Junior Golf - The Importance of Getting Started at a Young Age

One of my goals as a professional golf instructor is to introduce and grow the sport of golf by providing as many people as I can the opportunity to participate in a sport that promotes their physical, mental and emotional well-being.  Golf is one of the only sports that has honesty and integrity built right into the game.  It is important that children are taught these lessons so they can discover how to use them in a variety of situations they face at home, school, during sports and play, and in everyday social interaction.

Here's 7 ways that golf can help challenge and develop your kids:

1. Golf gets them off the computer and into the fresh air and great outdoors.
2. Golf teaches concentration, they have to focus on every shot.
3. Golf has a simple way to promote honesty, players keep each other's score.
4. Golf gives 21 muscle groups a good workout.
5. Golf is a thinkers game.  They can be creative with shots and have fun doing it.
6. Walking 18 holes is equivalent to a 6km run, but a lot more fun.
7. Golf is all about good friends, good exercise and good times.

The following are a variety of ways you can introduce your kids to the game of golf:

• have your kids accompany you to the driving range
• attend local golf tournaments (ie. Vancouver Golf Tour events)
• watch golf on television
• collect information from local golf clubs about junior golf programs
• caddie for a relative at a fun club event
• attend junior golf clinics at the Greater Vancouver Golf Academy 

My father introduced me to the game of golf at a young age and I can tell you firsthand how the sport has impacted my life in a positive way.  I learned a lot about honesty and integrity as well as self-discipline, sportsmanship, leadership and the importance of physical fitness.

The beauty of golf is that it's a sport for life that you can learn and play no matter how young or how old you are.  Getting your kids started at a young age will have lasting benefits throughout their entire lives and will also provide you the opportunity to play and spend quality time together out on the golf course.

Feel free to contact me for more information on how you can get your kids started in the sport or if you'd like to find out more about local junior golf events and competition.

Golf is one of the only sports that has values such as honesty and integrity built right into the game. It is important children are taught these lessons so they can discover how to use them in a variety of situations they face at home, school, during sports and play, and in everyday social interaction. - See more at: http://www.britishcolumbiagolf.org/player-development/junior-golf/#sthash.Y6R7edKy.dpuf

Golf is one of the only sports that has values such as honesty and integrity built right into the game. It is important children are taught these lessons so they can discover how to use them in a variety of situations they face at home, school, during sports and play, and in everyday social interaction. - See more at: http://www.britishcolumbiagolf.org/player-development/junior-golf/#sthash.Y6R7edKy.dpuf

Golf Lessons for Men, Women and Children of All Ages and Abilities

I'm pleased to let you all know that as of June 2013 I completed the necessary requirements and received my designation of Master Teaching Professional from the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America.  Since receiving my teaching certification, I have started the Greater Vancouver Golf Academy which is located in Richmond, BC.

During the summer of 2013, I held a number of Junior Golf Clinics for kids between the ages of 4-10 years old.  The clinics were very successful and it gave me the opportunity to introduce many boys and girls to the wonderful sport of golf.  I'm planning to hold several more clinics for kids beginning in the spring of 2014 and continuing through the summer.  Click here if you'd like to be added to the email list for updates and registration information for future Junior Golf Clinics.

I've also started teaching adults (both men and women) of all levels and I offer both private and semi-private lessons.  Whether you're a beginner who's never played the game before or a seasoned veteran looking to improve your game, we can develop a program and work together in order to achieve your goals.  Please visit my website for more information on lessons and lesson packages.


My goal as a teaching professional is to help others learn the game of golf, improve their skills and, ultimately, grow the sport in order for people to benefit from not only the game, but from the life lessons that are learned and experienced through golf.

Simple Golf Swing Drills to Help Improve Your Game

Many golfers go to the driving range with the thought of improving his/her golf game.  Do you go with a purpose or specific goal in mind or do you grab a bucket of balls and start hitting away?  Always be sure to 'practice with purpose' and work on specific flaws so you can improve your swing, gain more consistency and instill a sense of confidence that you can take out onto the golf course.  The driving range is the place where you can spend the time to work on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.  Drills are activities golfers do to sharpen their shotmaking skills while also making practice time more enjoyable.  The following drills will help you address specific swing flaws which are common to many golfers, build a more consistent swing and even help improve your on-course strategy.

Drill #1
Reduce tension and make a longer, freer swing.  Tensing up at address often causes a swing that's too quick, and this poor tempo results in both a loss of swing speed and accuracy.  I recommend a "1-2-3 Hit Drill" to combat this problem.  On the driving range, place a ball on the ground.  Take your stance so the golf club is 2 feet away from the ball and take a smooth, full practice swing.  Move forward and take your stance again so the club is 1 foot away from the ball.  Make another tension-free practice swing.  Set the club behind the ball and without hesitation take a third swing and hit the ball.

Drill #2
Increase clubhead speed with a weight shift drill.  Many golfers often have trouble shifting their weight from the right to left side on the downswing (for right-handed players), which is a factor in generating clubhead speed.  On the driving range, take a smooth three-quarter swing with an iron and as you complete the follow through, lift up your right foot so it's completely off the ground.  If you have difficulty lifting your right foot this way, it means too much weight is remaining on your right side during the follow-through.  Practice this drill until you can comfortably lift your right foot and balance on your left.  You'll learn to make a more complete weight shift.

Drill #3
Learn to rotate your hips, not slide them on the downswing.  If you slide too much with your hips - and too quickly - your lower body will get out of sync with your arms, resulting in slices or hooks.  I recommend a drill where you picture a wall just outside (ie. to the left) of your front foot.  As you swing, try to finish with your belt buckle pressed against this imaginary wall.  This will keep your left leg firm and your upper body rotating properly through the downswing.  You can also try sticking an umbrella in the ground 4 inches outside your front foot.  If you bump into the umbrella shaft during the downswing, you're sliding laterally more than is recommended.

Drill #4
Play an imaginary round of golf on your home course - while still on the driving range - with this mental focus drill. Take out your driver and create a mental picture of the first hole, particularly the width of the fairway. Now hit the drive and see if it lands in the 'fairway'.  Estimate how far it went and calculate how far you'd have to the actual first green on the next shot. Pick out the right club, aim for a specific target and hit the shot. Determine if you would have reached the actual green with the shot.  Now imagine the second hole and try to hit that fairway and green.  Continue this drill through 9 or 18 holes.  Keep track of how many imaginary fairways and greens you hit in the practice session and how this number increases as you repeat the drill.  This drill will help you improve your accuracy - and your confidence - when you get out on the real course.

Doing these simple drills when you're at the driving range will not only make your practice time more enjoyable, but also much more effective than just pounding balls.  Remember, always 'practice with purpose' and you'll see dramatic improvements in your game.

Pre-Round Stretching...A Simple and Effective Routine

The importance of stretching for your golf game cannot be stressed enough.  Since a good golf swing requires that your body be in a relaxed, tension-free state, you'll want to release some of that tension before you ever pick up a golf club.  I have a few exercises below that are easy to do and only take a few minutes.  Most golfers don't have a lot of time to prepare before a round of golf and I'm sure many of you show up to the first tee without hitting any practice balls at the driving range or spending some time at the chipping and putting green.  The good news is that if you follow these simple exercises, you can effectively stretch right before you start your round, no matter how early or late you are to the first tee.

For the first exercise, take your driver and place it across your shoulders behind your neck.  Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and wrap your arms around the club at either end.  Bend slightly back to stretch your back muscles.  Bend side to side so that you loosen up your side muscles and shoulders.  Bend forward to extend your back.

Next, perform a partial squat with your driver in hand.  Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the club in front of you at shoulder height, holding with both hands for balance.  Lower your body by bending the knees, not the hips, and raise the club up with both arms at the same time.  Raise back up and repeat this ten times.  During this whole stretch, you need to keep your upper body very erect in order to obtain the full benefits.  This exercise will increase your blood flow and circulation throughout your body.  This is a great total body warmup to allow your body to make a relaxed, comfortable first swing.  It also increases the range of motion in your hip which encourages a more synchronized swing from the ground up. 

Finally, you can do a standing rotation twist stretch.  Hold a golf club chest high out in front of you and grip the club at either end so that your arms are shoulder-width apart.  While keeping your feet and hips fairly stable, rotate the club to the right and the left.  Try to breathe out on every turn in order to release tension.  Repeat each side ten times.  By doing this stretch, you'll be preparing specific muscles of the trunk to make an aggressive move.  This also prepares proper sequencing of the swing while warming up the muscles.  This exercise will improve body movements during the swing from the beginning so you won't sacrifice any strokes on the first couple of holes.

I hope this simple routine helps to improve your golf game.  It only takes a few minutes to complete and will go a long way to helping you prepare for a round of golf...especially if you don't leave yourself much time to practice before heading to the first tee.

Getting Your "Feel" Back After the Winter

As many of us are seeing an end to the cold weather, rain and snow, it's time for the arrival of spring and the start of the golf season.  Depending on where you live, winter can be a time where the clubs are stored away and the rust on your game builds up as you're stuck indoors itching for the warmth of the sun to make its return.  Of course, it's always a good idea to dust off those clubs and start hitting some balls to get that swing back, but one thing many golfers don't realize is that one of the first things that disappears with time away from the game is your "touch" and "feel".  You'll find that it doesn't take very long to get your groove back with your full swing at the driving range, but when you head out onto the golf course for the first time after a winter layoff, it's that short game that seems to cause you the most trouble and costs you the most strokes.  Everyone wants to get out to the driving range and pound buckets of balls, but it's the time and practice put into the short game that will help you the most when you're tuning up for the golf season.  Thus, I've put together some tips and drills on putting that will help you get your feel and distance control back quickly so that you can start saving some strokes early in the season and be well on your way to shooting low scores.

A Simple Routine to Use on the Practice Green

1.  The focus should be on speed and distance control when practicing putting.  To start with, hit your putts at a ball marker you've put down about six feet away (not at a hole).  Don't try to make putts, simply think about the stroke and centering the ball on the putter face.

2.  Set down distance markers and alternate putting to different distances.  Put ball markers at ten foot intervals out to about thirty feet.  Alternate putting balls to the different distances as this will help hone distance control and feel.

3.  To practice long putts, hit from one side of the practice green to the other, trying to stop your ball just at the fringe.  Making a fifty footer isn't something that happens very often, so it doesn't make sense to practice those very long putts by aiming at a cup.  You'll only be disappointed when the ball doesn't go in.

4.  When you're ready to putt at a hole on the the practice green, start by putting from a short distance such as three feet and then slowly work your way further out as you build your confidence.  The key is to practice making putts, not missing them.  Be sure to use a flat part of the practice green.  Short, flat putts are the ones you have to make to get better and making those is what builds confidence.

5.  Always end your practice session by making short putts.  Never walk off the practice green on a miss.  Force yourself to make multiple putts in a row to end your session, even if you have to putt from 6 inches to do it.

Drills to Help Improve Your Putting Stroke

1.  Push Putt Drill

• The purpose of this drill is to make the putter blade go to the target following through rather than stopping at the ball.
• From a very short distance (one to two feet) place the ball on a level portion of the practice green.  Set the putter face against the ball with the blade at right angles to the target.  Vigorously push the putter blade toward the center of the cup with enough acceleration so the ball leaves the face.

2.  Pace Drill

• The purpose of this drill is to develop a stroke which can produce a consistent pace for various distances.
• Place three balls on the practice green.  Putt one ball to no particular target, but closely monitor the effort it took to get there.  Putt each of the other two balls so they finish the same distance as the first.

3.  One Arm Putting

• The purpose of this drill is to eliminate wrist breakdown in putting.
• Grip the putter with the right hand alone so the wrist is slightly extended (back of the hand toward the top of the forearm).  Putt using no wrist action.  Switch to the left hand alone and with the back of the left hand solid, do likewise.  Then putt some balls with both hands mimicking the action practiced when using the hands separately.

I hope you can put the routine and drills above to good use as you prepare for another successful golf season.  It's the little things that make the biggest difference in your score and by following my suggestions along with practicing with purpose, I can assure you that you'll be well on your way to shaving some strokes off your game.  Remember the old saying, "drive for show and putt for dough"!  Till next time...

Tips on Bunker Play

One golf shot that strikes fear into the hearts of many amateur golfers is the bunker shot.  Nevertheless, it has been said by no less a champion than five-time PGA winner Walter Hagen that, "the bunker shot is the easiest shot in golf - you don't even have to hit the ball."  But if the player lacks the knowledge and skill for execution of this shot, apprehension prevails.  Combine poor technique with a lack of confidence and failure is imminent.  However, those who understand the principles of bunker play can, with a modest amount of practice, become quite comfortable in playing the shot.

The following are some techniques to keep in mind for playing the most common bunker shot from a greenside bunker with the ball sitting up:

1. Use a sand wedge (56 or 60 degree) as these clubs are specifically designed to glide, skid or bounce rather than dig.  The wide flange and inverted sole of the sand wedge helps prevent the toe or heel from catching or digging into the sand.               
2. Establish a firm footing that will support the swing without slipping, yet will not dig the feet too deeply into the sand.
3. Take an open stance to restrict backswing length and to steepen the swing.
4. Ball placement should be forward in the stance (in line with the instep of the left foot for right-handed golfers).
5. Open the clubface to match the address position.
6. Start with the weight favouring the left side (for right-handed golfers) at address.
7. Swing the club like a full "cut pitch shot" matching the length of the backswing and the follow-through to the force needed for that shot.  The swing path should match the line of the body (open position) and will feel like you're cutting across the ball from outside to in.  
8. Strike the sand from two to four inches behind the ball.
9. Do not let the face close (toe past the heel) until after impact, if at all.  Imagine balancing a coin on the clubface from the start of the swing until the the clubhead exits the sand.
10. Continue to accelerate through the ball to a natural finish with your weight on the left side (for right-handed golfers).

The hardest thing to overcome is the fear of the bunker shot.  This fear is a result of past failures, a lack of confidence and a feeling of uncertainty.  The best way to avoid that frame of mind is to understand the principles behind executing the shot and practicing until you have enough confidence in a method, like the one above, that will get the ball out on a consistent basis.  Visualizing a successful result is one of the most important steps in playing the shot.  Fear of making a mistake produces muscular tension.  Tension produces shortening of muscle fibre or tightening up.  When one tightens up, he inhibits the swing and reduces the chance of making a successful shot.  Thinking negatively and seeing poor mental pictures can destroy one's ability to make a good swing in the bunker.  A player must stay loose and relaxed, and that comes only when he knows he can successfully execute the shot.

The following are some ways to control the distance of a bunker shot:

• Angle of Approach:  use a steep angle for short distances and a shallow angle for longer distances.
• Blade Position:  add loft by opening (or laying back) the face for short distances and reduce loft by closing (or hooding) the face for longer distances.
• Backswing Length and Pace:  a long backswing has the potential for creating more force than a short backswing and, therefore, will generally send the ball farther.  The pace, however, also affects that result.  A player could use a slow pace with a long backswing or a fast pace with a short backswing and hit the ball as far or farther with the short swing than the long one.  Thus, pace and length of backswing need to be blended.
• Amount of Sand:  shorter shots result from taking more sand by hitting farther behind the ball and longer shots result from taking less sand and hitting closer to the ball.  Keep in mind, however, that hitting close to the ball, though sending the ball farther in the air, will spin it more and make it stop quicker on the green.
• Length of Follow-Through:  a short follow-through is generally the result of reduced speed at impact whereas a long follow-through usually means more speed and greater distance.

Learning how to successfully play from a bunker can be a very rewarding experience, especially if it has been your nemesis.  You'll be able to notice dramatic improvement almost instantly when using the proper technique while developing a sense of confidence.  Remember, visualizing good results is one of the tools to create confidence.  I hope these tips help you with your bunker game and please feel free to share this post with your fellow golfers.  Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have or any clarification about the techniques for successful bunker play.

Welcome To My Blog

Hello and welcome to my blog about golf.  I'm 38 years old, happily married for 5+ years with one child (whom my world revolves around) and I live in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada (also known as the best city in the world).  I own and operate a retail jewellery company called K.I.G. Fine Jewellery & Custom Design as well as a precious metals buying company called Pacific Gold Buyers. 

I've played sports all my life...baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis, golf...and the list goes on and on.  When I was 8 years old, my dad introduced me to the sport of golf.  I was immediately hooked.  I started out playing at the local pitch and putt courses and took a few beginner lessons at the McCleery Golf Course in Vancouver, BC as my dad wanted me to learn how to swing the club properly so I wasn't hacking around and tearing up the courses.  After a few years of playing par 3 courses and learning more about the challenges and ettiquette of the game, I was ready to take things up a notch and play on the "real" courses.  Thus, I became a junior member at the McCleery Golf Course where I attended weekly lessons with the assistant pro in order to develop skills and eventually take what we learned out onto the golf course.  Being a junior member was the best thing I could ever have done as it gave me the opportunity to learn from a great teacher (Alec Macdonald) as well as compete in several tournaments at the club itself in addition to tournaments around the Lower Mainland.  At the age of 16, I became the Junior Club Champion and had gained lots of experience playing in competitive events under pressure.  Of course, not all of the experiences were 'great', but each one was an opportunity to learn and grow as a person while developing my game.  One of the great things about golf is that it teaches you many other important life lessons and traits such as humility, patience, perseverance, success and failure.  I was lucky to have benefited from these experiences at a young age and I'm one who believes that golf is not just a sport, it's a path to learn about life and how to deal with challenges that come up along the way.

I stopped playing competitive golf after completing high school as my focus was on completing my business degree at the University of British Columbia and I just didn't have the time to put into golf.  Getting an education was priority as I'm a true believer that in life, you may lose everything, but no one can ever take away your education and your knowledge.  I always wanted to pursue a career in golf and see if I was good enough to get to the next level, but "life" took over and business opportunities came about so I stuck to playing golf recreationally with friends and have continually improved my game over the years.  I did, however, have the opportunity to take lessons from one of the top instructors in the United States a few years ago.  Joe Thiel is an amazing man and an even more amazing golf instructor.  He has taught many of the great players in Asia and travels around the world teaching both amateurs and pros and I was lucky enough to be one of his students.  I'll share my experiences with Joe in a later blog.

This brings me to where I am today and why I've decided to put together a blog.  As I mentioned above, I've always wanted to pursue a career in golf and I'm finally taking the steps to get there.  Golf is my passion and one of the things I love to do is help people improve their game.  Whenever I play golf with friends or in corporate tournaments, people always seem to look to me for advice on the course or on the practice range.  I have a sound understanding of the golf swing and the science behind it and I'm always more than happy to share my knowledge and help people to enjoy the game more.  At the moment, I'm in the process of completing my golf teaching certification through the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America.  My goal is to become a Master Golf Teaching Professional and be able to make a career out of teaching and becoming the best instructor I can possibly be.  I've learned so much through the game of golf and it's time for me to give back and help others learn the game, improve their skills and, ultimately, grow the sport in order for people to benefit from not only the game, but from the life lessons that are learned and experienced through golf. 

Stay tuned as I'll be posting tips and tidbits about golf in order to help readers improve their game and enjoy the sport more.  I'll also keep readers posted about my progress through the certification program which I'm planning to complete by the spring of 2013.  Feel free to email me with any questions you may have about the sport or any tips and I'll be sure to get back to you as soon as possible...also, don't forget to subscribe to the blog by clicking on the link below.