The Bull at Pinehurst Farms     Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin      920-467-1500  1-800-5-THEBULL

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By Gregory A. Place, Director of Instruction  With the excitement of the holiday season behind us and a new year upon us, it is time to get prepared for the 2009 golf season. The first thing you need to do is reflect on your performance from last season. You should be asking yourself if you are content with your current level of play. If you are, you should figure out what you are going to do to retain that same level of play this season. If you’re not content with your game, you should ask yourself what you need to do to make things better this season. Because most people want to improve their game, this article outlines a few things you can do to take your game and yourself to a new level. Let us first understand why you are not playing to the best of your ability.

Indoor Swing Analysis and Instruction

Assess Your Game
To better understand which part of your game needs the most attention, do an honest assessment of your current game. Assess your game with the “quadrant theory.” The quadrant theory is individually assessing the mental game, the long game, the short game, and course management.  Which area needs the most attention?

Assess Your Equipment
An assessment of your equipment will determine if there is a problem in that area. Be careful, most people are quick to run out and purchase a new driver thinking that will cure all problems. Before purchasing new equipment, make sure you have the correct shaft in your driver. Also, get the lie angle on your irons and wedges checked and make sure your putter fits properly.

Become Fit For Golf
Even before Tiger woods exploded onto the golf scene and attributed part of his success to daily workouts, physical fitness had become one of the fastest growing areas of interest for golfers. Although working out is great for the pros, it may do even more for amateur golfers.

By constructing and following a workout plan you can expect to:

·         Hit the ball farther
·         Improve your flexibility and range of motion
·         Gain control over your swing
·         Increase your stamina
·         Lose weight
·         Minimize your risk of injury
·         Gain self confidence
·         Improve your overall fitness

What the Average Player Does
Generally, the first thought leading into a new season is to run out and see what driver is the newest and hottest on the market. It amazes me how much money most will pay each year to run out and buy a new driver because they can pick up five extra yards. In most cases, it simply means they hit it five yards further out-of-bounds or five yards further into the lake.

What the Average Player Should Do!
Stats on the PGA tour tell the truth; in 2008 the winner each week averaged 30^th in driving accuracy and 9^th in putting and overall short game statistics. The point is that PGA Tour players have their drivers properly fit and the winners fail to rank that well in accuracy. PGA Tour winners always rank in the top ten in short game statistics which is where they focus their attention.

The following is a good start to what average players should do:

1.   Write down your goals and timelines so that you can track your progress. If you set your goals in advance it will motivate you to accomplish them.

2.   Choose a qualified instructor. Different teachers have different theories about the golf swing. Do your homework and choose someone with a proven track record. Ask the question -- have their students succeeded in winning tournaments, club championships, and junior tour events?

3.   Set up a practice station at home with a full length mirror. Position the mirror close enough to allow you to watch yourself swing. Lay down some tape on the floor to indicate your alignment and ball position. Many think you have to hit balls to get better, which is simply not true.

Improving at golf requires more than running out and purchasing new clubs. It takes hard work, determination, and a plan. The process of becoming better at golf is hard work; when organized, the end result is very rewarding.

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At the end of January I will discuss how to do an honest assessment of your game. If you have any questions or comments please call 920-467-1500. 

Gregory A Place
Director of Instruction
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
920-467-1500

GOLF TIP #2: Game Assessment

By Gregory A. Place, Director of Instruction 

To better understand which part of your game needs the most attention, I would like to teach you to do an honest game assessment using a tool called “the quadrant theory.” The quadrant theory is individually assessing the mental game, the long game, the short game, and course management.

Mental Game

A great way to begin the improvement process is to understand that 80 to 90 percent of golf is mental.Mind set starts with the attitude that you bring to the golf course. If you’re coming from a rough day at work, chances are you’ll be somewhat stressed. Try to let go of the tension that you may feel so that you can focus on playing golf. Prior to a round of golf, isolate yourself for a few minutes and do some simple breathing exercises.

While on the golf course, think of the process and not the result. Top players are able to process each shot mentally and visually before starting their swing. If you think of the result, you will put unwanted pressure on yourself and become tense. Also, mentally prepare each shot by visualizing only shots that you have practiced. I will talk more about this in the course management section further down the page. Another key mental factor in success on the golf course is to stay in the moment. Great players are able to forget the last shot and not jump ahead of the task at hand. Focus on the shot at the moment and only that shot.

Long Game

The saying goes “golf is a game of misses.” When analyzed, it is absolutely true to the average golfer. It’s important to understand that it’s not how well our good shots go; rather, it’s how well our poor shots go. Can you keep the ball in play and not incur penalty shots off of the tee? Here are a few things to consider when analyzing and correcting your long game:

·         Q: Are you teeing off with the correct club?

A: Just because the hole is a long par 4 or a par 5 doesn’t mean that you have to launch a driver off the tee.  I will touch on this in the course management portion further down the page.

·         Q: When faced with a long hole or long shot, do you instinctively grip the handle tighter and inevitably swing harder?

A: Course designer of The Bull at Pinehurst Farms and golfer of the century, Jack Nicklaus, talked about when facing a long shot, he would grip the handle with a much lighter grip pressure than a short shot. He stated that it helped him maintain his rhythm, therefore he would not over swing.  On long shots, pretend you have a wedge in your hands and swing it similarly. With this thought, you’ll be amazed at how much this will help your ball striking.

·         Q: Do you have a consistent pre-shot routine?

A: Coming up with a consistent pre-shot routine will help you get organized, visualize better, and deal with pressure. In all, it will help you get relaxed to launch the ball.

When approaching the long game, think about the target and not the ball. Golfers that think about the ball will have the mindset to “hit” at the ball. We don’t “hit” at the ball; our mindset is to launch the ball. In my opinion, the word “hit” in golf directly correlates to a violent move or motion.

Short Game

In assessing your short game, do a series of tests to find out what part needs the most work.
 

·     Putting – It is important to be a good lag putter, but good golfers are brilliant from 9 feet and in. Spend a lot of time from 3 feet, 6 feet, and 9 feet. When golfers score well and avoid three-putting, it’s because they make these putts. Conversely, a golfer’s score can add up quickly when you miss from these distances.

·     Chipping – Assess your chipping from just off the green. Most golfers think they are poor putters, but when I assess their game, they are poor at chipping and not getting the ball close enough. When chipping, use a less lofted club and get the ball rolling like a putt.

·     Pitching and Wedge Play – Assess your wedge play from various distances until you find a “weakness distance.”  Once you’ve found that weakness, practice from there and don’t hide from it. In a short time, you can turn that weakness into a strength. The wedge is a scoring club and in my teachings there is no such thing as a “full wedge.” When you launch a shot with a full swing, you most likely loose a slight sense of touch.

When I played professionally, I quickly figured out that my wedge play and putter would win tournaments, so I developed a practice habit that worked well. There was a tree 46 yards from the middle of the practice chipping green. I would spend hours and hours practicing from underneath that tree and became brilliant from 46 yards. When I played on the course, I now had a “reference point” to feed off of. I knew if I lay 60 yards from the hole, I had to swing slightly longer than my “comfort swing” of 46 yards. My suggestion is to hone in on a comfort distance and develop a wedge game around that.

·     Greenside Bunker – Accurately assess your greenside bunker play. If you struggle from greenside bunkers, we can teach you how to utilize the “bounce” on a sand wedge and master other key fundamentals of the set-up. The average golfer can save 3-4 shots per round by becoming a good sand player.

Course Management

Assess the way you approach your golf shots and never play a shot that you haven’t practiced over and over. Come to terms with some of your limitations and try not to exceed them. Here are some tips that may help your course management:

·   Always tee the ball up on the same side of the trouble. If water runs the length of the hole along the left side, tee the ball up on the left side. When you look up, your eyes will now be looking away from the water and will help with alignment and mind set.

·   Assess the risk/reward on a trouble shot. Most of the time, chipping back to the middle of the fairway is the smartest shot. Just because 5 years ago you launched a miraculous shot in a similar situation doesn’t mean you can do it again.

·   Develop a good pre-shot routine and do it for all shots. A good pre-shot routine will allow you to:

1.      Relax

2.      Organize your thoughts

3.      Visualize the shot

4.      Properly align yourself by picking out an intermediate target in front of the golf ball

·     Determine the correct club off of the tee based on trouble surrounding the tee shot. Because the hole is a long par 4 or par 5, driver is not always the correct club of choice. Launching the ball on the fairway is far more important than aggressively launching it into the rough.

·     Plot your way around the golf course with strategic decision making much like a chess player would plan their moves.

·     Avoid aiming your shot over trouble and working the ball away from it. Always align safely in case you hit the ball straight.

I sincerely hope this helps you assess your game by using the “quadrant theory.” The process of becoming a better player starts with understanding your current strengths and weaknesses. We can help you with the process and build a comprehensive program tailored specifically for you.

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If you have any questions, comments, or would like help in setting up an organized practice session at The Bull, please email me at gplace@golfthebull.com

Gregory A. Place, Director of Instruction
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
920-467-1500
gplace@golfthebull.com

GOLF TIP #3: Assessing Your Equipment

By Gregory A. Place, Director of Instruction 

An assessment of your equipment will determine if there is a problem in that area. Be careful, most people are quick to run out and purchase a new driver thinking that will cure all problems. Before purchasing new equipment, make sure you have the correct shaft in your driver. Also, get the lie angle on your irons and wedges checked and make sure your putter fits properly.

Driver

To determine if your current driver fits you, I would suggest using a launch monitor. A launch monitor precisely measures golf ball variables such as ball speed, launch angle, side angle, backspin, and side spin, as well as club head speed and impact in relation to center of clubface.

Irons

Set up an iron fitting session with a certified club fitter. It is crucial that your irons have the correct lie angle, loft, and shaft flex. Through a precise club fitting session of your current equipment, you can determine if you need your clubs bent appropriately or reshafted. 

Putter

Part of the equipment that is often overlooked is the putter. Through a fitting with a certified professional, make sure your putter fits in lie angle, loft, length, and weight. Keep in mind if you strike a putt with the putter face 3 degrees open or shut, you will miss a putt 2.5 feet or more. With that in mind, lie angle and loft become extremely important.

Set make-up

Ask your instructor what clubs you should carry in your bag. For example, the average golfer should carry hybrids instead of carrying long irons. Another key component is wedges - make sure your lofts are uniform in gaps.  My particular wedge set-up for most courses is:

·         PW = 48 degrees

·         Gap Wedge = 53 degrees

·         Sand Wedge = 58 degrees

When assessing your equipment, keep in mind that your existing equipment may already fit or may need a little adjusting. Buying brand new equipment is not always necessary to maximize your potential. You may have testing done on a launch monitor, but be careful before purchasing. Ask key questions such as:

1.       Could I purchase a new shaft to make my existing club closer to my specifications?

2.       Could I play a different golf ball that would maximize my launch angle and create effective spin?

3.        Are my swing flaws affecting the readings on the launch monitor?

4.       Is the professional performing the launch monitor testing an instructor, or are they a golf club salesman?

With the start of the season just a short time away, assess your equipment properly. Make sure you do an honest assessment, utilize experts, and ask questions. Lastly, golf equipment does not guarantee great golf and lowering of handicaps. Becoming a good player requires a number of different components coming together.

If you have any questions or comments, please email me at gplace@golfthebull.com

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GOLF TIP #4: Golf Fitness

Recently I attended a seminar at the Aurora Bay Care Medical Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. As I walked in and viewed the center, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the testing and fitness center. Since the seminar, I’ve had a chance to speak to one of the Physical Therapists, Lori Ann Mirwald, P.T., C.C.C.E., as well as review my notes.  I would like to share with you a few of the key points I have taken away from being with golf fitness experts and physical therapists in order to properly train for golf.

 Like most, I’ve always thought that cardiovascular training combined with weight training was the best way to become fit for golf. After speaking with the trainers and therapists, I’ve concluded that while a certain amount of aerobic conditioning is important, cardiovascular and strength training are the least important. What I’ve learned is that the most important conditioning is the consistency of the dynamics of the muscle – meaning mobility and stability training.

We are all trying to get more distance without compromising accuracy, and why not -- that is a lethal combination. The most effective way to achieve more distance and accuracy is to train so that the lower body remains stable and the upper body is mobile so you can create a repeatable rotation. As I stated, the most important factor is not necessarily strength training or cardiovascular – rather, some things we’ve neglected, which include posture, balance, mobility, and stability.

The main body area that separates tour players and the average golfer is the pelvic area. Are there other areas of the body that need mobility to maximize your potential? Yes. My suggestion is to visit a certified physical therapist that specializes in sports training. At Aurora Bay Care, they will put you through a series of tests to determine exactly what part of your body needs to be worked on or stretched properly.  They will teach you how to work that area and send you home with information to share with your golf instructor. As an instructor, we can then determine what your body is capable of and can cater a swing technique to fit that. All instructors have their own swing theories and methods, and there is not one way to swing a golf club. If your body simply cannot get into certain positions, it is counterproductive to force you into them.

I hope this helps you better understand that simply working out and running does not always mean it will help your golf game. When you find out what needs to be worked out, and how to work that area, you are getting the most out of fitness program which can turn into stabilization where needed and mobility where needed.

If you have any questions or comments regarding golf fitness, please email me at gplace@golfthebull.com

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