I was hitting balls on the range the other day next to a guy I've run into a few times on the putting green. He's very analytical and his swing and putting stroke look very mechanical. He's a perfect example of someone who really needs to let go of all his swing thoughts and swing freely. His practice swing doesn't look half bad. He was hitting most of his irons fat, leaving a divot well in front of the ball. If you're hitting your irons fat, you're likely hanging back on your right side at impact.


Alex Ovechkin Slapshot

He asked for some help so I had him move his aim point well out in front of the ball so he'd more likely strike the ball, then the ground. He still struggled to get his weight transferred to his front leg, but he did begin to take some divots that started past the ball! His ball striking definitely improved.

I've always thought that golfers who struggle to hit down and through the ball need to purchase a hockey stick and puck learn how to shoot a slapshot. If you can get a puck up in the air, you can hit a solid golf shot. I'm certain that learning this skill before taking up golf is the primary reason for my good ball striking.

The key to a slapshot in hockey is the footwork and - as goal-scoring phenom Alex Ovechkin demonstrates above - an incredible shift of weight toward the target. Ovechkin's weight shift is so severe that he ends up standing on only his front skate. All of his weight has shifted to his target-side foot. If he hung back, he'd catch the ice, not the puck. Hitting crisp iron shots requires the same movement, with weight on the front foot at impact that stays there into the finish.

Hockey players actually hit with the stick into the ice and then use their hands as fast as they can going through. They also turn their shoulders through the golf shot when they play golf, or when they hit a hockey puck. A lot of times they are skating when they are hitting a hockey puck, skating on the lead skate, rear back with the stick, the elbow is in the air, and when they hit that slap shot, a lot of times you will see the back skate actually go in the opposite direction. They are not turning the hips in this direction, they are actually turning their shoulders more as they go through. So from the top of your backswing, instead of turning your hips through the ball, which often times can lead to a tilty shoulder turn, try leaving your hips in place and turning your shoulders through the shot. You will be amazed how much it moves your hips through.

If you're a scooper, give it a try.

Credit: Think like a hockey player to improve your faulty swing

Labels: Golf Instruction, Hockey

My golf game is very influenced by hockey. I'm often told that it looks like I'm taking a slap shot when I drive the ball. There's no doubt that my natural ability to hit down on the ball with my irons comes from my artful slap shot. I'm even known for bringing out my Happy Gilmore swing every few rounds when faced with a wide range-like fairway. I like to end my practice sessions on the range hitting drives like Happy. I make good contact just about every time, but unlike Adam Sandler in the movie, the ball really doesn't go any further! Anyway, when I recently learned about a new Hockey Stick Putter designed by David Graham, I spent my birthday money and bought one.



In 2003, Graham wanted to get his dad and brother a hockey stick putter for Christmas. He searched the Internet for days and couldn't find anything close to what he wanted. Christmas that year came and went but he couldn't get the concept out of his head. It was at that time that he started to carve a putter out of a hunk of wood in my brother's basement that resembled a hockey stick. After finishing the wooden Hockey Stick Putter, he found that although it looked like a Hockey Stick Putter, it wasn't functional.

He then began designing the Hockey Stick Putter that's now available - a real precision weighted putter. He took no short cuts, wanting the putter to be something you could actually use on the golf course. The putter has a compression molded graphite shaft with a cast aluminum head. The weight and balance is that of a real golf putter.

Although the putter is not USGA approved due to it's wide shaft, it's really easy to putt with. I took it out and played 9 holes yesterday right after it arrived from UPS. I found it very easy to line up short putts and even found myself lagging long putts to tap-in range.

Part of my reason for buying this putter was to remind myself to just have fun playing golf. It's hard to take yourself too seriously when you're putting with an Anaheim Ducks hockey stick! However, I'm thinking my opponents won't take me seriously either, until I take their money on the 18th.

Labels: Hockey, Hockey Stick Putter, Putting