Don Delorenzo

Don is the PGA GM of Gilroy Municipal Golf Course and Gavilan Golf Course . He is the 2014 Gilroy Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year and a PGA of America ’ s Bill Stausbaugh award recipient for excellence in education . Contact Don and book your tee time at : 408.848.0490 or at gilroygolf . com

“ Why is it that I play golf weekly with my friends but I don ’ t seem to improve any ?” I wish I had a nickel for every time I ’ ve heard that line or one similar to it . Let ’ s face it , golf is not a game you can pick up over night by watching a YouTube video . I remember an old “ Honeymooners ” episode where Art Carney and Jackie Gleason are trying to learn to play golf out of a book in Gleason ’ s apartment . It wasn ’ t successful , to say the least ; you can ’ t master this game by reading a book . To get good at the game you must experience all the nuances the game throws at you by practicing repeatedly . To become good enough at the game to enjoy it you must do four things : Practice , take lessons , stay up with the latest equipment , and warm up before every round .

Every sport requires practice to achieve a level of success . Shooting free throws in basketball takes hours at the charity stripe . A field goal kicker wears out numerous pairs of shoes in order to achieve consistency in football . Golf falls into this category and then some . A free throw is one motion . A field goal kick is one motion . In golf you need to practice all the elements . Tee shots , fairway shots , short game , and putting . Practice all these and you will have a well rounded game . Remember to practice them equal to the amount of your game they represent . For example , if you go out and shoot a score of 100 , only 14 of those shots will be driver tee shots . Over 50 of those shots will be chips and putts . So what should you practice 50 % of the time ? Ask yourself when was the last time you went to the course to just practice and not play a round ?

The best way to know what to practice is to invest in some golf lessons . Lessons are an investment that pays huge dividends in the form of lower scores and game improvement . Golf is a game that is next to impossible to figure out on your own . The best way is to have a professional do it for you . They are trained to help you enjoy the game more by fixing the flaws and teaching you things you never knew . Too often I see someone new to the game dump $ 1000 into a set of golf clubs but won ’ t spend a dime taking lessons . It really should be the opposite ; spend much more on lessons and less on equipment . I ’ ve never heard a student say that they didn ’ t learn something new from taking lessons . length , and whether you have the correct selection of clubs in your bag . Maybe you should have three wedges and only one fairway wood . These are all decisions that could improve your game by having the correct set make up . The last thing you want is to not have a club for a shot that you are faced with .

Often I hear a golfer say “ I don ’ t have a club that goes a certain distance .” Well , that ’ s a problem . Make sure that you have a manageable distance gap between all the clubs from the fairway wood through the wedge .

Lastly , warm up before your round of golf . If you ’ re like most golfers , you pull into the parking lot , put on your shoes , grab a cup of coffee and head to the first tee . Have you really given yourself the best chance to play well ? Not a chance ! Arrive early enough to warm up those bones . Have you ever witnessed Steph Curry ’ s warm up routine ? The greatest shooter of all time got that way by adhering to a pre-game warm up that puts him in the best position to play his best that game . You should do the same . Hit all your clubs , even if only a couple of times . You will then have an idea of what pattern your shots are taking for that day . Maybe you ’ re hitting the ball straight this day . Wouldn ’ t it be sad to find that out on the first hole after you have played to compensate for your slice and the ball travels straight out of bounds ? What are greens like today ? Fast or slow ? You won ’ t know if you don ’ t hit a few practice putts before you start . Don ’ t wait until the first green when you knock the ball ten feet past the hole to realize they ’ re faster than the last time you played .

So , remember golfers , the best way to enjoy this great game is to play better . The best way to play better is to practice the items your professional told you about with the clubs he told you needed . Do these things , and I guarantee you ’ ll enjoy the game much more and get a lot better at it , as well .

Having the correct equipment is another way to get the most out of your game . That doesn ’ t mean you have to buy a $ 500 driver or you won ’ t play well . It just means that having the correct equipment for your game makes a difference . This is another way a professional can help . They can advise you if the shaft of your clubs is the correct flex for your swing speed , if the length of your club is correct for your height and arm

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