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…

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.

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!

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.