Joe,
I hear conflicting instructions, one that says to keep the head still, and other “experts” that say show me someone who keeps the head still and I will show you someone who cannot play. Which is correct?
Cal
Hello Cal,
Jack Nicklaus had an instructor who used to grab the back of his hair to keep his head steady while he swung. There is a difference between the terms “still” and “steady”. Still means don’t move it at all (which is not correct). Steady means you can rotate it while you keep it in the same place. Some people can also get away with allowing the head to move slightly back during the backswing, but not up or down. If you look closely at Jack’s swing, you will see just before he begins the backswing, his head turns back a little, and then he keeps it steady.
Joe
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Joe,
I have read in several magazines that when using the driver you are supposed to tee it very high, play it way forward in your stance, and hit the ball on the way up. I get better results by playing a normal ball position, and so do other people that I know. What is the idea here, and why does it not work for people like me?
Peter
Hi Peter,
The theory behind hitting the ball on the way up is supposed to increase launch angle and reduce underspin which then keeps the ball from “ballooning“ and losing distance. However I think this advice is only for those with very high swing speeds who prefer maximum distance without worrying about accuracy. For people with lower swing speeds there are some advantages to underspin. For one, underspin somewhat cancels out sidespin, thus reducing hooks or slices. Secondly, underspin keeps the ball airborne longer. Thirdly, if you hit the ball too much on the way up, you might give it topspin, resulting in the ball diving instead of rising, like a “duck hook”, thus losing distance. This can also be illustrated with tennis and ping pong balls. Although the recommended ball position for most golfers can vary depending on the club being used, there is nothing wrong with experimenting to see which ball position works best for you, because we are not robots, so there is no one single ball position that is guaranteed to work for all golfers.
Joe
I have read in several magazines that when using the driver you are supposed to tee it very high, play it way forward in your stance, and hit the ball on the way up. I get better results by playing a normal ball position, and so do other people that I know. What is the idea here, and why does it not work for people like me?
Peter
Hi Peter,
The theory behind hitting the ball on the way up is supposed to increase launch angle and reduce underspin which then keeps the ball from “ballooning“ and losing distance. However I think this advice is only for those with very high swing speeds who prefer maximum distance without worrying about accuracy. For people with lower swing speeds there are some advantages to underspin. For one, underspin somewhat cancels out sidespin, thus reducing hooks or slices. Secondly, underspin keeps the ball airborne longer. Thirdly, if you hit the ball too much on the way up, you might give it topspin, resulting in the ball diving instead of rising, like a “duck hook”, thus losing distance. This can also be illustrated with tennis and ping pong balls. Although the recommended ball position for most golfers can vary depending on the club being used, there is nothing wrong with experimenting to see which ball position works best for you, because we are not robots, so there is no one single ball position that is guaranteed to work for all golfers.
Joe
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Joe,
Are the terms flying elbow and chicken wing both meaning the same thing?
Trish
Hi Trish,
No. The flying elbow refers to the top of the backswing when the back elbow is too far away from the body. The chicken wing refers to the follow thru when the leading elbow is bent outward, which is always a bad thing that will rob you of power and accuracy. The flying elbow is not always a bad thing depending on how you swing. Although it is not recommended, several good golfers get away with it because their first move on the downswing is to quickly get the back elbow to the hip ahead of the club. Among those who have flying elbows are Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, and John Daly. If you want to avoid a flying elbow, study Vijay Singh, who keeps the back elbow close to the body.
Joe
Are the terms flying elbow and chicken wing both meaning the same thing?
Trish
Hi Trish,
No. The flying elbow refers to the top of the backswing when the back elbow is too far away from the body. The chicken wing refers to the follow thru when the leading elbow is bent outward, which is always a bad thing that will rob you of power and accuracy. The flying elbow is not always a bad thing depending on how you swing. Although it is not recommended, several good golfers get away with it because their first move on the downswing is to quickly get the back elbow to the hip ahead of the club. Among those who have flying elbows are Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, and John Daly. If you want to avoid a flying elbow, study Vijay Singh, who keeps the back elbow close to the body.
Joe
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Joe,
And, as per most of your readers, I also have a question, that has been bothering me for quite a while.... Most surely, you have heard of the golf club known as a "Chipper"... reportedly to be used to "chip" (equipped with a slight loft ) from the frog hairs of the greens, or a slightly longer distance, toward the cup placement. This smaller club also has a wide, flat bottom and appears to look like a putter.
Snuffy
Hi Snuffy,
Yes I have tried one of those Chippers and I found it is only useful from the “frog hair” but not from deeper grass where a lofted iron will work better. Also, if you choose to use one, which other club will you take out of your bag to stay within the 14 club limit? Most golfers can chip just as well with an iron, and since you can also hit full shots with an iron but not with a Chipper, I see very little advantage in using a Chipper. If you really want to try one, you may be able to find it on ebay or a second hand golf shop. If you do find one, have a contest to see if the Chipper works any better than one of your irons. I predict it may work better from the fringe, but not from the deeper grass beyond the fringe. I also predict the Chipper will do no better than a putter from the fringe.
Joe
And, as per most of your readers, I also have a question, that has been bothering me for quite a while.... Most surely, you have heard of the golf club known as a "Chipper"... reportedly to be used to "chip" (equipped with a slight loft ) from the frog hairs of the greens, or a slightly longer distance, toward the cup placement. This smaller club also has a wide, flat bottom and appears to look like a putter.
Snuffy
Hi Snuffy,
Yes I have tried one of those Chippers and I found it is only useful from the “frog hair” but not from deeper grass where a lofted iron will work better. Also, if you choose to use one, which other club will you take out of your bag to stay within the 14 club limit? Most golfers can chip just as well with an iron, and since you can also hit full shots with an iron but not with a Chipper, I see very little advantage in using a Chipper. If you really want to try one, you may be able to find it on ebay or a second hand golf shop. If you do find one, have a contest to see if the Chipper works any better than one of your irons. I predict it may work better from the fringe, but not from the deeper grass beyond the fringe. I also predict the Chipper will do no better than a putter from the fringe.
Joe
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Joe,
The first move in starting the downward swing has always been a mystery to me! Can you help?
Rherrl
Hello Rherrl,
Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV and you will see the first downswing move is the lower body going forward just before the backswing is completed. This creates a whipping action, maximizing clubhead speed.
Joe
The first move in starting the downward swing has always been a mystery to me! Can you help?
Rherrl
Hello Rherrl,
Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV and you will see the first downswing move is the lower body going forward just before the backswing is completed. This creates a whipping action, maximizing clubhead speed.
Joe
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Joe, how do you draw the ball, how do you address the ball, and how important is it to keep your eye on the ball?
Answer: To draw a ball, take pencil and paper, make a circle and fill it with dimples. To properly address the ball, say “Hello, ball”. It is apparently not important to keep your eye on the ball because the USGA has a machine that has no eyes at all, but it still can hit the ball 300 yards every time.
Answer: To draw a ball, take pencil and paper, make a circle and fill it with dimples. To properly address the ball, say “Hello, ball”. It is apparently not important to keep your eye on the ball because the USGA has a machine that has no eyes at all, but it still can hit the ball 300 yards every time.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Joe,
At the top of the back-swing, how I can I tell or feel that I have fully cocked my right wrist (I am a leftie)? I try to keep my left hand very passive as I take the club to the top of the back-swing but I am never quite sure that I have fully cocked the right wrist.
Regards,
Roger Dukhan
Toronto, Ontario Canada
Hello Roger,
It is easy to assume that a fully cocked wrist translates into maximum power, but there comes a point where your ball striking might suffer if you cock your wrist too much. Everyone would like to have a picture perfect swing but we are not all built the same. Some people find it easy to get the club shaft parallel to the ground at the top of the backswing, while others, like me, prefer the shorter backswing in the interest of better ball striking. So to answer your question, you can cock your wrist as much as you want as long as your ball striking does not suffer. Some great golfers go past parallel at the top, like Phil Mickelson, John Daly, Bobby Jones, and many more. Have someone take a video of your swing and see your wrist positions with differing amounts of wrist cock. Also check your distance at the range with differing amounts of wrist cock, you might be surprised to find you are losing distance with too much wrist cock because it sometimes causes “casting” or hitting from the top.
Joe
At the top of the back-swing, how I can I tell or feel that I have fully cocked my right wrist (I am a leftie)? I try to keep my left hand very passive as I take the club to the top of the back-swing but I am never quite sure that I have fully cocked the right wrist.
Regards,
Roger Dukhan
Toronto, Ontario Canada
Hello Roger,
It is easy to assume that a fully cocked wrist translates into maximum power, but there comes a point where your ball striking might suffer if you cock your wrist too much. Everyone would like to have a picture perfect swing but we are not all built the same. Some people find it easy to get the club shaft parallel to the ground at the top of the backswing, while others, like me, prefer the shorter backswing in the interest of better ball striking. So to answer your question, you can cock your wrist as much as you want as long as your ball striking does not suffer. Some great golfers go past parallel at the top, like Phil Mickelson, John Daly, Bobby Jones, and many more. Have someone take a video of your swing and see your wrist positions with differing amounts of wrist cock. Also check your distance at the range with differing amounts of wrist cock, you might be surprised to find you are losing distance with too much wrist cock because it sometimes causes “casting” or hitting from the top.
Joe
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Joe,
I would like to hear New Year’s Resolutions from you and Jody The Evil Twin.
Reggie
Hi Reggie,
Here are a few, maybe these will trigger you to add more or modify them:
I resolve to hit more fairways than I miss.
When the green is in reach with a short iron, I resolve to hit more greens than I miss.
I resolve to get more pitch shots within 20 feet of the flag more often than not.
I resolve to get more chip shots within 10 feet of the flag more often than not.
I resolve to get more lag putts within 3 feet of the hole more often than not.
I resolve to make at least 2 out of every 3 short putts, (3 to 4 feet).
I resolve to control my temper by replacing cuss words with nonsense words. Sometimes this leads to laughter, which is the best medicine for whatever ails you.
Jody’s resolution is to avoid making stupid resolutions.
Have a great 2006 anyway.
Joe
I would like to hear New Year’s Resolutions from you and Jody The Evil Twin.
Reggie
Hi Reggie,
Here are a few, maybe these will trigger you to add more or modify them:
I resolve to hit more fairways than I miss.
When the green is in reach with a short iron, I resolve to hit more greens than I miss.
I resolve to get more pitch shots within 20 feet of the flag more often than not.
I resolve to get more chip shots within 10 feet of the flag more often than not.
I resolve to get more lag putts within 3 feet of the hole more often than not.
I resolve to make at least 2 out of every 3 short putts, (3 to 4 feet).
I resolve to control my temper by replacing cuss words with nonsense words. Sometimes this leads to laughter, which is the best medicine for whatever ails you.
Jody’s resolution is to avoid making stupid resolutions.
Have a great 2006 anyway.
Joe
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Joe,
What does it mean to “fan it open” on the backswing?
Orlando
Hello Orlando,
Fanning it open means the clubface appears to be opening gradually during the backswing, with the idea of keeping the clubface square to your turn. Some people start their backswings by instead keeping the clubface square to the target line too long, resulting in the face being shut at the top of the backswing. Two bad things can happen here, either you keep it shut during the downswing and hit a pull hook, or you open it too much on the downswing and hit a push slice. Of course it seems if you deliberately open the face too much during the backswing, then you have the same problem in reverse. If you think too much about fanning it open on purpose, then you might drive yourself nuts trying to guess how much to fan it, so in my opinion, if you are at the correct position at the top of the backswing, your natural turn has already taken care of this fanning issue without you having to think about it.
Joe
What does it mean to “fan it open” on the backswing?
Orlando
Hello Orlando,
Fanning it open means the clubface appears to be opening gradually during the backswing, with the idea of keeping the clubface square to your turn. Some people start their backswings by instead keeping the clubface square to the target line too long, resulting in the face being shut at the top of the backswing. Two bad things can happen here, either you keep it shut during the downswing and hit a pull hook, or you open it too much on the downswing and hit a push slice. Of course it seems if you deliberately open the face too much during the backswing, then you have the same problem in reverse. If you think too much about fanning it open on purpose, then you might drive yourself nuts trying to guess how much to fan it, so in my opinion, if you are at the correct position at the top of the backswing, your natural turn has already taken care of this fanning issue without you having to think about it.
Joe
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Joe,
What do they mean when the announcers say the reason for a bad shot was a “double cross”?
Don
Hi Don,
An example of a double cross would be when a golfer tries to hit a fade by swinging outside in while intending to leave the clubface open at impact, but during the downswing, a lack of concentration allows the wrists to cross over naturally and fails to keep the clubface open, resulting in double trouble, that is, a pull and a hook instead of a fade, usually sending the ball far away from the target. If you ever want to try a deliberate fade, make sure to rehearse the desired wrist action during your practice swings to keep the clubface open, and maintain this focus during your actual shot.
Joe
What do they mean when the announcers say the reason for a bad shot was a “double cross”?
Don
Hi Don,
An example of a double cross would be when a golfer tries to hit a fade by swinging outside in while intending to leave the clubface open at impact, but during the downswing, a lack of concentration allows the wrists to cross over naturally and fails to keep the clubface open, resulting in double trouble, that is, a pull and a hook instead of a fade, usually sending the ball far away from the target. If you ever want to try a deliberate fade, make sure to rehearse the desired wrist action during your practice swings to keep the clubface open, and maintain this focus during your actual shot.
Joe
Monday, December 26, 2005
Merry Christmas to all blog-readers, paste these links into your browser and have some fun!
www.matchpractice.com/game/
www.funnyjunk.com/pages/minigolf.htm
www.matchpractice.com/game/
www.funnyjunk.com/pages/minigolf.htm
Friday, December 23, 2005
Joe,
I feel all golfers should play the ball down, but you say not always. Why not?
Answer: The pros do not always play the ball down, in wet conditions they are sometimes allowed to “lift, clean, and place”. In the old days, players were not allowed to do that, they had to play from plugged lies, even on the greens. But one day the rules committee grew some brains and changed that rule, so don’t tell me all rules are so sacred that they cannot be changed. That kind of mentality is for mindless people who are incapable of rational thought. That being said, only good golfers should play the ball down. Until they get good, here are the Top Ten reasons why high handicappers should be allowed to improve their lie:
‘1. Pace of play will improve
‘2. The game will be more enjoyable
‘3. The game is expensive, so to get your money’s worth, there is no reason to let bad lies spoil shots.
‘4. If a high handicapper cannot hit a good shot from a good lie, it makes no sense to try it from a bad lie.
‘5. This makes their handicaps lower so it will be easier to beat them in competition.
‘6. Course conditions on public courses are far more likely to give bad lies than tournament courses.
‘7. It makes little difference to anyone else whether their score comes out to 110 or 130.
‘8. Because sortagolf.com says so
‘9. It defeats cheaters who, when you are not looking, either step on your ball or improve their own lie.
‘10. It upsets the mindless purists, which always brings me great pleasure.
I feel all golfers should play the ball down, but you say not always. Why not?
Answer: The pros do not always play the ball down, in wet conditions they are sometimes allowed to “lift, clean, and place”. In the old days, players were not allowed to do that, they had to play from plugged lies, even on the greens. But one day the rules committee grew some brains and changed that rule, so don’t tell me all rules are so sacred that they cannot be changed. That kind of mentality is for mindless people who are incapable of rational thought. That being said, only good golfers should play the ball down. Until they get good, here are the Top Ten reasons why high handicappers should be allowed to improve their lie:
‘1. Pace of play will improve
‘2. The game will be more enjoyable
‘3. The game is expensive, so to get your money’s worth, there is no reason to let bad lies spoil shots.
‘4. If a high handicapper cannot hit a good shot from a good lie, it makes no sense to try it from a bad lie.
‘5. This makes their handicaps lower so it will be easier to beat them in competition.
‘6. Course conditions on public courses are far more likely to give bad lies than tournament courses.
‘7. It makes little difference to anyone else whether their score comes out to 110 or 130.
‘8. Because sortagolf.com says so
‘9. It defeats cheaters who, when you are not looking, either step on your ball or improve their own lie.
‘10. It upsets the mindless purists, which always brings me great pleasure.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Joe,
I see in magazines how you are supposed to have the toe of the club pointed up during the backswing when the club is halfway back and parallel to the ground. They say this means the club is square to the target. I don’t get it. The clubface is pointed to the side, right? I cannot look back during a normal swing to see if the toe is pointing up, so if this is so important, how can I get a feel for this? Please explain.
Slightly Confused
Dear Slightly,
Sometimes the way things are explained can be taken the wrong way, so a different way of explaining the same thing is in order. Picture your swing being like a door. The doorknob is pointing to the target. Then the door swings open and the doorknob is no longer seems to be pointing to the target, but considering the turning motion, the knob is definitely square to the turn, and will again be square to the target when the door turns back to the original position. If you have trouble relating this to the real clubface, consider the palm of your back hand being parallel to the clubface. Now you no longer have to think about the clubface or the toe of the club because you can feel whether or not your palm is in proper position. If you can feel your palm being in a vertical position when the club is halfway back, chances are pretty good that the toe will be pointing up. I hope this helps.
Joe
I see in magazines how you are supposed to have the toe of the club pointed up during the backswing when the club is halfway back and parallel to the ground. They say this means the club is square to the target. I don’t get it. The clubface is pointed to the side, right? I cannot look back during a normal swing to see if the toe is pointing up, so if this is so important, how can I get a feel for this? Please explain.
Slightly Confused
Dear Slightly,
Sometimes the way things are explained can be taken the wrong way, so a different way of explaining the same thing is in order. Picture your swing being like a door. The doorknob is pointing to the target. Then the door swings open and the doorknob is no longer seems to be pointing to the target, but considering the turning motion, the knob is definitely square to the turn, and will again be square to the target when the door turns back to the original position. If you have trouble relating this to the real clubface, consider the palm of your back hand being parallel to the clubface. Now you no longer have to think about the clubface or the toe of the club because you can feel whether or not your palm is in proper position. If you can feel your palm being in a vertical position when the club is halfway back, chances are pretty good that the toe will be pointing up. I hope this helps.
Joe
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Joe,
I saw John Daly talk about using one hand to putt with during practice. According to John, this gives you a better feel for rolling the ball to the hole. I tried this, and found my distance control to be much better. My problem is I loose this "feel" when I put my left hand back on the club. I've been putting one handed most of the season with some success. The problem is sometimes the club twists slightly causing me to be off line. Is there a way to keep my left hand from taking over my putting stroke?
Hoobler
Hi Hoobler,
There are lots of theories about putting, and just because something works for one person, does not mean it will work for everyone. Many people try to keep their back hand out of the stroke, not the front hand, and that is why the “claw” grip has gained attention due to the success of Chris DiMarco and Mark Calcavecchia. Assuming you are right handed, you are trying to keep the opposite hand off the stroke, so Chris and Mark might beat you up for saying that. However, if you try to put equal pressure from both hands on your putting grip, it could be that one hand or the other is your naturally dominant hand, so it tries to take control over the other hand thus interfering with your stroke. If your dominant hand happens to be your back hand, then just use your other hand with very light pressure, which might steady your twisting without losing your feel. If this does not work, try a belly putter, which forces your hands to work together, thus eliminating the battle of which hand wants to take over.
Joe
I saw John Daly talk about using one hand to putt with during practice. According to John, this gives you a better feel for rolling the ball to the hole. I tried this, and found my distance control to be much better. My problem is I loose this "feel" when I put my left hand back on the club. I've been putting one handed most of the season with some success. The problem is sometimes the club twists slightly causing me to be off line. Is there a way to keep my left hand from taking over my putting stroke?
Hoobler
Hi Hoobler,
There are lots of theories about putting, and just because something works for one person, does not mean it will work for everyone. Many people try to keep their back hand out of the stroke, not the front hand, and that is why the “claw” grip has gained attention due to the success of Chris DiMarco and Mark Calcavecchia. Assuming you are right handed, you are trying to keep the opposite hand off the stroke, so Chris and Mark might beat you up for saying that. However, if you try to put equal pressure from both hands on your putting grip, it could be that one hand or the other is your naturally dominant hand, so it tries to take control over the other hand thus interfering with your stroke. If your dominant hand happens to be your back hand, then just use your other hand with very light pressure, which might steady your twisting without losing your feel. If this does not work, try a belly putter, which forces your hands to work together, thus eliminating the battle of which hand wants to take over.
Joe
Monday, December 12, 2005
Joe,
My game has steadily improved all year, but at the end of the year my scores got worse. Even tho my iron shots are crisp and on line, they seem to end up further from the hole than summertime. Also I have a lot more 3-putts even tho my putting stroke feels just as good as summertime. Is there something about fall that makes it harder to score?
Frankie
Hi Frankie,
Yes it is harder to score in the fall, mostly due to the conditions of the greens. Many courses do not change the pin positions as often as summer, so the foot traffic around the hole causes two problems that you do not see in the summer. First, the green becomes firmer near the hole and softer away from the hole, so shots that land near the hole will skid instead of biting, and shots that land short of the hole will stick instead of running up to the hole. As a result, all your approach putts are going to be longer, and that is one reason for more 3 putts. The other reason is the “slick donut” around the hole packed down by everyone’s stances for short putts. This donut area is a 2 to 3 foot circle away from the hole because nobody steps much closer to the hole to pick up their ball, so the center of this donut is raised like an imperceptibly shallow volcano, causing any putt which is not perfectly on line to veer away from the hole, so to sink any putt is like walking a tightrope, there is no room for error. Lag putts that normally stop close to the hole are likely to keep going right on thru this slick area resulting in fewer tap-ins. Just enjoy the game and don’t be too disappointed if you shoot a few strokes over your average.
Joe
My game has steadily improved all year, but at the end of the year my scores got worse. Even tho my iron shots are crisp and on line, they seem to end up further from the hole than summertime. Also I have a lot more 3-putts even tho my putting stroke feels just as good as summertime. Is there something about fall that makes it harder to score?
Frankie
Hi Frankie,
Yes it is harder to score in the fall, mostly due to the conditions of the greens. Many courses do not change the pin positions as often as summer, so the foot traffic around the hole causes two problems that you do not see in the summer. First, the green becomes firmer near the hole and softer away from the hole, so shots that land near the hole will skid instead of biting, and shots that land short of the hole will stick instead of running up to the hole. As a result, all your approach putts are going to be longer, and that is one reason for more 3 putts. The other reason is the “slick donut” around the hole packed down by everyone’s stances for short putts. This donut area is a 2 to 3 foot circle away from the hole because nobody steps much closer to the hole to pick up their ball, so the center of this donut is raised like an imperceptibly shallow volcano, causing any putt which is not perfectly on line to veer away from the hole, so to sink any putt is like walking a tightrope, there is no room for error. Lag putts that normally stop close to the hole are likely to keep going right on thru this slick area resulting in fewer tap-ins. Just enjoy the game and don’t be too disappointed if you shoot a few strokes over your average.
Joe
Friday, December 09, 2005
Joe,
I can hit my irons fairly straight, but I am always missing the green short or long. What should I do?
Srini
Hello Srini,
It is time to look at your thought process for club selection. Pay more careful attention to which club you can count on to hit the ball 150 yards. Most courses have a marker for 150 yards to the middle of the green, not to the pin, so you need to trust your club for specific distances and be sure to adjust at least 1 club for pins that are not in the middle of the green, either front or back. For example, if you usually hit a 7 iron 150 yards, use that club when you have 145 yards to the pin because you might not hit it perfectly every time. In other words if you hit it perfectly, you will only be 5 yards past the pin, and if you do not hit it perfectly, you still may be short of the pin, but at least you have a better chance of being on the green. From this 150 yard reference point, add or subtract one club for every ten yards of distance required. Also add or subtract one club for gentle wind, and at least 2 clubs for stiffer wind. Also add or subtract one club if the green is elevated or downhill. If your ball striking is fairly consistent, just trust those adjusted distances and you should soon be hitting more greens.
Joe
I can hit my irons fairly straight, but I am always missing the green short or long. What should I do?
Srini
Hello Srini,
It is time to look at your thought process for club selection. Pay more careful attention to which club you can count on to hit the ball 150 yards. Most courses have a marker for 150 yards to the middle of the green, not to the pin, so you need to trust your club for specific distances and be sure to adjust at least 1 club for pins that are not in the middle of the green, either front or back. For example, if you usually hit a 7 iron 150 yards, use that club when you have 145 yards to the pin because you might not hit it perfectly every time. In other words if you hit it perfectly, you will only be 5 yards past the pin, and if you do not hit it perfectly, you still may be short of the pin, but at least you have a better chance of being on the green. From this 150 yard reference point, add or subtract one club for every ten yards of distance required. Also add or subtract one club for gentle wind, and at least 2 clubs for stiffer wind. Also add or subtract one club if the green is elevated or downhill. If your ball striking is fairly consistent, just trust those adjusted distances and you should soon be hitting more greens.
Joe
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Joe,
I do not seem to play well with regular shafts, but I am told my swing speed supposedly is not high enough for stiff shafts. What would happen if you get shafts that are too stiff for you?
Sara
Hi Sara,
With older stiff shafts you would lose distance and hit the ball too low, but you might be a little more accurate. I used to think that stiffer shafts were always preferable because they theoretically would reduce an unwanted variable of a flexing and twisting shaft making it harder to square the clubface at impact, but now the shaft technology has introduced the low-torque concept which helps keep the clubface square while the shaft is flexing but not twisting. This allows us to take advantage of the shaft's spring-effect without sacrificing accuracy. So now it is less dangerous to optimize your swing speed by experimenting with different amounts of shaft flex. It makes me wonder how in the world did the old time golfers ever shoot par with wooden shafts? It gives you a sense of how good those guys really were. No technology, no precisely matched sets of clubs, just sticks with hunks of metal on the end, playing on scruffy fairways and greens with golf balls that were far inferior to what we have today. Wow, these guys must have been really good.
Joe
I do not seem to play well with regular shafts, but I am told my swing speed supposedly is not high enough for stiff shafts. What would happen if you get shafts that are too stiff for you?
Sara
Hi Sara,
With older stiff shafts you would lose distance and hit the ball too low, but you might be a little more accurate. I used to think that stiffer shafts were always preferable because they theoretically would reduce an unwanted variable of a flexing and twisting shaft making it harder to square the clubface at impact, but now the shaft technology has introduced the low-torque concept which helps keep the clubface square while the shaft is flexing but not twisting. This allows us to take advantage of the shaft's spring-effect without sacrificing accuracy. So now it is less dangerous to optimize your swing speed by experimenting with different amounts of shaft flex. It makes me wonder how in the world did the old time golfers ever shoot par with wooden shafts? It gives you a sense of how good those guys really were. No technology, no precisely matched sets of clubs, just sticks with hunks of metal on the end, playing on scruffy fairways and greens with golf balls that were far inferior to what we have today. Wow, these guys must have been really good.
Joe
Saturday, December 03, 2005
You Make The Call
On the first tee, a golfer addresses the ball and accidentally knocks the ball off the tee. Then he re-tees in a different spot within the legally marked area, but first he pulls out some tall grass and pats the ground flat behind his ball. Then he tees off and hits a tree and the ball rolls back against the tee marker. He then removes the tee marker, plays his shot, and puts the marker back. How many penalty strokes apply here?
Answer: There are no penalty strokes applied here, there was nothing illegally done. Since a stroke had not yet been played from the tee ground, accidentally knocking the ball off the tee does not count. It is OK to remove tall grass or any other object from the tee ground, and also to tap it flat with your club. The tee markers are fixed until the ball is in play, but after the first shot is played they are considered moveable obstructions.
On the first tee, a golfer addresses the ball and accidentally knocks the ball off the tee. Then he re-tees in a different spot within the legally marked area, but first he pulls out some tall grass and pats the ground flat behind his ball. Then he tees off and hits a tree and the ball rolls back against the tee marker. He then removes the tee marker, plays his shot, and puts the marker back. How many penalty strokes apply here?
Answer: There are no penalty strokes applied here, there was nothing illegally done. Since a stroke had not yet been played from the tee ground, accidentally knocking the ball off the tee does not count. It is OK to remove tall grass or any other object from the tee ground, and also to tap it flat with your club. The tee markers are fixed until the ball is in play, but after the first shot is played they are considered moveable obstructions.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Joe,
I've been in a slump for about a month and it hasn't been much fun out there. In fact, I have cancelled some games for the next few days and will try and practice instead in the hopes of finding a solution. I've lost power....am hitting my irons weakly and thin and not making any putts so there's not much joy out there. Hopefully, it's only a phase and will go away as fast as it appeared.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
Sometimes when we seem to lose power, we try too hard to get it back and we “hit from the top”, which means we not only overswing, but we also use up our wrist action too soon on the downswing. You are doing the right thing by going to the range until you solve your problem. One of the things you can try is a very short backswing, and on the downswing delay your wrist action until the last possible moment before impact. If you can strike the ball solidly every time by doing this, then lengthen your backswing a little at a time until your ball striking begins to suffer, then back off a little and that will be your proper backswing. With proper wrist action your distance should be OK, even if you think your backswing is too short. Watch Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, and Jim Thorpe, among others, who are very successful with a very short backswing. If you still need more distance, I will need to know what kind of clubs you are using, a modern driver might help. As far as putting goes, many people improve immediately by going to a belly putter, even Michael Campbell did this for the 2005 US Open. Let us know if these things helped.
Joe
I've been in a slump for about a month and it hasn't been much fun out there. In fact, I have cancelled some games for the next few days and will try and practice instead in the hopes of finding a solution. I've lost power....am hitting my irons weakly and thin and not making any putts so there's not much joy out there. Hopefully, it's only a phase and will go away as fast as it appeared.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
Sometimes when we seem to lose power, we try too hard to get it back and we “hit from the top”, which means we not only overswing, but we also use up our wrist action too soon on the downswing. You are doing the right thing by going to the range until you solve your problem. One of the things you can try is a very short backswing, and on the downswing delay your wrist action until the last possible moment before impact. If you can strike the ball solidly every time by doing this, then lengthen your backswing a little at a time until your ball striking begins to suffer, then back off a little and that will be your proper backswing. With proper wrist action your distance should be OK, even if you think your backswing is too short. Watch Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, and Jim Thorpe, among others, who are very successful with a very short backswing. If you still need more distance, I will need to know what kind of clubs you are using, a modern driver might help. As far as putting goes, many people improve immediately by going to a belly putter, even Michael Campbell did this for the 2005 US Open. Let us know if these things helped.
Joe
