Hitting down the target line

I recently had the opportunity to play in our states Mid Amateur Championship.  I was excited to play with other guys my age, and on a great golf course under tournament conditions.  One of the main reasons why I play in these types of events is to test myself but to also discover the weaknesses in my game.  When playing a difficult golf course under pressure the weaknesses in your game will come through.  In this particular event my weakness was my iron play accuracy.  I was striking the ball cleanly enough; however, my accuracy was not what it needed to be.  So, after some reflection on a cause and I came up with a remedy. 

A friend of mine always used to say “a road to somewhere leads nowhere”.  He used that in context of business planning but I also see an application in golf.  In other words, when you setup to hit a shot without an exact target you are not likely to hit it.  So, I went to the range to apply this philosophy in my practice routine.  I decided to use the same routine that Jack Nicklaus has always taught about target alignment.  Jack always says to stand behind the ball while lining up the shot and then select your target.  From there, pick your end target as well as an intermediate target such as a spot of grass in front of your ball.  The idea being that it is easier to line up to a target a few inches in front of the ball rather than a hundred yards out.  So, I employed this method but took it one step further and here is where it made the difference for me.  I not only aligned to that intermediate target but I also hit through the ball on that line to the short range target.  The positive results for me were two things.  First, my ball was starting out on the exact target line I was aiming for and ultimately, ending up at the target.  Second, my clubface was much squarer at impact resulting in a more solid strike.  This leads to better distance control and shot trajectory.  My thinking was if this drill is good enough for the greatest player of all time, then it is good enough for me.  There is one final aspect to this method that I like.  In performing this technique you will find yourself driving down the target line and through the ball.  In other words, your focus becomes driving through the ball to the target rather than the “hit” at impact.  Most of us are so focused on hitting at the ball not hitting through the ball.  Your focus becomes more target driven than impact driven.

I am not a PGA Professional nor do I claim to be.  However, when I do find a drill or tip that works both on the course and practice range I like to share it.  So, the next time you go to the range give this tip a try, you may also find that it leads to better impact and more accurate golf shots.

Let us know if this works for you, I would like to hear your feedback.

Positive Thinking on the Golf Course

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I played golf over the weekend with a good friend of mine and we had the opportunity to discuss golf strategy.  I told him that I am a huge believer in the power of positive thinking.  I am no Tony Robbins but I firmly believe in the power of positive thought in all aspects of life.  I do not know where this stems from or whether it is a learned behavior or a personality trait.  You will need to read a psychology blog to get an answer to that one! Regardless, I have experienced it enough in my life and noticed it enough in other people to trust in the power of positive thinking, but on and off the course. 

Anyhow, here is how the topic came about.  We were playing a match and upon entering the eighth hole the score was tied.  We were on the par five 8^th hole when my buddy hit his third shot to two feet and made the putt for a birdie four.    I missed the green with my third shot and was pin high about twenty feet from the green.  I told my buddy that I need to make the chip to tie him.  It was not a particularly difficult chip shot and one that a player could make if you get the ball tracking online.  So, I approached the shot, hit it perfectly, and holed it! 

The discussion about positive thinking began on the 11^th hole, which is another par five.  As I hit my third shot the turf gave way and my ball came up about ten feet short of the green.  I then chipped the fourth about twenty feet past the flag leaving myself a tough downhill putt -- not very good.  At this point I felt like the eleventh hole owed me one.  I said as much to my buddy as I approached my par putt.  I do not know why I think that way, I just do.  I always feel like if the course delivers a bad break, it owes me.  Needless to say I stood up and knocked in the par putt to win the hole.

I explained to my buddy my theory on the power of positive thinking and how I use it on the golf course.  If you play golf long enough you almost have to think this way.  This is especially true if you play any competitive golf events.  You always have to believe that you can still win the hole, the match or the tournament no matter how dire the circumstances.  Tiger Woods is the master at this.  He always thinks he has a chance to win and usually does. 

I personally believe that players either think positively or negatively on the golf course and there is no in between.  If you ask most players if they are thinking positive or negative thoughts during the course of the round they would probably say the latter.

The next time you are faced with a difficult situation on the golf course, think positive.  Imagine yourself remedying the situation, improving your score, making a better swing, etc.  Do not let negative thinking creep into your game.  If you think positively, I promise you will play better, score better and enjoy the game much more than you ever have before.

Please share with us stories you have about positive thinking on the golf course.

Preparing for the Golf Season

It is that time of the year again, spring is just around the corner and that means it is time to prepare for the upcoming golf season.  This year I was nominated to research and organize the spring golf trip in March.  The past few years all I had to do was buy a plane ticket and show up.  This year I was the “chosen one”, what were they thinking?  During the process I had the opportunity to play several key  roles including; travel agent, administrative assistant and research analyst.  I am sure after a few months away from the game I will also get a chance to play a Psychologist either on or after the trip.  I am not really a doctor I just play one on the golf trip.  I want to thank the other guys as they did help out as no one in their right mind would trust me to make ALL of the arrangements.

I usually go through a pretty consistent ritual in the winter in anticipation to the season.  The major objectives are replacing grips, replacing spikes (which by the way Soft Spikes do not last very long), what a racket.  I also get the clubs out and clean the faces and grooves to get rid of last years mud and bad play.  In past years I have begun to work out more, although, this off season I have done a good job keeping up with that.  I really should stretch more than I do especially now that I am over the big four zero.  At least I am not over the big five zero like some people I know, HEHE.  In the past I used to have to get all of my golf clothes out of storage.  Not this year however, thanks to a new closet organizer the golf clothes hang in there all year round.  Given the number of golf shirts I own that used to be a chore.  I Especially hated all the ironing, thank goodness for the invention of wrinkle free shirts.  The last big chore will be to replace a few of my grips.  I know my driver and three wood need new grips at a minimum and probably some of my short irons as well.  I do not enjoy changing grips but good grips are crucial to playing good golf, especially in the east where the humidity is higher.

In previous off seasons I have built myself a few new golf clubs but not this year.  I bought two new Titleist Sand Wedges last summer which I love.  Since my trusty driver is still doing the trick I do not need to replace it yet.  My next big purchase is a “Scotty”.  Yep, I am going to break down and get a new putter after fifteen years.  Although my putter did allow me to successfully defend my club championship last year I believe it is time to hang it up. 

So, come back to see my future posts with course reviews from this year’s spring trip. 

What do you do to prepare for the golf season?

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Seeing the Line



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I had a rare experience on the golf course last weekend which leads me to this post “Seeing the Line”.  I somehow managed to shoot a record low five under par 31 on the back nine of Saturdays round.  I have only ever made five birdies in a round a few times but never in a nine hole stretch.  This comes after I managed to shoot a less than impressive forty two on the front nine.  Given the weather conditions around here this time of the year I was not all that disappointed with the score on the front.  The fairways and greens are soft and wet, we had a consistent breeze and the greens are bumpy from fall aeration.  However, given it is late November we are just happy to be playing.

After the round one of my fellow players asked me what the difference was on the back nine.  At the time I stated that I had more looks at birdie on the back than I did on the front.  On the front nine I could not get the ball on the green in regulation, so very few birdie putts.  Consequently, this lead to a bunch of bogeys as I was unable to get up and down for par.  I was striking the ball great but my chipping was horrendous.  So, like a lot of amateurs I squandered shot after shot with poor chipping.

However, after having some time to reflect on the round I came to the realization that the difference on the back nine was that I saw the line.  This usually happens to me a few times each season but it is pretty rare.  Allow me to explain what I mean by seeing the line.  When I line up a putt I have a standard routine like most people.  I get directly behind the ball and do the best to read the break, usually plumb bob the line and get an understanding and feel for the speed.  When I get over the ball, I line up my putt for the ball to travel on the intended line I have selected and attempt to roll the ball on that line.  On most days I make some putts and miss some others.  However, once in a while I see the line and nothing else.  I get the sensation while reading the putt that I cannot miss.  When I get over the putt, my focus narrows, everything else around me seems to silence and I get the feeling that the putt is going in.  I focus solely on holing the putt and not missing.  I do not concern myself with hitting it too hard, too easy or that I have misread the putt.  I trust my feel, touch and read, then release the putter head.

That is what happened to me on Saturday’s round on the back nine.  I wish I knew how to harness the feeling or call upon it at will.  I guess the lesson I can take from this weekend is that I should try and apply that focus, routine, concentration and confidence every time I stand over a putt.  Perhaps that will be one of my primary putting goals for next year.

What do you do in your putting routine to see the line? 

Stroke Play Strategy

As a follow up to my post about Match Play Strategy I mentioned I would write a similar post on my Stroke Play Strategy.  Here are some bullet points I refer to prior to playing a stroke play round.  I also keep them in mind throughout the round to stay focused on my goal of shooting the lowest score possible.  I know this should always be the goal but sometimes I lose sight of it.

• Hit fairways and greens- it is a simple concept but difficult to do sometimes.  However, in stroke play it is critical to shooting a good score.
• Par is always a good score, 18 pars is never a bad thing- I focus on this because it can be hard to play conservatively at times. 
• Stay patient- do not get ahead of yourself especially if you get into trouble on a hole.  Slowing down and making a good decision can be the difference in saving par versus making a bogey. 
• Everyone is playing the same golf course- no matter how difficult the conditions are, everyone will face the same challenges on the course.
• If you get into trouble, get out, do not be a hero- oftentimes your total score can hinge on a single hole.  If you find yourself in trouble get out, take your medicine and move on.  Do not ruin a good round on a single hole.
• Take no more than a bogey-  a bogey can be recovered with a birdie but “other scores” are tough to come back from.
• Go ahead and release the club, do not play tight- hit the shot and accept the result, your practice and preparation will pay off here.
• SLOW DOWN- this is especially important in making decisions or when trying to get out of trouble.  I struggle with this one all the time.
• When nervous take deep breaths and more practice swings- I have found this to have a calming effect.  It will keep you loose and allow for a more relaxed swing.
• Do not hit the shot until ready- the way I like to think about this is that I only have one opportunity to hit this shot my entire life.  It sounds dramatic but it helps me to put it into perspective.

Time Away from the Game

I recently had some time away from the game, nearly a month where I did not touch a golf club. As I often do when I don't get a chance to practice or play, I think about my game. I think about various aspects of my game including; full swing, short game, putting, bunker shots, punch outs, decision making, etc. I often have my best ideas about how to improve my game while not playing.


I played last weekend with some buddies and had a chance to use my “new swing.” I can hear my wife now saying “did it really work this time?” Like most golfers, I always think I have the fix. Then I get on the course and usually realize I don't. However, this time my “fix” actually worked. I smiled at my wife and said “Yep!”

During this month-long break I found a solution to my full swing. It’s a problem that has been plaguing me for several years. My “miss” has been a block to the right with the full swing. All along I thought it was my swing plane when it was actually my release. I went through a checklist in my mind as to what could cause a ball to go right, but only on occasion. Golf is a cause and effect game. So, there are only so many possibilities as to what can cause golf ball to go right on occasion and not every time. If my club is on plane, going down the line through impact, and the clubface is square, what else could be the problem?

After some thinking about it, the light bulb went on. I was not fully releasing the club head through impact. Before my round, I headed to the range and tried my new “fix.” Thankfully, it worked. More importantly, it worked on the course.

The lesson here is this: the next time you have a break away from the game, try this exercise to fix a flaw in your game.

• First, think through the problem in your game with some intensity. Before you can work on a fix you must thoroughly understand the problem. In most cases, this problem occurs on a consistent basis.
• Next, think about some of the changes you have made in the past to try and correct the issue and what the results were. Write them down if you need to.
• Then, think through all of other options that may work, and why. The “why” is very important. Refer to my previous post- The Why in Golf Instruction for more information.
• Finally, try them on the practice tee one at a time. This process is usually not a quick one so patience is imperative. In most cases you will try many different variations to fixing the problem before you find a solution. Once you do find a fix you will know it.
• To test it out, go out on the course. The fix will work on the course and will work over time if it is correct.

One last thing to remember is, if a change does not work, go back to the drawing board. Building bad technique on top of bad technique will make things worse, not better.

Are you looking for a fix in your game? If you have a consistent problem that you can’t seem to fix, send me an e-mail at burghgolfer@gmail.com. I’ll feature the issue in a future post.

Going for the Green

My last post was about laying up, so I thought I should follow up with a post on “going for it” or “going for the green in two.”

Whether on a par four or par five, going for the green in one or two can be a risky play. As much as a layup shot is a conservative play, going for the green is the ultimate risk play. If successfully executed, going for the green can put your ball in position to make a birdie or eagle. However, if the shot is not properly executed, a player can easily make bogey, double bogey or worse.

When we hear the phrase “going for the green” we automatically think of a par five. However, on many golf courses there is the occasional opportunity to go for the green on a short, drivable par four. With the Ryder Cup quickly approaching, this is a good time to mention it. Almost every Ryder Cup has at least one hole where the course setup will allow for the players to drive a par four.

I played over the weekend at a friend’s club and had a chance to go for the green in two on a par five. I was not doing very well in the skins game and we came to the final hole - a dogleg par five with a lake fronting the entire length of the green. Here is a view of the hole from behind the green.

Since I had played the course before, I knew if I hit a good drive I would have a shot at the green. So I approached the ball, hit it extra hard, and was rewarded for the aggressive play. I was already behind in the match and there was no trouble off the tee, so I had nothing to lose. When I got to the ball it had tailed off into the rough. However, it was sitting up very nicely. I had 172 yards to the flag and asked the caddie if he liked the 6 iron. He didn’t say anything and as I went back to the bag and pulled the seven iron, he immediately said “I like that much better.” I proceeded to hit a high, towering seven iron right at the flag and the ball landed softly, about ten feet to the left of the flag, pin high. Unfortunately, I missed the putt as the ball broke about 18 inches and the greens were running twelve on the stimpmeter. However, it was worth the risk because even if I would have come up a tad short or mishit the shot I still would have cleared the water.

Based on my own experiences, I think players should go for the green when they are confident with the club selection, are willing to risk a bogey or worse, and are comfortable that they can successfully execute the shot. It’s not a hope and a prayer shot, but more of a calculated risk.

What do you consider when going for the green? How do you decide if the risk is worth the reward? Feel free to leave a comment on your strategy.

Laying Up

Every time we play a round of golf we face several holes where we need to “lay up”. Typically, a layup shot is one in which a player chooses to hit a shot a certain distance in order to position themselves for the approach into the green. For the average player this typically occurs four times per round, on par fives on a regulation golf course. However, the layup is not reserved for par fives. There are many times you need to lay up on short par fours or even par threes. Many golf course architects will include a short par four in their course design that allows a longer hitter to drive the green. These players have the option to drive the green or layup. Likewise, on longer par threes, some players choose to lay up short of the green, rather than risking a penalty shot by going for the green.

I decided to write this piece based upon a conversation I recently had with a friend of mine during a tournament round. We were playing a two man best ball event and we were discussing the strategy on his layup shot for a par five. His shot ended up finding the bunker. I asked him how he arrived at his decision to hit that particular club, a 5 iron. He said he was trying to hit to a certain “spot” in the distance. That is how most of us approach that decision. We try to hit a club a certain distance, or try to land the ball in a certain spot on the fairway short of the hole.

I also take this same strategy; however, I also consider two other main points when lying up.

First, I not only look at where I want the ball to end up. I also consider where I DO NOT want the ball to end up. I always consider other factors as well, such as; wind direction, the lie of my ball, hazards around the landing area, etc. In other words, if I mishit the shot or if some other factor influences where the ball goes, what areas do I need to avoid? What happens if there is a gust of wind? What happens if I catch a flier lie? What happens if the ball runs out or stops quickly.

Second, I consider what yardage and angle I want into the green. Most of us are comfortable with certain clubs in our bags. We are also comfortable with certain yardages into the green. My three comfort yardages are 90, 105 and 115 yards. That is because that is how far I hit my 60, 54 and 50 degree wedges respectively. When possible, I want to have one of those yardages into the green so I can hit the shot full with confidence. Finally, I always like to give myself the best angle to the pin that will allow me to remain “below” or “under” the hole. That way I can have an uphill putt that provides me with the best chance of making an aggressive stroke that results in a birdie.

The layup shot in golf is a conservative play and should be approached as such. If you are going to lay up, then take extra time to think about the ball position you want into the green. It will give you the best chance at a successful layup. There is no need to take unnecessary risks when laying up. The risk comes into play when you are “going for” the green.

What do you consider when hitting a layup? What yardages are you most comfortable with? Feel free to leave a comment on your strategy.

One Shot at a Time

One Shot at a Time


We always hear professional golfers say they are playing “one shot at a time.” Why is that a standard line? What does it really mean? Are they just saying it to avoid getting into detail about shots with the press, or is there any true meaning or truth to a strategy of playing one shot at a time? I say both. The statement does appease the press because they get a quick quote for the next morning’s daily sports page. But, I think that players really do play one shot at a time, and here is why.

First, because when you are playing a competitive or casual round of golf, every single shot counts. In a competitive round you cannot afford to lose shots to the field. Most of the competitors are good or great players and a golfer playing to win cannot afford to lose even a single stroke. If you do lose a stroke, you may not have time to make it up during the course of the round.

Second, because golf is a game of the present and conditions constantly change. Meaning, how you approached a shot in the past or what you might do in the future has no bearing. Every single shot is unique every time you play. Even if you play the same course on a regular basis every course setup is different. Yes, the superintendent may put the tees or pins in certain spots during course setup. However, that does not matter. As soon as you tee off every shot from there in is unique. Everything changes each round: ball position, pin position, wind direction, club selection, moisture, temperature, humidity, rough thickness, grain, putt breaks, etc.

So, the next time you are playing a competitive round of golf, whether for a skin or a championship, ask yourself “what are the ramifications if I do not execute this shot?” Will I be able to recover? Will my opponent make a mistake? Will there be any more opportunities to make up a stroke or hole? That is why good players and professionals play one shot at a time. They know that one poor swing, bad decision or miscalculation may cost them the round, championship or match.

In golf, every shot does count as you will only play that particular shot once in your lifetime. You will never have the same shot twice regardless of the conditions. Make it count because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.