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GOLF
TEACHING PRO®
More Questions From Regular Clients
Part 4 of 4
How do I avoid the dreaded skulled sand shot?
Well, we could say “hit the sand first,” but that might be a slight
bit condescending! Seriously, this usually occurs when the angle of
approach is too shallow. The twin brother of skulled sand shots is
the extremely fat sand shot, because when the angle of approach is
too shallow, the margin of error is greatly decreased from a
geometric point of view. Make sure the weight starts and stays on
the front foot, the wrists are cocked quickly on thebackswing, and
the arms accelerate on the downswing before the hands get involved.
This should steepen the angle of approach.
Should the right hip be forward, even with, or behind the hands at
impact?
Although the hips should be rotated open at impact, the right hip
will remain behind the hands at impact. Both hips, though, will be
more forward (towards the target) than they were at address.
Should I use one club or many clubs to chip with?
There are teachers on both sides of this debate, so we’ll just list
the pros and cons. The main benefit with chipping with just one or
two clubs is simplicity. Most people don’t find it that hard to
learn many feels with one or two clubs. After all, we don’t use a
different putter for each length of putt, do we? The con is that
some versatility is lost. The advantage of using many clubs with
which to chip is maximum versatility, while the main negative is
that, since each club has a different feel, each club must be
practiced with inorder to effectively use that club. Many people do
not have that kind of time.
If I lay the rake in the bunker prior to my shot, have I incurred a
penalty?
No, provided nothing is done to test the condition of the bunker.
If my club touches the sand in the bunker after I hit the shot, have
I incurred a penalty?
Yes and no. Yes, if the ball is still in the same bunker. No, if the
ball is no longer in the bunker.
What advantage do hybrids have over the traditional irons they are
replacing?
The center of gravity on hybrids is lower and farther back than with
irons, making it easier to get the ball airborne. In addition,
perimeter weighting is made more effective, allowing for a greater
moment of inertia in the clubhead, which means more forgiveness.
On a scorecard, what do the handicap ratings mean?
This shows the order in which strokes are given in a handicapped
match. Contrary to popular belief, it does not mean which holes are
the most difficult to make par on.
When I hit my ball into a water hazard, why do I not have to play a
provisional?
The rules do not provide the possibility of playing a provisional
ball in case the ball is in a water hazard, except through a local
rule that is very rarely used. A provisional ball can only be played
if a ball might be lost or out of bounds.
With an undulating lie, how do I position my body in relation to the
slope?
On upslopes and downslopes, general instruction calls for us to get
our spine as perpendicular to the slope as possible, with our
shoulders parallel to the slope. This mimics to some degree how our
spine and shoulders are on a level lie. This helps the arc of the
clubpath to stay the same in relation to the ball as if we had a
level lie. With a ball above our feet, we stand slightly more erect,
while with a ball below our feet we will hinge from the hips and
bend the knees a little bit more than normal.
Why is shaft flex so important to the average golfer?
It’s also important to pros! Professional golfer Chad Campbell
fought a hook most of the year with his driver until he changed
shafts. He then proceeded to win the next week. An incorrect shaft
flex for average golfers will lead to timing, distance, and accuracy
issues. In short, incorrect shaft flexes will not allow the golfer
to play his or her best.
When the announcer on TV says the pro “held on,” what does that
mean?
It is his way of saying the player restricted his hands from
releasing in the hitting area, resulting in a pushed or blocked shot
to the right. This might have been due to tension, but the main
mechanical cause is that the player’s clubhead was
approaching too much from the inside.
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Copyright © 2011 United States Golf Teachers Federation, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this article in any kind is strictly prohibited.
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