Joe,
I finally set my ego aside and moved to a senior flex shaft from a stiff shaft. The first thing I noticed was, someone told me, was the “whip action” of the shaft. The first time was by accident…the ball went long… 260 yards, high with a slight fade. I had slowed down my swing speed from 96 mph to around 80 mph…like I just wanted to hit my drive 100 yards.
Now..how to I repeat this action?
Thanks for any suggestions
Larry
Hi Larry,
In my opinion, if you have a swing speed of 96, a senior flex shaft is too flexible for you. If you try to slow your swing down to 80, the chances are you will not be able to repeat that swing consistently, sometimes you will swing just a little too fast or a little to slow, and the shaft will flex a little too much or a little too less, and as a result you will hit a lot of wild shots. If the stiffer shaft was not working for you, I am guessing you just wanted more distance, but your accuracy was OK, right? If so, try a regular shaft instead of a senior shaft. Good luck.
Joe
Monday, November 22, 2004
Joe,
Shanks. I play on a 10 handicap and on average every couple of rounds I shank the ball badly with irons. My swing is on the correct path I am told and I hit a straight ball. I suspect that my hands drift away from my body nearing impact as I often hit the ball towards the heel of my driver when I start swinging too hard or towards the end of the game when I am maybe getting tired. Would this be the cause and what is the best fix or practice drill to remedy the shank?Regards,Pat.
Hello Pat,
I also had the shanks in the past, and it is a horrifying feeling to see the ball go 45 degrees off line, that can really ruin a round. In my case my weight was too much on my toes. The problem went away when I put my weight more on my heels. This does not mean it will also work for you, because maybe you are already on your heels, I don’t know. If so, you can try a more upright swing because a flat swing will tend to go more outward when you swing hard, as you described. Also when golfers get tired their swings tend to flatten a bit so that could explain it. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Joe (see my Bio at thinkandreachpar.com)
Shanks. I play on a 10 handicap and on average every couple of rounds I shank the ball badly with irons. My swing is on the correct path I am told and I hit a straight ball. I suspect that my hands drift away from my body nearing impact as I often hit the ball towards the heel of my driver when I start swinging too hard or towards the end of the game when I am maybe getting tired. Would this be the cause and what is the best fix or practice drill to remedy the shank?Regards,Pat.
Hello Pat,
I also had the shanks in the past, and it is a horrifying feeling to see the ball go 45 degrees off line, that can really ruin a round. In my case my weight was too much on my toes. The problem went away when I put my weight more on my heels. This does not mean it will also work for you, because maybe you are already on your heels, I don’t know. If so, you can try a more upright swing because a flat swing will tend to go more outward when you swing hard, as you described. Also when golfers get tired their swings tend to flatten a bit so that could explain it. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Joe (see my Bio at thinkandreachpar.com)
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Joe, what do you think of Retief Goosen? Don’t you think he is a bit dry, like a robot?
Answer: You can’t please everyone, no matter who you are. Retief conducts himself like a real gentleman, and when you do that, some people think you are too boring. Maybe Retief can take a few lessons from the Terrell Owens school of manners and etiquette, then after hitting a good shot Retief can do situps, flap his arms, or dance like Ray Lewis. That would be quite entertaining, but the USGA might hit him with a penalty for forgetting to suck a lemon in order to obtain the proper facial expression to play on the tour.
Answer: You can’t please everyone, no matter who you are. Retief conducts himself like a real gentleman, and when you do that, some people think you are too boring. Maybe Retief can take a few lessons from the Terrell Owens school of manners and etiquette, then after hitting a good shot Retief can do situps, flap his arms, or dance like Ray Lewis. That would be quite entertaining, but the USGA might hit him with a penalty for forgetting to suck a lemon in order to obtain the proper facial expression to play on the tour.
Friday, November 12, 2004
Joe,
I have shot a lot of 18 hole rounds under par and feel pretty good about my game. I know that distance isn't that important to scoring, but it sure helps on longer courses. What can I do to be able to hit the ball farther? What muscles can I build up to hit it farther? I can hit it 250 yards, but not all the time. I have a good enough build to swing the right path. I know that weight shift has a lot to do with it, but is that all?
Thanks
Hello, whoever you are, maybe you are not familiar with our rule that if you do not give you name, the question is handed over to the Evil Twin, which means you never know what kind of answer you are going to get, so Jody what do you think about this?
Answer: The guy is breaking par and is still not happy? I say we beat him up. But wait, how do we know it’s a guy? We don’t, so maybe it’s a gal, and if so, how about a date?
I have shot a lot of 18 hole rounds under par and feel pretty good about my game. I know that distance isn't that important to scoring, but it sure helps on longer courses. What can I do to be able to hit the ball farther? What muscles can I build up to hit it farther? I can hit it 250 yards, but not all the time. I have a good enough build to swing the right path. I know that weight shift has a lot to do with it, but is that all?
Thanks
Hello, whoever you are, maybe you are not familiar with our rule that if you do not give you name, the question is handed over to the Evil Twin, which means you never know what kind of answer you are going to get, so Jody what do you think about this?
Answer: The guy is breaking par and is still not happy? I say we beat him up. But wait, how do we know it’s a guy? We don’t, so maybe it’s a gal, and if so, how about a date?
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Joe,
I'd like to know your feelings about using drivers with more loft - 11, 12, 13 degrees instead of the conventional 9-10.5 degrees of loft? What is the principles behind more loft on your driver and do you think that more loft would help a golfer like myself who hits the ball relatively straight but I don’t get real good distance.
Terry
Hi Terry,
Older theories promoted lower lofts for more distance, and this only made sense if your drives had some underspin. People used to love to see low line drives rising upwards like a plane taking off, but on today’s softer fairways you do not get as much roll on lower drives, especially if there is some underspin. So today’s theory is to hit higher drives to get longer carry, so your launch angles must be higher to get this carry. Launch angle is not the same as the "loft" angle of the driver due to the way you swing and the type of shaft used, so to get the best launch angle, which is about 9 degrees as measured by a computerized hitting bay, you might need a driver with more loft, even as much as 13 degrees (oh no, I am turning into a techno-geek-nerd!).
Joe
I'd like to know your feelings about using drivers with more loft - 11, 12, 13 degrees instead of the conventional 9-10.5 degrees of loft? What is the principles behind more loft on your driver and do you think that more loft would help a golfer like myself who hits the ball relatively straight but I don’t get real good distance.
Terry
Hi Terry,
Older theories promoted lower lofts for more distance, and this only made sense if your drives had some underspin. People used to love to see low line drives rising upwards like a plane taking off, but on today’s softer fairways you do not get as much roll on lower drives, especially if there is some underspin. So today’s theory is to hit higher drives to get longer carry, so your launch angles must be higher to get this carry. Launch angle is not the same as the "loft" angle of the driver due to the way you swing and the type of shaft used, so to get the best launch angle, which is about 9 degrees as measured by a computerized hitting bay, you might need a driver with more loft, even as much as 13 degrees (oh no, I am turning into a techno-geek-nerd!).
Joe
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Joe,
I'm just starting having a problem with rolling my arms on the followthru, is there a drill that would help me regain it?thanks Shen
Hello Shen,
Is the problem too much roll or too little roll? If it is too much roll, you probably hook too much, so try to extend your arms more outward to reduce the roll. If you have too little roll, you might have a "chicken wing" on the leading arm. Try to make the leading elbow fold down instead of up.
Joe
I'm just starting having a problem with rolling my arms on the followthru, is there a drill that would help me regain it?thanks Shen
Hello Shen,
Is the problem too much roll or too little roll? If it is too much roll, you probably hook too much, so try to extend your arms more outward to reduce the roll. If you have too little roll, you might have a "chicken wing" on the leading arm. Try to make the leading elbow fold down instead of up.
Joe
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Joe,
Why was Francis Ouimet’s US Open victory any more important than other Opens?
Frank
Hi Frank,
Imagine Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh showing up at your local golf club for a tournament, and this teenager who lives down the street joins the tournament, tops his first drive 40 yards into the left rough, and then goes on to beat both of them, winning the tournament with a ten year old caddy carrying only 7 clubs. OK, so Francis was not really a teenager, he just turned 20 one month earlier, forgive me for exaggerating. Harry Vardon (for whom the overlap grip is named) and Ted Ray were the biggest names in golf at that time, just like Tiger and Vijay are today, and they came all the way from England just to get beat in a head-to-head playoff by this skinny little kid from down the street, whose two practice rounds were horrible 88 and 88. Therefore this event, in my opinion, is the most astounding golf story ever, and also was the birth of golf excitement in America, because the newspapers went nuts over the fact that American golfers were just as good as the British legends. As I said last week, you have got to read the book "The Greatest Game Ever Played" by Mark Frost. Amazing stuff.
Joe
Why was Francis Ouimet’s US Open victory any more important than other Opens?
Frank
Hi Frank,
Imagine Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh showing up at your local golf club for a tournament, and this teenager who lives down the street joins the tournament, tops his first drive 40 yards into the left rough, and then goes on to beat both of them, winning the tournament with a ten year old caddy carrying only 7 clubs. OK, so Francis was not really a teenager, he just turned 20 one month earlier, forgive me for exaggerating. Harry Vardon (for whom the overlap grip is named) and Ted Ray were the biggest names in golf at that time, just like Tiger and Vijay are today, and they came all the way from England just to get beat in a head-to-head playoff by this skinny little kid from down the street, whose two practice rounds were horrible 88 and 88. Therefore this event, in my opinion, is the most astounding golf story ever, and also was the birth of golf excitement in America, because the newspapers went nuts over the fact that American golfers were just as good as the British legends. As I said last week, you have got to read the book "The Greatest Game Ever Played" by Mark Frost. Amazing stuff.
Joe
Friday, November 05, 2004
Joe,
In the Chrysler tournament recently I saw a golfer apparently hit his ball into a lateral water hazard but he had to go back to the tee and hit again. I thought you could drop and hit from the point where it entered the water? What gives?
Will
Hi Will,
The Rule says (and I think it is a bad rule) that someone must have watched and seen the ball actually enter the water, or else it is considered to be a “lost ball” which means you must go back to the tee. I think this is a bad rule for a couple of reasons. First, the pace of play is greatly hindered any time you have to march back to the tee and play again, everyone on the entire course behind you will suffer for this. Aside from that, even if you did watch the ball go into the hazard, you probably lost it anyway, so the penalty is different for a watched ball that got lost in the water instead of a lost ball that was not watched and ended up in the same place. Look, logic says if you hit a shot out of play, the penalty should be the same no matter if it is water, OB, lost ball, or unplayable lie. This should be a game of skill, not technicalities. Nobody should ever ever ever have to walk back to the original spot to play the next shot, it would be more logical to just take the penalty and hit from the spot nearest where the ball went out of play. But that is only my opinion, the rules say otherwise, but rules like this hurt the game. When I make my first billion dollars I am going to buy the USGA and change that stupid rule.
Joe
In the Chrysler tournament recently I saw a golfer apparently hit his ball into a lateral water hazard but he had to go back to the tee and hit again. I thought you could drop and hit from the point where it entered the water? What gives?
Will
Hi Will,
The Rule says (and I think it is a bad rule) that someone must have watched and seen the ball actually enter the water, or else it is considered to be a “lost ball” which means you must go back to the tee. I think this is a bad rule for a couple of reasons. First, the pace of play is greatly hindered any time you have to march back to the tee and play again, everyone on the entire course behind you will suffer for this. Aside from that, even if you did watch the ball go into the hazard, you probably lost it anyway, so the penalty is different for a watched ball that got lost in the water instead of a lost ball that was not watched and ended up in the same place. Look, logic says if you hit a shot out of play, the penalty should be the same no matter if it is water, OB, lost ball, or unplayable lie. This should be a game of skill, not technicalities. Nobody should ever ever ever have to walk back to the original spot to play the next shot, it would be more logical to just take the penalty and hit from the spot nearest where the ball went out of play. But that is only my opinion, the rules say otherwise, but rules like this hurt the game. When I make my first billion dollars I am going to buy the USGA and change that stupid rule.
Joe
Monday, November 01, 2004
Joe,
I think belly putters should be illegal because it anchors the end of the club, let’s go back to the original rules of the game. What do you think?
Ernie
Hi Ernie,
If we go back to the original rules, then you also must play a plugged ball as it lies, even on the green. You also were not allowed to clean mud off your ball, even on the green. Try to putt with a wad of mud stuck to your ball and maybe you will understand that sometimes the rules really do need to be changed, otherwise it becomes more of a game of bad luck instead of skill. Belly putters have saved the careers of several pros, and they also have given new hope to recreational golfers who otherwise were going to quit the game because of the Putting Yips. However, if you really do not like belly putters, you can still get rid of those Yips by pinning your front elbow to your torso firmly (the anchor you mentioned) and using the “claw” grip like Mark Calcavecchia, which reduces unwanted right hand motion, and using your shoulders to make the stroke instead of your hands.
Joe
I think belly putters should be illegal because it anchors the end of the club, let’s go back to the original rules of the game. What do you think?
Ernie
Hi Ernie,
If we go back to the original rules, then you also must play a plugged ball as it lies, even on the green. You also were not allowed to clean mud off your ball, even on the green. Try to putt with a wad of mud stuck to your ball and maybe you will understand that sometimes the rules really do need to be changed, otherwise it becomes more of a game of bad luck instead of skill. Belly putters have saved the careers of several pros, and they also have given new hope to recreational golfers who otherwise were going to quit the game because of the Putting Yips. However, if you really do not like belly putters, you can still get rid of those Yips by pinning your front elbow to your torso firmly (the anchor you mentioned) and using the “claw” grip like Mark Calcavecchia, which reduces unwanted right hand motion, and using your shoulders to make the stroke instead of your hands.
Joe
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Joe,
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
1. WHY I TEND TO HIT THE BALL "THIN" OFF MY IRONS.
2. WHAT DRILLS CAN I DO TO HELP THAT.
3. I HAVE A REAL HARD TIME GETTING THE CLUB BACK TO PARELLEL AND INOTONLY WATCH THE PROS BUT SOME GUYS AT DRIVING RANGES DOING ITEFFORTLESSLY. WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MYSELF WITH THAT?THANKS,Rob Wing
Hello Rob,
I think your number 3 might have something to do with your number 1. You might be so concerned with getting the club back to parallel, that you ball striking may be suffering because of that. Although it looks like the classical thing to do, it is not absolutely necessary. Some of us are not built the same as others so we cannot swing the same way. Look at how short the backswings are for Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, Jim Thorpe, and several others, they do not even come close to parallel, and yet they are very successful. As for your number 2, I would recommend the drills shown on the Body Golf videos, such as the double clubber and the toe drag drills. You may also find that the Body Golf drills and exercises might result in your getting closer to parallel without having to concentrate on that.
Joe
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
1. WHY I TEND TO HIT THE BALL "THIN" OFF MY IRONS.
2. WHAT DRILLS CAN I DO TO HELP THAT.
3. I HAVE A REAL HARD TIME GETTING THE CLUB BACK TO PARELLEL AND INOTONLY WATCH THE PROS BUT SOME GUYS AT DRIVING RANGES DOING ITEFFORTLESSLY. WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MYSELF WITH THAT?THANKS,Rob Wing
Hello Rob,
I think your number 3 might have something to do with your number 1. You might be so concerned with getting the club back to parallel, that you ball striking may be suffering because of that. Although it looks like the classical thing to do, it is not absolutely necessary. Some of us are not built the same as others so we cannot swing the same way. Look at how short the backswings are for Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, Jim Thorpe, and several others, they do not even come close to parallel, and yet they are very successful. As for your number 2, I would recommend the drills shown on the Body Golf videos, such as the double clubber and the toe drag drills. You may also find that the Body Golf drills and exercises might result in your getting closer to parallel without having to concentrate on that.
Joe
Monday, October 25, 2004
Joe,
Thank you for accommodating me in your golf tips. I've been playing for almost six months now but I still could not break 100 on my games. Could you also help me cure my left arm to be strait during backswing up to impact on the ball and slice.
Respectfully yours
Alex Ricohermoso
Hello Alex,Keeping the left arm straight (assuming you are right handed) accomplishes two good things. It assures the widest possible arc, and the wider the arc, the higher the clubhead speed. It assures a more consistent arc, for example, if you allow the left elbow to bend, you have to be consistent in how much it bends or else the arc will be inconsistent, and therefore your ball striking will be inconsistent. Of course you should not make too much of an effort to keep it perfectly straight or else you might restrict your natural swing, just keep it comfortably straight. If you are slicing, there are probably other reasons at play, possibly your grip or your weight shift, or your swing plane.
Joe
Thank you for accommodating me in your golf tips. I've been playing for almost six months now but I still could not break 100 on my games. Could you also help me cure my left arm to be strait during backswing up to impact on the ball and slice.
Respectfully yours
Alex Ricohermoso
Hello Alex,Keeping the left arm straight (assuming you are right handed) accomplishes two good things. It assures the widest possible arc, and the wider the arc, the higher the clubhead speed. It assures a more consistent arc, for example, if you allow the left elbow to bend, you have to be consistent in how much it bends or else the arc will be inconsistent, and therefore your ball striking will be inconsistent. Of course you should not make too much of an effort to keep it perfectly straight or else you might restrict your natural swing, just keep it comfortably straight. If you are slicing, there are probably other reasons at play, possibly your grip or your weight shift, or your swing plane.
Joe
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Joe,
What about the head during a Golf swing? There are some people that say that the head has to be absolutely still and the eyes have to be on the ball during the swing until the follow through. Contrary to this, there is a school of thought that the head being still is a myth. This states that if the head is still, it robs the power that the body can generate. Surely, Golf instructions are more difficult than the game itself. Would appreciate your insight and advice in this matter. Regards,Vinodh.
Hello Vinodh,
Absolutely still is incorrect. Steady is correct, meaning that the head can rotate a little bit. It is true that you can get more power by allowing the head to move sideways during the backswing, but that is only for people who have no problems with good ball contact. If you find yourself hitting shots fat or thin or wild, then I would recommend keeping the head more steady and avoid the sideways movement. As we said to Sid from Australia last week, Jack Nicklaus’ instructor used to grab the back of his hair to prevent too much head movement, and I think you will agree it worked for Jack, he had a “fairly nice” career, right?
Joe
What about the head during a Golf swing? There are some people that say that the head has to be absolutely still and the eyes have to be on the ball during the swing until the follow through. Contrary to this, there is a school of thought that the head being still is a myth. This states that if the head is still, it robs the power that the body can generate. Surely, Golf instructions are more difficult than the game itself. Would appreciate your insight and advice in this matter. Regards,Vinodh.
Hello Vinodh,
Absolutely still is incorrect. Steady is correct, meaning that the head can rotate a little bit. It is true that you can get more power by allowing the head to move sideways during the backswing, but that is only for people who have no problems with good ball contact. If you find yourself hitting shots fat or thin or wild, then I would recommend keeping the head more steady and avoid the sideways movement. As we said to Sid from Australia last week, Jack Nicklaus’ instructor used to grab the back of his hair to prevent too much head movement, and I think you will agree it worked for Jack, he had a “fairly nice” career, right?
Joe
Friday, October 22, 2004
Joe,
Have you ever played the “A-ball” (from almostgolfball.com) on a par-3 golf course?
Abbie
Hello Abbie,
Yes, just recently I used it on a short par 3 course, Walnut Greens in Schaumburg, IL. For those of you who never heard of it, the A-ball looks exactly like a real ball but it is much lighter, so it travels less than half the distance of a real ball, but it hooks and slices just like a real ball. This essentially turns the par 3 course into a regulation sized course, so you can use all your clubs. Since there is much less walking, you can finish a 9 hole round in one hour. You are not likely to lose it since it does not travel so far, and it floats if you happen to hit into water. The only disadvantage would be a windy day because the lighter ball is more affected by wind. The almostgolfball.com website is worth a visit because it describes the many other new ideas being used with this “A-ball”, like Happy Gilmore style long drive contests and makeshift courses in your local parks. You can order these online or get them from some of the larger golf stores.
Joe
Have you ever played the “A-ball” (from almostgolfball.com) on a par-3 golf course?
Abbie
Hello Abbie,
Yes, just recently I used it on a short par 3 course, Walnut Greens in Schaumburg, IL. For those of you who never heard of it, the A-ball looks exactly like a real ball but it is much lighter, so it travels less than half the distance of a real ball, but it hooks and slices just like a real ball. This essentially turns the par 3 course into a regulation sized course, so you can use all your clubs. Since there is much less walking, you can finish a 9 hole round in one hour. You are not likely to lose it since it does not travel so far, and it floats if you happen to hit into water. The only disadvantage would be a windy day because the lighter ball is more affected by wind. The almostgolfball.com website is worth a visit because it describes the many other new ideas being used with this “A-ball”, like Happy Gilmore style long drive contests and makeshift courses in your local parks. You can order these online or get them from some of the larger golf stores.
Joe
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Joe,
I took up golf almost 2 years ago. A regular weekend golfer, I usually card a score of low 90 for 18 holes. A good round is close to the 90s and a bad one touching the 100s. I use a Wilson Deep Red 420cc driver and get about 225 meters off the tee. My shots are usually straight and hence am able to keep the ball in play most of the times. My problem is my iron shots. I usually hit the 9 iron 100 meter and a 7 iron 120 meters. However, I usually hit them fat. There is a BIG divot starting at about 2 inches behind the ball. I loose power in the shot and hence never make the required distance. Looking at the divots, they are straight - hence assuming I am not coming either inside out or out to in in my downswing. I am wondering, what causes this and how can this be fixed. I have tried different tricks to see how it can be fixed but to no avail. I have never taken any professional golf lessons and have taught myself basically through reading and your valuable emails. One of the Pro's once told me that I have a fantastic golf swing and very good rhythm. He also said that I need to fix just a few things in my game to hit in the 70s - has someone heard of golf nirvana! The problem is he didn’t tell me what to fix? - smart man! Wondering what you can advise on this problem of mine.Regards,SIDMelbourne, Australia
Hello Sid,
A fantastic golf swing can be compared to doing a hula hoop. You may be able to do a beautiful hula dance, but if the hoop falls to the ground, the good rhythm does not matter. Fat iron shots can be caused by a number of things, one possibility is a sideways sway on the backswing. Jack Nicklaus’ instructor used to grab the back of his hair to make sure it remained steady during the swing. Some instructors say it is OK to move your head sideways because it can add power to your swing, but I say what good is extra power if you are hitting fat shots? Keeping the head steady also helps to prevent overswinging, another possible cause for fat shots. Make this your primary swing thought and let us know how it turns out.
Joe
I took up golf almost 2 years ago. A regular weekend golfer, I usually card a score of low 90 for 18 holes. A good round is close to the 90s and a bad one touching the 100s. I use a Wilson Deep Red 420cc driver and get about 225 meters off the tee. My shots are usually straight and hence am able to keep the ball in play most of the times. My problem is my iron shots. I usually hit the 9 iron 100 meter and a 7 iron 120 meters. However, I usually hit them fat. There is a BIG divot starting at about 2 inches behind the ball. I loose power in the shot and hence never make the required distance. Looking at the divots, they are straight - hence assuming I am not coming either inside out or out to in in my downswing. I am wondering, what causes this and how can this be fixed. I have tried different tricks to see how it can be fixed but to no avail. I have never taken any professional golf lessons and have taught myself basically through reading and your valuable emails. One of the Pro's once told me that I have a fantastic golf swing and very good rhythm. He also said that I need to fix just a few things in my game to hit in the 70s - has someone heard of golf nirvana! The problem is he didn’t tell me what to fix? - smart man! Wondering what you can advise on this problem of mine.Regards,SIDMelbourne, Australia
Hello Sid,
A fantastic golf swing can be compared to doing a hula hoop. You may be able to do a beautiful hula dance, but if the hoop falls to the ground, the good rhythm does not matter. Fat iron shots can be caused by a number of things, one possibility is a sideways sway on the backswing. Jack Nicklaus’ instructor used to grab the back of his hair to make sure it remained steady during the swing. Some instructors say it is OK to move your head sideways because it can add power to your swing, but I say what good is extra power if you are hitting fat shots? Keeping the head steady also helps to prevent overswinging, another possible cause for fat shots. Make this your primary swing thought and let us know how it turns out.
Joe
Monday, October 18, 2004
Joe,
Setting Goals is supposed to help. Other than shooting a better score or lowering my handicap, can you be more specific?
Gene
Hi Gene,
Specific goals can make you feel better even when your scores do not show immediate improvement. For example, we all know that sometimes we fix one part of our game, only to see another part of our game go sour, so your scores may not show improvement, but hey, if you did fix one part of your game, what if your fix is a lasting fix, and then you fix another part of your game, and then another? Here are some examples on how to set goals: First, determine what is normal for you, then keep track like this: In a normal round of golf, what if you 3-putt one less time than normal? What if you got up-and-down one more time than normal? What if you hit one more green in regulation than normal? What if you hit one more good drive than normal? What if you made one less mental/strategic mistake than normal? What if you had one less flub than normal? What if you had one less penalty shot than normal? Each one of these improvements seems minor, but if you can put them all together, they can add up to several strokes improvement per round! These are only a few examples of goals, there are many other ways to set them. Set small goals like these for yourself and keep track of them, and celebrate the ones you achieve, especially on days when your score is not so great, at least you have something to feel good about. By working on this process, one day you will put it all together and have your best score ever.
Joe
Setting Goals is supposed to help. Other than shooting a better score or lowering my handicap, can you be more specific?
Gene
Hi Gene,
Specific goals can make you feel better even when your scores do not show immediate improvement. For example, we all know that sometimes we fix one part of our game, only to see another part of our game go sour, so your scores may not show improvement, but hey, if you did fix one part of your game, what if your fix is a lasting fix, and then you fix another part of your game, and then another? Here are some examples on how to set goals: First, determine what is normal for you, then keep track like this: In a normal round of golf, what if you 3-putt one less time than normal? What if you got up-and-down one more time than normal? What if you hit one more green in regulation than normal? What if you hit one more good drive than normal? What if you made one less mental/strategic mistake than normal? What if you had one less flub than normal? What if you had one less penalty shot than normal? Each one of these improvements seems minor, but if you can put them all together, they can add up to several strokes improvement per round! These are only a few examples of goals, there are many other ways to set them. Set small goals like these for yourself and keep track of them, and celebrate the ones you achieve, especially on days when your score is not so great, at least you have something to feel good about. By working on this process, one day you will put it all together and have your best score ever.
Joe
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Joe,
What is swingweight and how much does it matter?
Bill
Hi Bill,
Swingweight is the ratio of the weight of the clubhead to the overall weight of the whole club. This idea was intended to give a consistent feel from club to club in a matched set. Some people do not care about feel because when they start hitting good shots with a funny-feeling mismatched club, that starts feeling good mighty quick. Swingweights are measured in a goofy letter-number scheme, the higher the letter and number, the heavier the swingweight. Most swingweights are in the C and D areas, longer hitters prefer D. All D’s are heavier than all C’s, so D1 is heavier than C9. How much does this matter? Some people (techno-geeks) swear this is important to them, others (like me) feel it cannot be so important because in a set of irons, as the iron numbers get higher, the shafts get shorter and the clubheads get larger, therefore the feel will not be exactly the same anyway. So you have to do your own experiments and come to your own conclusions.
Joe
What is swingweight and how much does it matter?
Bill
Hi Bill,
Swingweight is the ratio of the weight of the clubhead to the overall weight of the whole club. This idea was intended to give a consistent feel from club to club in a matched set. Some people do not care about feel because when they start hitting good shots with a funny-feeling mismatched club, that starts feeling good mighty quick. Swingweights are measured in a goofy letter-number scheme, the higher the letter and number, the heavier the swingweight. Most swingweights are in the C and D areas, longer hitters prefer D. All D’s are heavier than all C’s, so D1 is heavier than C9. How much does this matter? Some people (techno-geeks) swear this is important to them, others (like me) feel it cannot be so important because in a set of irons, as the iron numbers get higher, the shafts get shorter and the clubheads get larger, therefore the feel will not be exactly the same anyway. So you have to do your own experiments and come to your own conclusions.
Joe
Friday, October 15, 2004
Joe,
I was wondering if you could provide insight into an issue that I am encountering while inquiring about golf clubs (since my clubs are 20+ years old and not in the greatest shape). What is preferable -- regular flex or stiff flex? I have read that it depends on your clubhead speed -- and with my size (I'm 5'11" and approx. 210 lbs) and the techniques taught by Mark in the Body Golf series -- I probably can generate above average club speed. However, I'm still not sure whether I should get regular flex or stiff flex for my clubs. I would appreciate any insight you can provide on this issue so I am more knowledgeable when shopping for new clubs. Thanks,Bill Kemple, Jr.
Hello Bill,
The proper shaft flex for you depends on your clubhead speed. The shaft acts as a spring to increase clubhead speed at impact. If your swing speed is slow, then a stiff shaft may rob you of distance because there is too little spring action, but a more flexible shaft will bend more at the top of the swing and on the downswing it will begin to catch up to your hands. As your hands reach the impact position, the shaft “unbends” and springs forward to catch up to your hands, and as a result the clubhead speed becomes greater. A more flexible shaft will not work for those with higher swing speeds because it bends so much that it cannot “unbend” fast enough to catch up to the hands. For people with higher swing speeds, a stiffer shaft will work better because it unbends faster. Be careful, there are a lot of variations in brands, for example a stiff shaft from one brand might flex just as much as a regular shaft from another brand. The best thing to do is to attend demo days at a driving range where you can hit several different shaft types and compare results. Some driving ranges will even let you hit their demo clubs if you pay for a bucket of range balls. If you don’t mind paying a fee, you can get more scientifically fitted by a professional club fitter. When in doubt, decide what is more important to you, distance or accuracy because you might get a little more distance from a more flexible shaft with less accuracy, while a stiffer shaft is less likely to twist and cause the clubface to turn off square, so the accuracy might be better at the expense of a little distance.
Joe
I was wondering if you could provide insight into an issue that I am encountering while inquiring about golf clubs (since my clubs are 20+ years old and not in the greatest shape). What is preferable -- regular flex or stiff flex? I have read that it depends on your clubhead speed -- and with my size (I'm 5'11" and approx. 210 lbs) and the techniques taught by Mark in the Body Golf series -- I probably can generate above average club speed. However, I'm still not sure whether I should get regular flex or stiff flex for my clubs. I would appreciate any insight you can provide on this issue so I am more knowledgeable when shopping for new clubs. Thanks,Bill Kemple, Jr.
Hello Bill,
The proper shaft flex for you depends on your clubhead speed. The shaft acts as a spring to increase clubhead speed at impact. If your swing speed is slow, then a stiff shaft may rob you of distance because there is too little spring action, but a more flexible shaft will bend more at the top of the swing and on the downswing it will begin to catch up to your hands. As your hands reach the impact position, the shaft “unbends” and springs forward to catch up to your hands, and as a result the clubhead speed becomes greater. A more flexible shaft will not work for those with higher swing speeds because it bends so much that it cannot “unbend” fast enough to catch up to the hands. For people with higher swing speeds, a stiffer shaft will work better because it unbends faster. Be careful, there are a lot of variations in brands, for example a stiff shaft from one brand might flex just as much as a regular shaft from another brand. The best thing to do is to attend demo days at a driving range where you can hit several different shaft types and compare results. Some driving ranges will even let you hit their demo clubs if you pay for a bucket of range balls. If you don’t mind paying a fee, you can get more scientifically fitted by a professional club fitter. When in doubt, decide what is more important to you, distance or accuracy because you might get a little more distance from a more flexible shaft with less accuracy, while a stiffer shaft is less likely to twist and cause the clubface to turn off square, so the accuracy might be better at the expense of a little distance.
Joe
Monday, October 11, 2004
Joe,
I must admit to really enjoying the compilation of dvd's finally with the book. My frustration is that consistency for me is in my faults, not where it should be. The one problem I can't seem to get rid of with my irons is all too often I top the ball, or hit it with the heel. I rarely gain height in my shots. Unfortunately I tend to tense up when this occurs which only further frustrates me. The local golf pro keeps saying that I don't use my legs, if I did all would be well. I toe drag quite well and finish through fine so I just try to concentrate on relaxing. I'll get there one day!
Geoff
Hello Geoff,
Topping the ball can be caused by a number of things, so here are some possibilities. First, if you are trying to lift the ball with your swing, you must change your thoughts into hitting down more sharply at the ball. Strike the ball and then the ground, taking a divot. The ball will then spin up the clubface and go airborne. I am not the first to say in order to make the ball go up, you must hit down. You can see this with a ping pong ball if you give it a downward stroke with the paddle it will rise, and if you hit it with an upward stroke it will dive downward. If you are also hitting the ball on the heel, then a possible cause is having your weight too much on your toes. Try putting a little more of your weight on your heels and you may feel better balance during your stroke.
Joe
I must admit to really enjoying the compilation of dvd's finally with the book. My frustration is that consistency for me is in my faults, not where it should be. The one problem I can't seem to get rid of with my irons is all too often I top the ball, or hit it with the heel. I rarely gain height in my shots. Unfortunately I tend to tense up when this occurs which only further frustrates me. The local golf pro keeps saying that I don't use my legs, if I did all would be well. I toe drag quite well and finish through fine so I just try to concentrate on relaxing. I'll get there one day!
Geoff
Hello Geoff,
Topping the ball can be caused by a number of things, so here are some possibilities. First, if you are trying to lift the ball with your swing, you must change your thoughts into hitting down more sharply at the ball. Strike the ball and then the ground, taking a divot. The ball will then spin up the clubface and go airborne. I am not the first to say in order to make the ball go up, you must hit down. You can see this with a ping pong ball if you give it a downward stroke with the paddle it will rise, and if you hit it with an upward stroke it will dive downward. If you are also hitting the ball on the heel, then a possible cause is having your weight too much on your toes. Try putting a little more of your weight on your heels and you may feel better balance during your stroke.
Joe
