Lessons Lessons THTHININK / PLAY / LIVEK / PLAY / LIVE
110 GOLF.COM / S e p t ember 2019
TRAIN THREE KEY MUSCLE
GROUPS IN A SINGLE EXERCISEAN ALL-PURPOSE
BODY BUILDER
23BODY LANGUAGEThe bridge with leg extension test
is a great exercise for stabilizing
your lumbar spine, core and glutes.
Strength in these areas is key to
helping you maintain a solid base
and improving your balance.STEP 1: Lie flat on your back with
your knees bent, feet flat and arms
at your sides. Your knees and feet
should be together.STEP 2: Lift your pelvis skyward.
Keep your belt line parallel to the
floor. Breathe.STEP 3: Extend your right leg
while clapping your hands out in
front of your chest. Hold for 10
seconds. If your leg shakes or if your
left hip drops, there’s instability in
your right glute. If your lower back
or your left hamstring cramps,
that’s another sign of weakness.STEP 4: Lower your leg and arms
back to the starting position.STEP 5: Extend your left leg and
repeat the arm motion. Hold for
10 seconds. If you start to shake or
drop your right hip, you’re weak on
that side. The more you perform
this exercise, the stronger you’ll
become. Don’t forget to breathe!By: Lou GuzziAS A GOLF TEACHER FOR MORE THAN
40 years, I love seeing my students out on
the practice green, striving to improve their
short game. They work on their putting,
play games that simulate pressure-filled
scenarios and hit different putts from
different lengths. Awesome.
However, the thing about putting prac-
tice is—and I’m about to get real here—it
can be pretty grueling if you’re fatigued.
Maybe you played a long round of golf,
did some yardwork or worked a full day
at the office before you got to the practice
green. Whatever the case, practicing put-
ting when you’re feeling worn out might
do more harm than good.
If you’re determined to get some
practice time in when you’re not in peak
condition, opting to work on your puttingwhen you’re a little tired is definitely a
better choice than hitting full-swing shots
on the range. The key is to practice the right
stuff. You shouldn’t bother with trying to
make 3- or 6-footers. Don’t even mess with
dialing in your lag putts. Use this time to
practice with a quiet, restful mind and
develop your distance control and feel. Putt
a handful of balls from the center of the
green toward the fringe and don’t worry
about direction. Instead, work on getting
the balls to end up near the edge of the
green. You can even place three or four tees
on the green at different locations and try
to get a cluster of balls to finish relatively
close to the pegs. The key is to remove the
idea of making putts from the equation.
Save pressure practice scenarios for when
you’re rested and at your best.Smart Golf: Give Your Putting a Rest
Illustrationsb
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ood;^Angus^ MurrayTOP 1O O20 19TEAAMCEHREICRSA InBy: Dave Phillips, TPI