Driving the Golf Ball Under Pressure

December 8, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

“Let the big dog eat!” or “Grip it and Rip it!” How many times have we said that. It usually happens when trying to express the importance of our next tee shot. The driver is the most difficult club to hit in any golfer’s bag. Sometimes it has a mind of its own; other times it is just possessed! Through the years, my fickle driver and I have fought to decide who was the boss on the golf course and I am not afraid to say that I have not always won that battle. The most challenging time for players with an inconsistent driver is when they need to hit the fairway. The pressure grows and grows to a point where negative thoughts control their mind.

When hitting the ball well with my driver, there are some things that I do with boring repetition. It is not rocket science, but I know if I do these fundamental things, pressure is never a factor in my golf swing. Here is what I must do to make sure I hit my driver consistently and accurately under pressure:

Proper pre-shot routine. Sometimes I rush my pre-shot routine because I have played my home course over and over. I know exactly which club I need at which tee. When I choose my driver, I sometimes walk to the tee box, tee up my ball and hit. I do not take time to align anything! As a result, I sometimes pull the ball into the rough or push the ball into the woods. Actually, by not following my pre-shot routine, anything can happen!
Keep my head down. After I make contact with the ball, I count to one, before I raise my head. This slight delay allows my right shoulder to force my chin up and helps keep my swing sequence correct. Keeping my head down helps me extend my arms along my intended swing path. Lastly, it prevents me from over rotating my hips, thus I generate more power and control.
Keeping a positive mindset. Staying confident and focused so that I can hit my driver well (or any club for that matter) is key to playing under pressure. Keeping a positive mindset helps me stay focused on the things I must do to execute a good swing. Additionally, being positive helps guide my mind to using proper course management. If I am positive, I rarely feel any pressure on the golf course.

Here is what Phil Mickelson has to say about driving the ball under pressure:

Hitting the driver while under pressure can be challenging. Try some of my tips and you may be surprised at how little you notice that dreaded pressure. If you have any favorite techniques, please share. We are always looking for new ideas on how to lower our score!

I am grateful golfer! See you on the links.

An Awesome Sand Save in Golf

November 5, 2014November 5, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

The approach shot to a green at the Hampton Court Palace Golf Course.

Sand traps are not to be feared! They are designed to challenge the average golfer, increase the difficulty of approach shots, or force players to hit a different club off the tee! Sand traps do, however, cause many problems for the amateur player who does not understand the proper technique to play out of the sand. Most inexperienced players try to pick instead of blasting the ball out of the trap. Their cautious approach often results in a failed attempt to hit the ball out of the sand trap. Sometimes rooted in fear, their repeated failure to make that all important successful shot haunts them every time they enter the beach!

Through the years, I have tried many techniques to successfully extricate myself from sand traps. I have tried putting the ball, to half-swinging my club, to swinging as hard as I can with little success of landing the ball near to the pin. Through all my trials and tribulations, I have found three key ‘need to know’ points that result in excellent sand shots. So, I thought I would share with them you and see what you think.

Bend your knees. It is important to keep your knees bent throughout the entire shot. By keeping your knees bent, it allows the club face to slide under the ball and pop it out of the sand. Additionally, keeping your knees bent will allow you to maintain your balance throughout the entire shot, thus promoting a consistent and repeatable golf swing.

Follow Through. Many amateurs have the tendency to stop their follow through during a sand shot. This restrictive movement reduces the power generated by your golf swing. And in turn, results in the ball staying in the hazard or barely making it over the lip of the sand trap. Following through will help you consistently generate the power required to aggressively hit the ball out of the sand trap.

Hit Behind the Ball. Hitting behind the ball in a sand trap is a must! I recommend hitting about 2 inches behind the ball for most consistent results. The distance the ball travels after contact is determined by the depth of the club in the sand. It is important to hit behind the ball in the bunker because it promotes a full swing and consistent results.

From both videos, taken at the Hampton Court Palace Golf Course just outside London, UK, the three important aspects of playing a bunker shot mentioned above are obvious. My friend and I had two different types of bunker shots, but our technique was exactly the same. Anyone can play consistent bunker shots. All it takes is bending your knees, following through, hitting behind the ball and of course, a little practice.

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

Creating a Winning Mindset in Golf

October 19, 2014April 16, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Have you ever wondered why certain players are always in the winner’s circle? When the pressure increases during the finishing holes of a match, these players remain calm and execute winning strokes without hesitation. Many experts point towards great form, a balanced approach to golf or confidence from hitting a winning shot a thousand times. But is that really all that is needed to play winning golf?

I agree with most of what the pundits suggest, but I also believe there is more to winning in golf than a great swing. Of course, that is the basis of any world class golfers, but there is more to winning than strong fundamentals.

A winning mindset is as important as perfect mechanics. It is critical to have a mindset where all self doubt is non-existent when making that crucial shot. Your mind should be focused on a positive result and not the possibility of failure! Continue reading →

Golfing at a New Course

October 14, 2014October 14, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Golfing at a new golf course can be daunting. The unknown is always challenging and can have detrimental effects on the mental aspects of golf. Most amateurs will fill their minds with self-doubt once the excitement of a new adventure on the links runs it course. Personally, I love playing new golf courses because of the challenge it provides my overall golf game.

In a couple of weeks, I will be playing golf in the United Kingdom with my best friend. We plan on playing at his home course at the Northwood Golf Course in Middlesex, UK. I am excited to play there and I am mentally preparing myself for an awesome time on the links!

To prepare to play at a new golf course, I use visualization, positive thinking, and research to help shoot the best score I can. Since my golf season is over in Canada, I will need to focus more on the mental side of my game to ensure the rust of inactivity does last very long.

There are a few aspects I like to focus on before playing a new course. These things help me score low and enjoy my time on the course.

First, I play a bit more conservatively than normal. I focus more on course management, try to leave my approach shots at around 100 yards, and do not challenge hazards. By playing more focused golf, I tend to score better.

I spend a bit more time on the putting green. Most of the time, the most strokes are lost on the greens. By learning the roll of the green, the length of the grass, and some subtile aspects of the breaks of the greens, my scores stay relatively consistent.

Lastly, I focus on hitting off the tee. Using my driver is not always the smartest play when faced with unknown shots. However, I try keeping the ball in play more than normal and sometimes that means using a different club than driver off the tee. It is important to park my ego at the clubhouse.

Playing a new course can be both challenging and fun. Personally, I like both aspects when playing a course for the first time. I will have that chance soon and I will let you know how it went! Do you like playing new courses?

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

Weight Distribution in Your Golf Swing

October 10, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Weight distribution is very important to a consistent golf swing. Through the years, I have experimented with all different aspects of weight distribution. Recently, I widened my stance because of a tip from a PGA Tour Canada golfing professional. This small adjustment increased my power and conversely increased my distance off the tee. Additionally, by widening my stance, the issue of weight distribution re-emerged.

Balance during a golf swing is very important. With proper balance, a player can consistently reproduce the same swing. And consistency is a core fundamental skill required to shoot low scores. After several hours at the driving range, I have determined that the proper weight distribution for my swing occurs when:

my knees are over my toes
my shoulders are over my knees
the inside of my feet are even with my shoulders
my arms hang straight down and are about 2 inches forward of my body
before my swing, my weight feels centered at the front part of my arches or ankles
Finally, during my swing, my weight is transferred from the instep of my back foot to the instep of my front foot

This may all sound familiar and it is. By standing as outlined above, I feel like my body is in a natural stance. When in this position, I hit consistently and hit the ball further off the tee. Also, if I am not in this position, I notice it immediately when I swing the club. Sometimes I fall forward, backward and even sideways if my weight distribution is off.

This is a great drill to help determine the proper feel of your weight distribution during your golf swing.

A good video explaining weight distribution created by a good set up. Their explanation is simple to understand and easy to duplicate.

Finally, Jim McLean talks about keeping your weight distributed on the inside of your arches during your golf swing.

Weight distribution is very important to a consistent golf swing. By controlling your weight distribution, you will lower your score and improve your over all consistency off the tee.

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