Golf Tips

Golf Tip - Get your body in shape to play better golf

by Brett Burgeson and Frank Carlson

Most of us have body limitations that will not allow us to make a proper fundamentally sound golf swing. These can be current injuries, past injuries or simply poor mobility, stability or body posture. We have a solution! Book an appointment with Brett Burgeson or Frank Carlson to have a TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) physical screening. From this information, the professionals will develop a workout routine for you to help you with your limitations and improve your golf swing.

Golf Tip - Make better Contact

by Bob Davidchuk

The biggest reason for not getting the most out of each shot is simply because you are not making good contacts with the ball on the sweet spot of the club. I always teach my students to focus on contact when hitting a golf shot. There are 3 basis types of contact in golf.

• Irons – When hitting an iron, you should be conscious of taking a divot. The ball placement in your stance should be near the middle of your stance for your short irons (wedges) and a bit further forward of center as the irons get longer. The ball should be struck on the down blow of the swing arc and your divot will be in front of where the ball was. Remember in order to strike down at the ball your weight must be ahead of the ball.
• Hybrids and fairway woods – When hitting these clubs you should be conscious of splashing the ground. You will not necessarily take a divot because the bottom of these clubs is rounded but you should definitely make a mark or a splash on the grass. Ball position in your stance will be more forward than your irons (generally just inside your front heal)
• Driver – When hitting a driver you should feel a sweeping motion and no divot or splash of the ground is required. The ball placement should be adjacent to your front foot instep. Tee height should be appropriate to make contact a bit higher than the middle of your driver face.

Purpose in what you are doing is key to making good contact. Work on your impact as part of your practice and remember to make the right type of impact for each club.

Golf Tip - Distance Control with Irons

by Darren Nagel

The fastest way to shooting lower scores is by getting the ball closer to the pin with your approach shots. There are many ways to do it, but the easiest way is by adjusting your trajectory to control distance.

• A ball hit high will generally fly further than a ball hit low and vice versa. I say generally because this is not always the case depending on the wind among other things.To hit it high, play the ball slightly forward of where you would normally play that particular iron in your stance. Focus on making a high finish well above your head.
• To hit it low, play the ball slightly back of where you would normally play that particular iron it in your stance. Focus on finishing your swing low around your ribs.
• To hit the ball at a mid trajectory, play the ball where you would normally play it for that particular iron in hand. Focus on making a finish between your shoulder and head. For example, if your SW goes 100yds with a routine smooth swing and the pin is located 85yds away simply play the ball about an 1” back in your stance and finish your swing a little lower than normal.

This is how Tiger does it. Next time you see him on TV, watch him rehearsing the height of his finish. If it’s good enough for him it can work for you too.