| Tips from the Pro
January, 2010
This month’s tip is about the golf ball. Which ball do I play? I know with today’s huge variety of balls to choose from, you hear about cover materials, dimple patterns and distance/durability claims. Many golfers have a hard time deciding which ball to play. The piece to solve this puzzle is compression.
Scientist have proven that, under optimum conditions, the highest compression balls go the farthest. I believe this to be true, but I also believe there’s much more to playing good golf than raw distance.
To a slow or easy-swinging golfer, the highest (100) compression ball will feel like a rock. To a very hard hitting golfer who hits flush shots, a softer ball (90 or lower) compression will feel mushy or unresponsive. Feel is an important factor in golf, the psychological impact of both mismatches is likely to be negative.
So to help you find the right ball, we must find out what swing speed you have. A slow swing speed (90mph or less) you will need to hit a low compression ball. If you can generate a high swing speed (95 mph and higher) you will need a high compression ball. For example most Tour Pros play a high compression ball. Although a few Tour Pros play a low compression ball.
Here’s a few balls for example:
- Titleist ProV1x (100) compression
- Nike Tour D (100) compression
- Bridgestone 330 (100) compression
- Titleist ProV1 (90) compression
- Nike Tour (90) compression
- Bridgestone Rx (90) compression
February, 2010
Position Your Head Naturally
When you get into your stance you don’t want to set your head to far back, away from the target. This will put to much wait on the right side. This will make turning the body in the back swing difficult, especially in the hips. The result is often a short swing or an arms-only swing, and in both cases usually the ball will go to the right.
If you do the opposite and place the head too far forward, or toward the target, will set too much weight on the left side which makes for a reverse pivot.
What I like to do is imagine, my set up to the ball and my head in a natural position. Perpendicular to my shoulders and in the middle of my body.
March, 2010
"Set Up At Ease & Stay Relaxed"
One of the most common mistakes made by most beginners is to much tension in the body at address. It is key to minimize tension in the body and stay relaxed when you address the ball. Your arms must be relaxed, so you can make a free arm swing, but in order to do that your shoulders must be relaxed too. If your muscles are flexed at address you have to much tension. Try to imagine a soldier at attention, “stiff” right? Now imagine a soldier at-ease. The first thing that happens is the slumping of the shoulders. You must feel your shoulders and arms relaxing as you address at every shot, both in practice and in play. Practice this drill. It will help you make a full, free, fluid golf swing.
April, 2010
Drag The Club Back
In looking for a effective swing trigger, I started dragging my club back as I would begin my turn from the waist. By dragging the club back it will help your back swing stay smooth and effortless. Try to imagine yourself swinging a broom back and forward. You would drag the broom back across the floor. This is the same motion you would make with the golf club.
There’s a drill that I have used to develop a smooth take away.
- Set the club down at address with a ball in front and a ball directly behind the club.
- Drag the club back, pushing the ball away as you make your turn.
- Repeat steps 1 & 2 until you feel confident in making a smooth, effortless take away.
May, 2010
Swing Between The Shafts
A common mistake that golfers will make is a sway or rock in there swing instead of a turn.
The way to correct this flaw is to set up at address as if your were going to make a swing. Place two broken shafts in the ground. One next to your right foot and one next to the left. Now make your swing in between the shafts. If you sway or rock back you will hit the shaft. You will do the same if you sway or rock through the ball on the follow through.
When you make your swing, you want less body action. The way to do this correctly you must plant your feet and hold your ground. As you make a smooth take away you turn from the torso, shifting your weight to the right side with out hitting the shaft. Now begin your down swing and turn and rotate through the ball shifting your weight to the left side with a full finish with out hitting the shaft.
This drill can be challenging but it will help you keep your lower body still and create a balance between body motion and hand arm action in the full swing. If you look at the tour players and watch them swing you will see they have a quiet lower body.
June, 2010
One Continues Motion
One of the most frequent asked questions that I hear from students, is "Should I pause at the top of my back swing?" My answer to this question is no!
You want your swing to be fluid, one continuous motion. As you make your back swing to the top of the swing plane, your hips start to turn and release creating the forward motion of the down swing. Then the hands and arms follow through exploding behind the ball. The left hand will pull the club through, as the right hand will then turn over throwing the club over the shoulder completing the finish.
July, 2010
Pull The Club Head Through
Good golf shots are the result from delivering the club head to the ball when the club head is traveling from either slightly inside or directly along the target line, with the face looking squarely at the target.
If you deliver the club head too early and get ahead of the hands before impact, this will create a pull or a pull hook.
If you deliver the club head to late behind the ball with the club face open will cause the ball to go to the right. Hitting a slice.
To pull the club head through you must set up with the left arm and club shaft in a straight line from the left shoulder to the ball. This will promote the left hand pulling the club head through the ball at impact, rather than guiding the club head through with the right side.
A good drill to practice is to hit shots by swinging the club with just the left hand, completing the swing.
August, 2010
Drive Through The Ball Not Down
You may hear or read the phrase hit down on the ball or behind the ball. These terms can be misleading. I’m here to fix that for you.
When you see or hear these phrases, think through the ball. That is really what they mean. When you hit your best drives the club head is traveling parallel to the ground or slightly upward at impact. This is the result of the ball being hit forcefully forward, not down, giving you the optimum trajectory and maximum distance.
When you hit your worst drives you usually swing the club head on a downward angle, which will give you excessive backspin on the ball at the cost of forward motion. Which result in weak hits, slice, and pop-ups.
To be sure to Drive Through The Ball at impact:
- Tee the ball so at least half of it is higher than the top edge of the clubface.
- Position the ball no further back than an inch or so than your left heal. Or you can try positioning the ball off of your left big toe.
- Be sure your hands at address are no further than your left pocket.
- Keep your head behind the ball. Stay down!!! This is the hardest thing to do, but the most important. Keep your head down through impact.
- Make sure your left hip never passes your left foot on the forward swing; make the full clearance of your left side and a complete release of the club head with the hands, wrist and arms extended through the shot.
Practice these positions. Get them right and you will transfer maximum energy to the ball at impact and hit your drives farther than ever.
September, 2010
Choose The Correct Chip
Success around the green depends on good decision making as it does good technique. For instance, once I decide to play a chip shot, I have three types of chips from which I choose: the basic chip, the backspin chip, and the runner. Picking the right one for the situation at hand will increase my chances for success.
When ground and course conditions are normal, I will play the basic chip, guiding the club back and through with my left hand and letting my right provide the hit, with no breaking of the wrist. When I need softer shot with some bite, I will hit the chip shot with backspin, opening the face of the club slightly at address and trying to cut across the ball from out - to -in to create backspin. When I have a lot of green to work with, I use the runner, (bump & run) which I will bring the club straight back and straight forward like a putt.
Try theses shots for yourself and develop a feel for when and how to use them on the course. Remember, learning to pick the right chip shot is just as important as mastering the technique. This will result in lower scores and a good short game.
October, 2010
Lob Shots
"Right Hand Under For Soft Lobs"
The key to playing high, floating, soft-landing shots - such as a gentle lob over a bunker or water to a tight pin position - is keeping the clubface open through impact and well into the follow through.
With practice this shot will come with ease, but can be very effective on the course.
Keep the palm of the right hand behind and under the palm of the left hand all the way through impact of the shot and on to the end of the follow-through.
November, 2010
The Late Riser - Low Knock down Shot
This shot can be used in several situations. You may find yourself using this shot to get through trees, under tree limbs and in the wind. This shot can be used from 100 yards and in.
A popular way to hit this shot is to take a longer club, like a 7 iron and choke down on it and try to adjust your swing to hit the ball as far as you would with your 9 iron or pitching wedge.
One option you have is to hit your 9 iron with your regular action but make a few changes at address.
- Close the clubface slightly at address and position the ball in the back of your stance, with your hands forward.
- Then set most of your weight on your left side.
- Swing with confidence from that set - up, keeping your head down and weight left throughout the swing.
The ball should fly low and far enough to reach the green or your desired target.
December, 2010
Speed Control
The line of every putt depends on speed at which the ball travels to the hole. Since the player alone controls the speed through the force of the stroke, only the player can determine how much break to play.
It takes practice to figure out how much force of the stroke relates to distance. This should be your main objective on middle - to long range putts. Look at where you usually miss these putts; chances are, you misjudge the distance more than the direction. Most players should work on speed control more than anything else when their putting goes sour.
It is important to have a realistic approached to putting. From 12 ft. and out, of course the objective is to make the putt but I will always try to control my speed to give myself a safe tap-in. "Die it at the cup." To help gauge speed, I focus on rolling the ball at a speed that will put the ball with in a 3 foot circle around the cup.
If you are inside and you want to practice, putt down a hall way or an open area at home. Place a 4 inch peace of paper down and putt to the paper. The ball has to stop squarely on the paper. This will help get your speed control down.
Practice this and you will become a better putter.
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