Wireless Golf Coach

How To Easily Visualize A Golf Shot

We hear it every single weekend about how Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are able to visualize a golf shot before they execute it. The player that really became prevalent on the PGA Tour to be able to visualize a golf shot was Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus would not swing until he had already seen the golf shot in his mind form beginning to end in his mind. Some also say that this is where the slow pace of play came from as well since many players were attempting to mock the best player in the world at that time.  

I have worked with all levels of players from beginner to professional and I have had many tell me that they can not visualize a golf shot. This is simply Baloney!!! All of us can do it and need to do it if we would like to lower our scores. Some of us have to do it a little different than the others but being able to visualize a golf shot can be accomplished very quickly. Let me show you how:

You can start at home or at work (if you are the boss). Look at a picture that you have on the wall. Now close your eyes and explain the picture or object in as much detail as possible. While your eyes are closed zoom into the picture and zoom out to make sure you can catch all of the details.

Another way to improve how you visualize a golf shot is to picture something outside such as your car. What color is it? Is it clean? What about the particulars of your new rims or how the interior is laid out? Where is it parked right now? Can you "see" yourself opening up the door and sitting in the seat and turning the key and driving out? You get the picture (haha). Again, get as picky and descriptive as you can. Practice with items that you know very well and have good recall on these items.

So now that we are the golf course how are we going to visualize a golf shot? As we go through our pre-shot routine, we will gather all pertinent information such as lie of the golf ball, wind direction, obstacles in our landing area, etc. As we gather this information, we will need to pick out a golf club that will allow us to hit the shot needed. Will we need a draw or a fade? Watch it! You are starting to visualize a golf shot. Once the proper club is chosen, then see yourself hit the golf ball from you swinging the club until the ball has finished rolling.

Putter Fitting Basics

All manufactures are making it easier and easier for the club professional to do club fittings for their members. This is not limited to drivers and irons but has expanded to being able to do a wedge and/or a putter fitting at your club. How many times have we all heard it, putting is more than fifty percent of your shots taken in a round of golf. Yet, we all still spend more time with the driver and are willing to get fit for that but not go through a putter fitting. Why not have a putter fitting before the other bandits in your regular group do? Again, the putting fitting systems that are supplied to the PGA Professional will make sure that you have the proper putter in your hand. This will allow you to make your stroke without needing to manipulate the putter.

The professional will basically take you through the five stages of the putter fitting. This would include:

1.      Putter fitting basic - The putter length - I find that a least 80 percent of people are playing with putters that do not fit them. The vast majority are too long for them. Most players should be able to take their grip and stance that allows their arms to freely hang to where they grip their putter. When your arms bend, you are creating more levers and more moving parts. Most "standard" putters found in golf shops are 35 inches and longer. This is simply to long for most male players let alone female players.

2.      Putter fitting basic - The lie angle – The lie angle is the angle created by the bottom of the club and the club shaft. You want your putter to sit flat on the putting surface. If the lie angle is too upright (toe in the air) for a player they will have the tendency to start putts to the left of the target. Conversely, if the putter is too flat (heel in the air), the player will then have the tendency to start their putts to the right of the target. The length and lie angle will play a large part in whether of not the player is positioned such that his eyes are over the target line and if the putter is sitting flat on the ground.

3.      Putter fitting basic - The putter loft – Yes a putter does have loft. Typically 3-6 degrees. This needs to be thought about depending on your consistent impact position. Players that forward press and are able to keep the handle ahead of the impact tend to like putters with a little more loft on them.

4.      Putter fitting basic - The amount of offset on the putter- This again will be determined by how you deliver the putter to the ball. You PGA Professional can help determine this during the putter fitting as it is difficult to explain here.

Learn How To Play Golf

There are three basic ways to learn how to play golf.

Take an Individual Lesson - There are many other things that you would not attempt to learn yourself. However, everybody thinks that hitting a little white ball can not be that hard so they try it themselves or they have a friend teach them how to play golf. Just as if you are cooking or building a building there are some fundamental things that need to happen so the end result is reached. An individual lesson is the best way to get the most individual attention to your swing and you should see the quickest results. When first learning how to play golf, I would suggest taking thirty minute lessons and not an hour lesson. The reason why is that you will be hearing a lot of new information and you will only be able to process so much of it. The Professional should start with putting and gradually move farther and farther away from the hole. In addition, you will physically be asked to do things that you are not used to doing and you will tire quickly during the early lessons.

Take a Group Clinic – Learning in a group is another way to learn how to play golf. Finding a beginner clinic will place you with other new golfers who are at the same skill level and can turn into your new playing partners. Typically during a group clinic, the instructor will give a presentation to the group and then allow everyone to spread out on the range tee and will spend some individual time with each student. If you like to learn at your own pace this is a good place for you to start. Before you sign up for the clinic, make sure that the clinic will cover all aspects of the game. The clinic should spend time on putting, chipping, pitching, full swing and the rules. This way you are exposed to all aspects of the game. A clinic that goes to the range every meeting is not going to do you much good once you get your golf ball up and around the green. What do you do then? Learning how to putt and chip is very important when you are first learning how to play golf as more than 50% of your shots will be considered "short game shots." Learning these shots will be the quickest way to lower your scores.

Third way to learn how to play golf is to teach yourself the game through reading books, watching golf DVDs as well as actual trial and error. Obviously this will take the longest to master. However, if score is not your main objective and gaining more exercise or spotting nature during your round is more important to you then this is (by far) the most inexpensive route to take.

If you are interested in learning how to play golf, above are three different ways to become involved in the game. If you are looking for more information on how to play golf, go to www.virtualgolfswing.com to find free golf instructional articles, golf instruction books and golf instruction DVDs.

• Previous Posts:

• How To Easily Visualize A Golf Shot
• Putter Fitting Basics
• Learn How To Play Golf
• Beginning Golfers - How To Keep A Golf Scorecard
• Golf Shank No More!!!
• Golf Ball Construction
• Club Fit - It Only Makes Sense
• Where Is The Top Of Your Golf Swing?

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