Page 125 - Cityview_May_June_2014

TIPS FROM

PROS
THE

Now that you are fully equipped
player’s eyes locked on the ball, says

the part, it’s time to put that bag of gear to Jones, is a great drill to refine a player’s
the test. As many know, shots pictured and game as well.

crafted in one’s mind don’t always translate however, Jones adds that the best
to reality once the club meets the ball—but a thing a golfer can do is to get another

few Knoxville golf pros have some solutions pair of professional eyes watching his
to help you shake off the rust and ease those or her swing.

early-season struggles on the links.
“I always recommend that amateurs
seek help from a professional or knowl-

Posture, grip, and alignment
edgeable golfer that professionally
Warren huddleston, Stonehenge teaches the game,” says Jones. “having

golf Club’s head golf professional, a second pair of eyes that can take an
believes in the basics.
in-depth look at what you’re doing is a

“A lot of times golfers try to do too great advantage.
much,” says huddleston. “They try to “golf is a game that’s difficult to fix

help the golf ball instead of letting the yourself,” he continues. “Some love the
club do the work.”
journey of trying, but nothing can re-

A solution, huddleston says, is to fo- late to a professional’s unique ability to
cus on PgA. No, not the tour, the other relate and relay information to a golfer

acronym: posture, grip, and alignment.
about their swing.”
huddleston says this is attained

when the golfer bends his or her knees, Spotlighting the short game
intertwines the pinky and index prop- for Matt hillman, head golf profes-

erly while gripping the club, and lines sional at Avalon golf Course and Coun-
his feet up straight towards the target. try Club, a golfer’s short game will play
Putters
“If they focus on those three things,” a large part in his or her success on the
counter balance putters (all brands) says huddleston, “they’ve got a good scorecard and on the links.

beginning at $80 (taylormade)
chance of improving their score.”
hillman says spending time near
a putting green and focusing on the

All about the eyes
player’s short game—especially after
Don Jones, director of golf at Chero- not playing substantially during the

As the belly putter edges toward kee Country Club, points to another winter season—is a great place to start
near extinction due to its upcoming facet of a player’s game that has a heading into the summer.

illegal classification on the PgA Tour profound impact on their score: eye “for me, I’ve played twice since
starting in 2016, golfers all over the control.
November, and I played yesterday and I

world are searching for an alternative.
“one of the things I use a lot on find what I struggle with since I didn’t
Players in East Tennessee, says the putting green and pitching is eye play all winter is feel,” says hillman.

Warren huddleston, head golf control—specifically where you’re “You can’t practice feel with chip shots
professional at Stonehenge golf looking,” says Jones. “In golf, people and putting, but you just have to get out

Club, have found a solution in are required to look down at the ball and play.”
counterbalance putters with specially instead of where it’s traveling.
The top 5 to 10 percent of golfers,

weighted grips.
“I believe in using the eyes to hillman says, are characterized by
The focus on the putters, says influence the body, and that begins to their ability to master the short game

huddleston, is to provide a smoother develop the player’s touch and feel.”
and get up and down.
and less jittery putting stroke.
Spending time on the putting green “Chipping and putting,” says hill-

and using repetition to keep the
man, “can just make or break a golfer.”

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