Playing Lessons | Last week's top four gems!

As the weather has improved over the past few weeks, I've been spending more time on the golf course with my clients.

Playing lessons are a fantastic learning opportunity for both player and coach. As a coach, it allows me to understand specific strengths and weaknesses of my client's game. This will play a key role in developing their improvement plan. However, it's also an excellent opportunity for clients to learn to manage their game better. A lot of what we work on during playing lessons is course management.

I have narrowed down my top four gems from last week's playing lessons that I believe can help my connections. These tips apply to most amateur golfers regardless of experience or ability.

1. Using your caddie as a reference for putting

I like my clients to not rely on their caddie but instead use their green reads as a reference to compare with their own.

A caddie may see the ball going into the hole at a different speed than the player. How a player visions the ball entering the hole will play a massive role in determining the line. Suppose the caddie sees the ball entering the hole with a firm pace. They will read less break than the player who prefers to die the ball into the hole.

I like to hit my putts softly, so I tend to play more break than my caddie suggests. A good caddie will adjust their read to your style of putting. But I still mainly use them for a reference. Ultimately the onus is on me to hit the correct putt. This is why I like my clients to practice and develop strong green reading skills so that they can judge the line and use the caddie read as a backup.

2. Always take a practice swing in the rough!

The number of times I've seen players take a practice swing in the rough without making contact with the grass is crazy! A practice swing is an opportunity to test the thickness and resistance of the rough.

I like my clients to take a couple of practice swings in the rough, making contact with the grass each time; this will help determine what type of shot to hit, what club is most appropriate, and overall help them understand how the club will interact with the grass. Once you understand how thick the rough truly is, the decision making process becomes more manageable.

Many amateur golfers tend to not select the right club out of the rough, usually taking a low lofted club. It's much better to take a higher lofted club that will GUARANTEE you get out of the thick rough and closer to the hole rather than play aggressive and put yourself in a poor position for your next shot.

Sometimes taking your medicine is the best decision. DON'T GET GREEDY!

3. Use driving lanes off the tee

Most amateurs fade or slice the ball, yet they continue to tee up in the center of the tee box and aim down the middle of the fairway, thus giving themselves only half the fairway to hit into.

I like my clients who shape the ball to use the tee box to their advantage. For example, if you hit a fade or slice, I recommend you tee up on the right side of the tee box and aim down the left center of the fairway. In this instance, you are curving the ball back to the center. If you over curve it, at worst, it should end up in the right rough; if you hit it straight, it should finish in the left center of the fairway.

Considering your usual shot shape, the left miss isn't likely. It's the opposite if you hit a draw; in this instance, I recommend you tee it up on the left side of the tee box and aim down the right center of the fairway.

4. Keeping the clubface clean

This might seem like another obvious tip, folks, but it's something I have to remind my clients to do constantly. I see time and time again a player taking a practice swing and debris building on the face, then they step into the shot straight away to hit.

Debris on the face has a significant impact on variables such as ball speed & spin rate. It can reduce spin by up to one third. The ball tends to launch higher and has less spin, thus making it more difficult to get the ball to stop on the green.

Pay particular attention to the face on your wedges. I recommend cleaning the face after every shot when practicing. This will ensure the most friction and consistent launch and spin to achieve optimum control!

Thanks for reading this week's article. If you are interested in booking a playing lesson this season or have a question regarding golf instruction, please don't hesitate to drop me a message!