In this week's pro tip, local pro Jason Rudolph, explains why and how to practice a critical part of the short game. If you want to shoot lower scores and practice like a pro, then read on. A typically under-estimated part of every golfer’s game is the short game. Practiced ability in pitching, chipping and putting is what always separates decent players from the really good players. After spending over five years at Torrey Pines Golf Course watching and talking to numerous PGA Tour players, I can say that this is the one area of their game that they work on the most. The best comment I

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In a round of golf, more strokes are played with the putter than any other club. Most people know they need to practice putting, but the challenge is with how and what exactly to practice. In his book, Dave Pelz’s Putting Games, Dave Pelz outlines how golfers should go about assessing their overall putting skills and playing a number of games (or drills) focused on improving areas of weakness. For this edition of the MyMetroGolf Magazine Pro Tip, we spent some time with his great book to give you a feel for how it can make you a better putter. His book starts off

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Sliding in the golf swing occurs when the lower body moves laterally toward the target during the downswing.   If a lateral slide occurs during the downswing it is difficult to stabilize the lower body and eliminates potential power and speed. During the correct sequence in the swing, power is effectively transferred from the lower body up, not the upper body and down.  Therefore, the correct sequence starts with the lower body transferring energy to the upper body while the upper body, arms and club uncoil through the forward swing.  Without a stable lower body players lose power and inefficiently develop speed and power incorrectly. Many players

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Early extension in the golf swing occurs when the lower body moves toward the golf ball during the downswing. Early extension causes the arms and club to get stuck behind the body during the downswing and causes the upper body to rise up through the hitting zone. The body essentially gets in the way of the hands and arms through impact. Therefore, players that create this loss of posture during the downswing typically create misses that consist of blocks, pulls and hooks. In other words, the ball can go in just about any direction depending on your timing, but rarely straight. Some call this the

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Impact is often referred to as the “Moment of truth”. Regardless of what occurs throughout the backswing and downswing the goal is to square the club face at impact while the club travels toward the target. The result is a straight shot. The following club positions are ideal at impact.

Shaft Lean

Shaft lean is the measurement of how far the hands are forward or backward at impact. An ideal impact position creates a forward shaft lean at impact while the hands are slightly in front of the club head. Forward shaft lean is necessary for the correct downward angle of attack and ball compression. Forward shaft lean

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The correct set up at address positions your backside out so you hinge correctly from your hips while your spine remains in a neutral position. There are two common faults in the set up known as C-posture and S-posture. The following guideline will explain both faults and how you can correct them.

C-Posture

C-posture occurs when the shoulders are slumped forward at address creating the appearance of a rounded spine. C-posture limits spinal rotation and makes it difficult to maintain posture throughout the golf swing. Muscle imbalances in the chest and upper body often lead to C-posture. Similar to S-posture, weak core muscles can be a root

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Every golfer faces several difficult putts throughout a round of golf. Your goal should be to hole the ball in two putts or less every time. If you routinely make three putts or more there is a significant amount of room for improvement. For example, let’s say you average two putts on nine greens and three putts on the other nine greens. There is a quick five stroke improvement by cutting down from nine three putt greens to four three putt greens in your round.

Set Up and Stroke

The putting stroke, similar to the golf swing, is an athletic movement. Therefore, begin with an

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Nearly every player wants to hit the ball farther. It is no secret, that, on average, women tend to hit the ball with less distance than their male counterparts.  What then happens is that women are often forced to place an emphasis on their short game and, in fact, often have very strong skills around the greens. However, distance can really help in several situations on the golf course, so rather than give up on hitting the ball farther there are a few simple techniques you can try first. In general, this requires a focus on swing fundamentals to ensure maximum energy is transferred to

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Have you ever wondered how a golf professional prepares for a round? Before a competitive round a golf professional normally arrives at the course hours before their tee time. They begin with stretches to loosen their body up and move to the practice green. Professional’s focus on other short game areas such as chips, pitches and bunker shots. Next, they work on their full swing at the practice range. Typically, they spend a few more minutes on the putting green before they head to the first tee. There is no doubt they are fully prepared physically and mentally for their upcoming round. I routinely witness amateur

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The golf swing is dependent on correctly doing the previous move. Therefore, a solid takeaway promotes setting the club correctly at the top of the backswing, which in turn promotes returning toward impact with the club on the correct plane, path and face angle. Many players create a poor position at the top of the backswing. While the goal is to set the club correctly at the top of the backswing, many players allow the club to get across the line or laid off at the top. Both positions can lead to undesirable results. The club should point to the target at the top of the

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