Archive for the ‘Instruction’ Category
Balance
Last Updated on Wednesday, 1 September 2010 04:39 Written by Gary Lipelt, PGA Wednesday, 1 September 2010 04:39
Solid ball contact is required to impart maximum force to the golf ball, resulting in maximum distance and consistent ball flight.
One of the key components to solid contact is balance. Balance will affect your golf swing in a number of ways. Lose balance during the swing and you can forget about solid ball contact, not to mention swing path errors. Lack of balance during the swing equals bad shots.
But there is good news! With a little effort proper balance is a skill that everyone can develop or improve.
Improving balance can be done with both golf specific drills and non-golf specific drills. One of the easiest non-golf swing specific drills is to simply practice standing on one foot for as long as you can. Start with standing with all your weight on your right foot and hold your balance for as long as possible. Next, switch to your left foot and do the same.
You’ll be surprised how difficult this can be at the start. You might even find that standing on one foot is easier than the other foot. Start by trying to hold your balance for 25-30 seconds and then move to the other foot. Repeat this drill daily trying to increase the time you’re able to stay balanced on both feet.
After you’ve gained some confidence increase the difficulty and try the same exercise with your eyes closed. When tested, PGA Tour players are able to stand on each leg for 90-120 seconds or longer.
One of the best golf specific balance drills in the “Feet together drill”. Using a 7 iron start with your feet together in your golf setup position. Start by taking short golf swings and gradually increase the length and speed of your swing as you gain a better sense of balance.
When you feel ready, try hitting a golf ball off a short tee, keeping your feet together. Again, start with short and slow swings. Gradually increase the length and speed of your swing when you’re hitting solid shots while maintaining good balance and not stepping out of your stance. (Your finish will be restricted because of your foot position so don’t try to hit the ball your normal full distance. Remember this is a balance drill, not a distance drill.)
I believe if you work on these two drills you will be surprised at your improved ball striking.
If you have any questions or need help with your swing feel free to contact me.
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Golf Information Overload
Last Updated on Sunday, 1 August 2010 12:54 Written by Gary Lipelt, PGA Sunday, 1 August 2010 12:54
Whether it’s from books, magazines, DVD’s or the Internet, there seems to be an endless amount of golf information available.
As far back as the beginning of the game, golfers have wanted tips and techniques to improve their swings or games. Through the years many golf professionals and authors have been happy to oblige. My own library has some of these old instruction classics as well as some newer books. And there is no doubt many are filled with valuable information.
Over the years the game and equipment has changed so what’s relevant today? How do you know what you are reading or being told applies to your swing or the game today? If we still played with hickory shafted clubs it would probably be a good idea to copy Bobby Jones swing but we are playing in an era of computer designed equipment, both shafts and club-heads. There is a reason the swings of modern day golf professionals have evolved. Equipment changes have resulted in a need to apply force to the ball in a different manor than what was required of Bobby Jones and his equipment.
Before you jump in and try some of the things you read, see or are told, you need to assess the quality of information. Has the information been recommended by someone who has tried it? Can the method be demonstrated and shown to be used by top professionals? Do you understand the method or technique?
Is the information given in sequence? The information needs to come in a logical step-by-step sequence. For example, if you try to correct a move in the downswing while ignoring mistakes in the backswing and stance, it is unlikely that you will make any true changes in your downswing. You shouldn’t expect to correct an error if the error itself is being caused by or being influenced by a prior error in the swing.
Can you understand the information whether in written form, video or in person? If you don’t understand something or you don’t think it is working for you can you ask questions?
How practical is the information? Perfect practice makes perfect. Are there drills, positions, movements to copy so you can learn perfect?
How are you going to get feedback about what you are learning? The ultimate test is how your shots improve in practice or on the course. Do you have a way of measuring your progress?
You need some detail about what you are learning so you understand why and how the process works. Simplicity does not equal incomplete. Keeping it simple does not necessarily make it easy to execute, if it is incomplete. So it is necessary for you to know and understand the principles, but the goal is to develop a simple and logical step-by-step process towards improvement.
Improving your swing will take an investment of time and money. You can try and figure it out by yourself or you can utilize a PGA Professionals experience and training.
Whatever path you choose it will take some commitment on your part even if it is only 10 minutes every day. This small amount of worthwhile practice is better than aimlessly hitting balls hoping you will discover the secret one day. In fact, there isn’t one secret, it’s a combination of them.
As always, if you have any questions of comments please feel free to contact me.
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Who Can Improve?
Last Updated on Tuesday, 6 July 2010 02:12 Written by Gary Lipelt, PGA Monday, 31 May 2010 06:25
Everyone has the potential to improve. But of course first you have to decide what area of your game needs improvement. Next you have to create a road map or plan to get you there. This road map should include a comprehensive skill development program, which helps you acquire the skills necessary to reach your goals.
To develop this plan the first stage is a critical assessment of where you are now. This is what is called the Assessment Phase of coaching. In order to move on to the next stage a complete assessment should be made of all parts of the game including; Driving, Fairway Woods, Long Irons, Mid Irons, Short Irons, Pitch Shots, Bunker Play, Chipping, and Putting.
The second stage is to decide where you want to go with your game so you can create the success map to keep you moving towards your goals. Once you decide where you are and where you want to go it’s time for the next stage.
During the third stage, coaching or instruction is delivered to help you acquire the required skills to achieve your goals.
Finally a review or re-assessment of current skills is made and a decision is made on the best way to proceed.
A lot of golfers are looking for that magic pill which will make a dramatic improvement in their game, with little effort. The magic pill is having a long term plan, visualizing it daily, and then committing to this plan.
The Four Steps of Improvement
1. Assessment – Evaluation of current skill
2. Plan – Determine your goal and required skill
3. Delivery – Receive instruction or coaching
4. Review – Re-assessment of current skill level
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A Schwarz May 3, 2010
Last Updated on Tuesday, 4 May 2010 08:33 Written by Gary Lipelt, PGA Tuesday, 4 May 2010 08:33
Overall your swing looks pretty good. There are just a couple of things to work on to elminate some of the miss hits you are describing.
First take a look at these two images, you and an un-named PGA Tour player. Notice the difference in arm position. You looked like you’re forcing your arms too close together. Your elbows look like they are almost touching. Your shoulders are too wide to be in this position naturally. Notice the other player, his arms look more relaxed and in a natural hanging position. Try to get a little more space between your arms at address.
Next, at the top of your swing it looks like your left shoulder is pushing your head back a little. Maybe your shoulder isn’t going down under your chin enough? Or you are trying to turn a little to far back. Either way, try to keep your chin down like you have it at address. See the tour players head, basically it’s in the same position as at address, his shoulder has moved under his chin, not into his chin.
Remember me telling you how every player has their own errors that they will tend to fall back too? Well take a look at your left foot on the downswing. It’s moving a little too much. The heal looks a little raised and to much weight is on the outside of your foot early in the downswing. Remember when you used to do that when you were younger? Well you’re not doing it as much as back then but there is still more movement than we want. Work on keeping your left foot planted in one spot until well into the finish. See the difference in the two images below.
At impact you can really see a difference in foot position. Your left foot has rolled to the outside to soon. As a result you can see how your left leg is slightly bent and your knee is moving towards the target and past your foot. When you were hitting it very solid your impact position was much more like the player below. Work on getting your knee over your firm, planted foot, not out towards the target.
Finally the finish. If you get those parts above better you will get into a better finish where you are over your left leg a little better, right now you have a slight lean back position. Again, when you were swinging really good you looked more like the PGA Tour player.
These are kind of picky issues but they are big influences on miss-hits and falling forward like you’ve been describing. And of course you don’t have to swing EXACTLY like this player but he is a good example of positions that really good ball strikers attain during their swings. So I think you should work to get as close to these as possible. But like I’ve said, when you were hitting it really good, this what you were doing so you shouldn’t have any problem getting back into this spots.
Let me know if this helps or if you need more info.
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