Helen Omidiran is a Senior PGA Qualified Coach based at our Academy at Horne Park Golf. Helen shared her top coach tips which are a must for every golfer looking to improve!

Q: If I had just 10 minutes to warm up before a round, I would…..

Chip and Putt! This would allow me to get into my ball striking and it would give my body an opportunity to loosen up gradually while giving me a feel for distance control – and remember the short game is going to be such an influential part of the game when it comes to lower scores. Finally, this gives me the opportunity to start creating shots rather than overthinking my technique immediately before teeing off…..the latter normally doesn’t end well!

Q: My favourite putting drill is…..

I’m a big fan of hitting some one-handed putts (right and then left hand) from 3 to 4 feet from the hole, with my putter face level with 2 tee pegs l have put into the ground. These tees are just a little wider than the width of my putter head and which are lined up to the cup. Try and you may surprised at the results!

Q: The biggest ‘practice mistakes’ I see on the range are…..

I have to say I see a few out on the range but number one is golfers instantly taking a wood out first before warming up the body and swing! I also see a lot of what l call ‘mindless golf’ where the player just scrapes the ball onto the matt and hits it without going through their routine. This leads to golfers reacting to what the last ball did instead of what is needed in their golf development.

Q: The most important stat to track from your golf game is…..

For me it’s putting! A typical 17-handicap golfer needs 34 putts to achieve their average score of 89. That means that 38% of their score is made up of putts alone! It is vital to monitor how many putts a player is taking on average if that player is interested in reducing or maintaining their scores.

Q: When I feel under pressure on the course I like to…..

Many people suffer from feeling under pressure on the golf course. This is often caused by the fact that no one really wants to embarrass themselves or feel humiliated when they hit a bad shot or make a bad score. Our minds are often projecting into the future and what might happen to that golf ball we’re attempting to hit down the fairway or into the hole! While our minds can do time travel, our bodies of course cannot.

The next time you feel nervous about any kind of shot, aim to bring your mind into sync with your body. You might like to take a deep belly breath and notice the sound of your breathing. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. To reframe the situation you can go a step further and ask yourself – ‘What would a good shot look like here for me?’ This will help quieten the chatter in your head and give you something more purposeful to focus on.

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