From time to time things pop up that you realized but sometimes don’t put a ton of thought into until it is presented right in front of you.  I was at a PGA meeting the other day and it was presented that there is a ton of research and percentage breakdowns of shots including putting, wedges, irons, hybrids/woods, and driver.  Now, we all know that putting accounts for 43% of the shots you take during a normal round.  Did you know that wedge shots account for 26% of the shots per round?  So a quarter of the shots you hit in any given round are within roughly 100 yards of the green.  I knew it was high but didn’t recall it was that staggering of a number.   Then, when you put wedges and putting together that paints quite a short game picture.   It’s also funny that when I look over to our nice 120-yard short game area at Hillandale Golf Club in Durham, NC (also equipped with a bunker), it’s normally a ghost town.  Range is packed, but rarely anyone utilizes this area.   It amazes me that players still can’t figure out if they put 3/4^ths of their practice time into putting and wedges they would probably lower their score dramatically within a short period of time and maintain those low scores.

How do you practice short game?  It can be tough if you practice at a driving range that doesn’t have the resources like a putting green or chipping area.  Here are a couple tips to get you on your way.  Remember, my door is always open for questions if you just ask.

“Outside the Box” steps to improve short game

1. Putt indoors using materials like tape to outline you target lines and alignment
2. Chip in your back yard using a bucket placed and various distances and trying to hole shots
3. Purchase a small bucket and only hit shots less than 60 yards picking out specific areas on the range like a discoloration in the grass or a pole.  (Using a range finder for yardages helps)
4. Utilize your local public course’s putting green (Most people won’t think this is “Outside the Box” but a lot of players think the practice areas are off-limits.  They are not.  Use them!
5. Find an empty Baseball/Softball Field and get a Shag Bag with balls. (until someone politely asks you to leave)
6. Make abbreviated pitch shot swings in the garage with no ball and use an old piece of carpet to act like grass.

I can’t probably sit here for hours coming up with different ideas and these might not be the best for you but just a way to get started.

Now, if you are a member at a nice course or have a great short game practice area then you better familiarize yourself with it.  If you’re reading this thinking “I practice my short game all the time” then great, double your efforts!

Everyone has the opportunity to become better at golf and improving your short game will help tremendously.   Work hard and try to develop feel with these 100-yard and in shots and you will improve quicker than you ever imagined.

Brian Ondrako is a PGA Certified Professional and teaches golf at Wildwood Green Golf Club in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information on golf lessons or to contact Brian please click here

As I sit here flying over the Midwest on my way to Hawaii, it makes me look back at the last couple rounds of golf I played and what I learned.

When I speak to many of my students i notice that most have confidence issues. They can stripe the ball on the range but can’t “take it” to the course. I realize that the hazards in your mind play a tremendous role in this but one other factor gets lost in the mix.

Most (like 97%) do not prepare themselves properly for their round
of golf. They might hit 50 7-irons in a row and then a bunch of drivers and say “I’m hitting it great”. Then, it unravels from there.

The reason it is the case is how many times do you hit your 7 iron
and driver in the round? Maybe 16-17 times if your lucky. How many times do you hit a half wedge or a low 6 iron or a cut 3-
wood?

The fact is that you need to practice the majority of shots when practicing to get ready for the round. If not, your touch will be extremely off and you will lose touch around the greens and your vision for the course will be thrown off.

My advice: if your working on a swing adjustment then work on it. But, in the days leading up to a round you must turn off the thinking mind and turn on the playing mind. You must hit a variety of shots while working on visualization and alignment. If you continue to think swing then will lose your focus on the rest of the game and therefore your scores will rocket too high.

Have a game plan leading up to your round and during your round and you will be amazed how your overall quality of play improves.

What a great round of golf by Brandt Snedeker in the final round of the Heritage Classic.  He survived a tough competitor in Luke Donald who was trying to find the top spot in the world if he had captured the plaid jacket.

Did anyone notice the pace that Snedeker plays at?  It might be something to look into for the average player.  I am not saying you need to race through your pre-shot routine and hit the ball quickly, but I find a large amount of players take way too long over the golf ball.  The demons start to creep into the mind and that only leads to bad shots.

My suggestion is to work on a pre-shot routine where you take one or two looks at your final target and then look back at the ball for a second and no more.  Then, you just gotta pull the trigger and hit it.  No thoughts are better than a bad thought.  I can guarantee that!

What happens with most players is they are trying to process their whole swing over the golf ball just before they hit it.  It’s like your cramming for a final exam you have the next day.  Your brain cannot process that information nor can the physical body.  It does more harm than good.

So, next time your out playing I want you to give it some thought.  It might take several swings to get used to it but I promise that you will clear your mind and hit more quality golf shots.

– Brian Ondrako, PGA

Congrats to Charl Schwartzel for a dominant final round at Augusta National. After a pursuit by some of the top players in the world and an unfortunate stumble by the young Irishman, Charl showed brilliance coming down the stretch.

Did anyone learn anything from that final round???

The reality is that your never really out of it….There were a host of players in the mix throughout the day and they all had their chance to claim the title. Your going to get some great bounces and rolls, as Charl got on the 1st and 3rd holes, as well as some bad breaks along the way as well. With any round of golf even a final round at Augusta you must stay patient and focus on every swing. It is vital that you never get out of the present moment or your mind can cost you the title or breaking 100….depending on what situation your in.

I really hope everyone had a chance to sit in front of the tv and watch that epic final round….it really was one for the ages and had you biting your nails until the bitter end….

Up next is the US Open at Congressional in 2 months time….who knows what story will unfold there…we’ll have to just wait and see.

The golf season is already starting the kick into high gear and normally the Masters week is when it officially begins.  Some thoughts and tips for those players who are easing into the season but have high hopes for better rounds this year.

1.  Just because you haven’t gotten outside to practice doesn’t mean you cannot work on proper fundamentals in the house.  With some work on the grip, set-up, and alignment you can get your season started off a lot better than in past years.

2.  Don’t ignore fitness but add more to your work-outs.  Golf is not a lazy man’s game as was once thought.  You need to be in good shape to not only get through one round of golf but months of continual wear on your body.  Work on your conditioning especially your endurance and flexibility and it will help you tremendously this year.

3.  What normally goes first after a long layoff?…putting.  Although many players think they are good putters because they might not 3-putt from 30-feet, it is the ones who can capitalize on a great iron shot and make the birdie putt that will shoot the lower scores.  If you don’t have a bunch on time right now, head over to your nearest putting green or work inside on your carpet and get your stroke feeling good again.  You start making a few of those 8 to 12-footers and your confidence will improve.

4. Don’t let the first couple rounds of golf get to you too much.  Your bound to have some bad holes and poor swings coming off a few month lay-off.  Make plans to play a couple 9-hole rounds to ease into the season.  This way when your leagues start at work or your big tournament is approaching you will be better prepared mentally which is important for maintaining control when your on the course.

These are just a few thoughts to get your season started off correctly.  If you need some help with your game then don’t hesitate to ask.  Another pair of eyes on your game will always help you improve quicker.   Have a great day.

The fall/winter of each year is a great chance to improve areas of your golf game that you might normally neglect during the busy months of the spring and summer

I know most of you have set some new year’s resolutions and I hope you have stuck with them thus far.

Here are 2 more you should add:

Flexibility

Flexibility training, whether it be simple exercise or some form of yoga, is essential to your golf conditioning and overall performance.  It improves strength as well.  Being sedentary is a killer for your game.  Google some exercises or sign up for a few classes at your local gym to start gaining a better range of motion with your body.  This will not only lead to more yards but less back spasms and pulled muscles during your round.

Nutrition

Our nation as a whole is terrible at eating correct food and portions.  Why not make the conscious effort now to do something about it.  Your heart will thank you just as much as your golf game.  Consult your doctor or a nutritionist on some simple meals that can give you more energy and stop those headaches and food “hangovers” we all have had.  Give your body fruits and veggies as well as a few glasses of water per day.  Put down the Diet Pop and burger and realize that your eating habits have a direct effect on your energy on and off the golf course.

Make a difference people!  I make the same mistakes by eating wrong at times and not exercising regularly on occasion.  Make an effort to acknowledge that there is a problem and come up with the best solution for you to fix it.  It will improve your quality of life and your drives!

Growing up in Endicott, NY, I learned quickly how to play in the fall. Our season was short and fall golf was a great time to play before the snow started to accumulate. Also, that is when our high school golf season would be played. Here are a couple tips to help you as the fall starts to roll in.

1. Take an extra club -When the weather starts to cool down it is important to adjust with it.  You might have been killing the ball in July when it was 100 degrees but the balls just won’t fly as far in cooler temps.  Drop down a club and make a smooth swing.   You’ll be happy you did!

2. Work on your lag putting – Normally in the south the fall is when the greens are at their best…but that also means they are quick too.  Lag putts that you could hit hard in the spring and summer and it would stop at the hole are non-existent in the fall.  The ball will roll out a little more this time of year so stroke your putts accordingly and you can tap it in for par!

3. Keep an eye on it – One of the things that pains me is when someone hits an okay shot but doesn’t watch where it lands.  It could have taken a bad bounce and moved into the rough.  With all the leaves falling in autumn it is extremely vital to watch the ball until it lands and pick a spot to go find it.  You’ll speed up play and also keep penalty shots off your scorecard!

4.  Ryder Cup-it! – Normally when you play with your weekend group you probably just play some stroke play or a variation of that.  Fall is Ryder Cup time and with that try a new game with your buddies.  Learn Match Play and how fun and exciting it can be.  Use your handicaps to level out the participants and play either individual or teams.  Better yet, get a group from your club and make your own Ryder Cup event.  It is a great change from dreery old stroke play.

5. Be prepared – Bring a light jacket or umbrella to the course.  Check the weather forecast beforehand and know what to expect.  Don’t get caught mid-round freezing your tail off because you forgot your windbreaker.  Put it in your golf bag and forget about it.  Also, especially in late fall, always have a knit cap in your bag to cover your ears on those cold mornings.  Making triple bogey isn’t fun…..try making triple bogey with frost bite….it’s brutal!

Use some or all of these helpful hints as the fall season rolls into play and just have fun and enjoy the cooler temps.  It’s a great time of year to play golf and one you need to relish!

Inside the Quote: “Success is not a random accident”

One of my favorite quotes of the last several years has been “Success is not a random accident.”  The reason is that it relates to golf perfectly.  Often times golfers get on the tee box after a long lay-off with the notion that they are going to better par on this day.  However, they haven’t ever broken 90 in a round but for some reason think that today will be different.

This exemplifies the quote.  The player that practices frequently, plays regularly, and thinks positively normally improves.  The player who takes off 2 months normally doesn’t improve.  It doesn’t get any more simplified than that.

The reason I stress this so much is that you have to lower your expectiations if you take time away from the game.  Don’t expect to knock down the pin or hole long putts right away.

The more you work on improvements in the swing, the better your swing will be.

The more putts you hit, the better your feel will be

The more 32-yard low spinning wedges to a back pin you practice. Guess what happens?  Bingo!  That improves as well.

Don’t get upset if you hitting poor shots if you haven’t been practicing alot or efficiently.  Calling a 30-minute session where you are hitting ball after ball without working on fundamentals is not practice.

I am honest because I care.  Put together a practice session.  I know work, family, and other activities get in the way.  That’s fine.  Find time to practice and you will succeed.  Don’t make excuses for playing bad.  Look in the mirror and realize the reason is lack of practice.  No worries!

Work on the game and you shall see better results sooner.  There is no miracle juice to drink here or no genie popping out of some bottle.  Practice does make perfect.  Well, in golf, perfection doesn’t exist so maybe Practice makes a better golfer.

Start there!

A

Address – The position a player assumes when preparing to hit the ball, either a full shot or a putt.

Albertross – Also called a “double eagle”.  This is 3 under par on a hole.

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Well….it’s official…whether I like it or not….I’m 26.  It’s a reality I have to live with.  Being on the downward slide toward the big three – o has come alot sooner than I thought it would.  My how the time flies.  It has been a great 26-years I might add.

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Well Spring has officially started and what a gorgeous beginning.  Rainy skies parted earlier in the week for sunshine and above 60 temps.  I’d say this week went by quicker than any in ’09 thus far.  March Madness has begun around the country and it looks like its gonna be a competitive race to the end.  Alot of the top teams still have a chance to cut down the nets in 2 weeks.  I think us North Carolineans would love a Duke v. UNC showdown in the Final Four.  That would elevate that rivalry another big notch on the scale.

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