LAY YOUR PRACTICE BARE

I read somewhere that hitting practice balls in bare feet can help improve your ball-striking. Is this true? David Nolan Via email

If you are finding it difficult to hit the shots out of the middle of the clubface, or your shots are flying left or right or both, you could really benefit from practicing in bare feet.

The key is balance. If you are unbalanced during the golf swing any number of poor shots can be the ultimate result. Poor balance is usually the result of swinging too hard.

That said, it’s OK to swing hard at the ball as long as you are balanced throughout the swing.

A balanced finish means your belt buckle, chest and eyes should be facing the target, with most of your weight on your front foot, not leaning on your back foot. An unbalanced finish to a swing is a clear indicator of being unbalanced during the swing, which can send the club into the ball on the wrong plane and much less power than you should be generating.

At the height of his career, Nick Faldo (pictured) would often spend entire practice sessions hitting balls with no shoes on to work on tempo and balance.

Hitting balls with no shoes on can help. The next time you’re hitting balls, slip your shoes and socks off and grab your 7-iron. As you make some swings, focus on swinging within yourself. You’ll actually hit better shots in bare feet than with your shoes and socks on because you won’t be swinging too hard at the ball.

Regularly hitting balls bare foot will help you develop good footwork and improve your balance for when you put your shoes back on.