Joe,
Here's one for ya. In my quest to become a better golfer I am making
progress in most areas except getting a divot in front of my iron shots. It
seems no matter what I try as far as putting the ball back in my stance I
Chunk it! And the further back I put it leads to a reverse pivot and I know
thats not right. I can do it for short chips but when I try it for long
swings I am like the Chocolate(Chunky)! Am I forever just going to be
satisfied with being a sweeper of the ball? Rich K
Hello Rich,
You are focusing too much on ball position. I would recommend a more aggressive weight shift onto your front foot to start your downswing. The Body Golf tapes have drills for this like the toe drag and the step thru. Another thing that "sweepers" do is called the "chicken wing" where the front elbow bends outward right after impact, preventing the downward blow that you need to take a divot. If the chicken wing is your problem, keep your elbows together as you follow thru in an extended outward direction. If you can do this, you should have no trouble hitting down and taking a divot, even with a ball position that is more forward.
Joe
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Quick question. I use a distance ball, Maxfli Noodle, because it seems to
really reduce my slice and I get nice straight drives. However, I miss the
spin around the greens. Is there a way to get spin from my wedges with a
distance ball? Maxfli makes a Noodle spin ball, but every time I experiment
with a ball that promotes spin, my slice comes back.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
It makes sense that a ball designed for spin will increase a slice if you are not contacting the ball squarely. I have to assume you are a low handicapper who plays only plush courses, because most average golfers play in firmer conditions where it is harder to appreciate the advantage of a spin ball around the greens. If you happen to be playing on firm conditions, use the distance ball because the spin ball may not work anyway in firm conditions. If conditions do favor the spin ball, you can reduce your slice by using a little bit stronger grip (I assume you know what that means, if not, the V's formed by your thumbs and forefinger point more toward your back shoulder).
Joe
really reduce my slice and I get nice straight drives. However, I miss the
spin around the greens. Is there a way to get spin from my wedges with a
distance ball? Maxfli makes a Noodle spin ball, but every time I experiment
with a ball that promotes spin, my slice comes back.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
It makes sense that a ball designed for spin will increase a slice if you are not contacting the ball squarely. I have to assume you are a low handicapper who plays only plush courses, because most average golfers play in firmer conditions where it is harder to appreciate the advantage of a spin ball around the greens. If you happen to be playing on firm conditions, use the distance ball because the spin ball may not work anyway in firm conditions. If conditions do favor the spin ball, you can reduce your slice by using a little bit stronger grip (I assume you know what that means, if not, the V's formed by your thumbs and forefinger point more toward your back shoulder).
Joe
Saturday, January 03, 2004
Joe,
The older I get, the more inconsistent my ball striking becomes. What can I do about this?
Alan
Hello Alan,
This is a common thing for most folks, including myself. In our younger years, our hand-eye coordination was better and our bones and muscles were more limber so they performed more consistently and they did not get tired as quickly. People who exercise regularly will have a better chance to keep those bones and muscles near peak performance, but the enthusiasm to keep exercising sometimes goes away. Golf gives you no guarantees, but it stands to reason that if you are enthusiastic enough to seek better ball striking, maybe you could convince yourself that the extra exercising is worthwhile. There is an excellent “Executive Fitness” video on the thinkandreachpar web site which addresses the proper muscles without exerting yourself.
However, let’s say you are already exercising, and better ball striking is your main goal. The first thing to do is to clear your mind about needing to get maximum distance. Then consider the idea that the further your backswing goes, the more trouble you might get into. Watch the Champions Tour, guys like Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, Jim Thorpe. They do not take a full swing, but they win a lot. An older guy named Moe Norman has been called one of the best ball strikers who ever lived, and he also has a very short backswing. So the next time you go to the range, start with a half backswing and see what happens. Forget about losing distance, just focus on contacting the ball cleanly every time. You might even be surprised to see that the ball still goes far enough, and in some cases just as far because you are no longer “hitting from the top” or “casting”. Once you get a feel for consistent ball contact with the half backswing, then you can lengthen it ever so slightly, and if you continue to get good results, lengthen it a little bit more until your ball striking starts to suffer, and then you will have a better feel for how far back is too far back.
Joe
The older I get, the more inconsistent my ball striking becomes. What can I do about this?
Alan
Hello Alan,
This is a common thing for most folks, including myself. In our younger years, our hand-eye coordination was better and our bones and muscles were more limber so they performed more consistently and they did not get tired as quickly. People who exercise regularly will have a better chance to keep those bones and muscles near peak performance, but the enthusiasm to keep exercising sometimes goes away. Golf gives you no guarantees, but it stands to reason that if you are enthusiastic enough to seek better ball striking, maybe you could convince yourself that the extra exercising is worthwhile. There is an excellent “Executive Fitness” video on the thinkandreachpar web site which addresses the proper muscles without exerting yourself.
However, let’s say you are already exercising, and better ball striking is your main goal. The first thing to do is to clear your mind about needing to get maximum distance. Then consider the idea that the further your backswing goes, the more trouble you might get into. Watch the Champions Tour, guys like Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, Jim Thorpe. They do not take a full swing, but they win a lot. An older guy named Moe Norman has been called one of the best ball strikers who ever lived, and he also has a very short backswing. So the next time you go to the range, start with a half backswing and see what happens. Forget about losing distance, just focus on contacting the ball cleanly every time. You might even be surprised to see that the ball still goes far enough, and in some cases just as far because you are no longer “hitting from the top” or “casting”. Once you get a feel for consistent ball contact with the half backswing, then you can lengthen it ever so slightly, and if you continue to get good results, lengthen it a little bit more until your ball striking starts to suffer, and then you will have a better feel for how far back is too far back.
Joe
Monday, December 29, 2003
Joe,
I hit a driver Straight 95% of the time and 5% off the time I push my drive, I can always hit a fade when the hole calls for it but I cannot Draw the ball. I have a son who is a Professional Golfer he says point your feet and your hips where you want it to start, and you driver face at where you want it to finish. I must manipulate my hands subconsciencely I always hit it straight. Would an offset driver where the face is 4% closed help me to draw the ball. Kindest Regards
Norm
Hello Norm,
Wow, 95% straight with a driver? You must be really good! Not very many golfers can hit any club straight 95% of the time, much less the driver. Are you sure you want to tinker with this? Mark Calcavecchia has taken away all the dangers on the left side of the course by refusing to hit a hook, and you might be better off doing the same.
The reason is that once you change your hand action to hit a hook, now you have to worry about the varying amounts of hook, and there also is a possibility that you will lose the ability to hit the ball straight anymore.
Nevertheless, if you really want to hook, go ahead and get the driver with the closed face, and listen to your son's advice along with one more thing which has to do with your hand action.
Your current hand action at impact is very good, right down the target line to hit the ball so consistently straight. That is possibly why you cannot hook even when you try to because this hand action comes so naturally to you. In order to hook, your hands have to be rolling over at impact which may be unnatural to you. Some people prefer to think of rolling the forearms instead, but now you have to worry about how much to roll the hands or the forearms. This may take a lot of practice to avoid wild shots or mis-hits.
Again I am concerned that you might lose the motor muscle memory that gives you good natural hand action and control that you already have. Try this on the range, but also keep trying to hit straight shots on demand so you don't lose your 95% accuracy when you need it.
Joe
I hit a driver Straight 95% of the time and 5% off the time I push my drive, I can always hit a fade when the hole calls for it but I cannot Draw the ball. I have a son who is a Professional Golfer he says point your feet and your hips where you want it to start, and you driver face at where you want it to finish. I must manipulate my hands subconsciencely I always hit it straight. Would an offset driver where the face is 4% closed help me to draw the ball. Kindest Regards
Norm
Hello Norm,
Wow, 95% straight with a driver? You must be really good! Not very many golfers can hit any club straight 95% of the time, much less the driver. Are you sure you want to tinker with this? Mark Calcavecchia has taken away all the dangers on the left side of the course by refusing to hit a hook, and you might be better off doing the same.
The reason is that once you change your hand action to hit a hook, now you have to worry about the varying amounts of hook, and there also is a possibility that you will lose the ability to hit the ball straight anymore.
Nevertheless, if you really want to hook, go ahead and get the driver with the closed face, and listen to your son's advice along with one more thing which has to do with your hand action.
Your current hand action at impact is very good, right down the target line to hit the ball so consistently straight. That is possibly why you cannot hook even when you try to because this hand action comes so naturally to you. In order to hook, your hands have to be rolling over at impact which may be unnatural to you. Some people prefer to think of rolling the forearms instead, but now you have to worry about how much to roll the hands or the forearms. This may take a lot of practice to avoid wild shots or mis-hits.
Again I am concerned that you might lose the motor muscle memory that gives you good natural hand action and control that you already have. Try this on the range, but also keep trying to hit straight shots on demand so you don't lose your 95% accuracy when you need it.
Joe
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Joe, is it safe to assume that the best instructors are also the best players? Greg
Hi Greg,
It stands to reason that any instructor must also be a pretty good player, but the instructor must also have good communication skills. I have seen cases where good players who happened to be blessed with a lot of natural ability cannot understand why students who are not so physically blessed cannot execute the same motions as the good player to whom this comes so naturally. Not everyone has the same degree of hand-eye coordination and athleticism. I would recommend choosing an instructor who became a good player by starting out as a hacker and has had to go thru the pains of learning from their own mistakes and how they had to correct them. Watch out for instructions that get too complicated. You cannot possibly be thinking of too many different moves during a swing.
Another idea to avoid is the one that says all golfers must swing the same way. That is not reasonable. We are not robots, we are all uniquely different human beings, with different body structures and hinges with differing ranges of motion, different degrees of hand-eye coordination and athleticism. Some people think instructors must always be better than their students, but if that were true, then Butch Harmon must be better than Tiger Woods, right? The best instructors are those who have good communication skills and are able to convey the right ideas to the right person.
Joe
Hi Greg,
It stands to reason that any instructor must also be a pretty good player, but the instructor must also have good communication skills. I have seen cases where good players who happened to be blessed with a lot of natural ability cannot understand why students who are not so physically blessed cannot execute the same motions as the good player to whom this comes so naturally. Not everyone has the same degree of hand-eye coordination and athleticism. I would recommend choosing an instructor who became a good player by starting out as a hacker and has had to go thru the pains of learning from their own mistakes and how they had to correct them. Watch out for instructions that get too complicated. You cannot possibly be thinking of too many different moves during a swing.
Another idea to avoid is the one that says all golfers must swing the same way. That is not reasonable. We are not robots, we are all uniquely different human beings, with different body structures and hinges with differing ranges of motion, different degrees of hand-eye coordination and athleticism. Some people think instructors must always be better than their students, but if that were true, then Butch Harmon must be better than Tiger Woods, right? The best instructors are those who have good communication skills and are able to convey the right ideas to the right person.
Joe
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Joe,
Some of Ben Hogan’s information says to hit the ball lower and your scores will improve, and I think that is working for me. However, my driver now hits the ball so low that my 3-wood gets more distance because it has more hang time. However, the face of the 3-wood is not very tall, so I sometimes hit popups. I have tried other drivers, but I seem to get the same result.
Joey
Hi Joey,
Guess what, we have something in common besides having the same name, I hit most drivers too low also. It is hard to argue with anything Ben Hogan has said. I agree with his statement that trying to hit the ball lower is a good thing because it makes you hit down at the ball more steeply, which improves consistency in ball striking. Therefore, the only drivers I can hit farther than my 3-wood are those with maximum loft, like 12 degrees, but they are hard to find. So I did the next best thing, which is to find a 3-wood with the biggest available head with the tallest clubface (to avoid popups), and now my tee shots are much better thanks to the 15 degree loft. The mind is a powerful thing. Just because you see a number 3 on the club, you might think you are giving up distance because you are not using a driver. Instead, just think of a tall-faced jumbo 3-wood as a mislabeled driver with a little extra loft.
Speaking of Ben Hogan, I read somewhere that he as such a perfectionist that he once had a dream of getting an ace on the first hole, and then the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. He had a score of 17 after 17 holes. On the 18th hole his shot sailed right at the flag, bounced once, and then lipped out. He said “When I woke up I was mad as hell�.
Some of Ben Hogan’s information says to hit the ball lower and your scores will improve, and I think that is working for me. However, my driver now hits the ball so low that my 3-wood gets more distance because it has more hang time. However, the face of the 3-wood is not very tall, so I sometimes hit popups. I have tried other drivers, but I seem to get the same result.
Joey
Hi Joey,
Guess what, we have something in common besides having the same name, I hit most drivers too low also. It is hard to argue with anything Ben Hogan has said. I agree with his statement that trying to hit the ball lower is a good thing because it makes you hit down at the ball more steeply, which improves consistency in ball striking. Therefore, the only drivers I can hit farther than my 3-wood are those with maximum loft, like 12 degrees, but they are hard to find. So I did the next best thing, which is to find a 3-wood with the biggest available head with the tallest clubface (to avoid popups), and now my tee shots are much better thanks to the 15 degree loft. The mind is a powerful thing. Just because you see a number 3 on the club, you might think you are giving up distance because you are not using a driver. Instead, just think of a tall-faced jumbo 3-wood as a mislabeled driver with a little extra loft.
Speaking of Ben Hogan, I read somewhere that he as such a perfectionist that he once had a dream of getting an ace on the first hole, and then the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. He had a score of 17 after 17 holes. On the 18th hole his shot sailed right at the flag, bounced once, and then lipped out. He said “When I woke up I was mad as hell�.
Monday, December 15, 2003
Joe,
Sometimes I hit shots too fat and sometimes too thin. Any suggestions on improving this?
Andy
Hello Andy,
Usually this is a result of a swing that tries to sweep the ball up off the ground. I would recommend hitting down at the ball, so that your club first strikes the ball at the equator and then takes a divot. Notice on TV how the pros take a divot on every fairway shot. By hitting down, the ball spins up the clubface, even when you strike it at the equator. If you do not hit down, and you strike it at the equator, the result is a grounder or low line drive. This means by hitting down you improve your margin for error. Even if you think you are risking hitting more thin shots (and you might not), this is better if you have eliminated fat shots, because fat shots usually do not travel as far as thin shots. Everyone hits occasional bad shots, but there is an old saying that improvement begins with better bad shots.
Joe
Sometimes I hit shots too fat and sometimes too thin. Any suggestions on improving this?
Andy
Hello Andy,
Usually this is a result of a swing that tries to sweep the ball up off the ground. I would recommend hitting down at the ball, so that your club first strikes the ball at the equator and then takes a divot. Notice on TV how the pros take a divot on every fairway shot. By hitting down, the ball spins up the clubface, even when you strike it at the equator. If you do not hit down, and you strike it at the equator, the result is a grounder or low line drive. This means by hitting down you improve your margin for error. Even if you think you are risking hitting more thin shots (and you might not), this is better if you have eliminated fat shots, because fat shots usually do not travel as far as thin shots. Everyone hits occasional bad shots, but there is an old saying that improvement begins with better bad shots.
Joe
Friday, December 12, 2003
Joe,
I have had problems lining up these new large head drivers with closed faces. Can you explain the proper setup for these? I was used to lining up the bottom of the driver head perpendicular to the target line, now what?
Gregory
Hello Gregory,
Not all drivers have closed faces, so just look around and you can find one to your liking. If you have already purchased this driver with the closed face, and you do not like it, you can always trade it in. If you do like it and you want to keep it, there are two things you can do.
First, you can hold the club an inch off the ground, line up the bottom of the driver head perpendicular to your target line and re-grip while you are doing so. Don’t lay the club on the ground or else it might throw you off again. If this happens to cause a push or slice, then you might be better off gripping with the closed face.
Second, you can change your setup routine. When lining up a shot, I would recommend doing the same thing that “spot bowlers” do, which means they do not look at the pins, instead they aim at a spot on the lane that is aligned with the target. For golf, just stand behind your ball and pick a spot on the ground along the target line a few feet in front of the ball. Then take your stance aligned at this spot without worrying about whether or not the bottom of the driver is perpendicular to the line.
Joe
(got a question, send it to golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)
I have had problems lining up these new large head drivers with closed faces. Can you explain the proper setup for these? I was used to lining up the bottom of the driver head perpendicular to the target line, now what?
Gregory
Hello Gregory,
Not all drivers have closed faces, so just look around and you can find one to your liking. If you have already purchased this driver with the closed face, and you do not like it, you can always trade it in. If you do like it and you want to keep it, there are two things you can do.
First, you can hold the club an inch off the ground, line up the bottom of the driver head perpendicular to your target line and re-grip while you are doing so. Don’t lay the club on the ground or else it might throw you off again. If this happens to cause a push or slice, then you might be better off gripping with the closed face.
Second, you can change your setup routine. When lining up a shot, I would recommend doing the same thing that “spot bowlers” do, which means they do not look at the pins, instead they aim at a spot on the lane that is aligned with the target. For golf, just stand behind your ball and pick a spot on the ground along the target line a few feet in front of the ball. Then take your stance aligned at this spot without worrying about whether or not the bottom of the driver is perpendicular to the line.
Joe
(got a question, send it to golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)
Thursday, December 11, 2003
For some reason, when I feel that I am properly "stanced" in preparation to hitting a golf shot, my club head over hits the ball; that is, the ball and the head of the club make contact at the heel of the club head.
As a result, even when I fell like I have the perfect stance, and after taking some preliminary swings which feel good, I then align my club head about an inch or two from the ball prior to swinging. This has for the most part accounted for the over swinging and brings the clubhead back square with the ball. I have taken lessons trying to work this problem out, with no success; have practiced ad nausium to correct it, with little success, and finally came to the conclusion that maybe I am rotating on my feet during my down swing which is pushing the club forward as I attempt to hit the ball. Thus, leaning purposefully on my toes at set up has brought me some success but it is not very comfortable trying to hit the ball with that kind of set up.
For the most part, and I do play a lot, I am more comfortable positioning the club head back from the ball at set up, allowing that during my swing, for some reason, the club will advance forward and position the club head squarely with the ball. If I don't do that, I will hit my irons fat, and with my driver will "swing over the ball", thus hitting the ball with the heel of the club head and hitting the ball decidely to the left. I am a right handed golfer.
I want to go back to my days of yore, where I could set up with the club head directly behind the ball, knowing that when I swung, the club head would come directly back through that swing plane.
Anything you can offer in the form of suggestions would be very helpful, I'm sure.
Oliver
Hello Oliver,
There are a number of possible reasons for this. I will have to assume this is true for all of your clubs, and therefore you are shanking your irons. If not, then your set is not matched correctly. Anyway my number one suggestion is to avoid putting your weight on your toes, instead put your weight back more to your heels. This usually solves the problem, but if not, then perhaps your knees are flexed too much in your stance. Just use a little bit of knee flex, not too much.
Posture is very important, so you must extend your derriere backwards to keep your spine in proper position. If the problem still persists, then another possibility is that you were using different clubs during your days of yore. If you still have your old set, try them again and see if there is any difference.
If that does not help, the next thing to try is borrowing clubs with shorter shafts and stiffer flex. Let me know what happens after all this.
Joe
As a result, even when I fell like I have the perfect stance, and after taking some preliminary swings which feel good, I then align my club head about an inch or two from the ball prior to swinging. This has for the most part accounted for the over swinging and brings the clubhead back square with the ball. I have taken lessons trying to work this problem out, with no success; have practiced ad nausium to correct it, with little success, and finally came to the conclusion that maybe I am rotating on my feet during my down swing which is pushing the club forward as I attempt to hit the ball. Thus, leaning purposefully on my toes at set up has brought me some success but it is not very comfortable trying to hit the ball with that kind of set up.
For the most part, and I do play a lot, I am more comfortable positioning the club head back from the ball at set up, allowing that during my swing, for some reason, the club will advance forward and position the club head squarely with the ball. If I don't do that, I will hit my irons fat, and with my driver will "swing over the ball", thus hitting the ball with the heel of the club head and hitting the ball decidely to the left. I am a right handed golfer.
I want to go back to my days of yore, where I could set up with the club head directly behind the ball, knowing that when I swung, the club head would come directly back through that swing plane.
Anything you can offer in the form of suggestions would be very helpful, I'm sure.
Oliver
Hello Oliver,
There are a number of possible reasons for this. I will have to assume this is true for all of your clubs, and therefore you are shanking your irons. If not, then your set is not matched correctly. Anyway my number one suggestion is to avoid putting your weight on your toes, instead put your weight back more to your heels. This usually solves the problem, but if not, then perhaps your knees are flexed too much in your stance. Just use a little bit of knee flex, not too much.
Posture is very important, so you must extend your derriere backwards to keep your spine in proper position. If the problem still persists, then another possibility is that you were using different clubs during your days of yore. If you still have your old set, try them again and see if there is any difference.
If that does not help, the next thing to try is borrowing clubs with shorter shafts and stiffer flex. Let me know what happens after all this.
Joe
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
I have thin hands and arms, what is the best grip ? I currently have a strong grip , otherwise the club gets loose. My arms are as close together so that i complete my swing with arms, shoulders and hands, one compact unit. When i used more right hand , got more distance but the obvious hook or fade. Now i've changed to a more controlled swing using my left arm. But distance has been sacrificed , my 6 irons goes 145 yards. sam
Hello Sam,
The interlock grip must be OK, because that’s what Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus use (I don’t use it for the same reason you mentioned, the club gets loose in my hands during the swing). The overlap grip must be OK because that is what the majority of good golfers use. The baseball grip, if you want to be picky, is a misnomer because when holding a baseball bat, your thumbs are wrapped around the grip, while in golf the thumbs do not wrap around the grip, but point down instead. Hence the term “ten finger grip” is more appropriate, and although it is not as widely used as the other grip types, it is gaining more popularity, and some very good golfers are using it.
It has been said that the interlock grip is most effective for people with smaller hands. I have seen cases where people with larger hands have been using the interlock and have struggled with it, and their games improved when they used a different grip. Personally I do not have big hands but I have never had much luck with the interlock. Most of my life I have used the overlap, which feels most comfortable to me, so for a long time I never considered changing it, but now I am experimenting with the ten finger grip. Why? Because like most people, I am never totally satisfied with my ball striking consistency, so I cannot resist tinkering. So here is what I have discovered, although I admit this is a bit unconventional, and may not work for you, but I like to share new ideas (purists may have a problem with this, but I don’t care because it works for me). Instead of looking where the V’s are pointing, I look where the “lifeline” is pointing.
When I take my stance, I view the circle of the top of my club shaft as a clock, 12 o’clock being up and 6 o’clock being the side closest to my body. Since I am right handed, I place my right hand on the shaft first and notice where my palm’s “lifeline” is on the clock. Then I just snuggle the left hand in. I hit my straightest shots when this lifeline is at 4 o’clock, and if I want to fade I put it at 3 o’clock or 3:30, and if I want to draw I put the lifeline at 4:30 or 5 o’clock. Not only is my ball striking improved, but I am also able to shape the shots much more predictably than before without having to change the way I swing the club.
Most right-hand instruction says to place your left hand on the club first, but if you do that it gets in the way and you cannot see where the lifeline meets the clock on the shaft. Not only that, but then the position of the left hand becomes an unwanted variable which you would not have to worry about if you just snuggle it in when the right hand goes on first. However, if you like placing your left hand on first, I suppose you can find your own way to get the same results. But that’s just my way, unconventional as it may be. I’m not saying this is best for everyone, it is just something to try if you are struggling with other grips. You have to decide for yourself which grip works best for you and how to adjust it. Try them all on the range, especially if you are in a prolonged slump.
Joe
Hello Sam,
The interlock grip must be OK, because that’s what Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus use (I don’t use it for the same reason you mentioned, the club gets loose in my hands during the swing). The overlap grip must be OK because that is what the majority of good golfers use. The baseball grip, if you want to be picky, is a misnomer because when holding a baseball bat, your thumbs are wrapped around the grip, while in golf the thumbs do not wrap around the grip, but point down instead. Hence the term “ten finger grip” is more appropriate, and although it is not as widely used as the other grip types, it is gaining more popularity, and some very good golfers are using it.
It has been said that the interlock grip is most effective for people with smaller hands. I have seen cases where people with larger hands have been using the interlock and have struggled with it, and their games improved when they used a different grip. Personally I do not have big hands but I have never had much luck with the interlock. Most of my life I have used the overlap, which feels most comfortable to me, so for a long time I never considered changing it, but now I am experimenting with the ten finger grip. Why? Because like most people, I am never totally satisfied with my ball striking consistency, so I cannot resist tinkering. So here is what I have discovered, although I admit this is a bit unconventional, and may not work for you, but I like to share new ideas (purists may have a problem with this, but I don’t care because it works for me). Instead of looking where the V’s are pointing, I look where the “lifeline” is pointing.
When I take my stance, I view the circle of the top of my club shaft as a clock, 12 o’clock being up and 6 o’clock being the side closest to my body. Since I am right handed, I place my right hand on the shaft first and notice where my palm’s “lifeline” is on the clock. Then I just snuggle the left hand in. I hit my straightest shots when this lifeline is at 4 o’clock, and if I want to fade I put it at 3 o’clock or 3:30, and if I want to draw I put the lifeline at 4:30 or 5 o’clock. Not only is my ball striking improved, but I am also able to shape the shots much more predictably than before without having to change the way I swing the club.
Most right-hand instruction says to place your left hand on the club first, but if you do that it gets in the way and you cannot see where the lifeline meets the clock on the shaft. Not only that, but then the position of the left hand becomes an unwanted variable which you would not have to worry about if you just snuggle it in when the right hand goes on first. However, if you like placing your left hand on first, I suppose you can find your own way to get the same results. But that’s just my way, unconventional as it may be. I’m not saying this is best for everyone, it is just something to try if you are struggling with other grips. You have to decide for yourself which grip works best for you and how to adjust it. Try them all on the range, especially if you are in a prolonged slump.
Joe
Tuesday, December 09, 2003
i just cannot get my clubface parallel to my left arm on the backswing, its close but not good enough, it causes inconsistency.
Mukesh Singh
Durban, South Africa
Hello Mukesh, it is a pleasure to communicate with someone so far away. Sometimes we focus on a theory that we think is correct for all golfers, such as your comment on getting the clubface parallel to the left arm on the backswing. I have see cases where golfers perform better with the clubface being slightly closed, rather than parallel to the left arm. I would recommend trying instead to focus on getting the shaft parallel with the left arm.
Mukesh Singh
Durban, South Africa
Hello Mukesh, it is a pleasure to communicate with someone so far away. Sometimes we focus on a theory that we think is correct for all golfers, such as your comment on getting the clubface parallel to the left arm on the backswing. I have see cases where golfers perform better with the clubface being slightly closed, rather than parallel to the left arm. I would recommend trying instead to focus on getting the shaft parallel with the left arm.
Monday, December 08, 2003
I have started golf at the age of 61 years. Seeing people hit the ball long distances, I have been trying get the same distance. I get a maximum of around 220 yards with driver. But that too not very consistently. After practicing for several months, I was told that it is becasue of my age that I don't get the desired distance. Do you think this is true? and if not what should I do get a longer distance. Should I slowly increase the speed of the drive in its down swing (I have tried to bring the club down with a greater force. This way I lose control of the stroke and my whole game get badly affected. In fact changing into my normal swing become difficult then. I have therefore stopped trying to get long distances.) Do you have any suggestion?
Sen
Hello Sen,
A forceful swing has less of a chance to hit the ball on the “sweet spot” on your clubface. An easy swing that hits the sweet spot will send the ball farther than a hard swing that misses the sweet spot.
A hard swing may cause improper weight shifting, which may reduce your clubhead speed. Proper weight shift from the top of the backswing starts going from the back foot to the front foot before the downswing begins, setting up the power of a whip without extra effort.
Clubhead speed at impact is the sum of arm swing and wrist snap. A hard swing usually starts the wrist action too soon when the downswing begins, so there is no more acceleration added from the wrist by the time the clubhead gets to the ball, resulting an “all arms” swing and slower clubhead speed. For maximum distance, you must save the wrist action until just before impact. This is best demonstrated with a ping pong ball and paddle. How far can you hit the ping pong ball with an all-arms swing compared to using your wrist? Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV, and you will see the wrist snap is held back until the last possible instant. That is why most of the pros may look like they are swinging very easy, but they still generate a lot of clubhead speed with that last-second wrist snap, followed by a long high follow-thru.
Joe
Sen
Hello Sen,
A forceful swing has less of a chance to hit the ball on the “sweet spot” on your clubface. An easy swing that hits the sweet spot will send the ball farther than a hard swing that misses the sweet spot.
A hard swing may cause improper weight shifting, which may reduce your clubhead speed. Proper weight shift from the top of the backswing starts going from the back foot to the front foot before the downswing begins, setting up the power of a whip without extra effort.
Clubhead speed at impact is the sum of arm swing and wrist snap. A hard swing usually starts the wrist action too soon when the downswing begins, so there is no more acceleration added from the wrist by the time the clubhead gets to the ball, resulting an “all arms” swing and slower clubhead speed. For maximum distance, you must save the wrist action until just before impact. This is best demonstrated with a ping pong ball and paddle. How far can you hit the ping pong ball with an all-arms swing compared to using your wrist? Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV, and you will see the wrist snap is held back until the last possible instant. That is why most of the pros may look like they are swinging very easy, but they still generate a lot of clubhead speed with that last-second wrist snap, followed by a long high follow-thru.
Joe
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Joe, I have been suffering for a long time in perfecting my putting. I have changed the way I putt several times. I discovered that I don't get the direction nor the feel of the distance. This was even after reading quite a few books on putting, but I have not been able to perfect it. I still find it difficult to putt as close as 5 ft away.
This is how I putt. By resting my elbow on my stomach I find that I have greater control on the putter, i.e. the putter moves in a straight line (Earlier when I was not resting my elbow on the stomach I used to find that the putter shakes while striking the ball. Thus making it difficult to keep the direction, and at the same time there was no feel of the direction) With the current technique, I have a better feel of the direction as well as distance. However, I still don't feel confident about putts as short as 5 ft from the whole. Is there any way I can improve my putting?
Prashanta
Hello Prashanta
Most people have a putting stroke that is not steady enough. To prove this, go to any square-tiled floor and see if you can keep your stroke steady along (or slightly inside) one of the lines in the floor. You will likely see the club jittering above and below the line during the stroke. Some people will spend a lot of money on a new putter, thinking that this might solve their problem, but before you waste your money, you must first do something about the steadiness of your stroke.
Here is how I found instant improvement. Recently I was in a Wal-Mart store which had square-tiled flooring, and while my wife was taking her time shopping, I went over to the golf aisle and tried various types of putters along the floor tile line, all of which showed a little jitter in my stroke. Then I noticed for the first time that there were some belly-putters on the rack. I never had tried these things because they were too expensive, but I put it to the tiled-floor test, and I noticed that by pressing the longer shaft against my belly, the stroke really did improve, very steady, no more jitters. It still seemed a bit expensive, so I made my own belly-putter by cutting a hole at the top of my putter’s grip and inserting a piece of broken shaft, making the overall length 43 inches. My next round showed immediate improvement in my putting, so I am sold on this belly-putter idea. I believe the shaft being pressed onto your belly will prevent and eliminate the unwanted wrist actions that make the stroke unsteady. You might want to try one yourself.
Joe
This is how I putt. By resting my elbow on my stomach I find that I have greater control on the putter, i.e. the putter moves in a straight line (Earlier when I was not resting my elbow on the stomach I used to find that the putter shakes while striking the ball. Thus making it difficult to keep the direction, and at the same time there was no feel of the direction) With the current technique, I have a better feel of the direction as well as distance. However, I still don't feel confident about putts as short as 5 ft from the whole. Is there any way I can improve my putting?
Prashanta
Hello Prashanta
Most people have a putting stroke that is not steady enough. To prove this, go to any square-tiled floor and see if you can keep your stroke steady along (or slightly inside) one of the lines in the floor. You will likely see the club jittering above and below the line during the stroke. Some people will spend a lot of money on a new putter, thinking that this might solve their problem, but before you waste your money, you must first do something about the steadiness of your stroke.
Here is how I found instant improvement. Recently I was in a Wal-Mart store which had square-tiled flooring, and while my wife was taking her time shopping, I went over to the golf aisle and tried various types of putters along the floor tile line, all of which showed a little jitter in my stroke. Then I noticed for the first time that there were some belly-putters on the rack. I never had tried these things because they were too expensive, but I put it to the tiled-floor test, and I noticed that by pressing the longer shaft against my belly, the stroke really did improve, very steady, no more jitters. It still seemed a bit expensive, so I made my own belly-putter by cutting a hole at the top of my putter’s grip and inserting a piece of broken shaft, making the overall length 43 inches. My next round showed immediate improvement in my putting, so I am sold on this belly-putter idea. I believe the shaft being pressed onto your belly will prevent and eliminate the unwanted wrist actions that make the stroke unsteady. You might want to try one yourself.
Joe
Saturday, December 06, 2003
Joe, My buddy has always been just a little better than me. He keep busting on me that i have a great swing but the final score tells the picture. If my swing is so good why can't i beat him. I need tips, training ideas, mental strategies, is there anything I can do to shut this guy up for next year, I just got promoted at my job so the money should allow me to get some one on one training with a golf pro but anything you can help with would be greatly accepted thanks again. Drew
Hello Drew,
Sometimes you can go to any driving range and see golfer A hitting next to golfer B. They both hit the ball about the same. However, golfer A cannot break 90 and golfer B has a single digit handicap. The moral of the story is that a great swing will only get you so far. Golfer B is better at chipping and putting, but you could never tell that by watching full swings.
If you were to keep charts on both yourself and your buddy, you might find that both of you hit the same number of fairways and greens, but your buddy has more 1-putts than you do. You might think your putting is just as good as your buddy's, but maybe your buddy gets his/her chip shots closer to the hole. The charts will tell you which parts of the game you need to improve on, if you are ever going to beat your buddy. Set goals for yourself. Make every putt within 3 feet. Lag every long putt to within 3 feet and you will seldom 3-putt. Get all chip shots as close to the hole as possible. The more you practice these "scoring" shots, the better you will get at this. Good luck!
Joe
(got a question? Send it to golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)
Hello Drew,
Sometimes you can go to any driving range and see golfer A hitting next to golfer B. They both hit the ball about the same. However, golfer A cannot break 90 and golfer B has a single digit handicap. The moral of the story is that a great swing will only get you so far. Golfer B is better at chipping and putting, but you could never tell that by watching full swings.
If you were to keep charts on both yourself and your buddy, you might find that both of you hit the same number of fairways and greens, but your buddy has more 1-putts than you do. You might think your putting is just as good as your buddy's, but maybe your buddy gets his/her chip shots closer to the hole. The charts will tell you which parts of the game you need to improve on, if you are ever going to beat your buddy. Set goals for yourself. Make every putt within 3 feet. Lag every long putt to within 3 feet and you will seldom 3-putt. Get all chip shots as close to the hole as possible. The more you practice these "scoring" shots, the better you will get at this. Good luck!
Joe
(got a question? Send it to golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)
Friday, December 05, 2003
Joe,
I wonder how much winter generally effects a golfers game. (I live in the Baltimore, Maryland area) I know I am somewhat effected by the excess clothing that hinders my full swing. In addition to that it just seems like I am not getting my normal distance. How does the cold effect ball flight? Do you have any suggestions for swing modifications to accommodate the excess clothing.
Sheila
Hello Sheila,
For clothing, I would recommend a few layers of light loose-fitting clothing rather than one heavy layer. Don't try to overswing. Cold weather will cause the ball to lose distance anyway, so you will have to adjust your club selections accordingly.
Joe
I wonder how much winter generally effects a golfers game. (I live in the Baltimore, Maryland area) I know I am somewhat effected by the excess clothing that hinders my full swing. In addition to that it just seems like I am not getting my normal distance. How does the cold effect ball flight? Do you have any suggestions for swing modifications to accommodate the excess clothing.
Sheila
Hello Sheila,
For clothing, I would recommend a few layers of light loose-fitting clothing rather than one heavy layer. Don't try to overswing. Cold weather will cause the ball to lose distance anyway, so you will have to adjust your club selections accordingly.
Joe
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Joe, I thoroughly enjoy the tips. I am a new golfer and have a problem. I can hit my irons fine, but when it comes to the driver, I cannot hit the driver. I spent two practice sessions working on hitting the driver and did not work on the irons and got to where I could hit the driver with very good accuracy. On my next practice session I picked up the irons, and I could not hit the irons. Everything seemed to be out of whack. Then when I got to hitting the irons right again, I could not hit the driver. It kept going back and forth. Is this typical for a new golfer, or are there two swings. One for the irons and one for the driver?
Bill
Hi Bill,
Some people are able to get away with using a different swing for the driver and the irons, but I would recommend finding a different driver that allows you to use the same swing for all clubs. If you are anything like me, you might need a driver with a loft of more than 12 degrees, or a 3 wood with an oversized head and deep face (to avoid popups), which is really no different than a driver with extra loft.
Joe
(got a question? Send it to golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)
Bill
Hi Bill,
Some people are able to get away with using a different swing for the driver and the irons, but I would recommend finding a different driver that allows you to use the same swing for all clubs. If you are anything like me, you might need a driver with a loft of more than 12 degrees, or a 3 wood with an oversized head and deep face (to avoid popups), which is really no different than a driver with extra loft.
Joe
(got a question? Send it to golfwithjoey@yahoo.com)
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
Joe,
I am a 11 H'Caper. I have been going thru your articles almost everyday. They make very interesting reading. I wanted some advice---- When the round is going exceedingly well, suddenly from out of the blue I begin to shank especially so with the 3 & 4 irons. What could be the reason----is it a flat swing which is what I suspect or any other. If you could rectify this I will be extremely greatful.
Thanks, Bala
Hello Bala,
Although shanks with long irons can be partly attributed to a flat swing, the first thing you should try is to keep your weight more on your heels. I also had the shanks until I realized my weight was too much on my toes. If you find that you still have the shanks, you may want to consider using a 5-wood and 7-wood instead of the long irons. I hope this helps.
Joe
I am a 11 H'Caper. I have been going thru your articles almost everyday. They make very interesting reading. I wanted some advice---- When the round is going exceedingly well, suddenly from out of the blue I begin to shank especially so with the 3 & 4 irons. What could be the reason----is it a flat swing which is what I suspect or any other. If you could rectify this I will be extremely greatful.
Thanks, Bala
Hello Bala,
Although shanks with long irons can be partly attributed to a flat swing, the first thing you should try is to keep your weight more on your heels. I also had the shanks until I realized my weight was too much on my toes. If you find that you still have the shanks, you may want to consider using a 5-wood and 7-wood instead of the long irons. I hope this helps.
Joe
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
Joe,
I'm having a problem hitting my fairway woods, some times I strike them well and other times I can't hit one for the life of me. Also I don't get the distance I should out of them when I do hit one well. can you help me with this problem.
Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
Of course I would have to see your swing to say for sure, but I can surmise that your fairway woods do not have enough loft. If you like the model you are using, try the 5-wood and 7-wood, the distance you lose will not be much. Compare that distance to your long irons. If there is no difference, then try different models of fairway woods.
Joe
I'm having a problem hitting my fairway woods, some times I strike them well and other times I can't hit one for the life of me. Also I don't get the distance I should out of them when I do hit one well. can you help me with this problem.
Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
Of course I would have to see your swing to say for sure, but I can surmise that your fairway woods do not have enough loft. If you like the model you are using, try the 5-wood and 7-wood, the distance you lose will not be much. Compare that distance to your long irons. If there is no difference, then try different models of fairway woods.
Joe
Monday, December 01, 2003
Joe, u r doing a great job and helping alot of golfers,can u help me to solve my swing problem: My practice swing is very good (though fast by normal standards as pointed out by my fellow golfers) but when it comes to actual ball striking ,back swing becomes much much shorter, which people attribute to me becoming (maybe) tense,can u help in my case ,I am 52yrs old,but has atheletic body ,i am encouraged to write in view of ur offer of seeking help from joe by sending email
Thanx, Resham
Hello Resham,
You are correct in your self-diagnosis on being tense causing your quick backswing. I have read things from several experts who say that nobody ever swung the club back too slow, so take that advice, and go real real slow and see what happens. If that does not work, let me know something more specific, like are your bad shots fat or thin, sliced or hooked, all clubs, or just woods, or irons, etc.
Joe
Thanx, Resham
Hello Resham,
You are correct in your self-diagnosis on being tense causing your quick backswing. I have read things from several experts who say that nobody ever swung the club back too slow, so take that advice, and go real real slow and see what happens. If that does not work, let me know something more specific, like are your bad shots fat or thin, sliced or hooked, all clubs, or just woods, or irons, etc.
Joe
Joe, u r doing a great job and helping alot of golfers,can u help me to solve my swing problem: My practice swing is very good (though fast by normal standards as pointed out by my fellow golfers) but when it comes to actual ball striking ,back swing becomes much much shorter, which people attribute to me becoming (maybe) tense,can u help in my case ,I am 52yrs old,but has atheletic body ,i am encouraged to write in view of ur offer of seeking help from joe by sending email
Thanx, Resham
Hello Resham,
You are correct in your self-diagnosis on being tense causing your quick backswing. I have read things from several experts who say that nobody ever swung the club back too slow, so take that advice, and go real real slow and see what happens. If that does not work, let me know something more specific, like are your bad shots fat or thin, sliced or hooked, all clubs, or just woods, or irons, etc.
Joe
Thanx, Resham
Hello Resham,
You are correct in your self-diagnosis on being tense causing your quick backswing. I have read things from several experts who say that nobody ever swung the club back too slow, so take that advice, and go real real slow and see what happens. If that does not work, let me know something more specific, like are your bad shots fat or thin, sliced or hooked, all clubs, or just woods, or irons, etc.
Joe
