By Tiger Woods
with Pete McDaniel and Mark Soltau
Under normal circumstances I aim for the middle of the green from fairway bunkers. There are times, though, when I have to go for the flag, and that requires knowing how to shape a shot out of the sand.
The key, of course, is the lie. It helps if the stance is fairly level, with the ball sitting cleanly. The latter is critical to imparting spin on the ball to curve it. If it's a green-light lie, then I approach the shot like I would a normal fairway bunker shot, except I rehearse my intended release before I step into the sand.
Once in the bunker, I play the ball toward the middle of my stance to promote ball-first contact. For that same reason, I grip down the same amount as I dig my feet into the sand, maybe an inch or half inch. I set my feet slightly open for a cut shot or slightly closed for a draw. Then I swing along my stance line. Here's where the proper release comes in. If I want to fade it to a pin tucked on the right portion of the green, I hold off the release a millisecond. To hit a draw, I release the club naturally.
One of the least discussed but most important elements of the full swing is balance. Not only is a balanced swing nice to look at, it's critical to good ball striking. Good balance starts from the ground up. Your weight should be evenly distributed on the balls of your feet at address, your knees slightly flexed and upper body bent from the hips. That solid, athletic posture is the key to an "in-balance'' swing. At times I've had slightly too much weight on my heels, which put me out of balance and produced errant tee shots. The correction for me was to stand a little straighter. Better posture made it appear that Over-swinging is the opposite of balance. It can throw off your timing, compromise your posture, and make it almost certain that the ball won't end up where you planned. If your driving is erratic, chances are your balance is off, too. Try swinging at no more than 80 percent. |
By Tiger Woods Two of the main chipping problems I see with my amateur partners are trying to scoop the ball into the air and making too long a backswing. It's a good bet that neither will lead to a decent shot. Several factors are involved in scooping, but it often can be traced to excessive wrist action. To eliminate active wrists, just firm them up. Without putting a death grip on the club, lock your wrists in their address angles so they don't break down through impact. Playing the ball too far forward and setting too much weight on the back foot also contributes to scooping. I like to play the ball back in my stance on standard chips, with most of my weight on my left side. That helps promote a descending blow. Then all I have to do is trust the club's loft to get the ball in the air and carry it the right distance. As for the backswing, keep it short, unless you're blessed with the touch of Freddie Couples or John Daly. When your swing is too long, the tendency is to decelerate the club and lose your spine angle. So keep the swing compact back and through. You'll hit crisp chips with great distance control. |
his golf weight training program has been tailor made to meet the specific demands of the game.
Why is strength training for golfers at every level of the game? In short...
Done properly it will increase you ability to generate power (longer shots) and just as importantly - it will help to counteract the imbalances that are inherent with swinging a club the same way thousands of times each year.
For more details go to the Golf Strength Training article
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Before moving on to the golf weight training program below it's important that read the disclaimer. Please don't attempt any exercise program without first seeing a health care professional. While a well-designed strength training program is one of the best ways to prevent golf-related injuries, it's NOT a good remedy is they exist already. In fact it can matters worse - again please take advice from your health care professional.
The golf weight training program below is split into 3 phases. Each phase is simply a period of time in which you train in a particular way to achieve a particular objective. The exercises are different in each phase and build on the ones performed previously. Each phase requires only 2 sessions a week commitment.
Warming up is essential before a round and there are scientific studies to back this up. It's also important to warm up before each golf weight training session. Perform 5-10 minutes of light aerobic exercise (jogging, stationery bike, cross trainer etc.) and then do some stretches to all the major muscle groups.
Some of the exercises below are unique and you may not be familiar with them. It's important to master correct technique and you can only do this by first using very light weights. Spend at least a session of two becoming familiar with the exercises without resistance.
It goes without saying that if any of the exercises cause you pain or discomfort you should stop them immediately.
Sets and repetitions are indicated below. To make gains in strength you have to overload your muscles above and beyond what they are comfortable with. That means the last few sets should be difficult. If a target of 10 repetitions is set and you can perform 12 with ease, the weight is too light. Similarly, if you can only perform 6-8, the weight is too heavy and you need to decrease the resistance.
Each routine below is performed twice per week. But avoid training on back-to-back days. In fact ideally leave at least two days between golf weight training sessions. You should also avoid strength training the day before a competition or important 18 holes.
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The off-season (usually winter) when you play no competitions and less golf, is the ideal time to start your golf weight training program. Of course, the timing may not fit and it's better to make a start now than to wait until next year. Remember though, whatever point your are in the year, always start with this phase.
The exercises in this phase of the golf weight training program are more conventional and use moderate weights. At this stage THE most important goal is prepare the body for more demanding sessions later on. It's also a time to address some of the imbalances inherent in many golfers.
The session is set up in as a Circuit. This simply means you perform one set of each exercise in succession with minimal rest between exercises.
Here are the parameters for the circuit training routine that makes up phase 1...
Time of Year: Off-season/winter months
Phase length: 8 weeks
No. sessions: 2 x week
No. exercises: 10
Resistance: 50% 1 repetition maximum
Repetitions: 15-20
No. circuits: 2-3
Rest between exercises: 30 secs
Rest between circuits: 2-3 mins
Speed of lifts: Smooth and controlled
And here are the exercises...
1. Push-ups x 15-20
2. Alternating Squats with Press x 15
3. Lat Pull Downs (wide grip) x 15
4. Oblique Crunches x 20
5. Dumbbell Lunges x 10 (each leg)
6. Barbell Upright Rows x 15
7. Reverse Flyes x 15
8. Dumbbell Curls x 15
9. Back Extensions on Stability Ball x 20
10.Barbell Reverse Wrist Curls x 15-20
If you're not sure how to perform these exercises click here for exercise descriptions and images
Once you've built a solid foundation of strength, it's time to convert those gains into explosive power. The golf swing is a powerful movement - power being a combination of strength AND speed.
Just becoming stronger won't necessarily allow you to hit the ball further. Becoming stronger and then developing the ability to apply that strength quickly is the real key. That's how you'll increase club head speed and that's how you'll hit the ball farther.
The exercises below should be performed explosively (unless stated otherwise). On the contraction or the difficult part of the lift, aim to move the weight as quickly and forcefully as possible. Slowly lower the weight to the start position and repeat. Do not LOCK joints out at any stage. Always keep a degree of flexion in the elbows or knees for example.
Instead of circuit training format (where you move straight from one exercise to other) during these sessions you perform 2-3 sets of one exercise before moving onto the next.
Here are the parameters for this phase of the golf weight training program...
Time of Year: Pre-season (to coincide with start of competitions)
Phase Length: 6 weeks
No. Sessions: 2 x week
Session Length: 40-60min (inc. warm up/cool down)
Resistance: 60% 1 repetition maximum
Repetitions: 10-20
Sets per exercise: 2-3
Speed of lifts: Explosive
And the exercises...
1. Good Mornings to Shoulder Press x 10-12
2. Single Arm Dumbbell Rows x 12-15 (each arm)
3. Diagonal Medicine Ball Chop x 10-12 (each side)
4. Plyometric Push-Ups x 10-12
5. Dumbbell Squats and Rotational Swings x 10-12
6. Dumbbell Lateral Raises x 10-12
7. Standing Torso Twist x 10 (each side)
8. Reverse Crunch with Stability Ball x 20
9. Reverse Barbell Wrist Curls x 12-15
10. Barbell Wrist Curls x 12-15
If you're not sure how to perform these exercises click here for exercise descriptions and images
Let's recap for a moment...
During the off-season (ideally) you've built a solid base of strength, which will help to balance your musculature. You then progressed onto a more golf-specific, more demanding 6-week routine to help develop your power...
Now the goal is to maintain those gains in strength and power that you've worked hard to develop.
The program below is an example of how you can achieve this. Of course it's always good to vary your program every 6 weeks or so. That you can avoid overworking certain muscle groups while neglecting others, plus it acts as mental stimulation.
Here are the parameters for this phase of the golf weight training program...
Time of Year: In-season
Phase Length: Indefinite
No. Sessions: 1-2 x week
session Length: 40-60min (inc. warm up/cool down)
Resistance: 50-70% 1 repetition maximum (lighter loads for explosive exercises)
Speed of lifts: Mixture of explosive exercises and controlled movements
And some sample exercises...
1. Alternating Squats with Press x 15
2. Lat Pull Downs (wide grip) x 15
3. Oblique Crunches x 20
4. Push-ups (or front press) x 15-20
5. Dumbbell Lunges x 10 (each leg)
6. Standing Torso Twist
7. Single Arm Dumbbell Rows
8. Diagonal Medicine Ball Chop
9. Back Extensions on Stability Ball x 20
10.Reverse Barbell Wrist Curls
Would you like to hit longer drives (up to 30 yards) and increase your power with every club in your bag? Then take a look at The Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide wirtten by trainer to the pros, Mike Pedersen...
Click here for full details...
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