Getting Ready for Tournament - Chipping Practice

Well, my finger is getting better and the tournament is getting closer.  I have just over a month to get in form for the next qualifier.

Since I broke my finger just over a month ago at a qualifier for the Champions Tour in Georgia, I haven't been able practice until about a week ago.  I was informed that I can start putting as long as it doesn't hurt or cause discomfort. 

The putting went well, so I have now started practicing chipping.  I am working on my short game around the green improving my timing and control.

So what I have been working on is  20 yard chip drill with my 60 degree wedge.

• Start with stretching exercise
• Place 4 tees three feet around hole
• Using Hinge Hold technique

• open stance
• open club face
• back swing hinge wrist
• forward swing keep hands ahead of club head
• focus on spot you want to land ball on green
• watch how far ball rolls
• adjust landing spot with roll distance to get within markers around hole

• Goal

• 20 chips in a row inside marker area

This is a drill you can do all the time.  This drill help you develop a short lofted shot that will allow your ball to land near the hole with little or no role.

On my next blog I will share with you another chipping drill I am currently practicing.

Until then, keep your head still and your finish smooth........

Rainy Day Sunday Cont'd - 5. Working on Swing Balance

The fifth and last item I want to work on when you are stuck indoors is Swing Balance.

Along with everything we have been talking about on the previous 4 blogs they all will help you with Swing Balance.  Without swing balance your golf game can only stay mediocre. 

As talked about in Rainy Day Sunday #3 the swing balance is important which can be worked on everyday whether you are working on the range, course or at home.

You can practice your stance and weight distribution by:

• Establishing a good address with weight distributed evenly on the inside ball of each foot
• slightly bent knees
• Your backside pushed out (feeling like you are resting it on the edge of a stool)
• Angle of your back positioned at about 70 degree

After you feel comfortable with working on your stance above, you can work on the following:

• slowly taking your club back to about 10:30 position
• hold then start your club going down
• working your weight shift feel the change in your feel in your feet
• follow through holding your finish and once again feel your weight shift
• continue this until you find yourself having total balance from start of the swing to finish of the swing with complete weight shift moving fluidly.

I want to thank you for taking the time reading the Rainy Day Sunday's Things To Do Indoors.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

If you want to have me provide any information on any other subject I would be happy to provide you the information.

I know the drills and information will assist you working on your game not only when you are indoors, but also when you are at the range or on the course.

My next blog will cover Understanding What You Need To Practice.

Until then, work on your game with a purpose and your game will have purpose.......

Understanding What You Need to Practice

I was talking to a fellow golfer the other day and he asked the question what he should practice the most on his driver or another part of the game.  I asked him why he thought it was important to practice with his driver.  He stated, so he could have more accuracy and keep the ball in the fairway to give him a chance to get to the green better.

I asked him how many drives do you hit in a round.  He thought about it and stated 18.  I explained to him that in reality you only hit 14 drives.  He asked, what happened to the other 4 drives.  I stated that those are par threes.  Most par threes for average golfers are only 150 yards or shorter, therefore, you wouldn't hit a driver.   He stated he never thought of that.

Then I got into percentages.  I stated that the higher percentage of practice should be based the higher percentage of shots that will be taken in the course of a round of golf. 

If par is 72 and you only hit 14 drives that is only 19% of your score.  Even if you hit 18 drives that is still only 25% of your score.  Putting is the highest percentage of your score in golf.  In 18 holes of golf the par for putting is 36, which is 50% of your score.   The remainder of your score after the tee shot is 25-31% depending on the number of drives you consider as 14 or 18.  So what is your area you want to practice most, drives or putts. 

With the information in previous paragraph, you want to spend most of your time on putting, then chipping and pitching and working on 150 yards in which will be at least 75% of your scoring.  Then the remainder of the practice you want to work on is your swing technique, tempo and yardage control.  The least amount of time should be spent on your driver. 

In the mathematical scheme of things, Drives are the only constant in the game.  You see, there only 14-18 holes to which you would probably hit your driver.  So you will not hit less than 14 and no more than 14 shots with your driver (not including par threes).  That is the only constant in the game.  You cannot go up or down it stays 14.  The rest of the game is what truly determines your score.  If you had a 400 yard hole and you hit a 1 iron 200 yards that gives you 200 yards left and you hit the 1 iron again.  You will either be on the green or close to the green depending on your accuracy.  So you have to either chip close and one putt or two putt for a par.  Any additional strokes is what makes your score add above par. 

With all this being stated above it comes down to the game of golf is a mathematical percentage that determines how close your score will be to par.  Mathematics determines what you need to work on and how you need to play the game.  The old saying of 10% skill and 90% mental is truly not an understatement.

I know that is a lot of math, but, I just wanted to get the point across that golfers should spend most of their time putting, chipping, and working on 150 yards and less into the green. 

The other practice should be on swing technique, tempo, and balance. Not smacking the driver over and over on the practice range. 

Until next time, go to the range and practice area with a purpose and your score on the course will get better........