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Truth About Golf Professionals

JJ Wood, PGA — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 14:21:07 +0000

“JJ is a golf instructor, all he does is practice and play golf all day.”

This is comment is something I hear regularly. Fact is, I never, NEVER, hit balls on a driving range and maybe once per week I will hit some chips and putts on the practice are when I need a break from work. Honestly, when the golf course is your place of work, it becomes like any other office and you don’t want to spend your free time at the office.

Not all golf professionals are built the same. When I enrolled in the PGA Professional Apprentice Program, I was amazed at how little emphasis was placed on player development. Player development is golf lessons, how to make golfers better. In my first 2 levels (there are 3 levels total to complete the program), we spent roughly 1 hour out of 40 classroom hours on player development. This should be more of a focus point for the PGA of America and they are starting to change the curriculum to implement more coaching and player development strategies.

Perception. The perception is that PGA Golf Professionals are “professional golfers”. There is a HUGE difference. The playing ability test for the PGA of America is set at a very low standard. At my “PAT”, we played the course from 6300 yards, pins in the middle of every green and the target score was 158 for 2 rounds (78 each round or +12). High school golfers play from 7,000 yards. That being said, most likely, the head golf professional at your home course is closer to being a 18 handicap than a scratch player. And a scratch player is closer to a 10 handicap than a PGA Tour player.
Golf Professional = Business Professional in Golf Industry
Professional Golfer = Earns his living playing golf (but you’re not making a living unless you are on one of the worlds major tours)

Golf Coaches, Teaching Professionals and Performance Coaches = Coach (for the most part) I suggest asking for a coaches resume to see who their mentors were and what playing experiences they had. The best coaches in the business have a great track record of playing at least collegiate golf, mentored by great coaches before them. Just because they are a “PGA Professional” does not mean they are qualified to teach you how to play golf better.

I am a full time coach and small business owner, who plays 2 rounds of golf per month. So how did I manage to qualify for a PGA Tour Major Championship? The average person believes that those that work in the golf industry have the greatest job in the world, just play golf all day! The average assistant golf professional works 50-60 hours per week for nearly minimum wage. You better be passionate about the game if you are going to work in customer service at that pay rate!

I am passionate about growing the game of golf, but more passionate about educating all golfers on the TRUTH about game improvement. Old school, 1 hour golf lessons are the reason that the average USGA handicap has not improved in 30 years with the advancement of equipment and teaching technology.

My beliefs is that golf is not a sport that requires much physical talent to play well. Making the PGA Tour, or NCAA College Golf – yes that requires some talent. To become a very good amateur golfer, shooting mid to high 70’s at your local golf course, in my opinion does not require much time practicing at the golf course.

My golf practice style as a player I was a hard worker, spent long hours on the driving range and practice area. I was always guessing and experimenting with what to work on. How good could I have been if I spent 40 hours per week practicing correctly?

The recreational avid golfer most likely spends 1-2 hours at most at the practice area during the week. They rehearse their swing positions on the range, developing a technical-mechanical mindset for when they go on the course. This leads to frustration and inconsistent golf.

How you should practice at the golf course. Work on aspects you can control. It doesn’t take an elite athlete or rocket scientist to set up to a golf shot correctly. Unfortunately, most players over look the most import aspects that are simple and we can control, such as:

Set up – stance width, ball position, alignment grip and posture
Consistent tempo
Pre shot routine – go through it on every shot when practicing
Start small! You can take 5 balls and hit different shots around the green. I like to hit 5 shots from one spot, pick them up and hit 5 shots from another spot. That way you are not just hitting the same shot over and over again. Below are some of the benefits:
1. Proper Impact
2. Establish feel around the green to save shots during the round

Benefits of practicing smart

Less time at the golf course
When you make it to the golf course, you are certain to improve on one aspect of your game
Understand your game better
Establish different shots for your game
Improve key elements in your game all great golfers possess

Bonus Practice for the Golf Course

IMPACT This allows you to ingrain the impact zone. Impact is one of the most important aspect of the golf swing that all great players do correctly. Amateurs have a very poor impact, which is the main difference between a good ball striker and inconsistent ball striker. You can only develop impact through small, slow rehearsal swings, drills and pitch shots.

FEEL you are using your time efficiently by hitting pitch shots around the green. You build feel for short shots around the greens while you are improving impact for your full swing.

If you understand what creates a draw or a fade ball flight, you can hit any shot you want or need when playing on the golf course. By hitting a different type of shot each time you are simulating golf course as well as keeping your swing in balance.

Keeping your swing in balance means that your swing will never get too far off. Many players rehearse the “perfect swing”, which is not possible by the way. They may learn swing flaws they need to fix in a golf lesson, which is probably something they need to work on, but not on a driving range going full speed. Figure out how to make the ball curve to the left, then to the right, then you can find the middle and hit it straight!

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Golf Pre shot practice swings

JJ Wood, PGA — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 23:45:06 +0000

Feel Your Golf Practice Swing

Golfers struggle to be athletic when playing golf because they have a hard time transition from their analytical (think too much) side of their brain to their athletic side of their brain. The most common error I see when working with players is that they have “mechanical” (technique) related swing thoughts rather than having “feel” related swing thoughts.

When using using FocusBand golf mental game training device, I am able to identify where players go wrong in their pre shot routine. Most of the damage is done before the player even walks into the ball, which creates a bad shot. FocusBand, first used by Jason Day on the PGA Tour, has partnered with Flightscope launch monitor, so we are able to figure out a pre shot routine that translates to a more consistent-powerful swing and positive results. Every player I have worked with achieves a more consistent golf shot when they are in their “athletic” (feel) side of their brain compared to their analytical side of the brain.

How do you achieve a “feel” oriented practice swing?

You have probably noticed that you play better golf when you “don’t care”. Obviously when we are playing verse our friends or in tournaments we want to care, so how do we achieve that relaxation when we are under pressure or playing a round of golf that matters? It all starts in your pre shot routine!

Example, when you arrive at your ball, pay attention to the upcoming shot and ask yourself:

What shot am I most comfortable hitting?
Our instincts will tell us what is most comfortable. For this example, lets say we naturally see a fade for the upcoming shot. Even if you think you are “supposed to” hit a draw, lets play a fade because you will be more confident and trust the fade.
Pick out a “safe” target. (Erroring on the fat part of the fairway or green)
Visualize or describe to yourself where you want the ball to start and where you want the ball to end.
Take smooth, tempo practice swings of what a fade feels like. Do NOT think of it in a mechanical or technique way.
1. Mechanical thought – I have to get my swing path left and have my face open in order to hit a fade
2. Feel swing thought – what does it feel like to hit a cut shot? Feel the practice swing in good tempo rather than mechanically trying to place it.
After your practice swings, walk into the shot – check alignment and try to re-create that good tempo-feel practice swing

If you have trouble creating the feel, try to focus on your breathing pattern. Most times I will have my players start a long, slow deep breathing pattern before they arrive at the shot to begin step 1 of the pre shot routine. Breathing is the best way to control your anxiety and tap into the ATHLETIC side of your brain creating consistently great golf shots!

Below is a video showing me using FocusBand in the golf school. Pay attention to the iPad and how the brain on the screen (left side of ipad) goes from green to red. After step 1 of the pre shot routine, you want to be green throughout the rest of the routine and through impact.

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Chipping and Pitching Practice Plan

JJ Wood, PGA — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 18:14:31 +0000

Chipping Practice

Green side basic chip shots (10 minutes). From 2 steps off the green surface.
1. Switch up clubs and distances of shot
Chip/Putt for score: Play 20 holes with goal set at 14/20 up and downs. Vary lies from difficult to easy including uphill and downhill, tight and buried. Simulate golf course pressure.

Pitching Practice

Warm-up (10 minutes). Can implement impact ball for warming up pitch shot technique.
Distance control: Hit to targets of 30, 40, 50 yards. 10 shots to each target = 30 shots
Trajectory: Hit to targets of 30, 40, 50 yards. High and low, 10 shots of each = 30 shots
Poor lies: 30 yards and less (5-7 minutes). 5 balls from each bad lie before moving to another lie/shot
9 holes with goal set of 5/9 up and downs from various lies, difficult to easy.

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Short Game Drill: See it, Feel it, Trust it

JJ Wood, PGA — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 22:12:56 +0000

SEE IT, FEEL IT, TRUST IT – A short game drill for you to try
This is a chipping, short game drill that helps you improve your chipping quickly. You will use a variety of clubs from the same distance and see if using the less lofted clubs is a benefit.

Choose a chip shot that is on the edge of the green, approximately 20-25 feet away from the hole
Use your 6-iron and go through your regular pre-shot routine

A quality pre-shot routine should have 3 aspects

Visualization For most people, visualization is difficult; so ask yourself where you want the ball to land and how the ball will roll into the hole after it lands.
Feel After you have a good visual of the shot in your minds eye, take some practice swings to feel the shot you have already visualized.
Trust When you are over the ball, say to yourself “TRUST IT”

Hit your 6-iron until you hole the chip. Then proceed to your 7-iron and so on until you get all the way through your PW. This is a minimum of 5 shots. See how close you can get to the score of 5 each time. Remember, do your pre-shot routine with every shot!

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