Editors Note: Each week, we receive hundreds of questions for our PGA Experts. Though we can't answer every one of them, we will take some of the most illuminating and beneficial questions and have one of the top authorities from the PGA of America to answer them for you. We are in the process of finding ways for more experts to answer more of your questions! Thank you for your support and keep the questions coming!

Instruction: Martin Hall, 2008 PGA Teacher of the Year

Q: I have tried to get into a routine where I stand behind the ball, locate a target, visualize the ball flight towards the target, setup and swing. The problem is, when I address the ball, I can never get my ball to go straight towards the target. The ball flight is straight, but it is either left or right of target line. What is the best, and most accurate, way to align your body with your ball and target? Thank you.
Chris Coffee

A: Aiming on line is not as easy as many people think. Probably the best way on the course is to pick an intermediate target, about 3ft in front of your ball on the target line which is how the great Jack Nicklaus did it. It is easier to aim at something a few feet away, than 200yrds away. I would also suggest when you practice that you always put a club on the ground, parallel to your target line to get your aim correct.
Regards,
Martin

Q: I need a good drill for developing a better lag with "the move" toward the ball and complementary improvement in clubhead speed. Thank you! Congratulations on all of your teaching success - I love your great passion for the game and teaching it!
Lee

A: "Lag" is a word used a lot in golf, and would just as easily be replaced with the word "sequence." The correct move from the top to improve clubhead speed is the weight shift to the front foot, leads the unwind of the hips, the unwind of the hips leads the shoulders, the shoulders lead the arms and hands, the arms and hands lead the club. Think of starting the downswing from the ground up, eventually dragging the club through. Hope that helps.
Regards,
Martin

Rules: Brad Gregory - Vice Chairman, PGA Rules Committee

Q: Must the player, whose ball is farther from the hole, play first? For instance: If player A is on the green 40 feet from the hole and player B if off the green 20 feet from the hole. Who plays next?
dana

A: It is player A's turn to play in match play or stroke play.

In match play, if player B plays first, Rule 10-1c (Order of Play; Match Play; Playing Out of Turn) tell us; there is no penalty, but player A may immediately require player B to cancel the stroke so made and, in correct order play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.

In stroke play, if player B plays first, Rule 10-2c (Order of Play; Stroke Play; Playing Out of Turn) explains; there is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies. So, in stroke play, there is no consequence unless in the rare case the Committee determines the players have agreed to play out of order to give one of them an advantage.

On the professional tours you see players playing out of turn all the time in stroke play. Such as when tapping in a short putts. There is no penalty for doing so and it tends to speed up play.

Q: I am a caddie at a course (Dunes Club) with a lot of tall fescue in areas through the green. In searching for balls in these areas, many times one of the searchers will step on the ball (which is buried beneath the grass and thus not visible) in order to find it. If this happens, is there a penalty and what is the procedure?
mike mcferron

A: The answer depends on who moved the ball. Rule 18-2a (Ball at Rest Moved; By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment; General) says in part: "When a player's ball is in play, if: (i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it"... "or causes the ball to move except as permitted by a Rule"... "the player incurs a penalty of one stroke."

If another player, one of their caddies or a spectator moves the ball in searching, there is no penalty. So they may search a little more aggressively.

In either case, if a searcher steps on the players ball, moving the ball and altering the lie, the ball must be replaced. This is where it gets complicated. If the original lie of the ball was known, the player must place the ball in the nearest lie most similar to the original lie that is not more than one club-length (see Decision 20-3b/4 and Rule 20-3b). If the original lie was not known, the player must drop the ball as near as possible to the place where it lay (see Decision 20-3b/5 and Rule 20-3c).

Equipment: Eric Hogge, PGA Professional - PGA Learning Center

Q: My question is, My glove alwasys wears out on the heel of the glove, why is this? am I gripping the club wrong ?

Gloves are a great asset to your game, but only if they fit correctly. (Photo: Getty Images)

A: Steve, there are a few reasons for wearing out a club's grip prematurely and yes an inefficient grip is one. Most gloves that I see from my amateur students wear too much in the palm of the hand. This not only leads to limitation in the hinging of the wrist joint during the swing but often causes the club to move in the hands during the swing causing the rubbing and the tearing of your gloves. The club should be held under the heal pad at the side of the top hand (left for right handed player) and not in the palm.

Another reason for gloves wearing out is grips that are too worn and too slick. This again would encourage the hands to move during the swing rubbing a gloves into an early retirement. I would check for the condition of your grips first and then speak with a PGA Professional about making your hands meet the club more efficiently.

Q: My wife is looking to get a good set of clubs this year, but the problem were having is she is 6ft tall and we talk to 6 different sales reps and we get 6 different answers, from just extending womens set to using seniors regular set. Right now she uses mens regular set and pushes the ball so i figure the shaft is to stiff. She swings 75-85 mph, which would be better senoirs or extending womens by an inch to fit. would womens clubs have to much flex in them for her. she wants the prety womens colors but not if she needs stiffer shafts.
Matt

A: Matt, my feeling, without seeing your wife's swing, would be to go with a men's senior shaft. At her height and speed, she would fit comfortable into this flex. I believe that extending women's clubs may create a flex that is too weak for her as most of the time when a club is extended the flex of the shaft plays weaker. There are some shafts that come in a more feminine look if this is desired. Recently, I fit one of my female students in a pink men's senior shaft for her driver because her swing fit into a stiffer flex and cosmetics were important to her.

Some people laugh at this but if the club is more appealing to my eye, I will hit it better. Do not discount the importance of the look of a club.

I appreciate your willingness to investigate with regard to club fitting. I would suggest going to a PGA club fitter with a great reputation. By asking friends and avid players in your area you will begin to hear a few names that you can then trust. At your wife's height and ability level there are issues other than flex that need to be considered ( lie angle, grip size, club head type, set make up...) and an experienced fitter can assist you with all of these considerations.

Fitness: David Donnatucci, PGA Director of Fitness

Q: I am a assistant golf professional and level III PGA apprentice in Northern NJ. At our club there is talk of promoting a golf fitness program this season. We have a small but very nice updated weight room at our facility that is just starting to get some use. As a PGA apprentice what do you reccomend I do for myself and starting a fitness program for my students?
Thanks.
Scott Higgins

A: Scott, there are a few things you can to start a fitness program.

1) spend a few days with me at the Learning center learning different programs and evaluations
2) take a TPI cpourse
3) attend different course offered on physical training by the PGA of America
4) attend seminars in physical training offered by the National Strength and Conditioning Association or similar organizations

As well as email or phone me to ask the next best avenue to pursue