I know it might be hard to answer this question but what causes a pull hook? and is there any drills that might cure this problem?

Thanks for your help

Kerry

Kerry:We have all seen photos of Tour players after impact with their arms extended. At impact the arms are not fully extended but should be at a point 3-4 feet post impact. Commonly, the shortening of the arms and the weight remaining on the back foot causes one to pull hook the golf ball. We shorten our arms to avoid crash landing the golf club into the ground. Two things need to improve.....your arms and your weight shift forward.

Drill # 1: With a short iron make a normal backswing and abbreviate your swing after impact to finish with the club at waist high pointing to the target. It's going to feel like a punch shot. This will help you lengthen your arms, check the clubface to ensure that the leading edge is vertical and gets you off your back foot.

Give that a try and report back.

-- Bill Forrest, 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year

Rolling of the wrist or closing the club face release is that something I do? or it just follows a good grip and set up I still hit to many slices and hard fades

Jett

Jett: Some golfers have a "body release", some release the golf club with their hands, others with their forearms. A lot of what you need to do depends on your grip. If your grip is strong your hands should be more passive or quiet, if your grip is weak the hands and/or forearms need to be more active. In a perfect world your grip would be neutral and you would not have to promote excessive hand action.

Check your grip, neutralize it, check your takeaway stopping with the club waist high and look to see that the leading edge tilts slightly forward with an angle comparable to your spine angle. Using a mirror take the club to the top, to a parallel position and look for a 30 degree angle and the leading edge. By checking the position of the club in these two positions you will ensure that the club face is square and not open. If needed, add a little forearm rotation pre-impact to square the face. I'm going to guess that your grip is weak or the clubface is being opened in the takeaway.

Check back with me if you are still hitting slices.

-- Bill Forrest, 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year

I was having problems getting my ball off the ground from the tee, so I moved the ball well forward in my stance. I was getting the ball up, but now I have a bad hook with a lot of spin. From the tee the ball goes about 70 yards hooking then dives straight to the ground. What would be the main source of this. Thanks

jeremy

Jeremy: By moving the ball forward in your stance the club has a chance to release and move left after impact. It sounds to me that these two things are exaggerated by making this adjustment. Without seeing your golf swing, I'm going to guess that your swing is too shallow or round?! My advice is to practice hitting fades in an effort to hit it straight. All the things you may be doing wrong will be eliminated by trying to fade the golf ball.

1. If your tendency is to aim to the right, set up open in an effort to hit a fade.

2. To hit a fade keep the ball forward in your stance.

3. Feel the club being swung parallel to your foot line or a little straighter and less round on the takeaway. Firm up your hands through impact and don't allow the toe to beat the heel to the ball.

I am thinking that you have a tendency to aim right, swing the club too much around your body on both sides, and have the clubface closed at impact.

Practice hitting fades and I'm going to guess you'll hit it straight.

Check back with me if the hooks persist.

-- Bill Forrest, 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year

I purchased my investment cast irons in 1991. I play golf at least every week and 2-3 times a week from April to October. I have difficulty spinning the ball. Could the grooves be too worn to put good spin on the ball and is it time to invest in new irons? Can irons be re-grooved?

Brooks

It sounds like you have logged in a fair amount of golf with that iron set from 1991. You probably have a set of irons that feature "V" grooves. Depending on where you play, they probably have worn down over time.

Here are my suggestions:

1.) If you have become attached to that set of irons, send them out to get re-grooved with "U" grooves and get them refinished at one of the companies offering these services. I have used The Golfworks in Newark, Ohio for my own equipment. This outfit requires a few months lead time but they do a fantastic job at a fraction of the cost of a new set of irons.

2.) You can upgrade your set (and technology) by purchasing a new set of irons. Most of the new sets have advanced features; one being "U" grooves. If you choose this route, it is imperative that you schedule a fitting session with a qualified PGA Professional that uses a "lie" board and utilizes ball flight for feedback. Your PGA Professional will assist you in making the correct choice for your equipment.

-- Tom Henderson, PGA Professional/Master Club Fitter

What is the difference between the regular and seniors flex in graphite shafts?

Andrew

Andrew:

Golf shafts, regardless of their composition, are classified into several categories of "flex", namely:

X - Extra Stiff or Extra Firm

S - Stiff or Firm

R - Regular

A - Senior

L - Ladies

The above flexes are listed from stronger to weaker.

A general rule is: the faster you swing the club, the firmer the shaft flex you will need. If you are a smooth swinger and need a help with trajectory and distance, experiment with a softer shaft. If you move the golf club along at a quick pace and are looking for more control, try a firmer shaft.

-- Tom Henderson, PGA Professional/Master Club Fitter

Are there specific ways to adjust your swing or tecnique to prevent or reduce "golfer's elbow?"

Tony K.

Golfers elbow is caused by an early release of the wrists on the downswing or a scooping action through impact. This is usually the result of your swing path being outside to in or your body being out of position. If you put your right arm (for a right handed golfer)out in front of you and bent your right wrist backward so that the back of your right hand and wrist created an angle your would want to maintain that angle as long as you could into impact. When you lose that angle and your hand goes the opposite way you are early releasing the club early and creating stress on the elbow that causes golfers elbow. See your local PGA pro for a lesson and they will be able to help you with your early release.

-- Dave Phillips, PGA Professional - Titleist Performance Institute

Is a Ball Retriever considered one of the 14 clubs allowed in

the bag?

Dave

All ball retriever would not be considered one of your 14 clubs even if it is in your golf bag. It is considered your "equipment" though and subject to any of the rules that might apply to equipment such as a ball in motion striking your equipment (Rule 19).

-- John Crumbley, PGA Professional, Rules Expert

How many clubs can you legally bring onto a course to play?

Sean,

Rule 4-4 of the USGA Rules of Golf says that a player must start his round with not more than 14 clubs and he is limited to those clubs for that round. The rule also allows the player to add clubs if he started the round with less that 14 clubs so long as the total does not exceed 14.

-- John Crumbley, PGA Professional, Rules Expert