Golf Tips 2019-07-01 PDF

SIZZLING SUMMER INSTRUCTION
THE GAME’S IN-DEPTH INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT MAGAZINE www.golftipsmag.com
TIGER
UP
YOUR
24
GAME! CAN’T-MISS
FIXES
• LONGER DRIVES
• STRAIGHTER IRONS
• PURER PUTTING
• BETTER BUNKER PLAY
+HOW TOUR STARS BEAT FEAR
REDISCOVER CASA DE CAMPO

AUGUST 2019
GOLF HERE IS
LEGENDARY
homeofgolf.com
On the cover: Tiger Woods photo Top 25 Instructor John Hughes on
by John Ibriks/Upper Deck scoring milestones, page 26
JULY/AUGUST 2019 VOLUME 31 NUMBER 4 www.golftipsmag.com
DEPARTMENTS INSTRUCTION
3 FROM THE EDITOR 7 GET A GRIP 16 FLIGHT PLAN 34 FINESSE OVER POWER
Tiger In The Lead By Cindy Miller, LPGA Use the airplane drill By Matt Henderson, PGA
By Vic Williams By Gail Graham, LPGA
8 MAKE AN IMPACT 38 BIG BREAKING PUTTS
48 TP TALKS GOLF By Deb Vangellow, LPGA 20 GOING ON STRIKE By Tom Stickney, PGA
How Hard Is Golf? Path and plane determine
By Tom Patri 9 WATCH THE BALL! how your ball travels 40 THE PROS TALK FEAR
By Nam Padung, PGA By Bob Grissett, PGA By Cary Valentine
EQUIPMENT 10 THE PGA WAY 24 IRON CLAD TRAVEL

By Warren Bottke, PGA Three crucial moves
4 EDITOR’S PICKS By Barry Goldstein 30 CASA DE CAMPO
Comfort and fit with Adidas It’s the original Dominican
and BOA’s lacing system; 12 FAIRWAY METALS
busting it off tee and By Brandon Stooksbury, PGA 26 MORE MILESTONES Republic golf destination,
Part 2 of our series with four Pete Dye courses,
fairway with High Heat incredible food, to-die-for
14 WHAT’S A ROTEX? By John Hughes, PGA
metals; perfecting the beaches and a historic
stroke with Putting Arc A new way to golf fitness
30 SAND SUCCESS resort pedigree that can’t
products By Tom Patri, PGA,
Bunker Basics be beat.
with Dr. Joe Lacaze
By Tina Tombs, LPGA By Vic Williams
CONTENTS www.golftipsmag.com July/August 2019 1

MAG
.com
www.golftipsmag.com
EDITORIAL MADAVOR MEDIA

Editor OPERATIONS
Vic Williams
vwilliams@madavor.com | 617-315-9159 VP, Strategy
Jason Pomerantz
Contributing Editors
Tom Patri, PGA, John Hughes, PGA Operations Coordinator
Toni Eunice
SALES & MARKETING Human Resources Generalist
Alicia Roach
MORE TOP 25 INSTRUCTION VP, Media Solutions
Get the best lessons in America with our Stuart Crystal Supervisor, Client Services
scrystal@madavor.com Cheyenne Corliss
rich archive of top tips from this year’s Top
25 teachers, and many more. Media Solutions Manager Senior Client Services Associate
Dave Honeywell Tou Zong Her
dhoneywell@madavor.com | 617-706-9093
ALSO ON THE WEB: Client Services
Client Services Aubrie Britto, Darren Cormier, Andrea Palli
clientservices@madavor.com
Accounting Director
Marketing Director Amanda Joyce
Andrew Yeum
Accounts Payable Associate
Marketing Associate Tina McDermott
Tommy Goodale
Accounts Receivable Associate
Social Media Manager Wayne Tuggle
> more great gear Tim Doolan
Besides editors’ favorites from the PGA Show,
we’re constantly updating the latest in Content Marketing Associates DIGITAL OPERATIONS
equipment news and reviews. Anthony Buzzeo, Joanna Cassidy Senior Director, Digital Products
Renee Dextradeur
ART Wordpress Developer
Art Director David Glassman
Carolyn V. Marsden
Senior Digital Designer
Graphic Designer Mike Decker
Haley Nunes
EXECUTIVE
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25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 404 Chief Operating Officer
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> state of the game
To subscribe or for subscription questions:
Read editor Vic Williams’ read on what’s hap- SVP, Sales & Marketing
Visit our website at www.golftipsmag.com
pening on the Tours and outside the ropes, plus Robin Morse
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Newsstand Distribution
Weekly Retail Service In memory of Susan Fitzgerald, COO, 1966-2018
TOP 25 GOLF INSTRUCTORS

Dale Abraham, PGA, Bighorn Golf Club
> where to go next Cindy Miller, LPGA, Various W. New York golf clubs
Adam Bazalgette, PGA, Mediterra Golf Club
Tom Patri, PGA, Esplanade Golf & Country Club
Get the goods on the golf destinations you might Warren Bottke, PGA PGA National Resort
have missed along they way, or favorites you Brady Riggs, PGA, Hansen Dam Golf Course
Alison Curdt, LPGA, Wood Ranch Golf Club
need to visit again. And again. Jeff Ritter, PGA, Pronghorn Golf Academy
Mike Diffley, PGA Pelham Country Club
Jim Roy, PGA, Bellevue Country Club
Krista Dunton, LPGA Berkeley Hall Golf Club
Tom Stickney, PGA, Punta Mita Resort, Mexico
CONNECT WITH US Wayne Flint, PGA Highland Park Golf Course
Brandon Stooksbury, PGA, Idle Hour Golf Club
Jane Frost, LPGA Sandwich Hollows Golf Club
Tina Tombs, LPGA, Arizona Biltmore
Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, LPGA Buckhorn Springs G&CC
Deb Vangellow, LPGA, Riverbend Country Club
Barry Goldstein, PGA Inverrary Country Club
Jordan Young, PGA, Fox Hills Learning Center
NEWSLETTER Gail Graham, LPGA, Esplanade Golf & Country Club
The latest instruction, equipment, video and Bob Grissett, Osprey Point GC, Palm Beach Par 3 GC
VISIT GOLFTIPSMAG.COM FOR MORE
travel delivered to you every week. John Hughes, PGA, John Hughes Golf Academy
golftipsmag.com/enewsletter-sign-up Chris Johnston, PGA, Farmer Brown’s Golf Center ON OUR TOP 25 INSTRUCTORS FOR
Rob Labritz, PGA, Glenarbor Golf Club 2019-2020
2 G o l f T i p s www.golftipsmag.com
> FROM THE EDITOR
Let Tiger Lead The Way

What His Masters Heroics Mean For Your Game
back and his “glutes not firing.”
F
inally summer and its promise of long,
warm, golf-packed days is here, but if Two years later, he was bedridden, barely
we’re honest with ourselves, our favorite able to walk or drive his kids to school, much
sport hit its 2019 peak back in April, on a less pick up a golf club. He couldn’t even putt.
cloudy and muggy Georgia Sunday. He feared he was done, and told the world so.
Tiger Woods in red and green, in the But- Ironically, I was also at Torrey Pines when
ler cabin. Again. For the fifth time. After 14 Tiger sank that thunderous putt on the 72nd
years. After 11 years of major drought. After hole of the 2008, which he won the next
a decade of physical pain, mental anguish, day on the 19th hole of a playoff with Rocco
public shame followed by relentless hard Mediate. On a broken leg, no less.
work on body and mind and, yes, soul. He “shut it down” after that incredible
After it all, there he was. There we were, victory, his 14th major, and suddenly the
with him, behind him, shedding a tear for idea of him winning a 16th was, in some
him. ways, in doubt.
When that little bogey putt dropped on Though Tiger made runs at the next two
No. 18 at Augusta National, the fully recon- U.S. Opens, we all know what happened at
stituted, reborn Tiger Woods did a little fist the end of 2009, and with all the personal, “airplane drill” and Matt Henderson’s short
pump, then let fly with a wide-armed scream public, physical and psychological trials and game set-up plan.
that, he says, he didn’t fully remember just a tribulations that followed. Need to shore up your putting? Tom Stick-
few minutes later. And, then, the near-miracle of his 2018 ney offers a fine approach to big-breaking
After hugging his caddie, Joe LaCava, his comeback, with near-misses at the Open putts, confirming that there’s more than one
mom and girlfriend and most poignantly his Championship and PGA Championship line to follow.
two kids, Tiger also embraced himself as a and, finally, his win at the Tour Champion- Battling bunkers? Tina Tombs has the
true winner, not of golf tournaments alone, ship. The earth shook once again, Tiger style. goods on getting out of the sand.
but of the battle with himself, a battle we all But the biggest thunder was still to come at Setting a scoring milestone? Read Part 2
wage daily, and over the decades. Augusta National, and here we are. of John Hughes’ guide to breaking 100, 90,
How many of us never thought that circle In terms of our own golf games, Tiger’s 80 or 70.
would be completed? I admit I was one of return to the top should be nothing less than And on and on.
them, for a moment or two at least, after word a challenge to put in the rounds we need As Tiger himself sets his sights once again
came of his fourth, desperate spinal fusion to truly get better through the bag, and the on Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors, it’s also
surgery in 2017. This was hail mary, a huge practice regimens and professional lessons to the perfect time for you to pursue your best
risk for the man and legend. support them. golf yet. And, as always, we are happy to help.
Not that we couldn’t see it coming. I’d In this issue, which we like to call our “In-
watched Tiger struggle mightily with his struction Annual,” we’ve called upon several
once-vaunted short game, in person, at of our Top 25 instructors and other teachers
Torrey Pines in 2015, a week after he skull- to draw you a broad roadmap of lessons, tips
chipped and chili-dipped his way out of the and skill spruce-ups to truly set you up for a
previous week’s Waste Management Phoenix summer of improvement.
Open. He bailed before ending his first Need a fundamentals refresher? Check Vic Williams, Editor
round, complaining of tightness in his lower out Cindy Miller’s grip tips, Gail Graham’s vwilliams@madavor.com
GOLF TIPS® (ISSN 1051-7758) Volume 31, Number 4 is published bimonthly by Madavor Media, LLC, 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 404, Braintree MA 02184. Periodicals postage paid at Boston MA and
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Golf Tips is a registered trademark of Madavor Media, LLC. Copyright © 2019 Madavor Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
www.golftipsmag.com July/August 2019 3

> EDITOR’S PICKS
~

ADIDAS BOOST BOA-ENHANCED GOLF SHOES
Colorado-based BOA got its start in the snowboard busi- steel wrapped in nylon. Adidas launched the new Forged
ness, but they’re is making big waves on the golf front, too; Fiber in March for the run market, to match with the lighter
so far three top shoe manufacturers — Adidas, Ecco and fabrics with running shoes; a few years ago they launched
FootJoy — have incorporated its unique and proprietary the Power Band shoe, integrated with BOA 100 percent
“turnbuckle” technology into certain lines of its spiked and from the ground up, and their latest Boost model is an even
spikeless shoes. You put your foot in, pull to engage lighter model.
the dial and turn clockwise to tighten. The lace Golf Tips got hold of a pair of the latest Adidas Boost
guides are bit wider so you can get the ten- shoes after their release and we hit the links right away
sion all the way down, to get a nice even — no break-in needed. The BOA laces indeed are as easy
fit over the top of your foot. It adapts to dial in (so to speak) as the company purports; every
to any foot type — no hot spots, no contour of the foot is embraced, and it takes literally sec-
pinching, no slipping. onds to click back and forth on each shoe until it molds and
The laces are made of either holds perfectly. We experienced no slippage or looseness
thin metal wrapped in a spe- side-to-side or through each stage of the swing, and the
cial protective vinyl layer, spikeless sole grabbed every type of terrain with authority.
or a brand new Forged They’re a pleasure to wear.
Fiber material that Comfort rules when it comes to shoes, and Boa keeps
boasts even higher the tootsies smiling through the longest round and beyond.
tensile strength — 47
strands of stainless $200 | www.boafit.com | www.adidas.com
~

KNUTH GOLF HIGH HEAT 3-METAL
When Golf Tips first tested the High Heat driver in early
2018, the feedback was loud, clear and long: This club was
something special.
Now we’re in love with the 3-metal, both off the tee and
the fairway.
The High Heat story is getting told more and more these
days, for good reason: The clubs do exactly what they’re
purported to do, with the data to back up the assertions.
Inventor Dean Knuth had worked for years to crack the
last true riddle in the modern driver and fairway metal de-
sign world: How to get the same performance on off-cen-
ter strikes as on the still-too-small sweet spot (for most of
us, anyway).
Knuth came up with a way to expand each club’s sweet
spot to the entire face by reducing the average thickness
of the toe and heel areas by 30 to 40 percent. The High and the need for less than full-on distance, pulling this
Heat driver produces ball speeds of 1.41 times the average handsome, larger-headed-than-usual club gave us confi-
swing speed (known as the “smash factor”) compared to dence over the ball, which led to a smoother, slower swing
the major brands’ average of 1.3. That translated into more — and explosive impact, pleasingly piercing ball flight and
than 20 yards extra distance. virtually no chance at a slice. Instead we got a dead-straight
Knuth took the USGA’s changes to the “CT” rule — the to slight draw movement. And even into a decent head-
amount of time a ball can stay on the face of a club, from wind, tee shots cleared 220 yards; downwind, closer to
257 to 275 microseconds — and pushed those numbers 235.
toward the High Heat’s perimeter, to an average of 267 on For fairway strikes, the High Heat 3-metal performs
the toe and 266 on the heel. That’s why Knuth has dubbed beautifully, too. Again, swing easy and let Knuth’s hard
High Heat’s full-hot-face effect “257+ Technology.” The work kick in.
data is similar for the 3-metal too and 5-metal, too.
Our latest testing with the 15-degree 3-metal, in partic- Driver $499, fairways $329, hybrids $257 |
ular, took us aback; when faced with tighter driving targets www.highheatgolf.com
~

THE PUTTING ARC
Ever heard of Appolonius of Perga? Neither had we until
V.J. Trolio, the teaching pro at Old Waverly Golf Club and
co-inventor of the Putting Arc, mentioned the ancient math-
ematician on the product’s website.
Ol’ Appolonius came up with the formula for an ellipse
back in 200 BC, and Trolio discovered that the formula
fits the putting stroke perfectly. Since a golfer bends from
the waist at address with a shaft angle from the hands to
the clubhead, the stroke absolutely must move on a slight
arc going back and through the ball; keeping the clubface
square to the target at all times is virtually impossible with-
out hand manipulation, which invites all kinds of problems.
Or, you could go with the Michelle Wie stance from a few
years back, but bending at a 90-degree angle won’t keep
your spine happy for long.
So, stick with Appolonius. The Putting Arc’s four models
(all based on Trolio’s original wooden classic) mimic his
unchanging “square” arc keep your putter’s heel (or the victories, again according to the Arc’s website. It’s always
toe, in the case of the newer MS-3D) in contact with the worked well on outdoor greens, but with the addition of an
arc going back and through, assuring square contact at im- L-shaped flip-out mirror it’s great for indoor practice, too. By
pact assuming you’ve set up to the ball properly and keep attaching the T3 to the mirror via Velcro and aligning its cen-
your head and body still (more on that in a moment). Each ter guide to the center mark on the mirror, then getting into
Putting Arc has alighment marks at the center and at check your address position with your dominant eye right over the
points going back and through, at perfect right angles to ball and executing the Putting Arc stroke, the alignment-
the arc itself. By making sure the face lines up with those meets-stillness-meets-stroke feedback is immediate and
marks while the heel stays in contact with the arc, you incontrovertible.
can groove your “muscle memory” within a strokes, then The newest Arc, the MS-3D, allows practice with both a
re-create it without the heel keeping contact — which will heel and toe connection, which helps groove the back-and-
translate to more putting comfort, confidence and success through stroke even further especially when you alternate
during an actual round. those connections. An included adjustable mirror is espe-
This “barn door” stroke is the gospel move for scads cially useful for indoor practice — just angle it to show the
of major winners from Tiger Woods to Ben Crenshaw; by ceiling above in conjunction with your head and shoulders,
matching the arc to the tilted shoulder plane, all they have and you’ll be able to detect any side-to-side movement, or
to worry about is aim and speed. Which is all anybody lack thereof. Again, experiencing what true stillness over
should worry about. the ball feels and looks like, instead of relying on what your
Leading the product pack is the T3, a lighter, porta- fallible brain tells you, is indispensable.
ble version of the original model used by dozens if not Add the new Putting Arc alignment mat to any product
hundreds of Tour pros and a key in at least 1,300 known and you’ve got an added series of curved and squared lines
in place to perfect your set-up and stroke even more; put
the toe-oriented T4 on the top and the T3 on the bottom
and you’ve got the right “rails” to assure consistent head
path as well as distance from body and feet to the ball.
Want even more alignment power? Attach the Putting
Glider ($7.95) to your club and there’s no chance you’ll veer
from the prescribed, unchanging arc.
Golf Tips testing of every Putting Arc product, both alone
and in various configurations, brought into great focus what
Appolonius figured out centuries ago — and proved that in
putting, as with many things in the physical world, geome-
try doesn’t lie.
Putting Arc $39.95-$69.95, Arc Mirror $49.95 |

www.theputtingarc.com
DALE ABRAHAM
MEET GOLF TIPS’ Director of

Instruction, Bighorn
Golf Club
RUCTORS
TOP 2 5
INST
TOP INSTRUCTORS
Palm Desert, California
www.daleabraham.com
ADAM BAZALGETTE WARREN BOTTKE ALISON CURDT

Director of Instruction, PGA Professional, LPGA Instructor, Wood
Mediterra Golf Club PGA National Resort Ranch Golf Club
Naples, Florida and Spa Simi Valley, California
www.scratchgolfacademy.com Palm Beach Gardens, www.alisoncurdtgolf.com
www.adambgolf.com Florida
www.warrenbottkegolf.com
MIKE DIFFLEY KRISTA DUNTON WAYNE FLINT

Head Professional at Director of Instruction, PGA Teaching
Pelham Country Club Berkeley Hall Professional, Highland
Pelham, New York Okatie, South Carolina Park Golf Course
www.mikediffley.com www.kristaduntongolf.com Birmingham, Alabama
wtflintgolf@aol.com
JANE FROST VICKI GOETZE-ACKERMAN BARRY GOLDSTEIN

Director of Instruction, Director of Instruction, Director of Instruction,
Jane Frost Golf Buckhorn Springs Golf Inverrary Country Club
Performance Center at & Country Club Lauderhill, Florida
Sandwich Hollows Valrico, Florida drforgolf@aol.com
Sandwich, Massachusetts getzack2@gmail.com
www.janefrostgolf.com
GAIL GRAHAM BOB GRISSETT JOHN HUGHES

Teaching Professional, Teaching Professional, PGA Master Professional,
Esplanade Golf & Osprey Point GC & Falcon’s Fire Golf Club
Country Club Palm Beach Par 3 GC Kissimmee, Florida
Naples, Florida Boca Raton and Palm www.johnhughesgolf.com
gailgrahamgolf@gmail.com Beach, Florida
www.bobgrissettgolf.com
CHRIS JOHNSTON ROB LABRITZ CINDY MILLER

Director of Instruction Director of Golf, Teacher at Diamond
at Farmer Brown’s Glenarbor Golf Club Hawk Golf Club and
Golf Center Bedford Hills, New York Harvest Hill Golf Club
New Jersey www.roblabritz.com Western New York
www.cjohnstonpga.com www.cindymillerinc.com
TOM PATRI BRADY RIGGS JEFF RITTER

Director of Instruction, PGA Instructor, Hansen Make The Turn PGA
TP Golf Schools, The Dam Golf Course Instructor at Pronghorn
Esplanade Van Nuys, California Bend, Oregon
Naples, Florida www.bradyriggsgolf.com www.mttperformance.com
www.tompatri.com www.mttgolfapp.com
JIM ROY TOM STICKNEY BRANDON STOOKSBURY

PGA Teaching Director of Instruction, Direction of Instruction,
Professional, Bellevue Four Seasons Idle Hour Country Club
Country Club Punta Mita, Mexico Macon, Georgia
Syracuse, New York www.tomstickneygolf.com www.stooksburygolf.com
Jim Roy Professional Golf
Instruction on Facebook
TINA TOMBS DEB VANGELLOW JORDAN YOUNG

Director of Instruction, LPGA Master Director of Instruction,
Arizona Biltmore Professional, Riverbend Fox Hills Learning
Golf Club Country Club Center
www.tinatombsgolf.com Houston, Texas Plymouth, Michigan
www.debvangellowgolf.com www.jordanyounggolf.com
> QUICK TIPS | Fundamentals
How To Grip It Right Every Time

BY CINDY MILLER, TOP 25 INSTRUCTOR | PHOTOS BY RUSSELL KIRK
he only thing that touches the clubs is your hands. 4. You will now place your back hand on the club as
T Making sure they are on the club correctly is

imperative. I have a very simple set-up routine that,
if you follow it, you will know for sure you are correct.
if you are tossing a ball underhanded toward your
target. When you do this, you will notice that your
back hand thumb falls on the other side of the grip
Eliminating doubt is one of the best things you can do for (Photo 3). For right hand players, it would be sitting
your game. at eleven o’clock. For left handed players, it would be
one o’clock.
1. Stand away from the ball about three feet. Allow
your left arm to hand relaxed from your shoulder, as 5. Each thumb will be sitting on the opposite side
I’m doing in Photo 1. When I say relaxed, I mean of the grip. Eleven and one or one and eleven,
holding naturally. Don’t see the palm of your hand. depending on which hand is dominant.
2. Have the golf club by your side, and put your left 6. I like to tell my students that your fingers pinch and
hand on the club. You would like this step to feel as your thumbs are dead. I don’t want your thumbs
natural as possible. Do NOT twist your arm or hand. controlling the club face. I want your hands to be
Photo 2 shows what I’m talking about. secure and wrists supple enough to allow the club
3. Bow over from your waist. When you do this, you face to swing.
will notice that your left thumb is sitting at one 7. Let it rip!GT
o’clock (if you are right handed) and at eleven o’clock
(if you are left handed). That is exactly where you
want your front hand thumb.
1 2 3

> QUICK TIPS | At Impact
Watch Clubhead and Ball Collide

BY DEB VANGELLOW, TOP 25 INSTRUCTOR
e have all heard it. The well-intentioned advice of
W “keep your head down.” Keeping your head down

in a static sense is an unnatural and tense position.
This is because keeping your head down rigidly restricts
LPGA Player
Alison Lee (Image
Courtesy PXG)
the free swinging motion of your body through the ball.
You could easily wind up hitting at the ball rather than
swinging through it.
Instead, try to “watch the collision” of the clubhead
and ball. This thought will help keep your spine angle
constant and your focus of attention on the ball. When
the weight shifts and the rotation of the body occurs, the
right shoulder passing under your chin will help your head
come up after impact so that you can follow the flight of
the ball, getting to the optimal balanced finish position.
Remember, impact occurs during the swing, not at
the end of it. Let the ball get in the way of the swing by
watching the collision, not by keeping your head down.
We want to look at that great shot after we hit it, not
while we are hitting it.GT
LPGA Master Professional Deb Vangellow teaches at

Riverbend Country Club in Houston, Texas. She is the 2012
LPGA National Teacher Of The Year, a US KIDS GOLF Top
50 Master Kids Teacher and a GRAA Top 50 Growth Of The
Game Professional
Deb Vangellow
LPGA Player Danielle Kang

(Photo by Ben Harpring)
> QUICK TIPS | Short Game
Keeping Your Head Down For Nothing

BY NAM PADUNG, PGA | PHOTO BY RUSSELL KIRK
hear many golf pros, parents and friends like to tell
I each other to “keep their head down” thru impact. As if

this was going to give them a better chance to create a
better strike to the ball. I’m here to tell you that it is false.
What I teach is totally opposite. I like my players
to allow their eyes to look toward the target because
this allows them to get their chest open and thoracic
extending thru the impact zone. I like to see my player’s
chest open anywhere from 5 to 25 degrees at impact. If
you were to “keep your head down” this makes it really
difficult to rotate your chest open consistently.
Everyone knows that to hit a crisp pitch shot, the divot
comes after the ball. This means that the low point of
your golf swing is after impact. If you keep your head
down and don’t allow the chest to rotate open by impact,
you would need to manipulate the low point of the swing
with early extending of the trail arm, or excessive wrist Go ahead and
movement, or a lot of other worse compensations. follow the ball!
The problem is that now it makes it really hard to judge
speed, and in pitch shots, distance
control is very important. So I
suggest to not keep your head
down, but rather let it rotate
towards the target.
I’ll give you one more prime
example. We never see a Major
League Baseball player keeping his
eye on the ball or throwing hand
when he’s pitching. He actually
does quite the opposite. He allows
his eyes to work toward the strike
zone very early, long before he
releases his 99 mph pitch toward
the hitter.
Remember, in golf the ball
doesn’t move! Just because you
stare it down and look at it intently,
it will not help you make good
contact. I suggest you allow your
head to rotate toward the target
naturally and ignore the “keep your
head down” advice.
It’s making golfers worse, not
better.GT
Nam Padung is Director of Instruc-

tion at Jones Creek Golf Club,
Augusta, Georgia

> QUICK TIPS | The Set-Up
Think ‘PGA’ For Great Play

How To Optimize Swing Path To Target
BY WARREN BOTTKE, TOP 25 INSTRUCTOR | PHOTOS BY RUSSELL KIRK
he first objective off the tee is hitting the fairway, but Keep your chin up, and look down with your eyes.
T even the pros miss their share of short grass. It’s then
that their expertise at “reading” the resulting lie kicks
in, and they find a way to a better spot … or, hopefully,
Grip
Palms facing each other with thumbs on opposite sides
of the shaft in balance of each other. Maintain a light grip
the green. pressure for the club head to swing, yet keep control of
The golf set up (PGA) is 70 percent of the golf swing. the club in your fingers. The correct grip will allow the
Perhaps you are among the many golfers who struggle clubface to remain square against the golf ball.
with this concept. Here is a tip and corresponding photos
to help you navigate the perfect set up. Alignment
In order to effectively swing the club down a path to the Shoulders, hips, knees, and feet are on a parallel line with
target, it is important to perform three pre-swing princi- the target path.
pals: The primary goal is for you to understand and execute
one swing concept. The distance from your body to the
POSTURE, GRIP, and ALIGNMENT club is one open hand width away.
Posture Try “PGA” set-up for optimal results! GT
Feet are approximately shoulder width apart (weight on the Warren Bottke is a PGA Master professional based at PGA
balls of your feet), knees slightly flexed, upper body tilted National Resort and Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Visit
from the pelvis, arms in front to swing freely to your target. him at www.warrenbottkegolf.com
1 2 3
POSTURE: Set up with an Iron, Take your Iron against your pelvis Proper spine tilt can be checked
ball position in the middle of your and push it back, allowing your with an Iron laid on top of your
stance. Stance is shoulder width tailbone to stick out. Do not bend spine. The club touches 2 areas:
apart; arms hang freely from your from the waist. In this body position, tailbone and the back of your neck.
shoulder sockets. Chin up, eyes your torso will lower to the golf ball, Arms hang down freely from the
looking down at the golf ball. creating a spine tilt. shoulder sockets toward the ball.
1 2
GRIP: Place a golf tee between your thumb and index finger Repeat the process of golf tee between thumb and
on the lead hand. Using a proper golf grip the ball will index finger on the trail hand. Palm of your trail
balance on this tee, validating the correct grip position on hand will match the club face position.
the club.
ALIGNMENT: Place two golf clubs

on the ground, parallel to one
another like a “railroad track.”
Shaft of the club closest to your
body will be a guide to align your
feet, knees, hips and shoulders.
The shaft of your club further away
from you represents the target
line. Place the club head on that
shaft to obtain proper direction.

> QUICK TIPS | Long Game
Fairway Woods 101

Grab A Tee For True ‘Help’
BY BRANDON STOOKSBURY, TOP 25 INSTRUCTOR | PHOTOS BY RUSSELL KIRK
ne of the toughest clubs for most golfers to hit solid- at the bottom of the swing.
O ly and consistently is a fairway wood. From a tee it’s

not so bad, but from a tight lie the fairway wood it is
the single most unforgiving club we have in the bag.
In Photo 1 you can see a tee lying on the ground
approximately 2-3 inches in front of the ball. The idea is
to hit the shot making sure to hit the tee, but not take any
Due to the design of the club and necessary swing divot.
mechanics required to hit it correctly, the club has a very In Photo 2 you can see the ball, and the tee, have
low margin of error and the smallest mistake can often disappeared but I didn’t really disturb the ground as I hit
make for an unpleasant result. the shot. The tee helps you to move the club level to
The most common mistake most golfers make is look- the ground through impact — exactly the way a fairway
ing at the low loft of the clubhead and assuming they’ll wood was built to be used.GT
need to “help” the ball get airborne. That often leads to
thin shots where the clubhead is moving up too much to Brandon Stooksbury is Director of Instruction at Idle Hour
strike the ball solidly. Using a simple tee, you can create Golf Club in Macon, Georgia. Visit him at www.stooksbury
an easy drill to help you control the movement of the club golf.com
1 2
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while giving participants access to the best options available.
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Sonequa Martin-Green, SU2C Ambassador

Photo Credit: Matt Sayles
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Getting In Golf Line
With Rotex
Put This Fitness Device In Rotation
By Tom Patri, Top 25 Instructor, with Dr. Joe Lacaze
Photos by Russell Kirk
I
met Dr. Joe Lacaze years ago with my Dr. Joe came to invent his products, sim- I didn’t see the benefits; it was mostly
former boss and dear friend John Kenne- ply called Rotex, after vigorously assessing because, as many of us who were teaching
dy, now retired, then Director of Golf at thousands of clients. He started to see a and coaching at that time, I was moving at
Westchester Country Club in Rye, New common pattern from over 90 percent of a million miles an hour and simply didn’t
York, where I cut my teaching teeth. athletes: The body compensated in the same wrap my head around it. Thank goodness
Dr. Joe, as I refer to him, retired as a Navy way for issues involving the hips, spine, both John and Barry circled back to me
SEAL after 22 years due to severe lower shoulders and core joints and musculature. with the Rotex message. It’s been both a
back, hip and sciatic issues. Dr. Joe set out His invention of Rotex has proved extreme- personal blessing and a huge help to many
on a long educational journey to resolve ly efficient and effective in reducing all of my less-than-pliable students. The perfor-
the problems in his own body, then to help those compensation patterns in the body, mance benefits for those (including me )
others understand theirs — to improve but has evolved into much more — activa- using Rotex has been a godsend.
everyone’s lifestyle and performance. After tion, recovery, rehabilitation, and perfor- As a golf instructor/coach heading into
he retired from the Navy, he first earned mance — all supported by sound research my 39th season, and having just eclipsed
his doctorate in chiropractic, then became and testing from highly esteemed hospitals, 60,000 lesson hours, both the physical
certified in neuromuscular therapy and universities, and sports clinics/programs. performance of the golf machine (the body
performance enhancement, became a I only became a fan in the last year as itself ) as well as injury prevention are par-
master in four flexibility techniques, and I circled back to Rotex via John Kennedy amount in my teaching. Rotex is an incred-
later taught spinal biomechanics at his and one of my old teaching partners from ible tool for both enhanced performance
chiropractic alma mater. He credits most of my Westchester days, PGA Member Barry as well as injury prevention. Dr. Joe is an
his practical education from an exhaustive Troiano. Both John and Barry insisted I absolute genius and I highly recommend
athletic assessment he has performed for revisit Rotex. I hadn’t given it a fair chance you visit both rotexgolf.com and rotexmo-
thousands of patients and athletes. during my initial introduction. Not because tion.com. Also visit Rotex Golf on Youtube.
1 2
ROTEX EXERCISES entire upper body. This not only brings the rotational resistance, an isometric contrac-
Rotation with the ROTEX upper body into the proper plane of motion, tion is created in both the hip and obliques.
Handheld Model but it releases the lower spine in a fashion When the contraction is released, the ner-
The handheld device employs two meth- where the joints slide upon each other, vous system will naturally allow the upper
ods of resistance: 1) Increasing rotational rather than jamming. This makes it a much body to turn even further. Repeating several
resistance and 2) rotational isometric re- more effective exercise when the lower body times in succession, a person can easily
sistance. The handheld device can be safely is turned as far as possible in the opposite gain from 20 to 30 degrees of long-lasting
placed with light pressure against any solid direction of the upper body. rotation per side. This helps create a more
surface, such as a wall, door, car window unrestricted rotational motion, which re-
or cart windshield, as you see here. It can Full Body Rotation duces tightness and the incidence of strain,
be used for a variety of exercises including This exercise is performed using two scien- pain and injury. GT
activating the entire body to get it ready tific approaches to releasing tight muscles
for maximum performance, training in the body (Post Isometric Release and
rotational sequence patterns, correcting Reciprocal Inhibition). The body responds Tom Patri is the President and Founder of
faulty rotational movement (like lift, sway much better and more quickly to release TPGOLF and a Golf Tips Top 25 Instructor.
and slide), and recovery after practice, play, techniques, with longer lasting effects, than He is a former Met PGA Teacher of the Year as
workout or exercise. it does to any sort of stretching. When we well as a former South Florida PGA Teacher
turn the upper body toward the ROTEX of the Year. He teaches at Esplanade in Naples,
Upper and Lower Body Dissociation machine, the shoulders and upper body will Florida from November through April and
This exercise is excellent for safely creating naturally turn as far as possible, but motion is Director of Instruction at The Hawthorns
maximum upper and lower body rotational restrictions will cause them to stop before Golf and Country Club in Fishers, Indiana,
separation. It begins by un-leveling the they turn to their fullest capacity. By rotat- May through October. Reach him at tpatri@
shoulders and creating resistance in the ing the foot and hip inward against a strong mindspring.com or (239) 404-7790.
3 4
5 6

Full Swing
With The Airplane Drill
Rev Up Your Swing’s True Engine

By Gail Graham, Top 25 Instructor | Photos by Russell Kirk
Are you an arm swinger? Does your your body as the engine for your swing,
swing sometimes feel as though you making it easier to repeat the movement
are chopping wood with a heavy axe in and allowing you to create more
your hands? Do you ever feel like you are clubhead speed.
swatting at the ball? Do you want to hit
I love this “Airplane Drill” because it
the ball further?
helps you make a full shoulder turn and
If the answer to any of these questions is feel the rotation of both the upper and
yes, then it sounds as though you need lower body both in the backswing and
to learn how to use the big muscles of through impact to your finish.
Start standing straight with your arms stretched out at shoulder height, thumbs up. Think of your arms as fixed wings that can
only move with the rotation of your body, not independently.
Tip into your posture by pushing your hips back and bringing your chest towards the ground, creating your spine angle.
Maintaining your spine angle throughout the swing starts with a balanced, athletic set up. Keep your weight forward, on your
shoelaces with your knees slightly bent.

As you make your turn into your backswing, allow your gloved hand to turn down towards the ball with your shoulder turning
under your chin. With your gloved hand pointing at the ball, and your other hand high behind you, you will have made a full
shoulder turn (and your back will be facing the target).
At the “top” you should fee pressure on the inside of your trail foot and perhaps a little in your glute. You are now “loaded” on
your right side.
To begin the forward motion, press down into to your lead foot and then rotate your hips on that forward leg and shoulders to-
ward the target allowing your gloved hand to move down the target line and then to the left, finishing high above your head. Your
trail shoulder will be lower than the gloved one. Your trail hand will now be pointing down to the ball.
Welcome to impact. The majority of your weight should be on your forward foot, allowing you to turn around that leg and for
your trail hip and foot to come forward in the rotation towards the target.
Continue your rotation by allowing your trail hand to rotate down
and through the impact area and end up pointing toward the target.
Your body should be turned to face the target and your right shoulder
a little lower than your left until you completely finish your motion.
If you can do this and maintain your posture and your balance
through out the entire motion, you will find you have a more repeat-
able, powerful wing motion. GT
Gail Graham is an LPGA Teaching Professional at Esplanade Golf &

Country Club in Naples, Florida. She is a member of the Canadian Golf
Hall of Fame member, 17-year veteran of the LPGA Tour and and 1997
Australian Masters champion. Reach her at gailgrahamgolf@gmail.com

Faults and Fixes
New Golf Ball
Dial In Path & Plane
By Bob Grissett, Top 25 Instructor
ontrolling Ball Flight is a function of understanding the sweet spot path. As you can see in the photo, the sweet spot travels
relationship between the path (which controls the curve) from “in” (the right side of the frame) to “out” (the left side of the
and the club face (which controls the start direction of frame) throughout the entire downswing.
the ball). Because your golf clubs are bent at an angle Available technology such as TrackMan and high-speed cameras
and golf is played from the side, you don’t swing the golf club on have proven that the golf ball starts generally in the direction the
a perfectly horizontal plane (along the floor) or vertical plane (up clubface is pointing at impact, then curves away from the path.
and down a wall), but rather, you swing it on a inclined plane (for When I teach my students, I use the terms “open” and “closed” face
instance, picture swinging along the roof of a house). to refer to the clubface orientation relative to the path. If the face is
Though the path and club face matter most during the down- open to the path, the ball will fade, and if it’s closed, the ball will draw.
swing and at impact, a backswing that follows the inclined plane A proper fade is hit with a clubface aiming left of the target at impact,
back, up, and in — again, as if you are swinging your hands and the and a proper draw with one aiming right of the target at impact.
sweet spot from the gutter to the peak of a roof — will put you in a The ball flight laws can be categorized as path, club face angle,
better position to make a solid downswing. strike, angle of attack, speed, and loft. Sometimes angle of attack is
A good backswing puts you in the position to deliver the club- lumped together with path (as it is effectively the vertical path of the
head from the inside. The sweet spot will travel diagonally forward, club), and often times “loft” will be lumped in with face angle — as
down, and out toward the golf ball. it is effectively the face angle, but gives the shot height rather than
To practice this, we like to use the grid (Photo 1 on the next directional control as we understand it.
page). Setting rods up like this helps groove the inside-out diagonal I have broken the terms down simply for ease of understanding.

1
This face, target and path grid shows a swing path 6 degrees inside
out (yellow and white rod), and a clubface 3 degrees open to the
target (yellow and orange rods in straight line) and 3 degrees closed
to the swing path. The resulting shot is a push-draw. “The ball starts
roughly on the
2 line of the club-
face and then
curves away
from the path.”
Square Path
3 FACE ANGLE AND PATH

It is very difficult to talk about one without the
other, as it is the combination of both which
determines the direction of a shot (barring a
poor strike).
The path of the club is essentially the
direction the cub is swinging through impact,
and the face angle refers to the direction the
clubface is aiming at the point of impact. Club
face angle accounts for around 75 percent of
Right Path (otherwise known as in-to-out) a shot’s overall starting direction, with club
path being only 25 percent (contrary to the
old wives tale that the ball starts on the swing
path). Although this percentage varies a little
4 from club to club, face angle is the dominant

influence on direction.
This is vital for a player to understand, as
failing to do so can severely inhibit fixing
problems. For example, the typical player
hits a ball right and tries to fix it by swinging
more to the left. This could potentially make
matters worse (especially if club/path ratios
get increasingly dissimilar).
In Photos 2-4, the white line represents
the club path, and the red line represents the
target line.
Left Path (otherwise known as out-to-in)
5
In Photos 5-7, the red line represents the path,

and the yellow represents the clubface angle.
Photo 5 shows a square path and face. When
this happens, there is no tilting of the spin axis
(fancy way of saying no curvature produced), as
long as the strike was from the middle. There is
a tiny bit of gear effect created from the closing
of the face, but don’t worry about that.
In Photo 6, the clubface is open (more right
of) the path. If struck from the sweet spot, this
would produce a shot which starts close to the
yellow line and curves further right.
7
In Photo 7, the clubface is closed to the path.
This would produce a shot which starts close to
the yellow line and curves further left.
To hit a straight shot is easy, in theory: Just
get the clubface and swing path aiming in the
same direction (preferably towards the target) at
the point of impact.
But what happens if they are not aimed
together?
The rule to remember here is, “The ball starts
roughly on the line of the clubface and then
curves away from the path.” Understand that
and you’re on your way to better club face con-
trol — and lower scores. GT
Bob Grissett is founder of Bob Grissett Golf. He

teaches at the Don Law Golf Academy at Osprey
Point Golf Course in Boca Raton, Florida, and at
Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course in Palm Beach. Visit
him at www.bobgrissettgolf.com.

The Iron Game
you dial in your iron

game this summer,
or whenever you’re
practicing to get
better, give the following three tips a try
as part of your routine. Over the years I’ve
been teaching they’ve proven some of the
most valuable and consistent ideas I offer
my students, and they’ll work for you, too.
CRUCIAL MOVE 1:
HEAD BEHIND THE BALL
I have been lucky enough to have spent
quality private time with the great Jack
Nicklaus. He took a liking to my talented
daughter, Carly Ray, as she worked to be-
come a dominant junior golfer in Florida,
eventually winning the High School State
Championship.
Jack spent half an hour at The Bears
Club in West Palm Beach teaching her,
and I took in every single word. Amaz-
ingly blessed, I know!
Anyway, Jack always stressed the
one MUST in the downswing is that
the head MUST be behind the ball at
impact. He said poor players’ heads and
upper bodies lunge forward and get
ahead of the ball at impact.
As you can see in Photo 1, I’m exe-
cuting a poor downswing. with my head
way ahead of the ball. Poor ball striking
will follow.
Look at Photo 2 closely. Notice that
my head and eyes are behind where the
ball was at impact, even after the ball has
been launched. My weight is on my lead
foot and hip but my head, eyes and up-
per body did not lunge forward, ahead of
the golf ball.
Please work on Mr. Jack Nicklaus’ tip
Work On These Positions And Play to my daughter and I. Keep your head
behind the ball at impact. This will assist
To Your Potential every golfer on earth.
CRUCIAL MOVE 2:
By Barry Goldstein, Top 25 Instructor PURE ‘MAGIC’
Photos by Russell Kirk If there is one crucial or “magic” move
in golf, this is it. I recall seeing this as a
young golfer when I saw the legendary
Harvey Penick teach in Texas, when I
played in Fort Worth and he was still
alive and teaching. He stressed over and
over again that if a golfer rehearses this
1 2 3
4 5 6
move they can’t help but get better. know this will help you hit the ball better as TROUBLE!
The ‘magic move’ is to begin your down- you learn it. See how in Photo 6 the club is much more
swing by SIMULTANEOUSLY letting your in front of my body. The butt of the club is
weight shift to your left foot while bringing CRUCIAL MOVE 3: pointed at my belly button — much healthier
your right elbow back into your body. This is TAKE IT AWAY SLOWLY position and on plane, as I took it away
ONE move, not two. Ah, the takeaway. I want to share this simple SLOWLY with soft hands and arms. This is
Look at Photo 3, which is far too typical. visual tip which will assist any golfer who what you should strive for.
My right elbow is away from my body and practices it. I heard both the great Jack Nicklaus and
my weight is rather flat-footed with no weight TAKE IT AWAY SLOW. The typical legendary teacher/player Bob Toski tell my
shift to my left foot. golfer will improve tons if they take the daughter that she hardly could take the club
Take a good look at Photo 4. This is the club away from the ball slowly and with soft away from the ball slowly enough. GOOD
move you want to groove. My right elbow hands. Hold the club softly, and remember ADVICE for everyone. Try this and I know
is into my body and my weight is on my left that the first two feet of your takeaway can you will strike the ball better. GT
foot. My eyes are behind the ball. This will hardly be slow enough. The average player
help every single golfer on the planet. You snatches the club away from the ball with Barry Goldstein teaches at Inverrary Country
don’t even need a golf ball to practice this. tight hands and arms, and the club whips Club in Lauderhill, Florida, and is a renowned
Just groove this move in your home, office inside the ball too fast. coach to junior and collegiate level players
and take it to the course. Look at Photo 5. Clearly the club is far throughout the southeast. He also teaches in his
I also remember Mr. Penick said to always too inside my hands as I whipped it away native Binghamton, New York, from May to
keep it simple. This is simple and crucial. I from the ball fast, with tight hands and arms. October. Reach him at drforgolf@aol.com.

Special Series
Mark Your
Golf
Milestones (Part 2)
x
A Roadmap To Breaking Scoring Barriers

By John Hughes, Top 25 Instructor | Photos by Russell Kirk
4
It’s high summer,
and now is the time to start measuring your progress toward distance of your first putt is a priority if you want to break 100.
achieving your Milestones of Golf. How close are you to breaking Doing this can eliminate the number of times you three-putt within
through a milestone? Are you one or two strokes away? Did you a round, and is the fastest way to reducing your scores, at any level.
start thinking about your scores too soon before the round is com- A simple drill you can do before going out for a round is practic-
plete, believing you had a chance to break through? ing your putting to the edge of the green from different distances.
Let’s explore some ways you can shave a couple strokes off your A simple 3-foot, 6-foot, and 10-foot putt to begin with will help you
score to break through your next Milestone. understand the subtleties of the green. A couple 20-foot and 30-foot
putts to the edge of a green provides you feedback to how fast or
BREAKING 100 slow those putts may be on any given day, as well as how grain may
Learn to Control the Length of Your Putts be affecting the direction your ball could take.
Three-putts add up fast for the player who is trying to break 100. Use a tee as a target for all these putts. In just five minutes, you’ll
Why? Because your first putt is not as good as it could be, leaving be on your way to learning to adjust your putting stroke to accom-
you a longer than expected second putt. Learning to control the modate the length of putts you’ll experience on the course.
x

BREAKING 90
Time to Test Your Patience with a New Strategy
We all want to make birdies, but you must start learning how to least eight chances to lower your score on the holes that do provide
consistently make pars first. Chances are your decision-making some relief to your skills. You don’t have to sacrifice your playing
gets aggressive when you play par 3s and 5s, looking to capitalize on style doing so. Making big numbers on these holes is the fastest way
shorter approach shot distances that could allow for more birdies to higher scores. Big numbers playing 3s and 5s will completely
— or, in some cases, make up lost ground from the big number you debilitate your ego and eliminate any chance of making up ground.
just carded the previous hole. Do the math. Making pars at these holes provides you ten op-
A better strategy that creates discipline with your decision-mak- portunities to make bogey and still have eight shots to play with, at
ing is to consistently make pars playing par 3s and 5s. Here are at most courses, to still break 90.
BREAKING 80
Distance Becomes Important time to developing speed in your swing, now is the time to do so.
Dr. Mark Broadie’s “Strokes Gained” statistical analysis of golf has Look to use swing aids and golf clubs of varying weights to swing in
revolutionized how golfers and instructors view improvement. It a progressive manner to foster the development and maintenance of
has also confirmed that the farther you can hit a shot, the more the the muscles that create speed. You also need to understand that an
advantage you have over your competitors as well as the golf course. off-plane swing will rob you of any speed you are developing. So be
To consistently break 80, consistent and increased length to all shots sure that as you work on speed, you are now honing all positions of
becomes more important as your scoring average lowers. your swing, not just your backswing, so you have a better chance of
If you are not already dedicating a small amount of your practice staying on plane.
x
BREAKING 70
Short Game, Short Game, Short Game!
We’re now talking about shots from 125 yards
and in — what you would consider an “attacking”
position for setting up an eagle opportunity, or
saving par. These shots are the bread and butter of
your score. There’s not enough time in the day to
practice them, but plenty of creative ways to do so
when the time arrives.
Probably the most important part of short game
to practice is what I call your “Comfort Circle,” the
distance from the hole that provides you the op-
portunity to sink 95 percent or more of your putts.
The bigger you can make this circle, the better.
Whether practicing the Around the World Drill
(visit www.golftipsmag.com for more) or any other
drills you use to become more comfortable hitting
short putts, or playing competitive, circumstantial
games with your friends or by yourself, you can’t
practice these putts too much. These putts create
and groom confidence. And as fast as you grow
that confidence, it can erode faster if you begin to
miss these short putts. The more pressure while
practicing these putts, the better. GT
John Hughes is a PGA Master Professional, 2009

Northern Florida PGA Teacher of the Year and
x
founder of John Hughes Golf in Orlando, Florida.

Reach him at www.johnhughesgolf.com

B
unker
Play
asics
It’s All About FACE/BASE/PACE
By Tina Tombs, Top 25 Instructor
Photos by Stephen Denton
T
he greenside bunker shot the course. There are a few things you are
• You can’t ground your club or touch
doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, not permitted to do when your ball is in a
the sand (except to remove loose
it should be one of the easiest bunker. These include testing the condition
impediments) around the ball.
shots in golf, because you don’t have to of the sand, touching the sand right around
strike the ball at all, just the sand under- you ball and making a practice swing that Here’s how to get out of the sand every
neath it. Here’s my three-step method for touches the sand. time — and stay within the rules.
becoming a great bunker player: FACE, In other words:
BASE AND PACE. CLUBS TO USE
• You can remove loose impediments • Lob wedge (58 or 60 degree)
So just what is a bunker? (natural and artificial objects) from • Sand wedge (54 or 56 degree)
Rules: USGA Rule #12 the bunker. • Gap wedge (50 or 52)
The definition of the Bunker: A specially • You can set your clubs down in the
prepared area of sand which is often hollow bunker and rake the bunker USE THE BOUNCE
from which turf or soil has been removed. • You cannot test the sand around your The key to hitting bunker shots is to use the
Bunkers are one of the five defined areas of golf ball. bounce of the club. The bounce is simply the
1 2
3 4
high point of the sole (Photo 1) that aids the cent on the lead foot, with your knees of FACE/BASE/PACE.)
club resistance to digging (Photo 2). wide, feet flared out and lead knee
1. Grip the top of the club (the handle).
flexed more than the trail knee.
SET-UP AND GRIP Tip: do not choke down on the grip,
There are differences in set-up and grip from FACE because your feet digging into the
full swing shots from the tee or the fairway. Grip and Club Face Position sand (the base part of FACE/BASE/
The easiest way to grip the golf club and get PACE) will bring you closer to the
Set-Up And Execution Fundamentals the face in the correct position for success- ball, and remember, you want to hit
To set up in a greenside bunker, move the ful bunker shots is to stand in the bunker under the ball, not the ball itself.
ball forward in the stance. This will aid the and rest your club outside the bunker, as 2. Position the lead hand more “under”
shoulders to aim to the left and create an shown in Photo 3. Pay close attention to for a high, softer bunker shot
out-to-in path. the club face so that it’s “open” or pointing 3. Position the trail hand more on top
1. Shaft plane at address is in line with to the sky, as the alignment rod shows in of the club. This procedure will effec-
the ball to maintain the loft of the face. Photo 4. Then grip the golf club. tively open the clubface and increase
2. Move your head to position your This is the first part of FACE, BASE the amount of loft and bounce on the
nose and spine in line with the center and PACE. wedge. The result is that you can now
of the ball. Opening the clubface will expose the swing more aggressively through the
3. Lower body weight should be 70 per- bounce on the wedge. (This is the FACE part sand during the shot.

5 6
7 8
PACE lizing your BASE). Digging your I’m doing in Photo 6.

Gary Player’s ‘Light The Match’ feet guarantees that your swing will 3. Notice the incorrect set up in Photos
Analogy bottom out and strike the sand first, 7 and 8: With the ball back in my
When you light a match, you don’t just one or two inches behind the ball. stance, the face closed, shaft is leaning
slowly drag the match along the box. You towards the target.
flick it fast — kkkkshhhhhhttttt! You do the DRILL 4. Finally, with the lead knee flexed into
same thing when you play out of the bunker. 1. Draw a line in the sand and take the lead foot, swing the club at an
Don’t try to slide the club slowly through practice swings to make contact at aggressive PACE, hinging your wrist
the sand — it won’t come out! Instead, flick the line with the bounce of the club on the backswing and holding your
it through the sand, accelerating rapidly. (Photo 5). clubface open on the downswing.
The ball will pop out with lots of spin. 2. Flex knees with lead knee more flexed 5. Feel pressure into the sand with the
1. Open your stance (your BASE) until then the trail knee, and towards the lead foot to help increase the speed of
the clubface aims back at the target. target, with spine angle tilted back the club to throw the sand out of the
2. Dig your feet into the sand (stabi- and eyes over the center of the ball, as bunker, and the ball will go with it!
9 10
11 12
A great way to practice this shot is by • Flare feet and Flex knees, lead knee of the sand and the ball will go with
placing the ball on a tee in the sand, then is flexed toward the target and more it. Energy is down into the sand and
work on striking the tee, not the ball, with than the trail knee through the sand — stay away from
an open clubface, as I’m demonstrating in • Lead hand grip is more to the left trying to lift the ball up and out. GT
Photos 9-12. And remember Gary Player’s (weaker for high soft shots) and trail-
Light the Match Analogy! hand grip more on top. Tina Tombs is Director of Instruction at the
To Recap: • Sense that you are going to throw the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club in Phoenix. Visit
• Hands and shaft are even with the ball sand out of the bunker with the blast her at www.tinatombsgolf.com

The Short Game
POWER
VS
FINESSE:
Three Keys
Rev Up Your Swing’s True Engine

By Matt Henderson, PGA
M
ost of us are guilty of moving elements of our full bounce of club and added effective loft are often harmful.
swing into our short games, quite frankly because In the short game, speed must be well managed, softness has
that information has been handed down for what is a value and so does controlling the ground interaction of the
now generations: “The small swing is the same as the club’s bounce.
full swing.” Standing up and hitting a driver as far down the fairway as we
Always, as in life, it is not quite that straightforward. The goals can is a different skill from being able to hit the ball 15 feet with a
of full swing are much different from those of the short game. controlled spin rate. The caveat is that in playing the game of golf
In the full swing, maximum speed is important, while the we would like to be relatively skilled at both.
1
IDENTIFYING POWER TRAITS

The things that come to mind when looking at the
left frame of Photo 1 of the driver setup would be
wide stance, side bend or tilt, and distance away from
the ball.
Short of narrowing the stance and moving the
ball back, the picture of the wedge in the right frame
contains many of the same distance-producing
factors. Over a period of time the player on the right
would experience fat and thin contact mishits, as well
difficulty controlling speed and touch of short game
shots. This is solely based on the distance factors
noted in the setup position.
Gaining control over the setup is a crucial part of
being able to become proficient at the various skills
needed to play quality golf and control the overall
consistency of performance.

Here are the three simple steps: toward the target than where the ball was).
Step numbers two and three do a great deal to facilitate this.
STEP 1: NARROW STANCE Flaring or opening the lead foot helps the body maintain the
The short game stance is very narrow versus the full swing level shoulder through impact.
(Photo 3). This is optimum for stability in the short game, but One of the worst things that could happen dynamically
opposite of the full swing. It would be tough to create power though the execution of the shot would be if the hips tilt up —
from the position in the right frame of Photo 2, which makes i.e., the lead hip is higher than the trail hip through impact. If
it optimal to hit short shots. this reverse tilt occurs, it will move the low point backwards
(see the left frame of Photo 5). This happens because as the
STEP 2: OPEN OR SPLAYED LEAD FOOT
hips tilt up, the spin tilts backwards.
Having a slightly open lead foot helps assist level shoulders
For this reason, step three — referencing sternum position
through impact, which can be a lead contributor to con-
— becomes very important. It prevents the same hip tilt that
trolling the low point in the short game motion.
happened dynamically at setup. GT
STEP 3: SHIRT BUTTONS IN FRONT
Matt Henderson, PGA, is Director of Instruction at TPC Las
Set up with the sternum or shirt buttons in front of the ball
Vegas. Reach him at matthenderson@pgatourtpc.com
(the right frame of Photo 4). If we set up with the chest behind
the golf ball (left frame), the low point will tend to be behind
the golf ball.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

These steps do a lot to reducing the amount of speed we can
create, but they also do a lot to aid in controlling the low point.
Lack of the latter is generally a large problem for most am-
ateurs. Optimal low point control comes when the shoulders
are fairly level through impact (right frame of Photo 5); this
provides a “covered” look with the chest (chest point more
3 5
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Putting
How to Master
Big
Breaking
Putts
By Tom Stickney, Top 25 Instructor
One
of the hardest them, especially if you hit it in the incorrect green speeds to you tend to play on in gen-
things for portion of the green. eral. If you play fast greens with some slope,
people to As you can see in Photo 1 I have a long you will tend to be more of a “die” putter
understand putt with a ridge in the middle of the green where you play the ball at the apex and allow
when putting is that there are and infinite as well as a sizable slope from left to right. the gravity to pull it down to the hole. If you
number of “lines” you can take based on There is a range of “lines” we can take. play slower and flatter greens you will tend
the speed you choose. Sometimes certain One would be the highest line with the least to be more of a firm-putter who plays less
putts require a more delicate approach amount of speed and the other would be the break and hits the ball harder.
while others necessitate a more direct lowest possible line with more speed but not The second thing you must consider is
route to the hole. Regardless of the one you so much that it runs way past the hole. what the putt itself is asking you to do and
choose you must be mindful of both, and The two balls in Photo 2 represent the what are the consequences of either speed.
all the lines in between, in order to become highest and lowest possible line that you can Because both can be incorrect choices.
a great putter under the gun. take to this particular pin above. So which Think of a putt you have that is su-
Here at Punta Mita you must understand line is correct? per-fast. The higher and more break you
this fact as our Jack Nicklaus greens here First you must ask yourself what type of try to play the faster the ball will come
tend to have some exaggerated movement to putter you normally are, and what type of down the slope, leaving you with a longer
Ridge across green
Low line High line
2 3
comeback putt. Now consider the short without the ball running way past the hole. always want to maintain a bent rear wrist
putt that has some movement to it; it might Now mark these spots on the green with post-impact to ensure that I hit the ball
be easier to jam it into the back of the hole, a tee. Your job is to practice the extremes with the correct amount of loft (Photo
taking out the break. — the high and then the low — to help you 3). Flip at it and you’ve turned your putter
This this is where practice and experi- “feel” your speed control. Now hit putts into a chipper — and you will leave the ball
ence comes in — helping you to make the in the middle of these two spots and see short of the hole every time.
best choice for your personality, nerves, if you can find that speed as well. You can If you don’t fine tune your feel or don’t
and overall shot selection. Sometimes it’s spend as much time as you need finding understand the high and low point, you
better to hit it harder and other times it’s differing lines that you can use. From there will never have the many options on the
better to hit it softer. you will have a better chance to imagine greens that the professionals on Tour have.
So, how do you learn how to play either what the best line would be for the next big The key is to use your imagination, your
putt? You must fine-tune your feel! breaking putt you have. feel, and your speed control to select the
The best drill for fine-tuning your feel From a mechanical standpoint the only best line for the putt at hand. Take your
is to hit putts as I did above, finding the thing you must remember on longer putts time to fine-tune your feel and you will
highest and softest line, as well as the is to make sure that you hit the ball solidly have no problem getting down in two re-
lowest and most firm line you can take and maintain quality impact alignments. I gardless of where you are on the green. GT
Tom Stickney, PGA, is Director of Instruction at Punta Mita Resort,

Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. Visit him at www.tomstickneygolf.com

The Mental Game
How Tour
Pros Deal
With Fear
Four Players Share Their Secrets...
And Their Faith
By Cary Valentine, photos courtesy of PGA Tour
Stewart Cink: Taking notes after every round allows Kenny Perry: Nervousness before a round can be
you to come back with sharper focus and better a good thing if you embrace it instead of fight it.
confidence. Photo by Jennifer Perez/PGA Tour Photo by Stan Badz/PGA Tour
Editor’s note: In January, Hawaii-based Stewart, where you were in contention to thoughts, spiritual things, confidence
mental game and performance coach and win numerous tournaments in 2018, did boosters, routine related items, anything.
author Cary Valentine interviewed several you make changes that caused you to step I just jot little notes down and I tried to do
Tour players at the Sony Open — major up your game? that after every round.
winners Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink, I went back in and rediscovered a few
Champions Tour standout Kenny Perry and Stewart Cink: Well during the first half thoughts and a few commitment items that
of the year, I really felt like I was kind of translated into immediate, sharper focus,
PGA Tour veteran Anirban Lahiri — about
languishing around and not really getting better decision making.
how they prepare mentally and spiritually for
much out of my work and just generally un- My caddy, Taylor, and I call it “cleaner
competition and keep focused between the
committed even though I didn’t know it at golf.” I like to separate the decision making
ropes and off the course as well. Here’s what
the time, ’cause when you’re in it, you don’t and the execution, and felt like I was quite
he found.
always realize it. And then I went to Memo- gray before, then suddenly things shifted to
rial, where I’ve played pretty much every black and white. It just translates into better
year; it’s one of my favorites. I’ve got some golf. I struggle being a little older now. The
pretty good performances there, I always felt focus part of it is a little bit harder to grasp
really at home playing there, and I played onto than when I was young.
terrible — that was an eye opener for me. It just seems like a few shots here and
After that tournament, I missed qualify- there, where I was a little bit asleep — I don’t
ing for the U.S. Open, so I was stuck there catch a little something that I would have
for two days with nothing to do. caught 10 years ago, and I don’t reboot.
I decided to do a little mirror time, so to That’s a big key in golf. Golf is one of the
speak — you know, looking in the mirror only sports that let you re-create the present.
and figuring out what are you doing, Something enters your mind that you don’t
get committed. I went back and looked like, it gets you distracted and you have a
through some of my notes from the past choice to make — you either need to start
year and a half, that I keep as a log — swing over and get clear or you can go ahead and

Zach Johnson: “Golf should require some jitters Anirban Lahiri: Meditation helps embrace the
to get your body going. If you’re stoic, consider a outcome of a golf round, whether a win or missed
different endeavor.” Photo by Jennifer Perez cub. Photo by Stan Badz
hit it anyway. I call those “anyway shots,” Zach Johnson: I would hope they have scend anything and get inside the ropes,
and they are usually quite destructive. butterflies and that means something to to me is phenomenal. I love the fact that
Either you’ll get an immediate bad result you. Golf is a sport, it should require some there are many scriptures that speak about
or you get a good result, and it lulls you jitters and emotions to get your body going. lessening of fears, lessening of worries,
into thinking that you can continue those If you’re often pretty stoic you may want to lessening of temporal things, and are more
“anyway shots” until you do get disrup- reconsider a different endeavor. But I think focused on eternal things. And for me,
tive results. For me, that’s kind of like the the bottom line is that golf is really, really that’s the perspective I desire when I’m
sweet spot of focus, being able to recognize hard. So, let’s have an expectation of just playing golf.
those moments where I need to probably having fun, hitting solid shots during the
Cink: If I have something that distracts
start over and yet I sometimes don’t. And social aspect of it, and the enjoy fact that
me and I hit it any way, it’s almost always
I’m now really diligent after a round. I’m you’re outside playing a great game.
because I’m putting the results in front of
looking back and trying to do my best in Cink: I think the number one thing that anything else that I really want to achieve.
those moments because that’s what I’ve young adults between the ages of 21 to 25 — My life is not set up around making birdies
identified as being the most destructive as my own kids are right in middle of this age or bogeys anymore, but it used to be.
far as results.” group — is to learn that you’ll perform bet- I’m fostering my relationship with Jesus
How do golfers deal with nerves and anxi- ter if you remove the attachment to needing when I am playing golf. It’s also what I do at
ety on the golf course? to perform. If you set everything up in your home, waking up in the morning with my
life where you are pursuing the same thing wife and family. Yet putting results ahead
Kenny Perry: Well, you’ve got to wel-
all the time, without the focus on perfor- of my faith is so easy to do — it’s tantaliz-
come the nervousness. To me, I never did
mance, your performance will be better.” ing, it’s seducing, it is so easy to be drawn in
welcome it, I never did enjoy it. And I still
to the results-oriented way, because that’s
get nervous, but I know for me when I’m How does faith help your golf game?
the way the world says.
nervous, it means something. And that’s a Johnson: In my case, faith is the number Most of these guys on the tour are told we
good thing. Not a bad thing.”
one important priority in my life, it’s in need to have results in order for our identity
What suggestions do you have for ama- everything on a golf course or off a golf to be validated. And if you listened to that
teurs to transform performance jitters? course. The fact that the Bible can tran- idea, it can be very challenging. I never
“Control what you can
control. And that means
everything...After that,
it’s irrelevant.”
even realized it was happening to me until a closed. I think what happens is doubt being in an action cycle.
couple of years ago when I had this moment creates a domino effect to psychological
Did you get more upset before training in
when a light bulb came on and I questioned emotions. The doubt leads to how you feel
meditation?
myself, “what are you after?” I was after about yourself, how you compare to others,
birdies and bogeys and positioning, how are you afraid you’re gonna fail and then Lahiri: Absolutely. I still get upset on the
I compare to the other guys out here, and how you feel about your failures. It’s the course and that’s a healthy thing, as it re-
money, and all that stuff. And I decided to end result of what you really feel afraid of — flects your care and that you are trying. But
shift my focus to my faith and it really trans- that’s when you shy back and hurt yourself.” it’s how long I get upset, or how intensely
lated for me on the golf course, completely I react, how quickly I can look at it with
Has meditation helped you improve your
freed me up to be closer to the person I perspective. These are the factors that
golf game?
want to be when I’m playing, instead of golf determine how quickly you can move on or
deciding what kind of person I am. Anirban Lahiri: Yes, understanding that learn from it or overcome it.
you are always going to be in the process.
Perry: Well, I’ve always put Jesus first, and Do you recommend setting goals?
With Vipassana meditation you’re trying
it’s been real easy for me. You know, he’s in
to stay connected to yourself. What you’re Lahiri: You can set goals for sure. I feel you
control of my life. So now if I just kind of
trying to do through meditation and have to set two goals. You set long term
leave it over to him, I’m still human. I still
through sources of mental training, you’re goals or yearly goals or five-year goals, and
want to try to do it myself, but the more I
in the process of living out your life. I’m then you set mini goals, that is measurable,
relax, the more I let him take control, the
not a fatalist but I definitely believe in tangible. To measure in your own mind,
easier it is for me on the course.
going through what I need to do, with your own progress with the work you’re
How do doubts affect you on the course the best I can do. And then accepting the putting in, that’s very important because
and in your life? outcome — could be a positive or negative, that gives you a perspective of where you
Cink: I definitely see doubts as a way for but it’s just an outcome at the end of the are going.
the body and subconscious to get your day, and you have to accept it. Embrace it
Do you feel you can control what’s going
attention. I don’t always know what that is, whether it’s a win or a missed cut. And I
to happen during the round?
but it’s like God’s presence wants to invite think that is the only thing that can take
us in. And yet most of us keep a wall around you forward, and to understand how that Johnson: Control what you can control.
us. When we open the door and feel God’s works, you need to have a certain level of And that means everything: from how you
presence, that’s when we’re able to be our consciousness or certain level of awareness walk, how you talk, how you’re walking
true selves and achieve peak performance. about yourself. Vipassana meditation helps to the ball, to how many swings you take,
When I have doubts, I use it as a symbol you get to that point because otherwise, how many looks you take, things you can
or a signal to me saying that, I got the door you’re stuck in a reaction cycle instead of control. After that, it’s irrelevant. GT

TRAVEL TIPS
The
Enduring Lure of
Casa de Campo
As Always, It’s Just

What The D.R. Ordered
By Vic Williams
Photos by Patrick Koenig
Left: The fifth hole on Teeth of the Dog
Above: The Marina Nine of Dye Fore
or years I’d heard the words, or my scorecard.
F studied the photos, played those

holes hard against the Caribbean
in my head. Teeth of the Dog. And
right on that dog’s heels, three more words
in Spanish. Casa de Campo.
Cottage. As in getaway second home.
That’s beauty and allure of Casa de
Campo, the Dominican Republic’s original
golf destination, a 7,000-acre development
anchoring the province of Romana some
45 minutes from Punta Cana’s private-
ly-owned international airport, on the
readily — five or six strokes more friend-
ly — while the 27 holes of the hilltop Dye
Fore Course are a different breed of golf:
one nine strung on a bluff overlooking the
Chavón River, another tumbling toward
the resort’s marina before turning back
uphill, and a third, newer nine fittingly
Sounded good to me. island’s eastern point: There’s nothing hard called Lagos, as in lakes. Lots of them. The
Finally came the day I was there in the about it, if by “hard” you mean harsh, or private La Romana Country Club, where
flesh, standing on the tee of the Dog’s unwelcoming. members and homeowners get their Dye
exquisite par 3 fifth hole with a 9-iron in Sure, like any golf course designed by fix, rounds out Casa de Campo’s tee-to-
my hand, and yeah, that pup was barking the great master Pete Dye, as all of Casa de green bounty. Indeed, it’s one of the most
up a storm — a storm of sun and surf and Campo’s 81 holes are, Teeth of the Dog will impressive collections of golf holes in all of
blessed late autumn heat, a far cry from the snarl back at a bad shot on any hole, not just Latin America, not just the Caribbean.
snowstorms back home. those exquisite seven along the sea. But get
I could get used to this. to know it a bit — with some help from an RETAKING THE MANTLE
I took a swing and my ball looked safe, experienced forecaddie, preferably — and Casa de Campo is all the way back on the
safe, safe from a seawater death, then it you’ll find it’s also a jovial and inviting world stage after a few years on the relative
caught up in the big tree guarding the breed, groomed to please and take up a sidelines as the courses at Punta Cana
green’s right side for a second or two, permanent home in your heart. soaked up much of the travel writing ink
rattled around … and dropped in a narrow That’s what all great golf courses do, and and digital eyeballs. Yes, they are newer, and
strip of rough between modern bunker and it’s a key ingredient in Dye’s enduring magic. spectacular in that singular D.R. way, but
ancient rocky shore. Safe, after all. The Dog The fully inland Links Course next they aren’t this place, with its fascinating
bit, but not hard enough to break the skin, door exposes its friendly underbelly more history of rising out of the sugar cane fields,
The Links
which fed the world’s largest sugar mill at all sizes, from day cruisers to serious yachts, sushi at Pubbelly and Mediterranean fusion
the time — how it was built largely on the bobbing in their slips. fare at SBG, both located at the marina.
profits from those sweet reeds that still After-dinner drinks? Altos de Chavón is
occupy much of the acreage between the DINING DEEP DIVE also home to Genesis, Casa de Campo’s top
resort’s gates and the airport. You’re better off leaving the cart behind and night spot. After-round drinks? The 19th
They’ve never had a 747 land, carrying taking a resort shuttle to Altos de Chavón, a Hole serves both Teeth of the Dog and The
millionaires and bigwigs, on a strip that cut full-on 16th century replica Mediterranean Links, and Dye Fore has a small saloon —
right across Teeth of the Dog’s 9th and 18 village named after the river it overlooks. but I vote for a cold beer from Minitas Beach
holes, a vestige of which is still there (these Part celebration central (there’s a beautiful Club or a Piña Colada from Coco Mar.
days private planes land at Romana Interna- wedding chapel), part artist’s colony and
tional Airport, minutes away). museum, part entertainment venue with a GOLF ON A GRAND SCALE
They haven’t been around long enough Roman-style amphitheater, it’s also home Also joining us at La Piazzetta was Eric
to grow from an executive retreat for Gulf to the Casa de Campo’s original eatery, the Lillibridge, Casa de Campo’s director of
+ Western employees into a luxury enclave excellent La Piazzetta. As we nibbled from a golf instruction, who, both in his technol-
that got a $40 million expansion in 2011, vast antipasto bar, then supped on fresh sea- ogy-stacked learning center and out on the
with a spruce-up of its lovely Minitas Beach food and pasta, sipped vintages from a stel- course, has given lessons to everyone from
Club, complete with pool and open-air bar lar cellar, and relived our rounds at Teeth of lowly golf writers (“swing like you’re hitting
and protected swimming lanes in the bay the Dog that day, Director of Golf Emeritus a three-quarter knockdown,” he told me af-
itself — following in 2017. Gilles Gagnon, a Montreal native who came ter watching my too-long, “lifty” backswing,
They don’t have a trap shooting range just to the D.R. in 1981, regaled our group with and it worked like a charm), to billionaire
a short personal golf cart ride away from stories of his world travels, promoting the Michael Bloomberg, who, he says, looks to
the resort lobby … or personal golf carts, resort and racking up friends. pack in as many holes as possible, insists
for that matter. The gas-powered four-seat- To my mind La Piazzetta remains the on actually paying for Lillibridge’s time
ers get guests from their spacious, sleekly resort’s showcase culinary experience, and wants to be treated like everyone else.
outfitted bungalows or luxury villas to the though we also enjoyed the daily breakfast In other words, like the VIP we all become
course or beach club or perhaps drinks and and lunch buffet spreads at Lago (the fruit once we pass through the resort’s se-
dinner at the Italian-themed marina, with selection alone is incredible); the casual, in- cure-yet-welcoming gates.
its restaurants and shops arrayed next to a door-outdoor, French-inspired La Caña, just “Sometimes it’s hard to believe I’m here.
big public square … and, beyond, boats of off the main hotel lobby; and the cut-above It’s paradise,” Lillibridge told me as we re-
Teeth of The Dog brings
every element into play.
turned to No. 5 on Teeth for an instruction- perfectly placed on doglegs to block errant home community, covering the gamut from
al photo shoot. “It took a while to get used tee shots from any chance at getting home cozy bungalows to multimillion-dollar
to it, but now that I can speak the language in regulation. And the bunkers: They come mansions tucked along narrow lanes that
enough to get by, I love it.” in semi-pot clusters, stretch their fingers attract buyers from South America, Europe
Not many golf pros have as grand a into landing areas and, in the case of the par and the U.S. For me that’s hit-the-lottery
teaching and playing canvas as Lillibridge 3 13th, encircle the green completely. talk, so it’s a good thing there are several
has here, starting, of course with Teeth of Yep, there’s more teeth to this dog than flights per day to Punta Cana from the
the Dog — named for the jagged crushed meets the eye. It is sneaky Pete, after all. mainland. Miami is only 90 minutes, New
coral on which it was built in 1970. Nobody turns relatively flat terrain into a York is just under three hours and Chicago
The ocean holes comprise a gallery of sculpted wonder like that guy. is a little over four.
design masterpieces, naturally getting Up the road at Dye Fore, it’s a much dif- Show up at the right time of year — next
most of the photographic love and strate- ferent story as the land heaves and swoops, winter, perhaps? — and you can take in a
gic shout-outs. To negotiate those seven skirting cliffs and negotiating wide ravines, Major League-level baseball game or two
beauties without rinsing a ball, you’ve got particularly on the riverside Chavón nine, in Romana. Some of the game’s best players
to able to keep it straight in the capricious which is home to two par 3s whose greens come from this diamond-crazy country,
breezes. The four on the front nine have seem to hang in the humid air. Instead of and if you’re lucky you might see a current
the Caribbean on the left, while the back the crashing surf you get broad ocean views big leaguer suiting up as a winter leaguer to
nine’s three play with it on the right — and from on high — it’s downright breathtaking keep sharp.
several ask for a tee shot or approach over and, as far as I’m concerned, equal to the We didn’t get a chance to grab a game —
the surging surf including the par 3 16th Dog in drama. And The Links is certainly they were sold out — so we “settled” on hole
and par 4 17th, which mark the Dog’s no slouch, the perfect warm-up or wind- after hole and bite after bite of incredible golf
dramatic high point. down round candidate with its gentle, and cuisine, bountiful beach and pool time,
Not to slight Dye’s craftsmanship on wide-fairway flow through homes and and endless smiles from a well-trained staff
the inland holes. Nos. 2 and 3 are an early stands of trees. who help assure a memorable experience.
one-two punch, the former with a rocky Put these courses together and you’re Sounds like it’s high time to let this D.R.
waste area up the left side, the latter with a looking at a truly terrific Pete Dye trifecta. original sink its teeth into your soul. GT
green protected by one of those signature
“volcano” slopes on the right. Holes 11 and REMOTE YET ACCESSIBLE For stay-and-play packages and reserva-
12 are framed by huge trees; a couple are Casa de Campo is also a bustling second tions, visit www.casadecampo.com

TP TALKS GOLF
How Hard Is Golf?

You Know The Answer. Don’t Make It Even Harder
BY TOM PATRI
We all face the struggles of golf and most often place the blame
cruelly square on ourselves.
“Man, I stink!”
“You stupid idiot!”
“God, I’m so bad!”
I hear folks inflicting this incredibly damaging self-talk upon
themselves every day I go to my teaching tee. The noted sports psy-
chologist Dr. Bob Rotella once shared with me that the most dam-
aging thing an athlete could do was voice a negative expletive about
themselves out loud, for their own ears to hear. His opinion was that
this was far more damaging then another person criticizing you.
Bob went on to advise to never ever openly criticize oneself —
that the damage to your confidence would be long-lasting and
far-reaching.
I remember a wonderful example of a player with golf firmly in
perspective. It was the mid to late ’90s and I was on the practice tee
at Westchester Country Club with the great Tom Kite. Now keep in
mind Tom had an incredibly consistent PGA Tour career. He was
nothing short of a living, breathing ATM, making regular five- and
six- figure withdrawals from PGA Tour purses.
During this particular time frame Tom had run into a very un-
usual stretch for him. He had missed several cuts and, when he had
made it to the weekend, he had struggled. The press was writing
that Kite was fading and his time was past. a bad attitude, and it’s all for nothing.
We chatted that day and I asked him how he was holding up. We all get up daily and have a choice. Ask yourself, is your glass
Without hesitation he looked me square in the eye and said, “TP, half-empty or half-full? Make the right choice.
it’s nothing but a speed bump!”
I asked for an explanation and he simply said, “when you have been •••
at this game as long as I have, there are going to be peaks and valleys.” There’s something else I’d like to share with all of you.
He went on to explain he was going to go to work each day and I’m extremely excited to have recently accepted a new summer
simply figure it out. position as Director of Instruction at The Hawthorns Golf and
A week or two later he finished second in a tour event and went Country Club in Fishers, Indiana, just a few miles north of India-
on a four- or five-week run of high finishes. napolis. I’ll be there May through October. If you’re a Midwestern-
I personally wouldn’t rank Tom Kite’s swing in the Top 25 of his er, come on out and let’s work on your game this summer season.
era. That said, he won 37 times worldwide, 19 times on the PGA
Tour. He won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He was the first in Tom Patri is the President and Founder of TPGOLF. He is a former Met
his era to reach $6 million, $7 million, $8 million and $9 million in PGA Teacher of the Year as well as a former South Florida PGA Teacher
annual earnings. Keep in mind some of the players in his era were of the Year. Tom is a Golf Tips Magazine Top 25 Instructor in America.
Nicklaus, Watson, Norman, Couples … I could go on and on. He teaches at Esplanade in Naples, Florida November-April and is The
My point is, attitude is everything in sport. You can be blessed Director of Instruction at The Hawthorns Golf and Country Club in
with wonderful athletic talent. World-class hand-eye coordination. Fishers, Indiana, May-October. Reach him at tpatri@mindspring.com or
A tremendous work ethic. Couple any and all of those things with (239) 404-7790.

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SIZZLING SUMMER INSTRUCTION

THE GAME’S IN-DEPTH INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT MAGAZINE www.golftipsmag.com

+HOW TOUR STARS BEAT FEAR

REDISCOVER CASA DE CAMPO

JULY/AUGUST 2019 VOLUME 31 NUMBER 4 www.golftipsmag.com

EQUIPMENT 10 THE PGA WAY 24 IRON CLAD TRAVEL

CONTENTS www.golftipsmag.com July/August 2019 1

EDITORIAL MADAVOR MEDIA

TOP 25 GOLF INSTRUCTORS

Let Tiger Lead The Way

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Putting Arc $39.95-$69.95, Arc Mirror $49.95 |

MEET GOLF TIPS’ Director of

ADAM BAZALGETTE WARREN BOTTKE ALISON CURDT

MIKE DIFFLEY KRISTA DUNTON WAYNE FLINT

JANE FROST VICKI GOETZE-ACKERMAN BARRY GOLDSTEIN

GAIL GRAHAM BOB GRISSETT JOHN HUGHES

CHRIS JOHNSTON ROB LABRITZ CINDY MILLER

TOM PATRI BRADY RIGGS JEFF RITTER

JIM ROY TOM STICKNEY BRANDON STOOKSBURY

TINA TOMBS DEB VANGELLOW JORDAN YOUNG

How To Grip It Right Every Time

T Making sure they are on the club correctly is

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Watch Clubhead and Ball Collide

e have all heard it. The well-intentioned advice of

W “keep your head down.” Keeping your head down

LPGA Master Professional Deb Vangellow teaches at

LPGA Player Danielle Kang

Keeping Your Head Down For Nothing

hear many golf pros, parents and friends like to tell

I each other to “keep their head down” thru impact. As if

Nam Padung is Director of Instruc-

Think ‘PGA’ For Great Play

ALIGNMENT: Place two golf clubs

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Fairway Woods 101

O ly and consistently is a fairway wood. From a tee it’s

Clinical trials are an essential path to progress and the

Sonequa Martin-Green, SU2C Ambassador

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With The Airplane Drill

Rev Up Your Swing’s True Engine

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Gail Graham is an LPGA Teaching Professional at Esplanade Golf &

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New Golf Ball

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3 FACE ANGLE AND PATH

4 from club to club, face angle is the dominant

In Photos 5-7, the red line represents the path,

Bob Grissett is founder of Bob Grissett Golf. He

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you dial in your iron

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A Roadmap To Breaking Scoring Barriers

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John Hughes is a PGA Master Professional, 2009

founder of John Hughes Golf in Orlando, Florida.

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www.golftipsmag.com July/August 2019 31

PACE lizing your BASE). Digging your I’m doing in Photo 6.

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