About the Yips
The Nature of a Nasty Stroke
July 16, 2006
Probably the most dreaded shot in golf is the shank. And the shank, which is when we hit the ball with the neck of the club rather than the clubface, unfortunately travels in herds. I will see a golfer at the driving range hit one or two of the ugly things, the ball squirting off at right angles to the target or rolling disgracefully twenty yards out, and next thing you know that is the only shot he can hit. But the strange thing is that the person in the next stall will start firing off those disgusting hosel-rockets too. Soon enough, half of the people at the range will inexplicably start peeling off shots in every direction and they will look around to see if anyone was watching, or they will glance accusingly at their clubhead as if their equipment suddenly malfunctioned. Read more
Absolutely Great Putting
The Search for the “Right” Stroke
March 19, 2006
Until Tiger came on the scene, Jack Nicklaus was widely considered to be the best putter of all time, at least in terms of making a putt when it is needed the most. Nicklaus’ unique crouching stance, open alignment, and the resulting stroke make one thing clear about putting—it is not just about having “textbook” mechanics. No doubt Nicklaus’ putting stroke managed to satisfy the laws of physics or he would not have dropped so many putts during his incredible career; but what set Jack apart was his ability to make a great stroke despite the gremlins of fear and all the other demons of distraction that whisper in our ears when we pick up the flat stick. Read more
Kiss Three-Putts Goodbye
How to Learn Distance Control in Putting
October 27, 2004
“There is no point in taking a putting lesson,” I have heard people say. “It is an individual thing,” they say. While I agree that there are many different styles of putting that get results, there are also some underlying principles that help most people get better on the greens. And putting is such a crucial part of scoring in golf that it is better not left to random experimentation. Read more
Of Two Minds
Playing and Practicing Require Two Different Mental Approaches
October 13, 2004
Playing golf and practicing are two completely different parts of the game, with different goals and mindsets. For this reason golfers who try to play and practice at the same time are not really doing either. Read more
With Confidence Comes Success
How the teacher learned a lesson
August 25, 2004
It is always a bittersweet experience when one of my junior golfers achieves a level of golf that he can beat me on the course. The competitor in me does not enjoy it much, but the instructor gets to take a little pride in the success of the young player. In the case of one of my juniors, not only has he become too tough to handle on the course, but he helped to shape the way I approach teaching the game. Read more
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