Need help with Swing Consistency?

Steal Bryson DeChambeau’s secret to swing consistency

Get better swing plane where it matters, near the ball

By Matthew Rudy
Source: GolfDigest

The same few words seem to pop up when describing Bryson DeChambeau’s game: Unique, quirky, or even strange.
What isn’t strange are the results. DeChambeau won his third career PGA Tour event at the Northern Trust, smashing the field by four shots with elite ball-striking using his single-length Cobra irons. DeChambeau hit 16 greens on Sunday on his way to his fourth round of 69 or lower at Ridgewood Country Club, and he made just six bogeys on the week.
The precision and consistency in DeChambeau’s game comes in part from his determination to make every swing on the same plane—literally. “I’ve run his swing on my 3D analysis software, and Bryson is literally more planar than the swing robots they use to design clubs,” says Golf Digest 50 Best Teacher Michael Jacobs. “Even if you wanted to try to do that yourself, I don’t think the average player has the coordination. He really is unique.”

But even with DeChambeau’s idiosyncratic method, there are things you can take away and use to tweak your game. “What gets weekend players in trouble is pushing and pulling on the club with too much force that’s perpendicular to the direction of the swing,” says Jacobs, who is based at Rock Hill Golf & Country Club in Manorville, NY. “That forcing of the club makes the club respond ‘out of plane,” which requires you to make a compensating move to recover.”

You don’t need to try to get your swing on a consistent plane throughout, as long as you can produce more consistency through the “execution phase,” says Jacobs—which is about hip high to hip high. “That’s where swing plane really matters,” he says. “Film your swing from down the line, with the camera on the ball line, and practice making swings where the club doesn’t move very much off the plane line in that phase. That’s going to come from a more neutral address position, where you aren’t aligning your shoulders, hips and feet at different targets, and from more neutral body motions. Get that phase down and you’re going to hit much more consistent shots.”

Link to article: Click HERE

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Practice to make the perfect putt!

Here are some great tips we found for making the perfect putt!

3 drills that will build a great putting stroke

By Todd McGill
Source: GolfWRX

When you find yourself scratching your head because of all the putts you’re missing, take the time to hit the practice green and work out the kinks. All players go through slumps and face times when their stroke needs touching up, these three drills will go a long way in helping to reestablish a solid putting motion.

1. 4 Tee Drill
This drill is great for focusing on center contact as well as helping to maintain a square putter face through impact.
Most players will associate this drill with the two tees that many players on tour use for solid contact. But what makes this drill different is that by having two sets of tees, it forces us to have a good takeaway, as well as a good, follow through. Just have the two sets spaced 3 to 5 inches apart with the openings of the two sets being slightly wider than your putter. From there, any unwanted lateral movement with your putting stroke will be met by a tee.

2. Coin Drill
This drill pertains to those who tend to look up before hitting a putt which throws off our follow through and makes us manipulate the head. We do this for different reasons, though none of them are justifiable. Because those that keep their head down through the stroke will allow you to have better speed, control and just make a better stroke in general.
To perform this drill, just place the ball on top of the coin and make your stroke. Focusing on seeing the coin after you hit your putt before looking up.

3. Maintain the Triangle drill
One of the biggest things that I see in high handicap golfers or just bad putters, in general, is that they either don’t achieve an upside-down triangle from their shoulders, down the arms, and into the hands as pictured above. If they do, it often breaks down in their stroke. Either way, both result in an inconsistent strike and stroke motion. It also makes it harder to judge speed and makes it easier to manipulate the face which affects your ability to get the ball started online.
I use a plastic brace in the photo to hold my triangle, however, you can use a ball or balloon to place in between the forearms to achieve the same thing.
These three drills will help you establish proper muscle memory and promote strong techniques to help you roll the rock!

Link to article: http://bit.ly/2V109Zq
 

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Study shows modern golf swing causing more back injuries to players, and at younger ages

Source: GolfWorld
ByJoel Beall

Tiger Woods is beginning the second year of his latest comeback campaign, a return from multiple surgeries on his back. While Woods has remained relatively healthy over the past 15 months, precisely what caused Woods’ woes remains a debate. Some point to the staggering amount of swings he’s taken in his lifetime. Others assert Tiger overdid it in the weight room, former caddie Stevie Williams claims it is self-inflicted from Woods’ fiddles with military training, and parts of the Internet subscribe to more cynical theories.

However, according to a new study, Tiger’s injuries—and injuries of other modern golfers—can be distilled to a far more elementary notion.

In the latest issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, a group of doctors from the Barrow Neurological Institute make the case that the modern “X-factor” swing favored by many professionals may hit balls harder and farther, but it can also put extra strain on the spine.

Comparing today’s players with legends like Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan, the doctors maintain today’s players are more muscular and have more powerful downswings, and this can put increased force on the spinal disc and facet joints, which leads to repetitive traumatic discopathy.

“We believe Tiger Wood’s experience with spinal disease highlights a real and under-recognized issue amongst modern era golfers,” writes Dr. Corey T. Walker. “RTD results from years of degenerative ‘hits’ or strains on the spine resulting in early onset breakdown, instability, and pain. We hope medical practitioners, and surgeons in particular, will be able to diagnose and treat golfers with RTD in a specialized fashion going forward.”

The group continues that, not only are current golfers experiencing more back injuries than their predecessors, but that they are victims to such issues earlier in life than non-golfers in their age range.

This line of thinking is not new, as Phil Mickelson has long been a proponent of these findings. “You can play golf for a lifetime and injury-free if you swing the club like Bobby Jones did, like Ernest Jones used to teach—where it’s a swinging motion rather than a violent movement,” Mickelson said at the 2016 Masters. “A lot of the young guys get hurt as they create this violent, connected movement, and I don’t believe that’s the proper way to swing the golf club.”

While the report can be worrisome for golfers both professional and amateur, other health experts maintain stretching and improving your core muscles can stave off injury. Golf Digest Fitness Advisor Ben Shear says back discomfort can be avoided by “Strengthening the muscles at the bottom of the spine, and improve flexibility in the mid and upper back.”

Link to article: Click here

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How to hit the deceptive ‘fluffy’ lie chip shot, according to a three-time PGA Tour winner

Source: GOLF.com
By GOLF Editors

PGA Tour player Russell Henley explains how to hit the tricky, fluffy chip shot…

You missed the green, but hey, the ball’s sitting up in the rough. Good, right? Maybe. In this situation, it’s not always certain how the ball will come out. As with all short-game shots, crisp contact is the key.

Step 1: Even if you’re short-sided, refrain from opening the face too much. With the ball up, you risk sliding the club right underneath it if you add extra loft. The ball won’t go anywhere. I keep the face square in this situation, or barely opened if I really need more loft to stop it close.

Step 2: I swing as if I’m hitting a little draw, with the club moving in-to-out and my hands rolling over slightly through impact. This helps the club remain shallow, which usually results in cleaner contact. My main thought is to get as many grooves on the ball as possible. Think “glide,” not “chop.”

Link to article: Click here

 

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Dave Pelz’s 10 truths about putting

We found some great tips & musings from Dave Pelz on putting. Read about them below!

Source: GOLF.com

DAVE PELZ Thursday, July 12, 2018

I could talk for weeks about my 50-year infatuation with all things putting. But I figured I’d just give you the CliffsNotes instead.

1. Putting is important.

Regardless of skill level, putting accounts for approximately 43 percent of your total strokes, taking into account your good putting days and the ones where you’re ready to snap your flatstick over your knee. Lower this percentage and your scores will go down. Allocate at least one-third of your practice time to becoming the best putter you can be.

2. Aim is critical.

You can’t dominate with your putter if you don’t know how to aim it correctly, or how much break to play. Nail these fundamentals first.

3. Keep your stroke “on-line” through the impact zone.

If you hook or cut-spin your putts, your chance of success goes down. If your putts roll off the face in the same direction your putter is heading immediately after impact, that’s good. If your putter moves one way and the ball another, you’ve got problems.

Dave Pelz wants to share his putting truths.

4. Face angle is even more important than stroke path.

And not insignificantly — it’s six times more important. Even if your path is good, unduly opening or closing the face at impact spells doom.

5. You’re only as skilled as your impact pattern.

Catching putts across the face produces varying ball speeds. Find one impact point. My recommendation: the sweet spot.

6. Putts left short never go in.

When you miss, your putts should end up 17 inches past the hole. If you roll them faster, you’ll suffer more lip-outs. Roll them slower and the ball will be knocked off line by imperfections (footprints, pitch marks, etc.) in the green.

7. Proper putt speed comes from proper rhythm.

At our schools, we incorporate rhythm into pre-putt rituals, then carry that same rhythm through the stroke. Rhythm is the harbinger of consistency. You’ve got to find your own, and groove it.

8. Putting is a learned skill.

Having the “touch” in your mind’s eye to know how firmly to stroke a putt (so its speed matches the break), and then also having the “feel” in your body to execute that touch is gained only through experience and solid practice. See No. 1.

9. Be patient.

Sometimes poorly-struck putts go in and well-struck putts miss. Sometimes badly-read greens compensate for poorly struck putts. Results can confuse golfers when they don’t understand the true fundamentals of putting. Having the patience to learn to be a good putter is an incredible virtue for a golfer.

10. Putting is like life.

You don’t have to be perfect, but you can’t do any of the important things badly. My advice? Believe in yourself. Becoming a great putter isn’t easy, but it’s possible (Phil Mickelson, at age 48, is enjoying the finest putting season in his career). Maintain a good, hardworking attitude as you work through items 1 through 9. I’ve seen success stories happen thousands of times. Everyone is capable of improving.

Link to article: Click here
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Michael Breed: Try My Secret Move To Flush It From Any Lie

Here’s a good tip we found from GolfDigest to help you with muddy lies.

Source: GolfDigest By Michael Breed

If winter for you meant no golf, I know you’re itching to get back out there. First, we need to do a little prep work. I’ve learned from all my years in New York that spring lies—those muddy ones with no cushion under the ball—are prime territory for fat shots. And when you hit a few of those, you can lose it fast. Let’s talk.

Golfers who are afraid of hitting the ball fat tend to bend over too much, with their weight on their toes. They feel more in control if they’re closer to the ball. But your body will find its balance as you swing, so you’ll pull up and dump the club behind the ball (fat) or hit it thin. To stay in the shot, set your weight in the arches of your feet. Next: ball position. With an iron, play the ball in line with a spot on your body between the buttons on your shirt and your chest logo (short irons in line with the buttons, longer irons farther forward). I’ve got a 6-iron here (see below).

Image: Click here

Now I’m going to give you just one swing key to think about: Drive your left shoulder closer to your left hip as you start the downswing (far right). That’s probably a strange concept for you, so let’s break it down. I want you to shift toward the target and feel like your upper body is leaning that way, your spine tilting left—we call that side bend. That will shift the low point of your swing in front of the ball so you hit the ball, then the ground. You’ll love that crisp impact, and your confidence will soar because you won’t be worrying about the next iffy lie.

That move—left shoulder toward left hip—also causes your upper body to turn open slightly. Perfect, because that brings your arms and the club back in front of your body, which is another key to avoiding fat shots. Golfers blame fat contact on a steep, choppy swing, but a shallow swing will often skim the ground before impact—and that’s fat, too. The common denominator is, the club hits the ground too soon. Driving your left shoulder forward will prevent that and add compression to your strikes.

So get the ball in the right spot, set your weight in your arches, and focus on that left shoulder. You’ll have the pieces in place to hit it solid—and beat those muddy lies. Come on, spring!

BUTTONS TO THE BALL Focus on two positions at address: (1) Weight in the arches of your feet, never on your toes; (2) Ball just ahead of your shirt buttons (for a middle iron).

TURN INTO YOUR RIGHT SIDE Let your weight shift to the heel of your right foot, and be ready to drive forward. What you do next will determine how solidly you strike the ball.

LEFT SHOULDER TO LEFT HIP This is the key move for solid contact: Drive your left shoulder toward your left hip to start down. When you feel like your spine is tilting left, you’ve got it.

Michael Breed is Golf Digest’s Chief Digital Instructor.

Link to article: Click here

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Membership Bonuses Before February 28th!

LOOKING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY GOLF IN 2019?

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We are offering many deals to existing and new members.

We have always viewed our members at Irish Hills as part of the family.  Not a member yet?  We welcome the opportunity to get to know you better, help your game improve, and have a lot of fun with new friends.

At Irish Hills, we care about making every round enjoyable. How? We are always willing to give you tips and advice for what you are looking for to improve. We even invite our members to play in our groups. We care about you, your game, and we love celebrating your success!

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Memberships start as low as $700 and offer proshop discounts and exclusive lesson rates.

Choose between Single, Single with Cart, Couple, and Couple with Cart. Valid from date of purchase until December 31st, 2019.

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Brooks Koepka sounds off on Bryson DeChambeau, fellow players’ slow play: Hitting a golf ball “Is not that hard…it’s kind of embarrassing”

A  host of players have defended professional golf from its stigma of slow play. Brooks Koepka isn’t one of them.

Pace of play has increasingly become an issue for the sport’s top circuits, and it was in the spotlight again over the weekend thanks to Bryson DeChambeau’s deliberate pre-shot preparation at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Both Koepka and DeChambeau are playing in this week’s European Tour event in Saudi Arabia. Speaking on Golf Monthly’s podcast to Michael Weston, Koepka was asked about his thoughts on the criticism DeChambeau and other players have received for slow play. The three-time major winner did not sugarcoat his response.

Source: Golf Digest

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Tiger Woods opens as a Torrey Pines favorite

Farmers Insurance Open - Round Three

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods makes his 2019 debut at the Farmers Insurance Open this week, his first official PGA Tour appearance since last fall’s triumph at East Lake. Thanks to his successful comeback campaign in 2018, this year’s foray at Torrey Pines doesn’t boast the build-up as Woods’ previous post-surgery starts in La Jolla, the attention shifted to what’s ahead rather than the state of the 43-year-old’s physicality and game.

Not to say this tournament lacks hype. If the bookmakers are to be believed, Tiger fans could be in for a treat. Whereas Woods was viewed as a toss-up to make the cut last year, the sharps have circled the 14-time major winner as one of the event favorites, entering at +1200 (only Jon Rahm and Justin Rose have lower odds). That might seem audacious for Woods, given he hasn’t played competitively since the Hero World Challenge. Conversely, the man is no stranger to Torrey Pines, bagging eight professional victories at the property.

In honor of Tiger’s first 2019 outing, here are nine wagers, odds and bets from BetDSI Sportsbook to monitor this week.

Will Tiger Woods make the cut? (Yes -170, No +140)
Officially, Woods ended his 2018 on a tear with a runner-up at the PGA Championship, a T-6 at the BMW Championship and his win at the Tour Championship. Unfortunately for Woods, his performance at the Ryder Cup, the made-for-TV match with Phil Mickelson and the Hero were on the opposite end of the spectrum, as Tiger was clearly gassed. Still, with almost two months of rest—coupled with the fact that he’s only missed the cut once at Torrey—”Yes” is an easy call.

Will Tiger Woods finish in the top 5? (Yes +400, No -650)
Woods’ most recent win at Torrey was in 2013; it’s also his only top-20 finish at the event since 2008. We’re not deterring your resolve from rolling with the plus-400…we just don’t endorse it, either.

Will Tiger Woods finish in the top 10? (Yes +200, No -265)
Woods did post seven top-10 finishes in just 18 starts last year, but copy and paste the sentiments from above. Of note, the last time Tiger finished inside the top 10 at Torrey but didn’t win the tournament was 2004.

Tiger Woods highest score on any hole: Over 6.5 (-130), Under 6.5 (+100)
Framed in another fashion: Do you think Woods will make a double on a par 5, triple on par 4 or quad on a par 3? We don’t want to meet the sorry soul that dares to vouch “yes” to any of these items.

Tiger Woods lowest score (18 holes) on North Course: Over 70.5 (-120), Under 70.5 (-110)
Last year the North was right in the middle of the pack in course difficulty on tour, coming in at 0.590 strokes under par. Woods shot 71 on the North in 2018; with calm weather in the forecast, expect Woods to break that figure this week.

Tiger Woods lowest score (18 holes) on South Course: Over 71.5 (-110), Under 71.5 (-120)
Only four courses (not counting major venues) were tougher in 2018 than the South. If Woods makes the cut, he’ll get three chances on the course, and it’s likely that one of those go-arounds will go, ahem, south. Over is the safe play.

Tiger Woods cumulative score for The Undertow (Holes 2, 3, 4 on North Course): Over 11 (+100), Under 11 (-130)
It reads 4-3-4 on the card, but this stretch features the fourth, first and second hardest holes on the North. Nevertheless, Woods made it through unscathed last season. The biggest deadlock of the bunch, but we like Woods to replicate last year’s feats.

Tiger Woods full tournament FIR (must make cut): Over 56.5 percent (-110), Under 56.5 percent (-120)
Call your accountant, unload all your stocks, call in whatever monetary favors are outstanding and place all funds on the under. Though Woods’ driving accuracy steadily improved throughout the summer, Torrey Pines flaunts some of the tightest confines on tour. Considering he hit just 21.43 percent of fairways at the Farmers Insurance Open last year, that 56.5 percentage is a pipe dream.

Will Tiger Woods hold an overnight lead? (Thursday-Saturday): Yes +500, No -900
Our educated guess says no. But for those adventurous enough to take this wager, parlay it with a top 5 or top 10 finish to get the most bang for your buck.

Source: golfdigest.com

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Keep Your Golf Resolutions in 2019

5 tips to help you keep your golf resolutions in 2019

The new year has arrived and a lot of you golfers out there might be uttering the words, “new year, new me.”

Most of us make New Year’s resolutions and, unfortunately, most of us fail to see them through for all 365 days.

If your resolution involved improving your golf game in 2019, here’s a list of things you can do every day/week — even if you’re in the bitter cold like a lot of folks right now — to help you achieve those goals.

And, once it warms up in your area, you can take all five of these drills outside.

5. Exercise. Yeah, we know. That’s what we should be doing every day anyway, right? But when it comes to golf, you don’t want to be tight. There are a number of stretches you can do right from your desk while reading emails that will benefit your arms, shoulders, neck, back, hips and legs for golf season.

Even better, place one of those handy, elastic, tension bands in the top drawer of your desk.

4. Take 100 swings per day in your house or garage… without a golf ball. The best players in the world visualize the shot they want to hit before they hit it. With a drill like this one, you’re going to be forced to visualize, because there’s no ball there to hit. If you’re able, place a mirror in front of you and pay attention to the positions of your address, takeaway, the top of your swing and impact position as well as follow through. Do it in slow motion. Become an expert on your swing.

3. Work on your chipping. Can’t do it outside? No worries. You can purchase a chipping net, or even put down a hula-hoop as a target. Get a few foam golf balls and a tiny turf mat to hit the balls off of.

Will it produce the same feel as a real golf ball? Of course not. But what it will do is force you to focus on a target and repeat the same motion over and over. After a long layoff, “touch,” is the first thing that goes for all golfers.

This will help you to work on some semblance of touch all winter long.

2. Practice your putting. Anywhere. All you need is a putter, a golf ball, a flat surface and an object — any object — to putt at. If you’re so inclined, rollout turf can be purchased for around $20 with holes cut out.

Since the greens are where you’re going to take most of your strokes, doesn’t it make sense to dial that in whenever possible? It can be fun too. Does your significant other, roommate, or child play? Have regular putting contests.

The feel you gain during those sessions may not seem like much, but man will they come in handy when your season begins on the real grass.

1. Make a weekly appointment with your PGA Professional. Even in areas of the country that are suffering through the cruelest of winter conditions, you can always find a place to hit golf balls inside. Contact your local PGA Professional to find out where places like this in your area exist. You might be surprised at all the options you have.

Learn about lessons with Irish Hills

Source: pga.com

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