Objectively measure and improve your skill for the most critical shots in golf
Intro:
Recently I was made aware of a book entitled You're Not Lifting Your Head, written by Charlie King, a Top 25 Golf Instructor. Contained in its pages is a short-game assessment for the reader to attempt. King took 6 different types shot from 100 yards-and-in and created a scoring game to objectively measure a golfer's skill in the "Red Zone". Based on this score, King claims to be able to predict one's actual handicap. So of course I dove right in...
What to do:
The Author recommends that you have a partner complete the test with you. The main purpose is so he/she can keep score while you focus solely on the shots at hand. It is possible to do it alone, however it's MUCH easier the other way.
Ok, so here are the 6 different types of shot you'll be hitting:
1. Short Putt
2. Lag Putt
3. Chip Shot
4. Pitch Shot
5. Bunker Shot
6. Wedge Shot
Each shot has its own scoring key and detailed explanation, so I'll have to spread this out and give you 1 explanation a day, starting with the Short Putt.
#1 Short Putt
Take 2 golf balls, a handful of tees and your putter and find a hole on the practice green with some break. Place a tees in the ground in a straight line starting at 3 feet, moving to 6, then to 9, and finally 12 feet away. Do the same thing directly opposite the hole, one the other side, placing tees at 3, 6, 9, and 12 feet, marking where you'll be putting from.
You'll hit 2 putts from each tee, alternating the sides of the hole (hit 2 putts from 3 feet, then move to the other side of the hole and hit 2 more putts from 3 feet, then return to your original side, hitting 2 from 6 feet, then moving to the opposite side and hitting 2 more from 6 feet, and so on...). Your objective is to make as many putts as possible, as you'll get points only for a putt that is holed. You'll be hitting 16 total putts (4 from 3 feet, 4 from 6 feet, 4 from 9 feet, and 4 from 12 feet).
Once you've finished up at 12 feet, count how many putts you made. Give yourself 2 points for each putt drained. For instance, if you made a total of 8 putts, you've scored a 16. The maximum score is 32 (16 makes x 2 points = 32 total points). Your actual score will likely be much less than this.
How I did:
I made 9 total putts, scoring an 18. I missed all of the 6 footers, however, so I felt that I underperformed a little. According to Charlie King, 18 is what a 3-handicapper would typically score. (For the detailed scoring/handicap chart rent or buy his book You're Not Lifting Your Head. )
Monday, August 20, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Sand Ladder
Hone in your carry distances out of the greenside bunker
What to do:
Bring your sand-wedge and 7 golf balls to a practice sand trap. Give yourself at least 30 yards of room in the direction you will be hitting your shots, and a flat lie in the sand from which to execute. On your first shot try to barely land it outside of the bunker, just barely clearing the lip. With each successive shot, to to carry your ball just past where the previous one came to rest. If you fail to carry the lip on your first shot, start over. If you fail to fly any shot past where the one before came to rest, start over. Once you've finished, successfully executing all shots as desired, pace off the distance from your first ball to your last ball. The shorter the distance, the more precise your shots must have been.
How I did:
Had to start over twice... once I finished the distance from my first ball to the last was 18 paces. I think under 10 is a challenging yet attainable goal.
Scaling:
Beginner- hit only 5 balls
What to do:
Bring your sand-wedge and 7 golf balls to a practice sand trap. Give yourself at least 30 yards of room in the direction you will be hitting your shots, and a flat lie in the sand from which to execute. On your first shot try to barely land it outside of the bunker, just barely clearing the lip. With each successive shot, to to carry your ball just past where the previous one came to rest. If you fail to carry the lip on your first shot, start over. If you fail to fly any shot past where the one before came to rest, start over. Once you've finished, successfully executing all shots as desired, pace off the distance from your first ball to your last ball. The shorter the distance, the more precise your shots must have been.
How I did:
Had to start over twice... once I finished the distance from my first ball to the last was 18 paces. I think under 10 is a challenging yet attainable goal.
Scaling:
Beginner- hit only 5 balls
Monday, July 23, 2012
4 Putts, 4 Majors
Clutch putting
What to do:
You'll need your putter and just one ball for this game. On a practice green, pick a putt from 10 feet and prepare to make the putt. Read it just as you would on the 72nd hole of a major championship, say, the Masters. If you make this putt, you are Champion. Use your whole imagination, painting the scene in as much detail as possible. Once immersed in the moment, execute the putt. Do this 3 more times, once for the U.S. Open, Once for the British, and once more for the PGA Championship. How many majors did you win?
How I did:
I won the Masters and PGA Championship, making 2/4 putts.
No Scaling.
What to do:
You'll need your putter and just one ball for this game. On a practice green, pick a putt from 10 feet and prepare to make the putt. Read it just as you would on the 72nd hole of a major championship, say, the Masters. If you make this putt, you are Champion. Use your whole imagination, painting the scene in as much detail as possible. Once immersed in the moment, execute the putt. Do this 3 more times, once for the U.S. Open, Once for the British, and once more for the PGA Championship. How many majors did you win?
How I did:
I won the Masters and PGA Championship, making 2/4 putts.
No Scaling.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Indoor Chipping
'Rainy day' chipping game
What to do:
If you find yourself unable to practice outdoors for any reason, grab your most lofted wedge, a couple of golf balls and a cooler, hat, small trash can, etc. (something into which you're comfortable landing a golf ball, it will serve as a target for your chips). In a spacious room with carpeting, lay your target item down at an angle, then pace off 5 yards to the spot from which you'll chip. In 10 minutes see how many shots you can fly into your target consecutively. If you have a streak going and miss, start over and try again to beat your best number.
How I did:
This past week I vacationed in the Outer Banks. Last minute I decided to pack my putter, a wedge and two golf balls in hopes of getting some practice. Since no golf courses lay within 2 hours of this island, this game provided a way to have fun while keeping my short game sharp. My longest streak was 2... not very impressive. One of my fellow vacationers made 4 in a row which was pretty good. Make sure to turn any television screens away from your line of fire... we had a couple of close calls.
What to do:
If you find yourself unable to practice outdoors for any reason, grab your most lofted wedge, a couple of golf balls and a cooler, hat, small trash can, etc. (something into which you're comfortable landing a golf ball, it will serve as a target for your chips). In a spacious room with carpeting, lay your target item down at an angle, then pace off 5 yards to the spot from which you'll chip. In 10 minutes see how many shots you can fly into your target consecutively. If you have a streak going and miss, start over and try again to beat your best number.
How I did:
This past week I vacationed in the Outer Banks. Last minute I decided to pack my putter, a wedge and two golf balls in hopes of getting some practice. Since no golf courses lay within 2 hours of this island, this game provided a way to have fun while keeping my short game sharp. My longest streak was 2... not very impressive. One of my fellow vacationers made 4 in a row which was pretty good. Make sure to turn any television screens away from your line of fire... we had a couple of close calls.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Putting Lines
Enhances feel for break and speed
What to do:
Grab five golf balls and your putter. Pick a putt with some break and read it. Drop your balls on the line that you've read, spaced apart about a foot, starting at a 2 foot distance. Make all of the putts you've given yourself, starting with the 2 footer and moving back with each successful stroke. Do not take practice strokes, simply step back to the next one and make a stroke. Once you've made all 5 putts in a row, repeat this process on the opposite side. Do this 4 ways around the hole, in North-South-East-West fashion. Feel your confidence grow as you make putt after putt.
How I did:
I was able to complete this one only missing 5 times, 4 times on the 6-footers and once from 3-feet.
Scaling: None
What to do:
Grab five golf balls and your putter. Pick a putt with some break and read it. Drop your balls on the line that you've read, spaced apart about a foot, starting at a 2 foot distance. Make all of the putts you've given yourself, starting with the 2 footer and moving back with each successful stroke. Do not take practice strokes, simply step back to the next one and make a stroke. Once you've made all 5 putts in a row, repeat this process on the opposite side. Do this 4 ways around the hole, in North-South-East-West fashion. Feel your confidence grow as you make putt after putt.
How I did:
I was able to complete this one only missing 5 times, 4 times on the 6-footers and once from 3-feet.
Scaling: None
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Scoring Zone
Sharpen the 80 to 115 yard wedge shots that are so critical to scoring
What to do:
Late in the afternoon once your golf course clears, take a cart and head to the first hole. Drop a ball at the 80 yards from the pin and play the hole. On the next hole, move back to 85 yards and play from there. Tee off from 90 yards on Hole 3, and continue playing in this fashion, moving back in 5 yard increments until you reach 115 yards on the 8th hole. Don't play from more than this distance, simply start over at 80 yards on the 9th. See how low you can score playing 18 holes in this fashion. Also, take note of your proximity to the hole on each shot.
How I did:
Look for results on Tuesday.
Scaling:
Beginner- Play 9
What to do:
Late in the afternoon once your golf course clears, take a cart and head to the first hole. Drop a ball at the 80 yards from the pin and play the hole. On the next hole, move back to 85 yards and play from there. Tee off from 90 yards on Hole 3, and continue playing in this fashion, moving back in 5 yard increments until you reach 115 yards on the 8th hole. Don't play from more than this distance, simply start over at 80 yards on the 9th. See how low you can score playing 18 holes in this fashion. Also, take note of your proximity to the hole on each shot.
How I did:
Look for results on Tuesday.
Scaling:
Beginner- Play 9
Monday, June 4, 2012
Four Corners (repeat)
I've chosen to repeat this drill because it is such a good one. Sure to build confidence in your ability to make clutch short putts.
This is a difficult drill. Those last few putts are real nerve testers, and a miss challenges your patience. When you do finish, confidence is born in your ability to sink those critical 3,4,5 footers.
My results:
Finished most recently on my second try.
Scaled version:
Make one line of putts all in a row, then move on. If you miss a putt on the next line, stay on that line, starting over at the 3-footer on that side. Never return to a side that you've already completed (made the 3, 4, and 5 foot putts in a row).
What to do:
In
North-South-East-West fashion, place 4 tees around the hole, 3 feet
away (about 1 putter length). Do the same at 4 and 5 feet. When you've
done this you'll have 4 sets of 3 tees in the ground, 12 total, one for
every putt you must make. Pick a 3-footer and, going through your full routine first,
make the putt. In that same line, move back to the 4-footer and repeat
the process, making the putt. Do the same at 5-feet. Once you've
completed this line, making the 3-footer, 4-footer and 5-footer in a
row, move counter- clockwise to the next tee line (East) and do it
again. The objective of this drill is to make all 12 putts in a row. This is a difficult drill. Those last few putts are real nerve testers, and a miss challenges your patience. When you do finish, confidence is born in your ability to sink those critical 3,4,5 footers.
My results:
Finished most recently on my second try.
Scaled version:
Make one line of putts all in a row, then move on. If you miss a putt on the next line, stay on that line, starting over at the 3-footer on that side. Never return to a side that you've already completed (made the 3, 4, and 5 foot putts in a row).
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