Good golf is not about learning to take your range game to the
course... it's about taking your course game to the range.
golf tips
Using your local club professional to point you in the right direction is vital if you want to get the consistency all golfers strive to achieve. Tinkering with your own swing to correct a slice or hook, is simply a temporary band aid for that particular practice session. It is inevitable that you will not remember which changes you have made the next time you pick up a club and before long the slice or hook will be back. Practicing your faults just engrains the problem and makes fixing that problem harder and longer. Your teaching professional will show you how to practice a routine which allows you to adopt the same grip, alignment, stance and posture on every stroke. Practising the right thing every time leads to consistency. Consistency leads to better golf.
gripping the club The grip is of utmost importance as the hands are the only part of the players body that comes into contact with the club. Start with the left hand pointing to the ground and place the top of the handle into the callous pad... More Information
Good posture is vital as it gives us good balance throughout the swing and sets up the plane on which the club will be swung. When standing upright widen your feet to shoulder width apart with the toes pointing slightly outwards with even weight distribution. Place a club across your waist so your thumbs... More Information
As the driver is the longest club in your bag, your swing arc is wider and therefore you generate much more club head speed. Due to this swing being quicker and more powerful, you need a firmer foundation so the stance is wider, with the feet being more than shoulder width apart. The ball position is placed opposite the inside of the left heel to help the club hit the ball on the upswing. You must get your weight behind the ball at address and keep it there, so tilt your spine away from the target... More Information
For short to mid irons (sw to 7 iron) the ball position should be in the centre of your stance. The ball should be put progressively further forward in your stance as longer irons are used, finally being opposite the left heel with the driver. Ball position gives the player a consistent angle of attack and creates the desired ball flight trajectory. During the swing the clubhead naturally reaches its lowest point just left of the centre of the feet, and therefore with the longer irons (and more so with the driver)... More Information
chipping Chipping demands almost a page of its own. It is a fact that the amateur golfer plays 75% of his or her game from 80 yards, or less, into the pin. The set up on the left is for the "chip and run" shot. This shot can be used as far out as 80 yards but is most used from short distances from the edge of the greens where there are no hazards in front of you as the principle of this shot is to lift the ball to the nearest available flat piece of green and let it roll out to the hole. This shot eliminates the unpredictable roll the ball would get through... More Information
pitching Within 80 yards of the green is your “scoring zone” and you should be focused on getting down in no more than two shots. Firstly, when aiming make sure your stance is slightly open. This helps you swing on a slight out-to-in path which creates a higher ball trajectory and greater control. Your shoulders remain parallel to your ball to target line still. In your stance turn your right toe in a fraction, this prevents too much leg action occurring in the shot and therefore giving a solid base to give consistently... More Information
sand play FAIRWAY BUNKERS : The first thing that must come into your mind when in a fairway trap is that it is classed as a hazard and even if you are a long way away from the green, you must take into account the lip height of the bunker and take sufficient loft of club to safely get out first time. Once you have chosen the club, grip down the handle and hold it more tightly. This shortening of the club raises the bottom of the swing encouraging a clean strike. The slightly firmer hold tightens and shortens the forearm... More Information
bad lie When in trouble and the ball is sitting down in the rough make sure that you take your medicine and get back onto the fairway even if it means playing a wedge out sideways. When playing this shot grip down the shaft slightly and set up with the ball towards the back of your stance with your weight favouring your left side. This helps you swing on a steeper angle to attack the ball. Keep the hands firm so the clubface... More Information
shaping the ball Its a rare game when you do not get into trouble at least once... Getting out again is worth spending some time practicing! When shaping shots by playing a draw or a hitting a fade there are 3 fundamentals to remember to do, aim your clubface where you want the ball to finish, aim your feet, hips and shoulders where you want the ball to start, always swing the club on the line of your feet. To hit an intentional hook or draw you must aim your clubface where you would like... More Information
putting The putter is the most used club in the bag and therefore you should practice as much as possible on the green as you do on the range, if not more. Putting is an individual thing. There have been and are some great putters who have used or still use unconventional styles. The following pictures however show probably the most popular and conventional style to achieve a consistent putting stroke. With this grip your... More Information