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Watch Your Weight

By Curtis Labelle

Your weight is critical to a good swing. I’m not talking about losing pounds here, I’m talking about shifting your weight.

Bad swings can often be attributed to staying “still” as we swing. The result is all arm movement, no body movement, and a lack of yardage. In fact, your weight must shift back and forth to get the most power in your shot.

The Battlefield Course has some pretty long holes on it. You don’t want to come up short on these fairways. Maximizing your weight shift can help add the yards you need to conquer Battlefield.

Try this experiment quickly. Simply throw a golf ball with your hand, all the while concentrating on your weight transfer from foot to foot. See how your weight shifts to the rear foot as you pull your arm back? Notice how it shifts to the forward foot as you throw and release the ball? This same kind of weight shift needs to take place during your swing.

As you start your backswing, your weight should shift to your takeaway side (your right foot for right handed players). As you do this, consciously put some pressure in your knee and quad muscle as you turn. Keep your original knee flex. This will help “load up” power as you complete your backswing.

Your downswing starts with a little lateral movement toward the target with your hips, then transfer the weight to your front leg as fast and controlled as possible. You should consciously feel like you’re moving your weight from one foot to the other. If not, you’re probably losing power.

Remember, the key to more power—and more yards—is in your weight. Shifting your weight that is!

Throw in the Towel!

Some people say “I can’t practice at home, I have no where to swing.” Hey, I’m here to tell you that’s not true.

Here’s a great practice drill you can do just about anywhere and it’s guaranteed to improve the most important part of your game: the short game.

If you’ve got ten feet of floor space, a small towel and an imagination you can get your short game into great shape.

This drill is so easy, yet so important, I’m thinking of making it mandatory. Everyone can do this, and should do it often.

Put a small towel on the floor and stand about 10 feet away. Use a short, smooth stroke, keeping your hands ahead of the clubface. Try chipping 50 balls onto the towel. Remember to visualize! Practice so the balls land on the towel, not come to rest on the towel.

Change clubs to an 8 iron, then and 9 iron and wedge. The more you practice, the better control you’ll have over those clutch short chips.

With so much of your score depending on this type of shot you should practice it three nights a week.

At the practice range, try the same drill and watch how far each club makes the ball roll on the putting surface. Now you’ll have more control over your chips under different conditions and should be able to nestle every shot close to the pin, or sink it!

Remember, be creative in your approach to practice, it’s the only way to get results -- and your opponents attention!

Curtis Labelle is Head Golf Professional at Legends on the Niagara Golf Course

This Putting Tip Makes “Cents”

Missing putts? It might be all in your head. Many putts are missed because you don’t keep your head steady during the putting stroke. With fast and often tricky greens at both our Legends courses, you’ll want to be sure you’re at your best when you play them.

There’s an easy fix for this, and it only costs a penny…

Curtis Labelle’s “One Cent Solution”

As the game progresses, nerves can creep in and can play havoc with your putting stroke. You get anxious and look up too fast, hoping to watch the ball hitting the hole. What really happens is you sway your head, which sways your stroke and the result is missed putts.

When facing tough greens like number 9 at Battlefield or number 2 at Ussher’s Creek you’ll be glad you used this tip. These greens are deceptively tough, and you’ll need to stay steady to beat them. Your focus should be on reading the green, not worrying about keeping your head still.

Like everything else, it’s all a matter of practice.

Here’s a stay-steady tip you can try at our professional practice greens. They’re designed to replicate what you’ll be faced with on our championship Legends courses. Place a penny on the green and push it into the surface with your thumb or putter. Try to get the penny to nestle down in the grass. Place your ball on top of the penny and putt to the hole while never taking your eyes off the coin until the ball drops.

Remember, you don’t have to see the ball going into the hole to know you’ve made a good stroke.

This drill will teach you to keep your head steady, a common cause for missing putts, while promoting confidence in your stroke. It’s just one of the many things we teach at our teaching academy, something you’ll definitely want to consider if you’re looking to really improve your game.

This tip could prove invaluable, and it only costs a penny!

Ready, Set, Swing!

It’s happened to all of us. You’re standing over the ball and suddenly you don’t know what to do. Should I swing? Should I re-adjust? Should I have just stayed home?

Confidence standing over the ball is a matter of routine. Want to take a more confident swing? Try this tip next time you’re at the range:

Curtis Labelle’s Pre-shot Routine For Confidence

How do you know when you’re ready to swing? Simple, it’s all a matter of routine.

Next time you are at the range try to hit a large bucket of balls while following this routine with every swing:

Before every shot stand behind the ball and pick a target in the distance. Be specific. Don’t just pick an open area, pick a specific tree, shrub, or something far in the distance as your aiming point. Approach the ball keeping your eyes on that target. Use the same number of strides each time you walk to the ball. We’re building a very specific routine here. (Put a wood cover on the ground to mark your starting point so you start from the same spot each time.)

Set the club behind the ball, settle into your setup position and adjust your posture and grip. Take one last look at the target. You’ve done all your homework. Now swing.

Use this basic pre-shot routine for every ball and every club and I guarantee you’ll feel more confident every time you address the ball.

If it’s consistency you’re looking for then you need to develop discipline, especially with your practice routine.

Remember, it’s only a routine at first. Then it becomes second nature.