Learn to play golf - both sides of the game

I think it is very important that people starting to play the game of golf understand that there are almost two completely separate areas of golf to learn before you can really start to notice huge improvements in scoring on the golf course. I'm not talking about full swing & putting, chipping & pitching etc but the technical aspects of the game and also simply learning to play the game. It is the reason that as a beginner it can take a while to take what you learn on the range onto the golf course.

Learn the technical aspects

This is the full swing, pitching, chipping, bunkers and putting. The only way to do this is with your PGA Professional so that you can learn the correct technique from a professional, this will stop you from developing bad habits and also give you the tools to be able to go away and practice with drills and games so you can continue to progress and measure your progress. It is important that if you make the decision to carry out lessons then make sure you practice what you are taught. Turning up once a week for a lesson with nothing done in between will severely slow down your progress, trust me there is nothing better than hearing your pupils have been practicing hard between lessons.

Learn to play golf

This is basically what happens when you have a scorecard in your hand on the golf course. Getting out on the golf course and away from the controlled and sometimes flattering area of the driving range can at first be daunting. However you have got to get used to it and learn to look forward to it. The range is a safe haven where bad shots don't matter you just have another go, bays align you easily and mats disguise bad strikes. It is natural to tense up a little but by getting out there you will begin to get used to the situation and control yourself better.

The other side of this is learning that it doesn't have to be perfect. At the end of a day it is a number that goes on the scorecard not a competition of how pretty it was. You need to learn to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.

When to do what........

Traditionally once the technique is learnt then the player will venture onto the golf course, and if you are at a private club that may have to be the case unless you can get out with your pro. However if you are at a course that gives you access to a course, ideally a little par 3, then get out there. The worst thing is when people have worked their backsides off to get out on the course and then come in after their first round give you the common comment 'wow, that was so different to the range'. Get out there, avoid that shock element and go and play some golf. You need to learn what you are working towards and what you actually need to achieve.

These are my feelings on beginner golf. I always want my players playing rather than just being range junkies. I would recommend you adopt that as well. Yes you need to practice, everyone does including the top players in the world, but get out there and play loads too. That is the reason you take up the game at the end of the day.

Good luck

Dan Gale
PGA Professional

Dan is a fully qualified member of the PGA & a certified TPI Instructor

Check out his website at www.dangalegolf.com

Golf Professional - Your duties as a coach, The player/coach relationship

I witnessed first hand last week a situation that i as a golf professional i found astounding, and quite concerning. A good friend of mine who holds a full card on the European Challenge Tour explained to me his recent lesson with the coach he has been working with for some time. His stock shot has always been a fade yet has struggled recently and has often been visiting the left side of the course with a pull or pull/draw. The concerning thing was that having spent 2 hours with the coach the day before, he was now standing on a range with no idea what he was trying to achieve. No mechanical or visual understanding of the move he was meant to be making or an understanding on how the swing should feel. As the conversation went on I also found out that during the intense session my friend had only managed to hit a handful of fades (a so called stock shot for him) in the whole time his coach was present. Oh and by the way he was flying to Kenya the following day for the next Challenge Tour event.

As a golf professional you have duties that must be fulfilled to satisfy the needs and requirements of each of your clients. Whether it be a complete beginner or an elite golfer, the golf professional must make sure that they are satisfying these needs as well as leaving a clear understanding regarding what has been worked on, how it has been done and what is the desired result. It is basic stuff. It's a bit like going to the dentist. Would you feel happy visiting the dentist with toothache yet leaving with toothache and still having no clue as to why that was the case? I am sure you wouldn't. Similar to visiting your golf professional with a slice, yet having no solution or understanding as to the long term benefits of any work you may have just carried out together.

Going back to my friend i think one thing is very important here and that is that the guy is heading out to a tournament a few days after a lesson with no idea how his swing is working. That is criminal surely? Where is the player/coach relationship that allows the 'team' to work together to develop improvements and build the belief that a strong performance can be achieved in a top level event. He even admitted that during the whole time that the lesson was taking place that he only managed to hit a couple of shots with the desired strike and shape. This shot is his stock shot, surely not too hard to come back to. I think a glaring miss of fixing ball flight was performed with too much emphasis on technical change. This guy needs a  shot to take on the golf course, sort the ball flight out straight away!!

I think it is improtant for all golf coaches to be clear and concise as to what they want their players to work on with good and simple reasoning why these changes are necessary. This will leave the player with the belief they are making positive steps and able to take these changes to the range and also into game time.

Since hearing this, and also seeing the state of the player post session i have made doubly sure that this will never be the case with my sessions. I hope that will remain the case.

Dan Gale

PGA Professional/TPI Certified

Dan is a fully qualified memebr of the PGA & a certified TPI Instructor

Check out his website at www.dangalegolf.com

US Masters 2011 - Can we look past Big Phil Mickleson??

The 2011 US Masters begins on Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club in Atlanta Georgia. The US Masters is often seen as the tournament that really announces the start the playing season as all of the top player in the world gather for the years first major championship.
All of the talk around my own club this week has been who will win this years US Masters Championship, who will be the winner of the famous green jacket come Sundays closing round. Will it be a European, an Englishman, a rookie or a seasoned vet with great knowledge of the Augusta track. Or will it be one of the household names we have come accustomed to seeing star around the immaculate course of Augusta. Below are my tips for the 2011 US Masters tournament. It was hard to narrow down so i have divided them into categories. See what you think and how they compare to your own predictions............

The big names/past champions: Phil Mickleson
Where do we start with Phil.... Having won for the last week 1st time since last years US Masters victory Phil is in top form. Although his putter has been cold on a few occasions in the past 12 months his all round short game is unbelievable and second to none. This is an essential requirement for any potential US Masters Champion which is shown through the fact he is already a 3 time winner of the tournament in '04, '06, '10 as well as 13 top ten finishes in 18 starts at Augusta. Phil's other quality is that he is not afraid to bomb it out there which means he is one of few players who can cope with the added length around Augusta.

The Rookie: Ricky Fowler
Yet to win but on tour but why not make his first victory a major one? Fowler hits it long and has the aggression and imagination to get it around Augusta. Ricky's introduction to the worldwide tour has been exciting throughout and similar to that of the Tiger effect back in 1997. The American fans see him as their next huge star so look out for him, one win away from exploding onto the world stage.

The European: Lee Westwood
The world number 2 and a runner - up in the 2010 Masters it is only a matter of time before Lee picks up that elusive first major championship to sit alongside his countless worldwide titles. There were encouraging signs in last weeks Shell Houston Open that Lee is returning to his best form. Let's hope he can hit top gear this week.

Big outsider: Nick Watney
A long hitter with a very solid technique that should stand up under pressure. Watney is already a winner this year having captured the WGC Cadillac Championship where he pipped Dustin Johnson by a couple of shots in the final round. Watney is coached by Butch Harmon and and finished 7th last year at Augusta. Many see him as a future major winner so why not in 2011.

I am interested to see how my picks fare this week. I know a couple are fairly obvious however you do need a certain kind of game to get the ball around Augusta in a good number, often it takes players a few visits to the US Masters before they really start to understand how to play it correctly and in a successful manner.

Let me know your bets by commenting below. One thing is guaranteed and that is we are all set for 4 days on compulsive viewing of one of the ultimate sporting events.

Thankyou for reading, sit back and enjoy the golf.

Dan Gale
PGA Professional/TPI Certified

Dan is a fully qualified member of the PGA & certified TPI Instructor

Check out his website at www.dangalegolf.com