Grab this kitchen utensil to help you improve your tempo and technique. Watch for the wobble of the ball to help improve your putting form. Happy Practicing!

Here are two simple ways to practice extension in your swing which is especially crucial for your driver. Watch this video  filmed for TaylorMade Golf for an "at-home" practice for the driver! Happy Practicing!

Here is a simple indoor practice drill that is great for improving your ball striking.

Tear off 3 strips of painter’s tape and make better contact for when we get back on the course! Happy Practicing!

A simple chipping drill that will help you to work on distance control while you are home. Grab your wedge, a few boxes, and some golf balls and try it out! Happy Practicing!

 Do you have trouble staying present when you play?
Once you have a bad score, do you have trouble recovering?
When you are playing well, do you get ahead of yourself and add up your score?

If you answered yes, try dividing up your round into 3 hole segments. Decide what "your par" is and then make it a goal to make that score over a 3 hole period. For example, if you shoot in the low to mid 80s, focus on finishing each 3 hole segment with a score of 2 over par. Whether you achieve the goal or not, once the 3 holes are done, you start fresh on the next 3 holes. Here is what to do:

1. Decide your par by taking your average score and dividing by 6
   
2. Draw clear lines on your scorecard (see above) to delineate the 3 hole segments
   
3. Practice mentally letting go of each 3 hole segments once they are completed whether the score was positive, neutral or negative (You have a clean slate on the tee box of Hole 4, Hole 7, etc.)
   

When you can compartmentalize your round, you will have a much easier time recovering and focusing. Try this scorecard trick to help you mentally stay in the game.

Click the link below for a recent article on Golf Digest plus some great tips for making those 3-4 foot pressure putts. Also, try the very simple "Push Drill" (video attached) for your putting. This drill is mentioned in the article and will really help you improve your technique.

Many golfers tell me that they intentionally try to keep their lower body still in the backswing. There are many reasons for this but usually golfers work on keeping the lower body quiet to reduce a sway or to “keep still”. While this makes sense, it is a distance killer and creates unnecessary pressure on the lower back.

Here are some tips to help you move better in the backswing:
1. Make sure you are in an athletic stance to start (neutral posture)
2. Begin the backswing with your arms and torso
3. Allow the lower body to move to help get more torque at the top of the backswing (See the pictures below illustrating the differences with and without hip turn)
4. Try this drill from the experts at the Titleist Performance Institute to get those hips in gear
​http://www.mytpi.com/exercises#reach_over_the_fence

*Swing Tip Suggestion: think of moving your torso or belly button rather than just your shoulders in the backswing to help your hips rotate more in the backswing

Next time you are at the range, add a little but more hip turn to really help your low back,  improve your length of backswing, and give you more distance. Happy Practicing!
 

Important Note: See the difference in length of backswing and torque in the photos above

Just like bringing your car in for service, you have to periodically check your basics on all parts of the game.

Here are some items to check for your putting:

• Grip - the most widely used grip is called the reverse overlap. It is when your index finger on your upper hand overlaps on the lower hand. This grip can prevent your lower hand from "taking over" during the stroke.
• Ball Placement - ball should be positioned left-center for right-handed golfers and right-center for left-handed golfers. Also note in the picture below, that hands should be over the ball. If your hands are too far behind or in front of the ball to start, you will influence the loft of the putter head and the distance of your putt.
• Posture - bend from your pelvic to have your eyes slightly inside or directly over the ball and lightly flex the knees.

(Important note: too much knee flex leads to rounded posture which makes it challenging to rock your upper body to move the putter)

• Pre-shot Routine - on every putt, rehearse your pre-shot routine to help transfer it to the course. A good routine should consist of a practice stroke, alignment, and setting the club next to the ball before setting your feet to encourage proper posture and aim of the clubhead.

(Important note: golfers who aim their feet before the clubhead tend to misalign right (if right handed) and left (if left handed)

These reminders tend to be overlooked so before working on your stroke, make sure to check your basics.
​Happy Practicing!

We recently had Best-selling Author of Zen Golf, Dr. Joseph Parent come to our club and give our members some tips. Here are some great keys to help your game:

1. A successful putt is when a putt is MADE and not necessarily HOLED. When a putt is made, it starts on your intended line. It can help us prepare for our putt and respond to the result when we know we MADE our putt vs judging each putt on whether we HOLED it.
2. Have a routine on each putt and commit to each part of your routine before hitting the ball. For example, part of your routine should be to read the green. Once you select the line, commit to it prior to starting your stroke.
3. How you respond to your putts/shots is just as important as the preparation and the swing. You control the narrative so focus on positive when possible and replace the negative with a plan or a post shot practice swing.   
   

 

"If you executed your putting routine that way, you will definitely feel that you made your putt. Then only two things can happen - either the ball will go in the hole, or it won't. If it does, enjoy your success. If it doesn't, learn from it." - Dr. Parent

Want a better golf lesson?

Don't just leave it just up to the Coach...

Here are some tips for better communication between the golfer and the teacher:

• Come Early - get to your lesson at least 30 minutes early to find out where you need to go, have an active warm up which includes stretching, and hit golf balls with several clubs.
• Share your Goals - be open, honest and realistic with the current state of your game and what your golf goals are. The more open you are, the more the coach can design a customized plan for you.
• Spill the Beans - tell us what hurts even if it does not seem relevant. We want know about pain on and off the course, past surgeries and any other ailments. In order to help learn a swing that is pain free, we need to know what is going on.
• Tell Us How You Learn - like most people, you probably learn in a multitude of ways but some have preferences. If you prefer to see/feel/hear what is going on, ask for the information to be relayed that way. 

These lesson suggestions should really help your experience the next time you get some help for your game.
​Happy Practicing!