Digital Instruction Guide 2011
Digital Instruction Guide 2011
Digital Instruction Guide 2011
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Guide 2011
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Contents
Contributors
Basics
6 Back to basics
8 The angle of attack
Driving
9 Longdrive power tips
10 Driving your score down part 1
12 Driving your score down part 2
13 Attention all faders and slicers
Bunkers
14 Bunker shots made easy
15 Bunkers basics part 2: poor lies
16 When it comes to bunkers, make
a splash
18 Greenside bunkers
Short game
20 5 greenside shots every golfer
should know
23 Bump and run
24 Chip better to putt better
26 Pitching tips
27 H.O.W. to chip
28 Watch and learn
Putting
29 Long putt drill
30 Putting with less technique
31 The keys to being a great putter
32 Reading a green
34 Improving distance control
when putting
35 The highs and lows of putting
36 Reading slopes on greens and
the key drill
A U S T R A L I A S
Fitness
Game management
69 Aerobic fitness is good for golf
37 Your checklist for success
70 Getting to the core of it
38 Trouble shots part 1
71 You are what you do
40 Trouble shots part 2
42 Assess, decide, rehearse, commit 72 Exercising: take it one leg at a
time
44 Fairway woods and hybrids
46 Its what you measure that matters 73 A fitting start to the new year
74 Take your medicine (balls)
Mind
75 Your mum was right: good
47 The power of the mind
posture is everything
48 Overcoming the fear to succeed
76
Russian twist
50 Is this Tom Watsons mental
77 Post round recovery tips
game secret?
78 Better safe than sorry
51 The $11m mental lesson
52 Poulter twitters mental toughness 79 Sit-ups and dumbbells
53 Free your mind and the putts will 80 Warm up for the winter stretch
follow
Drills and Quick tips
54 Your go-to swing key
82 Drills 1: Full swing technique
55 The switch to success
84 Make the hole look as big as a
56 Practice, patience and persistence
bucket & Ladder and compass
57 Controlling your emotions on
drill
the course
85 The pros putting drill & Pitch it in
the air every time
Nutrition
86 Ball sitting in long grass, Chipping
58 Battling dehydration
drill: The Ladder & Dont look at
59 What is the shot cost of your food?
the ball in the bunker
60 Fuelling up for the round
87 Are you a slow starter? & Where
Health
should your ball positions be?
61 Fix your slice before you swing
88 Pitching
62 Golf and low back injuries
89 Dont keep your head down, Your
64 Six principles of health to lower
credit card can earn you $$$ &
your scores
Balance and the right shoes
66 Thinking outside the box
90 Tips for senior golfers
68 Does stretching provide control
92 Junior golfers - their first steps
for your swing?
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G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Biomechanics
93 Muscular loading
94 Ground forces and lower body
mechanics
The Croker System
95 The grip
96 Stance
98 About hitting a golf ball
100 The hit: part 1
102 The hit: part 2
104 The hit: part 3
106 Building a backswing: part 1
108 Building a backswing: part 2
110 The hit: part 5
111 The hit: part 6
112 The hit: part 7
113 The hit: part 8
114 The hit: part 9
115 Hit freely - dont steer
116 Source of structure
117 Building structure
118 Source of time
119 Sources of motion in golf
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
Greg Ashton
Mike Bury
Darren Chapman
Peter Croker
Brent German
N E W S
Featured contributors
L E A D E R
Jamie Glazier
Lee Harrington
Dr Mike Martin
Richard Mercer
Richard Nizielski
Anne Rollo
www.insidegolf.com.au
Kurt Stegbauer
Mark Victorsen
Glenn Whittle
David Williams
D av i d Wi l l i a m s i s a P G A
Professional, and Manager of
Lang Lang Golf Club. He is also
the Director of Willow Golf (willowgolf.com.
au) and Master Instructor of the Medicus
Golf Institute. He can be contacted at david@
willowgolf.com.au, or at (03) 5659 6284.
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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The basics
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Back to basics
CarlieButler
I SEE a lot of amateur golfers warming up on
the range and even working on their technique
without putting a club down or alignment
sticks to help them aim in the direction of
their target. Many right-handed amateur
golfers tend to aim to the right of their target.
This creates faults in the golf swing. When Im
practicing on the driving range, you will see
my alignment sticks lying on the ground in
front of my toes, pointing towards my target.
I do this religiously, because I want to stand
up and hit every shot where I want to. Most
of the problems in my swing were caused
by neglecting the basics, like alignment and
posture. If I started to aim a little to the right,
I found I would overcompensate and hit the
ball straight left.
One of the first things I look at when I
start to veer off track are my fundamentals.
This includes the grip, stance, posture and
alignment.
The grip
Stance
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Posture
The correct posture gives you the ability to swing
the club on the correct plane. A great drill for you to
use while on the practice range will be to stand up
straight with your feet in the correct stance position
and your arms out at shoulder height with your
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
The basics
L E A D E R
Alignment
Alignment
Ok, we now have a good grip, stance and
posture, now we need to get properly lined
up to the target. Put a club, alignment sticks
or an umbrella on the ground between the
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The basics
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Impact position
Impact Position
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Driving
L E A D E R
JasonGruber
YOUVE heard the saying Drive for Show, and
Putt for Dough?
Well in the sport of Longdrive Golf, theres
no putter to be seen, nor do you have to remain
absolutely still while the golfer addresses his shot.
Its a sport of loud grunts and blaring music.
Yeah, if you love Twenty20 Cricket youll love
Longdrive Golf. (By the way, in this sport we
Drive for Dough! )
The place to watch this sport is at the RE/MAX
World Longdrive Championship Australia
(www.longdrive.com.au); with an extensive
2010 schedule there will be an event coming to
your city soon.
Former Australian Longdrive Champion
John Noble has always been known for being
the most consistent Longdriver in the country,
when the pressure has been on, hes been there
to take the title.
If you want to become the next RE/MAX
World Longdrive Championship Australian
Champion or if you simply just want to get
a few extra metres off the tee read these tips
from John on how to turn that 280m bomb into
a 350m monster!
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10 Driving
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Pic 1
inches. The average driver length for the
top tour players is between 43.5 inches
to 44.5 inches. Sergio and Tiger use
43.5 inch drivers, so if these guys cant
use 45 inch plus drivers, how can you?
Personally, since I went back to a 43.5
inch graphite shaft with a 460cc head, I
hit my drives longer and straighter now
Pic 2
than any time in my past (Pic 1: driver
length comparison).
The second thing to look at is
the connection between you and
your driver. Hold the club in the
power position with your left hand by
positioning the handle of the club in
your fingers with the heel pad sitting
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Pic 3
on the top of the handle. When you are
in your address position you will see at
least 2 or 3 knuckles on your left hand
and the line formed by your thumb
and forefinger will line up with the tip
of your right shoulder.
Try this, pick up a bucket by the
handle and note where the handle
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Driving 11
L E A D E R
Pic 4
Pic 5
Pic 6
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Pic 7
the second one on your toe line parallel
to your target line, with the third one,
an extension of the second club (Pic 6).
The clubs on your toe line will help you
get the club away on line. With the clubs
lying on the ground in this position
you can easily see whether you are
swinging the club back correctly. Your
12 Driving
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
pic1
pic3
pic2
pic4
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pic5
pic6
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Driving 13
L E A D E R
Attention
KurtStegbauer
SPENDING hours out on the teaching tee
allows the coach to improve players faster.
The best coaches use the least amount of
words, yet bring forth the biggest amount
of improvement.
I once heard how 80% of the worlds golfers
are faders or slicers. Now, a lot of golfers
dont think they fade or slice, however they
really do. The best way to figure out if you
are a fader or a slicer is to hit 20 golf balls
with a 5-iron and write down what each
shot does, I guarantee you that there will
be a pattern to your 20 shots, and this will
allow you to see what your shot pattern is.
A great drill to get a player hitting the
ball straighter or even to understand how
to hit a draw or hook is to have a player
grab a tennis racquet and take a golf set up
position. If youve played a couple of games
of tennis then the concept should be fine. If
you dont have a tennis background, then
you may need your local golf pro to assist.
The concept of hitting the ball with a draw
or hook is very similar to hitting a topspin
forehand, you will feel as though you are
hitting the ball to the right and then have
the ball curve back in. Looking at pictures 1
To hit a draw, imagine hitting a topspin forehand shot in tennis (i.e. in-to-out, with a roll)
Faders and slicers tend to hit shots similar to a cut-spin stroke in tennis (i.e. out-to-in)
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14 Bunkers
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Bunkers 15
L E A D E R
Bunker
basics
Part 2: Poor lies
KurtStegbauer
IN the last issue we looked at how to
play a bunker shot from a good lie.
This month, we are going to explore
a couple of options of playing from
poor lies in the bunker. As the lies
in bunkers can vary dramatically
dependent upon what course you
play, we will look at how to play from
a plugged lie, a downhill lie and an
uphill lie.
The first lie that we are going to
consider is a plugged lie in the bunker.
This lie can often make a grown man
cry. While there are some limitations
as to what you can and cant do from
one of these lies, with a sound concept
of how play these shots, Im sure that
we can make them easier for you.
From a plugged lie it is almost
impossible to get any spin on your
ball. The key to these shots is to have
the club come from a steep path into
the ball. To do this, place the ball in
the middle of your stance. The club
face doesnt have to be open; it can be
straight onto the ball. When making
a swing at this lie you need to pick
the club up on the back swing, which
will enable the club to have steep
downswing path into the ball. The
A plugged lie
path of the club will feel as though it
is chopping into the sand as you can
see in picture 1. If you get a chance
to practice this before you play, that
would certainly help.
The second lie that we are going
look at is the downhill lie in the
bunker. These shots can be extremely
difficult to get good height and spin
on the ball. The first thing to look at
is the angle of your body in relation
to the slope. Most players tilt their
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16 Bunkers
A U S T R A L I A S
ScottCubis
AS a golf professional you get to see lots
of students of all different abilities and
over the years you start to see patterns
emerging in areas where people seem
to go wrong. I couldnt tell you how
many times over the years Ive had a
golfer come and ask me for help with
their bunker play and when they show
me their technique, its immediately
apparent why they have so much
trouble. Even otherwise quite capable
Pic 1
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Pic 2
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Bunkers 17
L E A D E R
1
2
3
Pic 3
One of the great things about this is
it gives you a margin for error. If you
hit a little bit too far behind the ball it
will still come out and the same if you
hit a little too close to it (to a point).
However, this knowledge has also
led many people astray and one of
the most common problems I see
with amateurs is digging the club
into the sand (PIC 1). This player has
probably heard exactly what I outlined
above (that the club doesnt need to
Pic 4
touch the ball) but has neglected the
vital piece of information that you
also need to follow through.
The results with this technique are
erratic at best. The ball will sometimes
come out of the sand and sometimes
not. Either way, youll never play a
controlled bunker shot if youre a
digger.
The second most common mistake
I see with amateurs is the player who
feels they need to scoop the ball
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Pic 5
First, you need to understand the
concept of an open club face. The
easiest way to do this is to draw some
lines in the sand to guide us (PIC 3).
The first line shows where your
feet will aim. The second shows the
line you will swing the club along
(the same direction as the first)
and the third line shows where the
clubface will aim. This is as simple
an explanation of an open clubface
as youre ever likely to see.
Pic 6
Take your set up using these lines
as a guide (PIC 4) and your weight
favouring your front foot. It will
probably feel uncomfortable so a great
exercise to learn what to do from here
is practise without a ball. I get all my
students to get the feel of splashing
the sand out of the bunker (PIC 5)
and following through (PIC 6).
After a while introduce the ball
and see what the results are like. You
might be amazed at how simple it is.
18 Bunkers
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Greenside bunkers
LisaNewling
LoraineLambert
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Bunkers 19
L E A D E R
Momentum drill
club, the higher the number the greater the angle
of bounce ranging from 4 degrees to 14 degrees.
8 -14 degrees of bounce suits most bunker play.
If the courses you play regularly have fluffy
bunkers you would be better to have a Sand
Wedge that has 10 14 degrees of bounce.
Ask your local PGA Professional for advice on
what kind of Sand Wedge best suits the courses
you play.
Women looking to buy a new Sand Wedge
should try a light weight steel shaft in a standard
head or even a graphite shaft. Many female
golfers arent strong enough to generate enough
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20 Short game
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Short game 21
L E A D E R
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22 Short game
the middle of your stance. The weight and
hands forwards a little to ensure a downward
hit on the back of the ball.
The Swing: Instead of maintaining the
angle of your wrists like the first two shots, we
now cock and roll the wrists so the clubhead
travels a little further around the swing arc.
Still keeping our body and head nice and still,
hit down on the back of the ball. As the wrists
uncock through impact you will impart more
backspin on the ball as long as you hit down.
The result should be a flighted shot with spin.
When to use: With a lofted club, you can
use this with a small swing from close range
to produce a shot which checks up or from
further out with a bigger swing to achieve
some distance which should also check up.
A U S T R A L I A S
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G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Short game 23
L E A D E R
Technique
In many cases, a high flop shot can have a low percentage of success with a small landing area or
the potential of a hard bounce. The Bump and Run can have a higher success rate by punching the
ball on/into the bank, and leaving yourself a definite putt
Tips
When playing a Bump and Run, play the ball back in your stance, hands forward
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24 Short game
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Pic 1
Pic 2
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A U S T R A L I A S
Pic 3
G O L F
Pic 3a
N E W S
Short game 25
L E A D E R
Pic 4
Pic 5
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Pic 6
correct path or not. If its not you will make
contact with the timber. (Pic #6)
You can practise all this at home, at the office
or at the range. When practising at home, use a
soft or aerated practice ball for safety.
Working on these basic steps for your short
game will definitely get you closer to the hole
and improve the amount of putts you have.
26 Short game
A U S T R A L I A S
Pitching tips
LeeHarrington
MANY people attempt to pitch like
they are taking a small version of
their full swing. This is not correct
and will lead to poor contact,
distance control and directional
issues.
The lofted pitch shot is played with
a lot less moving parts than the full
swing. The main points to consider
next time you practice are:
Setup
1. Your weight starts and stays on the
front leg during the entire shot.
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
of the target.
2. In the takeaway, check clubface
at about hip height to make sure
you have not shut the loft down
(this will lead to shots going low
and left).
3. In the downswing the club head
trails the shaft, which comes by
clearing the left hip as the first move
back to the ball.
A good way to think of the finish
is to see if you can sit a glass on the
clubface at the finish. This means you
have created the right angles to slide
the clubface under the ball and achieve
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Golf Queensland
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Short game 27
L E A D E R
H.O.W. to chip
ScottSimons
WHEN chipping, I see a lot of players trying
to scoop the ball to try and get it into the air.
One of the main reasons people tend to chip
poorly is because they tend to flick their wrists
or try and scoop the ball into the air. When
teaching students, the one thing I tell them
all to remember is DOWN = UP. To explain
this, if you try and keep a firm left wrist and
hit down on the back of the ball, the loft of
the golf club will lift the ball into the air. The
method I like to use with juniors in particular
is called the HOW method, and we use the
letters H.O.W. to help them remember the
chipping technique.
First of all you can chip with any club you
like but make sure you practice with the
technique and clubs before you take it onto
the golf course.
Choose a club that you feel comfortable with,
and start chipping with that. When chipping,
place the ball in the middle of your stance and
stand with your feet a little closer together.
They do not need to be shoulder width apart.
The HOW method works as follows:
ands Forward - your hands need to be
forward of the ball. For right-handed
players, your hands will cover your left knee.
pen stance - you should open you stance
and body to the target just a little so you
can see down your target line better. This will
give you a better feel for the chip shot.
H
O
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Weight forward
Open stance
28 Short game
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Putting 29
L E A D E R
Quick
Tips
with Richard Mercer
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30 Putting
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
KurtStegbauer
THERE are dozens of putting
techniques, grips and styles out
there from the claw grip to reverse
overlap and everything in between.
With so many choices, its easy to
become so engrossed with technique
that you can effectively overthink
it all.
Instead, when analysing your
putting technique try to focus on
being less technical. To begin with,
take a look at the following dos and
donts for putting; they may surprise
you, but they will give you a better
understanding on why some of the
worlds best putters are so successful.
The best putters arent technical at all;
they are simply trying to putt the ball
on a good line at a good holing speed.
The Dos
The Donts
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Putting 31
L E A D E R
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should be sufficient.
7. And finally, a simple practice
drill to really give you a better
understanding of slope is to play a
game on the practice green called
lawn bowls golf where you simply
roll balls underhand as if you were
bowling them towards the hole. As
seen in the picture, this simple drill
32 Putting
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Reading a green
Part 2: Speed
KurtStegbauer
IN the last issue, I spoke about the
two keys to becoming a great putter
which are: 1) Putting the ball on
a correct line, and 2) hitting it at
the correct speed. Now that you
know how to read the green to get
the correct line, we can move on
to speed.
There are a number of factors that
make a putting green faster or slower.
Knowing these things before you play
a round will help you know what to
look for when you are heading out
onto the course.
The first factor that influences the
speed of a green is the type of grass.
Golf courses use different types of
grass based on the different types of
climates or weather conditions. As an
example, golf courses in Victoria
where the climate is generally cool
tend to use more bent grass greens,
as bent grass grows better in cooler
conditions. As the bent grass has a
finer leaf, it is naturally easier to get
up to a faster speed.
In Queensland, however, where the
climate is warmer, they tend to use
more couch-based greens, as couchs
broader leaf can better handle the
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Putting 33
L E A D E R
The Speed Drill will help you generate a good feel for putts of different lengths and speeds
Too long
Too short
Just right
The Goldilocks drill will help you develop the right stroke for longer putts
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34 Putting
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Putting 35
L E A D E R
KurtStegbauer
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36 Putting
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Target line
Actual ball
path
Aiming point
4 feet
30 feet
25 feet
20 feet
15 feet
10 feet
A
BrentGerman
HAVE you ever wondered why some
putts turn or break more than others?
Here are a few quick tips to help you on
your way to reading the greens better
and improving your score.
Uphill versus Downhill
Downhill Putts (Less speed equals
more break)
With less momentum on a downhill
putt, gravity acts upon the ball sooner
and forces the ball down the direction
of the true downslope. On downhill
putts, therefore, we need to allow for
more break.
Uphill Putts (More speed equals
less break)
Uphill putts break less when the ball is travelling faster, and
then gradually break more as the ball slows down
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MikeBury
You Need: 2 golf balls
The Set Up: Place 8 tees in the
following positions:
One level with the hole, 3 feet
from the cup (A)
One 4 feet behind the cup (B)
One 5 feet level with the cup (C)
Five in a straight line at 10, 15, 20,
25, and 30 feet
The Drill
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Game management 37
L E A D E R
MarkVictorsen
3. Energise
Have two bananas (one on the 6th tee and
another on the 12th tee ) so you dont Hit the
wall and run out of energy during the later
stages of the round. Most importantly: NO
BEER OR PIES! (Have that post round!)
4. Hydrate
Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout
the round, as well as a hydrating drink like
Gatorade (sip this dont guzzle as it has a
high sugar content )
5. Carefully plan each hole
Look at each tee box strategically prior to teeing
up. Identify any trouble down the fairway.
Position your ball on the tee on the same side
of the tee as the trouble (i.e. if there is a bunker
or OOB on the left, then tee up on the left so
that you are hitting away from trouble and
not towards it) Remember golf is like Tennisthe game doesnt start till the ball goes in!
6. Be realistic with approach shots
Take one more club with your approaches. Most
golfers have a habit of selecting a club based on
their longest ever shot with that club (Chances
are, you wont hit it that far again!)
7. Avoid Sucker Pins
Aim for the middle of the green as its never
far from a front or rear flag. Unless you have
excellent control with your irons, going for a
Warming up is critical to success. Tour pros like Tiger Woods spend an hour or more in the practise
area prior to a round. You should too.
tight pin placement is asking for trouble.
8. Stay Positive
Keep your eyes above the flag as you walk up
the fairway so you dont engage the negative
self talk! A positive attitude will do more for
your game than you might expect.
9. Stay in the present
Resist the temptation to add up your scorecard
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38 Game management
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Trouble
shots
How to tackle
the dreaded (and
misunderstood)
uphill, downhill and
sidehill lies
LisaNewling
LoraineLambert
WOULDNT it be great if we had
a perfect lie every time? This rarely
happens, of course, so its important
to know how to play a shot from lessthan-perfect conditions.
This month, we look at how to play a
shot from a sidehill, uphill or downhill
lie. While these tips should be very
helpful for your next comp or social
round , we strongly recommend that
you practice these shots prior to being
faced with them on the course. We
suggest you go to your driving range
and try and re-create these lies or, even
better, go to your golf course where
you are faced with these shots and,
at a quiet time, practice these shots.
The two most important things to
remember when you are hitting from
a hill are: 1) Maintain your posture
With a downhill lie, adjust your hips and shoulders to match the slope of the lie.
Take a more lofted club, and aim a bit to the left of target
and 2) Stay balanced. Remember that
gravity will want to pull you down the
hill thus throwing you off balance
and resulting in poor shots. So it will
be important to have a solid stance
with plenty of balance to counteract
gravity.
Uphill lie
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With an uphill lie, adjust your hips and shoulders to match the slope of the lie.
Take a less lofted club, and aim a bit to the right of target
This part is crucial: make sure your
shoulders and your hips are sloping
the same way as the hill.
Widen your stance slightly for better
balance.
Keep your knees bent.
Keep your weight on the inside of
your right foot (for right-handed
players) as you take your back
swing, if you allow the weight to
shift to the outside of your foot you
Downhill lie
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Game management 39
L E A D E R
When the ball is above your feet, shorten your grip, take a more lofted club and aim to the right
Sidehill lies
When the ball is below your feet, aim more to the left, keep your knees bent, and push the weight onto
your heels
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The ball will fly left to right (for righthanded players), so aim to the left of
your target to allow for this.
To keep balanced, keep your knees
bent pushing the weight into the
heels; this will help you maintain
your posture throughout your swing,
(Remember: gravity will want to pull
you down the hill.)
Use a length swing it will help you
keep your balance.
40 Game management
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
90% chance
10% chance
In the rough (left), in a grass tussock (inset) and from the trees (right)
Grass Tussock
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Game management 41
L E A D E R
Tree roots
Shot Shaping
(Clockwise from left) In a sand-filled divot; near a tree root; in an unrepaired divot; in the sticks
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42 Game management
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Game management 43
L E A D E R
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44 Game management
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
HYBRID
1-iron/hybrid
2-iron/hybrid
3-iron/hybrid
4-iron/hybrid
5-iron/hybrid
6-iron/hybrid
WOOD
3/4-wood
5-wood
7-wood
9-wood
Bend forward from your hips; knees slightly flexed, weight on the balls of your feet. Your hands should
hang underneath your chin. Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed. (Dont stand too upright, nor
should you be reaching for the club)
your swing for the sake of one club.
Swing speed: Many golfers over the age of 65
dont generate enough speed in their swing to
hit a 15-degree 3-wood off the fairway. If this is
the case, stick to your 5-wood or 7-wood off the
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
If the ball is sitting down below the club, take a more lofted club
the ground rather than hit down on it like an iron
or hybrid. Having consistent posture and set up
routine is extremely important.
Posture is critical to help achieve the correct
swing plane and maintain your balance. You
must bend forward from your hips; knees
slightly flexed. You should feel balanced with
your weight on the balls of your feet.
Your hands should hang underneath your chin.
You shouldnt be reaching for the ball as this
will make your arms tense. Keep your arms and
shoulders relaxed.
Game management 45
L E A D E R
Play the ball ahead of centre in your stance, with the shaft level with the ball (not slanting forward, or behind)
Hybrids
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46 Game management
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Mind 47
L E A D E R
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48 Mind
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
The Fear
of Winning
affects even
elite athletes
like Annika.
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Mind 49
L E A D E R
Imagine yourself taking the bikkies, and feeling comfortable with the praise that comes with your success
associative conditioning, one-on-one
coaching and self image remodeling.
These terms may sound complicated
and awkward but there are technologies
out there to help you work on your
mind just like there are better mobile
phones these days.
You will know when your turnaround
will be complete when your results are
different and you feel normal in how
it all happens. Thats when you know
fear is not living in your mind and
body any more.
In the short term, some good
questions to reflect over are:
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50 Mind
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Mind 51
L E A D E R
The $11million
mental lesson
DrMikeMartin
WHEN Jim Furyk won the season-ending Tour
Championship at the East Lake Golf Course in
Atlanta, Georgia, he pocketed the $1.35 million
first prize. For winning the season-long point
score, the FedEx Cup, another cool $10 million. His
$11-million-dollar-plus pay day revolved around
an up-and-down from a green side bunker on the
72nd hole.
Furyk splashed out to four feet and knocked in his
par putt to do the job, overcoming some emotionally
crippling pressure and self-doubt along the way.
Furyk had come close to winning at the East
Lake course before:
I missed a playoff when Hal Sutton won here
by one, was second to Adam Scott here one year.
Ive had my opportunities and havent got over the
hump, he said.
No doubt Furyk was pondering if this was going
to be another failure. Especially when his earlier
three-shot cushion dissolved in just three holes.
Still, Furyk had a one-shot lead coming down
17 when he fatted his chip right of the green. He
got up-and-down for bogey.
I was pissed at myself going to the 18th tee
making bogey on 17, Furyk said.
Now he had to make par to win, and the weather
was only making matters worse.
There was a lot riding on my round today,
Jim Furyk
This was probably my best bunker week of
my career this week. I dont know what I was
in up-and-downs, but I bet I was probably 80
percent or more. (Actually he was nine from
nine, 100%.)
Walking into the bunker, Furyk let all the
pressure and self-doubt go. He just looked for
reasons why he could play the shot. He intuitively
knew his up-and-downs were good and so he
was confident to play the shot for what it was.
If you take the situation out, the sand is nice
and firm, ball is sitting up perfect, I had plenty
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52 Mind
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Poulter Twitters
Mental toughness
DrMikeMartin
IF you are a golf fan who uses Twitter, then you
should check out @ianjamespoulter. In between
Ian Poulters funny quips, family anecdotes and
English Premier League fanaticism you get an
insight into the mind of a top flight professional.
The day after the US Masters, where Poulter
finished 6 shots behind Mickleson and tied 10th,
he tweeted that he was very, very disappointed
with that finish.
At Augusta, Poulter was disappointed with
his driver which was surprisingly going left all
weekend. I felt my golf game was in shape
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of Augusta. I
played great Thursday (68), Friday (68), and
then hit a tee shot a little left off the 1st, which
is really unusual for me. And from that point
I wasnt happy with the driver. Not that theres
anything wrong with the driver, but I wasnt
comfortable standing on the tee. And from
that moment on, it starts playing in your mind.
A few minutes after Poulter tweeted his
post-round disappointment, he tweeted again
but I guess you learn from mistakes made.
For many players you learn from your
mistakes is just a feel-good statement to give
hope for the future when youre feeling down.
But for Poulter it began his fact-finding mission
to rebuild shattered confidence.
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Mind 53
L E A D E R
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54 Mind
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Even for golf s top players, a simple swing key can help you refocus after a bad shot and avoid
derailing an entire round
possible for Woods to suck it up because he
knew what he was doing. Sure it was a costly
mistake, but he was able to mentally get it back
on track because he knew what he needed to
focus on.
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Mind 55
L E A D E R
The switch to
success
JamieGlazier
SWITCH OFF
SWITCH ON
YOUR BALL
Using the Ten Yard Line method can help you control your focus while on the course (Photo by Andy Shaffer)
focus on the last 9 holes on Sunday as
this is generally where his competitors
begin to run out of that all-important
focus energy.
If the gridiron image isnt to your
liking, there is an even easier trigger
to help you switch your focus ON and
OFF during the round.
The golf glove has been used as
a trigger to help golfers all over the
world switch on and off, as it is the
one piece of equipment that a high
percentage of golfers use for every
shot. Another aspect to why the golf
glove is a great trigger is that it uses 3
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56 Mind
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
You dont need to be at the course to work on your golf game. Whether at home or at work, there is always time to focus
on golf fitness
to incorporate simple stretches into
your daily routine or while you are at
work. Stretching while watching tv
offers a great opportunity.
If its your golf-specific strength
that is lacking, then modifying gym
exercises that require weights by using
stretch/resistance bands at home or
work during lunch time for a few
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Mind 57
L E A D E R
Good shot or bad? Great players like Ernie Els stay in control of their emotions throughout the round, and dont dwell on the negatives
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58 Nutrition
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Battling dehydration
RichardNizielski
A GAME of golf should be a relaxing and
enjoyable day spent in the great outdoors,
particularly when you are hitting the ball well
and sinking putts. However many players give
themselves an uphill battle in their round by
neglecting some of the simplest of fundamentals.
One such fundamental is not drinking enough
fluid something that is exacerbated by the fact
that golf is played outdoors and more often than
not, in warm temperatures.
Dehydration can have a dramatic effect on
both your physical and mental performance.
Just a loss of 2% of the bodys optimal fluid
levels is considered dehydration in its
mildest form. This small amount of
dehydration can cause a player to
experience physical discomfort, fatigue
and drop in judgment and concentration
none of which are ideal when
trying to aim at the flag and
improve your handicap. If you
are someone who does not
drink much fluid while on
the course, try weighing
yourself immediately before
and after your game - the
drop in weight due to a loss
of body fluid may surprise you.
Because even a small loss of
water can be destructive to an
athletic performance, a good
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Nutrition 59
L E A D E R
The good, the bad and the ugly - how does your diet really affect your game?
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60 Nutrition
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Health 61
L E A D E R
This exercise involves activating the left side muscle groups and works the balance on the right side.
Keep hips square/level, chest up and right leg straight behind you (not across). Try to keep the left knee
behind your toes. This exercise focuses on those less dominant slice happy muscles. Beginners: 1 to 2
sets and 6 to 10 repetitions with a light band tensile.
Advanced: 3 to 4 sets and 8 to 12 repetitions with medium to heavy band tensile.
When pulling up the band, maintain good posture and do not straighten your body or lean back.
Maintain good stability with both sides of the body but intentionally try to be more active with the
left. Beginners: 1 to 2 sets and 6 to 10 repetitions with a light band tensile. Advanced: 3 to 4 sets and
8 to 12 repetitions with medium to heavy band tensile.
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62 Health
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Warm up
Arriving at the first tee and trying to hit the cover
off the ball without warming up is just asking for
back pain to pay you a visit and most likely set up
camp for a while. Stretches for your shoulders,
torso, hips and hamstrings are imperative before
every game. Simply placing your club behind your
neck and shoulders and gently rotating your torso
will start to loosen stiff joints and tight muscles.
Rolling your shoulders forwards and backwards
with your arms by your side will also facilitate your
warm up. Bringing your knees to your chest one
at a time will help to mobilise the hips and gently
bending forward from the hips whilst seated will
give the hamstrings a good stretch.
Every warm up would not be complete without
performing some easy swings of the club to allow
the body and spine to prepare itself for the force
and torsion required during the golf swing. Make
sure that you stay flexible throughout the swing
motion and remember that gentle motion is far
safer to begin with.
Keeping your posture nice and tall, place a club along your shoulders and gently rotate your torso to
loosen stiff joints and tight muscles. Be sure to keep your head and neck in line with your torso
In either a standing or sitting position, bring your knees to your chest one at a time mobilise the hips.
Keep your posture tall, and your shoulders square.
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Health 63
L E A D E R
In either a standing or sitting position, gently bend forward from the hips to stretch the hamstrings
Correct swing
The objective of the golf swing is to provide
clubhead speed and accuracy when making
contact with the ball. This action places pressure
onto the low back muscles and joints and correct
technique is imperative to minimise excessive
joint stress.
The initial setup for a golf swing involves
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A note on antiinflammatories
64 Health
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Exercise and sleep are important, but in order to get the most out of your game, you must focus on other factors first
The body is a system of systems, and everything
affects everything. In golf, you can now imagine
how your swing may be affected by an unrelaxed
mind, incorrect breathing, dehydration and
malnutrition, poor muscle function and little
sleep! You can also see how stress in any
combination of these principles lead to stress of
the other principles.
There are some golfers on the professional
circuits who have much less than optimal
conditioning in these areas. They have a great
Thoughts
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Breathing
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Health 65
L E A D E R
Hydration
Nutrition
Exercise
Sleep
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66 Health
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Thinking outside
the box
Push up on two Swiss Balls: Some exercises stimulate the mind or create a positive distraction for tour
pros while at the same time work at improving balance, strength, stability and co-ordination.
of scientific evidence and studies that prove
that static stretching in relation to golf can
have a negative impact on the golf swing.
Studies completed by human movement
and bio-mechanic professionals support this
opinion. It is crazy to think that, as a leading
nation in many world sports, the science
behind optimizing an athletes ability always
encompasses physical development through
some overloaded training regime outside the
play aspect of the particular sport.
Golf, on the other hand, still relies on
repetitive swing training which is the biggest
cause of injury in the game. It then relies on
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Health 67
L E A D E R
Kevin Morley is a well-known PGA teaching professional who looks after tour pros and many talented
juniors. He agrees with the new ways of including golf fitness training into teaching and developing
new skills as a result
Daiki, Jayson and Mitch are all 16-year-old juniors with lots of talent and are a part of EGFAs Junior
Golf Fitness Squad. They all agree by completing individual activation golf-specific exercises and
related stretches, their swing adaptability, balance and sequencing skills have improved
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68 Health
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Fitness 69
L E A D E R
Aerobic fitness is
good for golf
RichardNizielski
LAST week I was on the golf course watching
a friend play in a tournament. While her coach
and I walked the course together, it struck me:
of all the areas of golf fitness, the one area that is
often the most neglectedand may seem the least
importantis aerobic fitness. Generally, all the
sporting activities I have previously participated in
have been largely influenced by the need for good
aerobic capacity and recovery, but to what extent
does aerobic fitness influence the ability to play golf?
I had my thoughts on the subject, but walking
the course with a leading PGA coach who works
with several professional players both here and on
the international circuits, I really wanted to know
what his thoughts were.
Generally, the golfers I work with are concerned
about golf-specific fitness issues such as flexibility,
stability or strength. Aerobic fitness often runs a
distant last on the list.
The question is then: what benefit, if any, does
aerobic fitness have for a golfer?
Aerobic capacity is the ability to transport
oxygen around the body and to the cells to
produce energyparticularly in activities that
require prolonged levels of elevated energy output.
In addition, having an efficient aerobic system
increases the ability to recover from activity.
Aerobic fitness will not only boost your energy levels on the courseaiding in quicker recovery
between shotsbut it can also improve your overall ability to play better golf
to aid recovery between golf shots will play a part
in playing good golf.
This explanation made me smile. I thought to
myself about the many golfers I see who want quiet
around them so they may concentrate on playing
the shot, but at the same time are struggling to
recover from the walk.
There is plenty of evidence available that
confirms having a healthy cardiovascular system
and aerobic function will boost the ability to
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70 Fitness
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Fitness 71
L E A D E R
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72 Fitness
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
A lunge squat
as upright as possible and bend evenly from your
hip, knee and ankle slowly lowering your body.
Keeping your knee and foot aligned, lightly touch
your heel to the floor or as far as your knee and foot
remain aligned. Pause for 1 second, then return to
the start position.
If you are struggling with keeping your balance,
you may like to start this exercise by lightly holding
onto the wall or a pole. Progressively, as you get
stronger, you can move away from the wall and
begin to increase the range of movement, getting
into a lower position.
For those who have knee injuries or damage
that causes pain when doing this exercise you may
find a static single leg squat helpful. Put yourself
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Fitness 73
L E A D E R
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74 Fitness
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Take your
medicine (balls)
RichardNizielski
LAST month I gave a rundown of the gym
equipment I recommend to my clients if they
are doing their golf fitness training at home.
Amongst the equipment listed, I mentioned
medicine balls as part of a home gym set up.
Medicine balls or medballs have become
increasingly popular with golf fitness training
and can be used for a variety of exercises and
drills.
Medballs come in a variety of sizes and
constructions. The type I find particularly
good are the rubber live medballs; live
because they have air inside and rebound off
a hard surface when thrown against it. That
quality makes this type of medball great for
throw and catch exercises and these types of
exercises are great for increasing power in
the golf swing.
Here are a several medball throwing
exercises to help develop power in your swing.
Depending on your experience and strength,
a medball of between 1-4 kg will be sufficient
for the majority of the throw and catch
exercises shown here. You can purchase a
medball from most sports equipment stores
or ask a physiotherapist clinic if they have can
order one for you. If you still have no luck then
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Fitness 75
L E A D E R
Posterior tilt
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Neutral position
Anterior tilt
76 Fitness
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
ussian twist
PeterMcConnell
THERE are literally dozens of good
exercises for golf. However, those
exercises are not all necessarily good
for all golfers. Conversely, some
exercises are wonderful for all golfers,
but unfortunately their power is lost
in the translation from observation to
execution. This can occur from lack of
body awareness from the exerciser, or
from lack of attention to detail from
the teacher, or both.
One of these special exercises that
is good for all golfers is the Russian
Twist on an exercise ball. I have
seen this exercise demonstrated and
performed many times by Personal
Trainers, Golf Coaches and golfers,
but rarely have I seen it executed in
a way that would allow the exerciser
to gain any real benefit.
The issue arises in the springloading and torque creation of the
body, and subsequent acceleration,
uncoiling, and deceleration of the
movement. As all golfers are aware,
the angular change between hips and
shoulders from address position to
the top of the backswing creates that
coiled feeling to then unwind in all
sorts of manners and styles. If you
Starting position
Finishing position
Collapsed arms
Over-rotated hips
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Fitness 77
L E A D E R
Post-round
recovery tips
RichardNizielski
SUMMER is back! Personally, this is my favorite
time of the year. Its a great time to get outdoors
and onto the golf course; but all those extra rounds
can be taxing on the body. Recovery from exercise
is an important aspect of an overall health and
fitness program that should be considered, if you
want to get the best out of your golf game.
There are a variety of ways to help in recovering
from a day on the course.
First and foremost, how you fuel your body
will greatly affect how you recover. So getting
enough fluids and having a good diet is important.
Its not necessary to be pious in your approach,
but rather give consideration to having a wellbalanced meal plan and plenty of variety. That
and plenty of water to replace what you have lost
from being out in the hot weather.
After a round, many players feel the benefits
of a warm-down and a stretch. Just 5-10 minutes
of regular stretching after a round will help the
muscles relax and increase mobility. Concentrate
on the big muscle groups like the legs, back, chest
and neck, holding each stretch for around 20-30
seconds or until you feel a change.
Massage is a great way to help tired muscles
relax and recover. The pressure of the massage on
the muscles helps flush out built-up waste products
Working with a foam roller is a great way to work out knots and stretch your muscles
in a hot spa bath followed by getting into an ice
bath for the required time. If this isnt available,
then alternating between hot and cold showers
works pretty well.
Lastly, Epsom salts is a proven effective way of
relaxing tired, overworked muscles and aiding in
recovery. Adding Epsom salts or Radox as some
may know it, to a hot bath replaces many of the
mineral salts need to aid recovery. Epsom salts can
be bought at most chemists with the instructions
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78 Fitness
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Better safe
than sorry
RichardNizielski
THE majority of the time, the articles
we write are aimed at improving
golf fitness. We aim to point out the
importance of increasing overall
specific golf strength, stability and
flexibility to improve the golf swing.
By now I am sure you get where we are
coming from, that being the healthier
you are the better you can enjoy your
golf game and lessen the chance of
injury.
However, so many players I meet
professionals and amateurs alikehave
had or currently have an injury of some
description. The most common golf
injuries are of the back and neck, which
you would expect, given the nature of
the sports one-sided rotational, wound
up action.
Another common injury for golfers,
especially those who hit off mats the
majority of the time, is the wrist and
elbow. The use of mats doesnt allow
a divot to be taken during the ball
strike; instead the action sends a jarring
reverberation back into the joints of
the arm, leading to a higher chance
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Fitness 79
L E A D E R
Sit-ups and
dumbbells
RichardNizielski
RECENTLY I was at the driving range with a
college mate and we got into a conversation with
a fellow golfer about functional exercises for
golf. The topic turned to chest muscle exercises
in particular push-ups and their place in
developing a golf-ready body.
His address position was typical of what I see
with many of my clients, rounded upper back and
shoulders forward, which in this case indicated
tight, short chest muscles and some stiffness in the
upper-back area, both of which were hindering
his ability to perform a full backswing and follow
through. I asked what he did for a living and what
he did for improving his golf fitness? The answer
was a common response I get from many of my
clients: A predominantly desk-bound career and
I do some cardio training as well as some pushups and some abs training.
Without getting into a full on training session
with him, I suggested incorporating some
stretching for his chest and upper back area and
dropping the push-ups.
Now please dont misunderstand, push-ups
are a great exercise perhaps even a classic when
it comes to general fitness training, but are they
for everyone? Well, like most things there is not
a yes/no answer to this question.
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80 Fitness
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Stretch 1
Stretch 2 Extension
each side.
Stretch #1 is a lateral motion: When stretching
to the right, you will be targeting your right inner
thigh and the left side of your torso, all the way
up through to your left tricep. To accomplish
this you must have your feet a bit wider than
shoulder-width apart or you will not feel the
inner thigh stretch. Notice the direction my
left forefinger is pointing this is the direction
you must reach for. If you just allow your arm
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
Stretch 2 Flexion
Reach back with your hands as though you
are getting ready to dive into a pool. This
position should give you stretches from the
front calf and hamstring, up through the back
and into the arms. Notice the direction of the
fingers again. As you rise up into the extension
position, rock forward onto your front foot,
raising the back heel, and driving the hips
forward similar to the finishing position of
a swing. You can see I am now reaching up
N E W S
Fitness 81
L E A D E R
Stretch 3 Finish
Stretch 3 Start
as high as possible while also reaching back.
In the correct position, you will feel stretches
in the front of the hip of the back leg, up
through the abdominals and perhaps into the
shoulders. Move through these positions with
care and strength. If you only lean back without
reaching up, you will feel far more pressure
on your lower back, which is not advisable.
This is a very powerful stretch.
Stretch #3 is a combination of the first two.
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82 Drills
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Drills
Your mates advice to get your Backside out (left) or Sit on a bar stool (right) can actually be
dangerous to your body.
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Drills 83
L E A D E R
Club path
inside the
toe line
Club path
outside the
toe line
Clubface pointing
forward
Correct
swing
plane
To check your posture, hold a club along your spine and tilt forward slightly, without the club coming
away from your spine
Keeping your knees bent, try and turn your
will be making compensations throughout your
left (or front) shoulder towards your right (or
swing making it difficult to consistently square
back) toe.
up the clubface at impact.
If you arent that flexible, just turn as far as
you feel comfortable, some turn is better than
Fix: Square club face drill
none at all.
This is our favorite drill; it has helped so many
Problem: Inconsistent swing plane of our students when they leave us to go and
As you start your backswing and your upper
practise by themselves. It gives you a visual
body starts to rotate back, your wrists need to
guide to where the club should be positioned
early in the backswing.
hinge, (cock or bend whichever term you
Using a mid-to-short iron, pick a target on
have been taught it just means adding movement
the range.
to the wrists to allows you to lever the club and
Place a club along your toe line to help you
keep the club on the correct swing plane). If you
aim.
have an incorrect start to your back swing, you
Early in your backswing, your shaft should be parallel to your toe line, with your clubface pointing in
front of you
Start your swing and stop when your hands
Problem: Strangulation of the club
are level with the outside of your right (or
We all know what it feels like to strangle
back) thigh.
the golf club with your arms and shoulders so
If you are on the correct path the club shaft
tensely that you can hardly take the club away.
should be parallel to your toe line, with the
As stated earlier, this can cause tension and
clubface facing out in front of you.
thus hinder the effectiveness of your swing.
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84 Drills
A U S T R A L I A S
KurtStegbauer
AS a junior golfer I once read an article
written by Colin Montgomerie about
how he practices putting with a tennis
ball. The very next day we had junior
pennants on, so what do I do? I got
out onto the practice putting green
using a tennis ball to warm up with.
Little did I realise that my fellow junior
golfers were looking at me oddly and
wondering if I had mistaken the golf
clubhouse for the tennis clubhouse. Not
knowing what other golfers were saying
I continued to practice and then went
back to the golf ball. On going back to
the golf ball I was pleasantly surprised
to see that in fact the hole did look
bigger and that I was putting better.
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Ladder drill:
Compass drill:
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Compass drill
with the hole in the center. (To do this,
measure with the putterhead in the
cup and place the first tee at the end
of the grip at n/s/e/w). Then measure
off and set a second tee a grip length
further, then repeat for number 3 tee.
Number 13 tee is placed so you know
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
AnneRollo
The pros putting drill
N E W S
Quick tips 85
L E A D E R
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86 Quick tips
A U S T R A L I A S
Zone 1
Zone 2
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Zone 3
Start
1 yd
Ball sitting in
long grass
RichardMercer
AnneRollo
The Set Up
The Drill
MikeBury
You Need
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Quick tips 87
L E A D E R
Your ball position is different for each club...but not that much
To get the most out of your game especially the first few holes make sure you
do a proper warmup at the range and chipping area
and morning to afternoon.
I like to do this drill before play: hit
all your short putts to a tee and all your
long putts to the greens edge. Leave
the holes for the other folks who seem
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88 Quick tips
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Pitching
AnneRollo
Start with a basic pitching
distance
WHEN the pros pitch, they have a different
length swing for each distance. From 20m to
about 100m, the pros are dialled in with an
exact swing for that distance.
This is obviously impractical for most club
golfers, as they simply dont have the time it
takes to practise this kind of accuracy.
Heres a way of using this method but
simplifying it to suit your own game: Instead of
having a different length swing for each distance,
pick one distance and then get extremely good
at that.
For women, I would suggest 30 metres and
for men 50 metres.
If you practise this distance and get to know
what length swing you need (say...hands level
with your hips on the backswing) then you
can go up or down from there as the distances
change.
So, ladies, if you find yourself at 40 metres,
then swing a little longer...or if at 20 metres
swing a little shorter.
Once you master the one distance you can
use it as a starting point and vary the length of
your swing up or down from there.
Quick Tip:
Placing a golf ball under the outside of your back heel is a great drill to help
you keep your weight on the front foot
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Quick Tip:
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Quick tips 89
L E A D E R
MarkVictorsen
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90 Seniors
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
A balanced swing is important for golfers of all ages, but as we get older it becomes more critical to success (Top right) Stretching and warming up is
very important prior to your round (and can save you many shots especially in the first few holes) (Bottom Right) The Squashing a grape between your
shoulder blades stretch helps open up the muscles in your chest and shoulder area
Warm up
Posture
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
Tempo
Equipment
N E W S
Seniors 91
L E A D E R
(Left) Balancing on one foot with your other knee flexed in the air is a great drill to improve your your overall balance. (Right) A three-quarter-length
backswing can give better control over your movements and make it easier to keep your balance.
High launch drivers and hybrids in particular
have allowed much more forgiveness and
helped increase the distances hit compared to
the older clubs.
We strongly recommend when you buy clubs
that you are correctly fitted for them. Your
local PGA Professional can help you with this.
Alternatively keep an eye out for Demo Days.
All major companies have these days (check out
the Demo Day Guide in every issue of Inside
Golf), they are a great opportunity to speak to
an expert about their product and discuss what
would be suitable for you.
Loft
Shaft Flex
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Length
92 Juniors
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
1
LeeHarrington
The Grip
Swing Routine
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
Biomechanics 93
L E A D E R
Muscular loading
ScottBeaumont
IN last months issue we wrote about the physics
and physiology behind generating optimal
power and efficient movement in the golf swing.
This month well focus on physiology of the
muscles and the laws of physics.
When we amateurs watch a professional
golfers swing, we often marvel at how
effortless the motion seems and how far the
ball travels. Regardless of the size and shape
of the professional golfer or his/her personal
style, the swing we see and the ball flight
is something all amateurs endlessly strive
to achieve.
What most of us dont realise is that one
of the primary reasons the golf professional
is so proficient is that his/her body works
in complete coordination, optimizing the
physiology of the muscles and the laws of
physics. Underneath all the variances we
see from swing to swing, each professional
optimizes his/her kinetic link.
How power is generated in the golf swing is a
combination of two things: 1) Conservation of
momentum and 2) Muscular loading. Muscular
loading refers to the stretch-shorten effect of
producing potential energy by pre-stretching
(or eccentrically firing) the muscles prior to
shortening. This stretch-shorten action creates
potential energy which is then used to enhance
the muscular contraction.
Professional like Steve Elkington make their swings look effortless by generating anti-clockwise
acceleration of the hips (red) around the axis of the spine, thus creating dynamic loading of the
muscles of the upper body (blue)
segment then follows the lead of the hips in
an anti-clockwise motion. At this time the hip
segment begins to decelerate. This action passes
energy as the muscles of the upper body contract
to accelerate the shoulder segment. The result
is the creation of power and rotational speed of
the shoulders which is twice that of the hips.
The same applies for the upper body and arms;
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94 Biomechanics
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Rotational Forces
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Left Hand
Right
Hand
1. The middle fingers and forefinger wrap
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A U S T R A L I A S
N E W S
L E A D E R
G O L F
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Extra Tips
Your Head
Athletic Feeling
Clubface Alignment
Hunch
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
1) A Deliberate hit
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
to a full finish.
You will think that the ball would go to the
right of the target, but you will soon find that
it goes straight and long!
3) Follow through
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A U S T R A L I A S
1) Power Exercise
PeterCroker
AS pictured above, it would be a workable
analogy to regard the clubhead as rocket driven
and your body as the launch pad. You throw the
clubhead down, out and through the ball to a full
finish using your body as a base to release down,
out and away from. The hips and shoulders will
respond to this throwing action by the hands and
add power and control to support this hand
action for all shots from chip to pitch to full
swing. This is a viewpoint we will be building
on when working through the exercises in the
lessons that follow.
1. Power Exercise
(How to generate Power in the golf swing)
2. Accuracy Exercise
(How to guarantee Accuracy in the golf
swing)
3. Power &Accuracy Impact Push Exercise
(How to apply Power & Accuracy in the golf
swing at impact)
4. Impact Exercise
(Defining and drilling in the impact area of
the full swing)
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
Part 1
Part 2
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G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Part 3
Same as Part 2 but leave your left arm at your
side and swing and swoosh the end of the shaft
as fast as you can. Your body stays back and
your left shoulder out until you push deep into
impact, then your body is carried forward by the
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Part 1
A balanced hit will force your left shoulder up and back toward your chin
Hold a club at the top of a one third backswing
position in your left hand only. Another
person will push the clubhead forward in the
throughswing. At the same time they will apply
light pressure up the clubshaft toward you. You
must keep a light pressure against this push, going
out down the clubshaft for structure.
To maintain a position of power, you must not
allow your hand to pull forward or pull backward.
You must push from your centre right out in front
of you for the entire throughswing.
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Part 2
At Address Position, hold a club in your left
hand only. Imagine the dial of a clock, where 6
oclock is right in front of you. Allow the club to
swing back and forth in front of you from about
8 oclock to 4 oclock. Get so that what generates
the motion on the downswing, is your left hand
uncocking and pushing the clubhead on the
forward part of the swing.
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Toe Down
Thumbs down
hand position
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Building a
backswing: part 1
PeterCroker
THE Backswing is the key to power, control,
and consistency. When done correctly, it sets
the golfer up to execute a golf shot of effortless
power not powerless effort.
The word Backswing is what it says it
should be - A swing back.
To have a clear picture of backswing let
us further define both back and swing.
Back is the direction directly opposite
the balls intended line of flight.
Swing is to move to and fro or rotate
about a fixed point.
The backswing is a composition of body
rotation and hand and arm wind-up and for
ease of learning; it is best done by drilling in
separately the body pivot and the hand and
arm actions and then blending them together
into one integrated whole.
Ultimately it becomes a seamless part of
the complete swing but when building a
swing you will need to separate out and to
drill in the backswing and its component
parts.
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
Overswinging
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Figure 1
Figure 2
Part 1
Figure 4
Figure 3
pushing out down the clubshaft, your hands will
automatically uncock over through impact. Drill
this in.
It is the thumbs down - uncocking action first
beforethe left wrist and forearm rotate squaring the
clubface to tand maintains the pressure from the
heel pad area against the thumb-pad area of the
left hand. (Fig 2)
Part 2
Part 4
Part 3
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Part 5
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Purpose
Push
Pull
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
PeterCroker
FOLLOWING the step by step process
to build certainty in your swing, the
Slow Swing Exercise is a valuable drill
to perform for the following reasons.
1. It dispels any illusions as to how the
hands direct the body as well as the
golf club throughout the swing.
2. Doing such a motion with the hands
controlling the club, arms, and body
develops an accurate use of the hands
in moving the club on the right path
from start-up, through transition,
start down, impact, and all the way
through follow through to a complete
finish. (see the video on YouTube to
clarify this)
It was this exercise that helped us
realize how to use the hands plus the
speed of the swing that created the lag
of the clubhead in the downswing and
the illusion of a pulling motion in the
downswing.
The reason the golf swing has been
so difficult to understand and teach is
because:
1. What happens in the downswing and
follow through is not what you are
trying to do.
2. What it looks like you are doing is
not what you are really doing. A high
speed camera gives a pulling illusion
in the downswing when you look at
slow motion or stop frame images of
the swing of good players.
3. What you feel is going on in the hitting
action is not what is happening.
When you attempt to hit the golf
ball with some force, the weight of the
clubhead creates a pull on the muscles
and joints of the lead arm and body.
This pulling feeling has then been
interpreted as a pulling action when it
is in fact a pushing - throwing action
from the hands that is the cause of this
body feeling.
The best way to overcome any illusions
in hitting a golf ball is to swing the club
slowly. Then, when you gradually increase
the speed of the swing, the dynamics
and what happens in the swing begin
to make sense.
Through this exercise you will be able
to see for yourself how it is that your
hands direct your arms and body in the
golf swing. It is in this exercise that you
can re-orient and re-educate yourself into
Left is the slow swing. Right is the full speed swing. In both swings you are trying to
do exactly the same thing (push the clubhead directly into the ball) but the dynamics
created by the speed of the faster swing make it appear totally different
a natural ability to hit a golf ball.
Two key points learned from previous
lessons presented in Inside Golf are 1. It is the principal responsibility of
your left hand to push out down the
clubshaft.
2. It is the principal responsibility of
your right hand to push against the
clubshaft.
From the top of your backswing, very
slowly push the clubhead down and
out through Impact and into Follow
Through and then to a full finish over
the left shoulder.
You are trying to throw (push) the
clubhead first down and out through the
ball and to the right of the target line.
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L E A D E R
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
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G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Anatomy of Failure
1. Mistake
2. Doubt - attention on swing mechanics
3. Figure out why and make some
adjustment
4. Try again
Anatomy of Success
1. Mistake
2. Back up & fire the clubhead until you
expect the next one to go well
3. Fire the clubhead through another ball
to a complete finish.
A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Source of structure
The first two pushes
PeterCroker
SETTING up and maintaining strong body structure
throughout your shots is a very important factor in
building a stroke that produces big distance and real
accuracy with a high level of consistency. Learn all
about golf and play with poor structure and you have
entered a wild variable into your game.
In this lesson you will find out about 2 of the major
areas of structure that will allow you to naturally
acquire strong structure and a more consistent strike
on the ball:
1. Push down on the grip
2. Push out down the clubshaft
Controlling these two will help prevent chicken
wing either in the backswing with the right elbow
or down through impact and into follow-through
with the left elbow.
This will have a major influence on the building
of a consistent and solid impact.
When you are swinging with these 2 points of
good structure as outlined in this lesson, you are
really protecting your elbows and shoulder joints as
the arms stay more closely connected to the body
throughout the swing.
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Building structurePart 2
PeterCroker
ADDING to our last lesson on Building
Structurewe are starting from the ground up
and once we have all points of good structure in
at address we will see how important these basics
are in building a consistent and powerful swing.
Address position
Incorrect posture,
shoulders hunched
Correct posture,
swing proud!
Swing Proud
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Source
of
Time
(An un-rushed Swing)
PeterCroker
Left Shoulder for the Downswing
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A U S T R A L I A S
G O L F
N E W S
L E A D E R
Hands
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Hand positions