Archive for March, 2013

Pitching Distance Control

Controlling your wedge distances are a lot easier than you may think, all of my students will have a process that they follow that controls there pitching distances with Pro style control.

Firstly if you carry 3 wedges, which is the norm these days, especially as PW lofts are getting stronger 45 degrees there is quite a large gap if your next wedge is 56 degrees. Most players will carry a wedge formation of PW, 50 degree, 54 degree and 58 degree wedges. This article is based on controlling your distances with these wedges and knowing the numbers that they go (yards) will most certainly help your short game.

If we work on the basis that each wedge will potentially have 3 yardages in them then carrying 4 wedges will give you a 12 shot yardage system.

The below box is an example of the wedges and the 3 yardages they fly with the controlled length swings.

If we look at the first distance (shortest distance) in each wedge, how I am controlling this is by swinging the hands to hip high in the backswing and to hip high in the forward swing, keeping the wrist’s very quiet. This gives you the first set of yardages with my wedges. You need to hit each wedge and measure out the distance with a range finder to be exact.

Hip High to Hip High

The second distance is by swinging the hands to chest high in the backswing and to chest high in the forward swing, again keeping the wrists quiet. This gives you the second yardages with all of your wedges.

Chest High to Chest High

The third distance is where you swing your hands to shoulder height in the backswing and to shoulder height in the forward swing again keeping the wrists quiet. This will give you your third set of yardages with all of your wedges.

Shoulder High to Shoulder High

Once you have this in place make a note of your yardages and keeping referring to them when out playing on the course as this will certainly help improve this specific area of your game.

I hope you enjoyed the article, any comments or Questions then please leave a comment below..

Until next time I wish you all the golfing success

Mark

Mark Wood Golf Academy
Dale Hill hotel & golf club
East Sussex

Why stance width is important

Stance width is a very important part of the address position as this will effect how the body turns and moves in the golf swing.

Having a stance to wide will promote a very stable base but unfortunately you will lose a lot of mobility during the golf swing. It will in essence effect your body turn in the backswing and will also make it difficult for you to get your weight into the left side (for right handed golfers) in the downswing and into the follow through. This will cause the swing to get off plane and therefore potentially give you a poor path through impact, tilting the spin axis of the ball. It can also lead to poor strikes, thin or heavy and lack of power and distance.

If you address the ball with a to narrow stance you will have lots of mobility but very poor stability in the golf swing.  You will be able to turn very well in the swing but the loss of balance due to the narrow stance is going to be a major problem. You will start to slow the swing down to keep some balance through the strike, leading to inconsistent strikes and a lack of power.

Try and check your stance regularly to make sure it is roughly shoulder width apart for your long game as this will give you the blend of both stability and mobility in the golf swing.

I hope you enjoyed the article, any comments or Questions then please leave a comment below..

Until next time I wish you all the golfing success

Mark

Mark Wood Golf Academy
Dale Hill hotel & golf club
East Sussex

Curing an over the top swing plane leading to an in to out swing path and a SLICE!!

The “Reverse the loop” swing drill 

I have a 5 iron in my hands for this drill but you could use any club, the most important thing is to angle the cane in the ground at the correct angle for this drill to work.

1. Place an alignment cane on the ground parallel to your target line. This ensures that you stand parallel to your target line.
2. Take another cane and push it into the ground slightly inside the target line and a club length behind the ball, the cane should be on an angle on roughly 60 degrees for a 5 iron (see above picture).
3. The top of the cane should be running through your pelvis as you look at it.

• As you start your take away keep the club outside your hands and outside of the cane (see the above picture).

• Swing up to your normal full backswing position, ensuring you have a good full 90 degree shoulder turn.

All the focus is now to return the club back down on the path inside the cane (see the above picture) as this will create an inside attack on the golf ball producing a much straighter and more powerful ball flight.

I hope you enjoyed the article, any comments or Questions then please leave a comment below.

Download my free ebook packed with drills to stop your slice CLICK HERE

Until next time I wish you all the golfing success.

Mark

Mark Wood Golf Academy
Dale Hill hotel & golf club
East Sussex

Hit Your Putts from the Centre of the Putter Face

This is one of the best putting tips for great instant feedback for improving the quality and the centreness of strike and therefore your distance control and accuracy. If you hit a putt out of the toe end of the putter, the face will open on impact causing the ball to start to the right of your line and will come up short. If you hit it out of the heel it will close the face causing the ball to start left and also come up short. After a small amount of practise you will be finding the middle of the putter face time after time.

I hope you enjoyed the article, any comments or Questions then please leave a comment below..

Until next time I wish you all the golfing success

Mark

Mark Wood Golf Academy
Dale Hill hotel & golf club
East Sussex
Best Putting Tips from the UK’s No1 Golf Coach where it counts – Results!