Minjee Lee: The ♥ of a CHAMPION

In golf the faster the clubhead moves through impact, the more power you generate and the longer you hit the ball. The longer your shot, the better your chances of slicing strokes off your golf handicap.

Professional courses like Torrey Pines or are no picnic, even for the pros. For weekend players, forget it. PGA courses have narrow fairways (less than 30 yards wide), punishing rough, and lightening fast greens. They also have length.

Zach Johnson did something extraordinary in 2007-something not even Tiger Woods has done. Johnson won the Masters Tournament by 2 strokes, and he did it without going for the par 5s in two. No one can remember another player doing that in the Masters.

The mechanics of your swing are important. That’s why we encourage weekend players to take golf lessons and read golf tips. But what you carry in your bag is also important. You can cut strokes from your score even before you get to the course by tailoring what’s in your bag factors like the weather, the course’s firmness, and the types of shots you’re most likely to face.

The difference between good and great isn’t always physical. Sometimes, it’s mental. Take Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Both are gifted players physically. Both have great short games. And both have creativity and imagination. But Tiger, it seems, has a more disciplined approach to the game than Phil-or any other player on tour. That’s why he plays so well and wins so often.

If you carefully scrutinize a good player’s swing-a player whose golf handicap is in the single digits-you’ll notice something odd. There’s a flat spot at the bottom of the swing arc, just as the club strikes the ball. This flatness isn’t an optical illusion. It’s real. And it’s significant.

There’s no perfect rhythm for golf. You can play at a fast pace or you can play it at a slower pace-and still play it well. How quickly or slowly you play doesn’t necessarily matter as far as your golf handicap is concerned. Unless, of course, you’re playing at breakneck speed or you play at an absolute crawl.

Ever went to the range and felt like the mat is killing your hands? That’s caused by the traditional golf mats that don’t absorb shock or vibration. This causes a lot of drawbacks on your practice and also creates a lot of stress on the hands, wrists, and shoulders.

Determining your weaknesses is the first step to improving your game. Once you know your weaknesses, you can eliminate them by taking golf lessons, reading golf tips, and/or practicing on the range. And the best way of finding your weaknesses is by tracking your stats.

The most common question for golfers is “How can I improve my golf swing?” Improving you swing means to improve your overall game resulting in lower score and more distance. You will be able to stop slicing in a matter of time. But how to do that in a way that works?