Protip with Louis Melanson

Getting ready for a great season! Start on the right track!

We can finally get out our golf hats and shine our clubs - the golf season is here.
To start off the year we need to make an assessment of where we need to improve. Golfers tend to change their swing or their game without going through self-examination. Starting the golf season should be like a regular check up with your doctor.

A visit with your local professional should be about building a plan around your weaknesses and your strengths. First of all you should be prepared to bring your stats to your professional so he can evaluate you. We are talking about how many greens do you hit per round, how many fairways, putts, up and down from 50 yards in, birdies, sand saves, handicap etc. If you haven’t started that good habit it would be a great idea to start this year. Mark down your stats on your score card and after the game write them down on a computer program or in a journal. At the end of every month you should average it out and see where you have improved and where you need to practice more.

I see too many people come and ask what’s wrong with my swing and they are already hitting 10 to 13 greens a round ( Tiger Woods was the leader last year with 13.4 greens per round) and hitting 70% of the fairways. So the problem is not their swing its probably their short game, mental skills or course management. Just by going through the player’s stats we can save that player money, frustration and time because we know his swing is not the problem.

On the flip side, there are tests now that you can measure your short game and compare to the pros.(Uncommon short game test, Tucker Test) These tests include putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play and wedge shots from 20 to 100 yards. It takes approximately one hour to go through it. You should measure your short game at least 2 to 3 times a year to see where you stand. Ask your professional to go through the test with you..

Last but not least, practice is an integral part to improving in any sport. Vijah Singh hits approximately 1000 to 2000 golf balls a day(short game and full swing). Moe Norman used to hit 800 balls a day on weekdays and on Saturdays he would play 54 holes and 72 holes on Sunday. That’s over 4000 balls a week in practice only.

To finish, a proper assessment should be done at the start of the year with your professional. Secondly, you should build a plan to attack your weaknesses with a solid practice regime, depending on your time schedule. Next, accumulate stats from your golf round and keep tabulating throughout the year. Last but not least, set regular check ups with your professional to evaluate your progress.

Have fun getting to your goals and have a great season!