Dann's Tip of the Week

Into the wind, don’t swing harder. Take more club and swing easier. If you swing harder the little white ball will
spin more and balloon up. More club and a smoother swing means the ball will come out lower and won’t be
affected as much.

Know how far you have to carry to the green. In the winter months and with all the rain we’ve had, be sure to
make the carry on to the green. Landing short can mean landing in softer parts of the course where water
runs off. Perhaps take one more club than you think you need to make sure of the carry.

Still carrying around long irons? Why? There are hybrids and fairway woods that make the game far easier,
especially from long distances. With these clubs the ball will get up and boogie without the frightening, butter
knife look of a long iron.

Doubt is a terrible thing in golf. The best way to combat doubt is to decide what is going to happen and do it.
Decide that you’ll hit the driver to the fairway with a little fade. Don’t fall into the trap of HOPING that will
happen. “I will hit this shot to the fairway with a little fade.” You call the shots - not the little white ball!

Practice holing three-footers for your confidence. If you’re totally confident over a three footer it takes the
pressure off long putts. With the pressure off the long putts your iron game has less pressure and in turn tee
shots aren’t as scary. Put your ball down one putter-length from the hole and bang in ten in a row. If you miss
- start again!

Bunkers are easy! With wet sand, set the clubface more square to the target. This will mean the sole of the
club won’t bounce as much as it would when you open it. With fluffy sand or lots of it, open the blade up a
little and let the sole (bounce) do its thing.

Where should I tee it up? Hit a fade? Tee it up on the right side of the tee box. You’ll automatically be aimed
down the left. Hit a hook? Tee it up on the left and you’ll be aimed down the right to account for the flight. Hit
it straight? I’m jealous.

One thing I learned from tour pros is that when your game starts to fall apart, check the simple things first.
Grip, Aim and Set up or GAS for short. Usually, mistakes stem from these things rather than anything too
technical.

Are your grips shiny? Feeling like the club could slip out of your hands? Try new grips on your clubs. For a
modest investment having new grips can feel like a whole new set of bats. NEw grips will also mean the club
stays firmer in your hand and your glove won’t wear out as quickly.