Joe,
Tempo, that is exactly my problem. I do not know how to get my body into the shot. I hit fairly consistently, but not very far. Can you help me with this? What is the sequence, hips, legs, arms? Is there an exercise for this? How can I get the tempo? If I try to move my hips or legs I wind up "sliding". If you can fix this, I will really be able to score.
Thanks,
Susan

Hi Susan,
For your problem, I highly recommend the Body Golf videos because they show you the drills you need to achieve better tempo, like the 2 club drill. If you think in terms of a sequence, it is like a house of cards, one false move and the whole swing is ruined. Get your body to work together smoothly. Hal Sutton says the smaller muscles do not work well under pressure, so instead rely on the larger body muscles (shoulders and hips) and simpler swing thoughts.
Joe

Question for the Evil Twin:
Jody,
What kind of holes are you favorites and why?
Answer: The 19th hole, of course, and the reason is BEER. I am not alone on this, here are other famous people who agree with me:

Sometimes when I reflect on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. I think, "It is better to drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver." -- Babe Ruth

I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. -- Lyndon B. Johnson

An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools. -- Ernest Hemingway

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading. -- Paul Hornung

24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not. -- H. L. Mencken

When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let's all get drunk and go to heaven! -- George Bernard Shaw

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. -- Benjamin Franklin

Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza. -- Dave Barry

BEER: helping ugly people find love since 3000 B.C. -- W. C. Fields

Remember "I" before "E", except in Budweiser. -- Professor Irwin Corey

To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a "support group." Salvation in a can! -- Leo Durocher

One night at Cheers, Cliff Clavin explained the "Buffalo Theory" to his buddy Norm: "Well ya see, Norm, it's like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular elimination of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain! can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine! That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers." --Cliff Clavin

Joe,
I would like to know the exact way that you propose to "Hit thru the ball" I have a good hands and arm swing but do not get the yardage I should receive. I am 77 yrs young and would like to hit further.
Leroy Grossman

Hello Leroy,
Try this experiment. Take a ping pong paddle and ball, hold the ball out in front of you and swing at it with an arm swing. Then do the same thing, but this time delay the wrist snap until the last possible instant and watch how much farther the ball goes. A golf swing works the same way. Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV. You will see that the wrists do not snap until the last possible instant, which adds to clubhead speed at contact. People who fail to do this are “hitting from the top”, which means they use up their wrist snap too soon, reducing their clubhead speed at contact. This idea, along with a more aggressive weight shift on the downswing, should result in better distance.
Joe

Dear Joe:
I’m not sure if you’ve ever gotten a question like this or if you will be able to help me. If you can’t maybe you know someone who can. My problem is that I’m a well endowed woman. Not extremely, but well enough for it to cause problems with my swing. Most videos and books tell you to let you arms hang naturally at your sides to swing. Well, if I do that something gets in the way when I take the club away. I usually try to set my arms over them, but then I end up reaching for the ball which puts my weight on my toes, which in turn limits my weight shift and I end up hitting mostly with my arms. Any suggestions?
M.C.

Hi M.C.,
My evil twin is dying to answer this one, but I won’t let him. Did you ever see Nancy Lopez swing? Just before she starts her backswing, she extends her arms outward to be on the same plane as the club shaft. There are many books and videos on the market that give a lot of information, but some of the many ideas may not work for you, like the one you mentioned about how you must let your arms hang down. That is only a mannerism, not a fundamental. Natural Golf has built an entire system based on extending your arms outward to a single plane setup, so there is nothing wrong with reaching a little bit for the ball. However, do not allow your weight to go to your toes, stay back a little bit on your heels to maintain good balance. Another thing that might help is the type of sports bra that women athletes are using in today’s sports and exercise programs. My evil twin has offered to help you get fitted for this, but I won’t let him.
Joe

Hello, I am a keen follower of your articles. I have one question---how does one achieve a flat left wrist while gripping the club with your left hand. If you could guide me through I will be grateful.
Rgds
Bala
Bangalore India

Hello Bala,
A flat left wrist is a concept that is achieved at the top of the backswing, not when you grip the club. At the top of the backswing this helps to keep the clubface square for better ball striking. When gripping the club, assuming you are right-handed, place the shaft diagonally across the left palm and close the fingers. The V formed by the thumb and forefinger should point to your back shoulder, unless you hook the ball too much, then you can have this V point more toward your chin. Then as you take your backswing, your wrist can bend into the flat position at the top of the swing. If you have trouble doing this, here is a drill. Begin at the top of the swing and look at your wrist. Make it flat, and memorize how that feels as you start your downswing. The purpose of the backswing then is to arrive at that feeling.
Joe

– Joe, Please advise me...
I am a weekend golfer and could it be better for me to use blade clubs or I should I remain with my Oozler cavity backs. Awaiting for your favourable advice. My last weekend game was good among my previous game, my score was 95, from 142 to 95 (BIG Change)
Rgd Joe

Hi big change Joe,
If you just improved by 47 strokes, you might want to stay with your current clubs. But you are my kind of guy, 47 strokes is not good enough, you want more, I like that kind of attitude. Blade irons are for golfers who can hit the sweet spot every time, and it is a really sweet crisp feeling when you do, but if you miss the sweet spot, the errors are magnified. Cavity backs are a little more forgiving when you miss the sweet spot, so unless you are a single digit handicap, blades are probably not going to help you. Of course there are a lot of other factors in any club that may or may not be suitable for you, like proper shafts, lie angles, etc., so the only way to tell is to borrow different types and compare results on the range.
Joe

Joe, I have problems with the grass down here the ball lies like it was on hard pan. U have to go down after it. with the long irons and 5 wood I have a lot of trouble with it. How do U hit a ball like that with hardly any grass under it. Any advice U could give will help a lot. thanks
nick

Hi Nick,
From your description, I am guessing you are topping the ball or hitting it thin, right? When you say U have to go down after it, are you departing from your normal swing? Most people have better results when their normal swing goes down after it, no matter what the lie. In your case, ball position may be a factor. Play the ball in the center of your stance and hit down. If you are already doing that, and your results are not good, experiment with a more forward ball position and more aggressive weight shift on the downswing.
Joe

Question: On the range I am great, but on the golf course I stink. What should I do?
Answer: Bring some deodorant.

Hello Joe, I Would appreciate any help in assisting me to be able to hit down and through the ball and take a divot. I have always scooped the ball and realize this is not the way to play the game, especially with the short irons. Any drills or suggestions would be appreciated.
Don

Hi Don,
There are plenty of good drills in the Body Golf videos for this. Since you have been a scooper, you probably are not shifting your weight on the downswing to your front foot. If you can accomplish a more aggressive weight shift, it will be easier for you to hit down and take a divot. The step-thru drill is my favorite for this.
Joe

Hello Joe, I don't know why I am topping now? not my irons but with my woods. Can you help me. Thank You
David C.

Hi David,
If you are OK with your irons, but not with your woods, I suspect your woods may not be correctly matched to your swing. Many driving ranges have samples of different brands that they will let you try. Also try to attend demo days in your area, where you can hit different brands for free. You might even find decent woods at a garage sale for just a few bucks, which may or may not fit you, but for such a small investment, you never know, it might be worth a try.
Joe

Joe, thanks for your tips on putting (vijay's way with the belly putter). it has
proven to be worth -3 to 5 strokes per round to me (by cutting down on the
3 putts). now if i can somehow figure out how to putt straight with my 43'
odyssey white-hot 2ball from 3 feet in, i'll be able to cut another 4
strokes off the round. my question today is not about putting. you see, i
seem to have developed a distance problem. perhaps it is my swing or
perhaps i'm hitting it cleaner but my yardage has gone beserk lately. i'm
35 years old, 5'10, 165lbs with a 5'10 wingspan. i golf 2-3 times a week
(only in april since i'm clearing leave) and play hoops for 2-3 hours on
saturdays after golf in the morning. i use a set of forged titleist 690.cb
irons with royal precision flighted rifles 5.5 shafts and midsize softie
grips. about a month ago, i used to hit my pitching wedge 110 metres (121
yards). over the last 3 rounds (last week), the PW goes 125m (136 yards).
which means my 7-iron now goes to 155m (169 yards), up from 145m (158
yards). now this is normally a good sign for most golfers, but i'm missing
greens long by 20 yards or so, and it's irritating me to death. and it has
been inconsistent, because the yardage differences are small. here's my
carry yardage: 60*LW - 60m/66yds, 56* - 80m/88yds; 51* - 100m/109yds, 47*PW
- 125m/136yds; 9-iron - 130m/142yds; 8-iron - 137m/150yds; 7-iron -
155m/169yds; 6-iron - 165m/180yds; 5-iron - 180m/196yds. my clubs go at 4
degree increments from pw - 5-iron. i don't carry the 2-,3- and 4-irons
(although i can hit them); instead i carry a 19* rescue/utility club with a
39-inch flighted rifle and similar grip to my irons. this club gets me
(depending on whether i concentrate on the shot -- which is easier said
than done) anywhere from 180m/196yds to 230m/250yds. because of this
yardage, i almost never pull out my driver now, which is longer but gets me
penalties.
my question really is, will the yardage drop as i play less? and how do i
concentrate on releasing the club at the top of my swing, because if i
don't, i hook the little white fella into the jungle. that's why i said
it's easier said than done, beause i lose concentration quite often within
a round. is there a thought process which i can follow while at address?
i've resorted to mouthing out "release, release, release, xxxx" which is
irritating to my playing partners and looks quite stupid, and even then my
eyes sometimes lose focus of the ball during the backswing (the eye follows
the clubhead, and if i remember, i'll re-setup, if not, it's either a
pull/hook or push. i don't slice the ball anymore. help.
dc

Hello again dc,
I don’t know what the climate is where you live, but a month ago perhaps the weather was cooler, and that could account for the differences in distance per club. You are obviously doing everything you can to be physically fit. If this is a recent thing, that also could account for your increased strength. If you play more frequently only in April, the more you play, the stronger you get, that also could account for increased distance during April. I would have to see your swing in order to determine why you sometimes pull hook or push, but other people with the same problem tend to have a “flying elbow”. By keeping the back elbow closer to the front elbow especially during the downswing, and swinging inside-out, you might be able to correct this.
Joe

Joe,
What are shallow faced or deep faced woods. Some thing to do with there loft? Are there any 2 degree upright clubs available except.I have been told to buy 2 degree upright clubs (ping green dot).
Anand

Hello Anand,
Loft has nothing to do with deep face or shallow face. Measuring the clubface from bottom to top is the determining factor. Drivers have taller/deeper faces than fairway woods. Years ago, the Adams Tight Lies model introduced the shallow face concept to lower the center of gravity for fairway woods, making them easier to hit from any lie. However, if you try a shallow faced club from a tee or from fluffy grass, you risk hitting a popup. The upright lie angle is also not related to loft or deep/shallow face, it just measures the angle of the shaft when the sole of the club is resting flat on the ground. People who push or slice their shots might benefit from a more upright lie angle (if the divots are deeper at the toe), and the reverse is true for people who pull or hook their shots, they need a flatter lie angle. Forged clubheads can be bent to adjust the lie angle, but cast clubheads are at more risk of cracking when bent.
Joe

Question:
I am told I am way too conservative, what should I do?
Answer: For starters, you can stop painting your Easter eggs white.

My name is Howard and my wife has some hybrid woods that only reflect degrees. She has club degrees ranging from 13 degrees up to 22 degrees. Could you please advise me as to what these degrees equate to as compared to a normal driver, 3-wood, or 5-wood?
Thank you,
Howard Duarte

Hello Howard,
Normal drivers can be anywhere from 6 to 12 degrees, typical 3-woods are 15 degrees, and 5-woods vary to the point where it no longer makes sense to categorize a club by numbers, so it is better to use the number of degrees instead. Long ago, woods did not have numbers, they had names like Brassie, Cleek, and Spoon. Irons were called Mashie, Niblick, etc. but then the numbering system was made to correlate to specific degrees of loft, beginning with the sand wedge at 55 degrees, and four degrees apart uniformly downward. Then lofts became lower as the club manufacturers competed with each other to say their irons hit the ball farther, which was not really fair since the lofts were not the same. Anyway, a hybrid club is neither a wood nor an iron, so using the four degree “rule of thumb”, your wife’s 13 degree hybrid can either be a 2-wood or a 1-iron, and the 22-degree hybrid can be either a 5-wood or a 3-iron.
Joe

Joe,
I need some help in stance, body weight shift ??? short swing arc, . I am a right handed golfer and have played for years and recently I had to have left leg amputated due to infection. I have since been fitted with an" otto bock" computerized prosthesis. Am wondering if you or anyone you know has any experience teaching my situation.
joe Chesla
Lino Lakes, Mn.

Hello Joe C,
I’m sorry to hear about your leg problems, but I am glad to hear you are still able to make a golf swing. Although I have no experience teaching your situation, I would have to ask if your prosthesis allows you to have good balance and you can put your body weight onto it without pain. If that is the case, there should be little difference in teaching the golf swing. However, if you do have some balance and pain issues, you will have to modify your swing to allow most of your weight to remain on the right leg. Assuming you are right handed, this is exactly what people do with the “reverse pivot” anyway, so although a reverse pivot is a fault, at least it will allow you to make a swing. Let us know how you are progressing and we can take it from there. Best of luck.
Joe

Joe,
I can't get rid of my fade, which turns into a slice as I tire......during a round.....it seems that no matter what I do to correct it, I can't....I have tried all the tried and true methods...videos, lessons...the most I have done was hit it somewhat straighter....until I tire...then fade and then slice!!!!!! Frustrating to say the least....Help!!!!!!! I am loosing distance....mostly with my woods, my iron play while the distance isn't as great as it was last year is still pretty much straight or to the left.....
Ed

Hi Ed,
Sounds like you need the Slice Buster video, available from the thinkandreachpar.com website. Make sure your clubs fit you properly. Perhaps you do not have the correct shaft flex and lie angle. Another possibility is your hand positions on your grip. The V’s formed by your thumb and first finger should point at your back shoulder.
Joe

Hello. I am new to the golfing world and have a few issues. I am 6'5" tall and have extended length clubs (1.5" over standard length). I have an issue with lifting up on the down swing. Is there any exercises I can do to fix this issue? Also help with using drivers and fairway woods. I can hit my 3 iron around 210-230 yards almost everytime. When I try to use my driver or fairway woods it just does not feel right. I almost always top the ball. I know that the head lifting is part of the problem. Would a few lessons help me get this worked out? Please add me to your subscription I would enjoy the help. Does the brand of club matter? (TaylorMade, Callaway, etc.) I was always told its not the club its the person hitting the ball. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
Jason Steele

Hi Jason,
Lifting up on the downswing is usually caused by improper weight shift. The exercise that should help you is the “step-thru” drill on the Body Golf videos. If you can hit your 3-iron over 200 yards, I suspect it fits your swing better than your woods fit. Have your 3-iron specs checked against your woods’ specs, maybe your woods are not the right specs for you. The brand of club is not as important as the specs. TaylorMade, Callaway, and many other brands have a wide range of specs. Try to attend a “demo day” at a local driving range. You might be amazed at the different results you get with the same swing using different brands of clubs with different shaft flexes and lie angles.
Joe

Hi, Thanks for your newsletter, I find the tips very helpful! I need specific help on body alignment. I have tried everything. What tips do you have on alignment, or do the golf videos address this? I make some good swings when I am set up and aligned correctly. Please help!!!
Willie Singleton

Hello Willie,
Stand behind the ball along the target line, and hold your club up so you can see both the ball and the target along the shaft. Pick a spot on the ground two feet in front of the ball. Usually there will be something on the ground like a weed or a divot or just discoloration. Then place your clubhead behind the ball, aimed at that spot. Then take your stance and you should be able to easily align the rest of your body (feet, hips, shoulders) parallel to that target line.
Joe

Question: Will it make a difference for me to use a 3-dollar ball instead of a 1-dollar ball?
Answer: YES, IT WILL MAKE YOU TWO DOLLARS POORER.

Why do so many people think it is OK to improve their lies?
Lyle

Hello Lyle,
There two schools of thought on this topic. The purists say you will never improve unless you learn how to play from bad lies, while others disagree. I have mixed emotions about this. Those who want to play in competition might as well get used to “playing the ball down”. Their handicaps will become higher, which gives them an advantage in formal competition. However, those who do not play in formal competition may not want to see a good round spoiled by a bad lie, especially when they don’t get to play very often, and are playing on course conditions that are nowhere near as good as tournament courses. One could argue that high handicappers have no business playing the ball down for two reasons. The pace of play will suffer due to more bad shots. If they cannot hit good shots from good lies, how on earth do you expect them to hit from bad lies? They will never gain any confidence. They can never be sure if the bad shot was due to a bad swing or a bad lie. With this in mind, it seems sensible for recreational golfers to improve their lies to get the most enjoyment out of the game and to improve the pace of play. However, if they ever want to establish a formal handicap, they will have no chance in competition when they have to play the ball down. Purists, stop and think about that, you should welcome it.
Joe