Hilton Head Island Golf School Blog

From all of us at The Island Golf School, we would like to wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July!

Don’t forget that the holidays are a perfect opportunity to improve your golf game.  We offer a variety of golf school programs to accommodate the needs of any golfer.  We offer top-notch instruction at an affordable rate.  What more could you ask for?  Spend your next holiday with us and you will surely have something to celebrate.

Most people who watch golf on TV simply watch for the enjoyment of the game.  This is fine.  But if you are looking to improve your game, you might want to pay closer attention to what you are watching.

The tour professionals are the best in the business.  They have spent countless hours in an effort to perfect their swings so that they may compete on the highest level.  While most of us will never become tour professionals, there is nothing wrong in trying to aspire to their level of play. 

Therefore, you should pay close attention to the pros on TV, looking for the common elements in each player.  What universal traits are shared among all great players?  Observe how the pros make a good shoulder and hip turn in the backswing.  Notice how similar they all look at impact.  Watch how they finish full and in balance.  These are common elements to which golfers of every level should aspire to have.

At The Island Golf School, our experienced instructors will help you develop these common elements in your golf swing.  Sign up for one of our Multi-Day Golf Schools and begin playing better golf today!

Some golfers are streaky putters - some days they make everything and other days they can’t buy a putt.  It could be that they move their heads during the stroke because they are too anxious to see the ball go in the hole.  If you watch the best putters on the PGA Tour, notably Tiger Woods, you will see that their heads remain in a fixed position over the ball and do not look at the ball until well after they have completed their stroke.  This creates consistent ball contact with the center of the putter face, a sure way to increase the number of putts holed.  If you think that you peek at the ball too early, try this drill.

When on the putting green, place a quarter, heads side up, underneath your ball.  After you make the stroke, continue to focus on George Washington’s face.  Depending on the length of the putt, you should be able to count at least two seconds before you take your eyes off the quarter.  On shorter putts, you will most likely hear the ball go in the hole before you ever watch it roll in.  Practice this drill from various lengths for 15 minutes a day and you will start holing more putts.

At The Island Golf School, our instructors recognize the importance of having as good of a putting stroke as a full swing.  Therefore, if you feel like you are wasting valuable shots with the flat stick, we are here to help.  Sign up for one of our Full-Day or Multi-Day Golf Schools and we will transform you from a mediocre putter into a great putter.

The pin placements on most greens will vary from front to middle to back.  Based on the given location, you have two decisions to make:  (1) How far do I want to carry the ball? and (2) What type of trajectory does this shot require?  Now, you don’t have to be a tour player to change the flight of your golf ball.  Simply follow the advice of Ben Hogan.

Hogan recommended that the ball should come in with a high trajectory to a front pin, normal to a middle pin, and low to a back pin.  That being said, all you have to do is adjust your ball position to change your trajectory.

• Front pin - play the ball towards your front foot
• Middle pin - middle of your stance
• Back pin - back foot

If you want to start making more birdies, The Island Golf School is where you need to be.  Our instructors reinforce the importance of a proper setup (i.e., ball position) to encourage an effective golf swing.  Come join us for one of our full-day golf schools and start playing better golf today!

Phil Mickelson is known for his incredible short game, specifically his flop shot.  While the flop shot can be fun to hit, it is difficult to predict how the ball will react to the clubface.  Therefore, unless you know how to properly hit this shot, you should use the flop shot as a last resort.

When playing for a flop, your setup is the most important element.   A proper setup will allow the club to slide underneath the ball and come out high and soft.  Your setup should be similar to when you play a shot out of the bunker.  Remember these things:

1. Wide stance
2. Ball position off front foot
3. Open clubface
4. Aim left & Swing left
5. Clubface points to the sky

If you need help with your short game, The Island Golf School is where you need to be. Our instructors provide each student with the proper fundamentals and personalized game plan to help you get up and down from anywhere.  Sign up today!

Group clinics are a great bargain for all types of golfers.  Beginners can especially benefit from this type of atmosphere.  There is low intimidation and plenty of personal attention.  More importantly, you can receive valuable instruction for an affordable rate.

Most clinics run anywhere from 30-60 minutes in length.  This is plenty of time for you to work on your golf game under the eyes of a professional.  Even if you are an experienced player, this is the perfect opportunity to fine-tune your swing without spending a ton of money!

At The Island Golf School, our group clinics have helped numerous students improve their swings and enjoy playing golf.  From the beginner to the experienced golfer, we can accommodate everyone.  Additionally, with the 60 minutes of instruction, you also receive video analysis of your swing.  What more could you ask for?  Sign up today!

With the latest driver technology producing clubheads 460cc in size, teeing the ball too low can be costing you major distance.  Unlike the irons which have a sweetspot in the middle-center of the clubface, the driver’s sweetspot is located in the top-center of the clubface.  This means that you will maximize your distance only if you strike the ball on the upper half of the clubface.  Therefore, take advantage of technology and tee it high!

Here is a good rule of thumb:

Use a tee that will show at least half of the ball above the top of the driver when set up at address.  So, go out and buy some of those 3-4 inch tees and swing away!  You should see that you will carry the ball farther than ever before.

At the Island Golf School, come experience a full-day of instruction and start driving the ball like a pro!  Our video analysis will allow you to see where you are losing valuable distance and what you need to work on to improve your swing.  Come experience what quality instruction can do for your golf game.

Finding the right tempo for your golf swing is more important than seeing how hard you can hit the golf ball.  Swinging harder often creates tension in your grip and arms which actually slows down your clubhead speed and increases the likelihood of off-center hits.  The resulting shot is shorter and more off-line than if you would have simply made a smoother swing focusing on center contact.

When you want to reach for some extra distance, focus on swinging at a tempo that you can control.  Focus on maintaining good posture and balance.  If you cannot hold your finish position, you are swinging too hard!  Remember, harder does not equal farther.

If you are looking to improve your golf game, come to The Island Golf School.  Our full-day golf schools will give you the opportunity to work on all areas of your game and help you find the right tempo to maximize your distance!  Sign up today!

You may know how to swing the club, but do you know how to play? 

Golfers often have trouble taking their swing from the driving range to the golf course.   First-tee jitters and indecision can reek havok on your golf game.  Playing lessons are a great way to get your game on the fast track to success.   They can help make the transition from the range to the course seemless.

The Island Golf School offers both 9-hole and 18-hole playing lessons with an experienced instructor.  Our instructors will provide course management strategies to help eliminate mental mistakes that can lead to big numbers on the scorecard.   Let us help you become a better golfer.  Sign up today!

If you are having trouble starting your putts on line, most likely it is your alignment, not your stroke.  To improve your alignment, try drawing a line on your golf ball to help you aim. 

Make sure that you first establish a pre-shot routine where you stand behind the ball on the line that you wish to putt.  Once you have chosen your line, simply place the ball on the green with the line facing upwards and use it as a guide to align your body and putterface.  Now you can confidently step up to your putts knowing that you are properly aligned.

If you are looking to lower your scores or just have more fun playing golf, look no further than The Island Golf School.  Sign up for one of our Full-day Golf Schools and see how quickly our experienced professionals will improve your game!