How do you “Stat” Up?

Keeping score is important for most people.  However, it doesn’t always reflect exactly how you “played”.  Things can be skewed from time to time and just shooting a score doesn’t necessarily help you improve.  To get precise feedback on your round I recommend to start keeping stats (see picture below).  This is a great way to know where your strengths and weaknesses are and where you will need to improve quicker to get yours score down.  If you notice, there are sections for Fairways/Greens, Putts, Up & Downs, and Sand Saves.

For those not familiar with some of these terms let me clarify first:

Fairway Hit = Hitting the ball in the closely cut grass in between the higher “rough” cut.  Par 3’s will not have a Fairway to Hit (You can Mark an “X” in that spot)

Green in Regulation (GIR) = Hitting the ball onto the Putting Green in (1 shot on a Par 3, 2 shots or less on a 4 Par, 3 shots or less on a Par 5).

Up & Down – This comes into play when you miss a Green in Regulation.  If you get it into the hole in Par or less you have made an Up & Down

Sand Save – This is the same as an Up & Down but you would mark this in the Sand Save spot, as well, if you made an Up & Down from the sand.

Putts – Count as many putts you have per hole when you are on the putting green until the ball is holed.

How to Score it:

If you hit a Fairway you mark a “1” and if you miss a Fairway you mark a “0”.  Same thing goes for Greens in Regulation.

For Putting, simply add up the number of putts for that hole.

For Up & Down, mark a “1” if you succeeded and a “0” if you didn’t

For San Save, mark a “1” if you succeeded and a “0” if you didn’t

Finally, add all of your “1’s” up and mark them under you final score for each category, with putting just being a total number.

The Fairway numbers will be out of as many holes there are not counting Par 3’s.  The GIR numbers will be out of 18.

Up & Downs will be out of 18 holes minus the number of Greens in Regulation you hit. (if you hit 8 greens then the Up&Down with be out of 10 for the amount missed)

Sand Saves will only be out of the number of bunkers you were in.  If none, then there won’t be any stats there.

Utilize the entire scorecard when you are playing and it will surely help you gauge where you need improvement.  This is just one way to do it and there are several Stat Apps in the marketplace that can do this as well.  You will see a huge benefit from knowing your TRUE play each and every round.  Let me know if you have any questions or need any further assistance.  See you all soon.

How do you “Stat” Up?2012-08-14T19:45:51-04:00

Finish Your Swing

While looking at some of the players during this week’s PGA Championship, take notice at how they are able to hold their finish while watching the ball in the air. Being able to hold a finish is typically the result of a good balanced swing. Good rhythm an tempo can dictate how well you finish your golf swing – and almost always help you hit the ball better.

How many times have you noticed that you can’t hold a finish or fall back on your trailing foot? This might be because of poor weight shift, a swing that is too long, or simply a swing is off-balance. So here is a little drill that will help you achieve better balance and a better finish:

Take a few practice swings with your feet together. Your feet must not have any space in between them, simply try to swing with your feet together first. Then once you can do that, try hitting a few balls with that same stance. Work on this drill until you can successfully swing in balance and strike the ball without falling over.

This should help you develop a feeling for proper weight shift and balance – both of which will help your finish and the consistency of your strike.

Try that drill out and let me know how it goes. Just remember to smile for the cameras while in your finish…

Finish Your Swing2021-03-19T10:41:08-04:00

Hone Your Pre-Shot Routine for More Consistent Play

If you have ever been to a PGA Tour event and followed a player throughout his round, you probably noticed him going through his pre-shot routine before almost every shot he hits. Some players have very unique routines that they might go through while others might have a few simple things they do before they hit their shot. Either way they do it, what matters is the actual process that they go through. This process is what clears their mind and prepares them to make a great swing. The key point to remember about a pre-shot routine is that it stays consistent. The consistency of this routine will make your body and mind familiar with what is about to happen, therefore will make a better environment to hit the ball whether you are under pressure or not.

So what does a good pre-shot routine consist of? It can be any number of things to get you ready to hit the ball – the most common being alignement, grip, practice swing, and waggle. You’ll often seeing players lining up behind the ball and looking at their target. Jim Furyk will often pick out a spot in front of the ball to align his clubface before each shot. One or more practice swings are common to get the feel for your lie, slope, stance, and the type of club you are using. A grip check is often done to make sure your best grip is in place. Then finally, you might take a few waggles to relax a bit more and feel the clubhead. Jason Dufner has a very pronounced waggle that he takes before each shot he hits.

Each pre-shot routine is unique and yours should be too. Just make sure it’s not too long and it makes you feel comfortable. Stick with it and make it consistent – you’ll be glad you did.

Hone Your Pre-Shot Routine for More Consistent Play2021-03-19T10:41:09-04:00

Forget the Bad Shots

Frustration is probably one of the biggest round-killers you could have. I’m sure there have been a few times while you were out on the golf course that a string of bad shots has caused you to get so frustrated that you just can’t seem to focus and get back on track. Bad shots are sometimes tough to forget – and the more you think about them the worse you will play. Remembering these bad shots causes frustration that can continue to build throughout your round – until something happens, like a good shot, that causes you to forget everything else and get back on track.

Many times once golfers hit the turn at the 10th hole, they say to themselves, “it’s a fresh nine, let’s forget the front 9 and play better on the back 9”. Well this is all a state of mind – there is no difference between the 9th hole and 10th hole that will magically make you play better! It’s simply all in your head.

So the best way to combat the frustration that comes with bad shots is to simply forget them. If you hit a bad shot, try to completely forget it ever happened and focus on making the next shot the best one you have ever hit. Tour players usually excel at this because they don’t let one bad swing ruin their round – they simply forget about it and move on to the next shot.

So the next time you find yourself in a bad frame of mind on the golf course because of a few bad swings, forget they ever happened and focus on making the next shot your best one ever. Keep a short term memory and stay in present – and DO remember the good shots!

Forget the Bad Shots2021-03-19T10:41:09-04:00

A Healthy Back Means a Healthy Golf Swing

Do you often notice that your back gets tight, agitated, stressed or simply hurts after a round of golf? Maybe you have experienced a situation where you felt like you pulled something in your back while out on the golf course?

Back pain is one of the most common injuries in the sport of golf.  This is no surprise since the golf swing requires a lot of torque and twisting of the back. It’s not really a natural motion for your back muscles to perform, which is why so many injuries occur. If you have a desk job where you sit in front of a computer from 9-5 everyday or if you’re on the road for more than a few hours a day, then your back is definitely at risk of some type of golf injury – unless you take the proper steps to keep your back healthy.

If you look at how PGA Tour players warm up before a round you will notice that they are very thorough in the way they stretch. Stretching is crucial to making sure your back can withstand the constant torque that is applied to your back during the golf swing. Most amateurs don’t realize the importance of stretching your entire body. One area commonly missed is the hamstrings and hips. The hamstrings are connected to your lower back – and the more you sit all day, the tighter your hamstrings will become. The same is true for your hip flexors – these tighten up the more you are in a seated position.

So to prevent any kind of back injury while playing your next round of golf, here are a few tips:

  • Stretch before you play – make sure to stretch your hamstrings, your back muscles and your neck
  • Try to warm up your back on the range by taking some slow swings with a heavy club then work up to your normal swing
  • If your back is especially tight then take a few ibuprofen to loosen your muscles before you tee off
  • If you have a desk job try to get up and out of your seat every 20 minutes to prevent tightness – this will not only help your golf game, but also your overall well-being
A Healthy Back Means a Healthy Golf Swing2021-03-19T10:40:33-04:00

Proper Alignment Means Better Shots

Setup Position You’ve probably heard somewhere that you need to align your feet “parallel left” of the target. If you have ever watched a tour professional on the driving range you might have seen two sticks or golf clubs laying on the ground while they practice. One club is aiming at the target, very close to the ball and the other club is parallel, laying right in front of their toes. This is a great way to visualize how your body is aligned in relation to the target line. It helps to “square up” your body and start your swing off correctly.

However, the one thing that some people overlook is to make sure that their hips, shoulders, and eyes are also parallel to that line. It’s very easy to let your upper body do it’s own thing, even though your feet can be properly aligned. Now there are definitely situations where you might want your shoulders open or closed, but for the most part, having your feet, hips, shoulders and eyes in alignment is ideal. This will ensure that you are set up to make a repeatable golf swing.

The best way to make sure you are in correct alignment is to have your golf coach (hopefully me) or a friend check your upper body once you get in position to hit a golf ball. An extra set of eyes can point out things that you might not “feel” in your set-up position.

Proper Alignment Means Better Shots2021-03-19T10:41:09-04:00
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