Free Golf Tips Online Archives

Plumb-bobbing

This technique is employed by many scratch golfers to help determine the direction and amount of break in a putt as well as the general slope of the green.

Determine your 'dominant' eye. Alternately close your eyes. The flag will remain in the circle with the dominant eye and 'pop' out of the circle with the weaker one.

Allow the club to 'hang' freely.

Hole to the left means the putt will break left. Hole to the right means the putt will break right. Hole in the center means a straight putt.

Topping the Ball

Topping is defined as hitting the ball above its equator. This can be a devastating problem for the high handicapper. Besides lost distance, almost anything can happen to the shot. 'Whiffing' (missing the ball completely) is an example of the problem at its worst.

Common Causes: jerking the head up on the downswing, excessive lateral body movement toward the target on the downswing, crouching too much at address, ball teed too low, and trying to 'kill' the ball (common cause with low handicappers).

Curing Topped Shots: Most topped shots are the result of changing the swing arc. In other words, the club follows a different path on the downswing than it did on the backswing.

Topped shots are caused by hitting the ball above its equator. Tee your drives so that one-half of the ball is visible above the clubhead.

Tee the ball inside the left heel.

Stand more upright if you find yourself crouching too much at address. Too much crouch in the set up will cause you to compensate by jerking your head up on the downswing and topping the shot.

Trying to 'overpower' the shot sometimes causes the head to lift at impact. Center the swing around your head and concentrate on a smooth, relaxed swing.

Fat Shots

Let's make things simple: if you're hitting fat shots, your swing is bottoming out too early. The golf swing is essentially U-shaped and the bottom of your U is occurring before the ball, causing you to hit the ground first.

You're chunking it. Chili-dipping it. Laying the sod over it. Hitting the big ball before the little ball. (The big ball is Mother Earth, by the way.)

Tour pros' swings are exactly the opposite. Their swings bottom out after the ball. They hit the ball first as the clubhead is descending, then take a shallow divot. Here's a drill to help you do the same: on the practice tee, put a tee in the ground an inch or an inch and a half in front of the ball. Sink it into the ground about as deeply as you would if you were teeing up a 4-iron on a long par 3.

When you swing, your goal is to hit the ball and knock the tee out of the ground. With some practice, you'll soon be hitting the ball first and then taking a shallow divot. You'll strike the ball much more crisply and solidly, and notice dramatic improvements in both distance and accuracy.

To cure yourself of fat shots place a tee in the ground an inch or so in front of your ball.

Try to hit the ball and then knock the tee out of the ground. This will move the bottom of your swing forward-and reduce the likelihood of hitting a fat shot

Skying the Ball

The 'pop fly' of golf. The 'skied' shot flies high into the air because the clubhead contacts the ball's center.

Skied drives are often caused by teeing the ball too high. Correct by teeing so that one-half of the ball is visible above the clubhead.

Start back 'low and slow' with good extension away from the ball. Center the swing around the head. Avoid lifting the head and chopping down on the ball. Point your chin at the ball.

With skied short irons, check your grip. Try strengthening your grip a bit by rotating your hands 'clockwise'. Move your hands ahead of the ball in the setup and lead with your hands through the impact zone.

Position the ball more to the center of your stance, 2" to 3" inside your left heel.

Tip of The Week

How far should you stand from the ball? Take your regular left hand grip. Hold the club straight out. Slowly lower to the ground. There you go. Set up to shoot. You should have no more than a fist and a half between the end of the club and your body. Feel uncomfortable? GOOD!! You know it must be right.