Page 13 from Winter 2014 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved. Subscribe at floridagolfmagazine.com/subscribe
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GOLF INSTRUCTION

By Steve Whidden, www.whiddengolf.com
2010 Southwest Florida PGA Teacher of the Year

Steve Whidden, PGA Master Professional

“MAKE A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION PROMISE TO YOUR GOLF BALL”
        This is the season for better golf! This is a great resolution, but one that is short lived if we do not approach learning the right way this year.

        I want you to make a New Year’s Resolution to your golf ball now and forever that you will not hit another shot until:

You understand what the club should be doing at impact
You have the feel for what it feels like to do it correctly
And lastly, you have just performed it perfectly in your practice swing.

Let me tell you a story to give you an example of how this works.

        Not too long ago, I had a student come to me for a lesson on his wedges. He was having trouble with distance control and just inconsistency with ball striking. After watching him hit a few shots I asked him what he thought made the ball go in the air. He said the loft and getting under the ball. I believe that it is so important to know how the student thinks it works so that I can dispel any motor thought or images that he or she might have that are causing them harm. Don’t forget, golf is a motor skill, which means you swing a club by an image you have in your sub-conscious. Unfortunately, like this gentleman the image was incorrect and that was part of the problem.

        Next, I asked him to take me through his whole routine. He stepped behind the ball, lined it up, walked up next to the ball, and took a practice swing that barley brushed the grass. Got up to the ball, and the most beautiful thing happened. He topped it. You may be thinking that this is not so beautiful, but let me take you now on to your resolution.

        The first thing I did was explain to him how a club, in this case the pitching wedge is made, with the shaft leaning towards the target. This is due to the fact that we want the hands to lead the club head in to impact and pass by the ball before the club head hits the ball. I explained that in actuality, we do not want to get under the ball, but instead that we want to hit the ball first and then the ground with the divot in front of the ball. This motion is what makes the ball climb up the club face and puts the ball up. His image of getting under was causing him to either hit it fat or thin.

        Next, I had him take some practice swings hitting in front of an imaginary ball. This was brand new to his brain, but after a couple of swings he got it. Next I explained that different clubs need different depths of divots, for example a divot in front of the ball with a wedge should be deeper than with a 6 iron since the wedge is built more upright.

        Now we started his routine all over. We then made the Resolution listed above to that ball right in front of him.
He now has the knowledge of how an iron is hit, where the divot needs to be and the size for the chosen club
He made a realistic practice swing next to the ball and we waited for the divot in front of the imaginary ball and the correct depth for the wedge
Then, and only then, he was allowed to come up to the ball, and from my suggestion, within no more than 3 seconds pull the trigger, and evaluate if it was the same motion.

        So this year, learn what makes the ball do what it is supposed to do at impact, rehearse it before you hit it, and keep that New Year’s Resolution to your golf ball “I will not hit you until I understand what to do, and have just rehearsed it perfectly”

About Steve:
Steve Whidden, 2010 Southwest Florida PGA Teacher of the Year, whiddengolf.com
Dir. of Instruction, The Steve Whidden Golf Academy, Rosedale Golf & Country Club,
5100 87th Street East , Bradenton, Florida 34211,~(941) 756-0004, swhidden@pga.com


Page 13 from Winter 2014 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved. Subscribe at floridagolfmagazine.com/subscribe
To advertise in Florida Golf Magazine in print and on-line, phone 863-227-2751 and/or email joestine@floridagolfmagazine.com