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.

You should have your feet shoulder width apart. Think like an athlete and balance your stance on both feet. Put the weight in the balls of your feet. When you bend down over the ball, you want to make sure your spine is straight, not curved. It is the axis in which you swing your club. It will feel like you’re sticking your butt out. Allow your arms to hang in their natural position and where they come together at your hands, that is the point your grip the golf club. Distance from the ball should be one hand in between the butt of the golf grip and your belt buckle. Alignment of your shoulders and feet will determine the swing plane on which you swing the club and where the ball goes. Make sure your shoulders and feet are lined up in the same direction toward your target. Your posture and stance will remain the same with every club. The driver and woods stance may change a bit with a tilt in your shoulders due to the loft of the club.

Fat shot: When the club hits the ground before you hit the golf ball. Reasons why player could hit fat shots: 1. Ball too forward in your stance. 2. Leaving your weight on the back foot and not swinging toward your leading leg. Ways to address the problemo! 1. Take practice swings to where you are brushing the grass. Taking smooth divots will allow you to feel the tempo. 2. Keep your shoulders level and don’t drop at impact. 3. Hit 3 practice swings and one golf ball. Repeat. If you are chunking your chip shots, the leading edge is reaching the ground at too steep of an angle. Try keeping your hands low in the take- away and follow through.

Full Swing Tips Plant your feet on the ground and think of your legs being strong as a tree trunk. Put your feet shoulder width apart, allowing the inside of your feet to be in line with the outside of your shoulders. The key is balance. Think of the golf swing in concepts. To build a solid golf swing is to start with the waist down first. To produce a consistent and straight shot, the club needs to stay on the correct plane. Rotate and turn the club around the body, allowing the club to turn on an arc- NOT on a straight line. The problem with thinking the swing is on a straight line, is you will allow steepness and coming over the top. The earth is round and your golf swing should be too. In order to hit the ball straight, you must keep the clubface going straight back and straight through. Return the clubface through the ball, as you have it at set up. The face position should open on the way back and square up at impact, then closing on the way through. NOT straight on the way through. Under rotation causes a block/slice and over rotation causes a hook/pull. If you are just starting in the game, remember that the club should rotate around as your body turns in the golf swing. Think of the concept and allow your body to follow. To start, try rotating in a smooth motion and then work into a more powerful swing. Baby steps in golf can be more productive than trying to achieve all your goals at once.

Technique is Everything The feel and distance is controlled with the proper technique. Sometimes you may be standing to far away, so make sure you are standing in a comfortable position with your arms hanging comfortably infront of you. Hitting it short and chunky are the two mishaps of the chip shot. -Keep the V of your arms consistent through the shot -Don’t break down your hands/wrists because that will lead to a chunky shot -When you decelerate, it will lead to a chunky shot -Return the club head back to where you started when hitting the ball, this will stop you from hitting too much grass behind the ball -Weight on your left foot -Keep the V, going forward with your shoulders controlling the ball

If you're a female golfer and trying to figure out why you hit is so short, and ways to create more power- then this is the instructional for you! Five tips to help you drive more power in your swing: 1. Allow room for your arms to hang down naturally in your set up. When you do this, you will allow for a free swing and the power will be able to create momentum. You want to have at least a hand's distance in between your belly and the butt of the grip. 2. Rotate don't Sway! When you are set up to hit your golf shot, be sure to stay still over the ball and rotate around your spine. A tip to help get the feeling of this, is by standing up against the wall with your butt touching it. Bend over like you're going to take your back swing and feel the resistance in comparison of your upper and lower body. Make sense? 3. Swing through the ball, not at it. So many times, I've seen players try to make the club hit the ball. The beautiful thing about the golf club and the swing, is that if you just swing it back and through, most likely, the club will do all of the work for you. Instead of hitting at the ball, keep your head down and think about smoothly swinging through the ball. Easy! 4. It's ok to take a divot! In golf, it's the best to sweep the ball instead of chunking it and gouging the turf. However, when hitting iron shots, it's ok to take a divot because you are compressing the ball and giving it more of an opportunity to go further. It's definitely better to hit it thin (sweep) than to chunk it (dig), but you'll be happy with the shot once you've hit that delicious divot! 5. Save the chicken wings for dinner! Have you ever seen someone hit a golf shot and their right arm (for left-handed players) is flying out in the back swing? Does it look like they may take off and fly away? Chances are they have the "chicken wing" going on in their swing! To avoid this, feel like you are keeping your armpit closed. If you think about keeping the swing tight in the backswing, you will start to see your shots get more consistent too. -

Knowing what we know now about the golf ball and club interaction in rainy and wet conditions, mainly the loss of spin, let’s look at the different types of shots you may face in a soggy round and how to approach them. A couple of things to note in general for all shots you play in the rain. Make sure you try to keep your grips as dry as possible. If they’re wet, you’re going to grip harder and this will affect your swing and ultimately distance. Second, if you’re wearing some sort of rain jacket, realize that your swing will more than likely be restricted. This will affect distance negatively as well. These are two important things to keep in mind as you play on a wet, rainy day. Off the Tee One of the caveats to the rule I explained in the previous article, water equals less spin and more carry, will show its ugly head with your tee shots and any use of a driver and/or wood. There is something about the flat, not significantly grooved face of these longer clubs that creates a lot more spin. This significant increase in spin will lead to shorter shots. So a good rule of thumb if your ball is wet and you’re playing a tee shot will be to underestimate your distance. Also, these clubs will produce a much less predictable array of shots directionally. If you have a go to shot, use it with the driver and woods. Playing from the fairway If you’re lucky enough (or good enough) to be playing from a lot of fairways on a wet day, you’re in luck. The fairway will easily be the place on the course you’ll be affected the least by the rain. Remember the rule with our groovy friends, rain will lessen the spin affect. Make sure to calculate your fairway shots appropriately by keeping in mind where your ball is, that area’s level of sogginess, and how the greens are receiving the ball. You can still get a decent amount of spin from the fairways, but it will be affected negatively. If you’re playing into a soft green, I’d play it close to your normal distances as the increase in carry will be lessened by the ball's decrease in roll. Into a harder green that allows for some roll out, club down half a club to equalize your distances. Playing from the rough Stay out of the rough at all costs when it’s wet! We all wish it was that easy, right? The rough will play tricks on you. The rough will produce flyer lies on a dry day. Throw in some water and those can turn into some super fliers. You will want to seriously consider how your ball is sitting in the rough and the level of wetness prior to playing your shot. If your ball is sitting up, with the grass going in the same direction as your swing, you’re looking at a good opportunity for some serious distance. This type of lie is idea from the rough, but the distance control will be key. Grass going against your swing? This will produce something a little closer to your normal distance. Remember to take into consideration the green conditions we talked about above as well. Playing out of sand Playing out of the sand is fairly similar in both wet and dry conditions. Out of a greenside bunker you’re going to want to do a couple of things. First, you’ll want to close your clubface a little more than normal. Our club will want to bounce a lot more out of the wet sand. Closing the clubface will allow us to dig a little more, which is what we need to do in order to avoid the skull. You’ll also want to take just a little bit of tempo off your swing. This is needed because you’re going to make a little more solid contact with the ball due to the extra bounce wet sand will produce. Playing in wet conditions requires a good memory and the ability to reason and calculate your distances based on your lie and level of sogginess. Next time you play in wet conditions, use a little logic and pay close attention to what’s going on and you’ll enjoy yourself so much more.