Golf Academy

A good friend of mine always says, “A goal without a plan is nothing but a dream!” As we approach the golf season, what are your goals?

Not that long ago I was teaching a beginner golfer. He told me right away about a big work tournament he had coming up in a couple months. Like most golfers new to the sport he thought it was important to get the ball into the air with some regularity.

Over the course of the golf season, each month in this column we will be sharing ideas to help improve your golf game without changing your golf swing. We will talk about things like efficient practice methods, equipment, course management and new technology.

October/November means the end of the golf season for most of us in Minnesota. But just because the season is ending, it doesn’t mean that you have to stop working on your golf game.

The most important shot in golf may be the chip shot. Why? Because most players (average scores over 80?) do not “hit the green in regulation (have a birdie putt) very often.

The most important aspects to improving your ability to hit successful bunker shots are…

If a player is on the range prior to a round, they aren’t practicing, they are warming up. There is a big difference between the two.

It would be best if each range practice session began with a number of ¼, ½ and ¾ length pitch shots with your sand wedge. Not only is it a small swing to get your muscles warmed up, it helps you build up to the full swing, and of course, it’s a REAL shot.

The use of analytics has become a huge part of the professional game. At the PGA Tour level the players have a big advantage in that every shot they hit in every tournament round is recorded through Shot Link.

Throughout our lives, we are aware of the “rating” scale of 1-10. It has been used in everything from attractiveness to truthfulness. “On a scale of 1-10…” How can you use this scale for your golf development?

Over 25+ years in the golf industry, I’ve been approached numerous times by parents or young adults inquiring about the best way to get started in this business. Over the years, a slightly flip answer developed… “Don’t do it!”

The golf course is a one-shot environment. On the golf course we have time between shots. Every shot we hit requires a different club to a different yardage from a different lie.

With only a few set-up and swing adjustments, you can “master” these specialty shots that happen due to wind and on-course obstacles. Try these techniques out on the range then out on the course when you face these conditions.

In a club fitting, factors that should be considered include the club’s length, shaft flex, material and weight, lie angle, grip size, and club loft. Each factor can have an influence on how a player swings the club and their performance.

After a long winter in Minnesota, it’s exciting to get the golf courses open and seeing golfer’s outside again. However, with all those nice things, comes the realization that the courses are going to be wet and muddy for awhile.