Bobby Eldridge Golf

Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Golf Swing Instruction

The best kept secret in golf is to make sure you aim your golf club first then your body.  This game is tough enough without making it more difficult by aiming your body first.  Let me explain what happens when you aim your body first.

When you walk up to the golf ball and plant your feet in the ground and aim them AT the target, along with your knees, hips and shoulders, from the get-go, you are in big trouble.  Everything would be OK, except, you have to place the club behind the ball.  When you sole the clubhead it is going to be aimed MILES to the right of the target.

Now let me tell you what is has to happen from here.  You will have to compensate in order to get the golf ball to fly towards your target.  You will have to hook or pull it back on target.  That my friend is one tough way to play golf.  Don’t get me wrong, it can be done that way but it is very difficult.

Now I am going to tell you an easier way to play golf.  When you walk up to the golf ball you should sole the club first, aiming it at your target. 

Once you have done that you can begin to grip the club.

As you grip the club you can walk into the shot with your right foot behind you and then swing your left foot around so it is parallel to where you want the ball to start.

Once you have placed your feet parallel to the intended target line then your knees, hips and shoulders will follow.

From this position you look down the target line and “See” the target instead of turning your head back to the left to see it.  From this position you NEVER have to compensate during the golf swing.  You can make a full turn in the backswing and smash it from there. 

SO, repeat after me…golf club first then your body when you address the golf ball and not…body first, then golf club.

Tags: Driver, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Golf Instruction, Golf Lesson, Hybrids, Solid Iron Shots, Trouble Shots by admin
No Comments »

Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Golf Swing Fixes

If you want to add 15 more yards to your tee shot-in three months, do what I did.  I have a confession to make.  Less than 24 months ago, my great friend Harvey Mackay asked me if I wanted to play 18 holes the following week.  I had cut way back on my golf both playing and practicing for the past couple of years and I was not looking forward to this round of golf.

By the time I reached the 12 hole he (74 year old) Harvey had outdriven me four times.  Harvey was playing to a 9 at the time and he is a great driver of the golf ball.  I should say straight driver of the golf ball with an average of 225 yards.  If I hit it well I was maybe 15 yards past him.  However if I missed the tee shot a tiny bit, I was hitting first onto the green.

When I walked up to the 13th tee, I remember it as thou it was yesterday, I decided that I was going to do something about my golf game.  The first thing I needed to do was start practicing and the second thing was to CATCH UP with the game.  It was passing me by.  The game was changing (getting longer) and I was stuck in neutral.

The next moring I ordered a Momentus Heavy Hittable Driver off of the internet with overnight delievery.  I could hardly pick it up.  I took it to the range, swung it five times and almost feel over.  That is when I decided that I needed to come up with a routine so I could take advantage of my new club.

I decided that I was going to swing the club 25 times, three days a week whether I was at the golf course or not.  In the backyard I went every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Once I started using it at the practice facility I then came up with another way to use it.  During practice sessions I swung it three times for every six balls I hit.  I like to hit three draws, three fades, three straight shots and then three swings with the heavy driver.

On days that I play, I have another routine that I have used for years.  I hit three shots with every club in my bag.  Now my routine includes swinging the heavy driver one time every time I change clubs.

OK, I know you are dying to hear the results.  The only reason I am not going to tell you how much further I am hitting the ball is that everybody is different.  The one thing I will tell you is that I am back.  I have caught up with the sport and…well ok, I am at least 20 yards further off of the tee and 1.5 clubs longer with my irons.  BUT, I have been VERY committed to this process.  I have not missed a day in two years.

VERY IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

#1.  Warm up before you pick up a heavy driver and start swinging it

#2.  Even thou it says it is a HITTABLE club, make 200 practice swings with it before you start hitting balls.  You have to get use to it first.

#3.  This is NOT an overnight fix for short tee shots.  Stay committed to see results.

#4.  I added 15 yards in the first three months, I kept going so I can keep what I have!!!

#5.  Harvey Mackay (USE YOUR HEAD TO GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR) is a genius at dishing out great business advice.  I took advantage of his lesson to me.

Start using a HITTABLE HEAVY DRIVER today and you will add 15 more yards to your tee shot-in three months, like me.

Tags: Driver, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Golf Fitness, Golf Instruction, Golf Training Aids, Hybrids, Solid Iron Shots, Training Aid by admin
No Comments »

Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Online Golf Instruction

One of these days I am going to send out a survey to all golfers and it’s going to ask one question, “What starts the downswing?”

You can not believe some of the answers I have heard over the past 30 years.  Today I will tell you my answer and then I will tell you why I believe it to be.  The first thing you have to remember is that before you finish your back swing the golf club is already beginning to swing back towards the ball.  That is a fact.  I have a camera that takes 1000 fps and I have seen it on new golfers and Tour Professionals.  It is really cool.

Let’s put that fact aside and talk about the question as it relates to our swing thoughts.  No matter who you ask they will give you an answer.  The answer might start with the feet, ankles, hips and work it’s way up to the shoulders or chest.

You either believe that it is the upper body and arms or the lower body, the hips, knees, legs, ankles or feet.  Somewhere in the back of your mind you believe one or the other.  Upper body or lower body.

My take on it is a little different.  It has everything to do with your own golf swing.  If you are someone that hits a large number of pulls and hooks, you are going to have to move the bottom half of your body first.  If you hook or pull the golf ball the golf club is arriving at the bottom of the golf ball sooner than your body.  Instead of slowing down your arm swing you should speed up OR start your bottom half of your body first.

On the other hand.  If you are someone that hits pushes or slices, you are someone that is getting the body to active to soon in the downswing and the golf club is falling behind you.  Instead of changing your body action, try speeding up your arms and hands OR start them first.

Lastly, if you are someone that hits most of your shots in front of you.  STOP READING THIS ARTICLE.  It is not for you.  Seriously, if you are hitting the ball solid and you don’t struggle with shots to the right or left, then your timing is great.

If you stop and think about it, if the club arrives before you, your shots will start left, most of the time.  If the club arrives after you, your shots will start to the right, most of the time.  The next time someone asks you what starts the downswing, you can tell them-it all depends.

Tags: Driver, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Golf Instruction, Hybrids, Solid Iron Shots by admin
No Comments »

In this golf video tip, I want to show you how to stop pushing your golf ball to the right with simple golf instruction and tips. This is a very frustrating miss in golf, which causes a great loss of yardage on every shot. We’ll fix that real soon.

If you want fix your golf swing quickly, check out my Golf Swing Instruction site!

Tags: Driver, Full Swing, Golf Instruction, Golf Lesson, Solid Iron Shots by admin
No Comments »

Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Golf Download Video Fixes

I am going to give you some great golf swing advice.  If you want to hit the golf ball further, you are going to have to use your wrists.  Before you run out to the practice facility, I have to tell you exactly “how” to use your wrist to benefit your golf swing.

Let’s start at the address position.  When you grip the golf club your wrist are unhinged.  As you start the club back the toe begins to roll open and so do your wrists.  When you reach the 9:00 o’clock position the back of the left hand should be parallel to your target line.

This is where you have to pay close attention to your wrists.  From this position to the top of the backswing the wrists have to start (folding, breaking or unhinging) call it what you want, they have to have some play in them.  By the time you reach the top of the backswing the shaft has to be parallel to the ground.

I know some of you struggle with arthritis, stiffness or the inability to turn like you use to.  When you reach the top of the backswing and your shaft is pointing to the sky, you are going to loose a lot of yardage.  The key here is to make sure you soften up the wrists and let them fold.  Do not keep them in the same position as they were in at address.  You are going to need as much sling in the downswing as you can muster up.

The best tip I can give you so you know for sure that you are folding your wrists at the top of the backswing is called the thumb pad drill.  When you address the golf ball your left thumb is on the top of the golf club.  When you reach the 9:00 o’clock position your left thumb is still on top of the golf club.  As you continue to turn your right shoulder out of the way and swing the club to the top of the backswing, your thumb pad is now UNDER the golf club.  In other words your left thumb pad is supporting the club at the top of the backswing.  That is how you can tell if you used your wrist.

I know this golf swing advice will help you hit longer shots the next time you tee it up.

Tags: Driver, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Hybrids, Solid Iron Shots by admin
No Comments »

Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Golf Download Fixes

I have a couple of drills that are perfect golf swing drills-just for your game.  Let’s start with my favorite full swing drill of all time.  The main reason this game is so tough is because we have to stand to the side of the golf ball to hit it.  If you are going to play this game you have to understand that the golf club has to swing around your body not above it.

Any time the hands and arms separate from the upper body and swing away from you-you are in trouble.  This is why my favorite golf swing drill is-ball above your feet.  The great thing about this drill is you don’t have to hit golf balls.  When you find a lie where the ground is higher than your feet, you can just swing away.  Of course I have to share a couple of things with you about this drill.

Most amateur golfers swing the club too much up and down.  It is almost impossible to change the shape of a swing that is too much up and down without using some sort of aid.  The reason it is hard to change is because you can’t see what’s going on behind you in the backswing.  That is why this drill is awesome.  You stand on the side of hill and you swing away.  With the club above your feet the has to swing around you.  It is next to impossible to swing the club up too much.

If you have the luxury to hit balls from this type of lie the better off you are.  I have to warn you about one thing, if you hit some shots fat it is because your old swing keeps creeping in.  Because the ball is closer to you the club will smack the ground if you don’t swing it around you.

I want to share one more drill with you that will give you the feeling of turning through in the follow through.  The next time you are at the practice facility and after you are wamed up, I want you to try this drill.  Hit a short pitch shot and after you have finished the swing, lift your right foot off of the ground and tap your toe three times.  The first time you try it you might fall over.  It is the best drill to teach yourself to turn through and stay in balance.

Once you have perfected the short shot then move on to a full wedge shot.  Same thing, hit a shot and tap your toe.  Now I have just give you a couple of perfect golf swing drills for your game.

Tags: Full Swing, Perfect Golf Swing Drills, Solid Iron Shots by admin
No Comments »

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
No Comments »

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
No Comments »

There is a lot to be said about the amount of pressure you use to hold onto a golf club.  As a matter of fact there is grip pressure can also apply to most sports.  Keep in mind whether you are swinging a baseball bat, shooting a basketball, hitting a tennis ball or swinging a golf club; the tighter the muscles the more loss of speed and touch. 

Since there is no measuring device to gauge how tight you are gripping the club, you are going to have to go OLD SCHOOL with me on this one. 

If you slice the golf ball or hit shots to the right, you might be gripping the club too tight. If you grip the club too tight then your arms and shoulders will not be relaxed.  When you swing the golf club with a grip that is too tight you will not RELEASE the clubhead on time or with much speed.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that you might grip the club with the correct amount of pressure during your weekly round of golf with your friends.  Unfortunatley when it is tournament time, that might change.  Standing on the 17th tee with a one stroke lead in your club championship might cause the old “white knuckle grip” to raise it’s ugly head.

I want to leave you with a great way you can practice gripping it lighter.  Take out an 8 iron and after you address the golf ball and grip the club, I want you to grip it as tight as you possibly can.  Now I want you to hit three shots.  Make sure you keep the tight grip during the address, backswing, downswing, impact and follow through.  (That is how you grip it on the 17th tee.)

On the fourth shot I want you to go through the same routine, grip the club as tight as possible and then relax your grip as thou the club was going to come out of your hands.  I want you to hold it as thou you were holding a babies hand.  Now hit three more shots and compare the results. 

Remember:  Grip it as thou you were holding a babies hand, not holding on for your dear life!

Tags: Driver, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Hybrids, Solid Iron Shots by admin
No Comments »

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
No Comments »