gmhTODAY 21 gmhToday Aug Sept 2018 | Page 93

Practice
Take Lessons
Use the Right Equipment
Warm Up

it ’ s your SWING

BY DON DELORENZO

Golf … effort in equals results out

“ Why is it that I play golf weekly with my friends but I don ’ t seem to improve ?”

Iwish I had a nickel for every time I ’ ve heard that line or one similar to it . Let ’ s face it , golf is not a game you can pick up over night by watching a YouTube video . I remember an old “ Honeymooners ” episode where Art Carney and Jackie Gleason

WESTERN GOLF

out of your game . That doesn ’ t mean you have to buy a $ 500

GETAWAYS

are trying to learn to play golf out of a book in Gleason ’ s apartment . It wasn ’ t successful , to say the least . You can ’ t master this game by reading a book . To be good at the game you must practice and experience all the nuances the game throws at you by playing and gaining experience . To achieve the goal of being good enough at the game to enjoy it you must do four things . Practice , take lessons , stay up with the latest equipment and warm up before every round .

Practice

There isn ’ t an action in sports that doesn ’ t take practice to achieve the level you desire . Shooting free throws takes hours at the charity stripe . A field goal kicker wears out numerous pairs of shoes in order to achieve consistency . Golf falls into this category and then some . A free throw is one motion . A field goal kick is one motion . In golf you need to practice all the elements . Tee shots . Fairway shots . Short game and putting . Practice all these and you will have a well-rounded game . Remember to practice them equal to the amount of your game they represent . As an example if you go out and shoot a score of 100 , only 14 of those shots will be driver tee shots . Over 50 of those shots will be chips and putts . So what should you practice 50 percent of the time ? Ask yourself when was the last time you went to the course to just practice and not play a round ?

Take Lessons

The best way to know what to practice is to invest in some golf lessons . Lessons are an investment as they pay huge dividends in the form of lower scores and game improvement . Golf is a game that is next to impossible to figure out on your own . The best way is to have a professional do it for you . They are trained to help you enjoy the game more by fixing the flaws and teaching you things you never knew . Since golf is counter intuitive , it is a must to learn the game from a professional . I ’ ve never heard someone say that they didn ’ t learn something new from taking lessons .

Use the Right Equipment

Having the correct equipment is another way to get the most
driver or you won ’ t play well . What it does mean is to have the correct equipment for your game . This is another way a professional can help . Is the shaft of my clubs the correct flex for my swing speed . Is the length of my club correct for my height and arm length . Do I have the correct clubs in my bag . Maybe I should have three wedges and only one fairway wood . These are all decisions that could improve your game by having the correct set makeup . The last thing you want is to not have a club for a shot that you are faced with . Often times I hear a golfer say , “ I don ’ t have a club that goes a certain distance .” Well , that ’ s a problem . Make sure that from the fairway wood through the wedge you have a manageable distance gap between all the clubs .

Warm Up

Lastly is warming up before your round of golf . If you ’ re like most golfers you pull into the parking lot , put on your shoes , grab a cup of coffee and head to the first tee . Have you really given yourself the best chance to play well ? Not a chance ! Arrive early enough to warm up those old bones . Hit all the clubs even if it ’ s only a few times . You will now have an idea of what pattern your shots are taking for that day . Maybe you are surprisingly hitting the ball straight this day . Wouldn ’ t it be sad to find that out on the first hole after you have played to compensate for your slice and the ball travels straight out of bounds . What are greens like today ? Fast or slow you won ’ t know if you don ’ t hit a few practice putts before you start . Don ’ t wait until the first green when you knock the ball ten feet past the hole to realize they are faster than the last time you played .
So remember golfers , the best way to enjoy this great game is to play better . The best way to play better is to practice the items your professional told you about with the clubs he said you needed . Do this on a regular basis and most certainly always before your round of golf !
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2018 gmhtoday . com
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