Golf & Investment Academy #4

Haney Golf Tip

The technology that's available to modern instructors is so much greater than it was just a few years ago. Today's video cameras are recording thousands of frames a second and give really clear images of the golf swing.

One of the things you learn when teaching golf is there's a difference between 'feel' and 'real'. A lot of times, players feel like they are doing one thing but really, they're doing something else. If I, as an instructor, can show them what they're doing using technology, then they stand a far better chance of improving. Having a picture in your mind is the best way to learn and the tools I have at my disposal make it easier for my students to get better. The great Ben Hogan, like many pros of the past, used to look at his swing in a mirror. When instructors started using video cameras, Hogan remarked: "If I could have used one of those when I played I would really have killed it!" He knew how useful they would become.

Lag it Close

One of the big keys to lowering your handicap is to eliminate three putting. So think about this: every time you're outside of 15 feet, just try to try and make sure you two putt. In order to do that, you have to hit the ball the right speed; distance is more important than line. The mistake amateurs make is not taking a practice stroke that emulates the distance of the putt they're faced with. A good way to judge the correct distance is to take three practice strokes; take a swing that isn't hard enough; then take a swing that you know is too much. This helps you find a happy medium; the aim being that your final practice stroke matches the putt you're about to make. Good distance control is crucial to good putting.