2010 Expert Answers: Vol. 3 (PGA.com)
April 16, 2010
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: Gary Wiren, 1987 PGA Teacher of the Year and member of the PGA Hall of Fame
Question: Is there a school of thought (and if there is, who are the primary teachers) that advocates the triangle one piece takeaway and on the downswing the shoulder goes left first, while the left hip is held closed until the shoulders pull it through creating an explosive impact and the golfer immediately stands up? I may not be describing it correctly but it seems to work and is fairly simple to execute.—Richard J. Drake
Answer: Richard, I have a very good idea about what you are attempting to describe and a very low regard for trying to do it in that fashion. Assuming that your grip, aim and set-up are acceptable and you have reached the top of your swing with a good coil and a square club face, the sequence of motion is to unwind what you have wound in the proper order. That sequence is more natural than what you describe and is used in many ballistic sport movements. The left hip begins to rotate to the left and in so doing begins the forward shift of weight toward the target. This movement produces a connected response of the trunk and muscles of the back that travels to the left arm creating a definite feeling of pulling. When this occurs the right elbow drops near the right hip allowing the butt end of the club to point toward the ball. The swing is now on the power path from the inside to be able to retain the release of energy to and through the ball. The left leg has straightened somewhat to give a solid pivot point over which to finish the swing and to assist with the power by halting any sliding movement of the body toward the target: feet, legs, trunk, back, left arm, right arm, forearms, hands BOOM! and finish in balance.
Question: I started golf at 50, so I’m way behind my peers. I’m now 70 and with many lessons, a 10 handicap. I can’t seem to be able to stop starting my swing at the top with my arms coming over the top outside in. I either pull or slice when I do this. HELP! Thanks.—Al McCormick
Answer: Al, The first thing a good teacher will do if you are a slicer is to look closely at your grip, quite possibly the number one cause of producing an open clubface and a slice. When a player slices his means of protection from hitting the ball off the course to the right is to swing to the left… coming “over the top” by throwing his right side too early and cutting across the ball to give it the slice spinning action. If it was a weak grip in the left hand and your professional corrects it then you will start hitting the ball to the left, because of your former faulty swing path. Now you must learn to trust that you can swing from the inside without the ball going to your right.
Another consideration is that if you have a good grip currently you could be taking the club back too far on the inside during the backswing which encourages you to loop at the top of the backswing and come over the top of the correct swing plane going forward, outside to in. The way to change this is to practice taking the club outside on the backswing so that it will want to self-correct and drop to the inside on the forward swing.
Rules: Ron Hickman, Vice Chairman PGA Rules Committee
Question: Hi, I’m confused regarding how to proceed when my stance/swing is blocked by hazard stakes when playing inside a hazard. According to rules, the ground and water within the margin of the hazard are part of a hazard, as are the stakes. Another rule states that regardless of in or outside a hazard, hazard stakes may be removed if it impedes my stance/swing. Please enlighten.—Donny Singapore
Answer: Donny, with regards to water hazards the rules do not change the status of any objects which are defined as movable obstructions. In most examples a stake installed by the Committee to define the margins of a water hazard will be considered to be movable obstructions and thus removable regardless of the ball’s position on the course.
Rule 13-4 do prohibit a player from touching and removing natural objects (loose impediments) when the ball lies in or touches the hazard. But remember that the rules of golf never prohibits a player or his caddie from removing items classified as “movable obstructions”(cigarette butts, a discarded soda can, a rake or a hazard stake).
A hazard stake can be classified as an immovable obstruction but this is rare and would likely be a permanent structure located in a hazard such as a bridge support. The best news is that if the act of removing a movable obstruction should cause your ball in play to move no penalty and replace.
Question: During Friday’s tournament the TV coverage showed a large alligator on one of the holes. What would be the ruling if a contestant’s ball ended up in close proximity to said alligator?—Eugene N. Crowley
Answer: Well, Eugene funny you should ask.. The Decision book covers just such an occurrence. If a ball comes to rest on the course but in a position which presents great concern for safety, then Decision 1-4/10 provides relief but with some limitations.
The exception to relief occurs when the fact that there is a large ALLIGATOR (snake) near a players ball, relief by decision is possible provided the ball has come to rest on a part of the course where, if not for the concern for safety the player’s next stroke would be playable, For the relief procedure visit usga.org and look up decision 1-4/10. Also, look at decision 1-4/11 to fully understand the procedure of what is dangerous and what is simply an unpleasant lie.
Remember the key component of the decision 1-4/10 is that this decision still protects the field while upholding a principle of the rules, “that a player never comes out of a hazard without making or taking a stroke,” see the exception clause of that decision.
Question: I just recently replaced my putter/chipper grip with a putter grip. My friend told me that it is not allowed. Is there any regulation against this?—Tommy T. Tang
Answer: The only club in the bag that can have a non-circular cross section grip is the putter. There are rules, found in Appendix II of the USGA rule book that define what a putter can be with regard to specifications such as lie angle and hosel styles as well as grips. The answer to your question is that, most likely, your “chipper” with the putter style grip is a non-conforming club.
Equipment: Eric Hogge, PGA – Director of Clubfitting for PGA of America
Question: I carry four wedges in my bag. I love them all 48 to 60 lob wedge. The 60 degree is by far my favorite club. I can really spin the ball when I need to. I also have a 3-iron but eliminate it to keep 14 clubs in the bag. I hit the 3-iron very well, however, and often miss it on the course. My question is: Should I eliminate the 5-wood? Or even the 3-wood and keep the 3-iron? Nine times out of 10 I’ll hit driver, maybe 3-wood, and sometimes 3-iron off the tee. My handicap is 11.2 and I’ve been told I need a hybrid. But I believe my problems lie on the green as far as my handicap goes. I’m confident on the tee and the fairway. A hybrid to me is awkward and more difficult to hit consistently as my irons. Having difficulty eliminating a club or deciding on a hybrid I guess. Any advice on one or both? Thanks.—Alan Munger
Answer: I believe that the majority of amateur players do not carry enough wedges. The golfing gods limiting us to 14 clubs does not allow us to carry a club for every distance we might encounter on the course. Here is the bottom line. Should we have a distance “gap” in the 3-iron and 5-wood area or around the scoring shots of less than 150 yards? I carry four wedges and encourage most of my students to do the same.
It sounds as if you hit driver, 3-wood and 3-iron very well. I would go to your local PGA Professional and have him or her perform a “gap” fitting on the top of your set. The launch monitors today, like the Trackman units that we use here at the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance, can pinpoint a player’s actual yardage and make these decisions very simple. If the 3-iron works for you, I would keep it instead of the hybrid but let the technology tell you if you are getting everything out of your set make up that you can. When I went through a gap fitting, I found that two of my fairway clubs and my longest iron had only 12 yards between them in carry distance. Reorganizing my set and making room for another wedge gives me more options on the course.
Fitness: David Donnatucci, PGA Director of Fitness
Question: How can I work out my lower back to be in better shape for a stronger golf swing? Thanks.—Manuel Ibarra
Answer: The lower back should work as a stabilizer during the swing. The best way to help the lower back is to strengthen it in golf posture. The best exercise is a standing plate front raise. Stand in golf posture, keep your arms straight and lower your hands by your waist. Grab a weight, (anything will work, ball, plate, dumb bell, bucket of water). Maintain golf posture and arms straight, raise your hands up in the air until they are directly in front of your chest. Hold them there for a second and lower them back to your starting position. Repeat this 10 times. Works on stability through the mid-section of the body.
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