It's hard to believe, but this upcoming weekend will mark the last gasp of summer for us here in the Northern hemisphere. Fall officially begins on Monday, September 23rd and if you're like me, that news brings a twinge of panic, as you try to calculate how much golf you can squeeze in before winter forces you to the sidelines.
Well, breathe a sigh of relief. Autumn is 13 weeks long, plenty of time to play some memorable rounds and to keep chasing those pre-season goals you set this past spring. Speaking of goals, we recently brought that topic up with Titleist Staff Professional Trillium Rose, and she provided some great perspective on the subject.
"At this point in the season, most golfers are in relatively good form. You've had all spring and summer to play and I'll bet you've gotten to a point where you're comfortable with your game – not saying it's perfect, no one's game is – but I'll bet your swing is in a fairly good groove. If you've made any technical changes, my guess is that you're starting to feel more comfortable with your new mechanics, too.
I'll also wager that you can navigate your way around the course now as well as you have all year, and here's the big point I'd like to make: NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAY. This is not the time to get overly technical and dive into a swing overhaul. Save that for wintertime. Go out and just play the game. Shoot some good scores and see how low you can go.
With this in mind, I've provided a few basic Do/Don't tips that will keep you on track this fall without over-complicating things. I use these simple checkpoints all the time in my lessons. They're kind of the equivalent of making sure that your computer is plugged in before you bring it in for repairs.
I hope they help and remember to enjoy these fall rounds. It's a beautiful time of year to be on the golf course!"
- Trillium
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Enjoy these insider tips from Trillium and let us know how they help you this fall. Please also be sure to check out her Instagram page, follow her on Twitter and explore Trillium's website for more instructional content.
Thanks, Trillium!
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Long Lead Arm
"Sloppy arms are the enemy of a good golf swing. Maintaining a long lead arm in the backswing will lead to better results on the course." - Trillium
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Lean The Shaft
"Maintaining your wrist angle through contact is a key to good ball striking. Try this drill: Take your normal grip on the club, then move your left thumb off the shaft and over on top of your right wrist. Take a few half-swings with an iron from this position and notice how your thumb helps keep the right wrist angle intact and the clubhead behind your hands at impact. This will allow you to maintain your wrist angle and maximize your power and distance." - Trillium
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Clear, Don't Slide
"As you move through your downswing, you want to make sure you shift your weight forward and clear your front hip. This allows you to properly rotate through the swing and help you see better results on the course." - Trillium
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Maintain A Strong Trail Leg
"To shift your weight properly, try this easy drill: Plant an alignment rod in the ground on the outside of your right leg in set up, keeping it at the same angle as your leg. As you turn back, you should not hit the stick. This’ll help you achieve proper weight shift and a more fundamentally sound swing." - Trillium
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Team Titleist