Joe,
I usually hit a tee shot with a driver fairly high, and often see a ball mark not too far from where the ball comes to rest. This obviously means that I am getting very little roll on the ball after it hits the ground. A few weeks ago, I "accidentally" hit three drives low, and each of these drives ended up being by far the longest drives that I have ever hit on those three holes. I think it's obvious that I got a lot of roll on those drives, and that I should work on learning to hit lower drives (when needed). What is the best way to adjust my swing (including setup) to hit lower drives and get more roll on the ball after landing? Much appreciated.
Garth

Hi Garth,
The quick answer is to tee the ball lower, but there could be more to it than that, I would have to see how you setup and swing to comment further. If your ball flight starts out low and balloons upward, you are hitting down too much and giving the ball underspin, so your ball position might be too far towards center. If your ball position is forward and you hit all your shots higher than most people, and also tend to fade, it is likely the way you swing. If you only hit your driver high, and you do not fade, then I suspect your driver shaft has too much flex, so try a driver with a stiffer shaft and lower loft and compare results.
Joe

Joe,
Would you please answer this question?.... What do you do if your shot plugs in the lip of the cup?... I hit a shot yesterday that plugged on the edge of the cup. About on fourth of the ball was hanging over the edge of the cup...If I had repaired the plugged ball, the ball would have rolled into the cup... It was the first shot on a par three ... We did not count it as a hole in one... We counted it as a birdie. Hmmm... Thanks for any response....
Sandy

Hi Sandy,
A ball is not considered holed until it rests at the bottom of the hole. There have been cases where it looked like an ace because the ball was resting against the flagstick but when the flagstick was removed, the ball came out and did not fall. That technically is not an ace. In your case perhaps removing the flagstick would jar the ball loose, I do not know. If not, you must mark the ball, repair the ball mark, and replace the ball at the edge of the cup and then putt it in for your birdie.

Jody, my Evil Twin, what are your thoughts about this?
Answer: Joe, you are acting like a Purist again, cut that out. I would remove the flagstick and accidentally on purpose jar the ball loose. And I think anyone who thinks a ball resting against a flagstick is not holed is an idiot. And that is the name of that tune.

Joe, in your opinion who was the best ball striker ever?
Zeke

Hi Zeke,
It’s Canadian pro Moe Norman, winner of over 50 events in Canada. Moe was called "Pipeline" because he hit the ball straight every time. Ben Hogan, who believed all straight shots were accidents, watched Moe on the range one day, and kept saying "accident" after every one of Moe’s shots. After awhile, Ben gave up and told Moe to just keep hitting those "accidents".
Moe’s comments on the golf swing:
"Why am I called the greatest ball-striker? Because I have the least moving parts. I keep it simple."
"Stay within yourself. I never swing 100 percent. Most of the time, it's 80 percent. Sure, you can swing 100 percent and the ball will go further, but it's work. Swing easy. Golf isn't a game of violence. Just bump it !"
"With a short backswing, you can't get off line. How can you not hit it straight when you do that?"
Moe’s comments on the mental side of golf:
"Be your own best friend. Have a good attitude. Don't let the game eat you – you eat the game. When you step up to the tee, be glad you're up. Don't be afraid."
"I never got mad at myself. Why? Because getting mad only makes you swing worse."
"Golf isn't supposed to be work. It's to have fun. So have fun!"
"Golf is easy. People make it hard."

Joe,
I can almost break 90, but just when I think I have my swing figured out, my shots become inconsistent again. I need some ideas on how to be more consistent. What should I try?
Kilton

Hello Kilton,
Give yourself some credit, you are an above average golfer and you have the desire to get better. Everyone suffers periods of inconsistency, all you can do is minimize this by developing your own set of "key" swing thoughts. Have a set of "keys" for the backswing and another set for the downswing. Of course it is not possible to think of more than one or two keys while swinging, but you can select a different key depending on what the particular problem happens to be at the time. Here is a sample list of some keys to select from on the backswing - head steady, keep the left arm comfortably straight, take it back low and wide, feel the weight on the inside of the back foot, while the wrist is hinging, get the shaft on the same plane as the leading arm. Here are some keys for the downswing - smooth tempo while shifting the lower body weight to the front foot, swing down at the ball on a path that is inside-out, extend the follow thru while you are still looking at the spot where the ball was after you hit it. These are just a few examples, there are many other things that may work for you, so compile your own list and then pick one or two at a time from the list until you find the right combinations for the backswing and downswing.
Joe

Joe,
Why do some same number woods have a shallow face and some have a taller face? What difference would I get if I used either? Are there any advantages for using either?
Trent

Hello Trent,
The wood with the shallow face will have a lower center of gravity, making it easier to get the ball airborne, especially from tight lies. You may have noticed the Adams company makes a complete line of shallow faced clubs called Tight Lies. The only disadvantage of this design would be the risk of popups from fluffy lies where the ball is sitting up, or from the tee because it is easy to tee the ball too high. A taller faced wood would solve both these problems but would not work as well from a normal or tight lie because the center of gravity is too high, resulting in lower shots with less carry.
Joe

Joe,
When I take my kid to the miniature golf course, she beats me and I find that very embarrassing. I figure she is not yet old enough to be affected by nerves, while here I am getting the yips on every putt because of the pressure of losing to a little kid. She just steps up and putts it while I take my time and aim carefully, but to no avail. There must be something I can do, what is it?
Defeated Dad

Hello Defeated,
The Yips cause your left and right hands to fight each other for control. When one of them wins you push your putts, and when the other hand wins, you pull, and you never know which hand will win. You need a way to force them to work together. Try this as a drill, whether on your indoor rug or a practice green, take your Driver (yes, your Driver), which is about the same length as a belly putter. Put both hands low on the shaft, and press the shaft onto your belly, wherever it is comfortable. You will be surprised how smooth your putting stroke becomes, because when the shaft is anchored into your belly, the hands can no longer fight each other, therefore they are forced to work together. Also, you can experiment by gripping the club different ways to see which is best for you, like reverse overlap, left hand low, the claw grip, or hands split apart, etc., because almost any grip will work with a belly putter. Of course you will probably not want to do this at a miniature golf course, that would probably look a bit too weird. But now you should have a better feel for a smooth stroke, and with a shorter putter, you might also get good results by anchoring the grip against your leading forearm instead of your belly. Might be worth a try. Bernhard Langer actually did this for awhile, he actually used his right hand to hold the handle against his left forearm, and his grip was nicknamed Der Clamp. Another possibility is that your daughter happens to be a really good putter and if that is the case, you may never beat her. Instead of feeling defeated, tell her how proud you are of her and watch her eyes light up.
Joe

Joe,
Any thoughts on why the US keeps losing in the Ryder Cup?
Joss

Hello Joss,
Once upon a time it was the US against Britain, and the US had a stronger team since it had more golfers to choose from. Now it is the US against all of Europe, and the US is now the weaker team. Since golf is growing all over the world, it seems to me that the competition should open up for all countries, each country should have its own team. I do not say this just so the US would be the strongest team, I think they would still only be third best behind Australia and South Africa, who are both getting stronger and stronger. Of course the format would have to change. You could not have that many countries involved in match play or else the event would take several months to complete, and the best golfers would not want to miss their tour commitments. In order to hold the event over one weekend, it would have to be stroke play, but you still could have alternate shot, singles, and best ball formats going toward a team score. Hey readers, what do you think about this? How would you do it?
Joe

Joe,
Why is golf not an Olympic sport, and if it were, how do you think the format would be?
Ian

Hello Ian,
It makes no sense that golf is not an Olympic sport. Golf is played all over the world. Other Olympic sports are only played in a few countries. Maybe the day will come. I do not think you would be able to use the Ryder Cup format because there would be too many teams for match play. I suppose people could play as individuals just like track and field events, and these scores could also count toward a team score. Golf could actually host its own Olympics because there are so many aspects of the game to consider. You may have seen TV events like the Skills competition, with separate events for putting, chipping, pitching, irons, drives, trouble shots, etc. What would be really cool is to have four person teams from each country and play alternate shot. That would really be pressure-packed and it would truly be team play.
Joe

Joe,
My friends are always telling me I am lined up wrong. I do not feel like I am lined up wrong, but I do push a lot of shots to the right. I can just aim to the left but I do not like that because it just feels wrong. How can I get a better feel for lining up correctly?
Will

Hi Will,
This is typical for those who only aim at a distant target. You need an intermediate target. Stand behind the ball along the target line, and hold your club up so you can see both the ball and the target along the shaft. Pick a spot on the ground two feet in front of the ball. Usually there will be something on the ground like a weed or a divot or just discoloration. Then place your clubhead behind the ball, aimed at that spot. Then take your stance and you should be able to easily align the rest of your body (feet, hips, shoulders) parallel to that target line.
Joe

Joe,
I am weary of long winded descriptions on how to do proper setup. They confuse me. Put the club behind the ball with one hand, then add the other hand. Square up your feet and shoulders. Watch your spine angle. Line it up to the front toe, then take a small step forward and larger step back. What is this, dance lessons? How big of a step is correct? There must be a better way to describe this. Lets hear yours.
Dutch

Hi Dutch,
Try simplifying things. If you are hitting shots on line, then your alignment process must be OK, so think about other things. First take your grip with both hands, then address the ball with your feet together, ball off the BACK foot. This way you do not have to take that small step forward. The step back depends on which club you are using, longer club, longer step back. How far back is up to you to experiment on the range until you get your best ball striking. Then tilt your spine slightly away from the target and you are ready to go.
Joe

Joe,
My name is Wm. Al Adamson and I have a question about golf clubs. Can you please provide me with the source by which I can find out what the parameters (weight & size) for a club to meet but not exceed PGA standards? Thanks
Al Adamson

Hi Al,
The source for your information is www . usga. org. where you will find many details on what is conforming and what is non-confoming. However keep in mind that this is mainly for tournament golf. If you are just a recreation player who wants to push the limits, consider these points. The weight limit is not an issue, a club that is too heavy will not help you because it will decrease your swing speed, resulting in less distance. The largest clubhead allowed is 460cc, trying to swing a larger one would be like trying to swing a Buick. Shaft length is not an issue because the longer the shaft, the more difficult it becomes to strike the ball on the sweet spot of the clubface. Skilled players can use a driver with a 45 inch shaft, but less skilled players might do better with a 43 inch shaft, it all depends on your body build and skill level.
Joe

Joe,
Whenever I see people freeze over the ball, I ask them why and some of them are in denial so they say do not rush me, this is not sprint golf. Others admit it but they say they are just not yet ready to start the swing. I ask them what would make them ready to swing, and they cannot tell me, they just are not ready. Can you give us some advice on this?
Ned

Hello Ned,
In your first example, someone who plays slow and accuses others of playing sprint golf is just being insensitive. They just do not get it, and there is probably little you can do about that without making them feel insulted. In your second example, people who hesitate to start the backswing until they receive a moment of enlightenment, are probably trying to think of too many swing keys at the same time. One way to overcome that is to limit your swing thoughts to one key for the backswing, and one key for the downswing. Another way is to convince yourself that you are guaranteed to have a bad shot if you stay over the ball too long. Ask yourself, do you want a bad shot? Do you? Do you? No, so swing already before it is too late.
Joe

Joe,
Last fall I won a new set of irons in a raffle and they look a whole lot better than my old irons, and they hit the ball farther too, but too much to the right. I did not have the same problem with my old irons, but I like the extra distance that I get with the new irons. I am right handed. The shafts are the same length. What can I do?
Willa

Hi Willa,
The first two things I would look at are the lie angle and shaft stiffness. If the new shafts are stiffer, you are likely to hit the ball more to the right. If stiffness is not the issue, the lie angle might be too flat. Check your divots to see if they are deeper near the toe. Since your shafts are the same length, stand up your old and new 5 irons on their grip ends together and you may be able to see if there is any difference in their sole angles. The best way to tell if your clubs have the correct lie angle is the striking board, where you put tape on the sole of the club and when you swing and hit the striking board, you can see where the tape is damaged. It should be damaged in the center of the sole if your lie angle is correct.
Joe

Joe,
What’s the difference between a pitch shot and a chip shot?
Ralph

Hi Ralph,
A pitch shot has more air time and less roll, a chip shot has less air time and more roll. A chip shot is usually played when the ball is very close to the putting surface but there is some taller grass in the way that would prevent you from using your putter. So by using one of your irons, maybe a 7 iron, you can still use your putting stroke and the ball will sail over the tall grass and then roll like a putt. A pitch shot is needed when you are a little too far from the putting surface to use the putting stroke and you need some height on your shot and you do not want the ball to roll so much, so you use your most lofted club and take a half swing, varying the tempo to control the distance of the shot. In both cases, make sure the clubface stays pointed at the target after you strike the ball.
Joe

Joe,
I cannot seem to hit the ball straight consistently. Sometimes it will go straight, and sometimes it will fade a little and sometimes a lot. I am left handed so whenever I adjust my aim to the right to allow for the fade, it seems to fade a lot more. Even when I make an extreme adjustment, the fade increases. What is going on?
Lowery

Hello Lowery,
It sounds like you are trying so hard to pull the ball that you are coming across it. The more you come across it, the more it will fade. This would explain why your fade is not so bad when you are not adjusting your aim. I suspect it will help if you extend your follow thru on an inside out path, that way you are less likely to come across the ball. Then take notice of how consistent you fade becomes. If it seems very consistent, then stop trying to hit the ball straight, just play the fade. Players like Mark Calcavecchia do exactly that because it takes away all the dangers on one side of the course because he trusts his fade.
Joe

Joe,
I have a lot of trouble chipping. I either hit it too fat or too thin and as a result I have no distance control. What can I try?
Emily

Hello Emily,
Here are some things to try. First, for the chips that are just barely off the green, always use a putter unless the grass is too tall. Second, if the grass is too tall, but you are still close enough to the green, putt with a 5-wood, it should loft the ball just enough to carry over the tall grass. Since the shaft is rather long, use it like a belly-putter. Third, if the chip is a little too far from the edge of the green, you must use a more lofted club to carry over the tall grass and land on the green. Here is where most people have trouble with ball contact as you described. Most of the trouble is caused by too much wrist action. Use a wedge, play the ball at your back foot, and keep the hands ahead of the clubhead and keep your wrist locked so you only use your arms, contacting the ball with a downward stroke. Your hands must stay ahead of the club at all times, even after you hit the ball. For distance control with a wedge, hit the ball twice as hard as you would for a putt of the same distance. Let us know if this works for you.
Joe

Joe,
I NEED TO REGRIP MY IRONS. ARE THERE ANY GRIPS YOU PREFER?
Jay

Hi Jay,
Most brands of grips are pretty good, even the less expensive ones. I will assume your grips are getting worn and therefore feel a bit smooth. When I was younger I found out the hard way how dangerous this can be. I laid my driver down on the ground waiting for my turn to hit, and the ground had some dew on it, but I paid no attention to that. But when I swung with the moist grip, the club slipped out of my hand and flew 20 yards, much to my embarrassment. If you are playing well with these grips, you can rough them up with sandpaper to get rid of the smoothness for awhile, but if you are not playing well with them and hoping new grips will help your game, then I would recommend a thicker grip for better control. The theory is the same for a baseball bat, the thinner the grip, the more clubhead speed you can generate, the thicker the grip, the better control you have. In my case, I like the mid sized grip because the skinnier grips give me a feel that the club is rattling around in my hands, and the jumbo grips have the feel of a baseball bat. For materials, some people like the feel of soft leather, but in my case I choose the rough feel of the black and white cord grip.
Joe

Joe,
On a flat green I putt pretty good, but on tilted greens I am clueless, I need some tips.
Slim

Hi Slim,
The first thing to do on every hole is to observe the terrain as you walk up to the green from 100 yards inward. Try to see which way will water would likely drain off the green. That is the way putts will break in general if you do not see any other breaks when reading your putt up close. Try the plumb-bob method where you stand behind the ball and hold up the putter’s shaft so you can see the hole along the shaft. Does the hole look perpendicular to the shaft, or is there a tilt? The third idea is to aim at an intermediate target, rather than aiming at the hole. You should already have estimated how much the putt will break, so pick a discolored spot on the green along that line and aim at that spot, it is much easier to aim at a near spot than to aim at a further spot such as the hole itself. Find a practice green that has a lot of slope and observe the differing amounts of break on uphill or downhill putts along the same line. Only with practice and observations can you get a feel for this.
Joe

Joe,
Every now and then I will hit a great drive and a great shot to the green and have a short birdie putt, and I get so $%#!ng mad when I miss it, like all that work for nothing. As I stand over the putt I am already telling myself I just hit 2 great shots and I will have wasted them if I miss it. This really psyches me out, I can make the same putts all the time on the practice green. What should I do?
Matthew

Hi Matthew,
The mind is a powerful thing, and pressure makes the mind behave differently, which can interfere with your putting stroke. It is natural for you to feel that you do not want to waste your good shots, but you need to use your mind to your advantage. Negative thoughts are a disadvantage, like worrying about missing the putt. Instead, understand that you cannot steer a putt. Once the stroke is made, you have no more control over where the ball goes. All you can control is the way you make your stroke. So tell yourself if you miss it, it will not be because you did not do your best to read the putt and commit yourself to executing a proper stroke. That is all you can do, and you have already proven on the practice green that you can do that. Once the stroke is made, if the ball does not go in the cup, oh well, at least you gave it your best shot. Worrying about a miss will only disrupt your stroke which is not giving it your best shot. Once you are able to focus on execution instead of results, I think you will see more of these putts fall.
Joe

Joe,
On the putting green I do OK but on the course I tend to baby short putts and leave them short of the hole. This is very frustrating. I know pressure has something to do with it, but is there a mechanical idea I can use to overcome this?
Bobby

Hello Bobby,
The simplest way to fix this without changing your putting style is to extend your leading elbow outward, so your forearm is along the target line, and then use that elbow to control the pace of your stroke. This elbow action forces a more complete follow thru, so you are less likely to baby short putts. You also may find improvements in your longer putts as well.
Joe