Author Archives: Doc

Golf Tip – Solid Chipping Equals More Birdie Putts…

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Many golfers lose way to many strokes around the green because they think they need to fly the ball all the way to the hole. While a high arching flop shot that lands a foot from the hole can be the envy of all your golfing buddies, these shots all to often end up duffed, topped, or shanked.

The truth is, it’s far easier to drill down your consistency when you go with a bump and run strategy using something like an 8 iron. You’ll have more control over distance, and with far less practice you’ll be bumping shots right up to the hole and making a lot more “kick in” birdies and pars.

While your buddies are contemplating snapping their sand wedge over their knee after sending another worm burner 30 feet past the hole, you’ll be tapping in for par. Sound good? Here’s how it’s done:

The key to mastering the bump and run is figuring out the air to roll ratio. As Clark Spratlin explains in the video, an 8 iron will typically roll 4 time as far as it flies (4:1). If you need more roll use the same motion with a 7 iron (typically 5:1).

How far do you need to fly the ball? Only far enough to get one step onto the green. If your ball lands on the fringe it could take a bad bounce. On a decently groomed course you won’t have very many surprises or bad bounces if you land on the green.

When making these shots you’ll need to read the green, since the ball will be rolling like a putt. For example, if the grass is very wet, what would normally require the 4:1 ratio of a 8 iron might need the 5:1 ration of a 7 iron instead.

I recommend getting a feel for the fly to roll ratio of your 6,7,8,9, and PW. This way you can quickly eye ball the distance and pick the right club. You’ll be able to use the same motion, and let the club affect the distance. This method is extremely consistent and predictable. Leading to lower score, more birdies, and a whole lot more fun!

For more score slashing tips from Clark Spratlin click here.

Forward motion, Down the Wall ‘Ball-Strikers’ Secret

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If you aren’t keeping the club inside (on the forward swing), you could be leaking some major power from your golf shots. When you keep the club inside you force your body, not your arms and hands, to do the heavy lifting. As you know, powerful golf shots come from the core not the arms. Learning to keep the club inside on the downswing is a great way to activate your core and get more distance and consistency.

As John explains in the video, visualizing an imaginary line which you swing along is a great way to train this. It’s even better if you have a golfing pal who can hold out a stick or club to give you objective feedback like John is using in the video.

Some instructors call this following the wall. This can help you visualize what you should be doing. When you follow the wall you will prevent yourself from coming over the top or casting, it sets you up for great hand position at impact.

For more tips on hitting longer straighter drives click here.

Spring Load your Golf Swing For Longer Drives

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In many ways the golf swing is like a spring. You load it up in the back swing and unload it in the downswing. You see, the real power in a golf swing doesn’t come from swinging your arms at the ball, instead it comes from unloading the “springs” in few key places of the body. When you unload those “springs” properly you develop the kind of raw power that results in longer straighter drives. When you do this right your arms are just along for the ride.

As PGA Pro Bill McKinney explains in the video above there are several places where you can build tension in your back swing that will store power to be released into the ball during impact. Let’s start from the ground and work our way up.

The first “spring” is your rear foot. With your rear foot firmly planted on the ground you can build power by simply resisting the rotating force of the backswing that tries to rotate your foot outward.

The next “spring” is your rear leg and knee. By moving your knee slightly outward while keeping your rear foot firmly planted you can store more energy for the downswing. As you saw in the video it’s not a big movement, but it adds a lot of power. And when you do it right you can certainly feel the tension.

Your rear glute and hip are the next “spring” that you need to load. By rotating backwards on your rear hip (this is different than rotating your core/waist) you add another layer of power.

You’ve most likely heard about loading your core in the backswing, it’s the next “spring” you’ll want to wind up. This one is pretty simple, rotating your spine in the backswing like you are trying to see what is behind you without moving your feet adds even more power to your swing. While loading the core is by far the biggest movement in this loading sequence, the other “springs” are what give the core the foundation it needs to develop serious power. Without the right foundation loading your core might as well be like bending a wet noodle.

Last but not least is your front shoulder; it’s the last “spring” in the sequence. By keeping your front arm extended for as long as possible in the back swing you add some major power to your swing. If you allow your front arm to fold too soon this spring never gets loaded.

When you load all these springs your golf swing turns into a drawn bow, ready to release its stored energy and send the arrow (golf ball in this case) hurling down range.

Releasing all these springs is the easy part, as long as you don’t over think it or try to get your arms involved.

For more ways to add power and distance to your drives click here.

Do you know where the Golf Power Point is?

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If you want more distance and power from your golf swing understanding this simple concept is absolutely crucial. This concept is explained in many different ways and thanks to countless bad explanations it all to often confuses golfers, actually hurting their golf swing.

That’s why I got world renowned golf instructor Darrell Klassen on camera to clear the air on this topic. The explanation given above by Darrell Klassen is one of the simplest and most straight forward golf lessons I’ve ever heard so listen up!

The main point of this lesson is that while many instructors and TV golf personalities have the right idea in mind they are simply explaining it wrong. For maximum distance and power you DO want to explode maximum power into the golf ball at impact. However, in order to accomplish this you must actually focus your energy on a point beyond the golf ball – a simple tweak that makes all the difference.

Why? The answer is simple. If you focus on achieving maximum club head speed right before you reach the ball you will naturally stop accelerating through impact (your brain says “I just hit the ball, we slow down now”). The problem is for maximum power and distance you must still be accelerating at impact.

The easiest and most effective way to ensure that you accelerate through the ball for maximum energy transfer is to focus on a point about a foot beyond the golf ball. What is the result? Nothing major just longer more consistent drives.

This simple trick is 100% mental. You are still swinging on the same path, doing essentially the same thing. You are only changing your mental focus so that you accelerate for a split second longer, a split second that will be a huge boost for you golf swing.

For more of Darrell’s simplified golf instruction Click Here.

Are you adding strokes to your score before you even tee up a ball?

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By using the tee box strategically you can easily save yourself 7-10 strokes per round. How is that possible? It’s quite simple really, and it depends on whether your ball flight is naturally a fade, a draw, or the ever so illusive straight shot. Your typical ball flight should determine whether you tee up on the right side of the tee box, the left side of the tee box, or the center of the box. This allows you to use the whole fairway to your advantage, here’s how…

If you normally hit a fade and tee up in the center of the tee box aiming straight down the middle of the fairway, the chances of you landing on the left half of the fairway is virtually non-existent. The chances of you fading the ball a bit too much is probably not that uncommon and will land you in the rough. You are essentially giving up half of the fairway for no good reason.

The same is true for those with a draw, except they are giving up the right half of the fairway when they tee up in the center of the box. There is absolutely no reason to do this. Don’t just jump out of the cart and tee up your ball anywhere on the tee box, ball placement on the tee box matters, so play to your strengths.

If you hit a fade (for a right hander) you should be teeing up your ball on the right side of the tee box and aiming at the left side of the fairway. The result: If you happen to hit is straight, no big deal your on the left side of the fairway. If you hit your typical fade your smack dab in the center. And if your fade turns into a small slice your much more likely to wind up on the right side of the fairway than in the rough.

Pretty simple right?

The opposite is true for a draw, you’ll want to line up on the left side of the box and aim at the right side of the fairway.

Remember golf is a game of skill, but also of strategy. Nobody has a perfect swing. Great golfers are the ones who use strategy to work the ball around the course with the swing they have.

Tee box position is not a decision to go “brain-dead” on. It matters a whole lot, and ignoring it can land you in the junk all day long. This simple strategy can save you some serious grief and a lot of strokes. Who knows you might even pick up a few more skins through out day…

For more great score slashing techniques click here.

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

Why is this the Worst Golf Tip?

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Hey, Doc here again with another free golf lesson for you…

“Keep your head down.”

We’ve all heard this classic piece of bad advice from a well meaning friend or misguided pro. The problem is, this advice is so general and non-specific that its meaning is completely dependent on your unique interpretation. This makes it totally worthless, and more apt to screw your swing up than fix any problem it was intended to.

In the video above 3 time RE/MAX long drive champ Mike Gorton explains why he thinks “keep your head down” is such bad advice, and what you should be doing with your head instead.

As you saw in the video, its normal to move your head in the golf swing, after all it’s an athletic movement and you are not a machine. Any attempt to keep your head in one spot will result in all sorts of mishits.

Instead try focusing on keeping your swing below your head. You don’t want your head getting in the way of your torso and shoulder rotation in the golf swing, as if its some immovable object. No, you want your swing to be natural and comfortable. Lifting your head a bit to keep it out of the way of your shoulder rotation allows a natural swing and improves your mobility.

As explained in the video, you want to feel like your swing is happening below your head. Focus on that feeling instead of keeping your head still. This will result in better swing mechanics and fewer mishits.

For more tips on longer and straighter drives from 3 Time RE/MAX long drive champ Mike Gorton click here.

For better golf,
Doc O’Leary
Head Golf Nut, OHP

High shots – Hybrids Hit Like a 9 Iron on Steroids

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Making unexpected shots will take your golf game to the next level. To make these shots you need to know what you, and your clubs, are capable of. By thinking outside of the box you can easily get out of many tricky situations around the golf course and save par.

In the video above Golf Pro Bill McKinney shows you how a hybrid golf club can get you up and over a tree that’s right in front of you, and still have enough carry to reach a green that is 170 yards away.

Normally in a situation like this, most golfers would choose to get over the tree with a 9 iron, sacrificing distance and their chance to make it to the green. This is a safe shot, but there is another option. A club like a #5 Hybrid has enough loft to get over the tree and will give you the extra carry you need to make it to the green.

The secret here is knowing what your clubs are capable of, but also spending time on the range experimenting with different shots. For this shot you simply need to make a shorter quicker swing. By tweaking your normal swing just a bit you can turn your #5 hybrid into a 9 iron on steroids. You’ll be able to clear the tree without sacrificing your score on the hole.

The best part is, if you practice these kinds of specialty golf shots, they won’t even seem risky when you use them on the course, it’ll be business as usual. And did I mention hitting these shots is a lot of fun.

So do yourself a favor, next time you hit the range try some trick shots, it’ll help your score and you’ll have a great time. Click here for more great golf tips from Bill McKinney.

For better golf,
Doc O’Leary
Head Golf Nut, OHP

Greg McHatton’s Cart Pushing Drill For Longer Golf Drives

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Hey, Doc here, bringing you yet another free golf tip…

We’ve all heard it time and again – power in the golf swing comes from the core. The problem is, unless you know how to properly use your core, this advice does little good. That’s about to change.

In the video above you find award winning golf instructor and PGA Pro Greg McHatton explaining how to develop massive power from your hips. The kind of raw power that translates into 300 yard drives.

As you can see Greg’s teaching methods can be a bit unorthodox, but it works, and that’s all that really matters. This drill is all about learning how to “drag” the club toward the ball using your core, instead of flipping the head of the club at the ball with your wrists. The key to making this dragging motion work is using your core.

Your hips lead this dragging motion by sliding forward. That’s where the golf cart comes in. We can all slide our hips forward, the question is can we do it in a way that delivers serious power to the golf ball. By forcing yourself to push up against a heavy object, like the golf cart, you will naturally put your lower body into a powerful position. This means your right foot is firmly planted driving into the heavy object and your knees don’t collapse toward each other.

This is also a perfect drill to teach you how to use and feel the ground in the golf swing. You can’t hit 300+ yard drives without feeling and using the ground beneath you.

The trick is ingraining this feeling into your body so you can repeat it without a heavy object to push against. Once you do that you’ll be able to tap into a whole other level of power in your golf swing.

This drill should help teach you how to lead your downswing with your hip slide, not your arms. The hips accelerate the club longitudinally, one of the keys to developing pro level club head speed. If you aren’t sliding forward you are missing out on this crucial longitudinal acceleration.

For more simple and effective golf tips for longer drives check out Greg McHatton’s “Perfect Results” DVD package…

For better golf,
Doc O’Leary
Head Golf Nut, OHP

Golf Tip – Secret to Ben Hogan’s Waggle

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Hey fellow golf nuts, Doc here with a short but sweet tip for you this week.

As you probably know a good pre-shot routine is crucial if you want to play great golf, all the golfers on the tour have a pre-shot routine and so should you. But I’ve noticed a lot of guys omit one very important part of the pre-shot routine, the waggle.

The waggle does some amazing things for your golf swing and skipping it is just plain madness. Once you realize all the good stuff the waggle does for your golf game you’ll never skip it again.

As Bill McKinney explains in the video the waggle does 5 important things for your golf swing. First, it rehearses you swing path. By moving the club along the proper path you are reminding yourself seconds before you swing where the right path is.

Next, it reminds your wrists how to cock at the top of the swing. A good waggle also reminds your wrists how to release into impact.

The waggle also helps you feel the right amount of tension in your arms and wrists, remember your arms and wrists should be loose and your grip just tight enough to hang onto the club. If you have too much tension you’ll quickly realize it when you waggle and be able to correct it before it ruins a shot.

Lastly, a good waggle gives you some rhythm, and keeps you from stiffening while standing over the ball. As Bill McKinney explains in the video, the rhythm aspect to the waggle is very similar to a baseball player rhythmically moving the bat before each swing. Starting a swing from a stagnant position nearly always results in a jerking motion, it’s just how our muscles work, but if we are already moving we can be incredibly precise and smooth.

How can something as simple as a waggle help so much? The simple answer is that it force feeds your brain very detailed information about where the ball is. That’s why it’s so important to waggle with precision. A sloppy waggle can be worse that no waggle at all.

How does the waggle force feed your brain information? Our brains have two ways of knowing where something is, sight and feel. Sight is pretty simple, look down at the ball. The feel however is a bit different. You can’t reach down and touch the ball with your hand in golf, instead you have to learn to use the club as an extension of your hand.

This is obviously a bit more difficult, that’s where the waggle comes in. Instead of putting the club head right behind the ball once (which tells the feeling part of your brain where that ball is), the waggle allows you to send that message to your brain two or three times in a row, really cementing the feeling of where the ball is into your mind. When you have both sight and feeling working properly you’re much more likely to hit the ball crisp and clean. That’s how something as simple and easy as a waggle can help eliminate fat and thin shots, without actually changing you natural swing.

I’ve got another great free golf video tip from Bill McKinney waiting for you, just Click Here.

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

Golf’s “Toughest Shot” made Easy: Conquer the Long Bunker

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We’ve all been there, staring down 20 yards of sand followed by a mere 5 yards of green before the pin. You know what happens next, either you use your normal sand wedge shot hoping it’ll land just at the start of the green without rolling too far from the pin, or you decide to play it safe and simply over shoot the pin simply hoping to stay on the green.

Neither option is very good. In the first instance you’ll most likely hit it short with another bunker shot to follow. And in the second option a double bogie is all too likely.

Long Bunker Shots Don’t Have To Be Hard.

That’s right, with the right club these shots are quite simple. For these situations you need a shot that is all flight and little or no roll. That means high loft and tons of back spin. With this combination you can swing aggressively (with none of the decelerating or hesitation that always leads to mishaps) and give yourself an easy par, maybe even a birdie putt if your game is on. The MZ-65 Money Zone Wedge was designed with this shot (and many others) in mind.

The simple fact is you will rarely practice these long bunker shot often enough nail down the kind of precision required to get it right, if you’re using a sand wedge. They only happen once every few rounds. With the MZ-65 you don’t need to practice this shot to get it right. As long as you hit the MZ-65 on the range every once in a while, just to nail down your distances, you’ll be able to use it to get out of trouble with confidence.

The secret is in the loft, the box grooves, and milled micro-grooves. This combination puts so much spin on the ball that there is virtually no roll. Just pick your distance, swing accordingly and watch the look on your buddies faces as your ball sits right where you wanted. With no roll to account for, no bad breaks, holes, thick clumps of unseen grass, or anything else to screw things up, these shots get a whole lot easier.

We all know that confidence is a big part of playing great golf. Being able to approach these tricky shots aggressively will give you much more confidence in your swing, resulting in fewer errors and lower scores.

So do yourself a favor and check out the MZ-65 Money Zone Wedge right now.

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

Turbo Charge Your Golf Swing: What pitchers know that you don’t…

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Hey it’s Doc again with yet another no-cost video lesson to help you crush more long, gorgeous drives.

This week I want to talk about your right elbow, more specifically how getting your right elbow in the right spot during the downswing can add power and distance to your golf drives.

Bill McKinney’s baseball analogy in the video above is probably the best way I’ve ever heard this golf tip explained, that’s why I’m sharing it with you today. We’ve all seen those dramatic Sports Illustrated shots of a baseball pitcher just before he releases the ball with his hand so far behind his elbow it looks physically impossible. Pretty Impressive.

What does that have to do with golf? Well great pitchers and great golfers both know that they can maximize their speed by tucking their right elbow before the moment of truth. Why does this work for golf? Without getting into complex physics it basically loads up power in your swing. The more bent and pulled into your body your right elbow is, and the longer you can hold that position before impact, the more power you have to release right when you hit the ball.

When you tuck your elbow properly it’s like a loaded spring.

You may be thinking to yourself, well that’s great, but how the heck do I naturally get my elbow bent into my body like that? The answer is that although it looks awkward in slow motion it’s actually pretty easy to do when you are swinging.

However, if it doesn’t come naturally or you are having a hard time developing a feel for it you can have a buddy do what Billy is doing in the video with the student. By lightly grabbing a hold of the club as the student starts his downswing, Billy is forcing him to pull the club down and inward toward his body. In order to do this you will naturally tuck that right elbow into your body.

If you don’t have anyone willing to do this for you that’s okay, there’s a simpler way. To do this without a partner simply think about pulling the handle of the golf club downward and in toward your body from the top of your downswing. Just remember it’s not a jerking motion.

For more great power boosting tips from PGA Golf Pro Bill McKinney checkout his Natural Power DVD Package. You’ll be glad you did.

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

Hit Longer Drives By Tricking Your Subsconcious Mind

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Hey it’s Doc again with another free golf tip for you…this one’s about hitting the ball longer and straighter so listen up.

Many golfers have a hard time developing the kind of raw power from their lower body that would help them hit the long drives they dream about. For most of them the problem has nothing to do with any lack of ability, instead the problem is in their head.

As you saw Darrell explain in the video the subconscious mind can play tricks on us in the golf swing. We put so much focus into the little white golf ball at our feet that we unknowingly slow or halt our pivoting action once we reach the object of our focus, the golf ball. As you can imagine this has devastating consequences not only for the distance of your golf shots, but their accuracy as well.

How can you fix this distance robbing problem? As you saw in the video it’s pretty darn simple. It’s time to turn the tables on your subconscious mind. Instead of it playing tricks on you, you are going to fool it into focusing on something beyond the golf ball. That’s where the cardboard box comes in.

Having an object to focus on that is well beyond the golf ball will teach you to accelerate beyond the golf ball. This in turn will prevent you from decelerating at impact or stopping your rotation too early. All you need to do is place an old empty cardboard box 18 to 24 inches in front of where your golf ball would normally be. The box should now be the focus of your swing. Put all your energy into smashing it to pieces. Keep in mind you’ll be hitting the box with the toe of your club, don’t try to hit it with a square club face.

The best part is, this golf club head speed boosting trick is easy as pie. There are no tricky concepts, no tedious techniques; all you need to do is spend 20 or 30 minutes beating an empty cardboard box to pieces. Do this once a month or so, just to remind yourself how it feels. If you want to you can buy a special bag that’s made for this purpose.

The result will be longer drives without a whole lot of effort. Just remember to use an old club with a steel shaft for this drill. You don’t want to accidentally snap an expensive club.

For more no nonsense golf tips that’ll boost your drives and slash your scores check out Darrell’s Signature Package. You’ll be glad you did.

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

Simple Mistakes Spell Death For Your Tee Shots

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Doc O’Leary here with another free golf tip for you. This week its all about hitting longer drives.

It’s practically impossible to hit long consistent golf drives without having a setup routine you follow each time you walk up to a tee shot. Even more important, you’re routine should be simple, quick, and get you in the optimum position to fire off long drives time after time. In the clip above, Bobby Schaeffer showed you how his simple routine prevents several common mistakes and prevents you from over-thinking the shot.

Proper Alignment is the first goal of any setup routine for you golf shots. Setting up too close or too far from the ball is a guaranteed way to send a tee shot into the trees. The best way to prevent this is to align the club to the ball and the target, then setup your stance based on where the handle of the club is.

One important thing to remember is that the higher you tee up any golf shot, the more you have to align the golf ball toward the toe of the club, when the club is resting on the ground.

Aligning the ball off center, toward the toe of the club, allows for the extra inch or two of arm extension at impact. Making this small adjustment ensures that you are striking the ball on the sweet spot instead of the heel of the club face.

Okay now that the golf club is lined up properly to the ball it’s time to get your feet set up.

As Bobby shows in the video above, using a few clubs to create a line perpendicular to the target is a great way to help you visualize your setup when practicing. Use this perpendicular line as a guide when you step into the shot. It will ensure that you are placing your left foot in the right spot, then you can choose a placement for your right foot based on comfort.

It’s the alignment of your left foot that needs to be precise. Many golfers walk up to a tee shot and then take some shimmy steps to get comfortable.

This may work sometimes, but it often leads to shifting your left foot out of position, all for the sake of getting comfortable. Using Bobby’s method you can still get comfortable, while maintaining proper alignment.

The final aspect of a good tee shot routine is pace. It shouldn’t be rushed, but it should be brief and to the point.

Don’t waste time standing over the golf ball. It will only get you thinking too much and throw your mental game off. As Bobby said in the video it’s best to think of it like riding a bike, you know what to do, there is very little to think about after the setup.

Now that you have proper alignment nailed down your tee shots will wind up in the fairway a lot more often. All that’s left is adding some serious “umph” to your swing, so you can start nailing those monster tee shots, you know…the kind that make you smile from ear to ear.

I personally can’t think of a better Christmas present for any golfer to give to himself than the gift of ridiculously long and accurate tee shots.

That’s why I’m running a killer deal on one of my hottest “long drive” packages, Bobby Schaeffer’s Beyond Long. Just use coupon code [XMAS2015] without the brackets at checkout to get 20% off the Beyond Long DVD Package.

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

Gravity “Apple Drop” Green-Side Golf Shot

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Nasty lies around the green don’t have to ruin your golf score, you just need the right technique to get the ball close. In this video golf tip, award winning PGA Pro Marc Minier will show you a great way to get the ball up and down, even if it’s caught in deep rough next to the green.

Before we dig into this golf tip you need to know that when Marc says “decel” he is talking about decelerating the club.

Having the golf ball in deep rough a few yards from the green can be a really tough shot. Most golfers are worried that if they swing hard enough to cut through the grass they will overshoot the green.

On the other hand some golfers will chose to take a short back swing and accelerate through impact. This type of shot has its own set of problems including stubbed shots. Relying on your arm power to push through the grass and accelerate through impact is a bad move. You never know what that grass is hiding, and if you hit the ground unexpectedly your club is coming to a stop.

As you saw in the video, the golf shots described above are not very good for this situation.

There is, however, an effective way to get out of thick rough by the green without the chance of way overshooting or stubbing the golf shot, and it’s easy. Simply take the club back and drop it down on the back of the ball “pinching” it out of the rough lie.

You don’t need to worry about your follow through. It simply doesn’t matter. The great thing about this type of shot is that it is consistent and repeatable. This is especially true if you focus on letting the weight of the club do the work.

After a bit of practice with this golf shot you’ll know exactly how far back to take the club for different distances.

The other important factor in this type of golf shot is your club choice. As Marc Minier explained in the video the worse your lie (deeper the rough), the more loft you want.

Choosing a high lofted club, like a 60 degree wedge, allows you to get aggressive and de-loft the club, while not worrying about hitting the golf ball farther than needed.

As always I hope you enjoyed this tip. For more great golf tips from 2006 Southern California PGA teacher of the year Marc Minier Click Here.

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

1 1/2 Inch Ball Shift for Longer More Accurate Drives…

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If you want longer more consistent golf shots with fewer fat, duffed, topped, and thin golf shots you need to think a bit about your ball position.

Each golf club you have in your bag is a different length. This means each club has a slightly different swing arc. What does this mean for your golf shots?

Well if you hit your seven iron perfectly then took that exact swing and used your five iron you would hit a fat shot.

The solution is not to change your swing, rather you want to change where the ball is in your stance. Changing your swing leads to terrible inconsistency. Changing the position of the golf ball in your stance is simple repeatable and easy to do.

The best part is that since the lengths of standard golf clubs vary in half inch increments it’s actually quite easy to figure out where each club should be in your stance. Keep in mind there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to ball position, but using this guide will get you pretty close to what will work best for you.

The easiest way to determine the best ball position for each club is to use the seven iron as your standard. The seven iron is the middle length club and should be played in the middle of your stance. Since the eight iron is a half inch shorter it should be played a half inch further back in your stance, and a nine iron should be played a full inch back from center. For longer clubs you’ll move the ball forward in your stance in half inch increments.

The driver is where people have the most difficulty with ball position. The driver is the longest club in your bag and you have probably been told by instructors, magazines, book, or buddies that when hitting your driver the golf ball should be lined up with the inside of your left heel.

I’ve got some news for you, unless your driver is still made out of persimmon wood with a hickory shaft playing the ball off your left heel is simply wrong. Standard driver shafts back in the old days were 43.5 inches long. To be fair many drives were still 43.5 inches long up until about 10 years ago, so your buddy’s advice is outdated but not ancient. The point is most new golf drivers are somewhere between 44.5 to 45.5 inches long.

If you were paying attention earlier you know that a longer shaft means these newer golf drives must be played further forward in your stance. The old guide of using the inside of your left heel won’t work anymore. For long consistent golf drives you need to play the ball a full inch to an inch and a half further forward.

Don’t worry you don’t have to get out a ruler when teeing up. Simply swap the “inside of your left heel” quick guide with “inside of your left toe”. It’s as simple as that. This slightly more forward ball position will compensate for the longer driver shafts and swing arc. The result is a square club face at impact along with longer, and more consistent tee shots.
It doesn’t much easier than that.

For more simple golf tips to improve your swing and your scores click here.

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