by Craig Hall, PGA Professional

With the beginning of a new golf season, let me give you some solid advice from the big guns on both the mens' and ladies' tours. For obvious reasons these people are relying on their own bodies and skill for their livelihood.

First, get your body in decent physical condition. This will require a little bit of your time and some hard work. We all have heard the saying, "No pain, no gain." For most of us this means a mix of aerobic exercises and light strength conditioning. Walking, jogging, or swimming are the most popular aerobic exercises.

Stretching exercises are very important especially as you grow older and can be very helpful in our preparation for a better golf swing. There are many experts who claim this part of the exercising program is the most important because it helps you avoid injuries. Some examples of light strength conditioning are: lifting weights with numerous repetitions and doing 20 to 30 pushups and sit-ups three or four times a day. Golfers need stamina to endure the four or five hours it takes to play a round of golf. This will require discipline and hard work.

It has been a known fact for many, many years that golfers do not spend enough practice time on their short game. It is especially important to spend a majority of practice time on the short game at the beginning of a new season. After a long layoff, the golf club feels more like a broom in your hands, and often jumping into the full swing is not only foolish but can cause long term swing problems.

Spending time pitching, chipping, and putting at the beginning of the season will give you a better feel for the club. There is no better way to get that mid-season feel for the club than by practicing short pitch shots. Drop the balls in your practice bag about 20 to 30 yards from the practice green and keep a bunker between your ball and the green.

Practice this shot correctly and you will learn three very valuable lessons. If you grip the club correctly you will hit this shot with correct trajectory and keep the ball on the green. You will also learn very quickly the importance of keeping your head still and maintaining good balance.

Remember, do a little work to get into reasonably good shape. (We're not talking about training to become an Olympic athlete.) Concentrate on the aerobics and the stretching. Spend a majority of practice time on your short game, especially at the beginning of the season. Feel is everything in golf and the short game will give you that needed touch.