What do Professional golfers do that average golfers generally do not do?

I just published a new book ("Triangulate your Golf Swing") that takes a look at what all good golfers do that average golfers generally do not do. Golf magazine writers and TV commentators have an infinite amount of swings to analyze, most often describing the differences say between this professional and that professional. I thought it would be more beneficial, for the average golfer, to point out the things that all good golfers do the same rather than what they do different. The drills in the book are easy to understand and simple to do. One builds on the previous until a productive full swing is accomplished. Much emphasis is put on reducing tension which I believe is the number one thing average golfers need to work on. The book is available at Amazon.com in paperback or for the kindle.

To be a good Golfer, you need REPERTITION. Repeat the same swing each time and the ball will go in the same place everytime. Get this right and your going somewhere.

BTW It doesn't matter what the bits of the swing look like as long as the Clubhead returns to the Ball, Square.

TheLyth

Well said David, and yes Pat, it is that simple but difficult for us amatuers to do consistently.

Bags of ability and years of practice also helps.

The moderrn game is so different from the old days in many respects.The modern players hit the ball so far off the tee, that, even on a 7000  yard plus course, still have  very little of the course left requiring long accurate second shots.

I played last week with our up and coming young hopeful tour pro who really is an impressive striker of a golf ball and having played 27 holes I was feeling a little tired so I played the back nine dropping a ball where his drives finished. It is a different game, I can assure you, as I covered that nine holes in 1 under par gross, yet he only bettered me by 1 shot. I might add that my course is 7150 yards from the blues and 6800 from the whites which we play off.

I've seen  it many times, a guy naturally fades the ball yet still aims at the centre of a fairwaygreen and questions why he always misses right.

KISS

Aim left!

"A 20yd wide target becomes wider when approached from an angle".

TheLyth

What do pros do that we dont??

Eh, live a millionaire lifestyle, travel the world and generally have a fab time!!!! lol

Ron, one has only to be a member at a private club to realise that handicap movements are very slight in either direction by the majority of its members.

The only ones making any significant move downwards are the youngsters and my perception is that they just play as often as they can, one never sees them on the practice area, they do not take lessons and I would be very surprised if any of them have an in depth knowledge of the golf swing.

To them the game is easy, they have not missed enough short putts to get the yips and as I play a lot of golf with these young men I have noticed that no effort is made to correct some of the things in their swings that cause them to consistently hit the same type of error.

I too fell into this category when I first started playing as a young man, playing was everything and I learned this game from a book I picked up out of the library.

I have noticed how there are now many books, video instruction, beside the pga sponsored teachings of the young aspiring professional, all of which are different.

The only requirements to play good golf are having a repeatable swing that will hit the ball relatively straight,  a decent distance to cope with the lengthened courses of today and a feel for the intricasies of the short game.

Putting is a game on its own and getting a smooth putting action can only be obtained by playing on one surface regularly, those of us who play two or three different courses every week will always suffer in the putting stakes.

Ron,I started playing golf 5 years ago when I was asked to play in a company event. at first I declined but was persuaded to take a 7 Iron Putter and a sand wedge. I got 3 points and won the toilet rolls for coming last.I then bought myself a set of clubs, cheapest dunlops at about �60 and was lucky to get round 18 holes in less than 130. I then took lessons from my local club Pro. He suggested I buy some stainless cavity backs which I did. After he altered my grip, taught me some fundamentals of the golf swing I managed to improve to being able to get around inbetween a 100 and 115.I then payed for on the course lessons which brought my handicap down 6 strokes in 1 year. he taught me course management, bunker shots and chipping using not just a wedge but the full range of Irons and I got my first ParI am now a 16 handicap and usually get around in about 90 with my next target to beat 80 which I have scored once.My advice is to find a good Pro, learn the basics then get lessons on course management because this really does save shots.You learn to use all the clubs in your bag.

 Ivan, you are a master at hitting a ball along way which, although may have some similarities, I think is another issue. Whilst I admire those people who can fade and draw a ball at will, it is rarely needed (my own depth of knowledge here is put your left foot forward to the ball, closing face slightly for a draw and opposite for a fade but realistically I cannot count on it coming off and can end up in more trouble) I also believe that the distance gained from drawing a ball (when driving) does not warrant the risk of playing that type of shot as opposed to hitting it sqaure (ie straight). Moreso, when you concentrate on hitting it square you have a much better chance of hitting the sweet spot which, if happens will gain you yardage anyway.

Having just watched the Cadillac tournament in Florida (and yes I know that the ball travels further when it's warm) I was intrigued to see one slightly built pro (I forget his name but he didn't have Casey's popeye forearms) hitting/carrying an 8 iron nearly 170yds with relative ease. Wasn't it the great John Jacobs who said distance = club head speed applied properly? I would hasten to add that the purity od strike is one of the most important factors.

Hi Ron,

Im a golfing natural, thats why im down at 15!!! hehehe

Ive been playing since i was about 10, albeit with a big gap of about 15 years not playing. Only started again in last year or two, and have came down about 7 strokes.

Very infrequent lessons, more tips from my dad and playing as much as i can helps.

Am about to get new clubs and am hoping that will let me drop few more shots, 10 here i come!! :-)

Sorry Ron, missed this.

"So, what do you do with your golf swing (other than repeat it) that average golfers should know?"""" 

I am not fixated about what my swing feels ot looks like, I am only interested in the 'Result'.

A Pilot once said, "any landing you can walk away from is a good landing". Take that onto a Golf Course and any 'Tee-shot that you can see finish and are able to expect to reach the green in regulation' is a GOOD TEE-SHOT.

Watching Tour Pro's knock it over 300yds every time, reach 560yd holes in two and never miss from inside 8ft and think that is the Norm. Now that is silly? But many people target that as normal and also expect to be able to do it and get frustrated when they can't.

Accept your limitations and your on the way to improvement.

TheLyth

Ron,

It was talking to the experienced guys and taking in what they said.

I was off 11hcp within a year of taking up the game, my handeye co-ordination is very good, so found the game easy to pick up. During my time in the 'Paid ranks' my problem was between the ears. If I had my brain of today back in the early 70's, who knows where I would have ended up. To have guys like Nicklaus and Watson (Tom) complement you in your early 20's also helps.

On Tour at that time it was the guy who was 'hot' with their Putter who won.

I once heard the story of Max Faulkner sat in a Clubhouse when a young 'kid' came in. "I hit Drive & 5iron to the 15th".

Max asked him his score for that hole.

"5, I three putted from 30ft"

"Em" said Max as he got up to leave "I hit my best Driver and 3wood up there"

And as he walked away he added "I holed the putt to, for eagle"

Over the years I have picked up alot of stories like that and it puts the game into perspective.

TheLyth

I met a pro golfer in 1997 when he was trying to qualify for the Open at Royal Troon. I pulled his trolley round for him and he gave me a tip which he said all pros do but amateurs almost never do.

I tried it out and my handicap came down from 13 to 9 within 3 weeks.

I started htting a 7 iron the same distance i used to hit a 5 iron

His tip was " keep your right knee flexed when you are fully coiled on the backswing"  

It is easiesr to see the women pros do it as they wear shorts.