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 (Illustration: John Cheresh) The new year is filled with eternal hope. There are dreams that this will be the year we are more successful and more productive than ever. We resolve to eat better and get fit. Golfers everywhere vow that this will be the year they really will focus on their game. With the first month of 2012 in the can and likely all of your new year resolutions gone with it, we offer a few things all golfers can do to actually make themselves better players in the coming year. The best part is that each of these simple suggestions takes very little effort on your part. Based on what I know of the human condition, that’s a good thing. What is the one part of the club that you touch on every shot? Sorry for the surprise quiz, but it’s the grip, and surprisingly most people give very little thought to the condition or welfare of theirs. Golfers playing even once or twice a month should change their grips every year. Dirt and oil build up on them and they get slick. There is never an opportune time to have your hands slip on a shot, so why chance it? Spend the $50-$60 dollars to change them out once a year and you will be surprised. Golf Pride, Lamkin and all the major grip manufacturers have taken grip art and design to the next level. An old set of clubs will look and feel new again. You might even feel more confident. What club do you use the most in your bag? The best players in the world use theirs 26-28 times a round. An average amateur uses theirs about 32 or more times a round. It’s your putter. How much time do you really spend with yours? Approximately 30-35 percent of the total strokes in your round are made with the putter. You will have to spend some quality time with your putter if you intend to get better. Notice I said quality and not quantity. It’s really that simple. Before your round, spend 15 minutes on the putting green. Start at the fringe and putt your ball to the opposite fringe, trying to stop it as close as possible. This will get your distance control in check and give you a good feel for the pace for the greens. Next, move your ball into the 3-5 foot range. Circle the hole, putting balls from every angle until you can make your way around the hole without missing. For those who struggle from this range, here is a great tip. Noted golf instructor Dr. Joseph Parent says that the stroke used to execute a tap-in will propel the ball that same 3-5 feet. Use that tap-in stroke for those dreaded short putts, and you will be shocked how your ball will hold the line. Finally, bring and end to procrastination. There seems to be some sort of badge of honor among amateur golfers to see how close to their tee time they can arrive at the course. Good rounds start before you even get to the course. Arrive to the course in plenty of time to prepare. Feeling rushed is a recipe for disaster for a game that relies so heavily on rhythm and tempo. Stretch your body out first – not some lame club over your head, rotate and touch your toes for half a second. Really stretch out those muscles that are going to be blasted by the violent torque of the golf swing. Make at least 15-20 swings starting with little chips to full swings and back. That’s it. Change your grips. Hit a few more putts with a quality plan in place and stop procrastinating. If you really want to play better golf this year, you now have a cost effective and time-efficient way to make that happen. Greg Flores has been a sports and entertainment publicist for 20 years and has written for Southland Golf since 1995. |
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