Do you ever have trouble making "clean" contact on chipping? 
Is your lower body too active in your chips? 
Do you sway or move your head? 


If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, a narrow stance is for you. The next time you watch golf on TV or google "golf pros chipping", it will be quite obvious that there is a pattern when the pros chip. The ball and hand position may be different depending on the shot being played, but the one common denominator is the narrow stance. 

Here are some benefits of chipping with a narrow stance:

• Narrow stance will help prevent extraneous lower body movement like swaying or sliding
  
• The reduction of movement also holds true for your head (it will be easier to keep your head still)
• The narrow stance is extremely necessary from a tight lie because shorter grass tends to require more precision
• The chip should have more upper body motion than lower body and the narrow stance limits the lower body

Next time you are at the chipping area, experiment with a narrow stance and watch your contact improve. Happy Chipping!

WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO. EXCELLENCE, THEN, IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT.              -ARISTOTLE

If we are what we repeatedly do, then we should have a purpose during our practice sessions. Here are some helpful hints to getting more out of your practice time:

• Have a GOAL - know what you want to accomplish before you head out to practice. Improved short game? Straighter tee shots? You can create a practice plan only when you know what you wish to improve.
• Practice like you PLAY - do a pre-shot routine, pick targets, and play imaginary holes on the range. All of these practice regimes are "course-like" and are so helpful for transferring your game to the course.
• Only practice as long as you can FOCUS - practice sessions should be about quality rather than quantity. Hitting 20 golf shots with a pre-shot routine is always better than hitting a hundred golf balls through rapid fire.

Next time you are working on your game, take these few tips into consideration. You will improve when you create good habits at the practice area. 

Happy Practicing!

Here is a great exercise that fixes multiple issues within the golf swing. Barefoot swing drills, whether at home or at the driving range, are a simple way to help your game.

Here are some benefits of this very effective drill:

• Improve your BALANCE & POSTURE
• Fix a SWAY
• Improve your WEIGHT SHIFT
• Assists BALL STRIKING
• STABILIZES your body movement

Here is an instructional video of barefoot swings... Do this drill several times per week and you will notice a HUGE impact on your golf game. Happy Practicing!

Watch the attached video for a simple way to check your backswing position.  Here is what you do:

1. Take your setup 
2. Swing halfway back and stop
3. Turn yourself and check the position of the golf club
4. The centered or off-centered backswing shows you a straight back, inside or outside position

Do you have dynamic balance?
Can you keep your balance while swinging? 
Can you hold your finish?

One of the best ways to improve ball striking is to be aware of and actively work on your dynamic balance. The definition of dynamic balance is to maintain your equilibrium while moving. Although balance tends to worsen as we age, we can make improvements to it on and off the golf course.   Here are some tips to help you improve and maintain your balance while swinging:


At the Course:

• Narrow stance swings: these swings will help you to maintain your center while turning around your body's axis
• Toe tap finish: after the completion of each swing, "toe tap" your back foot three times. This will ensure a full transfer of weight to your front leg and the maintenance of your balance.
• Flat footed swings: make swings while keeping both feet flat to the ground. This drill allows you to feel staying "grounded".

At Home/Gym:

• Barefoot swings: make barefoot swings on carpet or in the yard to help your balance and increase ankle stability
• Balance on one leg: when doing exercises or even brushing your teeth, lift one leg while stabilizing on the other. Practice both sides!
• Strengthen your abs and glutes: these areas are critical when supporting your balance.  When you strengthen these essential areas, your balance will improve along with your golf game!

Happy Practicing!

Do you have trouble with your short putts? 
Do your friends tell you that you look up when putting? 
Do you have trouble committing to your putting stroke? 

If you answered YES to any of the questions above, this drill is for you. This drill is very simple to execute and is extremely effective because it applies to all length putts and helps the physical and mental game.

For the Eyes Down Putting Drill (see pictures):
1. Line up several golf balls within 3 feet of the hole
2. Without looking at the hole again after aiming, keep your eyes down until you HEAR the ball go in the hole (you will still see the hole from your periphery vision)
3. Move to the next ball without looking and repeat Step #2

This drill helps transition your "eyes down" commitment to the stroke to all length putts. Get into the habit of waiting to look where the ball goes until AFTER YOUR STROKE IS COMPLETED. This drill exaggerates the "eyes down" position and you will notice more solid contact, more putts made, and an increase in commitment to all strokes.

HAPPY PRACTICING!

Success From The Rough!

Here are some tips to help you escape from the higher grass:
 
1. Grip the club a bit tighter than normal to prevent the club from twisting at impact

2. Swing slightly faster on the downswing so the club's momentum does not slow when it hits the grass

3. Rehearse your swing before hitting and make sure to practice striking lots of grass

4. Pick the correct club (see images below) based on the percentage of the golf ball that you can see

75% of the golf ball - Fairway Wood or Long Hybrid
50% of the ball - Mid Hybrid or Mid Iron
25% or less - Wedge

May you find all of the fairways but in case you don't, use these tips the next time you are in the rough. 

 Happy Swinging! 

A MUST for better ball striking is staying in posture throughout impact. This position is consistent with all Tour Professionals. What does "staying in posture" mean? It means hinging from your hips/bending from your pelvis (see pictures). In my latest article on The Golf Channel's Instruction Blog, I mentioned a towel drill for maintaining this hip hinge - http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-instruction/tip-week-good-posture-leads-solid-strikes/

To set up this drill:

• Roll up a golf or beach towel
  
• Place your heels on the towel (make sure the balls of your feet are on the ground)
  
• Make swings with or without the golf ball maintaining this position.
  

 If you want better ball striking, consistency, and distance, proper hip hinge and maintaining the hip hinge throughout the swing is a critical part of the golf swing.

Happy Practicing!!

Drills that help golfers to self-correct are the best. Because it can be a challenge to differentiate between a proper and improper swing plane, we need drills like this one to help. If you have a tendency of swinging too flat, this exercise is for you. Find the net on either side of your local driving range and incorporate this drill to help your backswing. 

Here is what to do:

• Stand 8-10 inches away from the driving range net/fence (see the foot placement in photos above)
• Make slow practice swings that incorporate the backswing through impact (avoid the finish)
• Be aware if you hit the net in the backswing (especially if you hit the net early in the backswing)
• Spend a few minutes several times during your practice doing this exercise

This drill is not just for flat swings. It has multiple purposes some of which includes working on swing plane, posture, and balance. Whether you swing too flat in the backswing or lose posture during the swing, this is a drill that you should use the next time at the range.

Happy Practicing!

The fairway bunker shot can be a challenging one to practice. Because most practice areas only have greenside bunkers, we may need a simple way to work on the fairway bunker shot. Here is the exercise:

• Place the golf ball on a short golf tee
• Grip down slightly on the golf club
• Make full swings and hit only the golf ball without striking the golf tee (see picture)

The key to hitting a fairway bunker shot is picking the golf ball from the sand without taking a large divot. Use this practice to help you get comfortable hitting the proper way for a fairway bunker. 

Happy Practicing!