Golf Tips 
Instruction Faults And Fixes Wake Up Your Game!
Instruction Faults And Fixes Wake Up Your Game!
Wake Up Your Game! |
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| By Jeff Yurkiewicz, with Ryan M. Noll; Photography by Warren Keating | |
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Page 2 of 2 Hook Fixes Posture: Stand taller, closer to the ball, move ball back in stance Grip: Weaken the upper-hand grip (left hand for righties), apply more pressure in the lower hand Aim: Swing along the target line. Try to avoid cutting across it or swinging too inside-out Slice Fixes Posture: Stand slightly farther from the ball, move the ball forward slightly in the stance Grip: Strengthen the upper hand, apply less pressure in the bottom hand Aim: Practice swinging more along an inside-out path relative to the target line Square Fixes Pushed Shots: On the backswing, take the club back along the target line for as long as possible Pulled Shots: On the backswing, take the club back slightly inside the target line and swing to the right on the downswing  #4 Divide Your TimePractice is not meant to be taken lightly or casually. Stick with a solid routine and work on the shots you find yourself hitting the most during the round. Odds are, it’s the short irons, wedges and woods that require the most attention on the practice tee. Be patient and take your time. When you do head to the driving range, always bear in mind that every shot should have a target. Don’t just hit balls to “get loose.” Imagine every practice ball is a crucial shot on the golf course. Also, I recommend that players divvy up their practice time by how often they use particular clubs in the bag. After all, what good is it to hit a bucket of balls with a 5-iron when you’ll likely encounter only one or two 5-iron shots during a round of golf? Try the 40-20-40 rule. Spend 40 percent of your time on short irons and wedges, 20 percent on middle-iron shots and 40 percent on hybrids, fairway woods and drivers. This will help you improve in areas where you need to hit the most shots without compromising the shots you sometimes need to pull off.  #5 Handiwork For many, most strokes during the round are wasted within 40 yards. So, practice your wedges with “putter-like” precision and pick specific targets. A good chip can make a big impact. A quick and effective way to make sure you’re maintaining a proper clubface angle through the impact zone is to try this simple drill. Grab your sand wedge and stand with your feet together. Simulate the address position, then hinge the club to waist high on your backswing. The toe of the clubface should be pointing directly up, indicating a square clubface. If it doesn’t, practice a few swings until you get used to the correct position. Secondly, do the same for the downswing, and check the position of the hands postimpact. Although the clubface is closed, the toe should once again be pointing directly toward the sky. Do this and you’ll see straighter shots. #6 Short Game Rules It may be called the short game, but in actuality, it requires the longest duration of your practice time. Read the sentence above and burn it into your memory. Your short game includes chipping, bunker play, pitching and, of course, putting, all of which should be practiced every day if you really want to sharpen your game. Begin by paying attention to your putting. Start without a ball, and visualize making a few putts every day. Work your way to putting a few balls down the hall at home or on a local practice green. Do the same with your wedge game, then pitching, bunker game and so on. Whether it’s in the backyard or at a practice facility, staying sharp with your short clubs is key. Also, unlike hitting too many drives, it’s impossible to over-practice your chipping and pitching. Jeff Yurkiewicz is a teaching professional at the Kostis McCord Learning Center in Scottsdale, Ariz. For more, visit www.kostismccordlearning.com. |
