Bobby Eldridge Golf

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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There is no way this shot should be in golf.  I don’t think the game was designed to play from hard pan, wet sand or no sand in the bunker.  It seems no matter what you try-you blade it over the green, every time.

Well I have a lesson today that I know is going to help you in the furture.  My only promise is that I can get you to get it out higher and softer than in the past.  Because of the nature of the shot I will not promise that it will stop on a dime.  Let’s get started.

The sand wedge has a bounce on the bottom that acts like a rudder on a boat.  When you make contact with soft sand, the club head GLIDES through the sand.  When you make contact with hard sand the club head BOUNCES off the sand and into the back of the golf ball. 

There are a couple of things we can do to eliminate this result.  #1 You can start using a pitching wedge or LOB wedge.  Neither one of them have a bounce as big as a sand wedge.  #2 If you use a sand wedge, DO NOT OPEN THE FACE at address.  When you open the face that puts the bounce into play more.

#3 No matter which club you decide to use you have to make sure you follow through LOWWWWWW.  Do you get it LLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW.

You must CHOP down behind the golf ball and let the impact (momentum) of the club head create enough force to explode the ball out of the bunker.  You DO NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH HIGH.

Tags: Green Side Bunkers by admin
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I know many of you love to use practice drills that will enable you to FEEL the correct way of making a change.  I have used this drill not only for my teaching but I have also used it myself over the years.  

Keep one thing in mind.  When you hit a shot to the right you either hit the ground behind it OR you catch the ball on the upswing and hit it thin or topped.  The reason you hit it thin is because the golf club is traveling too far from the INSIDE and is headed OUTSIDE. 

When you swing the golf club on an arc it travels from INSIDE to SQUARE (at impact) back to the INSIDE on the follow through.  The other thing you have to keep in mind is the flatter the club face the less divot you will have.  When you hit a thin 4 iron (it hurts) you will never see a divot unless you hit the ground behind the ball. 

Now, on to the drill.  Grab a 7 iron and lay two straight edges on the ground, (one for the target and one for your body line).  Lay a towel on the ground about 12 inches behind the ball. When you swing the club back make sure you miss the towel in the backswing and in the downswing. 

Another way to think of it is the golf club has to swing UP in the backswing and DOWN in the downswing.  When you hit it thin you swing to much UP in the downswing.  Start with a 9 iron and progress through your set of clubs.

Tags: Bunker Shots, Chipping, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Golf Instruction, Green Side Bunkers, Hybrids, LOB Wedge, Perfect Golf Swing Drills, Pitching, Short game, Solid Iron Shots, Trouble Shots, Wedges by admin
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Re: Fix A Fat Bunker Shot

This ranks up there as one of the most frustrating shots in golf.  You hit a perfect iron shot right at the flag, a gust of wind comes up and the ball lands five yards short of the green, right in the middle of a bunker. 

Adding insult to injury you hit your bunker shot fat and move the ball three feet.  There are a couple of reasons why you leave your bunker shots in the bunker.  The single most important reason why you hit your bunker shots fat is because you DON’T TURN THROUGH.  The definition of turning through means that the lower half of your body has to turn out of the way as the golf club enters the sand.

Easier said than done.  I don’t think so.  The one thing you have to continue reminding yourself is that the backswing is VERY vertical and when that club head begins it’s journey in the downswing it is swinging straight into the sand.  The club head is entering the sand on such a STEEP angle that you have to TURN THE LOWER HALF out of the way so the club head will come up and out of the sand at impact.

If you don’t turn out of the way the club head will get stuck in the sand and the golf ball will not have any force behind and underneath at impact.  That is why you leave it in the bunker.  TURN THROUGH.

I’ve put together a downloadable video fix that you can download right to your computer. My Fat Bunker Shot video module is in both the written (ebook) and video (download) so take your pick or get both.

Click Here to find out more!

Tags: Green Side Bunkers, Short game by admin
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Tags: Green Side Bunkers by admin
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