By Scott Sackett

KEY THOUGHTS ON PUTTING:

The goal in putting is quite simple: Get the ball in the hole. As with all areas of the game, developing a consistent putting stroke affords you the greatest opportunity to accomplish this task. However, putting is not a science but a physical action. Therefore, try to maintain an athletic disposition when putting. There are only two things you should be concerned with when putting: distance and direction. Many things—such as the slope of the green, grain of the grass, time of day, and weather conditions—can influence a putt, but once these factors have been considered, you must simply decide how far you want the ball to travel and along what line. Of the two, distance is more important than direction. Since the cup is almost three times as wide as the ball, there is room for error in direction. Even with long putts, if you are consistent with your distance, your ball will end up somewhere near the hole. Conversely, your direction is irrelevant if you consistently hit putts either too hard or too soft. Amateurs tend to hit their putts too soft.

Goal: Aim it/stroke it/get it in the hole.

Scotty Cameron, golf-putter designer for Titleist

GRIP FACE ON

GRIP SIDE VIEW

SET UP FACE ON

CHARACTERISTICS OF PUTTING:

- light grip pressure, around 3 or so on scale of 1–10
- square stance (feet parallel left to 12 o’clock)
- ball position forward in stance off left eye
- 50/50 weight equally balanced on both feet
- eyes over or slightly inside the ball’s target line
- hands hanging directly under shoulders
- head very steady
- putter in front of body center
- allowing the putter to swing on its natural arc
- hands quiet throughout the stroke
- backswing and follow-through approximately same length
- hit and hold position

By Scott Sackett

Photos by Colleen Miniuk-Sperry

Whether one drives the ball really long like Bubba Watson (AVG 311.3), long like Tiger Woods (AVG 298), or relatively short like Corey Pavin (260.7), a reliable driving game seems to be a common denominator of all great champions. You cannot underestimate the importance of a well-executed drive. A successful drive off the first tee sets a positive tone for the entire round, no matter what level player you are. Jack Nicklaus has even called it the most important shot of the day. Good driving puts you in an offensive position, whereas weak driving puts you in a defensive position.

In no way do I believe there is a separate driving swing, but I would like to share some important setup adjustments that are unique to the driver swing and can greatly aid your performance off the tee.

Properly setting up to the ball is a simple task but can mean the difference between an enjoyable and a miserable round of golf. If you follow the procedure, your ball position will be in the same place every time.

A) Grip pressure very relaxed (1–10), around 3 or 4

The reason you want to grip the club lightly is that it ultimately gives you more clubhead speed. As you know, speed is distance. Sam Snead often said that grip pressure at address should be done the same way as holding the neck of a bird and not trying to strangle it.

B) Hands farther from the body

The hands will naturally be slightly farther away from the body with a driver than with an iron. The reason this is important is that as your hands get farther from the ball, the swing arc will naturally be flatter.

C) Ball position off instep or big toe of left foot

By placing the ball forward in your stance, it allows you to hit the ball on an ascending blow. Keep in mind that the farther the ball is back in your stance, the more the swing will be a V-shape; conversely, with the ball forward, the swing will naturally be more of a U-shape. For driving, U is good, V is bad.

D) Square stance (feet parallel left at 12 o’clock)

The best visualization for alignment is railroad tracks. The ball sits on the target line, which acts as the outside track, and your body runs parallel left of that on the inside track.

E) Front foot out up to 45 degrees

The more the left shoe is open, the easier it is to rotate through impact. If you are swinging rotationally through impact, the swing will naturally be flatter.

F) Back foot 90 degrees to ball target line

If the right shoe is perpendicular to the target line, it allows the body to be more coiled, which restricts the lower body.

G) Assume a wider stance—feet more than shoulder width apart

The best drivers place their feet wider apart than shoulder width. Past professionals who were considered premier drivers and who played from a wide base include Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson. Today, Tiger Woods, Davis Love, and Ernie Els depend on the same setup key. The wide base encourages a shallower swing and an elongated “flat spot” through the hitting area, which is ideal for accurate driving.

H) Weight on back foot 60/40

When there is more weight on the back foot, it allows the swing shape to be flatter. Conversely, when you’re hitting a wedge, you sit 60 percent of the weight on the front foot. This makes a wedge swing more upright.

I) Hands slightly behind the ball

With this position, the grip will point approximately toward your belt buckle. This allows two great things to happen: The club will leave on a slight outside take-away, which makes the arc larger in the backswing, and it will promote a more ascending blow throughout the impact area. This is a position that you will see all great drivers use.

J) Soften the arms and keep the wrists flexible

Relaxation is a vital part of any good swing. The more you can learn to relax at address, the more successful you will be, not only with driving but also with all shots. Remember: Tension kills the golf swing.

K) Shoulders square at address

Because the ball is naturally farther forward in your stance, the shoulders will have a tendency to open. This is detrimental because if the shoulders are open to the stance line, you will naturally take the club back on a steeper plane, which will also cause you to swing on a steep out/in path through impact.

Key visuals on what the best drivers in the world are doing today:

Figure 1 This picture shows the ball slightly back, off the inside of the left heel. This is where most of us still play the ball.

Figure 2 This picture shows the ball more forward, along with the handle leaning slightly back. A good guideline is to get the grip pointing at the zipper. The key reason for this position is that it allows you to strike the ball on the way up—an ascending blow. This is what the latest technology is telling us about gaining more distance. If you keep the ball more forward in your stance, it will allow you to hit up on the ball at impact. By doing this, you are putting less backspin on the ball, which ultimately gets the ball to stay in the air longer, which in turn equates to more distance. It is that simple!

These next three pictures show you how to get into the new setup.

Figure 3 Old position, or where you currently are playing your driver.

Figure 4 Set the head of the driver in front of the ball.

Figure 5 Then set the club behind the new ball position. It is going to feel much more forward, but give it a try. I think you will like it!

Final Thoughts on Driving

It is very important to understand that there is not any difference between your driver swing and your iron swing. The only differences are the things that take place at address. What you need to understand is that the changes that take place at address make the driver swing more flat. By making proper setup changes with a driver, you are able to hit the ball on an ascending blow instead of a descending blow. Hitting a driver is the only shot in golf in which you have the opportunity to place the ball on a tee with a perfect lie every time. With that thought in mind, make sure you have a great routine for ball position, distance from the ball, posture, and alignment. Mastering these basic elements is the difference between hitting or missing fairways.

By Scott Sackett
Photos by Colleen Miniuk-Sperry

In the last two issues of NVM, I have covered the importance of grip and posture. This issue, we are going to discuss the alignment in great detail. One thing that’s important to understand is that by mastering these three items, you now—and only now—have a chance to make a perfect swing.

Jack Nicklaus said it best: “The single most important maneuver in golf is the setup” (how you position yourself to the ball before you swing). “Set up correctly, and there’s a good chance you’ll hit a reasonable shot, even if you make a mediocre swing,” Nicklaus advised. “Set up poorly, and you’ll hit a lousy shot, even if you make the greatest swing in the world.”

You have probably heard some element of the phrase “Most golf shots are missed before the golf club even moves.” You can have the best swing in the world, but if your alignment has you aiming into the foliage right of the fairway, then you have little chance for success. Alignment is one of the most important fundamental elements of any golf swing, yet it is often one of the last things people consider when trying to identify ailments of their game. Proper alignment is crucial to a successful golf swing and, with the proper dedication, it is one area of the game that you can do just as well as any tour player.

Lining up to the right is the most common alignment error, and it happens because the average golfer thinks that the body should line up to the target (fig. 1). The other error is to line up to the left of the target (fig. 2). The best shots begin with a square setup, in which the body is parallel to the target line (fig. 3).

Think of imaginary lines drawn across your feet, knees, hips, shoulders, forearms, and eyes and set them parallel to the target line. One of the most frequently used images in the game is a set of railroad tracks. The body stands on the inside rail; the ball is on the outside rail. The ball should be on the rail pointing to the target; your body, because it’s to the side of the ball, must be aimed just slightly to the side of the target (fig. 4).

Result of Good Alignment

Good alignment promotes a consistent, on-plane swing. Poor alignment leads to compensations. Aim to the right, and you have to do one of the following to hit the ball online: swing over the top, or swing along the body line (in to out), rolling the hands over to shut the face through impact. The latter action—a better player’s move—produces hook spin to bring the ball back into play.

Aiming left of the target—a common slicer’s reaction—also leads to two mistakes: swinging out to in, holding the clubface open through impact to impart the slice spin necessary to keep the ball in play; or rerouting the club on an inside-out path. Neither of these is a very efficient way to play, because the more the club veers from its original path, the more clubhead speed (and power) is lost.

So, the next time you are on the range before a round and you hit your first ball left and then the next one right…STOP. Lay two clubs on the ground (fig3). Get your alignment perfect, and from there, you will have to make a good swing if the ball is going to end up at the target. It is that simple—really!

By Scott Sackett
Photos by Colleen Miniuk-Sperry

In the last issue of NVM, I talked about Step One of a great setup: The Grip. This article is going to cover Step Two of a great setup: Posture. The body angles that you create at address determine what you can and cannot do in the golf swing. When you maintain a consistent posture, the likelihood of creating a repetitive swing is magnified. If you want to improve your current ball striking, you must understand the importance of how the body moves through the golf swing.

Fig. 1: Address:

Fig. 2: Address: 

The most difficult thing about the golf swing is the up-and-down movement of the arms and the rotation of the body. These two movements control the overall path and the angle of attack. Their coordination produces solid contact and powerful shots. The first key to combining these movements effectively is posture, because how you stand directly affects the size and shape of the motions. Check the posture of tour players, and you’ll see that these angles are almost universal. They include a spine angle (forward bend from the hips) of approximately 30 to 40 degrees from vertical and a side tilt away from the target of two to ten degrees, with the left shoulder slightly higher than the right and the head behind the ball.

Take your grip; stand straight up with your feet together. Fig. 3

Spread your feet shoulder width apart, with knees locked. Fig. 4

Stick your rear end out with your knees still locked. This position allows you to bend from the hips rather than from the waist. Fig 5

Ground the club while keeping your knees locked.

After the club is grounded properly, bend your knees slightly. This places the spine at the proper angle. Fig. 6

Your head should be behind the ball. This raises your left shoulder slightly higher than your right and should give you a small amount of side tilt away from the target. (see Fig. 1)

Your weight should be balanced over the balls of your feet, partly favoring the heel. Never are you on your toes during a golf swing.

Side Tilt

At address, the spine must be tilted slightly away from the target. (See Fig. 1) This is the number-one fundamental that I see golfers overlook, because many amateurs think the head starts directly over the ball in a full swing. This is a vital element of great ball striking.

Preset the hips an inch or two toward the target and position the sternum slightly away from the target to create the proper side tilt. Once you tilt, it is important for your body to be balanced at address. With effective side tilt, we are now prepared to use our body to its greatest extent. It allows us to load on the right post in the backswing and return to impact with our head behind the ball. This is one universal fundamental of all tour players—Claude Harmon said it best: “It’s pretty hard to get behind something that you never got behind in the first place.” Achieving side tilt at address allows us to hit the ball with power and accuracy.

Remember: If you’re going to implement power into the action, your head must be behind the ball at the point of contact.

Your posture should remain constant, regardless of the club you’re hitting. If the club is shorter, the overall shaft plane will be steeper; conversely, if the club is longer, the overall shaft plane will be flatter.

Results of Good Posture

Good posture promotes a level backswing. If your stance is overly upright, for instance, you will grow taller in the backswing, thus restricting your shoulder turn and reducing power. Stand too hunched, and the swing becomes very steep. By staying level throughout the swing, you can swing the clubhead at maximum speed at a 90-degree angle to your forward spine tilt. Fig. 7

The proper side tilt also helps you turn behind the ball, which allows you to load up on your right post for a powerful coil. All good golf swings operate around two axis points: the right leg and the left leg. If your posture is poor, you’re more likely to rotate around only a single axis point, which makes it next to impossible to deliver the club with any balance and force behind it. As stated earlier, all good players set up with the head behind the ball—a result of the spine tilting away from the target—and keep it behind the ball through impact. It does not return in front of the ball or over the top of the ball. This is why side tilt is necessary. Make sure the entire spine tilts as a unit; don’t simply move your head behind the ball.

Now that you have a better understanding of posture, start observing Tiger Woods, and you will see why he is the best ball striker in the world today.

By Scott Sackett
Photos by Colleen Miniuk-Sperry

Start with this bit of teaching: If any of the setup basics are less than perfect, the only way to hit the ball where you want is by making compensations—a chain of events which usually results in poor contact. There’s just no way around it.

Jack Nicklaus said it best: “The single most important maneuver in golf is the setup (how you position yourself to the ball before you swing). Set up correctly and there’s a good chance you’ll hit a reasonable shot, even if you make a mediocre swing. Set up poorly, and you’ll hit a lousy shot even if you make the greatest swing in the world.”

GRIP

To become a good player, you must understand the function and importance of the grip. The grip is your body’s only physical connection to the golf club.

The grip controls the clubface, and the angle of the clubface at impact dictates a shot’s curvature. If your shots tend to slice, the clubface at impact is open in relationship to the path the clubhead is traveling on. In this instance, it’s likely that your grip is too weak—hands rotated too far to the left on the grip (toward the target). If you’re hitting hooks, the clubface is closed to the clubhead path at impact, probably because your grip is too strong. Since most golfers slice the ball, they stand to benefit by placing their hands in a stronger position. For a strong grip, set your hands more to the right on the grip (rotated away from the target) so the Vs formed by your thumbs and forefingers point toward the right shoulder. This promotes more clubhead and forearm rotation through impact, giving you the best chance to square the clubface at impact.

Weak Grip: Vs pointing to chin.

Neutral Grip: Vs pointing to right ear.

Strong Grip: Vs pointing to right shoulder.

“Good golf begins with a good grip.”   —Ben Hogan

Left Hand: Key Checkpoints

First step is to put the Xs on your glove.

Set the grip of the golf club in the fingers under the Xs, which creates an angle.

Grip should lie on hand; diagonally across top crease in forefinger; first knuckle of index finger.

Place the pad of your palm on top of the grip, then go ahead and wrap your fingers from underneath.

The thumb should be on top and slightly right of center, at approximately one o’clock.

If you’re attempting to create a neutral grip, you should see at least two knuckles.

Right Hand: Key Checkpoints

With your left hand, take the shaft of the club from horizontal to vertical. Then with the right hand…

Set the grip on the first knuckle of the index finger covering the line. Slide the fingers down until they touch the left hand.

At this point, you will either interlock or overlap with your right pinky and left index finger.

Set the left thumb in the lifeline of the right hand. Make sure both Vs are running parallel to each other.

The right thumb sits on top and slightly left of center on the grip (at 11 o’clock).

Grip Choices

Joining the hands is a matter of personal preference. Of the three grip choices, the overlap is the most popular on the PGA Tour. However, there are great players who also use the interlock style. You may have heard of two of them: Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Interlock

Overlap

Baseball

Grip Pressure

If one is light and ten is tight, three or four is just right.

You’ll often see a glove with a hole or worn spot in the heel pad. This indicates that you’re gripping the club too high, at the butt end of the grip. This makes it much easier to lose your grip and makes the club longer and heavier.

The correct grip also sets the body behind the ball at address, with the proper amount of side tilt. We will discuss this in our next tip when we talk about the importance of posture.

Results of a Good Grip

Scott Sackett is a GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher. Scott teaches at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale. He is also the director of instruction at the Rim Club in Payson. He splits his time equally. To reach Scott, call him at (904) 838-2721 or e-mail him at scottsackett@cox.net.

Visit his Web site at scottsackett.com.