The best swing aid I have ever seen is the “Freddy-Connect”, for 3 reasons.
It clearly shows you your swing path at contact.
It clearly shows you whether the face of your club is open, closed, or square at contact.
It encourages you to focus on the impact (i.e. keep your head down) so you can observe what the device is showing you.
Friday, December 06, 2002
What Makes You A Success At Golf?
Success can be hard to define, since it is such a relative thing. You must be aware that golf is full of unexpected twists of fate. Murphy’s Law takes effect most of the time, whatever can go wrong will go wrong sooner or later. A perfect-looking shot usually ends up too long or too short, or gets a sideways bounce. Shots that come close to trouble usually get sucked into it. When you have a shot perfectly lined up, you chunk it. The more you root for a putt to drop, the more it tends to veer off line. Just when you think your slice is cured, it comes back whenever trouble is on the right. The wind stops whenever you play for it, and kicks up again when you don’t play for it.
Like it or not, bad breaks are part of the game. You can complain and sulk all you want, but that is not going to change anything. To be a success, challenge yourself to keep your emotions in check no matter what happens. Which is more fun, sulking or chuckling at this futile search for perfection? Do you think you are the only golfer who has strange things happen to them?
You are a success if you can get thru a round without losing your dignity, enjoying your good shots and accepting your bad shots as just part of the game. Enjoy the awesome majesty of a moon-shot popup, the the graceful curve of a banana-peel slice, the feeling of helplessness as the ball heads toward the water hazard, the perfect symmetry of ever-growing circles that the ripples create, the impressive rooster tail from the morning dew being parted by a sizzling worm-burner. Bring it on, Mother Nature, give me your best shot, you are not going to make me lose my cool. If you can do that, the world needs more people like you.
Also enjoy the natural beauty of the course, the magical feeling of a good shot, a good score, or a fortunate bounce (and if you must, say ‘in your face’ to Mother Nature). Above all, be considerate of other golfers. Avoid unnecessary delays. If you are not doing well, make it fun for others. That makes you a success in anyone’s opinion, and they will always look forward to playing with you.
Success can be hard to define, since it is such a relative thing. You must be aware that golf is full of unexpected twists of fate. Murphy’s Law takes effect most of the time, whatever can go wrong will go wrong sooner or later. A perfect-looking shot usually ends up too long or too short, or gets a sideways bounce. Shots that come close to trouble usually get sucked into it. When you have a shot perfectly lined up, you chunk it. The more you root for a putt to drop, the more it tends to veer off line. Just when you think your slice is cured, it comes back whenever trouble is on the right. The wind stops whenever you play for it, and kicks up again when you don’t play for it.
Like it or not, bad breaks are part of the game. You can complain and sulk all you want, but that is not going to change anything. To be a success, challenge yourself to keep your emotions in check no matter what happens. Which is more fun, sulking or chuckling at this futile search for perfection? Do you think you are the only golfer who has strange things happen to them?
You are a success if you can get thru a round without losing your dignity, enjoying your good shots and accepting your bad shots as just part of the game. Enjoy the awesome majesty of a moon-shot popup, the the graceful curve of a banana-peel slice, the feeling of helplessness as the ball heads toward the water hazard, the perfect symmetry of ever-growing circles that the ripples create, the impressive rooster tail from the morning dew being parted by a sizzling worm-burner. Bring it on, Mother Nature, give me your best shot, you are not going to make me lose my cool. If you can do that, the world needs more people like you.
Also enjoy the natural beauty of the course, the magical feeling of a good shot, a good score, or a fortunate bounce (and if you must, say ‘in your face’ to Mother Nature). Above all, be considerate of other golfers. Avoid unnecessary delays. If you are not doing well, make it fun for others. That makes you a success in anyone’s opinion, and they will always look forward to playing with you.
Thursday, December 05, 2002
Golf - Why does a hook travel further than a slice?
Since a hook is caused by the clubface being slightly “closed” at impact, the loft is decreased, which is like hitting the ball with a lower numbered club. Similarly, a slice is caused by the clubface being slightly “open” at impact, so the loft is increased, which is like hitting the ball with a higher numbered club.
Since a hook is caused by the clubface being slightly “closed” at impact, the loft is decreased, which is like hitting the ball with a lower numbered club. Similarly, a slice is caused by the clubface being slightly “open” at impact, so the loft is increased, which is like hitting the ball with a higher numbered club.
Tuesday, December 03, 2002
The Driver vs. the 3-wood
Times have changed. It used to be true that most people were better off using their 3-wood off the tee rather than their driver. At the time, the size of the club head was not much different. Driver clubheads were only slightly bigger than 3-wood clubheads.
However, the clubheads on the newer jumbo model drivers are so much bigger than the 3-woods, that it might make more sense to try one.
Why? Did you ever notice that sometimes when driving with a 3-wood you will hit a popup, or a grounder, or hit it off the toe or the heel?
Well, with the jumbo driver, you can tee the ball up so high, that it is not likely that you will ever “top” the ball or hit any grounders.
The face is so tall that it is not likely that you will ever hit any popups.
The face is so wide that it is not likely that you will ever hit it off the toe or off the heel.
The only mistake you can make is to hit the ground before you hit the ball.
You can miss the “sweet spot” of the club face and still have a decent drive instead of a flubbed shot. You may hit the ball left or right, but chances are that it will be a tendency either way, and therefore more consistent and predictable.
Let’s say it is a “wash” between the number of 3-wood shots that are flubbed vs. the number of driver shots that go offline enough to get into trouble. The net result is longer tee shots and better scores.
Times have changed. It used to be true that most people were better off using their 3-wood off the tee rather than their driver. At the time, the size of the club head was not much different. Driver clubheads were only slightly bigger than 3-wood clubheads.
However, the clubheads on the newer jumbo model drivers are so much bigger than the 3-woods, that it might make more sense to try one.
Why? Did you ever notice that sometimes when driving with a 3-wood you will hit a popup, or a grounder, or hit it off the toe or the heel?
Well, with the jumbo driver, you can tee the ball up so high, that it is not likely that you will ever “top” the ball or hit any grounders.
The face is so tall that it is not likely that you will ever hit any popups.
The face is so wide that it is not likely that you will ever hit it off the toe or off the heel.
The only mistake you can make is to hit the ground before you hit the ball.
You can miss the “sweet spot” of the club face and still have a decent drive instead of a flubbed shot. You may hit the ball left or right, but chances are that it will be a tendency either way, and therefore more consistent and predictable.
Let’s say it is a “wash” between the number of 3-wood shots that are flubbed vs. the number of driver shots that go offline enough to get into trouble. The net result is longer tee shots and better scores.
