Where Do You Hit Your Ball

Pitch & Putt
The Short Game

16th Article
Where do you hit your ball?

Is there a better place to hit a golf ball, which will give me better loft, carry and distance? The answer of course is yes. Lets face it, when we first start out playing golf, the object of the game is to hit a little white ball as far as we can. Well it doesn’t take long to discover that all hits on a golf ball are not equal. Some shots will go hundreds of yards and some will go ten feet and die. Why the dramatic differences. Well that has to do with where on the ball your golf club makes contact. This is particularly important when using your irons. All golf clubs have a loft feature build into their make up. The driver having the smallest loft, typically 10 degrees, and an X Wedge having the largest, some 60+ degrees. The more the loft the higher the shot should go. Going on this principal it would seem that a wood should hit the lowest of your shots and X Wedge the highest. Not necessarily so. Contradicting this statement, some drives can reach heights in excess of 150 ft. But in the case of the woods, the heights achieved has more to do with club head speed and back spin applied to the ball on contact. Interesting but lets get back to your original question. Where do you hit your ball? Or better still where should you hit your ball. Take a look at the diagram below:

In this picture, note the arrow, also note where the club is going to make contact with the ball. It will hit the ball somewhere between its mid point or above, causing a heavy top spin on the ball, and little or no loft. This shot is most likely the result of the ball being to far forward in the golfers stance (to close the left foot). Consequently the club has pasted its lowest point in the swing arc and is now on its upward travel to the golfers left shoulder. The ball will travel half the expected distance the golfer intended. If the shot had been intended fly over some obstruction, it didn’t, and is more likely now in the obstruction.

Shot number two:
In this picture the club is going to make contact with the ground just behind the ball. Assuming that the club is hitting the ground at the lowest point in your swing arc, we should get a certain amount of good results from this shot. There will be some power lost in the shot because the club hits the ground first then the ball. There is also some chance of the club being dragged off-line because of the contact with the ground, but hey its better then the first diagram by a long shot; but still not the most efficient use of your efforts. Lets take a look at your third shot.

The first thing you should notice is the club has a slightly steeper line of approach on the ball: its also going to make contact with ball before making contact with the ground. This contact with the ball is going to cause a pinching action between the club and the ground, causing increased backspin. As the club continues its path to the ground the ball will also make maximum contact with the face of the club. This makes maximum use of the loft of the club. The shot should take off high and true. This scenario best points out why it is so important that the ball should almost never get forward of the middle of your stance at address. If you have to err, err towards your right foot, (right handed golfer), not the left.

Comments and Suggestions gladly accepted.

Slippery Grips

Pitch & Putt
The Short Game

13th Article
Slippery Clubs

Another season is upon us. Time to break out the clubs, clean and shine up the irons, pack the pockets full of balls, tee’s, gloves and all the other paraphernalia for a round of golf. A closer look at the condition of the irons reveals there are no dents or scratches in the shafts. The heads could use a good cleaning and the grip on this club seems almost smooth. Smooth grips are great in some sports, but golf is not one of them. They need that tacky feeling to ensure a solid no slip grip on the clubs. Checking the rest of the irons, discloses they’re all in similar condition. Grips, depending on usage, should be changed every two years, assuming you play at least twice a week during a season. So how do you go about renewing them? Is it a terribly complicated procedure? No. Can you do it yourself? Yes. Do you need special equipment? No. Here’s a list of materials that will fit the bill.

Box cutter or sharp knife.
Double sided Carpet Tape.
Container of any of these products, Varsol, Coleman Camp Fuel or Mineral Spirits.
Foam 1-inch paintbrush.
One Bench Top Vise.
Replacement grips.

Replacement grips come in all different sizes, colors, shapes and costs. There is even a different type of grip for a putter. Where a normal grip is round, a putter grip will have at least on flat side. Grips can be purchase at dealers like Golf Works, Golf Smith, Wal-Mart and even Canadian Tire. They come in all price ranges, depending on how flashy you want your clubs to be. A typical 4 pack from Wal-Mart can be had for $16 to $18. To replace a typical set of clubs (3 to Pitching Wedge) will require 8 grips.

Lets get started.
First you have to protect the shafts of your clubs from being scratched by the bench vise jaws. Styrofoam packing makes a good buffer, simply cut two strips the width of the vise jaws, put one strip on each side of the club’s shaft and tighten in the vise. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN. You want to securely hold the club but not crush it.
Using your box cutter, slice the old grip from the bottom of the grip to the hilt. Starting at the bottom, strip away the old grip. You will discover a layer of tape under the grip. This tape is what holds the grip from moving after being installed. Peel off all the old tape and clean the shaft.
Using your new grip as a guide, cut a piece of carpet tape, about 1/8th of an inch shorter then the new grip.
Lay the carpet tape (sticky side) against the shaft, allowing about 1/16th space at the end of the shaft. Smooth the tape around the shaft. The tape should come very close to a perfect fit. If there is overlap, use your box cutter to trim.
Using your box cutter or fingernails, pry off the second layer of carpet tape. The tape that is left on the shaft will be very sticky.
Using your new grip, take a golf tee and plug the small hole at the hilt end of the grip.
Wrap an old rag around the open end of your new grip to prevent spillage running down the outside of the grip. Pour a small amount of varsol into the open end. Using your thumb, cap the open end, and shake the grip vigorously for 30 seconds.
Remove your thumb and slowly pour the contents of the grip along the carpet tape on the grip. Using the foam paintbrush liberally add more varsol along the tape until covered from top to bottom. Remove the tee from the end of the grip.
Insert the open end of the grip over the shaft. Using both hands and some exertion, slide the new grip onto the shaft, keep pushing until no more of the carpet tape is visible.
10. Wipe away any excess varsol from the grip.

For those handy-man type guys who have a small compressor with an air blower attachment, step 9 can be made less strenuous. Simply insert the blower attachment into the small hole at the end of the grip and give a couple shots of air. The grip will slide on very easily. One down, seven to go.

Putting Practice

Pitch & Putt
The Short Game

11th Article
Putting Practice

I think you’ve probably seen those electric putting cups, you know the kind where the ball hits the center of the opening, and it shoots the ball back to you. If you look at the design of these units, it’s almost impossible to miss getting a ball in the opening. This might temporarily be a real ego builder. I say temporarily, because when you attempt to putt a ball into a 4 ½ inch cup, all of a sudden that aim isn’t as good as you thought it was.
So how do you get some quality putting practice? The first thing you have to do is develop a consistent stroke with your putter. How to pull the putter straight back away from the ball; then deliver it back to the ball on same straight line. One of the ways to accomplish this is by using a pendulum type swing. The key to a successful pendulum swing is to have your eyes, hands, arms and shoulders directly over the top of the ball. Your eyes must be looking directly down on the top of the ball, and your intended target line. Today’s putters incorporate some type of aiming system cut or embossed in the head of the club. Use this system to aim the putter face at your specified target. The next part of the putt is to move the club smoothly away from the ball in a straight line, reaching the desired momentum point, then returning the club back to the ball on the same straight line. In order to incorporate this swing into your psyche and muscle memory you need a feedback system, something to tell you if you are wandering off your intended line. The jig described below will provide that necessary feedback by providing us with an audible signal.

List of Materials
1 piece of 1¼ electrical conduit, four feet long.
1 piece of 3/8 inch threaded rod, 18 inches long.
4 gate post caps, two and one half inches long.
4 coarse, 3/8 thread nuts
8 three eighths inch large washers
4 three eighths inch wing nuts

Construction
1. Using a hacksaw cut the conduit into two equal parts.
2. Using a hacksaw cut threaded rod into two equal pieces.
3. Clamp both pieces of pipe together, using a 3/8 drill bit. Drill a 3/8 hole through both pieces, approximately 1 inch from both ends.
4. Thread a coarse nut and washer on one of the threaded rods, feed the rod through one of the holes in the electrical conduit. Fit one of the gate post caps onto threaded rod. Thread another washer and coarse nut onto the rod, tighten both nuts until snug on conduit. Do the same thing at the other end.
5. Thread a wing nut and large washer on rod at both ends.
6. Feed the threaded rod through the holes in the other conduit pipe. Fit a large washer, and a gate post cap onto threaded rod, thread on another large washer and wing nut and tighten. Do the same at the other end.

To use the jig, simply loosen the wing nuts and adjust the distance between the pipes to 4½ inches. Place the unit on your carpet or putting surface. Place a ball about 2 inches from one end. Try putting the ball out the other end without touching the conduit pipe. It is not necessary to have the ball go anywhere in particular, just place a pillow at the end to stop the ball. When you can putt 25 balls out the other end without touching the conduit, loosen off on the wing nuts and adjust the gap for 4 ¼ inches and repeat the 25 putts. The ultimate goal is to get the gap down to 4 1/8 inches. Practice for the Short Game.

We're On the Green, What Now?

Pitch & Putt
The Short Game

10th Article
We’re On the Green (2)

In article 9 we talked about getting properly fitted to your putter. Having done that your raring to go. To repeat the ideal putting stance and posture: feet shoulder distance apart; the ball and putter head centered in the middle of your stance; your arms and hands hang naturally down to the grip of the club; and a slight bend at the waist allows you to look directly down on the top of the ball. You’re ready to putt. You gently lift the club off the ground, and slowly rotate the shoulders in a pendulum action. First back, then in a straight line forward, to make contact with the ball. The ball starts off in a straight line, headed directly for the cup. But half way there the ball starts to wander off line, slowly moving left of the hole. Sure enough, it misses the edge of the cup and rolls 15 inches past the cup. What the heck happened? It was headed right at the hole when it left the clubface! What made it move left like that? You’re pretty sure it wasn’t your stroke; you brought it straight back and straight forward. There is no up or down hill leading up to the hole. Why did it go left? The only possible thing you can think of is, “there must be something wrong with the ball”. But you just bought that ball before you started playing -- it’s brand new. What could go wrong with a ball?

Balanced Golf Balls
Want to know whether your balls will roll in a straight line; try this test.

Necessary equipment/supplies
Epsom Salts
Jet Dry dishwasher liquid
One 6 cup glass bowl
One Black Felt Marker

1. Add 4 cups of warm water to bowl
2. Add 1 cup of Epsom Salts to bowl
3. Add 1 drop of Jet Dry dishwasher liquid to bowl

Test the consistency of your mixture by dropping a golf ball into it. If the consistency is correct the ball should float to the surface with an area about ¼ of an inch above water. If not, add more Epsom salts till this occurs.

A. Take a ball to be tested and place it between your thumb and forefinger. Twist the ball (cause it to spin) and drop it into the bowl. Allow the ball to come to a dead stop.
B. Carefully grasp the ball between your fore finger and thumb, do not cause the ball to spin again. Using the Felt Marker put a dot in the center of the area that was above the water.
C. Again twist the ball (spin) and drop it back into the bowl. Allow the ball to come to a dead stop. If the black dot that you put on the ball in step B above, again comes to rest in the center of the area above the water, this ball is un-balanced. It has a heavy spot on the opposite side to the black dot. If the black dot moves off substantially in any other direction, this ball is BALANCED.

Mark this ball and put it aside for tournaments or club events when the putting is important.

Balls that are un-balanced can be used, but should be marked so that you know it is un-balanced. To putt with an un-balanced ball simply make sure that the black dot on the ball is up where you can see it. This way when it is struck it will roll end over end. These balls make great gifts for your playing partner buddies. All part of the SHORT GAME.

Your questions or comments are truly welcome and encouraged.

Short Game Practice Facilities or Lack Of

Pitch & Putt
The Short Game

1st Article February 24, 2007

I’m a mediocre beginner golfer, been playing now for 5 years, nothing spectacular, but I’ve grown to love the game with a passion. I spend much of my spare time investigating golf web sites, searching for the hints and tips that will make me a better golfer. Aspirations for the PGA, LPGA, SPGA I have none, but I would like to think that at some future date I will be able to give a respectable accounting for 18 holes. Managed to break the 90 barrier at the close of the season, so I’ll be going out in search of 85 this summer.

Been doing a lot of reading since the weather has made it impossible to play, Dave Pelz “Putting Like the Pros” and his “Dave Pelz Short Game Bible”. Must admit there is a ton of good info in there for the novice golfer.

But the one thing that sticks out so predominantly in both of his books is that to improve your game you have to practice, practice, practice. I find in all of my web crawling, it’s the same thing, practice, practice, practice. All these people offering hints and tips, talk as if we’ve all got a golf course or driving range in our back yard. Most of the exercises they propose, require a hitting area of 50 to 150 yards. Have you got 50 to 150 extra yards in your back yard, manicured to golf course standards? I don’t think so. Okay then, there’s always the local driving range. Yeah sure.

What I’m going to say next does not apply to every driving range, or every user there of, probably about 85 % would be a realistic figure. I don’t hold the driving range owners entirely responsible either. Have you ever watched the typical user of a driving range. They purchase a bucket of balls, tee them up, swing as hard as they can, watching the balls slice, hook , dribble and occasionally go straight out from the tees. Ball after ball, whisking its way out into the vast openness of the range, and hoping by some miracle to cure the slice, the hook. What’s really so amazing is that for the hour or so it takes to hit the bucket of balls, they are practicing just 16% of the skills required for a round of golf. That’s right, the people who do the statistics for golf, have proven that of the total number of shots in a round, driving accounts for 16%. Putting accounts for 22% of the shots, that leaves 64% for shots 150 yards to the green. Why then do driving ranges not provide accurate yardage markers, targets for the golfer to aim at, dummy greens to practice pitch shots. Why then as users of the driving range are we not complaining to the owners to add these additions. At one time I contemplated building a driving range, so I posted the following on several golf forums to see what golfers would like to see in a driving range:

“If you were going to build a simple 1 tier, 30 cubicle driving range, what would you like to see included in the construction (Sand traps, Putting Greens, Accurate Yardage Markers, Elevated Greens with Flags, Targets etc.....) Any suggestions would be muchly appreciated” ..

Here are some of the replies……………

1. An area to practice your short game is a must, and remember to keep the driving range well kept and organized.

2. From a teaching standpoint, accurate distances from all tee positions to each target, a carefully cared-for putting green, a separate (if possible) chipping and putting green, sand trap (connected to the chipping green), and short-range targets.

3. How about putting a bunker at the end of the range to practice fairway bunker shots -

4. Bag racks nothing worse than laying your clubs on the cements.

5. Important things for me are a mix of mats and grass stations, actual greens to aim for and accurate distance markers

6. Install automated dispensers, nothing more frustrating than wanting to warm up for an early game but finding the range shut.

7. target greens with mounted windsocks, chip to cartons 20,30,50 yds out, accurate yardages, well separated stalls to accommodate flat swings

8. Also, it's way more fun to hit to a green (just anything shaped to look like a green) as opposed to markers, makes judging your shot a lot easier

9. Good range balls, not those ones that are rated at only 80% of the flight of a normal golf ball (Srixon's come to mind)10. Accurate Yardage markers. Meaning on your tee deck if it is deep enough the yardage could vary by 5-10 yards from front to back. So put your yardage markers at 50,75,100,125,150,175,200,225,250.11. If you have room a small bunker off to the side would be great, as long as it has good sand in it, with good drainage underneath. Plus a small green to chip too.
12. If it were me I'd just make a shot game / putting range. Pitching greens, chipping greens, putting greens and a number of green like targets placed 60 to 110 yards out. I can bang balls anywhere, but finding a place to work on your short game is difficult.

Are you getting the most for you buck? Do these suggestions sound like business breakers, too expensive to implement? Like to hear from you…..