Thin or Fat?

photo credit: inottawa   A fat shot is when the clubhead hits the ground behind the ball.  A thin shot is when the sole of the club hits the top half of the ball.  Both shots are “dribblers.”

Thin shots are caused by:  A)  Helping the ball in the air (scooping).  B)  Bending over too much during address (during the swing the body usually rises, therefore, if your address posture is too low your swing-arc will be raised causing a topped shot).

Fat shots are caused by: A)  playing the ball too far forward – at address, play the ball back farther.  B)  Picking up the club to quickly.  Turn your upper body going back, don’t tilt it.  C)  Reverse pivot = body moves away from, rather than towards the target on the downswing.

Swing Overhaul?

photo credit: tnarik   Beware of the golf instructor that wants to give you a swing overhaul – change your entire swing.  Ask yourself the following question?  Do they want to really help me or are they thinking about more golf lessons $$? 

The fact is that there are no two golf swings that are completely alike.  Yes, it would be nice if we all had a golf swing like Sam Snead but the truth is, we don’t. 

A good instructor will work with what you have and try to develop your game within the characteristics of your natural swing.  Yes, he’ll make adjustments here and there but he should not try to give you a whole new look.  Maybe you will never play par golf but you can, and should,  play up to your full potential !

Don’t Overlook the Waggle

photo credit: nsaplayer   One of the most overlooked components of the set-up and the address is the waggle.  The waggle, when used correctly, can make an important difference in your shot-making and the ability to post low scores. 

Have you ever played with someone that takes 10 waggles prior to their shot?  It can drive fellow players up the proverbial wall.  Once settled into the address position, the waggle should begin.  The waggle should be done to get the “feel” for the shot that is about to occur.  It’s not meant to copy the swing (as some players seem to do).  It allows the golfer to gather thoughts, relieve tension and settle into the shot.  Too much waggle is counter productive to its primary purpose.

Faulty Grip

photo credit: klavr   If you grip the club incorrectly, you will never have a good swing.  An improper grip will create a condition where continual adjustments will have to be made during the swing.  These continual swing adjustments will create inconsistency. 

The swing is a very complicated maneuver, a faulty grip complicates it even further.  One of the most difficult tasks for any golfer, especially if they have been playing for a number of years, is to go from a poor grip, to a good grip.  If a golfer has a bad grip and is shown the correct grip, all of a sudden he will begin hitting bad shots.  This is because his new grip forces him to re-adjust his swing.  It’s like starting all over again.

The Golf Shot

photo credit: rioncm   The Typical Golf Shot:  1)  Study the shot to be played, within your own capabilities.  2)  Select the right club.  3)  Assume the correct grip.  4)  Take the correct stance.  5)  Maintain the correct posture.  6)  Keep weight on the inside of both feet.  7)  Left knee points behind the ball.  8)  Take the club back with your shoulders and left arm. 9)  Cock your wrists fully at the top of the backswing.  10)  Start the downswing with your right knee moving towards the target.  11)  Keep your head steady.  12)  Keep you hands ahead of the clubhead through the impact zone (beginning one foot behind the ball).  13)  Whip your right hand into the shot just before impact.

Short Pitch

photo credit: Claus Rebler   The short pitch shot should be hit crisply and firmly.  Take the club back slightly on the outside of the line and swing through on a slightly inside path.  This will create a high cut-shot.  The outside-in swing path is negated by an open stance.

Take a backswing that is just a bit longer than you think you may need.  The ball tends to fall short because the amount of backspin creates more lift and height.  If your grip is too low on the club you tend to push instead of hitting the ball, doing so results in a shot without backspin leading to an uncontrollable roll once it lands on the green.

Throughout the shot, keep your weight on your lead foot and use an open stance.  Don’t quit on the shot.

Waggle: Mini-Swing

photo credit: nsaplayer   Every serious golfer should spend time developing a waggle because of the important role it plays in the golf swing;  it’s a mini-swing.  During the waggle, the golfer is given the opportunity to coordinate the conscious and subconscious actions in a preliminary routine that is far beyond just being a simple mannerism.  It is a carefully worked-out and orchestrated part of the the golf swing.

The waggle gives the golfer a last minute perspective of their grip, aim, stance and posture; all the while keeping muscle tension to a minimum.  A natural extension of the waggle is the swing itself.  Once the swing begins, there is no time to think.  Thinking should only occur during the waggle not in the swing itself.

Head Position

photo credit: nsaplayer   There are two extremely important factors that make up the core of every good golf swing:  A.  Placement of the feet.  B.  Keeping the head still.  The latter is the most important.  A steady head assures that the proper balance will be maintained throughout the swing.  

The average player tries to hit the ball with a “body heave.”  There is a great loss of clubhead speed because the high handicap player tries to stiff-arm the shot which is the direct result of not keeping the head still.

The head and the two feet form a triangle.  This triangular form must remain consistent throughout the entire swing.  If it changes in any way and breaks down (if the imaginary straight lines are broken), the shot will be ruined.

Weight Distribution for Irons

photo credit: star5112   Most iron shots are hit badly because of poor weight distribution.  In order to get the ball airborne correctly, the tendency is to keep more weight on the right side (leg) but doing so only increases the probability of making a poor shot. 

In order to make a good iron shot, the sole of the club must contact the ball before it reaches the bottom of it’s arc.  Doing so:  (1)   Puts backspin on the ball which creates lift.  (2)  Eliminates hitting behind the ball, which could cuase a topped shot.  (3)  Gets the hands ahead of the ball when contact is being made.

“For right handers, placing more of your weight on the left side (60 – 70%) will help get the clubhead moving on the correct downward path.

Topped Shots

photo credit: BallGame68   A topped shot is when the ball is struck above it’s center point by the sole of the clubhead.  Consequently, the ball does not get airborne and dribbles along the ground.  The normal reaction after a topped shot is to bend slightly more at the waist during the next shot. . . wrong !

One of the common errors made by many players is to bend too much at the waist during the address position.  When the swing begins, they naturally straighten up which causes the clubhead to raise slightly at impact.  In most cases they think they’ve looked up during the swing which is the wrong conclusion. 

During the address position it is imperative that your posture should be more upright as opposed to leaning too much towards the ball.

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