Fundamentals of Driving
FUNDAMENTALS OF DRIVING
Definition: A shot hit off a tee to start a hole. Usually this shot is hit with a driver, although some may prefer to hit with a 3-Wood. This swing is more rounded sweeping the ball off the tee unlike an iron swing that strikes the ground.
Goal: To maximize distance without giving up accuracy.
Setup:
- Place feet a couple of inches outside your shoulders
- Have slightly more weight on your back leg, about 55%
- Ball position is about one inch off your left heel – this can vary as some prefer it slightly up or back from this spot
- With the wider stance, the end of the grip will point towards your belt buckle – allow your arms to hang naturally under your shoulders, not pressing them forward (pressing them forward delofts the driver = bad)
- Have square shoulders – with the wider stance and the ball up, it’s easy to have open shoulders so you may have to practice squaring up your shoulders
Execution:
- Make a full backswing feeling that your swing is wide and round
- With the wide setup, you only have to turn on your backswing – a shift of your weight is not necessary
- On your downswing, try to swing back to the ball from the inside – feel like you’re swinging in-to-out keeping your hands in close to your body
- Keep your head behind the ball until after impact to ensure you’re getting the proper launch on the ball
- Hold a balanced finish until the ball lands
Fundamentals Of Iron Play
FUNDAMENTALS OF IRON PLAY
Definition: A full swing with an iron using about 80% of your maximum effort to maintain balance and control of the club.
Goal: The goal of an iron shot is accuracy and distance control. Accuracy is achieved by having a repeatable golf swing that goes back and through on a similar swing path. Distance control is achieved by striking the ball in the center of the club using a controlled swing. Strike the ball with a descending blow from the inside allowing the clubface to hit the ball first, then the ground about an inch ahead of the ball.
Setup:
- Ball position should be placed about 2 balls off your left heel.
- Stance is shoulder width apart (outside of shoulders over shoe laces) with your 6 iron. With your longer clubs, your stance will increase a half an inch per club, and it will decrease a half an inch per club with your shorter irons. This is based on the half-inch increments in length in your irons.
- Flare your feet out about 20 degrees to allow your body the ability to turn correctly.
- Bend over from your hip joints (waist), not from your knees, so the end of the grip points to your belt-line.
- Your balance should be equally distributed on your feet. If done correctly, you should be able to wiggle your toes at address without feeling your weight shift back.
- Your arms should hang comfortably below your shoulders.
- Your hands will be positioned slightly ahead of the golf ball to simulate the impact position.
Execution:
- Start your backswing with your center turning back. Turn don’t shift.
- Allow your wrists to hinge up creating a 90 angle between your left arm and the club shaft.
- Keep your right knee flexed and stable on the backswing.
- Stop your backswing where you have the most control.
- Swing down from the inside to allow you to release the club properly. You can achieve this by keeping your hands close to your body on your downswing.
- Strike the ground about 1 inch after the ball to achieve correct contact with the ball.
- Turn all the way through to a full finish. Your shirt buttons, belt buckle, right knee, and shoe laces should be facing the target at your finish.
- Hold your finish until the ball lands.
Tip-Of-The-Month March ’10: Set Up Correctly To Launch Your Longest Drives Ever
HIT YOUR DRIVER FARTHER BY SETTING UP TO LAUNCH THE BALL
Would you like to hit your driver longer, higher, and straighter? Of course you would, right? Well, then why are you setting up to drive the ball low and crooked? You’re probably wondering how I know you’re set up incorrectly. You may not be, but most likely you are. Almost every amateur I teach is not set up correctly with their drivers. It’s truly amazing how golfers would love to hit the ball longer off the tee, yet a large majority are set up to drive the ball into the ground or to hit the big, bad, ugly slice.
To optimize your distance off the tee, you should be increasing the effective loft of your driver by 2-4 degrees at impact. Example: If you have a 10 degree driver, the launch angle of the ball at impact should be 12-14 degrees. I’m not recommending you to hit up on the ball to accomplish this, but to set up in such a way to allow it to happen naturally. Today, I’m going to help you do this by going over some of the most common errors setting up with the driver, the causes of this poor set up, and how to fix these errors.
PROBLEM
Most of the amateurs I see set up improperly with their drivers. The most common faults I see are playing the ball too far back in the stance, too narrow of a stance, open shoulders, weight favoring their target-side foot, or hands ahead of the ball. All of these common faults can drastically affect the success rate of a golfer’s tee shot. Setting up with these faults will tend to either make the swing too steep coming into the ball, or make the swing too much from the outside-to-in. Not ideal to launch the ball long and straight.
FIX
Setting up correctly with the driver really isn’t that difficult, it’s just a matter of taking the time to do it correctly once you know how. With your driver, the goal is to fly the ball as far as possible with low spin so the ball rolls after landing. Here are the keys to set up correctly:
- Position the ball up in your stance off your left heel or one ball off that heel.
- Widen your right foot so your stance is wider than your shoulders. It should be a few inches wider than the stance used for your irons. With your driver, you may be swinging over 100 mph. That’s fast. Setting up with a wider base will allow you to maintain your balance much easier.
- Allow your hands to rest comfortably between your arms which will leave them at or slightly behind the ball.
- Let your arms hang from your shoulders or slightly outside leaving about 5-6 inches of space between the end of the grip and your belt-line.
- Weight distribution should be 50/50 or slightly favoring your rear foot. Favoring your target-side foot can open your shoulders and could cause you to swing too steeply ball. Common shots from this set up position would be pop-ups, slices, and very low tee shots.
- Ensure that your shoulders are square at address. This is overlooked by many, but very important. Most have open shoulders at address which also leads to a slice. Practice squaring up your shoulders by checking to see if they’re parallel to your toes, hips, and target line.
Setting up in this launching position will allow to swing in such a way that you will hit your driver on a slight upswing from the inside. The angle of attack will be pretty shallow which decreases the side-spin on the ball lessening the chance of a big slice. This may be a big change for you, but if done correctly, I guarantee you’ll hit the ball longer and straighter.
Good luck and thanks for reading!
Fundamentals Of A Bunker Shot
FUNDAMENTALS OF A GREEN-SIDE BUNKER SHOT
Definition: A shot hit out of the sand near the green. Typically, this shot is hit with a Sand or Lob Wedge.
Goal: The goal is to hit the sand about 2 inches behind the ball allowing the sand to carry the ball out of the bunker. The Sand Wedge is designed to strike the sand first with the trailing edge of the club in order to help the club bounce off the sand instead of digging into the sand.
Setup:
- Open the clubface of the club, then take your normal grip (if done correctly, the lines/grooves on the clubface will point to your toes of your left foot, give or take a bit)
- Place ball off the inside of your left heel
- Take a wide stance to stabilize your base
- Aim slightly left of your target to offset the open clubface
- Weight should favor target-side foot
- Keep hands behind the ball to allow the trailing edge to hit the sand first
Execution:
- Take a swing that is about the same as your normal swing (you do not need to cut across the ball)
- Strike the sand about 2 inches behind the ball
- Resist the urge to help the ball in the air (the sand wedge will do the work for you)
- Feel like you’re slapping the sand with the sand wedge instead of hitting or digging (you’re looking for the club to slide through the sand making a 4-6 inch divot)
- The longer and faster you swing the farther the ball will come out
- Accelerate all the way through to the finish
The three most common errors I see in the bunker are:
- Square clubface at address – Squaring the clubface at address makes the sand wedge dig into the sand.
- Deceleration/not swinging hard enough – Decelerating or not swinging hard enough makes it very difficult to get the ball out of the bunker and/or all the way to the pin. With the added loft from the open clubface and the resistance of the sand, it takes quite a bit of effort to get the ball out of the sand all the way to the pin. Go ahead and swing aggressively at it.
- Cutting across the ball too much – Cutting across the ball too much puts a lot of side-spin on the ball and it can cause the dreaded shank because the hosel of the club is leading the way too much. This is why I recommend swinging normal and aggressively out of the sand.
Drill: This drill will help you get out of the sand every time and up-and-down more often. Here’s what to do: draw a line in the sand about 10 feet long. Take your stance in the sand with the line placed at your left heel. Practice swinging at the line in the sand trying to hit the sand about 2 inches behind the line every time. This drill is pretty cut-and-dry. At first, you may miss the line by a lot, but be patient with it. Practice this drill as much as you can to get consistent with it. The more consistent you are with this drill, the better you will be in the sand.
Also, it is against the rules of golf to test the sand before you hit your shot. This means you’re not allowed to ground the club in the sand or take practice swings striking the sand.
The 9 Shots In Golf & How Learning Them Can Improve Your Game
THE 9 SHOTS YOU CAN HIT
Believe it or not, there are 9 different types of shots you can hit on a golf course. Some of you may be laughing to yourself thinking that you can hit plenty more than that, right? Hooks, slices, pushes, pulls, tops, shanks, etc. So many shots! Allow me to explain what I’m talking about.
When you swing the club, you can either swing inside-to-out (push), square, or outside-to-in (pull) equaling 3 total swing paths. With these 3 paths there are 3 different angles your clubface can be: open, square, or closed. 3 swings multiplied by 3 face angles equals 9 shots. Even if you shank, top, or duff the ball you still fit into one of these 9 swings. Normally, you only hit 3 different types of shots. Most likely, you only have one swing path, but you change your face angle which produces a variety of 3 different shot patterns.
Examples
Now, let me explain some examples. If you swing outside-to-in with a closed clubface your ball will start left then hook. This is called a pull-hook. If you swing inside-to-out with an open clubface your ball will start right then slice. This is called a push-slice. If you swing square with an open face your ball will start straight and tail off to the right. This is a slice, or a fade (small version of a slice). Generally, the ball will start where you swing while the curvature of the ball is determined by the clubface at impact. The clubface will have more impact on where your ball goes compared to the swing path.
Sidenote For Slicers
There’s an important note I need to make. Slicers pay careful attention! Sometimes you can swing outside-to-in and the ball will actually start right. This is due to a very open clubface. Sometimes the face is so open the ball deflects off the face to the right. This could possibly deceive the golfer. This is pretty typical for golfers that slice the ball. The majority that slice the ball swing outside-to-in with an open clubface. Sometimes their clubface is so open that the ball starts right of their target and slices more to the right. Unaware of what causes this, the golfer may then try to swing more to the left which would exacerbate the slice even more.
Keys
The key is learning from your mis-hits. Easier said than done, but if you learn what causes a shot it’s a lot easier to start fixing it instead guessing all the time. This may take a lesson or two with a PGA Instructor to figure out. If you’re pulling the ball left try to swing out to right field more. If you’re slicing the ball, try to rotate the clubface over sooner on your downswing. Practice in slow-motion to see what you would have to do to fix your tendency. Then gradually swing faster and hopefully better results will come shortly.
Good luck and practice smart!
Golf Etiquette: Where To Stand
WHERE TO STAND ON THE GOLF COURSE
Knowing where to stand at all times on a golf course is a lot more difficult than it seems, especially when you’re new to the game. With multiple golfers in your group, tee box rules, putting lines, etc. it’s definitely an area of etiquette that needs your full awareness. I’m going to help you out by explaining the proper places to stand when others are up to play.
Tee Box
The best place to stand is facing the golfer 10 or more feet away while staying behind the golf ball. Standing in this area takes away the chance of getting hit by the ball or the club, and the golfer hitting will not be distracted by you. Places not to stand include anywhere in front of the ball, behind the player because they can’t see you, and in-line with the target behind the golfer. The goal is to prevent yourself from injury or distracting the golfer.
Fairway and Rough
In the fairway and rough, there’s a little more leeway. If you can, always go to your ball and get ready to hit. Sometimes this means you will be ahead of the golfer hitting. However, much of the time, you’ll be far enough away that you aren’t in danger. If you’re reasonably close to the golfer, just pay attention when they’re hitting.
On the Green
This is a tough area for many reasons. One, you want to stay out of everyone’s way. Two, you need to walk around the green to read your putt. It’s a balancing act to get it done correctly. I highly recommend reading your putt while others are putting to speed up your pace of play. When others are putting, you should stand in an area where they can’t see you. Most of the time this will either be facing or behind the golfer. Just give them enough space to not feel crowded.
The Golfer’s Line
An important area to note is the golfer’s line. This is most common on the green. The golfer’s line is from the ball to the hole, and it extends through the cup and away from the ball. If you stand in-line with the golfer, either in front of or behind, you are not using proper etiquette. It’s very easy to be distracted if someone is in your line because any movement can be easily seen.
It’s also important to note that you shouldn’t walk in someone’s line on the green. This line extends past the hole too. When considering where to walk, you have to think about where someone’s putt would go past the hole if it didn’t go in. It’s not encouraged to walk in this area as you will leave fresh footprints for their ball to roll into.
Learning proper etiquette on the course is certainly not easy, but with some common sense and self-awareness you will become better. If you have any questions about this, just ask other golfers in your group questions or watch more experienced golfers go about navigating around a golf course. Hopefully, this will make you more confident on where to stand when you’re playing.
Not Sure Which Set Of Tees To Play From? Try This Suggestion…
HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT TEES TO PLAY FROM
Most of us play golf for the enjoyment of the game. However, largely because of our egos, we tend to play a course that is too long by selecting to play from the wrong set of tees. There are a few ways to decide what tees you should play from. If you’re not sure, or you’d like to try something different, get your calculator out and try this. I read this recently and it seems fairly accurate. Here’s how it works:
First, determine how far you hit your 5-iron? Be honest with yourself. Second, multiply that distance by 36. This number will tell you the approximate length of golf course that would be ideal for you. Example: If you hit your 5-iron 125 yards then you should select a course in the 4500 yard range. If you’re curious, most PGA Tour Players hit their 5-irons 190-200 yards which falls in the 7000-yard range, pretty typical yardage for a Tour event.
This simple formula is really good for juniors or beginners determining where they should play from to keep the game enjoyable until they advance to a different level.
Fundamentals Of Pitching
FUNDAMENTALS OF PITCHING
Definition: An abbreviated version of the full swing that produces a higher flying shot that lands softer and rolls less than a chip shot.
Goal: Using a pendulum-type swing (equal back/equal through), this mini-version of the golf swing produces a shot that lands softly on the green.
Setup:
- Foot separation is narrow, 6-12 inches apart depending on the length of the shot (wider stance for longer pitches)
- Ball placement near the center of your stance
- Hands/Handle of the club positioned approximately equal with the ball (more forward = lower trajectory and vice versa)
- Weight should slightly favor target-side foot
Execution:
- Hinge the club up and open with your wrists on your backswing – you must get the club head up in the air in order to hit down on the ball
- Allow your shoulders and chest to turn back as well
- On your forward swing, hit down and through the ball taking a small divot
- Turn your body through the shot so your hands don’t flip at impact
- At your finish, your shirt buttons, belt buckle, right knee, and right shoe laces should all point to your target
Fundamentals Of Chipping
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHIPPING
Definition: A low-flying shot that will tend to roll more than it flies. Primarily used for shots close to the green, this shot is usually hit with the 8-iron through Lob Wedge, although longer clubs can be used. The longer the club/less loft of the club, the lower the ball will fly and more it will roll.
Goal: Land the ball about 2-3 paces onto the green and allow for roll like a putt. Choose a club that will carry the ball comfortably onto the green.
Setup:
- Feet close together, almost touching
- Ball placement off the toes of your back foot
- Weight should favor your target-side foot
- Stand close to the ball to make this shot similar to a putt
- Forward press the club by leaning the handle towards the target – this sets your hands well ahead of the ball
Execution:
- The motion used should be similar to a putting stroke
- Allow the loft of the club to get the ball in the air – trying to help the ball up will tend to cause topped and duffed shots
- Finish low with no wrist breakdown – left arm and club form a straight line
- Allow for roll as the ball will fly low and roll more than it flies
Tip-of-the-Month January ’10: Uneven Lies
UNEVEN LIES
One of the reasons golf is so difficult is because almost every lie is different. When we practice at a driving range, hitting off a mat especially, it can become monotonous because the lie is pretty much the same each time. After perfecting your driving range swing, it can be difficult adjusting to the different lies on the course. I’m sure many of you have had the feeling of hitting good shot after good shot on the range only to find yourself struggling once you reach the golf course. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Today, I’m going to give you some tips on how to play these various lies. In order to improve at this game you must be able to adapt to different situations that arise during your round. Learning how to set up correctly for these awkward lies will vastly improve your chances of hitting more good shots on the course. There are 4 different types of uneven lies I’m going to go cover. After reading this article, I recommend printing out these tips and putting them in your bag for future reference.
Uphill Lie – This shot will tend to fly higher and shorter due to the increased loft of clubface caused by the uphill lie.
- Set your body to match the slope by leaning back/tilt shoulders to match slope
- Move the ball back in your stance so it’s in line with the center of your body
- Take more club
- Swing up the slope, not at the ball
- Aim a little right because the ball will tend to go left due to the lack of turning of your body through the shot
Downhill Lie – This very difficult shot will fly much lower than your normal shots. The goal here is to advance the ball up the fairway. Try not to get too greedy with this shot.
- Set your body to match the slope – more weight on your forward foot/tilt shoulders to match slope
- Place the ball in the middle of your stance
- Hit a higher-lofted club because the downslope will deloft your club
- Swing down the slope
- Swing easy without trying to lift the ball (if you try to help the ball up you will duff it)
Ball Above Your Feet - This shot will tend to curve right-to-left (for right-handed).
- Stand taller at address
- Aim a little to the right
- Ball placement towards the back of your stance
- Swing more around your body – a lower, flatter swing so you sweep the ball off the slope
Ball Below Your Feet – This difficult lie will tend to veer off to the right (for right-handed).
- Stand closer to the ball
- Much wider stance with a lot more knee bend – I recommend wide knees
- Ball placement is back in your stance
- Aim a little left
- Swing a lot more up and down
- Swing easy and keep your knees bent throughout the shot
All of these lies can be difficult, but hopefully my tips will help to improve your results for these shots. I would recommend practicing these lies at a place that has uneven lies like Meadow Links Golf Academy in Cincinnati. When I teach these shots I either go out to the target greens on my driving range or I go on the golf course.
My last tip for these shots is if you’re in doubt on what to do, take a couple of practice swings to feel the difference in your swing and to see where your club is hitting the ground. You’ll want to place the ball close to where your club is first striking the ground. Also, swing in control for these shots. They’re trouble shots. Remember: when you’re in trouble, your first goal is to get out it.
About
KYLE VOSKA, PGA PROFESSIONAL
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from St. Michael’s, St. Xavier, and Miami University. After graduating from Miami with a Finance degree, I moved to Florida to pursue my professional golf dreams. After a few successful years and a couple of difficult years, I stopped playing full-time. After a year of caddying on the LPGA Tour for Young Jo, Kim Williams, and Angela Stanford, I moved back home to Cincinnati. Currently, I live near Sharonville with my lovely wife, Lindsay, our kids, Maclin and Ellie, and our dog, Nora.
Teaching golf for over a year in Florida and having taken and watched many lessons from PGA Certified Master Teaching Professional Carl Rabito, becoming a golf instructor was something I really wanted to do. Fortunately, I was able to find a home at Sharon Woods Golf Course in Cincinnati, my old home from the 90′s, to further this new career path. As I enter my 6th season as a golf professional, I’m excited how my role is taking shape. I assist in managing and supervising a staff of nearly 40 while teaching golf lessons to over a 100 students. Hopefully, someday I’ll have the opportunity to mentor some future golf professionals like myself.
Email: kvoska@hotmail.com
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- PGA Member – June, 2009
- 2008 PGA National Assistants Champion
- 43 Professional Tournament Victories
- 2010 Southern Ohio PGA Section Player-of-the-Year
- 2010 Southern Ohio PGA Southwest Chapter Player-of-the-Year
- 2009 Cincinnati Chapter Match Play Champion
- 2009 Southern Ohio PGA Assistant’s Champion
- 2001 and 2010 Southern Ohio PGA Open Champion
- 2000 PGA Buick Open Contestant
- 1998 Miami Athlete-of-the-Year
- 2-Time NCAA Division I All-American
- Mid-American Conference Sportsman and Player-of-the Year (1998)
- 2-Time Cincinnati Met Amateur Champion (1997, 1998)
- Cincinnati Met Amateur Medalist and Runner-Up (1996)
- NCAA low scoring average on Par 3′s (2.91) in 1998
- Low competitive round – 62 (3 times): Four Bridges CC (’01), Oasis CC (’09), and Juniper Hills GC (’02)
- Low non-competitive round – 61: Browns Run CC – White tees
- Won a 54-hole Developmental Players Tour event by 9 shots shooting 19 under par with no bogies (64,64,69)
- 4 career Holes-in-One and 3 career double eagles
MY PGA MENTORS:
Tom Bach – Head Professional at Sharon Woods Golf Course
George Long – Kenwood CC PGA Professional/Head Pro at The Mill Course (17 Years)
Carl Rabito – PGA Certified Master Teaching Professional (Top 100 Instructor)
Mike Bender – 2009 PGA National Teacher-of-the-Year (Top 100)
Craig Shankland – 2001 PGA National Teacher-of-the-Year (Top 100)
Jim Suttie, Ph.D - 2000 PGA National Teacher-of-the-Year (Top 100)
Bill Madonna – Bill Madonna Golf Academy (Top 100)
Andrew Park – The David Leadbetter Golf Academy
Chris Toulson – Jim McLean Golf School at Doral
As you can see, I’ve been very fortunate to have learned from some of the best PGA Professionals in the country. I feel privileged to pass on the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained from spending time with these great gentlemen.
