| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Graves_Golf_Academy
Administrator
15 Posts |
 Posted - 01/20/2006 : 15:23:31
|
BUNKER SHOTS
Where should the weight be?
On normal sand shots, need to lean forward slightly (60% of weight on lead side 40% on trail side ) to help with the "cut shot" through the sand (conventional type club).
If you need to hit high quick, need to keep weight back slightly more to get ball up (just as you do when you are hitting a flop shot). Always should have a little shoulder tilt (more of a natural tilt from the trail hand being lower than the lead hand). Do not recommend adding more tilt than is in a comfortable set up.
Hard Sand
Hard sand is very hard to hit bunker shots (very hard sand) as you can not get the club to slide under the ball and with typical bunker shots, the sand absorbs much of the shot. Obviously, this will not occur with hard sand. In a hard (very hard) sand situation, one must use a chipping style motion (firm lead wrist) to make sure and contact ball first and hit with a slightly steeper angle. Yes, with a high lip in the bunker, probably will not hit high enough to get out. That is why you will not see these type of shots on tour events.. even for the best players in the world, hard, if not impossible, shots.
PUTTING
Reading Greens
Most often, golfers can read greens just fine, the issue lies in the stroke and speed. Break is always determined by speed of putt. Bad or inconsistent speed, means bad or inconsistent reading of putts. Work on the line drill and T on ball for stroke and putter face alignment and work on speed by using 3 ball drill, etc.. Best place to see drills is to watch our new video/DVD and or you can see articles we have written in our etips/newsletters and even NG magazine article.
PITCHING
Ball Position
Optimal pitching ball position is center of stance and then to work forward as the distance becomes shorter. But, make sure you stay back on the shot. Mixed results typically occur as one rocks (laterally slides) into the shot, thus hitting fat or thin shots. It is easy to want to rock forward to get to the ball (especially on tight lies), make sure and stay back through impact and release on pitch shots.
Chipping
Ball Position
When chipping (not pitching) the ball is always placed toward the back, if not in the back, of the stance. I actually recommend, and practice myself, chipping with ball position off the back toe (remember a narrow stance). I tend to preach what Pelz says, "When chipping, the ball can not be too far back in the stance. And when uncomfortable over a chip, always back the ball up in the stance."
The weight issue on chips is about 60% lead foot, 40% trail foot. Having the hand forward in the set up of the chip will set the weight in this manner.
Long putter recommendations:
1. Need to set up with comfortable base and setup - need proper length putter for that.
2. Putter butt end needs to be in V of chest.. between thumb and forefinger.
3. Rest the trail hand on the putter in a comfortable position where you can produce a good pendulum stroke. Don't grip the lower hand too tight.. just enough to control the head.
4. Create the best pendulum stroke you can - back and forth - don't "stroke" the long putter - common mistake many first time users do... it is a pendulum type stroke.
5. Keep putter head square to the line as long as possible.
Good Luck,
Refer to video #4 of the 7 principles series - covers more on this topic..
It is important to have your eyes as close to possible over the ball at set up for two reasons:
1. For the most effective type stroke - shoulders will rock rather than turn when your eyes are over the ball and the ball will be more below the shoulders.
2. The read of the green. You are reading the putt from the ball to the hole. If your eyes are inside the ball, you are in essence reading the break from inside the ball to the hole. You are not looking at the same line to the hole if you are standing inside the ball.
This exact topic is covered in depth (with some great graphics illustrating the points) in video #4 due out next week.
George - main reason I recommended the longer putter for you was for the reasons also:
1. The shorter putter made you take a very long stroke for even short putts. Did not give you enough leverage to get the longer putts to the hole.
2. More importantly - back issues. The shorter putter will eventually wear out your back after prolonged use. Believe it or not, the putter can actually be harder on your back than the full swing.. I saw that in your set up at the camp.
********************************************************************
Chipping Fundamentals:
1. Choke up on the club to get comfortable. I choke up with one finger on the shaft. The closer you get to the club head, the more club head control you will have. Point of note: This is NOT a single axis set up. It can NOT be. If you choke up on the club, you change the lie angle of the club, therefore you must lower your hands slightly to adjust for the lie angle. If you do not lower your hands slightly when you choke up on the club, your toe of the club will dig into the ground and you will loose your chips to the right.
2. Have a narrow, comfortable and slightly open stance (about 10* open at the most). You do not need to have a wide stance as you are not swinging the club more than 20 to 30 mph.
3. Ball should be at the back of your stance (off or just inside your back toe). This position allows for the proper fundamental stroke of the chip.
4. Shoulders should be square to the target line - they will be slightly closed to the feet (as the feet are slightly open). Remember - this is the target line, not necessarily the hole.
Now you have the setup. Let's talk about the stroke:
5. As you are chipping, you MUST keep a firm lead wrist. That is the left wrist for right handers and a right wrist for left handers. If you hit thin or fat shots, you are breaking down your lead wrist.
6. Check your finish position to make sure you have held the firm lead wrist and the butt end of the club still runs up the lead arm.
7. The face of the club should be pointed toward the target line (or slightly inside if the shoulders have turned a little - longer chips). There is NO release in a chip and the club face should not turn over.
8. The body should remain very still throughout the chip - knees flexed, feet down, basically just the arms and shoulders producing the chip.
Last - the chip should be a slightly downward blow. This will be caused by ball position and firm lead wrist. This will allow for solid chips from poor lies. It will take a little time to develop but is the most effective form of chipping from all type of lies.
Our next Etip Update will discuss some drills and practice methods for effective chipping.
|
Todd Graves, Tim Graves, Scott Renfrow, Brent Reid |
|
|
Graves_Golf_Academy
Administrator
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2006 : 12:08:31
|
How does one chip from off the green and put breaks on the ball as I have seen the pro's do. Meaning, you can see that the ball has so much back spin that its as if the ball had breaks as it comes close to the pin.
thanks
kathy
3 main issues:
1. The angle of attack on the ball - you must keep a firm leading wrist with a downward blow on the ball - pinching the ball between the club face and ground.
2. Soft ball - if you are hitting a hard golf ball - will not be able to pinch with spin.
3. Forged - soft wedge/club - whatever you are chipping with. A hard cast club if very difficult to creat spin.
So combination - angle of attack - proper angle of chip - soft ball and club face allow for the chip to have a little "grab" on the green.
Tim
GGA
timg@swinglikemoe.com |
Todd Graves, Tim Graves, Scott Renfrow, Brent Reid |
 |
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Short Game - FAQ
Topic Locked
