Everyone is trying to hit the ball straight on every shot. This initial take-a-way move will help you achieve consistent “straight as an arrow” shots. No matter what type of swing you have developed over the years, this initial backswing move will help you hit the ball straight for all shots, from wedges to drivers.
A few things to understand are target and address lines, and the toe and heel parts of the club. The target line is the imaginary line from the target back to the ball, and the address line runs parallel to the target line. It is important to know these lines extend through the ball and beyond to help the player set up correctly. The club head has parts like a foot, a toe and a heel. The toe of the club is the outside portion of the club head and the heel is the inside portion of the club head.
This is a very simple move with great results. Make sure you set up correctly with your club face aiming down the target line and you body from shoulders, hips, knees and feet are straight with your address line. Simply, set your entire body parallel to the target line.
Start your swing with your hands, arms and shoulders, and swing the club straight back with the toe of the club face pointing straight up. Try to keep your left arm straight, tension free to waist height with your club face in a toe up position. That’s right TOE UP. This is a critical portion of the take-a-way that can insure the player will have a high probability of returning the club face straight and square to the ball at impact. Also, swinging the club straight back on the initial take-a-way will insure a straight path into the ball on the down swing. This move can work for any player no matter how short or long the player swings the club.
Regardless of what type of player you are, this simple but very powerful move will improve your game. Try it and you will be hitting the ball STRAIGHT-AS-AN-ARROW!
In the photos, I turned a yard stick and a piece of foam into an oversized golf club to demonstrate the proper technique. The face on photo (1.) shows how the hands, arms and shoulders swing the club to waist height. The left arm is straight and fully extended with the toe of the club face straight up.
The photo (2.) from behind shows the correct position of the club, club face and left arm are straight with the address line. Make sure the toe of the club face is straight up as shown in this photo. This initial take-a-way move will be one of the greatest tips that really work for every shot.
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
Do you want to make more putts and shoot lower scores? Try this Ruler Drill a few minutes a day and you will be the RULER of the GREENS. Get yourself and ACE 48 inch metal ruler that has the small hole at the end of the ruler. This small hole will hold the ball in place during the putting stroke.
The ruler must be placed on a flat and straight putting surface so the ball has the change to roll the entire 48 inches along the top of the ruler. This drill can also be done at home or the office. Now, place the ball on the hole at the end ruler, take your putting set up, make sure you are square with your alignment and putter face to the hole and stroke the ball. What you are trying to accomplish is having the ball rolls long the entire 48 inches to the end of the rule or hole.
If the ball rolls of the ruler before it reaches the end, you have mis-shot or stroked the ball improperly. There are things to look for when the ball falls off the ruler. Example: If the ball rolls off the ruler towards the left side, it's possible that the center of the putter face made contact on the outside of the ball at impact. Or if the ball rolls off the ruler towards the right side, it's possible that the center of the putter face made contact on the inside of the ball of impact.
There may be several causes that create improper roll on the ball, so it's best for you to continue to make adjustments at address and during your putting stroke to find the correct position and stroke that will roll the ball the entire 48" straight to the hole. Some common faults can be an improper set up, bad eye position over ball, bad putter face alignment to target and center of ball, head movement, body movements, or just a bad stroke.
So get yourself a ruler, do this drill a few minutes a day, make the ball roll along the entire ruler and become the RULER OF THE GREENS. This is a great drill to help you with your putting stroke. It works! Try it!
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
It's time to stop thinking about the back swing. You should start thinking about the target and your finish. Chase the ball with your entire body and wing yourself towards the target. That's right, in order to finish the swing with effectiveness and consistency you must be focused on the target. You should accelerate through the shot with your legs, hips, shoulders, arms and hands. Gary Player, A PGA Tour Hall of Famer, played his entire competitive career finishing his swing this way.
Make your swing more athletic by turning, shifting, and swinging towards your target. I'm not saying move all over the place, but keep your head centered and steady over the ball. After impact, you must chase the ball by swinging your body towards the target. The objective of your swing with a controlled athletic movement is to create a steady center and swing the club around your body by shifting weight back and through.
As shown in the photos, this important movement towards the target will make it easier to hit the ball long and straight. You will be more athletic. This athletic finish will make you feel more aggressive through the hitting area thus resulting in you hitting more consistent golf shots. Most importantly, it makes you feel good about hitting great shots during your round of golf. Try it and CHASE THE BALL!
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
When watching the professional tours on television, have you heard "the left hand is in a perfect position at the top of the back swing?" What the commentators are saying is that the back of the left hand is flat at the top of the back swing. Also, the back of the left hand is parallel to the swing plane and club face. This back swing position of the left hand will result in a square club face at impact which will produce consistent, solid and straight golf shots.
To achieve this perfect position and prior to the set up of your body, grip the club in the "Plane Grip" position. To do this, hold the club in your right hand below the grip and set the club on plane. Make sure the club face is parallel to the plane. Keeping the golf shaft on plane and club face parallel to the plane, grip the club with your lat left hand position as shown in the photo. Now address or set up to the ball and wing the club on plane around your body. You will have great results in hitting consistent, solid and straight golf shots.
Give this "Plane Grip" a try and you will be amazed how consistently you hit good golf shots while playing this great game. Enjoy the game and play well.
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
Are you tired of missing short putts, three putting, no distance control and just lacking confidence with your putting? Make the change.
That’s right, change the traditional putting grip, the reverse overlap, to the straight line grip. The traditional reverse overlap grip places the putter grip in the fingers, thus allowing for unnecessary angles to develop during the putting stroke. This grip makes it more difficult to return the putter face straight or square to the ball at contact. Or, technically, the face of the
putter returns back to the ball on a 90 degree angle to the target line, thus resulting in a straight or square putter face at impact. If your putter face contact at impact is not square,
your putting will remain inconsistent.
With the straight line grip, you place the putter grip along the life line of your palm, thus making a straight continuous line from your left arm to the putter face. This small change in the
placement of the putter grip will help return the putter face square to the ball. The reason is that the continuous straight line that is formed from the left arm to the putter face will help eliminate unnecessary angles during the putting stroke.
Look at the photos and compare the difference between the two grips. The small stick in the traditional grip shows the stick not pointing up the left arm. The straight line grip shows
the stick pointing straight up the left arm.
So make the change, and you will make short putts again. You will eliminate three putts and become a great putter. There is no better feeling in golf, than having confidence with
your putting. It’s time to use the straight line grip and enjoy the activity.
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
Are you having trouble with direction control? Do you want a simple move that can change all of the misdirected shots? Stay under and inside.
On your downswing, keep the club moving under the swing plane and, pior to impact, swing the club inside the target line. You swing the club slightly under swing plane and slightly inside the target line to make this downswing movement effective and consistent. You should not overdo this movement by being extremely under plane and inside the target line on the downswing.
Swing place is imaginary slated line from the ball through the shoulders that a palyer needs to be aware of for full shots. The target line is the imaginary line that runs from the target back through the ball and extends several feet behind the ball. Before you swing, visualize these two important elements and know that, on the downswing, you stay under the swing plane and swing inside the target line.
This downswing action will make most of your golf shots go straight. Your downswing should never be outside the swing plane and outside the target line. It's time to take control and hit consistent and straight golf shots, so stay under and inside.
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
On the backswing, swing the club and put your club in the slot. The slot is a consistent position during which the arms, hands, club shaft, and club face go on the backwing to ensure that the player consisistently swings the club to a position that is correct and repeatable for every full swing.
As shown in the photos, there are three different slot positions that work for different players. Photo one shows the slot as being flat with the position of arms, hands, and club behind the player. This backswing slot will produce a flatter swing arch, resulting in a lower and right-to-left ball flight.
Photo two shows the slot as being upright and higher with the position of arms, hands, and club in front of the player. This slot will produce a steeper angle of attach, resulting in a higher and left-to-right ball flight. Photo three shows the slots as being in a standard position with the arms, hands, and club directly to the player's side or right ear, resulting in a straight and normal ball flight.
When watching the best professionals in the world play and compete, notice there are different backswings with different slow positions - higher, lower, upright, or flatter with different results. Whatever slot position you choose to swing the club, the "in the slot" mindset will help you with a feeling of control, allowing you to produce more consistent full swing golf slots.
On the next eighteen holes you play, find your slot and watch how well you play.
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
Use a tennis racquet to help you see and feel the club face during your golf swing. As we play and practice golf, our focus sometimes gets too caught up with mechanics and results become inconsistent. Getting back to basics, we need to say focused on path and club face. There are positions of the club face during the swing that can help you reconnect with the club and have more ball flight control and consistency.
Words of wisdom are square, plane, and parallel. The club face must meet the ball SQUARELY. To make this impact position achievable, the hands are an extension of the club face. As you swing the club, the hands run PARALLEL to the PLANE during the backswing, downswing, and follow-through. The only time the hands are not PARALLEL is the hitting zone or release area, where the hands, arms, body and club face are rotating to hit the ball SQUARELY.
to add more enjoyment and pleasure of solid contact at impact, keep the grip pressure light and steady throughout the entire swing. Having passive hands in the proper positions will produce perfect shots. Remember, quiet and passive hand action is a gal for all players to achieve during the golf swing. IF you have a tennis racquet at home, try this drill and see how you become reconnected to the club face and watch how well you hit the golf ball solid and straight.
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
When playing on the course, do you ever feel out of sync, with no rhythm and no balance? Do you have a sloppy swing with poor results?
If so, here is a drill that can help you get back in control of your swing. It is called the bucket drill. Put a a range bucket between your elbows and forearms and swing the club. Keeping the bucket correctly between your arms can product many benefits to your swing and golf game. This drill...
- helps with the one piece take-away.
- keeps the triangle throughout the entire swing with the shoulders, arms and hands.
- helps maintain proper distance between the forearms and elbows during the entire swing.
- prevents the club from crossing the target link at the top of the swing. encourages the body to participate in the downswing by shifting and turning toward the target.
- helps the player feel the entire swing as a one-unit, completely synced swing and lets your entire body feel that you swing the club back together and swing through together as a single unit.
Look at the photos to get the correct positions for the drill and try the bucket drill. If done properly, you may create a bucket list to start playing more golf and having more fun.
John Nelson is a South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at The County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page: www.ccofcs.com.
