Chris Kirk claimed the McGladrey Classic at Sea Island on Sunday by simply doing what Tour pros are supposed to do: make birdies. Kirk’s 72-hole total of 14-under par was good enough to defeat Briny Baird and Tim Clark by one stroke. When looking at Kirk’s stats for the tournament there’s only one that jumps out, which was the fact that he led the field in birdies made. One might think that's an automatic recipe for success, but more often than not the opposite can be true. How many times have you been off to your best start only to have the added anxiety of recording a personal best round adversely affect your ability to finish strong? This anxiety can be really tough on junior golfers or new competitive golfers who have worked hard to compete at new levels.
Here are a few tips to help you reach new levels in your game by getting on the birdie train and staying a while:
• Improve your chances to make birdie by Teeing It Forward. Tour players make most of their birdies with wedges or short irons in their hands on approach shots. If you play from a set of tees that consistently leaves you with yardages that require long irons for your approach shots, it’s time to move forward ... at least every once in a while.
• Master putts from 15 feet and in on the greens. The very best ball strikers on the PGA Tourmight only have a few birdie attempts inside of 15 feet in any given round, but they often capitalize and make the putt when given the chance. Build your confidence on these putts when you practice and play by trying to roll in three of four putts (75 percent) from 5 feet, two of four (50 percent) from 8 feet, and one of four (25 percent) from 14 feet. By doing this you will be making putts at what is the tour average.
Here are a few tips to help you reach new levels in your game by getting on the birdie train and staying a while:
• Improve your chances to make birdie by Teeing It Forward. Tour players make most of their birdies with wedges or short irons in their hands on approach shots. If you play from a set of tees that consistently leaves you with yardages that require long irons for your approach shots, it’s time to move forward ... at least every once in a while.
• Master putts from 15 feet and in on the greens. The very best ball strikers on the PGA Tourmight only have a few birdie attempts inside of 15 feet in any given round, but they often capitalize and make the putt when given the chance. Build your confidence on these putts when you practice and play by trying to roll in three of four putts (75 percent) from 5 feet, two of four (50 percent) from 8 feet, and one of four (25 percent) from 14 feet. By doing this you will be making putts at what is the tour average.
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