Joe,
But one thing which has been bothering me is that I have a severe problem of hooking the ball, so I have to compensate for it while taking a shot but the problem is that sometimes it doesn’t hook at all and I land up out of bounds, I request you to please help me overcome this problem and advise some remedy to it ................... What the HELL am I doing wrong .Regards Kabir
Hello Kabir,
Since I have never seen you swing a club, I can only give some suggestions. First of all, do you hook only your driver or all your clubs? If only the driver, then trade it in for another model. I have seen many cases where drivers are so different that the same swing can produce a hook with one driver and slice with the other. Secondly, if you hook all your clubs, then I suspect your grip may be too “strong”, meaning the V’s formed by your thumb and forefingers are pointing beyond your back shoulder. Adjust your grip so that the V’s are pointing between your head and back shoulder. Some people even point them at the chin. What kind of “compensation” are you doing? If it is the grip position that I just described, then thirdly I would look at your swing plane, I suspect it might be too flat. Try a more upright plane and see if that helps.
Joe
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Joe,
The logic for having rules is to prevent anyone from gaining unfair advantages. Using the same logic, why is it legal to allow a caddie to read a putt for you, or tell you what the exact distances are and what club to hit? Why don’t the rules say you must do this yourself? Aren’t those things a part of your own personal decision-making skills? You are allowed to ask a caddie for exact distance, but you cannot use a “range-finder” device for the same reason, and the device is not all that accurate anyway, so that’s a dumb rule. Isn’t this like a chess player being allowed to get advice from his/her “caddie” in the middle of a match? Isn’t this like a kid in a spelling contest having a “caddie” to give advice in the middle of competition? How is this fair to those of us who cannot afford caddies? I think players should have to make their own decisions as part of their overall skills. What do you think about this?
Josh
Hello Josh,
I think you have a good point. It is not a level playing field for golfers who cannot afford caddies, because you get no help at reading greens, while local caddies have seen so many putts, they know how every green will break. You can have a perfect putting stroke, but you still will not sink many putts if you can’t read the greens correctly. Those who can afford caddies have a definite advantage, not only do they avoid worrying about the read, but also they can blame the caddy for every missed putt while you only have yourself to blame.
Joe
The logic for having rules is to prevent anyone from gaining unfair advantages. Using the same logic, why is it legal to allow a caddie to read a putt for you, or tell you what the exact distances are and what club to hit? Why don’t the rules say you must do this yourself? Aren’t those things a part of your own personal decision-making skills? You are allowed to ask a caddie for exact distance, but you cannot use a “range-finder” device for the same reason, and the device is not all that accurate anyway, so that’s a dumb rule. Isn’t this like a chess player being allowed to get advice from his/her “caddie” in the middle of a match? Isn’t this like a kid in a spelling contest having a “caddie” to give advice in the middle of competition? How is this fair to those of us who cannot afford caddies? I think players should have to make their own decisions as part of their overall skills. What do you think about this?
Josh
Hello Josh,
I think you have a good point. It is not a level playing field for golfers who cannot afford caddies, because you get no help at reading greens, while local caddies have seen so many putts, they know how every green will break. You can have a perfect putting stroke, but you still will not sink many putts if you can’t read the greens correctly. Those who can afford caddies have a definite advantage, not only do they avoid worrying about the read, but also they can blame the caddy for every missed putt while you only have yourself to blame.
Joe
Friday, March 25, 2005
Joe,
I can hit the ball better than my buddies, but they usually beat me because they putt better. I don’t understand why I cannot putt as well as my buddies if they are not as athletic as I am. Help!
Harold
Hello Harold,
Sometimes we overlook the little things. Any one of the following points might make a difference. For example, are you more like Golfer A or Golfer B?
Let’s assume Golfer A and Golfer B have similar putting strokes and they can both read a green equally well, but Golfer A makes more putts and 3-putts less often than Golfer B. How can this be?
Golfer A uses a putter design that is weighted at the toe and at the heel, but not in the center. Golfer B uses a straight blade. Since they both have similar strokes, they both miss the sweet spot on the putter by the same amount. Golfer A gets better results due to a larger sweet spot.
Golfer A has confidence in the read and can concentrate fully on executing the stroke. Golfer B changes the read as he/she stands over the ball (why bother with the original read in that case?). This can result in a tentative stroke due to worrying about the read instead of executing the proper pace of the stroke.
Golfer A aims at a spot on the green on the way to the hole, a spot that is close enough to hit every time. Golfer B does not use an intermediate target.
Golfer A improves touch for distance control during practice by noticing how far the backswing goes for certain distances, and then steps off those distances. Golfer B just relies on feel without thinking about the exact distance. As a result, Golfer A’s second putt is usually 1-2 feet long, while golfer B’s second putt is usually 3-4 feet long.
Golfer A’s putter has a fat grip, Golfer B’s putter has a skinny grip. In both cases, any accidental hand rotation will cause the putter face to rotate off line. Due to the fatter grip Golfer A’s putter face will rotate less off line than Golfer B’s putter.
Golfer A observes the terrain while walking up to the green from 100 yards on in, and can see which way water would most likely drain off the green, because this is the way all putts will break if you are not sure of other reads. Golfer B only reads putts after he/she gets on the green.
Both golfers have the Yips, but Golfer A uses a belly putter, which reduces the effect of the Yips.
Good luck Harold, I hope this helps!
I can hit the ball better than my buddies, but they usually beat me because they putt better. I don’t understand why I cannot putt as well as my buddies if they are not as athletic as I am. Help!
Harold
Hello Harold,
Sometimes we overlook the little things. Any one of the following points might make a difference. For example, are you more like Golfer A or Golfer B?
Let’s assume Golfer A and Golfer B have similar putting strokes and they can both read a green equally well, but Golfer A makes more putts and 3-putts less often than Golfer B. How can this be?
Golfer A uses a putter design that is weighted at the toe and at the heel, but not in the center. Golfer B uses a straight blade. Since they both have similar strokes, they both miss the sweet spot on the putter by the same amount. Golfer A gets better results due to a larger sweet spot.
Golfer A has confidence in the read and can concentrate fully on executing the stroke. Golfer B changes the read as he/she stands over the ball (why bother with the original read in that case?). This can result in a tentative stroke due to worrying about the read instead of executing the proper pace of the stroke.
Golfer A aims at a spot on the green on the way to the hole, a spot that is close enough to hit every time. Golfer B does not use an intermediate target.
Golfer A improves touch for distance control during practice by noticing how far the backswing goes for certain distances, and then steps off those distances. Golfer B just relies on feel without thinking about the exact distance. As a result, Golfer A’s second putt is usually 1-2 feet long, while golfer B’s second putt is usually 3-4 feet long.
Golfer A’s putter has a fat grip, Golfer B’s putter has a skinny grip. In both cases, any accidental hand rotation will cause the putter face to rotate off line. Due to the fatter grip Golfer A’s putter face will rotate less off line than Golfer B’s putter.
Golfer A observes the terrain while walking up to the green from 100 yards on in, and can see which way water would most likely drain off the green, because this is the way all putts will break if you are not sure of other reads. Golfer B only reads putts after he/she gets on the green.
Both golfers have the Yips, but Golfer A uses a belly putter, which reduces the effect of the Yips.
Good luck Harold, I hope this helps!
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Joe,
I have a problem flying shots from a wet
sand trap. please help with some advice.
thank you
john neily
Hello John,
You cannot treat wet sand the same way as dry sand. If
your normal sand shot uses a wedge with a lot of
"bounce" (the sole having the rear lower than the
front), it will not penetrate the wet sand so you are
likely to skull the ball over the green. Try a wedge
with little or no bounce like a lob wedge or pitching
wedge. Many people do not take the time to practice
these shots, but those who do practice them will
understand quickly what works and what does not.
Joe
I have a problem flying shots from a wet
sand trap. please help with some advice.
thank you
john neily
Hello John,
You cannot treat wet sand the same way as dry sand. If
your normal sand shot uses a wedge with a lot of
"bounce" (the sole having the rear lower than the
front), it will not penetrate the wet sand so you are
likely to skull the ball over the green. Try a wedge
with little or no bounce like a lob wedge or pitching
wedge. Many people do not take the time to practice
these shots, but those who do practice them will
understand quickly what works and what does not.
Joe
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Joe,
How does any golfer know which ball is best for them? Every brand says they are the longest, softest, best feel, etc., they can’t all be right.
Bill
Hello Bill,
All the ball manufacturers are already pushing the limits of the allowable specs, so there is not that much difference in performance among brands. The mind is a powerful thing, so if you believe you do better with a certain brand, then maybe that creates a positive attitude which helps your confidence. Pick a ball and stay with it for awhile. If you keep changing types of balls, your distance judgment might be affected if some balls behave differently for you. Realistically, only the low handicap players playing on upscale courses are likely to benefit from the high spin balls. If you have a problem with hooks or slices, a high spin ball might make it worse. A high spin ball theoretically will stop on the green better, but that depends on ideal course conditions. I’m sure you have seen the pros on TV bounce over the green anyway when the greens are firm. The number of layers in ball construction, again, is only important to the low handicappers, it will not make that much difference to the average players. Some players can tell the difference between harder or softer balls, but any ball will feel soft if you contact the sweet spot of your club, and it will feel harder if you miss the sweet spot. If you think a ball is really soft, bounce it off your head and then tell me how soft it feels (just kidding, don’t try this at home).
Jody, my Evil Twin, what is your opinion?
Answer: I think the purists should indeed try that bounce test at home, I suspect they won’t feel a thing.
How does any golfer know which ball is best for them? Every brand says they are the longest, softest, best feel, etc., they can’t all be right.
Bill
Hello Bill,
All the ball manufacturers are already pushing the limits of the allowable specs, so there is not that much difference in performance among brands. The mind is a powerful thing, so if you believe you do better with a certain brand, then maybe that creates a positive attitude which helps your confidence. Pick a ball and stay with it for awhile. If you keep changing types of balls, your distance judgment might be affected if some balls behave differently for you. Realistically, only the low handicap players playing on upscale courses are likely to benefit from the high spin balls. If you have a problem with hooks or slices, a high spin ball might make it worse. A high spin ball theoretically will stop on the green better, but that depends on ideal course conditions. I’m sure you have seen the pros on TV bounce over the green anyway when the greens are firm. The number of layers in ball construction, again, is only important to the low handicappers, it will not make that much difference to the average players. Some players can tell the difference between harder or softer balls, but any ball will feel soft if you contact the sweet spot of your club, and it will feel harder if you miss the sweet spot. If you think a ball is really soft, bounce it off your head and then tell me how soft it feels (just kidding, don’t try this at home).
Jody, my Evil Twin, what is your opinion?
Answer: I think the purists should indeed try that bounce test at home, I suspect they won’t feel a thing.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Joe,
Controversy, controversy. Why can’t we have rules that are clear enough that no controversy is needed?
Cedric
Hello Cedric,
Controversy keeps certain topics in conversation. The more conversation, the more interest there is in the topic, the more news coverage it gets, whether it is about golf or any other topic. Take for example the NCAA football polls, they always cause arguments, which gives the sports talk show hosts plenty of material for their shows. That is why you will probably never see any college football playoffs, it would kill all the lively discussions. That also is the case for college basketball. There is always going to be controversy over which teams make the tournament and which teams were left out. I suppose you could let every team into the tournament, but the first round would be a joke. Instead, I would start the field with the 32 best teams getting a first round bye. The other 32 spots would be “play-in” spots, for which the next 64 best teams would have to win one game to get into the usual field of 64. That means 96 teams would qualify, and there should be little argument from those who cannot make the top 96. Then I would send all the losing teams from that play-in round as automatic entries into the NIT tournament. We could send this to the NCAA and the NIT for consideration, but I think they prefer to have all the controversy too keep the sports talk shows going.
Controversy, controversy. Why can’t we have rules that are clear enough that no controversy is needed?
Cedric
Hello Cedric,
Controversy keeps certain topics in conversation. The more conversation, the more interest there is in the topic, the more news coverage it gets, whether it is about golf or any other topic. Take for example the NCAA football polls, they always cause arguments, which gives the sports talk show hosts plenty of material for their shows. That is why you will probably never see any college football playoffs, it would kill all the lively discussions. That also is the case for college basketball. There is always going to be controversy over which teams make the tournament and which teams were left out. I suppose you could let every team into the tournament, but the first round would be a joke. Instead, I would start the field with the 32 best teams getting a first round bye. The other 32 spots would be “play-in” spots, for which the next 64 best teams would have to win one game to get into the usual field of 64. That means 96 teams would qualify, and there should be little argument from those who cannot make the top 96. Then I would send all the losing teams from that play-in round as automatic entries into the NIT tournament. We could send this to the NCAA and the NIT for consideration, but I think they prefer to have all the controversy too keep the sports talk shows going.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Joe,
People say a hook travels farther than a slice. Why should it matter which way the ball is curving? Don’t they really travel the same distance?
Hank
Hi Hank,
A hook travels farther than a slice for the same reason that a 4 iron travels farther than a 6 iron, the loft at impact is different. The face of the club is “closed” when hitting a hook, which lowers the loft. The face of the same club is “open” when hitting a slice so the loft is increased. That means a draw with a 5 iron will fly lower like a 4-iron, while a fade with the same 5-iron will fly higher like a 6-iron.
Joe
People say a hook travels farther than a slice. Why should it matter which way the ball is curving? Don’t they really travel the same distance?
Hank
Hi Hank,
A hook travels farther than a slice for the same reason that a 4 iron travels farther than a 6 iron, the loft at impact is different. The face of the club is “closed” when hitting a hook, which lowers the loft. The face of the same club is “open” when hitting a slice so the loft is increased. That means a draw with a 5 iron will fly lower like a 4-iron, while a fade with the same 5-iron will fly higher like a 6-iron.
Joe
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Joe,
Thicker grips feel better to me, but I am told that a thicker grip will reduce clubhead speed. Is there any truth to this? Also, when putting I seem to do better with a thicker grip. What is your opinion?
Theo
Hello Theo,
The same argument takes place for baseball bats or golf clubs, the thinner the grip, the more bat speed or clubhead speed can be generated. On the other hand, a thicker grip makes the bat or club easier to control, so you have to choose whether you want to be a home run hitter or hit for a higher batting average. Remember, in golf you have to play your foul balls. For putting, it makes sense to me that a thicker grip should work better because it reduces the amount of clubface error caused by hands twisting. A small amount of hand movement turns a skinny grip (and therefore the shaft and the clubface) more than a fatter grip. It would take more hand movement to turn the fatter grip the same amount, so your margin of error is more favorable.
Joe
Thicker grips feel better to me, but I am told that a thicker grip will reduce clubhead speed. Is there any truth to this? Also, when putting I seem to do better with a thicker grip. What is your opinion?
Theo
Hello Theo,
The same argument takes place for baseball bats or golf clubs, the thinner the grip, the more bat speed or clubhead speed can be generated. On the other hand, a thicker grip makes the bat or club easier to control, so you have to choose whether you want to be a home run hitter or hit for a higher batting average. Remember, in golf you have to play your foul balls. For putting, it makes sense to me that a thicker grip should work better because it reduces the amount of clubface error caused by hands twisting. A small amount of hand movement turns a skinny grip (and therefore the shaft and the clubface) more than a fatter grip. It would take more hand movement to turn the fatter grip the same amount, so your margin of error is more favorable.
Joe
Monday, March 07, 2005
Joe,
I find this confusing. Why are some drops allowed two club lengths and other drops only one club length? Why don’t they simplify the rules and make it consistent?
Dan
Hi Dan,
If there is a penalty involved, the drop is 2 club lengths. If it is a free drop with no penalty, the drop is one club length. Sergio Garcia once actually incurred an extra 2-stroke penalty by dropping only one club length when he should have dropped two. Because of that penalty he fell back into a playoff and lost the tournament. Personally I think that is absolutely ridiculous, you would think the spirit of the rule means no more than two club lengths, so less would logically seem OK, right? No, wrong. Why? I don’t know, let’s ask Jody.
Jody, my Evil Twin, how would you answer Dan’s questions, why not simplify the rules?
Answer: It must be money. It is the same reason why the virus protection software companies keep the business going by creating new viruses for themselves to solve, and then looking like heroes for charging you money to solve them. For golf, the more complicated you make the rules, the thicker the rule book gets, the more money is made by the printers, the officials, the training seminars, etc. If they really wanted to simplify the rules, they could easily make all drops the same distance. I would pick 2 club lengths since one club length sometimes does not help much. Also, it would also be nice if they would say you can use anything in your bag, because then the telescoping ball retriever would be a good choice.
I find this confusing. Why are some drops allowed two club lengths and other drops only one club length? Why don’t they simplify the rules and make it consistent?
Dan
Hi Dan,
If there is a penalty involved, the drop is 2 club lengths. If it is a free drop with no penalty, the drop is one club length. Sergio Garcia once actually incurred an extra 2-stroke penalty by dropping only one club length when he should have dropped two. Because of that penalty he fell back into a playoff and lost the tournament. Personally I think that is absolutely ridiculous, you would think the spirit of the rule means no more than two club lengths, so less would logically seem OK, right? No, wrong. Why? I don’t know, let’s ask Jody.
Jody, my Evil Twin, how would you answer Dan’s questions, why not simplify the rules?
Answer: It must be money. It is the same reason why the virus protection software companies keep the business going by creating new viruses for themselves to solve, and then looking like heroes for charging you money to solve them. For golf, the more complicated you make the rules, the thicker the rule book gets, the more money is made by the printers, the officials, the training seminars, etc. If they really wanted to simplify the rules, they could easily make all drops the same distance. I would pick 2 club lengths since one club length sometimes does not help much. Also, it would also be nice if they would say you can use anything in your bag, because then the telescoping ball retriever would be a good choice.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Joe,
I once had a penalty called on me because I was preparing to putt and the wind slightly moved my ball. Why should that be a penalty when it was not my fault? I did not do anything. How can anyone avoid this?
Phil
Hi Phil,
Here is how to avoid this. Do not ground your club, the penalty only applies after you have addressed the ball. If the club is not grounded, you have not yet officially addressed the ball, so just keep your club hovering above ground. Don’t delay the stroke because it is no penalty if the ball moves after you have begun your stroke. Why is there such a penalty? I don’t know. This is one of many unfair rules that can penalize you for things that are not your fault, and those types you should just leave for tournaments. If you are only playing recreational golf and you call this on somebody, you risk being branded as an anal aperture for the rest of your life.
Joe
I once had a penalty called on me because I was preparing to putt and the wind slightly moved my ball. Why should that be a penalty when it was not my fault? I did not do anything. How can anyone avoid this?
Phil
Hi Phil,
Here is how to avoid this. Do not ground your club, the penalty only applies after you have addressed the ball. If the club is not grounded, you have not yet officially addressed the ball, so just keep your club hovering above ground. Don’t delay the stroke because it is no penalty if the ball moves after you have begun your stroke. Why is there such a penalty? I don’t know. This is one of many unfair rules that can penalize you for things that are not your fault, and those types you should just leave for tournaments. If you are only playing recreational golf and you call this on somebody, you risk being branded as an anal aperture for the rest of your life.
Joe
Friday, March 04, 2005
Joe,
My natural swing produces a very low shot with a driver, and I have to use a 5 or 7 wood off the fairway because my 3-wood cannot get the ball high enough off the ground. I can drive OK with a 3-wood, but with the smaller head I get the occasional popups, toe shots, or heel shots. I have tried some swing changes but none of them seem to help my shot trajectory. Any suggestions?
Dean
Hi Dean,
Lower shots can be caused by using shafts that are too stiff for you. If that is not the case, you need more lofted clubs. If you cannot find a driver with enough loft, you might want to try a deep-faced oversized 3-wood for your drives. However, the deep face is not recommended for fairway shots because the center of gravity is too high, so just use it for drives. From the fairway you are likely to do better with a thin-faced fairway club such as the “Tight Lies” design because the center of gravity is obviously lower.
Joe
My natural swing produces a very low shot with a driver, and I have to use a 5 or 7 wood off the fairway because my 3-wood cannot get the ball high enough off the ground. I can drive OK with a 3-wood, but with the smaller head I get the occasional popups, toe shots, or heel shots. I have tried some swing changes but none of them seem to help my shot trajectory. Any suggestions?
Dean
Hi Dean,
Lower shots can be caused by using shafts that are too stiff for you. If that is not the case, you need more lofted clubs. If you cannot find a driver with enough loft, you might want to try a deep-faced oversized 3-wood for your drives. However, the deep face is not recommended for fairway shots because the center of gravity is too high, so just use it for drives. From the fairway you are likely to do better with a thin-faced fairway club such as the “Tight Lies” design because the center of gravity is obviously lower.
Joe
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Joe,
I was once not allowed to play because my shirt did not have a collar. On TV I see some of the pros wearing shirts without a collar, if they can do it why can’t anyone else?
Dom
Hi Dom,
Some places have stricter dress codes than others, including restaurants, they just want to make sure people do not show up wearing sloppy T shirts or undershirts. The collarless shirts some of the pros wear are classified as “crew neck” when they have thicker neck lines, and they are usually nicer looking than the average T shirt, however one could argue that a T shirt is also a form of crew neck, and many sweaters or sweatshirts also do not have collars either. If your shirt was not a T shirt but had a thicker collar line, your golf course could have made an exception, but some purists insist that a rule is a rule, and they will defend that rule no matter how dumb it is. Seems like now is a good time for…
…The Evil Twin’s Purist Corner – Point and Counter-Point
Point - A rule is a rule. Tiger likes to wear crew neck shirts, but if he wants to play at a course where they have the collar rule, then he should not be allowed to play, just like anyone else. Furthermore, there is a risk that some astute TV viewer is going to phone all the major courses and find out which ones have that same collar rule, and then try to strip all those major titles from Tiger because he violated a Local rule, playing while illegally adorned.
Counter-Point – I guess you would also agree that there is nothing in the rules to prevent you from playing naked as long as you wear a collared shirt, and of course soft spikes.
I was once not allowed to play because my shirt did not have a collar. On TV I see some of the pros wearing shirts without a collar, if they can do it why can’t anyone else?
Dom
Hi Dom,
Some places have stricter dress codes than others, including restaurants, they just want to make sure people do not show up wearing sloppy T shirts or undershirts. The collarless shirts some of the pros wear are classified as “crew neck” when they have thicker neck lines, and they are usually nicer looking than the average T shirt, however one could argue that a T shirt is also a form of crew neck, and many sweaters or sweatshirts also do not have collars either. If your shirt was not a T shirt but had a thicker collar line, your golf course could have made an exception, but some purists insist that a rule is a rule, and they will defend that rule no matter how dumb it is. Seems like now is a good time for…
…The Evil Twin’s Purist Corner – Point and Counter-Point
Point - A rule is a rule. Tiger likes to wear crew neck shirts, but if he wants to play at a course where they have the collar rule, then he should not be allowed to play, just like anyone else. Furthermore, there is a risk that some astute TV viewer is going to phone all the major courses and find out which ones have that same collar rule, and then try to strip all those major titles from Tiger because he violated a Local rule, playing while illegally adorned.
Counter-Point – I guess you would also agree that there is nothing in the rules to prevent you from playing naked as long as you wear a collared shirt, and of course soft spikes.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Joe,
They say new equipment is ruining the game and making some golf courses obsolete. Is there anything that can be done?
Edie
Hello Edie,
Lee Trevino once said "It’s not the bow and arrow, it’s the Indian". New balls and new clubs, while they do produce more distance, have not actually lowered the average scores for all golfers for many many years, which proves the short game is much more important than the long game. Therefore I don’t think golf courses will become obsolete, except maybe some won’t be chosen for tournament consideration, and since most golfers are not tournament players, they will still be eager to play the shorter courses because they do not get as much benefit from technology as do the tournament players. Technology’s extra distance also translates into shots going further off line and into more trouble, and frankly this becomes more dangerous because more people will be within range of getting hit by errant shots. Realistically, I do not think there will ever be a ban on new technology, so if we ever want to offset the effects of technology, we might have to convince enough people to "think outside the box". For example, we could introduce an alternate set of modified rules which could keep any course from becoming obsolete. Let’s say for the sake of discussion, this new set of rules could be called "Shotmaker’s Rules" or "Finesse Rules", whereby you could only use 7 clubs, so the wild driver may not be a good choice. This would put less emphasis less on power and more emphasis on finesse back into the game, having to adjust how hard you swing instead of having so many clubs that you can use the same monotonous swing for almost any distance. To make up for the disadvantage of using fewer clubs, all penalties would be only 1 stroke (no loss of distance) and you get to improve your lie. The rules then become a lot simpler, and the pace of play becomes a lot quicker. However, I am sure the clubmakers would not be in favor of selling fewer clubs, so this idea may not gain much support. However, you might be very very surprised that if you were ever to try this, your scores will probably not be much different than your usual scores with a full set of clubs. If that is true, wherefore art thou, technology, where is thy sting?
Joe
They say new equipment is ruining the game and making some golf courses obsolete. Is there anything that can be done?
Edie
Hello Edie,
Lee Trevino once said "It’s not the bow and arrow, it’s the Indian". New balls and new clubs, while they do produce more distance, have not actually lowered the average scores for all golfers for many many years, which proves the short game is much more important than the long game. Therefore I don’t think golf courses will become obsolete, except maybe some won’t be chosen for tournament consideration, and since most golfers are not tournament players, they will still be eager to play the shorter courses because they do not get as much benefit from technology as do the tournament players. Technology’s extra distance also translates into shots going further off line and into more trouble, and frankly this becomes more dangerous because more people will be within range of getting hit by errant shots. Realistically, I do not think there will ever be a ban on new technology, so if we ever want to offset the effects of technology, we might have to convince enough people to "think outside the box". For example, we could introduce an alternate set of modified rules which could keep any course from becoming obsolete. Let’s say for the sake of discussion, this new set of rules could be called "Shotmaker’s Rules" or "Finesse Rules", whereby you could only use 7 clubs, so the wild driver may not be a good choice. This would put less emphasis less on power and more emphasis on finesse back into the game, having to adjust how hard you swing instead of having so many clubs that you can use the same monotonous swing for almost any distance. To make up for the disadvantage of using fewer clubs, all penalties would be only 1 stroke (no loss of distance) and you get to improve your lie. The rules then become a lot simpler, and the pace of play becomes a lot quicker. However, I am sure the clubmakers would not be in favor of selling fewer clubs, so this idea may not gain much support. However, you might be very very surprised that if you were ever to try this, your scores will probably not be much different than your usual scores with a full set of clubs. If that is true, wherefore art thou, technology, where is thy sting?
Joe
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Joe,
I'm considering buying some new irons. I currently own ping isi with a swing weight of c-9. I would like to have a better feel of where the club head is...this is where your advise would be appreciated. I'm 60 years, work out daily and in excellent condition. My swing speed is near 90 and is slow and rhythmic. Any ideas?? I'm told the average swing weight is d-2, d-4 is this right?? Thanks in advance,
Bill
Hi Bill,
Some people like a lighter feel, some like a heavier feel. Some people hit poorly with clubs that feel good, and when they try clubs that do not feel as good, they are surprised to see better shots, and then those clubs start feeling better in a hurry. Base your decision by comparing results for different swingweights. Theories about specs are no guarantees. Many golfers want to give themselves every possible technical advantage to improve, and swingweight is one spec aimed at giving a consistent feel for all clubs in your set, by comparing the weight of the clubhead to the overall weight of the entire club. The higher the letter, the heavier the club (d is heavier than c), and the higher the number, the higher the weight ratio is from clubhead to the whole club. Some people think this ratio is important, but I think there are a lot of other technical factors at play that are more important than swingweight. The ratio is not the same from club to club anyway because the heads on shorter irons have more mass than the longer irons, yet they have shorter shafts, so it is hard to imagine every club feeling the same. So what usually happens in your c-9 set, for example, is that you might hit the shorter irons better than the longer irons, and with a d-4 set you might hit the longer irons better than the shorter irons. Since the shorter irons are the scoring clubs, most golfers will give up on the whole set if they cannot hit the shorter irons, even if they hit the long irons very well. So they embark on a never ending journey to seek the perfect set. That is partly the reason we are seeing new sets with hybrid clubs instead of long irons, the longer clubs simply need more mass. Swingweights are also changed when grip weights are added, or when lead tape is applied to the clubheads. So rather than focusing on swingweight, pay more attention to shaft flex and lie angle. If you still feel swingweight is that important to you, find a 7-iron that you really like and have the swingweight measured, and use that as a guide to get your next set.
Joe
I'm considering buying some new irons. I currently own ping isi with a swing weight of c-9. I would like to have a better feel of where the club head is...this is where your advise would be appreciated. I'm 60 years, work out daily and in excellent condition. My swing speed is near 90 and is slow and rhythmic. Any ideas?? I'm told the average swing weight is d-2, d-4 is this right?? Thanks in advance,
Bill
Hi Bill,
Some people like a lighter feel, some like a heavier feel. Some people hit poorly with clubs that feel good, and when they try clubs that do not feel as good, they are surprised to see better shots, and then those clubs start feeling better in a hurry. Base your decision by comparing results for different swingweights. Theories about specs are no guarantees. Many golfers want to give themselves every possible technical advantage to improve, and swingweight is one spec aimed at giving a consistent feel for all clubs in your set, by comparing the weight of the clubhead to the overall weight of the entire club. The higher the letter, the heavier the club (d is heavier than c), and the higher the number, the higher the weight ratio is from clubhead to the whole club. Some people think this ratio is important, but I think there are a lot of other technical factors at play that are more important than swingweight. The ratio is not the same from club to club anyway because the heads on shorter irons have more mass than the longer irons, yet they have shorter shafts, so it is hard to imagine every club feeling the same. So what usually happens in your c-9 set, for example, is that you might hit the shorter irons better than the longer irons, and with a d-4 set you might hit the longer irons better than the shorter irons. Since the shorter irons are the scoring clubs, most golfers will give up on the whole set if they cannot hit the shorter irons, even if they hit the long irons very well. So they embark on a never ending journey to seek the perfect set. That is partly the reason we are seeing new sets with hybrid clubs instead of long irons, the longer clubs simply need more mass. Swingweights are also changed when grip weights are added, or when lead tape is applied to the clubheads. So rather than focusing on swingweight, pay more attention to shaft flex and lie angle. If you still feel swingweight is that important to you, find a 7-iron that you really like and have the swingweight measured, and use that as a guide to get your next set.
Joe
Monday, February 28, 2005
Sunday, February 27, 2005
The Evil Twin’s Purist Corner - Point and Counter-Point:
Point - Prayers are not allowed on golf courses. If you call on God to improve the results of a shot while it is still in motion, you are using "an outside agency" and subject to appropriate penalties under the rules of golf.
Counter-Point - So penalize me. Let us pray. May thy ball lie in green pastures and not in still waters. Amen.
Point - Prayers are not allowed on golf courses. If you call on God to improve the results of a shot while it is still in motion, you are using "an outside agency" and subject to appropriate penalties under the rules of golf.
Counter-Point - So penalize me. Let us pray. May thy ball lie in green pastures and not in still waters. Amen.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Joe,
Why do the pros preach fundamentals, yet their swings all look different?
Davey
Hello Davey,
There is a difference between fundamentals (what everyone should do) and mannerisms (individual peculiarities). Most of the mannerisms occur on the backswing, because the backswing’s only purpose is to arrive at a strong hitting position at the top, and to achieve that, it may not matter how you get there (right, Jim Furyk fans?). From there, the fundamentals take over, and the downswing happens so quickly that you may not notice the pros all do the same thing (lower body weight shift to the front foot, and moving the back elbow to the front of the hip before ball contact). Once the ball is struck, the differences in the follow thru positions again are mostly mannerisms (right, Arnold Palmer fans?).
Joe
Why do the pros preach fundamentals, yet their swings all look different?
Davey
Hello Davey,
There is a difference between fundamentals (what everyone should do) and mannerisms (individual peculiarities). Most of the mannerisms occur on the backswing, because the backswing’s only purpose is to arrive at a strong hitting position at the top, and to achieve that, it may not matter how you get there (right, Jim Furyk fans?). From there, the fundamentals take over, and the downswing happens so quickly that you may not notice the pros all do the same thing (lower body weight shift to the front foot, and moving the back elbow to the front of the hip before ball contact). Once the ball is struck, the differences in the follow thru positions again are mostly mannerisms (right, Arnold Palmer fans?).
Joe
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Joe,
There are so many tips in magazines, books, audios, videos, TV, etc. and some of these tips contradict each other. How is a person to know which ones to believe and which ones not to believe?
Ben
Hi Ben,
There are a couple of reasons for contradictions. Most tips come from people who have successfully used them, but that does not mean these tips will work for everyone else. Tip #1 might work for golfer #1 but not for golfer #2, but golfer #2 uses tip #2 which is the opposite of tip #1. For example, some say to start the backswing with no wrist action, others say to set the wrist cock early. Some say to use the “X-factor” by limiting hip action, others say to use more hips. All you can do is try them both and see which one works better for you. Another reason is the plight of any writer who has a contract to come up with a different article every week, or every month, this writer always has to think of something new to write about, and when it comes to golf tips, just about every idea has been used up already, so that makes it difficult to sound new and creative all the time. So to avoid repeating the same stuff, they might borrow ideas from others, and those ideas may be against something the same writer said before, who knows? That is why I prefer the question and answer approach. Even if I get the same question multiple times, I can always give a consistent answer explained a little differently for those who may not have seen or understood the same questions before. To answer your question on who to believe, I would not trust those who threaten that you must do every little thing their way or else you will fail, because that falsely assumes everyone has the same body build and degree of athleticism. Precision positions and moves that work for one person may not work for another person. Rather than thinking about 142 things during a swing, you have a better chance believing those who can keep things simple, because simplicity leads to better understanding.
Joe
There are so many tips in magazines, books, audios, videos, TV, etc. and some of these tips contradict each other. How is a person to know which ones to believe and which ones not to believe?
Ben
Hi Ben,
There are a couple of reasons for contradictions. Most tips come from people who have successfully used them, but that does not mean these tips will work for everyone else. Tip #1 might work for golfer #1 but not for golfer #2, but golfer #2 uses tip #2 which is the opposite of tip #1. For example, some say to start the backswing with no wrist action, others say to set the wrist cock early. Some say to use the “X-factor” by limiting hip action, others say to use more hips. All you can do is try them both and see which one works better for you. Another reason is the plight of any writer who has a contract to come up with a different article every week, or every month, this writer always has to think of something new to write about, and when it comes to golf tips, just about every idea has been used up already, so that makes it difficult to sound new and creative all the time. So to avoid repeating the same stuff, they might borrow ideas from others, and those ideas may be against something the same writer said before, who knows? That is why I prefer the question and answer approach. Even if I get the same question multiple times, I can always give a consistent answer explained a little differently for those who may not have seen or understood the same questions before. To answer your question on who to believe, I would not trust those who threaten that you must do every little thing their way or else you will fail, because that falsely assumes everyone has the same body build and degree of athleticism. Precision positions and moves that work for one person may not work for another person. Rather than thinking about 142 things during a swing, you have a better chance believing those who can keep things simple, because simplicity leads to better understanding.
Joe
Monday, February 21, 2005
A Series Of Unfortunate Events
Jack and Jill, both novices, are playing a fun round at the local municipal golf course. Jill is not a long hitter, but she gets the ball airborne consistently when the lie is good, and her main enjoyment comes from watching the ball fly. Jack hits the ball far, but not very accurately. On a long par 5, Jack drives OB, then hits again into the rough and cannot find his ball. Since he expected to find it he did not bother hitting a provisional, so he had to march back to the tee and hit again, finally hitting the fairway, but into a divot. Jill, meanwhile, is also in a divot, and she knows she is not good enough yet to get the ball airborne from a divot, so she moves the ball to a better lie and continues to make the ball fly, reaching a greenside bunker in 5 shots. Jack, meanwhile, skulls his divot shot into a fairway bunker and into a footprint. Then, while addressing the ball, his club accidentally touches the sand. Then his shot fails to clear the lip of the bunker and he slams his club into the sand in disgust. The ball rolls down into the crater he made. He finally reaches the fringe of the green in 2 more shots. Jill, meanwhile, finds her ball is also in a footprint, and she knows she is not good enough yet to execute that shot, so she moves her ball to a more level spot, and chips the ball onto the green about 50 feet from the cup, and waits for Jack to catch up, ribbing him about how much slower men are than women. The following group of golfers are gaining on them. Jack’s putt from the fringe hits the pin and comes to rest a foot from the hole. Jill, noticing the waiting golfers behind them, does not waste any time, and her putt glances off Jack’s ball, hits the pin, and comes to rest an inch away. While she is about to tap it in, a gust of wind moves her ball. Jack makes his putt from where his ball came to rest, and with steam coming out of his ears, he needs a calculator to figure the scores. Jill chuckles and said she only hit the ball 8 times, not bad for a novice.
Question #1 – Who won the hole?
Question #2 – Who had the most fun?
Question #3 – Which question is more important, especially for novices?
Jack and Jill, both novices, are playing a fun round at the local municipal golf course. Jill is not a long hitter, but she gets the ball airborne consistently when the lie is good, and her main enjoyment comes from watching the ball fly. Jack hits the ball far, but not very accurately. On a long par 5, Jack drives OB, then hits again into the rough and cannot find his ball. Since he expected to find it he did not bother hitting a provisional, so he had to march back to the tee and hit again, finally hitting the fairway, but into a divot. Jill, meanwhile, is also in a divot, and she knows she is not good enough yet to get the ball airborne from a divot, so she moves the ball to a better lie and continues to make the ball fly, reaching a greenside bunker in 5 shots. Jack, meanwhile, skulls his divot shot into a fairway bunker and into a footprint. Then, while addressing the ball, his club accidentally touches the sand. Then his shot fails to clear the lip of the bunker and he slams his club into the sand in disgust. The ball rolls down into the crater he made. He finally reaches the fringe of the green in 2 more shots. Jill, meanwhile, finds her ball is also in a footprint, and she knows she is not good enough yet to execute that shot, so she moves her ball to a more level spot, and chips the ball onto the green about 50 feet from the cup, and waits for Jack to catch up, ribbing him about how much slower men are than women. The following group of golfers are gaining on them. Jack’s putt from the fringe hits the pin and comes to rest a foot from the hole. Jill, noticing the waiting golfers behind them, does not waste any time, and her putt glances off Jack’s ball, hits the pin, and comes to rest an inch away. While she is about to tap it in, a gust of wind moves her ball. Jack makes his putt from where his ball came to rest, and with steam coming out of his ears, he needs a calculator to figure the scores. Jill chuckles and said she only hit the ball 8 times, not bad for a novice.
Question #1 – Who won the hole?
Question #2 – Who had the most fun?
Question #3 – Which question is more important, especially for novices?
