| Most of us are weekend golfers. If we're really lucky, | | | | what you do: |
| and the weather holds, we play on both Saturday | | | | Grab your driver and address a ball on the tee. When |
| and Sunday. If not, we play either Saturday or | | | | you grip the club, do so by taking hold of the shaft |
| Sunday. Occasionally, we play during the week but | | | | with your hands a few inches apart. Instead of your |
| that doesn't happen too often. Our jobs and families | | | | normal set up position, rest the driver on the ground |
| keep us too busy to play regularly. | | | | inside the target line and behind your rear foot. From |
| Weekend golfers tend to acquire bad habits, habits | | | | this position, try to hit the ball by sweeping up and |
| that can completely derail a round and ruin a good | | | | rotate your forearms thorough impact. You should |
| day. Below are five faults to keep in mind if you play | | | | finish with your right hand above your left. Try this |
| sporadically. While these tips derive from many hours | | | | drill on the practice range just before teeing off. It |
| spent giving golf lessons to weekend golfers, they're | | | | will give you the feeling of a draw as opposed to a |
| good reminders for any player. | | | | slice. |
| Reaching Out | | | | Poor Left Hand At Impact |
| Reaching out with the driver is a fault I see a lot in | | | | No matter what you do with the rest of your swing, |
| weekend golfers. Players often feel more powerful | | | | the critical moment is at impact. If you can get the |
| when they're all stretched out, especially if it's on the | | | | back of the left-hand square to the target (for |
| tee. It's a fault I've pointed out in my golf tips | | | | right-handed players) and you have a neutral grip, the |
| newsletter. I even do it myself sometimes. But | | | | ball has to go straight. If you haven't played for |
| reaching out is the result of standing too far away | | | | awhile, your goal should be to reinforce the feeling of |
| from the ball, which shifts your weight onto your | | | | getting your left hand leading the club face and the |
| toes. When you swing, gravity pulls you toward the | | | | back of your hand facing the target. Take a club and |
| ground, causing you to lose your balance. If you don't | | | | try hitting a chip shot with just your left hand to |
| play often, pay close attention to your set up. It's | | | | remind you of the feeling of hitting the ball with your |
| the foundation of your swing, so make sure you're in | | | | left-hand leading. Remember if you slice, you're hitting |
| a balanced and athletic position before swing the club. | | | | the ball with the side of your left hand. If you hook, |
| Not Releasing Tension | | | | your hand has turned over too much. |
| Most swing errors occur at set-up and one of the | | | | Coming Over The Top |
| biggest causes of error is tension. Too much tension | | | | Coming over the top affects not only weekend |
| in your hands causes the rest of your body to tense | | | | golfers but also PGA pros after a long lay off. This |
| up, impeding the flow of your swing. Beginning with a | | | | fault is strictly a path issue. Here's a drill that will help |
| good start where you synchronize the swinging of | | | | you correct it. First, lay a club down on the ground |
| the club with the turning motion of your body gets | | | | behind the ball and parallel to the target line. Take |
| you into the flow, and it helps you put the club in | | | | your normal address position, then pull the right foot |
| good position without having to think too much about | | | | back, until the right toes are even with your left heel |
| it. And we all know what happens when we think too | | | | (for right-handers). Then swing along your foot line. |
| much. To get loose, start your swing by holding the | | | | This drill forces you to swing from the inside, creating |
| club a couple of feet in front of and above the ball. | | | | a straighter shaped shot. Try hitting a few shots like |
| Grip the club loosely and waggle it a few times. It will | | | | this before starting a round. It will help eliminate the |
| loosen your hands up and your body as well. | | | | over-the-top swing. |
| Slicing | | | | If you keep these five faults--and their drills--in mind |
| Eighty-five percent of all golfers slice. It's especially | | | | the next time you play, you will have a fighting |
| prevalent with weekend golfers who don't get a | | | | chance of having a good round, even after a long lay |
| chance to correct the fault in practice or through a | | | | off. Of course, correcting these faults won't |
| lot of play. The split-hand drill reinforces a free | | | | guarantee that you'll break 100, but they may help |
| release, allowing you to rotate your forearms through | | | | you cut a few strokes off your score and make |
| impact and turns your slice into a draw. It's a drill I | | | | playing on the weekend more fun. |
| often use with players taking my golf lessons. Here's | | | | |