Posts Tagged ‘Golf Lesson Kent’

THE DUFFED SHOT

A duff is when the club strikes the ground before the ball. It’s one of golf’s most infuriating shots, as you can follow a screaming drive 280 yards with a 20-yard fluff.

THE PROBLEM

The reason for a case of the duffs lies in not getting your weight forward during the downswing. It leaves the majority of your weight on the back foot at impact. Instead of moving subtly towards the target, your head moves away from it. Often, your front heel lifts up off the ground leaving the hands to get very active and trying to scoop the ball up into the air. It creates a horrible turf-first, ball second contact.

 THE CURE

What you need here is a more positive move through the ball. You want to feel a slight lateral movement towards the target as you unwind on the downswing. With this move your right heel should be lifted up off the ground at impact, with the majority of the body weight on the front foot.

Here’s a great drill to make this happen. Hit shots with your back heel lifted up off the floor during the entire swing. If you don’t fancy simply lifting the heel off the ground, place a ball underneath it. This sets your spine angle more forward at address, with the majority of the body weight forward. It makes for a much more positive move through the ball, with your weight moving forwards. Don’t worry too much about where the ball goes – just get used to feeling of moving forward through the ball, and note how this drill promotes a ball-turf-contact.

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

 

THE SHANK

 The Shank crops up when the ball is hit right out of the hosel or neck of the golf club and ends up going sideways, almost at right angles to the intended line of flight.

THE PROBLEM

The shank can often be traced back to a faulty set up. Usually the posture is too stooped with the hands too low at the address. It all goes hand-in-hand with standing too close to the ball.

This tends to encourage the golfer to drift out towards the ball during either the backswing or the downswing. That moves the centre of the clubface out towards the outer edge of the golf ball, leaving the hosel of the golf club to strike the middle of the ball. You will normally lose your balance towards your toes, and fell unstable during the follow- through.

THE CURE

It is vital you work on your set up. Pay special attention to your posture and your distance from the ball. This drill will help:

1 Stand upright, with a clubshaft pressed up against your front running from your chin to your knees.

2 Keeping the shaft pressed against your front, bend forwards from the hips until you feel the weight move into your     toes.

3 Flex your knees to counterbalance yourself. You should now feel your weight under the middle of your feet.

4 Lower the club and address the ball with it. The ball should feel a lot further away from you.

DRILLS

Once you have settled into your good posture and set up position, it is very important to keep those angles throughout your swing to avoid that drift into the ball. Here are two ways to help you:

1 TOE CURLER

Putt Better – Score Better

I wrote this Article for Play Better Golf Magazine a few years ago on how improve your distance control in putting, which we all know adds up to over half the game. I was looking at Luke Donald stats on putting the other day and on average every round of golf that he plays, he has 7 one putts per round…. Not bad at all!!

Maybe that is why he is at the top of his golf right now…..

Anyway below is the article that I wrote, enjoy the read and adopt the putting routine..

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PUTTING – CONTROL YOUR SPEED

STAR MAN: LUKE DONALD

Building an irstinctive link between his eyes and hands has helped Luke become one of the lag putters.

This picture captures him sizing up the putt visually….. and feeling the length of swing needed to take the ball there. Great touch putting is as much about using and trusting your eyes as good technique.

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

The R & A Speak out

With 3 of the last 5 Major Champions using Belly putters, there is sure going to be a shake up on the worldwide tours!!!

Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott, Web Simpson are just some of the guys that are going to need to switch back to a standard style of putter and it might just take some time in getting used to this.

Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director thoughts on the longer putters can be read HERE

Greg Norman and Rory Mcllroy both are very happy with the ban, you can read there thoughts HERE

I think the move will be good for golf and I know that the players will get use to changing their styles accordingly. Hopefully the R & A will leave the golf ball alone as I have never met a golfer who wants to hit the BALL SHORTER. They should also leave the old course alone, to much history and drama has unfolded there.

Keep Your Stats

I am amazed that when I meet new clients and speak to other golfers, how many of them do not track there game. Professionals and Top Amateurs and golfers seriously improving their game, handicap and enjoyment always keep track on their game, so for instance they know how putts on average per round they have, how many fairways hit etc……

This really is a good way to think things through so you can work with your coach and benefit from the research of the stats. Yes we all want to work on our strengths, because it makes us feel good, but if you knew where your weaknesses lay and set to work on those few issues you will become a much more solid golfer.

A good performance model to have is to take a look at the two below websites and draw up a perfect performance player, one that’s leading the stats and start to try and match your stats to that. I know driving distance maybe a little tricky but all the other stats will certainly help.  EUROPEAN TOUR
PGA TOUR

There are some great game tracking websites out there and I always encourage my students to keep a healthy check on their stats.

A great drill for improving your putting stroke click below to watch the video.

This is a great drill for you to fell the correct weight shift in the golf swing click on the video below to watch it.

This is an article for Play Better Golf magazine that I wrote on pitching and distance control. One of many ways to control your distances more effectively. Employing a strict pitching routine will really help you tighten up and tidy up the short game, as we all know this is where the scoring comes into play. Many pros practise the short game for hours on end, but the typical amateur will not spend any time on this area of the game, spend at least a few hours a month on this part of your game and your scoring will improve dramatically.  Click here to view on of my short game programmes.

All About Wedges ebook <Click the link

This is a great read to fully understand about the wedges in your bag, from bounce angles, lofts, gaping and spin. Click the above link to read.

Well done to my clients with their recent performance in tournaments over the last couple of weeks –

Glyn Bateman won the Willingdon Pro Am with a gross 68 and he also has just won the Bill Watts (Sussex Pros Championship) with two solid 68′s.

Maria Tulley has just finished 2nd in the Glenmuir Woman’s PGA Professional Championship with two steady rounds of 76 and 71 which gave her a total of plus 3. The two rounds included 10 birdies.

Laird Shephard has been going strong in the Junior Opens lately with a win at Piltdown with a gross 76 and a 2nd place finish at the Nevill with a gross 74, he won the nett prize for this. His handicap has tumble down to 7 now, one to watch for the future.

Bill Shelley won the Seniors Rose Bowl at Dale Hill on Tuesday with 42 points.

Nevill Gallagher won the Tams Medal at Dale Hill with a nett 69.

John Elliott won the Mens Stableford at Dale Hill in tough conditions with a great 37 points.

Georgie Turner won both the business ladies salver and the Sue Wilson Par competition.

Chris Pugh won the Fooks Salver at Dale Hill with Brian Betts with a total of 39 points.

Well done everyone keep up the great work!!