SIMPLE WAYS TO CURE YOUR SLICE

The most common ball flight for amateur golfers is the dreaded slice shot. The main problem is that most golfers don't realize that their slice is a direct result of their poor set-up. First, they set-up to "open" to the target line because they are afraid of losing it to the right. The problem is this set-up flaw actually increases the chance of hitting the slice. Second, they grip the club with a "weak" grip which also hinders them from releasing the club down the target line. Lastly, they grip the club to tight which also makes it very difficult to release the club, which will lead to an "over the top swing plane." So square up your aim, strengthen your grip, and lighten up the grip pressure and you should see a more consistent ball flight.

Gene LaLiberte
Golf Professional
Lake San Marcos CC

When we hear Tiger after another victory in his post round analysis do your hear him say "I really beat Phil out there today?" No!! The secret of focus and concentration on the course is to play one shot at a time and play the course, not you’re playing partners. One of the reasons why some shorter hitters (Fred Funk, Corey Pavin, etc.) have success against their longer hitting adversaries is that they don't think about how much farther they are hitting it off the tee, but thinking about how THEY can make birdies. This is never clearer than the weekend golfing buddies going out and worrying about who hit the longest drive instead of who had the lowest score. Remember golf is a tough game as it is; so play the course instead of the rest of your foursome and you should reap the rewards!

Gene LaLiberte

Golf Professional

Lake San Marcos Resort

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Amateur golfers do it all the time. Drive the ball down the middle on a par five or long par four and immediately grab the three wood. The problem is that a three wood off the deck is a difficult shot for most amateur golfers. The second problem is that if they do pull of the shot they are usually left with a 30-40 yard wedge shot, again a very difficult shot for most people. Next time you tee it up try using your hybrid or middle iron to lay up to a comfortable yardage (usually 100-110 yards for most amateur golfers) and you should see more pars than bogeys!

Work on the Takeaway

Golfers have heard over the years about the "one piece takeaway." This is the most important part of the swing. Students ask me all the time about what they should be doing at the top of their swing, or how they start their downswing. Unless you are a low digit handicapper the only thing you should focus on is the takeaway. Once you can consistently get half way back with the club in a good position the rest will take care of itself. An easy way to practice the takeaway is to imagine someone directly behind you and pretend you are shaking hands with them.

(Right hand for right handed golfers, left hand for left handed golfers) Work on these simple takeaway moves and improve your ball striking.
 
Gene LaLiberte
PGA Apprentice Professional
Lake San Marcos Country CLub

Pre Round Warm Up

We all know the feeling of having only a few minutes to warm up before a round of golf, a round that may be our first in quite some time. Typically the average golfer will go straight to the driver and hit 15-20 balls as fast as they can before heading to the first tee. This is the WORST way to start off before your round of golf!

Ben Hogan wrote in detail how on tournament days he was extra meticulous the morning before a round, down to little details like making a conscious effort to walk slower, make his morning coffee slower, etc. The point is to set a tone for a nice smooth swing tempo. So resist the temptation of starting off with the driver and you should find it easier to find your tempo for the round.

Gene LaLiberte

Golf Professional

Lake San Marcos Country Club

How to practice your golf game with a purpose 

Every amateur golfer hears stories about Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods hitting golf balls for hours on end. The thing that most average golfers fail to realize is that Vijay and Tiger are always working on something very specific to their golf game. The average “weekend” golfer will go hit golf balls without working on something specific in their swing.

The first key is to always pick a target. Second, always take your time and think about your routine as you would on the golf course. Remember it's quality not quantity. Hitting a thousand balls as fast as you can without thinking about it can actually hurt your golf game. Use these simple tips and you should improve your practice sessions.

Gene LaLiberte
PGA Apprentice Golf Professional
Lake San Marcos Country Club

Many amateur golfers do not understand the importance of grip pressure.

I would generally say that 90% of the golfers I teach seem to grip the club to hard. They have poor grip technique and poor mechanics which leads to tension and ultimately gripping the golf club to tightly. Gripping the club to tightly will result in loss of club head speed. Sam Snead used to tell people to hold the golf club like you are holding a baby bird your hands.

So, instead of worrying about your swing this weekend work on holding the club lighter in your hands and you should find more distance and solid contact more consistently.

Gene LaLiberte
PGA Apprentice Golf Professional
Lake San Marcos Country Club

Live on the pro side and sink more putts        

There’s no quicker way to establish yourself as totally clueless on the greens—and to inspire confidence in your opponent—than to set up for a right-to-left putt, make a little pull stroke that sends the ball dead left, and watch the ball meander aimlessly on a path five or six inches below the cup, totally oblivious to the hole. Ditto the left-to-right breaker that you push well right of the hole. There’s a reason they call this “missing on the amateur side”—these are the putts that haven’t got a chance.

If you hit your putts to the high side of the hole, you’ll make a much higher percentage. Hit the putt too high and—if you’ve hit the putt with the correct speed—it still has a chance to trickle in over the edge. Putts never fall in over the edge on the low side.

Here’s a simple, yet extremely effective system, to hit more putts on the pro side of the hole—and to sink a higher percentage of them while you’re at it.

Super Lob!

To play a super lob shot—the kind that you might see Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson pulling off with ease—you need some basic setup changes. With your most lofted club and a centered ball position, begin with a wider stance and an open clubface. Now, lower your body and the handle of the club, as if your posture was being “compressed” into the ground. Finally, pull the handle of the club slightly away from the target (above). Then, make a big swing with a revved-up pace, allowing the clubhead to pass the handle through impact.