Simple Golf Workstation Drill For Longer, Straighter Drives

As you can see in the video this “work station” that you can easily set up on the driving range can help you fix several problems and get you hitting longer, straighter drives.

The best part is you only need two spare clubs and a handful of golf balls.

The first step is to lay a club between your stance pointing at the ball and perpendicular to your target. This lets you to easily glance down and see where the ball is in your stance (forward, back, or center).

Next lay a club parallel to your target line and about 6 inches away from the ball. This makes it much easier to see your target line while you are looking down.

Place a few golf balls along your target line downrange. Place the first ball 2 feet in front of the ball you are going to hit. Place the next ball 2 feet from that one, and so on.

The final step is to place a few golf balls behind you, along your swing path. The first one should be about 3 feet behind you along your swing path. The next 2 a few more feet back along your swing path.

The video shows pretty clearly what the swing path should look like. Your current swing path may not look like this (even if you think it does) so give this drill a shot. This workstation is designed to make it easy to visually check and make sure your golf swing is following the correct path.

As Bill describes in the video the first ball that is placed behind the golf ball you are hitting teaches you to have a low take away. The phrase low and away is a great way to remind yourself of this.

The back of your club should tap that ball out of the way as you take the golf club back to the top of your back swing. A low take way forces you to use your core and pivot to start your back swing (one of the keys to great golf). To practice this you can even let your club drag on the ground a bit in the take away.

This drill helps you on your down swing too. The balls placed along your swing path will help you see if you are coming over the top (swinging from outside to inside) or laying off (an exaggerated inside out swing).

For another one of Bill McKinney’s free golf instruction videos click here. Be sure to come back next week for another great video tip.

For Better Golf,
Doc O’Leary
Head Golf Nut, OHP Golf

How To Shape Your Golf Shots and Save Par

Learning how to shape your golf shots (hit a draw or fade when you want to) is crucial if you want to take your golf game to the next level.

Shaping shots takes you from ‘decent amateur golfer’ to ‘guy who makes his buddies jealous with his incredible par saving shots.’

Being able to shape your golf shots will enable you to recover from a sliced tee shot with a beautiful fade out of the rough, and on to the fairway or green. Mastering these shots will enable you to miss-hit the occasional tee shot and still beat your buddies on that hole.

In this short video Golf Professional Mike Gorton will show you the secrets to shaping your shots without changing how you swing.

As you can see from this video once you know the tricks shaping your shots is really pretty simple.

The key is understanding the two key variables that affect where the golf ball goes. The first variable is the way the club approaches the ball (inside out, outside in, or square). The diagram to the right shows these angles in case you are having trouble visualizing this (note: the diagram on the right is for a right handed golfer, it would be opposite for lefties).

The second variable is the position of the club head (open, closed, or square).

In order to shape your shots you simply need to change your stance. Changing your stance (opening up or closing up your stance) will cause you to chance your swing path without even having to think about it.

Hitting a Fade:

As Mike explains in the video all you need to do is open your stance while still aiming at your target.

By opening your stance you force yourself to make an outside in swing which puts right hand spin on the ball resulting in a fade.

Hitting a Draw:

To hit a draw you need to close your stance while still aiming at the target. This will force you to have an inside out swing path.

This swing path will put left hand spin on the ball causing your golf shot to draw to the left.

Practice these shots on the range to get a feel for how much you need to open and close your stance to get the amount of movement you are looking for.

These shots are actually a lot of fun to practice so grab a bucket of balls and hit the range.

For more tips from 3 time Long Drive World Champ Mike Gorton check out his Bombing it Long Package.

For Better Golf,
Doc O’Leary
Head Golf Nut, OHP Golf

How Disappearing Hands Can Fix Your Golf Swing


Hey Fellow Golf Nut,

Doc here with one of the simplest ways to see if you are swinging “on plane.”

Swinging on plane will make all your shots more powerful and consistent. It will make your pitch shots deadly accurate and your drives long and straight.

On the other hand, swinging off plane will make your golf shots erratic and weak. You will be forced to play the kind of “army golf” that you swear is just for those other duffers on the course.

Often times the biggest difficulty amateur golfers have is simply knowing whether or not they are swinging on plane (and if they aren’t how to fix it). The golf swing happens so fast that it can be nearly impossible for anyone but a professional golfer to recognize the slightest of mistakes that are robbing power and accuracy.

This is where PGA Pro Bill McKinney’s “disappearing hands” trick comes into play.

In the following video Bill McKinney is going to show you how to make sure your hands are “disappearing” after contact with the golf ball. Your hand position, during and after impact with the ball, is a great indicator of whether your swing is on plane or not.

Okay I know this sounds a little strange but if you watch the video I promise it will make perfect sense.

The best part about this trick is that you don’t need a pro watching your swing to see what you are doing wrong. You can have one of your golfing buddies or even some guy at the range (he’ll be delighted to learn this trick too) simply stand behind you and watch.

It’s so simple a 5 year old could do it. Check out the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snn4sMMFWOs

It’s really that simple. This is a great way to fix your golf swing quickly and easily.

Stay tuned to my blog for more simple tips on how to start hitting longer and straighter golf shots.

For better Golf,

Doc O’Leary

Head Golf Nut, OHP

How Mr. Hogan Was Wrong

Dear Fellow Golf Nut,

Doc here with a short video showing you a simple drill, originally designed by the great Ben Hogan now recreated by golf Pro Bill McKinney, that will put massive power behind your golf swing.

Ben Hogan was one of the greatest golfers ever…but…he did make one big mistake in the way he taught people how to play better golf.

Mr. Hogan created a training drill using a heavy ‘medicine ball’ (the kind you see in the gym). In this drill he compared using your pivot to throw the ball down the fairway to a golf swing.

PGA Pro Bill McKinney has taken that drill to the next level. See he understands that, YES, your core is the source of your power…but…you should be delivering that power ‘down plane’ into the ball not in a sweeping motion down the fairway. In the video above you can see that McKinney is using his core pivot to drive the medicine ball down into the golf ball on the tee.

This is much more like a golf swing, where you transfer your power and energy into the ball not down the fairway with a horizontal tossing motion like Mr. Hogan’s original drill.

Why am I telling you about this? Well many high handicap golfers suffer from something pro’s call ‘false speed,’ which is essentially a misunderstanding about where power is developed and where it should be delivered.

‘False Speed’ is the speed you develop by mainly swing with your arms, or speed you never actually put into the ball. For example some guys seem to have a wicked fast swing but can’t figure out why their drives are still lacking. The real problem is that they are developing much of this false speed from their arms that is wasted in their follow-through after impact. It’s kind of like the difference between slapping a guy in the face and stepping into him with a punch. Only one is going to knock the guy back. Just like the slap ‘false speed in your golf swing looks fast but doesn’t pack the punch.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not what Mr. Hogan was doing. He put the power into the golf ball (if he didn’t we wouldn’t still be talking about his incredible ball striking abilities 40 years after he retired). But… many guys have misunderstood him.

Allow me to straighten this out. Power is created by using your core, stored in your lag, and then delivered ‘down plane’ to the ball at impact. This power must be created and stored before contact. And remember swinging fast with your arms simply doesn’t send the ball anywhere. Learning how to do this is the REAL secret to putting power into your golf shots.

Go try this drill and let me know what you think. When you get a club in your hands after doing this a couple of times, I think you will be impressed with the results.

For more from PGA Golf Pro Bill McKinney Click Here.

For Better Golf,

Doc O’Leary

Head Golf Nut, OHP

Tee Box Control Drill

Dear Fellow Golf Nut,

Doc here with another Golf Tip for you.

This one comes from my good friend Billy McKinney.

I call it The Tee Box Control Drill, and this drill will give you a confidence boost like no other right from the start of each hole!

I’ll tell you what, when I first learned about this drill I tried it out on the driving range by taking my time with each shot I took.

Visualizing everything from a dog leg left with water hugging the left side of the bend, to a dog leg right with a bunker lying right in front of my targeted flag stick.

After only one bucket of balls, I went out and had my best round of golf in months, my golfing pals were all left stunned in amazement on how low my score was.

It was all they could talk about back at the clubhouse!

Anyways in this tip, Billy shows you how ball placement at the start of every tee shot can effectively help your game and boost your confidence by providing you with the best shot possible down the fairway.

Simple and VERY effective.

Check it out.

If you would like to purchase Billys’s Avalanche of Power Video Package, which this tip was taken from, simply click on the link below.

Bill McKinney’s Avalanche of Power

Till next time… for better golf.

Doc O’Leary
Head Golf Nut, OHP Golf

Understanding Club Release

Dear Hellow Golf Nut,

Doc here, I’ve been so busy the past few months working on a secret little project of mine that I completely lost track of time. I can’t get into much detail about it just yet, but once this thing is completed I will definitely be letting you know about it.

So in the mean time, here’s a quick tip from golf instructor Marc Minier on understanding the release of your club swing. In this video he quickly covers the basics of understanding how and where the build-up of energy is being delivered through the club shaft into the ball. Creating massive drives with little to no effort at all…

Check it out.

For more info
Click Here

Till next time… for better golf.

Doc
Head Golf Nut, OHP

Golf Tip – Harnessing Physical Forces

Hello again, it’s Doc…Good News — another golf video tip for you.
Understand this… and your golf swing will NEVER be the same…

This one is from golf pro Gregg McHatton – it’s solid advice,from one
of the games most respected teachers.

Tapping into your hidden power can start with a simple step
like this…look, you want to harness the power you generate
in your golf swing.You’re simply dead-in-the-water if you try
and over-power it…Get this down and you’ll learn to hit it hard.

…you can either avoid it…over power it…or harness it.

Try this cool tip -find out where you stand

I’ll keep you in the loop with more golf tips.

For better golf…

Doc O’Leary
Head Golf Nut, OHP

Rock & Drop

Hello again, it’s Doc…Good News — another golf video tip for you.
This one is from Bobby Schaeffer on how to create more motion in your swing to generate more power and greater distance off the tee.

In an effort to get more control, most average golfers restrict or limit
their motion…this will ultimately cause your distance to suffer. You
need to stay soft in your arms and shoulders to allow this chain reaction of power to flow. So, let more motion occur, just let it happen-you’ll love the results.
All you you gotta do is turn and slide your hips with a tilt of your spine…
If your arms are tight they won’t drop or fall freely and you’ll end up throwing
your arms at the ball hitting weak shots with no power. To see how this can work for you…

Check out this video clip of Bobby and learn to ‘Rock & Drop’ for more distance.

To learn more about Schaeffer’s incredible “Rock & Drop” power golf swing
Click On This Link

Thanks – for better golf!

Doc

Soft Wrists

Doc here, I’ve got yet another cool video tip for you. This one is from Gregg McHatton, on how to tap into that “advanced power” already hiding in your swing.

Gregg shows you how to get your body to do the work and simply allow your wrists to remain soft during your golf swing. If your wrists try to do the work, well you’re pretty much “up-a-creek” if you’re looking for power – because when your wrists do the work your body or your “swing engine” will simply shut off… So, let your arms hang from your shoulders and allow your wrists to remain soft and remember… The wrists don’t provide speed, they allow speed.

Just check out this video clip:

For more great golf instruction from Gregg McHatton check out his Perfect Results Training Package.

Thanks – for better golf!

Doc

Understanding Release…

Here’s another valuable video tip for you from Re-Max
Long Drive Hall of Famer Mike Gorton, check it out and
read the tip below too, it’s about how to stop”yanking”
your golf club from the top…

A BIG problem for most high handicappers and goes
something like this:

You’re on the tee box staring down a 550 yard par 5. You need a
good long drive here. So you take a couple easy practice swings
with your driver… line up your shot… take the club back…
then — somewhere in the back of your mind — a little voice
whispers to unload with everything you have.

And that’s where the problem lies -You need to understand Release
and how to maintain that stored power and deliver it to the golf ball.

You should NOT be thinking about “unloading” anything at the
top of your swing. This leads to one of the biggest
power-robbers ever conceived by man or beast — the dreaded
“yank” from the top. It activates your left shoulder, arms and
hands (ALL of which should remain loose and tension free) and
promotes a poor pivot (because your brain thinks your power is
coming from the “yank” — which is doesn’t. It comes from the
PIVOT). You ultimately waste all your before you even get to the ball
and end up slapping at it…weak shot -not good.

The classic “yank” also results in your arms and hands coming
“over-the-top”, pulling the club off-plane, and eratic shots
that spray the course like buck shot.

Okay… so here’s the big tip of the day.

You must think “slower” and allow your pivot to take over your
swing. Let the club accelerate near the ball instead of
“blowing your wad” at the top. Think to yourself “I’m just
gonna hit a nice easy shot about 180 yards”. Do that and “whap”
— suddenly your shots are longer, straighter, and a heck of a
lot more consistent.

Don’t worry about how long you need to hit it, or “hitting it
hard”, or getting the club to the ball quickly, or anything
like that. This is what prompts your brain into activating the
“yank”.Don’t think Hit –Think Wait! – and since the driver is
a longer club it’s going to take that much longer get back to the
ball…It should almost feel like slo-motion…it should’t feel
quick at all.

Instead be patient and concentrate on keeping your left
shoulder, your arms and wrists loose and limber. No tension.

Do this and you’ll instantly have a slower, smoother,
effortless looking power swing (your buddies will swear
you’re just coasting).

If it feels fast, it’s not. If it feels slow and easy, it’s
fast. How’s that for irony.

If you want to learn more about adding massive power to your
drives by “keeping it slow and easy” Click On This Link

Thanks – for better golf!

Doc

The Power Swing Trigger

Ready for something really easy to gain more distance off the tee?
I thought you would be…

Okay…you need to find a way to stay really loose, because tension
is the #1 killer of power in the golf swing…

The best way to stay loose is to create a “Swing-Trigger” for yourself.
The key is to create some motion…to help start your swing. (It’s
like dribbling a basketball before you shoot a free-throw -it helps
to stay loose and gives you some rhythm.)

So if you want to see an easy way to tap into more distance, watch this video clip:

Til next time… for better golf.

Doc O’Leary

Releasing Power at Impact…

Here’s a great video tip from one of our pro instructors, Marc Minier -showing the proper release of the golf club at impact…if you want more distance from your shots, you need to stop the power leaks….

For more great tips like this check out Marc Minier’s Power Punch Golf DVD