Joe,
I was told that I should get a driver with a longer shaft because it will give me more distance, but whenever I try a longer shaft, my distance is actually less. How do you explain this?
Linda

Hello Linda,
This is one of those theories that seems to make sense, but it only works if you can strike the sweet spot of the clubface every time. A longer shaft also theoretically makes it harder to hit the sweet spot because the ball is a little farther away from you. Any shot that misses the sweet spot will not go as far as a shot that hits the sweet spot, so if the shorter shaft allows you to hit the sweet spot more often, then that would be a better choice.
Joe

Joe,
I thought it was supposed to be a Fundamental to have the club pointing at the target at the top of the backswing, but I see photos of Phil Mickelson, John Daly, and even the great Bobby Jones pointing the club way across the line. How do you explain that?
Pete

Hello Pete,
In my opinion, that is a mannerism, not a fundamental. It sure does look picture perfect when someone can point the club straight at the target, but that is no guarantee to result in a good shot. Starting from the top of the backswing, what happens next is an inside-out swing path, which the body turn brings to a square path at the point of contacting the ball (like a swinging door). When you think about the plane for an inside-out swing path, pointing it across the line at the top only helps to put the club on that plane, so I do not see anything wrong with that, as long as your results are good. If, however, you have a hook problem, then you might be pointing it too far across the line, but most people slice, so this idea may help to cure it.
Joe

Joe,
I am getting contradicting information about different ways on how to hit chip shots. Is there only one right way to chip?
Charles

Hello Charles,
Different people have had success with different methods, so you may hear or read some conflicting advice about which method is best (most methods agree on proper setup, so we will skip that). They all have one thing in common. No method will work unless you keep your hands ahead of the clubhead at impact. If you can do that, then the main issue becomes distance control.

Here are 3 chipping methods for distance control, find the one that works best for you.

Method 1 - use the same stroke and tempo, knees to ankles, for all distances, just change the club to adjust for longer or shorter shots. This usually works best for those who have enough confidence in their stroke that they never hit it fat or thin, they can hit the sweet spot every time.

Method 2 - use only 2 clubs to chip (one for minimum loft, one for maximum loft) depending on the amount of loft and carry needed to clear the taller grass. Use the same backswing, but vary the tempo or acceleration depending on the distance desired. This usually works best for those who have a good sense of touch.

Method 3 - use only 2 clubs to chip depending on the amount of loft needed. Vary the length of the backswing for distance control, and keep a consistent tempo. This usually works best for those who do not have enough confidence to rely on touch.

The Evil Twin’s Purist Corner – Point and counter-point:
Point – (Mantra) – A rule is a rule and you cannot change the rule because all rules are good rules.
Counter-Point – Not all rules are good rules. Lemmings have a rule, if the first lemming marches off a cliff into the sea, then all the following lemmings must do the same (or else they might be penalized?).
In this case, if I were a lemming capable of rational thought, I might be tempted to get a parachute and life vest, or to consider breaking the rule (gasp!).

Joe,
i have a problem flying shots from a wet
sand trap. please help with some advice.
thank you
john neily

Hello John,
You cannot treat wet sand the same way as dry sand. If
your normal sand shot uses a wedge with a lot of
"bounce" (the sole having the rear lower than the
front), it will not penetrate the wet sand so you are
likely to skull the ball over the green. Try a wedge
with little or no bounce like a lob wedge or pitching
wedge. Many people do not take the time to practice
these shots, but those who do practice them will
understand quickly what works and what does not.
Joe

Joe, what kind of courses are your favorite and least favorite?
Answer – I like uncrowded courses that are not too expensive. Unfortunately these can be hard to find. What I really do not like is when I get talked into going to an upscale course, and two guys grab your bag out of your trunk before you can get your shoes out. Then you park your car and pay your greens fee and if you are lucky you can find your clubs somewhere on a motorized cart about a half kilometer from the practice area. You might be wearing your best golf outfit, but compared to everyone else you look like a commoner. Then you finally get to the first tee and then you get a lecture from a "course host," who has more stories than Mother Goose, and finishes by admonishing you that if your cart leaves the cart path, or if you cannot keep up with the Pace rules, you will be asked to leave. Having to stay on the cart path usually means a six-hour round, but they put you on the time clock anyway. Then another host takes pictures of your group and tries to sell them to you. Then you have to decide which of the 5 sets of tees to play. Then you finally get onto the course and then the beverage cart girl drives up, and if you order something and hand her a 5, she looks hurt if you ask for change. At the turn the least expensive fast food is a gourmet sandwich for $7 and a $3 drink, and don’t forget the tip. When you are done, whether you like it or not, a couple of kids grab your bag and start cleaning your clubs, and of course you will feel guilty if you don’t tip them too. Then a guy drives up in a golf cart and offers to take your clubs to your car. Where does it end? When you drive to the exit, there might be a guy who politely asked if you enjoyed your experience here, are we supposed to tip him too? These places are for people who say “Tally Ho the Fox”, but not for people like me who prefer to say “There goes the little *!@#$%”. Suddenly the local muni does not seem so bad.

Joe,
But one thing which has been bothering me is that I have a severe problem of hooking the ball, so I have to compensate for it while taking a shot but the problem is that sometimes it doesn’t hook at all and I land up out of bounds, I request you to please help me overcome this problem and advise some remedy to it ................... What the HELL am I doing wrong .Regards Kabir

Hello Kabir,
Since I have never seen you swing a club, I can only give some suggestions. First of all, do you hook only your driver or all your clubs? If only the driver, then trade it in for another model. I have seen many cases where drivers are so different that the same swing can produce a hook with one driver and slice with the other. Secondly, if you hook all your clubs, then I suspect your grip may be too “strong”, meaning the V’s formed by your thumb and forefingers are pointing beyond your back shoulder. Adjust your grip so that the V’s are pointing between your head and back shoulder. Some people even point them at the chin. What kind of “compensation” are you doing? If it is the grip position that I just described, then thirdly I would look at your swing plane, I suspect it might be too flat. Try a more upright plane and see if that helps.
Joe

Joe,
The logic for having rules is to prevent anyone from gaining unfair advantages. Using the same logic, why is it legal to allow a caddie to read a putt for you, or tell you what the exact distances are and what club to hit? Why don’t the rules say you must do this yourself? Aren’t those things a part of your own personal decision-making skills? You are allowed to ask a caddie for exact distance, but you cannot use a “range-finder” device for the same reason, and the device is not all that accurate anyway, so that’s a dumb rule. Isn’t this like a chess player being allowed to get advice from his/her “caddie” in the middle of a match? Isn’t this like a kid in a spelling contest having a “caddie” to give advice in the middle of competition? How is this fair to those of us who cannot afford caddies? I think players should have to make their own decisions as part of their overall skills. What do you think about this?
Josh

Hello Josh,
I think you have a good point. It is not a level playing field for golfers who cannot afford caddies, because you get no help at reading greens, while local caddies have seen so many putts, they know how every green will break. You can have a perfect putting stroke, but you still will not sink many putts if you can’t read the greens correctly. Those who can afford caddies have a definite advantage, not only do they avoid worrying about the read, but also they can blame the caddy for every missed putt while you only have yourself to blame.
Joe

Joe,
I can hit the ball better than my buddies, but they usually beat me because they putt better. I don’t understand why I cannot putt as well as my buddies if they are not as athletic as I am. Help!
Harold

Hello Harold,
Sometimes we overlook the little things. Any one of the following points might make a difference. For example, are you more like Golfer A or Golfer B?
Let’s assume Golfer A and Golfer B have similar putting strokes and they can both read a green equally well, but Golfer A makes more putts and 3-putts less often than Golfer B. How can this be?

Golfer A uses a putter design that is weighted at the toe and at the heel, but not in the center. Golfer B uses a straight blade. Since they both have similar strokes, they both miss the sweet spot on the putter by the same amount. Golfer A gets better results due to a larger sweet spot.

Golfer A has confidence in the read and can concentrate fully on executing the stroke. Golfer B changes the read as he/she stands over the ball (why bother with the original read in that case?). This can result in a tentative stroke due to worrying about the read instead of executing the proper pace of the stroke.

Golfer A aims at a spot on the green on the way to the hole, a spot that is close enough to hit every time. Golfer B does not use an intermediate target.

Golfer A improves touch for distance control during practice by noticing how far the backswing goes for certain distances, and then steps off those distances. Golfer B just relies on feel without thinking about the exact distance. As a result, Golfer A’s second putt is usually 1-2 feet long, while golfer B’s second putt is usually 3-4 feet long.

Golfer A’s putter has a fat grip, Golfer B’s putter has a skinny grip. In both cases, any accidental hand rotation will cause the putter face to rotate off line. Due to the fatter grip Golfer A’s putter face will rotate less off line than Golfer B’s putter.

Golfer A observes the terrain while walking up to the green from 100 yards on in, and can see which way water would most likely drain off the green, because this is the way all putts will break if you are not sure of other reads. Golfer B only reads putts after he/she gets on the green.

Both golfers have the Yips, but Golfer A uses a belly putter, which reduces the effect of the Yips.
Good luck Harold, I hope this helps!

Joe,
I have a problem flying shots from a wet
sand trap. please help with some advice.
thank you
john neily

Hello John,
You cannot treat wet sand the same way as dry sand. If
your normal sand shot uses a wedge with a lot of
"bounce" (the sole having the rear lower than the
front), it will not penetrate the wet sand so you are
likely to skull the ball over the green. Try a wedge
with little or no bounce like a lob wedge or pitching
wedge. Many people do not take the time to practice
these shots, but those who do practice them will
understand quickly what works and what does not.
Joe

Joe,
How does any golfer know which ball is best for them? Every brand says they are the longest, softest, best feel, etc., they can’t all be right.
Bill

Hello Bill,
All the ball manufacturers are already pushing the limits of the allowable specs, so there is not that much difference in performance among brands. The mind is a powerful thing, so if you believe you do better with a certain brand, then maybe that creates a positive attitude which helps your confidence. Pick a ball and stay with it for awhile. If you keep changing types of balls, your distance judgment might be affected if some balls behave differently for you. Realistically, only the low handicap players playing on upscale courses are likely to benefit from the high spin balls. If you have a problem with hooks or slices, a high spin ball might make it worse. A high spin ball theoretically will stop on the green better, but that depends on ideal course conditions. I’m sure you have seen the pros on TV bounce over the green anyway when the greens are firm. The number of layers in ball construction, again, is only important to the low handicappers, it will not make that much difference to the average players. Some players can tell the difference between harder or softer balls, but any ball will feel soft if you contact the sweet spot of your club, and it will feel harder if you miss the sweet spot. If you think a ball is really soft, bounce it off your head and then tell me how soft it feels (just kidding, don’t try this at home).

Jody, my Evil Twin, what is your opinion?
Answer: I think the purists should indeed try that bounce test at home, I suspect they won’t feel a thing.

Joe,
Controversy, controversy. Why can’t we have rules that are clear enough that no controversy is needed?
Cedric

Hello Cedric,
Controversy keeps certain topics in conversation. The more conversation, the more interest there is in the topic, the more news coverage it gets, whether it is about golf or any other topic. Take for example the NCAA football polls, they always cause arguments, which gives the sports talk show hosts plenty of material for their shows. That is why you will probably never see any college football playoffs, it would kill all the lively discussions. That also is the case for college basketball. There is always going to be controversy over which teams make the tournament and which teams were left out. I suppose you could let every team into the tournament, but the first round would be a joke. Instead, I would start the field with the 32 best teams getting a first round bye. The other 32 spots would be “play-in” spots, for which the next 64 best teams would have to win one game to get into the usual field of 64. That means 96 teams would qualify, and there should be little argument from those who cannot make the top 96. Then I would send all the losing teams from that play-in round as automatic entries into the NIT tournament. We could send this to the NCAA and the NIT for consideration, but I think they prefer to have all the controversy too keep the sports talk shows going.

Joe,
People say a hook travels farther than a slice. Why should it matter which way the ball is curving? Don’t they really travel the same distance?
Hank

Hi Hank,
A hook travels farther than a slice for the same reason that a 4 iron travels farther than a 6 iron, the loft at impact is different. The face of the club is “closed” when hitting a hook, which lowers the loft. The face of the same club is “open” when hitting a slice so the loft is increased. That means a draw with a 5 iron will fly lower like a 4-iron, while a fade with the same 5-iron will fly higher like a 6-iron.
Joe

Joe,
Thicker grips feel better to me, but I am told that a thicker grip will reduce clubhead speed. Is there any truth to this? Also, when putting I seem to do better with a thicker grip. What is your opinion?
Theo

Hello Theo,
The same argument takes place for baseball bats or golf clubs, the thinner the grip, the more bat speed or clubhead speed can be generated. On the other hand, a thicker grip makes the bat or club easier to control, so you have to choose whether you want to be a home run hitter or hit for a higher batting average. Remember, in golf you have to play your foul balls. For putting, it makes sense to me that a thicker grip should work better because it reduces the amount of clubface error caused by hands twisting. A small amount of hand movement turns a skinny grip (and therefore the shaft and the clubface) more than a fatter grip. It would take more hand movement to turn the fatter grip the same amount, so your margin of error is more favorable.
Joe

Joe,
I find this confusing. Why are some drops allowed two club lengths and other drops only one club length? Why don’t they simplify the rules and make it consistent?
Dan

Hi Dan,
If there is a penalty involved, the drop is 2 club lengths. If it is a free drop with no penalty, the drop is one club length. Sergio Garcia once actually incurred an extra 2-stroke penalty by dropping only one club length when he should have dropped two. Because of that penalty he fell back into a playoff and lost the tournament. Personally I think that is absolutely ridiculous, you would think the spirit of the rule means no more than two club lengths, so less would logically seem OK, right? No, wrong. Why? I don’t know, let’s ask Jody.

Jody, my Evil Twin, how would you answer Dan’s questions, why not simplify the rules?
Answer: It must be money. It is the same reason why the virus protection software companies keep the business going by creating new viruses for themselves to solve, and then looking like heroes for charging you money to solve them. For golf, the more complicated you make the rules, the thicker the rule book gets, the more money is made by the printers, the officials, the training seminars, etc. If they really wanted to simplify the rules, they could easily make all drops the same distance. I would pick 2 club lengths since one club length sometimes does not help much. Also, it would also be nice if they would say you can use anything in your bag, because then the telescoping ball retriever would be a good choice.

Joe,
I once had a penalty called on me because I was preparing to putt and the wind slightly moved my ball. Why should that be a penalty when it was not my fault? I did not do anything. How can anyone avoid this?
Phil

Hi Phil,
Here is how to avoid this. Do not ground your club, the penalty only applies after you have addressed the ball. If the club is not grounded, you have not yet officially addressed the ball, so just keep your club hovering above ground. Don’t delay the stroke because it is no penalty if the ball moves after you have begun your stroke. Why is there such a penalty? I don’t know. This is one of many unfair rules that can penalize you for things that are not your fault, and those types you should just leave for tournaments. If you are only playing recreational golf and you call this on somebody, you risk being branded as an anal aperture for the rest of your life.
Joe

Joe,
My natural swing produces a very low shot with a driver, and I have to use a 5 or 7 wood off the fairway because my 3-wood cannot get the ball high enough off the ground. I can drive OK with a 3-wood, but with the smaller head I get the occasional popups, toe shots, or heel shots. I have tried some swing changes but none of them seem to help my shot trajectory. Any suggestions?
Dean

Hi Dean,
Lower shots can be caused by using shafts that are too stiff for you. If that is not the case, you need more lofted clubs. If you cannot find a driver with enough loft, you might want to try a deep-faced oversized 3-wood for your drives. However, the deep face is not recommended for fairway shots because the center of gravity is too high, so just use it for drives. From the fairway you are likely to do better with a thin-faced fairway club such as the “Tight Lies” design because the center of gravity is obviously lower.
Joe

Joe,
I was once not allowed to play because my shirt did not have a collar. On TV I see some of the pros wearing shirts without a collar, if they can do it why can’t anyone else?
Dom

Hi Dom,
Some places have stricter dress codes than others, including restaurants, they just want to make sure people do not show up wearing sloppy T shirts or undershirts. The collarless shirts some of the pros wear are classified as “crew neck” when they have thicker neck lines, and they are usually nicer looking than the average T shirt, however one could argue that a T shirt is also a form of crew neck, and many sweaters or sweatshirts also do not have collars either. If your shirt was not a T shirt but had a thicker collar line, your golf course could have made an exception, but some purists insist that a rule is a rule, and they will defend that rule no matter how dumb it is. Seems like now is a good time for…

…The Evil Twin’s Purist Corner – Point and Counter-Point
Point - A rule is a rule. Tiger likes to wear crew neck shirts, but if he wants to play at a course where they have the collar rule, then he should not be allowed to play, just like anyone else. Furthermore, there is a risk that some astute TV viewer is going to phone all the major courses and find out which ones have that same collar rule, and then try to strip all those major titles from Tiger because he violated a Local rule, playing while illegally adorned.
Counter-Point – I guess you would also agree that there is nothing in the rules to prevent you from playing naked as long as you wear a collared shirt, and of course soft spikes.

Joe,
They say new equipment is ruining the game and making some golf courses obsolete. Is there anything that can be done?
Edie

Hello Edie,
Lee Trevino once said "It’s not the bow and arrow, it’s the Indian". New balls and new clubs, while they do produce more distance, have not actually lowered the average scores for all golfers for many many years, which proves the short game is much more important than the long game. Therefore I don’t think golf courses will become obsolete, except maybe some won’t be chosen for tournament consideration, and since most golfers are not tournament players, they will still be eager to play the shorter courses because they do not get as much benefit from technology as do the tournament players. Technology’s extra distance also translates into shots going further off line and into more trouble, and frankly this becomes more dangerous because more people will be within range of getting hit by errant shots. Realistically, I do not think there will ever be a ban on new technology, so if we ever want to offset the effects of technology, we might have to convince enough people to "think outside the box". For example, we could introduce an alternate set of modified rules which could keep any course from becoming obsolete. Let’s say for the sake of discussion, this new set of rules could be called "Shotmaker’s Rules" or "Finesse Rules", whereby you could only use 7 clubs, so the wild driver may not be a good choice. This would put less emphasis less on power and more emphasis on finesse back into the game, having to adjust how hard you swing instead of having so many clubs that you can use the same monotonous swing for almost any distance. To make up for the disadvantage of using fewer clubs, all penalties would be only 1 stroke (no loss of distance) and you get to improve your lie. The rules then become a lot simpler, and the pace of play becomes a lot quicker. However, I am sure the clubmakers would not be in favor of selling fewer clubs, so this idea may not gain much support. However, you might be very very surprised that if you were ever to try this, your scores will probably not be much different than your usual scores with a full set of clubs. If that is true, wherefore art thou, technology, where is thy sting?
Joe

Joe,
I'm considering buying some new irons. I currently own ping isi with a swing weight of c-9. I would like to have a better feel of where the club head is...this is where your advise would be appreciated. I'm 60 years, work out daily and in excellent condition. My swing speed is near 90 and is slow and rhythmic. Any ideas?? I'm told the average swing weight is d-2, d-4 is this right?? Thanks in advance,
Bill
Hi Bill,
Some people like a lighter feel, some like a heavier feel. Some people hit poorly with clubs that feel good, and when they try clubs that do not feel as good, they are surprised to see better shots, and then those clubs start feeling better in a hurry. Base your decision by comparing results for different swingweights. Theories about specs are no guarantees. Many golfers want to give themselves every possible technical advantage to improve, and swingweight is one spec aimed at giving a consistent feel for all clubs in your set, by comparing the weight of the clubhead to the overall weight of the entire club. The higher the letter, the heavier the club (d is heavier than c), and the higher the number, the higher the weight ratio is from clubhead to the whole club. Some people think this ratio is important, but I think there are a lot of other technical factors at play that are more important than swingweight. The ratio is not the same from club to club anyway because the heads on shorter irons have more mass than the longer irons, yet they have shorter shafts, so it is hard to imagine every club feeling the same. So what usually happens in your c-9 set, for example, is that you might hit the shorter irons better than the longer irons, and with a d-4 set you might hit the longer irons better than the shorter irons. Since the shorter irons are the scoring clubs, most golfers will give up on the whole set if they cannot hit the shorter irons, even if they hit the long irons very well. So they embark on a never ending journey to seek the perfect set. That is partly the reason we are seeing new sets with hybrid clubs instead of long irons, the longer clubs simply need more mass. Swingweights are also changed when grip weights are added, or when lead tape is applied to the clubheads. So rather than focusing on swingweight, pay more attention to shaft flex and lie angle. If you still feel swingweight is that important to you, find a 7-iron that you really like and have the swingweight measured, and use that as a guide to get your next set.
Joe

Joe,
does it do any good to talk to your golf ball out loud?
Answer: Sure, especially when your opponent is swinging.

The Evil Twin’s Purist Corner - Point and Counter-Point:

Point - Prayers are not allowed on golf courses. If you call on God to improve the results of a shot while it is still in motion, you are using "an outside agency" and subject to appropriate penalties under the rules of golf.

Counter-Point - So penalize me. Let us pray. May thy ball lie in green pastures and not in still waters. Amen.

Joe,
Why do the pros preach fundamentals, yet their swings all look different?
Davey

Hello Davey,
There is a difference between fundamentals (what everyone should do) and mannerisms (individual peculiarities). Most of the mannerisms occur on the backswing, because the backswing’s only purpose is to arrive at a strong hitting position at the top, and to achieve that, it may not matter how you get there (right, Jim Furyk fans?). From there, the fundamentals take over, and the downswing happens so quickly that you may not notice the pros all do the same thing (lower body weight shift to the front foot, and moving the back elbow to the front of the hip before ball contact). Once the ball is struck, the differences in the follow thru positions again are mostly mannerisms (right, Arnold Palmer fans?).
Joe

Joe,
There are so many tips in magazines, books, audios, videos, TV, etc. and some of these tips contradict each other. How is a person to know which ones to believe and which ones not to believe?
Ben

Hi Ben,
There are a couple of reasons for contradictions. Most tips come from people who have successfully used them, but that does not mean these tips will work for everyone else. Tip #1 might work for golfer #1 but not for golfer #2, but golfer #2 uses tip #2 which is the opposite of tip #1. For example, some say to start the backswing with no wrist action, others say to set the wrist cock early. Some say to use the “X-factor” by limiting hip action, others say to use more hips. All you can do is try them both and see which one works better for you. Another reason is the plight of any writer who has a contract to come up with a different article every week, or every month, this writer always has to think of something new to write about, and when it comes to golf tips, just about every idea has been used up already, so that makes it difficult to sound new and creative all the time. So to avoid repeating the same stuff, they might borrow ideas from others, and those ideas may be against something the same writer said before, who knows? That is why I prefer the question and answer approach. Even if I get the same question multiple times, I can always give a consistent answer explained a little differently for those who may not have seen or understood the same questions before. To answer your question on who to believe, I would not trust those who threaten that you must do every little thing their way or else you will fail, because that falsely assumes everyone has the same body build and degree of athleticism. Precision positions and moves that work for one person may not work for another person. Rather than thinking about 142 things during a swing, you have a better chance believing those who can keep things simple, because simplicity leads to better understanding.
Joe

A Series Of Unfortunate Events
Jack and Jill, both novices, are playing a fun round at the local municipal golf course. Jill is not a long hitter, but she gets the ball airborne consistently when the lie is good, and her main enjoyment comes from watching the ball fly. Jack hits the ball far, but not very accurately. On a long par 5, Jack drives OB, then hits again into the rough and cannot find his ball. Since he expected to find it he did not bother hitting a provisional, so he had to march back to the tee and hit again, finally hitting the fairway, but into a divot. Jill, meanwhile, is also in a divot, and she knows she is not good enough yet to get the ball airborne from a divot, so she moves the ball to a better lie and continues to make the ball fly, reaching a greenside bunker in 5 shots. Jack, meanwhile, skulls his divot shot into a fairway bunker and into a footprint. Then, while addressing the ball, his club accidentally touches the sand. Then his shot fails to clear the lip of the bunker and he slams his club into the sand in disgust. The ball rolls down into the crater he made. He finally reaches the fringe of the green in 2 more shots. Jill, meanwhile, finds her ball is also in a footprint, and she knows she is not good enough yet to execute that shot, so she moves her ball to a more level spot, and chips the ball onto the green about 50 feet from the cup, and waits for Jack to catch up, ribbing him about how much slower men are than women. The following group of golfers are gaining on them. Jack’s putt from the fringe hits the pin and comes to rest a foot from the hole. Jill, noticing the waiting golfers behind them, does not waste any time, and her putt glances off Jack’s ball, hits the pin, and comes to rest an inch away. While she is about to tap it in, a gust of wind moves her ball. Jack makes his putt from where his ball came to rest, and with steam coming out of his ears, he needs a calculator to figure the scores. Jill chuckles and said she only hit the ball 8 times, not bad for a novice.
Question #1 – Who won the hole?
Question #2 – Who had the most fun?
Question #3 – Which question is more important, especially for novices?

Joe,
What would be a good epitaph for a golfer?
Answer: He spent his whole life trying to get the ball into the hole, and now he is in there himself.

Joe,
Help me settle an argument. The idea of hitting a provisional ball is supposed to save time. My tee shot had a long carry over water and I saw it land near the bank on the other side, but I could not tell if it stayed in the rough or fell back into the water, so I wanted to hit a provisional, but I was told I could not, because provisionals are only for lost balls outside water hazards. So I had to walk all the way around the lake to look for my ball, and when I could not find it I had to walk all the way back to the tee and hit again. The groups behind me were really peeved at me so they called the Ranger who scolded me for slow play. I guess I should have hit the provisional anyway, whether anyone liked it or not, right?
Paul

Hi Paul,
The rules do not allow for a provisional in this case (water), if you hit another ball, that would immediately become the ball in play, and you would be lying 3 whether you found your first ball or not. This is one of many examples where the rule should be changed, especially with today’s emphasis on pace of play. Provisionals are not the real issue for saving time because you really only need them for stroke and distance penalties. The real issue in wasted time is the stroke and distance penalty itself, which is long overdue to be abolished. If there were no distance penalties, you would never have to walk back to your original spot, so there would be no need for provisionals. You would either find your ball or take a penalty, simply dropping nearest the spot where it would most likely have been (this idea is already in the Rules for casual water). This would allow OB or lost balls to be handled the same way as a lateral water hazard. This would improve the pace of play in all instances. I think after I make my first couple billion dollars, I will be like Donald Trump and buy the USGA. Then I will ask if anyone thinks the stroke and distance rule is a good rule, and to anyone who says yes, I will simply say “You’re Fired”.
Joe

Joe,
You say to have contests with your own type of stroke against another type of stroke. Won’t this mess up your regular stroke if you are trying to make it more consistent?
Mitch

Hi Mitch,
Unless you have the work ethic of Vijay Singh, who spends all day every day keeping his stroke grooved, I believe it is a false hope for most of us to think our swings will stay consistently grooved if we try to swing only one way all the time. Many golfers also play softball or tennis or other sports, so you have to believe these things will have some effect on your golf swing, more so than simply trying some variations. There are other activities that cause your muscles to change on a daily basis (like lifting weights or helping someone move heavy furniture), so it seems logical to me that your swings are always going to change a bit whether you realize it or not. I will even go so far as to say that anyone who refuses to participate in any other activities for fear of losing their golf swing is playing with a house of cards, which means the house will come tumbling down unless you do nothing but golf. It might sound like heresy to say the following, but there is more to life than golf (don’t hit me for saying that, Vijay). Besides, if a person never wants to try variations, what will that person do when a slump arrives? We all get slumps. Believe it. Deal with it. Feel the joy of overcoming it. Find a swing that allows simple corrections when your muscles change slightly, as they always will, whether you like it or not.
Joe

There were 13 original rules of golf, and here they are:
1. You must Tee your Ball, within a Club’s length of the Hole.2. Your Tee must be upon the Ground.3. Your are not to change the Ball which you Strike off the Tee.4. Your are not to remove, Stones, Bones or any Break Club for the sake of playing your Ball, Except upon the fair Green & that only within a Club’s length of your Ball.5. If your Ball comes among Watter, or any Wattery Filth, your are at liberty to take out your Ball & bringing it behind the hazard and Teeing it, you may play it with any club and allow your Adversary a Stroke for so getting out your Ball.6. If your Balls be found anywhere touching one another, You are to lift the first Ball, till you play the last.7. At Holling, you are to play your Ball honestly for the Hole, and, not to play upon your Adversary’s Ball, not lying in your way to the Hole.8. If you shou’d lose your Ball, by its being taken up, or any other way, you are to go back to the Spot, where you struck last & drop another Ball, and allow your Adversary a Stroke for the misfortune.9. No man at Holling his Ball, is to be allowed, to mark his way to the Hole with his Club or, any thing else.10. If a Ball be stopp’d by any person, Horse, Dog, or any thing else, The Ball so stop’d must be played where it lyes.11. If you draw your Club, in order to Strike & proceed so far in the Stroke, as to be bringing down your Club; if then, your Club shall break, in, any way, it is to be Accounted a Stroke.12. He, whose Ball lyes farthest from the Hole is obliged to play first.13. Neither Trench, Ditch, or Dyke, made for the preservation of the Links, nor the Scholar’s Holes or the Soldier’s Lines, Shall be accounted a Hazard; But the Ball is to be taken out/Teed/ and play’d with any Iron Club.

Joe,
You seem to always give a hard time to “purists”. How do you define a purist?
Answer – It’s all in fun, don’t take it too seriously. A purist is one who will defend a law or rule no matter how stupid the law or rule is, instead of working to get it changed, or using some common sense depending on the situation. You cannot legislate common sense. An example of a golf purist might be a guy who insists on marking his ball one inch from the cup just because someone else is away, because proper etiquette says you should not shoot unless you are away. People with some common sense would just tap the ball in to save time. Anyway, let’s have some fun with this, I hereby announce the creation of “The Purist Corner”.

The Purist Corner – Point and counter-point:
Point – (Mantra) – A rule is a rule and you cannot change the rule because all rules are good rules.
Counter-Point – Not all rules are good rules. If you don’t believe that, be careful when you go to Arizona, in some parts they have a local rule that says “When being attacked by a criminal or burglar, you may only protect yourself with the same weapon that the other person possesses”. So if the criminal has a knife and you have a gun, you cannot use the gun to protect yourself, because if you do, you are breaking the rule.
You Make The Choice – which makes more sense, to seek to have rules improved when they do not make sense, or choose to meekly sit by and condone injustices? In this case, purists, before you get stabbed, you might consider breaking the rule (gasp!).

Joe,
Why do we need separate water hazard rules for lateral?
Larry

Hi Larry,
Due to the way the rule was written, you have to drop BEHIND the spot where the ball entered the water, along the line to the hole. Therefore if you hit the ball in the ocean, you might have to drop in Australia if it were not for the lateral rule. If it were up to me, I would change the wording of the rule to get rid of the phrase “behind the spot” to allow dropping at the nearest relief point no closer to the hole, then we would not need two separate rules. If the purists object, I would take away the lateral rule and make the purists drop in Australia.
Joe

Joe,
While viewing older films of the pros’ putting strokes, I noticed that they used a lot of wrist action, unlike today’s players who say we are supposed to use very little or no wrist action at all. Why not, if it used to work in the past?
Pat

Hello Pat,
It is true, most instruction says to keep the wrists out of the putting stroke. One explanation I have heard is that the greens of yesterday were slower than the greens of today, so more wrist was needed. Another explanation was that the wrist action is more prone to The Yips, but not everyone gets these Yips. Some people have a better feel for distance control by using more wrist action. Although this is not widely used, my personal opinion is that you should have a contest on the practice green between your arm stroke and your wrist stroke and see which one wins. You will never know unless you try it, maybe you are not prone to yips. Even if it doesn’t work, at least you will have more confidence that you have proven your regular stroke is better. In my own contests, I have found that a wristy putting stroke can work almost as well as an arm/shoulder stroke if there are no other moving parts (the arm stroke sometimes causes my balance to shift). To help keep the arms and body still, I press my front elbow to my side. The grip that seems to work the best is the reverse overlap grip, which helps to keep the clubface square to the target, even with wrist action. However, the wrist stroke cannot be too quick or else you will lose distance control or twist the putter face off line. Make the stroke very slow and deliberate and concentrate on keeping the putter face on line all the way as you follow thru. Again, whether it is putting, chipping, pitching, or full swing, have those contests to see which type of stroke can stand up to the pressure of competition.
Joe

Joe,
What is the worst advice you have ever heard in golf instruction?
Wayne

Hi Wayne,
I don’t like hearing or reading that you have to get worse before you get better, presumably because the theory says the correct mechanics take time to become ingrained, sometimes months. This may be true for those who can afford to have their swings monitored every day to make sure the mechanics are still correct and not lapsing back into older incorrect habits, but what about those people who cannot afford constant monitoring, what if they THINK they are performing the new mechanics OK but they really are not, that means they will never get better just by trusting a concept. I say this is bad advice for the average golfer, who will never be able to build any confidence while getting worse, with no idea how long it might take to see improvement. These poor people will have basically wasted months of lost enjoyment. That’s depressing. You cannot expect swing mechanics to be the same for everyone, you must first take into account a person’s body build and level of athleticism. Everyone is built differently with differing ranges of motion in every muscle compared to a better player, so it may not be reasonable to assume you will ever be able to swing exactly the same way as the better players. Sam Snead was so limber he could kick the top of a doorway while standing on the other foot (you can look up the photos), how many people do you know who can do that? If most people tried to swing like Tiger Woods with the same range of motions, I think they might sprain half the muscles in their bodies. Life is too short to waste several months getting worse with no guarantee that you will ever get any better. Find instruction that can show you simple ways to improve immediately, even slight improvements over time are better than getting worse first.
Joe

Joe,
Do you and Jody ever discuss philosophy?
Pauline

Hi Pauline,
We are usually not on the same page. The other day Jody says to me: “Joe, why are we here?"
So I pondered philosophically for a moment, and then said. "I've thought a lot about this, Jody, and I think I have it figured out, everybody is here for a purpose. I think maybe we're here just to teach people how to improve their putting, how to swing better, how to achieve good etiquette. We're here to see the look on someone’s face when they hit their first good shot. We're here to listen to their problems and help them overcome slumps. We’re here to share their joy when they have cured their slice. We’re here to celebrate with them when they shoot their best score. We’re here to try to put a smile on their faces. We’re here to…”
And then Jody interrupts me and says “No, no, no, what I meant was, why are we here when your wife said to pick her up a half hour ago”?

Joe,
How do you make adjustments in the middle of a round when your swing is not working well?
Al

Hi Al,
I would recommend having an “A” swing and a “B” swing to choose from. When the A-swing stops working and you cannot afford to experiment in the middle of the round, switch to the B-swing. The A swing is always your preferred method, while the B swing is only something to fall back on when the A swing goes wacko, but it does not have to be all that different, maybe just a shorter-easier-more relaxed version of the A swing, since many problems are caused by overswinging. There are many other ways to make adjustments, and the next time you are on the range it might be a good idea to try a few different things and pick the ones that suit you best. Remember, everyone is built differently, so the same ideas that work for one person may not work as well for the next person. There are too many ideas to list them all, but here are a few: If your backswing is naturally flat, try one that is a little more upright, or vice versa. Exaggerate your follow-thru more toward the target and pose longer. If you use a narrow stance, try a wider one, or vice versa. Change your ball position slightly and compare results. Try varying amounts of a forward press. If your backswing is wristy, try less wrist or vice versa. Most of all, keep your swing thoughts simple, because if you try to think of too many things at the same time, your swing becomes a house of cards that will tumble if you forget one of those many things. Next time you go to the range, figure out how to get your A-swing back and if you cannot, then maybe your B swing becomes your preferred swing for awhile. I hope this helps you.
Joe

Joe,
I enjoy reading your column on a regular basis. I've replaced my 3 and 4 irons with hybrids and they usually go straight. My question is: I hit my 5/6/7 irons well. They go in the direction I want with only a slight fade (about 10 yards in the air). However, when the balls hit the ground they immediately spin hard right (literally at right angles to the fairway by 10-20 yards. What am I doing wrong?
Richard

Hello Richard,
I would think a consistent hard right bounce would be due to lots of sidespin, but then your fade or slice would likely be much more pronounced. I have always felt that if you have some clubs that you can hit straight, then those clubs fit your swing, so change your other clubs that you do not hit straight. Since your hybrids go straight, check the type of shaft, are they regular or stiff? I suspect your irons do not have the same flex, maybe not even the same brand. Try some different irons, especially those with more upright lie angles, which will reduce slices. Joe

Joe, last week you said if someone else from another fairway hits your ball and you cannot find yours, that it should not be a penalty for recreational golf. It really is a lost ball, you have to go back and tee it again. Also you said if you and your buddy are betting money and you are not sure who wins on account of this to just forget to sign the scorecard so both of you are DQ'd and give the money to charity. Instead you should just withdraw from the match. I do think the time has come for a separate set of recreational rules, but that has not happened yet, so we should all play by the same rules or else we will not know where to draw the line, like mulligans and foot wedges, etc.
Bob

Hello Bob, thank you for the feedback, I agree with most of what you said, for example in formal competition, no question, a stolen ball is a lost ball, we both said that. However, in a personal bet with your buddy only, and nobody else involved, you suggested (a) go back to the tee and hit again, which is against local Pace rules which could get you kicked off the course, or (b) withdraw from the match, which is pretty much what I meant by saying tongue-in-cheek to give the money to charity. Not signing the scorecard deliberately was only my poor attempt at a joke. We both also said maybe the time has come to have a new set of recreational rules that avoid unnecessary penalties for things that have nothing to do with cheating. Somebody else stealing your ball is not deliberate cheating on your part. You cannot put that in the same category as the mulligan and the foot wedge, both of which are deliberate actions by the player, not by the ball thief. That’s like saying if somebody steals your car and gets a speeding ticket then it is your fault and you have to pay the fine for that speeding ticket. I am also glad to see your statement that there are several other rules that we both feel should be changed or discarded altogether, and that you are becoming more of an advocate for two sets of rules, one for tournaments and one for recreational golf. That makes you a fellow patriot, just like our forefathers who, instead of meekly giving in to old British tax rules forever, finally objected and eventually got their way. Good thing they did or else we would all be having our daily tea and crumpets and speaking with a jolly good accent. And, since purists insist that a rule is a rule and reform is a no-no, we would also still be playing with hickory shafts and gutta-percha balls. Anyway, my intention is not to offend purists with my tongue-in-cheek remarks, I just like to have a little fun by stirring the pot and watching the fur fly. Thanks again for the feedback Bob, and keep it up.
Joe

Joe,
FROM TIME TO TIME I SLICE RATHER BADLY.I HAVE DISCOVEREDTHAT WHEN I DO IT I PLAY FROM "OUT" TO "IN". WHAT IS THE SIMPLEST WAY OF COUNTERACTING OUT TO IN SWING PATH?
MANY THANKS
KAS

Hi Kas,
Since I have never seen you swing, I can only guess that your outside in swing has a root cause. I have seen this in other people where the cause is the flying back elbow. I would recommend going to the top of your backswing and stop. Then bring your back elbow as close as you comfortably can to your other elbow, and that will help your downswing to go on an inside out path. Remember, as your body is turning during the downswing, the path of the club is also turning, so you might think you are swinging down the target line, but you are not because the body turn brings the club outside in by the time it arrives at the ball. That is why you must try to swing inside out, because your body turn will bring the club back to square without you realizing it.
Joe

Joe,
How can clubhead speed be increased?
Cindy

Hi Cindy,
This can best be illustrated by using a ping pong ball and paddle. If you swing very hard with your arms, but with no wrist action, the ball will not go very far. If you swing with all wrist action, but no arms, the ball still will not go very far. So obviously the answer is the combination of arm and wrist action. However, timing is most important. If you use the wrist too soon, you end up with only arm action at the point of impact, hence the term “hitting from the top”, and you get poor distance. You can send the ping pong ball the farthest by swinging your arms first, and delaying the wrist action until the last possible instant. This timing of the wrist snap is most important because it does not just ADD arm speed plus wrist speed, it actually MULTIPLIES them. Think about swinging easy with the arms and hard with the wrist at the last possible moment. Try this with the ping pong ball and paddle and you will see how this will increase distance, then use the same idea with a golf club. Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV, this is exactly how they get great distance with a seemingly effortless swing.
Joe

Joe,
Thank you for all your emails and believe me all your information and tips are a constant source of motivation on the continual path of improvement. Is there a recommended club, scale weight (ideal weight) for an experienced 76 year old male (my coach) playing at presently to a 13 handicap. He read in a Seniors Golf book that 13 oz was the recommendation. What is your opinion and recommendation? The second question involves golf etiquette. How do I ask an opponent to move from my line of sight on the putting green, without causing WW3. I either need skills to block out these interferences (which I don't have) or a prayer that stops people taking things personally. Please help me.
Big hugs and prayers
Fay
Hello Fay,
Recommendations are not guarantees. Any "ideal" weight for a club must be tested by you. Maybe that will work for you and maybe it won’t. There are so many other factors at play such as shaft flex and torque, kick point, loft, lie angle, length, etc not to mention your own physical characteristics and swing speed. Rather than getting overly technical on these matters, I think you should try different clubs and simply compare results. These types of specs are more important for those who play every day and want to become scratch golfers. Those of us who play less frequently are not likely become scratch golfers, so if you want to lower your handicap, put more emphasis on chipping and putting. Even scratch golfers do not hit the green every time, but they can get "up and down" from almost anywhere. That means even if you can hit the ball just has well as a scratch golfer, but you cannot get up and down, your handicap will still be double digit, so why waste your time worrying about club specs? As for your second question, you are always going to be playing with people who stand in the wrong place, so you might as well get used to that. There is no single phrase that you can use to ask them to move that is sure to avoid offending them. Some people will understand and others will think you are a jerk for asking. The most diplomatic phase to try would be one that puts the blame on yourself, such as "I’m sorry for asking, but I get the Yips when anybody stands there, it’s not you, it’s me."
Joe

Joe,
What is your opinion on why Tiger’s game was not so great last year?
Tim

Hi Tim,
Have you seen his new bride? That’s gotta be a bit distracting. His primary swing thought is probably “The heck with golf for awhile, I can’t wait to get home”.
Joe

Joe, did you have a good year last year, and what was your favorite personal highlight from last season?
Answer: Every year is a good year, and if you don’t think so, just try missing one of them. I had two personal highlights. On the first one, I chunked a chip shot from the back of a steeply sloped green that just barely made it onto the putting surface, almost stopped, and then slowly trickled 40 feet down the steep slope, coming to rest one foot from the pin. Naturally, I just strutted up to the hole, twirling my club like a baton, whistling and tipping my cap like I knew what I was doing. My buddies were impressed, complimenting me for having such a delicate touch. If only they knew the truth, but why should I tell them? The second highlight was on a 136 yard par 3 where my dyslexic buddy and I had a bet for closest to the pin. He went first and hit the green about 30 feet way. When it was my turn my mind went blank (as it frequently does) so I asked my dyslexic buddy what the yardage was and he said 163 (the little trickster), so I took out a 6 iron which would have been way too much club but I hit it thin so it traveled shorter than it should have and ended up on the green anyway, 5 feet closer than him. Serves him right. This goes to prove it is better to be lucky than good.
Joe

Joe,
Why do you think Tiger Woods wants to change his swing from time to time?
Sid

Hello Sid,
Tiger is not the only one. Jack Nicklaus admitted to be always tinkering with his swing, and so did many others. We humans are easily fooled into thinking that once we are swinging good, we will always swing like that forever. We forget that a golf swing involves hundreds of different body muscles, all of which get stronger or weaker every day, and therefore your swing changes without you even realizing it. Therefore we all must get used to the idea that a golf swing is never permanent, you will always have to find ways to adjust. Many times you will hear of a golfer having to “manufacture” a swing in the middle of a tournament because his or her old swing was not working anymore. All our swings are a continuous works in progress, and those who understand how to make adjustments have a big advantage over those who insist on swinging only one way just because it used to work in the past. In other words, your swing thoughts may be the same, but your muscles are not behaving the same way as they did in the past.
Joe

Joe, I heard psychologists and psychiatrists were studying The Yips. What have they found out?
Stosh

Hi Stosh,
I found this in “The Greatest Game Ever Played” by Mark Frost, which by the way is one of the best golf books ever written. The symptoms are categorized by psychologists and psychiatrists as specific expression of a diagnosable anxiety disorder. At their worst, the brain literally ceases to function, the ability to focus evaporates, inappropriate thoughts light up the mind like firecrackers, small-muscle motor control vanishes. For people who have never fallen into their grip, it is difficult to comprehend the unholy terror the yips inspire. Psyches crumble. Strong men weep. Some decide to give up the game rather than continue to face the furies that descend upon them. That’s just among amateurs, imagine what it’s like when you depend on making putts for a living.
Joe

Joe,
I wonder if u can help me with this problem. My shots are going much towards the left when I am using the 6,7 irons. If I become too conscious, keep my eyes on the ball etc, I end up slicing the ball much to the right. The phenomena is more pronounced during tee off. Interestingly it does not happen with 5 or 4 iron. Can u help me out. I am a starter with about 6 months into the game.Regards and a happy 2005.
Major Harpreet

Hello Major,
Also a happy 2005 to you. Are you a Major in the Army or Air Force? I'm still laughing because a Major is playing military golf (left-right-left-right). First of all it is not uncommon for anyone to have problems with one or more clubs behaving differently than the other clubs because there is no such thing as a perfectly matched set. This is why serious golfers are having the lie angles of their irons adjusted either more upright or more flat. More upright reduces a slice, more flat reduces a hook. In your case, I think you might be coming across the ball at impact from the outside in. If you do that while your clubface is square, you will tend to hit a pulled shot with no slice. If the clubface is slightly open, your shot will tend to start off as a pull and then slice. This is why you must try to swing from the inside out, because your body turn will bring the club back to square at impact.
Joe

Joe, what do you think of the one-ball rule?
Answer: Here is another case where golf becomes more a game of legalisms rather than a game of skill. Do you really think that someone can really benefit that much by switching balls between shots? Gee, I think I will use a distance ball for drives and switch to a high spin ball for approach shots, a floating ball for water holes, a wiffle ball for short flop shots over a bunker to a tight pin, and then for putting I will use a ball with a built-in gyroscope to reduce the breaks and a built-in magnet to attract it to the cup. Plllllllease!

Joe,
Last summer I had a money match against one of my buddies, and I was winning until the last hole, which is adjacent to the first hole. I sliced my drive into the right rough which is shared by the first hole and I noticed a guy on the first hole was playing a shot from about the same spot. Apparently he hit his drive to the same area. When I got there my ball was gone but there was another ball in the same spot, I think he hit my ball by mistake. He was in a power cart so he was gone before I could reach that spot. I was going to take a penalty for a lost ball, but my buddy said it was not my fault, he saw where my drive was and he agreed the other guy probably hit my ball by mistake, and therefore I did not need to take a penalty. Since I cannot prove this, I feel guilty because I like to follow the rules. Who is right, and who should get the money?
Adam

Hello Adam,
First of all, I have to commend you for honesty, and commend your buddy for sportsmanship. If you are playing by strict tournament rules, I suppose it has to be a lost ball penalty, but in a tournament this is not as likely to happen, so I think the term “recreational rules” apply here since you don’t have forecaddies, even if you are playing for money. Logic says it is not your fault that if someone else hits your ball, but some rules are devoid of logic. If you feel that strongly about applying penalties that have nothing to do with the skill of the contest, then I would suggest you conveniently forget to sign the scorecard, thereby disqualifying both of you, so give your money to charity!
Joe

Joe,
What is the single most important move a golfer can make during a golf swing?
Eddie

Hi Eddie,
If I tell you, I will have to shoot you. Oh, all right, here it is, Merry Christmas. You are likely to get a lot of different opinions about this topic, but here’s mine and here’s why: As you start your downswing, move your back elbow in front of your hip before you strike the ball. This one move makes 4 other good things happen without even having to think about each one. It helps your lower body weight to shift from the back leg to the front leg. It promotes an inside-out swing path. It helps you hit downward at the ball. It helps to delay the wrist break until you really need it. Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV, also the stop-action camera shots in magazines, and you will see they all do this elbow move, no matter how different their swings otherwise may look.
Joe

Joe,
I just got appointed to be in charge of my golf league for next year, but I am finding it very tricky trying to correctly arrange matches. How can I make a league schedule that makes sure that everyone plays everyone else at least once, and there are no duplications or omissions?
Jim

Hi Jim,
As an example, draw a picture of a skinny clock with numbers and draw lines across like this, 12-1, 11-2, 10-3, 9-4, 8-5, 7-6. This is your first day’s competition. Then keep 12 in the same position while “rotating” (like a dial) all the other numbers clockwise one position (whatever number is left of the 12 will jump over it) and then draw new lines across in similar fashion. If you draw the lines correctly, the result would be 12-11, 10-1, 9-2, 8-3, 7-4, 6-5. This represents your second day of competition. Repeat this process for each new day of competition, just keep “rotating the dial” while keeping the top number in the same place, and draw new lines across. This process will work for any number of players. For an odd number of players, the 12 (or whatever your highest number is) simply becomes the Bye, same process.
Joe

Joe,
Are balls retrieved from water hazards as good as new balls?
Will

Hi Will,
I read somewhere that testing showed the “pond” balls travel only a few yards less than new balls on the average. What these tests did not say is how many yards does any ball lose after it has been used for awhile, even without being in a pond. My guess is that the more a ball is used, the less distance it will travel anyway, pond or no pond. If you have a lot of money, and you want every single yard possible, use new balls. If you are like most people who want to save money, you might choose to use “experienced” balls that you find for free and live with the loss of a few yards, and save some new balls for longest drive contests.
Joe

Joe,
Thankyou for your wonderful tips. let me tell you that i am a girl playing golf since six months and has a 24 handicap. my game was going fine till 4 and a half months but now i can't see any improvment in my game rather it is becoming worse than before. pl. can you tell me the reason for this?
pal

Hello Pal,
If you have only been playing for 6 months, and your handicap indicates you can already break 100, then you have already achieved more improvement than most beginners. However, I like your attitude that you are not satisfied and you want to improve more. Most golfers go thru periods of non-improvement, and part of this is due to slumps (read Sam’s question from yesterday). If you want to improve more, ask yourself the following questions, and if any answer is NO, then work on that part of the game until the answer is YES. Do you make more short putts than you miss? Do you lag more long putts to within 3 feet than not? Do you get more chip shots within 10 feet than not? Do you get more pitch shots within 20 feet than not? Do you get more greenside bunker shots within 20 feet than not? Do you hit more greens with short irons than not? With longer clubs do you get within chipping distance more often than not? Do you keep your drives in the fairway more often than not? Aside from this, you can lower your handicap to 18 if you can bogey every hole, so keep track of every reason that you happen to score worse than bogey on any hole, and then work to eliminate those specific reasons. Good luck!
Joe

Joe,
What causes slumps and how can we avoid them?
Sam

Hello Sam,To execute a golf swing, your body uses hundreds of different muscles of varying sizes and shapes, all trying to work together at the same time. Every day, each one of these muscles gets stronger or weaker, bigger or smaller, in different combinations, depending on how you use them in your daily activities. On any given day, some of these muscles will have a greater or lesser effect on your swing without you realizing it. Trying to make all these muscles work together with precise timing and direction while they are all forever changing in size and strength is a never ending battle. Nobody can ever avoid slumps entirely, everybody gets them, but you can reduce their frequency and their severity by adopting a daily exercise routine to strengthen certain muscles, and to induce “motor muscle memory”. You have to train your swing muscles to behave in a consistent manner. Consider the right handed golf pros who know all the right moves. Does that mean they can play the game just as well left handed? No? Why not, they know all the right moves, don’t they? Realistically, knowing the right moves is not enough, you have to practice them in order to execute them consistently. The more you practice the right moves, the better you get. This goes for everything in life, not just golf. While inducing motor muscle memory, make sure you are training you muscles with the CORRECT moves, because if you induce incorrect moves, they will be much harder to “undo” once your muscles are trained to behave that way.
Joe

Joe,
Whenever I have a short downhill sidehill putt, I get so nervous that if I miss it, it will roll way past the hole unless I baby it, so my stroke gets affected because I am afraid I might baby it too much. Any tips on how to deal with these Yips?
Dutch

Hi Dutch,
Instead of worrying about missing it, tell yourself that you are going to execute the putt to the best of your ability, and even if it does not go in, at least you can say you gave it your best shot with a decent stroke instead of missing it due to a tentative stroke. That’s what The Yips are all about, causing you to make a tentative stroke. The only way to defeat The Yips is to get determined enough to tell yourself that you are not going to make a tentative stroke, you are going to execute the proper stroke no matter what. In the meantime I would suggest you go to a couple of different practice greens and place your ball in similar downhill sidehill positions and keep practicing them until you get a better feel on how to handle them, then you can build a feeling of confidence with those types of putts, or any other tricky types of putts, especially those that you have the most trouble with.
Joe

Joe, why don’t recreational golfers follow the all the Rules of Golf so we can all have a level playing field?

Answer: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. Pros have the best equipment, the best custom fitting, personal swing coaches, the best caddies to give them exact yardage to the pin, and to recommend club selections, and to carry and clean their clubs, and forecaddies to find their ball. They get to practice and play every day on the world’s finest courses. Recreational golfers, for the most part, are at a disadvantage because they cannot afford these luxuries. They are not even allowed to get yardage from an inaccurate optical device, so they must make their own decisions without a caddie’s advice (it could be a penalty to ask anyone else). When pros play, it is just a day at the office, when recreational golfers play, it is a special event. Greens fees can be expensive, so recreational golfers should get their money’s worth by enjoying the game using simplified rules, and not have their round spoiled by USGA-holes. Leave the nit-picky rules for the tournaments. People who play recreational golf do not get to play as often as they would like and they look forward to the enjoyment shot making, and you can’t make good shots out of divots, or sand shots out of footprints, or having to putt thru someone else’s spike marks, or having to hit a ball with mud on it, even the pros have lift-clean-place rules sometimes, even though their courses are much nicer than yours. Do you really think your lies on public courses are likely to be as good as lies on the highly manicured Tour courses? Come on, wake up and smell the coffee. For recreational golf, you can reduce the 162 page rule book a few sentences. For example: If a technical infraction happens to occur, ask this question: Did this infraction have anything to do with gaining an unfair advantage, or did this have anything to do with the skill of shot making? If the answer to both is NO, then for recreational golf there is no need for a penalty, play on. Or, if you enjoy being punched in the nose, you can endear yourself to others (especially those who beat you) by hiding their scorecards so they can’t sign them, and then disqualifying them because they forgot to sign their scorecards.

Joe,
I keep reading about older clubs that had names instead of numbers. Can you tell us which of these names match up to today’s numbered clubs?
Cal

Hi Cal,
There were lots of variations in the older named clubs, so you may find different definitions depending on where you look up the information, but in general, a Brassie is a fairway wood. That name came from the brass plate on the bottom to reduce wear. A normal Brassie was a 2-wood, if it had more loft it was a Spoon (3-wood) or a Cleek (4 or 5-wood). A Mashie was like a 5-iron, a Niblick was like an 8-iron, and in between was a Mashie-Niblick (6 or 7-iron). There are others, depending on where they were made. I do not like today’s terms, I think it is stupid to call a 3-wood a 3-metal just because it is no longer made of wood because a 3-iron is also made of metal (duh). We don’t really want to use terms like 3-composite or 3-titanium, do we? I think the solution is to go back to using the old names. My clubs are usually named with 4-letter words, except for the “helicopter” because that’s what it looks like when I throw it.
Joe

Joe,
Will it help to buy an expensive putter?
Pam
Hi Pam,
Putting is the great equalizer in golf, it allows short hitters to have a chance to beat the long hitters who can’t putt very well. When you count all the strokes used for each of your clubs for any round, the putter by far is used the most times, so it makes sense to get a putter that you like. That does not mean it has to be an expensive putter. Consider this, even if you have a perfect putting stroke, you still will not make very many putts unless you read the green perfectly, and who is perfect? The reverse is also true, if you are good at reading greens, you still will not make very many putts if you stroke it too hard or too soft. To make matters more complicated, even if you read the green correctly and make a perfect stroke, the putt may still hit an imperfection in the green and lip out. The answer to your question, in my opinion, is that there is a good chance you can putt just as well with a cheap putter as you can with an expensive putter, just find one that feels good and have a contest between that one against a borrowed goochy-fufu-expensive one and see which one wins the contest. The mind is a powerful thing, so you are more likely to make a more confident stroke with a putter that you like, expensive or not. It is the confident stroke that makes you a better putter, more so than the type of club.
Joe

Joe,
Why is it that I can get my old persimmon fairway woods up in the air more easily than today’s metal headed fairway clubs? I have tried several metals but I can’t seem to get them off the ground consistently.
Monty

Hi Monty,
I have noticed the same thing, and I think it is due to the metal plate on the bottom of the persimmon woods making the center of gravity much lower than today’s metal fairway woods. The metal woods that seem to work the best are the really thin ones like Tight Lies, because they are so thin, the center of gravity has to be lower than the center of the ball. I think the idea of bi-metal or tri-metal might help if the metal sandwich has the heavier metal on the bottom to lower the center of gravity.
Joe (see my Bio at thinkandreachpar.com)

Joe,
All I want for Christmas is the single most important move a golfer can make during a swing.
Eddie

Hi Eddie,
OK, but you will have to be a good little boy first, and wait until Christmas for it.
Joe

Joe,
I live in Canada where the season is very short. Any tips on winter golf?
Answer: Don’t eat yellow snow.

Joe,
I watch lots of golf programs on TV, such as the PGA Tour and I notice that the leading arm or left arm of the pros are always straight right to the top of the back swing during tee off, and fairway shots. I would appreciate if you can tell me how they do that or perhaps what sort of drill to do to maintain a straight left arm during the back swing. Thanks again and bye.
JLIM

Hello Jlim,
The straight arm allows the widest possible swing arc, which leads to higher clubhead speed. If you are having trouble keeping the arm straight, perhaps you are trying to take the arms too far back without enough shoulder turn. Try making the arms work together with the shoulders, and if the elbow starts to bend, do not go back any further.
Joe

Joe,
I finally set my ego aside and moved to a senior flex shaft from a stiff shaft. The first thing I noticed was, someone told me, was the “whip action” of the shaft. The first time was by accident…the ball went long… 260 yards, high with a slight fade. I had slowed down my swing speed from 96 mph to around 80 mph…like I just wanted to hit my drive 100 yards.
Now..how to I repeat this action?
Thanks for any suggestions
Larry

Hi Larry,
In my opinion, if you have a swing speed of 96, a senior flex shaft is too flexible for you. If you try to slow your swing down to 80, the chances are you will not be able to repeat that swing consistently, sometimes you will swing just a little too fast or a little to slow, and the shaft will flex a little too much or a little too less, and as a result you will hit a lot of wild shots. If the stiffer shaft was not working for you, I am guessing you just wanted more distance, but your accuracy was OK, right? If so, try a regular shaft instead of a senior shaft. Good luck.
Joe

Joe,
Shanks. I play on a 10 handicap and on average every couple of rounds I shank the ball badly with irons. My swing is on the correct path I am told and I hit a straight ball. I suspect that my hands drift away from my body nearing impact as I often hit the ball towards the heel of my driver when I start swinging too hard or towards the end of the game when I am maybe getting tired. Would this be the cause and what is the best fix or practice drill to remedy the shank?Regards,Pat.

Hello Pat,
I also had the shanks in the past, and it is a horrifying feeling to see the ball go 45 degrees off line, that can really ruin a round. In my case my weight was too much on my toes. The problem went away when I put my weight more on my heels. This does not mean it will also work for you, because maybe you are already on your heels, I don’t know. If so, you can try a more upright swing because a flat swing will tend to go more outward when you swing hard, as you described. Also when golfers get tired their swings tend to flatten a bit so that could explain it. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Joe (see my Bio at thinkandreachpar.com)

Joe, what do you think of Retief Goosen? Don’t you think he is a bit dry, like a robot?

Answer: You can’t please everyone, no matter who you are. Retief conducts himself like a real gentleman, and when you do that, some people think you are too boring. Maybe Retief can take a few lessons from the Terrell Owens school of manners and etiquette, then after hitting a good shot Retief can do situps, flap his arms, or dance like Ray Lewis. That would be quite entertaining, but the USGA might hit him with a penalty for forgetting to suck a lemon in order to obtain the proper facial expression to play on the tour.

Joe,
I have shot a lot of 18 hole rounds under par and feel pretty good about my game. I know that distance isn't that important to scoring, but it sure helps on longer courses. What can I do to be able to hit the ball farther? What muscles can I build up to hit it farther? I can hit it 250 yards, but not all the time. I have a good enough build to swing the right path. I know that weight shift has a lot to do with it, but is that all?
Thanks

Hello, whoever you are, maybe you are not familiar with our rule that if you do not give you name, the question is handed over to the Evil Twin, which means you never know what kind of answer you are going to get, so Jody what do you think about this?
Answer: The guy is breaking par and is still not happy? I say we beat him up. But wait, how do we know it’s a guy? We don’t, so maybe it’s a gal, and if so, how about a date?

Joe,
I'd like to know your feelings about using drivers with more loft - 11, 12, 13 degrees instead of the conventional 9-10.5 degrees of loft? What is the principles behind more loft on your driver and do you think that more loft would help a golfer like myself who hits the ball relatively straight but I don’t get real good distance.
Terry

Hi Terry,
Older theories promoted lower lofts for more distance, and this only made sense if your drives had some underspin. People used to love to see low line drives rising upwards like a plane taking off, but on today’s softer fairways you do not get as much roll on lower drives, especially if there is some underspin. So today’s theory is to hit higher drives to get longer carry, so your launch angles must be higher to get this carry. Launch angle is not the same as the "loft" angle of the driver due to the way you swing and the type of shaft used, so to get the best launch angle, which is about 9 degrees as measured by a computerized hitting bay, you might need a driver with more loft, even as much as 13 degrees (oh no, I am turning into a techno-geek-nerd!).
Joe

Joe,
I'm just starting having a problem with rolling my arms on the followthru, is there a drill that would help me regain it?thanks Shen

Hello Shen,
Is the problem too much roll or too little roll? If it is too much roll, you probably hook too much, so try to extend your arms more outward to reduce the roll. If you have too little roll, you might have a "chicken wing" on the leading arm. Try to make the leading elbow fold down instead of up.
Joe

Joe,
Why was Francis Ouimet’s US Open victory any more important than other Opens?
Frank

Hi Frank,
Imagine Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh showing up at your local golf club for a tournament, and this teenager who lives down the street joins the tournament, tops his first drive 40 yards into the left rough, and then goes on to beat both of them, winning the tournament with a ten year old caddy carrying only 7 clubs. OK, so Francis was not really a teenager, he just turned 20 one month earlier, forgive me for exaggerating. Harry Vardon (for whom the overlap grip is named) and Ted Ray were the biggest names in golf at that time, just like Tiger and Vijay are today, and they came all the way from England just to get beat in a head-to-head playoff by this skinny little kid from down the street, whose two practice rounds were horrible 88 and 88. Therefore this event, in my opinion, is the most astounding golf story ever, and also was the birth of golf excitement in America, because the newspapers went nuts over the fact that American golfers were just as good as the British legends. As I said last week, you have got to read the book "The Greatest Game Ever Played" by Mark Frost. Amazing stuff.
Joe

Joe,
In the Chrysler tournament recently I saw a golfer apparently hit his ball into a lateral water hazard but he had to go back to the tee and hit again. I thought you could drop and hit from the point where it entered the water? What gives?
Will

Hi Will,
The Rule says (and I think it is a bad rule) that someone must have watched and seen the ball actually enter the water, or else it is considered to be a “lost ball” which means you must go back to the tee. I think this is a bad rule for a couple of reasons. First, the pace of play is greatly hindered any time you have to march back to the tee and play again, everyone on the entire course behind you will suffer for this. Aside from that, even if you did watch the ball go into the hazard, you probably lost it anyway, so the penalty is different for a watched ball that got lost in the water instead of a lost ball that was not watched and ended up in the same place. Look, logic says if you hit a shot out of play, the penalty should be the same no matter if it is water, OB, lost ball, or unplayable lie. This should be a game of skill, not technicalities. Nobody should ever ever ever have to walk back to the original spot to play the next shot, it would be more logical to just take the penalty and hit from the spot nearest where the ball went out of play. But that is only my opinion, the rules say otherwise, but rules like this hurt the game. When I make my first billion dollars I am going to buy the USGA and change that stupid rule.
Joe

Joe,
I think belly putters should be illegal because it anchors the end of the club, let’s go back to the original rules of the game. What do you think?
Ernie

Hi Ernie,
If we go back to the original rules, then you also must play a plugged ball as it lies, even on the green. You also were not allowed to clean mud off your ball, even on the green. Try to putt with a wad of mud stuck to your ball and maybe you will understand that sometimes the rules really do need to be changed, otherwise it becomes more of a game of bad luck instead of skill. Belly putters have saved the careers of several pros, and they also have given new hope to recreational golfers who otherwise were going to quit the game because of the Putting Yips. However, if you really do not like belly putters, you can still get rid of those Yips by pinning your front elbow to your torso firmly (the anchor you mentioned) and using the “claw” grip like Mark Calcavecchia, which reduces unwanted right hand motion, and using your shoulders to make the stroke instead of your hands.
Joe

Joe, does golf give you a peaceful feeling?
Answer: The geese laugh at you, the trees taunt you, the sand mocks you, the water calls your name – there is no peace. This is war.

Joe,
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
1. WHY I TEND TO HIT THE BALL "THIN" OFF MY IRONS.
2. WHAT DRILLS CAN I DO TO HELP THAT.
3. I HAVE A REAL HARD TIME GETTING THE CLUB BACK TO PARELLEL AND INOTONLY WATCH THE PROS BUT SOME GUYS AT DRIVING RANGES DOING ITEFFORTLESSLY. WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MYSELF WITH THAT?THANKS,Rob Wing


Hello Rob,
I think your number 3 might have something to do with your number 1. You might be so concerned with getting the club back to parallel, that you ball striking may be suffering because of that. Although it looks like the classical thing to do, it is not absolutely necessary. Some of us are not built the same as others so we cannot swing the same way. Look at how short the backswings are for Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, Jim Thorpe, and several others, they do not even come close to parallel, and yet they are very successful. As for your number 2, I would recommend the drills shown on the Body Golf videos, such as the double clubber and the toe drag drills. You may also find that the Body Golf drills and exercises might result in your getting closer to parallel without having to concentrate on that.
Joe

Joe,
Thank you for accommodating me in your golf tips. I've been playing for almost six months now but I still could not break 100 on my games. Could you also help me cure my left arm to be strait during backswing up to impact on the ball and slice.
Respectfully yours
Alex Ricohermoso

Hello Alex,Keeping the left arm straight (assuming you are right handed) accomplishes two good things. It assures the widest possible arc, and the wider the arc, the higher the clubhead speed. It assures a more consistent arc, for example, if you allow the left elbow to bend, you have to be consistent in how much it bends or else the arc will be inconsistent, and therefore your ball striking will be inconsistent. Of course you should not make too much of an effort to keep it perfectly straight or else you might restrict your natural swing, just keep it comfortably straight. If you are slicing, there are probably other reasons at play, possibly your grip or your weight shift, or your swing plane.
Joe

Joe,
What about the head during a Golf swing? There are some people that say that the head has to be absolutely still and the eyes have to be on the ball during the swing until the follow through. Contrary to this, there is a school of thought that the head being still is a myth. This states that if the head is still, it robs the power that the body can generate. Surely, Golf instructions are more difficult than the game itself. Would appreciate your insight and advice in this matter. Regards,Vinodh.

Hello Vinodh,
Absolutely still is incorrect. Steady is correct, meaning that the head can rotate a little bit. It is true that you can get more power by allowing the head to move sideways during the backswing, but that is only for people who have no problems with good ball contact. If you find yourself hitting shots fat or thin or wild, then I would recommend keeping the head more steady and avoid the sideways movement. As we said to Sid from Australia last week, Jack Nicklaus’ instructor used to grab the back of his hair to prevent too much head movement, and I think you will agree it worked for Jack, he had a “fairly nice” career, right?
Joe

Joe,
Have you ever played the “A-ball” (from almostgolfball.com) on a par-3 golf course?
Abbie

Hello Abbie,
Yes, just recently I used it on a short par 3 course, Walnut Greens in Schaumburg, IL. For those of you who never heard of it, the A-ball looks exactly like a real ball but it is much lighter, so it travels less than half the distance of a real ball, but it hooks and slices just like a real ball. This essentially turns the par 3 course into a regulation sized course, so you can use all your clubs. Since there is much less walking, you can finish a 9 hole round in one hour. You are not likely to lose it since it does not travel so far, and it floats if you happen to hit into water. The only disadvantage would be a windy day because the lighter ball is more affected by wind. The almostgolfball.com website is worth a visit because it describes the many other new ideas being used with this “A-ball”, like Happy Gilmore style long drive contests and makeshift courses in your local parks. You can order these online or get them from some of the larger golf stores.
Joe

Joe,
I took up golf almost 2 years ago. A regular weekend golfer, I usually card a score of low 90 for 18 holes. A good round is close to the 90s and a bad one touching the 100s. I use a Wilson Deep Red 420cc driver and get about 225 meters off the tee. My shots are usually straight and hence am able to keep the ball in play most of the times. My problem is my iron shots. I usually hit the 9 iron 100 meter and a 7 iron 120 meters. However, I usually hit them fat. There is a BIG divot starting at about 2 inches behind the ball. I loose power in the shot and hence never make the required distance. Looking at the divots, they are straight - hence assuming I am not coming either inside out or out to in in my downswing. I am wondering, what causes this and how can this be fixed. I have tried different tricks to see how it can be fixed but to no avail. I have never taken any professional golf lessons and have taught myself basically through reading and your valuable emails. One of the Pro's once told me that I have a fantastic golf swing and very good rhythm. He also said that I need to fix just a few things in my game to hit in the 70s - has someone heard of golf nirvana! The problem is he didn’t tell me what to fix? - smart man! Wondering what you can advise on this problem of mine.Regards,SIDMelbourne, Australia

Hello Sid,
A fantastic golf swing can be compared to doing a hula hoop. You may be able to do a beautiful hula dance, but if the hoop falls to the ground, the good rhythm does not matter. Fat iron shots can be caused by a number of things, one possibility is a sideways sway on the backswing. Jack Nicklaus’ instructor used to grab the back of his hair to make sure it remained steady during the swing. Some instructors say it is OK to move your head sideways because it can add power to your swing, but I say what good is extra power if you are hitting fat shots? Keeping the head steady also helps to prevent overswinging, another possible cause for fat shots. Make this your primary swing thought and let us know how it turns out.
Joe

Joe,
Setting Goals is supposed to help. Other than shooting a better score or lowering my handicap, can you be more specific?
Gene

Hi Gene,
Specific goals can make you feel better even when your scores do not show immediate improvement. For example, we all know that sometimes we fix one part of our game, only to see another part of our game go sour, so your scores may not show improvement, but hey, if you did fix one part of your game, what if your fix is a lasting fix, and then you fix another part of your game, and then another? Here are some examples on how to set goals: First, determine what is normal for you, then keep track like this: In a normal round of golf, what if you 3-putt one less time than normal? What if you got up-and-down one more time than normal? What if you hit one more green in regulation than normal? What if you hit one more good drive than normal? What if you made one less mental/strategic mistake than normal? What if you had one less flub than normal? What if you had one less penalty shot than normal? Each one of these improvements seems minor, but if you can put them all together, they can add up to several strokes improvement per round! These are only a few examples of goals, there are many other ways to set them. Set small goals like these for yourself and keep track of them, and celebrate the ones you achieve, especially on days when your score is not so great, at least you have something to feel good about. By working on this process, one day you will put it all together and have your best score ever.
Joe

Joe, does it help to wear a glove?
Answer: Sure, if your hands are cold, or if you are playing baseball, or if you want to do a Michael Jackson impersonation.

Joe,
What is swingweight and how much does it matter?
Bill

Hi Bill,
Swingweight is the ratio of the weight of the clubhead to the overall weight of the whole club. This idea was intended to give a consistent feel from club to club in a matched set. Some people do not care about feel because when they start hitting good shots with a funny-feeling mismatched club, that starts feeling good mighty quick. Swingweights are measured in a goofy letter-number scheme, the higher the letter and number, the heavier the swingweight. Most swingweights are in the C and D areas, longer hitters prefer D. All D’s are heavier than all C’s, so D1 is heavier than C9. How much does this matter? Some people (techno-geeks) swear this is important to them, others (like me) feel it cannot be so important because in a set of irons, as the iron numbers get higher, the shafts get shorter and the clubheads get larger, therefore the feel will not be exactly the same anyway. So you have to do your own experiments and come to your own conclusions.
Joe

Joe,
I was wondering if you could provide insight into an issue that I am encountering while inquiring about golf clubs (since my clubs are 20+ years old and not in the greatest shape). What is preferable -- regular flex or stiff flex? I have read that it depends on your clubhead speed -- and with my size (I'm 5'11" and approx. 210 lbs) and the techniques taught by Mark in the Body Golf series -- I probably can generate above average club speed. However, I'm still not sure whether I should get regular flex or stiff flex for my clubs. I would appreciate any insight you can provide on this issue so I am more knowledgeable when shopping for new clubs. Thanks,Bill Kemple, Jr.

Hello Bill,
The proper shaft flex for you depends on your clubhead speed. The shaft acts as a spring to increase clubhead speed at impact. If your swing speed is slow, then a stiff shaft may rob you of distance because there is too little spring action, but a more flexible shaft will bend more at the top of the swing and on the downswing it will begin to catch up to your hands. As your hands reach the impact position, the shaft “unbends” and springs forward to catch up to your hands, and as a result the clubhead speed becomes greater. A more flexible shaft will not work for those with higher swing speeds because it bends so much that it cannot “unbend” fast enough to catch up to the hands. For people with higher swing speeds, a stiffer shaft will work better because it unbends faster. Be careful, there are a lot of variations in brands, for example a stiff shaft from one brand might flex just as much as a regular shaft from another brand. The best thing to do is to attend demo days at a driving range where you can hit several different shaft types and compare results. Some driving ranges will even let you hit their demo clubs if you pay for a bucket of range balls. If you don’t mind paying a fee, you can get more scientifically fitted by a professional club fitter. When in doubt, decide what is more important to you, distance or accuracy because you might get a little more distance from a more flexible shaft with less accuracy, while a stiffer shaft is less likely to twist and cause the clubface to turn off square, so the accuracy might be better at the expense of a little distance.
Joe

Joe,
I must admit to really enjoying the compilation of dvd's finally with the book. My frustration is that consistency for me is in my faults, not where it should be. The one problem I can't seem to get rid of with my irons is all too often I top the ball, or hit it with the heel. I rarely gain height in my shots. Unfortunately I tend to tense up when this occurs which only further frustrates me. The local golf pro keeps saying that I don't use my legs, if I did all would be well. I toe drag quite well and finish through fine so I just try to concentrate on relaxing. I'll get there one day!
Geoff

Hello Geoff,
Topping the ball can be caused by a number of things, so here are some possibilities. First, if you are trying to lift the ball with your swing, you must change your thoughts into hitting down more sharply at the ball. Strike the ball and then the ground, taking a divot. The ball will then spin up the clubface and go airborne. I am not the first to say in order to make the ball go up, you must hit down. You can see this with a ping pong ball if you give it a downward stroke with the paddle it will rise, and if you hit it with an upward stroke it will dive downward. If you are also hitting the ball on the heel, then a possible cause is having your weight too much on your toes. Try putting a little more of your weight on your heels and you may feel better balance during your stroke.
Joe