WINTER HINTS AND TIPS

Hints and tips

• Clean grooves means more backspin:
  Amateur golfers often ask me “how do I get more spin on the green”? And yet I look at their equipment and there isn’t a clean groove on any club in the bag. Keep your grooves clean and watch your ball fly straighter on long shots and stop sooner on the greens.
• Golf warm up
  As a golfer, you may have often hit off the first tee without warming up and you know what happened. Typically ,you bogeyed or ,worse yet , double bogeyed the first hole and maybe the next ones too.
  You would never catch a top class professional going to first tee without warming up by practising on the the range first ,so why not start warming up before the next time you play golf.
  All you need to do is arrive at the golf course 30 mins earlier than normal and spend that time on the golf range by hitting 25 balls , followed by a few practice putts on the putting green and you will then arrive on the first tee fully warmed up.
  
• Grip don’t slip:
  Keeping your head still during a golf swing is tough enough on dry firm ground let alone wet soggy wintery surfaces.
  You should always check your spikes especially when the autumn winter weather shows itself as this will help maintain a solid base for your swing possibly saving you some shots.
• Keep those hands warm:
  Your hands are the only part of your body in contact with the golf club.
  Keep your hands warm and dry in the winter months by wearing mittens between shots and using pocket hand warmers this will help you concentrate on your game and keep you focused.
  GOLF IS FEEL !!!
• Keep it straight: 
  You’ll get less run in the winter. Try a fairway wood to improve consistency and you won’t lose all that much distance.
• Chipping
  The golden rule in chipping is ; Fly the ball as little as possible and let the ball roll as much as possible. With that in mind ,it is important to understand the air-time/ground-time ratios of shots hit with different clubs. The selection of the correct club is vital.
  When you chip with a 7 iron the ball will fly 1/4 of the distance to the hole and roll 3/4 of the distance.
  When you chip with a 9 iron the ball will fly 1/2 of the distance to the hole and roll 1/2 of the distance.
  When you chip with a S/W the ball will fly 3/4 of the distance to the hole and roll 1/4 of the distance.
  Always try and land the ball about 3 feet onto the surface and let the ball roll the rest of the way.
• Keep it low:
  The chip and run reduces the chances of miss-hits and unpredictable bounces – compared to the high, lob shot which can spin unpredictably with lofted clubs...especially when the ground is soft in places and frosty/hard in others.
• GRIPS !!!
  All too often amateurs will continue to play golf with poor quality grips. It is vital that your grips are kept in good condition and provide you with a stable and comfortable grip...especially during the cold months. New grips can provide you with that “new club” feeling and if fitted correctly, with the right size for your hands, can make a huge difference to your game.
  GET YOUR PRO TO CHECK YOURS.!!!