Kendall Toole, Peloton Instructor, celebrates Women’s Golf Month by getting a lesson with Golf Galaxy Director of Instruction, Christian Elleo. Find a local Golf Galaxy near you to get your lesson and shop what’s in Kendall’s bag at the links below!
Kendall’s Picks: www.golfgalaxy.com/f/kendall-toole-golf-picks
Golf Galaxy Lessons: www.golfgalaxy.com/s/lessons
Women’s Golf Shop: www.golfgalaxy.com/s/brand-shop/womens-and-girls-golf
hey y’ what’s up Kendall tool here I am at Golf Galaxy and today is international women’s golf day and I’m very excited because did you know you can come to Golf Galaxy and get instruction instruction like you can get help at your local Golf Galaxy so I am here with Chris who is very kind at offering to tell me what in the world I’m doing wrong which is probably a lot hey guys this is Chris elio the golf professional here at Golf Galaxy in pamis New Jersey and I’m here with Kendall uh we’re going to give Kendall some advice today see if we can help out our game [Music] whoa so what’s going on what’s going on with your game right now or where are you with your game yeah well it’s better than where we began which was pretty terrible so the good news is I’m making contact with the ball I feel I feel good in my swing I’m getting my weight shift I definitely noticed that I was gripping the club wrong okay and then I just changed my grip recently and I really want to make sure I dial that in because I think that’s affecting obviously my contact with the ball okay let me back you up a little bit how new to the game are you like like with this is like my first year of actually committing to playing all right great we’re a brand beginner driving range yes playing played a few times yeah more like nine holes cuz 18’s a lot okay okay perfect it’s better than nothing let’s get you to warm up let’s get you hit a couple shots let’s see what’s going on okay and we’ll talk about anything that uh kind of jumps out at us great I usually do ask to new students any injuries I need to know about knees back hips anything to worry about no I just work work out too much okay too much okay yeah for a living so the hips are always usually quite tight but and the back could have more rotation in it but you know other than that what’s the one thing you’ve noticed when you’ve been on the Range primarily um the nine holes but your misses tend to be left right which way do we see the ball a little bit of everything or a little bit of everything I’d say usually more to the right okay all right great and then but I with this grip change that I just started like a week ago okay I noticed I think I was overcompensating with my right hand so now I’m kind of on Shaky Ground I have to kind of figure out one of the first things we’ll look at okay great yeah I would love some feedback there it’s usually the first thing right it’s the important part is the only thing that connects you to the golf club so yeah we want to make sure we get that right yeah holding it right is good and not getting calluses where we don’t need them yep that sounded pretty solid right there I know I about say that sound good okay okay yeah I feel like I I I know what I think I’m doing I know I’m sure you see it one I feel like I’m turning my wrist and closing out the club face and doing a little bit of this as I make contact with the ball which is making it go yep that way because the way I had my grip yes I was trying to compensate for how open I was here okay do me a favor just set up to this one tell me when you’re set okay don’t swing don’t do anything I have one rule if you hit me I hit you back valid okay I’m I box so we’re good so just let me know when you’re set yep okay I do want to not I want you to notice your right hand okay and what I want you to do is turn your hand more on top so I want your thumb to be on the front of the golf club oh perfect just like that okay okay so when you’re swinging through here I want you to feel like your right palm is going to stay at the Target as long as you can oh all right okay okay oh okay felt weird feels weird yep it’s going to take a few swings to get used to I did notice your right hand was way underneath the club and that’s it’s a valid point to what you brought up yep your right hand’s going from here to here while you’re swinging it’s turning yeah and part of it too I think I I grew up boxing and okay that’s some of what I teach so when I throw a cross I’m always turning my wrist over so there’s that movement pattern that I’m really used to let’s not think wrist let’s think right palm we’re going to keep that get that right hand keep going I want your thumb on the front of the club or what I would call the left side or front side of the golf club oh man that feels so weird and just keep your right palm moving towards the target as long as you can okay that was a little better yeah it’s so funny the difference little right yeah there it is right there perfect whoa that’s a St shot in golf even though it curved yeah it ended up it ended up literally it’s it’s not up there is it just a little it’s just a hair actually that stayed left of the center line Y so it’s a much straighter shot right there wow perfect huh okay yeah let me try that again yep like whoa we found something yep by gosh and again most important thing it’s what’s connecting you to the golf club yeah if we’re not holding it right the club technically won’t swing correctly yep like that mhm okay little off the toe there yeah felt it yep sounded it but it’s still went left to right see how it’s coming back to the center yeah yeah there you go this is fascinating get another one there yep tell me tell me when you’re set again I’m going to ask you another question okay set on a scale 1 to 10 rate your grip pressure for me 10 being pretty darn hard an eight in both hands yep let’s get your left hand to three oh get your right hand to a one what yeah give it a try I’m an aggressive human really that’s right we want the club head to swing fast not your hands to swing fast okay all right okay that’s going take all the muscles out of your arms be careful behind me okay do sure to just relax your arms for me too okay no muscles in the arms we’re going to let your shoulders and your hips Swing the AL okay you’re talking to a fitness instructor y I got you I got you okay I got you changes are good okay went the wrong but that I I I’m more solid yeah yep I’m shocked that it went far without me having to death grip the club correct well the club’s going to go faster you know this relaxed muscles are faster than tighter muscles that’s true so keep the hands and the arms little more relaxed we’re going to concentrate on swing on the club head okay we’re using again your shoulders your back and your hips the bigger muscles not the little muscles a little behind that one yeah okay I didn’t ask you that what do you on the right line though what what what’s your tendency in M hitting the ball topping it or hitting the ground more often probably topping it because I’m afraid to make a divot okay why because I feel like my mother is going to yell at me for messing up the yard I like isn’t that the it’s so weird okay it’s just a weird the the grounds are so pretty so do me a favor give me a practice swing this is a simple drill you can do at home yep whether you have golf balls not you don’t need to get to the range mhm so concentrating on that grip that we just addressed yep give me a practice this swing that’s what we should hear every time it’s so brushing the ground gentle right but the club brushing the ground yeah I noticed before during the fitting you were standing up a lot you were hitting a lot of line drives yeah that’s the club not reaching simply reaching the ground so you’re coming up and out of your popping up yep which I would say if someone’s punching you don’t want to pop because you lose power correct we want we want the club to interact with the ground ball first then ground so that’s a simple drill if you don’t hear that swooshing or the brushing of the grass you know you’re moving huh that’s really helpful is there something like a little mat or something I could get to do this AB yeah we have different mat yeah absolutely okay great I definitely need get that backyard just go out in the yard brush the grass but it’s something you can do without going to a driving range uh without going to the golf course it’s something you can do every day for 15 minutes yeah and just dial that in that would be hugely helpful because I think that’s you know I mean obviously you’re the pro you know how mental everything is y and I think well yes okay so there’s where you didn’t move yep you actually got shorter yeah yeah I overthought a little bit let’s try this so get that thumb on the front side a little bit more really you’re just rotating your whole right hand tell me when you’re set I think I’m set okay we’re going to bring the butt of the club just to the middle of your body a little bit more think of left side of your belt buckle a little bit okay perfect swing from there okay feels weird yeah it’s a new it’s hard to make a change yep yeah swing changes I know are are big deals it’s it’s going to it’s going to take reps like everything else yep I know that one too so really concentrating on no arms and hands okay right we’re going to let your shoulders your back and your hips do all the work that’s so wild yep just like that I feel like a golfer when I do that does that make sense in what way what do you mean it’s more finesse yes it it’s simpler it’s simpler it feels smoother doesn’t it it feels easier and it’s going to feel easier because you’re using the bigger muscles of your body not the little ones Y no matter how big your arms are exact yeah well I know and I work hard I work hard for my legs like I I train them all the time that’s what I do perfect yep so yeah these changes will take some time right you’re going to put the Reps in the work in like you have to anyway yep just sounds better right there it does yep I feel I I don’t know what the word is whether it’s pretty or finette but I feel more like a golf it feels easier that’s again that’s the the magic word if you the hard it’s kind of taboo but that’s what let it Swing Swing the club head don’t hit the ball between the club I don’t have okay that’s helpful that is so fascinating cuz I think what’s good and this is one reason why I kind of really got the bug with golf was because I think I’m such an I’m a very intense person in sport and when I’m teaching my classes I’m very aggressive I grew up boxing like everything is about Force right and not necessarily finesse and for me I need that balance in my life and so golf is like a great way to practice that for me well to your point the biggest Force were you actually using is the ground y we’re using our hips and our shoulders to move through the ground through our feet yep so real important we stay connected as you turn all the way to your left heel right we want to when you’re follow through you should be standing on your left heel or in your left heel okay A little quick there yeah but again that’s what reps are all about it’s going to take some time this isn’t a game it’s not like riding a bike you’re not going to get this overnight yep but it’s still so much straighter yep like I haven’t had anything out in in the bunker or in the woods so that’s good yep awesome wow this is really go through the setup again watch that right hand yep and the hard part is relaxing them right your left hand at a three on a scale of 1 to 10 y right hand at a one real quiet relaxed arms we’re not reaching for the ball we’re not tense swing it yeah yeah that was all ball okay I lifted my head up too that’s really important right just looking at the ball through the shot correct and a little bit of a misnomer though it’s not just your head you’re standing up it’s everything you can stare at the sky as long as you maintain your posture the club’s going to reach the ground got it so I’m doing a little want make sure we’re comfortable throughout the entire movement of the Swing okay again that’s where actually even routine here and just to bring it back like I said that the brushing the ground before every ball make a practice L yep you’re not allowed to step up to the ball unless you hear that brush the ground whether you’re on the golf course or the driving range this is all part of a that routine you’re going to develop a pre-shot routine that you’re going to develop before single shot and then it creates that consistency correct yep it’s all about because I think that’s where like being on a golf course has been a little bit nerve-wracking because then it’s pressure and it’s like how quickly am I playing there’s all these thoughts you know so just get go develop a routine that’s going to help you make that swing there you go a I feel like I’m so loose I’m breaking it a little bit but okay perfect just brushing the top of the ground perfect yep and right now is there a favorite Club in your bag I would say my seven iron yeah that’s what most home based that seems to be the length and Loft most people can be fairly consistent with they get a little intimidated as a club gets longer shorter you’re paying a little more attention to being focused on you know targets and yep so seven iron just free wheel free swing yeah awesome so even there you can see you pulled it but if you look at the shadow line there that Ball’s trying to come back to the right it is you’re right that’s just a little bit of that grip change where your hands aren’t so active well I think what’s super super super interesting is like my smash factor which I was proud of correct CU I I you know I like the fact that I can hit it um is still high and then even the distance is still good like it was because you’re hitting it more solid yep that that smash Factor relates to everything absolutely that’s so interesting golf is such so fascinating I want I don’t want you to be afraid of other irons by the way yep you’re going to pick up a five iron same swing yeah think to yourself it’s a really it’s a slightly longer seven hour yep that’s it you’re gonna make the same movement yeah because I get a little I’m okay with my driver because I like that it’s on a tea but then I get a little nervous when I get into like my woods and stuff like that same thing brush on the ground yeah you’re not going to take a divot with it but again we want you to maintain posture brush the ground okay we’re going to do that same so there was nothing there right so we came up right immediate feedback without even worrying about a golf ball immediate feedback I knowa what did y y same thing I don’t know why I’m so I think what’s funny is when I’m not death gripping it I feel like I’m not in control right so I’m like lift but you know what caused that right make a back swing for me and just hold your back swing a second okay nine times out of 10 if you go from here if your hands move first yep your brain automatically senses off B look and your and it does that your brain works that fast so we’ve got to think from the top of your back swing don’t move your hands turn your body just turn the body correct again all the PO is coming from your body yep primarily going forward it’s your hips first yep and and that’s and I I have power like I know that once I learn how to tap into it I know I use it yep get your body weight to get you know to transfer to your left foot okay okay so that was broken this arm right that’s why yeah well that you you lean back a little that you can hear that that hit contact with the ground was way behind where the ball would be y you were leaning backwards you never got off that back foot okay okay so you said you boxed yeah how do you throw punch you pivot from the hips where’s all your body weight going it shifts to the front foot to your left foot it’s the same thing yeah and throw yes any type of Power Shot from the back exactly no arms and hands golf swing yep yep and even push more there atend you’re going to get there you’re going to get to your left and get all the way around yep absolutely okay that’s really helpful yep that’s that’s what’s moving or propelling the golf club not your arms and your hands which is why our hands are relaxed our arms are relaxed yeah shoulders and hips that’s why you can play this game forever correct okay well again to that point too is honestly if you left the driving range with Achy hands and arms yeah they’re small muscles they fatigue quicker that’s very very let’s use the bigger more efficient muscles yep no that’s true the hard part yeah okay we Mish hit that yep it’s going to take some time to not to work into thinking about all of this in a very specific order yeah in a routine oh totally because I have no routine it’s l really like get up to the ball and pray correct so as you continue to make swing changes and and you work on this especially in the upcoming you know months and weeks this month is our women’s golf month and we’re going to be giving away plenties of tips and opportunities and things for women to come in and explore um what are some of the tips you would be looking for oh yeah I mean I think the biggest thing when I got into golf was realizing that it’s okay to be a beginner right and it’s okay to you’re not going to always feel natural and confident normal at it you got to start somewhere you got to start somewhere I’m totally perfectionist and I like to be good at everything in my life so what’s great though about golf is that not only has it humbled me but it’s been such a great exploration because when we get to be adults right how much are we really learning something new right and it’s so important to expand that so I’ll say that I’ll say look good play good okay and even if you don’t play good at least you look good right and it’s a great photo and yeah I think having great support systems too you know Finding other women who are also in the sport coming to Golf Galaxy getting getting information is so empowering that’s really a lot of it like you’re going to go the ball you’re going to make weird shots I’m doing a swinging change we’re figuring it out but still it’s like you can see that little bit of progress and it gets so addicting yep absolutely I agree and we can again we’ll continue to help you out with everything yeah no I so appreciate it CU TR me I’m like whoa this is like mind blown let’s see another good one yep we’re going to do it see that’s solid yeah hit solid yep hit solid went contact was there yep okay so is am I still is it you know what I think I did I think I went back to kind of my old grip I feel like I turned my I know I turned my wrist at the end oh oh one second let me just I’m going to pull this up for you real quick and show you exactly what you did oh wow so the DI diagram on the bottom is kind of your perspective looking down at the club head yep okay this little Gray Line you see running that’s how I that’s the center line yep the blue line is the direction you swung yep you actually swung left yeah so we’re going to yeah we’re going to work on getting you to swing out a little bit further out in front of you yeah really open up the face yeah and that’s where that right palm came in handy before so I want you to feel like your right pushing it through at the Target keep the tar keep your right palet going to the Target as long as you can yep relax the hands relax the arms put the big muscles to work okay stood up a little bit there yep okay still yeah is there anything else I mean I guess it’s just getting that swing thought in and just drilling it it’s getting all of those swing thoughts in right there’s a list of them that you have to put together but that’s all again that’s part of the routine is what am I doing first posture grip stance getting getting getting good balance ball position which we didn’t talk about but dead center it’s been in a perfect position there Center for a seven I do I I have the kind of general like the one is is you know you’re align you know when you’re on your driver and then shorter go further back then the hard part is shut the brain off go that’s that’s the hard part which is why I fallen in love with golf though because I have such an active brain and like from a mental health perspective I think golf is such a great sport because you’re practicing that mental presence and like you said you’re very or um was the word you use perfectionist perfectionist put that put that into order every time and creating the creating the that kind of safety net of having the routine correct are very very important same swing every time is how you want to look at it get over the ball the same way go ahead and give me one more swing here yep awesome Best Shot best shot of the day to end on right there okay better great so as you keep working on this and everything we’ve been talking about um give me a quick answer to what’s your favorite en course uh thing in the store here or must have must have oh my gosh look when you’re new to go it’s all about the outfits so I think a good fit you got to love I mean come on like the JS y the gold shoes like you got to if if you’re not going to play perfectly great which nobody ever will um unless you’re a pro well I mean Hello we’ll get you there yeah I’m down I’m ready then you know what look good while you’re doing it and have a good time with your friends that and and a good attitude which can be challenging sometimes I agree absolutely but again we’ll keep working on it please I I’m looking forward to it we’ll see you soon awesome thank you you got it [Music]
