In this week's pro tip, golf pro Jason Rudolph, explains why and how to practice a critical part of the short game. If you want to shoot lower scores and practice like a pro, then read on. A typically under-estimated part of every golfer’s game is the short game. Practiced ability in pitching, chipping and putting is what always separates decent players from the really good players. After spending over five years at Torrey Pines Golf Course watching and talking to numerous PGA Tour players, I can say that this is the one area of their game that they work on the most. The best comment

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In a round of golf, more strokes are played with the putter than any other club. Most people know they need to practice putting, but the challenge is with how and what exactly to practice. In his book, Dave Pelz’s Putting Games, Dave Pelz outlines how golfers should go about assessing their overall putting skills and playing a number of games (or drills) focused on improving areas of weakness. For this edition of the KC Golfer Magazine Pro Tip, we spent some time with his book to give you a feel for how it can make you a better putter. His book starts off

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Sliding in the golf swing occurs when the lower body moves laterally toward the target during the downswing.   If a lateral slide occurs during the downswing it is difficult to stabilize the lower body and eliminates potential power and speed. During the correct sequence in the swing, power is effectively transferred from the lower body up, not the upper body and down.  Therefore, the correct sequence starts with the lower body transferring energy to the upper body while the upper body, arms and club uncoil through the forward swing.  Without a stable lower body players lose power and inefficiently develop speed and power incorrectly. Many players

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Early extension in the golf swing occurs when the lower body moves toward the golf ball during the downswing. Early extension causes the arms and club to get stuck behind the body during the downswing and causes the upper body to rise up through the hitting zone. The body essentially gets in the way of the hands and arms through impact. Therefore, players that create this loss of posture during the downswing typically create misses that consist of blocks, pulls and hooks. In other words, the ball can go in just about any direction depending on your timing, but rarely straight. Some call this the two

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Impact is often referred to as the “Moment of truth.” Regardless of what occurs throughout the backswing and downswing the goal is to square the club face at impact while the club travels toward the target. The result is a straight shot. The following club positions are ideal at impact.

Shaft Lean

Shaft lean is the measurement of how far the hands are forward or backward at impact. An ideal impact position creates a forward shaft lean at impact while the hands are slightly in front of the club head. Forward shaft lean is necessary for the correct downward angle of attack and ball compression. Forward shaft lean

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The correct set up at address positions your backside out so you hinge correctly from your hips while your spine remains in a neutral position. There are two common faults in the set up known as C-posture and S-posture. The following guideline will explain both faults and how you can correct them.

C-Posture

C-posture occurs when the shoulders are slumped forward at address creating the appearance of a rounded spine. C-posture limits spinal rotation and makes it difficult to maintain posture throughout the golf swing. Muscle imbalances in the chest and upper body often lead to C-posture. Similar to S-posture, weak core muscles can be a root

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The swing plane is defined as the angle at which you swing the club around your body. An easy way to understand the swing plane is to observe where the butt end of the grip points throughout the swing. In order to understand the explanation of swing plane you must also understand the target line. The target line is an imaginary line that runs through the golf ball in both directions. Begin by taking a set up and making a practice swing. Once the club reaches waist high, your wrists will hinge and the end of the club will begin to point down toward the ball.

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Strategy is a major part of golf, regardless of your skill level. While you are responsible for controlling the distance, direction and trajectory of the golf ball, it is also important to make the right decisions throughout your round.  Those decisions can start as early as the parking lot - perhaps swapping out a fairway wood to add another wedge option when you are playing a shorter course with challenging green complexes. When you make the right decisions, you increase the likelihood of a solid round and lower score.

Club Selection

Many amateurs do not realize how far they actually hit the ball. In fact, they swing

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Let’s face it, not everyone has the time to spend an hour or more a day working out to improve their golf game in order to hit it further and straighter than ever. With one tool, spending 15 minutes a day, you can add distance and consistency to your game. A kettlebell is a valuable piece of equipment that can be used for a wide variety of exercises to counteract the daily grind of your work life. Stability, balance, and explosiveness are the three components these exercises are focusing on in order for you to reach your full potential on the course. It’s important to start

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Every golfer faces several difficult putts throughout a round of golf. Your goal should be to hole the ball in two putts or less every time. If you routinely make three putts or more there is a significant amount of room for improvement. For example, let’s say you average two putts on nine greens and three putts on the other nine greens. There is a quick five stroke improvement by cutting down from nine three putt greens to four three putt greens in your round.

Set Up and Stroke

The putting stroke, similar to the golf swing, is an athletic movement. Therefore, begin with an

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