Golf Tips from Harbour Ridge’s Mike Malizia

Among some of the best golf instructors out there, there’s none better than Mike Malizia. Whether he’s running the Harbour Ridge Golf Academy or giving out tips on Golf Channel Academy, Malizia’s penchant for teaching shines through in his drills. These show players everything from how to move their body for each swing to how to apply those skills in the game. Exercises that involve putting a ball off of a dime and imagining the ball and tee as part of a clock face help players visualize the different parts of the game and develop the necessary forms to make the perfect shot. On Golf Channel Academy, he shared some of his favorite golf tips and drills that he uses to improve players’ games.

Check the Time

When slicing, golfers often swing at the ball with the club’s head at an open face position. This happens because players often aren’t aware of how they’re positioning their club, which can misdirect the ball. Malizia’s approach to fixing this involves placing three sticks on the ground at the eleven, twelve, and one o’clock positions, with the ball at the vertex of all three sticks. He also puts a clothespin on the club and shifts it slightly to the right. When preparing to putt, he tells players to keep the club at the 12 o’clock position, and the clothespin at the one o’clock position. He also instructs to swing so that the clothespin points at the five minutes to twelve position. These help the player keep an eye on the position of their club’s head and helps them recognize how the club feels in their hands when it’s in the right position.

Put Some Push In It

When it comes to generating enough power to hit the golf ball a considerable distance, Malizia emphasizes two important factors for players to consider when they’re swinging: enough space to move their arms far back, and enough room to turn their shoulders. When lacking both, players may end up ‘scooping’ the ball with the club, which sends the ball up, but not far. “Often I see amateurs pick the club up,” explains Malizia, “And it inhibits their ability to turn their shoulders.” For a successful shot, he puts the golf club a few inches behind the ball, roughly the size of the space between the end of one club and the ball. He also keeps his club low to the ground to avoid scooping.

Got A Dime?

Putting can be one of the more mentally strenuous parts of the game. You only have a small space to work in, applying too much or too little force can cause you to miss the ball entirely, and a putt can make or break a game. To accomplish the perfect putt, Malizia took some advice from a friend – Brian Gay, and practiced putting a golf ball off of a dime. This keeps the club head still when you putt. It also has the effect of helping maintain trajectory. “It ensures that our club face keeps going down the target line,” Malizia explains.

Box Breathing

Golf can be composed of some of the most difficult shots and hardest moments.But it’s in the tensest moments that the greatest plays can be made. That’s why when the landscape is full of traps, or the distance to the hole is far, Malizia relies on the ‘box breathing’ technique adapted by the U.S. Navy SEALs. He’ll breathe out from his chest for four seconds, he’ll hold that breath for four seconds, he’ll breathe in through his nose for four seconds, and he’ll exhale for a count of four seconds.

At Harbour Ridge, players have access to more than just Malizia’s tips, they have Malizia himself. As the club’s private golf instructor, he directs players with his unique approach to teaching the game’s basics and works with them to improve their game. When players aren’t working with Malizia, they’re at the weekly clinics, getting fitted for clubs, learning golf tips, or having TPI Body Assessments performed. Golf is more than a game here, it’s a lifestyle, and Harbour Ridge is happy to cover that for players.

Harbour Ridge is one of Florida’s premier golf communities in Florida. Its waterfront location on the St. Lucie River makes it the perfect place to live, and members and residents alike enjoy the well-rounded Florida lifestyle that it offers.

Harbour Ridge is the best of the best. The two championship golf courses wind along the river with beautiful views throughout the entire courses. Residents can entertain themselves at the new Lakeside Fitness Center or explore the surrounding area with kayaks and boat rentals from the on-site Marina. An active calendar of events informs residents of the activities that will take place in the neighborhood, and consists of everything from sporting events to dinners and social gatherings.

To learn more about the unique Florida lifestyle offered at Harbour Ridge and the wide variety of residential real estate offerings available, CLICK HERE. We will email you a digital brochure that highlights the amenities and lifestyle of our waterfront community.