Perform Better Golf Blog

Man…Corey did it!  Averaging just over 260 yards of the tee no less!

It goes to show you that driving accuracy and short game can win a tournament.  His wedges are awesome.  I’m not particularly fond of his golf swing technique, but it sure worked for him this week.

After Tiger playing it safe off the tee at the British this year, I wonder if driving accuracy will become more prevalent with the average golfer?

Swinging within yourself…and keeping it in play will always produce lower scores and a higher level of enjoyment.

Corey Pavin shooting an 8-under 26 on the front nine breaking the PGA record at US Bank Championship!

Wow!

Goes to show you a great short game can be deadly.  I’ve always been impressed with Corey and am glad to see him out their competing near the top.  Seems like a classy guy who is not willing to give up.

It will be interesting to see if he can hang in there through the weekend.

Golfers on tour have been realizing the importance of physical training for golf for quite some time, but many have not taken it to the level they need to compete with the best.

Watch out Tiger Woods!  Tiger is getting his game back and it could mean big trouble for the rest of the guys on tour.

Look at who placed well at the British Open.  Tiger, Sergio, Adam Scott and others who all take their fitness training for golf very seriously.

Gone are the days of the overweight pro golfer winning many tournaments.  You will always see the odd heavy set player sneak out a win, but mark my words. 

Fitness will prevail!  Only the fit will survive!  You heard it hear first.

I am extremely excited about my new golf stretching dvd coming out in 2 weeks.  I have been rehearsing my routine for the the filming so much, I feel like I’m as loose as a noodle.  My nagging lower back (from a track injury over 25 years ago) feels so much better.

I even have a pre order special going on right now. 

With the season in full force, this golf stretching dvd is the ticket.  Do it 2-3 times a week and watch your golf swing power, driving distance and consistency improve quickly.

I’ve been wanting to put together this independent golf stretching dvd since I put out my best selling Ultimate Golf Fitness DVDs and Manual.  And now it’s finally happening.

Tiger using a driver ONCE the entire tournament (British Open)!  Really shows how important it is to play strategic golf and keep the ball in the fairway.  In any other tournament the past year or so, Tiger is jumping out of his shoes with his driver and hitting it all over the map.

While distance is a huge advantage…keeping it in play is an even bigger one.

I know the lowest round I’ve ever shot (73) was hitting irons off most of the tees and keeping it in the fairway.  It feels so easy when you can have that kind of discipline.  Too bad we can’t have that more often:).

Nice to see Tiger win one with his dad passing recently.  Glad to have you back Tiger!

Pilates for golf is an approach that is just catching on with golfers of all ages and abilities.  What I like about it…is the focus on core strength.  I am a huge believer in core strength, and incorporate many golf exercises in my golf fitness dvds that incorporate core strength, flexibility, stabilization and even balance.

In the very near future, I will be offering a dvd that has my top 10-12 pilates for golf exercises I feel will benefit you the most.  These exercises will greatly enhance your driving distance and accuracy, as well as prevent future injury to the lower back.

Pilates for golf is a nice addition to a golf specific exercise program…but ignoring other facets of golf fitness would be a big mistake.  A balance between pilates, yoga, golf strength and stretching, and even some form of meditation would be the ultimate.

Fitness and health are becoming so prevalent, that Golf Digest devoted 29 pages to the specific topic of golf health in this months (August issue) edition.

If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend getting this issue and educating yourself on the importance of nutrition, injury prevention, fitness, and health.

My only beef is in the fitness section the picture of the model (definitely not a golfer) is incorrect when doing the seated twist.  The model is twisting the wrong way.  I’m kind of anal, so it gets to me when I see this kind of misinformation getting out.

Even so…I’m glad more and more attention is being brought to golf health, fitness and exercise.  If you are looking to improve your game, and enjoy golf for many years, you must take this topic seriously.

The older you get, the harder it will be to stop the rapid decline of aging.  Your strength, flexibility and endurance will plummet unless you make a conscious effort to improve these golf health components.

I played the other day with an older golfer who was very curious about the approach he called physical fitness for golf.  I hadn’t heard it put that way, but it is the same approach I have preached for over 10 years now.  He asked me on the first tee what I do and didn’t stop asking me questions for the entire 18.

I usually don’t mind…but if I can…I don’t let them know what I do until much later in the round:)

The bottom line with this golfer was definitely a physical fitness for golf issue.  He had a rapidly declining strength and flexibility, and couldn’t get he tee ball airborn because of it.  I hope he decides to work on the cause (his body) of his lack of power, distance and accuracy.

My son Trent has gotten me onto something very bad…especially since I am a fitness (golf fitness) professional.  After every round we play together we go to In N Out burger.  Before you give me too much hassle with it, I do modify mine just a bit.

I get the Double Burger, but no cheese or their famous sauce…just the patties with “no bun” either.  I most definitely eat their fries and have a Diet Coke.

Trent and I really look forward to this after our rounds.

Topping & Thin Shot ~ The Truth!

What’s wrong with this picture? Why is the club past ball? That’s what a topped shot looks like!

Topping the ball is an extremely frustrating and embarrassing thing to do out on the golf course. It is a very common fault among beginners, but also can be seen occasionally among tour players. The most common cause is a flat swing or a change in spine angle from address. I see this problem a lot among my students. Some symptoms include:

Baseball-Like Swing

Especially with irons, a swing that is too flat (baseball-like) will have a hard time making solid contact with the ball. For beginners who lack the hand-eye coordination to get back down to the ball, a flat swing can create a lot of frustration. Work on trying to make your swing a little more upright (hands behind your head at the top of your backswing, not your back), so that each practice swing makes contact with the ground.

Too Much Knee Flexion

When your knees are bent too much, it leads to an unstable base of support. Without a solid base, your entire body will move up and down with the swinging of the club. This will cause your spine angle to change, which makes getting to the right impact position nearly impossible. Your knees should be unlocked only, never bent! Be sure to give whoever tells you to “bend your knees” a good smack, because they are dead wrong.

Tucked in Chin

If you chin is tucked in towards your chest at address, when you swing back your shoulders cannot rotate under your chin properly. Since you chin is in the way of your shoulders, your body to lifts up; this changes your spine angle. At address your chin should up and relaxed. Ideally, it should be aligned with your spine angle, so get it off your chest!

After knowing these common causes, ask yourself, could this be why I top it or hit it thin?

Take this knowledge to the course and give yourself a personal lesson guys!

Be sure to visit The Golf Drill Guru for all your golf instruction needs!