Spotlight E.P. News

Trigger ­finger points to great putting

Posted on 19. Apr, 2012 by admin.

By T.J. TOMASI Putting on the pro tours demands mastery of a stroke with greater control and a more sensitive touch than the average golfer uses because the greens are so slick and unforgiving. The traditional putting grip in the photo here is where it starts. The index finger of this player’s left hand is [...]

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Match elbow and hip for solid contact

Posted on 05. Apr, 2012 by admin.

The quality of your impact position is determined by the relationship between two body parts: your trail elbow and hip. The trail elbow determines the path of the clubhead to the ball, so if your elbow matches up evenly with your hip, as in the first photo below, your hands can get back in front of your body in time for impact.

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Learn by ­example

Posted on 22. Mar, 2012 by admin.

You can learn a lot by comparing the swing positions of good and not-so-good players. In the photo at left below is Ryder Cup player Boo Weekley, one of the better ball strikers on the PGA Tour. There are several things to note that are instructive:

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Get off to a good start

Posted on 07. Mar, 2012 by admin.

Whatever else golf is, it’s a game of geometry. Lines and angles on a four-dimensional playing field relate the golfer, the ball and the target.

The mistake I see most in my teaching is a faulty setup, and that is like beginning a trip by heading in the wrong direction. The first step to a perfect setup is to aim your clubface correctly, and the second is to align your body, and always in that order — aim, then align.

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A model swing: the finish

Posted on 27. Jan, 2012 by admin.

Sticking the finish
The gymnasts call it “sticking the finish,” and when you stick your finish in golf, good things will happen. Here is the anatomy of your Kodak Moment:
1. Your weight is balanced on the front foot, with the back foot acting as a rudder.

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Two-wall swing

Posted on 13. Jan, 2012 by admin.

Mental images, the pictures you draw in your mind, let your muscles know what needs to be done when you make a golf swing. What you see on your mental screen helps you understand what you’re trying to do.

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The Lob Shot

Posted on 14. Oct, 2011 by admin.

Around the greens, it’s best to keep the ball on the ground whenever feasible because it’s easier to judge a rolling ball than a high flying one. Thus the lob — a pitch that’s high and soft with little roll — is the last shot you should use. Your strategy should be: “Putt it first; if you can’t putt it, chip it; if you can’t chip it, pitch it; and only when you have to, do you lob it.”

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Let your head rotate

Posted on 18. Aug, 2011 by admin.

Errors occur when your head slides past the ball toward the target during the golf swing, or when it moves too far off the ball away from the target. Either way it’s not good for consistency. Your head should rotate and float with the spine tilt, all the while staying in the middle of your shoulders.

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Success comes with balance

Posted on 29. Jul, 2011 by admin.

The advice Rory McIlroy received that carried him to a record-setting U.S. Open win after his Masters collapse was to find a way to be comfortable being uncomfortable. But how? The answer was simple: Under intense pressure, he used the thought of hitting his balance point.

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All together now

Posted on 07. Jul, 2011 by admin.

Many golfers make a practice swing in which they shift their weight to the front leg at the same time they drop their arms to start the downswing. It’s a move I callthe smallest most important movein golf.

Because there is no ball in this practice swing, there is no hit instinct, so the forward swing of the arms helps to shift the weight simultaneously in a drop/shift motion. This is one of golf’s non-negotiables, and every good player does it.

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Eight ways to improve your putting

Posted on 24. Jun, 2011 by admin.

Here are eight actions you can take that will improve your putting, and not one of them involves the stroke itself!

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Chip like a putt for control

Posted on 10. Jun, 2011 by admin.

If you’re having trouble chipping, try employing your putting stroke when you chip. This method allows your shot to hug the ground and take advantage of the accuracy of a rolling ball with no side spin.

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Put your back into it

Posted on 26. May, 2011 by admin.

The role of the downswing is to bring your arms and your club back in front of your chest at impact. They must move aggressively from behind and above you to in front of you in a very short time. Failure to get the arms front and center at impact is one of the most common mistakes made by every class of golfer, duffer and expert alike.

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