It is very popular on the professional golf tours for players to use the logo on the ball to help them line up putts. Most enhance the logo by using a marker to darken the line. Tiger Woods has used an enhanced line on the ball to help his alignment for as long as I have watched him play. I am sure his success using a line is the main reason it is so popular with the other players on the tour. Regardless of the popularity, we have measured over 5000 putts this season alone at the United States Golf Academy and have very clear evidence that using a logo as an alignment aid is not for everyone.
The first problem is that the player has to get the line down accurately. Any line, either on the ball or on the putter, is a reference to the target. If the reference is inaccurate, you place yourself in a situation where a good stroke rolls the ball in the wrong direction. The confusion this causes and the subsequent efforts to compensate can ruin a good putting stroke.
The second problem we see is the difference in perception between sighting the line from behind the ball and the way the line appears when you stand to the side preparing to make the stroke. The line often looks like it is pointed in the wrong direction as you stand to the side. The player has to remember that you don’t see as accurately side-on as you do looking down the line. You have to trust the line even if it doesn’t look right. Once that reference is in position, that line becomes the directional target, and where you think the target is no longer matters. This is easier said than done.
Finally, there is a problem that will probably surprise you. Players that have a straight line as a visual reference on their putter often have a difficult time matching the line on the putter to the line on the ball. The putter is pointed in one direction, while the line on the ball is pointed in another. This is a recipe for disaster and is very common. In fact, it is so common that we have coined the phrase “visual interference” to describe it.
Our recommendation for a line on the ball is to give it a try, but don’t feel bad if it doesn’t work for you. You are not alone.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Late Season Tip
A frequent customer of the Academy stopped in this week. As we were chatting, he made the comment I hear far too often. “I am getting ready to put the clubs away for the season”, he said. This was not some great revelation; I hear similar comments every day. But some reason, hearing it from him struck a nerve. This person had put serious time and effort into getting his game to another level this season. He had made an equipment change, and worked very hard on developing a routine and some consistency in his swing. He analyzed his putting stroke and developed a method that was best for him, and not a copy of a method that worked for someone else. To sum it up, he had made himself a better player, and had a plan to become a greater player than he ever imagined he could be at the beginning of the summer. When I questioned his logic of putting the clubs away, his response was, “Winter is coming, whether you like it or not. What else can I do?”
Don’t put the clubs away. At least keep them where you can pick one up and pretend you’re playing golf. Now is the time to break some bad habits, most of which are not found in your golf swing, but in your preparation to swing the club. So, every once in a while, as you walk through the garage, practice your routine. Take a club and pretend you are going to hit a ball at a spot on the wall. If you can do this on a tile floor that can show you parallel lines, even better. Go through the motions of preparing to hit a shot, even to the point of starting your backswing (take it away slowly). Remember to work from the ball back. Aim the club first, then check your grip, align your shoulder s, and finally, take your stance and set your feet. I cannot stress enough the idea of placing your feet after everything else is lined up. If you can break the habit of planting your feet first and twisting into position, you will eliminate a number of problems. For example, the problem of where the ball is positioned in your stance is solved because if you set up in the proper sequence, the golf club will tell you the appropriate place to stand. If you can make your pre-shot routine a habit this winter, I promise a fast start next spring.
Don’t put the clubs away. At least keep them where you can pick one up and pretend you’re playing golf. Now is the time to break some bad habits, most of which are not found in your golf swing, but in your preparation to swing the club. So, every once in a while, as you walk through the garage, practice your routine. Take a club and pretend you are going to hit a ball at a spot on the wall. If you can do this on a tile floor that can show you parallel lines, even better. Go through the motions of preparing to hit a shot, even to the point of starting your backswing (take it away slowly). Remember to work from the ball back. Aim the club first, then check your grip, align your shoulder s, and finally, take your stance and set your feet. I cannot stress enough the idea of placing your feet after everything else is lined up. If you can break the habit of planting your feet first and twisting into position, you will eliminate a number of problems. For example, the problem of where the ball is positioned in your stance is solved because if you set up in the proper sequence, the golf club will tell you the appropriate place to stand. If you can make your pre-shot routine a habit this winter, I promise a fast start next spring.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Happy Birthday to the King
If you follow the golf world at all, you are probably aware that Arnold Palmer turned 80 years young on September 10th. As hard as it is for me to believe he is 80, it is harder still for me to believe it was 28 years ago this summer that I went to work for him at Bay Hill. When a guest of the United States Golf Academy sees some of the pictures on my office wall of the two of us, their first question is always the same: “What was it like working for him?” So as an answer to that question and my way of a birthday tribute to him, I thought I would share a couple of personal stories.
Mondays were practice days for Arnold and my day off. I knew if he was home, I could expect a phone call at around 9:30a.m., asking what my plans were for the day. In all my years of working for him, I never missed a practice day, but he always called and he always asked, just like every time was the first time. He never assumed or took anything for granted. So we would spend Mondays together. He would hit a few and then ask what I thought. If I offered some advice, his reply was always the same: “Why?” It took me awhile to realize that it was his way of teaching me. If I offered a thought on what he was working on, I had better be prepared to explain myself. Even today, when I give a lesson, I am always sure to know why I am offering the advice. So I share that advice with you. Never try something new with your swing without a clear and sensible reason why, and if the source of the advice can’t answer the question, don’t try it.
Those who know me well have been subjected to hundreds of Arnold stories. But my favorite is one that is very recent. As part of his birthday celebration, the Pittsburgh Pirates had Mr. Palmer throw out the first pitch at a recent game. I saw him on television and so I called his office the next day to leave him a birthday message and congratulate him on looking good on the throw. His secretary Gina accepted the congratulations for him, and shared that he had been practicing on making a good pitch for a couple of months. At 80 years old and with all his accomplishments, the King is still working to make his best effort, and for those paying attention, still teaching.
Mondays were practice days for Arnold and my day off. I knew if he was home, I could expect a phone call at around 9:30a.m., asking what my plans were for the day. In all my years of working for him, I never missed a practice day, but he always called and he always asked, just like every time was the first time. He never assumed or took anything for granted. So we would spend Mondays together. He would hit a few and then ask what I thought. If I offered some advice, his reply was always the same: “Why?” It took me awhile to realize that it was his way of teaching me. If I offered a thought on what he was working on, I had better be prepared to explain myself. Even today, when I give a lesson, I am always sure to know why I am offering the advice. So I share that advice with you. Never try something new with your swing without a clear and sensible reason why, and if the source of the advice can’t answer the question, don’t try it.
Those who know me well have been subjected to hundreds of Arnold stories. But my favorite is one that is very recent. As part of his birthday celebration, the Pittsburgh Pirates had Mr. Palmer throw out the first pitch at a recent game. I saw him on television and so I called his office the next day to leave him a birthday message and congratulate him on looking good on the throw. His secretary Gina accepted the congratulations for him, and shared that he had been practicing on making a good pitch for a couple of months. At 80 years old and with all his accomplishments, the King is still working to make his best effort, and for those paying attention, still teaching.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Venting Frustration
There has been a great deal of discussion recently about certain professional golfers verbally venting frustration using inappropriate language. In response, I have some advice on how to deal with two of the most common causes of these extreme emotions, guaranteeing relief and avoiding the embarrassment of an ill-timed phrase.
Missed Putts
Always remember that a missed putt is totally the fault of the golf club and never the player involved. It is also a well known fact that the club in question is deaf, and so no amount of yelling at the club will produce satisfactory results. It will only cause an increase in blood pressure so great that the next tee shot is sure to slice off into the woods ( see dealing with an unruly driver ). The best way to deal with a poor performing putter is to wait quietly until the end of the round, tie the putter to the back bumper of your automobile and drag it home. I promise you will feel better. If the putter is damaged beyond use, bring it to the Academy and we will fit you to a new one. It is important to bring the old one along so the new one can see what happens if it misses a putt. Fear is a great motivator for putters.
Dealing with Unruly Drivers
In most cases, it is unfair to blame the driver for a missed tee shot. As we explained earlier, a missed tee shot is often the result of a bad putt on the previous hole. So it is entirely fair to blame the putter for all missed tee shots other than one that would occur on the first hole. This is usually a result of a driver that has low self esteem. How would you feel if you were twice as big as you were ten years ago? The best thing you can do is leave the head cover off your driver. Show it you are proud to be associated with it and you are not going to hide it from view. This will make the driver feel better and make it your friend rather than your enemy like that scoundrel putter.
If the previous advice doesn’t work, try this. Laugh at the bad shots, be proud of the good ones, and if you happen to be playing for ten million dollars in the FEDEX CUP, remember how lucky you are and try to show the game and the fans a little respect.
Missed Putts
Always remember that a missed putt is totally the fault of the golf club and never the player involved. It is also a well known fact that the club in question is deaf, and so no amount of yelling at the club will produce satisfactory results. It will only cause an increase in blood pressure so great that the next tee shot is sure to slice off into the woods ( see dealing with an unruly driver ). The best way to deal with a poor performing putter is to wait quietly until the end of the round, tie the putter to the back bumper of your automobile and drag it home. I promise you will feel better. If the putter is damaged beyond use, bring it to the Academy and we will fit you to a new one. It is important to bring the old one along so the new one can see what happens if it misses a putt. Fear is a great motivator for putters.
Dealing with Unruly Drivers
In most cases, it is unfair to blame the driver for a missed tee shot. As we explained earlier, a missed tee shot is often the result of a bad putt on the previous hole. So it is entirely fair to blame the putter for all missed tee shots other than one that would occur on the first hole. This is usually a result of a driver that has low self esteem. How would you feel if you were twice as big as you were ten years ago? The best thing you can do is leave the head cover off your driver. Show it you are proud to be associated with it and you are not going to hide it from view. This will make the driver feel better and make it your friend rather than your enemy like that scoundrel putter.
If the previous advice doesn’t work, try this. Laugh at the bad shots, be proud of the good ones, and if you happen to be playing for ten million dollars in the FEDEX CUP, remember how lucky you are and try to show the game and the fans a little respect.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Reading Greens
A common request at the United States Golf Academy is for help on reading greens. It is a difficult conversation to have because the decision of choosing a line for a putt is such a subjective decision or group of decisions. My perception of how the ball will travel along the green might be totally different than yours and so any methods I use for myself may be of no help to you at all. However there are some general skills and advice that I can offer so you can develop your own strategy on the greens.
Observe the big picture. This is the key to being a good green reader. When deciding on how the putt will roll be sure to look at your surroundings. Too many of us stare at the hole and a narrow path between the ball and the hole. The best green readers take in their surroundings first, looking at the entire green and the topography around them. Our Director of Golf likes to say that reading a putt begins immediately after you hit your approach. Look at how the green sits into the landscape, it will tell you a lot about the direction the ball will move, before you ever reach the green. Once you get to the green you can look for more specific influences, but remember you have to move a lot of dirt to change the basic tilt of a green so don’t forget your first impression once you get to the green.
Be aggressive. An aggressive putter has an easier time reading greens than the player who tries to die the ball at the hole. An aggressive putt will break less so you can take a more direct approach. Second, if you miss you will get a look at what the comeback putt will do as the ball rolls past. Third, while you run the risk of an occasional 3 putt because of the aggressive approach, you will also make more putts. The important thing is even if you do run the ball past, stay aggressive. Take the break out with speed is usually good advice.
Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself. Reading a green is a prediction and you will never be sure what the ball will do until the putt is struck. Once you make a decision then do your best to start the ball on the line you have chosen and accept the results. If you are observant and aggressive the results might surprise you.
Observe the big picture. This is the key to being a good green reader. When deciding on how the putt will roll be sure to look at your surroundings. Too many of us stare at the hole and a narrow path between the ball and the hole. The best green readers take in their surroundings first, looking at the entire green and the topography around them. Our Director of Golf likes to say that reading a putt begins immediately after you hit your approach. Look at how the green sits into the landscape, it will tell you a lot about the direction the ball will move, before you ever reach the green. Once you get to the green you can look for more specific influences, but remember you have to move a lot of dirt to change the basic tilt of a green so don’t forget your first impression once you get to the green.
Be aggressive. An aggressive putter has an easier time reading greens than the player who tries to die the ball at the hole. An aggressive putt will break less so you can take a more direct approach. Second, if you miss you will get a look at what the comeback putt will do as the ball rolls past. Third, while you run the risk of an occasional 3 putt because of the aggressive approach, you will also make more putts. The important thing is even if you do run the ball past, stay aggressive. Take the break out with speed is usually good advice.
Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself. Reading a green is a prediction and you will never be sure what the ball will do until the putt is struck. Once you make a decision then do your best to start the ball on the line you have chosen and accept the results. If you are observant and aggressive the results might surprise you.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Short Game Advice from Deep Rough
Someone at the Academy mentioned the other day that this past July had been the coolest on record. On the upside, the cooler weather has assisted our superintendent in maintaining the fantastic condition of our golf courses at Swan Lake Resort. On the downside most golf courses have some wicked rough, especially around the greens.
There are a couple of key tips to getting up and down out of green side rough. But before we suggest too much you have to remember to lower your expectations. The complaint the tour players have with heavy rough around the green is that it takes skill out of the equation. The ball doesn’t spin and it is tough to control trajectory because of the grass that gets between the club and the ball. So if the typical chip results in a 3 or 4 foot putt, a good result now might be a 10 foot, par save, putt. I have always thought it is easier to make a putt when you have a positive attitude, as you would after a good shot than the negative thought you have from a bad shot. So remind yourself that the 10 footer was a good result. The following is a technique we teach at the Academy for shots in deep rough around the green.
Choose the highest lofted club in your bag.
Hold the club in front of you and turn the face closed. To the left for a right hander and to the right for a left hander.
Grip the club in the normal manner with the face closed.
Play the ball off your back foot in your stance, and if the grass is particularly deep play the ball behind your back foot.
With the ball way back in the stance and the club face closed, swing the club in a steep manner right down behind the ball. The trick is to have the club enter the grass just slightly behind the ball.
The flange on your wedge will bounce under the ball rather than dig. This kicks the ball up and out of the rough with little spin so the ball rolls out a little. Be careful, as you don’t need to swing the club as hard as you might think. Note. If the ball comes out to the right of where you intended you have not closed the face enough.
After a couple minutes of practice you may find this shot to be a real stroke saver. Good Luck!
Someone at the Academy mentioned the other day that this past July had been the coolest on record. On the upside, the cooler weather has assisted our superintendent in maintaining the fantastic condition of our golf courses at Swan Lake Resort. On the downside most golf courses have some wicked rough, especially around the greens.
There are a couple of key tips to getting up and down out of green side rough. But before we suggest too much you have to remember to lower your expectations. The complaint the tour players have with heavy rough around the green is that it takes skill out of the equation. The ball doesn’t spin and it is tough to control trajectory because of the grass that gets between the club and the ball. So if the typical chip results in a 3 or 4 foot putt, a good result now might be a 10 foot, par save, putt. I have always thought it is easier to make a putt when you have a positive attitude, as you would after a good shot than the negative thought you have from a bad shot. So remind yourself that the 10 footer was a good result. The following is a technique we teach at the Academy for shots in deep rough around the green.
Choose the highest lofted club in your bag.
Hold the club in front of you and turn the face closed. To the left for a right hander and to the right for a left hander.
Grip the club in the normal manner with the face closed.
Play the ball off your back foot in your stance, and if the grass is particularly deep play the ball behind your back foot.
With the ball way back in the stance and the club face closed, swing the club in a steep manner right down behind the ball. The trick is to have the club enter the grass just slightly behind the ball.
The flange on your wedge will bounce under the ball rather than dig. This kicks the ball up and out of the rough with little spin so the ball rolls out a little. Be careful, as you don’t need to swing the club as hard as you might think. Note. If the ball comes out to the right of where you intended you have not closed the face enough.
After a couple minutes of practice you may find this shot to be a real stroke saver. Good Luck!
Friday, August 14, 2009
A Secret Weapon
When we meet a new player at the United States Golf Academy, we begin our time together with a discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of the player’s game. It is a rare occasion when a student does not include “short game” as an area of concern. These students looking for short game help typically have another thing in common; if they own a sand wedge they only use it when they are in the sand. A good sand wedge is easily the most versatile golf club in your bag and no matter how confident you are around the green; you can only improve your results by taking advantage its versatility.
The modern sand wedge has evolved from utility club to scoring club. The configuration of the bottom of the club keeps the club from digging in as the club strikes the ground or turf. This “bounce’’ pushes the club forward through the ball as the club slides along the ground. With a sand wedge I don’t need to strike the ball as precisely as I would normally and as long as I keep the club moving, the increased loft of the club it produces a high soft trajectory and when the ball lands, a small amount of roll.
Most of us can produce a shot that has a lower trajectory that rolls like a putt. While it is nice to be able to produce this shot it becomes difficult to control when you must fly the ball in the air over obstacles like rough, sand or water. It is also necessary to use a higher trajectory when you have missed a green on the same side that the pin is located. This is called “short siding” and usually means you have little or no green to work with, eliminating the opportunity to use a low trajectory shot that needs room to roll out.
So where do you start when looking for a sand wedge? There are literally thousands of loft/bounce combinations available. I personally think the magic numbers are 58 degrees loft and 12 degrees bounce. The club has enough loft to make the soft high shots easier to play and twelve degrees bounce allows you to swing the club aggressively without fear of fat or chunked shots.
There are three essential golf clubs to lowering your score; a driver you can trust, a putter that fits your posture and a versatile wedge for shots around the green. Skipping one of the three is a sure way to higher scores.
The modern sand wedge has evolved from utility club to scoring club. The configuration of the bottom of the club keeps the club from digging in as the club strikes the ground or turf. This “bounce’’ pushes the club forward through the ball as the club slides along the ground. With a sand wedge I don’t need to strike the ball as precisely as I would normally and as long as I keep the club moving, the increased loft of the club it produces a high soft trajectory and when the ball lands, a small amount of roll.
Most of us can produce a shot that has a lower trajectory that rolls like a putt. While it is nice to be able to produce this shot it becomes difficult to control when you must fly the ball in the air over obstacles like rough, sand or water. It is also necessary to use a higher trajectory when you have missed a green on the same side that the pin is located. This is called “short siding” and usually means you have little or no green to work with, eliminating the opportunity to use a low trajectory shot that needs room to roll out.
So where do you start when looking for a sand wedge? There are literally thousands of loft/bounce combinations available. I personally think the magic numbers are 58 degrees loft and 12 degrees bounce. The club has enough loft to make the soft high shots easier to play and twelve degrees bounce allows you to swing the club aggressively without fear of fat or chunked shots.
There are three essential golf clubs to lowering your score; a driver you can trust, a putter that fits your posture and a versatile wedge for shots around the green. Skipping one of the three is a sure way to higher scores.
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