Virginia Golfer November / December 2014 | Page 11

A player who tends to move the ball right to left
like Dustin Johnson (left) is likely to choose a
different spot on the teeing ground than fellow
tour player Jim Furyk, who likes to hit a fade.

On the other hand, if you tend to hit shots
right to left, the opposite principle applies.
Start on the left side of the teeing ground
and aim to the right. In both cases, you’ve
at least doubled the size of your findable
fairway. Again, standing in the middle of the
tee and aiming down the middle cuts the
fairway in half.

REHEARSE YOUR ROUND
I’ve come to realize that amateurs don’t use
this simple method because their tendencies are a bit of a mystery. The reason they
don’t know their patterns results from poor
preparation prior to a round. They go to the
range and hit a bunch of shorter clubs, then
move on to long irons, followed by some

w w w. v s g a . o r g

fairway metals / hybrids, before ending with
the driver, hitting until they’ve hit a few good
ones and feel grooved. But this isn’t how the
game is played.
Practice like you play. Start by hitting
one driver, followed by a 6-iron, then a
wedge. Think about the first few holes on
the course you’re about to play and hit the
appropriate shots, in order, that you’re
likely to face. This realistic approach, complemented by paying attention to where
your shots miss, will begin to reveal your
tendencies. When you begin seeing that
you regularly hit drives left to right but
irons more right to left, you can devise an
appropriate strategy.
Here are two more simple suggestions for
your practice sessions: First, always hit to a
target. Aim at something so you can gauge
how well your results match your expectations. Second, use aiming sticks; they are thin,

straight rods about three feet long. They’re
available in golf shops but also hardware
and garden stores. Lay them on the ground
and use them to practice and improve your
alignment. I don’t think you, or any of the
professionals I work with, should ever hit
practice shots on the range without aim sticks
on the ground. Why practice bad alignment,
when proper aim is key to helping identify
your shot patterns? You just might realize that
poor alignment is causing those ugly slices.
Learn your tendencies, set up for them on
the tee, practice how you play, and use aiming
sticks. You’ll play better, score better and have
more fun.
Co-author Dave Pelz,