We're supposed to have fun playing golf. It's a game, isn't it? But there's a darker side to golf - a game which many of you play. It's Anger Golf.

If you really care about the game of golf, then you need to find a way to release the anger and frustration that can surge up from your gut and make you want to throw a club or curse or smash something. No question: anger is lurking just beneath the surface, waiting to grab you.

Don't let that happen. Instead, lighten up. See those bogies as mistakes and ridiculous. Focus on the sky, the beautiful scenery and take pleasure in the day. This will help you feel your love of the game - not your hate. You can change your attitude in a heartbeat if you want to.

Many of you might be thinking: "How am I supposed to do that?"

If you've listened to my CD, you know one of the answers. Breathe deeply and think, "Peace, harmony, relax, relax," and you'll soon experience an ease of tension that will flow through your whole body. If it doesn't work the first time, do it again -- and even a third time if needed. What's important is that you release the tension in your body caused by the anger and are ready and relaxed for your next shot.

(If you don't have my CD, "Own The Zone," you might think of buying it at www.OwnTheZoneGolf.com).

You'll learn how to get into an altered state of consciousness - better known as "The Zone." You'll learn how to anchor yourself to "this feeling" and how to trigger it on command when you need it. It will help you keep that anger at bay.

Don't ever forget there's a great golfer inside you. That's the real you. Not the golfer who gets frustrated by occasional errors. Everybody makes them -- even touring pros. Hey, nobody's perfect! The real golfer inside you has a smooth, easy swing... has confidence in it... knows how to get those pars and occasional birdies. That's who you really are. Don't ever forget it.

When the mistakes come -- and they surely will because that's why they call it "golf" -- ride with them. I know how you feel if you slice or top the ball. I've felt that way myself. But what I've found is a way to diffuse the anger and not let it grab hold and send your self-worth down the tubes.

Mistakes are not who you are. Nor do they reflect the great golfer inside you. Keep breathing deeply. Get through that anger. Let go of that last poor shot. Enjoy your surroundings, you're playing the game you love. Before you know it, you'll come out of the Dark Side.

Click here to order this breakthrough golf book

In the golf swing the glutes and hips support a solid foundation as well as power and distance in your swing. Strength and flexibility in the hips is important in the acceleration phase of the golf swing. The ability to access that power from your glutes is a direct benefit from having flexibility in the hip flexors and quadriceps as well as promoting hip extension by using the full contraction of the glutes.

Additionally, the psoas, a muscle which connects at the inside of the femur bone up to the thoracic spine, effects stability of the lumbar spine. When the psoas is tight, as is the case with most golfers, it inhibits hip rotation, depleting maximum power at impact and inhibiting extension in the finish position of the golf swing.

In addition, often low back discomfort can be disguised as shortened hip flexors. When a golfer tries to increase abdominal strength to create a healthier back they often decrease hip mobility. Without this flexibility we will not only have a full range of motion in the hips and you will be challenged to engage and use the full intensity of the glutes to power through the swing.

The following yoga-based stretch / pose focuses directly on the hips and glutes. Remember to breathe deeply through the nose.

Hip Flexor Stretch with Ball:

Note: This stretch can be done with the top of your back foot on a Thera-Ball, the wall or place the top of the foot on the floor.

Par Level: Begin on your hands and knees placing the right foot on the ball. Bring the left knee so it is directly under your shoulder, touching your left wrist. Inhale deeply through the nose. On the exhalation press the top of the foot into the ball and squeeze your right glute. Inhale again and on the next exhale allow the body to relax as you move deeper into the stretch. Repeat five times.

Birdie Level: Bring the left foot to the floor, placing the left knee at a 90 degree angle. Note: Do not allow the angle at the knee to be less than 90 degrees. Repeat as described above for three more repetitions.

Eagle Level: Place your hands on your knee bringing your body to an upright position. Note: It is critical that you engage your core abdominal muscles. Pull your navel towards your spine and visualize your ribcage listing off the waist. Repeat the dynamic stretch three more times.

Half and Full Pigeon pose:

Note: In these poses you should never experience any knee discomfort.

Half Pigeon Pose - Par Level: Place the left leg at a 90 degree angle in front of the body and the right leg behind you at a 90 degree angle. Inhale as you pull the navel towards the spine and fold the upper body over the front leg on the exhalation. Repeat five times and switch sides.

Full Pigeon Pose - Eagle Level: Bring the left leg forward aligning the left knee directly under the left shoulder. Slide the right leg back while focusing on maintaining the top of the leg facing the floor. Do not allow the right leg to externally rotate. Fold forward and hold for five to ten breaths. Switch sides.

Bound Angle pose at the wall:

Par Level: Sit as tall as possible with the entire spine against the wall. Bring the soles of the feet together and towards the groin. On the exhalation press the knees towards the floor. Hold for three seconds, relax and repeat five times.

You can reach Katherine at her website,
www.KRTotalFitness.com
Email her here
Tel: 888-313-YOGA (9642)
Fax: 480-513-7129

Most golfers seem to feel that spending thousands of hours and dollars banging away at a mountain of balls on the practice range is the best way to improve their golf game. If this is true, why is it that -- as a group -- American golfers were producing lower scores 40 years ago than we are today?

With all the new technology in golf equipment, better-conditioned golf courses, better-conditioned golfers, and an astronomical amount of golf instruction available from countless sources, our scores are going up!

I feel that there is more than one reason for this phenomenon, including the astronomical amount of golf instruction out there that is senseless, mechanical, fragmented, and does not work, but the actual root of the higher scores lies in one aspect of the game.

People's reasons for playing golf may vary, but the objective of the GAME of golf has always been to play a certain number of holes in the FEWEST number of strokes.

Contrary to popular belief that one needs to have the perfect swing in order to do this, you actually have to do just ONE thing.

PUTT BETTER!!

No matter what your score is, on average 43% of all of your strokes in a round of golf are going to be with the putter. Almost half. Consider the possibilities.

A good putter ALWAYS has a chance for a lower score. A not-so-good putter has no chance……EVER!!

Some of the best putters I have ever seen in my life are kids. So we know it can't be that difficult to do if we can become that skilled at such a young age.

There are only 4 things that a player has to learn to do to be very good at putting;

1. Learn to "read" the contours of the green to know if the putt will break to the right or left, and if the putt is uphill or downhill. This is nothing more than experience.
2. Aim the putter on the line chosen.
3. Have the feeling of rolling the ball on the line chosen (not "hitting" it).
4. Have the feeling of rolling the ball TO the hole, not AT the hole. This will give you the appropriate sense of speed. More putts are missed and more 3 and 4-putt greens occur because of incorrect distance than any other factor.

Just practice rolling the ball to the hole, and pay attention to what actually happens with each putt, and I guarantee that you will learn to putt more skillfully. Anyone can do this, and you can have lower scores.

David A. Williams
Author of the golf instructional video, "Golf - If you don't know…You can't do it!" and "The Master Golf Swing Program."
Teaching Professional since 1973
PGA member since 1984
602-952-9419 or 1-800-653-6929

Many golfers have written to me about the exciting improvement in their game! I never tire of these stories, so please keep sending them! They help me better understand how to fine-tune my program.

I'm a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with offices here in Scottsdale, Arizona. You can call me at 480-483-6941 or you can email me here or from my website, www.OwnTheZoneGolf.com.