ESPN Golf

More tips: 3/6 | 3/13

You asked ... we answered.

ESPN.com has teamed with ESPN Golf Schools to offer users an outlet for their golf frustrations. You e-mailed us your problems, and ESPN Golf Schools instructors offer their solutions to five of them below.

Keep the questions coming! The next round of answers will appear Thursday, April 3.

Q. I want to learn to "stop" the ball on the green. I am pretty good around the green but have never been able to apply enough backspin . . . I use Balata balls, and have a diamond-face 60-degree wedge; what can I do?
Michael Bowerman
Los Angeles

A. There are a few factors to consider when you talk about putting spin on the ball: ball used, firmness of green, firmness of fairway, ball position, release and angle of spine at impact.

I see you are using a Balata ball and a diamond-face wedge. Check your ball position and let's make sure that it is in the middle to slightly back in your stance. Take your set-up position and make sure your hands are slightly in front of the ball at address.

During your swing, maintain your spine angle, making sure you are not pulling up and out of the shot at impact. Assuming all the conditions I mentioned earlier are correct, it now becomes a release issue. Let's make sure that you are not scooping the ball and you have the proper release at impact.

The hands should return at impact slightly forward of the clubface, and then the left arm (for a right-handed golfer) should continue to rotate and fold. This will make a descending angle of approach to help put spin on the ball.

This method should be used for a shot that lofts over a sand trap or water hazard.

If you are having trouble with spin on a low shot, do the following. Set up with the same ball position as above. Place your hands slightly forward of the ball. Lean your body weight onto your left side (again, for a right-handed golfer). This will ensure a descending angle of approach. Make a swing and allow the hands to lead the club through the shot. When you stop to inspect the finish, the club should still be behind the hands. Good luck.
Mike Richards
ESPN Golf School Instructor

Q. I am a caster -- meaning I come over the top and hit a fade, to slice, to banana. I am having the worst time trying to overcome this. Casting doesn't seem to hurt my iron play too much, but when I put a driver in my hands the problem seems to be exaggerated. Are there any drills to stop the casting? I work the ball left to right naturally and would eventually like to learn to hit a draw.
Richard
Charlotte, N.C.

A. Casting, or coming over the top, is primarily caused when the shoulders dominate the arms on the downswing. You are swinging with too much tension in your shoulders.

Try a drill where your left foot remains on the ground, but your right foot is on a "tippy-toe" pulled 6-to-8 inches farther away from the ball than it would usually be. This will move your right hip away from the ball as well. Swing your clubhead to the top of your backswing and stop. Keep your torso where it is, and let your arms fall so that is feels as though the club-head will beat your right hip to the ball. Before the clubhead reaches the ball, allow your right forearm to rotate over your left forearm.

Now swing back up to the top of your backswing, keep your torso where it is and repeat the falling-arm motion one more time. Then swing back up to the top of the backswing and this time allow your arms to swing all the way into your target area past your body. You will feel as though the golf club is taking you with it, as opposed to feeling as though your shoulders are pulling the club-head through.

In summary, your cure is to swing the club with your arms and allow your forearms to rotate the clubface through the ball to produce a slight draw.
Doug Roberts
ESPN Golf School Instructor

Q. I love the game, and when I was in the Marine Corps, I played all over. I retired 23 years ago and my clubs got stolen. I am now trying again to play. My problem is everything goes left off the tee; it starts out straight then veers to the left. But it's only off the tee, my irons are great. I stand 5-foot-10, 250 pounds ... and sure would appreciate some help in this area. Hell, the guys I play with are starting to call me lefty or bush man. Thank you for your time.
Fred Gutierrez
Alamogordo, New Mexico

A. A hook is caused by a closed clubface (pointing to the left of the intended target) at impact. With higher lofted clubs like short irons, there will be less of an effect from a closed clubface. Since the driver is the least lofted club, any hook is exaggerated.

Since your irons do not hook, it sounds like you may have an equipment problem. The amount of clubhead offset and shaft flex/torque in your driver could both be contributing to your hook.

"Offset" is a design feature to reduce slice and create hook. The clubface is set back (offset) from the club hosel and shaft, allowing the clubface to turn to the left earlier through the impact area. With your big hook, you need to use a driver with little or no offset.

From your personal description, it sounds like you may be too strong for the shaft in your driver. Most drivers come with graphite shafts. If this is what you are using it may be too flexible and too light for you. Try using a stiffer graphite shaft or better yet -- a steel shaft. Good luck!
Ross Kroeker
ESPN Golf School Instructor

Q. I am a 15 handicapper using casted golf clubs. My problem is my shots are always high, like my 7-iron seems like a pitching wedge. I'm using a regular flex, do you think a firm or stiff would be right for me?
Randy Alas
Sugar Land, Texas

A. It seems to me that if your 7-iron shots are the height of your pitching wedge shots you have more of a problem than stiffness of shaft. By using a stiffer shaft this will not guarantee your ball flight will come down. I believe you have a release problem.

I'm going to assume Randy that you are right-handed. If you are seeing excessive loft from your clubs, you are probably adding this loft due to the right hand flipping or scooping at impact. I would go to the range and work on the proper rotation of your forearms and clubface.

One way I get my students to understand release is to have them get into a good posture. Let the left arm hang freely down from the shoulder socket. Make a fist and point the thumb straight out. Swing the arm back (like a backswing) to about hip high, pointing the thumb to the sky. Now, on the downswing, allow the left arm to rotate and fold and the thumb should end up in a hitchhiking position with the left wrist flat.

Tension usually causes the right hand to scoop the club with the clubface looking at the sky at impact. I would also recommend having less tension in your arms at address as well as impact.

You should go find a teaching professional in your area that will video your golf swing. Have this pro help you see impact, and see if you are scooping the club. Look for the left wrist to be bent at impact with the clubhead past your hands.

As for your question of regular vs. stiff, I would have this same pro help you with this once you take care of the face at impact. You will be able to answer this question once the ball contact is consistent. I hope this helps.
Mike Richards
ESPN Golf School Instructor

Q. I tend to hit line drives/worm burners with my long irons. What can I do to improve ball striking with longer irons?
Jason Hart
Idaho Falls

A. Jason, the first thing to look at is your ball position, make sure that it is not to far forward in your stance. I would suggest placing it maybe one-ball width forward of center in your stance; this should make it much easier to strike the ball at the bottom of the arc, thus getting it airborne. Hope this helps!
Gary Gnapp
ESPN Golf School Instructor