I posted today’s topic to see if I could trick you into thinking by simply playing more golf you will play good golf.  If your plan this year to to play good golf by simply playing more golf you will be in for a big surprise.
     Sure playing three or four times a year and now playing ten or twelve this year you will see some improvement. If you actually want to improve your game, more golf does not get you to the next level. PROPER PRACTICE does. Finding more time on the range or even at home hitting a few putts from time to time will. Sure playing golf is more fun than practicing but isn’t playing good golf even more fun. Spending 30 minutes on the range and working or your swing “properly” is far more productive than playing another round of golf after you have played two bad days in a row. I know many players that love to play golf but also get frustrated why they are not improving. Why are they not improving is simply because they are doing the same thing over and over again on the golf course. Isn’t this the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
  So in 2012, make the require changes and get to the next level and play better golf. Start now, by getting a plan to make it happen. Do not be the golfer that practices everyday for the first month before the courses open and then just play the rest of the year with no practice sessions. This golf season plan for at least one practice session a week. Its easy, you only need about 30 minutes.
     I also find golfers get in a rut when they play too much golf. You get a week of holidays and play everyday, I say split the week up and simply hit some balls on the middle day. You will enjoy the last half of your week so much more and I will guaranteethe last round will be just as enjoyable as the first of the week. Make every round of golf an event rather than an activity that you just go through the motions of hitting a ball.

NEED HELP: Adam and I have all of our upcoming lesson schedules, clinics, and junior classes in place for the upcoming year. Check for more details at www.themeadowsgc.com or www.golfmentor.ca . Not sure what program works for you email me at glen@golfmentor.ca .

How times have changed? If you have read my blog from a couple weeks ago about putting you would remember I talked about Tiger winning tournaments because of his putting and Phil losing tournaments because of his putting. Well if you watched the Pebble Beach tourney this past weekend it couldn’t be more opposite right now. With Tiger’s improved swing he would have been tough to beat “If he could make some putts”, so until he gets his putting back on track he will not be winning any tournaments anytime soon. When he does win this year, watch it will be all about his putting.

 

Good golfing ahead

  My last blog I said we might have an early start to the season, well maybe I jumped the gun a little because it then snowed the next few days. Not to worry because after you read this blog you will be fine with a slightly extended winter. It gives you more time to work on what you really should be already working on.
  Currently Luke Donald is ranked as the number one player in the world. For the ones that really follow golf closely on tv already know this, but for the casual golfer you may not. He is not a house hold name like Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson, but as of right now he is the best player in the world. Luke must be a long hitter, actually no, he is ranked 147th and averages 284 yards per drive. He must be a really accurate driver off the tee, he is better but still only ranked 57th. Why is he the best, obviously he has the lowest scoring average because you need that but to win tournaments. Any guesses, it is quite easy. He is the best putter on the tour. There is a stat that is called Strokes gained-putting. I will let you read up on that, can’t tell you everything.
   Stat of the year, “Luke Donald made 2,213 out of 2258 putts with in five feet.” Yes only 45 misses all year. If you do the math, its 98%.
   What is your % on those. Maybe from time to time you can hit the ball farther than 284 yards which is better than Luke, do you think he cares? Should you?
  Now what should you be working on right now? While you are working on your five foot putts and less, also work on your thought process. Think about what you are thinking, probably nothing or simply trying to put the ball into the hole. Is this the same thought when you are on the course, NOT !!  It is so much fun playing with amateurs that think they can putt, put a little pressure on them on the course and watch them crumble. Don’t be one of those guys this year. Keep your practising simple and your thoughts simple while putting everywhere. Same thoughts, same routine.
    Proper technique is a different story and there is where Adam at adam@golfmentor.ca or myself glen@golfmentor.ca  can help you.
   One last thought on this topic. Tiger Woods was the number one player forever, Phil Mickelson was not. What is the difference between the two? Is Tiger’s swing that much better than Phil. I do not think so, I think everyone has their opinion and their is no clear correct answer. Who made more crucial putts? Well that is real easy. Think back of how many times you watch Tiger always make his crucial putts, and not even the really long ones. How often did Phil miss the crucial five foot ones or less? Why is Tiger fallen down so far, sure he is working on his swing, but how many putts is he missing now as compared to before. Knowing you can make those five foot putts gives you a whole lot more confidence everywhere else.
   Think about this and decide why hitting long drive after long drive does nothing to lower your score, but putting does.

 

Junior Golf Mentor Programis in the full swing for Adam and I. We have already begun getting involved with schools for the 2012 year. That being said we are always looking for more schools to attend and teach them golf and grow the game. If you want us to come to your child’s school let us know. We will bring all the club, balls and hula hoops (yes hula hoops). We make sure everyone has fun learning golf.

For more information on all of our programs email me at glen@golfmentor.ca or Adam at adam@golfmentor.ca.

Countdown to golf season begins. Need a spring tune up or ideas of getting a player developement program started for 2012, give us an email anytime.

Good golfing,
Glen

I will probably get myself in trouble for saying this but it sure has the potential of having an early spring this year. There is a chance that we have an extra long golf season coming? If so, you want to be ready.

I know I get excited about the potential of every upcoming golf season and I always make it a point to be ready for it. Will You?

“Winter is the time to improve your game and summer is when to enjoy your winter’s work.”  I stand by my quote. Trying to improve your game in the summer works but not nearly as well as it does starting now. We all know it takes time to make changes on a golf swing, well in the summer while you are making changes you are probably struggling a little on the course thinking a little to much.
   A suggestion is sit down and decide what parts of your game you struggled with in 2011, all of them is not an answer. I think if you golfed all year long there must have been some good and of course some bad. Next, right down some goals you have, that are achievable.  How are you going to get them completed. For starters, take your clubs out of your trunk or your basement and clean them up a little. Get them ready for the season NOW.  Decide what kind of program you require to help yourself get to the level you want to be at in 2012. Not sure of a program, ask us. We are always here to help. One suggestion is if you are thinking about some lessons or a player development package we offer, head to a facility and hit a few balls. I find for golfers after hitting some balls after a layoff it reminds them of the good and bad stuff, sometimes easier to make a list of what you need to work on. Even if you are not quite a go-getter yet for golf, get out your putter and hit some putts at home. Every little bit helps.
   I think we all can agree playing better golf makes golf so much more fun in the summer.

Upcoming Group winter programs :
                   (starting at the end of February):
-Junior classes with ages ranging from 5-17
-Older junior classes from 18-99
    These classes will be designed for all levels golfers, starting with juniors or adults that have never touch a club right up to golfers that want to improve their game over the winter.

WHAT’S NEW WITH THE GOLF MENTOR TEAM:
   2012 will be the biggest to date for us.
-We will be launching a new and improved website in the upcoming months. -We have set up a Junior Golf Mentor program that will get over 2000 juniors involved in the game this upcoming season. We have been working on this project for almost 2 years now and everything as now fallen into place. More details to follow but you will be able to read all about them in the upcoming articles in Golf Canada and National Golf Course Owners Magazine in the near future.

Adam and I are very excited in the direction we are going.

For more details on lessons, questions or getting involved in our Junior Golf Mentorship program email me(Glen) at glen@golfmentor.ca or Adam at adam@golfmentor.ca .

Let’s together have the best golf season ever

I think 2011 has been the best summer ever, sure it has been a little hot, but with so few rain outs you could have golfed every day. So hopefully you have been.
  I saw one of the better instructional moments on the PGA tour this past week on tv. I think it was one of the first times that they explained it to all levels of golfers. If you remember in the early spring Adam and I talked about knowing your level of golfing. Well it has finally made it to the television.
  The tip was about chipping from about 20 feet off the green.
    The touring pro uses a 60 degree wedge because they are talented enough to finisse it close to the hole. The tip was explained that only they can do it, I do not know anyone personally that can hit a wedge like Phil Mickelson does, but that is why he is on the tour. But more importantly just because we see the best players in the world do that, it does not mean that a weekend golfer should do it too.
   The level down(handicap between 5- 25) was to use a hybrid/3 wood to chip. Personally I like the hybrid a little more simple because they are a little smaller and a little easier to make a putting stroke with it.
   The final level (the newer golfer) was to simply putt the ball from just off the green.

Yes long story to make my point about understanding that just because you see a tour player try something it does not mean you should try it and expect it to work. I think this applies when you are golfing with your friends too. I know that guys have egos but if you have a friend that shoots in the 70’s and you shoot in the 90’s, a tip from him on how to hit a draw around a tree is probably not for you. If you shoot in the 90’s or higher you have a swing flaw somewhere in your game so work on the basics rather than trying everything else and make it worse. The more you have to think about the harder it is to be successful.

When you are working on your game, know what you are working on and stick to it. If you do not know what you should be working on, then what are you doing on the range? Email me at glen@golfmentor.ca and let me help. Give me a background on your game and I certainly can steer you in the right direction.
  This can be a great time for a swing tune up so you can finish off your golf season with a bang. Set a goal and reach it, there is still two months of good golf to be played.

Check out the July edition of Golf Canada and you will see a feature article on myself and Adam about our junior programs. There is also another right up in the Selkirk paper a few weeks back. The reason I am telling you this is we were able to help out over 1200 juniors this past summer (this is why I am behind in my blogs). This winter we plan to double that by going into many schools, so if you want us at your son or daughter’s school this winter let us know. Contact your school and tell them you want A-Bomb and Stretch to come to the school.
  We want to continue to grow junior golf.

good golfing,
Glen

As a coaching instructor I often get to play 9 holes with my students and evaluate how they play the course. I find most students hitting a golf club either off the tee or around the green that they should not. I ask them “do you feel confident that this club will get you in the fairway?” and often the response is “I am not sure”. Smart Golf WILL LOWER SCORES guaranteed.  How do you play Smart Golf?

1) When hitting off the tee use a club that you know will provide the highest percentage of hitting your target. Sometimes it will be a driver and sometimes a hybrid, iron, and etc. Bottom line…. if you don’t feel comfortable in hitting the club in your hand… Don’t hit it and change clubs.

2) When approaching the green don’t always go for the FLAG! A coach once told me he always looks to hit it where he will have an uphill putt. Another tip is that if you go for the middle of the green you will hit way more greens in regulation.

3) Putting - have the same pre-shot routine all the time and read the putt from 3 different angles to get a good idea of slope and break.

These simple rules will lower your scores.

ABomb

So often I see many golfers chip incorrectly, some have the wrong technique and then others simply do not use the right club when chipping. Sure it might look great when you hit the ball way up in the air and stop it near the hole, but on a score card there are no pictures. I can guarantee you that a bump and run is a much higher percentage than the fancy looking flop shot.

Let’s make chipping easier: Grab the hybrid from your bad drop a couple balls ten feet from the green. Grip down(choke up is the same but choke is negative) on the hybrid and make your putting stroke with the hybrid. It might take a couple of strokes to get the feel of how hard to hit/putt the ball but you will get it. I have yet to find someone that chips better with their pw than a hybrid. I know everyone can putt better than they chip, well with the hybrid you are simply putting but the slight loft of the hybrid does not get the ball caught up in the fridge. The other advantage of the hybrid it is next to impossible to stubb the hybrid.
   Now with all chipping techniques you want to remember to relax and swing your arms with the nice tempo of ONE (for the take away) and TWO (for the follow through), if you rush you will lose the feel of the shot.
   Don’t believe me with this hybrid technique, well practice with it for ten minutes and then try a shot with the hybrid and then try and beat it with your pitching wedge. Prove me wrong, if you do email me and tell me I am crazy.

So you think you are a good chipper/putter? I find it interesting on how many people think they are but really are not nearly as good as they think they are.
SHORT GAME CHALLENGE: I want you to take ten golf balls and drop them from ten different spots around a chipping green at a course. Have some from four feet off the green to fifteen yards off the green. Count  a point for each time you get up and down (one chip and one putt). If you get to five you can say you are a good shot game player. If you get to four you are average. Less than four you are not nearly as good as you think you are, by the way the PGA leaders in the short game category are six out of ten.

Next time you have a poor game, think back to was it your short game? 

More on short game tricks and practice tips email me at glen@golfmentor.ca .

good golfing,
Glen

I always get the question “How do I hit it farther?”. I never really like this question because it is like putting the cart before the horse.
   You can’t hit the ball farther until you are able to hit the ball on the club face correctly. You can’t hit the ball farther until you can at least hit the ball straight.
  I decided today I wouldn’t fight this constantly asked question. To hit the ball farther you must create more clubhead speed, to create more clubhead speed you must create a “BIGGER ARCH.”
  If you have been following along in the blog or come to one of my clinics you already know, but for those that may have missed it here goes;
  Maintain an extended left arm, for right hand golfers, so when you are taking it back to the top you form a letter “L”. If you break or collapse your left arm you will make a smaller arch, hence less clubhead speed. If you are a little more flexible you are able to turn a little more (remember you asked, and I am not recommending the over swing). Maintain a loose grip pressure on the way down with left arm still extended and swing out to the target. If you have a pulling action(chicken wing), you then reduce clubhead speed and hence do not hit the golf ball as far.
   So your goal is not to swing the club as hard as you can but more importantly to create the bigger arch in your swing. Most that try and swing very very hard, or what I call a Mach 5 swing speed they are using a death grip  and finish it off with a chicken wing.Â
  Confused or not sure of my strange terms, please email me at glen@golfmentor.ca .

Lets look at some stats on the PGA tour:
  Everyone talks about wanting to hit it far, if you are the furthest hitter on the tour according to most that would make you the top player. Let us see
  Bubba Watson:   2nd in driving distance at 311 yds
                                    1st in greens in regulation
                                    3rd in money earned
Dustin Johnson:  4th in driving distance at 307
                                   15 in g i r
                                   21 in money earned
J B Holmes:  1st in driving distance at 316 (a full 5 yds farther than 2nd)
                           36 in g i r
                          34th in money earned

Top money earner this year is Luke Donald,
             driving distance ranking 145th , averages 280 yards

Now golfers what do you think you should be working on this week?

Not sure, answer is accuracy with your irons and your short game.

Next blog: A fool proof method of how to improve your chipping, impossible method that does not allow you to stub a chip.
       Also included a way to determine if you are as good a short game player as you think you are.

I find so many golfers are so focused on hitting the ball but I think you have to think of it a different way. You must hit right through the ball. If you only hit to the ball you are probably not finishing your swing or following right through.
  Why does everyone have a great or at least a better “No Ball” swing than a “Ball” swing, its simple the golfer is not focused on hitting the ball but rather than hitting right through the spot where the ball is.
  To hit the ball farther, which everyone wants to do you must let the ball get in the way and complete your swing. Think of it this way, picture yourself driving your car right through a wall without slamming on the breaks when you hit the wall (simply keep going right through it). Now do the same thing but slam on your breaks as you hit the wall. Think about it, how is this any different than stopping at the golf ball. When you fly through the wall there will be less damage on yourself, similar to following right through the ball. If you stop your golf swing, hence the death grip, the strain in the back show up and not to mention the poor results you have.
  So next time focus on getting to your finishing position and not focus so much on simply hitting to the ball. Your swing is not complete until you finish facing the target, right pocket to the target and your club up near your shoulder.

Quote of the day: “If you have bad alignment, you better have a bad golf swing because that is the only way you will get the ball to your target.” Think about this.

Adam and I are offering corporate outings all season long now. For more information email me at glen@golfmentor.ca . 

good golfing,
Glen

The more and more I study the golf swing the more and more I believe that how to align yourself correctly must be mastered. I think we all know nobody ever masters the golf swing, but I think we can master having the proper alignment. I have found that by simply aligning yourself incorrectly can really effect and good golf swing. Obviously you must work on your golf swing but if you can’t align yourself you will not have consistent results.
  How to align yourself to the target you ask?
   -Always line up to your target from behind the ball
      -it is next to impossible to it correctly from the side of the ball
   -Pick your long range target and then pick an object just in front of your
     ball that is on line to your main target
    -Square up the club to your object close to the ball and then set up
     parallel to the target.
        -think of it this way, your club, ball, close range target and your long
         range target should all be on one line
        -your shoulders, knees and feet should be parallel left (right hand
         golfer).  Think of it this way, railway tracks.  Shoulders on one
         rail and ball on the other rail

Now you are aligned up. So its simple, take the club back on the one rail and finish your club down the same rail. If you have your shoulders pointing at the target its very difficult to swing to the target without making an incorrect adjustment. Getting aligned correctly you need some help, if you have a friend get them to stand behind you and check you out. No friends, simple line up a club you are not using on the ground and have it pointing at the target, take another club and align it parrallel  left of the target. Once you have it lined up correctly and take your set up, feel strange, if so you have had some bad alignment for awhile. Leave the clubs there and hit some shots, you will be amazed the difference in your swing. Move your targets around and move the clubs on the ground around, get used to the correct alignment.
        Better golf swings and more consistency will occur.

Struggling with your golf swing, if so its time to come for a check up. The worst thing you can do is try and change it yourself, all that happens is you will make it worse.

You know how to get a hold of us  Adam@golfmentor.ca or myself at glen@golfmentor.ca

Get aligned,
Glen

Do you know how well you can play golf when you are not playing with your friends and not playing a course you have played many times over and over? Have you ever had a great game going, or maybe even your best game going and then came to a crashing halt, maybe double bogey double bogey to finish a round?

Golf is all about having fun, but if you are someone that is looking to improve or even see how good of a golfer you can be, try this. Head to a course you haven’t played much and bring one friend but join another two people at the course. Compare your score or your playing to when you play at your home course and/or with your regular foursome. Is it the same? Many people it isn’t, why, its simple they are not in their comfort zone. They are a little nervous because they are golfing with strangers and a different course (not a course they know every hole and shot they will make).
  The other situation that happens is when you are playing really well and then it falls apart.
   Why does this happen, you ask? It is because you change from being in the comfort zone to doing many things differently without even realizing it. Usually everything is moving faster, you begin to rush your swing, you rush your thinking process and even try shots that you would not usually try.
   Getting back in your comfort zone can be done simply by slowing everything down, I do not mean slow you play down, but I do mean think things out, think back to shots in the past that you have hit well and how you were feeling. I have found picturing myself hitting good shots on the driving range really helps me. I know Adam thinks of his 1 - 2 follow through swing, and trust me it works great for him. Also having the same pre-shot routine every time works well especially when you are getting nervous because having the routine makes the golf swing become automatic and the thinking process is already programed for you.

For further info contact me glen@golfmentor.ca .

good golfing,
Glen