Issue link: https://digital.insidegolfmedia.com/i/869813
I t's back to school time, and as kids are hitting the books and getting reacquainted with the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, the start of a new school year is as good a time as any to assess the state of your game and re-focus on the fundamentals. Dana Dahlquist, a veteran golf instructor at El Dorado Park Golf Course in Long Beach who has worked with golfers ranging from juniors to top touring pros, suggests the following tried-and-true tips to push your game to the head of the class. ••• get out and play The more you play, the better you'll know your game and the better your "feel" will be on shots that require touch more than power. "Going to the range is fine if that's all you have time for," Dahlquist says, "but if you can, get out and at least play nine holes as often as possible. You need to be touching the golf club as often as possible to get better." ••• practice efficiently Start your practice by taking a bucket of balls to the putting green and putting for 20-30 minutes, then work your way around the green chipping balls to various targets from an assortment of lies. After that, Dahlquist recommends going to the range and working mostly with the clubs that you don't always hit as well as others. Instead of hitting your driver and 7-iron over and over, mix in fairway metals, hybrids and 100-yard shots. "I hear so often that golfers don't have time, but if you practice efficiently, you can get it done in an hour," he said. ••• putt, putt, putt This may seem obvious, but making more putts will have a significant impact on your scorecard, so spend some more time on this part of your game. Putting is basically read and speed, so if your speed is consistent on every putt and you start the ball on the right line, you're going to putt well. "You don't have to change your putter or your technique if you master read and speed," Dahlquist said. course manaGement distance control G olf isn't just about hitting the ball as far as you can on every shot. There are a lot of subtleties to this game, so it's critical to focus on what you're trying to do with each swing and how best to play each shot. "People tend to overlook this, but when you practice, work on your yardages," said El Dorado Park instructor Dana Dahlquist. "One of the most important things is to think about how you'll realistically hit each shot, rather than going after that perfect shot that you envision in your mind." If you do this, Dahlquist says, you'll have a better chance of turning bogeys into pars and shaving strokes by not losing strokes. THE LESSON TEE back to basics To get your game in shape, focus on these areas > click here to learn more about golf instruction from El Dorado Park's Dana Dahlquist. Game improvement Spend your time wisely on the practice range.