Tag: Golfing advice

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GOLF

Off Season Golf Simulator Goals

SIMULATOR SEASON EXPECTATIONS

As the 2020 Golf Season in Ontario comes to an end, the Simulator Season begins. The last three off seasons I have utilized Golf Simulators to work on specific aspects of my game. Understanding the limitations of a Golf Simulator is the first thing you should be aware of when planning your Simulator practice. Some of the limitations are obvious. You can’t work on your bunker game, or recovery shots from awkward lies in a Simulator. There are a few limitations that aren’t so obvious. Having a perfectly balanced platform to hit off of is a limitation. Having to aim your shot previous to setup is a limitation. Even the technology of the Simulator can make certain shots impossible. For instance I use a Chipper out on the course but most Simulators read them improperly.

Most people would assume that hitting off perfectly flat ground is an advantage, but it isn’t. I used to wear my most comfortable shoes in a Golf Simulator. I found out the hard way that weight transfer is quite different if I am wearing something other than golf shoes. You can’t dig in or rely on your cleats to help you remain steady during an aggressive swing. In fact I used that understanding to focus on swinging with more precision to gain distance instead of faster. Aiming is quite different in a Simulator. You can’t just adjust your stance and play for a Push Draw or Pull Fade. You first need to adjust the aim point with the software to account for a Push or Pull. Then let your swing dictate how far the ball Draws or Fades. If you make the adjustment at Setup instead of with the software that can cause many Simulators to read it far too extreme, and guarantee a terrible result.

Last Off season I focused on improving my consistency with the Driver. The work I did in Golf Simulators definitely helped. Driving is actually one of the best skills you can practice in a Simulator. It takes the mat out of play, and in most cases the even ground in a Simulator is similar to what you have on a Tee box. It’s about as close to the real thing as you can get. I was able to work on my Setup, Takeaway, Club Face control, and Finish position in the Simulator. The practice worked and my consistency has improved. This Off season I will continue to work on my Driving. Only this time my focus will be on improving my Launch Angle.

Something I have really focused on lately is improving my quality of contact with my Irons. Unfortunately it is quite difficult to work on your Iron striking in a Simulator. First of all most hitting mats are quite forgiving. Bad strikes can read as good strikes depending on the surface. Secondly you can’t take a divot hitting off a mat. So there isn’t a visual indicator of where your club bottomed out. Lastly Irons are more likely to be hit off uneven surfaces in real life. A Simulator can provide you with a false sense of security in your Iron swing because every shot is perfectly level.

Now fortunately I have come up with a way to practice my Iron striking that provides me with a way to measure my quality of strike. Here are the numbers from a perfectly struck 7 Iron.

7 Iron perfection

For a full explanation of how I improved my Ball striking. CHECK OUT THE FULL VIDEO ON IGTV.

So if your Golf Off season is about to begin, and you are serious about improving. Find something that you can effectively work on in a Simulator, and stick to it.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to my blog, and while you’re at it check out my Cobe Life YouTube channel!

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GOLF

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GOLF SWING

HOW TO IMPROVE

There are a lot of theories on the internet about how to improve as a Beginner Golfer. The manufacturers would like you to believe that the right equipment will make the difference. Golf coaches will tell you that lessons are the fastest route to improvement. The majority of Social media Influencers will claim to have the correct tips to accelerate your game. With so many options which one is right for you?

Figuring it out without having any real direction can be an expensive process. There are a few things you can do for free to provide you with a decent starting point. The first of which is to spend a little time at your local golf store, and test a few clubs. I would highly suggest you use that time to figure out which long shot clubs suit your natural swing. Test a 5 Wood, 4 Hybrid, and 4 Iron to see which you hit best. This will help you determine how to design your golf set. Also test how well you hit Hybrid Irons vs Traditional Irons. A lot of Beginners ignore Hybrid Iron sets like the Cobra T Rail, or Wilson Launch Pad sets. They can seriously help some golfers get started depending on your natural swing. When testing clubs pay attention to your natural ball flight, and what the majority of your miss hits are. Do you hit a lot of chunks or thins? Do you hook the ball or slice it? If you are able use your cellphone camera to film some of your test swings. This takes us to the second thing you can do. Go on YouTube and look up tips to help you with your swing problems. There are a lot of “experts” on YouTube but I’ve found a few that can offer solid advice. Start with Larry Cheung golf, Mr Shortgame, Me and My Golf, and Mark Crossfield. Between those channels you’ll probably find some helpful hints. For me personally Mark Crossfield helped me with my grip. Larry Cheung helped me improve my Back swing, and Mr Shortgame helped me limit my chunky shots. Me and My Golf have provided me with helpful drills to continuously improve. Spend time at the Range utilizing their tips for at least 8 hours of total Range time. That should improve your swing some. It won’t be perfect. Far from it actually, but at least you will have a very good idea of what you need to work on. At this point you might decide to invest in lessons, or a Swing Analyzer device. There is one more thing you can do before that though. Try swinging your clubs while choking down on the grip. Move your hands as far down the grip as possible without having any fingers on the actual shaft. The shorter a club is, the easier it is to hit. If suddenly your strike and ball flight is significantly better. Then a fitting might be the answer to gain some additional improvement. If things don’t look much different. Then it’s time to get lessons.

Of course everything I suggest is dependent on your budget. For instance I didn’t get my first, and only lesson until my third Season. I quickly realized that the same information is available on Larry Cheung’s YouTube channel. Provided you know enough about the basics of a golf swing to interpret his advice.

I hope this helps you accelerate your improvement. For more helpful tips for Beginners. Check out the Cobe Life YouTube channel.