Bobby Eldridge Golf

Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Golf Video Fixes

I often wonder when a person takes up golf if they think there is such a thing as “beginner golf swing instruction”.  In other words do you think they take one look at Ernie and say to themselves “I can do that” I am going to cut through all of the red tape and go straight to the top.

Even if they think that, I believe there are some parts to the game that the new golfer has to learn and know why we do it.  The single most important thing is for them to realize you have to aim in golf.  You not only have to aim correctly, you have to aim the club and the body.  You can not believe how difficult it is for a new golfer to aim the golf ball.  Maybe I shouldn’t say new golfer.  It is very difficult for someone like me to aim the golf ball where I want it to go.  Trust me-parallel left is a concept from outerspace.

The next part that is on my list for beginner golfer is the grip.  The new golfer really struggles with holding the golf club.  It is awkward and the concept is foreign to them.  The clubface has to open in the backswing and close in the downswing.  If the grip is not correct the club will not open and close during the swing.  The other part of the grip that is extremely difficult to learn is grip pressure.  The new golfer feels as thou the club is going to fly out of their hands.

Posture, posture, posture.  Oh my this is a top three for sure.  The combination of measuring yourself from the ball the correct amount and then combine that with the correct amount of tilt at the waist and you have a real problem on your hands at the beginning.

Lastly, the golf swing.  If you can remember back to the first time you picked up a club…you might recall the pain this game can bring.  Let me get this right-you TURN your shoulders as the club swings UP and then you swing the club back DOWN as the shoulders TURN again.  Don’t forget, that is the top half, you still have the bottom half to think about.

The next time your on the golf course with a spouse, friend or playing partner and they are new to the game, keep in my when you were a beginner.  Golf swing instruction for them is much different than for you.

Tags: Full Swing, Golf Instruction by admin
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This is Thursday’s episode of Bobby Talks Golf. In this episode, Bobby gives a great putting tip and drill to make solid putts that go in more consistently. Tune in on Mondays and Thursday’s to hear Bobby talk about the tour, equipment, tips, lessons, drills and much more.

Tags: Putting, Videos by admin
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Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Golf Video Fixes

There have been millions of words written about the golf swing.  Balance seems to always get left out.  I am going to explain to you today exactly what great balance in the golf swings means and how to attain it. 

If I can show you how to make a golf swing with balance your swing will be more fluid, you will make more solid impact with your shots and the ball will go further.  There are two reasons why your golf swing is not in balace.  The first reason is clubhead speed and the second is the direction you swing the golf club.   Let’s start with direction first. 

When you swing the golf club it has to swing on an arc.  The clubhead has to swing back on an arc and down on an arc.  If the clubhead swings too much out to in (across your body) it will pull you off balance towards the golf ball.  If you swing the golf club too much from in to out (under your body) it will throw you off balance and you will fall backwards away from the ball.

I have a drill that will help you learn proper balance.  You have to start this drill out very slowly. 

The next time you are at the driving range take out a 7 iron and tee up a golf ball.  After you have addressed the golf ball, lift your left leg a couple of inches off of the groud.  You have to balance yourself on the right leg, now I want you to make a swing.  That in itself is very difficult to do the first time.  You can start out by making tiny swings, chip shot swings.  After you make some swings and hit a few shots, do the same thing with your right leg in the air.

This drill will teach you how to maintain proper balance in the golf swing.  It is a fantastic drill for those of you that struggle with this part of your swing.  After you hit 5 shots with your left leg off the ground and then 5 shots with the right leg off the ground you can hit 5 shots with both feet on the ground. 

You see the first reason you lose your balance is because of the direction you swing the club, the second reason is clubhead speed.  This drill teaches you how to swing the golf club in the correct direction with the proper speed.  For better golf swing balance-hit practice shots on one leg.

Tags: Perfect Golf Swing Drills by admin
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Your knee action (lower body) is critical to proper golf swing sequence. I see so many golfers who don’t know what the knees should do, so I put this golf video tip together to help you get a better understanding of lower body (knee) action in your downswing.

Tags: Full Swing by admin
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Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Golf Video Fixes

Every time you walk onto the putting green there are four things you have to think of, one of them is to make sure your shoulders are square to the line you want the ball to start on.

The putter has to swing straight back and forth during the stroke.  If the shoulders are aimed left of the intended line at address you have to compensate during the stroke or you will pull your putts.  If your shoulders are aimed right at address you have to compensate during the stroke or you will push your putts.

As you address the golf ball, once you have soled the putter you have to make sure your shoulders are PARALLEL LEFT to the intended line you want the ball to travel on.  This is where it gets a little tricky.  Let’s use an uphill, straight 3-footer as an example.  As you address the golf ball the you have to aim the putter at the center of the hole.  Your feet, knees, hips and shoulders must be aimed PARALLEL LEFT of the hole.

The term PARALLEL LEFT of the hole means your feet, knees, hips and shoulders are on an invisible line that is running parallel to your target line BUT left of the target.  The reason this is so important is that the putter must swing straight back and straight through.  If the shoulders are aimed parallel left you can accomplish this without compensating.

Bobby’s bit of wisdom: Don’t forget to square those shoulders to stop your putting green woes.

GOLF RESOURCE - Pulling Your Putts

If you’re pulling all your short putts, and you can’t seem to fix it, I’ve put together a Pulling Your Putts golf video download fix you can get over at my golf putting section of iGolfFixes.com.

Tags: Putting by admin
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The first round of Bob Hope Desert Classic cancelled because of rain. I talk about playing in wet conditions; a little more on grooves; how spin is affected when the greens are wet.

Watch and listen and I’m sure you’ll get some good tips out of it.

Tags: Videos by admin
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Just finished my half marathon here in Scottsdale. My first love is of course golf, but running is my passion. I am about a 30 handicap runner, but want to get better, so I feel your pain the same.

Tags: Videos by admin
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There is one thing about the game of golf: score cards don’t lie.  Ok I will agree with you on one point.  I have played a number of rounds in my life where I hit the ball very well, putted great and got nothing out of the round. 

On the other hand there have been many rounds where I couldn’t find the golf course.  I was lucky no one got hurt.  However at the end of the day when I added up the score card I was very pleased with the number. 

You have to keep in mind that golf is NOT one round.  It is a lifetime experience.  The only way you are going to improve is to continue to punch holes in your score card and find out what part of your game needs work.  That does not happen in one round of golf.

I know you are wondering where you should start.  There are a couple of stats that jump out at me.  Start with the driver.  You have to track every tee shot.  Keep a blank score card in your pocket and after every tee shot record whether you hit the fairway or missed to the left or right. 

The next statistic that will help you lower your score is did you short side your approach shot?  It doesn’t matter if it is the first, second, third or even fourth shot of the hole.  Did you short side yourself?  The definition of short siding is when you leave your approach shot in a position where you don’t have any green to work with. 

Everytime you prepare to approach a green you have to ask yourself the 10 million dollar question.  What side is the short side?  The safe side might leave you with a 30 yard pitch shot with nothing but a tiny fringe and then the putting green in front of you.  The short side might leave you with a 7 yard LOB shot over a bunker with a 12 foot lip and a slope running straight down hill to the hole.  You do the math.  It doesn’t take many of those a day to ruin a good round of golf.

Lastly, grade your attitude before you tee off, when you make the turn and when you walk off of the golf course.  It is a great stat to keep track of.  If you can maintain an upbeat and fun attitude your scores will reflect it.  I have gone on record for years as saying that I haven’t found a more enjoyable place to spend four hours than a golf course-when I am playing well and having fun.  On the other hand it is the most miserable place to be for four hours when you are struggling and not having fun.

Remember, if you use them correctly, score cards don’t lie.

Tags: Chipping, Driver, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Golf Instruction, Green Side Bunkers, LOB Wedge, Pitching, Putting, Short game, Solid Iron Shots, Trouble Shots by admin
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This is the initial launch of my new Bobby Eldridge Talks Golf Youtube channel.

Tags: Videos by admin
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During my younger years playing golf in Southwest Florida I struggled with a swing mistake early on.  I use to slide-sway my right hip and (legs) back in the backswing and then slide-sway my left hip and (legs) towards the target in the downswing.  I am convinced to this day that it was due to my size.  I was tiny little guy growing up and back then we didn’t have junior golf clubs.

The only way I could get the golf club to move either way was to use my legs sliding back and forth.  Don’t get me wrong, I could really play with that method, until I lost my timing.  Once there was a little heat on me and my timing changed, my shots were going LEFT and I mean way left.  My lateral move had to be in sync or I was in trouble.

Once I realized my mistake I began to practice at home in the living room at night.  I would move my mom’s favorite rocking chair next to the couch and then stand between them.  WIth the rocking chair on my right and the couch on my left I would practice TURNING without touching them.  I would stand there forever until I could make a backswing and downswing without (sliding) touching them with my hips.

On the practice range there was an old aluminum garbage can that I would stand next to and hit balls.  I placed the garbage can next to my right side and hit balls without touching the can.  As the years passed I carried to golf shafts in my bag with me at all times and I would place one in the ground just outside my right foot and one in the ground just outside my left foot.  Using the two stakes trained me to turn in the backswing and not slide.

In recent years I keep two plastic stakes in my bag.  I rarely hit balls without using those stakes as a training tool to remind me to not allow the right side to slide in the backswing and to make sure I turn through in the downswing.

Bobby’s bit of wisdom:  The golf swing is a turning motion not a sliding move.  For immediate feedback stick two sticks to insure a TURN and not a SLIDE.

Tags: Full Swing, Hybrids, Solid Iron Shots by admin
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