Prepare to play your best golf by doing something now!
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Tom's Bonus Tip: Aim At The Target
Lesson Comments: What Students Have To Say
Sponsors: Plum Creek Driving Range
Batavia Country Club
Tour Greens Western New York
Genesee Community College Golf Management Program
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Tom's Featured Tip: Ball Striking Drills
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
I'm just finishing up a vacation in Florida as I write this newsletter and I wanted to pass along a couple of thoughts to help you get your ball striking in order after your winter layoff.
I had the pleasure of playing with my son and two brothers while I was on the East coast of Florida, but my ball striking was not up to par. We would find ourselves meeting somewhere between Port St Lucie where my son lives, and Jupiter, where my brother lives, to play - and it seemed that there was never time to hit balls before our rounds.
So it was fun, but I discovered that I had work to do.
When my wife and I headed to the West coast to our timeshare on Marco Island, I made time to get to the range and work on my ball striking with pretty good success.
I did two task constraint drills that I work on when my ball striking gets raggedy.
A task constraint drill is one that helps shape a movement pattern, decisions, and thoughts.
Here are the two drills that I did (in order) to get my ball striking back up to par.
- Drill 1 - The Towel Drill
Start with the towel further back than 2 inches from the ball, then work the towel forward to the 2 inch mark as you become more proficient.
I just laid a thin golf towel about 2 inches behind the ball and practiced taking swings making sure that my iron didn't hit the towel on the way down to the ball. It took about 15 reps to groove that swing.
- Drill 2 - The Line Drill
After the successful reps with the towel drill, I scratched a line in the sandy soil of the range, perpendicular to my aimline. I took a several iron swings starting with the club grounded on the line at address, making sure that my divot was occurring on the target side of the line, not behind it.
Above is the setup for a line drill exercise using chalk instead of a line scratched into the ground. Your range will probably prefer a line scratched into the ground vs. a chalk line.
After ten successful swings without a ball, I placed balls on the line and made iron swings, making sure that the divot (the low point of my swing) was falling in front of the line. A divot that started right on the line was acceptable, since the middle of the ball was centered on the line. A divot that fell behind the line indicated a fat shot.
I worked myself into an acceptable percentage of good strikes with my divots occurring ahead of my ball placement.
In the past, when I was really striking the ball purely on a consistent basis, I used to do these drills all the time. My plan is to return to that good habit.
Try it, you'll like it!
Comments: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
Tour Greens: Tour Quality Synthetic Greens For Superb Short Game Practice
Do you want one of these in your own back yard?
If you would like a free, no obligation quote for getting a beautiful practice area or putting green installed on your property - indoors or outdoors - give me (Tom Tucker) a call at (716) 474-3005, or email at at ttucker@rochester.rr.com
For more information please click here: TourGreensWNY.com
Comments: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
Tom's Bonus Tip: Aim At The Target
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
This is another very simple - but critical - concept: aim at the target!
Here are the three things every golfer must do consistently to hit their mark:
- Aim your clubface down your aimline when you set up
- Aim your body parallel left of your target NOT AT THE TARGET
- Swing along your body lines
And here's a thought that I'm throwing in, even though I know I'll get a couple of "Thanks Captain Obvious" emails from my sons: REMEMBER TO AIM
Sometimes we get so caught up in circumstances on the course that we actually forget to aim with purpose. Don't let that happen to you.
Be the ready, aim, fire player NOT the ready, fire - oops forgot to aim player.:-)
Comments: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
Golf Lessons
I conduct lessons at The Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
there's a link for Plum Creek info here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/
Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels, please contact
me - Tom Tucker - at (716) 474 3005 or email me at ttucker@rochester.rr.com
for more information.
Outdoor Lessons Details and Rates:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/lessonrates.html
Indoor Lessons Details and Rates:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/indoor.html
Driver Fitting Rates:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/indoor.html
Testimonials:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/testimonials.html
Sponsors
Plum Creek Driving Range and Simulator Outdoor range and play indoor golf on any of our 40 Simulator Courses. Call 585-993-0930 or email Mark at plumcreek4@rochester.rr.com to reserve time for simulator play or practice!
Batavia Country Club (585) 343-7600 www.bataviacc.com
Great rates, the best greens in WNY. Golf Digest Four Star rating for public courses to play in New York State. Tee times online or by phone in season. BCC has a large supply of PING equipment in stock. Stop by and see what's new for 2016.
Taking reservations for Mother's Day Brunch, see our website for more details www.bataviacc.com (585) 343-7600
Tour Greens Western New York Practice with purpose in your own back yard on your own synthetic practice green. Our greens LOVE Western New York weather!
Genesee Community College Golf Management Program Click on link for more information if you or anyone you know is interested in a dynamic career in the golf industry, or in teaching golf.
All the best,
Tom Tucker
Teaching Pro, Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com
"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection!"
~ Ben Hogan