right way for it to act as your axis. Indeed, the tension in your big leg muscles needed to hold this "almost sitting" position is about the only "good" tension I know of in the golf swing.

Let's have Davis Love III demonstrate for us. Davis has a simple and powerful swing that launches the ball straight and far, with little apparent effort. Davis has an excellent stance and setup position that surely help him swing the club so well. Have a look:

As you run the video, you can watch Davis pick a distant target to aim at, align his club, do a waggle to keep his arms and hands loose, and then settle into the stance at (0:17) just before he starts his backswing. That little extra "sit" at (0:17) is what the "sit on the barstool" tip is all about.

You will find that it is much easier to strike a pose in that perfect finish position when you do the bar stool setup. If you are not used to this setup position, it will take some getting used to. You may also find that this position tends to limit the length of your backswing, but this is almost always a good thing for the Occasional Golfer.

So -- the time you've put in sitting at the local bar was actually golf practice!

Remember, set up like Davis Love III for more consistency and power. And please don't forget to Share this Tip with your friends--Share, Like, Tweet, "+1", or Email below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Putting Tip: The One-Two Stroke Thought for Better Distance Control

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:05:00 +0000

Symptom: Your putts from longer range are more-or-less on line, but often end up way past the hole, or way short. So you three putt a lot. As you tally your score, you mention your three-putts too, as in "I shot a 93, but I must have had six three-putts. Take those away and I'm at 87..." Your buddies sort of nod their heads in understanding, but of course everybody knows your score is 93, not 87.

Overview: After aligning your ball on your intended line, focus only your putting stroke execution by using the One-Two Stroke Thought: Say (to yourself) "One" as you take away your putter, and say "Two" as you hit the ball.

Why it works: All golf shots have three main phases: The aiming, the alignment, and the execution, in that order. Most Occasional Golfers inter-mix, or ignore, or sometimes forget to do all three of the phases.

Putting is no different than a full shot, or a chip, or a pitch -- there is the aiming, the alignment, and the execution. However, most high handicappers do not approach putting in this manner. This lack of systematic routine leads to inconsistency, lots of three-putts, and big numbers on your scorecard.

Of course everybody reads the break in their putts (aiming). Better players can read the pace and factor that in as well. Still better players align their ball properly. The really good players can do it all, and then execute the shot, to avoid the dreaded three putt. The execution is the key here. The "One-Two" Stroke Thought can help you execute a good putting stroke.

Why do you need a Stroke Thought at all? Left without a task, your mind will wander and start second-guessing your aim, or your alignment. Or maybe you'll start thinking about the wind, or the summary report that's due at work tomorrow, or about the trip you need to take next week, or whatever. But all of that stuff doesn't matter right now. Right now, you need to execute this putting stroke, and saying "One - Two" helps you make a solid stroke.

The "One" is all about eliminating tension in your stroke. Focusing on saying "One" as you take away your putter gives you something to do, and can help you avoid the common fault of watching your putter instead of the ball. It's an anchor point for your stroke. And, of course "One" comes before "Two", so you need to say "One" first.

The "Two" helps you stay calm and focused thoughout your stroke. Anticipating the moment your putter strikes the ball and saying "Two" at that precise moment is a calming experience. A detached third party looks on, a narrator to the drama, who is tasked with saying "two" at the right time. But of course this narrator is you. This detachment restores your confidence and perspective about the putt, and can give you that elusive commodity, "feel" or "touch".

The One-Two Stroke Thought can also prevent a short, jerky putting stroke, or the "yips". The yippy stroke leaves the putterhead open at impact, pushing your ball to the right of the cup and leaving it short, or pulling it left and hitting it way past the cup. Your detached, narrator mind knows when that putterhead should hit the ball. The great thing is, if you hit the ball at that precise time, your putterhead will be square to the target line. The One-Two Stroke Thought, then, provides some feedback to you that helps you slow down your stroke, and avoid making a jerky, inconsistent and "yippy" stroke.

As you watch the pros on TV putt, say "One-Two" as they putt. You can get quite good at saying "Two" at just the right time. If a pro surprises you and hits the ball before you say "Two", often they just hit a really bad putt. The commentators will often say something like "that stroke didn't look quite right to me". Try it the next time you're watching golf on TV! It makes the telecast more fun to watch, and gives you extra practice that you can apply the next time you get on the course!

Here's a chance to practice: Watch Steve Stricker putt, and say "One" on the takeaway and "Two" as Stricker strikes the ball:

Did the one-two Stroke Thought help your putting? Think you can roll it a little more like Stricker now? Then tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, or Email below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Swing Tip: Stop Slicing by Learning to Hit a Draw

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:32:00 +0000

Symptom: Try as you might, you just can't shake your slice. Especially, if your "no slice" swing evolves into a timid, three-quarter swing "just to get it into play". Then, when you've been slice-free for a while, you feel emboldened and take a full swing, only to verify that you are still slicing. You shake your head in disgust and defeat, perhaps utter a few choice swear words, tee up a new ball, and go back to your three-quarter swing for a while...

Description: Rather than try to "stop slicing," you should "start drawing". A draw is not a slice, and a draw that doesn't quite work will still be a straight shot. Either way you have stopped slicing!

Why it Works: Many Occasional Golfers suffer from a slice. There is a small industry built around curing the slice. It's obviously a big problem for everybody, especially for the high handicapper.

Find more golf poems at GolfPoem.com.

Rather than try to "stop slicing", it can be more effective to learn how to hit a draw. One very important reason this works is because "start drawing" is a positive thought --rather than "stopping" something you are "starting" something new. And that is always more fun. And more effective.

Obviously, if you can hit a draw, you are not hitting a slice. And so you have "cured" the slice! Or, as sometimes happens, trying to hit a draw when you are slicing will straighten out your shot. Which is also a good result for you -- far better than tromping off into the woods or the swamp looking for lost golf balls.

To hit a draw, and not hit a slice, it is really very simple (no, really, it is!) -- you must take an inside path on the downswing, and impart counter-clockwise spin to your golf ball (for a right handed player). The problem is that this simple bit of physics is very hard to understand and visualize when you are alone on the range, or during a round of golf. Fortunately, there are two very effective drills for ingraining this feeling: the Four O'Clock Aim Point drill and the Two Ball Drill. Tee up the ball, and use these drills alone or together, until your slice goes away and you see that coveted draw.

If you still can't quite get it because of other swing flaws, then then do these two drills with the no-backswing golf swing until you get the hang of it.

I recommend that you work on this until you can actually hit a hook, just to get the feel of what a true inside path swing is like. If you are a slicer right now, then believe me, it will feel awkward when you finally do hit that first hook. Then, of course back off the hook swing until you have a picturesque draw that you and all your buddies can admire.

The reason this approach is so powerful is that it is NOT TECHNICAL. There is nothing in this tip about swing planes, hand position, your torso, your spine, your wrist cock, or anything else. You will naturally figure all that stuff out as you swing. You have to figure it out in order to hit the ball at the four O'clock position, and not hit the outer ball in the two-ball drill!

Did you like this article? Have you turned your slice into a lovely draw? Tell your friends! Share, Like, Tweet, or email below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Strategy: Take One More Club For Approach Shots, Don't Be Short!

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:40:00 +0000

Symptom: Your approach shots are usually short of the hole. You often say, "must be more uphill than I thought" or "I guess there's some wind up there" or similar lame utterances. You put a lot of pressure on your short game and end up drawing a lot of boxes and double-boxes on your scorecard as a result...

Overview: If in doubt, take one more club. If debating between a seven and eight iron, for example, choose the seven iron.

Why it works: The vast majority of high handicappers leave their approach shots short of the hole. Pay attention to this the next time you play with your buddies -- I'll bet it's true in your foursome too. Ideally, half your shots would finish past the hole, and half short of the hole, so that on average you end up pin-high. By taking one extra club, you will end up closer to the pin on average, which will leave you shorter putts, which will lead to lower scores.

Think this applies to everybody else, but not you? I challenge you to keep track of this the next time you play. I'll bet you are mostly short of the pin on your approach shots!

By taking one more club, you also protect yourself against a slight mis-hit. A longer club will carry the ball further, and allow you to still end up fairly close to the pin despite your less-than perfect shot. This takes a lot of the sting out of your bad swing, because your result is still decent, which helps you forget that bad shot and keep your round going. Finally, if happen to flush the ball such that it goes over the green, at least you can have the satisfaction of saying, "wow, I really hit that one flush", which is a positive thought that will help you get up and down from wherever you end up.

Let's have Steve Stricker demonstrate for us. His approach shot rolled just past the pin, he made the putt, won the playoff, and won the tournament. You can bet he chose a club that would get the ball all the way back to the hole! Have a look:

Combine this strategy with aiming for the center of the green instead of the flag and you can help mistake-proof your game. As your mistakes disappear, so will the strokes, and you'll find your handicap getting smaller by the round!

One final thought: Many Occasional Golfers wish they could get backspin on their ball, like the pros they see on TV. (Hint: You must have a descending blow.) But unless the ball lands past the hole, that would just take the ball further away from the cup!

Did you like this club selection tip? Then please tell your friends (although maybe you can wait until after your round to reveal your secrets) -- Like, Share, Tweet, or Email below!

Copyright 2011 - present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Swing Lesson: You Don't Hit the Ball on the Backswing

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:46:00 +0000

Salt saw a curious gentleman in the distance. Or rather, he heard him. He was pounding drivers on the range, one after the other.

He could hit the ball a long way indeed. Sometimes he would carry his drives 250 yards, very long for an amateur. Salt was watching him hit ball after ball with a furious intensity that intrigued him.

The man was working up a sweat from his high impact aerobic workout.

Not every drive was perfect, though. Sometimes he missed badly, maybe 40 yards right or left. Death on most good golf courses.

Salt did not know the man, and the man did not know Salt. So he stood politely at a distance, watching.

The man hit another fifteen balls before taking a break and looking up. It was the opening Salt needed.

"Good afternoon, I'm Salt."

"Hello, I'm Jim. Pleased to meet you, Salt. Not every day I meet a man named Salt. Don't tell me your last name is Pepper!" Jim was enthusiastic and warm, a friendly sort. Instantly likable.

"How's the practice session going Jim?" asked Salt, ignoring the question for the moment.

"Great. I'm getting good distance on my driver."

Salt nodded.

"I'd like a little more consistency, though. I guess we all would."

Salt approved. "Yes, consistency is the foundation of the game."

"What do you do for a living, Salt?" asked Jim?

"Oh, I help out around here, this and that, giving golf lessons and so on," Salt replied.

"You're a golf teacher? Wow. What do you think of my swing? How can I get more power?"

Salt knew that people tend to want more of what they already have, not what they really need. So he was cautious.

"Well, Jim, I was watching you hit balls and I'd like to make a suggestion".

"OK, shoot".

"Jim, I'd like you to slow down your backswing. Just a bit."

"Slow down? But I don't want to lose power." Jim was just a bit defensive.

"Jim, what part of the swing do you use to hit the ball?"

Jim was confused. "Well, the downswing, of course." He thought for a moment. "I see. What matters is the power in my downswing, not a fast backswing".

"Maybe take a few practice swings with a little slower backswing and see how it goes," suggested Salt. "Think of Gary Woodland's swing. He hits the ball a long, long way, with great control, and a very compact and controlled backswing."

Jim remembered seeing Gary Woodland's swing on TV, and recalled how stable and controlled his swing looked from start to balanced finish:

Jim did as Salt requested. His swings improved instantly. Jim was a fine athlete; it took a lot of ability to gyrate as he did and still hit decent shots. He also had an excellent setup position which helped a great deal.

"Shall I hit one Salt?"

"By all means, have at it. But first put down a club on your target line so we are sure you are aiming correctly."

And Jim did. His first shot was straight but a little weaker than usual.

His next shot, though, was very good. The third shot was the longest of the day, and straight. As was the fourth.

"Salt, I can't believe it. Thank you. I owe you. Would you like a beer? Sorry about my wise crack earlier."

Salt had moved along the range already. He waved at Jim. "No problem. Come back soon," said Salt.

Did you like this short story about slowing down your backswing and focusing on your downswing? Then please tell your friends -- Like, Share, Tweet, or Email below!

Golf Swing Tip: Finish With Your Belt Buckle Facing the Target Like Rory McIlroy

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Symptom: Full shot agony -- a persistent slice, or a wicked hook, coupled with poor balance at the finish, maybe even a little bit of a spin out move thrown in for good measure. Nobody is saying "nice golf swing" after you hit, even if it does happen to go approximately where you were aiming...

Description: Swing so that on your finish, your belt buckle points at the target.

Why it Works: The power of this tip is it's simplicity. It is totally non-technical. You can do this at the range, on the course, during a pre-shot routine, and so on. It's all about your position after the swing, not anything to do with the swing itself. How can such a tip as this be effective?

In order for your belt buckle to point at the target on your finish, you must rotate your hips powerfully through the ball on the downswing. Powerful hip rotation alone, however, is not enough. You must also have a proper release and good lag on your downswing. But one of the easiest things to think about and visualize is where your belt buckle ends up as you complete your swing. Therein lies the power of the tip.

Have a look at Rory McIlroy's swing, and focus on his finish. His position at the top is outstanding. Rory then rotates powerfully through the ball to a balanced finish (0:15) which he holds for a full ten seconds(!), with his belt buckle pointing at the target. Have a look:

Rory McIlroy tucks his right elbow to his side to start the downswing.

So how does Rory end up in such a balanced, graceful pose at the finish? One key can be found at the start of his downswing. All good players, but Rory in particular, return their right elbow to their side on the downswing. Rory does this very early in his downswing, which would lead to a very inside path for his clubhead if he did not compensate by also aggressively rotating his hips through the ball. His arms sort of "come along for the ride" and release the club down the line. It's this aggressive body rotation through the ball, enabled by his very-tucked right elbow at the start of the downswing, that help him get into that perfect finish position.

The point is that if you are having trouble keeping your balance at the end of the swing, you are probably throwing yourself off balance during the downswing with a casting motion. Take a tip from Rory and bring that right elbow to your side sooner!

But enough about technique. I challenge you to have a balanced finish on a full swing without your belt buckle pointing at the target. It's very hard to do! So don't even try! Swing like Rory, so that your belt buckle ends up facing the target. To end up there, you must have done a lot of things right during your swing! And so you'll be on the road to better golf!

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Copyright 2011 - present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Swing Video: Attack the Ball on the Downswing Like Nick Watney

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Today we study the essentials of the downswing by learning from Nick Watney. Nick is a great ball striker who seems to produce effortless power with his simple, fluid, and coordinated motion. As you watch his swing, you think to yourself, "not much that can go wrong with that swing...", followed closely by, "I wish I could swing like that...".

Here is Watney hitting driver, at full speed. Note in particular his wide swing arc, his well balanced finish, and his utter lack of extraneous or jerky motion:

So where does all the "easy" power come from? Have a look at this slow motion video video, and pay particular attention to Nick's downswing move as he attacks the ball:

Watney plants his left foot and tucks his right elbow on the downswing.

Watney's position on the downswing (0:11) is nearly ideal: his right elbow is tucked to his side and his left heel is firmly planted. The left heel gives a solid point to anchor the rotation of the club and body, and is a main source of power and consistency. The right elbow must return to the side to ensure good lag and an inside swing path, leading to a full release. The firmly planted left heel makes all these things much easier. Indeed, every great player, no matter what their swing looked like up until this point, looks like this as they are about to strike the ball. You need to look this way too.

Fortunately, you can easily check your position versus Watney's (ideal) position in a mirror, or even at the range, and make corrections as needed. To see how Watney's swing looks from behind and down the line, check out this video:

Run the video to (0:09) to get the shaft parallel to the ground, for easy comparison to the side view. Note (again) his right elbow tucked to his side, and his left arm straight and on the swing plane, with the shaft parallel to the target line. It's just about perfect.

The left and right arms form a "triangle" at this point in the swing, which is another easy thing to remember, and another good thing to copy in the mirror. All good golfers, regardless of their swing plane, or how their swing looked up until this point, look pretty much like this as they attack the ball.

So, please remember the three basic keys to a successful downswing--

Return your right elbow to your side,
Plant your left foot firmly, and
Form a triangle with your right and left arms when the shaft is parallel to the ground.

Golf Pitching Tip: High Finish for Pitches Like Luke Donald

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:11:00 +0000

Symptom: Poor pitch shots from 80 yards and in, characterized by duffing, chunking, shanking and cursing. "How can I hit it close from 150 yards but can't put it on the green from 40 yards?" you ask yourself while shaking your head in disbelief.

Description: Limit your backswing on pitch shots, forcing you accelerate through impact to a high finish -- higher than your backswing.

Why it works: To swing the club with a high finish and hit the pitch shot the proper distance, you must accelerate through the golf ball. The need to accelerate your golf swing through the golf ball will naturally limit the extent of your backswing, put lag into your downswing so you hit the ball before you hit the ground, and give you a high finish. This visualization will prevent the "big backswing and decelerate" fault (remember, you don't hit the ball on the backswing) that plagues so many golfers' pitch shots.

Let's have Luke Donald demonstrate this for us. Luke is hitting this pitch shot about 40 yards in the air. Note that Donald's backswing goes only until his left arm is parallel to the ground (0:17), but his finish is high (0:27), with his club pointing to the sky and his belt buckle facing the target. Let's Look at Luke:

As an added bonus, watch the gentleman in the background hitting a chip shot to the same green (I can't tell who it is). For this shorter shot (about ten yards in the air), he keeps his hands ahead of the ball through impact, which means he will not have a high finish. So you see a demonstration of Luke Donald's (longer) pitch shot and a (shorter) chip shot in the same video clip!

More generally, accelerating (not decelerating) through the ball on every shot is one of the most fundamental requirements for playing good golf, and is the basis of the no backswing golf swing drill. A high finish is a good sign that you are indeed accelerating through the ball.

Do you think this tip will put you into pitch shot paradise? Then please tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, or Email below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Putting Tip: Draw on Your Ball and Align Your Line Like Brad Faxon

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 15 May 2011 14:00:00 +0000

This article about the virtues of aligning your golf ball line has moved to How to Putt, www.HowPutt.com. Please check it out!

Golf Swing Drill: Stay Down Through Impact Like Tom Lehman

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Wed, 04 May 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Symptom: Painfully erratic ball striking, often accompanied by bouts of chunking, duffing, shanking, and hitting behind the golf ball. Head shaking and cursing under your breath are common. You long for a swing that just works better most of the time, so you can enjoy playing the game a bit more and win some money from your playing partners for a change...

Overview: Learn to stay down through impact for consistent ball striking. Put a golf tee in in the ground in front of your golf ball about eight inches away, on your target line. Let about an inch of the tee show above the ground. When you swing to hit your golf ball, make sure you clip the tee with your club on your follow through.

Why it works: Chunking, duffing, and hitting behind the ball are caused by a downswing that is too steep, and often over the top. You need to keep the lag in your downswing and go for more of a sweeping motion on your downswing, which will give you a full release on the follow through. Hitting the tee beyond the ball on your target line requires this motion. You will hit the ball, then the ground, and then clip the tee, just as you should. Straighter, more powerful shots will result.

To demonstrate this action, let's have a look at Tom Lehman. Tom has been one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour, and now the Champions Tour, for many years. Watch Tom deliver an incredibly shallow, descending blow to the ball with a mid iron from the fairway:

To understand his motion in more detail, have a look at Lehman at the start of the takeaway, during his Starter Move to initiate the swing, and just after impact:

Tom Lehman's club hugs the ground well beyond impact with the golf ball.

Tom's sweeping motion at impact keeps the clubface in the proper hitting position well beyond the original ball position. This leads to greater consistency because this swing path delivers a shallow, descending blow that is very reproducible. And it tends to promote a draw, which is a good thing for most Occasional Golfers.

Tom would have easily clipped the tee on his target line with his follow through! You can do it too!

It's an easy concept to understand -- if your clubface is only in the right position to strike the ball for an inch or two (a few percent, really) of your entire downswing, it's incredibly difficult to always strike the ball crisply. You will be erratic. And frustrated. There are just too many ways things can go awry. Why not maximize your chances of a clean strike by having your clubface in excellent position at impact and well beyond? That's what Tom Lehman is showing us here.

And this is the true essence of the common golf exhortation, "Stay Down". I prefer to rephrase this as, "Keep your clubface low through impact on your target line". It's much more descriptive and useful.

Will you give the "tee on the target line" drill a try at the range? Then tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet, or Email below!

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Golf Swing Video: Swing Plane Showdown -- Matt Kuchar vs. Fred Couples

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 17:40:00 +0000

In this article, we take a look at two very different approaches to the golf swing as demonstrated by Matt Kuchar and Fred Couples.

Matt Kuchar has one of the flattest swing planes on the PGA tour. He wraps the club around his body on the backswing, comes at the ball from the inside, and tends to play a draw. Freddie, on the other hand, has one of the most abrupt and upright takeaways on tour. His backswing and swing plane is mostly "up", not "around", and he tends to play a fade.

To compare the two, we have video from the 2010 Masters, from the par three 16th hole (see the Master's scoreboard in the background?). Both are probably hitting about a seven iron, and the pin is in the same place, since the video was shot on the same day. They also are standing in almost identical parts of the tee box (but at different times of the day, note the shadows are a bit different).

The point is that these guys are attacking the exact same pin on the exact same day, and our vantage point is almost identical. So it's a very fair comparison.

Have a look, here is Matt:

And here is Freddie:

To compare the two swings, run these videos until the shaft is parallel to the ground, and then have a look at the important angles relative to the target line. I have put Fred and Matt side-by-side for easy comparison:

Matt Kuchar has a low, shallow takeaway. Freddie Couples has a high, abrupt takeaway.

Several things stand out.

Matt is lined up at the target or slightly closed, Fred is lined up open to the target (alignment shown with the blue line).
Matt's takeaway is low and flat. Fred's is high and upright. The shaft is highlighted in green.
Both Matt and Fred have the clubface (in yellow) slightly closed at this point in their swings.

Overall, you would have to agree that they look quite different at this point in their swings.

Now, if we fast forward to the downswing, to the point where their clubs are once again approximately parallel to the ground, they look a lot more similar than different -- see below:

Despite their very different takeaways, Matt and Fred have their clubs in similar positions as they attack the ball.

Despite the very different paths that these gentlemen have taken to get to this point, their clubs are now in very similar positions. Matt is still a bit more inside than Fred because he is playing a draw. Fred has cleared his hips a bit more than Matt because he is playing a fade. But, overall, despite the differences in their swing planes, these guys look a whole lot more similar than different at this point!

What can the Occasional Golfer learn from this comparison? Mostly, I think, that you don't hit the ball on the backswing, so your positions on the backswing are not nearly as important as many people would have you believe. Backswing positions are important only to the extent that they enable you to have a powerful, correct, and reproducible downswing that allows you to release the club down the target line.

The other thing to take away from this is, if you are more upright and outside the target line than Freddie or flatter and more inside the target line than Matt on the backswing, you are probably not in a very good position. Check yourself out at the range by making a video on your smartphone. Or find a ground floor window at your house and use it as a mirror to check your position.

One final thought -- most Occasional Golfers will do better with a swing plane that more closely resembles Matt Kuchar's than Freddie Couples'. Most high handicappers fight a slice, and Kuchar's swing plane promotes a draw. On most courses, most of the time, you are better off with a draw.

Did you like this side-by-side video comparison of Matt and Freddie? Then tell your friends! Like, Share, Tweet or Email below!

Copyright 2011-present, GolfTipReviews.com, All Rights Reserved.

Golf Swing Drill: Learn the Release by Throwing a Stick Underhand

noreply@blogger.com (GolfTipEditor) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:11:00 +0000

Symptom: Poor release on full shots, leading to weak shots that slice or tail off.

Overview: Learn the proper swing release by throwing a stick. Find a stick about a yard long, and throw it underhand at a specific target about 30-40 yards away.

Why it works: It is remarkably simple to get the feel of a proper release using this drill. But the particulars or the drill are quite important:

The stick needs to be about a yard long, because that is about the length of a golf club. Any longer, and you won't be able to throw it underhand without scraping the ground.
You must throw it underhand (with your right hand) because the golf swing is basically an underhand motion with your right arm (for a right-handed player).
You must throw it at specific target because this makes you focus on your aim, and will cause you to step and release towards your target, not just on throwing a stick a certain distance.
You must aim it at a target about 30-40 yards away, because you need to throw the stick hard to get the feel of a proper release. Any closer, and you won't develop the necessary lag to fling the stick to the target. Without the lag, you won't execute the release and follow through properly.

All it takes is a few throws of your stick to get the idea. After throwing a few sticks, take some practice swings. You will be amazed at how much more powerful and smooth your swing has become after throwing a few sticks!

To see what a world-class release looks like, let's call on Fred Couples. Freddie's release has been one of the best in the game for decades. Have a look at the way he fires down the target line:

Run the video to 0:30, so it looks like this. Can you imagine if Freddie let go of the club at this point? It would fly straight down the target line! That's the feel you are looking for with this drill.

Fred Couples releases his driver down the target line.

What other golf drill have you read that can improve your game, clean up your yard, or entertain your dog all at the same time?

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