Michelle Wie Saga/Golf tips

[Redhook]

From what I read it's clear the editors of the golf mags send you pros pre-pub copy of the articles so that you can make sure they aren't really helpful.

Is there an annual conference where you guys consult with the editors to chart the course of the coming year's "advice" and catch phrases?

Here are some I'm predicting for 2008. I have no idea what these would actually mean, but certainly Golf Digest could run with them:

The Zip and Tip
The Boom-Chucka
The Z-move
The Flat Zone
The Cigar Factor
The High and Tight
The Twist and Mist
Vortex
Spine Torque
Shoulder Shizzle

Feel free to use these in your lessons. I bet they'd stick.

This post is hilarious.

Before I became a golf instructor I thought the same thing about those magazines. I actually find them a lot more helpful now than I used to because I actually understand the golf swing. As a casual golfer, trying to decipher what your reading in a golf magazine is like trying to figure out a Rubix Cube the first time you try it. It'll make you a mess.

Those catch phrases were great. What's funny is I could probably come up with a way to use most, if not all, of them in some facet of my teaching. I like the Shoulder Shizzle the best. That's great!

[OldRightHander]

because I actually understand the golf swing.

I understand it pretty well, but putting that into practice is another thing altogether.

[paintmered]

My question is this? Why can I do to keep my swing from breaking down as I begin to play more often.

I went to the range a few days ago after not touching my clubs for nearly three months (thanks so much, engineering school). I was hitting the ball GREAT. The irons were going exactly where I wanted them. I was effortlessly flying the driver 290 with a slight fade (my ball flight when I'm swinging the driver well).

But my pattern the last few seasons is my swing breaks down and breaks down quickly (i.e. after a few holes). Maybe it's because I don't play nearly as much as I once did. Maybe it's because I think too much out there. Do anyone have any tips to add some consistency to my swing mid-round and in between rounds?

[RFS62]

My question is this? Why can I do to keep my swing from breaking down as I begin to play more often.

I went to the range a few days ago after not touching my clubs for nearly three months (thanks so much, engineering school). I was hitting the ball GREAT. The irons were going exactly where I wanted them. I was effortlessly flying the driver 290 with a slight fade (my ball flight when I'm swinging the driver well).

But my pattern the last few seasons is my swing breaks down and breaks down quickly (i.e. after a few holes). Maybe it's because I don't play nearly as much as I once did. Maybe it's because I think too much out there. Do anyone have any tips to add some consistency to my swing mid-round and in between rounds?

That has been my experience for years. I'd play for a few weeks or months at a time and really get on top of my game, then have to go off somewhere and not touch a club for a month or two.

When I'd come back, invariably, I'd hit the ball great at first.

I'm convinced it's all about expectations and the mental side of the game. I had no expectations at all on the first round or session, and I got completely out of my own way mentally. Then as soon as I thought I "got it back", I'd change my thought process and start analyzing and overthinking. That's the mythical "paralysis by analysis" that all golfers go through.

If you can control your thoughts and learn to think in pictures once you address the ball, you're infinitely more likely to produce a good swing, if you have solid fundamentals. If you're overthinking and constantly going through swing thoughts or tips when you're over the ball, you're pretty much doomed.

[SunDeck]

One shot at a time. People talk about it, but rarely can we actually do it. One ball in the woods off the tee and it affects the next tee shot. One push to the right and you're off and running with the analysis. For someone who plays a lot and plays relatively well, those bad shots don't bother them as much because they know they are pretty good and that their round is not doomed. But for the high handicapper, for whom a round of golf is about avoiding blowup holes, those big misses create a firestorm of mental problems. Here's a great example of a good game from the mental side: I played with my dad a couple of weeks ago from the senior tees. For the most part I used a four iron off the tee box because I wanted to stay at about the same length as him. The result was one of the best rounds I've shot this year and it wasn't because the course was THAT much shorter (I think it was a 200 yard advantage over the whites). The difference was in the mental game I played, where I knew exactly where I was going on every shot, just sticking to the same routine that my dad used, which went something like this for a typical 350 yard hole- 180 yard tee shot, 150 yard approach, chip shot and one or two putt.

The other thing about this story is something I bet pros would agree with- people should play at the tees that match their handicap, but they hardly ever do. It was great fun playing from the yellow tees for me, but the two guys we were paired with who were on the whites (and whose handicaps were probably 25) it looked like a pretty awful day. They really should have been where we were, but since they were young they didn't want to play the "senior" tees.

[Highlifeman21]

My question is this? Why can I do to keep my swing from breaking down as I begin to play more often.

I went to the range a few days ago after not touching my clubs for nearly three months (thanks so much, engineering school). I was hitting the ball GREAT. The irons were going exactly where I wanted them. I was effortlessly flying the driver 290 with a slight fade (my ball flight when I'm swinging the driver well).

But my pattern the last few seasons is my swing breaks down and breaks down quickly (i.e. after a few holes). Maybe it's because I don't play nearly as much as I once did. Maybe it's because I think too much out there. Do anyone have any tips to add some consistency to my swing mid-round and in between rounds?

Stop thinking.



The more you let your brain enter the equation, you're actually taking steps backwards.

If you're hitting it like crap on the practice range, the worst thing you can do is keep practicing during that session, b/c you're only getting reps of bad swings. Rarely when you're hitting it bad on the range can you correct any issues.

If you feel your swing breaking down during the round, my best solution is to take more club, and look at a 3/4 swing. Most golfers typically do not take enough club in general, so taking more club is always a great idea.

Also, if your swing is breaking down, widen your stance a little more, and concentrate on not swaying your body. I know that takes thought, and thinking during a round is a bad idea, but by giving yourself a firmer base you can typically eliminate unnecessary body movement.

[Redhook]

My question is this? Why can I do to keep my swing from breaking down as I begin to play more often.

Do anyone have any tips to add some consistency to my swing mid-round and in between rounds?

Expectations and fundamentals.

Each year, my first round is one of my best ball-striking rounds. My feel around and on the greens is usually a little rough, but I usually hit the ball really well. My mind is so clear being out on the course for the first time. I don't have all the baggage from previous rounds and bad shots.

What I would recommend is try to keep it very simple on the course. Focus on fundamentals and establish a good routine. Fundamentals include a good grip, balance, posture, and alignment. When one of these goes bad, the golf swing usually follows. 90% of golfers problems occur before they even start their swing. Focus on perfecting your fundamentals all year long.

Routine. Find a routine that you like and stick to it. This routine will become your best friend when time's are tough/nerve-racking on the course. Your routine should last about 20 seconds and that should really be the only time you're actually focusing on the course. The other time should be spent talking to your playing partners and enjoying your day. But, during that 20 seconds you should be in the zone of producing an excellent shot by going through your routine.

[Redhook]

people should play at the tees that match their handicap, but they hardly ever do.

A man's ego can go a long way to ruining a nice day on the golf course.

At our courses, we actually changed the name "senior" or "women's" tees to forward tees. The extra 20-50 yards on each hole can really, really help people out.

Another ego thing is hitting the driver. Like you said, you played great and were hitting 4 iron all day long. Getting the ball in play is much more important than distance.

[SunDeck]

My driver stays at home in the closet.

At our courses, we actually changed the name "senior" or "women's" tees to forward tees.

It's a nice thought- I hope it catches on with the golfers, too. Once I learned that golf is a game of strategy more than length it became a lot more fun.

[Yachtzee]

Stop thinking.



The more you let your brain enter the equation, you're actually taking steps backwards.

If you're hitting it like crap on the practice range, the worst thing you can do is keep practicing during that session, b/c you're only getting reps of bad swings. Rarely when you're hitting it bad on the range can you correct any issues.

If you feel your swing breaking down during the round, my best solution is to take more club, and look at a 3/4 swing. Most golfers typically do not take enough club in general, so taking more club is always a great idea.

Also, if your swing is breaking down, widen your stance a little more, and concentrate on not swaying your body. I know that takes thought, and thinking during a round is a bad idea, but by giving yourself a firmer base you can typically eliminate unnecessary body movement.

And remember, the rose goes in front.

[gonelong]

As a higher handicapper a few things helped me drop those last 4-5 strokes off my game.

1) Play backwards from the hole. I am best at about 125 yrds from the green, so I play my drives to stop 125 yds from the green as best I can. This means on a 340 yd hole I'll play a 5 wood to hit it 220 instead of taking the driver and ending up with a 60 yd chip.

2) I shoot a 90 or so ... so I play to "personal par". If I bogey a hole, that is personal par. If I double a hole, that is a personal bogey. A few of my friends have picked this up and really like it.

3) I score three holes a time against my personal par. When I hit the 4th hole I completely forget about the first 3. I should probably play one hole at a time, but I can't seem to do that. I can play 3 holes at a time. I find that this helps out quite a bit when I have a blowup hole and can put it out of my mind pretty quickly.

4) I don't play for the pin at all. I aim for the fattest and/or saftest (away from water, sand traps, elevated side) part of the green no matter where the pin is. I mi**** enough that I end up close to the pin often enough to have some real birdie tries.

About once a year I'll leave all my woods at home and play around with nothing but irons. Invariably that is one of my better rounds for the year. Usually my only thought for my woods or longer irons is to advance the ball up the fairway and keep it safe.

GL

[SunDeck]

I do the same thing with the personal par. It makes things realistic and fun for me.

[Highlifeman21]

I do the same thing with the personal par. It makes things realistic and fun for me.

I'm sick of par 67-75 courses....

So much for the realism and fun.

[bucksfan2]

Different things work for different players. My recomendation is just enjoy the game. You want to play the course that best suites you. Most of the courses offer tee's that enable every skill level to play. Play the tees that are most suitable for you. Its senseless for a shorter hitter to play a course at 7,000 yards when another tee box would allow you to play the couse at 6,300. The biggest thing that will help you score better is to spend more time around the putting green. Most average players I see go down to the range an hit driver after driver. Fact of the matter is you probably hit around 10-14 drivers per round yet you can have upwards of 30 putts.

A few tips
-If you are hitting an approach shot to a green, favor the side that is more forgiving. You dont want to short side yourself.
-Put the driver away. Most holes you dont need to hit your driver. My favorite club in my bag is either my 2 iron or 3 wood. Find a club that you can hit straighter and like and hit that more.
-The short game is the key to becoming a better golfer
-Play each hole one at a time. Do you bets to put bad shots behind you
-If you are close to a future hole, check out the green and pin placement. This can help you out when you hit your approach shot to the hole.

[gonelong]

-If you are close to a future hole, check out the green and pin placement. This can help you out when you hit your approach shot to the hole.

Fine advice and one that I practice myself. I generally look down the fairway of that hole as well to see if I will have any obstacles to avoid such as a creek, and the distance I have between the obstacle and green.

GL