How To Teach The American Golf Teaching MethodTM

The Official Instructional Publication of the United States Golf Teachers Federation®

2nd Edition

How To Teach Golf The American Golf Teaching MethodTM 2nd Edition

“A golf teaching professional can mend a broken ego, enhance a family vacation, and make a real difference in peoples’ lives.” GEOFF BRYANT President & CEO of the United States Golf Teachers Federation 1 THE USGTF AND ITS MEMBERS HAVE PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING BOOKS AND DVDs:

• 100 Tips for Golf Teaching Professionals All of these books and

• 100 Tips for Managers DVDs are available for • Golf Drills for Teaching Professionals purchase through the • Teaching Junior Golfers – 32 Great Tips USGTF national office. • Practical Golf Coaching and Psychology Manual Please inquire at • Mental Rules for Teaching Golf [email protected] • The Professional – A collection of stories and anecdotes or call 1-888-346-3290. from the service industry to provoke thought and action • The American Golf Teaching Method Manual • Golf Teaching Pro® magazine • Faults & Cures DVD • Golf Psychology DVD • Golf Training Aids for Golf Teaching Professionals DVD • Teaching the Full Swing DVD • Teaching the Short Game DVD • The Science of Teaching Golf DVD

Other USGTF subsidiaries: World Golf Teachers Federation • www.WGTF.com World Golf Coaches Alliance • www.WorldGolfCoaches.com The United States Golf Managers Association • www.USGolfManagers.com American Disabled Golfers Association • www.AmericanDisabledGolfersAssociation.com

UNITED STATES GOLF TEACHERS FEDERATION® 200 S. Indian River , Suite #206 Fort Pierce, FL 34950 (888) 346-3290 • (772) 595-6490 • Fax (772) 595-6492 www.USGTF.com [email protected]

2 Foreword

olf is the game of a lifetime, rich in history They affect all facets of the golf industry, including Gand tradition. Few activities match golf’s consumers’ golf-related purchasing decisions. companionship, variety of competition, and sheer Teaching professionals can make a person’s day, mend sense of enjoyment. The game offers an escape for a fragile ego, or affect a family vacation. They act as most people from the daily routine and pressures of role models for children, encourage people and give modern life. Through golf one can discover, perfect, people hope. create and re-create. Teaching this sport, however, is not necessarily an Our sport has often been compared to life itself, easy task. It involves continually educating oneself and brimming with experiences that help define and shape applying all the innovation, motivation, experience who we are. When we play the game, we act on our and methodology accumulated over time. Those that perceptions, experience, beliefs, and even moods. In stay with it eventually mature into true professionals doing so, we better understand our approaches and of the sport. attitudes toward living and learning. Golf can be a In order to teach the game, you must first have a metaphor of our lives – a true reflection of who we are good understanding of the , short game, and and who we can be. trouble shots. It is then equally important to be able So many elements abound in this sport that can to relate these aspects of the game to your students in revitalize and rejuvenate: the early morning dew, the a simplified manner. Due to the fact we are all built smell of freshly cut grass, the anticipation of a new differently, both physically and psychologically, our day, a better score, and time well spent with friends, teaching philosophy, The American Golf Teaching family, or clients. Then there is the sensation of a Method™, recognizes that no two swings are alike. breakthrough – that indescribable elation you get in There are, however, fundamental basics found in all proving your skills or accomplishing something for good swings. the very first time. The goal of this publication is to provide you To teach this sport is truly an honorable with the information and insights into helping you profession. Along with adding to the growth and become a more effective teacher and accomplished popularity of the game, the teaching professional golfer. We hope it will stimulate ideas, pose questions, enhances the lives of those they teach. There is a and encourage communication between teacher and tremendous feeling of satisfaction gained as a golf student. As you become more experienced, you will teaching professional in helping students to increase find new understanding and apply this information in their skills. It also affords the opportunity to share new ways. your passion of the sport with others. That is part of the adventure. As with the game Teaching professionals wear the title of itself, it is important to enjoy the journey. ambassadors of the game. They care about people.

3 Instruction Manual 2nd Edition

United States Golf Teachers Federation 200 S. Indian River Drive, Suite #206 Fort Pierce, FL 34950 (888) 346-3290 • (772) 595-6490 • Fax (772) 595-6492 www.USGTF.com [email protected]

Credits Education Director Mark Harman Editor Jennifer Russakis Illustrations Bob Russell Photographs James Sterling Design, Pre-Press Production Heidi Rich

Copyright ©2019 by the United States Golf Teachers Federation®

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the United States Golf Teachers Federation – Education Foundation. The words, “American Golf Teaching Method, Certified Golf Teaching Professional, Master Golf Teaching Professional” are registered trademarks of the United States Golf Teachers Federation, Inc.

4 Contents

Foreword...... 3 USGTF … A Description...... 7 Teaching Golf by Geoff Bryant...... 8 The Instruction...... 9 CHAPTER 1 Full Swing Fundamentals...... 12 Grip...... 12 Alignment...... 15 Ball Position...... 16 Posture...... 17 Swing...... 18 Takeaway...... 18 L Position...... 19 Transition and Top of Backswing...... 19 Impact...... 20 Follow Through and Finish...... 21 CHAPTER 2 Ball Flight Laws...... 22 Introduction to the Ball Flight Laws...... 22 CHAPTER 3 Teaching Positions...... 33 Teaching Position 1 – Facing Student...... 35 Teaching Position 2 – Intended Target Line...... 36 Teaching Position 3 – Feet/Body Line Parallel...... 37 Teaching Position 4 – Behind the Student...... 38 CHAPTER 4 Teaching the Full Swing to Beginners & Novices...... 39 CHAPTER 5 Teaching the Full Swing to Advanced Players...... 43

5 Contents

CHAPTER 6 Common Sense Teaching...... 45 CHAPTER 7 Putting, Chipping, Pitching, and Bunker Play...... 47 Putting...... 47 Chipping...... 51 Pitching...... 53 Greenside Bunker Play...... 54 CHAPTER 8 Golf Psychology and Motor Learning...... 56 Teaching and Learning...... 56 CHAPTER 9 Other Considerations...... 60 Clubfitting...... 60 Teaching with Video...... 62 CHAPTER 10 Teaching Course Management...... 64 CHAPTER 11 Detecting Errors & Offering Solutions...... 67 Errors & Solutions...... 67 Grip...... 67 Ball Position, Correct Ball Position, Posture, Alignment...... 68 Ball-Flight-Specific Errors...... 69 Setup-Specific Errors...... 73 Swing-Specific Errors...... 74 CHAPTER 12 Drills...... 76 USGTF Code of Ethics...... 93 A Tribute to Golf by David R. Forgan...... 94

6 USGTF... A Description

THE UNITED STATES GOLF TEACHERS FEDERATION

The United States Golf Teachers Federation was founded and incorporated in 1989. It is the largest organization of golf teaching professionals in the world, with the main office located in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The aim of the USGTF is to train and certify well-qualified teaching professionals to serve the American golfing public.

MISSION STATEMENT: The United States Golf Teachers Federation, through innovative, effective swing mechanics and teaching methodology, establishes a national and international standard in training and certification for professional golf teachers. In addition, the USGTF provides services for its members and promotes the organization and the golf teaching profession.

The amateur division of the USGTF is the National Golf Teachers Federation. The members in this division retain their amateur status by not accepting monetary compensation for lessons or tournament play.

To become a member of the USGTF, one must pass a certification course. Certification courses are held onsite at various locations across the United States or online at www.usgtf.com. Upon becoming a member, each person receives the latest information in ongoing education and membership news via Golf Teaching Pro® magazine, “the official membership publication of the World Golf Teachers Federation®.”

The USGTF has divided the country into five regions; Northeast, Southeast, Central, Northwest, and Southwest. Each region has a committee to administer local affairs and an appointed representative on the National Board.

The appointed representatives of the National Board of Directors lend their expertise and advice to the home office, which conducts the affairs and business of the USGTF.

In addition to the administrative committees, there are several special interest committees to assist in the operation of the USGTF. They are:

National Technical Committee – A group of members which meets annually to discuss and make decisions regarding course content, manual content, and technical doctrine.

Regional Committee – Serves regional needs through regional events, meetings, and tournaments.

International Committee – Fostering and maintaining a relationship with other golfing nations.

USGTF Advisory Committee – The appointed representatives of this committee lend their expertise and advice to the home office, which conducts the affairs and business of the USGTF.

UNITED STATES GOLF TEACHERS FEDERATION® 200 S. Indian River Drive, Suite #206, Fort Pierce, FL 34950 Phone (888) 346-3290 • (772) 595-6490 • Fax (772) 595-6492 www.USGTF.com [email protected]

7 Teaching Golf

“I teach this game we call golf The game that I love. The game I played as a child, with my father and friends. Call me fortunate to share my passion with those I meet, and in so doing, I continue to learn about people. To pass on joy, to share this gift, It nourishes and revitalizes me; it makes me who I am.”

by Geoff Bryant USGTF President

8 The History of

ince the time that golf began, there doesn’t seem to be firmly dated to this period, with the publication in Sbe any aspect of the game, including mental 1857 of A Keen Hand, by H.B. Farnie. technique, that hasn’t come under scrutiny, particularly The 19th century was a time of slow advancement in our own highly scientific 21st century. Stance, grip, in technique, with concentration primarily on a long- alignment, swing plane, waggle, wrist cock, shoulder running disagreement as to whether an open stance turn, and angle of attack have all been addressed by the or a closed stance was the better way to address the parade of teachers, visionaries, kinesthetics, scientists, guttie. Although the guttie flew higher than the feathery, engineers, mystics, duffers, and well-meaning Uncle Bobs the flattish St. Andrews swing still ruled the day. The who have, over the past 600 years, plunked a ball on the controversy on the open or closed stance was only turf and offered the magic phrase, “Let me show you.” truly resolved when the modern wound (Haskell) ball The show-and-tell of golf instruction took on new appeared in the early 1900s and made the guttie obsolete. importance in 1848 when, with the invention of the gutta At roughly the same point in time as the Haskell, percha ball (or “guttie”), golf became both exportable golf instruction was advanced even more directly by and cheap. Prior to 1848, construction known the arrival of the touring professional golfer. Soaring as the “feathery” was a laborious and costly art practiced popularity and plummeting travel costs ushered in by a handful of cottage manufacturers in the vicinity the barnstorming era when golfers such as Harry of Edinburgh – and if a ball was expensive, freight was Vardon could earn a living from personal appearances, prohibitive. The St. Andrews swing, featuring a flat swing tournament purses, and exhibition matches, avoiding plane, was the preferred action, as the feathery ball was the low status and even lower pay of the golf club hard to get up into the air. Also, golf at this time simply professional. had no chance to expand beyond the Scottish lowlands. Vardon’s tournament success and his proselytizing Since all of golf was compacted into such a tiny area, work in far-flung places such as Canada and the United golfers were able to learn simply by imitating the great States led to popular adoption of two of his innovative players of the day on the handful of courses then in techniques – a more upright swing plane, and the existence. overlapping (Vardon) grip, which is still the most popular The guttie changed all that. By 1865, the game had method of gripping a club. Vardon did not personally expanded to England, Ireland, France, and India. These invent either – but his success stamped them first with new clubs hired full-time professionals, many of them legitimacy and finally with a certain inevitability as he expatriate Scots, and with them came the flowering racked up six British Open crowns and the 1900 US of formal golf instruction as the canny professionals Open title. undertook the task of teaching golf in foreign lands and Although both the first golf magazines and the foreign conditions. The first book of golf instruction can Professional Golf Associations appeared early in the 20th

9 century, barnstorming professionals and Bobby Jones income made millionaires out of Arnold Palmer and would continue to dominate golf instruction right up to Jack Nicklaus, and with thousands of dollars now the Great Depression. Huge crowds flocked to see Jones resting on the success of this putt in the Masters or that and Walter Hagen on both sides of the Atlantic, learning five- in the Open, leading professionals began to such secrets as Hagen’s straight-line putting, drawing openly seek the advice of golf gurus such as Gardner the clubface back from the ball in a straight line rather Dickinson, Bob Toski, Harvey Penick, and Jack Grout. than a slight arc popular at this time. His innovation was At the same time, Palmer, Nicklaus, and Gary Player important in the 1920s and allowed him to win many parlayed their tournament success into an empire of tournaments – but it is even important today with the instructional publications including magazine articles, increased emphasis on fast, difficult putting surfaces. television tips, and ghostwritten, handsomely-illustrated The modern sand and bunker techniques books. National magazines such as and were also a byproduct of the era – this popular capitalized on the newfound popularity of innovation the work of several golfers, most notably the game to achieve relatively mass circulations and a Gene Sarazan. But the Great Depression had a national forum of cutting-edge instructional techniques. devastating effect on touring professionals, and the age Golf instructors, too, found that golf magazines, and of coast-to-coast exhibition tours came to a close. their increasingly visible work with touring professionals, The years between 1932 and 1956 are not celebrated brought them more business than they could handle in golf instruction lore, but that isn’t to say that the on a local level. So, although golf schools had been instructors of the era weren’t any good. In fact, club- in existence since just after the war, in 1968 the first level and local instruction were better in this era than at national golf schools would evolve. any time during golf’s history, as aging tour pros such Golf did not sustain in the 1970s the same level as Tommy Armour retired to club jobs, while young of growth it had enjoyed in the 1960s, but significant pros decided not to join the nascent PGA tour, owing changes were looming for the game as golf’s expansion to its low purses and often appalling conditions. Ernest had created a large enough golf economy to allow for T. Jones was at his studio on Fifth Avenue in New York substantial investment in research and development. City, preaching the virtues of “swing the clubhead” at five The groundwork was laid in the 1970s for radical dollars a lesson to all comers. Percy Boomer wrote the transformation of turf preparation, golf club technology, celebrated tome On Learning Golf in 1942. In addition, and instructional technique. The cavity-backed iron, the the best northern pros would travel to Florida in the metal , the graphite , as well as revolutionary winter and pick up new teaching styles and techniques in changes in irrigation technique and turf-laying, date winter teaching meetings, or on the winter tournament to the 1970s. All would have substantial impact on the circuit. Finally, modern golf range equipment began to game as golfers achieved better and better control over appear, eliminating the need for a ball-shagging , the golf ball (in flight direction, overall distance, and spin and sparked a boom in construction. characteristics. ) College-based instructional programs were also adopted Golf instruction, particularly golf schools, would by many major universities during these years, attracting not enjoy a real economic boom until the 1980s, but the future stars such as Arnold Palmer. influential theory of connection, video analysis of the In the mid-1950s, a new golf boom began, and with golf swing, and the emphasis on big-muscle leadership tournament purses soaring and golf acquiring a certain date to the pioneering work of David Leadbetter, Jimmy cache, younger amateurs and club pros abandoned Ballard, and others in the late 1970s and early 1980s. careers in insurance, or on the practice , for glory on Golf instruction also became more specialized, as the professional tour. Prize money and endorsement teachers by the mid-1980s began to emphasize their

10 expertise with “practical instruction” (John Jacobs), of their positions. This opened up more doors for those “short game instruction” (), “women’s who strictly wanted to teach. One of those teachers, the instruction” (Penny Zavichas and Linda Craft), or late USGTF member Julius Richardson, made history “mental conditioning” (Bob Rotella and Chuck Hogan). when he became the first African-American to be named By the 1990s and into the new millennium, golf to Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers list. instruction had boomed to the point that there are now Technology also took a leading role, with high- a multitude of national golf schools offering hundreds speed cameras and computers becoming the norm for of programs across the country, with a cornucopia of many teachers. The Internet has also had an impact on techniques, price points, regimens, and training goals. the golf teaching industry. The ability for a student to The largest of these is America’s Favorite Golf Schools, e-mail their teachers photos and videos of their swings with more than 40 locations nationwide. Virtually all of became commonplace. Most students now turn to the national golf schools offer books and videotapes for search engines first to find golf teachers and golf schools, sale. Prominent golf gurus such as Dave Pelz, Bob Toski, instead of relying on print ads. Some teachers are also David Leadbetter, and Butch Harmon are in demand not offering online lessons, along with articles and blogs. only with the touring pros, but at skyrocketing master- This explosion of information has no shortage of takers, class rates at the finest resorts. Harvey Penick’s Little Red indicating a widespread thirst for golf knowledge among Book also became the biggest-selling golf book of all time. the general public. In short, golf instruction has expanded into one Golf coaches, who prepare players for competition, of the largest and most vibrant sectors of the substantial now have their own association known as the World golf economy. Golf Coaches Alliance. Coaches can gain education and The United States Golf Teachers Federation certification through an online process that has become (USGTF) has also had an enormous impact on the golf standard in today’s educational world. teaching industry since its inception in 1989. The USGTF Looking back over the entire grand parade of established a national and international standard in the gurus and teachers, if one were to assign a grade to golf training and certification of golf teaching professionals. instruction as a whole, six centuries into it, one would In 1993, the USGTF was instrumental in establishing the pencil “M” for “much improved.” It’s well worth knowing World Golf Teachers Federation (WGTF), which today that even in this day of gurus and their technical comprises 42 member nations and over 25,000 members. wizardry, fewer than half of the world’s players can The WGTF was, and still is, the only worldwide golf regularly break 100. It’s also fitting to mention that when teaching federation in existence. The best teaching ideas James Durham recorded 94 from each country were combined to form a standard at the Old of teacher training that is state-of-the-art. Each member Course nation of the WGTF adheres to this high standard. In in 1767, he 1997, the first World Golf Teachers Cup & Conference set a course was held in Naples, Florida. Today, this biennial event record that lasted is the largest international golf teachers tournament in 86 years. Golf the world, with a full field of international competitors instruction has regularly attending. indeed come As the 20th century gave way, teaching became even a long way, more of a specialized field. Many directors of golf and and its future head professionals became unable to give lessons due has never to the increased paperwork and administrative duties looked better.

11 C Full Swing Fundamentals H SET UP

A GRIP

The grip is our only connection with the P club. Many teachers have said that it is the most important fundamental in golf. While this may be debatable, there is certainly no debating that a proper grip makes it much easier to play good golf. T The hand that goes on the top (nearest the butt end) is said to be the 1-A top hand. This is the left hand for a right-handed player and the right hand E for a left-handed player. 1-B The grip should intersect the base of the index finger and the area of the R palm just under the heel pad (1-A). The thumb is not on the top of the completed grip, but lies off-center, 1 to the right for a right- 1-C hander and to the left for a left-hander. As the player looks down, the letter V appears to be formed by the thumb and part of the hand next to the thumb (1-B and 1-C). This V should point about halfway between the chin and rear shoulder. Please note that this is only a starting point, and the exact positioning of the V may vary from player to player, depending upon their ball flight. Generally, it is the top

12 hand that mainly determines the positioning of the clubface at impact. The grip for the bottom hand goes in the base of the two middle fingers at a slight diagonal, and the lifeline of the bottom hand covers the top-hand thumb (1-D). Grip pressure should be medium, about 3-to-5 on a scale of 1-to-10.

1-D

Methods for Taking a Proper Top-Hand Grip There are several effective methods for taking the top-hand grip: • Hold the club under the heel pad with the grip intersecting the base of the index finger, with the back of the lead hand facing the target. (1-E and 1-F). From here, close the hand and fingers around the grip. • Hold the club like an umbrella, with the thumb on the grip (1-G). Most people will naturally hold the club under their heel pad. • Using a molded training grip (1-H). • With the club at the golfer’s side and the grip under the heel pad, allow the arm and hand to hang naturally. From here, close the hand 1-E and fingers around the grip.

1-F 1-G

1-H

13 Methods for Taking a Proper Bottom-Hand Grip

With the club held up by the completed top-hand grip, take the middle bottom-hand fingers and place them slightly diagonally under the shaft, with the hand at about the angle of a 7-iron clubface (1-I). From here, the hand is slid towards the top-hand grip with the golfer taking either an overlap, interlocking, or 10-finger grip. The lifeline of the bottom-hand grip is placed over the top-hand 1-I thumb, and the bottom- hand thumb is slightly off- center.

1-J At this point, the grip is completed (1-J and 1-K).

1-K

Cause and Effect If both Vs are pointed between the chin and rear shoulder, the grip is said to be neutral. If the Vs point more toward the chin, the grip is said to be weak, and if the Vs point more towards the rear shoulder, the grip is said to be strong. The top hand generally controls the clubface angle, and generally the bottom hand influences the clubface angle only if the top hand grip is neutral. If the grip is weak, the golfer will tend to have the clubface open at impact, and if the grip is strong, the clubface will tend to be closed – although these are not hard-and-fast rules. Some golfers may need grips that are more strong or more weak in order to square the clubface at impact. Many golfers tend to place the top-hand grip in the lifeline (1-L). This is a serious mistake, leading to control problems, a weak grip, and bowed wrist at the top of the backswing. Also, many golfers tend

14 to hold the grip with the bottom hand too much in the palm (1-M), which can result in the bottom hand being too dominant and difficulty in releasing and squaring the club properly. When the golfer does this, the bottom-hand grip appears to have a “squared-off” look (1-N). Golfers who place the bottom-hand thumb on top of the shaft, as opposed to off-center, tend to activate the dominant hand too early in the downswing, causing casting and other problems.

1-L

1-M 1-N

ALIGNMENT

Proper alignment is a relatively simple concept. A line from the ball to the target is called the target line, and the line on which the player stands is called the stance line. The stance line should be parallel to the target line (1-O). Methods for Establishing Proper Alignment • Have the student practice with alignment aids on the ground, ingraining what a square stance is like. • Pick a spot a few feet in front of the ball on the target line, aligning the clubface towards that spot, and then establish a parallel stance.

1-O

15 Cause and Effect If the stance is closed (right-handed golfer aiming to the right), the lesser-skilled player may tend to come over-the-top, as they will swing the club back towards the target, which is to their left. More- skilled golfers may tend to swing they way they are aimed, resulting in a hook. If the stance is open (right-handed golfer aiming to the left), the open alignment may exaggerate a slice in lesser-skilled golfers. In more-skilled golfers, they may tend to swing towards the target, which is to their right, resulting in a push or a hook. There are some golfers who will play better with slightly closed or open alignment, so it is up to the teacher to monitor this. BALL POSITION

Ball position is the position of the ball in relation to the feet. For normal shots on flat terrain, the ball should be forward of center – center being right below the sternum. For balls that are on the ground, this position should be 2-4 inches inside the forward heel (1-P). For drives, this position should be opposite the inside of the left heel (1-Q). Remember, these are starting points. Golfers who are unable to appreciably move their weight forward during the forward swing may need to play the ball closer to the 1-P 1-Q center. Extremely athletic golfers may need to play the ball slightly more forward. Method for Establishing Proper Ball Position For balls on the ground, have the ball between the feet with the feet together and parallel to the target line. Move the forward foot towards the target approximately one foot-width. For short irons, move the back foot away from the target line so that the stance is slightly inside shoulder-width; for mid-irons, shoulder-width; and for longer clubs, slightly outside shoulder width. The forward foot should be turned out slightly towards the target with the back foot perpendicular to the target line. For the driver, have the ball between the feet with the feet together and parallel to the target line. Turn the left foot slightly towards the target, and move the back foot away from the target so the stance is slightly wider than shoulder-width.

16 Cause and Effect • Ball too far forward – Clubhead path will tend to be outside-in at impact, promoting either pull-hooks or pull-slices • Ball too far back – Clubhead path will tend to be inside-out at impact, promoting either push-fades or push-hooks POSTURE

Correct posture can best be described as athletic balance. The knees are slightly flexed, and the golfer hinges from the hips – NOT bends from the waist. The arms will hang naturally for short clubs, and the longer the club, the more the hands move away from the body. A general rule of thumb is that for wedges and short irons, the butt end of the club will be about one fist-width away from the body, and for the driver, two fist-widths. The chin is not buried in the chest, but is instead a few inches away. The weight should be 50-50 between left and right foot, although it can be slightly more forward for shorter clubs and slightly back for longer clubs. Weight is evenly distributed between heel and toe for both feet. Methods for Establishing Proper Posture • Have the golfer take a club and place the shaft across his hips (1-R). He then pushes back, hinging from the hips so that the torso is leaning about 30° forward. Slightly flex the knees, and then take the proper grip • Have the golfer extend the club out in front of him, then lower it until he feels his upper arms touch his chest (1-S). He then flexes his knees slightly and hinges from the hips until the clubhead touches the ground. • Have the golfer place a club behind his back so the toe is resting against the small of his back and the grip against the back of his head. He then bends forward approximately 30° and then flexes his knees (1-T). (Note 1: This method may not work well for people who are older, not flexible, or bigger in size. Note 2: Some teachers use this method with the shaft itself touching the small of the back. This is incorrect, as it leads to an unnatural, ramrod-straight posture.)

1-R 1-S 1-T

17 Cause and Effect Many golfers tend to hunch over. This can lead to raising up on the backswing, creating problems with topping and hitting the ball fat. Flexing the knees too much can cause the same problem, leading to a levels change during the swing. Golfers who have their legs too straight with little knee flex tend to have inactive lower bodies during the swing. Another problem is having the hands too close to the body at address for the longer clubs. As centrifugal force straightens out the angle between the arms and club shaft at impact, this can lead to the golfer raising up during impact. Conversely, a golfer who tends to bend over too much and have the hands too far away from the body will have a hard time activating the lower body, generally promoting hooks.

SWING

The mechanics of a good golf swing have remained consistent over the years, and likely will do so in the future. Although there are different swing methodologies, they tend to adhere to the time-tested fundamentals presented here. A proper swing can generally be described in several ways: • There is a shift and turn on the backswing, and a shift and turn on the forward swing • The upper body winds up the lower body on the backswing, and the lower body unwinds the upper body on the forward swing • The backswing pivots around the right side of the body (for right-handers) and around the left side of the body for the forward swing There are several recognized parts to the swing: TAKEAWAY

The takeaway is initiated by swinging the club back with the arms and hands. Some teachers believe that the body also turns at the same time. At the “9 o’clock” position (1-U and 1-V), the club shaft should be parallel to the ground and also with the stance line. The toe of the club is more in line with the spine of the golfer and NOT vertically up. The golfer’s weight has shifted as a result of the takeaway, 1-U and is basically completed at this point.

1-V

18 Cause and Effect Some golfers tend to get the lower body too active during the takeaway, leading to swaying or an off-balance swing. Some golfers freeze the lower body and use the arms and hands only, which leads to the body not being active during the swing. A golfer who takes the club back too far inside may loop it to the outside during the forward swing, and a golfer who takes the club too far to the outside may either loop it back to the inside or chop down on the same path. L POSITION

From the takeaway position, the “L position” is the next teaching position. When the lead arm is horizontal to the ground, the shaft is vertical, or close to it (it is not necessary to be perfectly vertical). The spine angle should be the same as it was at address, slightly leaning away from the target from belt buckle to the head (1-W). Cause and Effect Some golfers here tend to have the spine angle leaning towards the target, known as a reverse pivot or reverse tilt. This will lead to the same position at the top of the backswing.

1-W

TRANSITION AND TOP OF BACKSWING

As the club nears the end of its backswing journey, the lower body initiates the downswing. In a good golf swing, this happens slightly before the club has paused at the top and begins its forward motion. The toe of the club is in line with the lead arm, and the lead arm is parallel to where the shaft was at address (1-X and 1-Y). The spine angle is basically the same as it was at 1-X 1-Y address.

19 Cause and Effect If a golfer is in a reverse pivot (1-Z) or reverse tilt (1-AA) position, the downswing will almost always be initiated by the arms and hands. If the rear shoulder moves outwards towards the target line, this is said to be “over the top” and leads to a downswing path that is outside-in (1- BB). If the wrists uncock prematurely, this is said to be “casting” and leads 1-Z 1-AA to a loss of power and inconsistent contact (Picture 1-CC). Some golfers may be in a good position at the top, only to start the downswing with the arms and hands. This will also lead to coming over the top, casting, or other such problems.

1-BB 1-CC

IMPACT

About 80-90% of the golfer’s weight should be on the forward foot. The hips are turned open with the shoulders relatively square to slightly open. The head is behind the ball, and the rear foot has been rolled in slightly (1-DD and 1-EE).

1-DD 1-EE

20 Cause and effect If the weight has not been shifted properly, the golfer will tend to release the club early and the clubhead will pass the hands at impact. If the body does not rotate properly, the lead arm bends in a “chicken wing” position, leading to a loss of power and inconsistency. FOLLOW THROUGH AND FINISH

After impact, the shaft is parallel to the ground with the trailing arm straight and the lead arm folding (1-FF). The hips are almost facing the target. At the finish, the weight is almost all on the lead foot; the hips are facing the target or have rotated slightly beyond, and the golfer is in a well-balanced, upright position 1-FF 1-GG (1-GG).

21 C Ball Flight Laws

H INTRODUCTION TO THE BALL FLIGHT LAWS A

When discussing the flight of the golf P ball, it is important to understand the meaning of certain terms that are the contributing factors to ball flight characteristics. T Establishing the benchmark:

BALL FLIGHT LAWS E The physical forces which are absolutes in influencing the ball flight.

R THE INTENDED TARGET LINE This is the line drawn from the ball to the intended target. The intended target line is the benchmark for two major factors in ball flight laws: path 2 of clubhead at impact and position of clubface at impact. CONTROLLED

22 ENVIRONMENT There are other factors that can influence distance and direction such as climate, weather, terrain and equipment. However, for this discussion, these factors will be constant and non-influencing.

BALL FLIGHT LAWS The five human performance factors that affect distance and direction are:

Direction 1. Position of Clubface at Impact to the Intended Target Line The initial path of the ball, the curve of the ball during its flight, and where the ball will finish are all greatly influenced by the clubface position at impact. 2. Path of the Clubhead at Impact to the Intended Target Line The initial direction of the ball is slightly influenced by the clubhead path at impact. Path and clubface position at impact influence the amount of side spin (tilt of the spin axis) imparted on the golf ball.

Direction/Distance 3. Angle of Approach The angle of approach of the clubface at impact influences ball flight, the initial launch angle, spin rate, and true loft of the clubface. 4. Centeredness of Contact Shots not struck on the center of the clubface will result in reduced distance. An off-center hit also imparts sidespin (tilt of the spin axis) to the ball via the gear effect.

Distance 5. Clubhead Speed There are five human factors that influence clubhead speed at impact: • physical strength • body flexibility • swing technique • leverage • neuro-muscular coordination

23 DEFINITIONS • Position of Clubface at Impact to Intended Target Line This refers to the direction the face of the club is pointing at impact in relationship to the intended target line. The clubface at impact influences: • Where the ball will initially start in relation to the intended target line (up to 85% on full swings). • The curvature of the ball during its flight when combined with the path of the clubhead at impact. The greater the angle between the clubface position at impact and the swing path at impact, the more the ball will curve. • Where the ball will finish to the intended target line.

Possibilities are: • Clubface open to the intended target line • Clubface square to the intended target line • Clubface closed to the intended target line

Intended Target Line

Remember, the clubface at impact will dictate the majority of the initial flight of the ball as well as where the ball will finish in relationship to the intended target line.

24 Even with a driver at maximum swing speed, the ratio is still about 80% dominance of the position of clubface influencing initial flight.

This becomes even more evident with slower swing speeds such as a , whereas clubface position at impact can influence initial direction up to 100%.

• Path of the Clubhead at Impact to Intended Target Line This refers to the direction the clubhead is traveling at impact in relationship to the intended target line.

• The path of the clubhead at impact influences: • To some extent where the ball will initially start in relation to the intended Intended target line (up to about 15% on full Target Line swings) • The curvature of the ball is dictated by the clubface angle at impact relative to the swing path. The greater the angle between the clubface and the swing path at impact, the more the ball curves.

Possibilities are: • Swing path right of the intended target line • Swing path straight to the intended target line • Swing path left of the intended target line

25 DEFINITIONS (continued) • Angle of Approach of the Clubhead at Impact The angle of approach (attack) is the angle that the clubhead is traveling relative to the ground at impact.

Downswing The possibilities of the angle of approach are: Arc • Downward angle of approach at impact • Level angle of approach at impact Intended • Upward level of approach at impact Target Line The angle of approach has influence on the ball’s spin rate, trajectory, and distance it will travel. Also influenced is the true loft of the clubhead at impact. The loft of a club can also be manipulated by the amount the hands are ahead or behind the ball at impact.

Intended Target Line Furthermore, the angle of approach is one of the components of the “D-plane” (further explained in a later section). The angle of approach influences the swing path at impact and initial ball flight to the intended target line.

• Centeredness of Strike on the Clubface (Sweet Spot) This is the point on the clubhead that produces the most solid clubhead to ball contact (center of gravity). Contact not on the center can affect the ball performance and influence sidespin.

When the ball is not hit on the sweet spot of the clubface, the collision force causes the clubface to rotate. This causes the ball to spin in the opposite direction. Hitting towards the toe causes counter-clockwise (draw) sidespin. Hitting toward the heel causes a clockwise (fade) sidespin. This added to any sidespin produced by any tilt of the D-plane (explained in next section).

26 • Clubhead Speed Th e speed of the clubhead at impact helps determine the distance of each shot. The average male tour pro swings the driver at 113 mph. Some long-drive champions have been clocked at over 150 mph!

INTRODUCING THE “D-PLANE” CONCEPT

The position of the clubhead, path Path of Clubhead of the clubhead, and angle of approach at Impact at impact all make up the concept of the “D-plane” and ball flight laws.

The D-plane states that the initial flight of the ball is influenced 85% by the clubface, and has a 15% influence resulting from a club’s path.

UNDERSTANDING THE D-PLANE

The D-plane is simply the dynamics of the ball flight laws put into a three-dimensional reality. The components of the D-plane are the clubface position at impact and the path of the clubhead position. The angle of approach at impact dictates the direction of the path.

A plane is defined by two intersecting or parallel lines. The D-plane is a plane formed by a vector of the clubface position at impact and a vector of the clubhead path at impact.

27 The path of the clubhead at impact is affected by the ball flight law of “Angle of Approach.” To first understand stand this concept, one must visualize the path of the clubhead as it approaches impact. Remember that the clubhead’s swing path at impact is not to be confused with the overall downswing’s direction. This path is very similar to the initial shaft plane of the golf club. In reality, it is often a few degrees steeper at impact as the hands rise slightly because of centrifugal force.

Remember, the “Angle of Approach” affects the “true loft” of the clubface at impact. This in turn influences the initial launch angle and spin rate.

The angle of approach will also have an influence on the path of the clubhead at impact. The diagram shows a swing path where the overall downswing path is along the intended target line and on shaft plane. Here you can see where ball position will affect the angle of Angle of Approach approach for this example swing path:

• The ball in the back position will have a downward angle of approach and a swing path to the right. • The ball at the low-point of the swing will have a level angle of approach and the swing path at impact will be along the intended target line. • The ball in the forward position will have an upward angle of approach and the swing path at impact will be left.

Ball Position back – swing path Ball Position forward – swing right of ITL at impact path left of ITL at impact

28 SPIN AXIS The spin axis is perpendicular to the D-plane. When the D-plane is vertical (clubhead path and clubface position at impact both face the intended target line) then there is no tilt of the spin axis. If the spin axis is not tilted, then there will no draw spin or fade spin imparted to the ball at impact if the ball is hit on the sweet spot (center of the clubface). The ball will only lift vertically upwards due to the presence of backspin.

Effect of spin axis tilt on ball flight

In this example, the spin axis is tilted 20 degrees to the left, and that will produce a draw spin (in addition to the backspin) for a right-handed golfer. If the spin axis is tilted to the right, it will produce a fade spin.

There are two factors that can tilt the spin axis left or right of vertical: • A divergent angle between the clubface position at impact and clubhead path at impact • An off-center hit

29 BALL FLIGHT LAWS – THEORY AND APPLICATION Ball flight laws are to be used to diagnose the impact position, the most important aspect of the golf swing. Video can be deceiving and does not tell the whole story. Patterns can be accessed by viewing the actual ball flight; however, the best diagnostics are with use of ball flight analysis tools (launch monitors) such as TrackMan® or FlightScope®.

The direction in which the ball starts initially after impact will be the result of a combination of swing path and clubface position at impact to the intended target line. Studies show that the clubface position at impact greatly influences (up to 85%) the initial direction of the ball to the intended target line.

The slower the clubhead is moving (i.e., putt or chip), the greater the initial direction of the ball flight will be influenced by clubface position at impact.

However, when there is high clubhead velocity at impact (i.e. full swings), the initial direction of ball flight is influenced slightly more by the direction of swing path at impact.

The true initial direction of ball flight at impact will always fall somewhere between these two factors with clubface angle at impact being up to 85% the strongest factor.

Some questions for the golf instructor:

1.  What causes a ball to finish to the right or left of the intended target line? 2. What is more important, the path of the clubhead or the clubface’s position at impact? Which is easier to fix? 3.  Why does the ball curve in the air?

Responses 1. The clubface position combined with the clubhead path. 2. Generally, it is easier to change one’s clubhead position at impact rather than one’s path of clubhead at impact. However, both can be adjusted by something as simple as ball position. 3. The clubface angle at impact in relation to the swing path dictates curvature of the golf ball.

30 Diagram of the Ball Flight Laws

Top view of Club and Ball Collision

31 BALL FLIGHT LAWS SUMMARY A ball struck on the sweet spot will always leave the clubface very near to the direction the clubface was facing at impact. The ball will curve relative to the differential between the clubface and path of the clubhead at impact.

“The clubface sends it, and the differential bends it.”

Understanding this simplifies the teaching and analysis of ball flight considerably, because there is only one path of the clubhead that matters: the actual path of the clubhead at impact relative to the clubface at impact.

The clubface position at impact is the primary concern. The differential between the clubface and the path of clubhead at impact create the curvature: left curvature, right curvature, or no curvature.

The ball will never cross the path of the clubhead (unless it is moved by an outside force, i.e. the wind).

For example (a right-handed player):

A ball struck with the face closed to the path of the clubhead will always move to the left of the path of the clubhead.

A ball struck with the face closed to the path of the clubhead can never start to the right of the path (nor even on it) and then move left; it can only move left immediately.

To hit a ball that starts to the right of the intended target line and curves (draws) back to the target, one would need the clubface to be open to the intended target line, but closed to the path of the clubhead at impact.

32 C Teaching Positions

When analyzing a student’s game, H we must be in the correct teaching position.

A The four major positions are: Teaching Position 1 – Face-on P Teaching Position 2 – Ball to intended target line Teaching Position 3 – Feet/body parallel to target line T Teaching Position 4 – Behind the student The following positions allow us to properly observe the golf swing. E R

3

Teaching Position 1 Teaching Position 2

33 Teaching Position 3 Teaching Position 4

Poor Teaching Positions Most other positions are NOT acceptable. The most common flaw is a position somewhere between position 1 and 2. (Left) A common teaching position that is not acceptable.

The correct teaching position helps the instructor to analyze the golf swing. It also provides for the safety and comfort of both the teacher and student.

There are some other teaching positions, but these should be used only with caution and with significant experience.

Basically, follow the rule of using the four major teaching positions. Do not get caught in the trap of poor teaching position. Over 90% of the golf teachers worldwide are in the incorrect position. You can set yourself apart as a teacher by always being in the correct position.

34 TEACHING POSITION 1

Facing Student This is probably the most commonly used teaching position and provides abundant information to the teaching professional.

Address Position

• Head position – high/low • Head position – behind/level with or in front of the ball • Angles at address – head/shoulders/elbows/hands/ hips • Position of hands on club • Grip/hold pressure • Hand position in relation to ball • Weight distribution at address • Shaft angle • Stance width • Heel/toe angles • Ball position • Clubface aim (open/square/closed)

Swing

• First move (hands/arms/shoulders) • Levels – chin/head • When wrists begin to hinge • Flex maintained in non-target knee • Correct lower half movement on backswing • Weight at the top of the backswing • Angle of head (spine) at top of the backswing • Target-hand position at top of backswing • Possible over-swing/club position • First move on forward swing • Correct lower half movement in forward swing • Total weight transfer • Final follow-through position

35 TEACHING POSITION 2

Intended Target Line This is the only position that we can monitor the true/exact flight of the ball. Therefore, this is the position used for ball flight laws. For true ball flight readings, it is important to be directly on the intended target line. Always be sure your student aims at a specific target. Any variation from one side of the intended target line to another will produce false readings.

We can also see if the lie of the student’s club is correct. Some knowledge of clubfitting is needed to diagnose this problem as the lie of the club. An incorrect lie angle can adversely influence the flight of the ball.

Typically, if the toe of the club is too high off the ground (lie angle too upright) at address, the face will close at impact. If the heel of the club is too high off the ground (lie angle too flat) at address, the face will open at impact.

A well-fit club will have the toe a few millimeters off of the ground. This is because of the dynamics of the shaft during the swing. Centrifugal force causes the shaft to bend downward; therefore, there should be some compensation.

36 TEACHING POSITION 3

Feet / Body Line Parallel to Intended Target Line This is the second-most used teaching position. Among other things, this position provides good feedback on the shaft angles.

Address Position

• Shape (posture) to include knee flex/rear out • Head/chin – high/low • Spine angle at address • Hands distance from body • Arms/club shaft angle • Aim – shoulders/elbows/hips/feet • Weight distribution heels/toes

Swing

• First move/takeaway • Position of clubhead at hip height • Flex in non-target knee • Target hand/wrist position at top of backswing • Position of non-target elbow • Clubface angle at top of backswing (open / square / closed) • Where club shaft points • Spine angle throughout • Height maintained • First move on downswing • Non-target foot position at and after impact

37 TEACHING POSITION 4

Behind the Student

Address Position

• Important position as it shuts out many distractions of the address • Levels – shoulders/hips • Weight distribution at address • Stance width • Angles

Swing

• Length of backswing • Height maintained • Weight at the top of the backswing • Complete/correct weight shift • Angles

38 C Teaching The Full Swing H To Beginners And Novices

Golf is said to be a “hard” game, but think about that: If you tell beginners and novices that the game is difficult, A do you think they will really want to learn to play? Instead, a better approach is to say that golf is fun.

P If our students ask about the difficulty aspect of the game, we should be honest and say that, like any sport, to be excellent requires lots of practice and playing, but for most people, that is enjoyable. Chapter 2 of this manual dealt with the ball flight laws, but for teaching beginners and novices, this is relatively unimportant for the T time being. Instead, they need to be given a good set of fundamentals from which to work. Teachers need to be diligent in making sure students are setting up correctly to the ball. Once bad habits are formed, it can be very difficult for many golfers to change them, so it’s important to get new students in the correct positions time after time. E In teaching the full swing itself, it’s helpful if students learn the general aspects of a correct swing before they learn the details. For example, in explaining transition to a new golfer, we would say that the lower body leads the downswing, rather than R explaining how the hips, legs, and feet work. TEACHING THE PIVOT The proper turning and weight shift of the body is perhaps the most important swing fundamental. The student needs to be shown that the weight shifts in the same direction as the club is swung. On the backswing, the weight moves to the rear foot, 4 and on the forward swing, it moves to the front foot. The teacher should demonstrate these actions with the arms-folded drill (4-A and 4-B). Another way it can be taught is with the club behind the shoulders (4-C and 4-D). Be careful in teaching about the backswing, as some students will try to exaggerate the weight shift (4-E). Let them know that they really don’t have to do anything; the weight will shift automatically if they just swing the club back.

39 On the forward swing, most new golfers will need to make an effort to get their weight shifted aggressively enough. Emphasize swinging into the correct follow-through position.

4-A 4-B

4-C 4-D

4-E

40 TEACHING THE ARM SWING Many new golfers do not trust the feeling of the clubhead turning over through impact, and they “hold on” without releasing the club properly. Show them the “toe-up to toe-up” drill. From a correct starting position, the student swings the club back to the 9 o’clock position (4-F and 4-G), and then to the 3 o’clock position (4-H and 4-I). Although strictly speaking the toe of the club should not be directly up in the 9 o’clock position, for purposes of this drill, it’s okay. The point of this drill is to get the student to feel how the club works through impact. Some new golfers mistrust the feeling of a full wrist cock at the top of the backswing, so they hinge their wrists very little, if any (4-J). You will likely have to step in and place the student’s club in the correct position with a proper wrist hinge so he or she can feel it.

4-F 4-G

4-H 4-I

4-J

41 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER After the student has been given proper instruction in what makes up a good golf swing, he or she should then take some practice swings to start ingraining the feeling. The two main faults you will see here is failure to shift the weight properly onto the front foot during the follow-through and failure to fully hinge the wrists at the top of the backswing. The student should not be afraid to develop some clubhead speed, and a good goal is getting them to develop an audible “whoosh” of the shaft going forward. Impact bags are also a helpful tool in learning the golf swing, as well.

TEACHING INCREMENTALLY One approach to teaching beginners and novices the full swing is to have them learn incrementally. The student learns to make toe-up to toe-up swings, and they can hit balls with this method. Once they become proficient in doing this, which may take one or more lessons, they then hit the ball swinging from the L-swing position to the L-swing position (4-K and 4-L). Once they become proficient in doing this, which again may take one or more lessons, they can then graduate to making full swings. This approach has been used with much success, but some students may not have the patience or discipline to not take full swings for a period of time. If you do use this method, make sure your students are fully on-board with it.

4-K 4-L

42 C Teaching The Full Swing H To Advanced Players

A The definition of “advanced” in this chapter doesn’t necessarily mean expert players. It simply means golfers who have some control over the ball. Generally, this would apply to those who play double-bogey golf or better (108 for 18 holes). However, keep in mind that some golfers who shoot in the 90s and even the 80s would be better off if they started completely over in learning the game. P For players who have some control over the golf ball, we start with analyzing their ball flight, taking careful note of any patterns. Do they normally hit the ball right-to- left or left-to-right? Does their ball always start out to the right or left? Does it tend to start straight and then tend to curve? Refer back to Chapter 2, “Ball Flight Laws.” T By observing the ball flight, we can know almost exactly what the club is doing through impact. All of our teaching should be geared towards two principles: Getting the clubpath to go in the same direction as the player is aiming, and getting the clubface angle to be consistently square with the clubhead path. If the student is E able to do this, this would result in a straight shot. For many players, this is of course difficult to achieve, but this should be the direction we take the student. If it becomes evident that the student will play best with a fade or a draw (as opposed to a hook or a slice), then we can work on the student achieving consistency with their ball flight R pattern. Once we know what the club is doing through impact, we then work backwards towards the setup to determine the root cause of the problem. For example, a common problem is the slice, where the student swings the club to the left of the target line (for a right-hander) with an open clubface in relation to the clubhead path. We notice 5 that the student swings over the top from the top of the backswing, causing the club to go outside the target line during the downswing. The student comes over the top because he is in a reverse-pivot position, and he’s in a reverse-pivot position because he immediately shifts his weight incorrectly to start the backswing. We note that the student is in a correct setup position, so the root cause of the problem, in this case, is the backswing. If we tried to fix the downswing or transition move of this student before we addressed the takeaway, we would be working out of sequence and the

43 student would not benefit. laws aspects of this swing? Is In the majority of cases, we All of our teaching my instruction eliminating can trace a ball flight problem to unnecessary movement in the setup. Refer back to Chapter should be geared the golf swing? If we direct 1, “Full Swing Fundamentals.” towards two principles: our instruction to these two There are three main areas of questions, we should be able to the swing to note when teaching: • Getting the clubpath do very well as a teacher. setup, top of the backswing, to go in the same One thing that is difficult and transition. The role of the for many teachers – even takeaway is to get the golfer into direction as the player experienced ones – is to a correct top of the backswing is aiming, and… ascertain whether a move in position, and in some cases it the swing is truly harmful or is unimportant if the takeaway • Getting the clubface if it is just a personal quirk of is incorrect when it results in the golfer that does no harm. angle to be a correct position at the top. Many teachers make the mistake For example, if a golfer takes consistently square of observing the aspect of a the club too far inside during student’s swing that visually the takeaway but corrects this with the clubhead stands out the most, and then action and is on-plane at the top path. trying to “correct” that aspect. and starts down correctly, there As an example, suppose a likely is no need to change this student swings very fast. Many student’s backswing. Or, a golfer teachers would automatically try may have an open clubface in to slow this student down, but is the 9 o’clock position but squares it necessary? Ask yourself, how it up at the top. Again, there is probably no need to does this fast swing affect this student’s ball flight? square the clubface in the 9 o’clock position. If you see no correlation, you should forget about Technically speaking, the top of the backswing slowing the swing down. There are other examples position is a position within the transition move, of idiosyncrasies in the swing which do not affect but for teaching purposes, we want to consider it the ball flight, too numerous to list here. But, if as being before transition. you direct your instruction for non-beginners and If a student is able to set up properly, get into a non-novices mainly towards the ball flight laws, good top of the backswing position, and transition this will help in determining what’s important to from backswing to forward swing in an efficient change and what’s not. manner, this person will be a very good golfer. Instead of worrying about each and every aspect of the swing, concentrating on these three aspects will serve the teacher well. When teaching the full swing to non- beginners, we should always ask ourselves: Is my instruction directly helping with the ball-flight-

44 C Common Sense H Teaching

A teaching professional’s duties don’t start and end with just giving the lesson. A There are also a number of other considerations that must be taken into account. P APPEARANCE The teaching professional’s appearance must be impeccable at all times. For men, this means wearing a collared or non-collared shirt specifically designed for golf, along T with slacks and a pair of clean shoes. Hats should also be clean. For women, shorts and skirts are perfectly acceptable. In some areas of the country, it gets very hot in the summer. Depending upon the type of facility, you may sometimes see male teaching professionals wearing shorts. E Although this practice is generally discouraged, we recognize that certain climactic conditions may be too harsh at times to mandate the wearing of long pants. Teaching professionals should check with the owner or manager of the facility to see what is acceptable. R PUNCTUALITY Being on time is crucial to the success of a teaching professional. If you are already at the facility, it is important that you start the lesson on time. Rather than scheduling 30-minute lessons every half-hour, a 5- to 10-minute buffer time is recommended, in 6 case the previous lesson goes long. COMMUNICATION One thing that a teaching professional should never hear from a student is, “I have too much to remember.” If you hear that, you have given too much information. Although you might think you are shortchanging a student if you only give them one or two things to work on during a one-hour lesson, remember that even making one

45 change is a big deal to most players. The great Byron Nelson also said that he only worked on changing one thing at a time, because any more was too much for him to handle. Learning to communicate in a simple manner is also important. Remember that your students may not know certain golf terms, such as coming over the top, strong grip, weak grip, etc. Make sure they understand what you are saying.

TEACHING IN AN UNBIASED MANNER Some teachers make the mistake of thinking that just because something they do works for them, it must automatically work for everyone. You generally can spot such a teacher very easily, because they say, “Now, when I take the grip, I…” instead of, “Now, when you take the grip, you…” If something you do which is considered unorthodox works for you, great. Just don’t make the mistake of teaching it as a true fundamental to your students. This isn’t to say you can’t impart your own experiences and what you feel during the swing to your students – it can be very helpful. Let them know that this is something they can try, but if it doesn’t work for them, don’t press the issue.

ENCOURAGEMENT VS. CRITICISM It has been said that the best coaches in all sports know when to give someone a pat on the back or a kick in the behind (figuratively, of course). In teaching golf, it is best to err on the side of caution and give plenty of praise and encouragement. Most people are taking lessons in order to enjoy the game a little more, and berating them or not being encouraging enough is sure to bring down their enthusiasm. If you’re teaching or coaching competitive players or are in a competitive environment, you may need to use stricter methods for dealing with certain players, but these methods should be used sparingly and only when necessary.

DEVELOPING A GOOD PROFESSIONAL REPUTATION Beyond your teaching ability, how you conduct yourself is very important. Bills to the and other vendors must be paid on time, and speaking well of your facility and the game of golf is important. Do not offer negative opinions of other instructors, even if they are, in your estimation, poor teachers. Talk positively in all aspects of your conversations at your facility, and you will enjoy a good reputation as one who is a quality person. Do things for others. Maybe there’s a junior golfer whose family can’t afford lessons; give some complimentary. Maybe the range needs picked and the person responsible can’t do it right now – do it yourself if your schedule permits. Pitching in when needed further helps your reputation, which in turn can only help your teaching schedule.

DID MY STUDENTS ENJOY THEMSELVES? If your students answer this question in the affirmative, you will be very successful as a golf teacher. A good personality and a smile go a long way in addition to teaching acumen.

46 C Putting, Chipping, Pitch- H ing, and Bunker Play A

P PUTTING

Perhaps no part of the game has inspired more instruction than putting. A seemingly simple act, it’s possible for a child to make a 30-foot putt and the best T player in the world to miss a 3-footer. Many teachers have said that putting is mainly an individual endeavor, but, like the full swing, putting has certain fundamentals that must be followed in order to achieve E maximum performance. SETUP There are four main elements to the setup: 1) putter face alignment; 2) shoulder alignment; 3) ball position; 4) eyes over target line. R 1) It is important that the putter face is set up square (perpendicular) to the starting line of the putt. It is easier to return the clubface to square if no manipulation is involved. 2) The shoulders should be square (parallel) to the starting line in order for the putter path to be correct. Whether the golfer favors a straight- 7 back and straight-through stroke or one that arcs to the inside, square shoulders promote a proper path. 3) Ball position should be just ahead of where the putter’s arc bottoms out during the stroke. This to assure hitting up slightly on the ball through impact, which is the optimal way to contact the ball. 4) The eyes should be over the target line for proper visual accuracy. They can also be slightly to the inside, but never to the outside.

47 cannot be said to be strict fundamentals. The most commonly used grip is the reverse overlap, where the index finger of the top hand overlaps one or more fingers of the bottom hand (7-A, 7-A 7-B 7-B).

7-C 7-D Most teachers advocate that the top hand grip be placed in the lifeline in order to form a straight line with the lead forearm and the shaft (7-C, 7-D).

It is common to recommend that both palms face each other (7-E, 7-F), but it is also acceptable if both are turned somewhat underneath, as this tends to promote a more solid hand and wrist structure for many golfers (7-G, 7-H).

7-E 7-F 7-G 7-H

48 TEACHING THE SETUP Putter face alignment. Many teachers advocate using a line on the ball, to which the golfer can set the clubface perpendicular (7-I). The teacher can also manually place the putter face square for the student so the student can ingrain what being square looks like. Training aids such as an elevated string (7-J) and something such as a door push plate (7-J), or something similar, are also helpful.

7-I

7-J 7-J

Teaching shoulder alignment. The easiest way to teach this is for the teacher to get behind the student, on the target line, and place a club across the student’s shoulders (7-K). Ball position. Have the student take some practice strokes and observe where the bottom point of the arc is. Place the back of the ball slightly ahead of this position (approximately 1/2”, or 1 cm). Eyes over target line. Once the student has assumed his/her setup, drop a ball from the top of the nose – in line with the eyes – and see where it lands. If it lands on or just inside the target line, the student’s 7-K setup is proper in this respect. Other aspects. Some teachers advocate most of the weight being on the front foot and staying there in order to prevent a weight shift. This is more of a preference and not a fundamental, but some students may benefit from this instruction. Having the hands directly under the shoulders tends to promote a more correct path, but some students will do better with the hands inside the shoulders. It is rare to see hands outside the shoulders, but a select few

49 will putt their best this way. Posture is something that will take care of itself if a student has the four main setup elements correct – assuming the putter’s length fits the student. of men’s “standard” length fit most men who are 5’ 10” and taller; shorter golfers will probably benefit from shorter putters.

STROKE The stroke most favored by teaching professionals is the arms-and- shoulders stroke, where the hands and wrists are passive (7-K, 7-L).

7-K 7-L 7-K

A common error is for golfers to have a trailing hand that is too dominant, resulting in the lead wrist being bowed (7-M). This leads to inconsistent contact and poor distance and directional control.

The stroke should have a pendulum feel to it, although strictly speaking it’s not a true pendulum. That’s because the forward swing should be approximately 1½ times longer than the backswing. This assures an accelerating stroke through the ball. A drill that can be used for putting is creating a “gate” with two , where the tees are placed near the putter’s toe and heel 7-M so that during the swing, the putter has just enough room to move through the striking area without hitting the tees. This helps develop centered contact. There are also numerous other drills that are very helpful. Please refer to the USGTF publication Golf Drills for Teaching Professionals for these.

50 CHIPPING The chipping motion is somewhat similar to that of putting, although not necessarily identical. There are several different schools of thought when it comes to certain aspects of chipping:

CHIPPING MOTION: PUTTING METHOD VS. TRADITIONAL Some teachers advocate that students should chip exactly like they putt, to the point of adopting the same grip. The only difference is that the ball would be placed one or two ball-widths farther back in the stance to promote a downward strike. Pro: This method tends to promote more solid contact and is good for beginners, those who don’t have a lot of time to practice, or are lacking coordination. Having said this, there are touring professionals who use this method. Con: This method tends to lack feel, which can lead to inconsistent distance control.

The traditional method involves opening the stance, playing the ball back in the stance in relation to the toe line, and having the weight and hands forward (7-O).

7-O

Unlike the putting stroke for chipping, where the body is relatively still during the stroke, the weight is further released to the front foot during the stroke (7-P). Pro: Tends to promote better feel, leading to more consistent distance control. Con: Harder to make consistent contact.

7-P

51 ARSENAL: MANY CLUBS VS. FEW CLUBS One school of thought is for students to use many different clubs with which to chip. Pro: Maximum versatility around the greens; length of chipping motion does not vary a great deal from club to club. Con: Each club needs to be practiced with in order to learn their individual performance characteristics, and many people don’t have the time necessary to do this; too many choices in chipping arsenal may lead to indecision and poor club selection.

The other school says to use only one or two clubs in the chipping arsenal. Pro: Club selection is simpler; distance control with one or two clubs is easier for some people due to increased familiarity; better for people who don’t have a lot of time to practice the short game. Con: Loss of maximum versatility.

WRIST ACTION: NONE VS. SOME When it comes to wrist action, some teachers believe the wrists should be as still as possible on the backswing (7-Q). Pro: One less moving part leads to greater ballstriking consistency. Con: More difficult to consistently control distance.

Other teachers believe there should be some wrist action on the backswing (7-R). Pro: Tends to promote better feel for 7-Q distance. Con: More difficult to consistently strike the ball squarely.

7-R

In either case, the clubhead should not pass the hands through impact. When teaching chipping, you can see that there are varied methods that have been used to great success. Adopt your own philosophy, but keep an open mind on the different methods that can be employed.

52 PITCHING

There are several differences between a pitch shot and a chip shot: Pitch shot: Ball position center or forward; Chip shot: Ball position center or back.

Pitch shot: Wrists are activated in the shot; Chip shot: Wrists fairly quiet.

Pitch shot: High-lofted club such as a lob, sand, or ; Chip shot: Lower-lofted club such as a 7- or 8-iron.

Pitch shot: Travels farther in the air than on the ground; Chip shot: Travels farther on the ground than in the air.

To Set up for a pitch shot, the ball position should be centered in the stance (in relation to the target line, 7-S), and the stance slightly open with the clubface aiming at the intended landing spot (7-T).

7-S 7-T

It is recommended to choke down on the grip for greater control – the shorter the shot, the more the grip is choked down. The clubhead should come back over an extension of the target line for the first part of the backswing (7-U). The wrists should cock in response to the club being swung back 7-U 7-V (7-V).

53 The length of the shot will determine the length of the backswing – the longer the shot, the longer the backswing. The follow-through should be at least as long as the backswing (7-W, 7-X). A pitch shot can be described as a mini-swing.

7-W 7-X

GREENSIDE BUNKER PLAY Greenside bunker play is very similar to that of pitch shots. Some teachers describe this shot as a pitch shot intentionally hit fat.

This shot is used with a higher-lofted wedge, such as a or lob wedge (which many tour players use), but keep in mind that the sand on tour is generally very firm so that a club without a lot of bounce, like a lob wedge, may be used by a more-skilled player. Most players would do well to hit this shot with a sand wedge.

General setup factors include:

Opening the clubface to take advantage of the angle of bounce (7-Y)

Opening the stance to compensate 7-Y for the open clubface (7-Z). The end result is the clubface either square or slightly open to the intended landing spot.

7-Z

54 Ball position forward in stance as it relates to the target line (7-AA).

Clubshaft either vertical or leaning slightly away from target (7-BB).

Weight mostly on front foot (also 7-BB).

7-AA 7-BB

The swing is similar to that of a pitch shot in that the wrists are cocked fairly quickly, but not artificially so(7-CC). This is in response to the momentum of the club being swung back. The clubhead’s backswing path should be over an extension of the target line to start the backswing (7-DD). The weight stays on the front foot throughout the backswing. Starting down, the wrist cock is initially maintained. The clubhead should enter the sand two to four inches behind the ball, exploding the ball out of the sand. The golfer’s torso should continue to turn through the forward swing to the follow-through (7-EE).

7-CC 7-DD 7-EE

55 C Golf Psychology and H Motor Learning

In addition to knowing the physical aspects of the game, a golf teaching professional A must have a basic knowledge of psychology and motor learning. There are some general principles that present themselves in all lesson scenarios. P TEACHING & LEARNING One of the biggest challenges experienced teaching professionals have is not in figuring out what a student is doing wrong and the proper correction, but in getting that student to change a habit that is long-ingrained. There are a number of teaching T and learning principles that come into play with each lesson.

THE STUDENT MUST BE WILLING You would think that a student who comes for a lesson would automatically be E willing and open to change, but that is the thinking before the change is introduced. A change that is too uncomfortable will result in a student unwilling to make the change. It is important to ask the student if the new move is too uncomfortable and if they’re willing to make the change. R Listen to the language the student uses. If the student uses negative language, such as, “This feels awful,” it will do no good to insist the student make the change for every repetition, regardless of how it feels. Instead, a better approach is to have the student alternate using your new method and their old one. In this way, they are adapting to a new move without losing the comfort of the old one. It shouldn’t be too long before 8 they’re willing to let go of their old move and adopt the new one. A student who uses more neutral language, such as, “This doesn’t feel too bad,” is likely to make a change with little resistance. Rare is the student who says, “This feels much better,” but it does happen, and the change will probably be met with almost no resistance.

56 THE STUDENT MUST BE ABLE If a student is physically unable to make a new move, or even if they think they are unable, chances are they won’t. It is very important to ask a student if they are both willing and able to make a suggested move to get a sense of where they are mentally. If they are both willing and able to make the change, then you may proceed on your current course. If they are not willing and/or able, then you have to reassess and change directions.

THREE SENSES OF LEARNING Students learn golf through the senses of sight, sound, and feel. All three should be incorporated into a lesson. Sight (visual) – The two main aspects here are that the teacher can give a demonstration, and also use video to show the student his or her flaws. When giving a demonstration, the teacher should take care to make sure the demonstration accurately reflects what is being taught. Sound (audio) – This is verbal instruction. The teacher needs to make sure to teach in a simplified manner so that the student clearly understands the instruction. Feel (kinesthetic) – This involves the teacher placing the student into the correct position or guiding the student through the correct movement, having the student physically execute the position or movement, or using drills.

FOUR STAGES OF LEARNING Unconsciously incompetent – The student is unaware of what his or her flaws are. In this stage, the teacher makes a diagnosis of what the problem is. Consciously incompetent – The teacher makes the student aware of what the problem is. In these first two stages of learning, the teacher strongly controls the direction of the lesson and the instruction given. Consciously competent – The student is successfully making strides in making a correction, but he or she has to consciously be aware of what’s going on. In this stage of learning, the teacher can let the student take more control of the lesson process, where the teacher may offer feedback only if the student asks for it, or if the student reverts back to old habits. Otherwise, the teacher mainly monitors the progress at this stage. Unconsciously competent – The student has successfully changed the position or movement that was being worked on, and no longer has to consciously think. The new habit has become automatic, and the teacher’s task is complete at this point.

57 TYPES OF LEARNERS Not everyone learns in the same way, and there are different personality types among students. Here are some various types and how to best instruct them: The “doer” is constantly active. This person needs to be hitting balls or physically engaged in activity. The “feeler” values active experimentation. This person needs time to process the information before becoming comfortable with making a change. The “watcher” tends to hang back, studying others’ performance, or if it’s a one-on-one lesson, prefers the teacher give demonstration until he or she is comfortable with what the teacher wants. The “thinker” is analytical, logical, and thorough. This person likes to have as much information as possible.

MOTOR LEARNING PRINCIPLES Research has shown definite trends in the ways people best learn and perform a physical task. When it comes to performing the task in a practice or learning environment, there are two ways to do it. Blocked practice means doing the same thing repetitively, while random practice means the activity changes from repetition to repetition. In golf, blocked practice means using the same club the same way consecutive times in a row, while random practice means using a different club or hitting a different shot each repetition. Learning research has shown that random practice is best for long-term retention and later performance, while blocked practice is best for performance during the practice session. It is therefore best to spend the majority of practice and learning time using random practice. There are two ways to utilize time in practice and learning, massed and distributed. A massed practice schedule involves taking little or no time between repetitions, while a distributed practice schedule involves taking some time between repetitions. For golf, there is evidence that a massed practice schedule works best for learning a new habit while a distributed schedule works best for those not changing habits. Research has shown it is also important to keep the learning environment (lesson tee and practice green) as similar as possible to the testing environment (golf course). This means practicing the golfer’s on-course pre-shot routine on the driving range or putting green, among other considerations.

PLAYING Golf is known as the most mental of sports, and for good reason. There is a lot of downtime between shots, and golf is not a reaction sport. For these reasons, the game requires a high degree of mental acumen to play at the highest levels. There are three key areas in regards to the mental game and playing: Concentration – This involves focusing on the task at hand, whether it’s a drive to start a long hole or a short putt that can still be missed. Faithfully following a pre-shot routine in terms of actions, thought process, and timing can help provide a bubble of concentration.

58 Confidence –In golf, this is the belief that something can be accomplished successfully, whether it’s shooting a good score or executing the shot at hand. Golfers who have had prior success have a base of reference for believing they can succeed again. For others, it’s helpful to practice visualizing success, as studies have shown that the mind cannot distinguish between an event that is real and one that is vividly imagined. Anxiety control – Nerves are a normal part of the game, and a golfer who is experiencing them should take care to maintain regular breathing, shake out any tension in the arms and hands, and try to think in an analytic manner. Getting emotionally upset at either failure or being anxious only makes the anxiety worse.

59 C Other H Considerations

A CLUBFITTING LENGTH You might hear there is a “standard” length for clubs, but actually, standard may P vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Even so, most clubmakers today adhere to roughly the same lengths of clubs as other clubmakers. The standard, or average, length of a men’s 4-iron is approximately 38 ½”, with each iron getting shorter by ½” down to the wedges. The standard length of a men’s driver is 45”-46”. These lengths T will adequately fit most men who are between 5’9” and 6’1” tall (5’11”, +/- 2”). There are men golfers who are shorter or taller who can also fit into standard-length clubs, based on arm length and posture. Women’s standard club lengths are generally 1” shorter than men’s. E As a golf teaching professional, you can use your expertise to see if your students are using clubs that are the correct length for them, based on their posture and performance. Generally, your students should use the longest clubs they can hit accurately and consistently. For some players, this may mean using clubs that are R either shorter or longer than what others of their build may play.

LIE ANGLE This is the angle between the bottom edge of the club and the shaft. It is important that, for irons, the bottom edge of the clubhead is flat during impact and not toe-up or 9 heel-up. Because most players’ hands are higher at impact than at address (even good players), and because the shaft tends to bend dynamically through impact so that the toe of the club is more downward (“toe droop”), an address position featuring the toe slightly up in the air is desired for most. This would also apply to clubs and fairways woods, too. With the driver, this is not as important. Lie angles that are too upright mean the clubface will be more closed at impact than it would be with a correct lie angle, while lie angles that are too flat mean the

60 clubface will be more open at impact than it would with a correct lie angle. One quick way to check for proper iron lie angle at impact is to examine the student’s divots. If the divots are toe-deep, the lie angle is too flat and must be bent more upright. You want to see divots that are level. If the divots are heel-deep, the lie angle is too upright and must be bent flatter. Another method involved drawing a vertical line with a marker on a ball so that, when the student strikes the ball, a mark is left on the iron face. You want to see a vertical line imprint on the iron face. If the imprint is angled from the lower heel to the upper toe, the lie angle is too upright and must be bent flatter. If the imprint is angled from the lower toe to the upper heel, the lie angle is too flat and must be bent more upright. Finally, a lie board with impact tape on the bottom of the iron can be used to check lie angle, as well. Please note that lie adjustments should be made after the student has received instruction and changed his swing, not before.

LOFT Many golfers have a launch angle with their driver that is too low. This may be a technique or an equipment issue, or both. Golfers who hit the ball over 250 yards need launch the ball at around 11°-12° and can use lower-lofted drivers, while golfers who hit the ball shorter need to launch it at around 13°- 15° and use higher-lofted drivers. The slower the swing speed, the higher the ball needs to be launched in order to obtain maximum carry distance. For the irons, the most important thing with loft is to have a consistent gap between clubs so that there are no inconsistent distance gaps between clubs. Generally, these loft gaps are around 4° with the short and mid irons and 3° with long irons and hybrids.

SHAFTS Graphite is used exclusively today in modern drivers and fairway woods, while steel is more common in irons. Almost all hybrids have graphite shafts. Graphite also has dampening properties that steel may not have, so golfers with hand, wrist, or elbow problems may benefit with graphite shafts in all their clubs. Flex – This is the amount that a shaft bends. From stiffest to softest, flex designations are generally X, S, R, A, M, and L (extra stiff, stiff, regular, amateur, mature, ladies). A and M designations tend to be the same general flex. There are a lot of variables in choosing a shaft flex, but generally a golfer should use the softest flex that can be hit accurately and consistently. It is thought in some circles that shafts that are too soft for a golfer will promote hooks while shafts that are too stiff will promote slices. This may hold true for some golfers, but not all. Only testing with multiple shaft flexes on each individual golfer will answer the question of which flex is best for that golfer. Flex point – This is the point in the shaft where it has the greatest bend. Shafts are described as high flex point, mid flex point, and low flex point shafts. Generally, the higher the shaft flex point, the lower the ball flight and spin, and vice versa. Weight – Modern shafts come in weights as low as 40 grams and as high as 130 grams. Theoretically, strong, fast swingers do better with heavier shafts while slow, rhythmic swingers do better with lighter shafts.

61 Torque – This is the amount of resistance to twisting. Higher-torque shafts tend to feel whippier while lower-torque shafts tend to feel stiffer, which some describe as “boardy.” Tests on golfers using different-torque shafts show no consistency in defined performance characteristics for different groups of golfers. In other words, the amount of preferred torque is an individual matter.

GRIPS Most teachers and clubfitters believe a properly-sized grip is one where the golfer’s two middle fingers in the top-hand grip just touch the thumb pad of the palm. However, some golfers will perform better with grips that are either larger or smaller than this standard. It is also said that golfers who use grips that are too small tend to hit draws/hooks while golfers who use grips that are too large tend to hit fades/slices. While this may hold true for most golfers, it doesn’t apply to all, so grips must be fit to each individual. Grips should be tacky and not worn smooth, ensuring a secure hold on the club.

STATIC WEIGHT AND SWING WEIGHT Static weight is the overall weight of the club. Swing weight is the ratio of weight of the club from a fulcrum point (14” from the end of the grip) to the end of the club as compared to weight of the club from the fulcrum point to the end of the grip. This measurement is described by letters and numbers, going from A0 to A9, B0 to B9, etc. Most men’s clubs are in the lower D range (D1 or D2, for example), while most women’s clubs are in the mid C range (C4, C5, or C6). Most golfers prefer irons to be of the same swing weight, while with the driver and fairway woods, this is not as critical.

TEACHING WITH VIDEO When the personal camcorder became available in the 1980s, golf instruction changed forever. Golf teaching professionals could now see the swing frame-by-frame and in slow motion just a few seconds after it happened. It gave students a visual frame of reference that they did not previously have, and allowed teachers to study the swing in minute detail, more accurately coming up with a correct solution to the student’s problems. Since technology changes rapidly, it would be pointless for this manual to refer to current video technology. However, there are some principles that have stood the test of time throughout the years.

DIRECT-ON VIEW (OPPOSITE THE STUDENT) The camera should be positioned so that the student takes up approximately 2/3 of the frame from top to bottom, with the feet closer to the bottom and more space above the head. The student is centered in the frame. A tripod or some other steadying device should be used to keep the camera still. The camera should be positioned at chest height. Students should not have to wait for the teacher to give them a signal as to when to swing. It is best to allow the students to keep hitting and then time the taking of the video with their swing.

62 Positions to analyze include the setup, 9 o’clock backswing position, L-swing position, top of the backswing, transition, delivery position, impact, post-impact, and follow through. Specific swing faults to look out for include swaying, reverse pivot/tilt at the top, not keeping the head level, starting the hands and arms down before the lower body moves, casting (early release), reverse pivot through impact, chicken wing, and poor balance in the follow through. This list is not all-inclusive but will cover most swing faults you will see.

TARGET-LINE VIEW The camera is positioned to the golfer’s right (right-handed golfer). If you consider a railroad track where the student is standing on one rail and the line from the ball to the target is the other rail, the camera should be positioned in between the rails so that the target can be seen between the student and the ball. As with the direct-on view, the camera should be positioned at chest height. Positions to analyze include the setup, 9 o’clock, top of the backswing, transition into the downswing plane, approach of the clubhead into impact, positon of the club after impact, and follow through. Specific faults include poor posture and aim, taking the club back too far to the inside or outside, not keeping the head level, getting the club off-plane at the top, not having a square clubface, coming over the top, not having the club shaft parallel with the stance when parallel with the ground, and poor swing path through impact. Again, this list is not all-inclusive but will cover most swing faults you will see.

63 C Teaching Course H Management

There are two main rules of thumb that the average golfer should be taught in regard to plotting strategy on the golf course: A 1) Plan to avoid the worst trouble; 2) Do not plan on hitting perfect shots. P PLAN TO AVOID THE WORST TROUBLE It is well known among professional golfers that it is not the quality of good shots, but rather the quality of bad shots, that determines whether a player is successful on T tour. With proper planning, average players can reduce the risk of hitting their ball into the worst possible positions. DO NOT PLAN ON HITTING PERFECT SHOTS E Average golfers are notorious for trying to pull off golf shots with very little chance for success, save for executing the stroke perfectly. It is imperative to allow for a margin of error in planning strategy. The following are some common situations faced R during every round of golf, following the above-mentioned rules of thumb. TEE SHOTS It is important for the golfer to know if he or she is predominantly a left-to-right or a right-to-left player. If the golfer hits the ball primarily straight, then consideration should be given to the direction of mishits. For example, if miss hits go primarily to 10 the right, the player should be considered a left-to-right player for strategy purposes. Generally, a right-to-left player should tee the ball on the left side of the tee box (see A in illustration on the next page), and a left-to-right player should tee the ball on the right side of the tee box (B). This serves to widen the landing area, in effect. If there is severe trouble close to one side of the fairway (out of bounds, water , difficult bunkering, etc.), then the ball should be teed on that side of the tee box, regardless of ball flight tendencies (C). This will serve to help aim the ball away from the trouble.

64 OB A B C D E F OBG H

NARROW NARROW The tee shot should be aimed so that a straight ball will finish in the fairway. For example, a left-to-right player should aim down the left side of the fairway, allowing for the curve of the ball back to the center or right side of the fairway (D). Conversely, a right-to-left player should aim down the right side of the fairway (E). If there is severe trouble close to the left side of a narrow fairway, for example, the left-to- right player should tee the ball on the left side of the tee box and proceed as normal (F). The right-to-left player may have to aim so that a straight ball finishes right of the fairway, as the normal curve must not allow the ball to come close to trouble (G). With the severe trouble close to the right side of a narrow fairway, the situations are reversed, again dependent upon predominant ball flight. Tip for advanced players: Note that if the flagstick is on the left side of the green, then the tee ball should be planned so it finishes on the right side of the fairway. Conversely, if the flagstick is on the right side of the green, then plan for the ball to finish on the left side of the fairway (H).

APPROACH SHOTS If a flagstick is in the front part of the green, the golfer should aim for the middle of the green instead. There are two reasons for this: 1) most golfers underclub and leave the ball short anyway; 2) a less-than-solid shot, the norm for average golfers, will finish closer to hole-high. If the ball is struck well, the golfer still has a putt (see I in illustration below). If the flagstick is on the left side of the green, then the right-to-left golfer can curve the ball into the pin, a perfect attacking position. If the ball remains straight, the golfer still has a putt (J). The left-to-right player should aim straight at the flagstick, allowing the ball to curve away. Should the ball remain straight, a fairly close putt is the result (K). This is not an

WELL-STRUCK

I J K L M

MIS-STRUCK

NO YES

65 attacking situation for the left-to-right player, since the ball has to be aimed outside the green in order to curve it back to the pin. With a flagstick on the right side of the green, the situations are reversed, again dependent upon predominant ball flight. Tip for advanced players: Short-iron approaches should be fired at the flagstick, regardless of pin position or ball flight tendencies. Also, if the advanced golfer’s ball striking is particularly sharp that day, then most approaches can be fired at the flag.

OTHER SITUATIONS Average golfers tend to aim their shots right at the flagstick, regardless of intervening trouble. Instead, the rule of thumb, “Plan to avoid the worst trouble” should be followed. For example, with a pin on the right side of the green guarded by a bunker, the ball should be played to either the center or the left side of the green, taking the bunker out of play (L). Another situation occurs when the green is unreachable, perhaps for a second shot on a five, or when a shorter hitter can’t reach the green. If the pin is on the left side of the green, guarded by bunker, the ball should be played down the right side of the fairway, helping to take the bunker out of play on the next shot (M). Tip for advanced players: If there is a bunker guarding the green for a second shot to a par five, go ahead and hit the ball to the pin anyway, as the advanced player should not have too much trouble with a sand shot.

THE PLAYING LESSON – KEEP YOUR SKILLS SHARP As teaching professionals, we must maintain a playing standard which will command the respect of our students. Playing lessons are an integral part of our responsibility. It is easy to lose credibility on the “playing field” with our students if our game is not kept at a high level. Please take the time and effort to get out and play at least nine holes a few times a week. You also have the opportunity to participate in events such as regional championships, the annual United States Golf Teachers Cup, and the biennial World Golf Teachers Cup. You will find that participating in these events is a great way to help maintain your playing skills.

66 C Detecting Errors & Of- H fering Solutions As teaching professionals, it soon becomes evident that setup and swing flaws can have many possible causes and therefore many cures. A Most problems in golf are defined in poor ball flight. For a teacher to make a simple cure, two basic steps are essential. 1) Diagnosis of the problem (observation of ball flight), and 2) Changes – first with a student’s setup, and if necessary, P with the student’s swing motion.

T ERRORS & SOLUTIONS GRIP The problem with most players’ grips stems from a deviation from what nature has E provided. When a player’s arms are hanging comfortably, the hands are in a normal and relaxed position. This represents the basis of a sound grip. If the natural and relaxed position of the hands is not disturbed when placed on the grip, the hands are in a functionally sound position. Human nature dictates that in order to be strong, R you have to feel strong. This often causes confusion at address resulting in excessive grip pressure, which is the major cause of problems for high- players. Proper grip pressure coupled with proper grip position allows for the use of dynamic energy as opposed to the common misuse of brute strength. The development of a sound grip requires patience, vigilance, and continual maintenance. A sound grip is so intrinsic to 11 the functioning of a good golf swing that the teaching professional should constantly monitor and help develop good grip habits for their students. Conversely, if a student has not sufficiently developed this particular habit, his/her progress will be severely limited. Problems associated with a poor grip are so numerous that it is best to address this problem by learning to develop a sound grip.

67 BALL POSITION The ball has to be in a correct position relative to a player’s swing path for the swing to have predictable results. Any deviation either forward or backward from the correct ball position will (assuming no manipulation by the player) create an undesirable ball flight. Since ball position is one of the easiest faults to cure, a teacher should never overlook this possible solution. The best players in the world tend to make this particular mistake because of its simplistic nature.

CORRECT BALL POSITION Should be slightly forward of center (for most shots on flat terrain) Note: Proper ball position allows a golfer’s swing path to be in harmony with the target line, assuming that other alignment essentials are correct. Establishing the correct target line must be the first priority for all golf shots. Only then can the proper ball position and associated body alignment be established.

POSTURE Over the years, some trends with regard to body posture have created long-term difficulties for players with regard to spinal health. Although some of these techniques had their share of expert proponents, we should, as teaching professionals, take the long-term view of good spinal health into consideration. The modern viewpoint of golfing posture is a more level approach that addresses both left side and right side of the body more equally.

ALIGNMENT As mentioned, establishing the correct target line must be the first step for all golf shots. Once this has been achieved, the student merely attempts to stand so that the feet, knees, hips and shoulders are as parallel to the target line as possible.

“Hail to the teacher, the one that cares. The one that motivates and the one that shares their knowledge with others...unselfishly.”

68 1 PULL HOOK 2 PULL 3 PULL SLICE 4 DRAW 5 STRAIGHT 6 FADE 7 PUSH HOOK 8 PUSH 9 PUSH SLICE

CLUBHEAD PATH BALL-FLIGHT-SPECIFIC ERRORS

SLICING Ball flight curves excessively to the right for right- handers, to the left for left-handers. Common setup errors: • Top-hand grip tends to be too weak, with “V” pointing to forward side of chin, and grip of club across palm of hand. Cure – Grip needs to be under pad of top hand, with “V” pointing to rear shoulder. • Ball position tends to be too far forward, opening shoulders and causing an outside-in swing path. Cure – Move ball position back in stance, but still forward of center, so that when the student sets the club do the shoulders will be parallel with the target line. • Alignment may either be open, which promotes slicing, or closed, which promotes an over-the-top move. Cure – Alignment should be parallel with target line. Common swing errors: • Lower body inactive in transition from backswing to downswing, causing upper body to start downswing and creating an outside-in swing path. Cure – Utilize “walk-through” drill or step drill, or place ball 15 inches forward of normal ball position, forcing student to transfer weight.

69 • Failure to release club due to either tension or mistrust. Cure – Utilize a release club, which forces student to feel club turning over, or split-hands drill, which accomplishes the same thing.

HOOKING Ball flight curves excessively to the left for right- handers, to the right for left-handers. Common setup errors: • Grip tends to be too strong, with both “V’s” pointing to rear shoulder. Cure – Neutralize grip, with “V’s” pointing more toward chin. • Ball position tends to be too far back promoting an inside-out swing path, or too far forward (less common), promoting a pull-hook. Cure – Move ball position accordingly so that swing path at impact is towards target. Common swing errors: • Lower body inactive, causing early release and creating a closed clubface. Cure – Have student hit shots with split-hands grip, which forces lower body to work in order to avoid hitting severe hooks. • Lower body slides laterally, causing club to approach too much from the inside. Cure – Swing with rear foot placed 8-10” back perpendicularly from target line, promoting greater body rotation. • Swing plane is too flat, producing an inside-out swing path at impact. Cure – At top of backswing, lead arm should be parallel to initial shaft angle at address.

PULLING Ball goes straight left for right-handers, straight right for left-handers. Common setup errors: • Alignment is open to the target, causing outside-in club path. Cure – Align student parallel to the target line. • Ball position is too far forward in stance, promoting outside-in club path. Cure – Place ball so that club path is traveling down the target line at impact. Common swing errors: • Inactive lower body at transition, causing upper body to start downswing and promote outside- in swing path. Cure – Earlier start with lower body in transition. • Student swings club too far outside the target line and returns the club along the same incorrect path. Cure – Start backswing with body turn rather than arm swing. 70 PUSHING Ball goes to the right for right-handers, to the left for left-handers. Common setup errors: • Alignment is closed to the target, promoting an inside-out swing path. Cure – Align student parallel with the target line. • Ball position is too far back in stance, promoting an inside-out swing path. Cure – Place ball more forward so that swing path is traveling down the target line at impact. Common swing errors: • Student in reverse pivot position at top of backswing, causing upper body to be too far forward at impact. Cure – At top of backswing, majority of weight should be on back foot, with chest over back foot. • Lower body slides laterally toward target on downswing, promoting late release of club. Cure – Rotate, rather than slide, hips to start downswing. • Swing plane is too flat, producing inside-out swing path at impact. Cure – At top of backswing, lead arm should be parallel to initial shaft angle at address.

STRAIGHT SHOT

“Feel each shot with your heart. Plan each shot with you mind. Execute each shot with you hands.”

71 FAT SHOTS Student hits ground before hitting ball. Common setup errors: • Poor posture, resulting in failure to maintain levelness of body. Cure – Back should be fairly straight, rear-end out, knees slightly flexed. • Ball position too far forward, resulting in club bottoming out early. Cure – Place ball just before bottom of swing arc, either in center or forward of center in setup. Common swing errors: • Failure to transfer weight forward on downswing, causing club to bottom out early. Cure – Have student do either walk-through drill or ball forward drill to promote correct weight shift. • Early release of club on downswing, causing club to bottom out early. Cure – Anti-casting drill: have student pre-cock club, taking a half-swing with medium iron.

TOPPED SHOTS Student contacts ball above the equator. Common setup errors: • Poor posture, resulting in failure to maintain levelness in swing. Cure – Back should be fairly straight, rear-end out, knees slightly flexed. • Ball position too far forward, causing club to strike above equator on way up, or too far back, causing club to strike above equator on way down. Cure – Place ball just before bottom of swing arc, either in center or forward of center in swing. • Tension in arms, promoting shortness of swing arc which results in topped shots. Cure – Easing of grip pressure at address. Common swing errors: • Trying to “lift” ball in air. Cure – Hit down and through the shot by trying to contact south pole, rather than equator, of ball. • Unbending of knee or hip angle. Cure – Focus on keeping problem area angles constant.

SHANKING Hosel of club contacts ball. Common setup errors: • Standing too close to ball. Cure – Assume correct posture with arms hanging down naturally from shoulders. 72 • Shoulders are aligned open to target line. Cure – Align shoulders parallel to target line. • Excessive tension in arms and hands. Cure – Soften up grip and arms. • Weight too much on toes, promoting clubhead outside target line at impact. Cure – More weight on heels throughout swing. Common swing errors: • Excessive tightening of arms, resulting in failure to release club. Cure – Soft arms, have student feel the weight of the clubhead. • Outside-in swing path, leading hosel into ball. Cure – Swing path down target line at impact, helpful to place a shoe box, forcing student to swing inside the box. • Inside-out swing path, also leading hosel into ball. Cure – Rotate, rather than slide, body, through shot.

SETUP–SPECIFIC ERRORS • TOP-HAND GRIP • BOTTOM-HAND GRIP TOO WEAK HELD WITH PALM Result – Fades and slices. Result – Too dominant trailing Cure – Grip should be below hand side. heel pad, with “V” pointing just Cure – Bottom-hand grip resting inside rear shoulder in fingers, with thumb of upper hand in lifeline of lower hand.

• POOR BALL POSITION AND/OR ALIGNMENT

• POOR POSTURE Result – Fat and topped shots. Cure – Place toe of club against lower back, touching shaft to upper Result – Inconsistent ball back and touching grip to back of flight. head. Keeping this intact, lean Cure – Set up “work station,” over in address position. with clubs on ground to show alignment and ball position.

73 SWING–SPECIFIC ERRORS

• POOR TAKEAWAY Result – Arm dominant, rather than body-turn dominant, swing. Cure – Place a club in the center of the stomach and grip the club well down the shaft so that the arms are extended. Turn the body to the 8 o’clock position. At this point, it is okay for the butt end of the club to separate from the stomach. Student should complete the backswing.

• REVERSE PIVOT Result – Starting downswing with either the upper body or lateral hip slide. Cure – a) have student feel chest over inside of back foot. b) promote some lateral movement back with head, rather than keeping it still. c) turn on backswing so forward shoulder is behind ball at top of back swing. d) feel lateral weight shift to back foot during backswing.

• POOR TRANSITION FROM BACKSWING TO DOWNSWING Result – Over-the-top and casting, among others. Cure – a) exaggerate the earliness of lower body starting downswing. b) utilize either walk-through or ball-forward drill. c) have student hold club with forward (top) hand only, with back (lower) hand behind back. Swing one-handed this way, feeling lower body shift in transition first. d) have student throw ball under-handed towards target from golf setup position. e) emphasize “quiet” transition with arms, hands, and shoulders, giving lower body time to work.

74 • CASTING Result – No power or consistency and tendency to hit shots fat. Cure – Have student pre-cock hands, taking half swing with a medium iron with ball teed up. Note – Casting is a result of poor transition.

• OVER-THE-TOP Result – Pulls and slices. Cure – a) alignment parallel with target line (over-the-toppers tend to align closed with feet, open with shoulders). b) ball position in proper position (over-the-toppers tend to have ball too far forward). c)  backswing must be completed, with full shoulder turn. d) start downswing with lower body. e) feel swing towards 1 o’clock (right-handers). f) gentle transition downward with arms/hands/shoulders, giving lower body time to work.

• DISCONNECTION Upper lead arm separates away from chest at some point during swing, causing arms and body to work independently. Common setup errors: • Reaching for ball, creating excess space between arms and body. Cure – Correct posture, with arms hanging naturally from shoulders. • Standing too far away from ball, forcing a reach to the ball during swing. Cure – Align ball either with center of clubface or near heel, assuming correct posture. Common swing errors: • Completing backswing with an arm-reach, rather than a body turn. Cure – Swing with a bag tag, club cover, or similar object under lead arm, letting it go only on completion of follow-through. • Reverse pivoting, forcing an incorrect completion of the backswing. Cure – Turn back only as far as correct. If student cannot go farther on backswing without committing errors, then the backswing is finished at this point. • Lead arm “chicken-wings” away from body after impact, due to incorrect lower body transition. Cure – a) earlier transition with lower body to start downswing, keeping bag tag, club cover, or similar object under lead arm. b) have student keep rotating body through shot, as stopping body rotation causes the chicken-wing. 75 C

H Drills

Drills are an integral part in the learning sequence A necessary for becoming a better golfer. They focus on awareness of specific motions required for effective swing mechanics. This should be an integral part of every P teaching professional’s repertoire.

The United States Golf Teachers Federation recommends the following drills for T specific problematic areas of the golf swing. These drills represent a significant cross section of tried and proven problem solvers. These drills do not represent all possible solutions to the various problems that can be encountered. As teaching professionals, the use of imagination should not limit you to only these drills. The proper use and E administration of these drills can make a student’s learning process not only more effective, but more enjoyable and ensure more rapid progress. It is imperative for an instructor to understand these drills fully so that they can be conveyed properly to the R student. This ensures the students’ use of these drills is properly repeated. DRILLS TO HELP PREVENT “COMING OVER THE TOP” 12 Coming over the top is defined as improperly initiating the downswing with the upper body, causing the path of the clubhead to be outside of the target line prior to impact.

76 STEP DRILL Have the student assume a normal address position. Before the backswing is started, the front foot is placed next to the rear foot. After this is accomplished, the backswing is initiated. Just before the downswing begins, the student must return the front foot to its original position and continue the downswing as smoothly as possible. Objective: To promote lower body movement which precedes the upper body. This is a trademark of all fine golf swings.

PENDULUM SWING FEEL DRILL Have the student hold a middle-length club between their thumb and forefinger.Then, have the student initiate a pendulum-type motion with the golf club that is parallel to the target line. The student is now taught to step in harmony with the movement of the club. A smooth, rhythmical, unforced feeling should be realized. Objective: To learn to move in perfect harmony with the golf club so that a continuous flow of energy can be felt.

CHAIR DRILL Have the student sit erect in a chair and initiate a normal takeaway action with the arms and club shaft parallel to the ground. Maintaining the arm-and-club parallel position, make a backswing and forward-swing motion.

Objective: This drill allows the student to truly feel the correct sequence of the proper coiling action on the backswing. Maintaining this same erect position on the forward swing helps to ensure the proper uncoiling of the upper body.

77 PASS CLUB TO FRIEND DRILL Simply have a friend stand in an area of the backswing, several feet from the ball. Gently pass the clubhead to this person at the top of the backswing. While they securely hold the clubhead, gently initiate the downswing, trying to feel that the lower body is the primary source of the initial motion of the downswing. Objective: To feel how the arms and hands retain a quiet and passive role in the initiation of the downswing.

ARMS SWING/BODY FOLLOWS DRILL Have the student simply swing the club to the top of the backswing. The next motion from the upper body standpoint should be a feeling of the arms moving down in an unhurried and relaxed fashion, allowing the body to follow freely. Objective: To help put into proper sequential movement the hands, arms and shoulders.

SHADOW DRILL Standing with the sun at your back, a normal backswing is initiated. The student’s eyes should focus on the shadow of the head outline on the downswing. Simply insure that during the beginning of the downswing, the head does not move forward initially. Objective: To insure the proper uncoiling of the body around its center.

CROSSHAND DRILL Reverse the hands on the club. Take a normal swing and feel the lead arm playing a dominant role on both the backswing and the downswing. Objective: To give a physical awareness of the passive roles of the back hand, arm and shoulder.

78 DRILLS TO HELP PREVENT SLICING

SPLIT-HANDS DRILL Have the student separate his hands on the club approximately one inch apart. Instruct the student to feel on the forward swing that the lower hand in the hitting area is getting the toe of the club to the ball prior to the heel. Objective: This drill illustrates, through motion, the way the clubhead needs to work through the ball by design.

FRONT SIDE LOCKUP DRILL Have the student turn their forward toe inward so that it points to the back toe. Now with a normal swing, the front leg and hip will stop rotating early on the downswing, making it much easier for the hands and arms to release the clubhead properly through the ball. Objective: To feel the sensation of hitting against a firm left side.

DRIVER ROTATION DRILL Have the student setup with the majority of weight on their back foot by having the forward leg in a modified pivot position.From that position, have the student initiate a full swing with no weight being transferred forward. The lower body position will not change. Objective: This gives the student the sensation of the correct circular movement, correct level and ascending angle into the ball. This drill helps prevent the student from moving forward improperly.

79 PARTIAL LEFT-HAND GRIP DRILL Many students slice the ball due to excessive pressure or tension in the lead hand at impact, thus preventing efficient release of the golf club. For this problem, place the student’s lead hand so that the last three gripping fingers are entirely off the club. The lower hand will be in its normal position. Objective: To teach the student the proper release sensation of the club at impact.

BACK TO THE TARGET DRILL Have the student setup and identify the target. Leaving the hands and arms in this original position, rotate both feet 90 degrees closed. This will promote an inside rotating swing path away and through the ball. Objective: This helps promote proper release of the club. It also promotes an inside path to the ball.

TOE UP / TOE UP DRILL Have the student address the ball with a 7-iron. From this point, the club is taken back to a hip-high position. Explain that the toe of the club is now pointing up but also in line with the spine angle. The forward swing should mirror the backswing in both pace and length. Have the student also notice where the toe of the club is on the forward swing. Objective: Helps to eliminate the student’s desire for speed, replacing it with the importance of solid impact.

80 TOE “IN” DRILL Since visualization is a necessary part of the learning process, this drill promotes an exaggerated approach to the correct hitting action. Have the student assume a normal address position. He then rotates the handle of the club until the toe of the clubface points to the ball. The student looks at this position and is told to try to achieve impact in this manor. Objective: By using this exaggerated approach, the normal rotation associated with correct hand action is more readily obtained. In this way, a student can overcome the fear associated with the proper release mechanics.

SETUP POSITION EQUALS IMPACT POSITION DRILL Explain to the student that the reason the setup position is so important is because it’s the same fundamental position they must return to, to assure solid ball striking. Objective: This is a mental drill to further focus on the need to be specific with setup position procedures.

BACK HAND RELEASE DRILL Have the student take several swings with a middle iron and then have him remove the back hand from the club just before impact, allowing the forward arm to complete a normal follow through. Caution: Some students may attempt to keep the forward arm straight after release. At this point demonstrate how the forward arm must release to duplicate a position that is a mirror image of the back arm on the backswing. Objective: To help promote a square clubface at impact.

FEET TOGETHER DRILL Have the student stand with his feet together and produce a moderate swing with a middle iron. If a proper grip and a relaxed arm sensation are maintained, the club will freely flow from the backswing to the follow through, allowing the student’s balance to be maintained.  Objective: To develop a swing which prevents unnecessary body motion and promotes a harmony between the hands and arms.

81 THE MAGIC CARPET DRILL Have the student visualize a carpet hanging above the ball, so that its surface is perpendicular to the target line. Request the student to hit this imaginary carpet with the entire golf club as if to spank dust from the carpet. Objective: To help the student release the club at the impact zone as opposed to moving the body past the ball prior to impact.

DRILLS TO HELP PREVENT HOOKING

HEAD RELEASE DRILL Many students produce a hook shot due to a locked head position at impact, which does not allow for the completion of the proper shoulder rotation. A simple cure for this type of fault is to have the student rotate their head without altering their level or spine angle during the swing. Objective: This promotes a continuous turning motion of the shoulders to their natural completion. This necessarily also keeps the arms in motion to the correct finish, usually preventing a common fault which causes hooking.

BOARD TAKEAWAY DRILL This particular drill promotes the clubhead to be taken away on the backswing on a straighter path than the golfer may be accustomed to. Place the shaft on the last 15-18 inches of a board, so that the clubhead at address is higher than ground level. Assume a normal address with the club shaft resting on the opposite edge of the board. The rear portion of the board should be in line with the back foot. In this way, the takeaway path will be controlled by the board until the club passes the back foot. Objective: This drill promotes a proper takeaway as opposed to one that is too inside. An early inside takeaway often results in an over the top motion on the forward swing with a closed clubface at impact. This type of move usually produces a pull hook. 82 WALK THROUGH DRILL Have the student hit a golf ball and simply extend the follow through with a smooth walk toward the target. The trailing side takes the lead step in this action. Objective: To insure weight transfer to the front foot.

DOUBLE PARALLEL PRESET DRILL Have the student assume a normal address position with a middle iron. Using the hands alone, the club is set in a double parallel position. In this position the shaft is both parallel to the ground and the target line. It is important to note that the arms should remain in the original address position. A short pause should be obtained in this position and then the normal backswing is completed. Objective: To promote quieting of the hands or inappropriate hand action at both the top of the backswing and the impact position.

TWO HANDS IN BALANCE DRILL The lower hand is placed lightly behind and against the upper hand on the club. A normal swing is assumed with this balanced grip. Objective: To balance both sides through a smoother change of direction on the downswing. To sense a balance of power through impact with both hands.

83 SINGLE HAND WEDGE DRILL Have the student take a normal upper-hand grip with the sand wedge. The lower hand is then placed behind the back. Take a gentle half-swing, feeling the front side leading through the swing. Objective: To promote the role of the lead arm in the golf swing. This also identifies the fact that an abrupt change in direction is unnecessary and ineffective.

OVERSIZE GRIP DRILL In an attempt to eliminate excessive hand action, a very large oversize grip can be a helpful tool. The student simply makes a normal swing utilizing this grip on the club of choice. Objective: The large size of this grip will tend to restrict excessive hand action and promote the proper sensation for correct ball striking.

BACK HAND TOSS DRILL Assuming a normal address position, without a golf club, place a ball in the back hand. Using only a back-arm swing not involving any separate hand or wrist action, toss the ball straight down the target line.

Objective: To familiarize a student with the sensation of the proper movements involving the trailing arm.

84 DRILLS TO HELP IMPROVE PITCHING

BALL TOSSING DRILL Without a club, have the student toss a golf ball with the trailing hand from various distances onto the putting surface. Objective: Since pitch shots vary in distance, it is important to develop a feel for the amount of motion and speed required with each particular shot.

UNDERHAND WEDGE DRILL Have the student assume a normal address position for a short pitch shot. Remove the lead hand and allow the back hand only to swing the club. Objective: To give the student the awareness of softening and quieting the hand action necessary for a successful short pitch shot.

IMPACT POSITION DRILL Have the student pre-position the body weight on the lead side at address. This is accomplished by the back leg being positioned toward the forward leg with the heel of the back foot fully released. Objective: Since little energy toward the back foot is required with short pitch shots, this particular drill helps prevent unnecessary movement by pre-setting the impact position beforehand.

85 HEIGHT AND DISTANCE DRILL Locate objects of varying heights and have the student produce shots over these objects from varying distances. Objective: To develop a sense of trajectory available for various wedge shots and sharpen the skills necessary to produce them.

HARDPAN DRILL Have the student practice medium-distance wedge shots from hardpan lies. Objective: After confidence has been achieved with this type of lie, when a normal lie is encountered the shot will seem impossible to miss.

TRAIL HAND – LET GO DRILL To help promote the lead side working properly, have the student let go with the trail hand at impact. This will teach the student to not “scoop” pitch shots. Objective: To prevent “scooping” with the dominant hand and to promote swinging correctly with the arms.

DOUBLE OVERLAP GRIP DRILL Have students hit pitch shots with a double or even a triple overlap grip. This will help the student to prevent “scooping” with the dominant hand. Objective: To prevent “scooping” with the dominant hand and to promote swinging correctly with the arms.

86 DRILLS TO HELP IMPROVE CHIPPING Footnote to Chipping: The student should clearly understand that the chipping motion might be used with a variety of clubs depending upon the situation at hand.

LEAD-HAND-ONLY CHIPPING DRILL Have the student assume a position with the weight on his lead foot, using a narrow stance. With the club held only in the lead hand, hit balls toward the target in a chipping fashion. Objective: As quiet wrist action is required in a chip shot, this particular drill enforces this concept.

CHIPPING DRILL FOR BAD LIES When faced with a poor lie, have the student practice by placing a golf ball or tennis ball approximately 10 inches directly behind the intended ball to be struck. Proceed to take the normal chip shot without disturbing the rear ball. Objective: This drill helps define the steep path necessary to hitting the ball out of a poor lie.

TWO BALL EXTENSION DRILL Have the student assume a normal chipping stance, and begin the drill by placing a second ball directly in front of and along the target line of the original ball. The chipping motion is then made toward the target with both balls being struck.  Objective: One of the problems in chipping is that the hands have a tendency to stop at the ball. Therefore, by slowly increasing the distance between the two balls, the student will develop the proper extension necessary for proper execution.

87 CHIPPING INTO THE BASKET DRILL At times a chip shot may be required to be played with a lofted club. Have the student chip balls into a basket approximately 10 feet away. Objective: To develop touch, feel, and awareness necessary for precision chipping.

FORWARD SLIDE DRILL Lay a club along the target line so that the end of the handle is lying even with the ball position. Assume a chipping stance, placing the clubface against the end of the handle. Without a backswing the student then attempts to slide the club on the ground toward the target. Objective: In this particular drill the action necessary to slide the club along the ground is similar to the mechanics required for a successful chip shot.

EXTENDED SHAFT CHIPPING DRILL Have the student set up for a normal chip shot with the club of their choice. The teaching professional then places an additional shaft into the forward hand of the student. The student then executes a normal chipping motion while holding both shafts, and realizes that wrist breakdown is impossible due to the additional shaft striking the body. Objective: To prevent excessive hand action in the chipping motion.

ANTI-SCOOP DRILL Have the student place the butt end of the club against the lead forearm and assume the normal chipping grip. The student should hit some chips with the butt end staying connected to the forearm. Objective: To prevent scooping with the dominant hand and promote solid wrist action.

88 DRILLS TO HELP IMPROVE PUTTING

THE STEADY HEAD DRILL Have the student press a ball marker into the putting surface. Place the ball directly on top of the marker. From a distance of approximately 5-6 feet, putt the ball toward the hole. After the ball has been struck, the eyes should remain focused on the ball marker. Listen for the ball to drop. Objective: To prevent unnecessary and disruptive body movement during the course of the putting stroke.

FEEL THE STROKE DRILL Have the student setup to a medium-length putt. After the setup is complete, the eyes and the head become focused on only the hole itself. A normal stroke is then executed, using feeling cues only, trying to hole the putt. Objective: The objective of this drill is to trust the “feeling” sensations of the putting stroke. The eyes and therefore movement of the head can no longer influence the putt in a negative manner.

THE SHUFFLE-PUTT DRILL Deceleration of the putting stroke is the major cause of missed short putts. This usually occurs because the back- stroke is too long. The student sets up to putt from 2-3 feet and places the putter head so that it is in contact with the ball. A stroke is then made using only the forward motion with no backswing. Objective: This helps the student to overcome fear of the forward portion of the stroke. It also helps the student to realize that a long backstroke on a short putt is unnecessary.

89 DISTANCE DRILL Too many students become so concerned with the line of the putt that they fail to deal with the proper speed control. Have the student simply putt to the edge of the putting green from a variety of distances. Since there is no line involved, the student strictly concentrates on stroking the ball for distance only. Objective: To develop the most important element of the putting stroke, which is speed control.

EYES CLOSED DRILL After the student has successfully made several putts of approximately 5-6 feet in length, have the student make several more with the eyes now closed. Objective: This will help the student to develop an innate awareness or a feel for the position of the hole and trust the feeling of a non-manipulative stroke. Note: Varying the distances for this drill will help to enhance feel and speed control.

TWO-BALL DRILL Place two balls at rest on the putting surface so that they are touching one another. Mentally draw a line between the balls’ two centers. Stroke a normal putt of medium distance along the same imaginary line that the balls describe. Objective: If the putter face is square at the impact of the first ball, both balls will be propelled along the same line. If the face is open or closed, the balls will deviate accordingly.

90 DISTANCE & DIRECTION DRILL Line up 6 or 8 balls in a straight line leading away from the hole. Have the student start with the shortest putt and count how many go in. Objective: To give the student a feel for distance and direction. This also helps one to realize that a chosen line exists only at a given speed.

SPOT PUTTING DRILL Too many players, when faced with a breaking putt, become too concerned with the hole itself. Therefore, the general tendency is to always underplay the break. Simply have the student choose a spot approximately 2 feet along the intended pathway and attempt to roll the ball over that spot at an appropriate speed. Objective: If the student develops trust with this technique, they will realize that the ball itself will find the hole.

SPEED AND TOUCH DRILL Have the student stroke a putt of approximately 10 feet anywhere on the putting green. Without removing this ball, the student then executes a second putt to attempt to go one foot past the original ball. The student continues in succession to increase the length of the putt at hand one foot past the previous putt. This drill can also be done to decrease the distance of the second putt, etc. Objective: Since speed is the prerequisite to great putting, this drill enables one to hone and develop the qualities of speed and touch.

91 TENNIS BALL DRILL Have the student stand approximately 4-5 feet from the hole. Replace golf balls with tennis balls and proceed to hole several putts. When this accomplishment seems easy, return to putting with regular golf balls. Objective: By putting with larger objects, a greater degree of speed and accuracy is necessary. Returning to a regular golf ball makes the hole size now appear much larger and putts seem easier to hole.

TWO-FOOT CIRCLE DRILL Place six balls to form a circle approximately two feet away from the hole. Have the student carefully Set up and make the first putt, holding the finishing position until the ball has dropped.Remembering the sensation of the successful putt, continue to stroke the remaining balls without hesitation. Objective: To fearlessly approach short putts and realize the sensation for their success.

2 x 4’S DRILLS For short putts, have the student stroke some putts, using a pair of 2x4 boards as swing path guides. The idea is to try not to allow the putterhead to touch the boards during the stroke. Objective: To help promote a proper swing path, straight back and straight through.

92 Code of Ethics

As a USGTF Member, you must fulfill the obligations of being an upstanding citizen and role model to your students, your community, and to the golf teaching profession. In order to fulfill the USGTF’s purpose, and maintain membership status, the organization requires strict adherence to the following Code of Ethics. ARTICLE 1 – Being a Member shall be synonymous with the finest aspects of the game of golf; namely, to show integrity, honor and respect at all times to those who have placed their trust in you and your professional ability. Professional integrity, whether it be toward a fellow teaching professional or client, is beneficial for all U concerned. ARTICLE 2 – The public has the right to expect the best, most up-to-date and uniform instruction available; therefore, it is the duty of each member to continue to learn any new techniques or modifications in order to pass them along to those who take S instructions. ARTICLE 3 – Only members in good standing maintain the right to identify themselves as current USGTF members. Furthermore, Affiliate and Associate members must accurately identify themselves as such, in the marketing and promotion of their membership status. Any representation to the contrary will result G in permanent discontinuation of membership and affiliation. ARTICLE 4 – No member shall sponsor or promote any equipment which has not been personally tested and proved to be of high quality. Supporting commercial enterprises for monetary gain only, rather than from a sense of conviction as well, T shall misrepresent the equipment to the public, thereby jeopardizing the integrity of the game and the USGTF. Furthermore, any equipment derived from our industry partners under a personal use program are not designed for resale to the general public so that the teaching professional can profit from this transaction. Failure to F respect these guidelines jeopardizes all members’ use of these programs. ARTICLE 5 – The USGTF as well as all WGTF member nations are membership organizations that constantly strive to provide membership benefits. Therefore, members must meet professional financial obligations promptly and conduct all business dealings in a manner befitting the standards of the USGTF. ARTICLE 6 – Members are often in the public eye; therefore, it is essential to present true sportsmanlike conduct and good behavior, so as not to cause embarrassment to any professional, student, or person in charge of operating a golf facility. ARTICLE 7 – As golf is a game enjoyed by many in their formative years, members have a responsibility to the youth of this country by setting an example of professionalism for them to follow.

93 A Tribute To Golf

“Golf is a science, the study of a lifetime in which you may exhaust yourself but never your subject. It is a contest, a duel or melee, calling for skill, courage, strategy and self-control. It is a test of temper, a trial of honor, a revealer of character. It affords a chance to play the man and act the gentleman. It means going into God’s out-of-doors, getting close to nature, fresh air, exercise, a sweeping away of mental cobwebs, a genuine recreation of tired tissue. It is a cure for care, an antidote to worry. It includes companionship with friends, opportunities for courtesy, kindliness and generosity to an opponent. It promotes not only physical health, but moral force.”

by David R. Forgan

94 Dedication

“This book is dedicated to all golf teaching

professionals throughout the world, past and present.

Those individuals who share their knowledge, enthusiasm,

and love of the game with others.”

United States Golf Teachers Federation®