Golf Tips

Listed on this page are some tips from your Cozy Acres Golf Teachers. The subject of these mini-instructions change quarterly, so be sure to check back!

To further improve your game, call to schedule private lessons with one of our teaching professionals. Or attend one of the many clinics and golf camps that Cozy Acres holds every week during Spring and Summer. Repeaters are always welcome.

Most importantly: Go out and PLAY GOLF!

This Month's Articles:

Putting
Club Fitting
Swing Set-Up

PUTTING

 Establish a Routine and Listen.

Putting is all about consistency and confidence. Consistency comes from establishing a “set routine” and following it each time you putt. Do the same thing each time before you putt. Confidence comes with making a couple of putts early in the round, especially those pesky 2-6 footers.

A few things to consider when establishing a routine:

When you are “set up” correctly, turn your head so that you draw an imaginary line from your ball to the intended line and draw an imaginary line back to the ball. The more you can visualize the imaginary line, the more likely you will make the putt. The last thing you want to do is to “listen” for the ball to go in the hole. Don’t look up to see the ball – keep your head still and listen for it to drop in the bottom of the cup. The concept of listening instead of looking keeps your entire body stable and still throughout the stroke.

To summarize, establish a routine and listen for the ball to go in the hole.

GOLF CLUB FITTING

 Are the Clubs You're Playing Right for You?

Have you ever thought about whether or not the clubs you’re playing are properly fit? Many clubs are purchased with little thought as to whether or not they are the proper set for your game. Our former office manager, Christy, used this example when describing properly fit clubs. “Would you walk with a pair of shoes that didn't fit?” The same thing applies to a set of clubs.

If you are a very good player, an average player, or a beginner, it is important to choose clubs that are best for your game. I am a strong advocate of proper instruction but the more I teach it the more I believe that clubs should be a proper fit for any player. If clubs were purchased at a chain store or on Ebay, they should be subsequently checked to see whether or not they will help your game.

To determine if clubs are a proper fit, there are 5 variables that should be considered:

After these 5 variables are considered the 14 clubs in the bag can easily be determined. For example; hybrids are being played by more pro’s and amateurs alike. Hybrids are clubs that usually replace long irons; they are a cross between an iron and a fairway wood. If you haven’t hit them, I recommend you give consideration to trying them.

There are basically three grip sizes: standard, mid-size, and oversized. These are fit dependant on hand size. If the grip is improperly fit, ball flight can be affected.

The lie angle of a club determines direction, especially with irons. If the lie angle is too flat the ball will usually go to the right. A lie angle that is too upright encourages the ball to be hit left.

Length of a club is a factor in solid ball striking. Normally we think that a tall person needs longer clubs and shorter people need short clubs. It has very little to do with height, it has more to do with a measurement from the middle knuckle of the hand to the ground.

Shaft flex is determined primarily by club head speed. A stiff flex shaft should be used by a golfer with a faster club head speed. A slower club head speed is more conducive to a more flexible shaft.

Finally, the head of a club is very important. There are basically three kinds of club heads with irons; a wide sole, a standard sole width, and a “blade” or narrow width club. The wider the sole, the easier it is to get the ball air borne and the easier to hit.

If you are interested in checking your set of clubs or being custom fit for a set of clubs, stop by the Cozy Acres Pro Shop. The cost to change clubs or build a custom set is minimal and well worth the expense, if you want to improve your game.

SWING SET-UP

 Get Set-Up to Swing into Action.

There are four parts to the full golf swing. Proper set-up, take away, swing to impact, and finish to balance. Each is equally important, but all are designed to increase the likelihood the ball “goes up” and “straight.” Let’s look at a proper “set-up"...

One of the most important parts of the set-up is balance. To be properly balanced the weight should be evenly distributed on the “inside middle” of the feet. Not on the heels, not on the toes, the “inside middle” or at the instep of the feet. This position, of feet weight distribution should be maintained throughout the swing. Some examples most of us can relate to are: a defensive posture – basketball or linebacker position – football, a baseball or softball hitter – the batter’s box, a soccer player in a defensive position. Each of these positions needs to be maintained or “balanced” until the golf ball has been struck.

The second part of the set-up is a proper knee bend. There is no formula, that I know of, for how much to bend the knees. However, the amount of knee bend that is chosen at set-up needs to be maintained until the ball has left the club head.

The third part of the set-up, is a spine angle that extends from the tail bone to the base of the neck in a straight line. The “seat” needs to stick out and the shoulders need to lean forward until the weight is balanced in the “inside middle” of the feet.

The final, and probably most important, part of the set-up is the grip. There are many variations of the grip, from overlap to interlock, to 10 finger. Each of these grips has two commonalities. The thumb of the left hand, for a right handed golfer, needs to be placed in the crevice of the palm of the upper hand located just above the wrist. The second fundamental is the “V’s” formed by the index finger and thumb of each hand should point between the right side of the neck and right shoulder.

The most common mistake made by many golfers is an improper set-up. Remember, be on balance and check your grip before you begin to take the club “away.”