Generation X PGA Pros

photo credit: pocketwiley   On Memorial Day Ricky Fowler was  interviewed, on national TV after his ride in an F-15 fighter jet.  When they asked him what his feelings were he said, “at least I didn't blow chunk (a reference to vomiting)!”  A far cry from the answers a Palmer or Nicklaus would have given when they were in their prime. 

Fowler is part of a new generation of PGA Pros with about as much personality as armadillos.  Except for Phil Mickelson, there is not a single stand-out personality on tour.  Compared to the 60's, 70,s and part of the 1980's when the likes of Palmer, Trevino, Player, Nicklaus, the Walrus, Chi Chi, the Great White Shark and many more, today's players behave like a herd of zombies.

It's time for a new make-over.  The players need to loosen-up and start acting like ambassadors for the game instead of worrying about every word they say for fear of offending one of their sponsors (Fowler's remarks were just plain stupid).   Golf's future is at stake but no one seems to be worried.  Where have all the Superstars gone?

Putting Grips

photo credit: USACE Europe District   Putting is not standardized, it is very personal.  There are many variations of holding and swinging the putter, here are a few:

Standard Reverse Overlap:  This is the grip that dominates the game.  It is a reverse Vardon grip, whereas, your left forefinger overlaps the knuckles of your right hand (for right-handers).  Both thumbs are placed on top of the grip facing downward.

Baseball:  The grip is held as one would hold a baseball bat.  Both thumbs straight down and resting on top of the grip.  The back of hands are directly opposite of each other.

Claw:  This grip has become extremely popular.  The left hand is placed in the standard position with thumb facing downward and resting on top of the grip.  The right hand is opened with the palm facing the target.  The thumb and first three fingers of the right hand are placed on the grip with the palm facing the target.

Putting is about keeping the clubhead from drifting off the target line.  Choose the type of grip that has the highest degree of success for your game.

Feeling the Clubhead

photo credit: Evan Wilson Photography   Golf is a game of feel.  Playing golf is all about striking the ball cleanly on the sweet spot (center) of the clubface.  Hit the ball off the sweet spot and you've got an errant shot.

TIPS:  a)  never force your swing, the idea is to swing as smoothly as possible generating speed as the swing progresses with maximum clubhead speed reached at the point of impact.  b)  hold the club with very light grip pressure which will give you maximum feel of the clubhead.  c)  don't try guide the club with your hands, the swing is accomplished through the use of the entire body not just your arms.  d)  make a full body turn to generate maximum power. 

These tips are not at all hard to follow and they do not require any change in your style or golf swing.

Line of Sight

photo credit: CostasZ   Addressing the ball inappropriately on the putting green can be detrimental to your putting success.  If your eyes are not directly over the ball it is nearly impossible to see the correct target line.  It does no good to take a good read on any given putt if your eyes are not looking down the line when addressing the ball.

TIPS:  a)  Your eyes should be directly over the target line.  b)  The center of your nose should be pointed 2 in. behind the ball.  c)  Arms and shaft should be in a straight line (looking directly at the golfer or looking from behind)  d)  Both thumbs should be placed on very top of shaft pointing straight down.  e)  feet position should line up with the target line.  f)  wrists should not break down when contact is made with the ball.

Spend more time on the practice green before each round and watch your scores improve !

Swing Axis

photo credit: Ray McFadyen   Take a pencil, next, take a short string and attach a weight on the end and tie the string on the end of the pencil.  When you twist the pencil, the string rotates.  If you tilt the pencil one way or another, the axis of the string will change.  Now pertain this example to your back and arms:  your back is the pencil and your arms are the string/weight.

In order for your swing to be consistent, your back must remain straight during the swing.  Any tilting or swaying of the back, will cause variations in your club-path.

Most amateurs don't realize the importance of maintaining good posture during the golf swing, or the importance of rotating your swing around a stable axis (your straight back).

Swinging the Club

photo credit: Justin Tallaksen   Choose any club in your bag and make a full swing using a very firm grip.  Now use the same club and hold it very gently and take the same swing.  Did you notice how much heavier the club felt when you used a grip with very little grip pressure?

Try pounding a nail with a hammer using a firm grip – now pound another nail using very light grip pressure.  You will drive the nail quicker using the light pressure on the handle, why?  Because a lighter grip will generate more head speed which will create more force when the nail is struck.  The same holds true for a golf club.

The only way you can actually feel your club and the clubhead is to maintain very light grip pressure.  TIP:  If your club feels heavy to you during the swing you are most likely using the correct grip pressure.

Putter Heads

photo credit: fredcamino   The game of golf includes two different games which are on the fairway and on the green.  The game on the fairway is impersonal because there are certain age-old swing requirements that need to be incorporated in order to score well.  On the other hand, the game played on the green is a highly personal game where almost any method a golfer chooses may work well.

Because the putting game is so personal it is very important for every golfer to use a putter that is not only comfortable but looks good to the user.  TIP:  Choose a putter with a putter head that has a nice look to it.  Some designs can be extremely distracting and can have a negative impact on  your putting game.  Forget all the hoopla and sales pitches by manufacturers and salespeople.  Choose a putter that you like the looks of.

Don’t Hesitate When Putting

photo credit: CostasZ   One of the biggest reasons for bad putting is lollygagging over a putt.  Many golfers will study their putt/s at nauseam.  They read the putt from behind, to each side and from the back of the hole.  Once the read is taken, it's time for the practice swings.  Once over the ball it's time to repeatedly glance from the ball to the hole (and all between).  The stroke is made and that relatively easy 10 ft. putt is missed by 5 inches.

TIP:  For better results with your putting, take a quick read from behind the ball, make one practice stroke, step up to the ball, take one look at the cup and without hesitation,  make your stroke.  One of the biggest advantages of this method is that it does not allow the opportunity to clutter the mind with all sort of negative thoughts.  In other words, it doesn't give you time to “think.”  Try it and watch the difference in your scores.

Setting the Club

photo credit: Justin Tallaksen   First -  the target line is an imaginary line which runs through your ball directly to the target your aiming at.  Second -  the club should travel towards the ball from inside the target line.

At the top of your backswing the club should start it's downward path from inside the target line – NOT down the target line as some think.  Setting the club means to make a slight inside move just as the club starts it's downward path.  This allows the clubface to enter the impact zone from inside the target line.  When the clubhead meets the ball it is SQUARE to the target.

The way you can be assured of setting the club at the top is to make sure that your right elbow (left for lefties) is close to your side.  If your right elbow drifts away from your body the clubhead will not move into the ball from the inside.

Tommy “Two Glove”: A New Face on Tour

photo credit: familymwr   Can Tommy Gainey be a new PGA Tour superstar?  Maybe, maybe not but during the Phoenix WM Phoenix Open he gave every amateur golfer new hope.  Why?  Gainey's swing is far from classic, it's a cross between Lee Trevino's backswing and Arnold Palmer's follow-through.  His grip is far from standard, with his right hand literally under the club's handle (strong hook grip).  He isn't robot-like as most tour players are.  To top it off, he wears two gloves. 

Bottom Line:  1)  It's a real treat to watch Gainey go from Golf Channel's Big Break TV series, to the spotlight on the PGA Tour.  2)  It proves that you don't have to have a picture perfect swing to be in the big league.  3)   You can break from tradition and wear two gloves.  4)  The only thing that really matters during the swing is the position of the clubhead when it meets the ball!

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