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By Chuck Evans
Special Contributor |
As many of you know, this year Steve
Stricker managed to rise from the land of, "What ever happened to...?"
Back in the early 90's Stricker was on top of his game and was one of the
players that was consistent in almost every category. Then suddenly, he
disappeared. He lost his game like Ian Baker-Finch and David Duval. Stricker
seriously considered retiring from the grind of tournament golf and doing
something else to feed his family. But in his heart he still had the desire to
play golf. The problem was his golf game would not allow him to.
Living in Wisconsin, the hub of winter golf, he set out to be the player he
once was. Stricker's biggest problem was controlling his driver. So for three
hours a day, in the winter, he hit practice balls from a heated, converted
trailer to find the solution. The results are what we have seen this year.
Stricker is one of the PGA Tour's nice guys and is genuinely liked by other
players. He has risen to #4 in the world.
What does Stricker's story mean to other players? You have to work through
those rough periods in golf. Here are some tips to get you through your next
golf slump:
1. Never give up. We all go through periods when we
are not playing particularly well and the key is to find the weakness that is
cause of that. Sometimes it is ball striking and other times it is the short
game and in rare cases it is both!
2. Always practice with a purpose. Virtually all players
practice incorrectly, they go
to the range and hit balls, which is only exercise, but they almost always
do not have a plan for improvement. I recommend rehearsal swings then hit one
ball, rehearse and hit one ball, and so on to build a feel for what you are
trying to accomplish.
3. Driver, wedge, and putter account for approximately 78
percent of all strokes, so spend the majority of your practice time with these
clubs.
4. Work on distance control. If the best 5-iron you have
ever hit in your life is 180 yards then your 5-iron distance is not 180
yards! It is generally less then that. Hit 12 shots with each club, take out the
longest and shortest and average the remaining 10. That is your average distance
for each club.
5. Mirror work: You can build a world class golf swing by
using mirrors, tape, and flashlights. These are used indoors so that you can see
what you are doing.
6. Find someone to help you in your quest for improvement.
Very soon you will be able to find a Medicus Golf Institute Certified Instructor
in your area.
7. Remember that golf is a game. Unless you are playing golf
for a living, golf is still a game. Get outside and enjoy the surroundings, your
playing partners, and the time to get away from the rigors of everyday life.
As I close this article I would like to invite each and every one of you to
join the Medicus Golf Institute
Members Section. Inside this section you will find more than 15 hours of
video instruction that covers every swing malady that you may have. There is
also an assessment tool that will generate training videos for you based upon
your answers. Right now it is free to join, but you will have to hurry.
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