Yarmouth Links

You might have heard that good golfers have a pre-shot routine they go through every time they hit a shot. It's a good idea for you, too, because it ensures that you tip the odds of making a good shot in your favor as much as possible. There are six things you should do before you hit a golf ball. These apply to any shot, from drive to putt. Do them in this order. 1. Calm your mind. 2. Take your grip. 3. Visualize the shot. 4. Align yourself to the shot. 5. Set up for the shot 6. Hit the shot. Let's go over each of these steps. Before you get ready to hit a shot, you should get your mind on it, and off whatever you were thinking about as you walked up to the ball. This calmness will also[..]

It's something that every pro has, but many newer players are mystified by it. Let's take a look at the pre-shot routine. What is a Pre-shot Routine? Ever watched golf on television and noticed that the pros all have different ways of preparing to take their shots? Each time they take a shot they try to replicate the same process. How many times they waggle their stick, how many times they look at the target- these are all part of the player's preparations, which can vary wildly from player to player. They can also include any number of details, each with their own practical or symbolic benefits. Virtually anything can be incorporated into a pre-shot routine, from looking at the club[..]

I counsel lots of golfers. Some of them are professionals, some are highly ranked amateurs and juniors. Others are weekend warriors hoping to win a few more dollars and maybe the club championship. While most pros do not mind hitting out of bunkers, some golfers hate being stuck in the sand. It is obvious that they become angry, frustrated and anxious when they land their ball in the sand. In order to compile some useful tips for weekend golfers who struggle with bunker shots, I spent some time with one of the finest teaching professionals I know. Jon Manos is a PGA professional who teaches near my office in BergenCounty, New Jersey. Jon, who has his own golf school at the Closter[..]

Ever get out sorts with your chipping stroke? Find yourself too often leaving chip shots short or worse yet bladed long? Don't worry; we've all been there and back. You can come back from your chipping woes as well. So often the cause of our chipping troubles lies in our technique. If you are struggling with this shot most often it is because you're trying to lift or scoop the ball. You may know how to make the proper swing but something in your brain is not convinced it will work. Then during the stroke that something in your brain takes over and attempts to accomplish the shot its own way. The result is never good. Scooping, chunking or sculling are common outcomes. Lack of commitment[..]

Pitch shots are feared by amateurs, while professionals do their utmost to avoid them. But why is this the case, and what can you do to avoid this? Why are Pitch Shots Considered To Be So Difficult? The pitch shot lacks the subtlety of a powerful drive, while lacking the subtlety of a put. As such the pitch is generally considered something of an 'in-betweener'. You can't really hit a pitch the way you hit other shots, relying as it does on smaller ranges of movement, for much of the time. It's hard to get the distance of the shot right, as you need to learn to make subtle corrections to get the distance you need. What Kind of Mistakes do People Make? The biggest mistake people make when[..]

The putting stance is another area where golfers display their individuality. Some set up slightly open to the ball, while others use a closed stance. Some bend low and some stand almost straight up. The arms may be tucked in or flared out. The feet may be close together, or spread wider than shoulder-width. Why all the differences? Because of two factors common to all putting styles. First when putting, every golfer tries to get as comfortable over the ball as possible-which ought to breed the confidence needed to make the putt. Second, they are trying to position their eyes directly over or just inside the ball-to-target line. So, here's how to assume that winning formula in your set[..]

This Putting Routine is Simple Yet highly Effective To Get You Holing More Putts. This routine I call the 357 Drill and it works both the technical and mental aspects of putting which is why it is so powerful. With a good stroke that sends the ball on your chosen line and the mental ability to let it go, you will hole a lot more putts. Get a putting mat that is at least 10 ft long. Take a permanent marker pen and draw a nice line down the middle. (You can also use a builders chalk line on the practice green at your club but please get permission to put chalk lines on the grass) Now mark off 3ft, 5ft and 7ft increments. I normally just put a small cross line at the appropriate distance.[..]

If you like hustling at golf, if you enjoy gambling at golf and winning money from your opponents than you simply must expand your opportunities. In order to really "take the money off", you can't just bet skins or Nassaus but you'll have to make proposition bets wherever the situation comes about. During a round, there might be dozens of opportunities to make extra bets that you must make and press any edge that you can get. Hustling isn't about cheating or sandbagging, its all about knowing when you have an edge and pressing it. One of the most profitable proposition golf bets I make on a regular basis while hustling, or gambling, at golf is when I am on the fringe of the green and I'm[..]

Golfers don't laugh at other golfers. If you watch the pros, you'll hear Ken Venturi say something like, "I don't think he'll be happy with that shot" -- and that's considered to be an extremely harsh statement. However, we do know whether we're watching someone on TV, or if we're watching our playing partners, when they make a mistake. The most embarassing and the most frustrating mistake to make is to "shank" the shot. Unlike a slice or a hook, where the ball looks like it's going fine, and then veers off, in this case, the ball goes straight left or right, from the moment of contact. It's a horrible feeling, worse than missing a 3 foot putt. You know you did it, as does everyone[..]

Anyone who has ever set foot on a golf course will tell you, correct posture during a golf game is vital. The smallest things, that normally wouldn't affect another sporting game, may bring your entire game to a halt if your not weary. When positioning your body, the general rule is always to have your arms hanging down but not out. This small action has improved my drive considerably. In order to get a good swing, like most others, I used to stand a few feet away from the ball to really get my swing to go through. The problem I've recently discovered is that standing too far from the ball negatively affects your swing. In fact, you should stand as close as possible while still be able[..]

The way you stand can make a big difference on the way you hit the ball. It can also dictate the distance of your shot. Your Swing means everything. The way you have your feet, you hold the club, where you are looking, and even how you shift your body weight all come into play when you hit the ball. Your stance is very important when you intend to hit the ball. There are three different stances you should know which include square, open, and closed. One thing to consider is that it is usually best to use the same stance as the same clubface alignment. For example, if you are using an open stance then you should use an open clubface. Never move the clubface angle in a position that[..]

You have taken many courses, but it is still not working. You are so frustrated and you want to show your total disappointment. If you believe that mechanical analysis and hard work is the only answer, you're going to be angry forever. You don't want to become a professional; you simply don't have to putt all theses efforts for playing golf. You don't spare time working on swing problems, so learn an easy way to relax on the fairway. Do you realize that if you play 95 on a normal course, you only miss about 22 shots! Players have bad habits to calculate the bad shots instead of the good ones. Of course when you think about it, any eccentric golfers would say that 95 is a bad game. No, if[..]

When did you last buy yourself an expensive article of clothing that didn't properly fit just because you liked the look of it? Would it look any better than a cheap brand that does actually fit? Probably not, unless you are a super model of course. When it comes to golf clubs which are sold as "one size fits all" how can this possibly be true? A 6ft 3 inch man can't possibly swing a golf club the same as a 5ft 8inch man, yet time and time again golfers go to a superstore or a pro shop pick something off the shelf have a swing and say "that feels great". They part with quite a lot of cash for something that doesn't actually fit! The only outcome to this scenario is the golfer adapts his[..]

To become an advanced player the control of the trajectory of the ball must be learned. If you are using the commonly taught roll over forearm actions it will require much trial and error and also much practice. There is another way to swing the club that due to the way the wrists and fore arms work the ball position can be adjusted to any where from opposite the left heel for high shots to 6 or more inches to the RIGHT of the right foot for extremely low shots. This can be done without changing the way that the hands are placed on the club or without any different release motions. Naturally when the ball is played that far back in the stance the swing is abruptly stopped just after[..]

When you hit your puts are you off line so many times? You say to yourself "How did I do that? It was such a simple putand dead straight, yet I managed to hit it to the left of the hole" - or was it to the right? Which ever way, you did something wrong. If you lifted your head asyou hit the ball, such an easy thing to do due to a slightlyanxious attitude, you will always hit your ball to the left of thehole. Last week, I tried putting with a very much shorter back swingwhich meant that I had to hit the ball with authority to get it upto the hole. On the practice putting green before the game, itworked amazingly well. So I took it out onto the course and onlyhad 31 puts during the round.[..]

Your short game is so important. It is the difference between a good score and a mediocre to bad one. It is perhaps the most difficult part of the game. Even more difficult than putting. How often do you duff your put. Sure you may hit the ground occasionally, but duffing a put is a rare event surely. How about your short chips? How often do you duff these? It is so easy to hit a bad shot here. Too tense, too quick, looking up. The result really matters here too. Bad result can be because you have chosen the wrong club. No, it is not always the pitching wedge used for these shots. The first thing to do is visualize the shot to be made. Visualize the flight of the ball, where it will land[..]

This is something that was a bit of a mystery to me in my earlydays. I would hear people talking about the grain on the green and howthe ball would go fast if the grain was leaning towards the holeand how the ball would not reach the hole if one was puttingagainst the grain unless this factor was taken into account. Well here is a bit about grain in case you, like I did, find thissubject a bit of a mystery. When the grass grows, it grows in a particular direction. The grass on greens is a special type of grass and lies flat on the surface. There are bent grasses that lie flat because it is the nature ofthe grass to bend at ground level and grow horizontally, hence thename. There are[..]

Many of us can judge the roll of a golf ball better than we can judge its flight. If this is the case with you, perhaps you will choose to pitch the ball onto the edge of the green and let it roll up to the pin. So, which club should we use for such a stroke saving shot? The rule is that the further we are from the edge of the green, the more a golf club with loft is needed. This means that if you are say twenty five yards form the edge of the green, you will use an eight or nine iron. Conversely, if you are four or five yards from the edge of the green, you will use a five or six iron. Have you ever tried putting with a three iron. This shot is for when the ball is two or three feet[..]

Having established the importance of a good posture position in part # 1, here are some important points to bear in mind when developing your best posture. Your posture position should be athletic and dynamic, allowing for balanced motion in any direction. Think of a football quarterback under center and try to duplicate this position as closely as possible. Your weight should be centered on your feet not only left to right, but also from heel to toe. Your knees should be flexed slightly allowing for ease of movement and you should be bent slightly forward from the waist creating an axis on which you can turn your shoulders. Your arms should hang naturally from your shoulder sockets in a[..]

If you are asking this question, then you are probably pulling your ball to the left when you swing or putt. This is a serious problem, especially for that last swing of the course. It's never good when your ball swerves out of the way when it's less than two feet from the hole! Not only does it make you look bad, it can also cost you money if you're playing in a competition. The solution, is of course to make sure that you're gripping the club properly, making sure that you are not slicing or hooking, which means you're either hitting wide to the left or right. If there really is a reverse pivot, then you need to practice hitting in a straight line. There are a few ways you can achieve[..]

With the leaves turning brown and the days getting shorter, it's getting more difficult to continue playing golf with winter setting in. We all know how important it is to keep your swing loose and how being able to hit a good straight shot off the tee can improve your golf score. With it getting too dark to play golf after work, or with the icy weather winter brings, the ideal solution maybe to seek out your nearest golf driving range. There are hundreds of golf driving ranges around the country, so finding one near you should not be too difficult to find. Many golf ranges now are floodlit and with covered bays, giving you the opportunity to practice your beloved sport with friends and[..]

Break your swing up into several parts. At the address position, your arms and chest form a triangle. Practice the take away by moving this triangle in one piece without changing any of the angles, which means no wrist movement. Take your club to waist height and stop there. Practice this over and over again, during the day when you have an odd moment. You do not have to have a club in your hand. Simply adopt the grip position of the hands by holding your left thumb with your right hand. It is essential that you do not use your wrists in the take away. Next take your swing to the top and look at your hand and arm position. Assume this position by performing your backswing at odd[..]

Rhythm and tempo can be considered together, because in golf they mean very nearly the same thing. The rhythm in the swing of a good player is noticed because of the measured cadence in the upward and downward movement of the club. In his swing there appears to be and there is a definite relationship in time between his backswing and his downswing. It is measured in two parts, from the time the club leaves the ball until it stops at the top of the backswing, and from the time it starts to move again until it hits the ball. The club does have to stop at the top, of course, for the instant required to reverse its direction, whether we feel it or realize it or we don't. No object, not even[..]

If you’re one of those golfers who take little time in setting up and addressing the ball, if you have no consistent routine for addressing the ball but still wonder why you don’t have consistent ball striking, I have one question for you. What the heck do you expect?!! Too many golfers set up haphazardly and wonder why they hit their irons fat or thin and have no consistency in their ball striking. “If you set up correctly, there’s a good chance you’ll hit a reasonable shot, even if you make a mediocre swing. If you set up the ball poorly, you’ll hit a lousy shot even if you make the greatest swing in the world.” Jack Nicklaus. Here are 6 easy steps to take to set up[..]

The first step is to slow down and relax the swing. Many beginning and amateur golfers make the mistake of over swinging with the intention of hitting the ball as hard as they can. While swinging hard may be intuitive if you are trying to hit the ball far, understand that when you do this you are in danger of losing your swing plain. You can also knock yourself off balance. This can cause you to start pulling and pushing the ball. In order to stay out of trouble with your driver you will need to start swinging easy as this will help improve impact and when you hit the sweet spot you will get more distance and just as importantly you will be more accurate. Many golfers could simply add[..]

In that glorious battle between you and the golf course designer there are certain weapons you need in your armoury. The obvious ones are a set of golf clubs and a golf ball and you are set to engage the enemy, the bumps and hollows of the fairway, the three inch rough and the sneaky pin positions. However a set of clubs and as many balls as you can carry are not enough to win this battle consistently so a few tricks of your own are required and this is where you will find them. The lob shot. Arguably the hardest shot in the whole golf game the lob shot is fraught with danger but can reward you with close to the pin birdie opportunities or even up and down par saves. Practice is required[..]

The closer you are to the green the more accurate you are from a left/right perspective and this becomes less important than distance control. You are less likely to hit chips and pitch shots wide of the green than you are to leave them short or air mail them over the green. The closer you are to the green the more you will have to come up with different finesse shots to accommodate the distances and shot requirements. Hitting full wedges all the time is just not the answer. The best way to accommodate distance control for most golfers is to have a system in place that allows for precision planning of not just distance but also trajectory, spin, check and roll out of the ball to target.[..]

Wouldn't it be nice if all our golf ball lies were as level as they are on the driving range? Unfortunately they are not...and golf would not be as interesting if they were! We often find ourselves in situations where the ball is above of below our feet, or we are hitting from an up or down hill lie. All of these lies affect the way the shot is played and how the ball will fly. So how should you play these shots? Uphill LiesWhen you are hitting from an uphill lie, the ball will fly higher than normal. The slope you are hitting up effectively adds loft to the club. So take an extra club to compensate. Always try and align yourself perpendicular to the slope. This will stop you coming in[..]

I've been writing a lot lately about the negative and positive golf psychology of fear on the golf course. While I've been thinking all about golf fear consciously, it seems that my unconscious mind has been quietly working away on the question of how we actual do this "fear" thing in our golf minds. Using a post-shot routine was the answer - to the problem, not the question. Now in NLP and golf hypnosis, we have many ways of managing a person's fears. If it's a full blown phobia, we can deal with that easily. If it's a habit or belief that's blown out of all proportion, we can help there too using techniques like the NLP Swish Pattern. If we need a skill that someone else has we can use[..]

Fairway woods and long irons are invariably troublesome to the average golfer and it is important to know what you should do when you are in a divot and how you should cope with such quandaries as being stuck with a downhill or sloping lie. This article will teach you how to play each long range shot with the minimum of effort. These days, woods are not made from wood at all. They are invariably composed of metal and they make a ghastly sound when they meet the back of the ball. There are consolations, the ball goes farther, and the new generation of metal woods is very forgiving so even a badly miss hit shot will travel a fair distance. With both irons and woods the number of the club[..]

Playing from a divot is not as difficult as players make out. Observe a few slight changes in technique, re-adjust your mental images and attitude and you can be hitting it confidently from just about any divot. If you have been playing golf for any length of time then you have experienced hitting a good T shot down the fairway only to discover, much to your annoyance, that the ball has come to rest in someone else's old divot. With much annoyance most golfers will yank a club out of their bag, curse their bad luck and have an angry thrash at their ball. The Mental Game Of Divot Play The very first issue you need to recognize and change is your attitude when you realize your ball has[..]

We all try to hit the ball straight, but that's probably golf's most difficult skill. Try as we might, the ball careens away from our intended line too often. Even touring pros don't always know where the ball will go. A few principles of basic physics tell us why the ball goes off line and give us clues how to fix it. The ideal geometry at impact is for the clubface to be facing squarely at the target, and for the club to be traveling directly toward the target. The ball doesn't go straight when the club deviates from this geometry in some way. For example, if you want to hit the ball north, but the club is traveling northeast, that's where the ball will go. A ball going straight but in[..]