Joe,
I am a somewhat forgetful person, I leave wedges at the side of the green and forget to pick them up after putting out, and I sometimes move my ball marker for someone else’s putt, and then forget to move it back to the proper spot for my putt. Any ideas on how to overcome this?
Josh
Hi Josh,
There are two ways to remember to pick up your chipping club, one is to leave it in the direction of your bag so after you putt out you might trip over it, and the other is whenever the flagstick is pulled and laying on the green, lay your club on top of it, so whoever puts the flag back will say “hey whose wedge is this?” About the ball marker, whenever you have to move it for someone else’s putt, put a tee in your hand and keep it there until it is your turn to putt, and then you can ask yourself “Why is there a tee in my hand? Oh, now I remember, I have to move my marker”.
Joe
Thursday, July 29, 2004
Joe,
Just a few words to let you know that when I receive your tips via e-mail I practice them and find them to be a great help. Now can you help me on this part of my game, When driving I get very little run on the ball. i.e. when the ball lands it stops within a few yards, I have tried many different makes of balls but to no avail. Can you please help?
Keep up the good work and thank you.
R Webb.
Hi R.Webb,
I do not think the type of ball matters on running drives. Course conditions are the primary factor. Your course probably has soft fairways. Now if you tell me everyone else’s ball runs farther than yours, then they must be hitting it lower than you. More information is needed here, like how far do your drives carry in the air? If you are a short hitter, do you hit your average drive high or low? If you are a long hitter, and you are usually in the fairway, you are doing great, who cares about roll anyway? Do you have this problem also on dry rock-hard fairways that are downhill and with the wind? If you do, then the golf spirits must have put a curse on you. (Jody says you should quit using a sand wedge for your drives).
Joe
Just a few words to let you know that when I receive your tips via e-mail I practice them and find them to be a great help. Now can you help me on this part of my game, When driving I get very little run on the ball. i.e. when the ball lands it stops within a few yards, I have tried many different makes of balls but to no avail. Can you please help?
Keep up the good work and thank you.
R Webb.
Hi R.Webb,
I do not think the type of ball matters on running drives. Course conditions are the primary factor. Your course probably has soft fairways. Now if you tell me everyone else’s ball runs farther than yours, then they must be hitting it lower than you. More information is needed here, like how far do your drives carry in the air? If you are a short hitter, do you hit your average drive high or low? If you are a long hitter, and you are usually in the fairway, you are doing great, who cares about roll anyway? Do you have this problem also on dry rock-hard fairways that are downhill and with the wind? If you do, then the golf spirits must have put a curse on you. (Jody says you should quit using a sand wedge for your drives).
Joe
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
I constantly hit behind the ball. I think I am casting early. Any thoughts or drills you can recommend in order to fix this swing flaw. Thank You
John Adams, Birmingham, AL.
Hello John,
Casting is a possibility, also this can be caused by trying to lift the ball. Lifting never works. Think more about just making contact and let the loft of the club do the lifting. Two things that can help this problem are a more aggressive weight shift on the downswing and at the same time try to hit the ball on more of a steeper downward path. You are doing it right when you strike the ball first and then take a divot. This gives you a better margin of error when you hit down because the ball will spin up the clubface even when you make contact at the equator. If you are not hitting down and you strike the equator, you will hit a low line drive or grounder.
Joe
John Adams, Birmingham, AL.
Hello John,
Casting is a possibility, also this can be caused by trying to lift the ball. Lifting never works. Think more about just making contact and let the loft of the club do the lifting. Two things that can help this problem are a more aggressive weight shift on the downswing and at the same time try to hit the ball on more of a steeper downward path. You are doing it right when you strike the ball first and then take a divot. This gives you a better margin of error when you hit down because the ball will spin up the clubface even when you make contact at the equator. If you are not hitting down and you strike the equator, you will hit a low line drive or grounder.
Joe
Monday, July 26, 2004
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Joe,
I BEEN PLAYING ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW (WEEKEND PLAYER). I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO READ THE GREENS. WHAT TO LOOK FOR. SO I CAN IMPROVE MY GAME.
THANK YOU
RONALD
Hi Ronald,
Reading the green starts when you are still on the fairway. First look at the overall terrain and see which direction rain water will likely flow off the green. Putts are likely to break generally in that direction. When you are on the green, without getting in the way, try to read other people’s putts and see if the results were the same as you expected. Watch Jim Furyk and others who use the “plumb bobbing” method of dangling the shaft to see if the hole appears perpendicular or tilted to the shaft. On a practice green, take notice if most of your reads tend to play too much or too little break in both directions. If the grass appears to be growing all blades in the same direction (called the “grain”), the putts will likely break in that direction. Faster greens and downhill putts break more than slower greens and uphill putts. I hope this helps you.
Joe
I BEEN PLAYING ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW (WEEKEND PLAYER). I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO READ THE GREENS. WHAT TO LOOK FOR. SO I CAN IMPROVE MY GAME.
THANK YOU
RONALD
Hi Ronald,
Reading the green starts when you are still on the fairway. First look at the overall terrain and see which direction rain water will likely flow off the green. Putts are likely to break generally in that direction. When you are on the green, without getting in the way, try to read other people’s putts and see if the results were the same as you expected. Watch Jim Furyk and others who use the “plumb bobbing” method of dangling the shaft to see if the hole appears perpendicular or tilted to the shaft. On a practice green, take notice if most of your reads tend to play too much or too little break in both directions. If the grass appears to be growing all blades in the same direction (called the “grain”), the putts will likely break in that direction. Faster greens and downhill putts break more than slower greens and uphill putts. I hope this helps you.
Joe
