I am always interested in hearing how golfers do their golf practice sessions. It is all over the map from having no agenda at all, to breaking it down to minutes per component and swings per golf drill.

Lets dig a little deeper. You have weaknesses in your golf swing, and most of the time you know what it is (ie. can’t make a full backswing, coming over the top, chicken wing on the follow through), but do you do golf practice drills to correct it?

This may be like a “no duh” statement, but it is a good reminder to go to your practice sessions for golf with an agenda specific to your swing faults. Focus on the drills that will help you improve them and then…and only then bang a few drivers:).

Sometimes it is better to just do that drill for the session and then get out of their.  Let your brain and body mellow out after that.  You don’t always have to spend 2 hours at the range, unless it’s catching a tournament without the wife knowing. LOL

Man…how important is the short game in golf?

I am a prime example of this. I usually drive the ball very far and fairly straight, so I typically have a wedge in my hand on most approach shots.

If this is the case, why do I shoot in the low 80’s and sometimes high 70’s, and not in the low 70’s?

Short game!

As I have mentioned many times before…my putting sucks! I easily lose 5-6 strokes every single round from putting. How about you? Do you make your putts? I’m talking about the realistic ones. The 3-4 footers.

I have even gone to the range and practiced my putting and STILL miss them on the course.

The bottom line in golf is getting the ball “in the hole!”

If you are having difficulty with your driving distance, then that really adds to the mix and can make for a long round of golf. This is definitely when you want to work on your body via golf fitness.

Either way…we keep going at it don’t we?

I was just watching the Golf Channel and saw that they put a “ticker” on Jijay Singh. This “ticker” clicked over EVERY TIME Jijay contacted a ball in practice or play. The point they were making was Vijay’s golf practice ethic. He was there WAY BEFORE the round started…and the LAST ONE to leave in the evening.

This “ticker” had recorded over 550 golf practice shots by the time I left the television viewing area. They said that is the equivalent to 2 entire tournaments in ONE DAY!

Wow!

Vijay is a golfing machine!

Don’t forget he uses the very popular golf training aid called the SPEED STIK everday as well!

Stretching before golf is non-existent with most amateurs. That sounds harsh, but I can tell you that 90% of the time I go to the range, golfers walk up and start hacking balls. No stretching before golf…no nothing!

Would you ever see an athlete do this? Then why would a golfer be any different? Golfers are athletes…and all athletes need to prepare their body to perform. This requires stretching before golf practice and play.

All it takes is minutes or less to effectively get your body warmed up and ready to shoot low scores. I have a stretching before golf section in my golf training manual that shows simple and dynamic movements to feel loser than you’ve ever felt on the first tee. No more blow up holes!

The kind of golf stretching I’m talking about is dynamic (movement) type stretching, not static (hold) stretching.

Picture how fluid the golf swing is and then do movements that are specific to rotation, golf posture and width in your golf swing.

The more efficient you are with these simple golf stretches, the quicker it will take and the sooner you’ll be able to do the fun stuff…hitting balls and playing your best!

Golf lessons can get very frustrating, but to avoid this, you need to have an agenda before you even see a golf professional. This agenda is one that is for YOU…not for your golf pro.

Go into your golf lesson with the intention to get your pro to give you the reason WHY you are hitting the ball a certain way and a golf drill or golf tip you can do that will correct it.

Make sure you understand it 100%!

If you don’t, have the pro execute it himself several times so you get a good visual.

Doing drills to correct swing faults is a very effective way to improve your swing.

Also…take a few notes and have your pro create a journal that he keeps, so when you see him next time, he’ll be able to reference it, to meet your needs.

Most people do their golf practice more when they’re playing badly as opposed to when they’re striking the ball well. When you’re playing badly, it’s time to take a golf lesson — not practice a bad swing.

When you’re playing good and striking the ball well is when you want to practice more so you can learn to repeat that good swing. To be good at your practice you must think on every shot and develop a good routine.

You’re better off making 10 good thoughtful swings then hitting 50 balls rapid fire with little thought. Also, when practicing don’t hit too many balls without a break because fatigue will set in and swing will break down.

This tip is from Thomas Tetrault, PGA Pro, Fall River Country Club

Can you believe it?

Tiger did it again!

Two tournaments…two playoffs..two WINS!

Tiger is so tough mentally! Even though his play might not be the prettiest out there…he gets it done.

His golf practice (preparation)…physically, mentally and technically is unmatched…although Vijay would be a very close second.

This could be a HUGE year for Tiger! Every other player better notch up their performances to keep up.

Pre golf exercise stretching is different than what’s considered ‘normal’ stretching. Golf like any other sport is active…and very dynamic. The golf swing involves timing, tempo, feel, cooridnation, balance, stability and many more physical attributes.

So your pre golf exercise stretching (warm up) should be “movement oriented”, not static (hold) golf stretches.

You want to get your blood flowing, and warm up those joints specific to your golf swing. Your goal on the first tee is to blister one right down the middle right? Then you’ve got to take just 5 minutes doing your pre golf exercise stretching movements to accomplish this.

Movements like arm circles, squats with your club, front and side lunge, overhead extensions with your club and many other movements will get you more than warmed up and ready to perform.

So next time you get to the range…don’t skip your pre golf exercise stretching routine!

Have you heard that phrase before? “Practice makes perfect”. Is that true when you go to the range and hack balls? Do you feel like you’ve bettered your swing after a golf practice session?

The ONLY way to get anything out of your golf practice is to have an agenda before going. Sounds simple, and yet most amatuer golfers don’t do it.

Your agenda should relate to your personal golf swing faults. We all have them. What’s yours? If you’re a hooker of the ball…find out from your teaching pro why you are doing it and practice drills that correct that. Stay with that until you’re no longer hooking the golf ball.

Same with any other golf swing fault. Find out the root cause and work golf drills into your golf practice to permanently correct it.

Always have a set goal with every golf practice session. Don’t just hack balls for the sake of hacking them! Really go there on a mission, and stick with that mission throughout the entire golf practice session.