Orlando Golf

Are you struggling with your chip shots?  Are you finding yourself hitting way behind the ball or sculling the ball over the green?   These miss hits can totally destroy your confidence and cause your frustration levels to rise.  There is an easy fix and it can be corrected with just a few of the following key tips.

First, we must identify and understand the problem and the reason why this happens. These miss hits are a result of improper positioning with your weight and improper positions your head and spine.  To better clarify, please refer to the following photos and you will be able to see what an incorrect and correct position would be at set up and at the impact position.  The incorrect photo shows a set up with my weight favoring the right side of my body with the spine and head tilted back to the right.  This position will increase your chances to hit behind the ball or to come up and catch the middle of the ball with the club head resulting in a sculled shot.

Getting into the correct backswing position is very critical for hitting a great golf shot.  If you are inconsistent and find yourself either pulling the ball and/or blocking your golf shot to the right, you may want to try this golf tip. 

At the completion of your backswing, feel like you are holding a tray in your right hand.  By doing so, you will create the proper rotation of the arms that will allow you to have a square clubface at the top of your backswing.  A square club at the top of the backswing equals a square clubface at impact as well.  This position will increase your chances of hitting your ball more on target.  This is an excellent tip to feel the correct position at the top of the backswing.  When people get into a rut where the ball is going way left or right, it’s because they are either in a closed position or open position at the top of their back swing.  Holding the tray is a great way to feel the correct backswing position and this is a tip that is easy to take onto the golf course.

The month of January has been unseasonably cold with temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s.  Playing golf in these temperatures can be miserable if you’re not dressed properly.  On the other hand, if you are dressed properly,  playing in the cooler weather can be quite enjoyable and you will also have an upper hand on your opponents.  Here are a couple of suggestions that I have for battling the cold weather on the golf course.

1. Stocking cap - Simple enough, but I have found that keeping you’re head warm will help keep your entire body warmer.
2. Compression Shirt - This is a relatively new piece of clothing in the market place, but a compression shirt is a skin tight shirt that helps block any cold winds of the day and allows for you to stay warmer and swing away without that bulky clothes feeling.
3. Turtle neck shirt - I like to place a turtle neck shirt over my compression shirt for added protection of my neck area.
4. Rain Pants - I have found through years that if your lower body stays warm, the rest of your body will stay warm as well.  In addition, I feel more stable and grounded in my swing when I where the rain pants.

Losing a lot of distance lately?

More than likely you’re losing your posture somewhere during the backswing.  You could be straightening up in your knees or standing up in your waist.  Either way, losing your posture will translate into losing power.

If you feel like you’re losing your posture, try to have the sensation of slightly bowing to your right knee as your body is turning during the entire length of your backswing.  The proper sensation will have you feel like your belly button is going to make a slight motion to the top part of your right knee.  

Try this drill before you hit balls on the range to get a better feel for this power move.  First, put your hands on your hips (1st photo), and then simply bend from the waist to your right knee. (2nd photo).   This drill will help you get the feeling of maintaining the proper powerful position that is required to add more distance to your shots.

Have you ever wondered how far you should stand away from the golf ball before you hit your golf shot?

To find the correct distance from the ball, I like doing the “hand span” test.  Simply take your stance, make sure the sole of the club is sitting flush to the ground, with the toe and the heel of the golf club are level.  Make a slight “hand span” and place between the butt of the club and your body, where the pinky of your right hand is placed near the butt of the club and your thumb is near your body.  Your goal is to be a “hand span” away from the butt of the club after taking your address position.

This is a great, simple little measure to consistently get you to stand the proper distance from the ball, which in turn will promote better balance and weight shift throughout the swing.