Making the Cut is a series of golf

drills compiled by Class AAA PGA

professional Craig Dixon, who calls

the shots at the Waitemata Club

in Devonport, Auckland. Dixon

also runs a junior golf academy

and works with the North Harbour

Special Olympics team.

Dixon believes golfers should

‘practice with a purpose’ and his

holistic approach covers every

facet of the game, from correcting

postural imperfections, installing

the right dietary habits to course

management. He’s also a certified

practitioner of neuro-linguistic

programming and timeline therapy.

For further information

check out Dixon’s website,

www.elitegolfeducation.co.nz

Craig Dixon

Drill 1

Makingcutthe

Correct posture

Photographs: Niels Schipper

Correct posture

Because the right hand is

lower on the club than the

left hand (for a right-handed

golfer), the right shoulder

and right hip have to be

lower than the left shoulder

and left hip.

Correct set up posture is often overlooked

by players of all levels. Yet establishing the

proper body angles at address is critical to solid

ball-striking and good shot making.

April 2009 the CUt 79

Club Pro Making the Cut – Craig Dixon

If your shoulders are too flat (A) and the

secondary spine angle is lost, all manner

of problems are created (B-E). Not only

does this position lead to less powerful

shots, it can also cause blocks to the

right and severe snap hooks.

Grab the driver and hold it up against

the centre of your body about four

inches under your chin (F).

Now lean forward from the hips as

you would if addressing the ball

before a shot, making sure you

keep the tip of the club in the same

position under the chin and let the

club dangle straight down (G-H).

A

B C D E

F G H

To ensure you’re making a

proper level hip turn with

no sway or reverse pivot,

try this easy drill next time

you’re at the practice fairway

80 the CUt April 2009

I

From there simply tilt the left shoulder

up until the club is over the left knee (I).

That’s the angle your shoulders need to

be in at address every time you set up to

play a full shot, from the driver down to

the sand wedge.

Remember, when practising this

drill it is important to concentrate on

maintaining your address position all

the way through the backswing. Until

you ingrain the change into your swing,

it’s easy to lose your posture and the

accompanying angles immediately as

you take the club away.

One of the most common short game

flaws I see involves players fluffing

chips they should be hitting into the

one-putt zone. They either catch it too

thin, sending the ball flying through

the green into more trouble, or they

hit it fat and well short of the pin (A).

Here’s an easy fix that will get you

back on target. All it requires is a

simple shift of your weight onto the

front foot (B).

Drill 2How to pitch it dead

A B

April 2009 the CUt 81

Club Pro Making the Cut – Craig Dixon

A

Keep your head down- NOT!

Start by setting up for a chip as

you normally would with your feet

close together and the ball in the

middle of your stance (A).

Then simply move your rear foot

back behind you with the heel in

the air. Almost all of your weight is

now on the leading leg (B). When

you miss-hit chips during a round

most of the time it’s because your

weight is falling back and your

arms and wrists take over.

Now try hitting a few in this

position with your weight on

your front foot in the backswing.

When you place 90 per cent of

your weight on your leading leg

you are ensuring you are hitting

down on the ball, and not up,

resulting in cleaner contact

every time.

B

Like anything new, it’s going

to feel a little strange at first,

but I guarantee that if you

stick with this simple weight-

shift tip you’ll slash strokes

off your short game