Do you have trouble making solid contact on a consistent basis with your long irons (ie. 3, 4, 5 irons)? It's a very common problem amongst amateur golfers, although the advent of hybrid irons has definitely made things a bit easier for the average golfer. Understanding how to strike the ball effectively by using your body properly will go a long way to building your confidence when standing over those long approach shots from the fairway.
What makes an exceptional ball-striker is the ability to differentiate between the upper and lower body at impact. Being able to shift your weight into your lead foot allows you to stay behind the ball and utilize the true loft on the clubface, so the ball launches higher and lands softer. The most common mistake that amateurs make with their longer clubs is
that when they shift their weight left on the downswing (for right-handed golfers), their upper
body goes with it. There’s no differentiation between the upper and
lower body, and they typically come over-the-top of the ball and hit it
to the right, or mishit it off the toe, which shoots it low and to the
left. On the flip side, if they try to stay behind the ball with their upper
body, their weight stays on their back foot and they hit behind it. With
no differentiation, they may still hit their short irons okay (because
of the loft), but they’ll launch their longer irons, hybrids, and
fairway woods too low. Here are two drills to help you create this
differentiation and improve your ball striking.
DRILL 1:
PRE-SET IMPACT
Take your setup with a 5-iron and, from there, assume a
good impact position. Move your weight into your lead foot and open your
hips, but keep your spine tilted to the right, behind the ball, as it
was at address. You should feel a good stretch between your upper and
lower body, and your shoulders should be closed relative to your hips.
Hold this position for a second or two, and then return to your address
position and swing, trying to recreate the differentiation you felt
between your upper and lower body at impact.
DRILL 2:
USE THE GROUND
Place a towel or sponge (something that offers a little resistance)
under your lead foot and, as you swing down, feel as if you’re applying
pressure from the left foot into the ground, through that towel. This
drill will teach you to shift your weight forward so that the clubhead
doesn’t bottom out too soon and you hit the ball solidly, with the
club’s full loft.
Practice this move at the driving range and keep repeating until it becomes natural. You'll soon notice that your ball striking will improve not only with your long irons, but with all the clubs in your bag.
Stay warm and keep practicing with purpose through the winter so you're ready to shoot low scores as soon as the golf season arrives!
Monday, 3 February 2014
Monday, 13 January 2014
Golf Posture: How to Help Correct Your Posture
Happy new year to all of my followers! I apologize for the long delay between posts as there's been a lot going on since my last post in October. On November 12, 2013, my wife, daughter and I welcomed the newest addition to our family...our baby boy, Adam! As you can imagine, it's been quite the challenge getting used to life with two kids as well as going through the busy holiday season...we survived and things are getting back to 'normal'.
My latest post deals with golf posture, its importance to the golf swing and some tips to help you improve on your posture, if need be. There are 3 known golf postures, the N, C, and S, but only one of these address positions is physiologically ideal for healthy, productive outcomes. Do you know which one you are?
The N-posture is preferred by teaching professionals, but seems to elude many current-day golfers. It’s characterized by a straight spine or back and is really the precursor to an efficient, textbook golf swing. It also helps keep both the acute and chronic nagging injury to a minimum.
When addressing the ball with a straight spine, the golfer allows him/herself the potential for making a better turn in the backswing. This is a prerequisite for power golf. The better the shoulder turn, the more clubhead speed the golfer should be able to generate. That, in turn, increases the likelihood of hearing repeated acknowledgments such as “nice drive,” “that was smoked,” and “you spanked that drive” from the members of your foursome.
Give it a try. Take your golf stance while standing sideways in front of a mirror to make sure your back is totally straight. Now take a backswing and note how far you’re able to turn. Next, bow (bend) your spine, like in the picture below. Now try to make that same backswing. Make sure your head doesn’t move. Can you turn as much? The answer is no. That’s because it’s easier to rotate around a straight spine than it is a bent one. Unfortunately, there are a lot of golfers out there that don’t set-up at address with a straight, N-posture, spine. And it’s getting worse.
The
bowed or bent spine posture is becoming an epidemic in the golfing
world. Technically, this set-up position is called a C-posture, as the
golfer forms a “C” when viewed from the side, and it used to be more of
an older golfer’s disease. Today, however, we’re seeing more and more of it due to the fact that
many of us are sitting hunched over a computer for a good part of the
day, both at work and when we get home. This static, round-shouldered
position, results in a shortening (tightening) of the muscles in the
chest and a lengthening (weakening) of the muscles in the
upper back. This causes the shoulder blades to fan outward and the
spine in the thoracic region to bow out (known as kyphosis). This
combination does not bode well for the golf swing or your health. The C-posture is showing up in all ages and in both genders. It will
limit your ability to get the club back and that’s going to rob you of
clubhead speed and distance. Yes, there are some C-posture golfers who
do manage to get the club back, but this can only happen if the
golfer stands up in the takeaway. Lifting the head up in order to make a better turn alters the swing
plane and can also throw off balance. Either of these is deadly if your
goal is to make consistent ball contact. The other thing C-posture may produce in the backswing is a reverse
spine or a leaning of the upper body back toward the target. This
common swing fault doesn’t position the golfer well for initiating the
downswing in the proper hitting sequence. . . that being with the hips
first. As a matter of fact, the reverse spine often results in the
upper body controlling the downswing, an over-the-top swing plane, and a
casting of the golf club. The sum of these is usually a powerless
slice of the golf ball and a frustrating round of golf.
To physically correct the C-posture, you must stretch the tight muscles in front and strengthen the weak ones in back. In doing so, you’ll allow the shoulder blades to move back toward the midline of the body pulling the shoulders back with them.
A
good exercise for this is the shoulder pinch and one you might consider
doing daily to offset the negative consequences from sitting in front
of that computer. While lying supine on a stability ball or full-round
foam, place your arms out to the side and bend the elbows 90 degrees.
Pinch or squeeze the shoulder blades together, which will lower the arms
somewhat toward the floor. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and release.
Repeat 5 to 10 times. Remember to breathe. If on the stability ball, make
sure to keep the hips parallel to the floor to engage the glutes (golf
power muscles). 
A drill to help improve the brain-body connection and break you out of the bad C-posture habit is to hold an iron club against your back, while standing, with the toe of the club resting on top of your head. Slowly bend forward into your golf stance while keeping your head in contact with the toe (right picture). This will ensure a straight back. If the head comes off the club, you're bowing the spine and moving into a C-posture stance (bottom picture). Like with all neuromuscular drills, the more
you repeat it, the greater the likelihood that the new movement pattern will become habitual.
The third identified posture is the S-posture. It’s characterized by an arching of the lower back and a protruding butt, resembling an “S” when looked at from the side. This posture is very prevalent in women and younger golfers.
The arched or swayback posture, in itself, is a low back pain producer. Combine it with the twisting motion of a golf swing and it's a pretty sure bet chronic low back pain will develop. In most cases, the arched back posture is produced from the hip rotating forward. This anterior tilt is often the result of tightness in the muscles in the front of the hips known as the hip flexors.
A simple assessment
is to sit on the edge of a flat bench or solid coffee table, carefully
lie back on the bench/table and then bring one knee up to the chest and
hug. If the extended foot rises up off the floor, you’re hip flexor is
tight to that side. Repeat with the other leg as tightness can
be unilateral or bi-lateral.
This knee hug action is also a great stretch to do for tight hip flexors. Hold each leg for at least a 30-second count as you breathe normally. If you’re unsteady on the bench, you can also do this stretch while lying on your back on the floor.
One thing to consider if you do set-up in the S-posture is to pull in the belly button toward your spine while standing at address over the ball. This action will flatten the lower back and take some tension off of the area while swinging the club.
Good posture is not a given and should be worked on for better, healthier golf. In doing so, you’ll set yourself up for a more efficient golf swing, more yards down the fairway, and greater potential for a pain-free swing. Over the winter, take the time to figure out what type of golf posture you have and spend some time each day doing the necessary exercises in order to correct your posture. Trust me, this will pay dividends for you this upcoming golf season and you'll enjoy your time out on the golf course even more!
My latest post deals with golf posture, its importance to the golf swing and some tips to help you improve on your posture, if need be. There are 3 known golf postures, the N, C, and S, but only one of these address positions is physiologically ideal for healthy, productive outcomes. Do you know which one you are?
The N-posture is preferred by teaching professionals, but seems to elude many current-day golfers. It’s characterized by a straight spine or back and is really the precursor to an efficient, textbook golf swing. It also helps keep both the acute and chronic nagging injury to a minimum.
When addressing the ball with a straight spine, the golfer allows him/herself the potential for making a better turn in the backswing. This is a prerequisite for power golf. The better the shoulder turn, the more clubhead speed the golfer should be able to generate. That, in turn, increases the likelihood of hearing repeated acknowledgments such as “nice drive,” “that was smoked,” and “you spanked that drive” from the members of your foursome.
Give it a try. Take your golf stance while standing sideways in front of a mirror to make sure your back is totally straight. Now take a backswing and note how far you’re able to turn. Next, bow (bend) your spine, like in the picture below. Now try to make that same backswing. Make sure your head doesn’t move. Can you turn as much? The answer is no. That’s because it’s easier to rotate around a straight spine than it is a bent one. Unfortunately, there are a lot of golfers out there that don’t set-up at address with a straight, N-posture, spine. And it’s getting worse.
The
bowed or bent spine posture is becoming an epidemic in the golfing
world. Technically, this set-up position is called a C-posture, as the
golfer forms a “C” when viewed from the side, and it used to be more of
an older golfer’s disease. Today, however, we’re seeing more and more of it due to the fact that
many of us are sitting hunched over a computer for a good part of the
day, both at work and when we get home. This static, round-shouldered
position, results in a shortening (tightening) of the muscles in the
chest and a lengthening (weakening) of the muscles in the
upper back. This causes the shoulder blades to fan outward and the
spine in the thoracic region to bow out (known as kyphosis). This
combination does not bode well for the golf swing or your health. The C-posture is showing up in all ages and in both genders. It will
limit your ability to get the club back and that’s going to rob you of
clubhead speed and distance. Yes, there are some C-posture golfers who
do manage to get the club back, but this can only happen if the
golfer stands up in the takeaway. Lifting the head up in order to make a better turn alters the swing
plane and can also throw off balance. Either of these is deadly if your
goal is to make consistent ball contact. The other thing C-posture may produce in the backswing is a reverse
spine or a leaning of the upper body back toward the target. This
common swing fault doesn’t position the golfer well for initiating the
downswing in the proper hitting sequence. . . that being with the hips
first. As a matter of fact, the reverse spine often results in the
upper body controlling the downswing, an over-the-top swing plane, and a
casting of the golf club. The sum of these is usually a powerless
slice of the golf ball and a frustrating round of golf.To physically correct the C-posture, you must stretch the tight muscles in front and strengthen the weak ones in back. In doing so, you’ll allow the shoulder blades to move back toward the midline of the body pulling the shoulders back with them.
A
good exercise for this is the shoulder pinch and one you might consider
doing daily to offset the negative consequences from sitting in front
of that computer. While lying supine on a stability ball or full-round
foam, place your arms out to the side and bend the elbows 90 degrees.
Pinch or squeeze the shoulder blades together, which will lower the arms
somewhat toward the floor. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and release.
Repeat 5 to 10 times. Remember to breathe. If on the stability ball, make
sure to keep the hips parallel to the floor to engage the glutes (golf
power muscles). A drill to help improve the brain-body connection and break you out of the bad C-posture habit is to hold an iron club against your back, while standing, with the toe of the club resting on top of your head. Slowly bend forward into your golf stance while keeping your head in contact with the toe (right picture). This will ensure a straight back. If the head comes off the club, you're bowing the spine and moving into a C-posture stance (bottom picture). Like with all neuromuscular drills, the more
you repeat it, the greater the likelihood that the new movement pattern will become habitual.The third identified posture is the S-posture. It’s characterized by an arching of the lower back and a protruding butt, resembling an “S” when looked at from the side. This posture is very prevalent in women and younger golfers.
The arched or swayback posture, in itself, is a low back pain producer. Combine it with the twisting motion of a golf swing and it's a pretty sure bet chronic low back pain will develop. In most cases, the arched back posture is produced from the hip rotating forward. This anterior tilt is often the result of tightness in the muscles in the front of the hips known as the hip flexors.
A simple assessment
is to sit on the edge of a flat bench or solid coffee table, carefully
lie back on the bench/table and then bring one knee up to the chest and
hug. If the extended foot rises up off the floor, you’re hip flexor is
tight to that side. Repeat with the other leg as tightness can
be unilateral or bi-lateral.This knee hug action is also a great stretch to do for tight hip flexors. Hold each leg for at least a 30-second count as you breathe normally. If you’re unsteady on the bench, you can also do this stretch while lying on your back on the floor.
One thing to consider if you do set-up in the S-posture is to pull in the belly button toward your spine while standing at address over the ball. This action will flatten the lower back and take some tension off of the area while swinging the club.
Good posture is not a given and should be worked on for better, healthier golf. In doing so, you’ll set yourself up for a more efficient golf swing, more yards down the fairway, and greater potential for a pain-free swing. Over the winter, take the time to figure out what type of golf posture you have and spend some time each day doing the necessary exercises in order to correct your posture. Trust me, this will pay dividends for you this upcoming golf season and you'll enjoy your time out on the golf course even more!
Thursday, 10 October 2013
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:
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.
Here's 7 ways that golf can help challenge and develop your kids:
- Golf gets them off the computer and into the fresh air and great outdoors.
- Golf teaches concentration, they have to focus on every shot.
- Golf has a simple way to promote honesty, players keep each other's score.
- Golf gives 21 muscle groups a good workout.
- Golf is a thinkers game. They can be creative with shots and have fun doing it.
- Walking 18 holes is equivalent to a 6km run, but a lot more fun.
- Golf is all about good friends, good exercise and good times.
- 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
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
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
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.
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.
Monday, 23 September 2013
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.
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.
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