Driver – Titleist 975D, 12.5*
FW – Titleist 975F, 20.5*
1-iron – Ben Hogan Red Line
Hybrid – Ben Hogan Edge CFT, 24*
Irons – Ben Hogan 1999 Apex, 6, 7, 8, 9, E
Wedge – Titleist Vokey 56/08
Putter – Ping G3 Tess
The E iron is the pitching wedge in the Hogan set. He called his pitching wedge his equalizer.
Welcome to my blog. It has been my hobby for a long time. It is a record not of what I have read or seen in YouTube videos, but of my own investigations of how to play better golf. It is also a record of my life in golf during the blog’s lifetime.
There are over 1,000 posts on this blog. But then, it’s going on 14 years old, so I guess that’s about right. With that many posts, it might be hard to find what you want.
There are two ways, of course. Use the Search window to type in some keywords, or run down the list of categories on the left and pick the one you want.
Pay special attention to the category of Gold Post. There are only sixteen posts in there. They are the essentials of playing good golf.
And of course, there’s my comprehensive instruction book, Bob’s Living Golf Book.
One more thing. If you are playing well, hitting the ball well, scoring well, read posts for their entertainment value only. DO NOT try anything that is suggested.
You’re doing well, don’t touch it. Leave well enough alone.
Play well and have fun.
There was a time, up until yesterday, to be precise, when I carried four wedges: PW, GW, SW, and LW. I got into the Dave Pelz method of pitching, which uses four wedges and three swings, and used them all for chipping, too.
I must say I did very well with that approach. But no more.
For the past few rounds I tried pitching with my PW, 9-, and 8-irons. I found that method to be every bit as accurate distance-wise as with the wedges, and easier to get a good shot out of, mainly because you can hit the the shot with a shorter, and thus more controlled, swing. I was very happy with the result each time.
And doesn’t the shape of those clubheads, at least with the blades I play, say, “Pitch with me?”
So out of the bag went the GW and LW. I hardly ever used those clubs anyway.
Next time you go to the range, try pitching with the three clubs I mentioned and see what you think.
A few years ago I came across Tiger Woods’s five swing pointers. I should have saved the reference, but I didn’t. Anyway, I present them to you with my commentary.
Tiger: I turn my shoulders as far as possible without letting the range of motion disrupt my spine angle or the position of my right leg.
TRG: Complete your backswing. Keep the position and flex of the right leg fixed.
Tiger: I make my shoulders and arms work together throughout the swing. I don’t let one get too far ahead of behind the other. That is one of the secrets of good rhythm and tempo.
TRG: Also for hitting the ball where you intend.
Tiger: I keep the clubface square throughout the swing. That means the clubface is parallel with the left wrist and forearm.
TRG: How do you do that if all of that is behind your head and you can’t see them? You feel it. If you try it, you’ll find out it’s not that hard to do.
Tiger: I strive to get the sequence of motion on the downswing just right. My lower body leads the way, followed by my shoulders, arms, and hands.
TRG: Many good golfers start their lower body forward before their upper body has finished the backswing. That’s a good move if you can do it. Otherwise, see point #2.
Tiger: I hit through the ball, not at it. I want to keep the clubhead traveling fairly low to the ground for a brief period after impact. That thought will promote solid contact, accuracy and maximum distance.
TRG: The first sentence is how impact is done: hit(or swing) through the ball, not hit at. (Putt that way, too.) Keep the club low after impact to drive the ball forward. The loft of the club and its trajectory at the ball take care of getting it in the air.
I carry a 1-iron. Really, I do. It’s a pretty versatile club, and I’m going to tell about a couple of things I do with it.
On courses that have a lot of trees, it is ideal for punching out of the trees and down the fairway. The ball doesn’t get more that three feet off the ground and it runs forever. I can get 60 yards without trying hard.
Grip down the metal for control. Set up with the ball opposite your left instep. Take the club back only about five feet or so. The clubhead doesn’t get very far off the ground.
Swing through with your right side, thinking of punching the ball forward. Do not try to put a hit on it or you will mess up the whole thing. The follow-through is short–the shaft won’t get above horizontal.
I also use it around the green for chipping. The club has about 17 degrees of loft so you can think of it as a lofted putter.
For short chips where the ball is lying in grass too high to putt from, but is too close to chip with one of your usual chipping clubs, again grip all the way down and use a putting-like stroke to get the ball off the ground and rolling to the hole.
The ball comes off the clubface kind of hot, so it doesn’t take much of a hit to get the job done.
(Just to say I did it, I tried swinging the 1-iron at a ball. That was sitting on a tee. I learned that there is no point in ever trying that again.)
I made room for it taking out my 5-iron. I’m sure more uses will make themselves known as time goes by.
[Update] Chipping off a tight downhill lie.
[Update} Now it’s a 2-iron. Much better.
When you place the putter behind the ball preparatory to making a putt, it is a good idea to leave a gap of about an inch between the putter and the ball instead of being right up next to it.
1. It prevents you from accidentally moving the ball with the putter as you complete your setup.
2. It makes it easier to put a forward press into your stroke.
3. It encourages the feeling of swinging through the ball instead of hitting at it.
Golf Digest just published an article on three things you should be doing this winter to maintain your game and improve it. Read the article, it’s short, then come back here for my commentary.
1. Absolutely. Standing over a three-foot but, knowing that you are going to sink it, does wonders for your score and that confidence spills over to every other part of your game.
Make your target, instead of a fake hole, a 28-oz. tomato can. Hit the can dead center. See Better Recreational Golf, pp. 54-55 to find out why.
2. Stats. Fairways hit, greens in regulation, number of putts–not worth that much. Instead, keep number of full swings, number of short shots, length of each putt, hole by hole.
3. Get a lesson that deals with correcting why you aren’t hitting the ball straight on command. Take notes during the lesson. Then at home, work on those things every day. Go to the range once a week to put your practice to the test and find out which things are now working and which things need extra attention.
The motto of this blog is, Little Things That Make a Big Difference. Here are two tips for your setup that do just that.
First, your arms. They must be at full extension and stay that way throughout the swing. But they cannot be that way throughout the swing if they are not that way at the start.
Hold a club in one hand, with the clubhead resting in the air just off the ground. Notice that your arm feels to be pulled a bit, straightening it. Not a lot, not so the arm is rigidly straight, but straighter than it is when you are not holding the club (try it).
That is full extension. Address the ball with this feeling in both arms and maintain it throughout the swing. Why?
The momentum of the forward swing will by its force lengthen your arms as they swing the club through the ball if they are not already at full length. The rest is hitting fat.
Also, keeping your arms at full extension helps keep the clubface square. Don’t take my word for it, listen to Mickey Wright and Ben Hogan. They both regarded this as a key fundamental of their swing.
When you try this, your arms should still feel relaxed, never stiff to any degree.
Second, the line across your shoulders is the line you will take the club back along. It is the easiest way to move your body and it will want to do that. If you try to swing the club back on a different line your shoulders will fight you and your swing will be a struggle.
So if you want to hit the ball straight, start with your shoulders parallel to the target line. You will find it very easy to take the club away straight and on a plane that is aligned with your target line. That will also prepare you to swing the club back through the ball along the target line.
If you want to fade the ball, open your shoulder line a bit (aim it to the left of your target line) and swing back along that line, which will be the way your shoulders want to guide your arms. If you want to draw, do the opposite. Aim the shoulder line to the right of the target line.
But whatever, pay attention to this detail. It is easy to forget about as the round goes on.
Oh, yes. Happy New Year!
Kathy Whitworth, the winningest golfer on any one Tour, male or female, with 88 wins, died on December 24th at the age of 83.
Read obituaries at these places:
A few days ago I was on a golf forum and the question was asked, What is the key to becoming better?
Lots of the respondents talked about hitting greens in regulation. GIR for recreational golfers doesn’t mean a whole lot. I pay no attention to it. It focuses on results, and to get better, we need to focus on skills. These skills:
1. Hitting the ball accurately (to where you intend it to go).
2. Getting up and down from off the green, say, five yards and in, as an expectation.
3. Hitting approach putts to tap-in distance.
4. Knowing how to play the game.
Get good at those things and see what happens.