Mastering Four Footers

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Is there any golfer who hasn't taken a four-foot putt for granted? We've all done it sometime in our playing careers. We miss short putts because we fail to execute the fundamentals. Instead, we commit any number of putting errors, from moving our heads to not squaring the clubface. The result: a missed putt and another stroke added to your score. Learn to hole these putts consistently and you'll shave strokes from your golf handicap.

Below are three keys to sinking four-foot putts:



* Keep your head still
* Stroke with your shoulders
* Focus on a squaring face

Peeking is probably the biggest fault on short putts. If your eyes move, your head moves. If your head moves, your body moves, throwing your stroke off line. A good drill to conquer this tendency is to place a dime on the green four feet from the hole. Place a ball on the dime. Now stroke the putt. Make sure you see the dime after the putt.

Another big fault with four-foot putts is not using your shoulders. Because the putt is so short, we tend to use just our hands and arms and pop the ball at the hole. That seldom works. Instead, focus on rocking your shoulders as you do with longer putts. That improves consistency.

A third fault with four-foot putts is failing to square the clubface. Direction is the key on short putts like these. The ball will go wherever you're pointing the clubface. So if the clubface is off, your shot will be off. Trying squaring the clubface before you take your stance. On longer putts, the face will rotate open then closed. On short putts the clubface should always point at the hole.

Don't take four-foot putts for granted. Execute the fundamentals correctly and you won't miss them.

Rhythm of the Golf Swing

Power on the Tip of Your Tongue

Anyone interested in adding an extra 10 - 20 yards to your drives
instantly?

Just follow this quick tip and you'll have to go through and re-do
all of your yardages for every club in your bag.

The secret is not some core rotational exercise (although those can
be awesome).

No, this is so simple that you won't believe it until you try it.

It's all about the placement of YOUR TONGUE!

I first learned about the position of the tongue increasing overall
strength while over in India. One of my gurus would explain that
it helped to "complete the circuit" and give him strength and
stamina while holding static Yoga poses.

Of course it sounded kinda weird, but then again, this dude could
hold a handstand for over an hour! He probably only stopped there
out of boredom. But the guy was definitely onto something.

Now he didn't even know what golf was - but of course I'm ALWAYS
relating everything to how it can improve our golf games, so here
it goes -

Here's all you have to do:

Gently place your tongue up on the roof of your mouth, with the tip
resting against the back of your front top teeth. Gently hold it
in that position while you swing.

This will "close the circuit"...whatever the hell that means.

Actually, I do know at least one theory, but let's just keep this
results-oriented.

Let me be clear about this - it should be gentle and subtle. Do
NOT focus on it so that it becomes yet another swing thought.

To try this out for yourself, simply go to the range and warm up.
Then pick a club and hit 10 ball "without tongue" and note the
distance. Then hit 10 ball "with tongue" and compare. Be sure to
compare only those shots with similar quality of contact.

The chances are very good that you will notice increased distance
when you "add a little tongue".

I'll tell you what...if it doesn't work for you, I'll hold a
handstand for an hour, or break my neck trying!


Be a Renegade,

Coach Stephen
www.RenegadeMentalGolf.com

Fine Tune Your Tempo

Tempo Defined
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Tempo is the time it takes to complete a full swing. For the most part,it's geared to a golfer's personality. If you're deliberate, your tempois likely to be somewhat slower than a person who's more fast-paced.And vice versa. When you're playing well, your tempo is pretty muchthe same on every full shot. But when your tempo goes, your game goesas well. That's why you play well one day and poorly the next. It would be great if you could play at your best tempo every day. But that's not realistic. Some days you're more energized. On those days you may have a faster swing tempo than your ideal tempo. Other days,it's just the opposite. You feel more lethargic or weaker. On thosedays you may have a slower swing tempo than your ideal. If you'regoing to lower your golf handicap, learn to adjust to your swing tempoon days where you don't have your ideal swing tempo.Even if tempo were a popular topic, developing an appreciation forit isn't easy. It takes hard work. Below are two drills that will helpyou determine and learn to appreciate swing tempo. These drill not onlyfamiliarize you with different swing tempos, they also teach you to coordinate the movement of your body and club to produce solid contactat any tempo.

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Four Ball Drill
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Tee up four balls in a row.
Address the one closest to you and hit at25 percent of your standard swing speed.
Now move to the next ball. Hit this one at 50 percent of your normal swing speed.
Hit the third ball at 75 percent speed.
Hit the last ball at full speed.
Perform the drill a few times. Focus on the feel of the different speeds. You goal is to not slow down or speed up your swing in order to hityour ball longer or straighter.

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Follow-Through Drill
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Address the ball. Raise the club head off the ground slightly.
Move it forward to a position a foot or so into the follow-through, and start swinging.
Guide the club head back over the ball, complete your backswing,and swing through the ball all in one motion.
Repeat this exercise several times.
Continue for a while. Eventually, you'll develop a feel for your swing tempo.Tempo is a critical, but much overlooked fundamental. If you're going to develop a swing that helps you cut strokes from you golf handicap,you must develop a feel for you natural swing speed. You must also develop a feel for when you're not swinging the club at your ideal swing speed,and learn how to adjust on days you swinging at your natural swing tempo. The two drills described above will help you fine-tune your tempo.

Go with the Flow

"The great martial arts instructors talk often about pulling as your
opponent is pushing. What does this mean? Basically, it's a simple
way of maintaining balance.

Think of it this way...If your opponent pushes you in the chest with all of his force...and
you resist...it won't take long before you lose balance.

But if instead of resisting, you let your body step backward -- you
would easily keep balance. This is a great example of not fighting
the laws of nature.Another example is water. Imagine a river finding it's way.

It doesn't try and ram it's way trough a rock wall. It's just meanders
around the wall -- basically taking the path of least resistance.To me, great golf is a lot like these two examples.

And in turn, poor golf is like standing your ground against that
opponent - instead of stepping backward. Or, like water ramming
against the rock wall - instead of gently finding it's way around.How does that relate to you and the golf course?Too many times I see people struggle instead of taking what the
golf course gives. Or, for that matter, struggling with their game -- in a
quest for perfection -- instead of playing with what they have on
a given day...or just going with the flow.Tour professionals understand this.

Well, at least the best ones do.

They know that there are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of ways
to achieve the same result. And when it comes right down to it --
the result -- or a good score -- is all that matters.

On one day, their swing might be so good that getting around the
golf course is easy. But maybe their putting doesn't feel all that great.
So, even though their swing is great -- they still only manage two or
three under par.

But on the next day, their putter comes alive -- but their swing feel
goes slightly dormant. They hit less greens - but make lots of par
putts and take advantage of the greens they do hit.

But the net result is the same -- two or three under par.

They understand that golf is a marathon -- not a sprint -- so they
take this in stride. They'll wait for those days when everything clicks
- but aren't consumed with it happening each time they tee it up.This can happen with course conditions just as easy.

One day, on a par four, you could hit driver within a short iron of the
green. But the next Saturday, when the wind shifts a little, it might
turn into a hybrid or fairway wood. The golf course is constantly
changing, which to me, is one of the things that makes this game
so special.

But if you don't embrace that change and expect to end up in the
same spot every time -- you will end up a seriously frustrated golfer.These are some of the reasons why it's difficult to follow up a
great round with another great round.

Say the last time you played -- you were 2 under by the 6th hole
-- but now you are 1 over -- so it's very easy to think "what's
happening here?"

Or, "why am I so bad today when I was so good yesterday?"

Part of it could be some simple fundamentals ... but mostly -- it's
about just being at peace with the game.

And knowing that no one masters golf.

This is why Tiger Woods doesn't shoot 54 every time he plays.

Or why Ben Hogan would always wake up from his famous dream
on the 18th hole -- right after making 17 straight birdies. Even in
his dreams he couldn't master this game.Can taking a more serene approach help you score better? Absolutely!

Here are a few things that could help you go with the flow on the
golf course...
1. Understand that golf course conditions are ever-changing -- so it's
impossible to duplicate your play each time out.
2. Develop a balanced game -- with emphasis on the short game --
so when you don't have a solid swing -- you still have chances to
shoot your handicap.
3. Take each shot and each round on it's own merit. Don't compare
past rounds and past shots. Just take what you have in front of you
-- with whatever physical tools you have for that given day -- and
make a plan accordingly.
4. Understand that your score on a given day doesn't define you as
a golfer. Sometimes -- a lot of times actually -- luck plays a huge
part in this game. I know Gary Player said "the more he practiced,
the luckier he got" -- but somethings are just outside of your control.

Know that and be OK with it.As strange as it sounds -- you may have to think about and practice
going with the flow.

Swing with Balance

Just about every weekend golfer would like to have a balanced finish to his or her swing, one that looks like the pros' finish. Why shouldn't you want to copy the pros? They're pretty good, aren't they. A comfortable, balanced finish to a golf swing offers numerous benefits. It not only looks great, it also places less stress on your body. And for those who haven't guessed it, it also works better. Anything that works better generally takes strokes off your golf handicap. Unfortunately, many golfers lose their balance during their swings. Some spend hours trying to eliminate this flaw to no avail, despite taking golf lessons and studying golf tips in magazines and newsletters. That's because their corrective methods don't work. They may help for a short while, but in time, the golfer reverts to his or her old habits. Thus, an off-balance swing stays that way. Until they achieve proper balance, cutting strokes off their golf handicaps may be difficult to do.

Clubface Controls Balance What most golfers don't realize is that it's the clubface that controls balance. That's right. It's the clubface, not the body. Basically, our body is designed for making balanced, athletic moves, if it's allowed to do so. That's the key—allowing our bodies to make those balanced, athletic moves. Controlling the clubface enables your body to make those balanced, athletic moves.

The key for controlling the clubface in your swing is quite simply. Once you learn to properly position of the clubface through the swing, achieving proper balance in your swing is a snap. In fact, you'll be amazed at just how much more balanced—and powerful—your golf swing feels. But first you need to understand the swing's mechanics and how different moves affect balance.

Two Common MistakesTwo common mistakes golfers make tend to create an off-balance swing. Closing the clubface during the backswing is one. This mistake not only throws the golfer off balance but it also contributes to a reverse pivot. In fact, it's the main cause of a reverse pivot. That's because the body's natural reaction to a closed clubface is to shift the weight toward your front foot. A closed clubface also causes an instinctive hanging back on the right side during transition, creating poor contact and short-circuiting power.

The second mistake that causes an off-balance swing is over-rotating the arms, which leaves the clubface open. This move causes an overly flat rotation of the shoulders and a stranding of body weight behind the ball. More importantly, the move makes it difficult to get back on plane in the downswing and forces the body to move outside and around on the forward swing. This, in turn, makes most golfers fall toward the ball, creating a jammed impact position with little leverage for power.

Toe-up Drill Improves BalanceThe Toe-up Drill helps eliminates these mistakes and creates a better-balanced, more comfortable swing. The drill, which I've described in my golf tips newsletter, is easy to do at home or the range.

Assume your normal stance. As you start the swing, concentrate on turning the shoulders perpendicular to the spine in the takeaway. Allow your forearms and clubface to rotate naturally with the turn of your shoulders, so that the toe of the club points straight up as it reaches waist high. Do this several times.

When the club reaches your waist, you should feel your body weight move solidly on to your back heel. Instead of feeling weak and powerless, as you would if you over-rotated your arms or closed the clubface, you should feel coiled and powerful.

When you feel comfortable with the takeaway, try swinging to the top. Once there, you want the toe pointing straight down toward the ground. When you reach the top position, allow your arms to drop in an effortless manner and swing through to a simulated post-impact position. For best results, continue working on this drill. Each time you do it swing a little faster until you can swing at full speed. Once you feel confident, hit some balls using this new approach. You'll feel balanced and comfortable with your swing. A better-balanced swing will produce straighter shots and more consistency. Both will help you whittle strokes off your golf handicap.

Four Ways to Use the Hybrid Clubs

By now, you've probably thought about or have a hybrid in your bag. If you have and you're using it, you know it's a good replacements for your 3- and 4-irons. A hybrid is shorter and easier to hit than a long iron. It doesn't take as long to learn to swing. And it hits the ball higher, making it idealfor shots in the fairway that must land softly on the green.But the hybrid is one of golf's most versatile clubs. It can beused in a variety of locations other than the fairway, like thefringe, the rough, the tee, and even a bunker, and in situationswhere you need to save strokes. Learn to hit a hybrid well andyou'll chop strokes off your golf handicap. Let's look at four ways this club can improve your game.

===========The Bunker===========A hybrid works well in a fairway bunker, as long as the lip isn't too high. You can hit this shot the same way you hit a normal hybrid shot, except for one adjustment--ball position. It's the key to making the shot. If the ball is too far backin your stance, you'll top it. If it's too far forward, you'll hit it fat. The best position is about an inch backof where you normally hit a hybrid. As you swing, keep yourfeet planted as much as possible and your weight centered.This steepens your swing and ensures first ball contact.

=============Bump and Run=============The key to the bump and run, is getting the ball on the ground as quickly as possible. The sooner it's on the ground,the more control you have over it. With the hybrid, the ballstarts rolling quickly, making it easy to gauge distance. Keeping the ball low to the ground is also one of the bestways of achieving consistency with this shot.The key to hitting the bump and run is choking down on theclub and holding it with a putting style grip. The idea isto emulate your putting stroke. Use a square-to-square stroketo achieve more accuracy and limit wrist movement, making it easier to judge speed and distance. Using the hybrid helpsyou get up and down successfully more often in this situation.

==============On the Collar==============No one likes playing a ball that's up against the collar.You're never sure how to play it or what club to use, the putter or the wedge. If those two choices don't thrill you,try a hybrid. It offers benefits the other clubs don't.It has a longer, wider sole, making it easier to hit solidlyand giving you a wider margin for error. More importantly,it won't slip under the ball or get stuck in the grass,as with a putter or a wedge.Address the ball with a putter style grip, but don't choke up.With the ball in the back of your stance, press the hands forward.On the backswing, cock your wrists to lift the clubhead slightlyand then swing downward on the downswing. Allowing your wriststo hinge slightly helps lift the club from the collar on thebackswing. The ball will pop and roll in a hurry, so read the green before hitting the shot and plan accordingly.

==============Above the Pin==============Here's a shot that I've never mentioned in my golf tips,but can save strokes. When a ball ends up in the light roughon the high side of a pin, most players assume that a puttor a lob would be your only choices. But a hybrid works justas well, as long as you know exactly where to get the ballrolling on the green. Plus, it's a safer shot than a wedge.First, make sure there's room to get the club behind the ball.Then address the ball like a normal chip, with your handsslightly forward and the majority of your weight on yourforward side. Your head should be directly over the ball.Chip the ball so it lands in the rough, not the fringe.The hybrid's extra momentum causes the ball to roll forward through the rough. It will then roll softly onto the green.If you really want to lower that golf handicap, learn to hitthe hybrid in the situations mentioned above. You can also useit in the fairway or the rough. Keep those in mind as well.However you use it, the hybrid is a versatile club that canshave strokes off your scores. Think about adding to your bag if you haven't already.