EXPERT TIPS
Emily Dickenson once said that "Hope is a thing with feathers". Woody Allan mused years later that the the thing with feathers was actually his nephew and he is seeing a specialist in Zurich in the morning. Hope helps soothe the pain that occurs when reality sets in. Like the reality that we "suck at golf".
Now nobody will ever truly admit to themselves that they suck at golf, yet most of us do. 35 years of playing and teaching the game tells me this. We hope the next shot, hole, round or season will bring positive changes. Yet getting better is often as illusive as grasping for feathers in the wind.
So what to do? I could give you a comprehensive 2 year plan and revamp everything. (It works, just ask Nick Faldo and his teacher David Leadbetter) We could work on your grip, posture, alignment, takeaway, swing path, smooth transition, impact position, and a nice balanced follow through. It would include strength and flexibility training, proper diet, sleep and of course loads of video analysis. I could go on like "Bubba" in Forrest Gump reciting the various way to serve shrimp, but I'll stop here. Sounds like a lot of work huh?, and most would probably give up, so in lieu of the above may I suggest the following things to "work" on.
1. Tee off from the whites until you can break 80 three times in a row.
2. Work on distance control with your various clubs. Solid contact will help you control distance. See: how to make better contact.
3. Get a Grip! (use a training grip if necessary) Stronger grip is better, learn to hook and draw the ball.
4. Devote plenty of practice to your wedges and putter. At the range work on whatever club you "KNOW" can get you in the fairway off the tee.
5. Stroke putts solidly, focus on distance control. (practice tips) You'll rarely 3-putt.
6. Find a balance between grinding too hard and being careless. (play reasonably quick)
*Or, you could just drink a few beers, tell the beer cart girl your latest joke, and bust on the guy in your group who's on the 2 year plan.
Bill Crowley, former PGA teaching Pro
Gotta golf question for Bill? Ask it here!
