mattjustgolf http://www.mattjustgolf.com golf instruction by Matt Just Tue, 08 May 2012 04:42:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 CD Yourself for Consistent Putting Posture http://www.mattjustgolf.com/2011/11/21/cd-yourself-for-consistent-putting-posture/ http://www.mattjustgolf.com/2011/11/21/cd-yourself-for-consistent-putting-posture/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:55:44 +0000 admin http://www.mattjustgolf.com/?p=163 http://lifetimefitness.mylt.com/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/7111-102-1-12411/092109-Putting_CD_01_300px.jpg
Putting can make up nearly half the strokes of any given round, so when your strokes on the greens are a bit off, chances are your score for 18 will head to the cellar as well.

During such a round, most players will recognize how their missed putts all seem to consistently miss to the left of the cup or to the right.

However, many know that trying to remedy the putting problem in mid-round can be a trying task that can throw off the remaining parts of anyone’s game.

If you’ve run into a similar scenario with your putting, odds are you need to take a closer look at your putting posture. But how can you examine your posture when you’re head is down, focused on the ball while putting?

All you really need to do is enjoy a compact disc … just not through your stereo.

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For many golfers, if it seems like they are pushing or pulling most of their putts, it’s likely their putting posture, or eye alignment over the ball, is inconsistent.

One way to re-establish this posture is by setting up a golf ball in the middle of a CD on the ground and practicing your putting stroke.

When doing this, make sure you use a CD you no longer listen to or just a blank disc and make sure the readable side (meaning where all the digital information is) is facing up toward you from the ground.

Place a ball is in the middle of the CD and address the apparatus in your putting stance with your putter. Notice how you can see your reflection in the CD as your upper body hovers over the golf ball a bit.

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Align yourself over the ball so that the bridge of your nose is hovering over the ball and you can see your eyes in the CD. Once aligned, go ahead and putt the ball off the CD and into a drinking cup, putting cup, or some other target.

With enough practice, your putting posture and alignment over the ball will become second nature and you’ll start stroking your putts more consistently.

]]> http://www.mattjustgolf.com/2011/11/21/cd-yourself-for-consistent-putting-posture/feed/ 0 Better Shoulder Turn Starts with More Spine Flexibility http://www.mattjustgolf.com/2011/11/21/test-post/ http://www.mattjustgolf.com/2011/11/21/test-post/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:54:12 +0000 admin http://www.mattjustgolf.com/?p=144 When watching some of the best ball-strikers in the world, an amateur golfer can’t help but notice the amount of shoulder turn those players have.

While many may think those golfers have great flexibility around their shoulders, the truth of the matter is that the limberness actually resides in their spines.

Aaron Wallace, a personal trainer and golf fitness and biomechanic specialist for Life Time Fitness in Troy, Mich., said while many avid golfers watch their favorite right-handed players rotate so their left shoulder is behind the ball, many mistake that ability comes from flexible shoulders.

“You’re not really turning at the shoulder,” Wallace said. “You are a little bit. So yes, flexibility of the shoulder does help. But really where you’re turning from is the spine.”

Wallace said that in the golf swing, the shoulder joint doesn’t do much. Some amateur players may have some inflexibility in their rear deltoid muscles, but it doesn’t aid or deter much in the shoulder turn of their golf swing.

“Because you’re not really moving at the shoulder,” he said. “You’re always moving at the spine.”

For those players hoping to develop a shoulder turn like their favorite pro, Wallace suggested the following exercises to build flexibility in the spine:

Double Leg Lying Crossover: Wallace said this exercise helps stretch the lumbar rotating muscles in your lower back, essential for greater a shoulder turn.

First, start off by lying on your back with your knees flexed perpendicular to the floor. Then rotate your legs together to one side so they are parallel to the ground while your chest still faces the sky. Hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds before returning to the starting position. Then perform the stretch for the other side of your body.

“I can actually tell from testing people on that stretch what kind of swing fault they have,” Wallace said, explaining how it reveals people who push or snap hook their shots. “It’s actually pretty cool.”

Longitudinal Stretch Along the Spine: Find a foam roll and set it up on the floor. Lie down on your back so your entire body is parallel with the floor.

Start the exercise by raising your back upward, but keep your head and rear end on the foam roll to support your spine. Hold the position for 10 seconds and then relax. Then repeat the stretch.

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