Joe,
When the ball lies against a collar of thick grass at the edge of a green, my club usually gets stuck when I try to chip it. I have even tried the “bellied wedge” where you hit the ball at the middle and that sometimes works, but not when the grass is really thick. Is there any other way to handle this?
Barnie
Hi Barnie,
This may sound somewhat unconventional, but if the bellied wedge does not work for you, position the ball way back in your stance, and try using the putter with a very steep downswing, banging the ball down into the ground. The ball should pop up and roll forward with overspin. With a little practice you can get a feel for distance control with this shot.
Joe
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Joe,
I have read in several books and magazines that you should make a full shoulder turn, but I get better results with less turn. Any comments on this?
Tom
Hello Tom,
This is another concept that causes debate. In my opinion a full turn is recommended only for those who are blessed with a lot of athleticism and good hand-eye coordination. There certainly is nothing wrong with trying this on the practice range, but for many people this does not work because their ball striking suffers. In order to improve ball striking, start with a shorter turn until you can strike the ball on the sweet spot every time, and only then should you increase your turn a little at a time until your ball striking begins to suffer. Then you will have a better idea of the optimum amount of turn that is right for you. This is not always due to your type of body build. John Daly does not look like he is in the best of shape but he has such good athleticism and hand-eye coordination, that he has the biggest turn you will ever see. Other guys with an average build like Dana Quigley have a very short turn but he is very successful because he is so consistent. The more you turn, the more you risk trouble, so if you want more consistent ball striking, do the experiment mentioned above and find the right amount of turn for you.
Joe
I have read in several books and magazines that you should make a full shoulder turn, but I get better results with less turn. Any comments on this?
Tom
Hello Tom,
This is another concept that causes debate. In my opinion a full turn is recommended only for those who are blessed with a lot of athleticism and good hand-eye coordination. There certainly is nothing wrong with trying this on the practice range, but for many people this does not work because their ball striking suffers. In order to improve ball striking, start with a shorter turn until you can strike the ball on the sweet spot every time, and only then should you increase your turn a little at a time until your ball striking begins to suffer. Then you will have a better idea of the optimum amount of turn that is right for you. This is not always due to your type of body build. John Daly does not look like he is in the best of shape but he has such good athleticism and hand-eye coordination, that he has the biggest turn you will ever see. Other guys with an average build like Dana Quigley have a very short turn but he is very successful because he is so consistent. The more you turn, the more you risk trouble, so if you want more consistent ball striking, do the experiment mentioned above and find the right amount of turn for you.
Joe
Monday, July 18, 2005
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Joe,
Every time I shoot a good round and share the joy with my friends, I cannot seem to do it again the next time. Is there a reason for this?
Esther
Hello Esther,
Someone once hypothesized that the likelihood of repeating a good performance is inversely proportional to the number of people you tell about it. Does that mean you can’t ever tell anyone about a good round? Not really, that would be no fun. But you do have to be realistic when you go out the next time and remember how you achieved the good score, you cannot just assume it will happen again without good concentration. You can only do it again when good practice sessions allow you to have a certain amount of confidence in every part of your game. The part of your game that you neglect to practice is most likely the part that will cause problems in your next round.
Joe
Every time I shoot a good round and share the joy with my friends, I cannot seem to do it again the next time. Is there a reason for this?
Esther
Hello Esther,
Someone once hypothesized that the likelihood of repeating a good performance is inversely proportional to the number of people you tell about it. Does that mean you can’t ever tell anyone about a good round? Not really, that would be no fun. But you do have to be realistic when you go out the next time and remember how you achieved the good score, you cannot just assume it will happen again without good concentration. You can only do it again when good practice sessions allow you to have a certain amount of confidence in every part of your game. The part of your game that you neglect to practice is most likely the part that will cause problems in your next round.
Joe
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Hi Joe,I wonder if you could help me - I have been playing golf for about 10 years, my handicap has gone out from 12 last year to 17 at present. I don't know what has gone wrong, but suddenly my backswing is only about a quarter swing, I cannot hit an iron at all, which used to be one of my strengths! I am also not getting any distance of note on all my shots. I realize that it is probably not possible to fix my problems via e-mail, but is there anything I can do?Regards Pieter Lindenberg
Hello Pieter,
If you are aware that your backswing is only a quarter swing, I assume that you have taken steps to correct this, but for some reason you cannot. Do you have an injury that is restricting your turn? If not, I would recommend the double clubber drill as shown in the Body Golf videos. This drill will help you attain a natural turn and good tempo without restricting anything. You are correct in saying it is not always possible to fix your problems by email, but if you can provide more details, maybe we can help. For example, what are your swing thoughts on your backswing and downswing? Unless we know this, it is hard to say what to do and what not to do. Let us know.
Joe
Hello Pieter,
If you are aware that your backswing is only a quarter swing, I assume that you have taken steps to correct this, but for some reason you cannot. Do you have an injury that is restricting your turn? If not, I would recommend the double clubber drill as shown in the Body Golf videos. This drill will help you attain a natural turn and good tempo without restricting anything. You are correct in saying it is not always possible to fix your problems by email, but if you can provide more details, maybe we can help. For example, what are your swing thoughts on your backswing and downswing? Unless we know this, it is hard to say what to do and what not to do. Let us know.
Joe
Friday, July 15, 2005
Joe,
My question concerns the position of where you stand when you hit the ball. On my drive I play the ball off of my left toe. Where is the position of the ball on the second shot, etc? Do you play it again off your left toe, in the middle, or?
Thank you,
Mickey
Hi Mickey,
There are always lots of different opinions on this. Some instructors say you have to vary the ball position depending on which club you are using, others say to keep it simple by playing it in the center for all clubs. Advanced players may benefit by varying their ball positions, but average players are probably better off with a centered ball position. I have seen people position the ball in a manner that they THINK is center, but it is too far back, and they can’t believe it until you show them by placing clubs on the ground, one parallel to the target line and the other perpendicular between the feet, that way they can see the true center position. The important thing is results. Everyone swings a little differently, and clubs, especially drivers, can be vastly different from each other. You might be surprised to find one driver works better from center while a different driver works better off the toe. But the driver is the only club to play off the toe, the others, in my opinion, should be played near the center. Take a look at your divots, are they shallow or steep? If they are steep, you probably are playing the ball too far back. Adjust your ball position until your divots are shallow, as long as you are striking the ball first and then the ground. That would be the optimal position for your swing. If this is different for each of your clubs, then either adjust accordingly, or perhaps your set of clubs is not well matched.
Joe
My question concerns the position of where you stand when you hit the ball. On my drive I play the ball off of my left toe. Where is the position of the ball on the second shot, etc? Do you play it again off your left toe, in the middle, or?
Thank you,
Mickey
Hi Mickey,
There are always lots of different opinions on this. Some instructors say you have to vary the ball position depending on which club you are using, others say to keep it simple by playing it in the center for all clubs. Advanced players may benefit by varying their ball positions, but average players are probably better off with a centered ball position. I have seen people position the ball in a manner that they THINK is center, but it is too far back, and they can’t believe it until you show them by placing clubs on the ground, one parallel to the target line and the other perpendicular between the feet, that way they can see the true center position. The important thing is results. Everyone swings a little differently, and clubs, especially drivers, can be vastly different from each other. You might be surprised to find one driver works better from center while a different driver works better off the toe. But the driver is the only club to play off the toe, the others, in my opinion, should be played near the center. Take a look at your divots, are they shallow or steep? If they are steep, you probably are playing the ball too far back. Adjust your ball position until your divots are shallow, as long as you are striking the ball first and then the ground. That would be the optimal position for your swing. If this is different for each of your clubs, then either adjust accordingly, or perhaps your set of clubs is not well matched.
Joe
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Joe,
I am a 12 handicap and I am having a problem with my putting. I am battling to hit the ball on the line I take to the hole. If I don't pull then I push the ball. On all the long putts I seem to pull the ball. Is there a simple solution to this problem. I look forward to hearing from you.Many thanksEric Abrahamse
Hello Eric,
The simplest way is to check your putting stroke on a tiled floor. Just watch your putting stroke against one of the tile lines. If you cannot make the stroke along the lines (a little bit to the inside is also OK), then you need to change the way you grip (reverse overlap is recommended) or the way you make the stroke, or both. Most people who have this problem are using too much wrist action during the stroke. I would recommend stroking with your shoulders only. Your arms should just go along with the shoulders and the wrists should be locked in the same position throughout the stroke. Also follow the no-peeking rule, which means do not look where the ball is going, just keep looking at the ball spot for one second after you hit it. This will help to keep your follow thru on the tile line and square to the target. Try these things with different styles of putters, you may be surprised that you can make a smoother stroke with a different type of club, like maybe a belly putter.
Joe
I am a 12 handicap and I am having a problem with my putting. I am battling to hit the ball on the line I take to the hole. If I don't pull then I push the ball. On all the long putts I seem to pull the ball. Is there a simple solution to this problem. I look forward to hearing from you.Many thanksEric Abrahamse
Hello Eric,
The simplest way is to check your putting stroke on a tiled floor. Just watch your putting stroke against one of the tile lines. If you cannot make the stroke along the lines (a little bit to the inside is also OK), then you need to change the way you grip (reverse overlap is recommended) or the way you make the stroke, or both. Most people who have this problem are using too much wrist action during the stroke. I would recommend stroking with your shoulders only. Your arms should just go along with the shoulders and the wrists should be locked in the same position throughout the stroke. Also follow the no-peeking rule, which means do not look where the ball is going, just keep looking at the ball spot for one second after you hit it. This will help to keep your follow thru on the tile line and square to the target. Try these things with different styles of putters, you may be surprised that you can make a smoother stroke with a different type of club, like maybe a belly putter.
Joe
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Question for the Evil Twin:
Jody, your poor attitude toward the Rules and mocking “Purists” is misleading people into thinking it is OK to break the rules. What have you got to say about this?
Answer: Two things. First, for recreational golfers, it’s only a game, not a courtroom procedure. Second, if you do really think it should be like a courtroom, then take a close look at this (!), you have just been e-mooned.
Jody, your poor attitude toward the Rules and mocking “Purists” is misleading people into thinking it is OK to break the rules. What have you got to say about this?
Answer: Two things. First, for recreational golfers, it’s only a game, not a courtroom procedure. Second, if you do really think it should be like a courtroom, then take a close look at this (!), you have just been e-mooned.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Joe,
I like John Daly’s term “Grip It and Rip It” better than the smooth swing concept because I don’t get much distance that way. Of course I am a little wild but it sure feels good to crush the ball once in awhile. But now I want my scores to improve, so do I necessarily have to give up and join the “dark side” by swinging like a p---y?
Hank
Hello Hank,
I assume you mean puppy, right? In both baseball and golf we have hitters and swingers, but in baseball you do not have to play your foul balls, unlike golf where you have to play all those shots no matter where they go. Hitters are more likely to swing hard and contact the ball at all different areas of the bat such as the handle, the tip, and occasionally the sweet spot, but you only have to be successful 3 out of 10 times to be called a good hitter. Swingers usually hit for a better percentage because they can contact the ball more frequently on the sweet spot of the bat. The same ideas holds true for golf. The better players are swingers, not hitters, and for the same reason. Most average golfers just think of hitting the ball while better golfers are thinking of executing a smooth swing with the ball just happening to be in the way. Many people can’t help being a hitter because you have the hitting concept ingrained into your subconscious. If you have reached a “plateau” in your scores, and you want to improve beyond that, you have to re-train your mind for swinging rather than hitting, and don’t worry about distance yet, it will come with an effortless delayed wrist snap. File your “hitting” swing away into your memory as your “Swing A”. This is the swing you have always been used to, and you can always go back to it if the following “Swing B” does not work for you right away. Meanwhile, keep working on Swing B, because the more you do the drill, the better it will work. On the practice range, always warm up with muscle stretches, and then take two clubs into your hands (or a heavily weighted club), and make some short lazy swings continuously just like a baseball player might do in the on-deck circle. Have a friend stand behind you to make sure your swings are on the correct plane or path. As you keep swinging continuously, little by little, lengthen the amount of backswing and follow-thru. Take it easy, never ever swing hard when you do this, the whole idea is to ingrain some motor muscle memory into your swing path, and the extra weighting will help. As you are swinging, take notice of your lower body weight shift. During your follow-thru, all your weight must be on the front foot (left foot for right handers), and the back foot should only be touching the ground with the toe. Keeping repeating this until it becomes second nature and you don’t have to think about it anymore. Then do this on a practice mat that has a rubber tee that stays in place, and try to clip it repeatedly with your two-club swing. After doing this as long as you can stand it, do the same with only one club, a short iron or wedge. If you are successful in clipping the tee every time, then place a ball on the tee and execute the same easy swing. Remember, you are not thinking about hitting the ball, you are thinking about executing a swing with the ball just happening to be in the way. If you can do this, you are on your way to much improvement. If you cannot do this quite yet, you are probably so preoccupied with the RESULT of your swing that you’re forgetting how to achieve it. You are probably very anxious and tense to see if you will get instant results. You build this picture of worry in your mind about where the ball might go and this worry will interfere with your swing. This is no time for tension. You’ve forgotten why you’re here. You’re playing, not working. You’re here to have a good time and get away from the troubles of everyday life, so unless you are playing for money, don’t sweat it. Let someone else watch where the ball goes, while you follow the “no peeking” rule, which will help your ball contact. This is a drill, do not watch the ball fly. Keep your eyes on the spot where the ball was sitting even after you your swing goes past it. Watch the pros on TV and in the magazines, you’ll see that at impact, every one of their faces is glued to where the ball is sitting at impact, and a little beyond! Start training yourself to count a beat before lifting your head up to watch the ball fly. Practice these smooth swings in your MIND whenever you have a chance. Just visualize perfect, smooth, effortless swings along with the ball flying straight and true time-and-again. It’s a scientifically proven fact that this type of mental programming can really help.
Joe
I like John Daly’s term “Grip It and Rip It” better than the smooth swing concept because I don’t get much distance that way. Of course I am a little wild but it sure feels good to crush the ball once in awhile. But now I want my scores to improve, so do I necessarily have to give up and join the “dark side” by swinging like a p---y?
Hank
Hello Hank,
I assume you mean puppy, right? In both baseball and golf we have hitters and swingers, but in baseball you do not have to play your foul balls, unlike golf where you have to play all those shots no matter where they go. Hitters are more likely to swing hard and contact the ball at all different areas of the bat such as the handle, the tip, and occasionally the sweet spot, but you only have to be successful 3 out of 10 times to be called a good hitter. Swingers usually hit for a better percentage because they can contact the ball more frequently on the sweet spot of the bat. The same ideas holds true for golf. The better players are swingers, not hitters, and for the same reason. Most average golfers just think of hitting the ball while better golfers are thinking of executing a smooth swing with the ball just happening to be in the way. Many people can’t help being a hitter because you have the hitting concept ingrained into your subconscious. If you have reached a “plateau” in your scores, and you want to improve beyond that, you have to re-train your mind for swinging rather than hitting, and don’t worry about distance yet, it will come with an effortless delayed wrist snap. File your “hitting” swing away into your memory as your “Swing A”. This is the swing you have always been used to, and you can always go back to it if the following “Swing B” does not work for you right away. Meanwhile, keep working on Swing B, because the more you do the drill, the better it will work. On the practice range, always warm up with muscle stretches, and then take two clubs into your hands (or a heavily weighted club), and make some short lazy swings continuously just like a baseball player might do in the on-deck circle. Have a friend stand behind you to make sure your swings are on the correct plane or path. As you keep swinging continuously, little by little, lengthen the amount of backswing and follow-thru. Take it easy, never ever swing hard when you do this, the whole idea is to ingrain some motor muscle memory into your swing path, and the extra weighting will help. As you are swinging, take notice of your lower body weight shift. During your follow-thru, all your weight must be on the front foot (left foot for right handers), and the back foot should only be touching the ground with the toe. Keeping repeating this until it becomes second nature and you don’t have to think about it anymore. Then do this on a practice mat that has a rubber tee that stays in place, and try to clip it repeatedly with your two-club swing. After doing this as long as you can stand it, do the same with only one club, a short iron or wedge. If you are successful in clipping the tee every time, then place a ball on the tee and execute the same easy swing. Remember, you are not thinking about hitting the ball, you are thinking about executing a swing with the ball just happening to be in the way. If you can do this, you are on your way to much improvement. If you cannot do this quite yet, you are probably so preoccupied with the RESULT of your swing that you’re forgetting how to achieve it. You are probably very anxious and tense to see if you will get instant results. You build this picture of worry in your mind about where the ball might go and this worry will interfere with your swing. This is no time for tension. You’ve forgotten why you’re here. You’re playing, not working. You’re here to have a good time and get away from the troubles of everyday life, so unless you are playing for money, don’t sweat it. Let someone else watch where the ball goes, while you follow the “no peeking” rule, which will help your ball contact. This is a drill, do not watch the ball fly. Keep your eyes on the spot where the ball was sitting even after you your swing goes past it. Watch the pros on TV and in the magazines, you’ll see that at impact, every one of their faces is glued to where the ball is sitting at impact, and a little beyond! Start training yourself to count a beat before lifting your head up to watch the ball fly. Practice these smooth swings in your MIND whenever you have a chance. Just visualize perfect, smooth, effortless swings along with the ball flying straight and true time-and-again. It’s a scientifically proven fact that this type of mental programming can really help.
Joe
Monday, July 11, 2005
Joe,
I have question.one shot I find most difficult to hit on the golf course iswhen the ball is a on a sidehill lie above your feet.i hit the ball fat mostof time do you have a tip for this type of lie?
Rocky
Hi Rocky,
This usually happens when the setup is not adjusted for the lie. If your hands are too low at address, this could lead to a fat shot. Try raising the hands and stand a little further from the ball, so that the shaft is almost in line with your leading arm. This lie also will tend to cause a pulled shot, but don’t fight that, just allow for the pull and adjust your aim.
Joe
I have question.one shot I find most difficult to hit on the golf course iswhen the ball is a on a sidehill lie above your feet.i hit the ball fat mostof time do you have a tip for this type of lie?
Rocky
Hi Rocky,
This usually happens when the setup is not adjusted for the lie. If your hands are too low at address, this could lead to a fat shot. Try raising the hands and stand a little further from the ball, so that the shaft is almost in line with your leading arm. This lie also will tend to cause a pulled shot, but don’t fight that, just allow for the pull and adjust your aim.
Joe
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Joe,
What do normally look at when or while approaching the tee area? I've been playing for almost eight months and just made to C grade golf player. I've been playing in a lot of different golf courses here in Australia, but most of the time is just in my home club (Candem Lakeside). I know I still have a lot of things and techniques to learn and I have devoted most of my time in golf because i want this to become my career and become a pro if time and god help. I am thirteen years of age and have become golf fanatic. I have played seven competitions at my home club and my first score was 94 total stroke at eighteenth hole, 2nd competition was 102 strokes, 3rd was 105, 4th was 110, 5th was 115, 6th was 92 and 7th was 127. I feel very nervous and almost don't know what to do. I am positive I can hit the ball straight with good distance. my opponent's handicap was between 13 to 20. Now I feel very embarrassed especially to my father because he is supporting to finance and organise everything for my golfing needs. I also need advice on how to correctly target my second shot. I'm not quite sure how i go about estimating where to land the ball on the fairway for the next shot especially on par 4 and par 5. I am a member of the jack newton foundation here in Australia but i can not join any the competition yet due to my handicap and my category as a c grade player. I am still taking lesson from a PGA instructor. I just want your honest opinion if a have to continue attending private lessons or stop and continue learning by myself. I know my dad is upset sometimes and the money he spent for me is already over the ceiling. Can you give some good advice? Many thanks and I hope to here from you,
Grant
Hello Grant,
Since you are only 13 and you have not yet been playing for a full year, you have a lot of upside potential. Golf gives you no guarantees, so you will have to be a little patient and evaluate your game by charting your areas of strengths and weaknesses, this will show you which areas need the most work. From your scores and comments, if you can hit the ball as well as you say, then you should focus on your short game. If you have a decent short game, and you can hit the ball well, you should seldom have worse that bogey on any hole. That means you have a good chance of breaking 90 all the time. If you want to be a serious competitor, you must be able to get the ball “up and down” more often than not. Is your instructor only teaching you the long game and not the short game? The scores indicate not, so if that instructor is not helping you, find another one or learn by yourself because there are only so many things an instructor can tell you, but it is up to you to ingrain those ideas and execute them. On targeting your second shot, think one stroke ahead, for example, on a par 5, where would you like your 3rd shot to be played from? Not from behind a bunker to a short pin, or not above the hole if it is steep downhill. So play away from those areas. If money is becoming an issue, spend most of your practice time on the putting green. Create your own “up and down” contest by dropping any number of balls just off the practice green (assuming chipping is allowed), and simply counting one point for getting down in two and subtracting one point if you fail. Best of luck.
Joe
What do normally look at when or while approaching the tee area? I've been playing for almost eight months and just made to C grade golf player. I've been playing in a lot of different golf courses here in Australia, but most of the time is just in my home club (Candem Lakeside). I know I still have a lot of things and techniques to learn and I have devoted most of my time in golf because i want this to become my career and become a pro if time and god help. I am thirteen years of age and have become golf fanatic. I have played seven competitions at my home club and my first score was 94 total stroke at eighteenth hole, 2nd competition was 102 strokes, 3rd was 105, 4th was 110, 5th was 115, 6th was 92 and 7th was 127. I feel very nervous and almost don't know what to do. I am positive I can hit the ball straight with good distance. my opponent's handicap was between 13 to 20. Now I feel very embarrassed especially to my father because he is supporting to finance and organise everything for my golfing needs. I also need advice on how to correctly target my second shot. I'm not quite sure how i go about estimating where to land the ball on the fairway for the next shot especially on par 4 and par 5. I am a member of the jack newton foundation here in Australia but i can not join any the competition yet due to my handicap and my category as a c grade player. I am still taking lesson from a PGA instructor. I just want your honest opinion if a have to continue attending private lessons or stop and continue learning by myself. I know my dad is upset sometimes and the money he spent for me is already over the ceiling. Can you give some good advice? Many thanks and I hope to here from you,
Grant
Hello Grant,
Since you are only 13 and you have not yet been playing for a full year, you have a lot of upside potential. Golf gives you no guarantees, so you will have to be a little patient and evaluate your game by charting your areas of strengths and weaknesses, this will show you which areas need the most work. From your scores and comments, if you can hit the ball as well as you say, then you should focus on your short game. If you have a decent short game, and you can hit the ball well, you should seldom have worse that bogey on any hole. That means you have a good chance of breaking 90 all the time. If you want to be a serious competitor, you must be able to get the ball “up and down” more often than not. Is your instructor only teaching you the long game and not the short game? The scores indicate not, so if that instructor is not helping you, find another one or learn by yourself because there are only so many things an instructor can tell you, but it is up to you to ingrain those ideas and execute them. On targeting your second shot, think one stroke ahead, for example, on a par 5, where would you like your 3rd shot to be played from? Not from behind a bunker to a short pin, or not above the hole if it is steep downhill. So play away from those areas. If money is becoming an issue, spend most of your practice time on the putting green. Create your own “up and down” contest by dropping any number of balls just off the practice green (assuming chipping is allowed), and simply counting one point for getting down in two and subtracting one point if you fail. Best of luck.
Joe
Friday, July 08, 2005
Joe,
A golfer notices his opponent spitting on his club before a shot, and calls a penalty for applying foreign material. Was this correct?
Answer: That is correct, the USGA considers saliva a foreign material.
Jody, my Evil Twin, what do you think of that ruling?
Answer: Is there that much difference between spit and water? No. Does that mean I cannot wash dirt off my club without being penalized? If some purist tries to do that to me, I will be spitting on more than just my club.
A golfer notices his opponent spitting on his club before a shot, and calls a penalty for applying foreign material. Was this correct?
Answer: That is correct, the USGA considers saliva a foreign material.
Jody, my Evil Twin, what do you think of that ruling?
Answer: Is there that much difference between spit and water? No. Does that mean I cannot wash dirt off my club without being penalized? If some purist tries to do that to me, I will be spitting on more than just my club.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Joe,
My long irons and woods have a very low trajectory almost a line drive in Baseball. My low irons are for the most part high. (P-7I) My line drives are on line to target or draw to the target. The driver sometimes does not get above 12 - 15 feet. I am puzzled.
Len Hess
Holland, MA
Hello Len,
It sounds like your shafts might be too tip-stiff and your driver’s loft is too low for your type of swing. Try to attend demo days where you can try a variety of different shafts and lofts. Some driving ranges have demo clubs to borrow, or check with your friends to see if their shafts are different, and if so, invite them to the range with you so you can try their clubs.
Joe
My long irons and woods have a very low trajectory almost a line drive in Baseball. My low irons are for the most part high. (P-7I) My line drives are on line to target or draw to the target. The driver sometimes does not get above 12 - 15 feet. I am puzzled.
Len Hess
Holland, MA
Hello Len,
It sounds like your shafts might be too tip-stiff and your driver’s loft is too low for your type of swing. Try to attend demo days where you can try a variety of different shafts and lofts. Some driving ranges have demo clubs to borrow, or check with your friends to see if their shafts are different, and if so, invite them to the range with you so you can try their clubs.
Joe
Monday, July 04, 2005
Joe,
What can I do to prevent hitting the ground behind the ball, or they call it hitting fat? I'm new to golf and just cannot stop hitting the ground.Thank you,Mickey
Hello Mickey,
There are a number of possible reasons for this. If you are not shifting your weight properly on the downswing, from the back leg to the front leg, your swing will bottom out before the club gets to the ball. Also, if you do not keep your head steady, you do not know where your swing will bottom out. Also, if you do not keep your leading arm reasonably straight, the arc of your swing will vary, so you can improve your consistency by focusing on these 3 areas. Good luck.
Joe
What can I do to prevent hitting the ground behind the ball, or they call it hitting fat? I'm new to golf and just cannot stop hitting the ground.Thank you,Mickey
Hello Mickey,
There are a number of possible reasons for this. If you are not shifting your weight properly on the downswing, from the back leg to the front leg, your swing will bottom out before the club gets to the ball. Also, if you do not keep your head steady, you do not know where your swing will bottom out. Also, if you do not keep your leading arm reasonably straight, the arc of your swing will vary, so you can improve your consistency by focusing on these 3 areas. Good luck.
Joe
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Joe,
I have always considered myself to be decent around the greens, not great or stellar, but above average. I think that is why on days when I’m not hitting well off the tee I can make up for a few strokes by 1 or 2 putting instead of 3 putting, but here lately what I have been having trouble with is chipping/pitching. I have tried using a 5,6,7,8,9 iron when around the green and a pitch, 50, or sand wedge when pitching. My main problem has been; I can’t get the ball to check up on the greens anymore for some reason and now am scared to hit the ball correctly knowing that if I hit it to firm it’s going to roll all the way off the green and with some of the greens we have at our home course that is the last thing you want to do! I know confidence is part of it, but what can I do to or what I have done to stop getting the ball to check up? Thanks for any continuing support you can share with me!
Chad
Hi Chad,
I have found the same thing. The ball will only check up only when the conditions are plush like the courses on TV. When conditions are firm like most public courses, the ball will skid instead of checking up, so don’t even try under firm conditions. However if your conditions are plush and you want the ball to check up, make sure you always clean the grooves on your irons and wedges, otherwise you will lose spin. Using a high-spin ball may help also. Use a lofted club and strike the ball with a descending blow with the hands leading the clubhead all the way thru.
Joe
I have always considered myself to be decent around the greens, not great or stellar, but above average. I think that is why on days when I’m not hitting well off the tee I can make up for a few strokes by 1 or 2 putting instead of 3 putting, but here lately what I have been having trouble with is chipping/pitching. I have tried using a 5,6,7,8,9 iron when around the green and a pitch, 50, or sand wedge when pitching. My main problem has been; I can’t get the ball to check up on the greens anymore for some reason and now am scared to hit the ball correctly knowing that if I hit it to firm it’s going to roll all the way off the green and with some of the greens we have at our home course that is the last thing you want to do! I know confidence is part of it, but what can I do to or what I have done to stop getting the ball to check up? Thanks for any continuing support you can share with me!
Chad
Hi Chad,
I have found the same thing. The ball will only check up only when the conditions are plush like the courses on TV. When conditions are firm like most public courses, the ball will skid instead of checking up, so don’t even try under firm conditions. However if your conditions are plush and you want the ball to check up, make sure you always clean the grooves on your irons and wedges, otherwise you will lose spin. Using a high-spin ball may help also. Use a lofted club and strike the ball with a descending blow with the hands leading the clubhead all the way thru.
Joe
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Joe,
I need urgent advice. I have noticed that whenever I chip from around the green with a 7or8iron,my ball tends to go left of the flag instead of towards the pin. can you let me know how i can correct this mistake. Thanks
Vikram
Hello Vikram,
I suspect you are using a lot of wrist action on your chip shots. Rolling the wrists may cause the clubface to close before impact, resulting in pulled shots. Try to avoid using wrist action on the downstroke. Not only will this keep the face square to the target, but also this will likely improve your distance control.
Joe
I need urgent advice. I have noticed that whenever I chip from around the green with a 7or8iron,my ball tends to go left of the flag instead of towards the pin. can you let me know how i can correct this mistake. Thanks
Vikram
Hello Vikram,
I suspect you are using a lot of wrist action on your chip shots. Rolling the wrists may cause the clubface to close before impact, resulting in pulled shots. Try to avoid using wrist action on the downstroke. Not only will this keep the face square to the target, but also this will likely improve your distance control.
Joe
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Joe,
How much of a pro golfer’s success is due to good teaching versus his or her natural ability?
Mickey
Hello Mickey,
This is a great topic for debate. There are many good golfers who were self-taught, even if their swings might resemble a polo player without a horse. Lee Trevino said he would never listen to anyone who couldn’t beat him, and very few people could do that. Other good golfers were fortunate enough to be given good instruction from the start, and they continue to have swing coaches and mentors. However in my opinion, whether or not you have a teacher, in order to be really good you need to be blessed with a lot of natural ability, and better than average hand-eye coordination. You do not have to be in the best of physical condition, but you do need a fair amount of athleticism. When you do have natural ability, you do not need to think much about the way you swing. As an example, Ralph Guldahl was on his way to becoming one of golf’s all-time greats. He won the US Open in 1937 and 1938, and he won The Masters in 1939. Then he was asked to author an instruction book. He went into great detail, which forced him into thinking about parts of his swing which had always come naturally to him. After that, he lost his game and never recovered it. So what about golfers who do not have above average natural ability, are they all doomed to mediocrity? No, just be realistic and enjoy this crazy unpredictable game and set your own expectations for success. It is not reasonable to expect golfers like us, who play once, maybe twice per week, to play anywhere near as well as a pro who practices and plays every day, so just enjoy little successes one shot at a time.
Joe
How much of a pro golfer’s success is due to good teaching versus his or her natural ability?
Mickey
Hello Mickey,
This is a great topic for debate. There are many good golfers who were self-taught, even if their swings might resemble a polo player without a horse. Lee Trevino said he would never listen to anyone who couldn’t beat him, and very few people could do that. Other good golfers were fortunate enough to be given good instruction from the start, and they continue to have swing coaches and mentors. However in my opinion, whether or not you have a teacher, in order to be really good you need to be blessed with a lot of natural ability, and better than average hand-eye coordination. You do not have to be in the best of physical condition, but you do need a fair amount of athleticism. When you do have natural ability, you do not need to think much about the way you swing. As an example, Ralph Guldahl was on his way to becoming one of golf’s all-time greats. He won the US Open in 1937 and 1938, and he won The Masters in 1939. Then he was asked to author an instruction book. He went into great detail, which forced him into thinking about parts of his swing which had always come naturally to him. After that, he lost his game and never recovered it. So what about golfers who do not have above average natural ability, are they all doomed to mediocrity? No, just be realistic and enjoy this crazy unpredictable game and set your own expectations for success. It is not reasonable to expect golfers like us, who play once, maybe twice per week, to play anywhere near as well as a pro who practices and plays every day, so just enjoy little successes one shot at a time.
Joe
Thursday, June 23, 2005
)Joe,
I am really afraid of sand traps because I usually cannot get out in one try, so what should I do?
Sarah
Hello Sarah,
Many golfers do not have a place where they can practice sand shots, so it stands to reason that greenside bunkers are to be feared. If you ever want to get over this fear, you need to find a facility that has a practice bunker. If there are no such facilities nearby, you might have to be a little creative, like looking around for a park or playground that has a sand box, sand volleyball court, horseshoe pit or a nearby beach. Here is how to practice. Without a ball, grip the club with the face wide open (this prevents the club from digging too deep into the sand), and try to hit the sand in the same spot every time (make sure to fully follow through with the clubface still open). If you cannot hit that spot every time, then try a more vertically upright swing path. Once you can do this, then place a ball 2-3 inches ahead of that spot and make the same swing. The ball is likely to go a little to the right of the target (assuming you are right-handed), so don’t fight it, just aim to the left. If you are still having trouble, try a sand wedge that has more “bounce”, which is the downward angle of the bottom of your club measured from leading edge to back of the sole. Some sand wedges have very little bounce, which is good for fairway grass and for coarse sand, while other sand wedges have around ten degrees of bounce, which is better for finer grains of sand. The more bounce a club has, the less it will dig into the sand, so it will get you out consistently with less effort. Once you experience that, you can experiment with distance control by using the same easy swing and varying the ball position (forward usually works best), varying the amount of open face (after gripping the club), and varying how far behind the ball your clubhead enters the sand. Is there such a thing as a club with too much bounce? Yes, if the sand is firm, the club will not penetrate the sand, instead it will bounce off and “blade” the ball, sending it too far. However, this may be a handy shot to have for longer bunker shots that are out of your normal blasting range. For such longer sand shots, open the face a little more than normal and try to pick the ball clean. Even if the club hits the sand first, the club should bounce off the sand and into the ball, sending it about a far as a pitch from grass. This takes a little practice, but it might come in handy some day.
Joe
I am really afraid of sand traps because I usually cannot get out in one try, so what should I do?
Sarah
Hello Sarah,
Many golfers do not have a place where they can practice sand shots, so it stands to reason that greenside bunkers are to be feared. If you ever want to get over this fear, you need to find a facility that has a practice bunker. If there are no such facilities nearby, you might have to be a little creative, like looking around for a park or playground that has a sand box, sand volleyball court, horseshoe pit or a nearby beach. Here is how to practice. Without a ball, grip the club with the face wide open (this prevents the club from digging too deep into the sand), and try to hit the sand in the same spot every time (make sure to fully follow through with the clubface still open). If you cannot hit that spot every time, then try a more vertically upright swing path. Once you can do this, then place a ball 2-3 inches ahead of that spot and make the same swing. The ball is likely to go a little to the right of the target (assuming you are right-handed), so don’t fight it, just aim to the left. If you are still having trouble, try a sand wedge that has more “bounce”, which is the downward angle of the bottom of your club measured from leading edge to back of the sole. Some sand wedges have very little bounce, which is good for fairway grass and for coarse sand, while other sand wedges have around ten degrees of bounce, which is better for finer grains of sand. The more bounce a club has, the less it will dig into the sand, so it will get you out consistently with less effort. Once you experience that, you can experiment with distance control by using the same easy swing and varying the ball position (forward usually works best), varying the amount of open face (after gripping the club), and varying how far behind the ball your clubhead enters the sand. Is there such a thing as a club with too much bounce? Yes, if the sand is firm, the club will not penetrate the sand, instead it will bounce off and “blade” the ball, sending it too far. However, this may be a handy shot to have for longer bunker shots that are out of your normal blasting range. For such longer sand shots, open the face a little more than normal and try to pick the ball clean. Even if the club hits the sand first, the club should bounce off the sand and into the ball, sending it about a far as a pitch from grass. This takes a little practice, but it might come in handy some day.
Joe
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Joe,
My game is OK except for the half-shot to ¾ shot, less than a full wedge. I either hit them too fat or too thin, and sometimes I hit it OK but I pull it, and I am throwing away a lot of strokes because of this. I hear this is called No Man’s Land, and we should avoid these distances, but I would rather not. What can I try in order to fix these things?
Ferdinand
Hello Ferdinand,
I’m sure you have heard about the Yips. Most people think The Yips only pertain to putting, but I believe The Yips also apply, maybe more so, to the half-to-3/4 shots. Why? Because this type of shot is a departure from your normal swing, and the opportunity for error is magnified by the many different variations in the length of the backswing necessary to control intermediate distances. Then add the factor of twitching nerves as you are scared that you might be hitting it fat or thin, and you already have too much to think about. Focus on execution and trust your stroke. First, let's address the pulled shot. Most advice on pitch shots say to use an open stance and swing along the body line. This will lend itself to a pulled shot unless you keep the face of the club open during the follow-thru. You can only accomplish that by keeping the hands in front of the club thru impact. Sometimes you cannot help flipping the wrists during the follow-thru, but on a less-than-full shot, you must have the discipline to keep the face open all the way thru, or else the shot will be pulled. Of course, if you pull the shot consistently every single time, just adjust your aim to a more squared stance. There are a number of reasons for hitting too fat or too thin. If you have too much body movement, work on executing the stroke while holding still (comfortably) as much as possible. Keep staring at the spot on the ground where the ball used to be after you hit it, this will prevent you from looking up too soon. Other experiments you can try are different ball positions, different amounts of wrist break on the backswing, different tempos, or a forward press. Above all, on the downswing be sure to keep your hands ahead of the clubhead and keep the face open thru impact.
Joe
My game is OK except for the half-shot to ¾ shot, less than a full wedge. I either hit them too fat or too thin, and sometimes I hit it OK but I pull it, and I am throwing away a lot of strokes because of this. I hear this is called No Man’s Land, and we should avoid these distances, but I would rather not. What can I try in order to fix these things?
Ferdinand
Hello Ferdinand,
I’m sure you have heard about the Yips. Most people think The Yips only pertain to putting, but I believe The Yips also apply, maybe more so, to the half-to-3/4 shots. Why? Because this type of shot is a departure from your normal swing, and the opportunity for error is magnified by the many different variations in the length of the backswing necessary to control intermediate distances. Then add the factor of twitching nerves as you are scared that you might be hitting it fat or thin, and you already have too much to think about. Focus on execution and trust your stroke. First, let's address the pulled shot. Most advice on pitch shots say to use an open stance and swing along the body line. This will lend itself to a pulled shot unless you keep the face of the club open during the follow-thru. You can only accomplish that by keeping the hands in front of the club thru impact. Sometimes you cannot help flipping the wrists during the follow-thru, but on a less-than-full shot, you must have the discipline to keep the face open all the way thru, or else the shot will be pulled. Of course, if you pull the shot consistently every single time, just adjust your aim to a more squared stance. There are a number of reasons for hitting too fat or too thin. If you have too much body movement, work on executing the stroke while holding still (comfortably) as much as possible. Keep staring at the spot on the ground where the ball used to be after you hit it, this will prevent you from looking up too soon. Other experiments you can try are different ball positions, different amounts of wrist break on the backswing, different tempos, or a forward press. Above all, on the downswing be sure to keep your hands ahead of the clubhead and keep the face open thru impact.
Joe
