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Golf Tips

Tip 5: Visualizing the shot

Imagine your favorite tour player, and what you like about his or her swing. Now close your eyes and make some swings of your own. Feel the movements, see the shot, make the shot. While you do this, it's important to see only the positive things. You must believe in your shot and focus on the good. See the shot land, watch it roll. Focus on the positive and make a good, smooth swing. Once you've seen your shot in your mind, get ready to make the real shot. Stand behind your ball and pick out a target. Make it realistic. Now, imagine that there is a window about 10 feet in front of you. The window is suspended in the air at the height at which you want your ball to travel off the tee. When you swing, go ahead and knock your shot through that window. Half the battle with golf is dealing with your mind. So think positive thoughts and good visualization. It will get you headed in the right direction.

Tip 6: The Drive

Everyone wants to hit a good long drive, and in most cases, a good hole starts with a good drive. But to hit a really great drive off the tee, you need to start preparing even before you address the ball. It's important that you develop a pre-shot routine that includes positive thoughts and visualization. What does that mean? Try standing behind the ball before you hit, and as you look down the fairway, visualize the target and imagine a good shot going right at the target. Next, when you do address the ball, you should release any tension that has built up in your body. You can do this by waggling the club and taking a good, deep breath. Also, make sure you're comfortable with your alignment before you hit. Finally, take the clubhead back low and slow. And as you do, you can say a little prayer: Please, let me hit this one straight! You just might surprise yourself, and your partners!

Tip 7: Fairway Woods

Most golfers who have trouble hitting a wood from the fairway typically have the same faults. The problem usually can be traced to one of three areas -- the position of the ball, the shifting of your weight on the backswing, and left-side control on the forward swing. When hitting a fairway wood, position the ball about two inches inside your left heel so you can sweep the ball off the turf. Then, remember to shift your weight to the right foot by turning back with your left shoulder and arm. Finally, as you unwind and transfer your weight on the forward swing, you must maintain control of your left side as you hit through the ball in order to make consistent shots. Here's a drill that will help you do this: Place a tee about six inches in front of the ball. When you swing, use the tee as a reference point as you extend the club through the ball. Keep practicing this, and you'll start hitting long, accurate shots with your fairway woods.

Tip 8: Iron Play

A lot of golfers try to reach or use their hands to hit the ball with their irons. What they don't realize is that you need to maintain a natural shoulder tilt or angle throughout your swing. This angle is created because one of your hands is lower than the other when you grip the club. So if you move your hands to reach or catch the ball, you'll change that angle and mis-hit your shot. Concentrate on making a balanced movement forward to the target with your body. As you move forward with your swing, feel your body turn and face the target while keeping your balance. It's as easy as walking forward, and the club will naturally stay out in front of you. By not reaching, your shoulder tilt will remain at the same angle throughout the entire swing. Try this drill and then take a look at your position when you finish. You'll see that your balance has improved, and you'll begin hitting crisper and more accurate shots to the green.

Tip of The Week

Scoring

Golf is a game of numbers. A four is a four is a four. Remember, one of those, and two of those, and one of those equals four. How you get there is irrelevant. So, what are we saying? Play smart! If you have an opportunity to hit the ball through a thicket of trees that has a 5% chance of succeeding, or kicking (whoops, I mean pitching) it out to the fairway, play smart. Set yourself up fro an easier shot. Then, one-putt. One putts save a lot of strokes. I recommend everybody do it as often as possible.

Play the course. Don't let the course play you. If you can wallop the ball 280 yards, but the fairway is 10 yards wide at that point versus hitting the ball 220 to a fairway that is 40 yards wide, which should you go for? OK, you should go for 220, but I will acknowledge that 'letting it loose' is more fun. Until you add up the strokes on the hole.

From our Readers:

Barbara, of Seattle, WA:

"Like your tips on putting. You make it sound so easy! HA! Actually, they are quite easy to follow. Write a book on putting! I'd buy it!"

Thanks, Barbara. We simply try to keep it simple. K.I.S.S. As for the book... maybe someday...