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If you are one average golfer (*raise your hand*)then you’ve probably struggled with your ability to hit the ball. That’s not to say you don’t hit a few good shots every now and then, but consistently, you lack that clean contact with every swing.
As any person with moderate to severe disabilities knows, when you don’t hit the ballpoor results follow – which often lead to higher results. So if you can improve your contact, in theory, you should be able to knock shots off your scorecard, even if it’s just a few each round.
But instead of just mindlessly beating the balls over and over range of motionyou need to have a solid plan in order to develop the basics needed for more center-face contact.
Here it is GOLF Top 100 Teachers Mark Durland steps in, as he shares three types of shots and drills that every average golfer should work on. By doing so, you’ll begin to experience better ball strikes, improved putting results and, if nothing else, more confidence out there on the golf course. Check out Durland’s tips below.
3 shots will help improve your ball hitting skills
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Create a collision
Durland begins by explaining something every player needs to understand – golf is fickle by nature. This is why even the best golfers in the world can’t shoot in the low 60s every single round.
“So even players at the highest level are inconsistent, they’re just inconsistent at another level,” Durland says.
Instead of hitting the ball thick or thin—common mistakes by most amateur players—the best players may miss their target, but they still hit it clean. Here Durland says that improving your ball-striking will immediately affect your game.
So how can you improve your ball-striking? Durland suggests a simple workout to get you started.
“Just put your feet together and take a half to three-quarter swing, learning how to head the golf ball,” he says. “This helps isolate the lower body and gives us better control of the bottom of our golf swing, which puts the clubhead in front of the golf ball to create impact.”
Get into it
While improved ball striking is great, every golfer is obsessed with distance these days. So how can even the most average player generate more yards with each shot? Durland says it all starts with proper use of the lower body – which means you know how to sequence and control club head speed.
“Proper weight transfer not only adds distance, but also helps separation in front of the ball,” says Durland. “Thanks to data from pressure mats and force plates, we’ve observed that Tour players enter their leading side as they approach the top of their backswing. The average golfer just isn’t creating this weight transfer early enough.”
This type of swing may be for the elite golfer, but you too can add it to your sequence with the following drill.
“Start in a normal address position with your feet together and behind the golf ball (to the right of the golf ball for a righty),” says Durland. “As your hands start back, step toward the target and hit the ball. This causes pressure to build up on the lead leg before you reach the top of your backswing, just like you see the pros do.
Punch him
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably landed a good majority of punches during a round – which is definitely not a badge of honor. These usually occur when a car goes sideways, leading to a second strike that just returns to the freeway.
WHEREAS punches are not good to have on the courseDurland says they can be a useful tool when you’re hoping to improve your hitting skills.
“Punch shots are a great way to learn how to control wrist angles and create forward pivot—which is a must for consistently hitting strong golf shots,” says Durland.
But instead of using the punch as a recovery shot, Durland says to incorporate it into your practice routine to get a feel for what the best contact is like.
“The only difference between a ‘real’ punch and a practice punch is that you want the ball in the middle of your stance instead of on your back. This small adjustment requires the correct forward shaft tilt to help the ball fly down,” says Durland.
“So the next time you’re on the range, try some half-swing punches that end with your arms straight and the clubhead under your hands. Once you get a feel for the swing, work on hitting a few shots from 60-80 yards. This will help maintain a flat bottom in your golf swing and eliminate any roll or slide to improve stability.”
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