KPJ’s Cardiogolf Game Improvement Program

Heading into the last week of the Cardiogolf Game Improvement Program, your focus should continue to be on tightening up all areas of your game so there are no obvious weaknesses and polishing your swing technique so you can concentrate on scoring when you finally get out on the golf course this upcoming season.

During this week, we will focused on refining key scoring skills.  During the upcoming weeks, I will continue to send you tips on game improvement as well as other tips to help you score better and enjoy the game more.

Don’t neglect your golf fitness.  Continue to practice golf-specific stretches and warm up routines.

Monday-Basic Refresher Course

Tuesday-The Swing/Warm Up

Wednesday-The Long Game/Strength Exercise

Thursday-The Short Game/Flexibility Exercise

Today-Friday-Practice/Balance and Endurance Work

Putting Practice:

Here are a few drills to help with putting:

The Carpet/Cup Drill :You can do this at home on the carpet with a cup True there is no break, which makes this the ideal drill to practice aim and distance. Start with three balls about 2 feet from the cup. Move back 5 feet each round until you’ve maxed the distance your room can accomodate. Take a rest and then repeat the drill only starting with the further distances first.

The Stop Putt: Take your normal putting swing. After you make contact with the ball immediately stop your swing. This is going to focus in on your aim and accuracy. After trying a bunch of putts this way, add back in your follow through and you should notice how your follow through really helps guide the clubface and ultimately the ball towards your target.

The Eyes Closed Test: Take 3 putts from the same location at the same target. Next try the putt three more times only with your eyes closed this time. Were the second three balls close to the first three? If so then you have good tempo, balance, and your backswing and follow through are coming through along the same line. If you are off on your second three, you may be naturally taking your backswing along an arced path instead of straight back.

Fringe Putting: I think one of the most over-looked putts is the fringe putt. Putting from the fringe or just outside the green is definitely different than putting on the actual green surface. More often than not putts are not hit with enough force and end up getting bogged down in the longer fringe grass. Practice putting from the fringe the next time you practice.

On-Course Exercise

To practice a square clubface position, imagine the palm of the right hand is like the face of your putter. Find a tennis racquet and hold it in your right hand as if it were a putter.  Place your left hand on your shoulder to remind yourself  to rock the shoulders and make practice strokes. Concentrate on keeping the face of the racquet and your palm square to the hole throughout the stroke.  Notice how the angle in the right wrist almost increases in attempt to keep the clubface square.  Hit putts with your right hand only to help create clubface awareness.  When you place both hands on the putter, you will have a better sense of the path and clubface position.

Off-Course Exercise

Complete the Pre-Swing Muscle and Joint Warm Up chapter from the Cardiogolf DVD.  To order your own copy of Cardiogolf visit cardiogolf .

Fitness and Energy Management for Golfers:

In golf, the energy output is primarily anaerobic (without oxygen).  Playing a round of 18-holes can be tasking on body and mind numbing to the brain due to the skill involved and mental focus required to play at a high level.  After 2 hours of any activity, let alone golf, no matter what fitness level you are in, muscles in your hands, wrists and forearms slowly become fatigued and you begin to lose find motor control. After 3 to 4 hours playing golf, your lower body and back may tire as well, especially if you are walking 4 to 5 thousand yards (equivalent to 5 to 6 miles) and carrying a golf bag that weighs 40-50 pounds. Combine the physical stress of golf with the pressure of competition and extreme weather conditions (heat and cold) and you are exposing your body to a great deal of physical and mental strain.

To combat physical and mental fatigue golfers need to train like elite athletes, conditioning the body and following a strict nutrition program. Cardiogolf is a perfect program to help you build endurance and stamina.  Stay tuned for more golf health tips.

Work on Your Balance for a Better Swing:

For many of you, it has been a few months since your last golf outing, so it is even more important for you to warm up your body before you play to prevent injuries and regain balance and swing tempo that you may have lost during the off-season. Balance is one of the most important aspects of the golf swing: affecting almost every phase in the swing. Having good balance helps your body to turn and shift weight more effectively, helps in making a smooth transition from the backswing to the downswing and allows your body to create more clubhead speed.

Balance is just like muscle strength, you need to work at it or you will lose it. Also as we age, our sight, hearing, muscle strength, coordination and reflexes change, weakening our balance and some health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and circulation problems, affect balance. Improving your balance takes time and practice and it doesn’t just happen overnight. However, with consistent practice, you should be able to improve your balance over time and see improvement in your golf swing.

Incorporating balance exercises into your pre-round warm up routine is a great way to assure that you are practicing to improve your balance on a consistent basis

One Leg Balance Drill with Medicine Ball

(This exercise will not only help you improve balance but will also strengthen your lower body.)

-Stand in your golf posture with feet shoulder  width apart holding a golf club. -Lift one leg up behind you. -Simply hold this position for 30 seconds without swaying or touching your lifted foot on the ground. -Repeat exercise on the opposite leg.

-Challenge yourself by repeating this exercise standing on a wobble board or Aero Mat. The even surface will challenge you balance and strengthen your core.