Improvements on Driving and Chipping

Here are a few tricks I have learned and came across over the last 17 years of my golf experience.

First we will start with the best part of the game which is driving or teeing off.  We all know chicks dig the long ball right, not always the case a straighter more accurate drive is better than the long ball in most cases.  Every time I tee the ball up on a hole I first try to visualize my shot.  To me it’s all about comfort.  I always pick a target to aim for in the distance, doesn’t matter if it’s a tree, building, the flag, or even another golfer ahead of me on the same hole.  I know your thinking that aiming is really easy, but you would be surprised how off you can be.  Here is a tip for beginner golfers on how to aim.  Notice in the Image below, by simply dropping your club straight down to your knees and looking to where your club is pointing, is a helpful tool in alignment.  Your knees tell you everything about your aiming point.

  Once I have that target I address the ball, if I feel I need to take a practice swing before I tee off I do but not always.  Once again it’s all about comfort and what I’m feeling on the tee. Before I tee off I take a deep breath, keep my head still and focus on the ball and make a smooth swing.  The Driver is the best club in my bag, when I am hitting it the best I have zero fear or thoughts on the tee because I know where it is going to go. 

Now just a few short game tips, I work at a local course in my hometown and everyday watch people struggle around the greens, so we will focus on chipping around the green.  Getting up and down for par or even bogey is what the Professionals are outstanding at and separates them from the rest of the world.  Watching the average municipal golfer about 10 yards off the green, they will proceed to hit a very high almost flop shot to the hole.  This is extremely ineffective.  To hit a more controlled shot, the first step is to forward press your hands and keep them ahead of the ball.

  Keeping your hands forward pressed decreases the loft on the club and will make that ball shoot out lower keeping it in the air for less time, overall increasing your control of the ball. Notice in the picture above, how forward pressed his hands are on the left image compared the right.  Remember you want the ball to be on the green as long as possible for maximum control.

  I know that was a lot to take in there but think about it.  If you’re chipping to a back pin, I want that ball to be rolling on the green as long as possible (just like a putt) this gives it the best chance in going in the cup.  Keeping those hands ahead of the ball and pitching the ball up to the green is an effective way to shave a few strokes around the greens.

Some of my favorite courses to play in Wisconsin

            The Golf Courses of Lawsonia, located in Green Lake, Wisconsin.  It was voted 2010 Golfweeks best courses you can play.  It was in 2008 voted the best Golf Courses to play in Wisconsin.  This Golf facility has two courses the Links, and the Woodlands.  The links course was voted the #3 best links golf course in Wisconsin.  Jeff Klienke is the current pro at Lawsonia.  I must say the only downfall to this course is there Range.  You are kind of hitting uphill and sometimes have trouble seeing the flight of the ball from start to finish.  I have played each course at Lawsonia about four times, and I must say I am a huge fan of the Woodlands course.  It challenges you to be precise off the tee, and if you can shape longer shots well the reward is golden.

Visit their Website

                      

                                                 The Woodlands Slope/Rating and Yardage;

                                                         Blue - 71.9/132 – Yardage of 6586

                                                         White – 70.1/128 – Yardage of 6186

                                                         Gold – 68.0/124 – Yardage of 5782

                                                         Red – 70.5/120 – Yardage of 5023