Do You Need a New Teacher?

photo credit: mahalie   Have you ever noticed how complicated instructors can make the golf swing look.  The people on Golf Channel give their lessons as if they were speaking to professionals who actually understandd every nuance of the golf swing.  Why do they make the swing seem so difficult?  It may be simply because they do not know how to teach properly.  Giving golf instructions is one thing but actually communicating with your student while doing so is another.  Just because you have a PGA card doesn’t mean that you can be a good instructor.

If you are about to take golf lessons or presently taking lessons, here are a few reasons to give your instructor the boot:

1.)  If your instructor is impatient with your progress – give him the boot.  2.) If your instructor cuts your lesson off exactly on the hour – give him the boot.  3.) If your instructor is not instructing you on your level in a very basic, easy to understand language – give him the boot.  4.) If your instructor seems in a rush – give him the boot  5.) If your instructor is habitually late for your appointment – give him the boot.  6.) If your instructor expects too much from you – give him the boot.

Do not judge the quality of your lessons by the price you pay for lessons.  In many cases, high fees don’t mean quality lessons.

Is “Fire in Your Belly” a Good Thing?

photo credit: ilovememphis   Playing golf, from your first drive until your final putt, is an exercise in fluid motion.

If your adrenaline is flowing too strongly and you have “fire in your belly,” your tempo will disappear before your eyes.  When that happens you might as well kiss your round goodbye.

The best golfers in the world almost never get all charged up about a good shot they may make.  They are the picture of coolness and there is good reason for this.  Being emotionally stable is the key to keeping your swing “in the groove.”  A nice smooth swing tempo is very difficult for the average golfer to maintain throughout 18 holes.  Top Pros do it consistently.

Golf is like ballet.  Think of the smoothness of a ballerina, that’s how your golf swing should be and don’t exclude putting.  Keep this in mind whenever you make an outstanding shot.  Just stay cool and go about your business, it’s good for your game and your calm and collected manner will wreak havoc on your opponents frame of mind.

Copy the Pros

photo credit: foxypar4   If your swing looks good you will more likely than not, play good.  Notice how nearly all of the PGA Pros have what most would consider, a perfect swing.  Believe me, they do have small swing flaws but they are so minute they are not noticeable.

In other sports such as baseball for example, you can emulate a player’s swing but unless you have the raw strength to swing hard you will never knock it out of the park as they do.  In golf, however, if you can work to reproduce the look and feel of a pro’s swing, you will hit the ball straight on a consistent basis.  Granted, you may never hit it as far as the pros do but you will hit it as straight as they do.

Work on your game in segments.  Watch the pros during their back-swing and try to reproduce their tempo and field of motion.  Do the same with the downswing.  Watch how they set up and swing during their short chip shots.  Note how they swing the club on the putting green.

You can get free golf lessons in your own living room by simply watching the best in the world play golf.  Try it, it works!

 

Stop Trying so Hard

photo credit: ilovememphis  

Beginners and amateurs alike simply try too hard to get off good shots and play well.  Now there is nothing wrong with trying hard but that doesn’t mean forcing your shots.  Next time your at the course, notice how many golfers look like they are struggling and straining to get off a good shot.

The golf swing is a fluid motion, balet dancing is a good example.  A balerina cannot create good balance by making quick, choppy moves.  Likewise,  a golfer cannot make good shots with a quick, choppy swing.  Fluidity is the key. 

Don’t try to mimick the way the PGA Tour Pros swing, you will defeat your purpose.  They have their swing down pat and most have the benifit of a watchful golf coach.  The idea here is to swing with grace, swing smoothly with a very loose feel.  Any tension anywhere in your body will ruin your chances of hitting a good shot.

Try to improve in small stages….a little here and a little there.  When at the range, work on one thing at a time and keep it very simple.  Golf is a lifetime process, if you want to play it well be patient with your own abilities.  Let’s face it, most of us will never be par shooters but that shouldn’t stop us from taking on the challenge of the game and having fun in the meantime.  Remember, keep it simple and smooth.

The 2011 Open Championship

photo credit: SouthAsiaGolf   Where have all the superstars gone?  All of a sudden, all of the “big names” seemed to have disappeared.  Of course, Tiger Woods is out of competition under the guise of leg injuries.  He won’t play when he knows he isn’t winning so it’s the old time tested injury excuse.  Phil Mickelson, although a proven winner, is hot and cold.  Sometimes he’s brilliant, other times he plays like Mr. Magoo.  He’s not consistent enough to be a real superstar champion.

So who else is there?   Rory hasn’t been around long enough to be a proven winner.  There are no players in the game today that warrant superstar status and that is truly a shame.

The 2011 Open Championship will go down as just another mundane golf tournament.  Tom Watson, the last of the superstars, gave the world of golf it’s last big thrill when he nearly won the tournament not too many years ago.  When the entire world roots for you, as they did for Watson, you know you have reached superstar status – and rightfully so in Tom’s case.

Before it’s too late, the game of golf needs to be rejuvenated with new faces and newer kinds of tournaments such as match-play events.

“Under God” Left out of Pledge of Allegiance

photo credit: Edgar Zuniga Jr.   NBC issued a public apology during the 2011 US Open broadcast.  They did not give their reason for the apology although everyone knew why it was given.  It was given because during the opening of the broadcast the Pledge of Allegiance was given and the words “under God” were purposely left out.  NBC received so many emails and text messages of complaint that they were forced to apologize.

Everyone should keep in mind that the USGA should also take blame for what happened.  It should be presumed that the USGA and NBC are under contract together.   After all, there are plenty of networks that would just love to carry the US OPEN Championship but the USGA chose NBC didn’t they.

By not recognizing that the United States of America was founded under the guidance of Christianity, NBC showed that it does not believe in supporting those very principles.  It would also be safe to include the USGA because it can be presumed to have some control over the tournament broadcast content.

What can the average American do to show their distaste?  Stop watching NBC programming and/or cancel your membership with the USGA.  This kind of thing may have happened in the old Soviet Union but we cannot tolerate it in America and it’s time to let them (NBC/USGA) know that we will not tolerate this kind of purposeful nonsense!  America is not about to allow a news organization or golf association to re-write our founding principles or our history.

Play Golf and Make New Friends

photo credit: Clintus McGintus   Some long-lasting friendships have been spawned on the links.  What other game can you be paired up with complete stranger and end up with a life-long friend? 

Playing golf gives one an opportunity to know the person they are playing with, it reveals the truth about a person.  You can easily tell the make–up of an individual by how he or she handles the situations that develop on the course.  Do they allow their game to cause emotional mood swings?  The game can show just about every kind of human emotion, everything from extreme elation to utter despair.  How a person plays the game tells a lot about how they look at life in general.  Golf can easily bring out emotions that would otherwise not appear during a casual friendship.  Ah! what a game!

Play for the Bogey

photo credit: Matt Seppings   Besides the PGA Tour players, how many scratch golfers (par shooters) do you know?  Most amateurs don’t know any scratch golfers, the reason is that scratch golfers usually play other scratch players.

The common mistake that amateurs make is when they try to make a par on every hole.  Unless you are a scratch golfer you are pipe-dreaming!  The average score for the amateur golfer is bogey (1 over par).  Bogey golf means that you will shoot 90 for 18 holes which is a very respectable score.

Playing bogey golf is a lot less discouraging for the average player than trying to shoot par every round.  Try to improve your game by striving to play bogey golf.  Every hole that you par is a plus and a morale booster for your game.  Try it and watch your game improve !

Old Style vs. New Style

photo credit: Shiny Things   Prior to the new stiff arm style of putting, golfers used a relatively short stroke.  The wrists were snapped at impact, giving the ball more momentum.  In today’s game it is popular to keep the arms straight and allow the shoulders to rotate which creates a pendulum type motion with the putter.

One has to wonder just how much improved the new system really is compared to the old style.  Back then you had infamously great putters such as Billy Casper, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and the list goes on.  They rolled the ball in the hole as well as today’s stars with average comparable to today’s.

Today’s style requires that you maintain a relatively stiff lead wrist throughout the putting stroke.  Doing so assures that your swing will remain consistent and will not break down when contact with the ball is made.

Hitting the 3-Metal

photo credit: teamstickergiant   It’s ironic that the 3-metal can be so difficult to hit off the fairway but relatively easy to hit off the tee.  How many really good 3 metal shots have you hit off the fairway?  Now think of how many really good 3 metal shots you’ve hit off the tee.  Quite a difference isn’t it?

When  using the 3-metal off the fairway think in terms of not “forcing” the ball in the air.  Do not try to hit the ball any harder than you would a 5-iron shot.  TIP:  Think fluid.  Even if the ball is slightly miss-hit with the 3-metal, it will usually travel farther than your best 3-iron shot.  It’s easy to spray 3-metal shots so concentrate on alignment and your set-up at address.  Also, try moving your hands slightly down on the grip which automatically makes the clubshaft shorter thus allowing for more control.

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