You ask. We answer.
Welcome to the first edition of #TuesdayGolfClinic in which we field your golf questions submitted via social media (Facebook and Twitter), through comments at this blog and via email.
Q: I am about a few months new to the game. Do you have tips on what I can do to help me improve my game while I am at the driving range?
–submitted by Michael Falcon (@FalconPunch85) on Twitter
First of all, congratulations and welcome to this fun and challenging game! Perhaps you have been bitten by the golf bug. In any event, it’s good to hear you’re spending time on the driving range.
Master the Fundamentals
As a beginner, be sure that you learn the fundamentals of posture, grip and alignment (PGA). Without these fundamentals, it will be difficult to improve your golf swing and ball flight.
Golf Channel’s Michael Breed explains PGA in this video.
One Basic Golf Swing
At the driving range, work on developing one basic golf swing that you can use with all your clubs. Golf great Jack Nicklaus explains this simple concept in the below classic video instruction. (Yes, those are actual woods in the opening scene!)
Focus on One Club
Advice from legendary golf teacher Harvey Penick goes hand in hand with developing one basic golf swing.
Penick encourages golfers to focus on one golf club during practice sessions as a smart way to hone their golf swings. “Choose a 7-iron or 6-iron,” he says in Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, “whichever one you feel the most confidence in, and use it for 80 percent of all your full-swing practice.”
Or you might choose a different club, but preferably an iron and not your driver. The idea is to build your golf swing and confidence with that one club. Then you will be able to repeat that swing with all your clubs.
Final Thoughts
Don’t hit too many balls on the driving range. Starting out, hitting a small or medium bucket is probably enough, especially if you don’t rush through them.
Don’t overswing. Many beginners (as well as others) swing too hard.
If you get tired, lose your concentration, or feel very frustrated or even angry, put away the long clubs and find a practice green where you can hit some putts and chip shots.
Submit Your Golf Questions
Follow GolfDiscount.com on Facebook and Twitter (@GolfDiscount) for golf updates and to submit your golf questions for #TuesdayGolfClinic.
You can also email breena@golfdiscount.com or leave a comment below.
Neil Sagebiel
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