5 COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID AS A BEGINNER GOLFER!

So you started your journey and you want to make a smooth transition into becoming a regular golfer, well lets look at 5 common mistakes I see that can be avoided to make you a better golfer quicker.

(1) PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE

As your coach I'll give you 1-3 changes to make ready for the next lesson and these are sent over as notes via Trackman Golf. The first key is review and read your notes and apply it to your practice.

Here's an example of some notes I may provide:

Problem: Hitting the top of the ball too often.

Change Needed: We need to hit the ball first and then the ground, rather than the top of the ball.

How: (1) Focus on the finish of the swing, stopping half way into the finish with both arms straight.

(2) Place a training ball between the arms and feel the elbows squeeze the ball.

Taking these notes plan your practice with slow swings, using high speed cameras to check that both arms are straight after impact. This may not be easy and require many short and slow swings sometimes without the ball just to make sure you can physically replicate this in good practice swings. Then as your confidence grows, add the ball and check on video the swing. If it looks different then add power a little at a time. The key is to make some positive change, even if you hit slowly.

Aim for each shot taking around 30 seconds per process! Drill, practice swing, review the shot.

(2) QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

Each lesson I ask my students, 'how was your practice and what did you work on?' and by asking that we can check how the practice went and if it aligned with our most recent changes.

The students that make the biggest changes the fastest unbelievably practice the slowest swings using high speed camera.

I really relay back to my junior days, filming a swing on my Casio Ex-F1 camera, taking one shot and spending one minute plus reviewing a swing. Trackman Golf makes this process so much more time efficient. Hit one shot, review the change, take your time, do the drill, improve the next shot. Don't be a rapid fire practice machine! It changes NOTHING!

(3) BUILD THE SWING, THEN LEARN THE DRIVER

It's hugely important to learn how to start each suitable hole with the Driver however, rushing to learn this golf club can lead to many bad habits from over swinging, poor release, and losing the spine angle (tilting) in the swing.

I would strongly recommend that we work on building an iron swing that consistently hits the ball in the air with 30% good contact before we start to train a club thats much longer. The patience to build a consistent iron is then rewarded with a smoother transition into the Driver swing!

(4) PATIENCE PAYS OFF

Building a roadmap for your game we realistically aim at 25 hours coaching and 50 hours self practice to make the smoothest move from training to the course. Some students will look to experience the course much sooner but keep your sights set to the long term view of building a golf game! I've played this game over 20 years and still there is much to learn and experience from different weather conditions, grass types, new equipment and ever changing states of tiredness! Sleep more people!

When you look at golf as a game played long into retirement, look at your game as an investment that is building long term results. Yes, we want to get quick improvements but some take longer and it's okay to be realistic about these!

There are ways to speed the learning process such as joining our social golf days, like the Anti-Golfers Social events held monthly that add indoor Trackman simulator course play to the challenge of learning golf, or playing on the Trackman Courses, but try not to rush outside too early. Learn to use many tools in an expanding toolbox that will be your future golf game.

(5) ROUTINE TO BUILD HABITS

Why do tomorrow what you can do today? Simple version, add practice before and after your lesson. That way you take fresh information and practice it immediately, while at the golf studio.

Those that aim to practice at a later day often don't manage to get the practice in, which seriously slows the process of learning.

Stay, practice, change.

Think if you were learning a language, staying after to practice would be beneficial but skipping it to do later, especially in the world of Hong Kong.

Mike Bygrave

SHOTS FACTORY WANCHAI