Ask the PGA Professional
(Junior Golfers)

Junior Golfers, this is your chance to have questions about golf in general or your golf game in particular answered by a PGA Professional.

Need help fixing that slice? Want to learn more about playing strategies? Have a question about rules? Just taking up the game? Our PGA Professionals will be glad to help!

Approximately once a week, your questions will be answered here by one of the participating PGA Professionals from Golf in the SouthWest.

This week, Scott Robbins, PGA Member Professional at Hank Haney's New City Pointe Golf Center in Dallas, Texas will be answering your questions.

Simply go to this form, to ask the PGA Pro your question.
Thanks for your participation!

Q & A

Last update: Jan 21st

I live in: Abilene, TX USA
My_name_is: Anthony Peralez
My_age_is: 10
comments: I just started playing golf and I really enjoy it. Should I use some adult clubs that have been cut down or should I go to a place like Golfsmith and be measured for my clubs?

Scott Robbins:
Anthony,
The better clubs fit you, the more you will enjoy the game. Cutting down adult clubs usually will make the club you would play with too heavy and the shaft too stiff which means you can't bend the shaft with your swing.
My recommendation is a club that fits. If you want to go longer to have a club you can grow to, only make it 1/2 inch longer than you measure for. Use the lightest shafts possible and light club heads.
Enjoy the game. Practice, play and have fun.
Scott Robbins

I live in: DAYTON,OHIO,AMERICA
My_name_is: NICK BUSCHUR
My_age_is: 14
comments: I'M LEFT HANDED AND I HAVE A BAD SLICE,COULD YOU HELP ME OUT ,PROVIDE ME WITH ANY ANFORMATION.IF SO THANKS.

Scott Robbins: Nick,
A slice is caused by the same swing problems for a left hander as for the right hander. The ball just goes different directions.
A slice, first and foremost is caused by an open clubface at address. The clubface can be opened at different parts of the swing and in different ways.
First check how you apply your hands to the club. Your palms should face each other and you should hold the club more towards the fingers of your right hand and at the top of your palm. Your left hand palm, when cupped like you are going to hold water, should fit to the left side of your right thumb and the left thumb should fit just to the right of the club, touching your left index finger. After you have formed your grip, practice hitting balls with a chipping motion, concentrating on making square (straight) contact. The clubface could also be opening because of your swing. Check your clubface and see if you are contacting the ball on the toe of the club. If so, that will aid the clubface in opening and sending your ball off to the left. Again, start by taking short swings, trying to swing the handle of the club bank and through in short strokes, attempting to contact the ball more in the center of the face.
Another place to check is the path the club is making coming into impact with the ball. Check your divots. If your divots are pointed to the right of target, the club is coming too much from the outside. If the clubface is square to target at impact with this path then the ball will start right of target and slice back to target or too far left of target.
Check these three areas. First, work on squaring the clubface. Once that is done then you can easier find any path problems and problems in contacting the center of the clubface.
Best of all, after trying to analyze some of these things, is to find one of the fine PGA Professionals in the Dayton area to look at your swing and offer suggestions on improving your ball striking abilities.
Good Luck,
Scott Robbins

I live in: Ontario,Canada
My_name_is: Daniel
My_age_is: 14
comments: By the middle of this summer, I will have earned enough money, about 650$, to buy a new set of clubs. How do I figure out what size(lenghtwise) and brand I should get?

Scott Robbins: Daniel,
Congratulations on great discipline to save the money to buy a set of clubs!!!
Even at your age, it is important to be sure you have the proper set of clubs for you. It would be like buying a shirt, sweater or pants off the rack that don't fit you. They may look nice but if they are too small and you can't wear them or they are too big and they fall off of you, what real good are they?
Therefore, try and find a Canadian PGA Professional at one of the local golf courses that is well versed in club fitting. You want to first measure for the proper length for you. I recommend that a junior play with the proper length club and no longer than 1/2 inch longer than he/she measures to currently to allow for some physical height increases. Secondly, have someone measure your current club head speed and recommend a shaft accordingly. And finally, have the clubs you select properly set for the angle between the handle and the ground, commonly called the "lie" of the club.
I have seen many a junior golf swing changed for the worse trying to adjust to clubs that are too long and too heavy and too stiff or weak in the shaft. Taking the time to have these things properly measured will assure that you have invested your hard earned and saved money wisely.
Best of Luck,
Scott

I live in: Charlotte, NC USA
My_name_is: Jarred Jung
My_age_is: 14
comments: I am fairly short for my age, and I am growing fast. My birthday is coming soon, and my dad wants to get me a new set of clubs. I am too short for a men's and too tall for a junior set of clubs. I want to get them custom made, but that is so expensive, and I will most likely grow out of them soon. What should I do? Also, I have a trouble with distance. I am currently driving with my dad's three wood. (His driver is too long). How can I add distance to my drives.

Scott Robbins: Jarred,
It is important to be sure you have the proper set of clubs for you. I have seen many a junior golf swing changed for the worse trying to adjust to clubs that are too long and too heavy and too stiff or weak in the shaft. Therefore, go to your local PGA Professional and ask them to measure you for club length, club head speed (determines a range of shaft stiffness) and the "lie" angle of the club (the angle between the ground and the handle of the club that best keeps the club head on the ground at address and impact). I too was small for my age until I was approximately 17. I had to adjust and change my clubs as I grew.
Find that professional who can best take the time to properly fit your clubs to you. If not it would be like going on the dream date with the best looking girl you know and having to wear a man's size xxx large shirt and 56 inch waist pants with a 54 inch inseam. It just wouldn't fit and you would always feel uncomfortable.
Your golf game will always change to fit your equipment, your equipment will not change to fit your game. Find that right person to help fit your "outfit" to you.
And to answer the second question. Once you have a golf club that fits your swing, you will be able to make better contact with the ball in the center of the clubface with the maximum club head speed you can generate. Once that happens, you are automatically hitting the ball farther!
Scott Robbins

I live in: Randolph WI
My_name_is: Mitchell
My_age_is: 14
comments: I started to play golf serious this last year at a hilly course. I have no promblem with uphill lies. I would be having a good round and then I would come to this tough down hill lie shot and threw my whole game off. What is your recommened position for this shot.

Scott Robbins: Mitchell,
First realize that where you are learning to play golf is great because you are learning under some of the most difficult conditions. And probably the most difficult long or full shot that can be played is from a downhill lie.
The lie sets your body to move ahead of the club at impact, close the face, hit the ground before the ball and dig too deep into the ground. Besides all that, it is an easy shot! So, how do you counteract all these factors? Since your body will move ahead of the ball, set your weight into the hill towards your back foot. The center of your swing will also move up the hill and towards the back of your stance so you can move the ball back in your stance. The clubface will close or more importantly de-loft so use less club form the same distance as you would from a flat lie. Your body will want to move forward so try and stabilize your body during the swing and feel like you swing the club a little more with your arms. Once you have your body set, also try and set your shoulders parallel to the slope. This will counteract the tendency to dig into the ground and hit behind the ball.
GO out and practice these techniques. Learn this shot well and you will be on your way to being an even better golfer. Remember, this is one of the hardest shots in golf. So if it does not work out, that's okay, you gave it your best try. Go find the ball and hit the next shot to the best of your abilities. Every golfer and every round of golf has some flaws in them. When you learn to accept that, the hard or bad shots will not completely destroy your round.
Learn from the Tour players. Tiger Woods three putts twice on the back nine of Saturday's round of the Tournament of Champions. He then finishes with 4 birdies in a row and shots 65. Curtis Strange on Saturday of the Bob Hope tournament a week later makes a triple bogey on the 8th hole. He finishes the round under par and still in position to finish with a good check for the week.
Learn how these guys take mistakes in stride, realize they are human and will make mistakes but try to do their very best over every single shot. And if they don't, how they accept that too because they are human.
Good Luck with your endeavors,
Scott Robbins

I live in: Windsor, Ontario Canada
My_name_is: Cody Harris
My_age_is: 14
comments: I was recently in Myrtle beach for the holidays. I played really well except I had the tendency to be pulling most of my putts. I was wondering if you had any knowledge on why I am doing this. THANKS Cody

Scott Robbins: Cody,
Pulling putts comes from one of two places. Either your address position or your impact position (which can be influenced by your address position).
At address, check to see that your putter face is square. If it is not, check the following:
1) eye position over the putt;
2) shoulder alignment;
3) arm position (are they parallel to target line or is the right arm higher or lower than the left?) and
4) is the ball too far forward in your stance?
After checking all that, if you are still pulling, check to see if your hands are still straight after impact or if the front wrist has bent or collapsed. If this is happening, work on hitting the putt with the back of your front hand staying straight after impact.
A collapsed or bent front wrist usually means the clubface is closing, looking like a pull. If you are still hitting it with a pull. Check the path the club head is swinging on. If you are trying to have the club go straight back and straight through then you are making the club move too straight and will result in a pull. Set a tee in the green 6 inches behind your ball on the target line and six inches in front of your ball slightly left of target line. On the way back, the toe of the putter should graze the tee behind you and the face should hit the tee in front of you.
To see this move more clearly, grip down a few inches and hold the putter above the ground and let the putter swing with your shoulders and your arms and watch the path the club head will make. Duplicate that feel and motion while you hit some practice putts.
There are some check points and drills. Good Luck with them.
Scott

I live in: York Pa
My_name_is: Mike Robbins
My_age_is: 16
comments: I live in the north where there is snow on the ground and it is extraemly tough for to get out there and pratice, I play on junior tour over the winter called the International Junior Golf Tour, but my results are not showing, last tournament I shot 85 80, the first day I shot 50-36, I have lost so much confiedence in my game, what should I do,
I also am a starter on my high school varsity basketball team, and I really enjoy playing, it gives me something to do when I not golfing, One other thing I turn 16 in march is now the time for me to dead serious in my golf game in order for me to become a good colleigate golfer, may I mention that my father Mike Robbins is the head golf coah at York College of Pa,. the soon to be Div. national champs.

Scott Robbins: Mike,
Your scores indicate a need for practice. But where do you practice in the cold and snow of New York? Does your Dad have someplace where his team hits balls indoors that you could utilize?
The big key word here though is confidence. Confidence is a choice. You can choose to be confident through better and excellent mental preparation to play the game. Practice helps the confidence because you start to feel better golf swings and better ball striking. But what if that is unavailable? Then put yourself into position to score by accepting that you will each shot to the best of your ability at this time.
To do that, build a mental routine that allows you to visualize the shot you are about to hit. Visualize the shot that you know, under your current swing conditions, you can produce. Then visualize and feel the swing you need through one or more practice swings.
Once those two things are congruent (on the same wave length, so to say) then when you are over the ball tell yourself to "Trust It" and swing away and let your golf swing produce the shot you were thinking of. Your ball striking might not dramatically improve but your acceptance of the kinds of shots you can expect to hit and the shots you will hit will help your confidence and allow you to put yourself in the best position to score.
All golfer go through times when they have to find a way to score when their golf swing isn't producing perfect golf shots. The great Ben Hogan once said if hit four shots a round exactly like he planned them then he had an exceptional ball striking round of golf. Jack Nicklaus says he has an "A," "B" and "C" game. He plays with his "A" game 6-8 rounds a year. Not 6-8 tournaments, only 6-8 rounds a year. Jack Nicklaus has won 21 major championships in his life, more than any other player in history.
Find a way to work on your game. Try and find some extra time at tournament sites to shake off the rust. While in New York, work on that mental game and choose confidence and put yourself in position to score.
Good Luck,
Scott Robbins
P.S. Tell your Dad good luck with the team. I'll watch Golf Week for results.

I live in: Bartlett,TN United states
My_name_is: John craig
My_age_is: 16
comments: I have a strong grip and i sometimes have a problem with a little hook and i was wondering what i could do to prevent that?

Scott Robbins: John,
A strong grip set the clubface in a closed position at address, top of the swing and impact. If you are hooking the ball with a strong grip then it sounds like the rest of your swing is producing the things you need to hit good shots. So it sounds like it is time to work towards a more neutral grip.
Go see your local PGA Professional and have him check out your swing and grip and help you understand, form and feel a more neutral positioning of your hands. If not, you will begin to develop other bad habits to adjust to the effects of such a strong grip.
Good Luck,
Scott Robbins

I live in: Vancouver, WA, USA My_name_is: Anton Adams
My_age_is: 16
comments: I am a right handed golfer and at the top of my backswing my club usually points right of the line paralell to the target line. Some people say it's because of a flying elbow but I'm not sure. Also when I see a picture of a pro in a magazine usually his left wrist is strait but at the top of the backswing my wrist is cupped. I was wondering if this is bad. Thanks.

Scott Robbins: Anton,
It sounds like you have a good handle on what is happening at the top of your swing. You want the back of your left wrist straight and in line with your forearm and clubface. When this happens, the club will probably be parallel to your target line end parallel to the ground at the top of your swing.
The bigger question here, Anton, is how did the club get there? Find a PGA Professional that can check out your takeaway and see that your club is not changing positions in the first 24-36 inches of your swing. Check to be sure that the handle, shaft and club head all go back together and in the same line they were at address. It sounds as if your club head is going back towards your body too fast and is causing some of the corrections that result in the positions you are seeing in the top of your swing.
Find that PGA Professional and have him/her help you fix that takeaway.
Best of Luck,
Scott Robbins PGA Professional

I live in: Austin,TX
My_name_is: Melissa Hoernis
My_age_is: 10
comments: I've been playing golf for only a few months how long did it take you to become a professional?

Scott Robbins: Melissa,
Becoming a golf professional is just as hard work as anything else that becomes important in your life. I started playing when I was 4 and loved it from the first minute I lost my 1st golf ball in my grandmother's front yard.
After college graduation, I went to work in the golf business and turned professional. Following the PGA of America guidelines, I became a class A Member Professional in a little over 2 1/2 years. That program now takes at least 4 years to complete. I looked as it like it was my graduate school while I was also working. That was in 1978. I have continued to educate myself in this business and especially in teaching. I went to my last formal education seminar in November of 1996 and tonight I am going to watch some other golf professionals give golf lessons and discuss the golf swing.
How long did it take to become a professional? Not very many years. How long does it take to be the best professional I can be? I am the best I can be right now and not 1/2 as good as I will be tomorrow. That part takes a long time.
If you are interested in becoming a golf professional, work hard on your game and your grades, finish college and never stop learning about this wonderful game. Even if you don't turn professional, keep learning. This game has a lot to offer you throughout your life.
Best of Luck, Scott Robbins

I live in: Jackson Mississippi
My_name_is: Will Watkins
My_age_is: 15
comments: I have been playing for about a year. I am trying to get ready to play in some tournaments. Our pro said that if I could control my I would improve my game by a tremendous amount if I could improve my temper. Do you know how to help me control my temper and help me focus better?

Scott Robbins: Will,
Having a child that is 15, I know that part of that temper is from being 15. However none of it does any good on the golf course. I know, I used to have a terrible temper on the course. Until I discovered and truly believed that what I got mad at were things I had no control over. And when I did let my temper run, I lost control of the only things I had control of - myself.
How then do I recommend you control your temper? First is honestly look at your ability and only try and execute shots that you know you can because you have learned them on the practice tee or during your on course practice when score wasn't a factor. Second, learn how to visualize the shot you want to hit. See the ball fly in the exact trajectory shape and distance you want it to fly. Third, visualize and physically feel the swing that will produce that shot. Take these first three steps and execute and practice them religiously on the practice tee. YOU WILL HIT SOME TERRIBLE SHOTS! What a great way to practice another anti temper routine. When those real bad shots happen, they happen. DO NOT REACT TO THEM. Just say "that's interesting." When you do that you are nullifying any memory your subconscious can obtain because your subconscious reacts to conscious actions, whether good or bad and remembers and reinforces the action. That is why when you hit a bad shot and get angry it is usually followed by another bad shot. (Had that happen before?)
As you practice this routine on the practice tee, you will learn how your visualization and rehearsal will out your mind into position to hit some great shots without having to consciously think about the execution.
After you have learn to visualize and feel and have started to hit some good shots add the final part. Tell yourself to TRUST your ability, trust your swing. You see after you practice and continue to learn how to hit shots and see the fun and value in learning to hit all these different shots on the practice tee then you will know, your subconscious will know, that you can hit that shot you are looking at. So tell yourself to "trust it" right as you take the club back and swing away. What you have just done is decided on a shot, felt the swing it takes to make the shot and gotten yourself ready to execute at THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. If the best of your ability does not produce the exact shot just then, it is no big deal because you have done your very best. Your pro will be proud of you, your parents will be proud of you and most important you can choose to be proud of yourself for doing your very best.
After working so hard on this on the practice tee, take it to the golf course in a practice round. Over each shot, SEE the ball flight and shape you want to hit, FEEL the swing you will need to hit that shot with a practice swing and right before you take the club away from the ball tell yourself "TRUST IT."
The important thing to really remember though here is we are talking about a game. Games are to be fun. Some are more challenging than others, but they are still games and are still fun. Whatever happens in any golf shot you hit, it will never change the person you are. You will still have friends who love you, your parents will still cherish you and all those important interpersonal relationships will still be there whether you hit this golf shot well or not.
Go back to having fun. Try these drills. Control what you can control. How you react to your experiences on the golf course. As you grow older, you will be amazed how your actions and reactions on the golf course will reflect how you run your life. Start practicing now to learn to control only those things you can (your swing and your thoughts) and let everything else go.
I apologize for the long winded reply but I hope the ideas and the "how to" messages apply and work for you. I would like to hear how you are doing.
Scott Robbins

I live in: West Chester PA USA
My_name_is: Nathan Shevchik
My_age_is: 12
comments: Hey Scott, I'm playing with a full set of King Cobra woods and irons. I'm 5'1 ,do you think i need to get them cut down or should i grow into them. I shoot 88 from the reds at Penn Oaks golf course. the yardage from the reds is 5600. I was looking to go into some tournaments around my area and if you have any suggestions i hope you can direct me the right way. Last year i played in a few GAP tournaments and local chester county tournaments including rounds of golf at chester valley cc in malvern PA. i was looking foward to playing in more tournaments that will strengthen my competitive game. I have been playing golf for 5 years and i want to get serious about playing golf. thanks for your time
Nathan Shevchik

Scott Robbins: Nathan,
My first instinct is you are playing clubs that are too long and too heavy. That can cause some serious swing problems. I suggest you find a PGA Professional at a course near by for two reasons.
Have him measure you for clubs and analyze if those clubs are giving you problems and secondly, he/she should know of any local Junior Tournaments for you to play in.
Good Luck, Scott

I live in: Big Lake, TX, U.S.A
My_name_is: Garrett Brown
My_age_is: 13
comments: What club should I use and where?

Scott Robbins: Garrett,
The most important factor in selecting a club is how far do you need to it the next shot. To know what club to use in that situation, you need to either go to a driving range that is well marked for distance and figure out how far you hit each club in the air.
A better idea is to ask your Dad to help and go to an empty flat hole on a golf course or into a field and have him help you walk off how far you hit each club. When you are doing that, hit 5-10 balls with each club to get a good average distance for each club.
Good Luck, Scott

I live in: Paynesville, Minnesota, United States
My_name_is: Mary Frandson
comments: I love this sport more than anything else in this world, well besides family of course,but I would just like to know what you think it takes to become a state champion, concerning what to practice, how long, etc...... Thank you very much!

Scott Robbins: Mary,
What a great goal! It takes the same thing to become a state champion golfer as it does to become one in any other sport. The will to work, the will to have fun doing it, good coaching (lessons from a qualified PGA Professional), great support in your home and lots of dedicated practice time. Other sports require hours of daily practice. Just look at the professional football, basketball, hockey and baseball teams. Since we are close to Spring Training starting, let's look at baseball. The Major League players, the absolute best players in the world, are about to go through 8-12 hour days of conditioning, drilling the fundamentals of throwing, catching, hitting and base running and then go play 20-30 practice games before the first game is in April. About 8-10 weeks of training. That is after they have become the best.
So to get there requires more hours for longer years to get there. Do not get discouraged because as the USGA says in it's ads, if you "really, really, really love this game" practice is not work, it is just more of the FUN!
Have lots of fun practicing and good luck on reaching your goal of state champion.
Best regards,
Scott Robbins

I live in: CAPE CORAL, FL.CC
My_name_is: JOE MARTIN
My_age_is: 16
comments: I WAS WATCHING A TV SHOW ABOUT PUTTING, THE MAN ON THE SHOW SAID THAT I SHOULD HOLD THE CLUB WITH A LOOSE GRIP, I TRIED THAT AND IT FEELS ALOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH A TIGHT GRIP. WHICH IS THE CORRECT WAY? THANKS.

Scott Robbins: Joe,
Whichever grip gives you the best feel for the speed of the greens and control of the putter. I know that some tour players hold the club very lightly and loose while some hold it tighter and some in between. Ben Crenshaw, known as one of the all time greatest putters feels pressure in his thumbs on top of his putter.
Experiment, find the pressure most comfortable and most effective for you.
Best of luck. Concentrate on the speed of the putt.
Scott

I live in: Murfreesboro,Tn
My_name_is: Justin Brown
My_age_is: 14
comments: I am a good player on good days but i am inconsistent. how do I fix that? I would also like to start competing in some touraments , I have some friends on the Junior PGA tour, how do I join? My dream is to be on the PGA tour, so if you have any practice tips, I am very willing to try them and practice harder. Thank You

Scott Robbins: Justin,
Consistency on the course comes from better swing fundamentals and better practice on the practice tee. Once you have been coached in the fundamentals by a PGA Professional and get better at striking the ball, your consistency will improve with your confidence. Once you are on the course you can choose to be confident in your ball striking by remembering how well you have done in your lessons and practice. On the golf course, just tell yourself over every shot to trust your swing and let the swing work. As your swing gets better through lessons and practice, so will your shots on the course.
I am not familiar which Junior Tour your friends are playing. The best way is to ask then and how they got on it and follow their lead.
To get to the PGA TOUR, it takes the same thing to become a state champion golfer as it does to become one in any other sport. The will to work, the will to have fun doing it, good coaching (lessons from a qualified PGA Professional), great support in your home and lots of dedicated practice time
Good luck in all your golfing adventures,
Scott

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