golf swing

Generating more power in your golf swing usually equates to greater distance. And who wouldn’t want more distance off the tee and fairway. Would increasing your distance off the tee by 10-20 yards make that much difference in your game. Most golfers would yell a resounding YES! Unfortunately, most amateurs do not have the skill to just change their swing and generate that extra power needed to move to the next level.

After a quick search, answering the question – how to generate more power in your golf swing – may not be as easy as it seems. There are many reasons for not generating power in your golf swing and Professional golfer Micheal Campbell outlines six possible reasons:

Reverse Pivot
Sway or Sliding
Early Turn
Over Turn
Collapsing at the Top
Rolling Arms

If you are novice player, you are saying okay….but…..how do I tell if any of these reasons apply to me? These six points are very important and he provides solutions that make sense. I am sure there are other reasons, but to list everything that can possibly go wrong is not really helpful for the weekend looper.

So, where do we start? What exactly are we doing wrong? How do we know if it is helping? Where do I find the answers? These are all great questions.

The first step is to set a goal. Through the winter, I traditionally set three. The first for this year is to focus on generating more power to consistently gain 20 yards off the tee.

Second step is to do the research. Reading golf blogs like Hitting It Solid by Troy Vayanos or All About Golf by Brian Penn, provides an endless supply advice on a wide variety of topics. Personally, I find this very helpful. I enjoy reading and trying new tips, skills and ideas to improve my swing.

Last step is to use your newly learned skills on the range. In my case that will be next March! Unfortunately, an eight-month golfing season is the price you pay for living in an awesome country like Canada. Regardless, using the skills is a vital step to improving your game.

One last point, if you do not know where to turn, try taking lessons from a pro. It definitely provides a positive environment with a knowledgeable instructor that will improve your game. Going to PGA members like Rick Williams at mindbodygolf.com may be the best investment you make in a while!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links….in four months!

Recently, I purchased a TOM TOM 55M. I thought about buying a GPS for some time, but just never made the buy because the need was not great enough. Preparing for a vacation, I realized that the route we wanted take was through unfamiliar territory and a bit off the beaten path. So it made sense to make the purchase and let TOMTOM be our guide. Needless to say, it was worth every penny and after we figured out how to use most of the features it made our trip quite enjoyable.

So how does this apply to golf you may ask? Well, great question. Once we enter the unfamiliar roads on our trip, I started to second guess the TOMTOM. I thought I could cut of miles by taking a different road or have a more scenic route around the next bend. I started to second guess the device until finally my darling wife said, “If you are not going to follow the directions, we are taking it back”. In other words, trust that the TOMTOM is going to direct us on the path we chose and enjoy the drive.

Her statement, although not really earth shattering, was significant because it made me think about how this applies to the golf swing. How many times have golfers stood over their ball and started to make adjustments, change their grip, address, stance, finish or mental attitude because all of a sudden they did not trust their swing. Golfers suddenly decide that, in that moment, it was important not to trust the swing they have honed, shaped and worked on over years of tedious practice. Golfers believe that not trusting something that has proven reliable was a smart.

How many times have golfers found themselves in this situation? The fact of the matter is that trusting your swing is extremely important break 100, 90, 80 or 70. Trusting your swing instills confidence to mentally play well. Trusting your swing empowers golfers to apply proper course management because they are not thinking about mechanics. Trusting your swing just makes sense!

There are times when all golfers need to work on their swing, but that should be saved for the range. Once you leave the range and head to course, it is time to trust your swing. Golf is a sport that is both complex and easy at the same time. The path you choose really depends on trust!

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