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Good Posture Allows Your Body to Make Good Swings

My last blog was about the grip being the engine that starts the golf swing. This is about the posture and how important it is to have the correct posture so your body can make the correct golf swing. Good posture is important as it will determine the shape of your swing. The one thing I generally notice when I am on site at a tour event is the posture is fairly consistent for most golfers. They all look really good when they set up to the golf ball. When I walk up to the driving range at a club or a practice facility, I can generally tell what kind of player the golfer is by looking at the golfers posture.

I believe that once we get the proper grip the next important part of the golf swing is getting in the correct posture. Being in the correct posture will allow the golfer to be able to make the proper turn back and through the golf ball. I always tell golfers that you want to be in an athletic position with your golf posture. Here are a few tips to accomplish the proper golf posture:

1. Stand tall with a slight knee bend from the hips.
2. You should feel a pelvic tilt (butt out) with a flat back as you bend over.
3. Weight on the balls of your feet.
4. Slight tilt with your spine away from the target so your lead shoulder is slightly higher than your following shoulder.
5. Arms should hang straight down from your body and then grip the club from there.

Once you are in this correct posture you should feel very stable over the ball. If I came up to the golfer and pushed on their shoulders they should not fall over. Try having someone push you once you get in your golf posture and see how balanced and stable you are.

Now that I have covered the grip and posture the next piece will be on proper alignment.  If you have questions please contact me at Kandi Comer Golf located in Charlottesville, VA at kandi@kandicomergolf.com or visit our website at www.kandicomergolf.com.  If you are in the Charlottesville area we would love to have you stop by for a visit.

Grip: The Engine that Starts the Golf Swing

The grip is the engine that starts the golf swing.  If you do not put your hands on the club correctly it is very difficult to hit the golf ball straight without some manipulation throughout the swing.  The grip plays a very important role in controlling the club face which then can determine the direction of the golf ball.
There are three acceptable grips for the full swing.
Baseball Grip: This is a grip where you hold the club in your fingers and all 10 fingers are on the grip. (Generally recommended for women and juniors)
Interlocking Grip: You interlock your pinkie on your right hand with your pointer finger on your left hand. (Smaller hands tend to like this grip)
Overlapping Grip: You overlap your pinkie on your right hand on top of your pointer finger on your left hand.

Common thoughts for all three grips:
1.  Grip the golf club in your fingers and not in the palm.
2.  You should see two knuckles on your left hand when you look straight down on your grip.
3.  The right hand  should also be in the fingers and the V’s on your left and right hand should point   towards your right shoulder at address if you are right handed and to the left shoulder if you are left handed.
4.  Hold the club with a light grip pressure.

Another important aspect of being able to grip the club correctly is to make sure you have the proper size grips for the size of your hands.  The best way to tell if your grips are correct is when you grip the club in your left hand, your fingers should barely touch the meat of your hand.  If you are digging into the hand then your grips are too small and if your fingers do not touch then the grip is too large.  If you play with grips that are too small you will have the tendency to hook the ball and if the grips are too large the ball will have a tendency to fade or even slice.

Please note:  if you are a left handed golfer please reverse the hands and the grip is the same as written above.

If you have further questions about your grip or any other golf questions please feel free to contact us at Kandi Comer Golf located in Charlottesville, Virginia by email at kandi@kandicomergolf.com or visit our website at www.kandicomergolf.com

What Can You Learn From the 2012 Masters?

What an awesome finish to the Masters!! Bubba Watson is truly a great champion and great for the game of golf.  There are so many things that golfers can learn from Bubba Watson and the 2012 Masters.

It was astonishing to see how many of Bubba’s fellow tour players were waiting on ten green to congratulate him after the winning putt fell.  You hardly ever see this in competitive sports. What you usually see is the losing tour players rushing to get off the tournament grounds. All of those tour players waiting around to congratulate Bubba proves what a great guy he is.

Secondly, it was a great lesson for all golfers to realize you are never out of a tournament or a match if you simply stay in the moment and keep fighting.  Bubba never gave up, and as a result he earned the win with a miracle shot from the trees.  Louis Oosthuizen was in great shape after getting a good bounce off his tee shot, but Bubba stayed focused on what he had to do and was able pulled off an amazing shot.  In golf, it is easy to focus on what your fellow player is doing and get distracted from your task at hand.  The key is to stay focused on your shot and what you need to do.

Thirdly, a lot of people have asked me why they need a coach/golf professional if Bubba does not have one.  I have always told my students if you have the time to practice and play as much as the tour players do, than you can swing any way you want because you will be able to repeat whatever swing you have.  For golfers that have “different” golf swings on tour there has been a pattern of streaky play.  The reason for this is that there golf swings depend so much on good timing and that is hard to bring day after day or week after week.  The average player that comes for lessons generally need lessons on the basic fundamentals of set-up, alignment, grip and then once they have that their general swing usually falls into place.  I am not a method teacher and I generally work on the fundamentals of the set-up and then work from their based on what the student can do physically.  Most students are amazed how a small tweak here or there can really improve their games.   As I always say the average player cannot compare themselves to the select few tour pros who choose not to have coaches.

Finally, we can all learn that Bubba was totally committed to the shot he was going to hit.  He believed he could hit the shot and then he totally trusted his swing and pulled it off.  You cannot play with doubt when you are trying to hit shots and this shot truly showed his belief in pulling it off. Once you decide what shot you want to play, you must stick with it and stay 100% committed.

Great Masters with a lot of great lessons for all golfers.  So keep playing the game and learn from the best.

I am always willing to help golfers learn and get the most out of their golf game.  If you are ever in the Charlottesville area please feel free to give me a call at 434-817-0500 or visit my website for more information at www.kandicomergolf.com

How Many Hybrids Do You Have in Your Bag?

I can remember the days when I either loved my 3 iron or I hated my 3 iron. Actually it could change within a round of golf and from hole to hole. Matter of fact I never knew what shot was coming from the 3 iron I had in my bag during my playing professional days. I think back of all the anxious moments that  3 iron created for me during my competitive days and wonder what my career would have been like if there were hybrids back then.

I know I was very hesitant when the hybrids arrived on the golf scene because it was just not traditional. A lot of players questioned the fact  if  they added a hybrid to their bag, does that mean they are not a “player”? As an instructor I felt it was awesome for my players to add a hybrid to their bags because it was much easier for the mid to high handicap player to get the ball in the air with solid contact. The good players were not so willing to add the hybrid and this includes the tour players.

In today’s world of golf the hybrid is accepted for all levels of players including the tour players. Sometimes it takes a while to give up the traditional way (change is never easy) for the better way. It has always been known that hybrids are much easier to hit resulting in a higher, straighter ball flight, and a club that can be used in all playing conditions (high rough, fairway, hard pan, etc.).  The tour players have now accepted the hybrids and these numbers will surprise a lot of you, but the average number of hybrids in the bag for the PGA tour players is 1.7, the Senior Tour is 4.1 and the LPGA averages 3.2 hybrids in their bag. So if you do not have at least two hybrids in your bag it is time to re-evaluate your golf bags and the clubs in your bag.

I encourage all golfers to meet with their PGA or LPGA professional to make sure you have the set-up make-up that allows you to play your best golf. I encourage my average golfers to start their sets with a 5 or 6 iron and go through the sand wedge. That means they could add a 3 and 4 hybrid to their golf bag.  For ladies, I encourage them to start with a 7 iron through sand wedge and they would add a 4, 5 & 6 hybrid to their bags. This is a general guideline.  Again, I treat every player as an individual and it is not one size fits all, so schedule that appointment today with your golf professional so you start the year off with the right tools in your bag.

If you are in the Charlottesville area I would love to assist you with your club fitting needs. Feel free to contact me at Kandi Comer Golf at Glenmore by visiting my website at www.kandicomergolf.com for contact information.

The PGA Tour Season Has Started with a Bang

I am hoping most of you got to enjoy the finish of the Northern Trust Open last week.  I know the finish got me excited about the golf season.  If you missed it there was a three way playoff between Bill Haas, Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson.  To get into the playoff Keegan and Phil both made awesome putts on the last hole and the crowd was going nuts.  There were three things that stood out to me while watching the end of this tournament.

The first important thing I took from the finishing holes and the playoff was how important putting is to this great game of golf.  There were not only awesome putts made on #18 but on the second playoff hole Bill Haas made a bomb to win and Keegan missed a shorter putt to lose.

The second important thing was how important course management is to being successful at this game.  I thought Keegan and Phil both left it in bad places on the second hole of the playoff and I thought Bill would hit something short of the green into the fairway so he would have a straight forward shot to the pin.  I was wrong and Bill hit it into deeper trouble off the tee.  The only shot Bill had was to come out side ways to the middle of the green.  Despite what I thought was a bad choice off the tee, he made up for it with a great decision by hitting out to the middle of the green.  Bill was then rewarded with an awesome putt to win and Keegan missed his shorter putt.  Proof that course management does pay off.

The third important thing is to never give up from wherever you hit the ball.  If you make good choices and make some putts anything can happen.  Just ask Bill Haas.

Reach Your Golf Goals in 2012

I sure hope everyone is out and enjoying this awesome weather we are experiencing on the east coast this week.  It is such an exciting time at Kandi Comer Golf as we truly feel we can reach out and help every age and every level of golfer.  Our goal is to create programs for all golfers, whatever goal you have for the 2012 season we can assist you with reaching that goal.  If you have not experienced a program with Kandi she would love to have you come out for a FREE 30 minute video analysis session (through February 2012) to see how you can start improving your game today.

We will continue to offer our golf schools, Get Ready Golf Programs, Course Management Schools, Full Swing Schools and much more. We are very excited to announce a new spring and summer series where we will offer a clinic on a specialty topic such as “Fix Your Slice”, “Make More Putts” etc. each month at two different times.  If you have a specific topic you would like to see covered please just email Kandi the topic.

As you are probably already aware of KCG runs a very extensive junior program with Spring and Fall Clinics and Summer Camps.  We are excited to add a Parent/Child Clinic for the 2012 season.  Golf is such a great way to spend time with your children that we thought it would be fun to also participate in clinics together.   We feel the younger you start your kids the more they will grow up loving the game.  We run a kid friendly environment where the kids have fun and they also learn the basic fundamentals of the game along with the basic rules and etiquette.

Technology is abound at KCG.  We use video analysis with a high speed camera, use K-vest 3D technology analysis, have a specific training program for golfers after a lesson using the K-trainer and also offer a golf fitness program specific for your swing change needs.  Learning and improvement has never been easier.  If you do not live near our academy the good news is that you can send us a video of your swing from down the line and a front view through email and we will analyze your swing and send it back to you with voice over on what we would like for you to improve.

So no excuses it is time to get started now to improve your game for the 2012 season.  Call us at 434-817-0500 or email at kandi@kandicomergolf.com to sign up today.  You can also visit our website for more information.

2012 Will be a Great Year for Golf

Wow, what a great week in Orlando for the PGA Merchandise show.  I attended seminars all day the first day and it is always great to sit in a room with my fellow professionals and share ideas and thoughts on golf instruction.  I am always so grateful for the way golf professionals are always so willing to share their thoughts, philosophies, and knowledge so freely.  I am not sure I know of too many businesses that are willing to sit around and let their competitors know what they do to make them successful.  This is great for the golf business and I truly feel so many golf professionals want to do whatever they can to grow the game of golf.  So thank you to all my fellow professionals for being so open.

The second day I spent walking the floor with the approach to see what new technology I could bring to Kandi Comer Golf that would enhance the learning experience so it is more effective for my students.  As many of my students come to me in Charlottesville, Virginia because I do use the latest technology at my academy.  My goal is to make learning and improving your golf game the easiest and simplest way possible.  I feel most golfers are visual learners and effective use of video is a must.  I also use 3D technology with a program called K-vest and I love the feedback the students get from this program.  I have always felt K-vest was a great training aid for the golfer to make improvements quickly.  I was very excited with the addition of a program called K-trainer for my students to use once they have had a lesson.  The K-trainer will allow me to set up a practice plan for the student with drills and exercises based on what we worked on during the lesson.  The student would then come to the learning center where I would pull up their practice plan on the computer and they could practice for 30 minutes knowing that they are practicing correctly on what we discussed in the lesson.  As they complete each drill or exercise they will have it checked off on the program.  This will truly be the most effective technology to allow you to improve so you are not always working on the same issues lesson after lesson with your golf professional.

Then it was over to the equipment section and I was very impressed with the new Callaway Razr Fit driver.  Every golfer can now have a driver that fits them correctly.  This driver was the Golf Digest gold winner for 2012!  I also thought the Odyssey flip face putter had an interesting concept.  How many times have you played at a golf course with really fast greens and the next day you played on very slow greens? This putter has two faces with one being a soft face and the other side a firm face.  So the day the golfer plays the fast greens he might want to use the softer face and then switch to the firmer face for the slower greens.  However, it is very evident that the belly putter is the putter for the future.  Every manufacture has increased their lines of belly putters. In order to be effective with the belly putter, you need to make sure you are correctly fitted.  It is important that you have the correct length so you can set-up to the putter correctly in order to take full advantage of the belly putter.

With all this being said it was a great few days at the PGA show seeing the new equipment and learning and sharing ideas from other golf professionals.  I am excited for the 2012 season and I know this is going to be a very exciting year at Kandi Comer Golf with the use of effective technology and some great programs to allow golfers to improve and most of all to have fun playing this great game of golf.

If you have questions or if you would like more information please feel free to contact me by email at kandi@kandicomergolf.com or call my office at 434-817-0500.

How Can You Improve During Bad Weather

As I sit in my living room today and look out my windows all I can see is ice covered trees that are bending and breaking. I had to cancel all my golf lessons today and I know it leaves my students wondering how they can improve when lessons are canceled due to ice.

I think the thing most golfers need to understand is that you do not always have to hit balls to improve your game. Matter of fact hitting balls should be the last resource. I would recommend during the cold winter months that golfers get themselves in great physical condition by following a good cardio program and a strength improvement program. I personally use interval training and redcord for my students and have seen great results.

The second area you can improve during the winter months is to improve your putting. We all know we could make more putts and have less three putts. You can practice putting on your carpet at home or order a putting mat. Try to get really good at making putts from 8 feet and in. Put a quarter on the carpet to putt over or buy one of those putting machine that kick the ball back to you. This is also a good time to work on making your putting routine more consistent.

The third way to improve your game is to read some good books on the mental game. I highly recommend any of the Dr. Bob Rotella books or the Vision 54 books written by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott. As we all know our mental attitude plays a major role in how we perform on the golf course so this is a great time of year to get in touch with your mental approach to the game.

I encourage everyone to follow the advice above and I can promise your golf game will be ready when the spring season starts. You will have more confidence and feel prepared for the season instead of feeling like you are starting over after a long winter layoff.

If you have further questions or if there is anything I can do to help you improve your golf game please feel free to contact me at kandi@kandicomergolf.com.

Break Free from the Norm to Improve Your Game in 2012

Happy New Year to everyone and I wish you all the best in 2012.  As I go into the 2012 year and I plan the instructional calendar for Kandi Comer Golf, I realize that I tend to go more towards coaching each year.  Golf Instructors have been known as golf professionals, teaching professionals, but really never been known as a coach.  The tendency is for everyone to consider coaches as someone who coaches a team and I feel that is changing.

My daughter has a basketball coach for her team and she also has an individual coach that helps her with her fundamentals and it dawned on me that her individual basketball coach was not called a Basketball Professional but “coach.”  Swimmers swim as individuals and they call their instructors “coach” so why has golf not adopted this philosophy of “coach.”

I know I have several programs for my golfers that are 9 and 12 month programs and yes we work on technique, but at some point my job turns into coaching.  Coaching usually takes effect once they have the technique down.

The other tendency for golfers is to only take a lesson when they feel they are not playing well.  I can say from experience that the golfers that sign up for my annual programs definitely perform on a more consistent basis and improve at a more rapid pace.  With golf, what we think is happening in our golf swing, is usually much different than what is actually occurring. Therefore, it helps to have a set of coaches eyes watching you hit some shots.  Also, working with a coach on a regular basis prevents you from going in and out of slumps.  So I encourage golfers to meet with their PGA or LPGA Professionals (coaches) and set up a yearly program that works for you and your goals.

Golf as a sport has changed dramatically over the years and we now have PGA and LPGA professionals that specialize in teaching (coaching) and as a result, facilities are hiring just professionals to run their teaching and coaching programs.  So when you meet with the golf professional at your local facility tell them you are looking for a coach that can offer you an annual program that will not only allow you to improve during the 2012 season, but to also be more consistent in years to come.

I am hoping we see more golfers learning the game and more golfers improving during the 2012 season.  If you are in the Charlottesville, Virginia area, please feel free to visit us at Kandi Comer Golf, we would love to set up an individual program that will work for you.

Make Golf Cool in 2012

As we close the 2011 golf season I sit here and wonder what will the 2012 season bring. The golf business has been like any other business which has been affected by the tough economic times. However, I know for me personally I had a great year with Kandi Comer Golf and the instructional side of the business.

I see good things coming in 2012 for the golf business. I think golf professionals have to get the kids out playing and the mothers and as a result their operation will be more successful. In order to get the kids out, the experience needs to be fun and an experience they want to come back to again and again. For the mothers, we have to keep it simple and positive as they learn a game that they really are learning so they can be with their husband and kids as they go out to play. Golf facilities need to emphasize the game as a family sport or else their business will come to a standstill.

I also see the younger generation on the PGA tour and the LPGA tour encouraging and reminding the young golfers that golf can be cool. It is nice to see some nice young role models rising on the tours to encourage the young golfers today. Kids can relate to players like Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Lexi Thompson, Paula Creamer, and Morgan Pressel. All these athletes have fun playing the game they love.

Social media has allowed the kids and the entire golfing world to feel closer to these players by following them on Twitter and Facebook and these young tour players communicate on a regular basis about practicing, working out, playing video games, movies they have seen and anything that a regular person would do. The young golfers are inspired today as they feel a connection to the best.

So I am looking for great things in 2012. I know I will be running some awesome programs to include juniors and women with the goal to grow the game and to make the game fun. Please feel free to follow me on twitter @kandicomergolf and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kandicomergolf for the dates and times of these programs.