Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of Best Young Teachers in
America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America.
Meet your new instructor.
Find Your Best Swing Quickly
Subscribe now to watch the full video.
One of the most common (and puzzling) phenomena in all of golf is the transition from the range to the course. Quite often, players will go from being absolutely "dialed-in" to suddenly unable to find a fairway/green. As an instructor, this is something I encounter quite a bit as my lessons will often move from the teaching studio to the first tee. Thankfully though, troubleshooting this breakdown usually involves less technical work and more of a "check-in" regarding a few key fundamentals.
Playlists: Practice Strategies, Find Your Best Swing Quickly
Tags: Poor Contact, Not Straight Enough, Not Enough Distance, Practice Strategies, Mental Game, Concept
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000
This concept video is if it's not alignment, check tempo and tension.
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,000
So oftentimes golfers will get into a pattern where they're hitting it just great on
00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,000
the range, especially out of my studio.
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:19,000
And then I'll take them on the course and instantly stuff will break down.
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:23,000
The most common thing I see breakdown is alignment.
00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:28,000
On the range we often have lines and things that help with our alignment.
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,000
I may even practice a lot with an alignment stick, which I highly recommend.
00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:37,000
But it also I need to practice being able to duplicate that alignment without the stick.
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,000
And sometimes when I'm practicing with the range my alignment is good and then I get
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:47,000
on the out on the course and one part of my alignment starts to get way off and that
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,000
just throws off all the relationships that I've been practicing on the range.
00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,000
But some golfers, you know what?
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,000
We put the camera, I show them their alignment looks good.
00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:04,000
If your alignment looks good, then I want you to check in mentally with tempo and tension.
00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:11,000
In general, if the golf swing feels faster, it's typically going to be earlier or more
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,000
aggressive arm activity.
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:19,000
Typically when the body feels or when the swing is dominated more from the legs in the hips,
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,000
the swing will feel slower.
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,000
Your club that speed may actually go up or it may feel the same.
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:30,000
But it will feel slower compared to if I get my arms involved early.
00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:36,000
Typically when you get your arms involved early, it will feel quick.
00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:41,000
It might feel jerky down at the bottom, but it'll feel quick in transition.
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:46,000
So I like to have golfers when they're practicing on the range, working on at least
00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,000
two, preferably three different tempos.
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,000
So let's say that my normal tempo is about 80%.
00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,000
I might have been 75, that was really good.
00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:06,000
I want to see if I can practice a tempo at least a couple notches lower.
00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,000
So let's see if I can do a tempo that's more like 50%.
00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:19,000
And it's not so much about the distance that I hit it.
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,000
It's about can I hit it solid with multiple tempos?
00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:28,000
If I struggle to hit it solid with multiple tempos, then usually what happens is when my sequencing
00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:33,000
or my excitement level gets a little bit off on the course when I get a little amped up,
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,000
my swing is going to break down.
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,000
So that was the softer tempo.
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:44,000
Now I also want to be able to hit it solid with a stronger tempo.
00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:50,000
So if I have a hard time swinging above 90%.
00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:56,000
I feel like I'm less susceptible or I feel like I'm more likely to have things breakdown
00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:57,000
on the course.
00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:02,000
So tempo is one of those big things that can change from the range to the course.
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,000
If you're not practicing it or if you're not being aware of it.
00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,000
So challenge yourself.
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:13,000
If you find your hit it great on the range, you drive over to the T and things breakdown.
00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,000
Take a little mental inventory and check in to see if you've changed your tempo.
00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,000
The cousin of tempo is tension.
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:24,000
So what can happen is golfers either start gripping it tighter with their forearms.
00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,000
They tense up their shoulders and their neck.
00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:31,000
Or sometimes you'll see it kind of anchored in the feet and the knees.
00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,000
But they'll create a little bit more tension.
00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,000
And that tension is going to challenge the geometry of the shot.
00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:45,000
Instead of swinging smoothly, now there's a little straight line in the middle of what should
00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,000
be swinging and all my alignments get off.
00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:55,000
So that one's you need to practice being aware of where you naturally keep your tension
00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:01,000
and about what level and then feel the next time you go on the course, try to pay attention.
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:07,000
Do I store the tension in my jaw, my arms, my hands, my fingers, my hips, my back, my feet.
00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,000
It can be anywhere or everywhere.
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:18,000
So just take inventory and then you can do a little relaxation and kind of stress relief trying
00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,000
to take the tension out next time you're on the range.
00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,000
Basically train yourself to be ready for where you're going to store a tension.
00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,000
So if you breaks down on the course, first check alignment.
00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,000
If that's not it, check tempo, if that's not it, check tension.
00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:37,000
When you get those three pretty well curalled, you're much more likely to have your range game
00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:44,000
transfer with you to the course.
