One common problem I often see when I coach the short game is something I call the “flippers”. As I often say, Flipper lives at Sea World, not on the golf course. The flippers is a dreaded disease that sucks the life out of any good short game.
What are the flippers?
I often see the flippers on both chips and pitches. The flippers happen when you “flip” your wrist through impact and let your top hand break down, all of a sudden FLIP. This causes the club head to pass the hands, the shaft gets too vertical, and you stand up through impact causing both fat and thin shots.
What causes the flippers?
I think the biggest reason people do this is a lack of acceleration through impact. You MUST accelerate the club to get spin and control your distance. This brings me to the other reason: FEAR. The fear of hitting the ball thin or fat automatically causes the flippers.
How do you overcome these mistakes?
Well, first you must keep your hands moving in front of the club head. Not, the other way around. Next, you must “rip” your chips and pitches. I mean hit them hard. Most people that I coach don’t hit the ball hard enough around the green to make the ball spin. Once you learn to hit them solid and hard, then you can control your distance through spin and height of shot.
I hope these tips help you overcome your fears around the green. NO MORE FLIPPERS!
Mike Fay
PGA Director of Instruction
With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the world of golf instruction. Everything from cutting edge social networking techniques to having his own podcast, Mike has helped to change the face of teaching golf. He currently is the Director of Instruction at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Michigan.
Winter golf can be challenging to say the least. The layers of clothes, lack of distance, cold and wet playing conditions make things difficult. Here is general rule of thumb to help you play better in the winter months.
Some funny things happen at 52 degrees. I give credit to my long time friend and PGA Professional Bryan Costello from New Jersey for this one. If the temperature drips below 52 degrees, it is more likely that the ball won’t travel as far. Since the ball won’t go as far, you must automatically add more distance to all your shots. Try it! I hope it works for you!
Mike Fay
PGA Director of Instruction
With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the world of golf instruction. Everything from cutting edge social networking techniques to having his own podcast, Mike has helped to change the face of teaching golf. He currently is the Director of Instruction at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Michigan.
One question that I am often asked is: what club should I use around the green for a particular shot. Which is usually followed by me asking them this: Do you think you should chip this shot or pitch this shot? The following are some tips on what you should do in certain situations:
The difference between a pitch and a chip is this: a chip is where the ball is on the ground longer than it’s in the air, a pitch is the opposite: the ball is in the air longer than on the ground.
Now, here’s the question: which do I do when? There are a number of factors that determine this:
Lie-The worse the lie the more you should pitch it. That usually means using a sand wedge or lob wedge.
Space-How much room do you have to land the ball? Pitch if there’s less room, chip if there’s more room.
Landing Area-Determining the flattest part of the green where the ball will roll straight when it lands. The closer to the pin that is, the more you should pitch, the less you should chip.
The backswing is the only difference between a chip and a pitch. The backswing in a chip has no wrist cock because you want the ball to run when it hits the green. The backswing in a pitch has wrist cock because you want to add loft to the shot.
I hope these tips help you decide what to do. Picking the right shot will get you closer to the hole and help you get up and down.
Mike Fay
PGA Director of Instruction
With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the world of golf instruction. Everything from cutting edge social networking techniques to having his own podcast, Mike has helped to change the face of teaching golf. He currently is the Director of Instruction at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Michigan.
One way to better your short game around the green is to hit the ball more solidly. Once you learn to hit the ball solidly, then you will be able to develop a feel for how far your shots will travel. Here are four ways to hit the ball more solidly. Whether chipping or pitching, these are easy, simple and effective ways to improve your contact around the green.
Your club shaft is FORWARD with the butt end of the grip starting and finishing in front of the ball.
Your head should be OVER of the ball position and should stay there through out the swing and doesn’t move up, down or sideways.
The back of the LEAD hand should face the target and the club face should face the SKY when the swing is finished.
Your club head should finish BELOW your hands.
Mike Fay
PGA Director of Instruction
With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the world of golf instruction. Everything from cutting edge social networking techniques to having his own podcast, Mike has helped to change the face of teaching golf. He currently is the Director of Instruction at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Michigan.
A very special guest was with us on Aug 21st edition of Ask The Pro on Twitter. Seamus McGee aka Tim Ryan the author of a brand new book called The Hershey Hurricane-Henry Picard-Hogan’s Mentor. Tim joined me for about an hour and a half discussing the book and how Picard has been lost among the discussion of golf greats. Below is a transcript of the live interview on Twitter. Enjoy!
That was alot of fun to dig into, the times he faced, because they were similar to today..Pic was down to $5.27 in his pocket. Banks closed and the world was ablaze. Mr. Picard was dug deep to survive. I think anyone can learn from the man.
Mr. Rice dubbed him the Hershey Hurricane for his stellar play and fact that he seemed to swirl in and pick up wins everywhere. One of the finest writers of all time, Grantland Rice, who was nicknaming athletes long before Chris Berman was born ..Henry became Head Pro at Hershey Country Club in Pennsylvania, which is what ultimately set him out on the raod to Pro golf…
Pic was influenced by several people: Donald Vinton, Head Pro at Plymouth CC in MA took him under his wing and to Charleston CC. Frank Ford, Sr. actually told Henry that “When you beat me on this course you’ll be ready to play on the Professional circuit. When Picard got out and played as a Pro, Walter Hagen took him under his wing alot. They were friends for life… There were alot of other influences Pic had. A gem and a beauty named Johnny Revolta was one of his best friends…..But…. ALEX MORRISON was the biggest influence on Mr. Picard. Sadly, too few teaching today even know who Mr. Morrison was..
Neat thing happened to me the other day. I spoke with a student and friend of Henry’s who read the book and said I “nailed it.” He talked about what Pic told him about his time with Ben Hogan, and what he really taught him. Ultimately, Picard taught Hogan to weaken his grip, and showed him a little spot at the top of where to “kink” his wrist.
The neatest sequence I found was the one that took place at Pinehurst, where Ben was waiting for Henry in parking lot. It’s a beauty in the book, and happened just as I reported it. Hogan waiting for Pic for a lesson. They get to 1st tee and… Pic throws his wallet down. Says “Bet you all of it in there you can’t outdrive me.” Hogan loses it right, again. Picard gives him another ball and tells him to turn up the power “WHIP IT!” Hogan does as told and pounds it down the pipe. Turning up the power squared the clubface and then Ben Hogan started to become a champion and we all forgot about Pic. Similar swing thought that Bobby Jones had, but I do believe it was more to cure nerves when he was losing ball to right.
Picard was actually the first one to deliver a Professional playoff loss to Walter Hagen- coincidentally, in Greensboro. After the loss, Hagen gave the reporters some great quotes, specifically that “Pic is the pick of the pack.”
Ahha! love that one! In a tournament. Sarazen stood 4 inches from Picard’s ball as he was getting ready to to hit his shot. Pic didn’t say anything and hit his shot on the green. Turned to Eugenio, and had some unfavorable words for him. Hagen then sat down the young champion and talked to him for an hour +. Much of conversation is in the book!
