Drills
Golf practice drills are an important part of the learning curve. Practicing with the proper drill will ensure the fastest path to correcting any problems. Remember to use these drills regularly as they will reinforce the feel for the proper positions and swing dynamics. I will add drills as golfers need them. References from the lesson I give will tell you which ones to use. All these drills are designed to be simple and effective. Drill names that have video will appear as a link. Click on the link to view.
Line Up Using a Club: Use a club from your bag to help you line up square to the target. Use this most of the time when you are on the range. This tip will get you used to squaring up to the ball at address every time so that it is natural and automatic when you step on the course. One less thing to think about! So check out this video clip.
Ping Pong Drill: For those if us confined to the indoors for the winter, keeping our chipping game in tune is tough. Heated driving ranges allow us to hit the full shots and home putting greens allow us to putt. Chipping has been the nemesis of the short game once we get to come out of hibernation.
Try this. Purchase a package of ping pong balls, sometimes called table tennis balls. Select two small pieces of carpet, most stores have remnants with one a tall nap and the other a short variety. Chip from the long nap to the shorter one. It helps if the shorter nap is a larger piece of carpet to use as the green or target area. You can use anything as a target for your "hole". You can hit bump and run, pitch, and flop shots and the balls will respond much like real golf balls. They will check and release on the bump and runs and have backspin on the more lofted clubs. The balls will show any chipping problems such as follow through. The proper chipping stoke has to be used. One bonus is that the ping pong balls wont break ANYTHING so breakables are safe even if you make a mistake! Only your imagination is the limit for variations to this drill. Chipping over chairs, under chairs, over the pet, playing cat and mouse or setting up a short "course" with different shots can all be great ways to spend the winter days and stay in tune for spring.
80% Drill: One thing most teachers and playing pros agree on is how hard to swing. 80% is about right. So how do you know when its 80%? Go to the local Goodwill Store and pick up and pair of bowling shoes. I know YUCK!..Then practice hitting balls with them on and not slipping. This will give you about 80%, set your tempo and let you work on balance and all for a very very low price!
Putting: There are many putting drills and these will be updated regularly.
Putt to the Mark: Ever think the ball marker in your pocket is only for marking your balls on the green? Try putting and stopping the your ball right on the mark on the practice green. Even if you do not do it often it will help in picking a spot and distance control.
Tees as Toys: One of the best distance/accuracy drills for putting is to putt to a tee. Put a tee in the green away from all the other players. Putt to and just hit the tee. Remember putting to a smaller target will help the hole look huge on the greens!
Putt with your eyes closed: Get a short putt say three feet long and relatively straight. Concentrate on the hole, close your eyes and stroke the putt. Listen for the ball to go in. No peeking! The best sound in golf is the ball dropping so listen and remember it. Start putting this way from farther away and the confidence will return on the greens.
Putt with an eye on the hole: This drill is similar to the drill above with one notable exception. Keep your eyes locked on the hole and stroke the ball without moving your eyes. Eye hand coordination will take over and you will putt the ball at the proper speed without having to think. Matter of fact DON'T THINK. Just let your mind work in the background.
Chipping: Most short chips, say under 100 feet are best done without breaking the wrists. A short back swing and follow-through that is twice as long as the back swing will allow consistent ball contact and chipping results. Follow through is the key and keep those wrists firm. Practice chipping into a small circle. as you get better make the circle smaller and smaller until the hole is your circle. This technique works with all your irons and fairway woods to give you an arsenal of choices when faced with any length chip. Use anything you have to make it more interesting. Chip over a bag, under a chair, into a coffee cup and have practicing!
Flop Shots: This is a good shot to know. Practice and lots of it are the key. Confidence is imperative and follow through has to take place to execute the shot successfully. Most golfers that average 85 or above will do well to chip with the bump and run style and the 8 or 9 iron rather than a lob wedge. Scores will come down as a poorly played flop can get you into a very bad place to be.
Plan your recovery: Everyone hits the ball places we do not want to be. DO NOT worry and plan your way out of it. This may include two chips or a smart play to the far side of the green or even into a bunker. Cut your losses, and move one to the next hole. Take your medication and get out with the minimum number you can. So when you get into a bad spot, plan, plan, plan.
The Draw: 85% of golfers have the ball from left to right (fade). Drawing the ball has obvious advantages. Recover shots the require a draw and holes that set up for a draw are just a couple. Try this drill to work on getting the forearms in the proper position to draw the ball. Take a bucket of balls and practice hitting them with your back swing only going back to where the clubhead is waist high. Hit down and through the ball and make sure that by the time the clubhead is waist high on the follow through, the inside of your forearms should be touching. Yes, they can touch and will if you work on it. Hit them until you hook a few and then relax until you hit the ball straight. Then on the course when you need that draw, make those forearms touch!
