Golf Joke of the Week - Beware What You Ask

A wife and her husband are sitting around one evening, just talking, when the wife suddenly asks, "If I died, would you re-marry?"

"I would," the husband answered.

"You would?" the wife asked, a bit surprised. "Would you let her come into my house?"

"I would."

"Would she be cooking in my kitchen?"

"She would!"

"Would she be soaking in my bathtub?"

"She would!"

"Would she be putting her clothes in my closet?"

"She would!"

Growing more exasperated, the wife continued asking: "Would she be driving my car?"

"She would!"

"Would she be sleeping in my bed?"

"She would!"

"Would she be using my golf clubs?"

"Oh, no, definitely not."

"Why not?"

"She's left-handed."

Groove a Smooth Takeaway for a Smooth Swing

If you want to start your swing off smoothly here's something you
should incorporate into your swing.

When addressing any shot (even putts), you should just hover
the club above the ground. Do not ground the club. A lot of
great players do this, including Jack Nicklaus.

The advantages are that you have the entire weight of the club in
your hands. And you don't have to pick the club up and then
move it away. You will be more relaxed and ready to go when
you're starting the swing.

This will take some time to get used to, but the advantages will be
worth any temporary feelings of discomfort. So do this for every
shot you play for at least 30 days, and you'll notice your take-
aways are smoother -- and you'll be more in control. Plus your
swing will be smoother.

And even though this is a short and simple drill don't take it for
granted, because if you make this into a habit you will improve
your swing and your entire golf game for that matter।

By Nick Bayley

Nick Bayley (www.nickbayley.com) has been helping
golfers dramatically improve their golf games in New
Zealand, where he lives, as well as around the world
via the Internet.

Keys to Successful Sand Play

Related Resources Being successful out of the sand depends on three things: correct setup, proper technique and consistent point of entry. You should use a sand wedge when playing short sand shots around the green. A sand wedge may vary from 55 to 58 degrees of loft with 8 to 12 degrees of bounce. I personally prefer a 58-degree sand wedge with 8 degrees of bounce. For the correct setup, I like to draw or visualize three lines in the sand, as shown in the photos above. Each line has a specific purpose. The line going from the target to the ball and then extending beyond the ball is called the target line. The line that is about 10 degrees open to the target line is the angle of our feet or toes. Then I draw a line perpendicular to the target line originating at the ball. This represents ball position, which should be off the left heel for righthanded golfers (photo below). Once you have the correct setup with the same amount of weight on each foot, the face of the club should be slightly open (photo at right). This puts loft on the ball and allows the back portion of the bottom of the club to bounce off the sand, as opposed to having the leading edge dig into the sand. The start of the backswing (see Swing Sequence photos below) should be straight back or slightly outside the target line. There is an immediate breaking of the hands as you start this motion, producing a more vertical swing which encourages the club to enter the sand about two inches behind the ball (this is the point of entry). What you are actually trying to do is to take as little sand as possible without contacting the ball. Allow the sand to lift the ball from the bunker. (You can work on getting a consistent point of entry with the Point of Entry Drill described here.) As you make contact with the sand there should be a cupping of the left wrist. Let me explain "cupping." Assume you are wearing a watch on your left wrist and the face, as usual, is pointing outward. When contacting the sand on the forward swing, you should try to take the back of your left hand and move it towards your watch face, thereby creating wrinkles underneath your left wrist. This action is called "cupping of the wrist" and it is very necessary in producing quality sand shots. Since this motion prevents the club from closing, the ball is lifted in the air with backspin. These are the three most important things regarding sand play around the greens. You don't have to be perfect to get out of a sand bunker, but you have enough of the basic principles to get started. The Swing Sequence These photos illustrate the swing sequence on greenside sand shots, incorporating a correct setup, proper technique and consistent point of entry. (Click to View Larger Photos) From Marty Fleckman Director of Instruction, BlackHorse Golf Club

I did all of that?

After a particularly poor game of golf, a popular club member skipped the clubhouse and started to go home. As he was walking to the parking lot to get his car, a policeman stopped him and asked, "Did you tee off on the sixteenth hole about twenty minutes ago?"

"Yes," the golfer responded.

"Did you happen to hook your ball so that it went over the trees and off the course?"

"Yes, I did. How did you know?" he asked.

"Well," said the policeman very seriously, "Your ball flew out onto the highway and crashed through a driver's windshield. The car went out of control, crashing into five other cars and a fire truck. The fire truck couldn't make it to the fire, and the building burned down. So, what are you going to do about it?"

The golfer thought it over carefully and responded...

"I think I'll close my stance a little bit, tighten my grip and lower my right thumb."

Golfing With An Older Man

A young man who was also an avid golfer found himself with a few hours to spare one afternoon. He figured if he hurried and played very fast, he could get in nine holes before he had to head home. Just as he was about to tee off an old gentleman shuffled onto the tee and asked if he could accompany the young man as he was golfing alone. Not being able to say no, he allowed the old gent to join him.

To his surprise the old man played fairly quickly. He didn't hit the ball far, but plodded along consistently and didn't waste much time. Finally, they reached the 9th fairway and the young man found himself with a tough shot. There was a large pine tree right in front of his ball - and directly between his ball and the green.

After several minutes of debating how to hit the shot the old man finally said, "You know, when I was your age I'd hit the ball right over that tree."

With that challenge placed before him, the youngster swung hard, hit the ball up, right smack into the top of the tree trunk and it thudded back on the ground not a foot from where it had originally lay.

The old man offered one more comment, "Of course, when I was your age that pine tree was only three feet tall."

Religious Battle Golf

The Pope met with the College of Cardinals to discuss a proposal from Shimon Peres, the former leader of Israel. "Your holiness," said one of the Cardinals, "Mr. Peres wants to determine whether Jews or Catholics are superior, by challenging you to a golf match." The Pope was greatly disturbed, as he had never held a golf club in his life.

"Not to worry," said the Cardinal, "we'll call America and talk to Jack Nicklaus. We'll make him a Cardinal, he can play Shimon Peres... We can't lose!" Everyone agreed it was a good idea. The call was made and, of course, Jack was honored and agreed to play.

The day after the match, Nicklaus reported to the Vatican to inform the Pope of his success in the match. "I came in second, your Holiness," said Nicklaus.

"Second?!!" exclaimed the surprised Pope. "You came in second to Shimon Peres?!!"

"No," said Nicklaus, "second to Rabbi Woods."

Laws of Golf

LAW 1: No matter how bad your last shot was, the worst is yet to come. This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime.

LAW 2: Your best round of golf will be followed almost immediately by your worst round ever. The probability of the latter increases with the number of people you tell about the former.

LAW 3: Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic. Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.

LAW 4: Golf balls never bounce off of trees back into play. If one does, the tree is breaking a law of the universe and should be cut down.

LAW 5: No matter what causes a golfer to muff a shot, all his playing partners must solemnly chant "You looked up," or invoke the wrath of the universe.

LAW 6: The higher a golfer's handicap, the more qualified he deems himself as an instructor.

LAW 7: Every par-three hole in the world has a secret desire to humiliate golfers. The shorter the hole, the greater its desire.

LAW 8: Topping a 3-iron is the most painful torture known to man.

LAW 9: Palm trees eat golf balls.

LAW 10: Sand is alive. If it isn't, how do you explain the way it works against you?

LAW 11: Golf carts always run out of juice at the farthest point from the clubhouse.

LAW 12: A golfer hitting into your group will always be bigger than anyone in your group. Likewise, a group you accidentally hit into will consist of a football player, a professional wrestler, a convicted murderer and an IRS agent -- or some similar combination.

LAW 13: All 3-woods are demon-possessed.

LAW 14: Golf balls from the same "sleeve" tend to follow one another, particularly out of bounds or into the water (See Law three).

LAW 15: A severe slice is a thing of awesome power and beauty.

LAW 16: "Nice lag" can usually be translated to "lousy putt." Similarly, "tough break" can usually be translated "way to miss an easy one, sucker."

LAW 17: The person you would most hate to lose to will always be the one who beats you.

LAW 18: The last three holes of a round will automatically adjust your score to what it really should be.

LAW 19: Golf should be given up at least twice per month.

LAW 20: All vows taken on a golf course shall be valid only until the sunset.

Swing Your Head - a Surprising Golf BackSwing Technique

When Paul Wilson was learning to play golf, his father told him at least 50 times per round to keep his head still. Perhaps you've heard the same advice. Especially when it comes to trying to learn the perfect golf backswing.

Better advice would be to "move your head a little on the way back" to get a proper golf backswing.

It sounds counter intuitive and even feels abit unnatural. But think of a ballerina or figure skater going into a spin. They always move their head first to set up and create a proper two-point axis. A proper circular motion requires two axis points. A top and a bottom. And when you set up to execute a golf backswing your head becomes the top axis and your legs and feet become the bottom axis.

Basically, your head should lead the way by moving 5-7 inches to the right as you start your golf backswing. Swing your head to the right, stay in that position as you come down, and move yoru head forward only after the ball has been hit. Watch any touring pro closely and you'll notice moving your head is the proper golf backswing technique. In fact, if a ballerina or figure skater didn't move their head first, they would be unable to start their spin at all. Likewise with your backswing. Don't move your head and you never create the two-point axis needed to get proper a proper circular motion.

So what you have is a floating top to an axis. Your head floats back and forth to create 2 axis when you swing. This allows your golf backswing be a circular motion. It's not a perfect circle though. It's a slight oval. Because your swing is a slight oval, you will never hit the ball 100% perfect.

The only time you would keep your head still during a golf backswing is if you had one leg. If you had one leg, you would have 1 top and 1 bottom to an axis. This means that if you moved your head you would destroy this axis. So maybe we should all be playing standing on one leg and keeping our head still? Unfortunately, this will never work because you will not generate enough power and you will probably fall over. Most people have enough trouble keeping their balance with 2 legs never mind 1 so it's best that you keep both legs on the ground and learn to move your head.

Most people trying to learn a better golf backswing techique try to move their head back when I tell them to but they have a hard time actually doing it because it feels so uncomfortable for them to move their head.

One way to get past this is to consciously consider moving your head about 12 inches when you start your backswing. Think 12 inches and your head will naturally move five to six inches. Still uncomfortable? Try practicing your golf backswing in front of a mirror.

As your swing comes down, your head should stay back and you'll feel the power loading on your right leg. This is what you are striving for. This weight shift is your clue you have properly created the top axis needed. If you don't feel your weight shift into our right leg, this is a clue you need to move your head back more when you start the backswing. Think more, not less and you'll soon be hitting like a pro.

Wearing a hat while you practice is also a great golf backswing technique. What you are looking for is to keep the brim of your hat level to the ground as you st�rt the backswing. If the brim tilts to the left you are moving your head back, you are tilting your head back. Strive to keep your head level to the ground.

Another useful golf backswing tip is to video tape yourself as you practice. Then review the tape. Are you moving your head o the right and back or are you keeping it still? Is your head still back through impact or coming down? The proper golf backswing will have your head coming down only after impact.

There is one caveat, however. When you move your head to the right this may cause you to hit behind the ball. This is a good clue you are moving your head back properly but what's happening is you are loading your leg too much during impact. To remedy this situation just shift a little more weight off your right leg as you complete your swing and follow through. Pull it off and you'll not only create the perfect golf backswing axis, you'll hit the ball on the sweet spot every time and with much more power and speed off the face than ever before.
by Paul Wilson