Change Tee Heights

Saturday, November 9, 2013

For many players (and that includes some on tour), trying to work a shot with the driver is intimidating, mostly because they have trouble hitting just a regular no-nonsense shot with that club.

Some players make an exaggerated grip change, open or close the stance dramatically, or open or close the face of the club. That's how a lot of problems get started.
All those changes make it hard to get a feel for how a shot will come off. You can't see the shot in your mind, so you don't swing confidently.

I don't want to make any shot harder than it has to be. When I hit my driver, I always start from the same basic setup, then make subtle adjustments from there to get the ball flight I 

want.

Most important, I never change my grip — it's the same for a high power fade and a low draw. I do the minimum that will get the job done.

Usually, that means a slight adjustment in ball position, or teeing it higher or lower. Then I think about finishing more around my body for a draw, and in a higher, more extended position for a fade.

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Consistent Ball Position

Tim Barter

 

When it comes to ball position, I find that many amateurs fall foul of what can only be described as an optical illusion, believing the ball moves within the stance. But take a look at these set-up positions and study closely the ball position in relation to the left heel - it's consistent throughout.

 

The point I am making is that for all your irons shot - whether you are playing a full 5-iron, a controlled 9-iron or a standard chip (as illustrated from left to right above), the ball position should be consistent at roughly a clubhead's width inside your left heel.

As one of the on-course analysts for SKY Sports, I spend a lot of my time watching and talking to the best players in the world, and the vast majority follow this rule-of-thumb for the simple reason that it promotes consistency in their ball-striking. Of course, the exact width of the stance varies according to the size of the pivot you intend make: with a 5-iron you need a reasonably wide stance to provide the necessary foundation for a full shoulder turn, and, as you can see clearly here, with the ball played a club-head's width inside the left heel, the majority of my body is set behind the ball (which promotes a more sweeping angle of attack.

 

Moving down to the 9-iron (a club that draws less heavily on the pivot motion), I simply narrow my stance by bringing the right foot in towards the left. The ball position is exactly as before (i.e. a clubhead's width inside the left heel), the key being that by making that adjustment to my stance, and easing my weight slightly more onto my left side, my sternum and centre of gravity are now directly over the ball, which will help to promote a more descending angle of attack, thus promoting the backspin that you are looking to create to control these approach shots.

 

 

Moving down the scale, the ball is again played a clubhead inside the left heel for standard chip shot, but the right foot is now drawn in so close to the left that the impression given is that the ball is now being played off the back foot. Critically, my sternum is now in front of the ball, my weight heavily in favour of the left side - a position that pro¬motes the arms-and-shoulder motion I am looking to create.

In summary, do as the pro's do: for all of the iron shots, play the ball a clubhead inside your left heel and simply move your right foot to adjust the width as required. Move the ball to a position directly opposite the inside of the left heel for the woods. Next time you play or practise, work on these simple guidelines -I guarantee they will make you a more consistent ball-striker.

 

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Get a Grip on Your Game

Robert Baker 

Low in the fingers promotes vital wrist hinge

One of the biggest power sources in the golf swing is a good wrist action. Take a look at Ernie Els. He generates tremendous clubhead speed with seemingly little effort. How does he do that?

He combines a full shoulder turn with a full 'loading' of the wrists - energy that is then stored deep into the downswing before being unleashed as the wrists 'snap' the clubhead on the ball. If you want to copy Ernie's example, you first need to have a grip that allows you to fully cock and uncock your wrists in the course of making your swing. The way you place your left hand on the grip is critical to this - and here's a useful tip that can help you get it right every time.

Stand up tall and let your arms hang naturally, as I am doing opposite. Notice the way your fingers curl inwards - a huge plus when it comes to placing the left hand on the grip. All you have to do is take the club with your right hand and simply let it fall into the fingers of the left at a slight diagonal angle before closing your hand around the grip.

You should then find that your left-hand grip looks like mine (left). Placing the club too high in the palm of the left hand is a problem that many golfers suffer, one that stifles hand and wrist action and, ultimately, inhibits your ability to generate clubhead speed. Use this routine to get the club fitted low and diagonally across the fingers of the left hand.

 

 

Think 'palms parallel' as you fit the right hand

With the fingers on the right hand extended down towards the ground (below left), make sure the palm is square with the clubface as you bring the hand in to join the left. Ideally, you want the grip to run diagonally through the right forefinger to the fleshy pad at the heel of the of the right hand.

Then, when you close your right hand, check that the left thumb disappears fully under the fleshy pad at the base of the right thumb. That way your grip will feel nice and 'snug'.

Ideally, the left thumb sits on top of the shaft, angled slightly to the right. To take

the V on the left hand to the right shoulder, the right thumb sits slightly to the left of centre (as you look upon it), down the left side of the shaft. With your hands correctly fitted, you will enjoy the full mobility in the wrists that enables you to make a repeating swing that generates clubhead speed.

 

The basis of my education as a coach really couldn't have been any better. For six years I worked as a trainee with perhaps the best in the business - David Leadbetter. During my time at his teaching base in Orlando, I was lucky enough to work with many of the game's greatest players, including the 1998 Open and Masters champion, Mark O'Meara.

For me, the way O'Meara waggles the clubhead is the model that every golfer should aim to copy. During the hours I spent on the range at his club in Isleworth, O'Meara showed me that by waggling the club in this deliberate manner, you very quickly get a sense of the delivery position you are looking for in the swing itself- i.e. toe-up and slightly behind the hands, the right hand fully hinged back on itself, wrists 'loaded'.

(If you look at Ben Hogan, his waggle was virtually identical, designed to give him a sense of that critical delivery position.)

Because there is no body motion involved here, the appearance from the set-up is that the left hand and forearm move out and away from the body just a fraction. Of course, in the swing itself, this wrist and forearm action combines with the rotary body motion that swings the hands, arms and the club naturally inside the ball- to-target line.

There's an old saying, 'As ye waggle, so ye shall swing.' Rehearsing this move is the key to priming your hands and arms to work this way during the swing, nurturing the wrist action that maximises your speed into the ball.
 

 

 

'Finger-off' drill sets up a freewheeling rhythm

When you rotate your body correctly, reversing direction with a subtle foot-and-knee action (and marry with this a fluid wrist action), you experience a wonderful sense 'lag' in the arms and club.

This quality in a good swing is inspired by the lower-body action, recognized as one of the secrets to good golf.

Reversing your momentum in this way (i.e. from the ground up) and perfecting that wrist action rewards you with a whip-type release of the clubhead and effortless power through the ball.

And, with a simple adjustment to your grip, the exercise I am demonstrating here will help you to appreciate the feeling of a full and fluid wrist action, which immediately improves your general rhythm - a double whammy.

To start, slip the little finger of your left hand off the end of the grip (inset). Then, to prime your motion, start the club a couple of feet ahead of where the ball would be, and simply go after a feeling of cranking your wrists to the max as you let the club fall and gather its momentum.

As you reach the top of the swing, the key is to initiate your change of direction from the ground up so that everything shuffles nicely into place as you unwind back down and through.

When you get the knack, it will feel like the momentum of the clubhead 'loads' the wrists for you going back - the exact sensation you want in the swing for real.
 

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Get a Preshot Routine

Do as the pro's do, and develop a series of habits designed to help you make a better swing more often.

To the untrained eye it might go unnoticed, but when a coach watches one of his players in a tournament he or she can tell immediately whether or not they are dialed into their A-game. Ernie Els is a perfect example, and a player we know very well at the DLGA headquarters here at Champions Gate.

When Ernie is playing and swinging well - often referred to as being 'in the zone' - he follows a very definite routine on every single shot that he makes. This involves identifying an intermediate target a few feet ahead of the ball (a leaf or divot mark that lies directly on his line to the target), and he uses that as his point of reference as he then goes through the motions of getting himself correctly and squarely set-up for the shot.

Ernie then takes a couple of looks at that intermediate target as he swivels his head to scan the distant target, then he pulls the trigger and goes. But when he's fidgety, not entirely happy with the shot or his club selection he will look up maybe four or five times before making his swing. And when that happens he usually hits a poor shot.

 

The point that I'm making here is that good players develop a pre-shot routine and stick rigidly to it when they are in full flow and playing well. Which is why we at the DLGA believe it is so important that our students learn to do the same - and rehearse it regularly in practice. Let me show you how to make this a habit that helps you make more good swings and hit more solid shots.

GET A FIX ON YOUR TARGET LINE

Identifying some sort of intermediate target is a key element of a good pre-shot routine, for the simple reason that it is much easier to aim the clubface squarely on a tuft of grass or an old divot-mark just a few feet in front of your ball than it is on the flag away in the distance.

When you practise, pick out a mark (a few feet ahead of the ball you are hitting) that lies bang on the line to your ultimate target, and then go through your routine - starting behind the ball - with that spot fixed in your mind's eye.

As you go about your business, everything revolves around that intermediate target: you aim the clubface squarely at it before getting your body into a good square position, your grip perfect, posture ready to make a good swing. Finally, look up once or twice (develop your own preference) and then pull the trigger.

IF YOU SLICE THE BALL, READ THIS:

Most higher-handicap golfers make the mistake of getting their shoulders aiming to the right of the target at the set-up (i.e. 'open' - aiming well to the left of the ball-to-target line). That leads to an out-to-in swing path and (most likely) a slice.

To fix that problem, make a habit of aiming the dub face with just your left hand on the grip, your right hand/arm down by your side. That will help keep the right shoulder back, so when you then bring the right hand onto the grip, your shoulders are square with the target line. You are then in a good position to make a good shoulder turn, get your upper body behind the ball and swing the club on the desired inside-to-square-to-inside path.

MAKE A SOLID FIRST MOVE

Simplicity is the key to inspiring a flowing chain-reaction

Not only do good players follow a regimented pre-shot routine, they make sure that they get their swing started with a solid first move that sets the tone for the whole motion in terms of its shape and rhythm. With a mid-iron, here's what you need to be thinking of.

From the set-up position, the key is to get everything working away together to create some momentum. By that (and this over the firm foundation of the lower body), I mean you think in terms of moving your stomach, hands, arms and the clubhead away as a unit. To achieve this, focus on keeping that triangle between your arms and shoulders pretty well intact as you move the clubhead the first two or three feet of your swing (above centre). As you do this, the wrists should be encouraged to hinge freely away from the target in the process of setting the club on a good plane.

One of the key checkpoints that we look for (and one you can check yourself in front of a mirror) occurs as the club reaches a position parallel with the ground, the back of the left hand facing forwards and nicely mirroring the clubface. As you can see, the left arm is working nicely across the chest, and the toe of the club is pointing up towards the sky.

When you practise, make a habit of going through your pre-shot routine and rehearsing this sequence of first moves to this first move checkpoint before returning to your address position and then hitting a shot.

The better and more consistently you make this first move the more you will find that your swing gels together as a whole. Basically, you are honing the first key link in what is a chain reaction from start to finish.

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Going Strong

What is a strong grip? How can it benefit your game?

There are a number of reasons that explain why the world's best players are hitting the ball further than ever before. Modern technology and superior levels of fitness are perhaps the two most obvious catalysts, but there has also been a shift in technique that we can clearly identify on tour.

Increasingly, with the emphasis on maximising the 'width' of swing and the 'turn-speed' of the body, the current generation of young players are using a 'strong' grip, in which the hands are rotated in a clockwise direction on the club.

Though often overlooked, another reason players are hitting the ball so far is that they are hitting it so much straighter. The days of shaping the ball are virtually gone. When he talks about 'moving the ball' through the air, the modern professional is thinking in terms of perhaps three and five yards; in the past it might have been 15 or 20 yards. And the less deviation, the further it flies.

The difference is the ball, which has evolved in response to the demands of tour players who generate such fantastic speeds. To maximise distance, players are combining low spin rates with high launch angles off the tee (and less backspin means less sidespin), while modern materials used in the construction of the cover make it all possible without loss of feel or 'stopping power'.

All of this has come about in a relatively short space of time. Think back to the way Greg Norman was spinning it in the mid- to late-1980's. He created such tremendous backspin with the irons that he actually lost control of the ball as it skewed back off the green. That's something you rarely see today. Swing speeds up around the 120 mph mark are being planted on a ball that is designed not to spin (too much), promising the optimum distance-enhancing trajectory off the tee while delivering exceptional levels of control with the irons.

The sum of all this is that young players feel they have a licence to swing hard, and they do so by utilising the 'core' of their body to create a rotational speed that accelerates the clubhead. And it is this change of emphasis that has led to the shift towards a 'strong' grip - one that enables the hands to remain passive as they return the clubface squarely to the ball. [A conventional grip would be outstripped by the sheer turn-speed that we see in the modern game, the tendency being to leave the clubface open through impact.]

So could a strong grip benefit your game? That depends on the nature of your swing and the way in which you create clubhead speed - and all is revealed.

 Should you be using a 'strong' grip?

       I recommend the strong grip only to golfers who are prepared to invest time and effort on the practice ground and in the gym. As I mentioned already, a strong grip is designed to be used in conjunction with a strong body action - i.e. one that sees the 'core' muscles rotating to create a significant turn-speed that accelerates the hands and arms.

Though I am exaggerating it here to make my point, if you are a player who relies more on an independent hand-and-arm type swing to create speed (above), and are not using your body as an effective source of power, then you should use a neutral grip (see below) and develop a pure swinging motion of the arms and hands. A strong grip will only result in you hitting it shorter and/or more crooked-and likely as not fighting a duck-hook off the tee.

How to make a neutral grip

- Start with the club low through the fingers of the left hand

- With the hand closed, 2-21/2 knuckles should be visible on the back of the left hand

- Grip sits in the channel created by curled fingers of the right hand

- The two V's point up between the chin and right shoulder

This makes it 'strong'

- Start with the club low across base of the fingers of the left hand

- At least three (even four) knuckles should be visible on the back of left hand

- Right hand is applied from well underneath the shaft

- The two V's now point towards the tip of your right shoulder

As a coach, you very quickly learn to recognize the movement of a player who uses the rotation of his body to generate the centrifugal forces that are channeled all the way down the shaft to create clubhead speed. But even to the untrained eye, I think you get a good sense of the difference between this sequence below and the hands-and-arms type of swing opposite. Clearly, the body is now much more involved, it's a 'dynamic' motion, and as a result the swish-speed is much greater.

If this is more the way you swing the club, then a move to a stronger grip might be just the adjustment you need to hit longer and straighter shots. But be warned: if you do decide to experiment with a stronger grip, you will need to work on maintaining a strong body action, and ideally work on your physical conditioning away from the course so that the bigger muscles in your body can repeat this consistently.

 

  With a neutral grip, look for 'toe-down' at the top

Once you have determined the type of grip that suits your style of play, what are the checkpoints you should be looking for to maintain a consistent swing? Well, the position of your hands on the grip certainly has a bearing on the position that you should look for at the top of the backswing - which after the set-up is where you want to be focusing your attention.

I don't believe in getting bogged down with complicated thoughts on how to hinge the wrists in u course of making your backswing - best to let that hap¬pen naturally as you swing the clubhead to the top. With a neutral grip, you want to see the club in this toe-down position - i.e. square to even slightly open. That will help you to return the natural loft on the clubface to the ball when you swing the club through impact.

Any time you get a chance, stand in front of a mirror and look 'down the line' at these angles that characterize a good posture, then swing to the top and check out the position. Whether you use a neutral or a strong grip, a general sense of swinging the club up and over your right shoulder will get you on track.

Strong Grip Encourages Clubface to Look at the Sky

The early wrist-hinge has become something of a cliche in teaching. But that's not something you need to worry about when you adopt a strong grip. Because of the way you have placed the hands on the grip (i.e. both turned a little to the right), you have preset the wrist hinge and can concentrate fully on turning your body to create this backswing position. As you see here, the clubface is square to shut, even though the left wrist is in a neutral position. From here, the key is that you simply hold on and pull the club through the ball as you unwind hard through impact. The key is that the hands are essentially passive. That's the feeling you want - the hands are going along for the ride. You don't need any manipulation of the hands to strike solid shots.

The sub-text to this article is that strengthening your body action (along with your grip) is the key to a more consistent and more powerful way to play. Modern coaching has embraced this, and it's no coincidence that the hot young players today are spending so much time in the gym, strengthening the 'core' muscles in the body. In many ways this simplifies the swing. The strong grip essentially presets your wrist action - so there is no need to get bogged down with an early wrist set. All you have to do is hold on as you wind and unwind to generate 'turn-speed' that accelerates the club.

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Pre-Shot Routine

A consist ant pre-shot routine is as important as good swing mechanics. During practice sessions, I'm thinking 'golf swing'. Is my takeaway too much on the inside? Am I keeping my spine angle consistent through the shot? But once I'm on the course, my focus is all 'target - where do I want to hit the ball; what shot is the best one to make that happen?' If you're thinking 'golf swing' thoughts before every shot, you aren't going to play as well as you can. It's happened to me, and I feel like I'm out there chasing the ball around and getting myself into trouble.

My pre-shot routine helps me to focus completely, absolutely, on my target instead of my swing. I start by picking a small intermediate target just in front of my ball - like a leaf or bit of turf - on the line I want to hit the shot.

I'll use that target to set myself up for the shot, then switch between looking at the small target and the real target down the hole. The rest of my routine (illustrated here in full) helps keep me to stay focused and relaxed.

Practising versus warming up

Practice is my time to think about my swing. Before a round, I'm trying to get loose and am concentrating on feel in my hands. Before a tournament round, I hit 50 balls at most, starting with my wedge and working my way up through the odd clubs - 9-iron, 7-iron, 5-iron and so on. I finish with my driver, then, I go to the practice green to putt.

During a practice session, I might hit 300 balls. For each shot, I'm focusing on grip and ball position, along with what I'm working on. Right now, it's keeping my spine angle consistent. If I get taller during a swing, I can lose shots to the right.

Getting over losses

It's been a frustrating year for me at the majors. The Open at Troon was the most painful. I really felt like it was mine to win. I put myself right up there, but I didn't play a good playoff. My putting was off, and I didn't trust my stroke.

There's good and bad to it. I've come this close, so I'm doing something right, but the end product hasn't been there. I kicked myself a few times, but then it was time to get over it and move on, and I've done that.

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Routine Rules

Karen Stupples became only the third British major champion in women's golf when she thrilled the galleries at Sunningdale at the Weetabix Women's British Open with one of the lowest closing rounds in major championship history.

A final round eight-under-par 64 was set up thanks to a dream eagle-albatross start at the two opening par-fives and from there on she stuck to her game plan, did not change anything in her usual routine, and breezed home by five shots to win the £160,000 first prize and a place in history.

Stay in the 'here and now" to withstand pressure and play well

One of the common mistakes made by club golfers is that they get so preoccupied with what the outcome of a shot might be they do not focus enough on the actual doing. To give you a guide, my pre-shot routine starts as soon as the bag goes down on the ground, for whatever shot I am playing. If I am hitting a normal iron shot - be it a drive or a tee-shot at a par-three such as this - my caddie, Bobby, and I work out the yardage, the wind direction and speed and then we assess the lie to see if it's downhill, uphill or sidehill. That is key in me (and you) deter¬mining the most suitable club to hit.

Using a pre-shot routine is every bit as valuable around the green, too. When chipping, or on short pitch shots, I really have to imagine the shot in my mind before I play it. These are shots that you do not want to take any chances with. You need to fully imagine playing the shot, then walk into the ball and replicate it in real time.

Those shots are 'feel' shots and the practice swing is so important. You need to know exactly what you want to do with the ball. Golf is a 'feel' game, not a science. It is the same with putting. Again, I go through the entire routine of picking my line, imagining the speed, the breaks and which points the ball will run over. Then, I just make my practice strokes and watch the imaginary ball running into the hole. All I have to do then is replicate those same feelings and thoughts when I hit the putt for real.

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Short Thumb Grip

Use a 'short-thumb' grip for more clubhead control and speed. One aspect of the grip I rarely hear discussed is the 'short-thumb' and 'long-thumb' styles of holding the club. They merit attention because they have a subtle effect on other features of your left-hand grip.

Ultimately this determines how much hand action you use during the swing, and how well you control the club at the top of the backswing.

The long thumb I'm demonstrating for you here (below left) is rarely used by better players. When you extend your left thumb far down the shaft, it causes the handle (grip) to shift towards the palm of your left hand. That's not good; a palm grip restricts hand action and thus your ability to generate clubhead speed.

Moreover, you can't control the club very well during the late stages of the backswing. The club tends to bounce on you at the top. The long thumb sometimes gives the sensation of giving you more control, when in fact it provides less. I rarely lengthen a player's thumb position.

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New Golf Season

 

I have recently returned from Phoenix, Arizona where I presented some of my research on putting at the World Scientifc Congress of Golf. Here, I have summarised some of my findings in order to give you what I hope is valuable advice as you look forward to a summer season. Time to put in some quality putting practice - that's if you want to reduce your handicap!

 10 ‘MUSTS’ FOR THE START OF THE GOLFING SEASON... 

1/ POSTURE

Standing correctly to the ball in good posture is at the
heart of my putting instruction – get this right and ot
her details fall more easily into place. Your goal at address is to establish a posture that allows your shoulders and torso to rock in a pendulum motion without any need for excess hand action or other compensations (as these won’t hold up under pressure). The ability to create a stable posture and ‘pivot point’ is essential if the putter is to be swung consistently from address, to the extent of the backswing and back squarely through impact.

 

 

2/ NEW PUTTER GRIP

Investment in a new grip can make all the difference in the world. I doubt if many of you

regularly change your putter grip. Most amateurs overlook the importance of a fresh grip. So that’s my first recommendation. Then, double check your grip pressure.

Don’t strangle the putter. If you can see the whites of the knuckles when you take your grip, you’re already in trouble. Too much pressure in the hands reduces the feel in the forearms and shoulders; you end up with a muscular ‘gridlock’. Squeeze the life out of your grip and you effectively squeeze all the feel and rhythm out of your stroke.

 

3/ GET CUSTOM FIT

 

 

The main issue I find with many amateur golfers is that their putter isn’t fitted correctly, they may have bought the latest model, borrowed a putter from a friend, found one or even looked through the second hand bin to find the answer to putting success. As a result, the golfer fits his or her posture around the putter, rather than correctly fitting the putter to their posture.

 

4/ PALMS TOGETHER

I believe the hands should “oppose” one another on the grip. So I devised a grip that has the palms opposed and that does not result in one hand being lower than the other. When the right hand is lower than the left, the danger is that the shoulders are skewed into a tilted position and the spine angle sets up as it would if you were playing a 7-iron. I like to see a player set up with the shoulders square to the target line and with shoulder joints approximately the same height and the spine vertical. This grip, which I call, the “Palms Together” grip, is formed by ‘sandwiching’ the handle with both hands, opening the last three fingers on the right, then placing both hands onto the grip, with the right’s last three fingers wrapping over those of the left in the crevices between fingers. (Note: the whole of the LEFT hand is on the grip, this is the control hand, so it makes sense to have the whole of the hand in contact with the handle). It's a simple grip, with the benefit of reducing the influence of any unwanted wrist action.

 

Experiment with the palms together and left hand low. Hit some putts. Setting up with the level shoulders at address, and then taking the hands out of the stroke, makes for a more consistent action and a natural release of the putter through the ball

 

In the left-hand low grip (or reverse-handed), the left arm and wrist remain pretty stable

throughout the stroke and there is no powering with the left hand, whereas in a traditional reverse overlap grip the right hand has control of the thru-stroke. The powering through of the right hand expresses itself sometimes as left-wrist breakdown. Sometimes the left wrist stays stable and the right hand sends the extra oomph up through the left elbow. The chances of this occurring are significantly reduced with the left-hand low grip. The point of all this is that a ‘palms together grip’ and a ‘left-hand low grip’ are a lot closer to a “dead-hands” shoulder stroke than a reverse overlap grip with righthand power.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5/ ENERGY TRANSFER

One of the keys to good speed control is the ability to deliver maximum energy from the putter to the ball. It builds consistency. The opposite is a stroke that is too long in the backswing, or too long in the follow through. The maximum energy is therefore usually somewhere other than the impact. The goal is to make an authoritative stroke, hit the ball with maximum energy, and learn to stop the putter from extending too far. Don't cramp yourself, but do keep it compact. This will improve your tempo without trying. Remember, good speed control prevents 3 putts!

6/ THROUGH THE GATE (TIGER DRILL)

 

Creating a ‘gate’ with a couple of tee pegs – and then running your putter between them – makes for a terrific practice drill (Tiger is a master at it, holing out 6-footers one after another using just his right hand to control his stroke). The challenge is to return the putter consistently through the gate so that you make solid contact with the ball. Line up a 6-foot putt and repeat the drill ten times. In order to control the pace of the putt it is vital that the ball is struck consistently out of the sweet spot – and this drill will help you to improve that element of your putting.

Creating a gate that is just wide enough for your putter to swing through places the emphasis on the consistency of your stroke; the coin drill, meanwhile below, is a test of your focus as you hit putts – the key being to look for and ‘see’ the edge of the coin immediately after the ball is struck (i.e. no peeking up at the hole!)

 

7/ COIN DRILL

 

As per the photos you see here (left), the coin drill sets up a good focus exercise that will help you to keep the head steady through impact. Place a coin on the green just behind the ball, so that when you set up you can just see the edge of the coin protruding beneath the leading edge of the putter face. The challenge is to focus on seeing that coin through impact and after – focus on the writing on the coin or ball marker – only when you have registered that can you allow your eyes to follow the ball to the hole.

 

8/ PACE CONTROL

Putting to a tee-peg in the green is another very simple exercise that quickly sharpens your feel and control. The goal is to nestle each ball against the tee, or within just a few inches, just like playing ‘bowls’. Putting to a tee eliminates the pressure that often comes from being fixated on holing a short putt. You will actually find out what it is like to putt with a good rhythm. Hit ten putts. How many can finish within the 6 inch circle?

9/ PUTT TO THE FRINGE

Putting balls to the fringe of the green invites instinct to take over – how close can you nestle the ball to the fringe without the ball actually touching the edge? Take one ball and putt from all angles across your putting green – by the time you head for the 1st tee you should be totally in-tune with the speed of the greens.
 

10/ PRACTICE!

The more often you go out and practise the drills highlighted in this feature, the better the putter you will become. Just remember that when practising before a tournament or club competition, your focus should be purely on holing out for confidence and speed control to eliminate three-putt greens. It’s time to go and play...

Reproduced with kind permission of Golf International Magazine

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Get Your Game in Shape for the New Year!

SPEED

Feet together drill

 

Hand speed is often a forgotten element of the golf swing. There is much said about big shoulder turn, clearing your left hip and so on, but one of the easiest adjustments to make to your golf swing is to create better wrist hinge, leading to more lag and ultimately more speed. To gain lag and speed try this simple drill. Stand with your feet together and swish the club back and through focusing on creating wrist hinge in the backswing and throughswing. You will be amazed at how fast the club can move without proper body rotation. Once you have the feel for this whipping motion simply widen your stance and allow the body to be pulled into a full finish position.

Slap and roll drill

 

Most golfers have more potential power than they realise but as soon as they put a golf club into their hands anxiety or tension take over and the power is lost. If you're worrying about control you end up swinging slowly, robbing the club of potential power. To heighten your awareness of speed through impact try my 'slap and roll' drill. Start with your normal golf stance and place your left hand behind your back. From here, swing your right hand into the backswing position and concentrate on slapping the outside of your right thigh at impact. This will encourage you to accelerate from your right side and also improve your timing. The one key to this drill is to make sure your right palm then rotates into the finish. This rotation will help to move the ball from right to left with a longer overall flight. Try using this drill as part of your pre-shot routine to free your swing up and boost distance.

 

SEQUENCE

Shoulder tilt

 

The angles you create in your address position are very important, they establish balance and prepare you for an athletic rotation. Many golfers create reasonable angles at address but then lose them in the backswing and never recover in the throughswing. This change of spine angle throws the club onto all sorts of different swing paths and planes making it near on impossible to swing with the correct sequence and be consistent. To improve your swing sequence, place a club across your shoulders and concentrate on turning around one axis. You can see that in my backswing the clubhead points down just outside the ball and in my throughswing the grip end of the club points in the same direction.

Simplifying the movement like this will improve your balance and when you put the club back into your hands improve your sequence, with no loss or gain of height throughout the golf swing.

 

Right side drill

Golfers are often so concerned with their backswing, trying to position the club 'in the slot', that they forget everything else, failing to drive through the golf ball.

Next time you are on the practice ground I want you to concentrate on making the perfect half finish with the right arm, right knee and club all pointing directly towards the target. Get the sensation for this position and I guarantee your timing and accuracy will improve in no time at all.

 

 

Knee drill

The majority of good ball strikers have two things in common when it comes to leg action - firstly the legs store power in the backswing, and secondly the legs fire ahead of the hands in the downswing. This explosive sequence will add speed and power to your shots. Engaging the big muscles in the legs in this manner will have a positive effect; learn to do so by following these four simple steps...

Step 1: Tie a pencil length stick or rod around your right thigh, ensuring that the stick points towards the golf ball, just behind your hands. 

Step 2: Make a full turn in the backswing attempting to hold the stick in its original position. You will feel tremendous coil and load as you reach the top of your backswing.

Step 3: All you have to do is make sure that the stick arrives at impact before your hands. This will transform your sequence and encourage you to start your downswing from the ground up.

Step 4: Free-flow into a full finish ensuring that the right foot is up onto the toe and the club is across the back of the neck. This final move is the easiest of all to master as the club has incredible momentum.

BALANCE

Anti-spin drill

 

One of the most common faults I see in the golf swing is the player spinning out of the shot. The left foot twists, ripping the turf and throwing the entire swing out of balance. Without a strong straight left side in the finish it is virtually impossible to create true swing consistency. One of the easiest ways to improve the balance in your left leg and foot is to work with an air-filled wobble board. You normally find these in sports shops but standing on any unstable surface will have the same effect. You can take your shoe off to heighten the sensation. This unstable surface will challenge your left side, strengthening and educating the muscles to balance. Put your shoe back on and step onto the turf and you should find it much easier to hold a picture-perfect finish.

 

Basket drill

 

One quality I like to highlight to all players is the importance of tidy footwork in the golf swing. So many amateurs end up leaning backwards in an attempt to help the ball into the air, instead of driving the right side dynamically towards the target. In your next practice session empty your basket of balls and place the basket just outside your right foot. Now make your swing. You will soon become aware of whether you have good footwork or not. If your right foot spins and moves the basket it is a sign of backward momentum in your swing. To rectify this simply practice swinging without the right foot touching the basket at any stage of the golf swing. Look how my right foot has driven away from the basket into a balanced full finish - copy this.

Instruction by Dan Frost
www.frostgolf.com

 

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