Guest Columnist: Brett Wilkinson

This winter, commit to getting that swing better

I’ve heard and witnessed it each and every one of the 24 years of my professional career: Most amateurs wait until March to start getting their golf game in gear for the upcoming golf season. I keep preaching that winter lessons and practice will promote better golfing results come spring and summer. Those that listen to this advice, tend to have more fun and better scoring. Those that don’t, tend to struggle for several weeks or months until achieving the results they’re after.

Three and half years ago, I made the decision to teach indoors because I wanted an ideal learning environment for my students, state-of-the art video equipment at my beacon call, and the luxury of not having to wear rain gear for countless swing sessions in the off season. Plus, I also wanted to be in a location where my students could practice indoors, watch themselves on video, and ingrain good swing mechanics. Studies have shown that students who use video when they practice improve 3 times faster than those who do not!

Stop saying that this season is the one that you’ll commit to getting better and just do it! Take a few lessons this winter! Schedule them 2-3 weeks apart so you can work on the areas recommended for improvement. Do your best to hit balls at the driving range or an indoor facility once or twice a week. Just think, if you committed 1-2 hours a week practicing the proper things this off-season, you’ll be way ahead of the game come February or March when everybody else is just getting their act together.

If you do not have access to a driving range or indoor facility, make 50-100 practice swings, a couple of days a week, in your garage or basement. It’s ironic to think that most golfers make a more fundamentally sound golf swing on a practice swing because of the ‘hit impulse’ when the golf ball is present. One of my students, whom at 72 years of age is a very good player, hardly ever hits balls at the driving range. Instead, he practices at our indoor facility weekly and makes 25-50 practice golf swings in his basement in front of his sliding glass door – every morning. This guy consistently shoots close to his age time and time again.

Also, it’s a good idea to think about your golf fitness. Our Titleist Performance Institute golf conditioning programs have proven the off-season is a wonderful time to improve your fitness, flexibility, and stamina. Improved golf strength, stronger endurance and energy, and better flexibility are all prominent luxuries you can achieve with a regular golf exercise program. And, not to mention, better fitness will make you sharper on the mental side of the game as well! It’s amazing how much more concentration you have with everything, golf game included, when you are engaging in a regular physical fitness program.

Lastly, the most important thing you can do is to make up a plan for winter golf improvement and stick to it. The mass majority of my students who do this are light years ahead of their counterparts.

They’re the ones that usually start out the golf season strong and keep getting stronger as the season progresses. And, they’re the ones that are usually physically and mentally stronger the last 3-5 holes of every golf round – especially in tournament golf! So, instead of watching them out perform you and consistently shoot lower scores than you, you can join them!!

Brett Wilkinson is the director of instruction at GolfTEC in Bellevue. He can be reached for appointments and lessons at 425.454.7956.