Tuesday's Tip: Tips for the Busy Recreational Golfer

Tips for the Busy Recreational Golfer

When you are a working professional that loves the game of golf, it seems like there is rarely enough time in a day or week to spend adequate time on the golf course or working on your game. Unfortunately the work life balance is set for many, leaving a small, finite time to get better and enjoy your golf game.

If this sounds like you, consider the 3 tips below to make sure you are getting the most from your game when you do get to play.

GASP

GASP simply stands for Grip, Aim, Stance, Posture. Believe it or not, if you can manage these 4 simple keys when you play your chances of getting the most from your golf game significantly increase. Unfortunately many players simply hit the course on the weekends or after work throughout the week with little to no thought about these keys.

If you are unsure of your ability to accurately execute these four skills, it may be time to schedule that first (or next) golf lesson. Any competent golf instructor should be able to guide you to executing GASP effectively in one session.

Once you know the information, it is time to execute and sharpen your skills. This can be done with as little as 10 minutes per day at home with a golf club in your hands. No swings or golf balls needed. I’m yet to meet anybody that doesn’t have 10 minutes they can spare each day to work on GASP.

Mirror Work

If you do not have a full length mirror at home it may be time to get one. One of the key ingredients to effective practice is feedback and there is no better form of feedback than watching what you do as you do it (in a mirror).

Not only will it make working on GASP that much more effective, you can also work on any key positions in your golf swing that may be of concern. This obviously requires that you have quality information about your golf swing and a clear plan to improve. And yes… lessons are your most direct way to get that information and formulate that plan.

Being able to watch a position in your swing helps to build the connection between what you do and what you feel like you do. For many golfers there is a huge disconnect between the reality of what you’re doing and what you’re thinking. 15 minutes in front of a mirror every couple days in between practice sessions can go a long way in helping make that connection.

Time Management

You may have noticed by now that the tips I’ve discussed today have minimal time requirements. After all, you are busy so finding time to play golf is hard and practicing golf is next to impossible. However there is hope.

If you truly want to improve your golf game you can with as little as 1 hour a week of effective practice. That’s right… 1 hour a week. Here’s what that could look like:

Monday: GASP (10 minutes)

Tuesday: GASP and Mirror Work (15 minutes)

Wednesday: GASP (10 minutes)

Thursday: GASP and Mirror Work (15 minutes)

Friday: GASP (10 minutes)

Is this the pathway to becoming a scratch golfer? Nope. Not even close. But if you commit to this kind of practice plan I can promise you, with the right information from a qualified instructor, you will begin getting the most from your golf game.

Need help getting started? Click here to schedule your first lesson today and let’s get you going on the right track!

New Rates for 2018

I hope your New Year is off to a good start so far!! Below you will find my rates and packages for 2018. You will see that the structure of my programs have stayed about the same. As always, if you have any questions please contact me at tyrus@hpgolfacademy.com.

Individual Rates and Packages

 

INDIVIDUAL LESSONS (45 MINUTES)

Adult: $120   Junior (21 and under): $100

VAL-PAK - BUY 5 GET THE 6TH LESSON FREE (Valid for 2 years)

Adult: $600   Junior (21 and under): $500

PLAYING LESSON (90 MINUTES)

All Ages: $170

SAM PUTT LAB EVALUATION/TRAINING (45 MINUTES)

All Ages: $100

SAM PUTT LAB EVALUATION W/ ON COURSE TRAINING (90 MINUTES)

All Ages: $170

IRON CLUB FITTING (1 HOUR)

All Ages: $80

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PUTTING BOOT CAMP

Are you sick and tired of being a bad or simply average putter? If so, Putting Boot Camp is designed for you to start making more putts than ever before. This 3 sessions in 3 weeks package is designed to utilize the latest technology and techniques available to quickly improve your putting.

Session #1 - Sam Putt Lab Stroke and Putter Evaluation

Session #2 - Sam Putt Lab Training and Drills

Sessions #3 - On Course and Green Reading

All sessions are 45 minutes and must be used within 3 weeks of your first session.

Cost is $250 and includes all sessions.

Schedule you first session by clicking here and selecting "Putting Boot Camp" under the Lessons Tab.

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COACHING PACKAGE

My coaching package is on a 4 month term and can be paid up front or on an automatic monthly payment.  This package is not available to purchase online due to limited availability.  The package includes the following:

• 16 Sessions ( averages 1 per week)
• Shot by Shot stat tracking
• Club fitting/evaluation
• Access to the High Performance Golf Academy practice facility (balls for purchase)
• K-vest training/evaluation
• Sam Putt Lab report
• Trackman training/evaluation
• On course training/evaluation  

Adult - $1,200 (or $325 per month w/ auto pay)

Junior - $1,120 (or $300 per month w/ auto pay)

End of The Week Tip: Use Rhythm to Manage Distance Control on the Greens

Every Friday I will be posting a new golf tip here on my blog. Feel free to comment, ask questions, and especially make suggestions for future topics in the comment section below.

Managing the distance of your putts is the #1 factor in becoming a good putter. You could be the best green reader in the world and know how to start your putt on the exact line you wish every time, but if your speed is bad, the putt will likely not go in.

There are a couple different things that need to happen in order to roll a putt with the correct speed. Making solid contact with the ball, or more importantly consistent contact (on the same spot of the putter every time) is one key that must not be overlooked. 

Another key that most good putters have is consistent rhythm. The rhythm you swing the putter allows you to make a consistent stroke and be a better judge for how fast the ball will come off of the putter face.

To improve your rhythm, try the following:

• Sync your stroke with a metronome. Begin by setting the metronome between 70-80 beats per minute (bpm) and match the "tick-tock" sounds from the metronome to your putter going back and through. You can adjust the tempo up or down to match what feels comfortable.
• No metronome? No problem. Simply swing the putter back and through over and over with out stopping and you will settle on a consistent rhythm. By changing the length and speed of the swing you can increase or decrease the length the ball will travel.
• The ladder drill. Between a defined area marked with 2 tees about 5-10 feet apart, see how many balls you can stop in that area with each ball traveling slightly past the one before it. If your defined area is 10 feet long and you are 15 feet from the area, try to fit 7 balls or more.
• Visit me for a Sam Putt Lab evaluation. Not only will we be able to evaluate the rhythm of your stroke, but we will be able to pinpoint which area of the stroke gives you the most trouble.

Want to learn more? Click on the "About" tab to find out! 

Developing an Efficient Golf Swing

Happy New Year!! Be looking forward to more tips in 2017!!

An efficient golf swing is exactly what you think it would be: a swing that requires minimum effort and has repeatability.  All elite level golfers have repeatability in their swing because they have developed efficiency in their golf swing.

With the help of 3D motion technology like K-Vest, learning how to build an efficient golf swing is much more attainable for your everyday golfer.  Here are a few things I’ve learned from K-Vest that will help you build an efficient golf swing:

·       Develop the correct kinematic sequence.  Kinematic sequence is the order in which different parts of your body move throughout the swing.  K-Vest focuses on three main areas: lower body, upper body, and the club.  For example, a correct downswing sequence begins with the lower body, then upper body, followed by the golf club.  A great way to feel a good sequence is to make a throwing motion.  When you throw an object, pay attention to which part of your body moves first (i.e. step toward the target with your lower body, turn the upper body, and release your arm).

·       Master your posture.  Efficient golf swings require solid fundamentals.  K-Vest actually measures the angles your upper and lower body makes in your posture and compares them to a range of tour player averages.  To guarantee you’re posture is good, you will need feedback.  K-Vest provides great feedback, but so will video, a mirror, or your golf instructor that can tell you if your posture is good or not.

·       Swing within yourself, then train to improve.  Most golfers will have physical limitations that will affect their ability to make efficient swings.  Strength and flexibility are 2 factors that can limit most players.  Use balance as your guide to make efficient golf swings.  If you find yourself off balance at any point throughout the swing, chances are you’re over-swinging.  If you want to improve your strength and flexibility so you can make more aggressive swings, get with a TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) certified instructor and train your body to make the swing of your dreams!

Change Your Grips and Improve Your Game

Merry Christmas!! Be sure to check back next Friday for another tip!

Tips to improve your golf game can come in many shapes and sizes.  One often overlooked aspect of the game are the grips on your clubs.

When the condition of the grips on your golf clubs start to deteriorate, your swing will be the first thing that suffers.  Grips that have lost their feel and have become slick require you to squeeze the club harder, creating unnecessary tension in your body.

I keep a wide variety of grips in stock and can have virtually any grip on the market ordered and in house within 3 business days.  If you are interested in getting your clubs re-gripped, simply visit the GolfWorks and browse through their grip selections and add $3 to the stated cost of the grip for installation. 

With winter still ahead of us, now is a great time to drop your clubs off for some much needed attention to your grips. I can also arrange a time for you to bring them in and I can have them ready that same day!

Don’t let the condition of your grips cost you strokes on the golf course.  Contact me today so we can start making 2017 your best golf year ever!

Practice Requires Proper Feedback

Every Friday I post a new golf tip on this blog. Please comment and share my tips if you wish!

Practicing your golf game this time of year has many challenges.  The weather is clearly the biggest challenge because the amount of time you get to spend on the course or even the driving range is extremely limited.  This reduces your opportunities to watch your ball flight which is the most common form of feedback when you practice.

Feedback can come in many forms, not just from watching where your ball goes.  Besides, if the majority of your practice time is spent hitting into a net indoors, you would be left with no feedback.

To make practice effective, regardless of the time of year, you need to have adequate feedback.  Too many times we rely on feel and what the ball does to determine if we’re doing the right thing or not.

Incorporate some tools you likely already have at your disposal to make sure you’re getting the correct feedback when you practice.

A mirror is probably my favorite tool when being forced to practice indoors.  Subtle changes in your posture at address can happen so easily resulting in dramatic changes to your swing.  By simply spending 5 minutes in front of a mirror before you start each practice session you can guarantee that your posture is fundamentally sound before you start swinging.

Video can be another great tool to help you make practice effective.  With the use of smartphones and apps that are designed for swing analysis, videoing your swing is as easy as ever.  The only problem is that you need to know what you’re looking for before you start picking yourself apart on video.  If you enjoy using video on your own, it would be a good idea to set a time with me so that I can guide you in some best practices for video, but also make sure that you’re effectively using your time to analyze important aspects in your swing.

Another great form of feedback when hitting balls indoors is to check where the ball is hitting the clubface.  Winter months are a great time to learn to hit the ball more consistently in the center of the clubface.  Applying tools to the club face like impact tape, a dry erase marker, or Dr. Scholl’s foot powder are great ways to visually see if the ball is indeed hitting the center of the club. 

Make sure you are getting the most from your practice time by incorporating the proper feedback. Schedule a session with me to learn more on this critical aspect of your training.

How K-Vest Can Improve Your Game

Every Friday I post a new golf tip on this blog. Please comment and share my tips if you wish!

K-Vest uses 3D motion technology to capture the movement of your body and the club to evaluate and train the efficiency of your swing.

K-Vest is different than Trackman as K-Vest is measuring the entire swing where Trackman is only measuring impact and ball flight.  With these two tools combined, along with good old fashioned 2D video, I can get to the bottom of any particular fault that may be facing a player because of swing mechanics.

Not only does K-Vest help me diagnose what the problem may be, it also allows me to train my students by using the live biofeedback training software included in the system.  Long story short, when using K-Vest and attempting to make a particular correction in the swing, K-Vest will play music when you achieve the desired position.

This comes very handy when working with a player’s posture.  Posture is already very difficult for players to work on because they can’t see it.  By getting the extra feedback from K-Vest it becomes much easier for players of any level to get in the correct posture.

Many of you have already experienced what K-Vest can do for you and your game.  I’m very excited to have another winter to train many of you using K-Vest.

I use K-Vest throughout the course of a normal lesson as I see fit or at the request of the student.  However, for only $45 you can schedule a 30 minute session where I will put you on K-Vest for an evaluation and/or let you train using the live biofeedback.  This will work great for players that may take lessons from other instructors or for my current students that would simply like to spend more time having supervised training at a lower cost.

To schedule a K-Vest session contact me today!

End of the Week Tip: Dealing with Cold Weather

Every Friday I post a new golf tip on this blog. Please comment and share my tips if you wish!

Cold weather doesn't have to be the end of your golf season. I tell my students all the time that a sunny day above 40 degrees and minimal wind is a good day to golf. However there will be a few things to consider before heading out to the course on a cold day.

Here are a few tips to keep your game sharp the next time you decide play in cold weather:

·      Be prepared.  Having played college golf in the spring I learned very quickly that it pays to know the weather forecast and prepare accordingly.  The technology in winter apparel has come a long ways over the years and it would be a good idea to make sure you have the best.  When you have to dress warmly, do so in layers so that you can easily shed those layers if the temperature happens to rise during the round.

·      Re-adjust yardages.  Cold weather will affect the distance a golf ball travels.  How much it affects it will depend.  A range session with a launch monitor that measure the actual carry distance of the ball may be a good idea so you can get real distance numbers in the colder conditions.  On the course, be willing to adjust your club selection quickly if you notice a drop in carry distance.

·      Spend extra time on the practice green.  Short game and putting is all about feel and your hands are responsible for producing that feel.  When your hands get cold as the temperature drops, your feel will be affected.  Do your best to maintain the temperature of your hands (extra pockets, gloves, and hand warmers work well) and spend some extra time practicing distance control on shorter shots around the green.

End of the Week Tip: Make More Birdies and Pars

Every Friday check out my blog for a new golf tip. Please share and comment if you wish!

One way to ensure a lot of birdies and pars is to hit a high percentage of greens in regulation.  

Hitting more greens in regulation sounds great, but if it were so easy everybody would be doing it.  What’s also important is that when you miss a green in regulation you are at least near the green where you have an easy chip shot to make salvaging par much easier.

Here are a few tips to not only hit more greens, but also leave yourself in a good location to make par if you miss the green:

·      Forget about the pin.  Firing at pins can be a sure fire way to make bogies or worse.  It is much wiser to aim to a larger part of the green that isn’t protected by bunkers or hazards that can inflate your score if your ball ends up in them.  Sometimes the best option may be to play to a location just short of the green so you can be left with an easy chip.

·      Know your yardages.  The best way to discover the true yardage each club in your bag will travel is by testing each one.  You can do this by hitting 20 shots with each club using a Trackman or similar device to get real numbers to measure your distance.  Instead of picking the one that goes the farthest and using that yardage, take out the farthest 2 and shortest 2 and count the average of the other 16 shots.  This will give you a much more accurate yardage that you would most likely end up with on the course. Don't have a Trackman? Simply get on the internet and find the nearest PGA professional who does.

End of the Week Tip: Putting Under Pressure

Every Friday I post a new golf tip on this blog. Let me know what you think and please share if you like!

Most of us will never know what it is like to have an important shot to win a PGA Tour Event, or even begin to know the feeling you would have knowing that your next putt could be the difference of several hundred thousand dollars.

But there are still plenty of times when we play, especially if you play competitively, that you will feel the tightness of added pressure.

Here are a few tips to help the next time you start feeling the pressure mount over an important putt during your round:

·      Breathe. When the pressure builds, anxiety starts to overcome even the most seasoned veterans. Your first defense to calm those nerves is to breathe properly.  You want to make sure you are breathing deeply and using your diaphragm to fill all of your lungs with air.  This will get more oxygen in your brain and help to calm you down. I imagine filling my stomach with air as I take a breath to make sure air is getting into the bottom of my lungs.

·      Block out distractions.  This is sometimes referred to as “getting in the zone”.  Unfortunately “the zone” isn’t a place we can always go to on command.  When you are able to ignore distractions going on around you, whether it’s 10,000 spectators or the grounds crew using machinery nearby, you can bring yourself closer to getting in the zone.  Block out distractions by placing all of your attention on your routine.

·      Stick to your routine.  Successful golfers all have routines.  No two routines may be exactly the same from player to player, but good players rarely change their routine in the middle of the round.  Spend extra practice time polishing your routine by going through it over and over. Change the parts you don’t like and stick with the parts of the routine you do like.  Then be sure to stick with it on the course.