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How my student dropped 20 shots from her scores in 12 months

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How would you like to go from shooting in the 90s to the 70s within one year? You might not believe me when I say that I have a student who accomplished this unlikely feat.

Most golfers don’t break 100, let alone break 90 in their entire lifetime,let alone in 12 months. My player did it and swept the field in a two-day tournament shooting 76-72 in windy and wet weather conditions… and she did it with less than 20 hours of golf instruction over the course of a year.

I’m going to give you the secret to her success.

As a full-time golf instructor, I work with a group of players that have a variety of different athletic aptitudes, body types, motivation levels, cognitive function, etc. I can say with confidence that no one formula works for everyone, but at the same time, I know there is a formula that works. If you can manage to get over yourself, or whatever excuses you create and just do it, you’ll see results.

My student followed the formula to a T, and because of this, she was able to pull off such a dramatic improvement in her game. I believe that everyone can improve, including you. Perhaps a 20-shot improvement in a tournament is a stretch, but it’s possible.

Here were the three key elements in the success of my student that are markers in every other success story that I’ve been a part of.

1. Find Weaknesses and Fix Them

My student was positive by nature and optimistic about her improvement, but she wasn’t delusional about her successes. She enjoyed playing well, and when she did, I recognized it. But her focus in our time together was largely on errors. We realized them, worked on ways to feel the difference between the error and the correction, and then I sent her off with drills to improve her patterns to eliminate the errors.

When her body was unable to produce the patterns due to lack of strength, I needed to outsource the job to a trusted fitness professional. She started regular sessions with Jason Meisch, my go-to for strength, conditioning, and 3D work (Jason is a TPI MP-3, GB-2, Owner of PEAK Golf Fitness). Jason and I coordinated our plan so that she was working specifically on the areas that I had outlined, beginning with his full 3D and movement evaluation. She joined his six-month, off-season program designed to structure a student’s workouts in five hours per week. The program also gave her access to a bio-feedback golf device from K-Vest called K-Player for unsupervised practice and workouts.

Her practice program was developed with her swing goals in mind. They were incorporated into workouts, which were built to work on weaknesses in her movement patterns as well as other performance limitations that were affecting her swing goals.

2. Practice with Feedback

It’s so easy to hit balls until you think you “have it,” but by then you’ve already rehearsed the wrong way for the entire time that it took you to figure it out. Some people get lucky and actually do figure it out (see: Ben Hogan or Bubba Watson), but for the rest of us mere mortals, figuring it out on our own is not a wise idea. The reason is simple; golf is a very complex movement with many required parts. The likelihood that you’re going to simply figure it out is low. You might, but in my 1,000+ hours of lessons a year, I rarely see it happen.

My student was not about figuring it out entirely on her own. Yes, she needed to feel the swing on her own, but she was open and interested in my guidance. She used 3D feedback through K-Vest that Jason and I set up for her, and she was at his gym several times a week working on her movements. Through this method of feedback, she could learn how to do some of the movements that she was supposed to do.

3. Leave Your Excuses at the Door

I can think of two-dozen reasons why I should eat more raw vegetables, but until I actually do it, it’s just a dream. The students who improve actually do what is on their game plan. They don’t make excuses for not working on it, and they don’t cut corners. My player didn’t push back along the way to her 20-shot drop. She was focused, accepted the tasks I gave her, didn’t find reasons why she couldn’t do it, and didn’t show frustration. I’m sure motivation or drive plays a big part in this piece, so perhaps the next time you’re wondering whether you really want to improve, ask yourself honestly if you’re ready to put some sweat into it. Nothing good comes for free, and that saying absolutely applies to golf.

I wish there was a magic pill that someone could take and his or her game would instantly improve. Sometimes, small technical improvements do seem like magic pills, and it’s fun when those breakthroughs happen. Keep in mind, however, that old habits die hard. Just because your swing is working in a lesson or on Sunday of your practice round doesn’t guarantee it will work all the time.

In order to keep the new movement or movements that you’re working on, you’ll have to repeat it with enough reps and in a way that your brain will remember and store as a recent memory. Often we forget, and we revert to the same old, same old. Be sure to keep an eye on whatever it is you’re supposed to be attending to in your game until you know you can repeat it under pressure in a relatively permanent way. If you do, a drop in your scores is sure to come.

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Trillium Rose is a certified teaching professional and Head Director of Instruction at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland. An innovator and life-long learner, her knowledge of teacher effectiveness, mechanics and practice training have proven highly successful. She has improved the games of over 1,000 individuals who rely on her cutting-edge expertise, and honest, straight- forward approach. Her area of expertise is in helping golfers develop their skills as quickly as possible and help them practice efficiently. She is highly skilled at designing and implementing curriculum's that develop golf athletes with targeted practice plans. She was recently honored as the 2017 Middle Atlantic PGA "Teacher of the Year," and awarded a “Best Teacher in State” distinction (ranked #3). Selected as one of “America’s Best Young Teachers” by Golf Digest, Trillium Rose's name has been synonymous with quality practice standards and trusted education.

50 Comments

50 Comments

  1. chyhiem

    Jul 12, 2017 at 11:04 am

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  2. tazz2293

    Jul 6, 2017 at 11:41 am

    Great article Trillium
    Having a plan to improve is critical in golf.
    I was always a poor putter. I finally dedicated myself to improving. I made a plan, have been working the plan. Now I am seeing my hard work and plan to improve my putting paying off in better scores.
    A quote from Benjamin Franklin comes to mind. “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”

  3. setter02

    Jul 3, 2017 at 5:34 pm

    I guess let me know when it happens to more than just 1 student…

  4. Kibad

    Jul 3, 2017 at 12:13 pm

    What would you suggest for practicing with feedback when you don’t have access to cutting edge technology? In many occasions, I end up practicing my swing flaws until they are deeply ingrained.

  5. QV

    Jul 2, 2017 at 10:48 am

    So you’re saying you have to practice hours and hours on end, and nobody can ever get good by just watching Pros play on TV from the couch and playing only once a month without ever hitting balls. Check. Got it. It’s that simple, huh? All you have to do is spend time and money practicing and playing? Whoa what a concept!

    • Was

      Jul 2, 2017 at 6:46 pm

      Takes one to know one to be able to suck at this game like you eh

      • Ude

        Jul 2, 2017 at 11:48 pm

        You just joined the club of dumazz sucks licking gearhead clubs … slurp slurp

  6. QV

    Jul 2, 2017 at 10:47 am

    Blah blah blag meaningless drivel yada yada yada

    • Ude

      Jul 5, 2017 at 12:34 am

      It’s meaningless to the brainless gearheads like you

  7. DrRob1963

    Jul 2, 2017 at 6:37 am

    I’d believe it.
    My Mrs got keen when she was 45 and playing off 40. Good equipment, good advice & lessons, plenty of play & practice time – she was off 15 within two years and blitzed the club’s most improved player 2 years in a row. Plays off 13 and having a ball now – so it is possible, if you apply yourself, to make significant improvements with your golf.
    If you want it – Go for it!

  8. C

    Jul 2, 2017 at 5:10 am

    Thanks for your story. I did similar myself

    after playing for a year I decided to get serious and went from shooting over 90 consistently to shooting in the 70’s consistently.

    Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is of course how you make yourself better in anything.

    The first thing I did was make sure I knew where my ball was going to go or miss. I worked for weeks to get a consistent draw with my irons. This also helped to eliminate the heavy shots I would get from coming over the top.

    I worked hard on chipping and short iron play. I also started putting for atleast 20 minutes before any game. The best results in putting came from starting with 4 foot putts until you are 99% sure they are going in and then move out to 6 foot. After that I would make sure I get the pace of the green correct for the day by rolling about 20 putts from about 20-30 feet.

    I played holes atleast 2 times a week after work (in summer) and hit balls at the range specifically the Thursday or Friday before the Saturday comp (my weekly round). The most valuable practice I have done at the range would be changing club ever shot for an in game simulation. Driver – 9iron, driver- 7 iron, 5iron 9 iron and so on. I found this to help much more with consistence compared to just hitting 10 7 irons in a row.

    Learning some course management also helped me.

    I did not receive any lessons in the time going from a 23 to a mid single figure handicap. Just worked hard and didn’t give up. Took me about 12 months (give or take a few weeks) to get from in the 20’s to single figures.

    My next goal is to get my HC to 0. I know what I need to do. I just need the time to do it.

  9. N

    Jul 2, 2017 at 5:09 am

    It also depends what you mean by a player ‘shooting in the 90’s’. Most people on here will know there are thousands of players out there that shoot 85 regularly but are equally capable of carding a 90 in competitive golf.

    Much more believable if you view it that way (to see someone drop from being capable of shooting mid 80’s to mid 70’s)

  10. Em-Smizle

    Jul 1, 2017 at 8:41 am

    I only listen to women when they say dinner is ready

  11. Looper

    Jun 30, 2017 at 11:39 pm

    Talent is only discovered by a very good instructor… Well done TR…

  12. No truer words

    Jun 30, 2017 at 7:11 pm

    You get out
    What you put in

  13. Matt

    Jun 30, 2017 at 6:31 pm

    Hi Trillium, great post. Any practice advice for returnees to golf (nearly 20 years off) who no longer have the time they once did? Personally speaking, I don’t have massive ambitions but do have a goal to drop half a dozen shots per round and get back to ‘consistently’ playing in the low-mid 80’s and occasionally break 80. As a dad with spouse, home and a busy career prioritised, I have time for little more than 18 holes and an hour or so practice most weeks – dropping those shots subsequently feels like a puzzle to unlock. I’m reasonably fit, can play year round, have fitted clubs, an ok grasp of course management, mostly hit playable shots off the tee & 2 putt. Looking for consistency with my approach and short irons however as I’ll get on a run of pars and bogeys then start leaking shots like a sieve with a handful of doubles and triples. My country club is a tough little course with boundaries or water features on most holes that often send visiting single digit players home with tails between legs.

  14. FlyPhish

    Jun 30, 2017 at 3:34 pm

    It really depends on which 20 strokes you are trying to drop. I went from a 24 to an 8 during my first season playing ‘real’ golf, i.e. not just wedding and charity scrambles. Dropping strokes after that has become noticeably slower.

  15. BallBuster

    Jun 30, 2017 at 2:57 pm

    I came very close to that a few years back after a serious injury and not playing for a while. I was only a 16 or so before that and ballooned to mid-20’s. I read the books Peak and Talent Code and realized the need for purposeful practice, having challenging goals but achievable, and getting feedback (albeit not a pro’s eye…). You are right in attacking weaknesses too. I got to the point where my metric was 9 out of 10 consistently good long irons that fit into my acceptable rating system and nothing less. That made my ball striking in general way more consistent and the other iron shots that much better and confident. Funny how other critics on this page cite your failure to mention short game/putting, but ignore your results. Good job and I’m sure your student is very happy with the results.

  16. Kyle

    Jun 30, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    Yes, working on fitness is a great way to improve your game. The one thing I didn’t see in the article was anything about short game. The one thing I notice when playing with players in the 90’s vs players in the 70’s is the ability to get the ball up and down around the green. Players that score in the 70’s get is close for the most part and can make a short putt. To many times I see 90 players not able to chip the ball on the green let alone get it close. I would say that if you are a 90 and above golfer and you want to see your game improve, save your money on range tokens and practice your short game.

    • Trillium

      Jun 30, 2017 at 1:25 pm

      Kyle, in the private lessons that we had together we worked very closely on her short game. You’re absolutely correct that the short game is a fast way to lower scores. At the same time it also improves the ability to make solid contact in a reliable way.

  17. JD

    Jun 30, 2017 at 10:27 am

    1. Dont waste money on lessons that can be put towards range time and actually playing golf.
    2. Buy clubs that are better than you are currently to give yourself a goal of hitting them pure.
    3. Watch youtube.
    4. Go to the range with 3 swing goals until its second nature. Then find three more, watch youtube, repeat.
    5. Dont forget to putt.

    • Trey

      Jun 30, 2017 at 11:10 am

      I can’t tell if you’re trolling here or not. If you are, well done… if you’re not… this is the worst guidance I’ve ever come across on this site. Its a really funny comment regardless. I just can’t decide if it’s funnier if I read it as a joke or if I read it as actual advice.

      • Trillium

        Jun 30, 2017 at 1:27 pm

        In some ways I agree with JD. Practice is good. Pay attention to what you’re trying to do (find three YouTube videos and stick with them), and take responsibility for your own improvement by ditching lessons. Oh, and putt. I get it.
        There is also a lot that can go wrong in this plan… if it’s what you can do, then go for it. But my suggestion here is to be careful with what videos you pick. Not everything is useful and some things you may not even need to do.

      • JD

        Jun 30, 2017 at 9:24 pm

        Na I’m dead serious. If anything buy a 3 lesson package at golf tec and get some statistical insight into some swing changes, but there is so much info out there on the web on how to fix your issues, the tricky part is knowing exactly what plagues you. Obviously practicing a bad swing only makes you worse, but I’m advocating actually learning why you’re missing greens or fairways then finding video lessons that you feel will fix them.

        You can’t just slice a drive then go on YouTube and type how to fix a slice. You have to inherintly understand why you’re slicing… is it alignment, over the top, takeaway, weight distribution, lie angle… my point is in learning WHY. Once you know why you can fix anything on your own.

        I did this myself over about a year and half, went from shooting high 90s to high 70s. Bought some AP2s that I loved looking down at but was probably out of my league, but it drove me to being a better player because I wanted to learn to build the confidence to hit them pure.

        Ok that’s all, ending rant. And no I don’t have SELF MADE tattoo’d on my knuckles… yet.

    • Looper

      Jun 30, 2017 at 11:35 pm

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  18. Brian

    Jun 30, 2017 at 9:48 am

    Oh, so all I need to do is fly back and forth to PEAK Golf Fitness in Maryland 5 days a week, spend thousands of dollars on golf lessons and specialized athletic training, and I can shoot in the low 70s by the end of the year? Where do I sign up!

    • Trillium

      Jun 30, 2017 at 2:31 pm

      Hi Brian,
      Of course not, that would be silly. The concept is that you should have a specific game plan. It doesn’t cost thousands of dollars to have a plan. In this case she spent money but not thousands. And if it’s not in the budget, then the next best thing is to be very disciplined and do it on your own. It’s just like having a fitness plan… can you do it on your own – YES. It is easier if someone spoon feeds it to you, likely.
      I encourage you to go over where your weak areas are and improve them.
      Best of luck

  19. acemandrake

    Jun 30, 2017 at 9:26 am

    The last paragraph said it best: Knowing what to work on is only as good as the time put into it.

    Many golfers avoid the range; however, that’s the place to ingrain correct swing mechanics.

    Like anything else, the amount of enjoyment from spending time on the range will vary from person to person.

  20. Greg

    Jun 30, 2017 at 9:18 am

    What did all of this set her back (ballpark figure or range)?

    When you said “less than 20 hours of golf instruction” it was not clear that golf instruction was being replaced with what sounds like a very expensive specialized personal trainer.

    • coastieyaker

      Jun 30, 2017 at 9:35 am

      It pays to have money at your disposal to hire top notch instuctors and fitness pros. No wonder the majority of tour pros come from rich families

    • bigdawginva

      Jun 30, 2017 at 9:46 am

      My guess is between $8,000-$10,000. $100 an hour for lessons ($2,000), $5,400 on the fitness program (based on the link provided) and the rest on incidentals. Of course that doesn’t take into account the time required which I estimate to be about 10-20 hours per week for a year for the fitness program, practice and instruction. Unlike Charles below I certainly believe someone could drop from the mid-90’s to the mid-70’s in a year if they had enough money and time to dedicate to a structured improvement program.

      • Trillium

        Jun 30, 2017 at 2:37 pm

        Hi Guys,
        Yes, she spent money on my time and that with her fitness trainer, but it didn’t have to be that way. The underlying message is that if you identify your weaknesses and then work hard to get through them, you can improve. It’s not easy to do that alone. In her case and for those who are in a place where they can invest in a an expert coach or trainer it’s easier. At the same time, there are PLENTY of people who pay the money but don’t see results because they aren’t pushing themselves to make a change and be uncomfortable. I could have written the article on those people as well (it just wouldn’t have been as encouraging).
        All in all, don’t get hung up on the money. Find your weaknesses and work on them. You’ll all see improvements if you can manage even that little bit.

        Trill

        • ibo

          Jul 5, 2017 at 6:22 am

          Well, I’m not doubting your methods but I’m putting in the time while paying $10 a month on an instructors’ website and I’ve dropped from 19 to 11 in 5 months (I started playing July 2015 so 2 years now), and I’ve already broken 80 twice. I train 60% on short game and I hit the range twice a week (3h per week now, used to be more last year) plus at least 1 day of playing a week. So that’s 7-8h per week. I’d say I’ve put close to 1,500 golf hours of practice in two years but I’ve read / watched golf stuff extensively (I’d say another 300 hours). You need to read a lot but I can tell if you put in the time to do the research before going to the range you can correct yourself without needing to spend thousands of dollars. Just video yourself, learn to correct what’s wrong, the rules of ball flight and you should be good to go. Being fit to ingrain muscular memory helps but it’s definitely not key. Repetitions don’t come from a sculpted body, but from a correct motion, regardless if you are overweight or not.

  21. Shane

    Jun 30, 2017 at 9:18 am

    It’s never easy to get better, and I’m sure she worked very hard. For me, going from 100 to 80 (20% decrease in score) was achieved with learning basic fundamentals, muscle memory, strength training, repetition, etc..Now trying to go from 80 to 72 (only 10% decrease in score) is so much harder. I think it becomes more mental, and you have to learn game management, especially between the ears. It took me 3 years to go from a 20 handicap to an 8, and I’ve been working for the last 5 years to go from an 8 to a 6. So much harder!

    • Trillium

      Jun 30, 2017 at 2:39 pm

      Shane,
      You’re right. It’s a lot easier to drop 20 strokes from a high number than a low number. It gets exponentially harder as you improve…
      It sounds like you’ve been doing all the right things because you’ve whittled your index down to a 6. That’s very good!

  22. Deadeye

    Jun 30, 2017 at 9:04 am

    I recall my fifteen (then) year old daughter dropped twenty shots in six months. Her first eighteen hole round with her high school golf team she shot 131. Shooting 110 was a big improvement. Over the next year she dropped to the mid nineties. By the end of her junior year it was 86-87 routinely.
    Senior year the average was 82-84 with a tournament low of 78 with a 37 (one over) on the front nine. She is now 23 and easily shoots 82-85 only playing occasionally. I think this is closer to reality for most young players.

  23. bigdawginva

    Jun 30, 2017 at 8:28 am

    I’m not following this article. Is this an advertisement for getting a fitness instructor, a K-Vest/K-player or “here’s what you may get out of your golf game if you spend $10,000 ($2,000 on lessons, $5,400 for the fitness program and incidentals) and dedicate 20 hours per week (fitness and practice) for a year? I’d love to do it if someone like Ms Rose and Mr Meisch were in my area. Maryland’s just a bit too far a commute. I have no doubt I could significantly drop my handicap in a year if I spent $10,000 and 20 hours a week on lessons and fitness instruction with K-Vest/K-Player. 20 shots? Probably not but I’m not a 90’s golfer. I’d be happy with 5 or 10.

    • Trillium

      Jun 30, 2017 at 2:43 pm

      Hi BigDawg,
      Your response made me smile. Of course you don’t have to spend what she did, but in her case she needed to structure. Many people can do it on their own much like they are working out in a gym. You figure out what you need and stick with it. Golf is similar but sometimes it really helps to have a second set of eyes give feedback from time to time (that’s where I came in). And she wasn’t about to know how to really push herself to a place with her physical fitness that would get her where she needed to be either. So for her, the structure was key. But that’s not to say you need it or everyone needs it.
      What you do need is a clear cut idea of what your weak areas are so you can focus on them. And then the discipline to grind it out.
      Hoping for the best for you,

      Trill

      • bigdawginva

        Jun 30, 2017 at 8:47 pm

        Actually, having access to the resources aside (instructors and money), I’m more interested in how the relationship and path to improvement started. Was it something like:

        YOU: “Hello The Divine Miss M. Nice to meet you. So, before we begin, tell me where your golf game is at and what your goals are.”
        THE DIVINE MISS M: “Well, Ms Rose, I’m a 90’s golfer and would like to be a 70’s golfer in a year. Can you help me do that?”
        YOU: “Well, that’s certainly a lofty goal but you should be able to do it if you’re willing to commit to a structured program I’ll put together. I was watching you warm up and I can see that you will also need a structured fitness program consisting of several hours per week. Are you willing to make the commitment? If you are and don’t deviate from the structured plan I put together than I feel confident we can knock 20 strokes from your game in a year”.

        Obviously this was simply a facetious example but I’m quite intrigued how that initial dialogue transpired and your subsequent times together. Did she tell you up front she wanted to shoot in the 70’s in tournament golf? At what point did you know she needed structure? Was that when you introduced her to a plan for improvement?

  24. golfraven

    Jun 30, 2017 at 8:27 am

    Where should I sign up? That would get me to scratch pronto!

    • bigdawginva

      Jun 30, 2017 at 8:47 am

      Click on their links. Don’t forget the $8,000 for the lessons and fitness program.

  25. Charles

    Jun 30, 2017 at 8:20 am

    Sorry! I don’t believe. To shoot in the 70’s you must have a set of skills: 1 – a good tee shot. 2 – hit crisp irons from a myriad of lies. 3- have a sharp short game and 4 – make putts. I used to be a single digit in 1978, back then I had plenty of spare time to practice and used to play 5 rounds/week. And it took years to get there under pro supervision. Drop 20 strokes in one year looks like fairy tale.

    • Michael

      Jun 30, 2017 at 8:34 am

      Played collegiate tennis so I might be disqualified, but I went from 90’s to 70’s in less than a year … but honestly who cares. This how I view this article and articles similar to this. It is very easy to get good at a sport but it is difficult to become great. While many people may shoot in the 70’s in their life, only a few will be able to shoot in the 60’s. A huge part of golf is course management and playing to your strengths. Unlike other sports, you are the sole reason for your success and most amateurs golfers are ridden with poor course management.

      • dapadre

        Jun 30, 2017 at 11:30 am

        Best reply so far! Play to your strengths and course management., If ppl would adhere to this they would see improvement.

        Im athletic and since I have followed these two steps, with guidance from my golf pro,m I have seen improvement. Ppl should also have realistic goals as you pointed out. Mine was getting to single hcp. This was realistic based on a.o. things the time I had to invest into it.

        For example, playing to your strengths, my coach actually forbids me from using a driver. I hit my 3W avg 245/255 in the fairway 9 out of 10. He said the couple of times you hit driver 290+ compared to your 3w, you are better off going with 3w. Also course management, knowing when to take your medicine and playing to your strengths.

        • Michael

          Jun 30, 2017 at 1:54 pm

          I wish people would post more articles about Course Management because watching professional golfers play hides these intricacies. For example most amateur golfers hit the green less than 5 times (don’t have exact statistics) but it’s where they hit these shots that demonstrates the even larger gap with the pros. Here’s a hypothetical: 180 par 3 over water that to clear is 175. Most pros would hit their 182 shot giving them a little margin for error where a miss hit crosses the water. While an amateur would grab their 6 iron which they probably hit 175 on a good shot resulting in them swinging off tempo and miss hitting the shot slightly into the water. There goes a minimum of 2 strokes maybe 3 on one hole. There is an abundance of scenarios I could describe such as trying to flop a shot because you watched Phil Mickelson hit it to a 1 yard landing area … most pros wouldn’t even consider shots like these let alone amateurs. My number one tip for friends is to be honest with yourself about what you’re good at because it no matter how bad you are you do have a natural affinity for certain aspects of the game.

    • John

      Jun 30, 2017 at 9:50 am

      It would be nice to know three things – (1) how old was the student; (2) how long had she been playing golf and (3) was she a reasonably successful athlete in some other sport? For an athlete under 30 who hadn’t spent years grooving a bad swing, this is still a great success, but absolutely believable. For a couch potato in her 40’s or older who had been playing for over a decade, it would be a miracle.

    • Bishop

      Jun 30, 2017 at 12:40 pm

      Greg Norman is a very rare, but very possible example of one person who had the drive to pick up golf and become a professional in 18 months. Dropping 20 strokes is definitely possible. However, it will require time, money (usually), the proper game plan, and dedication.

    • Trillium

      Jun 30, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Charles,

      To be fair, she was starting with a high score. But the fact that she shot such a dramatically low score at the same tournament a year later is noteworthy. That doesn’t mean she will never shoot anything above those scores, or still have things to work on, of course not. But it’s interesting nonetheless to track what she did… and that was the purpose of the article.

      I agree with Michael below that it’s really hard to go from good to great. VERY hard. And most people will never get there…

  26. Joe

    Jun 30, 2017 at 7:16 am

    The article is a bit anticlimatic… So she worked on fitness with a personal trainer?? what about specific golf drills to improve her swing, or short game? Or specific game plans when playing a course… I know it will be different for each individual but non-blanketed anecdotes would make it more insightful.

    • Trillium

      Jun 30, 2017 at 2:55 pm

      Hi Joe,
      I thought it would be distracting to have specifics since the point isn’t to do what she did, but to have the same clear headed game plan combined with grit and perserverence. As a full time instructor I see many people who pay a lot of money to see me, NOT get better because they lack the aforementioned. I have students who know exactly what they need to do, they just don’t have the motivation to do it… so they don’t improve that much.

      Because you asked, here is what we worked on:

      She was hyper flexible at the top of her swing so she had a reverse pivot. This made me very nervous about the longevity of her game if her back would be stressed out over time. It also lead to an over-the-top cast. So I had her work on her abdominals and feel like her backswing was about half as long.

      From there we could work on her club dynamics through impact. Because of the cast, her shaft lean was not ideal (scoopy). So we worked on half shots where she felt like the handle was more ahead of the ball through impact.

      Once her core became stronger she could utilize the ground to create a more powerful kinematic sequence. Originally her upper body was so loosey-goosey that her legs had very little involvement. So after tightening up her backswing and then feeling a better approach path with the club on the forward swing into impact (from the inside instead of outside), she could use her legs, glutes, and abs to create power.

      Intermixed through this we worked on putting and chipping..

      Hope this helps,

      Trill

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Instruction

Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

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Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

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How a towel can fix your golf swing

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This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

Setup

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

Conclusion

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

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Instruction

Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks

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You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!

 

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