Joe,
You say to avoid the no mans land area where you must use a half swing for 20 yards out to 70 yards. I am OK with a full swing wedge, but the half swing I either hit it too low with my pitching wedge or skull it with my sand wedge. I actually get a fear attack as I take my backswing for these shots. Is there anything to cure these things?
Bradford
Hello Bradford,
This is the most delicate area of the game, so you can get the yips for pitching just as bad as yips for putting. As a matter of course management, many golfers try to stay away from these distances due to the same problem you described, but sometimes you will find yourself in those spots anyway, so you might as well try to learn a stroke that can execute these shots with some confidence. It sounds like you only carry 2 wedges, and the soles are different. Notice a sand wedge does not lay on the ground the same way as a pitching wedge because the back edge of the sole is lower than the leading edge while the pitching wedge sole is more flat. The term for this is bounce angle. If your sand wedge has a lot of bounce, this might explain why you are skulling shots if you do not change your ball position. Try playing the SW off the back foot to reduce the effect of the bounce angle. Do not be afraid to take a bigger divot. You might find this works well for shorter pitches but not for longer ones. If that is the case, get a lob wedge which does not have much bounce angle and then you can use your normal ball position for longer pitches with less fear of skulling it. You will also get the extra height that you will not get with a pitching wedge. As strange as it sounds, a pitching wedge is not always the best club to pitch with.
Joe
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Joe,
Is your game as consistent as your sarcastic remarks?
Answer: Here is an example of my consistency. Last week I played a quick 9 at my local course Fox Run. The course was empty so I played alone and hit two balls off the tee, first with a hybrid and second with a 3 iron as a contest. On the first hole the hybrid went down the middle but the 3 iron went into a fairway bunker. Then, of course since nobody was watching, the first ball 8 iron went into the cup for an eagle. Although that is hard to believe, the rest of the story is much easier to believe. From the fairway trap, I topped the second ball about 20 yards forward, pushed a wedge into the greenside trap, blasted long and 3 putted for a triple bogey 7. That was a 5 shot swing, resulting in aggregate score of one over par for that hole, which is what I usually score on that hole anyway, thus restoring the fundamental equilibrium of the universe. That should answer your question about my consistency. For what it is worth, over the 9 holes the hybrid went just as far as a decent 3 iron shot, but was much more consistent and forgiving on off center hits. Is it spring yet?
Is your game as consistent as your sarcastic remarks?
Answer: Here is an example of my consistency. Last week I played a quick 9 at my local course Fox Run. The course was empty so I played alone and hit two balls off the tee, first with a hybrid and second with a 3 iron as a contest. On the first hole the hybrid went down the middle but the 3 iron went into a fairway bunker. Then, of course since nobody was watching, the first ball 8 iron went into the cup for an eagle. Although that is hard to believe, the rest of the story is much easier to believe. From the fairway trap, I topped the second ball about 20 yards forward, pushed a wedge into the greenside trap, blasted long and 3 putted for a triple bogey 7. That was a 5 shot swing, resulting in aggregate score of one over par for that hole, which is what I usually score on that hole anyway, thus restoring the fundamental equilibrium of the universe. That should answer your question about my consistency. For what it is worth, over the 9 holes the hybrid went just as far as a decent 3 iron shot, but was much more consistent and forgiving on off center hits. Is it spring yet?
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Joe,
Please give me some advice on tendonitis in the right elbow. I am 63, and have played 160 rounds this year and have this pain in my right elbow, and it started in the last part of the year (that is in September). I have never had this condition before. I am interested in preventative measure for the 2007 season, and I have decided to rest my arm for several months before 2007. I have used the common wrap while playing, and have felt no pain while wearing the wrap. But I would like to cure the condition and start anew in 2007. In advance, thanks!
Roger Dodger from Minnesota
Hi Roger,
Wow, 160 rounds is a lot, I think my arm would fall off. Since I am not a doctor, I can only guess what to do. Are you sure this is tendonitis and not arthritis? There are plenty of items you can buy off the shelf at your local drug store for arthritis, just in case that might be the problem. If it really is tendonitis and the wrap seems to help, there is no rule that says you cannot keep wearing the wrap. However if the wrap restricts you, I can understand why you would like to play without it. I have heard other people having this problem if they swing with the flying elbow like Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples or John Daly. I do not know if you also do this or not, but it might be worth a try to swing with your elbows closer together like Vijay Singh or Tiger Woods.
Joe
Please give me some advice on tendonitis in the right elbow. I am 63, and have played 160 rounds this year and have this pain in my right elbow, and it started in the last part of the year (that is in September). I have never had this condition before. I am interested in preventative measure for the 2007 season, and I have decided to rest my arm for several months before 2007. I have used the common wrap while playing, and have felt no pain while wearing the wrap. But I would like to cure the condition and start anew in 2007. In advance, thanks!
Roger Dodger from Minnesota
Hi Roger,
Wow, 160 rounds is a lot, I think my arm would fall off. Since I am not a doctor, I can only guess what to do. Are you sure this is tendonitis and not arthritis? There are plenty of items you can buy off the shelf at your local drug store for arthritis, just in case that might be the problem. If it really is tendonitis and the wrap seems to help, there is no rule that says you cannot keep wearing the wrap. However if the wrap restricts you, I can understand why you would like to play without it. I have heard other people having this problem if they swing with the flying elbow like Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples or John Daly. I do not know if you also do this or not, but it might be worth a try to swing with your elbows closer together like Vijay Singh or Tiger Woods.
Joe
