Expectations can be very dangerous things, whether it is in business or when playing a game of golf. In business, high expectations coupled with poor performance will generally lead to a stressful situation. In golf, high expectations combined with poor performance will lead to frustration, sometimes bordering on hysteria! It has been my experience that far to many golfers arrive at the golf course with high expectations and quite frankly, they have no reason to. They are typically too busy to practice, exercise or follow a stretching program, will arrive at the golf course 3 minutes before their tee time, take two or three “Zorro – Like” practice swings and then proceed to play poorly.

What compounds the frustration is they have typically excelled at other sports over the years or are successful in business and expect to perform at a high level on the golf course. The bottom line is – without practice, none of us have any right to complain and/or get upset about our play. I have learned this lesson, AGAIN, this year. I used to play a lot and reached a fairly high level but like anyone, when I neglect my game, I don’t play well. When you add to this an injury or diminished flexibility I was doomed.  Yet, I still expected to play well.  Doesn’t make much sense does it?

I see a different kind of irrational mentality on the lesson tee. A golfer will book a lesson and show up expecting to be “fixed” in 30 minutes. Of course, they have been playing for 20 years, have a few glaring errors in their technique which have been with them from day 1 and they don’t have the time or inclination to practice but they figure I can fix them right up! I can help them lower their scores in many ways but without at least a little bit of practice, their golf swings will remain more or less the same.

Without practicing you cannot improve and you should not EXPECT to improve. If you only showed up at your business for 4 hours a week, how would your bottom line look? Exactly! Show up at the golf course for only 4 – 5 hours a week, or less, and you can expect the bottom line on your scorecard to be a little scary as well! You will find that golf is a lot more fun if your expectations are in line with your “investment”.

There are a few reasons why most golfers don’t improve their golf games. Probably the most prevalent one is simply most golfers don’t practice. If your life is too busy or golf is not a high priority in your life, I completely understand but to improve at golf you have to have both the desire and the time to invest in your skills.

The ultimate goal in golf is to shoot the lowest score possible. If your goals are different than that, maybe something more specific like hitting the ball more consistently, that is great as well, but you still probably need to take a look at how you approach the game.

We believe there are three major reasons most golfers fail to improve:

1. Most golfers spend 95% of their available practice time on the full swing, which represents a much smaller percentage of the game. This approach makes it impossible to achieve your lowest possible scores.

2. Most golfers miss-understand the 3 main concepts of the golf swing that determine the ball’s flight. Working with the correct information is absolutely critical for building a repeating swing.

3. Most golfers have poor practice skills. The typical golfer fails to understand the difference between technique practice and golf practice. As a result, most golfers struggle to improve their swings and also never really learn the skills needed to play well on the course.

The golfing establishment is partly responsible for the way golfers approach the game. Most teaching professionals say they offer golf lessons but the majority only gives “golf swing lessons”. If golf professionals are focusing too heavily on the swing, how is the average golfer to know any different?

Even when golfers do make good decisions and are working properly to make positive changes to their games, the vast majority gives up on the changes before they have a chance to take hold. New habits or skills take time to integrate into your game so patience is very necessary as you attempt to improve.

Study all the subjects

Most golfers understand that the short game makes up at least 50% of your score, yet most ignore this fact and continue to focus exclusively on the full swing.

Imagine when you were in school that you spent nearly all of your time studying only math. You would end up being a math whiz but since your advancement to the next grade was dependant on your overall grade, you would end up failing the grade. Golf is the same, if you want to become a better golfer and move up to the next “grade” you will have to study all the subjects.

Use the Correct Information

It has been my experience most golfers misunderstand one or more of the three major concepts, which govern how the club should swing through the ball. Understanding how to make solid contact, control the clubface and swing the club on the correct path are at the root of learning a repeating swing.

Once a golfer learns WHAT the club needs to do as it swings through the ball, they can begin the process of learning HOW their body needs to perform to make it happen.

Most golfers struggle because they misunderstand the major concepts and are trying to build a swing based on completely wrong assumptions. Stay tuned for chapter two to find out if you are using the correct information for your swing.

Effective Practice

The final reason most golfers don’t improve is the quality of their practices is very low. To get the most out of your practice you need to allocate time to every part of the game with respect to how the game is played and also how each part of your game is shaping up at any given time. You also need to avoid the classic error of practicing your swing while worrying about ball flight and trying to play golf (a target game) while worrying about your swing.

I have a lot of faith in golfers’ to improve. If you are not improving as fast as you would like, take a look at the information you are using and how you are approaching the game.

We live in the age of information. One of the biggest obstacles to improving your golf game is getting advice from too many people or trying every tip you read or see on TV or the internet.  Here is a list of potential sources of information and my thoughts on their quality.

Spouses, Friends and Playing Partners

• Everyone is trying to help.
• People tend to offer advice from their own experiences.  Most times their experiences are not exactly applicable to yours and therefore, their advice really doesn’t apply to you.
• Taking advice from a spouse, friend, etc. can make golf more frustrating.
• In short, unless you are married to or dating a golf professional, good friends with a pro or are playing with one, it is in your best interest to let people’s advice go in one ear and out the other.

Television

• The Golf Channel is an excellent source of golf information.  The problem is, you are getting the same information from several experts who say the same things, totally differently.  As a result, you can become very confused when trying to implement their ideas into your game.
• Golf telecasts provide a great opportunity to watch the best players in the world do their thing.  You can learn a lot from observing their swings and the way they play the game.  The announcers are mostly very knowledgeable but again, they are talking about the same things in their own ways.

The Internet

• Web sites offer many kinds of golf information.  They can be very helpful for finding out about different golf courses and golf products. As far as tips and other advice on your game, once again, one person’s opinion explained in their words.  Use web sites and chat rooms for information about where to play and products but try to resist the temptation to use them as a teacher.
• “Ask the Pro” or personalized lessons are a little better but you are still relying on the advice of someone who can’t see you

Magazines

• Publications such as “Golf Magazine” and “Golf Digest” can also be great sources of information.  You have to be careful when reading the instructional articles because they have different contributors each month and once again, the advice is from a golf expert but may confuse you when compared to last month’s articles.  Read them for entertainment and enjoy the great pictures but be careful!!

Books

• Books are a terrific way to learn about golf.  The good ones are written by experienced Teaching Professionals and will usually take you from the very beginning all the way to very advanced topics.  Books are potentially less confusing because they offer one persons views.  They are still lacking in that the author can’t jump off the page and give you the specific instruction you need at any given moment, it is up to you to decide which page you should be on.

PGA Professionals

• I really feel that getting some instruction from a certified CPGA Golf Professional is the best way to get started or most efficient way to improve your game.
• Keep in mind, the Teaching Professional you choose is going to have a big impact on your golfing enjoyment so choose carefully.  Find an instructor you trust and understand and stick with them.  Going from teacher to teacher is like trying to learn from all the different instructors on The Golf Channel.  This is the perfect recipe for confusion and frustration.

As you can tell, there are a lot of sources for golf information.  It is important for you to find one source and stick with it.  Whether it is an instructor in your hometown, a particular golf book, one instructor on The Golf Channel every Monday night or your horoscope, find a source which helps you improve and stick with it.

Many new golfers are intimidated by the seemingly endless rules governing one’s behavior on the golf course.  Here is a summary of the most important things you should know before you head out on the golf course.  Notice I have listed “Rules of Courtesy”, “Rules of Fun” and “Rules of Golf”.  As far as I am concerned, when you are starting out in golf, play by the rules of courtesy and fun.  When your skill level improves you can start obeying all the rules of golf.

Rules of Courtesy

• Keep up to the group in front of you.
• Leave the course as you find it – Replace your divots, repair your ball marks on the greens, rake the sand traps when you are exiting them.
• Be quiet when someone is preparing to play a shot.
• Only play a shot when everyone is in a safe position.
• Be ready to play your shot when it is your turn.
• To keep play moving, play “Ready Golf”.  This means, if you are ready to play your shot and everyone is in a safe position, you can play, even if you are not furthest from the hole.
• When you finish a hole, move to the next tee immediately and mark scores there.
• If you are using a pull or power cart, keep it well away from the edge of the greens.  Most courses will have signs or white lines telling you where to drive.
• When you walk on to a green, take note of where the next tee is and leave your golf bag on that side of the green.  This way, when you finish putting, your clubs will be right on your way to the next tee.
• Don’t take more than one practice swing unless it is on the first tee to warm up.
• If you hit a ball into the trees, bush, deep ravine, black hole, etc., don’t spend too much time looking for it.  If you don’t see it after a few moments, drop another ball and play on.
• On the green, be aware of the location of other people’s balls and try not to walk between their balls and the hole.
• If you hit your ball in the general vicinity of another golfer, yell “FORE” loud enough to alert them of the impending danger.  We don’t know why you yell “FORE” either but it probably has something to do with a golfer getting hit because there wasn’t enough time to yell “Hey, look out, my ball is coming towards you!!”

Rules of Fun

• As long as you and your group are having fun, being respectful of the golf course and keeping up to the group in front of you, there really are no other rules!
• It’s only a game!!

Rules of Golf

There are actually 34 “Rules of Golf” so we have left a few out but these are the really important ones.

• Play the course as you find it.
• Play the ball as it lies.
• If you can’t do either of the above, do what’s fair.
• You should begin play on each hole by teeing your
  ball behind your designated tee-markers.
• You must mark your balls position with a small,
  coin-like object before picking it up on the green.
• The person who has the lowest score on the previous
  hole has “The Honour” and is supposed to tee-off first.
• The person whose ball is furthest from the hole is said
  to be “Away” and is next to play.

For complete rules information, visit http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-01/.

I hope this helps you have more fun.  Let the new golfers in your life know about the different kinds of rules and let them decide how they want to approach the game.

Have you ever had the experience of hitting the ball long and straight on the driving range only to have your game seemingly disappear before you could get to the first tee?  If there is a marked difference between your practice and play, you will need to change the way you are practicing so you can improve your focus on the golf course.

There is an old saying.  On the golf course, you should play golf, not golf swing.  The biggest reason golfers have a tough time taking their games from the driving range to the golf course is they only practice their golf swing on the driving range and never get around to practicing golf.  When they get to the golf course, the added pressures of having one ball instead of eighty, the numerous water hazards and/or trees and several other self-imposed pressures can quickly expose a golfer’s lack of preparation.  All golfers get nervous, see the water hazards and can have negative thoughts.  The golfers who perform close to their capabilities on a regular basis simply have the ability to deal with these distractions a little more efficiently.  To perform at your best on the golf course and especially in tournaments, you will need to practice the techniques necessary to handle the distractions encountered on the course as much as you practice your swing.  Here are some steps you can take to bring your play on the golf course closer to your performance on the practice tee.

Step #1 :   Develop a pre-shot routine.  Every good player has a series of steps they go through as they prepare to play EVERY golf shot.  The routine will ensure that your set up position is correct every time and will also occupy your mind so negative thoughts can be avoided.  If you don’t already have a reliable pre-shot routine, I suggest you ask a CPGA Professional to help you develop one.

Step #2 :  Start to practice GOLF on the driving range.  Instead of bashing ball after ball with the same club at the same target, rarely even moving your feet.  Start practicing what you will need on the golf course.  For each ball, pick a very specific target, go through your pre-shot routine and hit your shot.  After each ball or two, switch golf clubs, pick a different target, go through your pre-shot routine and hit the shot.  Some people who can’t get out and play as often as they like will “play” a round of golf at the driving range by simulating a round at their normal golf course.  For example, they will hit the club they would normally hit of the first tee, based on how that shot went they would then pick the club they feel would be needed next and so on.  Of course, using a pre-shot routine on every shot!!  The key is, by changing clubs and targets often you are preparing for the pressures you will face on the course and you are training your brain to work towards a target and not dwell on body movements or swing mechanics.

I am not suggesting you should not practice swing drills or focus on your swing mechanics to improve the quality of your swing motion.  What I am suggesting is by practicing these techniques and getting good at focusing on your target, you will give yourself the best chance to perform up to your capabilities.  The combination of improving your swing AND improving your mental skills will most quickly lower your scores and increase your enjoyment of the game.

Give these tips a try and let me know how they work.  Good Luck!

If you go to a professional golf tournament and spend a little time watching the players practice, you will notice 95% of them practice with alignment aids on the ground.  They do this for a very good reason.  The best players in the world understand how important it is to line up correctly every time.  To improve or maintain your golf swing, you must align towards the target correctly every single time you hit a practice ball.

If you practice a lot and you don’t use an aid or “work station” as I call it, to constantly reinforce proper alignment, it is very easy to gradually work into incorrect alignment.  If your alignment is even slightly off and you make your best swing, the ball will not go at the target.  You will then begin making compensations during your swing to get the ball flying towards the target.  These compensations are not very reliable and you will then start getting inconsistent results.  All of this could have been avoided if you had simply practiced with clubs on the ground showing you correct alignment.  Correct alignment will promote a swing working naturally towards the target.  Poor alignment will promote the need for compensations.

Here is another important note about your alignment.  If you practice with a “work station” on the range and you are always correctly aligned, your eyes will learn to recognize what correct aim looks like.  If you do make a careless mistake on the course, your eyes will recognize your alignment mistake and you can re-align before you swinging.  Training your eyes to see straight can save you a lot of shots.  There is nothing worse than making a really good swing and watching the ball fly into the trees because you lined-up incorrectly!

Check the “Easy Stuff” First

This idea of constantly checking your alignment goes hand in hand with one of my strongest teaching beliefs.  If you begin hitting golf shots which are not up to your normal level, check the easy stuff first.  What I mean is, don’t start ripping apart your swing to find the problem, check your pre-shot fundamentals first.  Specifically, check your grip, posture, ball position, alignment, balance, etc. first.  Too many people assume it is their golf swing that is to blame for poor shots and cause themselves a lot of grief which would have been avoided had they “checked the easy stuff first”.

Let us know if this tip is helpful.  Good Luck!

In this post, I will try to give you all the information to get you started for the golf season. You need to feel comfortable to continue playing golf. There are too many ladies quitting the game because they feel intimidated and uncomfortable. Hopefully this will help.

Buying Golf Equipment

When it is time to buy golf clubs they must be custom fitted to ensure they are suitable for the body type and swing motion of each individual.

Custom fitting includes the three parts of the golf club; head, shaft and grip.

• Head – look for head style and lie angle.
• Shaft – look for shaft type; steel or graphite, flex and length.
• Grip – look for style and thickness.

Custom Fitting determines these specifications.

Why Custom fit?

A properly fitted club will enable a golfer to most consistently hit shots in the center of the clubface aimed directly at a target.

Myth – “ I am not good enough to be club fit. I could use any equipment and it wouldn’t work”.

A golf club that is not fitted properly can affect a golfers swing motion negatively. A golfer will make adjustments in their swing motion, 
regardless of club used, to get a center hit aimed at the target. Most times this doesn’t work out.

Where can I get Custom Fitted and how much will it cost?

Most professional shops at golf courses offer this service. When looking for equipment an appointment can be arranged with a
 trained CPGA professional (me if you live in or near Victoria).

The cost of the fitting is usually included in the price of the equipment. However if this is not the case, a fitting will cost $35.00 to $50.00. A fitting will take 30 – 45 minutes in length.

What clubs do I need to get started?

A new golfer can start out with a modified set of clubs.

• One wood (5 or 7-wood)
• Four irons (5, 7, 9, PW, or SW)
• Putter
• Bag
• Balls and tees

A beginning golfer can get nicely equipped with woods, irons, putter, and a bag for as little as $350.00. For this price you can have your equipment perfectly suited to your needs.

Booking a Tee-Time

• Phone the Pro Shop at the course you would like to play.
• Ask if they make tee-times and if so, how far in advance can you make a booking.
• If possible, request a tee-time for your preferred day.
• Book your tee-time. Your time may sound odd like 11:23.
• It is very important for you to be there in plenty of time to tee off at that time.
• Tee times often run on 8 or 9-minute intervals so be ready to play at your time.
• Ask about present course conditions. For example, is the course really wet, are the greens in good condition, how long will it take to complete your round.
• Enquire about the dress code.
• Ask the price of the green fees for 18 or 9 holes

Choosing which tees to play

Tee selection should be made based on your skill level rather than gender.

Select the tee, which will allow you to reach the green on most holes in two shots less than the par if you hit good shots. For example, you should play the forward tees until you can comfortably reach most of the par-4 holes in two shots.

Remember, golf is supposed to be fun. Playing the golf course shorter will make it more enjoyable until your skill level warrants a bigger challenge.

This should be enough information to get you started in the right direction, but if you have any more questions please leave a comment as I know you won’t be the only one with that question.

This is a very important subject for me. Women using a DRIVER!!!!! I am tired of hearing that women should NOT be using a driver. This is CRAZY!!! If you get the proper driver, everyone should be using a driver, no matter what sex you are.

Don’t Use the Wrong Equipment

Most women should not be using men’s clubs. It is very common to use your husbands hand me downs, but unfortunately the clubs will 
be too heavy and the shaft will be too stiff. They will also most likely be too long. This will result in lots of bad habits and usually these
habits will make you not enjoy the game as mush as you should.

Buying Golf Equipment

• Try before you Buy – hit the clubs to see proper ball flight.
• When it is time to buy golf clubs they must be custom fitted to ensure they are suitable for the body type and swing motion of each individual.
• Custom fitting includes the three parts of the golf club; head, shaft and grip.
  • Head – look for head style and lie angle.
  • Shaft – look for shaft type; steel or graphite, flex and length.
  • Grip – look for style and thickness.

Why Custom fit?

A properly fitted club will enable a golfer to most consistently hit shots in the center of the clubface aimed directly at a target.

Myth – “I am not good enough to be club fit. I could use any equipment and it wouldn’t work”.

A golf club that is not fitted properly can affect a golfer’s swing motion negatively. A golfer will make adjustments in their swing motion, 
regardless of club used, to get a center hit aimed at the target. Most times this doesn’t work out.

Where can I get Custom Fitted and how much will it cost?

Of course, if you live in Victoria, I would be happy to custom fit you.  If you don’t live nearby, most professional shops at golf courses offer this service. When looking for equipment an appointment can be arranged with a
 trained CPGA professional.

The cost of the fitting is usually included in the price of the equipment.

However if this is not the case, a fitting will cost $35.00 to $50.00.

A fitting will take 30 – 45 minutes in length.

I hope this is helpful.  Please let let me know if you have questions about golf equipment for women.

“How do I hit the ball FURTHER” is a question I am asked all the time.  There are a number of things you can do to hit the ball as far as your size, strength and flexibility will allow.

1. First, you must hit the ball in the middle of the clubface.  If you struggle with this you need to resolve a swing issue.
2. Secondly, ensure your grip pressure is nice and light.  You still want control off the golf club but need to avoid the death grip that causes tension.
3. Thirdly, make sure you complete your backswing before you begin your forward swing.  Too often we rush our swings because we want to hit the ball far and we never actually gather enough power with our backswings.
4. Fourthly, you can work out a little bit and do a lot of stretching so you can swing the golf club faster.  The faster the club head travels, the farther the ball will go.
5. Fifthly, when you are trying to hit a long drive, try to swing “FASTER” and not “HARDER”.  When we try to swing harder we tend to get too active with our upper bodies and this actually causes us to lose distance and accuracy.
6. The final and possibly most important piece of the distance equation is your golf club itself.  It is hugely important to have the correct driver in your hands to maximize your distance.  The basic theory is this.  We all have a speed at which we swing a golf club.  Barring any significant change in our strength, this will remain more or less constant.  Given this swing speed, we also have a very predictable ball speed.  Every ball speed has an optimum launch angle and spin rate, which will maximize the distance the ball will travel.  The correct driver will give you the optimum launch and spin conditions to maximize your distance potential.  I was fit for a new driver recently I personally have picked up 20 yards just by having a driver, which is better fit to my swing speed.  If you really want you maximum distance, get properly fit by trained professional so you can get a driver that is perfect for you.

I hope this helps you next time you want to hit a long drive!

Let me know if this posting has been helpful or if you have any tips for hitting the ball longer that work for you.  Good luck with your golf.

With golf season almost starting, many of you will be playing lots of golf and maybe planning a golf trip with your friends or family.  So, I thought I would focus on some tricks to playing a course for the first time.  When I was “on tour” I played a lot of courses that were new to me and I needed to be able to adjust my game very quickly.  Granted, since I am now a teaching pro, I didn’t adjust quite quickly enough!!  Here are some tricks to preparing to play a new golf course.

Do Some Research Online

If you know where you are going to play, go the golf course web site and see if they have a course layout, helicopter fly-overs or pro tips on how to play the holes.  A little research may give you that little advantage that makes you more comfortable with the course.

Leave Time to Get Ready

The most important thing you can do is get to the course with enough time to prepare.  You will want to spend sufficient time hitting warm up balls but more importantly you should spend a lot of time on the chipping and putting greens to learn the firmness and speed of the greens.  Nothing ruins a day faster than struggling with the speed of the greens and three-putting your way to a high score.  Time spent on the putting green will really pay off.

You should also spend some time in a practice bunker.  Sand varies greatly from course to course so a little time familiarizing yourself with the sand conditions can save you some valuable shots.

Ask a Local for “Inside Scoop”

Don’t be afraid to ask a member of the pro shop staff if there is any inside scoop on how to play the course.  There may be a trick to the greens like “everything breaks towards the ocean” or the course like “take one less club on #12”.  People who are working at golf courses will be glad to give you some tips on how to play their course.

Ask if there are yardage books available that will tell you how far certain objects are from the tee or how far it is to a green from a certain point.  Also, find out if the course has sprinkler heads marked with yardages or if they have other ways of telling you yardages to the green.  Most golf courses also have a certain way to let you know about the hole-location on the greens (front, middle or back) so you will want to find out about that.

Ask someone who works there which tees you should play.  They will ask you how you play and try to be honest so they can give you some accurate advice.  A lot of people feel the need to play the “Championship” tees.  A lot of people have ruined a fun day at a new course by playing the “Championship” tees!!!  You will have way more fun playing from the tees, which fit your game the best.

Most resort courses or courses which get a lot of daily fee play will have a starter who can bring you up to speed on a lot of these things but a little research before you hit the first tee will make your day more fun and let you shoot a lower score.

Practice Before You Go

Many golfers play once a week when at home and then go on a golf trip and play 72 holes in 3 days.  The end result is a lot of aches and pains which can make a golf trip less fun.  In preparation for a trip, up your activity level in the weeks leading up to your departure.  Go to the driving range a few times, play a couple of nine hole outings and maybe even do some stretching to be ready for action.  You never know, a little practice may even improve your game!

I hope these tips will help you play a little better next time you go to a new course.  I have really enjoyed passing along my advice this year.  Good luck with your golf over the winter and I look forward to seeing you next year.