Hitting the Perfect Shot
You anxiously roll out of bed at 7 a.m. and the first thing you do is check the
weather. Sunny and clear, with a high of 76. A perfect day in any golfers mind
for the first round of the season. You pull on your khakis and collared shirt
and grab the Calloways and head off to the course. Upon arrival, you see your
friends already on the putting green and you join them and get warmed up. At
8:01 you step up to the tee after watching your two friends just hit bombs down
the fairway. You step up to the tee, take a few practice swings, and line
yourself up. Knees bent, feet perfect width apart, you pull your club back and
then swing. What happens? Well naturally you have a case of the shanks.
Any golfer knows this feeling and I am going to offer up some tips so that you
will be hitting the ball pure, even on your first stroke. First off, and
most importantly I think, work on your game in the off season. "But Adam it is
snowing outside!" you might say. This can be fixed by simply working on your game inside. According to
PGA.com the most important thing to do in the offseason is get involved in a
fitness program. Take a moment to assess the way you played last season. Did you
fatigue easily? Were your drives not going as far as you would like? Then set
some goals and tailor a workout program around this. Also, talk to your local
pro to see what his workout program is like in the off season.
Secondly, hit the range before you play. Get lose and make sure you are feeling
alright to play. If you do have the early season shanks try this drill that Jim
McLean suggest: Stick two tees in the ground side by side about 1 to 2 inches apart. Set up to the
tee closest to you, but when you swing, swing to the outside tee. This will help
you on your extension and help you hit a purer shot.
Lastly, go have fun!! A word that many golfers (including me) have forgotten time to time. Stress trickles down into your game, and I am sure that we have all seen someone "blow up" on the course. I have been in a fair share of tournaments and this is one thing I have learned. You have to go out with the mindset that you are going to have fun, and yes, win as well.
So these are just a few tips that I have picked up over my years of playing golf and I hope they help you too. Just step back, take a deep breath, focus, and visualize, and you will be playing good all day long.
