Will the range improve consistency? Opening and closing the club face – Ask the PGA Professional #10

Will the range improve consistency?

I live in: Victoria, BC, Canada
My_name_is: Mike Pinchback
comments: I have been told many times that I have very sound swing. I am capable of hitting the ball very well but consistency (even within a hole) eludes me. Would going to the range religiously help me groove my timing, or risk engraining bad habits?

Kim Brown:
The best formula here is instruction, range, and then blend it into playing. There needs to be both technical practice and then a mindset for “playing” practice. Playing swing thoughts should be minimal but fundamentally correct with something that enhances swing “feel” for you personally.

Opening and closing the club face

I live in: Wichita, Kansas, U.S.A.
My_name_is: Brandon
comments: I love to work the ball; lately I have been experimenting with a new method. Instead of setting up square to the final target and either opening or closing my stance, I have been setting up either right of the target or left of the target and then either opening or closing the club face so that it ultimately points to the ultimate target. It seems like I am more consistent with this method. Can you forsee any problems?

Kim Brown:
No. That IS the way to work the ball. Read “golf my way” by big Jack!

Muscles to train

I live in: Halmstad, Sweden
My_name_is: Ulf Pettersson
comments: I have studied quite a lot of David Leadbetter and Nick Faldos theories about the golfswing. I feel like i need to be stronger and smoother in my body to really appreciate their methods. So my question to you is – Which muscles to train and how to do it?

Kim Brown:
Always a good idea to train all muscles for general muscle tone. However, key muscles would be legs, lower back exercise, wrists, and stomach muscles to support the role they play in the golf swing.

Why is the golf ball white?

I live in: Sweden,stockholm
My_name_is: Per Faldo
comments: Why is the golfball white ?

Kim Brown:
Good visibility, relatively easy to make.

Eliminate shanking

I live in: RESEDA ,CA USA
My_name_is: J.SCHROEDER
comments: How do you eliminate shanking?

Kim Brown:
Not an easy answer to that one, but anything that produces a still upper torso, good balance, and a full “finish” in the swing will help!

Favorite ball and clubs

I live in: Sweden
My_name_is: pierre friberg
comments: Which ball do you prefer??
What clubs do you have/prefer??
Who do you think is the best player on the PGA tour??

Kim Brown:
Titleist Professional 100 compression
Ping ISI Nickel Irons
Fred Couples is the most natural player I had ever seen until Tiger Woods came along. Who knows who is the best?

Slicing with woods

I live in: Stockholm, Sweden
My_name_is: Lennart Modig
comments: I got rid af slicing with my irons, but I still slice when I use the woods. Why?

Kim Brown:
The nature of “face progression” on woods will tend to not allow you to get away with the same mistake that you may or may not get away with when using your irons. A slice is caused by the path of the swing heading to the left of the target line at the moment of impact with an open club face (or the clubface pointing to the right). Probably, the longer length of the driver tends to make your slice “show up” more. Try to make sure your shoulders are not open or pointed to the left of the target at address, take a bigger shoulder turn, and then feel like you keep your elbows close together throughout the swing. Swing to a full finish position . Good luck.

Right wrist position

I live in: Ballston spa ny usa
My_name_is: Louis house
comments: Should you feel that the right wrist stays bent on the downswing through impact ?

Kim Brown:
I love Ballston Spa ! I had family in the Saratoga area for a while and have actually played at the State Park course there several times when I was young. But anyway, I like the feeling that the right hand and wrist return to the address position at the moment of impact.

Improving my driver

I live in: Stockholm, Sweden
My_name_is: Tomas Anderson
comments: Being a notorious “waggler” I have for many years now found myself everywhere but the fairway from tee, unless I use my trusted old fourwood and hit the ball from the ground. Since I am aware of what the problem is, I have been practicing a lot to try and turn, instead of only shifting my bodyweight sideways. This, however, doesn’t seem to help me when I try to drive the ball from the tee. I haven’t been able to hit a desent drive in years which is, and has been, very frustrating. I used to play well of my handicap of seven, but have had to face reality and adjust it to nine. It might not stop at that either. Any ideas?

Kim Brown:
1. Practice by alternating shots with your 4 wood, then your driver, 4 wood, then your driver, etc.
2. Develop a “vanilla” shot. This means knowing each day that on every tee your ball will either go straight OR WHAT? You should have more of a tendency towards fade or draw. When you set up on a hole, if your “vanilla” shot is a fade, for example, then you should double check your setup fundamentals to insure that you always line up on the left side or the left center part of the fairway. Then your “mistake” swings should still result with a ball on the course somewhere decent. If you cannot accomplish a “vanilla” shot, then you need professional on site help to check your alignment, posture, and the rest of your setup fundamentals.

Ball for spin

I live in: Sweden
My_name_is: Patrik Soderberg
comments: Which ball has most bite????? (spin)
Which ball do you prefer????
Is the Big Bertha Irons a good club for me???? (hcp5)

Kim Brown:
Not sure, but you can really spin a Titleist Balata!
Big Bertha irons seem to be enjoyed by all that have played them. They look “big” to me, but are forgiving.

3W for a teenager

I live in: sweden
My_name_is: Joacim
comments: How far go the 3W for an 14 teenager

Kim Brown:
Depends on a lot of factors, but if you hit a 7 iron 140 yards, for example, the a 3 wood should be going around 200 yards.
I live in: Rowlett, Tx (USA)

Hitting behind the ball

My_name_is: Delane Hasik
comments: I have a tendancy to hit behind the ball, (two to six inches) usually from the fairway but sometimes also from the tee. I also believe that this cause’s me to hit my irons short and very high since I would be hitting the ball on the upswing. What can I do to possibly correct this problem?

Kim Brown:
Delane, as you live in Rowlett, why don’t you call and set up an appointment for a lesson at 214-670-8784. My kids all go to school in Rockwall. In the meantime, hitting the shot “fat” is usually a result of having over active hands. If you “cast” the club from the top like a fishing casting motion, you have “released” too soon and will tend to hit the ground before the ball. Try a more full shoulder turn on the backswing and feel like your hands simply drop off the table on the downswing. Focus on swinging to a full finish position that you then hold for a 3 count. This focus on the finish instead of hitting “at the ball”, should help quite a bit. What you are trying to accomplish is to “delay the hands in order to make the “angle of attack” on the downswing less steep. Good luck.

Improving consistency

I live in: CAPE CORAL, FL.
My_name_is: DON MARTIN
comments: I HAVE A TERRIBLE TIME WITH HITTING THE BALL CONSISTENT. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND AN EFFICIENT EXERCISE TO HELP ME GET MY GAME. I ALSO DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME FOR PRACTICING.
GREATLY APPRECIATED, DON

Kim Brown:
Tough combination of desires. You might try a lot of swings in front of a mirror if you have time and room to do that at home or at the office. You may not have time to go to a range, but you should look into getting some “cayman” balls that you can hit out behind the house. They are better than whiffle balls and go about 1/2 the normal distance. They are not as effective as real range balls, but better than traveling to a range!

Increasing club head speed

I live in: West Bloomfield, Mich.
My_name_is: Rick Kirsch
comments: I Play a fairly good game but I would like to increase my club head speed at impact. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Kim Brown:
The following are key elements to maximum clubhead speed:
* Full shoulder turn on backswing
* 90% of your weight on the back (right usually) foot at the top of your backswing. You should coil to this position, not just slide your hips laterally.
* Feel like your elbows stay close together throughout the entire swing
* Swing to a full finish position with your belt buckle pointing to the target and being on balance on the target side foot. Hold the finish when practicing.
* Don’t force the swing with the hands. Focus on finishing the swing.

Hitting woods off the fairway

I live in: Arroyo Grande, Calif. USA
My_name_is: Jim White
comments: I’m having trouble hitting my woods off the fairway, hitting them fat . Off the tee I hit them ok. Thank you for any help.

Kim Brown:
You are trying to “lift” the ball off the ground too much. Simply swing to a good, full finish and allow the loft of the club to send it up into the air.

Arm is bent

I live in: petal,mississippi forrest
My_name_is: charles west
comments: why does my arm always seem to bend on the down swing using the pw.no other club but the pitching wedge.

Kim Brown:
Picking the club up too much with your hands on the backswing. Turn your shoulders back and through and allow the hands to lightly hold the club without manipulating the club off the appropriate path. Swing to a full finish.

Will new equipment help me

I live in: SARASOTA,FLORIDA
My_name_is: KEVIN BOWEN
comments: I HAVE BEEN PLAYING GOLF FOR 12YEARS, AND WITH THE SAME CLUBS (PING EYE 2’S). MY QUESTION IS Can is the new equipment that much better and is it worth upgrading to a a larger sweet spot club and would I be a more acccurate and forgiving player? (Handicap 9)

Kim Brown:
A significant improvement is in the area of woods. The oversize woods are exceptional. I have not noticed that much difference in irons, to be frank.

What kind of ball should I use

I live in: Natrona Heights Pa
My_name_is: Mark Koprivnikar
comments: What kind of ball do you think I should use being a 14 handicap, playing on greens with sand placed underneath.

Kim Brown:
This depends on the clubhead speed you generate, the type of trajectory that you produce on your shots, etc. My guess is that an “in between” type ball- not a soft balata, not a total “rock” two piece ball, but one like the Titleist HP2 that spins pretty good but still get s you some extra distance.

Correct hitting fat shots

I live in: Rochester N.Y.
My_name_is: H Scott
comments: I How do you correct hitting fat?

Kim Brown:
Hitting the shot “fat” is usually a result of having over active hands. If you “cast” the club from the top like a fishing casting motion, you have “released” too soon and will tend to hit the ground before the ball. Try a more full shoulder turn on the backswing and feel like your hands simply drop off the table on the downswing. Focus on swinging to a full finish position that you then hold for a 3 count. This focus on the finish instead of hitting “at the ball”, should help quite a bit. What you are trying to accomplish is to “delay the hands in order to make the “angle of attack” on the downswing less steep. Good luck.

Topping the ball

I live in: MISSOURI
My_name_is: KRIS HATFIELD
comments: I TOP THE BALL, BUT WHEN I HIT THE BALL CLEANLY, IT SLICES TO THE RIGHT. WHY DO I TOP IT, AND WHY DOES IT SLICE?

Kim Brown:
1) slicing is the result of the clubhead swinging on a path to the left of the intended target but the clubface pointing to the right at the moment of impact.
2) Topping is usually a matter of balance and over using the hands which causes the player to fall back on the back foot. Then the arms break down and are “too short” at contact. Try to swing to a full finish and maintain the length of your left arm until 3/4 of the way done with your follow through.

How to fix pushing shots

I live in: madsonville, ky (USA)
My_name_is: nathan lamb
comments: being a southpaw I push most of my shots, in general, driver thru pw. do you have a pratice routine.

Kim Brown:
Tie (loosely) a belt around your two upper arms or get one of these practice devices that tend to make you keep your elbows close together throughout the entire swing. Take a fuller shoulder turn on the way back to get yourself in a stronger backswing position.