Kupelian: Watching golf on TV is a form of practice

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Annika Sorenstam (left) with Pia Nilsson. Nilsson, Europe's Solheim Cup captain in 1998, believes recreational golfers integrate information they see on telecasts.

There is an under-appreciated element to televised golf.

In addition to the entertainment value, it can be a powerful learning tool for golfers at all levels.

There are significant benefits to watching how the finest golfers in the world go about playing the game under PGA TOUR conditions.

"There are so many interesting things to observe that might help the recreational golfer," said Pia Nilsson, the noted instructor.

The key is to know what to look for and how best to make it work for you.

Nilsson is a student of the game. She looks for nuances and, unlike the lay person, can interpret and articulate her discoveries. Casual observers are not likely to have the same ability to evaluate but that shouldn't prevent recreational golfers from learning while they watch.

Think of a three-hour tournament telecast as a teaching video. Compare the cost -- free -- to a $79 instructional video. That's a pretty good deal. And there's nothing to prevent viewers from taping the tournament and using it when a refresher is required.

Brian Mogg is another on many lists of the top golf instructors. The Brian Mogg Performance Center is located at Keene's Pointe in Orlando. Among the professional golfers who work with Mogg are Bart Bryant, Jeff Gove, D.A. Points and John Cook.

For recreational golfers watching on television, Mogg would recommend focusing on several things.

"Pre-shot routine and the consistency of repetition under stress and pressure," he said. "And watch to see that (the routine) stays the same."

Nilsson puts it in slightly different terms but the bottom line remains the same.

"When the players step up to the ball, how much time do they spend there?" Nilsson said.

"Does it stay the same or does it differ during the round? Does it change with putting compared to the full shots?"

Nilsson

Nilsson's Vision54 approach to golf is based in Phoenix and embraces the core belief in possibilities and the idea that every individual has unlimited and unique potential. She is an author, former LPGA player, European Solheim Cup captain in 1998 and well known for her role in coaching Annika Sorenstam.

Nilsson looks for a player's reaction after shots and whether it is different based on the quality of the shot. She al so watches to see what golfers are doing between shots.

Body language is magnified in crunch time. On Sundays, she said, some players begin to visibly tighten. The facial expressions may change, the jaws tighten and the shoulders tense.

And she evaluates the decision-making process, or course management skills, and gauges the level of commitment to shots.

A recreational golfer can integrate that information, Nilsson believes, and apply it to his or her own game.

Here are five things to look for while watching television to help improve your game:

The body type match
• Choose a golfer with similar physical traits to yourself and use him as a model.

• Jason Gore doesn't swing the golf club like Davis Love or Camilo Villegas. If you are 5-foot-10, 210 pounds, don't select Vijay Singh as a swing model.

• Find a golfer who resembles your body type and focus on him. Watch how he swings, the length of his backswing, his tempo and rhythm. Is it a long, leisurely swing or a hit?

Listen to the video
The player/caddie dialog can be revealing.

"Listen for how thorough the decision process is and the commitment to trust the strategy and mechanics," Mogg said.

• Heed the advice of caddies who tell their man to "trust the shot" and offer other sage advice. You may not have a caddie alongside to tell you "trust the shot" so remember to tell yourself.

• Pay attention to the golfer's voice levels when faced with difficult and key shots and notice if it differs from the simple shots. Does his speech quicken? If you find yourself thinking and speaking faster, chances are your swing tempo will also get quicker.

The Swing
• The swing in real-time is hard to follow by the untrained eye of a recreational golfer. So it's a good idea to break it down and look for specific components.

• For instance, focus on a full and complete shoulder turn. Does the left shoulder get under the chin and do the shoulders turn 90 degrees?

• Or break down the finish and look for total balance in the finish with the chest and torso aimed at the target.

• Those are fundamentals professional golfers execute each and every time. Recreational golfers will demonstrate dramatic improvements if they can achieve - or even come close -- to those positions during a swing.

• Look for those positions and practice them.

Pre-shot routine
• Every golfer on the PGA TOUR has a pre-shot routine. You should, too. It's the trigger that starts the entire swing.

• Identify a golfer's pre-shot routine. Rewind and re-play just that portion of the swing. See where it starts and where it ends. Time it.

• A pre-shot routine need not be a prolonged or complicated. In fact, the shorter and more concise, the better.

• And note that once the pre-shot routine is complete, the best players shift immediately and smoothly into swing mode. There is no paralysis by analysis over the ball.

Putting
• Pay special attention to two things as you watch professionals on the greens.

• First, you will notice the pace of the stroke and the dista nce the putter travels in the backswing and follow-through. For the best putters, it will be identical in both directions.

• The next thing you will notice is that the head remains perfectly still until after impact.

• Watch an excellent putter again and again. Stand in front of the television with a putter in hand and mimick the stroke and the tempo.

Swing thoughts:
• Greg Norman is the host of the Shark Shoot-out. He finished second last year with long-hitting Bubba Watson as his partner. Norman will play with another hot player and very long hitter this year: Camilo Villegas. Good choice.

• The Shark and Spiderman. There's a concept with possibilities.

• But how about a team comprised of Presidents Cup captains Norman and Fred Couples? Norman gave it some thought.

"There was a lot of communication about that," Norman said. "But I just thought at the end of the day this (Villegas) is probably the best thing for me."

• Justin Timberlake has performed in front of a half-million people. "But if you ask me to hit a golf ball in front of 20 people, I mean, all of a sudden everything hanges," said the host of this week's PGA TOUR stop in Last Vegas. "This game is a great equalizer."

Vartan Kupelian is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.