Playing in the Wind

A dewsweeper writes in for some help on the golf course playing in the wind.

I would give you the following suggestion. Remember that the harder you swing the more the ball ill spin. The more spin the ball has the harder it is to control the ball in the wind.

I Always give students the advice to take a little more club and choke down on the club and swing the club at a slower speed. This will impart less spin on the ball and make it easier to control the trajectory and distance.

When you find yourself in the range where you would normally have to hit a hard sand wedge make sure you hit your gap or pitching wedge easy.

Try this in the wind and see if you don't control your golf ball better and hit more quality shots in the wind.

Trouble out of the Rough

A question comes in from a Dewsweeper that says on his home golf course he struggles with long shots out of deep rough can we give them any help??

First of all you need to evaluate the situation. Your first priority anytime you hit a ball out of play or off the fairway is to look and see what is the longest club you can hit and safely advance the ball back into play. Remember that this is dictated by the lie and often is not a club that will advance the ball to the green. Make sure your first priority is to play your next shot from the fairway. You should never play consecutive shots from the trouble.

When playing a shot from the rough from a mechanics standpoint you will want a swing which is much more steep or up and down. A steeper swing will help you get to the ball with less grass getting between the club and the ball.

Play a fade out of the rough. Don't try and draw the ball out of the rough. The tendency in long grass is for the blade to shut down and turn the ball over. Trying to hit a hook often leads to balls that never get up and out of the rough. In deep grass always try and hit a fade.

Remember to evaluate your situation allow for the ball to jump and run out when picking your landing spot and play a fade and you will be on your way to getting the ball back into play more safely.

Tired of treading water??

I recently had a great and common question come in from a dewsweeper. This particular dewsweeper is a 22 handicap who has been playing the game for quite some time. They have tried numerous clinics and lessons but never seem to get better. They are tired of treading water and want to get better but aren't sure how.

So many of the students that write us or end up on the tee with me here at Santa Rosa come with the same experience. Here is my recommendation on how to get on the road to improved golfing.

First, find a program that you believe in and trust. Make sure that the instructor and program is recognized, known and reputable.

Second, find an instructor or program that doesn't promise quick fixes. Rather find an instructor who will help you learn a correct grip, posture and ball position. If you are correct with these fundamentals you will never reach your golfing potential.

Third, find an instructor who will teach you a correct pivot motion. Learn to move the club with your body rather than your arms and hands. Most of the golfers I see on the practice tee every day that never get better are all swinging the club with their hands and arms and usually from a poor setup position.

Fourth, I prefer learning all of this from the green back. All of these are easier to learn and do with small slow swings rather than full speed swings. It also should be noted that as we say here all the time on the dewsweeepers short game is over 2/3 of the game. Learning this first is the quickest way to improve your game.

Fifth and finally is patience. Find the right teacher with a program you trust and stick with it. Good and improved golfing is worth the wait!

Get Rid of the Chicken Wing

And I don't mean the ones you put hot sauce on. Every avid golfer knows how deadly the chicken wing is, and how hard it is to get rid of. Well here is a start.
Your left arm (for right handed players) buckles and looks like a chicken wing through impact and after. This happens when the pivot motion, the rotation of your trunk, slows down through the ball. The left arm folds as the pivot stalls. The way to fix this is to fix your pivot. Learn to hit the ball more with the trunk of your body and not with your hands and arms.
Here is a drill to help. Go to your local store and/or garage and find a nerf ball. When you get back on the practice tee hit pitch shots with the nerf ball between your forearms. Hit shots without letting the ball fall or drop out. If you to do this it will help you learn to use your pivot to hit the ball and not allow your left arm to fold up like a chicken wing!

Get Rid of the Chicken Wing

And I don't mean the ones you put hot sauce on. Every avid golfer knows how deadly the chicken wing is, and how hard it is to get rid of. Well here is a start.
Your left arm (for right handed players) buckles and looks like a chicken wing through impact and after. This happens when the pivot motion, the rotation of your trunk, slows down through the ball. The left arm folds as the pivot stalls. The way to fix this is to fix your pivot. Learn to hit the ball more with the trunk of your body and not with your hands and arms.
Here is a drill to help. Go to your local store and/or garage and find a nerf ball. When you get back on the practice tee hit pitch shots with the nerf ball between your forearms. Hit shots without letting the ball fall or drop out. If you to do this it will help you learn to use your pivot to hit the ball and not allow your left arm to fold up like a chicken wing!