Resolve to improve your game: Be a better golfer in '98

      With 1998 in full swing, it's the perfect time to take stock in your life and see how you can improve this year.
      The new year's resolution is something we all decide to make for ourselves at least once. What we promise to do, and what we truly accomplish are often two different animals.
      Some of you may have already broken your resolution for 1998. I hope not. A resolution is a promise to yourself that you will keep improving, so do it.
      For those of us in the golf business, an improved game is often high on the list of resolutions. For a beginner, a resolution may simply be to get the ball off the ground in 1998 -- that's OK. Remember, even professional golfers have coaches who help them with their game all the time.
      The swing of a player on the Professional Golf Association's (PGA) Tour is constantly analyzed. For players like Tiger Woods, a perfect swing can determine his paycheck for the week. Golf professionals can help golfers of any skill level.
      The most common method is a golf lesson. Sometimes a videotaped lesson is helpful for intermediate players.
      Some golfers are very successful playing for the first time -- but eventually a "plateau" in a golfer's game will lead to a need for a lesson.
      This column does not pretend to be a substitute for qualified golf instruction. This column will give readers a chance to learn more about the game of golf, a sport I have played and loved since I was a kid.
      One of the best parts of my job as a golf pro is helping golfers make adjustments to improve their game. There's nothing better than playing better. If you would like to improve your golf game this year, no matter what your level of ability, take heart.
      This is the first in a regular series of golf columns I am writing for VIEW, and I could not be more excited about it.
      One goal of this column is to answer questions from readers. So I encourage you to be an active reader of this column. Please feel comfortable asking questions about the game. From the rules of golf, to the elements of the swing, to questions about new equipment and upcoming Las Vegas Valley golf events -- there's no question too large or small.
      This week's first question comes from a VIEW staffer who asked me not to list his name. He also kept his handicap a secret.
      Question: I'm missing about 80 percent of my short putts to the right. I'm sure I could be five strokes better each round if I made the easy ones. I'm lining them up right -- is it just a mental block?
      Answer: Golfers of every handicap run into problems with short putts. Right-handed golfers miss short putts to the right because they often lift their head too early to see if they made the putt.
      They may not realize it's happening, but that slight head movement when they look to see where the shot went raises the left shoulder, and when the left shoulder is raised, the face of the putter opens.
      The result is a putt that is pushed to the right of the hole. To fix this problem, golfers need to trust their game a bit.
      First, the putt should be lined up as usual, followed by a glance at the target. Instead of looking up when contact is made, golfers should listen for the ball to drop into the cup.
      When the golfer forces himself or herself not to look up, and takes a smooth, accelerating stroke through the ball, the face of the putter spends more time on the intended line.
      Q: I've heard you should hit behind the ball when you hit out of a bunker, but it feels so unnatural to aim behind the ball. Is there more to it?
      A: Many golfers get intimidated when it comes to playing their ball out of the bunker, and for good reason. Any shot a player is not used to making is going to be a challenge.
      Hitting out of a bunker feels different because it's the only time a golfer wants to hit the ground before the ball. Pick a spot one to two inches behind the ball and make that your target.
      Make sure your take away is at a very steep angle. With a steep take away, the club face will return to the ball at an equally steep angle.
      It is important that the club splashes through the sand and toward the target. Golfers often make the mistake of stopping their follow-through after they hit the sand and the ball.
      The follow-through is what actually lifts the ball out of the bunker. The proper follow-through on a bunker shot should leave the hands even with the shoulder closest to the target.
     
     Jon Spatz is the head golf professional at Desert Willow Golf Course at Sun City MacDonald Ranch. He can be reached at Jon Spatz, c/o Desert Willow Golf Course, Sun City MacDonald Ranch, 2020 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, Henderson, NV 89012. He can also be reached via e-mail at spatzj@delwebb.com or by calling 263-GOLF.