Warming up: Combine stretching with short-game exercise

Thursday, November 28, 2013

By Karl Fischer,
Contributor

Take a short iron (pitching wedge), and swing the clubhead down the line to the pin. Now put a ball in the way.

 

You will be surprised how effortlessly and accurately the shot comes off. Don't worry about hitting the ball far. Just get solid impact. Get the clubhead on the backside of the ball, and swing through its butt. Every club strikes the ball on its pants, not its head (the top of the ball).

 

Once you strike half a dozen balls off your target shoulder. Work on impact. Now pick a defined quarter-sized target, and start striking the ball to this point. Remember to always think ball to pin, down the line.

 

Always work up to your longer clubs in the warm-up, taking five to 10 swings with each club starting with the wedges. We like to hit the big ball, but the short game is where the money is made. To make short-game practice more fun and challenging, hit your balls at the quarter or another specific ball.

Driving range practice without a target will not get you to par on the course. Don't practice bad shots or poor habits.

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"Pendulum" exercise will help golfers warm up

By Karl Fischer,
Contributor

After you have done your theater-position cradle turns, get a good grip on your 7 iron with your hands and let your long arms hang. Now swing the clubhead gently and smoothly back and forth making sure you touch the mat or grass at the bottom or each "swing arc" ... going forward and backward.

 

Keep doing this rhythmically 10 or 12 times getting the swing gradually bigger, until it is full. Think: pendulum.

 

Swing the clubhead and "feel the steel" through the ball down the line to the pin.

 

Stay relaxed. Breathe smoothly and regularly. Make sure you breathe out during the impact portion of your swing. Empty your lungs during your full finish to the pin.

 

Even in warm-ups, every time your club swings through the touch point, make sure you see an imaginary ball come off the clubface.

 

Always see every ball come off the clubface.

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A limber body can lead to a better golf game

By Karl Fischer,
Contributor

Quick tip: Before teeing off, use your own developed stretching regimen. Oh, right, you don't have one!

 

Develop one. If you want to ruin a good round of golf -- or at best, get off to a poor start -- arrive late and start highway to fairway. We've all done it. We know the results.

 

Start by standing with chin tall. Let your arms hang from your shoulders. Raise your forearms with hands up in front of your shoulders, palms and thumbs facing forward. Cradle your 7 iron across your thumbs, qrip pointing to the pin, shaft parallel to your chest.

 

Now, turn your shoulder and body toward the brace foot until you feel some stretch in your tight hips. Then turn back toward the target foot fully -- belt buckle, chest and chin to the pin. This is finish.

 

Remember at this fully turned position your brace-foot heel will be released and turned pointing "down the line" behind you. Often golfers think they must keep both feet firmly on the ground at all times. No.

 

The right brace foot pushes your body -- including hands and the swinging club -- through the ball at impact point to the pin.

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Want to improve your golf game? Don't forget proper preparation

 

By Karl Fischer,
Contributor
 

Remember that you should devote 70 percent of your time to properly getting ready and 30 percent to execution. Just watch the pros. Don't hurry.
 

Stance: Keep your feet under your armpits or, for your driver, as wide as just outside your shoulders. The longer the club the wider the stance or the bigger the pedestal. Feel the balance and swing in balance.
 

Brace foot (that's the push foot): Keep it square to the target line, which is the straight line center ball to center of the cup.
 

Target foot (that's the one closest to the flag): Point it about 20 percent to 25 percent "pinnish." This will let you open the swinging door easily toward the pin and finish fully tall in comfort.
 

Seniors and golfers with articulation (joint) problems might even turn more to reduce or eliminate what we in the teaching profession call a "foot block," so much tightness in the hip, knee and ankle that you cannot turn all the way to the target and finish.

What are we talking about? Here is one of our very fundamental 3 Cs: comfort! If it does not feel comfortable in golf, it is likely not correct.
 

Alignment: I am a foot fetishist, and you would be well-served to pay attention to your feet. They are the foundation of your good swing. The line through your toes (brace foot to target foot) should point down the middle of the fairway to the pin. Aim your gunsight to the quarter. There are some foot variations, but this is a safe rule.

Aim your feet in balance and comfort. It will work.

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Make It Your Scene

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Law Of The Parallels

When you start to spray the ball, take a practice swing that highlights the Law of the Parallels. Whenever your clubshaft is parallel to the ground, it should be parallel to the target line. Parallel positions: at the end of the takeaway, top of the swing, 3/4 down, and 1/4 into the followthrough.

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