The best ladies in the world will be playing golf at Pinehurst this week for the U.S. Women’s Open. This is the first time the USGA has held the men’s and women’s opens in consecutive weeks on the same golf course. I think this is fantastic for the game, and don’t be surprised if you start seeing more events like this in the future. One day we may even see a PGA Tour, European Tour, and LPGA Tour event all on the same golf course in a three-week stretch.
In this weeks email, I thought I would share my five ‘power tips’ for improving your game this summer. These tips can be applied to both ladies and men’s golf, much like the same golf course can be applied to major championships. Here you go:
Purchase the Right Equipment
Properly fitting equipment is key to learning proper technique. If you are committed to learning the game, make sure you are playing with the right equipment. You do not need to buy the most expensive golf clubs – I recently purchased my wife a set of Top Flite Women’s XL for as little as $200, which included a bag, woods, irons and a putter. You would think with me being a golf professional I would have to purchase my wife a $1000 set of clubs, but in fact she is just learning to play the game and this is the perfect starter set. The clubs are fitted with graphite shafts, making them lighter and easier to swing, and the design and technology is fantastic. Once you develop as a golfer, you can then look at more advanced clubs, which match higher swing speeds and ability to work the ball left or right, but as a starter set, it can be very affordable to get going.
Learn with a Lesson Pack
Take a series of five lessons from a Teaching Professional – this is going to save you years of struggle. Learning the fundamental techniques such as grip, alignment, posture, backswing, forward-swing, balanced finish and rhythm will teach you the basics, and make the game more fun and enjoyable. This past winter at Play-a-Round Golf, we have seen remarkable progress with all our students who were able to take the winter and work on their games. We had time to cover all the basics of the swing, and are now ready to apply these skills to outdoor playing lessons in the summer. Sometimes, just a few drills, tips and instruction from a professional who looks at hundreds of swings per month can save you time and money.
Practice Makes Permanent
“Good practice makes Perfect and Permanent.” This was a famous saying I received from the vice-president of the European Golf Teachers Federation on a course we held in South Africa while training golf teachers. A golf teacher has responsibility to his or her student because the drills you are shown will age and form part of your swing. If you are given incorrect drills, or practice at the range with no game plan, then you are making a bad habit permanent. I see many golfers each week who have developed a “Band-Aid” fix for a bigger problem, and the bigger problem has only got worse because of practice. If you are going to spend time at the range and invest almost $10 in every bucket of golf balls, then make sure you are working on a drill or pre-shot routine that will benefit your game.
Tip – have you ever tried playing golf on the range. Select three clubs such as a driver, 7-iron and wedge. You can only hit one golf ball with each club, and continue rotating through your selection. Many golfers hit 20 drives in a row, then 20 7-irons in a row – but this never happens on the golf course. Try this drill with your next bucket of balls, and I guarantee you will start seeing a difference on the course.
Book a Playing Lesson
You have to get out and play – try and play as much as you can in the summer, even if you play par-3 courses on vacation. Remember that you are learning the game; so during the first two years of playing the game, focus on developing your game and learning the new motor skills and drills. From beginner to advanced, the best gift you can give yourself is playing year-round, and here at Play-a-Round Golf you can work on your game, sharpen your short game skills and play 18-holes at Pebble Beach. You can book a playing lesson with Grant Griffiths on over 20 golf courses or join us for a quick nine at Play-a-Round Golf, but keep swinging.
Play Anywhere
You don’t have to join an expensive club to play golf. I hear so many golfers who are scared to take up the game because of the cost of golf clubs and membership. We have an incredible selection of public golf courses, which are perfect even for the most advanced game like Broad Run Golfer’s Club, The Course at Glen Mills, or the Donald Ross designed Jeffersonville Golf Club. How about Honeybrook Golf Course, Paxon Hollow Country Club, Linfield National, or even Raven’s Claw Golf Club? All of these golf courses offer excellent golf and the staff and head pros are fantastic and very helpful. If you are a beginner, try booking a later tee time in the afternoon to avoid the morning rush – you will also save on green fees after 2 or 3pm. Beginners also might find Meadowbrook, a 9-hole course in Phoenixville, to be very accommodating.
~by Grant Griffith, Master Golf Professional, Play-a-Round Golf
