November 1, 2003

Sand Play Made Simple

Build confidence by learning the basics

Like any aspect of the game, improving your bunker play takes practice. But practicing the wrong technique will do little but further ingrain whatever mistakes you’re already making. As a result, instead of getting better, you’ll probably just get worse. The good news is, the fundamentals of solid sand play are actually pretty simple, and can be learned quickly provided you take the time to make certain your setup and execution are correct.

November 1, 2003

The Crusher

According to golf stat man L.J. Riccio, Ph.D., the most important factor for low scores is greens in regulation. Statistically, every extra green you hit in regulation is equal to two strokes off your average score. The problem is that, over the long haul, you’re not going to be in position to hit a green in regulation unless you’ve driven it long enough for a short-iron approach. That’s why this Going Low is dedicated to showing you how to stand back and let the big dog eat– in other words, to crush it off the tee.

November 1, 2003

Swing Extremes: Pitching Setup

Throughout my 15 years of teaching, I’ve learned no two golfers swing the club alike. I’ve also learned that, despite the individual thumbprint every player puts on his or her swing, good swings share several common traits at key points of the motion. Unfortunately, these traits differ from the commonalities found in the swings of lesser-skilled golfers. In fact, high-handicapped golfers tend to do the exact opposite of what a fundamentally solid swing requires. Of course, you don’t need to swing exactly like a Tour player to improve your ballstriking. However, building a few of the common traits found in higher-level swings into your own will pay huge dividends, especially those that pertain to pitching and chipping.

November 1, 2003

What Makes A Golf Swing Great

A good golf teacher can spot a great swing a mile away. Such recognition is based on years of experience.

As an instructor with over 50 years of teaching experience, I’ve seen my fair share of golf swings–both good and bad. Most of the bad swings I see are marred by basically the same series of mistakes. Similarly, good motions are defined by several, rock-solid commonalities that, if you know what to look for, stand out like a sore thumb on a tiny hand.

August 1, 2003

Swing Extremes: Driver Setup

Throughout my 15 years of teaching, I’ve learned no two swings are alike. I’ve also learned that, despite the individual thumbprint every player puts on his or her swing, good swings share several common traits at key points. Unfortunately, these traits differ from the commonalities found in the swings of lesser-skilled golfers. In fact, high-handicapped golfers tend to do the exact opposite of what a fundamentally solid swing requires.

August 1, 2003

Become A Swing Machine

Say hello to Iron Byron. It has the only perfect swing on the planet. That?s why everyone should be copying it

Want a 300-yard drive? No problem for Iron Byron. It can hit it right down the middle all day long. How about a 60-yard wedge shot? Just set it up to the ball, and that’s exactly what you’ll get, time after time. It has the only __perfect swing on the planet. That’s why almost every major golf equipment manufacturer has used it to test the performance of their __products and why everyone should be learning how to copy this machine.

August 1, 2003

Mix And Match

Fine-tune four key swing elements to eliminate slices and hooks

Every golfer has suffered through it–getting worse while attempting to get better, ultimately tinkering unnecessarily and sending an A game directly to F. While it’s important to discover ways to fine-tune your swing, it’s critical that you do so with an eye toward keeping the key elements of your motion intact. Uninformed tinkering invariably unbalances your swing’s matchups, and it’s a big reason why most recreational players can never truly rid their games of slices and hooks.

August 1, 2003

One Hour To Better Putting

A tried-and-true method for becoming a lights-out putter

For most golfers, finding time to practice putting is difficult. In fact, it’s no easy task to find time to improve in any area of the game. Therefore, it’s essential that players not only create practice opportunities whenever they can, but also budget practice time to maximize effectiveness and create better habits.

August 1, 2003

Sweet Spot: Rich Beem

Reigning PGA champ Rich Beem is a long-hitting, aggressive player with a swing more reminiscent of the players of the ’70s and ’80s, than the current, video-taught golfers of the modern era. The first thing you’ll notice about Beem is his extremely long, upright backswing, which is a bit like Tom Watson’s in his heyday. You’ll also notice that he drives his legs excessively toward the target like Jack Nicklaus. While the overall look of the swing is powerful yet a bit sloppy, Beem knows how to make it work. And his go-for-broke style not only makes him tough to beat when he’s playing well, but also makes him a lot of fun to watch.

August 1, 2003

Get Over The Tops

For many golfers, topping the ball is a serious problem. Not only are worm burners the ugliest shots to watch in golf, but they invariably put your ball into horrendous situations from which to escape.