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As Good As It Gets - Bring All Your Clubs! |
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Monthly Golf Tips Tip for July Can you hit a sloped lie? Now that we know what to do when the ball is ‘above or below’ your feet, what should you do when the ball is on an ‘uphill or downhill’ slope? When hitting shots form ‘uphill or downhill’ lies, it is important to match your shoulders to the slope, and take a slightly wider stance to help maintain your balance. For a shot on an uphill lie, you will need to adjust your shoulders (and spine angle) to allow the club head to follow through past impact and not get ‘stuck in the ground’ at the ball. When you tilt your shoulders and spine back, take a practice swing to confirm your balance and where the club is hitting the ground. This adjustment will mean that your shot will launch higher with the addition of the slope to the loft of the club, and you may have to take a less lofted club and choke down a little on the grip to control the trajectory and distance. For a shot on a downhill lie, adjusting your shoulder and spine angle forward to match the slope will keep you from hitting the ground behind the ball as you swing, but be aware that this shot will launch at a lower trajectory and have more roll out when choosing your club and your target. The big key for these shots is to maintain your ‘balance’ as much as possible so don’t be afraid to ‘club up’ and take an easier swing See you on the range, Dave Lengyel ............................................................................................................................
Tip for June Can you hit a side hill lie? If you want to be able to manage your way around RedTail Landing, or any other course with mounding and undulation, you need to know how to hit golf shot off of a slope. You may have heard the expression that ‘your ball will FLY downhill’ when hitting a ball ‘above or below’ your feet. It is a good way to remember to align your shot accordingly and the more lofted the club you are hitting, the more you will have to compensate. For you right handers, aim a little to the left of your target when the ball is below your feet, and to the right when the ball is above your feet. For extreme versions of the ball above your feet, it can be a good idea to choke down a little on a less lofted club and open the face slightly to minimize the effect of the slope on alignment. For extreme versions of the ball below your feet it is important to get your center of gravity as low as possible so take a wider stance and flex your knees a little more to get the club head to reach farther down the hill without having to bend at the hips as much. In either of these extreme conditions it is also important to take a practice swing somewhere nearby your ball with a similar sloped condition to see where your club will bottom out and properly gauge where to put the ball in your stance for the shot. Better yet, try to keep your ball on the flat grass… Play Well, Dave Lengyel ............................................................................................................................ Tip for May What kind of shape are your grips in? Well, it would appear that we have another one of those snowy, cold northern Alberta springs. Oh well, perfect time to make sure your gear is ready to go for the season. First step: check your golf grips. Your golf grips are like the oil in your car, whether you have 10W-30, 5W-30, regular or synthetic, you still need to change it regularly. Old, worn, glazed over and slippery grips generally cause you to have to ‘grip tighter’ to support the centrifugal forces created in a golf swing. Gripping tighter than needed will inhibit a proper wrist hinge, so it’s time for some fresh grips. While you are at it, see your local Golf Professional and make sure that your new grips are properly sized for your hands. Once you have your new grips on, it’s a good idea to clean them every once in a while to help keep them fresh. Warm soapy water and a brush will clean skin oils and perspiration off most rubber grips, and keep that ‘fresh grip feeling’ lasting a little longer. Dave Lengyel ........................................................................................................................... Tip for March and April RedTail Landing is excited to introduce Dave Lengyel as the new Teaching Professional for the 2009 golf season. Dave brings to us many years of teaching experience and is excited to acquaint all members and guests with his established teaching philosophies. Get your body limbered up for the season It is amazing what just a little bit of stretching on a regular basis can do to increase and maximize your range of motion. If you are sitting in your office chair reading this, reach over and grab the right side arm rest with your left hand… reach up and grab the right side of the back of the chair with your right hand, and gently pull (rotate) your shoulders to the right while turning your head to see what is over your right shoulder. You should have felt a wonderful rotary stretch of the shoulders against the hips. Now do the same things in the opposite direction (shoulders turn to the left against your hips), and hold on. Now, clasp your fingers together with your palms facing out, and reach your hands up over your head towards the sky, extending your arms and shoulders up, and hold. You just did two awesome stretches while ‘surfing the internet'. When you get up out of your office chair, do so while holding your hands on your shoulders (working the abs), and when fully upright, reach your hands down towards your toes (its ok to bend your knees a little) and stretch out your hamstring. Now doesn’t that feel better? See you on the range, Dave Lengyel
Tip for January and February Stay tuned for an exciting announcement
The RedTail Landing Golf Club is looking forward to a very special
change suited to improve the Academy. Soon to be announced will be the
new Teaching Professional for the RedTail Landing Golf Academy.
With a variety of programs and a fresh new look, the RedTail Landing
Golf Academy will be the number one place to get the instruction that
you need. ...............................................................................................................................
Tip for December Apply all of the skills you have learnt this past season Joshua has compiled a list of his favorite public courses to play in Palm Springs. Classic Club - www.classicclubgolf.com Desert Willow - www.desertwillow.com Indian Wells - www.indianwellsgolfresort.com Rancho La Quinta - www.rancholaquinta.com Trilogy Golf Club - www.trilogygolfclub.com Silver Rock - www.silverrock.org
If you happen to visit Palm Springs this winter make sure you check out one or all of these fabulous golf courses. If you would like anymore information please contact Joshua Have a wonderful holiday season. .............................................................................................................................. Tip for November Get the most out of you oversized driver The key to hitting the ball farther with the modern driver and golf ball is high launch combined with a low spin rate. Our goal is to get enough spin to achieve lift, while minimizing drag. Assuming that you have a driver with enough loft, here are three things that you can do to increase launch and decrease spin rate, thus increasing your distance off the tee: 1. Tee the Ball Higher The old adage has always been that the top of the driver should be about halfway up the ball when it is teed up. However, with a 460cc driver, I like to see you set the ball high enough on a tee such that the top of the driver is no more than one-third of the way up the ball. Of course, this means that the standard 2 ¼ inch tee will not be long enough to accommodate. You will need a tee at least 2 ¾ - 3 inches in length. 2. Move the Ball Forward in Your Stance The notion of playing the ball off of your left heel is no longer valid. We want to hit the ball on the upswing, thus increasing launch angle and decreasing the ball's spin rate. In order to do this, we must move the ball forward in our stance. For some golfers, it will be enough to play the ball off of your big toe, while for others it may be necessary to move the ball all the way up so that it is positioned outside of your left foot. Experiment with different ball positions – but, whatever you do, move the ball forward in your stance! 3. Hit the Ball on the Upswing The driver is now a specialty club, much like a putter. Our set-up, ball position – everything is different from any other club in the bag. You shouldn't be hitting the ball at the bottom – or apex – of the golf swing like a fairway wood. The ball should be struck past this point, on the upswing. This will lead to a higher launch angle and lower spin rate – which is how we are going to hit the ball farther than we ever have before. I know that the season is now over so you might want to hold onto this tip until the spring, it will really help your game if the Driver is your weakest link. Good luck, Joshua ..............................................................................................................................
Tip for October Hybrids Simply put, a hybrid club is a fairway wood that is smaller in size and numbered like an iron. They are designed to take the place of long irons and have lofts in the 18 degree to 30 degree range. Because hybrids have a wider sole and lower center of gravity, they end up being easier to hit than their respective irons. Hybrids are also effective when playing shots out of rough and longer grass. You would replace your irons with hybrids in the following fashion... 2 Iron -
17-19 degrees - 2 Hybrid (similar to a #5 wood) Most sets of clubs now days don't even come with a 3 iron anymore. They come 4 iron through sand wedge, and good luck finding a 2 iron. They have recognized that most weekend golfers just simply do not need long irons anymore. I am an instructor, and one of the first things I look at with my students is the clubs they are playing with. Not the brand, but the configuration. If I notice that they have a 2 or 3 iron, I will ask them what there least favorite club is. Any guess on what it might be? You got it, there 2 or 3 iron. So why are so many of us still playing with these clubs? If you have any questions regarding hybrid clubs, please contact me personally. Good luck, Joshua ................................................................................................................................ Tip for September Line M up My intention this month is to let you in on my little secret to success on the putting green. You may have heard of players marking a line on their golf ball to help in their alignment on the putting surface. This is something I have done for over 5 years now and will continue to do. The tool that I use is called the “LINE M UP”. This tool is very easy to use; it snaps on to the ball and with the Sharpie provided you are able to draw a perfectly linear line. Now that your ball is marked with this alignment tool you will find it much easier to align your ball to the intended target. Though you may think that this tip is unhelpful or silly, it is something that has been instrumental to my success as a Golf Professional. I encourage you to keep an open mind and contact me for more information about the “LINE M UP” putting aid. .................................................................................................................................Tip for August One-piece turning drill for more distance and flexibility A full shoulder turn is an important aspect in maximizing distance with all your clubs. Unfortunately, flexibility is needed to make a full shoulder turn, and that is a common thing for most players to lack. Without a full turn, your swing can fall into two categories. Either your swing is all arms, or a combination or arms and minimal shoulder turn. While both of these types of swings can produce results, they tend to lack repeatability and consistency. If you have ever heard of someone talking about a one-piece takeaway, this is where it comes into play. A one-piece take away starts with the shoulders moving, the arms and club then follow. Ideally your swing should start with the movement of your shoulders, not your arms. For a more consistent swing you need to incorporate a one-piece takeaway into your routine. This drill will help you achieve greater flexibility in your shoulders and also help develop a one-piece takeaway. Grab a wedge, and place one hand on the butt end of the grip, and another on the face of the wedge. Setup in your normal address position and start swinging the club back and forth. Turn your shoulders to their maximum point, and hold the position for 10 seconds, then go to your maximum follow-through position and repeat. Repeat this five times; with practice you will begin to see a difference in your shoulder turn. During this drill you will notice how your arms and shoulders are anchored. If your shoulders turn, your arms must follow; this is the feeling you want to have during each of your takeaways. This is how a proper one-piece takeaway feels. The more that you practice this move the easier it will become. Give it a try, Joshua................................................................................................................................. Tip for July: Flop Shot Aim the club face (of your most lofted wedge) at your target and aim your body 45 degrees to the left (for righties). Your clubface should now be lying wide open giving it extra loft. Your ball position should be inside your left heel. When executing this shot, you need a soft grip and relaxed arms. The back swing is going to be more vertical than your normal swing. You should feel your wrists hinging sooner on your back swing. Allow the club to swing down softly to the golf ball so the clubface gently slides under the ball. This will produce a high, soft ball flight. Remember, this shot is typically only a 30 yard shot or less.
You will
have to swing a little bit harder than normal to get the ball to the
hole because you are lofting your club so much more than usual.
Swinging harder will decrease your margin for error - and remember,
don't forget to follow through. Your chances of hitting the ball thin
and skulling it over the green is greater thereby requiring you to keep
your head down and still. Try it, you'll be glad you did! Have fun, Joshua ................................................................................................................................. Tip for June: Greenside Bunkers One of the keys of getting out of greenside bunkers is to keep the clubface "open." When you close the face, you get a lower trajectory and the golf club tends to dig in the sand. Here's a trick to help you achieve this: Imagine that the clubface is a mirror, and that you're going to see your reflection in it at the finish of your sand shot. This will ensure that you take the club all the way to eye level and that you've kept it open all the way to the finish. One more trick is to visualize that your ball is sitting on top of a $5 dollar bill. The idea is to try and pick that $5 dollar bill off of the sand with your club. This concept will give an excellent idea on where the club face should enter the sand and where it should exit the sand when making a greenside bunker shot. Always remember to follow through. Good Luck, Joshua ............................................................................................................................... Tip for May: 5 Keys to a lower handicap 1. Move up Having trouble achieving a mental breakthrough? Try playing forward one set of tees, in order to alter your comfort zone and lower your scores. Playing a shorter course will instill a "go-for-par" or birdie mindset that will stick with you when you return to your accustomed tees. If you can't score any better from the forward tees, consider it a message that you need extra work on your short game! 2. Play like you mean it If you're going to take the time to play, do it seriously and focus on each shot. Never make a careless swing during a serious round! Of course, this doesn't mean you can't have fun - it just means you should turn up the focus a notch. Use the driving range for working on technical skills, and the golf course for focusing on the real target: lowering your score. 3. Use proper equipment I'm not saying you should
spend thousands of dollars on equipment. But if you're using an older
set that isn't fitted properly, you may be needlessly holding yourself
back. 4. Put more focus on the short game Chipping and putting account for more than half the strokes in a typical golfer's game. Consequently, you should devote most of your practice to your short game. I like to use a football analogy here: It's great to be able to advance to the two-yard line, but it won't mean a thing if you can't make it into the end zone! 5. Write it down It's easier to improve if you can document your hits and misses. Where do you hit good shots, and where do you hit poor ones? Did you hit right, left, or on top? How many putts of less than five feet do you miss? Keep a journal and consult it periodically to unearth patterns and discover areas that need work. This season give it a try and let me know how it works, Talk to you soon, Joshua ............................................................................................................................... Tip for April: Are your grips built for your body type?
In my 10 years of teaching students of all levels, I have found that making the needed adjustments concerning grip type and grip size gives you the best chance of realizing improvement very quickly. If the grip is too small and slippery, you will tend to hold on much too tight, creating a host of swing problems. If your grip is too thick, you will find in most cases that your missed shots will be in the form of a fade or slice. If you use what are considered standard size grips by most manufacturers, chances are their grips are too small. Now is the perfect time to get your clubs in working order, be on the lookout for this probable situation and contact your local CPGA Professional for assistance in this matter.
Talk to you soon, Joshua ............................................................................................................................. Tip for March: Preparing your body for the upcoming season The golf season is fast approaching, and if you want to have a good season this year (better than last year, at least!), here are a few things you can do to prepare. No, I'm not talking about cleaning the mud off your golf clubs. These are things to help you get your body ready for golfing. Rotational flexibility, hip flexibility, lower back muscles, and shoulder strength all play a role in each golfer's swing. And working these areas will also help you avoid getting spasms in your leg or back muscles during a long day on the links. If you have been cramped up in an office desk and chair all winter, then this is even more important. You can perform many of these exercises during your lunch break, or at home in the evening in front of the television. You also don't necessarily need to break a sweat doing most of them. The rotational power in your torso relies on the hips, buttocks, thighs, abdominals, and lower back muscles all working in coordination. So begin by stretching those core areas. Try the following exercises: abdominal crunches, gentle trunk rotations, gentle torso twists, lower back stretches such as "cat" arches and hunches, hamstring stretches, and side rotations using resistance. If you are like me and tend to spend the winters being inactive, make sure you begin gently. The risk is that you will overdo things at the beginning, and injure some of your core areas, causing you to push back that first tee-off date. Begin each session by warming up for a short while using some aerobic option such as walking, riding a stationary bike, or a rowing machine. Participating in these exercise will help prepare you body for the upcoming golf season. See you soon, Joshua. .............................................................................................................................. Tip for February: Accelerate The Putter Acceleration is the increasing speed at which the clubhead moves through
the ball and is important not only for hitting shots of substantial
distance, but also for short putts. In fact, if you find that you’re
missing too many short putts, the cause may be failure to accelerate the
putterhead. Here’s a drill that will help. Good luck, Joshua ................................................................................................................................ Tip for January: You will need a dumbbell or a medicine ball to do this exercise. Step 1: Stand in an athletic position with your arms straight and hanging down in front of you, holding your medicine ball or dumbbell. Step 2: While you lunge forward with one leg, rotate your upper body to that same side, holding the medicine ball or dumbbell straight out at chest height the whole time. Step 3: Return to your original starting position and do the opposite leg. Step 4: Try to repeat each side 10 times and do 3 sets. Try to keep this exercise in your daily routine and you will see immediate results
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