Greetings Golfers,

I gave a lesson yesterday. No, not at an indoor range … but in my office at the Clubhouse.

How can that work? Well, most people need help understanding the golf swing. Few people just have a minor flaw that needs to be detected at the range and then fixed. You can play good golf with a bad golf swing. You can’t play great golf with a bad swing. Great golfers have less margin of error. A little problem can mean the difference between 68 and 72. Their “little problem” isn’t why someone else is shooting 95.

So let’s talk about what most of us need to understand and work on. Tour players have already mastered it and are working on how to maximize efficiency in their golf swings so they can be the best in the world. Most of what they are working on are the worst possible things for amateur players.

Tour players have unbelievably good short games because they have unbelievably good hands. They also are amazing at trouble shots and weird lies and stances. That’s not because of their golf swing – it’s because their hands can do anything with a golf club.

Amateur players need to develop their hand action. Then, the swing is a simple motion that is used to hit the ball with good hand action.

Here’s an analogy: If you’re hammering a nail, the hammer  head needs to hit the nail squarely. Just a little bit off doesn’t work. Imagine if the hammer was the length of a golf club. Pretty tough to hit the nail on the head. Then, imagine swinging that long hammer behind your head and hitting the nail squarely. That is the real reason why golf is difficult.

So, while learning to hit the nail with a full swing … wouldn’t you start with little swings and little hammers, and then work your way up? Same with golf. If you can’t consistently hit solid chip shots, how can you expect to consistently hit solid full shots?

This winter, practice chipping in your house. Get really good at it. Then practice hitting one handed chips. Use your dominant hand. If/when you’ve mastered that hand, then use your other hand.

Back to the hammer analogy. If you can’t hit the nail squarely … the problem is not your hip action. The body can be used to maximize power and efficiency. But, the body cannot hit the ball.

Train your hands. In the warmth and privacy of your home.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com