By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

The PGA TOUR has descended upon the picturesque cliffs of La Jolla and the Torrey Pines North and South Courses for the Farmers Insurance Open. Both tracks are specatular but the South Course is both Beauty and the Beast. At 7,668 yards, it was the longest course on the PGA TOUR in 2012 and with the wet conditions at sea level, the 2008 U.S. Open venue posed a challenging examination for the TOUR’s best.

Tiger Woods was a masterclass through the first two rounds.  He shot 68-65 to take a two-stroke lead. Statistically, he was also superior but where he truly separated himself from the field was off the tee with the driver in his hand. Woods hit 19 of 28 fairways, which ranked fourth in the field in driving accuracy. More impressively, not only was he accurate, he was also powerful, averaging 318.5 yards off the tee, which led the field in driving distance. With the Torrey Pines South Course playing its entire yardage, his ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee certainly put him in the proverbial driver’s seat.

Now to drive the ball a long way, one needs a good helping of athletic ability and talent. Certainly Tiger is a rare breed. That said, every club golfer can employ my Power ABC’s to gain a few more yards off the tee:

Ascending strike: A sure-fire way to give up power is to create too much backspin on the ball. Think of the ball as an airplane with backspin acting as the flaps. No matter how much thrust the plane had, if the flaps were engaged the plane would continue to climb to a point where it would cease any forward travelling and the engine would stall. The golf ball performs in exactly the same fashion. To maximize power and forward force you must strike the ball with a squaring clubface on the ascending portion of the swing. A quick tip to promote an ascending blow is to address the ball with your spine tilted slightly away from the target and your lead shoulder slightly higher than your trail shoulder. From there, make a swing and strive to retain that slight tilt through impact.

Ball position: Alongside the slightly angled spine angle, the correct ball position will certainly encourage a slightly ascending and accelerating strike. At address, position the ball over the instep of your lead foot. If you are going to err, I would rather have the ball farther forward than back.

Coil: Remember that power is force and force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration. To deliver more force, ensure first that you wind up correctly. Too many golfers make the mistake of just turning their body in the backswing instead of winding up and thereby creating an environment from which torque and force can be delivered. To coil up properly in the backswing, widen the stance slightly so that the insteps of the feet are about shoulder-width apart. Then retain the angle of the trail leg and knee, as set up at address, as you swing back and rotate your shoulders against that stable base. You will get the sense for how your upper body rotates against the resistance of the lower body creating a lot of torque -- torque you can parlay into force.

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

Bill Clinton, the tournament host of the the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation, had a tournament co-host this year: Gary Player. 

At 77 years young, Player is still in prime physical shape. Always a stickler for health, well-being and physical fitness, Player is a wonderful role model and a great ambassador for the game. He is also a fantastic mentor to a privileged few and I count myself fortunate to have been on the receiving end of some of his advice and counsel. 

It is a great honor for me to share a bunker tip that he gave me whilst on a golf course in South Africa. It was a tip that changed my understanding of how to be consistently successful from the sand and one that shaped my approach to teaching bunker and greenside shots in general.

Player’s tip was simple yet profound: Strike every bunker shot that same way you would strike a match. 

In other words, the club should accelerate on a sharpish downward arc into the sand and then level off its arc -- just as the match would approach and strike the igniter strip on the side of the matchbook. Just as you would keep the match moving as it met the igniter-strip, you should keep the club accelerating as it meets the resistance of the sand.

So to hit bunker shots like Gary Player, open your clubface and your body alignment slightly and move the ball forward in the stance -- about an inch forward of center. Lean your upper body slightly toward the target and keep the weight on the forward leg as you swing the club up, using the wrists a little more than usual, and then accelerate into and out of the sand on the downswing, just as if you were striking a match.

Player was one of the most proficient bunker players -- from all types of sand and from all types of lies -- of all time. Mimicking his method would be well worth your while.

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

The 2013 PGA TOUR Season kicked off in the Aloha State and despite issues with Mother Nature at Kapalua we were treated to some spectacular golf (and vistas) over the two weeks.

Dustin Johnson signaled his intentions for the new season with a stellar display of golf at The Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua. He shot 16 under over three rounds for a four-stroke victory over defending champion Steve Stricker. In so doing Johnson became the first player since Tiger Woods to win in his first six seasons on TOUR after leaving college.

Then rookie Russell Henley made a splash at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He shot 24 under to win by three over veteran Tim Clark. Henley was stellar from the start, but his finish to the tournament illustrated magnificent skill and a maturity beyond his years. He birdied his last five holes to put an exclamation point on what was a fantastic start to his career.

Without a doubt, one has to make putts to shoot the scores that Johnson and Henley did in Hawaii.  In order to do so you have to be able to read the greens -- and specifically the grain -- well. Here are a few keys that pros use that could help you to figure out the challenge that is reading greens that have a strain of Bermuda grass:

Look for the color change:  The best way to make heads or tails of the direction of the grain on a longer putt is to look for any change in color of the grass. If your putt is down-grain (the grass laying in the same direction as which your putt is running) the putting surface will typically have a sheen to it and the color will be a lighter shade of green. Conversely, if the putt is into the grain, the surface will look darker and the grass will have a coarser look to it. Suffice to say, if the color is light green the putt will run faster and you will need to play a little more borrow than normal. If the color is darker, you will have to hit the putt a bit harder than normal and you will be able to play a little less break. If you are unable to distinguish any noticeable color change, walk to the opposite side of the hole and look back over the line or walk to the either side of the line of the putt. If there is any noticeable grain you will spot it as you compare your views from behind the ball or the hole or the left or right of the line.

Read the cup:  The condition of the grass around the cup can tell you in which direction the grain is lying. Typically the side of the cup where the grass is a little more broken and the edge of the cup is slightly more damaged will indicate the side of the cup towards which the grain is growing.  On the opposite edge of the cup the grass should look less damaged with the root structure more intact -- this is side is the side from which the grain is growing. Use this grain-reading technique on shorter putts where there are not multiple grain-direction changes; something that is highly likely on longer putts on sloping green complexes.

Gravity over grain: I know and trust gravity enough to believe that it will always beat grain when influencing the roll of the ball. That being said, every so often you may face a putt where the grain is running against the slope of the hill. In that case, play a little less borrow than normal and stroke the putt, but never aim below the cup and expect the grass to push the ball up the hill. On the flip side, if you happen to face a breaking putt with the grain running in the same direction as the slope, play a little extra borrow to allow for the combined efforts of gravity and grain on the roll of your putt. 

Finally, strike putts solidly on grainy greens. Whereas a mis-hit putt on Bent grass can still roll out significantly, a green with coarse, thick grass will gobble it up. So stay down and strive for solid contact on grainy greens.

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

ON THE MARK ARCHIVE: Tips from Mark Immelman

By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

It would not surprise me at all if Graeme McDowell bought a house and become a member at Sherwood CC in Thousand Oaks, Calif. It appears that he has a torrid love affair with the picturesque venue. Get these numbers: G-Mac has played the World Challenge presented by Northwestern Mutual three times (2009, 2010 and 2012) and is 45 under for 12 rounds sporting a stroke average of a mere 68.25. His record in Tiger’s event of two victories (2010, 2012) and a runner-up (2009) have earned him $3 million.

This year he offset twenty birdies with only three bogeys in four rounds and once again exhibited fantastic control from tee to green. I have always been impressed with McDowell’s determined manner and his positive approach to his game and his craft and there are certainly many things we can learn from watching him play. Among other things it appears that he really understands the nature of his swing and its tendencies and that is the lesson I would like to highlight this week.

G-Mac plays with a bowed lead (left) wrist and, by extension, a closed clubface at the top of his swing. From there he uses an aggressive unwind of his hips and a shallowing of his arm-swing to deliver the clubface on a more in-to-out approach (For the record his practice swing is evidence of his attempt to straighten the path of his swing more). Through impact and beyond he marries the action of his torso and his arms to hold the release of the clubface, in effect opening it, to make it play a little more square to the target-line. His method allows him to hit a penetrating, pretty reliable draw. McDowell uses what I would term a “Closed-to-Open” method.

Now I would not recommend G-Mac’s swing style to everyone. What I would like to reiterate, however, is the position of the club at the top of the swing dictates how it has to be delivered in order to make that “moment of truth” at impact count. Further, having an awareness and an understanding of this relationship will go a long way toward you hitting quality shots more consistently.

Remember always that the face angle has the most profound influence on the direction of the shot. So if you are making adjustments to the top of your backswing, aligning the shaft with the target is certainly important but squaring the clubface is more so.

If indeed you do not want to tinker with the top of the backswing, do bear in mind the situation of your clubface and whether it is open or closed – Open will have the leading edge pointing more toward the ground and closed will have it pointing more toward the sky. If the face is closed (ala Graeme) you will need to incorporate moves in your downswing and through impact that will keep it from closing further or you will hit hooks and pulls. Conversely, if the face tends open you will need to ensure that you release the face more in order to square it through impact. If you do not do so you will more than likely hit slices or pushes.

In summary, whatever you do should point toward impact. Each and every golf swing’s value is defined by how good impact is, not how good the swing looks.

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

ON THE MARK ARCHIVE: Tips from Mark Immelman

By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

Apart from the second stage of q-school, there was no golf on the PGA TOUR last week. Consequently, there were no immediate lessons we could learn from watching the world’s best players.

So, for my weekly installment of “On the Mark,” I decided to post an excerpt from an upcoming iBook we have slated for release. The book is called “Hitting the Driver with Power and Accuracy,” and it includes tips and ideas on how to hit a club that defines the games of a number of players on the PGA TOUR.

Let’s address a couple of principles that will help to garner a bit more power and control of this vexing and intriguing golf club:

Principle No. 1: Keep your head still -- like a putt.

Your first task in your journey toward hitting the driver longer and straighter is to realize that the driver’s properties are not too dissimilar to those of your putter. To clarify, the driver, like the putter, has a straight leading edge, and the ball is going to be launched at right angles to that leading edge at impact. To take this thought a bit further: I am sure that you’ve heard of keeping your body (and head) still when you putt? Have you ever wondered why that is? Well, that principle is to ensure a better chance of presenting the putter face squarely to the ball and at right angles to the target line.

So, in plain terms, the interaction between the driver and ball as they collide at impact are the same as the interaction between putter face and ball. The only difference really is that the driver is travelling at vastly higher speeds than the putter. So with all of that being said, if you want to hole a short putt, you need to keep stable so you can make an accurate stroke and square contact. Therefore, by way of comparison, it would seem logical that you would need to do the same things if you wish to hit the driver consistently and accurately.

To summarize, correct, powerful contact with the ball is the product of a dynamic, yet stable body action and the correct delivery of the arms and club through the hitting zone.

Principle No. 2: Accelerate in a balanced fashion. 

Too often, in a miss-appropriated and vain attempt to hit the ball a long distance, the golfer will accelerate his/her body too early in the downswing, resulting in major timing issues. It also leads to a severe loss in power. The power loss occurs because the early hyper-acceleration of the body (most often the pivot of the shoulders) throws the arms and hence the club off-plane and off-line and from that situation the golfer is reduced to having to make all manner of compensations to get the club onto the back of the ball -- none of which are in fact very beneficial.

The correct amount of acceleration at the correct time will certainly enhance one’s ability to make a square and accurate strike on the golf ball.

To summarize: A good swing (in this example, we can imagine a pendulum) exhibits a gradual acceleration from the top of its arc en route to its terminal velocity at the base of the arc. It is followed by a gradual deceleration en route to the opposite top of its arc, so the golf swing should exhibit this rhythm, speed and cadence.

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

ON THE MARK ARCHIVE: Tips from Mark Immelman

By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

As you enter Walt Disney World, there is a sign that says: "Where dreams come true." For PGA TOUR rookie Charlie Beljan, dreams certainly came true this week at The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.

Just a few weeks ago, Beljan was considering a trip to the second stage of qschool, but a top-10 finish at The McGladrey Classic moved him into to 139th on the money list and an assured spot in the q-school finals. That reduced pressure helped Beljan fire an opening 68 and into position for a spot in the top 125.

A strange sequence of events on Friday, however, moved the affable 28-year-old from thinking about the tournament -- and his quest for his playing privileges -- to thinking he was going to die on the course.  

On the driving range before the round, Beljan called for a doctor, complaining of shortness of breath, an elevated heartrate and numbness in his arms. He also complained that he was feeling faint. Despite his obvious distress, he decided to go and play and he managed to put together what was one of the most remarkable rounds of the year. He made two eagles, six birdies and two bogeys for 64 -- a score which propelled him into the 36-hole lead.
Not only did the round include a splash of red numbers, it also included a visit with the paramedics on the tenth tee. There, the medical staff advised him that it was his decision to continue. Continue he did, with the mantra being a countdown – “One more hole; one more shot.”

Charlie Beljan’s Friday episode reminded me of the adage: “Beware of the sick golfer,” and it certainly bears a lesson for us all.

Oftentimes when you are feeling under the weather, your mind becomes more engaged with your health misgivings than with the challenges or perils that the golf course presents. As a result you begin to adopt an approach that is less results-driven – just like Charlie Beljan. “Handlebar” Rick Adcox, Beljan’s caddie, admitted that they never even considered the score for the day or the tournament. In fact, they only found out that Beljan was in the lead after the round was complete and he was taken to the hospital for tests and observation.

Now, obviously you can’t only compete when you are ill, but you certainly can find tools to occupy your mind between shots if you struggle with your mind wandering. For example, I have seen a player-caddie relationship where the caddie brings the daily newspaper crossword puzzle to the course and he and the player start doing it on the range and aim to complete it by the end of the round. They consider the clues and try and figure out the answers between shots. Upon their arrival at the each shot they consider the necessary variables, select a club and hit the shot. As soon as the club is back in the bag, they get back to their crossword puzzle.

There are many novel ways to achieve a mindset that is completely engaged in the present-tense and devoid of golf-related strain. Whatever your tool of choice may be, I recommend you use it every time you compete as it will help you to diminish the inevitable golfer’s tendency to make more of the shot and even the round of golf that it really is. Behold, Charlie Beljan and his Friday nightmare ... who would have bet that a little mind-numbing and a lot of guts and perseverance would have been the catalyst to him being the newest PGA TOUR champion?

"You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about." Bobby Jones

Good luck
/mi

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

ON THE MARK ARCHIVE: Tips from Mark Immelman By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM The TOUR’s elite continued their Oriental foray this week at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions at Mission Hills Golf Club in Guangdong, China. As was the case last week, scoring by the leaders was frenetic. In fact, 12 under through four rounds was what it took to get inside the Top 20 – incredible stuff! Ian Poulter was sensational over the weekend and came through with a final round of 65 (7 under) for a total of 21 under to eclipse the star-studded leaderboard for the title. My take from the week however highlights two different golfers who finished T2 and T6 -- countrymen of mine and major champions who possess two of the sweetest swings in the game. Good timing and tempo are intrinsic to any good golf swing and Ernie Els and Louis Oosthuizen are beautiful models of these elements – elements I term: “The glue that holds the swing together.” I hold strongly the belief that no matter how technically sound a golf swing is, its ability to deliver consistently powerful and accurate shots depends largely on its timing and its pace. To me a golf swing is tantamount to an orchestra as it has various parts which have individual functions that perform at varying cadences and times in order to produce a beautiful harmony or shot. Just like an orchestra whose sections are playing too loudly or out of time would sound like a cacophonous noise, a golf swing whose elements are performing too hard or out of time would look ungainly and produce horrendous shots. So remember that good timing is as important a fundamental as any. Further, just as you would periodically check on those fundamentals, so you should check whether the parts of your swing are operating in a well-timed and coordinated fashion. Two important points to remember: • Just as you would probably find it easier to dance well and in time with a slower beat compared to a very up-tempo, fast beat, so you are more likely to make a better swings with a tempo that is a smidgen slower. So in order to sequence and time your swing properly, remember a little slower is probably better. • To time your swing properly it is important to correctly understand the proportions of movement of each element of the swing. Certainly the swing is governed by the body pivot but you must ensure that the swing of the arms and the club stay timed and “in-front” of the pivot. To that end, ideally you would like each element of the swing to finish its job and its movement around the same time. A great image to understand the sequencing of this mechanism is one of the Solar System with your spine being the Sun, your lead shoulder being Mercury, your lead hand being Jupiter and the clubhead being Pluto. Try to have the entire system of planets complete one orbit of the Sun at the same time. In other words, Mercury (the shoulders) would have to move slower than Jupiter (the hands) and Jupiter would need to move a lot slower than Pluto (the clubhead). If you are able to time the events as described you will hit the ball a long way without much physical exertion at all – just like Ernie and Louis. Good luck /mi Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

ON THE MARK ARCHIVE: Tips from Mark Immelman

By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

While the PGA TOUR members were scorching The MINES Resort and Golf Club under some perfect scoring conditions in Kuala Lumpur, the Web.com Tour members vying for the Web.com Tour Championship were battling some pretty severe weather conditions in McKinney, Texas.

Chilly temperatures and a 30 mph (two club) North wind on Friday made scoring at TPC Craig Ranch very difficult. The average score rose from around 69.5 in the first round to just under 72 in the second round. Whereas 40 of 60 players shot under par on Thursday, only 16 players managed to break the par of 71 on Friday. On the other side of the coin, only 13 players shot over par in the first round compared to 37 players in the second round. Tough conditions indeed and there is certainly something we can learn about getting the most out of our round under difficult conditions from the future stars playing on the Web.com Tour:

Manage your misses: When playing in cold and windy conditions it is likely that you will miss more shots than you will hit good ones. It is for that very reason that you should adopt a cerebral approach to your shot and play selection. Aim shots toward the safe sides of the targets so that if you do miss you make the next shot as easy as possible. In so doing you will make scoring (which is already difficult due to the tough conditions) a little easier.

Stay patient and disciplined: Patience and discipline are real virtues when the conditions are hard. You have to be disciplined in your resolve to stick to the game plan and you must be patient enough to resist every urge to make ill-advised, unsolicited plays that are too attacking. Playing in adverse conditions is truly a battle of attrition and it is often the patient and disciplined “survivor” who comes out on top.

Remind yourself of the reality: The reality of the situation is that under really severe conditions it is highly likely that everyone is struggling to some extent. That said, it is easy to get wrapped up in your own travails and this can lead to a negative attitude and a poor emotional and mental approach to the round. That approach has its sad end in a bad score, so continually remind yourself that everyone is struggling and a really tough day is a day when it is necessary to dig in and grind out a decent score. Inherent to grinding and surviving is a positive and balanced attitude and sometimes that requires a reminder and work.

Be creative: Creativity is of the utmost importance when playing in tough conditions. Vary the trajectory of your shots to get the most out of them by varying the speed and size of your swing. Also, consider varying your ball position and your club selection and shot selection as these three elements will further enhance your ability to make low scores despite the conditions.

I know that these tidbits of advice may appear clichéd, but trust me they are tried and tested. Know also that it is the player who is prepared to do the little and simple things well that will invariably come out trumps. So be honest with yourself and go out and give these tips a proper effort.

Good luck
/mi

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

ON THE MARK ARCHIVE: Tips from Mark Immelman

By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

The penultimate event on the Fall Series calendar saw the PGA TOUR visiting the Golden Isles of Georgia and the picturesque Seaside Course at The Sea Island Resort. One of three courses at The Sea Island resort, the Seaside Course has hosted many a great personality of golf, including Bobby Jones, who held the course record for a while, and the legendary golf instructor, Davis Love Jr.

The players were treated to perfect weather for the lion’s share of the first two rounds, and the conditions were ripe for good scoring. On Friday morning however was a different proposition entirely thanks to the back end of a cold front that passed through on Thursday night. The weather was cooler and very blustery with a northwest wind blowing between 10-15 mph. That wind direction forced the players to control the trajectory of their shots in order to keep their ball out of the marshlands and close to the targets.

Controlling the shot trajectory is essential to playing well in windy conditions; it is also a crucial part of good distance control. Here are a few keys that will help you to flight the ball better:

To hit the ball lower:

Select an extra club. If the shot calls for a 7-iron, select a 6-iron (or more if the wind is really heavy) and grip down the shaft a few inches. Widen your stance: If the conditions are really windy the wider stance will improve your balance which is crucial to good contact.

Move the ball back. Play the ball back in the stance (around the middle of the stance, or very slightly back thereof).

Move to your lead side. A good image to help to get “in front of the ball” which will help you to make contact with the handle leading the clubhead, thus delofting the club, is to keep the the buttons on your shirt to the left (if you are a right-hander) of the ball.

Resist the urge to hit down. Striking the ball with too much of a descending swing will actually cause the ball to spin back too much and that backspin will make the ball “stand up” into the wind.

Make a smooth, short swing. Gary Player always told me, “Low shot, low follow-through; high shot, high follow-through.” So to flight the ball down, make a shorter backswing and swing to a shorter, balanced finish. Over and above that, make a smoother swing to both improve contact and reduce backspin.

To hit the ball higher:

Select a more lofted club. This goes without saying as the extra loft will help to elevate the ball. Do this within reason -- obviously as you must select a club that will still comfortably get you to the target.

Widen your stance. If the conditions are really windy, the wider stance will improve your balance which is crucial to good contact.

Move the ball forward. Play the ball forward in the stance (for right-handers I would recommend situating the ball underneath your heart for a medium iron short and slightly further left of that for a long iron).

Stay behind the ball. Staying behind the ball will help to make a slightly ascending strike which will lead to a higher launch angle and thus a higher ball-flight. A helpful image is to keep your head behind the ball throughout the swing.

Make a high, balanced finish. Following through to a high and balanced finish will further help with creating an ascending strike. As Gary Player recommends, “Imagine that you have a shelf high above your lead shoulder and swing so that your hands finish on that shelf.”

Good luck
/mi

Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.

ON THE MARK ARCHIVE: Tips from Mark Immelman By Mark Immelman, Special to PGATOUR.COM This week I am heartened that two Champions Tour players I teach, Larry Mize and Loren Roberts, are in good shape through two rounds of The Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn. Working with some of the legends of the game from the Champions Tour has been a wonderful experience for me and I can comfortably say that I have learned as much from them as they have learned from me. One of the enduring lessons is the fact that, to a man, every player retains his individual approach to the game. Furthermore, the elder statesmen keep things fiercely simple and to the point. There is never any “fluff” and certainly never any over-complication of anything – with the advent of increased video-based golf lessons that indeed is a lesson for us all. This week, Mize has hit 81 percent of the greens in regulation and has made 12 birdies in two rounds. These numbers indicate the realization of a goal we set – a goal to sharpen up his iron play and get a few more legitimate birdie opportunities. Mize is perennially one of the most accurate drivers of the ball on the Champions Tour and he normally hits a good number of greens in regulation. Of late, however, his iron-play had waned. To improve his iron play, Larry and I revisited a couple of the keys we worked on at the outset of our instructor-player relationship in 2009. Over our time together, Larry’s swing definitely improved and grew and as a result our work and our focus evolved a bit. As this continued to happen we definitely uncovered some minor issues that we looked to address. Whereas these “fine” adjustments appeared to be a good idea at the time, the downside of the work was that our focus on Larry’s “major” keys, or “critical success factors” as I like to call them, decreased. It was amazing to me that as soon as we began to revisit the important keys to Larry’s swing the ball-contact instantly began to sharpen up and the shot pattern tightened. More often than not I would mention to him that he was starting to look like 2009 – a season in which he had 10 top 10s in 20 tournaments and finished 25th in the Masters. The lesson that you can learn from Mize is that you must identify what your personal “Critical Swing Success Factors” are – consult your professional, if you must – and no matter what happens, you must keep constant tabs on them. Remember also, this mantra that I remind myself of on a daily basis: “Once a swing habit, always a swing habit…” It seems hard to believe but it is one of the things of which I have become convinced. Let a Masters champion be proof of that. Good luck, /mi Mark Immelman, the brother of PGA TOUR professional Trevor Immelman, is a well-respected golf instructor and head coach of the Columbus State University (Ga.) golf team. For more information about Mark and his instruction, visit his web site, markimmelman.com or follow him on Twitter @mark_immelman or “Like” Mark Immelman Golf Instruction on Facebook. He also has a golf instruction e-book called “Consistently Straight Shots – The Simple Solution” available on iTunes/iBooks.