Tony Ruggiero' Golf Tip of the Week

Trouble Starting the Ball Online?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:26:00 +0000

A question came in from a Dewsweeper who is having a hard time getting the ball started on line. He is a right hands golfer and my ball starts way too far right. He says " Sometimes it hooks back sometimes it doesn’t. can you give me a practice drill to help?"

Well here is some information that will help you get the ball started more on line.

Well it would certainly appear that the path of your swing is much too far from in to out. It is important to remember that the path that the club swings on controls the direction that the ball starts on. There could be many reasons you have created an in to out path but we cant know for sure here.
We need to remember that the golf swing is a circle laying on a side angle. The golf club must swing back up and in on the back swing but must also swing back down around and to the left on the through swing.

Trying to swing the club down the target line is often a cause of a path swinging to much in to out.

If a club swings too much in to out it will force you to use your hands to square face which can be very inconsistent which is why sometimes your ball hooks back and sometimes it doesn’t.

A great and simple drill I use is to set up your practice station
Make sure you have an alignment aid such as a club, umbrella, etc
Next take a broken shaft and walk about 10 yards in front of your hitting station and place the shaft in the ground directly in line with the ball and target.
Hit balls making your self starting the ball to left of the shaft then learn to work it back over the shaft.

If you learn to start the ball on line and over the shaft it will help you learn to not use your hands and help you control your ball flight.

Should I take a playing lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:47:00 +0000

We had a really good question come in from a dewsweeper who is serious about improving their game. Is it beneficial to take a playing lesson.

I encourage all listeners and all of my students to take a playing lesson from their instructor or club professional. We all know that when we get on the golf course we frequently don't hit the ball near as solid or as good as we do on the practice tee.

So many students take lessons and come back with the same scores. I like to find out why. If you are serious about getting better you should too.

Many times we will find that the scoring issues are not mechanic or swing related but rather decision making problems or short game or putting issues.

Playing lessons allow you and the instructor to both evaluate what really happens to you on the golf course.

Remember when you embark on a program to improve your game you want to PLAY better not just SWING better.

Trouble getting drriver in the air?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:01:00 +0000

A dewsweeper writes in that they are struggling getting their driver in the air. Do we have any help?

When I see a student who struggles with a low driver that gives them no carry I look at the following two areas of interest.

Equipment. Everyone knows that I don't like to just replace equipment. However, If you suffer from not getting your driver in the air make sure that your driver has enough loft on it. I would suggest 10.5 at a minimum. Most handicap golfers have too little loft and too stiff a shaft. Also check the flex of your shaft if it is stiff or even regular you may have too stiff of a shaft to get the ball in the air.

Trying to get the ball in the air often causes a golfer to lean back and swing up attempting to lift the ball. This just puts top spin or reduces the back spin on the ball. Backspin is needed to help lift the ball into the air. Try teeing the ball down and making a more downward blow on the driver.

Remember the more you try to swing up and lift the lower the ball will go.

For more information on personal lessons and packages from either Hank or myself call us at 1-800-203-4885

Playing in the Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:23:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:17:00 +0000

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??

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:46:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:40:00 +0000

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!

Too many toe hits?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:04:00 +0000

A dewsweeper writes in that they are struggling with unsolid shots off the toe of the club.

I find in my teaching that most people struggling with shots off the toe of the club have way to overactive hands at the bottom of the golf swing. Most of the time this is because of two reasons. They are either trying to add power or hit at the bottom of their swing by throwing or pushing the club head towards the ball or they are using their hands in an attempt to square the club face and prevent a shot that goes to the right.

Lets start with the first one. Dewsweeper 101 here. Remember that the hands are not used to add power. For a refresher in what the hands do in golf swing and their role in power reefer back to Hanks' Power Tip number 4. The body pivot in the golf swing is what delivers the club head to the ball and is what supplies the power in the golf swing.

In response to squaring the club face if you have a correct grip and a square club face your hands are not needed to square up the club face at impact. The rotation of the body and your pivot motion are what squares the face.

Here is a drill that will help you get out the over active hands and reduce those toe hits. Hit some balls with the ball about a balls width inside either a 2x4 or a head cover.

Another useful tool to help get the correct feel with your swing is the dream swing. Click here for more information. It is wonderful to get the feel of a swing that is on the correct path and is impossible to use your hands.
http//www.dreamswing.com/email/email.php?refid=HJSOG

Stop Drop Kicking Your Driver!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:56:00 +0000

A dewsweepers writes in that they listen on the way to the course and that they have been battling terrible and drop kicked drives lately. Any suggestions?

Well we certainly can give you some suggestions here. I find that most people who are struggling with drop kicked drives are trying to help the ball into the air and lift the ball off the tee. When a person is trying to give an upward blow to the drive it results frequently in trunk that is too tilted back away from the ball. When your trunk leans back and the club is trying to swing up the result is a club that reaches its low point prematurely.

We have talked numerous times here on the dewsweepers about pivot. My preference as a teacher to have pivot that is much more level. Your trunk should appeared stacked over the ball at impact from a face on view.

Headed to the course today try these two tips. If you have a striped shirt on and if you don't pretend you do, make your forward swings trying to keep your stripes as level as possible while turning through the ball. Level stripes in your forward swing will hell take away the drop kick.

Another good one is to tee the ball down lower and make sure that you are trying to knock the tee out of the ground with your driver swing. The result will be a more downward blow which will help reduce the tilt and the drop kick.

A training aid that we endorse here that is excellent to help you learn the feel of the correct swing is the dream swing. Check it out at http//www.dreamswing.com/email/email.php?refid=HJSOG . I think you will find it useful in helping you stay level and finding the correct low point in the swing!

Club swinging too far off plane to right.

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:07:00 +0000

A Dewsweeper writes in and asks if we have any help for a right handed golfer who swings the club too much off the plane tot he right (for a right handed golfer).

One of the things we say here at the Hank Johnson School of Golf is that the difficult thing about golf is that you are trying to hit a ball on a straight line with a swing that is a circle. The point here is that golfers often make the mistake of trying to swing the club and/or there arms down the target line rather than swinging the club back up to the left on the correct plane.

Try these suggestions to help get the club swinging on the correct path rather than too much to the right.

1) Tuck your shirt sleeve of your left arm (right hand golfer) underneath your armpit. Make swings and hit balls keeping your shirt sleeve tucked under your arm. This will help keep your arms attached to your pivot and reduce the likelihood that your club will swing too much down the line.

2) Set up with the ball on the ground in your address position and rotate your body in a circle pushing the ball along the ground in a semi-circle. This will help you get the feeling of the rotary motion of the golf swing.

3) I would also suggest using the Dream Swing training aid. For more information on the Dream Swing email me here at the Dewsweepers.

Divots too far to the left?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:52:00 +0000

A Dewsweeper who is a 5 handicap writes in that he is hitting it solid but his divots continue to point to far to the left (a right handed golfer). He asks for help!

Well one of the things I would encourage this Dewsweeper to do is to go back and read Hank's notes on the sequence of the downswing during his POWER segments. It very well could be that you are making the correct motion but doing them out of sequence. For instance, if you begin your body pivot too soon from the top before your arms fall or lower the club back down the plane you would have a club coming too far from the outside. Re read Hanks tip and see if that shed's some light on your problem.

Another suggestion I would make is to focus on the correct part of the ball. I often ask students who have come to see me down here on the coast where they are looking or trying to hit and there answer is "the ball" or "I am not sure." Lets refocus our attention on trying to hit the inside quarter of the ball.

A great training aid we use here at the Hank Johnson School of Golf is the DreamSwing which is really a wonderful tool to help you get the feel of the correct path the swing should make. I would encourage you to try one. For more information on the DreamSwing email us here at the Dewsweepers and we will get you the link!

Trouble Straightening back leg?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:48:00 +0000

Another great question comes in this week from the Dewsweepers mailbag.

A Dewsweeper is struggling with the issue that they are straightening their right (back leg) during their back swing and it is causing them problems. They aren't sure how to fix.

Like I always say here on the Dewsweepers it helps to first understand why this is happening. Most of the time when a golfer is straightening their back leg it is because without doing so they feel as if they can't make a big enough back swing and feel as if they wont have enough power. It is key here to remember that the straitening of the right or rear leg causes you to give up the coil that you have built up during your back swing and makes you less powerful, even if it allows you to get the club further back.

It is next to impossible to fix this while making swings at full speed with a ball in front of you. You will continue to make the same mistake and swing over and over. The best, fastest and most effective way to fix this is to make slow correct rehearsals in front of a mirror without the ball. This will insure that you are making the correct motion and give you the opportunity at this slow speed to learn what the correct motion feels like. Learning in this way will give you an opportunity to change your mechanics over time and be able to take them to the golf course.

One great training aid we use here at the Hank Johnson School of Golf is the Leaderboard. It can be found easily online and is wonderful for learning how to make a proper back swing with a stable and supportive lower body.

Struggling with Fairway Woods?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:38:00 +0000

A Dewsweeper writes in that he needs help with his fairway woods.

One of the problems I see with people struggling with their fairway woods is that they are trying to sweep the ball off the turf and lift the ball into the air. The Key to success with fairway woods is to play them exactly as we have taught you to hit iron shots here on the Dewsweepers. That Key is to remember that the low point of the swing needs to be in front of the ball. The ball with a fairway wood still needs to be compressed against the turf in order to be hit solidly.

Golfers who struggle with fairway woods too often try to lift the ball in the air which causes them to lean back, swing up and never get turned all the way through the ball to their front foot.

Next time you hit a fairway wood. Look in front of the ball. Make sure the club hits the ground in front of the ball and try and keep your shoulders level and finish on your front foot.

Remember keep your ball position up in front near the logo on your golf shirt.

Question- Should there be hip slide

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:08:00 +0000

Question comes in from a Dewsweeper out there....Should there be hip slide?

You are going to here more about the roll of hips in the downswing and its effect on your power in the series on POWER with Hank Johnson.

As for this question it is my preference that there be no hip slide. Lateral movement in the golf swing does not provide you any advantage in fact it reduces your power. You also know from listening here on the show how much I stress the creation of a pivot for consistent and improved play (look for previous tips on pivot).
I also have found that most of the time where there is a lateral slide it is not the primary problem rather the slide is a result of another flaw. The slide has developed in order to help you create time in your swing in order to get the club back in front of your body.

If you struggle with lateral slide make sure you get some help from a teacher who can help you find out why you have lateral movement in your swing.

A tip to work on taking the slide out. Take a patio chair or a bag rack from your range and place it next to your left foot (for a right handed golfer). Make swings next to this chair without bumping the chair or bag rack forward. You will find that to do this you will need to rotate your left hip out of the way and rotate through the ball rather than slide into the hitting area.

Try this and you will e on the way to an improved swing and lower scores!

What Part of the Ball?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:38:00 +0000

Another great question comes in this week from the Dewsweepers.

T- I am Confused what part of the ball am I really trying to hit?

A great question and one that is often misunderstood. Many time I'll ask a student where they are trying to hit and the answers vary from "the ball, to the back of the ball, to I'm not sure"

First remember all of our previous Dewsweeper lessons and that the correct low point of the swing (which is a big circle) is in front of the ball.

Second imagine as you look down that the ball is a "pie" sitting on the ground. Now imagine that the "pie" is cut into four quarters. You want the club to strike the inside quarter of the pie. The club is swinging down and out as it comes into the ball.

Here is a great tip. Take a sharpie and place a dot on that inside quarter of the ball. Now try and drive that dot down and out into the turf in front of the ball.

If you accomplish this you will find that begin to hit more solid iron shots and begin to get them started more online.

If you are struggling with balls starting too much to the left of your target (for a right handed player) try this it may help you get your ball flying at the target and your scores coming down!

BACK TO BASICS - In The Bunker!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:29:00 +0000

There is one topic or aspect of the game which causes more fear to beginning to average golfers than any other and that is sand or bunker play. I get more emergency requests on the Dewsweepers to help people with sand play than any other one shot in golf.

What causes so many people problems is the “FEAR” that they are not going to get the ball out of the bunker and they are going to be faced with this same dilemma again and again. When I tell you the next part you are going to have a strange look on your face…but the bunker is the one place on the golf course where you do not want to HIT the golf ball.

You want to MISS IT FAT!

If that sounds crazy, let's understand how good bunker players get the ball up and out of the sand. Good bunker players use the sand to move the ball up and out of the bunker and onto the green. The explosion of the sand provides the energy to move the ball rather than the impact of the club with the ball. Most poor results from bunker shots come from hitting the ball first and sending the ball across the green or from trying to hit at the ball with your hands and throwing the club head straight into the sand causing a shot that does not have enough power to get out.

Like all shots though, I believe the foundation to correct execution lies in a proper setup. Let’s take a look at how to set up for a successful bunker shot.

Ball Position

I see more bunker problems start here than anywhere else. We know already that the key to becoming a good bunker player is using the sand to move the ball. With that being the case we need to make sure that the ball is well forward in our stance which will place the ball in front of the natural low point of our swing. With this simple adjustment we can make our normal swing and make sure we hit the sand behind the ball.

Alignment

This fear of not getting the ball up and out has most of us laying the club to far open in an attempt to help the ball come out Setup: Make bunker shots easier by putting the ball forward in your stance in front of your natural low point.

Golf Instruction

Higher and softer. I would urge you to try it a different way. Aim the face of the club at your target (square clubface not open). Next set up with your feet aimed slightly to the left of your target (Right hand Player). Now during your shot swing your arms and shaft along your feet line rather than your target line. This will help you hit softer bunker shots!

Practice Drill for Setup

First I encourage all of you who fear the sand to become friendlier with it. Go to your practice bunker and with your index finger draw a circle in the sand about 3-4 inches in diameter. Now make some practice swings hitting the circle of sand and splashing some sand up onto the green.

When you feel comfortable doing this drill you are ready to add the ball. Draw the same circle and add a ball in the middle of the circle. Now make sure the ball is towards your front foot and that your stance is slightly open. Go ahead and make the same swing you were just making without the ball. Splash the sand up and out onto the green. The result will be a nicely blasted bunker shot which lands safely on the green.

Circle: Use this Practice drill

Draw a circle in the and and practice splashing thecircle of sand up onto the green. Blast: Do not try and hit the ball onto the green, instead, practice splashing sand up ontothe putting surface Make a big enough swing to get it out!

Too often when the fear of the bunker grabs us we want to hurry up and get it over with. When we feel this way most of the time we take a backswing that is too short.Without a big enough backswing we are forced to try and over accelerate our hands and arms toward the ball to give it enough power to get out.

This normally doesn’t work too well for us. The key to success here is to make sure you take a big enough pivot to get the ball out. For most this is going to be a bigger slower pivot motion. Remember to take a big enough swing and keep the speed and rhythm of your arms constant through the swing. Don’t try to give it any extra at impact.

Still Not Taking Enough Sand??

Well here is a little tip for those of you who might face shot where there is water or more bunkers behind the green and catching it a little thin is not a favorable option. Try closing the clubface slightly. The result will be that the leading edge of the Sand wedge is now lower than the bounce and will catch the sand first and help you dig more sand.

Feeling Better, Now Try Some Bounce

Not worried about getting the ball out anymore and you are more concerned with getting it close to the hole for a sandy? Hold your sandwedge up in front of you. Notice that the bottom of the club is rounded and lower than the leading edge. This is bounce! Learn to use it to hit it soft and close to the hole, out of the bunker. Go back to your practice bunker and draw your circle of sand. This time make some practice swings hitting the back of the sand wedge or the bounce against the sand rather than the leading edge. Result: more shallow splashes of sand, more spin and softer, closer shots to the hole.

Use the bounce for more spin on bunker shots. Follow these few drills and set up procedures to take the fear out of the bunker. I bet after a few weeks that you will begin to be looking for bunker shots and looking at them as a scoring opportunity rather than another edition of fear factor.

Becoming a good bunker player will have you on the way to making more par saves and more birdies on those par fives you try to reach in two.

Struggling With Long Greenside Bunker Shots?

Here is the Dewsweepers 101 version of helping with long bunker shots.

Use the exact same bunker shot procedure we've gone through above.
Ball forward, use your pivot to splash the sand and move the ball up onto the green.
Finish with your weight on front foot.
To hit a longer bunker shot use a pitching wedge rather than a a lob or sandwedge. For even longer shots try a 9 iron.

What you'll find is a shot that carries further and runs more, by using the same swing you use for a close bunker shot that you already feel comfortable with.

How to know if you have correct posture!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:42:00 +0000

If you want to make sure you are set up for a good pivot and an effective golf swing you had better start with good posture.

I always start all of my students whether new or old with a check up on how they are postured to the ball.

From the down the line view I want to see the chest up, rear end out in a nice athletic position. The tips of your shoulders should be right over the tips of your shoes. This posture sets you up for a balanced golf swing.

Remember you get down to the ball with a slight flex of the knees not a roll over from your shoulders.

From the face on view I would prefer for a right handed golfer the left shoulder to be slightly closer to the target than your hip. I prefer for the shoulders and hips to look as if they are running slightly up hill.

The deal killer here is people who have their front hip lower than their back hip and have shoulders and hips which are running on different and converging lines.

If you get postured correctly you are set up to make a great golf swing from the start.

Is it necessary to get the driver to parallel to maximize distance??

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:47:00 +0000

Answer is only if you can get the club to parallel while staying in your posture, maintaining your knee flex established at address, keeping your arms in front of your pivot and not over rotating your hips.

If you have to give away any of these you are reducing you power!

To increase power work on your pivot both back and forward and improve your flexibility.

Too Many Toe Hits

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:17:00 +0000

The question came in from a Dewsweeper who has problem with too many toe hits and not enough shots hit in the middle of the club face.

The cause for this is too active of hands. Remember that the hands are there simply to hold the golf club. The job of the hands is not to add power or to square the club face. When done correctly, the pivot motion provides both the most effective power source and also squares the club face.

Most golfers who have over-active hands either have an incorrect pivot motion or an incorrect grip.
To get more solid hits, learn to develop a proper pivot and let your hands just hold the club!

Having Trouble Getting Lined Up Correctly? Always Aim Right

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sun, 18 May 2008 02:25:00 +0000

The first thing you need to do is practice in such a manner that you can monitor your aim. Tour players seldom hit practice shots without a club or rod down to check alignment and neither should you. This will help you learn what it feels and looks like for you to be aimed properly. This is one aspect of learning to practice effectively which we are discussing for the next several weeks here on the Dewsweepers.

Use of a good pre shot routine can also help. Learn to get your grip from behind the ball, step in with your right foot even with the back of the ball (for right handed players) setting the face of the club behind the ball and aimed at your target. Next, bring your right foot up even with your left then move your right foot out to its appropriate stance width. Do this while keeping both feet equidistant from the ball.

If you use both of these techniques to help with your aim you will be on your way to better aim and consistancy on the golf course.

Trouble drop kicking your driver and hitting behind the ball???

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:01:00 +0000

This weeks tip of the week came in from the Dewsweepers mailbag.

Try this little drill while you are at the course next time.

Normally when you dropkick your driver your trunk has gotten to tilted away from the target because your are trying to lift the ball or help it into the air.

Next time you play wear a striped shirt and practice making swings and keeping your stripes as level as you can during your forward swing. Keeping your stripes level will help keep you from drop kicking your driver and help you make more solid contact.

Another drill to revisit that we have done before on the dewsweepers is practice swinging down the hill. Any tilt in your trunk will result in you hitting the ground way to early. If you and learn to not hit the hill early you are already swinging better.

Let's Go Old School and Drive it Better

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:20:00 +0000

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.

Play For Your Par!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Course management can greatly improve your scores. Tour players have a strategy for playing holes on a course and so should you. Know what your handicap is and what your strengths are.

If you are a 18 handicap then you average bogeys on most holes. Bogey should be your par. You can lower your scores and handicaps by placing bogey as your target score rather than par. For instance, plot out par fours to reach them in 3 shots rather than 2. This will leave shorter and less difficult approach shots. The goal here is to remove big numbers which destroy your rounds. Most of the time the big numbers come from an errant shot on a long hole in which you are trying to reach the green.

Know your handicap and play for your par and you will see the big numbers go away and you will make more pars as a result and your handicap will go down.

Drawing a Line in the Sand - Forward Swing Pivot Drill

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:11:00 +0000

We had a great question come in about something a Dewsweeper could do on their own to insure they were making a better forward swing pivot. Here is a wonderful drill you can do on your own at your golf course or practice facility.

Find yourself a bunker. Draw a line in the sand. Place your left foot just to the left of the line and make your stance. Now make golf swings trying to hit the sand in front of the line. As you get better at doing this you will find that the only way to move the low point up in front of the line is to make a better pivot motion and to get your trunk more on top of the ball at impact. This has your body or trunk moving forward rather than tilted up and back which is what happens most of the time when you have a poor forward swing pivot and swing the club too much with your arms.

BACK TO BASICS - In The Bunker!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Ruggiero) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:15:00 +0000

If that sounds crazy lets’ understand how good bunker players get the ball up and out of the sand. Good bunker players use the sand to move the ball up and out of the bunker and onto the green. The explosion of the sand provides the energy to move the ball rather than the impact of the club with the ball. Most poor results from bunker shots come from hitting the ball first and sending the ball across the green or from trying to hit at the ball with your hands and throwing the club head straight into the sand causing a shot that does not have enough power to get out.

Like all shots though, I believe the foundation to correct execution lies in a proper setup. Let’s take a look at how to set up for a successful bunker shot.

Ball Position

Alignment

Golf Instruction

Practice Drill for Setup

Circle: Use this Practice drill

Still Not Taking Enough Sand??

Feeling Better, Now Try Some Bounce

Becoming a good bunker player will have you on the way to making more par saves and more birdies on those par fives you try to reach in two.