From the Pro

Having troubles in the bunker around the green?
It’s not about how hard you hit the ball just to try and get it out.
See it this way; you need to place the ball on the green for an easy putt. So, you’ll need precision. How can you be precise if you’re swinging at the ball like a lumberjack?
When in a bunker, try to have a wide stance with your feet anchored at least 1 cm into the sand. Picture your swing as if it was an approach with a sand wedge 20m away from the green on the fairway.
Keep your swing smooth and focus on the follow through.
Practice this with no expectations, just to have the feeling the movement and it will pay off.

Golf tip of the month – Disconnect From The Driving Range

Ever wondered why your swing and game feels and is incredibly different on the driving range than what it is on the course?

Throughout our years of experience coaching amateur golfers, we’ve constantly witnessed how much stress a player puts upon himself when tackling the course after a bunch of lessons or countless hours hitting balls on the driving range.

Your training method and mental approach on the course need to change!

Here are a few tips to apply what you have learnt on the range when playing on the course, stress-free.

  1. Efficient practice. Practice on the range with a purpose. Using drills, limited amount of balls, and target practice. Work one technique perfectly at a time. Favor quality over quantity.
  2. Use skill-based exercises to acknowledge your level and what you could work on to better your game by recreating scenarios that you could potentially encounter on the golf course.
  3. Always play against the course, not against yourself. If you have troubles with how the swing feels, fix it on the practice range and not on the golf course. Play with what you have on the day.
  4. You are not a robot, bad shots will happen! Try not to do two bad shots in a row. The mind only understands one shot at a time. This means that you need to stay in the present, and not think about past shots.
  5. Try to find something positive to think about when hitting a bad shot. For example, “My shot didn’t find the target, BUT the swing felt good!”. Always praise good shot and scores. It is also good etiquette to acknowledge the praises of others.
  6. Enjoy the round! Remember, it’s a social game where you are playing partners. Having a bad mood doesn’t only affect your game but the game of others around you. After hitting a shot, you should try to disregard any feeling attached to it and use the time you have between shots to enjoy the environment surrounding you and socialize with your playing partners.