2021 April

Are you missing short putts that you expected to sink? I recently discovered an immediate solution using any conventional putter. I have been practicing my short putts with a GOLFSTR+ to putt with a locked leading wrist. That practice improved my confidence to putt with a locked wrist but using GOLFSTR+ during any competitive rounds of golf is PROHIBITED.

BINGO!!! I have now discovered a way to use my existing putter to lock my leading wrist and solve my problem with shaking, nervous hands for short putts under 6 feet.

I got this idea when I noticed Bryson DeChambeau, Webb Simpson, Bernhard Langer and Matt Kutcher using an ARM-LOCK TECHNIQUE with longer putter handles pressed against the underside of their leading forearm. I have seen the method used for some time but when the up and coming Will Zalatoris used this technique to win runner up at The Masters, I realized that shaky hands and wrists could be a problem for most golfers, young and old.

Solution
For my short putts under 6 feet I have now improved my putting by gripping down on my putter handle with both hands at the same level and allowing the extended putter grip to press against my forearm. To do this with my standard putter I just have to bend over a little further at my waist. I almost bend over like Michelle Wei West in her table-top putting stance. The good news is that if I choose a putting line, I definitely hit that line.

I just putt with a normal shoulder rocking motion to swing my putter directly up my chosen line. Shaking hands and wrists are no longer a problem. Now that I have more confidence I am hitting more firm putts to ensure that I have enough speed to pass the hole and limit the brake as the putt slows down near the hole. Short putts never go in.

For my longer putts over 6 feet I don’t seem to have the same wrist and hand shaking problem because there is a lot more motion in my shoulders to swing my arms for the longer putts.

Anchored Putting is Banned
We all know that anchored putting, where a golfer holds the end of a long handled putter with a leading hand and anchored against the chest is not legal. Pressing the extended end of your putter shaft against your forearm is perfectly legal under the Rules of Golf. According to Rule 10.1b, a player’s putting stroke must not include an anchor point on which they plant their forearm — i.e., the technique used with broomstick putters, with the end of the putter (or the player’s forearm) anchored against a player’s chest. Adam Scott prevailed at the 2013 Masters while anchoring, as did Keegan Bradley at the 2011 PGA Championship” but that style of putting is no longer allowed.

I call this WRIST-LOCK PUTTING. Most golfers miss half of their putts within 6 feet of the hole. You are losing about 5 to 9 strokes per round. Stop missing short putts. Practice with GOLFSTR+ to prove to yourself that a locked leading wrist putt will help you sink more short putts. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com

Golf Truism #57: Golf is the perfect thing to do on Sunday because you spend longer praying than you would in church.

If you have made par or birdie on a hole, what’s stopping you from doing the same on every hole that you play?  Your swing must have been perfect for the successful holes that you played in the past so what is holding you back for your future successes in golf.  As it turns out, it’s all in your MIND.

There have been some amazing wins and accomplishments from new and also past winners in recent tournaments.   Why are these golfers suddenly re-surging?  I started thinking about this when Sean Foley brought Lydia Ko’s golf career back to life.

Sean Foley (Certified PGA Trainer for Tiger and Lydia Ko) shared an emotional Instagram, praising Lydia for her first tour victory in 3 years.  His primary focus on training Lydia was to build confidence from her past successes.  He recognized that she just had to find and release the game that he knew was within.  He helped her understand that she had performed well in the past so her skill and attitude was already in her mind and body. All that he did was to give her the conviction to let it re-emerge. 

These are a few of the recent golfers who changed their mental focus into success (in addition to Hideki Matsuyama who won the Masters, his first PGA win in 4 years).

1/ Stewart Cink winning RBC Heritage at Hilton Head by 3 shots at the age of 47.  He focused on a hole by hole game plan each night before each round with his son who happened to also be his caddy.  He said that it cleared his vision and his ability to make the shots that he wanted.

2/ Lydia Ko had not won in 3 years and won by a margin of 7 strokes at Lotte Championship in Hawaii.  Since she started working with Sean Foley she has had 9 top 10 finishes in her last 16 starts.  She also set a low round scoring record in the final round of the ANA Championship.  NOTE: Her drives are still about 30 yards shorter than the longest drivers but her accuracy to hit greens and putts is blowing the field away.

3/ Jordon Speith is back on a tear with a fresh return to his winning form.  He just changed back to his original swing style by shallowing his downswing.  We expect to see him win a few tournaments this summer.

4/ Will Zalatoris came from the college ranks to place second at the Masters.  He is a new comer on the pro scene but he sure is shaking up the golf world.

I’ve seen the same commitment and success happen recently in the Professional Tennis world.  Winning gives them confidence and that confidence breeds success.   It’s caused by their new found mental attitude.

Focus on One Shot and One Hole at a Time. 

Mark-up the corners of the box on your score card for each hole with a check for your drives staying in the fairway (or on a par 3 green), a check for Greens in Regulation and number of putts.  Total your checks for FIR, GIR and Putts for comparison to your next round.  Playing against yourself from round to round is a great way to lower your scores, or pclubgolf.com may also help.  You may want to put in some extra practice with your GOLFSTR+ to help you focus on your perfect hits.  Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com

Golf Truism #56: A good golf partner is one who’s always slightly worse than you are, that’s why I get so many calls to play with Friends.

Every golfer has a certain skill level based on the time that you have golfed and the amount of training and practice you have put into the game. You have improved your game by adjusting the clubs that you use and the balls that you prefer. At this stage in your game you have hit perfect shots with every club in your bag and you know that wonderful feeling of executing perfect shots. So why do you still mishit a percentage of shots?

Each type of shot requires a different set of skills. Putting is the easiest skill but it is the most difficult to perfect. You have to learn to read every green based on the speed of the green to estimate a line for your putt and the power required to at least reach the hole. An approach shot to the green requires the skill to choose the right club and power for your swing to get your ball to stop on the green near the hole. The easiest shot should be a tee shot on a par 4 or par 5 where distance is your preference because you only need to land your ball on the fairway in preparation for your next shot.

Personal Pressure Causes Mishits
So why is it that you still mishit tee shots as well as every other shot that you have made a hundred times before? You are actually putting pressure on yourself to control your shots and to hit longer shots. You can only blame yourself for that pressure. Here are some solutions to minimize that pressure! It’s all in your mind.

How Do YOU Minimize Mental Pressure?
1/ Practice Builds Confidence: If your driver is not working, get fitted for a club that works for your swing speed. Over the years I have changed from a stiff to a regular and now to a senior shaft. When your speed and strength goes, you need to let the whip of your shaft do the work.
2/ Take Pressure Off: Don’t go for the hero shot. Use a less lofted club and swing at 80% for better direction and distance control. Restrict your backswing as your bent arm backswing is not helping you. Learn to swing with a straight leading arm as you coil your body for more power. GOLFSTR+ is a great training aid to help you cure this problem.
3/ Choose a Club That you Know Will Reach Your Target. Don’t choose a club that you know can only reach your target 25% of the time. It’s better to swing at 80% and choke down on a club to ensure that you can reach your target.
4/ Take an Unplayable. When you know your swing or shot is obstructed take a stroke penalty for a 2 club relief. It’s much better than hitting into more trouble or burying your next shot in a bush. [On day #4 at the Masters, Billy Horschel hit into Rae’s Creek and lost 2 strokes before he used an unplayable to escape. It was an expensive 8.]
5/ Expect More Rollout on a Green. When hitting any club into a green plan for extra rollout. It’s far better to stay on the green than to roll off the back.
6/ Layup When the Green Won’t Hold Your Shot: Hit to a good entry point if you know that your long iron will not check up on that green.

Knowing what to do and doing it are 2 different things. You can’t change your mind after you make the shot so why not play it safe and avoid the high numbers on any hole. the best callaway edge golf clubs can also level up your performance. Build confidence by practicing with your GOLFSTR+ and save more strokes. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com

Golf Truism #55: If there’s a storm rolling in, you’ll be having the game of your life.

We have all struggled with the bunker shots, especially when we are playing in a match where every stroke counts. A messed up shot on a fairway is a pain but 2 or 3 attempts to get out of a bunker is a real disaster. We all land in bunkers so wouldn’t it be fantastic if we knew that we could get out in our first attempt?

I was excited to watch a friend escape a bunker with a perfect swing. She had taken a lesson from a PGA Certified Instructor who showed her the ideal bunker escape shot:

1/ Using your sand wedge setup with an open stance and the ball in the center of your stance and weight slightly forward (on your leading foot).
2/ Wiggle your feet down about an inch into the sand for stability and to lower your swing depth in the sand.
3/ Open your club face so that the face points almost straight up from the sand (depending on the distance that you want your ball to fly). You still need to make a three-quarter to full swing and finish your follow-through.
4/ KEY POINT: Imagine a quarter placed in the sand beyond your ball. Your goal is to launch your ball, the imaginary quarter and sand on to the green. Depending on the distance you want to fly your ball take a three-quarter swing to power the head of your sand wedge under your ball and LAUNCH YOUR BALL & SAND (about 3 to 5 inches) BEYOND THE BALL ONTO THE GREEN.

Unfortunately after working on this method I would still leave about 30% of my bunker shots in the bunker.

Improved Solution

Amazing Discovery
I discovered that if I STARE AT A SPOT IN THE SAND ABOUT 1 INCH BEYOND THE BALL DURING MY SWING I can now make most of my bunker shots. I have never heard a pro recommend this trick. If I want to land my ball further across the green, I just focus on a spot about 2 or 4 inches beyond my ball.

After you try this revolutionary method out, I hope to hear from you. I realize that it’s difficult to change your focus from your ball to a point in the sand beyond your ball. Just drop a number of balls in a practice trap and feel the thrill of success before you take this trick to the course. Start enjoying your bunker play forever.

You still need to swing with a straight leading arm so practice this shot with your GOLFSTR+. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com . Try out your new bunker shot and drop your comments in below.

Golf Truism #54: Golf balls are like eggs. They’re white, sold by the dozen and you need to buy fresh ones each week.