Drills to play better

What is golf?

1. A game where you yell “Fore,” shoot five and write down six.

2. A good walk spoiled.

3. What you play when you’re too slow for tennis and too sane for skydiving.

These are just some of the definitions of golf I’ve heard. They’re funny but what’s sad is that they’re not always inaccurate.

As we shuffle towards spring, this issue of Finding the Tips is dedicated to showing you how to hit better golf shots and enjoy this crazy game even more!

In this issue

• Shape shots on command

• Set your wrists

• 3 tips for straighter shots

• On the lighter side

• Need help with a golf problem?

Shape shots on command

The Golf Sensei is back with one of his students, showing him and us how to hit fades and draws on command.

For those of us who suffer from slicing or hooking the ball, using his method to curve the ball will help you control your curve tendencies. If you’re a slicer, learning how to hit a draw or hook will help you be a more complete player. And the same is true for those who duck hook the ball. Learning to hit the fade or slice on command will really improve your game.

He also offers advice on how to shape the ball left or right with different trajectories, high or low.

Practice these skills and then play a round where you call your shots: “I’m going to hit a low fade,” or “I’m going to hit a high draw.” This opens up a whole new avenue for fun and challenge on the golf course!

Set your wrists

For some of us, the mystery of cocking the wrists, or wrist set, in the golf swing is vexing. Should I set the wrists early or late? How should I do it? What should I feel?

Giles Gill delves into the why, when and how of wrist set in this great video. He explains that wrist set is paramount at impact. He also reassures us that how you get to that position varies from player to player.

Many tour pros set their wrists early. An equal number set them later. But all of them have great wrist set at impact.

Giles walks us through the feels we can employ to achieve proper wrist set, and he gives us two simple drills so we can feel and see that we are doing it correctly.

When you have great wrist set you will enjoy better contact, more distance and improved accuracy.

3 tips for straighter shots

The Big Kahuna of YouTube golf brings his 2.76 million subscribers a great new instructional video this week. You’ll learn how to aim, control the clubface and improve your club path.

If you want to improve your play, hitting the target is a priority. Rick reminds us that we need to aim correctly and advises that we select a spot on the target line that’s just a few feet in front of the ball. Aim at that and the ball will fly on target that you have chosen.

Another key element of your swing is controlling the clubface. Many of us are guilty of rolling our wrists or forearms in the backswing, opening the face. Some of us are aware of that issue and keep the club too closed on the backswing. Rick shows us how to check the clubface when our arms are parallel to ground on the backswing and again on the follow through. In both locations, the toe of the club should be just slightly ahead of the heel The result will be better contact and straighter flight,

Rick’s third tip has to do with club path. You can aim correctly and control the clubface, but if the club is swinging out to in or in to out, the ball will slice or hook off target. Rick shows us how to use an alignment stick to cure the slice or hook that plagues your accuracy.

On the lighter side

At least someone enjoys the way we play golf.

Need help with a golf problem?

That’s it for this issue of Finding the Tips. I hope you are able to pull out a nugget or two of golf wisdom that will help you play the game we love a little better,

If there’s something you’d like to see in the newsletter — like a tip that will help with an issue in your game — reply to this email and tell me what it is. I reply to every email I get. I don’t have the answers, but the great instructors and coaches on YouTube do!

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