One of the best golf lessons is not to change your normal routine when playing a round of golf.

Better than that, one of the best golf  lessons is to experiment with different routines only on your practice range, if at all.

A standard and consistent pre-shot routine can significantly improve your golf game. It can help you hit your golf ball straighter and farther.

The challenge, however, is not to experiment with changing your routine during your play but during your pre-play practice, if at all.

If you are hitting straight golf shots and getting good distance with your irons and woods, why would you want to change your routine at all?

Sticking to a regular routine instills confidence in the swing. It promotes consistency so that you can hit your best golf shots.

A recent article spoke about the importance of sticking to a regular routine. here is a part of it:

“Do you normally head off to the range before starting your round? Well, whatever your routine, it cannot be underestimated how important it is to your golf game. Changing your ‘normal’ routine, no matter what that may involve, will almost certainly have a negative effect on how you play.”

Read more…http://www.leaderboardgolf.co.uk/the-pros/the-importance-of-a-pre-game-routine.html.

There is no question about the importance of an overall routine, as alluded to in the article, such as practicing at the range prior to play just as do the pros.

However, when I speak of a consistent routine, it relates to the pre-swing routine while in play.

My pre-shot routine is simple and easy.

I first view the overall shot, including the precise distance from my ball to the target.

I check for any wind conditions, especially for cross winds and wind velocity.

I view my lie to determine whether my ball is sitting up or not. I also check to see if it is a slice, hook or an even lie.

In addition, I try to determine the slope of my target and the safest place to hit in relation to my target.

Once I have analyzed these conditions, I use one of my Locked-In Golf™ Techniques to lock-in either a draw, fade or straight golf ball flight alignment depending on whether I want to curve my ball or hit it dead straight to my target.

Many of my Locked-In Golf™ Techniques are available in books, DVDs and Special Reports at http://lockedingolf.com.

Once locked-in to the ball flight alignment of my choice, I then complete my pre-shot proceedings.

My pre-shot proceedings consist of assuming a comfortable stance and posture to the ball, centering the sweet spot of the club face as near to the back of the ball as possible and aligning my shoulders parallel with my target line.

Then it just becomes a matter of keeping my left heel planted, maintaining a steady head and executing a simple golf swing without any manipulation of the club to rotate my established alignment and swing path off course.

You too can hit your ball straighter and farther by establishing a consistent routine.

This may be one of the best golf lessons you will ever receive.

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Copyright © 2012 by Gordon Jackson–all rights reserved     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some experts believe you can learn how to hit a golf ball straight by using visualization.

That is, they believe you can learn how to hit a golf ball straight

 

by seeing in the “mind’s eye” precisely the pattern, direction and distance the ball will fly.

A recent golf article contends that a majority of professional golfers produce so many straight golf shots because they visualize their golf shots exceedingly well.

Here is a portion of the article:

“This is how to swing in golf with visualization

They all visualize their flight of the ball. Well they actually do more than just that.

Here is what I mean. They practice their golf swing until it feels right to them, then they get behind the ball and look for a spot in the fairway or golf course that they want their ball to land or go towards. At that point in time they see their golf swing and watch the flight of the ball until it lands.  This is done without ever hitting the ball. This is how to swing in golf using visualization.

With the visualization over they then go to the ball and address it with their club.

They then waggle the club to make sure that they have the right grip and relieve pressure and then look once to see if they are aligned properly and then finally they proceed with their swing.”

I concede that many great golfers use the visualization golf method for their shot making, basically because they have honed their swing to near perfection by practicing so much.

However, I doubt the efficacy of this method when it comes to the  recreational and weekend golfer. Here is why such golf swing instructions do not work well for average golfers.

The instant you grip a club with an interlocking, overlapping or baseball style of grip, your club face will rotate to an effective open alignment. In addition, your club will rotate to an out-to-in swing path across your shoulders, all of which will establish a slice ball flight.

However, this slice ball flight alignment is not permanent.

As a result, any body movement after initially gripping a club in such a conventional manner will cause the alignment and path of the club head to rotate to a different alignment.

Further, any additional body movement will cause the alignment and swing path of the club head to rotate to different alignments, with each subsequent body movement .

Therefore, just because a golfer is able to swing his or her club until it feels right to them during their practice swing does not mean the “feel right” sensation will exist when the club face is then transferred to behind the ball. The alignment and path of the club will change during the transfer of the club and, as a result,  the anticipated ball flight will not occur.

If the club is un-gripped after the practice swing, and then re-gripped for the actual swing, any body movement between the time it is re-gripped and the completion of the set up routine also will cause the alignment and swing path of the club to change  and, the visualization of the golf shot during the practice swing can no longer be relied on.

On the other hand, if you lock-in a square alignment and an on line swing path of your club face during your set up routine and do not thereafter unlock your right-hand lifeline from your left thumb, there will be no further rotation.

Then, assuming you complete your set up proceedings properly, a non-manipulative swing will deliver the same alignment and swing path to the ball as existed at final address and you will produce the ball flight you intended.

This means if you lock-in a square alignment and an on line swing path during your set up routine, complete your pre-swing proceedings properly and execute a simple golf swing, you will experience precisely how to hit a golf ball straight.

If you like the information above, kindly click the “likes” button.

Copyright © 2012 by Gordon Jackson…all rights reserved   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best golf lessons  teach students golf mechanics in a very simple way. This is to say that the best golf lessons include some instruction on traditional golfing terminology.

There must be a simpler way to describe golf mechanics than what is being taught nowadays if we want to provide for better golf swing instructions.

The current golfing terminology used by instructors and players alike is downright confusing and does little if anything in terms of teaching someone to hit the golf ball straight.

For example, I recently saw one of Tom Watson’s new instructional videos and was slightly intrigued by how he described the difference between the ball-to-target line and the directional line.

Keep in mind, I am one of  Tom Watson’s greatest fans.

He kept referring to the directional line as the “aim line,” a common term used in putting but not too frequently used in terms of the golf swing.

He said the target line could be anything.

I understood what he meant but I am not sure the typical recreational and weekend golfers would be able to discern what he meant.

Typically when the term “target line” is used, we think of the imaginary line running from the target back to and through the ball, not some imaginary line depending on such extraneous factors as wind conditions and elevation differentials between the ball and stance.

A better golf swing tip would be to continue using the term “target line” to describe the imaginary line running from the target (typically from the green or the middle of the fairway) back to the ball.

I also believe a better term to describe what Tom Watson refers to as the “aim line” to be called the “directional line” simply because it is the line in which direction you wish the ball to fly initially.

For instance, if you wanted to hit a straight golf shot to your target, your directional line would be the same as your target line.

On the other hand, if you wanted to fade or draw your golf shot, your directional line would be to the left or right of your target line, respectively.

Other new terms relating to golf are just as confusing.

One is what is referred to as a “pull slice.” This seems most confusing to beginning golfers because a pull flies in the opposite direction of  a slice.

Why confuse the issue? Why not just refer to a slice as a slice and a pull as a pull?

I realize there are two types of slices, one of which initially flies to the inside of the body line in a pulled configuration and then curves to the outside of the body line: the other which only curves to the outside of the body line, typically referred to a as a push slice.

Either way, if it eventually curves to the outside of the body line it is a slice, period.

It seems to be a trend these days to invent new terms to describe various golfing mechanics that previouslyhave been described the same traditional way for centuries.

I do not believe a reinvention of traditional golfing terms will help you improve your golf swing or lower your scores.

I believe it would be less confusing to the average recreational and weekend golfer to stick to the traditional ways of describing golf mechanics instead of trying to “reinvent the wheel.”

Then the best golf lessons would be simple.

Copyright © 2011 by Gordon Jackson. All Right Reserved.     

The best golf lesson going is to take more club whenever in doubt.

You have heard it over and over again but we yet have difficulty in applying it: take more club is  the best golf lesson yet.

The main reason we do not comply with this timeless admonition is we truly believe  we can hit the same distance as our best practice shots with each given club. This is not the correct golf method to improve your golf swing.

The best golf swing instructions may be to hit 30 to 40 balls with each club on a practice range, executing a full golf swing. Then instead of relying on the ones you hit the longest as a guide for what you should rely on when playing a course, rely on the shortest ones.

For example, suppose hypothetically that when you practiced with a full wedge, ten of your balls flew about 115 yards, ten flew approximately 105 yard and the remaining ten flew only 100 yards.

Then when playing a course, you should use your wedge for shots no longer than 100 yards and forget about using your wedge for those 115 or even 105 yard shots.

In reality, by swinging your wedge more smoothly for 100 yard shots you shouldn’t be surprised to see your ball fly 110 to 115 yards.

Its not a bad approach to swing all out with a given golf club but swinging more than all out is a recipe for disaster.

In most cases you would still be on the green putting for a birdie instead of trying to hit a full wedge 115 yards, only to fall short of the green and hope for no more than a bogey.

Basically, it means to always take at least one more club than you think you need for a specific shot. It definitely should improve your golf game.

It’s still the best golf lesson anywhere to be found.

Copyright © 2012 by Gordon Jackson. All Rights Reserved.