Instruction: Bill Forrest, 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year
How can I improve my tempo and how can i stop taking my club back closed
Jerry Bellis Sr.
Jerry: Try to utilize a mantra e.g. tick-tock, new york-new york, 1-2, or as Vijay Singh says, 7-teen. The key to good tempo is an even pace. Use a mantra when you play to even out your tempo and when you practice hit shots with three different speeds.....soft, medium and strong.
Regarding the closed clubface, if your grip is neutral and you are right handed, fan or rotate the club clockwise to open the face on the takeaway. The feeling is one that is dominated by the left hand and left forearm as the club leaves the ball. Also, you can have a look at your left hand position at the top and try to make your wrist more concave or cupped than flat. Let me know how you make out.
Bill
I have been playing golf for many years and love the game so much I even gave up a lucrative career to become a greenkeeper. However I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the state of my chipping to the point that I usually talk myself into playing a bad shot before I even get close to the ball!
Please advise me on how I might improve my short game which I'm sure when sorted will see my handicap reduce to single figures?
Thank you
Jon Sharp
Jon: Without knowing what types of problems you are having with your short game, it is difficult to determine what changes need to be made. I believe that most golfers need a short game system that helps them with decision making, club selection, shot selection and information gathering or planning around the greens.
I like to teach a system that is based on creating a picture of how you would toss your ball to the hole, then selecting a club and a shot that duplicates the picture. This system has five shots......a chip, a lofted chip and three pitches, low, medium and high. You can chip with a 7 or 8 iron, use a pitching wedge for the lofted chip and a lob wedge or sand wedge for all of the pitches. The chip, lofted chip and low pitch are all executed with the same address position and stroke. Simply, ball back, weight left and a putting stroke. The two high shots.....the medium and high pitch both have the ball in the middle of the stance and the weight more even. For the medium pitch, hinge the club on the takeaway to get the club head higher than the hands and finish with the club head lower than the hands. Use more wrist both back and through for the lob shot or high pitch.
I tell my students that they don't have to buy into this system or use it......but it is better than the system they have because they don't have one. Give it a try.
Bill
Equipment: Tom Henderson, PGA Professional & Master Clubfitter
I am attempting the use of lead tape to correct excessive fades with the driver. Can you tell me where to place the tape on the club head to help correct the problem? I intend to add small amounts to determine results, etc.
Glen Jackson
Glen:
Thanks for your question on PGA.com.
Placing lead tape on the heel of the club will help reduce your fade while applying lead tape to the toe will help control a draw. Be careful not to add too much weight to the clubhead as it will alter the swingweight, total weight, and shaft flex. Experiment with small amounts and see if it helps.
Tom
