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.

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Tags: Faults and Fixes, Full Swing, Golf Tips Magazine by Jeff Ritter
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One of the things I enjoy most in golf is the opportunity to travel to Augusta, Ga., for The Masters each spring. It’s truly an amazing event and one every golfing enthusiast should experience at least once in his or her lifetime. From the Par 3 Contest, to the magnolias in bloom, to the best back 9 in championship golf, The Masters is beyond compare in both style and competition. I love the tournament’s international flare, not to mention the unique array of champions who have donned the infamous "green jacket." In this segment, I’ll break down some of the keys to victory of the tournament’s most recent champions: Angel Cabrera, Trevor Immelman and Zach Johnson. With these simple tips, you’ll find the keys to success to conquering "golf’s greatest major!"

Click Here for the full story in Golf Tips Magazine!

Click Here for more information on Jeff Ritter and his JRG/TSGA programs at the Raven Golf Club Phoenix!

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Tags: Full Swing, Golf Tips Magazine, Putting, Short Game, Tour Players by Jeff Ritter
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My good friend and mentor Mike LaBauve once told me a story about watching Greg Norman practice at the U.S. Open. The "Shark" was practicing in the chipping area, but he wasn’t hitting any shots. Rather, he was tossing balls underhand to the flag. Why? Well, Norman was trying to toss the ball at the perfect height, so it would land in the right spot to release the proper distance to the flag. After he found the shot he was looking for, he reached into his bag, selected the appropriate club and swung in a way that repli-cated his toss.

Most golfers just grab a club and swing away without any definitive notion of what they really want. The ball-toss drill is maybe the best thing you can do to learn to think, see shots and make decisions like a pro!

Click Here for the full story in Golf Tips Magazine!

Click Here for more information on Jeff Ritter and his JRG/TSGA programs at the Raven Golf Club Phoenix!

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Tags: Golf Tips Magazine, Short Game by Jeff Ritter
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I often long for the days when Slammin’ Sammy Snead and Gene Sarazan played the game, a couple of great sticks with personalities just as bright as their games. Well, fortunately for golf fans, there’s a new kid on the block and he’s brought a unique backstory and stellar game (albeit with a modern flair). His name is Will MacKenzie, or "Willie Mac," as the 2006 Reno-Tahoe victor is sometimes called.

This extreme sportsman (MacKenzie surfs, climbs rocks and snowboards in his downtime) brings a powerful swing, cutting-edge style and go-for-it attitude to the Tour’s increasingly predictable lineup.

But what interests me the most about Will is his swing, in particular a few key elements he shares with two legends of the game, Ben Hogan and Slammin’ Sammy himself. Take a look at the following "pro positions," and you’ll see why Willie Mac is separating himself from the field.

Click Here to read the full story in Golf Tips Magazine!

Click Here for more information on Jeff Ritter and his JRG/TSGA programs at the Raven Golf Club Phoenix!

Download the Jeff Ritter Golf App FREE from iTunes!

Tags: Full Swing, Tour Players by Jeff Ritter
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Unlike "action" sports like basketball, soccer and football, a round of golf includes lots of downtime in between shots. On the one hand, this can be a good thing—there’s more time to converse with your playing partners and take in the scenery; on the other hand, it also can be kind of dangerous, especially for people who tend to overthink when they play.

I like to remind my students that golf is a sport, and if they dwell on shots for too long, they can contract a condition called "overanalysis paralysis," where so many technical thoughts swirl through your head that you can barely swing the club.

Putting, in particular, lends itself to overthinking, for the very reason that you start from a very still position. (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people "freeze up" to the point where they can’t even bring the putter back!)

Obviously, this isn’t any good, and one way to "keep things flowing" is to build a solid routine. Part of that routine is what I call the "eight-second countdown."  Click Here for the full story as seen in Golf Tips Magazine!

Jeff Ritter teaches at the Raven Golf Club Phoenix. Click Here to learn more about programs with Jeff and the JRG/TSGA Staff!

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Tags: Golf Tips Magazine, Putting by Jeff Ritter
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