Resuscitating Your Short Game

WRONG!

Here, I’ve made a handful of mistakes. First, my body weight is still on my back foot, causing me to release my hands too soon. In this case, I’ll either hit it fat or blade it (which is what I’ve done here). Also, the second big flaw is my lack of rotation. By not rotating my body, my hands are going to reach the impact zone too soon, and by the time they reach the ball, I’ll be hitting too much on
the upswing.

CORRECT!

The right way to play this shot is to be aggressive and strike the sand on a downward blow. To do this, keep your weight forward and remember to rotate your body fully through the shot. Look at the difference in hip and knee positions here and on the opposite page. By “knocking my knees” on the followthrough, I know I’ve hit this shot from my forward side. As for the hands, they should release after impact.

How to hit draws and fades by making simple adjustments to the downswing

The hardest shot in golf is the one that flies in a straight line. It’s so difficult that even the best players in the world rarely try to hit it, mainly since this shot requires the utmost in timing and precision. Draws and fades are a lot easier to repeat, however, considering each has varying degrees from which one can produce a good result. Some fades and draws are more pronounced than others, but with the proper mechanics, any type of fade or draw can work to your benefit and can be much more repeatable than a shot that flies straight. The key is in knowing the difference between hitting a draw vs. a fade. And despite what you may have learned, the difference isn’t in how the club is taken back on the backswing, but instead how the club is initiated from the top of the swing, through the hitting area and into the finish. The backswing won’t be covered here; instead, we’re focusing on how the body initiates the downswing and what differences in positions and mechanics are made in hitting a fade and a draw with the driver. And although the differences may appear subtle, the effects on the golf ball actually are quite substantial. With these simple tips, you’ll never want to hit it straight again.

Fade: At the top of the backswing, the hands need to be high above my head, the gloved hand cupped and the left elbow flared out. All these positions indicate a steeper plane, which helps to hold the face slightly open at impact.

Draw: Hitting a draw means lower hands, a flat left wrist and a more rounded plane. As for the lower body, both swings should have the same turn and weight shift. The secret is the position of the upper body at the top.

Fade: If you’re in the right position at the top, it’s critical that you maintain a more upright plane midway through the downswing. Don’t get stuck dropping the club behind you or else snap hooks and big blocked shots will happen. In a mirror, the shaft should bisect your left arm, ensuring a steeper angle into the golf ball.

Draw: Hitting a draw means swinging the club from the inside, so it’s important you get it there. Leave the clubhead behind you to produce a flat angle, and let the shaft bisect your right shoulder (as shown). This means you’ll swing from the inside and start the ball to the right and draw it back toward the fairway.

Fade: Now is when the body needs to rev up! Since the upright angle is what’s used to get to the ball, it’s critical that the body rotate fully to help square up the clubface. You can’t hit it left to right if you never get to your left first! A strong lower-body rotation is key to avoid hitting blocked shots and instead hit those beloved baby fades!

Draw: Unlike the fade, the draw is an arms-driven swing, as long as you remember to swing from the inside. If so, the bottom of the arc is highlighted by less body movement and a more active rolling of the hands through impact. A draw never draws with an open clubface, so making sure that the face is square and the arms release is crucial.

Fade: A good swing thought to have when trying to hit a fade is to remember to keep the clubhead high through impact. Here, you can see my weight has transferred to my forward side and I’ve retained the same plane angle I had at the top of my backswing. As for my lower half, it’s in the same position for both swings.

Draw: The strong overlap of my hands tells me I had no problem closing the face through impact. When this happens, the swing plane flattens, and like the fade, it mimics the position I was in at the top and midway through the backswing. Just remember that a draw is an arms-dominated swing and the fade is more of a body-rotational move.

Fade: The finish position for a fade is what you might expect. The hands are high, the torso is fully rotated and the head is facing the target. If you want to adjust the degree of fade that you put on the ball, all you need to do is make a few simple adjustments to the clubface position at address. For more fade, open the clubface more. Just remember not to overmanipulate the body. The last thing you want is to get too upright and too steep into the ball. That will cause slicing and eventually make it difficult to hit the golf ball with any consistency. Also, remember that fades typically don’t travel as far as draws due to the ball’s added backspin. Nevertheless, more backspin means it’s likely the ball will stay in the fairway rather than roll off it.

Draw: Check out my arms in the photo (above, right). They’re lower and my finish is more rounded. This is because my upper body outrotated my lower body through impact. Unlike a fade, where my whole body rotates, my arms have led the move. Now, look at my left elbow. It’s behind me, as opposed to at my side after I’ve hit a fade. This proves I’ve turned the club and my arms/hands have released and rotated through impact. If you want to adjust how much your ball draws, all you have to do is close the face more. Still, the key is that a draw must be executed from the inside-out. Any other way will produce pulls and severe hooks. Remember, draws go farther than fades, so be sure to expect some added roll to the left.

A big week for Woods between majors

Tiger Woods' tee shot was headed for the front pin when it turned hard to the left and settled at the back left corner of the par-3 fifth green at Aronimink Golf Club.

"That'll work out well for one of these days," caddie Steve Williams told him. "Just not this one."

They shared a quick laugh and walked off the tee box, resuming the pro-am round Wednesday at the AT&T National. Woods is the defending champion, yet he is somewhat in the dark.

His game remains a mystery.

The tournament falls between two of the biggest events on his golfing calendar - the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and the British Open at St. Andrews, his favorite golf course in the world. Woods tied for fourth at the U.S. Open with a spotty performance. He matched a tournament-low 66 in the third round to get into contention, only to close with a 75.

Even so, it was his best week since he tied for fourth at the Masters.

"Things are starting to come around, which is nice to see," Woods said. "It's just a matter of getting more and more consistent with what I'm working on and putting together better rounds."

Another mystery is the course.

The AT&T National, where Woods no longer is the official host, is taking a two-year hiatus from Congressional Country Club, which is preparing to host the U.S. Open next year.

It found a welcome vacation home in Aronimink, which originally was designed by Donald Ross and once hosted premier championships. This is where Gary Player won his first PGA Championship in 1962, by one shot over Bob Goalby.

Aronimink was supposed to hold the PGA Championship in 1993 until the Shoal Creek episode led the PGA of America to demand its golf courses have minority members. Aronimink, which had an all-white membership, gave up the chance to host another major. It did not have a black member until 1998, and now the club says it has multiple minority and female members.

It is a course with sharp changes in elevation and bends in the fairways, relatively large greens and minimal water. It is not a classic Ross course from redesigns over the years, yet it has a storied history.

And while the rough has been minimal on the PGA Tour this year, especially with the shallow grooves now required, this rough is nearly as thick as players found two weeks ago at Pebble Beach.

"I'm probably taken back by its difficulty," said Jim Furyk, who played junior golf in the Philadelphia area. "I think it's a very tough golf course. It's tough to get the ball in the fairways. They're pitched at a lot of angles. You have to work the ball well off the tee. The greens are very big, but are cut up into smaller sections. There's a lot of slope, a lot of undulation, and they're already quite firm."

Walking down the fairway on the 605-yard ninth hole, Woods wondered aloud what kind of score it would take to win. The forecast is for sunshine throughout the week, and without wind, any course is vulnerable. He also noticed, however, that the greens already were firm enough for the ball to bounce instead of sticking where it lands.

"This is a golf course that has hosted major championships," Woods said. "There's no reason we can't play it tough."

More than the course, the AT&T National marks a return to the Philadelphia area for the first time since 2002, the final year of the short-lived Pennsylvania Classic held that year at Waynesborough Country Club. Based on the gallery earlier in the week, and the crowd that gathered around tee boxes and greens for Woods' pro-am group, they are expecting a big week.

"We have great confidence it's going to be a very successful event," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "We're back here next year, and after that, we'll look for opportunities. But certainly, this is a market we'd like to play longer term.

Woods won last year at Congressional with a 13-under 267, outlasting Anthony Kim in the final group and holding off a late charge from Hunter Mahan. Neither of them are here this week, as Kim recovers from thumb surgery and Mahan withdrew.

It is not nearly as strong a field as some other events, such as the Memorial or Quail Hollow Championship, as the European Tour returns to the continent and players gear up for the British Open.

Even so, it has attracted Furyk and Dustin Johnson, Vijay Singh and Davis Love III, Lucas Glover and Sean O'Hair, who makes his home in the Philadelphia area and recently joined Aronimink.

While he no longer is the host, Woods still took part in the opening ceremonies, which featured Bon Jovi. He says he is still working hard "behind the scenes," as proceeds benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Most of the work, however, is on his game.

He has played only 17 rounds on the PGA Tour this year, not returning to competition until the Masters after five months of coping with the fallout from extramarital affairs. He has only two top 10s, both coming in the majors. He has posted consecutive rounds in the 60s only once this year, at the Memorial, where he was never a factor.

The circumstances have changed, but this is the longest stretch Woods has gone without winning at the start of a season since 2002.

To find the right ball position

One of the most common mistakes amateurs make in the setup is faulty ball position. Specifically, a lot of players move the ball around far too much, particularly when it comes to the position for a long iron or hybrid (hit off the ground) versus the short irons and wedges. The problem with this technique is that it forces the player to make alterations to the swing that often lead to an inconsistent swing plane and impact position. Instead, try to keep the ball positioned off your front peck (chest muscle), and simply adjust the position of your back foot. For longer clubs, move it back; for shorter clubs, move it forward.

"A consistent ball position will lead to consistent contact. Don’t move the ball around, but rather, move your foot."

Stay Stacked

If you’re not familiar with the term “stacked,” as it applies to the golf swing, you should be. Basically, in a sound swing, the upper body should stay relatively balanced over the lower body without any significant leaning in any direction. At the far left, notice how my chest, shoulders and head are directly over my right thigh. I haven’t swayed in the backswing, but have simply coiled my chest over a flexed right leg. This is critical for loading up and creating power. At the upper right, you’ll see that my backside is sticking out rather than collapsing closer to the ball. This shows I’ve maintained my spine angle, which is also critical to a powerful swing.

"Allowing the majority of your body weight to move to your front foot at the top of the backswing is a huge mistake."

Promoting a better weight shift

A lot of players I see don’t hit the ball nearly as far as they could for the simple reason that they don’t move dynamically during the swing. In the photos above, you can see a simple drill I like to do to help promote a better weight shift. Basically I put my feet together at address, then shift my weight to my back foot in the backswing and step forward with my front foot as I prepare to shift my weight forward. It’s simple but it really works.

 

You won’t be able to create power if your body is static during the swing. You have to learn to shift your weight back and forward.

Putting controls

QUIP Tip: Bounce Angles

When it comes to chipping, the bounce angle of your wedges makes a big difference. If you struggle with fat shots, opt for a wedge with a higher bounce angle (the measure of angle between the leading edge and ground with the club upright). If you play on tighter lies, or if you hit the ball thin, try a wedge with a lower bounce angle.



Even though the hands ought to work as a unit during the putting stroke, each hand has a specific purpose. The left hand is responsible for squaring the putterface through impact. The right hand manages the loft of the putterface, also at impact. To get both hands working as they should, practice putting with one hand at a time. With the left, work on holing 5- to 10-footers. With the right hand, concentrate on your distance control from 10 to 20 feet by getting the ball to stop no more than a couple of feet past the hole. This will train both hands to work on their respective jobs independently so they become more effective at working together come time to make a real stroke.

What Not To Do:

Buy A Putter That Doesn’t Match Your Stroke

Buying a new putter these days can be complicated. As much as today’s models may be billed as “one-size-fits-all,” the reality is they aren’t. Different shapes, weights, lengths and so forth all can either enhance or corrupt a golfer’s putting stroke. For instance, if your stroke is straight back and through, mallets will help you become even straighter. If you arc it, a heel-toe blade will make it easier for you. Experiment with different models so you can be sure you have the right one for your stroke.

 

 

EQUIP Tip: Counterbalancing

Jack Nicklaus did it with lead tape under his grip. Counterbalancing isn’t anything new, but the Tour Lock Pro has made it a lot easier and more effective. With a series of weight options to choose from, the Tour Lock Pro counterbalancing can greatly affect the feel of any club (not just the putter) and, depending on whom you ask, make your stroke steadier and more balanced. I use it in all my clubs and swear by its effectiveness.