Lessons & Tips

Putting can account for fifty percent of your score.  Therefore, make sure you putt with the proper fundamentals to improve your consistency.

Set up with your feet approximately shoulder width.  Bend your knees slightly and bend at your waist.  Your arms will hang down tension free, forming a triangle between your arms and shoulders.  Position your eyes over the golf ball at address.  The ball position is slightly forward of center in your stance.

Your feet, knees, arms and shoulders should all be parallel to your target line.  Some players open there stance to their arms to swing more freely.  The target line is an imaginary line that runs through the golf ball toward the target.  Initiate the backswing by moving your left arm and allowing your left shoulder to move down while the right shoulder will move up.  On the forward swing, your left shoulder will move up while the right shoulder will move down.

Throughout the putting stroke your arms and shoulders should be moving in a pendulum motion.  Your left wrist remains firm throughout the stroke.  In addition, keep your lower body still throughout the stroke.

During the putting stroke, focus your eyes on the back of the golf ball.  After impact keep the head still and listen for the ball to drop in the hole.  When hitting a putt, make sure your backswing and forward swing are the same length. It is acceptable if the forward swing is longer than the backswing.  However, if the forward swing is shorter than the backswing you may have decelerated into the putt.  Decelerating is one of the worst things you can do whether you are putting, chipping, pitching or making a full swing.  Always accelerate through the shot.  In addition, keep the putter close to the ground on the backswing and forward swing.  This should lead to more consistent contact.

Keeping your head down and listening for the ball to go in the hole will assure you stay down and accelerate through towards the target.  The proper tempo on the back swing and forward swing is extremely important.

Matt Keller, PGA
Email:  keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

While trying to improve, many golfers continue to spend hours at the practice range fine tuning their swing.  They hit hundreds of balls, take lessons and have a better understanding of the golf swing.  However, when they take their game to the course, they still shoot roughly the same score.  Naturally, they become frustrated with the lack of results.  While it is beneficial they spend time practicing full swings, they need to adjust their practice habits if they really want a lower handicap.

Focus on your short game skills if you are serious about lowering your handicap.  The following are three drills guaranteed to improve your putting.

Putts within 10 feet of the hole are crucial to shooting a lower score. Practice by placing 2 clubs on the ground, wide enough to set the putter behind the ball.  Keep the putter on the correct path by swinging the putter inside the two clubs.   If you take the putter off the intended line you will hit one of the clubs.  Be sure to make smooth swings and follow through.  If done correctly the ball will travel through the middle of the two clubs toward the hole.

Practice the clock drill. Place three balls in a line at three, six, and nine feet from the hole similar to the twelve, three, six and nine position on a clock.  The goal is to make all twelve in a row.  If you miss any putt, then go back to the beginning and start over.

Finally, improve from longer distances and limit your three putts.  Place a tee in the ground 10 feet, 20 feet and 30 feet away.   In this drill, you are attempting to control the speed you hit each putt to the different tees.  This drill teaches the correct pace for longer putts.

If you practice these three drills you will shoot improve your putting and lower your handicap. Many golfers search for more distance in their golf game. A solid short game will compensate for distance limitations.

Matthew Keller, PGA

Email: keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

One of the least favorite responsibilities of any golf professional is enforcing a dress code.  Following the latest fashion trends, women show up with shorts that are too short.  Men show up to the club wearing denim and t-shirts.  At times, these instances can come across as confrontational when someone is required to approach a member or guest guilty of not adhering to the facilities dress code.  This can be equally uncomfortable or embarrassing for the person who made the infraction of the dress code.

The dress code is determined by the owner, management or board of governors.  Unfortunately, they are not the ones left to enforce the rules.  That means the staff is responsible for enforcing the dress code.  Remember, the staff did not make the rules when you are approached for this situation.  They are simply just doing their job.  Often, the facility will require the person to change or purchase apparel in the golf shop that conforms to the dress code.

What is the proper dress for women?  The LPGA Tour allows sleeveless and collarless shirts to be worn during play.  However, there is no specific length requirement on shorts or skirts.  Denim, cut-offs and workout clothes are typically not allowed.  The LPGA dress code often is not exactly the same as the local public golf course or private country club.  Golf manufacturers continue to follow fashion trends.  These trends continue to get tighter and shorter.  Since there is not a universal dress code among clubs, you can purchase apparel in a golf shop that is considered unacceptable at other facilities.  The outfit you see LPGA stars wearing on TV might not pass at your local country club.

The proper golf attire for men usually requires a shirt with a collar.  The PGA Tour requires all Tour Professionals to wear a collared shirt and pants.  Luckily, amateurs have the option of wearing shorts to their local public and private clubs.   Typically, a golf course will not allow denim pants or shorts.

The next time you play at a course, make sure you know what is acceptable to wear.  If you are not familiar call the golf shop.  They golf staff will inform what is acceptable, and will potentially save you and the staff an uncomfortable situation.  Many courses often post dress code rules on their website.

Matt Keller, PGA

Email:  keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

There are many games and drills you can complete that will occupy your time and contribute to quality practice sessions.  During your next practice session, try some of the following tips, drills and games to shave a few strokes on the green.  Some of these drills and games are beneficial if you have a partner.

Place a mark, such as a tee, in one foot increments away the hole.  Place ten marks on the green and putt progressively from each location.  The goal is to make ten consecutive putts.  If you miss a putt, then go back to the starting location.  This drill will help improve percentages for close range putts.

Practice using the gate drill.  Place two tees in the green slightly wider than the putter head.  Place a ball in between the two tees.  Now swing the putter back and through without hitting the two tees.

Play “HORSE” on the putting green.  Similar to basketball, a player putts from any location on the putting green.  If the player makes the putt, the other player must make same putt.  If they miss, they incur a letter (H-O-R-S-E).  The goal is to avoid spelling the word “Horse.” If player 1 misses the original putt, then player 2 has the opportunity to select the location for a putt.  If player 2 makes the putt, player 1 is forced to make the putt or incur a letter.  The game can be played with more than two players.

Play “Around the World” on the putting green.  Begin by placing four balls around the cup in four directions (north, south, east and west).  Start three feet from the hole.  When you make all four putts, move back another three feet.  When you make all four putts, again move back another three feet.  Obviously, the goal is to continue moving back and making putts.  The game gets more difficult as you move farther away from the hole.

Practice any form of these drills and games and you will become more consistent on the green.

Matthew Keller, PGA

Email keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

There are many times throughout your round where you will face a long putt from 30 feet or more.  Your goal is to hole the ball in two putts or less every time.  If you routinely make three putts or more there is a significant amount of room for improvement.  Determining where to putt the ball can be extremely confusing.  This article is designed to improve your ability to read undulations on the green.

Reading the green can be very tricky. It would be ideal if every putt is straight.  However, this is not the case. Golfers must play and practice to improve at reading the slope of the green.  The contour of the green will determine how the ball will break.  The more severe the contour, the more a putt will move to the right or left.  Visualize how the putt will break before you set up for the putt.  The ball will always break from the high side to the low side.  Consequently, the direction you set up on the green will not always be directly at the hole.

The speed of the putting green along with the contour will determine how much a putt will break.  If the green speed is slower, the putt will break less.  Greens that putt at a faster pace will break more.  The pace you stroke a putt will vary.  Obviously, you must hit an uphill putt harder than a downhill putt.  Therefore, you must hit a downhill putt softer than an uphill putt.

Examine how the green breaks around the hole.  Reading the green is one of the most difficult aspects of putting.  When you lag a putt to the hole, plan to leave yourself with an easy flat or uphill putt instead of a difficult breaking putt.  The longer putts can potentially have a subtle or severe break.  The harder you hit a putt the less it will break.  Therefore, the break in the beginning of a longer putt can sometimes be ignored.  Pay close attention to the break the final ten feet of the putt.  As the ball slows down it will break more around the hole.  When putting on a green with tiers, make sure to concentrate on the speed at the top or bottom of the tier as the ball continues to roll toward the hole.  Use some of these techniques and you will improve your putting from long range and decrease the three putts in your round.

Matt Keller, PGA

keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

A solid short game can save you countless shots throughout a round.  Many people often try the most difficult shot, such as a flop shot when they could perform a simple chip shot from the same location.  Attempting a flop shot is one of the trickiest shots in golf.  While it looks amazing when you pull it off it has a relatively low success rate.  A good rule to follow can be found in an expression that has been around golf forever.  If you can putt the ball, putt it.  If you can’t putt it, chip it and if you can’t chip it, pitch it.  Therefore, a chip should be a second choice while the flop shot should really be the last resort because you can not hit any other shots.

A chip shot is generally close to the green and requires a shorter swing where your wrists will not hinge.  Now that you understand the set up and swing of a chip shot, lets examine how to properly execute the shot.  Probably the most important key is to think about where you want the ball to land.  Practice the shot with different clubs, and become familiar with where the shot will land and how far the ball will roll.  With the proper fundamentals a chip shot will react the same way every time it lands on the green.

Knowing how the ball will react once it lands on the green is imperative to hitting successful chip shots.

Take advantage of different clubs in your bag, for example 7 iron through lob wedge.  As a general rule, plan on a 7 iron traveling approximately 25% of the way in the air and the remaining 75% rolling towards the hole.  A pitching wedge will travel approximately 50% in the air and roll the remaining 50% toward the hole.  A sand wedge will fly approximately 75% towards the hole and roll the remaining 25% on the ground.  Remember, the lower the number on the club, the more the ball will roll.  Your arms and shoulders will produce a similar swing with all clubs while altering club selection to determine the distance.

Matt Keller, PGA

Email:  keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

A solid short game can save you a large number of shots on the golf course.  Easily sixty percent of your score can be within 100 yards of the green.  The following chipping drill is designed to improve your contact and swing path.  When completed correctly the ball will start toward your intended target.

Begin by placing two clubs parallel to each other on the ground about 12 inches away from each other.  Line the clubs up in the direction of a hole or target on the practice green.  This drill is similar to where you practice putting between the two clubs.  Take your normal chipping set up and place a ball between the two clubs on the ground.  This drill will emphasize keeping the club on the correct path.  The drill will also help you line up correctly.  During the swing if the club head hits the clubs on the ground you are cutting across the ball.

Start by hitting chip shots with your 7 iron.  Work on making short backswings and keeping the club low to the ground on the follow through.  The club head should be extended down the line by keeping it between the two clubs.  Gradually start moving farther away and switching to more lofted clubs such as a pitching wedge or sand wedge.  Again, practice making bigger swings without hitting the clubs on the ground.  Successfully completing this drill improve your swing path and hit the ball towards your intended target.

In addition to creating a better swing path, make a downward strike to hit the ball in the air.  Do not bend or break your wrists.    At impact make sure your left arm is straight while the club head lags behind your arms and hands.  This prevents you from flipping your wrists trying to lift or scoop the ball.  Your arms and shoulders should be swinging the club while your lower body remains still throughout the swing.

Matt Keller, PGA

Email: keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

A chip shot produces a low trajectory and rolls on the ground.  The main objective is to get the ball rolling like a putt.  A chip shot is also referred to as a “bump and run.”  You make the same swing with a variety of clubs and the loft will produce a shot with different distance and trajectory.

Begin by taking a narrow stance, with your front foot slightly open.  Continue with an athletic set up by bending your knees slightly and bending forward at your waist.  Position the majority of your weight on your front foot and leg to encourage a downward strike on the golf ball.

Allow your arms to hang down tension free as you grip the club.  A comfortable position for your hands should be approximately six inches away from your left leg.  Grip down on the club.  Gripping down will make the club shorter and easier to control.  The ball should be positioned in the center of your stance or back toward the inside of your back foot.  This should position your hands slightly to the left (in front) of the ball to encourage a downward strike.

A chip shot is a similar motion as the putting stroke.  Start the swing with your arms and shoulders.  Try to limit your lower body from moving throughout the swing.  Your weight will remain on your front leg and foot throughout the shot.  Your arms and shoulders control the chip shot with little to no wrist movement.  However, your hands must lead into the shot while the club head lags behind.  This creates the proper downward angle of approach.  Remember to make shorter swings and accelerate through impact.  The proper fundamentals will create a shot that is typically lower and produces a consistent roll once the ball lands on the green.

Matt Keller, PGA

Email:  keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

Technology and science have taken golf instruction to the next level.  However, some of the best golf drills have been around for years.  Some of the classic golf drills will continue to be used for years to come.  Chances are if you play golf you have probably used the “Feet together drill” at some point.

One of the best drills to work on your golf game is known as the “feet together drill.”  It is performed by setting up to the golf ball with both feet together.  Position the ball in the middle of your stance.  Any club can be used, however, the drill works best with a short or mid iron such as a 7 iron.  Begin by making practice swings where you become familiar with the sequence of your arms and body working together.  Initially place the ball on a tee and make three quarter swings.  Move the ball on the turf once you are comfortable hitting shots from the tee.  This drill is not designed to produce long iron shots.   The three quarter swings are designed to improve contact.

The feet together drill is great for a number of reasons.  The results are beneficial for anyone who over swings.  The drill helps maintain balance and tempo.  Many amateurs swing violently at the golf ball which creates various swing faults. Observe any professional and notice how their swing creates effortless power.  The feet together drill will help ingrain the idea of effortless power.  In addition, it will help you avoid making lateral movements with your body.

If your tempo is too quick it will force you to lose your balance.  Rather, you should hit straight shots while maintaining your balance with a relaxed feeling through impact.  Keep your arms and grip pressure relaxed in the set up and throughout the swing.  Once you have captured the feeling of making smooth swing go back to making full swings with a normal set up and swing.

Matt Keller, PGA
keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE

Did you ever notice how effortless any PGA or LPGA Tour Professional swing a golf club?  In fact, they generate an enormous amount of club head speed while maintaining their balance.  Rarely do you actually see an elite player over swing.  They maintain their balance with a very high swing speed.  Balance and tempo are both essential to hitting consistent golf shots.

Balance in a golf swing is defined as transferring weight appropriately during the golf swing while maintaining body control.  Begin the swing with the correct set up to promote balance throughout the swing.  If you take an unbalanced set up, chances are you will lose your balance.   An example of an unbalanced set up is positioning your feet to close together.  If your feet are too close it will not support the wide swing arc of the golf swing.

Balance throughout the backswing transfers weight on the inside of the right leg and foot.  When the weight slips to the outside of the right leg and foot a player often sways, which is a loss of balance.  Swaying often results from a poor tempo or a quick take away.  Focus on a low and slow take away where you maintain balance with the proper tempo throughout the swing.

In order to hit a golf ball, your arms and body need to be working cohesively together.  Powerful and consistent shots are created from the body, not just the arms.  If the arms are swinging too quick you are not using the body.  If the body sways through the shot you will see negative results.

One of the most important ingredients to maintain your balance is a smooth tempo. Good players appear to swing easy while producing a powerful swing. Practice hitting shots with a half swing.  Notice how easily you maintain balance with a half swing.  Maintaining solid tempo and balance will greatly improve your chances of making consistent and accurate golf shots.

Matt Keller, PGA
keller@pga.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Matt Keller is a PGA Golf Professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career he has worked at courses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Delaware. Matt has conducted thousands of golf lessons to players of all ages and ability levels. Currently, he is a PGA Professional at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club located near Bethany Beach, DE