Question: I purchased a 9 wood but can't seem to find the proper setup ball position. Most of the time I end up hitting it off the toe or chunk it. I use this club on a 140 yard par 3. Can you help me?
Answer: If you are hitting all your clubs well except your 9-wood, I suspect it simply does not match the rest of your set. The shaft flex may be too little or too much compared to the rest of your set. See if you can exchange the club for another one with a different shaft flex. Most 9-woods have a very thin profile, so it may not be a very forgiving club, you have to hit the sweet spot just right, or else the results may not be any better than using a 5-iron. If you use a 9-wood off a tee, the risk is high for a popup.
Friday, October 03, 2003
Joe :
I have a problem when I go to the driving range I can hit all my woods fairly well . Most shots are straight with good distance but once on the course I have great difficulty getting off the tee I top the ball.slice or hook . There is no consistent pattern. My second shot with a 3 wood (off the ground is usually fine ) any suggestions ? It seems the harder I try to relax on the tee the worse the shot?
Ernie
Hello Ernie,
You are not alone. Many people, myself included, hit great on the range and then get much different results on the course. I can think of 4 possible reasons for this.
First, maybe you are hitting off the synthetic mats instead of the natural grass. The tees on the synthetic mats are a constant height. When you hit off the grass and tee it yourself, maybe you are not being careful enough how high you tee the ball. The standard rule of thumb is to tee the ball so that half the ball is above the top of the driver. Also, although nobody has ever proven this, I have a sneaky suspicion that the fat rubber tees on the synthetic mats may be taking away some of the side spin that causes slices or hooks (you heard it here first). So the first solution is to use the natural grass at the range whenever possible, and tee the ball higher and higher until you start hitting popups, then lower it a little and take careful note of your optimum tee height.
Second, check your ball position. Whenever the ball is on a tee, you may get better results by playing the ball off your front toe. If you are already doing that, try halfway between the toe and center of your stance. Experiment.
Third, there is no pressure on the range, if you mess up a shot, it does not affect your score. On the course, you are aware that the shot counts, and the nerves start twitching. On the range, put some pressure on yourself by picking a target and betting yourself (or your friends) that you can get reasonably close to it.
Fourth, on the range, you are hitting a ball every few seconds, so you can easily get into a good rhythm. On the course, it may be several minutes between shots, and each shot is with a far different club. That is why on the range you should take your time between shots, and vary the clubs the same way you would on the course. If you take too many consecutive swings with the same club, you might lose your swing with the other clubs. Good luck, and let me know if this helped.
Joe
I have a problem when I go to the driving range I can hit all my woods fairly well . Most shots are straight with good distance but once on the course I have great difficulty getting off the tee I top the ball.slice or hook . There is no consistent pattern. My second shot with a 3 wood (off the ground is usually fine ) any suggestions ? It seems the harder I try to relax on the tee the worse the shot?
Ernie
Hello Ernie,
You are not alone. Many people, myself included, hit great on the range and then get much different results on the course. I can think of 4 possible reasons for this.
First, maybe you are hitting off the synthetic mats instead of the natural grass. The tees on the synthetic mats are a constant height. When you hit off the grass and tee it yourself, maybe you are not being careful enough how high you tee the ball. The standard rule of thumb is to tee the ball so that half the ball is above the top of the driver. Also, although nobody has ever proven this, I have a sneaky suspicion that the fat rubber tees on the synthetic mats may be taking away some of the side spin that causes slices or hooks (you heard it here first). So the first solution is to use the natural grass at the range whenever possible, and tee the ball higher and higher until you start hitting popups, then lower it a little and take careful note of your optimum tee height.
Second, check your ball position. Whenever the ball is on a tee, you may get better results by playing the ball off your front toe. If you are already doing that, try halfway between the toe and center of your stance. Experiment.
Third, there is no pressure on the range, if you mess up a shot, it does not affect your score. On the course, you are aware that the shot counts, and the nerves start twitching. On the range, put some pressure on yourself by picking a target and betting yourself (or your friends) that you can get reasonably close to it.
Fourth, on the range, you are hitting a ball every few seconds, so you can easily get into a good rhythm. On the course, it may be several minutes between shots, and each shot is with a far different club. That is why on the range you should take your time between shots, and vary the clubs the same way you would on the course. If you take too many consecutive swings with the same club, you might lose your swing with the other clubs. Good luck, and let me know if this helped.
Joe
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Joe,
Ever since I took up golf, I've battled the shanks when hitting my irons....even from the tee. If I understand correctly, a shank is when you hit the ball near the hosel of the club. I only seem to have this problem with my irons, but not my driver or fairway woods. A buddy of mine who played collegiate golf looked at my swing today at the driving range and told me to step closer to the ball. It made my hands almost touch the fly on my pants! The first few hacks felt rather odd. I had to grip down a bit further on the club because I started hitting it fat. After about 10 hacks, I started striking the ball pretty well with some consistency. The 7-iron started going on average about 150 yards with an occasional shot of about 170. Whenever I got the shanks prior to this, I always adjusted by stepping further away from the ball. This never did seem to help. My question is this: Why would stepping closer to the ball help me with my case of the shanks? Sincerely, Darren
Darren,
I also have experienced the shanks, and I found a couple of ways to cure them. I my case, I was standing with too much weight on my toes. When I put a little more weight on my heels, the shanks disappeared. In your case, standing closer to the ball forced you to put your weight on your heels. So now you can try standing a little further away as long as your weight does not go to your toes. Another possible reason for those who have a rather flat swing plane is that the harder you swing, the more the clubhead extends further from your body, so there is a better chance of striking the ball on the hosel. If you like swinging hard, try a more upright swing plane, and let me know the results. One more thing, since you apparently are not striking the ball on the heel of your woods, maybe your irons are not fitted properly to your body build, better visit your local pro shop and check this. Good luck!
Joe
Ever since I took up golf, I've battled the shanks when hitting my irons....even from the tee. If I understand correctly, a shank is when you hit the ball near the hosel of the club. I only seem to have this problem with my irons, but not my driver or fairway woods. A buddy of mine who played collegiate golf looked at my swing today at the driving range and told me to step closer to the ball. It made my hands almost touch the fly on my pants! The first few hacks felt rather odd. I had to grip down a bit further on the club because I started hitting it fat. After about 10 hacks, I started striking the ball pretty well with some consistency. The 7-iron started going on average about 150 yards with an occasional shot of about 170. Whenever I got the shanks prior to this, I always adjusted by stepping further away from the ball. This never did seem to help. My question is this: Why would stepping closer to the ball help me with my case of the shanks? Sincerely, Darren
Darren,
I also have experienced the shanks, and I found a couple of ways to cure them. I my case, I was standing with too much weight on my toes. When I put a little more weight on my heels, the shanks disappeared. In your case, standing closer to the ball forced you to put your weight on your heels. So now you can try standing a little further away as long as your weight does not go to your toes. Another possible reason for those who have a rather flat swing plane is that the harder you swing, the more the clubhead extends further from your body, so there is a better chance of striking the ball on the hosel. If you like swinging hard, try a more upright swing plane, and let me know the results. One more thing, since you apparently are not striking the ball on the heel of your woods, maybe your irons are not fitted properly to your body build, better visit your local pro shop and check this. Good luck!
Joe
Monday, September 29, 2003
What happens if you get shafts that are too stiff for you?
With older shafts you would lose distance and hit the ball too low, but you might be a little more accurate. I used to think that stiffer shafts were always preferrable because they theoretically would reduce an unwanted variable, that being the flex translating to variations in clubface positions, but now the shaft technology has introduced the low-torque concept which helps keep the clubface square while the shaft is flexing but not twisting. This allows us to take advantage of the shaft's spring-effect without sacrificing accuracy. So now it is less dangerous to optimize your swing speed by experimenting with different amounts of shaft flex. It makes me wonder how in the world did the old time golfers ever shoot par with wooden shafts? It gives you a sense of how good those guys really were. No technology, no matched sets of clubs, just a stick with a hunk of metal on the end, playing on scruffy fairways and greens with golf balls that were far inferior to what we have today. Wow.
With older shafts you would lose distance and hit the ball too low, but you might be a little more accurate. I used to think that stiffer shafts were always preferrable because they theoretically would reduce an unwanted variable, that being the flex translating to variations in clubface positions, but now the shaft technology has introduced the low-torque concept which helps keep the clubface square while the shaft is flexing but not twisting. This allows us to take advantage of the shaft's spring-effect without sacrificing accuracy. So now it is less dangerous to optimize your swing speed by experimenting with different amounts of shaft flex. It makes me wonder how in the world did the old time golfers ever shoot par with wooden shafts? It gives you a sense of how good those guys really were. No technology, no matched sets of clubs, just a stick with a hunk of metal on the end, playing on scruffy fairways and greens with golf balls that were far inferior to what we have today. Wow.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Joe:
I recently purchased a full set of Callaway golf clubs and have noticed that I am hitting my irons much further than my old set of cheapies. I am hitting a 8 iron 160 and 4 iron well over 200. My old set would have taken a 5 iron and a 3 iron, to accomplish that distance. How do I make the adjustment to this added length?
Ty
Ty:
Most courses have a marker for 150 yards to the middle of the green. Callaway makes good quality clubs, so just trust your new distances. If you hit the 8-iron 160, use that club for the 150 distance because you might not hit it perfectly every time. From there, add or subtract 10 yards per club for the distance required. Also add or subtract 10 yards per club for gentle wind, more for stiffer wind. Also add or subtract 1 club depending on whether the pin is in the back or the front of the green. You are already taking note of the distances you get, so as long as you are consistent, just trust those distances and chalk it up to having better clubs.
I recently purchased a full set of Callaway golf clubs and have noticed that I am hitting my irons much further than my old set of cheapies. I am hitting a 8 iron 160 and 4 iron well over 200. My old set would have taken a 5 iron and a 3 iron, to accomplish that distance. How do I make the adjustment to this added length?
Ty
Ty:
Most courses have a marker for 150 yards to the middle of the green. Callaway makes good quality clubs, so just trust your new distances. If you hit the 8-iron 160, use that club for the 150 distance because you might not hit it perfectly every time. From there, add or subtract 10 yards per club for the distance required. Also add or subtract 10 yards per club for gentle wind, more for stiffer wind. Also add or subtract 1 club depending on whether the pin is in the back or the front of the green. You are already taking note of the distances you get, so as long as you are consistent, just trust those distances and chalk it up to having better clubs.
Monday, September 22, 2003
Joe,
My problem is too many fat shots !!!
When I make a practice swing without a ball, it is perfect, I "shave" the grass but with the ball, I hit the ground behind the ball. Any drill besides a practice swing would be appreciated. thanks, Arik
Arik:
Your practice swing is good because you never hit a bad shot with it. You are swinging, not hitting. As soon as you try to hit, everything changes. Just execute a swing where the ball just happens to be in the way of the swing. Other things to watch for are the backswing making the body sway sideways rather than turning, or the downswing trying to scoop the ball up into the air rather than hitting down at the ball and letting the club do the lifting. Shaving the grass is not good enough, you must strike the ball first and then the ground with a downward blow. Some people are afraid this will cause thin shots, but even if that happens, a thin shot usually produces better results than a fat shot, and scores will improve if your bad shots become better bad shots.
My problem is too many fat shots !!!
When I make a practice swing without a ball, it is perfect, I "shave" the grass but with the ball, I hit the ground behind the ball. Any drill besides a practice swing would be appreciated. thanks, Arik
Arik:
Your practice swing is good because you never hit a bad shot with it. You are swinging, not hitting. As soon as you try to hit, everything changes. Just execute a swing where the ball just happens to be in the way of the swing. Other things to watch for are the backswing making the body sway sideways rather than turning, or the downswing trying to scoop the ball up into the air rather than hitting down at the ball and letting the club do the lifting. Shaving the grass is not good enough, you must strike the ball first and then the ground with a downward blow. Some people are afraid this will cause thin shots, but even if that happens, a thin shot usually produces better results than a fat shot, and scores will improve if your bad shots become better bad shots.
Monday, September 15, 2003
Joe, could you help with this one?. Most times I videotape all the USPGA Tournaments to watch later. Lately, when the angle is right, I play the tee shots back frame by frame, and without exception, by the time the clubhead strikes the
ball, the players' hips are well through and just about facing the target. This is obviously the correct position to be in when striking the ball. Can you please explain what the sequence is in the downswing to get to this position. It seems extremely hard, from the top of a full backswing, to start the hips turning before anything else. Likewise, starting the downswing with hands arms and shoulders makes it difficult to get the hips through to the extent they should be. Hopefully, there must be an easy way.
Thanks a million. Ralph
Ralph,
When you properly shift your lower body weight from back foot to front foot, this turning motion happens almost automatically. It is unrealistic to try to think of every single motion during a swing, just focus on one move for the backswing, and one move for the downswing. It is OK to have a list of "keys" to pick from, just try them one at a time until they get ingrained into your motor muscle memory.
Joe
ball, the players' hips are well through and just about facing the target. This is obviously the correct position to be in when striking the ball. Can you please explain what the sequence is in the downswing to get to this position. It seems extremely hard, from the top of a full backswing, to start the hips turning before anything else. Likewise, starting the downswing with hands arms and shoulders makes it difficult to get the hips through to the extent they should be. Hopefully, there must be an easy way.
Thanks a million. Ralph
Ralph,
When you properly shift your lower body weight from back foot to front foot, this turning motion happens almost automatically. It is unrealistic to try to think of every single motion during a swing, just focus on one move for the backswing, and one move for the downswing. It is OK to have a list of "keys" to pick from, just try them one at a time until they get ingrained into your motor muscle memory.
Joe
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Hi Joe. I am a 30ish, female beginner student-five feet tall, very fit, strong, and very flexible. My only drawback is that I have a hurt left knee that forces me to point my left toe forward in order to complete a full follow-through like the 60-year old men around here do. I've been taking lessons for two summers now. Last week I was hitting with each of my clubs and
noticed that my full swing distance was exactly the same for my driver as for my 9-iron and everything in between. I reported this to my teacher and he smiled and nodded knowingly. He said that almost all women he's come across have had the same complaint. He said that I need to hit with more focus and intent. I'm wondering, if all my shots look exactly alike regardless of the club, why do I need more than one? Anyway, I've scoured all those insulting golf books for women that talk down to us like we're lost and helpless five-year-olds and found nothing on the universality of this problem amongst my gender. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Using the same swing with each club, shouldn't I be getting more distance out of my longer clubs?
Thank you in advance.
Tracy
Tracy:
Since you have already been taking lessons, I have to assume you can strike the ball with some consistency. Anyone who gets the same distance with all clubs must have a swing speed that needs improvement. Most people who have this problem, regardless of age or gender, are usually using too much arms and not enough wrist. Watch the slow motion replays of the pros' swings on TV, and you will notice how the wrist on the downswing is delayed until the last possible instant before striking the ball, and then it explodes into the ball. Here is a drill that should help build up some strength in your wrists. Take an ordinary hammer and pound some nails into a board, making your stroke in the same direction as your golf swing. In other words, stand the board up vertically and pound the nail in horizontally. The more you do this, the stronger your wrists will get. Gene Sarazen attributes his golfing ability to the wrist strength he developed during his carpentry jobs.
noticed that my full swing distance was exactly the same for my driver as for my 9-iron and everything in between. I reported this to my teacher and he smiled and nodded knowingly. He said that almost all women he's come across have had the same complaint. He said that I need to hit with more focus and intent. I'm wondering, if all my shots look exactly alike regardless of the club, why do I need more than one? Anyway, I've scoured all those insulting golf books for women that talk down to us like we're lost and helpless five-year-olds and found nothing on the universality of this problem amongst my gender. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Using the same swing with each club, shouldn't I be getting more distance out of my longer clubs?
Thank you in advance.
Tracy
Tracy:
Since you have already been taking lessons, I have to assume you can strike the ball with some consistency. Anyone who gets the same distance with all clubs must have a swing speed that needs improvement. Most people who have this problem, regardless of age or gender, are usually using too much arms and not enough wrist. Watch the slow motion replays of the pros' swings on TV, and you will notice how the wrist on the downswing is delayed until the last possible instant before striking the ball, and then it explodes into the ball. Here is a drill that should help build up some strength in your wrists. Take an ordinary hammer and pound some nails into a board, making your stroke in the same direction as your golf swing. In other words, stand the board up vertically and pound the nail in horizontally. The more you do this, the stronger your wrists will get. Gene Sarazen attributes his golfing ability to the wrist strength he developed during his carpentry jobs.
Monday, September 08, 2003
Joe,
I recently bought a different spec of the same driver that I used before, hoping to get more distance with stiffer shaft and lower loft.
Here is what I have noticed in the last 3 weeks at the practice tee.
*The club seems heavier and harder to bring around.
*It seems more difficult to make the transition for the down swing
being on the right path.
*My balance is more off and less stable on the down swing
*I have had to move to a slightly stronger grip to stay on line, which of course makes the swing inconsistent because occasionally I get this hook.
*I do not believe that I am trying to swing harder, trying to keep it at the same tempo and force.
Is the shaft making that much of an impact to my swing?
What do you suggest me to experiment with when I go practice again?
I would appreciate your comments, for now, the club will not go to the course until I figure this out.
David H
Hello David,
Do you still have the older driver, or did you trade it in? If you still have it, compare results the next time you go to the range. Assuming you are swinging OK with your irons, it would be nice if you did not have to tweak your swing just for a driver. So if the older driver goes more consistently to the target, the extra yards that you may sometimes get with the new driver may not be worth it. Let me know if you have similar problems with 3-wood, 5-wood, etc.
Joe
Hi Joe,
I went to the range this weekend and did a small experiment.
I hit both the old and new drivers and compared the results. In essence, my swing with the 3 wood (from the ground and tee) is acceptable. The old driver, for some reason, I am hitting farther than I did before. Not dramatically, but enough to notice. I am also hitting it with more consistent results and ball flight than before. The new driver with the same swing as the old driver, is tough. I am truly not sure why the results are much less consistent. Obviously, the shaft is stiffer, so it feels a little heavier, but that is truly about it. The flight of the ball is unpredictable so I cannot even give you a general trend, other than inconsistent.
Anyways, for the time being, I will go back to the old driver and use it on the course and not use the new one. I agree with you that changing my swing for just one club is ridiculous. Oh well, live and learn.
Hi David,
Apparently there really is such a thing as a shaft that is too stiff. I used to think that stiffer shafts were always preferable because they theoretically would reduce an unwanted variable, that being the flex translating to variations in clubface positions. But now the shaft technology has introduced the low-torque concept which helps keep the clubface square while the shaft is flexing but not twisting. This allows us to take advantage of the shaft's spring-effect without sacrificing accuracy. So now it is less dangerous to optimize your swing speed by experimenting with different amounts of shaft flex. How in the world did
those old time golfers ever shoot par with wooden shafts? It gives you a sense of how good those guys really were. No fancy technology, no matched sets of clubs, just a stick with a hunk of metal on the end, playing on scruffy fairways and greens. Wow.
I recently bought a different spec of the same driver that I used before, hoping to get more distance with stiffer shaft and lower loft.
Here is what I have noticed in the last 3 weeks at the practice tee.
*The club seems heavier and harder to bring around.
*It seems more difficult to make the transition for the down swing
being on the right path.
*My balance is more off and less stable on the down swing
*I have had to move to a slightly stronger grip to stay on line, which of course makes the swing inconsistent because occasionally I get this hook.
*I do not believe that I am trying to swing harder, trying to keep it at the same tempo and force.
Is the shaft making that much of an impact to my swing?
What do you suggest me to experiment with when I go practice again?
I would appreciate your comments, for now, the club will not go to the course until I figure this out.
David H
Hello David,
Do you still have the older driver, or did you trade it in? If you still have it, compare results the next time you go to the range. Assuming you are swinging OK with your irons, it would be nice if you did not have to tweak your swing just for a driver. So if the older driver goes more consistently to the target, the extra yards that you may sometimes get with the new driver may not be worth it. Let me know if you have similar problems with 3-wood, 5-wood, etc.
Joe
Hi Joe,
I went to the range this weekend and did a small experiment.
I hit both the old and new drivers and compared the results. In essence, my swing with the 3 wood (from the ground and tee) is acceptable. The old driver, for some reason, I am hitting farther than I did before. Not dramatically, but enough to notice. I am also hitting it with more consistent results and ball flight than before. The new driver with the same swing as the old driver, is tough. I am truly not sure why the results are much less consistent. Obviously, the shaft is stiffer, so it feels a little heavier, but that is truly about it. The flight of the ball is unpredictable so I cannot even give you a general trend, other than inconsistent.
Anyways, for the time being, I will go back to the old driver and use it on the course and not use the new one. I agree with you that changing my swing for just one club is ridiculous. Oh well, live and learn.
Hi David,
Apparently there really is such a thing as a shaft that is too stiff. I used to think that stiffer shafts were always preferable because they theoretically would reduce an unwanted variable, that being the flex translating to variations in clubface positions. But now the shaft technology has introduced the low-torque concept which helps keep the clubface square while the shaft is flexing but not twisting. This allows us to take advantage of the shaft's spring-effect without sacrificing accuracy. So now it is less dangerous to optimize your swing speed by experimenting with different amounts of shaft flex. How in the world did
those old time golfers ever shoot par with wooden shafts? It gives you a sense of how good those guys really were. No fancy technology, no matched sets of clubs, just a stick with a hunk of metal on the end, playing on scruffy fairways and greens. Wow.
Friday, September 05, 2003
What is the best way to get out of deep rough?
The safest play is to use a sand wedge to get back onto the fairway, ideally to a distance that is a full wedge from the green (half-wedges can be tricky). If the rough is not too deep, and you feel like gambling for more distance, you can try a lofted wood like a 7-wood or a 9-wood (a 3-wood or 5-wood might not have enough loft if the grass is too high) but understand what a gamble you may be taking. For an intermediate distance, you can try a 7 or 8-iron, but there is danger that the tall grass will snag the shaft and cause the face to close, resulting in a pulled shot. To help avoid that, open the face and swing outside-in, with any luck the club will slide thru the grass without getting snagged. At no time should you expect to hit a long iron in heavy rough.
The safest play is to use a sand wedge to get back onto the fairway, ideally to a distance that is a full wedge from the green (half-wedges can be tricky). If the rough is not too deep, and you feel like gambling for more distance, you can try a lofted wood like a 7-wood or a 9-wood (a 3-wood or 5-wood might not have enough loft if the grass is too high) but understand what a gamble you may be taking. For an intermediate distance, you can try a 7 or 8-iron, but there is danger that the tall grass will snag the shaft and cause the face to close, resulting in a pulled shot. To help avoid that, open the face and swing outside-in, with any luck the club will slide thru the grass without getting snagged. At no time should you expect to hit a long iron in heavy rough.
If cavity-back irons have larger sweet spots, why would anyone ever want to use blade or muscle back irons?
I have a set of blades and a set of cavity backs. From my own experience, I have found that when I am swinging well and contacting the sweet spot every time with blade irons, I get a much more crisp feeling in the shot, it is a really good feeling. Also, the smaller head of the blade iron seems to do a better job of getting the ball out from bad lies, from the rough, and also from fairway sand bunkers when you have to pick the ball cleanly out of the sand. Sometimes, like any other golfer, I get into a slump and cannot consistently strike the ball on the sweet spot. When this happens, I take both sets to the range to get my confidence back, and have a contest between my blades and cavity-backs. When I am swinging well, the blades win. When I am not swinging as well, the cavity-backs win. I am not recommending to keep switching sets of clubs on the course, that would not promote consistency, I only do that on the range to help get my confidence back whenever a slump occurs.
I have a set of blades and a set of cavity backs. From my own experience, I have found that when I am swinging well and contacting the sweet spot every time with blade irons, I get a much more crisp feeling in the shot, it is a really good feeling. Also, the smaller head of the blade iron seems to do a better job of getting the ball out from bad lies, from the rough, and also from fairway sand bunkers when you have to pick the ball cleanly out of the sand. Sometimes, like any other golfer, I get into a slump and cannot consistently strike the ball on the sweet spot. When this happens, I take both sets to the range to get my confidence back, and have a contest between my blades and cavity-backs. When I am swinging well, the blades win. When I am not swinging as well, the cavity-backs win. I am not recommending to keep switching sets of clubs on the course, that would not promote consistency, I only do that on the range to help get my confidence back whenever a slump occurs.
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
If cavity-back irons have larger sweet spots, why would anyone ever want to use blade or muscle back irons?
From my own experience, I have found that when I am swinging well and contacting the sweet spot every time with blade irons, I get a much more crisp feeling in the shot, it is a really good feeling. Also, the smaller head of a blade iron seems to get the ball out of the rough more easily, and also for fairway sand bunkers when you have to pick the ball cleanly out of the sand. Sometimes, like any other golfer, I get into a slump and cannot consistently strike the ball on the sweet spot. Since I keep a set of cavity-back irons in my shed, I can take them to the range to get my confidence back, and have a contest between my blades and cavity-backs. When I am swinging well, the blades win. When I am not swinging as well, the cavity-backs win. I am not recommending to keep switching clubs on the course, that would not promote consistency, I only do that on the range to get my confidence back whenever a slump occurs. (see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
From my own experience, I have found that when I am swinging well and contacting the sweet spot every time with blade irons, I get a much more crisp feeling in the shot, it is a really good feeling. Also, the smaller head of a blade iron seems to get the ball out of the rough more easily, and also for fairway sand bunkers when you have to pick the ball cleanly out of the sand. Sometimes, like any other golfer, I get into a slump and cannot consistently strike the ball on the sweet spot. Since I keep a set of cavity-back irons in my shed, I can take them to the range to get my confidence back, and have a contest between my blades and cavity-backs. When I am swinging well, the blades win. When I am not swinging as well, the cavity-backs win. I am not recommending to keep switching clubs on the course, that would not promote consistency, I only do that on the range to get my confidence back whenever a slump occurs. (see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
How are Course Ratings and Slope Ratings made?
A course rating is simply the average score that scratch golfers would likely shoot on that course. Slope ratings, however, are a lot more complicated. The USGA has a formula that factors in all kinds of variables such as distance, flat or hilly land, doglegs, forced layups, elevation changes, altitude if over 2000 feet, prevailing wind, fairway widths, sizes, shapes, contours and firmness of greens, amount of rough near landing areas, water hazards, bunkers, out of bounds, trees, and psychological factors due to visible dangers. The higher the slope number, the more difficult the course.
A course rating is simply the average score that scratch golfers would likely shoot on that course. Slope ratings, however, are a lot more complicated. The USGA has a formula that factors in all kinds of variables such as distance, flat or hilly land, doglegs, forced layups, elevation changes, altitude if over 2000 feet, prevailing wind, fairway widths, sizes, shapes, contours and firmness of greens, amount of rough near landing areas, water hazards, bunkers, out of bounds, trees, and psychological factors due to visible dangers. The higher the slope number, the more difficult the course.
Monday, August 25, 2003
Joey, I`m a 6-7 handicap, but i want to add distance with the driver,so as to shorten my approach shots. i`m using a cobra,350,with a stiff shaft. i`m usually fairly accurate, but only get it out there 250-260.can you give me some ideas on getting more power?
Answer - If you can consistently and accurately drive 250-260 yards, that is pretty darn good. The craving for more power will always be there, but if you want to lower your handicap you may be looking in the wrong area. I would suggest you keep statistics on how many greens you hit in regulation, and how many times you fail to get up and down, and work on those areas first. That being said, take your Cobra to a store where they have a computerized hitting bay, and compare results against other brands of demo drivers with different lofts, shaft lengths and flexes. A longer shaft theoretically can give more distance, but the extra length could make it more difficult to hit the sweet spot every time, which is most important. Also, even if you can hit it longer, do not sacrifice accuracy or consistent ball striking for the occasional home run. Don't trade in the Cobra, you may want to come back to it if the others cannot perform as accurately and consistently on the course. 250-260 consistently may be in the 99th percentile of all golfers. Lots of people can hit it that far, but not consistently or accurately.
Answer - If you can consistently and accurately drive 250-260 yards, that is pretty darn good. The craving for more power will always be there, but if you want to lower your handicap you may be looking in the wrong area. I would suggest you keep statistics on how many greens you hit in regulation, and how many times you fail to get up and down, and work on those areas first. That being said, take your Cobra to a store where they have a computerized hitting bay, and compare results against other brands of demo drivers with different lofts, shaft lengths and flexes. A longer shaft theoretically can give more distance, but the extra length could make it more difficult to hit the sweet spot every time, which is most important. Also, even if you can hit it longer, do not sacrifice accuracy or consistent ball striking for the occasional home run. Don't trade in the Cobra, you may want to come back to it if the others cannot perform as accurately and consistently on the course. 250-260 consistently may be in the 99th percentile of all golfers. Lots of people can hit it that far, but not consistently or accurately.
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
How can clubhead speed be increased?
Let's assume you are right handed. Hold a ping pong ball in your left hand, and a paddle in your right hand. First, swing at the ball with all arm action with no wrist action and see how far the ball goes. Secondly, do the same thing with all wrist action and no arm action. Thirdly, do the same thing with a combination of arm and wrist action, and you will notice that the ball goes farthest when the wrist action is delayed until the last possible moment. This whip action, whether it is a ping pong paddle or a golf club, will provide the highest possible striking speed. (www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
Let's assume you are right handed. Hold a ping pong ball in your left hand, and a paddle in your right hand. First, swing at the ball with all arm action with no wrist action and see how far the ball goes. Secondly, do the same thing with all wrist action and no arm action. Thirdly, do the same thing with a combination of arm and wrist action, and you will notice that the ball goes farthest when the wrist action is delayed until the last possible moment. This whip action, whether it is a ping pong paddle or a golf club, will provide the highest possible striking speed. (www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
Monday, August 11, 2003
How can I correct my swing path from naturally going outside-in?
Many golfers are trying to swing squarely down the target line, not realizing that their bodies are turning at the same time. So by the time the club reaches the ball, this turning motion changes the swing path from square to outside-in without the golfer even realizing it. What I would recommend is doing the two club warmup drill slow and easy like a baseball player in the on-deck circle. While you are doing this repetitive drill, you should be able to stare at a spot on the ground where the club passes over, and see the real path of the club AS IT PASSES OVER THAT SPOT, and make corrections to that path. Here is how to make those corrections:
Instead of trying to swing down the target line, try to make your downswing inside out. If the target line is twelve o'clock, make your swing path toward one o'clock because your body's turning motion will change your path to twelve o'clock without you realizing it. Also extend your follow thru to one o'clock and exaggerate that. If you quit the follow thru too soon, you are promoting an outside-in motion.
Be careful not to take your backswing to the inside because that might cause a loop to the outside on the downswing. Take the backswing straight back and high like Sergio Garcia, and then watch how Sergio attacks the ball from the inside. (see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
Many golfers are trying to swing squarely down the target line, not realizing that their bodies are turning at the same time. So by the time the club reaches the ball, this turning motion changes the swing path from square to outside-in without the golfer even realizing it. What I would recommend is doing the two club warmup drill slow and easy like a baseball player in the on-deck circle. While you are doing this repetitive drill, you should be able to stare at a spot on the ground where the club passes over, and see the real path of the club AS IT PASSES OVER THAT SPOT, and make corrections to that path. Here is how to make those corrections:
Instead of trying to swing down the target line, try to make your downswing inside out. If the target line is twelve o'clock, make your swing path toward one o'clock because your body's turning motion will change your path to twelve o'clock without you realizing it. Also extend your follow thru to one o'clock and exaggerate that. If you quit the follow thru too soon, you are promoting an outside-in motion.
Be careful not to take your backswing to the inside because that might cause a loop to the outside on the downswing. Take the backswing straight back and high like Sergio Garcia, and then watch how Sergio attacks the ball from the inside. (see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
Thursday, August 07, 2003
How important is it to be able to get backspin?
It is never as important to get shots to spin back as it is to get clean contact on every shot. Even pros cannot make backspin work when the greens get "firm", and they get to play on the best greens while the rest of us have to play on public courses that have greens that are about as firm as a parking lot. So unless you are a single digit handicapper, forget the spin and just keep striking the ball better and avoid tips that cause fat or thin shots. If you are a single digit handicap, and you do want to get more spin, clean your iron grooves before every shot with a small wire brush, play the ball a little further back in your stance and hit down at it.
It is never as important to get shots to spin back as it is to get clean contact on every shot. Even pros cannot make backspin work when the greens get "firm", and they get to play on the best greens while the rest of us have to play on public courses that have greens that are about as firm as a parking lot. So unless you are a single digit handicapper, forget the spin and just keep striking the ball better and avoid tips that cause fat or thin shots. If you are a single digit handicap, and you do want to get more spin, clean your iron grooves before every shot with a small wire brush, play the ball a little further back in your stance and hit down at it.
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
Should beginners buy new clubs?
Some people think buying expensive clubs will guarantee better scores. If you have a lot of money, go ahead, but if you are a beginner or high handicapper, you might first buy a few less expensive clubs, and when you find some that you hit really well, then have the specs measured and use those specs when you are ready to buy newer clubs. When you do, have them custom fitted to your physique. Everybody is built differently, so your clubs should at least be the right length, shaft flex, and lie angle for you, in order to do your best.
For those who would rather not bother getting fitted and would rather save as much money as possible, you can consider getting used clubs from classified ads, garage sales, or stores that sell used sporting equipment. To minimize your risk, ask if you would be allowed to try the clubs at a driving range and possibly get your money back if you do not like the way you hit with them.
What kind of clubs should you look for? Let me tell you about one of my earlier experiences. I bought a very inexpensive set of used clubs which happened to have shafts with too much flex. I found that whenever I swung too hard, the ball would slice to the right, and when I swung too easy, the ball would hook to the left. Afterwards I bought a set of clubs having stiffer shafts, and I immediately began to hit the ball straighter and farther (I still had a fade, but it was consistent, predictable, and dependable). Of course, this result could be due to my individual physique, but it seems to make sense that a stiffer shaft would remove an unwanted variable. Too much flex could cause the clubhead to vary its position at impact. Even if some extra flex could give you extra distance, I would rather be a few yards shorter and in the fairway, as opposed to being a few yards longer and in the rough (or trees, or sand, or water, or out of bounds, etc.).
Oversized clubheads are a good idea for beginners or higher handicappers because the larger hitting surface reduces the risk of a mis-hit shot. Irons that have cavity-backs are also a good idea because the perimeter weighting enlarges the “sweet spot”, which means you do not have to hit the ball perfectly every time to get consistently predictable distances with your irons, so you are likely to hit more greens. Without this technology you might sometimes hit a good shot with the right club, but the ball ends up too long or too short, because you either hit it squarely on the smaller sweet spot, or somewhere other than the sweet spot. Most courses have distances to the green clearly marked, and you need to find (and trust) your individual distance for each of your irons.
Many people overlook the “lie angle” of clubs, which is the angle of the shaft relative to the bottom of the club. I believe most standard lie angles are too flat, resulting in most golfers hitting the ball to the right. If this is your natural tendency, try clubs with a steeper lie angle, as this would promote shots going a little more to the left. You may also be able to see scrape marks on the bottom of your clubs. Are they mostly toward the toe or the heel? If they are toward the toe, you need clubs with a steeper lie angle. Another indication of this can be seen if your divots are deeper toward the toe end.
Some people think buying expensive clubs will guarantee better scores. If you have a lot of money, go ahead, but if you are a beginner or high handicapper, you might first buy a few less expensive clubs, and when you find some that you hit really well, then have the specs measured and use those specs when you are ready to buy newer clubs. When you do, have them custom fitted to your physique. Everybody is built differently, so your clubs should at least be the right length, shaft flex, and lie angle for you, in order to do your best.
For those who would rather not bother getting fitted and would rather save as much money as possible, you can consider getting used clubs from classified ads, garage sales, or stores that sell used sporting equipment. To minimize your risk, ask if you would be allowed to try the clubs at a driving range and possibly get your money back if you do not like the way you hit with them.
What kind of clubs should you look for? Let me tell you about one of my earlier experiences. I bought a very inexpensive set of used clubs which happened to have shafts with too much flex. I found that whenever I swung too hard, the ball would slice to the right, and when I swung too easy, the ball would hook to the left. Afterwards I bought a set of clubs having stiffer shafts, and I immediately began to hit the ball straighter and farther (I still had a fade, but it was consistent, predictable, and dependable). Of course, this result could be due to my individual physique, but it seems to make sense that a stiffer shaft would remove an unwanted variable. Too much flex could cause the clubhead to vary its position at impact. Even if some extra flex could give you extra distance, I would rather be a few yards shorter and in the fairway, as opposed to being a few yards longer and in the rough (or trees, or sand, or water, or out of bounds, etc.).
Oversized clubheads are a good idea for beginners or higher handicappers because the larger hitting surface reduces the risk of a mis-hit shot. Irons that have cavity-backs are also a good idea because the perimeter weighting enlarges the “sweet spot”, which means you do not have to hit the ball perfectly every time to get consistently predictable distances with your irons, so you are likely to hit more greens. Without this technology you might sometimes hit a good shot with the right club, but the ball ends up too long or too short, because you either hit it squarely on the smaller sweet spot, or somewhere other than the sweet spot. Most courses have distances to the green clearly marked, and you need to find (and trust) your individual distance for each of your irons.
Many people overlook the “lie angle” of clubs, which is the angle of the shaft relative to the bottom of the club. I believe most standard lie angles are too flat, resulting in most golfers hitting the ball to the right. If this is your natural tendency, try clubs with a steeper lie angle, as this would promote shots going a little more to the left. You may also be able to see scrape marks on the bottom of your clubs. Are they mostly toward the toe or the heel? If they are toward the toe, you need clubs with a steeper lie angle. Another indication of this can be seen if your divots are deeper toward the toe end.
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Which are better, higher drives or lower drives?
Drivers come with varying degrees of loft and shaft stiffness. A stiffer shaft lends itself to lower shot trajectory.
For overall distance, in dry conditions the lower shot with extra roll will win out, in wet conditions the extra carry from a higher shot will win out. Into the wind the lower trajectory will win out. In my opinion, I would stay with the one that is most accurate for you. If they are equally accurate, keep them both and use them according to the day's conditions, windy or wet, etc.
The theory about lower loft being less accurate only applies if all other factors are equal, namely being able to strike the ball cleanly. Since underspin cancels out sidespin to some degree, the theory is correct that a lower loft has the potential to be less accurate, but if you as an individual are hitting it straight then other favorable factors are at play to your advantage (shaft flex, lie angle, etc.).
Some people keep two drivers, one for windy dry days when you want to keep the ball low, and the other driver for wet days when a higher shot gives more carry since you won’t get much roll on wet days.
(see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
Drivers come with varying degrees of loft and shaft stiffness. A stiffer shaft lends itself to lower shot trajectory.
For overall distance, in dry conditions the lower shot with extra roll will win out, in wet conditions the extra carry from a higher shot will win out. Into the wind the lower trajectory will win out. In my opinion, I would stay with the one that is most accurate for you. If they are equally accurate, keep them both and use them according to the day's conditions, windy or wet, etc.
The theory about lower loft being less accurate only applies if all other factors are equal, namely being able to strike the ball cleanly. Since underspin cancels out sidespin to some degree, the theory is correct that a lower loft has the potential to be less accurate, but if you as an individual are hitting it straight then other favorable factors are at play to your advantage (shaft flex, lie angle, etc.).
Some people keep two drivers, one for windy dry days when you want to keep the ball low, and the other driver for wet days when a higher shot gives more carry since you won’t get much roll on wet days.
(see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
Do All Tips Apply to Everyone, Regardless of Handicap?
It is widely known that the vast majority of golfers cannot break 100. However, most instructions that you might see on TV or read in magazines do not always tell you whether certain tips are most appropriate for low handicappers or high handicappers (example: taking a full turn and swinging hard may not be good advice for a high handicapper). If the instructions are giving you more and more things to think about while you are swinging, then they must be aimed at low handicappers , since they must be assuming you already can make clean contact on every shot, and you play several times per week. For high handicappers, or people who play less frequently, I feel we must be careful to keep the game simple. It makes no sense to overly complicate the swing for them. Clean contact on every shot is of paramount importance.
We are not robots. We all have different amounts of hand-eye coordination skills and athleticism. No two people are built the same. Everyone has some differences in bone and muscle structure, and the way our natural hinges work (wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, etc.). Although it makes sense to try to imitate the way the pros swing to some degree, you can’t expect a high handicapper to execute every single move like the pros can. Pros play every day and have personal swing coaches, and the best customized equipment. People who play less frequently and have average equipment, average physical skills, and cannot afford lessons must tailor their expectations accordingly.
It is OK to have a long list of swing keys, but it is hard to think of more than one or two at a time during your swing. Therefore, just pick from your list one key for the backswing and one for the downswing. There may be a certain combination of keys that seem to work better one day and a different combination on another day. Why is that? Because your swing is controlled by many different muscles of differing sizes and shapes, all of which are getting bigger or smaller, stronger or weaker in different combinations every day, so without you realizing it, your swing does change. This is true for all sports, not just golf. Nobody ever maintains a perfect swing for very long. Be prepared to adjust, and minimize the slumps which happen to everyone. (see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
It is widely known that the vast majority of golfers cannot break 100. However, most instructions that you might see on TV or read in magazines do not always tell you whether certain tips are most appropriate for low handicappers or high handicappers (example: taking a full turn and swinging hard may not be good advice for a high handicapper). If the instructions are giving you more and more things to think about while you are swinging, then they must be aimed at low handicappers , since they must be assuming you already can make clean contact on every shot, and you play several times per week. For high handicappers, or people who play less frequently, I feel we must be careful to keep the game simple. It makes no sense to overly complicate the swing for them. Clean contact on every shot is of paramount importance.
We are not robots. We all have different amounts of hand-eye coordination skills and athleticism. No two people are built the same. Everyone has some differences in bone and muscle structure, and the way our natural hinges work (wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, etc.). Although it makes sense to try to imitate the way the pros swing to some degree, you can’t expect a high handicapper to execute every single move like the pros can. Pros play every day and have personal swing coaches, and the best customized equipment. People who play less frequently and have average equipment, average physical skills, and cannot afford lessons must tailor their expectations accordingly.
It is OK to have a long list of swing keys, but it is hard to think of more than one or two at a time during your swing. Therefore, just pick from your list one key for the backswing and one for the downswing. There may be a certain combination of keys that seem to work better one day and a different combination on another day. Why is that? Because your swing is controlled by many different muscles of differing sizes and shapes, all of which are getting bigger or smaller, stronger or weaker in different combinations every day, so without you realizing it, your swing does change. This is true for all sports, not just golf. Nobody ever maintains a perfect swing for very long. Be prepared to adjust, and minimize the slumps which happen to everyone. (see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)
