My favorite putting drill

I call this the 3-6-9 drill. It is VERY difficult and will test (and improve) your putting stroke, consistency, and how well you putt under pressure. I have completed this drill only a hand full of times in my life, and used to do it almost every day when I played college golf.

Obviously, the goal is to complete this drill, but if you try it for 20 minutes each time you practice, your putting will improve, guaranteed!

Pick a fairly straight putt and get three tees out of your bag. Put the tees in a straight line, one at 3 feet, one at 6 feet, and the last at 9 feet. You will need three golf balls for this drill.

Start at the 3 foot tee. The goal is to make 9 putts in a row from three feet, then you can advance back to the 6 foot tee. Make 6 in a row from that tee in order to advance to the 9 foot tee. Make three putts in a row from the 9 foot tee and you have completed the drill. The catch is that if you ever miss a putt, you have to go back to the 3 foot tee and start over. All in all you will have to make only 18 putts in a row, all inside 10 feet. But trust me, you nerves will be tested when you are standing over the final 9 footer needing to make it to finally complete the drill.

Good Luck!

Fundamentals Part 4: Top of the Backswing

Now that you have learned the first three fundamentals, this fourth fundamental should be pretty natural. The best way to check your backswing is use a full length mirror placed in the "down the line" position.

From the take-away position, your shoulders will turn until they are 90 degrees from where they started, your hands will raise while continuing to rotate around your body until your hands are over your back shoulder. At this point the club should be pointed parallel to the target if it is parallel to the ground. Your hips will have rotated about 45 degrees with neither leg straightening up. Your weight should be about 70 percent shifted to your back leg with the pressure being felt by the inside of the right leg and foot (for right handed players).

Things to remember:
-Try not to completely straighten either leg during the backswing.
-Dont let your weight shift outside your back foot.
-Dont let your spine angle tilt towards the target or away from the ball.
-Try to keep your left wrist (for right handed golfer) as flat as possible.

From this position in your backswing, you are able to make a proper move back to the golf ball that will put the golf club on the arc it needs to hit good, consistent golf shots. The more times you can practice this position in a mirror, the more consistent your swing and ball striking will be.

Good Luck!

Talk about a Hole In One!

Today, my good friend Jim McIntyre made his first hole in one. He is a very good golfer, and hits the ball very well. That got me thinking about the odds of a hole in one, because my dad is a very good golfer too, and has played for almost 3 times as long as I have, and he is yet to make a hole in one. Then there are others, like myself, who get lucky all too often (7 times) and feel like I am stealing from those not so fortunate golfers like my dad...

Turns out that the odds of making a hole in one are about 12,000 to 1. Not so good. The odds obviously go up if you are a better golfer, and the odds of a professional making a hole in one are about 3,000 to 1.

That means, if an average golfer plays 2 rounds per week it would take about 29 years for the odds to catch up to that player and give him/her a hole in one. So, I can understand how some players go their whole lives without making one.

But think about this. At Prestonwood CC, I would say there is a hole in one every other month (on average), meaning there is 12 holes in ones per year because we have 2 golf course. Each course plays about 30,000 rounds in a good year meaning the odds of making a hole in one at Prestonwood is 5,000 to 1 on average. The same odds as a low handicap golfer would have. I would say our membership is at an "average" golfer skill level. Interesting. Maybe we have easy par 3's. Or maybe our "hole in one club" gives our members extra incentive....

Anyway, congrats to Jim McIntyre, he "slam dunked" a 5 iron from 175 at Stonebriar CC. Im sure there was a breeze in his face and he flighted it down beautifully.  ;-)

Want more distance in your golf game?

Are you out-driven by your buddies? Can't get over that water hazard on hole 11? I'm here to help you conquer any distance related golf challenges you may have in your game.

There are a few keys to gaining more distance on your shots, and there are some tricks for each of those keys that I will share with you.

Key #1: Clubhead Speed

Yes, it is easier said then done, but it can be done if you focus your attention in the right direction.

Each MPH you gain in clubhead speed equals about 2.3 extra yards on your driver.

First, you must understand that gaining clubhead speed means swinging FASTER NOT HARDER. The difference is in how your body works in the swing. When someone tries to swing harder, they usually get much more upper body involved and throw off the swing plane and timing at impact. The key is to swing your arms faster from the top of the backswing through the ball. Your arms and clubhead give you the leverage you need to create speed in the clubhead and send your ball for a ride.

Turn your front foot out just a little bit at address. This will keep your body rotating through the shot  better so that your arms can continue to swing faster through the ball.

Let your back leg straighten (a little). Never lock your back leg, but letting it straighten up just a bit will help you make a larger shoulder turn which will produce more speed.

RELAX. Tension in your body, arms and hands only slows down your golf swing, so loosen up and let your body work as it is designed so the club can move faster and give you more distance.

My favorite gadget for gaining yardage is the swing fan. This builds all the correct muscles you need to swing the club faster and gain distance. Long drive competitors use the swing fan an average of 45 minutes a day to develop and keep their clubhead speed.


Key #2: Centerness Of Contact

It is estimated that for each 1/4" you hit away from the sweet spot you will lose 7% of your distance. So, for a 150 yard shot hit 1/4" off center your ball will only travel 140 yards. That will leave you a 30 foot putt (assuming your are online).

The quickest way to lose distance is to mishit the center of the clubface. Golf clubs are being designed more and more to accommodate off center hits, but there is no substitute for a square impact.

The best way to ensure solid contact is to put tees in the ground on either side of your clubhead at address. Hit the ball normally without hitting the tees and you will be much closer to hitting the sweet spot of your club.

Another good way is to buy impact tape and stick it to the clubface during practice sessions. This will give you great and immediate feedback of where you are striking your shots.

Use these keys and tips to gain some much needed yardage on all your clubs, and you will be outdriving your buddies and sailing past water hazards in no time!

Good Luck!