Longtime Golf Channel announcer Kay Cockerill shows us a few of her secrets to generating graceful power in the golf swing, even if you are a woman of slighter stature. How to use your torso and legs is probably the most common tip beginner women golfers struggle with but also the key to effortless power no matter your size. Let’s see a couple of her go-to drills on the driving range.
Let's look at a fitness reel of some exercises over two workouts with my trainer Ashley Greene. At 51 for me the goal is to maintain strength, but also flexibility to allow golf frequently without pain. I'm lucky if I see her once a week, but even that has huge benefits and then supplement at home with weights and bands. The hardest part can be getting started!
Even experienced players struggle with how to fix marks on the green properly. Let's look at how to bring the grass in, instead of pulling the dirt up. For the health of the green this is an important skill to know how to do as a golfer.
Are you brave enough to chip over your beloved dog? Let's learn how to loft it over an important obstacle and knock that ball in the hole.
Sara and Kona take us through a longer range session where we are nailing down our fundamentals like Grip, Alignment, & Stance!
Let's review a few common scenarios where you need to take a drop. Sometimes it's free like a cart path or sprinkler, and sometimes it's a one shot penalty like a hazard or unplayable lie.
Understanding what rules are available when you are a beginner is important! If you find yourself in an impossible shot, let's look at using the unplayable lie rule to help out for just one penalty stroke.
A simple putting drill - put markers down 17" behind a hole and practice your speed and rhythm. Eliminating three putts, whether you are a beginner or experienced can really improve your score and doesn't take much time. Focus on speed not trying to make the putt. Dog not included.
Sometimes we get the 'fried egg' bunker shot. It will surprisingly come out if you square the clubface up and swing really hard!
An easy method for chipping around the greens with any club. Weight forward, hands forward and smooth back and forth. Of course also a little fun with Kona as we take it inside with rain headed our way.
Working on three footers involves having a goal and putting balls all around the hole instead of just one spot. Give yourself some metrics to hit while you are practicing. Also we work on lining up with the Eyeline putting aid.
Coach Dana from SJSU helps us learn how to feel comfortable on the putting green and how to get set up for success when you are looking to make that putt.
Some Aloha fun and how to pick a small target for a small miss on a tough tee shot.
Sometimes we end up with a rainy day but that doesn't mean we have to miss out on golf. Here's some gear to help you thru. What's your favorite go-to items?
Five minutes and a good H.A.B.I.T. can get you loose, even if you are running to the first tee from the car.
Sometimes we worry too much about the mechanics of bunker shots, especially if we’re a beginner.
Being in a deep bunker can be intimidating and the most important thing is to keep the speed up with your club through the shot, take a little sand and use consistent force.
Don’t try to help the ball out, hit down on the sand and let the club do the work.
A few basic etiquette reminders that even the most frequent player sometimes forgets.
Look where you’re walking on the green, learn how to span your ball, and don’t forget the tee off behind the markers
Putting shouldn’t include your favorite dance move! I find the image of a pendulum in a grandfather clock really helps a lot of beginners with some basic mechanics.
Most people can picture how these clocks work and relate it to keeping their body still and solid with their arms and shoulders as the pendulum. Let’s take a look in the video.
Kona just wants to know if it’s dinner time.
Let’s Drop Down and Give Me Five…
What I see often is how many strokes people lose with simple mistakes chipping and putting every single round.
But it’s hard to know exactly where you’re losing the most strokes unless you start tracking a few basic stats. It doesn’t take a complex system, just use the scorecard for the day and add in a few plus minuses for fairways and greens, number of putts, and whether you’re hitting the green with your chip shots and shots inside 30 yards.
Are you giving yourself the best chance to two putt by putting your first inside 3 feet?
Take five rounds to get a handle on your stats and really see where you’re losing shots. From there let’s develop a strategy on how to focus on those items.
You will find a little attention to these areas will make a big difference. Challenge accepted!
This can be a tough shot, especially with wedges. Diablo Assistant Pro Shawn Saling was nearby to talk us through a strategy to hit this 50 yard shot off hard pan. In order to make sure you contact the ball first start with your hands pressed forward and pinch the ball. The loft of the club will still get it in the air but if you try to help it up the dirt will win the battle and you will not make solid contact.
We are kicking off our Summer Tip Series with this tricky chip from long fescue around the bunkers. If you have grass growing against you it can grab your club and be very challenging. Try this technique with holding the club more vertical and the heel up off the ground, using the toe of the club to more easily slide thru the nasty grass!
Here we show you how to set up and execute a longer flop shot. With some practice this shot is easier than you think but takes commitment to keeping your club head moving, just like a bunker shot. Open stance. Open club face. The feeling is letting the club pass your hands as you get down to the ball. Keep the speed of the swing up.
This handy bump and run shot is really easy once you try it a few times and very reliable for imperfect lies and when you need to make sure to get your ball rolling and on the green. Especially for beginners this shot needs to be in your toolkit! Face your feet a little forward, weight on front foot, keep your hands in front of the ball and just feel that you are pinching the ball with the club. It’s like a putt, not a big swing just using the momentum of the club to get the ball rolling.
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