Posted by Charlie King on Wed, Apr 28, 2010 @ 06:18 PM
I gave you a full swing tune up last week and this week it is time for a short game tune up to start your golf season in earnest.
I am giving one putting drill and one chipping drill. Don't be fooled by their simplicity. These drills are the real deal. Enjoy.
2 Key Tune Ups for your Short Game
- 2 Club Tracks/Rails Drill
- 2 Ball Gate Drill
- 2 Ball Line Drill
- Up Down Up Motion
Posted by Charlie King on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 @ 02:42 PM
Do you get up and down from off the green?
You might be asking yourself what does this mean. When one golfer says to another golfer "good up and down" it means that you were off the side of the green and you chipped the ball onto the green and made the putt. In Charlie's book "Golf's Red Zone Challenge" there is a great quote about chipping, "When you're a good chipper, chipping gives you par for a partner."
A chip shot is defined as a low running shot, where a pitch shot is defined by more air time. A chip shot is necessary when you are only a few yards off the putting green. At the Reynolds Golf Academy we recommended a two club system, such as an 8 or 9 iron or a pitching wedge or sand wedge. Master two clubs so you can master distance control. You want to select a club which will allow for the ball to just carry onto the putting surface. How much green you have to work with will determine which club to use. Usually the rule of thumb is the further the flag is from the edge of the green, the less lofted of the two clubs you would choose. Everyone is different; it doesn't matter which two clubs you choose, one is not better than the other. Master those two clubs and it will build your confidence around the greens.
Your number one priority in chipping is to hit the ball solidly. The majority of golfers try to lift the ball into the air and onto the green. This results in a scooping motion where your wrists bend upward and the club head gets in front of your hands. This may result in hitting it fat or topping it across the green. Other words in "golf launguage" associated to those bad shots are "chunking it" or "blading it".
The keys to effective chipping are:
- Have about 60% to 80% of your weight on your forward leg, the leg closest to the target. Keep the weight there throughout the swing; no weight shift.
- Ball position is back of center.
- Hands slightly forward.
- The club is swung on an arc. Be careful not to take the club back to low or pick it up too sharply.
- Maintain the same grip pressure throughout the shot.
- Pick a spot where you want the ball to land, then release.
Remember practicing your chipping and becoming a solid ball striker can help your overall game. For more information on chipping and drills to help you improve please go to http://www.reynoldsgolfacademy.com/ and look at our series of video clips and sign up for our newsletter. We want you to be our next success story! If you have any questions please feel free to send me them at knicoletti@reynoldsplantation.com.
Check our Charlie's Chipping video below.
Happy Golfing!!
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Dec 17, 2009 @ 06:44 PM
My Assistant Teacher, Ben Austin and I just videotaped our first installment of a Winter Practice Program for everybody. We gave a talk to our Member Coaching group Tuesday afternoon and it sparked an idea to give our blog readers weekly updates and nudges to make your golf game better during the winter.
Some of the games best golfers came from cold climates. These golfers had an opportunity each winter to get away from golf and get a fresh perspective. It was also a chance to practice indoors and practice in a mirror. Getting repetitions without a golf ball or with less consequences allows habits to develop (read "The New Rules of Golf Instruction" Chapter on Practice for more ideas on how to Practice effectively).
We are urging you to use this winter to really focus on skill-building. We will be posting videos to give you ideas of what to work on and how to work on it. We recommend a putting mat and an eyelinegolf.com Putting Plane training aid.
Watch the video below and tell your golfing friends to sign up for the blog to become part of our Winter Practice Program.
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Dec 10, 2009 @ 05:12 PM
Sam Froggate and the good folks at eyelinegolf.com are dedicated to golfers improving their putting. They specialize in putting training aids for golf that are innovative and practical.
You know my New Rules philosophy is all about developing skills. Good drills and solid training aids are how you build habits. My favorite putting training aid is the Putting Plane. I just did a putting tip for eyelinegolf.com and will let you know when it has been edited and ready for viewing.
In the mean time I want you to click on this link to take you to a page that has two indoor putting lessons that are skill builders.
http://www.eyelinegolf.com/Articles.asp?ID=233&utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=DPPS_comments_WS
Enjoy and improve.
Posted by Charlie King on Sat, Nov 21, 2009 @ 01:55 PM
I've posted the second segment below of The Red Zone TV Show that we did last year. There are a couple of golf tips in the segment, but the thing that I think is the most instructive is watching the golfers through impact. The most common fault in golf is the upward bending wrists I call scooping. Notice which golfers hit the ball the most solid. It is the golfers with firm wrists at impact. I know I harp on this, but have you done your drills to make good imact a habit? Keep up the good work.
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Oct 08, 2009 @ 05:42 PM
"Golf's Red Zone Challenge" that I wrote with Rob Akins was made into a television show last year. We have it on YouTube in 6 ten minute segments and I am going to post each segment separately over the next two months.
This first segment was an introduction to the competition and Reynolds Plantation. The format was a team event with 4 members on each team. Each team had a golf instructor from GolfTEC Philadelphia as it's captain and coach. The teams were tested at a course in Philadelphia 12 weeks prior to coming to Reynolds Plantation for the competition and taping of the TV Show.
The team members saw a lot of improvement from their efforts over the 12 weeks leading up to coming to Reynolds. One gentleman improved by 150%. The Red Zone was created to motivate and inspire golfers to work on their short game and this is another example of how it can be effective. Take a look at the video below.
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Sep 24, 2009 @ 05:31 PM
On Tuesday, September 22 we completed the $10,000 Reynolds Red Zone Challenge. Congratulations to Jim Thorne who won the Challenge and will receive the Grand Prize. Jim will be treated like a Tour Player during his full fit at the TaylorMade Kingdom and will take home a brand new custom fit set of TaylorMade golf clubs. We would also like to congratulate the other 7 finalists.
The 9-hole 100 yds and in tournament on Monday, cut the field down to the final 4. Because of weather our 4 finalists came back on Tuesday afternoon to hit 2 shots each in our 6 short game test categories. The score was very close coming down to a final putt by Jim Thorne that gave him the win. We had some refreshments and awarded the prizes. Everyone played well and seemed to have a great time!
Results
1st Prize: Jim Thorne- Kingdom One Day Experience including a new set of TaylorMade Clubs
2nd Prize: Tom Doss- 1 year of lessons with Charlie King
3rd Prize: Charles McDade- Entry into the 2009 or 2010 Men's Member Guest Tournament
4th Prize: John Floyd- TaylorMade Performance Lab fitting to include Putter and Wedge
5th Prize: Janet Norris (not pictured)- 3-hr Family Lesson with Charlie King for 4 people
6th Prize: Bernie Baum- TaylorMade Putter
7th Prize: Ron Lang- TaylorMade Wedge
8Th Prize: Larry Combs- My TP Golf Balls
I would like to thank everyone that participated in the Red Zone Challenge to help make it such a success. Ben created a group on http://www.ning.com/ in April for everyone in the Member Coaching program. We will add additional photos to the Ning groub website by next week.
We look forward to continuing to see everyone at Member Coaching.
Posted by Charlie King on Sun, Aug 23, 2009 @ 06:51 PM
Don't just leave the putter face down there to fend for itself. I want you to put your right hand in charge. Picture your right hand as the equivalent of your putter face. Get used to the notion that, if your right hand is pointed toward your intended target at impact, the ball will go in.
Another option: Left hand low. Some players prefer to make their left hand the lower hand on the putter, putting that hand in charge of the stroke.
Either way, your putting stroke will have more authority, and your putts will fall with greater frequency.
My book "Golf's Red Zone Challenge" has come out as a second edition with added tips and some updated pictures. The golfer's who follow the program in the book get 70% better on average. Go to http://www.amazon.com/ to order the book or call Emily at the Reynolds Golf Academy 706-467-1660
Posted by Charlie King on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 @ 06:12 PM
The Happy Caddy game (or Unhappy Caddy if your partner doesn't hit his pitches well) was first published in Golf's Red Zone Challenge 4 years ago, which been released as a second edition a month ago (available at www.amazon.com). In this game you have a partner and one ball. You need to find a field or area that allows and you and your partner to hit 20 to 70 yard shots at each other. Your partner is happy when you keep landing the ball at his or her feet each time. The focus that this drill creates is as good as any I've seen for wedges.
The idea for this drill came fifteen years ago as I was taking a lesson from Top 100 teacher, Craig Shankland. He told me that the players of his era were more accurate. Watch the following video to hear the rest of the story.
Posted by Charlie King on Mon, Apr 13, 2009 @ 05:35 PM
Do you find yourself nervous on the short putts? When we get nervous, it creates a tentative, shaky stroke. Here's a drill that can help. And it proves that you don't have to be perfect, which is good news for all of us.
Take two clubs and create a track between your ball and the hole. To hole these short putts, just try to keep the ball between the tracks, because this is a much easier task than trying to putt to a precise spot. If the speed is right, then the size of the hole increases.
Trying to be too precise or perfect leads to tentative strokes. This drill can be invaluable, once you realize you have more room for error, you can putt freely.
THE 3 TRAITS OF A GOOD PUTTER
1. You can square the putter face to the intended line at impact.
2. You've got a great sense of touch and feel.
3. You have developed the experience to read greens.