Post-Season Reminders
If you live in our region from November to March, there are few opportunities to play golf or even hit a ball outdoors. To help maintain your game and also prevent injury, an off-season fitness program will greatly benefit your golf and physical abiliity in the spring. Try a few of these approaches this off-season.
While golf is not considered an endurance sport, or even a sport at all by many, cardio-vascular exercise and fitness can be a great benefit to playing well. As a walking sport, having a strong fitness level keeps you from fading at the end of a round. Add several miles of walking or jogging, if your doctor gives you the OK, to your routine each week. If you prefer exercycling or stair mastering, that can boost your cardio vascular fitness as well. If you feel like you are overweight, losing a few pounds (again, consult your doctor for approval) can help you swing through the ball more freely.
Gentle stretching to elongate your muscles and generate flexibility is very important to both maintaining a good golf swing and avoiding injury during the season. Enrolling in a yoga or Pilates class can give you some well-directed techniques for generating flexibility.
For your back....Lay on your belly with your arms extended over your head. Raise your right arm and your left foot off the floor. Hold this position for 10 or more seconds. Then reverse with the left arm and right foot. Repeat this 10 times on each side then rest. Do 3 sets 3 times a week and you'll have a very strong back come spring time.
Rotational exercises are probably the most golf-related movements you'll get in the gym. Try picking up a medicine ball that feels slightly heavy to you. Be careful not to use too much weight at first. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart--basically in your golf stance. Now rotate your body to one side holding the ball at your chest. Rotate back the other way. That's 1. Repeat this 20 times, then rest. Again, do 3 sets of these 3 times a week and you'll feel a difference. But remember, gentle movements. You should never use quick movements with back exercises.
also.....
TAKE CARE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT!!
- Store your clubs in a room that is near regular room temperature. If you leave them in your trunk (don't laugh....it happens) or garage, the cold temperatures will weaken or crack the epoxy that keeps the club components together. Make sure you clubs, shoes and golf bag have been dried after their final use in the fall.
- Clean your clubs thouroghly, make sure all the dirt and grime is out of the club face grooves.
- Keep your equipment in one place. If you have a travel cover, make sure your clubs, shoes, and accessories are together, so you will have no surprizes in the spring.
- If you play more tha 25 rounds a year, have your local professional Re-Grip your clubs to ensure maximum performance in the spring.
- If you notice some wear and tear on you club faces, grips or shafts, it may be time to invest in some replacement clubs. The off-season is a great time to do some research on the latest equipment coming out for 2010. Consult withyour local CPGA professional before making any purchases.
Tips for Golf in October
We are nearing the golf season’s end, however there are still many good golf days left. Here are some quick tips to help you enjoy your final rounds (in N.S.) of 2009.
-Dress appropriately, be comfortable and warm. Never put on a damp pair of shoes to start your day. Wear clothing that is neither too loose nor too restrictive to the golf swing. Toques are cool these days.
-Walk the course (if possible). This keeps your body warm and loose.
-Take an extra club. If it was an 8-iron in August, it is a 7-iron in October. The air is cool, damp and the golf ball will not compress as much as it would in 30 degree weather. Stronger club, smoother swing.
-Choke Up in Damp conditions. When the turf is damp and spongy, your feet sink below the ball level, therefore causing frequent chunky shots and large divots. Choke up an inch on the handle and you should establish solid contact more often. This goes for chip shots as well. (You may have to add a club when you choke up.)
-Be more aggressive around the greens. With green speeds slowing down, our tendency is to come up short more often. Before your game, spend some time on the practice green and get a good feel for the speed. Chip with stronger clubs (7, 8, 9 iron), these clubs will roll the ball stronger with less effort. Fly your approach shots to the hole. Anything short of the green will not jump ahead.
-REPLACE ALL DIVOTS AND REPAIR ALL BALL MARKS! It is common for some avid golfers to “forget” these common courtesies late in the season. If left unfixed, Divots and Ball marks have very little time to heal before next season.
-Play Lift. Clean & Place. Don’t get caught up in the rules too much. Enjoy yourself!
In the Sand?.....Try this....
With an open stance, keep weight evenly distributed and play ball
one inch forward of center, with club face slightly open. Make
smooth three-quarter swing, letting chest turn away from target on
backswing. Always accellerate the club through impact to a 3/4 finish.
For plugged lies, keep more weight on left foot to let the club dig into
the sand. Play the ball in the middle with a square club face and
shaft leaning toward target. You don't have to swing hard.
To avoid leaving the ball in the sand, keep weight on front
foot and rotate chest throughout swing.
Angle shaft away from hole.
To avoid blading ball in sand, don't let left arm break down
in downswing.
Try to take a shallow cut of sand -- about 10 inches long.
Dig in with toes of shoes more than heels to set bottom
of swing below surface of sand.
Hit with the same force you would use if you were throwing
a handful of sand to the hole.
For uphill sand shots, play the ball forward, keep more
weight on the right foot, don't open the club face and
swing along slope.
For downhill sand shots, keep your head steady with more weight
on left foot. Play the ball back, open the club face, make a steep
backswing, full wristhinge and swing along the slope.
For long bunker shots, make a relaxed pivot and full follow-through.
Take a longer club, say a nine-iron, to get the right distance.
When hitting from hard sand, use a pitching wedge and play a
normal pitch shot.
For fairway bunkers:
-- take one or two clubs more than normal
-- dig in with your feet and keep your weight on the inside of both feet
-- choke down one inch with a light grip
-- play ball in the middle with weight evenly distributed
-- keep lower body quiet
-- use a three-quarter swing
-- make a full, relaxed pivot and try to clip the ball off the sand
-- swing at 70% of normal speed
-- on longer shots, you'll have better luck with a lofted wood/hybrid than an iron
Around the Green-101
By Lee Fanning
Here are some basic fundamentals to ensure solid and consistent contact around the green.
Putting
- First…..Always set the putter head on the ground behind the ball, aimed in the direction in which you intend to hit the ball.
- Address ball with feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing straight ahead.
- Bend from the waist allowing your eyes to hang over the ball position. This will do 2 things….your will relax your hands also give you a better perspective of the line in which the ball will travel to the hole.
- Grip the club with your thumbs pointing down at the club-head…keeping a relaxed tension.
- When making the stroke, use your shoulders to rock your hands and club-head back and through.
- Maintain a brief, but smooth backstroke, and follow through twice the distance of your backstroke, keeping your wrists from breaking. (1/3 back, 2/3 through)
Chipping
- Choke up on your club of choice (8, 9, PW) Avoid using lofted Sand Wedges for chip shots.
- Place the ball position to the back portion of your stance, leaning the club toward the hole.
- Open your stance slightly to the hole
- Place 75% of your weight on your left foot….this ensures a downward striking motion.
- Use a putting stroke (1/3 back, 2/3 through) with your shoulders to strike the ball….using no wrist action at all.
- Practice with various clubs around the green for various situations
- Remember….we always want the ball rolling as soon as possible. There is no need to put a ball in the air unless it has to.
To drain a putt, and sometimes a chip….you need to have 2 factors right.
- Hit the ball on the intended line.
- Hit the ball at the right speed.
Aiming properly at address can eliminate factor #1 before you even stroke the ball. Hitting the ball at the right speed requires practice and repetition. You will develop a feel for the right speed and you will save Par….or Bogey more often.
Cheers!
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