First Step To Better Golf - The Setup

When I first started learning how to improve my golf swing I was essentially trying to copy Ben Hogan. Guess what? I'm not Ben Hogan. He's was a great golfer and he has a great book but my body just doesn't work the way a pro's body works.

So like a lot of golfers I went in search of the perfect book, tape, training tool, video, oh, and an actual golf lesson. By the time you combine all of these tips and lessons, you have a swing and a routine that is so complicated that there is no way you can consistently replicate it.

Oh maybe on the tee box you can come close. But once you are in the fairway and you see that down hill side lie, or divot, or tall patch of grass behind the ball, all your complicated swing goes out the window as you try to adjust for the conditions. I've been there, and if you're reading this I'm betting you have too.

So what to do? How can I get a swing that works and that I can execute over and over again regardless of the lie?

I finally found a resource that that worked for me and still does. Basically it makes the assumption that I'll never have a swing like Tiger and I'll never have the athletic ability to master a complex swing. And guess what? That's right on the money for me!

So the secret to improving my golf swing is simplicity. A simple, repeatable movement that gets the results I want. And you know where it starts? It starts in the setup.

If you are one of those guys that can crush the ball 260 yards but it ends up on the next fairway to the right, or if you are consistently hitting fat, or topping the ball, then much of your problem is probably just in how you setup the shot.

Some of this is going to sound counterintuitive but give it a fair shot.

• The ball should be in the middle of your stance. I know that you think it should be forward or back, bear with me and try it this way.
• Your feet should be shoulder width apart. It can be slightly wider for long clubs or closer for short irons but not more than the width of your foot.

Your front foot should point straight out NOT pointing left. If you point your toe left you will inhibit a full shoulder swing and block the shot out.




Now comes the odd part. Hold the club with a neutral grip and extend it out at shoulder height as far as you can with the club parallel to the ground. Straighten your back by pulling your shoulders back and pumping your chest out. This is going to feel weird and it looks a little funky too but it's essential.
* The idea is to get a perfectly straight spine. The spine becomes the axis of the swing. A straight spine equals a smooth repeatable swing. A bent spine means an unpredictable swing.
* Keeping your elbows locked, lower your arms so your grip is at your belly button and the club is still extended parallel to the ground.
* Now BEND FROM THE HIPS (not from the back) until the club touches the ground. You may have to move up or back to get the club head behind the ball. With practice you'll know where to stand in the setup so you don't have to make this adjustment.
* You're going to feel like your butt is sticking out and it will be and that's good because that means your spine is straight.

You are now in a position that will allow a natural smooth swing. It's a routine that is easily learned and easily repeated. Try it. Go to the range and get a small bucket and give it a shot. I'm betting you'll be absolutely amazed as I was!

Beginner Golf Guide

So you’ve decided to take up golf. Great! If you stick with it you’ll have a game that you can play and enjoy well into your eighties. But before you hit the golf course there are a number of things you should learn about the game and that’s the purpose of this short beginner golf guide.

First of all know the rules and etiquette of the game. It’s not just about slamming away with golf clubs. You will probably be playing on a public course and you have to keep in mind how the way you play affects the golfers behind you and on adjacent fairways.

Imagine yourself a couple of years from now when your group gets stuck behind beginner golfers who have no idea how to play. How happy are you going to be then? As a beginner golfer, just keep up with the group in front of you and play by the rules and you’ll have a better experience.

Get some instruction on the fundamentals of the golf swing. Take a lesson, buy a book, do whatever it takes but you need to have a working knowledge of what the proper swing technique is. Without this knowledge you may just as well leave the clubs at home and play with a hockey stick as the results will be the same.

Learn the game from green to tee. Start by learning how to putt and read greens. Your putter is the club you will use the most in every round so this is the club, not your driver that you need to master first.

Work your way out from the green and master, or at least feel confident, with your pitching wedge. Odds are as a beginning golfer you won’t be hitting the greens in regulation so you want to develop a controlled golf shot from 100 yards and in.

Here’s the real secret to your success. If you can get this down you’ll be breaking 100 in no time. Develop a 150 yard shot that you can play with confidence. Now this might be an 8 iron or a fairway wood, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that when you stand over it you absolutely know the ball will go 150 yards and land where you want it to land.

Think about it for a second. How many 150 yard shots are there in a 400 yard par four? Yep, you could tee off with that club if you wanted and I will almost guarantee you will be on the green in three. If you’ve worked on your putting you will be down in two and that’s bogey golf, and that my friend is an 80 on most courses.

Are you getting excited? Can’t wait for Saturday? Just follow this guide and bring a bag of quarters. When your foursome gets together you be the one to suggest a friendly game of skins!