Intermediate
Two Great Tips to Help You Play Better on Your Next Golf Trip
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Bandon Dunes.
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Tip No. 1: Do your research!
Tip No. 2: Practice to play the courses
- A large bucket of balls.
- 5 alignment sticks (two pool noodles if you have them).
- An app-based scorecard, with GPS and pull up the course(s) you will be playing.
- A personal launch monitor if you have one or use the Toptracer Range app.
- A short game practice area at your disposal to hit wedge shots and roll putts.
- Your imagination.
- Set an alignment stick for your target line, behind the ball.
- Set an alignment stick for your toe and body line.
- Set the two of the remaining sticks up about 15-20 yards in front of you as seen in the picture below, with one representative of your left target area line and one representative of the right side. Place colorful pool noodles over top of each alignment stick. Put the last alignment stick in between the others to represent a center target.
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- I write down the clubs they are using for each shot. If you are hitting a driver off the first tee, mark the driver, and so on.
- Looking at the course map on the GPS, visualize the shot you will need to hit. Use the center alignment stick in front of you as a center-point for your aim line on the shot you are about to hit in your simulated round. Make note in your mind of any obstacles you see on the GPS map and make those part of your visualization process.
- The alignment sticks and pool noodles in front of you represent your fairway, or approach into the green. Keep in mind that those markers will exponentially get wider as those lines project outward, down the hole. You will need to rely on your visualization skills and imagination, along with the GPS map to predict where your shots wind up after hitting each of them.
- The personal launch monitor or Toptracer Range app will help you see your shot distances and how far offline each shot was in relation to your target. Use the combination of the GPS map and launch monitor to hit any of the full swing, or short wedge shots.
- On the notepad, mark each shot, what club you hit, and what yardage you had for each shot.
- When it comes to the around the green shots, and putting, make note on that pad what you have left to finish up on each hole after you finish the full swing and shorter wedge shot distances. For example, if you had 150 yards into a green and according to the launch monitor you hit it 145 yards and 10 yards right, you will guesstimate how far of a putt or chip you will have left. Mark that on the pad. If you feel as though you hit into a greenside bunker, then mark that.
- Play out all your around the green shots and putts at the short game practice area after you finish the range portion of this exercise. You are basically finishing up your round.
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Sorrento, FL
Brendon Elliott
Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf WriterAfter 16 remarkable years of nurturing young talent and fostering a love for golf through The Little Linksters Golf Academy, Brendon Elliott is excited to announce the transition of leadership to esteemed Coach Ricky Collado in 2025. As the baton is passed, Coach Ricky will take charge of all operations and become the primary point of contact for any Linksters-related inquiries. As Brendon steps into a new chapter, the focus will shift to launching and growing BE A GOLFER, a new academy dedicated to competitive teenage golfers. This initiative will continue both in-person and remote coaching, harnessing years of expertise to nurture the next generation of golfing talent. Further expanding horizons, Brendon will also dedicate time to One More Roll Golf Media. This venture aims to collaborate with various golf media outlets and businesses, delivering high-quality written, video, and voice content. Despite these new ventures, Brendon will remain closely connected with Little Linksters. A commitment to collaboration with Coach Ricky will continue, particularly with projects like the PGA Junior League, ensuring a lasting impact and smooth transition. “I am thrilled about the future of Little Linksters under Coach Ricky Collado’s leadership. This transition marks a change and an exciting new direction for me and the academy. I look forward to contributing my efforts towards developing competitive young golfers and advancing in the golf media landscape.” ~ Brendon R. Elliott, PGA More About Coach Brendon... Brendon Elliott is a distinguished PGA Professional who has received over 25 prestigious industry awards recognizing his contributions and influence in youth golf, most notably, the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. With numerous appearances on the Golf Channel and local news outlets in Florida, Brendon has established himself as a respected educator and influencer in the golf industry. Renowned for his expertise in all aspects of golf, he is a sought-after speaker at golfing events and panels. In the past three years, Brendon has expanded into media, writing for esteemed outlets such as PGA.com, PGA Magazine, Golf.com, GolfWRX.com, RG.org, and many others. Elliott is also part of the “Quiet Please Golf Podcast” crew and hosts a livestream show on the Golf Live App called “Monday Evening Tee Time.” Brendon’s dedication to advancing the sport has made a significant impact on the golf community.
Meet Brendon