How To Draw The Golf Ball
Click Here To Listen to The Audio Version of Golf Improvement Weekly
My understanding of the game of golf is that you’re trying to get the ball into the hole in the least number of strokes possible. Whether it's for your own personal satisfaction or if you’re in a golf tournament – you’re a winner if you have taken the least amount of strokes.
How you play on the golf course isn't judged by how beautiful your ball flight is. It isn't like American Idol or Dancing With The Stars where you get voted off the golf course if you're not hitting a perfect 1 yard draw.
Do you agree?
If you do agree – then why are you worried whether you draw or fade the golf ball? Does whether your golf ball curves a little to the right or a little to the left make a difference in your score?
Golfers get easily sidetracked from the meaning of the game of golf. Golfers fret over whether their golf ball is going a little this way or a little that way - when the game is based solely on getting the ball into the hole in as few strokes as possible.
Have you ever gotten confused about your swing on the golf course? Have you ever been working on a draw on the driving range and then tried to bring that swing to golf course only to hit some terrible shots that left you more confused and frustrated?
Hitting the golf ball better is just as important as putting better in the quest for lower golf scores. You need to work on your golf swing to improve your scores. And when Golfers come to see us - we work very hard on improving your golf swing and helping you to become more consistent. Though, we don't necessarily try to help a Golfer develop a draw.
If a draw develops as you're improving your golf swing - excellent! If it doesn't, but you have developed another ball flight (straight or a fade) that you can consistently rely on - excellent! Golfers that try to rework their swing for the sole purpose of developing a draw are on the road to Frustration City. Have you ever made a trip to Frustration City?
What you should be working on is your golf swing. And whatever ball flight that gives you - take it!
What's going to affect your score more - learning to draw the ball or hitting more greens in regulation?
What’s going to affect your score more – learning to draw the ball or eliminating 3 putts?
What’s going to affect your score more - learning to draw the ball or getting out of the sand onto the green on your first shot?
Did you know that Jack Nicklaus didn’t hit a draw shot (a shot drifting to the left for a right handed Golfer) until the 1970’s – after he had already won 7 Major Championships and the US Amateur twice?
What’s going to affect your score more - learning to draw the ball or hitting the green 10 out of 10 times from 40 yards away?
What’s going to affect your score more - learning to draw the ball or not topping a 15 yard shot over the green?
What’s going to affect your score more - learning to draw the ball or knowing your tee shot is going to curve 15 yards and aiming for it?
Colin Montgomerie – won the European Order of Merit (leading Golfer in Europe) 7 years in a row from 1993 to 1999 – and I don’t believe Colin could draw the ball if you paid him to do so. He plays a slice, but if you want to be politically correct, you could call it a Power Fade.
If you’ve been reading Golf Improvement Weekly for a while, you know that each week we feature two Testimonials from Golfers that have come to see us. And as we have been doing this weekly for 204 Issues – we have yet to have a Testimonial speak specifically about hitting a draw. We have 100’s of Testimonials about Golfers hitting the golf ball better, but no one speaks about learning to draw the golf ball. They just speak about hitting the golf ball better.
What's more important - hitting the golf ball better or learning to hit a specific shot? If you're trying to break 100, 90 or 80 - your thoughts should be on hitting the golf ball better.
Does this mean that Golfers that come see us can’t draw the ball or that we discourage it?
Of course not!
We help Golfers to understand their swing. If your consistent shot is a little to the left – good. If your consistent shot is a little to the right – good. Regardless of whether you draw or fade the golf ball – the key is to know which direction it’s going to go 8 out of 10 times so that you can aim for it. Once you can do that – you’ll learn to care less if you draw or fade.
Make your PLAN, say your “Tick Tock” and swing. Hitting the golf ball well is important to scoring – though whether your predominant ball flight is a little to the left or a little to right has no influence on your score.
The Monkey is trying to change and manufacture a swing
The Player is making their swing better
Go Ahead, Be A Player!
Regards,
Marc Solomon -Your Instructor For Life
www.GolfMadeSimple.com
|
|
Scott -
Since I last communicated to you, I posted my best score ever - a 92 on my home course, which has a 137 slope rating.
And this was with not a great putting day - 40 putts - which is reflected in posting 48-44. I hit 14 of 15 fairways, and 7 GIR's. On an average to good day, I usually have no more than 3 or 4.
In fact, I was striking the ball so well, that I overshot 2 or 3 greens with my approach clubs, which were carrying 10-15 yards more than usual. No complaints here from that type of problem.
I have taken your advice, and have been using "The Stepping Drill" with my pitching wedge in my practice sessions. And occasionally, when I hit an iron fat, I know that my weight is staying back. So I will take one or two practice swings with "The Stepping Drill". Thank you for pointing me in that direction. It has really made a difference.
Thanks for your help, and keep in touch.
Ed H – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Sent June 24th, 2007
Attended for his 2nd time at Amelia Island location on May 4th to 6th, 2007

Hi Jeff -
Is it a common phenomenon that your Golfers get a little over-excited the first time they play after getting home from GMS?
I played yesterday for the first time since I got back, and the only way I can chalk-it-up is to compare it to a little kid who just got a brand new bike for Christmas.
I was able to get back to basics and stop being a Stinker. I ended up with 3 pars. I also got a bunch of bogeys, so I ended up shooting 99, which was great. But the best news was that I only had 35 putts! I only 3-putted once, and I had two 1-putts. I was very pleased with that.
Anyhoo... just wanted to share that with you and I was wondering if that's a common thing you hear from your Golfers after they first get back to reality!
Take Care,
Karen E – Incline Village, Nevada – Sent June 14th, 2007
Attended Lake Tahoe location on June 8th to 10th, 2007
Click Here To Read more GMS Testimonials
|
It's A Cool Summer
Marc was traveling through the Mid-West last week doing some corporate clinics for a very large technology company. He said that there were more than a few people that said that he must be happy to get out of Florida for the summer. And Marc would say to them that it’s actually cooler in Florida right now than it is here (he was in Chicago, Cincinnati, Minneapolis and Green Bay). Most people would look back in doubt.
Yet, it’s true. My money is on that our Amelia Island location is cooler today than were you live. The temperature the next 8 days according to the WeatherChannel.com is – 84, 85, 85, 85, 85, 84, 84, 83.
Did you know its 8 degrees cooler here than in Minneapolis today? Its 10 degrees cooler here than in New York City today? Its 7 degrees cooler here than in Detroit today?
Our Amelia Island location gets that cool ocean breeze off the Atlantic. Golf down here is beautiful this time of year. It’s just like in San Diego – many people think of California being hot this time of year. This week the temperature at our San Diego location is 84, 84, 83, 82 – how’s that for perfect golf weather.
So seriously, come south to get cooler. Our GMS programs in Amelia Island, Florida and San Diego, California are open all year. And why shouldn’t they be – there’s better golf weather at these two locations right now than where you are.
Alex – Director
Golf Made Simple
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Gary S., Tom R. St Augustine | June 8th, 9th, 10th | 2007
Marty A., Sherrie J., Dave S.
Amelia Island | June 22nd, 23rd, 24th | 2007
Terry S., Bridget M. Lake Tahoe Area | June 18th, 19th, 20th | 2007
Click below to check-out the latest "Golf Tips Are For Monkeys" on WorldGolf.com
|
|
|
|
What's Inconsistent Golf? Compare Your Score Fluctuation
If consistent scores is the thing you desire most – please realize that during this past weeks PGA Tour event that 26 out of the 79 Players that completed all four rounds had some very inconsistent rounds. So based on what many people have told me – inconsistent rounds mean a swing of 7 or more strokes from one round to another.
For example: The winner Hunter Mahan had a 62 his first round and followed it up with a score nine strokes higher, a 71. Now many people might say – ‘Oh poor Hunter. He shot a 71, I feel bad for him.’ Though a 9 stroke difference for a consistent Tour Player is equivalent to a 20 stroke difference for a mid 90’s Golfer.
And how about Corey Pavin (past US Open winner), who scored a 66 in round two and followed that up with a 77 in round three and then a 66 in round four? If a past US Open winner can have 11 stroke swings between rounds – shouldn’t it acceptable for someone that hasn’t even won their club championship to do the same?
Or how about GMS favorite, Brett Wetterich, who scored 70 in round two, 80 in round three and 65 in round four – that’s a 10 stroke difference and then a 15 stroke difference in just 3 rounds.
On the road to improvement as you try to achieve ‘Consistent Golf’ – it isn’t always about scoring in a two to three stroke range. It’s about understanding that a 15 stroke difference from round to round is going to happen from time to time.
|
"Your Score is the most important aspect of golf. It’s how you track your progress. If your scores are getting worse and worse – you’re doing something wrong. If your scores are getting better and better – you’re doing something well.
"Yet, the more you think about your score on the golf course – the worse they’ll get. The only time you should be concerned with score is after the 18th hole. Anytime you’re concerned with score on the golf course – disaster is right around the corner.
"How not to think about your score on the golf course needs to be practiced just like your Driver, your putter and your wedges. Once that practice stops – big scores begin!"
Marc Solomon 'Your Instructor for Life'
Golf Improvement Weekly
- Classic Issues -
2007
2006
2005
2004
| Sign up for Golf Improvement Weekly |
|
|
|
|
|
|