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
Hi Bill! Do you know of any pre-game meals for me because im always starving or having a cramp when I play?????
Josh
Josh: I am a big fan of the morning smoothie. Get yourself a good multiple vitamin, a Vitamix blender, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. No caffeine and plenty of liquids may remedy the cramping. Bring some fruit to the course to eat along the way and get yourself a good protein bar. If this doesn't help, seek the advise of a nutritionist.
Bill
Do you think it is possible to increase my drives by 10-20-30 yards, by simply changing my swing mechanics? Do most instructors focus on one club (ie driver?). It seems that driver presents the most trouble for me. I currently hit it approx. only 210-225 yds. off the tee with my driver, and feel that I should be capable of longer drives. I am 47 and in good physical shape.
Thanks in advance for advice.
Mark
Mark: Yes, it is possible to increase distance by improving your swing mechanics, body function, conditioning, and equipment. Look for power leaks in your hand action, effective use of the body (coiling), weight shift and centerness of hit.
The swing faults or power leaks that present themselves in your driver exist in your shorter clubs as well. It is simply easier to compensate and square the clubface with the short irons. Firstly, seek out a clubfitter that can advise on your current or proposed driver. Secondly, have a physical evaluation done and lastly, a look a from a PGA Professional to check for the above power leaks. It is common for golfers to have more difficulty with their longer clubs and many instructors would begin the lesson with shorter clubs and work their way to the driver. That is probably what you should expect from your lesson.
Bill
Equipment: Tom Henderson, PGA Professional & Master Clubfitter
I have recently taken up the game...age 52, been playing actively for three years..18 handicap at my club, southfork golf club in amagansett, ny. my question: why do I feel so much more comfortable hitting offset clubs?... I understand that offsets are considered "less than" regular clubs?
thanks
dominick stanzione
Dominick:
There's nothing wrong with playing offset clubs!!!! In fact, more golfers should be using them.
The reason you prefer offset is that they influence a higher ball flight and a right-to-left direction (for the right handed golfer). If you are fighting a slice, the offset clubs (in both woods and irons) may help in reducing the curve.
Don't feel badly about preferring offset clubs. There are many tour players and top notch amateurs that use them. Remember: It's all about matching equipment to YOUR swing.
Tom
Rules: John Crumbley, Certified PGA Professional & Rules Expert
What are your options when your ball goes into a water hazzard marked by red stakes? My partners say you can go back as far as you want if you keep the line where the ball crossed the hazzard.I say you can only do this if the stakes are yellow.They use rule 26-1.I don't think they can read. Please.What do you say?
Charlie May
Charlie,
You have 2 options when taking relief from a water hazard (yellow stakes and / or lines); you may play from where you played your last shot from or you may take the point which the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard and keeping that point between you and the hole, drop a ball on that line going back as far as you like. When taking relief from a lateral water hazard (red stakes and / or lines) you have the same 2 options as before plus 2 more options; drop a ball with in two club lengths of the point the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard no closer to the hole or you may go to the other side of the hazard equal distant from the hole and drop with in 2 club lengths of that margin no closer to the hole. It sounds like your friends were correct but did not give you all of the options. Read below for a full understanding of the rule.
26-1 Relief for Ball in Water Hazard
It is a question of fact whether a ball lost after having been struck toward a water hazard is lost inside or outside the hazard. In order to treat the ball as lost in the hazard, there must be reasonable evidence that the ball lodged in it. In the absence of such evidence, the ball must be treated as a lost ball and Rule 27 applies.
If a ball is in or is lost in a water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may under penalty of one stroke:
(a) Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or(b) Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or (c) As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole. The ball may be lifted and cleaned when proceeding under this Rule.
(Prohibited actions when ball is in hazard - see Rule 13-4.)
(Ball moving in water in a water hazard - see Rule 14-6.)
Is sharing information with another player concerning the yardage in the middle of the fairway considered "giving or receiving advice"?
How does rule affect the use of an aid such as the sky caddy etc.
Thanks for clearing this up.
Virginia Mitcheell
Yardage itself is not advice but if you were to say something like "it plays 150 yards because it is into the wind" you would be giving advice. As for the use of an artificial yardage devise the USGA has changed the rules to allow the use of them if the committee deems it ok. It has to be put into effect by the committee.
I'm player B, I recently competed in my club championship. At the end of the final round, player A looked at me and said you won. I looked back and said, no I'm sure we tied. Player A and C shared are cart in our threesome. Player A had my scorecard. Player C had player A's, and I had player C's. Player A and C drove the cart off to a shady spot and tallied the scores. After adding them, up they shouted over to me, yes were tied. We then went to the scorer table to announce we needed sudden death (rule for tie break.) Since this was a muni course it was getting quite busy so I was sent to the starter to get us on the first hole. as I was about to leave for the starter. the scorer said first you need to attest your scorecard. I signed without review because my opponents who had the cards said we were tied. When I came back from the starter the scorer said that I had lost by 1 stroke. After reveiwing my card again I saw Player A had marked a 5 on the last hole instead of a 4. I pointed the mistake and player A admitted he was wrong and my score was 4, but the scorer said too bad you signed it and you come in second. Is this correct?
Don Pistotnik
I'm afraid so. It is a tough lesson to learn but the player is responsible to making sure the scorecard is correct. If you sign for a score higher on a hole than you made then the score you signed for stands, if you sign for a lower score on a hole than you made then you are disqualified.
6-6 Scoring in Stroke Play
a. Recording Scores
After each hole the marker should check the score with the competitor and record it. On completion of the round the marker must sign the score card and hand it to the competitor. If more than one marker records the scores, each must sign for the part for which he is responsible.
b. Signing and Returning Score Card
After completion of the round, the competitor should check his score for each hole and settle any doubtful points with the Committee. He must ensure that the marker or markers have signed the score card, sign the score card himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.
Penalty for Breach of Rule 6-6b:
Disqualification.
c. Alteration of Score Card
No alteration may be made on a score card after the competitor has returned it to the Committee.
d. Wrong Score for Hole
The competitor is responsible for the correctness of the score recorded for each hole on his score card. If he returns a score for any hole lower than actually taken, he is disqualified. If he returns a score for any hole higher than actually taken, the score as returned stands.
