Fundamentals of Chipping

Most of you are getting back into the game after some sort of winter lay-off. Everyone will agree that the short game is the hardest part to get back to tip top form. In order to get you ready for your first few rounds of the year, here are some tips to get you chipping it close. There are 3 pre-chip fundamentals and 1 in-swing fundamental that you should be focused on right out of the gates. First, 70%-80% of your weight should be on your left side (right handed golfer). Second, the ball needs to be played directly underneath your sternum. The third fundamental is that your hands start and finish on the target side of the ball. During the chip, focus on consistent speed through the shot. Commit to these fundamentals early so you can chip it close all year long!

Point and Shoot Putting

Do you think good free throw shooters think about their mechanics when they are at the line in a game situation? I hope not! I see too many players get over a putt and think about a million things (mostly negative), take too much time, and ultimately miss the putt. Dave Stockton has a great book out called “Unconscious Putting” which talks in great detail about picking your line, committing, stepping up, and draining the putt. I challenge all of you to adopt this method. I’m not asking you to get up and hit the ball without thinking, but I am asking you to look at the hole, look at the ball and GO! One other note about this strategy; only two things can happen when you hit a putt. You will either make it, or you won’t. If you can accept this fact and free up your stroke, I promise you will make more putts and lower your scores!

Encouragement

I have had a pleasure playing with a GCC member a couple times in the last month. This member loves to play the game and loves more than anything to compete (even though he doesn’t think he is as good as the rest of the group). What really excites me about playing with him is that all it takes is a small amount encouragement and he plays amazing golf. The point I am trying to make is; we all have the ability to play great golf each time we tee it up, sometimes it just takes some encouragement. That encouragement can come from the golfers in your group, but most of the time it has to come from within. If you have hit good shots in the past, and posted good scores, you can do it again. Stay out of your own way, stay positive, and let it happen!

Rear to Wall Drill

This is a great at home drill for the winter months - or whenever! All you will need is a wall with enough space to put your rear end up against it. This will help golfers who suffer from "early extension." Take your golf stance with your rear against the wall and cross your arms. What you will be trying to do is make your back swing turn and forward swing turn while keeping your rear against the wall. On the way back, focus on keeping your right rear on the wall, and on the way through, get your left rear to hit the wall. Take some time to work on this and you will feel what it is like to maintain your spine angle and posture through impact!

Swing Plane Drill

Just because it is cold outside does not mean you can't work on your swing plane. The video below demonstrates how you can work on your swing plane indoors. Take a 6-iron and assume your golf stance. Place an alignment stick about 3 1/2-4 feet outside the ball facing the target. Place the club across your shoulders and turn back focusing on keeping the grip of the club pointing at the stick on the ground. One the way down, match that position with the club head to maintain your shoulder plane on the way down. Work on this drill and you will be sure to be on plane right out of the gates in 2012!

My TPI

As a golf professional there is no better time than the winter to focus on fitness. The same should be for you! When you make the commitment to start working on some golf fitness check out http://www.mytpi.com/ . The Titleist Performance Institute is group of experts that is so far ahead of the curve when it comes to golf health and fitness. The best part of this website is that you can access all sorts of workouts, information, junior golf training, and much more.

When you get really serious, locate the nearest TPI Certified Expert and get assessed. There is a tab on the website that will allow you to search for an expert. A typical assessment is several mobility and strength tests that can show you where you need to focus on the most. The expert will analyze the results and give you a specific workout tailored to your needs. What more could you want?

I could go on an on about the benefits of My TPI but I think it would be easier for you to visit http://www.mytpi.com/, create an account, and have some fun on the website checking out all of the cool things about golf fitness. Get motivated, get assessed, and get your swing in shape for the 2012 season!

Winter Months - Keep Up With the Basics!

Trust me, even the best players in the world struggle during the winter months because they don’t play as much golf and it gets so cold out its hard to stay loose. I don’t want your expectations to lower when you play in the winter, but it is important to not get too upset when you are not exactly on your game when it is 40 degrees outside!

When you play in the cold, focus on the basics, Grip, Stance, Posture, Alignment, and Tempo. Then, make the best swing you can and accept the results. Don’t get caught up in technical stuff this time of year.

During January and February, I will be doing weekly blog posts on things you can do at home to keep your basics tip-top! Keep logging in to jakespottgolfinstruction.blogspot.com to keep up! Stay warm!