August 2008 Golf Magazine

HOW TO PLAY LIKE THE BEST—The shoulder turn and hip turn are best considered as a response to the swing as opposed to causes of the swing. Shoulder and hip turn are two factors that contribute to a long backswing. The longer the backswing the more time the club has to accelerate.

PAUL CASEY—Ok.

MAKE TRICKY READS EASY—Ok.

GAIN CLUBHEAD SPEED—As mentioned above, the shoulder turn (ie. turning your back toward the target) is not the objective—you longest backswing is. Many players will not be able to turn their back to the target and still keep the club on plane. Regarding softening your wrist, apply this to your whole body. Rid yourself of any unnecessary muscle tension. Tight muscles are slow muscles. And regarding turn your hips fast, this is a sure way to flare a bunch of shots off to the right (just like Tiger).

STIFF IT WHEN YOU’RE BETWEEN CLUBS—Why does Steve say “hit a shorter club with a harder swing” but “ hit the longer club with a ¾ [shorter] swing? Why not hit the longer club with a softer swing? Because it is very difficult to make a full swing but make it slower. It is no less difficult to make your full swing faster than you normally make it. Whether high or low handicapper, go with the longer club but shorter swing.

HIT YOUR IRONS ON TARGET—Let’s see if we have Kip’s lesson correct: If the knee doesn’t knock over the trash can (or bin), then the hips turn, then the curves in ball flight will begin [begins?] to straighten out. Huh? Is this article about hitting my target or about straightening out my ball flight. Kip, its about the club—not the trash can.

DIFFERENT SHOTS FOR DIFFERENT SANDS—The less sand you take, the less speed you need, so the shorter your swing.

MAKE PITCHES HOP THEN STOP—First, anytime you read an instruction to “trap” the ball realize the you are being instructed to do the impossible. Step to a ball and position the club as you would image it to be at impact when it traps the ball. You can’t. (If you can, please email me right away!). Second, anytime you open the clubface you add loft and increase backspin. If you want more stop and less roll take a more lofted club or open the clubface. There is no need for a setup or swing change.

HOW TO PUTT ON WINDY DAYS—Ok.

HOW TO HANDLE FAST DOWNHILLERS—If you want to see how well this instruction “doesn’t work”, go to a green with a fast downhiller. Put the ball in your hand and try rolling it close to the pin. Notice that when you do this your attention is not on some “speed point” but instead is on the hole. Your brain works the same way for putting.

HOW TO CHIP FROM A TRAP—This works ok if the ball is sitting up on top of the sand (ie. hard pan) or if the ball is on the upslope of a bunker with little or no lip in front of it.

HOW TO HIT A BACKHANDER—Ok

MY PLAN FOR WINNING SCORES—I couldn’t be more in agreement and disagreement with Dave. I fully agree that a player needs to have a “go-to” swing—a swing they are confident in. I couldn’t be more in disagreement with Dave that this go-to swing should be something other than then swing you use for every shot. A go-to swing is what Dave refers to in the opening sentences. The he changes and talks about go-to shots.
Go-to shot 1…..Who is Dave talking to when he says, “A low-lofted hybrid should give you bout 200 yards of carry and 20 yards of roll”? How many players don’t even hit their 3 wood 220 yards? The point Dave is really making (and it’s a good one), is that the longer you hit it the straighter it needs to be. If the landing area is very tight, hit a shorter club. Hitting two six irons 150 yards each and keeping them in the fairway is much better than a 240 yard drive that drifts into the trees and leaves you a 60 yard shot out of the rough and through the branches.
Go-to shot 2…..It is often the case that our ability to create a low rolling shot the right distance and direction is better than trying to use the wedge and fly the ball to the target.
Go-to shot 3…..Same as #2
Go-to shot 4…..Same as #2. Regarding the “low punch” don’t change your swing. Choose a club that produces a trajectory that will keep the ball under the branches. A driver is a great choice.
Dave makes a good point regarding these shots. More than “know of them” you need to “practice them”.

5 DRILLS TO SHARPEN YOUR GAME—Ok.

Private Lessons

IMPROVE YOUR LAGS—This drill is really about the benefit of convincing yourself that the putt is not that difficult. We don’t want to lag and be short. For any putt, we want to try to make it. However, when we miss (which we will do most of the time) we want to be close enough for a tap-in.

AVOID OVER-TURNING—Let the swing turn you.

STOP THAT TOP—Notice, to cure the tops the picture is of the golfer having the intention to make the ball travel low along the ground (not hitting down on it).

SIMPLIFY YOUR SAND STRATEGY—Lot of good points here. But you don’t have to open the clubface or swing the club steeply. Just lower your center at address.

Pinpoint you aim for big results—Ok.