Lesson #12 - Getting juniors involved in golf
By Steve Vaughan, PGA Director of Instruction
As Director of Golf, a question that I get asked all the time is, “When should my child start taking golf lessons?” There is no easy answer that question since every child is different. I would say there really is no age that is too young to start getting golf instruction. My recommendation is that with younger children, age 7 and younger, the instruction should be very simple. I try and get children to get in a good “finish” position. A good finish position would be their right foot pointing at the ground and then have them to hold this finish position for at least 1 to 2 seconds. From age 7 to about 10 you can start introducing them to the proper grip. I would say on average, at around 10 to 11 years old, instructors can start getting a little more technical, getting the club into properp positions. The most important thing is to make it learning the game of golf a fun experience. I have heard from many adults that they wish they would have started at a younger age. Therefore, introducing your children to golf could be something that they thank you for as adults.
Contact Steve at sdgolfpro65@gmail.com
Lesson #11 - Improve your chipping with a proper set up
By Steve Vaughan, PGA Director of Instruction
One of the most frustrating situations in golf is hitting an approach shot right by the green and then hitting a poor chip shot. You either hot the ball fat and the ball only goes a few feet, or you hit the ball thin and the ball screams across the green. Both of these shots are caused by the same set-up error, too much weight on your back foot.
To cure this slight chipping blunder, all you need to do is have the proper set up when hitting your chip shots. The proper set up consists of the following; feet fairly close together, body positioned open (meaning to the left of the target), ball back in stance towards your right foot, and the most importantly, 80% to 90% of your weight on your front foot. It is very important to maintain this forward weight position during the stroke, any shifting will put you on your back foot. Since the chipping stroke is so short you won't have time to recover and reposition to the proper impact position, thus forcing a “fat” or “thin” chip shot. Give this technique a try and say good bye to poor chip shots forever.
Lesson #10 - Set up for Success
By Steve Vaughan, PGA Director of Instruction
Set-up is the key to hitting good golf shots. By looking at someone’s swing I can determine if they are set-up to hit a good shot, a hook or a wicked slice. When hitting a slice, typically the golfer’s shoulder tend to be open or in other words, aimed wide left of the intended target. Unfortunately as a round persist so will the wicked slice. Reason being is that throughout the round, golfers tend to aim even further left to accommodate their slice. The key to curing the slice is to square up the set-up to stop the slice. If you typically swing with your shoulder’s extremely open, squaring up will feel as your shoulders are aiming dramatically right of your intended target. Squaring up your set-up will give you a better chance of hitting the ball straight and with a little practice you will begin to see a draw in your ball flight.
Remember, any changes take time to become habits, so be patient when squaring up your set-up to stop your slice.
Remember any change takes a little time to sink in so when making a change be patient and determined.
Lesson #9 - Stop Slicing Forever
By Steve Vaughan, Director of Instruction
In this months golf tip I am going to give you a few of what I like to call the "anti rights" or "Slices". Number one is your grip. Many times a simple grip change can make a big difference in your ball flight. The more you turn your hands to the right the less your ball will go to the right; so check your grip to see if you can see 2 to 3 knuckles of your left hand, then make sure your right hand is also turned slightly to the right and not pinched into your left hand. Another "anti right' has to do with the left wrist. At the top of your swing, the left wrist is a mirror of the open club face. So to combat the rights try and get less cupped with the left wrist which will close the club face and put you on your way to getting rid of that slice once and for all.
Lesson #8 - Playing Golf While You Are Making Swing Changes
By Steve Vaughan, Director of Instruction
Taking golf lessons and making changes to your golf swing is a great idea for almost everyone. It can be a little frustrating taking your new swing to the course if you have too many thoughts going on with every swing. Many of my students want to make lasting changes to their swing but they also want to continue to play golf. My best advice is to make your changes on the driving range and then when you go play only think about your swing changes when making your practice swings. You need to be very target oriented with good timing and tempo when you hit your shot. So be patient and determined when making swing changes. With time and repetition, you will soon be able to take your new swing to the course and play better then you ever have.
Lesson #7 - Save Shots With Better Chipping
By Steve Vaughan, Director of Instruction
If you are having some trouble with your chipping, hitting shots both fat and thin, make sure that you are setting up properly to hit consistently good chips. The first thing you need to do is set up slightly open to the target about 45 degrees. Then with your feet fairly close together put 80 to 90 percent of your weight on your forward foot. Place the ball to the back in your stance and as you swing the club back be sure not to transfer your weight forward at impact, which will lead to both fat and thin chip shots. So remember, get your weight forward and keep it there for better chipping.
Lesson #6- December 2007 "Proper Set Up Leads to Straighter Shots
By Steve Vaughan, Director of Instruction
Your set up many times pre-determines the direction your golf ball will go particularly with your driver. What you must understand is that the more you aim left particularly with the shoulders the more the ball will go to the right. And when you see the ball go to the right your body will actually aim you even more to the left which only makes the problem worse. What you must do is turn your shoulders toward the right or close them to to allow your wrist and forearms to release. This may feel very exaggerated at first but in reality will be a very square set up position. So remember, the more your shoulders are set up to the left the more the ball will go to the right and vice versa.
Lesson #5 -November 2007 "Turn Don't Sway"
By Steve Vaughan, Director of Instruction
One of the most misunderstood parts of the golf swing is the weight shift.
What I see in many golfers is that they make a very exaggerated move on there back swing to the outside of their right foot. The weight shift should be your upper body turning and moving into a very stable right leg. There are different ways to describe the feeling, "turn and sit down", or one of my favorites came from a student that said it feels like a cork screw effect. This is the same principal a pitcher uses when they put their foot on the pitchers mound and use it to stabilize their body.
So remember "turn don't sway" and this should improve your ball striking.
Questions regarding golf lessons?
Steve Vaughan
619-540-4653
Lesson #4 - October 2007 "Play the Angles"
By Gary Glaser, Director of Golf
Have you ever noticed a PGA Tour player standing to one side of the tee or the other?
Have you ever wondered why? I hope you already know but if you don’t this will be a big help to you with your driving accuracy (fairways hit).
If you intend on playing a shot with shape (draw or fade) you should move to the side that you intend the ball to work towards.
i.e. Move to the left if you intend to hit a draw or move to the right if you intend to hit a fade. Oh yes, if you intend to hit it straight move to the center of the teeing area. (right handed)
If you can envision a bowling alley and you intended to make the ball move from right to
left you would move towards the left gutter and extend the shot out to the right. The amount moved to one side or the other depends on the amount of movement you are expecting. (right handed)
The same is true in golf as long as don’t over extend to potential trouble that may
be in your path (trees etc.). A good rule of thumb is to us the edges of the fairways
as your visual targets as reference points.
Remember, everybody has an angle, do you?
Good golfing!
Lesson #3 - September 2007 "Buried in the Bunker?"
By Gary Glaser, Director of Golf
One of the most intimidating shots in golf is the buried ball in the sand shot.
Universally, instructors teach their students to close the clubface – significantly.
The deeper the ball is buried the more the face needs to be closed.
Other tips that will help in this situation –
Grip down on the club for better leverage.
Make sure you have good footing.
Swing hard but don’t overdo it.
Remember, this shot will have little or no spin on it, so plan on it running a lot after it lands on the green!
Finding your ball buried in the sand is never any fun but if you use these tips with a little patience, you might just get it up and down!
Lesson #2 - July 2007 "A Little Help"
By Gary Glaser, Director of Golf
Sometimes all we need is a little help with our game, especially putting.
One tip that amazes me that many players do not do is to draw a line on your ball.
When putting every little bit of help can be the difference in a make or a miss, especially when alignment is 50% of the formula for making putts.
This “little help” is so prevalent on the tour, that Titleist now makes their most popular ball with a line already on it!
If you are having a problem getting a straight line on your ball there are devices to assist you at your local golf shop that are relatively inexpensive.
So please draw some positive conclusions by adding a line to your ball, point the line at the intended starting point of your putt and watch those putts drop.
Remember, a “little help” can go a long way!
Lesson #1 - June 2007 "Alignment – Stay on Track!"
By Gary Glaser, Director of Golf
One of the toughest parts of the game to monitor yourself is alignment. With the uniqueness in golf of being perpendicular to the ball and at varying degrees of angle to your target, it can be one of the most difficult parts of the game to master. When on the range with tour players one of the most common statements I will hear is “check my alignment”.
Please keep in mind that different players have worked hard with their swings and alignment to “shape” the ball a certain way. They know their game and may be expected to deviate from the standard guidelines. There has been one basic philosophy that has been regarded as the standard of alignment when trying to hit the ball straight. The railroad track method.
Basically, you simply draw two lines; first draw a line from the ball to the target and then set another line parallel to it from your feet to a point just to the left of your target (right-handed). The two lines in your “minds eye” should appear as railroad tracks being parallel from you to the target.
Don’t forget, stay on track to your target by using one of the oldest standards in golf, the
