At the PGA Merchandise Show at the end of January 2017, I watched a PGA Forum with the top trainers in USA. Hank Haney, Jim McLean, David Leadbetter, Michael Breed and Larry Rinker were all on the panel.
I picked up 3 important tips that may help you too.
1/ Stop Fairway Mishits: On important shots, does your fairway club (hybrid, iron or wedge) dig into the ground before the ball or are you topping the ball? Your practice swing may be perfect. Unfortunately that little white ball changes everything. As you tighten up for a more powerful swing at the ball, your mind and body rhythm change. Your hips are locking up and preventing the lateral movement of your body. Your weight is staying over your trailing foot, as you rush your arms through the swing.
Tips from the most influential golf instructors in North America. These guys know and love this game. Attention to detail will lower your score.
Pros have a fluid motion where they rotate around the axis of their body and swing through to finish with all of their weight on their leading foot in perfect balance. They also skim the grass (or take a divot) after their club impacts with the ball. [In other words (as Hank Haney describes it) the bottom of their swing arc is after the impact with the ball.]
Jim McLean said that you need to bow your wrist at impact like all of the great pros. If you can’t lead with your body and leading arm to create a bowed leading wrist at impact then you need to set up with a bowed wrist and more weight on your leading foot.
SOLUTION To Create Sold Ball Contact Before You Skim the Grass: Start with 75% of your weight on your leading foot. This also forces you to setup with a bowed wrist and a forward slanted shaft. This will stop you from swaying back in your backswing and will allow you to connect with the ball before you bottom-out the arc of your swing in the grass.
I notice that 2 of my friends who regularly break 80 are consciously doing this to improve their impact with the ball. This has also been a breakthrough for my fairway game.
2/ Swing all of your clubs at the same speed but choke down on your grip to hit a shorter distance with the same club. Don’t swing at half speed or you may create a lazy swing and leave your club face open. When you chock down on your grip you also need to take a practice swing to make sure that you are bending down a little more to reach the ball. Chocking down will reduce your distance by up to 15 yards but if you don’t adjust the bend at your waist to get closer to your ball, you will blade the ball and lose control of your shot.
3/ Michael Breed suggested that you finish every hole as if it is a par 3. Your drive or your fairway shot on a par 5 should put you in position to close the hole as if you are playing a par 3. Choose the right side of the fairway to place your ball in order to simplify your approach shot. Hit the green for a 2 putt par or hit the front of the green for an ease chip and putt.
I hope these tips help with your game as they are helping with mine. Don’t forget to keep practicing with your GOLFSTR+ to help you train with these tips. Some tips will really help your game but you need to try them. Buy your GOLFSTR+ today at www.golfstr.com
