Try these tips : We did and they work!

Golf Digest, Nov, 2001 by Ron Kaspriske

14 great stroke savers from our readers, with expert commentary from our teachers

1. On the tee, imagine a gallery

Whenever I absolutely have to get the ball in the fairway, I rely on this mental image: As I stand on the tee box and address the ball, I try to imagine a gallery on both sides of the fairway. It makes me think the fairway is narrow, so I concentrate on hitting a straighter shot. I don't want to hit one into the gallery, so I take a smoother swing and focus on keeping it in play.

I TRIED IT: This is a great way to narrow your focus and take dead aim. It makes you concentrate on the target and not worry about all the things you learned about the golf swing. It gets your mind on the task at hand.

Ron Kaspriske

Golf Digest Schools instructor Tim Mahoney

It's a common request from our readers: more golf tips for and from the average player. It makes sense. After all, you're in the trenches every weekend, you know what it's like to try to get through a round with a banana slice and a shaky putting stroke. So why not go to the source and pick up a few shortcuts from other everyday players who have found ways to lower their scores?

Well, that's what we did.

Earlier this year, we asked for your best original ideas on how to improve your game, and the letters, e-mails and faxes have been pouring in ever since. From Manitoba to Puerto Rico to Singapore, we've received hundreds of tips from readers all over the globe. One ambitious reader from Kansas City, Mo., mailed us his own 57-page instruction manual on the golf swing. It was a bit much, but it just goes to show the dedication people have to this game, and it was a great reminder that you're never too old or too good to learn something new.

We selected the best of the best tips and then flew to Scottsdale to test them with four of our top Golf Digest Schools instructors. They were impressed with what you had to say, and here they demonstrate your ideas. For good measure, we've also thrown in a few bonus reader tips without photos or comment. We think they speak for themselves.

Recently we added an element to our instruction articles called "I tried it." The idea is to have our readers actually test the tips we offer as part of the presentation and comment on whether they work. Well, this time, we've switched the roles: Now it's the student who is the teacher, and the instructor tries the tip.

2. Toe in to prevent sway

I was having a problem swaying backward on my backswing and I wasn't making solid contact. But I found that turning my rear foot slightly inward prevented me from swaying in the backswing and allowed me to pivot. The "toe-in" move produced a more consistent and dependable swing.

I TRIED IT: This does restrict swaying, especially in short shots. But people with back or hip problems may have trouble turning.

Sandy LaBauve

3. Track putts back from cup

Just before putting, I picture the ball tracking backward from the hole. Every time I've holed a long putt, I've first experienced this heightened visualization.

I TRIED IT: I like this. Most amateurs don't use their eyes enough when putting. The top putters spend more time looking at the target line than at the ball. This is a good tip for picturing putts.

Mike LaBauve

4. Try the three-finger interlock

Take a standard putting grip with your left hand, the thumb and index finger pointing down the shaft. Then interlock your last three fingers with the same three fingers from your right hand. Now put your right hand on the grip with the thumb and index finger also pointing down the shaft. Your thumbs rest on each other as shown.

I TRIED IT: Whether left-handed (as shown here) or right, this grip eliminates hand action--no wrists.

Ken Carpenter

5. Brace yourself for chips

To practice the proper chipping stroke, pull up a chair . . . literally. Using a couch, chair, or anything solid, lean your left leg against it as shown here. With your weight forward but braced, you will strike the ball with the proper downward blow and hit it crisply. This also helps prevent the wrists from breaking down.

I TRIED IT: Great drill to groove the setup in chipping. Your weight starts on your left side and stays there.

Sandy LaBauve

6. Use a cell phone to fix the downswing

Who says a cell phone has no business near a golf course? In practice, I attach one to my belt just above the right pants pocket. On the downswing, I try to touch the phone with my right elbow. This little reminder helps me to drop the club inside on the way down and hit crisp, powerful shots.

I TRIED IT: A nice variation on Harvey Penick's tip of getting the right elbow to your hip as soon as you can on the downswing. It's a good image (although I don't care for cell phones on the golf course).

Tim Mahoney

7. Lay up on long, tough par 3s

If you are facing a difficult tee shot on a long or tough par 3, consider pulling out your most comfortable club and laying up. If you leave yourself a reasonable chip, you can still get on the green in two and have a shot at a good par on a tough hole. You might even sink the chip. It's better than being in the water or out of bounds. A bogey is always better than a 5 or 6 or worse!