Finca Cortesin Golf Course Playing Tips

Posted under Golf Course

Finca Cortesin Golf Course is one of the newer courses on the Costa del Sol situated in the hills and coutryside outside of Marbella. It has some of the best holes on the Coast and fantastic views to enjoy as well.

This is becoming known as one of the great courses of the Costa del Sol Spain.

The front 9 of Finca Cortesin Golf Course

Hole 1: Tee shot is best to the middle of the wide fairway which does have bunkers on the left and right. The green is quite large, protected on the left by a bunker and on the right by a slope.

Hole 2: 175 meter par 3 with a well protected green which has many contours to its surface. This is a tricky par 3.

Hole 3: A beautiful par 5 which for a long hitter can be reached in two. The tee shot to a wide fairway should be to the left if you want to play your second shot over the lake to the green. Or you play your second shot up the left side away from the lake. There are no bunkers around this green and the views are fantastic.

Hole 4: 256 meters to the green but a huge lake to play over. Take less club and play up the fairway to the right avoiding the one fairway bunker and then onto the green. The green has the water to the left and a bunker to the right.

Hole 5: A straight par 5 with the fairway becoming tighter as you approach the green. The green is narrow and well protected by some great bunkers making reaching in two very tricky.

Hole 6: 178 meters par 3 with deep bunkers protecting a large green.

Hole 7: It is a long hole and a difficult par 4. Again the fairway is generous with bunkers left and right. The second shot will be a long iron or wood to a large sloping green with bunkers front right and right.

Hole 8: A dog leg to the right and a par 5. There are bunkers all up the right side before the turn. Select your second shot carefully as the approach to the green has bunkers left and right making the fairway narrow. It is a large green with one bunker and a lot of rough.

Hole 9: A short par 4 with a generous fairway with bunkers down the left and one in the middle. The green is small and a good second shot is needed to avoid any trick chips.

Build A Smooth Powerful Golf Swing

Posted under Techniques

To build a smooth powerful swing is within every body’s ability but you must first understand where the power is developed.The common problem that affects most golfers is trying to hit the ball to hard. The fundamental concept to a good swing is that you do not hit the ball but allow the ball to get in the way of your swing. Remember it is a golf swing not a golf hit.By concentrating on hitting the ball you will develop a stabbing motion that is not smooth or powerful.
Lets think of the parts of the swing ,there is a back swing ,a forward or down swing and the finish. Only three basic parts.Now how can we join them together in the most efficient therefore powerful way?

1.The back swing should start gently with the club head low to the ground, the hips and shoulders turning in harmony with the arms, this is a one piece movement although the hips will turn only about thirty degrees, the shoulders up to ninety degrees depending on your flexibility and your arms even further. Note the difference here, this is where the power is built. The hip/shoulder margin is often referred to as the ‘x’ factor because if you placed a shaft across your hips and another across your shoulders and you could look down upon yourself the two shafts would form an x. Restricting the hip turn builds the coil power, think of turning the top of a spring whilst holding the bottom and imagine the potential energy there, it is this energy that provides the power in your swing.
2.The down swing should follow naturally from the back swing, the trunk of your body turning and bringing your arms down on plane back to the impact position. The arms should stay close on the return, with your right elbow almost brushing your hip, this will prevent you from casting the club and hitting a slice. Keep the wrists cocked until the club shaft is parallel to the ground and then uncock them into impact. The timing of this can be checked by holding the club upside down and swinging, you should hear a swishing noise through the impact area and beyond.

3. The finish has to be balanced, weight on the left leg, chest facing the target, head held high and the club over the left shoulder almost laying across the neck. It can help considerably to study the pro’s finish position, my favourite being Ernie Els.Copy the finish position and work in reverse, if you know where you are going to end up it makes the journey there a lot clearer.
Practice these tips and you will build a smooth, powerful swing.