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PGA Free Lesson Month

Bonus Tip: Split More Fairways

By Martin Hall

This past weekends driving performance by Henrik Stenson underscores the importance of keeping the ball in the short grass. Stenson hit 26 of 28 fairways over the weekend, including 13 of 14 during the final round, to rally and win The Players Championship by four shots. While Tiger Woods and third-round leader Alex Cejka struggled to keep the ball in play, Stenson was a model of consistency from tee to green.

If youre seeking more consistency and accuracy from your tee shots, reduce the amount of wrist action on both your backswing and follow-through. Feel like your wrists are in splints. This Ken Venturi image will give you more control of your wrists and the clubface, promoting straighter shots.

The major upside to hinging your wrists is that it boosts your clubhead speed and distance. The downside is that it makes it harder to time your release properly and square the face at impact. Its better to sacrifice some distance for more accuracy, so keep your wrists in splints and watch your scores consistently improve.

Martin Hall is director of instruction at Ibis Golf & Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., and is the 2008 PGA National Teacher of the Year.

Throughout May, PGA and LPGA Professionals nationwide will provide golfers of every age and skill level the opportunity to learn the games fundamentals or improve upon existing skills through PGA Free Lesson Month. This successful initiative will reach the one million free-lesson mark this May. Last year, PGA and LPGA professionals gave more than 100,000 free 10-minute lessons.

Every golfer who registers and sends in a Free Lesson Card is eligible to enter a sweepstakes to win a two-day, two-night golf getaway to the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Hotel accommodations, round-trip airfare, a two-day session at the PGA Learning Center and a custom-fit set of clubs are all included. For more details about PGA Free Lesson Month go to playgolfamerica.com.