Rules: Brad Gregory - Vice Chairman, PGA Rules Committee

Q: While playing in my regular Sunday group a strange incident occurred. My ball was in a fairway bunker. My playing partner hit his shot and a large divot landed directly on top my ball in the bunker. They told me to remove it but I treated it as a "loose impediment" and thus played my ball as it lay. Could I or the other player have removed the divot?

A: This is a great question. It illustrates the principle that a player is entitled to the lie he had when his ball came to rest. Decision 13-4/18 (Partner's, Opponent's, or Fellow-Competitor's Divot Comes to Rest Near Player's Ball in Bunker) answers this very question. In equity (Rule 1-4) the divot may be removed by anyone. There are some exceptions to this principle. One of which, is if the player himself worsens his lie.

Fitness: David Donnatucci, PGA Director of Fitness

Q: If you are limited by time ie 15 mins before tee off, what are the essential warm up drills that can help you prepare best ?
Regards
Andy (16 handicap)

A: Andy
The best warm-up is really dependant upon your physical restrictions.
Meaning if you have a hip stability problem you want to work on hip stability during your warm-up. Some warm-up ideas are Torso rotations, Hip rotations, lunge to rotation, butt kicks, and single leg swings.

Equipment: Eric Hogge - PGA Learning Center

Q: How do I know if the driver I use is the proper length? It was a hand-me down and I need to purchase my own. Thanks
kevin margraf

A: Kevin,
The longer the driver is the greater potential there is for distance because longer levers can swing faster. The driver is the only club where a player is trying to maximize distance. Every other club needs to go a specific distance. For instance, I do not want a 7-iron to go further than its prescribed distance and over the green. Potential is the key word. Having said this, there are many factors that create distance. The more a player strikes the ball in the center of the club, the more the clubface is square to the path on which the club is traveling and the quality of the ball in play are just a few of the factors that impact the distance and quality of the shot.

The short answer is that you need to find a length shaft where you can consistently strike the center of the clubface. You can measure impact locations with face tape. This tape adheres to you clubface and will leave an impression on the tape (imagine carbon paper). Leave the tape on the face of your driver for a few swings (4-6) and see where your impact cluster is located. If it is not consistently in the sweet spot, a shorter driver might be advisable.

The longer answer is that you need to go to a PGA Professional to get fit correctly. Length, although a very important factor, is not the only consideration in maximizing your potential distance and maximizing your enjoyment in the game.

Q: How do I know which golf ball is better for me? I'm a 15 handicap, mostly slice of the tee and swing pretty fast. Doug

A: Doug,
When deciding on golf balls a player needs to be able to control the spin and have a ball that feels good. Launch monitors can tell you what your back spin is as well as your side spin. There are specific back spin rates at specific ball speeds to maximize distance. For instance, a tour player with ball speeds in the 170s most likely will need much less spin than I do in the 150s for maximum distance.

In general, if you are slicing your shots, a high spin ball could make matters worse. More spin will help the ball stop on the green but will slice the ball more as well. There are a few other factors in ball fitting that fall into the "feel" category. For instance, a harder, less spin ball may not feel the way you want it to around the green and with your wedges even though it helps your full shots.

I would see your local PGA professional for some personal help. Until then, I would stay away from high spin golf balls.