Tag: golf tips

  • Pro Tips From Golf’s Best Players

    Pro Tips From Golf’s Best Players

    Every player across the world is constantly looking to improve their game, no matter if they’re a regular player or just enjoy a weekly round at the local course. When watching the professionals take to the course on TV, or if you’re lucky enough to go to a live tournament, it’s awe inspiring to see them play.

    We can all learn something from the world’s best golfers. Below we take a look at some of their best hints and tips to get you striking the ball, and holing your putts, better than ever before.

    Short game supremacy

    One of the most memorable victors this year was Japanese player, Hideki Matsuyama. The 29-year-old became the first player from Japan to win a major when he won the 2021 Masters by one shot.

    Matsuyama’s mastery from around the green is a real feature of his play. But how does he do it? You will see him try to keep his clubface level when chipping. Keeping his right wrist straight, the left bends and allows a better angle to create a shot which has a high trajectory and a soft landing. Matsuyama also keeps his knees flexed throughout the swing, ensuring that he doesn’t bob up and down, that could be a real approach shot killer.

    Hit the greens with envy

    Tiger Woods is obviously synonymous with success, even when he’s not playing. He recently gave support to the US Ryder Cup team as they dominated their opponents from Europe. So, who better to get the inside track to finish each hole confidently? Woods says preparation is absolutely vital and not only in practicing the putting action itself. Although not the most glamorous of training regimes, it’s helpful to know the greens. By having advance awareness of things like hole placement, breaks on the surface and even the direction of the grain. It gives players an extra confidence ahead of walking to the green. Allowing you to be fully prepared and concentrating on your putt.

    Delivering with the driver

    Jon Rahm’s strength and ability with the driver sets him apart from his contemporaries. Coming off his first major victory at the U.S. Open, he’s already been tabbed as a favorite for the Masters when the 2022 major season kicks off. Though it’s quite early as of this writing, the sports betting section on Ladbrokes has already posted official odds for the 2022 Masters, and Rahm is out in front.

    The key to the Spaniard’s growing success is in his short and powerful swing. By not thinking what his hands are doing, he concentrates on moving his torso, arms and club together. Knowing instantly if it’s a good backswing by feeling it in his right hip, Rahm then loads up the weight on his right foot and thigh. Following that with a hard push into the ground on his downswing, Rahm generates the power to unleash the drives that so many want to replicate.

    Photo Credit: Forbes

    Avoiding the bunker blues

    Rickie Fowler has been known to hit some spectacular shots from the green-side sand, arguably none more so than the one which saw him hole out from 50 yards at the 2016 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. So, how does the flamboyant Californian do it?

    He recommends having a wide stance, placing your feet shoulder-width or further apart. Then with an open clubface, and 60-70% of your weight on the front foot, swing through the ball and keep going a little more. Fowler keeps his right knuckles facing the ground throughout the shot, helping the club glide through – rather than digging into the sand.

    Photo Credit: Golf Digest

    There you have it, thank you for reading. Don’t forget to keep an eye on our home page here at intothegrain.com for news, reviews and more tips to help you improve your game.

  • Golf Swing Pre Shot Routine: Part 1 – The Trigger

    golf swing pre shot routine - the trigger
    Image by Colin Johnson

    Anyone who has played this game at any level has been nervous. It could be when you had a chance to beat your dad for the first time, or lining up a 3 footer for $20 against your buddies, or on the first tee of the club championship. Either way, every golfer has experienced self-doubt. When my old college golf coach told me golf was 90% mental and 10%mental, I think what he really meant was that the battle that goes in onside one’s head during a round is far more difficult to manage than the one you will face on the course. We see it on the PGA Tour every week. Lets face it, at the highest level of the game everyone has a good golf swing. I beleive what separates the good from the great is how they manage the mental game. By now most of us know about Tiger’s father grooming him to be mentally strong by constantly distracting him and talking to him on the course. One day, Tiger reacted to a verbal taunt by smiling and hitting a great shot, and Earl Woods knew at that point that Tiger would be a champion. He already had a championship golf swing, but knew then that he was mentally strong enough to handle the pressure of tournament golf.

    Any first year college psychology student can probably describe three of the major conflicts in life – Man vs Man, Man vs. Nature, and Man vs Himself. It just so happens that we must face all three in the game of golf, like many other sports. That’s why sports are such a big part of our lives. Sports provides a never ending challenge to humans to excel. Golfers face these challenges every time they tee it up. We all battle the course and the elements, and we all want to beat our buddies, but the hardest obstacle to overcome in golf is our own self doubt and negative thoughts. So how can the average golfer handle the perceived pressure and mental challenges we all face on the golf course? One of the first ways to do this is with a solid, repeatable pre-shot routine.

    I’ve always been intrigued with the power of the mind over the body, but it was only when I started to read golf psychology books did I start to realize the benefits of the mental game. It is amazing how much your scores can improve without even changing your swing just by developing a solid, repeatable pre shot routine. In this series of posts, I’ll go over the basics of the pre-shot routine, one step at a time. This week it’s about the start, or trigger. Every golf swing needs a pre-shot routine, and every pre-shot routine needs a starting point.

    The Trigger

    The first step to a good pre-shot routine actually takes place before your routine starts. Get all the details of the shot at hand, such as distance, wind, lie and the match situation squared away first. The first actual step for a solid pre-shot routine is a trigger move of some kind. For some players, the trigger move may be the act of pulling a club from the bag, or throwing grass up to determine wind direction. Whatever you choose as your trigger move, this must be the point where you go into your routine and everything else is blocked out. You will stick to your routine until the end, which is the act of making a golf swing. The trigger is there to tell your mind that it’s time to get down to business. Even the most laid back players have a trigger where they get serious, even for just a few moments, while they hit the ball. Lee Trevino was the best at this. He could carry on with fans, telling stories and jokes, but when it came time to hit, he made his trigger move and went into his routine. He was as serious as a heart attack. As soon as he hit the shot and accepted the result, he continued to joke and whistle and sing. He knew that was the best way for him to stay positive and focused and not let the pressure of major championship golf get to him.

    You may already have a trigger move that you do before every shot and don’t even realize it. Many players wipe their grips, or toss grass, or even clean the grooves. Whatever you choose as your trigger, let it be the starting point for your pre-shot routine to tell your mind that it’s time to get down to business. Watch the pros on the PGA Tour and see if you can discover their trigger move. They all have one, and it’s the same every time. Next time we’ll cover the next step to a solid pre-shot routine – aiming and visualization. Stay tuned!

  • Cold Weather Golf – 10 Tips

    cold weather golfFor those of us fortunate enough to live in warm weather states like California, Texas, Arizona and Florida, we get to play golf year round. Lately however, a cold snap has struck in the US and virtually every spot in the nation has seen freezing temperatures. I was born and raised in Canada and the Northeastern US, so I’m no stranger to cold weather golf. Although I now call Florida home, even we aren’t totally immune to the cold. In fact, I remember one morning a few years ago in Orlando when it was actually colder than Juneau, Alaska! With the high humidity in the air down here, 40 degrees feels more like 20. Being from Canada (and also being slightly crazy), I’ve played plenty of golf in cold, miserable conditions. My friends here in Florida usually stay inside when it drops below 60, but sometimes they venture out for a round, and their lack of preparation leads to a crappy day, and crappy scores! So without further ado, here are my tips for playing your best cold weather golf!

    10 Tips for Cold Weather Golf

    Tip #1 – Be realistic! Understand that the ball isn’t going to go as far or spin as much in the cold. You also have to be prepared for the fact that you can’t go out there with the same strategy as a normal day. Be prepared for a tough day and stay mentally tough.

    Tip #2 – Keep your hands warm! This is the single most important tip for cold weather golf! Your hands are your only link to the club, and you need feel to play good golf. If your hands are frozen, you lose all your feel and your game will suffer, especially around the greens. Get yourself a nice pair of mittens and/or some hand warmers for your pockets. Wear the mitts whenever you aren’t hitting a shot, and take them off prior to hitting.

    Tip #3 – Cover your head and ears! Some say that between 7 to 55 percent of your body heat can be lost through your head. Whatever the science is behind it, it’s smart to cover your head and ears with a wool hat or ear warmers. You’ll be more comfortable. Get yourself a nice ski tuque like mine, and at the very least it will be a great conversation piece!

    Tip #4 – Play a softer ball. Golf balls don’t have compression ratings any more since wound balls went away, but some balls are softer and in cold weather you’ll want a ball that is easier to compress. A hard rock ball like a Top Flite XL will feel like a steel ball bearing on a cold day, so opt for a softer option, like the new Srixon Q-Star.

    Tip #5 – Use more club! Check the ego at the pro shop bruiser, the ball doesn’t go as far in the cold. You might have to take one for the team and hit 2 more clubs on every approach shot, but at least you’ll be sure to get to the hole. Because the ball doesn’t go as far, also consider playing one tee up from your normal length. There’s nothing that will ruin a day faster than having to hit three wood into every par three and four.

    Tip #6 – Channel your inner Scotsman and play the ground game. If it’s bitter cold outside, it’s likely the ground will be hard too. So use that to your advantage and play some run up shots and bump and runs. Forget the flop shot in the cold, as the ball won’t spin, the greens are harder and if you aren’t wearing mitts, your hands will feel like steel pliers on that lob wedge.

    Tip #7 – Dress in layers. It might keep you warm, but wearing your ski parka will turn your golf swing into a slap shot. You simply can’t make a full turn in a jacket. Instead, wear a turtle neck or insulating layer followed by a shirt and thin sweater or wind shell. This layered approach will keep you warm and still allow you to make a full golf swing. You can always wear that jacket between shots if it’s really cold, but take it off when you hit.

    Tip #8 – Don’t stop drinking fluids! Many people will substitute water and Gatorade with coffee and hot cocoa when it gets cold, and their game suffers. Your body still needs nutrients and hydration even when it’s cold, and coffee just doesn’t cut it. So, have your hot cocoa, but don’t forget to take a few sips of that sports drink every hole to stay properly hydrated.

    Tip #9 – Hit it solid! That should be a no-brainer and it’s not really a tip, since the goal of every golf shot should be solid contact. But seriously, you’ll know what I’m talking about the first time you take a mighty lash with a 3 iron and hit it a few grooves too low. Ouch!

    Tip #10 – Relish the challenge. Tom Watson got it. He loved playing in adverse conditions. You see, he knew that half the field was virtually eliminated before they even started because they dreaded being cold or getting wet and didn’t really want to be there. I love playing in harsh conditions for the same reason. If my opponent is hating life out there, I have the advantage because I’m much less likely to get rattled by the conditions. So relish the challenge of cold weather golf and take solace in the fact that most everyone out there with you is miserable! At the very least, it will make you feel better.

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