Joe,
How can I tell if the clubs I'm using have the correct lie angle
for my height? Also how would I go about measuring the lie angle?
Thanks Joe from Staten Island NY

Hello Joe,
There are a few different ways to check this. First
of all, lie angles that are too flat will tend to push
your shots to the right, assuming you are right
handed, and conversely the lie angles that are too
upright will tend to pull your shots to the left.
Check your divots, are they deeper near the toe or
near the heel? If deeper near the toe, the lie angle
is too flat. Most golf shops that have a hitting bay
will allow you to put tape on the sole of the clubs
and hit balls off a "striking board". If the tape
gets scuffed nearer the toe, then the lie angle is too
flat, a proper lie angle will show scuffs in the
center of the sole. I have always suspected most
golfers have lie angles that are too flat because when
they are fitted, they are incorrectly using the
address position of the hands and arms. The correct
position is the impact position when the arms and
shaft are on the same plane. If your shots happen to
push or slice, you can partially correct this by
having your lie angles bent more upright. Some golf
shops will do this for a fee, but you may have to sign
a waiver due to the risk of breaking the club in the
process.
Joe

Joe,
I have asked this question many places and never got an answer. Perhaps you will attempt one. What is the highest percentage shot if you are on hardpan and neeed to go over a sand trap with little green to work with? This can happen where the ground is hard near a cart path. Is it almost better to try to run thru the trap? use a lofted wedge? Use a 9 iron?

Hello Alan,
This depends on the situation. Can you live with a bogey or do you feel you must go for the par and possibly risk a double bogey? Let's say you need a par, and the sand is hard and the trap has no lip. In that case you can try to run the ball thru the trap, otherwise don't try that if the sand is soft and the trap has a lip. If you can live with a bogey, you can consider playing around the trap unless that leaves you too far from the hole. If you really need a par
and the trap has soft sand and a lip, open the face of a sand wedge, so it will not dig into the ground, but instead the sole will bounce off the ground and into
the ball. With a little practice this shot should work. Good luck!
Joe

got a question? send it to me at golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)

Joe,
Over the last few years I have developed a vicious snap hook. I am right handed and quite often my right hand will roll over on the downswing and create a snap hook that will travel 150 yards forward and 75 yards to the left. I have tried to relax the right hand grip, rotate my hips and various other fixes with mixed results. I may have two or three good swings during an 18 hole round where my drives will be straight and approximately 275 to 285 yards. All others will be snap hooks. I never had this problem till about two years ago and since then I have been unable to remedy this situation. When I go to the range I am able to hit drive after drive either straight or with a light power fade. Not so on the course. Help! Richard

Hi Richard,
From your message I assume you only hook with the driver, not with any other club. At the range, are you using the grassy area or the mats with the permanent rubber tees? When you are using the mats, the tees are always at the same height. On the grass when you use your own tees, maybe you are teeing the
ball too low. If this is not the case, try a more upright swing plane and make sure to hit down on the ball more steeply, and extend your follow thru on an inside-out line.
Joe

(got a question? send it to me at golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)

Joe, I need help. Any solutions to an improved result from 90 yards to the green would help my game (?) a bunch. I am 72 and have struggled with this for years. I feel as though I am jabbing my club at the ball – no rhythm, no true feel, no accuracy, no confidence, to name but a few inner observations. Please help! Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Chuck Phifer

Hi Chuck,
If I understand your problem correctly, it is the partial wedge shot, which many other people suffer as well. If you have not already tried different types of wedges, maybe that would help. If you have already tried this with no success, then you must do two things. First, make sure on the downswing that your hands are leading the club all the way down, including after the contact. Second, keep your club shaft on the same plane as your leading arm. Let me know if this helps.
Joe

(got a question? send it to me at golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)

Question: Is there a drill I can work on that will keep me from rolling out on my right ankle when trying to hit my driver. I am a pretty straight ball hitter, but I hit my 3 wood farther than my driver. If i keep my right heel off the ground i can crush my driver but I feel to awkward. Thanks for your help.

Answer: If you are rolling the right ankle during the backswing, your stance may be too narrow. If you are rolling the ankle on the follow-thru, you may be swinging too hard. I would recommend the 2-club drill like a baseball player warming up in the on deck circle. While doing this drill, the right heel should only come off the ground when finishing the follow-thru. I do not think it is a good idea to have the right heel off the ground during the backswing, you might lose balance. Instead, during the backswing, let the inside edge of your right foot feel the weight shift, and push off from there to start the downswing.