Manage your Misses

Handling bad shots is the secret to success
Brad Phillips, Center Manager – GolfTEC Easton, PGA Member

Many of you have heard the stories of how Ben Hogan only hit 3 good shots a round or three shots that he found acceptable. Now of course we know that it is relative. But the premise behind it is 100% appropriate. The game of golf is about managing imperfection. While bad golf shots are part of every round, it is how well we can manage those bad shots that makes us successful. Most GolfTEC Players have built a swing that produces good shots, but many of us don’t hit it as well as often as we like….and our bad ones usually cost us more.

Let’s start by making sure that you’re tracking your on course performance. If you don’t know what your common habits are on the course it will be difficult to plan for them in the future. Don’t rely on your memory. Of the 75-100 shots in each round, you’ll only remember a few standout golf swings (good and bad). By writing down your shot results, especially your misses, you’ll quickly identify your common mistakes.

Now that you have an accurate picture of your common misses, you can start planning your rounds to play to your strengths and weaknesses. If you can figure a way to minimize your missed shots and manage your recovery better, you are on your way to better scores. Remember, it is all about the number that you put on the scorecard at the end of each hole, not how many “pure” shots you hit during the round. How many times have you heard “put me down for a six, but did you see that drive?”

While bad shots will be part of every round, don’t plan for imperfection. Think positive, but be realistic. During a round of play, your focus is not on swing correction. Instead, you should plan your play based on the skills you currently have. With the right approach to smart golf, even your misses will result in playable shots on every hole. Here are a few examples of how to adjust your strategy to fit your skills.

If your tee ball moves left to right, start on the right side of the tee box, aim down the left side of the fairway, and let it rip. Don’t aim into trouble or out of bounds. You don’t want to be punished if you hit one of your 3-4 pure shots of the day. If the ball does not do what you expect, so be it. No amount of disgust, or getting down on yourself is going to improve the result of the shot that you just hit, but it will most certainly affect the quality of the shot you are about to hit.

Another common mistake occurs when the green is out of reach of a player’s longest club. Most players automatically grab the club they can hit the farthest and end up with either a short approach requiring a half swing or, worse, a miss that forces an even tough approach to the green. A half shot into the green is no bargain, and the club that you hit the furthest does not always result in the cleanest contact. A better approach is to lay up to a distance that allows you to hit a full swing. If a green is too far to reach, sometimes a 7 iron and pitching wedge will enable you to put the lowest number on the card.

Course management is the key to smart golf. When you plan for every possible shot outcome, it will be easier to maintain the positive mindset that is needed for your best play. By working on your swing, you are hoping to hit better “bad” shots. The more good “bad” ones you hit in the proper place, the lower you will score. The golf game is not just about swing mechanics, it is about the proper thought process throughout the round.

Get a Grip on your Game

Get a Grip on your Game
Andrew Jeffers

There are two very important parts to your golf clubs that can make or break your golfing goals when it comes to the equipment you play.

• Grip
• Lie angle

The grip is the only part of the golf club that connects you with the tool you trust to get your ball to its desired destination. The circumference is the most important part that gets overlooked. Just because your clubs come with standard grips on them, it does not mean that they are right for you. The size of the grip is what controls the rotation of the club head through impact. If the grip is too small, the club head can rotate too quickly causing an inconsistent shot pattern (typically left). If your grip is too big, the club head rotates too slowly which can cause loss of ball speed and shots going the right. Make sure you keep your grips fresh as wear and tear will definitely affect your performance. Climates and playing frequency will vary, but plan on changing out your grips at least once during the golf season.

The lie angle is another important part of the club that can dictate the direction of your shots. Having an incorrect lie angle means you could make a perfect swing and not be rewarded for it. If the lie angle is not properly adjusted to your body (height and wrist to floor measurement) and swing type, it can cause the ball to travel off line.

A lie angle that is too upright (toe of the club off the ground at address) will cause the ball to go left. A lie angle that is too flat (toe of the club on the ground at address) will make the ball travel to the right.

Having these checked on a regular basis is a must. It is recommended that you check your grips for wear and your lie angles every 6 months. Now that the season is heating up, it’s a good idea to get a tune up. Make sure that you’re rewarded for every good swing you make.

Ask your local GolfTEC Coach for assistance in maintaining your clubs for the season.

Why off the rack may hold you back

We bust 5 myths about custom clubs
Doug Rikkers, PGA Member, Director of Club Fitting & Merchandise Services

As avid golfers, we hear countless stories during PGA events about players who have had their clubs tailored specifically to fit their game. The assumption is that only a fine-tuned, highly-skilled player can benefit from clubs custom fit to their game. At GolfTEC, we take a different stance.

Myth #1: Custom golf clubs only help the best players
Every player on the course will experience better play when the right clubs are in their hands. Whether you’re a mid-to-high handicapper who needs a more forgiving club or a scratch player looking to fine tune your game, having the proper make and model, built to exact physical specifications, will save strokes around the course.  “If you think about it, if a bogey golfer can stay out of trouble off the tee, or carry an approach a little bit farther, it avoids the big numbers that hold them back,” says Mike Parker, part of GolfTEC Richmond’s Mizuno Top 100 Club Fitting team.

Myth #2: I can do my own homework to find the right clubs
The amount of information and reviews about the latest clubs is easy to find in magazines and online. Most big box retailers have a wide variety of clubs available to test on simulators, often with launch monitor data to view. But, without the expertise of an experienced professional, you run the risk of picking a make and model that helps your game, but doesn’t maximize your potential. “We see a lot of people come into the bay with a new club in hand and find that many could have been matched with a better club to fit their game,” adds Nathan Morris, a Golf Digest Top 100 fitter from GolfTEC Denver.

Myth #3: Custom clubs are expensive
Absolutely not. In most cases, players can order a set of clubs that are adjusted for their length, loft, lie, flex and grip at the same price as an off the rack club. Delivered in about a week, a player can get the right set of clubs built to their exact physical specifications. GolfTEC COO and Co-founder Mike Clinton adds, “We see a lot of sticker shock, the good kind, when we compare the cost of a custom set of clubs with a comparable off-the-rack set.“

Myth #4: Custom clubs will help, but not that much
According to a recent study by the Sports & Leisure Research Group a majority of players using custom fit clubs saw at least a 2-shot drop in their average score. One out of every four saw a drop of 5 or more strokes per round. Even if your scores don’t change much, your enjoyment of the game is sure to increase as your ball striking is rewarded with better results off the tee and from the fairway.

Myth #5: Any fitter will do
There are a lot of options available in the marketplace for club fitting, but be sure to check out their credentials and qualifications. There’s a lot more to a fitting than measuring your knuckles to the ground. Be sure to find a club fitter who has the knowledge and experience to find the right clubs for you. GolfTEC has the club fitting experts who not only have extensive knowledge of a variety of makes and models, but the in-depth understanding of the golf swing to bring it all together.

Before you make your next club purchase, consider a club fitting session before you make the sale. If you’re going to spend your hard-earned money on new equipment, be sure that it gives you the maximum performance. Your golf game will thank you for it.