Improving short game can improve scoring

Short Game Practice

The popularity of the Whitefish Lake Golf Club’s short game practice area continues to expand as more players discover the chipping and bunker areas designed to sharpen their games. Without question the short game is the scoring segment of golf, that when sharpened can lead to the fastest drop in our scoring. Take advantage of the practice area behind number one green on the South Course to effectively lower your handicap.

Bunker Rakes Out of Sand

Is it best to have the rakes in the bunker or outside the bunkers? That’s an argument without a clear cut winner with there being advantages in both cases. A rake outside the bunker can cause a shot to deflect into the bunker and also interfere with an employee mowing around the bunker. A rake inside the bunker can stop the ball on the slope of the sand leading to a harder shot.

What is really critical about rakes is that they get used by the players to cover their tracks and those of other less thoughtful players. It can be really frustrating to find your ball lying inside a deep foot print in the sand, so we all need to do our part with bunker maintenance. While our crew rakes bunkers on a rotating schedule they can’t possibly keep them smooth without every player’s help.

Fix Your Ball Marks

Another key issue in course maintenance is fixing ball marks when a ball lands on the green. Do us all a favor and try to fix any ball mark you see on the greens and especially your own. Fixing a ball mark will help the turf heal over twice as fast as one left unattended. Use your divot fixer or tee to gently push the turf back in the direction from where the ball flew into the green and do not try to lift the sod as it tears the roots.

Putt One-Handed

In practice, use three balls and place them about 20 feet from a hole or marker. Use just your lead hand, left for right handed players, and stroke the putts, while keeping your wrist flat and slightly ahead of the putter head. This may seem difficult at first, but with a little practice, you will begin to hit putts more solidly. Use this drill before you go out to play a round, and it will help to keep you from breaking your wrists at impact. With both hands on the club, you will feel very confident in making a good putting stroke. The lead hand is the critical guidance system to all putts, which is why you see so many good putters going to the claw grip to effectively take the right wrist out of the stroke. John Diehl put on a putting clinic in the Season Opener Tournament using the claw grip. One of the best rollers of the ball I’ve seen in a long time.

Tee Time Change

As of this Friday, May 14, the phones will be answered starting at 6:30 a.m. and online tee times will become available at 6:30 a.m. as well. The first tee time will begin at 7 a.m. so we are back to our regular summer schedule.