Butch Harmon tips to save your short game

Butch Harmon has coached some of the best golfers the world have ever seen.  While the small tweaks someone like Phil Mickelson has to make in his game are nothing compared to what us hacks need to work on, the fundamentals of the swing are the same for virtually everyone. The slideshow which I have linked to below has some tips for each of 5 different types of short-game shots from Butch Harmon.

"I've been fortunate to work with some of the best short-game players ever--guys like Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Jose Maria Olazabal. What I've learned from these players is that greatness around the green comes from always picking the right shot, then totally committing to it. No second-guessing it, no flipping or scooping at impact. If you commit and make a positive swing, you're virtually guaranteed to do three things right: (1) accelerate through the ball; (2) shift to your front foot; and (3) deliver the same clubface loft at impact as you set down at address. "

See the slideshow here:  Butch Harmon: 5 Shots To Save Your Game

Remember Memorial Day this Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend, in addition to being the unofficial start of summer, is a great time to get out and golf.  I hacked my way through a soggy 18 holes yesterday morning, as we have had rain up here in Michigan for at least the last 75 days in a row.  This weekend is also a great time to have some friends over for a barbecue and to drink some beer.  There are great sports to watch on television this weekend.  What ever you do this weekend, take a little time to remember what Memorial Day is all about.  Many men and women gave their lives so that we all have the freedom to do whatever it is we want to do -this weekend and every weekend.  Some of these fallen heroes were drafted into service, and some of them volunteered to fight for their country.  Freedom isn’t free and countless people have paid the ultimate price for our liberty.  One day a year is not enough to remember all that they have done for our country, but on this one day be sure to take some time to remember all of the lost service men and women who have died for our country.

Try this to cure your slice....

If you like to slice your drives off of the tee than one of the potential culprits is an open club face at impact.  This video shows a couple of drills to try to cure your slice. 

Pop Flies

Hitting a nice drive is always a great way to start off a hole.  It gives you confidence to complete the rest of the hole, which is a big part of it.  Don’t get me wrong I have started out plenty of holes with great drives (for me) and still ended up scoring miserably.  Often times I get what feels like a decent swing with the driver, but ends up as more of a “pop fly”.  Which leads smart-ass comments from my equally-hack buddies which inevitably elude to baseball.  “…and he pops out to shallow left field.”, "Nice hit, Magglio", etc.  On the next tee box-or, cough, if I tee up a mulligan- my natural reaction is to try to tee the ball lower.  I always thought that pop files came from having the ball teed up too high.  PGA instructor Frank O’Connell shows in this video that is not necessarily true. He suggests the next time you fly out to right field, go against your natural instincts and try teeing up the ball a little higher.

Tips from Jack

Seriously, if you could get golf tips from anyone who would you want it to be?  Of course it would be the man with 18 majors on his resume, the "Golden Bear”, Jack Nicklaus.  Well, here you go.

Stop shanking by using your noodle

I came across this video from the Golf Channel which shows a drill you may want to try if you are consistently shanking the ball.  My first instinct was that I would probably look ridiculous standing there trying this drill at the range, but on second thought I look even more ridiculous when I shank it off the tee box and it doesn’t even get up to the ladies tees.  Plus, I can just practice this in the privacy of my backyard where my ridiculousness will only be seen by my wife.  And believe me she is already well aware of it.

Free Lesson with a PGA pro

You can get a free lesson from a PGA pro golf instructor all month long.  May is free lesson month and you can find a participating pro in your area here.  The free lesson you get is only 10 minutes long but that could be long enough to pick up a few tips on some of what you are doing wrong.  Here is a list, according to Golf Digest, of ten things you could learn in a tem minute lesson:

1. How to stop slicing off the tee
2. How to check where you’re aimed
3. How to get in a good setup
4. How to slow down your swing
5. How to hit it solid off the turf
6. How to play out of the rough
7. How to use a hybrid club
8. How to get out of a bunker in one swing
9. How to chip with different clubs
10. How to develop a feel for putting distance