Tag Archive: Auto


How to Chip As If You Were Putting

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

The chip shot is one of the easiest to learn in the game. Yet many recreational players have trouble hitting the short chip shot, even after several golf instruction sessions. In fact, they’re so bad, they substitute their putter for their wedge, which isn’t always wise, as I explain in my golf lessons.

Using a putter when you need a pitching wedge or a sand wedge is, needless to say, a poor decision. It can add strokes to your overall score or cost you a hole in match play. It’s a problem you must overcome to lower your golf handicap. If you can’t hit a short chip shot well, don’t despair. There’s help.

The inability to hit a short chip shot is as much mental as physical. To overcome these obstacles, you need to simplify both your mental approach and your physical technique. The next time you have a short chip shot, try using an 8 iron instead of a wedge. It’s an approach I sometimes use myself. That’s because it works.

Here are 6 keys to chipping as if you were putting that I recommend in my golf lessons:

• Replace your wedge with an 8 iron
• Take a normal putting stance
• Place hands and weight forward
• Hold the club vertically
• Hit the ball off the toe-end of the clubface
• Rock your shoulders to control roll of ball

First, set-up as if your were going to make a long putt. Use your normal putting grip and play the ball back in your stance, off the inside of the heel of your back foot. The 8 iron is ideal for this type of shot because it’s short enough to deloft without the club’s shaft hitting you during the shot.

Also, keep your hands and weight forward, favoring your front side, as you would if you were hitting a chip shot. Hold the club vertically, so that the club’s heel is raised off the ground, enabling you to stand closer to the ball. And spread your elbows.

Moving the ball back in your stance and shifting your weight forward positions the ball off the toe-end of the clubhead when you hit it. Using the toe-end will deaden the ball when you make contact. It will also help control the ball’s roll.

Hit the ball with a gentle rocking of the shoulders, as you would if you were putting. This technique raises the club several inches off the ground in the backswing and forces you to hit down on the ball slightly, chipping it into the air. Concentrate on maintaining the width of the gap between your elbows as you swing thorough. It also ensures a pure arms-and-shoulders motion.

Using the 8-iron approach takes your wrists out of play. Recreational golfers who have trouble making short chip shots often have overly active wrists. With my approach, you’ll eliminate your wrists yet still strike the ball solidly—just keep your head still and focus on making a short, firm follow-through.

You can also use my approach for longer chip shots. Just lengthen your stroke to play the longer shot, as you would if you were hitting a long putt. For extra long chip shots, try using a 5 or 6 iron to get the required roll.

Chip under Target Drill

The key to accurate chipping is keeping the ball low so it runs like a putt when it hits the ground. Here’s a drill I use in my golf lessons designed to teach players to keep the ball low.

Lay a club or bag horizontally across two baskets placed about three feet apart. Then, step back a few feet and try chipping under the obstacle toward the hole, using either a wedge or an 8 iron.

To chip under the obstacle, you must deloft the club, which you can do by keeping your hands ahead of the clubhead when you swing. Having a visual obstacle to hit the ball under forces you to develop your ability to keep the ball low. Keep practicing this shot until it becomes second nature.

Hitting the short chip shot well—whether you use a wedge or an 8 iron— is a start toward improving your short game, and chopping strokes of your golf handicap. And aren’t those the real goals?

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80…And Shoot Like The Pros!”. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that was able to figure out the secrets of shooting in the 70’s on a consistent basis without quitting your day job. Jack has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.

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Importance of a Smooth Takeaway

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

If you want to start your swing off smoothly here’s something you should incorporate into your swing.

When addressing any shot (even putts), you should just hover the club above the ground. Do not ground the club. A lot of great players do this, including Jack Nicklaus.

The advantages are that you have the entire weight of the club in your hands. And you don’t have to pick the club up and then move it away. You will be more relaxed and ready to go when you’re starting the swing.

This will take some time to get used to, but the advantages will be worth any temporary feelings of discomfort. So do this for every shot you play for at least 30 days, and you’ll notice your take-aways are smoother — and you’ll be more in control. Plus your swing will be smoother.

And even though this is a short and simple drill don’t take it for granted, because if you make this into a habit you will improve your swing and your entire golf game for that matter.

Nick Bayley (www.nickbayley.com) has been helping golfers dramatically improve their golf games in New Zealand, where he lives, as well as around the world via the Internet.

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Executing the Perfect Sand Shot

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

Sand play around the green can be a challenge for some golfers. Here’s all you need to know to have great sand play.

Open the blade of your sand wedge so that it is aiming about five feet to the RIGHT of the flag. Open your stance so the tips of your feet and shoulders are aligned with each other and are aiming about five feet LEFT of the pin.

When you swing back, swing the clubhead only as high as your right shoulder. Don’t use more than about 60% power on the swing. The clubface should slice ACROSS AND DOWN THROUGH the sand, behind the ball.

More than any other shot on the course, follow-through is essential to lift the ball out of the sand. If you want the ball to stop more quickly, hit the sand about 1 inch behind the middle of the golf ball. If you want the ball to run, you need to hit about 2.5 inches behind the middle of the ball. Use this method and your days of poor sand play are behind you.

But of course no improvement comes without practice. Find a course in your area that has a chipping green with a bunker where you can practice. After a while, your confidence will skyrocket.

David Nevogt is the author of “The Simple Golf Swing”, a book written in simple format that is guaranteed to shave seven from your golf score. David breaks the swing down into five critical steps so your new swing will be easy to remember and consistent every time. 90-day money-back guarantee.

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How to Properly Re-grip your Golf Grips

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

Every golfer who decides to re-grip his own clubs should remember that the grip is the only direct contact with the club – so re-gripping must be done properly.

To properly re-grip a club, you must know the core size of the grip that you will require, and the size of the grip that best fits your hands.

Grips come in standard core sizing: .520″, .560″, .580″, .600″ and .620″. There are also special-core-sized grips for oversized-butt diameter shafts, however these types of shafts are very rare now.

Determining the core size you require is simple. Just measure the diameter of the butt of the shaft you are going to re-grip.

The diameter of the shaft should match the core diameter of the grip.

Now determine what size grip best fits your hands. Grips come in regular, mid-size, and oversized or jumbo. To determine which grip best fits your hands, measure from your wrist (base of hand) to the end of your longest finger. If the dimension is less than 6.5 inches, use a junior grip; 6.5 to 7 inches, use a .560″ grip; 7 to 7.5 inches, use a .580″ grip; 7.5 to 8 inches, use a mid-size grip and over 8 inches choose a jumbo grip.

Once you have chosen your new grips and are ready to start, make sure that you have the following materials:
• Grip solvent (place in a squeeze bottle).
• Two-sided 2-inch-wide grip tape and a container to catch the unused solvent.
• You’ll also need a vise and a special rubber shaft holder.

All of the above should be available from major component companies.

The grip solvent I like to use is Coleman Camp Fuel. It does a great job and leaves no residue. DO NOT USE Varsol or WD40 – they leave an oily residue and some grips will become loose.

Before you start you must remove the old grips and the old grip tape. This needs to be done to leave the shaft clean and ready for the new tape and grip. Once you’ve done this, you are ready to ready to re-grip your clubs:
• Put the shaft holder over you club shaft and tighten in the vise. Be careful not to overtighten if you are re-gripping graphite shafts – they can crack. Tighten just enough that the shaft does not move.
• Cut a piece of grip tape about 8 inches long. Place it along the butt of the shaft, leaving about a half-inch over the end of the shaft. Wrap the tape around the shaft, making full contact for the length of the tape. Squeeze the tape together at the end of the shaft and push it slightly into the shaft to seal the end of the club.
• Squeeze solvent along the tape. Fill the grip about three-quarters full of solvent. Put your finger over the hole in the end of the grip, squeeze the grip opening closed and shake the grip so the solvent covers the entire inside. Pour the solvent along the tape and be ready to install the grip.
• Push the grip up and over the shaft butt. Hold the grip by the front and back and push using equal pressure with both hands. Once you start the grip sliding over the tape, do not stop until the grip is completely on the shaft.
• Clean any excess solvent from the grip and let it sit for an hour. Then you’re ready to go play.

About Dennis Mack
Dennis Mack is the owner of DenMak Golf. As a certified Class A Clubmaker, his knowledge of club fitting and equipment is extensive. He served as the pro at Como Golf Club in Hudson, Quebec, from 1993-97, and has been in the retail golf business since that time. Dennis can be reached via e-mail.

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The Pros and Cons of Cavity-Back Irons

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

Whenever I talk about irons in my golf lessons, students invariably ask which style is best—cavity back or blade. The cavity back has its advantages and its disadvantages. It also has its fans.

Golfers, however, shouldn’t choose an iron style because it’s popular in the clubhouse, since the style may not fit their game. The key to iron styles, as I’ve said in my golf tips, is finding what’s right for you.

Cavity backs are popular these days—and for good reason. A cavity back has a small amount of metal removed from the back of its clubface, producing a small hole. Removing the metal re-distributes the clubhead’s weight around the edges of the clubface, father away from the center of gravity (COG).

Re-positioning the COG creates a much more forgiving iron, with a larger sweet spot along the blade. Thus, a mis-hit with a cavity back is more likely to stay on target than a similar shot with a blade. Why? Because the cavity back twists less in a player’s hand when the ball is mis-hit. A mis- hit with a cavity back is also more likely to travel farther than with a blade.

Cavity backs are “game improvement’’ clubs, offering special features that help golfers play better, like an oversize head. I’ve talked about these clubs in my golf tips. Players with high and mid golf handicaps prefer cavity backs, although some low handicappers and touring pros use them.

Blade irons are not as popular as cavity backs. A blade iron features a solid clubface back, distributing the weight more evenly across the clubface, closer to the clubhead’s COG. Thus, a blade has a much smaller sweet spot than a cavity back. A blade is also much less forgiving than a cavity back because it twists more in a player’s hands on mis-hits.

Distributing the weight evenly across the clubface, however, creates an iron with better control and more feel. These irons need to be hit nearly perfectly, though, to avoid a bad shot. Thus, it takes a lot of practice and experience to hit these irons well, something I work on in my golf lessons with low handicappers.

The blade iron is known as a more traditional iron because it lacks the cavity back’s special game improvement features Players with low golf handicaps and touring pros prefer the blade style iron because the added control and feel enables them to shape their shots better—a necessity when playing on challenging courses.

Manufacturers make cavity backs and blades in cast and forged versions. The terms “cast” and “forged” refer to the manufacturing process used to form the iron head’s shape.

Casting turns the metal from which the iron head is made into a molten liquid, which is then poured into a mold to form the iron head. It’s then left to cool.

Forging involves pounding or compressing the metal in it’s solid form, from which the iron head is made into the desired shape. Other machining and drilling steps complete production.

The manufacturing process has no impact on the iron’s capabilities, as I’ve explained in previous golf tips. If you have two irons, one forged and one cast, of exactly the same shape, with the same center of gravity, same loft, same grip, hitting the same ball, and so on, the shots will travel the same distances 99 percent of the time. And the players won’t know which iron head is cast and which forged.

You need to find the iron style that best fits your game, as I point out in my golf instruction. If you’re a less experienced golfer, the cavity back is probably a wiser choice, since you’re more likely to mis-hit a ball. If you’re a more experienced player, then a blade is probably your best choice, since it provides more control and better feel for shaping shots.

The best way of choosing a style that fits your needs is to test it out. Hit a few balls with each style. If one style feels better than another does, and you have confidence in it, that’s the style that’s right for you.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.

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Using a Hybrid Club

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

Many players dread hitting long irons (2,3,4,5). Even with the proper golf instruction, these players would rather hit a short iron any day. Others prefer higher lofted woods.

Thanks to the hybrid (utility) club, a cross between an iron and a wood, these players need no longer even carry a long iron, never mind hit one. This club replaces the long irons in you bag.

A hybrid club is easier to hit than a fairway wood or a long iron, as most golf tips stress. It has a loft from 16 degrees to 25. It has a low-center-of gravity. And it has a slightly smaller head and lower profile.

The Hybrid club is practically a “universal” club. Use it off the tee, from all lies in the fairway and rough, in fairway bunkers, and near the green, for pitch-and-run shots.

• Off the tee

Tee the ball very low. Position it near the center of your stance but towards the target. Use a smooth tempo, with a full swing. Complete the follow-through.

• From the fairway

Use a ball position closer to the center of your stance. Swing more down and through the ball. Hit the ball first, then take a small divot. Complete the follow-through.

• From the fairway bunker

Assuming a good lie, position the ball in the center of your stance. Dig your feet into the sand. Use a shorter swing. Complete the follow-through. Don’t try to kill the ball.

• From the rough

Position the ball in the center of your stance. Use a 3/4 back swing, with a full follow through and a smooth tempo. Accelerate the downswing through the ball. Again, don’t try to kill the ball.

• From in front of the green

Pitch and run shots as you normally would but swing the club like a putter.

Hybrids can really help your game, whether it be in the longer shots or around the greens. So, if budget allows, go and pick one up and start to see a difference in your game.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.

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Selecting a Putter

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

Buying a putter that’s right for you isn’t easy. You need to do your homework to find one that fits both your budget and your game, which means learning the different types of putters and clubheads available and their advantages. But doing your homework is worth it because having a good putter, as I often say in my golf lessons, shaves strokes off your golf handicap.

The key considerations when looking for a putter are price, quality, type, clubhead, and alignment system. Face insert, loft, and hosel are additional considerations. ’ve talked about these considerations in my golf tips, but here’s some additional information about them.

Price/Quality

Prices for putters range from $30 to $250 or more. Usually, the higher the price, the better the quality. While buying quality is nice, you don’t have to overspend to find the right putter. Consider putters from all price ranges before investing, but look for one that feels right to you and fits your budget. That can take time, but if you look hard enough, you just might find a good but inexpensive putter that will work as well as an expensive one.

Type

Putter types include traditional, belly, and long. Most players use a traditional putter, which allows for the best blend of feel and mechanical precision. Traditional putters demand “quiet” wrists, a big hurdle for some. They also affect golfers with bad backs. Hence, the increased use of the belly and the long putters. Nevertheless, they’re easier to master than the belly or long putters, which is why I cover them in my golf lessons.

The belly putter provides a third point of contact – the abdomen— between the putter and the player, the other two being your hands. This putter adds stability and balance to your stroke. The belly putter enables a golfer to control his wrist action and assume a near perfect position for putting, but the club’s longer shaft and generally thicker grip inhibits feel and feed back. Distance control is also a problem.

Long putters provide a stroke with a true pendulum arc, are great for players with bad backs, and completely eliminate wrist action, but they inhibit feel, feed back, and distance control even more than belly putters. Many players consider them the “last refuge” for players with highly active wrists, but you’ll often see them used by pros on the tour who are having trouble with their putting.

Clubhead

Putters come with blade, cavity back, and mallet clubheads. A blade has the clubhead’s weight distributed to the heel or bottom of the putter, leaving a thin top line to view when addressing the ball. It is harder to control than a cavity back or a mallet. A cavity back features a hollow area in the middle of the club- head’s back, creating a larger sweet spot. A mallet is bigger than traditional putter’s clubhead but its shape varies widely. Also check out the face-balanced and the heel-toe-weighted mallets, which promote a straight stroke and minimize mishits.

Alignment System

Aligning the putter to the hole is critical to sinking the putt, as I emphasize in my golf lessons. If the putter isn’t lined up properly, the ball won’t go in regardless of how well it’s hit. Try finding a putter with a visual aid to help you line up the club with the hole, one that you feel comfortable and confident with. There’s no research showing that one alignment system is better than another, so choose one that feels right to you. But make sure you buy a putter that has one.

Additional Considerations

Face inserts are available in a variety of materials including metal, rubber, ceramic, plastic, glass, and wood. They provide more feel and feedback, better define a club’s sweet spot, and increase heel-toe weighting. They are nice but not necessary, which I’ve often mentioned in my golf tips. Believe it or not, putters come with about 4 degrees of loft, which keeps the ball from bouncing when struck. Most golfers use a putter with standard loft because their hands are vertical to the ball at impact. Loft can be added or taken away depending on where your hands are when you hit the ball.

A putter with an offset shaft or hosel appeals to many recreational golfers. The offset helps them address the ball with their forward eye over the ball and a good line of sight to the hole. More importantly, the offset helps them keep their hands ahead of the ball when putting, increasing accuracy.

Golf instruction aside, a good putter is critical to improving your golf handicap. But choosing a putter is mostly a matter of feel, so look for one that feels comfortable. If you find a putter you think fits your game, try it before purchasing it. Some retailers have small putting greens that allow you to test a putter. Others will let you take the putter home to test. By all means, do so. It’s the only way to really know.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.

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Steel vs. Graphite Shafts

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

The number one difference between graphite and steel shafts is their weight. While steel shafts today can be made to weigh as little as 90 grams (3.2 oz.), and some graphite shafts as heavy as 120 grams (4.2 oz.), the big reason graphite shafts became popular is their ability to offer stiffness and durability suited to the most powerful swings while being very light in weight.

Remember, the shaft’s weight is the number one factor that controls the total weight of the entire golf club. Lighter total weight equals the potential to increase the golfer’s swing speed, which equals the potential to increase the distance of the shot.

The average steel shaft today weighs between 115g to 125g (4.0 to 4.4 oz.). Put that together with a typical 195-gram (6.9-oz.) driver head and a normal 50-gram (1.75-oz.) grip and you have a total weight for the driver of some 365 grams (12.9 oz.). Most graphite shafts for drivers today are made to a weight of around 65-70 grams. Assemble that with the driver head and the grip, and the total weight of a typical graphite shaft driver will be about 11 oz.

That 1.9-oz.-lighter total weight (compared to the typical steel-shafted driver) can mean as much as 2-4 mph more swing speed for the golfer, which in turn translates to about 6-12 yards more distance.

Makes it sound like all golfers should be using graphite shafts in all their clubs, right? On the surface that is true. However, some golfers who are very strong physically, and/or who are quick to very quick with their swing tempo, need to have a little heavier total weight to help them gain a little more control over their swing. In addition, steel and graphite shafts are totally different in the manner in which they transfer the vibrations from impact up to the
hands, which in turn affects the feel of the shot. Simply stated, some golfers prefer the more crisp, sharper feel of hitting the ball with steel shafts, while some prefer the softer, more dampened feel of graphite.

If gaining more distance is a primary goal for the golfer, they should definitely be fit with the proper graphite shaft design in their woods and irons to match their swing. On the other hand, if distance is not the main focus for the golfer because they already have a high swing speed, if they like the feel of steel and their swing tempo matches a little better to the higher total weight steel shafts bring to the clubs, then steel is the better option.

Tom Wishon is one of the most highly respected members of the golf equipment industry. He specializes in clubhead design, shaft analysis, and clubfitting research and development, and is the owner of his own golf equipment company, Tom Wishon Golf Technology. Tom is a member of the Golf Digest Technical Panel, and is the Technical Advisor to PGA.com, the website of the PGA of America.

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How to Choose the Right Flex for your Clubs

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

All low handicappers and golfers who are serious about shooting the lowest scores possible consider flex in their clubs. It makes the science of hitting the ball so much easier, which translates to more enjoyment on the course.

Now, when I say “flex”, I am referring to the ability of a golf shaft to bend as forces are applied to it during the golf swing. Just go ahead and “waggle” your club a little and see how much the shaft bends and you will get an idea of what “flex” is.

There are five basic categories or types of shaft flex:

1. Extra Stiff
2. Stiff
3. Regular
4. Senior
5. Ladies

Why is the flex in your shaft important? Well, when you have a flex that doesn’t match the needs of your swing, the result is the clubface being misaligned at impact, causing your shots to go off-target. Not good. To be more specific, your flex will impact how straight you hit the ball, how high or low it goes and how long or short it travels.

Keep in mind one very important thing about the shaft of your club and its flex. As the shaft flexes throughout the swing, the position of the clubhead will change. This means you need a shaft that will properly match your swing type and speed so that it can deliver the clubface back to a square position at impact.

For example, if the flex of your clubs is too stiff, the clubface will tend to be open, sending the ball in a slicing direction. Or, if you have clubs with a shaft flex that is not very stiff, the clubhead will be tend to be closed at impact, resulting in a hook.

Choose Your Flex Type

I always am experimenting with different shafts and flex types, because I know that if my swing is on plane and accurate, my shaft flex type can be adversely affecting my results.

Here’s what I do:

• Your driver will be your best gauge on which flex you need. Not 100% accurate but the best club to use for this purpose. If you can carry you driver 250 yards or more, go with Stiff; 230-250 yards, Regular; 200-230 yards, Senior; less than 200 yards, Ladies. What about Extra Stiff? I can count the number of people on one hand that actually need or use an Extra Stiff shaft. Only guys like John Daily and Long Drive Champions need that type.

• If shots with your driver tend to go left, you might benefit from a stiffer flex; if your drives go right, you might benefit from a softer flex.

• If you know (or have been told) you have a very smooth swing, you might benefit from a softer flex even if you swing very fast. Further, if you have a swing that gets jerky at the top, especially starting the downswing, you’ll probably need a stiffer shaft.

The Best (and most accurate way) to Choose Flex Type

If you are not comfortable determining which flex you should choose on your own, go see your local pro at the course you play at or your driving range. This will take a lot of the guesswork out of the equation.

A good pro will take a lot of measurements, watch your swing, measure your swing speed, watch your ball flight and be able to tell you with certainty which flex is right for you.

What you want to do is to experiment by hitting lots of different clubs and watching the effects on your shots of changing shaft flex.

If you find a flex that feels good and produces a good ball flight, there’s a good chance that’s the right flex for you.

And lastly, here’s the best advice I can give on choosing flex. Most high- handicappers (especially men) tend to over-swing. If this describes you (and you know who you are), you should consider a softer flex to help you slow your swing down. Slowing down the swing will certainly produce more accurate shots and better distance control.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80…And Shoot Like The Pros!”. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that was able to figure out the secrets of shooting in the 70’s on a consistent basis without quitting your day job. Jack has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.

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Build Your Golf Biceps

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

This goes for both the guys and the gals. The only difference is the gals are a little smaller, but just as toned.

If you’ve ever done a standard bicep curl for your biceps…you know how to do them, right?

Well, if you want to improve your golf game…don’t ever do them that way again!

Ever!

Why?

Here’s why I’m so adamant about this.

If you look at how you grip your club and how you do a standard bicep curl…you’ll see a HUGE difference.

This is why I’m advising you strongly to NEVER do them that way again.

The standard curl has the wrists torqued outward, putting a lot of stress on the wrist joint.

Now here’s the “secret curl” you can do that will not only help your game, but strengthen and tone those biceps.

Let your arms hang naturally down and notice the direction that your palms are facing.

They are facing each other. Right?

Well that’s how you should hold the dumbbell when you’re doing your “golf-specific” bicep curl.

Doesn’t that make sense?

If you want to improve your golf game, you would NEVER torque your wrists outward to do a golf-specific arm exercise would you?

No way!

This is just one modification I believe is critical in pursuing a truly “golf-specific” fitness routine.

It’s not rocket science, but you really do have to put some thought into it.

Or hire a fitness trainer who really knows the golf swing.

Mike Pedersen is a golf fitness expert and founder of the Power Performance Program. If you’re looking for a complete golf performance system, check out Mike’s Golf Fitness Guide.

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A Stretching Exercise You Can Do While Watching TV

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

I know how busy most of you are, so I want to show you how you can be creative with your time. This simple stretch exercise can be performed with no equipment while sitting on your couch watching TV.

I know you watch TV!

Just follow these simple steps to do this exercise, which is called the Seated Rotation.

* Sit upright on the couch
* Put your hands together, as if you were praying, but with your fingers pointing away from you.
* While keeping your hands together, extend your arms straight out chest high.
* You now have formed a triangle with your arms and chest.
* Rotate this triangle to the right and to the left as far as you can.
* Repeat this 10 times each side during every TV commercial.

This will feel great and quickly improve your backswing and follow- through rotation.

If you want to get a little fancy, grab a can of soup or something out of your kitchen to add some resistance.

This is how simple and easy your golf fitness program can be. No gym required!

Mike Pedersen is a golf fitness expert and founder of the Power Performance Program. If you’re looking for a complete golf performance system, check out Mike’s Golf Fitness Guide.

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Increasing your Hip Motion

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

What’s the best stretch for hip motion to generate extreme power?

The lower body is your base to your golf swing, but generating power — especially in your downswing — comes from the transfer from your upper body through your lower body.

If you have tight hip joints, you will have a very difficult time trying to generate any clubhead speed. There has to be a certain amount of hip rotation on the backswing and definitely on the downswing.

So what can you do if you are restricted in this area?

STRETCH!!!

Did I get my point across?

Okay, now…what stretch, right?

Well, like all the stretches and resistance exercises I have golfers do, it’s a very easy one; and can be done anywhere.

It’s called the Seated Groin Stretch.

Here’s what you do!

* Sit on the floor and bring the bottoms of your feet together.
* Both knees will bend and there will be tension in your inner thigh and groin area.
* Place you elbows on your knees while grabbing your ankles.
* Apply pressure with your elbows on your knees to provide a bigger stretch in your groin.
* Hold for at least 15 seconds and repeat once more.

Here’s how you’ll benefit from doing this stretch daily:

* It allows more freedom in the hip area during your swing, while reducing strain on your lower back.
* It reduces tension in your hip and inner thigh on your backswing and follow-through for more freedom in your swing.
* It creates a coiling effect in your hip region for increased leverage and power.

Mike Pedersen is a golf fitness expert and founder of the Power Performance Program. If you’re looking for a complete golf performance system, check out Mike’s Golf Fitness Guide.

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Hamsting Stretches

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

If you’re like most of us, you daydream about the best and newest golf “goodies.” Yet, many golfers give little thought to the missing link between their golf clubs and their golf scores. Don’t know what that is? Look in the mirror! The missing link is you!

For example, 80% of all amateur golfers have extremely tight hamstrings. As a result, they can’t get into their ideal golf posture. Here’s a golf stretch to help you maintain a better golf posture while relieving pressure on your lower back. I call it my “Standing Hamstring Stretch.”

Find something that’s about the height of your groin area — a counter or the back of a couch will do fine. Gently pick up one leg and put your foot on the counter or couch. Bend your knee slightly, and then lean over that leg with your upper body. Hold that position for a count of 10. Then repeat.

Do this stretch every day, and I guarantee your golf posture and performance will improve greatly.

Mike Pedersen is a golf fitness expert and founder of the Power Performance
Program. If you’re looking for a complete golf performance system, check out Mike’s Golf Fitness Guide.

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What Does a Doughnut Have To Do with Hitting Longer Drives?

Filed Under: Golf Tips
Aug.03, 2010

I hope the title got your attention.

But I’m about to disappoint you! It has nothing to do with food :-(

What I want to talk about is the MOST golf-specific resistance exercise you can do to quickly increase your driving distance.

It’s the “weighted doughnut” like the baseball players slide onto their bats to swing with just before they go to the plate.

You can buy one for your golf club very inexpensively at your local golf store.

Now…set up a daily routine of swinging your driver 30-50 times with a doughnut on it.

If you’re just starting out, you should make no more than 10-20 swings. And your swing speed should be approximately 50% of normal at first. As you build your golf-specific strength up, you can increase your swing speed to 70%.

If you do this regularly, you will definitely see an increase in your distance.

Now this is not the “cure-all, end-all”, but it’s a quick way to strengthen your golf muscles.

If you have other limitations, such as tight hamstrings, weak leg muscles or a sore lower back, this won’t help. You’ve got to do specific exercises for those areas.

Mike Pedersen is a golf fitness expert and founder of the Power Performance Program. If you’re looking for a complete golf performance system, check out Mike’s Golf Fitness Guide.

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