"Why Can't I Do That Every Time?"

How many times have you hit that fabulous golf shot and said to yourself; ..."why can't I do that every time?" Well, the answer is simple, because you are not making a repeatable golf swing. What happens with the majority of players is that they try to make it happen rather then let it happen. It sounds simple but when you have a golf club in your hands and you are thinking that you need to get that little white ball airborne, the mind plays an important role. Players feel as if they have to help the ball by hitting it with their upper body so the lower body is lagging behind resulting in a swing where you are manipulating the club with your hands and arms. Yes, every now and then you will square the club-head at impact, which will result in that perfect golf shot.

Have you ever tried to throw a ball underhanded? As an unconscious effort each person will rotate their lower body and transfer weight as the hand and arm swing freely down the target line resulting in a straight throw. Translate that thought with a club in your hands and let the lower body rotate in the same fashion while allowing the club to swing freely down your target line. The timing of the lower body is working perfectly in sync with the upper body resulting in a more consistent golf swing. Thus, allowing the ball to get in the way of a good golf swing is the key thought.

Wrong Ball Played from a Bunker....

I was out playing with a few students and one of my students hit my ball out of the greenside bunker. He proceeded to walk up to the ball on the green and realized the ball was not his, what is the Ruling?

A. One stoke Penalty, play the ball where it lies.

B. Two Stroke Penalty, you must correct your error before you complete the hole.

C. No penalty, you must replace the ball back as near as possible and recreate the lie.

D. You are disqualified.

Please email your answer to keith@islandgolfschools.com and title the subject, Answer. If you are correct, you will receive $100.00 off your next school. Good luck!!!

Shave 5 to 10 Strokes Off Your Score!

One way to lower your score by 5 to 10 strokes is around the green. If your ball lies just off the green on the collar, fringe or apron (some people call it one or the other), you need to get that ball up and down!

The first thing you need to determine is club selection. If the flag is up close, you need a wedge, middle or back of the green, you need a 7 or 8 iron. The idea is to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. For those people who use a sandwedge or lobwedge around the green, they are creating more room for error with the ball having so much loft.

We want you to focus with weight on your forward foot, keeping your hands ahead of the ball at address and with your stance slightly open to the target. This will allow your arms to freely swing the club back and forth toward your target. The weight and your hand position ahead of the ball at impact will dictate the club pinching down on the back of the ball allowing for 1/3 air time and 2/3's roll time.

With a lot of practice and hard work, you will be on the road to better golf!

Uneven Lies....

The first rule of thumb when you have an uneven lie is to think about club selection. Also, when you have an uphill or downhill lie, you always need to make sure that your shoulders are paralell with the contour of the slope. An uphill lie we always want to take an extra club. Downhill lie always take one less club. When you make your swing always make sure you are swinging the club up or down the slope.

If your ball is below your feet, make sure you aim a little left of your target because your ball flight will have a little bit of a left to right spin, creating the ball to fade. If your ball is above your feet, you want to aim right of your target since the ball flight will work from right to left.

What to know about Golf Schools....

When you are deciding to attend a Golf School, their are a few things to keep in mind. The best thing to do is ask around and see if any of your friends have ever attended a golf school or have any recommendations.

Also, think about what region where you want to go, keeping in mind weather needs to considered. Most importantly, does the golf school include on-course instruction with the professional each day? The biggest problem with students not getting any better while attending a school is most instructors just send you out on your own to play golf. Now students have a lot going on in their mind after a whole morning of instructional information. The instructor needs to be on the course with you reinforcing what you covered on the morning lesson tee.

I know their are many things to consider, but make sure you do your homework.

Video Analysis....

Whenever you take a lesson, you need to make sure video analysis is incorporated into the lesson. Many times when students take a lesson, they are able to see and hear what the instructor has to tell them. The key to learning about your own swing is to actually see it for your own eyes and try to understand what you are doing right and what needs improvement. Video analysis will enable you to make it easier to learn more about your golf swing.

When you take a lesson with The Island Golf School we incorporate video into each lesson. Also, you will receive a take home CD so it will allow you to watch and learn over and over until you have a great understanding to allow for you to become a better player.

The Island Golf School, a golf school located on Hilton Head Island, SC offers you instruction on the web. Our Golf Academy also offers Multi-Day Golf Schools on Hilton Head, Charleston, Daufuskie Island and Savannah, GA. If you are a Junior, we have the Junior Players Golf Academy, JPGA offering junior golf schools and junior golf camps. Take a look at our site at jrpga.com

Club Fitting.....

Just think, if you are not scoring as well as you want to, one of the reasons may be your clubs. About 75% to 80% of players are playing with clubs that are not suited for there swing. The great majority of players are playing with clubs that are to flat for them. This means if you see your divot deeper on the right side and more shallow on the left of the divot, the club is coming into the ground with the toe first and the heel higher. This results in the clubface opening up through impact.

Whenever you are in the market to get new clubs or even improve your game, you need to get fitted. The proper way is to make sure when you hit balls, you have face and lie tape on your club so you can see the proof in the pudding. If you are wearing the heel out, this means you need a flatter lie angle, if it is wearing more off the toe, this means you need a club more upright. How about the ball pattern off the toe of the clubface? This could mean a few things, but a few would be that you are standing to far away. Or, you may be coming out of your posture through impact.

As you can read, I can probably go on and on about golf clubs, if they are suited for your swing? Try it out for yourself, get fitted today and see what the difference does to your scores.

The Island Golf School, a golf school located on Hilton Head Island, SC offers you instruction on the web. Our Golf Academy also offers Multi-Day Golf Schools on Hilton Head, Charleston, Daufuskie Island and Savannah, GA. If you are a Junior, we have the Junior Players Golf Academy, JPGA offering junior golf schools and junior golf camps. Take a look at our site at jrpga.com

Chip It In to Win!

Over half of the shots you hit per round are played from within 30 yards of the green, making the short game a critical element to your ability to score. Unfortunately, most amateurs spend more time working on their full swing than on their short game. When you are faced with a shot right around the green, you need to be able to get up and down to save par. Instead of always trying to pull off a miraculous Phil Mickelson flop shot, go the chip shot to get it close to the hole. The key is to get the ball rolling as soon as possible so that you have a better chance of holing the shot. Here are a few tips to remember.

5 Keys to Chipping:
1. Stance - narrow and slightly open your stance to encourage a descending blow to the back of the ball.
2. Ball position - play the ball off your back foot to keep the ball low.
3. Weight distribution - keep your weight favoring your front side to make contact with the ball first.
4. Hand position - your hands should remain in front of the ball at address and in front of the clubhead throughout the entire stroke.
5. Club selection - proper club selection depends on the slope and speed of the green and amount of distance to the hole.