Joe,
I cannot find a Taylormade ladies 11 wood which I would like to own. I assume this is because they only make these in hybrid clubs now. I guess I will need a hybrid with a loft of 25 degrees. My question is do I hit the hybrid with the U swing the way you do a fairway wood, or do you swing it like an iron? Thank you so much.
Elva Delks

Hi Elva,
Wow, an 11 wood must have a lot more loft than 25 degrees, I would be afraid the ball would pop up and hit me in the nose. Anyway, I have found that most people are not very successful using a different swing for fairway woods, except for maybe single digit handicappers. If you are in that group you must be a very good ball striker. If not, I would recommend using the same swing for all fairway shots, which would be to hit down at the ball as you would with an iron.
Joe


Joe,
I have a golf rule question: Yesterday my friends and I played golf and when one of my one friends hit his drive the ball broke into several pieces. What is the rule?
Mickey

Hi Mickey,
Under Rule 5-3, you are allowed to play the shot over again with no penalty.


Joe,
I really am reluctant to spend a lot of money on having my swing analyzed to see what types of shafts might be best for me. Is there a more simple method to figure this out? Also, what is likely to happen if I use the wrong type of shaft?
Ned

Hi Ned,
One way would be to use the 150 yard shot as a benchmark. If you usually use a 9 or 8 iron for that distance without overswinging, then you probably should use stiff shafts. If you use a 7 or 6 iron for that distance, you probably should use regular shafts. If you use a 5 iron or more, you might do better with a more flexible Senior or Ladies shaft. The amount of flex in a shaft will vary from one brand to another, so the same amount of flex might be called stiff for one brand and regular for another, so this can be confusing. Sometimes you must ask yourself what is most important to you, distance or accuracy. A more flexible shaft may add distance along with wildness. A stiffer shaft may make you more accurate, but with less distance. To answer your last question about what would happen if you use the wrong shaft for your type of swing, a slower swing speed with a stiffer shaft will produce lower shots with less distance. A higher swing speed with a shaft that is too flexible will produce higher and wilder shots. Try to attend demo days at a driving range where you can compare results from different types of shafts and brands, and see what works best for you.
Joe


Joe,
I was vacationing in Florida recently, and I was freaked out by a large alligator sitting next to a pond beside the fairway. My shot just missed him and he turned to look in my direction. I have heard for short distances that alligators can run faster than humans. Luckily I was riding a fast cart that day, but what if I was walking?
Scared by Allie

Hi Scared,
All you have to do is run faster than only one other person in your foursome.
Joe