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Tom's Featured Tip: Ball Compression Chart; Putting Tips; Driver Myths
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
Golf Ball Compression Chart
If you are wondering what kind of ball you should be playing, here's a link to a chart that will be very useful: Golf Ball Compression Chart
Putting Tip - Glove or No Glove
I had a friend of mine ask me if I ever putted while wearing my golf glove. My answer was yes - in very inclement weather, when I was actually wearing two cold/bad weather gloves.
It definitely gives you a different feel, and one reason could actually be a swing weight change. Anything added to the grip end of the club changes swing weight, and a glove on a hand qualifies. Two gloves makes the feeling even more prominent.
Very few professional golfers wear a golf glove when putting, but one that did was none other than Jack Nicklaus.
Here's what he had to say about wearing a glove while putting:
"The more you take a glove off, the greater the chance of stretching it out and having to replace it sooner. I never found an advantage or disadvantage to taking the glove off or leaving it on. I practiced putting many times without a glove on, and it never bothered me nor was it ever an advantage.
It should be about whether you knock the ball in the hole or not, not whether you are wearing a glove or not.
If you are worrying about wearing a golf glove, you're not worrying enough about making a good stroke and making the putt."
That's Jack all the way!
Bottom line - wear one if it's comfortable and if you feel that it gives you an advantage.
Putting Tip - Accuracy: Does Grip Type Matter?
I just read a study that proved that the grip type you use can affect your putting accuracy.
It stated that those players that use a toe hang putter (like most blade putters), tend to have their misses be consistently to the right. That's because those players most often use an arcing stroke, and that right miss is attributed to not squaring the face at impact.
The design of a pistol grip helps the hands square the face at impact, so players with that type of putter would benefit from a pistol grip.
Pistol Grip
In my own case, I had the exact pistol grip shown above installed on my mallet putter - a face balanced putter. I also noticed that my miss pattern was consistently left.
After I saw the research, I concluded that the opposite should also be true - that a pistol grip on a face balanced putter could contribute to a left bias miss. So I felt that the pistol grip on my putter - even though it felt great - was probably contributing to the left miss. As a result I switched back to a round design SuperStroke grip, which should solve that issue.
I hope.
It's been very accurate on my basement putting ramp, now we'll see how it performs on the course.
Driver Myths and Misconceptions
Here are several important driver myths that I heard about from a master clubfitter.
Shaft Length
The average pro plays with a shaft length of 44.75 inches, while the average shaft length of an off the shelf driver is 45.5 inches. Over 45 inches is too long for most players to be able to hit the sweet spot on the face often enough. To get feedback on sweet spot accuracy, you need to face map with impact decals or spray powder to see what's happening. Keep in mind that a shaft that's an inch longer only produces a couple more mph of swing speed, but face contact that's only a couple centimeters off center can cause a loss of ball speed that can produce a loss of up to 20 yards of carry. Striking the ball on the center of the face is still king.
Ball Speed
Ball speed is defined as the speed of the ball right after the impact interval. In plain English, it's the speed of the ball right after contact.
It should be the first bias for consideration when getting fitted for a driver, it's the most important launch characteristic to consider.
You could theoretically have what is generally considered to be a perfect launch angle and spin rate, but without maximum ball speed the ball won't carry as far as it should.
Contrary to popular belief, there's no one perfect launch angle and spin rate for all players.
A player with a slower swing speed needs a higher launch angle and more spin to carry the ball as far as he or she can. A player with a faster swing speed has more flexibility in both areas.
Clubfitting should bias ball speed first, then launch angle and spin rate.
The Shaft Is The Engine Of The Swing
The shaft is undeniably important, but 60% of a driver's performance is due to the head design and loft. So as far as importance goes, it's 60% driver head, 40% shaft.
The big takeaways here:
- striking the ball center face is still king
- ball speed is a priority consideration
- 60% driver head, 40% shaft
Comments: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
Golf Lessons
I conduct lessons at The Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
there's a link for Plum Creek info here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/
Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels, please contact
me - Tom Tucker - at (716) 474 3005 or email me at ttucker@rochester.rr.com
for more information.
Outdoor Lessons Details and Rates:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/lessonrates.html
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Testimonials:
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Sponsors
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All the best,
Tom Tucker
Teaching Pro, Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com
"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection!"
~ Ben Hogan