This year we have made a comprehensive list of our favorite item(s) in each of 10 categories. If you are stumped for what to get your favorite golfer for Christmas, look no further. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or need more information on any of the ideas presented below.

1. Launch Monitor

Listen, we know it can get pretty expensive when it comes to a high quality launch monitor. If you are thinking of adding in a simulator, enclosure, etc, it can get even higher. There are a lot of options when it comes to launch monitors but we think the biggest bang for your buck and the launch monitor with the best quality for the price is…The Flightscope Mevo+. Make sure to add the Mevo+ Pro Package (an additional $1000 but well worth it) at check out. This launch monitor gives you ALL the data points you need in order to improve your game at home or on the range.

Check it Out

---

2. Training Aid

There is no training aid better than the SKLZ gold flex or Orange whip. They both accomplish the same thing and the benefits are numerous. This relatively inexpensive tool can help your tempo, swing path, weight transfer, and much more. It’s a tough one to wrap but definitely a must-have for the golfer on your list who is serious about improving his or her swing.

Purchase Here

---

3. Golf Lessons

We have to admit that we are a little biased here but we do think it’s a great gift idea for the golfer on your list. If they’ve never had a lesson before, are struggling with their swing, frustrated at the lack of progress, these are all reasons that a golf lesson can be beneficial. Our golf school offers a lot of different ways to learn including private lessons, group instruction, and even remote lessons that can be done from anywhere in the world. Check out our page for more information on ways you can surprise your favorite golfer with the gift of a better golf game.

Buy Now

---

4. Putting Tool

There are a bunch of different putting tools that are designed to really improve your short game and particularly on the green. Our absolute most favorite putting tool is the Dave Pelz 3 Pack Putting Clips. This putting tool is VERY inexpensive and perfect for a stocking stuffer. The benefits are incredible in helping your golfer hit the center of the putter face every time they putt.

Check it Out

---

5. Golf Balls

You can’t really go wrong with Titleist ProV1’s but if you are looking for a little bit less expensive but definitely VERY high quality, we recommend the Srixon Z-Star. At $20 cheaper per box, this is a definite must. EVERY golfer can use more balls…

Buy Now

---

6. Accessories

This is something we chose for this category because it’s something every golfer should have but very few will purchase for themselves until they absolutely need it. And sometimes by then, it’s too late. These winter weather gloves are water proof and most importantly they are warm. These are a great addition to any serious golfer’s bag.

Buy Now

---

7. Range Finder

We found both of these items to be great tools for getting your yardage on the course. Whether you want the information right on your wrist or you prefer the traditional method of getting your distance, these are both awesome. Click the button below to learn more about each product.

Range Finder

Golf Watch

Golf Watch

---

8. Gift Certificate

The beauty of this one is that your favorite golfer can choose whatever they want with the freedom of a gift certificate. The sky is the limit: golf lessons, clothes, clubs, accessories, golf travel, etc.

Gift Certificates

---

9. Rain Gear

Golf clothes are always a great choice. I think most golfers would say that they can never have enough golf shirts. However, along the lines of number 6, rain gear is something every golfer should have. Rain gear can get pretty pricey if you decide to go with Galvin Green or Taylormade for your gear but we think you can do pretty well with Sun Mountain or Columbia at a fraction of the price.

Take a Look

---

10. Plan a Golf Trip

This one is a little indulgent but we think it’s worth a mention. When it comes to creating memories, there’s nothing like pairing great golf with travel. We have some of our own golf trip dreams but if you are looking to make an impression, the experience will last a lifetime. Check out some of the amazing options right here in the US: Bandon Dunes, OR, Pebble Beach, CA, Pinehurst, NC, and Scottsdale, AZ. So many choices, we don’t have enough space here. Maybe we will save that for our next blog.

Did we miss something? What are you getting for that special golfer on your list?

I have been meaning to write this blog for MONTHS and finally am getting around to it. Back in May, Lauren and I traveled to a remote coastal Oregon region to play a handful of the most famous golf courses in the country, if not the world. It was an incredible experience and something that I would recommend to EVERY avid golfer I know. Here are some of my recommendations to make this trip epic!

1. Plan Ahead

The Pacific Coast is something to breathe in and appreciate

I can’t emphasize this enough. You need to plan this trip ahead of schedule especially if you plan to stay in the lodge (which I highly recommend). The lodge is comfortable, clean, has a great restaurant and a beautiful view of the 18th green with the Pacific Ocean in the background. This trip is doable last minute if you want to stay off site at an AirBnb but I would definitely plan to spend at least a couple nights in the lodge. Try to book your rounds at the same time you book your lodging to get the best tee times. Also, be prepared for a lot of different weather possibilities. We stopped off at the outlets on our way down to Bandon to pick up some good rain gear. We only needed it the first day but it was definitely a good thing to have. Even in May, the weather was cold, sometimes rainy, and overcast. The wind is always an issue so can make cooler temperatures feel even colder. Don’t obsess over the weather, just prepare for it.

2. Fly into Portland and Rent a car

We flew into Portland with a stopover in Denver and rented a car at the Portland Airport. We arrived late on a Friday night so got one night at a hotel near the airport and picked up our car in the morning. From there we headed west toward the coast and started our drive down the coast at Cannon Beach. If you have time, I have heard it’s worth a trip up to Astoria which is just north. We had breakfast in Cannon Beach and then headed for a leisurely drive down the Oregon Coast. What a beautiful place to explore. We gave ourselves some time and stopped at a hotel on the way. This particular hotel was dingy and dated and around the same price as the Lodge at Bandon Dunes. So my recommendation would be to continue down the coast and stay at Bandon.

Lauren on the iconic hole #16 at Bandon Dunes

3. Be prepared to play a lot of golf

There is little else to do in Bandon Dunes other than play golf. The restaurant scene is limited and really just there to refuel before the next round. However, I will say, we had one of the best bartenders we have ever had at the Lodge restaurant, Christian. If you make it there and he’s working, have him make you his margarita. It was incredible. If you are traveling with non-golfers, they may not find much to do. I believe there’s a small spa on the property but little else. Remember, your first round of the day is full price, second round of the day is half off, and if you are lucky enough to squeeze in a third round, it’s FREE. There are six full courses on the property as well as a fun Par 3. So much golf and you will not get bored, I promise.

4. Having a Caddie is Optional but walking is NOT

Mike teeing off on Pacific Dunes

We reserved a caddie on our first day when we were booked for Pacific Dunes. However, due to a miscommunication, our caddie didn’t show up and we decided to go off on our own. The weather was a bit sketchy on our first day there. We played in the afternoon in a chilly rain that came and went at semi-regular intervals. It was tough to navigate some of the holes but there were plenty of rangers around the course to help direct you where to go, where to aim, etc. If you are planning on trying to play really well, a caddie may be a worthwhile investment. For us, it didn’t make sense. Day 2 started off at Sheep Ranch which is the newest of the courses. An early tee time had us teeing off in the 40’s under an overcast sky. We paired up with a man and his young son who were a joy to play with. Sheep Ranch is a cool track with nearly a mile of coastline and 9 holes on the edge of the continent. It features no bunkers (because that might make it too difficult) but the course is a lot of fun. Definitely a must see. We finished by noon and grabbed some lunch in the lodge. After a little resistance from Lauren, I convinced her to play another round. We got on Bandon Dunes shortly have 1 to get in a quick 18. Bandon Dunes is nothing short of spectacular. Rolling fairways, vibrant gorse, epic reveal of the Pacific Ocean, amazing. Of course it’s a must play. We actually ended up playing it twice as we had a tee time for the next morning as well. Our final round paired us with an older couple who opted to take a caddie. What we realized in that epically long round was that having a caddie may help you on the course but costs you a lot of time in the long run. Ultimately it’s a personal choice and one you have to make for yourself.

However, there are no carts at Bandon Dunes and you must be able to walk the course to play it. It would be wise to prepare your body for the exertion of playing multiple rounds and walking the entire course while carrying your bag. Having a caddie would be helpful in this regard as he or she will carry your bag for you.

Fireside at Sheep Ranch

5. Try to play all the courses when you go

We were able to play Sheep Ranch, Pacific Dunes, and Bandon Dunes twice. After chatting with the locals, the general consensus was that Bandon Trails was the favorite. For those who had been frequent guests, Old MacDonald was also a fan favorite. In hindsight we wished we had been able to play all the courses including the par 3. I guess we will just have to check it out next time. Try to go for 3-4 nights and plan to play 36 holes at least 1-2 days during your stay. Go with avid golfers as it will make it much more fun for you!

Ultimately, Bandon Dunes is a must see for anyone who loves golf. But there’s not much else so make sure you go with people who are obsessed with golf the way we are! Enjoy yourself, prepare for some rough weather and dress accordingly, and enjoy every moment of it.

While Michael Block didn’t win the Wannamaker Trophy at this year’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York, he easily won American hearts and went back home with more than just a paycheck.

Image courtesy of CNN

While Michael Block’s road to the PGA Championship was not atypical, it certainly had a remarkable and unrivaled finish. Block is the PGA Head Golf Professional at his home course, Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California. He has played in over 20 professional tour events and even made the cut in the 2015 Barbasol Championship.

So how did he get there?

One of the great and unique things about the PGA Championship is that it offers a spot to the top 20 finishers of the PGA Professional Championships. Michael Block shot an 8 under for the four day tournament finishing in a tie for second place. That second place finish landed him an invitation to the 2023 PGA Championship. But this wasn’t his first time competing in the PGA Championship. This was his 4th. He is clearly a solid player and incredibly consistent.

This is a hard game. It’s even harder to compete against players whose sole purpose is to play golf. Professional golfers breathe, eat, and sleep golf. They practice sometimes 8 hours a day, work out with golf specific physical therapists and trainers, swing coaches, putting coaches, elite technology, and the best equipment money can buy. To be able to compete on that level and secure an invitation to the 2024 PGA Championship with a top 15 finish was really an incredible thing to be able to witness. Congratulations to Michael Block for the performance of a liftime. It’s not something we willl soon forget. Enjoy this video of Michael Block promoting is home course, Arroyo Trabuco Golf Course in Mission Viejo, California 12 years ago, before anyone knew he was going to be a star!

Distance wedges class is one of our most popular, if not THE most popular class in our adult golf class curriculum. The distance wedge class focuses on a simple way to know and practice your distances with your wedges (mostly your sand wedge). Since we only do this class every 6 or 7 weeks, I thought it might be nice to have it laid out in a simple to use formula. Some of our golf students have been known to put these calculations right on their sand wedge to refer back to.

So how do we hit 20, 40, 60, 80. and 100 yard shots with the same club? By increasing the length of arc and thus increasing the club head speed with which we hit the shots. We have come up with a simple way to figure out your distances. However, there are many variables within these parameters that will require practice and precision.

First, the parameters for these shots are referring to the location of your hands during the backswing and the finish. For example, hip to hip, your hands will be at hip height at the top of the backswing and your hands will be at hip height at the finish.

20 Yard Shot - Hip to hip

40 yard shot - Hip to Shoulder

60 yard shot - shoulder to shoulder

80 yard shot - shoulder to full finish

100 yard shot - full swing.

Another thing to note, if you have a generally slower swing speed or a shorter club (specifically if you are a women or junior golfer), you may need to move to a gap wedge or approach wedge for the longer shots.

So what do you do if you have a 70 yard shot?

This is where you need to practice. This isn’t an exact science, it’s an estimate and a good guide for most recreational golfers. However, this isn’t a “cure” for your wedge woes. It also requires a tremendous amount of practice and experience. The more practice you get with these shots, the better you will get under pressure.

Any questions? Leave them in the comments.

While watching quite possibly the best athletic event of the year, a big rules question came up between Brooks Koepka and Gary Woodland. So here’s the situation. On the 15th hole at the first round of the Masters 2023 on Thursday, video showed Koepka’s caddie, Ricky Elliot mouthing the word “Five” in the general direction of Woodland’s caddie, Brennan Little. It also appeared that Koepka held up five fingers in what looked like a signal in Woodland’s direction. The rules committee determined there was no infraction and players (and caddies) were cleared of any wrongdoing. Only Koepka and Elliot know the truth. Ultimately, these players are playing for a shot at the highest achievement in professional golf. It doesn’t make sense that they would want to give an advantage to a playing partner. They also know the rules better than anyone else in the game (with the exception of the rules officials) so “not knowing the rule” doesn’t make sense either. But the situation definitely brings out the question “What is the rule on giving or receiving advice"? So we thought we would share it here and try to clear up any misinformation.

USGA Rule 10.2 Advice and other help

The rules state “During a round, a player must not: give advice to anyone in the competition who is playing on the course, ask anyone for advice, other than the player’s caddie, or touch another player’s equipment to learn information that would be advice if given by or asked of the other player (such as touching the other player’s clubs or bag to see what club is being used)”

So what does it mean?

It means that the player or his/her caddie may not give or receive advice from anyone other than their own caddie during a round. When a player tells another player what club he or she has just hit, this is considered advice as the player can make a decision on what club to play based on that information.

What’s the penalty?

The penalty is a 2-stroke or general penalty if the player has been found guilty of the infraction. In Koepka and Woodland’s case, they would have both been awarded a 2-stroke penalty for the infraction.

Players and caddies often inform the media about which club they have just hit on a shot so the commentators can relay this information to the viewers and this may have been the case in this situation.

The rule book is big and there are a lot of rules to learn when it comes to playing. It’s even more important to learn these rules when you’re playing tournament golf and the score counts. For more information, you can download the USGA Rules App for Iphone or Android.

What are some rules you would like to learn about?

Hackmotion is a little easier to use attached to a glove.

When I first received the Hackmotion, I tried to do an instructional video without really getting familiar with the device. And it was really tough.

Now, I use it with a vast majority of my students and I love it. It’s an incredibly helpful tool. I wanted to make this blog and video because I think this might be helpful for anyone who has the device or is thinking about getting it.

1. Download the Hackmotion App.

Calibration is super easy.

2. You will need to calibrate it every time you use it.

3. You will usually only have to flex and extend your wrist to calibrate but the guide will explain that to you specifically and easily.

4. Now you’re ready to use the device

The two sensors on the Hackmotion device will communicate with eachother to give a reading on how much flexion or extension are in your lead wrist at address, the top of the backswing, and impact position. Through research on tour players, Hackmotion has a formula for where your wrist should be at the top of the backswing and impact based on your lead wrist angle at the address position. So for example when we did this club face control drill with Lauren, she had 31 degrees of extension in her lead wrist at address. As she starts to take her club back, at the top of her backswing, you can see that she has 58 degrees of extension in her lead wrist. Based on the numbers at address, she has too much extension at the top.

It’s always easier to think about making these changes but it’s always harder to implement them. This is why it’s really important to have a feedback device and Hackmotion has that built in to the app.

When you enable audio feedback, you can choose whether you do the audio feedback at the top of the backswing or impact. Since we were working on the top of Lauren’s backswing, we chose that. The feedback tells you when you are in the correct position by singing to you. So when you use this, you can take a few slow practice swings to try to get the device to sing to you at the top of your backswing.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that this is not a cookie cutter solution that works for every single person. Hackmotion will determine what you should be working on based on your address position.

So here’s an interesting question that Lauren brought up…

If my impact position is fine, why should I worry about the top of my backswing?

The short answer to that is that you want consistency. If you have a closed or open club face at the top of your backswing and you are finding a way to get the club face square at impact, it’s not going to be consistent.

Getting a sense of your club face at the top of the backswing can really help you make more consistent, crisp, clean, shots.

I have been teaching golf for over 25 years and my golf instruction business in Raleigh has been in operation for over 12 years. It’s always interesting having junior golfers in class because sometimes they ask some really great questions and these questions lead to some interesting conversations.

In this morning’s junior golf class, I asked the kids, “What is the number one problem that most golfers have?”

The answer is: most golfers are playing golf with a chronically open club face. And I want to make this post really short and really simple in an effort to help most golfers with their biggest problem.

In this drill, I am using a really cool tool called the pitch assist. It’s magnetic and it attaches to your club face. You won’t actually use this tool while trying to hit a ball but it’s a really cool device that shows you where your club face is pointing. When I set up with an open club face, you can see where the club face is pointing as I take the club back and as I come through my down swing.

If my club face is open, I am going to have to make some compensations to get that club face square when it gets to the ball. Sometimes this is becoming super handsy and sometimes you have to alter your swing plane direction which results in a dramatic out to in swing path. Regardless of what kind of compensation you make to square the club face, it’s not going to be very efficient if you aren’t keeping the club face square to the arc of your swing throughout the swing.

So how do you get a handle on this issue?

First of all, let’s talk about what we want. We want to keep our club face relatively square to the arc of our swing. This is not going to be perfect or exact but we want to see the club face stay relatively square to the arc. So when I take my backswing, you can see that my club face is roughly the same angle as my spine when the club is parallel to the ground.

So the drill will be to take the club back to where it’s parallel to the ground and parallel to the target line. Take a look at your club face. It should match the angle of your spine in that position. Then practice swing through the shot. Then pull over a ball and do this same drill and actually try to hit a shot. At first, you want to start with smaller shots. This should be no more than 50% of your normal shot. In other words, half speed. It’s always easier to feel the club face when you practice at a slower speed or a smaller swing.

Remember, if you can get a handle on your club face, you can get a handle on your golf game. I hope that helped. Leave questions in the comments section.

We have heard about this product on more than one occasion and from more than one person. We have had tremendous results with the SKLZ Gold Flex and were wondering if this Lag Shot worked the same way and would produce the same results. We were fortunate enough that when we referenced the Lag Shot last week in our previous youtube video, one of our students was watching and brought the Lag Shot in so we could try it.

Let me just say right here that we really like the whippy clubs. We really like the SKLZ Gold Flex, Orange Whip, and the knockoffs. We see people do better with their kinematic sequence, tempo on their backswing and downswing, and and the improvement of their overall swing mechanics with the use of those products. The cool thing about this product is that you can actually hit shots with it which you can’t do with the other products.

On the website for this product, in big bold letters, it states “What can just 12 swings with this “blue shafted beauty” do for you?” So we decided to put it to the test. We had Lauren hit 12 golf shots with her 7 iron and paid attention to mostly her club path and club face in the data. Then we had her hit the Lag Shot club for 12 shots. Then she picked up her 7 iron again for 12 shots. Then we compared her data from the first 12 shots with her 7 iron and the second 12 shots with her 7 iron. Here’s what we found.

So here’s the deal, before I give my full analysis. I think this is a really good product. I think it’s effective and helpful for almost any golfer’s ailment. I think we have to be careful of thinking ANYTHING can give an overnight fix to your golf swing woes. Remember that getting better at golf is a process and some fixes take longer than others.

As you can see with the numbers below, there was no significant improvement after using the Lag Shot for 12 swings like they promoted on the website. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. It just means that it doesn’t work that quick. Overall, I think it’s a good product and just like the whippy clubs, you can’t go wrong by purchasing it. I hope that helps.

We get the question often about which length of SKLZ Gold Flex should someone buy, the 40” or the 48”?

First, let me start by saying that I highly recommend this training tool. Whether you purchase the name brand or the knock off doesn’t really matter but the concept is highly effective. It can be used as a warm up tool, it can help you with rhythm, and most importantly, it’s a heavy whippy club so it can help you with your kinematic sequence.

Kinematic sequence is the sequence of movements your body goes through during the golf swing and there IS a correct sequence. Very often I see golfers start their down swing with their upper body which is not the correct sequencing for an efficient golf swing. If you start the downswing with your upper body, your hands will move out toward the ball and you will catch the ball with an out to in swing path.

We spend a lot of time trying to get people to start their downswing with their lower body. Some of the ways we do this is to have the student imagine they are skipping a stone. This is the same motion. However, there are a lot of people currently playing golf who may not have grown up playing sports like baseball or football or other throwing type sports. So that motion isn’t really familiar, comfortable, or intuitive to them.

The whippy club helps with that motion and really encourages the golfer to implement the correct kinematic sequence. So back to the question:

Should I get the 40” or 48” whippy club?

I can’t see a reason why you would want the long one over the short one. Honestly, they are both great products and they really accomplish the same goal.

Here’s an easy way to get a sense of what a square club face feels like and how to get back to it every time.

To start this, set up to your ball and take the club back so that it’s parallel to the ground AND parallel to the target line. When you do this, what you should see is that the club face angle should match relatively closely to the angle of your spine.

Now, if you were to set up with your club parallel to the ground, you should see that the club face is perfectly vertical and still matches the same angle as your spine.

When you move around in this position, your spine should actually match the club face if everything else stays the same and this is a great reference point to understanding squaring the club face.

We actually want to try to keep the club face square to the arc of our swing. Which means that we really don’t have to “control” the club face much, just allowing it to move along with the centripetal force. In order to get a good feel for your club face being square to your arc, think of your club face matching the angle of your spine throughout the swing.

I don’t get to do these often so I really enjoy it when I get a chance. First off, this is not a paid endorsement of the product. In fact, I went out and bought the pocket bunker out of curiosity. The idea here is that you can practice bunker shots with this device without actually having a bunker. Because we don’t have the ability to really teach bunker shots at a golf facility (both at our driving range and now at our new indoor facility), I thought it might be nice to have a tool that would enable us to teach the technique.

The thing actually looks like an octopus or a spider. They have these spindly legs that keep the ball part elevated off the ground. So in a bunker shot, the technique is to hit the sand behind the ball. So when I set up the hit the shot, I put the pocket bunker in a spot that I would normally have the ball position for a pitch shot, which is a little bit forward of center. When I set up, I am going to open up my club face a little bit. Then I am going to try to make contact with the tip of the leg on the trail side.

The weight of the pocket bunker is pretty close to the same weight of a regular golf ball. However, when I hit the pocket bunker, it went much farther than a regular ball would have gone with the same strike. But as I worked with it, I started to get a better feel for it. I would say that the pocket bunker is definitely a winner, especially when you don’t have the ability to practice in an actual bunker.

Why does the ball draw? Why does it fade?

If you have access to a launch monitor, you will have a lot of data to use to figure these things out. However, most recreational golfers don’t have this kind of technology so I hope to break it down in a way that’s easy to understand.

First, I want to explain the difference between swing direction and swing path. The swing direction is the direction of your swing plane. The swing path is the direction the club is traveling when it makes contact with the ball. So if you are hitting down on a ball (AOA is a negative number), your club path will always be to the right of your swing plane (for a right handed golfer).

So in the context of what we are talking about, angle of attack is really important. There are times, even for me, that the angle of attack (AOA) is inconsistent. So for example, I don’t usually habitually swing the club out to in. But sometimes I hit a drive where it appears that I have pull/hooked the driver and I can see on my launch monitor that I have hit up on the ball too much. When you hit up on the ball, the club is traveling left of your swing direction.

What are we going to do to figure this stuff without having the data on a launch monitor? First, let’s say that you are having trouble with the ball curving to the right. The longer the club, the bigger the curve. So we want to learn to feel the difference between a slice swing and a draw or hook swing. We have to practice exaggerating these swings. Remember, a slice is going to be an open club face with an out to in swing path. A hook swing is going to be a closed club face with an in to out swing path. What you want to eventually be able to do is practice this enough that your slices turn into more of a fade and your hooks turn into more of a draw.

Now have your focus on the club face instead of the swing path. With a pull slice, you want to feel like the hosel of the club is leading the toe at impact so focus for a moment on your club face. Now, focus on closing the club face by feeling like the toe of the club is leading the heel of the club at impact. As you practice these drills, start to notice which one you are better at or which one feels more comfortable to you. With practice, you will become more skillful at hitting these purposely shaped shots. Let me know how that works for you.

I once had a golf student that I took out on the course and I told him “whenever you think you should chip it, you should probably putt it.” The bottom line is that you want to get the ball on the ground as soon as possible. If you can putt it, you should putt it. If you can’t putt it, you should chip it. And if you absolutely can’t chip it, then you might have to pitch it. It should be the last option though.

Here’s the reality. Most amateur golfers if they are just off the green and they have a decent amount of green to work with, they are probably going to go to their golf bag and grab their wedge and their putter. If you are a higher handicapper or you don’t play a ton of golf, your wedge more often than not will get you into trouble. If you hit it well, most of the time it will not be exceptional. When you don’t hit it well, it can often be catastrophic. In order to hit the shot well, I need to have good technique: weight forward, hands forward, square club face, etc as well as the experience and skill to make decent contact (not to mention the mental fortitude to hit the shot under pressure).

On the other hand, if I grab my fairway wood or my putter and hit the same shot, the only thing I really need to focus on and figure out is how hard to hit it. So that means that all I need to practice is how hard to hit it. Even myself, who is fairly skilled, knows the technique, and practices, I still will always opt to take the shot that requires the least amount of skill especially if the stakes are high. In order to play your best golf, you need to play to your skill level. You should also be practicing the shots that require the least amount of skill.

I have played with a lot of higher handicappers and I can’t tell you the number of times they have hit their tee shot into the woods. All they would need to do is punch out of the woods in order to make a bogey and they can’t seem to get out of the woods. These are easy shots and you should be able to execute these shots most of the time.

And always remember around the greens, the less loft you use, the less skill you need!

A couple weeks ago, we talked about why the high handicapper slices. This week we are talking about why the low handicapper has a tendency to hook the ball.

Our high handicap golfer tends to swing the club a bit out to in. Conversely, the lower handicap golfer knows that he or she should be swinging more in to out; however, that golfer may swing a little too much in to out. In other words, if you tend to hook the ball, you are probably swinging out to the right (for a right handed golfer) with a closed club face.

If you are struggling with hook shots in your game, a way to correct this or to work on this would be to

1. As you start your downswing, try to feel your hands moving away from you.

2. Feel like you are unwinding your body in a way that’s going to get the club working more toward the target line. Your hands should be more out in front of your chest in the downswing as opposed to back behind you.

3. Try to feel like you are swing more to the left (for a right handed golfer).

4. Work on these drills mostly with a mid iron; it’s much easier to work on your swing with an iron than it is with a driver. The drill will translate to the driver if you work at it.

We have a lot of recreational golfers coming to us who are frustrated about slicing their driver. Ultimately what is going on when someone is consistently slicing is that their club face is open relative to the path. This is sometimes called and out-to-in path or and over-the-top swing.

It’s pretty easy to see when you are slicing your driver and the need for a launch monitor isn’t really necessary. However, when you are working on “fixing” your driver, it’s MUCH easier to work on these drills with a shorter iron like a 7. So for this fix, grab a shorter club.

First of all, it is IMPERATIVE that you set up with good alignment. It’s pretty tough to figure out what’s going on in your swing if your alignment is bad. 99% of people who don’t practice with alignment sticks do not have good alignment. Make sure when you set up with the alignment aids, they are parallel.

Second, make sure you are setting up with a proper grip. Now you can focus on your swing path. If you are swinging the club out-to-in, chances are you feel like you are swinging the club straight at the target. So start trying to swing the club more in to out or to the right for a right handed golfer.

Chances are, the first couple of times that you try to swing the club more to the right (for a right handed golfer), you won’t make great contact. Part of the reason for this is that when you try to swing the club out to the right, you may throw your hands out away from you. However, when you do that, your entire club will be farther away from you and it’s really hard to connect with the center of the club face. So another way to think about this is to try to keep your back pointed at the target a little bit longer in your backswing as you unwind toward the target. This will help you unwind with your lower body first. This will help you shallow the club under the previous plane. Try this without a ball first to get the feel for it.

Another thing you can do is start to get more aware of the club face and feel like you are moving the toe of the club past the heel.

I’ve been playing the game a really long time and chances are, if you are new to the game, this will not come easy to you. However, if you keep working at it, it will become easier and will definitely help to fix that slice!

Did you know that hitting up too much can actually be causing your slice?

Before we get into it though, I have to start with the fundamentals. First off, you can’t expect to play good golf or to make an efficient swing and good connection if you don’t line up with your target. If you are consistently lining up incorrectly, you are going to incentivize yourself to make an inefficient swing in order to get the ball where you want it to go.

It’s very easy to set up with poor alignment without the use of proper aids.

Here I am using two golf shafts as my alignment aids.

The best way to insure that you are doing this is to use 2 sticks to help with alignment. One of the sticks should line up to the ball - this is your target line. The second stick, running parallel to the first stick will assist with lining your feet up to the target - this line will be parallel to your target line.

Okay, so now we get to the dreaded slice! A slice is a ball that curves dramatically to the right for a right handed golfer. Yeesh. That is ugly! Very often a slice can result from a weak lead hand grip. However, if you have checked your grip and made sure it was stronger and you are STILL slicing. What then?

Next, check your ball position. If your ball position is too far forward in your stance, you may be catching the ball as your club is traveling to the left which can result in a slice (for a right handed golfer). In other words, you will be catching the ball too much on the upswing.

Remember, if you have the ball too far forward in your stance, you may be catching the ball on the upswing as the club is going out to in which will very often result in a slice!

Are you struggling with a slice? Comment below.

In today’s blog post, we are talking about uneven lies! If you have gotten super comfortable hitting balls on a driving range or a practice mat, you know that when it comes to playing in a practical setting, you are unlikely to encounter perfect lies 100% of the time. While it’s really important to hone your skills when it comes to your full swing, it’s also really important to understand that managing this course is another huge component to lowering your scores and reducing your handicap. So here’s a complete (yet concise) guide to helping you deal with uneven lies.

Sidehill lie - ball below feet

While left handed golfers make up about 10% of all golfers, I personally don’t like to say “just do the opposite of the right handed golfer”. Because it’s important to understand the difference for right and left handed golfers, I have broken it down to more easily understand (hopefully).

• Sidehill Lie - Ball Below Your Feet

  • For a right handed golfer:

    • Club face will point to the more to the right

    • You will need to aim further left of the target

    • Normal Ball position and grip

  • For a left handed golfer:

    • Club face will point more to the left

    • You will need to aim further right of the target

    • Normal Ball position and grip

• Sidehill Lie - Ball Above Your Feet

  • For a right handed golfer:

    • Club face will point to the left

    • You will need to aim further right of the target

  • For a left handed golfer:

    • Club face will point right

    • You will need to aim further left of the target

• Uphill Lie

  • This will increase the loft of the club and the ball will go higher in the air

  • Play the ball in normal ball position or slightly further forward in your stance.

  • Match your shoulders to the slope of the hill

• Downhill Lie

  • This will decrease the loft of the club and the ball will go lower in the air

  • Play the bal further back in your stance

  • Feel like your spine is more upright; matching your shoulders to the slope - this will help you hit down on the ball

Uphill lie

Mike showing how the Pitch Assist training aid can show you exactly what your club face is doing. Here, he shows the club face pointing to the left on a side hill lie where the ball is above your feet.

As always, try to find a place to practice these shots. We don’t often get to practice these shots at the driving range or practice facility so it’s important you practice them when you get a chance.

In order to stop scooping or flipping your chip shots, we have found an incredible training aid, the Chip Assist.

A topped shot and a chunked shot are the same thing, a topped shot is hitting the ball first and a chunked shot is hitting the ground first. But in both cases, the club is passing your hands at impact. When we try to get people to get their hands ahead of the ball, we usually use the impact bag. However, often people incorrectly swing at the impact bag and unintentionally drag the handle through impact. What we really want to happen, is we really want to get our hips out of the way of the club. It’s the same action as skipping a stone.

I often say to students, when we are learning to swing the club, we are trying to swing the club exactly like we would skip a stone. So we came across the Chip Assist tool that helps us achieve this. The Chip Assist also comes with an adapter for anyone with a smaller grip on their clubs such as juniors, ladies, or men with small hands.

When using the Chip Assist, you will set up with the tool resting on your lead hip or lead waist. When making a swing, if you tend to get scoopy or handsy, the device will correct this movement pattern by smacking you on the side.

The best way to use this tool is to accompany it with the impact bag to create both good impact position as well as getting those hips working toward the target. We want our club shaft to lead our club head. When your hip gets out of the way, you are probably going to get the hands ahead of the club face. To purchase yours: https://amzn.to/3rfggjN

Click the picture below to watch the full video.

After a few discussions regarding proper etiquette on the golf course, the big takeaway for a lot of people is the importance of taking care of the golf course. It’s one of our biggest priorities to leave the course in better shape than you found it. So in today’s blog, we are going to explain the top three ways you can take better care of the golf course you are playing!

#1. Repair Your Divots

In the south, every golf cart has sand to repair your divots. A divot occurs when you hit the ball and then the ground, although it can also happen when you chunk a shot…but I digress. If you are playing on cool season grasses, your divot should actually come out in one piece. Go fetch your divot, and put it back where it came from. You should step on it and try to reconnect it to the ground. If you are playing on warm weather grasses, the grass will not come out in one piece which is where the sand comes in. Dump some sand in your divot and then smooth it out with your foot so when the mower comes by, it won’t get sand in the blades. If you can, repair some other divots while you’re at it. You should go back to the club house with 2 empty sand bottles.

#2. Repair Your Ballmarks

Especially on bent grass greens, you can get some really big ball marks on the green. To fix your ball marks, locate the high part of the ball mark, or the back of it, take a golf tee or a ball mark repair tool and push the prongs in at a 45 degree angle toward the middle of the ball mark and push straight up to 90 degrees all the way around the ball mark. Then tap it down with your putter or your foot. If you are close to the hole, use your putter. Also, try to pick up your feet while you’re on the green, especially if you have soft spikes. Also, repair your ball mark and a few others if you see them.

#3. Rake Your Bunker

During the last couple of years when golf has become really popular, golf courses were taking the rake off the golf course to avoid the spread of illness. They were telling people to just give yourself a good lie in the bunker and don’t rake it. Since a lot of people started playing golf during this time, newer golfers may not know about this common courtesy to other golfers. Very simple, forward and back with the rake and smooth over the foot prints.

Golf is called the gentleman’s game for a reason! It’s extremely important to not only take care of the golf course and leave it better than you found it, but it’s also about helping out your fellow golfer and having courtesy for those playing behind you. We hope you found this informative. Feel free to comment on ways you make your golf course better!

Top 5 Tips for Booking an International Golf Trip

K Club in Ireland. The site of our first international golf trip 2023.

We have been wanting to host a group of golfers in a great location for a golf trip for years. We are finally putting it into action and we are heading to…Ireland! As we continue to plan this trip, we realize how much work goes into it and we thought it might be helpful to have a short list of the 5 most important things to know or keep in mind when planning an international golf trip.

1. Work with a reputable company

   When booking an international retreat, you can always plan all the logistics yourself but that’s a ton of work, hours, and money that you could be doing something else. Our opinion: leave the planning to the experts. It will be worth the extra money you play to have someone else handle the dirty work. We decided to work with a company called Perry Golf. Perry Golf was established in 1984 and they are one of the leaders in golf trip planning in Europe. We were recommended by a golf student and after a great conversation with the owner, Gordon, we realized it was important to have someone on the ground who knew what they were doing. This company handles accommodations, tee times, transportation, and logistics for all of our guests. This takes a huge weight off our shoulders.

2. Get recommendations on your retreat or trip leaders

   Your retreat leaders should not only be knowledgeable about golf but also have experience leading and traveling with groups, knowledge of local customs, and most importantly, they need to be enjoyable to be around. If you don’t know your retreat leader, you should at least have a reference or know something about them before signing on.

3. Make sure your passport is up-to-date

   This may seem like a no-brainer but I have heard of experiences where all the travel planning had been done, deposits paid, flights booked, only to find out 2 days before the trip that passports are expired! Ouch! Which leads to the next point…

4. Know your cancellation policy

   These trips take a ton of logistical planning so very often there is no refund the 60 days leading up to the trip. Life events can sometimes be tricky when it comes to health, travel, and family so know what you are getting into before you book. We ALWAYS recommend on a trip over $3000, that you purchase travel insurance. There are multiple ways to insure your travel so you aren’t out the full amount if something happens to derail your plans.

5. Be prepared for golf, golf, and more golf

   Keep in mind that when traveling to Europe, you will very often have to walk 18 holes. More often than not, courses in the UK do not have carts and you will have to walk the entire 18 holes. This can be physically exhausting for many people, especially when you are playing multiple days in a row.

International travel can be tricky and intimidating and adding in golf can make it even harder to organize. We hope these little tips will help you as you plan. If you are interested in joining us on our Ireland Golf Trip, we have 14 spaces available, click the button to view the itinerary and reserve your spot!