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!

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.

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!

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.

Mental Golf Do you ever hit the ball great when you are alone, or when you have a second try at the shot? It’s nothing surprising to say that this is highly likely attributed to the mental side of the game. Just like the physical game of golf, it’s important to have a strategy with the mental side as well. There are many ways to develop the mental game in golf and they might sound silly! Many players will connect their level of play with their self image. Negative self talk is not good in daily life, let alone a performance sport like golf. Before stepping up to hit a shot, talk positive to yourself. Be happy regardless of situations and outcomes. Success comes to those who have patience and persevere through difficulties. Focus on one shot at a time, engaging in your pre-shot routine. Fake it until you make it. Try not to be self critical and use your swing thoughts as triggers to accomplishing your chosen shot. Here are some great swing thoughts to say to yourself before hitting the shot: 1. I CAN hit this shot, I’ve done it many times before 2. I WANT to hit the ball _____. 3. I AM a great player, even as a beginner, I KNOW it’s possible. 4. No matter who is watching, EVERYONE makes mistakes. 5. I WILL continue to get better, even with poor shots from time to time. *Think of DO’s not dont’s *Focus on where you want the ball to go NOT where you don’t won’t it to go

One of the best ways to maximize your golf game, is to get good at chipping and pitching. You will build your confidence from the ground up, and learn the proper shot and club selection. Chipping and pitching are not just played with the sand wedge and you could use any club in the bag given the right situation. The goal is to get the shot closer and score better! In order to take what you do on the driving range to the golf course, it takes much practice learning the proper technique. A chip is a shot up near the green, that you don't have much green to work with. This shot can be a small shot over a bunker, water, with minimal green to get the ball on and rolling. A pitch shot, is when you have more green to work with. The goal with this shot, is to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. The pitch shot is a bump and run, and the chip is a shot with more height/less role. The grip, the stance, the ball position, and the technique are all important aspects of chipping and pitching. Be sure to hold your golf club within three fingers of your left hand and hold the club lightly as though you're holding a baby bird. Next, allow your arms to hang down to your sides naturally with a bend in your waist. Allow your arms and hands to work together as a team, with both of your palms facing each other. You can choose an interlocking or overlapping grip- the difference in these grips, is one is overlapping the pinky over the forefinger and the other is interlocking them. Bend over at the hips, keeping your back straight. Allow a little bit of knee flex, and make sure your body is aligned at your target. With a chip shot, you want the ball position more in the middle of your stance as compared to the pitch shot, where it's more in the back of your stance. This allows the ball to roll faster off the club face. To build a solid foundation of movement in your short game shots, I suggest going to see an instructor for the basic knowledge. Once you have a foundation, you can build upon that. Solid shots are on the green equals success!

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.

If you want a slow and easy golf swing you must have great tempo. Instead of envying other peoples golf swings, try to emulate the best smooth swing you've seen and make it your own. No part of your body moves independently from each other- everything must work in sync, together. The key beginning feature of the golf swing is the Take-away. The arms beginning the backswing will tell the body how fast to swing, while creating a coil. The coil, is what creates the momentum and action through the golf shot. Just as a slingshot needs a coil, the golf swing does as well, to generate clubhead speed. There is no need for an aggressive nature in the golf swing, the smoother the better. It is a bit of a contradiction, but that is the name of the game! When I'm trying to get a good tempo, I typically swing out about 70% of a normal shot. This will allow you to get the feel and understand how to swing smoother. If you want a dependable and effortless golf swing- remember to swing 70 to 75% of your full power. It's not about how hard you swing, but how smooth you swing- that will bring the results you want.

“Empowering Wounded Warriors, One Fairway at a Time” Mission: The SMGA's mission is to provide rehabilitative golf experiences and family inclusive golf opportunities for post 9/11 wounded war veterans in an effort to improve the quality of life for these American heroes. Eligible veterans include those wounded or injured in post 9/11 military operations, including those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The SMGA is a fantastic organization dedicated to helping our countries heroes. They offer numerous programs to get the soldiers involved. Clinics Designed to help wounded soldiers with PTSD, this includes men and women designed, group instruction. American Golfer Program This program affords wounded veterans the opportunity to participate in SMGA, who are not located close to a SMGA facility. Charity Golf Classic Each year this tournament is the main fundraiser for the SMGA. Golf Course Partnerships To facilitate golf course access for warrior golfers, the SMGA has forged a number of partnerships with local golf courses and country clubs. Special playing opportunities for SMGA members are available at local courses. Tournament Playing Opportunities Over the years, the SMGA has excelled in providing post-9/11 wounded and injured service members with golf course access. In a typical year, more than 100 playing opportunities will be provided to veterans in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Tournament and playing opportunities are also available through our other chapter and affiliate locations. For more information: http://www.smga.org/

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.