Saturday, October 21, 2006

Joe,
Are there any rules that prohibit a man from using a golf ball designed for women? I like to use the Precept Lady because I can get them for $9.99 a dozen and I like the feel. I think they're very similar to Maxfli's Noodle, but I save about $5-6 per dozen. Some of the guys in my Wednesday night men's club have given me a hard time about using a ladies ball.......until I outdrive them.
Sincerely,
Darren Meyers
Silver Lake, KS

Hello Darren,
You are not the only one who discovered this. Several years ago golfers who wanted more distance would use high compression balls, but these balls lacked the feel as you mentioned. When oversized drivers came out, golfers discovered that they could hit lower compression balls just as far or farther than higher compression balls, but they also liked the feel of lower compression balls, so the Precept Lady began selling like hotcakes. Other companies recognized this and came out with their own versions of Lady balls. Precept also went one step further for those macho types who felt funny hitting a Lady ball, by introducing the Laddie for men, which also had low compression but not quite as low as the Lady. There is no rule that says you cannot use a Lady ball, you do not even have to wear a skirt.
Joe

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Joe,
Question - I am a swayer (Not really a word), but I tend to sway on all shots, my back hip moving laterally. It's inherent from playing years of baseball, having taken up golf later in life. Don't know how to stop it, as when it gets bad, tend to reverse pivot as a result.Any ideas?
Larry

Hi Larry,
It is not easy to overcome motor muscle memory, it takes lots of drills to unlearn something. Start by posing at the top of your backswing and notice where your hips are. If the hips have swayed too far back, move them to the correct position while you are still posing and get a good mental feel for that position, just like a baseball player. Then try to repeat your backswing over and over again until you can arrive at your new position. Take a look at the way Kenny Perry swings. No hip motion at all until he gets to the top of the backswing and then all of a sudden he turns the hips and begins the downswing. Here is another thing you can try. While addressing the ball, tilt your spine toward your back leg while keeping your hips forward. This places most of your weight on the back leg, so there is no need to shift weight during the backswing, Just keep the hips forward and your head steady. On the downswing, make sure all your weight ends up on your front foot, and this should correct your reverse pivot.
Joe