Golf Instruction

The biggest change in golf instruction over the last 50 years has been the video camera. One of Ben Hogan's regrets was that he only worked on what he thought he did, not what he actually did. Thanks to modern technology, you have the reality at your fingertips.

Overleaf, you are about to study the swing of the world's No.1 player, Tiger Woods. It's a swing of sheer athletic power and poise. Use these still images to get a picture in your mind of the key positions that you can try to copy to build a chain-reaction of your own: a consistent swing that will reward you with more solid ball-striking.

One of the secrets to getting better and practising effectively is that you rehearse one or two simple things a thousand times – and not a thousand different things once! Pay particular attention to the set-up, the takeaway and the top of the backswing positions, all of which are clearly related in a wonderful chain of motion. Use a video to check on your progress as often as you can.

That way you will be aware of any unconscious changes that may creep in (and which otherwise would go undetected).

If you have any questions about your swing, and would like to receive a similar analysis of your own video, send your video clip to the Tees2Greens Pros and you will be on your way to permanent improvement.

	1. Perfect Address This angle is called the 'down the line' view and we use it to analyze the geometry of the golf swing – i.e. the posture, the body angles and the plane (or inclination) of the swing. Because the golf swing starts at what is essentially a static position, good balance at address is vital. Tiger sets his lower body perfectly. Notice how he keels his hips 'on top' of the balls of his feet, which means his lower body is in a perfect position to store the power of his turn. Because his lower body is so balance, he can naturally set his back and neck in a textbook neutral position. Take as much from this image as you possibly can, and rehearse your posture in front of a mirror.
	2. The Takeaway There are two key things to observe in Tiger's takeaway. The first is that he displays no independent hand or arm motion. The 'engine' controlling the takeaway is clearly his torso, with his left arm working across the chest. The second key is that his shoulders are turning exactly on plane – i.e. at 90 degrees to his spine angle. Tiger has improved his position a great deal, and we can see how square the clubface is as the shaft approaches a position horizontal to the ground. Tiger used to get the clubface pointing more down towards the ground at this stage (i.e. 'shut'). But now, working on an improved plane, and with good rotation in his arms and torso, he has changed for the better.
	3. Halfway Back I see a huge difference in this position from years gone by. The club shaft is now working up on a much shallower plane and the right elbow and left elbow are now more or less level. This has been the result of Hank Haney's work and Tiger believes he has more stability in his swing and therefore more controlled power. As per the graphic, we can see that Tiger is swinging the club more on one plane, the shaft at this stage clearly relating to the angle of the shaft at the set-up. The red line we have superimposed here illustrates where he used to be – a much steeper backswing plane. So we can see that Tiger has made huge changes in his technique.
	4. Top of the Backswing Tiger's arm plane is flatter than it once was, more level with the shoulders, while the position of the right arm has changed drastically. During the Butch Harmon years, Tiger's arm plane was steeper than his shoulder plane. This got Tiger's right arm more in front of his right shoulder at the top of the backswing, which gave him a steeper angle of attack, but did keep his arms in front of his body. The coil of the body is just so perfect; in balance, on plane totally wound up. Another benefit from Hank Haney's work is the square clubface matching up with the angle of the left forearm.
	5. The Transition Here we can see the real athleticism of Tiger, and the benefit of all those hours in the gym. He is strong enough to be able to start his left hip rotating back towards the target while keeping his back facing the target. This guarantees a perfect delivery position – and some serious speed. This is all about mobility, stability and strength.
	6. The Delivery Just try getting your hips this open with your shoulders that shut. WOW! Here is a serious athlete showing us his moves. The shaft plane is releasing down the right forearm and Tiger is rotating extremely hard with his core. One of the things I feel will he will improve in the future is that gap between his left arm and the side of his chest. I think he will gradually also stay a little taller through the ball, which will help him to maintain the "connection" between the upper left arm and the left side of the chest.
	7. The Exit The shaft now exits on plane, which means no hand flip through impact and – especially for Tiger – lower hands through impact. Tiger's Achilles heal will forever be his hands through impact caused from that separation of the left arm away from the body as he drives and unwinds (see frame 6). High hands with lots of power means lost shots to the right, or a shut clubface – two bad misses. Tiger has improved this and he continues to progress.
	8. The Finish The only thing to copy here is balance. Never swing harder or faster than you can stay in balance at the finish. It will be fun to see how Tiger improves in the future, and see his swing changes. One thing's for sure: he is getting better. Scary, huh?

 

By Rich Iorio, SDGA Campus Director, San Diego

You hear it in every sport ever played- from school children's kick ball to professional coaching in the NBA- "practice makes perfect". This philosophy is what made great players like Michael Jordan, Hank Aaron, and Arnold Palmer legendary. "It's a funny thing," Palmer once said. "the more I practice, the luckier I get." But if you aren't practicing the right techniques at the driving range, you are only perfecting a failing strategy in your golf game.

As campus director of the San Diego Golf Academy, I notice the usual mistakes most players make, and one of the most common is the lack of emphasis on putting practice. Putting is about 40 percent of the golf game for players at every level, and that is why practicing correct putting drills is so important.

I work with hundreds of students every year, and the 3-5-7-9 putting drill is one of the most useful techniques in helping players dramatically improve their golf game. It's an excellent drill for developing consistency, which we all know is vital to becoming a better golfer, as well as the ability to read every type of putt.

Start by placing three balls three feet away from the hole, and move in succession in a circle keeping your three-foot distance as you take your shots. Take a total of 25 putts, and then move back to five feet from the hole. Repeat the 25 putts and move to seven feet, and then again to nine, for a total of 100 practice putts. I like to have my students do this drill as a warm up prior to a casual round or in competition so they get a feel for the speed of the greens, and can determine how to adjust putting styles for any breaks.

The key to this drill is the variety of putts you see while making a circle around the hole. Most players, at all levels of golf, get into the habit of practicing from only a few putting positions, and while they may be getting better at those particular positions, it's not realistic to think that those are the only types of putts you will see on the course. By moving in succession around the hole, you see and get a feel for putting from several positions - right to left, left to right, uphill and downhill. You are basically expanding your putting skill to match the variety of putts one sees during a round of golf.

I also encourage keeping track of your success at this drill for a few months. Record how many you make out of the 25 shots at each distance, and study your data as you progress. Is your sinking percentage increasing? How many five-foot shots did you take in two weeks? How many putts were nine feet or under during one round of golf? It's pretty dramatic and eye-opening when you actually put the information into raw numbers and quantify it. Not only does this show you a physical example of your improvement, it also gives you a benchmark and target goal for your putting game.

The whole idea is to perfect your game from nine feet in; do that and you will constantly be ahead of the curve. Too many golfers get to the driving range, and want to hit full swings the whole time because of their inch and pound drivers. But if you went to the green a little more often, you would probably drop your index by 5 or 6 points, just by practicing your putting.

At 14, Michelle Wie has one of the most powerful swings in women's golf, thanks to her flexibility, height and sound fundamentals.

The first time I saw Michelle Wie hit balls, in February 2002, she was pounding shots over a driving-range fence 265 yards away. I knew right away that she had a gift (anyone who hits shots like that at age 12 has a gift), and I felt she would soon be capable of competing at the highest level. Michelle proved me right in 2003, when she won the US Women's Amateur Public Links, tied for ninth at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and competed in 10 other high-profile tournaments, from the US Women's Open to Canadian Tour and Nationwide Tour events.

When I started coaching Michelle, two years ago, her grip was too strong (her hands were turned too far to the right at address), and she swung too steeply, lifting the club up in her backswing and attacking the ball with an inside-out swing. This caused her to block shots to the right or to close the clubface at impact, producing a big hook.

We worked on fundamentals such as posture (stand tall, bend forward from the hips) and balance (you want to feel your weight in the balls of your feet), and I got her to use a neutral grip and to swing with a more circular, or rotational, motion. The result is a more consistent, controlled swing, which is vital for a player with such power.

Michelle's ultimate goal is to play on both the PGA and the LPGA Tours. Given her overall makeup as a player and her belief that she can achieve whatever she puts her mind to, I think she'll reach her goal – her performance against the men at the Sony Open in Hawaii certainly proved her talent. She has a build that allows her to swing with great rhythm, poise and power. And she's very smart, but she doesn't overanalyse her shots; she just gets up and hits the ball, and she is comfortable making her own decisions.

All of these attributes make Michelle a unique player; someone you'll be hearing even more about in years to come.

By Sean Hogan
Senior Instructor, DLGA

One of the most common faults we see in putting is poor linkage between the arms and the upper body. When players splay their elbows out it causes the arms and the putter to wander all over the place during the stroke. So here's a simple drill that will help you to 'link' up the arms with the proper body and (with the benefit of that linkage) develop a repeating stroke.

Assume your address position by allowing your arms to hang from your shoulders, the elbows turned inwards, and the palms and forearms showing. Without gripping the putter, connect the sides of your hands – you will now find your arms and upper body are nicely 'linked up'.

Before gripping your putter, take a moment to make a few practice strokes; when you finally do adopt your normal putting grip your stroke will feel more connected to the movement of your chest – and ultimately more reliable.

Take a moment to rehearse this type of linkage every time you putt and it will help you develop a solid repeating stroke.

Now that you're 'linked up', use the drills you see here to pep up your practice. First, develop the line of your stroke by laying a club on the green parallel to your target line. This immediately gets you focusing on tracking the putterhead back and through on a natural path – pretty much straight-back and straight-through on the shorter putts and moving inside slightly on the longer ones.

Finally, the old reliable Circle Drill: On a slightly slopping 3 to 4 footers helps build confidence in your ability to hole out from this crucial distance while dealing with the subtle breaks that we routinely deal with on the course. Remember; link it, practice it and you're well on your way to shooting lower scores.

By Andrew Park
Senior Instructor at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy

Do as the pro's do, and develop a series of habits designed to help you help you make a better swing more often...

To the untrained eye it might go unnoticed, but when a coach watches one of his players in a tournament he or she can tell immediately whether or not they are dialled into their A-game. Ernie Els is a perfect example, and a player we know very well at the DLGA headquarters here at Champions'Gate.

When Ernie is playing and swinging well – often referred to as being 'in the zone' – he follows a very definite routine on every single shot that he makes. This involves identifying an intermediate target a few feet ahead of the ball (a leaf or divot mark that lies directly on his line to the target), and he uses that as his point of reference as he then goes through the motions of getting himself correctly and squarely set-up for Ernie then takes a couple of looks at that intermediate target as he swivels his head to scan the distant target, then he pulls the trigger and goes. But when he's fidgety, not entirely happy with the shot or his club selection he will look up maybe four or five times before making his swing. And when that happens he usually hits a poor shot.

The point that I'm making here is that good players develop a pre-shot routine and stick rigidly to it when they are in full flow and playing well. Which is why we at the DLGA believe it is so important that our students learn to do the same – and rehearse it regularly in practice. Let me show you how to make this a habit that helps you make more good swings and hit more solid shots.



IF YOU SLICE THE BALL, READ THIS: Most high-handicap golfers make the mistake of getting their shoulders aiming to the right of the target at the set-up (i.e. 'open' – aiming to the left of the ball-to-target line). That leads to an out-to-in swing path and (most likely) a slice. To fix that problem, make a habit of aiming the clubface with just your left hand on the grip, your right hand/arm down by your side. That will keep the right shoulder back, so when you then bring the right hand onto the grip, your shoulders are square with the target line. You are then in a good position to make a good shoulder turn, get your upper body behind the ball and swing the club on the desired inside-to-square-to-inside path.


Make a solid first move. Simplicity is the key to inspiring a flowing chain-reaction.

Not only do good players follow a regimented pre-shot routine, they make sure that they get their swing started with a solid first move that sets the tone for the whole motion in terms of its shape and rhythm. With a mid-iron, here's what you need to be thinking of.

From the set-up position, the key is to get everything working away together to create some momentum. By that (and this over the firm foundation of the lower body), I mean you think in terms of moving your stomach, hands, arms and the clubhead away as a unit. To achieve this, focus on keeping that triangle between your arms and shoulders pretty well intact as you move the clubhead the first two or three feet of your swing (above centre). As you do this, the wrists should be encouraged to hinge freely away from the target in the process of setting the club on a good plane.

One of the key checkpoints that we look for (and one you can check yourself in front of a mirror) occurs as the club reaches a position parallel with the ground, the back of the left hand facing forwards and nicely mirroring the clubface. As you can see, the left arm is working nicely across the chest, and the toe of the club is pointing up towards the sky.

When you practise, make a habit of going through your pre-shot routine and rehearsing this sequence of first moves to this first move checkpoint before returning to your address position and then hitting a shot. The better and more consistently you make this first move the more you will find that your swing gels together as a whole. Basically, you are honing the first key link in what is a chain reaction from start to finish.

By Padraig Harrington

Bunker play is a bit like chipping, at least when it comes to your address position. As you did for the chip shot, you want to create 'impact' at address.

So set up this time with your sternum directly above a point about an inch behind the ball. In other words, above the area of sand you want the sole of the club to enter the sand as you skim it through.

Again, you want most of your weight – about 90% – on your left side. Again, you want to leave it there throughout the swing. That has the benefit of angling your shoulders downward from right to left, which allows you to make a slightly steeper than normal backswing and forward swing and encourages you to 'skim' the club through the sand. When you get that right, the ball flies out high and soft. Perfect.

How open?

Good bunker technique revolves around a good set-up position. For me, that involves letting the length of the shot I am playing dictate how far left I aim my body at address and how much I open the clubface. It's a trade-off.

The simple rule of thumb that I follow is that for every degree I open the clubface, I open up my body by the same amount. So, for a standard greenside shot, a line along my feet will be aimed roughly 30 degrees left of the flag, the clubface opened until the leading edge is aligned 30 degrees right of the flag – as we have illustrated here (left). If I want the ball to go further than normal, I square up both my stance and the clubface.

If I don't want the ball to go as far – say, when I want a very soft pop-up type shot – I would significantly open both my stance and the clubface until I was satisfied that I had the perfect set-up for the shot (right).

One last thing. Even the briefest of glances at all the best sand players reveals that every one of them has a significant bend in their knees at address. They 'sit down' to hit bunker shots. You should, too.

By Steve Wakulsky
Director of Training and Certification Worldwide

In this technology-driven age, golfers are benefiting from exotic driver design, red-hot golf balls and launch monitor club-fitting that has placed distance firmly at the top of the agenda for many. It's funny, even the older guys like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are commenting on the fact that when they return to courses they played regularly in their prime, they are now hitting shorter irons in to greens than ever before.

So great, we have all added some distance to our tee shots. But what about iron play – the 'scoring zone', which I'm going to suggest is from the 7-iron down through the wedges. How is your accuracy and shot dispersion pattern with those clubs? Because for a lot of the scratch to, say, 12-handicap bracket players I see here at the DLGA in Orlando, this is the area that is costing them dearly out on the course. They are killing it off the tee but then putting the same effort into their iron shots, often under-clubbing and, as a result, suffering from inconsistent ball-striking.

Good players never force their approach shots. They are looking for a laser-like ball-flight with spin that stops the ball quickly on the green. And to achieve that they make some subtle changes to their technique. With a driver, you set up with your weight favouring the right side, ball up forward in the stance, opposite the left instep, and as a result the swing itself is characterised by a full body pivot and coil behind the ball. All designed to maximise speed and distance. But compare this with the 7-iron sequence below: my weight is more 'centred', perhaps even favouring the left side, the ball is played back towards the centre and the hands are slightly in front of the ball at address. The result? A shorter, more compact golf swing. Compare the two backswing positions. Obviously the length of the shaft makes a difference, but look at the body pivot. With the driver I am behind the ball, the upper body fully coiled. With the iron, the pivot is more restricted and the arm-swing is much shorter, too. But the main thing to note is that my weight is 'centred' and on top of the ball at the top of the backswing.

The finish sees a fairly similar body position, but with the iron the arm-swing is restricted, as there is simply not the momentum here to pull the arms all the way through. While the driver swing results in a wrap-around finish, the iron is much more controlled with more width in the arms. All of these specific points can be traced to the address position, one designed to produce the downand- through strike that you are looking to achieve to create spin and control. To find out more about the DLGA visit: www.davidleadbetter.com

When you really want to play your best golf, you must understand this simple philosophy: action always follows thought. I have found this verbal directive to be true in working with every golfer who wants to improve his or her talent potential and to post lower scores. The key point of this mental lesson is that in order to make your most efficient swing and play your best golf, you must first get your thoughts and emotions in an organised and positive working order before you step into the address position and strike your ball. In a very real sense, you must be psychologically and emotionally ready long before you are physically set to hit a correct golf shot or make a sound golf swing. This 'ready mindset' must be addressed before you step on to the first tee and before you play any shot on the course.

The Way Your Brain Works

The reasoning that you must get your thoughts in a positive and focused order before you act is really quite simple. It is based on your brain's never-ending struggle of entertaining positive thoughts versus negative ones. In today's fast-paced commercial world, where we are constantly exposed to advertising campaigns and information overload, it seems almost second-nature to become sceptical and cynical and to buy into negative messages.

The content of many of these messages distort our sense of 'reality' and we start to programme negative thoughts as being 'realistic'. This is known in neurological literature as the negative bias of the human brain. Your brain is skewed to view information in a way that will hold you back or protect you and make you cautious.

Simply stated, your brain responds to negative information much more readily than it does to positive signals. (If you don't believe me, just look at the front page of any newspaper.) The result is a negative focus or mental perspective. And the trouble with negative thinking is that if you buy into it, it always works!

The concept is known psychologically as 'negative emotional contagion'. The result is: think bad stuff, bad stuff happens. This is why it is so important to get your thoughts flowing in a positive direction. Let's apply this to your golf. If you think you're going to miss a shot or find trouble, you usually become worried and feel a bit vulnerable. In an effort to gain control over your negative thoughts and feelings, you become tight and try to overcontrol the shot. You steer the club in an attempt to gain control over negative imagined events in your mind (that you are trying to avoid) and as a result, you end up with the negative result – i.e. exactly what you were trying not to do.

If you choose to focus on the negative approach or you just act without planning your shot or thinking about the situation correctly, your golfing day is over. The problem then becomes that your lack of focus coupled with a negative attitude carries over into the rest of your game. What started out as a promising round ends up as a bad day on the links.

The good news about this is that there is another way to think and to programme your mind and body for optimal performance. The accompanying sequences of Luke Donald in action tell their own story, while the following passages will describe how to create a purposeful and positive mindset for playing great golf.

Creating a Positive and Directed Focus

An organised and positive mindset gives you the opportunity to hit consistent shots and to repeat that sequence for an entire round. By getting your mind focused on what you want to achieve versus what you want to avoid helps to create a mental scheme or road map for success. Here are three simple suggestions for getting your mind into a positive, directed focus for golfing success.

1. When you stand behind your ball before the shot, give yourself specific directions on what you want to achieve and where you want the ball to go. Think about what the situation gives you and make an appropriate decision based on your assessment of the situation and your available golf skills.

2. Understand that your brain and body do not understand the word imagery of don't. Your body only understands the energy that is given to brain. It becomes imperative that you always give yourself a do this directive. Directing your mind to a specific intention of do will allow your body to respond more effectively by sending positive motor movement signals from the brain. The do this mindset helps to create a smoother and more efficient motor action with your swing.

Make a clear decision about what you want to do and stick with it, even during your swing. Remember, the clearer your picture from behind the ball in your planning, the more likely it will result in a more efficient swing when you are ready to strike the ball.

3. As you go out to play, adopt the single goal that you will have a clear and focused mind on each shot you hit and that you will not hit any shot until you are 100% positively focused and ready. If you are over a shot and you become negative, simply back away from the ball and become refocused. Get yourself recommitted to the specific task of what you want to happen and then swing away to your target with trust.

By Sean Hogan - Senior Instructor, DLGA

Choosing the right combination of loft and bounce to suit a given situation is a key ingredient to making a consistent escape from a greenside trap. Here, let me share some thoughts on playing a short, soft 'popup type shot to a tight pin, and then look at how you go about flying the ball that awkward 20-30 yard distance.

The modern range of sand irons available is a terrific advantage to all players when it comes to dealing with the various types of lie you are bound to encounter and also the varying texture of the sand itself.

So the first important thing to do is make sure you are equipped with a couple of good sand irons (a 52-54 and 58-60 being typically favoured combinations).

So what's the procedure when (as is the case in the sequence here) you need to drop the ball just over the lip of the bunker with a soft-landing shot that enables you to get close to a tight pin? Well, the first thing to do is take your most lofted sand iron – for most of us either a 58 or a 60-degree model. This added loft, allied to the natural 'bounce' of the club, will enable you to slide the clubhead easily under the ball to promote the softer popup type flight you are looking for.

The ingredients to the set-up for this shot are as follows: first of all, choke down a couple of inches on the grip (this will enhance your control) and then open the clubface about 30° before completing your grip. Then look to adopt a fairly wide and slightly open stance, and have a sense of 'sitting down' into the shot, with a good knee flex, so that your arms and hands hang a little lower than normal.

As a result of setting up in this fashion you will find that you encourage a full and early wrist-*** going back that enables you to swing the club up into the air fairly quickly before swinging down into the sand behind the ball (aiming to strike the sand 2-3 inches behind the ball) with a real sense of 'zip'; like striking a match, you skim the open clubface through the sand beneath the ball. The slightly open stance and open clubface encourages you to use the club's bounce, making it easy to take a shallow cut of sand to cushion the ball on its way to the target. Judging distance, for most, is the tricky part of the equation.

The majority of the world-class players we see here at ChampionsGate in Orlando work on the principle of making a (consistent) three-quarter length backswing, and then control their distance with the length of the follow through for a short pop-up type shot, they skim that open clubface through the sand to a relatively short follow through position, as I have demonstrated here.

The arms and hands are actually slowing down through impact; it is the momentum of the clubhead that takes care of business. Note that the clubface remains wide open (i.e. the face is looking straight up towards the sky) as I arrive at this deliberately short finish and all the while maintaining a very solid lower base.

A Longer Sand Shot? Less Soft, fuller swing, accellerate all the way to the finish...

The 20- to 30-yard sand shot is rightly regarded as one of the toughest recovery shots in the game. Your margin for error is now very small indeed; take too much sand and you struggle to get out of the bunker, too little and you risk flying the ball right into whatever trouble lies over the green.

Generally speaking the pro's opt for a Gap wedge – something between 52 and 54 degrees, and usually with less bounce than their most lofted sand iron. Having less loft in this case makes it much easier to advance the ball far enough on these longer shots, with some players even favouring their PW or even a 9-iron.

Once again, the objective is to have the ball ride out on a cushion of sand, only this time it's a slightly smaller cushion and you need to propel it with a little more speed in order to carry the correct distance. The set-up is key to executing the shot well. At address, make sure that you play this shot with only a slightly open clubface aiming to strike the sand perhaps just an inch behind the ball.

The posture is a little taller here while the alignment of the body is now just a tad open. The length of the backswing remains pretty consistent, being about three-quarter length, while the follow-through is the key to controlling the distance. In comparison to the previous shot, my followthrough is now much longer to adjust for the added yardage. Common sense: a shorter follow-through on the short shots, a more complete thru swing for the longer shots.

The most striking common denominator between both shots is the stability of the lower body. Maintaining a solid base with your feet and legs on these shots is essential to ensure you remove the same amount of sand each time. Do that and you'll soon be managing these awkward shots with confidence and consistency.

For inspiration, the player to watch here is the world No.1 Tiger Woods, who maintains a solid lower base on these shots which allows him to stay aggressive as he unwinds through the ball, trusting the consistency of his impact position every time.

Those of us who witnessed the final round of the recent US PGA Championship at Medinah were treated to an exhibition as Tiger negotiated a variety of awkward distances from the sand on the way to winning his 12th major championship.

To summarise, the key to developing good bunker technique is being able to control the amount of sand you take – a shallow cushion of sand works well every time. Once you establish this, you simply vary your club selection and length of followthrough to adapt to the various yardages you need to meet.

Give these two shots a go next time you go out to practice and you'll be surprised at how easy it is to control the distance you land the ball by simply adjusting the amount of loft you use and varying the length of your follow-through.

By Andrew Park - Senior Instructor, DLGA

One of the most remarkable things about Vijay Singh's performance in 2004 was his putting, especially the fact that he switched back from the 'belly' putter to a conventional putter in the latter half of the season. That's the period when he enjoyed the greater part of his fantastic year, but my guess – so long as the belly-length putter remains legal – is that we will see a lot more chopping and changing in this area, because the mechanics of the belly method actively promote the natural swinging and release of the putter.

Whether or not you decide to use a belly putter out on the course, rehearsing this belly-style exercise will quickly reacquaint you with a good stroke whenever your putting begins to go stale with a regular length blade. Anchoring the butt-end of the putter in your middle immediately improves the 'connection' between the arms and torso; rehearsing the belly stroke is a terrific 'in-between' drill when you practise. Anyone guilty of losing this connectivity with either a pushing of the putter-head (far left) or a flicking with the hands and wrists (near left) will find this drill beneficial.

All you have to do is feed the shaft of your putter up through your hands until the butt-end is safely anchored into your midriff. Then let your arms, hands and the putter itself swing in sync with the rotation of your middle. When you do that, the putter-face will appear to open on the way back and close on the way through. That's an illusion; in fact, it's working square to the path of your stroke throughout.

Next time you practise your putting, spend a couple of minutes rehearsing this exercise in between hitting putts.

I guarantee that when you transfer those feelings of 'connectivity' to your regular stroke, you will notice an improvement in your ball-striking and the quality of the roll that you put on the ball. The bottom line? You will hole more putts from this critical 6- to 10- foot range and have a superior sense of distance control from further out.

By Brad Turner, Director of the SDGA-Orlando Campus

From distance control to target acquisition, there are numerous tactics to successfully manage your way around the golf course. Most are good techniques to help you score a lower round, but most golfers would benefit by adopting an overall strategy approach to course management. Course management begins before you step up to the first tee and it begins by first managing your expectations.

Golfers usually have very high expectations on the first tee. They're excited and have visions of crushing that perfect drive. That unrealistic expectation is a foundation for frustration on the golf course.

At SDGA, I encourage our students to understand that every golfer has three levels of play - an A-Game, B-Game and a C-Game - and every golfer should play to their own 'realistic' potential. A player who knows their A-, B- and C-Games and when to apply them will minimize mistakes and maximize their scoring opportunities.

The A Game is not a player's real game. The A-Game is the great game a player always hopes to have, and of which he occasionally sees a teasing glimpse. It's that unforgettable day when every bounce is good and every putt drops. Unfortunately, when a 20-handicap golfer has a phenomenal, A-Game day and shoots an 81, they suddenly believe that an 81 is a realistic score. As we all know, that's just not the case and this is where managing expectations is critical.

The B Game is your average game. This is a truer - perhaps not as flattering as we would like - reflection of ourselves as golfers. But it's our most realistic score, day after day.

The C-Game is your not-so-good game. It occurs when you're not playing well, and you wish you'd stayed in bed. Everyone, who has ever played the game, has unwontedly brought their C-Game to the course and displayed it for the world to see. The trick in golf is scoring a reasonable game even when you're playing poorly (C-Game). For many golfers, when they're playing poorly, the wheels really come off the wagon.

Golfers should be conservative in their course management. At best, start with a B-Game strategy by trying to shoot your average. No miracle shots. Simply, hit golf shots to your average capability.

For many golfers, a C-Game Strategy is best. Be ultra-conservative for the first few holes and gain some momentum. One of the worst things that can happen, is that you try a risky shot and end up with a double- or triple-bogey. Players who start the game behind the 8-ball usually attempt to play catch-up by making even more risky shots with disastrous results.

Don't forget that Las Vegas was built on people who had high expectations. Just because you hit the jackpot once doesn't mean you'll hit it a majority of the time. Golfers should ask themselves, "What's the probability of me doing it again?" If you can achieve the shot only one out of five times, you will lose in the long run.

But, playing the first few holes conservatively gives you a chance to evaluate how well you're playing on that particular day. If you're playing well and your confidence is high, then increase your strategy to a B- or an A-Game. The key is to be patient, know when to be aggressive and always play your game.

By Kevin Smeltz - Director of Instruction, David Leadbetter Golf Academy

One of the questions we are often asked here at the DLGA is how do you modify your technique to work the ball either from right-to-left (i.e. a draw) or left-to-right (fade) in an effort to get at a tight pin position. Of course, these are pretty advanced techniques that require practice if you are thinking of putting these skills into play out on the course, but the answer is to be found in the way in which you 'release' the club through impact and into the follow-through – specifically relating to the role of the left arm (speaking for a right-handed golfer).


At first glance, the accompanying sequences look pretty similar, but look closely and you will see the subtle modification in the release that is necessary to produce a different spin on the ball. As I say, the role of the left arm is key in influencing the characteristics of draw and fade, and using the soccer ball as a prop can help you to experience the sensations that are involved. The images on the left show the way in which you engineer the release of the arms with the body to produce a draw – a shot that will turn from right to left. Holding the soccer ball in the palms of your hands, the objective here is to rotate your left forearm counter-clockwise through the impact area and into the finish, which would equate to encouraging the toe of the clubhead to turn over the heel and thus produce right-to-left spin.

Use the logo on the soccer ball to confirm this rotation as you unwind towards the target and finish in a relatively flat wrap-around position, the right forearm encouraged to turn over the left as the left elbow folds neatly away. As you would expect, the opposite sensation is the key to the fade: this time you want to feel as if the left arm is delaying any sort of rotation through the ball (which is why this is often referred to as 'holding off' on the shot). This equates to a sense of pulling the heel of the club across the ball, and not allowing the toe to roll over (hence left-to-right spin) and a more restricted held-off finish.

To achieve an even heightened sense of awareness, perform this drill with your eyes closed. You will soon be able to ad