Learn to play golf Free

Lesson 26 Best of the Best.
We have reached our final lesson, what have we learnt? We know that to teach golf with text and illustrations depends on your students taking the time to study.
Then printing off the instruction they need, and going to the range and have a structured and meaningful  practice session. ( That does not mean blasting buckets of balls down the range with your driver)
However it is clear that 80% of our members do not take the time to read or practice.
To read a lesson take 15 minutes, to extract from that lesson the instruction, elements you need to improve your game maybe another 15 minutes of study.
If you cannot concentrate and focus for 30 minutes, then to stay in the zone for 18 holes of golf is going to prove difficult.
So get your heads down and make a firm commitment to read and learn to practice and develop and natural swing that you can repeat every time. Spend hours on your short game. Soon you will be the envy of all your colleagues and fellow club members, you will be winning the monthly medal and club competitions, be asked to play in the first team.
However we do agree that we need commission a professional course: On video and DVD. In the interim please read the lessons continue to work with your coach that is an ongoing FREE service and will continue for the foreseeable future.
We are going to feature the best of the best – and go through all the shots you will encounter in a round of golf.
Pre-Shot routine
Your pre-shot routine must be practised until it is second nature. Determine your optimum target area, and the correct distance from the tee. Taking into account all these factors hazards, water, bunkers, trees, heavy rough, out of bounds. Wind direction from behind, wind against, swirling. Is the fairway narrow or wide? Does it dog leg right or left? Where are the Fairway Bunkers?

Now select the correct club, you should know the distance with your metal three wood, on average 200 yards, driver 220-230 yards depending on the wind and ball selection.
Between the tee blocks select precisely where to place your tee, it needs to be positioned to give you a direct line to your target. Your tee MUST to be the correct height, so the ball is level with the sweet spot on your club.
Now step back behind the ball line it up with the target, the logo on the ball can be adjusted like a rifle sight to point to the target. Step back behind the ball check the target line. Maybe select an old divot a short distance ahead which is in line with your target, aim to hit the ball over this marker.

Line the logo up with the target area, and set the height in line with the sweet spot on your club

Take a relaxed practice swing. Step up to the ball. Arms and club stretched out in front of you, slowly bend fore-ward from the hips until the club touches the ground behind the ball. Take your stance the width of your shoulders. Feet aligned slightly left of the target, check your grip, do not grip the club too tight. Pressure =same as squeezing a tube of tooth past you are now ready to take the shot. Take one last look at the target, deep breath relax no tension in the arms, just think rhythm and timing, keep your eyes fixed on the ball. Do NOT freeze over the ball waggle the club, push back low a smooth with the left arm your upper body starting to turn, DO not sway back, only the upper body turning (SET IT LOSE MOTHER GOOSE). That is your tempo. Pull down with the left arm in control keep your head down eye fix on the ball hit right through the ball the club staying low and in line with the target.
Key objective to teach your mind and body to synchronize Maintain balance, smooth transfer of weight from right to left follow though, DO NOT LOOK UP UNTIL THE BALL HAS GONE.
Once you have a swing that is smooth natural and you can repeat it every time then will be a single handicap golfer.
Course management
Know what you want to do before you take the shot. Always go through your Pre-shot routine. Take a practice swing push back low to the ground, take away in line with the target until pasted the outside of your right foot, allow your wrists to cock naturally keep your head still eyes fixed on the back of the ball left arm straight full turn, weight transferring from left to right, DO NOT LEAN your upper body turns square, start your down swing upper turn back pull down with the left arm, club returning on the same line reaching the point of impact exactly the same as it was at address.
With your practice swing check the divot, it should be 90% on the target side of the ball position; your club should not touch the ground before impact with the ball.
To achieve consistent solid contact with the ball you must ensure the ball is placed in the correct position related to your stance. That applies to all shots.
You need a high level of concentration as you prepare to take your shot. But just for a few seconds.
DO NOT freeze over the ball
When you start your back swing relax and switch into relaxed happy mode try to move with the balance timing and rhythm of a good dancer. One -piece takeaway, push back with your left hand low and smooth in line with the target, turn fully, coil your upper body against the resistance of the lower body, keep the right knee flexed, left arm straight, complete the back swing, make a smooth transition, pull down with the left hand, butt pointing to the ball, open up your hips to the target on the down swing, keep your head still and behind the ball, hit through the ball, rotate your wrists, extend your arms towards the target, good transfer of weight and balance.
Develop feel; the club needs to feel just like an extension to your arms, Swing with rhythm- timing.
Important
Throughout the swing your left hand remains in control push back with the left hand pull down with the left hand.
Do not allow your strong right hand to take control if you do you will never keep the ball straight NEVER underestimate the importance of set up and pre-shot routine. Sure we would all like to emulate the pro swing. However Set-up first —- swing later.
Commitment, it takes self-discipline, time and determination to get it right.
Practice set up in front of a large mirror, or the reflection in the patio glass. In front of a mirror there will no be hazards or wind, but still train your mind to check every thing as you prepare for your shot.
Step up to the ball. Arms and club stretched out in front of you, slowly bend fore-ward from the hips until the club touches the ground behind the ball.
Take your stance the width of your shoulders. Aligned to the target.

Check your grip

Your grip is important, well worth paying attention to every single detail in your set up must be right.

Do not grip the club too tight. Pressure = same as squeezing a tube of tooth paste.
Clubface set square to the ball and in line with the target. Club and hands must be taken back smoothly in one piece. Feel the club it is an extension of your arms.
Take the club back smoothly, low and in line with the target until it is past your right foot, then allow to arc up and around your body. Make a full turn, left shoulder turning underneath your chin, left arm kept straight.
With a good shoulder turn your wrists will cock naturally. The club must return on the same line, point of impact being exactly the same as it was that address, head still eyes focused on the ball, hit through the ball in line with the target, your wrists rotating, full follow through.
Your key objective is to maintain perfect balance smooth easy swing the weight transferring on the down swing from right to left, with the rhythm tempo and timing. IF YOU ARE LOSING YOUR BALANCE then you are swinging too hard and too fast. Objective to allow your upper body to turn, pushing the club back with the left arm low and in line with the target, weight transferring from left to right. DO NOT LEAN TURN SHOULDERS SQUARE, left arm straight a crossed your chest under your chin, allowing the wrists to cock naturally, at full turn your back should be to the target, the head of your club should be pointing to the target, your right thumb on the underside of your grip.
With one smooth movement start your down swing pulling down with the left arm body turning with timing, Do not allow your arms to get ahead of your body, you must return to point of impact exactly the same as you were at address, keep your head still eyes on the ball. Do not look up until after the ball has gone. Hit right through the ball your wrists turn right arm straight, keep the club going straight in line with the target, upper body turning; your belt buckle should now be pointing at the target, with your weight on the left foot.
It is a Macho thing to try and generate as much club head speed as possible, drive 280 yards. But believe me if that ball is not on the Fairway you WILL drop shots, hit out of bounds, lost ball, in the trees, in the water, in the hazard. That is rubbish golf. Play Tee to

Notice left arm straight, eye on the ball, hit through the ball not at the ball. Your divot should be the under te ball NOT before you reach the point of impact

Fairway — Fairway to green.
More Distance
Objective MORE DISTANCE

When Tiger was at his best he would always attack, 380 yard drives

Go through your pre-shot routine. Check all the possible hazards, bunkers, water, out of bounds, and the distance to your target.
Select the optimum position within the tee box; tee the ball high so it lines up with the sweet spot on your driver. Line the logo up with the target.
Visualize the shot in your mind, the ball flying high and straight, landing right on target.
Keep that vision clear in your mind.
Your practice swing should pre-empt the swing you intend to make, which as always should be a smooth natural swing with tempo, timing, balance, rhythm.
At address:
Widen your stance, with left toe pointed out, 60% of your weight on right foot.
Place the ball in line with your left heel, and 32″ from your toes. Taken stance slightly left of target, bend from the waist till the club rests behind the ball.
Use a strong grip and light grip pressure. Waggle the club to relax muscles and rehearse hinging of right wrist.
Take a last look at the target, and then fix your eye on the ball. No tension, your arms forming a triangle, push back with your left arm low and in line with the target.
Maximize coil and keep body relaxed with a light grip. Hinge wrists fully at top of backswing.
Maximize coil your left shoulder and hip behind ball on backswing. Try not to lift left foot on backswing.
Keep your left arm bend at the top of the backswing. Start your downswing by pointing the butt end of the club toward the ball. Pull down with the left arm in control Relax arms, make a shallow approach, delay turning of shoulders on downswing, let arms extend and pull shoulders into finish. Accelerate the club slowly on downswing. Rotate shaft through impact.
Try to generate maximum club head speed when the club head passes the ball, not at or before impact. Keep head and upper body behind ball throughout swing. Try to keep your right heel on the ground longer on downswing to help keep your body back. Hit the ball on the upswing. Hit through the ball in line with the target 9: Long Irons and fairway metal woods
Long Irons often the best choice for your second or third shot, and Par three holes off the tee, refer to the yardage chart for distance you could expect to attain with each club the LOWER number should give you more distance.
For example your 6 iron should give you an accurate shot with a distance of 145 yards.
One of the ways I recommend to keep you timing and tempo. Keep this saying in mind:
Normal speech!! My favourite saying is: TEE IT HIGH LET IT FLY this is the time it should take from the start of your back swing to impact with the ball, you develop the club head speed on the down swing by having all your body and arm movement synchronized: giving you,balance, timing, tempo.
The degree of difficulty increases the *LOWER the number on the club. (Lower the number gives you less loft).
Three irons will give you 175 yards; with a lot of practice will be straight and long. Most average club players prefer to use a three wood for this distance, professional nearly always use the irons because they have a smooth repeatable swing and they or their caddies know the exact distance they can achieve with that particular club.
Most us how play with the latest drivers , they all have one thing in common large club heads, so we have become accustom to teeing the ball high in line with the sweet spot on you club.
You need to practice on the range, maintain a nice easy smooth swing with balance timing and tempo, and hit five balls with each club, record the distance of each ball then divide the total by five and that is the average distance for that club.
Of-course with the wedges that is the maxim distance, the short pitch or chip shots need soft hands, feel and touch.
Many golfers now play with the new hybrid (Iron-wood) which can promote higher more accurate shots.
Before you select your club check the distance, this can be the actual yardage to the flag, or the distance that will give you the ideal shot to the green. If it is too far to reach the green from the fairway or has hazards then most good players prefer to lie up to their best distance. (You can expect to play a good shot to the green with a pitching wedge from 100 yards out).
Do not forget to allow for cross winds; also make adjustments for the lie of the ball. E.g. slopes, ball above or below your feet rough grass.
Refer to your yardage chart; select the club for the distance. Select the club that allows you to make your normal full swing. No matter what the distance is your swing tempo remains the same every time, the club selected will control the loft and distance. Trust the club always no negative thoughts be confident and positive.
Chipping
There are a number of different clubs you can choose for chipping first we select the pitch wedge.
Ball position:
Just inside your right heel will produce a low running shot used when you have a lot of green to cover before reaching the hole.
Ball centre of stance will fly over a few yards of light fringe, and roll up to the pin.
Ball just inside you left heel will allow the ball to fly high over a hazard or several yards of rough grass and on to the green.
Allow your arms to swing back away from the ball and feel a gentle cocking of the wrists, now with unhurried rhythm, allow your arms to swing and shoulders turn through towards the target, keeping your hands ahead of the ball, making the back swing and through swing equal length.
Your short game and putting are the key to low scores, you need to practice for hours to develop the soft hands FEEL that allows you to play a perfect chip, play with a soft ball. Driving off the Tee is a thrill but only a small % of your game. More important is your short game, around the greens; this depends on correct selection of club and developing feel.
Shots from around the green
Semi – short rough: Use your SAND WEDGE or pitching wedge.
This is a difficult shot very much a feel shot played with confidence, Practice the following but until you have perfected technique do not use in a competitive game. From semi- rough with the ball sitting well down, Take your sand wedge, Open up the clubface, pointing to the target area where you would like the ball to land on the green, open stance e.g. feet hips and shoulders should point left of the the target area. Always think positive, land the ball let it roll into the cup.
Then swing along the line of your body, allowing your wrists to hinge on the back swing. On the down swing rotate hips and shoulders through towards the target this permits the club head to swing down on an out-to-in path and accelerate across the ball producing a high flight path and spin to stop the ball on the green.
Shot must be played with confidence providing your club is under the ball at impact; the ball will come out high land soft and stop.
Until you have perfected the fore-mention shot best you stay with your pitching wedge. Trust the loft on the club, do not try to Scoop the ball out. Take a wide stance, take the club straight back in line with the target, and allow the wrists to hinge on the back swing, nice smooth down swing do not quit on the shot follow through – keep your head down, the 52 or 60 degree loft on your wedge will pick the ball up and out. Allow the ball to land before the flag and roll up to or in the hole.
It is the touch and feel shots that make the difference between an average player and a single handicap player, if you are a good short game player you will gain the respect of your peers, most of them will be able to hit long drives few can play a good short game.
Shots from around the Green
Check the contours of the green this is in effect a long putting stoke and you are expecting to hole out. Think positive.
Ball position back in your stance, hands two inches in front of the club head. Stand square to the target; swing as if a long putting stroke, smooth pendulum action (tick tock).
This shot you need to consider many factors.
If you have an equal amount of short rough and green then use your pitch wedge smooth pendulum swing DO NOT TRY TO SCOOP the ball up trust me the loft of the club will lift the ball, all you need to do is position the ball back in your stance, hand well in front of the ball, stand tall do not move your legs just arms and shoulders, swing through the ball in line with the target. Hit to land the ball close to the pin.
Only a little fringe: and a lot of green to run up to the flag, then you can use a number of club with less loft, say a seven iron this same pendulum swing this time aim the land the ball on the green 50% of the way to the flag with sufficient speed to roll up to the hole.
Chipping: General
(There are a number of different clubs you can choose for chipping first we select the pitch wedge.)
Ball position
• Just inside your right heel will produce a low running shot used when you have a lot of green to cover before reaching the hole.
• Ball centre of stance will fly over a few yards of light fringe, and roll up to the pin.
• Ball just inside you left heel will allow the ball to fly high over a hazard or several yards of rough grass and on to the green.
Allow your arms to swing back away from the ball and feel a gentle cocking of the wrists, now with unhurried rhythm, allow your arms to swing and shoulders turn through towards the target, keeping your hands ahead of the ball, making the back swing and through swing equal length.
Your short game and putting is the key to low scores, you need to practice for hours to develop the soft hands FEEL that allows you to play a perfect chip, play with a soft ball.
Driving off the Tee is a thrill but only a small % of your game. More important is your short game, around the greens; this depends on correct selection of club and developing feel.
Putting: Long and short putts
Putting is by far the most important element of your game.
Just by never three putting you can save 10 shots. Always train your muscle memory, by measuring each shot in number of paces from the hole, this way you will learn to play perfect weight and length, you can visualize the shot and make adjustment in your mind, if the ball is 15 paces from the hole down hill in my mind I play the shot as if it was only 14 paces from the hole, if the putt is 15 paces from the hole up hill then I play it as a 16 pace shot.
There are many different ways to putt and you will have a putter you are confident with, but in the end it still comes down to feel and touch the putter is and extension of your mind, you must learn to visualize the ball rolling into the hole, transmit that vision, to ensure 100% coordination between mind, eyes and arms. Hours of practice, set your self objectives. Learn to read the greens, speed the amount of turn to expect.
Stand feeling comfortable. Keep your lower body perfectly still NO leg movement.
Check the line and contours of the green.
To prevent misalignment study the green very carefully. Your brain now has many calculations to consider, is the putt uphill or downhill, will it turn from right or from the left this depends on the contours of the green at what point will it start to turn, if it turns from right to left — then just how far right must I aim to ensure the ball drops in the hole.
Also consider the distance, length -amount of weight played is often more important than the correct line- you never want to three putt. On a long putt imagine a big bowl is the hole and you are aiming to get it in the bowl that way you will either get it in the hole or very close, at worst leaving your self a tap in putt short putts do not ground the putter head.
Ensure your clubface is square to the target, the target is not always the hole it is a point on the green where the ball will start to turn, or run away downhill.
PUTTING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT element in the game of golf – average of TWO on every green, if you are three putting then you will lose every game.

Head and eyes directly over the ball do keep your head and body perfectly still, NO movement in the legs.
Keep your back swing smooth. Rock the shoulders arms moving in a pendulum like motion.
Take the putter back only a short distance and then accelerate towards the ball keeping the putter blade going through smooth and square in line with the target.
DO NOT LIFT your head until the ball is well on its way, on short putts you should hear the ball drop in the hole, not see it. Practice your putting every chance you get, make your practice a challenging game, place six ball in a circle 2 yards away from the hole putt each one in turn you cannot go on to the next stage until you putt every ball in succession.
Next place one ball two paces from the hole and another ball every two paces from the first ball, putt the first ball then the second till all six are in the hole, this will implant the correct weight needed related to the number of paces the ball is from the hole.
Long putts
On a long putt hold the putter gently. It helps to point the logo on the ball in line with the hole or direction of play.
On long putts you can break the wrists on the back swing, also on the follow through this should give more feel.
Ball position opposite left instep this will ensure you brush the ball with a rising blow then the ball spins head over toe which help it stay on line.
Practice for long putts:
To develop a feel for weight needed, to ensure the ball travels the correct distance; this takes a lot of practice. To train your mind you need to practice. With the ball a set distance from the hole.
To do this on a flat green place at row of balls starting with one pace from the hole – then a ball every pace back to 15 paces. Start with the first ball, then putt each ball in turn. Then when you play this will teach you to think in terms of how many paces the ball is from the hole. In your mind add one pace for uphill; – take one pace off for downhill.
Practice long putts with just your right hand this will give you the feeling of the rolling ball.
You could also try to putt with your eyes closed this will enhance your senses and help you develop the touch and feel required to judge just how hard you need to stroke the ball for varying distances to the hole.
Speed will take the turn out of the putt, you need to be confident of your line sure that you can place the ball dead centre of the hole then you can putt with pace, most players elected to play a slow ball and judge the amount of turn required. Practice both once you decide which method gives you the best average, and then always play that way.
Practice PUTTING as often as you can certainly in Preference to hitting ball after ball on the range.
Putting is the most important element in golf, if you have a good short game and can putt, combined with good course management, you can play in the mid eighties. Putting is the one element in golf that gives you the opportunity to develop your game to another level.
OK that is the 26 lessons a full course. The feedback has been good and hundreds of members have reported a big improvement in their game, we have take 609 members from playing in the 90+ group to playing in the low eighties. Our objective to be the best golf page on the internet, we will go to DVD and videos next – plus kids golf, we will continue on line coaching ALL FREE.
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