What do I work on?

Depends on what your ball flight is. If you slice the golf ball, you need to make sure your hands are on the club properly for you (we have covered this in previous posts) and the toe of the club is moving faster through impact than the heel of the club. Another way to say the same thing is to have your bottom hand on the golf club moving faster through impact than your top hand.

If your ball flight has minimal curvature, then you need to work on how your body moves. You need to proceed to Golf Magazine online and check out the O Factor. The instructor's name is Angus Murray. This is the best discription of how the body works in the golf swing I've ever seen. Study it and do the drills.

I have mentioned previously how I have been working on getting the clubface square or neutral going back. Whenever I feel that I am adding loft to the clubface going back, I hit solid shots with the divots going at or slightly left of target.

While practicing Friday, I made it a point to feel the additional loft as the clubface swung back. I really started hitting solid shots with a slight fade. I had to try this on the course so off I went. Played our back nine and shot 4 under 32. Actually missed two birdie putts inside 10 feet. Went to the mirror and checked where the clubface was going. Perfect.

Yesterday was cold and windy so I made lots of swings with the weighted club. With the clubface moving correctly, the swings were powerful without effort. My balance is so much better. I'm excited!


Thanks,
Mike Hurley

Thoughts from the Masters

I never thought I would ever say the phrase, "Zach Johnson, Masters Champion." However, he played the best down the stretch and was victorious. Congratulations.

Saturday was a tough day to watch.
They have changed the course so much in the last ten years it has made the course unplayable at times. When the winds came up and the course became even faster and firmer, scores went up, way up. Why do tournament officials set the course up so difficult? It didn't look like fun and it sure wasn't fun to watch.

My favorite memories of the Masters are the ones where Jack shot 30 on the back nine to win in 1986, and Palmer birdies the last two to win in 1960. Sandy Lyle making birdie from the fairway bunker on #18 to win. Larry Mize's chip in, Tiger's chip in on #16. Mickleson birdies #18 to win. All these were great shots to win.

They did set the course up much fairer for Sunday's round and it did produce some fine golf. Johnson made four birdies on the back nine, Tiger had his chances, Retief had a chance, Justin Rose had a chance.

What can you learn from this years' Masters? Set a game plan which fits your game and your strengths. Johnson never went for a Par Five in two. On the surface you would think this plan had no chance for success at Augusta National. His plan results in 11 under on the Par Fives and a Green Jacket.

What are your strengths? Once you identify them, are you using them to your advantage? Take some time to consider your game and make some honest assessments.

Mike