For new readers of my blog

This is an update for those of you who are reading my blog for the first time. On Wednesday, October 17th I began a weekly series on player's most common faults and shot problems. The first five lessons are currently available and a new lesson will be posted each Wednesday for the next 20 weeks.

Each weekly topic will be discussed using the following: 
1. A diagnosis of what went wrong with your shot.
2. What your club is doing at impact as well as what it should be doing.
3. Explain how to adjust your stroke to improve your impact conditions and cure your faulty shot.

These twenty lessons are based on chapters from my latest book, The Pocket Caddy - Quick Reference. Each week's topic is explained in an easy to understand manner written specifically for the weekend golfer.

I hope you find them helpful and informative. I encourage you to share these with your golfing friends.  

Most long shots fly left to right. Short irons finish left of target. Shanked shots off to the right sometime occur.

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 5 of 20

Diagnosis: Most long shots fly left to right. Short irons finish left of target. Shanked shots off to the right sometime occur.

     

Explanation:  I discussed in a previous lesson that during the backswing the club must move both to the inside and upward. The club arcs to the inside because we stand to the side of the ball. The club also moves upward because the ball sits below our shoulders. Turning the shoulders and upper body to the right creates the inside element. Swinging the arms on a more upright plane largely creates the upward element. This combined movement creates a separation of planes between the relatively flat plane that the shoulders have turned, and the more upright plane that the arms have followed. For most players without this separation of planes it is difficult to return the club to the ball on a correct path with a square club face. 

This is because the start of the downswing is a reaction to the finish of the backswing. If the club is moving upward at the end of the backswing it will tend to swing downward from the inside on the downswing. However if the club finishes the backswing moving around to the inside but not upward, it will tend to swing back toward the outside instead of downward at the start of the downswing. The shot pattern described in this lesson is often caused by the backswing lacking the upward element. In other words you are swinging the club on too flat a plane, similar to the plane of your shoulder turn. 

This is often the result of having the ball positioned too far forward (too far to the left in your stance). This forces your shoulders to be open (aligned too far to the left) at address. From this position to swing the club to the inside on the backswing the arms must swing around the body on a too flat plane that is lacking the upward element. Because the backswing is completed with the arms moving around to the inside rather than upward, they begin the downswing moving around to the outside rather than downward. At impact the club is moving in an out-to-in path with an open club face thus the ball starts left then curves right.  An occasional shank may occur due to the club moving outward rather than downward in the downswing. The club face is moved out beyond the ball making contact on the hosel of the club.           

  

Correction:   Play the ball farther back in your stance with your shoulders aligned farther to the right.   This proper address position will give you the inside element of the backswing prior to swinging the club. Your focus can now be merely on swinging the club upward and downward with your arms letting your body turn only as the result of swinging the club with your arms and hands. Because the arms can now swing the club upward going back, they will swing it freely downward from inside to along the target line. The results are straighter and more solid shots and the shanks are no more.  

To schedule an appointment with Steve call Golf Rx at (615) 288-4539

Beware of buying clubs on the internet

       The internet is a great tool and has certainly changed our lives in many positive ways. Unfortunately it also has given scammers an opportunity to prey on thousands of unsuspecting golfers. In the past year I know of three individuals who have purchased counterfeit golf clubs through the internet.
       In each situation the clubs were advertised as brand new with a price hundreds less than the normal price you would pay at a golf shop. After receiving their clubs they noticed the differences between theirs and the real thing, but by then it was too late. They were out hundreds of dollars and left with imitations made of cheap pot metal that have no value whatsoever.
        My best advice is this: If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is! The only way to make sure you are getting legitimate name brand golf equipment is to purchase them through your local PGA golf professional.
         At Golf Rx we proudly custom fit Ping, KZG, Taylor Made and Adams golf equipment. Call Steve to schedule a fitting or to discuss your equipment needs.

Free Club Fittings through December 31st.

Golf Rx will be offering a Free Club Fitting to customers now through December 31st.    The $45.00 fitting fee will be waived to all Golf Rx customers through the end of the year.

   This is a great opportunity  to have your current clubs evaluated or be professionally fitted for your new equipment.
  
An "off the rack set" simply cannot accommodate the variables in player's height, strength and swing characteristics.  It makes more sense that your clubs fit you rather than adjusting your swing to the equipment.

Golf Rx only sells custom fit clubs and Steve has 25 years experience in professionally fitting golf equipment. 
  
We are also proud to announce that Golf Rx is now an authorized dealer and fitting center of KZG golf clubs, the #1 Custom Pro line of high quality, high performance golf equipment. 

 Call or come by to schedule your free club fitting with Steve.

Most shots start on line then curve right. Most iron shots are thin or fat.

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 4 of 20

Diagnosis: Most long shots start on line then curve right. Irons shots are often thin (no divot) or fat (divot behind ball). Tendency is to finish swing back on right foot.   

  

Explanation:  As I mentioned in Lesson 2 because we stand to the side of ball the club must be swing around our body as well as up and down and up again. The club arcs to the inside during the backswing and arcs back to the inside during the follow through. The role of the body is to make room for the arms to swing along this arc by turning to the right on the backswing, and clearing to the left on the forward swing.

            The body not turning to the right on the backswing results in the inability to clear to the left on the forward swing. When the body doesn’t clear the arms are blocked resulting in the club face being open at impact. Shots will curve to the right. The failure of your body to turn forces your arms to swing nearly on a straight line with the club moving too much upward, downward and upward. This makes it nearly impossible to take turf after impact with the ball because of the exaggerated upwardness of the throughswing. 

  

          If your shots follow this pattern there is a good chance your posture is at fault. If your back and neck are bending too far forward at address it will position your head over the ball giving you the visual impression that the swing is on a straight line. This causes you to lift your right shoulder too much upward on the backswing rather that turning it to the right. Rocking the right shoulder up on the backswing leads to the hips blocking rather than turning on the forward swing. This blocking makes it difficult to shift your weight to the left so you often fall back onto your right foot as your left leg stiffens.

Correction:   Adjust your posture with more knee flex and your back and neck more upright. A line straight down from your eyes would now be closer to your feet and farther from the ball. Focus on turning your right shoulder out of the way to the right as you swing your arms back and up. Turning the right shoulder rather than rocking it upward on the backswing allows the hips to clear to the left instead of sliding and blocking on the forward swing. By clearing your left side your arms can know swing the club forward on the correct in-to-in path resulting in more solid contact and straighter shots.   

To schedule a lesson with Steve call (615) 288-4539

Don't leave your clubs unattended

Last Friday afternoon I went to Hermitage Golf Course to practice my short game. I left my bag on the rack outside the golf shop and went in the grille to get a sandwich. When I came out my clubs were gone. It was a very sick feeling watching the thief walk off with my bag on the security tape.
He parked his car, walked in the clubhouse with a putter in his hand as though he was going to the putting green. He then walked out, placed the putter in my bag, picked up my bag as if it was his and headed for the parking lot. He backed out of the parking lot in reverse so as to hide his license plate from the cameras. We have a picture of him and his vehicle but no license plate.
The fact that my bag had a PGA logo as well as my name embroidered on it didn't seem to deter him from stealing it. I did file a police report and the irons had serial numbers so there is a chance of recovering them,  but I'm not holding my breath. The police said this guy knew exactly what he was doing and this obviously wasn't his first rodeo.   
It is unfortunate that things like this happen, but unfortunately it is just the society we live in. Don't make the same mistake I did. Take your clubs in the clubhouse with you if necessary, but don't leave them unattended - even for a few minutes.

Long shots slice from left to right. On tee shots occasionally chopping under the ball or topped along the ground.

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 3 of 20

Diagnosis: Long shots slice from left to right. With tee shots occasionally chopping under the ball or topped along the ground. Also a general loss of distance especially with the longer clubs.

   

Explanation:  If you ask most players why they top the ball they will answer “Because my head is coming up”. I will agree that lifting your head as well as the body can cause the ball to be topped, but this is not the majority cause. In fact I could hold the head of many poor players rock steady and they would still manage to chop under the ball or top their tee shots. This is because the problem is not with their head moving, but rather from the way they start their downswing.

         Instead of swinging the club freely with the arms and hands you cling to the club with your hands while unwinding your body to the left. Swinging oneself rather than the club from the top of the backswing forces the club to move outward before it can start downward. You top tee shots and chop under others because the approach angle to the ball is too steep – the result of the club moving across the target line on an out-to-in path. Slicing is common because with the hands locked and without the arms swinging, the club lags too far behind the legs and hips arriving at impact with the face still open to the right.

                       

Correction:   Hit practice shots with your feet together. Start with a six iron and the ball on a low tee. Make sure you start your downswing with your arms and hands without using your body. You’ll feel the free swinging of the arms and release of the hands that all good players developed early in the careers. At first you may feel that you’re casting the club, but stick with it and soon you’ll feel the release of your hands and the club squaring at impact. You will no longer be falling off balance by overusing your body. Once you can feel yourself swinging the club freely gradually widen your stance. The club will now approach the ball from the inside with a square club face resulting in straight and solid shots.

 To schedule an appointment with Steve call (615) 288-4539