Golf Practice "R"

Radius

Concept: For the purpose of a definition, the radius is the distance from the sternum to where the hands join on the grip.

Action: Take a towel or a neck tie and hold one end on your sternum with your left hand and the other end in your right hand. Make practice swings keeping the tension the same. If you are stretching too much, the towel will tighten. If you are too narrow, there will be too much slack.

The radius of your backswing has a major influence on the direction of your turn.

Ratios: Back to School

Concept: Chip shots are not meant to cover long distances, but rather a short trip through the air and then onto a roll (or run) the majority of the way towards the hole.

Incorporate the following ratios in your chipping strategy:

1. The length of the shot.
2. The distance between your ball and the front of the green
3. The distance from the edge of the green to the flagstick.

Action: Depending on the above ratios, choose a club that will land the ball 1 metre on the green and roll out to the hole. You may have to experiment. Just keep the constant landing zone 1 metre on the green.

Right Foot Backs

Concept: A common problem golfers have in the downswing is transferring their bodyweight from the back foot to the front. The result of this bad habit is a shot that pushes right with very little power.

Action: 1.    Set up with your normal stance, slide the right foot back, leaving only
       the toe touching the ground for support. Yes, this will leave you
       unbalanced when you take your backswing.

1. When you reach the top portion of the backswing, swing through the golf ball like you would on any normal shot. With your feet positioned as instructed in step 1, your body should automatically make the proper weight transfer to your front side.

Rough It

Concept: Gain a better understanding of what your club head is doing.

It is thought that Nick Faldo ruined his swing by hitting an impact bag. The problem with doing this is it stops the club from accelerating after impact. Using heavy rough provides resistance vs. a brick wall affect.

Action: Find some heavy rough and make normal practice swings through the heavy grass. The resistance will help you feel the impact position and show you what your club face is doing. It will also strengthen the exact muscle you use at this point in the swing.

Rubber Band

Concept: Decelerating during the putting stroke results in off-center hits and putts stopping short of the hole.

Action: Get a strong, six-inch rubber band. Take one end and put it around the thin leg of a table or any piece of furniture—something heavy and stable that won't move with minimal pressure. Put your putter head through the space in the middle of the band.

Take your putting stance, with your putter on the left side of the table leg for right-handed people and on the right side for left-handed people. Stretch the blade and rubber band forward, as if you're putting away from the table toward an imaginary hole. Then hold the finish.

The band tries to pull your putter back, but keep on stretching out the band. Stop after you complete a normal follow-through. Hold the finish, and then stretch it out again. Maintain a nice soft grip. You don't want to break the rubber band; you just want to stretch it out. All you are doing is training your muscles.