Listed below is my library of golf tips that include original writings, published articles, and instructional videos of some of the top instructors in the business. They include excerpts and illustrations from Golf Digest, PGA Tour videos, and excerpts from my favorite library of golf instruction books including Ben Hogan’s | FIVE LESSONS: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf.
These ‘Golf Tips’ were initially written and intended to facilitate my Leisure Golf students who completed my ‘Beginning Golf’ classes at LSU. Early on they were sent via email as classes progressed, which became an endless process of ‘Q&A! The creation of this Website is dedicated to my many students of the ‘Santa Maria Golf Academy’ and ‘LSU Leisure Golf’.
The Grip
There are three basics ways to grip a golf club. They are: the “ten finger grip” aka baseball grip; the “interlock grip”; and the “overlap grip” made popular by Harry Vardon who won six Open Championships, and 62 golf tournaments, including one run of 14 in a row, a record to this day! Ben Hogan used the Vardon Overlap grip and was credited by golf digest as the best golf tip ever. Read more…
Putting
Putting is 50% of the Game of Golf. The key to becoming a good putter is that you must acquire a feel for your putter and the speed of greens and adjust to both. Your primary goal is to focus on distance to eliminate 3 putts, and to do that you should work on developing a good rhythm. The key is to NOT guide the putter – putt in a “pendulum motion” focusing on distance and rolling the ball.
When you practice don’t get so caught up in trying to figure out the break that you don’t spend time working on the speed. If you start rolling the ball the right speed, you’re going to leave yourself much easier putts if you happen to miss!. Seeing the ball end up near the hole–even if you don’t have the exact right read–is going to improve your confidence. And when your confidence improves, you’re going putt better. Read more…
Chipping and Pitching
Chipping with the right club will improve your score. Practice using your wedges, but don’t neglect using your 7, 8, 9 and Wedges – from different points around the green. The key is to minimize air time the closer you are to the green, letting shots roll out.
Set up with more weight on your forward side, and swing the club from the L to L position to complete the swing.
I try to imagine ‘leaning against a wall’ as I swing, where the wall keeps me from swaying and forces me to turn my hips to a finished position. Read more…
Soft Pitch Setup
Set the ‘face of the club’ in line with your target. Then, open your stance. Then grip the club using your normal grip. Never roll your hands to open the club, open the club face for better contact, spin, and plenty of loft. Swing as you normally would, down the toe line (solid yellow line) not towards the target. The club face is in line with your target, so you don’t need to guide it there. Read more…
Bunker Play
Bunker play includes “green side” and “fairway” bunkers. Here is an assortment of videos from the top bunker players including a 9 minute video of Phil Mickelson demonstrating the art of green side bunker play. Read more…
Ball Position
NICKLAUS SAYS: From the time I was very young, my teacher Jack Grout tried to keep my mechanics extremely simple. “Nothing fancy,” he would say. And that included ball position.
You might have been told that your ball position should change depending on the club you’re using. For shorter irons, many people contend that the ball should be played in the middle of the stance, but hitting longer clubs requires the ball position to be more forward. The problem with changing your ball position for every club is that it becomes guesswork as to where the ball should be played to hit it solidly and a reliable distance. Read more…
Visualization
Visualize the shot before you attempt it. Professional golfers decide on the type of shot they want to make and try to visualize the flight of their ball. To start your routine, stand back behind the ball and mentally imagine the flight of the ball and line it must travel, then decide which club to use considering the distance, landing area, and best trajectory of the ball – ‘shape the shot’ then ‘hit it’! Read more…
Pre-shot routine and Setup
Every golf swing hinges on the pre-shot and setup. Your pre-shot routine begins with visualization. Make a mistake there, and the problems that follow in the swing are hard to fix before impact. Visualize the shot, practice your swing to get the feel, then setup properly and hit the shot. Read more…
Warm Up Routine
Most golfers get to the course with little time to warm up before their tee times, and most certainly start play poorly. Learn how PGA tournament players like Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Adam Scott warm up before they play. Read more…
Hit more fairways
Try your best to only think about where you want the ball to go, especially when you’re swinging well. Golf is not about how far you can hit it, or what club you should be able to hit a certain distance! Think about how well you are hitting it, then decide where you want it to go! Here are four tips that will improve your game from the tee. Read more…
Release the Club
Don’t hold on: Let your wrists unhinge and square up with your target.
Grip the club lightly and hinge your wrist on your takeaway. On the downswing keep the angle of the wrist in the first photo, then release the club! Your hands always pass the ball before you make impact. Swing within yourself, and make good contact! Read more…
Transition
Transition is not a pause at the top of the swing, it merely appears to be. Learn more about the actual golf swing mechanics and how it affects distance and control.
Golf Etiquette 101
Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules.
USGA Rules of Golf
One of the core functions of the USGA is to write and interpret the Rules of Golf. The Association does this in conjunction with the R&A in St. Andrews, Scotland.
Practice without fear! Play without fear! Golf is just a game!
I hope you enjoy my list of ‘golf tips’ that you can share and revisit at any time.
