Practice, learn, rhythm and bounce

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As we head into the dog days of summer here in Canada, I hope you’re getting the chance to play golf regularly.

For most people, golf becomes more fun as we start to play better and post lower scores.

But in truth, golf is a journey and every step in those travels is an opportunity to enjoy friends, including new ones you make on the golf course.

In this issue

• Think like a pro

• Live lesson with Erika Larkin

• Swing it like Fred Astaire

• Learn to use the bounce

Think like a pro

Wicked Smart Golf is quickly becoming one of my favorite YouTube golf channels. This week, Michael Leonard offers up five golf practice tips that will help you improve your game faster. He draws these tips from Decade Golf.

What is Decade Golf? Michael explains: “Decade Golf is a course management system created by Scott Fawcett and used by some of the top players in the world including Bryson DeChambeau, Will Zalatoris and many others.

“The good news is you don't have to swing like those guys to think like them,” says Michael. “(Decade Golf) helps you make better decisions on the golf course.”

Here are the five golf practice tips that Michael and Decade Golf espouse.

1. Play one shot shape. You don’t have to hit draws or fades on command. Just hit the shot – draw or fade – that works best for you and practice it religiously.

2. Spend more time in block practice, rather than variable practice. Block practice is hitting the same shot at the same target again and again, until the skill is ingrained in you.

3. Practice putting with purpose. Use drills and systems so that you can measure improvement.

4. Incorporate block practice into your putting practice. Concentrate on building a repeatable and consistent putting setup.

5. Practice your pre-shot routine. Developing a pre-shot routine during practice will make it easier for you to employ that routine on the golf course.

Live lesson with Erika Larkin

Erika Larkin is a Golf Digest Top 50 coach. In this video, she lets us watch a lesson she gave to a player with a handicap of about 13.

She helps him free up his swing by having him concentrate on having lighter trail hand grip pressure and helping him use his body to release the club. As result, maximum speed is created just past impact. In other words, the clubhead is accelerating through impact. Erika also helps him with posture which gives him more accuracy.

Watching this lesson may well help you swing more freely by using your body more and your arms and hands less.

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Swing it like Fred Astaire

If you want to see some great footwork, an effortless golf swing and an entirely next level demonstration of rhythm, balance and grace, watch this clip of dancer Fred Astaire who was a major movie star for five decades starting in the 1930s.

After he took up golf, Fred’s natural athleticism contributed to his reputation as one of the best Hollywood golfers of his era.

Learn to use the bounce

When you’re chipping, pitching, playing a bunker shot or trying to hit a high flop shot, you need to have control of the bounce on your lofted clubs.

But just what is the bounce?

The bounce refers to the angle between the leading edge of clubface and the lowest point of the sole or trailing edge. While the leading edge tends to dig into the turf or sand, the bounce slides.

Paul Azinger demonstrates a drill that shows you just how talented the great players are.

To practice and develop his control over the bounce on the underside of his sand wedge, he takes a swing and drives a tee straight down into the ground using the bounce.

Amazing! Will you give this a try?

Whether you try the drill or not, please do forward this newsletter to all your golf friends who might enjoy it!