Club Fitting
I am currently offering a 30 minute club fitting session for $25.00. I will evaluate your equipment, determine your proper fit and make recommendations based on the information. Should you choose to purchase new equipment I will do my best to match or beat prices from all competitors.
Prices subject to HST.
Driving the Ball
Most golfers would love to drive the ball straighter and farther. Although
technology has come a long way and will definitely assist you in your
quest you probably need to change your downswing in order to maximize
your distance and control. Many of the top instructors in the game use
the term "getting in the slot" when talking about the downswing.
The golf swing is comprised of two major components, the backswing
and the downswing. Most amateur golfers take the club back on a lower
arc, then move the club in a forward motion at the top of the backswing
before swinging down at the ball. This is quite often described as an over
the top swing and causes a glancing blow to the ball with a lot of side
spin. This type of swing has a low slot on the backswing and a high slot
on the downswing.
In order to maximize your drives create a swing with a high slot
backswing and a low slot downswing. In slow motion try lifting the club
back in a higher slot then, at the top of the backswing feel yourself drop
the club into a lower slot for the downswing. Let the club fall as far down
as you can so that it bottoms out just before the ball. Try hitting the ball
on an upswing to increase your launch angle producing less spin and
increasing the force with which you hit the ball. It's also important to
combine an ascending angle of attack with a path that moves the club
right of the target through impact.
Follow these steps to assist:
a) Lean the shaft- tilt the shaft slightly away from the target (butt end
points towards your belly button) at address ( NOT TOO MUCH).
b) Choose a high target- pick a high point in the distance and visualize
the ball flying over it. If there's a cloud, hit up and into it to encourage
an ascending strike.
c) Don't get steep- allow the shaft to shallow out so it's more horizontal
to the ground during the downswing. Keep your right elbow lower than
your left as long as possible. This will make you feel like you're aligning
to the right of your target, but trust it.
d) Maintain posture- swinging up on the ball doesn't mean "pulling up"
on the ball. Keep your spine angle intact through impact.
Golf should be a 2 swing system: hit up on your driver and down on
everything else. These tips are designed to help you hit the ball off
a tee better.
The next time you visit the driving range give this a try. If you would
like more information or assistance contact one of the teaching
professionals in the Golf Shop at 250-752-8786.
Good Luck!
Putters and Putting Strokes

Putting can be the part of your game that will either help or hurt your score. One of the most important aspects of putting is having the correct putter for the type of putting stroke you use. Most golfers have an arc in their stroke which means that the putter swings slightly towards your back foot on the back stroke and slightly towards your front foot on the follow through. The correct putter for this stroke is one that is heel toe balanced. Someone that strokes the putter straight back and straight through should use a face balanced putter. An easy way to figure out what kind of stroke you have is to choose a straight putt, set up something straight to each edge of the hole and practice putting from three or four feet. Watch the putter head to see if it swings parallel to the straight lines or if it swings in an arc. You now know which putting stroke you have. To determine which kind of putter you have, balance the putter shaft on one finger and see if the toe of the putter falls toward the ground or stays evenly balanced. You now know if your putter matches your stroke. The new Ping Anser series of putters are labelled with which type of putting stroke each one is best suited for. The next time you are in the Golf Shop ask one of the staff to show you our selection.
