S
pring has sprung, and with
it has come warmer tem-
peratures and longer days.
For golfers, that means more
time on the fairways and greens,
so there's no better time to assess
your game and tackle some trou-
ble spots that may be costing you
strokes on your scorecard.
Classic Club PGA Teaching
Professional Jason Smith recently
took some time to share a few of
the most common errors he sees
with amateur golfers and how to
make easy fixes that will put
your game back on track:
usE A PrE-shOT rOuTInE
When I'm working with a stu-
dent, I have them come up with
their own pre-shot routine that
they have to perform before exe-
cuting any golf shot. This helps
them get into a good rhythm and
gets their mind and body on the
same page before hitting a shot.
However, there are times
where I see students go to the
first tee and either rush through
their routine or not even perform
one at all and hit a poor shot.
They need to take a moment
and go through the process by
picking out a target, rehearsing a
swing that will get the ball to
that target, and committing to
that swing. Having a consistent
pre-shot routine will help ama-
teurs hit more consistent shots.
chEcK YOur AlIGnMEnT
I've noticed many amateurs
have a tendency to align too far
right of their target (for right-
handed golfers) and either come
over the top trying to swing to
the target or hit a shot to the area
where they were aligned.
I recommend picking an inter-
mediate target – a spot a couple
feet in front of the ball and in
line with the target. It's easier
to aim the clubface and align
your body with an intermediate
target than something that is
150 yards away.
usE ThE rIGhT cluB
ArOund ThE GrEEn
Many amateurs want to use a
high-lofted club, such as a 60-de-
gree wedge, to get the ball in the
air and land it next to the hole.
This is a risky shot and could
add strokes to the scorecard. I
recommend using a pitching
wedge or 9-iron to minimize air
time and maximize ground time
by getting the ball to roll to the
hole. There's less risk in this shot
as it's more like a putting stroke –
and there's a better chance it will
make your next shot easier.
sPrInG clEAnInG
It's never a bad time to address trouble spots in your golf game
Use the right club
around the green
to save strokes.
BY JAsOn
sMITh
PGA Teaching
Professional
lEssOn TEE
BOOK
A
TEE
TIME
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