I'm back blogging after a very busy couple of months working with clients as the 2009 PGA TOUR season wrapped up. And I am happy to report it was a great season!

Now, out at International Vision Expo West (http://www.visionexpowest.com/)  in sunny Las Vegas. I’m out here doing more Transitions’ Improve Your Vision, Improve Your Game workshops which are always fun—working with folks on everything from swing mechanics and putting, to course management.

Tomorrow, I’ll join sports vision expert, Dr. Larry Lampert, at the Transitions booth to conduct skills sessions with golf tips and we’ll discuss using sports vision as a business-building tool for eyecare practices. It’s great working with Dr. Lampert and we’re pumped to talk about a viable and exciting way of merging sports vision and eyecare. And, if you’re not actually in Vegas yourself, check out the Transitions Lenses: Healthy Sight Professionals Facebook page for video clips from our presentations.  A putting tip is a putting tip… even over the internet.

Apparently it does rain in Southern California. Last weekend the final round of the Pebble Beach Championship was rained out on Sunday and Monday, forcing the TOUR to cancel the final round. This week Kenny and I spent some time working out for the Northern Trust Open, unfortunately since the rain stretched into Monday, practice time was delayed too.

When playing in wet and rainy conditions you need to make sure that you have the proper footwear. Making sure your golf shoes and their cleats are in good shape helps you position yourself in a good stance and keeps your feet from slipping. Before you get out on the course next time, check your cleats to make sure they still give your feet a good grip. New cleats are available at most sporting goods stores and pro shops.

Stay dry and please write in with questions about how to improve your own golf swing.

Kenny and I are in Los Angeles gearing up for the first round of tournament play at the Northern Trust Open. With golf, even when you are playing well there is a lot of practice and fine tuning you can do to improve and sustain your swing.

This week I’d like to share with you a tip about how to play a shot from a fairway bunker. Playing out of a bunker from the fairway is much different than a shot from a bunker that surrounds the green. You need to be sure you catch the ball a little bit thinner so that you can get your ball out of the sand with a good trajectory for your shot. Start by getting good solid footing and the bunker, so that you can limit your feet sliding in the sand when you begin your shot. Another good hint is to bump your head up just a little bit from where you normally position it. By moving your head about a bit up you are helping to ensure you hit more of the ball and less of the sand. You can see J.B. Holmes demonstrate how to properly hit a bunker shot by clicking here: http://putt.com/killengolf/?cat=6

Use these tips anytime you have a bunker shot that requires you hitting the ball a longer distance.

Right now I am at the FBR Open working with Kenny Perry and spending some time with my blog co-author Dr. Lampert, we have been talking a little sports vision training and taking in some of the action. Kenny is gearing up for the tournament and excited about the chance to play at the TPC Scottsdale, site of the FBR Open.

The TPC Scottsdale is home to one of the most exciting golf holes on the PGA TOUR. This year for the first time, the 16^th Hole is set up “Stadium Style” with the entire hole being enclosed by stands.  http://www.pgatour.com/2009/tournaments/r003/01/29/no16/   It is the only hole on the PGA TOUR that is completely enclosed and has long been known as “the loudest hole in golf.” Enclosing the hole with extra stands will only pump up the volume and excitement of the hole.

As cool of an experience playing the 16^th Hole is, it can also be quite the challenge. Players really have to be able to put the crowd out of their mind and do their best to just focus on their shot. A great example of this focus is one of the most famous shots in Tiger Woods’ career. It came on the 16^th hole when he made a hole-in-one and the entire crowd went absolutely crazy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufscYVbYLQQ&feature=related

Stay tuned for another special posting from the FBR Open.

Coming back from an injury is difficult in any sport, but with the many muscles and body parts that comprise a golf swing returning from an injury can be really tough in golf. Last week, I began working with Shaun Micheel to get him back from his shoulder surgery. Working to get your swing back after being hurt begins from the ground up – starting with the proper stance, alignment of your body, grip, positioning and finally the swing.

Luckily, Shaun is working hard and making great progress. I know he will back and playing his best very soon.

This week I will be at the FBR Open in Scottsdale, Arizona. Several of my clients will be playing in the event, so this is a great chance for me to observe them in tournament action and get a first-hand evaluation of their performance.

Make sure you check back next week, because I will have a special posting about the FBR Open.

Over the last few weeks I have shared with you some tips about how to make sure you are positioned properly when you swing and some tips on things you can do in and around the home to improve your game.

This week I’d like to combine my efforts and share a tip that will help your positioning, as well as something you can do from the comfort of your own living room.

The way you hold the club in your hands, or your grip, is something you can continue to develop throughout the winter months.  When you grip the club the handle should be in the fingers of your hands, not the palms.  Keeping the club in your fingers allows you to have a firm grip and control of the club throughout your swing. The pressure you place in your grip should come from the last three fingers of your left hand – there also should be no pressure from your right thumb or index finger. It is very important to keep overall pressure light and to not squeeze the life out of your club when you swing.

A solid grip is just another part of the foundation of a solid swing. Please feel to write in with any questions or comments about what you can do this winter to continue to work on your game.

The day after Christmas I was back to work getting a couple of my players ready for the season.  I spent time working with J.B. Holmes and Chad Campbell, who both look really sharp and ready for big things on TOUR this year.

This coming week I will begin working with Shaun Micheel again. Last year, Shaun had season ending shoulder surgery, so both he and I are really excited that he is healthy and ready to get back on the course.

While the PGA TOUR pros are getting geared up and fine tuning their game for the start of the season, many of us are still stuck inside, months away from our first round of golf. If you can’t get outside or to an indoor facility, there is still a lot you can do to improve your performance.  The Acceleration Drill is a simple drill that you can do at home that helps you work on building power and acceleration throughout your swing.  A colleague of mine from Putt.com, Corey Taylor, demonstrates how to do the drill with Brent Long from Western Kentucky University.

Check out the video and use the Acceleration Drill to fine tune your game for the season.

Unless you are from a warmer climate the winter can be tough on a golfer. Not everyone has access to an indoor place to hit balls or get extra practice. For those golfers who have to spend the winter months away from the course I always recommend that you try to get into a regular stretching and lifting routine.  Working to promote flexibility and strength is one way to insure that you are able to be at your best when you finally get back on the course.

The winter may be the off season for many golfers – but for PGA TOUR pros the season never ends. This week I was back at my home course, Olde Stone Country Club in Kentucky, working with a client named Justin.  In preparation for the 2009 season, Justin and I have been working together this winter on keeping his stroke and swing smooth in.

Next week, I will be home spending the holidays with family in Kentucky and getting to do a little duck hunting with one of closest friends, Justin Perry, Kenny Perry’s son.

Happy Holidays and I wish you all the best in the New Year!

I just returned home from Naples, Florida where I attended the Merrill Lynch Shootout.  Two of my clients,  J.B. Holmes and Kenny Perry,  participated in the event, which celebrated its 20^th anniversary this year.  It was a great experience for me because many members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, like Boo Weekly, Stewart Cink and Paul Azinger,  played in the tournament.   It was the first time I had seen many of them since they won the Ryder Cup back inSeptember – and they were all still raving about the big win.

The winter season is one of the best times an individual can work on improving his or her game.   Many courses provide indoor facilities with virtual hitting screens that allow you to see how your shot would play out if you were playing an actual golf course. 

If you are looking for a great gift for a golfer in your life, I recommend winter lessons from a pro in your area.  Working indoors helps you identify problems with your mechanics and forces you to engage in deliberate practice, meaning practice focused specifically on a particular aspect, or perhaps a few aspects,of your swing.  Progress rarely comes from just pounding balls at the range with no deliberate practice plan. 

If you think equipment might make a better gift, I suggest checking out online stores as http://www.golfsmith.com/and http://www.edwinwattsgolf.com.

 

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  I spent last week in Florida playing golf with some of my PGA buddies.  Earlier in the week, I played a round of golf with Frankie Valli’s son, which was a great time.  Many of you may know Frankie Valli from his connection with The Four Seasons, with hit songs such as Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).

Wednesday we played at Calusa Pines, a tough course located just outside of Naples. Even though this was my first time playing competitive golf in over two months, I was actually pleasantly surprised by shooting just one or two over par.

Anytime I am getting back to golf after a break, I always want to make sure my alignment is correct. Having the proper alignment throughout your stance is one of the easiest ways to ensure consistency when you hit the golf ball.

I’d like to share with you some tips on how to check if you are aligned properly for your golf swing. When you address the golf ball you want to be parallel left of the ball – with your feet, hips and shoulders all properly aligned in the same direction. If you lay your golf club on the ground directly parallel left of the ball and align your feet to the club, your feet are sure to be in the correct position.  Once you have your feet in position, pick up the club and touch it to your hips and shoulders to make sure they, too, are properly aligned parallel left of the ball and your club face.

Getting yourself properly aligned and into a good position is the first step towards an improved golf swing.  It also makes it much easier to identify errors in your swing if you start in the correct position.

Later this week I will be back in Naples for the Merrill Lynch Shootout located at Tiburon Golf Course.  The Merrill Lynch Shootout is hosted by Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman and this year marks the 20th anniversary of the tournament.

Be sure to check back next week for an update on the tournament and more tips on improving your swing.  As always, please feel free to send any questions my way.