Raise Your Game

ALSO IN THIS SECTION

Yoga for golf:This month, we learn how to do the Surya Namaskaar, the most complete set of exercise known to humankind, and how it helps your golf.

Going hi-tech:We are doing something completely different this month — giving you the low-down on hi-tech equipment on the golf course.

50 56 60Tuition:In an exclusive to ME Golfer, Dubai-based Asian Tour pro Yasin Ali gives you some top tips on how to improve your chipping — from the right set-up to drills.

APRIL 2009 Middle East Golfer 49

50 Middle East Golfer APRIL 2009

RAISEYOURGAME

Chipping away your problemsI have played with many amateurs who can actually hit

the ball a country mile off the tee, but their chipping and

pitching are so inconsistent, they are just not able to put

up a good score.

If I have to rank the usefulness of each and every shot

on the golf course, I’d say chipping and pitching is the

second most important area of your game after putting.

The three most common mistakes I see are wrong

Jebel Ali touring pro Yasin Ali shares basic tips on how to become better around the greens

set-up, distance control and lack of creativity around the

green. While the first two are self-explanatory, what I mean by

lack of creativity is that most amateur would either head

straight for their sand wedge/pitching wedge, or, at the most,

their putters because they are not very confident of playing

the chip shot.

This month, I have tried to give you some basic tips on

improving this extremely important aspect of the game.

RIGHT: Instead, what you need to do is keep almost 60 per cent of your weight on the left leg. This will help your club get under the ball better, and hence stop the chances of skulling it.

WRONG: Many amateurs tend to either evenly distribute their weight on both legs, or even shift it towards the right because they feel they can get the ball airborne better.

SET-UP


That would be the easiest thing to do.

If you can practice for 24 hours a day,

you’d definitely become a better

player. But if you can’t practice round

the clock, at least you can practice

like the clock. Believe me, this is one

of the best drills to improve your

distance control with the wedges.

Imagine your hands to be the hands

of a clock. Now hit your wedge shots

stopping your hands at the 9 o’clock

position, and completing the follow

through at the 3 o’clock position.

Once you have hit a few shots this

way, take your backswing to the 10

o’clock position, and finish at the 2

o’clock position. Finally, try the

complete swing. Of course, do try the

8 o’clock to 4 o’clock as well, and the

dainty 7 to 5.

With every different swing, keep an

eye on the distance you carry with

both the sand wedge and the pitching

wedge.

Practice around the clock...


RAISEYOURGAME

THROW IN THE TOWEL!

Obviously, each of us

understand that the pitching

wedge will get more run on

the green than a sand wedge

because of the lower

trajectory. Once you have the

right set-up (remember: 60

per cent of your weight on

the left leg), practice hitting

balls in such a manner that

they drop on a towel placed

near the hole.

Try doing this drill till you hit

five balls out of five on the

towel. Your chipping would

have improved dramatically.

Well…I mean you do that literally. When you are close to the green, the most important part of the chip shot is where you land the ball.

STROKE DRILLS


RAISEYOURGAME

BE CREATIVE

And not only that, there are times when you have to hit

the ball in technically incorrect fashion to get the best

result. I have even seen players coming out of the

bunkers with a putter.

The one problem amateurs have is when the ball has

come to rest against the fringe of the green. Putting it

out from there is not always the best option as the grass

behind the ball can hinder the backswing of your putter,

or get in between the ball and the putterhead.

Try these two different clubs when you are next against the fringe:

When you are near the green, you can use almost any club in your bag for chipping – right from the traditional sand wedge, to the driver.

FAIRWAY WOODThe fairway wood will give you a much better contact with the ball, and because it has more loft than a putter, it will also help your ball skip across the first cut of the green.

WEDGEThe shot is called ‘Belly Wedge’. You basically use the wedge and try to hit the equator of the ball, better known as its belly. This is an easy shot and one that I frequently play when in similar situation. The execution is almost like a putting stroke. I would definitely recommend practicing this shot before you try it on the course.

RAISEYOURGAME


YOGAFOR OVERALL STRENGTH, FLEXIBILTY & ENERGY!

In this month’s article, we learn about Surya Namaskaar – or Sun Salutation. Surya Namaskaar is a more than 5,000-year-old exercise routine, and even today, it is the most complete workout known to mankind. Surya Namaskaar improves flexibility and cardiovascular capacity, enhances strength of the whole body and re-energises the practitioner through the balance of the body’s chakras (energy centres).

STEP 1

Stand straight, feet •

together, palms joined

in front of your chest.

Breathe normally.•

STEP 2

Inhale, keep palms •

together and bend

back,

Stretch your arms over •

your head.

STEP 3

Exhale and bend •

forward.

Place palms on floor •

and head on knees.

Keep knees straight.•

STEP 4

Inhale, take right leg •

back and bend other

knee.

Arch back and look •

up.

1 2 3

4


5 6

7 8

9STEP 5

Exhale, take left leg back. •

Keep body straight, toes tucked in and •

fingers pointing forward. Body weight

should be balanced on toes & palms.

STEP 6

Hold breath, drop knees, then chest and •

chin to floor. Keep hips raised as shown.

STEP 7

Inhale and stretch body upwards. •

Straighten elbows, arch back look up.•

STEP 8

Exhale, push back on arms, raise hips. •

Tuck chin towards chest, look at navel. •

Keep heels flat on floor.•

STEP 9

Inhale and bring left leg forward, arch •

back and look up.

In subsequent rounds, alternate between •

left and right leg in steps 4 and 9.

HOW IT HELPS YOUR GOLFFor the modern-day golfer, all these benefits are necessary. In

fact, Surya Namaskaar has helped many professional golfers

and sportspeople improve their body’s functioning, and more

importantly, their ability to deal with stress. Since the science

of yoga in general, and Surya Namaskaar in particular, works

with an understanding of the body’s energy fields, its effect is

one of recovery and rejuvenation.

Go on to learn and adopt this centuries-old exercise into

your daily routine. You need to practice a minimum of 11

rounds daily and soon you’ll find a complete transformation

in your energy levels throughout the day. The best time is to

practice early in the morning while facing the rising sun, but if

that is not possible, then practising at any time will also help.

Enjoy Yoga! Enjoy Golf!

RAISEYOURGAME


Manish Pole is the Director of Instruction at Yoga-for-Sports, which is a one-of-its-kind sports fitness and well being initiative founded by Dubai-based Alok Khanna dedicated to the various sports disciplines. The Yoga-for-Golf clinics are created by Yoga Guru - Bharat Thakur, and are taught at leading golf clubs in the UAE. To find out more, contact: [email protected], or text Y4G to 050 3641613

STEP 10

Bring right leg forward, stand upright, exhale and bend forward, placing •

palms on floor.

STEP 11

Inhale, keep palms together and bend back, stretching arms over head.•

STEP 12

Exhale and come back to position 1.•

10

11

12

Raise Your Game

Documents

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wedge shots

sand wedgepitching wedge

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right setup

distance control

basic tips