Hit more greens with your wedge: Hitting greens with a wedge is well within the compass of most club players and makes a massive difference on the scorecard; yet too many greens get missed, mostly because of sending the ball the wrong distance. So practice hitting wedge shots various distances by changing length of swing only; focus on keeping a constant pace to your swing, and a constant acceleration rather than a sudden rush at the ball. Your distance control will dramatically improve.
Focus on short-game distance over direction: Work on your distance control around the green including putting.
Improve your pace putting: All too often golfers of all standards struggle on the greens, especially in competitions or pressure situations. This is because they spend a disproportionate amount of time and attention trying to get the line spot-on at the expense of getting the pace right. Pace determines line; in fact Today’s Golfer says the line does not or cannot exist without the appropriate or relevant pace. Pay more focused attention to pace and you will hole more putts, shoot lower scores and have more fun.
Learn your physical capabilities: Get a better understanding of what your body is physically capable of doing and improve your swing based on those facts. Stop trying to compare yourself to tour players and build your own swing, which will always be the most effective. When you understand what limitations could be holding you back, you can then choose to work on them or work within them; either way, this knowledge can really separate you from the rest. Learn what works best for you, and play your best golf based on that.
Fuel your body better: Eat a proper, nutritious breakfast combining protein and slow-release carbs prior to playing rather than running onto the tee with nothing or at best a bacon roll. Then hydrate and continue to ‘graze’ throughout the round. Take fluid (preferably something isotonic) and snacks like fruit/nuts/etc. regularly rather than eating a chocolate bar and having a drink at the turn.
Balance: Place an alignment stick or old shaft parallel to your ball-target target line and stand on it, making sure it runs under the center of both feet. Address a ball with a mid/short iron and check your balance at set-up; the stick will tell you if you are too much in the toes or heels. From here hit 10 balls, again focusing on your balance; the stick reveals any toe/heel tendencies and really highlights where your balance should be. Finally hit 10 normal shots without the stick to feel the improvement in your balance.
Master your pitching: If you improve your pitching, your scoring will drop into a new level. Think of all the opportunities you have on short par 4s and lay-up par 5s! To do this, master three length of swings. Keep your rhythm the same and work the clock face arm swing, perfect your own 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30 swing to control the distance. Measure what distance they go and repeat. Repeat a lot! When you add in a gap wedge and a sand wedge you now have nine different distances you can hit your wedges with deadly accuracy. Also, head out to your local par 3 course every couple of weeks – and watch how sharp your game gets.
Read your shots: Work with your club’s PGA pro on your grasp of ball flight laws. Every ball flight is the result of a combination of face angle, club path and attack angle at impact. When you truly understand what combination produces which flight, you can begin to apply that knowledge to your shots. From here you can target the ‘x’ much more quickly and be far more effective in your resolution
Fitness: Most golfers focus on technique to improve, but the body moves the club! Want to hit if further? Get faster and get stronger.
And finally, our number one suggestion for improving your golf game is play more often! With new golf villa homes available now in Champions Pointe, a southern Indiana residential golf community, you can bang out a quick 9 or 18 holes 7 days a week and twice on Sunday if it strikes your fancy! Champions Pointe is a Fuzzy Zoeller/Clyde-Johnston-design daily fee, 18-hole golf course carved through the gorgeous landscape of southern Indiana. Each Hole of this par 72 layout offers a new and exciting challenge from tee to green. Paved cart paths bring these 18 holes together connecting tee boxes for every golfers skill level to the Zoysia grass fairways throughout the course. Multiple lakes and strategically placed bunkers add to the beauty of the slightly undulated greens. Champions Pointe is a demanding yet fair test for every golfer.
For a personal tour of golf villa homes and homesites in Champions Pointe, contact Renada Steurer at Renada.Steurer@infinitybuilthomes.com or call 812-670-5490. Or visit the Infinity Homes model home in Champions Pointe at 2022 Prestick Place in Henryville, IN. Model home open Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m.