Author: Abby Welch Golf

The former captain of the University of South Carolina's women's golf team where she completed a double major in Marketing and Management leads the resort's instructional programs for both women and juniors and is a lead instructor for many of our schools. As a PGA Certified Instructor as well as a LPGA Certified Instructor she has appeared in magazine articles and was nominated for the Junior Golf Leader award for the Carolinas PGA. Abby and husband Greg have been married since 2008. Abby has been recently selected for the inaugural list of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers. Her credentials and high standing in the instruction community have earned her a spot among the top 40 instructors under the age of 40.

Length of Backswing Check

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Happy February! January flew by of course but I am trying to stay on top of my tips for you this year. Therefore, here is your new blog for February 2024!

Let’s talk about something you all can do during those wintry days inside or outside! All you need is a bungee cord. Don’t worry if you don’t have one I am sure you can find something around the house such as a tension band, string, or even an alignment stick might work. Next step, find somewhere were you can tie each end to something such as columns, trees, etc. You are trying to make a line. Check out the video below to assist you. Next, pick which shot you want to practice: Full swing, pitching at 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 etc., or chipping. Place your string at the level you want to your backswing to stop. Place your body in the appropriate line to take that back swing. You might have to move around for the different lengths of swing so the club hits the cord. Then start your practice. Try not to hit the cord. When you are swinging start to feel the appropriate muscles you are using to ensure this type of backswing. These feelings should be more in your shoulders, core, and legs. Not your elbows and wrists.

Once you find this amazing space to practice it is an easy setup every time! Plus it can be used to practice various shots. It’s a win for your entire game!

Ugh, I hit the ground before the ball!

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Don’t worry about hitting the ground. That is why we have a Superintendent. His job is to fix the grass that you hit. If you didn’t hit the grass, he wouldn’t have a job…..and yes he needs a job. But I wouldn’t be a descent instructor if I didn’t teach you how to hit the ball then the grass!

Usually, the reason you hit the ground before the ball is that you have NOT moved forward towards the ball ENOUGH on your down swing. Now, we should know that on our downswing our hips should move first, then our shoulders, then our hands, then the club. But if the club hits the ground first, then your motion is not in the right order. Such as the opposite order: hands, shoulders, and possibly even no hip turn. Or possibly you have the right timing but you haven’t moved your hips enough forward when swinging through. Therefore the ground gets in the way.

Here is a video to watch that includes a great drill. I would explain the drill but the video really shows you exactly what to do. If you do not have an alignment stick, you can use your club too!

2024 Women’s Winter Workshops Dates Released

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We are just wrapping up our successful Women’s Fall Retreats and am happy to be posting our February 2024 schedule:

Intermediate Women’s Winter Workshop:

Sunday, February 25 & Monday, February 26

&

Beginner Women’s Winter Workshop:

Friday, March 1 & Saturday, March 2

Included: 6 hours of instruction on the driving range, 2 lunches at Tomasso’s, 2-9 hole playing lessons with a golf instructor, 2 rounds of golf, and a 4 course wine tasting dinner at Jasmine Porch!

If you would like more information on either of these events, please email me and I can send you more information!

Women’s Fall 2023 Golf Workshops Dates Available

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BEGINNER FALL WORKSHOP:

Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11

The beginner class is for the novice player or a player that has only played for a couple years. We will go over in depth all about the different areas of short game, discuss etiquette on the golf course, and build a proper golf swing that you can be begin to understand and improve through your golf year!

INETERMEDIATE FALL WORKSHOP:

Sunday, November 5 and Monday, November 6

The intermediate class is for a player looking to dive into more detail about their game. This group is going to be able to understand the basics of golf but really take it to the next level. For instance, this player is hitting the green but wants to get it closer to the hole, or can chip it on the green but wants to get an up and down etc. This class will go over short game, understanding the mental game, and learning more about their full swing through video and drills.

Workshops schedule:

Day 1
9am-12pm: Rotations on the driving range (short game)
12:15pm-1:15pm: Lunch
1:30pm, 1:40pm, 1:50pm: 9 hole playing lessons begin at Turtle Point (Par 3 scramble)
4:00pm: Happy Hour at Golf Learning Center

Day 2
9am-12pm: Rotations on the driving range
12:15pm-1:15pm: Lunch
1:30pm, 1:40pm, 1:50pm: 9 hole playing lessons begin at Turtle Point (Friendly Tournament)
6:30pm: Dinner at Jasmine Porch located in the Sanctuary Hotel (included)

Please email me with any questions or would like to sign up. Usually these classes fill up by the end of the summer. Can’t wait!

**If you can’t make our November workshops, look for my post/sign up in November 2023 for our Winter Workshops in February2024.

Beginner Golf Clubs?

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What clubs does a beginner golf club need to start with? Well this is a hard question for many reasons.

First Question: Should the student buy a set of golf clubs? I always compare this to a gym membership. If I purchase a gym membership will this entice me to go more. Probably yes, but there is always the gym membership that we use for the first month and then it just sits there. Golf clubs could be the same way. But, the good thing about golf clubs is you can use them for at least a couple years if not more. In the end if you are able to buy a set, I believe you should. I feel like it is a bit of a waste to keep renting clubs over and over again. Plus, it is a great feeling to learn to hit with your own clubs.

Second Question: What clubs should the student buy? As always, I believe a budget is where most people should begin. There are some fabulous golf clubs out there but you will definitely pay for them. If you are willing to pay for them, that is great and you can. But as a beginner is that the correct way to go? I believe beginners should start with a good set to get them started. I suggest walking into a golf store (leaving your wallet in the car) and looking around. Try some clubs. What do you feel? What do you like? What is being offered? Do you have an opinion?

My Opinion: Usually there are sets of clubs which include 12 clubs that are prepackaged. These are great for beginners. It gives you everything you need all in one box! Now, stick with golf brands such as Callaway, Ping, Taylor Made etc. This is the best choice in my opinion. It is the happy medium. You get plenty of clubs to use, descent technology, and a fairly affordable price. As a beginner, the students doesn’t know what a great club is compared to a good club. Which is fine. It will take a year or two to determine this. Therefore this is why the prepackaged sets are a great beginning to your golf game!

Governor’s Club Winter Classes

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Hello All Governor’s Club Members on Kiawah Island Golf Resort! I have begun to schedule a couple special clinics/classes for you all in December and January! Check out your Governor’s Club Calendar to sign up!

As of right now:

Governor’s Club Video Analysis: This is a 30 minute session. I will video 2 swings and we can go and view your swing

Women’s Winter Workshop 2023

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BEGINNER AND INTERMEDIATE WEEKENDS

Beginner Weekend

  • The novice player or a player that has only played for a couple years. We will go over in depth all about the different areas of short game, discuss etiquette on the golf course, and build a proper golf swing that you can be begin to understand and improve through your golf year!

Sunday, February 19, 2023
9am-12pm: Rotations on the driving range (short game)
12:15pm-1:15pm: Lunch at Tomassos
2:00pm, 2:10pm, 2:20pm: 9 hole playing lessons begin at Turtle Point (scramble)
3:30pm: Happy Hour at Golf Learning Center

Monday, February 20, 2023
9am-12pm: Rotations on the driving range
12:15pm-1:15pm: Lunch at Tomassos
1:30pm, 1:40pm, 1:50pm: 9 hole playing lessons begin at Turtle Point
(Scramble for beginners/ friendly competition for intermediate)
3:30pm: May choose to play the back 9 on their own
6:30pm: Dinner at Jasmine Porch located in the Sanctuary Hotel (included)

Intermediate class

  • The player looking to dive into more detail about their game. This group is going to be able to understand the basics of golf but really take it to the next level. For instance, this player is hitting the green but wants to get it closer to the hole, or can chip it on the green but wants to get an up and down etc. This class will go over short game, understanding the mental game, and learning more about their full swing through video and drills.

Sunday, February 26
9:00am-12pm: Rotations on the driving range (short game)
12pm-1:00pm:Lunch at Tomassos
1:30pm, 1:40pm, 1:50pm: 9 hole playing lessons begin at Turtle Point (scramble)
3:30pm: Happy Hour at Learning Center

Monday, February 27
9am-12:00pm: Rotations on the driving range
12:00pm-1:00pm: Lunch at Tomassos
1:30pm, 1:40pm, 1:50pm: 9 hole playing lessons begin at Turtle Point
(scramble for beginners/ friendly competition for intermediate)
6:30pm:Dinner at Jasmine Porch (included)


Maximum of 16 people per event

Accommodations are on your own. The Sanctuary at this time seems to be pretty full with openings here and there. Villas are a great idea for this event, because you do have a full kitchen, living area, porch etc. which is nice to go back and relax in! If you do choose to stay at the resort we have discount codes that you may use towards your stay

Please email me if you have any further questions or would like to join us for an amazing golf adventure!

Complete Power Connection in Your Swing

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My students are asking how to gain more distance in their golf swings. First, maximum power comes from your hips and your shoulders. But your hips have to be connected with your shoulders and the club long enough to get this maximum power. What does that connection feel like? How long through impact must this connection stay? Here is a drill you can practice to help you understand if your swing is making this happen:

First take a ball and any club (preferably an iron to begin). Set up to the golf ball. DO NOT TAKE A BACK SWING. Start with your hips first to push the ball forward a bit. Then extend your shoulders to the target making the club face push the ball forward. If you stay connected the ball will go forward towards your target. Stay connected to see how far you need to move your body to keep the ball on your target line. If you do not stay connected the club face will twist which will make the ball go in the wrong direction. If this happens you lost your connection. Really focus on keeping your hips, shoulders, and club together as one unit. The feeling should be strong in your core instead of your forearms and wrists.

How did it go? Could you feel stronger moving through you shot? How long did you have to stay connected? The strength of your core is staying connected through impact and is keeping connected to your target. Welcome to maximum power!

Check out my video to see how I practiced this drill!

Golf Books….

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There are so many books on golf: instruction, mental, biographies, history, etc. What books should we read? My answer is read anything! I took a picture of my top 3 books. Of course two are mental because it is my favorite topic of golf to read. It really does help me not freak out on the golf course. Plus, I received Annika’s book a very long time ago. It is a great picture book about the pure basics of golf. Before I had a child, I left it out on my coffee table and everybody loved to take a peak! I am hoping for the book to make it back to the coffee table, I believe the kids are getting old enough now that the book will be safe from those sticky, nasty fingers…hahaha!

Some other favorites are Bob Rotella’s Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, any of Vision 54 books by Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, The Match and The Greatest Game Every Played by Mark Frost.

I would love to hear about what golf books you like to read or suggest! Email me, Facebook, Instagram etc. I think we would all love to hear all the great books out there!

Grip Pressure

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This is one of the hardest parts of golf to teach. We all want to strangle the club to death to make sure the club does what we want it to do. Unfortunately, this actually does the exact opposite affect. When we hold the club too tight we make the club shaft stiffer and the club doesn’t do what it is suppose to do. It is very similar to playing a tambourine. Yes, a tambourine! It is the music instrument that when you hold it and shake it it plays music through the vibration. But if you hold the tambourine too tight it doesn’t have the vibration and the music is not very nice. The club itself has to have some wiggle to create lag to create the power the club provides. When you grip it too tight, the club can not lag and can not create power.

So instead of us asking ourselves are we gripping the club too tight. Grab a tube of toothpaste, take the cap off, and point it down at the ground with your golf grip and stance. Swing! Did any toothpaste come out? If it did, when did it come out? At the top of your swing? Impact? How can you fix it. Instead of gripping tight, try to put that pressure somewhere else…..shoulders….hips….etc.

Check out the video and see if I showed good grip pressure or not!