Golf Tips & Drills

Tips & Drills with Steve Cowle Golf

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Simple Tips & Drills To Improve Your Game With

Steve Cowle Golf


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INTRODUCTION

Hi, my name is Steve Cowle. Welcome to my FREE tips and drills page. I have played

competitive golf as a professional since 1994 and have won over 50 events. I teach at

every level from junior to touring professional. Many of my pupils go on to significantly

lower their handicaps or up their win rate.

These tips and drills have been used by me for quite some time and they will all help to

improve the overall consistency of your game. Enjoy!

WARM UP

This is the most over looked part of the average club golfer’s game but one that you

should not take for granted. If you have not warmed up before hitting the first tee shot

or practice shot do not be surprised if you get an injury or play poorly for the first 5 or 6

holes. I never practice or play without warming up properly, I will spend 10 minutes

stretching and hit at least 30 balls. There are 2 reasons for this:-

1. Injury prevention – the golf swing produces a lot of stress on the joints and

muscles, if the first shot of the day is with a driver don’t expect miracles.

2. 30 shots on the range = at least 6 holes on the course (full shots). How many

mistakes could have been avoided in this time? How often have you reached the

9th and wanted to walk in because you are playing so poorly?

I cannot guarantee you will score any better but you will definitely feel better on the first

tee and I bet you have more good rounds than bad.

EQUIPMENT

Here are a few pointers to keep your game as good as it can be;

1. Change your glove regularly – and always have a spare one in the bag.

2. Re-grip your irons at least once a year – in between times give them a good

scrub with washing up liquid to get rid of all the grease.

3. Always check your spikes – soft spikes wear out a lot quicker than metal ones

and it’s easy to lose your footing when they are worn or missing.

4. Keep your grooves clean – mud and grass in the grooves can affect the flight

and spin on the ball.


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DRIVING DRILLS

Where to stand

Picture 1: If you hit the ball from left to right tee up on the right side of the tee, this

opens up the hole considerably especially if it’s a tree lined course. Picture 2: The

opposite applies if you hit from right to left.

Picture 1


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Picture 2

Set Up

With new deep faced drivers you want to tee up so at least half of the ball shows over

the top of the club. I tee up a little higher than this and hover the club; this promotes a

smoother take away. ” Through years of experience I have found that air offers less resistance

than dirt”. - Jack Nicklaus, on why he tees his ball high.

You want to distribute your weight 60% on the back foot at set up. This will promote an

upward strike and send the ball soaring on a rainbow flight with very little spin.


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ALIGNMENT

Place a club on the ground parallel to your target. Hit a few shots from the grass and

look at your divot, this will indicate your swing path through the ball. Keep practising

with the clubs on the floor and your swing path should improve so you produce straight

divots.

CONSISTENT BALL STRIKE

The key to a consistent ball strike and maximum distance is your position at impact;

Picture 1 shows the perfect set up position, the weight is evenly balanced and we are

poised and ready to swing.


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Picture 2 shows impact; the hands are further forward de-lofting the club, the forward

hip has shifted laterally and cleared backwards giving more room for the hands and arms

to pass through and the back heel is off the ground as the back knee is driven toward

the ball.

DISTANCE CONTROL WEDGES

This is my personal favourite and since adding it to my game I have won many more

tournaments. As you would have seen from my website I even hole out from distance.

You control distance by how far you swing the club, if you can repeat the same length

swing with the same set up and tempo the result will always be the same.

Picture a clock face with the ball at 6 o’clock – the goal is to swing your hands to these

positions; you control the club, not the other way around. I use three different swings:

1. Full swing

2. 9 to 12

3. 10.30 to 12

I use 4 wedges 60, 56, 50 and 45 Degrees, this gives me 12 distances between 60 and

120 yards and the distances have not changed since 2002.


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Picture 1: Set up

Place the ball in the middle of your heels and turn your front toe outwards slightly. This

will give the impression that the ball is further back in your stance and promote a

consistent strike with maximum spin.

Picture 2: Backswing

This picture shows the hands at the 9 o’clock position with the wrists fully set.


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Picture 3: Follow through

This shows the completion of the swing with the hands at 12 o’clock. Be sure to hold this

position to generate maximum feedback.

I also recommend this method for shorter shots, just change the length of swing i.e. 9

o’clock to 3o’clock and so on.

BUNKER DRILL

Circle in the sand

Please note - you cannot do this in competition!!!

In the practice bunker draw a circle with your finger 2 inches around the ball. If you

perfect your impact the ball will consistently come out every time. Your goal is to enter

the sand at the start of the circle and exit at the back, this guarantees the ball will come

out on a cushion of sand and land softly on the green.


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PUTTING DRILLS

A "gimme" can best be defined as an agreement between two golfers, neither of whom can putt

very well. - Author Unknown

Putting is without question the most important aspect of golf!

Picture 1: Putter Track

Place two clubs or alignment poles on the ground, wide enough for your putter to pass

without touching, but not so wide as to make the drill too easy. If the surface is poor the

length of the putt should be a maximum of 4ft, top quality greens no further than 6ft.

The idea of this drill is to hole every putt, therefore increasing your confidence within 6ft.

As this is a confidence drill the putt should be dead straight, if you continually miss,

change the position of the clubs or move closer.

Picture 2: Clock face

Place 6 balls around the hole, starting from 3ft, once you hole 6 in a row move further

away. Repeat and see how far you can get.

Picture 3: Distance control

Before a round, get on the practice green and rather than putt to a hole putt to the

fringe. Try to get uphill, flat and downhill putts to give you a feel for the greens that day.

“I never hit a shot not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my

head. First I see the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting pretty on the lush

green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I see the ball going there: its path, trajectory and

shape, even its behaviour on landing. Then there is a sort-of fade out, and the next scene shows me

making the kind of swing that will turn those previous images into a reality”. – Jack Nicklaus

I really hope you have enjoyed these tips and I would appreciate any feedback you can

offer, especially success stories.

My website will be updated regularly with other offers and extra tips so please bookmark

me. GOLF IS A GAME FOR LIFE, LEARN IT, PLAY IT, LOVE IT! –Steve Cowle

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