June ‘06 Golf Digest Instruction Commentary

This month's articles:

LESSON TEE – Tiger Woods. He doesn’t use Manuel’s words but his actions are text book de la Torre.

HANK HANEY – THE WAY OUT OF SAND. Open the club face—how much? Swing hard—how hard? Too general.

BUTCH’S BASICS – MASTER THE HALF-WEDGE. First, we have the old problem of vaguery…Set the hands forward—how forward. Swing the club back halfway to 3/4,--3/4 for a half-wedge? Second we have the erroneous notion that it is easy to leave ourself a full wedge to the target. We presume that we have the distance control to leave ourself a full wedge but not the distance control to make an 50 yard shot. This doesn’t make sense. If you were betting a hundred dollars would you bet that ten golfers would get the ball closer to the pin from 50 yards or 100 yards? I’d bet on 50 yards. Controlling the distance on a 50 yard wedge is done exactly as your would control the distance on a 15 foot putt. Watch the ball traveling on a line to the target and stopping there. When you toss a ball 15 feet you have no idea how far back to swing your arm. The same is true with how far back to swing the club. Let visualization take charge—you’ll be pleased with the result.

FLICK’S MASTER TIPS – ALWAYS HIT TO A TARGET. Ok.

WATSON’S SHORTCUTS – HOW TO CHIP UPHILL. Ok.

ERNIES EASY TIPS – SPLASH IT OUT. Ok.

MCLEAN’S SWING FIXES – FIRE YOU RIGHT SIDE. Try this experiment. Set up at address then notice that you can put your hip, elbow, foot, and knee in exactly the position Jim prescribes without moving the club. So how is firing you right side supposed to take advantage of the “tremendous power stored in your legs and hips?” The club speed is in your arms.

LEADBETTER’S LESSONS – HOW TO SQUARE THE FACE. David’s description of the club face hand relationship is valid but controlling the club face is not something that you have to “make happen”. By using a correct grip, you place your hands on the club in a way that a free fluid swing will “let it happen”.

GOLF DIGEST SCHOOL – HITTING OUT OF FAIRWAY BUNKERS. Ok.

3 STEPS TO GREAT PUTTING. 1. Read—“Finding the line your want your ball to start on” is a lot easier when that line is straight. Stan’s method of find the curved path of a breaking putt is more difficult than Manuel’s approach of find the straight line to a point to the side of the cup. 2. Set up—Ok. 3. Stroke—Oops! Stan’s conclusion that the shaft should be “leaning slightly” toward the target otherwise you’ve hit with the hands is not true. First if the shaft is leaning forward the putter is de-lofted and second if the putter is swinging the head and shaft should both arrive at the bottom of your arc at exactly the same time.

Breaking 100. Once again we read the words handle forward, ball back, trap the ball. Why we need a different set up for chipping is never explained. The sand wedge is designed for a high trajectory and little roll. With the ball back and handle forward the player no longer has that soft shot in their repertoire.
Regarding “swing the handle”, if you look at the photo you can see that the handle is moving in a straight line not a circle. Swinging is circular John is not swinging the handle.

Breaking 90. Ok.

Breaking 80. Ok. Except if the ball goes left its not because the shaft is leaning backwards (that would just add loft). Left means the club head traveled left or the right hand closed the club face.