Dot Your Impact
Better Contact For Lower Scores
The number-one fundamental that all great ballstrikers know is critical for hitting better shots is centeredness of contact. How you contact the ball with the clubhead will affect spin, launch angle, distance, curve and also your perception of what happened in your golf swing. And as you might guess, hitting the center of the face is what you want.
I have a great drill that I like to use to improve my centeredness of contact. All you need for this drill is a Sharpie and two golf balls. First, draw a big dot on your golf ball so that when you impact the golf ball, you'll be able to see where you hit it on the clubface. And here's a little trick: If you're trying this on a driving range, use a dry-erase marker. It works well, and the range ball won't get damaged or marked up.
Hit a few balls with a big round dot behind the ball, and in a short while, you'll quickly be able to see if you tend to hit the ball too much on the toe or on the heel. If you're missing on the toe, put two balls on the ground about three inches from each other, with the golf ball that has the dot on it being the ball that's farther from you. Typically, the cause of the toe shot is from bringing the club into impact with your hands and arms too close to your body. So, in this drill, you'll address ball #1 (the ball closer to you) and then swing the club back and hit ball #2 (the ball farther from you). This will cause you to feel your hands and arms extending through impact and get you to feel the necessary move to find the sweet spot of the clubface.
Now, if you tend to hit the ball too much in the heel, put the two balls on the ground and do the opposite. Set up for the outside of the ball, but hit the inside of the ball. This will help you avoid hits by the hole.
The goal is to groove a better impact position so the ball and clubface make contact closer to the center of the clubface. As you do this drill, whether it's fixing heel or toe hits, try not to fixate on results, but instead, pay attention to how the club feels. In no time, this simple and fun drill will have you improving your impact and hitting more solid golf shots.
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Justin Klemballa, PGA, is the director of instruction at the Jim McLean Golf School at Sunridge Canyon in Scottsdale, Ariz. To get more information, visit sunridgegolf.com.
Published: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0800
Maintain The Cup In Your Left Hand
If you’re a better player, here’s a tip on how to hit your approach shots closer
Here's a tip for low-handicappers who have a hard time controlling the distance of their short irons.
The problem usually lies with the path your club takes as it approaches the ball. Because better players tend to swing from more inside the target line, their clubface can easily shut on shorter shots. This approach may generate a lot of distance on longer shots (because the clubface is turning over), but it doesn't produce much distance control. In fact, often it will lead to hooked shots. And that's not an optimum shot shape for your control irons.
To remedy this, keep your left wrist cupped throughout the swing, especially just before impact and into the finish. (See the color photos at right.) When you try this, I want you to feel like you're hitting a soft cut shot. Practice at first with just your left hand, then place your right hand on the grip and retain that feeling. Hold these shots off a little and watch the ball fly straighter and stop on a dime.
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Published: Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0700
Core 4
The 4-step process to hitting better iron shots
Hitting better iron shots is key if you want to shoot lower scores. It's really the great equalizer if you will—the link from the tee box to the green. If you hit great drives and are putting well, it's not going to matter if you keep hitting substandard iron shots. So let's look at a few positions in the golf swing you should pay attention to so you can start hitting better shots from the fairway.
StEP 1: SET UP FOR SUCCESS
The setup is the easiest place to get things right. It's also a pretty common place to get it wrong. Look at these four photos. The left-side photos indicate a setup position I often see from my higher-handicap students, with the arms scrunched together and a lot of tension. And the moment tension creeps into your swing, consider your swing dead! The weight's on the left side and in a squatting position, with a fairly upright upper body. I'll bet this position comes from people being told to flex their knees and keep their elbows close together.
The correct setup is to flex the knees (yes, my knees are flexing under those slacks) comfortably, and hinge the upper body toward the ball from the hip. Bend as much as you need to so your arms hang naturally, and don't feel as though your elbows need to squeeze inward toward your chest. Neutralize your weight over both feet, and lastly, the left arm ought to be on the same line as the shaft, as seen in the face-on photos. And remember, there shouldn't be any need to reach for the ball. Let the arms hang naturally. Doing this correctly should lower the right shoulder—that's what you want.
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Published: Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700
One-Club Wonder!
Who needs 14 clubs? Your 6-iron can do just about anything.
A typical 6-iron has a loft of 30°, which places it between your pitching wedge (48°) and driver (approximately 9°). This mid-iron position makes it one of the game's most versatile clubs. And versatility is what this article is all about.
On the following pages, I explore six different ways you can use the six-iron. Some are slightly unorthodox, while others you may be familiar with, but in the end, I hope you realize that this one club can be your new go-to stick when you find yourself in numerous tough predicaments.
Punch It Out!
As you can see here, I've got a really bad break. I pulled my drive just a bit and ended up in the left rough with the limb of a California oak between me and the green. To advance my ball toward the 18th green here at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, I've got to keep it low and curve it from right to left. While that might sound daunting, it's not too difficult to pull off if you set up correctly.
Now, while I'm using a 6-iron for every shot in this story, it's important to remember that depending on how high your obstacle is, you can use any club from a 3-iron to a 9-iron to punch out. I've determined here that a 6 is the perfect club for the job, but practice this shot so you know exactly how high the ball flies. (This is also a great shot to play when faced with a headwind.)
To pull it off, play the ball back in your stance, so it's a couple of inches off your right foot and choke down a couple inches on your grip. Choking down a couple inches on your grip and pressing your hands toward the target so there's some forward shaft lean delofts the club and helps keep the trajectory low. Swing smoothly with an abbreviated backswing and followthrough. To add a little hook spin to your shot, move your hands to a little stronger grip position and allow your arms to release or roll over on the forwardswing. This also helps advance the ball even farther as hook spin produces an end-over-end roll. Read More...
Published: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700
Iron Play Simplified
Perfect contact is easy
LET"S MAKE THINGS EASIER, shall we? In today's age of golf instruction, there's more information than ever. Seems there are countless right ways, and countless wrong ways, to swing the golf club. In this case, I want to reduce the iron game to its simplest, most easy-to-understand level. The goal here is to get you making smooth, controlled swings that enhance your natural abilities. With these tips, you'll be on your way to making better swings and shooting lower scores, all without having to dig too much into the mechanical side of things.
LONG IRON PLAY:
Setup vs. Impact
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Think of the setup as a starting point. The body should be flexed, the arms relaxed, the ball positioned just before the lowest point on your swing arc. Once you master a solid setup like mine, here's what you need to know about both:
At impact, there are three parts of the body that look much as they did at setup—your head, your shoulders and your left arm. Everything else changes due to the rotational movement through the swing. If you try to hit from a setup position, the hands will collapse through the shot because you stop rotating. Instead, if your body keeps rotating, you can better mimic a good impact position where the hips are open, the shoulders are square, the shaft is leaning toward the target and the hands are over your left leg. Remember, whatever you do, don't try to hit from a setup position. That never works!
 A good impact position with an iron is the result of a downward blow into the back of the golf ball. With the hands ahead of the ball, just as they should be at address, you'll have a better compression of the ball against the face. This means longer, higher shots with more spin on the greens. |
 If you don't rotate, and you simply try to get back to your setup position and hit from there, here's what will happen. The hands will more than likely collapse through the shot. Keep reading this article to see what would happen next. It's not pretty, that's for sure. |
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Published: Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Iron Power
Hit your irons prodigious lenghts
Most people don’t think “power” when it comes to iron play, but as with any shot on the golf course, more power can help you a lot more than it can hurt you. Hitting longer iron shots means you can hit higher-lofted irons more often, which are no doubt a lot easier to strike solidly than lower-lofted long irons are. Also, in most cases, when you’re between clubs, it’s generally better to swing harder with the shorter iron than to swing easier with the longer iron.
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Step 1: To really max out your power, you have to develop what power hitters often refer to as “lag” in the swing. This means, holding the angle formed by the left forearm and the shaft for as long as possible, then releasing directly over the golf ball. The more lag, the more speed you’ll generate. The technique may actually deloft your iron, as well, helping you to hit the ball farther still.
Step 2: The hips have got to open through the hitting zone. This frees the upper body to swing more freely, as well as making a full extension of the arms through the shot.
Step 3: As for the straightening of the left leg at impact, think of this more as the final step in shifting your weight down and into your left leg. The key however is to remember the proper sequencing for straightening that leg. You don’t want a straight left leg at any other point in the golf swing, outside of the moment of impact with the ball. The longer you retain flex in the knees, the greater energy you’ll be able to release when you straighten that leg and whip the upper body through the hit. Think of this as you would a basketball player about to jump for a quick rebound. The knees stay flexed, and when it’s time to jump quickly, that basketball player presses into the court and then extends his legs. It’s the same in golf. You want to stay flexed until just before impact when you want to straighten, or “snap,” that left leg. This is a huge power source.
By remembering and practicing these three keys, no doubt you’ll be on your way to hitting longer iron shots. And as luck would have it, you’ll probably hit straighter shots, too.
Tom Leese, PGA, is one of the top teachers in Las Vegas. Visit mastergolflasvegas.com.
Published: Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Ironworks
Quick tips for better iron play
Better iron play is at the heart of game improvement. It’s the center link of the golfing chain, and without a strong link in the middle, playing your best becomes an arduous, if not very frustrating, task. In other words, you may be capable of hitting great drives, but they really don’t mean much if you can’t hit the green. Second, hitting the green is one thing, but hitting the ball closer to the hole is the real secret to shooting lower scores. I’ve put together a few of the most common faults I see my students make pertaining to iron play. Each tip is designed specifically for the player who already has a mastery of basic iron fundamentals, but is struggling with a few particular faults. Does that sound like you? If so, read on and get ready to start shooting lower scores.
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A normal setup, when the wind is not blowing, looks just like this. The feet are shoulder-width apart, the shaft is leaning slightly toward the target, and the body is in a relaxed, athletic position.
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When the wind blows, no matter which way, it’s generally best to play a lower, more controlled shot. This means adding more shaft lean to-ward the target at address, and a narrower stance. This will help you get to your left side sooner on the downswing and cover the ball through impact.
 Finish low |
In windy conditions, basically what you’re doing is hitting a knockdown shot. This is a lower, less-spinning iron shot that isn’t as susceptible to ballooning in the wind as a normal shot would be. But it’s not just a shot for windy days. A knockdown is a great option for distances in between two clubs, or if you need to hit a controlled shot under a tree.
Beat The Wind
To hit successful shots into the wind or facing a crosswind (go ahead and swing away as normal when hitting downwind), remember two key factors. First, keep the hands ahead of the ball at impact. This is what I meant by “covering” the golf ball on the previous page. Not only will this produce a lower shot, but a slower release of the hands ought to reduce spin, as well. Second, finish with the hands in a lower position. This will help you hit down and through, as opposed to down and up, which might add loft to your shot.
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The simple solution to hit a higher shot is to change clubs in favor of an iron with more loft. But what if you need to add a higher trajectory to all your iron shots? Instead of fixating on ball position, weight shift and/or rotation, consider the following advice to hit higher shots.
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Related Video
Educate Your Hands
Published: Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800
From 150 Yards Out
Knock it stiff on your approach shots—no matter what the lie
Here’s the good news: You’ve just hit your drive to within 150 yards of the green. If you’re like most golfers, that means all you have left is a 7- or 8-iron (that is, if you have a perfect lie, of course).
But this is golf, and bad breaks happen. Just because you’re 150 yards out doesn’t mean that you have one of those easy, unobstructed shots you practice at the driving range. You might be in a divot, in the bunker or behind a tree. Don’t worry—over the next four pages, I’ve taken a look at a number of different shots and situations in which you may find yourself. Hopefully, after you read it, you’ll be able to find the green as a result!
1. FAIRWAY BUNKER
To escape fairway bunkers, you must make good ball-first contact. Rather than hitting the sand first, like a greenside bunker shot, you want to hit the ball first as if the ball was in the fairway. If you take some sand after the ball, like a normal divot, that’s fine. When you hit the sand first, the club slows down tremendously and will result in a shot that comes up well short of the green.
 BALL FIRST! |
 CHOKE DOWN! |
 BALL BACK! |
To make good ball-first club contact, you must adjust your setup accordingly. First, place the ball slightly back in your stance. When the ball is back, the club will hit the ball first before bottoming out and hitting the sand. The other setup key is to grip down slightly on the club about half an inch. Doing this makes the club slightly shorter and more difficult to hit the sand too soon during the swing. As a result, take one extra club (if you’d usually hit an 8-iron, try a 7) so you can make a controlled swing. Read More...
Published: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Rough And Tough Shots
Escape Tough Lies With Ease
USE A WEDGE FOR BETTER CONTACT
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The shorter the club, the more descending the blow you’re going to have into the golf ball. The longer the club, the flatter the angle you’ll come into the ball. This is the main reason it’s so difficult to hit longer irons and fairway woods from the rough. Because of the shallower angle of attack, there’s too much rough coming into contact between the clubhead and ball, making it difficult not only to get the ball airborne, but also to move it out of the rough.
The right play? Punch it out to a comfortable distance in the fairway, with a high-lofted iron or wedge.
On a side note, because the rough is a lousy place to hit long irons and fairway woods, it’s not an accident that hybrids are designed to be played with a steeper angle of descent. Try hitting your hybrid like a middle to short iron from the rough, and see if it helps you.
UP AND OVER
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To hit a high pitch, I like to keep things simple. Address the ball as you normally would with your high-lofted wedge, with the ball positioned center or slightly forward of center. Only now, concentrate on releasing the hands faster through impact. With a quicker release, the clubhead will outrace the hands and add both loft and bounce to the club. Because of this, don’t be afraid to hit down aggressively onto the ball and use the club’s bounce to avoid hitting a fat shot. As for your finish, the shaft should be vertical, as you see in the photo to the left. This is a sure sign of a quick, handsy release through the ball. Read More...
Published: Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Hit More Greens
Make Consistent Contact With Your Irons
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HANDS AND CLUBHEAD is critically important. After all, it’s your only true linkage to the golf ball, meaning any slippage or loss of traction can lead to devastating shot results. And that’s no matter how well you swing it!
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YOU MAY KNOW THE CORRECT HAND POSITION, but how many times have you considered how tight or soft you should grip the club? In reality, it depends on both your natural grip strength and how well you set the hands at the top of your golf swing.
 TOO TIGHT |
 TOO SOFT |
If I grip the club too softly, not only am I likely to regrip and lose the proper club position, but my swing plane is going to suffer, since the shaft is likely to droop behind or in front of my hands.
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The intermediate cut of rough can actually be an easier place from which to hit a longer iron.
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A GREAT WAY TO check the direction of your swing path is to take a few practice swings along the first cut of rough. With the clubhead positioned just inside the first cut (the toe barely touching the rough), you’ll be able to quickly see whether or not you’re swinging down the line, too much inside-out, or as the small photo above shows, too much outside-in. You can even use a tee to get a better idea of where you want to make impact with the turf.
Another great swing thought to have is to try to swing the club par-allel to the line midway through the backswing, and again, parallel through the line midway through the downswing. You can see here, I’m almost perfectly parallel on the downswing, the toe of the club is pointing up, and my body is rotated through. I’ve definitely swung straight down the line here.
Read More...
Published: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700
8 Tricks To Become A Better Player
Quick and easy tips to play better golf right now
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One of the most common mistakes amateurs make is improper alignment. Some think they should align their feet at the target, others try to get their shoulders parallel to it. Hey, some golfers try to align everything at the target! They’re all wrong.
The correct way to align your shots is to always begin by first assessing your target from behind the ball. This will give you a perspective of the entire hole and help you aim right where you want the ball to go. Secondly, before you make your actual stance, set the clubface behind the golf ball and align it directly at the target. Do this before, not after, you get into your stance. PGA Tour players have a knack for aligning the clubhead in this fashion. Pay attention to how they do it the next time you tune in.
After you have the right clubface alignment, then comes time to situate the rest of your body. Most players benefit from aligning their lower body left of the target line and their upper body parallel to the target line. There’s actually no right answer as to what works best for you, but one thing is for sure. Aligning your body directly at the target rarely works. It usually leads to crossovers and over-the-top swings. Keep your body aiming left of the target line, and experiment with what works best for you. But be sure to align that clubface first!  2 |
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Most amateurs choose what club to use based on length. On shorter holes, they use shorter clubs. Longer holes, longer clubs; and so on. But better players know there’s more to selecting the right club than that. It also includes things like natural shot tendencies, wind, hazards and whether or not hidden dangers lurk in prime landing areas. But most of all, a better player looks at what type of approach shot is to follow. The hole may be only 365 yards long, but with a good drive, that leaves a touchy 70- to 80-yard approach. Who wants that? The right play would be to avoid awkward distances and hit a 3-wood, leaving a full wedge approach.
Lastly, a better player acknowledges that a shot with a 3-wood has a greater likelihood of hitting the fairway than a driver shot does. And with today’s new groove rules, hitting the fairway has become more important than ever. Read More...
Published: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0700
How To Win The Masters
There Is More Than One Way To Come Out On Top
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| Left: Angel Cabrera 2009 Champ; Center: Trevor Immelman 2008 Champ; Right: Zach Johnson 2007 Champ | ||
Zach Johnson, 2007 Masters Champ
Score: 289, one over par
Margin Of Victory: One shot over Rory Sabbatini, Retief Goosen & Tiger Woods
How He Won: Destroyed par-5s by laying up to his perfect wedge range
His Shot: How to hit the 3⁄4 wedge
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The key to feeling confident from a short distance is to make consistently solid contact. Players who allow their weight to shift away from the target generally have an inconsistent bottom to their swing arc. This produces both fat and thin hits.
On shots from within 100 yards, set your weight more toward your left side. As a result, your swing will, in essence, pivot around the left side “post” you’ve created. This left-sided stability will ensure you maintain your swing center and improve.
2. Control your length
A long, loose swing creates a wide shot dispersion. To tighten up your direction, you need to keep your swing length under control. Work on creating a go-to shot (a 3⁄4 swing is a good place to start).
Next, take a look at your swing from the face-on perspective. (I suggest either asking a friend to watch you or tape yourself with a video camera.) Once you swing as far back as you’d like and make some corresponding solid hits, measure how far you’re hitting the ball. That’s your go-to shot. Then do the same with swings of varying lengths to bolster your arsenal!
3. Hit firm with the correct wrist angle and pressure at impact
In golf, the “knockdown” shot is one in which the player creates a tight, piercing ballflight that can cut through strong headwinds. Read More...
Published: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Iron Out The Kinks
Better iron play is a matter of making a few quick fixes
The hard part is over, right? You’ve boomed a 300-yard drive right down the middle, leaving no more than a short iron into the green. The last thing you want to do is shank, duff, hook or slice, especially considering how well-struck your drive was. To avoid making a mistake from the fairway, there are a handful of quick tips that ought to become second nature to you so you don’t waste that well-struck drive. Although they may seem simple and minor, these changes can have a profound effect on your ability to not only hit the green, but also shape shots into tight pin locations and avoid making critical mistakes that will end up costing you strokes. So, let’s get started, shall we?
The first tip is the easiest one to master: course management. In this photo, I’m 185 yards from the center of the green, with water to the left and bunkers to the right. Now, if you were me, what club would you choose to hit, and where would you aim?
Tricky, isn’t it? The right choice in this scenario is to do two things. First, add some extra club to make sure you clear the water, in case you pull it. Second, aim slightly right of the target. Yes, this puts the bunkers in play, but hitting a bunker won’t cost you penalty strokes like a water ball will. The key with every shot is to carefully plan out where you want the ball to land. If you pay more attention to your course management, you may find yourself worrying less about your swing, which will help you hit better shots. You owe it to your great drive to follow up with a solid approach.
Often, golfers seem to think that how they address their feet determines what type of shot they’ll be likely to hit. And while that’s true, in part, how you adjust your feet also affects how your body swings—not just the way the ball curves. Consider this: If the target line of the golf ball remains constant, then your feet can be adjusted three ways that will affect the way your body rotates. First, the feet may be positioned parallel to the target (shown left). From here, the body will make a free turn in both directions (away and through), thus providing the perfect blend of power and accuracy. Second, the feet may be positioned slightly left of parallel (bottom left). This position will help golfers restrict their backswing length and, in turn, help them make a more complete rotation through the finish position. It’s a good feet position for golfers who over rotate on the backswing.
And finally, the feet may be situated to the right of parallel. This will help the golfer make a bigger rotation on the backswing and help you feel more “loaded” at the top of your swing. This positioningof the feet is very helpful for golfers who tend to take quick, short backswings without fully loading their right side at the top of the swing. Read More...
Published: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Slice No More
Say adiós to the banana ball once and for all!
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To draw the ball,the first thing you need to have is the right image. Begin by setting your sights on a spot to the right of your target. This is your starting line. Now, imagine your ball beginning on that line (illustrated in white, above) and curving left, back to the target. Visualizing your shot will send valuable information to your muscles and help turn that image into a reality.
When setting up for a hook, it’s a good idea to close your stance a touch, as well. (Note how my left foot is slightly closer to the ball than my right.)
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| Just Right! | My Club’s On Plane |
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| Too Tall! | My Arms And Shoulders Don’t Match |
2. Bend Forward
A steep swing encourages an open clubface and, thus, a slice. To fix this, you have to swing on a flatter plane, and that starts at address.
Begin by bending over more during setup. This steepens your shoulder plane. Your arms now will swing on a flatter plane, allowing you to create a neutral, shallow hit. A flatter arm swing also will encourage your clubface to close through impact, thus bending the ball to the left.
 Draw |
 Neutral |
Improper grip position and grip pressure are two of the biggest factors that cause a slice. To ensure that you keep the ball out of the right rough, I want you to first make sure your hands are in a position that encourages a closing clubface. This means adopting a neutral or strong grip where both hands are rotated more to the right on the shaft. Secondly, realize that the harder you squeeze, the more likely you’ll slice! If you really want to bend it left, make sure you adopt a grip where the hands and arms are soft and relaxed. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the tightest pressure, I want you to feel that a hook would happen at a level “3.”
Read More...
Published: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Swing Myths and Simple Fixes
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The question is, who should you listen to? Who’s right, and who isn’t? Well, I’m here to explain some of what I consider to be the most common swing myths, many of which have been wrongfully taught for decades by both golf instructors and amateurs alike.
I’m willing to bet you’ve already heard of a few of these, which is why I’m presenting not only the myth but also the fix. Read on and get ready to eliminate swing myths from your golf game and get your game back on track.
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Who hasn’t heard of this one? Keeping your head down at any point during the golf swing is the last thing you want to do. By keeping your head down (see photo to the left), you stifle your upper body’s ability to rotate. A hindered rotation means my hands will get flippy; my weight will either shift too little, too late or not at all; and furthermore, any chance of solid impact will lessen significantly.
In addition to hurting my ability to hit solid shots, keeping your head down can actually hurt you, physically. It puts a tremendous amount of stress on your neck.
Let your head move
Here’s the right way to do it. See how more of my face is visible under my hat? My head is up, and my neck is in line with the rest of my spine. This enables me to rotate without my head getting in the way. Also, by keeping my head up (and my eyes on the ball, of course), I retain my spine angle better than I do with my head tucked down. Look at the difference in body rotation, arm extension and weight shift. All three factors are directly attributed to keeping my head out of the way. Read More...
Published: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Why You Can’t...
(and how you can)
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Having been around Tour pros for many years, I can tell you that one thing is certain, however: There are things they consistently do on the golf course that you and I can’t. That’s why they’re the game’s greatest.
And yet, of course, you’re an expert in your respective field. Whether you’re a doctor, a chef or a real estate agent, in your work, you’re a “Tour pro.” There are things you know that most of us don’t.
Like you, Tour pros are good at their jobs, and there are shots they hit that we can’t always pull off when we play. That’s reality. But let’s look at what they do well and try to learn from them so we can improve our games.
...hit it 300 yards on a rope consistently
To crush it, you must use all your power sources (correct wrist action, a controlled arm swing and a full body pivot) effectively.
Start your downswing by uncoiling your lower body first so your club swings around your body “on plane.” This will help you hit it in the center of the clubface and help you square the club at impact.
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...control your distance with all clubs
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Tour pros know not only how far they hit each of their clubs, but also the distance gaps between them. The key, though, is how they fill the gaps between each club: by adjusting the length and speed of their swings. This ability to dial in shots helps Tour players make tons of birdies.
To shrink your distance gaps, work on making half and three-quarter swings. You’ll find that the distances the ball travels and the trajectory you have with different-length swings will help you control your distances much better. Read More...
Published: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
10 Best Tips
(You've Never Heard)
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1. HIT THE DRIVER FROM THE BUNKER
It’s not uncommon to see PGA Tour players occasionally hitting the driver off the fairway, but what would you say if I said it was possible to hit the driver from the bunker? You can!
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| The key here is to hit on the lower portion of the face. As shown by the top photo, hitting lower on the face will generate more backspin, helping the ball to lift higher and quicker. If you catch the ball more in the middle (lower photo), the ball is likely to travel on a lower trajectory out of the bunker. | |
If your shot passes those four variables, here’s what else you need to know. Play the ball as you normally would, with the ball positioned forward in your stance. As for your swing, try not to swing at 100 percent; instead swing as hard as you can without your feet sliding around. Finally, unlike your normal driver swing, which requires you to shift your weight forward, it’s okay to hang back a little and let the club swing out in front of you. Hitting it fat isn’t likely, mainly because the driver has such a flat, wide sole, making it easier to slide across and bounce off the sand instead of digging down into it. Read More...
Published: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Master Your Iron Play
Hit Better Iron Shots With These Simple Keys
Better iron play requires solid and consistent fundamentals. If you watch the best players in the world, and factor in the heavy pressure and stress they face during any given round, you’ll notice that the players with the soundest fundamentals are the players who rise to the top of the leaderboard come Sunday. Often, I see players who can hit their short irons well but struggle with long irons, or players who are better with middle irons than they are short and long irons. Either way, the most common reason players lack consistency through the iron set is a lack of sound fundamentals as they adjust to each club. Too often players try to change up their swing with each iron, thinking, because they’re of different lengths and lofts, they need to swing differently. Wrong! In this section, pay attention to the basics, and learn what elements of the golf swing work with just about every iron in your golf bag. While basic positions may subtly adjust, the golf swing should stay the same throughout the entire bag. Set the grip, turn the hand, squeeze the club. It’s that simple! Gripping the club properly with your gloved hand means gripping the club in the right sequence. I’ve seen students actually do this in opposite order, where they squeeze the club first, then set their hands, which then sends the grip all out of whack. Instead, first lay the grip along the second knuckle of the index finger and just below the point where your little finger and palm meet (as I’ve indicated with my pen). Then, while holding those pen points on the grip, rotate the hand so the V formed by your thumb and index finger point somewhere between your right cheek and shoulder.
From there, squeeze the grip so your hands are secured, but not tensed up. If you look at my knuckles, you’ll see my most comfortable grip shows two dots (I also dotted each knuckle with a pen). One dot showing indicates a weaker grip, three dots showing is a grip that’s very strong. As for what works best for you, go ahead and experiment to find out. Just be sure to follow the proper grip sequence, and once you settle on a grip position that’s optimal for you, stick with it. If you’re constantly changing your grip, you’ll have no chance at becoming a consistent iron player.
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| QUICK TIP! Choose the right width when it comes to your grips. If you have long skinny fingers, thicker grips will help. Short and stubby fingers may benefit from regular or skinny grips. |  |
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| The marks on my hand are the proper pressure points. Grip the club with your ungloved hand along the thumb pad and last knuckle of your index finger. | See how the palm of my hand fits perfectly over my gloved thumb? That’s where you want it. Second, check out how my index finger is being placed just below the grip. This will help me position my hands with ease around the grip for better control. | Unlike the gloved hand, this hand grips the club more like a clamp. My hand is secure and my thumb isn’t squished up against my hand, nor is it stretched out along the grip. Feel free to overlap or interlock your pinky. It’s a matter of personal preference. |
Published: Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Paths To Perfection
Understanding how different irons affect your golf swing.
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In a perfect world, every shot in golf would be the same distance, and we’d only have to use one club the whole round. Instead, we have 14 clubs to choose from, mostly made up of irons of different lengths and lofts. Some instructors say that you should make the same swing with every iron, play the ball in the same spot and, lastly, expect the same results with each club. Well, I’m here to tell you that’s not necessarily the case. Depending on which iron you use (we’ll simplify things by breaking it down into short, middle and long irons), the golf swing will be a little different each time. This is because no two irons are exactly alike. For instance, the longer the iron, the more you need to stand away from the ball and the flatter your swing will be.
Conversely, the shorter irons have the opposite effect and produce a more upright swing. This phenomenon is why some golfers can hit their short irons well and struggle with their longer irons. They most likely don’t know that they have to swing the long irons a little flatter! The key is to understand how different irons affect your swing, and then make the proper adjustments. The following tips will help clear up any confusion and get you on the right path, right away.
Ball Positions
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| Short Iron |
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| Mid- Iron |
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| Long Iron |
Published: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:00:00 -0700
Heads Up!
If you’ve been told the key to better ballstriking is to keep your head down, odds are you’re a golfer who puts a slice on the ball. Also, you’re a victim of bad advice, since keeping your head down can cause a variety of swing (and back) problems. Keeping your head down on your backswing actually will cause your head to get in the way and restrict your body turn. This means your arms and upper body will lift upward instead of around, and you’ll swing with an upright, outside-in swing path.
The right way to manage your noggin is to keep it out of the way. This starts with maintaining a straight spine, from your tailbone to the top of your head. By standing tall, your body can rotate under your head more effectively and keep your swing on a flatter plane. This not only leads to better swings, it also helps keep your back and neck from getting injured, a common occurrence among golfers with bad posture or who have been told to keep their head down. Keep that head up for better shots!
Notice how when my head is down, the shaft angle is more upright. This position usually leads to a slice. Keep the head and neck straight to flatten your swing.
Paul Ito, PGA, is the director of golf at the beautiful Puakea GC on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. To learn more, check out puakeagolf.com.
Published: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:00:00 -0700
Sweetspot: Luke Donald
Get your irons in check by observing one of the best ballstrikers in golf
Since his early days playing for England on two Walker Cup teams and making noise as an NCAA star at Northwestern, Luke Donald has had PGA Tour success in his sights. Having already cracked the top-60 in career earnings with more than $12 million to his credit, you’d have to say he’s right on track. In 2008, Donald has continued his consistent play, and as of April 1st, he managed to notch four top-25 finishes, including a second-place finish at the Honda Classic. What’s the key to his success? The simple answer is sound fundamentals, a solid, rhythmic swing and a fantastic putting touch. Here, you’ll notice he’s using a weight on the clubshaft—this helps him further ingrain his smooth rhythm.
Arms Close
Donald’s left arm hangs nearly perpendicular to the ground. This is the product of quiet hips and serves to minimize the amount of hand action required during impact. If the left arm is allowed to push out away from the body, the clubface opens more and needs manipulation to get back to square.
Hips On Hold
The key to Donald’s control is in his hips. While they begin to open before impact like all great ballstrikers, they do so with a subdued and delayed action that serves two specific purposes. First, the lack of early hip rotation allows the arms to remain close to the body. Second, any excessive upper-body tilt created from overly active hips is eliminated.
Right At It
Donald’s great body position keeps his arms close and allows his right arm to point directly at the ball. This is on plane! As a result, his hands will be lower at impact than most Tour players, helping him to better control the trajectory of his iron shots.
Changing Hands
Approaching impact, Donald’s hands are in their proper position, with the left wrist flat and the right wrist bent back. This is different from their alignment at address, with the left wrist bent and the right wrist flat, and is a change all great ballstrikers achieve, further proof that impact and address aren’t the same.
Right Heel Down
That his right heel remains grounded late in the downswing is another benefit of Donald’s quiet hips. It allows his feet, knees and hips to remain directly under his torso, creating a truly “stacked” impact position that maximizes compression and consistency.
Facing The Ball
With the club tracking precisely on plane approaching impact, there’s no need to make adjustments to the clubface. The toe of the club will overtake the heel and need no extra manipulation from the hands to become square. This is a critical element to creating crisp iron shots.
Luke Donald plays Mizuno forged irons for what many would agree is the ultimate in feel and control. The MP-57 is the latest in the line. www.mizunousa.com
Published: Sat, 31 May 2008 17:00:00 -0700
Pro Contact
Learn how to hit your irons like a pro
There’s nothing in golf quite like making pure contact. If you’ve never felt an absolutely pure golf shot, then you must keep reading, because I’ve got a method that will allow you to achieve this magical feeling! If you have experienced this sensation, then chances are it’s the main reason that you’re hooked on this great game. And if you love golf, I’m sure you’d like to learn to make that pure contact more consistently.
What do I mean when I say pure contact? I mean contact that’s free from any defects or faults. It’s a solid strike that compresses the ball against the ground and takes a divot after the ball is in the air, not before. Achieving this type of contact tends to be difficult for a lot of recreational golfers, but it’s exactly this perfect, pure contact that the pros make time and time again that allows them to play at such a high level. In other words, pure contact is pro contact. Read carefully, examine the accompanying photos and drills, and get to work, and eventually you too can learn to hit it pure, just like the pros.
Ingredients Of Pro Contact
1. Forward Shaft Lean
Forward shaft lean (at impact, the shaft is leaning with the grip end of the club closer to the target than the head of the club) is an absolutely mandatory ingredient for making solid, pro contact. This is a must if you hope to compress the ball (squeeze it between the clubface and the ground) and make your divot after the ball, not before. This is the true secret to pro-style power and control and the element you absolutely must have if you want to hit “real” golf shots.
So how do you achieve forward shaft lean? There are several movements that are key, and when they happen in the correct sequence, the result is magic. Through contact, your weight must shift onto your lead leg and your trailing shoulder (right shoulder for right handers) has to move toward the ball. A lot of recreational players do the exact opposite by shifting their weight to the back leg and falling away from the ball and the target. This move sabotages any chance of making pro-style contact immediately and promotes weak, glancing blows that often travel on a left-to-right path. Instead, you must make a proper weight shift and create a balanced, leveraged position on your way toward impact. The club must move down first, then outward and forward in the direction of the ball. Your right arm and wrists must maintain their angles and save their power deep into the swing. Think of it in these simple terms: Good players reach maximum swing speed through and beyond impact, while less accomplished players reach maximum swing speed early in the swing, before they come close to impact.
Good Impact. Notice how the shaft is still trailing my left arm just after impact (if you draw a straight line up the shaft it is ahead of my left arm). My weight is on my left leg (right heel is in the air), my right shoulder is lowered, my right wrist is bent, my left wrist is flat and the divot occurred after contact with the ball. The shaft is now vertical, as it should be after a sound, ball-first impact.
Bad Impact. Notice how the shaft has passed my left arm (if you draw a straight line up the shaft, it’s behind my left arm). My weight is still on my right leg (my right heel is on the ground), my right wrist is flat, my left wrist is bent, and the divot has occurred prior to making contact with the ball. The shaft is leaning backward, a sure sign of a scooped-impact position.
Published: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:30:01 -0700
Rotate Efficiently
If you want to increase your ballstriking ability, you need to understand how to rotate your hips properly in the golf swing. Most amateur golfers rotate their hips too far during the backswing, which makes it difficult for them to get their hips to open up to the target at impact, a key component of a successful swing.At GolfTEC, we’ve measured the swings of more than 100 Tour professionals. Therefore, we know exactly how the hips need to rotate in order to maximize power and efficiency in the swing. With a 5-iron, the average Tour player has a hip rotation of 48 degrees closed to the target at the top of the backswing, and at impact, they rotate their hips to an average of 42 degrees open (facing the target). If you’re like most players, you rotate your hips 55 to 65 degrees closed at the top of the swing, while only getting to 15 to 25 degrees open at impact. Most golfers can achieve enough hip turn to hit the ball a long way, but it’s more important to be open at impact than closed at the top.
There are several common swing faults that cause the hips to rotate too far during the backswing. It’s difficult to know which of these movements is causing problems in your swing without seeing it on video or measuring it with motion analysis. Nevertheless, the following swing thoughts may help you make more efficient and powerful use of your hips.
For one, try to keep your right knee flexed throughout the swing. This somewhat limits the free rotation of your hips. Also, focus on the width of your knees at address, and strive to maintain that width all the way to the top of the swing. Another useful tip is to keep your belt buckle pointing at the ball during the entire backswing. On the downswing, try to point the buckle at the target by the time you reach impact.
1. Keep the right knee flexed throughout the swing.
2. Try to maintain the width that you have between your knees at address all the way to the top.
3. Try to keep your belt buckle facing toward the ball at the top of the swing (as it is at address).
4. Try to point your belt buckle at the target by the time you reach impact.
Steve Atherton is the V.P. of instruction at GolfTEC. To find a GolfTEC learning center near you, visit www.golftec.com.
Published: Tue, 06 Mar 2007 08:43:09 -0800
Stay In Your K
Even good golfers with sound, grooved swings come untracked now and then, especially if they lose the flex in the back leg trying for distance. If you stiffen your back leg during the backswing, your body will likely tilt out of balance, making it tough to re-flex the knee just the right amount in time for impact. If you can play some great golf, but consistency is your problem, it might be that you need a dose of Special K. Here’s how it works. K Pasa?
At address, the Special K is the angle formed in your back leg by the upper and lower leg. The manner in which you stand to the ball determines in large part how well you maintain your Special K during your swing.
The best advice is to establish an athletic, ready-to-move setup. Create this posture by bending forward from the hip sockets and back from the knees. When your back leg is flexed correctly, it creates room for your arms to swing and aligns the joints one on top of the other. You should be able to draw a line from the top of the spine through the tip of the elbow and then from the tip of your knee down through the ball joint of your foot. Keeping The K
To keep your swing level, this angle should be maintained from address to just after impact. A good way to experience what it feels like to keep the Special K while you swing is to look in a mirror while you take practice swings. Start with the setup position shown in the photo at right. Hold it steady, then look in the mirror to connect the sight and feel of the correct back-leg flex for that position. Next, swing to the top. Again, hold that position and use the mirror to see if you maintained the angle in your back leg.
Another good learning method is to practice swinging with a shaft placed in the ground and angled to match the slant of your upper leg. You won’t be able to see the shaft while you swing, but you’ll sense that it’s there, and that will help you maintain your Special K.
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Published: Mon, 05 Mar 2007 16:21:16 -0800
Hinge For Power
Hinge For PowerAmateurs have problems hitting crisp iron shots due to two fatal flaws. First, the takeaway tends to be too low to the ground, which delays the proper hinging of the wrists until too late in the backswing. Second, in a misguided effort to create power, the arms tend to swing too far in the backswing.This causes a breakdown in posture and usually leads to a reverse pivot. These flaws cause mis-hits and a lack of distance and control.
Several simple steps can be taken to gain control over the length of the swing in order to create more solid contact. At setup, a 45-degree angle should be present between the left arm and clubshaft. This starts the swing with the wrists already hinged halfway to the necessary 90 degrees. During the takeaway, the hands should stay close to the ground while the clubhead moves up quickly. The goal is to get the left thumb pointing at the right shoulder as soon as possible. You’ll know you’ve achieved the proper wrist hinge when your left arm is parallel to the ground and the clubshaft is perpendicular to it. This sets the wrists much earlier in the backswing, eliminating the need to swing the arms too far at the top. The tendency to lose posture and reverse pivot will be removed with this more compact golf swing.
Creating the proper wrist hinge in the backswing will lead to noticeably better ballstriking and, as a result, more consistent distance and direction on all iron shots.
PGA professional Brady Riggs teaches at Woodley Lakes Golf Course in Van Nuys, Calif. For more information, visit www.bradyriggs.com.
Published: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:55:09 -0800
Five Fundamentals Of Iron Play
Improve your scoring by refreshing yourself with the must-know components of the iron swing
We admit, blasting a huge drive is a ton of fun. Nothing beats
splitting the fairway with every ounce of swing speed you have,
watching the ball soar for what seems like miles in the air and basking
in the success of the result. But what’s a 300-yard drive if you can’t
hit the green on your second shot? Worthless!
No matter how sexy driving the golf ball can be, your mammoth drives
don’t mean squat unless you have the skills to follow them up with
solid iron play. The same goes for putting—you can’t score if you can’t
putt well, and part of making more putts has to do with how close you
can hit your approaches to the hole. Put it this way: Scoring well
requires a series of chain reactions. Great drives stage easier
approach shots, and better approach shots lead to shorter putts, which
likely lead to lower scores. Invariably and frequently, these links are
going to weaken most often with the big stick and flatstick, making it
all the more critical that you keep your iron game in top form.
Setup
Bend from the waist, not from your back, for better posture.
Take the club back with the arms, not wrists, during the takeaway.
Frankly, a poor setup is downright inexcusable—you don’t even have to hit a golf ball to get it right.
Begin by understanding the difference between a good setup and a flawed one. Think of a baseball player or basketball player. They flex at the knees, stand firmly on the balls and heels of their feet and do so with solid posture. Think “rock and roll” to remind you that your feet serve as a rock through your backswing and roll through the downswing. The back retains straightness, but not necessarily rigidity. The spine should tilt toward the ball, and in a correct stance and swing, this tilt remains well through impact. More importantly, the tilt occurs in the hips (solid image at left), not the waist (ghosted image). Your weight should be balanced evenly over both feet. The hands should always be above or in front of the ball and never behind (think of your left arm as an extension of the shaft).
Now, on to ball position, the most overlooked aspect of iron setup. The ball should be played no farther back than your sternum and no farther forward than your left armpit. Most golfers tend to play the ball too far forward, causing a slew of miserable contacts. Try this: Hold a golf ball at your sternum while making a regular stance over a ball. Drop the ball from your sternum and note where it hits the ground. If it lands in front of the addressed ball in relation to the target, then you’re playing the ball too far back.
Takeaway
How you take the club back during the onset of the backswing determines what route the rest of your swing will follow, making it crucial you get this step right. Let’s look at the 2-8-12 rule. During the first two inches of your takeaway, the club should travel straight back. This necessitates that your arms, hands and shoulders move in unison and as a single unit (hence the term “one-piece takeaway”). From the second inch to the eighth inch, the club routes its way up, but the wrists have yet to break. This is simply a natural continuation of the one-piece move. From the eighth inch to the 12th inch is when the wrists break, positioning the clubshaft parallel to the ground and your target line. The full cock of the wrists occurs when the hands are shoulder high. Also, notice how I keep my rear shoulder slightly lower than the one closer to the target. This prevents me from hanging on my front side during the takeaway. If your forward shoulder drops, then your weight isn’t going to shift properly to your back foot during the backswing.
Rough Takeaways
When you find yourself in the rough, invariably you’re going to need a steeper takeaway to get your swing moving on the right arc. As the club begins moving back, the wrists should already begin to hinge and not twist, thus allowing for a steeper and shorter backswing to follow. The wrists should already be fully cocked by the time the hands reach hip high on the backswing. You should retain this wrist cock as long as you can.
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Published: Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0800
Red-Letter Days
Use the alphabet to groove a solid, power-rich, accurate swing
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Good days and not-so-good days on the course are part of golf, creating the personal challenge avid players crave. For most golfers, good rounds are those defined by solid ballstriking with ideal direction, distance and trajectory. It’s these special red-letter days—the days when golf seems effortless—that every golfer wants more often.
On days when you’re playing your best, it’s likely that you’re successfully achieving some key positions in your setup and swing. These positions create the best opportunity to maximize your potential for distance, direction and proper trajectory with every shot.
An easy way to remember these important setup and swing checkpoints is to visually relate them to the alphabet. What follows is an easy way to assay your setup and swing in a mirror to see that you’re giving yourself the best chance for a red-letter day every time you tee it up.
Address: Why The Letter Y
At address, the letter Y puts you in the best position to produce a powerful golf shot that travels on an ideal trajectory. The Y is created by the left arm and the clubshaft, and your spine, which should be tilted slightly from the target.
The left arm and clubshaft alignment mimic the same in-line condition of impact, which is necessary to produce solid golf shots. Your upper body tilt, complete with your head positioned behind the golf ball, sets up the correct upper body pivot and helps launch the ball on a playable trajectory.
If you set up with your shoulders level and with eyes fixed on top of the ball instead of behind it, you’ll have a difficult time turning your upper body correctly back and through with the proper weight shift.
Halfway Back: L Is For Leverage
Halfway into the backswing, allow your wrists to hinge the club up as you turn your upper torso. In so doing, you’ll create the letter L as your wrists cock and form a 90-degree angle between the club 
and your left arm. This lever is one of the most important power sources in the golf swing. Combined with a fold of the right elbow, creating the letter L elevates the clubhead to a position higher than your hands. The dynamics of this move produce a club that feels light rather than heavy. Be sure to keep your left arm extended, with your hands in front of your chest to create the proper width for your swing.
Unless you create the proper angles with your arms and the club, you won’t be able to unleash maximum clubhead speed at the golf ball. If you delay the wrist hinge and elbow fold (photo at left), or swing the club too flat or too around your body, the club will feel heavy at the halfway back position. This is a recipe for losing width at the top and hinging at the elbows instead of a hinging at the wrists—a huge power leak.
At The Top: The Power V
At the top of the swing, your spine should be slightly angled away from the target and you should feel loaded on your right side. If your head moves a couple of inches to the right, that’s fine. In fact, this happens with 
most good golfers. If you’re correct at the top, a vertical line running from the ground through your left hip and one down your back should create the letter V. When you see the V, you know you’ve created the proper coil and weight shift necessary for a powerful downswing. Not only does a good position at the top put you in a powerful striking stance, but it’s also more likely to promote a swing that travels on the correct plane.
If your upper body tilts toward the target with your weight on the left side at the top, you’ve filled the space reserved for the power V. You’ll have a tendency to fall away from the target on the forwardswing—just the reverse of what should happen. This reverse pivot move positions the bottom of the swing arc too much behind the golf ball, causing you to hit the ground behind the ball or the top half of the ball as the clubhead is on its way up. It’s also difficult to swing the club on plane with a reverse pivot, and most often you’ll get a steep angle of attack and a weak, glancing blow that produces either a pull or a slice.
Published: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 14:28:40 -0800
Bermuda Blues
If you’re planning a golf vacation this winter, be prepared to face a course element common to most tracks in Hawaii, Arizona and Florida: Bermuda grass. If you’re not accustomed to playing on this type of turf, you may be surprised at how it can affect your game, both on the fairway and the putting surface.
In the fairway, Bermuda’s inherent structure often will cause your ball to “sit up.” Despite the “fluffiness” of the lie, don’t approach the shot as if the ball is teed up and attempt to scoop the ball off the turf. Due to the nature of the lie and the scoop swing, the ball will fly high, but it also will float more than usual, making it more susceptible to wind. Make sure you play the ball back a few inches in your stance (being careful not to move your hands back as well). This small adjustment will help you achieve a more penetrating ballflight by encouraging the hands to lead the clubface into the hitting zone.
On the putting green, the situation becomes even more dicey. Bermuda grass aggressively seeks out light and, therefore, tends to grow in the direction of the setting sun. This creates a crook in its growing pattern, which establishes the tremendous grain for which Bermuda putting surfaces are known. It’s imperative to have a clear read of the grain before any putt, even a two-footer.
Before reading any putt on a Bermuda green, walk to the hole and give the sides of the cup a good look. One half will look brown and ragged; the other half will be green and cleanly cut. The brown side of the hole indicates the side opposite the grain of the grass. Your putt generally will tend to drift toward that side of the cup and green.
PGA pro Eddie Lee instructs at Wailea Golf Club in Maui, Hawaii.
Published: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 14:00:34 -0800
Swing Extremes: Impact Position
All good players have one position in the golf swing that’s similar despite their very different-looking swings. This position is impact. Good players retain their wrist-cock through the hitting area so that their left wrist is bowed and the right wrist is flexed (for right-handed golfers), and both hands are slightly in front of the golf ball at the strike. This is often called a late hit or clubhead lag, and good players use both to create a tremendous amount of clubhead speed and power in their swings.
High-handicappers tend to do the opposite at impact. Instead of a late hit, they actually execute what’s called an early release. They scoop the ball at impact because they lose the lag too early in the downswing. Instead of having a bowed left wrist and their hands ahead of the ball at impact, they have a collapsed left wrist and their hands are behind the ball. As such, they suffer a tremendous loss of power and direction and end up with a very weak hit. Golfers with this problem tend to hit the ball better with their woods than their irons because the ball is teed up and they can get away with scooping or hitting up on the ball. In order to hit solid irons shots and better drives more consistently, however, it’s necessary to hit down with a flat left wrist that’s ahead of the ball at impact.
To create a late hit, you must sequence the swing so that your hands, wrists and clubhead arrive at impact in the correct order. This is called sequencing.
Sequencing
First, check your left-hand grip (your right if you’re left-handed) to make sure that the club handle is held primarily in the fingers as opposed to the palm. When you look down at your grip, you should see at least two knuckles on your left hand at address. The V formed by the thumbs and forefingers on both hands should point to the right side of your face.
If you can’t see at least two knuckles, your grip is primarily in the palm, and this will make it difficult for you to create the necessary wrist hinge for a late hit at impact.
Second, as you swing back, allow your wrists to hinge naturally. To help create wrist hinge, imagine that there’s a hole in the butt end of the club and the shaft is full of water. As you swing back, pour the water out of the shaft onto your right leg. The wrists should be fully hinged by the time the left arm becomes parallel to the ground. This backswing wrist hinge must be duplicated in the downswing.
Third, as you start down, feel as if you’re leading with the butt end of the club. Try to maintain your wrist cocked as long as possible on the downswing before allowing the clubhead to whip through impact. Think of impact as a finish line to a race. Your left hand should come in first place, the right hand should come in second, and the clubhead should come in third. If you let the clubhead win the race, you’ll fail to achieve the correct impact position.
To ingrain the feel of this position, practice putting yourself in the correct impact arrangement. Start at your address position, with your weight evenly distributed. Your arms and club should form an uppercase Y. Now, shift your lower body weight and hands toward your target. Your hips should be slightly open, your left wrist should be flat and there should be some angle in the back of your right wrist. The capital Y formed by your arms and club at address should now resemble a lowercase y. Hold this position for a few seconds and repeat. Next, make a full swing, focusing on creating the lowercase y at contact. With a little practice, your shots will become straighter and more powerful.
Class-A LPGA teaching professional Karen Palacios-Jansen is the director of instruction for Swing Blade Golf Enterprises (www.swingbladegolf.com).
Published: Sun, 01 Aug 2004 15:51:28 -0700
Swing Extremes: Swing Plane
Professional and low-handicap golfers consider the swing plane to be one of the most important concepts in golf. Swing plane directly relates to how straight, high and far one can hit the ball. At the same time, swing plane is one of the most intimidating terms for high-handicappers, simply because they’re not sure what a swing plane is, let alone what a good one looks like.Swing plane is simply the angle of your swing arc in relation to the ground. If you made a perfectly upright swing, the club would travel on an arc perpendicular to the ground, like a Ferris wheel. If your swing plane were perfectly flat, the club would swing around your body horizontal to the ground like a merry-go-round.
Your swing plane is influenced by your height, body type, posture and how you swing your arms and turn your body. The plane also differs from club to club, because of the lie angle of the club and the lie of the ball on the ground. For example, the shorter the club, the more upright your swing plane will be. If the ball is on a sidehill lie where the ball is above your feet, your swing plane will naturally be flatter.
To envision a perfect swing plane, imagine a dotted line drawn from the ball, along the clubshaft and up past the grip. This is your swing plane line. As you execute your takeaway, the club should remain on the same plane angle as your imaginary dotted line until the clubshaft is parallel to the ground, or about one-quarter through the backswing. From here, the club might move slightly above the dotted line as it reaches the top, a by-product of the required lifting action of your arms. Don’t worry, this is a natural move!
The natural change of direction from backswing to downswing should drop the club back on the dotted line so the clubhead approaches the ball on the same plane as it was at address. Through impact, the critical rotation of your forearms keeps the club on the line well into the finish. As you can see, the perfect swing plane has a few ups and downs, but adhering to a consistent plane will help you maintain balance and allow you to swing aggressively.
Plane Opposites
High-handicappers, because of poor swing mechanics or misconceptions regarding swing plane, begin their swings by rolling the club away from their bodies on the takeaway, which immediately puts the club under the swing plane or dotted line. From this position, the player can only lift the club to finish the backswing and then come over the top, or above the swing plane, on the downswing. From here, all you can do is hit the ball from an outside path, a major cause of slices and pulls.
The key: Stay on plane as much as possible, especially in the beginning of the backswing. If you’re on plane at this critical part of the backswing, you’re more likely to remain on plane throughout the entire swing.
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Published: Thu, 01 Apr 2004 10:56:56 -0800
Elbow Room
Generate a more productive swing by correctly moving the right elbow
Contrary to popular belief, the arms and elbows, from address to the top of the backswing, travel only a short distance. This is a reality few recreational players grasp. Most choose to believe that the arms and elbows travel a very great distance, and this is what provides power in the golf swing. These golfers are drastically misinformed. Power isn’t generated by swinging the arms and elbows out and away from your body. In fact, just the opposite is true. Read on to learn why and how to develop a more compact, more efficient and more productive swing.Compact Hinge
A key concept to understand is that the arms, which are positioned in front of the chest at address, must remain in front of the chest throughout the swing. Keeping your arms and elbows in front of you begins with being able to execute a proper right elbow hinge. Most amateurs are guilty of hinging the elbow backward, an error that moves the right forearm under the swing plane, eventually trapping it behind the right hip on the forwardswing.
The right elbow should hinge up, not back. Maintain your arms’ position in front of your chest and also keep your right forearm on the plane of your swing. Your shoulder turn brings the club behind your head, not your arms.
You can practice the correct elbow hinge with any club. Following the takeaway, focus on folding the right elbow up, not out behind you. Your swing should feel much more vertical than before. More importantly, it should feel shorter. That’s a good thing since, whether you believe it or not, a good backswing is only 18 inches long. From setup to the top, your right elbow should move just about a foot and a half, from the center of your torso to just outside the right hip.
Despite its smaller-than-expected length, a “true” backswing fuels a simpler swing, is loaded with big-time power and makes it much easier to return to impact without hindrances or compensations.
A proper right elbow hinge is paramount to creating a fundamentally solid backswing. But it’s only a small piece to a bigger puzzle. The secret to better golf is to get rightly related at the top—a requirement that involves the establishment of four key angles, all of which are 90 degrees.
90/90/90/90 DrillThe first 90-degree angle is created by the right elbow. As you fold the elbow up (not behind, remember), it should hinge to 90 degrees. This 90-degree fold is measured from the right bicep to the right forearm. The other three 90-degree angles are made between 1) the right tricep and the right side of your torso; 2) your clubshaft and your right forearm; and 3) your shoulder line and the target line. Establishing these four angles adds extension and coil while keeping the backswing relatively short, compact and simple.
Stand up where you are and assume your standard address position. With your left hand resting on your hip, bring your right arm up and fold it 90 degrees right in front of you. That’s one 90-degree angle. Now, check that your right tricep makes a right angle with your torso. That’s 90-degree angle number two. Next, hinge the right elbow so that if you were holding a golf club in that hand, the shaft would make a right angle to your right forearm. That’s angle number three.
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Published: Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:49:25 -0800
Hands On!
Great swings match grip with hinge. Does yours?
Like all sports, golf requires a high degree of hand-eye coordination, as well as advanced hand motor skills. If you don’t employ your hands correctly, you’ll find it difficult to hit quality golf shots consistently. As a golfer who’s serious about improving, it’s imperative that you learn what role the hands play in the golf swing. Once you do, you’ll have all the tools to take your shotmaking to a much higher level.A Key Relationship
I’m sure you’ve read your fair share of instruction articles on how to grip the golf club correctly, and that you’ve been able to develop a fundamentally solid hold on the club. What you may not be aware of is how your grip affects your cocking/hinging mechanism and, as a result, the position of your clubface. This relationship is important, and if you fail to recognize its dynamics, you’ll struggle even if your grip is perfect.
A weak hold, one which features the back of the left hand (for right-handed golfers) pointing to the target and the “V” formed by the thumb and forefinger pointing toward the right ear, must incorporate a cocking/hinging mechanism that produces a flat left wrist at the top. Keeping the left wrist from cupping is essential to keeping the clubface on-line during the swing. If, from a weak hold, you hinge your wrists so that the left wrist cups, you’ll rotate the clubface too far open on the backswing. Only the player blessed with ultra-fast hand speed will be able to square up the face at impact from this position.
Grip/Clubface
A stronger grip, one in which the back of the left hand points more toward the sky than the target and the “V” formed by the thumb and forefinger points toward the right shoulder, is better able to accommodate a left wrist cup at the top, if that is indeed your preference. The key is to refrain from trying to keep the left wrist too flat as you hinge the club to the top. A strong grip plus flat left wrist at the top usually results in a laying off of the club or swinging too far to the inside. Only a serious combination of compensations can get the face and club back on plane and on the correct delivery path.
There have been as many good players with weak grips as there have been good players with strong grips. The common denominator is that a good golfer knows how to match grip type with the wrist-hinging mechanism that makes it easy to return the face to square at the point of impact. The grip is a personal entity—you should adopt a hold that feels the most comfortable. However, most skilled golfers claim that it’s easier to maintain the relationship between the weak grip and the hinging mechanism that produces a flat left wrist at the top than the converse.
Flat PracticeWith a 7-iron in hand and a weaker grip, hinge your wrists upward and downward in front of you (see photo at left). As you do, check the back of the left wrist to make sure you aren’t cupping it, but rather keeping it flat, so flat that you could place a ruler across the back of your left wrist and the left forearm without there being a gap. The clubface should point toe up if the hinge is correct.
Next, hinge the club upward 90 degrees in front of you, again keeping your left wrist flat, and rotate your body so that the shaft points perpendicularly to your toe line just outside your right foot. Take that hinge to the top without allowing any additional concavity in your left wrist. At this position, check the wrinkles in your left wrist. If you’ve kept your left wrist flat, they should only be between the left thumb and the side of the left wrist. If you’ve allowed your left wrist to cup, you’ll find wrinkles across the back of the left wrist.
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Published: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:56:53 -0800
Get Over The Tops
For many golfers, topping the ball is a serious problem. Not only are worm burners the ugliest shots to watch in golf, but they invariably put your ball into horrendous situations from which to escape.When a student comes to me fighting the tops, the first thing I do is help him or her understand that, on all full swings with an iron, it’s crucial to execute a downward strike on the golf ball, not an upward lift or scoop. Anything but a descending blow increases the likelihood that you’ll catch the ball above its equator, a scenario that produces the top. Of course, your motion may need more help than simply to hit down on the ball. Nonetheless, the following Break The Tee drill works wonders.
Set a tee in the ground so that the top of the tee rests just above the turf. Assume your standard address position and make your swing with the primary goal being to clip the tee out of the ground. This isn’t as easy as it seems, especially for a chronic topper. The key is to really go down after it, with no lifting or flinching at impact. The proper forward shift of weight targetward on the downswing also is required to steepen the path.
After a few swings, you should be able to not only clip the tee, but to break it and send it flying from the turf along with a healthy divot. Now, place a golf ball on the tee and continue the drill. If you make the same downward swing, your top shot will be replaced by one that rises quickly with plenty of backspin. After a dozen or so solid strikes, take the tee out and continue to ingrain the feeling of “breaking the tee.”
PGA professional Barry Goldstein instructs at Polar Shot Golf Center in Johnson City, N.Y., and Inverrary Golf Club in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Published: Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:26:26 -0700
Square At Impact Is A Myth
Believe it or not, the long-held belief that the clubface must be square through the hitting zone to hit straight shots is a myth. Over the past 10 years, I’ve measured the activity of the clubface during Tour players’ swings through the impact zone, and what I’ve learned is that not a single player holds the clubface square during the hitting area. Not one! In fact, these top-level players rotate the face counterclockwise around the shaft (for right-handed players) at about 30 degrees per foot of linear motion forward. Put another way, the clubface is 30 degrees open 12 inches from the center of the ball before impact and 30 degrees closed 12 inches past where the center of the ball was after impact. This means that the clubface is only square when it reaches a point somewhere near the center of the golf ball. It also means that when the clubface first touches the ball, it’s actually open instead of square.
If your clubface is square when it first touches the ball, and you correctly allow the clubface to rotate six degrees counterclockwise, you’ll get a six-degree hook that starts left of the target and hooks further left. In contrast, if the club touches the ball with the face six degrees open, it will apply an initial six-degree slice rotation. This will be negated, however, by the six-degree hook rotation applied during the deformation phase. The result is sidespin of net zero and a straight shot.
If you strike the ball with the face anywhere in the three- to nine-degree open range, you’ll hit a perfectly acceptable golf shot. It should be reassuring to know that a six-degree variation at impact will produce decent results. In measuring Tour players’ face angles at impact, I found a five-degree variation, shot to shot.
Put these new concepts to the test the next time you visit the range. Address the ball with the face six to 10 degrees open, instead of square. Turn the shaft counterclockwise through the impact zone and observe the resulting ballflight. If the ball flies left, you turned the face too soon. If it goes right, you turned the face too late. Keep hitting shots and observing ballflight until you have a sense of the face hitting the ball at the right time with the proper angle. Once you find the right amount of rotation for your swing, hitting accurate shots will become a lot easier.
Veteran teaching professional A.J. Bonar is the director of A.J. Golf School in Carlsbad, Calif.
Published: Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:09:38 -0700
Automatic Transition
Take a seat! Use a chair, a soccer ball and a trusting friend to create a smooth transition.
A common swing error from which many golfers suffer is throwing the club from the top of the swing. This fault can produce a variety of bad shots and typically an impact position in which the clubhead is too far out in front of the hands. Throwing the club from the top is a start-of-the-downswing error, but most golfers, sensing it’s their hands lagging behind the clubhead that’s producing weak slaps at the ball, will choose to focus on correcting their impact position. Impact occurs at speeds from 80 to 120 mph and, as a result, is a tough part of the swing to influence independently. If you’re one of those golfers who throws the clubhead from the top, you can’t “recover” at impact. In other words, you simply have to live with what you get once you set the motion from the top. If you’re throwing it from the top, you’re throwing it! And if you’re not, you’re not! In my opinion, the most important stage in the golf swing is when your club and body change direction to start the downswing, exactly when clubhead throwaway can occur. Improving your change of direction or transition is largely dependent on a couple of things. One is the correct chain of events or, as I like to put it, the correct “train” of events. Second is the maintenance of key body angles, which is critical to get the “train” on track. Once you do, you’ll eliminate one of the game’s deadliest faults and improve your impact and ballstriking without once thinking of where you need to be at the point of contact. Make your transition automatic, and impact will take care of itself.Right To create perfect impact, you need to establish six key angles during your transition. The majority of these angles are dependent on maintaining the angle of your spine as you move from backswing to downswing. Among other positives, maintaining the spin angle provides room for your right arm to move in front of your right hip and toward the target without straightening.
Wrong Most golfers have the tendency to stand up during the downswing. Losing the spine angle established at address creates several problems. For one, it moves your body away from the ball, facilitating the need to straighten the right elbow and wrist to reach it. This places the clubhead too far out in front of the hands at impact.
SequencingIt’s vital that your transition become smooth and unhurried. Even the game’s longest hitters project a look of effortlessness as they change direction from backswing to downswing. A smooth transition from backswing to downswing is largely dependent on the movement of your lower body, specifically your legs. Your legs are the stabilizers in your golf swing (acting like shock absorbers on your car), providing balance and support as your torso winds and unwinds. In fact, in a good transition, your body should be moving in two directions simultaneously. As your upper torso completes its wind away from the target, your lower body should already start to unwind toward the target. It’s this sequencing that sets up the correct “train” of events.
Imagine that your lower body (your feet, knees and legs) is the engine of the train while your upper body (shoulders, arms, wrists and hands) is the caboose. If the engine doesn’t lead the caboose, the train will most certainly crash. The same goes if your lower body doesn’t lead your upper body into the downswing. Work on the Sequencing Drill to improve your transition and avoid any train wrecks on the golf course.
Sequencing Drill: Place and hold a clubshaft behind your back just above the shoulder blades and a soccer ball between your knees, and assume your address position. Just before your shoulders reach the top, drop the soccer ball by moving your left knee toward the target. This move will produce the feeling of a correct transition and a “sitting-down” look in your lower body.
Body Angles
Achieving the correct sequence of movements is vital to creating a very athletic golf swing, and this sequencing is a good first step toward hitting better golf shots. However, without maintaining key body angles throughout the swing, you’ll still suffer from very inconsistent contact. There are three angles your body should produce at impact if you wish to expect quality results. There are also three club angles. If you go “three-for-three” in both areas, you’ll be knocking the flag down in no time.
The three body angles that must be present at impact for quality shots are a constant spine angle, a bent right elbow and a bent right wrist. You can easily achieve these impact positions if you maintain your spine angle during the transition. Try the Chair Drill to learn how to properly maintain your spine angle.
Maintaining your spine angle as you start your downswing allows many other good things to take place. First of all, you’ll remain the same distance away from the ball, which helps you hit the ball solidly. Second, it provides the room necessary for the right elbow to move toward the target—in front of your right hip—without straightening, which helps you hit the ball with more power.
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Published: Thu, 01 May 2003 14:43:03 -0700
Stop Shanking
Most golfers have felt the agony of wasting a great drive by shanking a wedge shot into the trees or the water. That one shank probably has even made a few of you so paranoid that you shanked the next four shots around the green. The main reason golfers hit shanks with their wedges more than with other clubs is the steep, outside-in path it takes to use these clubs properly. Also, the clubface must be open in order to get a wedge shot to fly high and straight. The combination places the hosel of the club—where shanks occur—dangerously close to the ball.
To keep the shanks at bay, make sure that you let your arms hang naturally from your shoulders at address, with maybe a slight amount of reach toward the golf ball. Also, push your rear end back as though you’re getting ready to sit down in a chair. This will establish some room between your arms and body. If your hips and rear end pull in toward the ball during the downswing, your arms and hands will naturally get closer to the ball as well, which can easily lead to shanks.
Also, try putting three or four tees about one-eighth-inch to a quarter-inch beyond the toe of your club. When you swing, make sure that you don’t hit the tees. Avoiding the tees will keep you from extending so much that you hit the ball with the hosel.
Steve Atherton is the VP of Instruction at GolfTEC. Locate the GolfTEC center nearest you at www.golftec.com.
Published: Thu, 01 May 2003 09:57:45 -0700
Turnstyle
Get behind the ball for better, more powerful swings
Most golfers know that a full, 90-degree shoulder turn is a crucial element of a solid golf swing. Without it, a proper weight shift and a correct swing plane are almost impossible to achieve. A good shoulder turn not only ensures that your shoulders and chest are behind the ball at the top of the backswing, but helps maintain consistent balance throughout your motion. Before you can master a proper shoulder turn, however, it’s important to understand what it entails and exactly what it is. Simply put, a full shoulder turn is accomplished when the left shoulder replaces the right shoulder’s position in the backswing. In other words, to make a correct turn, your left shoulder should rotate into the position held by your right shoulder at address.
Another way to achieve this position is to simply concentrate on moving the left shoulder to the inside of the right foot. Both techniques will produce the same result—a left shoulder that has turned, not swayed, into the right side.
Although this move sounds simple, recreational golfers have a terrible time doing it consistently. Instead, they make a mistake that I call the “fake turn.” This is probably the most common backswing error, and can be difficult to overcome because it actually feels like a proper move. Unfortunately, the “fake turn”—in which the shoulders rotate, but don’t actually position the body behind the ball—almost always results in a reverse pivot and a lack of balance. By turning in this way, with the left shoulder beginning over the left foot and staying in that position throughout the swing, the majority of body weight is stranded on the left side, which can lead to a variety of bad shots, including pull hooks, blocks and slices.
Another characteristic of the “fake turn” is a left shoulder position that’s markedly lower than the right. In contrast, a solid shoulder turn has the left shoulder maintaining the same height it held at address and simply rotating away from the target and behind the chin. You’ll know you’ve made a good turn when your head moves away from the target, not toward it. And remember, your left shoulder has to turn, not drop!
Backswing Basics
The amount of power you can potentially unleash into the back of the golf ball is directly proportional to the quality of your backswing and, more importantly, the solidity of your shoulder turn. A proper shoulder turn is one in which the shoulders rotate fully, weight is transferred to the rear leg and a constant spine angle is maintained.
Parallel Club DrillA very simple exercise that quickly and easily instills the feeling of a correct shoulder turn is the Parallel Club Drill. To practice this drill, place a club across your chest and another club parallel to the inside of your right foot (at address). Make a backswing so the club across your chest is directly on top of the club inside of your right foot. When the two clubs are in-line, hold the position long enough to remember what it feels like. Repeat this move until you feel confident you can achieve the correct position without the reminder club being present.
Turnstile
A solid turn begins with a solid setup, preferably one dominated by a wide base of support, a straight spine and comfortably flexed knees. From this position, if all you think about is replacing your right shoulder with your left while maintaining your spine angle, you’ll be well on your way toward grooving a high-quality backswing turn. If your head floats toward your rear leg during the process, don’t fight it—it’s part of the proper move.
Mirror Drill
Another great drill to help understand how it feels to correctly turn around your axis is the Mirror Drill. Stand in front of a full-length mirror and assume your address position. Have a friend stand behind you and hold a club vertically, running from your head toward the ground. This line represents your spine angle and the axis around which you want to rotate. Once you have this position set, make a backswing and take a close look in the mirror. If you only see your friend’s left shoulder, then you’re making a “fake turn.” In contrast, if you’re moving correctly and rotating well, you’ll see most of your friend’s upper body. Once you can consistently make your backswing and see your friend clearly in the mirror, you’ll have mastered the proper shoulder turn and will be ready for increased power.
Shift Your Weight For A Proper Turn
Since the “fake turn” is a major contributor to bad balance and a reverse pivot, it can be extremely helpful to pay close attention to the flexing of your right knee in the backswing. Often, making a fake turn will cause the right knee to become stiff or locked in a straight position at the top (for right-handed golfers), which places the majority of body weight in the left leg. When you swing down from this position, your weight will naturally shift to your right side, taking away all your power and pulling the club up through impact, instead of allowing it to move down and through the hitting zone. From this dynamic, expect the gamut of poor shots.
A great way to improve your turn and to eradicate the reverse pivot (locking of the right knee) is to shift your weight properly while maintaining the spine angle you established at address throughout the entire swing. To develop a proper weight shift while also working on your turn, try this drill: Assume your address position, and have a friend stand behind you, placing the butt-end of a club against your left shoulder and the end of another club against your left hip. Then, take a backswing. If your hip moves off the club, then you’ve swayed and your right leg and knee have straightened to some degree. Instead, you want the left shoulder to move off the club, to the inside of the right foot, and the left hip to rotate while staying in contact with the club. This will ensure that you’ve maintained your original spine angle throughout the backswing, while also helping retain the original angle of the right knee.
PGA pro Carl Rabito operates Rabito Golf Schools in Orlando, Fla.
Published: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 15:20:38 -0800
Tighten Up!
Contrary to popular opinion, loose swings produce loose shots
How many times have you been told to relax your grip, your arms or your entire body to better your golf shots?Everyone has, most often by a well-meaning playing partner hoping to pull you from the depths of a horrible round. However, such misguided advice can wreak havoc on your swing. Most golfers would be better served by tightening up their swings rather than making them looser or, to coin a phrase, “more fluid.” The next time a tournament airs on TV, check out Ernie Els or my old college teammate David Toms. When golfers of this caliber swing the club, their motion is undeniably fluid. However, professional swings are anything but loose, indicated by these three common swing traits:• The hands never come off the club
• The left arm doesn’t fold and the elbows never split apart in the backswing
• The upper body turns significantly more than the lower body in the backswing
Grip solidity, arm structure and backswing coil are difficult to create in a swing that’s overly loose or relaxed. These are elements of a tight-knit, yet well-oiled motion. Here’s how to achieve such a swing.
Grip Pressure
What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words “grip pressure”? For most, the words conjure up phrases such as “hold the club like you’re holding a small bird” or “grab the handle like a tube of toothpaste” or any number of sayings handed down from generation to generation to relay the idea that you can’t hold the club too tightly.
While it’s true that you should never put a death grip on the handle, it’s important to grip the club strongly enough to pass what I like to call the Hogan Test. Ben Hogan could hit shot after shot after shot without ever taking his hands off the club or changing his grip. Most recreational players have at least one grip change during every swing, let alone between swings. This is hardly the recipe for solid and consistent shotmaking.
The in-swing regrip phenomenon occurs because the lesser-skilled player’s hands are too loose, and they fail to achieve adequate pressure in three key areas of the grip: in the last three fingers of the left hand, the lifeline of the right hand and the right forefinger. If you can maintain adequate pressure here, you’ll be able to pass the Hogan Test. The Shoelace Drill should help you develop constant grip pressure in the three key areas.
Shoelace DrillRun a shoelace in between the butt of the grip and the last three fingers of your left hand. Continue it up and over your left thumb and then to the right side of the shaft where your right forefinger rests. You should feel a constant pressure that will hold the shoestring in between the last three fingers of your left hand and the club, between the lifeline of your right hand and your left thumb, and between your right forefinger and the shaft. Maintain that pressure throughout the swing.
Arm Pressure
Arm pressure is perhaps one of the most misunderstood—or at least, worst applied—concepts in golf. Many of my students complain that they hit the ball too much with their arms and don’t use enough legs and hips. While this may well be the correct diagnosis, the common solution—relaxing the arms—causes more harm than good. When recreational golfers choose to relax their arms, more often than not their arms turn into limp noodles and their elbows execute undue folding and unfolding. Obviously, this is too loose, too slack. And too much slack leads to too much slap and robs your swing of power.
To keep your arms from going limp and, more importantly, your elbows from folding too much on the backswing and straightening too early in the downswing, use the Tac-Tic and Ball drills. Note: If you choose to tighten up your backswing structure, make sure to work on this from address to the top. A straight left arm at the top isn’t something that simply happens. A straight left arm begins at address and is maintained throughout the backswing.
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Published: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 12:00:26 -0800
Post-Up For Precision
Do you have a problem striking the ball solidly on a consistent basis? Do you tend to hit behind the ball? Do you struggle getting the ball to go into the air? Do you lack power? If so, it could be that you have too much lateral body movement through impact.This isn’t to say lateral movement isn’t allowed. In fact, the left hip should shift laterally forward until it’s directly over the left heel. The key is to shift laterally, not by flexing your left knee, but by transferring your weight to a straight left leg. This is called posting-up.
Posting-up simply means straightening your left leg as you drive your weight into the finish position. You can check this by either videotaping your swing or having your playing partner watch your lower body through impact. As you drive into the ball, your left knee (for a right-handed golfer) should be straight and devoid of flex. This creates a lower-body motion that can be easily repeated and that provides a consistent impact position.
At impact, PGA tour players achieve a position that situates their left hip higher than their right. Put another way, their left leg is longer than the right leg. At GolfTEC, we define this as hip tilt. The PGA tour players’ average hip tilt at impact is 14 degrees to the right. Amateurs typically don’t post-up well and generally have around three degrees of right hip tilt at impact.
Use your lower body efficiently by posting-up. When you do, you’ll hit the ball farther and with greater accuracy.
PGA teaching professional Scott Young is the Director of Instruction at the GolfTEC learning center in Dallas, Texas.
Published: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 11:18:27 -0800
Maintain The Bend
Keep that right knee flexed for more consistent golf
There are many important facets to a good golf swing, but maintaining the bend in the right knee is one that simply can’t be overlooked. When a student comes to me with a common complaint (slicing, poor ballstriking or a general lack of consistency), I always take a close look at his or her body angles, and make certain that their posture and knee position are constant throughout the swing. If the student is having problems with posture or knee position, it’s not worth spending a lot of time working on other aspects of the swing. Solid results just can’t be achieved without correcting these problems first.Typically, golfers who straighten the right knee suffer from a sliding or swaying of the hips in the backswing.
Of course, these problems, along with the reverse pivot, are extremely common faults for recreational golfers, so it’s no surprise that a straightening of the right knee is also very common. The only way to prevent right-knee straightening is to keep the lower body centered and acting as a base of support. This way, the upper body will have the freedom to get behind the ball without affecting the angle or bend of the right leg.
It’s important to understand that trying to restrict the movement of the right leg while making your regular backswing won’t remedy the problem. The ideal situation is one in which the swing works without mechanics that affect the bend of the right knee. The key to achieving this effortless backswing is keeping the spine angle you establish at address a constant. The spine angle and right-knee bend are closely related, and it’s necessary to maintain both angles for a solid golf swing.
My favorite drill for developing a solid backswing is the two-club drill. To practice the drill, you need two extra clubs and the help of a friend.
First, assume your address position, and have your friend stand behind you, placing the head of one club against your left shoulder and the head of the other club against your left hip. Then, take a backswing. If your hip moves off the club, then you’ve swayed, and your right leg and knee have straightened to some degree. Instead, you want the left shoulder to move off the club to the inside of the right foot, and the left hip to rotate while staying in contact with the club. This will ensure that you’ve maintained your original spine angle throughout the backswing, while also helping retain the original angle of the right knee.
Continue practicing this drill until the proper position feels natural. It might take some time, but if you can learn to maintain your right-knee flex and spine angle throughout the swing, you’ll be well on your way to developing a more solid, consistent golf game. Losin' It
Losing your right-knee flex during the backswing usually results from a straightening of the right leg, a move that also generates a reverse-pivot. From this position, the likelihood of producing a slice increases dramatically.
No!
When performing the two-club drill, it’s important to turn correctly while maintaining your spine angle. If your left hip moves off the club on your backswing, you’ve swayed or tilted your spine—disaster.
Yes!
A solid backswing turn, one in which the right knee retains its flex and the spine angle doesn’t change, is evidenced in the two-club drill—at the top, the left hip is still in contact with the club while the shoulder has moved off the other.
Veteran instructor Carl Rabito is a two-time ECC PGA Teacher of the Year. His Rabito Golf Schools are based at the Diamond Players Club in Orlando, Fla.
Published: Mon, 01 Apr 2002 12:54:54 -0800
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Loading Hot Deals. Please wait.The United States boasts a total of 18039 golf courses, located at a total of 15784 golf facilities. Of these 15784 golf facilities, 4853 are private and 13186 are public golf facilities. Out of all states, Florida has the most golf courses, with a total number of 1378 courses. California comes in second with 1079, Michigan in third with 993, and Texas and New York finishing out the top five with 939 and 924 golf courses respectively.
- Alaska (24)
- Alabama (275)
- Arkansas (207)
- Arizona (391)
- California (1079)
- Colorado (294)
- Connecticut (198)
- District of Columbia (6)
- Delaware (47)
- Florida (1378)
- Georgia (471)
- Hawaii (92)
- Iowa (423)
- Idaho (127)
- Illinois (740)
- Indiana (497)
- Kansas (258)
- Kentucky (288)
- Louisiana (171)
- Massachusetts (400)
- Maryland (215)
- Maine (145)
- Michigan (993)
- Minnesota (544)
- Missouri (353)
- Mississippi (159)
- Montana (108)
- North Carolina (613)
- North Dakota (117)
- Nebraska (237)
- New Hampshire (119)
- New Jersey (345)
- New Mexico (100)
- Nevada (119)
- New York (924)
- Ohio (854)
- Oklahoma (219)
- Oregon (216)
- Pennsylvania (764)
- Rhode Island (58)
- South Carolina (420)
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The new Raw Distance Feel has a highly responsive core, combining power with feel.
By Tim RosaforteFrom the May 20 edition of Golf World Monday: Peter Uihlein took the road less traveled, but it was longer than the one, say...
