THE PROBLEM WITH TOO MUCH BOUNCE ON A WEDGE
6 May 2013

THE PROBLEM WITH TOO MUCH BOUNCE ON A WEDGE

One of the biggest faults I see in intermediate and advanced golfers in their short games is they create too much lag in their pitching and chipping swings. That is, they lead with the hands too much and the clubhead lags behind.  This usually stems from a powerful swing which compresses the ball. This golfer often struggles with touch around the greens and often struggles with taking too big of a divot. The problem I see stems from the selection of wedges that they are using. I teach my students to use low-bounce wedges, which help to get the leading edge under the ball without having to lead with the wrists. Leading with the hands through impact creates a low punchy style of a shot that is often inconsistent, and runs out too much and creates usually quite a deep divot. By using wedges with less bounce, the golfer can play the ball farther forward in their stance, open the face slightly, and use a smooth “armsie” swing and still get the leading edge under the ball without hitting it skinny or driving the leading edge deep into the ground. It is important, when playing the short game this way, that the clubface is fractionally open, and the ball is played up in the stance. If we open the face on a high-bounce wedge, the leading edge is raised too high off turf, and we will run the risk of hitting it skinny or be forced to hit down on the ball too much.  this leads to getting too steep, creating a lower-than-desired shot that relies on spin and a good bounce.
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PLAYING BETTER GOLF IS UP TO YOU
3 May 2013

PLAYING BETTER GOLF IS UP TO YOU

In many places around the country, the golf season is just getting underway. Clubs are coming out of their hibernating places such as garages or attics, club lockers, or car trunks. And, the quest for the perfect golf swing begins again. It seems like each season there is a new theory on how to do something that people have been doing for hundreds of years. It is often easy to become over-reliant on the words of a golf teacher to the point of forgetting that golf requires time and repetition. Not to say that a teacher isn’t relevant, but understand that the teacher/student relationship is really a journey in self-discovery. Unfortunately, golfers good and bad will try anything that even hints at being the one thing that they think will quickly make them better. If it is on the cover of a magazine or a 30-second spot on TV, a note to self is recorded and off to the range one goes. Many of my friends are like this, and probably yours, too: Eternal experimenters, quick-fix searchers, and generally on a path to failure. I am going to paraphrase from a recent article I came across in a popular golf magazine. Getting better at golf requires a deeply personal engagement. It is a subtle and difficult process that is always a mystery. In essence, what it comes down to is that golf is hard. When I contemplate that, I often recall the movie A League of their Own, when character Jimmy Dugan is told by his player that baseball is too hard, his response is classic: “It’s supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” We should never forget that golf is a journey, a winding road with many ups and downs. There are guides to help along the way. In the end, however, it is up to you.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF BALL POSITION AND STANCE WIDTH
3 May 2013

THE IMPORTANCE OF BALL POSITION AND STANCE WIDTH

Ball position and stance width are two key fundamentals that can have a great effect on a golfer’s impact position.  The following data is an average of the measurements for these positions from over 100 Tour players.  How do you measure up?  Ball Position
  • For the driver, the ball is positioned directly in line with the lead foot instep.
  • The ball slightly moves progressively back in the stance with each club.
  • From the driver to the 9-iron, the ball moves back 2.7 inches for Tour professionals.
  • For individuals with extremely wide stances, the ball can move slightly further back but not more than 5 inches or past the center point.
Stance Width
  • The stance width with a 5-iron should be shoulder width.
  • The driver stance is the widest, with averages near 2 inches outside of the shoulders for each foot.
  • The 9-iron stance is 2 inches narrower than each shoulder.
  • The lead foot is opened toward the target (flared) 25 degrees.
Distance from the ball  These are measurements with standard clubs from the end of the lead foot (toe) to the center of the ball.  Excessively large or small foot size can change this slightly.  The average foot size is 11. Proper distance from the ball (toe to center of the ball) is dictated mostly by length of club. This distance can also be affected by numerous body characteristics, including height (taller = closer), shoulder and hip width (narrower = closer), arm length (shorter = closer), and foot size (larger = closer).  The reality is that most people will fall between these tolerances.  Height, arms, hips, and foot size only have a slight effect on distance.
  • The driver distance (45- to 46-inch driver) is between 32 to 36 inches from the ball (pro average: 33 to 34 inches)
  • The 5-iron distance is between 22 to 26 inches (average 24 inches).
  • The 9-iron distance is between 18 to 22 inches (average 22 inches)
  • For every inch in length of a golf club, there is a .5 inch (1/2 inch) difference in distance.
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SLOW PLAY: ARE WE RESPONSIBLE?
12 Apr 2013

SLOW PLAY: ARE WE RESPONSIBLE?

There is a weekly money game at one of the local country clubs in Kansas near my home.  There are a lot of great players in the game, including mini-tour players.  A few months back I was paired with two mini-tour players, along with a top local college player.  We were the fourth out of six groups to tee off in the money game.  Five hours later we finished, at least two holes, if not three, behind the group in front of us. During the round, I mentioned that we were falling behind the group in front of us, and we needed to pick up our pace.  I guess my opinions went on deaf ears because we never sped up at all.  After our round, I wasn’t very happy with our pace; I felt like I worried about it the entire round, and therefore, had a negative outlook on the game.  I paid my debts, and went my merry way home. The next day I couldn’t quit thinking about how slow these good players were.  I started to think about why we were so slow and it came down to two major areas.  The first area was routine or process, while the other area was the timing of starting the process.  These ideas turned into many thoughts about teaching professionals and how we teach pre-shot routines. For the most part, I think we all teach that you should have a routine for all shots.  The point of a routine is to keep you calm when you are nervous, help get you back on track when things are bad, and help you go lower when things are going really good.  But, do we teach the players to become so engaged to their routine that they forget about common sense pace of play? All three players had full-shot routines that took about two minutes.  It seemed the more time one player took, the next player would take more.  It was amazing to me to see someone back off a shot more than four or five times.  It showed me that they were forcing their routine because of the self-doubt in their decisions.  I would like to see players be more confident in their decisions and play the shot. The other thing that amazed me was none of the players started their routine, including pre-reads, until the other player was finished.  This is something that makes me feel that their coach has failed them.  Students should be taught to do their pre-reads all the time, whether they are walking up to their ball or walking from the cart to the green.  This helps them continually assess what they want to do and to be more decisive. It is our responsibility to grow the game and help players get more enjoyment.  One way we can help this is to instruct players to move along at a good pace.  Not only does it benefit them, but it benefits everyone in the group and on the course.  If we teach “common sense” pace of play skills to our students, then they will help better the game.
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FUNDAMENTALS ALWAYS WORK!
12 Apr 2013

FUNDAMENTALS ALWAYS WORK!

As the spring season makes its way into many parts of the northern US and Canada, players that have been dreaming of playing golf on their favorite courses are now getting really excited about the 2013 golf season.,,   For those of us that live in the Sun Belt, we have been in full golf season for almost six months and are starting to see our winter friends leave for their homes in the north. A few weeks ago, I started my middle-school golf program and was thrilled to have almost 30 young players show up for golf from grades 3 to 8. As we started out training programs, we were spending a lot of time on the chipping and putting greens working on our short games. On one afternoon, as we made our way to the chipping green at our local public course, I noticed an older woman on the chipping green working on her short game. Now, what caught my attention is what she was doing. She had 10 balls and a 9-iron, and she was working her way around the chipping green hitting basically the same 25-foot chip from many different angles. She was terrific, chipping almost all of her shots to within a few feet of each hole. I watched her for about 5 to 10 minutes with the kids. I told all of them to watch what she was doing, and her fundamentals were outstanding. She had a simple setup, narrow stance, weight forward, and open feet with an open hip. Her hands held the club softly but firmly, and each shot had that perfect little “click” as she hit each short firmly with a descending blow. The result: A little loft, hop and roll right next to the hole. My lesson to the kids as we were watching this exhibition was that her fundamentals were outstanding and that her practice was simple and productive. I had to finally ask her about her game, and she was so gracious, said she had been a good player for a long time, over 60 years, and she has always practiced her short game with her 9-iron. She felt that the shot she was practicing was the shot that she faced the most when she played. You could tell she was very good at the shot – fundamentals always work!
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LOFT IS YOUR FRIEND
12 Apr 2013

LOFT IS YOUR FRIEND

As the spring season makes its way into many parts of the northern US and the Masters starts to loom on everyone’s must-watch golf radar, I wanted to write about the new technology that has come out in the driver market for 2013. There are some really great new products from all the major manufacturers this spring, many with new technology that allows players to adjust their clubs to fit their games with changeable hosel and new weight systems. For many low-handicap players, the ability to adjust the clubhead just slightly can make a big difference in the shot patterns and launch angles of any new driver. As many of you know, I make a living selling golf equipment, so I wanted to share with you some information that I have been finding though our demo days in South Florida. Watch your loft! We have been finding that, with many of the new adjustable drivers, the goal has been to lower spin rates to get maximum roll on all drives. Lowering spin rates are great – if you get the ball in the air on the right launch angle. Many players have tried to lower their spin by using lower-lofted drivers. For many, lowering the launch angle too much can actually be detrimental. My suggestion is that if you are thinking about getting a new adjustable driver this spring, find the one that works best for you on a launch monitor. Then, try to add at least 1.5 degrees of loft to the driver with the adjustable settings to see how it changes the characteristics of the ball flight. Once you get your new driver, take it out to play nine holes on a course that you know pretty well with the club set on the standard position, and then on the back nine adjust the driver to have a higher loft. Pay close attention to the distance, launch of the ball, the ball, and the curvature of the shot. You may be surprised to see that the higher-lofted setting may help you game.
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SELLING YOUR TALENT!
12 Apr 2013

SELLING YOUR TALENT!

As golf teaching professionals, it is important to have highly developed technical knowledge and teaching skills.  However, we must be able to sell that skill (lessons) to be financially successful.  Therefore, it is important to market yourself as a golf teaching professional.  The USGTF provides numerous resources that are available from the National Office.  Here are some often-overlooked points that will help you become a better and more successful instructor:
  • Your professional experience and talent are valuable assets.  Therefore, do not be afraid to sell your talents.  Often, golf instructors charge too little for their time, talent, and experience.
 
  • Try to sell a percentage of your lessons as a program such as group lessons.  If you charge $75 per hour for an individual lesson but charge $30 per group lesson with 5 people per hour, you have now effectively doubled your income.  The added benefit is group lessons often have more energy and dynamics.  Be creative!
 
  • NGF statistics show that 87% of golfers would play more golf and spend more money if they could play better.  Yet, only 13% of golfers are taking regular lessons!
 
  • Invest in your business and education.  It is important to keep up to date with technology, training aids, and equipment.  Equally as important is to continue your education by utilizing the vast resources that the USGTF and WGTF have to offer.
 
  • As an instructor, you should adapt and constantly evolve to the changing world.  Use new and innovative marketing ideas in your kids’ programs, ladies’ golf clinics, and social events that combine golf and business.  Try to keep up with effective forms of communications.  Opportunities exist when you make an effort.  Simple cost-effective ideas such as online social media, involvement in group activities, community clubs, parks and recreation, and volunteering for local schools can provide a great boost to your client base.
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SLOWING DOWN THE GOLF BALL
10 Apr 2013

SLOWING DOWN THE GOLF BALL

Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and even Tiger Woods have all advocated creating a golf ball that flies shorter instead of making courses longer or completely redesigning classic layouts to keep them from becoming obsolete. Balls today go crazy distances. Pros oftentimes are hitting drives 350 yards or more. Manufacturers are putting out balls all the time that go farther and farther. Yet, ask them to create a ball that goes shorter and they act like putting a man on the moon is easier. Check out this quote from a USGA official: “Developing a new ball to substantially different specifications like that is almost like starting over for the ball manufacturers,” said Dick Rugge of the USGA. All the major companies have multiple ball lines, each with different characteristics intended for different players. “They honed those balls over decades of trial and error, a little of this, a little of that. There’s no pixie dust,” Rugge said. “Despite advances in fields like computerized fluid dynamics, which analyzes airflow, it’s not a fully sorted-out science. There is still art involved.” Anyone want to buy a used car from this guy? Does that even make sense? Let’s see…they can make a ball to go farther, but they can’t make a ball to go shorter? Bull!! What about restricted-flight balls for driving ranges, floaters, or the Cayman ball? How about just making balls like they used to, like the wound balata? I suspect that the real issue is money. Look how many types of balls there are, and all are being advertised as longer than the next. How much demand would there be for a ball that goes shorter than the other guy’s? Let’s just be honest with the folks. Yes, a ball can be slowed down, but for economic reasons we’re just not going to do it.
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Learn from the legends of the game
15 Mar 2013

Learn from the legends of the game

As we look towards the Masters and the opening of the golf season in the northern part of the country, I think now would be a great time to set some goals about your golf game and to learn a few lessons from four of the great players of all time! Recently, I have been able to spend some quality time around some of the game’s best older players like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino.  What I took away from my conversations can be a great asset to most players.  Some of what I heard has nothing to do with the swing or technical part of the game, but more of what they believe made them the best players they could be.  Here is what I took away from four of the greats: Arnold Palmer – Play with integrity and develop a strong work ethic!  Mr. Palmer is a worker; he was successful at golf and business because he works.  He is also a person of the greatest integrity.  If he says he is going to do something, it is done.  These attributes helped shape his golf game and his career.  Many times, all of us say things like we are really going to work at something, but we give up and don’t finish what we set out to do.  As with life and golf, we have to set goals, stick to our goals, and work hard. Jack Nicklaus – Do what you do and get good at it!  For many players, the perfect swing is not always the goal to playing good golf.  As many of you know, Jack did not have what the modern golf gurus would call a perfect technical golf swing, but it sure worked.  As with all players, we all do some things really well, and we all have some things that we have to work on.  You have to learn to play to your strengths as you continue to work to improve your weaknesses.  If you naturally hit the ball high like Mr. Nicklaus did, then play to your strengths. Don’t spend all your time trying to figure out how to hit it lower.  Do what you do! Gary Player – You have to be fit to play well!  Gary Player has been the fitness model for professional golf for 50 years.  If you ever get the chance to be around the man, you will be amazed at his energy and his fitness.  What I took from Gary is that if you want to be a good player, you have to maintain a good level of fitness and flexibility.   If you can’t do a push-up or touch your toes, it is highly unlikely that you could maintain a good posture or golf swing for an extended period of time.  As we all look at our own games, pay more attention to fitness. As we get older, we have to work harder at keeping our bodies in shape to play good golf. Lee Trevino – Pay attention to ball and clubface at impact!  Lee Trevino may be one of the greatest ballstrikers to ever play the game, and even in his later years he can still hit the golf ball solid and on-line like nothing you have ever seen.  I had the chance to watch him hit balls, and he took out his driver and proceeded to hit 125-yard little draws to a green on the range right at the flag, then started hitting 200-yard cuts, right next the pin on a different target, before hammering out rocket tee shots that were so straight that you could tie a line to the shot.  All the time, he was talking and laughing! His comments were so simple: Learn where the clubface is in relation to the ball. Too many times we focus on the mechanics; we need to focus on the ball.  If you can’t square the clubface at the ball at impact, then everything else is useless. So, this season, as you set your goals for your game, and the golf games of you students, think about what these great legends think about the game.  I hope it helps you with your game. I am looking to hear your comments. You can post your comments or questions on my BLOG at http://arlenbentojr.blogspot.com/ Arlen Bento Jr. is an award-winning golf professional, golf business owner, golf instructor and golf coach. He is the former head golf professional at PGA Country Club at PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and former director of golf at Eagle Marsh Golf Club in Jensen Beach, Florida, and is a USGTF Master Teaching Professional. He currently lives in Jensen Beach and can be reached via his business website at www.abjgolfsales.com <http://www.abjgolfsales.com/>  or via facebook at www.facebook.com/arlenbentojr <http://www.facebook.com/arlenbentojr>
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Everyone loves the long ball
15 Mar 2013

Everyone loves the long ball

As we get ready for the spring season, I think now is the time to start working on your swing and getting your lesson plans prepared to start teaching golf. Over the last few weeks, my attention has been placed on the secrets of developing more distance and power in the golf swing. Ever since I started playing golf, I have been able to hit the ball a long way. People have always asked me how I do it.  For the longest time, my response was simple – swing hard!  Now, that I am a little older, I don’t have the same speed that I had in my 20s and 30s, but I still hit the ball a long way, so I decided to start writing about getting more distance. There are three things that you have to do if you want to get more distance: #1 – You have to optimize your equipment.  If you have not been fit or tested with your driver, you should.  You have to be able to optimize your swing data with all your clubs.  There is a simple formula for distance: Increase ball speed, find your proper launch angle, and lower your spin rate.  If you are not optimizing these important factors, you are giving up distance. #2 – You have to have good technique and be physically fit for golf. If you have swing flaws, if you can’t deliver the club into impact on the correct path with the proper face position, you are giving up distance.  With technique, there is also an element of strength and flexibility.  If you can’t do a push-up or touch your toes, you are definitely not going to hit the ball father.   Take a good look at your swing. If you have flaws, seek help. Take a good look at your body. If you are not flexible and you do nothing for exercise, then you are giving up distance, so find a gym and/or a golf exercise program. You won’t believe how quickly you will see results. 3# – You have to learn to trust speed.  No player, that hits the ball a long way is worried about where the ball is going.  Look at John Daly, who lives by the motto “grip it and rip it.” You have to trust your speed and learn how to play with speed.  You have to get out and practice and play with speed. Try to turn up it up while maintaining form and technique.   Ever seen the movie Happy Gilmore?  You have to push yourself to swing as hard as you can without losing your balance, and then find the effort that allows you to hit the ball in play but sill pushing your self to swing faster. I am looking to hear your comments.  You can post your comments or questions on my BLOG at http://arlenbentojr.blogspot.com/ Arlen Bento Jr. is an award-winning golf professional, golf business owner, golf instructor and golf coach. He is the former head golf professional at PGA Country Club at PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and former director of golf at Eagle Marsh Golf Club in Jensen Beach, Florida, and is a USGTF Master Teaching Professional. He currently lives in Jensen Beach and can be reached via his business website at www.abjgolfsales.com <http://www.abjgolfsales.com/>  or via facebook at www.facebook.com/arlenbentojr <http://www.facebook.com/arlenbentojr>
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