Weekly Swing Reminder - Wide Stance

I noticed the last few days that those old fall winds are starting to blow down here in Southern Arizona. It's just one of the conditions we have to live with in order to have great playing conditions nearly year round.

To help you play better in the wind, try widening your stance. Normally, your stance should be about shoulder width apart. But, when that wind blows, it can help to widen your stance a little. This will give you a more stable base to swing. This will also allow you to get a great turn back and through the ball. The other benefit to a wider stance in the wind is it helps your body to not sway. By this I mean it helps you to turn your body and not sway backwards.

I hope this helps you play better golf. For more Swing Reminders, visit the Swing Reminders website

Have a great golf day.

American Golf Census

The National Golf Foundation has come up with a great new contest, and a really cool way to help the game of golf.

About the census.

The American Golf Census is counting as many of the country’s 27 million golfers as possible. Being counted shows your support of the game and lets policymakers better understand how golf enhances the lives of millions of Americans from all walks of life.

You Might Win Big.

All registrants are automatically entered into golf's most spectacular sweepstakes totaling more than $100,000 in prizes!

The prize package includes the latest golf equipment from TaylorMade, Callaway and Nike - Dream travel for two to Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, Southwest Ireland and Pinehurst - Not to mention, a once-in-a-lifetime April weekend in Augusta, GA, and golf instruction at the ANNIKA Academy.

Give it a shot.
It won't take long.

Participating in the American Golf Census only takes a few seconds, and it won't cost you a thing. You can even increase your odds of winning by referring your golfing friends. But you need to be counted to win, so please take part in the census by clicking here.

It's an easy way to give back to the game that means so much, to so many.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Alignment

Have you ever felt your were aimed to far to the right? Ooh, that could be a hot political question, huh? But, let's not get on that subject.

Your alignment in golf is one of the most overlooked aspects of your game. Do you hit alot of shots to the right? Most right handed golfers line up aiming too far to the right. As do most left handed golfers line up aiming too far to the left. This could be the reason and it's so simple to fix. Here's a training drill to help you get your alignment headed in the right direction.

This should be done on the driving range. Take one of your longer irons and lay it down on the ground pointing the butt end at your target. Now take your normal stance and put your toes right against the shaft. Now, take a few swings using the alignment club to see not only your target line, but your swing path. Does this give you a better feel of being aligned? It should. Now, hit a few shots using this alignment club. Did you hit them right or on a straighter line than normal.

Practice this drill with every club in your bag. You should be aligned the same way each time you take a swing.

I hope this helps you play better golf. Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Pre-Shot Routine

Do you have a pre-shot routine? Do you just walk up and whack the ball? Having a pre-shot routine that is the same every time you step up to a shot is a huge deal, it will help you to not think, just react, and it promotes muscle memory. Have you ever seen a good golfer without one? Look at every professional golfer, they all have a routine. It helps them and it will help you focus and play better golf. Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Roll Your Hands Over

Make sure to roll your right hand over on the follow through so that your knuckles are facing the sky. For right handed golfers, on the backswing your left hand should rotate and your left knuckles should face the sky. On the follow through, just the opposite, your right hands knuckles should face the sky. If you’re a lefty, it should be just the opposite.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Athletic Stance

I think one of the most overlooked parts of the golf swing is your stance. You must have a stance that your body can turn on, or you're not going to hit very good golf shots. It's just like if you are playing short stop or linebacker, knees slightly bent, bending forward from the waist. The stance is very important in keeping your balance during the golf swing. If you get your weight too far back, on your heels or too much on your toes, you will not be able to make a good turn. Keep your weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet. As you bend from the waist, your arms should hang straight down from your shoulders, and hold the club. You should never feel you are reaching for the ball or that your hands are too close to your body. Try it next time you're on the practice range. Have a great golf week.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Grip, Aim, Stance

These are the three most important things in your golf set up. If any of them is off, you will not hit consistent shots. You can use one of three types of grips; interlock, overlap or ten finger, it really doesn’t matter as long as your hands are in the correct position. Aim is often overlooked. For instance, if you're going to play a fade, line up on the right side of the tee box and aim down the left side of the fairway. Stance must be athletic. Just like if you were playing defense in basketball. This will make it easy to turn on your body’s axis. Head on over to the range and practice this. Hope it helps you play better golf.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Never Up, Never In

Have you ever made a putt that came up short? You must get the golf
ball to the hole for it to go in. Focus on a good stroke and keep your
head down. Have you ever practiced putting with your eyes closed? It is a great drill that gives you more feel in your putting. Line up three balls at one, two and three feet from the hole in a line. Now, step up to the one foot ball, close your eyes and putt it in the hole. Listen for the ball to go in the cup. Now the two foot ball, then the three foot ball. Did you make all three? Now, move them to a different spot around the cup, same drill make all three. Try to make 15 putts in a row. Hopefully this will help you make more putts.
Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Commit To The Shot

Do you ever stand over a golf shot and not feel comfortable? We all do it. What we have to learn is to "commit to the shot". It's not easy and it takes alot of practice, but we can all learn to feel confidence when we get ready to hit a shot. Don’t be wishy washy. If you are unsure, start your decision process over again. Know that you need to believe in yourself and that you can hit this shot. Once you've decided, just go for it. Have a great golf day.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Play Within Yourself

Don’t try and do things you have not practiced. Play your own game. I
see golfers all the time try to hit a flop shot like the Pro's on TV.
First of all, it is a hard shot, 2nd you’ve never practiced it, so do you
really think you can pull it off? The percentages are against you,
play the shot you know you can hit. Then the next time you have some practice
time, practice the flop shot. Have a great golf week.

266 and counting.....

Over the past 25 years or so, I have visited 27 countries, about 23 states and have played a bunch of golf courses. Actually, 266 different courses to be exact. Last week I went to the Atlanta, Georgia area to visit my buddy Wilmont. We had the chance to play three different courses on my visit.

We played his home course, Callahan Golf Links in Waleska, GA. This is a great course, if you haven't played it, you definitely need to get out there and play it. It is a hilly, very scenic track that used to be a family dairy farm. From the first tee, it looks like it's gonna be a breeze, with a short par 5 to start. However, don't try and hit that first green in two shots, unless you like taking a drop and hitting your fourth shot over the creek that fronts the green. The course then starts up hill and into the beautiful North Georgia woodlands. I don't think I had a flat lie anywhere on the course, well maybe on for first hole. The staff was great and took awesome care of us. Stop on by there and enjoy a great round of golf.

The second course we played was probably one of the toughest courses I have every played. Lake Arrowhead Club - Highlands Course It was so tough, I'd have to say it is actually unfair, especially for most of the residents who live around the course. Mostly a retirement area, there is no way the locals have fun on this course. Elevation changes of 100 feet in places, plus it must have had 10 blind shots and five or six forced carries of over 200 yards. It was a real bear. But, it's one of those courses that makes you want to play good because it's so hard. I'd play it again.

Our final round was played up in Cumming, GA at The Davis Love Designed Windermere. From the time you walk in the door, it just says NICE. Beautiful course, club house, homes, etc...it pretty much had it all. Another North Georgia hilly course, with one hole that has and elevation change of over 200 feet from tee to fairway. The only thing I could say bad about this course is that it wasn't marked very well. I understand it is semi-private and the members probably know it very well, but a newbie could get lost. Going to the 10th tee, there is no sign or picture of the hole. It almost looks like a dog leg left, but that would take you to the range. It actually goes about 90 degrees right and had we known, we might have tried to cut the corner. The next time, we will know. All in all, it was a gorgeous golf course, I think I used every club in my bag. However, if I were Wilmont, I'd have had a few left over (14 clubs isn't enough for him).

It was a good trip back east, one I need to do more often. I think I hear number 267 calling.....

Weekly Swing Reminder - Left Hand Firm

When putting keep your left hand/wrist firm. Take the back of your left hand to the target. Your right hand is just on the club for the ride, the left hand controls the putting stroke. Now, if you’re a lefty, the right hand is the firm hand you take to the target. Take some time this weekend to practice your putting. It’s where you can make up alot of strokes during your round.

GM US Junior World Golf Championship

Swing Reminders Golf Tip Tokens sponsoring the
GM US Junior World Golf Championship, July 18 - 21, 2010 at Providence Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.

Tucson Guide Interview

Check out my interview in this Spring's Tucson Guide online
Pretty cool stuff...

Weekly Swing Reminder - One Piece Take Away

Do you get wristy or handsy with your swing? Does the club feel like a whippy fishing rod when you take it back? The key is to have a one piece take away. Which means don’t break your wrists on your take away. Keep your left hand/wrist firm and push the club back using your left (right hand golfers) hand. The right hand is just hanging on. It shouldn't take control of the club. Take this to the range and try it. I bet you will hit more consistent golf shots. Have a great golf week.

Weekly Swing Reminder - Tuck Your Right Elbow

Do you have the old flying elbow or chicken wing?
I have had it for years and years. I've tried
to change my swing to a more rounded and not so
upright swing. It is not easy to do. But, my
buddy Rod finally got me to try it again and it's
starting to work. I feel like my swing is way
more consistent and I'm hitting some really nice
golf shots. Here is how it works -
Keep your right elbow as close to your right side
as possible. The better you turn your body, the easier it is to keep your right elbow tucked. When you take the club straight back and then hinge your wrist, your right elbow will tuck right against your side. This will take some time and alot of effort. Believe me, I'm hitting the range almost daily to work on it. But, it will get your swing more consistent and you will hit better golf shots.

Spring is just around the corner, time to get ready for the golf season.
Get out there and practice, play and enjoy this great game.

GTour - The UK's Amateur Golf Tour

Swing Reminders just sponsored the GTour's 2010 Opening Tournament @ Belton Woods, UK. You can check out this great amateur tour and what we're doing across the pond @ http://www.gtour.co.uk/news/view/1426/Golf_thoughts_to_improve_your_game.html.

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