Myrtle Beach 2011 King Of Myrtle Beach Trip Course List

 

Man O' War Golf Club

Rising up from the depths of an 80-acre lake, this long-awaited course contains all the drama and challenge that are the hallmark of world-famous architect Dan Maples. The lake at Man O’War winds through the course, defining holes and changing from ally to enemy, as its sparkling beauty becomes a punishing hazard.

Man O’War, “Rated 4 STARS by Golf Digest," features large Bentgrass greens, a practice range and a unique marina clubhouse.

Arrowhead Country Club

With a canvas of Bermuda Fairways and Bentgrass Greens, the team of Ray Floyd and Tom Jackson have created a 27-hole masterpiece along the scenic Intracoastal Waterway in Myrtle Beach. Each nine-hole layout is unique, featuring uncommon elevations, hardwood wetlands and the most impeccable manicured holes in the area.

Arrowhead was recently awarded SC's Golf Course of the Year (1998).
Arrowhead is conveniently located five minutes from the Myrtle Beach International Airport. Ask about our special programs for Juniors. Non-metal spikes required.

The Witch Golf Club

Journey into a world of golf unlike anything else you’ve ever seen. 18 holes rise as if by magic from undisturbed woodlands and enchanted wetlands.

Nearly 4000 feet of bridges wind their way through hundreds of acres of wetlands, left intact as nature's perfect hazards. But the beauty of the setting doesn't diminish the challenge lurking in the layout.
In the best spirit of golf, The Witch, "Rated 4.5 STARS by Golf Digest," was designed to bring out the best in players of all levels. It's an unforgetable golfing experience.

Wizard Golf

When architect Dan Maples set out to create a different kind of golf course in Myrtle Beach, the earth moved-literally. Maples moved an astounding 1,000,000 cubic yards of earth and, as if by magic, brought a bit of mountain golf to Myrtle Beach.

The transformed landscape is full of devilish elevation changes, with even a touch of rock bridges. This course, Rated 4 STARS by Golf Digest," is destined to be a "must play" for anyone who comes to Myrtle Beach. If you thought all beach courses were alike just wait until you fall under The Wizard's power.

Royal New Kent Golf Course, A Mike Strantz Classic

Golf With History Located between Williamsburg and Richmond, Virginia, Royal New Kent is set upon the low hills between Diascund Creek and the Chickahominy River. In 1997, Royal New Kent opened to outstanding reviews and was named "Best New Upscale Public Course in the Nation" by GolfDigest and No. 23 on Golf Magazines’s Top 100 you can play. In 1999, Royal New Kent was named one of "America’s Top 100 Greatest Golf Courses" by Golf Digest. In 2001, Golf Digest ranked Royal New Kent among the top three courses in Virginia, and in 2002 Royal New Kent was awarded 4 1/2 star by Golf Digest. Equal to the standards set by the course, Royal New Kent has first-rate conveniences such as a full-service bar, dining and meeting rooms, practice facilities, and a pro shop. The Course Flowing across 7,372 yards of a windswept, rugged landscape, Royal New Kent has been called "the truest representation of an Irish links in America." Royal New Kent is reminiscent of the Irish Landscape where links course such as Royal County Down and Ballybunion were built. Greens hide behind sharp, grassy knolls, hand stacked rock walls and tall fescue grasses. The generous, countoured fairways occasionally demand blind shots. The par 72 design features over 120 bunkers, many are deep shadow bunkers lined with fescue grass. The enormous, fast greens have bold swales and ridges. Each hole offers several playing options. 3 Remarkable Holes Hole 1 - The first hole at Royal New Kent is as exhilarating as a ride on the Autobahn. This par 4 features a 75 foot drop from the tee to a cavern-like fairway and an uphill shot to a double-tiered, false-front green. Hole 7 - After playing this downhill par 3, bungee-jumping would seem anti-climactic. The challenge here is to hit the green with your tee shot and avoid the creek and the bunkers. A golfer who lands in a green-side bunker will need a very clever shot to keep his ball from rolling into the creek. Hole 18 - Sightseers would swoon at the sight of the sun-sparkling water on one side of the 18th green and the sound of the tumbling waterfall on the other. Golfers cringe at these "hazards." Focused players drive as long as possible on the fairway to set up a short iron to the green.

Course Accolades

* No. 84 - America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses (Golf Digest)

* Best New Upscale Course in the Nation (Golf digest, 1997)

* 4 1/2 Stars - Places to Play (Golf Digest)

* No. 3 - Best in State: Virginia (Golf Digest)

* No. 15 - 40 Best Public Courses (Golf & Travel)

* No. 28 - 100 Best Modern Golf Courses (Golf & Travel)

* No 23. - Top 100 You Can Play (Golf Magazine)

* Modern Classics (Links Magazine)

Royal New Kent is the closest thing to the links of Great Britain and Ireland

Royal New Kent was designed by the late Mike Strantz after the links courses of Ireland, and is a great rendition, and much less costly than making the trip across the pond. There’s a lot of the same design elements as you’d find on a traditional links course, open and windy, rolling and rugged terrain, and fairways tumbling and bordered by fall fescue grass. It’s located just off I-64. east of Richmond, took us 1 1/2 hours from NOVA.

The course is between Richmond and Williamsburg in Providence Forge

Like Royal County Down, there’s target rocks provide direction to blind fairways, with deep pot bunkers that usually require a blast back out to the fairway. There’s blind shots to the greens hidden behind grassy knolls, stacked rock walls but the fairways are wide and forgiving. The course can play to 7336 yards, par 72, and a tough 146 slope, but has 4 sets of tees. There’s 120 bunkers scattered in the fairways at some odd intervals and right around the greens. The greens are huge and fast, but do promote the run up shot which is so useful in the British Isle’s links courses. Play the course from the right set of tees and you’ll enjoy the game much more.

Get Your Release Right For Solid Ball Striking

The Release

By Karen Palacios-Jansen, LPGA, Photography by Sam Greenwood

The word “release” sometimes causes confusion among high-handicappers. They know they have to release the club, but they’re not sure how or when to do it. Here’s the skinny: A proper release happens naturally when the golfer allows the clubface to square through impact as a result of the proper path and clubhead speed. It’s not a position that you can just put yourself into at impact—you have to arrive at it via the proper sequence.

I’m sure you’ve all experienced the ecstasy of hitting a good shot that sailed through the air and felt completely effortless. In those instances, you executed a proper release, allowing the momentum of the club to work its magic instead of trying to manipulate it.

Release Opposites

Ideally, you want to square the clubface through impact by rotating your right forearm (if you’re right-handed) over the left one.

The result is a flat left wrist and a square clubface at the moment of contact. After impact, your arms should extend fully as your lower body rotates to the left while the club remains on the target line. Because your arms pass your body through the impact zone, your head should remain behind the ball. If you wear a glove, your glove hand should be underneath your right hand. Once again, this isn’t a position that you just put yourself into; you have to let it happen automatically.

High-handicappers, on the other hand, try to hold the clubface square through impact, not allowing the release, so they end up with the glove hand on top of the right hand. This combination causes a slew of mis-hits, including high, weak shots to the right. Some high-handicappers, in an attempt to square the clubface at impact, end up flipping the right hand underneath the left one. The result is a breakdown in the left wrist, which keeps the clubface open. The swing looks forced and jerky instead of smooth and flowing.

Allowing For The Release

In a proper release, you want to square the clubface through impact by rotating your right forearm over your left. If you start with your arms relaxed and maintain that relaxed feeling throughout the swing, this rotation becomes much easier. One of the biggest problems I see that prevents golfers from letting the club release is that they grip too tightly. If you have tight grip pressure, you won’t be able to rotate your forearms during the swing because you’ll have too much tension built up in your forearms. Furthermore, the tighter you grip the club, the more likely you’ll slice the ball. Here’s a simple way to check your grip pressure. Grip the club lightly and hover the clubhead above the ground. The clubhead should feel heavy as you waggle the club. Now grip the club tight and you’ll feel that the clubhead gets light. Adjust your grip pressure before each swing so that the clubhead feels heavy.

You can practice the proper forearm rotation without even thinking about it. Notice how many good players, especially Tour pros, get into the habit of rotating the club with the left forearm as they wait to tee off. Watch for it the next time a tournament airs on TV. They’ll swing the club back smoothly, hinging the wrist on the back swing and releasing it on the follow through.

Drill Work

Here’s a drill to help you learn the proper release. Without a club, hold your left thumb with your right hand as if you were gripping a club. Swing back so that your hands are shoulder-high. At this point, your thumbs should be pointing at a slight angle to the sky. Now, slowly swing down and feel the rotation of your forearms through impact and stop when your hands reach shoulder-high. At this point, your glove hand should be underneath your right hand, and your thumbs should be pointing at a slight angle to the sky again. If you finish at this point with your glove hand on top of your right hand, you’d have sliced the ball with a real swing. Perform this drill often so you can do it at normal speed and not have to think about making the proper release. Again, the release isn’t something you do, but it’s something every good golf swing needs.

Before Myrtle Beach, Load Up On Golf Balls

Welcome to Your Golf Ball Shop

Where we golf for less!

We are a full service golf shop providing discount balls, clubs and accessories. We carry a full line of Pro-line balls at 50 to 75% off including: Titleist, Callaway, Nike, Taylor Made, Bridgestone, Srixon, Pinnacle, and much more.We have the lowest prices around on golf balls!

We carry clubs for the beginner to the low handicapper including: Wilson, Powerbilt, Bag Boy, Ray Cook, Q-roll, Dunlop and AMF. See our line of discounted Ahead shirts and Ice Wear jackets or pick up an NFL head cover. If you are looking for some Champ spikes, Divvy sunglasses, training aids or a gift item come and see us.

Our staff are ready to regrip or repair your clubs while you wait. 

All of our balls are recovered from water.  Each ball is separated according to its quality anywhere from perfect to hit away.  Allowing you to golf for less. We carry all different types of golf balls, here are just a few... Titleist ProV1 and ProV1 X Ranging from $11.95 to $24.95 per dozen
Titleist NXT, NXT Tour, NXT Extreme and more...  Ranging from $9.95 to $12.95 per dozen
Callaway Warbird, Big Bertha, HX Tour, HX Hot, and more...Starting at $7.95 per dozen
Top Flite Dimple and Dimple, Strata, and more... Starting at $6.95 per dozen
Nike One Platinum, One Black, TW, Mojo, and more... Starting at $7.95 per dozen
Maxfli Tour Fire, Power Max, Black Max, Noodle, and more...  Starting at $5.95 per dozen
Slazenger RD, RD Speed, RD Tour, and more...From $5.95 per dozen   STORE HOURS: Monday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:30 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Our new store is located:6229 Indian River Rd Virginia Beach, VA 23464-3504 Tel: 757 368-0700

Deck The Driver

Let’s face it. The driver used to be placed off the deck a lot more often than it is now. Older drivers not only tended to be smaller, but they also had more loft, which helped golfers get the ball up in the air off the ground a little easier. Also, with the advent of today’s fairwood technology, it’s safe to assume that some of today’s fairway woods are longer than the drivers of as little as 10-15 years ago. That said, hitting a driver off the deck can still be a useful shot, if you know when and how to play it.

Before you decide to hit the driver from the fairway, make sure you have a good even lie (and please, don’t try it from the rough). Second, don’t position the ball quite as far as you normally would with a tee in the ground. Back up the ball to about where you play your fairway woods. Now’s when “trusting it” comes into play. Too many amateurs try to add loft to the driver by hanging and trying to hit up on the ball. This not only will rarely work, but also can lead to really fat or thin shots. Instead, trust that the design of your driver will do its job. Most driver heads are designed to impart more spin on the ball when struck on the lower half of the clubface. So don’t try to lift up on it. Make a smooth, level swing with the driver and let the club do the work!

Try this a few times out on the range before you put this shot in play. The typical ballflight with this shot is a low fade, so plan accordingly on the golf course. You’ll soon see that the driver off the deck is a great shot for keeping the ball low and out of the wind, all while flying a long way. Stay level and finish on your forward side.

Jeff Johnson teaches at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in Ojai, California. For more information, visit ojairesort.com.

THE SWEET SPOT Today’s drivers have the biggest clubfaces ever. No really, they’ve never been this big, making it easier for more types of players to hit longer and straighter drives. But what’s really going on with big faces? Does the sweet spot actually get bigger? The answer is no. A driver (or any other club for the matter) has a sweet spot located at the precise intersection of the vertical center of gravity and the horizontal center of gravity. What’s referred to as a sweet spot should more appropriately be called a “sweet point,” since it’s actually a mere intersection point of two axes of gravity. When equipment manufacturers refer to a driver as having a “bigger” or “enlarged” sweet spot, what they’re really saying is the area around the sweet spot has become more forgiving, which in some cases, produces little to no loss of distance or accuracy when contact with the ball is slightly off the sweet spot. That’s not to say missing the sweet spot is always a bad thing. Some better players intentionally make contact above the sweet spot, which not only increases the launch angle and lessens ball speed a bit, but also reduces spin for a more bor-ing ballflight. On the other hand, hitting below the sweet spot will produce drives with added backspin, which helps when hitting drives off the ground.

Myrtle beach Courses Re-Doing Greens

No fewer than six Grand Strand golf courses will be closing this spring and summer to perform 18-hole green renovations.


Five will be closing all 18 holes simultaneously, and five are continuing the trend of courses replacing bentgrasses with fine-bladed ultradwarf Bermudagrasses following one of the most stressful summers on bent in Strand history.


"If you own the company that redoes greens with Bermuda, you're going to have a busy summer," said Wild Wing Plantation head pro Tom Van Hoogen. "[Bent] is great when everything goes well and the weather is good, but it's a nightmare when you have a summer like we did last year."

The Wild Wing Avocet Course is one of three courses managed by the Myrtle Beach National Co. that are shutting down this summer. The others are River Club and the Myrtle Beach National West Course.


Wild Wing, which has 27 holes including the Hummingbird nine, will close only nine Avocet holes at a time so they will always have 18 open during a transition from PennLinks bent to Mini-Verde Bermuda, which is already featured at the TPC of Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach National Southcreek course.


The front nine is scheduled to close on June 19 and reopen on July 10, when the back nine will close. The back nine could reopen as early as Aug. 1. The Hummingbird nine, also featuring PennLinks bent, will remain open and unchanged this summer.


River Club, which was scheduled to replace its greens last summer before MB National executives decided to remain open for another year, will close June 23 to transition from A1 bent to Champion Bermuda and reopen Aug. 19. Champion is also featured at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and Long Bay Club.


The West Course will close June 29 to transition from bent to Mini-Verde and reopen Aug. 24.


Quail Creek Golf Club at Coastal Carolina is scheduled to close next Monday to upgrade from TifDwarf Bermuda to Mini-Verde and reopen around Aug. 22, though some paperwork hurdles still have to be cleared.
The Barefoot Resort Fazio Course closed on Monday to change from A1 bent to Champion Bermuda and is scheduled to reopen July 18, and the Barefoot Norman Course is scheduled to close on July 11 to replace A1 with Champion and reopen Sept. 1.


During the shutdown at Wild Wing to sod greens, a few bunkers will be reworked to improve drainage, and because the ninth hole at the Avocet doesn't come back to the clubhouse, players will benefit from the option of a clubhouse visit after each nine.


The Avocet's seventh hole has featured Mini-Verde since last summer, when the green was replaced following damage from someone driving on it, and course operators have been happy with its performance.


Closing Quail Creek for renovations is more complicated than closing the other layouts because the course is owned by Coastal Carolina University and must follow state guidelines before construction work can be contracted.


Charlie Thrash, Quail Creek general manager and director of the CCU Professional Golf Management Program, said funding for the project will come from a gift left by General Jim Hackler to benefit the golf programs at CCU.


Thrash said the course has had to follow the state's formal bidding process that hasn't come to fruition yet. Companies interested in the work had to attend a pre-bid meeting, and Thrash said 13 companies from seven states attended.


At least eight bids were accepted through May 10, and there is a 10-day waiting period that ends Friday for a references check as well as the filing of any grievances from other bidders protesting the low bid.


"When you're working with the state, a large governmental body, you have to play by the rules," said Thrash, who won't give the name of the company that won the bid until the process is complete.


Designer Craig Schreiner, who is a co-designer of the Members Club at Grande Dunes and handled renovation work at Pine Lakes Country Club, is a consultant on the project.


Thrash said the project will include: renovating or removing bunkers; building a short-game practice area that will accommodate 75-yard shots and include a bunker, green and hitting stations; doubling the size of the practice putting green to about 12,000 square feet; and remodeling work in and around the clubhouse, primarily in the pro shop and snack bar areas.


Some tee boxes will be leveled and reshaped on the 43-year-old Gene Hamm design, and a couple will likely be created. The second tee box may slide left 20 to 30 yards for strategic purposes, Thrash said.
Thrash said the new green complexes "will have a little more personality," and fairway bunkers that have become somewhat obsolete will be removed. "Our students blow it right past the bunkers," Thrash said. "The only person that puts it in the bunkers is me."


The work this summer is in addition to a new irrigation system that was installed in 2007.
"We've got a good layout and this will update our greens," Thrash said. "The routing stays the same but it will be a better conditioned and more playable golf course."


Course operators grew Mini-Verde on three small greens in front of the clubhouse last summer to test the grass.


The planned closing led to the move of the Class AAA boys high school golf championship Monday and today from Quail Creek to Black Bear Golf Club. The club plans to continue community involvement by again hosting the AAA girls state championship in the fall and the North-South All-Star high school event.


Dunes in documentary 




A film crew was at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club this past weekend, filming for an hourlong documentary that is expected to air sometime in early 2012 on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
The Dunes Club director of golf Dennis Nicholl, who was interviewed for the documentary, said the subject is essentially: the development of the game through 14 course architects who have changed the way golf courses are designed over the past 100 years or so.


"That's going to be great for the club to be part of that documentary," Nicholl said. "Any time they put you as one of the prominent golf courses that changed golf course architecture in the world, we're certainly proud to be part of that."


The Dunes Club, which opened in 1948, is considered one of Robert Trent Jones' best designs.
Nicholl said the six-month filming project will include visits to at least 30 courses and also feature architects A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, Tom Doak, and the team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, among others.


Four Dunes Club members were equipped with microphones and filmed while playing the back nine Saturday. They were Tommy Brittain, a member of the board of directors; son Preston Brittain, head of the club's men's golf association; Jack Bonner, a board member who knew Jones; and past club president David Gravely.
The film crew was also used for Golf Galaxy and Dick's Sporting Goods commercials that will feature The Dunes Club.


Free lessons in May


Several area professionals are participating in the 14^th annual PGA Free Lesson Month in May and will be providing free 10-minute lessons and/or family clinics this month.


The entire list of pros who have registered for the promotion can be found at PlayGolfAmerica.com/FLM. Brad Redding of Grande Dunes Golf Academy, one of Golf Magazine's top 100 instructors in America since 2001, is among them and will be offering free 10-minute lessons from 3-6 p.m. Saturday. Reservations are recommended.


Every golfer who takes a free lesson in the U.S. can enter a sweepstakes at PlayGolfAmerica.com/FLM to win a two-day golf getaway to The PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and two runners-up will receive a set of Nike clubs.
Veterans storm area


More than 400 current and former members of the U.S. military from more than 30 states and the District of Columbia are expected to participate in the 12^th annual 54-hole Veterans Golf Classic next Monday through Wednesday.


The two-person team tournament will be played on 12 courses, features a different format each day and is flighted based on the combined team handicap. Members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars will compete for the Carolina Cup while members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard will battle for The Branch Challenge.


In 2010, the VFW retained the Carolina Cup for their sixth victory in the last seven years, and the Air Force captured the Branch Challenge. For more information call 1-800-833-8798 or visit GolfHoliday.com.
Rivalry renewed


A group of 24 golfers from Ireland is in the midst of a two-week golf trip to the Grand Strand that includes a rematch with members of Island Green Golf Club.


The teams first played during the Irish group's trip two years ago and organized a rematch this past Saturday, won again by the U.S. team 7.5-5.5. The Irishmen's itinerary also includes Wachesaw East, Litchfield Country Club, TPC, Wild Wing, Long Bay Club, River Oaks and Tradition.


Demo day upcoming 




Steve Dresser Golf Academy at True Blue Plantation will be hosting a demo day from 2-6 p.m. Friday featuring products from Titleist and Cobra. Free soft drinks and snacks will be provided.
The Dresser Academy is also staging a pair of three-day golf schools from June 12-19 in Vermont at Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa and Stowe Country Club that includes 12 hours of instruction, two rounds of golf, accommodations and nine meals for $995 per person.

Read more: http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/05/17/2162777/courses-closing-for-overhaul-of.html#ixzz1NBJEcJtQ

Destroy Your Slice

1. Align & Visualize

To draw the ball,the first thing you need to have is the right image. Begin by setting your sights on a spot to the right of your target. This is your starting line. Now, imagine your ball beginning on that line (illustrated in white, above) and curving left, back to the target. Visualizing your shot will send valuable information to your muscles and help turn that image into a reality.

When setting up for a hook, it’s a good idea to close your stance a touch, as well. (Note how my left foot is slightly closer to the ball than my right.)

Just Right!	My Club’s On Plane
Too Tall!	My Arms And Shoulders Don’t Match

2. Bend Forward

A steep swing encourages an open clubface and, thus, a slice. To fix this, you have to swing on a flatter plane, and that starts at address.

Begin by bending over more during setup. This steepens your shoulder plane. Your arms now will swing on a flatter plane, allowing you to create a neutral, shallow hit. A flatter arm swing also will encourage your clubface to close through impact, thus bending the ball to the left.

Draw

Neutral

3. Check Your Grip

Improper grip position and grip pressure are two of the biggest factors that cause a slice. To ensure that you keep the ball out of the right rough, I want you to first make sure your hands are in a position that encourages a closing clubface. This means adopting a neutral or strong grip where both hands are rotated more to the right on the shaft. Secondly, realize that the harder you squeeze, the more likely you’ll slice! If you really want to bend it left, make sure you adopt a grip where the hands and arms are soft and relaxed. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the tightest pressure, I want you to feel that a hook would happen at a level “3.”

4. Counterbalance

To keep yourself in balance and swinging on plane, it’s imperative that you “counterbalance” your body tilt and arm swing. In your followthrough, your eyes, arms and club shaft should mirror the club’s original address plane. Your spine angle will tilt to the right 90° to the swinging shaft. A swing that has momentum to the left, along with a spine that tilts to the right, will create stability “up the middle,” allowing you to swing aggressively and in balance.

5. Shoot For The Corner Pocket

Most people think a solid strike is into the “back of the ball.” In reality, a solid hit that curves left strikes the ball’s “inside” corner.

To help visualize this, imagine you’re standing on a pool table. As you swing, I want you to strike the inside of the ball as if you were driving it into the table’s right corner pocket (denoted by the red “pushpin”). This gets the club traveling on a path from inside the target line to outside the target line, encouraging a right-to-left spinning shot. Most golfers do the exact opposite, striking from the ball’s outside corner, thus pulling or slicing the ball from left to right. As long as your clubface continues to close through impact and you hit the ball’s inside corner, your slice will be gone forever.

6. Work Your Waggle

Waggle Straight Back = Inside Delivery
Waggle Too Inside = Over-The-Top Delivery

To deliver a more inside path to the ball (and thus eliminate your tendency to slice), rehearse a “waggle” where the downswing works below the backswing’s path. Set two balls on the turf, one on the target line and another just to the inside. Loop the clubhead over the outside ball on the backswing, then over the inside ball on the downswing. Take the same waggle shape into your full motion, and your slice will be a thing of the past.

7. Front Loader Drill

To get some extra roll from your tee ball, it’s best to swing your club with a drawing action. To feel the proper hand motion needed to get the clubface working this way, try my “front loader” drill.

1

2

3

Set up with your clubhead past the ball and the face “closed,” then transition into your backswing. Don’t knock the ball off the tee! After you transition into your downswing, make sure your hands pass through the same “closed position” you had in step one.

Cards Face Up

Cards Face Down

8. Spread The Cards Drill

In order to combat your slice, you have to feel your clubface closing through impact. (Remember an open face at impact is what produces the dreaded banana ball.)

To feel your clubface closing, try this Las Vegas-inspired drill. First, imagine you’re standing at a dealer’s table holding an entire deck of playing cards. Start at address and “swing” to the top. Take a look at the deck of cards. They should be “face up.” If they’re face down, your “clubface” is shut; if the cards point too far behind you, your face is open—neither of which is good.

Cards Face Up

Hook The Cards

From there, I want you to make a swinging motion that travels around your body and to the left so the cards face down as if you’re going to spread them on an arc around the table (see photo at right).

Just imagining the card dealer’s table should help you build an arcing “swing.” Remember, as you swing your arm in an arcing motion to match the shape of the table, to turn the cards face down in a circular sweep!

This will help you draw the ball. Slicers, on the other hand, have either little rotation or rotation that occurs way too late in the swing. If you think, “turn the cards down early and with authority,” you’ll get your swing off to a good start and add some extra snap!

Once you’ve rehearsed this drill without a club, pick up your 6-iron and swing with the same feeling you had with just the cards in hand. As you hit through the impact zone, feel the club turn over. Your slice will soon be gone!