How to Make a Putt on the Green

*Sorry again for the audio....I had to record from my computer's external microphone. The beeping sucks, I will fix that for the next video. Bonus points for anyone who knows how to fix it now.

Within the video, I cover what I believe are 5 good rules to follow when making a putt on the green. Those steps are:

1. Read the break and commit to a line

Becoming a good reader of greens takes......you guessed it, practice! It helps to visualize the putt one aspect at a time. From behind, look at your ball in relation to the hole and first ask is the green sloping downhill, uphill or flat? Next, ask if the green slopes right to left, left to right or flat? Combining information from these two aspects will give you an idea of your line. I like to think of my line as something relative to the hole, ex. "Take aim a foot outside the right edge of the cup" or "The putt is pretty flat but I'm going to aim on the inside left edge of the cup." Once you have a line decided, you need to commit every part of the subsequent preparation to that line!

Tip: Only try reading a putt like Camilo Villegas if you are Colombian and built like a rubber band.

2. Make a few practice strokes

Take one step away from the ball. Its best to take a few practice swings with the putter on your intended line...next to your ball. Your goal is to swing like you do when you hit the putt for real. This means focusing on the line WHILE focusing on the speed at the same time. Ideally, if you take two practice swings and then one real swing, all swings should match identically. In a sense, you are producing a guideline for your body.

3. Address the ball with a firm yet soft grip and comfortable stance.

Take one step towards your ball and prepare to putt. The putter grip is tricky. You want to have control but you don't want to squeeze the life out of it! If you notice in the video, I hold the putter with my index finger pointing down the shaft. Its a style I tried out long ago, I feel it gives me better control. As for the stance, I prefer the knees slightly bent and feet about shoulder width apart, roughly parallel to your line.

4. Look at the hole, then your ball then your putter to confirm correct alignment.

As part of my routine, I look at each twice from above before making contact. Sometimes, if I'm not comfortable, I will step away and reexamine my line and go through the process again. Putting is all about being confident and comfortable when you are standing over the ball. If you aren't, don't bother rushing. Most putters have an alignment reference point ON the head. My Odyssey putter has a small black line I refer to when confirming my alignment.

5. Take putter straight back and follow through, keeping your eyes on the ball and keeping the putter on plane with your line.

Actions speak louder then words on this one. Keeping your putter on a straight plane with your line is a task in itself and something many golfers struggle with. Most importantly, you need to find a way to take that putter head back and through on a straight line. Taking your eye off the golf ball can ruin the outcome of a putt. What was that old phrase, keep your eye on the ball! A common teaching tool for putting involves sticking two tees into the green, making sure the putter head can fit through. Practice taking straight swings so the club goes through the tees without hitting either tee.

Golf Instructions Online Tip: 90% of putts that come up short don't go in. Probably my dad's favorite golf quote.

Ever heard the phrase: Drive for show, putt for dough?? Lets face the facts, chip ins and hole in ones come once in a blue moon. If you are Y.E. Yang, chipins for eagle come exactly when you need them!!! If you hit a green in regulation, we want you NOT to three putt. Learning to make more putts on the green will make you more confident, keep your overall score lower and help you win money.....if you are a betting person, of course.

Keep on swingin,

Foxy

Golf Equipment

Lesson 3

Golf equipment is straight forward, right? You just need some clubs to swing, balls to hit and one of those long pole fishers to sift the pond floor for "white gold". If you agree with that last sentence, please listen....and if you don't agree, you are on the right track. In my last post, I discussed appropriate golf apparel, today I progress to general golf equipment needs for the average player.

Tip: If you came to fish, you'd have a fishing pole in your bag, you came to golf! Don't spend much time fishing for balls.

It's impossible for me to say golf equipment has no effect on performance. If you are a beginner, I suggest using whatever clubs/balls you can find. You should solely focus on practicing, by that I mean going to the driving range and putting green. Even if you don't know what you are doing, you can watch the people around you, much of human behavior is learned through imitation. You can always purchase bigger and better tools later, don't feel rushed. I'd like to offer assistance to the intermediate players, who have seen improvements to their game, over the course of lets say 1 year, but still use the beginner equipment.

Tip: Go to the Driving Range/Putting Green and Practice!

The official rules state our bag can hold a maximum of 14 golf clubs. Ignoring brands for the moment, i'll list what I have in my bag: Two Drivers, One 3 Wood, 3-9 iron, Pitching Wedge, Two Sand Wedges and a Putter. I'm pushing the limit with 14, I really don't need the second driver in my bag...its the first official driver I ever used and I like to think it brings me luck. Recently, I find myself not using my 3 wood or 3 iron, I'm looking into replacing them with a hybrid and/or rescue club. As for the other equipment, I use two sand wedges with different degrees, one is for green side chip/bunker shots and the other is for low approach shots with more spin.

Tip: Rescue lubs are easier to hit then Long irons.

What to Swing

I like to follow the "whatever you feel comfortable with" model. No single brand is better then another, finding good golf clubs is a matter of trial and error. Asking me to pick one wouldn't be fair. All of the top irons companies like: Titleist, Ping, Callaway, Nike, Taylor Made, Ben Hogan (there are more then these six) make exceptional equipment! Its up to you as a player to find and test these products to make your own judgement call. Most golf retail stores allow customers to give certain clubs a trial if you look serious about buying. Otherwise, during peak golfing season, many driving ranges hold equipment trial sessions which makes everything more convenient for you. Also, checking out discount golf equipment online can save you time and money. You have lots of options as the buyer, usually stores or expos are flexible with testing all sorts of equipment like irons, wedges and putters.

Tip: Golf Galaxy and Golf Smith are two great retail stores.

What I Swing

1) Mizuno Driver

2) Taylor Made 3 Wood

3) Meridian Irons (3 through PW)

4) Cleveland Sand Wedges (56 and 54 degree)

5) Odyssey Putter

Equipment detail: I won my driver in a tournament, it took me a few months of practice before I was comfortable hitting it. My 3 Wood is from my first set, I don't like feel of the shaft or the grip.....changing it soon. My irons are from a company who is now out of business, they tested my swing and custom built my clubs with a longer shaft to connect best with my height. My 56 degree is quite old but I love the feel of it chipping around the greens, my 54 degree is relatively new and I love how it makes contact with the ball. My putter is also from my original set, its really grown on me over the last 7 years.

Tip: If you ever have the chance, get your swing analyzed and taped. Watching yourself gives you instant feedback.

What to Hit

Most golf club manufacturers listed above also sell golf balls. The majority of professionals play Titleist, or at least I believe their commercial claim "#1 ball in golf". I agree they make a good golf ball but it doesn't mean its YOUR ball. You are the "only one" hitting the thing! Again, I stress the "feel comfortable" model, if you strike a ball and it feels great, play it for awhile. You can always buy a new sleeve to test out, right? Good golf balls can cost $15 for a sleeve of 3. Did I forget to mention this game isnt cheap? Man, can't wait for that economy to turn around....

Tip: Test...Test...Test!

What I Hit

If you were to peek into my bag right now, the majority of the balls would be Titleist. But I do enjoy testing out new balls. I find sticking with one kind is boring, I like some variety in my life. I keep some others in my bag as well like Callaway and Maxfli. Oh......and I always keep one or two Top Flite balls, they are my last resort if I lose too many or get angry and want to hit one into a lake. Everyone has done it!

Tip: Top Flite balls resemble rocks, and sink like them. Be nice to the fishies please.

Finding the right brand for you is a process that takes time. The only way to know what you like is to test out a few club brands or a few putters and different types of balls for a comparative perspective. The brands I mentioned are very popular amongst most golfers but don't take our word for it, go figure out what you like because I know at this time, our experiences are different. Ideally, when all is said and done with this blog, I hope your experiences resemble my own.

Golf Instructions Online Tip: Don't eat too much turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Foxy

Golf Chat

Golf Apparel

Lesson 2

For the sake of the blog, I'm going to assume everyone is a beginner. That said, lets start from the beginning. I want to focus on clothing and appearance in this post. The game of golf is rich with tradition and I'd like to keep it that way.

Tip: Find a mentor or a coach who can teach you in person.

I'll start by saying my dad taught me everything about the game of golf. He helped create my passion for the game and my database of knowledge I'm prepared to share with you. I recommend a few preparation steps if you plan on getting serious with golf:

Dress the Part:

I treat golf like a job. I try to keep a steady balance of work and play while I'm on the course. I play to shoot a nice low score. My mind needs to be focused in order for me to produce good results. In my opinion, the simplest thing I can do to mentally prepare myself is dress like a professional. Wearing appropriate clothing is not only good for golf in general but its good for you the player. The right clothing, in my experience, can add a subtle boost of confidence. So what exactly do I mean by "appropriate clothing"?

Tip: Other golfers notice your appearance.

Well, what you wear does depend on the season. Lets say its ideal conditions, summer golf.

Simple necessities:

1) Golf shoes

2) Shorts

3) Golf shirt (collared)

4) Golf hat

5) Golf glove (optional)

There are many styles of shoes out there, pick one that suits your personality, just make sure they're waterproof....nothing sucks more then walking a golf course with a pair of wet shoes and socks. Khaki shorts are clean and go well with white shoes. Throw on a collared shirt, avoid flashy colors. Any available baseball hat or visor will do, something to keep the sun out of your eyes. I used to wear a glove but don't anymore, I like having complete control over my grip...literally. If you blister easily, a glove will save you some discomfort.

And it's that easy...

Tip: Flashy colors are annoying and attract bees.

You will never see me on a golf course wearing:

1) Jeans

2) T Shirt

3) Sandals

Tip: Most golf courses have a clothing policy.

I am a big believer in positive attitude. I think attitude has a tremendous influence on behavior. If you come to the course, wearing t shirt and sandals just to have a good time and hit the ball around, you aren't going to get better. I am ok with people wearing those clothes when hitting balls on the driving range, but it still bothers me to some degree. Playing sports growing up, coach always said practice how you play, the same lesson applies to golf. If you want to take the game seriously, dress seriously! Dressing the part is a simple concept which can place you in the mental mindset of a professional.

Expect Bad Weather

This should be common sense. Be prepared for the worst conditions. Always check the weather before heading out to your destination. If the weather calls for rain, bring an umbrella and rain gear i.e. rain shirt/pants. Golf bags were built with enough space to hold rain gear, don't worry if your bag looks bulky. Almost all new golf bags have an specific umbrella slot on the side of the bag, if your bag doesn't have one, you should make room for it next to the clubs. For the players who use gloves, keep an extra glove in your bag. You never know when the glove could get wet or rip.

Tip: Lightning and golf clubs don't mix, stay away from severe weather.

Dressing right and staying prepared are two steps every player should take when confronting the game. In my experience, preparing for controllable and uncontrollable situations keep me relaxed. Thinking and strategizing is a large factor in course management. Essentially, if I don't have to worry about the weather or my appearance, I can focus on breaking the course record....

Tip: Breaking course records are for really really good players.

Until then,

Foxy

Introduction to Golf Instructions Online

Lesson 1

Read online golf instructions for all ages carefully and with an open mind. I shall start with the proper introduction. Everyone out there in internet land can call me Foxy. I am a twenty something student of golf, no longer a student of college...thank God I graduated. I studied psychology while in school and worked as a caddy at a golf course near my house during the summers. I played competitive golf in high school and since then I play golf as much as possible. Sadly, winter is approaching while the golf season fades into the distance. Although many of us won't be playing much golf for the next few months, we can concentrate our passion for the sport into a online instructional discussion! Are you peeing your pants with excitement?? That makes two of us...

Alright, I feel it necessary to start by admitting some other important facts:

1) I can be sarcastic!!!!

2) I am not a professional

3) I have never given golf instructions online before

4) It's my first blog

Now, as most of you might leave my page.......some(maybe) will stay and read on to find I know more about the game then the average person. I have played AND watched enough rounds of golf to provide assistance in the form of instructions/lessons/advice to anyone, young or old, male or female.

Random: Most recently and notably, I posted my career low score - a 71 which at the course equated to even par. No need to clap people....I know I can do better! Enough about me though, I don't like to "brag". I figured by now you were looking for some context/evaluating if this guy knows a thing or two.

I'll go list style one more time for kicks because I know you love it...

My goals for this golf blog:

1) test the blog waters - so to speak

2) supply instructional information

3) teach lessons

4) give relevant advice

5) initiate discussion

6) answer questions to the best of my ability

I wanted to be clear, in this first post, about the purpose of my golf instructions online blog. I plan on writing in a simple fashion. On the goofy side, I plan on cracking a few silly jokes. On the serious side, I plan on covering the more critical aspects of golf: the rules, the swing, etc. Also, I want to discuss the thought processes behind the scenes needed to succeed. Ever notice how hard Tiger Woods is on himself?? Professional golfers require high standards like that...the PGA Tour is an intensely competitive league of roughly 150 golfers. Woops, I'm off on a tangent. I'll finish by saying if my readers (don't have any yet) enjoy one thing about my golf instructions online blog, I will be happy.

Until then,

Foxy

The Welcome

Welcome to Online Golf Instructions. This site will provide advice, lessons and instruction about the game of golf. My intent is to make my information and thoughts about the game easily available to readers. If you have questions not covered in my golf instructions, please feel free to email me: Foxy