Are you the type of golfer who really struggles controlling the distance of your putts? In this issue we are going to show you a simple drill that you can do either at home, the office or on the putting green at your golf course which will improve your ability to control the speed of […]
Every now and then when I am playing, I remember one of the keys that I used to use regularly when competing in golf tournaments. This happened recently when I found myself doing exactly what I encourage my clients not to do, which is follow the ball with your eyes and head as soon as […]
Last month, we introduced you to ShotsToHole.com, a web-based data collection tool that allows golfers and coaches to measure and analyse over 70 golf stats, set and track goals, monitor progress and more. ShotsToHole.com has been adopted by many Tour players, including PGA TOUR pro Patrick Reed—who, having worked on specific skill sets to improve […]
World-renowned golf instructor Shawn Clement recently visited Australia for the first time and presented his unique perspective on the golf swing to keen golfers at Bonnie Doon Golf Club. Clement is no ordinary golf instructor. The 46-year-old Canadian has been involved with golf for over 36 years; 26 of those have been instructing golfers on […]
STATISTICS in golf are an increasingly prevalent part of the modern game. Fairways Hit, Greens in Regulation, Putts and Sand Saves are a few of the many metrics that golfers measure each round. Many apps and websites have been designed to collect and analyse these major golf statistics. After (or during) a round, a golfer […]
You don’t often hear many golfers of any skill level talk about the loft of the putter, mainly due to the fact that they don’t even know that the putter should actually have loft, let alone how much is right for them. Putting is about feel, touch, seeing the line, reading the putt correctly, and […]
Are you one of the many golfers who have difficulty controlling the distance of your putts? It is one of the most common concerns people talk to me about when they visit me at The Sydney Putting Studio. Basically they are getting the read and line generally OK but then either waste shots, lose confidence, […]
Every week on television and when I play in local competitions I notice golfers of all different standards being a little confused about what it means to be satisfied with golf. Knowing when and where to be satisfied has a big impact on our game’s performance and at a social level makes a massive difference […]
One of the common questions golfers ask me during a putting lesson is which method of putting stroke do I teach people? My initial thought is: whichever one I think is going to help the player putt consistently well. I don’t teach one single method to putt. I don’t actually say this to the players, however, as I know […]
Whenever I am giving a putting lesson, I always start by watching the player putt outside on the practice green. This allows me time to see firsthand their routine, the accuracy of their read of the slope, the types of questions or comments they make as well as seeing their technical fundamentals such as posture, […]
I regularly see students and customers coming to the range with only a fairway or driver. They lace away with no warm up, hit 100 balls and maybe hit 10% ok. They walk away with no confidence, poor rhythm and timing and most likely a sore back.
Reusing water bottles, plastic or otherwise is a popular way to be eco-friendly, but one of the big problems with water bottles is mould build-up. The word ‘bacteria’ can send many people reaching for the hand sanitiser, and while some bacteria are not harmful, it is probably better to be safe than sorry and keep your water bottle clean.
Playing consistent golf all the way through a round has a lot to do with being able to maintain concentration. Maintaining concentration has a lot do with keeping energy levels up. Keeping energy levels up is all about food.
If you want to perform better at golf, your round should always be accompanied by a solid golf nutrition plan. In essence, what you eat determines how you play. So, which foods produce champions and which foods hinder play? Let me give you a few hints.
This article was specifically written with golfers in mind who are missing way too many short putts. Having the benefit of designing putters for Precision Putters. I am fortunate enough to be able to ask for extreme but specific specifications on some putters every now and then, and this has been the case recently with […]
We always hear how the majority of our game is played within 100 metres from the green, but how many golfers actually know by how much it is affecting their overall scores? To play ‘bogey’ golf, i.e., 1-over per hole (which will see you shooting around 90) the following should occur on most holes: Par […]
Pick any professional sport and situation where the athlete has plenty of time to think, analyse, visualize, worry etc. Now think of someone from that sport that is very successful. For example: basketball and Michael Jordan preparing for a free throw. Picture your athlete performing under pressure and ask yourself whether you think they have […]
At the Ridge where I coach, I have a laminated sign hanging up called “Golf’s Frustration Cycle”. This cycle has ten points to it and in summary this is what I DO NOT want to achieve with my clients, irrespective of their age or handicap. It is important to point out that the number one […]
In my last article, I wrote about the effects of lie angle with your iron clubs, and I mentioned that the process of combining golf instruction with club fitting is very important, mainly because the two need to go hand-in-hand. This is no different when looking at the effect that lie angle has on putting […]
As a golf coach, I have always enjoyed the process of combining golf instruction with club fitting, mainly because I learned early on that the two go hand in hand. For instance, if a client is slicing their shots, to reduce the left-to-right spin on the ball, I must determine what was responsible. Is it […]
When I am coaching, it is common to see a number of golfers arrive to practice their putting. The coach in me cannot help but take a sneak peek at their basic technique, in particular their posture and putter length. In a nutshell, I am surprised just how many golfers are using putters that are […]
I have often had people ask me to help them with their chipping. When we get to the short game area they proceed to get their 7-iron out and begin hitting bump and run shots all over the place. When I ask them what they are doing, they have a bemused look on their face. […]
I often ask golfers whether they think good putters on tour have a light or firm hold on the putter when they are putting well. Invariably these golfers answer “light, but I think mine is too firm.” Although I have seen a few good putters come through The Sydney Putting Studio that have a firm […]
This month we’ll discuss lag putting, a critical skill to improving around the greens (and lowering your scores).
This month I will help you out with your recovery shots out of the trees. I often see club golfers trying to pull off miracle shots when all they have to do is play the higher percentage shot. This will cut out the chance of having a those dreaded extra shots on their scorecard that […]
Since deciding to dedicate a large part of my time specifically to putting, I have seen a number of golfers putt consistently well using a light putter on slow greens, a heavy putter on fast greens, a light putter on fast greens and a heavy putter on slow greens. This shows us that we cannot […]
When hitting a putt, one of our major goals is to get the ball rolling as soon as possible, we have discussed in previous articles that the reason we need loft on our putter face is to assist in lifting the ball out of the small indent the ball sits it when it comes to […]
I am often asked by clients whether their feet are aiming correctly at address. This leads me to explain the key alignments I look at when coaching. There are four: Forearm alignment at address Forearm alignment at impact Putter face alignment at address Putter face alignment at impact To me, feet alignment doesn’t matter a […]
This month, we’ll discuss the two most common swing faults by golfers. S Posture at setup: It is easy to spot this poor postured golfer. If you look at their lower back from down-the-line, it has an excessive swayback or curvature creating what we commonly refer to as the “S-posture” or lower crossed syndrome . […]
As a teaching professional it often astounds me that so many amateurs spend their hard earned money on equipment and range balls without ever significantly improving their game. Here are three stereotypes I see every day at the range… do any of them sound familiar to you? Good ol’ Rake n Belt This player turns […]
One element of the golf swing that is essential to playing great golf shots is the movement of the body and arms at the same pace. One thing that I frequently notice when coaching or watching people practice is how much tension they carry in their arms at address and then through the swing. This […]
In 1988 as a club professional and part time playing professional I was leading the prestigious Australian Masters by two shots after sixty nine holes. The field for this event at the time included six of the world’s top ten players, headed by Norman, Langer and Faldo. Three pars would change my golfing future and […]
To get the best value from a golf lesson, there are a few prerequisites. Firstly you must be prepared to learn and possibly change some things. Most importantly you will need to practise your new skills and give them the opportunity to take effect. It is my experience, that one round a week and one […]
If I took a survey of all the people I’ve worked with, the definition of “Junk Food” would be rather varied, and generally misunderstood. Unfortunately, Junk Food is not simply limited to every fast food outlet you can think of; it actually exists as most foods available to us today. In saying this, in my […]
What exactly is confidence? And why does it come and go seemingly for no apparent reason? Why is it that many golfers can hit the ball well or chip and putt well when they practise, but when they go out on the course it all falls apart and they don’t feel any confidence in their ability to play?
If you are one of the many golfers with an aversion to sand on the golf course, here are some simple technique tips to turn sand into your strength. Preparation: As you enter the bunker you need to gauge the depth of sand in the bunker. Wriggle your feet about to see how deep the […]
I would say that one in three clients at the Sydney Putting Studio ask me whether I believe the putting stroke should be straight back and straight through. Over the next two articles I will explain — and more importantly prove — that the putting stroke should NOT be straight back and straight through. Dave […]
You’ve most likely fallen into the golf trap of complicating the game by having myriad thoughts enter your mind during a round of golf. This is one of the biggest mental game mistakes that golfers make. One of the best ways to combat this is to create your own ‘philosophy for success’.
How the body moves and sequences during an activity is key to performance and avoiding injury. Utilizing training for improved golf swing performance is best accomplished through improving activity specific coordination. The body moves in very specific patterns during the golf swing. These patterns can be referred to as activity specific coordination. The more efficient […]
Over the past 10 years, I have had the privilege of being a mental game coach to some of the best up-and-coming golfers in Australia. Over the past 4 years, I have also been heavily involved the game of Poker, as I not only coach a large number of poker players, but I also happen […]
