Did you know that your altitude or elevation can drastically affect the distance your ball can travel? Thicker, heavier air, like the air near sea-level is actually lighter, and will not produce as much friction against the ball during flight as dry air. There are some studies on the affects of altitude on distance, but few provide actual numbers in terms of added yardage… and that’s likely because there is so many factors involved in the equation.
Quick Tips
Start Forward Rhythm Drill
A tight, stiff golf swing is not conducive to consistent results and low scores. You’ll never see a better player look stiff and rigid while swinging – they will always be smooth, relaxed and in control. A tight, rigid swing will reduce your ability to create swing speed significantly. Lag production is significantly reduced, as the smaller muscles are locked and tight. The hands are wrists are some of the most important parts of the body to have relaxed in a golf swing – for the wrists to release naturally and properly into impact, they must be relaxed.
The Cons of a Weak Grip
It’s a simple fact, 85% of the golfing population slice the golf ball. Many slices are caused by something as simple as a poor grip. For all slicers, a weak grip is one of your worst enemies. We are not talking about grip pressure here…a weak grip has both hands rotated to far to the left on the grip as shown in this diagram (lefties are the opposite).
When you perform a swing, your wrists will move into the position of least resistance – in this case, one where your hands are in a more neutral position. A clapping position – with both palms facing each other and thumbs on top of the club is considered neutral. So naturally if your grip is weak to begin with, your clubface will be open at impact.
Now, if you can hit the ball straight with a weak grip, great, but this means you’re making another ‘quick fix’ elsewhere in your swing to compensate for this to square the clubface.
4 Must Have Angles in the Golf Swing
When it comes to consistency and power generation, there are specific angles that are visible in every player on the tours today. These fundamentals are universal and are imperative to incorporate into your swing before you can take your game to the next level. If you employ these moves, I can assure you, you will develop more power and spin, your contact will be more solid, and your shot making will improve.
The four angles are spine angle, spine tilt, knee flex and lag angle. As you might have guessed, three of these angles can be setup before you even start your backswing. I cannot stress enough how important a solid setup position is to create consistency, power and accuracy. These angles are crucial to creating a balanced setup capable of making a powerful swing. You'll be amazed at how simple the golf swing gets once these elements are incorporated into your golf game…
Spine Angle
This is one of the most important…the reason for this is twofold, because the littlest of changes can negatively affect your shot outcome…
Golf Flexibility and Workout Tips
The winter season is a great time to build strength and flexibility through various workouts at the gym. The trick is… knowing what to work on. Generally speaking, a well-rounded workout is perfectly fine for to help build overall strength. It’s also good to focus on your rotary muscles and joints – specifically your shoulders, arms and wrists. Playing very wristy sports like squash and tennis are also great.
YouTube has plenty of great golf workout videos. Some of the best ones are from Mike Pederson – you may have seen him on our site before. Here’s a collection of some great golf workout tips and flexibility drills. Check them out!
Winter/ Down-Season Golf Drills & Tips
Winter for many of us, is a time to put away the clubs and golf shoes and replace it with a hockey stick and skates – especially here in Canada. The truth is, the winter is a great time to work on your swing in ways you wouldn’t normally consider during the summer.
The winter is a great time to…
Work On Your Weaknesses
Do you often come over the top? Is your grip too strong? Do you collapse your right elbow at the top of your swing? Working on your swing path, fundamentals and grip is a great way to improve your game – the issue with working on these faults during the golf season is that it takes a long time to adjust to the new “feel” of the swing/position. Below you’ll find three quick drills you can perform at home to fix the problems described above.
Coming over the top? Try the Yoga Golf Swing Drill – setup with a short iron in your living room. Complete a swing at half speed, then quarter speed, and slow progressively further until it literally takes you a minute to complete the full swing motion. Really focus on your transition – to ensure your club stays on path at the top. This drill will help build strength throughout your swing (after a couple slow-mo swings, you’ll see why), and help reinforce the path of the club, and movements of the body.
Is your grip too strong or weak? When you’re watching hockey, football or tv, grab a club and have a seat on your couch. Grip the club in a more neutral position – re-grip the club continuously. Do this consistently for awhile, and the “this feels wrong” feeling of the new grip will go away. Keep a close eye on your grip when the season starts up again.
Do you collapse the right arm at the top? Try the Split Grip Drill. By splitting your grip, you force yourself to create width – effectively ensuring the club stays far from your body – this move helps store and create power. We’ve posted this drill before, you can view it here – Split Grip Golf Drill
How & Why Odd Golf Swings Work
There are plenty of odd golf swings on the professional tours that are quite effective. From abbreviated backswing's and follow-through's to out-to-in and in-to-out swing paths, on tour we have seen it all. The question is how do the oddest swings on tour, like Jim Furyk's, produce repeatable and dependable results? This video will explain the one thing all professional golf swings have in common… and it’s likely not what you think.
Quick Tip – Locking your Lower Body
Tight lies are common on the golf course… in this post however we’re not going to talk about tight lies with your lie, but tight lies in relation to your stance. There are many shots in golf that require a locked lower body – a tight lie is one of them. A locked lower body will facilitate solid contact by reducing your ability to move up and down while swinging.
The 3-Step Perfect Setup Position
What exactly is an ideal address position? The simple answer is one that gives you the best chance for success during your golf swing. I can’t emphasize enough how easily a solid posture will cure many of the faults in your golf swing. A proper posture can fix your swing path, plane, spine angle, weight shift, and a variety of other factors instantly.
Backswing: Should I Lift my Front Heel?
Reader's Question: I have been told numerous times that I would get better results if I did not pickup my left foot. How can I stop from keeping my left from coming up during my swing?
Thanks,
Ray