Pro's Tip

One of the most important and frequently overlooked, full swing fundamental in golf is the setup position. The setup is crucial as it is the base for the golf swing to work around.

For example, when building a standard 4 door car, the catalyst for this is to have 4 wheels and connect them to the cars body to make sure there is a nice stable base for the car to be built around. If you only connect 3 wheels to the body the base is obviously not going to be as stable and the car will not function as efficent.
This same concept can reflect back to the golf setup as we need a stable and aligned setup to help the golf swing build around. If we setup to the target with either our body closed off or even setup with or body opened up to the target its much harder to produce quality shots as all angles are all off before the swing even starts.

So, at address your body (feet, knees, hips, forearms, shoulders and eyes) should be positioned parallel to the target line. When viewed from behind, this is for a right hand golfers view, the body will appear aimed slightly left of the target. This will create an optical illusion as the ball will be on the target line but the body will not be.

The easiest way to put this into perception is to imagine a set of railway tracks. The body will be positioned on the inside railway rail and the ball positioned on the outside rail.
The gap between the rails will become different depending on which shot we are hitting. For Example the gap between the rails should be greater when hitting a full swing with a driver compared to hitting a full swing shot with a wedge. This is different as the length of the clubs change.

This is an easy and simple way of insuring that your setup is in the correct positions to help with hitting more consistent and solid shots at the intended target as everything will be nice and square.

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January 2010

I am not sure what the statistics are but I’m fairly certain that the guys who arrive a little early, pay their fees and warm up before they play are normally the ones who feature in the ‘business end’ of the results. I’m at a loss to explain how one can go from the car park to the tee and expect to play well. (I should know because I go straight from the shop to the first tee and rarely start well.)  Like anything in life, a little preparation goes a long way. By practising a few putts and having a hit in the nets, you allow your body to develop some coordination. It also gives you a chance to mentally prepare for the next four or so hours. Golf is generally played better when you are physically, mentally and emotionally balanced. Rushing from the car park to the shop to the tee is unlikely to produce a balanced state of mind and body. Try to arrive a bit earlier so you can better prepare yourself to score better.


The aim of the game of golf is to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible. To do this requires a number of things to go right, from driving to irons down to chipping, but most of all and the main part of the game to lower numbers is the putter. Putting accounts for about 30% to 40% of your game and is the club that is used on every hole and should be the club most practiced with. Here are a few simple but effective drills you can use to help lower the number of putts per round:

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      Use the practice green to gauge speed and work on distance control. Distance control (sometimes called speed control) should be the focus when practicing putting.


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      Hit your putts at a ball marker or a tee, not at a hole, to start with. Don't immediately try to make putts - simply roll the ball toward a ball marker  or tee you've put down about six feet away. Think about the stroke and centering the ball on the putter face, while trying to hit the marker or tee.


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      Set down distance markers and alternate putting to different distances. Set ball markers, clubs or some other markers at 10-foot intervals, out to 30 feet. Alternate hitting balls to the different distances. This can be down uphill, downhill and also across the green. This will help with getting the ball closer from these distances when out playing.


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      Hit putts from one side of the green to the other and try to stop the ball as close as you can to the collar or fringe to practice long putts. Making a 70-footer is something we're very unlikely to do, it doesn't make sense to aim at the cup. You'll only be disappointed when the ball doesn't go in.


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      Practice making putts, not missing them. Putt from no more than six feet out, and preferably around four feet out. Even the pros make only about half their 6-footers. If you're practicing 15-footers, you're only hurting your confidence.


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      Putt on a flat part of the practice green. On a practice green, you want to practicing making putts. That means putting from a short distance - and on a flat part of the green. Short, flat putts are the ones you have to make to get better.


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      Always end your practice session by making short putts. Don't walk off the green on a miss. Force yourselves to make five or six putts in a row to end the session - even if you have to putt from 6 inches to do it.

Good putting, for further information or to book a lesson contact the Proshop and make a booking.

Bunker Lesson:
Bunker play is a challenge in the game of golf for all of us at some time, but can become a strength with persistent practice and patience. A simple but effective drill to practice for bunkers is called the ‘Line drill’. The line drill is practiced in a bunker and is designed to teach players how to consistently control the impact of the club at the bottom of your swing, allowing for successful shot’s from the sand with ease and control. Key steps to the line drill:
 

Using a sand wedge or lob wedge which ever you prefer draw a line in a practice bunker. Take your stance with your front foot two inches in front of the line. Open the club-face and then grip the club. Let your arms hang from your shoulders and your hands will be on the line drawn in the sand level with the club head. As you look down, your hands and club should be hanging over the line drawn but above the sand.
 

Now, make some practice swings and see where your club bottoms out in relation to the line drawn in the sand. The idea is to swing the club back and through contacting the sand on the front part of the line drawn. Keep making practice swings until the club consistently enters the sand on the front part of the line.
 

Then, place a ball two to four inches in front of the line and make the same swing. Note, keep the club moving through the sand and the ball will come out with ease. The secret when in a bunker is to not try and make contact with the ball but the sand. When the sand is exploded into, the force will allow the ball to float out on a cushion of sand. This drill will also help you in judging your distances a lot better as your contact will be more consistent.
 

Further lesson’s can be booked through the proshop.