Protip with Louis Melanson

Keep it Simple!

We golfers tend to be our own worst enemies when it comes down to our golf performance. We over analyze everything. The game is simple, put the ball in the hole with the least possible strokes !

It’s the same for the golf swing!! As golfers or teachers we should try to keep the swing as simple as possible.

There are two main points of focus - 1) control of the clubface and 2) the path of the club – the swing plane, as it travels around your body.

We tend to forget that the clubface is the only part of the club that touches the ball at impact. If the clubface is not square at impact the ball will go right or left. A golfer can make the most beautiful swing in the world but if the clubface is open or closed, at impact, the result is not going to be good.

For golfers that slice the ball, the clubface is automatically open at impact. A great exercise that I use and that has been very successful is stabbing the impact bag. For my students who slice, I ask them to pretend that the toe of their club is a sharp knife and that they need to plant the toe of the club in the bag. After repeating this exercise a dozen times I’ll bring them to hit golf balls. To their surprise , they hit solid longer shots, without slicing, all because their clubface is now square at impact.

To keep the topic of swing path or swing plane simple I like to talk about divots. It makes it easier to understand the concept. Eighty-five percent of golfers have divots that point left of the target line ( for right-handed golfers) We need to produce a divot that is more in line with your intended target. A great drill that I use is the clock drill. I place tees in the ground representing 12, 1, 6, 7 and 11 o’clock. The right-handed golfer will need to swing the club, on the downswing, between 6 and 7 towards 12 and 1. A swing along this path will produce straighter divots.

Clubface square + straight divots = Straight shots

It’s already the end of another great season. Thank you for all your support and we look forward to discussing golf strategies with you again next year.

For more information please check with your local professional.