Don’t try to hit the ball as hard as you can If you arms tighten, the club will buckle and you will use an all arm swing, causing the ball the be erratic and uncontrolable. Don’t get stuck on your back foot Allow the club to get to impact with the ball and put your energy going forward. If you fall back wards, the club head will thrust through-again, having your arms and hands slap through for uncontrollable golf shot. Return the golf club to where you begin the swing Swing easy and allow your body and arms to do all of the work. Take some practice swings about 50% of your actual swing. This will give you time to feel your swing. Fell the weight load and unload When you take the club back, allow the weigh to load on your backswing side. On the follow through, let the energy unload to the forward leg. Don’t hang back. Swing easy Allow the club to stretch out so you don’t feel stuck. This will allow the club to swing on the correct plane and create freedom and momentum in your swing.

I can’t count the amount of times I’ve taught someone, especially beginners and they bend their left arm in the backswing. This is the most common mistake I see people make in their golf swing and should be the #1 thing focused on because it is the beginning and end of your golf swing. When a player keeps their left arm straight, they are allowing the club to swing on it’s natural plane. This will help the right hand golfer and of course, if you are a lefty- the opposite goes for you!

The Pre- Shot Routine is a very important part of your golf game. It is the strike of the match; so to speak, in regards to the way you begin your approach to your golf shot. The pre- shot routine is a great way to calm the nerves and take away some of the thinking that goes into your shot. The reasoning behind this is that you are able to go into autopilot because you do the exact same thing every time you step up to the ball, no matter what the shot. In reaction sports, a pre shot routine is unnecessary but in golf, it is crucial. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to eliminate the nerves, anxiety, and doubt that so often creeps in when stepping up to hit a golf shot. A pre- shot routine allow the body to take control and the mind to take a rest. In golf, the more you can ease the mind, the better you will play! Keep in mind, you can create any routine that makes you the most comfortable, just make sure it is repeated every time. An example of a pre- shot routine from start to finish would go something like this: This is an example if you are standing on the tee box with your driver, and the same goes for any other shot. Tee up your ball. Once you have chosen a good spot for your tee shot, step back behind the ball and look toward to hole/fairway. Choose the line or area you would like to hit your golf shot. Next, take a practice swing or two, visualizing and feeling the same thing you’d like to do with your actual swing. Walk into your shot and set the club down by the ball, take your stance and tilt your head in the direction of the area you’ve chosen. Last step, is pulling the trigger- hit your shot toward the chosen area and your good to go! Doing this pre shot routine or one similar will help you lower your scores and allow you to focus on other parts of your game. It allows the body to go on autopilot and makes the game simpler and fun!

When you shank a golf ball, the clubface is typically square or slightly closed and you catch/strike it in the hosel aka the neck of the club. You can occasionally hit it on the back of the heel and the ball will go backwards or very close to your friends on the driving range! The swing path is very important, as I have discussed prior. When you take your backswing and then come down to complete your follow through, it’s easier to hit a shank if you are coming over the top. To come over the top, the backswing and follow through are not on the same path, and your club comes through on too steep of an angle. The other way the shank can occur is if your hands are too far from your body at impact/set up. Your arms will need to reach to the ball and you end up coming down on the ball, instead of swinging more around your body. The easiest way to end the disastrous shanks, try taking the club, straight back and straight through. Most likely, a small tweak with your swing path will be the answer to your shanking woes.

To increase distance and accuracy of your drives, follow these simple steps: 1. Have repetitive and solid set up. 2. Aim your shoulders, feet, and hips toward your target- all in line with eachother. 3. Tilt your shoulders to the right and relax your muscles. 4. Rotate your body back completely. 5. Keep your arms far away from your body and keep your shoulders parallel to your target. 6. DON'T START YOUR BACKSWING TOO SOON from your backswing. 7. Be patient in your transition to your forward swing 8. Hold your finish and remain balanced. *If you develop a good shot routine and triggers to keep you focused on the basics, there is no doubt that you will start hitting better drives. Good luck and Drive on!

Love or Hate Golf? When playing a round of golf, you can either choose to love the game that makes you so mad or hate it all together. We all know that golf is one of the most demanding games in existenstence, so I’m going to share some ways to improve your enjoyment and learn new skills along the way! FIrst off, I would say to choose a positive state of mind. Understanding that you are only as good as your missed shots, is crucial in warding off unwanted thoughts and tendencies. Next, think of your golf swing and body as being a connected machine that if one part comes loose, the rest has to compensate. This is the normal order of things in this game, but being able to limit your over-compensations, can lead to less errors in your golf shots. Another way to make the round more enjoyable, is too look at it as a FUN activity, not a life or death situation. Even the tour players that are in contention to win, know that a mistake is bound to happen. Making the most of every situation in golf will lend to a more enjoyable experience all together.

Most amateurs swing with all the power they have but with no balance. Next time you watch professionals on television you will see that golf is all about finesse, timing and balance. Watch how every professional finishes their swing with great balance. They are in control of their swings and have the discipline of not exerting anymore effort than is needed for a great shot. To learn how they do this, first watch and study how they finish in balance each time. Try this in your own yard without a ball. Imagine how it looks and feels. On a few swings, close your eyes so you will heighten the sensation and balance. Once you can finish in balance each time than take it to the course. Always think how you will finish each swing before making your actual swing through the ball.

Hit the ball further, get fit, and lose some weight that may be holding you back. In order to build strength and power in the golf swing, there are a series of training steps to help with your progress. Following a strict diet and staying committed to your daily work outs will be vital to your success. Do you want to remain fat and out of shape? If not, get with the program! Go for a jog to get the blood flowing. You don’t need to run a sub 4 marathon, just jog enough to get your heart rate moving. Run for two minutes. Side Steps. Start with your right side and switch to your left side. In golf, it is important to have strong hip flexors and this exercise will help with that. I know it sounds old school, but do 50-100 Jumping Jacks. Not only does this stretch out your entire core, arms, and legs- it allows for a constant motion and momentum gain. Laying flat on your back, lift your butt in the air. These are called hip raises. Do it One of my favorite exercises is the spine angle test using a stick or broom. Holding it with both hands above your head, go down into a squat- keeping your chin up and back as straight as possible without falling forward. This is a great way to test your flexibility and strengthen your hamstrings, back, neck, and core. This is also known as the overhead squat.

The release Many people try to swing their entire body to get the golf ball in the air. It is no secret, that the release of the golf club is one of the most impactful aspects towards the trajectory and distance of your swing. The release is when you allow the club to rotate through the hitting zone, staying square to the golf ball. I like to think of it as the toe up in the backswing and the toe up in the forward swing. The release occurs into your downswing and out through your follow through. At impact, your body would be square/facing the golf ball, this is where staying square is crucial. If the hips are not square and they are to the right, that means you're going to push the ball or release the club too soon or hook it. Allowing your hands to release the club properly, will also allow your body to be in the correct position and stay square. This is the period of time that last seconds before impact and your follow through. If you do not release the club face properly, and you leave the face open with a slow release, you will end up with a slice or block (a right shot). If you obtain these two positions, you will have the proper release and nothing will be compromised. If you would like to build your release, I suggest going to see a local golf professional or by watching videos of tour players. A slice is due to no release in the golf club, which is occurring in almost 90% of beginners. I trained eye will be able to help build a proper foundation. For more information on the release of the golf swing, stay tuned.

Have you ever sliced the ball so bad, you want to walk off the tee box or just go home all together? The slice seems to be the most popular miss I’ve seen in golf, especially for beginners. A slice is a golf shot that goes far right because you have a swing flaw that keeps the face of the club wide open. I will describe this in further details below and give you a couple things to work on that may help. The Slice- When the ball curves to the right. The Cause- When the clubface is facing right in relation to the path of the golf swing. You’re swing line can also be redirected to the left with the face open. They are working against each other, creating a missed golf shot. Sometimes, the ball can be too forward in your stance. Make sure it’s in the center. Also, the grip must be working together as a team, the hands facing each other pointing toward the right shoulder. The Effect- A missed golf shot and uncomfortable swing path. The ball has little to no chance once it’s been sliced. If you can control this type of shot, you’re golden! The Cure- Release the club and allow the club to turn over through your swing. You are NOT swinging a baseball bat, so allowing the club to release. If you do this correctly, it allows the clubface to rotate and the ball will follow. Drills are a great way to reinforce this action into your swing. Stand with your feet together and take half swings at 50% of your usual swing speed. Over emphasize the rotation and release the club. Do this 5 times then hit one full regular shot. Then repeat. I think this is a great way to create the straight shots you want to shoot lower scores and feel more confident.

Staying behind the golf ball is very important to the stability and consistency of your swing. There is no need to overdo this idea, but I will give you some simple steps that will help. Set up- when you grip the golf club, lower your right shoulder so that your left arm is above your right. It will happen naturally when you grip the club. This will trigger a set up, and remember to keep your ball position more in the center of your stance. I like to think of it lined up with the bellybutton or belt buckle. Your spine should be tilted to the right. Next is your backswing. You don't want to move away from the golf ball, you want to rotate. Put the weight of your chest over your right foot, and get behind the golf ball with your shoulders- the left shoulder blade should rotate behind the golf ball. The keyword is PIVOT, not sway. A lot of players hang back, creating a reverse pivot. This is also considered the reverse C, and what you want is a reverse K. Once you've made the pivot from the upper body, creating your reverse K, on your downswing continue to stay behind the golf ball, then once you strike the golf ball follow through on to your left side. Make sure that your right foot is off the ground, and you are standing more upright. Make sure to hold your finish as long as possible. If you were to move in front of the golf ball, you would then be in the land to chunk the ball, or pinch it too soon. The moral of the story, is to stay behind the ball, don't get too eager, and swing through holding your finish!

Would you like to hit consistent tee shots instead of hitting the ball all over the map without any idea of which way it will go? Learn to control your shot by developing accuracy, ball shape, and direction. When taking the club back, you want to rotate your clubface back and allow the toe of the club to point to the sky at hip level. After hitting the ball, you want the clubs toe to be pointing the same way. Think about opening and closing a door. Your wrists need to rotate and release through the shot. Rotation is key. Fade Shot To hit a fade, you want to hold your hands off the shot a bit to allow a delayed hit with your clubface. This is a shot that a more advanced player can pull off consistently. A fade shot is good because you will be able to hold greens more consistently and expect more workability from tee to green. Draw Shot To hit a draw, the key is the correct swing plane and the proper release of your club through the shot. Moving the ball around an obstacle is crucial in golf and the draw shot is superb in enabling consistency. Aim fairly straight with your stance, maybe a bit closed. Think about swinging more to the right and close the clubface at impact.