Medicus Top Tips Newsletter Archive

IMPACT...The Moment of Truth! (August 2008)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

IMPACT...The Moment of Truth! A lot of players and teachers think that the clubface should be square at Impact. Nothing could be farther from the truth! The ball DOES NOT LEAVE THE CLUBFACE AT IMPACT!

In fact, the ball actually compresses on the face up to 30% of its original size and stays on the face up to one and a half inches after Impact before it leaves the clubface. The bottom line is...don't be concerned about the face being square at Impact. In fact, the clubface should be slightly open to allow for the closing of the face and the separation point of the golf ball.

THE SECRET OF GOLF (July 2008)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

Yes, there truly is a "secret" of golf. Good players know it, and use it almost subconsciously. The Golfing Machine describes this "secret" as "Lag".

"It is simple, elusive, indispensable, without substitute or compensation and always present".- Homer Kelley

What is lag? We've all heard this term. Lag can be defined as, "trailing" or "following". Golf Instruction tells us we need to have it but why?

In this article we will focus on "clubhead lag". Clubhead lag promotes even and steady acceleration assuring dependable control of distance. An example would be a tour player hitting a shot. As the player starts their pre-shot the announcer tells us that the player has 193 yards to the flag and that they are going to hit a 6 iron. A 6 iron! A lot of players would love to hit their Driver that far!

In every good swing at the moment of Impact the clubshaft is leaning forward (toward the target). The hands are in front of the ball, and clubface, turning the 6 iron into a 5 or 4 iron. The average player arrives at Impact with the hands BEHIND the ball and the clubshaft either vertical or leaning backward. This ADDS loft and turns that 6 iron into a 7 or 8 iron! Do you play golf with someone that is always complaining that all of their irons go the same distance? These players have a backward leaning clubshaft.

The good players use a steady acceleration, the poor players over-accelerate. The hands reach maximum speed before reaching Impact and this one move dissipates all of the "lag".

Here are some drills to feel, establish, and maintain clubhead lag.

What does "lag" feel like? It is exactly like dragging a wet heavy string mop through Impact. In this drill use a towel. Wrap the towel around the hosel of your club and place the clubhead on ground just outside of your trailing foot. Now try to use just your wrists to take the clubface to the ball. This move is difficult at best and the shaft will be leaning backward. Now replace the club but this time rotate your right shoulder downplane to the golf ball and toward "right field". You'll notice a distinct sensation of dragging and a heavy pressure through the ball.

For the next drill you can simply take a piece of rope and hold it like a club. Go the top of the swing and allow the rope to rest on the top of your right shoulder. As you start down "feel" like the rope stays of the shoulder as you take your hands on a direct downward line to the ball, or a spot in front of the ball. This is called a "rope handle technique" in The Golfing Machine. As you can see, the "end" of the rope is "lagging" your hands.

The majority of golfers do just the opposite. They try move the clubhead with the wrists. This produces a "quitting" motion and the club moves upward toward Impact instead of downward.

A properly lagging clubhead produces a strong downward thrust which adds distance, trajectory, and consistency.

For a great drill use a duffel bag, pillow or Impact bag. Take the club back to waist high with the clubshaft parallel to the target line and horizontal to the ground. Now simply rotate the right shoulder downplane to the golf ball and toward "right field". This will bring the hands and body to Impact position and the club will be lagging!

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 9 of 9 (June 2008)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

BACKSTROKE

Now that address is completed we can start the backstroke. As discussed earlier, this involves two separate movements. These movements are controlled from the waist up.

The lower body should be moved by the upper body if the player is flexible enough, if not, then allow it to move freely in both directions.

1. The hands and arms ... the vertical plane
2. The shoulders ... the horizontal or inclined plane

At this pointI would like to remind you that Address and Impact are NOT THE SAME! The only thing that has not changed is the ball position. You may use any backstroke procedure you choose and there are basically three that the announcers use to describe them.

1. A one piece takeaway...Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods
2. A two piece takeaway...Ernie Els, David Duval, Karrie Webb, Anika Sorenstam
3. A three piece takeaway...Raymond Floyd, Nancy Lopez

Choose anyone you wish that feels comfortable and natural. What initiates the backstroke? Ask ten different instructors and you will get ten different answers. Some player's feel it starts with turning the shoulders, some feel it may be the hips, and still others think and feel it's the hands. I believe it is a combination of the hands, trailing forearm, AND shoulder turn that start the backstroke. Earlier I talked about the role of the hands, arms, and shoulders during the backstroke. They absolutely must work together and synchronous if the club is to stay on plane! As the club starts back the clubhead must point at the base of the plane line until the clubshaft reaches parallel to the plane line and horizontal to the ground. As the club starts upward then the butt of the club must point at an extension of the base of the plane until it reaches the top of the swing. If you can't get the clubshaft to parallel, then the butt of the club Must point to the base of the plane line. If you are one of the few that can get the shaft to parallel, then it should be parallel to the base of the plane line.

The hip sequence (how the hips move) for full swing shots is always the same. They Turn, Slide, Turn. A great majority of players think the hips slide in the backstroke (shifting weight). While this certainly is an option it eliminates creating any rotating force of the body. A better procedure would be the one described above and is the option that the majority of the world's best players use.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 8 of 9 (May 2008)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

ADDRESS AND SET-UP

Once we have gone through our pre-shot we now start the initial mechanical and mental programming procedures. Approach the ball from behind and follow this order for success. Verify these six Impact Alignments.

1. Clubface to Target Line
2. Grip to Clubface
3. Hands to Ball
4. the Plane Angle
5. Pressure Points
6. Position of the Trailing Forearm

Balance, Grip, and Plane Line MUST be verified before EVERY shot!

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 7 of 9 (April 2008)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

LET'S GET STARTED

Before every shot you play there must be a sequential order of events. First of course we have to find our golf ball. Once the ball is located we then must examine the type of lie we have, the distance to the target, the shot shape desired, the wind conditions (if any), how we're feeling that particular day, whether to play aggressively or conservatively or somewhere in between (this depends on our style), and finally choosing the correct club for the type of shot. We can't call this a "pre-shot routine" because there is nothing routine about a golf shot! There are always factors to be decided and these factors constantly change. So we would encourage you to use the phrase "PRE-SHOT". Pre-shot may or may not include a dress rehearsal of the swing, a practice swing. During the practice swing you're getting a feel for the mechanics involved in hitting the shot and visualizing the ball flight.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 6 of 9 (March 2008)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

LENGTH OF ARC

What does this term mean? Simply put, length of arc means how far back YOU can take the club. Some players may be able to take their hands high above their heads in the backswing while others can only get their hands to shoulder height, or less. It doesn't matter! However far you can take the club and still maintain structure is the end of YOUR swing! You can increase your length of arc by increasing your range of motion. (see your local physical therapist for exercises to increase your range of motion).

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 5 of 9 (February 2008)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

MOVING THE CLUB

Because we play golf on an Inclined Plane this dictates that the club MUST move on an arc. That means the club head is only on the base on the Plane Line approximately 2 inches during the swing! It also means that the club always moves in 3 dimensions. The Backstroke dimension is backward, upward, and inward all simultaneously and On Plane. The keyword for Backstroke is "BACK". The hands and arms control the backward and upward movement of the club. Therefore, if you did not make a shoulder turn the clubhead WOULD NOT move inside the baseline. The shoulder turn moves the club inward, NOT back and up. So if the player just turned their shoulders, without any hand or arm movement, then the club would be inside but not back and up. These two movements MUST work together to achieve the proper sequence. The trailing forearm moves the club on Plane by "tracing" the Plane. The bending, and folding of the trailing elbow also raises and lowers the club and cocks and uncocks the target side wrist. Never raise the arms and club by lifting from the shoulders sockets!

The Downstroke dimension is downward, outward, and forward. Once the player has reached full extension (follow-through) then the club moves again upward, inward, and backward. This completes the 3 dimensional swing.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 4 of 9 (December 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

AIM and ALIGNMENT

As you take your grip you must be sure the leading edge of the clubface square. The leading edge is the edge closest to the ball. Always set the clubface first, perpendicular to the target line, then set your feet, knees, hips, eyes, and shoulders parallel to the target line.

THESE LINES ARE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER! NEVER AIM YOUR BODY AT THE TARGET! What is the object of golf? To get the ball in the hole with the fewest strokes as possible! To aid in alignment it is imperative that you utilize a procedure called an "Intermediate Target". The intermediate target is something between the ball and the target. It could be a piece of discolored grass, an edge of a divot, a broken tee, etc. It should be within your peripheral vision, so that you don't have to lift your head.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 3 of 9 (November 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

BALL POSITION

Ball position is the most misunderstood portion of the entire set-up. There have been many opinions about ball position. Some say one position for every shot, others say move it around depending on the club. All of the guesswork is taken out however if the golfer would set the club at address as the manufacturer designed it. All clubs, except for the Driver, are designed so that the grip end of the club is ahead of the clubhead if soled properly, this means the shaft leans forward, not vertical or backwards! If you address the ball, with say a 5 iron, and the shaft is vertical then even before you swing you've added loft and turned it into a seven iron! That same 5 iron is designed to have approximately 8 degrees of forward lean at address. The best players in the world, using that same 5 iron, have upwards of 15 degrees at Impact! This turns it into a 3 iron! Having said that you have the option of setting up to the ball with the shaft vertical as long as you can get into the proper Impact position...the shaft leans forward at Impact!

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER start with the shaft leaning backward! We also need to cover where the ball is located in relation to the player's upper body, not the feet. The width of the stance changes during the course of a round but the width of the upper body does not. In addition, the target side shoulder socket is the low point of the arc and the fulcrum of the target side arm swing. Therefore the ball with a wedge will be in the center of the chest, in line with the sternum, for full swing shots, the 5 iron under the target side of the chest, and the Driver at the low point, which is the shoulder socket. This could vary depending on whether the player has exceptionally wide shoulders, but for the most part these locations will be fine for irons but the target side shoulder socket IS the LOW POINT and the Driver MUST be played at this location for straight shots! Back of this location produces a fade, with no manipulation, and forward of this location produces a draw, with no manipulation. You may see some players playing the ball back, or forward, of the target side shoulder socket but these players must either change the shoulder location at Impact, by leaning backward with the upper body, or must manipulate the clubface to hit a straight shot.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 2 of 9 (October 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

POSTURE

Regardless of the player's level of golf anyone can get into a posture that looks as good as any Tour Player, it takes no athletic ability to get into a proper posture! For full swing shots, other than a Driver, the inside of the heels should be as wide as the outside of the hips (for a Driver the inside of the heels as wide as the outside of the shoulders). Push the hips sockets back and up so that the pelvis is at an angle, not horizontal to the ground. As you push the hips back, and up, this will lower the chest and place the weight toward the back of the arch of the foot. Simply unlock your knees, you'll feel a little pressure above the kneecaps, and let the arms hang limply downward from the shoulder socket. There should be NO TENSION in the arms or shoulders. Some players like to tilt their upper bodies slightly away from target as the final set-up adjustment and just because your trailing hand is lower than the target side hand this is acceptable, just don't overdue it. Now you have YOUR grip and posture.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING - Part 1 of 9 (September 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

This process is multi fold

1. Learn what YOUR neutral grip is
2. The CORRECT ball position for every club
3. The CORRECT swing shape
4. How far back YOU can take the club
5. How to play within YOUR style

You will have many options to choose from and I'll show you how to find the ones that will workfor you. Once you have all of your "components" you won't need to experiment any longer!

WHERE TO START - GRIP AND POSTURE

While this may be obvious to some you would be surprised by the number of people that work on their swing without starting with their grip. There is only ONE neutral grip for any golfer! That grip is where YOUR arm hangs down from the shoulder socket and the angle of YOUR target side hand. It makes no difference whether you use an overlapping, interlocking, and ten-finger (baseball) grip. What IS critical is the angle the club lies in your hand.

To find YOUR neutral grip, first take your address position, but without a club, and let both arms hang downward from the shoulder sockets with NO TENSION. Most golfers will find that their target side arm hangs somewhere between the middle of the target side thigh to the inside of the thigh (depending on the width of stance and/or the width of the chest). As you look down at your target side hand pay attention to the angle it hangs. Some of you will see two knuckles of the hand, some will see three, and some may even see four. It doesn't matter how many you see! Whatever the number, this is YOUR bodies way of telling you its natural tendency and that is the neutral angle for YOUR grip! When you place your target side hand on the club it should be at the same angle you just saw.

The club then runs diagonally from between the first and second joint of the index finger tojust under theheel pad. Close the fingers and then close the hand with the heel pad on top of the shaft with the thumb to the backside of the shaft. This supplies pressure from the heel pad downward and the last three fingers exert pressure upward. Then take the lifeline of the trailing hand, located between the thumb and heel pads, and place it on the thumb of the target side hand. The lifeline against the thumb exerts the pressure here; the right forefinger should be separated, in a "triggering position", but with no pressure. It is important to understand that the forefinger and target side thumb both be on the same side and angle of the shaft for the best support. The trailing thumb should be on the target side of the shaft. You never want the thumbs to exert any pressure. Finally, in order for the hands to work together, they must be parallel to each other.

HITTING UP ON THE BALL...NO,NO,NO (August 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

Hitting up on the ball produces hacking and almost all topped shots! Hitting up is caused by the clubhead passing the hands into Impact and is a clubface motion instead of a clubhead motion. Most players do this because they THINK they must help the ball into the air. In a proper golf stroke the clubhead is moving downward at Impact, NOT upward!

The ball MAY bounce off the turf but ultimately produces topspin.

IMPACT...The Moment of Truth! (July 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

A lot of players and teachers think that the clubface should be square at Impact. Nothing could be farther from the truth! The ball DOES NOT LEAVE THE CLUBFACE AT IMPACT!

In fact, the ball actually compresses on the face up to 30% of its original size and stays on the face up to one and a half inches after Impact before it leaves the clubface. The bottom line is...don't be concerned about the face being square at Impact. In fact, the clubface should be slightly open to allow for the closing of the face and the separation point of the golf ball.

Over The Top (June 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

The dreaded "over-the-top" move. A lot of golfers have this disease and unless they find the cure, they will be doomed in their pursuit of better golfing. I haven't found a single player yet that wants to have this move in their golf stroke!

Over-the-top is ALWAYS a faulty pivot motion. The shoulders turn too early, and off plane, in the start of the downstroke and as a result the arms and hands follow. Now the player is using a bent plane line instead of a straight one! The pivot should never do anything to disrupt the path of the hands!

From the top of the swing the hips MUST slide, very slightly, parallel to thedelivery line while holding the shoulders back to start the downstroke. This allows the arms to drop.

Once the clubshaft gets to waist high in the downswing, then theright shoulder can turn along with the hands, arms, and hips. If done in this sequence, YOU CANNOT COME OVER-THE-TOP!

There are three distinctly different "Zones" that have to be trained individually but must work synchronous.

Zone #1 - Body - Provide balance throughout the swing.
Zone #2 - Arms - Provide the speed and power of the swing.
Zone #3 - Hands - Gives the shot direction.

If you're having balance problems work on your pivot. If you're having distance problems swing the arms faster, (in conjunction with your pivot). If you're having direction problems focus on your hands.

But remember, the hands are NOT educated until they control the pivot!

Try to recreate pressure situations when you're practicing (June 2007)
With Ed Grant

For example, make yourself hit five 10-foot putts before you can go home. Make yourself drive three balls within the yard markers before you leave the driving range. Make yourself chip five balls within five feet of the hole. Make yourself hit bunker shots within so many feet of the hole.

Now that may not sound like a lot of pressure, but if you tell yourself that you've got to hit ten 5-footers before you can go home, by the time you get to number 8 and number 9, there going to be some pressure there. If it's 6:15 and you told your wife you'd be home at 6:00 there's really some pressure. So recreate pressure situations and you'll learn to deal more effectively with nervousness.

HITTING DOWN ON THE BALL... (May 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

Golfers need to understand that in order to create backspin, trajectory and distance control the ball MUST be hit in a downward motion. To do this the club shaft MUST be leaning forward at Impact!

This means that the hands have to lead through Impact...not the clubhead!

The dimensions of the down stroke are always three dimensional, just as the back stroke works in three dimensions. These are downward, outward and forward. Hitting down creates backspin which creates lift! Hitting up produces almost all topped shots!

Control Your Nervousness by Controlling Your Movements (May 2007)
With Ed Grant

By controlling your movements you control your pre-shot routine by a great deal. Before a shot often fast players get slow, and slow players will get fast. The reason they do that is because they are getting conscious. They're stopping their pre-shot routine because they get into another pre-shot routine, and they have to learn it all over again for the first time and they increase their chances of failure. Make sure when you're under pressure that you control your movements, that they are exactly like the ones when you are not under pressure. Don't walk down the fairway twice as fast. Walk at the same rate you usually do. Don't take three looks at the hole instead of your normal two looks. Don't take five waggles instead of your normal three waggles.

Do Less and Play Better! (April 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

Since teaching is MY full time job I thought I'd share some thoughts regarding how people perceive golf strokes.

As I stand out on the tee line it always amazes me to watch people "practicing". One might take the club to the top, stop and look at it, and say, "Yeah this is what I want, this is great." Then they get settled into their address position HEAVE the club back, not even getting close to their practice stroke, have almost uncontrollable amounts of motion, swaying, bobbing, etc and STILL hit the ball!

To me, it takes a tremendous amount of athletic ability to strike a golf ball with some of the motions and positions I see everyday. So athleticism, or lack of it, is NOT what hurts golfers and their games. What hurts is their PERCEPTION of what they need to do and all of the gyrations that are going on. I've seen more Elvis impersonators on the tee than in Las Vegas!

I tell the players I work with, "It's always harder to do less". What I mean by that is if someone has a lot of body motion, twisting and turning in their stroke it is extremely difficult to NOT do any un-golflike motions. There are so many things going on in a golf stroke that we need to move as few a pieces as possible and in the smallest amount of space.

Try doing LESS in your stroke, you WILL get better!

Take a deep breath and think of the times that you have successfully completed the action in front of you. (April 2007)
With Ed Grant

A deep breath is nature's way of releasing tension out of the body. Did you ever notice a little child, when they're winding down their cry, breathes in, then out? That's the way we release tension. Many pro golfers use this technique. As a matter of fact a Masters champion said that he took deep breaths throughout the round to keep himself under control. So take adept breaths and think of times you've made the move successfully before.

THE "MAGIC" OF THE RIGHT FOREARM (March 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

By: Homer Kelley
This is a paraphrase of what Homer Kelley wrote about in his book, "The Golfing Machine". Even Mr. Kelley did not fully realize the importance of this, and it's role, until later editions of the book.

"In essence, bending and straightening the Right Elbow will raise and lower the left arm and/or cock and uncock the left wrist without bending, flattening, or cocking the right wrist. Right elbow action either powers and/or controls all three elements of the Three Dimensional Impact, (downward, outward, and forward)." - Homer Kelley

But when combined with the right forearm, the bending backward of the right wrist, the clubshaft, and right arm fall into line with one another. This is absolutely crucial in delivering a fully supported club into the ball.

"With this "inline" relationship of loading the club and Right Forearm, it is mandatory that Hitting or Swinging it is the Right Forearm - not just the right hand and/or clubshaft - that must be thrown, driven, into Impact. Always, for all procedures, the Right Forearm is positioned "on Plane" - pointing at the Plane Line as the Angle of Attack." - Homer Kelley

"The On Plane Right Forearm shows the precise up-and-down direction it and the Clubshaft must make throughout the Stroke. The "Angle of Approach" position of the Right Forearm show the precise Cross-Line direction the Forearm must take through Impact. So the Right Forearm must leave - and precisely return - to its own Fix Position." - Homer Kelley

For a drill, take a club in your right hand and hold it horizontal to the ground. Now lower the Right Forearm and clubshaft to a table top. You'll see that both the Right Forearm and clubshaft are in one line. Now move the Right forearm back and forth making sure that it does not leave the table. This is called Right Forearm tracing.

Now bend the right wrist backward and you'll notice that the clubshaft and Right Forearm are once again in line but this time they form a "wedge". Move this assembly back and forth on the table. You now have a precision assembly and the Right Forearm Flying Wedge.

The goal with this drill is to make you aware of what the Right Forearm and clubshaft should do during the stroke. When the clubshaft and Right Forearm are in the same alignment you have a positive force into Impact, lag pressure, and a sound that is unmistakable!

Control your self-talk to what you want to attain, rather than what you want to avoid. (March 2007)
With Ed Grant

What do you do when you're nervous on the golf course... when you're choking? Everybody gets nervous. I think the question here is some people can control it and some people cannot control it. When most people get nervous their self-talk is more about what they want to avoid than what they want to attain. Make sure you're controlling your self-talk to what you want to attain, not what you want to avoid. If your self-talk is concentrating on what you want to attain then the problem would be excitement, not nervousness because you would be excited about what you were going to attain.

Great Iron Players All Have Similar Characteristics (February 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

What do all great iron players have in common? Here are just a few of things that they do to attack the pin.

Hit down on the Ball - In order to put spin on the ball you MUST hit downward. Now, this doesn't mean that you hit at it like chopping wood. It simply means that the HANDS must lead the clubhead into Impact with the clubshaft leaning forward
Take more club - Most greens today are built 30-35 yards deep which means there could be a 2-3 club difference in your approach shot
Ball position - NEVER play the back of center of the sternum unless you're playing a knock down shot. The further back the ball is the more open the clubface at Impact. Use this as a guide - Wedges at the sternum, 5 iron under the logo, left side of chest, long irons forward of that. Remember, this is a guide.

Experiment to find the ball postion that gives you straight away flight

Fire at the pin - Know your strengths and weaknesses. If the pin back right and your normal shot is a fade and you aim at the flag where is the ball going? You'll short side yourself. Aim to the middle and let the ball drift toward the hole
Go, No Go - With a long iron approach always hit toward the middle of the green. Mid irons 12-15 feet of the pin, short irons and wedges fire at the pin. Just remember the above rule

It happens to players at every level... (February 2007)
With Roger Gunn , So.Cal PGA Teacher of the Year

It happens to players at every level...you've prepared as well as you can, you had a fantastic warm-up...and you got off to a horrible start! What do you do now?

So you're off to a bad start... How do you keep yourself in the game? What I recommend is to set little goals for yourself. Achieving those little goals can give you the much-needed momentum that can turn your whole day around. For example, let's say you're a five handicapper and you're five over after two holes...a bad start in anyone's book! A good goal might be to make the turn in five over... and hope for a good back nine. A birdie anywhere along the way could actually put you ahead of schedule. Before you know it, you've posted 4 over for the day... a score that's lower than your handicap. Remember to never give up. Those salvaged rounds can be more satisfying than your best days!

When Everything Else Fails! (January 2007)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

We've discussed the affects of anxiety and lie angle. There is one more piece to add and that's the ability to hit a particular shot when under pressure. It doesn't matter what type of shot it is but every player MUST have this ability if they want to improve and stop the "bleeding"! I was lucky enough to have spent time with the late Gardner Dickinson and during our times together we spoke a lot about pressure situations. Gardner was one of the few people that Ben Hogan spent a lot of time with and actually worked for Mr. Hogan during the off season of the Tour as a Teaching Professional at Tamarisk, in Palm Springs California. One day Mr. Hogan asked Gardner what his "GOTO" shot was. Gardner didn't have an answer so Mr. Hogan told him that every player has to have a "GOTO". Mr. Hogan then told him that his was a punch shot. Gardners swing was modeled after Hogan so he decided to incorporate this shot into his own game.

As Gardner and I were talking I suddenly realized that I didn't have a "GOTO" either so being a Hogan disciple I decided I would "master" this shot as well. Looking back it was one of the best things I could ever do for my game. I know that I can hit this shot under any pressure, in any condition, from any lie. What a great feeling it is to control your golf ball!

When I am teaching short game, and especially wedge play, there are only two shots that I teach. A "stiff-arm" pitch and the "knockdown" wedge. These are both reliable and accurate for the top players as well as the average player. There are virtually no moving parts so there is less risk of hitting poor shots. I personally am not a fan of trying to hit "lob" shots with a big high swing and a bent left wrist...it takes too much timing and practice. Even the best players in the world only hit these type of shots perfect 50% of the time! You can still hit a "lob" shot with a "stiff arm" pitch with much more accuracy and reliability. I recently had the privilege of working with a college player that was #1 on his team. From 100 yards and in he was getting the ball up and down 30% of the time. He used a lot of moving parts, big swings, flip the clubface, etc. After a Boot Camp on short game and learning the "stiff arm" and "knockdown" wedge play we charted his progress. His up and down percentage went to 80%!

Remember, wedges are for accuracy, NOT distance they are the scoring clubs. In fact, if you have ever seen video of Hogan and some of the "old time" players their wedge swings were quite different than their full swings. A much shorter motion and more of a "punching" action.

Did you know there's a shot that none of us should try on the course? (January 2007)
By Roger Gunn

Did you know there's a shot that none of us should try on the course, whether you're a pro or an amateur? Any ideas what that shot might be?

The one shot you should never try on the course is the shot that you've never practiced. It's common when trying a new shot to find that the ball doesn't react quite like you thought it would. The golf course is no place to try to figure this out, especially when your score is on the line! One wrong choice can cost you a double or triple bogey, which none of us can afford. Choose only shots that you've played before, so you know what to expect. Take a few minutes after the round to practice that unusual shot, then you'll be ready for it next time. Leave those experimental shots for your opponents to try!

Driving the Ball (December 2006)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

All great drivers of the golf ball have several characteristics in common.

Stance width - the inside of the heels as wide as the outside of the shoulders
Impact Point - the inside of the ball is in line with the left shoulder
Compression - the ball is struck in a slightly descending blow
Address - the hands and the butt of the club point somewhere between the left thigh andthe mid-body
Body and Arms - To visualize how important the hands are, imagine a swing without them. With only a pivot, you would never swing faster than your body could turn. The independent action is the movement of the hands and wrists. Take your normal grip on a club and hold it out in front of you. The simple action of cocking and uncocking your wrists moves the clubhead almost 3 feet
Loft - most players don't use a driver with enough loft -I recommend getting a minimum of 10 degrees
Length of Driver - the majority of drivers today are too long for the majority of players. Do yourself a favor and try 43-44 inch driver instead
Balance - Keep your head between the feet, NEVER TO THE OUTSIDE!

Did you know that Tour Players never miss golf shots? (December 2006)
With Roger Gunn , So.Cal PGA Teacher of the Year

Did you know that Tour Players never miss golf shots? They hit every shot exactly where they want. Right? Wrong!...Okay, if they're missing shots, then how do they shoot such good scores?

You know, great players are acutely aware that they're going to miss some golf shots during a round of golf. All of them do. This is exhibited by the fact that the finest ball striker on Tour only hits 14 greens per round, and it only goes down from there. However, what great players do is to assess their targets and take into account anything that could really hurt their score, such as lakes, out of bounds, or particularly bad bunkers. You should do the same. If you find that a shot has some serious danger, then club yourself accordingly. If you have a lake to carry, then choose an extra club to make sure you get over safely. If there's a really bad bunker on the right side of the green, aim more to the left center. Make those missed shots be as far from trouble as possible. If you do, you might find yourself posting some great scores too!

Is negative thinking really the kiss of death? (November 2006)
With Roger Gunn , So.Cal PGA Teacher of the Year

Is negative thinking really the kiss of death for shooting great scores? Or is it instead an integral part of playing the game successfully? Which one is it?

Often times the amateur golfer goes around the course saying the words "I can" way too often... "I can hit my driver on this hole", "I can carry that water hazard", "I can fly my ball over that tree." While the great golfer asks himself, " What's going to happen if I try this shot and I don't pull it off?! Does this have the potential to wreck my score?" Make sure to check out the consequences for trying a certain shot and not making it before you try that shot on the course. Remember, knowing when to lay back is just as important as knowing when to go for it. Ignoring those consequences is a sure way to ask for a double or triple bogey!

Clearing The Right Hip (November 2006)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

In order to get the hands to their destination at the top of the backswing youMUST CLEAR THE RIGHT HIP.

To do this you simply pre-set the right hip in a turned position (away from the ball).This allows the hands to a more direct path to the top and the shoulder turn will stop at this pre-determined point.The "feel" of the path of the hands is more a straight line, back and down, and less of a curve.This simple move allows the hands to do this.

The next move, that is the easiest by far for most players, is to "feel" like the right forearm is fanning in the backstroke while keeping the club on Plane.This rotates the shaft and clubface and puts the hands and clubface into position at the top.Think of an ordinary door, opening and closing.This is the effect you're looking for with the hands and clubface.

This is an option.It does not mean that you can't play great golf not doing the above but it is a much simpler procedure.Experiment with this movement and you may find yourself hitting it straighter than you ever have!

Reduce Tension Before a Putt with this Quick Exercise (October 2006)
By Ed Grant, Author of Subconscious Golf

Have you ever bent down to hit a clutch putt and saw the putter just shaking on the ground to the point you could hardly put it down behind the ball? We all have. The next time you're in a position where you're going to have to hit a clutch putt take your fist and while you're waiting for your turn to putt take your hands and clench them in a tight fist, as tight as you can for about 30 seconds. Then when it's your turn to putt you're going to find those muscles relaxed, because they've just been tense and you'll find it much easier to keep the putter quiet.

Chip It Close (October 2006)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

We all miss greens and when we do we've got to have the confidence that we can get the ball up and down to save par. A chip stroke is a stroke that has no cocking of the target side wrist! If you can safely land the ball on the green without using a cocked wrist then you are chipping!

The short game, chipping, pitching, putting amount to over 70% of all the shots.

All great chippers of the ball have several characteristics in common:

They change clubs for different length chip shots
The weight is favoring the target side foot
The ball is positioned back of center to ensure proper ball turf contact
The ball is struck with a descending blow
The clubface does not open or close during the stroke
The hands remain passive during the stroke, no flipping of the wrist
At the finish the target side arm and clubshaft should remain in line

We all know practice is important, but how do you know what to practice? (September 2006)
With Roger Gunn , So.Cal PGA Teacher of the Year

We all know practice is important, but how do you know what to practice? I've got a great way for you to figure out exactly what you should be working on!

For the most part, amateur golfers are very poor at evaluating their own games. They might think that they don't drive the ball well enough when it's actually the short game that's killing their scores. Here's an idea: For the next couple of rounds, keep your statistics. How many fairways did you hit? How far were your drives? How many greens did you hit? Did you three putt? How was your chipping? Show these statistics to your local pro and ask him, "What areas of my game should I be working on?" Then ask for some good ways to practice those areas of the game. Believe me, taking the time to figure out where your game needs work will make your practice sessions much more effective!

Power and Accuracy (September 2006)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

The two major priorities of most players are more Power and Accuracy. For optimal learning, these priorities must be addressed both academically and physically. Knowledge should be conveyed to the student through lecture, scientific demonstration, swing training aids, and video analysis. When done properly the player fully understands their golf swing!

Power: There are four separate sources of power in the golf swing. They are definable and distinguishable.

The power sources are:
1. The proper uncocking of the left wrist.
2. The blasting of the left arm off the chest with the body pivot.
3. The synchronized roll of the left wrist through Impact.
4. The driving power of the right forearm.

When the player learns the proper utilization, application and synchronization of these power sources they will solve the mysteries of power!

Accuracy: There are two factors that determine the accuracy of all golf shots.

They are:
1. The control of the Flat Left Wrist through Impact, for club face alignment.
2. The consistent orbit of the club head on the proper plane.

The player must learn to swing the club head, shaft and hands up and back then down and out on the same Inclined Plane time after time. The player must also learn to control the club face with the Flat Left Wrist, thereby adding precision to all of your shots!

COMPLETE YOUR SHOULDER TURN TO STRAIGHTEN OUT YOUR DRIVE! (August 2006)
With Bruce Fleisher, PGA Professional

The major fault for high handicappers is the shoulder turn. The reason they are high handicappers is because they don't finish the backswing. This most likely will cause them to slice.

If the shoulders never truly get behind the ball, the upper body will dominate the swing, and cause the club to come from the outside.

Next time you are out on the practice range, concentrate on getting your left shoulder behind the ball during the backswing. This lets your lower body react first, with your hands and arms following. I think you'll find you hit the ball a lot better!

ELIMINATE STROKES BY PUTTING BETTER (August 2006)
Chuck Evans - Executive Director of Instruction - Medicus Golf Institute

How important is putting? If you HIT every green in regulation then you are allowed 2 putts per hole. On a par 72 course that's 36 putts and that's 50% of your strokes!

In putting there are only two critical factors, path and face angle. Of these two face angle is the most important. Think of it this way, if you have a 30 footer what's most important - distance or direction? What about a 3 footer? In the 30 footer DISTANCE is more important, not many people stroke a 30 foot putt and hit it 10 feet off line BUT they DO leave it 10 long or short,in the 3 footer DIRECTION is critical.

Reduce The Number Of Putts & Lower Your Scores

Great putters look at a putt, select their starting line then focus on PACE. Bad putters think about direction almost exclusively. Get out of the direction mode and really concentrate on the pace of the putt and you'll make more of them.

Sooner or later in a golfer's career, it's tournament time! (July 2006)
With Roger Gunn , So.Cal PGA Teacher of the Year

Sooner or later in a golfer's career, it's tournament time! This is a chance to really see what you and your golf game are made of. What's the best way to prepare for this momentous occasion?

Many players make the mistake of spending all their preparation time on the range, attempting to find some sort of bulletproof swing that will surely carry them to victory. Even if this was possible, we've all experienced rounds where we hit the ball great and still had a bad score. You mustn't forget the scoring shots! Make sure, when preparing for a big game or tournament, that you can do these two things: First of all, make sure that you're able to get the ball close on all shots from 50 yards and in. Don't forget to put in some time from the sand and the rough. The second is to have great speed control on the greens. There's nothing that will throw you out of your game faster than three-putting. If you feel confident in these areas, it will take the pressure off your long game, and you're likely to hit the ball better anyway!

GET COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR PRE-SHOT ROUTINE, AND USE IT FOR BOTH PRACTICE AND PLAY... (June 2006)
By Ed Grant, Author of Subconscious Golf

You should get comfortable with your pre-shot routine on the practice tee, then take it to the golf course. Make it a well-grooved habit. Go out late at night or early in the morning when you're not rushed and just really focus on making your pre-shot routine a habit under playing conditions. Adapting a pre-shot routine will actually allow you to play faster. You'll get rid of indecision, you'll feel more confident, and in turn you'll play quicker. Make a pre-shot routine part of both your practice and play, and it will really help add consistency to your game.

Swing Easy When it's Breezy... (May 2006)
With Roger Gunn, So.Cal PGA Teacher of the Year

If you hang out with some of the great players over the years, sooner or later you'll hear "Swing easy when it's breezy". Is that right? Or is it just some old cliché that doesn't apply any more?

Most clichés are based in truth, and "Swing easy when it's breezy" is no exception.

When you're playing in the wind, a ball with too much backspin can be a real killer. Too much backspin makes the ball balloon up into the air where it's really likely to be blown offline. Using more club than usual and swinging much easier will keep that spin rate down, which will give you much more control.

Does that mean you never want to swing hard on a windy day? Not exactly. When you have a shot that's straight downwind, that's when you can take the shorter club and swing away.

"Swing easy when it's breezy," now that's some advice that really stands the test of time!

Keep your head steady to make more short putts (April 2006)
With Bruce Fleisher, PGA Professional

Many of my pro-am partners miss key short putts during their rounds because their eyes are moving during the stroke. As a result their heads are not steady. What I try to do from four feet and closer is to focus on the ball and then listen for it to go in the hole. Try this tip, and you'll be amazed at how many putts you'll make it. If you learn to use the ears during your putting stroke, you'll become a better short putter.

Some quick tips on reading the grain... (April 2006)
With Roger Gunn , So.Cal PGA Teacher of the Year

Reading the grain of the grass can be done in a very simple way around the hole, and that is to see how the hole is cut. That's right, if you look when you cut a hole, it basically cuts down through the root structure of the grass, so the grass that's growing in this direction is actually going to have its roots cut and it's going to die. Basically what happens pretty quickly is that you'll see a little dead spot on one side of the hole. Whatever side of the hole that dead spot is, that's the way the grass is growing. You can actually look around the hole and get a really good indication as to what the ball's going to do.

Another tip is to go ahead and look towards the sun, if you can, and try of look at what's happening in terms of if the green is shiny or if it's not shiny. If it's shiny, that means those blades of grass are lying away from you, and that's the direction that the grain is going. If it's not shiny at all, if it has a dull look, then that means that the grass is growing towards you, you're seeing basically the tops of those blades of grass, there's nothing to shine off of, and so that's the grain coming into you. That's also an excellent way to take a look at the grain, to see which way it's going and you can factor it in to see how it might influence your putt.

Take More Loft Off The Tee (February 2006)
with Jack Lumpkin

Take a club with sufficient loft that you can hit down the fairway. Too many people think they have to drive with the driver. The driver may or may not be the best club for you. For players with a slow swing speed, the driver may not get the ball up in the air enough, and you may find a 3 wood will actually give you better distance.

A good rule of thumb. If you're shooting in the mid-80's and down, you should probably use the driver. If your driving poorly, use a little more loft. If your shooting in the mid-80's and up to 100, you may find that you can actually get more distance with a 3 wood. If you're a beginning golfer, you might even want to try a 5 wood.

Take a little more loft, and improve your driving!