Perfect Practice Plan

For many golfers, finding a groove on the range only to quickly lose it can be frustrating. You’ve hit a bunch of sweet drivers in a row before your tee time, but when it’s time to do it for real, that old pattern rears its ugly head, sending your ball into the trees or worse.

A good groove doesn’t have to be a fleeting thing. Here are three essentials guaranteed to help build a more consistent swing.

UNDERSTAND YOUR PATTERN

In order to improve, you have to understand the concepts you’re working on. Whether it’s through video analysis, radar devices, or basic ball flight recognition skills, if you don’t understand your basic pattern and how to adjust it, you’ll never be able to execute with any type of consistency.

Find an instructor that gives you a clear roadmap you believe in. A good coach takes something that’s inherently complex and makes it both simple and doable. Develop a better understanding of what you’re supposed to do, and you’ll take a massive leap towards fast improvement.

CLIMB THE LADDER

Once you’ve established a plan you understand, it’s time to start hitting balls using your new pattern.  Imagine yourself standing at the bottom rung of a ladder, and each 20 yards is another step you need to take.  Hit the first ball 20, the second 40, the third 60, and so on until your form starts to move towards your new pattern.  Once you hit that breaking point, or rung on the ladder where old results return, head back down until you’re back at the 20 yard step.

There are two reasons why this is important.  First, you’re tasking your brain with something new each time you hit the ball an additional 20 yards.  Secondly, you’ll start to build an awareness as you get to higher speeds as to when your “old” pattern starts to creep in, and when your new positions start to falter.  Do this well and there will be a distinct difference between the “old” and the “new”.

RULE OF THREES

As you’re going up and down the ladder, pick at least 3 different targets and move your focus back and forth between them on the range.  While you’re doing that, make sure you do your drills with at least 3 different clubs, once again to challenge your brain with the new task at hand.  The rule of threes can also easily be used around the greens.  For every target you pick, always try to hit a low, medium, and a high shot to mix it up.

Challenge yourself to make a change to your golf game, and use these tips to create a lasting impression on your ball flight and shotmaking.

3 Point Finish

Short shots around the greens can be demonizing for weekend golfers, and sometimes can even jump up and bite the best of the best out on the PGA Tour.  As coaches, we’re always running through checklists to prescribe a change to a student’s form; one that will make the largest positive impact, in the shortest amount of time.  In fact, many times it’s a very simple, though integral fix to change their shotmaking ability around for the better.  Take a look at these three highlighted areas, and figure out which one is holding you back from hitting those crisp, predictable short shots time after time.

AROUND NOT DOWN

One of the most common mistakes I see from the club golfer, is a tilting of the shoulders backwards, away from the target, causing fat and thin shots.  Notice how level to the ground my shoulders have finished, and how my right shoulder has turned past the point on the ground where the ball once was.  This higher, more around right shoulder is a great visual, and a vital part in keeping the golf club moving around the body to the left in the follow thru.

Using this type of pivot, the golfer has the ability to hit multiple trajectory shots, depending on other factors, but is always right on target with clean contact.  Check yourself with a smartphone to see that your trail shoulder isn’t moving too far down and back, in an effort to get the ball into the air.

KISS THE KNEES

A very simple way to improve your lower body action, is to imagine your knees kissing together into the follow thru.  Way too often, golfers flex their right knee towards the ground aggressively, separating it from the left, and causing a stabbing action to the club head into the ground.  Try focusing on the knees moving together in unison, as they both rotate towards the target evenly, leaving your kneecaps pointing more towards the target than when you started.

TIP THE SCALES

Last, but not least, is where the weight or pressure is distributed between your feet at the finish.  You can have the best looking chipping motion in the world, but if you’re doing it while standing on your back foot, consistent contact will still be an issue.  Keep the feet very close together, only one or two ball widths apart, and try hitting some short shots off of slight downhill lies to help you finish forward, not back.

Lower Body Launch

Developing a stronger lower body move is a great way to yield rewards in all facets of your ball striking. A key area I like to look at on the lesson tee is the action of the legs, specifically the lead knee. This may seem like a small area of focus, however, stepping up this one aspect of your swing can deliver big-time results!

IMPACT

Whether you’re talking about old-time greats such as Hogan and Trevino, or modern swingers like Rory McIlroy or Adam Scott, all top level players hit consistently solid golf shots. One swing characteristic they share in common is a forward and downward movement with their lead knee that begins before the end of the backswing.  This forward leg shift, helps direct the bottom of the swing into the proper spot (Just ahead of the ball) helping produce clean contact time after time.

“Power without control is a tough way to shoot lower scores!”

One of my favorite swing “keys” is to imagine a pop can or a wet sponge underneath your front foot. As you approach the end of your backswing, think of crushing the can or squeezing the water out of the sponge. If you’re still struggling to find ball then turf contact, put a little more weight into the can/sponge at address. This added forward weight at address will help “prime” your downswing move, while ensuring you’re not swaying too much off the ball into the backswing.

SPEED

Imagine hitting a tennis serve holding the racquet above your head, using only your wrist. You wouldn’t produce much power would you?  Now consider adding in some swing with your arm, while flexing your elbow. This would add a little more speed right? Finally, what if as you tossed the ball into the air, you bent both legs and pushed off of the ground?  That would be an efficient way to sequence a serve, to create maximum speed into the head of the racquet. Golf is similar, in the respect that a strong lower body move sets the stage for the supporting action of the hands and arms to deliver a powerful hit.

To really feel this move, hit a few shots by starting with 80% of your lower body weight on your front foot at address, with your lead knee flexed a little bit.  Take a 3/4 backswing, and then push forward and up with your lead knee through the hit, using the ground like a catapult. It’s amazing how much speed can be gained by doing this sequence in the right order.

CONTROL

Power without control is a tough way to shoot lower scores. If you’re fighting a banana ball, improving your lower body action can flip that slice into a draw in a heartbeat.Follow the lower body sequence above, adding in one extra detail.  As you shift forward, keep your hips pointed to the right, as if to angle down the first base line on a baseball diamond.  Keeping your hips closed “longer” helps shift the path of your clubbed more out to the right of the target. An impact characteristic essential for hitting a draw.

To really try and hook one, try setting your hips and shoulders down the right rough line at address, and maintain the feeling of them being closed throughout the downswing. You’re probably not going to “play” this way, but if you’ve been a long-time slicer, it’s really nice to know you can hook it anytime you want.