Share This

Introduction to the “Hawk

Ben Hogan is widely acknowledged to have been the best ball striker ever. Hogan's ball striking has been described as being ‘miraculous’ by such golf gurus as Jack Nicklaus, who saw Hogan play some years after his prime. Nicklaus once responded to the question, "Is Tiger Woods the best ball striker you have ever seen?" with, "No, no - Ben Hogan, easily".

Further testimony to Hogan's status among top golfers is provided by Tiger Woods, who recently said that he wished to "own his golf swing" in the same way as Ben Hogan had. Woods claimed that Ben was the only player to ever have "owned his swing", in that he had total control of it and, as a result, of his ball flight.

Once Ben Hogan and Moe Norman (the best Canadian ball striker compared to Hogan) played a round together at Colonial National Golf Club in Fort Worth, Texas and upon hearing Hogan state to the gallery that the three most important clubs in the bag were the driver, wedge and putter Moe decided to tee off with a wedge. Hogan of course hit his driver. For the second shot Moe Norman hit a driver from the fairway to about ten feet away from the pin. Hogan hit a wedge to about the same distance. Both made birdie. Moe Norman was slightly more eccentric than Mr. Hogan.

Hitting a Wedge

Hitting a good solid wedge requires a slightly different swing than hitting a powerful drive. We want to create a sharp angle of attack on the down swing when hitting a wedge which will create crisp contact and a ‘dollar bill’ shaped divot. The average player tends to hit their wedges fat due to a scooping motion that is a result of an improper address position and a lack of leverage in their swing. In this segment I hope to help those of you who struggle with the wedge by helping you hit down or pinch the ball with this short iron.

Address Position Problem

The number one enemy of hitting solid iron shots is a player’s instinct to want to ‘get under’ the ball and help lift it in the air. This will lead to either ‘chunking’ the ball, hitting the ground first, or to ‘skulling’ the ball, hitting the ball first. The most common fault I see in players setting up to a pitching wedge is that they lean away from the ball, with their hands behind it and get too much weight on their back foot. This encourages a motion that is more akin to a scoop or a flick rather than a square, solid downward strike.

Address Position Solution

In order to execute a solid iron shot a player must strike down on the ball and the descending strike is encouraged by a proper set up position. To promote a downward blow to the ball with a short iron a player should set up in an athletic position with fairly level shoulders. The weight should be distributed towards the balls of the feet and slightly towards the front foot. In other words, with the pitching wedge we want 60% of our weight on our leading foot with 40% of our weight on our trailing foot. During the back swing there is not much weight transfer while on the downswing we will transfer our weight so that there is 95% of our weight on our front foot at the finish.

Takeaway

The players I see with incorrect address positions also have a common backswing fault. The ‘scoopers’ of the world have too wide a backswing with very little wrist cock. After assuming the correct address position we are now ready to create some leverage in our swing so we can strike down on the ball. As I take the club away I want to ‘cock’ my wrists. This creates a very powerful lever. As the club reaches a waist high position my leading forearm will be parallel to the ground and the angle formed between the club and my forearm will create a letter ‘L’. Maintaining this ‘L’ shape during the downswing is what allows me to ‘pinch’ or strike down on the ball. Create this position in your swing and you will hit the ball solid.

Finish Position

A player’s finish position is, largely, determined by the position of their body at the top of the backswing. When a player has addressed the ball poorly and swings the club back so that they are in a steep position with a poor weight transfer the finish position will, 99 times out of 100, reflect this. The most likely result is a finish position that is un-athletic and off balance. A player will usually finish with most of their weight on the trailing foot leaning away from the target- a sure sign of a weak slice or chunk. The position we want to achieve at the completion of the swing is one where we are facing the target with 95 % of our weight on our leading foot. We should be perfectly in balance and looking straight ahead. This is the picture of a good, well coordinated swing from start to finish.

Follow these tips and you will start hitting crisp wedges into the green with some backspin just like Ben Hogan did in most of his rounds.

Introduction to “The Hawk”

Ben Hogan is one of the greatest golfers ever to have played the game and was, arguably, the best of his generation. Part of the modern ‘Great Triumvirate’ along with Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, Hogan captured 64 PGA Tour victories including 9 major championships between 1940 and 1959. In 1953 Hogan won three majors and may have won a fourth to capture the modern day Grand Slam had he not had to take the long journey by steam boat to win the 1953 Open Championship at Carnoustie. Hogan’s skills are legendary and he is still regarded as one of the best ball strikers of all time. When asked what he considered the most important clubs in the bag, Hogan remarked that the three most essential golf clubs are the driver, pitching wedge and putter. In this three part series I will give tips on how to execute with all three of these clubs.

Driving the Golf Ball

The driver is one of my favorite clubs in the bag and is very fun to hit. But most amateurs have a difficult time with the driver as they have a tendency to set up incorrectly. This poor set up encourages a swing that is ill suited to hitting straight drives that get the maximum distance from a swing. I hope to help those of you have a hard time getting your driver in the air and give you a few keys that will help you find the fairway which is the first step in scoring well during a golf game.

Address Position Problem

Too often I see players setting up in order to compensate for a slice. They are usually leaning forward with their shoulders too level to the ground and open to the target with more weight placed toward the left foot. Players that slice also tend to close or ‘hood’ the club face at address so the back part of the sole of the driver is raised off the ground. This makes it very difficult to hit as it de-lofts the club face which will rob the player of trajectory and, hence, distance.

Address Position Solution

In order to hit a long straight tee shot players need to address the ball with their weight evenly distributed on their feet. For players that slice I like to see a slight spine tilt away from the ball so that the trailing shoulder is slightly lower than the leading shoulder. This will encourage a more inside to out swing path. It is important to let the club sit naturally on the ground with out trying to influence the angle and loft of the club. This will give you a higher trajectory and, as a result, more distance.

Takeaway

Most players with the address problem described above swing the club back too steeply or they pick the club up too much resulting in a very sharp angle of attack. When setting up to the ball correctly as described in the address position solution players can swing the club back on a wide, more shallow arc. This will help the shoulders turn more on plane and promote proper lower body action. With a wide, sweeping take away the player reaches the top of the swing with a full pivot. This is a much more powerful position.

Finish Position

A player’s finish position is, largely, determined by the position of their body at the top of the backswing. When a player has addressed the ball poorly and swings the club back so that they are in a steep position with a poor weight transfer the finish position will, 99 times out of 100, reflect this. The most likely result is a finish position that is un-athletic and off balance. A player will usually finish with most of their weight on the trailing foot leaning away from the target- a sure sign of a slice. The position we want to achieve at the completion of the swing is one where we are facing the target with 90 % of our weight on our leading foot. We should be perfectly in balance and looking straight ahead. This is the picture of a good, well coordinated swing from start to finish.
Follow these tips and you will start your round the correct way- from the middle of the fairway just like Ben Hogan did in most of his rounds.

One of the most thrilling things about watching the best players in the world practice is watching the different ball flights that they can produce at will. As conditions change so do the working habits of the professionals. All of the great players always work on their fundamentals, keeping a close eye on their alignment and posture but when it is windy, for instance, tour professionals craft shots with a lower ball flight and shape the ball on command. When it is windy it makes things particularly tricky. Having command of your trajectory is the key to shooting better scores and to striking the ball better. Here are some simple ways that you can change your ball flight:

Low Shot

Hitting the ball low is an asset when the wind is blowing. This will allow a ball to hold its line and also, in some instances, go further. The keys to hitting the ball low are to address it with a normal ball position but to place more weight on your leading side, leaning slightly towards the target. Move your hands so that the grip end of the club is slightly ahead of the golf ball. This will take a little bit of loft off of the golf club allowing you to drive the ball more into the wind. During you swing you should try to keep the weight, as much as possible, positioned on the leading foot. Turn your shoulders naturally and hit down on the ball. One of the keys to driving the ball into the wind and keeping it low is to keep the grip end of the club ahead of the ball at impact and to finish low.

High Shot

You may want to hit a high shot when going down wind or when trying to hit the ball over an obstacle such as a tree. To accomplish this task we should set up differently than when trying to hit the ball low. In addressing the ball we want to again assume a normal ball position. But we want to set up with our spine tilted slightly away from the target with a little more weight on our trailing side. This will allow us to get the grip end of the club just behind the ball at address which will add loft to the club allowing for a higher trajectory. The key this shot is to hit down on the ball but to finish high.

If you can incorporate some of these fundamental principles into your practice you will elevate your game on the course just like the pro’s! If you would like to learn more about shaping your shots and controlling your ball flight please contact me for a supervised coaching or practice session at 250-588-3355 or by email at [email protected].

Do you have everything you need for the golf season?  Are you wondering what swing thought to use for the first few rounds of the season?  Here are some tips that will help you get off to a fast start to the 2013 season.
As we come out of winter, attempting to chip the rust off the game can be an arduous and frustrating task. The first key when starting out the golf season is to set realistic goals and try to be patient. Understanding that it can take a few weeks to get your swing in rhythm and your short game tuned up will help you mentally focus on what is important- seeing gradual but positive improvement. I recommend starting to work hard on your short game early in the year. This will help establish your touch around the greens and keep your scores reasonably within your handicap range even when you may be struggling a little bit with your swing out of the gates. Work on your putting stroke and chipping and pitching. I would also encourage you to practice a lot in the bunker as that can help hone the muscles in your wrists and forearms.

After a couple of weeks of expending 75% of your practice time on your short game you are ready to start concentrating on your full swing. The most important thing to concentrate on are the fundamentals especially your posture and alignment. Remember it may have been a while since you touched a club and tried lo hit a golf ball at a target and things change over time. Our eyes have a tendency to fool us so make certain that you establish some visual aids for your self when you are hitting full shots on the range during your first practice sessions. If you don’t already have alignment rods get some. Sailing that, use a long iron to establish your target line (the line you want your ball to take) by placing it a couple feet in front of your ball directly at your target. This will help you square up and aim your club squarely. Take another long iron and place it beside and parallel to the first club as an alignment aid for your stance. You want your feet, hips and shoulders to be aligned parallel and left of your target (for a right handed golfer). These alignment aids will definitely help you.

Working on good athletic posture will also be helpful. I recommend getting in front of a mirror so that you can see exactly what it is you are doing. In practicing good posture one should start in a straight standing position and bend from the hips until your arms start to hang in a relaxed fashion. The hands will be about a fist width away from the belt buckle when assuming this position. When you bend forward you need to counter balance the weight of your head by letting your back side get over the middle of your feet. Try not to let your back arch too much here. Now unlock your knees. You should be in a fairly athletic and balanced position here. It should feel like the starting position in other sports you have played. Imagine guarding the hoop in basket ball, receiving a serve in tennis or volley ball or getting ready to bat standing over home plate (head in a proud position, weight centered, arms relaxed and very rooted to the ground).

Another thing a golfer should do is to have a CPGA Professional check their set of golf clubs to make up to ensure that the clubs they are using are ready to go. This would involve using a lie and loft machine to check the lie angle and loft of your irons to ensure there are no gaps and that the lie angles of your irons have not flattened over time. The grips of clubs should also be checked and changed if they are worn.

The beginning of the season is an exciting time so be sure you are working on the fundamentals and get your equipment checked. If you are looking to be fit or need any additional pointers remember to visit the Palmer Golf Institute at the GBC Academy at Olympic View.

The golf season is might not be right around the corner but in Victoria it is always close enough to start getting excited about pulling out the sticks and working on the game. It’s close enough to let your imagination wander to the emerald hue of fairways and greens and the smooth tempo of a swing that stripes the golf ball right down the middle of the fairway. The golf season is also something that, this year, makes me a bit nervous. Nervous? Well, perhaps, excited is a better way to describe it.

Recently, my father-in-law, Bruce, threw down a somewhat insulting guantlet, effectively questioning my physical capabilities in relation to the game I love. He confidently challenged me to a series of exercises that he had discovered in a Globe and Mail article featuring a study of exercise impact on the golf swing by Greg Wells, an exercise physiologist with the Royal Canadian Golf Association and director of physiology for the Canadian Sport Centre. In a way that can only be described as cocky Bruce proposed that if I couldn’t achieve what he had I should consider hiring a personal trainer. To me this was tantamount to saying that if I couldn’t measure up to his results I might as well question my own manhood. I had been called out by a 69 year old retired systems engineer for IBM and as a 42 year old golf professional with my own golf training institute this would be an embarrassing contest to lose.

Challenge #1- The Plank
‘The plank’ is a great exercise for developing core strength and protecting the lower back from injury. To perform ‘the plank’ support yourself with your forearms and toes keeping the body straight (see diagram below). Touring golf professionals typically with stand 153 seconds maintaining ‘the plank’ position.

Bruce’s Time: 75 seconds

In setting out to prove that I was in better golfing shape than my aged challenger I dove into ‘the plank’ with the enthusiasm of Tiger Woods at the Masters. Hitting the floor of my basement into ‘the plank’ position seemed quite comfortable at first, that is until my wife informed me that I was cheating. Unintentionally I had my backside raised slightly above my spine which makes this exercise easier, the core less engaged. Once I had assumed the correct position I immediately noticed the difference. My abdominal muscles screamed and my glut’s were not impressed with the clenched position they were in. In short it was painful but I persevered out of sheer unwillingness to submit. I gasped and fell to the floor after 120 seconds and celebrated the feeling of sweet victory that comes with outperforming a senior citizen. The plank is now part of my regular routine and I am eyeing the 153 second mark.

“Self-test: Assume the "plank" position, supporting yourself with your forearms and your toes, keeping the body straight. The golfers averaged 153.3 seconds for this test of anterior abdominal muscle endurance. Turn on one side and repeat as shown to test side abdominals.Exercise: To start, hold the plank position as long as you can. To progress, try slowly raising one arm until it is parallel to the ground; hold for five seconds, then switch sides. Then try raising one leg at a time. Finally, try raising one arm and the opposite foot at the same time.”

Challenge #2- Balance
Balance is one of the most important aspects of the golf swing as it allows a player to develop accuracy. Developing balance can also lead to more power as a player may swing more aggressively at the ball. To develop good balance stand with hands on hips on one foot. Place the dangling foot jus below the knee of the other foot. See how long you can keep the heel of the foot you are standing on off the ground without using your arms (see diagram below). Touring golf professionals typically last 33 seconds in this positon.

Bruce’s Time- 4 seconds

This exercise is surprisingly humbling. It sounds a lot easier than it is and will leave you thankful that you don’t walk a tight rope for a living. I have also made this a part of my regular work out routine and have still not come close to the touring pro average. My main objective, though, was to edge out the primary enemy- pops-in-law. I wobbled a bunch of times until steadying myself and lasted 6 seconds to again bask in the glow of my winning time.

After sending my results to Bruce and gloating the way a competitive son-in –law might, hoping not to make next Christmas dinner more awkward, I realized that he had also achieved his desired result. To get me to focus on my health and challenge myself was his real goal and so he too had won this challenge. Challenge yourself this winter and you too will be a winner. Your golf game will more than likely improve as well.

”Self-test: With hands on hips, stand on one foot, and place the other foot just below the knee of the leg you're standing on. Now see how long you can keep the heel of the support foot off the ground without moving your arms. The national team golfers averaged 31.6 seconds for the other leg.
Exercise: Take your pre-swing stance, then lift one foot off the ground while remaining otherwise still. Take a half swing. Repeat while standing on the other foot. Start very slowly, then gradually progress to faster movements and a greater range of motion until you're taking a full swing”
Quotations are taken from February 13th, 2009 article entitled “Three Months till Tee Time; Hit the Gym,” by Alex Hutchinson.

It has been said that you can’t rush a good thing and this holds true for the back swing. A slow smooth take away sets the tone for the swing and establishes tempo which is key to good ball striking.

In his prime Jack Nicklaus used to imagine that the beginning of his back swing was a snail, travelling at a very slow pace. He would be deliberately slow to the top of his swing building up momentum that could be released into the ball. Jack was one of the biggest hitters of his time and he credited his slow backswing and even tempo as being one of the key factors of his length.

The reason a slow, smooth tempo can promote an increase in a golfers distance is because good tempo promotes balance in the golf swing. Former PGA Tour player Calvin Peete said that the three most important things in a golf swing are “balance, balance and balance.” Calvin also led the statistical category of most accurate driver of the ball ten times in his career. Great ball strikers are always in balance during the swing and especially at impact where the club head is travelling the fastest. Tempo timing may be quicker in nature like Nick Price or slower in nature like Ernie Els but both have smooth swings that are in absolute balance. If you rush your swing you lose your balance and the end result will be inconsistent contact and poor ball flight.

Another thing that can influence tempo is grip pressure. The tighter a golfer’s grip pressure, the more tense the hands, arms and, inevitably, body will be. Tension leads to speed in that a golfer will tend to jerk the club away from the ball leading to a tempo that is uneven creating poor balance. If we could measure grip pressure on a scale of one to ten, a golfer’s grip pressure should measure in at a three or four. There needs to be slight downward pressure on top of the grip but we never want to squeeze with our fingers from the bottom of the club. This will go a long way to contributing to a smooth, slow swing tempo.

If you are looking to strike the ball more solidly try focusing on your tempo. A light, downward grip pressure and a smooth take away will help you keep in balance and produce momentum in the swing. These things are sure to go a long way in improving your contact and lowering your scores.

For a one on one assessment of your tempo please call me at the Palmer Golf Institute at Olympic View.

Jeff Palmer is the Director of Instruction at the GBC Golf Academy at Olympic View as well as the Owner of the Palmer Golf Institute.

www.palmergolf.ca 
 

“There are no pictures on the score card.” This is what my dad used to say to me after I had hit a couple of awful golf shots and then magically rolled in a long putt to save my par. I continually use the phrase, “no pictures,when describing the extraction of a good score from particularly hideous circumstances. Your swing, too, is bound to be ugly at certain stages during the season but if you work on the right things your score will look better than that rusty old pass you’ve been making at it.

If you remember Seve Ballesteros then you know that he could get it up and down for par from the Latoria Road gravel pit if he had too. He did this through no small amount of determination but also by practicing his short game incessantly. Seve’s win at the 1979 British Open even included a birdie made by playing his second shot from a parking lot. Seve is the model hero for ‘no pictures’ and I encourage my students to practice their short game and think creatively early in the season. This will help foster good feel around the greens as well as a focus on scoring that will turn your possible high scoring round into one that is acceptable.

I recommend working on the bump and run shot to lower scores. Many novice and intermediate players make the mistake of chipping and pitching with more lofted clubs such as the sand wedge and lob wedge which is a low percentage shot leading to, more often than not, a skulled or fat shot. The strategy for the short game should be to keep the ball low to the ground and then rolling towards the target as soon as possible, especially under pressure. Players should ask them themselves first if they can putt the ball (even if just off the green in the fairway). This is a great way to get the ball close from closely mown areas and reduce the risk of the ‘chili dipped’ wedge. If a player is in a situation where they cannot putt then a chip would be the next best option. Taking a mid iron such as a seven or eight iron and playing it back in the stance with the shaft leaning towards the target is the appropriate set up for a chip. A player can then make a putting stroke at the ball to get it on the green and immediately rolling towards the cup. Pitching the ball should be the last option around the green. This can be done by playing the ball in middle of the stance and taking a more lofted club such as a pitching wedge or sand wedge to fly the ball a little further. Players should avoid breaking their wrists during the shot as this will not help in maintaining the angle of the club face which is so crucial to good pitching.

Remember: the guy in the bar won’t know how you shot your round of the year because there are no pictures on the scorecard. Work on your short game to make your scores prettier than your game.