Determined to lower your handicap this golf season? Looking to spend less time looking for your ball and more time on the green? These tips from Brett Saunders, Director of Coaching & Development with SaundersRodgers Performance Golf Academy at Meadow Gardens Golf Club are a great place to start.
Putting
1. Limit the three-putts. To improve your speed on the greens, put in some time before your game. Try to hit some putts on the practice putting green from various distances with your eyes closed. This will force you to focus on the rhythm and tempo of your stroke.
2. See the ball go into the hole… before your start your round. Take an extra five minutes on the practice green and hit a bunch of putts from inside three or four feet. Golf has a strong mental component to it, and seeing a number of successive putts going into the hole will boost your confidence before your round starts.
Chipping
3. Don’t let the dreaded thinned or skulled chip shot ruin your round. Skulled shots are often caused by a short backswing, which is usually the result of too much tension. Make sure your wrists and forearms stay passive during the backswing, and have your lead arm and the shaft move through the ball together. Then keep the speed of both the club head and the lead arm constant through impact.
Full Swing
4. “Rhythm and tempo is the glue that sticks the swing together.” Wise words from six-time Major Champion, Nick Faldo, who shared this wonderful piece of advice with all golfers during the 2016 Masters. Smooth, consistent rhythm and an even tempo are the keys to any successful golf swing.
Practice
5. Practice your short game first. In your regular practice session, try to spend 30-45 minutes on the putting green or chipping green prior to hitting balls on the range. Many people go directly to the range, and forget to spend time on their short game. By starting around the practice green, you’ll improve your scoring when it really counts.
To book your own private or group lesson at Meadow Gardens Golf Club, visit meadowgardens.com or find them on Facebook, call 604-465-5474, or simply drop by at 19675 Meadow Gardens Way in Pitt Meadows.
