Pro Tips
THE CONSTANT CHALLENGE TO IMPROVE
By Kevin Syring, PGA Professional
Having been a member of the PGA for over 25 years, I have given thousands of golf lessons and played with thousands of amateurs over the years. Why is it that with all the great technology available today, and better instructors than ever, that handicaps of the average player have hardly improved at all over the years?
Well first of all, just like losing weight or stopping smoking, in order to succeed you first must learn to change your habits and daily routine. The first thing you must do is find a qualified PGA Professional and book a lesson. Ask the professional to spend some time with you to discuss your goals. If he is any good, he will access your swing, your physical limitations, your athletic ability, desire, and amount of time you can dedicate to changing your swing. Also, ask him if he could evaluate your equipment. PGA Professional’s are trained club fitters as well as instructors. He/she can tell you if your clubs are properly fit and if not can make recommendations on whether to adjust your current equipment or to consider upgrading.
If you haven’t bought new clubs in the last 5 years, chances are pretty good that even the best players can get an edge by upgrading equipment since the technology has improved so much over that time.
After your lesson, ask the professional what he thinks is a reasonable program for you to improve. Depending on how much time you have to practice and other factors, he may suggest a combination of a series of lessons, an equipment change and possibly a visit to a personal fitness trainer. Many Gyms and fitness center now have fitness programs and trainers that are designed specifically for golf. Be sure to research your facility and trainer before committing to an extensive and expensive training program. Ask for references and the trainer’s background. My experience has been that most trainers want to work with weights and strengthen your upper body. That works for some people but if you’re over 40 and don’t work out every day, chances are a stretching and flexibility program works better. I am 48 years old and have found that in the off season, working out with a combination of cardio work (treadmill) and flexibility exercises is more beneficial to me than hitting golf balls.
Once you’ve found that reliable PGA Pro that you trust and he has evaluated your equipment and suggested an upgrade, have him help you pick out new equipment. There is no doubt that equipment can give you more distance and more forgiveness on off center hits. Hybrid clubs are much easier than long irons especially for older players and women. Drivers with more loft will launch the ball higher and for most players give you more carry which leads to more distance.
The final piece may be improving your short game. The best way to begin this process is to chart your next 5 rounds to see how many fairways and greens you hit in regulation, how many shots it takes you to get up and down on greens you miss, how many penalty shots you make, bunker play and putting. (Not just how many putts but how long is your average putt and how many putts from 5 feet or less do you miss.) Once compiling this data, bring it back to the pro and tell him you are ready to address your short game.
Most players (especially those who shoot 95 and above) will be amazed at how many strokes they can save in a single round by just identifying where the problem is and working to improve that one area. If you are taking 3 and 4 strokes to get out of a bunker for example, once you get the proper technique and are assured by your pro that the wedge you are using is functional (just because it came with the set doesn’t mean its any good!) you can spend 15 minutes out of every practice session in the sand and watch your sand game improve. You will get to the point where you’ll be aiming for the bunkers from the fairway!
After several months of lessons and getting your full swing reliable enough that you feel fairly confident, your practice sessions should always include a minimum of 50% on the short shots. (chipping, pitching, sand play, and putting).
You will soon become addicted to improving your game. As I said previously, I have been a professional for over 25 years and I like to think that my game is improving every year. Every year around New Years, I become excited because it’s a new year and I know there are new challenges that I will face on the golf course and hopefully will meet them better than in years past.
Good luck in your quest to begin immediate improvement in this great game we all enjoy. It is sure to bring you great satisfaction.
Kevin Syring, PGA Head Professional, Alpine CC, Demarest N.J. (2000-Present) Head Pro at Subruban GC, Union N.J. 1990-2000. PGA member since 1982
