What Are Your Top Five Tips to Break 100?
What Are Your Top Five Tips to Break 100?
By Ken Martin, PGA Professional Certified in Instruction
Keiser University College of Golf
- Learn an Athletic Swing Sequence – The golf swing is an athletic endeavor and, much like throwing a ball, it is most effective if the motion is performed in an athletic sequence. Watch any of the best golfers in the world and you will see this sequence. The forward swing of the golf club begins from the ground up. The lower body leads the way, the upper body then brings the arms, and the hands lastly deliver the clubhead to ball impact. Practicing this sequence will help the golfer deliver the clubhead to the golf ball in a predictable manner.
- Understand the Bottom of the Club’s Swing Arc – When a golfer can control where the low point for the swinging clubhead is, they have the best chance of striking the ball on the clubface, leading to more functional golf shots.
- Center Clubface Contact – Accomplishing the first two tips can lead the golfer to striking the golf ball on the center of the clubface, or more specifically, on the clubhead’s center of gravity or “sweet spot”. Striking the ball there consistently allows the golfer to begin to understand tendencies in both direction and distance they produce with different golf clubs.
- Understand Clubface/Path Relationship at Impact – This relationship is the primary cause for golf ball direction after impact. Understanding this relationship allows the golfer to focus their attention on swinging the clubface in a direction that will send the ball where they intend.
- Improve Distance control with Chip Shots and Lag Putts – Chip shots are low flying shots that are played in close proximity to the putting green using a club with loft such as a 7- or 8-iron. The goal is for the ball to fly a short distance landing just on the close edge of the putting green and then roll the rest of the way to the hole. Distance control, i.e., stopping the ball close to or in the hole, will reduce the strokes necessary to finish the hole. This also holds true for long putts on the green. When a golfer practices hitting the ball specific distances with the putter, they gain an understanding of the “feel” of hitting the golf ball different distances. If one can leave or lag the ball very close to the hole regardless of how far away their first putt might be, they will have a simpler task of holing the second putt, thereby eliminating 3- and 4-putts and lowering scores.
If you’d like to study with Ken Martin and other PGA Master Professionals, contact The College of Golf today.
