Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.  On the exhale, round the spine upward.  On the inhale, drop the belly and lift the head.  Flow back and forth at a slow breath rate, gently stretching the areas that feel tight .

(Meowing while stretching is completely optional)

Dodie Mazzuca is the Director of Instruction at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, AZ.  She also teaches in Santa Cruz, CA.  For more information, visit www.DodieMazzuca.com

Tues. 5/21           12-1:30pm           Full Swing and Mental Strategy

Wed. 5/22         10:30-12               Short Game

Fri. 5/23             9-10:30am           Women’s Clinic

Sat. 5/24            10:30-12               Putting/Short Game

12-1:30                 Full Swing and Pre-Shot Routine

Sun. 5/26             1-2:30                    Full Swing and Mental Strategy

MAY 27- OCTOBER 1                       SCHEDULE TBA…ASAP!

All Clinics are limited to 4 students.

Upcoming FREE Golf Presentation Topics:

Mental Strategy

Golf Fitness

Building Confidence

….and much more!

Email Dodie, visit www.DodieMazzuca.com  or contact the DeLaveaga Golf Shop (831-423-7214) for more information

Do this! Don’t do that! Just stop lifting up! Turn more! Ahh, the voice in our head commanding us to xyz… the insanity of a swing change. Why is it so challenging?

According to Tim Galloway, “Difficulty lies in our inability to translate the simplest verbal command into a bodily action…. The part of the brain that analyzes, conceptualizes and instructs us verbally is incapable of moving a muscle and has only a limited capacity to communicate to the part of the brain that does control our physical behavior.”  Yikes!

So what’s a girl to do? One method is to start SENSING where you are in your swing NOW (whether it’s right or wrong). Can you feel where the club head is? Can you see, feel or hear what is happening in the swing? Where is your body in relation to the club?

Rather than forcing an unrealistic correction, start by experiencing where you are in your current swing. That’s when you can instinctively correct your technique… Once you feel it, you can fix it!

Dodie Mazzuca is the Director of Instruction at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, AZ.  She also teaches golf in Santa Cruz, CA

If you practice the “hit and rake” method (aimlessly hitting ball after ball), combined with only “princess lies”, you will get very good at hitting every 10th shot well off of a perfect lie.

Simulate golf.  Change clubs and change targets on every shot during your practice sessions.  Go through your pre-shot routine every time.  You will build confidence, retain your golf swing and perform much better when it counts. . .on the course.

Dodie Mazzuca, a former LPGA Tour player, is founder of Golf PROformance and the Director of Instruction at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Visit www.DodieMazzuca.com

Too tight:  “I’m going to kill this one!” Tension is the number one killer of golf swings.  Managing tension throughout the golf swing is essential, especially in the hands. Often when the grip pressure is too tight, golfers restrict their shoulder turn, lift out of posture, swing “over the top” or have an upper body tempo that is too fast (just to name a few.) This is the most prevalent of the three grip pressures.

Too Loose:  “Wet noodle hands is my swing thought.”  Too wobbly in the hands can also get you into trouble.  Re-griping or loosing control of the club head can occur.  This leads to timing issues and inconsistency.

Just Right:  “Ahhh yes, the perfect constant grip pressure throughout the entire swing.  Not too tight, not too loose, just right.”  Perfection!

Find your “Goldilocks zone” and you will hit the ball farther . . .and live happily every after (at least on the long par 4’s).

Dodie Mazzuca is the founder of Golf PROformance and the Director of Instruction at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, AZ.

1. Make sure the weight is on the balls of the feet (not towards the toes or on the heals).  Just slightly forward of the arch is ideal.

2. For flat lies, make sure that the weight is evenly distributed between both feet: 50% left and 50% right. (This % changes on uneven lies.)

3.  Manage tension throughout the body and maintain a controlled swing tempo.

4.  Free your inner athlete!

Dodie Mazzuca teaches golf in Scottsdale, AZ and Santa Cruz, CA

Here are a few check points for an uphill lie:

-Make sure to set-up with your shoulders parallel to the slope.

-Adjust the ball position (a practice swing is helpful).  In general, play the ball forward in your stance.

-Choose the proper club for the slope.  An uphill lie will add loft to the club and make the ball flight higher than normal. An extra club may be necessary.

-Swing in control, with ease and finish with good balance.

-Enjoy the next flat lie!

Dodie Mazzuca teaches in Scottsdale, AZ and Santa Cruz, CA.

In many sports, such as football, athletes perform better with high levels of adrenaline.  Their muscles move faster, their reaction time is quicker and their bodies respond instinctively to particular situations.  The game is played quickly.  In golf, the opposite circumstances apply.  The ball is not moving, the hole is stationary and we have lots of time between shots to think about our next move.  However, we still may experience the same adrenaline rush as world class athletes in a fast moving sport.

So what can we do to manage our adrenaline levels in golf?  Science tells us that adrenaline is measured by our heart rate.  If the heart rate is over 120bpm we loose fine motor skill coordination and decision making ability.  (Yikes! Not good for a delicate chip shot).  Deep, diaphragmatic breathing is the quickest way to lower the heart rate and return adrenaline to it’s manageable levels.  Try practicing a deep breath in your pre-shot routine.  Take the inhale deep into the lower lungs.  Then allow the exhale to be longer than the inhale.

Include deep breathing before every shot to maintain full access to your golf skills and to play your best golf in every pressure packed situation.

Dodie teaches golf in Scottsdale, AZ and Santa Cruz, CA.

Quick Tip:  Check your grip first.  Often when the ball is curving during flight, the culprit is hand action.  Is your grip neutral? It could be too strong causing a hook or too weak causing a slice.  If you are unsure of what a neutral grip should be, ask your golf instructor.

This basic fundamental will save you hours of frustration and prevent more swing issues later on down the road. . .or rather in the fairway.

Dodie teaches golf in Scottsdale, AZ and Santa Cruz, CA

Each player has their own unique way of playing their best golf.  Just as two golf swings are not the same, it also applies to performance states.  Some play well relaxed and loose, while others like the drive of competition to make them tick.

So why would we want to fit a cookie cutter mold of the golf experience?  I encourage you to create your own joy, simplicity and gratification with the game. Discover the elements of golf that allow you the freedom to perform and enjoy your best golf every time.  Practice these components, get really, really good at them. . .and remember to always keep discovering your own “Personal Awesomeness”.

Dodie teaches golf in Scottsdale, AZ (October-May) and Santa Cruz, CA (June-September)