TeeMaster - Paul Strande's 5 secrets of golf

	"The Future of Tee Times^sm" Friday, September 5

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5 Secrets of the Game

By Paul Strande

Secret #1: Mental Focus

Golf is a game of motion; the club is in motion, not the ball. What should we focus on in golf, the ball or the club? Approximately 95% of all golfers are focused on the wrong object, the ball, and that’s why many golfers don’t improve. Hitting a baseball is different, because the ball is in motion. If you don’t see it you can’t hit it. The big mystery to me is why “keep your eyes on the ball” transferred over from baseball to golf. The fact is, you can close your eyes and hit a golf ball after you take your set up--try it sometime, you’ll be surprised. If it’s so important to keep your eyes on the ball, how do blind people play golf?

The big question in golf is, where should our mental focus be? Please refer to the following list.

The club
A golf club has to be operated squarely with precision, because the sweet spot is only the size of a quarter. The club is in motion, not the ball. The club needs to swing back to the location of the ball. In other words, a golfer needs to groove a swing that’s repeatable. Have you ever practiced where the bottom of the swing is? It is very important to pay attention to what the club is doing in the hitting zone.

Pre-shot routine
A pre-shot routine includes checking the lie of the ball, the yardage, the layout of the hole, and choosing the right club for the shot.

Set-up routine
Getting in a position to hit the ball is very important. A good set-up routine includes proper grip, posture, aiming the club, setting the stance and ball position, sighting the target, a good waggle of the club, and getting comfortable to make a good swing.

One swing key
A swing key is a mental thought used to trigger a proper swing. There are a number of good swing keys such as, start the club straight back with the hands and arms, pause a little at the top of the back swing, keep the head or swing center steady during the swing, and a good rhythm swing key is, “ BACK and HIT ”.

The target
All good players are always focused on where they are trying to hit the ball. Target focus is also important, even in practice.

Focusing on the ball takes your attention away from all the things you should be focused on: the club, target, pre-shot and set-up routine, and a swing key. The good news is you don’t have to keep your eyes on an object that’s not moving. This is one of the secrets of the game.

Paul Strande, PGA Professional
Crystal Lake Golf Club

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