Tips

 

The driver is perhaps the most difficult club in the bag to hit. It requires very good swing mechanics and concentration to be able to consistently make solid contact with this club in order to hit the ball far and straight. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you master driving a golf ball.

 

Tip 1: Focus on accuracy first

Instead of trying to put all your muscle power and energy into every drive, focus first on hitting your drives straight. Remember that an accurate drive will almost always go farther than a crooked drive.

In order to hit the golf ball accurately you will need to develop good swing mechanics. A good swing tip to keep in mind is that your back swing should be slow and deliberate. Most amateurs seem to put more energy in their back swing than their downswing. Slow down your back swing and you should notice an immediate improvement in ball striking.

 

Tip 2: Create an effortless swing - stop trying so hard

How is it that on the PGA tour you see so many thin players hitting the ball extremely far? It is not because they are extremely powerful but rather they learned to let the club do the majority of the work when it comes to hitting the golf ball.

Remember that a golf club is designed to hit the ball far and straight, all you need to do is support the club through your swing and let it do the work. You should not feel exhausted after each golf swing because if you are then you are trying too hard.

 

Tip 3: Feel the club head as you swing

Most amateur players tend to grip the club very tightly and this will diminish your ability to feel the club head. Grip the club a little looser as this will also allow you to generate the most club head speed since you will also create the most lag. Lag is a term used to refer to angle between the club and your left arm. The smaller this angle is as you are about to hit the ball the more lag you create and the more energy is released at impact.

 

Tips 4: Tee the ball the correct height

Many players either tee the golf ball too high or low and end up hitting their drives at the wrong launch angle which results in a loss of distance. The ideal tee height will have half the golf ball above the top edge of your driver. This ensures that your drives will get launched at an optimal angle and with the right kind of spin.

 

Tip 5: Use the right kind of driver

The correct driver choice for your swing type can make a significant difference to your drives. If your club head speed is over 100 mph then make sure that the shaft of your driver has a stiff flex and also you need a lower lofted club, usually around 8 degrees or so. If your club head speed is under that then go for a driver with a regular flex and a higher loft, usually around 10 to 12 degrees.

 

Tip 6: Maintain good balance

Balance is very important in the golf swing and you need to make sure that every swing you take ends in a comfortable balanced position. Trying to muscle the driver or any other club will usually result in you losing your balance so back off a little.

 

The interesting thing is that the less muscular effort you put in the farther and straighter the ball will usually go. Make sure you finish each swing with a balanced pose towards the target usually with the club also pointing towards the target as you recoil from your downswing.

There are many things to remember and learn in order to consistently hit the driver far and straight. Learn one thing at a time, be consistent with your practice routines and in time you are sure to hit those drives more accurately and farther down the fairway.

 

 

Putting Tips

 

Get Rid Of Fear:

The only permanent solution to putting yips is get down to the core of what is causing it in the first place. The yips is nothing more than just fear of missing a putt. Most people with the yips care way too much and think way too much before they are about to hit the putt.

How you think as you are about to stroke the putt is critical because you need to develop the ability to not think of mechanics as you are about to hit the putt. Only focus on your target which should be very precise when you are stroking a putt.

 

Build Confidence:

Putting is all about confidence and you must have confidence over every putt that you will make it. In addition you have to develop the ability to think selectively. Do not allow yourself to remember your missed putts, rather focus on the putts you have made both long and short and relive those great putts constantly.

The solution to putting yips lies within you and will not be cured by some miracle putter or putting aid. The only reason getting a new putter might help you temporarily is because you believe that you can now make putts with this ‘advanced’ putter.

You trust your stroke more and so naturally you make more putts but inevitably you will miss a few as even the greatest players do and you will go back to not trusting your stroke. The greatest putters simply shake off the misses and get right back to trusting that the next putt will go in the hole. 
 

Do Not Dwell On Your Misses:

They know that there are a million factors that could have caused that putt to miss so they do not dwell on their misses. They only focus on their successes. This is not difficult and does not require special mental skills. It is simply a decision on your part to think this way. Every night before you go to bed relive your top 3 greatest putts ever made and remind yourself that you are a great putter.

You Are Already A Great Putter:

The truth is that we are all born great putters, it is just that sometimes we forget that fact and start putting ourselves down whether it be consciously or subconsciously. Get back to the truth of how good you really are as a putter. You were born with great touch and feel, you just need to trust it.