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Drive for Show and Putt for Dough????
Think again!! Columbia Business School Professor Mark Broadie has analaysed over 10 million shots on the PGA Tour and has developed a strokes gained category for all aspects of the game. Broadie initially developed Strokes Gained category for putting for the PGA Tour.
What is strokes gained?
I'll try and explain as simply as possible....The PGA Tour average success rate for an 8 foot putt is 50%. If a player holes a putt from 8 foot then he has gained 0.5 of a stroke over the field average, if he misses the putt then he has lost 0.5 strokes over the field. With shot link available on the PGA Tour, it has allowed Broadie to capture all data and convert it into statistics. When Rory McIlroy had his 2/3 month spell winning the tour events this year, his supreme driving was gaining a couple of shots per round on the field average.
How does this compare to amateurs? Broadie analysed over 100,000 shots from amateur golfers. He broke it down to where amateurs handicaps differed more in their golf game. The difference between someone who shoots 80 and someone who shoots 100 was the test area. Out of the 20 shots, only 3 shots were lost due to putting....the rest were lost getting to the green!!!
Over the last 10 years Broadie listed four areas of strengths on the PGA Tour and listed them in importance from 1-4:
Most important area to reduce scores: (2004-2014)
Number 1 : Shots outside 100 yards (Tiger Woods Leads this)
Number 2: Driving (Bubba Watson)
Number 3: Shots within 100 yards (Steve Stricker)
Number 4: Putting (Luke Donald)
Many of the top coaches and players are now consulting in Broadie to develop practice plans and analyse performance of key areas in their game!!
So, where is your focus going to be on for practice this winter??
Junior Golf Equipment and the effect of using the wrong clubs!!
/One of the biggest detterents in junior golf development is using the incorrect length/weight of golf clubs. Manufacturers are brilliant at commercialising their product showing the latest clubs Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and the world’s best players are using. And guess what? The kids want them and they want them NOW!! Even if that means the clubs are not the right sizes or weights. Cutting down these clubs can help a little, but who’s going to cut down a €350 driver and wipe a lot of its value straight away?! When parents are buying clubs for their children I end up most of the time trying to encourage them to stay in their current set or continue in the line of smaller/lighter clubs and more often cheaper range. Bad swing habits develop when using the wrong clubs. A 5 foot 2 inch boy shouldn’t be using a 45.5 inch driver when you see Adam Scott, 6 foot 1, using a driver that is 44.75 inches long.
Lack of development, loss of speed, incorrect postures, bad pivots, poor rotation and poor contact are just some habits that young golfers inhabit as a result of using the wrong equipment.
My advice is to gain expertise from a PGA Professional and even if your child is between 6-12 years of age, a 5 minute custom fit session will ensure the clubs are correctly fitted and their development continued!!
Flop Shop
/So you've hit your approach to the green and you've short sighted yourself.....How do you get out of this tricky situation. Well, let's play a flop shot....before you bring this to the monthly medal, you need to practice the shot and get some confidence. A longer swing around the green always creates more risk. However, been able to be creative around the green can enable you to save par on occasions...
Click below to flop it like Phil.....
http://www.independent.ie/videos/sport/video-pro-tips-the-flop-shot-35106965.html
Low Punch Shot
/One of the biggest differences I see between high handicap players and low handicap players is the ability to control the golf ball in tough conditions. Higher handicap players tend to have one way and one way only to hit the ball. By creating a few more shots in your game can help you play in any condition that you may face...
Click the link to see how to play a punch shot...
http://www.independent.ie/videos/video-pro-tips-the-punch-shot-35080408.html
Spin your Wedges!!
/One of the most frequent questions I get asked when giving short game lessons is how to create some spin. First of all, ensure the wedge (preferably one with good groves) is perfectly clean and dry, grooves and club face. Secondly, the ball must have soft compression, ie Titleist Pro V1 and lastly the conditions must suit, dry/calm/flat lie or uphill hill ideal. If the green is wet or debris is caught in between ball and club then the ball can't create any spin..
Watch below for some more tips....
http://www.independent.ie/videos/video-pro-tips-approach-the-green-spin-your-wedges-35061607.html
Crisp Iron shots
/Next up in our series with the Irish Independent is how to hit crisp iron shots. Been able to hit the hit with a 7 iron compared to hitting a the front bunker can have a huge effect on your scoring ability...
Click below to see the video...
Coach Camp
/I believe it is important for any individual to develop their knowledge and skills. Each year, I try and educate myself further and basically invest in my knowledge. The last few days I attended a seminar in Roganstown Golf Club where five of the world's most recognised coaches delivered a fantastic presentation covering:
- Golf swing and positions
- Engaging with your lesson
- Growing your business/selling yourself
- Developing as a golf coach/business
Andrew Rice lead the seminar and he was joined by Joseph Mayo, Mark Crossfield, Chuck Cook and Dana Dalhquist.
Longer Drives
/Each week with the Irish Independent and indendent.ie I will be giving tips on various areas of the game in their golf section, Tee to Green. This week we worked on longer drives. Did you know that statistics prove that it is better to be 30 yards and in the rough than to be 30 yards further back and in the rough!!!
Click the link below to see how to gain a few yards...........