Tony Ruggiero' Golf Tip of the Week

How to Read an Golf Magazine and Not Mess up Your Game!

2012-01-30T09:32:00.000-06:00

One of the neat things that I encounter from teaching golf as well as hosting an all golf instruction radio program is the many questions that come from golf enthusiasts who are hungry for more information and help for their game. The majority of golfers who are on this quest to shoot lower scores find themselves reading and listening to countless golf tips and instruction articles. Yet the majority of them come away with a lot of great information but their scores don’t reflect all the extra knowledge they have. Here are a few suggestions to help all of you taking more out of the next Golf Magazine you pick up and to help you lower your golf handicap by the end of the season.
“Know your tendencies”. Picking up an instruction magazine and trying everything in it would be like walking into a pharmacy and taking one of everything on the shelves. Everything in the pharmacy is there to help you if it for the right symptoms or illness. There are some things in the pharmacy which could make you feel worse if it is for the wrong illness or symptom. Golf instruction articles are the same way. Everything in the magazines comes from the best teachers in the world. All of their information is valid and helpful if you suffer from the correct problem. If you really want to improve at golf find out what the tendencies in “YOUR” golf swing are. It is important to know what your biggest flaw is and what mistake it can cause. This information will help you find the right article to help you work towards a better golf swing. Not every article is for every golfer or every swing. Know what needs fixing on you and then you can get help for your swing.
“Know where your strokes are going” If you want to play better you should be using some type of round tracking system to keep track of where all the strokes are going in your golf game. For example one player might off the top of their head assume that they do not make enough birdies therefore they need to hit more greens. Without further analysis this player might waste a lot of time working on their iron play on the practice range. However after deeper analysis the player might find that they hit the ball out of play far too many times which causes them to have to play out of trouble or short of the green. Armed with this information you will be able to find the right information in Golf Magazine to help you improve your accuracy off the tee. Know where your strokes are going so you know what to read and try.
“Play better not just swing better”. The pages of magazines are filled with great articles from the best teachers on different philosophies on how to swing the club. Most players I know really want to shoot lower scores or lower their handicap. Some of the best information and help found between the covers of a Golf Magazine is help on how to think you around the course from the great players and teachers of the game. Learn management and playing strategies from these great players and apply them to your game. It is quite possible that you can shave strokes off your game simply by learning to think and plan your way around the course more like a tour player.
“Use as a supplement to your instruction program” No teacher has all the answers and yours doesn’t either. Most of the best ideas I have used on my students have come from the interviews I have done with the great teachers I interview each week on the Dewsweepers or from the articles I read in Golf Magazine. If you read a magazine article which you feel like is a fresh look or a new approach to help you with your swing tendencies or to help you fix your scoring issues do yourself a favor and take the article to your teacher. As teachers sometimes we get too close to a situation or wrapped up in what we prefer to do that it can very helpful to have a fresh approach or idea brought to us. Hey, you might not only help yourself but you might bring an idea to your teacher that helps out some other struggling golfers as well!
The best advice I can give you for getting more out of reading an instruction magazine is to not use a shotgun approach but rather narrow the scope of the information you are looking for. You can become a better player from understanding your swing and your game better. Then you can pursue the information articles written to aid in these areas. Instruction articles can be a great way to help you along the pursuit of making your game better!

How to Release

2012-01-09T10:11:00.002-06:00

One of the more common questions that I get from listeners to the Dewsweepers or from students who come to work with us is "How do I release the
club?" or "don't I need to release the club?". One common misconception among golfer is in the idea of what releasing the club is. The majority of club level and aspiring golfers out there think of trying to release the club as a throwing of the club head or a pushing of the club head through impact with the right hand (right handed player). This misconception of trying to release the club head through the ball causes more poor shots and more power leaks than any flaw I see among golfers.

It would help all golfers to understand what you are looking to achieve at impact. The impact position we are looking for is one in which the ball is compressed against the ground (any shot not on a tee). Thus the ball is hit right before the low point of the swing. We then are looking for a position in which there a flat left wrist and a bent right wrist at impact. This position and the correct low point wont occur when there is club head throw away which occurs when the player is trying to release the club.

So what I am saying is understand what you are trying to release. Learn to release the club with your body not your hands. If you can learn to load the club up going back and then deliver the club to the ball and to your finish with your pivot motion or your body rather than your hands and arms you will become a much more powerful and consistent ball striker!

Monitor your Ball Position

2011-09-03T10:35:00.002-05:00

All too often people are working on the correct thing but not getting better primarily because the ball is in the wrong spot. You may be working on educating your hands or improving your pivot but the ball position is off and you would miss ball if you didn’t make the wrong or incorrect move to get the ball airborne.
Practice with clubs or sticks on teh ground to monitor ball position. It is essential and you never see a Tour Player practicing with out these aids.
For irons the ball needs to be 1 club head inside left foot. This will allow the ball to be struck right before the low point.

A ball that is too far back causes pivot stall and club head throw away.
A ball that is too far forward gets shoulders and hip out of alignment plus can lead to lateral movement and or an incorrect swing plane.
Check your ball position and monitor to allow the work your doing to pay off.

Tip to improve your forward swing pivot

2011-09-03T10:30:00.002-05:00

A Dewsweeper writes in and wants to know what is a good tip to help them turn through the ball better?
Too often people fee like they are turning but all too often if find they are stalling out with their turn or turning around their back leg rather than turning through onto their front foot.

One of the things that’s interesting with having the Swing Catalyst at my teaching facility at Santa Rosa Golf and BEach Club is that it shows where the center of gravity is during the swing. The majority of all mid to upper handicap players leave that center back over their rear or right foot at impact. The key is to get the center of gravity moving forward to pull the club through the ball. Try and make your sternum go forward and around

I like this visual 3 balls in triangle out in front and left of your left foot a few paces
Get your chest to turn forward and through towards the triangle of balls. Try this visual and see if you don't start hitting more solid iron shots.

Hit better in between wedge shots

2011-09-03T10:21:00.002-05:00

Cleveland golf tip of the week
Dewsweeper writes in that they have trouble with in between wedge shots do I have any suggestions?
First I would suggest better planning off the tee or lay up shot. Look to hit the ball to specific full shot distances. Often times the right tee club is not the driver as a well struck tee shot can leave you too close tot he green.

For the unavoidable in betweeners use one of these two options.
First choke down on the club and make a full swing and at full speed. You will need to test on your own to get distance travelled with a choked shot. Practice choking a half inch and an inch see how much distance this takes off. This is the easiest way to hit in between distances.
Second is to make full motion golf swing but take speed off with less arm speed. This is more difficult and for the more advance player.

Once you know these distances(best to use a device) you can change speed, choke and size of back swing to hit different yardages.
Write these distance down. Now you need to practice hitting shots to towels on the ground of your driving range laid out at specific distances and learn to hit the balls and land them on these towels. the you will have better distance control over your scoring clubs.

Get More Out of the Work You put In

2011-09-03T10:10:00.003-05:00

A college player that I teach and I were talking recently about her frustration over how hard she works and practices but how little her golf swing is changing towards the changes she is trying to make. She is one of the hardest practicers I know and dedicates a tremendous amount of time to hitting balls and working on short game. Her difficulty is with feeling the difference between her old swing and the new one when she is hitting balls and on the course. In fact when she is honest she probably really doesn't feel much of any difference. We needed to find a way to get her to feel the difference and feel the changes.

Here is what we did and her play is improving and she is starting to get paid dividends from her intense practice sessions. Practice the first 1/3 to ½ of practice time at half or 1/3 of full speed. The full motion shots at a slower speed allow her to accomplish a few things. The swing happens at a slow enough speed that she can monitor the movements and do them much more mechanically correct. Secondly the slow lotion repetitions allow her to actually create a feel and awareness of how the correct motion feels which allows her to differentiate between her old swing an her developing new one.

This new routine has allowed her to make the changes quicker and more permanent. Her hard work is paying off and her scores are coming down. She is getting more effective use of her practice time. This will work for your game too!

Help Reading Greens

2011-09-03T10:01:00.003-05:00

People often struggle reading because they have poor aim and speed control. All too often golfers don’t get the ball started on the line that they think they are aimed at. Golfers often also have poor speed control which makes it difficult to become consistent with reading the lines and breaks on the green. In order to become better at reading greens first improve your aim and speed control. Work on each separately and independently.
Practice lining up stripe on ball so you get aimed correct as well as practice short putts on a carpenters chalkline. These are the two best and quickest ways to improve your alignment and aim in putting.

Next is focus on speed in your practice. If your speed gets consistent you will start seeing the line better. Practice hitting different length putts trying to get the ball close to the edge of the fringe with out touching it. This drill will help create a better feel for speed and touch on the green.

Other tips to improve green reading are to look at green while approaching it. it is often easier to see the slopes and breaks of a green from a distance rather than when you are on the green.

Look to see where the low point is and where water runs off. Looking for drainage lines can help you see where gravity will pull your rolling golf ball. The way the green drains is the way the ball will break and roll

Pay attention to grain. Shiny grass is with grain and the putt will be faster. Dark grass is against the grain and the putt will be slower.

Yip Proof Chip Shot

2011-07-17T17:02:00.002-05:00

A student recently came to me with a problem with very short chips from around the green. He almost yipped these shots and needed a solution. He was ok as long as he could putt but when there was more fringe to negotiate and get the ball over he was scared and without a shot that would work.

Here is what we did.

We took his 8 or 9 iron and let him grip the club exactly like his putter which he did by placing in the palms of his hands. This grip helped take the wrist action out of the shots. We had both thumbs come off of the grip of his iron at a 45 degree angle.

From here he simply made his normal putting stroke with no hinge in his wrists. this simple stroke allowed the club to pop the ball up over the fringe and then tumble towards the hole like a putt.

Quit Hanging Back

2011-07-17T16:57:00.002-05:00

Dewsweeper writes in that they are having trouble with hanging back on their back foot and hit it weak to the right and that they never take a divot do I have any suggestions.
Of course we have some help. This is quite common and something we see all the time.

Here is the visual I use frequently when helping students fight the hang back.

We have all been told to keep our head down and still. What results is usually a pivot that stops and stalls and a head and body which goes back and never turns through to the front foot.

I ask students to visualize Annika or David Duval and have the release their head and eyes before the ball is struck. We will also hold a shaft up next to a students right side of their head. On the down swing they try and make their head go forwards from the shaft towards the target.

lastly we have students hold their finish with both knees touching. If you can go through this process you can quit hanging back, make a divot and add some power to your game.

2011-07-17T16:49:00.002-05:00

A Dewsweeper writes in that he is having trouble with the club coming in too steep from the outside wants to know if we have a tip to help him visualize and practice the right path of the downswing. This dewsweeper feels he has trouble with where the club is supposed to go from
the top of back swing and doesn't understand whats supposed to start the down swing.

If path is from the outside make sure first that your face is square. An open club face is often the culprit of a poor and outside down swing path.

Now let's make sure you have proper sequence from the top of the back swing.
At the start of down swing pressure changes from the right heel to left foot. At this time the left knee goes back to where it was at the address position. The key to getting the club on plane is for the arms to fall/ lower club down the plane at this time.

Next the hips pull the chest and then the chest pulls arms and club through the impact zone and turns completely to the finish!
Visual to practice: put a noodle from pool on shaft directly on target line at angle of shaft at address slightly out of reach of club during back swing
Feel club swing up noodle going back and try and make it go down or even under coming down

Dont Get Stuck!

2011-07-17T16:45:00.002-05:00

A Dewsweeper writes in that they have been told they get stuck during their down swing and that causes inconsistencies. He would like to know if we can we offer any help.

Usually a player gets stuck when on or during their backswing the right elbow(righthanded player) gets too far behind them. By this we mean from the down line view the elbow would be back behind the back of the playerback not over right hip and in front of pivot as I would prefer.

I like to have students see the distance the elbows are apart at address and maintain that distance through whole swing. This is a great visual that really seems to stick with students. If they can keep the elbost the same distance apart back and through they usually keep everything in front of them and improve their ball striking.

Here is an additional practice technique we use. Take a nerf ball or small soccer ball and put between elbows and hit slow shots this will help keep arms in front of you and eliminate becoming stuck!

Become a more consistent golfer

2011-06-20T16:19:00.002-05:00

One of the top questions I get from students who come to work with me to get better is , "How do I become a more consistent golfer". Most of the time consistency goes back to a few fundamentals. Here is a routine I use all the time. See if it doesn't help your game.
Practice with a piece of rope or twine stretched out in a line pointing at your target on the range. Use two nails to hold the twine in place. This rope should represent the target line.Place a ball on a low tee on the rope. Now make small slow swings tracing the line with the club on the way back and through. Place an aiming stick out in front of the rope directly between the ball and the target. Learn to start the ball over the rod with no curve. This exercise will help you learn to start to swing the club on plane and start the ball online. You will become a more consistent golfer.

Stop the shanks.

2011-06-20T16:15:00.002-05:00

Dewsweeper writes in and asks for help. They are sick with a case of the shanks and cant get rid of them. They have tried everything. Shanks can be tough but here is the quickest and best way I have found to get rid of them.

Shanks are caused when ball hits off hosel of club and shoots out to the right. It generally speaking never from the face being open at impact. Most of the time it is caused by a club face over rotating through impact in attempt to square the face. The more we shank it to the right the more we try to square it and close the face and the worse it gets.

Here is a fix hit small shots up next to a 2x4 about a balls width away. The small swings should be made trying to leave face open through impact. Swing shaft or heel of club to left away from ball and mis the board.

2011-04-17T07:47:00.002-05:00

We get asked all the time here on the Dewsweepers, "How do I know when it is right to get another driver?" A lot of people just go and get a new one every time a new model comes out and while that can be fun it can be costly and not always game improving. I advise my students in the following way First lets look at your golf swing: Is there something in your driver that keeps you from making a better golf swing. i.e. : A driver that is too stiff or does not have enough loft could prevent you from turning through the ball properly. If the make up of your driver makes you have to make an incorrect swing to launch the ball and flight the ball the way you and your teacher desire then you need to get fit for a new one. Second: Can you pick up substantial yardage with new product (8 yards) which is a club advantage. If so then a new driver should be in the bag. Third: Will a new driver make your mishits significantly straighter and more in play?? If you answered yes to any of these then it is time to get fit but make sure you don’t just go after distance but the right combo of distance and accuracy.

Watch Your Shot

2011-04-17T07:31:00.002-05:00

One of the things I see amateur golfers Not do that Tour Players DO is that they watch the entire flight of the ball. When I watch junior or amateur golfers I see the players take their eyes off the ball flight , slump in their posture, let go of club in disgust whenever they hit a bad shot. I never see a really good player do this. Good or bad the Tour Player always hold finish in balance till ball lands. The reason for this is that you can learn a great deal about your swing and your misplayed shot from the flight of the ball. Amateurs are already complaining making excuses or reaching for another. Why watch? The flight of the ball is a great indicator of what you did wrong in your golf swing. For example: Too much curve you might have used too much hand rotation. Ball starts off line the problem could be the path. You will know based on work from your teacher what the issues to look for are. Tour players always then look at divot. The divot tells us a lot. Don’t rush off after a poor shot. Next time you play hold your finish watch ball flight and look at the divot this can help you know more about the shot you just hit so you can do what you are trying to do better on the next one.

Can You play with a Closed Club Face?

2011-04-03T08:04:00.002-05:00

A question comes in from a Dewsweeper that says I have been told I have a shut club face is it possible to play with it. This dewsweeper is already a pretty good ball striker and player. The first question I ask is "what do you want to accomplish?" Play good at your club, amateur golf, or major amatuer golf or professional?? The goals you have will determine the need to change the face and if you can achieve what you are trying to do with out aquaring up the face. There have been several great players with shut face Azinger, Duval, Trevino. Note they all had things in common they play a fade. There is a reason for this and you should play accordingly yourself if you have a shut face. A shut face limits you. You won't be able to draw it under control the ball will tend to over hook If you want to play with a shut face which I certainly would prefer over an open face. It wold be best to learn to play a fade. Learn to aim left of target, swing shaft of club left and old face open for a cut. Understand the shots you can play based on your club face and you can play successful.

Gap Fitting

2011-04-03T08:00:00.003-05:00

A dewsweeper writes in and asks how I suggest they select their wedges in there bag. Gap fitting of wedges has become very important. I always build a wedge set in the following way. First start with a club for the sand 56, 58 60 whatever it is we have to have a club you like to get out off the bunker. I personally use a 60 degreee wedge witha lot of bounce. But whatever the club is you need to find one that you love and trust. Put that in the bag as your sand wedge. Take that bunker club and then find out how far you carry and hit your pitching wedge. Then you fill in the gaps between your sand iron and your pitching wedge in order to create your set. If you have a huge yardage gap between the two and your bunker club is good for around the greens you might want to add a gap wedge. If the gap between the sand wedge and pitching wedge is smaller and you need more loft around the green you might add a 60 degree wedge. You might add both based upon your set make up if you dont carry a 3 wood or a hybrid and your game needs more help around the greens. To go through this process it is best to work with your teacher and get some help and feedback.

Tee it Lower Under Pressure

2011-04-02T15:08:00.001-05:00

Having trouble hitting your driver off the toe? Can't hit it in play when it counts?? Try this for better driver a more solid hits not just on the 5th hole but when it counts coming down the stretch. If you tee the ball up too high it can help make you swing up at the ball too much. The result is that your trunk stays tilted too far behind the ball and you end up using your hands and flipping the clubhead at the ball causing hooks off the toe. Next time try teeing it down low. The result will be that you wont be able to swing up at the ball as much. You will keep your trunk more level and hit the ball straighter. I guarantee if you tee it lower you will drive it straighter under pressure!

Golve Wear??

2011-04-02T15:06:00.000-05:00

A question from a Dewsweeper that says I always wear out my glove really fast and badly but I generally hit it ok what does this mean? One of the big signs that a left hand grip is placed on the club inclorrectly is excessive wear especially on the heel of the glove. When you have excessive wear on the heal pad generally it is because the club is not at base of fingers which places the heel on side of club and rubs hole in the glove. Placing the heel on top of club gives leverage and stops wear. Wear on side of fingers usually indicates too much hand action generally flipping or throwing of the clubhead Check your glove wear to make sure your grip is precise.

Control your distance with scoring clubs

2011-01-17T13:42:00.003-06:00

Dewsweeper writes in that they are having trouble hitting wedges close and with distance control in their wedge game can I help?

1 Practice distance- know how far you really carry the ball. Mark yardages and use real golf balls. Lay some towels or baskets out on the range in ten yards increments and learn to hit wedges and land on the towel. Technology and the use of flightscope or carry and hit your scoring irons.

2 Use a big motion and make sure your arms are matched up with your pivot. Too much arm or flash speed at bottom makes it difficult to predict how the ball will jump out and far it will carry.
People who make short back swings and really accelerate have a hard time becoming precise and accurate with these shots.
Try hitting more club with less speed see if you don’t get it closer

Practice with towel drill. Place a big towel under your arms across your chest to match your arms and pivot up so that you can become a better wedge player.

Is it ok to practice on the course?

2011-01-17T13:39:00.002-06:00

Dewsweeper asks t is it ok to practice on the course or do I need to hit balls to get better?

Personality dictates the most effective way for you to practice as well as where you are in the development of your game. Some players hate hitting balls they will get more out of time practiceing on the course. Practicing on the course is excellent when working on playing and scoring . It is important to keep in mind that you must still alllo for work on your short game.

If you are making a change or working on mechanics it is important to use the range and not worry about ball flight. It is critical to work on making changes initially away from the course and focus on the process of changing rather than the flight and results of the ball.

How to Play Better in the Wind?

2011-01-17T13:34:00.002-06:00

Dewsweeper writes in and wants to know how to play better in wind.

Obviously the player wants to hit the ball lower. However it is important to do this the correct way and to hit the correct shots around the course. You can do this by playing ball slightly back as well as getting the chest more forward at impact. I prefer a combination of the two.

Biggest mistake players make when playing in the wind is that they try and hit shots harder into the wind. Harder swings produce more speed. More speed produces more spin and gets the ball out of control.

Try using more club and less arm speed which will result ina ball that stays down with less spin and will give you more control over the shot.

Don’t under estimate the wind and allow for the cross wind as well as it can greatly affect the flight of the ball.

2010-12-20T09:54:00.002-06:00

Dewsweeper writes in and wants some suggestions on how to play better in wind.

Obviously hit the ball lower you can do this by playing ball slightly back in your stance. Be careful not to over do this. I also prefer to get the shaft leaning more forard and the club de lofted bu learning to get your chest more forward at impact

Biggest mistake I see made is trying to hit shots harder into the wind. More speed means more spin which means the ball will go higher and get more out of control.

Try less club and less arm speed which will result in less spin and more control.

Don’t under estimate the wind. Always allow for more than you think.

Play the corss wind. It has a great effect on the balla swell. And remember down wind allow for run out of the ball.

If I am a good putter should I Change?

2010-12-20T09:53:00.000-06:00

Dewsweeper writes in that they are a very good putter but they recently were video’d and saw that they tendend to aim left and push there putts. They use shot by shot and are excellent at making putts should they worry and try and change.

NO NO NO
Listen the only thing they ask you about when you finish is what you shot.

Putting is about getting the ball on line or started where you think you are lined up and confidence.

Not everyone has to putt or swing the same. If you are a good putter and can do it every time don’t change. Believe in yourself and make putts.

My swing is better am I done working on it?

2010-12-20T09:45:00.002-06:00

Dewsweeper writes in now that my golf swing is better on video and hitting it better what should I work on this year? Am I done with the work to do?

Youw ill never be done working on your golf game. There will be constant refininement in order to improve consistency and accuracy.

If you arent improving you are getting worse!

Monitor fundamentals because your tendencies and errors always tend to drift back.
Use round tracking know where strokes are going. This will allow you to better structure your practice schedule and lessons to wotk on your weaknesses to improve your scoring.

Look into fitness and mental approach.

Learn different scoring shots and ways to be more versatile when hitting into difficult situations.