Golf Tips
Let’s face it,
golf is a very difficult game, and most of us do not
apply the time needed toward practice to improve
ourselves. The majority of people that play the
game do just that – play the game. We hope that
through the course of a round, we can pick up some
problems in our swings that we can use the next time we
go out to the course. However, to make a marked
improvement, we should practice in between
rounds.
The best thing
we can do to improve our respective games is to head to
the driving range as much as possible. Repeatedly
striking balls will help you develop the muscle memory
required to develop a consistent golf swing. When
hitting balls at the range, place a golf tee into the
ground three inches behind the ball and another one three
inches in front of the ball. Also place a long
club, preferably a driver, at your toes, parallel with
tees.
When you begin
to hit balls with this alignment, you should make sure
that your clubface is going straight over the tees when
making contact with the ball. Your back shoe should
pivot against the club shaft laying on the ground.
It is recommended that you try to focus on a high
follow-through after striking the ball, and also turning
your hips toward the target.
Most driving
ranges will have a practice green or mound that you can
pitch onto. You should spend a significant amount
of time working around this area because most amateur
golfers do not place their approach shots on the
green. There is normally a flag that you can aim
towards as a target, so experiment with various shots to
the target. For these short pitches, choke down on
the pitching wedge a little, don’t be afraid to swing the
club (decelerate), and avoid the tendency to raise your
head and follow the flight of the ball.
Finally, practice your feel for putting on the
manicured practice greens that are at most driving
ranges. Use three balls and try to hit three putts from
the same spot. You should begin by putting from a
distance of three feet from the hole, and increase the distance
of the putts throughout the practice session. Also, keep
in mind that you should be “target putting” – that is, trying
to get the ball as close to the hole as
possible.
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