"15 Minutes of Body Action Drills Are More
Important Than Hitting 200 Balls"
Tom's Featured Tip: Wedges & Spin - The Common Misconception
Lesson Comments: What Students Have To Say
Sponsors & Affiliates:
Batavia Country Club
The Divot Board
The Impact Snap
The Rypstick
SuperSpeedGolf.com
Club Champion
Buying a sponsored product through any of my affiliate links helps support this free newsletter, and I only affiliate with excellent products that I use myself. Thanks, Tom
Buy Gift Certificates for Lessons Sample Gift Certificate
Outdoor Golf lessons are available at The Batavia Country Club. Please call me (Tom Tucker) at 716 474 3005, email me at TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com, or visit my website at http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/lessonrates.html for details.
Subscribe - http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/signup.html If you like this newsletter, please do me a favor and forward it to your friends so that they may subscribe, thanks!
The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter.
For photos and stories from the 2021 Junior Golf Camp at BCC, click here:
2021 BCC Junior Golf Camp
For details on the 2022 Junior Golf Camp at BCC, click here:
2022 BCC Junior Golf Camp The Junior Golf Camp sold out quickly in 2021, so get your junior golfer registered soon. Call BCC at (585) 343-7600
Wedges & Spin - The Common Misconception
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
Two Great Training Aids For Indoor or Outdoor Practice
The Divot Board
This is the most useful ball striking development training aid that I own.
Click here ImpactSnap.com to buy now. Start using the ImpactSnap training aid indoors or outdoors to make you instantly aware of proper hand and wrist action, which is second only to low point awareness for great ball striking.
Wedges & Spin - The Common Misconception
In this off season I decided to get better at my wedge play.
Part one of my two part plan was/is to broaden my knowledge base, and part two was/is getting in the reps where I teach in the winter, Indoor Lessons
I evaluated a few top teaching pro's, and bought a few courses. In my current profession, as well in previous professions, I would attend seminars from people that were at the top of their game in their field, if only to come away with one good idea. That was my goal.
I did pick up some ideas from a course I bought from a famous short game guru, I'm not mentioning his name, but I was EXTREMELY disappointed when he said this in one of his videos: "the grooves have to be sharp to get spin on the ball".
GROOVES DO NOT IMPART SPIN
Let me say that again
GROOVES DO NOT IMPART SPIN
It really irritates me when teachers who profess to be knowledgeable make mistakes like that. There's really no excuse for it.
It disappointed me to the point that I was going to ask for a refund, but I didn't because I did get a few good ideas that I will implement in my own training and student lessons (after I've mastered them personally).
However, I did email him to make him aware of his mistake. I haven't heard back from him and probably won't after he googles "do grooves on a wedge cause a ball to spin".
It's a common misconception that grooves are what creates the spin on the golf ball. However, the actual job of the grooves is to remove debris and moisture between the golf ball and the clubface at impact.
Friction is the main cause of spin, and friction is imparted on the ball when there is clean contact between clubface and ball. Cleaner contact equals more spin. It's that simple.
If you wear down the sweet spot on your wedge through play and practice, there will be less friction imparted on the ball, and the function of the worn down grooves in that area will also be sub-optimal. Then it's time for a new wedge, not a groove sharpener. They are pretty useless except for cleaning your grooves.
Backspin is generated by the loft of the clubface not the shape, quantity or depth of the grooves on the club. When a ball is hit it gets compressed. This compression and the friction between the ball and the clubface cause the backspin.
What about rust? Several pro's play "raw" wedges that eventually develop some rust on the face. Rust adds texture. Texture can add friction, and friction is what provides spin. So yes, rust can add an element of spin to your shots, but my guess is that it's probably minimal.
So to get the maximum spin from your wedge play, use a ball that has high spin properties, focus on striking the ball on the downward portion of your downswing arc, lean the shaft towards the target at impact, and take a divot after ball contact with your full wedge shots.
Striking the ball this way will result in good compression, which in turn will put more spin on the ball.
As far as the lie goes, a clean lie is a prerequisite to have a clean lie to produce maximum spin on the ball.
If you are looking for a wedge that will be good for spinning the ball, find a wedge with good texture on the face of the club.
I actually have two wedges that I use for chipping - one with high texture for maximum checking chips, and one with less texture for a minimal check and release chip. You can execute those types of shots with technique, but having equipment that lends itself to maximize a certain result can be an added benefit.
Get it right and you'll like it.
Email Comments: to TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, The Stack and Tilt Swing
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
Golf Lessons
I am now conducting lessons at The Batavia Country Club
Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels, please contact
me - Tom Tucker - at (716) 474 3005 or email me at TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
for more information.
Outdoor Lessons Details and Rates:
Outdoor Lessons Details and Rates
Indoor Lessons Details and Rates:
Indoor Lessons Details and Rates
Testimonials:
http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/testimonials.html
Sponsors and Affiliates
Buying a sponsored product through any of my affiliate links helps support this free newsletter, and I only affiliate with excellent products that I use myself. Thanks, Tom
Batavia Country Club (585) 343-7600 www.bataviacc.com
Great rates, the best greens in WNY.
Golf Digest Four Star rating for public courses to play in New York State.
Tee times online or by phone in season.
FISH FRYS AT BCC and other delicious dinner specials with soup and salad bar - Fridays, 4pm - 9pm
Train with a Rypstick to improve your swing speed and gain more distance off the tee. If the versatility of three different swing weights in one club appeals to you, this is your swing speed training aid of choice.
.jpg)
Click here Rypstick.com to buy now, and make sure that you enter TOMTUCKERGOLF (case sensitive) in the Discount code box when you check out to receive a 5% discount.
Click here to buy your Divot Board to drastically improve your ball-striking. Combine your Divot Board practice and putting practice with the included putting lesson drills, and watch your scoring improve1.
Use your club or hand to re-set the board after your strike
Click here to buy now for outstanding Ball-Striking practice feedback
BONUS: when you buy through the newsletter link above, you'll also receive free access to my Putting Lesson Videos ($50 value) which cover: The Elevated Aimline Drill, The Squareness Awareness Drill, The Aimline Accuracy Drill, The Stock Putting Stroke Drill, The Barrier Drill, The Short Putt Channel Drill, and more.
Train with the Impact Snap training aid to improve your hand and wrist coordination for a powerful strike. A Golf Digest 2021 Editors Choice Training Aid
Click here ImpactSnap.com to buy now and start using a great training aid that can be used indoors or outdoors.
Click here SuperSpeedGolf.com to buy this swing speed training aid and increase your distance off the tee.
SuperSpeedGolf.com Buy now and get to work on increasing your swing speed now.
Club Champion Don't waste another dollar on clubs until you've gone through a fitting at Club Champion, 1669 Pittsford Victor Rd., Suite 400, Victor NY 14564. Call Master Fitter & Builder Jeff St. John. PGA work: (585) 978-8513, cell: (585) 831-2292 to schedule your fitting today1 Mention my name and you'll get special attention.
All the best,
Tom Tucker
Teaching Professional, Batavia Country Club
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com
"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection1"
~ Ben Hogan