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Instruction -- Bill Forrest, 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year
Dear Mr. Forrest,
I have had a struggling year, and believe it is due to the mental game. In my first tournament i shot my first under par 9 in tournament play of 35, and followed it up by a 43. Then matched my 35 the next day on the front, and had a 41 on the back to lose the tournament by 1. As i felt nervous on the front 9 and played well, i am not sure what the cause might be. Is there anything you can tell me that might cure this struggle?
Devin Pittman, age 15
Devin: Oftentimes, we see being nervous or having "butterflies" as a bad thing. Being nervous is a good thing and should be looked at as an opportunity to shine, you did. In the future, don't try to make the butterflies go away...........accept the challenge. All of us have a comfort zone. Playing your best competitive nine put you out of your comfort zone. The next time you compete and get off to a good start, accept the nervousness, accept the fact that you are playing well and tell yourself you deserve it. This will change your comfort zone.
A couple of books you might want to try are, "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect", Bob Rotella and "The Inner Game of Golf", Timothy Gallwey. Keep up the good work.
Bill
Recently I have developed a hook on my drive. It happens about once every 4 drives and I have no idea what I'm doing differently. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you
Patrick
Patrick: Your ball hooks because the clubface is closed at impact. Since your hands are the only body parts that touch the club, slices and hooks are somehow related to your hands. The first checkpoint is the grip, find a picture of a neutral grip and get your hands as to close to that picture as you can. Take the club away, stop it at waist high parallel to the ground and check the clubface. The leading edge of the club should tilt very slightly towards the target line. Perhaps late in the round when your legs are tiring, you have a tendency to hang back on your back foot causing some snap hooks.
Practice hitting some punch fades finishing with the club waist high. This will allow you to see your clubface in a neutral position, with the leading edge vertical and train your hands to be more passive. Check your fundamentals, quiet the hands by hitting punches and shift your weight to your front foot. This should eliminate the left side of the golf course.
Bill
Rules -- John Crumbley: Certified PGA Professional, Rules Expert
A player is in a bunker and hits a shot but doesn't get out. Before hitting his ball again from the trap he rakes the sand where he first hit. Then proceeds to hit his next shot from the sand (same sand trap)Is this a two stroke penalty?
Wayne Cordingley
Wayne,
Rule 13-4 with Exception #2. Basically if the part of the bunker being raked is not in play for the next shot or in the line of play then there would not be any penalty. I think it is always best to "avoid the appearance of evil" and just wait to rake the bunker after the ball is out. That way you know for sure there is no penalty.
13-4 Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions
Except as provided in the Rules, before making a stroke at a ball that is in a hazard (whether a bunker or a water hazard) or that, having been lifted from a hazard, may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player must not:
(a) Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard;(b) Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club; or(c) Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard.Exceptions:
1. Provided nothing is done that constitutes testing the condition of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball, there is no penalty if the player (a) touches the ground in any hazard or water in a water hazard as a result of or to prevent falling, in removing an obstruction, in measuring or in retrieving, lifting, placing or replacing a ball under any Rule or (b) places his clubs in a hazard 2. After making the stroke, the player or his caddie may smooth sand or soil in the hazard, provided that, if the ball is still in the hazard or has been lifted from the hazard and may be dropped or placed in the hazard, nothing is done that improves the lie of the ball or assists the player in his subsequent play of the hole.
The greens on our course have a lot of undulations. Occassionaly a ball will imped on a steep slope when it is wet. After fixing the ball mark, the ball cannot be placed and will roll toward the hole, sometimes up to 10 feet closer to the hole. What is the rule on playing the ball if it cannot be placed and played on a steep slope?
Charles Guenther
Rule 20-3 cover a ball that can not be replaced or placed. Basically you will find the nearest spot no closer to the hole where the ball will stay when placed and play from there. Read 20-3d below.
d. Ball Fails to Come to Rest on Spot
If a ball when placed fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. If it still fails to come to rest on that spot:
(i) except in a hazard, it must be placed at the nearest spot where it can be placed at rest that is not nearer the hole and not in a hazard; (ii) in a hazard, it must be placed in the hazard at the nearest spot where it can be placed at rest that is not nearer the hole. If a ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed, and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.
Equipment -- Tom Henderson: PGA Professional, Master Club Fitter
At our club because of the size of the range we have been forced to use the low compression range balls. Specifically, I've been told that they reduce distance by about 10-15% on longer shots but do not effect shots of 100 yards or less.
My question is: Is it true that the balls have no effect on shots of a 100 yards or less?
Thanks
James D. Hodges Jr.
James:
Thanks for your question on PGA.com.
Limited flight range balls are typically used on a driving range like yours where you don't have enough real estate. They are a low compression ball that, at a higher club head speed (woods/long irons), won't travel as far as your "normal" golf ball. However, at slower clubhead speed (short irons), the ball will travel about the same distance of the ball you normally play with.
When practicing with these balls, don't concern yourself with distance. Use these balls to help you monitors ball curvature.
Hope this answers your question.
What is the stimp meter? and how is it used?
Michael
Michael:
A Stimpmeter is a simple instrument used to measure the speed of a putting green by applying a known force to the ball and measuring the distance that the ball has traveled. It was designed in 1935 by a golfer, Edward Stimpson, Jr.
In simple terms, it is an aluminum track that a ball is placed on it while lying flat on the putting surface. The track is raised until the ball begins to roll onto the green. A measurement (in feet) is taken from the bottom of the track to where the ball comes to rest. This reading is taken from several spots on the same green and averaged.
Typically, Slower greens measure from 4.5 - 6.5 feet, Medium greens from 6.6 - 8.5 feet, and Fast greens from 8.6 - 10.5 feet. Green speeds at the US Open can range anywhere from 11 - 15 feet.
