Editors Note: Each week, we receive hundreds of questions for our PGA Experts. Though we can't answer every one of them, we will take some of the most illuminating and beneficial questions and have one of the top authorities from the PGA of America to answer them for you. We are in the process of finding ways for more experts to answer more of your questions! Thank you for your support and keep the questions coming!
Instruction: Bill Forrest, 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year
Dear Bill,
Seems I've tried all the gimmicks and tricks, but I still can't keep my left arm straight during take back or follow through. I end up with no power and mis-hits. Please help me with this so I can justify telling my wife I need new clubs.
"See honey, I am a better golfer with these new Taylor Mades"!!!!
Thanks Bill- all the best
Dan.
Dan: When the body stops turning the arms sometimes continue.......therefore the body needs to turn or pivot more. Golfers that lift don't hinge. If your left arm breaks down you could be a "lifter" or you could need a better body. In lieu of continuing on your present path, your backswing needs a better pivot, more width and possibly more hinge. Anatomically, your left arm can never straighten, the best it can do is to have a 7 degree angle. Don't try to keep it straight, give it width.
Practice what I call "the wrist watch drill". Assume your golfing posture without a club, with your right hand grab your left wrist, where you would wear your watch, palm facing left and pull your left arm wide and across your chest. You should feel a connection between the inside of your left arm and your left pectoral, your arm should be at a 45 degree angle, now turn.
Try this and enjoy your new clubs.
I am a still a younger kid and I can drive pretty well but I don't understand how people with a very slow and weaker swing can outdrive me? thanks
joe
Joe: Next time you watch golf on television, watch how Tiger Woods drives the golf ball. His posture is athletic, balanced and braced, he is strong physically, flexible and has good timing. For these reasons he hits the ball a long way. If you want to increase your length, get stronger, use your body more effectively and then work on syncing it all up. Without seeing your swing, That's the best advice I can give you other than "work on your short game".
Bill
Rules: John Crumbley -- Certified PGA Professional, Rules Expert
hi, John
is there any penalty stroke for double hitting the ball on green side. if hit twice the ball, the total stroke is 2 + 1(penalty stroke)= 3 or only 2 strokes counted (penalty stroke ?) rule 14-4 or 19-2 which is applicable?
best regards
johnny
Johnny,
You have only made one stroke (see definition below of stroke) and under rule 14-4 you would add one penalty stroke for a total of two, one stroke and one penalty.
Stroke
A "stroke'' is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.
14-4 Striking the Ball More than Once
If a player's club strikes the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all.
My ball was hit toward bushes to the left of the hole. As I looked through them, the ball dropped to the ground. I hit it from where it dropped. I took a penalty stroke. Was that correct?
Kevin Mooney
Kevin,
The ball should have been replaced before you played your next shot and a penalty shot added to your score for the hole for moving your ball in play. If the ball would not stay in the bush when you tried to replace it you would have to proceed under the unplayable lie rule and put the ball in play by dropping it with another penalty shot. The note at the bottom of Rule 18 as to the penalty for breach of the rule says there is a two stroke penalty for not replacing the ball but no additional penalty under rule 18 applies. So you would have a total of two strokes penalty. See decision 18-2a/29 and the note from the bottom of Rule 18 below.
18-2a/29 Ball Dislodged from Tree; Replacement of Ball Not Possible
Q. A player, believing his ball is lodged in a tree, shakes the tree in order to dislodge it. His ball falls to the ground. According to Decision 18-2a/28, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke under Rule 18-2a and must replace his ball. Suppose, however, that the player cannot replace his ball either:
(1) because the spot where it lay in the tree is not determinable, or
(2) because the ball fails to remain on the correct spot when replaced, or
(3) because the player cannot reach the spot where the ball lay.
How should the player proceed in each of these three circumstances?
A. Rules 20-3c and -3d would normally cover circumstances (1) and (2), but these Rules do not contemplate a situation such as the one described. Accordingly, in equity (Rule 1-4), in the first two circumstances the ball must be placed in the tree as near as possible to the spot from which it was moved, and in the third circumstance the player must proceed under the unplayable ball Rule, incurring an additional penalty stroke.
*Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes. *If a player who is required to replace a ball fails to do so, he incurs the general penalty for breach of Rule 18. There is no additional penalty under Rule 18, except in the case of a wrongly substituted ball (Rule 15-2).
Equipment: Tom Henderson -- PGA Professional, Master Club Fitter
I bought a Cobra LD F speed driver yesterday. Something seems to be inside the head. When I shake the club there is a rattling noise. A friend said that it could be some kind of a weighting thing. Have you ever heard of this or should I bring the club back?
Gary
Gary:
The problem you are referring to is a common one. The "rattling noise" is either caused by a piece of epoxy in the head/shaft or foam that may have become dislodged in the head. In either case, you should take the club back to the store you purchased it from for replacement. You shouldn't have any problem with getting this resolved.
Hello Mr. Henderson,
It is my understanding that K.J. Choi was using a new oversized grip called "Super Stroke" at the AT&T National earlier this year. His putts per GIR average was 1.685 and he was ranked #2 overall in the tournament. I was curious is you had any experience with this particular type of product and if so, would you recommend it over a traditional putter grip.
Thanks in advance,
Steven Sekelik
Steven:
Thanks for your question on PGA.com.
I do, in fact, have some experience with the "Super Stroke" putting grip. I picked one up at the 2007 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando.
I've installed one of these grips on a putter and use it as a training aid in my putting instruction. It has proven very helpful especially when I get a student with a very "handsy" stroke. It gives the student the feeling of a one-piece stroke and promotes solid contact.
If you are looking to eliminate some wrist action in your putting stroke, installing the "Super Stroke" on your putter could well be the answer.
Good luck & good golf.
