Tips from the Golf School Staff

We hope you enjoy our Golf Tips.  Golf can seem amazingly simple and frustratingly complicated at the same time.  Hope some of these tips help your game.

A smooth tempo is a key to consistent shots. Make it a major priority on any full swing and especially when you are under pressure. Remember that the backswing should be 3 times longer than the downswing. To ensure good tempo put a momentary pause at the top before starting down so the club and body can set. A good practice drill is starting at the top of the backswing and concentrating on making a smooth swing through the ball with a full finish. If you work on creating a 3:1 tempo in your swing, I think you will like the result. 

- Coaches Frank McLaughlin and Franklin Bursick

Chipping is simply a smaller version of a full shot in most respects.  A smooth, slow take away to a set position - followed by an accelerated down swing is essential.  The act of proper chipping includes the club head staying low through impact, keeping your hands ahead of the club head through the entire follow through.  Also keep the shaft angle during the entire swing by pressing hands forward slightly to begin.  Remember to use "soft" hands and fight the tendency to help the ball go up. Be confident and make a solid stroke.

- Coach Kevin Hollen

Make these three checkpoints a part of your putting routine to start rolling in more putts. 1. Make practice putting strokes while looking at the hole gauging the speed and visualizing the line. Do not look at your putter or the ball while taking practice strokes. 2. Always be sure to have your eyes over the ball to slightly inside the ball. Never outside the ball. 3. Commit on every breaking putt throughout a round to staying on the high side of the putting line so it always has a chance to go in. 

--- Coach Franklin Bursick 

Focus on your target. Let your target calm your mind. Too many times we are thinking about swing thoughts instead of where we want to put the ball. The smaller the target you aim for, the better the chance of you executing the shot.  I have seen it happen so many times where a player gets into a situation in which he has to hit the ball through a certain spot like between two trees and he pulls it off perfectly. Yet that same player is in the middle of the fairway on the very next hole and hits a poor shot into a hazard.  What was different?  FOCUS. Next time you play, try to have a laser focused vision of exactly where you want the ball to go ON EVERY SHOT. I guarantee you will execute more good shots throughout your round. 

- Coach Russ Brown