How can you help your golf when the weather outside is freezing??
It has been the worst winter for 25 years and if you are anything like me then you are one frustrated golfer. The thought of playing a round in short sleeves seems a million miles away and all you can do is wait for the temperatures to rise above freezing and the grass to change back from white to green. But don’t despair, there are a number of things you can do that will benefit your golf and get you prepared for the new season.
This time of year is a great chance to work on your technique, improve you golf fitness and get your equipment right, so that when it is time to play you will have trained your body and swing ready to focus on getting the ball around the course. Here are some ideas that you can be working on.
Technique
Now is a great time to work on weaknesses in your swing as this requires you to focus on improving a specific movement. Firstly, identify which parts of your swing are the weakest and learn how to correct them properly by having a lesson. Then rehearse the correct movement slowly and in front of a mirror to get feedback on how well you’re actually performing it. Also, practice any drills you have been prescribed. Keep rehearsing it for about 5 to 10 minutes at a time and you will eventually reprogram yourself to perform that movement without having to specifically think about it. Then when the sun comes out you can focus on your target and not your swing. This applies to your putting stroke as well.
Golf Fitness
As with many other people, this time of year is the kick start to thinking about getting fit, but for golf the first thing you need to think about is your flexibility. Being flexible makes it much easier to get the swing you want. The first thing to do is to identify which parts of your body are tight and the best way to do this is to have a screening with a fitness professional. For golf it is important to have good hamstring flexibility, a flexible chest and lats and be able to separate your upper body from your lower body.
Equipment
Now is also a perfect time to get your equipment organised for the upcoming year. Firstly, check your grips to see that they have enough grip left on them and also that they are of the correct thickness. If they get too slick it will mean that you have to grip tighter which is not good and will affect your play. Tests have shown that bad grips can cost you 4 to 6 shots a round. If you play twice a week you should be changing your grips once a year.
Next you should get the loft and lies of your clubs checked. You want to strike the ball with the sole of the club flat on the ground at impact. If this is just 1 degree out it can cause you 2 to 4 yards of accuracy and I have seen many people’s clubs be 3 or 4 degrees out which is the difference between being on the green and in the water. These settings can gradually change through hitting balls and general play so they need to be checked. Hopefully you had your clubs fitted for you so they should also be of the correct length, shaft flex and set make up, if you are not sure then please let me know and I will give you a free no obligation assessment of your clubs. If you are looking to treat yourself and purchase some new clubs then this is the time to do it, it will give you a chance to get used to them before the season starts.
So don’t get bogged down in the winter blues, use this time wisely, follow some of the suggestions above and you will be fully prepared for some great golfing in 2010.
