LEARN TO IMPROVE

Golfers say to me, 'I'm frightened to have a lesson, in case I have to change my swing too much.' Then my answer is 'you are afraid of improvement'! Do you think top amateurs and tour players say that? They are constantly trying to improve in all areas of their game all of the time, just like you, but they all have their own coaches.

                                                    Rory on the practice ground in Dubai

A professional  golf coach can be a great advantage to you as they come to know your swing characteristics inside and out. They also get to understand what makes you tick as a player, mentally and physically. They can then give you informed advice on your equipment, course management, mental skills, practice drills and fitness/flexibility routines etc.  Whether you play football, tennis or you are an athlete, you are trained on a regular basis making sure you can reach your full potential. You think that if you work hard enough that you can do all this on your own? No wonder you are not improving!

When I get a beginner or an experienced player with bad habits I can help them to improve within the first 15 minutes of a lesson as often they don't realise they have fallen into bad habits. It could be something relatively simple such as the grip, posture or alignment adjustment which will make all the difference to that great feeling shot. Now that's worth it!

How many hours on the range do you spend alone, getting no feedback, just bashing balls and then not getting it right on the golf course? How many magazines, videos and books have you bought and got so confused you don't know where to start or what to practice? Think of the money you have wasted. Four baskets of range balls would buy you a golf lesson and instant improvement. Now I like the sound of that!

 

                                                             Michelle Wie in action!

Improvement comes in three stages

Unconsciously incompetent - the shot does not work and you are not aware of it. 75% instructional, 25% play.
Consciously competent - aware of your faults, passing through a long intermediate stage as you begin to correct your faults. You know the right move but you have to think really hard about it. 50% instruction, 50% play.
Unconsciously competent - Quality practice and guidance with your coach you reach this final stage, performing the skills correctly without conscious thought. You should be now just thinking of the target and trust your body to perform correctly. 25% instruction, 75% play.

Remember it takes time to learn a new skill and to be at a level where you feel comfortable.You need patience and commitment. Just enjoy the experience.

JUNIOR CLUBS

Juniors are often given their parents clubs that are cut down to size. Hand me down clubs are not the answer,  as they can cause problems:


* Cutting down a shaft to fit a child makes it stiff and difficult for them to use. They need a lightweight shaft that has a lot of flex in it.


* The grip size of a cut down club will be too large for their small hands. Junior clubs have smaller grips which enables the child to have a proper grip.


* The overall weight of an adult size club head is too heavy. Junior clubs are much lighter and balanced to suit the strength of the child.


* Junior clubs usually have more loft on them, this lets the child get the ball in the air easier and helps them enjoy the game more.


* Juniors should have clubs as they are growing, so you buy the club with the child. So, just buy a couple of clubs at a time, so it keeps the cost down  but will help them improve and prevent injuries. Injuries are suffered if the equipment is wrongly measured, just as it would be for you or I.

Lessons are important for everybody but the younger you start with kids the longer they maintain the technique for the rest of their lives and will have great fun doing it!

Quick Tip on bunker shots

When you are playing a bunker shot always make sure you follow through. I see too many of you quit on these shots. Remember you are hitting the sand first which slows the golf ball down so you have to make a full swing. Good luck!

TAKE YOUR ALIGNMENT AND SWING TO THE TARGET

HOW POSTURE AFFECTS YOUR GOLF SWING

Posture is an extremely important fundamental. It determines the plane of your swing and helps you keep good balance. It will also aid  proper timing of your swing. Obtaining good posture means getting accustomed to a relatively awkward position. A golfer with an athletic set up  will have the potential to hit the ball further.

You must bend forward form your waist and keep your upper body erect this will help extend your swing plane as far as possible. The knees should be 'just cracked'. If the knees are too bent your upper body automatically falls back on the heels and your thighs are too relaxed, they need to feel strong and taut. Once in an athletic position your arms should just hang naturally. You are now ready.

The core muscles in the centre of your torso are the most important as they enable the upper body  to coil powerfully against strong leg resistance generating power that is unleashed via the body's natural swing levers - the arms.

REMEMBER THE SET UP PREDETERMINES THE MOTION

The laws of physics are unchangeable

THE GRIP

I like to call it the hold. The grip is often taken for granted, "grab hold of the club and swing." 
This is where it all starts, it is the only contact between player and golf club. 

An improper grip will often cause a chain reaction of problems in your swing as players try to compensate, in order to get the clubface squarely on the ball. Their swing path, stance, and alignment can all be out of sync.

Grip pressure should be light, the tighter you hold the grip the less control you will have. The lighter it is, the more supple your wrists. This will allow proper release and freedom through impact. Changing your grip always feels awkward, you will get used to it gradually, stick with it, it's worth it!

RANGE PRACTICE

Every player needs to learn what amount and what kind of practice is best for him/her. On the range you should always warm up, couple of stretches, use a training aid if you have one, then start with your short irons and work your way through your set. This progression allows you to increase your flexibility slowly ant to avoid strains and pulls.
You should always be aiming at a target, few golfers take care over their alignment on every shot.The biggest abuse is when I see players turn up with just a driver on the range and smash away as hard and as fast as they can with no thought of where they are aiming. You will always hit your woods better if you warm up first with smaller swings, thinking more of finesse rather than power, it makes your practice more meaningful and productive, hit every shot intelligently, so you don't become a ball beater!

Work on your set up routine and keep changing you target then you don't zero in on one area, adjusting your your club face and body alignment constantly. PRACTICE LIKE YOU ARE PLAYING. Leave 10 to 12 balls at the end of your practice session and use them to imagine you are playing a par3, par 4 and a par 5. Watch your concentration now.
You need a good balance of practicing and playing, all practice can make you a poor player, you have to learn how to score, so play as much as you can. Practice on the course with a couple of balls and play one ball from the worst spot, it will help you grind it out. Play as many balls as you can round the green from different spots trying to get up and down, one chip, one putt.


ENJOY YOUR GOLF