Golf Drill: Pennies From Heaven

January 10, 2016March 4, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Pennies from Heaven!

A transition date of February 4, 2013 was set after which the Royal Canadian Mint no longer distribute the penny. Although the Canadian penny is still circulation, it is only a matter of time before they disappear completely. At that point, golfers will have to transition to nickels or dimes, but that is a crux that all golfers will have to endure!

As always, I am looking for easy and repeatable drills that will benefit everyone. Barry, @flynhog1961 from Arkansas, passed on a great putting drill that his young daughter learned at a Razorbacks Golf Camp. He indicated that this penny drill came from LPGA star Stacy Lewis and since learning the drill, “My daughter (recreational player now) still putts amazingly and swears its from Stacy’s penny drill.” I like this drill because any player, at any age, could set it up and receive immediate results. Continue reading →

Want Low Scores in Golf?

January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

We all want low scores in golf! There are very few players I know who does not want to play better every time they hit the links. Regardless of skill level, most golfers face the real challenge of using our time wisely to develop positive habits that will consistently improve our golf game and produce low scores.

What do you practice the most, thinking it will produce lower golf scores? When you first arrive at the course do you grab a bucket of balls and off the range you go; do you grab your wedge and hit a couple of balls before sprinting to the first tee; or do you grab your putter, hit couple 15 foot putts to get the feel back, then off to the range or first tee? I routinely see these and other less productive habits at my local course, and unfortunately, I am guilty of some of them from time to time. So what to do?

Lately, I have asked the golfing masses a series of questions about various golfing issues. Most of the time, the answers are in line with my approach to golf. Yet, now and then I am reminded about how to succeed at golf. As a result of a recent question, I was reminded of a lesson I never get tired of learning:

Your best rounds of #golf occur when the following is hot:

— The Grateful Golfer (@TheGratefulGolf) January 3, 2016

As you can see over 70% of the respondents have an awesome short game when they shoot low scores. I am not surprised because I have always said that to score low, it is important to have a consistent, focused and confident short game.

As I look back at the latter half of 2015, I remember practicing my short game less and hitting the range more. Do not get me wrong, range work is important, but practicing my short game is critical to low scores. I guess I was talking the talk, but forgetting to walk the walk! So I want to thank those who took the time to answer my question and reminded me to focus in 2016 to shoot low golf scores!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

Really Look to Learn in Golf

January 6, 2016January 6, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

How many golf videos do you watch in the off-season? Do you watch the golf videos or do you ‘watch’ the golf video! I look at plenty that show great shots into the green, shots off the tee, and putts made from miles away! But to learn something, it is important to really look at the video!

Watch Jason Day’s swing in slow motion:

Now for an amateur:

What did you see? Did you notice anything that would help your game? There are so many moving parts in Day’s perfect rhythm that it is difficult to dissect anything that might be helpful for you game. The amateur’s swing is less smooth, but something helpful could still be found if you really look!

To break down any swing, I have a system. It is a 5 part process that works well for me and I use it whether I am watching Jason Day’s swing or any amateur. I believe I can learn something from every swing. Here is what I do:

First, determine what I want to improve. As an example, I want to generate more power during contact. I would look at Day’s swing (several times) to find a single point of interest. In this case it would be Day’s hips.
Then, I would only focus on that particular part of his swing. I already know that I am having trouble with my hips not sliding forward in my swing; so I would narrow my focus to Jason Day’s left hip.
Next, I try to breakdown Day’s left hip motion into different segments. Breaking down each swing into segments helps find something I can hopefully duplicate. In Jason Day’s swing, I would break down his left hip into: stance, backswing, top of the swing, down swing, contact, and follow through. I might seem like a lot to focus on, but the process gets easier from here.
I pick out two segments of my biggest challenge. In comparison to my swing, I would focus on Day’s left hip position at the top of his swing and during contact. These two positions, if I could duplicate, would greatly enhance my power off the tee!
Lastly, I practice and practice and practice. I start with movements without a club. When I feel comfortable, I start using a club to develop a feel for my new changes. After I am comfortable, it is time to hit golf balls!

This 5 step process works very well for me! I allows me to focus on small changes of my swing with big results. I can use this process while watching any player at any. It takes practice, but after a few tries, you might be surprised on how quickly you notice small aspects of anyone’s swing that will help your game.

Regardless of who you are watching, if you really look, you will learn something.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

Video of New Rules for 2016

January 5, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

In a previous article, I talked about the upcoming 2016 rule changes to golf. They were pretty clear, but I wanted to follow that article up with a video. I find that it is sometimes easier to understand the changes when explained and demonstrated by someone.